During every young girl's life comes a time where they experience the most dreaded initiation to their womanhood. And there would come a special day that this would eventually happen to her as well. It was a part of life's natural process.
The brown bushy haired girl knew this.
She has read books and endured the most awkward talk with her mother, one that she swore she would never let herself sit through again, as her dearest mother had personally ensured that she would be drilled with every single detailed information she could provide to prepare her for this moment.
But somehow all her mother's words and carefully stocked knowledge were plunge right through out her ears as she stared at the blood staining her knickers.
She screamed.
Right below her room was her gallant knight, preparing an afternoon snack who jolted in alarm as he heard his fair lady's call of distress. He took off covering the long flight of stair in a very impressive amount of short time, to run more faster than he has ever run before to her side. Harry entered her room and knocked banging the bathroom door.
"What's happening, Hermione?!"
The girl blushed and immediately blocked him from her subconcious thoughts thinking of the most ridiculously complicated arithmetic problems she could form in her head. The very last thing she wanted was for him to know what was happening with her.
"Open the door. Please, Hermione."
Harry all but begged imagining all kinds of dreadful scenarios that could possibly be happening to his friend. Did she slipped? Did she break her legs? Is she wounded? The thought of Hermione splattered all bloody on the cold shower floor drove the boy to pound harder at the door.
"I'M FINE, HARRY! GO AWAY!"
The girl yelled in her embarrassment. She was in a bloody situation alright, just not in the way he was thinking.
"What bloody situation?! Let me in, Hermione."
Harry couldn't follow her friend's line of thoughts as he had been preoccupied overthinking of what could possibly wrong with his usual energetic friend. He had overworked himself worrying about his friend's condition in these past few days where she had been feeling extra sluggish, torturing himself with thoughts that she may have caught some incurable disease. He couldn't understand all the incoherent thoughts that was ranning through her present mind. What he did understand was that Hermione needed him right now.
"I'm coming in, Her-"
"NO! DON'T COME INSIDE. I'm fine! I don't need you."
The girl winced as she realize what her words may have sounded to him. Though she did not have the courage to clear this one misunderstanding. Fortunately for her, the young boy decided not to listen to anymore of his friend's nonsensical protests and focus more on helping her right now.
Her eyes grew wider in panic as she saw the idea passing through his mind.
"Alohomora."
He chanted and door's lock magically flickered open. Before she could even think, the girl threw herself torwards the door just as the boy could hold it more open. Now, the two found themselves engaged in a rousing game of door ramming.
"Stop being stubborn and- LET. THE. DOOR. GO. HARRY!"
"Not until you tell me what's wrong!"
She could feel her energy slowly waning especially now with her present condition. She was in no shape to be doing anything that required physically exhertion. As much as she trusted Harry with her secrets and appreciated her friend's concerns, some matters were just best to be kept private.
She was running through only pure adrenaline right now and her sheer determination to preserve the ounce of privacy she has left in her life.
"I can't tell you!"
Seeing her resolve, Harry stepped back letting the door fall shut, wishing not to tire his friend anymore than she already was. He laid his head down leaning on the door for support, hoping she would heed some reason in his words.
"Hermione.....I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong. Please. I've been worried sick about you this past few days. And now.....your'e scaring me, Hermione.......Let me help you." He heard her muffled whisper.
"Its embarrassing." He sighed.
"We promise that we would take care of each other. Didn't we? Your my best friend Hermione."
"Your mine too." She answered. He continued.
"And as much as you want to deny it, I am technically your husband. Our magic are bound to each other. And that's never going to change."
She blushed. She can't believe he would bring that up. He knew how she felt about their supposed magical marriage especially with his godfather and his mates constantly teasing her about it. They were both still young. She still didn't know what to make of the new emerging feelings of hers when she's with him.
"We'll figure it out together. So open the door, Wife." He said to amuse her.
Her eyes swelled with tears as she felt her control waning over her thoughts. Stupid hormones. She hated being a girl. It was hard enough to stay irritated when he was only worried about her but it was simply impossible when he was being sweet again like this.
With her thoughts now open to his mind, Harry could finally see what the problem was and left the room. She wanted to scream. She shouldn't have let him read her mind. He probably went away disgu-
She heard a knock and slowly she held the door open just enough for her to peek outside. The room was empty. No one was there. There was, however, a clean change of clothes left on top of her bed and her emergency pack. He had left it for her. The young girl didn't know whether to be mortified that he had known she kept this in her school bag or to wallow in her humiliation that she needed a boy to help her through this.
This was Harry she was talking about. She knew that this gesture was done completely out of sincere concern. She grabbed the things and cleaned herself up in the shower.
She was a mess.
"Hermione, can I come in?"
The girl did not need to speak up as she knows he could read her mind. She was curled on her bed, wrapping the covers tighter to herself to bundle herself up with her humiliation and over the fence emotions.
"I called Cristine. She said that she was on her way and to keep calm though I could say the same thing to her." He chuckled. "Here. I heard that the tea helps ease the pain."
"Thank you." She blushed reaching out for the warm mug.
"Can I get you anything else?" He offered. She shook her head.
Harry felt jittery as she continued to look at him as if she had been expecting him to do something. Her mind gave away no clue so he gave her a questioning look.
"Aren't you disgusted?"
"Why would I be?" Harry looked appalled at the thought of her being anything close to revolting to him. "This is only natural for you. Right? And its not as if you could label me completely ignorant with regards to this particular matter, Hermione. We took health class together. Remember?"
She blushed giving her some color over her paleness due to her condition, and giggled at the memory of all the other boys in their class who turned into various shades of red and green at the mention of the words babies and ovulation.
"I remember." Harry chuckled at the memory as well.
"Ivan looked like he was ready to pass out if he stayed one more minute inside the room. He didn't let any girl near him for a week."
Their laughter subsided into comfotable silence. As Hermione took small sips from her mug, Harry laid across the bed to rest where she sat. He could feel her stares burning through his face like she was waiting for him to leave panicking.
"I'm not going to leave." He peeked at her lifting one eyes open. "Unless you want me too?"
She shook her head and let her hand wonder through his soft tresses. He hummed in content.
"Your'e really not bothered by it." She said rather incredulously.
"Nope. Not at all."
Harry felt something wet drop on his cheek and sat up alarmed seeing his friend cry. He took the mug from her hands, placing it on the table beside her bed, then wrapped her in his arms.
"Shhh. Don't cry, Hermione. It hurts me to see you cry." He whispered as she let herself find solace in his arms.
"Sorry. Its just these stupid hormones." She laughed while stifling her cries. He must think she was crazy.
"Hey. I don't think your crazy."
She smiled in consolation. Though he could hardly make a convincing rebut with all the things that happened this past few days. Unfinished homeworks. Chewed up pen caps. Broken plates. Skipped chores. She may or may have been also more violent during her daily banters with Harry's friend, Ivan.
"Blimey! Hermione, maybe you are a bit loose in the screw."
He chuckled. She hid her face in her hands having no energy to smack some sense into him. He pulled her closer to his chest and leaned down to whisper in her ear. She blushed.
"Don't worry I think I maybe loose in the screw for you too."
(*'*)
It was another grueling day in the Ministry, arguing with those stupid egotistical patriarchal chartalans. Amelia Bones had enough trying to reason with old crummy buffoons who sat in their high chairs, pretending as if they actually gave a damn about anything other than shinning their gold plated plaques.
All she wanted to do now was to relax and come home to her sweet precious neice, her dearest Susan. She was the last living remnant of her deceased brother, Edgar.
Edgar was a good wizard, a great man and most of all the best older brother a person could hope for. She was mad and absolutely furious learning about his death in the first wizarding war. She warned him that he would be coming for him. He Who Must Not Be Named had already gotten to the other members of the Order. But the man was stubborn as a mule and noble as a knight. He sacrificed himself along with all the other members of their family, leaving her with nothing but his only daughter left to live.
She shook her head deciding to live the past in the past and floo from her office to her estate.
"Goodevening, Madam Bones."
Her head whipped foreward to meet the face of a man she did not expect to see within the bounderies of the wizarding community much less inside her house.
"Correct me if I am wrong, Lord Black. The last time I checked tresspassing through house wards was illegal. Though I highly doubt I'd be mistaken. After all, it is in line with my job."
Sirius chuckled, finding amusement in the woman's round about threats. It reminded him of one certainly adorable and fierce little witch he left with his godson in the muggle world.
"Only a fool would wish to aggravate the head of Department of Magic Law Enforcement. I can see how my presence may have caused you distress, Madam. For that, I offer my greatest apology. But in my defense, I did not floo my way here." She arched one brow gesturing to explain, which had the old prankster replying with a cheeky grin.
"I came through the front door "
Amelia could not believe the boldness of this man. She could not tell whether he was simply a loquacious wayward fool or a natural flirt. For Merlin's sake, she was his senior for eight years. She was certainly not in the age nor in the position to be swayed by a younger man's charms.
"And I suppose you expect me to believe you?" She asking keeping her nonchalant facade.
"Yes. In fact, a little young lady of your was the one who welcomed me inside."
He answered in brief as if his short reply would give an explanation for his sudden mysterious appearance inside her house. She frowned realizing just then the implication of his words.
"Aunt Mel?"
A strawberry blonde girl entered the room. She came bearing a trey of treats and drinks. The woman's brows rose in suprise at the sight of her little niece wearing a silver hairpin on her hair and a dress she had not seen on her before till today. It was the birthday present she gave to her last year. The girl refused to wear it saying it was too much for a casual day anywhere.
Amelia knew her neice well. Susan has always been the one who prefers to keep modesty in her appearance. Though she was no stranger to dolling up like all other girls in her age when the occasion arises, and the head of DMLE has no doubt what that special occasion or more like special encounter was.
"Hello again, Lord Black"
The little girl blushed as the man replied uttering her name. His divine smile sent the little girl almost melting to her knees.
"Hello, dear Susan."
The woman's brows rose higher as she witness her niece react through their short exchange, but otherwise kept silent.
"I brought you some tea and cookies" Susan gushed.
"How thoughtful of you. Thank you, dear." He smiled.
"Susan, go to you room. Lord Black and I have business to discuss."
"O-okay."
The little girl said hesistant, longing to spend more time with the mysterious handsome visitor in her house, looking back to admire him with one last glance. She was caught. He winked.
"She's a lovely girl."
Sirius chuckled as the said girl withdrew from the room blushing red.
"She is. Now, what is it that you need from me, Lord Black?"
He turned to meet her face to face as she continued to stand in the middle of the sitting room, where he sat on the maroon leathered chair as comfortable as he could be. This woman was in no mood to play around. He frowned dissappointed but gave her a charming smile nonetheless.
"I came here to express my gratitude for standing in as one of the three jury from the Ministry and allowing me a fair trial when all others did not. My sincerest gratitude to you, Madam."
He saw the woman arched again one of het impressively drawn brows and kept an impassive face looking right into us as if she was daring him to do something stupid.
"I was merely doing my job. You can't expect me to believe that, that is all you came here for, Lord Black. Is there anything else?"
She did not beat around the bush and a woman of strict authority. Sirius smiled. She would do good for the Ministry.
"I am looking for a friend."
Sirius answered rather vaguely she might add. Did she look like some kind of map? He stared at her as if he was expecting her to give him what he wants.
"That is not my department's specialty, Lord Black. I am at lost as to why you came to me for assistance." She replied frankly.
He prolonged the silence. The man smirked feeling the woman jitter under her iron clad exterior.
"You see. He has a rather furry little problem."