A/N: People have asked where exactly this "fits" in with the OT (original timeline). Well, according to the Wikis the Marauders were all born in 59/60, which should mean that their first year ought to have been '71. It logically follows that their class graduated in '78. The last chapter should have taken place sometime in 1980. For the sake of argument let's say that it was very early 1980. Lily's pregnant. If anyone thinks things are moving quickly… take that up with JKR. The timeframe mirrors Lily's first pregnancy (in the OT—not that she's had other pregnancies). Right! Everyone's play card up-to-date? Excellent!

/

March 15th 1980

"Beware the ides of March," Hermione muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" James asked as he turned toward her.

Hermione replied trying to appear as innocent as possible. "Nothing." She smiled guilelessly.

James eyed her suspiciously before turning back to Sirius. "Ready?"

"Not really, but we haven't much choice," Sirius muttered with a quick glance at Hermione. He straightened his robes one last time before going through the Floo.

Hermione looked up at James through her lashes. "Do we have to?"

"You're the one who told him you'd come," James pointed out.

Hermione glared at him her expression indignant. "He cornered me after fighting Death Eaters!"

"Which you shouldn't even have been doing in the first place!" James growled.

Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously and she glared at her boyfriend. "So I was just supposed to stand there and make a lovely target? Are you mad?"

"More so every day," James shot back breathing a little faster. He couldn't help the tight constriction in his chest every time he thought about something happening to Hermione. "Now go through the Floo. You aren't going to start a fight so you can avoid this dinner."

Hermione's lips pressed together in a thin line and she marched over to the Floo with her back ramrod straight. Great. He'd gone and pissed her off and they weren't even at his parent's house yet. That had to be a record. He sighed taking a moment to wallow in his currently pathetic state before he went through the Floo. James loved Hermione with every fiber of his being—just like he loved Sirius—but sometimes he was overcome with the urge to throttle her. Surely that couldn't be normal. He'd ask his dad except he wasn't really talking to his dad.

It felt strange to be in Potter Manor again after almost two years and he moved automatically toward Hermione and Sirius as soon as he was through the Floo to make sure that they were all right. Sirius rolled his eyes at James and flashed a grin. Hermione appeared grateful for their presence and James placed a hand at the small of her back. She seemed to relax a little at his touch and he slid his hand over so that he could grip her hip.

Hermione took a deep breath and seemed to hold it. "Ready?"

"Yeah," Sirius said softly. He touched James' hand lightly and tried to look encouraging.

The evening was just as stilted and awkward as one might suppose. James was still unhappy with his mother, but he couldn't bear the sad look in her eyes. He knew that he was holding himself stiffly and that his jaw was clenched tightly because his shoulders were aching with the tension. At least he was doing slightly better than Sirius who took any perceived slight to his loved ones as an egregious act. Sirius had retreated within the cold, haughty persona of 'young Master Black' that he usually only used on strangers and hangers-on. James could see that every time Sirius responded in his stiffly formal voice his mother looked even sadder than before.

"Hermione, Auror Moody speaks very highly of you," Charlus stated and glanced down the table at her.

"How do you know Moody?" Sirius demanded in surprise.

Hermione's cheeks flushed a delicate pink. "We worked together on a couple different projects."

"What projects? What a minute—you mean when he was doing those top secret missions for the Order!" James stood abruptly and was staring across the table at his girlfriend.

"Those were supposed to be incredibly dangerous," Sirius added with a dark frown directed at Hermione.

Hermione snorted and shook her head. "I knew what I was doing and Moody was the least likely to get himself hurt helping me."

"Dumbledore said that your assistance was instrumental to the cause," Charlus continued ignoring his sons.

Hermione snorted in derision. "Let us just say that the intelligence was bought at great cost."

"What cost?" Dorea asked sharply.

Hermione turned to Dorea and her eyes became flat and cold. Dorea shuddered involuntarily looking into those eyes. "Lives, Mrs. Potter. Too many of them."

"I see," Dorea replied in a subdued voice.

"We were pleased to hear of Regulus' engagement to Marlene McKinnon." Charlus had turned to Sirius with a determined expression.

"The grandfathers Black are pleased as well," Sirius replied with a slight smile. "It takes a lot to make both Arcturus and Pollux happy, but Reg managed it."

"It was all Marlene," James said with a fond smile for Hermione's best friend. "All it took was one afternoon tea and they were convinced that Marlene hung the moon. Reg thinks that they like her more than they do him."

Silence stretched out over the table and everyone avoided looking at Hermione because the obvious comparison made all of them uncomfortable.

"When is the wedding?" Charlus asked after several painful minutes.

"June," Hermione replied calmly. "The McKinnons have a Marriage Tree and they wish to incorporate it into the ceremony."

Charlus made the appropriate noises and dinner again fell into an uneasy silence. James watched his mother fidget for several minutes before she turned to Hermione again. Out of the corner of his eye James saw his father and Sirius steel themselves for whatever might happen.

"Did you attend the tea with Marlene?" Dorea asked politely.

Hermione took a sip of her wine. "I did."

"And how did you find Arcturus and Pollux?" Dorea pressed further.

Sirius snickered to himself and then looked slightly embarrassed that he'd let his persona slip. Charlus and Dorea both turned to their son who was flushing slightly.

"Well, son?" Charlus asked with a pointed glance.

"It went well," James muttered stiffly.

Sirius snickered again and the elder Potters turned to Hermione for an explanation. She looked utterly calm and composed her back ramrod straight and a wine glass held elegantly in one hand.

Finally Hermione sighed. "Cassiopeia likes me. She spent the entire time picking my brain."

"Cassiopeia liked you?" Dorea whispered faintly her dark eyes wide.

"I think it helped that Hermione was able to argue spells with her and kept referring to research that the Blacks had done in the respective areas. Which reminds me love, how did you know so much about that?" Sirius demanded turning toward his girlfriend.

Hermione smiled weakly and gave a half-hearted shrug. "I read a lot."

"It was creepy when Hermione and Cassiopeia started talking about the Dark Arts. Hermione would argue that certain spells were inefficient or too time-consuming and she actually suggested alternatives to Cassiopeia. Seriously who needs a more efficient spell to flay the skin off of an enemy?" James protested looking to his father for support.

"Cassiopeia's harmless," Hermione countered with a wave of her hand.

"Cassiopeia Black?" Dorea was incredulous. Cassiopeia was a difficult witch to deal with at the best of times—she made Augusta Longbottom appear soft and warm.

"I have to agree with Hermione, son," Charlus said with a slight smile. "For Cassiopeia it's all academic. She likes to study and experiment, but she's not going to run out and use a skin-flaying spell on a village of Muggles. She'd much rather tinker in her potions lab."

"If you say so Dad," James scoffed. He didn't care what anyone said—Cassiopeia Black gave him the willies.

The rest of the dinner was slightly warmer and Dorea kept watching Hermione with a tiny frown. James hoped that his mother was able to reconcile with Hermione peaceably because he wasn't certain how many more of these dinners he could attend without going completely spare. Sirius seemed slightly more relaxed and so did his father. Hermione and his mother still appeared to be slightly stiff, but James liked to think that it was slightly less so than earlier.

May 31, 1980

"I hate this," Lily muttered petulantly.

"Here, shaved ice just like you asked," Hermione said briskly and shoved a tall glass filled with shaved ice at Lily.

Lily glared suspiciously at the glass. "What flavor is this?"

"Lemon. Really, Lily do you think I would dare bring you any other flavor?" Hermione asked with a heavy sigh.

"It's not like I enjoy you waiting on me hand and foot," Lily grumbled.

Just then a loud moan drifted down the stairs followed by the rhythmic thumping of the headboard hitting the wall. Both women snorted at one another and rolled their eyes.

"They're going to break the bed. Again." Lily managed to look vaguely disapproving before a grin stretched across her face and she took a bit of her shaved ice.

"Who's going to break the bed again?" Marlene asked curiously as she walked into the kitchen twisting her long blonde hair into a serviceable chignon.

Hermione and Lily blinked in surprise.

"Not you, I guess," Hermione said slowly. She gasped and started giggling hysterically. "Which means…oh! OH!"

"He's a lot more energetic than he looks," Marlene murmured speculatively.

"Mmm, unplumbed depths and all that, I'm sure," Hermione agreed.

Lily blushed bright red and tried to eat her ice.

"Well, we've got to go. Sure you'll be okay with the live porno going on upstairs?" Marlene asked with a grin.

Lily gazed up at them with wide emerald-green eyes. "Do you have to?"

"Yes," the other two women said in unison.

"Can you at least do that sound dampening spell on the ceiling?" Lily begged shamelessly.

"Of course, Lils," Marlene agreed. She pulled out her wand and waved it at the ceiling. The thumping and moaning suddenly ceased. "Better?"

Lily gave a blissful sigh and relaxed against the loveseat. "Yes. Thank you so much."

"Anything for you little mama," Marlene drawled.

Lily glared at her. "Just go." She growled.

Hermione and Marlene saluted her smartly and then turned on their heels and left.

June 2nd 1980

"What is a marriage tree?" Lily asked as she shifted slightly to relieve her back. She was heavily pregnant and it was difficult for her to sit in one position for too long.

Hermione nibbled her lower lip and thought about the best way to explain to her slightly repressed sister-in-law. "Well, a few of the older families have them—usually the pre-Conquest families like the McKinnons or the Flints. It's… really what it is is the first tree planted on the land by the family. It was bound to the land and to the family through blood, sweat and tears. It serves as a focus for major events and contracts for the family. Historically, women of the family would give birth beneath it and then have the tree recognize the offspring."

"That sounds, um, intense," Lily said finally. She frowned at Hermione. "So what exactly happens at a wedding like that?"

"Traditionally, the bride and groom are naked. They cut their palms with a sacred blade and bleed on the tree. A priest or priestess or whoever joins them together and they consummate the union under the tree," Hermione explained while she nibbled a biscuit and sipped at her tea.

Lily stared at her a biscuit halfway to her mouth. "They do not!"

"They do," Marlene said breezily as she sauntered into the room. She glanced at Hermione. "What are you talking about?"

Hermione explained and Marlene nodded.

Marlene eyed Hermione curiously. "Oh yeah. We do. How do you know so much about Marriage Trees?"

"The Lovegoods have one," Hermione replied with a shrug.

"You do know that that's not really an answer?" Marlene asked drily with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yeah," Hermione agreed.

"So, are you going to pop out Junior in the middle of my wedding? That would be kind of cool and it would take some of the pressure off of Regulus." Marlene's china-blue eyes were glinting wickedly and she had a naughty smile curving her lips.

"What?" Lily shrieked, horrified, her eyes wide.

"Oh come on, Lils don't be such a stick-in-the-mud," Marlene cajoled her.

Hermione eyed her best friend sternly. "Marlene, be nice."

"Sorry Lils," Marlene apologized.

Lily appeared concerned. "Regulus is fairly circumspect especially when one considers that he's Sirius' brother."

Hermione gave a deep belly laugh and Marlene chuckled.

"What?" Lily demanded.

"Sirius is not your typical Black," Hermione managed to gasp out. "Most of them are more like Regulus."

"How is it that you know so much about all this stuff?" Lily demanded crankily.

"I am a half-blood, Lily, just like Remus. It isn't as though I grew up in a vacuum," Hermione informed her sister-in-law and felt only a little guilty at the lie. Well, it wasn't a total lie. The Weasleys and later Andromeda had been quite instructive in customs and manners.

"I keep forgetting," Lily mumbled to herself and frowned. She shot a worried glance to Marlene and Hermione. "Do you think that's the pregnancy?"

"Of course not, Lily, don't be silly. You've just got a lot on your mind. Any idea what you'll name Junior?" Hermione asked curiously.

Fear of screwing things up to a fantastical extent had sealed Hermione's lips when it came to her niece or nephew. Lily and Remus had declined knowledge of the baby's sex so Hermione really wasn't sure what was in there. They had asked everyone's opinion on names, but Hermione had refused to participate. She was terrified of saying the wrong thing so she avoided the subject whenever it came up. She hoped that it was Harry in there, but she couldn't be sure.

Lily nibbled her lip in an anxious manner and then looked at Hermione. "Remus likes Rhea or Silvia for a girl."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Could he be any more obvious?"

"Your middle name is Rhea, isn't it?" Lily asked shyly.

Hermione sighed and nodded. "Yeah," she admitted.

"What about for a boy?" Marlene asked eagerly.

"Well, we can't really agree on that," Lily said with a disgruntled expression. "He wants to—OH!"

"What?" Marlene asked quickly.

Lily jerked off of the loveseat and stood staring down at her feet where a puddle was forming.

"Your water broke!" Hermione squealed.

"What!" Peter Pettigrew was frozen in the doorway a look of terror on his face.

"Oh, Peter, perfect timing!" Hermione chirped with a bright smile. "Would you be a love and go fetch Andromeda?"

"Right away!" Peter squeaked and ran for the Floo.

"Excellent. Now let's walk out in the garden a bit," Marlene said encouragingly.

Each girl took one of Lily's elbows and helped her out into the small enclosed garden. Hermione ran to the kitchen to send owls to everyone and then hurried back to Marlene and Lily. Andromeda arrived quickly with a pale Peter in tow; she deposited him in the kitchen with a pot of tea and told him to wrangle the boys when they showed up. Remus burst out into the garden not fifteen minutes later and Marlene and Hermione took the amber glow in his eyes as their cue to vacate the area.

In the early hours of the next morning a lusty wail woke Hermione from her doze and she sat up abruptly startling James and Sirius who were sitting on either side of her on the loveseat.

"Wha's happening?" Sirius mumbled looking about blearily.

"Go back to sleep love," Hermione murmured and kissed his temple.

Sirius snuggled closer to James and the two of them were breathing deeply and evenly in no time.

"Hermione?" Andromeda looked exhausted, but she was smiling. "Remus and Lily said that they want you to come up."

The smile on Remus' face was almost blinding in its fierce joy and pride and Hermione felt herself tearing up as she drew near to him. She peered into his arms and gasped softly. The tiny face was the most beautiful she'd ever seen and time stopped for a just a moment.

"We're going to call him Harry after Lily's grandfather," Remus murmured to his sister.

"Hello Harry," Hermione whispered to the tiny figure in her brother's arms. "I'm your Aunt Hermione."

/

June 21st 1980

"Who's a handsome boy," Hermione cooed a soft expression in her brown eyes.

"Well we know she's not talking about us," Sirius muttered to James a sulky expression on his face.

Truth be told, Sirius had a point. Hermione had taken to aunt hood as though it were some sort of sacred calling. She absolutely adored Harry and tried to spend as much time with him as Lily would allow. It wasn't that she neglected James or Sirius… it was just that she basically ignored them and lavished all of her attention on her nephew. Sirius wasn't the only one who was feeling a bit sulky about that.

The Black-McKinnon wedding was the pureblood social event of the year and the Blacks and McKinnons had invited absolutely everyone. Hermione was sitting next to Remus who was holding Harry.

"Cousin," Narcissa Malfoy acknowledged Sirius with a brief nod.

"Narcissa," Sirius replied and gave a small bow.

Before James could credit it, Hermione was wedged between them smiling beatifically at Narcissa.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure," Hermione announced and looked expectantly at Sirius.

"Narcissa you know James. This is our third, Hermione Lupin," Sirius stated.

Narcissa turned to look at Hermione and examined her silently for several minutes. Then she held out her hand and a small smile graced her lips. "Aunt Cassiopeia speaks highly of you."

"She is a brilliant witch. It was my privilege to speak with her," Hermione replied with her own small smile.

Lucius Malfoy approached his wife with their infant son in his arms. Hermione's eyes became soft and liquid and when she spoke her voice was soft and breathy.

"And who is this handsome wizard?"

James and Sirius stiffened next to her outraged when she moved quickly toward Lucius. Narcissa's eyes had widened in surprise.

"Aren't you just the most adorable little wizard? How old is he Narcissa?" Hermione turned to Narcissa with an animated smile.

Narcissa smiled back. "He's just over two weeks. We've named him Draco."

"A perfect name for him," Hermione agreed immediately and turned to coo at the little bundle. "Who's going to be the Prince of Slytherin? Hmm? That's right, you are!"

Lucius blinked in surprise and turned to his wife's cousin who appeared disgusted. Narcissa was busy cooing her complete agreement and both women were smiling indulgently at one another.

Later in the afternoon James and Sirius were standing with Peter sipping champagne and scowling at everyone.

"It's disturbing is what it is," Sirius complained.

Peter rubbed thoughtfully at his chin. "D'you suppose she, erm, she wants a baby?"

"A baby?" James exclaimed turning to stare at his friend.

"Well, you said that she was spending all her time playing with Harry and with the Malfoy baby. Have you considered that perhaps she wants her own baby?" Peter suggested.

James and Sirius continued to stare at Peter.

"Well… why else would she be so fascinated by the babies?" Peter offered with a helpless gesture.

"Do you think that—"

"—I don't know, Siri."

"She seemed to be against—"

"—but that's because of my mum… what she said."

"So you think she'd—"

"Definitely."

Both men's shoulders slumped dejectedly. Peter blinked his watery eyes rapidly.

"I'm not sure what's just happened," he murmured slowly.

"Isn't it obvious?" James said in a dejected tone.

Peter frowned and looked from James to Sirius uncertainly. "Well, no, it isn't. What are you two talking about?"

"Look, my mum said some not very nice things about Hermione—suggested she was trying to scam us for money or prestige or something. They still aren't getting along. If we tried to ask Hermione to marry us she'd just say no. It's hopeless," James concluded turning sad eyes to Peter.

"We were barely able to convince her to date us," Sirius added morosely.

Peter glanced around hesitantly and then looked back at Sirius and James. "You're not asking me for relationship advice… are you?"

"Why not?" James demanded.

Sirius nodded with a scowl. "You've usually got a girlfriend. This last one you dated for what… a year?"

"Two years," Peter muttered and rolled his eyes.

James waved his hands. "See? Girls like you. They stick around. How do you do that?"

"How much champagne have you had?" Peter asked suspiciously.

"A bit," Sirius conceded.

Peter rubbed his hand over his face and sighed. "Right. Um, listen to her. Don't interrupt her to tell her what you've been doing or who you pranked at the DMLE—listen to what she has to say."

"That's it? Listen to her?" James appeared dumbfounded.

"If you didn't want to help you could have just said so," Sirius grumbled.

"Peter? I'm ready to go if you are," Deborah or Leslie or whoever-she-was called to them.

Peter gave a half-wave to his girlfriend and turned back to James and Sirius. "Look, I have to go. If you don't believe me… ask Remus."

James and Sirius watched Peter leave with his girlfriend. Then they turned and watched Hermione who was still cooing at Draco Malfoy.

"Maybe she does want a baby," Sirius murmured to James.

"We could get her one," James said thoughtfully. "There are orphaned witches and wizards. She might like that."

/

July 29th 1980

Hermione jerked awake with a gasp, sitting up in her bed and looking around her blearily. What had woken her? She shoved her bedclothes down and slid out of her bed. Padding restlessly across her floor didn't help. Finally she gave up and snuck down to Harry's nursery. He was awake and he blinked his eyes at her. He was only two months old and his eyes were still that neutral blue that all babies' eyes were in the beginning. There were several arguments about what color Harry's eyes would be, but Hermione had stayed out of all of them. She knew they would be a beautiful emerald-green just like Lily, but she said nothing. Harry gurgled at her. Hermione laughed softly and picked Harry up cradling him carefully against her chest.

"How's my favorite boy?" She cooed softly as she swayed from side to side.

Harry burbled and waved a tiny fist at her.

"Well, I do like him, too," Hermione agreed. "He's a bit young for me though. Maybe you can figure out a way to entertain him?"

Harry burbled again.

"Oh, don't lie to me honey," Hermione contradicted. "Don't forget, I know all of your dirty secrets."

A dry chuckle from behind them startled Hermione. She turned quickly tucking Harry against her chest protectively.

"He's two months old, Hermione. What secrets could he possibly have?" Remus asked with a fond smile for his little sister.

Hermione arched a brow at him and lifted her chin. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"C'mon little man. Time to go see Mummy," Remus said gently and held his arms out to Hermione.

One last look at Harry's innocent little baby face and a reluctant sigh and Hermione handed Harry over to his dad. Remus took Harry carefully and grinned down at the baby in his arms. That dopey smile—the one right there that made Remus look like a lovesick loon—that was what made all of this click for Hermione. She stood in Harry's nursery and stared out the window at Paris' skyline. The small clock on Harry's dresser showed the time: 11:59 p.m.

Without even thinking about it Hermione moved toward her room and started changing her clothes. She paused for a moment and frowned to herself. Lily and Remus were busy with Harry. Marlene was on her honeymoon with Regulus. Dorcas and Hermione were the only single girls left. She crept down the hall and snuck into Dorcas' room.

"Dorcas?" Hermione whispered into the darkness.

"Hermione?" Dorcas mumbled. Too many years of being dorm mates and then housemates had Dorcas sitting up abruptly and shoving the hair out of her eyes. "What are doing Hermione?"

"I need to go out and I wanted to know if you wanted to come with," Hermione whispered.

The whispery slide of Dorcas pulling her wand out from under her pillow was Hermione's only forewarning. A soft glow lit the room and Dorcas squinted at Hermione blearily. Hermione was wearing skin-tight leather pants, knee-high leather boots and a strategically ripped t-shirt that proclaimed 'Gryffindors go hard or go home'. Dorcas wasn't quite sure where Hermione found these shirts, but at least it wasn't the one that said 'werewolves do it under a full moon'. That one had given Lily fits.

"Okay," Dorcas agreed finally.

Hermione grinned at her. "Really?"

"Yeah. Just let me throw on something," Dorcas mumbled.

A short time later found them slipping into a small, dark wizarding bar that was still open. Hermione ordered two shots of Ogden's. Dorcas stared at her shot and then looked up at Hermione with a question in her eyes. Hermione lifted her shot glass with a determined air.

"To Neville! Happy Birthday mate," Hermione said softly and then knocked back her shot. She gasped and made a face. "Did that taste off to you?"

"Off?" Dorcas asked and looked curiously into her shot glass. She took a tentative sip and made a face. "That doesn't taste like Ogden's."

Hermione stood up to head to the bar and complain, but her legs wouldn't work right. She stumbled slightly and clung to Dorcas trying to find her center of gravity.

"Dorcas?" Hermione's voice sounded slightly panicky.

The bartender was moving toward them or at least Hermione thought he was. Her vision was swimming.

"What do I do, Hermione?" Dorcas' voice was definitely panicky.

"Get us outta here, Dorcas. I can't," Hermione managed to get out.

Fingers fumbling Dorcas pulled out her wand and tried to Apparate. "It's not working!"

"Anti-Apparation wards," Hermione mumbled, her voice slurred. "Por'key? Snape's a paranoid bastard."

"Hang on, hang on," Dorcas wailed, digging in her purse. Her fingers closed around the cold metal of the medallion Snape had given her. "Got it!"

"Now, Dorcas." Hermione's face was pressed into Dorcas' neck and her words were mumbled against the other girl's skin.

The bartender had reached them and tried to grab Hermione, but Dorcas shifted and Hermione followed her. The medallion clutched tightly in her fingers Dorcas whispered the word that activated it. The strange hook behind the navel sensation felt even worse with the little bit of the whatever-it-was in her veins. She glanced automatically toward Hermione who was sprawled on the floor unconscious. Dorcas bit her lip and looked around. They appeared to be in a small cottage, but it didn't look familiar.

Hermione was right—Severus was a paranoid bastard—and he had made sure that his girlfriend had a special portkey that would take her to a 'safe house'. She wasn't sure what that meant exactly, but she'd bet a galleon that Hermione would. This place was supposed to be isolated and protected from attack. Dorcas felt her breath hitch in her throat now that the immediate threat was gone. She took a deep, shuddering breath and got down on her knees next to Hermione feeling for her pulse. Dorcas frowned; she was no healer, but Hermione's pulse seemed erratic. Her vision swam in front of her eyes and she swayed slightly. What had been in those drinks? Dorcas slumped forward over Hermione's supine form as her muscles gave out on her. Spots appeared in her line of vision and Dorcas whimpered helplessly. Bloody hell. Consciousness seemed to be slipping from her no matter how tightly she tried to hold on. Severus, she thought helplessly as blackness claimed her.

/

A/N: I don't usually do cliffhangers because they irritate me personally. So I apologize for this and I hope to update soon. I will just warn you in advance that threats of bodily harm or spanking don't really work on me. Well, they *work* just not that way. Yeah… shutting up now.