Title: Adhara Black

Genre: Romance/Family

Rating: M

Summary: Just as Hermione, Harry and Ron were looking forward to a peaceful seventh year at Hogwarts, the arrival of a little girl from the future turns everything upside down. Especially as she happens to be the daughter of Hermione and Sirius Black! But why has she been sent to the past? And what dark future is her arrival intended to thwart?

Couple: Hermione/Sirius

Disclamer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me.

Spoiler: The seven books

Notes: Hello everyone! Here is the next chapter. I hope I haven't made too many mistakes! '

Chapter 3: Everyday moments

A few meters away, Hermione was lying in bed, her eyes wide open. Sleep had deserted her. Everything was so... strange. Sirius had always been, well... Sirius. An adult. Of course, she was one now too, but something was different. He had always seemed unapproachable, a grown man, the same age as her parents, and above all Harry's godfather, her best friend! She had never thought of Sirius as anything other than a good friend, almost a member of her family. But the arrival of Adhara upset this fragile balance. The intense gaze he had given her earlier, this closeness, his familiar smell... So many details she had always ignored. She was convinced that Sirius saw her in the same way. He didn't see her as a woman, but as his godson's best friend. Nothing more than that.

In the flats opposite, Sirius, too, was deep in thought. Sitting on the sofa, he was frowning. Hermione Granger. The brightest witch of her generation, Harry's best friend, a determined, brave, studious Gryffindor... But he had never thought of her in any other way. And he knew why. It was far too dangerous. Everything had changed in an instant. The vision of Hermione in her pyjamas, lying in that bed... Or maybe it was Adhara's memories? The two of them together, united in an intimacy that went beyond mere friendship. Her unruly curls framing her face... That image, fleeting though it was, had left its mark on him. Then there was the way she interacted with Adhara, their daughter. This vision of the mother in her, beyond the woman, awoke something deeply moving in him.

Sirius quickly realised that Hermione probably wouldn't be coming down to the Great Hall for breakfast this morning. Either she would entrust Adhara to him, or she would stay for breakfast with them. And he had to admit that he liked the last option better.

So he set about preparing a proper breakfast. As he watched the eggs cooking, the portrait swivelled.

"Daddy!" screamed a small, delicate voice that he was beginning to know well.

He turned just in time to catch Adhara in his arms.

"Did you sleep well, sweety?" he asked with a tender smile.

She nodded, snuggling up to him, a bright smile lighting up her face.

"I slept with Mummy!

- I know," he replied, amused.

Hermione entered the kitchen hesitantly. She saw the three plates already ready and felt the weight of their gazes on her.

"Can I leave you with Adhara?" she asked shyly.

Sirius looked up at her and, without thinking, proposed:

"Why don't you stay for breakfast with us?"

Their eyes met. Hypnotic. Hermione felt her cheeks flush. She couldn't deny that Sirius had always had a certain charm, but for a long time she had buried the emotions he aroused in her. Ron had been a useful distraction at the time. But now everything was different. Their relationship was over, and by mutual agreement, they had become friends again. Add to that the presence of Adhara, this living proof of a future where she and Sirius were together, and it created a very complex situation.

Sirius saw her blush, then nod silently. He suppressed a mischievous smile. He would have liked to tease her, but something held him back. She was too precious to be pushed too far, too fast.

Was it just his imagination, or were those jeans a bit too tight? Her pale pink jumper seemed to emphasise the delicate red of her cheeks, and he couldn't look away from her lips, which she was nibbling nervously...

Sirius shook his head at the thought. Okay, he was holding their daughter, and Hermione was there, sitting at his table, blushing. He really needed to calm his mind before he did something rash.

"Eggs for everyone?" he offered, trying to pull himself together.

- Yes!" exclaimed Adhara enthusiastically.

She then began a lively recounting of her past mornings, between breakfasts with the family or with "Grandpa Albus and Granny Neva". Sirius and Hermione listened attentively, exchanging glances from time to time. She was so innocent, their little girl. At least, until she started talking about how her dad used to steal kisses from her mum. This seemingly innocent remark disturbed both Hermione and Sirius.

Hermione considered for a moment asking Sirius for details of his meeting the day before, but hesitated. She didn't want to broach the subject in front of Adhara. That could wait. Sirius, for his part, guessed her intentions and sent her a reassuring smile.

After breakfast, Adhara tugged on Hermione's hand, reminding her of the promise she had made to him.

"That's right, let's get dressed and I'll read you a story," Hermione said with a smile as Adhara hopped happily beside her.

Satisfied, the little girl took his hand and together they made their way to Adhara's room. Sirius watched them disappear from the kitchen and listened to their laughter as he tidied up. Once the kitchen was tidy, silence fell. Curious, he poked his head through the bedroom door.

Adhara was snuggled up to Hermione, her little arms wrapped around her as the young witch read her a story. The soft tone of her voice spoke of an unlikely friendship between a cat and a dog. Hermione looked up for a moment, meeting his gaze. A smile played across her lips and Sirius felt his cheeks heat up. He withdrew discreetly, aware that he was becoming far too attached to this scene, to them.

This was not a good sign. It had barely been a day since Adhara had come into his life and already he felt completely under her spell. Well, she was his daughter after all, even if she was from the future, so it made sense. But for him to feel something for Hermione, that was different. Unimaginable. Sure, she was brilliant, beautiful and endowed with a myriad of qualities that he didn't even dare to mentally enumerate. But she wasn't for him. It was an idea he had ingrained deep inside him. Yet he couldn't deny the obvious... He grumbled inwardly and returned to his papers on the coffee table.

He was in the middle of a battle with illegible handwriting when a loud noise echoed around the room. He looked up in surprise to see a house elf appear before him.

"Hello Master Black, I'm Moon. I've been sent by Master Dumbledore to look after Miss Adhara," said the little creature in a respectful voice.

- Oh yes, Dumbledore told me about that," Sirius remembered as he stood up. Hello, Moon. Did he explain the situation?

- Yes, sir. I'll adapt to your needs," replied Moon with a slight nod.

- Have you looked after children before?

- In my youth, Master.

Sirius shook his head with an amused smile.

"Okay, but please call me Mister. Or Sirius, but I can't have you calling me Master every time, it makes me uncomfortable."

The elf blinked in surprise and her big ears twitched slightly.

Good, Mr Black," she replied in a slightly more timid voice.

- And the same goes for Hermione. She wouldn't like you calling her 'Mistress' either," Sirius added with a wink.

He had the impression of seeing the elf blush as she lowered her head, visibly embarrassed.

"Oh no, not the great Hermione Granger... Moon can't... Moon mustn't..."

Sirius held back a laugh.

"It will please her if you just call her Miss Granger, or even Hermione if you get used to it."

Moon looked up at him with her big bright eyes, her ears slightly lowered.

"Moon will do her best for Miss Granger," she nodded shyly.

Sirius, clearly amused, beckoned her to follow him. Together they knocked on the door of Adhara's room, where Hermione answered with a hearty "Come in". When they opened the door, they were greeted by a shout of joy.

"Moon!" exclaimed Adhara before jumping out of bed and rushing into the elf's arms.

Sirius and Hermione exchanged a look, realising immediately that Moon must have been the elf who cared for Adhara in her time.

"Perfect," said Sirius with a smile. Hermione, this is Moon. And Moon, this is Hermione."

The elf, visibly impressed, stammered:

"It's... an honour, Miss Granger," she said with difficulty.

Hermione stood up and knelt down to be level with the elf, giving him a gentle smile.

"Nice to meet you, Moon. Thank you for accepting to look after my daughter."

The elf blushed even more, and Sirius had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting out laughing.

"We'll look after Adhara today, but you can stay if you like," Hermione offered, seeing her daughter's obvious attachment to Moon.

The elf nodded enthusiastically. Adhara, clearly delighted, hugged the little creature close.

"Besides, Hermione, if you want to revise, I can look after Adhara," suggested Sirius.

- I'll work during her nap," Hermione replied, then turned to her daughter with a smile.

- We wanted to go for a walk!" declared Adhara enthusiastically.

Sirius frowned, thinking for a moment.

"It's not raining, but there are lots of students outside this morning. Are you sure this is a good idea?

- Adhara knows about some sort of hidden garden in the castle," Hermione informed him, raising an eyebrow. Moon, do you know it too?

- There are several secret gardens in the castle, Miss Granger. But I know them all," replied Moon confidently.

- Perfect! Then we won't get lost," added Hermione with a mischievous smile. Are you coming with us?" she asked, turning to Sirius.

Sirius watched her for a moment, detecting a slight hesitation in her gaze. Amused, he smiled and held out his hand to Adhara.

"Let's go!" he declared.

Adhara immediately grabbed his hand, while Sirius winked at Hermione, who blushed slightly in return. Moon, lost between these silent exchanges, batted her ears before following them with a puzzled air.

In the deserted corridors, their footsteps echoed lightly. This was a good thing, because Sirius and Adhara, caught up in their merry chatter, were far from discreet. The little girl was excited, telling all sorts of amusing anecdotes, and Sirius listened attentively, smiling at every word. He simply loved these moments.

They made their way through the meanders of the castle, Adhara guiding them through hidden passages that she seemed to know like the back of her hand. Moon, being a good student, quickly understood where the little witch was leading them and took the initiative of guiding them with her.

Contrary to what they had imagined, they went upstairs and finally arrived at the top of a tower. Behind the old wooden door was an open-air garden. Brightly coloured flowerbeds lined the cobbled paths, while in the centre stood a marble fountain depicting a majestic hippogriff, beak open and wings spread. The sun's rays, filtering through the clouds, bathed the scene in an almost unreal light, making the place even more enchanting.

Oh, Mummy, your roses!" cried Adhara, running across the garden. Your roses are gone!"

Hermione, surprised, followed her.

"My roses?" she asked, puzzled.

Adhara enthusiastically explained that one corner of the garden was normally a rose garden where all sorts of roses grew, and she began to tell them about her time here, evoking memories that neither Hermione nor Sirius had yet experienced.

It was only when the little girl had gone off to play a few yards away from them that Sirius took the opportunity to broach a more serious subject.

"The Order and a unit of Aurors began the investigation yesterday," he said in a low voice. They are proceeding cautiously, one lead at a time. We don't want one of the suspects to be able to alert the others. This evening, the majority of the places indicated will be under surveillance."

Hermione nodded, grateful for the information.

"What do you think will happen once they've all been arrested? When the danger is over?" she asked, looking out to the horizon.

Sirius stiffened slightly, his expression hardening. He had clearly thought about this possibility.

"Adhara will return to his own time," he replied darkly. You'll have no reason to send her back..."

Hermione lowered her eyes, the prospect weighing on her more than she had expected.

"Yes, that's what I think too... I'll try to find out more about the formula I used. Understanding how it works might help us," she added resolutely.

Sirius raised an eyebrow, surprised by her initiative, but he agreed. Diving into the study of the spell that had brought their daughter here was not a bad idea, even if he didn't know exactly where it would lead them.

Their conversation was interrupted by Adhara, who was waving her arms enthusiastically. They rushed over, alarmed, to discover that she had caught an insect in her hands. After a few minutes of tense negotiations, the little girl finally agreed to free the imprisoned butterfly. The insect flew away feebly, and Hermione, with a soothing caress of her daughter's hair, tried to dissipate her disappointment.

"Look at him fly away," Hermione murmured. He's much happier now that he's free, don't you think? He would have been very sad to stay locked up."

Adhara nodded, accepting the idea, before wrapping her arms around her mother's neck in a tender gesture.

When they returned to Sirius's chambers a little later, it was already past lunchtime. Before Hermione could pretend to go to the Great Hall, Sirius offered her to stay for lunch.

"I'm afraid my classmates will start to wonder if I miss too many meals," she replied, smiling. And you too, by the way, you're rarely at the teacher's table these days.

- I'm not always here at the weekend," retorted Sirius, shrugging his shoulders. Besides, it seems to me that you sometimes lose track of time in your revision too.

He smirked as he saw Hermione blush slightly. In fact, she felt strangely disturbed that he had noticed her absences, and a slight shiver of pleasure ran down his spine.

"I want you to stay, Mum," added Adhara, clasping her little hand in Hermione's. "I want you to stay, Mum.

Hermione couldn't resist her daughter and gave in with a smile.

"And what do you want to eat?" she asked, leaning towards her.

Adhara replied enthusiastically that she wanted a pie, which made Hermione laugh.

"We ate some yesterday, remember?"

But that didn't seem to be a problem for Adhara. Sirius, amused, watched them animatedly discussing possible fillings for the tart. They soon found themselves in front of the refrigerated cupboard and began an impromptu cooking workshop.

Their preparations were abruptly interrupted by the knight guarding the flats, announcing the arrival of Dumbledore and McGonagall. Hermione immediately blushed and bit her lip, like a child caught in the act.

"Well," smiled Dumbledore mischievously, "I see that everything is going well.

- Hi, Grandpa Albus!" exclaimed Adhara as she ran towards him.

McGonagall looked at Sirius and Hermione with a piercing yet slightly pinched gaze. But she kept her comments to herself. Meanwhile, Hermione, eager to escape the embarrassment, finished the pie with a flick of her wand before putting it in the oven.

Adhara, with her usual enthusiasm, told Dumbledore and McGonagall everything they had done this morning. She even went so far as to invite them to lunch, and McGonagall gave Sirius another sceptical look, to which he replied with an innocent smile.

"We've already eaten, Adhara," Dumbledore informed her, "but thank you for the invitation. Is Moon all right?" he asked Sirius and Hermione. We have other elves, perhaps more suited to her... bubbly character...

- No!" exclaimed Adhara vehemently, her eyebrows furrowed. I want Moon!"

Then she turned to the elf in question with disarming seriousness.

"If Moon agrees, of course. Mum always says consent is important."

The four adults were stunned by this statement. Moon finally broke the silence.

"I'm more than happy to look after Miss Adhara," she replied, flapping her ears, clearly touched.

- Perfect," said Dumbledore with a chuckle.

Hermione shook her head slightly, looking a little disillusioned. She was beginning to wonder whether a combination of her and Sirius would guarantee that they would never be bored. She met Dumbledore's amused gaze and immediately closed her eyes to him, signalling that she had understood his little game. He didn't seem to mind and left the room, laughing softly. McGonagall, for her part, gave Sirius and Hermione one last look before leaving the room, her face impassive but clearly pensive.

Sirius winked at her in amusement, while Hermione sighed as she felt her cheeks flush. Merlin, she knew that Minerva was right to be suspicious. She was beginning to realise that she had little chance of resisting the charms of the master of the house. After all, Sirius Black had always had a knack for turning her on her head.

"So," resumed Sirius in a light tone, "are we going to eat this pie or not?"

Adhara nodded enthusiastically, a dazzling smile lighting up her face.

With her boundless energy, convincing her to take a nap after dinner was going to be a real challenge. Madame Pomfresh had warned that Adhara would be tired and would need to rest in the coming days. Adhara, for her part, seemed determined to ignore this medical advice.

Sirius was still trying to persuade her to rest for a moment when the door opened to reveal Harry, Ron and Ginny. A few moments later, the Lupins arrived in their turn. From that moment on, any attempt at a nap evaporated. The amused look between Sirius and Hermione spoke volumes.

"She gets her stubbornness from you," Sirius threw out with a falsely accusatory air, causing Hermione to raise an indignant eyebrow.

- Excuse me?! The pot calling the kettle black! If anyone's being stubborn here, it's you, Sirius!

- I doubt it," he replied, folding his arms in a defiant tone.

Their verbal jousting was interrupted by bursts of laughter from their friends. They turned, a little surprised, to see Ginny shaking her head, her mischievous smile betraying her thoughts.

"Let's just say that little girl's got a head for stubbornness," intervened Ginny diplomatically.

Her amused smile spoke volumes, and Hermione blushed as Sirius burst into a hearty laugh. There was nothing wrong with that: Ginny had hit the nail on the head.

Everyone then moved into the living room for a game of board games, as was their custom. Adhara participated enthusiastically, taking turns playing with her mother and godfather. Remus, still a little awkward with his goddaughter, gradually allowed himself to be tamed by Adhara's mischievousness and vivacity. She had that quality of making people immediately attached to her, just like Hermione and Sirius.

When the game was over, Remus smiled fondly at the sight of her perched on his lap. In Adhara, he saw a perfect blend of his two parents: Hermione's keen intelligence and Sirius's mischievous nature.

After a pause for a snack, Hermione stood up and excused herself, explaining that she still had homework to finish for Monday. The others turned to Sirius, eyebrows raised. Hermione who still had homework to finish for the next day?!

"Don't look at me like that! I'm not the one keeping her away from her books!" he protested. I even offered to look after Adhara this morning so she could study.

The looks of disbelief he received were both amused and puzzled. Hermione, putting off her homework? It was simply an unrealistic concept.

Once the others had left, Sirius took charge of Adhara's bath. The little girl, more enthusiastic than the day before, was splashing happily in the water and laughing out loud. When Hermione entered the bathroom, an unexpected scene presented itself. Sirius, crouched in front of the bath, a glove in his hand, his hair up in a studied mess, was wearing a white shirt with the first buttons undone. The damp fabric clung lightly to his chest, revealing just enough to unsettle Hermione, who felt her thoughts scatter.

Sirius' piercing grey gaze landed on her, and she shivered, unable to control the heat rising within her. Her cheeks flushed and, although Sirius seemed just as confused by her gaze, he raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Could he really believe that Hermione felt... that way about him? It was absurd, he thought, dismissing the idea with a mental gesture. It couldn't be.

"Mummy!" cried Adhara, splashing even more as she saw Hermione enter.

This brought Hermione back to reality, and she joined her two companions, slightly blushing. The bath quickly turned into a real water fight, so much so that by the end, Sirius and Hermione were as soaked as Adhara.

"I don't need to shower any more," Hermione quipped as she wiped a strand of soaked hair, while Adhara laughed happily.

Sirius, for his part, did his best not to stare at her. Her cheeks still rosy, her hair escaping her bun, and that lock of hair sliding down her neck... He swallowed hard, feeling her gaze linger a little too long. Fortunately, Adhara quickly brought him back to order, demanding their attention.

The evening became more complex as Adhara showed clear signs of fatigue. Sirius was soon overwhelmed and surprised to see Hermione handling the situation calmly and gently. When the little girl began to cry, refusing to go to bed, Hermione took her in her arms and sat down with her on the sofa.

"We've had a long day, haven't we?" she murmured softly, stroking the little girl's black curls.

Adhara was still crying, but Hermione's caresses seemed to soothe her sobs.

"You must be tired, right?"

A louder cry answered her, but Hermione persisted, her hands running tenderly over her daughter's curls.

"You know, I've loved this day so much I don't want it to end."

Adhara sniffed, puzzled. Her crying subsided slightly.

"Really?" she asked, her eyes reddening but curious.

- I really did. I had so much fun. Especially when we made the pie together, remember?"

Adhara burst out laughing, clearly delighted at the memory, and Hermione gently wiped her wet cheeks.

"What was your favourite moment?" she asked, smiling.

The little girl thought for a moment before answering cheerfully:

"The bath! You and Dad got all wet!"

Hermione laughed along with her.

"That was really funny, you're right. And now, how can we end this day so that we're in great shape tomorrow?"

After a brief moment's reflection, Adhara whispered: "Could you rock me, like when I was little?"

Hermione smiled tenderly and nodded.

"How did I do it again?"

Adhara stood up quickly and guided her towards the bedroom.

When Sirius joined them, Hermione was sitting in a rocking chair with Adhara snuggled up to her, wrapped in a blanket. The young witch held her tightly in her arms, rocking the chair gently back and forth.

"Do you want me to sing the star song?" asked Hermione.

- Yes!" replied Adhara enthusiastically, and they began almost in chorus, their voices rising softly in the air.

Sirius, with a tender smile on her lips, withdrew discreetly, leaving them to enjoy this moment of mother-daughter intimacy.

A strange nostalgia came over him as he walked away. He was deeply grateful to Hermione, for her patience, her gentleness and the way she cared for Adhara. Yet, seeing her like this, he couldn't help but think of his own childhood. The contrast was striking, and it only strengthened the admiration he had for the young witch.

When Hermione came out of Adhara's room, Sirius was still sitting in the sitting room, his eyebrows furrowed, looking lost in thought.

"Sirius?" called Hermione softly. She wants you to come and say good night to her."

He straightened up, obviously caught off guard. Hermione smiled, touched by his reaction.

"She needs her daddy to come and say good night," she added gently, encouraging him.

He nodded, a little nervous, but it turned out to be easier than he had anticipated. Adhara was already half asleep, and he melted at the small hand that slipped into his, her loving gaze on him. Sirius placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"Good night, my princess", he murmured tenderly, promising her he would be there tomorrow and the days after.

When he emerged a few minutes later, she was fast asleep.

Hermione, who was gathering her things, looked at him with a touch of concern when she saw his troubled expression.

"Everything all right?"

He nodded, but his expression betrayed the opposite. Without a word, Hermione flicked on some tea and came to sit beside him on the sofa. Sirius joined her, finally looking up at her.

"Thank you," he breathed.

- Please, I suppose," she replied, smiling slightly teasingly.

She knew he needed to talk, but didn't want to force him. She could sense that something was bothering him, but she couldn't be sure.

"You're going to have to help me, Sirius," she said after a moment, smiling. I'm not Legilimens, I can't guess what you want to tell me.

- I know," he admitted. It's just..."

He paused suddenly, a gleam of mischief in his eyes.

"But who's the teacher here?" he exclaimed falsely.

Hermione burst out laughing, lightening the mood a little.

"Managing a child is never easy," she says sympathetically.

- You made it look so easy," Sirius retorted. You knew exactly what to do, as if...

- As if I knew," she added with a smile.

He nodded, and she let out a small laugh.

"I started babysitting the summer after my first year at Hogwarts," she explained. And as you can imagine, I've read all the books on the subject. But I also made a lot of mistakes, and I still do. I've been lucky enough to have parents who are very well educated in this area. They're not perfect, but they've taught me a lot. Adhara trusts us, and that helps a lot. But you know, through her eyes, I can see that you're a great father to her."

Sirius stared at her, surprised by her words.

"I'm not so sure," he admits. The only parental example I really had was the Potters with James, and we were already teenagers when I met them. There's Remus and Tonks, but even Teddy's still a bit young... If I'd been alone tonight with Adhara, I don't know if...

- But you weren't alone," Hermione intervened calmly. I was there, and I'll always be there. You know you can call me at any time if you need me.

- You won't always be there," he objected. And I've got to learn to cope on my own.

- Would you like me to lend you my books?

- Yes," he replied with disconcerting sincerity.

Hermione felt her heart race for a moment. She had not anticipated such a serious answer and realised that she was blushing slightly. A knock on the door drew her out of her thoughts.

Remus entered and Hermione stood up.

"I'm going to go," she said. If Adhara wakes up, you know where to find me."

Sirius nodded, a grateful smile on his face.

"Thank you, Hermione."

She replied with a slight nod before leaving, a little confused.

"What have you done to her?" Remus asked as he approached, sensing that he might have come at the wrong time.

- What did she do to me," sighed Sirius, running a tired hand over his face. Sometimes I really do wonder which one of us is older."

Remus laughed.

"It's about time you realised that."

Sirius gave her a friendly pat before inviting her to sit down. He then told him about the scene that had just taken place with Hermione and Adhara, as well as the highlights of the day.

Remus listened attentively, smiling.

"I thought we agreed that Hermione is an exceptional young woman full of surprises.

- I know, but she is also incredible with a child.

- But you're also doing very well with Adhara.

- Because she's here," replied Sirius.

- That's why it takes two to make a child," Remus teased.

- Ahah," laughed Sirius falsely before sighing. You've already met my parents. They weren't exactly examples of positive parenting, so how do I do it?

- You've got Hermione, you've got examples around you, and you know you're doing your best," replied Remus. Don't be too hard on yourself. It's hard enough being a parent, even when you've had nine months to prepare. Adhara came into your life out of the blue.

Sirius nodded slowly, allowing himself to be soothed by his friend's words.

"Thank you, Remus. I'll try not to worry too much.

- If you keep stressing yourself, you're going to get as many grey hairs as me," joked Remus.

Sirius laughed before relaxing a little more.

"I'm afraid Minerva's going to be sending me back soon, by the way," Sirius said suddenly, looking falsely detached.

Remus sat up straight away, puzzled.

"What did you do?" he asked, holding back the "again" that burned his lips.

Sirius smiled guiltily.

"I think it's not so much what I've done... but the idea that I'm debasing her protégée that bothers her. You should have seen the look on her face at lunchtime, it was... chilling."

Remus burst out laughing.

"Perhaps he should be reminded of the causal link.

Sirius frowned, confused.

"Adhara wasn't born by magic..." added Remus, suppressing a giggle.

Sirius let out a slight chuckle before shaking his head.

"Very little for me. The last thing I want to do is explain to Minerva McGonagall how children are made... especially when it's her favourite student."

Remus smiled, amused at the idea. He would no doubt have paid to witness this conversation.

"My advice: avoid interactions with Hermione when Minerva is around," Remus suggested teasingly.

- I'd remind you that we're bringing up a child together," replied Sirius, shrugging his shoulders.

- I know," retorted Remus, holding back a laugh. But give her time to digest it all. I'm sure where she is, Adhara is very happy for you."

Sirius arched a sceptical eyebrow. Happy for them? That her best pupil was married to Sirius Black, one of her most turbulent students?

Remus laughed softly at his friend's doubtful expression. Their conversation was interrupted by a slight noise coming from the bedroom. Without waiting, Sirius got up and headed for Adhara's room.

He found the little girl crying, shaking with sobs in her bed. Without hesitation, he took her in his arms and held her close.

"It's all right, my princess," he murmured softly, cradling her against his chest.

- Daddy! Daddy! Daddy..." sobbed the little girl, her face wet with tears.

- I'm here, I'm here," Sirius reassured her tenderly. I'm not leaving, I'm staying with you.

- Mum..." Adhara hiccupped between sobs.

- She's here, close by," replied Sirius, in a calm and reassuring voice. She's all right. She's all right."

He continued to rock her, murmuring soothing words, repeating that he would not leave, that Hermione was there too. Little by little, Adhara calmed down, her tears faded and she finally fell back asleep in her father's comforting arms.

Remus, who was watching them discreetly from the half-open door, felt a wave of sadness, but also a strange emotion when he saw the scene. Sirius left the room with a look of relief and doubt on his face.

"You can see you're doing very well," Remus whispered so as not to wake the little girl.

Sirius shook his head, still incredulous.

"Trust yourself, Sirius," Remus insisted. James and Lily didn't choose you as godfather for nothing. And don't tell me you've missed years of Harry's life...

- All right, all right," sighed Sirius, cutting off his friend before he could finish.

Remus looked at him for a moment, making sure he was all right. Then he rose to leave, wishing him a good night before leaving the room.

Sirius found himself strangely alone in his flats. The silence was heavy, disturbed only by the occasional creak of the wooden floor under his feet as he tidied up. After getting ready for the night, he lay down on his back, shirtless, and stared at the ceiling. Sleep was a long time coming, despite his tiredness. Too many thoughts were running through his mind, but two names stood out clearly in the midst of this whirlwind: Adhara and Hermione.

His dreams were restless, filled with blurred images and confused emotions, until he was abruptly roused from his sleep by desperate cries. Disorientated, he got up without hesitation and joined Adhara in her bedroom. The little girl clung to him with a strength that betrayed the extent of her grief. He cradled her gently, trying to reassure her with tender words.

"Mummy! Where's Mummy?" she sobbed, her voice broken with fear.

- She's asleep, my princess," murmured Sirius, stroking her hair. Your mum's fine, you're fine too. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise.

- You already promised... but..."

His tears redoubled, and Sirius understood. It was a promise he had already made, and which he had not been able to keep.

He was beginning to lose his bearings when he saw Pattenrond slip into the room, closely followed by Hermione. She was wearing a sloppy braid on her side, her eyes still misty with sleep, but she seemed to understand the situation at once. Their eyes met and she gave him a gentle smile.

"Ada?" called Hermione in a soothing voice, her fingers sliding gently through her daughter's hair.

Adhara raised her head and threw herself into his arms, still shaking from her sobs.

"Mum... you... you were dead... Mum!"

Hermione held her close, her voice trembling with emotion but comforting.

"It's all right, my love. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."

Sirius saw tears welling up in Hermione's eyes, touched by Adhara's anguish. But despite her own turmoil, she managed to calm her down, gently, with a patience that won his admiration. Together, they put the little girl back to bed, then tiptoed out of the room, closing the door carefully.

Hermione quickly wiped away the tears that had escaped her control and was about to leave, but Sirius, with a gentle gesture, grabbed her wrist.

"Hang on a sec."

He pulled her gently to him, and before she could react, she was against his chest. Hermione didn't try to pull away; instead, she wrapped her arms around him, her silent tears flowing again, crashing against his bare skin. He cradled her slowly, his hands wandering through her hair in a soothing caress. She seemed so small, so vulnerable in his arms, and that touched him more than he could say.

After a few minutes, she stopped crying, but didn't let go. They stayed there, as if frozen in that moment.

"Do you want me to carry you to bed?" teased Sirius with a tender smile, gently breaking the silence.

Hermione lifted a flushed face and shook her head, both embarrassed and moved.

"No, no... sorry, I..."

Sirius took her face gently between his hands, his thumbs brushing her damp cheeks.

"Don't apologise, darling," he murmured, his voice full of sweetness. We're both in this together. We have to support each other."

A shiver of emotion passed through Hermione's eyes and she nodded, unable to utter a word. Her cheeks took on a rosier hue under Sirius' watchful gaze.

"Good night," he breathed, cracking a smile.

Unable to hold back, he placed a light kiss on her forehead.

She pulled away slowly, almost in flight, and Sirius watched her disappear behind the door, his heart strangely light and troubled at the same time.

The rest of the night passed without a hitch, and in the early hours Sirius was only half-surprised to discover a stack of parenting books on his coffee table. Hermione had added post-it notes, indicating a reading order with comments on each book.

An amused and tender smile played on her lips. She couldn't have been more Hermione than that.

Noticing the time, Sirius decided to get a move on. He didn't have class until ten, which gave him a bit of time. That was why they had decided that he would look after Adhara this morning. He went into the little girl's room and gently woke her up, whispering her name tenderly.

A little later, when Hermione stopped by quickly before going to class, she found them both at the breakfast table. If it looked as if Arius still needed a few minutes to fully emerge, Adhara was bursting with energy. The little girl rushed into her mother's arms with such vivacity that Hermione almost caught her in mid-air, bursting out laughing with her.

"I see you're in fine form, Adhara," observed Hermione, laughing softly.

- Yes! But why weren't you there this morning?" asked the little girl, her eyes crinkling with incomprehension.

- I sleep in the flats opposite, you know that," Hermione reminded him with a smile.

Adhara frowned thoughtfully.

"Why don't you sleep with Dad, then?"

Sirius nearly choked on his tea as Hermione tried, once again, to explain the complexity of the situation to her daughter.

"Ada, I can't sleep with my teacher...

- But it's Dad..." insisted Adhara, clearly confused.

Hermione sighed softly, giving Sirius a knowing look.

"I know, but I'm still his pupil until the end of the year."

Adhara nodded, pondering this new information. Then, with a flash of mischief, she said: "So, at the end of the year, you'll be able to sleep with Dad?

Hermione blinked in bewilderment as Sirius bit the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting out laughing. She blushed, searching for words, while Sirius, clearly amused, did nothing to help her.

"Ada... it's not... as simple as that...," Hermione stammered, shooting Sirius an accusing look.

She took a deep breath, recomposed herself and looked into her daughter's curious eyes.

"Maybe...," she admitted with a shrug. Or maybe not. Who really knows what the future's made of?" she added with a sidelong glance at Sirius.

Sirius' smile widened, but his amusement was tempered. Was that a challenge? His thoughts raced briefly, but he shook them off. It was Hermione, after all. And although he found the challenge tempting, he remembered that she was his godson's best friend, and more importantly... his future wife, a thought that crossed his mind before he briskly pushed it away.

Hermione, for her part, gave Adhara a quick kiss, wished her a good day and turned to Sirius with a brief smile before slipping away. Sirius raised an eyebrow as he watched her disappear, then looked down at Adhara, who was staring at him with the same question.

"Why doesn't Mummy sleep with you?"

Sirius held back a sigh and patiently repeated Hermione's explanations, trying to keep things as simple as possible. But Adhara was not so easily persuaded.

"But don't you want to?"

Sirius gave a gentle smile before answering.

"It's not a question of wanting to, my princess. A teacher can't sleep with one of his students."

Adhara squinted, puzzled.

"But why is Mum one of your students, then?"

This time, the explanation took longer, and Sirius was relieved to see Moon appear at just the right moment. The house elf distracted Adhara, allowing her to cut short the conversation and prepare for her lessons.

When he arrived in his classroom, it seemed like an eternity had passed since his last lesson. Yet everything came back to him naturally, as if nothing had changed. Everything, that is, except in the Seventh Year class. Hermione's presence affected him more than he cared to admit. Seeing her sitting among the other students, in uniform, gave him the strange impression of playing a role. He struggled not to let himself be distracted by memories of the previous day, of the moments when he had held her close to him, when her hair had brushed his skin, when she had worn only light pyjamas...

At lunchtime, they met up again, somewhat by chance, in front of the portrait of the knight, surprised to see each other there.

"I was...

- I wanted to...," they began at the same time, before pulling themselves together.

- Adhara", they finished in unison, smiling at the synchronisation.

The knight let them pass, and Sirius took the opportunity to thank Hermione for the books on parenthood. He had forgotten to do so that very morning, caught up in events.

They were quickly interrupted by Adhara, and everything else faded away. They all had a light lunch together before classes resumed. Adhara, used to this routine, wisely followed Moon for her quiet time, leaving Sirius and Hermione to return to their responsibilities.

The evening passed in a flash. Tired, they finally found themselves at eleven o'clock, collapsed on the sofa in Sirius's flat.

"I have to go to work," Hermione declared as she reluctantly stood up.

Sirius grabbed one of the books she had lent him, intending to read, but neither of them lasted very long. Exhausted, Hermione eventually decided to get up earlier the next day to work, and the new routine gradually took hold.

Their week flew by. Between classes and Adhara, they didn't know where to turn. Hermione had also begun her research into the enchantment that had sent Adhara into the past, while Sirius continued to devour the books she had lent him. This gave him a better understanding of some of her approaches, and the reading gave them the opportunity to discuss many subjects at length, often late into the night.

On Friday evening, Ginny turned up outside Hermione's flat with a bag in her hand.

"Have Lavender and Parvati become that insufferable?" teased Hermione, her nose buried in her books.

- Not at all. I'm just here to get you out of your books," Ginny replied with a smirk.

She entered without waiting and Hermione closed the door with a sigh, mumbling a "Make yourself at home".

Ginny wasted no time in getting out two bottles of beer and some snacks.

"Ginny... I really need to work," Hermione began, her tone half resigned.

- Not tonight. You've got the whole weekend for that," Ginny decreed with implacable assurance.

Hermione sighed again, knowing full well that there was no point in resisting. And Ginny was right: she needed to take her mind off things.

Without the slightest embarrassment, Ginny threw off her uniform and slipped into comfortable pyjamas, while Hermione dropped onto the sofa already dressed in her own pyjamas. Ginny handed her a bottle, and after the first sip, she turned to Hermione with a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

"You and I really need to talk," she said in a serious tone.

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"First tell me how Ron and Harry are taking it.

- Pretty well, I'd say. I mean, I think they avoid thinking about it. You're not together, so it's all a blur... the future," Ginny replied with a slight smirk.

Hermione nodded, feeling Ginny's gaze on her again.

"But what about you? How do you live it?"

Hermione shrugged hesitantly.

"I'm not sure... Sirius, Adhara... it's a lot all at once."

"Is this something you imagined?" asked Ginny, tilting her head mischievously.

Hermione nearly choked on her beer-butter.

"What?! No! How could I have imagined that? That's Sirius, Harry's godfather. He's the last person I'd...

- Hermione, you were in the same dormitory as me. Remember the chats with Lavender and Parvati, all the gossip about Sirius. All the girls were dreaming about it, except you?"

Hermione shook her head.

"He was out of reach, Ginny. This is...

- Harry's godfather, I know. Was out of reach.

- Gin...

- I'm right and you know it. It's bound to change things. You're married in the future, you have a child together...

- But not in the present. We have Adhara, but we're not... together," Hermione protested.

- I know that. But you must admit that it doesn't leave you completely indifferent."

Hermione sighed.

"Ginny, he's my teacher!

- Mine too, and that doesn't stop anyone fantasising," Ginny replied with a wink.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to think about it. If something were to happen, Sirius could lose his job.

- You're over 18," reminded Ginny.

- But always his student.

- You'll be able to keep it quiet," Ginny said casually.

- Ginny!" cried Hermione indignantly. It's Sirius!

- Exactly! How do you feel about him?"

Hermione sighed, lost.

"I don't know. I avoid asking myself questions like that.

- Ah, so you do feel something for him," triumphed Ginny.

- Of course, he's no stranger! We look after Adhara together, I..."

She sighed, her cheeks flushing slightly. She should have known Ginny wouldn't let her go.

"I have a lot of respect for Sirius. He hasn't had an easy life and he's doing the best he can with Adhara. He's... great with her, really. He's an excellent teacher, very bright and...

- And incredibly handsome?" offered Ginny mischievously.

Hermione dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand, but her cheeks flushed red.

"I really like him, but that's it, all right?

- You're not going to tell me that you don't feel anything when he looks at you, when he smiles at you, when his arm brushes yours...

- Ginny! Ginny! You're talking about physical attraction, that's completely different!

- Maybe, but it helps when it comes to having children, doesn't it?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"We're not there yet.

- A little practice wouldn't hurt...

- Ginny!" growled Hermione.

- All right, all right! But you've got to admit, he's handsome!"

Hermione sighed.

"He fits certain standards, yes," she replied, making Ginny grumble.

- Oh, one day you won't say that to me again, Hermione," Ginny predicted with a laugh.

Hermione said nothing, taking a sip of beer-butter.

"I'm not saying he's not attractive. He is, objectively. But he's... Sirius. Just give me a little time, okay?"

Ginny burst out laughing.

"Before you fell into his arms?"

Hermione blushed even more, running out of patience.

"Well, we're changing the subject.

- All right, then. So, I need to talk to you about another couple in the making! Did you know Neville had a thing for Hannah?"

Hermione held back a giggle. She could always count on Ginny to know the gossip of Hogwarts. The rest of the evening passed in good humour, punctuated by laughter and light discussion. Even though Ginny returned briefly to the subject of Sirius after their first bottle of butterbeer, Hermione managed to divert the conversation each time.

They went to bed late, happy and without thinking about setting an alarm clock. But Adhara, true to her memory, remembered that her mother had promised her pancakes on Saturday morning. As soon as she woke up, she reminded Sirius insistently. He tried to stall, but by nine o'clock he had to go into Hermione's flat with Adhara by his side. He immediately noticed a few clues: a misplaced throw and a half-open bedroom door. However, the girls had remembered to remove the bottles and snacks.

"Mummy!" exclaimed Adhara as she rushed into the bedroom.

Sirius winced, but it was too late. When he reached the threshold, Adhara was already snuggled up to Hermione in bed. He then saw a red head rise briefly before falling back onto the pillow.

"So you're not sleeping with Daddy, you're sleeping with Auntie Ginny!

- Adhara..." muttered Hermione, still half asleep. What time is it?

- Nine o'clock", replied Sirius as he approached to collect the little girl.

Hermione sighed, her eyes half closed.

"Pancakes...

Sirius smiled, amused.

"I've got an idea. Why don't we make pancakes for Mum and Auntie Ginny?"

Adhara seemed to think for a second, then approved with a big smile. She jumped into her father's arms and they left the room. The room was finally quiet again, until Ginny made a mischievous comment.

"Pancakes for Mum," she simpered, stifling a laugh.

Hermione gave her a light blow.

"He's not going to call me by my first name when he talks about me to Adhara.

- I do not know what's cuter: that, or the fact that Adhara's worried you're not sleeping together,' Ginny replied, amused.

Hermione sighed, stood up and pushed back the blanket. It was time to start the day.

When they entered Sirius' flats, he greeted them with a mischievous smile.

"Shall I get out some hangover potions?" he asked, teasingly.

- We'll manage," Hermione protested as she sat down at the table.

She noticed that these meals with Sirius and Adhara were almost becoming a habit. A reassuring habit, but a strange one all the same.

Ginny, on the other hand, was biting into a piece of toast with gusto.

"By the way, Parkinson is insisting that we arrange a meeting for the Christmas party," she blurted out in the middle of breakfast.

Hermione sighed.

"I know, I'm seeing Malfoy about it and I'll put the word out to the prefects."

She hadn't forgotten that on top of all that was going on, she was still Head Prefect, which meant juggling her many responsibilities, including organising the Christmas Ball.

"The party?" inquired Sirius, raising an eyebrow.

- After the ball," Ginny said with a wink. We're not stopping here."

Sirius laughed, amused, clearly in cahoots with them. The meal continued in good spirits, with everyone discussing the preparations while Adhara enjoyed herself in the living room. However, a piercing meow suddenly interrupted the conversation.

"Adhara!" called Hermione as she leapt out of her seat, quickly followed by Sirius. Pattenrond!"

The cat fled across the room, covered in a bright yellow tint, while Adhara, visibly guilty, held Sirius's wand in her small hands.

"Oops..." she murmured with a half-sorry, half-malicious smile.

Hermione, her hands on her hips, glared at her.

"Adhara, have I ever told you not to touch the wands?

- Yes..." mumbled the little girl, lowering her head.

Sirius approached her, retrieving his wand and lowering himself to her level.

"It's very dangerous, you know," he explained gently, although a little worried.

Hermione, for her part, restored Pattenrond to his natural colour while stroking the feline apologetically.

"You could have hurt Pattenrond," added Hermione, softer this time. Magic is serious business, Adhara."

The girl nodded, but Hermione wasn't quite sure she really understood.

"How can I make it up to Pattenrond?" she suggested, offering her a chance to make it up to him.

After a moment's thought, Adhara hesitantly moved towards the cat. Pattenrond let out a slight growl before calming down, accepting her apology.

"And I'm going to keep my wand on me," Sirius declared as he straightened up, giving Hermione a knowing look.

She nodded.

"It's safer," she replied.

Adhara was resourceful, but sometimes her curiosity got them into unexpected situations.

That afternoon, while Sirius and Hermione were engaged in a lively discussion on the sofa, they noticed that there was silence. Too much silence. One look at each other and they were up at the same time. Adhara's room was empty, and worse, the door to the flats was ajar.

"Oh no..." whispered Hermione, already in a panic.

Sirius cut her off.

"I know."

Without wasting a second, he transformed himself into a Padfoot and set off in pursuit of Adhara. Hermione followed, her heart beating wildly. They made their way through the corridors of the castle, Sirius sniffing out the girl's tracks with alarming accuracy. Eventually they spotted her outside Hagrid's hut, with Pattenrond still at her side.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, but anger threatened to get the better of her.

"Adhara!" she called, her voice a little shaky as Padfoot raced towards her.

The little girl turned round, surprised, and Hermione rushed to join her, half-smocked, half-exasperated.

"You must always be accompanied by an adult outside the flats!" scolded Hermione, her eyebrows furrowing.

- Are you angry?" Adhara asked timidly.

Hermione sighed, trying to contain her frustration.

"Yes, I was very afraid for you."

Padfoot, still in his canine form, groaned beside them, impatient to regain his human form. Hermione, on the other hand, could not hide her relief. Adhara looked down sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, I... Pattenrond was with me."

Hermione nodded, but her expression remained stern.

"Pattenrond is not an adult. In future, you must be accompanied by someone you trust. Always. Okay?"

The little girl nodded, her cheeks flushed with shame.

"I just wanted to go and see Hagrid..." she murmured.

Hermione exchanged a glance with Sirius - or rather Padfoot - and sighed.

"Well, let's go," she finally relented.

A smile lit up Adhara's face, and Hermione fluidly transformed her scarf into a coat to protect her from the cold. When they reached the hut, Padfoot took care to hide and change back before joining them, now Sirius again. Hermione noticed that his expression was more tense than usual. He didn't seem so carefree any more.

"You can't do this to us, Adhara. Your mum and I were really worried."

Hermione felt her heart clench at the words. There was a strange sweetness in the way he spoke of them, almost as if they were truly family.

Adhara apologised again, and they knocked on Hagrid's door. The half-giant welcomed them with open arms, and soon Adhara was captivated by the curiosities Hagrid was pulling out of his drawers. Hermione, for her part, raised a concerned eyebrow more than once, especially when a huge snake appeared in a cage. She wanted to intervene, but Sirius placed a soothing hand on her thigh, a gesture that made Hermione blush.

"Excuse me," he murmured, quickly withdrawing his hand.

- No, I'm fine," she replied, still a little confused.

But this brief contact had disturbed her more than she cared to admit.

Sirius held Adhara under an invisibility spell as he made his way to his chambers, while Hermione took a different route to avoid being seen with him. For the first time, he thought how much simpler everything must be in the future. No need to hide their feelings, no need to hide their love.

"Dad?" called Adhara in her arms, her small voice breaking the silence of the corridor.

- Yes?"

He scanned the corridor; there was no-one there.

"Don't you love Mummy?"

The question, asked with a touch of anxiety, made Sirius stop dead in his tracks.

"Why do you ask? - Well, you don't hug her, you don't kiss her, you don't sleep with her. Mum, she must be sad..."

Sirius held back a laugh, touched by his daughter's concern.

"Your Mum and I aren't a couple here yet, my princess. - But if you're not a couple, then I can't exist, can I?"

Sirius burst out laughing this time.

"Don't worry, Adhara. You will exist in the future."

He was convinced by her words, a comforting certainty that accompanied him.

"You're sure? - Positive," he confirmed with a smile. We'll do whatever it takes, so don't worry, everything's fine."

Adhara nodded and rested her head against his shoulder. As he held her close, Sirius lost himself in thought as he made his way back to his chambers. "Everything we need for this?" A strange warmth rose up inside him, tinged with a mixture of fear and excitement. Of course he would do anything for it... but the thought terrified him as much as it delighted him.

So there you have it... what do you think? Do you like it? I have to admit I've got mixed feelings about it... I look forward to hearing from you