DISCLAIMER. None of the characters used are a creation of mine. They belong solely to JK Rowling.
Sirius grumbled, 'Mother would never allow such festivities. The tree at our place reeks of old age. Wonder how long she's been pitching in the same tree. It's almost as if the woman is allergic to anything happy.'
Hermione laughed lightly as Rab picked her up and helped her place the star at the top.
Sirius smiled at her gleeful delight as came to Papa stand beside his only granddaughter, content in her happiness.
'Cant we just get to the presents already?' Regulus prodded at the gifts wrapped and placed gingerly beneath the tree.
Rab gently slapped his hand away and pulled him aside. 'No. Don't spoil the fun, Reggie.'
The normalcy of how things were at the Lestrange household never ceased to surprise Hermione. Not even after having spent more than a year with them.
Could it be that it had only just been Bella's presence that had triggered their journey towards the Dark arts or something much worse had happened somewhere along the way.
Whatever the case may be, Hermione would enjoy it for as long as it lasted. Nobody knew better than she did how quickly things could fall apart and the world turn into a nightmare.
-o-o-o-
The following morning had been fun-filled. It had ended with a snowball fight amongst the younger kids as Rab had left soon after presents were exchanged to visit his friend Dolohov.
Hermione had protested against her brother meeting that foul man. Rab had seemed so.. pure. So free of anything even remotely evil. How could a boy like him be friends with the man who had given Hermione her very first scar in the war.
This was another Christmas without the Weasleys. But as the time passed in this new timeline, she had grown accustomed to her new family as well. She had enjoyed her previous Christmas thoroughly. She had shed tears, yes but Rab, Sirius, Reggie and Papa had made it feel like home. Almost.
Even Rolf. But Bella had been a different case.
Hermione noted that as time went on Bella kept turning into something more sinister. It was in the meaningless things she would say and the small things she would do. But it was there. She was turning into the deranged woman she would be remembered as.
Her only regret was she couldn't find any way to help save her brother Rolf.
As night approaced the two Lestrange children and their Papa waited in the parlour for Rolf and Bella to arrive.
The Black brothers were also present making idle talk. Sirius was engaged in a game of wizard's chess with Rab and Regulus and Hermione sat discussing simple hiusehold charms which Hermione found quite amusing coming from Reggie.
When the older couple had finally arrived the family and the Black boys made their way over to dinner.
Sirius felt quite uncomfortable in the presence of his cousin who had always found it a jolly old good pastime to torment Sirius with her aunt Walburga. Sirius would never admit to anybody in the world about how he had spent countless evenings under Walburga's wand as Bella watched on requesting to help her in some way. Not even Reggie knew the full extent of their cousin's inhumane madness.
Bella commented, 'Hermione, although I do appreciate you having finally found some friends but wouldn't it be more appropriate for you to seek a bond with some well mannered girls.'
Rolf agreed, silently nodding. 'Bella could introduce you to some very admirable young girls of the society.'
Hermione suddenly felt prickles of annoyance course through her body. She bit her lip from saying something she would later regret.
'Of course now Regulus is an excellent boy when not with his brother Sirius but he's easily corrupted. And Sirius sees to it that he's always getting poor Reggie to fall into trouble. How my dear Aunt Walburga laments over the useless boy.'
Sirius seethed with anger and had to remind himself he was in somebody else's house and couldn't lash out. He might enjoy riling up his own family even at the risk of being punished but he would not make a scene out of respect for his friend Hermione.
Bella kept going on, feeling completely at ease and pleased with herself at having caused such discomfort to her least favourite cousin. The mongrel.
'Who could say he's the heir to the Most Ancient House of Black. Once he's carted off to that foolish Muggle lover's school I'm sure Aunt Walburga would manage to finally take Regulus and remove from his mind any inkling of loyalty he may feel towards the spineless boy.'
Regulus looked painfully at Sirius who refused to meet his eyes.
'Tell me, dear cousin,' whatever cutting remark Bella had been about to make at Sirius' expense was interrupted by Papa.
'That's quite enough, Bella.' He commanded in a voice that brokered no arguments. 'Let us not let such petty matters ruin the festivities.'
Bella bowed her head. She looked at Sirius and smirked.
-o-o-o-
Regulus lay on his bed, thinking.
'Sirius?' he whispered into the darkness.
Sirius grunted in response. He had never felt so humiliated. What would Rab think? He had come to greatly admire the boy in only a matter of three days.
God forbid, what would Hermione think of him now? Would she fall prey to the leers Bellatrix had thrown at him?
'You know I'll never let Mother corrupt me into becoming a bigot, right?'
Sirius turned to face his little brother and smiled at him. 'You couldn't even if you wanted to. You're too good for your own sake, Reggie.'
Regulus nodded. He eventually drifted off to sleep.
But for sirius it sas an entirely different matter. Be twisted and turned but sleep wouldn't come to him.
Shortly after the Sun had begun to rise, he heard someone knock at the door.
Sirius got out of his bed and moved to the door. He opened it to find Hermione dressed in a warm emerald coloured cloak covering her from foot to toe.
He was terrified of what she had come to say to him. Surely a visit at such time could not be about anything good. He was certain she'd ask him to leave immediately. He only hoped she would let Reggie stay. She wasn't only Sirius' first friend outside of the family. She was Reggie's first friend too. Walburga had simply never let her boys mingle with anybody else deeming everyone as something akin to dirt under her nails.
'Is Reggie asleep?' she asked.
Sirius nodded his head bracing himself for what she was going to ask him to do. 'Look, if you think I'm.. undeserving or something as twisted at that.. I'll leave. You only have to say the word and I won't be a bother but please don't throw him away. He respects you. He loves spending time with you and Rab.'
Hermione took one look at the young boy and found her heart reaching out to him. He had just been insulted by his cousin. And she was certain it hadn't been the first time. But something like that to have happened in front of his friends would have mortified the boy.
Here was an untarnished Sirius who was begging her to stay friends with his brother. Destiny would have him hating the very same boy a few years down the line.
She couldn't help but think of how his life would turn out. She couldn't, for the life of her, let him be damned like the last time. This boy deserved the world and so much more. He wouldn't be dragged to Azkaban without a trial. He wouldn't be committed to a life of sorrow.
No. She would see to it.
Hermione hit him lightly on his head. 'Oh, shut up you git. I don't care what Bella says. She's barmy, I tell you. You're everything she could never be. Now stop wallowing and come with me.'
Sirius was surprised. He had honestly expected her to throw away the friendship they had built over the course of the last year.
He nodded distractedly and silently followed her.
Hermione led Sirius to the terrace. She had only just found out the corridor leading to it a week ago. They both slowly climbed up the stairs and carefully made their way onto the roof.
The two settled down and watched as the sky slowly turned yellow from its pink hues. There was snow sprinkled all around them. Hermione's cheeks were coloured red in the cold. She was shivering slightly.
'As much as I love spending time with a fine lady as yourself but is there a point to this or you merely wish to let me catch a nasty flu?' He grumbled distastefully.
She took out a package from beneath her cloak and handed it over to Sirius who took it in his shivering hands. 'What is this?'
'Just another gift.' Hermione mumbled into the cold wind.
He quickly tore through it and found an oversized scarlet sweater with the letter S sewn into it.
Hermione looked at him as his eyes grew in wonder and smiled a little ruefully. She couldn't help but remember another black haired boy whose green eyes had lit up upon receiving his very first knitted sweater from Molly Weasley after years of abuse and neglect.
Harry and Sirius had been so alike. She wondered if they had ever realised.
'Look, I'm not the best at knitting. And since I'm not allowed to do magic yet, it was definitely not an easy feat. Also I don't have a very good history at knitting. But I figured you'd need to start creating your new wardrobe seeing we'll be leaving for Hogwarts soon.'
'I love it!' Sirius exclaimed pulling the sweater over his head. He felt warm and snuggled even deeper into it despite the many irregular patterns it harboured.
He hugged Hermione so tight she had to cry out, 'Sirius! Let me go! I can't breathe.'
Sirius had to laugh at her expression. 'Hermione.. I.. thank you. Nobody has ever thought about me before. I have Reggie, sure. But.. thank you.'
Hermione just smiled.