Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

Author's Note: Hey everyone, and thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. I hope you're all doing well.

I'm glad you liked that chapter with Ron and the Weasleys. Yes, when they finally reunite with Harry it will be very emotional.

Well, I've gotta say I'm nervous for the next couple of chapters. This one is the lead-up to Harry's birthday chapter, and the next one is the birthday chapter. Harry and Sirius's relationship will grow even more, and I introduce some things that I've never seen in a fanfic before. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy it.

It's too bad I'm not allowed to put song lyrics in fanfiction, because there's a song that I think captures Harry and Sirius's relationship perfectly. The song is "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden. You'll see that I allude to it in the next chapter - that's the most I can do without getting in trouble with the site. I love the song though, and I think it's perfect for capturing the emotions Harry and Sirius feel about each other.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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For several more weeks, Harry and Sirius stayed inside their sheltered cocoon, and, incredibly, Sirius was still handling it well. He and Harry had attempted to make the house more habitable, and Sirius was thinking of more ideas of how to make the place one that his parents definitely wouldn't have wanted to live in.

As he observed Harry, he saw that the boy was beginning to open up to him more and more. He still wasn't completely forthcoming about his childhood, but from the hints he dropped, Sirius knew that the boy had never been loved. Over the time that passed, Sirius wrestled with his feelings of guilt and inadequacy. But it seemed as though Harry had his own observation skills, because he was forever reassuring Sirius that he appreciated what the man was doing for him now. He was becoming more affectionate, too, initiating more hugs and physical touches. Sirius returned in kind; they were both in desperate need of the simple contact of another human being.

As the weeks went by, Harry's fifteenth birthday was drawing ever closer. And Sirius intended to make this birthday special for his beloved godson. From what he had gathered, Harry had never properly celebrated his birthday, not since he'd arrived on the Dursleys' doorstep. Sirius knew there were certain details Harry was leaving out, so he realized his treatment had been worse than what he was saying. But it was obvious Harry had never had a birthday party, and there wasn't ever any talk of Muggle friends he had made during his childhood, before Hogwarts came into his life. Nor was there any talk of memorable gifts he had received.

Therefore, Sirius knew he had to act. It was easy to get lost in the guilt of his past, and the rage that swamped him when he thought of all those lonely years Harry had spent with relatives that didn't deserve to walk on the same planet as he did, but he knew now was the time to be the man he had never been before. Getting lost in grief and anger wouldn't help Harry now; he had to rectify the situation. It would never take Harry's past away, and he knew it, but the future was what was important now.

One night a week before his birthday, Harry and Sirius were sitting in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate. It was about two-thirty in the morning, and Harry had just woken up from another nightmare. Sirius had heard him thrashing around in bed, crying out Cedric's name once again. The nightmares had diminished a little in the time that had passed, but not by much. This broke Sirius's heart to see Harry suffering so much, and he did everything he could to try and distract him from the events of that awful evening in the graveyard. He despised how Harry was always so apologetic for waking him up whenever he had a nightmare. He was always so hesitant to ask for anything; Sirius often had to prompt him to find out what he wanted, and Sirius also noticed that Harry thanked him for every single little thing, even if it was incredibly minor. It was one thing for someone to be polite, but Harry often looked at him like Sirius was his saving grace. And Sirius knew that no one should look at him like that. Other than Peter, Voldemort, Bellatrix, and all the other Death Eaters, Sirius couldn't think of a more flawed person than himself. And he was terrified of someday letting Harry down. Every night as he lay in bed, he analyzed and overanalyzed how the day had gone, and different ways he could help Harry to heal.

Now, as they sat at the table, Sirius's head was flooded with ideas for Harry's birthday. What could he do? How could he make sure that Harry had the best day possible, after all he had been through? Fifteen. His godson was turning fifteen. Where had all the time gone? Well, Sirius knew where it had gone - he had spent almost all of it in Azkaban. No, don't think of that again, Sirius told himself sternly. Think about this year. Ask Harry what he'd like this year, and make the day as happy for him as you can.

"Are you okay, Sirius?" Harry's soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He picked up his mug, taking a sip of hot chocolate. "This is delicious," he said appreciatively. "Thank you so much."

Sirius smiled. "No problem," he said. He knew he was a horrible cook; therefore, he had Kreacher prepare most things for them, except if it was a bowl of cereal, a sandwich, or something else simple like that. Another one of these things was hot chocolate; Mrs. Potter, James's mother, used to make an amazing mug of it, and Sirius had learned it from her. He said as much to Harry, whose eyes widened at this information.

"I wish I'd gotten a chance to meet both of my sets of grandparents," he said wistfully. "They sounded wonderful."

"They were," Sirius agreed, wondering for the thousandth time how Petunia Dursley could at all be related to Lily and Mr. and Mrs. Evans. "I wish you could have met them, too." He took a sip out of his own mug. "You're right," he said, giving Harry a small grin. "This is very good, if I do say so myself. And thank you for asking if I'm okay. I'm fine, kiddo, I'm just wondering something about you." He straightened, looking into Harry's emerald eyes. "Your fifteenth birthday is a week away," he said quietly. "What would you like?"

Sirius couldn't help but notice the amazed expression that flitted over Harry's face for a split second, and his heart ached at seeing that. Harry was surprised he was even being asked about it. "Er," he said, not knowing what to say. "It's okay, Sirius. I don't really need anything. Being with you is enough." His eyes shone with trust and adoration at Sirius, who was finding it hard to keep his emotions from overflowing.

"But I'd really like to give you the best day," Sirius insisted. "It doesn't sound like you've had great experiences with birthdays."

"The last few years have been great," Harry argued. He smiled a little as he continued, "My friends have always sent me stuff, and Mrs. Weasley always sends the best cakes."

"Harry, you should have been having birthday parties, and you should have been allowed to see your friends on your birthday," said Sirius. "That's always how it should have been. I know that things have been very difficult lately, and I want to make sure your birthday's a good one despite everything that's happened. You deserve that and so much more, Harry."

Sirius smiled softly as Harry reached across the table to touch Sirius's shoulder. "It really doesn't matter to me," he said quietly. "You can do anything you want."

Sirius sighed softly as a barrage of ideas flew through his mind. "I promise you, I will do my best to make it a good one," he said. "I just have one question, and there is no right or wrong answer to this at all." He kept eye contact with Harry as he asked, "Would you like to see the Weasleys or Hermione? I could make that possible."

Sirius could see that Harry was giving this some deep thought, his face pensive. "I ... er ... I know they'd want to see me," the boy said, a range of emotions playing across his eyes. "And I'd like to see them. But ..." He took a deep breath, and scooted his chair closer to Sirius. "I know it sounds selfish, but this is the first birthday I've had with an adult who ... er ... really cares about how I'm doing. I'd rather just spend it with you, if that's okay. I know my friends might not like it, though."

There were so many feelings surging up in Sirius that he couldn't name them all, but the most prominent one was love, so much love flowing through him for this boy who was finding it so much easier to open up to him now. What his godson had just said both touched him and broke his heart in equal measure. "Pup, you're not being selfish," Sirius whispered, reaching out and stroking Harry's hair. "I understand. And it doesn't matter whether your friends like it or not. If that's what you want, then that's how we'll spend your birthday."

Harry smiled, his green eyes bright. "Thanks," he said, and there was so much meaning in that one word. "They can send me stuff, though, if they want."

"And they will," Sirius said. "Speaking of that," he added with a smile, "do you mind if I use Hedwig? I'd like to owl Mr. Weasley to ask for ideas for you."

Harry looked delighted. "Of course," he said, making Sirius smile wider. "You're wonderful."

"Not as wonderful as you," Sirius said as he ruffled his godson's messy locks. "Now finish your hot chocolate before it gets cold."

"Yes, sir," Harry joked, and he did just that, the warm liquid sliding down his throat. He and Sirius continued to bask in the rich flavor of the drink.

"Are you feeling any better, kiddo?" Sirius asked, studying Harry closely. "I hope this is helping you."

"Sirius, it helps more than you know," Harry replied. "Thanks so much for everything. I'm sorry for waking you up again."

"Harry, how many times do I have to tell you? Stop apologizing for things you can't control," Sirius said quietly. "Of course you have nightmares. After what you've been through, you wouldn't be human if you didn't."

Harry looked gratefully at his godfather,, and took the last few sips of his hot chocolate. "I think I'm ready to go back to bed," he said, yawning widely.

Sirius laughed gently. "Looks like you're right. That was a huge yawn. I hope you have sweet dreams now."

"I think I just might," Harry said, putting an arm around Sirius. The man pulled the boy close, planting a kiss on the top of his soft hair. "Good night, pup."

"Good night," Harry said as he pulled away, smiled, and walked out of the room.

As Sirius walked back to his own room, his mind still buzzed with ideas of how to make Harry's birthday special, and he reveled in the warmth of the love he felt for the boy who had truly become his lifeline.

xxx

It was here.

July 31 had dawned; Harry's fifteenth birthday was finally upon them. Sirius had risen from bed early; he had needed time to set things up so that when Harry finally awoke, everything would be ready.

Sirius truly felt nervous as he walked to Harry's room, ready to give him a birthday greeting that he hoped Harry would always remember. Even knowing that his godson would appreciate anything Sirius did, the man still felt butterflies in his stomach.

And as he opened the door, turned into Padfoot, and ran into the room, wagging his tail and barking up a storm, he had only one thought.

If it's the last thing I do, I will make sure Harry always has wonderful birthdays from now on.