Truth or Dare ✔️

AE - 16

Hermione zoomed past Sirius and ran into the kitchen. "Peter, I need a tea service for seven...please hurry, it's an emergency!"

He nodded toward the front and of the house. "If I many, Misses, those people? Who are they?"

"My parents," she whispered as she clutched onto his arm, there was absolutely no color in her face. "Please hurry?"

He sat her down before she fell down and met eyes with Harry, that he should fetch Sirius, immediately. Harry nodded and tore through the house, grabbing Sirius before he walked into the parlor.

"Sirius, wait!"

"Not now, Harry," he said.

"It's Hermione," he said loud enough that her parents as well as Dumbledore and Remus would hear. The Grangers shared worried glances and Misses Granger got to her feet quick and Doctor Granger followed suit. She held out her hand and pleaded with her eyes that he should stay put. Taking a deep breath, she approached Sirius and touched his arm. He whipped around and stared hard into her eyes. "What's wrong with 'Mione," she asked quietly. Sirius looked deep into her eyes and saw that she was just as frightened as her daughter probably was.

Sirius took a deep breath and his eyes softened. "She's terrified," he said as he motioned with his head for her to follow him. "She's this way, somewhere."

"In the kitchen," Harry said quickly.

Sirius nodded and smiled at Harry. "Thanks, mate..."

Sirius led her through the house and finally, she saw Hermione being tended to by a tiny elf and one of the maids as well as an older man who she assumed was the Butler by the way he was dressed. Hermione looked up, still hyperventilating through her tears, but she managed to hold out her arms and Misses Granger had no choice but to go her daughter.

"M..m..mmmuuuummeeee...."

Sirius closed his eyes as he stood by his wife, awaiting their fate.

"I'm here Darling, don't fret so...look at your pretty face! It's all red like that tomato!" She pointed.

"Please don't make me leave Sirius! Mum! God! Please!"

Her mother looked up into her eyes as she rooted through her handbag for a tissue and once she found her little pack, she withdrew one and dabbed at Hermione's eyes. "We have no intention of taking you from your husband."

Hearing those words come from the woman's mouth, did Sirius finally breathe...he wasn't aware that he'd been holding his breath and his eyes closed, spilling tears that he didn't know were there. He crouched down beside Hermione and put his arms around her waist; she turned to him and practically smothered his face between her sweaty breasts, having pulled her to him so tightly.

Misses Granger, still crouched down next to her daughter, waited patiently.

The words of Dumbledore still rang in her ears..."Sirius is a nobleman and a natural warrior and while he may chronologically be thirty-six, due to his incarceration and no human contact for over a decade, with the exception of his guard, he is still around twenty or so. He relies on her to keep him on an even keel. I've seen him on his own...he flounders without her...it's not pretty. The resistance needs him...and he needs her. I beseech you...let her remain with him...for the Greater Good...of all mankind...Please..."

"Mum," Hermione said. "What about Daddy! Does he hate us? Me? Sirius? Both of us....?"

She shook her head. "No Darling, he doesn't. He is still trying to wrap his head around all of it. We were not aware that you were on the front lines of a Wizards' War...and we are both quite terrified for you and all of your friends!"