Let the Rain Come

I was lying in bed, thinking, when my dog senses picked up a female voice singing softly in the common room. I got out of bed wide awake, and pulled a t-shirt and jeans on. I trotted down the stairs softly, making close to no noise. In the common room, I paused. She was sitting in an over-stuffed chair, curly brown hair in a loose ponytail, singing quietly and thinking. I sat down cautiously on the chair's arm. She looked up at me with honey brown eyes.

"Hi," I said gently.

She just looked at me, her eyes speaking for her. Why are you here? I don't want to talk to you. You're the one who told me you loved me, then was found cheating on me with Chrissa Hunter, they said.

The hurt and pain I know she must have felt spread throughout my body, numbing every part of it. I forced myself to speak softly again, "I know you don't want to talk to me right now, but I have to explain myself to you."

She still didn't say anything. Her normally warm eyes were cold.

"I'm so, so sorry. I never ever meant to do it. I was drunk. She got me to drink. She knew you were already mad at me for being such a jerk, and she lured me into drinking. She told me that if I got drunk, the pain would go away. After she did that, she kissed me. I didn't realize what I was doing. I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry."

To my surprise, she opened her mouth. "I believe you, Sirius. Lily told me that you were. She said she saw your eyes. I didn't even notice. I'm sorry also."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I grinned.

I slid down onto the chair with her, gently lifting her up and putting her back in my lap. I wrapped my arms around her and buried my head in her curly hair. She murmured, "Siri, I have to tell you something. It's important. Can you get the cloak from James? We'll go to the Room of Requirement."

"Yes, I can. I'll be right back," I replied, surprised that she would want to sneak out. I lifted her off me gently and ran up to my dorm.

When I came back, she was still where I had left her, lost in thought. I held up the cloak. She smiled. "Let's go."

I threw it over the two of us and crouched down so that the cloak wouldn't rise up and show our feet because of my height. At the Room of Requirement, I watched her pace past the blank wall three times.

When the door appeared, I opened it and let her past. She brushed against me softly, and I shivered. Inside was a red and gold room, the exact colors of Gryffindor. There was a couch, a few squishy chairs, a bed, and a couple of huge bookcases. My voice was hoarse when I asked, "Where is this?"

She smiled softly and sat down on the couch. "It's my room at home," she said. I sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"It's beautiful. Just like you," I told her and kissed her forehead.

She snuggled against my chest. "Now, I'm going to tell you something. I don't want any interruptions, as it will be hard enough to tell you. Agreed?"

I nodded my head furiously.

"Good," she sighed. "First of all, I'm not seventeen. I am twenty years old. I'm from the future. I was talking to my best friend when all of a sudden I found myself here. I don't know how I got here, so don't ask. I know you in the future. I cannot tell you anything about your life, but I do know you. I know Dumbledore also. He was actually my Headmaster when I went to Hogwarts. He's sending me back tomorrow morning. So I just thought I'd tell you." She fell silent.

I just looked at her, not saying anything for a few moments. Then I asked softly, "You're leaving tomorrow?"

She nodded her head and smiled sadly. "Yes, I am, but you see, Sirius, if I don't go back the future would be different. And that's not such a good thing. Don't worry; you'll see me in the future. I'll always be there."

"When will I meet you?"

"You'll meet me in my third year of Hogwarts, when I'm thirteen. Dumbledore also told me to warn you not to say anything as I won't have traveled here yet," she explained.

I sighed, and kissed her neck tenderly. "You shouldn't leave."

"I have to get back to my friends. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you," I said quickly.

"Then let me go," she said, her voice fading.

Sirius Black woke up from his recurring dream. He was always having that dream, those flashes back to his past. He loved them, but he hated them also. They let him be with the one he loved, but they only made the pain worse.

He turned over in his bed, looking at the clock. It was almost ten o'clock. He groaned and rolled off the bed, landing on his feet. He pulled a pair of jeans on and went downstairs shirtless.

Hermione Granger was sitting at a table in the kitchen, her eyes lost in thought. Ever since Ron had died, that happened a lot. Harry and Ginny were sitting across from her, holding hands under the table and talking. Sirius put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

She jumped and turned around, but relaxed when she saw who it was. "'Morning, Sirius."

""Morning," he replied. Both Harry and Ginny got up and left, muttering under their breath about showers. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked after they retreated through the door.

"About what?" she questioned him.

He laughed. "Don't do that, Hermione. I've known you for seven years. You sure you don't want to talk about it?"

She nodded. "Thanks, Sirius, but I'll be fine."

He nodded back. "If you say so." The two had grown to be best friends over the past few years. Harry and Ginny had each other after the war ended, but Hermione had had no one until Sirius told her he was always there for her.

She thought, I wonder if Sirius went through what I've been through when he lost James.

And with that thought, she was gone. Sirius looked around for a moment, but remembered something. I was talking to my best friend when all of a sudden I found myself here.

Sirius called Harry and Ginny back into the kitchen. They appeared, and Sirius said, "I have something to tell you. Don't panic..."