Hermione was making pancakes while Remus sat on a barstool watching her. She looked gorgeous with her hair hanging limply down her back, a pair of skinny jeans and one of his jumpers. It was clearly too big and hung off one of her shoulders showing off the unblemished skin. He could feel her happiness and it radiated through him. Teddy still hadn't woken up but it was getting to be about that time.

"Do you want me to wake him?" Hermione asked.

"Wake who?"

"Teddy? You just said it was getting to be that time to wake him."

Remus stilled. No I didn't he thought directly at her.

"Yes you did," she turned to face him with a slight frown on her face.

He quirked his head to the side and grinned, Hermione?

Her eyes grew wide as saucers. "How did you do that?" she squeaked.

"I just thought directly at you as if I was talking to you. You heard me?"

Her brow furrowed, I did.

He barked out laughter and came around the counter, "That may come in handy." Hermione still looked shell shocked but feeling his excitement she smiled. Pulling her into his arms he dipped down to kiss her and stopped short when his wand went off. Reaching over the counter to silence it he was overwhelmed with a sense of love and he looked at Hermione who was distracting herself with breakfast once again with a giant smile on her face. "He loves you, you know?"

"I love him."

As she spoke a tiny body entered the kitchen and he froze, his hand still on his eye where he'd been rubbing the sleep away. "Mione?"

She crouched down, "Hello little wolf." A smile spread across his face and he ran at her, "How did you sleep my love?"

"Good! You stayed night?"

"I did."

"You like daddy?"

"I do."

"You like me?"

"I love you."

He giggled at her admission and buried his face in her neck. "My Mione."

She laughed and put him on her hip, "Do you want pancakes little wolf?"

"Yes!" Remus chuckled behind her and Teddy launched himself from her arms as she began to turn, "Good morning Teddy." The two sat at the breakfast bar watching her finish the stacks of pancakes and put plates before them. She stood in the kitchen, leaning across the counter and ate her own pancakes with them, laughing as Teddy told them about his dream about riding dinosaurs.


By the end of the week Hermione was exhausted and she sagged in her seat. A knock at the door woke her from her cat nap and she stared bewildered at Harry who had laughter etched on his face. "Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger? She would never fall asleep at work."

"If you're only here to tease and you didn't bring lunch, you can leave," she chided, smiling when he pulled a bag from behind his back. "I think I love you."

He chuckled closing the door with a hip and passed her the bag watching her tear into it. "Merlin Mione, has Remus not been feeding you."

"He takes care of me just fine thank you," she responded with a broad smile. Despite their distance she could still feel him although her sense of his feelings were lessened. Right now she knew he was stressed out but it wasn't so much that she could feel it, she just knew it. Her ability to hear him was also dulled, they'd agreed to try it when she left through the floo and so far she hadn't receive anything and she doubted he received anything from her.

"He'd better," Harry gave a mock growl. She only smiled and dug into her food with renewed vigor. "So are you coming home soon?"

Hermione slowed and considered it. She did need more clothes but she didn't know how Remus felt about her staying the night another night. So far he hadn't complained but she didn't want to crowd him just because they were bonded. "We'll see. I need to come back tonight to grab some clothes but I will be there Saturday night. Gin and I are having a girls night."

"Are you worried about moving too fast?" Harry asked blush creeping into his cheeks looking slightly embarrassed.

"Not at all," Hermione beamed. "If it were anyone else I would be but Remus and I are different."

"Sirius said the same thing but he wouldn't explain. He just gave me that grin that said 'I know something you don't' and left me there."

"You already know Remus and I are mates." Harry nodded. "When mates bond their magic bond together with old magic. It is irreversible."

Harrys eyebrows hit his hairline, "So this is forever?"

"It is," she smiled.

"Please don't hex me," he raised his hands in surrender. "How did you know this is what you wanted?"

She took a deep breath and considered her words. "It's hard to explain. I just know. When Remus told me he'd allowed Moony to claim me I was stricken with nerves. I didn't want him to regret mating himself to me, a woman who can't give him everything a woman should. But above that I suddenly understood things that I'd been feeling and experiencing. There was a calmness that came with being near him or Tedd and once he claimed to it just enhanced everything I already felt for him." She stopped and waited for Harry to absorb it all. When he indicated for her to continue she did. "When we bonded, it changed things. Like I said it is permanent and I want to be clear, he did not force me. I choose this. I did my research and he explained it to me completely and I choose him anyway. Now that our mating bond is complete he is quite literally my soulmate. Our magic and souls are bound." She pulled her hand up to her chest and smiled, "I can feel him."

Harry looked at her and she could see him battling several things trying to figure out what to say so she waited. "You love him then?"

"Even without the bond I loved him."

"And he loves you."

She smiled to herself, "Yes."

"Wait does this mean you're married?"

"According to Remus we are only married in the eyes of a pack. But legally we aren't."

"So I still get to walk you down an isle one day?"

"Yes," she laughed.

Harry nodded and tuned back to his food, seemingly sated for the moment he began telling her about him mound of paperwork he was avoiding from a raid on a Nott Estate. Having finished her food, Hermione leaned back in her chair and listened to him. When he left her, resigned to spending the rest of the day over a stack of papers, she laughed and turned back to her own stack of paperwork. By the time she was done she was extremely tired and had to practically dag herself to the floo's. In the living room of Grimmauld, Hermione felt Remus's presence and knew he was upstairs. Remus?

I'm here. In Sirius's room.

Frowning Hermione started up the stairs and stopped short in Sirius's doorway, immediately averting her eyes. "Kitten!" he bellowed

Remus walked into the room from the bathroom and smiled, "Hello love." Grabbing a blanket off the bed he threw it over Sirius's lap and crouched before his leg. Only then did she notice the blood and she felt worry settle in. "He's fine," Remus reassured her, "He got a little too drunk and decided to apparate."

"You splinched yourself?" She screeched suddenly very angry. Walking over she looked down at his leg as Remus worked before thumping Sirius on the head, "That was stupid! Why didn't you just use the floo and why did you get drunk so early?"

"I was trying to get to bed as soon as I could," he winked. "And it's nearly midnight Kitten."

Hermione gasped, "Is it really? Bloody hell, I got so caught up in work I didn't realize the time. Wait is your date okay?"

"His date fire called me and left as soon as I got here. A real keeper that one Pads."

Hermione gave then man on the couch a stern look. "From now on you use the floo when you drink. Shag on the couch if you're in such a hurry but don't splinch yourself again or I will hex you." Leaving the room she felt uncontrollably angry and she was confused why. In attempt to stifle it she went down the hall into her room and started grabbing some clothes when she felt Remus in the doorway. Without coming out of the closet she spoke, "I don't know why I'm so mad at him."

"It's because he's pack and he got hurt. That's why you got so worried. It turned to anger when you realized he'd done it to himself by being reckless." That made sense. She leaned her forehead against the nearest wall and took a deep breath. "Are you ready to go home?" he spoke just behind her. Leaning back into him she smiled as his scent touched her.

"The cottage is my home?"

He kissed her neck as she exposed it to him, "It will be when you move in."

"You want me to move in?"

"Of course I do. The closer you are to us the better. But I will leave it up to you."

"How about whatever I bring over stays until all my stuff is there?"

She felt his delight just before his arms wound around her waist. "Deal", his voice was husky and it made her knees weak. Leaning back into him harder she pushed her bum into his growing erection and he groaned. Turning in his arms she smiled and let her fingers pull up his shirt reaching for his pants realizing for the first time that he was in his pajama's as he kissed along her jaw and neck. Untying the drawstring she gently pushed and purred with excitement when she found he wasn't wearing underwear. His hands started to work on the buttons of her blouse and she let her own hands wind up his shirt and trace patterns across his scars withdrawing them only when he began to push it off her shoulders.

"Wait! Where is Teddy?" she tried to pull away.

"With Andromeda." Panic flooded her, "Don't worry, love. She is happy for us. She was actually really excited that is was you and not some random witch she didn't know."

The idea of him with someone else had a growl crawling from her throat and she attached herself to him once more. He chuckled against her mouth and she gently bit his lip in mock reprimand while he unzipped her skirt. When it hit the floor with her blouse and his pants she helped him pull off his own shirt and he picked her up and turned to take her back to the bed. Here, I need you, she thought to him unwilling to dislodge from his mouth. Redirecting them he pinned them against the wall and kissed along the tops of her breasts.

She unwrapped her legs from his hips and set her feet on the floor before turning them so he was against the wall. He stayed completely still as she kissed down his neck to his chest, creating her own path along his skin and when she dropped to her knees his eyes widened slightly as she took him in her hands and groaned when she gently kissed his tip. Looking up at him with a sultry grin she lower her gaze and slowly took him in her mouth, swirling her tongue along his tip. She heard his head drop back against the wall and she purred with excitement. Pulling off she licked his length and he groaned again. She'd never done this before but she felt empowered all the same so she continued to suck, sheathing her teeth behind her lips until she felt his legs begin to shake and he pulled her up grabbing her hips and hoisting her up, back against the wall. Pinned against the wall he lowered her onto his length and she let her head fall to his shoulder with a deep moan. As he rocked into her she used her lock on his hips to pull herself down to meet him thrust for thrust until she felt herself tighten and snap, his name falling from her lips in rapid succession. Hearing her come was enough to pull him to finish with her.

When they caught their breath she kissed him softly before he set her down and cast a scorgify on them. Laughing she bent over and picked up a small piece of lace that had been her knickers. "You needed me," he shrugged with a wink. Shaking her head she dressed herself in a pair of her pajama pants and a tank top before grabbing extra clothes and taking his arm. "Lets go home."

He kissed her temple and led her out of the closet and room down to the floo.


"Hermione!"

Trotting over to the door she stuck her head out, "I'm in my room Gin!" Hearing footsteps on the stairs Hermione turned back to her room and began transfiguring her bed into a large array of cushions and pillows that covered any open floor space. Levitating a side table near the door she transfigured it into a large telly and elongated the other into a buffet for snacks she had summoned from the kitchen.

"How strict is this 'girls night' because that looks amazingly comfortable," Harry spoke from the doorway, his arm slung over Ginny's shoulders.

"No men allowed," Hermione countered sticking her tongue out a him. Ginny giggled and Harry leaned down to kiss her before handing her the films Hermione had asked him to grab while they'd been out. Reluctantly pulling herself from his hold Ginny entered the room and shut the door. After preforming a quick silencing charm she whirled at Hermione. The pair gossiped and enjoyed the films Harry brought until they eventually fell asleep early in the next morning with Anna and the King playing in the back ground surrounded by empty snack bowls.

Hermione started to feel something pulling her from sleep but when it dulled she decided to ignore it until she heard her bedroom door bang open and Teddy jump onto the cushions between her and Ginny.

"My Mione!" he squealed diving under the covers with her.

"Good morning little wolf," she smiled pulling him to her and peppering his face with kisses. "What are you doing here love?"

"Daddy checking Uncle Paddy's leg."

"Ah I see." Ginny grumbled something about loud toddlers and turned over pulling the covers over her face. "I think Auntie Ginny needs help walking up love. Do you want to help me wake her?" He nodded enthusiastically and jumped on the slumbering form beside them until the young witch surrendered and pulled him under the covers tickling him.

"I'm up! I'm up!" she laughed. Giggling Teddy ran from the room and she heard him down run down the hall into Sirius's room where she knew Remus was. Ginny flopped back down, "He's so adorable."

Laying down on her best friends stomach she snickered, "That he is."

"Are you ready for dinner tonight?" When she asked she started to absently run her fingers through Hermione's hair brushing out the knots.

"Yes but how is everyone? Do you think they will still hover."

Ginny bit her lip and seemed to consider it before giving Hermione a sad look, "Mum may still cry when she sees you but apart from her I think the only thing you will really have to worry about it the twins. They have always been protective of you and I think learning what happened has only increased that. Actually all of them will most likely act that way for a while."

She closed her eyes and curled into Ginny's side, her face in her stomach and focused on the feel of Remus getting closer to her and smiled.

"Why Kitten, I never expected this from you," Sirius mocked from the doorway. Hermione groaned and tried to hide further under the covers, her head still on Ginny's lap. "Remus, I think your mate has already found another."

"I'm not worried," she heard him reply and her smile widened. Sitting up she sat next to Ginny and grinned at him before giving Sirius a look, "How is your leg?"

"Moony got me all patched up. Barely a scar."

"You deserve the scar," she growled. He laughed and she was about to hex him when Teddy bounded around his fathers legs and launched himself back onto the cushions. "Little wolf," she mused as he buried himself into her wild curls.

Harry soon joined the men in the doorway and pouted, "What happened to 'girls night'?"

"I specifically said 'no men'. Teddy is an obvious exception," she grinned leaning down to smell his hair that was currently as black and unruly as his godfathers.

"Well it's time for you two to get up now. Seeing as you've spent most of the day in bed."

Ginny shrugged, "We had a long night."

"Oh? Doing what?" Sirius perked up with sudden interest.

"The usual. Pillow fights and experimentation." Ginny smirked grabbing Hermione's free hand and kissing it.

Sirius groaned and smacked his head on the door. "New rule, no more closed doors on girls night." The two witches shared a wicked grin before Ginny sat up and excused herself tugging on Harry's shirt, claiming to need a shower. Howling after them Sirius chuckled and walked back into his own room leaving Remus in the doorway watching his mate cuddle his son.

"Good afternoon," he spoke softly walking in and sitting on the foot of the cushions.

Leaning forward she kissed him, "Good afternoon."

"Is that one of my jumpers?" he laughed.

Looking down at her chest she smiled and nodded. "I stole it last night. I wanted your scent around me if I couldn't have you." He grinned and pulled her in for another kiss. Scooping up Teddy he gave her the chance to stand and stretch. She reached up on her tip toes and he watched his jumper raise to the top of her thighs. Wait until I get you home.

She turned to and faced him with a hungry look, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I love you!" Teddy's voice rang out and they both laughed.