A/N: Mild tw for the use of queer as a slur in this chapter (period typical nonsense). It's only once, but thought I'd warn for it just in case.
24th April 1978
Lily and Sirius stood still and in silence until the front door closed behind her father. She could feel the anger rolling off of Sirius as he put his large hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. He was so much taller than her that she could avoid looking into his face and addressing the situation until he put a gentle hand under her chin, the softness so uncharacteristic of the usually boisterous Gryffindor unless he was with her or their friends and no one else was around.
"Lils." He reached up and brushed some strands of fiery hair back out of her face from where they'd fallen out of her twist. "You okay? We can go, if you want."
She sucked in a breath, girding her Gryffindor courage, "No. I can do this."
"Your mum's mastered the Pureblood matriarch's passive aggressiveness." Sirius said with a sharp, unamused snort. Lily knew where his thoughts had gone, and took a second to lament the tough home situations too many of their small group had.
Lily sighed, and roughly brushed away the tears forming in her eyes, glad she could fix any make-up that got ruined by the moisture. "She didn't used to be like this." She explained, feeling the need to justify her family to him.
Sirius pulled her into a hug, and she buried her face in his warm chest, inhaling his spicy, leather-y scent. The smell calmed her anger and sadness, and she giggled a little into his chest when his fingers trailed lightly over her ribs where she was ticklish. "Wanna have sex on your parent's sofa? Get back at them?" He asked provocatively, barking out a loud laugh when she pulled back and slapped his arm lightly. "Come on, babe. Let's go show those fuckers how great you are."
"You're so foul-mouthed." She complained with no real heat behind it. He grinned, and leaned down to press a short kiss to her lips. She didn't let him get away with such a small amount of affection. She twined her hands in his thick, dark hair, uncaring that it ruined his carefully arranged messy bun, and deepened the kiss. He groaned into her, sliding his hands around her waist to grip her arse and pull her closer as she slid her tongue into his mouth, taking control and snogging him as hard as she could. They made out ferociously for a long few moments that felt endless in the best way.
Lily tried desperately to bury herself in the sensation of his plush lips and tongue manipulating hers so she could ignore the anger her parents had stirred in her.
When she pulled back, reluctant but not wanting to get caught by her parents, a smug smile pulled at her lips over just how wrecked Sirius looked now. His hair was a mess, his grey eyes dark with lust, and without her notice she'd unbuttoned his shirt two more buttons so his delectable chest, sparsely hair-covered and tattoo decorated, was on display. She smirked, and his eyes lit with amusement.
"You look good like this." He said admiringly, reaching out and running his thumb over her tingling bottom lip, "You should look this happy all the time." He said sappily, and she felt the flush of pleased surprise suffuse her pale, freckled cheeks.
"So should you." She said quietly, reaching out and squeezing his hand briefly when he looked a little lost over the praise. Hermione had taken her aside not long after she and Sirius had started dating, and warned Lily of the man's many insecurities, and the thick walls and masks he'd built up around himself. Lily had been surprised - while she was friendly with the Marauders, she'd never been as close as Hermione until this last year. She'd not had the opportunity or privilege to see the softer, more vulnerable sides of both Sirius and James.
"We should go, I want to get this over with as quickly as possible so we can get back to yours." She said quietly, taking out her wand and fixing their hair, clothes and her makeup with a few muttered spells. She gladly took his hand when he reached out to her, and followed him out of the house to her parents car. Her mother looked pissed and impatient when they slid into the back seats, but her father just turned and sent them both a smile.
The car ride was awkward and silent, but thankfully it was only about fifteen minutes to the church where Petunia was getting married. They parked quickly, and Lily was surprised at the amount of people milling around, all dressed in their finery. Sirius reached out and squeezed her hand tightly, his features pinched as he looked at all the people. Richard and Magnolia quickly hopped out of the car, and Sirius and Lily followed at a slower pace.
"Wish I'd brought some firewhiskey." Sirius muttered as he wrapped his long arm around Lily's waist and steered her after her parents as they went around the back of the church, where presumably Petunia was getting ready. Lily turned to look at him, glanced around quickly, and then opened her bag just enough for Sirius to see that she had a large flask in there (the bag had obviously had an undetectable extension charm put on it - Hermione's handiwork by the looks of it). He chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.
"Oh, Petunia doesn't want you coming back here, Lily. Why don't you go wait out front, take your seat or something." Magnolia turned around and stopped them when she realised Lily and Sirius were following. She sounded sincerely sorry for once, but Lily still felt the sting of the rejection hard.
Sirius scowled darkly at her parents, but she steered him away before he could give them the piece of his mind that he clearly wanted to. "Can't I just give them a little hex?" He snapped angrily, vibrating with the restrained feelings as she led him back round to the front of the church.
She sighed and stepped inside, not bothering to answer him as they found their way to a seat in the second row from the front, Sirius sliding in on the outside of the row beside her. She delighted just a little in the scandalised looks a few people threw their way over Sirius' state of dress. She also noticed a lot of (rather disgustingly pervy) admiring looks being thrown Sirius' way by some of the older women - and men - who were also already sitting down. They sat and waited for what felt like an inordinately long and boring time for the ceremony to start. Sirius whiled away the wait by amusing both himself and Lily with dirty jokes and rude and snide comments about the other guests - both things that usually would've gotten him a smack or stern talking to, but right now relaxed her. She wished she'd just not agreed to come, or snuck in Hermione, or Dorcas, or Alice as well.
Finally all of the guests had taken their seats, Lily noticing some looks being thrown her way by both her cousins, and other family members (none of whom she'd seen in years), and a large angry looking woman on the other side of the aisle. She looked remarkably like Vernon, who had just taken his place at the front of the room in front of the priest.
"This is weird." Sirius commented quietly beside her, twisting around in his seat to examine everything.
"What?"
"Everything. Magical weddings aren't anything like this, especially not Pureblood ceremonies."
Lily didn't know why she was surprised at that, but she'd only ever seen Muggle wedding ceremonies, so it made sense she didn't know. She reached out and took Sirius' hand, smiling at him when he looked down at her with a soft smile he never let anyone but her see. The music started up then, and everyone stood to watch. The bridesmaids came first, all girls Lily didn't recognise or know, then her mother led the way in front of Petunia on her father's arm. Petunia was wearing a hideous lacy and slightly poofy dress. Sirius turned to Lily, a disgusted look on his face. Lily hid her snicker behind her hand, turning away and catching her mother's eye - she sent her a stern frown and Lily sighed, all mirth gone.
Sirius was scowling when she looked back at him, his glare aimed at her mother's back. She squeezed his hand as they all sat down again. Petunia had reached the front and Richard Evans had handed her over to Vernon Dursley. Sirius let go of her hand and threw his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against him, and she resolutely ignored the disappointed noise from her mother's sister who was sitting next to Sirius.
The ceremony was incredibly boring and much too long, and Lily completely zoned out, her attention focused instead on the feel of Sirius' long arm warm around her neck and his long fingers laced with hers when she reached up to hold his hand. He pressed a hot kiss to her neck, hidden by the tendrils of her red hair. Finally it was over, and everyone stood to follow the newly married couple out to congratulate them. Lily and Sirius didn't rise until almost everyone had filtered out, both ignoring all the looks Sirius was getting for his leather jacket and partially unbuttoned shirt.
Lily hesitated and didn't follow when Sirius went to step out. He turned back to look at her, frowning at the uncertain look she was sure was on her face. "Lils? You okay?"
"I don't know if I can deal with this, Sirius." She said quietly, glancing towards the doors where she could see the rest of her family waiting where she should be standing with them - not waiting in line to see them. Sirius turned to look too, a frown on his face that told her this was another distinctly Muggle thing to do. When he turned back to her he was growling quietly. She raised an eyebrow, "Are you growling?" She asked incredulously.
Sirius shook himself, like he was a dog, and had the good sense to look a little sheepish over the growling. "We can just leave if you want?" He gestured to the back of the church, "We can just go apparate home." Her heart fluttered a little at the casual way he included her.
She sighed, and shook her head after thinking for a long moment. She sent a look back at the line which had dwindled down to a few people left. Her mother caught her eyes and sent her a stern look, gesturing to the end of the line. "I should at least stay for the meal." She said finally, crossing her freckled arms over her chest defensively, and not even swatting Sirius like she usually would when his attention focused on her cleavage.
"Alright. Come on then, let's make your sister jealous." Before she could work out what he meant, he'd pulled her close and into a passionate kiss that sent tingles down from the top of her head to her toes. He pulled away much too quickly, leaving her disoriented and panting, a flush covering her cheeks. He smirked smugly, looped his arm through hers and pulled her over towards her family, who were all looking at them. Petunia did have a sour look on her face, and sending a glance at the face Vernon was currently making, Lily wasn't surprised.
"Mr, and Mrs Evans. What a… long ceremony." Sirius said when they finally made their way over to her parents. He was playing up his aristocratic accent, sounding more like his brother than she'd ever heard. She saw the surprised confusion on Petunia and Vernon's faces when they looked at him. "Tuney, Victor, could you not afford a grander venue?" He asked, sending a scathing look back at the small church. Lily hid her smile behind her hand, and saw the amusement in her father's eyes, though her mother looked utterly horrified.
"It's Petunia and Vernon." Petunia snapped, looking up at Sirius with that same sour look. "Lily, who the hell did you bring along? You didn't say you were bringing a plus one." She scowled at her younger sister.
"Well, you didn't have a space for me to on my invitation, Petunia." Lily threaded her arm through Sirius', who looked down at her with a smirk, "This is Sirius Black, my boyfriend."
Petunia sent her a scathing look, and Vernon spoke for the first time, "That was for a reason." He snapped.
"Is he a freak like you?" Petunia asked, running a disgusted look over Sirius, her eyes widening when they caught on the chest hair and tattoos peeking through the open neck of his shirt.
"Petunia!" Richard snapped. Magnolia didn't say anything, and Lily's heart ached, knowing that just a few years ago she would have scolded Petunia too.
"A freak?" Sirius asked, sudden sharp anger in his voice. "You mean, magical? Yes, I'm a wizard." He ran a look over both Lily's sister and her new husband, "A better person than you two, I'm sure, and my family are insane, so that's an achievement." He snapped, his hand hovering around his pocket where Lily knew he'd stored his wand.
"Are you all insane? It would explain a lot. Turning up to our beautiful wedding in your disgusting leather jacket, exposing all that skin." Vernon said angrily, his face had started to turn a vivid red, and a vein seemed to pop out of nowhere on his forehead. "You freaks shouldn't mingle in polite society. You look like a queer too." He sneered.
Sirius finally pushed his hand into his pocket and went to pull out his wand, "Say that again, fucker." He said angrily. Lily was mildly surprised he knew what the slur meant when it wasn't an issue or an insult in the magical world.
"Sirius, stop!" Lily reached out and quickly grabbed his wrist to prevent him from brandishing his wand. "You'll break the statute of secrecy, there's too many Muggles around!" She hissed, glancing around. Luckily Vernon's family weren't waiting in the receiving line anymore.
Sirius snarled at Vernon and Petunia, both of them flinching back at the animalistic sound. He smirked satisfiedly, "Fine, Lils, babe. But only because there's Muggles around." He glanced around them too, then leant closer to Vernon, using his superior height to tower over the cruel man, "You call her that again and you won't like what you see, Dursley. You really don't want to see the Black madness at play." He snarled. Vernon spluttered, turning even more red, but couldn't think of a comeback. "We're gonna leave, Lily. Your family doesn't deserve to see you when they act like this." Sirius carried on, twining his fingers through hers. "Let's go back to Potter Manor, we can have dinner with dad before going back to Hogwarts."
Vernon snorted derisively, "Manor? I doubt that."
Sirius opened his mouth to say something most likely rude and angry, but Lily tightened her hand around his to stop him, "Let's go, Sirius. I just wanna get back to school."
Sirius scowled at Lily's family, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "Come on, babe." They left the rest of her family standing there, with only Richard saying goodbye. Petunia had crocodile tears standing in her eyes, Vernon looked furious, and Magnolia just watched Lily and Sirius with disappointment as they walked away around the side of the church to find somewhere quiet to apparate from.
Lily wrapped her arms around Sirius' waist, dropping her head to his chest and letting him take charge and apparate them both back to Potter Manor. They found Charlus sitting in the drawing room, a book in one hand, a glass of firewhiskey in the other. He looked up when Sirius led Lily into the room. She felt lost and like she was falling with nothing to catch her. Charlus stood without hesitation and pulled her into a warm hug, the action comforting in a way she hadn't had in so long. Sirius quietly told his surrogate father what had happened over her head, and she heard and felt the Potter patriarch sigh angrily above her.
"I'm so sorry, Lily." He said quietly, pushing her gently away so he could look her in the face. "You'll come back and stay here once school's done, okay." She nodded, knowing he wouldn't take no for an answer. Whilst Sirius had bought himself a flat in Magical London at the beginning of their Christmas break last year, he had yet to move there since Dorea's passing, so he was planning to come back to Potter Manor for a short while at least.
23rd June 1978
"Here."
"Oh, James, it's beautiful." Hermione took the diadem from him reverently. "But I thought you were done with the betrothal jewellery?" She looked back up at him, and smiled at the flush staining his brown cheeks. James had asked her to stay back for a minute, so they'd remained behind in the head dorms, their friends heading down to the Great Hall to get ready for the leavers assembly which would be taking place out on the lawn by the Black Lake.
He grinned, "You deserve the whole set."
"It's really too much, James." She said around a sigh, already knowing he wouldn't stop or take it back.
He just pulled her close against his hard chest, and wrapped his long arms low around her wide hips. "You love it." He whispered against her lips, taking them in a kiss before she could argue. She moaned into his mouth when he grabbed handfuls of her generous arse and pulled her even closer. His tongue slid sensuously along her bottom lip, but he pulled back before either of them could deepen the kiss any further.
"We need to go down." She whispered huskily against his lips, James just smirked and didn't let her go. She gasped as he started backing her towards the warm stone walls of the head dorm's common area, his hands still filled with her backside. He lifted her easily so her ankles could lock around his hips, his muscles - built from years of Quidditch - flexing as he held her weight. "What in Merlin's name are you doing?"
He grinned, and didn't answer yet, pinning her against the wall and assaulting her neck with open-mouthed kisses. "We shouldn't be doing this in here." She tried to insist. The effect was ruined by how breathless she was as she twined her fingers in his messy hair and arched into him. "You've got a perfectly good bed in your room."
"Two reasons." He answered her previous question finally, dropping her feet to the floor and quickly pulling her free of her robes so he could get at her dress beneath. He fumbled with the buttons that lined the front of the light summer dress, pulling them all undone until her dress floated open around her, revealing her lacy bra and knickers. "One: I always wanted to defile this room, cos I know how scandalised Lily would be."
He ran a reverent hand from her decolletage down to the top hem of her knickers, his long fingers sliding slowly along the width of the hem, tickling over her stretch marks as he went. He ardently cradled her wide hips in his hands, and she loved that she didn't care one bit that his fingers dug into the extra fat that cushioned them as he sank to his knees in front of her.
She moaned when he nipped his way up her thick thighs and then ran a flat tongue over her knickers. He slipped them down and past her ankles and hitched one of her knees over his shoulder, spreading her thighs as wide as he could around himself without unbalancing her.
He began kissing her sex again and again, dragging low moans from her belly. "Second: I can't wait to fuck you."
"You can't wait?" A disbelieving laugh burst past her lips, halted only when he pressed two fingers inside her and curled them. "Your room's only- Ahh."
"You're fucking right I can't." Hermione could feel him smirk against her quim, and when he dove between her thighs, licking and sucking her clit, she forgot all reason. Her whimpers of pleasure filled the room. "Fuck, I love you." His hand filled with the thick of her arse, and she began absently riding his face, her skull colliding with the hard stone of the wall as she rocked on his face again and again. She didn't care that she'd probably have a headache later because of it.
"Are you talking to me or my…"
"Both, love." He nipped at her thigh again, and resumed his eager ministrations. With a final few hard flicks of his tongue and that delicious thing he did with his fingers inside her, she came undone, screaming her pleasure to the ceiling, clenching down around his fingers.
When her orgasm had waned, leaving her heaving for breath and starry-eyed, he shot to his feet and turned her so she was facing the wall. With the toe of his dress shoes he nudged at her ankles, and she obliged, widening her stance and bending over until he groaned in appreciation.
Idly, she heard the rustle of his robes as he moved them out the way, and the zip of his Muggle trousers sliding down and moments later he was slotted at her entrance, shoving inside her with a single thrust.
She bucked, mouth falling open at the sudden, delicious sensation, a rapturous moan ripped from her. "James…"
He pressed against her, lips brushing her ear. "We've got to get to the assembly, so I'm going to fuck you hard against this wall real fast. That okay?" A strangled groan slipped from her, and she bit into her forearm to keep from all out wailing. She could feel his grin against the shell of his ear, and he stepped back, dragging her hips with him. "Fuck, you're perfect," He crooned and then began snapping his hips in hard thrusts that reverberated in the quiet room.
Her legs shook, thighs jiggling every time he drove relentlessly into her. As he did, his hands never stopped roving, digging into her hips and sliding up her spine to tangle in her curls, slipping around to pinch her nipples at unexpected moments so Hermione felt like she couldn't keep up.
The familiar knot coiled hot between her thighs again and he noticed, commanding her to touch herself as he kept up a brutal pace. She listened, loving the rare times when he took charge so forcefully, sliding her hand down to play her own body expertly. With only a few swipes of her fingers, she shattered again, crying his name loudly into the room. He spilled inside her a couple of hard thrusts later, fingers digging bruises into her shoulder as he hilted himself deep in her sex.
"Fuck," He breathed when the moment had quieted.
A hazy smile worked over her lips, and she bit her lip to keep from completely losing it. "Fuck is right."
xxx
"You do know I won't be wearing the diadem just to sit there for the assembly, right?" She asked as she carefully placed said piece of jewellery back in the case he'd given her, and then shrunk down the case to fit in the pockets of her robes. They'd neatened themselves up as much as they could but Hermione knew her curls were still hilariously unruly thanks to him.
He laughed, ruffling his own messy hair with a long-fingered hand, swearing when the Potter ring got momentarily tangled in his hair, "I assumed, yea." He grabbed her hand with his spare one, and together they left the head dorms. He was practically bouncing as he led the way down, still on a high from Gryffindor's win of the Quidditch cup last month, and looking forward to a long summer before he and Sirius started Auror training in September.
"I can't believe we're done." Hermione whispered as they made their way down to the ground floor.
The final term of the year after Easter had flown by, and NEWTS had come and gone in a flash. Hermione knew she'd done pretty well - the material in her last year hadn't gotten any harder than repeating her first six years, she'd learned it all years before in her extra curricular reading, or in the training she'd been doing with Severus and Regulus recently. She knew most of the Professors had little patience for her in a way she'd never experienced as Hermione Granger. Even though she'd still been a good student, she was frequently found not paying attention in class - her brain whirring with more important thoughts and plans for the war.
She shook the thoughts of the war off for now though, determined to spend the day only focused on good thoughts. When they arrived in the Great Hall they split off, Hermione heading towards the girl and Frank, who grinned and pulled her into a large hug straight away.
"We've done it, 'Min!" He exclaimed, tightening his arms around her until she had to slap at him to let her go with a laugh.
"I can't believe it." She said, off balance and more than a little sad at the thought. She'd never gotten to this point before. Life started now, and she wasn't sure she was ready for it. She could see in the look Frank gave her that he was reading her anxieties as easily as he'd always been able to.
"You'll be great, 'Min." He said, talking quietly so the other girls wouldn't be able to hear. "I'll be a Floo call away if you ever need me." He pointed out.
"You'll be asleep or in training." She laughed, eyes flashing with amusement. Frank and Alice had both been accepted into the early Auror training programme that started in a month.
He shrugged in agreement, "Most likely, but you can still come to me."
"I love you, Frank." She pulled him back into a hug, hiding the traitorous tears rising in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're my best friend."
"Love you too, 'Min."
"We all love you!" Alice exclaimed, suddenly appearing beside them, and pushing her way between them to wrap Hermione in a large hug.
"We do!" Dorcas said with a happy shout, and before Hermione could respond to agree, Dorcas and Lily had both thrown themselves into the hug. The four Gryffindor girls laughed loudly, hugging each other tight, as though they would never see each other again after they left Hogwarts.
That wasn't true of course, Dorcas and Alice had already found a small flat to rent together near Sirius' off Diagon Alley for once school was finished, and Lily would be staying at the Potter Manor with Sirius and James for a short while (she was the only Gryffindor seventh year who was unaware Sirius was planning on asking her to move in to the flat with him and Remus). Frank and Peter had managed to rent the flat next to Sirius' and would be moving in there soon. Hermione wasn't sure what was happening with James or herself, the plan for now seemed to be moving back with their parents, but she was quietly hoping they would ignore pure-blood courting customs and move in together too.
"Hey, what's this happening without us over here!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing himself into the hug exuberantly. James followed his example, and when Remus, Peter, and Frank piled into the hug they all collapsed to the stone floor with loud laughter and expletives.
"You're all ridiculous!" Lily screeched over the laughter, though her large grin belied her angry tone. "I'm still head girl for another hour, I could give you all detentions!"
"You'd have to give yourself, the head boy and a prefect detention too then, Lils." Dorcas grinned wildly, dark eyes flashing with amusement when Lily pouted.
"Merlin, get off me, you great lumps. You're much too heavy." Hermione groaned, shoving at James and Sirius, who had both somehow ended up lying on her. They both shot identical cheeky grins down at her as they helped each other to their feet. Hermione batted the helping hand James offered her away as everyone else levered themselves up too, until it was only Hermione and Dorcas still lying on the floor next to each other, somehow they'd been the unlucky two to end up crushed under everyone else.
"Not sure I can move." Dorcas groaned beside her.
Hermione laughed and groaned in agreement. "I think I'm bruised." She said with a pained moan, pushing herself up to sitting.
Alice reached down and grabbed Dorcas' hand, pulling her to her feet. James held his hand gallantly out to Hermione again, and she accepted it this time, letting him pull her up and into his arms. He grinned again, willfully ignoring her glare. "You still look wonderful."
She scoffed, "That's not the issue." She'd never wished for the Weasley twins and their marvellous bruise paste more than now.
"Seventh years! Please line up alphabetically, and prepare to head out onto the grounds." Professor McGonagall's magically amplified voice cut through the low level of noise filling the Great Hall, and the seventh years scrambled to comply. Hermione took her place behind Peter, in front of James, bouncing on the balls of her feet, uncharacteristically fidgety. She'd never had the chance to finish Hogwarts in her past, and the nervous excitement was exhilarating.
The assembly passed in the blink of an eye, and Lily and James had given a moving speech after Dumbledore had finished his. Hermione found her family in the crowd at the party thrown on the grounds after they'd officially finished Hogwarts. Bill and Charlie ran up to her, wide grins on their faces "Aunt 'Mione!" They shouted together exuberantly. She dropped to her knees, uncaring of the possible grass stains on her dark robes, and swept them both into a large, giggling hug. She'd not seen them for ages, so her grin was wide and bright as she hugged them close.
Charlie giggled as she stood, sweeping her into her arms, she was still surprisingly light for a five year old, especially compared to how muscled and large she remembered him being from her past. She took Bill's hand in her free one and led them both back over to their family. Iphemia was holding two year old Percy in her arms, and he reached out eagerly for Hermione when she got close enough, an eager whine of "'Mione" leaving him when was close enough to hear the quieter Weasley child.
She lowered Charlie carefully to the ground and ruffled her short hair, and when she let go of Bill's hand the eldest Weasleys immediately started playing together. She lifted Percy out of Iphemia's hold and cuddled him close, determined that he would receive the same affection from her as all his siblings, and not be so left out this time.
"How do you feel, Hermione?" Molly asked, pulling her into a tight side-hug to avoid crushing Percy.
"Yea, you're a proper adult now, little sis." Fabian interjected, smirking. He was holding one of the Weasley twins - only two months old - in his arms, Gideon had the other and they both looked very amused over it.
"What, you mean unlike you?" She asked with a snort, dodging out of the way of the hand he swatted towards her in return.
"We're so proud of you, love." Iphemia said happily, pulling her (and subsequently Percy) into a big, enveloping hug. The type of hug that was always the best coming from a parent. Hermione was completely ensconced, Iphemia's silky dress robes against her cheek, and her subtle perfume surrounding her comfortingly.
"We really are." Geraint hugged her next, sandwiching the now giggling Percy between them. "Are any of your friends coming back with us for the celebratory meal, love?" He pulled away, leaving a large hand resting on her shoulder.
"James, Sirius, and Lily are going back to the Potters. The Longbottoms are all going back to the Brown's with Alice and Andrew. I think everyone else is going to their families." She turned around, eyes searching out her friends. Dorcas was standing with her parents, and waved happily at Hermione when she saw her looking. Peter was likewise standing with his family, his father looked bored and angry, and was already trying to usher Peter and his timid mother away from the celebrations.
It took her a little longer to spot Remus, and when she did, what she saw brought a frown to her face. Only his father was there, his Muggle mother unable to attend. She couldn't see what was being said, but could see Lyall Lupin angrily gesticulating. Remus had shrunk back from the man, she'd not seen him do such a thing since the start of Hogwarts, he certainly wouldn't back down so if it were anyone else shouting at him.
"I'm going to see if Remus is okay." She said quietly to Geraint, who turned and followed her gaze. His brows furrowed in worry, and he nodded, gently taking a protesting Percy out of her arms.
Hermione passed James, Lily, and Sirius standing with Charlus on the way to Remus, and waved at them as she did. James and Sirius both frowned when she didn't join them and turned to look at where she was going. They made to follow her, but she stopped them before they could with a shake of her head, gesturing for them to wait. Neither looked eager to follow the instruction, but did anyway.
"Remus!" She called when she was near, noticing how his father flinched but Remus didn't react. She was unsurprised - his superior hearing would have meant he heard her approaching.
"Hey, Hermione." He said when she got close enough, his voice subdued, and when he looked at her, his blue eyes were sad and shuttered. She pulled Remus into a tight, almost defiant, hug - knowing his bigoted father wouldn't be happy, and wanting to provoke him so she could tear into him. "This is my dad, Lyall."
"Nice to meet you." She said, saccharine sweet, holding her hand out for him to shake. He looked at her hand and took it slowly, disgust clear on his face for how she'd hugged his son, and stayed standing so close to him even now.
"Who are you?" He asked sharply, "You don't have a girlfriend do you, Remus? I thought you told me you were broken, you don't like sex or some such nonsense that could have only been caused by your affliction." Remus flinched beside her, and she seethed, her previous anger turning raw and powerful in her chest.
"Hermione Prewett." She introduced herself, "No, we're just friends, I'm betrothed to James Potter-" She gestured over to James and Sirius, who were both watching silently - clearly prepared to get involved at the drop of a hat, "-one of Remus' best friends." She scowled at the look Lyall gave his son for the audacity he had to have friends. "I actually came over to see if you wanted to come back to mine, Remus. We're having a celebratory dinner, and I'd love it if you came."
Remus sent a brief look at his father, and then turned properly to look at Hermione, "I couldn't impose."
"You wouldn't be imposing."
"Well, you're not welcome back at our house. So you had better go with her." Lyall said sharply, and before Hermione could finally give him a piece of her mind, he stalked away.
Remus sucked in a sharp breath, gathering the tattered pieces of his pride together. "I'd love that." He finally said quietly.
Hermione reached out and squeezed his hand, "You can stay as long as you need until you and Lily move with Sirius into his flat."
"Hermione-" He said quietly, as she turned to lead him back over to her family, "About what he said."
"About your lycanthropy, or your sexuality, Remus?" She asked gently, turning back to him. "Either way, you know I don't care about you being a werewolf, and your sexuality is none of my business. Whether you are attracted to men, women, both, or neither. I'm sorry you got outed like that, instead of being able to tell me yourself."
"You don't care? Really? That I like men, but don't want sex."
"Of course I don't care, Remus. It's none of my business what you do, or don't, get up to in your bedroom." She pulled him into another hug, holding him tight, "You can love whoever, however. I'll still love you."
"Love you too." and if his voice was choked when he said it, she didn't comment.
She knew from James, Sirius and Peter (with Remus' permission) that Remus had found his mate but refused to tell them whether he knew who it was. She'd been having her suspicions for the last few months however, and when she'd mentioned them to James he'd agreed with her. It made her sad, but she hoped it would all work out somehow.
A/N:I can't believe Hogwarts is over! Hope you liked this chapter! I'd love to hear more from people