A/N: Thanks to everyone who is reading and adding this to your lists! A special thanks to medward, for catching review #600! Very cool of everyone who's taking the time to leave me notes. :) And, of course, my undying gratitude to Katmom, who screeches in the margins and makes me giggle.

Chapter Twenty-One

Montezuma Castle

"Adam!" Hermione caught Harry as he slumped over at the end of the ritual. Her mentor hurried, Sirius at his side, to kneel next to them. A part of Hermione's mind noticed that the sand painting was disturbed thereby, but as the ritual was over, she didn't draw anyone's attention to it. "Sirius, it's out."

"You're sure?" His voice was thick and she could see wet tracks on his face. "It's done?"

"It's gone. I caught it in the chalcedony and bound it with the rune. I've done that before, and it's an effective method."

"Hermione . . . Merlin, I love you." Sirius Black, Constant Marauder, gathered up his son in his arms and wept silently over him.

After settling her new azurite crystal around her neck once more, Hermione ran her free hand through Sirius's hair, just because she felt he could use the reassurance of touch whilst Harry remained unconscious. Then, she rose to her feet and met Adam's gaze as he rose likewise.

"Can I see it?" Adam asked, not holding his hand out in expectation, but clearly interested.

She nodded slowly. "Sure. We just need to find a place to destroy it." She handed the waxy white crystal to him.

"I have a warded, dragonhide bag in my haversack," Sirius said soggily from the stone floor.

Hermione didn't mention that she did as well, because she imagined it was important for Sirius to be able to have a role in this. "Good. Then we can take it to Gringotts again."

Sirius looked up at her with a grin splitting his tension-free face. "You should just claim Vault Number Three as yours, you know? You spend so much time there."

"Me? You're the one who went in with the Fiendfyre last time." Still, she smiled down at the man. He'd had a hard day. Then, she looked to Adam again. "Thank you, so much. If there's anything we can do for you, let us know, all right?"

"Well, I'd like to meet the goblins you spoke of . . ."

"'Mione?" Harry shifted in Sirius's arms.

The older man snorted. "Not bloody likely, son." He moved and set Harry up to sit on his own. Harry adjusted slowly, eyes blinking like an owl's in bright sunlight.

Around them, the coven drew nearer, though four of the members were properly sweeping the images into indecipherability with the sand-sweeping charm that sent the bright grains away and apart from one another. Harry took in their movements as well before looking at his hands and swearing softly.

Sirius eyed Hermione and she knelt beside them. "Sorry, Harry," she said, moving to clean his hands of the drying blood on them. "How're you feeling? Are you in any pain or anything? Want something to drink?"

He watched as his blood left his hands and then touched his forehead, which Sirius had already cleaned free of any taint of his ordeal. "I'm exhausted, honestly," Harry confessed, "and my forehead is a bit sore. What did you do there?"

Hermione thought and then rummaged in her bag for a mirror. "Here. You can see what it looks like." She gave him the small mirror and he angled it, moving his fringe of hair out of the way. "Algiz?"

"That's the one."

Harry handed her the mirror back and cupped her cheek with his hand. "You said you chose it because you didn't want to leave me without protection. Thank you."

"Always, love. You know that." Leaning forward, she carefully kissed his forehead and let herself relax. "It's gone. Adam's got the warded stone, so we can take it to Gringotts."

"But not today," Adam said, his voice firm with authority. "We'd like to have a party, My-oh, since you're here." She met his dark, smiling eyes. "Even if it's just to pack up your house."

Blushing, she rose to her feet once more. "Yeah. Thank you. I couldn't have done this without your teaching and help." She swept her gaze around the chamber, catching as many individuals as she could. "Thank you, everyone."

"A party?" Sirius inquired, getting up and helping Harry to his feet as well. "Well, that's always a good time. Say, Mister Quanah, what do you have for a man to drink around here?"

. . . .

Near Camp Verde, Arizona

The magical enclave of the Montezuma Coven was, of necessity, largely not noticed by the non-magical people of the area. However, the homes were still modestly constructed and if someone did happen to see the village that shouldn't have been there, it would not have aroused suspicion.

The meeting hall was of a similar nature. Round, made of adobe for insulation, it held far more people than one might suppose. Here and there were metal sculptures that were repeatedly charmed with cooling spells for everyone's comfort.

"Why not just cast a general charm and celebrate outside?" Sirius had asked her quietly soon after their arrival. The press of people had been a bit overwhelming, even for him, apparently.

She'd smiled. "Well, we like to act with our environment, not against it. This is a desert, after all, and it wouldn't do to act as if we had priority over the ancient landscape, would it?"

Sirius laughed, his pale cheeks darkening. "Well, not if you put it like that, no."

"It's different, here."

Harry was off on the other side of the building, engaged in a tête-à-tête with Adam. Hermione was trying not to stare at them. "You know, Fred and George were telling me about their product lines, and I wish I had one of their ears, here."

Sirius glanced at his son and back to her. "The Extendable Ears? Really brilliant inventions, actually. The boys have done remarkable things."

"I'm sure. Say." She bit her lip and glanced around before casting a quick silencing spell. "Has Harry said anything to you about what he and Adam are talking about?"

Sirius's gray eyes danced with instant mischief. "Maybe he's taking notes!"

"Sirius!" She blushed, embarrassed, and didn't even notice when Harry's dad winced in silent apology. "Do be serious, would you?"

"No, he hasn't said anything. Hermione, don't worry, all right? Harry loves you. Trust me. And nothing anyone could say is gonna change that. He lost you once; he's not about to let that happen again." Large, warm hands enveloped her shoulders and Hermione met his eyes. "Relax." When she nodded, he adopted his playboy persona once more. "So! Anyone I need to meet whilst I'm here? Any good snogging corners?"

At that, Hermione found it in herself to grin. "Now, if I knew of any, do you think I'd tell you? I fully intend, Lord Black, to abscond with your son at the soonest possible opportunity."

Sirius smiled—an expression of such singular sweetness and paternal care that Hermione was nearly brought to tears. Her own father never looked at her like that, that she could remember. He had never seemed to enter into her concerns nearly so well. Indeed, he had actively obstructed them. Seeing that Harry had that was the most amazing thing.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for being his dad. He deserves so much."

"You helped, you know. You gave me courage, young lady. So don't forget that, all right?" He pulled a watch out of his pocket. "Huh. So. We need to let them know at home that we've been successful. There's one—no, two—more things we need to take care of."

She glanced across the room at Harry, who was shaking hands with Adam. "Maybe three?"

Sirius laughed uproariously, and she didn't even care.

. . . .

Hermione's House

"Dad made us a Portkey." Harry appeared a bit nervous as he followed her into her house after the party. "He said he had to go home. He wanted to take care of the, er, thing."

She lit candles and smiled to find a bowl of charmed-cool colas. Her favorite whilst she'd lived here had been Coca Cola and someone—Julia? Adam?—hadn't forgotten. "That was kind of him. Sorry he had to leave early."

Harry was examining the room, looking at pictures she had and the books she'd collected. "Well, Gringotts was closing and he wanted it gone." He shot a glance at her from across the room. "So did I."

"I don't blame you." She moved to join him, resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her. "Are you looking for something particular?"

He opened his mouth, glanced at her, and then away. "Er, well. I didn't see pictures of us, 'Mione. Of us when we were younger, you know? Or even of yourself. I know you took some, but—"

She sighed. "My parents, Harry, got rid of everything, you know. Anything magic. Photographs, my D.A. Galleon, they even left Crooks." She had mourned for the loss of her familiar, and hadn't heard anything about him, so she moved along quickly. "No school robes or ties, not even my trunk. They . . . they wanted to sever all connections."

"Hermione . . ." He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her close and she relaxed into him. "I'm so sorry. It's a stupid thing to say, maybe, but I am."

She shook her head; it was years ago and the future was approaching with bright promise before them. "How're you feeling?"

He smirked. "Well, that's a topic change, right enough."

With a shrug, she acknowledged it was, and studied his face. His hair was hanging loose just now, catching the light of the small candle flames scattered about the room. His forehead was hidden as he bent to meet her perusal, so she brushed the fringe up for a moment. "Any pain?"

"Not at all, actually. I mean, a bit tender, maybe. Like I scratched it with a fingernail, but nothing worse." He turned her in his arms so that her back was to his chest. "And you? How're you feeling? Any weird repulsive compulsions?"

She smiled and dropped her head back against him. "Not a one."

Malfoy Manor, Temporary Home of Tom Marvolo Riddle

"You do know what time it is?" Narcissa Malfoy snapped as Snape emerged from the Floo and brushed ashes from his black frock coat. The Potions Master had an image to maintain amongst the Death Eaters and before the Dark Lord. Narcissa ostentatiously moved to stare at the clock in the hall just beyond the foyer. "Eleven o'clock. Nearly midnight, Severus."

Severus nodded and tugged at his cuffs to make sure all was in order. "I am aware. I do, though, have news for our lord and did not wish to delay bringing it, no matter the hour. Some things," he went on with a speaking look, "transcend time and clocks, Narcissa."

A scream rent the air at that moment, a woman's scream, and Severus did his best not to let his anger and worry show. Instead, he maintained his impassive expression and kept his mind clear of secrets. "You have guests?" he asked coolly.

Narcissa winced and set her jaw. "A Mudblood. He's getting . . . restless."

Severus dared to smile. "I think I might have the cure for that."

With a quirk of a brow, Narcissa nodded. "All right, then. Come on." She led the way through a dark and quiet house. It was rather eerie. Severus didn't dare to ask where everyone was; he'd either be seeing them in a minute or he would be rebuffed with prejudice. Either way, he felt he was best served by silence. They went down two corridors before descending the stairs to the dungeon-like basement.

It was a place Severus knew rather too well, to his shame. Another scream rent the air, followed this time by choked cries for an explanation.

Which caught Severus's attention. How often did that happen? Pleas for mercy, acts of defiance, yes. But a rational request for a reason? Unheard of in these rooms.

Miss Granger would have done so, though, he was fairly certain. Still, he didn't think Granger—Dagworth, right—would have been captured by the Dark Lord. She was with Potter even now, so Black had said.

Could a Patronus smirk? Severus would have sworn Black's did.

"My lord." Narcissa swept into the dungeon, black satin robes flowing behind her, and bowed to the white-skinned, noseless creature to whom Severus was bound. "Severus has arrived with news." She then exchanged a look with Severus, deliberately did not gaze at the captive in the room, and swept out of the dungeons once more.

Severus moved a casual glance over the stone-lined room. There were six others of their elite cadre against one wall, avidly watching the bloody denigration of the woman chained against another wall. He eyed her dispassionately. Not quite naked, she was nevertheless on display. Blood dripped from her arms, legs, and abdomen, yet Severus could do nothing but perhaps distract the Dark Lord's attention.

Even if he did so, though, it was likely the others would have their way with her, terrorizing and victimizing her in the worst of ways before killing her.

He shook his head and turned. He couldn't do anything about it just at the moment, unless . . .

"My lord," he said slowly with a deep bow. "I have news."

The Dark Lord cast a Silencio at the woman on the wall and, with an irritated roll of his wrist, asked, "Yes?" in his high, impatient manner.

"I have found and bound Albus Dumbledore, my lord. He is in possession of two of the Hallows."

It was startling to see just how thrilled the Dark Lord could look, given the right circumstances. "Really? Marvelous. Where do you have him? Did you bring him to me?"

Severus shook his head with all evidence of humility. "No, my lord, for I wanted to present a plan to you." He looked about significantly at the unmasked Death Eaters across the room.

The Dark Lord waved them out before folding his hands on his lap in a pretense of patient accommodation. Severus held his hands loosely at his sides. "Harry Potter and his Mudblood will be with Dumbledore tomorrow, I have it on excellent authority."

"I had heard she was back from the dead," the Dark Lord said with a sneer, his red gaze fixed on Severus's face. "How do you know this?"

"They have been out of the country doing some sort of ritual with the local Indians," Severus said, doing his best to make it sound bothersome. For he wasn't to know about the Horcruxes, nor any of the machinations that had occurred with the Dark Lord and his splintered soul. "And before I silenced Dumbledore, he told me that the Mudblood was back and she had taken Potter off for some little ritual of protection with her Aboriginal coven." It was in Severus's best interest to make as light of the ritual as possible, for it would be an evil day indeed if the Dark Lord knew he was nearly mortal.

He thought the Dark Lord tried to snort, but without a nose, it didn't quite come off. "Well, that's perfect." He rose to his feet and crossed the room to where the Silenced woman still dangled, tears dripping from her bloody cheeks. "She is as bad as Potter's mother, eh, Severusssss?"

The hurt would never, ever disappear entirely. "Quite, my lord."

"I have come to a decision. You will show me where Dumbledore is and you will maintain his binding—you were a fool to leave him, but I see that this is important for me to know. I will come to him tomorrow. We will tell no one of what you have told me. But, Severussss. Do not lose the Hallows. Which does he have?"

"The Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone."

If it were possible for the Dark Lord to have a sexual climax, he would have done so, right there in the Malfoy dungeon. As it was, bliss practically poured from him and he gazed upon Severus with something so near affection that it made Severus's skin crawl. "Ahhhh. Well. I will wrap up this Mudblood in a body bind, shall I? And if all goes according to plan, you may have her and Potter's Mudblood tomorrow with my compliments."

Severus made himself smile as he bowed low before the Dark Lord. "As you wish."

Hermione's House

The house was modest, Harry knew that, but he was glad Hermione had permanently transfigured her shower. Slate gray tiles with mosaic turquoise inlay in shapes that were reminiscent of runic wards—maybe they were?—looked amazing when wet and slippery.

Hermione would look breathtaking wet and slippery.

"Oh, 'Mione," he moaned quietly, stroking himself, imagining her gorgeous hair in wet ringlets over all that skin, and her deep, dark eyes watching him and . . .

"Merlin! 'Mione!" He hissed, thrusting into his own fist in her shower. He just wanted to take the edge off, just wanted not to have the quickest "quickie" in Wizarding history. Just wanted to make sure he could focus on her, not himself, when they . . .

"Harry?"

He froze, hand around his turgid erection, as his Hermione opened the shower door, as beautifully clothing-free as he could possibly have imagined. Ever. He was mortified, though, to be caught red-handed. "Er . . . Sorry?" He turned away from her and rested his forehead on a tiled wall.

"Oh, you've got nothing to be sorry for," she assured him. And he felt her slide up right behind him, skin to skin. "I wanted to join you, so I'm hoping you aren't going to stop on my account?"

"Join me? You wanted to . . ." He concentrated very hard on not touching himself, though he could feel his heartbeat in his cock, which was twitching with Hermione so close.

"I wanted to," she murmured, her lips against his skin. Her breasts pressed against his back and he closed his eyes and did not moan out loud. "You said you'd never been with anyone in the shower before. Neither have I. I thought, you know, we could be each other's firsts?" She laughed and he loved the way that felt, with the water slicking up their skin. "So, may I?"

Her fingers began tracing wicked patterns on his hips and he had to move back a bit into her body lest he rub himself against the actual shower tiles. "Anything, you have to know that."

"Mmmm. Thank you." She gripped him then, with a shocking, incredible thoroughness. "Oh, no. Nothing to be sorry for at all, love," she said again, stroking him slowly at first, clenching her fingers in interesting patterns that sort of mimicked what her inner muscles might just do. "You feel amazing, you know. And, Merlin, the way you sound . . ."

"Oh, hell, 'Mione, just . . . just like that." She swiped the tip of his erection with her thumb and then she caressed the frenulum, and he almost lost it right then, swearing between clenched teeth.

He felt her breath grow heavier against his back and she started rocking into him. "Come for me, Harry."

That was all he needed, and it hadn't even taken a minute. He called her name, his beautiful, brown-eyed girl's name, and came, hitting the tile and still feeling the hot water of the shower falling on him. "I'm so sorry. I was trying not to . . ."

"I sure hope you don't always apologize."

He laughed and turned, sliding his arms about her and pushing her hair out of her eyes. There they were. "You're . . . just perfect, you know?" She smiled and he bent to kiss her, to try to show her, since words weren't his best thing. The water made her slippery and that gave him the idea to reciprocate, right there in the shower, so he did, moving her so that she could brace herself against the wall before he knelt slowly before her.

He nuzzled her first, breathing in the scent of hot, wet Hermione. She sighed and a flashing glance saw her breasts rise and fall and he was totally ready to make that happen again, so he pressed kisses against the crease of her skin on one side of her mound and then the other and she started thrusting up against him. "Please, Harry!"

He couldn't resist that, it was inspiring, actually, so he opened her to the spray of the shower, which startled her and then made her laugh. "Merlin! Really? You're creative."

He laughed against her skin before moving in to taste her. Taste the essence of his girl. His witch. His woman. "Mmmmm," he hummed against her.

She actually swore, which shocked him and made him smile broadly as he flicked his tongue in an up-and-down ladder over her labia. "Harry!"

Testing her with a finger, he found that yes, those inner muscles were very active and he entered her, first with one finger, then another, as he knelt and licked and hummed against her. She was reduced to incoherent pleas, her hips moving in teasing circles in front of him that he kept up with by sheer determination to see her come apart.

"Come, Hermione," he said on a hum next to her clit and she did.

"Harry! Harry! Oh, oh, oh!"

As he was a hard, hot, throbbing coil again, he pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the discomfort caused by the tile floor and his kneecaps, and lifted her up against himself. "Want to? Here?"

Lips parted, eyes barely open in her still, fluttering pleasure, she nodded. He lifted her a little and settled her solidly on his erection, entering her without ceremony, just moaning with her at the exquisite, amazing feeling of having her body surround his own. Her eyes flew widely open and they stared at one another. He smiled, seeing her, here, with him. Exactly whom he wanted for the rest of his life. "Hi."

"Hello."

And then he moved, thrusting into her and hoping like hell he didn't slip. She braced herself against the adjacent two walls of the shower and locked her feet behind him. The water started to cool, but he couldn't have cared less. He held her, felt her, loved her right there, eyes open, in the shower. And then he leaned in just a bit, trying to hit her sweet spot and it did the trick.

Good thing, too, because he was desperate to explode within her. "Spells?" he said on a rasp.

"Covered."

"Good." He cast his own, wandless and wordless, and felt her muscles tighten around him. "Oh, 'Mione, so close, love."

She bit her lip and let out a low, guttural moan, her head rocking side to side as she came again. He let himself follow, his rhythm abandoned, his body driving only to fall with her.

Then, she slid down and he relished just the feel of her around him. "That was, wow."

"It really was."

They parted so he could turn off the water and when he turned back, she was still leaning against the wall, smiling, watching him and eyeing him in a sultry way a man could completely get used to. But. He stood in something he recognized as close to shock. "Hermione." He swallowed hard and made himself not close his eyes. "Your scar." He could see it, bisecting her torso in that ugly, mottled, jagged line. And it was his fault. His fault! His eyes burned. "Why, what . . .?"

Her voice was warm, compassionate, but she stayed where she was. "I glamoured it. I didn't want to, er, ruin the mood." He dragged his eyes from tracing the path of the curse that had nearly killed her and met her own. She smiled a little. "It's a part of me now, though. I won't glamour it again. I just . . . I needed you. That. Our time."

He touched the scar tentatively, realizing he hadn't done that in their lovemaking just minutes ago. He'd been focused, but not thorough, in his attentions to her. "I needed it as well. Needed you. But, Hermione, I . . . Merlin, I feel . . ."

"Do not feel guilty." Her tone was implacable and she moved at last to catch his hands in hers. "You didn't curse me."

"Dolohov did. Ron, Ron caught him, you know. I was glad."

"So am I." She looked nervous, then, and slid her hands up his arms to rest on his shoulders. "You need to know, though, that this curse, well, it nearly killed me, and the healers managed to save my life. But . . . they didn't make me whole, Harry. I can't have children."

Pain sliced through him for what she'd lost because of him and he couldn't help but see where the end of the scar was. Right there. "Hermione. I'm so sorry." She went to protest but he shook his head and she hushed. "No. It is my fault because I went even when you thought it was a mistake." He met her eyes again. "And it was a mistake. So it's my fault. And I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I mean, I never really saw myself pregnant anyway." She rolled up on her toes to kiss him gently, chastely, and he wrapped his arms about her. "And I know you've got a family to be head of and all, so we could adopt, right?"

And there, in the midst of his pain and sorrow for her, she found him and made his heart smile again. He cleared his throat. "We? So, you're wanting to stick around for a bit, are you?"

"Well, the idea had crossed my mind."

"Marry me?"

She laughed, and their wet skin made them slide a bit against one another. He was reminded that they were still in the shower and this was possibly the oddest but most amazing day of his life. She made it the very best day in one word.

"Yes."

A/N: Next up...well, I bet you can guess! Posting on Friday. And . . . I should have a sneak peek up tomorrow. I kept this chapter under wraps, but I am fairly certain y'all want to see what's next. Thanks for reading!