All the way IIII: Change

Eileen told Sirius to wait at the entrance to the flats. She ran up the two flights of stairs to Sam’s flat and dug around in her pocket for her keys. She normally had them ready, never wanting to get locked outside the flat alone, incase some one should come up the stairs - the only way to get out of the building - and attack her in some way.

When she found her keys, she let herself in. Sam was lounging on the sofa, watching TV.

"Where've you been?" he asked, though he didn't sound like he cared very much. For the first time in ages, that really ticked Eileen off.

"I've been out to the circus," She told him.

He nodded, "Great."

"I got a job as a lion tamer." She said.

"Mm-hm, lovely."

"Then I bumped into some random guy, so I slept with him." She carried on, getting more and more annoyed.

"I'm glad you had a good time." Sam nodded again.

"And now I’m leaving you." She smiled, "Good bye."

Eileen went to the bedroom and pulled out one of the only magical things in the flat - a small bag on the outside, but that could fit an elephant inside.

She opened the wardrobe and took out handfuls of clothes, stuffing them into the bag. She pulled open drawers and grabbed everything she could.

Eileen felt different. Seeing Sirius had reminded her what she used to be like, how much fun it was to be sarcastic. She knew that there was still something wrong with her and her dislike of men, but at the moment, she felt happy. Happy. Actually happy. And she couldn't wait to talk to Sirius and ask how every one was and see every one for herself and... Suddenly, she felt so full of energy.

When she was finished, Eileen closed the bag and put it on her shoulder. Finally, she shoved the bed covers from the mattress and pulled open the piece of material covering one of the springs. She pulled out her wand, blew the dust away, and stuffed it into her pocket.

Eileen left the bedroom. The TV was turned off.

"I thought you were leaving." Sam said, looking over the back of the sofa, his head turning as he watched her move, so that she stood in front of him.

"I am," She told him, and then lying, "I'll get my stuff another time."

"Look, Eileen, I know I give you agro over stuff, but I don't mean it. I just get frustrated. You're so damn..." He looked her over helplessly, and Eileen automatically pulled her coat around to shield herself from his eyes, "you! You're hot but you won't let me touch you! It's just not fair! It's like teasing a starving man with a ten course meal!"

"Except you're not sex starved, are you?" Eileen snapped, "No, because you sleep with plenty of women, don't you?"

"What's got into you?" He asked, frowning.

Eileen rolled her eyes, trying to calm down. Her anger was fueled by her impatience to get out of here.

"I'm going," She told him, "End of."

Sam got up, "Come on, Eileen! We're good together." Eileen started for the door, dropping her keys on the table in the hall. Sam was getting desperate, "You'll be back soon! I know you will!" Eileen opened the door and as she shut it, he shouted after her, "AND WHEN YOU COME CRAWLING BACK, I WANT SOME SEX!"

Eileen shut the door. She took a deep breath and headed down the stairs. She knew Sam was a good man, just a bit childish and arrogant. He had come from a rich family and was used to getting what he wanted, no matter the cost. He was not a violent person - rather a coward - but he believed very much in his charm. Eileen had often wonder why he lived in flat, when he had a high paying job and rich parents and this charm he spoke so often about. Eileen had never seen it.

Sirius was waiting by the door of the tower block.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah," Eileen smiled, as they headed out onto the street, "I'm starting to think talking to some one worked, you know. I feel really... excited."
Sirius smiled and put his arm around her.

""""""""""""""""""""

Hermione shut the door to her bathroom and pulled her towel tighter around her. Strange, Gary hadn't tried anything, even though she had had the feeling that he wanted to.

Immediately, Hermione felt guilty for thinking like that. Then again, her instincts were hardly ever wrong when it came to these things.

When she had finished looking over the lesson plans, she had left the charms office to have a shower.

Hermione jumped as the bedroom door opened and her husband came in, "Don't do that! Don't creep in on me when you're meant to be on the other side of the world!" He smirked. "And don't look like that either! It isn't funny!"

Severus raised an eyebrow and moved forward, putting his arms around her, "It's not my fault you didn't hear the floo. What have you been doing today?"

"Not much. I was just looking over the new Charms Professors lesson plans. What are you doing here, anyway?" Hermione asked with mock haughtiness.

"I find myself having severe withdrawal symptoms." He sighed.

Hermione smiled, "From my cooking?"

Severus clenched his teeth together and closed his eyes, muttering under his breath. Finally, he looked down at her, "Merlin woman! When will you realize that your cooking is horrible?"

Hermione glared at him, "Right! Out! Go on! Back to Australia!"

"But I’m not finished yet!" He growled, holding her tighter.

"I don't care." Hermione sniffed, "You don't like my cooking, I don't care about your withdrawal symptoms."

Severus leaned down and kissed her, tangling one hand in her wet hair. After a minute, Hermione pushed him away and slipped out of his arms.

"Go on," She jerked her head towards the door, grinning, "Out."

He scowled and left. Hermione laughed as she heard the floo go; she was going to be in so much trouble when he was finished in Australia. The nice kind of trouble.

Hermione threw off her towel and crawled into bed. It seemed so big when she was all on her own. With a wave of her hand the room was plunged into darkness and Hermione pulled the cover up high, turning over onto her stomach so that her head was nearly covered.

She hadn't spent a night away from Severus since Ron and Draco had kidnapped her, and she wasn't sure she liked being on her own any more. Not like when she was younger.

Younger.

Hermione knew that witches and wizards lived longer than muggles, but she hadn't known they still felt... well young when they were fifty or sixty. She had read that the average age for a healthy witch or wizard to live to was now over two hundred.

She was only forty-six, but she felt about twenty. Was that normal for witches? It must be, judging by Minerva's behavior at her age. And Hermione was sure that if it hadn't of been for Voldemort and all the stress he caused, Dumbledore would have been doing some strange, yet energetic activity.

Severus was sixty-four, but he was still going strong. Hermione smiled; she knew that from experience. Lots of experience.