One Last Try [HP Jamione fanfic]

9. I Knew You Were Trouble

A/N: Can't believe we're already at third year! It's so weird to be posting chapters so far back when I'm already three years ahead where I'm writing haha!

30th June 1973

March to June passed in a whirlwind of birthdays and classes, and before she knew it, the school was gathered on the large lawn by the Black Lake for the 7th years' leaving assembly. Hermione sat between an incredibly bored James, and a pissed off Sirius, and even though they were only about 10 minutes into the ceremony she was getting just as pissed off as Sirius.

"What on earth has gotten into you?" She hissed at Sirius when he mumbled angrily under his breath for the fifth time in as many minutes.

When he turned and glared at her she just glared back until he broke and looked away. He ran his hand through his hair agitatedly. "Narcissa." He finally mumbled.

"What about her?" Hermione asked, confused. She turned to look at the beautiful blonde. She was seated with the other leaving 7th years at the front of the assembly facing the rest of Hogwarts.

"I tried, you know?" Sirius muttered, looking back at Hermione through the curtain of his black hair - he'd been growing it out this year and it was nearly at his shoulders now.

Hermione put a soft hand on his knee, which he stared at in silence for a moment, "Tried what, Sirius?"

Sirius shrugged, "Dunno. To stop it."

Hermione frowned, guessing what 'it' probably was, but asking anyway, because it looked like Sirius needed to get this off his chest. "It?"

"Any of it, all of it." He waved a hand vaguely. "She's not as bad as the rest of our family, you know? Her and Andromeda. We got on before I got sorted into Gryffindor." Sirius scowled, watching as Professor Dumbledore spoke to the whole school, and the 7th years listened from behind. "Now she's being sold off like fucking chattel to fucking Malfoy." He sneered. Hermione had seen the invites to the wedding being received by pure-bloods in Slytherin over the last couple of weeks. She'd not been surprised by the swiftness of their marriage following Andromeda's disgrace last year, but it was still a sad commentary on the state of their world.

Hermione didn't say anything, not that there was anything she could have said to make it better, she just grabbed Sirius' hand and squeezed it tightly. He sent her a grateful look, and they sat in silence for the rest of the assembly.

xxx

3rd September 1973

Summer was uneventful, and Hermione revelled in the relaxation and quiet. She knew that life would get a lot more difficult once the war picked up again.

Before she knew it her third year was beginning - again. The morning of their first day of classes dawned bright and early, and she and Lily were the first of their year at the breakfast table. It made for a rather peaceful morning. The newly dubbed Marauders - a name they'd apparently decided on over the summer - were all still in bed.

Dorcas and Alice settled into the seats opposite Lily and Hermione, the latter scanning the table and then turning back to her friends with a frown, "Where are the boys?"

Hermione scoffed, buttering her toast and flicking through the first few pages of her Muggle Studies textbook with disinterest. "Still in bed probably."

Lily rolled her eyes, flipping her long curtain of shiny, red hair back over her shoulders. She somehow managed to make the irritable action look graceful. "They're going to be late for our first classes back!" She exclaimed.