A/n: I had an idea for this, and I had to write it. It's pretty obvious as to what the idea was... Anyone spot it? :)

Merry Christmas everybody! Have a rad day! -Kass x

Chapter 40

The night drew on, and Hermione found herself sat in the burrow's kitchen. Ron and Harry sat opposite her, and not far away. They'd arrived not long ago, having had some trouble themselves. Not nearly half as bad as her wife had, but bad enough.

Luna came bustling in, her usual dreamy smile tugging at her lips as she rocked Rose. "She's lovely" the blonde addressed the brunette, sitting beside her at the table as the baby cooed and fussed. Seemingly content in Luna's arms for the moment.

"She's kept Ginny and I awake for days now. This is the quietest she's been" Hermione replied, leaning over to run a few finger's across her daughter's cheek.

A knock at the back door pulled everyone's attention away from the fussy child. Ron was the first to stand, mumbling a tired 'I'll get it' as he did. His broad shoulder's tensing as he opened the door and muttered something.

"Dad" He called out to Arthur, his voice heavy as he stood out of the way to let three Aurors into the kitchen. He and Harry had both been taken off the case, and neither of them had been happy about it.

"O'leary" Harry spoke, nodding to the man who led the two others. He was quite a tall man, having had to duck through the door. Rivalling Hagrid's height. His face was twisted into a serious scowl as he nodded to Harry, offering a gruff "Potter" in response.

Arthur came into the room then, his eyes falling onto the three Aurors as a smile pulled at his lips. "So you're who they sent for security detail" He asked, motioning for the three to sit.

"Security detail?" Hermione questioned, an eyebrow raised.

"Yes , we've been assigned to guard the area just in case. We're the most qualified for the situation at hand, the most equipped to deal with magical beasts." The man Harry had addressed as O'leary spoke directly to her, bowing his head slightly.

"I'm unsure as to what exactly that means, could you explain please?" She asked politely, motioning for the three to sit; which they did thought didn't look all together comfortable doing.

"It means, the three of us have specific abilities that allow us to engage in combat with these creatures without sustaining injury's a human would. We've been recruited specifically by the ministry, now that they know exactly what they're dealing with" The other man spoke, a small smile tugging at his pale lips. Light blonde hair cut to quite a muggle military style made him look army, and Hermione found herself briefly wondering exactly those abilities were that made them so equipped to take a giant wolf on.

Arthur seemed pleased with the situation, but Harry and Ron seemed more than a little put out. Luna just excused herself into the other room, taking Rose with her as she swayed out.

Ron grumbled, "You're no more qualified than we are" he half whined.

"It's alright mate, they're just here to do their job. We're too close to the case to be involved anyway" Harry piped in, a small smile tugging at his own lips as green eyes took in the three figures now sat together.

"We've been sent to brief you on what's going to happen. Until those are caught, the three of us have been assigned to each of you. Harry I've got you, and am to follow you wherever you go. Ron, you've got Jones, and , you've got Griffin" O'leary spoke, nodding to each of his colleagues as he reeled them off.

Hermione turned to take the third member of the team in, and was met with shaggy black hair that fell around the woman's shoulders, dark brown eyes, and a kind smile. Not nearly as menacing as the other two by appearance.

"It's best if we keep everyone together, it makes our job easier" The blonde spoke, his eyes meeting everyone's around the table. "We'll all be stationed at different points around the property. If we're needed back here send out a patronus to fetch the one of us that's needed." He finished.

"Do not leave the property without your security detail" O'leary ordered before pushing himself up from his chair, the other two following before heading out of the door they came through with final nods towards everyone.

Hermione sat, an eyebrow raised as she looked back to the pair sat across from her. "What on earth makes them any more qualified than a normal auror?" She quizzed, curiosity evident in her voice.

"O'leary is one of them, Jones is half giant quite obviously, and Griffin can shapeshift into any animal she likes; mythical or otherwise." Arthur replied to her question. "It's quite brilliant, they've already brought in more than half of those that had escaped."

Hermione had to admit the idea was quite genius and a little surprising. She'd seen first hand what one of the Lycans could do to one of it's own, and she had no intention of even imagining what it would be like if a human got in the way. She'd no doubt it would be much much worse. The idea was sort of like fighting fire with fire.

"Interesting" She admitted out loud, "You can't deny that going up against one of those wouldn't end well at all Ron, not if you can only compete with spells" she offered the glum looking man. Harry just nodded, agreeing with her mostly.

"I'd manage, I've managed before haven't I?" He said indignantly, and she almost snorted her laughter. "That's because it was your sister mate, and killing you would have upset your mother" Harry piped up, and that time Hermione did laugh.

Ron just grumbled, "I'm going to bed" He stated firmly, pushing past his father who had resorted to reading the paper.

"I should probably go check on Rose, and bring her to bed" Hermione smiled down at her oldest friend as she too stood from the table.

"You'll have to pry her away from Luna" Harry smirked as he too stood and followed her from the room. "I'm sure she'll understand" Hermione laughed, the anxiety she'd felt earlier in the day washing away almost entirely as she joked with the green eyed boy.

-x-x-x-x-

It wasn't long until she too was tucked up with the redhead, careful not to knock her in any place that might be sore.

"Hmm, what time is it?" Ginny murmured, her voice thick with sleep as she turned to wrap Hermione up in her arms.

"Late, go back to sleep" The brunette ordered gently as she smoothed red strands of hair from Ginny's face.

"What took you so long?" The redhead sighed, leaning to kiss the column of Hermione's neck.

"Auror's showed up, they're here to protect the house. Well, protect us more specifically. They're a special team of three who are the most equipped to take care of the situation" The older girl explained quietly, her voice carrying louder through the darkness.

"Hmm, No doubt Mum will fuss them as soon as she know's they're here tomorrow. Where's Rose?" Ginny sighed, as she continued to drag her lips across the soft skin she found as she nuzzled into the crook of Hermione's neck.

"In the cot your mother set up for her. Asleep, for once" the brunette joked as she sighed contentedly.

"The one time we're alone, is the one time I can't move my leg" Ginny whined, pulling away to press her lips to Hermione's in a soft kiss.

"Typical" The older girl rolled her eyes, not even remotely entertaining the idea of anything of the sort happening.

"I've been worse and we've still managed..." Ginny almost pleaded, her fingers tracing the thin piece of flesh along Hermione's back where her shirt had ridden up..

"I'm honestly just too tired to do anything of the sort and keep enough control to not hurt you" The brunette sighed, shaking her head as she settled next to the girl.

"Fine" Ginny grumbled, wrapping her arms around the shorter woman to pull her closer. "You owe me double next time" She joked, the tiredness creeping back into her voice as she lay her head back on the pillow.

Hermione's cheek pressing to her chest, "I wouldn't have it any other way" the older girl smiled as a hand trailed up and inside Ginny's shirt to flatten against her quidditch toned stomach. The warmth she radiated more comforting and any other safety blanket could be. More re-assuring than the aurors stationed outside to keep them safe from the beasts out to get them.

They fell asleep like that that night, curled together just as they had many times before. Their first night with a baby that was willing to sleep silently for a while. Neither spoke again, until morning's early light woke them from their slumber. Flooding into the room through a crack in the curtains.

Ginny was first to rise, a bladder full and screaming to be emptied. Waking Hermione as she tried to gracefully climb over the girl, and ending up on the floor in a crumpled heap. "Bloody hell" Ginny grumbled as the brunette peaked up to look at her, dark eyes scanning her for any sign of serious injuries. When she found nothing to worry and Ginny stood to slink out of the room, Hermione too got up. The sound of pots and pans clinking downstairs filtered up, and Hermione was surprised to find the screeching shed become accustomed to wasn't amongst the noise.

Pulling the robe she'd left their house in the night before, onto her shoulders as she slipped out of the room. "I'm going downstairs" she called as she passed the bathroom, and was met with a muffled "Okay" before she descended towards the kitchen.

Just as Ginny had suspected, the three Aurors were sat at the table while Molly fussed and piled more plates of breakfast up in front of them. Arthur sitting opposite of the three with Rose firmly in his grasp, suckling a bottle that looked freshly made.

"Hermione dear! You're up early!" Molly called to her as she too took a seat next to Arthur at the large table.

"Ginny woke me up on a trip to the loo, and I thought it was odd Rose hadn't woken us yet. I thought I'd come and investigate" She beamed up at the matriarch as she pulled her eyes away from her daughter.

"Morning everyone" she spoke, aiming her words at the three Aurors tucking in to their hearty breakfasts.

"Morning" Came three mumbled replies, and a slight, polite wave from the young woman.

"I smell breakfast!" Ginny's voice boomed through into the kitchen as she bounded in. Her knee obviously having healed up enough to not cause any issues.

"Oh" She stopped as her eyes fell on the three Aurors who looked up to greet her. "I wondered when I'd be seeing you, though I'd never expect it to be anywhere but on the pitch" Ginny smirked, eyeing the dark haired shifter that was grinning back. The redhead breaking eye contact slightly to lean down and press a kiss to Rose's forehead and Hermione's cheek.

Everyone at the table seemed to share equal confusion as they looked between the two who obviously knew each other. "I played for Puddlemere United before the Ministry was overthrown, I was also on the Ravenclaw team at Hogwarts after the war" The girl finally spoke, her accent holding a foreign twang that Hermione finally placed as American.

"Oh how lovely!" Molly piped up as she finally stopped bustling around.

"The only ever Seeker to ever give ours quite a bit of grief, the only time Ravenclaw came close to beating us since Harry became out seeker" Ginny admitted, as she sat down between Hermione and the Auror. "Can't say I'm not glad you've changed professions" She admitted as she plated herself up some breakfast.

The shifter just smirked, nodding slightly as she tried to hide a red tint that had crept into her cheeks.

"Can't say we aren't either" Jones added with a playful elbow to the girl's ribs.

Hermione's eyebrows rose as she studied what she could see of the girl's face, a dawning realisation hit her as she remembered the girl vaguely.

"Well, that makes a lot of sense" She said sarcastically but with a smile as she took Rose from Arthur so he could eat his own breakfast.

The baby's eyes were shut as she continued to drain the bottle of it's contents in a hurry. Hermione rocking her gently back and forth as she held her daughters meal in place for her.

The young girl cracked an eyelid as she looked up to peak at her mother, her bright eyes giving off a dim glow that made Hermione's breath catch in her throat and her heart beat slightly faster.