Author's Note: I really don't know why I've written this. Surely, you'll notice that it is a Hermione/Sirius fic, which is even scarier. Mind you, it's fun, though. I'm no good with titles, and I'll admit, this fic is quite… under privileged. However, writers care intends to blossom through time, and I intend to make something relatively good out of this, so please, if you'll stick with it… ^_^; Sirius plushie dolls to all who review! A nice Petrificus Totalis (SP) to all of those who don't.

Snuffles' Stay
Chapter 1

It's almost been two years since we've discovered the truth about Sirius, thought Hermione, but he still hasn't been cleared of his charges! Even as she thought, 'Snuffles' lay on her bed.


Hermione sat next to Snuffles, her fingers treading through his long, shaggy black coat. As Sirius had no place to stay, and surely he couldn't stay with Harry at the Dursley's, nor at the Burrow with Ron, Hermione asked her parents if this 'stray' could stay at their home for the summer. To her surprise, they agreed, but only if he were to leave during the school year.
Snuffles arrived two days after the owl confirming that he could stay with Hermione delivered it's letter. He stood on the doorstep, pining, until a rather disgruntled Hermione opened the door.

"You're lucky my parents aren't home right now, Snuffles."
The bear-like dog huffed in agreement before trodding into the living room.

"Ugh, Snuffles - when's the last time you've taken a bath? You're filthy, and you're dragging muck into the house! Come on!"
Hermione took Snuffles' scruff, and lead him into her private bathroom. Her hands twisted the nob that allowed the precious hot water to flow into the blocked tub, where Snuffles patiently sat. The water filled around his large form, turning brown as it buffed off the looser muck from on his furry coat.

"Thank you, Hermione, I really appreciate everything you've done for me thus far," Snuffles managed to pass to Hermione's mind. He bent downward to lick the outside of her outstretched hand.

"It's no problem, Snuffles. As I only get to visit Harry and Ron during the end of the summer, I now have someone from the Wizarding World to keep me company!"

"You mean an outcast from the Wizarding World," Snuffles added gloomily.

"We'll get your name cleared for you, sooner or later. Then you and Harry will be able to live together, saving each other from the dangers that keep occurring to you both."
The shaggy dog nodded, as Hermione picked up a cloth, and began scrubbing the dog down. "I don't want to smell like a girl," he added abruptly, as Hermione poured scented bath-scrub onto the cloth, nudging her forearm with his nose.

"Oh, Snuffles, it's not going to kill you! Besides, my parents would think it's cute!" She chuckled softly at his remarking bark. "I can't clean you magically, and I haven't any dog soap, so we'll have to make due with what we've got, won't we?"
She quickly cleared the dog's fur of the plastering dirt, dried him off, and attempted to tie a fetching pink bow around his neck, which Snuffles clearly did not approve of. "I will not wear that bow."

"But you'd look so adorable! I'll put Crookshanks into one, too! Mum and Dad would love it!"

"I'm hungry."

"Fine, fine. We'll try again, later, then."
Hermione walked down the stairs, a fresh, fluffy, and very clean Snuffles trailing behind her, smelling faintly of raspberries. She led the dog into the kitchen, where she pulled open the refrigerator door open, about to ask, "What would you like, Snuffles?" before turning around, to find Snuffles transformed back into his human form.

"Sirius, are you sure that you should be changing into yourself right now?" Hermione asked.

"It's fine, as long as I'm away from Diagon Alley." He grinned at her surprised face, and walked toward the kitchen table, pulling a large oak chair from beneath it, plopping down. "Surprise me!"

Confused, Hermione searched through the fridge, before opening the freezer door as well. "Does Chicken sound alright, Sirius?"
The man at the table nodded his head, shaking his shoulder-length black hair in the process. He preferred his hair longer while on the run. Although it made him more suspicious as a human, it made him look like a helpless stray whilst a dog.
She pulled the chicken breast out of the freezer, setting them on the counter for a moments time, whilst she drug out a large frying pan, a glass casserole dish, a can of Cream of Mushroom soup, and utensils. Sirius stared at her in wonder, cocking his eyebrow in the process.

"What are you planning to make?" he asked.

"You'll see, now, won't you?"

Hermione placed the chicken breasts on the frying pan, proceeding to fry them until they turned to a golden-brown color, and put them in the casserole dish, spreading the Cream of Mushroom soup over them. "This is an American dish; I learned it while staying at a 'Bed and Breakfast' while my Mum and Dad attended a conference there. They have some odd food there."

While preparing the chicken, putting it in the stove, she made a fresh dish of mashed potatoes, green beans, and began mixing together a brownie desert dish. She finished it, all but the brownies, and fixed together it on a dish, placing it in front of the grateful face of Sirius.

"You did yourself out, Hermione, this tastes pretty great," Sirius managed through a mouthful of food. "I really can't thank you enough. You didn't have to make anything; you could've left me with a bowl of Dog Food and I'd be content."

"I hardly think that I'd leave you a bowl of Dog Food unless my parents were here, getting suspicious."

Sirius grinned, continuing on his food, until he had gone through three helpings. "What can I say? I was a little hungry."

"Yes, well, you've been on the run for a while, haven't you? I hadn't suspected anything less."

The brownies were finshed.


Now they were here, lying in Hermione's room, Sirius back in his dog form. Being full now, he slowly slid into a sleepy daze, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier as Hermione's soft hand slid through his fur, scratching his doggish back.
Hermione hummed softly through her teeth, starting to slide off into a deep sleep herself, until Sirius' voice flowed into her ears.

"Hermione? When are your parents supposed to get home?"

"Well," she began sleepily. "They're usually home by nine or so, when they're at a longer day of work. Why?"

I was just wondering. There's nothing wrong with wondering, is there?"

"No, I suppose not." She chuckled softly, placing a soft kiss on the top of Snuffles' head. "Don't worry about it. They'll be home in a little bit."

Snuffles yawned, his ears folding back against his head. "I'm getting a little sleepy."

"As am I, Snuffles." She gave a very long, very soft yawn as well. "Goodnight." Slumping against the back of her headboard, her head rested on Snuffles' side, she drifted off into a soft sleep.


Hermione's door slid open. In peeked the two soft faces of her parents, gazing on the view of a big, black dog, their sleeping daughter, and Crookshanks all sleeping on the same bed. Grins played on their faces. "Dear, we should wait until morning to give her the collar. She'll be pleased with it."

"Who knows if the dog will."

"He'll like it good enough."

"I suppose so. It's good to see that she's able to sleep so peacefully. Until she heard that that stray was going to be able to stay with us, she's been eased, and able to sleep better than what she's normally been able to do during Summer holiday," her father said in a soft whisper.

"Yes, dear."

Her father took the door handle in his hand, pulling it toward himself. With a soft click the door shut, and her parents walked back down the hall, entering their own room.

"When do you think that we should tell her?" her father asked softly.

"Maybe we'll tell her tomorrow, when we give her the dog's collar. She'll be pleased."

"I hope." He smiled, pecking a kiss on his wife's cheek.

"I know. A mother's intuition is never wrong."


Sirius woke with a start at the sound of the racket coming from a large box on the stand next to Hermione. What the hell is that? he thought, bolting upward.

Hermione must have felt him, because she eased up from her slumber. "What's the matter, Snuffles? Oh, I see." She giggled softly to herself, glancing toward the large stereo. "It's called a stereo. It plays music. Not Wizarding World music, but Muggle music. It differs quite a bit."

"So I've noticed. He gave a small yelp, and jumped off the bed. "What time is it, what time is it?" He clamped his jaws around the sleeve of Hermione's shirt, yanking her off the bed with a vigorous pull. "We should write Harry." Letting go of Hermione's shirt, he pivoted around her in mad happiness.

"You're quite exhilarating, aren't you? Calm down, Snuffles!" She laughed again, moving to turn off the stereo that was now playing some weird tune that she hadn't heard yet. "We'll write him -" Before she could finish, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Hermione? You're awake?"

She opened the door, staring into her mother's eyes. "Hullo, Mum! How was work?"

"It was fine dear. Oh, we've bought that dog a collar for you. Make sure you put it on him." She handed the collar over to Hermione, who took it and slipped it onto Snuffles, buckling it so that it fitted perfectly onto his neck. Snuffles gave a small whimper, seeing that the collar was a dark purple color. "I thought that purple would go quite well with him; black and purple are complimentary."

Hermione chuckled. "Yes, Mum. I like it." With that, she ran her fingers through the top of Snuffle's head.

"Well, Hermione, your Father and I have a little bit of news to tell you. Come downstairs with me, and we'll tell you there, together." She gave her daughter a soft smile, her chestnut-brown eyes twinkling with anticipation. Turning, she left the room, and traveled down the carpeted hall and down the stairwell.

"Well, Snuffles, it looks like we've got to go downstairs now."

The two entered the living room, Hermione finding her parents sitting on the sofa together. "Well, Hermione; take a seat," her Dad told her, waving at the empty chair across from them.

Hermione sat, looking at her parents, absent mindedly scratching behind Snuffle's ear.

"Well, Hermione... You're going to have a little brother or sister, soon!" Her mother's face flushed, and she gave a broad smile to her daughter.

"You're going to have a baby, Mum? Oh, that's wonderful!"

"Yes, well. We've decided that we'd let you give the baby his or her middle name." Her father winked. "That's really all that we wanted to tell you." His arm snaked behind his wife, pulling her closer to him.

" Well, Mum, Dad, that's wonderful news!" She gave a flashing toothy smile; It feels so good to have straight teeth, instead of those big bulky things I used to have. "I think I'll go back up to my room, and try to decide on a name for the baby."

With Snuffles at her side, she entered her room again, throwing herself onto her bed. No longer was she going to be a single child in a particularly radiant family, but one of two; the oldest of two, to another child that would be taking the attention that she had strived for, for so many years. But, she thought, smiling, I'll know what it's like to have a brother or sister, like Ron. I'll be a wonderful experience. I'm so happy for them.

Snuffles transformed, again, into his human form, and sat on the bed next to Hermione. "You're going to be a big sister, now." He laughed softly, rubbing Hermione's back rather gently. "It'll be a new experience, but, you've had Ron and Harry to grow up with, so you know what a brother can be like." His eyes flashed with a laughing manner. "And that little Ginny girl to know what a sister's like. But this'll still be something new."

Hermione stared up at Sirius for a moment, before laughing too. "Yeah, you're right. Now, how about that letter?"

Dragging out a piece of parchment, a quill, and some unique multi-colored ink, she began to scribble onto the parchment:


How are you, and how are the Dursleys treating you? I'm fine, as always, and so is Snuffles. He's arrived here only yesterday, dirty and in need of care, so I took care of him while I could. You'll never believe it, Harry, but my parents are going to have a baby! I'm going to be a big sister!

Have you talked to Ron? I suspect that this summer, we'll go back to the Burrow, and I will bring Snuffles with me. I don't suspect that Mrs. Weasley would mind, as he would help take care of those pesty Garden Gnomes that she hates so much. I can't wait until then.

Really, my parents have said that I could give the baby its middle name! I was thinking, that if it were a boy, I'd give it the middle name Remus, after Mr. Lupin, considering all that he had done for us in our third year, but I'm not sure. If it were a girl, I was thinking of Ginny. Who knows? Anyway; Snuffles wishes to write to you, now, so it'll be on this same parchment.

With Love,

Sirius took the parchment and flashed a grin toward Hermione. "Remus, hm? That sounds okay. ____ Remus Granger. It has a ring."

With the quill in his hand, he proceeded to write;

The Dursleys had better be treating you well, if not, tell me soon. Hermione's been taking care of me these past two days, and I'm very thankful for it. Too bad you couldn't come over this summer, to her house. It's quite magnificent, but I don't know what you'd have to tell the Dursleys. Besides, we'd have to have Hermione ask her Mum and Dad if you could. I don't know what they'd say, with a child on the way.

Well, Harry, I've discovered what many muggle things are, thanks to Hermione. Only this morning, I woke up to muggle music! It was fascinating, but it hurt my ears. Mind you, it was Snuffles. I've eaten American muggle food, and it was different, but good. Hermione's a good cook.

This life is definitely interesting. Anyway, Harry, I'll write you back later. I feel compelled to chase after this squirrel that's sitting outside of Hermione's window, so if you don't mind…


Hermione chortled tremendously at Sirius for a few moments after. "Okay, SNUFFLES, go chase the squirrel."

"Oh, but I really don't want to chase the squirrel." His eyes flashed maliciously, before her turned back into a dog.
I want to chase You! He barked somewhat loudly, before pouncing on top of Hermione, knocking her back onto the bed.

"Oof! You're lucky that I've closed that bottle of ink, Snuffles!" She prodded Snuffle's nose with her index finger.

Snuffles barked again, his tongue leashing out to lick her arms, fingers, and he eventually licked her toes, earning loud giggles from Hermione. Snuffles transformed back into Sirius, and placed a soft kiss upon her lips, before transforming back into Snuffles as quickly as one could say "Alohamora!"

Author's Notes: Okay, when Snuffles is talking, his lines are italicised (sp) and such. Sirius can talk in Snuffle-form, but only a little, and such. Wee o_o

Thanks goes out to my first reviewer, 'Diamond,' whose review had to be deleated, due to the changing of this story's thing. I've finally figured out HTML tags! ~Dances around in glee~ If anyone needs help, give me a Remus Lupin or Draco Malfoy plushie, and I'll be happy to! ~Chuckles softly~ Anyway; I'm going to be MSTing 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' and really, I would LOVE HELP for this! If anybody feels up to helping, please, just give a SIGNED review, so I could get back to you, or e-mail me (my e-mail happens to be on my thingy.)