Reaching across time

Chapter 23: I'll wait

The Gryffindor common room was more crowded than usual; the cold November winds having driven most students to snuggle themselves warmly near the blazing fire. A set of seventh year girls were talking and laughing happily amongst themselves but the happiness didn't seem to carry all the way over to the three marauders.

Remus was working quite hard on his essay, trying desperately to match up to his best friends, now that he didn't have to spend his days in the infirmary. James who had just been turned down by Lily again and also had a couple of hexes thrown his way for embarrassing her first thing in the morning was sulking and whining to one highly inattentive Sirius who had his eyes fixed on Hermione, still depressed that she was acting strangely around him.

"Did you consider asking her out padfoot?" Remus asked finally, deciding to use his two love sick best friends as a distraction from the boring essay.

"I yeah I uh thought about it..." Sirius mumbled his eyes still on the brunette.

"Really?! You could have told me! We could ask them together! When is the next hogsmedge trip moony?" James asked instantly perking up, the mornings events already forgotten.

"Two weeks from now mate and you already asked Lily, so maybe Sirius should ask Mione today too. That way she can try to drag lily along and you can go with padfoot and they can leave you two alone and wander away?" Remus suggested with gleaming eyes.

"This is exactly why I think you are absolutely brilliant Moony!" James said thrilled before he nudged Sirius "go ahead and ask her mate!" he said with excitement.

"I don't know prongs" sirius said, a slight frown now marring his handsome face.

"Come on mate, you are her guardian too and I'm positive she knows that too so I'm sure she'll say yes! Ask her!" James said grinning.

"I meant I don't know how" sirius replied quietly.

"You – you don't – padfoot mate are you sick? You have asked out half the school and had all of them say yes too!" James said incredulously.

"Yes prongs, I just don't know how to ask her out" sirius answered, his tone low and unsure.

His mind returned to the time they had spent under the tree and how they had almost kissed. He wished they had. He wished the damned sixth year hadn't shown up then.

James watched Sirius's wistful expression and then glanced over to where Hermione sat and yelled out a loud "Oye Mione!" The brunette turned around with raised eyebrows before putting her things down and walking over when he beckoned.

Sirius however was giving James a murderous glare and Remus was trying hard not to smack the potter heir with his book. Hermione reached them and smiled warmly.

"There better be a good reason why you are making me miss listening to the finer details of Marlene's new wardrobe" she said grinning, secretly thankful for the intervention.

"Happy to be of help but Sirius here has something to say" James said, all traces of his pout gone from his face.

Her eyes flicked to the handsome Marauder and she saw him smile but she could only frown at the effort he was putting into it.

"Sirius?" she asked slightly concerned.

"Not here Mione" he said and when James began to protest she saw Remus kick him hard. She followed sirius to one of the secluded and generally romantic corners of the common room, her stomach sinking as she crossed her friends and noticed that by walking halfway across the room, everyone was curiously staring at the couple.