CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Summary: After completing her Masters in Potions and Herbology and adopting her Godson, Teddy Lupin in the wake of his Grandmother's death, Hermione decides a change is in order. After packing up their lives and saying their goodbyes, they move to La Push where Hermione finds herself carving a new life with the pack she didn't know she needed and a man she was destined to love. Rated M for bad language, violence and sexual content.
Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and Stephenie Meyers. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. As for the descriptions of appearances for the Twilight characters, all my research is based on the books and not the movies. I have also changed a few of the canon events for both Twilight and Harry Potter, as you will see in the coming chapters, for instance, Fred did die, but he wasn't crushed by the wall; he was killed by a vampire.
AN
What? An update's finally arrived? And at Christmas?
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays, everyone!
Q&A
Bentears - Yes, at least, it's all of the named wolves, as some were known to phase in Breaking Dawn after Renesmee's birth when the allied vampires arrived to help, but I won't be going that far into canon.
Oragniethefox – No, I won't be doing a time jumps of Teddy receiving his letter, that'll be nine years into the future and I don't plan on the epilogue being that far into the future.
Arc-Welder – The battle will happen before their wedding.
Eeshe alicia – There is fewer than five chapters left until this is completed, definitely no more.
If I missed any questions, I apologise, it wasn't on purpose. I literally had to scroll through 16 pages of reviews and most likely missed them.
Page count: 13
Saturday 20th May 2006
She was giving herself a headache and her scalp was sore but she couldn't stop. She couldn't stop her fingers from tangling in her hair and pulling at the roots.
She couldn't stop pacing the length of the living room, her bare feet padding against the cool flooring.
She couldn't stop the agonised, furious hiss that slipped past her lips when she wasn't watching where she was going and she banged her shin off the coffee table.
She couldn't stop her worry and fear.
It was the early hours of the morning and rather than being snuggled up in bed and sleeping peacefully beside her boyfriend, Hermione was wide awake and attempting to wear a hole in the floor.
When she'd been woken by fast footfalls stampeding down the stairs and muttered curses, Sam had told her to go back to sleep and when she next woke, he'd be beside her again before he climbed from the bed and took his leave.
Sam had tried to hide it from her, not wanting her to worry. But she knew. Something was wrong. She knew from the silence in the house (only being able to pick up on three heartbeats) that everyone had been called in. That only happened in cases of emergency.
A vampire was on their land.
"Hermione?"
"What's wrong?"
Hermione spun on her heel so fast she almost lost her balance and had to reach out to steady herself on the back of the couch.
"Pups?" Hermione questioned, her brow furrowing at the sight of Collin and Brady stood by the armchair, looking half-asleep and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.
It was odd, she thought. It was odd that they were only thirteen-years-old and whilst they now had the bodies of young men, their faces still held boyish features.
They were not only the youngest of the pack but they are also the shortest, despite reaching an impressive height of six-feet, and they were also slimmer, slightly less muscled. Hermione wasn't sure if that were due to their young age and they'd put on more muscle as they aged, or if it were genetic. They had the same russet-tone and the same dark eyes like the others, but that was about it for similarities. As usual, she'd given them both a haircut and whilst Collin had opted to go short like the rest of the pack, Brady had wished to keep his hair longer and shaggier, it falling over his ears and forehead. Brady had more of a defined chin and jaw-line compared to Collin, who had a slightly larger nose and bigger eyes.
Having observed their behaviour and mannerisms over the last few days, Hermione concluded that they were obviously close and had been since they were young children. Their interactions were very similar to Fred and George's relationship. If it weren't for the fact they weren't similar in appearance, she might've easily mistaken them for twins.
"What're you doing awake? You boys should be in bed, you've school tomorrow."
They shared a worried glance before looking back to her.
"It's Saturday," reminded Collin.
"And we're not going back to school until we learn to control our phasing," added Brady.
"Oh," Hermione cleared her throat. "Sorry, force of habit," she gave her head a shake. It wasn't her fault! She had four teenage boys that did attend school. "Anyway, you shouldn't be up this late, go on, get yourselves back to bed. We've a busy day tomorrow and you're going need your sleep."
"What's wrong?" They chorused.
"Nothing's wrong," she tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace.
"We know you're lying to us," Brady's mouth tugged downwards. "Something's wrong, we can feel it."
"Rule two, don't lie," Collin shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Where is everyone?"
Hermione released a ragged sigh and brushed her hand through her hair, her shoulders slumping.
They were right, she made the rule about not telling lies in the house and she should be leading by example. They were young and she wished to protect them but she had to remind herself that no matter their age, they were now members of the pack. They had every right to know pack business and nothing should be kept from them. That's not to say they were allowed to partake, that is. Knowing was one thing, getting involved was another.
"I don't know," she confessed. "All I know is that Leah and Jacob called for backup and everyone left."
"But that only happens when..."
"There's a vampire nearby," Collin finished, sharing a wide-eyed glance with Brady.
"Usually, yes," she nodded, folding her arms over her chest and shuffling on her feet agitatedly. "The others know what they're doing, this isn't the first vampire they've come across, they'll be fine," she said, being unsure if she was trying to assure them of that or herself. "You best get yourselves back to bed."
They shared a glance before looking back to her after sharing a subtle nod.
"Will you read to us?" Asked Brady.
"You're thirteen; don't you think you're a little old for a bedtime story?" She tipped her head.
"Maybe," Collin shrugged, "But we like it when you read to us, we're not old enough to remember much about our moms, it's nice having you as our Alpha."
Hermione's expression softened, her heart seemed to simultaneously melt into a puddle and break in two, and she swallowed before slowly nodding in agreement. She could do with a distraction.
She allowed the pups to lead the way, climbing three flights of stairs and walking to the end of the hallway before they reached their shared room on the left beside the bathroom on the third floor. As they both climbed into their beds and made themselves comfortable, she pulled the chair from Brady's desk to sit in-between their beds.
"What would you like to read?"
"The children's storybook," Collin said through a yawn.
Hermione's mouth tugging into a sad smile at the memories that resurfaced regarding that book, she summoned The Tales of Beedle the Bard from her library, opened the book to the first page and began reading The Wizard and the Hopping Pot aloud.
Midway through the story, they were sleeping soundly and Hermione quietly closed the book and set it in her lap, taking the opportunity to watch them fondly.
It'd been four days since Collin and Brady had joined the pack unexpectedly, and whilst they were a lot quieter compared to the other boisterous personalities of the pack, Leah included, Hermione believed them to have settled in well. It had taken them both almost the full day to phase back, Brady being the first to do so and Collin followed half an hour after, and that was with Teddy's presence and Hermione reading to them.
Giving their age and not wishing to overwhelm them too much on their first day, they'd waited until the next morning to explain Hermione's role in the pack and inform them about her being a witch. She'd never seen someone's eyes light up so quickly or so brightly and they'd had her performing acts of magic for hours afterwards.
They'd taken the news of their inherited responsibilities exceptionally and they were fully accepting of their abilities (almost as much as Seth had been) but they were finding it difficult to phase on command or whenever they wished to, purely because they were so excited they struggled to concentrate and focus.
And whilst they'd settled into the pack well, taking all of the teasing and taunting like champs, (but being too afraid and intimidated of the older wolves to return the gesture just yet) they hardly ever left Hermione's side and Teddy was all but their permanent shadows. Paul swore blind he wasn't jealous. No one believed him.
Their bond with Hermione was different compared to the others; she could feel it.
Whilst they all considered her to be a friend, sister and somewhat of a mother, Collin and Brady were different. Paul, Jared and Jacob were old enough to not need mothering, (even if she did so) Leah, Seth, Quil and Embry had mothers of their own, and obviously, Sam was her wolf-mate. But the pups had barely entered their teen years and they hadn't had a mother since they were three-years-old.
Hermione was the Alpha Female of the pack, a mother figure, and unlike the others, they specifically sought that mother-child bond from her, especially after witnessing her connection to Teddy, the pup of the pack and her son.
Because of this, and the pups needing her constant presence and attention, Hermione had barely had any time in her lab and neither had she had any time to test her own limitations and practice shifting at will, something she hoped to have mastered before the next full moon so she might fight off the pull and remain human. It was the final test to proving that her potion worked.
When Collin gave a decidedly loud snore that sounded more akin to a rumbled growl, she bit her lip to stop from laughing and she rose from her chair. Crossing over to the bed, she pulled the blanket to better cover his form despite knowing he didn't need the protection from the chill in the air, and then she switched off the lamp on his bedside table. She padded to the other side of the room, making to pull the blanket to better cover Brady when she paused, noting his furrowed brow and the corners of his mouth tugging downwards.
Reaching out, she brushed his hair back from his forehead, seeing his expression smooth out as her fingertips ghosted over his skin. Bending and pressing a kiss to his forehead, hoping it would help to settle him as it did Teddy when he was restless, she switched his bedside lamp off and took her leave, being sure to erect a Silencing Ward around the room, this one working in reverse so that sound could leave but not enter; she didn't want them waking when the pack eventually arrived home.
After descending the stairs and checking on Teddy, she continued downstairs and moved to the kitchen, knowing she wasn't going to be able to sleep until she had answers, she made a cup of tea.
She leaned back against the counter, the steaming mug held between both hands and hovering by her mouth as her gaze absentmindedly locked on the floor.
Minutes later, she released a crying gasp of horror and her mug fell from her hands, smashing against the ground and the boiling contents splashing against her bare legs and feet. She didn't notice.
It wasn't the sudden arrival of the pack that caused such a reaction, it wasn't the scalding, and neither was it the front door bursting open and slamming against the wall with such a force it actually came off its hinges. It was Paul being carried in, Jacob holding him beneath the arms and walking backwards whilst Sam held his legs.
They crossed to the couch, gently settling him onto the soft cushions and a pillow being stuffed under his head to keep it propped up.
"Hermione?" Seth was the first to notice her presence and he'd said her name in a little above a whisper, his eyes wide, horrified and worried.
All eyes snapped to her and Sam immediately approached, noting her shell-shocked appearance and her lack of response to Seth.
"Hermione!" His voice rose, seeing the broken much and boiling tea on the ground, and worse, the red patches on her feet and shins, putting the pieces together and understanding what had happened. "Fuck! We have to get you in the bath, cold water'll take the sting away and hopefully, it won't blister."
He took her hand in his and pulled her from the kitchen and towards the stairs, but something in her snapped back to attention and she tugged her hand free, uncaring for the stinging of the scalds and she darted over to Paul, stopping beside the couch and staring down at him.
Her eyes examining him carefully, she noted that his eyes were closed, his breathing slow and steady, but there was a pinched look on his face. Outwardly, nothing appeared to be wrong but she knew different. Not only could she feel that something was wrong, but he wouldn't have been carried in simply because he was sleeping, and it wouldn't have been done in such a panic.
Her palm pressed against his forehead and she received no response or reaction from him.
"Paul?" She croaked, her throat tightening and her eyes stinging with tears. "Paul?" She echoed, giving his shoulder a gentle nudge and hoping to wake him. It didn't. "What happened?" She demanded, peering over her shoulder when silence met her and she saw them all looking saddened as they avoided her gaze. "Samuel Joshua Uley!" Hermione growled, her eyes flashing amber and seeing each of them wince and flinch back. "What the fuck happened?"
"Vampire," he offered softly, guiltily.
Hermione's breath hitched, her eyes darting down to Paul before she spun on her heel, grabbed her wand from the coffee table and sent a burst of flames to the fireplace.
"Where're you going?" Jacob asked, his gaze darting between Hermione as she reached for the pot of floo powder, Paul and Sam.
"To retrieve a Healer, do not leave him alone," was her snappy reply, and uncaring for the fact she was barefoot and only clothed in a too-large t-shirt that belonged to her boyfriend and a pair of sleep shorts, she stepped into the flames and called out, "St. Helena's Hospital, Seattle."
~000~000~000~
She was gone all of four minutes before she came barrelling out of the fireplace in her hast to return, Sam being close enough to steady her before she hit the ground. She was followed by an older man; he appeared to be in his late-forties but Sam knowing what he did about magical ageing, wouldn't be surprised if he was double that age. His hair was surprisingly thick and dark, the odd grey hair shining through. He had very few wrinkles, if only around the eyes and mouth, his nose was small, his eyes a dark green and he appeared to be average height.
He wore exactly what he'd expect to see a doctor wearing, dark-coloured scrubs with a white lab coat, an ID badge clipped to his pocket and a medical bag in hand.
"I am Healer Cooper. Where's the patient?" He asked, his tone calm, confident and no-nonsense.
"On the couch," Sam offered, seeing that Hermione had fallen quiet, she couldn't seem to take her eyes off Paul and when she made to step closer, he tugged her into his side, keeping her out of the magical doctor's way.
He was unsure of Paul's injuries but he knew his healing would work to fix them, and before he'd had the chance to tell Hermione that, she'd already left. But now that the magical doctor was there, he saw no point in being anything but polite and there was no harm in allowing him to give Paul the once over, he might even be able to tell them what his injuries were. There was no point in keeping it a secret, being a shape-shifter was normal in Hermione's world and they didn't have to hide.
The magical doctor crossed to the couch, barely glancing at the other occupants in the room and he set his medical bag beside him on the ground before peering down at Paul's form searchingly. He drew his wand from his pocket and gently tapped the tip against Paul's forehead, a humming noise sounding from him.
"Interesting," he mused, tipping his head curiously. "How long has he been unconscious?"
"'Bout forty minutes," supplied Sam.
"Magical status?"
"Shape-shifter, natural born," answered Hermione, hovering nearby and being tucked into Sam's side whilst the rest of the pack surrounded them but didn't get in the way.
"Form?"
"A giant wolf."
"How giant?"
"Approximately eight feet tall, twelve feet in length."
He looked to her, both of his eyebrows shooting up high on his forehead before he cleared his throat and gave his head a slight shake.
"Weight of shifter form?"
"I don't know," Hermione shook her head. "Approximately 650 to 750lbs."
"What's with all the questions?" Questioned Sam, his eyes darting between Hermione's face, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks and the magical doctor, the man muttering to himself as he fished through his medical bag.
"Background," she sniffled, reaching up to wipe at her eyes. "He needs to know Paul's weight so that he can administer the correct dosage for each potion. Shape-shifters in general, no matter their form, tend to have a stronger metabolism, and in order to prevent Paul's system from burning through the treatments too quickly before they even have chance to take effect, he has to calculate the dosage based on his weight in his wolf form, not his human form. As for needing to know his shifting form, it's so he can rule out any treatments that may potentially cause harm. There are some ingredients in potions that affect or weaken one more than the other. Bear forms, strangely, can't be administered treatments that use honey as an ingredient, and avian forms can't be administered treatments that contain any body part of a toad or mouse. It's for his safety."
"Am I to assume he is gifted with enhanced abilities?" Said the Healer.
"Yeah, speed, senses, strength and healing," answered Jared, unable to tear his eyes from his best friend and all the coloured flashes of light that hovered above his body as the Healer cast diagnostic charms.
Whilst Paul's injuries may not be severe considering his healing and abilities, and whilst they may not have been as severe as they could be given the circumstances surrounding the cause, it was the first time one of them had been injured with more than just a few scrapes and broken fingers (from what they could tell, at least, having yet to get the diagnosis) when dealing with a vampire.
"And the healing rate? I need to know how much time I have before his body's own healing begins. In most circumstances it wouldn't be an issue, however, he has several fractures and without proper treatment and aid, they are highly likely to heal incorrectly, and should he continue to shift, it is likely to cause further injury."
A collective inhale was heard, everyone in the room being surprised at the severity of Paul's injuries. Outwardly, there didn't appear to be anything wrong. He simply looked to be sleeping.
"Broken fingers and toes, ten to fifteen minutes, broken noses approximately double that. Broken arms and legs, anywhere between a couple of hours and two days, possibly longer depending on the severity. The rest, I don't know, we've never had injuries such as this before," explained Sam.
"And the cause?" He probed.
"Vampire," Hermione growled, her eyes flashing amber and Sam was sure to forcibly turn her head into his chest, preventing the magical doctor from witnessing it.
The last thing they needed was someone getting wind of her being a werewolf, and despite them being legally covered now that he'd officially adopted Teddy, he didn't want word spreading in the Wizarding World or for her reputation to be affected.
"Vampire?" He echoed, distractedly searching through his medical supplies and drawing back with potion vials, bandages, pastes and salves and placing them on the coffee table.
"We protect our land and people from them, if one crosses the boundary lines, we kill it," said Sam. "This one was stronger than what we're used to."
"You're physically capable of matching a vampire in strength?" He sought clarification.
"Yes," Sam nodded.
"That puts things into perspective," the Healer muttered to himself, once more running his wand over the length of Paul's body with flashing, glowing lights appearing. "Hmmm... Damaged organs, too," he said aloud. "Not to worry, it's an easy fix," he assured them.
A collective sigh of relief sounded in the room, Jared physically bending over and setting his hands on his knees as his head bowed and Jacob clapped him on the shoulder.
"With the combination of his healing capabilities and magical treatments, I see no reason why he shouldn't be fully healed within the next few days, five at maximum. Now, I am aware that he's currently unconscious and whilst I will administer a Sleeping Draught to keep him under so I might treat him, it will take a few minutes for it to circle his system and take effect. With time being of the essence, I have to work quickly to properly set his fractures before they begin to heal and for that reason, we do run the risk of him waking before the potion has time to take effect. As a precaution, I require assistance in restraining him. This is not going to be a pleasant process."
"Jacob," Sam instructed with a single tip of his head, knowing that he was physically the strongest member of the pack.
"Thank you," said the Healer once Jacob approached. "Hold him down by his shoulders. He does appear to have a fractured collar bone and more damage may be caused during restraint, but I will tend to that once he's under the influence of the Sleeping Draught as it will be the most painful. Firstly, I will begin with setting his ribs; diagnostics indicate he has three fractured and two cracked and I don't wish to risk injury to his lungs or heart. In hopes of reducing the pain, I'll administer a mild Pain Relief Potion but I don't want to risk overwhelming his system with too many potions and treatments lest his body perceives them as a foreign agent and a, turn to fighting it off rather than healing his injuries, or, b, inadvertently make his injuries worse. I'll administer the Sleeping Draught and Pain Potion and then we can begin."
~000~000~000~
"Hermione?"
She didn't respond.
Perched beside Paul's bed in a chair, her hand held his and her eyes refused to leave his face. He was sleeping, under the influence of the Sleeping Draught and Hermione hoped that his dreams were pleasant.
It had taken Healer Cooper a little over half an hour to tend to and treat all of Paul's injuries and once he'd been given the all-clear, Paul had been carefully levitated from the couch, up the stairs and to his room on the second floor. Before Healer Cooper took his leave, he tended to the scalds on Hermione's shins and feet under Sam's request, leaving behind a Burn Salve as well as a selection of potions that needed to be administered to Paul.
He'd made an appointment to return the following day so he might check on Paul's progress, unless he took a turn for the worse and needed to be seen sooner.
"Hermione, he's going to be fine," Sam said, coming up behind her and setting his hand on her shoulder, seeing her head bow, hearing her sniffle and her free hand came to rest over his, gripping tightly.
"This is what I was afraid of. Some getting hurt," she whispered. "It hurts, Sammy. It physically hurts. I can feel the strain on the bond."
Sam hated seeing her so upset, so pained. There was nothing he could do to physically ease that worry or fear. He couldn't feel the bond in the way she could, it being formed by her magic, something he didn't possess.
"I knew something was wrong and I couldn't just go back to sleep. I had to wait. I might've come after you had the pups not woken when they did and they asked me to read to them."
"The doctor said the prognosis is looking good, and he should be back on his feet no later than Tuesday and he'll be arguing with Embry, demanding brownies for a snack and fighting over who gets the last slice of bacon before we know it." He saw her mouth twitch. "Why didn't they wake when we got back?"
"I placed a reversed Silencing Ward around their room, sound leaves but can't enter," she explained. "I didn't want them to be disturbed. What happened?"
Sam heaved out a heavy sigh.
"Don't lie to me."
"I don't want to lie to you, but I'm worried about how you'll react."
"I'm too exhausted to move," she muttered. "Physically and emotionally."
"Leah and Jacob called for backup," he began, Hermione already knowing this, "I'm not sure what was happening but this vampire, we weren't the only one chasing it."
"What?" Her brow furrowed and she peered up at him over her shoulder through tired, wet eyes.
"The Cullens, they were by the boundary line. Whoever this vampire was, I guess the Cullens had a personal vendetta against. Everyone was there but the Mind Reader. I don't think this vampire was looking to feed or just passing through, I think they were here for a reason, possibly to provoke the Cullens. They kept deliberately jumping between our territories, and I don't know what, but there was something different. No matter what we did, we couldn't catch her. She was too... I don't know, lucky."
"She?" She echoed, the exhaustion leaving her expression and being replaced by a hardened look. "Sammy?"
"I don't know," he replied, understanding her unvoiced question. "I never heard a name and I didn't recognise her."
"Did she have red curls, the same colouring as the Weasleys?"
"Yes," he confirmed, feeling his stomach churn.
"Victoria! It was her!" Her eyes flashed amber and her words were surrounded by feral growls, and despite that, she made no move to release Paul's hand. He'd been worried she'd storm the woods and try to pick up a trace she might use to track her.
"We don't know that," Sam tried to argue. "I'm sure there's loads of red-haired vampires."
"It's her. I know it is. You said she seemed different, lucky. From the intel I've gathered, she has a gift and although I don't know what it is exactly, somehow it helps her to survive. Three members of the Order tried to subdue her during the Battle, but no matter what they did she always escaped. And despite being up against the pack and Cullens," she spat their name like it left a bad taste in her mouth, "She still got away."
"I promised you we'd get her if she came here," Sam's tone softened, saddened and his gaze darted to Paul's sleeping form guiltily. "I promised justice. Instead, she escaped and Paul was hurt. We failed you. I failed you."
"No, you didn't. It's not your fault. It's hers. And she will get what's coming to her. She'll be back. She's involved with the Cullens, I'm sure of it, and if that's the case, maybe this is the battle I was forewarned against. We have to be more careful than ever."
"I'll double up patrols, no fewer than four wolves per shift."
"How was Paul hurt? Was it her?"
"Not directly," Sam shook his head. "She's a smart one, I think she knew about the treaty, or, somehow figured out that the Cullen's weren't crossing the boundary line for a reason. She tricked one of them into following her, and when he crossed onto our land, he collided with Paul. I think they were both surprised by it and with the chaos and confusion she caused, she escaped with the distraction. I sent Jared and Leah ahead to follow her but they lost her scent by the mountains."
"Who was it?"
"The strongest one, Emmet I think Swan said his name was."
"One more person on my shit list," Hermione muttered darkly.
Sam winced, and he couldn't believe the next words were about to leave his mouth, but he felt he had to say them.
"It was an accident, it wasn't his fault. She deliberately tricked him into following her. We didn't realise what'd happened until it was too late."
"Then he shouldn't have been so fucking thick to fall for such a tactic. As a vampire, his brain processes information one thousand times faster than a human's," she argued.
Sam released a heaved sigh and brushed a hand through his hair, knowing there was no point in arguing with her, not when a member of the pack had been injured. She was calm now but the moment Paul was healed, he was certain she'd be on a warpath and she wouldn't stop until Victoria's head had been torn from her body and mounted on a stick.
"Are you coming to bed? We could all do with some sleep."
"No, I can't leave him," she shook her head. "I don't know if it's my wolf or my magic, but I can't leave him when he's like this."
"Try and get some sleep, at least. Paul would be furious if he wakes and finds out you haven't been taking care of yourself."
"He'd be even worse if he wakes and discovers a new wolf's joined the pack."
Sam's eyebrow arched. "Are you tryin' tell me something? Are we gettin' another wolf?"
"No, not yet at least; we can never be sure what the future holds but aside from my magic being unsettled because of Paul, I don't feel any different."
"Good," he breathed out in relief. She looked up at him, both eyebrows raised. "We haven't got the space," he shrugged. "We're not exactly small, are we? You've already ordered another couch for both the living room and family room, and Lord knows where you're going to put them."
"I like having a full house," she said quietly. "Growing up, it was just me, my parents were always at work. And I know that eventually, they'll all leave; they can't stay here forever and I'm dreading the day that comes."
Sam tipped his head, offering a smile. "But by that point, we might have a family of our own, and even if we don't, Teddy's more than a handful. The house will never really be quiet, and do you honestly think that they won't be here every day for dinner? Even if they do live somewhere else?"
Hermione's mouth twitched. "I suppose not, but that doesn't make it any easier."
Both of their attention was drawn when the bedroom door was opened and having expected one of the pack members, they both blinked in surprise when they saw Teddy stood in the doorway; his pyjamas rumpled and his hair sleep-mussed.
"What the..." Sam muttered, straining his hearing. "There's no one else out there, they're all asleep," he told Hermione. "How did he get out of bed by himself? And up the stairs? And open the door, he can't even reach?"
Glancing down at Hermione, he saw her wide eyes and parted mouth.
"Bloody hell," she whispered. "I think..." She swallowed. "I think he used magic."
Sam did a double-take, his gaze darting between his girlfriend and adopted son. "Magic? You said he's not old enough to start showing signs."
"Generally, the first accidental magic occurs between the ages of four and five, but that's not to say it can't happen earlier or later."
"He's only two!" Sam protested. "He's not even potty trained yet."
"Doesn't matter," Hermione shook her head. "It's still possible. It's the only explanation. Even if my charms on his bed had failed, and even if he was capable of climbing the stairs by himself without falling, he physically can't reach the door handle, and the door wasn't shut over, it was closed. If you say everyone's asleep, he's the only one that's capable of doing all this."
"I don't know if I should proud, worried or terrified," Sam admitted.
"All of the above," Hermione confirmed.
"Teddy?" Sam began, "Why are you not in bed?"
The toddler's brow furrowed. "Me wanna see Ball."
Sam and Hermione shared a glance. Did he know?
"Teddy Bear, Paul's sleeping right now, just as you should be," said Hermione.
"Me wanna see Ball," he repeated firmly, his expression souring, his hair tinting red.
"Okay, but quickly, it's very late," Sam acquiesced, knowing that he wasn't awake enough to be dealing with a Teddy temper tantrum so early in the morning and after the night he'd had.
Teddy toddled into the room and Hermione reached out, settling him on her lap.
"Ball hurt," he said sadly, knowingly.
Hermione's breath hitched and she felt Sam press a hand to her shoulder.
"He... He is," she stumbled over her agreement. "But the Healer's give Paul some medicine to make him better, and soon he won't be poorly anymore."
Teddy pursed his lips before squirming out of her hold and given how close she sat to the bed, he was able to climb from her lap and onto the mattress, she and Sam both watching as Teddy crawled over to Paul's side. The toddler's hair morphed from blonde to black and he leaned over, both of his tiny hands grasping Paul's face before he pressed a sloppy kiss to Paul's cheek, the shape-shifter remaining still and silent.
"Kisses make poorly better," Teddy said, his expression serious.
Hermione sniffled and Sam gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"They do," she agreed, her voice cracking as she fought back a fresh wave of tears, especially when he shifted beneath the blanket, curled up against Paul's side and his eyes closed, sleep taking a hold of him quicker than Hermione thought possible.
"I guess he's found his bed for the night," Sam remarked, a fond smile tugging at his mouth.
"He's not going to want to leave him. He's too young to understand."
"He understands more than we realise. And I think we should both follow his example and get some sleep."
"I can't leave him," she repeated the same words from before.
"I know, but please try to get some rest."
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
Hermione's eyes returned to the bed, watching the sleeping shape-shifter and toddler snuggled into his side.
"I promise, Paul," Hermione muttered. "I'll kill the bitch if it's the last thing I do."
