Truth or Dare ✔️

29

Hermione woke alone in her room, her ankle feeling hot again and she groaned. She looked up at the curtains at the windows to see that they were closed. Funny that, she thought to herself; she didn't remember closing the curtains...she sat up and realized that she didn't remember coming to this room that Sirius had offered her months prior. The last thing that she remembered was cuddling up to him and falling asleep in his arms after having entirely too much to drink...Sirius' favorite poison...Ogdens Fire Whisky...the chat that she had engaged in with her former Professor had upset her that much. She could still taste it and she vowed to never touch the stuff again.

Confused, she sat up in her bed and saw that she was donned in his flannel shirt that he had given her and she fingered the collar. Nothing happened and she felt her blood run cold.

She threw back the blankets and saw that her ankle was wrapped up and she panicked. "No! It wasn't all a dream? It couldn't be!"

She hobbled over to the pull-chain to the servant's bell and Sirius was at her door within seconds and he knocked on the door and stuck his head in through the crack. "Ya decent," he joked. She rushed over to him, and throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him and his eyes widened in shock. She felt his hands move to her hips, holding her still as he pulled away gently but quickly, but she continued to lean into him. "Erm, Hermione...I don't think...."

"Then don't think," she whispered through her feathered kisses. "Just kiss me...please..."

He took her hands gently in his and removed them from around his neck and smiled with regret as he shook his head.

She pulled her hands from his quickly. "Oh my god." She turned away from him and covered her face.

He approached from behind. "That must have been some dream, Sunshine," he said quietly.

Still refusing to believe, she looked at her left hand to find it bare with no sign of anything ever having been there. "My ring," she whispered. "Where's my ring!" Her eyes searched the floor.

Sirius moved to sit on the bed and looked at her disheveled state. His brow arched and he looked at her hand. "Ring?"

She turned her head and looked into his eyes. While she saw what looked to be a flirty-fascination and confusion, she saw no longing in his eyes. No love of the marital variety, more like the love an older brother would have for his little sister...a protective kind of love. He had the stance of a man concerned. She sighed and closed her eyes, as she mustered up the courage to look into his eyes again. "At the risk of being turned into a brandy snifter, I pray that you accept my most sincerest apologies. I am so embarrassed. You've no idea."

"Hermione," he began gently, "it's alright. You can't very well help what you dream, can you?"

"I suppose not," she replied meekly.

"So we were married in your dream?" He grinned and nodded.

"Handfasted, actually."

"I see. Not lawful. No doubt because the difference in our ages? Still, the family would have to acknowledge our union." He grinned and nodded. "That would certainly royally piss off some people." He finally laughed at the thought of it. His eyes met hers and he saw only more embarrassment and pain and he ceased laughing instantly. "Please understand, I'm not laughing at you. It's merely the look on old Lucius Malfoy's face when he realized that he'd have to deal with the likes of you!"

"You call him Lucy."

Suddenly, his face lost all expression. "That's right, I do. I can't stand that guy. Never could."