Hermione was the first to wake the next morning, the sunlight streaming through the window momentarily disorientating her. She stretched yawning, and as she did so the thin sheets fell away and she realised that she was completely naked. Naked and in bed with Sirius, who - from the looks of things - wasn't wearing much himself.

All at once memories of the night before came flooding back to her, and a cascade of emotions overtook her. Embarrassment, guilt, fear...desire. Hermione was shocked at her reaction to Sirius' touch the night before– she had never felt such wanton need. And yet, in the cold hard light of the morning, uncertainty overtook her. Had he felt the same way? Or was it merely a pity fuck to legalise what was essentially a pity marriage?

Cringing slightly in mortification, Hermione became aware of the sensation of stickiness between her legs, and looking down she realised that there were small smears of blood on her thighs. Evidence of her now defunct virgin status. Quietly, so as not to wake her slumbering husband, she slipped from the bed and tiptoed quietly to the bathroom to wash away her growing shame.

The sound of the noisy old pipes of Shell Cottage feeding into the shower were what woke Sirius. His body hummed pleasantly from the previous nights activities and he reached out an arm across the bed to draw Hermione to him, only opening his eyes when he found that he was grasping at air. 'Oh', he muttered, surprised at the slight hurt he felt. His dreams had involved very detailed images of how he would continue with Hermione's initiation into lovemaking, and to find her absent from his bed threw a very large spanner into the works. Irritated, he rose from the bed and conjured a pair of low slung tracksuit bottoms which he threw on before padding down the hallway to knock on the bathroom door.

'Hermione?' he called, testing the handle of the door to find it was locked, and a startled squeak was the reply.

'I'm just having a shower Sirius, I'll be out in a minute', Hermione's voice sounded panicked and the Marauder felt his plans – among other things – deflate.

'I'll just be in the kitchen,' he called, all thoughts of a soapy reunion completely washed down the drain.

He made his way to the tiny kitchen of Shell Cottage, whose windows looked down to the beach, where grey waves lapped against the shore under a drizzly April sky. Irritable he took out his wand and set about making a pot of tea for Hermione and a strong black coffee for himself. He felt embarrassed now at his previous ideas that this honeymoon would involve a lot more sex. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became with himself for being so stupid and it was a grumpy, chain smoking Sirius that greeted Hermione a few minutes late as she strolled into the kitchen dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a tshirt.

'There's tea in the pot', Sirius muttered, nodding towards the stove where a steel kettle hummed cheerfully.

'Oh,' Hermione shot him a nervous look, 'Thanks...'

She scrambled awkwardly around the kitchen, looking for cups and milk, aware that her new husband was glowering at her.

'Did you sleep well?' she ventured, as she sat down across from him and Sirius shrugged. 'Yeah, well enough,' he replied gruffly, before adding as a seemingly disinterested afterthought 'You?'.

'Yeah fine...' Hermione lowered her gaze to the cup she cradled in her hand. This was worse than she expected – Sirius seemed to outright dislike her this morning. She had expected awkwardness maybe – but for him to seem to resent her so much already was humiliating.

Worse still, her stomach grumbled and Shell Cottage being a wizards home meant there was no way to cook anything without a wand. Puce with humiliation shehe cleared her throat awkwardly, 'Sirius?'

Sirius looked up.

'Could I have my wand back?'

He could feel his face fall in dismay as she spoke the words, how could he have been so callous?

'Of course,' Sirius flicked his own wand, 'Accio Hermione's wand,' and the wand came flying down the stairs into his outstretched hand. 'Here,' he proffered it to her, gruff in his embarrassment. 'I totally forgot Hermione...sorry'. She gave him a sad smile.

'Don't be sorry Sirius,' she said as she took the wand from him, her hand at once feeling whole. 'You've already done so much for me. About last night...'

He looked up.

'Thank you.'

'For what?' Sirius gave a woolfish if slightly bashful smile.

'For making it so easy. I was so nervous -'

'Stop right there Hermione,' he cut her off with a wave of his hand. 'I'll not have you saying thank you for last night. A million men would fight a million dragons to get to do what I did...what we did...' He trailed off awkwardly, Merlins beard this was awkward.

'I just mean, it wasn't that much of a chore...if you know what I mean?'

Hermione snorted into her teacup, 'Um, thanks. I do know what you mean - it was nice. Much less excruciatingly embarrassing than I thought it would be.'

She gave him a cheeky smile and Sirius gave her a dry, withering glare.

'I'll thank you not to spread that review of my bedroom skills around Ms. Granger – "not embarrassing" – Christ I have a reputation to uphold.'

'I'm sorry,' she laughed at his mock outrage, 'If anyone asks I'll tell them I was in so much ecstasy I saw stars.' She smiled but was startled to see that his expression as he gazed over at her was now slightly serious.

'Did you?' he asked in a low, loaded tone – and Hermione was now aware that her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, as her now husband leaned forward the muscles of his arms and shoulders clearly outlined, his gaze almost predatory.

Her mouth dry, she made a slight noise that could have been a yes or a no – but Sirius was not to find out – as a furious tapping at the window jolted them from their exchange.

'Oh it's an owl,' with a feeling that was either relief or regret – she couldn't decide, Hermione leapt from her chair to the window to let Hedwig in.

'Oh,' she gave a startled cry and Sirius reached over to pluck the letter from her hand.

Attack on The Burrow, all ok. Please return to Headquarters as soon as possible.

'Shit,' Sirius gave her a rueful look, 'Guess we'd better cut the honeymoon short.'