I apologize for the amount of time that has passed since i last updated this story, work and life take it's toll every now and then. I have decided to take a different avenue with the story, i hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as the last. Please let me know what you think.

-J

The setting sun filtered through blowing curtains, the window cracked to allow a nice evening breeze to flow through as the potions had raised the temperature in the room drastically over the past hour. With his long hair, now reaching his shoulders, held back in a small braid he turned back to the potion and began stirring slowly as the potion reached it's peak color. This being the last of a particularly loaded order, Severus turned from the now simmering potion and made his way to the window. Grabbing his cup of coffee as he approached, he held the mug in both his hands allowing the warmth to shock some sensation back into them, days of brewing tended to leave them cramped and dry. As he gazed upon the changing light, colors swirling around the horizon, he felt the all too familiar sadness pervade his once busy mind. With nothing left to do but wait for this last batch to finish, his mind found it's familiar topic as it had continually since she left.

It had been a year and a month to the day since she had left this very house, declaring she needed time alone. It had been a year exactly since he had read into her deepest and most hidden memories left behind by choice. The trust he had felt at that small action, the feelings that had slowly taken root and spread during her time here as well as his time spent in her memories, all became overwhelming. He had decided a month after she had left that he couldn't dwell on her for the time being, potions needed replenishing in stores, and he needed to continue his research that had been held back all too long. So allowing himself small moments of weakness every now and then was the only way he could function properly, lest he found himself laying in bed all night unable to sleep by the overload of thoughts he had about her. It had taken him six months to quit his fruitless searching, to finally allow her to remain as she was until she was ready to surface. Hermione Granger hadn't made contact with anyone during those 13 months, he wouldn't be surprised if she never did.

Feeling his alarm for the potions go off, he turned to the cauldrons and began bottling them with care. Over the past year or so, he had become one of the most formidable private brewing masters, receiving orders in double digits had become a regular occurrence as well as a much needed distraction. So he had worked his way through this past year, spending the weekends rereading Hermione's journal while sipping on his favorite brandy. Every now and then he would leave the house for supplies, but every morning Severus had taken to jogging around the cliffs that provided a beautiful background to his house. He had shed all the stress weight from the previous war time, and felt better than he had in years. Yet, he knew eventually something would change, and every night before he succumbed to sleep he hoped it would be something to do with Hermione.

After organizing the last box of his order, he magically sealed and warded them to protect against breakage. Downsizing them into the size of sickles, he packaged them again in a single parcel and attached them to his owl. Giving a few treats, and ruffling it's feathers, his owl took flight with the delivery. Making mental calculations of the expected payment, he smirked with peace at the knowledge he had built a sizable egg to live on without touching his savings. Something he was never afforded during the time for war and spying. Turning from the lab, he started to think on what he would make for dinner as he strode down into the kitchen.

With a light chuckle she watched as her familiar jumped across the small space between the two cliffs that she had flew across. She began to laugh in earnest as he nudged her with his wet nose and playfully flopped onto her lap. At only six months of age, he weighed as much as a bag of bricks, he now stood at chest level with her. Still she ran her fingers lovingly through his fur as his body warmth flowed through her. Her sweat having long ago started to cool with the winter climate as the sun set.

It had been a year since she left. Every moment had been filled with discoveries and journeys, not with adventure per say but a sense of self fulfillment as she began finding herself slowly. She had finally completed what she had originally set out to do after only three months, yet she wasn't willing to return to society as of yet. So she began traveling, learning new things, taking different masters. Successfully keeping under the radar had come easier than she imagined it would, supposing she had her time hunting to thank for that. It had been 13 months she had spoken to anyone that belonged to her past life, and it was temporary. As soon as she had reached that moment of clarity 7 months ago, Hermione knew her place was in Britain with certain people. Hiding was never part of her long term goals, but she decided she needed to give people time to process that she wasn't the killer she had made herself to be. Though if she were honest with herself she wished desperately that she could take that time back. There was even a bit of truth to that she was prolonging the reactions she was sure to face once returning. But the further she traveled the more she discovered, and it had become a welcomed and much needed break from everything. Suddenly she understood why everyone had packed up and left for bits of time after the war, traveling had turned out to be exactly what she needed.

Six months after she had left, she found herself in Romania following the lore she had overheard in a pub during her time in Germany. As she came upon the castle that the rumors had centered around, she found a man outside tending to the garden. After greeting and discussing the lore in question, she had been invited to dinner with the land owner. Which led to a discovery in ancient magical history, myths she thought were mere fairytales as a child proven real.

The land owner stood at five feet with a slim build and tattoos covering his entire body. With short black hair and bushy eyebrows he spoke with a rather peculiar accent that had her listening intently for fear of missing the smallest detail. He spoke of familiars that had bonded with their masters on an intellectual and blood level. Something most wizards and witches could only dream of experiencing. With each passing phrase building in Hermione's mind, she desperately grasped at the need she felt for such companionship.

As the land owner paused, taking sips of his wine while studying her intensely, sadness swept through her as it made her remember the way Severus used to observe her.

"You vish to haf this experience don you dear?" Hermione felt apprehensive, but couldn't find the strength to deny his suspicion.

The land owner sat while observing her once more, unlike previously, Hermione could feel his magic building around her. His magic felt different than any other she had known before, ancient and strong but with a darkness to it. She shivered and warmed at it's presence. After what seemed to be minutes had passed, he finally smiled as his magic disappeared and a warmth settled in his once cold blue eyes.

"Vell, yus so your avare, my pups haf to choose you my dear. Not de oder way avound." Hermione felt hope blossom, of the likes she hadn't felt in years. "Are ye veady my dear?"

She shook her head whilst sitting at the kitchen table, gripping it's edge with what she wasn't sure was fear or excitement.

Suddenly she was standing in a field, quickly looking around she found the castle to be yards away but still felt comfort at knowing he hadn't taken them far. Not having noticed them before, she heard a small growl the likes that you would find from a small dog, to which her eyes flew to the wooden gated area not but two feet away. Turning to face them fully, she almost melted at the sight of six fur balls tumbling over the other while trying to get a peak at her. As she flicked through her mind attempting to identify them, she knelt lower bringing them eye level.

"Zey are a type of mountain lion breed, zer very vare as anima's, even more ver familiars. Vomania ist der homeland, and I breed them."

Hermione felt tears building as one of the more curious of his pack made his way to the forefront of the gate, peaking his head through it's space to nudge her extended hand. Shuffling closer she began to rub his nose, chuckling as the cub leaned into her touch.

"You must cut your hand. This type of familiar chooses by blood. Which ever licks your wound, ist your new familiar for life."

Forcing herself to bring her hand away from the cub she had already subconsciously chosen, she used her wand to open a small incision along her palm. Though the sting was a tad worse than she had assumed it would be, she gritted her teeth as she climbed the gate. As if the cubs understood her wish, they formed a circle around her, each sitting patiently for their turn to sniff her hand. As her palm faced the first cub she froze in shock as her body went through almost the same sensation as her childhood self did while attempting to find a wand. Her arm tingled from the shoulder to her finger tips as the pup examined her blood, tiny puffs of warm air ghosting over it. Finally the pup looked at her with dark brown eyes and an angle to his head, an expression she recognized as dismissal.

As she reached her third cub, she fought the swell of disappointment and fear that had started brewing slowly in her stomach. As she reached the fourth cub, she recognized him as the one who had reduced her to tears by his curious nudge. Allowing him to step forward and lowering her palm to his nose, the sensation that overcame her hardly compared to the other cubs. Her body tingled all over as her blood heated automatically once the cub began to give small licks along the deepest part of her cut. As her legs gave out, she fell to her knees as the cub stepped on her thigh to curl his head around her neck, nuzzling her lovingly. Hermione had never felt so safe in her entire life, and it knocked the wind from her lungs as she clutched the cub for dear life.

"Vell vould you look at dat. You haf been chosen my dear."

She slowly looked to the land owner with tears spilling from her cheeks, a smile split her face, in a whispered sigh she forced out "Thank you sir." Turning back to the cub who stood before her staring at her with intent, she became lost in it's eyes, one a dark and deep blue while the other was such a light shade of green it looked to be striped with silver.

"Dat lion ist yours now. He vill guard you ver life, always by your side. There ist definitely something unique in you Ms. Hermione, i bow to you and your new familiar."

She stood up to return his bow with a curtsy, feeling the respect that her familiar held for the land owner influencing her previous assumptions of his character. As the land owner nodded, he turned from her and the cubs. Turning her attention back down to her cub, she took a moment to really observe the details to his features. Immaculate white fur that looked as satiny as it felt, fur that looked short but was actually long enough to curl around her fingers as she combed through it. Black fur that outlined his muzzle, his nose a small pinkish color. The cub standing, reached her mid calf, which she knew was an unusual size for such a young animal. Even his legs possessed a clear outline of muscle and power that Hermione could only marvel at the promise of what a magnificent animal her familiar would become.

"Well, i guess it's just you and me now huh?" After examining her now completely healed palm she knelt down to his height opening her arms to which he gladly curled into. Bracing her legs with experience she brought him over the fence with her, setting him down next to her. Just as she was looking upon the castle again, she felt a cold, wet nudge on her hand, she found a questioning look on the young cubs face.

"How does Warren sound, the name of a guardian? I think it suits you." The cub sat straighter as she swore he puffed his chest, causing her to chuckle. "Warren it is."

Since that day Hermione had spent every moment getting to learn all she could about her new familiar and what it meant to be one of the rare witches to be chosen by one. She grew more and more grateful every day, filled with warmth and love, calmed within seconds of feeling a whiff of panic from her earlier days, all thanks to the over-sized lion that stuck by her side. Warren loved her like nothing she had ever experienced, in his presence she had truly found herself again, never having felt even remotely this safe since those days spent with Snape in his shack.

It was a sunny day with a breeze that held undercurrents of the upcoming winter's nip, with Warren by her side she took a leisure stroll through the small village. With it bordering the edge of the vast cliffs of Ireland, she became mesmerized by the beauty it offered her eyes daily. Today being some sort of holiday, the main road was packed with small groups of locals all chattering away with ease as the beautiful Irish band played their lovely tune. The bagpipes carried her emotions as she felt Warren nudge her hand to bring her back from her musings, looking to her right he watched her with curious different colored eyes.

I find that beauty hides in the most unexpected places, such beauty your breath is taken away immediately. Don't you agree?

"You have this uncanny ability to sound just like my Albus sometimes Warren. But yes, i do." She smiled softly as he gave her a stern look in response to her comparison.

Shall we take a seat? I think you need a cup of coffee dear.

She snorted at his stupid request, of course she needed coffee, he had woken her at an ungodly hour to go cliff hoping and running with the sun rise this morning. Nodding she took a seat at the outdoor cafe' just across the street from the bagpipe band, allowing the sun to warm her chilled fingers.

Ordering her coffee and a bowl of water for Warren, the lion sitting comfortably beside her with his head still at shoulder height. She knew their picture would draw suspicions earlier in her visit, but as the days had passed the locals had grown fond of Warren even with his size and intimidating demeanor. Once again as her thoughts wondered, he nudged her shoulder playfully and she looked down to him with her eyebrow raised in question.

You're very quiet today dear, anything on your mind?

"You know as well as i do, that you know everything that passes through my mind Warren. Seeing as you can read it. As well as i know you feel every moment of emotion i experience."

With a grumpy look on his face, his eyes burning with seriousness, laying his muzzle on the arm resting on her chair. It's time Hermione. You know as well as i do, that now you are just avoiding returning home. It's not healthy.

She sighed as the weight she had been avoiding suddenly placed it's brunt along her shoulders. "Never one to beat around the bush are we?"

Warren shook his head no and she swore she could see him smirking. His white fur ruffling with the evening wind, his nose now a dark hue of grey still turned up to her with meaningful eyes staring through her very soul. "Yes, i planned on speaking to you about returning in the near future. But, it would have to be a mutual choice on both our parts Warren, you know that your meaning and symbolism in the wizarding world will draw much more attention than it has in the muggle areas we have visited. Are you ready for that?"

She could hear warm chuckling in her mind, irritation flowing wild in her mind at his response to her inquiry. While i admire your thoughts on my well being dear, you know i am fully aware and have already calculated the possible risk. You also know i am duty bound to find you happiness and will suffer whatever consequences must follow for that goal to be reached. So you in turn know that what you just asked was a last ditch effort to avoid returning home when you know my mind is already made on the matter.

"Yes, yes. Alright then you persistent mutt." She received a playful nip on her hand at the jab, and yelped in response only to smile lazily at his antics. Once again she felt the love he held for her warming her soul, fending off the panic the prospect of returning home brought to surface. Softly he rubbed his soft fur against her wrist that laid resting on the table once again turning to find her eyes.

You will be fine Hermione. With me by your side, you know that it will make no difference the response you are received with. We can find our own slice of happiness anywhere we put our mind to. But i happen to know you have two degrees you have been itching to use in a career that only Hogwarts may offer. Have you replied to Dumbledore's response yet?

"Ehm...No. I haven't made up my mind on that front yet. I haven't been back to Hogwarts since ..i... Se-.. he kidnapped me."

Am i ever going to meet the man that has stolen my witch's heart?

"Warren." She took a moment to allow the waiter to place the cup of steaming coffee before her, warming her fingertips on it's edges as she allowed her words to form. Feeling his cautious patience beside her she continued, "We've had this conversation before. I'm not sure he even feels the same. Much less still feels the same. It's been a year since i left him."

A soft growl vibrated in her mind. He could never forget feelings for a woman such as yourself Hermione. Can we please go visit him before you go home? Only then can you truly be ready to return to deal with the rest of them my dear, you know Severus Snape of all the others should be the first step in returning.

"But what i-..." No what if's my dear. It's the only way i would feel your ready to return. Lets go. Tomorrow.

"TOMORROW? Warren?! Tomorrow? That is a bit drastic don't you think?"

Not when the letter Dumbledore sent requested a reply by the end of the weak. If you don't do it tomorrow, you would only be continuing in putting it off longer. Our stay in this village has been the longest we have stayed yet. You ARE ready Hermione. Find the woman i know you are deep down, and use that confidence and strength i know you possess.

As Warren's words sunk in, she knew he was right. The lion always had been the voice of reason since she had found him those many months past. Another heavy sigh, and a slight nod of her head, the lion shifted down to lay along her chair. As the sun started to fall, she felt her familiar's warmth flood her skin in a loving caress as he lay peacefully. She knew it was time, knew he was right, and knew it would be fine. As long as Warren remained by her side, she could conquer anything.