Tom

Everything hurts, even breathing or blinking my eyes. My last memory was an intense pain on my chest and the remorse of my crimes. I wished I could bring them back to life, to be able to ask for forgiveness.

"Love?" Hermione asked.

"He is waking up, just give him some time to realized where he is," Severus said. "Lucius, close the curtains. The light will be painful after two weeks in the darkness."

Two weeks! I was asleep an that time? I could feel Hermione's fingers caressing my face, brushing my hair, and I sighed.

"I'm here, love," Hermione said, kissing my brow.

"He needs some potions first, you can speak with him later," Severus said. "Tom, can you hear me?"

"Severus?"

"You healed your soul, but your body needed to recover from the shock. You spent the last two weeks in magical coma," Severus said. "Just let me help you drink these potions, and we will let you reconnect with Hermione."

I opened my eyes to see my family around me. Severus helped me to sit on the bed, and slowly gave me six different potions to stabilize my body. Hermione was sitting next to me, waiting while holding my hand, a beautiful smile on her face.

"Done. I need to go home, to check on Harry. He had a rough time, but he will heal. Nagini is resting, but she is ok," Severus said.

"You have food on the cold box, and if you need anything, Trinky will help you," Lucius said, walking to the floo, and disappearing to his Manor.

"Where are the boys?"

"They are staying at Malfoy Manor. I did not want to see you while you were in coma. They are too young to see their father like that."

"Come here, love."

I took Hermione in my arms, enjoying feeling her close to me. I wanted to feel her close to me as much as I could. She kissed me tenderly while a caressed her back.

"I was scared. I always imagine you invincible, and to see you so vulnerable was hard."

"Everything will be fine."

"I know."

I felt her falling asleep, with her head on my chest while I tried to remember my life on the last years. I found my soul mate; my familiar got her mate too. Lu and Servis were my pride. We have a big family that included the 'boy who continue to live'.

Over the weeks that followed my soul merge, our life changed in many ways. I realized that I was softer and my temper did no ignited for lesser things like before. I was able to concentrate in more difficult tasks, and my magic grew.

Albus offered me the post of DADA, but I decided against taking it. Hermione, Severus, and Lucius wanted to research new spells, sorts, and potions. I believed this could be a great idea, and I joined them in their adventure. We created several new advances for medical and various proposes for the magical world. Severus and Hermione created a potion to help infertile couples. Lucius created a spell to recognize when somebody was under the influence of the imperium. Hermione and I modified the spell for the soul mates, giving the couple the chance to bound or to have a friendship. Most of the couples who chose the friendlier relationship ended as a couple after some months discovering each other.

I was sitting on my desk, thinking about my new research, when the floo activated.

"Tom?" Kingsley asked, and I moved to the hearth.

"King! How can I help you?"

"I need to speak with you as soon as possible," Kings said.

"Come, I will open the floo for you."

Some minutes, later, Hermione, Severus, Lucius, and Harry were sitting around my office. Kings told us some news about Bellatrix and Greyback.

"So, somebody saw them in England again?" Hermione asked, sighing.

"Yes, a man was walking his dog near Hogsmeade, when he saw Bellatrix walking to the forest. He did not see Greyback, but he swore that he heard a wolf," Kings said. "You need to be carefully; we don't know what they could do to your families."

"We knew that they would come back eventually so we prepared for them. Until we know what will happen, our closest family will move here. Our house is the safest."

"I will send a message to Ginny, she will prepare everything as we planned," Lucius said, conjuring his patronus.

"for the moment, I will talk with Albus about closing the wards in the school, Fenrier would love to bite some of our children. He lost his pack when he flew," Kings said. "If you have more news, just owl me."

The next couple of days were tiring. Fortunately, Slytherin Manor had some independent wings so every family had privacy. We only met during meals or planning. Harry and Draco were dealing with a very hazy Luna, she was expecting again, and was prone to moods swings. Ginny had her baby some weeks before, so they were dealing with long night as the girls were jealous of baby Bill.

Hermione was tired, her research was consuming as she was trying to find a way to track people. She had many leads, but they were not conclusive. Severus was helping her, but they ended wasting time.

Everything would change in a heartbeat.