Hello! Here it is, another chapter!

Hermione took a seat next to Sirius at a large green table as Tonks took her own by Remus on the other side.

Spread out in various colourful bowls and platters was salad, lasagna, and veggies.

"Lasagna?" Hermione asked placing a piece on her plate, "I didn't think wizards around here knew of this dish."

Taking a large slice for herself Tonks replied, "My father used to travel a lot, and because he was muggle he used to cook a lot of the dishes he liked from his travels before he met mum. This was one of his favourites."

Taking a bite of his Sirius exclaimed, "Gods, this is good. You had me worried with the strange colours coming from those pots when I first got here."

"You though that was my cooking?" She laughed loudly throwing her head back. "I was dying fabric. I like to make my own clothes every once in a while, and I like to colour the fabric myself on occasion. Those were my dye pots!"

Sirius and Hermione took their turn to laugh as well.

With a flick of his wand Remus poured a glass of wine for everyone and stood to raised his own.

"I'd like to propose a toast," He smiled to his friends and wife, "Life has been wonderful, but without you around it was always a shade dimmer." He nodded his head towards Sirius. "To new beginnings and old friends."

"And to Hermione, to whom I owe my return!" Sirius added with a grateful smile.

Hermione smiled and blushed as she joined everyone when they raised their glasses.

"Thank you Sirius, and thank you Remus and Tonks for this amazing dinner!" She placed another full fork into her mouth. "Mmmmmmmmmmm!" She closed her eyes enjoying the flavourful food.

"It was nothing," Tonks replied. "I might not be the most coordinated person but I do know my way around the kitchen." she laughed.

"So where is Teddy?" Hermione asked, "I haven't seen him at all tonight."

"He's at a friends house for the night." Remus answered just as they heard a noise from the floo.

A dust covered young man flew down the hallway towards the rooms at the back of the house. "I'm home quick! I forgot my bat, we're playing quidditch tomorrow and I completely forgot it!"

"How did you manage to forget quidditch?" Remus laughed as the boy came back to the kitchen bat in hand.

"I forgot to pack till right before I left." Teddy said sheepishly rubbing his hand through his hair as it turned pink. "With mum yelling about clean underwear and my friends standing right there I just wanted to leave!"

"Well maybe it's a good thing you came back, Ted you haven't properly met your Uncle Sirius yet." Remus motion towards Sirius.

"Hi." Sirius waved. "It's nice to meet you. You were a guilty twinkle in your dad's eye last time I was around."

Ted looked over at Sirius and his hair changed instantly to match Sirius's own shaggy hair, "Hello! Um, Uncle Sirius. I've heard so many stories about you. Guilty twinkle?" He looked over at his dad, his hair switching to a messy mixture of colours.

"That's a story for some other time." Remus coughed a little. "You should probably get back to your friends."

"Oh right! Bye everyone!" Ted ran back to the floo and left.

"I can see he takes after his mother." Sirius chuckled.

"Yes, Teddy has my charms." Tonks laughed. "When he's not paying attention it really gets away from him. Especially when he's confused." She laughed again. "His hair is almost like a muggle mood ring.'

"Not unlike your own." Remus tugged a lock of his wife's hair.

"How have you been doing since the big breakthrough?" Tonks asked Hermione.

"It was relatively quiet first few days, but earlier today I had at least a dozen owls about interviews. I heard from a coworker that people were trying to walk right into the department like they owned the place. They had to increase security at the entrance because of all the people trying to sneak in" Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "It was not something I was unprepared for, I had already informed security of this possibility. I'm just glad I wasn't there today, I return to work tomorrow."

"I never really thought about that before," Sirius admitted putting his fork down. "I was so focused on how to restart my life I didn't even stop to think about what this meant for you and your own life." A look of guilt crossed his face and his shoulders slumped.

"Sirius, it's ok." Hermione placed her hand on his arm. "I knew this would happen if I were to become successful in my project. You have nothing to feel guilty about, besides, it's nothing I haven't already been though. I"m sure this will pass much quicker though." She smiled at him reassuringly.

Later on after dinner was finished and dessert was all cleared up Hermione and Sirius were both saying their good byes to Remus and Tonks.

"Thanks for the amazing dinner." Hermione said hugging Tonks.

"It was nothing." Tonks replied. "We should do it more often, that was really fun!"

"It was," Remus agreed. "We'll have to do it again soon."

"I can't argue with that." Sirius said patting his stomach with a sigh. "I will never doubt your cooking skills again." He nodded towards his cousin.

Hermione and Sirius started walking down the path in front of the house to apparate home instead of taking the floo.

"It's still rather early Hermione, would you like to go for a walk?" Sirius suggested.

"Alright. That sounds wonderful, did you have any place in mind.?" She turned to look at him while she walked.

"There is this nice park by Grimmauld place, here I'll take us straight there." He reached out his arm for hers.

"Alright." She hooked her arm in his, smiling at the gentlemanly gesture.

With a quick pop they were surrounded by trees and quite close to a little pond. The frogs chirped as a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees that sheltered them. The moonlight providing just enough light to see through the darkness.

"It's the only place where people wouldn't see us randomly appear." Sirius said looking into her eyes. "Can't have the ministry after us for a simple walk in the park."

"It's ok," Hermione answered leaning into his arm. "It very dark in here, it's such a beautiful spot though." Hoping he wouldn't see the blush on her cheeks as various scenes flew through her mind from their romantic location.

"Shall we move along the path?" Sirius suggested not wanting to leave, but also not wanting to make Hermione feel uncomfortable.

"Sure." She looked around her to see the rest of the park.

They walked along the various paths arm in arm talking about their different child hoods, their different experiences at Hogwarts, the friends they've made and how they've changed.

They came upon a swing set and Sirius pulled her over. "Lets swing!" He said loudly, "I haven't been on one of these since I was a kid." He practically bounced with excitement.

"Ok," Hermione laughed taking a seat in the swing next to his.

"Mother didn't let me come here, I always had to sneak." He said as he leaned back hanging onto the chains, "She didn't approve of consorting with muggles."
Hermione listened slowly swinging beside him as he spoke.

"I was so happy when I arrived at Hogwarts. I was finally around people who proved it didn't matter if you were muggle-born, pure-blood or half-blood. Magic was something that connected us all and it was everything to me. I also hated it though," He paused. "it still connected me to my family and all the traditions I hated. The Slytherins would try to do horrible things to me all the time, it was pretty tough until I met James, Remus and Peter. Even then, I still didn't feel like I belonged, not just cause I was the only Gryffindor in my family. Not because I was rejected by my family, well I rejected them, for what I believed. I just didn't feel normal."

He stopped his lazy swinging and turned towards Hermione. "Ever since I've returned, I don't feel that way anymore. You've renewed something in me, or replaced. I'm not quite sure, but I feel like I've found my place in the Wizarding world again. As what, I don't know, but I finally feel like I can find my way."

"Maybe fate had plans for you," Hermione said, also stopping her swinging. "I don't believe in divination or all that drivel, but I still believe there are paths in time that we do not understand. Maybe you're path was always meant for here."

Sirius reached out and took her hand looking into her eyes once again, "I think my path was meant to be with you."

"Sirius," Hermione said unsure of what to say.

"Don't mistake me Hermione, I'm not trying to start something. Not that I wouldn't mind, but seeing as I've just returned. I want you to know how I feel, I also don't want to cause controversy with your job. You are technically working with me, on me? Is on me right? Either or, it's ministry stuff. I'll be eternally grateful that you've saved me, but that is not why I feel this way."

Rising up from his swing seat Sirius moved to stand in front of Hermione on her swing.

Hermione blushed as she looked up at him.

"Sirius, I'm not sure what to say. I would be lying if I said I don't want to be with you. But with everything that's going on, what if it is just the excitement?" She looked away towards the ground. "I'm glad you're back, maybe more then I should be at this point, but eventually things will calm down and your feelings might change."

"Then we'll wait till they calm down," He kneeled in front of her, he reached up to tilt her chin to look at him. "I know how I feel, and I know I can wait till things are more appropriate. I've always been a man who lived for the now, but this whole ordeal has changed me. It's only been a few days, but I feel like it's been years, I've learned so much about myself. I'll wait for you. "He smiled.

She tilted her head as she looked at him, thinking of what he said. His eyes were sincere as he kneeled in the sand before her holding her hands. The moonlight added a soft glow to everything around them. Hermione decided it couldn't hurt to wait. She'd try not to be upset if it really was because she saved him, but he was so sure, she found it hard not to believe him and say screw waiting I want you now.

Sirius watched Hermione as she looked at him, he could see the wheels turning in her head. She looked lovely as the moonlight shone in her hair, her eyes bright with it's reflection.

"Well I guess we should get you home, first day back in the office tomorrow. Wouldn't want you to be late." He stood tugging her up from the swing seat.

"I'll see you tomorrow after work then?" She asked hopefully.

"Of course," he smiled, "I'd apparate you home, but I don't know where you live." He laughed.

Hermione jumped forward and took him in her arms, just as suddenly the were standing in her living room.

"If you ever need me, I'm almost always here." She smiled as she took a step back from him.

"Well that solves that then, Miss Granger I bid you good night." He said with an exaggerated bow.

Laughing Hermione said "Goodnight Mr. Black."

Taking her in his arms Sirius gave Hermione a long hug and a soft kiss on the forehead before he disappeared home.

Words? Chapters! Plot development! I really hope so. I feel so bad for having so much time between chapters. Things haven't been easy the past few months and it's really hard to write when you're worried about various things.

I'd like to thank all the new people who added this story to their favourites and started following it! I'm still here!