March 1980

Longbottom Hall

"I look like a bloody fool, Hermione." Peter yanked at his collar with a grimace as he tugged at his tie, face twisted in regret. "I don't know why I thought I could do this. I most definitely can not do this."

"Of course, you can! You're brilliant and Gringotts is lucky to have you."

"Right," the Marauder deadpanned, his features falling flat. "I'm sure they are ecstatic to have someone to make pots of tea for the staff and organise vault ledgers."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione rounded him and fussed with the lapels of his new-to-him work robes. He'd cut and combed his sandy blond hair, which normally fell in his eyes and obscured his vision. He'd shaved as well—though Hermione wasn't sure that was strictly necessary; he didn't boast much to begin with.

"I'm really happy for you, Pete. Gringotts is an incredible first job for anyone and a wonderful step in the door. This time next year you'll be running the place."

"I should have paid more attention in Magical Theory, they're never going to make me a Curse-Breaker without that N.E.W.T."

Peter Pettigrew's sweet self-deprecation was enough to make her groan. She wished she could shake him a time or two so that he could see what a monumental moment this truly was.

Lifting her hands to his shoulders, she gave him a lopsided smile. "That's not true. No one deciphers a rune like you do, and the boys would have never gotten into half as much mischief if you'd not gotten them through the wards."

His lips twisted as he shook his head, kicking at the worn floorboards. "That was mostly Remus."

With a long-suffering sigh, she wrapped her friend in a hug and then held him at arm's length. "It was not and you know it."

A soft rap of knuckles on the door of Peter's room caught their attention, and they turned to find a sleepy-eyed James leaning in the door frame, his fringe falling over his brow and arms crossed as he studied the scene. "This is the second time I'm finding my girl in your room, Pettigrew. I'm starting to think I may have to fight you over my honour."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione crossed the room and lifted onto her tiptoes to press a kiss to her boyfriend's stubbled cheek. "Don't you dare. Besides, Peter would dust the floor with you if you tried."

James had the good humour to look affronted while Peter barked out a laugh and returned to his reflection in the mirror. Over his shoulder, he said, "You just getting done for the night? Those overnights are going to kill you, mate."

With a loud yawn, James pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on the top of her head. "Yeah, don't I know it. Next week I'll be on normal hours except for my two shifts in London with the Order. You off to your first big day?"

With a grumble of assent, Peter reached for his bag and shrugged. "Guess so."

"Well congrats, Petey. Let's meet at Diagon after to celebrate, yeah? I'll tell Sirius and—" The next word caught on a breath and a stifling silence sat in the air. Remus was gone, and the hole that had been left in the group was rarely acknowledged. "Marley. Sirius and Marley."

Clenching his jaw, the blond Marauder steeled his spine. After a firm handshake with James and a mumbled thanks to Hermione, he was gone.

When they were alone, James dragged her into his bedroom, pulling her down onto the bed while fully clothed and tucking her into his side. They'd not been laying there for more than a minute before his eyes were fluttering shut and a yawn ripped its way from his lips.

"I can't believe Pete is working at Gringotts," he said sleepily, sliding his leg between her thighs and melting into the mattress.

Dragging her fingers along his jaw, she swallowed the butterflies rising in her belly. "You do know it's seven in the morning, right? I can't possibly sleep."

"Just a short nap—" Another yawn. "Then I'm going to rock your world, love."

Hermione laughed and shook her head, shimmying until she could kiss the corner of his lips. "That's not what I meant. I'm supposed to stop by the Burrow this morning to see Molly and the baby. So you'll have to just do the responsible thing and sleep."

"Pshh, sleep is for pussies." Although his eyes remained resolutely closed, his hand travelled down her spine and gripped her backside as a smirk played on the edge of his lips.

"You're incorrigible, you prat. Sleep and I'll let you have your wicked way with me later, alright?" She kissed him again and then disentangled herself and climbed off the bed, ignoring his whining protest as he grabbed a pillow and hugged it to his belly.

"You're mean, Hermione Granger, but I love you."

Pausing in the doorway, she rested her temple against the jam a moment, smiling back at him as he drifted off. When a loud snore rent through the air, she choked out a laugh and left, grinning all the way to the Burrow.

xXx

It'd been a little over six weeks since Ron had made way into the world. Hermione had come to see them a handful of times but it often made her sadder than anything else, and in a desperate bid to stay above water, it was easier to think of Ron as—well, as not Ron.

Molly had sent an owl asking her round for breakfast the day prior, and she was loath to turn down an invitation from the Weasley Matriarch.

Upon stomping her way through the Floo, two ginger-haired boys collided into her knees, shouting, "Miss Mione! Miss Mione! Up!"

Grinning down at the twins, both wearing their identifying hand-knit sweaters, she reached down and lifted Fred into her arms, grunting at the solid weight of him. "Hello, there. George, you'll have a turn in just a moment."

"I Fred!"

Furrowing her brow, she heard a titering laugh from outside the door and craned her neck to see Gideon and Fabian side by side. "What is so funny, you two?"

"We switched their sweaters," Gideon grinned, making his way into the room to scoop the other twin in his arms. "We're waiting to see how long until Molly notices but if you two keep ratting us out, the entire prank will be ruined." The twins' uncle lightly tickled the boy in his arms and Fred— or was it George?— attempted to jump from Hermione's arms as Fabian approached.

"You are going to make those boys more mischievous than you know." Rolling her eyes, she handed her twin to his uncle and made her way towards the kitchen, seeking Molly.

Hermione found her at the stove, flourishing her wand at various pots, pans, and utensils as delicious scents wafted through the air. "Morning, Molly!"

The witch jumped slightly, turning and holding Ron tight. "There you are! Would you take this one? I'm nearly done but he keeps making a fuss, and Arthur is out there toying with some ridiculous Muggle car he's seen fit to bring into my shed. My brothers, who were meant to come and help, are off setting booby-traps around my bloody home, and don't even get me started on my eldest two."

Laughing, Hermione took Ron and held him close, dragging a knuckle across his round cheek. "Just so you know, they twins have switched the twin's sweaters and are trying to see how long before you notice."

Molly threw her hands up in the air and growled before turning back to her work, plates floating through the air as she pulled rolls from the oven. "Those two, I swear it," she said, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. "They are going to make me grey. You've no idea what they were like as children."

Stifling a giggle, Hermione smiled sweetly at the infant in her arms as Ron wrapped a chubby fist around her finger. "I've some idea, actually. Did you need help with anything?"

With a long sigh, Molly turned, her shoulders sagging. "Yes, please keep that baby from screaming until I'm done in here. Then after breakfast, would you stay round to talk? I've something for you."

A tangle of nerves wound in her belly— blame it on years of dodging Molly's ire— but she nodded and found a spot on the bench near the window to spend a few moments with Ron. He really was quite the adorable baby, far rounder than the boy she knew, with pink cheeks and a dusting of ginger hair. Staring at those familiar blue eyes, she recognized the way he studied her intently. She was still a stranger after all. But then, his lips twitched in a smile, growing until it reached his eyes, and she barked out a disbelieving laugh.

"He's smiling!" she called out, unable to tear her eyes from his little face.

Molly laughed as the final plates made their way to the table. "Yes, the little charmer just gave us the first one the other day. He must like you." Hermione's gaze floated up to the other witch's and found her misty-eyed. "Forgive me, post-pregnancy silliness. I'm still holding out hope that this one won't descend into a complete and utter menace like the rest of the brood."

Standing, Hermione handed Ron back to his mother with a final loving glance. "He's not so bad. Far tamer than the others to be sure— except Percy. Percy is rather tame; not to say he doesn't give you a good amount of grief in other ways."

Levying an exhausted sigh, Molly shrugged. "Well, at least there's that. Come on, breakfast is ready."

The rest of the family thundered into the room, knocking into tables and sending the plates askew as they filled their plates with toast, eggs, sausages and beans. Hermione found herself at the far end of the table with the Prewett twins, and soon they were shifting their normally casual conversation towards war efforts, speaking in low, hushed tones, their eyes darting from Molly then back to each other.

Gideon pushed the beans around his plate, speaking quietly from the side of his mouth. "Hermione, how much do you know about the offensive missions from our time? We're covertly planning one and it'd be nice to know if we're on the right bloody track."

Hermione considered it. Information about the inner workings of the Order had been limited at best. Most of the original members had died; Sirius went to Azkaban. The few that had remained hadn't been very forthcoming with adventure-hungry Sixth Years. "Not much, I'm afraid," she said after a moment.

Fabian sat forward, his gaze tight. "Do you remember hearing anything about an attack on Buchanan Castle at any point? We've got intel from an inside source that there is Dark Magic being worked there. That, paired with some strange Muggle reports, has us thinking of gathering a team for scouting. Dorcas, who leads the raids, doesn't seem keen on it."

With a watery snort, Gideon pushed his plate away and shook his head a few times. "Yeah, her and the rest of these fools are perfectly content to sit on their arses and let them come to us. It's only a matter of time now; I mean, look at what happened at your flat! That's going to be the very near future for us all if we aren't careful."

"What are you three talking about down there?" Molly's voice cut over the clatter of a Weasley breakfast, and all three of their faces shot up; Hermione could feel the stain of a blush on her cheeks.

"Nothing at all, Mols," one of the twins mumbled. "Remarking on the delicious break—"

"And the jam," the other twin pressed. "Truly some of your best yet."

Their sister's eyes cut into narrowed slits as she bounced Percy on her hip, and the three of them resumed their conversation, this time their voices lower and their heads pulling closer.

"I can check my notes. I've scoured them so many times I can't imagine I'd miss it, but some of the notes I was given were obscure at best. I'll look this afternoon, but what on earth are you hoping to accomplish?"

Sucking his cheek between his teeth, Fabian ran a hand through his long hair and sat back. " We aren't quite sure… yet. I swear if Moody has his say—"

Two sharp slaps to the back of the twin's heads, followed by cries of pain and scowls, interrupted the conversation. Hermione stared up at Molly Weasley who was looming over the three of them.

"What is the rule at this table?" No one answered. "Gid? Fabian? So help me someone better ans—"

"Oy! You're acting like a bat, Mols. We know, we know," Gideon whined, soothing the back of his head.

Fabian interjected then, pouting petulantly as he rubbed his injury as well. "No Order talk."

"No war talk at my table, especially when your impressionable nephews are around!" Molly stamped her foot and rearranged Percy on her hip.

"Sorry, Molly." Hermione shrank in her seat, feeling thoroughly lashed.

"To be fair," Gideon said, a smirk playing on the corner of his mouth, "my nephews are always around because you had a bloody army of ginger children. At least one of them is always around."

"Do you need me to knock some more sense into you? Enjoy your food, and you can talk about your battle plans at a more reasonable venue after. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Molly," the three of them said in perfect unison, the twins still pouting.

Breakfast concluded not long after that and the twins disappeared with promises to check on Hermione and their sister soon enough. After the table had been cleared, the young boys put to sleep, and the older ones banished to the garden for broom flying, Molly collapsed into a dusty, lumpy armchair with a long breath.

"I don't know how you do it," Hermione said, curling into the matching armchair. "You must be so tired."

The Weasley matriarch waved her off with a sleepy smile, kicking her feet up on the footstool. "It's not so bad. Some days are worse than others."

"Thank you for having me for breakfast. It was lovely to see you all, and I miss your cooking more than you know."

"It's my pleasure, dear. Now, the real reason for having you." Molly pulled her wand from her apron and flicked her wrist. From the shelves a small wooden box floated forward, its contents rattling during its flight. "Here you are, a gift from the Order. Well, part of it."

Hermione's brows furrowed in confusion as she plucked the simple box from the air and lifted its lid. Inside were maybe two dozen empty glass vials and a small scroll of parchment. Unfurling it, she found the incantation for a memory extraction spell, but there was another notation below it.

"The first you may know; it's a standard spell to remove the memories from your mind entirely. You would have knowledge of them, could view them again in a Pensieve, but you'd not be able to recall them at will." The thought made Hermione's stomach churn. "Now the second is slightly different, it duplicates your memory. You'll still be able to view it in a Pensieve but it won't leave your subconscious."

Thick emotion pressed on her vocal cords and with a misty gaze, Hermione looked to the witch across from her. "Why would you need the second if you can still recall it?"

The side of Molly's lips quirked, and she rested her hands on her soft belly as she made herself more comfortable. "When you enter a Pensieve, it's like you're there. Like you can revisit the memory for the first time. That's why we wanted you to have it. If there are memories that are too painful for now, you can protect yourself. But, if you want to safeguard your memories while they are still sharp, memories of your family and friends in your time, then you can. And when you're lonely and you miss them—when you're ready—you can see them again."

Hermione's jaw trembled as she let the scroll fold in itself again. "Molly, I can't—"

"Poppycock. It's yours. Besides, a handful of vials isn't worth much but you'll find a Pensieve in your room at the Headquarters. And don't you start! It's a gift from all of us. You've given up so much, and we're happy to get it for you. It's small but should do the trick."

Hermione sat clutching the box in her lap like a buoy, unable to vocalise her rampant, emotional thoughts.

"I don't want you to forget them, either. We're all so lucky to have you, dear. I thought about having to leave my family, my friends—it breaks my heart that you've had to give that up. I hope you find some happiness while you're here, and if it has to be on the arm of that smarmy prat, James Potter, then so be it." A cheeky smile split her lips, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"He's really not so bad." Her nose wrinkled. "Usually."

"He's of a good sort, and if he's caught your eye, he's a lucky bloke."

Hermione stood and leaned down to wrap Molly in a loose hug. "Thank you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this."

"You enjoy it, my dear. Thank you for coming today; you're welcome anytime. Just so long as you don't let those twit brothers of mine rope you into mischief."

Hermione left through the Floo, clutching her belongings and heading back to Longbottom Hall. Upon reentering her room, she found the Pensieve just as Molly had told her, and she sat on the edge of the bed staring at it. She tried to catalogue her memories, the ones she couldn't stand to let wane and the ones she needed to see again. But the thought of seeing her dear friends again twisted her insides in unfathomable pain.

So with a tired sigh, she tucked the empty vials into her dresser drawer and made for the potions room, set to make some productivity from her day.

xXx

As the afternoon turned to dusk, Hermione changed into something slightly nicer than what she'd been wearing for breakfast and Apparated to Diagon Alley. The Leaky was quieter than it normally was, but James was there at an otherwise empty table, staring at the door. A grin broke out on his face as soon as she entered, and he bounded across the pub to lift her off her feet in a bone-crushing hug. Between kisses, he told her how he missed her the last few days, and she squirmed as his stubble tickled her cheek.

"It's been a few hours at most, James."

"I know," he said, setting her back down and grabbing her hand. "But I've been a negligent boyfriend as of late. Come on." He began leading her up the winding stairs at the back of the room, and she huffed quiet questions behind him. He tugged her quicker down the hall and stopped in front of an innocuous-looking door. From his pocket, he produced a small brass key and waggled his brows at her before twisting it open.

"James Potter!" she gasped as his hands filled with her backside and lifted her so her ankles could lock around his hips. "What on earth are you doing?"

"I got us a room for the night." He grinned, pinning her against the closed door and assaulting her neck with open-mouthed kisses.

"Why on earth would you do that?" she said breathlessly, twining her fingers in his wavy hair as her back arched into him. "We've perfectly good beds at home."

"Two reasons." James dropped her feet to the floor and fumbled quickly with the buttons of her jeans, working with a speed she'd never seen as she allowed them to be dragged off her thighs. "One: I wanted a night away with my girlfriend."

James sank to his knees, running a flat tongue over her knickers before slipping them down and past her ankles. Hitching one of her knees over his shoulder, he began kissing her sex again and again, dragging low moans from her belly. "Second: I couldn't wait to fuck you until later."

A disbelieving laugh burst past her lips, halted only when he pressed two fingers inside her and curled them. "You did not buy a hotel room just to—Ahh."

"You're fucking right I did." Hermione could feel him smirk against her quim, and when he dove between her thighs, licking and sucking her clit, she forgot all reason. Her whimpers of pleasure filled the room. "Fuck, I missed you." His hand filled with the thick of her arse, and she began absently riding his face, her skull colliding with the back of the door as she rocked on his face again and again.

"Are you talking to me or to my…"

"Both, love." He nipped at her thigh and resumed his ministrations eagerly. With a few hard flicks of his tongue and that delicious thing he did with his fingers inside her, she came undone, stilling as her body pressed down on him.

When her orgasm had waned, leaving her heaving for breath and starry-eyed, he shot to his feet and turned her so she was facing the door. With the toe of his boot he nudged at her ankles, and she obliged, widening her stance. Idly, she could hear the zip of his trousers and moments later he was slotted at her entrance, shoving inside her with a single thrust.

She buckled, mouth falling open at the sudden, delicious sensation.

"James…"

He pressed against her, lips brushing her ear. "We've got friends waiting downstairs, so I'm going to fuck you hard against this door real fast. That okay?" A strangled groan slipped from her, and she bit into her forearm to keep from all out wailing. She could feel his grin against the shell of his ear, and he stepped back, dragging her hips with him. "Fuck, you're perfect," he crooned and then began snapping his hips in hard thrusts that reverberated in the quiet room.

Her legs shook as he drove relentlessly into her. As he did, his hands never stopped roving, digging his fingers in her hips and sliding up her spine to tangle in her curls.

The familiar knot coiled hot between her thighs and he seemed to notice, commanding her to touch herself as he kept up a brutal pace. She listened, the mortification she ought to feel gone because of how much she bloody needed more relief. With a few swipes of her fingers, she shattered again, covering her mouth with splayed fingers. A couple of hard thrusts later and he spilled inside her, fingers digging into her shoulder as he hilted himself deep in her sex.

"Fuck," he breathed when the moment had quieted.

A hazy smile worked over her lips, and she bit her lip to keep from completely losing it. "Fuck is right."

xXx

Hermione was drunk. She hadn't been drunk in quite some time, and she hadn't been this drunk maybe ever. It had started innocently enough, just a way to hide the shame as Sirius teased them about their sex hair and flushed skin. But now, she was utterly tossed.

James' arm was slung around her shoulders as they all descended into riotous laughter about something Hermione couldn't even be bothered to remember. As their guffaws faded away, James pressed a kiss to her temple and sat back in his chair, finger dragging down his beer glass again and again. It was the simplest of movements but it made her desperate for him all over again.

"Tell us more about your first day, Petey," Sirius said, eyes glassy from far too much firewhisky.

Peter wasn't quite as pissed as everyone else although his cheeks were still pink and a silly smile was plastered on his lips. "It was a bit better than I thought. My supervisor is a bit of a wanker but it's a job—real salary and all. That's something."

"That's helluva something, Petey! Proud of you." Sirius lifted his glass in cheers. "To Pete!"

Under the praise of his best friend, Peter Pettigrew beamed, lifting his beer to the centre to clink with everyone else's.

Hiccup. "Wha 'xactly will you will be doing?" Hermione asked, leaning forward to rest her chin on her palm.

"Mostly what I thought, managing bank ledgers and vault comings and goings. Boring paperwork, mostly. And I'll need an arse-ton of patience if I'm going to make it through those long days at a desk. I don't think I sat still that long even at school."

"You'll be brilliant!" she shouted, perhaps a bit too loud, a laugh barking past her lips. "I mean, you made it eleven years in hiding as bleedin' rat! Your patience must know n'bounds." Her words were a bit slurred, chased by a drunken giggle, and she wrinkled her nose to make sense of them herself before pushing her beer away.

James chuckled nervously next to her. "Eleven years as a rat?"

Had she said that? Fuck, she had. She hummed and tried to look innocent. "Sorry, whas that?"

With a near glacial tone, Sirius cut through the tension. "You said Peter managed eleven years as a rat. What's that about?"

"Leave it alone, Sirius," Marley edged, squirming in her seat as her pale gaze darted around the table.

Adrenaline pushed through her veins, sobering her slightly as she swallowed and sat up tall. "I don't know. Drinks must have me confused…" But her traitorous gaze shot over to Peter, and her cheeks burned. Cradling her face, she begged the moment to pass, for them to move onto the next disastrous memory.

"Sorry, Kitten. You're not getting off that easy—"

"No, is too complicated," she mumbled, shaking her head. "I think I ought to—" She tried to stand and stumbled as she did, knocking her thighs against the table and rattling the glassware.

James was quickly at her side, wrapping an arm around her waist and giving a wry laugh. "I'll get the little drunk to bed. You lot close up. I'll talk to you tomorrow, yeah?"

From what she could make out, Sirius' stare stayed intent on her though he hummed his agreement. Somehow, they made it up the stairs and into bed, the world fading to a delicious black as her stomach churned from the monumental slip.

xXx

Hermione was pretty sure she wretched at some point in the night because she woke up in James' undershirt with a bowl next to the bed. Her head was pounding, and she winced at the early morning light as she shuffled up to seating, letting James' arm fall to her lap as she did.

"Fuck…" she groaned, pressing her fingers into her temple. She felt something soft drop into her lap, and she jumped, opening her eyes to find a small vial with what appeared to be pain potion and Sirius Black in the chair in the corner, his boots kicked up on her end table.

"Morning, Kitten. I think it's time we had a chat."

"What are you doing here?" Hermione hissed, her chest heaving as she fought the urge to vomit from the surge of adrenaline and scant alcohol in her system. Next to her, Jamie shifted in his sleep, throwing an arm over his eyes.

Sirius' brow arched, and he dragged his tongue over his teeth. "You heard me. It's time we had a talk. Get dressed and meet me downstairs; a little hair of the dog will do you good." He rose swiftly from his seat and left, letting the door crash closed behind him.

At that, James fully roused, grimacing at the morning light and tossing the sheet over his face. "What the bloody hell was he doing here so early?"

"I'm not sure, but I think I'm about to find out."

xXx

A/N: AHHH! Omg I (kinda) missed an update. Sorry, had some personal stuff today and my mind totally and completely lapsed. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I want to sincerely thank your for reading and following this little WIP of mine. It means ever so much to me! I'm sorry that I'm trash at responding to reviews but know that I read and cherish every single one.

Thank you as always to my BritAlphabBet: Farmulousa, Ravenslight, and NuclearNik for their continued support on this crazy journey of mine.

Hoping this update finds you all well and in good health and I shall be back next Monday! Unless I forget...