Another challenge fic, this one for chewinggumandpencil's Hot Chocolate challenge, which unsurprisingly has the only prompt of 'hot chocolate'.

Enjoy. Writing about hot chocolate has got me craving some...

"What the ruddy hell are you doing?" Sirius asked, striding into the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.

"Making hot chocolate," Hermione replied, placing a block of chocolate on a cutting board. She was surrounded by what looked like some carefully measured-out ingredients.

"It looks like you're making a giant mess," he quipped, sitting across from her. "You know, you could ask Kreacher to do it."

"No, I can't," she shot back. "Because it's something I enjoy doing myself."

"And it has nothing to do with your little elf crusade?" he smirked.

"Perhaps a little," she shrugged. "All the same, it's something I enjoy doing, I haven't been able to since before the war started, and now that it's over I'd like to get back into the habit."

"And the reason you're using a knife when you could be using your wand to do that?" he asked as she started chopping the chocolate.

"All part and parcel, Sirius. Preparing a good cup of hot cocoa is much like preparing a good potion. Like Professor Snape always told us, the best results are not always achieved with magic. Would you like a cup?"

"After you have linked a drink I occasionally enjoyed to Snivellous? It best be the best damn cup of hot chocolate I've ever had, or that link may become permanent and you'll have to live with the knowledge that you have forever ruined a good cup of the stuff for me."

"Well, we can't have that, can we? Do you like peppermint or cinnamon in yours?"

"Excuse me?"

"Peppermint or cinnamon? When it's just starting to get cold outside I enjoy a little bit of peppermint in it, I find it helps to get rid of the bit of discomfort in the back of the throat when the weather changes. But sometimes a little spice is called for. I was just asking which you prefer, or perhaps I can find some nutmeg sitting around here if that's more to your liking."

"Me, personally, I prefer a bit extra in my hot chocolate to help calm me down," he said, eying his shelf of liqueurs. "But, since you are making it, I'll just have it the way you are having it."

"Peppermint it is, then," she said, pushing a pestle and mortar towards him, then placing a peppermint stick in the mortar.

"You expect me to do this?" he asked in surprise.

"Afraid of a little work?" she asked innocently, shooting him a coy half-smile. For a while, since she turned nineteen, she had realized how handsome the Marauder she was living with was, and how easily they could casually flirt with each other, though she held no hopes it would go further than the occasional exchanged smile or one-lined innuendo that would cause a raised eyebrow or a blush from each other. Sirius had nearly died, not to mention spent nearly half his life under some type of imprisonment or house arrest, and he seemed happy with his station as dedicated bachelor, whereas she was looking for something a little more committed.

"I'll have you know that I am not above a little work, especially if it's to get something I want," he paused, flashing a charming smile before starting to crush the peppermint. "However, I am rarely told what to do in my own home, especially when it comes to something that blasted house-elf could do."

"Don't play the spoiled rich boy, it doesn't suit you. Besides, sometimes a bit of work gets the best reward."

"That it does," he said, peering into the mortar. "Is this okay?"

She looked in at the mix of large and small chunks. "Is that the best you have, Padfoot?"

"Hardly," he said, pounding the peppermint stick into a fine powder as she put a pot of water on to boil. "Does this pass your inspection, love?"

She made a show of checking it over, poking it with the pestle to check the consistency. "It'll do for a first-timer," she sighed, though the way she bit her lip to contain her smile gave away her true feelings.

"Cheeky little thing, aren't you?"

"I am no where near on top of my game at the moment."

"That I would like to see."

"Me at my most witty?"

"What do you think I meant? You on top? While I don't doubt that's a sight, I would hardly consider that a gentlemanly request."

She blushed, turning back to the stove. The water was boiling, so she turned it down slightly and put a second pot into the first. "Come here," she ordered.

"Right away, ma'am," he said, and was quickly standing next to her.

"Would you hand me the milk?" she asked.

He hastened to comply.

"I like letting the pot get warm, then getting the milk good and warm to start. It'll cool while I'm melting the chocolate," she explained as she poured the milk into the pot. "You have to be careful about the milk, if you don't stir it or let it get too hot you can ruin it."

"Remind me why you're not using magic?"

"You'll know it when you taste it," she said, stirring the milk with a whisk. After a minute or so she tasted a little from a spoon, deemed it acceptable, and poured the milk back into the cup she had been holding it in. She quickly rinsed the pot, dried it, and placed it back into the double-boiler. She let it heat up for a minute, then turned back to Sirius.

"Would you like to melt the chocolate?"

"Ah, this is one of those teach a man to fish things, isn't it?"

"Yes. Put the chocolate in the pot before the milk cools too much."

"You could put a stasis charm on it..."

"Just be a good boy and put the chocolate in," she sighed.

"Whatever you say, love," he said, tipping the cutting board into the pot.

"Now stir," she ordered.

"You know it's really infuriating when you refuse to use magic," he grumbled as he started to stir.

"I don't find it infuriating at all," she shrugged. "To each his own."

"Is this right?"

"Don't forget to scrape along the sides, so it doesn't burn," she said, putting her hand atop his to show him how to properly stir.

"You certainly can be a bossy little witch, can't you?"

"I would think someone with your inner persona wouldn't mind taking a command or two."

"I certainly don't mind taking commands, love," he murmured into her ear with a smirk.

She blushed and added some of the peppermint. The aroma instantly filled the air. She retrieved the milk and took the whisk from him to start stirring the milk into the melted chocolate. She gave the mixture a few seconds to get totally warmed up, then pulled it off and started pouring it into two mugs.

"Marshmallows?" she asked.

"You aren't insisting on making those by hand, too, are you?"

"Hardly," she smiled, reaching for a bag of them.

"Then yes, please."

She put a few in each mug, then picked them up and handed one to him. He went to take a drink, but she put her hand on his to stop him.

"All that work and you're denying me the reward?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait just a moment, when the marshmallows start to melt. Then it'll be perfect."

They stared into the mug for a moment, and watched as each small marshmallow grew a small white halo around it. When the halos started to touch Hermione let go of his hand. "Now it's perfect," she announced.

He took a sip, then looked at his mug in surprise before taking a second, longer drink.

"Well?" she asked, biting her lip and looking nervous in anticipation of his approval or rejection.

"Granger, as much as it pains me to say this, you were right. This is the best cup of hot chocolate I've ever had." He took another long drink, sinking onto a chair as he did so and giving off a content sigh when the mug left his lips. "I think I love you, Granger."

She let off a nervous chuckle, her face flushing scarlet. "I'm sure you do, Sirius. Perhaps I should make some of my mum's cookies next time and perhaps then I can wrangle a marriage proposal," she muttered as she sat next to him.

"If her cookies are half as good as this chocolate, that might not be outside the realm of possibility," he said with a lopsided smile and a waggle of his eyebrows.

She laughed and leaned forward. "You've got a bit in your mustache," she said, reaching out to wipe it off. Instead he caught her hand, pulling her towards him slowly, until she could smell the mixture of peppermint and chocolate on his breath. Her eyes fluttered closed, and a second later felt his lips press lightly to hers. She pressed herself into the kiss, feeling his mustache scratching her slightly, the warmth of his lips from the hot chocolate, all with a slight tingle from the peppermint. She felt his tongue lightly running over her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss, allowing his tongue to gently massage hers. When they finally broke the kiss they paused with their faces inches from each others, the aroma of the drink lingering between them.

"Here's a thought, love, perhaps we let someone else do all the work for dinner tonight when I take you out?"

"I'd like that," she nodded.

"Okay, we'll get going as soon as we're done drinking and cleaning up this mess."

She smiled and waved her wand, cleaning the mess immediately.

"Impatient, darling?"

"Hard work only goes so far when it comes to scrubbing pots," she replied with a shrug.

He let off a barking laugh and placed an arm around her, drawing her to him and clinking their mugs together, toasting all that a couple mugs of hot chocolate had gotten them.