Tattoo

A/N: There is no Second war with Voldmort. Sirius doesn't go to prison. Sirius and Remus raise Harry. Regulus and Snape switch places. Regulus is the potions master and Snape died trying to stop Voldemort.

xXx

Hermione didn't let her hair down often. It wasn't that she didn't know how to have fun, it was just that her definition of fun was different than most people her age. Fun for her was a night in with a good book and warm cup of tea. Unfortunately, most of her friends, muggle or magical did not agree with her. Which was how she now found herself stumbling out of a tattoo shop in Muggle London at eleven o'clock at night the summer before sixth year, wearing a short black party dress and three inch heels.

"Oh, sorry." she muttered to the body she'd collided with.

"It's alright my dear." replied a deep familiar voice. Hermione's head snapped up, eyes wide to find Sirius Black staring right back at her. He squinted at her, looked up over her head and then back at her. "Kitten, if I were a more responsible man, this is where I would say your busted."

"Lucky for me, responsibility is not your forte." she snarked back, immediately regretting it. Sirius seemed to enjoy the snark though, grinning down at her. He leaned forward a bit, sniffing.

"Alcohol, but not much and cigarette smoke, second hand." he said. "You've been out partying. I'm impressed Kitten, I didn't know you had it in you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's my friend's birthday, we were out celebrating."

He looked around. "And where are these friends of yours?"

Hermione refused to meet his eye as she shrugged.

"Kitten?" he pressed.

Hermione huffed, finally looking up at him. "My friends were supposed to do this with me and they freaked out in the middle of mine and ran off. I have no idea where they are."

Sirius guffawed nearly doubling over. "Oh that's rich." he said as he calmed down. "I guess not everyone can be as brave as the Gryffindor Princess."

She rolled her eyes. "Hilarious." she snarked.

He grinned in reply. "Now tell me Princess, what did you get?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because I asked nicely?"

"That was nicely?"

"Not my most charming, I'll admit. How about this? You tell me what you got and I won't tell Harry that I caught you out party with your muggle friends."

Hermione gaped. "That's blackmail." she exclaimed outraged.

Sirius chuckled. "I'm aware." A staring match began, Hermione scowling while Sirius looked all too amused for her tastes. "I'm not going to back down, Kitten, I'm far too good at this. Just ask Remus."

Hermione deflated. "Fine." she took a deep breath. "It's my patronus. An Otter."

"You can produce a corporeal patronus?" Sirius asked surprised. Before she could answer he chuckled and shook his head. "Of course you can."

Hermione looked confused but was cut off from answering by another familiar voice.

"There you are ya bloody wanker, where have you…. Hermione?" Regulus Black stopped short beside his brother, Remus just behind him.

"Professor Black, Professor Lupin." she replied tugging the hem of her dress down a bit. Sirius bit back a laugh at her sudden self consciousness.

"Hermione, what are you doing out here so late, and alone no less?" Remus asked concerned.

Hermione floundered for a moment.

"You can put the mother hen act away Moony, she didn't come out here alone." Sirius answered for her. "She's out with friends, a birthday party right?" he asked her.

Hermione nodded. As if sensing the potential to embarrass her completely, her friends re-appeared around the corner.

"There you are!" one of them exclaimed in a volume only achieved by the truly smashed. Hermione froze a look of dawning horror on her face. Sirius was gleeful again his grin only growing as Hermione cursed under her breath. Remus elbowed him in the side.

Two young girls Hermione's age approached them, both dressed similarly, yet less conservatively than Hermione. Both were at various stages of intoxication.

"My Oh Knee!" one of the girls exaggerated her name. Hermione addressed her as Emmy as she stopped beside her. She was taller than Hermione and wore a fluorescent pink sash that said Birthday Girl in sparkly gold letters. The other girl was about Hermione's height and only slightly less drunk than Emmy.

"Who are your friends?" she asked smiling sweetly at them.

Hermione looked as if she were in physical pain and given her low tolerance for public embarrassment, they had no doubt she was. "I don't think now is the time for introductions. I think I should get you both home to sleep it off. Where did you get alcohol anyway, Darla?"

Emmy brushed her off on behalf of Darla and turned to the three men. "I'm Emmy, it's my birthday." she said, holding out a hand to them. Sirius was the first to take it.

"Sirius and Happy Birthday." he gestured to Remus and Regulus. "This is Remus Lupin and my little brother Regulus Black."

"Hmm, those names sound familiar." Darla replied. Had it been physically possible, Sirius was sure Hermione's head would have lifted off her shoulders and exploded with the pressure build up.

"No they don't. Time to go." Hermione interrupted, shoving both girls in the direction they had appeared. She looked over her shoulder at Sirius, Remus and Regulus as she guided her friends away. "Lovely seeing you, see you at Harry's party." she called out.

The men watched on in amusement as Emmy and Darla babbled drunkenly, oblivious to Hermione's urgency. "I can't believe you went through with it. Your supposed to be the responsible one, Mimi."

"Don't call me that." was the only response they heard as she led them around the corner and out of sight.

When they were gone, Sirius turned to his brother and husband.

"What did she go through with?" Regulus asked confused. Sirius grimaced.

"Sorry Reggie, I'm sworn to secrecy." Sirius replied overtly looking back at the building she'd come out of.

"Are you kidding?" Remus questioned. "Surely not Hermione?"

"Well, she is a Gryffindor after all." Regulus replied as if that simple fact explained everything. Remus seemed to think it did as he shrugged in acceptance.

Bonus Scene

"What's this?" Hermione asked, taking the small white business card that Sirius held out to her. She'd opted out of playing Quidditch and instead was helping Molly set up dinner for Harry's party.

"A friend of mine in Diagon Alley. He's developed enchantments for muggle tattoos. If your interested." he winked, then turned and walked away.