Hermione's Final Year

Title: Hermione's Final Year
Author: Wickedswanz
Disclaimer: I don't own anything
Rating: N17
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The week had been awful, well mostly. Her nights weren’t so bad, most of which were spent getting better acquainted with her new and very passionate lover and Professor. Remus seemed to flip and flick back and forth between, dark and dangerous ravisher and gentle and loving seducer, and she was enjoying every second they spent together.

But the days … Newt-level classes were challenging, which she didn’t mind at all, but the homework was extreme and the grading was savage. Not that her grades had slipped any, but still it was the principle. This wasn’t what was bothering her though. Sirius was … distant, cool, and had developed an almost Snape-like distain towards her in class. He no longer sought her out to talk and share his fears and feelings or to tease her for spending far too long in the library the way he used to, and of course he had made no further advances on her, which she found surprisingly disappointing as well.

She didn’t understand why he was so mad at her, and part of her wanted to confront him and force the answer. But there was another part of her that was afraid to ask, afraid to know. He’d obviously finished with her, as he had so many others and was now making the point loud and clear that he no longer wanted her. Hermione really didn’t understand why he had to be so mean about it. After all she had been the one to suggest that they just be friends and now he felt like he had to shake her off?

But there was more. Sirius had found another conquest, Professor Sinistra. Hermione growled low in her throat as she thought of the other woman. With her flowing Lavender robes and that long luxurious black hair and sparkling violet eyes. The woman was beautiful, cultured, and a pureblood witch with a family history as ancient as the Black Family. In short, she was everything Hermione wasn’t.

The muggleborn shook her head and gritted her teeth. What right did she have to resent Professor Sinistra? It wasn’t like Sirius belonged to her … far from it. But all the same it hurt to see him looking at another woman; him smiling, joking, and flirting. She’d seen it plenty of times with plenty of women but … but, it was different now, since that night they’d spent together.

“Remembering of course that you are at present time having hot, kinky sex with another man,” that annoying know-it-all voice in her head spoke sternly.

“You think I don’t know that!?” Hermione snapped back silently.

She heard him laugh, deep and throaty, from the head table and looked up just in time to see him lean in and whisper something into the witch’s ear. Something that made the woman blush.

Hermione felt her stomach drop at their intimate postures, and how he ever so gently touched her hair, and the way his eyes never left hers. She felt her blood boil in silent fury and her cheeks heated up as Sirius picked up Sinistra’s hand and kissed her wrist slowly, tenderly. He had never been that tender with her, that gentle and intimate. He’d made it abundantly clear that what they had was “just sex.”

She slammed her large book shut and cringed when the sound seemed to reverberate around the only half full room. Being Sunday most of the students were sleeping in or enjoying their own time in their dorms. She raised her eyes again to see Sirius looking her way, an annoyingly triumphant expression in his eyes. She looked away suddenly.

“Great!” she muttered, “Now he knows I’m jealous; smart move Hermione.”

Hermione pushed away her plate of toast uneaten, picked up her overly large book and walked briskly out of the Great hall.

She headed up the hallway and before she realized where she was going she was growling Remus’ password and marching into his private rooms. Hermione dropped her book on his bed and looked around his room. Like her room, his had a wall covered with books, a large cluttered desk, and a comfortable four-poster bed.

Still damp and with a towel wrapped around his waist, Remus was a sight to behold. His shaggy, shoulder length sandy-brown hair fell loosely and wet. Seeing him made her instantly feel better and a rush of love, affection, and desire flowed through her. His hazel eyes lit when he saw her and widened with shock then she pulled her simple white blouse over her head and pushed him roughly against the wall.

“Hermi …” his words were cut short when she whipped the towel away and dropped to her knees before him, “Oh, Honey … Sweetheart …” Were all he could utter as her lips engulfed his semi-hard erection and sucked him deep into her throat.

Within seconds he was rock hard and filling her mouth to capacity. His hands tangled in her hair, freeing it from its bindings and watching, wide eyed as it cascaded around her shoulders. She relaxed her throat and took him deep, over and over, pumping her velvety mouth over his long thick cock. His eyes flickered closed and he leaned his head back against the wall as he enjoyed her hot mouth and stroking fingers.

“Merlin, Hermione … I don’t …” he gasped out and thrust forward faster, “Think I can … last … Oh, Red …” His mouth fell open and his knees bucked as she swirled her tongue around the tip then forced him deep and swallowed around him. He came with a roar, trembling and gripping her hair, his seed shooting into her throat.

Remus slid to the floor with a satisfied groan and gathered Hermione to him. “Have I told you lately how much I adore you, Red?” he murmured and kissed her mouth, cheek, and hair.

She smiled and chuckled, “No, I need you to tell me again,” she said and snuggled against him.

Remus kissed her deeply and molded her body to his. “Well I do, I adore you, Hermione,” he murmured against her mouth, “I’ve never known anyone like you.” He kissed a trail down her throat. “And I don’t think I ever will again.” He kissed his way across her shoulder while his hands caressed softly up her thighs, pushing up her short flowing black skirt as he went. “Gods Red, What are you doing to me?” he muttered against her chest as his mouth made a burning wet trail over her breasts and his fingers deftly rolled off her knickers.

Hermione pushed him onto his back and smiled slyly down at her wolf. “I don’t know, but I like it,” she teased as she impaled herself on his, once again, rock hard cock. She moaned rapturously when he sat up and captured her mouth, nipping her lower lip and gripping her hips bruising them.

He growled and grinned wolfishly, baring his teeth, “So do I.”

They rocked together, their rhythm fast and strong. Remus fell back and arched as she rode him high, his hands exploring her waist and breasts, thumbs dragging roughly over her erect nipples. In one fluid movement Hermione gripped his hands and forced them to the floor. Holding them firmly to the carpet with strength he hadn’t known she possessed, she sent him a growl of her own and still rode him hard and fast she dipped her head and dug her teeth deep into his shoulder. She tasted blood.

Remus howled and flipped them so that he was on top. His eyes flashed green and amber as he glared down at her, and he held her hips firmly against the floor, slamming his somehow longer, thicker length into her over and over, fucking her brutally into the carpet. “Say my name,” he spat and nipped her throat.

“Moony!” she screamed as her completion hit hard and flowed through her in crashing, rippling waves.

He rode her climax in long slow strokes, her contracting body milking him of his own release. He moaned her name and shuddered as he thrust once more and held fast.

“Oh dear, gods,” Remus gasped as he lay on his back beside her, “Woman you are going to be the death of me.”

She rolled towards him and chuckled, “Only if you ask nicely.” The muggleborn ran a finger over the bite she’d left on his shoulder. “Did I do that?” She kissed the angry red mark and apologized, “I’m sorry.”

He grinned, eyes still closed, “No, your not.”

Hermione’s face sobered as she ran a finger over the mark she’d left. “You know, I’m not usually so …”

“Aggressive?” he finished for her. And she nodded. He looked away for a moment and when he looked back his eyes shimmered. “Hermione, I have to tell you something and I completely understand if you’re mad at me, and possibly never want to see me again.”

“What? Remus, I love you. True I might get mad, but I will never want you out of my life,” she framed his face and kissed his lips, “Now tell me, does this have something to do with your Lycanthropy?”

He nodded and stroked her hair, “You are still the cleverest witch I know. That first night we were together, we were seen.”

“What! By who?”

“Sirius,” he said quietly and watched as her jaw tightened, “I know how you feel about him, love, and when I saw him at the door I … I don’t know, I think some kind of territorial instinct took over and I … I …” His face dropped and she watched in horror as tears began to trail down his cheeks. “I marked you and made you my mate.”

He wouldn’t look her in the eyes and Hermione was lost for words. Her head ran over everything she knew about werewolves until she reached the part about marking and mates.

“So … let me get this straight,” she saw him cringe at her tone, “After that speech you made about how you could never be the man in my life, you made yourself the man in my life?”

“Um, yes?” he said his voice hushed.

“But werewolves mate for life Remus, do you know that that means? And does it mean that you … you, want to be the man in my life?”

He looked down at his hands, “Always, I’ve always wanted to be the man in your life, Hermione. At first I thought it was gratitude at what you did for me in your third year, maybe a little crush because you are one of the few people who accepted me as I was, and you were so beautiful and smart and clever. But as the years passed I got to know you and we became friends, real friends and my feeling grew.” He looked up at her then, “Merlin, I’m so sorry.”

Hermione weaved her fingers through his hair and shook her head. “Dumb ass,” she teased and brought his mouth down to hers. She kissed him passionately, sending him everything that she’d felt for him over the years since they’d met: respect, affection, love, lust.

After several kisses and several heated moans from them both, Remus pulled back. “But aren’t you mad at me? We are going to be drawn to each other for the rest of our lives. You won’t be this aggressive all the time, but around the full moon you’ll have to limit yourself to me because of it. Don’t you see, I’ve cursed you too?”

Hermione looked into his eyes for a long time and felt her eyes prick at the raw emotion, love and fear, she saw there. “One, we were drawn to each other before you marked me. And two, I like the fact that I have an excuse to seek you out for hot sex at least once a month.” She blushed and he chuckled as he kissed her.

“Alright, so you’re not as angry as I expected, but then when have you ever followed the expected path?” he kissed her nose and her eyes as he spoke, “But listen to me. You can’t turn your back on love for me.” He held up a hand to stop her interrupting, “I mean it, Hermione; the laws are still the same. I can’t marry you and I can’t give you the children you deserve to have.” She went to argue again but he disregarded her hostile glare. “No. I want you to date, and I want you to fall in love with a normal wizard.”

“But how do you feel about that? I can’t be happy with another man knowing that you’re feeling bad or resentful.”

“Hermione, I love you and I know you love me and as you said, at least once a month you are all mine. The only way that I could ever feel resentful toward anyone, it would be towards myself. That is, if I let you throw your life away for me.” He rolled her onto her back and covered her with his taller, broader body, parting her thighs with his knee. “Plus, you, my perfectly delicious Red, are a vixen.” He grinned down at her and they both moaned when he slid smoothly into her again. “A sexual beast, you deserve to be … Oh honey …” he groaned as she tightened around him and circled her hips, “Deserve to be free to explore that.”

Hermione wound her legs around her waist and clung to his shoulders as he took her slowly with long, strong thrusts. His eyes hypnotizing her and his wolfish grin making her tremble with excitement.

“So … Sirius is mad at me because he saw me with you?” She murmured against his lips.

“I guess so … has he said anything to you,” his voice was gruff as he pulled almost all the way out only to thrust back in with a groan.

“No. I thought he was giving me the brush off, like the others, you know that ex-conquest shuffle he does so well,” she moaned and shuddered as he rolled them so that she was on top and used his hands on her hips to lift her up and down in the rhythm that would bring them both the most pleasure, “Oh Merlin, Remus!”

Remus sat up and captured her lips. “Did you enjoy him, Red?” he muttered and brought her down harder on his pulsing cock, “Did you like fucking Sirius? Having him fuck you? Taste you?”

Hermione moaned and flung her head back as she rode him high, “Yes … Merlin, yes. He was almost worth the heart ache. He was so much fun. Pity he’s such a bloody child.” She grumbled then cried out as Remus flipped them again and thrust savagely.

“I’m sorry he hurt you sweetheart,” he groaned into her ear before drawing back and slamming in again, “He is a damn good fuck though.”

Her shocked cry was muffled by his mouth as he fucked her hard and fast into the carpet and they clung to each other as they came together. Shuddering and moaning each others names as orgasmic bliss rushed through him.

Remus grinned cheekily down at her as her eyes flicked open, that look of shock back in her eyes. “Oh, come now, it’s not that shocking.” He laughed and rolled off her to lay by her side.

Hermione lifted herself onto her elbow and looked down at him -- speechless.

Remus looked right back up at her, his grin still in place, “Hey! When have you known me, not, to do the extracurricular?”

Hermione slapped his shoulder playfully and lay back.

~*~*~

After much argument from Remus and threats of endless tickling, Hermione finally managed to pull her clothes back together and pulled her hair into a slightly neater yet still unruly knot. She examined her reflection in his full length mirror while he pulled on a pair of tan trousers behind her.

Still shirtless he wound his arms around her waist and smiled warmly into her reflected eyes, “I like your boots.”

She looked down at her mid-calf length black boots and grinned, “Mmm … me too.” She turned in his arms and smoothed her hands up his broad shoulders. “I’m going to miss you tonight,” she sighed and nuzzled against his throat, while his hands stroked over her arms.

“Me too, Red,” he said and kissed her forehead, letting his lips stay for a beat, and another. “Damn that project,” he grumbled as his hands slid slowly up her thighs.

With a squeal and a giggle, Hermione spun away and skipped back out of his reach. “Now you just cut that out,” she scolded and shook her finger at him, still backing up as he advanced with a wicked glint in his eye. “No!” she squealed and his laughter followed her out the door.

Once outside in the hall she leaned against the wall and took a deep breath to slow her heartbeat. No matter how much she tried she just couldn’t lose the wide smile and she felt another giggle rising up. With another soft squeal she pushed away from the wall and spun in a tight circle before walking with an extra bounce towards the Great hall to meet Ginny.

She jumped back in shock when she walked straight into a tall wall of muscle and leather. With a squeak she blinked and again as she took in the fact that she’d just walked into Sirius. “Oh! Sorry, Professor Black,” she murmured and then to his companion, “Professor Sinistra.”

Her heart sank as the old sadness and jealousy flowed back in. Her cheeks flushed and she had to force herself to meet his eyes only to look away from his intense heated stare. Sirius’ hand was resting on the small of Professor Sinistra’s back. Hermione gritted her teeth and quickly looked away.

“And where would you be rushing off to on a Sunday morning?” Professor Sinistra asked, looking down her nose at the younger muggleborn.

“I have to go and find a sexy dress for Fleur’s bachelorette party,” she said lightly, then to Sirius more sharply then she liked, “You remember Fleur, don’t you?”

He gave a brief, slightly stiff nod and his jaw compressed at her smug grin. People in glass houses, Professor Black, she thought to herself and with a bright smile she passed the two and grinned as she felt Sirius’ glare bore into her back sending a warm thrill through her whole body. “No Mr. Black I will not be one of your groupies,” she thought silently as she walked with a slightly extra bounce in her step


~*~*~

Sirius watched her, his eyes drifting hungrily over her white blouse, short skirt and boots. Her hips swayed as she walked and all he could think about was how it would feel to throw her against the wall and wind those luscious thighs around his hips. He growled deep in his throat as he remembered that her hair had been neat when she’d left the Great Hall earlier.

And how dare she throw his sexual habits back in his face that way! It was different for him because … “Because I’m a man, Damn it!” he yelled silently in his head. Why the hell couldn’t she be more like the other women in his life and get the hell out of his head? He closed his eyes and immediately the vision of Hermione and Remus appeared before him. How many times had he dreamt of being the one slamming his cock into her while she screamed his name, swearing that she belonged to him.

“Siri, darling are you alright?” the Astronomy professor asked, tightening her arm around his.

“Sure, I am sweet thing,” he sent her a wicked smile that made her cheeks flush, “I’m just a little concerned. I’m not sure I like the idea of such a young girl attending a party like that.”

“Well, she is nineteen, Siri, and she seems to be a rather clever and intelligent sort of witch, even if she is a muggleborn.”

Sirius pulled his arm free and glared down at the beautiful pureblood but before he had time to speak a feral growl came from behind him. He spun around to find himself face to face with a red faced Remus. The air crackled with the other man’s tightly harnessed rage.

“Remus,” Sirius said warningly and was relieved to see his shoulder relax slightly.

The werewolf’s tone was clipped as he spoke, his voice dangerously quiet, “Professor Sinistra, may I have a word with your companion … alone?”

The woman, now looked almost afraid as she glanced from one man to the other, nodded and quickly scampered down the hall to her private rooms.

The hallway clear, Remus grabbed Sirius by his jacket and thrust him back against the stone wall. “You bastard, are you so desperate for a fuck that you’d settle for that skanky bigot?” he hissed, his lip curling.

Sirius took a shuddering breath and looked directly into his friend’s eyes, “Getting a little close to full moon, Moony?”

“Something like that,” he muttered and slowly let Sirius drop to the floor, “Come on, we need to talk.” Remus turned and led the way to his room.

Sirius saw them the moment he entered the room, a white scanty piece of cloth. He picked it up and knew they belonged to Hermione. He could smell her perfume, her musky scent, and her arousal. He closed his eyes and his ears buzzed.

“Productive morning, then?” he sneered and was surprised to see Remus laugh and lean against the wall, eyes closed as his shoulders shook. “Ah, Remus?” his spoke again his voice annoyed.

“I’m sorry Padfoot. Look I could smell how mad you were at that awful woman and I know you would have let her have it if I hadn’t butted in.” he smiled and shook his head. “I just … I just lost it.”

“That closed-minded bint would have deserved it if you had, lost it a bit, and if you hadn’t interrupted I would have indeed given her a piece of my mind.” He waved the white panties in the air again. “But we seem to have another issue here.”

“Yes, Padfoot, they would be a pair of knickers,” he teased and moved to pull a bottle out of his cupboard, “Surely you’ve seen at least one pair.” He filled two glasses, gave one to Sirius, and clinking his to the other, before downing the lot.

Sirius held his glass of firewhisky and looked at it as though it were a completely alien species.

“Ah, come on, Padfoot, get the hell over it.” Remus laughed and gestured for him to drink, grinning when the Animagus did. “You can’t still be embarrassed; it’s been a week let it go. It’s not like we haven’t walked in on each other with birds before, mate.”

Sirius snatched away the bottle, filled his glass and downed the fiery liquid. “I’m not embarrassed,” he gritted out, “You weren’t just in bed with a bird; you were in bed with my bird.”

“Your …?” Remus sat down hard in his chair and glared up at the other man, “Which one Padfoot? That stuck up snob you’ve been waving under Hermione’s nose or the pretty blonde that you seduced less then 5 hours after shagging Hermione on the train?”

“Remus, you know those bints are nothing compared to …”

“Oh, no, you don’t!” Remus hissed, “Don’t you dare use that ‘she didn’t mean anything to me’ line. It won’t work on me and it most definitely won’t work on her.”

“It’s … It’s not a bloody line!” Sirius stuttered and downed another shot, turning away from the accusation in his friend’s eyes, “We have an …we have an understanding.”

“An understanding? What, where you hurt her by flaunting your witches in front of her?”

“I can’t be what she needs, Remus,” Sirius snapped and spun on his heel to glare at him, “But she seems to have found it with you fast enough.”

“You stupid prat,” Remus snapped back, “If you don’t want her, in what sense is she yours? What does it matter if she‘s with me?”

“Damn it, Moony, I don’t know! She’s in my head and in my chest and seriously in my pants.”

Remus growled but was halted by Sirius’ upheld hand. Wait.

“When I’m with her, I feel like I’m on fire, like I’m going to go crazy if I’m not touching her. But at the same time, I feel so calm, and still, and safe,” he dropped to the seat and let his head fall into his hands, “I’m not used to this Remus. I’ve never … even with Lily, it was never like this.”

“You’re in love with her.” It wasn’t a question. Sirius nodded and Remus made a throttling gesture towards him. “You just have to do everything the hard way, don’t you?”

Remus paced the floor, appearing very much like a trapped lion before swinging around to glare at Sirius. “Were you ever planning to grow up Sirius?” He paced again. “Hermione is a smart woman, and she is very aware of what kind of man you are Black. She’s been watching you go through women like tissues for years.”

“I know.”

“She’s not one of them Sirius. Damn it, she’s Hermione, did you really think she was going to just wait around for you to fuck every other woman in the world before you came back to settle down with her?”

“Of course I don’t think that,” Sirius snapped, “But … but ...”

“And yet you‘re mad at me and are hurting her, under the excuse that she‘s yours?”

“So … so what do I do?”

Remus looked at his friend for a long time. “What do you want to do?”

Sirius laughed and flopped down in his chair. “I want grab that perfect little body and shag her delicious brains out, till she screaming my name,” he took a shuddering breath, “Then I want to hold her in my arms and sleep beside her, wake up in the morning and watch her sleeping and stroke my fingers through her hair till she wakes up.”

“Well it won’t be easy mate. I don’t think she’s just going to fall into your arms a second time. She’s been the strength and the voice of reason behind Harry since she was a child, and now she needs a man who can be strong for her. If you really want her you’ll just have to prove that you’re that man.” He sat down next to his friend and slapped his leg. “And let me tell you, there is some pretty stiff competition.”

“Well she seemed to like my stiff --”

“Padfoot!”

Sirius chuckled but smiled sheepishly at his scandalized looking friend, “Well she does well with that pretty mouth of hers too.”

“Yes …” Remus cleared his throat, “Well, if you want your ‘stiff’ to go anywhere near her again, you’d better start treating her how she deserves.”

~*~*~

Harry and Ginny were fighting when Hermione reached the great Hall so she decided to leave them to it and find Professor Raisier. After much searching Hermione had finally found a potion that might be able to help the older woman to rein in her power during sex so that hopefully there would be no more swapping. The potion would probably have to be altered but she was certain that it could be done and was determined to try.

After making a detour to her room, she changed her clothes, choosing a pair of red leather pants and a sleeveless black top, then collecting the needed books and notes, Hermione walked briskly back towards the staffroom, her arms full. She maneuvered and weaved her way through the now more crowded halls and narrowly avoided a gaggle of giggling third years. She smiled at a group of four 7th year Ravenclaw boys and felt her cheeks flush slightly when a taller handsome member winked.

At that moment a ridiculously short first year decided to dash out in front, causing her to lose her balance. Hermione back-stepped to prevent it, but nevertheless felt herself toppling backwards. She let out a surprised squeak when a set of strong arms wrapped around her waist to keep her on her feet.

Her balance restored, Hermione glanced over her shoulder to see the taller boy from the group. His hands still rested on her hips.

“You alright?” his voice was deep and slightly husky, and his dark brown eyes glittered with amusement.

“Yes.” Hermione’s voice cracked as she answered. “Thank you.” She pulled away and turned to face him. With a smile she held out her hand, “I’m …”

“Hermione Granger, I know. You’re Head Girl.” He took her hand and gripped it tightly in his much larger one. “I’m Richard.”

He was at least a foot taller then her with short, shaggy blond hair. He smiled easily as he spoke and Hermione couldn’t help but smile back.

“I know,” Hermione said and felt her cheeks flush slightly again. He really was handsome and seemed really nice. “You’re the Ravenclaw Quiditch captain.”

“Well there we go then, looks like we know each other’s life stories already,” he said and grinned widely and she smiled back, “So, can I walk you to wherever you’re going?”

The conversation flowed easily as they walked more slowly towards the staffroom. Richard seemed both charming and intelligent as he spoke about his 7th year project, which he, as well, had already decided on and gained consent to research.

Before she knew it they were walking through the Great Hall and were met by the sound of Sirius Black laughing boisterously with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. She was hoping that they could sneak past but the sound of Ginny squealing her name ruined that idea, and they made their way towards her friends.

“Hi,” she said sheepishly and waggled her fingers. She smiled at Richard, “Um this is Ron, Ginny, and --”

“Harry,” Richard chipped in, grinned at the bespectacled boy and reached out his hand, which Harry took with a wide grin, “How’s your team coming? Those two beaters look like they‘re going to clear the field.”

Harry laughed, “Yeah they’ve really come along well.” He shrugged, “They’ll never be as wicked as the twins but then …” he shrugged again and they both laughed.

“Oh, hell yeah, the fearsome two; glad to see the back of them,” Richard held up a hand, “If you don’t mind me saying.”

Harry shook his head and chuckled, but Ron chose that moment to speak up, “I bet you do!” He snapped and glared at the tall Ravenclaw. "We won't work up a sweat playing against you lot," Ron said with a taunting grin. "What with you as seeker, Harry will find it within minutes."


“Ron!” both Hermione and Ginny cried, outraged.

“Well,” Richard looked between Hermione and Ron, his expression blank, “I should get going.” He threw Hermione a little smile, turned and walked away.

Hermione watched him go and before she had time to think she pushed her books into Ginny’s hands and ran after him. She stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“Richard, I’m sorry. Ron can be a real jerk, but he isn’t always stuck on the team divide. I think Harry really liked you and --” she looked into his dark eyes and smiled, “I like you.”

Richard looked down at her hand on his arm and after a moment he gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m glad.” he shrugged and looked back at Ron, “But I don’t want to cause any trouble, you know between you and your boyfriend.”

“What?” Hermione suddenly laughed and shook her head, “No! A world of no.” She noticed that his eyes warmed and he looked relieved at her words and grinned wider.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

They smiled at each other, and Hermione’s voice broke again slightly as she asked, “You?” And they both grinned again when he shook his head.

“Well, um, I should get going anyway. We have a practice session booked for this morning,” Richard said and took her hand.

“Alright, I have things to do as well.”

“I’ll see you around?”

“Yes, I’d like that,” she said and squeezed his hand before letting go and heading back to her friends.

Hermione felt confused by this new development, but nevertheless was happy that she met Richard. He was nice and seemed to embrace learning and reading as much as she, and he was very handsome and he seemed to genuinely like her. Remus had told her that she should date and since Sirius was definitely off limits and Snape …well, Snape wasn’t really even a consideration was he? She flicked her eyes towards Sirius and was shocked to see him looking back at her. His eyes looked sad, but he smiled and nodded when their eyes met.

“Damnit,” Hermione thought as she returned, “What does he want from me? He told me he only wanted sex and …well; his little show with Sinistra proved that he was still very much on the hunt for new conquests.” She looked down and nibbled her bottom lip. Sirius would never settle for a plain bookworm like her, truth be told Hermione was pretty sure he wouldn’t settle for any woman. No matter how much she wanted … she shook her head. It was time to move on. Her feelings for her best friend’s Godfather weren’t healthy. “But does he have to look so sad?”

When she was back her eyes fell on Ron. “What the hell was that?” She hissed at him.

“What?” he snapped back, “He’s a bloody Ravenclaw, and the captain of an enemy team. We’re the ones who should be saying ‘What the hell,’ how about a bit of bloody loyalty!?”

Hermione felt her eyes prick and had to nip at her lip to hold in the sob that was welling up. But before she could turn and walk away something behind Ron caught her eye. A tall, blonde girl with glittering blue eyes was sneaking up behind her red-headed boyfriend.

“Loyalty?” Hermione said her voice projecting and her chin lifting, “Like when you cheated on me with Lavender Brown?” She saw the girl stop and glare at her but went on regardless. “Or when you cheated on Lavender with Luna Lovegood.” Hermione watched at Lavender stopped dead, her face pale, her eyes glued to the back of Ron’s head.

“You leave my relationship with Luna out of this. A cold ice queen like you could never understand the needs of a man like me,” Ron gritted out, and looked confused by Hermione’s too satisfied smile and the awkward looks from Ginny, Harry, and Sirius moving from him to Hermione to someone behind him. He flicked around and found himself face to face with his soon to be ex-girlfriend.

Hermione took her books back from Ginny and gave a very fake, sheepish smile to Ron, “Woops! Did I say something I shouldn’t have? Won-Won?” And with a laugh she turned away, but not before she noticed the glimmer of pride in the eyes of Sirius.

As Hermione walked away the sound of Lavender’s annoying shrill voice in her ears, Harry, Sirius and Ginny caught up and walked with her. No one wanted to hang around for the fight about to happen.

“Wow, Hermione!” Ginny practically burst out as she skipped in front of her friend. “That was brilliant. ’Bout time someone put that player in his place.” She spun around and laughed. “And for the record, Richard seemed really nice.”

“Yeah, me too,” Harry said, at Hermione’s side, winding an arm around her waist, “It’s about time you found yourself a good man.”

“Oh stop it you two,” Hermione snapped, but neither missed her little smile or the way her eyes shimmered, “We were just talking.”

“Whatever you say, Hermione,” Ginny teased, “Now weren’t we going out to buy you a dress for that party?”

“Oh!” Hermione stopped, “I forgot. Um, I have to see Professor Raisier first. Can you meet me out front in an hour?”

~*~*~

Hermione and Sirius walked alone in silence. He turned towards her and looked as though he wanted to speak, but instead he kept walking. He turned again and again stopped himself from saying whatever it was. The silence between them was deafening.

Finally Hermione stopped and faced him. “I miss you,” she said and kept walking.

Sirius kept pace beside her. “I miss you too,” he said, his eyes lowered. He ignored her squeal as he grabbed her arm and spun her towards him. In one fluid movement they were alone in an alcove behind a large black curtain, and her back was pressed hard against the cold stone wall.

“Sirius! What the…” But her words were cut short when he brushed his lips over hers.

“Hermione, for once in your life, shut up and listen to me,” his voice was rough, but his tone didn’t seem angry, “I’m sorry. It was childish and insensitive to expect you to give up every other man in your life for me, when it was clear I wasn’t able to do the same.”

“Oh,” she breathed and felt a smile touch her lips, “So, you’re not mad at me, anymore?”

He shook his head, “No. I never could stay mad at you for long.” He brushed a stray hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I saw you with Remus --” He leaned his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. “You looked like the single sexiest creature I think I’ve ever seen. Merlin, I wanted it to be me with you,” he took a deep shuddering breath and placed a single finger over her mouth to stop her interrupting. “I can’t promise you anything, Angel. And you have no idea how much I loath that fact. But I just wanted to tell you that I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you.”

Hermione stroked her fingers down his cheek and slowly kissed him, the taste of firewhisky making her tremble. “Thank you. You know for all my talk about wanting to be a good girl, I’m just not as good at it as I used to be.”

Sirius chuckled, “Angel, you are still a good girl.” He stepped back and took her books. “What’s this? Psychic contraceptive spells, for Helen, right? You’ve been spending hours, when you could have been studying or doing something you like, trying to find a way to help someone that you barely know.” He lifted her chin with a single finger, “You are amazing ’Mione. Never think that you’re not a good person. You‘re a bloody Goddess and don‘t you ever let anyone make you feel bad about that.”

She smiled at him and nibbled at her lip as she took in his black leather pants and white shirt. The first few buttons were undone to show the smattering of hair on his broad chest. He had his hair tied back loosely. Damn he looked good.

“No more games,” she murmured, “No lies. I love being your friend, I enjoy your company and I even love how infuriatingly irresponsible you are. I love how protective you are of Harry and how you can be in mortal danger and yet still laugh at the stupidest joke.” She placed a hand on his cheek. “I love you Sirius, and I always will.”

Sirius grinned wolfishly, showing his white teeth, but his eyes darkened and filled with all the love and admiration he‘d always felt for her. “I love how you grip onto a challenge and never give up until you’ve solved it. I love how you put your life before others. I love how ordered and controlling you are,” his eyes swept over her, “Fuck I love those red leather pants.”

She laughed and slapped his shoulder. He took her hand and kept his eyes on hers as he raised her hand, turned it over and placed a gentle kiss on her pulse, “I love you, Hermione.”

“Oh, and that guy, what’s his name, Ralph?” he asked as she was pulling aside the curtain.

“Richard.”

“Yeah, him,” Sirius shook his head. “I don’t like him.”

Hermione giggled, “Well I don’t like Professor Sinistra either.”

“She ain’t nothing compared to you, Angel.”