"Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world."

- J.R. Rowling, The Half-Blood Prince, Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter 17: Interlude

If any of the Leaky Cauldron's staff or patrons noted that Kara Thrace had a little more bounce in her steps of late, they were wise enough not to say anything. The Auror Office was not so respectful.

"Sirius, you're doing it again," Tonks commented from her desk.

"What?"

"Whistling."

"Oh." He took his feet off the desk and leaned forward, pretending to concentrate on the case in front of him. An attack on a Muggle family. Maybe the work of Dark Wizards, maybe the work of just shit-awful people. In the wake of Voldemort's arrest, it was hard to tell. The Minister was trying to get permission from the Muggle Prime Minister to interview the survivors, then Obliviate them. Sirius wasn't sure how he felt about this method, but if Voldemort's supporters were attacking Muggles out of some show of solidarity for their imprisoned leader, the Ministry needed to know.

Tonks was now leaning over her desk wall, eyes alight with mischief.

"Do you need something?" he asked her imperiously.

"Details, cousin." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sirius turned away, but couldn't help the corner of his lip twitching upwards.

There was a spot just below Kara's earlobe that fascinated him for some reason. He'd been thinking of that - and trying to think only of that - rather than the sounds she made when he paid special attention to it. Which he did quite frequently. He hadn't been able to that morning. She had been on top, rolling her hips as she sank down on him, and it was all he could do to hold on, to not come undone, and there had been so much to see from that angle. It was only afterwards that he'd realized he'd forgotten about that spot on her neck.

Tonight, he told himself. He'd been eyeing the walls in the house, looking for one without portraits or bookshelves. The hallway was their best bet, but for some reason he wanted to be on the ground floor.

"Sirius," Tonks said, still leaning above him. She must have been talking, and he wasn't sorry he hadn't heard a word, except that it was only making her more suspicious.

But when he turned back to her, her face was more thoughtful. She said, very quietly, "I've heard enough of your reputation to know you're not usually shy about this sort of thing. This must be special."

He glanced around. Kingsley was nearest, and if he was listening in, he was doing a good job hiding it.

Turning back to his cousin, Sirius nodded.

"Kara?" she mouthed, and he couldn't help but smile in response.

"Good," Tonks said, settling a little. "I had thought...well, I know she and Remus are close..." She trailed off awkwardly, and Sirius realized he'd better handle this carefully.

"Remus is her best friend. And he's...well, with the registration laws, you'll know about his situation."

Tonks nodded.

"He takes it very seriously."

She looked sad at that, but didn't venture further comment. Sirius found he wasn't sure whether or not to say something encouraging. His friend could stand to let someone close, no doubt, but he would fight her every step of the way, and Sirius wasn't sure if he was willing to help his cousin sign up for that much heartache.

Then again, she'd worn him down in one lifetime, at least. Maybe her warm, stubborn heart was a match for Remus'.

Struck with inspiration, he said, "I've been thinking of having some sort of gathering, over the holidays. Harry will be back, and I think Dumbledore is letting Remus off too. We might have the Weasleys by, if you wanted to join us. You too, Kingsley," he added to the wizard, who he knew now was definitely listening. Meeting the other Auror's gaze, he realized it was at least partially out of concern for Tonks. He hadn't missed the curiosity in her voice either.

Sirius wondered if being a Metamorphmagus had its own isolating effect, and if maybe part of what drew Tonks to Remus was a shared understanding. And he wondered if Kingsley was thinking similar thoughts.

"I'd like that," Tonks was saying.

"Good!" Sirius replied. "Then I won't have to hear Mooney complain the whole time about being the third wheel."

Tonks laughed, and Kingsley smiled.

*HP*HP*HP*HP*

Sirius pounced on her the second she walked in the door. Laughing into the mop of hair that now covered her face (Sirius having buried his own firmly against her neck), Kara informed him that she was covered in ale from the Warlocks of Wiltshire's Wizard Chess convention, and he might want to wait until she'd showered.

"No," he said, detaching his lips from her neck long enough to get the syllable out. His hands held her waist, pressing her firmly against the wall and up a little bit, and catching his drift, Kara dropped her keys to the floor and went for his shirt buttons.

He kissed a bit further down, and propped her a bit further up, and she was trying to remember if she had reset the wards. She should probably at least cast a silencing charm, if they were going to do it right there in the entryway. But then they didn't have close neighbors. It was a good thing too...

What had she been thinking? Sirius' mouth was now sucking at her collarbone, one of his hands busy with her own buttons. When he reached the bottom-most button, he pulled away to complete the process.

"Don't move," he warned her.

She had no intention of going anywhere.

They made quick work of the rest of their clothing, and Kara was back against the wall, her whole body alert with anticipation.

"By the way," Sirius said, as he lifted her (how was he still so strong, thin as he was?), "We're throwing a party for New Year's."

He effectively silenced any response she could have made to this by catching her mouth with his own and entering her simultaneously.