Sirius looked down at Hermione. She had dozed off while telling him about Ginny’s last Quidditch match. Her head had fallen onto his shoulder as her body relaxed in sleep. He could feel sleep overcoming him so he shifted slightly to draw Hermione closer to him as he turned his body slightly and slid down somewhat to a half reclining position. He closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him. As he was falling asleep, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander to the woman in his arms.
***
Hermione came slowly awake. She was nestled between what felt like the back of a couch and a very warm body. A body whose arms were wrapped securely around her. Sighing, she snuggled deeper into the arms and tried to go back to sleep.
Suddenly, the reality of yesterday crashed into her mind and her eyes flew open. She found herself staring into the clear grey eyes of Sirius Black.
“I never would have guessed you like to snuggle,” Sirius said teasingly.
Hermione tried unsuccessfully to sit up, her eyes wide in horror. She couldn’t believe she had… they had… Pushing at Sirius’ chest, she said, “Please let me up.”
Smiling, Sirius carefully slid himself into a sitting position and stood. Looking down at the red-faced Hermione, he said, “Hermione, I was only teasing you.”
“I know, I am sorry. It’s just…” She didn’t get to finish her sentence because at that moment the door opened and Kingsley Shacklebolt walked in.
“Good morning, Sirius, Hermione,” he said. “Breakfast will be here shortly. I just came down to get a few things straightened out with you.”
Hermione glanced at Sirius who stood still and watchful. She looked back at the Minister. “What things?” she asked.
“Hermione, I would imagine you would like to go and change. I am sure you are also wondering about the work piled on your desk. First, let me tell you I have had you temporarily transferred to my department. Your work is being handled by another assistant. I thought this was the easiest solution to explain your absence from the Ministry.
“If someone asks about you, I will simply say you are on assignment for me.” He paused and waited to hear objections from Hermione. When she didn’t say anything, he continued, “I also have given thought to how difficult it would be for you to stay here in this room twenty-four hours a day. So, I have decided to confide in one other person.
“This person won’t be able to be here all the time, but he will be able to come in and stay here a few hours a day. He cannot leave his job. So the hours he is available with vary and be limited. But, I think this is the perfect solution for now.”
Looking directly at Sirius, he addressed him, “I hope in a few days time to be able to allow you to return to Grimmauld Place. Though this will only be done on the condition you have no contact with anyone other than those I specify. We cannot allow very many people to know you are alive until we decide how this situation is going to be handled.”
“Minister, who is this man and what have you told him?” Hermione questioned.
“I have told him next to nothing of the situation. I believe it is better for you to explain it to him. I asked him if he would do me a personal favour and relieve one of my agents daily for a few hours so she can attend to personal matters. As for whom it is-” He turned and walked to the door, pulling it open, he said to the unseen man, “Please come in.”
As Hermione and Sirius watched, Harry Potter walked through the door.
“Hermione? What…” Harry’s voice broke off as he spotted his godfather standing next to Hermione. “Sirius?”
As Sirius stepped forward, Harry rushed to him and was enveloped in a hug. Hermione’s eyes filled with tears. She didn’t even attempt to stop them from sliding down her face.
Smiling, Kingsley beckoned Hermione to his side. Quietly he said, “What have you found out?”
“I’m sorry, sir, we haven’t had a chance to discuss how he came back. I plan on going over all of that today. I had to cover five years of the life he missed.”
Patting her on the shoulder, Kingsley said, “I understand. But the sooner we solve this mystery, the sooner we can move to the next step. I am sure Sirius does not appreciate being kept here. And now that Harry is involved, Harry will insist on his being allowed to go to Grimmauld Place.”
“I will talk to Harry. I cannot guarantee I can get him to agree to more than a day or two of leaving Sirius here, but I will try to make him understand.”
“I know you will do your best. Feel free to leave and go home for a few hours. I am giving Harry the day off to spend here. I would like you to come to my office tonight and update me on what you find out today.”
“Of course. Thank you for bringing Harry here. I think this will help us to discover the truth. I was worried Sirius would be stubborn insisting on seeing Harry before he would answer questions. Now, he has no reason not to tell me what happened.”
“I’ll leave you to explain it to Harry. I am sure he has many questions of his own.” With this, Kingsley turned and left the room.
Sirius watched as Hermione talked quietly with Kingsley, no doubt he was the topic of conversation. As he felt Harry loosening his grip on him, he pulled back and looked down at his godson.
He was taken back by the look that crossed Harry’s face as he stepped back. “Harry, what is it?” he asked.
Harry looked at Hermione as she approached. “Did you check? Did you make sure?”
At Hermione’s gasp and small shake of her head, Harry swore, “Hermione, you of all people should know better, why-’
“Harry, it’s been three years, I didn’t think… I should have…”
Harry turned to Sirius, “How did you escape from Hogwarts?”
Sirius was confused, what were they talking about? “From Hogwarts?”
“My third year, how did you escape?”
“On Buckbeak,” Sirius replied.
“What are the four Animagus forms of the Marauders?”
Sirius realized what Harry was doing. He needed to make sure he was real. Smiling, he answered, “A dog, stag, rat, and that’s all. Remus had no Animagus form, he is…” He glanced at Hermione before continuing, “…was a werewolf.”
“What did my mum call Remus’ affliction?”
“His furry little problem,” Sirius said, eyes twinkling.
“What name did you give your Animagus form?”
“Harry!” Hermione interrupted him. “I think that is enough. Besides, I am sure Kingsley made sure before he ever told me Sirius was here.”
“It is okay, Hermione. Snuffles,” Sirius answered Harry’s last question.
“Hermione, you were here with him since yesterday? You never left him alone, not even for a minute?” Harry turned to her.
“Yes, Harry. If he was under the influence of Polyjuice Potion, it would have worn off by now.” Hermione answered as she walked over to stand next to Sirius.
“You have to understand,” Harry said to Sirius. “I had to make sure.”
Sirius glanced down at Hermione, then back at Harry. “I do understand. Ask whatever you feel you need to ask to reassure yourself.”
Harry walked over and dropped into the chair. He dropped his head into his hands. Sirius crossed to the sofa and sat across from him, he patted the spot next to him as he looked at Hermione.
Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione joined Sirius on the sofa. “Harry, are you okay?” she asked.
Harry looked up at her and Sirius. Suddenly a huge smile crossed his face. “Yeah, I’m great. But, I still don’t understand how? And I don’t understand why MY department wasn’t notified immediately.”
“Harry, I’m sure Kingsley…Wait, did you just say your department?” Hermione asked.
“Yes, my department. The Auror Department. Kingsley asked me yesterday if I would take over running the department.” Harry smiled. “I was planning on telling you last night, but you didn’t come home.”
At Hermione’s blush, Sirius chuckled. “She was here, with me…” He let the sentence dangle for a few seconds before he went on. “She was catching me up on the past five years.”
“Okay,” said Harry, sounding suspicious. “So, how did this happen anyway?”
At Sirius’ nod, Hermione said, “I can tell you what Kingsley figured out. As for the rest…”
“As for the rest, I will tell you what I can,” Sirius said.
Hermione relayed to Harry everything Kingsley had told her. “So, Kingsley thinks it was because Sirius was alive when he fell through the Veil that he was able to come back.” Hermione finished.
“But if it worked for him…” Harry let the sentence trail off.
“Harry,” Hermione began, but Sirus reached over and placed his hand on her arm, shaking his head.
“Harry, I think Kingsley was right. Let me tell you what I remember,” Sirius said. “It’s all kinda fuzzy, like a dream that just won’t come into focus. I remember I was walking with your dad and mum when I stepped on something. When I bent down, I saw the Time-turner though I wasn’t quite sure what it was.
“Your mum, of course, knew exactly what it was. But even she was at a loss as to explain why it was there. She also said that it probably wouldn’t work… where we were. Your dad and I wanted to try it anyway. So, I slipped the chain over the three of us and I spun the little hourglass.
“Next thing I knew, I was laying flat on my back in front of the Veil, with Kingsley standing over me, wand pointed down at me. How he knew I was there, I don’t know.” Looking again at Hermione, he said, “Yes, Hermione, Kingsley did go through a bunch of questions to make sure it was me. Will one of you tell me what that was all about?”
“After you…”
“Died,” Sirius said nonchalantly.
“Died,” Hermione said, “and the Ministry was forced to acknowledge Voldemort’s return, there were fears of Death Eaters using Polyjuice Potion to gain access into the homes of witches and wizards. It became standard practice to ask each other questions only the two involved would know the answer to.”
“Are Death Eaters still a problem, then?” he asked.
“We have caught the majority of them. Those who are left free seemed to have fled the country,” Harry said.
Hermione stood. “I think I am going to go home and freshen up. I won’t be gone long,” she said. “This will give you time to catch up.”
At Harry’s nod, she turned to go. “Hermione,” Harry called. “Will you do me a favour? Will you send an owl to Andromeda and let her know I can’t take Teddy this weekend?”
“Of course, is there anything you want me to bring you from home?” she asked.
Before Harry could answer, Sirius asked, “Teddy?”
“Remus’ and Tonks’ son. He usually spends the weekends with us at Grimmauld Place,” Harry answered, a smile lighting his face as he spoke of his godson.
“I don’t want you to change your plans for me,” Sirius said. “Besides, hopefully by then, I will be able to be at Grimmauld Place anyway. I can’t wait to meet him.”
Hermione took a few steps back towards Sirius. “If Kingsley lets you go to Grimmauld Place, for now, no one can know. So, having Teddy there would create a whole new set of problems.”
“Problems?” Sirius asked.
Harry burst out laughing. “Yeah, problems. First of all, you never get Teddy without all of the Weasleys showing up. Every time he is at Grimmauld Place the house becomes a free-for-all the entire time. Second, he is three and repeats everything. No doubt he would go back to Andromeda telling tales of ‘Sirius this, and Sirius that’. There is no way we could keep you a secret around him.”
“I’ll bring back some pictures for you to see.” Hermione promised.
“What does he look like?” Sirius asked.
Hermione spoke first, “I think he looks like Remus, except for his…”
“Hair,” Hermione and Harry said at the same time.
“Last time he was over, he kept changing it from turquoise to pink to green to bright blue.” Hermione laughed. “He changes it to whatever colour interests him at that moment. The only time you have to watch, is when it turns red. That only happens though, when he is mad about something.”
“Yeah, like when Kreacher won’t give him a cookie before dinner,” Harry said as he laughed.
Hermione joined in his laughter. “Well, I don’t think Kreacher will make that mistake again.” Seeing Sirius’ confused face, she explained, “Last weekend, Kreacher made cookies for dessert. Teddy wanted one but Kreacher told him, ‘Young Master, yous is going to have to wait. Kreacher is making your dinner now’. Teddy threw such a tantrum, Kreacher gave in and gave him a cookie just to get him to stop crying.
“Now Kreacher knows to make cookies before Teddy gets there.” Hermione smiled. “Teddy has Kreacher wrapped around his little finger.”
“Just like the rest of us,” Harry said.
“Wait, Kreacher, makes cookies for Teddy?” Sirius asked.
“Yes, he does. I told you Kreacher is… well, different now,” Hermione said. “Harry, I’ll let you to explain it to him. I’ll see you both in a little while.”
As Hermione was about to open the door, Sirus called to her, “Hermione…”
Turning she gave him a quizzical look.
“Thanks,” he said simply.
Hermione smiled. Then turned and walked out the door. She rushed out of the Department of Mysteries and took the lift up to her office. When she walked into the reception area, her secretary looked surprised to see her.
“Miss Granger, I thought you were working on an assignment for the Minister,” her secretary said.
“I am. I just stopped in for my bag that I left here yesterday,” Hermione said as she rushed through her office door. Closing the door behind her, she went to her desk. Pulling open the bottom drawer, she pulled out the little bag she still carried even after all this time.
Straightening up, she looked at her desktop. All of the files she had spread out yesterday were gone. She could only assume her replacement had them. She hoped whoever it was was at least efficient at their job. She could only imagine the mess she would be coming back to in a week or so.
Knowing there was nothing she could do about it, she rushed out of her office and went to the lift to go to the main level of the Ministry. She couldn’t use the Floo network to get to Grimmauld Place as Harry refused to take the chance of having it connected to the Ministry.
She would go to the Apparation point and Apparate home.
***
When Hermione closed the door, Sirius looked at his godson. He could see the questions in his eyes. Knowing his sense of humour could be misunderstood, Sirius rushed to explain. “Harry, all we did was talk last night. She told me what all of you have been doing since I went away.”
“I know that, it’s just… She is hurting right now. No matter how she tries to hide it. No matter how many times she says she is happy for Ron and Serena, it still has to hurt.” Harry looked at his godfather. “I just don’t want to see her hurt again.” Harry let the implied threat hang.
“I would never hurt her, Harry. But, enough of that, tell me about you and Ginny,” Sirius requested to change the subject. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Hermione. He just knew he was feeling things Harry would probably object to.
Harry smiled. “She is Captain of the Holyhead Harpies,” Harry said, pride evident in his voice. “She is thinking of retiring after next season though. The Daily Prophet has offered her a great job reporting on Quidditch when she finally retires. I’m thinking about asking her to marry me soon. But, I don’t want her to think she has to quit playing. She loves it so much.”
Over the next couple hours, Harry filled Sirius in on all the little gaps Hermione had left. Sirius felt almost as if he hadn’t missed a single thing in the past five years. Almost.
“Sirius, can I ask you something?” Harry asked hesitantly.
“Of course, Harry. You can ask me anything.”
“When I was in the forest…were you really there?”
*“Yes, I believe I told you dying was as quicker and easier than falling asleep. I also told you we were part of you and invisible to anyone else.” Sirius was surprised how clearly this memory came to his mind.
“So, you were really with my parents?” Harry’s voice sounded like a small child’s.
“I guess I was. I wish I could remember more. It seems the longer I am back, the cloudier the memories are.” Sirius said sadly.
“I know Hermione would want to be here to hear this, but maybe if you talk about what you do remember, the memories will last longer,” Harry said hopefully.
“Maybe,” Sirius said. “If I tell them to you, and they fade, then at least you will remember them.”
Before Sirius could begin, Hermione walked through the door. “Sorry it took me so long,” she said as she placed her bag on the table and opened it. She started pulling containers out of it and placing them on the table.
At Sirius’ surprised look, Harry laughed. “Undetectable Extension Charm,” he explained.
“Kreacher was very upset both of us were going to miss dinner. So, he made me bring it here to you, Harry. He said you need to eat properly and since he can’t be sure of what kind of food you would get here, he sent dinner with me to give to you.”
Harry just shook his head. Looking at Sirius, he said, “Hungry?”
Hermione finished pulling containers out of her bag by the time Harry and Sirius joined her at the table. Sitting down, they all began to eat.
“This is really good,” said Sirius, surprise in his voice.
“I told you Kreacher has changed,” Hermione said. “You won’t believe the difference in him and the house until you see it for yourself.”
“He took down the House-elves heads, your mother’s portrait, and the Black family tree for us.” Harry told Sirius.
“What did he do with them?” Sirius asked.
“I let him keep the heads, he has them in his little room we made for him off the pantry, and your mother’s portrait is hidden in the attic. I just didn’t feel right throwing it out. I offered it to Narcissa Malfoy, but she said she never liked the ‘old bat’ when she was alive, so why would she want her in her home now? She did however, take the family tree. I hope that is okay with you.” Harry looked at Sirius seeking his approval.
Sirius reached over and patted Harry’s hand. “Of course it is okay. Well, except for keeping my mother’s portrait. That is going as soon as I get back to the house,” he stated firmly.
After they finished eating, they went to sit back down on the couch and chair. Sirius and Hermione both sat on the couch leaving Harry to sit in the chair and shoot both of them another suspicious look.
Seeing Hermione’s blush, Sirius said, “So, do you still want to hear what I can remember?” He directed his question to Harry.
“Yes, I do,” Harry said.
“Well, then, I will tell you everything I can.”
Second Chance at Life and Love by mudbloodproud
Chapter Notes: I would like to thank Rena and Alyssa (harry4lif) for making sure this is ready for you to read.
I don't own anything you recognise. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling. I am thankful to be able to play in her world.
Chapter Endnotes: * This is paraphrased from Chapter 34, The Forest Again, pages 699-700 of The Deathly Hallows, American Hardcover Edition.