Disclaimer: Sirius and Harry aren't mine.

Warning: Slash hints. Major age difference. This is actually pre-slash. It will be slash later on. Right now it's the very barest hints.

Dedication: For someone who knows who she is, definitely. I said I'd write a Harry/Sirius, and here it is. Though there's only pre-slash here. I don't like rushing things.

Author's Note: Takes place in Harry's sixth year. Wow! For the first time, it's a Harry/Sirius story that *does not* go on the basis that Sirius and James were once lovers. Sirius and James were never together. Sirius had a brief fling with Remus seventh year, but that's his only relationship out of the mauraders. I just feel like being different!

A lot of people are dead in this. They don't die, I just make reference to them being dead.

Compromising Conditions

Sirius was having a very small, highly centered panic attack. He was still getting used to being a free man. He had acquired himself a very small apartment, and was even working. And now, Harry was coming to stay with him. Permanently. All the legal work had been taken care of. Now he was just fixing up the small things. He had fixed up Harry's room as best as he could, but he really didn't know what to do. And his godson was going to be there any minute.

//I'm going to mess up.// Sirius sat on his couch, raking his hands though his long black hair. It had grown out after it's initial clipping, full and glossy. //I don't know anything about teenagers!// He had been so excited about this. he had been waiting for the day his name was cleared and he could take responsibility for Harry like he had wanted to. And now...

//What am I doing? Calm down, calm down. It's only for the summer. It's not that big a deal.// But it was. This was something Sirius wanted to get right. So much had gone wrong these past years...//Don't think about it. Don't think about *them*.// He had lost too many people he cared about. James, Lily, Professor McGonagall, Peter...yes, even Peter. No matter what anyone said, Sirius had seen what happened. Peter had given his life freely, and-in his opinion-had died a forgiven man.

//I'm going to screw this up, I know I am!// He was known for screwing things up. He had screwed things up in school, he had screwed up things after school, and if he hadn't been so brain dead from Azkaban he probably would have screwed that up too. //It's my fault so much of this happened...and now I'm going to be responsible for Harry. Look what happened last time I was responsible for anyone. I can't do, this, I can't...//

His mental rant was interrupted by a knock on the door. Sirius' head jerked up. He stood, straitening his dark blue shirt. That had to be Harry. He was due to arrive. The Weasley's were bringing him. He had been spending a few days with them, while Sirius finished getting everything ready. And getting used to the idea of having Harry living with him.

He opened the door, nervous and trying hard not to shake. Harry was standing there. Alone. Well, Sirius had met with Arthur and Molly Weasley before hand, assuring them he was fully capable of taking care of Harry. He didn't know what to say. Harry looked pretty much the same, a smaller, slimmer version of James at that age.

"Hi." Harry said, looking as nervous as Sirius felt.

"Uh...come in." Sirius said, moving out of the way. Harry nodded, stepping into the apartment. He had a small suitcase, and his owl in her cage. Sirius bent down, picking up the cage. "I'll get this for you."

"Oh, thanks." Harry gave a little smile. "I like your place."

"Well, it's just until I get a better job." Sirius said. He had done a few odd jobs for Dumbledore, and there was word of a ministry job for him. He was basically living off of whatever he had left in his account. "Which should be soon."

"That's good. Not that this is bad!" Harry was quick to reassure. "This is...great." And Sirius was pretty sure Harry meant it.

"Well, let me show you your room." Sirius led the way, through the small kitchen, to the living room and off to one of the two bedrooms. "I did what I could with it, I hope it's okay..."

"It's perfect!" Harry exclaimed, as soon as Sirius had opened the door. He had done it up in Gryffindor colors, red and gold. The bed sheets were red, as were the pillows. There was a desk, a closet, a bureau and a large trunk. A few various Quidditch posters adorned the walls. "Thank you!"

"Hey, no problem." Sirius shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. His discomfort only increased when Harry suddenly lung himself at him, wrapping his arms around his godfather in tight hug.

"Thank you."

It sounded like Harry was crying. Sirius returned the hug, kneeling as he felt Harry start to collapse into him to hold his godson as close as he could. He felt Harry rest his head against his shoulder, and he felt the hot dampness of tears soaking through his shirt. He let Harry cry on him, just holding him and rubbing his back in hope of comforting him.

"I'm sorry." Harry said, pulling away and wiping at the tears on his face.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." Sirius said, resting his hands on Harry's shoulders. "You've been through a lot. It's okay to let it out. I know I've cried a few times these past few months."

"Really?" Harry sniffled, eyes wide behind his glasses.

"Oh yeah." Sirius nodded, brushing at the tears that were still trickling from Harry's eyes. His lower lip was quivering, but it was clear he was trying to be brave. "Come on, let's get you settled, huh?"

Harry nodded, standing with the help of Sirius. He put his suitcase down on the bed, and began putting away the few things he had. Sirius couldn't help but flinch when he remembered the stories he'd heard of how the Dursley's had treated Harry. He swore to himself that he was going to do whatever he could to make up for that.

"There." It had only taken maybe ten minutes for Harry to put his things away. Sirius nodded.

"You hungry at all?"

"Yeah!"

Sirius grinned, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder to steer him out to the kitchen. He had stocked up on food, not really sure what Harry liked. So he had just sort of gotten a bit of everything. It wasn't as if Harry was a vegetarian or had special dietary needs.

Lunch was a fumbled, cautious affair. Both parties were very careful with what to say or do. Sirius didn't want to upset Harry, or say the wrong thing. He didn't know anything about teenagers.

"I can't thank you enough, really." Harry said, after they had eaten.

"Harry, please." Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "You don't have to thank me."

"But...you're doing all this for me..." Harry looked up with wide eyes.

"I'm doing it because I care about you Harry." Sirius put a hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing. "Always remember that."

"I will." Harry placed his hand over Sirius, and squeezed. "I...I love you Sirius."

Sirius just nodded, and pulled Harry into a fierce hug. It seemed that all they'd been ding was hugging and getting teary eyed. SIrius buried his face in Harry's hair, stifling a sob that threatened him.

"Come on." Sirius pulled away, slightly surprised when Harry kissed him on the cheek. It was brief and chaste, but it was still unexpected. Harry's lips were warm and dry against his skin, and it was actually an odd sensation. Sirius realized no one had kissed him-in any manner-since before Azkaban.

"Let's play cards." Sirius said, ruffling Harry's hair. This was going to take some getting used to...

~~~~~

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