Look at the Stars

Hermione pretended to go over some papers at her desk between classes. She'd been unable to make eye contact with Sirius for the last few days. Why did I have to do that? Why, Hermione, why?

She'd morphed into a cat in order to be able to pass through the corridors more quietly and inconspicuously, heading to Sirius's room to. . . what, Hermione? What were you going there to do? She'd told herself she needed to talk to him about Harry's safety, but why had she really gone there to begin with? And why did she even know where his room was, anyway?

How she knew--now, that was a simple enough question to answer. Several nights ago, after he'd found her atop the astronomy tower, she'd followed him back down, moving silently in cat form to disguise herself. Get a hold of yourself, Hermione, she thought. You're nothing but a little girl in his eyes, no matter what he says to the contrary.

And yet, there was something in the way he looked at her that gave her a glimmer of hope. I'm like a silly schoolgirl with a crush, she thought. Except this isn't just a crush. . .

She couldn't help feeling compassion for Sirius, after all of the suffering he'd been through. And he had always been a dark, mysterious, attractive character, with his long hair and flying motorbike, and that gleam of mischief in his pensive gray eyes.

But Sirius was much more than that, she'd discovered. He was the most dedicated and self-sacrificing friend she could ever hope to find, as he'd shown her again and again while they worked together at Hogwarts. She knew Sirius, as her friend, would do anything she asked him to do. But I can't ask him to love me like that, she though. I can't ask him to be anything more than my. . . wonderful. . . friend.

She blushed as she thought of how she'd behaved when Sirius picked her up. I licked his face! How horrible is that! If only he'd waited a second, she thought, then I would have been morphed back into myself. But he didn't, she reminded herself, tormented by her conduct, and I took advantage of the situation. . . if he ever found out if was me. . . well, I don't even want to think about that. . .

It would be all to easy, she tried to keep from reminding herself, for him to look up the registry of animagi. After all, she, unlike Sirius himself, had gone by the rules and registered herself, along with a clear description of her cat form.

Hermione was distracted from her musings by the early arrival of a few chattery sixth year Ravenclaw girls. "Who are you going to the Halloween ball with, Versha?" Viola Smith asked the youngest Patil sister.

"I didn't tell you? Matt Weasley asked me earlier today!" Hermione recognized the name of one of Ron's cousins. Versha continued speaking, "But what about you, Vi?"

"Oh, I don't know. . . of course, you know who I'd like to go with!" At this, the two girls burst into a fit of giggles. "Ah, did you see him today in class? He looked so amazingly totally hot as he demonstrated how to repel a memory charm! He had this intense look in his eyes, and his hair kept falling in his face! Oh, my goodness, Versha, I should just ask him anyway, even if he is a teacher!"

The two girls noticed Hermione's attention to their conversation and lowered their voice to unintelligible whispers.

That little twit is NOT taking my Sirius to the ball, Hermione thought, I'll make sure of that. Not that he'd get involved with a student, anyway, but I know Sirius, he might be too polite to refuse.

"Girls!" she said sharply, "Would you please quiet down? Class is about to start!"