A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows! I really appreciate the stances that you took on the last chapter. Most of you understand what I was going for, and it just really calmed my nerves. I'll be curious to see what you think about this chapter. You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates, and answer questions.

Please let me know what you thought about chapter twenty-two and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-three soon!


1978

Theo sat at the bar of a little pub on the far outskirts of Wizarding Birmingham with a brandy in hand while he waited for Minerva to show up. His fingers fiddled with a napkin's edge as he tried to keep his mind occupied, sure that she had simply missed the small advertisement in the paper he'd placed several days prior. Anything he could do to stop thinking about Hermione.

He had hoped that putting some distance between them would help him maintain his edge while they worked, finding himself growing far too comfortable with her in this new timeline. And where had that complacency gotten him? Nearly unborn.

But now he was certain that the chasm he had created between the two of them was so wide it could never be crossed again. For the millionth time, he wished that he hadn't pushed her to use Lucius and instead promised her that they would find some other way to secure the Diary. But now he had the horcrux and he had a wife who barely spoke to him.

Just as he was about to leave, someone slipped into the seat next to him and ordered a firewhiskey in that familiar Scottish brogue that he could never forget. Being told off by the Transfiguration professor would be forever seared into his memory, even if this Minerva was much younger than the Professor McGonagall he knew.

"I thought you'd have your wife with you," she said softly, before dragging a newspaper in front of her.

"Hermione had other things to attend to," he lied. Really, he was just too afraid to ask her to come with him. He couldn't stand the chance of rejection, even if she would have likely come along. "But we figured this was too important to hold off on."

"What do you have for me?" his former professor questioned.

Theo quickly performed the muffliato spell that Hermione had taught him to obscure their voices. "The Death Eaters are growing bolder because of the Ministry's refusal to name them as instigators of this violence," he explained. "They plan to go after the families of a few prominent muggleborns who have become well known in the Ministry - Addington and Morley to start with. I'm afraid that simple assault will not be enough for them at this time."

Minerva sat in stunned silence for some time. "They'd be so bold as to go after the Minister of Finance?" she asked.

"Yes, Morley in particular is a target because he married a pureblood girl," Theo explained. "They see this as the ultimate affront. The plan is for violence to take place on Walpurgis Night, so it is imperative that they are offered protection. The aurors can't know yet...just get your little Order to help."

"If I'm going to do that then I must insist that we meet with Dumbledore," she said, wringing the cocktail napkin in her hands. "He's growing more and more suspicious of me...how I've had advance warning about some of these attacks."

"We can't meet with him. How would meeting me - a marked Death Eater with a socialite wife - convince Dumbledore of our truthfulness?" he asked, hating the idea. "If anything, Dumbledore knowing about our existence will only put Hermione and I in jeopardy. He can't stand not being in control," he added with a sneer.

"That's not fair," Minerva countered. "Albus looks to the group when planning what to do. Everyone has their voice."

"Forgive my disbelief, Minerva, but Hermione and I do have knowledge of the future," he argued back. "We know that Dumbledore mishandled things with Voldemort last time, and we do not intend to make the same mistakes. The fewer people that are aware of us, the better."

"But, he's already questioning me," she said, her mouth drawn in a tight line.

"Then ask yourself that - why would he be mistrustful of you when you've only stopped Death Eater attacks?" he put the question to her, hoping that she would agree that they were doing things the right way. "So just...arrange for Addington and Morley to be out of the country on Walpurgis."

"Out of the country? Why can't we just be there when the Death Eaters show up?" she questioned.

"Because then Voldemort will know that he has a rat in his ranks, and we are not prepared for that kind of chaos just yet," he said with a from. "I don't need any more scrutiny than I already face."

Ever since Abraxas had failed a task and been tortured by the Dark Lord, everyone had become suspicious of one another, ready to rat out their so called brethren for making a mistake if it meant that their status would be elevated. Theo did not enjoy looking over his shoulder every moment, knowing that he had a far bigger secret than any of the other Death Eaters. He was lucky that he had the respect of Dolohov, and it seemed that no one really wanted to challenge the cruel man.

"I'll...I'll try my best," Minerva agreed, clearly unhappy with the situation, but he knew that the oath she'd made compelled her to do as she was told. "But you must know that this isn't sustainable. I can't keep going on like this."

"Hopefully it will be all over soon," he revealed. "Hermione got another one, which means we only have one remaining. With luck we'll have it in our possession in less than a year, and then we can move onto the next phase."

He watched as her shoulders sagged a bit in relief and wondered for the first time if it had been wrong to involve her in their mission. Of course, older Minerva had sent them back with instructions, but this Minerva was completely unaware of the world they had come from. He felt bad for her.

Knowing that it would do no good to sit at the bar longer than was necessary, Theo drank the remainder of his brandy in one swallow. Then, he stood and left McGonagall behind.


Hermione sat in her rarely used kitchen, wishing for the first time that she could make her mother's molasses cookies to share with Arthur. But, purebloods certainly didn't bake, well, not ones like her and Theo anyway. The domesticity of cooking was solely reserved for house elves, and she knew Tilly would find it more than a little bit odd if her mistress started baking. She hoped that she could trust the house elf that had lived with them over the years to keep her secret, but she wasn't positive that she could, which convinced her not to try.

Still, her heart was panging with nostalgia for her old life, wishing that she could break free from this odd version of herself, one that she was quickly finding she didn't particularly like. Hermione Nott was prissy and vain and shallow, and she missed being that bushy-haired bookworm that she'd been when she was eleven.

An abrupt knock on the door caught her attention. Standing, Hermione felt her eyebrows furrow wondering who it could be. She wasn't expecting any visitors, and Bellatrix never knocked. Confident that her pale blue robes were appropriate for whoever was stopping by, Hermione opened the door to receive her visitor.

The man on the other side of the threshold had dark blond hair and pale green eyes. He looked familiar to her somehow, but she just couldn't quite place him. "Hello wife," he said with a smirk, before pushing inside the townhouse.

She immediately began to claw at the hand that he pressed to her neck, eyes going wide at being attacked this way. Then it clicked - he bore a passing resemblance to Alfred Nott. She groaned when he shoved her against the wall, his hip pressing into her stomach.

"Imagine my surprise when I come back from Croatia and I learn that I have a wife and child," he said with sneer. "It's so odd, but surely I couldn't have been married, not when I've been out of the country for so long. So that leads me to wonder...who the fuck are you?"

Hermione felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes as the lack of oxygen began to sink in. Cursing, she realized that she'd left her wand in the kitchen, wondering how she possibly could have been so stupid. Her throat burning, she knew that she had to get away from this other Theo Nott. She lifted her leg and let it connect with his groin, before bringing her heel down on his foot. It was enough to stun him to get free and push past him.

Taking off towards the kitchen - towards her wand - Hermione wondered how she was going to get out of this. She could hear the man running after her, and she squealed when she felt the rug slip from under her.

Nott was walking towards her with his wand trained on her form. "Let's try that again," he said with a frown, as he menanced towards her. "Who are you wife?"

She refused to cry in front of him while she tried to scramble back further away from him, kicking at him as he tried to grab her. "Get away from me," she demanded.

He grabbed her by the ankle, pulling her towards him, her robes riding up along the way. He laughed, the sound cruel and cutting. "If I've got a wife, I might as well get the benefits of it," he said, letting his hand touch the skin of her thigh.

It was then that Hermione did start to cry, not wanting him to touch her. She wished that she hadn't grown so complacent, that she hadn't left her wand behind, that she'd never even answered the door. She had been so practised when she came to the past, but all of her skills that she'd honed while on the run with Harry and Ron had withered away as she'd lived this pampered lifestyle.

"Please, I'll tell you whatever you want," she begged. She wasn't too proud to beg, having been reduced to it by Bellatrix once before.

"Avada Kedavra." The voice that cast the spell was furious, putting every ounce of intent behind the curse.

Nott's eyes went glassy and wide as he died, slumping forward against her to reveal Theo standing behind him. Hermione shoved the heavy man off of her, thinking that she'd never been so glad to see Theo in her whole life. The severity of what had just happened came crashing into her and she burst into tears, still sitting on the floor like a child.

Theo knelt down next to her, wrapping her in his arms, pressing her face against his racing heart. "Salazar, Hermione. Are you alright?" he asked, his voice concerned and compassionate.

"I...I let him in," she cried, with great hiccups as she tried to get a hold of herself. "He's the real Nott and I just let him in. I didn't realize..."

"It's okay," Theo promised, before helping her to her feet. "As long as you are okay, we are okay."

"But you killed him," she said with a great gasp, looking up into his concerned eyes. Theo was worried about her. He cared about her - about her safety at least.

"I had to," he responded simply. Neither of them relished killing, but there was no denying that in some cases, it was the only option that they had. "Its not as if we could have just let him go. He would have ruined everything for us."

Slowly getting a hold of herself, Hermione looked down at the body that was now in their entryway. "We need to take care of him," she said with a frown. "Levitate him down to the basement. I'll see what we have for potions."

Efficiently, working like two partners who had spent years together, they disposed of the body of the man who could make their whole lie unravel. And when he was truly dead and gone, Hermione felt her body sag.

"Are you okay?" Theo questioned again, his arms coming to wrap around her middle.

She turned to face him, tilting her head up to look at him. "I think so," she answered slowly, sure that later that night when sleep wouldn't come she would feel differently. "Thank you," she said earnestly, pouring all of her feelings into it. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come when you did, if you hadn't protected me."

Theo looked guilty. "I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you," he said, before he brought a hand up to cup her jaw. "I should have taken you with me when I went to see Minerva, but I was too scared...I'm-" His breath caught in his chest as he held back his words. He looked over her face once again, eyes swimming with emotion and then...

He was kissing her fiercely, holding her against him so tightly like he was afraid she'd disappear if he let go. Hermione deepened the kiss eagerly, needing more contact to ground her in the moment. It had been so long since she'd felt this close to Theo and she relished it more than ever. Her body felt like it was full of molten heat when his tongue moved against hers. She could barely keep up with him, but she knew that she needed him more now than she ever had. She wanted to be connected with him once again.

She apparated them up out of the basement to the soft light of their bedroom. Hermione pushed him back until he was falling into the soft nest of blankets and pillows that was their bed. She climbed up his body, excitement bubbling up inside her when she felt how hard he is against her core.

Theo was powerless to stop the groan of pleasure he made when she sat astride him, rocking her hips against him, but he was able to banish their robes. Hermione sighed, feeling his hands slid against her skin, the warmth of him seeping into her. There was no time to stop and think - all that mattered to Hermione was getting him inside of her.

His hands grabbed at her waist, hips and arse while she guided his cock inside of her, sighing once they were finally joined. Hermione bent forward, kissing him even harder then, letting all of her frustration and desire from the previous months of separation go while he pounded away against her. She moaned into him, feeling the pleasure build until they were coming together.

Later, once they had recovered, Hermione lay with her body draped across Theo's body, the sheets kicked down around their feet and their bodies still too hot to pull them up. She enjoyed the feeling of his fingers toying with her hair.

"I'm sorry," he said after several minutes of silence. "That's what I meant to say earlier, but I didn't. I'm sorry for how I've been behaving. I'm sorry for not being clearer about Ursula. I'm sorry for pushing you on Lucius when you clearly didn't want to. I didn't want you to have to sleep with Lucius. You are my wife, and I must confess it left me here feeling terribly jealous, worrying that you might prefer him to me."

"You-you told me I should sleep with him," she said, feeling a bit of her anger bubbling up again. She'd been feeling so abandoned by him these last months. "I thought that you didn't care about me, about who I slept with. I care about who you are intimate with," she revealed. "I don't want you to be intimate with anyone but me." It wasn't a confession of her true feelings, but it was close.

"I don't want you to be intimate with anyone else but me either, but it felt too selfish to tell you that," Theo said, his eyes staring up at the ceiling. "It's not as if you would have chosen me if I wasn't your only choice. I couldn't hold you back for nothing more than...than what I wanted. I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."

Hermione felt a knot form in her throat when she realized just how much she'd been needing an apology from him. It seemed like he had been holding it back for a long time. "Thank you," she said after a moment. "But I could never want Lucius more than you, promise." She wasn't sure that she could ever want someone more than she wanted Theo, not after all that they had been through together. He was her husband, the father of her child, and...

"I'm scared," Theo finally told her. "It's not an excuse, but...realizing that I might have got myself unborn really struck a nerve. I've been in...survival mode just trying to make sure that my mum and dad end up together long enough to produce...well, me. I'm not afraid to die, but the thought of leaving you here to fend for yourself is too much."

She nodded, knowing that it was something he'd been concerned about before. "If you are concerned, you know you can always tell me. We only have each other, Theo," she said, wanting her husband to open up to her finally. "I'm here waiting for you to open up to me."

"My mother..." he started, before swallowing, almost losing his nerve. "My mother obviously wasn't alive when we came back here. Obviously everyone knew when I was one of the people who could see the thestrals. You've probably heard the gossip, anyways." He sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

Hermione turned so she could look Theo in the eyes, seeing the pain that he'd clearly been living with for a long time. "I don't know the rumors," she said simply. "But you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she added, though she longed for Theo to finally tell her about his mysterious mother and what it had to do with his father.

He gave a bitter little laugh. "Maybe Gryffindors don't gossip as much as Slytherins. I don't know why I'm protecting the old coward by not talking about it," he explained. "My mother is given to my father as a boon by the Dark Lord. Her father will pull her out of Hogwarts, barely even seventeen years old. I'm born late in 1979 - I don't even want to contemplate what my conception entailed."

Theo ran his hand over his face, obviously in agony when he had to explain what the relationship his parents had consisted of. "She was a wonderful woman, and she...she loved me so much," he continued, tears finally making their way to his cheeks.

"Oh, Theo," she whispered. Hermione wrapped herself around him again, giving him a tight hug. "Of course she loved you."

"She was the only bright spot in my childhood," he explained. "But father didn't see her that way. He'd rough her up a bit, and...anyway, when I was about nine years old, he pushed her down the grand staircase in our house. I don't even think he meant to kill her, but she still died and left me all alone with him."

Hermione blinked back tears of her own, so upset for the little boy that he'd been and the hurt man that he was now. "That's terrible," she said, holding him tighter.

"The worst part of this is the knowledge of the fate I am resigning her to. If there was anything I could do to spare my mother the monster that Alfred is, I would do it in a heartbeat," he said. "But, I can't because it means that I would be unborn."

She didn't know how he was able to live with all of that resting on his shoulders alone. She was glad that he told her some of how he was feeling. She obviously couldn't make it all better, but she hoped that she could help shoulder the burden. "We might not be able to spare her, but... we can make things easier for her. Once you're born, we can change the future as we see fit." Hermione twined her fingers with his hoping that he could take some comfort from her. "We've sacrificed so much of ourselves to this, but that doesn't mean that we need to give up everything."