I just want to say how thankful I am for my readers, thank you. I am so glad you all are enjoying my new chapters and look forward to moving ahead with plenty of plot. Hopefully, our Marauders can band together?

Sirius was no stranger to the sounds of enjoyment that echoed from the floors above. He was actually impressed by Remus and his mastery but listened not for her pleasure, but possible pain. Remus did not have to ask, the animagus just knew he might need a spotter for tonight.

"Remus!" he heard her howling and Sirius turned pink.

Of course, there was a familiar sting of envy as he made the woman cry out in enjoyment, but he pressed them down. He grabbed a couple of glasses of water and moved to walk up the stairs when the sounds climaxed. There was a split second that he worried about Moony's aggression, but ignored it and ascended with confidence.

The door to her room was wide open and he could see their forms huddled in a mass on her bed. When he approached the doorway he stopped and waited for Remus to notice him and give him the green light.

"Well, aren't you too kind, Padfoot?" Remus jested and waved him in.

Hermione sat up and gasped, glancing at them both. "Relax, kitten. We aren't going to be sharing you tonight." Sirius reassured her and she smirked.

He handed them both a glass and Hermione smiled at him. "You missed the fun, Sirius." it was her attempted to lighten the clear anxiety that was building from this moment.

The werewolf stood up and pulled on his abandoned boxers, "not that I can complain about being the object of your pleasure, love." Remus declared and Sirius snorted.

The animagus kissed Hermione deeply and moved to leave, "alright, then."

"Wait, where are you going?" She asked him and Sirius shrugged his shoulders.

"to clean up and then bed," he said noncommittally.

Remus watched the unsureness of his partner and his best mate. "How about you go shower with the mutt and come crawl back into bed?" he was trying to extend an olive branch.

Hermione grinned and nodded, "that sounds amazing," she voiced and kissed Remus.

Sirius mouthed a simple 'thank you' to Remus who nodded and Hermione jumped off the bed. The animagus grew a wicked idea and picked her up over his shoulder causing her to shout. "Sirius Black, you are incorrigible!"

Remus watched them leave the bedroom and he let out a heavy breath and stretched out on her bed. He had done well to hide his distaste throughout the evening. It was too loud, too cramped and too potent at the Burrow, but he was glad for the homecoming. He was listening to them whisper in the bathroom out of curiosity.

"Did Moony make you smile?" Sirius whispered and she giggled.

"You can't tell?" She replied and he could hear her beaming through her words.

There was a pause as the water started rushing and she sighed. "You both are too amazing for me, Sirius."

"Oh, Hermione, you haven't a clue what you deserve do you?" Sirius breathed and he could hear the woman murmuring sounds of enjoyment.

Remus decided not to spy any longer and grabbed the empty glasses and headed down to the kitchen. He was temporarily sated, but it still was rough to hear her being intimate with another man. He could feel the wolf getting restless under his skin. Grabbing another glass of water he nodded to himself.

"Don't be a git, this is just because of the moon." He growled to himself.

Standing in the lonely kitchen a little longer, he regained enough composure to stroll into the dim library. He gazed at the bookcases and remembered all the time they spent in here together.

"When you find someone, who matches you toe to toe in intelligence make sure you keep him, Mione."

He remembered telling her after she started to join him in the library at night. It was the first time she stayed in the house and she was complaining about her destitute.

"Even if I do, Remus, he will never be nearly as brilliant as you."

He chuckled at his blindness to their attraction and shook his head. How long had he been in love with her and never seen it? She was perfectly content with watching him from afar, maybe she was sincerely that clueless. He knew that he would have never fathomed being with her if she never spoke about her attractions to him.

Remus shook his head with a smile and grab a book off the table. The werewolf wasn't sure to how long they would shower, but he wasn't going to wait in bed like a fool and stew. He moved to sit in his chair and didn't realize at the time what the book was until it was open. A sheet of parchment fell out and he picked it up to read it.

Dear Miss Granger,

I am pleased to see your client had such moving journals about his condition. It is not often we can praise someone's candor on something they feel so wrong to have, but what a brilliant read. I have gone through them and can guarantee you a lovely publishing deal if I may meet the man behind the quill. What an intelligent and well-written wizard and for someone with such a large amount of affection and courage. Please write back the moment you know more.

H. R. D.

Wizardly Words Publishing House

Hermione Granger took it upon herself to send off his journals to a publishing house? Remus wasn't sure if he was angry or impressed by her motivation. She had tucked the parchment in the one place he wouldn't have noticed; her copy of Hogwarts, A History.

"Remus," Hermione murmured as she walked into the library.

He turned to her naked form and held up the letter, "you were going to tell me about this soon?"

Her face turned bright red and she bit her lip as she approached him with caution. "I wanted to warm you up to the idea first."

"You had no right, Hermione. That was private thoughts about being a werewolf." Remus spat and she nodded.

"I know, but, Remus, there are people out there who would be moved by it. It could change the way people see your condition. You don't have to change, others do," when she finished Remus felt surprised by her view.

"My journals won't change the way people view werewolves, love. I am touched that you think it will and love that you have never made me feel different, but people will hunt me down for this." He tried to explain but she walked toward him with a smile.

"So we give you a pen name and change the names in them. This could be what you leave behind for your son, Remus. A different world for him to live with where his father is treated with the respect you deserve when he is old enough to see it." Her answer struck a chord with him and made him pull her in for a hug.

"You really do accept me, Hermione. Not one fiber of your being has ever disowned me because of who I am." He was so moved by her that he felt his emotions crashing against him.

She pulled away enough to look at his eyes, "Remus, you are not only a werewolf. It does not define you or turn you to darkness. You are Remus Lupin, a wizard with a huge heart, a superior intellect, dashing looks, and I love you."

He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders, "for a quick minute there I thought you were going to choose the mutt up the stairs over me." He teased and she rolled her eyes.

"Come to bed with me, handsome?" She asked and he nodded.

0o0o

Sirius Black was many things. A godfather. A loyal friend. A fantastic lover. An ex-convict. But he was not a jealous man. There was not a moment alive that he could recall that he suffered from extreme jealousy; until now. Sleeping together was something he cherished with her immensely and coveted those tender moments in the morning.

Long before he ever heard Hermione Granger screaming his name in ecstasy he looked forward to waking up next to her. Her padding to his room in the early morning when she was in her own room and climbing in his bed. He missed that so much and he missed their bond.

It was the dark hours of early morning and Sirius had been tossing and turning all night. He did not want to make it a big complication or hassle that he did not sleep next to her. Many nights they hadn't and he had done just fine. Something about tonight made his hair stand on end and it never went away.

He had decided to let go his feelings of anxiety only moments before a glow entered the room.

"Sirius, come quick," Remus' voice came from the wolf Patronus.

He did not need to be told twice and bolted from his bedroom. Almost tripping on his feet as he jumped up the stairs, he ran to Hermione's room and opened the door. There she was huddled in Remus' arms and nearly leaped off the bed.

"Sirius, oh, Sirius! I had a dream that you died again!" She was crying and Remus clung to her.

He approached catching his breath and she pulled him to her and Remus. "Shh, kitten. It was only a nightmare. I am fine."

Sirius was very knowledgeable about her nightmares. They terrified her and kept her from decent sleep. That was another reason he felt the need to sleep next to her. Remus gazed over at him and tilted his head. "I have never seen her this upset."

Both Marauders helped her back to the pillows and were stroking her cheek and hair. "She used to get them here and there, but she hasn't had one this bad since she brought me back," Sirius told the werewolf.

Remus felt shocked that his best mate never mentioned them, but then again Sirius was not one to talk about frightening aspects about their lover.

"It- she- horrible woman!" Hermione choked as her tears subsided and Sirius shook his head.

"She isn't here and we are both fine, try to sleep, kitten." Sirius moved to disengage from the cuddle and she glared at him.

"You aren't going to leave," she demanded and he felt taken back.

Gaining composure and wiping her face on her blanket she sat up. "I don't want either of you to leave me. Please?" She asked and Remus smiled.

Sirius nodded and climbed under the sheets. "If we make this routine I won't complain as long as I get to call big spoon." He declared and Remus shook his head.

"Not every night, Pads. Sharing is caring after all," the werewolf retorted with a smile and settled in.

She snuggled against Sirius and pulled Remus closer so she could kiss him. "My Marauders, always." She sighed with relief.

Hermione was twirling her finger gently in Remus' chest hair which made him smile and kiss her forehead and she dozed off again. He tilted his head up and gazed over at his best mate who was waiting to catch his attention.

"You alright?" Sirius whispered and Remus nodded.

"Thank you," the werewolf breathed and Sirius smiled.

"She will hopefully sleep soundly now, let's try for some as well," he replied and they hunkered down for some well-deserved sleep.

Her hands were on fire as she dug through the rubble of her former school. She was chained to the spot and there was a wickedness in the air around her, making it hard to breathe. Hermione wanted to scream for help but her voice was missing from her. The witch succumbed to the helplessness and fell to her knees. She was choking on her fears and saw the bodies of those she loved struggling to swim in the lake under the fearsome dark mark.

"Mione, love, you need to wake up," Sirius whispered and she jolted.

When she had surfaced from her dream she reached out and clung to the body in front of her. Remus stirred and opened one eye and saw her fright.

He took a deep breath and stared at her eyes, "you are safe, we are here." he told her and she glanced for Sirius.

The animagus moved closer and encircled her slender body with his arms. Sirius was actually surprised because he felt her fear clearly before he even woke from his sleep. Flashes of images he could hardly understand were penetrating his dreams. He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that maybe their spell did not do exactly what she had hoped.

"Sirius," she finally found her voice and he leaned his chin on her shoulder. "Yes, kitten?"

"I love you," she whispered and Remus smiled.

"You are such a generous woman. Such a big heart..." Remus grumbled and his fingers became playful on her skin.

Hermione started to giggle and Sirius pulled away and took her hands in his own to give Remus more of an ability to tickle her. That only made the witch laugh harder and Sirius began to nibble at her neck as Remus was chuckling at her happiness.

"My, Pads, I think we found her weakness," the werewolf declared and concluded his attack with a kiss on her lips.

The animagus sat up and smirked, "we make a good team, old werewolf."

Hermione stretched out on her back in front of them and sighed, "there are my joyous marauders, I have missed those smiles."

"You see that? I cannot believe I have lived this long without seeing a woman that extraordinary before me." Remus told them and Sirius gave him a nod.

"I told you, she is a masterpiece," he said and they flopped on the bed next to her.

She manipulated herself and groaned, "Marauders, you are wearing me out. I am pretty sore today."

Sirius pressed his chin on her stomach lightly, gazing up at her, "you make us feel like randy teenagers again, kitten."

"If you were like this as teenagers, I am sure you had your pick of women." Hermione snorted and Remus chuckled and leaned on his arm.

"I was too introverted and worried to hurt any girls to think about that. A few here and there, but nothing very extravagant." He admitted and Sirius shook his head.

"Don't let him lie to you, he had his pick of the pile. Girls love brooding mysterious boys."

Hermione leaned over and kissed Remus who returned it with vim. Sirius watched her light up and he smiled as he pushed himself up toward her and nibbled the skin around her neck. She moaned and Remus raised his eyebrow as he pulled away. "You realize we might have to rectify this whole situation by fucking you soundly together if you keep that up."

Remus realized that sounded odd especially from his mouth, but somehow it seemed to work. Last night really opened his eyes as to how much they needed his best mate. Remus had no clue how much he had nurtured Hermione silently while they were bonded. She may have brought him back with no intentions, but he protected her.

Hermione's eyes grew and she gaped, "I- wait- what?" She stuttered and Sirius grinned over at him.

"Moony, I am impressed!" Sirius gasped and the werewolf smirked.

"You both are bloody insane," Hermione declared and climbed out from between them. "I am going to go make some breakfast." She threw on her robe.

"We will be down in a minute, kitten. We are old men now, we need time to wake up." Sirius snickered and Remus shot him a glare.

"Thank you for boosting my ego, Pads."

The witch disappeared from the room and Sirius beamed over at his best mate. "So, you are in much better spirits."

"It had occurred to me that despite how difficult it is for us to share, it is harder for her to go without one of us."

Sirius nodded and frowned, "Remus, I cannot tell her yet, but I am concerned. I feel like the bond may still be there."

Remus nodded and sighed, "I figured as much when you woke her up today. We shouldn't keep things from her, but I think this is important to hold off on. She hasn't mentioned it on her end, maybe she won't."

Remus shot up from the bed and sniffed the air. "Sirius, throw on some clothing, now."

Sirius frowned at him and moved to ask, but he saw the angst in his eyes. "What is it?"

"Something is wrong," Remus spat and had just slid on his boxers and snatched his wand as he went to the door.

Sirius felt the hair on his neck stand in fear and threw on his pants before following Remus out to the stairs. He wasn't sure what Remus had smelt, but he knew that was never a good thing. There was a frightening feeling in him and he realized it was no longer his own feelings, they were hers.