A/N: Thank you for all the favourites, follows and reviews guys. I'm really happy that you guys are enjoying this story. I'm inspired to write more because of all this support. :) Hope that you guys enjoy this chapter.
HeadyLupin – Thanks for the review as always! :D Your reviews are always a constant encouragement to me. 3
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Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
"She fell asleep." Remus whispered to Andromeda when the quartet had flooed back to Andromeda's home. The older woman had insisted that Remus, Hermione and Teddy spend the night since Hermione was not feeling well. "Just use the guest bedroom Remus. There is no problem with you three staying for the night. Share the room with Hermione and Teddy. I'm sure she wouldn't mind." She had told Remus kindly. Unable to refuse his mother in-law Remus had agreed.
Teddy crawled up to Hermione who was sleeping soundly on the bed the moment Andromeda set him down on the bed, he put his head on her chest and snuggled up to her. Hermione instinctively wrapped her arms around him and with a happy noise Teddy closed his eyes falling asleep almost instantly. "They make quite a pair don't they?" Andromeda laughed when Teddy's snores filled the room. "They do." Remus gazed lovingly at the sight in front of him.
"If you have to fight someone to win Hermione over you better start with your son." Andromeda laughed again and shut the door behind her leaving Remus alone with his slumbering son & Hermione. Remus watched them both for some time noting how peaceful Hermione looked with Teddy in her arms. "This is something I wouldn't mind waking up to every single day." He sighed running his hand through his sandy blonde hair. Without thinking he stood up and laid down on the other side of Hermione her lavender and rosewood scent filling up his entire mind as he fell asleep.
Something warm was on her chest. It was small and it was moving. Hermione opened her heavy eyes slightly and smiled when she saw Teddy's tuft of purple hair at her chest. The little baby was fast asleep and drooling copiously on her dress. Chuckling silently Hermione reached out and wiped his drool off. "Awake so soon?" a familiar voice sounded from Hermione's left. She couldn't turn her body fully due to Teddy being comfortably perched on her chest so she merely turned her head. She was nestled in the crook of Remus's arm and chest his body radiating a comforting warmth that was spreading within Hermione's body as well.
"Remus? We all slept together?" Hermione couldn't stop another type of warmth spreading onto her cheeks. Remus gazed down at her his amber eyes alight with affection. "We did. Teddy didn't want to leave your side. I didn't want to leave either so we both stayed with you." he smiled. "Thank you Remus. I really troubled you a lot yesterday didn't I?" Hermione grinned apologetically. "Don't be silly Hermione. Your safety and well-being are important to me. You are important to me." Remus said firmly his grasp around her tightening protectively.
"Remus can I ask you something?" Hermione looked up at him with a question in her large brown eyes. "What is it?" he asked softly. "Yesterday.. At St Mungo's you weren't mad when the nurse referred to me as your wife were you? I felt rather bad that you were forced to play along so that they would tend to my injuries faster." Hermione sighed. "Nonsense. I wasn't mad. I actually.." Remus's voice trailed off. Hermione blinked up at him. "Actually what Remus?" she asked gently her eyes wide and lips trembling. His amber eyes glowed with such an intensity as he met her gaze that Hermione felt a jolt right down to her toes. Sometimes Remus's intensity scared her, she felt like losing control and leaping into his arms letting him do whatever he pleased with her.
"It was the first time Teddy used the word 'Mummy'. I was ecstatic you know.. that he used it for you." Remus smiled his fingers touching Hermione's cheek. She shuddered at the intensity of even that slight graze. "Hermione you mean a lot to Teddy. I hope you continue visiting him even after you get married. I know I'm being selfish but.." Remus's voice faltered. "Remus I told you I won't leave you both right? I meant every word." Hermione answered leaning back into the crook of his arm.
"Why would you want to stay with us? We always trouble you." Remus's voice wavered. Hermione looked at him silently for a long time. "Because I love you both." She answered quietly. Remus blinked at her losing his voice and the ability to form coherent sentences. Her words had filled him with both intense happiness and fear. "Mioni.." Teddy lifted his head of purple hair sleepily and stared at her. "Teddy! You're awake." Hermione laughed as the baby crawled up to her cheek and gave her a wet kiss. "Mummy." Teddy gave her an almost toothless smile. Hermione felt Remus intake a breath sharply at his son's proclamation.
"You're really cute you know." Hermione stroked Teddy's hair tenderly. "Do you want this Hermione? Do you want a toddler calling you Mummy? Will it not affect your personal life?" Remus sighed bitterly. He was afraid. After the happiness of the previous night had started wearing away he was very afraid to believe that something that good could happen to him. Remus was terribly conflicted. He already felt bad that Teddy had to be subjected to having a werewolf for a father. Now the baby was seriously calling Hermione 'Mummy', what if he was robbed of that happiness one day in the future. Though he knew that his uncertainty would hurt Hermione but Remus couldn't help it. After so many years of being hurt because of what he was the pain of insecurity was already deeply embedded in his being.
Hermione bit her bottom lip. She was taken aback by Remus's sudden mood change and sighed at his words. If there was one thing Hermione would change about Remus it would be for him to have more confidence in himself, for him to change his mind about not deserving love because of his disease or his age. No matter how many times she had told him that he deserved love Remus found it hard to believe her. "I would love it if I could have it for the rest of my life Remus. No matter how many times you ask me my answer would still remain the same. Teddy is important to me. He'll always be important to me." Hermione met Remus's gaze squarely. He looked away unable to meet those big brown eyes that only reflected innocence and sincerity.
A knock interrupted the awkwardness descending between the couple. Andromeda's dark head poked in and she smiled at the sight of Hermione in Remus's arms and Teddy lying his face against Hermione's his small body safely wrapped around her free arm. "You three are too cute. Anyone hungry? Breakfast is ready. Teddy would you like some porridge?" Andromeda asked the baby. "Porri.." Teddy nodded rubbing his tummy.
"I'll freshen up and bring Teddy out Andromeda." Hermione untangled herself from Remus's embrace & lifted Teddy into her arms. "Come Teddy let's go freshen up. You've got your drool all over my dress." Hermione laughed. Teddy joined her though he didn't understand that he had slobbered all over Hermione in his sleep. Remus watched them both his face expressionless but his insides twisting with a rage of confused feelings. Staring up at the ceiling he sighed deeply and shut his eyes, the sounds of Hermione and Teddy fooling around in the bathroom floating over his own silent breathing.
"You asked for me." The hulking form of Runcorn loomed in front of the private booth at The Leaky Cauldron before he slid his bulk into the worn red polyester seat. "Welcome back Runcorn. How has Azkaban been treating you?" the sickly sweet voice simpered. "The same it had treated you Dolores." Runcorn gestured at his gaunt form with deep black shadows under his cunning grey eyes. "It took me a great deal of connections to get you out of Azkaban." Umbridge sipped her Gillywater her toad-like eyes taking in Runcorn's bored expression. "You should have left me there since you probably got me released so that I can go back in after doing your dirty work." Runcorn glared at the small square woman.
"Don't be so cynical Runcorn." Umbridge snapped. "We're here to do noble work and noble work sometimes requires sacrifice. You are here because I trust you. I have a task for you." Umbridge grabbed a folder and slide it across the table. Runcorn grabbed the folder, pulled it open and his gaunt eyes brightening as they skimmed through the information and then narrowing when they fell back on Umbridge once again. "What exactly am I supposed to do?" he raised his eyebrows. "You cannot possibly expect me to commit murder for you." he cut in when Umbridge opened her mouth to speak. "It's not murder Runcorn. It's cleansing." Umbridge smirked. "If I refuse?" Runcorn glared at her pursing his lips. "Solitary confinement in Azkaban for the rest of your life." Umbridge answered sweetly. "I'll think about it." Runcorn answered carefully not giving his position again. Umbridge merely giggled. They may act coy now but they always came around in the end, they always did.
"Open wide!" Hermione held out a spoonful of warm porridge to Teddy and the baby shook his head his mouth clamped shut. "One more mouthful Teddy. Come on!" she gave him a kiss on his cheek and Teddy instantly opened his mouth. "Would you look at that? He's a smart one." Ted Tonks laughed gregariously. Andromeda chuckled along with her husband. "I told you yesterday Remus that Teddy is the one you've to fight with." Andromeda gave Remus a sly look.
Remus kept his eyes on his grapefruit and scrambled eggs with bacon. Hermione gave him a curious glance but returned back to feeding Teddy. "How is your toe?" Remus asked when he spotted Hermione wincing when she walked to the sink to wash the now empty bowl of oatmeal she was feeding Teddy. "It still stings but don't worry I'll be fine." Hermione shrugged with a small smile. "Are you sure?" Remus stood up and walked over to her. "I'm fine Remus." She avoided his gaze.
"Shall we take a trip to St Mungo's again if you're still in pain?" Remus asked softly. "Are you going to carry me again?" she teased him back. "Do you want me to?" Remus smiled down at her. They both stared at each other until Ted cleared his throat pointedly at which the couple distanced themselves from each other colouring ever so subtly. "I'm going to be late for work. I'll be leaving now Andromeda." Hermione said when neither Ted nor Andromeda said anything but just kept exchanging amused knowing smirks.
"Are you up to work? Your toe.." Remus scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I'll be fine Remus." Hermione gave a small nod. "Then I'll accompany you to the Ministry to drop you off." She froze at his words. "What? No.. That is not necessary Remus." She held up her hands, Remus's mood swings as the full moon drew close usually got worse progressively and she didn't want to offend him again after that morning's outburst.
"Just let him accompany you Hermione. You know how protective Remus gets of the people he loves. Even if he denies it outwardly." Ted sipped his tea nonchalantly. Hermione sighed. "Well.. Okay. I need to Floo back to my apartment first to dress and then we can leave for the Ministry." She told Remus who was apprehensively watching her. His serious visage crumpled into a relieved smile at her words. "Teddy will stay with us for today. We'll drop him off in the evening Remus." Andromeda stroked her grandson's chubby cheeks and he grinned at her trying to catch her fingers with his fat fists. Remus agreed thankful that his in-laws were not making his life too difficult.
"This stupid toe.. I don't know why it stings so much." Hermione stumbled slightly as Remus & her Flooed back to her apartment. "We need to apply the ointment to the wound." Remus said gently his arm firmly around her shoulder. "I'll go get dressed first Remus. Make yourself at home." Hermione gestured at the apartment and limped slightly to her bedroom making sure not to put pressure on her hurting toe.
Remus watched her close the bedroom door and turned his attention back to the apartment. He hadn't been free the time when Hermione held her housewarming party and still hadn't visited her home until that day. It was a quaint little place, tucked away in the suburbs of London mostly inhabited by Muggles. As usual there was a huge library set in the corner of the living room filled with thick volumes of dusty books of every imaginable genre. Remus chuckled as he pulled a volume of 'Hogwarts: A History', a very well-worn copy that had Hermione's name embossed on the cover. "She still keeps her old schoolbooks." Remus had to smile at Hermione's cute bookworm tendencies. Even he had retained his old textbooks and loved to flip through them once in a while during days of boredom.
When he continued looking around something above the couch opposite the television caught his attention. Remus advanced and found the picture taken of Hermione, Teddy & himself at the carnival hanging up above the couch. Hermione had enlarged the picture and framed it up in a beautiful frame of glittering gold seashells. The other photographs of hers both Muggle and wizarding photographs stood neatly arranged in a cabinet by the couch. Remus took a picture of a young Hermione celebrating her 3rd birthday dressed in a red sweater smiling toothlessly up at the camera, her large brown eyes remained unchanged always sparkling with the same light that Remus adored.
"So cute." He said aloud and heard Hermione laugh behind him. "You found the photos." She was smiling when he turned around to look at her. "Why is that picture framed up specially?" Remus pointed at the carnival picture. "Because it was by far the happiest day of my life." Hermione smiled and then shyly glanced away when she noticed Remus's warm gaze. "It was mine as well Hermione." The answer was out of Remus's mouth before he could stop himself.
