Luna and Hermione arrived at Maid Latte that night to find the Café absolutely slammed.

Rose, Lucy and Ruthie were running around taking orders while Violet sat crying in the corner. Hermione rushed to her boss, lightly touching her shoulder, to ask what was the matter.

However, upon seeing the brunette Violet stood and threw her arms around Hermione in a tight hug.

"Honestly, I don't know what I would have done without him, Mia! Honako called out sick and then suddenly the whole town wanted to come in for dessert and just-" the older maid was crying grateful tears, unable to finish her rant.

With no earthly idea what the woman was blubbering about Hermione changed into her uniform and stepped out into the kitchen where Luna was already chatting with Misaki and -

Sirius was in his muggle blue jeans, a white t-shirt and an apron, holding a bowl and spatula where he was easily stirring something as he laughed at whatever Luna had just said. He turned to Misaki who took the bowl from him and showed him how to pour the batter into the shapers on the griddle.

"What are you doing, Sirius," she exclaimed. His eyes grew in diameter upon hearing her and turned to look at her.

"Sirius is helping me cook today because we're busy and Honako is ill. I have him doing the easy stuff so he won't mess anything up," Misaki said without looking up from her various tasks. Hermione was speechless, and the grin Sirius sent her way was halfway between smug and frightened of the small woman beside him, who had started yelling out orders at him.

"We'll talk later, yeah," he said, as Rose ran in slamming another ticket on the counter and ran back out to the floor. With sigh, Hermione prepared for another busy night.

"Sirius," Misaki barked, "I need three cutesy bunny pancakes and a biscuit platter!"

He quickly put down the bowl, grabbed a pastry tower and started carefully filling it with colorfully decorated biscuits.

"Mia, we need you on the floor," yelled Rose, bursting through the door once more and grabbing the biscuit tray right out of Sirius's hand. "You can ogle your hot boyfriend later!"

Knowing her face was likely beet-red, if the heat she felt in her ears was any indication, Hermione turned and exited the kitchen before she could catch the wry smirk she knew the man had likely thrown over his shoulder.

The truth was Hermione was at a complete loss. Every event from the previous day and that morning had been running through her head, repeatedly, from the moment she and Luna left Lily's kitchen and apparated to her apartment.

Neither girl said a word about any of it, both processing their own feelings of guilt over having misjudged the handsome animagus as well as never having had the good sense to know or understand him enough to alter their opinions.

Neither said a word as Hermione took the bunched-up leather jacket from her bag and spread it over the back of a kitchen chair. Nor did they speak as they took turns using the shower. Nor did they utter a word as they sat curled up on Hermione's plush sofa, eating small protein-packed snacks, and watched a marathon of romantic comedies until six o'clock when they both prepared themselves for the evening shift at Maid Latte.

"Some Londoner found out about us and told all their friends," Hermione heard Lucy whispering to Rose. Rose huffed angrily and replied briskly before taking back off to the kitchen.

"Now we'll be swamped for weeks until the novelty wears off," she huffed, passing Hermione.

The night was tiring, however, when Violet approached Miss Mia only thirty minutes before closing time and told her she was free to go home, Hermione was floored.

"I can help close, Vi," she said earnestly. Violet just giggled and walked away.

Hermione stomped through the kitchen into the locker room, ripping off her apron and shoving it into the locker she swung open.

Without warning, the locker door swung shut before her. Perplexed, she glanced up and saw Sirius leaning against the metal row of cubbies, not looking at her, but clearly waiting for her to say something.

"What," she snapped, the word coming out harsher than she meant. He rolled his eyes.

"Cool it, Kitten. I asked Violet to let you and Luna go early."

"Why, Sirius? I could use the tips from this rush," she protested.

"Because Lily and James walked in and I figured you didn't want them to see you here," he said, coolly. Without moving his head, he slowly cast a glance at her with his eyes alone. She stood stock-still, eyes wide, color drained from her cheeks.

In the next moment, both their attentions were snapped to the door, from where Luna had emerged, breathless.

"Potters," she said, in a voice so calm it was a wonder it had come from the breathless blonde.

"Did they see you," Hermione said, stepping around to help her friend slip out of her apron. Luna shook her head in response and Sirius saw the tension between the brunette's shoulders immediately dissipate. And then she sighed, ending the exhale in an actual slouch.

"Thank you, Sirius," she said, not facing him. Luna quietly slipped away to a changing stall, so Sirius took the opportunity to push himself off the wall to approach Hermione.

At the feeling of his arm draping around her shoulders, though, she stiffened again. This was as close as she'd been to him since yesterday. Since the moment she thought he was going to kiss her.

Regardless of her feelings, the ones she hadn't yet taken the time to analyze (had she wanted him to kiss her, or not?), she knew, logically, that he probably wasn't aiming to kiss her.

In fact, the moment she glanced at his lips, his heady tobacco and leather scent filling up her head, he'd pushed away. He had probably realized how close she was standing and how it was affecting her and had backed up to ensure she hadn't gotten the wrong impression.

Which, she thought now with his arm draped around her again, made this even more awkward. He probably thought, now, that she had wanted him to kiss her, which she hadn't (had?). How was she supposed to act?

So now, the blush which marred her face and burned her ears was obviously because of the misunderstanding between them.

Sirius, obviously, noticed her stiffen at his touch. However, he refused to show that it had bothered him, and instead turned her around to face him, and placed his hand atop her head.

"They still need me in the kitchen, love. Go home. Get you and Miss Lulu some food and I'll see you in the morning."

Inside her body, she swore was a live fish - flopping and struggling without water to breathe and it only got worse when she glanced up at him. He wore a soft grin, but his eyes - his eyes were searching hers, they were full but she couldn't tell what they were full of.

But that liquid mercurial gray seemed to be swirling, and his hand still sat perched on her head, sending tendrils of heat down her skull and into her torso from each finger gently scratching her scalp.

Nodding dumbly, Hermione turned and walked into the dressing cubicle. She just sat there, head against the cold cubicle wall and groaned.

"Ready to talk about it," came Luna's voice from the next cubicle after the door clicked closed, signaling Sirius's departure.

"Give me a minute," the other girl grumbled, fiddling with the back of her dress.

Ten minutes later, both girls were sitting in the alleyway behind the cafe, sharing a basket of fish and chips between them.

"Why do you think they're here," Luna asked around a hot chip.

"She's been working in London," Hermione mused. "Maybe she heard about it from the rumor mill Lucy was talking about."

After another silence, Hermione spoke up again. "Hey Lu?"

Luna looked at her, silently prodding her to continue.

"You remember a few weeks ago, when you were late because you were comforting a dog?"

"Yes, it was Sirius."

"You recognized him?" Luna nodded, taking a bite of her heavily battered fish. "You said he had been upset. He didn't seem upset to me that night."

"I didn't know you saw him that night," Luna said.

"Yeah. He was disguised as Padfoot, just wandering. He saw me taking out the trash. It's how he found out."

The blonde nodded. "I wondered how he found out. I didn't think you'd have just told him."

"I wouldn't have. But now he knows," Hermione agreed.

"He's been great at keeping it to himself. Hasn't told a soul," Luna continued, popping another chip in her mouth. "Even covered for you with Dean and them. Got both of us out of there tonight, " she continued.

"You've changed the subject," Hermione said. She looked around the alley and then back at her friend. "You said he was upset because he didn't want to admit something embarrassing to a friend. What was it."

Luna put her fork down gently and brushed crumbs off her shirt before responding.

"Hermione," she said, not unkindly, but much like one would when speaking to fanciful child. ('Santa Claus doesn't exist, my sweet,' was what Hermione almost expected her to say.) "He was a dog. It's not like we were having a conversation."

Suddenly the door beside them opened as Lucy and Rose left the building. Both the other Maids nodded toward the sitting girls and walked down the alley arm in arm. Luna stood, stating her need to get going and thanked Hermione for the fish and chips, although it had been her who purchased them.

Hermione remained, knowing Violet, Misaki and Sirius would be coming out soon.

Misaki was next. She didn't speak to Hermione but smiled and bowed in thanks before scurrying off.

The next time the door opened, Hermione heard Sirius's low chuckle- the one that made her stomach fish come back. He and Violet were both laughing about something as Violet held the door open for him.

"Thanks for all your help today, Sirius. We really couldn't have managed without you," she said, "Hopefully Honako is feeling better tomorrow so you won't have to do that again."

"It was nothing, really," Sirius replied, brushing her off. "I haven't had that much fun in ages."

"Oh, I doubt that," Violet giggled.

Both had emerged from the building and Violet carefully locked the door behind her as Sirius swung a large bulging trash bag into the bin. Successfully having locked the door, Violet turned toward the spot Hermione was sitting against the wall and let out a gasp of surprise, followed by a laugh of relief.

"Mia," she laughed, "I thought you'd gone home!" Hermione just sent her boss a light lipped smile as she pulled herself up to stand. "Anyway, you kids have a good night. I'll see you tomorrow," she called out, racing toward the alley opening and leaving Hermione standing against a wall looking anywhere but at Sirius.

Sirius watched the older woman turn a cornet toward the pier and nodded, glancing trepidatiously at Hermione as he quietly leaned against the wall right next to her, mimicking her posture by crossing his arms over his chest and staring at the wall straight ahead.

He cast a sideways glance at her face, and her gaze had not broken from the wall, so he slid his back over to the wall as well. He waited a bit, but finally grew wary and spoke.

"You're still here," he said.

"I am."

"I thought I'd sent you home to rest," he said, grimacing as he heard himself say it. He could almost feel the ire radiating off of her.

"You can't just tell me to do something and then expect me to just do it, Sirius," she snapped, finally turning her head toward him. She was annoyed, he could see it in her eyes. She wasn't angry yet - not that he wanted to see her angry, he just found he loved the lovely rose-tint her face took when she was flustered. So he tried another tactic.

"You waited for me," he drawled. Ah. There it is, he thought as Hermione's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"I," she started. He wasn't looking directly at her and she had no idea where to look, so she threw herself against the wall again and stared directly at the unevenly laid bricks of the opposite wall once again. "I - Of course I did, you idiot," she huffed, voice faltering toward the end, coming out closer to a bewildered whisper than a defense of any kind. Sirius's smirk grew into a full-fledged smile as he turned, leaning against the wall with only his shoulder as he looked directly at her face.

"Hermione Granger, you waited for me."

"What did you expect, Sirius," she snapped, rolling her eyes and refusing to face him, although she could feel the pull to do so. "I couldn't just leave you here without me. It's my job, not yours."

"But I volunteered, Kitten." She glanced at him briefly, then, before quickly focusing on the bricks once again. "Or, I should say, Misaki volunteered me to help her. I was actually waiting for coffee, but she had other ideas the moment the first five-top came in."

Hermione snorted. She could picture it, knowing Misaki was quite overbearing and bossy. She probably had considered Sirius sitting there, looking too idle, and figured he could be put to use. By the way the entire night had run, he had definitely been put to work. In the brief look she'd cast toward him just now, she could see he looked tired.

"You didn't really have to do that, tonight Sirius," Hermione stated, dropping her angry facade and turning her head toward them.

"Of course I did, Kitten. Misaki is terrifying." When Hermione let out a soft chuckle, Sirius found himself caught up in sound. It wasn't a full laugh, it wasn't even a giggle. It was a deep, throaty chuckle punctuated by genuine amusement. Her eyes, which were closed, allowed him to enjoy the sharp contrast of her dark eyelashes against the slight tan and splattering of freckles over the tops of her cheeks. He couldn't help himself as he let out a low chuckle of his own, her laughter infecting him.

He placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her away from the wall, deciding it was time to get going - the night was cold.

"Still though, you waited for me," he grinned, injecting a teasing tone into the statement, to hide his own giddiness at the truth of it. She was blushing again, and walking along with him, not trying to pull herself out from under his arm. He was on cloud nine.

"Don't get used to it, Black. It was for purely selfish purposes."

"You waited for me, selfishly," he asked, unable to help the tease in his tone this time, as she'd left herself wide open. Again, the rose on her cheeks deepened even more.

"I meant that it was selfish to make sure I still had a job after your stint in the kitchen. You could have messed up so badly Violet would have taken it out on me!"

He tightened his grip, pulling his arm up around her neck and pulling head down onto his shoulder as they continued walking. He gently rested his own head against hers and replied, "Violet wouldn't have fired you if I had set the whole place on fire, darling. She loves you."

When they arrived at his bike, Sirius released her and reached into the pocket of his dark brown corduroy jacket - as Hermione knew his black leather jacket sat hanging from a chair in her own kitchen. He pulled two miniature helmets, which he quickly resized, and tossed one at her.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said. Hermione looked down at the new-looking, shiny red helmet in her hands. There was still a price tag hanging from the side of it. Just as she felt herself about to give in, though, he spoke again. "I've charmed the helmets - they'll play music as we ride. Silently, of course, so as to not draw any attention. At night."

Hermione's pulse picked up, she could feel the traitorous muscle in her chest thump harder than it had been as they walked together.

He's always had such a passionate love of music, Lily had said. Sometimes I wonder if that's how he really communicated.

She swallowed, looking directly at the helmet. Hastily, she decided she didn't want to know what Sirius was thinking. About anything. About her.

She tossed the beautiful candy-apple red back at Sirius and shot him a nervous grin. "Still can't convince me to get on that thing, Black," she said, knowing the quip was weak. A quick emotion passed over the man's features, but it didn't remain long enough for her to decipher it. Instead, he laughed.

"One of these days, Granger," he said. "Maybe next time you can wear that jacket I lent you," and tossed her a quick wink before mounting the bike and kicking it on. Before she could watch him disillusion himself, she turned and apparated home. She couldn't hear the bike, anyway. Not over the annoyingly loud pounding of her own pulse. There was something seriously wrong with her.

Unfortunately for Violet and Misaki, Honako was not better the next night, and upon seeing Misaki's intent stare, Sirius stashed all his parchment into his orange briefcase and downed the rest of his hot tea, only wincing slightly as the hot liquid burned its way down his throat.

On Wednesday, Sirius was tired. Hermione noticed he kept a thermos of hot coffee in the office with him and, when they left the office to interview Penelope Clearwater's fiancé on his recollection the day she disappeared, she could have sworn her partner was struggling to keep his eyes open. Once again, she noticed the last place the victim was seen was in Hogsmeade village. She gracefully ended the interview and gave the worried husband hers and Sirius's cards so he could reach them both by floo.

The two made their way to the edge of town, morose. Hermione excitedly grabbed for her cell phone when she heard it begin to ring, Sirius had jumped backward as though he hadn't expected his partner to begin generating a high-pitched tune from her rear.

"What the hell," he started, as Hermione fished the object from her back pocket and looked at the tiny screen. The black text read, "Violet." Hermione flipped the device open, held it to her ear and said, "Hello?"

On the other end, Sirius could hear the familiarly frantic tones of the Cafe owner, but couldn't decipher what the woman was saying. Instead, he watched Hermione's face to gather information, and it wasn't looking good. Hermione scrunched her brows together, creating an adorable wrinkle between them, as she asked her boss "Honako's still sick?"

"No," he heard from the other end, feeling a short-lived bout of relief. Hermione raised her gaze to his, and the two locked eyes as several expressions passed across the brunette's face, finally landing on apologetic. Sirius sighed and after a quick moment, nodded his head.

"Yes, Violet, he can do it. Of course." Violet's quick tones rambled for a while on the other end before Hermione added, "Yes, of course I'll tell him. Uh-huh. Yep. He'll be there at six." And then she closed the device and shoved it back into her trouser pocket. She winced when she looked back up at Sirius. "I'm so sorry," she started.

Sirius waved his hand, cutting her off and grimaced. "Misaki caught whatever the other girl had, didn't she?" Hermione just nodded, incessant apology overtaking her every feature. Sirius didn't much care for the look, so he took her hand and wrapped it around his elbow, continuing their walk to the edge of the village.

"It's fine," he lied in forced nonchalance. "I'll just have to reschedule my date."

"You had a date," Hermione asked, the distress coating her voice even more than it already had. He nodded grimly. "I'm sorry, Sirius, you didn't have to say yes!"

"Calm down, Kitten. It's not like I can't easily reschedule, I haven't even asked her yet."

Despite the relief she should have been feeling, Hermione felt as though she'd swallowed a large, dry fur ball. She was unable to say anything. Instead, she bit her lips shut and hummed in what she hoped Sirius took as relief that her presumptuous boss hadn't completely ruined his night.

"Tonight's your night off, isn't it," he asked her. She nodded. "Have you made any plans?" She shook her head. "Cool. I thought maybe we could go bug Lily for a film to watch."

Hermione looked up at him, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "But," she started, but Sirius suddenly stopped walking and stomped his foot, muttering "damn." He looked up as apologetically as he could muster and said, "Fuck Kitten, I'm sorry. I have to work a late shift tonight. I was so looking forward to seeing that film about the dinosaur park, too." He threw his head back in mock despair, letting out a pained wail as he resumed his pace toward the town's gate.

The furball in her throat and the lead in her tummy quickly disappeared as she struggled not to laugh at the madman stomping toward the gravel path outside of the village.

At fifteen minutes to six, Hermione sat alone in her flat unsure what to do with the rest of her evening. She'd already warmed up a frozen dinner and picked at it, not a fan of the rubbery preservative flavor. She stared at the brown meaty blob on her plate, wondering if the manufacturers had ever even seen a Salisbury Steak before. She doubted it.

Her clock l chimed at the hour and she sighed. Sirius would be at Maid Latte, now. Cooking alongside Honako. Rose and Lucy, if the cafe wasn't too busy, would be back in the kitchen batting their eyelashes at him; Rose would be shoving her chest in his face -

Her blood began to boil.

And he would be eating it all up, winking at the girls, eyes lingering on that blonde tart's chest.

Give him some grace. Lily said he's not really a chauvinist pig. We believe Lily.

She pushed her plate away from her, suddenly craving another rice omelet.

You can't just go spy on him, she berated herself. He's not going to go total playboy just because you aren't there, she scolded. Hermione mulled over this thought as she reached for her denim jacket.

"No," she said aloud. "But Rose is a bitch and I don't trust her not to make Sirius uncomfortable."

You're talking to yourself.

She ignored her final thought as she locked her flat door and apparated near the Blackpool pier.

A wave of panic stopped her cold in her tracks as she approached the cafe from the storefront side. Ginny, Harry and Lily were standing just outside the front door. It wasn't long before Ginny looked up and met her gaze.

"Hermione," she called out happily, turning to Lily and Harry, "you didn't tell me you invited Hermione! HERMIONE, OVER HERE!"

The young ginger was bouncing as she widely waved Hermione over toward the store as Harry confusedly admitted they hadn't invited her and that it was a pure coincidence. . Hermione bit back a grimace as she moved to join her family.

"What in the world are you doing here," Lily asked happily as she pulled the girl in for a warm embrace.

"Nothing," she lied. "Just wanted to take a stroll."

"In Blackpool," Ginny asked. Harry shot his fiance a weird glance, watching his best friend's face. Hermione didn't hide her grimace.

"Her parents used to bring her here to walk the pier when she was little," he whispered to Ginny. Lily gave them both a reproachful look before turning her attention back to the witch in question.

"Come, join us. I was just going to show them this adorable little place James and I found two nights ago," Lily said brightly, herding all three young people into the cafe. "I thought it might be a nice place to cater the rehearsal dinner," she was saying.

Hermione was only barely paying attention as Harry and Ginny took in the cafe with all its hues of pink and baby blues. She completely missed Ginny's delighted exclamation when she noticed the waitresses were dressed as maids and speaking cutesy.

Instead, she was scanning the room for anything that might compromise her. She sat at the table Harry picked in the corner and turned to see the three idiots - Finnegan, Thomas, and McLaggen, staring back at her with wide eyes. She shook her head, what she hoped was imperceptibly, at them, eyes matching their own in width.

Finnegan looked away, as did Thomas, trying to hide before Harry spotted them. But it was too late.

"Seamus," Harry asked, surprise clearly evident in his tone, "Dean?"

Both men greeted Harry with nervous chuckles. "Harry! What in Merlin's saggy left arse cheek are you doing here," Seamus exclaimed, clapping his fellow auror on his back. Lily blanched, clearly unamused by Finnegan's crass language.

"Just scouting possible caterers with Gin," Harry replied, large grin on his face as he clapped the man's shoulder in return.

"We like looking at the girls," Cormac stated, ogling Hermione with a leer. She pulled her jacket tighter around her and looked toward Lily, who seemed very disapproving of the whole encounter.

Seamus and Dean started tripping over their words, explaining to Harry that they were definitely not just there to leer at the maids, but the ice cream and stuff was really good. And they were mostly just there for the tea. Hermione rolled her eyes and avoided their gazes completely, turning her chair away from Cormac.

Behind her, as Harry continued to jibe his friends, Hermione heard Rose's cutesie voice state, "Sorry Masters, but tonight is Miss Mia's day off."

Hermione threw a glance at the busty maid, who stopped cold at the sight of her.

As much as Rose and Hermione hated each other, it was an unspoken rule between all the girls at Maid Latte, that not a single person from their personal lives could find out about their jobs. This, Hermione assumed, was part of the reason Rose was such a bitch about Sirius coming around all the time.

She knew Rose was incredibly annoyed at the three idiots for coming in as often as they did. But there really wasn't anything she could do about it now.

So the glare Rose tried to hide at seeing Hermione sitting at a table with what looked like her family, really couldn't have been hidden. And Hermione knew she deserved it this time.

"How might I serve you today, Masters," the blonde asked through clenched teeth, disguised as a painful smile. Lily smiled at the woman and ordered.

Hermione excused herself to the ladies' room, needing to remove herself from the table; away from the idiots being idiots, away from Cormac's uncomfortable gaze, away from Harry's amusement and evident disdain for the establishment and away from Rose.

She stormed down the auxiliary hallway, peering into the kitchen to see Sirius whipping fruit into whatever batter he was mixing up. He looked up just in time to catch her gaze, smile fading, replaced by concerned curiosity.

Closing the bathroom door behind her, Hermione released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and slipped down the wall to the floor and buried her face in her knees.

The doorknob rattled, and before she could choke out an, "occupied," Sirius slipped into the restroom and locked the door behind him.

He looked down at Hermione, who sat shocked that he'd followed her into the restroom.

"What the," she started, ready to berate him for his lack of decorum, when he snatched her hand and brought her back up to her feet in one simple motion. She was stunned to silence, not saying anything as he began to assess her.

He hadn't released her hand.

He hadn't released her hand.

Hermione cleared her throat. Sirius brought his attention back to her face and asked, "Why are you here?"

She looked away from him and pulled her hand out of his grip to pull her wand out of her jacket's wand pocket. She cast a silent silencing spell on the room before she answered him.

"If you must know," she started haughtily refusing to meet his eyes. "I had decided I couldn't trust you here alone," she said.

Sirius snorted. "You came to babysit me?"

"Well," she said, "you know how Rose is."

"Not following, love." She could hear the smirk.

"You know. She likes," Hermione caught herself, quickly looking down at her feet. "You," she finished weakly.

Sirius was amused. She could hear it in his breathing, and when she looked up she saw his eyebrows raised higher up his forehead than normal, lips curled tightly as though trying not to smile.

"Shut up," she practically whispered, cheeks blazing, hands fidgeting with her wand.

"Not a word," he promised, crossing his heart with his forefinger like a juvenile, a single chuckle escaping his lips. "Still," he pressed, "doesn't explain the table of Potters, does it?"

The witch groaned, burying her face into hands and falling back against the wall.

"Lily wants them to consider using us as caterers for the rehearsal," she whined. "I ran into them on my way in here -"

"Your way in here to save me from Rose's big breasts," he agreed, somewhat smugly. Hermione stomped on his foot and admired how he managed to withhold a loud exclamation of pain.

"Anyway, they saw me, dragged me in with them. The three idiots are out there too, and I swear Cormac is just about ready to rat me out to them and so is Rose," she'd started ranting.

"Hey," Sirius said, breaking into her panic and stepping further into her personal space, brushing a curl back behind her ear and repeated, "Hey, now. It's all okay. Go back out there, say you're not feeling well and get yourself home. No one's going to find anything out."

Hermione gulped, staring at his chin and wondering when it had gotten so close to her. She knew he was trying to catch her eyes with his own, but he hadn't moved his hand off her face and she couldn't let him meet her eyes. He'd know, if he saw her face fully, he'd know it had suddenly gotten much warmer in there for her.

Really, why was it so damn hot in here?

He let out a frustrated sigh and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and dropping a kiss to her crown.

"No one is going to find out. We'll deal with the rehearsal when it gets here, okay?" She nodded against his face. "Go home. I'll finish up here, and I promise not to look at Rose or her breasts."

He laughed as he felt a stubborn pinch on his hip.

Hermione felt calm wash over her as they stood there in the restroom, his arms wrapped around her. She breathed in his familiar scent and let it wash over her as she unconsciously melted into his hold.

She felt him start to rub soothing circles behind between her shoulder blades and melted even further into his arms. She knew, at some point, they'd have to go back out there and that she'd have to leave this bathroom. She was also slightly mortified that he had to bring her down from the brink of a panic attack.

However, relaxing in his arms, she chose to deal with that mortification later. But then Sirius cleared his throat.

"I need to get back to work," he whispered, giving her shoulders one last squeeze before stepping away. Although her face was burning with embarrassment, she looked up at him and nodded her acknowledgement.

"Thanks," she muttered. He wiped his hands down the front of his apron and shrugged, avoiding her for once.

"Yeah," he swallowed. "Anytime."

Hermione removed the silencing spell and with a final deep breath, opened the door.

On the other side of the door, however, she found Ginny Weasley, arm raised and poised to knock.

"Oh," Ginny said. "They sent me to come look for you-" the redhead trailed off, eyebrows shooting into her hairline, as the door swung farther open and revealed Sirius in his Maid Latte apron.