...
The fortune teller looked into my eyeballs
the wrinkles on her face about to crack
She said ' you best believe it;
you ain't goin' nowhere, unless you get that
Monkey off your back'
Monkey on my Back-Aerosmith
...
Hermione was desperate. She didn't think she was desperate until that very morning, when she woke up and realised just what she had to do. It was something she would normally never, ever do. But she needed to. Because she loved Sirius and she owed it to him. He was her husband, after all. She owed it to him to be completely his.
She was desperate because the only solution to her problem that she could see was visiting one of her worst enemies.
Professor Trelawney.
The eyes of many respectful Hogwarts students followed her as she walked the halls of her school once again. It was nice to see it all fixed up again, but it was different. It was sort of sad to think that she was in one of the final classes who had seen Hogwarts in all of its glory, all dusty and dying. It was more magical that way, somehow.
Hermione smiled and nodded to the students on their way to the Great Hall for dinner. One girl asked for an autograph, which surprised Hermione a bit, especially when she pulled out Witches Weekly and opened to her article on the Bravest and Most Beautiful of the Century page. She wasn't even aware she'd been awarded such a title! She smiled and sent the girl on her way, then, using her memory to guide her through the hallways, which were basically the same as they always were, except with a tad less dust and a few new portraits to fill in for the old ones. Many of the old portrait people had climbed into the frames of the new ones and stayed there. She was greeted by many along the way.
She finally reached the winding staircase. With a deep breath, she gripped the railing and ascended the narrow staircase.
She could hear the ghastly woman's voice before she'd reached the top of the stairs. It sounded as though she were giving some poor soul extra lessons, or perhaps a detention. It must have been detention-who would want to spend extra time with someone like Trelawney?
Hermione knocked on the doorframe before she was told she could enter through all of the beads and feathers hanging where a door should have been.
"Miss Granger!" Trelawney exclaimed, turning away from her student.
Hermione held out her ring. "It's actually Mrs. Black now, but good evening. Do you have a few moments?"
Hermione's eyes turned to a terrified looking student. Hermione smiled at him. He was probably a sixth year who'd been screwing around and hadn't expected a detention from the lenient lady.
"Why, yes, I suppose...Hector, you may leave."
The boy jumped up and nodded at Hermione in a quick thank you before dashing out through the beads and scarves. Hermione waited until his footsteps disappeared before she took another breath and prepared to ask for her professor's help.
Before she could finish her first word, though, Trelawney interrupted.
"You seem troubled."
Oh, really?
Hermione nodded. "Yes. It's sort of a long story..."
"It's a love story," Trelawney said, nodding. "There are two, aren't there?"
Hermione nodded and took the seat Trelawney offered her. "There shouldn't be. I mean, I only married Sirius-"
"Black!" Trelawney exclaimed. "My star pupil! How is he?"
Hermione's face scrunched up.
"Sorry," her professor said. "Continue."
"I only married him for an Order mission, but now we're really married. We're in love and we're happy. But I feel weighted down, and I just didn't know who else to turn to."
Trelawney though for a moment. Then, she spoke. "I'm very glad that you chose to come to me, but I'm afraid that I cannot help you."
Hermione knew it was a bad idea. Her face hardened as she stood abruptly.
The old witch grabbed her wrist quickly, though.
"You misunderstood! I will help you, but before I can, you must help yourself!"
Hermione sighed and sat back down.
"You have heard of the phrase 'Monkey on your back,' am I correct?"
Hermione nodded.
"This is your predicament. You have something riding on you, holding you back. I can see it." she pointed a long, shaky finger just over Hermione's right shoulder. "It's holding you back. And until you let it go, set it free, you will not be able to move forward in your relationship with your dear husband. It is up to you to identify the 'monkey,' and not long after, you will become aware of the way to relieve yourself of this burden." She closed her eyes and nodded. "I can see that this will be so."
Hermione rolled her eyes before Trelawney opened her own, and she stood. "Er, thanks. I'll...I'll think about that. Er...goodbye."
Before she had to listen to another crazy word, Hermione left, feeling begrudging that she knew the old hag was right.

Aha! I knew I could fit in one more chapter!
I'm gonna go to bed now. Please review if you get a chance! ^^