the_debt_of_time

"Dumbledore has forbidden them from writing Harry. I don't know why, but the
old man doesn't want him knowing anything that's going on. I didn't mean to snoop, but
she had a whole letter written out, tucked in her book there. Told Harry she was sorry for
not writing him sooner, asked if his aunt and uncle were feeding him," Sirius growled, "and
treating him well. What the hell is Albus playing at, Moony? I've always trusted the man,
same as you and James, but Mia never did, and now I'm starting to really wonder why."
Remus frowned and sat down in the chair behind Sirius, looking across the room
at Hermione, who continued to sleep, ignorant of the stressful conversation taking place
around her. "That Order meeting was a nightmare. I know you're angry Pads, I'm angry,
but it's not going to help. You need to stop antagonising Snape, and Moody, and Albus,"
he said, then added with emphasis, "and Minerva."
Sirius scowled. "Do you see how she looks at me?"
"Yes," Remus agreed. "And she spent the better part of a year looking at me the
same way. She knows who Hermione really is and knows who she is to us. You can't really
blame her."
Sirius huffed indignantly. "I spent seven years in her classroom. You'd think she'd
know me better."
"She knows you're not going to hurt Hermione," Remus assured him. "But look at
it this way: right now Hermione Granger is a well behaved, model, Muggle-born student at
the top of her class, despite all the trouble she ends up saving Harry and Ron from."
"And?"
Remus chuckled softly. "And, apparently, all it took was growing up with us for a
few years to turn her into a trouble-making prankster with a penchant for punching
Slytherins."
Sirius ran a hand through his hair, watching as she took soft breaths in her sleep, a
strange little smile on her face as though she were dreaming of something pleasant. A stark
contrast to the nightmares that they had borne witness to far too often when growing up.
"She's in there. I can see her," Sirius whispered. "I wish she could see me."
Remus felt his heart break for his friend. "She will. One day."
"And in the meantime, this little witch hates my guts."
One corner of Remus's mouth quirked upward. "You're not often very likeable."
"She loved me once."