ceredwensirius (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ceredwensirius) wrote2008-03-01 11:05 pm
ceredwensirius) wrote2008-03-01 11:05 pm
Entry tags:
Innocence Chapter 28
Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter or any of the characters, I just like to play with them
Memories
Hermione’s father and Sirius excused themselves from the table with parting compliments and thanks for a wonderful meal. Herman Granger was excited about showing Sirius his butterfly collection and had been describing it throughout dinner. Sirius wore a bemused expression and allowed himself be led away. Hermione was pleased that Sirius humored her father and that he did it so good naturedly.
Hermione was about to get up to help clear the table but was stilled by her mother’s hand on hers. She sat back in her chair and looked into her mother’s smiling face.
“It’s good to see you doing so much better.” Jean Granger touched her hand to her daughter’s face.
“Thanks, mum.” Hermione had been looking forward to talking with her mother. They had been getting together like this about once a week. First at the Black’s home but Hermione’s progress made a visit to her parent’s a possibility. This was the first time she had her mother to herself.
“Are you all ready for tomorrow?” Hermione would be viewing events from other people’s memories through a pensieve.
“I think so, I’m a little nervous.” She was grateful her mother asked. She would be seeing what she missed and was worried she would pine all the harder for the real memories. “I don’t want to be more upset after seeing what I can’t remember.”
“Do you have an idea of what you’ll be seeing?” She had considered further pain for her daughter as a possible short coming of this plan.
“I’ve been told about all the events. It all sounds like stories from someone else’s life or just a reminder of what I’ve missed.” Jean Granger’s heart ached for her daughter’s pain.
“You know, you don’t have to do this.” She lay a comforting hand on Hermione’s.
“I know…I want to though. I really do.” Hearing her daughter’s resolute words, she decided to change the subject.
“So, how are you keeping yourself busy these days?” Jean Granger was worried that her normally driven daughter would be frustrated with a slower lifestyle.
“A lot of studying, self paced so I’ve got to be disciplined.” Hermione missed the stress from Hogwarts, she thrived on the rewards from her hard work. “I have a new living room, we just redecorated. You haven’t been over since we finished.”
“Well, a library and a new living room. He certainly spoils you.” She was still impressed by all the work her son-in-law put into the library, not to mention the small fortune he must have spent. “I know that it was difficult for you to leave your school, having such a lovely pace to study must help. I’m sure you’ll be ready for your test.”
“It’s marvelous, isn’t it? Never thought I’d have my own library!” Hermione couldn’t hide how pleased she was. It was an extravagance and while she wasn’t normally given to such, she could make an exception this one time. “He really does spoil me, too much I think.”
“I never appreciated just how much money Sirius had.” The Grangers were doctors with their own practice, they were by no means poor. Even so, Sirius seemed to spend like it was nearly bottomless.
The pleased look suddenly darkened. “He added me to his account at Gringott’s.” Hermione spoke with a grumble in her voice.
“Well, you are married, dear. What could be the matter with that?” She knew Hermione’s discomfort was likely due to her hesitancy in fully accepting the marriage. “You don’t want to ask him every time you make a purchase. What about trips to market or shopping for clothes. He did the right thing if you asked me”
“I guess so. It feels like I’m taking something that’s not mine.” Hermione released a small frustrated sigh.
“So, you’re having trouble taking my advice?” She had hoped her daughter would be more open minded.
“What was that?” Hermione pursed her lips in a puzzled frown.
“To give him a chance.” Agitation tinged her voice, which then softened. “He seems to be a devoted husband, Hermione.”
“Oh, he is…and I am, I really am.” She wondered if she should tell her mother about the recent change between them.
“Good, well that’s good.”
“We’ve been dating.” Hermione wore a pleased grin. Since they came to their understanding Sirius had commenced his woo of her.
“Dating? That sounds promising.” Jean was pleased by his cleverness. It seemed to have a positive affect on Hermione.
“Just in the last week, out for dinner together a couple of times.” Hermione was clearly enjoying the attention he was showering her with.
“He’s taking me to something tomorrow, it’s called Wyvern Wonders. It’s some sort of wizard performance art.”
“That sounds…interesting…”
“It’s basically dance and magic set to music. I don’t know how he got tickets, it’s been sold out for months.” Sirius had a way of making things happen when he wanted them badly enough.
“You’ll have to tell me about that one.” Jean thought she heard the men returning and would need to rush to her point. “I must say that I like that he is making such an effort.”
“Oh, he’s made an effort from the start. I’m glad he’s settled a bit. At first he practically littered the house with presents. If it wasn’t for his friend I’d have gained ten pounds eating all the chocolate he left for me.” Her mother was glad her daughter had someone so interested in keeping her happy.
“He was just anxious, Hermione. None of us were sure how you were going to react to living with him.” She paused to listen for the men once again, she had told her husband to distract Sirius for a bit.
“I know, neither was I.”
“So, it certainly sounds like you two are getting along well.” Jean Granger decided to get straight to the point. “How are things in the bedroom?”
Hermione stared at her mother opened mouthed, a blush rising on her cheeks. “Mum!”
“Sorry, dear. But that’s important in a marriage and I knew you might have some trouble with it.” It wasn’t a terribly comfortable conversation but she felt it was an important one. “So?”
“We’re taking it slowly.” Hermione’s voice dropped, betraying how shy she felt discussing this. “There’s more to it though. I have feelings for him but I don’t know what they mean or where they come from.”
“You were in love, maybe that’s not tied to memory per se.” She cocked her head to the side and smiled encouragingly at Hermione.
“We’ve…” Hermione paused to blush. “We’ve snogged.” She glanced at her mother who was beaming.
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph! That’s a relief!”
“Mum!”
Hermione was saved from further embarrassment as Sirius and Hermione’s father returned, chatting about specimen collection. The two men had an easy rapport and it pleased Hermione. The four of them retired to the living room for a brandy. They spent another hour together chatting about this and that before Hermione and Sirius left for home.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Hermione was nervous about the coming afternoon at Hogwarts, she was going to be viewing memories through Dumbledore’s pensieve. Several people were gathering there for her benefit. She moved about the living room, straightening things that didn’t need straightening. After her third pass on the same painting Sirius pulled her onto the couch with him, settling her on his lap.
“Nervous?”
Hermione released a short clipped breath. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“I’m a little afraid of what I’ll be seeing today.” She balanced herself a little nervously in his lap.
“Does this bother you?” He tilted his head to the side to look at her face.
“Just not used to it.” She was still wobbling, not quite sure what to do.
“Why don’t you come here and just relax.” He pulled her against his chest gently, using a soothing tone of voice.
She allowed herself to be pulled into him, finding his warmth and the rumbling sound of his voice in his chest very comforting. Once she was there she snuggled against him tightly. He traced her spine gently with his fingers.
“So, what has you nervous about today?”
“I guess I’m worried about…well, about feeling depressed about what I’ve missed.” Her hands were cautiously placed against his strong, hard chest. She could feel the play of muscles beneath her fingers.
“You can always decide not to go. Everyone will understand if you’re not ready.” He let his hands rest at her hips.
“I don’t want to do that. I’d like to see my accomplishments. The whole business with the golems is fascinating.” She bravely let her arms encircle his neck.
It was heaven to Sirius, to have his sweet wife draped on his chest, her legs straddling his cautiously. She kept a slight distance between their groins, causing her to be a little sway backed. She had to reposition as she began to slip off his lap.
“I think you’ll be pleased with the golems, it was all your idea, you know.” He tenderly kissed the top of her head. “When are we supposed to be there?”
“We’ve got about an hour.” Tired of slipping Hermione hugged her body up against his.
“There’s something I need to tell you about.” Sirius encouraged her into a sitting position on his lap. He and Remus had decided to show her the fire, it wasn’t one of her memories but it made a strange kind of sense that they take this opportunity.
“Hmm?”
“Um…I did something and you’re probably going to see it today.” Hermione wondered if she was about to hear about the fire. He was having trouble meeting her eyes.
“Is this about the fire at number twelve, Grimmauld Place?” Sirius looked up at her in surprise. He narrowed his eyes at her.
“Yeah. Who told.”
“Ginny.”
“I’m going to…” She put a hand to his mouth.
“No, you’re not. I’m glad she told me. I do have a question about it though.” Hermione slid off his lap to sit next to him on the couch. She faced him, knees under her.
“What’s that?”
“Well, my mum said Dumbledore was injured in a magical fire.” She watched the guilt play across his face.
“Yeah, it was the same one. He nearly died.” Sirius looked away. Hermione waited quietly as he got control of his emotions. “I just lost control, I’ve never felt…” Sirius sighed a ragged breath. “After I spoke with my mother’s portrait I thought I would return to the hospital to find you dead. I couldn’t imagine going on without you.” She reached for him, snaking her arms around his neck. He wrapped one arm around her back, the other under her legs and pulled her back into his lap.
“I don’t know what I would have done if you died.” He pulled her head against his chest. “You make me feel young again, Hermione. Like I didn’t waste my life away in a cell, like Azkaban never happened.”
Sirius felt a bubble of rage rise up through his chest, rage at himself for his carelessness and his stupidity. She would never reminisce about Mexico with him or about the moment they both realized that one day they would be parents together or a thousand other things. His selfishness had been her ruination. Suddenly, he almost couldn’t bear to feel her in his arms, he considered getting up, getting away, when he felt her shake lightly.
Hermione squeezed her eyes tightly against the tears, she didn’t want to cry. She hated crying but despite her best effort the tears came anyway and soon she was sobbing. She wanted to remember, to feel all these things that he felt, to even fathom a tenth of what they had shared.
His attention was instantly drawn off of himself and to her and her pain. Her sobs tore at him and he knew he had to endure her anguish, the sound of it was abrasive on his nerves. A further reminder of what he had done. He held her while she sobbed, softly whispering his heartfelt apologies until she went quiet. Each of them felt comforted by the new silence that was left in the wake of her tears.
They sat like that, quietly enjoying each other for several long moments. He noticed she was playing with the bracelet at his wrist.
“You gave me that.”
“I did?”
Sirius shook his wrist to move the bracelet down. He undid the clasp and let it fall off his hand into hers. It landed in her hand with a soft ‘chink.’ She picked it up and examined it.
“Turn it over.”
She turned the bracelet over and read the inscription out loud.
“My heart is yours, Hermione.” She looked at him in wonder. It was the first piece of tangible proof that what everyone was telling her was true. It was nearly a message to herself.
“I also have a letter from you. Your first ‘I love you’ is on that letter. I’ve always got it on me.” Sirius reached into his robes and pulled out a folded piece of parchment. He handed it to her.
Hermione opened the letter with reverence and trepidation. She should have known that she would have written something down. She was constantly writing although it was nearly always for school. This business with her memory made her wish she kept a diary. She had tried on several occasions but she always got so busy with her studies that the diary would once again lay forgotten. Hermione was interested in results and diaries were always about the journey.
Hermione read over the letter, she took a glance at Sirius. She gestured with the letter in hand.
“How angry were you?”
“Furious, actually. At all three of you.” Hermione hummed and nodded, she was almost glad she didn’t have that memory.
“Not that I ever got a chance to tell you.” She looked at him with an eyebrow cocked in question.
“Well, when I found you my cousin Bellatrix was seconds away from killing you. It was difficult to feel angry with you when I was just relieved that you were still alive.” He took her hand in his and gave it a little squeeze.
“You do a lot of that, don’t you?” She squeezed his hand back.
“What’s that?” He smiled, wondering what she could be referring to.
“Almost losing me.” He let out a sigh.
“Too much.”
Hermione turned her attention back to the letter in her hand. She rubbed her thumb on a particular sentence in the letter. She read it over a couple of times, realizing that it held truth for her. It really didn’t matter anymore that she couldn’t point to a logical reason for why she felt the way she did. The emotion of love had come into it’s own with her. She was ready to own it and even order her life according to it’s pull. She had never felt anything like it. The more she accepted it, the more powerful it became. She realized in that moment that everything was going to change.
She turned in his lap and kissed him with all the love that she felt for him. She told him she was ready for all the love he had to offer with her kiss. She was ready to link her life to his forever, all doubt pushed resolutely away.
Sirius was momentarily stunned, he hadn’t expected the letter to bring forth such a strong reaction. He recovered quickly and responded eagerly to her advances.
Never leaving each other’s lips, Sirius pushed her back against the couch. They broke apart long enough for him to reposition himself over her. Sirius covered her mouth with his as his body pressed hers into the couch. He slowed them down because he wanted this moment to last as long as possible.
He sensed she was ready for greater intimacy, although not to what extent. He ran cautious hands all over her body, smoothing them down her sides, over her breasts, caressing her pussy. He continued with increased intensity when she didn’t shy away or protest. She moaned as his hands lit a fire in her belly. She let her body guide her actions, arching into him, feeling her resolve slip.
The clock in the living room chimed.
Sirius swore.
“Oh Merlin, we forgot. How did we forget?” Her voice was slightly panicked.
“We tend to do that.” His words ended with an amused chuckle.
They were going to have to leave, as soon as possible. They were already late.
She found herself understanding with perfect clarity how he had taken her in the kitchen and the library and the bathroom and even in the hallway. She could see herself following his naughty impulses, her personal Pied Piper.
“Come on, baby. We have to go. They’re all waiting for us.”
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Hermione stepped into Professor Dumbledore’s office and was greeted by a large group of people. They were prepared for a long afternoon together. Hermione was going to get highlights from the last six months from the memories of the people who had lived it with her. Harry, Ron and Ginny were there with big smiles for her.
Harry, Ron and Ginny each hugged her in turn and then discussed what she wanted to witness. Ginny reminded everyone about the business with Malfoy.
“You should show her what Ron did to Malfoy that morning.” Harry smiled at his girlfriend and nodded.
“You were the only one that witnessed most of the confrontations with him but you could see what we did about it.” Harry was pleased that Ginny thought of it. “Ron was the one that noticed Hermione reading the letter. We should use his memory.”
Ron put his wand to his head and pulled out the silver threads, him memory of that morning. He let it drop into the pensieve and swirled it around. He stepped back and let Hermione dip her head to the rune covered bowl. She disappeared for about fifteen minutes. When she emerged she turned to Ron and hugged him fiercely.
“Thank you.”
“Anything for you, Hermione.”
Sirius looked over at the pair and felt a lurch in his stomach. At one point in time there had been something between these two. He felt a slight annoyance at their hug but shrugged it off as best he could.
Sirius looked up to see Harry scowling at him. Sirius quickly looked away. He knew what Harry was trying to tell him. These three had been best friends for years and he was making a mistake by reading something into it.
“Alright,” said Harry. “She should probably see what happened when Malfoy had to make his apology.”
Sirius was about to offer his memory but Professor Dumbledore beat him do it.
“I think you will find my memory to be rich in detail from that morning.” He put his wand to his head and then dipped it into the pensieve.
Hermione dipped her head into once again. She was gone for about twenty five minutes this time. When she emerged she stepped toward Sirius. He opened his arms to her and she practically flung herself at him. They exchanged no words but forgot themselves in a deep kiss.
Dumbledore coughed politely.
They broke apart with sheepish looks on their faces. She thought about what Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had told her about them and wondered if it was typical of them to forget their surroundings. It was easy to get swept up in him.
One after another, Hermione reviewed her life from someone else’s point of view. When they were finally done it was early evening. They had taken both their lunch and their dinner in Professor Dumbledore’s office.
Hermione and Sirius returned home exhausted, practically falling into bed.
Memories
Hermione’s father and Sirius excused themselves from the table with parting compliments and thanks for a wonderful meal. Herman Granger was excited about showing Sirius his butterfly collection and had been describing it throughout dinner. Sirius wore a bemused expression and allowed himself be led away. Hermione was pleased that Sirius humored her father and that he did it so good naturedly.
Hermione was about to get up to help clear the table but was stilled by her mother’s hand on hers. She sat back in her chair and looked into her mother’s smiling face.
“It’s good to see you doing so much better.” Jean Granger touched her hand to her daughter’s face.
“Thanks, mum.” Hermione had been looking forward to talking with her mother. They had been getting together like this about once a week. First at the Black’s home but Hermione’s progress made a visit to her parent’s a possibility. This was the first time she had her mother to herself.
“Are you all ready for tomorrow?” Hermione would be viewing events from other people’s memories through a pensieve.
“I think so, I’m a little nervous.” She was grateful her mother asked. She would be seeing what she missed and was worried she would pine all the harder for the real memories. “I don’t want to be more upset after seeing what I can’t remember.”
“Do you have an idea of what you’ll be seeing?” She had considered further pain for her daughter as a possible short coming of this plan.
“I’ve been told about all the events. It all sounds like stories from someone else’s life or just a reminder of what I’ve missed.” Jean Granger’s heart ached for her daughter’s pain.
“You know, you don’t have to do this.” She lay a comforting hand on Hermione’s.
“I know…I want to though. I really do.” Hearing her daughter’s resolute words, she decided to change the subject.
“So, how are you keeping yourself busy these days?” Jean Granger was worried that her normally driven daughter would be frustrated with a slower lifestyle.
“A lot of studying, self paced so I’ve got to be disciplined.” Hermione missed the stress from Hogwarts, she thrived on the rewards from her hard work. “I have a new living room, we just redecorated. You haven’t been over since we finished.”
“Well, a library and a new living room. He certainly spoils you.” She was still impressed by all the work her son-in-law put into the library, not to mention the small fortune he must have spent. “I know that it was difficult for you to leave your school, having such a lovely pace to study must help. I’m sure you’ll be ready for your test.”
“It’s marvelous, isn’t it? Never thought I’d have my own library!” Hermione couldn’t hide how pleased she was. It was an extravagance and while she wasn’t normally given to such, she could make an exception this one time. “He really does spoil me, too much I think.”
“I never appreciated just how much money Sirius had.” The Grangers were doctors with their own practice, they were by no means poor. Even so, Sirius seemed to spend like it was nearly bottomless.
The pleased look suddenly darkened. “He added me to his account at Gringott’s.” Hermione spoke with a grumble in her voice.
“Well, you are married, dear. What could be the matter with that?” She knew Hermione’s discomfort was likely due to her hesitancy in fully accepting the marriage. “You don’t want to ask him every time you make a purchase. What about trips to market or shopping for clothes. He did the right thing if you asked me”
“I guess so. It feels like I’m taking something that’s not mine.” Hermione released a small frustrated sigh.
“So, you’re having trouble taking my advice?” She had hoped her daughter would be more open minded.
“What was that?” Hermione pursed her lips in a puzzled frown.
“To give him a chance.” Agitation tinged her voice, which then softened. “He seems to be a devoted husband, Hermione.”
“Oh, he is…and I am, I really am.” She wondered if she should tell her mother about the recent change between them.
“Good, well that’s good.”
“We’ve been dating.” Hermione wore a pleased grin. Since they came to their understanding Sirius had commenced his woo of her.
“Dating? That sounds promising.” Jean was pleased by his cleverness. It seemed to have a positive affect on Hermione.
“Just in the last week, out for dinner together a couple of times.” Hermione was clearly enjoying the attention he was showering her with.
“He’s taking me to something tomorrow, it’s called Wyvern Wonders. It’s some sort of wizard performance art.”
“That sounds…interesting…”
“It’s basically dance and magic set to music. I don’t know how he got tickets, it’s been sold out for months.” Sirius had a way of making things happen when he wanted them badly enough.
“You’ll have to tell me about that one.” Jean thought she heard the men returning and would need to rush to her point. “I must say that I like that he is making such an effort.”
“Oh, he’s made an effort from the start. I’m glad he’s settled a bit. At first he practically littered the house with presents. If it wasn’t for his friend I’d have gained ten pounds eating all the chocolate he left for me.” Her mother was glad her daughter had someone so interested in keeping her happy.
“He was just anxious, Hermione. None of us were sure how you were going to react to living with him.” She paused to listen for the men once again, she had told her husband to distract Sirius for a bit.
“I know, neither was I.”
“So, it certainly sounds like you two are getting along well.” Jean Granger decided to get straight to the point. “How are things in the bedroom?”
Hermione stared at her mother opened mouthed, a blush rising on her cheeks. “Mum!”
“Sorry, dear. But that’s important in a marriage and I knew you might have some trouble with it.” It wasn’t a terribly comfortable conversation but she felt it was an important one. “So?”
“We’re taking it slowly.” Hermione’s voice dropped, betraying how shy she felt discussing this. “There’s more to it though. I have feelings for him but I don’t know what they mean or where they come from.”
“You were in love, maybe that’s not tied to memory per se.” She cocked her head to the side and smiled encouragingly at Hermione.
“We’ve…” Hermione paused to blush. “We’ve snogged.” She glanced at her mother who was beaming.
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph! That’s a relief!”
“Mum!”
Hermione was saved from further embarrassment as Sirius and Hermione’s father returned, chatting about specimen collection. The two men had an easy rapport and it pleased Hermione. The four of them retired to the living room for a brandy. They spent another hour together chatting about this and that before Hermione and Sirius left for home.
“Nervous?”
Hermione released a short clipped breath. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“I’m a little afraid of what I’ll be seeing today.” She balanced herself a little nervously in his lap.
“Does this bother you?” He tilted his head to the side to look at her face.
“Just not used to it.” She was still wobbling, not quite sure what to do.
“Why don’t you come here and just relax.” He pulled her against his chest gently, using a soothing tone of voice.
She allowed herself to be pulled into him, finding his warmth and the rumbling sound of his voice in his chest very comforting. Once she was there she snuggled against him tightly. He traced her spine gently with his fingers.
“So, what has you nervous about today?”
“I guess I’m worried about…well, about feeling depressed about what I’ve missed.” Her hands were cautiously placed against his strong, hard chest. She could feel the play of muscles beneath her fingers.
“You can always decide not to go. Everyone will understand if you’re not ready.” He let his hands rest at her hips.
“I don’t want to do that. I’d like to see my accomplishments. The whole business with the golems is fascinating.” She bravely let her arms encircle his neck.
It was heaven to Sirius, to have his sweet wife draped on his chest, her legs straddling his cautiously. She kept a slight distance between their groins, causing her to be a little sway backed. She had to reposition as she began to slip off his lap.
“I think you’ll be pleased with the golems, it was all your idea, you know.” He tenderly kissed the top of her head. “When are we supposed to be there?”
“We’ve got about an hour.” Tired of slipping Hermione hugged her body up against his.
“There’s something I need to tell you about.” Sirius encouraged her into a sitting position on his lap. He and Remus had decided to show her the fire, it wasn’t one of her memories but it made a strange kind of sense that they take this opportunity.
“Hmm?”
“Um…I did something and you’re probably going to see it today.” Hermione wondered if she was about to hear about the fire. He was having trouble meeting her eyes.
“Is this about the fire at number twelve, Grimmauld Place?” Sirius looked up at her in surprise. He narrowed his eyes at her.
“Yeah. Who told.”
“Ginny.”
“I’m going to…” She put a hand to his mouth.
“No, you’re not. I’m glad she told me. I do have a question about it though.” Hermione slid off his lap to sit next to him on the couch. She faced him, knees under her.
“What’s that?”
“Well, my mum said Dumbledore was injured in a magical fire.” She watched the guilt play across his face.
“Yeah, it was the same one. He nearly died.” Sirius looked away. Hermione waited quietly as he got control of his emotions. “I just lost control, I’ve never felt…” Sirius sighed a ragged breath. “After I spoke with my mother’s portrait I thought I would return to the hospital to find you dead. I couldn’t imagine going on without you.” She reached for him, snaking her arms around his neck. He wrapped one arm around her back, the other under her legs and pulled her back into his lap.
“I don’t know what I would have done if you died.” He pulled her head against his chest. “You make me feel young again, Hermione. Like I didn’t waste my life away in a cell, like Azkaban never happened.”
Sirius felt a bubble of rage rise up through his chest, rage at himself for his carelessness and his stupidity. She would never reminisce about Mexico with him or about the moment they both realized that one day they would be parents together or a thousand other things. His selfishness had been her ruination. Suddenly, he almost couldn’t bear to feel her in his arms, he considered getting up, getting away, when he felt her shake lightly.
Hermione squeezed her eyes tightly against the tears, she didn’t want to cry. She hated crying but despite her best effort the tears came anyway and soon she was sobbing. She wanted to remember, to feel all these things that he felt, to even fathom a tenth of what they had shared.
His attention was instantly drawn off of himself and to her and her pain. Her sobs tore at him and he knew he had to endure her anguish, the sound of it was abrasive on his nerves. A further reminder of what he had done. He held her while she sobbed, softly whispering his heartfelt apologies until she went quiet. Each of them felt comforted by the new silence that was left in the wake of her tears.
They sat like that, quietly enjoying each other for several long moments. He noticed she was playing with the bracelet at his wrist.
“You gave me that.”
“I did?”
Sirius shook his wrist to move the bracelet down. He undid the clasp and let it fall off his hand into hers. It landed in her hand with a soft ‘chink.’ She picked it up and examined it.
“Turn it over.”
She turned the bracelet over and read the inscription out loud.
“My heart is yours, Hermione.” She looked at him in wonder. It was the first piece of tangible proof that what everyone was telling her was true. It was nearly a message to herself.
“I also have a letter from you. Your first ‘I love you’ is on that letter. I’ve always got it on me.” Sirius reached into his robes and pulled out a folded piece of parchment. He handed it to her.
Hermione opened the letter with reverence and trepidation. She should have known that she would have written something down. She was constantly writing although it was nearly always for school. This business with her memory made her wish she kept a diary. She had tried on several occasions but she always got so busy with her studies that the diary would once again lay forgotten. Hermione was interested in results and diaries were always about the journey.
Hermione read over the letter, she took a glance at Sirius. She gestured with the letter in hand.
“How angry were you?”
“Furious, actually. At all three of you.” Hermione hummed and nodded, she was almost glad she didn’t have that memory.
“Not that I ever got a chance to tell you.” She looked at him with an eyebrow cocked in question.
“Well, when I found you my cousin Bellatrix was seconds away from killing you. It was difficult to feel angry with you when I was just relieved that you were still alive.” He took her hand in his and gave it a little squeeze.
“You do a lot of that, don’t you?” She squeezed his hand back.
“What’s that?” He smiled, wondering what she could be referring to.
“Almost losing me.” He let out a sigh.
“Too much.”
Hermione turned her attention back to the letter in her hand. She rubbed her thumb on a particular sentence in the letter. She read it over a couple of times, realizing that it held truth for her. It really didn’t matter anymore that she couldn’t point to a logical reason for why she felt the way she did. The emotion of love had come into it’s own with her. She was ready to own it and even order her life according to it’s pull. She had never felt anything like it. The more she accepted it, the more powerful it became. She realized in that moment that everything was going to change.
She turned in his lap and kissed him with all the love that she felt for him. She told him she was ready for all the love he had to offer with her kiss. She was ready to link her life to his forever, all doubt pushed resolutely away.
Sirius was momentarily stunned, he hadn’t expected the letter to bring forth such a strong reaction. He recovered quickly and responded eagerly to her advances.
Never leaving each other’s lips, Sirius pushed her back against the couch. They broke apart long enough for him to reposition himself over her. Sirius covered her mouth with his as his body pressed hers into the couch. He slowed them down because he wanted this moment to last as long as possible.
He sensed she was ready for greater intimacy, although not to what extent. He ran cautious hands all over her body, smoothing them down her sides, over her breasts, caressing her pussy. He continued with increased intensity when she didn’t shy away or protest. She moaned as his hands lit a fire in her belly. She let her body guide her actions, arching into him, feeling her resolve slip.
The clock in the living room chimed.
Sirius swore.
“Oh Merlin, we forgot. How did we forget?” Her voice was slightly panicked.
“We tend to do that.” His words ended with an amused chuckle.
They were going to have to leave, as soon as possible. They were already late.
She found herself understanding with perfect clarity how he had taken her in the kitchen and the library and the bathroom and even in the hallway. She could see herself following his naughty impulses, her personal Pied Piper.
“Come on, baby. We have to go. They’re all waiting for us.”
Harry, Ron and Ginny each hugged her in turn and then discussed what she wanted to witness. Ginny reminded everyone about the business with Malfoy.
“You should show her what Ron did to Malfoy that morning.” Harry smiled at his girlfriend and nodded.
“You were the only one that witnessed most of the confrontations with him but you could see what we did about it.” Harry was pleased that Ginny thought of it. “Ron was the one that noticed Hermione reading the letter. We should use his memory.”
Ron put his wand to his head and pulled out the silver threads, him memory of that morning. He let it drop into the pensieve and swirled it around. He stepped back and let Hermione dip her head to the rune covered bowl. She disappeared for about fifteen minutes. When she emerged she turned to Ron and hugged him fiercely.
“Thank you.”
“Anything for you, Hermione.”
Sirius looked over at the pair and felt a lurch in his stomach. At one point in time there had been something between these two. He felt a slight annoyance at their hug but shrugged it off as best he could.
Sirius looked up to see Harry scowling at him. Sirius quickly looked away. He knew what Harry was trying to tell him. These three had been best friends for years and he was making a mistake by reading something into it.
“Alright,” said Harry. “She should probably see what happened when Malfoy had to make his apology.”
Sirius was about to offer his memory but Professor Dumbledore beat him do it.
“I think you will find my memory to be rich in detail from that morning.” He put his wand to his head and then dipped it into the pensieve.
Hermione dipped her head into once again. She was gone for about twenty five minutes this time. When she emerged she stepped toward Sirius. He opened his arms to her and she practically flung herself at him. They exchanged no words but forgot themselves in a deep kiss.
Dumbledore coughed politely.
They broke apart with sheepish looks on their faces. She thought about what Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had told her about them and wondered if it was typical of them to forget their surroundings. It was easy to get swept up in him.
One after another, Hermione reviewed her life from someone else’s point of view. When they were finally done it was early evening. They had taken both their lunch and their dinner in Professor Dumbledore’s office.
Hermione and Sirius returned home exhausted, practically falling into bed.