As promised chapter 11! And less than a week after my last posting! This chapter fought me tooth and nail because Molly doesn't like me anymore than I like her so please review and let me know what you think? ~Dray
"You know I was going to help with dinner 'Mione." Remus said toweling his hair dry as he walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel.
"I know but I was just too nervous to sit still so cooking seemed like a good idea." Hermione said pulling a brush through the tangle that was her wet hair.
Remus nodded understandingly as he walked into the closet to find something to wear. "That makes sense. I would have been going stir crazy if you and Sirius had left me here alone today."
"Here Mione let me help you with that." Sirius said sitting behind her and taking the brush from her hands. By the time Remus emerged from their closet he had tied Hermione's hair back in a loose plait.
"Thank you Siri." Hermione said giving him a quick kiss before she stood up. "Well shall we go face the music?"
"It wont be that bad." Remus said giving her a tight hug from behind. "Molly loves you she wouldn't do anything to hurt you."
"Yeah and she loves Harry and she nearly disowned him when she found out he wasn't going to marry Ginny." Hermione pointed out.
"Look no matter what Molly says me and Remus are in this for the long haul. When I'm with you and Remus I feel complete, I'm not letting one woman ruin that for me." Sirius said pulling her and Remus against his chest. "Now lets go down stairs and set the table so we can eat the delicious smelling chicken you made."
Hermione gave him a tight hug. "Thank you. Both of you are being so amazing about this."
"Its our job love." Remus said detangling himself from the others and making towards the door. "Now no more stalling lets go get this done so we can come back up for snuggles."
Sirius shifted to take Hermione's hand and pull her toward the door. "Sounds like a plan to me."
Smiling Hermione followed his lead down the stairs and into the kitchen where Harry had already set the table for dinner. "Oh Harry you didn't have to do that."
"I didn't." Harry said from where he was finishing the potatoes Hermione had started.
"I needed something to do to calm my nerves." Draco said with a shrug as he came out of the cold storage room. "Butterbeer?"
Hermione took one of the bottles from his hands before taking a seat. "I don't think you'll be the one Molly is glaring at tonight." She said with a wry chuckle.
"Hermione don't worry about it. She forgave me and Draco eventually so I'm sure she will forgive you." Harry said setting the potatoes on the table before flopping into a chair.
"Yeah but you two are at least the same age, and there are only two of you." Hermione pointed out.
Draco sat down on Harry's knee and opened his mouth to respond but before any words could come out the floo flared to life and Molly stepped out. After shooting a slightly disapproving look towards Draco and Harry she smiled at Hermione. "Hello dear, I know you said you were cooking but I couldn't help but whip up a little something." She said setting a parsnip vegetable medley on the table next to the other dishes.
Hermione gave the older woman a hug. "Well thank you Molly. Where is everyone else?"
"Arthur will be through in just a moment and the twins are coming over from their shop. Everyone else is working late." Molly said, barely finishing her words before the flared to life again.
"Hello Mum." Fred said
"Fancy seeing you here." George quipped.
"Oh you two." Molly said shaking her head.
"Hello boys. I may need your help with a special project if you don't mind sticking around a few minutes after dessert?" Hermione said shooting a wicked grin at Harry as she sat across from him.
"Mione what are you up to?" George asked taking the seat next to Harry.
Fred grinned. "Judging by that smile I'd guess revenge Georgie boy." He declared sitting next to Fred.
"Will you lot behave." Molly chided taking her usual sit
"Molly asking any of us to behave is a wasted effort. You should know that by now." Sirius said with a chuckle as he sat next to Hermione at the table.
"Remus dear can't you make some sort of an effort to keep them in line?" Molly asked jokingly as she started to carve one of the chickens.
"No can do, it goes against the marauder code." Remus declared taking the last open seat on Hermione's side of the table.
"Oh very well then." Molly huffed. "Pass you plates if you want some of this chicken. Arthur seems to be running late so we may as well eat."
The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of clattering cutlery as plates were filled and dishes were passed. Soon the kitchen was filled with the sounds of general chatter as dinner was consumed. Just as Hermione pushed her plate away groaning that she couldn't eat another bite the fire flared to life one more time.
"Sorry I'm late, I got distracted by a missive from the Ministry." Arthur said dusting himself off and making his way over to the table to join the others.
"No worries dear I kept a plate warm for you." Molly said pointing to the open seat were she had left his plate.
After giving his wife a quick kiss he tucked into his dinner. "So did I miss Hermione's big announcement?"
"No actually I was just getting ready to tell everyone the big news." Hermione said with a nervous smile as she grabbed both of her partners hands under the table. "I have found someone to start dating."
"Oh that's wonderful!" Molly squealed.
"Ya know Gred that doesn't seem like enough of a reason to have a big dinner." George said, suspicion lacing his voice.
"I think you might be right Forge." Fred said with a sly smile. "So Hermione what's the real news?"
"Erm well its more like I've found two people to date." Hermione said quietly.
Molly stiffened slightly. "Has the Ministry approved of this plan?"
"Yes they have. We all went to see them this morning before we emailed you." Hermione said stalling.
"Hermione just tell them. Its not going to get any easier if you put it off." Draco said quietly. "Trust me I tried to go down that road."
"He's right you know. Just do it like you would a bandaid." Harry said reassuringly.
Arthur watched the exchange quietly, noticing that Remus and Sirius were choosing not to say anything but appearing to offer silent support to Hermione. Suddenly it dawned on him. "I just realized that I forgot to reply to that missive and it was quite important. Congratulations on the new relationship Hermione but I must be going." He said standing up abruptly and ducking back through the fireplace.
Molly eyed Hermione suspiciously. "Hermione who are you dating?"
Hermione took a deep breath. "Remus,"
"Hermione!" Molly exclaimed sounding scandalized.
"And Sirius." She finished.
Molly stared at the three of them for a solid minute before standing up and walking through the fireplace without a word.
"Ya know Fred I reckon you were right."
"Oh how so George?"
"We should have brought that popcorn."
"That we should have." Fred said laughing.
"Congratulations Hermione. We really are happy for you." George said stepping around the table to give her a quick hug.
Fred followed his lead. "What the worse looking twin said. Now if you will excuse us we are going to the burrow to watch the fireworks." And with that both twins stepped into the flames and vanished.
"Well that went better than I expected." Remus said releasing the breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"Yeah she didn't scream or call us pedophiles at least." Sirius joked wrapping and arm reassuringly around Hermione's shoulders.
"No she just walked out on us without a word." Hermione said sounding hurt.
"She will come around Hermione. You are her second daughter, she can't stay mad at you forever." Harry said. "Now lets have some dessert then me and Draco are going home to watch a movie and you are going to spend the night cuddling and reminding yourself why you chose to scar me by dating my former professor and my godfather."
Draco glanced at the three of them then shook his head. "This family will never make sense to me."
"Family isn't supposed to make sense, that's why it's called family." Hermione said laughing. "Now lets dig into that yummy looking dessert."