A/N: I had a week off just there and I start back at school on Monday. Updates probably won't be as frequent, sorry! Anyway, review please!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Nor do I own Sirius Black as much as I want too...
Chapter 3
After a round of bacon sandwiches, Hermione found herself sitting under a tree with the Marauders. James was messing around with that blasted Snitch he'd stolen the year before and Peter was looking at him like he was God's bloody gift! Remus was sitting, absorbed in his own thoughts while Sirius was sulking. She decided that it was probably best to talk to James about him.
"Hey, what's wrong with Sirius? It was just a laugh."
"No girl has ever called him out on his hair before. He treats it like it's his child."
"So basically, he acts like a teenage girl when it comes to his appearance?"
"Pretty much."
"Well, that's kind of pathetic, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but that's Sirius."
"I'll go talk to him."
"I doubt he'll want to see you."
"So?"
"I'm serious."
"I thought he was," she said, pointing in Sirius' direction.
James laughed and shook his head at her antics. She walked with a spring in her step, over to the sulking Animagus.
"Hey you."
He didn't reply.
"You know, I was only kidding earlier. I didn't think that you actually had a charm on your hair," she laughed weakly.
He just turned his back to her.
"Still embarrassed?"
He still didn't talk.
"I need to go to Diagon Alley. If you talk to me, I'll buy you an ice-cream."
"Bribery doesn't suit you, Potter," he muttered.
"Rarely suits anyone, but it is an effective way of getting what you want."
"All too true," he turned around to face her.
"So we're okay?"
"Of course! I was just in shock that you managed to figure out my secret."
"So I don't need to buy you an ice-cream then?"
"No, you still do! You said that you would," he pouted.
"Those puppy-dog eyes don't work on me Black," she said dryly.
"Fine, I'll come," he grumbled.
"Good boy," she said ruffling his hair. "I see you removed the charm," she smirked.
~oOo~
An hour later, Hermione was stepping into the Potter's fireplace. Just before she left to follow the Marauders, Victoria came up to her.
"Here," she said, handing her a little brown bag. She opened it and saw a huge amount of Galleons, flickering in the light of the emerald green flames.
"I can't take this! This is too much!"
"No, it's not. Charlus and I are your legal parents now. This money is as much yours as it is ours. Take it and have fun today."
"Okay," she stuttered. "Thank you."
"It's fine. Now go, the boys will be getting worried."
She stepped back into the flames and shouted loudly.
"Diagon Alley!"
She stepped out of the fireplace at Flourish and Blotts and saw Sirius staring at her. James was pacing. Remus and Peter had to go home.
"Took you a while."
"Yeah, sorry about that. Victoria was giving me some money."
"Alright. Why did you need so much?" Sirius said staring at the bag that had to be filled with Galleons.
"I'm here for a reason, I need to go shopping. I have no clothes except the ones on my back."
"Are you serious?"
"No, you are," she muttered before he continued.
"We're here to go clothes shopping?!"
"You guys can leave, I just need someone to show me around first," annoyance hinting in her voice.
"Oh, okay then. I don't mind going shopping, well of course I do, but if you need to go shopping then I'll come. We could go get that ice-cream afterwards or we could just go ho-"
She cut him off, "You're rambling Sirius."
He blushed.
"Do my eyes deceive me?" James piped up. "Is that Sirius Black? Blushing?"
"No! Of course not!" he cried. "I never blush!"
James leaned down to whisper in Hermione's ear.
"You know, I don't know what you're doing but keep it up. It's highly amusing."
Hermione chuckled and Sirius gave them both death glares.
Once they had left Flourish and Blotts, Hermione realised how Diagon Alley hadn't changed. Yes, the styles in the windows had but the shops were all the same. The Apothecary, Quality Quidditch Supplies, all of it. When Hermione saw some of the styles in the windows, she decided that muggle London was probably better for clothes shopping.
"Can we go to muggle London instead? The clothes here are beyond weird!"
James and Sirius shared a look and agreed. They made their way to the Leaky Cauldron before exiting into muggle London. After walking for about five minutes, James spotted someone. Her dark red hair stood out a mile in the busy crowd of London.
"Evans! Hey Evans!"
"What Potter?" she turned sharply, her fiery red hair whipping James' nose.
"Watch this," Sirius whispered in Hermione's ear before draping his arm around her shoulders.
"Just wanted to say hi, Evans. Is that a crime?" James replied.
Hermione noted how green Lily's eyes were.
Harry really does have his mother's eyes.
"When it's you then it is. What are you even doing here, this is muggle London."
"Yes dear Evans, I'm fully aware of that."
Hermione had been too amused watching Lily and James' banter that she didn't notice the girl standing beside Lily. Her skin was pale and she was average height. She had dirty-blonde hair that hung in waves down her back and starling blue eyes that were hidden behind glasses. She was pretty. Hermione could still see her practically burning a hole in her body with her eyes though.
"Who's this, Black? Another one of your whores?"
In an instant, Sirius had dropped his arm from Hermione's shoulders and was stepping towards the girl. But Hermione got there first.
"You think I look like a whore?" she said, malice clear in her voice.
"Well no, but the only girls that Black tends to be seen with are," she replied coolly.
"Well then you might want to ask before making assumptions about me."
"What? So you're not shagging Black then?" she asked sceptically.
"No, I don't think that Sirius here would be capable of shagging anyone if he tried something on me."
"Damn right!" James shouted.
"And why would you care, Potter?" Lily said spitefully.
"Because Hermione here, just so happens to be my little sister."
Lily's jaw dropped and the blonde girl's eyes widened.
"So say another word against her, Caley," he spat out her surname. "And you'll have me to answer to. I would never stoop so low as to hit a girl but never say anything against her again."
He was so close to her face that their noses were practically touching.
"Close your mouth, Evans. You'll swallow a bug," Sirius said nastily.
Hermione watched as the fury set in Lily's bright green eyes and decided to step in before something worse happened.
"Guys, stop. It was just an assumption. You do have quite the record as a player from what I'm told Sirius and although there was no reason for her to say stuff like that, you two don't have to defend me! I can fight my own battles you know." She turned to face the girls. "I'm sorry for the way that I acted, um..." she realised that she didn't know the girl's name.
"Eleanor," she replied.
"Eleanor. I also apologise for this git that I call my brother."
"It's alright, Hermione was it?" Hermione nodded. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have made such a snap judgement."
"It's fine," she said with a smile. "I'm sorry as well Lily."
"Me too," the redhead replied. "Are you attending Hogwarts this year?"
"Yeah, will I see you two there?"
The two girls nodded with a smile on their faces.
"Anyway, I should probably take these two away before they die of shock," she smirked.
She grabbed James and Sirius by the hand and shouted goodbye to the two girls.
~oOo~
After looking around the shops for an hour, Hermione decided that there was nothing she liked. She looked ridiculous in everything she tried on and was about to give up. But she did need clothes. She refused to go out in 1970s' style clothing, she just looked weird in them so she bought the cheapest t-shirts, jeans, shorts, skirts, dresses, jackets and hoodies there were. James and Sirius looked at her like she was crazy.
"I have an idea, don't worry, I'm not nuts. Now you two need to go home or go somewhere else."
"Why?" Sirius asked.
"Because I am not going underwear shopping with my brother and my brother's best friend."
"Point taken, although I wouldn't mind seeing your underwear," Sirius raised his eyebrows suggestively and earned himself a sharp kick in the back of his leg from James.
"Ouch! Prongs! I was only kidding!" he said hopping on the spot.
"I'll meet you guys in Florean's, okay?"
"Buying me that ice-cream then?" Sirius smirked even though he was still hopping.
"No, cheapskate, you can buy your own. I'll see you two in half an hour."
She kissed both boys on the cheek before leaving to do the last of her shopping.