Gliding towards the transformed dance floor, Hermione couldn't keep from blushing as Sirius led her into their first dance. Moving his hand to her waist, his finger tips just grazed the skin of her lower back and he grinned at her blush before twirling her around and setting the pace for their dance.
"You look breathtaking tonight Kitten."
He was sporting a wonderful charcoal suit with a black shirt and silk black tie, the colors setting off eyes making them look almost silver. His hair perfectly as ever. He looked mouthwatering. The thought had her blush returning deeper than before and she quickly tried to make up for her silence following the compliment.
Looking him up and down in an exaggerated manner she replied, "You look very dapper yourself Lord Black."
Laughing at her use of his official title and playfulness he pulled her closer to him so he could feel the length of her body along his front. Hermione let out small gasp immediately following the sudden gesture but after a moment relaxed into it. Without much more dialogue they continued to dance song after song without realizing it until a cough broke them from their reverie at the end of the latest song.
Hermione stiffened in Sirius's embrace when she sensed exactly who the cough came from. Sirius on the other hand, had to work to control the growl that was surfacing in his abdomen but Hermione felt it through his chest, radiating into her body giving her strength. Giving him a weak smile Hermione brought her hand to his chest gently curling her hand around his tie before releasing it and just letting her hand rest over his sternum for a moment before she left his arms, turning to the source of the cough.
"Mione, can I have this next dance?"
Hermione looked at Ron with distain, letting him know exactly how welcome his invitation was but when he didn't retract his request she nodded slightly, "But only for the cameras, Ronald."
Turning back to Sirius she dipped into a light curtsy as he bowed and winked at her upon regaining his stature. When he passed her hand off to the red head Hermione noticed his scowl and had to suppress a grin.
There was a hushed tone through the crowd as Ron pulled her closer for their dance. Hermione felt her skin crawl as he made to grab her waist. She couldn't help but compare him to Sirius and how different the two felt and how the difference between the two made her cringe. The difference between the two was as different as their hair. Silently praying to the gods that the dance would end soon, Hermione plastered a smile on her face and looked just beyond Ron's shoulder so she wouldn't have to look him in the eye.
"Mione, will you please talk to me?"
"I don't know what to say to you Ronald."
"Please don't do that. I miss you."
"You are ridiculous!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper never letting her smile fall even as she clinched her teeth. "You cheated on me and apparently you have not just a fiancée but a baby on the way!"
"But she's not you."
Hermione sighed, "How long?"
"Excuse me."
"How long were you with her before I walked in on you? Clearly it was long enough to get her pregnant. How far along is she?" He met her question with silence. This time it was his turn to refuse to meet her gaze. "That's what I thought. Maybe we can regain our friendship but I will never see you in a romantic or intimate way again."
"Mione!-"
"No Ronald, I mean it." Looking away again she caught a glimpse of molten grey as the song started to come to a close. Attempting to pull away from Ron's hold she was stopped as his grip on her hips tightened. Fear flash before her eyes for a split second before she schooled her expression. "Ronald," she warned, "Let me go. Please. Do not make a scene."
He began to open his mouth to reply when another smooth voice cut him off.
"May I cut in?"
With a sigh of relief, Ron finally released Hermione and she stumbled back into Sirius' arms.
Looking between her and the flustered red head Sirius quickly swept her away from her ex.
"I didn't need you to save me," she stated when they began to dance.
"Oh I know you are perfectly capable of handling your own Kitten. I just wanted another dance." he smirked, his grin widening when she seemed to accept of his claim with a small smile. They continued to dance in silence until his voice brought her back to reality. "Kitten?"
"Yes? Sorry."
"Are you alright love? You seem to be handling it all of this very well. Until the end of that last dance that is."
"I would be lying if I said I was fine but I was happy for most of the night," she sighed, "I have loved dancing and being with my family. In fact," she blushed, "I was really enjoying myself before Ronald asked for a dance."
Catching the blush at her admission Sirius arched a perfectly elegant brow and smirked before pulling her so she was once again flush with his front.
"Why Kitten, I am honored," he said as he gazed down at the witch now securely attached to his body as she laughed.
Laughing at his tone she let herself relax into his embrace and allowed him lead her around the dance floor once again losing track of the number of songs that played around them. When she seemed to tire Sirius led her off the floor and back to his seat with the rest of the Weasley's and the Lupin's. Sitting down Hermione was finally able to catch her breath. Sirius kissed her knuckles again before pushing in her seat, taking his own beside her, and engaging Remus in conversation as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Neither one taking much notice to him draping his arm across her seat, his finger tips drawing patterns on the exposed skin oh her shoulders.
Nor that the act had caught the attention of a few people at the table.
Moments Before
"Gin, do Mione and Sirius look a little too...comfortable?"
"Oh I hope so." She burst into giggles at the look on her husbands face, "Come on love, even you can see that there is definitely something brewing there. I mean just look at how he's holding her and making her laugh. She looks so happy! And he looks like a completely different wizard then the one we normally see sulking around in his own head. He looks so animated, Harry, more than I've ever seen him before."
"But that's my godfather and she's best friend, bloody hell, she's my sister! If they are in a relationship I should know."
"Love, she just moved into Grimmuald. It's been one night. You can't honestly think anything has happened in one night. She is nothing like my brother, she isn't that rash. She's comfortable around him, let her be."
"But...I...technically they have fourteen years separating them! If you take into account his time in the veil its closer twenty!"
"And? Tonks and Remus have thirteen years separating them and they are one of the happiest couples we know! It's not like they're shagging based off one dance."
Remus snorted getting an eye roll from Harry and a mischievous smirk from Ginny.
"You're right," Harry conceded but he looked back at the couple with slight grimace before picking up his firewhiskey, "I guess I just...I don't know, seeing them together like that was a little off putting."
Ginny signed, "Oh Harry...now shh they're headed over, don't say a thing least you ruin her mood. But think about it, would it be so horrible when they both look like that after just a few dances?"
Harry considered her words as he watched Hermione blush at something Sirius whispered in her ear on the journey back to the table. He didn't miss how Sirius's hand was wrapped around her waist not high enough to be harmless but not low enough to be disrespectful. Or how Hermione playfully pulled on his tie making him laugh as her blushed deepened.
"I suppose not," he whispered earning him a grin from his wife.
The chair next to Ginny slid out and Hermione slipped into it with her smile glowing brightly as she thanked Sirius when he kissed her hand and grabbed her drink. Ginny nudged Harry in the ribs almost painfully, her grin growing wider when she saw Sirius sit next to Hermione and casually drape his arm across the back of her chair. Looking over at her mother, she noticed the she had also spotted Sirius's arm and had a smile spreading over her face as she turned to whisper in Arthurs ear. His own grin and blush appearing as he looked at what Molly was trying to show him.
While Ginny was nudging Harry, further down the table, Ron was glaring daggers at the man who has his arm across his Hermione's chair.
Lavender glanced at her new fiancé and followed his gaze. She felt a fury grow in her breast that had her she standing and stomping over to Hermione.
"You!" a voice whisper screeched.
Looking away from a suddenly frazzled Ginny Hermione found the source of the high pitched squeal. "Excuse me?"
"You need to get it through your head that he does not want you Hermione Granger."
"What are you talking about?"
"He may have stayed with you for five years but he was coming to me for three of them. He stayed with you out of pity because of your nightmares," Lavender spit. "He felt bad for you. That's the only reason he stayed! Leave us alone!" she yelled in a hush whisper as to not attract outside attention.
"Excuse me Lavender but you are mistaken, I do not care about Ronald. I stopped caring the moment I saw him hovering over you in our bed. Please save what little dignity you have left and go back to your date."
"I saw you dance with him, clinging to him. Now you wont stop ogling him from across the table! You hussy!"
Hermione was so taken aback by the insinuation that she was still pining after Ron and had been doing so the entire gala she didn't even notice Lavender move to slap her. No one had expected it, therefore no one could prevent it. With a sharp crack the entire table and surrounding area became completely silent with shock as everyone waited to see how Hermione would respond to Lavenders assault.
Hermione brought her hand to her cheek slowly, lightly touching the skin she knew was now rosy with color. Her hair started to crack with the power of her emotions as she locked Lavender in such an intense glare that the other woman flinched.
"Lavender, you are lucky you are pregnant. I suggest you leave before you embarrass yourself more."
With that she turned back to Ginny picking up the conversation right where she left off, ignoring the stares from the surrounding tables and the steaming blonde standing over her from the other side of the table. The only difference in her posture was that she leaned a little harder into the warm hand that had been trailing absent patterns on her shoulder. Ginny took only a second to realize what Hermione was doing before animatedly rejoining in conversation with her.
Once Lavender was taken away by a very disgruntled Ron the conversation around them begun to pick back up again. Seeing Lavender leave through her peripherals Hermione slumped completely into her chair, losing her façade of detachment from that events that just occurred and closed her eyes. Ignoring the voices of her family around her, all attempting to speak to her in hushed tones, she just kept her eyes closed, her breathing leveled. Giving herself a moment, she let their voices graze past her subconscious as she tried to control the emotions whirling around in her mind.
All except one.
"Kitten."
Sirius's voice pulled Hermione from her inner turmoil.
"Kitten, look at me."
Feeling his fingers pull her chin up, she opened her eyes to meet his, once again noticing that they now looked more silver than grey. His eyes making her forget the sting of her cheek.
"Kitten, do you want to go home?"
"No, not yet. I don't want to give the press the satisfaction. You know one of them managed to catch the show. Leaving now would only add to the stories they will weave."
He nodded in understanding but moved his fingers to her cheek, murmuring a quiet soothing charm making her smile at him. His worried gaze softening at the sight of it.
"Mione, are you okay?"
Turning to look at Harry she shivered at the lose of warmth from Sirius's fingertips. Facing Harry she smiled giving him a quick shrug as her eyes started to glaze over with tears.
"No, no, no, don't do that." With a flick his wand Harry erased the evidence of her tears the moment they fell. Quickly giving his wife a kiss on the forehead he rose from his seat and grabbed his best friends hand. "Dance with me. Come on, just like in the tent."
"No. Harry! No-"
Giving up struggling Hermione let out a strangled giggle as Harry dragged her onto the dance floor and started to dance awkwardly around her making her laugh even more. Just like that everything with Lavender was forgotten. Hermione looked at her best friend and begun to dance with him twirling around with him, dipping one another to their own beat just as they did that night in the tent. Laughing completely carefree they both took no notice to the crowd watching them with smiles on their faces or the cameras immortalizing their dance forever.
All too soon it was over and the two best friends finally acknowledged everyone watching them, falling into another fit of laughs they each gave a bow and curtsy to their audience before once again returning to their family.
George, Ginny, and Fred all enveloped Hermione in a group hug before letting her return to her seat where the Weasley matriarch reached across and grabbed her hands as Arthur came around to place a simple kiss on her forehead. Tonks gave her a wink and blew her a kiss while Remus giving her his most dashing smile. The moment she sat down, Sirius replaced his arm on her chair, lightly touching the bare skin at the top of her spine and resumed tracing patterns on her skin. Glowing with familial pride and love the table returned to its previous level of spontaneity.
After the final rounds of dances, Hermione once more began to say her goodbyes. But for Sirius, he'd seemingly disappeared after Fred wiggled his way between them for a dance. When she'd completed her goodbyes was able to make her way from the Great Hall.
She got halfway down the main stairs before she gave in and transfigured her heels into flats. How she managed to stay in them all night was beyond her.
Before reaching the bottom of the staircase Hermione slowed down feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand as goose pimples covered her exposed skin. Grabbing her abdomen she started itching for her wand, still strapped to her leg along her thigh. Spinning around, almost losing her balance, she met the gaze of Sirius Black.
"Sirius!" she gasped clutching her heart.
Taking in her state of distress he took a step closer with concern etched on face. "Are you alright Kitten?"
"You scared the daylights out of me!" she cried as she smacked his chest and a grin spread across his face. "I thought you'd gone home."
"Not without you, that'd be rude," he chuckled. "Is that where you're headed?"
"Yes. You?"
"Yes, would you like to share a carriage and side-long to the house?"
"That sounds preferable to going to the Leaky to use the public floo network. You don't mind?"
"Of course not," his voice husky.
Offering her his hand as the carriage came to a stop before them Sirius helped Hermione in. Following her in he took the seat opposite her and watched her as she gazed out at the Black Lake. She truly does look stunning, he thought to himself. Her black gown hugging every curve of her shapely body while teasing everyone by showing the smooth skin of her back. The necklace she's wearing seemed simple until she turned and you could see its overly long chain running down the beautiful skin of her back. Ripping his gaze from her turned his attention to the Black Lake.
She is Harry's best friend. His sister. What am I thinking? He looked at her again, She deserves more than a dead, old man.
He came to a conclusion on his internal debate as the carriage stopped in Hogsmeade, stepping out of the carriage he offered her his arm once again as she started to step down.
Taking her arm in the crook of his elbow, they silently walked past the apparition wards before turning toward one another.
"Come on Kitten, let's head home."
Smiling she stepped into his embrace and let her head fall onto his chest as his arms snake around her waist. Feeling a pull behind her naval Hermione closed her eyes only to open them when she felt the pressure dissipate shortly after. Finding themselves just outside on the back step Sirius led her into the kitchen where neither of them were quite ready to let the other go.
Instead he looked down at her with a slight smirk, his arms still wrapped around her, as she looked up at him with a smile.
"Thank you for all the dances Lord Black."
"I assure you, the pleasure was all mine Kitten."
Grey eyes meeting whiskey they stood there in one another's arms until Sirius noticed the slight flicker of her eyes down to his lips. When she absently ran her tongue across her bottom lip Sirius's heart skipped a beat at the sight, sending a jolt of realization through his body.
Reluctantly, he let her go and stepped away, tucking a stray curl behind her ear before dropping a chaste kiss on her forehead.
"Goodnight Kitten."
Silently he walked through the kitchen, disappearing towards the stairs, leaving a very confused and flustered Hermione in his wake.
The next morning Hermione woke suddenly as a small scream ripped from her throat. After realizing she was perfectly safe in her room she closed her eyes whispering, "It was only a dream," repeatedly to herself, only to end up shooting upright in bed with another small shriek when her bedroom door slammed open with a loud bang moments later.
"Hermione-," Sirius's worried call stopped short inside her room at the sight of her awake in bed. He was in a pair of pajama pants and that was it. His hair a mess with sleep, his face still groggy. "I thought I heard a scream."
Color flooded her cheeks as she looked down at her hands, "You did. I must have forgotten my silencing charm with the excitement from last night, I'm sorry."
Her nightmares. "You don't need to do that, you know?"
"What?"
"Use a silencing charm. I understand nightmares better than anyone, love, you don't need to attempt to conquer them on your own."
Paling at the mention of her nightmares Hermione silently cursed Ron and Lavender for bringing them up. Sensing her discomfort he felt the immediate need to comfort her. In that moment he thought back to the morning before.
"Tea?"
Visibly sighing with relief she let out an exhausted "Yes, please" and swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood to stretch the tension from her muscles. Sirius watched her as she reached for the ceiling, arching her back, stretching onto her tip toes and had to swallow a groan before retreating into the safety of the hallway and making his way down to the kitchen. Hermione obliviously to having been observed, took a moment to right herself before pulling on her robe.
Reaching the kitchen she watched Sirius prepare their tea, a smile making it's way across her face as she saw him put just a splash of milk and adds two sugar cubes to her cup. Moving to sit in the same seat as the morning before she wandlessly summoning her book from her room, mentally kicking herself for forgetting it.
"Wandless magic? Impressive," Sirius remarked as he passed her her morning tea.
"Ah yes, thank you. It comes in handy every now and then."
She opened her book to where she last stopped as he sat in his usual spot picking up his own book. Dipping into a comfortable silence they continue to read in silence until an owl taped at the kitchen window with the morning prophet. Getting up from her seat Hermione let the bird in and gave him a treat for before letting him back out the window. Making her way back to the table, she passed the paper to Sirius over his shoulder and retook her seat.
"It seems you have made the front page Kitten."
Once more she looked up from her book, "What?"
"Not only have you made the front page, you have been plastered across the front," he chuckled as he passed the paper back to her.
Sure enough the prophet was covered in pictures of Hermione from the night before. The first picture was of her and Harry, dancing without a care in the world, free and fun. Next to it was a picture of her and Sirius dancing. Her with her head thrown back in laughter as Sirius smiled down at her just before sweeping her around into a twirl that made her laugh again. Smiling to herself she quickly scanned the article between the two pictures. It was written by Patil Pavarti and was essentially a detailed account of the gala. Absently she made a note to write her a letter asking for any extra proofs.
Unfolding the paper she froze. As she predicted the night before, someone had managed to get a snapshot of Lavender slapping her. Accompanying the picture was an article written by none other then Rita Skeeter going into depth about Ron's long term affair and how she had apparently sparked confrontation with Lavender at the gala.
Groaning she passed the paper back, "I knew someone would get it, of course it just had to be Skeeter. That woman knows how to hold a grudge."
"It only reflects poorly on her, Kitten, no one believes Skeeter anymore."
"When you're done could you save it for me?"
Tilting his head slightly at the request he gave her a questioning look.
"I'd like to save the pictures. The top two anyway." Smiling at his grin she returned to her book. Finishing her tea she made her way to the sink with her empty cup, "I'm going to have a shower and start getting ready for lunch. The tea was marvelous, thank you Sirius."