Chapter 6:  Time With Sirius

 

Hogwarts: End of Sixth Year

Hermione sat in the library waiting. Her books were stacked neatly in front of her and a mountain of parchment lay uncurled on the table. She glanced at her watch, frowning. He was late. It seemed that one could never count on punctuality from a Slytherin.

She had been flattered at first when Professor Ansuz asked if she would be interested in tutoring. However, when she found out that the individual who was needing the most help in her sixth year Ancient Runes class was Blaise Zambini, she was expectably skeptical about the idea. He wasn't known for hanging out with Malfoy's crowd but he was a Slytherin after all. Hermione didn't have to help him pass the class but she had been loath to disappoint her teacher. So now she waited.

"Sorry," a voice came from behind her.

Hermione started and turned to look at Blaise. His jet hair hung low over his pale forehead. She wondered briefly if all the Slytherins were pale due to living deep in the bowels of the school. Did natural light ever creep into their dungeon quarters?

"I didn't mean to sneak up on you either." He was soft-spoken and his tone really seemed to hold no outward animosity.

"It is all right. I haven't been here long." This wasn't entirely true, she had come an extra hour early in order to prepare her notes and ready her mind for what she figured was going to be a rather nasty Slytherin encounter.

Blaise sat down across from her and pulled out his own set of parchments. He seemed nervous. Hermione felt bolstered by this.

It was with much more ease that Hermione leaned forward and asked, "So what are you having trouble with?"

Blaise groaned "everything. I hate Ancient Runes."

Hermione sat back, surprised, "well why do you take this class if don't like it?"

Hermione had been taking Ancient Runes since her third year with the Slytherins and a few other Gryffindors. The class was smaller than most since it wasn't required. Blaise had always been there.

He frowned as if not really wanting to discuss it, "my father has always wanted me to take it, some sort of family tradition. Not that I should have to explain any of that to you."

"I didn't mean to pry," Hermione replied sniffily. They scowled briefly at one another before Hermione spoke again, "Okay well we can work on catching you up later, I think we should probably focus on the more important concern, the test on Thursday. Where do you think you will have the most trouble, the Germanic Runes or the Ogham Runes?"

Blaise let his head sink into his hands and muttered, "This is hopeless."

"No it isn't." Hermione said soothingly as she opened her book, "Here, we'll start from the beginning of the chapter."

It was quite some time later and several crumpled sheets of parchment when Hermione stopped in mid-sentence and turned to look over her shoulder. Both Harry and Ron had entered the library and were walking towards her. Hermione glanced at her watch; they had been at it for almost two hours.

"I think that is more than enough for today, don't you?" She asked Blaise quickly as Harry and Ron neared them.

"I guess, but we never even got to runic divination." He had been looking more and more confident as they worked but now a spark of panic appeared in his eyes.

"Well we could meet again before the test," Hermione said half to herself as she tried to think up a good time.

"Tomorrow? After dinner?" He supplied quickly.

Hermione nodded, "that should be fine."

"Hermione," Harry and Ron reached them.

"Hermione," Harry repeated, "You were supposed to meet us fifteen minutes ago.

Blaise, Ron, and Harry eyed each other suspiciously as Hermione packed her bag.

"We were working," Hermione's voice was firm and it reassured any concerns that Harry or Ron may have had.

She stood and pulled her bag onto her shoulder and smiled slightly at Blaise. He stood up as well.

"Thanks Gra...Hermione," He corrected with a smile of his own.

"You're welcome Blaise," Hermione replied over her shoulder as she followed Ron and Harry from the library.

As soon as the doors were closed Ron turned to her, "you two were looking rather chummy."

Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed past him without a word.

"All I'm saying," Ron called as he quickened his step to catch up to her, "is that we all know that you have a sweet spot for Slytherins."

Harry tried unsuccessfully to cover up his laugh as Hermione stopped short and rounded on Ron.

"I have a what for Slytherins?"

"You know, you fancy them sometimes, I just don't think it's a very smart match is all." Ron stepped backwards from the girl as she was beginning to look quite frightening.

"I do not fancy them!" Hermione's voice was sharp and several people turned to look at them.

"Hermione," Harry said soothing, "Ron is just referring to Malfoy."

Hermione let out a frustrated groan and turned away from them continuing down the hall all the while saying back over her shoulder, "had I known that you two were never going to let me live that down then I never would have come up with that spell in the first place!"

She didn't see the mischievous grins that Harry and Ron exchanged at this and that was probably for the best for Hermione was feeling quite murderous at this point.

They followed her up two flights of stairs and into the once forbidden third floor corridor. It was still not a place that was highly trafficked. The House Elves seemed to have a difficult time fighting back the dust motes that threatened to creep from their darkened corners. The fourth hall off of this unwelcoming corridor led to the enchanted room that Sirius Black had been living in for the three months since Harry, Ron, and Hermione had helped him escape the Aurors in Hogsmeade.

"Did he say where he was going this time?" Hermione asked Harry as they stepped through an invisible arch way and into the fourth hall.

"No, he was in a rush. But Dumbledore told me that he should be back tonight." Harry replied as he lit his wand.

"Well it can't be anything very important if it's only going to take him two days to do it in." Ron cursed loudly in the silent hall as he knocked into a suit of armor. "Why can't they leave any bloody torches lit in here?"

Hermione turned and help him detangle himself, "well no one is supposed to be using this hall you know."

"None of the staff knows that Sirius is here besides Madame Pomfrey," Harry added.

They continued on, the way lit only by the light from their wands. A dour looking soldier, who looked them up and down suspiciously after they had given the password before letting them through, guarded the entrance to the room.

The room itself was large and comfortable. A large sofa and several plush chairs surrounded a fireplace that had already been lit. The house- elves had already supplied a meal to the room and the table was covered in plates.

"Does Sirius really need to eat this much?" Ron asked as he studied the various plates of food.

Harry retorted defensively, "he doesn't get enough to eat when he's on the run you know that! He needs to eat as much as he can when he has the chance."

"Ron is right though," Hermione cut in quickly, "this is more food than even Sirius can eat, I think this meal is supposed to be meant for two people."

"Observant as always, Hermione." A voice that didn't belong to Sirius said.

The three spun quickly to face the voice and stared in shock without speaking for a moment or two.

Hermione was the first to find her voice, "Professor Lupin?"

Their old Professor whom they hadn't seen since their third year stood in the doorway a jovial smile on his thin face. He walked into the room followed immediately by Sirius.

"Isn't is almost time for you three to be in bed?" Sirius asked them gruffly as he shut the door behind him.

His appearance was far altered from when they had found him in Hogsmeade. His wounds had been healed and he had finally been able to eat his fill. His black hair was untangled; his dark eyes were clear and bright. He was once again the handsome man in Harry's photo album.

Professor Lupin was a different matter though. He looked far more tired and gray than he had only a few short years ago.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

Sirius chuckled mirthlessly at Harry's question as he approached the table of food and ravenously examined each dish. "Go ahead Remus, tell them why you had to flee your home in the middle of the night."

Professor Lupin sighed and sat down on the couch, he watched Sirius tearing into a chicken but despite his thinness he seemed uninterested in the food.

"Haven't you been reading the papers?" He asked them.

Ron and Harry both turned expectantly to Hermione. She frowned and ran back through the headlines of that day's paper.

"You don't mean." She looked horrified, "but surely not you Professor Lupin?"

"Most especially me, I'm afraid." Their old Professor looked exhausted.

"Would someone mind explaining?" Ron sounded annoyed.

"Fudge has been making comments recently that non-humans should be registered with the Ministry so that any that pose a clear and present threat can be imprisoned before they join with Voldemort."

Harry asked quickly, "non-humans?"

Professor Lupin began counting on his fingers, "vampires, hags, centaurs, giants..."

"Werewolves," Sirius added sharply.

Professor Lupin was looking terribly crest-fallen. "Werewolves," he agreed sadly.

"What's wrong with that?" Ron asked. "We all know that you're not a threat."

"On the contrary Ron," Sirius had left the table and was pacing back and forth behind the couch, "due to the rumors that Remus may have helped me escape the dementors three years ago he is considered to be a highly probable risk. And isn't it safer to throw us all into Azkaban first and ask questions later? It has worked so well for the Ministry in the past."

Hermione watched him stalk across the room and then back again. He reminded her of a caged animal, so angry and wound up expecting an attack.

"That's awful," she whispered.

Sirius stopped his pacing and looked at Hermione. It was a look she didn't understand. But when he spoke again his tone was far softer.

"That's why Dumbledore sent me out yesterday. He received word that they were planning on registering Remus in the next few days." There was a special emphasis on the word registering that no one missed.

Sirius settled on the couch next to Professor Lupin and no one spoke for several minutes. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had known that Professor Dumbledore had been sending Sirius off from the school. What his missions were they didn't always know. Most of the time he carried messages, every once in a while he went out to investigate a supposed Death Eater hot spot, and sometimes he would just be gone from his rooms without a word to any of them. He had never before spent so much time in one place having always felt that he needed to constantly move to constantly track Pettigrew. But he seemed content to abandon his hunt for Peter in order to help the older wizard.

They weren't sure, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione all agreed that the school was probably being watched now. And it didn't seem to matter anymore if it was the Ministry or Voldemort. It was hard to tell now who was more of a threat. It was true that Voldemort still planned to kill them all and over throw the Ministry, but Fudge was so set in his adamant denial of this most obvious fact that he hindered Dumbledore in a way that none of them had expected. It seemed that Hogwarts was becoming more of a haven from the Ministry rather than from Voldemort.

"How long will you stay here?" Harry asked the Professor.

"Indefinitely, until circumstances change or Fudge gets kicked out." Professor Lupin replied and he looked meaningfully at Sirius.

Sirius understood the look and got back to his feet, "and now it really is time for you to get back to your rooms. Remus and I have some talking to do before he gets settled in."

Harry opened his mouth to argue but closed it without a sound. It was pointless to argue with Sirius. He and the Headmaster still believed that there were some things that they were too young for and there seemed to be nothing Harry, Ron, or Hermione could say to convince them otherwise.

They headed to the door but Hermione turned back to Lupin and spoke for the three of them. "We're glad to see you again Professor."

The older man smiled warmly, taking years off his visage, "and I you."

Sirius got suddenly to his feet. "Shall I walk you back? It is very dark in this part of the school." His eyes seemed to linger momentarily on Hermione's before passing by.

Harry grinned at his Godfather, "I think we can find our way through the dark pretty well Sirius."

Even Lupin chuckled at this. "If only you knew the number times these three wandered the halls after hours in their third year." Lupin added at Harry's dumbstruck look, "you may be good Harry, but I was a Marauder after all."

~*~*~*~

It was half past three. Hermione scowled at the watch on her wrist. Harry and Ron had been in detention all morning. She'd had no qualms about telling them that they deserved an all day detention for purposely switching Crabbe's Newt spine for Mako cartilage. They should have known that the addition of shark bits to the potion would result in a very messy explosion. But without them she was beginning to get quite bored.

She could always search out Ginny but the last time Hermione had seen the younger girl she had been with a few friends that Hermione didn't know. Hermione hated to intrude. Neville was trying to catch her eye from across the common room but Hermione knew that was due mostly to his pile unfinished homework.

That reminded Hermione of something. She slid off the chair and picked up her backpack. She had wanted to go see Professor Lupin and ask him a few questions about Erklings. She was writing an essay on them for Defense Against the Dark Arts and wanted an expert opinion. Hermione could always ask Professor Flaminius, the new Defense teacher, but the man was little more than a blubbering idiot. It seemed that Professor Dumbledore had almost given up any real hope of finding a decent teacher for the class.

She hadn't seen Professor Lupin or Sirius since the Professor had arrived four days ago. Harry and Ron had gone to visit them yesterday but Hermione had declined due to the amount of homework that she had. But now seemed as a good time as any to visit. Hermione didn't think they would mind. When Sirius wasn't being sent off the grounds on odd jobs for the Headmaster there was very little to occupy his time, Hermione imagined it would be the same for Professor Lupin as well.

The Saturday afternoon was warm, the windows throughout the school had been opened to the outside world, and a breeze ruffled her curly hair as she headed up the stairs. The bland rains seemed to have stopped and summer would be here soon. The windows hadn't been opened on the third floor corridor though. And the hall that led to Sirius' rooms was just as dark as it always was. It seemed that very little light could squeeze past the layers of dust on the thin windows.

Hermione gave the password, 'Snape is a dirty wanker', and then knocked on the door that appeared as the portrait swung forward. She could hear something moving behind and then the door swung quickly open. Sirius stared down at her in something akin to shock.

"Good afternoon Sirius," Hermione said, the smile she had been wearing faded slightly as Sirius stared at her.

"Hermione," he looked past her, "where are Ron and Harry?"

She fought hard to keep her smile in place; this wasn't exactly the welcome she had imagined. "They're serving detention."

"You came by yourself?" He was looking quite intently at her.

"I...yes." Hermione's voice rose shrilly as she struggled to fight her embarrassment. It was silly of her to think that she could just come down here without Harry. "I wanted to speak to Professor Lupin, if he wasn't busy."

Understanding flickered in his dark eyes and he relaxed, "Of course, Remus. His quarters are right across the hall." He motioned over Hermione shoulder.

She turned and sure enough another portrait picturing a sour looking old hag standing next to a cauldron was resting on the wall where it hadn't before.

"The password is 'Red Caps'."

"Oh," Hermione murmured and stepped back from Sirius, "thank you."

Sirius seemed indecisive about something for a moment before he spoke again, "I'm afraid that he isn't there though. He's having tea with Headmaster Dumbledore; they had things to discuss." Sirius added on cryptically.

"Oh," Hermione repeated. She must have seemed crestfallen for Sirius opened his door.

"Do you play chess Hermione?"

"Surely Ron and Harry have told you how terrible I am at it." She didn't like being teased.

"True, they have mentioned that you aren't very good." Sirius smiled suddenly and Hermione knew he must have been quite popular when he was at Hogwarts. "You know," He said, "I was never a very good chess player either until I learned how to be sneaky."

"Sneaky?"

"Chess is a game of many things," Sirius gestured her into the room, "it is a game of wit and skill. But it is still a game and there is more than one way to win a game."

"Are you suggesting cheating?"

Sirius chuckled at her horrified expression. "Cheating is one way, but no, I wasn't suggesting it. I was thinking more along the lines of subterfuge. Make them think you are going to go one way but then go another."

"I'm not very good at that type of thing," Hermione insisted nervously.

"Nonsense, you're capable of doing anything that you set your mind to. Now sit down." Sirius had already seated himself at the chessboard.

He began putting the pieces on their designated squares while Hermione thought about her options. She wasn't entirely sure she liked the idea of being taught subterfuge chess by Sirius but she definitely didn't want to go back to the common room and explain once again to Neville the uses of mink teeth. She bit her lip indecisively and then quickly, before she could change her mind, slid into a high-backed chair across from him.

"I'm really not very good at all," Hermione told him again.

"I have absolute faith in you Hermione." Sirius told her smiling.

Hermione returned the smile then looked away abruptly as a slight blush colored her cheeks.


~*~*~*~


"The last game is against Ravenclaw?" Hermione asked as they walked towards the Quidditch pitch.

"Yes," Ron dropped his broom and stopped to skip a rock across the still surface of the lake.

"I really don't think it will be a problem." Harry said as he followed suit.

"Not now that you've gotten over that whole Cho thing." Ron agreed.

Harry sent him an annoyed glare but made no comment. Hermione sat on a fallen tree and watched them as they became more competitive about the skipping. She had pulled back her dark hair from her face that morning but the crazy tendrils had a mind of their own and locks of bushy hair grazed the curves of her face. She pulled out the simple barrette and leaned backwards shaking out the tangled mess and trying valiantly to rein it back in.

"Snuffles!" Harry called happily.

Hermione was so startled she dropped the band. "Drat," She muttered and scrambled over the log in order to retrieve it. This served a dual purpose as it allowed time for her coloring to return to normal since she had gone a little pink at the mention of Harry's godfather.

She had been rather embarrassed when she thought back to her visit the other day. It seemed to take only a moment or two of playing for Hermione to get comfortable being alone with him and then she had started. Ron always said that Hermione talked too much when she got going and she did. She had prattled on and on for what seemed like hours. Hermione had told him about her time at Hogwarts and her plans for when she graduated. She had told him about her parents and what it had been like growing up in the muggle world when you knew, just knew, that somehow you were different. And he had smiled and listened to all of it. Hermione was mortified.

"Hermione?" Ron leaned over the log, "what are you doing?"

Hermione sheepishly grabbed her barrette off the ground and stood, "I dropped this."

Harry was standing at the water's edge with Sirius, both Harry and the great dog were watching her interestedly. Sirius went so far as to give a short bark of greeting.

"Hi Snuffles," Hermione returned as she struggled with her hair.

Ron sniggered at the unsuccessful attempts. Hermione scowled at him and he immediately stopped. But Hermione could swear he mouthed something to Sirius and Harry as she turned her back. After another moment of war Hermione threw up the white flag, pushed her band deep into her pocket, and tucked her hair back behind her ears. She highly doubted that she had ever looked worse.

"Practice will be starting soon," Harry told Sirius, "we were headed that way."

"Want to come?" Ron asked grinning, "those new beaters of ours are something to watch, no doubt."

Hermione silently agreed. There had been some question over Fred and George's replacements this year. But the Weasley twins had hand picked their heirs and it showed. Third year Myra Lynch and her cousin Hamish, a second year, may have been a bit on the small side but what they lacked in size they made up for with such sheer insanity that the Weasley twins had been besides themselves when they had discovered them. There was also a question as to whether or not there might already be some Quidditch greatness in the Lynch family, as one could never get a straight answer from Myra or Hamish about whether their uncle Aiden was indeed Ireland's Seeker Aiden Lynch.

The new chasers were good as well. But Hermione could never keep track of their names. Harry followed in Wood's footsteps and they were all female. He had been terribly embarrassed last year when Katie Bell had made such a show of passing her captainship on to him but Hermione knew he had been pleased. He took his job very seriously.

But best of all, at least in Hermione's mind, was Ron becoming the keeper the year before. He had been so ecstatic that they didn't even bicker for a month. She hadn't been surprised by this though, Ron and Harry had practiced together in the backyard of the Burrow the entire summer after fourth year.

"You can sit with Hermione so that it doesn't look to strange." Harry was speaking and Hermione realized that she hadn't been paying much attention.

"We've told anyone that asks that you belong to the Headmaster," Ron added, "but it would still seem odd if you were always walking around by yourself."

They continued walking, Hermione a pace behind the others, her hands deep in the pockets of her robe. She was nervous and she didn't know why. It felt like a dizzy wind was flitting about inside of her and Hermione would have really liked nothing better than to sit alone and ponder it but she knew it would look suspicious. And Harry and Ron seemed to have become more observant of her mood swings recently. Hermione chalked it up to their developing maturity but it still struck her as odd.

Ron took flight the moment they reached the field. Hermione felt the familiar flutter of nerves that she had every time her friends played Quidditch. Harry was about to follow but he stopped and turned back to her.

"We'll be fine," he told her grinning.

"I know that." Hermione snapped playfully back at him. "Go on, they're waiting for you."

Harry didn't need any more prodding; he was in the air before she could even finish her sentence. Hermione watched him speed up to cross the pitch.

"Well we had better go up, we won't see anything from down here." Hermione smiled quickly at Sirius.

Once they reached the highest seats Hermione settled herself down. It was completely deserted here. The only people were the busy players on their brooms. A balmy breeze was blowing up here, diverting some of the wretched dampness that had plagued her around the edge of the lake. Hermione leaned back in the chair, closed her eyes, and let the sun soak in.

But she wasn't alone. And Sirius vaulted easily into the chair next to her. His silent presence weighed heavily on her mind and Hermione opened her eyes. He didn't seem to be paying her any attention though his eyes were focused on the two beaters who were chucking the bludgers back and forth between themselves. At one point Hamish missed his catch and the bludger swung around and hit him in the side.

"Idiots," She hissed once the player in question recovered and started laughing as if getting hit by a bludger was a rather pleasurable experience.

"You know, I like flying, I really do." Hermione was almost surprised that she had started talking, "Harry and Ron assume that since I don't ever want to play Quidditch that I don't like to fly. But it's not true."

Sirius was watching her intently, his eyes urging her onward with her explanation.

"I just don't understand why they want to play a game where it's so easy to get hurt. Ron's always complaining that his nose is too big, well what does he think is going to happen when it gets broken by a quaffle?"

Hermione couldn't tell for sure but she thought that if Sirius weren't a dog he would be laughing now. She smiled warmly, feeling not nearly so self-conscious.

"Did you play Quidditch when you were at school?" Hermione asked.

Sirius shook his head.

"You probably didn't want to risk your good looks." Hermione bit her tongue a moment to late. Had she actually really just said that? She risked a glance at Sirius but he was just shaking in what she knew without a doubt was doggie laughter.

There was a call from above and Hermione looked up to see that Ron had called for a huddle down by the goal. But Harry wasn't paying attention; he had just gone after the practice Snitch. The rest of them team hadn't noticed from where they were near the end of the pitch. Harry didn't care though, he had seen the Snitch and that was where his focus lay. He swerved downward after it, looping back up as it shot suddenly heavenward. The chaotic movements of the Gryffindor Seeker and the Snitch drew the attention of the Bludgers. The balls had gone still in the air when the huddle had formed but they whizzed back to life and headed for Harry.

Hermione could see the oncoming collision like a bad train wreck. Harry was shooting almost vertically upward while the Bludgers zoomed after him. Without realizing Hermione's fingers curled around a swatch of black fur as she leaned closer to Sirius. She bit her lip and watched horrified as the Snitch suddenly turned again, this time dropping like a bomb downward. Harry's broom dipped after it so quickly that it seemed like he had foreseen it. A sense of exhilaration that Hermione rarely felt outside the library began to invade her senses. The Bludgers would meet him, there seemed to be no way to avoid, he had to see them now but couldn't stop, wouldn't stop, not with the blood pounding. Hermione felt faint, her hand tightened around the dog's fur but Sirius seemed to take no notice of her, for he too, was watching Harry.

The Bludgers were rising up to meet Harry as he spun downward. Faster and faster, closer they came; surely Harry must see them now. Hermione found that she couldn't take it anymore and she spun into Sirius, both of her hands now clenched deeply into his fur. She pushed her face as far into him as she could trying to block out the sensations of panic and excitement that she was feeling. This wasn't right. She knew it wasn't right. A second ticked by then another and the exhilaration faded. Hermione took a steadying breath but didn't pull away.

"Hermione, you can look now, Harry's okay." Sirius' voice was soothing.

Hermione turned her head slightly against his robes in order to let one eye observe the sky. It was true; Harry was sitting happily unscathed on his broom. The Snitch was in one hand; the Bludgers were once again being thrown about by their Beaters. Hermione let out a deep sigh of relief, her eyes closed, and she sagged back against Sirius. She seemed to be resting in the crook of his arm and one of her hands still had a grasp on his cloak.

"Wait a minute," a voice in her head echoed.

Her eyes shot open and Sirius' immediately met them. It took her a moment to find her voice but when she did it was filled with as much panic as she had felt only moments before over Harry.

"Sirius," she hissed as if expecting eavesdroppers, "what are you doing!"

His eyes had been sparkling with an amused light but this faded quickly at her tone. "You were upset."

"And I'm not now?" Hermione snapped, "Are you crazy? Someone will see you. Don't you know how unsafe it is?"

"Of course I know how unsafe it is," Sirius said coldly, "I'm more aware of it than you are, I certainly don't need lecturing from a child."

Stung, Hermione got to her feet, "go ahead then if you know what you're doing. Forget how much we've all sacrificed to keep you safe. Forget how many times we children saved you." And with that she turned and left the stands feeling quite sick to her stomach.


~*~*~*~


Evening light streamed through the high windows of the library. Hermione stretched her hands back and wiggled her toes as best she could while wearing shoes. She had been holed up in the library for hours now. Exams were only a month away and she was desperately unprepared. This wasn't really true as Hermione already knew most of her textbooks front to back. Helping Blaise had greatly cut back on her own study time. She didn't regret helping him, Hermione had always liked helping others with class work, and she enjoyed being useful.

She looked at her watch, supper would be long over by now, and hopefully Ron and Harry had remembered to get her a sandwich like she had asked.

The library was nearly deserted. Hermione hadn't spoken with anyone in at least an hour. Nothing moved the still air and there was no sound other than the faint rustle of pages being turned. So when Hermione looked up and found Sirius, in his great furry form, sitting across the table from her, she had to stifle a cry of surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione snapped at him.

She hadn't seen him since last week during the Quidditch practice. Whenever Harry and Ron had dragged her off to visit with him she had always slipped away to visit Professor Lupin across the hall. There was always something that she needed to ask him. Or at least, she could always come up with a question.

Hermione had really been offended after the practice. He had called her a child. She was aware that she was only a teenager but Hermione always liked to think that if she could prove herself capable of acting like an adult then she deserved to be treated like one. And she had begun to view Sirius as a friend rather than a grown up. But as it turned out, he was more of a typical adult than she thought. Hermione glared at the dog, she wouldn't make that mistake again.

"I'm very busy now, I don't need any distractions." Hermione told him simply keeping the bitterness out of her voice.

It was, of course, rather pointless to talk to Sirius when he was in his animagus form. It wasn't as if he could respond. So Hermione could only glare at him. Seeing as that was an effort in futility as well Hermione gave up and returned to her book. But it was hard to concentrate when she knew that he was sitting right there watching her. He was unnaturally still. That was one way to identify an animagus, Hermione had noticed that trait in the other animagus she had seen like Professor McGonagall and Rita Skeeter.

Unable to stop herself Hermione risked a quick glance up at Sirius. His look wasn't reproachful or angry like she expected, but rather his eyes were sad and apologetic.

"Don't look at me like that!" Her voice was as loud as she dared.

He continued to watch her silently.

"It really was uncalled for you know." Hermione muttered it was getting harder to be angry. "I was only worried. We all worry about you."

Sirius had gotten down from the chair and padded around the table to stand next to her.

"Do you really think that if you just give me enough time I'll stop being feeling slighted? That only works with Harry," Hermione bit her lip, "Okay, and Ron too."

Sirius, of course, said nothing.

"Oh all right," Hermione gave in. "Are you happy now?" She snapped without spite and then as a second though patted him gently on the head. "Shall we go meet Ron and Harry then? I imagine they told you where I was."

Sirius wagged his tail in the affirmative.

"Traitors," Hermione told him.
It was on their way to the Gryffindor Common room when Malfoy ambushed Hermione. It seemed that he had been laying in wait, not for her particularly but that must have been an added bonus.

"Well look who it is, Mudblood Granger," His voice was deceptively friendly.

Sirius, who had been walking along side her, edged in front of her now, his hackles raised.

Hermione was unperturbed though. Malfoy was a little spoiled brat who liked to make trouble for Harry and Ron. But he never struck her as a great threat.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Hermione asked him.

But Malfoy wasn't about to come right out with it. He turned his attention to Sirius instead, "where in the world did you get that mangy mutt?"

Hermione's hand dropped to Sirius, trying to reassure him. "Sod off Malfoy."

He smirked, "such language Granger. And to think here I am just wanting to do you a favor."

Hermione knew better but she couldn't help but ask, "What favor?"

"I noticed that you're teeth still haven't been fixed right, from when I shrunk them in our fourth year? They're still not the right size." Draco pulled out his wand.

Hermione's tightened her grasp on Sirius as he began to growl. "I'm not afraid of you." She laughed loftily, "you're just a spoiled little brat with nothing to recommend you to the rest of the world."

Surprisingly, she seemed to have hit a nerve. His gray eyes flashed angrily.

"Just you wait Granger! Just you wait till fall, you'll be sorry. Then we'll see how little I have to recommend myself."

"What?" Hermione asked scathingly, "are you going to make your vows to Voldemort over the summer? Invite some Death Eaters over for a roast, maybe have a string quartet play?"

Malfoy's wand faltered slightly, for a second he looked doubtful, and almost lost.

Hermione realized that she had been very close to the truth there and she felt sick. "You are truly foul Malfoy."

Malfoy tightened his grip on his wand, "shut up Granger."

Sirius strained forward and Hermione dropped next to him, her arm going tightly around him.

"No don't, don't." She hissed.

She looked up, Malfoy looked unsure of what to do. Hermione knew quite suddenly that this was serious. This wasn't one of his usual games. Sirius was pulling away from her, there was a ripple of magic, Hermione could feel it. She knew that he mustn't transform in front of Malfoy. It would be the end of him if it ever got back to Lucius Malfoy.

"Stupefy"

Hermione flinched and Malfoy's body fell to the ground. She spun around, her hand going for her wand, which in retrospect was what she should have done at the beginning of this whole debacle. She pointed her wand at the source of the spell.

"Blaise?"

"Are you all right?" He lowered his wand and approached, cautious of Sirius.

He had come upon them in the shadows of the alcove quite unseen by Hermione or, more importantly, Malfoy.

"I...I'm fine." Hermione stood up.

Blaise looked her over then turned to Malfoy and kicked him. "He's truly scum you know, his lot gives the rest of a bad name."

Hermione found herself smiling, "yes, they do."


~*~*~*~


"I'm going to kill Malfoy," Ron hissed during Potions the next morning.

"Shhh," Hermione murmured as Professor Snape swept past them.

"Doesn't look to pleased with himself today though does he?" Harry replied as he watched Malfoy who was scowling darkly at his cauldron.

"Be quiet," Hermione insisted.

Snape had been in a foul mood all class. He had already taken off twenty points from Gryffindor. This hadn't come as too much of a shock but when he docked Slytherin fifteen because Pansy Parkinson was reapplying her lipstick the entire class feared for their safety.

"And Zambini helped you? That's hard to believe from a Slytherin." Ron was grinding his pickled salamander feet so hard that a few sparks shot out catching fire to some of Hermione's notes.

"Ron!" She hissed angrily and put them out before Snape could see.

"Hey Harry, Ron," Seamus Finnigan called lightly when Snape was safely on far side of the room.

The two boys looked back at him. "What?" They asked in unison.

"Myra Lynch wanted me to tell you that she's found out something important about the Ravenclaw game plan. She wants everyone to meet on the pitch after this class." Seamus relayed the message.

"What's there to find out?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged and then looked up suddenly. "Hermione," he whispered, "I was going to take Snuffles some books from the library after class."

"I can take them for you," she said easily.

"Thanks," Harry grinned but looked down immediately as Snape glared at them threateningly.


Hermione was regretting her snappy agreement an hour later as she painfully made her way through the dark hall to Sirius' rooms. A large stack of books forced her to carry her lighted wand with the pinky finger of her right hand. Not that she really aught to have bothered lighting the wand, it wasn't as if she could see over all the books. She had reached the door but angry voices were echoing out before she could knock.

"...only sixteen, Sirius, have you gone mad?" That was Professor Lupin's voice.

"Do you think I'm not aware of that Remus? This isn't something I sought out." Sirius sounded tired and defeated.

Hermione knocked hard on the door announcing her presence, she didn't want to eavesdrop any more than she had. But she did wonder what in the world they had been talking about.

Professor Lupin pulled open the door, "Hermione?" He sounded stunned.

"Good afternoon Professor Lupin," Hermione said cheerfully as if she hadn't heard anything.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as she stepped past him into the room.

"Harry wanted me to bring these to Sirius." She set the books down on the table with sigh of relief.

Sirius was sitting in a chair by the fireplace, it was unlit, and he didn't look at her. Hermione's smile drooped.

"Hello Sirius," She said hopefully but he made no reply.

Hermione looked back at Professor Lupin, he was looking at her in a way that she didn't understand and Hermione was suddenly very uncomfortable. She wished that Harry and Ron were with her. There was something wrong.

"I guess I'll just be going then." Her voice was small.


~*~*~*~


Hermione didn't mention her strange encounter to Harry or Ron when she saw them again at dinner. In fact, she said very little to them at all that evening, her mind was so focused the day's earlier events. She just couldn't understand. They chattered on through dinner and then late into the night while playing chess in the common room about Quidditch and the upcoming match against Ravenclaw, while the house cup was pretty much secured seeing as how Gryffindor was out matching every other house by at least a hundred points, winning the Quidditch cup was still of great importance to them.

She had been so lost in introspection that night in the common room that she didn't even notice when Ron, in disgust, threw down his pawn and turned to her.

"What is the matter with you Hermione?" He snapped in annoyance.

Hermione looked up at him dumbfounded, "what're you talking about?"

"You've been, you've been, well I don't know what you been doing but you've been doing it since this afternoon. I can hardly think straight with you sitting there pondering something." Ron looked exasperated.

"What? That's the most ridiculous thing that you have ever said Ron Weasley," Hermione spluttered, "I sit and ponder all the time. What's so different now? Harry, tell him he's being odd."

But Harry looked almost as put out as Ron. "Well it might be that usually when there's some problem that you're working on, you go to the library."

"Harry, it's after hours, are you suggesting that I go break into the library?" Hermione was stunned.

"She's right," Ron turned to Harry, "go get her the cloak."

"Right," Harry was on his feet and up the stairs before Hermione could even speak.

Before she even knew how to properly word the argument as to how insane Harry and Ron had become she was wrapped in the cloak and propelled out into the darkened school.

"I don't believe this," She muttered out loud before clapping a hand to her mouth to silence herself.

Not knowing what else to do, Hermione turned around and headed towards the library. It was strange really; Harry and Ron never use to be this perceptive before. But lately they seemed to be noticing when she was upset or when something was weighing on her mind. Did it mean anything? And wasn't she becoming more aware of them as well? She seemed to be much more conscious of when Harry was feeling isolated or when Ron was feeling overshadowed. When had she suddenly become so astute?

Hermione stopped. This hadn't been gradual, she could date it, and it started with the spell. Her spell. Hermione started running. This was definitely an unexpected side effect.

"Ron and Harry are going to kill me," She groaned softly.

Being invisible had the unfortunate tendency of empowering one. Hermione cared less about the noise that she was making and more about where she was going. The library still, but now she had a purpose. What had only been meant as binding charm seemed to be turning into an empathic link. She was so busy running through the books in her mind that she would want to get first that she didn't even see the dark figure step out of the shadows to intercept her.

"Ooomph," Hermione gasped as she ran into the shadow.

"Who are you?" A familiar voice asked her dangerously. He began trying to find the hood of her cloak.

"Sirius?" Hermione whispered in recognition.

He released her in shock and Hermione pushed the cowl back and looked up, trying to make out his face. He leaned closer to her, bringing himself into the shallow light flickering from a lighted candle a few feet away.

"What are you doing here Hermione? Do Harry and Ron know that you're out here alone?" He seemed concerned.

Ruefully Hermione grinned, "Actually they're the ones that sent me out. I was getting on their sensitive nerves." She paused to look him up and down. "The Headmaster is sending you out again?"

Sirius had been carrying a rucksack, which he set on the ground. "Yes."

"Well you will be careful won't you? Harry worries so much when you're gone, we all do." Hermione could feel herself begin to flush and gritted her teeth forcing it back under control.

"Hermione," Sirius's hand was suddenly near her face, he was tucking a willful lock of hair back behind her ear, "you'll watch over Harry and Ron, won't you?"

Hermione swallowed, it seemed strangely hard to breathe. "You...you aren't coming back?"

Sirius hadn't withdrawn his hand; his fingers had curled loosely around the lock of hair. "No." He let go abruptly as if realizing just what he had been doing.

"But why?"

Sirius picked up his pack and walked past her.

Hermione reached out and clutched his arm, "why are you going?"

"It's better this way." He said and gently loosened her fingers. "Tell Harry and Ron goodbye for me. And please, tell Harry I'm sorry."

He extricated himself from her grip and disappeared back into the shadows. Hermione didn't understand why he was leaving, but a part of her knew that she should.

 

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