Written for Hermione's Heaven BunnyBounce2019 challenge. My prompt was:
Pairing Options: Hermione+Sirius
Asking For: Fluff
Scenario: Hermione is in her late twenties/early thirties and works at the Ministry. One fine spring Day when walking through the Department of Mysteries, Sirius stumbles out of the veil, not having aged a single second since the fight in OotP and without any idea how much time has passed since his "death".
Kinks: cuddles, books, a cat, a picknick
Squicks: explicit smut (implicit is fine)
Additional Notes: I'd love to see Sirius reaction to Remus's death in this as well.

I tried my best to do this awesome plot a justice. The story and of course the title is inspired by the song 'I See the Light' from Tangled.
Sirius and Hermione belong to JKR while Tangled belongs to Disney. No making any money using this.

Sirius let out a contented sigh. It had been years since he had a good dream. After his escape from Azkaban, he had suffered from nightmares. After a while, his nightmares had faded into nothingness. All night long he would dream about dark and cold places, calling out for Remus or James for help. But today, after a long time he was dreaming about a warm body pressing against him. He snuggled closer and inhaled the cinnamon scent. The exclamation told him it was a girl, and he moved his body to hear the divine noise again.

"Oh my god, Sirius!" He grumbled when he heard his godson's voice. Couldn't he enjoy his dream for a few more minutes? Why would his godson choose this exact moment to holler for him? Why was he panicking? It wasn't as if letting him sleep for a while longer will kill him.

"Stop whining Harry! I am up" He responded and tried to get up from his bed without opening his eyes. There was something heavy on his chest. Something warm and squirming. Whichever prank Remus and twins had cooked up would have to wait until he had his morning coffee. When the weight on his didn't budge, he dejectedly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings for the first time. He looked around and blinked and blinked again. For he was not in his warm bed, he was in the ministry surrounded by people and a witch entangled with him on the floor.

"Who are you and how did you get here?" An authoritative voice, no his godson's voice rang around the floor. Harry looked older and was wearing red auror robes. Now he could see properly, the witch who was still sitting on his legs looked like Hermione with tamed curls. Ron was standing next to Harry, taller than he remembered.

"Nice prank Harry! Tell Mooney he is busted. An aging potion is the oldest trick in the book. Did you really think you can pull one up on me with it? Though my auror robes is a good touch. I didn't know they were still around. Though the real question is how did you talk Miss Prefect into it.?" His words had an exactly opposite effect. Instead of a fit of laughter or a disappointed muttering, all of them straightened and closed in on him.

"Who the bloody hell are you and why are you masquerading as my godfather? You have three seconds to answer before I blast you three ways into the hell for that comment about Remus."

"You bloody fools brought me in the bloody ministry as a bloody prank. Do you even realize what would happen if a ministry official walks in here and discovers fifth-year students dressed in a ministry uniform standing next to a wanted criminal?" Sirius shot back, pleased when his words unsettled the group.

"Harry, I think it is really him. I don't know how but it might really be him." Hermione's small voice caused Harry to break eye contact with Sirius.

"What's the last thing you remember? Can you tell me what you were doing before you woke up? Also, can you tell me what condition you told me if I wanted to read books in Black Library?" Hermione asked him in a gentle tone and Sirius complied.

"My day was normal. I charmed Remus' clothes to say 'I love you' when Dora sees him. It took half of my day. Then I fed Buck-, err, Witherwings and played with him a little. Then I turned in for the night. I knew Moony will figure it out. I shouldn't have used the glittering charm. Anyway, Hermione, the only condition is for you to help me ward my prank on Umbitch. I need your help with setting detection runes and you are the only one who can draw them in her classroom."

Hermione nodded and turned to the group of wizards. There was a muffled conversation between the group and everyone but the trio left. Harry slowly lifted him from the floor and enveloped him in a bear hug. Hermione led the way and in a floo trip later they were sitting in a small living room.

Sirius was confused, Harry and Hermione had tears in their eyes, and Ron was at a loss of words. After a few minutes of silence, all hell broke loose. Between Harry's shouts, Hermione's sobs and Ron's desperate attempts to restore peace, everyone ignored the brown missile creeping towards Sirius.

"Crookshanks! How are you, my old pal?" Sirius cooed at the cat climbing on his lap. Crookshanks sniffed Sirius once and wagged his tail happily. After a few minutes of petting him happily, Sirius surveyed the room. There were different photos scattered in the room, familiar faces smiled at him from their frame. There was one with Hermione dancing with beaming Harry and another one was of trio smiling at the toddler sitting next to them. He choked when his eyes landed on a picture of Remus twirling white-clad Tonks in his arms and leaning down to kiss him.

"Bloody hell! You guys really planned ahead! Is that Moony with darling Dora?" Sirius' question was met with an uncomfortable silence. The trio looked at each other and Hermione was chosen as the spokesperson unanimously.

"Sirius, you were de—let's say indisposed for last fifteen years. You fell through the veil and a lot has happened since. You sitting in front of us is a miracle. When you appeared into the Department of mysteries, you caused quite an alarm. Draco thought it was a plot to kidnap me and alerted Harry and Ron. They are aurors." Hermione winced at her own blunt words and Harry picked up from there.

"You taunted Bellatrix instead of dueling with her. All she had to do was stun you. How could you do that Padfoot? Did you even think about me? Or was goading that vile bitch more important to you? If Remus hadn't grabbed me, I was all set to follow you through the veil Sirius. I resented Mooney for days. That bitch even killed Tonks." Harry ranted, neither noticing Sirius' flinch nor Crookshank's attempt to soothe him.

Hermione, however, realized the impact of Harry's words on Sirius. He shooed both boys out of her home and fixed Sirius a glass of firewhisky.

"Is it true Hermione? Everything you said? Did I really miss fifteen more years of my godson's life?" Hermione's heart broke at Sirius' sorrowful questions. Here was a man she had admired for his courage and bravery. A man who had been through the hell and back. A man whose priority was still his godson. She nodded and patted his shoulders reassuringly. Crookshanks shifted a little from his lap, inviting her to sit next to him on the couch. She did not understand how to console Sirius. How do you console a man who was tossed into prison after his best friend's murder? How do you tell him the guy he pranked yesterday has been dead for thirteen years? Hermione fetched an Odin's finest and sat next to Sirius accompanying him in drinking the night away.

"How did he die?" Sirius asked after three glasses.

"It was quick and peaceful. He was fighting with Dolohov. Flitwick avenged him."

"Good"

"Remus and Tonks named Harry as Teddy's godfather. Teddy is a sweet kid. He is fourteen now. Between you and me, I think he fancies Victoire, Bill's daughter. He is a prankster and unofficially he smuggles products from WWW. He uses his metamorphmagus abilities well. Harry's eldest, James, looks up to him. They will have a blast when James goes to Hogwarts. Do you know even Draco smiles when he is around Teddy?" When she saw a hint of smile ghosting on Sirius' face, she continued.

"Harry and Ginny married right after the war. It was a beautiful wedding. The first thing they fought over was me. Harry wanted me as his best-woman and Ginny wanted me as her maid-of-honor. When their fight turned into a prank war, Molly put her foot down. She convinced Kingsley to let me officiate the wedding. I think that was the first time I saw George smiling after Fred's death."

"Ron's wedding was a little subdued. Lavender didn't want to invite many people. It was just family. Their daughter, Harry's second son and Draco's son are best friends. Can you imagine? It was Teddy who engineered their friendship. He told them he will either babysit all of them or we were on our own. That was one awkward ministry gala three families ever attended. Kids have grown fond of each other now."

They spent the night on her couch, wrapped in a blanket and Crookshanks draped across their lap. They fell asleep around dawn, holding hands for comfort.

As days passed, Hermione's crush on the man resurfaced. Sirius gave another meaning to words 'effortlessly handsome.' She had admired the man when she was a teenager. His bad boy attitude and rebellious attitude had appealed to her. Now she was older and closer to him in age, she had noticed finer aspects of his nature. He was kind and a wicked sense of humor. They could talk about anything and everything, a quality most of her peers lacked. She looked forward to their quiet dinners and discussions over the wine. Most days Crookshanks sat between them, demanding their attention, dozing off on the couch with them. One day when they were laughing at Teddy's prank she had realized what it was she wanted from her life. It was the daydream she had been chasing all these years, something that had seemed far, far away. She was living her dream past few months, but now suddenly everything seemed crystal clear. She wanted to come home to Sirius and talk away her worries. She wanted to spend her nights curled next to him. Sirius, Crookshanks and Hermione, their happy little family. Just like the one Harry had with Ginny or Ron had with Lavender. Something she had been watching from outside. She suddenly saw Sirius in a new light, as a family she could have if he reciprocated her feelings. It felt so clear, when she was cuddling with Sirius, she was where she was meant to be. The question was if he felt the same way.

Sirius was conflicted. The Hermione Granger he roomed with was nothing like a teenager he remembered. She was a brilliant witch and a great friend. She had grown to be his confidant and anchor after living in limbo after fifteen years. He was not sure how to handle his feelings. Every day he spent with the charismatic woman, he fell for her a little more. She was fierce and compassionate. All those years he had spent making fun of James flashed before his eyes. He had finally understood what James had meant when he had told him 'Lily was the one.' Whenever he saw Hermione, his heart would beat a little faster like she is standing still and the world is revolving around her. However, he wasn't sure how to tell Hermione. He didn't want to lose their harmony.

After a few months of indecision, Sirius prepared a gift basket for Hermione. A simple rose accompanied by a small note asking her to meet him on the banks of Thames. Today, fate will decide. If she wanted to be with him, they will enjoy a romantic boat ride under the stars. If she didn't respond, well, he hadn't pondered on that situation yet.

As 9 pm neared Hermione could feel her heart racing. Sirius had asked her out. Her nerves were tingly and she could feel goosebumps rising on her skin. She apparated and saw him waiting for her. All her worries and nervousness evaporated. It was like the fog had lifted and at last, she could see the light. She was sure his blinding smile when he saw her would be enough to cast thousands of patronuses.

Sirius saw Hermione approach him and he didn't know why he ever doubted if she would show up tonight. Standing under the starlight, was the woman who had captured his heart. He never knew why he had waited so long for asking her out. Now that she was here, everything was different. She was the one he was meant to be with.

The boat ride was quiet, neither breaking the blessed silence. Both of them trying to articulate their feelings and trying to get it across.

"Will you be mine Hermione?" Sirius whispered, still gazing at the stars. A small soft kiss on the lips was all the answer he needed.

After all those years in the dark and void, he could see the light!