A/N: A huge thank you to the cheerleaders of tumblr—you all know who you are, and some of you were anon so I don't, actually. Also a big thank you to all the kind and thoughtful PMs—I appreciated those more than you know. I've had a bunch of RL crap going on lately, and this chapter was so much harder to get out than I meant it to be.
Much love to my Falcons and ppevxnsie-bbarnxs who listened to me whine and were willing to read parts from the chapter and reassure me that I didn't suck. I don't know why I angsted so much over this, but it's part of why it took so long to get done.
Fair Warning: I have oral surgery later this month, two days before Thanksgiving (US), and then a week later I'm going to Germany to visit my cousin—December 1st through the 11th. It's my first trip to another continent and I'm so excited I can't stand it. If you happen to be in the Nuremberg area—hit me up. We can go have a coffee or something. (I can't drink beer. I'm allergic. Wine, cider, hard alcohol is fine.)
/\/\/\/\/\
There were worse things than being under house arrest. Dying, for example. Azkaban. So, really, Rita Skeeter didn't mind being stuck in some old house. She was allowed free rein of the house and grounds. Mrs Malfoy had performed some sort of complex spell that bound Rita to the wards, but she tried to ignore that. She was alive. That was enough. It had to be.
When Keeper Black swept into the room dressed in the robes of her station with Mrs Tonks and Mrs Malfoy flanking her like sergeants-at-arms, Rita felt her stomach drop. No matter what she had been raised to believe about how dangerous the Black family was… they had nothing on the former Hermione Granger. Rita had made the mistake of underestimating her because she was a Muggleborn and a child once—she would never make that mistake again.
The fact that Keeper Black was here, now, without her husbands did absolutely nothing to calm Rita down. In fact, if Rita were being given the option she would have chosen the Black wizards every time over being forced to deal with their Keeper. They might be crazy and vicious, but their Keeper was completely and utterly ruthless.
Keeper Black sank into a chair opposite her and folded her hands in her lap. Mrs Tonks and Mrs Malfoy stood behind her at attention—their eyes focused on Rita with an intensity that made her skin prickle. Keeper Black tilted her head slightly and smiled at Rita, but her eyes were cold. Rita remembered those eyes. She leaned forward in her seat and Rita fought the urge to lean back, putting distance between herself and the Keeper for the House of Black.
"Tell me everything you know about Pansy Parkinson," Keeper Black said in a pleasant-sounding voice.
"Pansy Parkinson?" Rita hated the slight quaver in her voice.
"I know you remember her," Keeper Black continued in the same pleasant voice. She paused and gave Rita another smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You two were so close during the Triwizard Tournament, after all."
Rita swallowed nervously. "Of course," she agreed quickly.
Then Rita Skeeter opened her mouth and told them every single thing she'd ever learned, or even suspected about Pansy Parkinson.
/\/\/\/\/\
The idea of tracking each and every one of Hermione's husbands down and begging each of them not to shut her out had been overwhelming, and Hermione had practically fled the manor that morning. Her heart-to-heart with Orion had been emotionally exhausting, and she needed a little time and space before she did that three more times. Hermione had made sure that Orion, the house-elves and the kobold in the kitchen all knew where she would be, and with whom.
Once Hermione was done with Rita Skeeter, she prepared to return home. Narcissa and Andromeda fell into step on either side of her, and Hermione wasn't even startled anymore. If she was the Keeper of the House of Black… if it was her responsibility to protect and to defend… then Hermione would do what she had to do, and she knew that Narcissa and Andromeda understood that perhaps better than her husbands.
When they arrived back at the Manor, a strangely familiar, yet at the same time alien, presence, caressed Hermione's senses—welcoming her home. Hermione stumbled slightly, and Narcissa and Andromeda each took an elbow.
"Are you well?" Andromeda's voice was strained and worried.
"Hermione?" Narcissa's voice overlapped Andromeda's, tinged with fear.
"I… I felt something," Hermione explained. Her brow furrowed as the presence settled in the back of her mind as a soft, subtle hum.
Both Narcissa and Andromeda looked at one another.
"Have you…," Andromeda began and then faltered.
Andromeda exchanged another look with Narcissa.
Narcissa sighed. "Have you slept with Orion?" She asked baldly.
Hermione flushed. "I don't see how that has anything to do with anything."
"He's the Patriarch," Narcissa reminded her.
"Yes, I'm well aware," Hermione snapped.
"As Keeper you have been afforded every possible honour," Andromeda said with a small frown. "Traditionally, a marriage isn't recognized magically and legally until it has been consummated, but we have all treated you as the Matriarch because of your status."
"So… so now I'm officially the Matriarch?" Hermione demanded with burning cheeks.
Narcissa shrugged. "It must be the wards," she explained.
"The wards?" Hermione repeated. She frowned. "I don't understand."
"The Patriarch is keyed to the wards. It is part of why Orion and the others came to Black Manor without you. He had to convince the wards to accept him as the Patriarch. He spent several hours with the sarsen stones from what Father says. You, as his Matriarch, also have access to the wards," Narcissa explained.
"Is that one of the reasons that the recent Patriarchs didn't want an official Matriarch?" Hermione asked thoughtfully.
Andromeda nodded at her with a glint of pride in her eyes. "Yes."
"So… so the wards recognize me?" Hermione asked with a slight frown.
"You've already been accepted," Narcissa reminded her. "When they took you to the stones and had them witness your oaths with the house-elves."
"How does it work?" Hermione asked.
Andromeda shrugged. "I'm sure we have books on it in the library. The practical side is that you will always know when someone comes through the wards."
"And if they are not recognized by the wards, or if they try to breach them by force, you will know instantly," Narcissa added.
"I see." Hermione nibbled on her lower lip anxiously. "What about house-elves?"
"You would need to speak to them," Andromeda admitted with a shrug. "They are usually able to move through wards fairly easily."
Hermione sighed. "I'll add that to my list."
/\/\/\/\/\
"Minnie, can I ask you a question?" Hermione peered into the small office that belonged to the housekeeper.
Minnie looked up from the small, house-elf-sized desk that she was working at to frown up at Hermione.
"What is Missy Keeper needing?" Minnie asked cautiously.
"I… I wanted to know whether or not I will be able to feel house-elves cross the wards," Hermione blurted out and then flushed.
Minnie put down her quill and turned so that she was facing Hermione. Her toga appeared to have been freshly pressed. Her thin, spindly fingers carefully straightened out her pleats as she considered Hermione's question.
"Yes and no," Minnie said at last. "Those that is sworn to Missy Keeper… no, Missy Keeper will not be feeling us move back and forth. Those that is not sworn to Missy Keeper… yes, Missy Keeper would. Missy Keeper will be feeling it even if they tries."
"If someone tried to order their house-elf to break through our wards?" Hermione worried aloud.
Minnie nodded. "Yes, Missy Keeper." She paused and shrugged slightly. "We would be feeling it, too, and we would alert the household if Missy Keeper or Master Orion was not here."
"Okay," Hermione said slowly. She frowned to herself. "If… if I asked, would there be a way for me to feel whether or not the house-elves sworn to me cross the wards?"
Minnie stared at Hermione for several long minutes. "Minnie is not knowing. The house-elves is… we is a part of the wards, in a way."
Hermione blinked at that. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment. That actually made a lot of sense—and it explained a lot about the ritual they had done with the sarsen stones.
"What if… what if someone waits until you've left our wards and tries to… to hurt you?" Hermione worried aloud.
Minnie snorted in amusement. "House-elves is protecting themselves, Missy Keeper. Don't worry about that."
Hermione flushed in embarrassment. Of course house-elves could protect themselves. She had seen evidence of their magic time and again.
"I'm sorry, Minnie," Hermione apologized. "I just… I worry. Orion and Cygnus think that we're under threat and I… I would hate it if anything happened to Jinx or… or any of the rest of you."
Minnie nodded. "Missy Keeper is a good little witch. This is why we is pledging ourselves to you."
Hermione's flush deepened. "Thank you."
/\/\/\/\/\
Silence filled the room and Harry shifted nervously. Dumbledore had always made Harry wary, but he had always believed that Dumbledore was trying to help him—to protect him. Molly Weasley's screeching and wailing had been disturbing, but again… he had known that she was trying to keep him safe. When Sirius had bellowed right back, arguing that Harry needed some freedoms, Harry had been confident that Sirius would do anything to save him.
At this particular moment… Harry wouldn't bet on that.
"I just need to know," Sirius asked in a cold, quiet voice that made Harry's gut clench unpleasantly. "What the hell you were thinking? Were you thinking? Merlin, Harry do you have any idea…"
"I didn't realize," Harry whispered and then his voice faltered when Sirius turned to glare at him.
"I understand that you were not… that…," Sirius paused and swallowed and guilt and misery flashed across his face. "A Keeper is a blessing beyond imagining. She is… she is priceless and unique to her House and… she must be kept safe at all cost."
"I understand." The silent 'sir' hung in the air between them. Harry sighed. "I knew what Hermione meant to do… and I understood that she was a Keeper, but I didn't appreciate what that meant in the wizarding world. She's still just Hermione to me. I mean, I get that she isn't just Hermione anymore, but it's hard to adjust."
"If James," Sirius tried to say, but he choked on James' name. A shudder went through him and his hands clenched and unclenched. "Most of the time, I'm so proud of who you are and what you have accomplished, Harry, that I forget how much has been kept from you… about how ignorant you are about your own heritage."
Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he didn't say anything. Sirius put both hands in his hair and clutched at it. Guilt swirled through Harry followed by a dollop of shame. He hadn't been thinking, which—if he were honest—was a regular trend on his part, and Hermione had been put in danger; Hermione, who was his best friend and who he thought of as a sister.
"I'm sorry, Sirius," Harry apologized.
Sirius' head jerked up and he glared at Harry.
"Are you really?" He demanded flatly. "Do you even understand what would have happened if she… if my lady had been…" Sirius' face had spasmed slightly and he couldn't finish the sentence.
"Not exactly," Harry admitted in a small voice. He swallowed and rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck.
"When I'm through with you, you will," Sirius told him grimly.
Harry nodded. He expected that was true. "I would like to know," he said with a half-smile. "I'm getting tired of Draco yelling at me all the time."
Sirius snorted. "I imagine Mr Malfoy is getting tired of it as well."
Harry grimaced. "Yeah. I think he is."
"I have sworn an oath to Annwn, and to its Lord," Sirius said slowly. "I have pledged my breath, my heart and my soul to my lady's keeping, but not my life because that belongs to her already."
"Annwn? Hermione mentioned something about that when she was researching... wait... you mean the underworld?" Harry's voice rose to an embarrassing squeak.
Sirius nodded in acknowledgement and then he continued.
"I belong to my lady, but even if I did not—even if she were not my Keeper—I would love her." Sirius stared at him with a challenging light in his grey eyes.
"I understand," Harry said quietly.
"The oaths that I have sworn," Sirius muttered and shook his head. "If I were forced to choose—it would be her, every time. Don't make me choose, Harry."
Fear chased down Harry's spine. He knew exactly what Sirius was saying. If he were stupid enough to put Hermione in danger then Sirius would take her away to keep her safe; he would be compelled to do so and all the other Black wizards would as well. Harry would never see Hermione or Sirius again. He could lose his family.
"I won't make you choose," Harry swore through bloodless lips. "I'll protect her, I swear."
The tight, tense lines of Sirius' body relaxed and relief flooded his face. He moved forward and hugged Harry tightly.
"Thank you," Sirius whispered.
Harry hugged him back—afraid to let go. He wouldn't fail his family again. He wouldn't.
/\/\/\/\/\
"Draco, darling, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Pansy asked warily.
The urge to sigh heavily and hug Pansy because she was so blessedly normal rose within Draco, but he manfully throttled it back. Instead he smirked at her and leaned casually against the doorjamb, cocking one hip.
"I have a proposition, Pans," he drawled.
Pansy's eyes narrowed. "Not if you were the last man on earth."
Draco's smirk widened. "I have a healthy sense of self-preservation," he countered.
"What do you want, Draco?" Pansy snapped.
"It isn't what I want," he snorted. "It's what Keeper Black wants."
Pansy blinked and then turned pale. "Look, Draco, I know that my uncle has been nattering on about some weird shit lately, but I have nothing to do with that."
"I know you don't," Draco agreed with a cold smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"What does Keeper Black want?" Pansy whispered.
"She would like to invite you to the Black Manor for tea," Draco told her.
Pansy stared at him for several long minutes. "Keeper Black is inviting me over for tea? Is this some kind of joke, Draco?"
"Not at all. The Keeper for the House of Black cordially requests your presence and all that." Draco waved a hand idly.
They locked eyes—each of them refusing to give way to the other—and Pansy used the time to examine Draco's every expression minutely. Finally, her eyes dropped and her hands tightened in her lap.
"Is it…," Pansy began and then faltered.
Draco's smirk came back in full force. "Relax, Pans. I think you'll like this."
/\/\/\/\/\
Being inside Black Manor was enough to secure Pansy's social life for the next several months. She followed Draco closely—accidentally stepping on his heels twice—until he turned with a huff and glared at her.
"Look, Pansy, no one's going to hurt you. If they had wanted to do so we certainly wouldn't have brought you to Black Manor," he snapped.
"Who is this?" A cold voice demanded.
The most beautiful man that Pansy had ever seen in her life was moving down the staircase and frowning at them.
"This is Pansy Parkinson, grandfather," Draco announced. He turned to her and gave her a warning glare. "Pansy, this is my grandfather, Cygnus Black."
The frown grew darker. "Parkinson?"
"Yes, sir. Keeper Black instructed me to bring her here for tea," Draco explained quickly.
"I don't care," Cygnus snapped. He glared at his grandson. "She's a Parkinson!"
Slowly, Pansy edged behind Draco, hoping to hide behind his broad shoulders. A door opened, and an impossibly beautiful man hurried out into the hall. He was striding toward Cygnus, and the family resemblance was unmistakable.
"What's the matter, Cygnus?" The beautiful man demanded.
Cygnus waved a hand in Pansy's direction. "Draco's brought a Parkinson to meet our Keeper!"
The beautiful man started and turned to frown at Draco. "Get rid of her," he snapped.
All the blood drained from Pansy's voice at his words. She was going to die right here in the Black Manor, and no one would ever know or care what had happened to her. It was with weak-kneed relief that Pansy turned to another set of doors which opened. The Keeper for the House of Black swept into the room wearing her formal robes and followed by Mrs Tonks and Mrs Malfoy.
"Draco," she called cheerfully. "I see that you convinced Pansy to come. Wonderful."
"My lady," Cygnus growled.
The Black Keeper ignored him completely and moved instead to the other wizard. She stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, and the wizard automatically slipped an arm around her waist to support her.
"Orion, this is Miss Pansy Parkinson. She and I attended Hogwarts together. Pansy, this is Orion Black, and that is Cygnus Black. You already know Draco, of course. Have you ever been introduced to Andromeda or Narcissa?" Keeper Black gave her a cool little smile.
"Hermione," Orion sighed.
"Yes?" Keeper Black's smile was brittle and a little angry.
What the hell had Pansy gotten herself into now?
"I have met Miss Parkinson before," Mrs Malfoy said with a nod for Pansy. She tilted her head to the side. "I don't believe that Andromeda has had the pleasure?"
"No," Andromeda agreed.
"Very well," Keeper Black continued with the slightly brittle smile. "Andromeda, this is Miss Pansy Parkinson. Pansy, this is Mrs Tonks."
"A pleasure, ma'am," Pansy murmured automatically, and swept into a curtsey before she could stop herself.
Mrs Tonks watched her with hooded eyes before she turned to the Black Keeper and nodded.
"She'll do," Mrs Tonks murmured.
The Black Keeper's smile became genuine. "Excellent. I believe that Minnie has prepared the Serpent Parlour. If you would all follow me?"
Everyone moved toward a specific door, and Pansy followed them—still hiding behind Draco. The witches all settled into chairs, but Pansy wasn't stupid. She knew that Mrs Tonks and Mrs Malfoy were flanking the Black Keeper protectively. The two Black wizards were even less subtle—standing at stiff attention behind their Keeper's chair. Draco sat so that he was between the Keeper and Pansy, but she didn't believe that was for her benefit. No, Draco was carefully placing himself in front of the Keeper as a line of defence.
"You may be wondering why I've requested your presence, Pansy," Keeper Black began with the same sharp cheerfulness she'd exhibited thus far.
"Yes, actually," Pansy replied.
"I would like to ask you for a favour," Keeper Black explained. Her lips tightened and she shrugged. "A rather large favour."
Draco snorted next to her, and the two Black wizards glared at him.
"Keeper Black," Pansy began, but paused when Keeper Black grimaced in distaste. Swallowing nervously, Pansy forged ahead. "I would be happy to offer any assistance I can to both you and your House."
"Call me Hermione, please," Keeper Black begged.
"Keeper Black, erm, Hermione," Pansy faltered when both of the Black wizards scowled at her. "What do you want me to do?"
Keeper Black… Hermione sighed heavily.
"It's Harry," Hermione explained.
"Potter?" Pansy blinked. "You need my help with Potter?"
"He needs a fake girlfriend," Hermione stated baldly and then flushed.
"You want me to be Potter's fake girlfriend?" Pansy repeated hoping that, by doing so, Hermione would start to make sense. She turned to stare at Draco who was watching her with a slight smirk. "Why me?"
"Because you aren't a friend of ours," Hermione explained with a shrug.
Pansy choked on a laugh.
"It would be more believable," Hermione corrected herself. "If you had been a friend… everyone would have seen it coming from a mile away. Subtle has never been Harry's strength. We need someone and we need them now—so it has to be someone that doesn't normally interact with our circle of friends."
"I see," Pansy said carefully. And she did.
There wasn't a single person with half a brain who hadn't known that Potter was panting after the Weasley girl in their sixth year. Now Potter didn't want the Weasley girl? Interesting. Even more interesting was that Keeper Black… Hermione had chosen Pansy to help her. She doubted that Hermione had come up with Pansy's name all on her own. In fact, Pansy would have guessed that she would have been the last person that Hermione would select for something of such a delicate nature. Pansy risked a glanced at Draco. He let one eyelid flutter in the merest approximation of a wink. Oh.
Smirking, Pansy leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs.
"I've taken the liberty of opening an account for you at," here Hermione paused to turn and look at Mrs Malfoy.
"Kristoff's," Mrs Malfoy supplied immediately.
"Kristoff's," Pansy gasped and her mind immediately turned to the pretty, pretty shoes that Kristoff made.
"It is, I believe, unlimited," Hermione continued blithely, ignoring the choking noises that both Orion and Cygnus were making behind her. "I have also opened accounts for you at Twilfitt & Tattings and… what was the name of that jeweller?"
"Belle Monde?" Pansy squeaked.
Hermione smiled at her. "Yes, that was it."
"I see," Pansy managed to get out.
Hermione's smile faltered. "Is that not satisfactory?"
"Oh, yes, of course," Pansy babbled.
"Now the thing to remember with Harry is that—," Hermione began only to pause when the door opened and Harry entered the room followed by two more beautiful men.
Really? How the hell did Gran—Keep—damn it. How did Hermione end up with four mouth-watering examples of wizardhood? It wasn't fair. Hermione's face lit up with affection, but it wasn't directed at the gorgeous men she was married to—it was directed at Potter, of all people.
Admittedly, it wasn't as though Potter was difficult on the eyes. Pansy was willing to grant that he was attractive in a Gryffindorish sort of way. Hermione had already risen out of her chair and was bouncing across the room to hug Potter. Pansy noticed that all four Black wizards scowled at that, and hid a smirk.
"Harry!" Hermione cried. "Look who's here!"
Potter's gaze was drawn to Pansy automatically and she noted the badly concealed flinch.
"Hullo, Pansy," Potter muttered.
Hermione's bright smile tightened and Pansy saw her elbow Potter in the side. She turned to Mrs Tonks and Mrs Malfoy and tilted her head slightly.
"Draco, darling, come sit by me," Mrs Malfoy called imperiously. Draco stood up and took a seat next to his mother, leaving Pansy alone on the couch.
"Sit down next to Pansy, Harry," Hermione cooed. There was a thread of steel in her voice that, judging from the utter lack of any attempt at argument, Potter knew well.
"Potter," Pansy murmured.
"Now, there's the matter of Christmas and then, of course, the thing at the Burrow," Hermione continued on blithely.
"What about Christmas?" Orion asked warily.
"Why, Pansy and Harry will be joining us for Christmas dinner, of course," Hermione said as if that explained everything. She turned to look at Mrs Tonks and Mrs Malfoy. "Along with the Malfoy family and Andromeda, and the Lupins."
"What about-," one of the wizards that had come in with Potter began and then faltered.
"Minnie says that they can handle that bit for a few hours. Long enough to have Remus, Tonks and Teddy join us," Hermione said firmly.
All of the Black wizards began to talk over one another at that point. Judging by the dangerous flash of fire in Hermione's eyes… it wasn't going to go well for them.
"Thank you," Potter muttered. "For… for doing this, I mean."
Pansy shrugged. "Draco's a friend," she muttered back.
That wasn't the whole reason, but it was enough for Potter to know at the moment. Draco was her friend, and Pansy counted few enough of those. The fact that Pansy was being given access to all kinds of power and social influence was fairly persuasive as well. And doing a favour for a Keeper? Even if it was a girl that you had despised in school? Never a stupid move, and Pansy wasn't stupid. An unlimited account at Kristoff's was an unexpected extra that Pansy appreciated. Hermione obviously had an eye for detail… not that Pansy was surprised by that. Hermione wasn't stupid either.
"Enough!" Orion's voice had risen and everyone else fell silent. He moved to stand next to Hermione and slid an arm around her waist. "If our house-elves can guarantee that they can secure the estate that is all the matters. To question them is a slight our House can ill-afford."
The other three Black wizards didn't look happy, and they exchanged dark looks amongst one another.
"Oh look, Minnie's brought tea," Hermione said with a false, bright cheerfulness that was obvious to everyone… even Potter.
"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but we should leave as soon as we can," Potter said quietly as he handed her a plate of sandwiches.
"Because Hermione's about ready to lose her temper?" Pansy asked sotto voce.
Potter blinked at her in surprise, and Pansy smirked at him.
"How did you know?" He asked.
"I was at Hogwarts during our fifth year. She got into a huge fight with Terry Boot over who had booked one of the library's study rooms. She made Boot cry, and then Madam Pince banned them both for a week," Pansy whispered.
"Oh. Right." Potter appeared to be nonplussed that she knew his best friend that well.
"Right now she looks just like she did before she tried to eviscerate Boot with her quill," Pansy added.
Should it be worrying that Potter didn't seem at all surprised by that little gem? Then again, he'd lived in Gryffindor's tower with her for seven years so perhaps not.
"That won't be a problem for you, will it Pansy?" Hermione asked with a deceptively calm voice.
Oh bloody hell. What had she missed? Hermione's nostrils were flaring and there was a fiery gleam in her eyes. Automatically, Pansy turned to Potter who was doing his best to give her an encouraging expression. At least, she sure as hell hoped that was what that was.
"Of course not," Pansy lied effortlessly with a blasé smile. When Hermione's attention was diverted by her husbands, Pansy leaned towards Potter. "What did I just agree to?"
"Remus and Tonks will be at dinner," Potter muttered out of the side of his mouth. His eyes were trained on Hermione—evaluating her as a threat, Pansy would wager. "Sirius was throwing a fit about you being there, and Hermione told him you would behave yourself."
Pansy stiffened in her seat. After all these years, Pansy shouldn't be surprised by the anti-Slytherin rhetoric spewed by most Gryffindors, but she always was. She turned to look at Potter and judging from the surprise in his green eyes she was doing a shit job of concealing her emotions.
"Can I bring my little sister?" Pansy asked him quietly. "She's only 9, but our parents are… she doesn't really have anyone but me."
"Of course," Potter agreed immediately, and Pansy would deny to her dying day how endearing she found that. He turned to Hermione. "Mione-love?"
Four sets of irritated eyes turned his way. Hermione turned to him automatically.
"Yes, Harry?"
"Room for Pansy's little sister?" Potter may have couched it as a question, but it was obvious that he was merely informing Hermione of a fait accompli.
Hermione beamed at Potter as though he were some sort of tactical genius. "Of course, Harry. That's perfect!"
/\/\/\/\/\
"My lady—"
"Don't!" Hermione turned around and glared at Cygnus who was standing uncertainly in her office doorway.
So far, Hermione had successfully managed to elude Cygnus, Sirius, and Regulus. She had noticed their little frowns and their worried looks of uncertainty when she would move straight to Orion—who she knew wouldn't refuse to touch her—and cuddle against him. She needed the reinforcement of Orion's touch right now. Hell, if she hadn't had so much to do she would have spent the entire damn day in Orion's lap, and she knew that he would have let her do it.
"I—Hermione," Cygnus managed after several long minutes. "Can we speak?"
Defensively, Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "Of course."
"Orion told me that I was being a jackass, and that I was making you even more upset," Cygnus explained with a heavy sigh. Misery and guilt flickered across his face. "Is that… is that true?"
"Yes," Hermione admitted. "None of you will look at me, or speak to me, or touch me. I feel like… I feel like I'm being punished and I hate it."
Cygnus made a broken-sounding noise, and moved closer to her. "Hermione," he whispered.
"I understand that I made a mistake, okay?" Hermione turns to glare at him, her mouth pulled tight and angry. Her jaw is tilted up defensively and it is almost as though she is hugging herself protectively. "I know that I scared you—all of you—and that you were worried, but this… the silence… I can't do this."
Cygnus froze. "What do you mean?" He asked cautiously.
Hermione turned and poked him in the chest. "You don't get to ignore me—to pretend like I don't exist."
"No," Cygnus protested. "No, that's not what we—I wasn't ignoring you. None of us were doing that."
"It felt as though you were," Hermione told him in a wavering voice.
They had been together for such a short time, and already they all meant so much to her. The fact that they could make her feel like this—torn apart and uncertain and bereft—made her furious. How dare they have this much power over her emotions? How dare they have this kind of power, and use it to make her feel like this?
It wasn't as though Hermione expected to live her entire life in some kind of happy, domestic bubble with nary a fight or disagreement. She wasn't an idiot. She knew that there would be fights and anger and unhappiness. At the same time, she hoped that all of them would work together as a family to resolve those problems. That they would talk to one another.
"Never," Cygnus choked out. "We could never… Hermione you are…"
"You can't do that again," Hermione interrupted him fiercely. "I can't… don't do that again."
Without another word, Cygnus pulled her into his arms. For a moment Hermione held herself stiffly, still hugging her chest. Cygnus' large hands moved over her back in soothing circles, rubbing the tension from her muscles gently. Sighing, Hermione melted against him bonelessly. Her arms crept up around his neck and she snuggled against his chest.
"I am sorry, Hermione," Cygnus whispered against her temple. "I never meant to hurt you."
One of them moved first, but Hermione wasn't certain if it was her or Cygnus. All she knew was that their lips met in a frantic press—their teeth clacked together, and Hermione whimpered when Cygnus accidentally bit her upper lip hard enough to draw blood.
"Ow." Hermione pulled back and pressed a finger cautiously to her upper lip.
"I shouldn't have done that," Cygnus sighed.
Hermione swatted him lightly—just enough to get him to look her in the eye.
"Yes, you should have," she snapped. "I need your touch and I want it. We'll just… be a little more careful."
Apparently, Cygnus was taking her at her word. Carefully and reverently he cupped her face in his hands. He pressed light, gentle kisses to her forehead, nose, lips and jaw. Hermione sighed and went to move against him. Somehow, she managed to put a foot wrong and ended up tripping over her own feet and falling to the ground. Without Hermione's steady weight pressed against him, Cygnus lost his own balance and followed her to the ground—landing on her with a soft oof.
"Ow," Hermione whimpered.
Quickly, Cygnus pulled back, murmuring apologies and running light hands over her—trying to determine if he'd hurt her.
"I'm fine," Hermione promised him. She batted at his hands and he moved reluctantly to his feet and offered her a hand up. She accepted it with a smile that slipped into a grimace of pain when she tried to stand. "Ow! Ow… bloody hell, I… I think I twisted my ankle."
"Orion is better at healing spells than I am," Cygnus told her right before he swung her up in his arms and headed toward her bedroom.
Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on shoulder.
"I just want you and Orion," Hermione said quietly. "I don't… I can't…"
The dull ache in her ankle was enough to push Hermione to the edge… and she was already there. Having Regulus and Sirius hovering, and refusing to look at her, and being stiffly formal with their 'my lady' this and 'my lady' that would drive her past all reason… or it would make her burst into tears and she would sit there in her bed with her twisted ankle sobbing hysterically. It was too much. She couldn't handle that on top of everything else.
Cygnus paused just long enough to kiss her temple gently—the merest brush of his lips against her skin.
"Of course," he said at last. He continued to walk up the stairs carrying her easily. "They are going to want to talk to you as soon as possible."
"I understand," Hermione replied. "I want to talk to them as well. I want all of this to be resolved. I want us to be better."
"I will try to explain this to them so that they understand," Cygnus warned her. "Orion will help, but… they might not understand why you want to wait."
"It's too much," Hermione confessed into the skin of his neck. "The… the shunning or whatever you want to call it… I'm at the end of my tether, Cygnus. I… I'll need you or Orion to sleep with me tonight and even with one of you there… I'm going to have nightmares."
"Again we have failed you," Cygnus whispered.
"It's not your—well, I guess it is, but… you didn't know," Hermione tried to argue. "You know now. Don't do it again."
"We will not," Cygnus promised.