XxX

A/N ~ So twztdwildcat and I were talking and we were trying to decided what the Spock/Hermione ship would be called: Hermock? Spomione? If you want to feel like you are in middle school again we can call it Spermione…ya, we just went there. But, what do you guys think? Any other suggestions? Let us know and maybe we will do a poll! Btw, twztdwildcat gets full credit for any and all hints to the line "Vulcan Angst".

XxX

"Ms. Granger." An older witch with grey streaked hair stepped forward, her arms extended, "Welcome to Hogwarts."

Nyx, who stood off to the side, jumped forward, her shimmering purple robes glittering in the sunlight, "It's Mrs, Headmistress. She is married now, remember? I told you about the cloud I saw on my way to your office this morning…"

Graciously, Headmistress Dawn held up her hand to silence her enthusiastic professor, "I remember very well, but I do not know how Vulcan's distinguish their marriage bond. Muggles and Wizards ways are the same, but I am not familiar with other planetary ones and I did not want to put our guest on the spot before she could dust the soot off of herself."

My eyes nervously darted to Bones, not sure how to respond to the Headmistress. He seemed to get the message and just shrugged his shoulders, equally confused on the etiquette.

Nyx fell back on her heels, considering the thought as she puffed out her breath, fluttering her bangs as she did so, "Can we call you Mrs. Spock?" She asked, looking to me for confirmation, "Or do you prefer Mrs. Granger?"

My mouth bobbled a bit as I sought the right words, looking around to those gathered. Never had I felt so inadequate not knowing the answer. For Merlin's sake I was married to a Vulcan, I should know such a simple answer. But I didn't, so I continued to stand with my mouth as that of a goldfish.

"How about Hermione then?" The Headmistress stepped up with a warm smile, trying to put me at ease, "You may call me Athena."

I breathed a sigh of relief, "Yes, that sounds good." My eyes caught sight of Bones lingering in the corner, watching the moving paintings that were whispering about how much he looked just like the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Oh, and this is Dr. Leonard McCoy." I spurted out, trying to correct my forgetfulness, "He is a descendent of Harry Potter." My words caught me off guard and I grew quiet. It was the first time I came to fully understand what it meant that Bones was a descendent of Harry: my friend was dead.

Of course logically I could understand what I said, but emotionally I felt unprepared.

Athena turned to the doctor and started up a small chat about how his family was doing while I stood uncomfortably in the center of the room.

"I set up a small curtain for you to change." Nyx offered, breaking me from my thoughts and gesturing to the side of the office where a rich, red curtain was hanging.

Bones, who stood with his arms crossed, cocked a brow at the odd witch, "A cloud of tealeaves told her too." He explained. I grinned before I moved to the curtain to change into the Muggle jeans; thankfully Bones had thought ahead and bought me a pair of jeans yesterday along with the pajamas. I couldn't imagine traipsing around Hogwarts in traditional Vulcan garb.

I shrunk my pajamas with a simple spell and stowed them in my pocket before headed out, my thoughts turning back to all that had happened during my 200 year absence.

Harry had lived a whole life and I hadn't been a part of any of it. Had I really made the right decision coming back?

I huffed, ripping the tie from my hair and brushing back my unruly curls into a tighter bun.

I need to stop second guessing myself, I chided, not really listening to what I was thinking, I knew the consequences when I accepted the offer. Now it is time to live with them; I need to put the past to rest.

Before I could linger too long on the turmoil, Athena stepped up and broke me from the years past, "Are you ready to see the Memorial?"

My teeth worried my lip as I nodded, not sure if I was emotionally ready for that either.

"Very good." Athena nodded calmly, her smile knowing my inner struggle but refusing to let me stew in the hurt, "If you will follow me."

As the Headmistress started for the door, Bones motioned ladies first and Nyx took my arm as we continued out.

My eyes were like that of my first year; everything was new again even though nothing had really changed. The griffin statue was the same, the stones that had lined the halls for thousands of years were still in place, and the courtyard was even in full bloom like it had been every year since the trees had been planted. A piece of me was even happy to see the nasty Willow of in the distance before the Black Lake.

I kept turning around, trying to take it all in as the memories caught up with me at every turn. They filled in the space around me, pulling me from the present, but as much as I felt it were my Hogwarts and wished to claim it as mine, it wasn't any longer.

This wasn't my life anymore; the halls were not my sanctuary any longer.

As I walked through the large arch before we reached the main doors, I knew that I was grown up now and I could feel the doors of my youth starting to close behind me. Part of me wanted to run back, to throw them up and refuse to grow up, while the other, larger part pressed me on into what the future held.

I wished to bid my final goodbye to the past, pay my respects in a way, before returning to the place that I belonged now and to live the life gifted to me.

Athena had been taking along the way, pointing out new additions and such, while I had been caught up in my thoughts. I looked up, not knowing what she was talking about, as we came to the front doors of the castle.

My eyes grew in amazement when the sunlight caught the marble statues before the doors. There stood the famous Golden Trio of legend, crafted perfectly of stone, with others of the DA scattered around behind. Harry's, of course, was center stage and slightly bigger than the rest of them.

I smirked, a wistfulness pulling at my heart as I moved forward, "Harry must have hated that."

I felt myself ripped between 1998 and now, standing before a mirror image of myself. It didn't look like me, or even feel like I was looking at myself, but in a weird way it did. I stood with my head high, my mess of hair tied back like it had been during the war, and my cloths ragged. There was a look of fierce protection etched into the stone, like a lioness taking down a threat to her cubs. The sheer embodiment of determination in the face made me question if the statue was actually me.

Never in my life had I considered myself capable of taking a life. I had always been the studious one behind the plan, not the one acting it out.

I wasn't sure I wanted to be the Hermione Granger that the artist had chosen to take out of time and set as a reminder and permanent memory for those to come after. I was more than that one day in 1998; we were all more than that one day.

My hands were bloody, but I wasn't that person. At least, I didn't want to be.

"Everything has changed now." I sighed, brushing my hand against the plaque at the statue's feet, which declared the statue was indeed me.

I continued on through the others, unable to look at mine any longer, and started comparing the statues to those I had known once long ago. I felt like a ghost, floating through the present but stuck in the past. This one frozen moment in time was all people of this time would remember of my warm and colorful friends.

"At least they got Luna's earrings right." I whispered, my voice dry and barely audible as I stopped before the last statue, having made the full loop.

"The Protectors of Hogwarts." Athena came up beside me, the group having given me space so that I could take everything in, "The world would look a lot different if it hadn't been for their sacrifices."

"But these were the ones that survived." I wrinkled my nose, not comfortable with the word sacrifice. All those before me lived full lives; they had gotten to go on with their lives, they had rebuild Hogwarts, started families, created legacies. What sacrifice was that when the sweet youth of Colin Creevey had been cut short and lost to time?

"Truly, Hermione, you think there was no sacrifice involved on your part?" The Headmistress chastised lightly, showing the wisdom of Dumbledore, "The sacrifice of one's childhood and innocence at such a young age is one thing, but to live on while others you know will not is another. To live on knowing you had taken the life of another so that the world could go back to a new normal and flourish. Evil or not, taking a life will forever change a person just as living in a time of war will. Sometimes living is harder than dying."

I accepted her words with a slow nod, not wanting to push the subject, "Is this the only memorial?" I asked, letting my eyes wander to her weathered face. This couldn't be all that was remembered from that May.

She looked to me with soft, jade eyes, "No, of course not. We remember all who fought for the cause, both from the first war and the last." As she spoke, Athena continued to the doors and magicked them open. The rest of the group followed while I lingered, my eyes on a particularly tall statue off to the side of Harry's.

"Thank you for doing what you did, I wouldn't be here if you hadn't. Nor would I be with someone that actually deserved me." I said quietly, my eyes wandering down the harsh lines someone had carved into Ron's long face. I started to continue on my way but stopped, finding a smugness I didn't know I had as I turned around, "You're still an arse though." With my childish need for the last word met, I continued past the stone garden with a skip to my step.

"You ok, Herms?" Bones called as I stepped into the room, doing his routine check of those under his care.

I nodded, making my way next to him with a wrinkle of my nose, "I still hate that name."

Bones just smirked, "I know." I rolled my eyes, not finding it worth my time to reply.

"Why is it so dark?" I asked, trying to use the little sunlight that filtered in the room to see the memorial.

"Just wait!" Nyx replied with a large smile, her eyes glistening in anticipation.

Athena took out her wand and Nyx followed suit, preparing to cast their spell, "Lumos!" As they spoke, lanterns of light wisped from the tips of their wand and found their place among the room.

As the room was illuminated, hundreds of wands appeared. Each individual one had a place of honor in the stone and beneath each one was a silver plate, giving a name to those who would otherwise remain faceless to this generation and the next.

I remembered when I would go to museums with my parents in London and would find names of people who had been lost to time. My heart had about broken when I saw the first part of the memorial, thinking that only a small selection of us would be remembered when so many had fought. Seeing this memorial gave me hope.

I started the trek along the length of the wall, my hand gliding across the smooth stone and memorizing every name I wasn't familiar with.

I stopped and leaned my head against the stone by a name I knew, "This is why we can't live forever, the pain would be unbearable."

Silently, I wondered if anyone even gazed upon the awe striking wall or if they just strode past it as if nothing was there like so many others did with memorials these days. After all, this wasn't their life or their memories but mine.

I could feel Bones' presence approach, his need to shield me from the pain encompassing me. I turned my head to look at him, my warm face pressed against the cool stone and my eyes blurry.

He placed a comforting hand on my back, rubbing circles in my shoulder blade as he gave a gentle smile, letting me know it was ok.

"D-do you see a Theodore Nott?" I asked, turning back to the wall and trying to dry my eyes before I could truly cry. My eyes quickly searched the hundreds of wands before turning around and looking at the other wall, Bones following suite.

"Oh, I think I know the one you are looking for." Nyx called, pushing her glasses back up her nose and motioning for me to come over. She smiled as I walked over, bouncing on the balls of her feet, "I have always been curious to know his story. Whenever I walk by here, I make up a happy ending for him to have lived."

"Mr. Theodore Nott." Athena came over and stood beside our group, "April 23, 1980 to May 2, 1998. He was one of the few Slytherins to return and fight alongside those of Hogwarts."

"Indeed." I smiled, kneeling down and letting my hand brushing the deep etches of his name, "I met his twin this past year, a man from my time, who decided to take it upon himself to take the Death Eater's mission further and cleanse the galaxy. Tom Riddle planned everything, down to his eternal legacy. They made Endymion a Horcrux and placed Flamel's Elixir within him. It was the reason we needed the venom, so that we could destroy the Horcrux within him." I nodded to Nyx, who gave a gracious bow of her head in acknowledgment. Retrieving my wand from my sleeve, I thought of my charm and cast it. A wreath of emerald green crafted itself and a trinity of pure roses appeared around the circlet.

"He might have been raised by Nott but Theodore was definitely not his son, I just wish he could have known his parents." I fell back on my heels, gazing at the dark wood of his wand.

My hand slowly moved up to touch the worn handle, wanting to feel close to the lost boy, "They were killed fighting against the Death Eaters, against Voldomort. They turned on their own kin so that they could fight for what is right, yet no one remembers them. Regulus helped steal one of the Horcrux but I'm not sure what Alexandria did, I'd give anything to remember her properly." I whispered, lost in my own world.

"Regulus' is remembered by his actions surrounding the Locket, but Alexandria's story is a little less well known." Athena began, "Alexandria Pleiades Nott was a talented pureblood, no one could beat her in any of her classes. She was bright, but her heart for others was even brighter. When she graduated, she went against her family and helped to protect Muggleborns and Half-Bloods during the first war until she was killed by Death Eaters alongside Gideon and Fabian Prewett in 1981." Athena explained, stepping up with her wand ready, "Her and Regulus' names are listed among those of the First War who not much is known about, but that needs to change." With a simple flick of her wrist, the letters on Theodore's plaque shifted.

I smiled as they settled, "In memory of Theodore Nott and his parents Alexandria Nott and Regulus Black. A family who sacrificed all they had for those of tomorrow." I turned back to Athena, "Thank you."

"Of course, Hermione." Athena replied gently, "It is the right thing to do." As she spoke, a small, orange puff made it's way down the hall, breaking the quiet moment with a loud purr.

I stood, skeptical of what it was, "Is that a Pygmy Puff? It's huge!"

"Oh, no, that is Dusk." Nyx smiled, running her fingers back through her long hair and kneeling down to greet the kitten, "She is a long haired orange tabby. If you remember the story I told you earlier, she has Kneazle in her as well."

The beautiful tabby looked up to me and meowed, her brown eyes shining, before she came over to rub herself against my legs.

"Hullo Dusk, it is nice to meet you." I greeted politely, reaching down and gingerly picking her up.

"She likes you." Nyx cooed, scratching behind Dusk's ear.

The cat nuzzled her head into my hand, purring up a storm. I chuckled, "I would have to agree with you."

"Would you like to come down to my classroom? My second years are going to be studying Kneazle's this next week and we also just got in some baby dragons for a safety class for the seventh years. You have such a history with both; I'd especially love to get your input on the Horntail." Nyx smiled like a child on Christmas as I handed Dusk back to her.

"Thank you Nyx, but I…I'll have to take a rain check." My heart fluttered and my face flushed, "I have a husband to get home to." My face was the brightest it had ever been but the words felt so right to say, there was no hesitation with them at all. I knew where I belonged now.

"Hogwarts is always open to you, Hermione. Dumbledore, of course, had everything planned, so if ever you wish to come back to finish your seventh year, you can." Athena offered gently, as we started out of the room, "You are always welcomed in our world."

"Thank you." I replied, feeling like everything was turning out alright. I stopped and looked longingly back at the hundreds of wands and the countless names listed off to the side one last time, feeling the door of my past closing even further, "But I'm ready to go home." The word stirred my heart, sending it racing. I caught sight of Bones, who was smiling ear to ear. I gently rolled my eyes; imagine him singing about Spock and I sitting in a tree.

The Headmistress' eyes lit up, "Very well, let's get you back home, shall we?" Athena ushered, starting out of the room with Nyx on her tail and Dusk in her arms.

Bones followed them out and I hesitated, casting one last look over the room to bid them each a peaceful rest.

"Herms?" Bones called, peering around the door.

I jumped to attention, "Coming." My eyes looked back to the small wreath and a smile spread across my closed lips, knowing I'd fulfilled my promise, "I'm ready to go home."

Once I was outside, the door of the memorial closed with a resounding thud. We walked along in silence, each of us enraptured by our own thoughts about the times past. For the first time in a while, I thought about the willing sacrifices we all made and felt myself being comforted by the loyal love of those past. It was as if they were cheering me on, pushing me to go and discover what tomorrow held.

Before I knew it, we were back into Athena Dawn's office. Bones, who was ready to go, instantly went to the fireplace and picked up a handful of the powder.

I stepped up to the Headmistress and shook her hand, "Thank you for the invitation. I hope to see you again soon."

"You are welcome anytime, Hermione." Athena smiled, patting her free hand over our entwined ones before releasing me to go to Nyx.

"It was lovely meeting you. You remind me of a true friend I had back then." I smiled, "Than you, for everything, Nyx."

Nyx leaned forward, pressing her glasses up, "Dusk and I will be watching the tea leaves." A squeak sounded and the little Degu stuck his head from her pocket, wrinkling his nose, "Oh, Kaleb will too!"

"Thank you." I replied, giving each of the pets a loving scratch.

My breath stuttered as I took in the room one last time, noting how it hadn't changed much since I had last been in here. My eyes came to rest on the embers in the fireplace. If I stirred those embers to catch fire, a new chapter would begin and the past would be nothing but memories.

Part of me felt like I was losing myself, but I knew, in the end, I was simply finding place. Just like Spock had to find the balance between emotion and reason, I too had to find the middle ground between Muggle and Wizard, of then and now. The past belonged to memories; I couldn't live in it any longer. We had fought for tomorrow, now it was time to live for it and take the treasured memories with me.

"Hermione?" Bones hesitated, not sure what I needed.

I turned back to him, trying to not let the tears fall, "I'm ready to go home."

"Alright." Bones replied, his cautious eyes never leaving me. I smiled at his over protectiveness; he really was Harry's descendent.

"Make sure you say San Francisco Vulcan Embassy, if you don't, you might end up millions and millions of light-years from earth." Nyx explained.

"So…in open space." Bones nodded while his nerves widened his eyes, "San Francisco. Got it."

"I'll go first." I reached up to the small caldron and took up a handful of shimmering powder. Without hesitation, I stepped into the fireplace with a lighter soul, "San Francisco Vulcan Embassy!" I threw my powder down, feeling the magic consume my being and pull me back home.

I watched my footing, making sure I would land in the fireplace and not be thrown out of it this time. Before the green flames could clear, cheering erupting and whistles assaulted my ears.

Panic set in and I twisted my foot in case I needed to Apparate, thinking I might have landed in the wrong place.

"Please let it not be Mexico, or Canada, or anywhere I'm not supposed to be." I winced, waiting to catch a look at the room before I turned. Before I could even fully see the sight before me, I was pulled out of the fireplace into strong arms.

"Here is the Bride-To-Be! Well…Bride-That-Was…" Jim pulled back with a cheeky pout, "Guessing my invitation got lost in the mail?" He crossed his arms, raising an amused brow as he smirked.

I blushed crimson, "I guess you saw Spock at the Academy…" I brushed my bang back, cursing the Vulcan's inability to lie.

Then a second thought occurred to me; Jim had just pulled me from the fireplace where I had Flooed. My eyes quickly scattered the room where Scottie, Pavel, and Sulu stood with a few others from the Enterprise.

I felt the magic stirring behind me, and quickly tried to come up with a lie as Bones appeared in a puff of green, "We…we were trying out a new beaming technique. It—it's a new British invention."

"Hermione, it's ok," Jim let his head drop to the side lazily as my eyes grew wider, "They know." He drawled.

"I told ye that ye weren't the only witch aboard the USS Enterprise!" Scottie called, looking around to the few unknown faces around the room.

"That doesn't mean you need to tell them!" I whined, I looked to Bones for help. He was just as flabbergasted and had yet to realize the extent of Scottie's forwardness.

My eyes skirted around the room looking for Spock, knowing I would find support in him. He would know exactly what to say.

Jim shrugged his arm off casually when he figured out what I was doing, "Oh, Pointy is still at Starfleet."

"You now he doesn't like that." I corrected lightly.

"Yeah, but…I'm the Captain, so there." Jim replied, his face smug. I simply rolled my eyes, knowing there was no winning with James Kirk, "I don't feel like I have to cater to his Vulcan Angst disorder every day."

"Jim, just because you say it factually doesn't make it a real thing. No matter how many times you say it." Bones tsked and I got the feeling this wasn't the first, or the hundredth time, Bones had told him it wasn't a real disorder.

Jim rolled his eyes, "Whatever, I say let's go get drinks to celebrate! Captain's orders!"

Again, I rolled my eyes, "I think I'll pass."

"Oh, is someone trying for little Vulcan Migglies?" Jim replied, leaning in playfully, "Or is there something else you need to tell us?" He asked with a wink.

My face erupted once more and I was at a loss of word, blubbing like a goldfish yet again.

"Muggles, Jim, we are called Muggles." Bones said, shaking his head in shame, "And do shut up. That is none of your damn business" He defended.

"The sooner I get a shot in me, the better behaved I will be." He replied smoothly with a Cheshire smile.

"I call B.S." Bones snipped, a small smile pulling at his lips. Of course he could do with a nice glass of Kentucky bourbon after the morning he had been through.

"Well, how about you guys go and Spock and I will join you later." I tried to lie, knowing Jim would be able to see through it. I kept my eyes on the rest of the group, hoping to remain unreadable.

As if on cue, Jim cocked a smile, "Liar."

I huffed, not knowing what else to do. My ears stirred as I heard the front door start to open, "Thank Merlin, reinforcements."

Jim looked to me with a confused brow.

"It's a Wizard thing." I dismissed with a wave of my hand, pushing past the crowd to the front, "Spock, did you know Jim and our mates invited themselves over? Apparently their invitations got lost in the mail!" I kept my eyes over my shoulder, enjoying the sour look on Jim's face as he stuck his tongue out and the group erupted with laughter. My attention was still in the other room when I ran into someone's back, of course landing with a thud on the wood floor and a squeak.

Spock turned around as if nothing had happened and offered me his hand, "Are you alright?" He asked, helping me to my feet. I nodded as he looked around me to the side of my head, "Where is your Afsakau Ugaya?"

My hand instantly flew to the side of my head, searching for it as I began to panic. It grew worse when I saw that the Elders were behind him, awaiting my reply.

"I left it out for you on the table with a note so that you could put it on once you returned." Spock explained, putting me at ease before I could start hyperventilating. My eyes still wandered to the Elders, specifically Sarek, to see their reaction. Needless to say, they didn't look too pleased.

Bones was one step ahead of me and had snatched it up, starting towards me to tuck it into the back of my messy bun, "The note says that Sarek and the Elders would be coming over for an emergency meeting." He whispered very quietly into my ear, "It's very disrespectful to not wear your Afsakau Ugaya before others."

You couldn't have told me that before I ran head long into the entry, I thought with an annoyed crease on my forehead. My eyes narrowed as I looked back to him, "And how do you know that but not what my new married name is in Vulcan?" I hissed back.

Bones shrugged and pushed me towards the group, nodded his head towards them with his brows raised, hinting at an apology. Typically Vulcan's didn't give apologize, so Spock had said; apparently this was one of the rare times they would.

My tongue hurt so much from biting down on it, but I brought my hands together before me and stepped up, "I am sorry Spock, for dishonoring you. I meant no disrespect but I was not made aware of the rule." I inclined my head but refused to let my bold eyes lower in shame.

"Very well." He gave a curt nod and turned his attention back to the Elders. I narrowed my eyes and pulled back as if slapped, not enjoying the dismissal. Bones took hold of my shoulders and steered me away, at least one of us was looking out for my reputation among the Vulcans Elders.

"I think we might head out." Jim rubbed his neck, looking equally uncomfortable in the presence of so many angsty Vulcans as they stared down our rowdy group.

"I think I might join you." I whispered back, trying to adjust the comb so it wouldn't fall out.

"Wife."

My brow wrinkled. I knew that was Spock's voice but I wasn't sure if I had just caught a word from his sentence or what. Jim looked to me and jutted his chin past my shoulder, it took Bones turning me around and pushing me forward once more for me to get that it was a summons.

"Come here." Spock stood with his hand out, his pointer and middle finger together in a sign language H.

I bit the inside of my mouth as I started forward, would a please really kill you?

I came to a stop next to him, looking from his hand to him. He didn't explain anything, remaining as if nothing were wrong, and continued to chat with the Elders. I took a chance and mirrored his actions, touching his longer fingers with a H of my own. It seemed to satisfy the social etiquette and he dropped his hand.

"The other Elders will be taking part in an emergency council session to discuss further plans for New Vulcan. I will remain for the meeting; you are free to leave if you wish and I will join you later." Spock explained as Sarek led the Elders towards the library and our friends snuck around the side, trying not to bump into the others as they headed for the door.

Spock did the same hand gesture when he had summoned me and I looked back to Bones, who nodded for me to reply.

After the dismissal was done and my ego thoroughly bruised, Spock knitted his brow, "Are you alright?"

"Fine." I replied through gritted teeth, not wanting to embarrass him further before the Elders. I turned on my heel and started for the door without another world.

To Spock, who turned to follow after the group of Vulcans, the word fine meant that I was feeling satisfactory and was content at the moment. To me, however, it meant he was acting like a bloody prat.

I stuck my tongue out at his retreating back when I was sure I wouldn't get caught by the Elders.

"That was mature." Bones tsked, tossing me a jacket.

"Oh, and letting someone treat me like a well behaved dog is?" I snapped, my eyes narrowing as I started for the door.

Sulu shrugged with a light hearted smile, "Maybe next time he acts like that pee on the carpet." A couple of the others laughed but even that couldn't break the callous exterior I was building up to protect my hurting heart.

Without further thought, I continued down the steps and started down the sidewalk, needing to get some time to cool down far away from the suffocating Vulcans.

"Oi, Jim, ye coming?" Scottie called, noticing the lagging Captain.

"Just…give me a second." He replied coyly, walking back inside.

XxX

"Spock?" Jim called, closing the door behind him so he wouldn't be overheard.

The Vulcan appeared, standing in his typical stance, "Captain, is everything alright?"

"Knock it off with the titles." Jim waved his hand as he continued into the hall, "We need to talk and this is a casual conversation, man to…ah, Vulcan." He pointed between the two of them, finishing with an exasperated sigh.

"Is everything alright?" Spock asked again.

"Yeah." Jim leaned against the wall, rubbing his nose, "Except how you are treating your new wife."

Spock's brows pinched together like a ruffled caterpillar, "I am not sure what your point is, Jim. I treated Hermione with the respect given of a wife, even more so. Most Vulcan's don't give their wives as much freedom as I do Hermione. To my father and the Elders, I dote on her more than a husband should."

Jim gave an annoyed huff, "Your definition of doting and hers are two totally different dottings. She isn't Vulcan Spock, she's human."

"I am well aware of Hermione's genetic makeup. May I ask why you felt the need to remind me?" Spock tilted his head, studying the man before him and awaiting his response.

"You really are oblivious." Jim grumbled, ruffling his bangs as he considering what to say next, "Think of it this way," He held his hands up, needing something to focus on besides the trying Vulcan, "Hermione is not a Vulcan. She is a very strong, very opinionated female who doesn't back down from a challenge. She isn't like any other girls, human, Vulcan or not, and that is what brings out her beauty even more. Right?"

Spock considered what he said, found it sound, and gave a quick, understanding nod.

"How you acted today made it seem like you want to shift and mold her, you want to change her to fit your expectations instead of letting her be herself." Jim moved his hands back and forth, trying to emphasis his point, "You want your cake and to eat it too."

Spock pulled back, the old earthly saying lost on him, "I have no idea what cake has to—"

"Tell me Spock," Jim huffed, feeling his blood boil, "does Hermione expect you to be anything other than yourself? Is she making you go for your wizard's license or whatever it's called?"

"No. She rarely seems to speak of her world unless I bring it up first." Spock answered collectedly.

Jim clapped his hands, feeling like he was finally getting somewhere, "There, right there, she isn't expecting you to be anything but who you are and she isn't forcing you into her world, she's letting you decide how much you want to be a part of it. So, with that said, why are you expecting her to be the perfect Vulcan wife?"

"I am not." Spock replied, struck by Jim's question. His thoughts started to turn, considering the probability of truth within the Captain's words, "At least, that was not my intent."

"Your little call and dismiss bit says otherwise." Jim pointed to where the pair had been standing earlier, "You can't act one way in private and then change on her in front of other Vulcans and expect her to go along with it. She's human, Spock. You knew that when you fell in love with her, you knew that when you married her, and you know that now, so stop expecting her to go along with your ping pong mood swings. It's confusing to our kind. Herms wants desperately to be a part of your world, to learn the culture and earn the respect of your kin, but what you are asking is that she give up hers in favor of yours when she wants to find a way to mesh the two together."

Spock pulled back, unsure what to make of the emotional outburst.

"You need to find a new balance where you don't try and change her and Hermione is free to be in the Vulcan culture and to learn without feeling like you are against her too. Did you see how confused she was when you beckoned her? She likes rules, Spock, and knowing what is expected of her. You didn't teach her anything about Vulcan culture, you just expected her to follow along without question."

Spock stepped up, trying to regain control of the emotional situation, "I do not think—"

"Just…think about it, alright Spock?" Jim held his hand up, knowing that Spock's logic could explain away everything and leave Hermione's heart crushed, "Herms is like a bird. If you clip her wings, if you take away her freedom and ground her, she won't be the Hermione we love anymore. And that is what your actions said you are trying to do today. Just consider what I said, alright?" Jim waited for Spock to nod before starting for the door. The Vulcan started back into the library, his thoughts more concerned with his young bride than the meeting at hand.

"Oh, and Spock?" Jim peeked around the corner of the door with a goofy, out of place smile on his face, "Congrats, I couldn't be happier for you." He tapped his knuckles on the door before disappearing and closing the door behind him.

Spock remained where he was, looking between the entry and the library. He started to fidget with the thumb concealed by his entwined hands, a trait not most knew occurred when he had his hands together behind his back. He looked longingly back to the closed door, feeling the distance that was growing between himself and Hermione.

"Spock, come here." His father beckoned. Obediently, the young Vulcan made his way into the library.

Sarek nodded to one of the empty chairs, "We are ready to begin."

"If you will excuse me," Spock looked to each of the council members in turn, "I will not be able to attend the session today."

"And what draws you away from the council?" T'Rena asked, already knowing the answer. The two other Vulcans, who had to be swayed to accept the match in the first place, looked curiously between Sarek and his son, awaiting the elder's correction.

Spock turned respectfully to the woman, "My colleagues wish to celebrate my marriage and, seeing as I am on leave to celebrate the earthly phase called a honeymoon, I wish to attend to my new bride. I know that the fate of New Vulcan is in capable hands and I will catch myself up once I am finished with my leave. Now, if you will excuse me." He inclined his head in respect and, without their formal excusal, the young half-Vulcan turned and gave into his human side.

As he walked down the hall he felt his lips turn up into a rare smile and, just like a newlywed, his heart couldn't wait to be reunited with his very human taluhk once more.

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