Chapter 30

Hermione and Storm had spent the entire day just the two of them. They had wandered down the beach in the sun in the search for ice cream and just enjoyed the quietness. There was nothing left to really worry about, no imminent threat that was waiting in the shadows to take their lives and flip them upside down. For the first time Hermione felt like she could just… Breath. A small part of her felt guilty that Storm was struggling so hard with the idea of what she had done, but she knew in her heart of hearts that it had been for the best. She had seen so many villains throughout her time and she had danced with death more than she cared to think about. Living a life of question, not knowing whether or not there would be a tomorrow. She had clung on so desperately to the younger witch because she was just so easy to be around. She had come just at the right time, unafraid of what might happen and completely at ease with just jumping headfirst into the onslaught of a war that had not been hers. She had taken Hermione's mind, heart, and soul by… well by Storm.

Hermione knew Storm was so far from evil, so far from a bad person that it was absolutely clear as day. But everyone had their demons, and Storm had always grappled with hers. Her inner beast didn't have a mind of it's own, it wasn't like that. Her inner beast was just that… it was her. Storm would always do anything to keep Hermione and Joe safe. She always had. That was what their entire relationship had been built on. Storm's need to keep the older witch safe. For once Hermione was the one that could be protected so valiantly without a question of right or wrong. Storm had been the one person that had burst through during the darkest of times she had brought the line with her and it had never left since. Even during the summer after the war, she had plagued Hermione's mind. It had been something the brunette had thought on for days, weeks and months on end. Something that had just been so utterly perplexing that she had been so sure there would never be an explanation given. She half convinced herself that the taller witch must have been killed sometime during the battle or had gone home to wherever she had come from and would never think twice about their meeting. The thought of never seeing the brash, brave, stupid girl again would always cause something deep within her to sink. A feeling she had felt in some way before, but nothing like during that summer. She had finally figured out she was mourning the loss of someone she had only met so briefly.

When Storm had wandered into the hall for sorting, she could have sworn her heart had stopped, and she wanted to get up and yell at the girl. She wanted to curse her for being so stupid and running so carelessly into the barrage of spells because the only thought running through her head was helping people. She was helping people with absolutely no thought of her own safety, and that was proven beyond a doubt when she had run off again bleeding and grinning like a fool, clearly proud to have saved the older witch. She had spent the night quietly regaling Storm with the stories of the horrors she had seen. Of the unadulterated torture she had been subjected to. She had tried quietly to let Storm know that sometimes bad things happen and sometimes there's nothing you can do to stop them.

They had gone to bed that evening pretty early. Storm having crashed out as soon as her head had hit the pillow. Hermione had expected nothing less and sat propped up in the bed beside the shifter with her bedside lamp on. The dim light illuminating the pages of a book she had been reading.

"No!" Storm yelled, waking herself up with a start and almost falling out of the bed.

Hermione had jumped slightly, staring at the scene before her wide eyed unsure as to what had just happened. She took in the younger woman's look of pure terror morph into sleepy realisation as she took in their dim room with dark eyes. Hermione noticed then her grey t-shirt was dark with sweat and her face was pale.

"Storm?" She spoke tentatively, putting her book down in her lap in order to reach out to push sweat slicked hair out of the younger girl's eyes. Storm was just staring at her, nostrils flaring as she visibly tried to compose herself.

"Sorry Hermione" She muttered, rubbing the back of her neck before pulling at her t-shirt. "Nightmare" She grumbled as if that would explain everything. "I've sweat through everything" She stated as she pushed herself out of the bed. Pulling her clothes off without even a second thought, dropping them to the wood floor beneath her feet.

"Put them in the wash basket" Hermione ordered gently "Don't just leave them there, you'll trip over them and hurt yourself" She stated as she too pushed herself from the bed. She was used to Storm being a radiator and hadn't thought twice about the heat pouring from beneath the younger woman's clothes.

Storm had paused for a moment before smirking to herself. She knew Hermione was right, she had done so on many occasions before. In fact, she could argue it was a nightly ritual and to change it now would be just inappropriate. Though she decided against the quip and did as she was told.

"Go get in the shower, I'll change the sheets and we can try that again" Hermione stated, unphased by the very naked shifter just standing there staring at her. Storm had stopped wandering around naked so much after Joe was born. She wasn't entirely sure if that was because of the baby, or his many visitors that never really announced their arrival.

"I guess I can do that" Storm muttered before disappearing into their bathroom. Only to resurface a few minutes later looking just as damp, just as naked but a little bit more awake.

Hermione had quickly changed their bedclothes, and tucked herself back in. Waiting patiently for the younger girl. She watched as Storm dried herself with a quick spell and clambered back into the bed. Forgoing bedclothes altogether. Though Hermione found she didn't much mind that.

"Just going to stay naked then?" She quizzed a little amused as she watched Storm push the covers down to her waist. Spread out looking quite content on her back as she left half of her marred flesh bare for the older woman's dark wandering eyes.

"Well, it's not as if they worked out so well for me the first time" Storm stated with a mischievous smirk. It seemed the nightmare hadn't shaken her so much.

"You have a good point there" Hermione just laughed as she moved to wrap herself around the shifter. Resting her head on a strong shoulder as she draped a leg over Storm's own. "I don't mind" She spoke quietly then, moving to trace a finger across the younger girl's collarbone.

"Of course you don't mind. Perv" Storm prodded playfully, a smug smirk pulling at her lips as she moved to press a kiss to the older woman's temple.

"Hey!" Hermione scolded, scowling for a moment before her features softened once again.

Storm had relaxed entirely, and Hermione wasn't surprised when soft snores hit her ears. Storm could sleep through anything, and if she was tired it took a lot to keep her awake.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Hermione!" Came Storm's voice bellowing throughout the house. They had agreed that the brunette would work from home that day. Storm was to meet her father at the Leaky cauldron to go through everything and what it would mean for them and their family. The brunette was surprised to hear her, and a little bit annoyed as she had just managed to get Joey down for his nap.

She poked her head around the door to her study and glared at the younger woman who was stood with her back to the door fiddling with something in her pocket.

"Storm! Must you be so loud!" She hissed, successfully getting the shifters attention. The younger woman spun around, a liquorice wand trapped between smirking lips as she took in the older woman's glare.

"Sorry Hermione" She muttered after pulling the wand from her mouth, her smirk morphing into something a little more sheepish as she took in the older woman's glare. "I've got a little time before I have to meet my father, so wanted to come and get changed."

"Well, go on then. I'm trying to get some work done" The brunette stated a little sharply. Watching as the shifter seemed to pause for a moment. An eyebrow raised as she took in the look on the older woman's face.

"Are you alright?" Storm quizzed, moving to lean against the door to Hermione's study. Her dark eyes were fixed on the brunette as the older woman scribbled away at the parchment she had laid out on her desk a little violently. She had almost forgotten how neurotic Hermione could be when it came to things like this. It was almost as if she was looking back into their time at Hogwarts.

"Fine" Hermione muttered as dark eyes flicked over a page in an old book she had laid out in front of her. The older woman didn't even look up and Storm figured it was best to just leave it for the time being. She knew what Hermione could get like when she was trying to hit a deadline she had come up with herself. She almost morphed into a totally different person entirely. It was a little bit frightening if Storm was completely honest.

Storm took her leave then, not prepared to stoke the flames any more than she had by being too loud. She shifted down into her normal black cat form and made quick, quiet work of the stairs. Moving to drop her quidditch robes into the washing basket and change into a pair of tight black jeans and a plain white t-shirt. Pulling her chunky black boots that had become a little bit beaten and worn, onto her feet.

She grabbed her wand and tucked it into her back pocket before turning on heal and taking to the stairs again. She had some time, just not a lot of time and now she was in a rush. She made her way into the kitchen, pulled her candy drawer open to grab a few chocolate frogs out. Without a second thought she made her way quietly into the study to drop two of the little packets down onto the desk in front of Hermione. The older woman stopped to look up then, dark eyes seemed to take in the shifters appearance as she stopped scribbling. Anyone else would have been annoyed by the way she had spoken to them.

"I won't be long" Storm spoke with a smile, leaning down to press a tender kiss to the older woman's cheek. "I'll bring home Chinese for dinner" She spoke again before turning on heal and making her way out of the room.

It wasn't long at all before she was making her way into the Leaky cauldron. Her father was already sat with two pints of butterbeer on the table in front of him. He looked up then, his dark eyes meeting her equally dark eyes. A large smile tugging at his lips as she meandered through the tables, her own smile taking its place.

"Stormy!" He called, standing up to slap her roughly on the shoulder as she got close enough.

"Hi Dad" She grinned unphased by the welcome, she wasted no time in pulling the tankard to her lips and draining a good swig from its depths.

"Well, lets get to it then" He laughed, and she was relieved to hear a distinct lack of stress in his voice. She wasn't sure how this would work out, but his tone eased her mind straight away.

"You don't sound as put out as I expected the leader of a clan to sound oh kingly one" Storm quipped sarcastically; an eyebrow raised as she watched her father laugh into his tankard.

"It's not really that bad once you remove the violent and psychotic individuals" He quipped back, shaking his head as he rubbed the back of his neck a little awkwardly. "The rest of the clan seem to incredibly grateful for the reign of terror to have finally ended. In fact, I'm surprised they didn't call for the leadership to bypass me and go straight to you." He spoke, though there was less humour in his voice.

"So, they know it was me then?" Storm quizzed, surprised by how at ease she actually felt with the entire thing. It had been a few days since she found out what had actually happened, and she had used that time to really come to grips with what that meant to her.

"They do. They are all pretty excited to meet you, Joe and Hermione too" Joe spoke again, "Obviously when it's time for me to hand over the title, it will go to you" He stated clearly. Leaving nothing to question. "Then after you, it will be Joe" He stated again before pausing to take a swig of his butterbeer. Raising a paw like hand to gesture to the barmaid for another few to be sent over.

"Where are they?" Storm quizzed, it seemed silly to her then. She had no idea really where the clan was even from.

"They are spread out all over the place. Part of what we need to do is try and secure a decent bit of land for them to stay on." He stated again, around the rim of his tankard. "I think it'll be much better if we can keep them closer together. Safer that way anyway."

"So, they're living shifted then?" Storm questioned; she had never actually met any of them except from the ones that had come to attack them that evening. "Do they want to be that way?" She asked again, she could not imagine what kind of life that was.

"No, but my brother felt it was for the best." Joe muttered and a darkness seemed to take his features then.

"Well, for now we know where we stand. When you gather them next, I will be with you and I'll look into land that we can build on. I'm sure Hermione will know a bit more"

"You two try not to worry so much. For now, it is my responsibility." Joe stated with a wide smile. "We'll get it to a point where everyone is free to do as they please" He spoke again. "So, tell me. How is my boy?" He asked then, and a twinkle seemed to reach his dark eyes.

Storm just laughed before indulging him in stories of their latest adventures and what the little boy had been getting up to. It was definitely her favourite topic of conversation and the easiest way to distract her. They stayed like that for a few hours before finally saying their goodbyes. Storm having promised to bring the older woman some dinner, and she was hoping that by this point Hermione would have gotten out of the rut. With fingers crossed she departed in search of food and her wife. A weight lifted from her shoulders now she knew it was all sorted out and the clan would definitely be better off for it.

A/N:

Hi guys, I have spent some time planning out the next chapters. Unfortunately, the end is near! I am determined to wrap this up before I go back to work. Hope everyone is doing alright!

Kass