THE FAMILY BUSINESS: ELEVEN
Summary: Hermione's peaceful, yet boring life is disrupted when notorious hunter, Dean Winchester, walks into her book shop. Dean's life is completely changed when he meets, Hermione Granger, Brightest Witch of her Age. But maybe that's just what they both needed. A series of one-shots based on their lives together. Mostly Dean's POV. Rated M for a reason.
Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and the creators of Supernatural. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic.
AN
Okay, we have ourselves some John and Bobby in this chapter, so there's some fun for us. And as an added bonus, we have a small section with Sam's POV. It's currently 3:30am for me, so I hope you enjoy whilst I get some much-needed rest.
Q&A
ChipzGrMione – I'm trying to stick to canon as much as possible, but with Hermione being an added character it means some things maybe happen a little differently, but they will still happen. I haven't decided how far into canon I'm going to go yet. As it is, I only got up to season 11 and when it started back up again I didn't have time to watch the new episodes and now that I know season 15 is going to be the last, I'm just going to wait until it's finished and then I can binge watch it. I have no particular plot for this, I'm just winging it as I go along and I won't stop until I feel the time is right, but since I don't know when that will be, I have no idea how far into canon we'll get. It'll be as much a surprise for me as it will be for you.
Page count: 25
Two weeks later...
"Bubba!" Hermione squealed happily, jumping from the car before Dean had even come to a full stop, and she crossed over to the porch where Bobby stepped out from the house, a smile pulling at his face and his arms opening in expectancy of a hug.
"What the hell's wrong with him?" Sam asked with wide eyes as he stared out the window. Dean snorted at him, knowing exactly how he felt as he'd been through it before.
"Nothing's wrong with him," Dean replied. "He's always been like this with her," he shrugged.
"You grab the holy water, I'll knife him," Sam said, looking as horrified as one person possibly could when Hermione pulled back from Bobby with teary eyes and Bobby gave her a small smile and a laugh left him.
"Trust me, it's him, when I told you he was protective of her I wasn't joking. As hard as it is to wrap your head around, when she's nearby he's like a freaking soft as shit bunny with a trigger happy finger," Dean responded, before he climbed out of the car and closed the door behind him once the three cats had jumped out, Crookshanks leading the way with Sadie and Domino following behind him a little more cautiously.
"I'm pretty sure there was only one of you last time," Bobby said, looking down at the cats approaching him with a slightly confused look on his face.
Hermione beamed up at him. "There was, Crookshanks adopted himself a stray when I had to go back to London a couple of months ago and he wouldn't leave without her, Sadie's like Crooks, she's half kneazle and belongs to Dean. And Domino is Sam's, Sadie adopted her a couple of weeks ago whilst we were working a case, but she's just a regular cat."
Bobby blinked in surprise and looked up to him when he saw them both approaching, with Sam eyeing Bobby as if he were about to drown him in holy water and then stab him with a silver knife.
"You hate cats," Bobby commented confused.
Dean shrugged. "They're not just any cats, and Sadie's basically my familiar, the same way Crookshanks is Hermione's," he replied, rolling his eyes when the white fluff-ball meowed at him and jumped at his legs. Bending down he picked her up and settled her in his arms whilst she stretched up, butting her head against his chin affectionately. Bobby blinked and Hermione let out a snigger.
Giving his head a shake, Bobby turned to Sam. "Sammy, it's been a while," he greeted, sharing a barely a-hug-hug with his younger brother. "How you doin'?"
Sam pulled back and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. "A lot better than I was," he answered. "Thanks to Hermione that is," he nodded to Hermione and she beamed at him, whilst briefly noting that Crookshanks stepped into the house as if he owned the place and seeing that Domino followed him, Sadie sprang from his arms, landed on her feet and walked into the house, too.
"And your dad?"
"He texted us the other day, he said he's fine," Dean answered, brushing the white cat hair from his t-shirt and then crossing his arms over his chest.
"That's only 'cause he's scared of what Hermione would do to him," Sam said amused.
Bobby looked to her with a raised eyebrow. "I hit him. Twice," she grinned.
"What?" Bobby said gruffly. "You didn't mention that in your calls, why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted to see your face when I told you," she smiled. "So, I hit him twice, once for me, once for you. He got the message. I bust his lip and bloodied his nose, he never saw it coming."
"Good girl," he praised with a proud smirk, lifting his hand to ruffle her hair and she scowled at him, reaching up to try and right her mane of curls but it was no use so she just gave in. "We were in the area and thought we'd come for a visit, so obviously we're staying the night. What do you want for dinner?"
"Don't have much beside beer, bacon and eggs."
Hermione sighed but didn't look surprised. "Thought so, we stopped for groceries on the way and if you don't start taking better care of yourself, I'll charm your fridge and cupboards to prevent you from stocking it with rubbish."
"I've seen what you eat, don't be a hypocrite," he said gruffly.
"I'm not your age," she shrugged. "Everything I eat I burn off again with all the running around I do. Anyway, I'll put the groceries away and make a start on dinner, and I swear, if you've filled that room again, I won't be happy," she told him, before turning and stepping into the house, leaving them out on the porch.
Bobby turned to him with a look of warning on his face.
"I know, I know," Dean held his hands up. "Unless I want shooting I'm not allowed anywhere near her and I have to sleep on the couch," he said, before sticking his hands into his pockets.
"I thought you were joking about that," Sam said, looking to Bobby in surprise. "They're fully grown adults and have been together for over half a year."
"I don't care if they've been married longer than I've been alive, if he sets foot in her room whilst under my roof, I'll kill him," Bobby responded calmly, so calmly, Sam didn't know whether to laugh or be afraid for his brother.
"BUBBA! What the hell am I looking at right now!"
"Oh crap," Bobby grumbled. "She's found them."
"Found what?" Dean asked amused.
"Why on earth I have I found those scary arse paintings in the spare room! I threw them out! Did you go through the rubbish when we left!"
"Damn it," he muttered.
"I swear to Merlin and the Founders, if I find a single book with dog-eared pages in this pigsty you call a bedroom, I'll hit you with it and then hex you for good measure!"
Dean snorted when Bobby's face seemed to drain of colour. "There's books with dog-eared pages in there, isn't there?" He said knowingly.
"One or two," Bobby admitted with a grumble before he turned and walked into the house, presumably to find Hermione.
"Used batteries!" Hermione called. "Are you being serious! Did you just take everything out of the bin when I left!"
"Wow!" Sam breathed out as they both stepped into the house, their eyes darting to the staircase.
"They're not done, they argued for hours last time we were here," Dean said, heading for the kitchen and grabbing a beer from the newly stocked fridge, as well as some milk to fill some bowls which he placed on the floor for the three cats that followed him.
A crash sounded from above which was followed by a noise of pain, a door slamming shut and heavy footsteps stomping down the stairs. Bobby entered into the kitchen, a glare on his face and a hand rubbing at ass-cheek as he stomped over to the fridge, pulled out a beer and glared at Sam when he laughed at him.
"I didn't say anything," Dean said, holding his hands up in surrender when Bobby turned the glare on him as he crossed over to the kitchen table, stepping around the three cats and he took a seat.
"I'll just wait until tomorrow when you're gone," he said.
Dean snorted at him. "I wouldn't hold your breath, Bobby. She's learned her lesson so I wouldn't be surprised if she just magically makes everything disappear or she burns it rather than putting them in the skip."
"Damn it!"
~000~000~000~
Dean always found it difficult to sleep without Hermione nearby, so he wasn't the least bit surprised when the early hours of the morning arrived and he was still wide awake, staring up at the living room ceiling with Sam's snores filling the otherwise silent room.
Everyone had retired to bed hours ago, Bobby and Hermione upstairs whilst he'd taken the couch and Sam was asleep on the floor with an old blow up mattress. Sadie had squeezed herself in-between him and the back of the couch, her head resting on his shoulder and as far as he knew, Crookshanks was with Hermione upstairs and Domino was curled up on Sam's pillow above his head. Dean was amused to see that no matter how much his brother had put up a fight about not wanting the little kitten; he'd never heard him complain once since. In fact, within a week Domino had more cat treats and toys than Sadie and Crookshanks did combined. Dean had thought Sadie had him wrapped around her paw, but Sam was so much worse.
He tried everything he could think of but he just couldn't sleep and deciding he could no longer put off the need to use the bathroom, he sighed to himself, threw off the blanket and shifted himself out from beneath Sadie. She didn't wake but she did shift, rolling over onto her side and then curling up into a ball. He had to watch what he was doing as he'd nearly tripped over to Sam but he soon found his way to the stairs.
When he exited the bathroom and headed for the staircase to head back downstairs, he passed Hermione's room but even with the door closed, he heard pained groans coming from inside the room and without a care that Bobby might shoot him, he reached out and opened the door, stepping inside and closing it behind him.
It'd been years since he'd been in the bedroom but it hadn't changed since he'd last seen it; the furniture still being a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a bedside table and they looked old and worn. The wooden flooring was still scuffed and marked, the wallpaper still old-fashioned and discoloured and the wooden double bed still looked to be missing one of the baubles that added a bit of decoration. The only thing that looked nothing like he remembered was the rug that sat on the floor beside the bed, it looking a little newer than the last one.
Hearing the pained groans, his eyes darted to the bed where he saw Hermione sleeping. She lay on her side in the centre of the mattress and she faced away from him, her hair fanning out on the pillow behind her, and her body half covered by the blanket. She had the blanket pulled up to her face, snuggling it as if it were a teddy bear and her leg was thrown over the top of her cover, exposing her pale, soft skin to the slight chill in the room as well as his eyes. From what he could see, she was wearing one of his t-shirts which had ridden up and exposed her waist, and a pair of pink cotton sleep shorts, them hugging her hips and with the way she laid, they barely covered her ass. Dean felt himself stirring at the sight alone and he took a breath to calm himself.
She made the noise again and frowning slightly, he crossed over to the bed and climbed on behind her, wrapping her up in his arms and he started the routine of muttering 'Hey Jude' into her ear and his fingers tickling at her stomach in soothing patterns. He assumed he'd gotten to her before her nightmares had time to set in because it didn't take as long to settle her as it usually did and she was soon waking, her hand moving to cover his on her stomach, twining their fingers together.
"If Bobby finds you in here even I won't be able to stop him from shooting you, I'm too tired to cast a shield or apparate you out," she said sleepily, which was expected given she'd just woken up.
"I went to the bathroom and heard you, you were having a nightmare," he explained, nudging her hair aside and his nose nuzzling at her neck. She'd showered before bed, he could smell the apple scent of her hair and skin a lot stronger than usual and it was making him dizzy.
"How bad?" She asked.
Dean shrugged his shoulders. "I'd say about a three, just a few noises but you otherwise looked fine," he answered.
Being with her so long he understood the scale her nightmares would rate on, and it went from barely moving all the way up to setting things on fire and having magical outbursts. He'd seen her set the curtains on fire once and he'd shit himself before she'd put out the flames before any serious damage was caused. They'd fled the motel as soon as possible afterwards.
"I don't remember what happened so you must've stopped it before it got worse," she sighed.
"You're getting better," he commented.
And she was. The longer they were together, the less her nightmares seemed to terrorise her. When they'd first dating she'd have nightmares almost six times a week and sometimes more than once in a single night, but months later that had dropped by half. And the same could be said for him, the frequency of his nightmares had lessened, too.
"Hmmm," she hummed sleepily. "That's because of you, I always sleep better when you're with me. Have you been to sleep yet?"
"No, I've been trying but with Sam snoring, the uncomfortable couch and Sadie purring in my ear, it's difficult."
"Well, you know I won't kick you out, but if Bobby finds you in here, you're on your own."
He snorted at her. "Charming,"
"I've been spending too much time with you, I'm starting to pick up your habits. Now, hush, I'm sleeping here, and you know how cranky Crookshanks gets when you wake him," she said and he briefly lifted his head from her neck to see the ginger fur-ball sprawled out at the foot of the bed.
"I'll sneak out in the morning so Bobby doesn't see me leave," he said, as he buried his face back against her neck, placing a kiss against her skin and pulling her more firmly against him, already feeling sleep settling in.
~000~000~000~
Dean woke before Hermione did and judging by the light shining in through the window, he guessed it to still be early morning. Knowing he should leave before Bobby found him there, he carefully unwound himself from Hermione and climbed off the bed, giving a yawn and pushing a hand through his hair as he made for the door.
He grabbed the handle and pulled it open, stumbling back in surprise and being wide awake when he found himself on the receiving end of a murderous glare from a dressed for the day Bobby, and a rifle pointed directly in his face. He spied Sam little ways down the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and not even bothering to hide his amusement with the situation.
"Bobby," Dean greeted slowly.
In response, Bobby shifted the rifle until it was no longer directed at his face, but instead at his groin and Dean automatically felt his hands move to cover his manhood, Sam's laughter bursting from him.
"What did I say?" Bobby asked, his eyes narrowed dangerously and his voice low and gruff.
"Nothing happened," he said as calmly as he could. "I went to the bathroom and I heard her, she was having a nightmare, I'm the only one that can calm her. If I didn't she might've set something on fire or had a magical outburst during her sleep, she's done it before, I've seen it. She sleeps better when I'm with her, her nightmares aren't are vivid or frequent," he explained.
"I don't know if I should believe you," Bobby said gruffly.
Dean barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "I'm not gunna lie about that, am I?"
A sleepy yawn sounded from behind him and they both turned to look towards the bed, seeing Hermione's sitting up and stretching with her hands above her head. She let out a sound of satisfaction before throwing the blanket off herself and climbing from the bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and brushing her hair back from her face as she made her way over to the door.
When she realised he was blocking her exit, she blinked slowly and then her eyes darted between him, Bobby and the rifle directed at his groin. She rolled her eyes but let out a snort of amusement.
"Morning," she greeted cheerfully. "I had a nightmare, you know I have them, you've witnessed it. Dean's the only that calm me, nothing happened," she said. "So I'd appreciate it if you didn't threaten my boyfriend in such a way. And now I'm awake, I'll make a start on breakfast and then we can see about getting that mess you call a study sorted and nicely organised."
She reached up and pressed a kiss to his cheek before squeezing past him, reaching up to press a kiss to Bobby's cheek and then walking down the hallway. When she reached Sam she ruffled his hair, but she had to physically jump and stretch up to reach and he snorted at her.
"Come on, Samuel," she said, grabbing his hand in hers and dragging him towards the stairs. "You're the only one I can trust not to burn the eggs so you can help me with breakfast. By the way, Bubba," she said, looking over her shoulder at them. "Is that a new cap? I like it, it suits you, it really brings out your eyes, very nice."
Dean snorted as she skipped down the stairs and dragged Sam behind her, and Bobby turned to look at him, reluctantly lowering the rifle back to his side.
"You got away with your balls still attached...This time," he muttered before following after Hermione and Sam.
~000~000~000~
Two weeks later...
"Hang on," Dean frowned slightly, interrupting Sam as he sat reading aloud from the newspaper. They were currently sat in a diner having an early lunch and Sam was on the lookout for potential cases, but after mentioning a death, Dean was sure he'd recognised the name. "What was the name again?"
Sam looked confused but returned his eyes to the newspaper. "Daniel Elkins, why?"
Dean's frowned deepened. "I know that name, I'm sure it's mentioned in dad's journal. He was murdered?"
"Possibly," Sam answered. "It doesn't actually say if it's suspicious or not, but chances are he was, but if his name's in dad's journal, does that mean they know each other? In which case, do you want to investigate?"
"It's worth checking it out," Dean nodded. "Where are we headed?"
"Manning, Colorado,"
Dean blinked before letting out a snort. "Well, then we're definitely going, case or not, Hermione will be happy."
"Why's that?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That's where she lives."
Sam blinked in surprise. "That can't be a coincidence, right? Someone from dad's journal ends up dead and lives in the town Hermione moved to."
Dean shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. She told me she chose it randomly from a map, no other reasoning behind it. It's a bit of a drive so we'll have to refuel and leave straight from here."
"Where we off to now?" Hermione asked, sliding into the booth beside him after finishing up placing their orders at the counter.
"Home," Dean answered.
"Home?" She frowned in confusion.
"Manning, Colorado," he clarified.
Her eyes lit up. "Really, why?"
"There's been a death, someone who's mentioned in dad's journal so we're gunna check it out. If it turns out to be nothing it'll give you the chance to check on your house and store."
"Great, we leaving after finishing up here?"
"We'll stop for fuel first but then we're heading straight over," he nodded. "Depending on what's closer, yours or Elkins', we'll stop by first and do some digging."
"Well, if we're going to mine we'll have to stop for some groceries, there won't be anything in the house even remotely edible. So you know what that means," she grinned.
Dean let out a groan and his head flopped back against the back of the booth whilst Sam let out a laugh.
"Walmart," he grumbled. "I hate Walmart."
~000~000~000~
With the trip to Walmart, pits-stops, bathroom breaks and traffic, almost nine and a half hours later found them arriving at Manning, Colorado and seeing as Elkin's place was closer than Hermione's house, they stopped there first after Sam had done some digging to find the address.
It had taken them a little while to find the cabin but once they did, they didn't even have to break in with it being unlocked, the door left open and one of the windows having been smashed. At seeing the sight they all shared looks before their hands immediately went to their weapons as they slowly entered the cabin, Dena first, Sam next and Hermione last.
As soon as they stepped inside they knew why it'd been unlocked; it'd been broken into and the entire place looked to have ransacked in search for something, no matter what it was Dean just hoped it hadn't been found. They split up, Hermione taking the bedroom whilst Sam took the kitchen and he handled the living room, which is where he found a journal that was similar to his father's, as well as a message including the combination to a PO box.
"I've got something," Dean called, Hermione and Sam returning to the living room with looks of curiosity.
"That looks like dad's," Sam commented.
"I know, and I found a combination to a PO box, too."
"A mail drop?" Sam questioned in surprise.
"Probably, just like dad."
"I'm getting the feeling your father might be involved with Elkins," Hermione mused. "Do you want to head over there now before going home? I know you; your curiosity won't let it wait until the morning even if it is getting late."
Dean nodded. "Hopefully it'll shed some light on what's going on around here, we can stop for takeout on the way back."
Hermione shook her head. "No, I've had enough of takeout and want a home-cooked meal. I don't care if we don't get back until the early hours of the morning, I'm cooking."
"Alright then," he said amused. "We better get a move on, if I've found this, then maybe the one that made all this mess did, too."
~000~000~000~
Dean honestly wasn't expecting to see his father that evening. They'd only been at the PO box a few minutes and after finding a letter addressed to his father, they all realised that Hermione's comment about his father being involved was right. They weren't sure what was going on, but it definitely had something to do with his father, and that was only confirmed when he'd heard his father's voice.
"Boys," he spoke.
Dean spun around so fast he made himself dizzy, being surprised when he saw his father stood in front of him with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and that half smile, half smirk on his face as his eyes darted between him, Sam and Hermione.
"Dad?" He questioned in surprise, but that didn't stop him from approaching him and sharing a hug and Sam did the same once he stepped back.
"Hermione," his father greeted, his mouth twitched in amusement when she pursed her lips.
"John," she said with a tip of her head.
"What? No broken nose?" He asked, bringing his hands up towards his face in a motion to protect his face and block an attack.
"Not unless you want one, in which case, I'd be glad to give you one. I do so hate to disappoint people," she replied.
"No thanks, my nose hurts just thinking about your last sucker punch," he said amused.
"Just your nose?"
"My mouth, too," he nodded.
"This is so weird," Sam muttered, shaking his head with his eyes darting between them.
"I take it you're here for this," Dean said, holding the letter up in his hand and drawing his father's attention away from his girlfriend.
"Yes," he answered, reaching for it and taking it from his hand. "But what are you doing here?"
"Saw the notice in the paper, recognised the name from your journal, found his cabin trashed and found a message mentioning a PO box," he answered but his father didn't look surprised, rather his attention was on the letter as his eyes scanned the information it contained.
Various emotions crossed his face but the most obvious was anger and he let out a curse beneath his breath, his hand coming up to brush through his hair and the letter crumpled in his tight grip. Dean supposed his father didn't like what the letter had contained.
"Care to share with the rest of us?" Sam asked, watching his father carefully.
"Elkins' was supposed to be helping me track down a weapon, something that is said to be able to kill a supernatural being, demons included."
Dean felt himself blinking in surprise. That wasn't possible, was it?
"But it seems Elkins' lied to me, he had it, and he has all this time. You searched his place? Did you find a colt?"
"No," Dean answered. "There was nothing that you wouldn't expect."
His father sighed in annoyance. "Which means whatever killed him, probably has it. We need to get it back."
"I take it you know what we're dealing with then," Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Vampires," he answered.
Dean almost laughed when she let out a groan and her titled head back to look up at the quickly darkening sky.
"Fantastic, my favourite," she said cheerfully. "I can't wait to run into those creepy bastards. And I swear, if they target me first, heads will roll," she said. Sam snorted, Dean rolled his eyes and his father raised an amused eyebrow. "You know, because you have to cut their heads off," she clarified.
"I understood the first time," he replied, looking to Dean amused.
"She's always like this, I don't know how we make it out half of the time, rather than fighting or firing off shots, she's too busy cracking jokes."
"Are they or are they not funny?" She said, looking to him with slightly narrowed eyes.
"They're funny," he admitted.
"Then stop complaining, the only reason you're still alive is because I have to prevent your stupid arse from doing stupid things," she replied.
"I'll give you that one," he tipped his head, seeing no point in denying it. He was the rash one, she was the brains.
"You have no choice, you know I'm right," she shrugged. "Anyway, it's getting late and I'm hungry, so we can put this off until the morning when we've had some sleep and food. Fresh eyes and fresh mind and all that," she said, before looking to his father and he raised an eyebrow. "You have a motel yet?"
"No, I came straight here," he answered.
"Okay then, there's no point in splitting up, if these vampires know we're onto them there's safety in numbers, so it's probably better if you come with us," she said before she turned and left back to the car, not even bothering to look behind her to see if they were following her.
The walk to the Impala was quiet and a little bit awkward as things between Sam and their father hadn't yet been resolved and Dean was glad when they finally reached the car, Hermione having beaten them there but he supposed she'd done it on purpose so she could hide the magical books Sam often read in the back seat.
"What are you waiting for?" His father asked, seeing that none of them made a move to get in the car.
"Them," Hermione said, pointing towards the three differently coloured and sized cats that came from a bunch of trees off to the left, and he blinked in surprise when she opened the passenger's side door and they all jumped in without instruction, before she climbed in, too.
Dean knew his father was surprised that he had to sit in the back with Sam but he didn't say anything; Hermione's place was beside him, no matter who was in the car. When he climbed into the driver's side he sent her an amused look when she shifted her feet onto his lap before he'd even closed the door, but he didn't comment, though he knew his father was more than surprised by it. And even more so when Crookshanks sprawled himself out on Hermione's lap, Domino did the same to Sam, and Sadie clambered up onto the back of his seat, laying down and curling herself around the back of his neck.
"I've seen it all now," his father muttered.
"I assure you, you most certainly haven't," Hermione replied, sharing a knowing smile with him and Sam.
The journey to Hermione's house was mostly quiet with only the sound of the radio to fill the car and occasionally he and Hermione would hum along with him ignoring the looks Sam and his father would share when they did so.
When they finally reached her house, he couldn't help the smile that pulled at his face when he turned onto her street and her house came into view. Whilst she did live on a street that contained other houses, Hermione's was on the corner and separate from the rest of the houses, giving it a sense of privacy.
Her house looked a lot newer than the other houses, too, so it had probably been built at a later date which would explain the separation between them. The brickwork was dark, as were the doors and window panes, and when he pulled onto the drive off to the side of the house, the lanterns that were on the walls switched on at the sensors being triggered.
"Where are we?" His father asked, his eyes taking in the house before them and then scanning the quiet street.
"My house," she said, looking over the seat to him and he looked surprised. "I just happen to live here, though I haven't been back in months. You boys wait here for a moment, I just need to switch off the security system," she said, sending him a pointed look and he nodded, understanding it had something to do with the magical barriers around her house.
She shifted Crookshanks off her lap and he meowed in protest but moved to sit in his lap to get some attention whilst she climbed out of the car, headed for the door, unlocked it and stepped inside and then shutting the door behind her.
"I never asked, how'd you meet her?" His father questioned.
Dean twisted to look over the back of his seat, eyeing his father strangely. "I was working a case here and needed some research material, she owns a book store."
His father raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't seem like the type," he commented.
Dean snorted. "You don't know her, she's obsessed with learning and she's very smart, I've never met anyone like her. More often than not she's got a book in her hand, research is her forte and she's good at it."
"That doesn't explain why she's hunting with you," he pointed out.
"She saved my life." He gave him the look, the one that told him to continue and to do so fast. "I underestimated the number of things I was up against and got stabbed with a shard of glass. She turned up, scared them off and that's the last thing I remember before passing out. When I woke she'd brought me home with her," he pointed to the house, "And she'd patched me. I'd have died if it weren't for her. The next day she helped me track them down and we took care of them. The only reason I knew what they were is that she helped me with research. I'd learned a few surprising things about her the day before and then I guess I just asked if she wanted to hunt with me, she said yes and we haven't looked back since," he shrugged.
"It's dangerous to get a civilian involved," his father said.
"Hermione can take care of herself," Sam said, pointedly looking at his father's nose and Dean almost laughed at the glare that was sent his way in response.
"She's not a civilian, Bobby told you she was an ally to Hunters so she obviously knew about the supernatural and she'd known Bobby three years before we actually met. This isn't her first time hunting either."
"Meaning?" He asked.
Dean frowned thoughtfully, knowing he'd have to bend the truth. "Before moving here from Britain, she was in the police force for a year before she became a Hunter. She worked for a specialist government department that knows about the existence of the supernatural," he explained and his father's eyes widened in surprise, which he knew was a feat. Nothing surprised his father much these days. "She was a Hunter for five years but her partner was killed and though it wasn't her fault, she blamed herself and she gave up hunting and moved over here. She said her life was peaceful, but she was bored and she missed it, so that's why she agreed to be my partner when I asked, and that's how I met her."
Dean turned away from his father's curious gaze when he saw the lights inside the house switch on and the door opened, Hermione peaking her head out.
"Would you boys mind bringing in the groceries and packing them away, you know where everything goes, Dean," she called. "I just need to get the bedrooms sorted out and then I'll be right down. And Sammy, if you have any laundry you want doing whilst we're here just leave it in the bathroom and I'll do it later. It wouldn't be the first time I've seen your underwear."
"What!" Sam exclaimed, looking mortified.
Dean smirked and looked to Sam. "Did you honestly think I was the one to do our laundry? What did you think, I washed it in the bathtub with soap?"
"Yes!"
Dean snorted. "Hermione does our laundry, she has for months. She takes them to a Laundromat."
"Dean! You let your girlfriend wash my clothes?" He said, looking scandalised.
"No, you do. It's not my fault you just assumed I'd do your laundry for you. I don't even like doing my own which is why Hermione does it."
"I have to say, Sam," Hermione said from the doorway, looking amused. "Your Justice League boxers are my favourite. Be sure to wear them when you next get a woman starkers, she'll love them."
Dean burst out laughing, his father snorted and Sam's face flamed red as he buried his face in hands, humiliated.
Smiling to herself proudly, Hermione left the door open and Dean climbed out the car and then went to the trunk whilst Sadie and Domino followed Crookshanks inside. Thankfully, Hermione hadn't gone too overboard whilst they'd stopped for groceries and with her magic, she'd been able to make sure the food items didn't spoil until they were properly stored away. Sam grabbed their duffle bags and he and his father followed him into the house, and while he went straight over to the kitchen to put the groceries away, he noticed his father and brother looking around curiously, their attention being pulled by the many photos that were littered about the room. He just hoped she'd done something to stop them from moving as that most certainly wouldn't go over well with his father.
"Okay," Hermione said, coming down the stairs and stepping into view. "I only have one spare bedroom but there are two beds in there, so if you don't want to share, one of you will have to sleep on the couch I'm afraid. The bathroom's upstairs and the first door on the left, feel free use the shower and whatnot, there's towels in the cupboard behind the bathroom door. I'll make a start on dinner and I'll shout you when it's done, in the meantime, you'll have to entertain yourselves," she said, before heading over to the kitchen and coming to stand beside him as he finished putting the last of the items in the fridge.
"I'm pretty sure there was only one bed last time," Dean muttered so his father wouldn't hear and he stole a look where he saw his father taking a seat on the couch, his eyes still searching his surroundings whilst Sam headed for the stairs, probably to shower.
"There was, with James and Albus they're small enough that they can share a double bed and have more space to play in the room. I just duplicated the bed so there's now two of them," she said quietly in response. "Whilst I altered the security wards, I also put up an anti-vampire ward as a precaution. They won't be able to enter the house as long as it's up and there's nothing they can do to break through it."
Dean blinked in surprise. "That's handy," he replied.
"I'm working on a way to cast the same wards around the car without it interfering with the engine or radio, but it's tricky. But with my magic surrounding this house, it means demons can't get in either. With your father being here, I did a quick sweep of the house and hid away any magical items and books so he can't stumble upon them and I made sure to shut off the floo network so Harry can't call or come on through, and the anti-port key and apparition wards mean only I can enter the house using those methods. If he does show up, he'll have to come to the front door. Anyway, what do you want for dinner?"
"Sam likes spaghetti," he said.
"I know, he devoured it the last time I made it," she said amused. "You want pie for dessert?"
"When have I ever turned down pie?"
She snorted at him before she reached up to press a kiss to his cheek, him noting from the corner of his eye his father watching them interact.
"Okay, you grab the flour, salt and sugar from the pantry for me, and I'll make a start on the pasta. I'll have to cook without magic so it'll a little longer than usual."
"That's fine, but I expect two pies as compensation."
She snorted at him. "Of course you do," she said amused. "Apple?"
He nodded. "I kind of want a blueberry pie, too."
"Now I know why you put blueberries in the trolley when you thought I wasn't looking," she shook her head.
"Cart, shopping cart," he corrected.
She rolled her eyes, "Whatever, just get the ingredients from the pantry and grab me a mixing bowl and a rolling pin from the cupboard whilst you're at it," she said, giving him a shove in the direction of the pantry.
He did as told and grabbed everything she'd asked for, dropping them on the breakfast bar when he returned and saw that she'd already made a start on boiling the pasta and she was currently dicing tomatoes as she hummed to herself.
He didn't leave the kitchen but instead took a seat at the breakfast bar, happy to watch her as she pottered about the kitchen preparing dinner, before she turned to the breakfast bar and made a start on the pie and they quietly chatted between themselves as she did so.
"Would you mind peeling and cutting the apples for me?" She asked, "There's no chance of you burning something at least," she said.
He snorted but stood from the stool, pulled the apples and blueberries from the fridge, took a knife from the knife block on the counter and came to stand beside her as he peeled and then cut the apples according to her instructions.
Sometime later found Dean leaving Hermione alone in the kitchen to take his duffle bag upstairs and drop it in the bedroom and to check on the cats who'd been far too quiet for his liking, and he found them all curled up on the end of Hermione's bed. When he returned to the kitchen he was surprised to see his father sitting at the breakfast bar, silently watching Hermione as she stirred the sauce and added garlic and herbs whilst she hummed to herself.
Giving his father a curious look, he strode to the fridge where he pulled out several beers and removed the caps, placing one on the counter beside Hermione, reaching over to place one on the breakfast bar for his father and he retrieved another one when he heard Sam coming down the stairs. He stepped into the kitchen with damp hair and dressed in a t-shirt and drawstring pyjama bottoms, and Dean slid the beer across the breakfast bar and Sam caught it easily before it tipped off the edge.
He took a seat beside their father and took a long swig from the bottle. "That smells good, spaghetti?" He asked.
"Yep," Hermione replied, keeping her attention on her cooking. "I know it's your favourite, so I made pie for Dean."
"It's your favourite?" His father questioned in surprise.
Dean's eyes darted over to his brother and father, watching them warily. It had been his mother's favourite and signature dish and when she died, his father had avoided it at every opportunity he had, which is why Dean always made sure to order it for Sam when they went to diners without his father being present.
"Since when?"
"Since forever," Sam muttered. "Of course, you wouldn't know that 'cause you were never around."
"I won't be having arguing in this house," Hermione spoke up, turning around and pointing the wooden spoon in her hand at them threateningly. "I don't care what issues you have with one another, tonight you will put them aside and you can sort them out later. This is a non-hostile environment. I'm not above punching either of you," she said in warning, before quickly turning around and putting the spoon back in the pan of sauce when it almost dripped onto the floor.
Dean saw them both blinking in surprise and he brought his beer to his mouth to hide his amusement, though he was glad Hermione had stopped the argument before it had started. Dean hated when they fought and he was always stuck in the middle, he just wanted to enjoy the fact he had both his father and his little brother in the same room after so long of being apart and if arguments could be avoided, it was even better for him.
"Dinner should be ready in ten minutes so if you haven't already, get yourselves cleaned up. If my nephews can do so, as grown men you can, too."
Dean snorted when he saw the affronted look that crossed their faces but his father did stand from the breakfast bar and head for the stairs, and knowing his father, Dean wouldn't be surprised if he had a look around whilst he was up there, he just hoped Hermione had hidden her magical things somewhere he wouldn't be able to find them.
By the time his father returned, he and Sam had already helped Hermione set the table and carry over the food, before taking a seat at the kitchen table with him sitting beside Hermione and his father and Sam sitting opposite them. Dinner was quiet and tense and the only reason Dean had been able to stand it was Hermione's hand gripping his tightly beneath the table. He was glad once dessert had been dished out and everyone had finished eating because he honestly didn't know how much more of the awkward silence he'd be able to take.
"I'll do the dishes," Sam said, as he helped Hermione to clear the table.
"I don't mind doing them," she replied.
"You cooked, it's only fair I do my part with the cleaning," he said. "You should get to bed, I know you didn't sleep well last night and you look exhausted."
The night before had been a bad one for Hermione as the case they'd been working hit home for her, she didn't say why but it was clear to them she'd taken it personally, so Dean had assumed it'd reminded her of either something that had happened during the war, or a case she may have worked with her partner before his death. They'd been sharing a motel room and usually, Sam slept right through, but her nightmares had been so bad, she'd even woken him and she'd shattered the vase of flowers in the room, too.
"Thanks, Sammy," she said with a small smile and she turned and headed for the stairs, only the sound of a cell phone ringing stopped her in her tracks.
"It's not mine," Dean said.
"Or mine," Sam said.
"It's not mine either," his father said.
Frowning, Hermione headed over to her jacket that was thrown over the back of the couch and she pulled her phone from the pocket, looking down at the screen confused.
"Bobby?" Dean asked.
"No," she shook her head. "He wouldn't call me this late unless it's an emergency, I don't recognise the number," she frowned, before answering the phone. "Hello...Harry?"
Dean shared a look with Sam, the both of them knowing that if her friend had wanted to get in touch with her he'd have done it magically, which meant she must've prevented him from doing so with their father being with them.
"No, I haven't received any of your messages...It's a long story...Why? What's going on?" She took a sudden intake of breath and stumbled back, gripping the back of the armchair for balance and Dean felt himself standing from the table and taking a step towards her but she looked to him, shaking her head. "Harry, I swear if you're lying to me...But it's impossible, he can't be...What's the point in it all?... You think he's up to something...I see your point...I honestly don't know, I've got a lot going on here...Yes, I've been taking care of myself...I'll let you know as soon as I've made my decision, but I honestly don't think it'll be good for me...You know what he did, the damage he caused to my life... I know...Love you, too..." She finished before ending the call, snapping the phone shut and dropping it onto the armchair, her hand coming to run through her hair.
"You alright, Baby?" Dean asked. Of course, he'd only heard half of the conversation but what he had heard and seeing her pale face and her breathing deeply did nothing but cause worry.
"Not really, no," she breathed out, her gaze locked on the floor. "Sammy, be a dear and get me something stronger than beer, there should be some whisky in the pantry. There's a door at the back which leads to the cellar, you'll find it there."
Sam eyed her worriedly but nodded and did as she asked, disappearing into the pantry, meanwhile Dean stayed where he was, watching her worriedly while his father looked at her curiously.
"What did Harry want? Did he threaten my life again?"
Her mouth twitched. "He hasn't threatened your life in months, the kids love you which means he wouldn't do anything to harm you, well, that and he's scared of me... He's one of my brothers," she said, looking to his father when he looked a little confused. "He didn't quite like Dean when they first met, being overprotective and all that, but with my nephews and my sister-in-law having taken to him so well, he's coming around."
"You've met her family?" His father asked surprised.
"Most of them," Dean answered. "She's got a big family, half a dozen brothers and sisters, the spouses and a dozen nieces and nephews." His father blinked at him.
Sam returned with an unopened bottle of whiskey in hand and Hermione moved over to the kitchen, pulling glasses from the cupboard and moving over to the table, retaking her seat beside him while Sam retook his seat, too. Hermione took the whiskey bottle and opened it, pouring a more than decent amount into her glass before placing the bottle in the centre of the table and she sat back in her chair, crossing her arms, her eyes locked on the table as she sipped from her glass.
She didn't look up or speak, just continued to stare and Dean wasn't sure how much longer he could take the silence or the worry.
"Baby? What did Harry want?" He asked.
She blinked slowly and lifted her head, looking as though she'd forgotten they were even there and she was surprised to see them. She shook her head and sat up, setting her half-empty glass on the table and folding her hands around it as her body leaned forward and her arms rested on the table.
"He's resurfaced."
Dean looked to Sam, them both looking confused. "Who's resurfaced?"
"Lazarus," she spoke, her eyes clouding over in pain and anger and for Dean, something just seemed to click into place and he took a deep breath.
"It's him, isn't it? He's the one that killed your partner."
"He killed Jake," she said quietly. "He killed Jake and the thirteen hostages he'd taken." She looked up to him, catching his gaze and he briefly noted his father's curious eyes and Sam's worried frown. "I never told you but he almost killed me, too. He left me for dead. I would've died if Harry hadn't gotten worried that I hadn't checked in with the office like I was meant to. He found me and took me to hospital, it was touch and go for a while but they were able to patch me up."
His hand came up to rest on the table and he grasped her hand in his, feeling her tightening her hold on his hand.
"The majority of my department were on red alert, he'd killed one of our own and we all wanted the bastard dead, but we couldn't find him, he'd disappeared. I gave up knowing he was gone and that's when I moved here. They've kept an eye out for him even if four years have passed since Jake died, Harry just called to tell me he's resurfaced. It's all hands on deck and even though I'm not on their payroll anymore, they want me there to help them finish it."
"That means you have to go back to London?"
She shook her head. "No, he's been spotted in Europe several times, they're tracking his movements and they're expecting him in Paris within the next twenty-four hours."
"You should go," he told her.
She blinked in surprise. "But I'm needed here."
"There's three of us, more than enough to handle what's going on. You're needed, you have the chance to get justice for your partner and all the people he killed, not to mention what he did to you. It's not your fault what happened but if you're there helping to take him down, it may just give you the closure you need and help you to forgive yourself."
"He's right, Hermione," Sam spoke and she tore her eyes away from him and to Sam. "Take it from me, someone who can understand losing someone you cared for, going to Paris and helping to take him out is exactly what you need. It'll help you. We can handle things on this end, but you have the chance to put a difficult part of your past behind you and you should take it."
She took a deep breath and turned her eyes back to him, locking gazes.
"We'll be fine," he promised her.
"Okay, then I guess I'm going to Paris," she said. "I'll have to leave soon, everyone's already on route and I'll have to meet them there so I can be debriefed on the plan to take him out."
"What exactly are you looking for?" His father asked and they all looked to him. "Dean said you were a Hunter before moving here. So what are you up against?"
Hermione didn't bat an eyelash at his father's words regarding what he'd told him.
"The same as what you're up against here, a vampire."
His father raised an eyebrow. "You said the majority of your people have been called to help take him out, how many is that?"
"Before I left nearly four years ago there were just over fifty field agents and there's probably at least another twenty by now. They can't leave England without protection so I reckon it'll be between thirty and forty agents, including myself."
"Why so many to take down one vampire?" He asked, but even Dean heard the mocking tone to his voice so he wasn't surprised when Hermione's eyes narrowed and her knuckles turned white when she gripped her glass of whiskey harder.
"Lazarus is different, he's not just a regular vampire. You don't know everything about the supernatural, John. You may have been doing this longer than me, but you don't know more than me. I am very well trained and I have knowledge you'd kill to have. I have quite a few specialities under my belt, translating ancient texts, languages and runes being one of them. But vampires, in particular, are my forte."
Dean knew that, she'd told him more information about vampires than he'd known existed and with them technically being magical rather than supernatural, it made sense that she knew more about them than he did. He knew she'd grown up learning about them as a child when she was in school, so it was only natural that she knew more about them than any Hunter alive.
"I wouldn't expect you to know this, but there's actually two different types of vampires. The one you're familiar with drinks human blood, has sharp fangs, super senses and speed and can only be killed by taking off the head. Lazarus isn't like that, he's powerful are far more dangerous. He's a different kind of vampire, one that's so rare they're only seen once every ten years, and giving how many vampires there are in existence, that's saying something."
His father raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his seat and his mouth twitching, looking as though he were enjoying her anger being directed towards him. Dean wouldn't blame Hermione if she wanted to punch him again and he wouldn't stop her either. His father could be a dick when he wanted to be.
"And what makes him different? Why's he so special?"
"As I just said, he's powerful. On a rare occasion, when a human is turned into a vampire, they have been known to develop special gifts or abilities that set them apart from the others, and it makes them superior. Lazarus, if he wishes to, can actually survive on animal blood which means he doesn't leave a trail of dead bodies behind when he's being tracked. It's been recorded throughout history that one vampire developed the gift of telepathy, whilst one had the ability to turn himself invisible and another could control the element of fire."
Dean couldn't help but stare at Hermione in surprise as she'd never told him about it before and Sam was just as surprised whereas his father watched Hermione with a blank expression on his face.
"Lazarus, we're not entirely sure what his ability is as no one's born witness to it yet, but that doesn't matter. Aside from his ability, he's also stronger and faster than a regular vampire, and he can't be killed by simply cutting off his head. His head and limbs have to be removed from his body, everything has to then be burned in a fire that contains a blend of lavender, rosemary and salt, and then the ashes have to be buried beneath an oak tree that is at least five hundred years old and it has to be done on the night of the full moon, which happens to be two days from now. If a single step is overlooked or is done incorrectly, he'll return to his form once more. That's why he's known as Lazarus."
"I'm not sure I believe you," his father said.
"I don't give a shit what you believe. I've no reason to lie to you, I don't even like you," she replied, and Sam covered his snigger with a cough. His father kept his gaze on hers, Dean watching to see who would blink first. Hermione won.
"What do your parents think about all of this? Do they know what you do for a living?"
"They're dead," she replied, his father's tense form relaxing slightly at her words. "They were murdered when I was eighteen."
"Supernatural?"
"No, humans," she shook her head. "I'm the last of my bloodline."
His eyes darted over to Dean and then back to her with a confused frown. "Dean said you had siblings and nieces and nephews."
"Not biologically, when I was eleven I was accepted into an exclusive boarding school for those with special talents, and since then my best friend's parents practically raised me as their own. I spent more time with his family than I did my parents, I only saw them during the summer but they worked a lot. So while my biological parents are dead, I do have family back in Britain. As for my job, they worry but they know I can take care of myself and they know that I'll do whatever I want to with or without their approval. Back to vampires, it's highly unlikely that whoever you're up against has an ability, as I previously said they're very rare, but if you notice that they do seem to be stronger, just give me a call and I'll be here as soon as possible."
"You'll be on another continent, we won't have the time to wait for you," his father.
"Trust me when I say, my government has resources available to us that allow for faster travel times."
"You have access to a jet?" His father raised an eyebrow.
"Something like that," she smirked. "But I better get some things packed and head out if I want to beat the others to Paris."
She removed her hand from Dean's, downed the rest of her whiskey and then stood and left upstairs.
"I'm starting to like her," his father commented.
"Really? Then why were you aggravating her?" Dean replied, sitting back in his chair and reaching for the beer he hadn't yet finished, which he knew his father had noticed. It was the same beer he'd pulled from the fridge whilst Hermione had been cooking, whilst both he and Sam had already had three each.
"It's fun," he shrugged his shoulders, reaching for the whiskey bottle and pouring himself some into a glass before sipping from it. "At least she's got good taste," he complimented, looking to the glass appreciatively.
Dean let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. "She won't hesitate to shoot you."
"That just makes it more entertaining for me," he replied.
"You've got a death wish, you've no idea what she's capable of. You weren't there when a shape-shifter threw an axe at her, I've never seen her so mad and I even felt sorry for the bastard once she'd finished with him. I killed him just to put him out of his misery."
"She's a firecracker," he said amused, lifting his glass in a toast before bringing it to his mouth.
Dean sighed before standing from the table, leaving the kitchen and heading for the stairs. He stepped into Hermione's bedroom seeing the three cats still asleep on the end of the bed and there was a pile of clothes on the floor beside the laundry basket, Dean knowing they needed to be washed as he recognised some of the t-shirts she'd worn that week, and there was a second pile of neatly folded clothes sat on top of the chest of drawers. Hermione wasn't in the room but he'd noticed the bathroom door had been closed when he'd walked by, so he sat himself on the bed whilst he waited for her.
~000~000~000~
Silence suddenly filled the room and Sam shifted in his chair at the table, feeling tense and awkward. He let his gaze move to his father, seeing him swirling the liquid in his glass as he stared down at the surface of the table contemplatively.
It wasn't right, Sam thought. It wasn't right that he felt awkward around his own father. But the things that had been done and said almost four years ago couldn't be taken back because he'd meant every word he said, and his father was never one to listen to what he wanted or had to say. It was always his way or the highway, and Sam had chosen the latter.
Shouldn't he be proud of him? What father wouldn't be proud of their son being accepted into a college that was as well known as Stanford University? Especially when he'd done it on his own. Especially with his fucked up childhood, the moving around and the never being in the same place for more than a few weeks. Shouldn't his father be proud that he'd managed to get out of the hunting lifestyle he'd wanted him to have? Shouldn't he be happy that he was safe and happy at college and wanting to do something with his life? But no, his father, unfortunately, was just as fucked up in the head as the rest of them.
Shaking his head and no longer being able to stand the silence, Sam stood from the table, his chair scraping across the floor and drawing his father's attention, and he crossed over to the sink and filled it with hot soapy water. There was no need to box up leftovers or put it in the trash, Hermione didn't often get to cook but when she did, she was so good at it there was never anything left no matter how much she made or how big a portion she gave them.
Ignoring the weight of his father's stare, he dug his hands into the hot water, wincing slightly at the temperature before focusing his attention on scrubbing the plates and cutlery clean. Once he'd put them off the side to dry, he emptied the sink before rinsing out the saucepan and then he washed both pans and the empty pie dishes as Dean had eaten a full one to himself, not that he was surprised. Sam much preferred savoury over sweet, but even he could admit that Hermione could make a damn good pie.
"He's changed," his father commented. Sam didn't respond and he kept his back to him. "He's more..." He paused for a moment, searching for the word. "Settled,"
Sighing, Sam finished the last of the dishes, put them off to the side to dry and he emptied the sink, reaching for a cloth to dry his hands with before turning around, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.
"You sound surprised by that," Sam replied.
"You know your brother as well as I do," he said, bringing the glass to his mouth and sipping at the whiskey it held, "He's not the relationship type."
"And yet, almost eight months later, here we are. Dean's got a girlfriend that loves him as much as he loves her and he's happy in his life."
His father raised an eyebrow. "You think he loves her?"
"I know he does. I didn't find out about Hermione until after Jess' death, she had to go back to London as her brother was severely injured whilst doing his job and they weren't sure if he was going to make it. When he was released from the hospital she came back and she turned up at our motel, fair to say I've never been as surprised in my life than I was that day." His father snorted at him. "They'd been together a few months before we met, and that night after we finished with the case and returned to our room, he asked me how I knew I loved Jess, and that's when I knew he loved her. I've been with them for months now; I've seen how they respond to each other. She's killed for him, he's killed for her. He gets jealous when guys hit on her, she gets jealous when girls hit on him, but she doesn't mind him flirting so long as he doesn't do anything inappropriate. I've seen her ask him to flirt with someone to get information out of them. And while he does flirt, he's never looked at another woman the way he looks at her. You and I both know he hates cats, yet he didn't put up a fight or complain when we suddenly had two more to feed. He watches her when she's reading, he lets her drive the Impala regardless of the fact she sometimes forgets we drive on the right and not the left. When travelling he'll stop as many times as Hermione wishes, even if it's so she can take a photo of a damn tree, or because she has a sudden craving for ice-cream or cake. He willingly met her family and he got on a plane to travel to London no matter his fear, his eyes follow her when she leaves the room, and he holds her and sings to her when she has nightmares, and she does the same for him."
"Nightmares?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"You know there's some fucked up shit happening in the world, we've all seen and faced it, but Hermione's childhood was very hard for her. I'm not going to tell you why 'cause that's betraying her trust and privacy, but she was forced to do and witness things no child should have to do at that age. Her childhood makes ours seem normal. They try to hide it from me so I won't worry, they think I don't know and that I sleep right through the night when we have to share a room, but I know her nightmares are bad. Some days are worse than others, but I've noticed she's getting better and so is he. This lifestyle is hard, we both know that, but they help each other to cope, they've managed to find happiness with each other despite the situations we find ourselves in."
"Hermione's an amazing woman, she really is, and I love her as if she were my sister. She's been good for Dean. He's happier than I ever remember seeing him. He doesn't sleep around, he doesn't drink as much, he's not as reckless; he's grown up a lot since meeting her. He worships the ground she walks on and rightly so, if I'm being honest, if things were different and I didn't love her the way I do and I'd never met Jess but instead her, I probably would've done the same as Dean. So, yeah, I know he loves her, but I don't think he's figured it out yet and I don't think it'll be much longer until he does and he finally tells her."
"Do you think they'll last?" His father questioned curiously.
"Honestly, I think they just might. This isn't a fling, they've been together too long to it call it that. I actually think they'll be married within a couple of years and I've seen the way Dean is with Hermione's nieces and nephews, he all but melted when he held her newborn niece when we went over for a visit, so I won't be surprised if you get a grandchild in a few years." His father blinked in surprise, looking truly stunned by his words. "She's going to be a Winchester and I'll be proud to officially call her my sister, so you should probably get used to her being around 'cause she's not going anywhere. Hell, if Dean messes things up with her I'll kill him myself and then convince her to marry me just so she'll still be a part of my life. The only reason I'm still functioning after all the shit that's been happening is because of her. You won't believe half of the things that's she's done in her life, but if you earn her trust, if you prove to her she can trust you with her secrets then maybe she'll share them with and if she does, you're entire world with be flipped upside down and you'll question everything you know."
~000~000~000~
Hermione entered the room minutes later and he was surprised to see she'd taken a shower, especially since it had barely been ten minutes since she'd left them at the table. She stepped into the room with flushed skin, damp hair hanging down her back and with a towel wrapped around her but she didn't look surprised to see him.
"I'm sorry about my dad," he said.
"Don't be, I know he's an arsehole, I just think he's purposely acting like one to either prove me right or to wind me up," she replied, rooting through her underwear drawer, pulling a few pairs out and placing them with the rest of her folded clothes and then slipping on a pair beneath her towel.
"He said he likes winding you up," he told her, his eyes scanning her body appreciatively when she dropped the towel to the ground so she could put on her bra.
"If he'd known about magic, he most certainly would've been hexed by now. In fact, I'm still considering it and saying to hell with the consequences. If he kills me, I'll just come back and haunt his arse."
He snorted at her. "I don't think our relationship will survive that," he replied, frowning in disappointment when she pulled on a t-shirt and some jeans, covering her body from his eyes.
"No, what if I promise to only terrorise your father and to leave alone the rest of the human race?"
"Then definitely not, I'd at least want you to terrorise Sammy as well."
She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head, pulling her wand from seemingly out of nowhere and waving it over her hair, it suddenly falling down her back in perfectly dry curls. With another flick of her wand, the folded clothes before her packed themselves away into a small carry on suitcase, and it closed and zipped itself up.
"Your dad will be suspicious if he sees me leaving without luggage," she explained. "I'll pop it in my beaded bag once I leave. And once I get outside, I'll reinforce the wards for good measure. As long as you're inside the house, you'll be safe, so if you happen to get chased by the vampire you're after; if it follows you here you're safe. Just tell your dad it's a warding I know about that's similar to demon traps." He nodded. "I'll leave you the keys to the house, if you have to leave before I get back, don't worry about, I'll just track your location and head straight to you. Just remember to take the cats with you and Crookshanks will keep an eye on them for you."
"How long will you be gone?"
"Should be no more than a few days, if everything goes to plan, that is. We need to kill Lazarus before the full moon hits so we have a fifty-six-hour time frame that it needs to be done in, otherwise, we have to wait another month. There are ways to keep him contained until then but it's a pain in the arse and we run the risk of him escaping. But if you run into a bit of bother and you need me, I'll be with you within an hour no matter the time difference. We're most likely to be in the Muggle World so you can call me and I'll receive it. Are you sure you don't want me to stay? I know things with Sam and your dad are still unresolved and I don't want to leave you alone with them."
He smiled at her, reaching out to grasp her wrist and he tugged her closer until she stood between his parted knees and he looked up at her.
"I'll be fine," he said. "They'll work it out eventually, and while I'd be more comfortable with you staying for this case, especially after what we've just learned about vampires, I know this is something you need to do and it would be wrong of me to stop you from going. This might just be the closure that you're looking for."
She sighed and nodded, her arms coming up to loop around his neck and hands run through his hair, her nails scratching at his scalp.
"I know I won't be gone long but I'm going to miss you."
He smiled up at her. "I'll miss you, too," he admitted.
"Please be careful, I know you've got Sammy and your dad, but it's different. You've come to rely on me and my magic to have your back and save the day. I know you're capable of handling yourself, but it's different not having access to something you're used to. Not to mention, you've got Sam and your dad at each other's throats so that'll be a distraction."
"I'm used to it," he shrugged. "They've been that way for years."
"And you're stuck in the middle," she commented. "I really don't want to leave you alone with them."
"I'll be fine," he promised.
She bit her lip in thought and he raised an eyebrow when she pulled her wand from beneath her sleeve and gripped the little otter charm that he wore around his neck and hadn't taken off since she'd given it to him, and she pressed her wand to it, a slight blue glow settling over it before it disappeared.
"What was that?"
"I've turned it into a port-key," she answered. "If you're in a situation you can't get out of and your life is in jeopardy, grip the otter tightly and say 'Portus' and it'll transport you straight to the house. If you have hold of Sam and your dad, they'll be transported with you, of course, it'll be hard to explain to him afterwards but we'll deal with it if it comes to it. All that matters is your safety."
"Portus, got it," he nodded.
She let out a sigh. "I better get going or I might miss the debriefing."
"Be careful," he said.
He stood from the bed and pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her against him tightly as he buried his face against her neck, the scent of apples invading his nose and making him dizzy.
"Remember, if you have to leave, don't forget to turn off the power to the house, throw out anything that might go bad, don't leave the cats behind and lock the door after you. I'll find you once I'm done," she said, her words slightly muffled by his chest but he still understood.
She pulled back from him, reaching up to press her mouth against his and he held her to him a little longer when she tried to pull back from him too soon for his liking.
"I..." She hesitated. "I'll see you soon," she settled on, before pulling back from him, grabbing her carry on case and making her way down the stairs with him following behind her.
Seeing her entering the room with a case in hand, Sam pushed himself away from the counter and approached her, pulling her into a hug.
"Be careful," he told her.
"I always am," she replied, pulling back from him and reaching up to press a kiss to his cheek.
She grabbed her carry on case and made for the door, pausing as she grasped the handle and she looked back at them, seeing that his father had joined them as they stood beside each other, watching her.
"I mean it, if you need me just give me a call and I'll come straight back. Don't do anything stupid," she told him and his mouth twitched in amusement. Then she looked at Sam. "Don't let him do anything stupid," she said and Sam snorted at her. "Take care of each other, I'm not here to watch your stupid arses."
"Charming," Sam scoffed.
"I've been spending too much time with Dean," she replied, before looking to his father and he raised an eyebrow. "I swear, if I come back and there's a single injury, I don't care if it's a paper cut, I'll..."
"Break my nose?" He interrupted.
"No, kick you in the balls...Several times."
He snorted. "A bit drastic but fine," he replied.
She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, before looking back to him and Sam. "Be careful. Don't forget, safety first. Always do a perimeter check, always double check your surroundings and always ensure you have a plan."
"We know, Hermione," Sam said. "Constant vigilance," he nodded.
Hermione's mouth twitched into a smile. "Moody would be proud," she said, before she opened the door, blew a kiss their way and then closed it behind her.