Belong to Nowhere
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Okay...okay...Since today (11/16) is my birthday I decided to update this fic and Soul Pieces. I hope you like it. :)
I tried to upload chapter 18 earlier but Portkey was a little *strange* and I really couldn't. Don't know what happened.
Thanks to acoustics1220 for the beta.
Chapter 18: the return of the Phoenix
"Sirius?" Harry asked again, tears falling from his green eyes.
Sirius didn't know what to do or what to say. He looked at his godson and then at Hermione.
Hermione…
She paled visibly and was having some trouble breathing properly, though she was smiling.
"Yes, Harry. It's Sirius," she replied in a far away voice. "H-He's back."
She turned to Sirius. "I-I am so tired…" Sirius motioned for her to sit down on the big rock near him and studied her worriedly.
"But how?" asked Harry, without noticing the worried look in Sirius' eyes.
"I'm not a traitor, Harry," she whispered, voice faltering. "Everything I did-" But she couldn't continue. : She felt like fainting, like her life was seeping out of her body.
Carefully, Sirius took her in his arms and laid her down on the ground. Tears that he had being holding back began to fall.
"Oh, Hermione…"
"W-What's happening?" asked Harry, completely confused by the situation. "Why-"
"You aren't supposed to know about me," Sirius cut in. "Well, not now at least."
"B-But what would happen if I find out?" Harry asked, dreading the answer.
"Hermione dies…"
"No!" Harry cried. No, that can't be possible! This was turning into a nightmare...this can't be real.
"No, I can't accept that. How can she just die?"
"It's part of the ritual, Harry. She participated in a ritual to bring me back. This ritual has many stipulations, rules that have to be followed- pick up with. And one of the requirements was that you shouldn't know about me until the Blue Phoenix's return."
"Blue Phoenix?" Oh Merlin…
Without saying a word, Sirius lifted his robes´ sleeve and showed Harry his mark-the blue phoenix. "Hermione has one too."
Harry brought a hand to his mouth. He couldn't believe it. That's why Hermione wouldn't show him her arm. He felt dirty, disgusting. Despairingly, Harry fell to his knees as tears streamed from his eyes.
"D-Don't cry, Harry," he heard her voice, faint and small. . He knelt at her side and took her hands in his.
"Oh, Hermione…I-I am so sorry…"
"Shhh, that's okay. At least, now, you know the truth ..."
"Hermione…"
Hermione put a finger on his lips and shook her head feebly.
"You are a great wizard, Harry."
She smiled at him and then closed her yes.
"Hermione?! Hermione!" Harry spoke brokenly. "Come on, Hermione- wake up! You need to wake up-Sirius, please! She needs to wake up!" Harry rambled. "She has to help me with NEWTS-s-she, I-I can't go on without her Sirius!"
Sirius looked to Harry helplessly, unsure of what to do himself. He was hurting for Hermione as well, and with their bond, he felt like he was losing a part of himself.
"Harry," the old Marauder was finally able to speak, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I don't think-" Sirius was interrupted by a sound; not an ordinary sound but a very beautiful- and sad-song.
Sirius and Harry looked towards the caves' entrance and they saw it-the Blue Phoenix.
Maybe it wasn't too late.
The Three Broomsticks
"Ron, where's Harry?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know, Ginevra!" snapped Ron. "He went for a walk! You saw when he left! Leave the poor guy alone, for Merlin's Sake!"
"I saw that he went for a walk. What I am asking you is where he went."
"And am I bloody Trelawney?" Ginny was really starting to annoy Ron. "He wanted to be alone, got it? He has a lot on his mind right now, let him have some peace."
"But I could help. I Know I-"
"Stop right there! No, you can't help him!"
"Why? Why can't I help him?" she demanded angrily.
"You are not Hermione."
Grimmauld Place
Remus and Tonks were cuddling together on the couch, talking.
"What's up, Remus?" asked Tonks. She could feel her boyfriend's tension.
"It's Sirius..." he said heavily, "he..."
"... he shouldn't have gone to Hogsmeade," Tonks finished for him.
Remus smiled at his girlfriend. "Yeah...It's just too risky. He should know better. You know what happened last time."
"Remus, my dear…you know how Sirius is. And I'm sure he will be careful." She put a hand on his face. "He's just concerned about Hermione. Speaking of which…how is Harry? You said you talked to him."
"Ah, Harry…he's so much like James," Remus replied fondly.
"He likes her, doesn't he?"
Remus nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "Yes, he is in love and confused." He shook his head. "He doesn't know what to think. One part of him thinks Hermione is traitor…"
"That's just ridiculous! Imagine that…Hermione a…" Just then a loud crash was heard and Remus and Tonks quickly jumped, their wands at the ready.
The room filled with a strange blue smoke and within the smoke; Harry, Hermione, and Sirius simply appeared from out of nowhere; the blue phoenix with them.
"Sirius! What the hell…"
"Not now, Remus! Hermione needs help! Harry saw me," Sirius said hurriedly and then continued in a painful whisper, "He saw me before the phoenix returned."
Tonks brought a hand to her mouth.
"Oh god!" Remus looked at the limp Hermione and then at Harry. It was hard to describe the young wizard. He looked so sad-so-lost.
The dark haired wizard looked between the adults and without a word took Hermione in his arms.
"I am taking her to my, er, Sirius' room," he finally said. "I-I think you should call Madam Pomfrey-" He stopped. Tears were falling from his eyes again. He looked away, ashamed for being seen crying in front of the others.
"I will call Minerva and Flitwick," Tonks said, trying to deflect everyone's attention from Harry, she could see how embarrassed he was.
Harry only nodded and went upstairs.
About thirty minutes later
Sirius bedroom
"Well, well, well," said Professor Flitwick. "Miss Granger is…thank Merlin…out of danger. The phoenix returned just in time." He shook his head, as if suddenly realizing something else. "But, like I said before, she will sleep for some time."
"Thank Merlin! Now, what I want to know is how Hermione, Harry, and I just appeared in here. I just don't understand. I am almost sure that we didn't Apparate."
"You're right, Mr. Black. You didn't Apparate. It was the phoenix."
"B-But how?"
"I suppose that you were all in physical contact of each other?"
"Yeah…Harry was holding Hermione's hands and my hand was on his shoulder…then…then the bird came in and stopped on my shoulder and…but how?"
"It's quite simple, Mr. Black. The blue phoenix worked like a…portkey."
"Oh, so…"
"It's my fault, isn't it?" Harry interjected, interrupting Sirius.
"What are talking about Harry?" Remus asked.
"It's my fault that she's like this. I shouldn't have come after her. It's my fault that Sirius…" Sirius looked at Remus and the werewolf nodded.
"Er, Tonks, professors, why don't we go upstairs and drink a nice cup of tea?"
Tonks, McGonagall and Flitwick simply nodded and left the room with Remus. They knew that Harry and Sirius needed to talk.
"Harry," Sirius spoke, breaking the silence. The young wizard, who was absently petting the phoenix, looked up at his godfather. "First of all, I want to say that none of this is your fault." Harry wanted to protest but Sirius didn't let him. "No, Harry, let me finish, it isn't your fault! I know that you also feel guilty about what happened that night in the Ministry…I went there because I wanted to, Harry. And I would have done everything over again." Harry just nodded guiltily. "And Hermione…this is my entire fault. I shouldn't have gone to Hogsmeade and…Argh! Bugger it all! Come here, Harry! Come here and give your old godfather a hug!"
For the first time in a long while, Harry smiled. At tiny and shy smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"Oh, Sirius!" Harry cried hugging the man he considerate a father. "Oh, I missed you so much! It has been so hard! I am so sorry about the ministry! I should have listened to her-"
"No, Harry! Stop right there! I already told you. It wasn't your fault," Sirius said firmly. "If I have to blame someone, be Voldemort and that bitch-my cousin!"
Harry nodded, smirking. "Oh, Sirius…I have so much to tell you…" he whispered and looked at Hermione sleeping.
"She is amazing girl," Sirius commented.
"Yes, she is," Harry agreed with a smile.
"You like her, don't you?" It wasn't really a question.
"I-I think I love her," Harry answered and looked away.
"So, why this face? I am sure-"
"I said horrible things to her. I-I thought she was a traitor."
"I am sure she'll forgive you, Harry."
"Even if she does…she likes someone else."
"What? No, Harry…."
"She and Dean Thomas, they-"
"I know who he is. I saw them kissing in the cave but…"
Oh, they were kissing…
"It's okay, Sirius…."
"No, Harry, let me finish…"
"Sirius?" they heard a weak voice call out. It was Hermione. "Sirius?" Hermione repeated. Her eyes were half open and her small hands began to search for Sirius. "Sirius?"
Harry watched with a heavy heart as Sirius went to her. He felt something squeeze his heart, she had called for Sirius, not him.
"I'm here, Hermione." Harry heard Sirius saying "I am here. I am here. Everything is alright now."
Hermione closed her eyes briefly and after opening them again, looked at Harry. "Harry…" she whispered. "You are not alone anymore. Sirius is back…"
Harry couldn't take it anymore, he moved across the room in long strides and took her in his arms.
Neither of them noticed Sirius leaving the room.
"I'm sorry. So sorry," he whispered over and over against her hair, snuggling deeper into the embrace and sighing softly.
"Oh, Harry…" she whispered back. "I did it for you. You don't need to say sorry."
"No, what I said…what I thought about you…"he murmured. She broke the embrace and looked at him.
"Harry, everything I did I did for you," she said softly. "Yes, you hurt me. I won't deny it, but I know that you didn't really mean it. I know how hard things are for you. .."
Harry didn't say a word; he began to caress her face softly. His eyes slowly began to drop to Hermione's parted lips. Leaning down, he kissed his best female friend on the lips. The kiss was soft and gentle. Her arms snaked around his neck and she began stroking his messy dark hair. His fingers had a mind of their own as they traveled up and down her spine causing a shiver to run through her.
"Wow," she said when they broke apart, in need of air.
Harry didn't say a word; he only looked at her and at her pink lips, a sly smile on his face, and proceeded to kiss her again. Oh god... that felt so good…
The kiss, this time, was a little more urgent, desperate. His tongue and mouth weren't only in search of her lips, Harry began to place hungry yet sweet kisses on her face…his tongue traveled down her jaw and collarbone…His hands slipped inside her blouse…caressing her back…
"Oh, God," he moaned against her skin.
"mmm," she purred.
Grimmauld Place, the Kitchen
"I hope everything is alright between Harry and Hermione now," commented Remus as Sirius entered the kitchen and sat at the kitchen's table.
"Oh, you can be sure that they're alright…" Sirius said with a sly grin. "They seemed to be... very... how can I say- cozy when I left the room."
"OWW! " Tonks exclaimed excitedly. "Way to go, Harry!"
"Nymphadora!" McGonagall cried in exasperation. "I'm sure that nothing serious is happening in that room. Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger are two very trustful young people."
"Sure…" the young Auror muttered.
"So, Filius," Remus spoke again, changing the subject. "How does the bond between Sirius and Hermione work now?"
"Yeah!" Sirius agreed. "Good question, Moony!"
"The bond is still working, of course. But not so strong, like in the incident with Ms. Granger in the Great Hall," explained Flitwick. "It will depend on the distance between them and how strong the feeling…sensation is."
"So, I-" Sirius was saying when he stopped suddenly. His face flushed and his eyes opened wide. "Oh god…"
"Sirius? What's happening?" Remus asked worriedly. "Are you alright?"
"Hermione…I…"
"What? What about Hermione?"
"I can-I can-f-feel-" He couldn't go on; his face was the deepest red anybody had ever seen.
"Oh…" Remus seemed to have understood what was going on with Sirius. "Oh boy…"
"What?" Tonks asked curiously.
"S-Sirius…is…feeling…" Remus was having a hard time trying not to burst out laughing. "Hermione's…er… feelings."
"Oh…but I don't understand…" Tonks said; then she looked at Sirius's flushed and horrified face and suddenly understood. She started to laugh. "They are snogging! And Sirius can feel Hermione's…er…excitement! Oh, boy! That's so funny!"
"Don't laugh!" Sirius cried angrily. "It's simply horrible! I have to stop this right now!" He stood up.
"Sirius, leave them alone," Remus said.
"No! We…I …need respect in this house!" the old Animagus said. Remus chuckled. "And I forbid you, Remus Lupin, to laugh!"
******
AN: Of course that one kiss won't/can't make the pain go away...