DISCLAIMER. None of the characters used are a creation of mine. They belong solely to JK Rowling.
Hermione was reviewing her notes on a potion with Severus.
Despite it being an especially chilly day the two had chosen to stay outdoors. The common room was bustling with activity for a change that day since they had won the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw last evening.
Only a handful of students could be seen out on the grounds and yet the two were relatively far away from the rest of the student body. They were seated on the very edge of the Black Lake.
They preferred silence above all else. That was probably the reason why they worked so well together.
Severus complained, 'No, no you're doing it wrong. If you add the lacewing flies before belladonna you will put the poor bloke into a coma.'
Hermione thrust the parchment to him, 'You do it then. You keep interrupting me.'
'Because you keep making mistakes!'
'I am following what the textbook says!'
Severus put a hand in his hair, 'Hermione, you know by now my hunch is always right.'
'But if we use your hunch, as you so eloquently put it, for papers which will be graded we will only lose marks.'
'No, I refuse. You're wrong.'
'Am not. You haven't even tried this potion before. You can't possibly know.'
'As much as we enjoy the two of going at it, your lover's quarrel is really quite off-putting.' James drawled, leaning against a tree trunk and twirling his wand in his hand.
Peter snickered, 'Hey, Hermione! How are you?'
She eyed the Marauders suspiciously. Sirius looked miffed and Remus was overly nervous. She guessed James was going to try and bully Severus.
She sighed. She really didn't want to be caught in the middle.
Hermione nodded curtly, 'Quite well, thank you. What do you boys want?'
Sirius sneered at Severus, 'We hate seeing Snivellus corrupt your young mind, love.'
Hermione stood up glaring at him, 'And how is it any of your concern, Black?' She put as much heat as she could in his name. 'I have had enough of your games. Please leave us be.'
Severus quietly stood beside her.
James shook his head, 'And miss a chance to show this slimy snake where he belongs? Absolutely not.'
And to think Hermione had been getting along with James lately. He was still not over his phase of being an arrogant, spoiled brat.
Remus mumbled, 'Guys, let's just leave.'
Sirius scoffed, 'You want us to back off, Remus? You know us better.'
Peter sensed the tension in the air. He whispered in his ear, 'Sirius, you won't be doing yourself a favour if you shit him right now. He's her friend.'
Sirius nodded reluctantly and started to pull James away but he saw Snape raising his wand behind James' back and taking an aim. He quickly disarmed him and sent a spell at him. But before the light from his wand had even shot out Hermione had made use of her reflexes harboured from the war and pushed Severus aside thus bearing the brunt of the aftershock of the spell which sent her teetering into the lake.
'HERMIONE, NO!' She heard Harry scream. No. No. James. It was James.
Blackness clouded her vision. The cold seeped into her bones as she sunk deeper into the blackest waters she had ever seen. She couldn't see anythig around her except for the vastness of the lake. She couldn't hear anything except the blood rush into her ears. She couldn't move her limbs.
She was lost. She was lost in time and now she was going to die.
Her lungs verged on the edge of exploding. Her mind couldn't hold onto consciousness for long now. Any minute and she would lose all her senses.
The sound of silence stunned her. It was everywhere. A silence so deep and profound that she could find no end to it.
Her head was pounding, every cell inside her screaming for a breath of fresh life. But the arms of the water spread around her and took her for its own. She felt herself drift into the soft crevices of sleep.
It would feel nice. Peaceful. She could give into oblivion. She would be with her parents again. Ron. Ginny. The other Weasleys.
But what of Harry?
She couldn't die. She couldn't fail or the world would burn and sizzle out.
She forced her eyes open trying to move but her arms flayed around in vain. She had no control over her body.
Her lungs burned and she almost felt them give in when suddenly a pair of arms grabbed her.
Firm hands pulling her up. They broke surface and she gulped in huge amounts of the fresh cold air.
She heaved as someone carried her onto the shore. Her vision was still obscure but she could feel someone moving their hands all over her body trying to contain the shivers that kept breaking out.
The cold threatened to envelope her. She felt her blood freeze and her heart almost give out before darkness surrounded her.
-o-o-o-
There was a pounding in her head as Hermione struggled to open her eyes.
Her vision focused on a black haired, bespectacled boy.
She mumbled, her words almost incoherent. Some sleeping part of her mind dared hope. 'Harry,' she called out, her voice a broken whisper.
James' face, so far etched into worry broke out into a huge grin as he called out, 'Rabastan. She's awake!'
Rab who had been talking quietly with Madame Pomfrey rushed to his sister's side, the matron hot on his heels.
Rab clutched his sister's hand in his and sighed in relief.
'Merlin, Hermione! I was so frightened . We were just about to call Papa in. You've been unconscious for the entire day.'
The matron shoved James and Peter off. The two went to stand beside a very guilty looking Remus and a concerned Lily. Severus was also standing awkwardly on the side.
She wondered where Sirius was.
She would have liked to see him here.
Did he not care..?
When Madame Pomfrey was done checking for her vitals she instructed everyone around her, 'Alright. Fifteen minutes, you lot and then you will leave and let the poor girl rest. It isn't long to curfew now.'
'What happened?' Hermione croaked out.
James stepped forward as Rab glared the living hell out of the boy.
'Well,' he mumbled, 'we were just leaving when Sirius caught sight of Sni.. Snape aiming his wand at me. So Sirius cast a jinx and when you pushed Snape out of the way you were.. hit instead. You fell into the lake. Peter ran for inside looking for a professor. By the time McGonagall came out Sirius had already plunged into the water and pulled you out. But you fell unconscious as soon as you guys made it out so Professor levitated you inside.'
Hermione nodded, 'Is he okay?'
The Marauders were shocked.
Remus said, 'You are worried about Sirius after all that happened? You aren't mad at us? Or him?'
Hermione shook her head. 'Severus is the one who's entitled to be angry. But seeing as he wasn't entirely innocent in this I don't see why you lot can't come to a common agreement.'
Severus shied away from her gaze in guilt.
They heard the doors to the Hospital Wing open and saw as Dumbledore entered with McGonagall and Slughorn trailing behind him.
He looked graver than he usually did and the twinkle in his eyes was amiss.
He stood at the foot of her bed and asked her calmly, 'Miss Lestrange, how are you feeling?'
'I am quite well, sir, thank you.' Hermione responded.
Madame Pomfrey came bustling out of her office to give a report to the Headmaster.
'May I inquire as to how you came to fall into the lake, Miss Lestrange?'
'Please sir, call me Hermione.'
Dumbledore smiled kindly. 'Very well, Hermione, please tell us what happened this morning.'
'I.. I was studying with Severus by the lake. And I fell into the lake.'
Dumbledore raised his brow. 'And what were the other four boys doing there, Hermione?'
'I and Severus had been arguing and that probably disturbed the boys. So they came asking us.. to keep it quiet. They were only leaving when I got up in anger and lost my footing. So I suppose that I fell in.'
She knew none of the teachers believed her. Everyone was aware of the open hostility between the Marauders and the Slytherins, especially Snape.
Dumbledore nodded. 'If you say so.'
'Sirius saved my life, sir.'
Dumbledore looked at Rab and said, 'I shall notify your grandfather of what has happened today. Look after your sister, Mr Lestrange.'
The teachers left soon after. The Marauders looked ashamed.
Remus whispered, 'You didn't have to do that..'
Rab looked at him sharply. His eyes blazed with fury. 'You should be glad she saved your neck. If it had been in my hands I would have had the lot of you removed from the school grounds immediately.'
He looked very much the Pureblood lord he truly was and not the sweet innocent little boy Hermione had come to know.
Hermione sat up, struggling a little. Lily helped her up. 'Rab, please. It wasn't their fault.'
Rab calmed himself, 'It is your decision, 'Mi and I shall respect it.'
He looked at the four boys and said softly, 'Please leave. She should rest as much as she can. You can visit her come morning.'
Peter called out, 'We will be back in the morning with sweets. Take care, Hermione!'
James turned towards Lily and asked softly, 'You coming Evans?'
Lily shook her head, 'I'll be a minute longer.'
'We will wait for you outside. It's dark. You shouldn't have to walk alone.'
Lily seemed conflicted whether to be mad at him or be touched by his chivalry.
The boys nodded at the siblings and left promptly. Hermione noticed the Marauders stopped at a bed two places away from her before exiting the Wing.
Lily stayed behind and took Hermione's free hand in hers. She said softly, 'I really do hope you get well soon. You can trust me to have a word with those boys. You were so brave today, Hermione.' She dropped a kiss on her forehead and left.
Hermione felt tears pool into her eyes at the concern Lily had showed her. She wondered what life would have been like if the Potters had survived.
Maybe Hermione would visit every summer and Lily would be as much a mother to her as she would be to Harry.
Rab wiped away the stray tears on her face.
'Hermione, I am so glad you are safe.'
She nodded, 'I am sorry, Rab. But.. nobody told me. Is that Sirius.. over there in that bed?'
Rab nodded, 'Yes. He did save your life. He's down with a slight cold.' He laughed lightly, 'Of course, you had to go and choose such a day as it is today to drown.'
'Rab, please don't be mad at him when he gets up.'
He looked at her with a strange emotion blazing in his eyes. 'I won't. Get some sleep, 'Mi.'
He kissed her hand and smiled at her one last time before leaving.
-o-o-o-
It was well past midnight and Hermione still couldn't find it in herself to go to sleep.
She hadn't been this out of control since a very long time. The panic that had seized her in the lake had left her reeling.
She sighed and sat up. She stared at the ceiling. She heard the curtains around Sirius' bed ruffle and saw as he slipped out of his cot and silently made his way towards her.
He came to stand in front of her but kept his eyes downcast. She could see he was shivering in the cold.
Hermione made place for him and signalled him to sit. Still avoiding her eye, Sirius settled in beside her and snuggled into the blankets.
He took all of three minutes before bursting out, 'I am so sorry, Hermione! What I did today was unforgivable. I almost lost you. I almost killed you. You were the first person to show me kindness. To look past my name. You accepted me despite my shortgivings. You threw away all traces of prejudice and I only treated you like shite. When you ignored my name and saw me for the person I am, I only saw the label that was put on your person when you were sorted into Slytherin. I acted like a git. And what I did today.. it was so wrong, Hermione. And I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but if you can find it in you to look past my faults once again, I swear to you, Hermione, I will spend the rest of my life living up to your expectations of me. I give you my word. I will never, ever treat you the way I have over the course of the last two years. Please just.. forgive me..'
Hermione had never expected him to apologise. When she had known the older Sirius, she had seen a man who had kept his feelings to himself. Who had become a recluse. Who had gathered in on himself and shut away the world. She looked into his grey eyes and saw something akin to what had lay in the eyes of the older Sirius. She could see he was repentant. She could see it in his eyes that were shining with unshed tears.
Hermione said nothing. She merely just took him in her arms and let him cry silently into her shoulders.
'I hate this.' He muttered, a few minutes later. 'Look at me. Crying like a bird.'
He was suddenly mortified and pulled away from her embrace. 'No one can know.'
Hermione laughed out at his sudden change of mood.
The two spent the remainder of the night indulging in meaningless chatter, each revelling in the presence of a lost friend found once again.
Sirius had been telling her an exceptionally funny story of how the boys had hidden all of James' clothes one day and how he had been forced to walk out shirtless into the common room.
'It was worth looking at Lily with her face as red as her hair.' He barked out a laugh. 'I bet she likes him back, you know? But James is too stupid to see that if only he grew up a little he might just have a chance.'
'Ciming from you, Sirius, that is crap. You shouldn't be talking about suddenly turning into a mature chap. It doesn't become of you.' She scoffed.
At the first light of the day Reggie had come sweeping into the Hospital Wing and had briefly hugged his brother and held Hermione's hands.
'Nobody told me until this morning. I came as soon as I could. Are the two of you alright?'
Hermione nodded and Sirius laughed at his brother's concern for him although secretly touched.
Reggie smiled as he saw the two people he felt the closest to in the world sitting intertwined with each other. It was so glaringly obvious and yet they failed to notice the depth of affections they held for the other.
He shook his head fondly and left them to fall back in rythm with each other.
-o-o-o-
When Hermione finally joined classes once again, she was glad to see that Sirius no longer avoided her in the corridors anymore. In fact he would actively seek her out.
He would also make an effort to sit with her in the library at times despite his utter horror at such a task.
Hermione had also started helping out the boys with their Animagus training. Unknown to them, she herself had begun to prepare for turning into one. She wouldn't be joining them when they eventually got ready to be with Moony. It would always be their thing and she would never intrude upon the sanctity of their bond.
But she would be keeping an eye out for them.
Besides she had never been one to shy away from learning something new.
-o-o-o-
When Hermione had left Severus to spend the remaineder of the ride back home with the Maruaders after the year had come to an end, she had finally felt like she belonged.
She belonged with this group of four boys who had been ripped apart in another life. She belonged to these boys she had come to gradually love.
As she sat watching the four boys bicker in fun she couldn't help but smile.
James was adamant, 'No, you will see. This is the year. I can feel it. When we come back this September you'll see Evans finally falling for me.'
Remus laughed, 'Sure, mate. As soon as the stars fall out.'
James scowled at his friend. 'One day we will be married and have a son. And you, Remus, shall not be the godfather.'
Sirius puffed out his chest, 'Because the honour will obviously go to me.'
Peter cried, 'Oh and what about me?'
Hermione covered his hand in hers and laughed softly, 'Don't worry, Pete, you can be the godfather to my kids.'
Sirius waggled his eyebrows at her, 'Already planning kids, are we? Have a bloke in sight, do you?'
The other boys shared a look. He might not ever admit it but they weren't blind to the obvious jealousy in their mate's eyes as he playfully questioned the girl he so adored.
Hermione scoffed, 'It doesn't concern you. Back off.'
Sirius looked indignant. 'It has everything to do with me. If you don't tell me I'll tell Rab you like someone. You and I both know how he won't stop before he finds out.'
Hermione crossed her arms and glared at him.
When Rab came strolling towards her, looking greatly unburdened after having finished with his NEWTs, Hermione bid her goodbyes to her friends and followed after him.
But before she left she couldn't help noticing how something had changed between her and Sirius.
She had never before noticed he smelled of the winter woods and faded leather. She had never before noticed how his eyes lit up at the mention of chocolate frogs. She had never before noticed how her heart would flutter when he held her close.
She couldn't believe herself.
She was only thirteen. In a way.
She couldn't be falling for her best friend's godfather. She couldn't be falling for anybody. She loved.. she loved Ron. Her freckled, redheaded best friend. The boy who had given up his life for hers.