Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic.
January 29, 1981 Rye, England - Black Cottage
Hermione stood shaking in the kitchen of the little cottage, her face pale. The phoenix patronus had already dissipated, but she didn't notice. She was too focused on what had happened. She she had let happen. She didn't hear the whoosh of the floo, nor Sirius calling her name from the living room. She barely registered him pulling her into his arms.
"Hermione, love, it's not your fault." he murmured over and over again. "You couldn't control it."
"I should have Seen it." She said. "I should have been looking for it. I haven't even tried checking in on Order members in months." She said. When had she started crying?
"Hermione, listen to me. You can't prevent every death. This is a war. Every single person in the Order is ready to lay down their lives for the cause, you know that." he said.
Dumbledore had sent a patronus to all the Order members, letting them know that Marlene McKinnon had been murdered, along with her entire family, overnight. Hermione hadn't had a single vision about an attack, and she felt as though her lack of foresight caused Marlene's death.
"Did you get the patronus, too?" she asked.
"No, Moody did. He told me to come check on you. He knew you'd take the news badly." He said, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"I should have been able to stop it." He said.
"Hermione, you've saved so many lives already. You've made this time a better place. You're not perfect." He said gently. "No one expects you to be."
"Except me." She laughed wryly.
"It's not fair for you to expect perfection from yourself." He said. "You're human. It's why I love you."
"I- I wasn't working hard enough." She said.
"Then stop beating yourself up, and start working harder." Sirius said. She looked up to him.
"I think you're right about something for once." She said, a small smile playing at her lips.
"For once." He rolled his eyes. He placed a kiss to her temple and held her close for a moment before they heard a knock at the door.
"Regulus?" Hermione asked, frowning. If it were any of their other friends, they'd have just used the floo. Regulus didn't have, nor did he want, access to their floo, though. The floo network was closely monitored by the Ministry, and he didn't want to risk that information falling into the wrong hands.
Sirius frowned, pulling himself away from Hermione to check the door, letting in Regulus. He looked surprised to see Sirius home, but greeted his brother with a hug, anyway. He'd been making a habit of letting his brother know how much he meant to him.
"Hey, Reg," Hermione greeted him, padding over to hug him as well. "What brings you here?" She asked, "And in the middle of the day?"
"I've gotta talk to you two about something. Something that I'm afraid you and James are probably going to hate, Sirius." He said. Sirius frowned, but waved his brother further into the house, waiting until all of them were seated to ask questions.
"Okay," Sirius said. "What are James and I going to hate?" he asked. Regulus leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his knees and clasping his hands in front of him.
"I have a contact, a Death Eater. He wants to defect, join the Order, but he doesn't know how to help. He's reached out to me for guidance, and I told him I'd talk to my contacts. He's got more access to Voldemort than even I do, and he'd be a very valuable asset to the Order." Regulus said.
"Great," Sirius said, leaning back thoughtfully. "Who is it?" Regulus took a deep breath and scrunched up his face.
"Severus Snape."
"That greasy little slime ball? Not a chance in hell, Reg. Sorry, if it'd been anyone else, I might have been able to forgive and forget. But that git spied on Dumbledore, took the prophecy to Voldemort, and sold out his supposed childhood friend. I can't forgive that." He said.
"He doesn't expect you to." Regulus sighed. "But he still does want out. He's fallen in too far, Sirius. He's finally realized that he was wrong about Muggleborns. And he wants to protect Lily. And James and Harry."
"He wants to protect James and Harry?" Hermione asked, awestruck. "Why?"
"I think he finally realized that love comes in many forms." He said. "He and I had a long talk. Peter was there too. He's been watching out for her for a long time. He knows a lot more than he tells anyone."
"What's in it for him?" Sirius asked. "He's a typical Slytherin, he's gotta have something to gain from this."
"He gets his friend back. He just wants her to be safe and happy. That's all he's ever wanted." Regulus said. "He's just had to come to terms with sharing her."
"Do you think Lily will be okay with this, 'Mione?" Sirius asked.
"Yes." she said simply. "She's been waiting for a chance to pull Severus out of the darkness for years. She's been waiting for him to ask for help. She'll be ecstatic about it."
"Then what is the next step? Dumbledore?" Regulus asked.
"No." Sirius said. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "He needs to talk to James and Lily first. They- we- need to lay out some ground rules before we ever bring this to Dumbledore."
"We?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, we." Sirius sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, all of us were at fault in our school rivalry. If he's going to join the Order, if we're going to have to work with him, we need to call a truce."
Hermione grinned at him, a gesture that was apparently infectious, as Regulus picked it up as well.
"What are you two grinning at?" He asked, shifting in his seat.
"When did you become so responsible?" Regulus asked.
"Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" Hermione giggled.
"You two really know how to insult a man's pride, you know." Sirius said, though he smiled as well.
"It's why we get along so well, really." Regulus said.
"And here I thought it was because we're both intelligent individuals who want to see a positive change in the world." Hermione said, mock-offended.
"That too, but it's mostly the insulting Sirius thing. We kind of bonded over it, you know?"
"You what?" Sirius asked, looking between his wife and brother.
"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to, love." Hermione giggled. "How about some tea before you go, Reg?"
"I'd love a cuppa, 'Mione. It's been a bit since I just visited with you two anyway." he said.
"After the war, I expect you round every Sunday, you hear?" Sirius said. "We're gonna be a proper family, Mum be damned."
"Of course," Regulus said with a small smile. Hermione knew the look he wore well. He didn't expect to make it out of the war alive, but he wasn't about to say that. "Speaking of family, when are you two going to give me a niece or nephew?"
"When the time's right." Hermione said, "And, preferably, when the war's over."
"Yet another reason to hope for the end soon." Regulus said. "You know I'm going to spoil your kids rotten, right?"
"You and everyone else, Reg." Sirius said, with a smile. "Hell, Harry's already spoiled, and he's hardly six months old." Sirius shook his head. "I'm not sure I'm ready to be a dad."
"Like I said," Hermione told him, "when the time is right. You waited three years to propose, and another year to marry me. I think it should be pretty obvious I'm not in any rush." she chuckled. Sirius grinned.
"Good to know." He told her with a smile. Hermione looked to both of the men, thinking back to the sixth year. So much had changed in the two men in five years. She smiled when she realized that Sirius had been right; she had made a difference in this time, and Regulus was living, breathing proof. It didn't take away her grief for Marlene McKinnon, but it gave her some of her fight back.
She resolved, then and there, to worker even harder to bring down Lord Voldemort. And she knew she had to start with her visions.
February 3, 1981 Rye, England- Black Cottage
The tension in the sitting room was palpable as Hermione, Sirius, James, Lily, Remus and Peter awaited the arrival of Regulus and Snape. Sirius had explained things to the others, but James wasn't too happy about the whole thing. Hermione knew there was a mixture of fear and excitement stirring in Lily. For her, getting her childhood friend back had been a dream that she never imagined she'd see come to fruition.
There was a knock a the door and Hermione got up to let the two Dark wizards in. All eyes in the room turned to Snape. Hermione did her best to ease the tension and break the ice.
"Can I get you two something to drink? Tea, cocoa? It's cold out there today." She said, shivering a bit as she shut the door.
"Perhaps a shot of firewhiskey, if you've got it, love." Regulus said. "I've a feeling I'm going to need it."
"Better bring the bottle, 'Mione." James said, warily.
"One shot each, no more, you hear?" Hermione said, moving to the kitchen and returning with a bottle of firewhiskey and a few shot glasses. Sirius wasn't a heavy drinker, but he made sure they were stocked if he wanted a drink. "You lot need your wits about you."
"Just something to take the edge off." Regulus smiled at her, knocking back a shot. Sirius and James both took one as well, but Severus refused the drink politely.
"Okay, now that that's out of the way." Hermione said, drawing her wand and sending the glasses and alcohol back to the kitchen. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"
"As you all know, I'm sure," Regulus started, "Severus and I have been discussing defection from the Dark Lord for some time. It took quite a bit of convincing on the part of Peter and myself to get him to consider coming to the Order, but he does not do so lightly."
"I am in even better standing with the Dark Lord than Regulus." Severus said, his voice sounding raspy. He looked only at Hermione, almost not daring to look at any of the others. "I've been to his base of operations, I know the layout well. I'm also very familiar with the houses of other Death Eaters, should raids become a necessity."
"There's no doubt you'd be an excellent asset to the Order, Snape." Remus said, looking the man over. "But I think the question running through most of our minds is why you've changed your mind?"
Severus looked up at the werewolf, acknowledging him with a look of detached interest, before, finally, turning his gaze to Lily. Their eyes met and for the first time in nearly five years, Hermione saw Severus smile.
"Lily," He said, speaking directly to her, and ignoring the rest of the room. "When you told me that you'd chosen your way and I'd chosen mine, it did something to me. Part of me broke, and I lost the last bit of light in my life. Then you started dating Potter seventh year, and I was bitter about that for a long time. I'll admit, I've watched you from afar for years, Lily. Trying to make sure you were safe. At first, I suppose it was just out of bitterness. I was waiting for Potter to slip up, waiting for you to leave him. When he proposed, and you two got married, I think I realized that wasn't going to happen. I started watching how you two acted with each other, instead. I started observing how you interacted with Black, as well. And that's when I realized you looked at the two men differently. You love them both, but you love them differently." Severus said, frowning.
Hermione watched James and Sirius carefully. James's fists were balled into tight fists. He clearly didn't like that Severus had been watching his wife for years. Sirius's jaw was set, Hermione could see him biting the inside of his cheek to stay quiet.
"And I realized, after all this time," Severus continued, "that you look at Black the same way you used to look at me." Lily nodded, a small smile on her face.
"Sev, I love you. I always have. You were my first friend." She said, standing up.
"I didn't realize how many different kinds of love there were." Severus said quietly. "I know you love Potter. I'm not bitter about that anymore, because I've seen how much he loves you, as well. You love your child, leaving your job to protect him. You love your friends. Lily, I'll never understand how someone as pure and good as you could love someone as broken as me."
Suddenly, Lily crossed the room and threw herself into Severus's arms. Severus was stiff as a board, taking a few seconds to register what was happening, before he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair.
"Sev, you're not broken. I've been telling you that since we were kids. What happened to you growing up, it's not your fault. You still deserve to be loved." Lily murmured into his chest.
Hermione watched James's face go red as his wife launched herself into Severus's arms, and for a moment she worried he'd burst out in violence, but he watched Sirius put a hand on James's shoulder, nodding to the two. James paled as he realized Severus Snape, a grown man, and a Death Eater, was holding his wife, and crying.
"I'm sorry, Lily." He said through the tears. "I'm sorry for everything."
Sirius made eye contact with Hermione, and she knew that their questions about his sincerity were answered. He would fight for the light, for his friend's life. The two pulled away from each other finally, and Severus dried his eyes, finally looking up around the room. His eyes locked with James's for a moment.
"There was a time, Potter, that I would have killed you as soon as looked at you had the Dark Lord asked me to. But it's been a long time since I've felt that way. I have to admit, to this day, I have no great love for you, nor Black, but I've been fighting to keep you alive for close to two years now." he said, his demeanor returning to the one Hermione had become accustomed to at school.
"You have?" James asked, eyebrows shooting up. "And how is that?"
"I've been leading the search for you away from Godric's Hollow, having the Dark Lord look in Ottery St. Catchpole, and Upper Flagley. I don't know where you live in Godric's Hollow, but I assume it's well protected? A Fidelius Charm, like this house?" James nodded. "And your secret keeper?"
"Me." Peter said, nodding at Severus. Severus's lips twitched up.
"A good choice. A true friend you've got in Peter, Potter." He said. James frowned a bit at that, but shook his head to clear it a bit.
"Look, Snape, just because you are suddenly on our side doesn't mean I'm going to like you overnight." James said.
"I'm not asking you to like me," Severus said, looking first to James, then to Sirius, Remus, and even Hermione. "Any of you. I'm asking you to let me help you fight. Let me help end this war so we can move on with our lives."
Sirius and James shared a look, and James sighed, nodding. Sirius stood, walking over to Severus.
"We need all the help we can get. I don't want our schoolyard rivalry to cause issues, so I'd like to offer a truce. We fight for the same team, whether we like each other or not." Sirius said, sticking out his hand. Severus looked around the room, trying to gauge the general opinion. He looked to Lily, who smiled encouragingly, then to Regulus and Peter, who both nodded. He glanced at Remus, who nodded once, making eye contact, then to James, whose solemn look said everything he needed to know. Finally, he looked to Hermione, who'd been quiet the entire time.
"You'll keep the peace, should things get out of hand?" Severus asked, quietly. She smiled widely, chuckling as she nodded. So he had noticed that she'd been watching the boys.
"Of course. It's sort of what I do." Hermione said with a smile. Severus nodded once, turning back to Sirius and shaking his hand.
"A truce, then." he said. "May it bring a swifter end."
"I'll drink to that," Regulus said with a heavy sigh, making for the kitchen.
"Regulus Arcturus Black, don't you dare-" but he was already in the kitchen, and the other boys followed suit. Hermione sighed and looked to Lily, exasperated. The other woman smiled at her sympathetically, before turning to Severus.
"It's good to have my friend back." She said. Hermione smiled at the exchange before bustling off to the kitchen to pry the bottle of firewhiskey from the hands of Regulus, happy that that was the only argument she'd have to deal with that day.