They all waited until they heard the faint sound of her bedroom door close before speaking.
"She's already pulling away," Ginny cried into Harry's chest.
Seating his wife back into her chair he wiped her tears before taking his own seat and looking to Sirius. "She truly thinks she doesn't belong with us."
"Give her time, pup."
"You heard her Sirius, she called herself a stray!"
"Yes but I also saw her face yesterday as she clung to Teddy and watched her family defend her. She knows where she belongs, she just needs to remember. For that she needs time."
"If we lose her, I will hex Ron everytime I see him," Ginny snarled.
"She was right about one thing Ginny, you need to go home and rest," Sirius replied with a smirk. "Go on home, I'll see to Hermione."
Effectively dismissed the Potters said their goodbyes and made their way home.
Weeks passed as Sirius and Hermione settled into a comfortable routine. In the mornings he would make tea and in the evenings Hermione would make dinner for the two of them before settling in the library to read before bed each night. He attempted to bring up the conversation with Harry and Ginny but she silenced him with one look before finishing her tea and leaving for work. Weeks later, he had still made no further attempt to bring it up and he was beginning to notice that she was more sluggish in the mornings. The bags under her eyes when she returned from work each day were beginning to look like bruises.
Hearing her coming down the stairs he poured her a fresh cup of tea, adding the proper amounts of milk and sugar before passing it to her as she sat down.
Smiling to herself as she nursed the cup and looked at her housemate who was staring at her intently. Hermione knew her lack of sleep was starting to wear on her and that Sirius had begun to notice but she couldn't stop the nightmares from plaguing her subconscious every night. Seeing his look of concern as she shakily set down her cup she silenced him before he could speak, "I'm going to head to work. I have a meeting at 9 and need to grab a few documents from Kingsley before it starts."
"Have a good day Kitten," she heard him call as she went to the floo.
Entering the ministry Hermione first made her way to Kingsley's office, oblivious to the looks she was getting from those around her. "Hello Percy, I'm here for the documents on the werewolf reform laws Kingsley revised for me."
"Mione! Of course, here you go. We've missed you at the Burrow these past few weeks."
"I know and I'm sorry, I've just been so busy with work..." Trailing off she stopped as Percy rose from his seat and captured her in a brief hug before taking his seat once more. "I'd better go now. I'll see you soon Perc."
Coming out of her meeting hours later Hermione made her way into her department for the first time that day. Seeing that Olivia looking a bit frazzled she asked the young girl what was wrong.
"Nothing Ms. Granger, but Mr. Potter is in your office. He said it was urgent so I let him in to wait inside until your meeting was over."
Suddenly understanding Olivia's look of distress Hermione shot the girl a smile, "It's alright Olivia, thank you." Retreating into her office she looked at Harry who had his head resting in his hands.
"Harry? What's wrong?" she asked walking around where he was seated towards her desk.
Startled, Harry snapped his head up and watched her sit in her seat behind her desk, setting down a pile of parchment as she did. "I have news and I wanted to tell you the specifics before you heard from someone else."
"What do you mean?"
"Did you read the prophet this morning?"
"No, I left the house before it arrived. Why Harry, what's going on?"
"Last night, a handful of death eaters escaped from Azkaban." Taking in this new information Hermione leaned back in her seat and waited for the rest of it. Harry wouldn't be here for that alone. "Dolohov was one of the ones to escape." There it was. She grabbed her abdomen. "We have the entire auror department looking for them Hermione, you will be just fine. I already talked to Sirius and he's increased the wards on Grimmauld." Listening to Harry, Hermione stood from her chair and made for the door but stopped short as darkness engulfed her.
"Hermione!" Harry called, catching her as she fell. "Olivia!"
"Yes, oh-"
"Olivia, I need you to floo Mungo's and request a healer meet me at 12 Grimmuald Place. I'm taking her home. Also send a note to Kingsley explaining the circumstances and let him know she wont be back in until Monday."
Picking up Hermione he cast a disillusionment charm around them and hastily made his way to the floo's. Once in Grimmuald he dropped the charm and called for Sirius, meeting him in the hallway.
"A healer should be arriving soon, can you show them to her room when they get here?"
"Yes of course. What happened Harry?"
Already headed up the stairs Harry called back, "I told her about Dolohov."
After settling Hermione into her bed Harry sat at the edge and watched her while he waited for the healer to arrive. Once he heard voices he met Sirius and the healer in the hall and explained how Hermione had passed out. With orders to wait outside the two made their way back down to the sitting room as the healer entered Hermione's room.
They sat in silence as they waited. After a short time the healer left her room and addressed the them, "She is suffering from extreme exhaustion. I'm afraid that receiving news of the prisoners sent her into shock and her body took over. I administered a dreamless sleep potion so she should be out for the rest of the night. I suggest she see her regular healer as soon as she can."
Mumbling thank you's they watched the healer leave and Harry turned to his godfather, "Do you mind watching her tonight? I need to get back to the office and check their progress."
"Of course Harry, I will watch her. I'll owl you in the morning when she wakes up."
"Thank you Sirius."
Conjuring a chair next to Hermione's bed Sirius watched the vulnerable witch intently. The Prophet had showed up just after she left for work and reading the spread about the escaped deatheaters he had immediately begun adding to the wards on his house. Harry showed up in a flurry while he was working on the wards and was there barely a moment before disappearing back through the floo to the ministry in hopes of finding Hermione. Worry blossomed in his chest seeing the extend of Harry's own worry so much that he went beyond standard wards and dipped into his families grimoire's from the library to better secure the house. He'd only just finished when Harry returned with Hermione and seeing her like that did nothing to soothe his worry. He wanted to go help Harry and the Aurors but he contented himself with watching over Hermione instead. Which is what he was doing as he began to drift to sleep as his worry faded with each breath she took.
"Harry!"
Sirius sprung awake at her cry, drawing his wand. Noticing she was still asleep he moved closer to the bed and took her hand.
"No-"
Her words cut off as her knees and chest rose off the bed for a long moment before she slapped back down onto the bed. He watched, jaw slack, as her top started to change color under her ribs. Grabbing her hand once more he realized how cold she was, her chest barely moving.
"Hermione?!"
He soon realized that it was blood that was staining her shirt and he lifted the scrap of fabric to find the source of the blood. Casting a charm to get the blood to stop, he used a scorgify to clean the remaining blood from her skin and froze seeing the wound marring her perfect skin. It stretched from the underside of her left breast stopping just below her ribs on her right side. Small scar, my arse! Not wanting to do more damage he simply wrapped her chest in a bandage before summoning a piece of parchment and sending a note requesting Hermione's primary healer as soon as possible.
A half hour later her heard a call, "Lord Black?"
"Third floor, first bedroom on the right!" He replied loudly waiting for the healer to join them.
Penelope Clearwater entered the room she had been directed too and he eyes immediately fell on the bandage covering Hermione's chest. "Someone gave her a potion didn't they?"
Shocked by the young woman's question Sirius merely nodded and moved so she could come to sit on the bed next to Hermione.
"She started calling out and then it was as if she was hit by a curse and the blood started to spread. I stopped it and cleaned it but I didn't want to scar her more by attempting to close it on my own."
He watched as the woman undid the dressing he'd put on Hermione's chest and made quick work pulling her skin back together. Satisfied with her work Penelope re-dressed Hermione's bandages and pulled the blanket over her. "She should be alright now Lord Black, the worst of the potion seems to have passed."
"I have never seen anyone respond that way to a potion."
"Yes well, as I'm sure you know before the final battle Hermione was tortured in Malfoy Manor by Bellatrix." Seeing his stiff nod she continued, "Bellatrix used a curse blade to carve that word into her arm. On top of that, it was an injury she was unable to have properly treated until after the battle. As a result there is residual dark magic within Hermione's arm and that magic fights the effects of a dreamless sleep potions intensifying her dreams. She quite literally relives whatever she dreams, usually her memories. In this case, it looks like the curse Dolohov hit her with."
Nodding he continued to stare at Hermione, lying there helpless in her bed. "Thank you healer..."
"Clearwater. Penelope Clearwater."
"Thank you Healer Clearwater."
"Have her come in and see me in a few days, I'll need to check her scar and make sure she doesn't have an additional damage from it reopening. She should wake soon enough and it's likely she will be in a lot of pain, I'll leave a pain potion for her if she chooses to take it."
After escorting Penelope out back to the to floo, Sirius made his way into the kitchen to brew tea for himself and Hermione and made up a tray. Returning to her room he poured himself a cup and waited. Not long after Hermione mumbled and begun to stir. Gasping in pain her eyes shot open, arm going straight to her chest. Feeling the bandage she looked down at the bandage wrapped around her front. Closing her eyes she let her head fall back on the pillows as she tired to recall the last thing she could before she woke up. Dolohov. Harry told her Dolohov had escaped and then nothing. Opening her eyes once more she began to take in her surrounding noticing for the first time that Sirius is in a chair by her bed.
"Kitten."
"What happened?"
"You blacked out at work. Harry brought you home and summoned a healer who gave you a dreamless sleep potion when she decided you had passed out due to a mixture of extreme exhaustion and shock." Wincing at the realization of what had happened she waited for him to continue. "Harry had to leave to help in the search and I stayed with you. You started crying out but when you stopped your chest started bleeding. I cleaned you up before sending a letter to Mungo's requesting your primary healer."
"Penelope was here?"
"Yes, she closed you up properly and left you a potion for the pain, if you want it."
"I guess now you understand why I don't take potions to help me sleep.." She couldn't even find it in herself to look at him when she said it, instead she focused on the ceiling above her.
"You should have told me. I never would have let that healer give you the potion had I known."
"I'll be fine, trust me it could have been much worse." Wincing she slowly sat up and reached for the cup of tea he passed her. "Did she say anything else?"
"Only that you need to come in in a few days so she can make sure there is no additional damage."
"Alright."
"And Harry also told Kingsely you wouldn't be back to work until Monday."
"Of course he did," she chuckled, wincing again at the pain it caused. She'd forgotten how much this one pulled.
"Hermione..." Meeting his worried gaze she arched an eyebrow as she took a sip of her tea. "I want you to come to me when you have a nightmare." Her face fell, glancing down at her cup she felt the bed dip bedside her, his fingers grasping her chin, pulling it up. "I mean it Hermione. No more hiding your nightmares, let me help you."
"Sirius-"
He cut her off, not giving her a chance to reject the idea.
"Hermione, I've never been more serious."
Looking into his determined grey silver eyes, she felt her breath hitch. He'd even let a pun slip by without making a joke.
"Okay."
Two nights later Sirius woke to a small knock on his bedroom door.
"Come in," he called as he sat up in bed. Watching the door crack open and Hermione's head pop in he gave her a small smile.
"I...I just...I had a nightmare..." she whispered, face falling at the admission.
He pulled the covers back and patted the bed, "Come on then."
After a brief pause Hermione drew on her courage and shut the door before tiptoeing over to the bed, stopping short at the edge, noticing for the first time that his chest was bare.
Seeing her pause Sirius gave her a thoughtful look, "We can always go have tea in the library if that makes you more comfortable?"
"No, no, that's okay. If I do that I'll be up all night."
With that she crawled into his bed and settled down against the pillows willing her trembling to fade. Inhaling deeply, smiling as the smell of old leather and Sirius's aftershave wrapped around her. Seeing her relax, Sirius laid back down, tossing the covers over her as he did. She stiffened slightly at the movement but relaxed after a quick second. Turning onto her side she faced Sirius who had his eyes closed.
"Sirius?"
Turning his head to look at her, he smirked when she her cheeks darken enough to be visible even in the dark, "Kitten?"
"Thank you.." she mumbled as she drifted back to sleep, the last thing she saw being his smile.
Hermione woke the next morning feeling an unfamiliar warmth surrounding her. Opening her eyes she noticed the black swirl of tattoos beneath her and suddenly remembered the night before; crawling into Sirius's bed at his invitation and falling asleep to the smell of his aftershave.
They seemed to be in the middle of the old 4 poster bed, which made her smile because it meant that he have had to moved towards her just as much as she had him. He was laying on his side facing her with his left arm under her neck and his other draped across her hips with his fingers just under her night shirt touching her back. He was holding her securely to him. She on the other hand had one hand resting on his chest with the other on his hip, her head resting just under his chin on his chest. She felt thoroughly cocooned within his embrace.
He was still breathing steadily which told her he was still asleep. The room was also still dark so she figured it wouldn't hurt to go back to sleep even if only for an hour or so. Taking a deep breath in, reveling in his scent she smiled and relaxed back into his hold pulling her hand off his hip and to his chest next to her other one.
Sirius woke to something tickling his nose, grumbling he brushed his hair from his face before realizing the hair wasn't his own. Pausing he looked down to see the witch in his arms and smiled. She had come to him last night, trusting him to help her and from the looks of it she hadn't had another nightmare. Placing his arm back on her hip, he watched the light come in the room and reflect off the skin of her legs tangled with his.
After a short while Hermione purred, running her hands down his chest and to his abdomen before winding her arms around his waist pushing her face deeper into his bare skin inhaling deeply and giving a delicate sign as she exhaled.
As soon as she started to move, Sirius held still, freezing as her hands traveled down to his hips, her feminine purr pulling him from sleep completely.
Gasping, Hermione pulled away from him, color flooding her cheeks as she reached to cover herself.
"Good morning Kitten," Sirius grinned propping himself up on his elbow, "Did you sleep well?"
Looking at him with an arched bow. She had realized he was awake a second too late and was almost surprised he hadn't led with that. Hoping he wouldn't bring it up she nodded.
"Your nightmare didn't come back?"
Smiling at him brightly, her prior embarrassment forgotten, she shook her head no.
"Good," he chuckled. Swinging his legs off the side of the bed, he stood and made his way to his en suite bathroom. Hermione watched him go with a smile on her lips as she mapped the muscles of his back as he walked away. He has definitely filled in from his time in Azkaban. Shaking off the thought she sat upright in the bed and rubbed the sleep from her face, absently reaching to feel the scar below under her shirt. It was Saturday and had been three days since her incident with the potion. She had already been to see Penelope the day before and she had given her the all clear. Hearing the shower start, she reluctantly got up from the warmth of the bed and made her way into her own room feeling better than she had in weeks.
Heading to her closet she decided that today she would join Sirius at to the Burrow for lunch. She missed everyone and she knew she'd reacted a bit foolishly. Sirius had tried to help over the past few weeks but she'd been successful at qvoiding the topic all together after his first attempt to bring it up.
Pulling on a pale yellow dress she charmed her hair into a simple braided up-do and conjured a wand pocket before putting on her sandals and going down to the kitchen. Much to her surprise Sirius was already there, freshly showered in dark denim jeans and a grey button down shirt. The smell of his aftershave reaching her brought a small smile to her lips and a comfort she hadn't known until the night before.
As if sensing her presence he greeted her without turning around, "Hello kitten. Are you going to join me today at the Burrow?"
"I think so," she smiled as he turned around with two mugs of tea. "How did you get ready so quickly?"
He paused seeing her. She looked beautiful. The bags that had been plaguing her eyes were gone and she looked positively refreshed.
Handing her her tea he sat in his usual spot across from her. "It's a side effect of a strict childhood. Mother never appreicated when we dwadled. You got ready rather quickly too," he grinned as she blushed under his gaze. When her head dipped to look at her mug he changed gears a bit, "You don't need to be shy love. There's nothing to be embarrassed of."
"I'm sorry for-"
"No don't do that Hermione. Don't apologize for coming to me. Whether we just sleep, like last night, or we come into the kitchen for a cup of tea or qe go to the library and read, I expect you to continue seeking me out when you have your nightmares."
"I don't want to impose on you, Sirius," she said weakly.
"You're not imposing. Plus it's not like you snore too loudly," he teased taking a sip of his own tea.
"I do not snore," she rebuked causing Sirius to laugh.
"No Kitten you don't. Although you do let out an adorable sign when you get into a comfortable position," he said into his tea, missing the smile that graced her features at his observation. Smooth, he groaned internally. Looking up suddenly, making her blush as he caught her staring he winked, "Now are you ready to head to the Burrow?"
With a nod, she stood and took their cups to the sink before meeting him in the sitting room, smiling at his grin when he extended his arm to her as they walked into the fireplace. Before he threw down the powder, he snaked his arm around her waste and pulled her closer to him, his grin spreading into a smile at her gasp.
"The Burrow," he called out, his voice husky as he looked down at her.
With his arm around her waist, Hermione didn't stumble as they emerged from the fireplace. He gave her a quick wink before releasing her once more and began wiping the soot from his shirt while she did the same with her dress.
"Sirius, is that you dear?" Molly called from the kitchen.
"Yes and I brought a surprise for everyone."
Putting a hand on Hermione's back he led her towards Molly's voice.
"Sirius, maybe this was a mistake," she whispered to him with a panicked look on her face.
Doing his best to ignore how her eyes pulled at him, he sent her into the kitchen with a gentle shove. She squeaked making Molly turn at the sudden noise.
Seeing her, Molly froze, "Hermione?" she asked, putting down her wand.
"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione greeted quietly looking down at her hands. Hearing a chocked sob she looked up and saw Molly run at her, arms outstretched.
"Oh Hermione, we have missed you so much!"
Sirius stood back, leaning in the doorway watching the Weasley matriarch embrace his witch. His witch? When did that happen? With a grin he sidestepped the hugging women with the intention of heading out to the garden but a hand on his wrist stopped him just before Molly pulled him into his own bone crushing hug. Shocked by the sudden act of affection he smiled over her shoulder at Hermione who stood back slightly watching them with her arms wrapped around her waist and a smile spread across her face.
"Go now, both of you! Lunch will be ready in a short while but I know everyone has been waiting for you to come back Hermione. They will be so excited to see you!" She chimed as she pushed them towards the back door before turning back to lunch preparations.
"You ready?" Sirius whispered as he put his hand on her lower back again.
Hermione fought the urge to lean back into his hand. "Do you think they'll forgive me?"
"Without a doubt. No one blames you for anything that happened." Giving her an impulsive and quick, yet soft kiss on the temple, he felt her lean into it before he opened the door and gently pushed her ahead of him.