AN: Hello, fanfiction and Harry Potter fans. I do not own Harry Potter, but feel free to enjoy this or hate it. If you enjoy it, please leave a lovely comment, if you hate it, then leave some constructive criticism, thanks!

Warning: SMUT

Can You Take the Jump?

Chapter 36

As Sunday dawned, the drugs started clearing out of Hermione's system and dreams started to creep into her subconscious. Her trauma response was immediate, taking charge of her bodily functions to force her awake. She woke with a gasp. Her arms and legs struggled against its bonds as she tried to chase after the unknown death eater that had murdered her daughter. She was still weak and groggy from the drugs; her emotions were spilling out of her with no control. Painful burning tears streamed down her face, as she blindly searched the room for a familiar sign of comfort to find it empty. A deep ache throbbed in her chest for her loneliness and the person's absence.

"Hermione."

Someone rushed to her, enveloping her with open arms, giving her the hug that she desperately needed. Her arms were still bound, but she accepted the embrace, absorbing their solidness, warmth, and kindness.

"It's okay. You're okay." They muttered, consoling her whimpers with their words and their touch. "I've got you."

They stayed in their embrace until her emotional, drug-addled mind calmed down. Her brain started registering the body next to her: his smell and familiarity.

"Sirius?" She jerked back. "Why are you…how are you here?"

He gently cupped her face, concern, and fear dripping out of his eyes. He gently touched blood-crusted tears from beneath her eyes.

She gasped and turned her head, remembering that she didn't have her glamour charms on. Her dark circles, pale and sickly skin, hair, and the yellow in her eyes were all apparent.

"Hermione…" He whispered, trying to tell her it was alright, but he couldn't. Sirius was a lot of things, but he was not a liar. It wasn't that her appearance upset him, it was her disease and the fact that she'd hidden this from him.

"Hermione?" A tentative voice called to her from behind him. Lily stood there; hands clasped with nervous concern. There were bags under her eyes, but her eyes were wide and alert like she'd been through a disaster. She gently walked around the disarrayed room that had previously been pristine before she'd been medically comatose. They were evidence of what she'd done. What she'd been and thus, what they'd seen. Hermione supposed that, in a sense, they had been through a disaster.

"Look at me." Sirius gently nudged her to look at him. He wanted to see her, all of her. He loved her regardless.

"Don't." Her voice was stronger, colder. Angry.

She looked up to the observatory where she knew Belby was.

"Why is he here?!"

…

"What do you think they're talking about?" Sirius asked Lily, but the other Gryffindor remained quiet, watching Hermione intensely.

They watched the healers fuss over Hermione, removing the remaining tubes and the metal shackles around her limbs. She had her back turned to them, the hospital garment hanging off her like she was a hanger.

The second the metal shackles were off, Hermione stood from the bed, wobbling from the sudden rush of blood to her feet. The healers rushed to stabilize her, but she shook them off and marched toward Belby, who watched her from a distance. Lily and Sirius couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was clear that Hermione was furious. Fire spewed from her eyes as she argued with the older man. It was impressive to watch Hermione bring down a man several decades her senior and a renowned Potioneer with her words.

Snapping from her interrogation, Belby started pushing back, using his larger frame to try and intimidate her. He jabbed her with his finger, pushing her back.

Sirius made a low rumbling noise that reminded Lily a lot like a dog that was growling as a warning before an attack. He moved to the door to rush back to the chamber.

However, it appeared as though Hermione didn't need Sirius's protection. She grabbed the offending digit and yanked it back. Belby's angry expression immediately changed to one of pain as he contorted his body to ease the twisting of his finger. Hermione lifted her hand and brought it down on the man's face. The other healers in the room rushed forward to stop her, but she stopped her hand just before it contacted his face.

Belby peeled his eyes open to see the boney hand a mere centimetre away from his face.

Hermione released his finger, and the relief hit Belby in waves and he fell to the floor. She must've said something to him because he frantically nodded.

She walked out of the anti-magical chamber with her head held high and no one followed her.

Bang bang!

Lily and Sirius jumped when the door to the observatory shook from the furious knock. They shared a look, but Lily quickly rushed to the door and opened it.

Within the few meters from the chamber to the observatory, Hermione had glamoured her face to appear like her normal 'perfect' self.

"You two. Go back to school."

Although her sentences were curt, the calmness of Hermione's response made Lily nervous. It wasn't like she wanted Hermione to be mad, but it seemed unnatural how calm her sister was.

"Uh, are you okay? How do you feel?" Lily asked attentively.

Hermione silently stared at Lily. Under the scrutiny of her younger twin sister, Lily felt uncomfortable, like she'd done the wrong thing.

"You shouldn't have looked for me this weekend, Lily."

She tried to cover the hurt from Hermione's words, by letting out a weak smile. "We were just worried."

"Breakfast starts in 30 minutes. You should get going."

Lily turned her head to hide the tears in her eyes as she ran out of the room.

"She was really worried you know." Sirius wanted to argue with her. Shake her, yell at her for being so careless with the feelings of the people who cared for her, with her health, but when he met her eyes, he couldn't bring himself to. Maybe it was because he'd seen her without her glamour charm, he could see the exhaustion that was weighing her down.

"Your friends will be wondering where you are," Hermione whispered, avoiding his gaze.

"Hermione…"

"Not right now. I can't do this right now."

"Okay." He accepted. "But we will. Eventually."

It wasn't a suggestion. It was a promise. Hermione could hear him hesitate at the door, but she did not turn back and look at him.

Then, as soon as she heard the door close, she collapsed to the floor, her legs giving out beneath her.

…

The Marauders looked back and forth between Sirius and Lily. They wore the same blank expression on their face.

"What happened last night?" Peter asked, but neither of them responded, not even hearing him.

"Guys?" Remus nudged their plates of food.

"Huh?" Sirius jerked up while Lily blinked several times.

"What happened last night?"

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked defensively.

"Padfoot, we know you were gone last night, and the girls told us that Lily wasn't in bed either…" James looked between them suspiciously. "What exactly were you two doing?"

The silence that followed was awkward, each Gryffindor trying to avoid each other's gaze.

Being unable to handle awkward silences, Lily broke first. "We just couldn't sleep. Talked to each other in the Great Hall and just spent the night here."

James narrowed his eyes at his best friend, knowing his incapability to lie. "Really?"

"Why are you asking me? You don't believe Lily?"

"Answer the question, Sirius." Remus caught his deflection.

"Yeah Pads, answer it." Peter pushed.

"…We were checking up on Hermione at St. Mungo's."

"Sirius!" Lily whacked Sirius on the arm, hard. "What the hell?!"

"You guys snuck out of the castle? Beyond Hogsmeade?"

"Yes, Peter. Please shout it louder, I think Professor McGonagall hasn't heard you yet." Sirius rolled his eyes. "It was personal. We just wanted to check."

"How is she? I heard she needed to get a check-up at St. Mungo's." Remus frowned, knowing the blank stares that Lily and Sirius had worn were not a good sign.

"She was—" Sirius hesitated.

"Doing better when we left her. Walking around, yelling at us to go back to school." Lily finished for him, technically not lying.

"Yeah, what Lily said."

The Marauders stared at them, disbelief clearly written on their faces.

"Anyway," Lily cleared her throat. "Have you guys finished your charms homework?"

…

Hermione's eyes snapped wide open when her nightmares started edging towards her consciousness for the second time that day. She jumped up from the bed, only to see Belby and her team of healers watching her.

"How's your finger, Belby?"

Belby massaged the finger she twisted early that morning with a grumble.

"We hadn't even given you your neutralizer. I'm shocked you even got up to slap me. I'm more surprised that you managed to get up those stairs to yell at your sister and boyfriend before collapsing."

"I'm a bundle of surprises."

"You're a bundle of overshot nerves. You should have slept more, but knowing what kind of freak you are, I'm glad you even got 30 minutes in without any more drugs in your system."

"You shouldn't have told them."

"As I explained before, I didn't tell them, they came searching for answers by themselves. I simply confirmed their suspicions." Belby argued back. "Look, I understand not telling your parents. They're muggles, so they don't understand. In the past, your magical twin sister was too young, but it's different now."

"That doesn't explain Sirius."

"Mr. Black came in with your sister, pointing his wand threateningly at us."

"So, you told him because you—a fully grown adult—were scared of a 16-year-old boy?"

Belby paused. "I apologize for Mr. Black's involvement. In all honesty, he was a surprise for us too."

Hermione closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. Everything was so…different now that Belby was in charge.

"Am I good?" She asked eventually. "Can I go?"

"Well no, we still need—" One of the healers next to Belby spoke up, but was stopped by his hand.

"You'll need to send us a vial of your blood as soon as you can. Other than that, you may leave. Should I schedule the floo back to Hogwarts?" Belby asked.

"No," she shook her head. "I'm going to Alphard's."

No one touched her as she walked out of the room. Outside the door was a familiar redhead that stood there awkwardly rubbing her hands together. Hermione walked past her without offering her a glance.

"Hermione." Heather Bones stopped her from walking away. "I'm…I couldn't…"

"You couldn't stay impartial, but you didn't want to be like Alphard. Not because you didn't think you could do it, but because you've always been torn between if you were saving a child or healing a monster." Hermione turned to her. "Alphard only saw the child, Belby only sees the Obscurial, but you? Maybe it's because of your Hufflepuff affiliation, but you've always seen both. It's why you were a good medium, but it's also why you've never been…outstanding."

Bones's eyes wavered as she stepped back. Hermione had hit the nail on the head.

"I…I still don't know for sure."

"Coward."

Bones let out a small gasp.

"You're a bad representation of your House, Healer Bones. Fairness may be about seeing both sides, but it's not about standing on the fence." She sighed. "You feel guilty for the child you abandoned, so let me ease that guilt. Don't come back. I don't need someone who won't give their all."

…

Hermione ran her fingers along the spine of Alphard's books. She could hear Pinky tinkering away in the kitchen, cooking her a late lunch she didn't really want but knew better than to refuse.

There were so many books about medicine, both muggle and magical. It didn't matter how much Alphard knew about healing, he always studied more. For her. He never gave up healing her completely, for her to sleep at night without being dependent on a drug, to submit to unconsciousness without being consumed by night terrors.

The traces of Hermione using this office as if it were her own were still left on the shelves. Books about time, quantum mechanics, theory of relativity, and other topics within the scope of muggle physics and magical time-travelling littered the shelves from the days she used to spend almost every waking hour in this house. He never got rid of them.

She smiled, remembering the nights they spent with her trying to explain Einstein's theory of relativity at the age of 8 to a grown man.

Her hands skipped all her usual books, and instead trailed to the only children's storybook in the house; The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It was the first book Alphard had purchased for her. She opened the hardcover and looked inside at the inscription; the entire reason she'd come to Alphard's flat in the first place.

My dearest Hermione,

I've noticed that you keep stealing the hospital brochures and the Daily Prophet from other patients and realized that you are probably extremely bored. You're an exceptionally bright girl, so it's my mistake not attending to your needs more quickly. You'll have to forgive me; this is my first-time parenting. I promise I'll do better; I've always been a quick learner. I just hope you don't grow up and think, "Wow, Alphard was a real bumbling idiot, and I would've been better off with my birth parents" because frankly, I think that'll hurt me a little bit.

Anyway, the young sales lady claims that it's a nice gesture to write an inscription in the book if it's the first gift to a child. It'll be nice for memories, she claimed. I'm not sure about that, I don't have anything insightful or lovely to say.

Oh, Merlin, I'm not good at this kind of thing, am I?

If I keep writing I think I'm going to end up just jabbering on about nothing and everything, so I'm going to end this by saying, thank you. Thank you for coming into my life, Hermione. I've never slept so little in my life, been so confused, and so overwhelmed as to what I need to do, yet I wouldn't change it for the world.

Apparently, you're the chaos I've always needed.

Yours truly,

Alphard

Her fingers traced after his beautiful handwriting, taking her back to the exact moment he was writing this. She could imagine him, standing in the muggle bookstore writing on the inside of this book with a pen and not a quill. She could imagine him wondering where the inkpot was, then being pleasantly surprised at the convenience of a pen and simultaneously being upset at the uneven dispensation of the ink in the ball-point pen. She could imagine him thinking about what he could write to fill up the space, then scolding himself for his lack of preparation before he began to write.

His awkward, sweet, and warm personality shined through the words, leaving her heart rectified and shattered at the same time.

She gently closed the book and hugged it close to her chest.

"Oh, Alphard. What am I going to do now that you're gone? How do I get through this without you?" She whispered to the book.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Miss?" Pinky quietly entered the office. "Lunch is…" but the elf stopped at the sight of his Miss on the floor, hugging a book close to her chest.

"Would Miss like to have lunch with Master Black?"

Pinky smiled at the childlike nod.

"As Miss wishes."

…

Hermione and Pinky sat in the shade of her old tree where Alphard was buried. They ate the delicious lunch Pinky had packed as they shared memories and stories of the man that had shaped their lives.

"I can't believe he did that!" Hermione gasped but tried to muffle the giggle that was about to escape her. "Alphard? The goody-goody? No way."

"It is true. Pinky never saw Miss Walburga so mad. The glue in her hair didn't wash away for the entire night. Miss Walburga nearly didn't marry Master Orion because of her hair that night."

"You know I always wondered how such a sweet person like Alphard could be a Slytherin, but perhaps he always had it somewhere in him."

"Yes, Master was a troublemaker in his teens, then as a man, Master was such a…a promiscuous man before Miss came into his life," Pinky recalled. "Pinky would clean up after a new lady friend came over, but it was always someone new and far too skinny. Sometimes they were horrible to Pinky."

"Oh, Pinky." Hermione consoled the small elf. "What did Alphard do?"

"Pinky never told him." He shrugged. "Pinky knew she would not return, so Pinky never told him."

"What about Miss Sna—Eileen?"

This time the elf became pensive. "She needed a friend more than a man and Master Alphard needed a friend more than a woman."

"But they were dating."

"Yes," Pinky agreed. "But Pinky thinks what Pinky thinks."

The two turned silent. They finished their lunch, and it was finally time to say goodbye. Hermione needed to get back to school and Pinky was going to visit his family up north.

Hermione crouched to the base of the tree where she had engraved a gravestone of sorts, next to their initials.

In loving memory of Alphard Black.

She looked down at the book in her hands. The Giving Tree was a story that depicted unconditional love, which was often perceived as parental love to a child. However, she remembered thinking the boy in the book was incredibly selfish when she read it.

"You were the tree." She whispered and she touched his name in the tree. "And I was the boy."

She let out a small humourless laugh at the irony of where he was buried.

"I guess it all comes full circle. Thank you for all your gifts and I'm sorry for taking so much."

…

"Oh, sorry."

Someone bumped into Hermione as she was buying last-minute supplies before heading back to school.

"Mr. Ollivander."

"Miss Hermione Evans, goodness my child. What are you doing in Diagonalley in the middle of the school year?"

"I had special permission to come to Diagonalley by Headmaster Dumbledore," Hermione explained, then lifted her bag of supplies as proof of her visit.

"Well," He smiled, though it was awkward like he wanted to say something else.

Hermione tactfully lingered for a moment longer to allow him to speak, but his mouth never opened. "Well, I'll have to go back to school now. I suppose I might see you next summer when I come back to buy my books. Goodbye, sir."

She headed in the direction of Alphard's flat, where Pinky was waiting to apparate her back to school when she heard footsteps rushing toward her.

"Miss Evans!" Ollivander chased her through the crowds.

"Sir?"

"Uh," the man fidgeted. "I'd like to offer you a job, this summer."

"Sir?" She repeated. She never heard of Ollivander offering part-time jobs to students. The wandmaking business was passed down from family member to family member.

"My son is taking his apprenticeship in America this summer and I'll need some help around the shop."

"I see…" Hermione stood there, shocked at the proposal. She looked inside the shop, a staple in the old shopping strip in the heart of Wizarding England. "And I'll be able to watch you make your wands as well?"

"Yes. And magic is permitted in my shop at all times, even for those who are underage. One of the perks of being an employee of a wandshop" His eyes twinkled as if he knew far more than he should.

Hermione stared right into the old man's eyes.

"I guess I'll be seeing you this summer, Mr. Ollivander."

…

"You're back."

Severus greeted her in the courtyard outside of the main entrance to the castle. He was shivering from the March cold. He must have waited for her to return with no knowledge of when she was going to arrive.

"H-How are you? Are you okay? Do you need anything?" He asked, shivering in his coat.

She ignored him and started walking towards the castle.

"Hermione, I don't know what you want. I'm trying to be better. I'm trying to be good, but you're not giving me a second of your time. I need…I need…you." He sounded nauseated from his own words.

She didn't respond, but she didn't look at him.

"Tell me how to fix this. Tell me what I can do. I…I'm sorry."

Hermione gripped her bag that held the old copy of The Giving Tree. She had forgiven this boy time and time again. She advised him only for him to completely ignore her. And she had been betrayed by him numerous times and in numerous ways. Despite having no intention of being one, she had become Severus's Giving Tree.

"Tell me why I need to help you fix this." Hermione whipped around and jabbed her finger in his chest. "You aren't my family. I have no reason to love you unconditionally like I love Lily. Our friendship came with conditions, and you've clearly shown me yours through the years. Guess what? I don't agree with your terms and conditions, so I guess there's nothing to salvage here."

"No! I—" He reached out but didn't grab her. "I know I've been terrible. Despite promising to change, I know I fucked up all over again! I ignored my real friends and family, blinded by my own pride and anger. I'm so fucking sorry. I'm willing to do anything to gain your forgiveness."

Hermione clenched her jaw tightly as she watched one of the most prideful people she knew grovel at her feet.

Fuck. Fucking Giving Tree.

"This is the last time, Severus." She spoke through gritted teeth. She hated that, despite everything, she loved Severus and in a deep and complicated way, he loved her too. "But my forgiveness won't be free this time."

"Of course. Anything."

"Good. I was hoping you'd say that."

…

Dread piled up in Severus's chest as Hermione dragged him up a tiring number of stairs to the 7th Floor; Gryffindor tower.

She didn't even give him a moment to catch his breath when she spoke the password, opening the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Hermione? Snape?!" The Gryffindors jumped up from their couches in the common room at the entrance of the two Slytherins.

"Everyone who isn't Remus Lupin, James Potter, and Sirius Black. Scram."

"Hermione? What is going on? When did you get back?" Lily rushed towards her sister, checking her up and down. However, unlike how she appeared earlier that morning, Hermione was perfect like she always was.

"I will call you down for a separate conversation at a later time, but for now, I need you to remove everyone from this common room."

Lily's eyes flickered back and forth between Severus, Hermione, and the two Gryffindor boys that she'd called out in the beginning.

"Okay." Slowly, she nodded. "Come on guys, you heard my sister. Let's go up to our dorms! Up! Up! Let's go!"

"Evans, this is our common room." A seventh-year scoffed.

"I know Terrence, and I'm really sorry. Please? I'll really owe you one."

The guy rolled his eyes but grabbed his belongings nonetheless.

"Thank you!"

"Hermione," Sirius stepped in front of her. He took her cold hands into his and squeezed them. "Are you—" He paused. There was a clear sign on her face that she didn't wish to talk about it. "What's this about?"

"You'll find out." She told him but squeezed his hands back.

He leaned towards her ear, "Also, the way you walked into the room commanding everyone to get out was hot."

A smile threatened to break her serious expression. Leave it to Sirius to break the tension with a joke.

Once everyone evacuated the common room for the four of them, Hermione sat on the sofas and waited expectantly.

"Uhm." Severus rubbed his hands together awkwardly. "So…uh…I have uhm… something to say."

The Marauders glanced at each other in confusion. After the night of the full moon, Dumbledore had spoken to Severus separately. None of them knew what the Slytherin talked about with the Headmaster, but whatever had been said between the two had worked. No authorities came to arrest them for their illegal animagi forms and Remus's near homicide of Severus.

"I'm sorry." He grimaced. "I'm sorry that I pried into your business and almost got everyone hurt or arrested. I'm sorry that I was vindictive. I know that Lupin is taking all precautions necessary to be safe. I already promised this to Dumbledore, but I make the same promise to you that I will not go to the authorities. Although if the authorities come to me for some reason, I will not lie for you. We're not friends."

"And Potter. Black…" Severus let out a deep sigh of pained resignation. "Thank you for saving my life."

The boys stood there, mouths agape, unsure how to respond to the changed Slytherin in front of them.

"What was that?" James asked.

"I think I might be dreaming, mate," Sirius replied. "No, more like nightmaring."

"Nightmaring is not a word, Padfoot." Remus corrected.

"Look, I just wanted to apologize alright? I was wrong. I was upset at myself for something else and instead of figuring the shit out with myself, I redirected my anger to you guys. I admit it was unfair,"

"—and stupid," Hermione interjected.

"…And stupid." Severus nodded reluctantly. "So, I'm sorry. Even if I don't approve of the illegal shit you're doing."

Sirius rolled his eyes but glanced at Hermione who was watching them. It wasn't a gushing apology. It wasn't kind, but it was genuine, if only for Hermione's approval.

"Thanks for your apology." Sirius acknowledged when he realized what was going on. "No matter how much I dislike you, I was still going to save you. I don't want my best mate charged with attempted murder."

Severus turned to Remus, who paused.

"I don't know if I can forgive you. You nearly got yourself killed and gave me a felony because you wanted to prove a point. So many people could have been hurt that day."

Severus managed to look distraught.

"I don't know if I can forgive you, but I can accept your apology."

The group turned their eyes to James who had not spoken yet. He turned to Hermione.

"Is Lily getting an apology? He used her during the duel during the Championship. He fired a spell at her to win! She was—"

"Her apology is coming right after this Potter, so relax." Severus rolled his eyes.

James turned to her for confirmation, to which she nodded.

"Then, yeah. I'll accept your apology. I agree with Sirius. I would have saved you regardless of my personal opinion of you."

Severus turned to Hermione, beet red in the face.

"Can they go now? Please?"

"Guys, clear the room and tell Lily to get down here. We need to have a conversation."

The boys shuffled out of the room, but not before Sirius pulled her in for a long, sweet kiss. It only succeeded in reminding her that they were overdue for a talk, one she didn't want.

"Go." Hermione gently pushed him off. "And make sure none of the others aren't eavesdropping."

He rested his forehead against hers while he nodded.

The two Slytherins stood around the common room, Severus looking around it with a touch of distaste on his face.

"It's just so…red." Severus touched the red chairs and the red and gold tapestry on the walls. "I get that it's their house colours, but Slytherin common room isn't so tacky."

"Guys? What's going on?" Lily walked down the stairs to the common room.

"Come and sit Lily, Severus has something to say to you."

Cautiously, the twin walked down the stairs and sat in the armchair next to them.

"Lily," Severus's tone was drastically different with her than it was with the boys. His posture was more relaxed, and his eyes had softened. "I'm so sorry. I was terrible. When I threw that spell at you, I… There's no excuse. You deserve to be mad at me, but I just want you to know that I'm so sorry that I did it and I'm going to do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

"Sev, I—" Lily's eyes shifted to her twin sister. Lily and Severus needed some time alone.

Hermione gave her sister a small nod, then squeezed Severus's shoulder.

You are forgiven.

She left the room, giving the old friends the necessary time to talk in private.

…

Sirius was waiting for her outside. His posture looked like he was trying to appear relaxed, but there was too much tension everywhere, his shoulders, his back, his jaw, between his brows and in his eyes. His usual happy-go-lucky face was replaced with an intense look that made her heart skip. He was too good-looking for his own damn good.

She knew what was waiting for her, but she didn't want it. Not now. Probably not ever, but especially not now. Her dear heart was still recovering from grief. To put it through this emotional conversation with Sirius would be a cruelty to herself that even she could not put herself through.

She started peeling her jacket off her shoulders as she slowly walked towards him, her eyes equally intense as his, but with a much different emotion. She checked that the hallway was truly empty before tugging her sweater out of her pants and over her head.

It was almost comical how Sirius's expression changed.

"W-what are you doing?"

Her heart thundered in her chest. She'd never been so bold before, stripping in such an open and public area, but she forced herself to focus on him.

"Stop. Hermione." His eyes turned dark with need, she could hear his breath hitch, stop, then release in a slow and shaky manner, like he was trying to control himself.

That wouldn't do. She wanted—needed—him unleashed.

Only a step away from him, she turned directions, heading towards the closest broom closet she knew to be. She unbuttoned her pants as she walked away, the zipper making a tantalizing sound as it travelled down to the bottom.

The problem was, she still couldn't hear him following her.

"Am I…no longer desirable after what you saw last night?"

"Hermione," Sirius made a low noise of need and followed her. "You know that I could never not want you."

She smiled. She pushed him away and walked off. She kicked off her boots, her feet touching the cold stone floor, and shimmied out of her pants, hoping she looked as sexy as she thought she did. She was leaving a trail of clothes behind her that she would need to later remember to pick up, but for now, she paid them no mind.

"We still need to talk," Sirius told her, even though he didn't sound as nearly as serious as he did before.

Hermione nodded, while her hands roamed around her half-naked body.

She could hear his feet run down the hall, her heart beating wildly in her chest. He ground his hips into her back. She could feel his erection against her, a clear sign of his arousal. He scooped her up in his arms and they stumbled their way to the broom closet, lips locked, and bodies tangled.

Their Animagi eyes helped them see in the dark as he gripped her thighs and spread them wide. Unlike their first time, Sirius was far less gentle. He ripped her knickers off her body, the thin fabric snapping with ease, but before she had the time to react, his mouth was on her, licking her from base to top.

"Ah!" Hermione moaned. He grabbed her legs, hooking them over his shoulders.

There was nothing gentle about this, unlike their first time, nothing teasing. He was feasting on her with his tongue, lips, and even teeth. Her mind melted. Hermione ground against him, her toes starting to curl at the sensation building at record speed.

"Ah! S-Sirius, wait!" She cried, overwhelmed at the speed the orgasm was rushing in on her.

He dived his tongue into her pussy.

"FUCK!" Hermione screamed. Her legs automatically wrapped around his head, holding him there. Sirius's hands reached up to her body and grabbed her breasts, squeezing and pinching the nipples and he continued his tongue-fucked her so hard that she was about to see stars.

He was unrelenting. He was…he was punishing her. For seducing him instead of talking. For not telling him the whole truth about her health, for dismissing him earlier that morning in the hospital.

She came with a mix of a scream and a moan as she exploded on his mouth, gushing and shaking. Her body turned to jelly, as she slid down the wall and onto the floor. Sirius was panting heavily but the intense look in his eyes didn't disappear.

"How should I take you next, my love?" He asked, all tenderness gone. He was growling at her. "My fingers? My cock?"

Hermione's eyes slid down to the painful-looking bulge in his pants. "I want that. Right now."

His eyes turned softer, concerned that he might hurt her.

"I want it hard and fast."

Her reaffirmation was all that was needed for his lustful gaze to return. He removed his clothes, bearing his nakedness to her. He was truly beautiful, the tip of his pink cock glistening. He gathered her wetness in his hand and pumped himself a few times to ensure a smooth entry.

"On your hands and knees." He demanded.

Hermione's noodle limbs struggled to function after her mind-altering orgasm, but she managed to get on all fours. She arched her back, sticking her ass up in the air.

"Perfect." He whispered to her. His warm calloused hands trailed down her back and around her waist. One of his hands pinched her clit, causing her to jump. "Have you been a bad girl, Hermione?"

She raised her brow at the very different sex that she knew they were about to have. So different from the Sirius from Valentine's Day that she wondered if this was what he was always like if he'd only been holding back for her.

"Yes," she nodded, biting her lip. "Very bad."

"Do you know what happens to bad girls?" His other hand grabbed her ass tightly.

"We get punished."

"Very good." He slapped her on the backside. Hard. "You will thank me every time I spank you, understood?"

Hermione's heart skipped a beat, her heart tingled with anticipation. "Yes, thank you."

She could hear the smirk in his voice, "I like a fast learner." Smack.

"Thank you." She moaned breathlessly.

Smack.

"Thank you." She moaned louder this time, slightly shifting her weight so that he might hit him closer to her pussy.

Smack. But this time, the sound was wet.

"Thank you!" She cried when her plan worked as she wanted.

"You're so wet for me. Do you want me?"

"Yes yes yes." The words fell out of her mouth.

"But it won't be a punishment if I give you what you want."

"I'll be good," lustful promises spilled out of her. "I'll be so good."

"Do you promise?" He lined himself up to her entrance.

Sirius didn't wait for her response when he plunged into her, driving himself right to the hilt.

"YES!"

Sirius echoed her scream as her hot velvety walls gripped him. Merlin, she was heavenly. As if she'd been made for him and he'd been made for her, her walls encased him in a perfect tight grip. He drew out in a long slide and thrust back, inserting himself fully.

Every centimetre of her unbelievable core was both paradise and torture. He needed more, he needed to be deeper, closer. He laid his chest on her slick back, as close and tight as he could so that there would be no disentangling them. At this point, he wasn't sure who was being punished anymore.

Her walls began tightening a second time and every sane and insane thought vanished from his mind.

His teeth scraped over her shoulder, as she threw her head back to let out another throaty groan. He moved his hand to grip her breast while the other slipped down to the bundle of nerves once more. The broom closet shook from his animalistic pounding, driving deeper and deeper into her.

The release was barreling its way to him, so he rammed into her with mighty thrusts causing her to scream. They climaxed together, her walls pulsing and milking him as he spilled himself into her. Hermione moved her hips, riding his orgasm until he stopped spurting.

She collapsed along with him. They clung to each other as he tried to piece himself together once more after the best sex he's ever had.

Eventually, Sirius gained his senses, remembered where he was, what the fuck his name was, etc. He slid out of her, watching her drip from the amount that he'd come.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered.

Sirius let out a breathless laugh. The sex didn't change the fact that they needed to talk, but Sirius accepted that she wasn't ready. Talking about last night was too fast for her.

He gathered her in his arms and held her, calming their hearts together.

There was only her, he realized. There was only ever going to be her. It filled his heart with joy and sorrow at the same time. The memories of the previous night filled his mind and heart with dread. He held her tightly, fearing she'd disappear if he didn't.

She responded by placing her hands over his and squeezing tightly, reassuring him.

"I'm worried," he whispered.

"Don't be," she replied honestly. "I'm not."

He kissed her bare shoulder and breathed in her scent of honey and roses.

I love you.