AN: I'm going to try to update more this week than last week. Once again I am not JK Rowling.

Sirius POV

Hermione ran up the stairs and I sat at the table talking to Harry and Ron. Harry seemed disappointed about his grades but I didn't ask why.

"Rumor has it you went off with Dumbledore last night." I said flicking a strand of hair out of my eyes.

"Yeah I did. I met an old teacher his name is Slughorn." I looked up sharply.

"Your kidding?" Harry and Ron looked to each other then turned back to me.

"You know him?" Harry asked surprised.

"Yeah he was the Potions teacher while I was at Hogwarts."

"What? Then whose going to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Harry asked shocked.

"You guys won't like it." I said softly leaning leaning back in my chair. Harry's face was scrunched up in thought and Ron looked like he was going to be sick.

"Its Snape isn't it?" Ron asked dully covering his face. Harry looked up his face paling drastically.

"Yeah it is..." I said softly. Harry's eyebrows pulled together as he thought then looked up his eyes bright.

"Do you remember what OWL you have to have to be in Slughorn's class?"

"I think it was an E why?" Harry's face broke into a huge smile. What was I missing?

"Harry wants to be an Auror," a soft voice said. I turned and swallowed loudly Hermione was walking down the steps. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and she was wearing the tightest jeans I had ever seen and lace up boots over them. The light blue sweater she was wearing hugged her curves perfectly. Oh Merlin she looked good.

"Ready to go hun?" She asked stepping next to me flipping her hair over her shoulder. I was hit with a wave of her perfume and my eyes rolled back into my head as I took in a deep breath of it.

"Yes." I said slipping my arm around her waist. "Don't expect us for dinner Molly."

I led Hermione out the door and she held onto my waist tightly. "Where are we off to first?"

"Diagon Alley." I said holding out my wand.

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Why?"

"Honestly?" I asked and she nodded. "I want to spoil my girl." Her lips twitched but she didn't object like I had expected.

"You don't have to spoil me Sirius." She said softly.

"I know but I want to." There was a loud bang and the Knight Bus came to a stop in front of us. Hermione paled and clung tightly to my arm. I couldn't wait till she knew how to Apparate. It was easy to see how much she hated the bus. She sat in a chair and closed her eyes tightly. The bus shot off with a bang and she moaned softly turning a slight green color.

Ten minutes later when she had her hands clamped onto the chair I whispered. "We're here."

She timidly opened her eyes and ran off the bus as fast as she could. I shook my head and followed her down the steps.

"I still say you don't have to get me anything." She said running her fingers through her hair. It looked more tamed than usual but her fingers still got caught in the curls.

"I know," I said throwing my arm around her shoulder. She shook her head smiling and we walked into the Leaky Cauldron. Tom, the bartender, looked up hopefully and his mouth dropped open in shock.

"Sirius Black?" He asked faintly.

"Hey Tom how's business?" I asked leading Hermione over to the counter.

"Not the best you know how it is." His eyes kept darting to Hermione who kept her eyes firmly on the ground a faint pink color on her cheeks.

"Could we please have two Gillywaters?" I asked sitting on a stool. Hermione sat down next to me a slightly dazed look on her face.

"Coming right up." He said quickly moving to grab them. I smiled at Hermione and she straightened up. Why was she so nervous?

"You know my girlfriend Hermione." She jumped and smiled timidly at Tom as he set the drinks in front of us.

"Hello Tom its nice to see you again." Her voice was hushed and she was clinging tightly to my arm.

"Is that Kneazle of yours still causing trouble?" He asked cleaning out a glass. A small laugh was out before she could stop it.

"Yes I suppose so." She said smiling.

"How did you two get together?" He asked wiping off the counter.

"Well," I said leaning back in my chair. "Our friendship sort of evolved to something more and we just seemed right for each other. We've been dating ever since the battle of the Department of Mysteries." I said shrugging. Tom glanced between us and smiled at Hermione trying to keep her at ease.

"So what are you after today?" Tom asked.

"Going to find something nice for Hermione since she will be leaving for Hogwarts in about a month. The last thing I need is for some guy to make eyes at her." She look up blushing and Tom chuckled.

"But I do have something to remember you by." Hermione said pulling out the gold necklace I gave her last year. "I haven't taken it off since you gave it to me."

"Really?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah I love it." She said popping open the clasp to look at the picture.

"Like I said I'm going to spoil you." Hermione smiled and drank her Gillywater quickly.

"Well Tom I'll see you again some time soon." I said setting a handful of coins on the counter. Hermione stood up and smiled at him. Who knew she was so shy? We walked out the back to the entrance to Diagon Alley. I tapped my wand against a brick three times and the archway quickly opened for us.

Diagon Alley was a devastating site to say the least. Many of the shops were closed and boarded up. The air was cold and clouds covered the sky. The street was dirty and only a few shops seemed to be doing well.

I took Hermione to Madame Malkins Robes for all occasions and got her an excellent set of robes for Bill and Fleur's wedding next summer. Next I took her to the jewelry shop where I had gotten her ring and bought her a silver necklace with a three carat diamond surrounded by little rubies. She tried to refuse it but I bought it for her anyway.

"You really shouldn't have done that." She said shaking her head. "What if I loose it?"

"Then I'll buy you another one." I said shrugging. Money was really not a problem. We walked down the street holding hands looking into the shops that were still open. Some of the people we saw gave us strange looks and others completely changed directions.

We talked about the upcoming war and what we thought about it. Hermione said she was fighting for a future where she wouldn't be considered something worse than dirt. I said I was fighting for equal rights between all magical people and creatures alike.

"Do you think the ministry will fall?" She asked as we made our way toward Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"I have a feeling it is only a matter of time. Things are becoming dangerous and difficult." I said running my hand through my hair.

"If that does happen what do you think will become of the muggle-borns?" She asked her voice shaking.

"What do you mean?" I asked my stomach sinking.

"Well I think worst case scenario would be all of them sent to Azkaban or tortured. The best would be banishment." She said her eyes distant.

"I would never let you go to Azkaban." I growled darkly.

"I'm not thinking of myself I'm thinking of the first year muggle-borns." She said pale. My eyes grew wide. Merlin I never thought of them.

"I'll bring it up to Dumbledore at the next meeting." I said in a hushed voice.

"That's a good -"

"Hermione Granger?" A voice cut her off. I looked up at a leggy blonde girl who kept darting looks at me.

"Hi Lavender," Hermione said wrapping her arm around my waist. "How's your summer?"

"Fine," she said darting a look at me again. "Who's your friend?"

"Of course how rude of me this is my boyfriend Sirius Black." She leaned her head against my arm and smiled at Lavender. "The one who gave me the necklace you saw last year."

Lavender blanched and looked over Hermione's shoulder. "Oh my mother is calling me if you'll excuse me." She rushed away faster than I would have thought possible and disappeared into the Apothecary shop.

"What was that about?" I asked looking at Hermione.

She rolled her eyes and started to walk again. "She may or may not have insinuated that Ron and Harry were the only guys who could stand to be around me." I growled deep in my throat and she turned to me.

"Don't worry I got her back. She has this hang up about being clean and I made her hair greasy." I barked a laugh and threw my arm around her shoulder.

We went into the Weasley's store and looked around for awhile. Hermione's face was stuck between disbelief and disapproval. The twins really were geniuses for coming up with everything they had.

"Sirius?" Two voices asked together. I turned and the twins were standing behind me identical smiles on their faces.

"Fred, George this place looks fantastic." I said smiling at them.

"Thank you but where -"

"- is the lovely Miss Granger?" They asked smiling at me.

"She was here a moment ago." I said looking around. Wait where was she? "If you'll excuse me."

I turned and quickly walked around the aisles of products looking for Hermione. Where was she? She couldn't have gotten that far.

"Stop please, your hurting me Anthony!" I growled and turned a corner. Some blonde had Hermione pinned against the wall and was trying to kiss her. All I saw was red.

"Get the hell off of her!" I pulled the boy off of her and threw him against a wall. His eyes flamed but the moment he saw it was me he paled drastically. I lunged forward to hit him but Fred and George darted in front of me

"Sirius mate don't hurt him." Fred said.

"Go help Hermione we got this." George said pushing me back. I took in a deep breath and turned to Hermione. She was shaking and had tears in her eyes.

"Baby you okay?" I asked softly looking at her. She shook her head in the negative and I wrapped my arm around her. The moment I did she started to cry softly and I cursed darkly.

"Come on Baby we're going home." I said leading her out of the store and into the alley. "Hold tight Baby." I Apparated us to the front steps of Grimmauld Place and walked us through the door. Hermione clung to me and I walked her down the steps to the kitchen an opened the door. I cursed again as Dumbledore, Severus, Remus and Tonks turned to us. There was an Order meeting going on.

AN: Please keep the reviews coming they help. Really they do.