"Nice of you two to join us," Tonks teased.
Sirius gave her a mock sneer before taking his seat next to Hermione as Teddy launched himself across the table, "Aunt Mini!" She caught him with a surprising amount of grace.
"Good morning little love!"
"I was worried about you," he whimpered.
"Did I scare you love?" He nodded into her curls, "I'm sorry." Hermione cradled him in her arms until he calmed down. Turning him to the table she tickled him and he morped, hair growing longer fading into a light brown and his eyes and nose rounding out. Remus chuckled as his son morphed to look like his godmother and handed her a bag across the table.
"What's this?"
"Something that helps me with my nightmares" he winked.
Looking into the bag cautiously she removed the large vial and sniffed getting hints of lavender, eucalyptus, and honey. "That's heavenly, Remus."
"Just put a bit in you bath and it will help. I use it after the moon."
"Thank you," she smiled, gently putting the vial back in the bag. Sirius took if from her and leaned back to put it on the counter.
"Are we ready to eat?" Molly chimed and food began to cover the table.
Everyone settled into happy conversation and playful banter, all thoughts of the night before and earlier outburst forgotten. Much to Ginny's relief Hermione offered to get James when he started to cry. Apparently James had transitioned from an easy sleepy infant into a grumpy fussy little monster. Politely excusing herself from the table she set Teddy down in her spot and went upstairs. She found James on his stomach, face red as he screamed.
"You definitely have your mothers temper," she chuckled as she picked him up. Unlike usual he continued screaming and Hermione decided she wasn't going to take him back down stairs until he had quieted some so instead she summoned a bottle from the kitchen and used a warming charm to get it to the right temperature. Sitting down in the rocking chair she feed him and burped him when he was done. He started to fuss almost immediately so she swaddled him tightly in a blanket and when he seemed happy enough she took him downstairs and rejoined the table.
Ginny looked at her as if she'd grown a second head, "How?"
"She has a touch Gin, she was the same way with Ted. Still is." Tonks interjected and Hermione turned back to her breakfast unable to hid her smile as Ginny huffed.
Teddy tried to climb back into her lap but resigned himself to staying beside her when he noticed James in her arms with a small pout gracing his face. Sirius noticed his expression and laughed sending her a wink, "It's okay little wolf, I don't like sharing her much either." Shaking her head in response she giggled before kissing the boy on the forehead.
"Mione, can I talk to you for a moment in private?" A voice came from the doorway startling everyone.
"W-what are you doing here Ron?"
"I wanted to talk to you. If you are willing to hear me out."
She looked at him with a calculating stare before nodding slightly gave Lavender a sweet smile, "Good morning, sit have some breakfast." Seeing the look on Sirius's face she leaned down and passed him James, whispering "I'll be right back" in his ear before kissing him swiftly and leaving the room. Walking past Ron she started up the stairs without saying a word, she could hear him behind her so she didn't falter on her way to the library. She sat in one of the chairs by the fire and waited for him to speak.
"Mione, I am so sorry."
"How did you not know Ron? We were together for 5 years after the war and most of that time we shared a flat and a bed. You slipped me the potion more times then we'd care to admit and still you remained ignorant to the effects."
"I knew...I just didn't know how to help you beyond that. I knew that even if you still had the nightmare at least you'd get a proper amount of sleep. I never noticed your scars though...probably because I didn't want to..." He couldn't even look at her.
Hermione had a hard time breathing at this point. "It's worse than the infidelity. You willing turned your back on my problems because they were a nuisance for you. How can you claim to have loved me and do that?"
"I do love you Mione."
"You don't do that to someone you love! You don't knowingly inflict more pain on them so you can sleep better."
"I'm sorry. I know you're with Sirius and I know he's stolen you -"
"He did not steal me!"
"You have Sirius and I know you're both committed," he quickly amended,"And I am working hard on my relationship with Lavender, but I would like to be your friend again."
"I don't trust you Ron. This will take time so don't ty to rush it or push me." He nodded slightly and slumped onto the couch. "I'm going back downstairs. You can stay up here as long as you need but don't take too long or your fiancée may get the wrong idea."
Hermione was lost in her thoughts when she rejoined everyone in the kitchen so much so that she didn't notice Sirius and James were missing let alone that everyone was silence, staring at one another with pure astonishment on their faces.
"Lavender's blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender's green
When you are King, dilly dilly,
I shall be Queen,"
Hermione stilled hearing the soft baritone drift through the room. An ache blossomed in her chest as she listened.
"Lavender's green dilly, dilly
Lavender's blue
You must love me, dilly, dilly
'cause I love told you so, dilly dilly,
Who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly dilly,
That told me so"
Her eyes welled with tears as she redirected herself and made her way to the doorway of the sitting room. From there she watched as Sirius rocked and sang to the babe swaddled in his arms. She wrapped her arms around herself and absently grabbed the pendant at the base of her throat. At the contact Sirius looked up at her and continued to sing as a smile played at his lips.
"Call up your friends, dilly, dilly
Set them to work
Some to the plough, dilly dilly,
Some to the fork
Some to the hay, dilly dilly,
Some to thresh corn
Whilst you and I, dilly dilly,
Keep ourselves warm
Lavender's blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender's green
When you are King, dilly dilly,
I shall be Queen"
Breaking their eye contact Sirius looked down at James and grinned seeing that the babe had fallen asleep. He continued to rock and softly spoke, "Euphemia Potter used to sing that to me when I couldn't sleep. It's the only thing I could think of, you were busy, and Ginny just looked so frazzed."
Chocking out a noise that was somewhere between and sob and a laugh she smiled, "You should see the look on her face now." Walking up to him she carefully raised a hand to his cheek, running her thumb along the stumble of his beard smiling lightly as he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. "I love you Sirius Black."
His eyes widened slightly at her confession before he grinned and looked at her with silver eyes and kissed her palm "I love you Hermione Granger." Her heart skipped a beat hearing him say the words back to her. They stayed like that for what felt like hours before she kissed him and led him back to the kitchen.
Conjuring a bassinet she sat back down and took Teddy in her arms as Sirius gently set James into the bassinet she'd conjured and cast a quick silencing charm. He turned back to the table, leaning nonchalantly back in his chair ankle crossed on his knee, one arm on the bassinet rocking it softly. Content that James wouldn't wake he looked to those staring at him around the table. "Lets have it then."
"Pads, I've never heard you sing sober before." Remus mused earning a snort from Sirius in return.
"Sirius that was beautiful," Ginny whispered wiping a tear from her eye while Harry looked over her head and winked at his godfather.
"You're going to be a wonderful father mate," George said impulsively taking no notice to Hermione's wince.
She felt Sirius's hand on her back. "I think so too George," she breathed delicately turning to give him a soft smile, "You will be an amazing father one day."
After everyone left Hermione and Sirius retired to the library where they currently lounged. Hermione sat with a book in her hand running her hand through Sirius's hair as he laid in her lap reading his own book. He had been trying to read ever since they came into the room but he found he couldn't focus. You will be an amazing father one day her voice kept ringing in his head. What did she mean? Is she preg-no she couldn't be. Could she? Does she still think I need to find someone else?
"Hermione."
"Hmm?"
"Did you mean it when you said you love me?"
That made her put her book down. "Why would you ask me that?"
"It's something you said earlier, I can't get it out of my head."
"I'm confused."
"Are you planning on leaving me?"
"What?! That's absurd!"
Sitting up he put his elbows on his knees and dropped his head into his hands. "You said I will be an amazing father. Last time we talked about children you told me I needed to find someone else."
"Sirius..."
"You are the love of my life Hermione. I didn't want to scare you by saying it when I first felt it but you are. I love you. I never thought I would ever have this kind of a connection with a woman and I don't care about children as long as I get you-"
"Sirius, stop!" she said grabbing his attention she pulled at his shoulders until he sat up and threw a leg over his lap, taking his face in her hands. "I love you. I'm not leaving you. I plan on staying with you as long as you'll have me. And I meant what I said, you will be an amazing father Sirius because one day we will have children. It maybe not right now but we will." Sirius had practically become a statue under her hands. "You are the love of my life. I am not going anywhere, no matter what happens."
He closed his eyes at her words and leaned into her embrace. "The first time I saw you with Teddy was the first time I ever thought of myself having children. And now anytime I envision having child it's you I see swollen with my child or with our child on your hip and I can see you doting on them like you do Teddy and James. I would love to have children but I only want them with you."
"I love you."
"And I you."
His words a fire lit in her stomach and she couldn't help but kiss him fervently. Lost in the moment she bit his lip a little too hard, accidently drawing blood, "Shit I'm sorry," she fumbled, scrambling for her wand to heal him. With a rumble of laughter, he grabbed her wand from her hair and stripped them both before pulling her back to him and picking her up just enough to guide her down on him. When he was sheathed inside her completely he thrust his hand into her hair and kissed her with renewed passion, "Mine," he growled into her mouth.
"Always," she grinned as she started to grind her body down onto him and they lost themselves in one another.
