Chapter 11:  Sirius' Departure

       Sirius was scowling. Not that his expression was surprising in any way, he had looked exactly the same every time Hermione had risked a glance at him that entire morning. If it wasn't for the fact that every now and again a low rumbling sound of disapproval would emanate from him Hermione could have mistaken him for a statue. The man had hardly moved at all since breakfast, since Hermione had started working again, since Draco had begun helping her. Sirius watched them closely, standing in what must be his favorite stance with back against the wall and his arms crossed over his chest. He was wearing muggle clothes today, loose jeans and a black sweater; Harry's clothes.

        Hermione turned back to her books with a sigh. She didn't understand how any one man could be so disagreeable. Not that Draco was helping matters at all. Hermione was almost certain that he was trying to antagonize Sirius on purpose. Draco seemed to know just what buttons to push. In fact, Hermione realized belatedly, that he was pushing one now.

        "Here, look at this passage. It's Muggle, but the ideas are interesting." Draco had risen from his seat and come around to stand next to her, placing an opened book in front of her.

        Hermione leaned over the book, which was devoted to Tibetan Reincarnation beliefs, and read the passage that Draco was pointing to. His other hand rested at the small of her back as he leaned over with her.

        Hermione froze, her brown curls barely touching the book that she was bent over. Draco's hand seemed to be slipping lower. She looked at him through her curtain of hair and found that he was smirking. He wasn't doing what she thought he was doing, was he? There was a gentle squeeze and Hermione groaned inwardly.

        She glanced back at Sirius, hoping beyond hope that he had somehow missed their little exchange. But as always, he stood there, glaring at her. If he was in his animagus form, Hermione was certain that he would be growling. Hermione scowled at Draco who was trying to look innocently puzzled but failing miserably.

"You are such a child," She hissed knocking his hand away.

Draco couldn't stop his laugh as he took the book back from her. He turned towards Sirius, "you could help you know. This would probably go faster with another pair of eyes."

Hermione hadn't expected a reply from Sirius so when his gravely voice echoed menacingly through the flat she dropped the book that she had opened.

"I have no intention in participating in this waste of time." His voice was dark with barely restrained anger. "There are more important things to worry about right now."

Hermione swiveled to glare at him, "More important things? What is more important than stopping Voldemort?"

Sirius pushed himself away from the wall, taking a step towards her, "Didn't you pay any attention to the paper this morning? Rumors are spreading Hermione, people want answers and you're not giving them."

Hermione frowned at him before turning back around. She didn't really feel like having this conversation yet again.

Draco, meanwhile, snorted. "I read that article, written by Mavis Skeagle, she's such a worthless hack. You know, once she wrote a story questioning my sexual preference." Draco smiled to himself, "that is, of course, why I now own half of the Daily Prophet."

Sirius completely ignored Draco as he took another step towards Hermione, "You've got to be honest. Hermione, you have to tell me what happened."

Hermione stiffened, unwilling to turn around, unwilling to get into this fight again. And as it turned out, Draco was completely comfortable in coming to her defense.

"Are you telling me that you actually think that the rumors are true?" Draco's voice was incredulous.

"There is something that she isn't telling us." Sirius growled at the younger man without looking at him.

Draco's hand clenched into fists and Hermione could hear him suck in a deep breath. "Are you insane? You're talking about Hermione."

"I can tell when people are lying." Sirius glared at Draco now. "I know that she's lying."

"Draco, don't." Hermione reached out to place a placating hand on his arm. "Don't get into it with him. It isn't worth it."

"You don't know her at all do you?" Draco asked him as he pulled loose from Hermione and walked towards Sirius.

Sirius advanced to meet Draco chest to chest in the middle of the living room. "She won't say what went wrong."

Draco glared at the taller man, "I'm telling you," a note of warning in his voice, "that she doesn't know what went wrong."

It almost certainly would have led to a very physical fight if Hermione hadn't interjected herself between them. One of her delicate hands placed firmly on their chests, she pushed them back form each other.

Turning to Draco she caught his hand in her own, "It doesn't matter, Draco, it really doesn't. It's just another reason for him to hate me. Just let him have it. All I want is to not talk about it anymore."

Draco scowled over her head at Sirius but nodded finally.

Hermione turned her attention to the older man now but whatever words she was going to say to calm him got lost somewhere in throat.

Sirius looked at if she had just hit him. His dark eyes were widened in surprise and his skin was unnaturally pale. Hermione frowned at him, what she had said to Draco may have been a bit harsh but it was the truth after all, wasn't it?

"Just...just let me work in peace, won't you Sirius?" Not waiting for his answer, Hermione turned back to her desk.

She could feel his hot gaze against her shoulders for several minutes before he turned away. Hermione twisted her head slightly, watching him from underneath the fringe of her eyelashes. Sirius pulled his decrepit traveling cloak out from under a stack of books then headed out of the flat. Hermione followed after him in surprised alarm.

"Sirius!" She called as she rushed through the door, "Sirius wait!"

She reached the top of the stairs; he was at the landing below, staring hard at the ground. Hermione shivered at the winter chill in the hall of her building and wrapped her arms around herself. Sirius wasn't looking at her. He made no moves to walk back up the stairs to her.

"Wh...where are you going?" Her voice was small.

"I'm letting you work Hermione." His black eyes met hers for only a second before he turned on his heal and walked down the next flight of stairs.

        Hermione watched his retreating back as long as she could before he turned down the next flight of stairs and disappeared from view. She stood waiting for the sound of the old front door to creak open, the frosted hinges groaning more than usual, and then for rush of air that always whisked up all three floors of the building as the door pulled itself closed.

        He had left. Sirius was gone.

"Don't worry, he'll come back."

        Hermione tried not to act surprised as Draco spoke. But were the truth to be known, she hadn't heard him follow. Ron and Harry would be sorely disappointed in her awareness skills.

        "Why do you say that?" She asked without turning to look at him.

        He came to stand next to her, arms crossing loosely over his chest, gray eyes focused on some distant point that she couldn't discern. "He won't leave you here with me. He doesn't trust me."

        Hermione turned to him, "thank you for sticking up for me back there."

        "I can't even believe that he thinks you might have been involved in their deaths. The man is an idiot." Draco ran a hand through his hair, messing the light gold strands so that they fell awry.

        "He's not," Hermione defended, surprised at her own words. "He's just worried."

        Draco turned back towards the flat, "well he's being very stupid about it. If he knows you at all then he should know how stubborn you can be. You'll tell us when you're ready and nothing will force it from you sooner."

        Hermione had fallen into step with Draco but she froze as he said this. He stopped walking a pace ahead of her and turned to look back at her from over his shoulder.

        "Tell you what?" Hermione whispered.

        Draco frowned, "Don't be like that, I know you had nothing to do with their deaths. But Black is right about one thing, you are hiding something."

        "I...I'm" Hermione began quickly but was cut off as Draco covered her mouth with his hand.

        "No more lies Hermione. If you can't tell me, then don't tell me, but don't lie to me anymore. All right?" Draco didn't remove his hand until Hermione nodded her head.

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