Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. Everything belongs to JK Rowling, and I'm merely allowed to play around with them. No copyright infringement is intended.
I think I'm not going to write cliffhangers anymore bacause you review less when I do them... Out of grudge, maybe? Anyway, so the awaited next chapter: Here we go! :)
Chapter 15
-o-O-o-
"Obturatio Maxima!"
A light blue shield materialised in front of Hermione, deflecting the bright yellow curse that sped from Sirius' wand. It deflected and hit its caster while she stared, horrified.
Sirius gave a hard spasm, starting from his feet and going to his head. His eyes rolled back and he fell to the floor, unconscious.
Hermione turned and looked at her saviour, intending to thank him, but gasping instead.
Severus Snape stood there, wand raised, glaring angrily at the body which, a few minutes earlier, had been her boyfriend. He turned to look at her. "Are you okay?" he asked, still glaring.
"I, err… Yes, I'm fine…" she stuttered, trying to regain her composure. "Thank you." she added after a second thought, remembering her manners.
"Don't thank me." he spat, surprising her with the amount of venom in his voice. "I didn't do it for you."
She raised her eyebrow. "Oh, really?" she asked, slowly returning back to her normal self. "Who did you do it for, then?"
He didn't answer, just glared some more at Sirius. His mouth was slightly parted, and some drool, mixed with blood, made its way out of the corner of his mouth and onto the floor.
"We should bring him to the Hospital Wing, don't you think?" she asked softly.
She didn't know whether he had nodded or not, but since his head bobbed a little, she assumed he had.
She pulled out her wand and muttered a levitation charm, and Sirius' limp body lifted from the ground. She walked towards the staircase until she realised Snape wasn't following. "Well?" she asked, turning around to face him. "Aren't you coming?"
He looked up, his greasy hair falling into his eyes. "For what?" he asked, with slightly less venom this time.
She rolled her eyes. "To explain, of course." she said as if it was the most obvious thing on earth. He walked towards her and they started climbing the stairs. "Besides," she added. "I doubt you would really have left me alone.
He froze. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly in stress.
"Who asked you to follow me, Snape?" she whispered. "Who wants to know my every move? Who's taken such an interest?"
He gulped. "I am here of my own accord." he told her.
She laughed slightly. "I'm sure of that too, but at first you weren't. You were reluctant, then you began to grow less bored of me as you noticed something that spiked your curiosity… Do you think I'm hiding something?"
He stared at her. "I'm sure you do." he declared after a while.
She smiled. "It would do you good to learn Occlumency, one of these days. It might help you in the future."
"You're a-" he started asking, but she cut him.
"No, but if you're ever going to work undercover, you will need mind barriers as strong as you can possibly get." she said.
He nodded. They didn't speak until they arrived at the Hospital Wing. There, Hermione asked to speak with Madam Pomfrey privately, so no one could overhear what had just transpired between the two Gryffindors.
She was just finishing her story when she heard the sound of an argument break out. She exited the office, soon followed by the matron.
"-the fuck have you done to my friend, Snivellus?" she heard James bellow.
"Only what he deserved, Potter." she heard Severus sneer.
"Deserved? Why you…" She arrived just in time to see him pull out his wand.
"Stop!" she called out.
James lowered his wand, his hazel eyes mirroring the confusion he felt. "'Mione?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"
She ignored his question. "Snape is right, James. Sirius deserved what he got." she said.
"What the… Hermione I don't get it. Why do you side with Snivellus if you and Sirius…"
"That's just it, James." she declared. "Sirius and I are no longer together."
James stared, dumbstruck. "What?" he asked, disbelieving. "But, 'Mione, he's been nothing but perfect for the last two months, always with you, always worshipping you…"
"Sirius was fucking Marlene McKinnon behind my back." she finished gravely.
James stared at her in awe. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes before he asked. "What did he say for himself?"
She looked up at him. He was glaring at Sirius' body coldly. "He said," she gave a short laugh. "I quote: 'A man has needs, Hermione.'"
"Bullshit." James said. He looked back up at her. "Bullshit." he repeated. "I don't hear Remus complaining to Mary, and I know for a fact they haven't done it yet." He laughed. "Hell, Lily and I aren't even together yet and I haven't done it."
She giggled. "James Potter, are you a virgin?"
He smirked. "Yeah, I am."
Snape shook his head. "Ugh… Too much information overload, Potter!" he groaned.
James looked back at Sirius. "Anyway, what happened to him? What curse did you use, Snivellus?"
Snape sneered again. "As a matter of fact, I only shielded Granger. Black was the one who shot the curse."
James looked stunned. "Sirius tried to curse Hermione?" he asked. This day was getting worse and worse for him.
Hermione nodded. "He was mad at me because I called him a man whore and a child and…" she gave a dry sob. "He tried to use the lightening curse on me."
She realised how close she had come to being in a very bad shape indeed and started sobbing helplessly. James walked over to her and embraced her like he would a sister, clutching her to his chest and murmuring soothing words as she proclaimed her hate for Sirius Black.
Severus Snape watched as James comforted Hermione, deciding that this cruel bastard deserved credit: he did have a heart after all.
-o-O-o-
The earlier stage amongst Hermione's friends when they all hated Regulus had now transformed in a stage where they all hated Sirius.
He had come back the following day, apologising for a full hour to Hermione's feet, begging her to take him back, under any cost. He expressed all his regret to her, but she wasn't having any of it. The whole of Gryffindor house agreed with her, too, although no one expressed it verbally.
No one, that is, except Lily Evans.
Lily had been furious after Sirius, and had yelled at him for over half an hour. "-CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAD THE NERVE TO DO THAT! HERMIONE IS SUCH A SWEET GIRL AND SHE NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG! AND CURSING HER?! WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING YOU PIG-FACED BLUBBERING IDIOT?! IF SHE EVEN ALLOWS YOU TO SEE HER FACE AGAIN YOU SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THE LUCKIEST MAN ON EARTH YOU LITTLE PIECE OF DIRT! AND WITH MARLENE?! CHEATING ON HER WITH A-"
You get the picture. And the most amazing thing was that she still had voice after that.
The day after that was Halloween, and Sirius spent the day finding spiders in his soup, Flobberworms in his pudding and even a baby Fire-Crab down his…
At the end of the day, he went to sleep, only to find his pillow filled with Dungbombs and a note pinned to it: 'With the compliments of Misters Moony, Wormtail and Prongs.'
-o-O-o-
After a few weeks, thankfully, the pranks on Sirius stopped. Those on Marlene continued, however, and she was often seen with 'Slut' written on her back or similar things like that.
Sirius took that as an opportunity to start afresh. His world now revolved around getting Hermione back, and he used every single opportunity possible to achieve this.
He followed a few feet back behind her every time she headed to class, occasionally throwing a rose in her hair or slipping a poem between the pages of her book.
Even though he wasn't totally forgiven, the Marauders had stopped ignoring him and now talked to him more, too. They now no longer refused to tell him the weather and such, and Peter had actually talked to him for an hour, about Hermione, of course.
Because Sirius was so hell bent on getting Hermione back, it dawned on the whole of Gryffindor house that he seriously had realised his actions and was prepared to do anything to get himself forgiven.
By December, Sirius was back to normal with everyone… Except for Hermione.
She refused every single advance he made on her. Finally, tired of being ignored, Sirius decided to strike a huge blow.
-o-O-o-
It was a chilly Wednesday morning, and Hermione was heading off to Transfiguration, when Sirius walked out of a dark corridor. "Hermione," he said. "I need to talk to you."
"Well I don't want to talk to you." she huffed and tried to push past him, but he wouldn't budge.
"Please." he said. She looked up to his silver grey eyes. "Please, just… Just listen to me, alright?"
He looked so desperate that, besides the fear and anger at him that she felt, she still wanted to pull him in her arms and cuddle him until he felt all better. She sighed. "I guess I could skip Transfiguration…" He beamed. "But it's just this once!" she warned. "I am never skipping class for you again!"
He shook his head. "Come on, let's go!" he said, taking her hand.
"Wait… What?" she asked.
"I've made you a surprise!" he announced, his eyes gleaming. "But it's not here, so we're going to have to go!"
She looked unsure, but nodded, although somewhat reluctantly. Sirius pulled at her hand and they both broke out in a slow jog, until they reached the seventh floor. "Sirius, what…?" she started to ask, but as she saw a wooden door, materialise in front of her, she suddenly realised where she was. "The Room of Requirement…" she murmured, but thankfully, Sirius didn't hear.
He pushed the doors open and motioned for her to come in. Inside, all she could see was a simple room, much like the Gryffindor Common Room, except with fewer armchairs. In fact, there was only a sofa, and some sort of podium, covered with red velvet. There was also, she noticed with a jump, a guitar.
She gulped. "What's all this?" she asked.
"This," Sirius said, smiling and gesturing to the whole room. "Is my apology." He nodded towards the sofa. "Could you sit down… Please?"
She did as she was told, still eyeing him suspiciously.
He gulped too. "Okay," he started. "I figured, since you wouldn't listen to my words, I'd make you listen to words I chose, but that are not mine." He summoned the guitar to his hand and started fiddling with the strings, before looking back up at her. "So… This is a Muggle song, as a tribute to you heritage."
He fiddled with the strings some more before he started playing. It wasn't long before he started singing:
Oh, oh, oh, oh, I have been searching for your touch, unlike any touch I've ever known. And I haven't thought about you much 'til I'm broken down and all alone.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, No, I don't understand the meaning of love, I do not mind if I die trying. Oh, oh, oh, oh, Took it for granted when you lifted me up.
I'm asking for your help, I am going through hell, afraid nothing can save me but the sound of your voice. You cut out all the knots, and now that I can see the mistake so clearly now, I'd kill if I could take you back.
But how? But how?
I can feel it my guts, what's going on in hell now. Don't patronise me with lies, I'm a man be a woman now.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, I have been bound by the shackles of love and I don't mind if I die tied up. Oh, oh, oh, oh, Took it for granted when you lifted me up.
I'm asking for your help, I am going through hell, afraid nothing can save me but the sound of your voice. You cut out all the knots, and now that I can see the mistake so clearly now, I'd kill if I could take you back.
But how? But how? But how? But how?
Oh, yeah.
Why must we be so ugly? Please do not think ill of me. Why does the one you love become the one who makes you want to cry? Why? Why? Why?
How?
No I don't understand the meaning of love, I do not mind if I die trying. I do not mind if I die trying. I do not mind if I die trying.
He finished the last few chords and looked back up at her. Her eyes were glistening in tears. "I'll do anything, Hermione." he whispered, putting his guitar down. He walked over to the sofa and took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. He stared into her chocolate brown eyes and whispered: "I love you."
She froze. The tears stopped coming, and suddenly she looked angry. Not angry but… frustrated. She shook her head. "That's just it, Sirius, you don't love me." He tried to rebuke her but she cut him before he had a chance to utter a word. "You don't love me." she repeated. "You fancy me, you care for me, you're hopelessly infatuated with me but you don't love me."
With her last words, her realised it was not him she was trying to convince, but herself. "I love you, Hermione, and however how much you'll try to deny it, it'll always come back running to you… Just like I will."
And with these words, Sirius Orion Black left the room and Hermione was left alone, with just her schoolbag and a guitar to keep her company.
-o-O-o-
Just… Please review. I felt really bad about this chapter. Does anyone know what song Sirius sang? :) Hehehe… My poll is still open, for all those who want Sirius and Hermione back together… Or not. :p
As always, I love you guys! Thanks for all the follows, reviews and, last but not least, all the love! :D
Now, I'm awefully sorry, but I'm feeling ill and I'm not sure I can update tomorrow... which is rather sad because... Well... Look down.
Next Chapter: Someone brutally comes back in Hermione's life... By an unexpected way.