Hermione's first dose of the walk of shame was neither unpleasant nor something to write home about. Especially when she was trying to tiptoe out of the manor and Lucius Bloody Malfoy caught her at the door the next morning. She felt her eyes grow to the size of quaffles and her heart hammered. The witch's dress was skewed, her hair a mess and worse... she wasn't wearing her shoes.
"Have a good day, Miss Granger," he dismissed her with a venomous voice and strode away.
The witch bolted out of there and popped over to the outside of Ginny and Harry's as fast as she could. She wished she would have woken up earlier, but Draco kept her up all night. It was late morning and she was sure Ginny was going to be awake. Walking in the door her nose was assaulted by smells of breakfast, making her salivate.
"Good morning," Ginny greeted her from her armchair and Hermione frowned.
"Bloody hell, Mione! What happened to your neck?" Harry shouted from the table and Hermione gasped.
She looked back at the mirror near the door and groaned, "I am going to hex him!" She hissed.
Her neck was red from the collar and he had given her love bites all above her collarbone. She was sure there were tons of other spots the blond wizard had left as trophy markings without her knowledge. "Oh, he is so dead, I am going to kill him, bring him back and kill him again... Lucius saw me like this!" Hermione cried and ran a hand through her hair.
"They could be worse, they will at least be able to be healed easily, love. I have done so much worse in my more experimental days," Sirius's voice entered her train of thought and she paled.
He popped up in the mirror behind her and started to flick his wand at her marks. "Experimental days, Sirius?" Her voice couldn't hide her intrigue.
The animagus smirked at her and gave her a nod, "oh, yes, those were so much more fun then. My cousin was either being soft with you or has very little knowledge of... things in that department." He finished healing the love nips and collar burn before walking away.
"So, I am really not enjoying this conversation," Harry admitted and Hermione giggled and went to go get tea... to find Remus in the kitchen.
"Good morning," he declared and handed her a teacup; dressed the way she enjoyed it.
She blushed brightly and smiled, "good morning, Moony. Thank you," she tried to hide her embarrassment but he could smell it come off of her in waves.
"Breakfast is almost done if you are hungry," he spoke simply with a smile.
Hermione bobbed her head and bit her bottom lip before replying, "yes, I am starving, thank you."
Leaving the kitchen to make the scene less awkward she bustled with her teacup into her new bedroom to change. The animagus ran fingers through his facial hair and smirked at Harry. "I bet that was her first time too," he knew he was making the young man uncomfortable and thought it was entertaining.
"Bloody hell, Sirius. Stop, I don't want to know," Harry was blushing brightly as he grumbled.
The animagus was furious, but also interested to find if Hermione was going to repeat such an act of debauchery. If those were his love bites, he would have been far more intrigued in her comfort level with the act. However, they were the blond brat's and that just wasn't going to suffice.
"Sirius, do you think she is alright?" Ginny seemed concerned and Sirius threw a hand of dismissal.
"She is fine. Walking the wild side is one of my traits and I assure you she wasn't harmed." His voice couldn't hide the resentment of her shagging the Malfoy.
Hermione reappeared in a large t-shirt and a pair of sweats. The animagus wouldn't have thought much about it unless he didn't recognize it. Was it purposely being worn?
"Did someone raid my drawers before I could?" He inquired and Hermione tilted her head.
Glancing down she blushed deeply and bite her lip before speaking, "well, I was looking for something comfortable one night."
Truth be told, she claimed them back when she moved in. Something to do with missing his scent even though she had never paid much attention to it before her dream. Now they were her comfort clothes.
Hermione sat down next to Harry and he rubbed her back, "I am glad you are here."
"Did you say Lucius caught you sneaking out?" Ginny inquired and Hermione groaned.
The bushy haired witch gave her a nod before sighing, "he did indeed. Not only did I look like I was guilty, I am quite positive he was appraising my appearance like I was a harlot. I couldn't even recover and say anything... he was not happy to see me."
Sirius snorted and shook his head, "you don't have to worry about Lucius. He is such a prude he will never ask his son why you looked as if you were sucked on by leeches."
Hermione placed her head on the table and exhaled heavily, "not helping, Sirius." James started fussing in the bedroom and Hermione stood up, "I will go get him. I need a bit of grounding."
She went and retrieved the boy, Ginny was watching Sirius as he sipped his tea and gazed at the empty hallway. The Potter felt guilty, she did not know that through all of Hermione's insane certainty that they really would have feelings for her. She wanted the older witch to stay with Draco just because they worked so well together, but now, she was second-guessing herself.
Hermione came back out with the boy as Remus was being food to the table. The werewolf examined her with the child and watched as the boy was rubbing her cheeks with happiness. "Aunt Mione, I love you," James said sleepily and Hermione giggled.
She rubbed her nose against his cheek and murmured, "I love you too, my little Jamesie."
Her eyes found Remus's and they shared a moment. Something defined and unusual for Hermione. She could see that he knew her thoughts and for a split second they held the same wave of consciousness. Hermione dropped her gaze as her cheeks tinted and placed James in his seat. "Uncle Remus made you breakfast," she told the child and kissed his hair.
Sirius pulled her in the chair next to him and smirked at her, "you are pretty good at that, love. Thinking of having a few of your own soon?" His voice was playful and made her swallow hard.
Harry placed his paper down and glanced over at her, "he is right. You would be a great mother."
Hermione's brow furrow and pointed between the animagus and her friend, "this is not going to happen. I will not have you both teaming up against me." The only thing that defied her potent stare was the small curved smile.
Remus finally sat down and Ginny made her way over to sit next to her son, "I am in agreement. We need to send our children together to Hogwarts. Which is why I am letting you know now, Harry and I have decided to have another one."
Hermione clapped and joyously squeaked, "another niece or nephew to spoil!"
Remus chuckled and exhaled with a smile, "I am so glad I get to see my son go to school. That was the best time in my youth, I could only hope he enjoys it as well."
Hermione placed a hand to her mouth in surprise. She had forgotten about that. That he was going to be able to see Teddy off to Hogwarts. Be able to hear how school was on holidays. Write to him daily to tell him how proud he is... it was a thought that made her eyes tear. Remus took a bite of his food and smiled at her, knowing in his eyes. "I know," he said simply and she covered her face.
Ginny watched her friend and stifled a giggle, "I love it when Mione gets emotional about the children. That's why she is all their favorite; she loves them deeply."
Sirius shook his head, "no, I refuse to not be James's favorite. He is my namesake and I am going to teach him to be a sly marauder." The animagus grinned over at the witch next to him who glared.
"You will not do such a thing, Sirius Black. James is a good boy," Hermione's voice was stiff.
He leaned toward her and his lips close to her ear, "I might just do it to spite you, love," his voice but a breath.
She ran a hand over his muscular thigh and dug a nail into the underside of his knee, making him jerk and gasp, "eat your breakfast and stop pestering me," she hissed and his face turned pink.
Remus rubbed his face and chuckled, "she knows how to forestall your attitude."
"She isn't supposed to know about that," Sirius grumbled and turned to her, "you are not supposed to know these things. Stop it."
Harry scrunched his face and spoke with curiosity, "what does she know she isn't supposed to?"
Sirius ran a hand over his chest and shook his head, "she knows things that only Moony knows. Neither of us has told her either."
Ginny and Harry glanced at each other, "like what?" Ginny inquired.
Hermione grinned and tossed her view at Remus, "Moony has a fantasy about shagging in the forbidden forest. Roughly. He also has a spot on the underside of his chin if kissed, makes him a bit grumbly."
The werewolf turned scarlet and glared at her, "Hermione Granger, I don't appreciate my secrets being expressed."
Harry gaped and Ginny giggled, "oh, what about Sirius?" Ginny asked and Harry glared at her.
"Don't, Gin," Harry started but Sirius waved him off.
"Go ahead, love. I am more than willing to see what else you know." Sirius announced and Hermione smirked.
"Sirius Orion Black, the minute you know that Moony was a werewolf back in school... You without a doubt convinced James that he needed you all, no matter what he was. James agreed with uncertainty at first and Peter meekly followed, but it was you who promoted the other marauder's never-ending love for the werewolf."
Remus covered his mouth and Sirius's eyes glitter, "he wasn't supposed to know that, Hermione." The animagus mumbled and rubbed the back of his neck.
Remus reached out and patted the animagus's shoulder, "I love you too, Pads."
"So, these are things you have never told her?" Harry questioned with a frown.
Sirius rubbed his chin and shook his head, "I had never told anyone that."
Hermione finished chewing and pointed a fork at him, "well, you did tell me. Remus was up the stairs showering on one of the nights before I moved in and we were talking about my school years. I told you about how Harry and Ron saved me from the troll and how much they accepted me after. You told me about that and I adore you all the more for it."
"That was not in your book," Remus told her and Hermione turned scarlet.
She shook her head slowly, "I kept my favorite parts to myself. Somethings you just don't write it out, you live it."
"So, this dream... this has real facts about them? Their secrets? Their... well, their fantasies?" Harry sputtered on his words as he blushed.
Hermione gave him a nod much like she did about school work, "of course. Well, I was unsure about that until yesterday." She finished her plate and sighed, "Thank you, Remus. I was beyond ravenous."
Standing up she cleared her plate and kissed James's head before walking into the kitchen. "So, she isn't insane after all..." Ginny whispered and rubbed her forehead.
Hermione walked out of the kitchen yawning, "I am completely knackered. Just a bit of a nap and then we can go to Diagon Alley, Gin." She muttered and Ginny nodded.
"Alright, Mione. Enjoy some rest."
"Considering I am sure you didn't get much last night," Sirius snickered, his voice was a bit flinty.
Hermione glared and pivoted toward the hallway, "Sweet dreams," Remus teased and she glanced back at him smirking.
"Most certainly," she spat and went into her room.
The werewolf's smile evolved, his vision snapped toward Sirius, "she is awfully cute when she's annoyed," he told the animagus who chuckled.
"Yes, that she is."