The Arrivals , A slow Burn Romance [ Edited Version 2022 ]

Part 10 : Garden Blessings

And so on, they spent the whole summer in a brighter, cleaner, and happier house. At the daytime they train the younger generation, while Lily and Molly promising something Delicious for the dinner everyday. Harry and Ginny became more closer to each other, Hermione finally helped Sirius to quite drinking completely, while their relationship was foggy.
She sometimes make a move forward, like a morning greeting, allowing herself to enter his room while she try to wake him up for breakfast, on the contrary, he was very tangled about his move.
Sometimes, he spent the afternoon with her in the library talking, discussing the books and laughing. The library was Hermione's heaven.. and sometimes he act like she is not exist to avoid any attaching between them.
Let's not forget Ginny seductive advices on the background, which left Sirius sleepless at night just by seeing Hermione accidentally wearing only silk robes and forget to close her door.

Both Gryffindor ladies took a good advantage from the summer sun, a good chance to wear shorts and cropped shirts during the training in the garden. The progress was very visible, as Harry announced his engagement to Ginny in front of everyone. Sirius on the other side started to have a special thing to hermione, not romantic attitude, but some sort of respect, friendship, and an undying gratitude for detaching His mother portrait.
He didn't even allow lunch to start without her presence, if she is late, he drew back gently and go looking for her and asking her why she refuses to eat?
No one noticed anything weird because he sometimes do this to Molly, especially when Kreacher disobey her, he just stop everything and fix the situation for Molly.
but hermione was something else, everyone except his two friends thought the relationship was like Harry or platonically one.
One day, the food was ready, the crave crowd gathered around the table talking and waiting for molly to pour the soup from the cauldron, Sirius noticed his secret love wasn't there. He sneaked quickly out of their sight as the whole people talked at one time, and went upstairs.
"What's wrong pet, why you are not joining us at the table?" Sirius entered her room carefully after knocking. "Are you feeling ill? Do you need something from a muggle pharmacy?"
"No Sirius I'm fine. It's just I am not in the mood of eating." Hermione sometimes took advantage of his attitude when she refuse to join the lunch.
"Hermione Granger, if you won't eat, then neither will I. I am the owner of this house, if I didn't , the people down there will not start the meal without me." he however hold her hands gently and added "and I shall feed Dumbeldore's Army now."
She laughed gently at his flirty words and accepted his hand.
..........................................................................................

August was about to end, and Voldemort's followers were flying all over the skies. The weather became worse--it was rainy and stormy; everyone was hiding inside and closing the windows carefully.
Hermione roamed about in the kitchen making hot chocolate. Sirius went there to have a little talk; he wanted to show her that he cared while avoiding the fact it's war and they may not make it until next month. James, on the other hand, suggested to not cut the bond and be more optimistic.
"Hello there," Sirius stood at the kitchen entrance, relaxing his shoulder on the wall.

"Oh, hi," Hermione answered brightly as she left the cocoa on the table. "Care for some hot chocolate? It's the traditional Italian way."
"Oh, I would be delighted. Anything from you is authentic and well made. You remind me of Molly and Lily, both of them have their ways and just..." he stopped looking for the proper word to describe them, "spread beauty wherever they go."
Hermione could feel her adrenaline rush as Sirius said these words to her.

"So sweet of you. It looks like the dog animagus did wonders to your personality." She mocked him
"I've always been faithful and honest, even if my animagus was a monkey, dear," he smirked while playing with his mustache like an old school playboy.
"No, please don't be a monkey; you are enough in human form," she joked.
He gasped a loud laugh at that comment. She was deeply, madly in love with his wide laugh and bright eyes, and especially his wild nature.