Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. All characters, places, descriptions, etc. (unless original and created by me) belong to her.

Summary: It was a small pack, of course, just the five of them, but together they were something wild. Hermione finds herself in the Marauder's Era with four new best friends.

A/N: Short & Sweet

Chapter 55: Melita, Domi Adsum*

2 July 1978

The Shelter, Yorkshire

It was perfect. That's really all that could be said.

It was cozy and warm and inviting and light and open and everything the three of them could have wanted in a home. Their home.

Sirius, looking for a home that didn't spark anger and guilt and shame and anxiety. He wanted a home that he could feel comfortable in, feel loved in. He wanted some place that he could miss.

Remus, looking for a home that accepted without fear or judgment or pity. He wanted a home where he could rest his weary bones from holding up his walls. He wanted some place where he could truly be himself.

Hermione, looking for a home that didn't constantly remind her of her past and future. She wanted a home where she could be unburdened by the ghosts of time and the weight of knowledge. She wanted some place where she could breathe.

And it was perfect.

The cottage itself was a bit shabby and run-down. There were things that needed fixing and mending, walls that needed painting. Nothing was new and nothing was pristine, but it fit them. There were three bedrooms sectioned off upstairs, one for each of them. Remus in the middle, Hermione on the left, and Sirius on the right. The rooms were bare and primed for decorating, but Sirius had made sure to have already installed bookshelves in the rooms of the two werewolves.

Downstairs, the kitchen was cramped, but it was clean and inviting. Sirius pulled out a couple of butterbeers, popping them open against the counter and handing them out for the rest of the tour. Hermione's teeth knocked against the bottle as she couldn't quite hide her smile.

Sirius led them from the kitchen, noting spaces he'd already planned out. There was the sitting area where they'd put couches big enough for the whole gang to relax on. Over there would be the table where they'd eat pancakes on Saturday mornings. This room would of course be the library, home to the overflow of Granger-Lupin books and Sirius' growing collection of Muggle booze. The record player from the Shrieking Shack was already sitting in a corner.

Sirius led them outside toward a small offshoot from the main house and pulled open the sliding doors.

What had once clearly been a garage was now an empty room with different bits and bobs placed all around. At first glance, it looked a right mess, but the more Hermione looked, the more she could see a little method to the madness.

In one corner sat Sirius' bike amidst a mountain of tools and things Hermione couldn't have named if she tried. His leather jacket was hung up on the wall beside posters of Muggle bands and pages ripped from magazines. And in another—

"Are those boxing gloves?" Remus pointed across the room. Hermione looked to Sirius.

"I know you've been handling it on your own, Pup, but," he shrugged. "You don't have to. I mean you can if you want. I got one of those kicking bags you can use, but if you ever wanted some help…"

Sirius' voice petered off as he gestured toward the surrounding field before the cottage and garage. "It's a bit away from everyone, I know, but when I saw the place… I knew it was for us. It's quite a big plot of land, and I've already started on the wards. With a bit of help from you two, it should be enough to entertain two werewolves once a month."

Remus and Hermione looked at each other. They knew—they had known for a while of course—that they were blessed by the friends they'd made at Hogwarts, but it never got old.

They were in the kitchen now. Hermione sat on the counter, nursing another butterbeer, as the boys leaned against the cabinets.

"Moony, you've been awful quiet over there," Sirius teased.

"Just waiting for the other shoe to drop, mate." Remus massaged his cheeks, sore from all the smiles. "There's got to be a catch to this place."

"No catch, my friend. This is home now." Sirius patted Remus' shoulder and looked down sheepishly. "Listen, I know I went around and found this place without you, but I just wanted to take care of it." He looked up at Hermione. "I just wanted to take care of you, both of you."

"It's perfect, Sirius." Hermione hopped off the counter and wrapped her arms around Sirius. "Thank you."

"Anything for you, Pup."

7 July 1978

The Shelter, Yorkshire

They spent the rest of the week moving in. Between Charlus and Remus' parents, they had enough passed on furniture to fill the house. The little bits and bobs that made a house a home would come with time, although Remus and Sirius came with plenty of memorabilia from their past seven years at Hogwarts.

Hermione was fully moved in within a day, partly due to her organization skills, but mostly due to the fact that she still mostly lived out of her beaded bag. Now she lived half and half between her wardrobe and drawers in her bedroom and the hidden depths of her bag. The boys of course took a bit longer, but by the end of the week, the Shelter looked positively settled.

"I've been meaning to ask, Pads," Remus spoke as he thumbed through Sirius' records. They'd taken to retiring to the library in the evenings. Sometimes they'd drink, sometimes they'd chat, sometimes they wouldn't speak at all. But they loved being close to each other. "Why is this place called 'the Shelter'?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sirius spun his whiskey glass on the coffee table as a smirk spread across his face. He glanced at Hermione who just rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless. "What else would I call a place for a trio of strays?"

Remus turned around. "You meant Shelter as in Animal Shelter?"

Sirius' smirk said it all.

"Technically, they wouldn't put wolves in an animal shelter." Hermione didn't look up from the book she was reading as she spoke. "Remus and I would probably end up in a rehabilitation center and reintroduced into the wild. Or quite possibly a zoo, since I'm fairly certain wolves are actually extinct within Great Britain."

"Okay no, nope," Remus interrupted as Sirius opened his mouth, his grin even wider. "We can stick with the Shelter. That's fine. It's fine."

"Oh Moony, I know you love this place, just admit it."

"I do, Pads." Remus looked intently at his friend in all seriousness. "I really, really do. Thank you."

Hermione looked between the two and leapt to her feet, pulling Remus to the couch before tackling them both into a giant hug. Sirius and Remus exchanged a look over the top of Hermione's head, each nodding as if coming to an unspoken agreement.

"I still can't believe this is real, the three of us living together." Hermione's voice was muffled by Remus' sweater. She pulled back from the hug and settled in between the boys. "I feel like I'm dreaming, like all of this is going to disappear when I go to sleep."

"Don't worry, Pup, we'll always be here." Remus spoke softly as he rested his head on Hermione's shoulder. Sirius picked up Hermione's hand and squeezed it, looking her in the eyes with the most open and earnest look.

"I'm gonna get another drink." He stood slowly, holding her hand until the last second. "If there's anything you need?"

Hermione just smiled as Sirius headed to the library. She let her head fall on top of Remus' as she shifted on the couch to get more comfortable. She nuzzled into his head and closed her eyes.

"How are you feeling, Professor?" She whispered.

"Like I'm finally home."

*Honey, I'm Home!