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!
AN2: Sorry folks, saw a big mistake on the original upload, and instead of updating the chapter, I deleted it. Oops! Sorry!
Can You Take the Jump?
Chapter 22
Hermione walked down the hall of St. Mungo's, saying hello to familiar faces. Most of the staff knew Hermione, but very few knew the real reason as to why she was such a long-time patient. Patient-Healer confidentiality protected her, so the only people who were allowed to know her illness and treat her were Alphard, Belby and Bones, according to hospital guidelines made specifically for her by Hospital Director Belby.
"Hermione! Here again so soon?" Dorothy, the perky front desk assistant for the Janus Thickey Ward, asked her as Hermione came to check in.
Never in the mood to reciprocate Dorothy's perky attitude, she didn't give the woman a chance to engage in small talk.
"Can you tell Alphard to meet me in 5 minutes."
"Oh, darling, he can't. It's his lunch time."
"You can tell him to meet me at our usual spot, Dorothy."
"I'm sorry, he can't. Hermione?" Dorothy perfectly smiley face changed to confusion as she watched the young girl turn around and walk away.
"Hermione!" She called after her.
Hermione kept walking without looking back and walked straight out of the hospital and in the muggle world. She entered a café across the street from the hospital's incognito entrance and ordered a cup of coffee for Alphard and a tea for herself, then a smoked salmon bagel for the both of them.
"Put it on Alphard Black's tab, please." She requested, then proceeded to wait for her order in a secluded back corner where no one could see them and they wouldn't see others.
A few minutes later, the front door of the café opened to reveal a very tired and famished looking Alphard Black.
"Did you order our usual?" He asked, skipping the greetings.
"Of course." Hermione nodded, putting her book down.
Alphard smiled, ruffled her head and got up to get their order. When he came back, he was dangerously holding the tray of food and drinks with one hand and munching on his bagel with the other, which was already half gone.
"Might want to order a second one." Hermione noted, immediately standing up to take the teetering tray from his hands.
"Already did."
Three more bites and 2 sips of their drinks, Alphard wagged his finger at her. The seemingly rude gesture was normal between the two of them, who've been repeating the same routine for over a decade. Hermione reached into her bag and placed her sleeping reports in front of her Healer. His eyes silently scanned the 2 week report, his expressions not revealing any emotion.
"Sirius dropped by my house 3 days ago and again yesterday."
Not only was it unusual for Hermione to start a conversation, but the fact that his dear nephew was involved made Alphard pause. He looked up from her reports and raised a brow.
"Oh↗?"
Hermione nodded. "He wants to be friends."
"Oh↘↗?"
"I said I'd think about it."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"I think my reports should tell you why."
Alphard's eyes trailed back to the pieces of paper in front of him. She was in a bad way, much worse that her previous two weeks, and the previous two weeks before. Her REM sleep was chaotic, indicating a spike in her dreams, she had several wakefulness, but no motion, which hinted at a recurrence of her sleep paralysis. Although there was a spike of concern in his heart, he easily schooled his features.
"So, you sleep shit." Alphard shrugged. "It's no news. Why can't you be friends with Sirius?"
"Because the contents of which I dream."
"Is Sirius going to die? Did you See it?"
"Everyone dies."
"Hermione." Alphard deadpanned.
"Alphard."
The two stared at each other, until one of the workers at the café interrupted with a call for Alphard's second order. Alphard begrudgingly stood up to grab his good and thanked the staff. By the time he came back, Hermione had pulled a book out of her bag, indicating that she wouldn't be up to talking more about the possibility of a blooming friendship between his nephew and herself.
"Belby will probably say that your potions need another readjustment, which means you need blood work done. And you'll need someone to help you get home because Belby wants to test out a new ingredient."
"You'll have to do it; my parents are busy."
"Nope. I'm busy too."
Hermione gave him a suspicious glare. "Doing what?"
"A date."
"Mrs. Snape?"
"She has a name."
"Has she gotten divorced yet?"
"No."
"Then Mrs. Snape is still her name."
Alphard was visibly upset at her comment. It wasn't that she didn't support their relationship, Hermione just wished it could be a clean start for the both of them, without the threat of an abusive alcoholic and traumatized veteran husband.
"And just for that comment, I will not cancel my date. Have fun finding a way to go home because you won't be discharged until you have a guardian."
"Alphard!"
Alphard shrugged, "I'm sure you'll figure something out. I have to go. Time for my next appointment."
Before she could protest, Alphard was already out of his chair and out the door. Hermione sighed, thinking that there was only one person she could call.
"Hi," Hermione smiled at the barista, genuinely this time. "Would it be possible for me to use the phone?"
Brrrrrrrring brrrrrring
"Hello?" a voice picked up from the other line.
"Hey, it's me... Could you do me a favor?"
…
Petunia Evans stood in front of, Purge and Dowse, Ltd., with an incredibly suspicious expression on her face. Of course, she'd been to St. Mungo's hospital before, but it had always been through the fireplace, but without her sisters or her sister's doctor, the fireplace became just a place for wood and fire, not a magical portal of transportation.
She glanced at her watch; she was 2 minutes early. Knowing Hermione, she'd arrive exactly on the time they promised, not a minute early or a minute late.
To say she was surprised to get a call from her youngest sister asking for a favor would be an understatement. Hermione NEVER asked for anything from anyone, and especially not from her. Although it sounded horrible, to Petunia, her youngest sister felt more like a tenant in their own house than family. In her defense, it was practically impossible to feel remotely close to a person whom you've barely spoken 10 words to in your entire life. Even in Petunia's earliest memories of Hermione, she refused any sort of affection or attention from her older sister. She would turn away from the bottle if Petunia fed her, she wouldn't put her arms up to be lifted if it was Petunia who was offering. She was pretty sure she never even heard Hermione say her name until she was 7.
"Hey." Her sister and a random person walked out of the closed red-bricked department store. Her sister waddled towards her with a pair of crutches, something she didn't have when she left the house.
She frowned at the sight of the crutches. "Are your legs messed up too now?"
Hermione shook her head, "It's just side effects of a new potion ingredient. It won't last, I'll likely get full function by the time mum and dad come home, so don't say anything."
Petunia nodded, not that she was going to say anything in the first place.
"Who's this?" She pointed to the random person wearing hospital staff clothes.
"This is Ronaldo. He's just making sure I don't run off without being formally discharged."
Petunia frowned, her eyes moving back and forth between her sister and the man. "Have you run off before?"
"Uh…"
"Yes, she has. Several times." Ronaldo answered for Hermione.
Petunia's neck snapped back to her sister as she stared at her with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
"Anyway, let's go." Hermione quickly ushered back the two of them into the building. "We're using the floo."
Petunia watched from behind as her sister limped around with crutches. From the back, it was the first time she noticed just how thin Hermione was. The baggy clothes she always wore seemed to hang off her as if Hermione was a clothes rack. Her bony hands gripped the crutches so tightly until her knuckles were white, indicating that Hermione was really struggling to walk.
Petunia wordlessly grabbed her sister's hospital bag off her shoulder and placed it on her own. She placed a gentle hand on Hermione's shoulder as they passed the portal into the hospital. The quiet and deserted department store entrance revealed a bustling hospital with patients, doctors and assistants rushing around every corner. Within the first ten steps, Petunia nearly bumped into 2 people, but Hermione swerved around the human traffic with practiced ease.
It also didn't escape Petunia's notice when several patients and staff said hello to Hermione, some of whom even handed her sister little snacks and drinks or gave her a pat on the head. It was the first time she'd ever seen her youngest sister being so social.
"Dorothy," Hermione walked up to the front desk. "My sister's here, so make Ronaldo stop monitoring my every movement and discharged me, please."
Despite the smile on her face, the front desk attendant's eyes stared suspiciously at Petunia.
"You are Petunia Evans?" Dorothy asked with a sickly sweet voice.
"You've seen her when she visits with my parents."
"Fine," Dorothy agreed, then checked something off on a sheet of paper, which Petunia assumed was the discharge paper. Just as she was about to hand it over, she paused and retracted the form.
"Wait." She held up a polished nail, then pointed it at Petunia. "What do you need to do if your sister starts convulsing?"
"What? C-convulsing?"
"What about vomiting?"
"Ew, you're going vomit?" Petunia took a step back from Hermione and freaked out.
"If your sister doesn't know how to deal with any of the possible side effects you may experience from your Potions, she is not eligible to escort you back home, therefore you cannot be discharged."
"Wait, we can't go home?" Petunia asked, shocked by the turn of events. "Our parents aren't going to be home for hours."
"You and your sister can rest in your private room, Hermione, until someone with the knowledge of how to take care of you arrives instead."
Hermione inhaled deeply. She turned to her sister, her blank expression looking exceptionally angrier somehow.
"In my defense, I didn't know I'd be quizzed."
Hermione sighed, "Tuny, just go home. Tell mum or dad to come pick me up when they arrive."
"I can't."
"Petunia, all you have to do is tell them to come here, it's not that—"
"No, what I mean is, I can't go home. I only brought enough bus fare for one way. I thought we'd be using your fireplace thingy to go back home."
"Well, you can't use it." Hermione groaned.
"Why not?" her sister asked, offended at the denial. Petunia looked around at the many, but busy, magical people around her. "Can't one of these people help me? Like, Ronaldo. Where did he go?"
"I'm sorry, darling," Dorothy chimed in. "But we can't ask our staff to help you get home. You are not a patient and protocol dictates that unauthorized personnel cannot transport muggles via floo. For legal reasons."
Petunia leaned towards her sister, "Okay, I do not like that woman." She muttered under her breath.
Hermione sighed, "Come on. Let's go to my room. There's nothing we can do but wait."
The two sisters walked to Hermione's private room, the only place in the hospital Petunia knew by heart. They walked in silence, but with each step Petunia couldn't shake the guilty feeling of not reading the post-treatment care manual, despite being specifically told to read it on the phone when Hermione called.
"I brought the book." She blurted out. "The manual, I mean. I was going to read it on the way here, but it…it's so boring and there was so much to memorize."
"It's fine, Tuny." Hermione told her, but Petunia didn't feel reassured. The purpose of that entire booklet was to give Hermione enough time to get back to the hospital if something went wrong. If Hermione had gone home right now, and something happened, her sister would have died. And all because Petunia couldn't sit through 12 pages of instructions with moving photographs.
Hermione opened the door to her private hospital room. She placed her things down and settled in as if she was home. In some sense, she was. She certainly spent enough time in here for her to consider it home.
Petunia sat in her usual corner, and pulled out the manual, it was the only thing she brought to entertain herself until their parents picked them up. She looked up and noticed her sister browsing her large bookshelf consisting of many thick texts, most of which Hermione probably had already read.
Feeling a deep sense of shame and embarrassment, Petunia picked up her little book and was determined to read it word for word.
The two sisters fell into silence as both of them began to read the books in their hands. The sound of Hermione's consistent flipping of the pages was the only thing that broke the silence between the two. The warm sunlight streaming through the windows made the hospital room comfortably warm, and the plushy seat under Petunia's bum made her sink into the sofa.
"Tuny? Tuny!"
Petunia jumped up, she blinked as her eyes tried to adjust to the dim room.
"Huh?" She looked around trying to orient herself. The sun that had been sitting high in the sky was nearly gone over the horizon, dimming the room.
She'd fallen asleep.
"Dad's picking you up. I just got the call."
"O-Okay." She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound less groggy. She reached down and picked up the manual she'd dropped when she'd fallen asleep.
Good God, this book could cure insomnia.
Petunia glanced up at her sister, who was still using her crutches. Unlike earlier in the day, her sister's dark circles were showing. They were deep and dark. Along with her bony frame and the sunken in cheeks, her sister looked like the dead.
"Wait, just me? What about you?"
Hermione shook her head. "I'm not bouncing back from the new potion ingredients like they hoped. I'm going to have to spend the night."
"Oh." Petunia pressed her lips together, wondering what she should say. Her sister was always sick but knowing what to say didn't get easier.
"Have you read this book?" She asked, lifting the manual in her hand. "It might cure your insomnia." She joked.
Although Hermione gave her a small smile and a nod, she didn't comment on the joke. It made Petunia want to smack herself with the book. Of course, she read it. Her health depended on it.
"You remember the way to the muggle entrance?" Hermione asked. Petunia nodded, even though she didn't remember at all.
"Just ask an employee if you get lost. Dad should be there in 5 minutes."
…
Petunia sat in the front seat of her father's car as they waited in traffic. Ever since her outburst a couple of nights ago, the air between the two of them was awkward.
"How's your sister?" her father asked.
"She's doing okay, I think. She didn't tell me in detail."
"Did you talk to her Healers?"
"No, they came by while I was taking a nap."
"Oh. I see."
"W-was I supposed to talk to them?"
"No, it's alright I can get Lily to fire-call them to tell your mom and I the details."
"Right." Petunia clicked her tongue and drummed her fingers on her lap, when the conversation ended.
"So, fire-calls are weird, huh?" Mr. Evans suddenly asked. "I mean, they have instant transportation, but they use owls and fire-calls. Magic is weird."
"Yeah," Petunia let out a small laugh.
The awkward silence lingered once more. Petunia turned to her father, still in his work clothes, awake and working since 7 in the morning until past 8 in the evening, but that was normal for their father. He worked constantly.
"Dad, aren't you tired?" she asked, noticing the exhausted look on her father's face. While his dark circles weren't as dark as Hermione's, they were still fairly dark. And to be fair, no one's dark circles were as dark as Hermione's.
"I'm fine honey. Just a long day at work."
"Why do you work so much?"
"To provide a good living for you, your mom, and your sisters, of course."
Petunia frowned, wondering where this "good living" was. They lived in a middle class neighbourhood, lived in a downsized house, with a car too old, and she attended a public school.
"Why the sudden question?"
"Because you work all the time. Even at home, you're working. During the weekends you go to work as well, but I can't remember the last time we went on a family vacation or bought new clothes."
"Well, we can't go on family vacations because Hermione needs to be able to go to the hospital at any given moment and you have plenty of nice clothes. Was there something you wanted specifically?"
Judging by how he was avoiding the question, Petunia realized the reason her father worked so much was Hermione. Petunia crossed her arms and sank into the seat. "I thought that other Healer of hers was helping out with the money."
"Well, he's being very generous by covering portion of the fees, but it didn't feel right to your mother and I to have him pay for everything."
"Why not?"
"Because we aren't a charity, and Hermione is our daughter and your sister."
"But you're not denying that Hermione's the reason why you're never home and you're overworking yourself, right?"
"Petunia, that's not fair. Your sister suffers so much, but she puts on a brave face for us everyday."
"Why do we always have to live for Hermione? Why can't we live for us sometimes?"
"She's family."
Petunia fought back the unpleasant urge to scream.
"Yeah, she's family."
Robert Evans smiled proudly at his daughter and reached out to give her hand a squeeze. He knew that Petunia had it hard sometimes, and he always felt guilty for often being neglectful towards his oldest daughter, but a man could only be pulled in so many directions.
"Hey, I'll try to make sure all my work is done this week. Why don't we go to the beach this weekend? The whole family?"
…
Sirius sat in the outdoor seat of a little cafe, fanning himself with a napkin from the sweltering summer heat. He'd been sitting there and staring across the street for an abnormally long time, but he had to, he was waiting for someone.
"Are you done with this?" A waitress asked as she stepped outside to collect the little bowl where he'd had his scoop of ice cream.
"Could I get another? A different flavor."
The waitress, frowned at the 5th repeated order in a row. "I'm afraid we're out of flavors for you to try, dear. Maybe you should try calling your friend, you can use the telephone we have inside."
"Uh," Sirius froze, not knowing what a telephone was. "It's okay. I'm sure she'll be done soon. I didn't really tell her I'd be waiting, since I wanted it to be a surprise."
"Is she your girlfriend?"
Sirius smiled at the thought of their kiss, their smiles, and the casual touches she allowed, but then frowned when he remembered how she pushed him away.
"Ah, I'm going to assume it's complicated."
"Yeah, complicated is a good word for it."
She gave him an encouraging smile. "Alright, then how about strawberry since its pink. In hopes that it'll end as a happy ending."
"Sounds like a good idea."
Once the scoop of strawberry ice cream was placed in front of Sirius once more, he went back to staring at the entrance of the St. Mungo's. It was the first time in Sirius's life that he'd been so patient with something. He was a Black, which meant he lived in life's fast lane. If he wanted something placed in his hand, he got it almost immediately, if he needed something, he bought it without hesitation, if he wanted to do something, he didn't think of the consequences. Even with people, he normally had his way, but Hermione Evans was different. There was no way that his money, influence, name or looks would move a girl like that, so why was he trying so hard? He didn't know, but he knew it mattered. It was a level of certainly he hadn't felt since he wanted to be in Gryffindor with James.
Sirius had been sitting at the outdoor seat of the café that was right in front of the muggle entrance of St. Mungo's Hospital since 7 AM that morning, yet the café opened at 8. It was now closer to 10 AM, but there was still no sign of Hermione.
Sirius sighed, "what in Morgana am I doing?" He muttered to himself as he rested his face into his palm, groaning at his pathetic behavior. There was a chance that Hermione had gone home in the early hours of the morning, she could have taken a floo or maybe even had someone apparate her back home. He might have just wasted 3 hours of his life, waiting for someone who was already gone.
"Ugh, I'm such an idiot!" He shouted at himself, and kicked the floor while he was at it.
"Sirius Black?"
The voice made him jump out of his seat. He looked up with pure glee when he caught a glimpse of red hair, but his face fell when he realized it wasn't Hermione Evans.
"Oh, it's you."
"Wha—What's that supposed to mean?" Lily frowned, "Why are you even here, Black?"
"Uh…" Sirius opened and closed his mouth like fish out of water. He frowned, trying to think of a plausible lie.
Lily rolled her eyes. With Hermione Evans as her sister, she was trained from a young age to call out most liars in an instant. "If you can't think of a lie Sirius, then you might as well tell me the truth. I know you came by my house yesterday. Mum told me."
"Oh," Sirius scratched the back of his head in awkwardness. "Okay, fine. I'm waiting for Hermione. I came and visited, but I ran into your older sister. She said she was picking Hermione up from the hospital, so I waited by your house to make sure she was alright. And then your mom dropped by at some point to tell me that Hermione was going to be kept overnight instead. So that's why I'm here. She was couped up in the hospital all night, so I thought she might want to spend today outside, you know hanging out with me at Diagon Alley."
"Like…a date?" Lily asked, brows raised.
"No! Just as friends." Sirius told her defensively, "I swear."
Lily looked down at the sun-heated boy with pity, "How long have you been here? You couldn't have known what time she'd be discharged at."
"Oh, you know, not too long." He told her flippantly, but Lily saw right through him. "Like, 3 hours or so?"
"THREE HOURS?" Lily's jaw dropped. "Jesus, why didn't you just wait inside St. Mungo's?"
"People might recognize me," Sirius explained.
"Oh my gosh, Sirius! You could have had a heat stroke! It's the hottest day of the year, so far."
"You don't say?" Sirius joked.
"Go inside the café, get yourself a glass of water." Lily ordered.
"What about Hermione?"
Lily pinched her nose bridge, knowing that Hermione's reaction to his presence will most likely not make Sirius feel like it was worthwhile to wait 3 hours in the sun.
"I'll bring Hermione here. You've waited this long, so she might as well tell you herself what she wants to do with this situation."
…
"You're being awfully fidgety." Hermione observed Lily shaking her leg as they waited for Belby to give her the final OK to discharge.
"You have plans after you get discharged."
"I have plans?"
Lily nodded.
"Is this your way of telling me that mum asked me to pick up some groceries on my way home?"
"No," Lily let out a weak laugh. "Nothing mum related, or family related at all."
Hermione frowned, "Are you asking me to hang out with your friends again, because it's not happening."
"No," Lily shook her head. "It's Sirius."
"How serious?" Hermione leaned forward, wondering what it possibly could be.
"No! Not serious, as in the word, I mean Sirius, Sirius Black."
"Sirius Black? Why is he suddenly part of this conversation?"
"Because he's apparently been waiting for you at the café across the street from the hospital for three hours now."
"What?" Hermione blinked, unsure if she heard her sister correctly. Lily nodded in confirmation that indeed what she'd just said was true.
"Bloody Hell."
…
True to Lily's word, Sirius perked up when he saw two red heads heading towards the café, which meant she was able to convince Hermione to come see him. He crunched on a few ice cubes, then stood up to greet the twins with his best smile.
"Evans!" he waved.
Although Lily waved back, Hermione ignored him and kept walking to the cashier to order herself a coffee. The employee behind the counter smiled at Hermione as if they were familiar. Sirius couldn't hear what was being said, but Hermione shook her head then waved goodbye as she grabbed her coffee cup.
Finally, after precisely 3 hours and 6 ice cream scoops, Hermione Evans stood in front of him. In his head, he'd planned an entire conversation with this girl. How he'd greet her, how he'd convince her to spend the day with him, what they'd do in Diagon Alley, he made sure to bring enough galleons to ensure that all expenses would be paid for.
However, instead of the well thought out conversation starter he planned out, she grabbed him and Lily by the arm and pulled them out of the café.
"Uh, wait, wha—"
"Lily how much muggle money do you have on you?"
"M-me?" Lily asked, startled by her sister's behavior. "Around 8p?"
Hermione looked down at her purse and started counting the total sum of her money. "I have around 5… Sirius, how much muggle money do you have?"
"I-I just have 1p? But wait, why do you need muggle money?"
"Well didn't you just wait over 3 hours to hang out with me?"
Sirius's eyes grew wide, "but I thought maybe we could go to Diagon Alley and—"
"And what?" Hermione asked, "Have everyone recognize you and then gossip about who I am?"
"Well—"
"You may be a Gryffindor, but you're still the Heir of House Black and your family's official words are still Toujours Pur." Hermione rejected. "We'll hang out in muggle London. Lily, lend me your 8p, I'll pay you back when I get home."
The two Gryffindors sputtered at the sudden plans taking shape. Neither of them had expected this reaction from Hermione. Sirius certainly hoped it, but Lily was flat out gobsmacked.
"Do you want to come with us? I was thinking of just hitting up the record store and then catch a film." Hermione turned to Lily, startling her out of her stupor.
"No!" Lily fervently refused. "Go ahead, spend the day with Sirius!" She pushed her entire purse into Hermione's hand and smiled.
"Wait, Lily I don't need your entire purse I just…and she's gone." She sighed as Lily practically ran away from them, looking back every few seconds to wave then to shoo them away. "Take Alphard's private floo home!" Hermione yelled after her sister, who nodded in comprehension.
"She's not very subtle, is she?" Sirius asked, as he watched Lily nearly run into a pole. "She's really excited to see you hanging out with me. While I'm flattered, it's a bit excessive."
"It's the first time I'm going out with someone other than my family members, for reasons that are not linked to an errand."
Sirius smiled brilliantly at her, "Well then we better make sure it's one hell of a day!" He marched forward, excited for his not-date with Hermione.
"Black, it's this way."
Sirius clumsily turned around, embarrassed by his mistake, but felt infinitely better when he saw her smile.
…
Hermione didn't know what being out in muggle London with a teenage Sirius Black would be like, but she imagined it to be a similar experience as taking a diehard princess fan to Disneyland.
The two of them hopped onto a bus where Sirius took in his surroundings with child-like wonder in his eyes.
"I always wondered what these things looked like from the inside."
"You've never been in one?"
"No, my parents would never allow it."
"What about the Knight Bus?"
"No," He shook his head. "My parents told me that the Knight Bus was for common people."
"Ah," Hermione nodded in understanding. "And Blacks are anything but common."
He responded by clicking the heels of his custom handmade dragonhide shoes with a golden buckle with the House of Black emblem engraved onto it.
"Well," she turned to him with a smirk. "I hope your prejudiced ancestors are rolling in their graves."
Sirius smiled, "I hope they are too."
When they arrived at the theatre, Hermione looked up at the "Now Playing" list, but didn't recognize any of the movies playing, so she asked the concierge to give her two tickets to the most popular one. She purchased the popcorn, a box of Maltesers, and a soda for Sirius, but got a bottle of water for herself.
She pulled the curious and confused Sirius to their seats and sat down as they waited for the movie to play.
"You know, I used to visit my uncle in the hospital when I was younger. You must've seen me around!"
Hermione shook her head, "No, I was just told that Healer Black had to take care of another patient, so Director Belby and Healer Bones took care of me."
Sirius raised his brows at the other familiar names. They were some of the top healers in the country. People booked appointments half a year ahead of time to see them, and flew from different countries to receive their treatments, but the girl next to him was name dropping them as if they were any old Joe from the streets.
"My uncle, Healer Bones and Director Belby are your healers?"
"Yeah."
"Shit, that must be a lot of nagging you hear everyday."
She sputtered out a laugh. Out of all the responses she expected, that hadn't even been in the scope.
Sirius smiled at her laugh. A warm feeling spread in his chest as he watched her face open up with the expression and bringing life into her eyes.
Of course, he wanted to know what was wrong with her. Of course, he was worried, but he could also see her stiffen at the prospect of having to explain her illness to him. If there was anyone in the world who understood the desire of not wanting to talk about difficult and uncomfortable topics, it was him. He was the black sheep of the Black family with a mother who thought seeing blood was the best disciplinary action. His home life came with its own troubles and horrors, which was something Sirius never really wished to discuss.
Someone shushed everyone else in the seats when the lights dimmed and the theatre was lit up by the projector in the back. As the familiar sound of Agent 007 James Bond's theme song began to play, Hermione sank deeper into her seat, really relaxing for the first time since she came out.
"Thank you." She whispered quietly to Sirius.
He turned to her and threw a popcorn at her face, "You paid, why are you thanking me?"
The movie played and Hermione watched Sirius watch The Man with the Golden Gun with an enthralled expression on his face. The concierge had chosen a good movie for Sirius's first experience. She even felt the need to whisper a reminder to blink. The action-packed movie had everything a typical straight boy would love about film, fight sequences, beautiful women, guns, and a hero that saves the world.
Even after the movie was finished, Sirius couldn't stop talking about the movie all the way to the record store. His commentary was surprisingly insightful as he spoke about the acting, the cinematography, and the script's misogynistic viewpoint on women.
Once they were in the record store, Sirius's attentions were diverted elsewhere once more as he practically skipped to the rock section, flipping through the LPs and fangirling over the latest album by Zeppelin. He told her why he loved the album, why he loved the music, what he thought was amazing and so different about muggle music compared to magical ones. She had no idea he was such as expressive person, nor did she know he was someone who loved to talk about himself as much as he did. Sirius could be often heard boasting about his good looks or his charm, but never really talking about himself. She listened intently, watching the twinkle in his eyes, something she'd never seen in the older version of himself.
"You look happy." She told him, as they shared an ice cream Sunday together, their last stop before Hermione needed to head home for dinner.
Sirius turned to her with chocolate syrup dribbled on his chin, then smiled. "Yeah, I'm happy."
She reached out and wiped his chin with a napkin, as if it was a reflex. Sirius blushed, but didn't push her hand away, instead let her wipe his face.
"Are you happy?" He asked her, curious about what she would say. While she hadn't smiled as much as he had during their day together, she didn't seem as sad as she usually was. Her gaze was much more present and she didn't drift off into her mind as often as she normally did.
Hermione wondered how she was supposed to respond. The simple question made her pause. It stirred up so many emotions, guilt being such a large percentage of the hodgepodge of emotions she felt.
"I think…I think I really am."
…