The Other Side

by Frostfoot-Dreamleaf

After the Fall of Hogwarts, Hermione and those that are left must flee with the remaining children to somewhere outside of England, if they hope at all to save what is left of the London Wizarding World. She tells herself that she only likes Seamus because he's one of the few single wizards left, she tells herself he seems to be showing interest for similar reasons.

3. Paradiso

I've had this staring at me, one chapter left, in fact, like FOUR PAGES left for YEARS.

This will be the year I finish some of my stories that are so close to being done. And hey, I'm one story closer than I was on that list before.

Never again will this be on my WIP list. Whew!

There is a very small group of you that have read/enjoyed this, so to those of you, hope you like the last installment!

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Chapter Text

It was two weeks after everyone returned that Seamus woke her at 8 am.

"Hermione, wake up…" He whispered quietly in her ear. She rolled over, groaning, digging herself into the slight stubble of his beard.

"Stop," She moaned, "It's too early to be waking up, especially on my day off…"

"But I have a surprise," Seamus' voice quivered with excitement. Hermione blearily sat up.

"What sort of surprise?"

"Well, get up, and you'll see."

Hermione begrudgingly got up and opened her chest of drawers to pick out a pair of jeans and a shirt. Seamus coughed.

"How about this?" He asked, holding up a light cotton floral dress. It was fancier than anything else she'd ever wear.

"What's going on?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Just put the darn dress on, 'Mione."

She complied but watched his every move, careful.

Someone knocked on their door.

"Come on in, Eponine," Seamus said, and slowly, the door opened to reveal one of the French ladies, a year or two younger than Hermione.

"She ready?" The girl asked.

"What is going on, Seamus?"

"We're going out," Seamus said, clapping his hands.

"Out?"

"Out! I told you about this!"

Vaguely, Hermione recalled him mentioning it before or after sex...the timeline was a bit cloudly, and it had been weeks ago.

"I didn't think you were serious," Hermione said, blinking.

"She's ready," Seamus said, jerking a thumb toward her in response, "Eponine is the best. Literally, you won't be able to tell it's you when you look in the mirror! Totally spell-proof too, it takes mad skills to undo this magic!"

Epoine grabbed Hermione's shoulders, but Hermione hesitated.

"Seamus," Hemione turned, "I'm not sure I think this is-,"

"Done," Eponine announced suddenly and Hermione gave her a hard look. She couldn't have done it already, not when there wasn't even a whisper of words or anything! Seamus saw her dubious expression because he passed a hand mirror to her.

Hermione held it up, and her face was not her own. She gingerly touched her cheeks, flushed and red, and her nails traveled up all over, feeling every inch. This was crazy, she decided. When she'd done the polyjuice, both times, she'd still felt herself underneath it all. There had been a glimmer of magic that was Hermione's. But here? She couldn't, so if she just took a deep breath she could forget who she was and she was just this new person, someone with stick-straight hair and eyes that were nearly too wide for her face and lush lips.

"Wow," She breathed.

She turned and stumbled back. Epoine took her hands off of Seamus' shoulders, but he didn't look like Seamus at all anymore. He looked like some random person.

"Magic is great, huh?" Seamus asked, grin split.

"You have 18 hours max before this wears off," Eponine says, "Magic always has limits."

"Better than Polyjuice," Hermione mumbled, recalling that needed to be taken every few hours. But Hermione didn't even know what they'd do with 18 hours.

"C'mon, adventure is waiting," Seamus was like an over-excited child, grasping Hermione's fingers and pulling her to the edge of the camp. At the barrier, she held her breath. She saw a crowd gathering, waiting. With a decisive nod, she jumped over the doorway, literally.

"Dominic, if you know what's good for you, stay back," Seamus teased, shooing away Dominic.

"I don't even have a-oh, never mind," Dominic rolled his eyes, "Have fun, you two."

She saw Harry saluting her as he closed the doors.

"M'lady," Seamus said, motioning to a broom.

"Oh...oh no…" Hermione felt a little sick, "Can't we go any other way? Where are we going, to be exact?"

"I'm not going to let you fall, I swear," The sincerity in his voice, Seamus' voice on another's face, made her at least think about it, "Seriously, I'll hold on tight."

Hermione, as much as she hated this, did not want to ruin whatever he had planned. She wasn't going to say it out loud, but she was really curious.

Mounting the broom, she sat high on the handle so Seamus had ample room to slide behind her, his arms pulling her snug against him. The scent of his cologne hadn't changed, so breathing into that, settling against his chest wasn't as strange as she thought it would be.

She tried not to make squeaking sounds all the way to their destination, and while she would concede that Seamus was a great rider, she failed for the most part.

"You're really adorable, you know?" Seamus laughed as they landed. Hermione had put them under an invisibility spell when they started seeing cities. Thank Merlin, since they'd landed in the middle of a bustling town.

"Florence…?" Hermione asked hesitantly, realizing she'd seen this in pictures.

"Uh-huh," Seamus was nodding, "Surprised?"

"Well...yes," She said, blinking once. She'd thought he'd take her to Venice or Rome or even Paris. Florence had never really crossed her mind.

"Ever been?"

She shook her head, and she saw how happy this made him, as he found an inconspicuous spot to stuff the broom into.

"Awesome. Whenever you think of Florence, I want you to remember this," He said, dragging her waist to him, kissing her like a man crazy in love, right on those cobblestone streets.

"That, specifically?"

"And everything else," He said, pulling back, but keeping his face inches from hers. He coughed, straightening, "Now, allow me," He said, holding out an arm, "And...a challenge for this day. No magic." His eyes gleamed.

"Why?"

Seamus gave a little laugh, shugging, "Today we're...Cassidy and Malcolm. In love, just moved to Florence...normal."

Hermione considered this, "Normal…" She repeated. To imagine a life where this is just what they were, was tempting, "Yeah." She agreed.

So they did. He took her to the Uffizi and Hermione whipped out her long-ago learned Art History, albeit a little rusty but far more than Seamus knew. Seamus made up his own name for the paintings, such as 'Lady in Clam' or 'Dead Guy Face Thing'. He had a non-creative, hardy descriptive title for everything, which by his doing, was very creative and Hermione had to admit was pretty funny.

They stopped at least three different gelato shops.

They perused normal things that normal people would, like bathmats or vases in outrageously expensive furniture galleries.

They walked along the river, daring to go down the sides of it, watching the water rush past with a roar.

They threw coins in the statue of the boar's fountain.

They kept up the charade of Cassidy and Malcolm all day long, adding little pieces here and there as they talked to everyone. At dinner, sitting in the shadow of the Duomo, the waiter told them they looked so in love. Hermione felt it at the bottom of her very being, that Merlin, she loved this man.

They walked all the way to Michelangelo's Plaza to watch the sunset.

Hermione never wanted this day to end, and she walked slowly down the trailing paths back to where the broom was. Irrationally, she almost wanted to smash it, keep them here, like this.

As they approached the area, there was the sound of lively music, clapping, and dancing.

"We have time...check it out?" Seamus jerked a thumb toward the sound. Hermione nodded eagerly, and they found themselves in a small plaza in the shadow of a brick church structure. Someone had set up big speakers and strung up lights and there were people everywhere, dancing in the square.

"What's the occasion?" Hermione said over the music to someone near the speakers, in Italian.

"Enjoying life! No other need," The man replied back, "For anyone," He said, tilting his head when he saw the clasped hand of the pair.

"Dance?" Seamus asked, holding out his hand.

"I...I've never…" Hermione suddenly felt shy, realizing that it had been eons since a dance, and she hardly thought the Yule Ball counted.

"Just follow me," Seamus shrugged.

"You dance?"

"Guess we'll find out…" Seamus said, already placing them in the throng of bodies. He spun her out, and although clumsy, eventually her feet found a rhythm with his. It was so carefree, twirling and spinning and feeling the air rush around her cotton dress, flaring out just enough to catch the wind. Hermione lost her fear of being judged not long after starting, for she had a different face and no one here would see it again. And, it just felt really free.

Seamus let go of her hand as she spun in circles, looking up at the milky blackness of the night, laughing at everything because it was as though she just realized how far they'd come. It had been more than five years since she thought it was the end, and it wasn't. It was far enough past it that here she was, laughing in the streets, not caring or not wondering at all about the dangers that she left behind or what might have followed them, with a boy she hardly talked to before but now couldn't imagine ever letting go of.

She noticed everyone around her had stopped dancing, although the music was still playing. Grabbing her head and blinking away the lightheadedness from the continuous spins, she turned in confusion. The reason was evident.

Seamus, on his knee, holding a little black box.

"Cassidy…?" He whispered, and for a second she did wonder if this was all part of the cover they were playing today, being normal people and he was doing what normal people in love did? But Hermione decided she hardly cared, either way, and flung herself into his arms, crying tears she wasn't sure where they had appeared from, nodding vigorously.

The spattering of applause to follow brought her back, as Seamus slid the ring on her finger. She had wondered if it was more, because it fit Hermione so well, not just literally. It was simple, understated, but shining. It had an antique setting and was made of rose gold. It was stunning.

She really couldn't do anything more but grasp him tightly, drawing in his scent again and closing her eyes, imaging for a second it really was Seamus and Hermione together.

"Gods, woman, I love you," Seamus whispered against her neck, drawing his nose down it until he planted a kiss against her neck, "We should be getting back,"

Hermione never wanted to leave, surely not now, but the tug of what she had waiting for her made her nod. She could escape reality, but just for a day.

Everyone gave them well wishes and the ride home was excruciating to Hermione, mostly because she felt a warmth pooling. At the door of their compound, everyone was asking questions, but Hermione just dragged Seamus right through the crowd, seeing Ginny sniggering in her hand at her absolute forwardness. But, she gave Hermione a thumbs up.

As she undressed him, she imagined that this is what Cassidey and Malcolm were doing. She imagined that there was another actual set of them, left somewhere in Florence, where they'd kiss all through the streets before crashing into their tiny, but adorable, apartment in Florence and hardly get through the door before they were doing this.

She imaged that this night Cassidy and Malcolm might conceive a child since that's what normal people who were in love that were getting married did. She imagined that it wouldn't be a conversation like she and Seamus had had, because they lived in a world where they had jobs and running water and if they saw the name Voldemort might pronounce it funny because they'd never heard of him before. She imagined that they'd be so pleased and Cassidy would start speaking Italian as well as English before the child was born and Malcolm would paint the nursery. Or, she imagined they wouldn't have children because that was their choice and it was because they wanted to be free- in a way, Hermione was here- and they could spend the rest of their days traveling and laughing and living without looking over their shoulders or feeling the responsibility of a bunch of other people constantly dragging them down.

Afterward, it hit her how much she wanted that life.

But, why couldn't she, in parts?

To begin with, "Was this real?" She asked, holding up the ring on her finger. She turned to Seamus and saw his regular face. While the face of 'Malcolm' hadn't been unattractive, never had she been so pleased to see Seamus Finnigan's return- his sea-green eyes, his sandy blonde hair, the slight stubble he'd been growing ever so slightly that made him look older and more adult, his muscles he'd begun to develop from long hours of outside work, the freckles all up and down his arms. Having Seamus back made Malcolm fade away, but made her question even more valid.

Seamus only rolled on his back, staring at the ceiling, grinning, "Why can't it be?"

It might have seemed like a casual, non-serious answer, but at that moment, Hermione knew with certainty it was all real. SHe wondered truly how long he'd been planning this. And, as she recalled the look in his eyes at that moment, she realized while his mouth had said 'Cassidy' everything else was really saying 'Hermione'.

"It's still a yes," Hermione said, rolling over.

"Mhh, thank Merlin," Seamus said, kissing the knuckle before the ring.

And, that was sorta all it was. There weren't weddings here, just promises. So, the second he slipped the ring onto her finger, they were basically married.

And this, Hermoine would tell Ginny, was her turning point. She couldn't pretend to live the way she had been, the way that she hoped that others would still arrive, or at the very least they could go back. No, she was with someone completely, and that made a difference. It did make children a more serious concept, it made everything with him a serious concept. And something about that, something about having someone for the time they were going to have when they knew they could do this- whatever this world was- and there were others and such, gave her relief. She threw herself into this life, giving up whatever she'd been clinging to for the last two or three years.

"What are you doing?" Seamus asked as she pulled herself out of the bed, finding a quill and a piece of parchment.

"Planning." She said simply, "The future, everything." She said, breathless. This temporary sort of way of life wouldn't do. Hermione now had her gears set to make it permanent, in a very carefully planned out twelve-year-plan.

She let Seamus read it over after she finished, about forty-five minutes after making up her mind. There was room for change, as she was sure it would, but this was at least a start with a couple of key phrases.

Phase 1: Reconfigure everything. Push the walls out larger, bigger, more. Make plans for a town rather than a compound. Build houses for families. Use everyone's power to shield this place with everything they had.

Phase 2: Built things, places they needed. Assign permanent jobs to people; farmers, wandmakers, soldiers, teachers, cooks...run this place, really, not half-heartedly.

Phase 3: Set up a more permanent system with the France outpost. Trade ideas, people, items, knowledge all the time. Make sure that both outposts remain alive.

Phase 4: Start, little by little, erasing England from raids and thoughts. It's human history to move and restart again and think of it little, but only in fond memory. Never look back. Look only forward.

Phase 5: Find something useful to trade or sell in the outside world. They were self-sufficient here, with this population, but when more babies were born that might not be the case. Besides, having a way to have a continual flow of income to the world that lived on their fringes wasn't a bad idea.

Phase 6: Find Italian Wizarding communities. Possibly make agreements with them.

Seamus was nodding as he read.

"Never look back," He whispered, his fingers rubbing over those words.

"Never."

Until she said it out loud, it didn't feel complete. Now, it did. And she thought she'd have a tougher time pitching the idea, but somehow there was the combined thought that this is what they were barreling towards inevitably and it just needed someone brave enough to say it. Ron joined on first, then the twins, then Warrington, and then it seemed like the rest all just fell into the agreement like a waterfall.

They were going to survive and be here for years, if not decades. This was the new Hogwarts, the new Wizarding England. Dean suggested half-joking they call it Eden, but that felt a little too literal to Hermione. As it were, it needed a name.

Purgatorio, that was that name that was finally agreed upon. It was good. It was truthful, because here they were, somewhere nearly in between. If it was hell, they'd all be dead. If it was Eden, it would have been Hogwarts. Hermione didn't want to oversell this world because yes, it would be hard, it would be difficult. But, she hoped one day it would be so good here that no one would be able to remember why it was named this in the first place. And, as it was, people were already beginning to shorten it to call it 'Gatorio'. Someone said it reminded them of the large walls that kept them safe. The Gate to the surviving Wizarding England society.

The change began to ripple through the community. Dean got up one day and began to paint names on a wall in a brilliant white paint infused with magic so that when the sun hit the names just right, they burst into a thousand faceted colors. It was the names of everyone dead.

"Before, I hadn't wanted to. It's been six years, I know, but now...we're setting down roots. Makes sense to be able to mourn everyone. They won't be forgotten here." He said.

Slowly, people began to add names of their own, people they'd lost, people that maybe it wasn't confirmed that they were dead, but people they likely wouldn't see in this lifetime anyway.

Hermione picked up the paintbrush and wrote the names of her parents.

Behind her, she heard a small gasp.

She'd mourned them the day she was shot, true, but this was out in the open. She turned and saw Ron, his face ashen.

"Hermione, your parents…" He struggled, "In six years, I never thought to ask…"

"It's fine," Her voice was tight, "They're not gone, not really. But, back before all this, I put a memory charm on them. Sent them off to Australia." She rolled the brush in her fingers, "Seamus and I have talked about going, trying to find them. I'm needed here, though. And well, maybe it's for the best. Six years? Nearing seven? My parents told me they always wanted more kids, but after I was born my parent's practice was just getting started, and by the time I was six I was already showing signs of magic but they didn't know, and that scared them so they just never did. Maybe they had another, maybe they have two? And what life would I be bringing them back to? Or maybe, one of them is actually…" Hermione couldn't finish the thought but shook her head.

"I'm so sorry," Ron pulled her into a strong hug, "Really, really, sorry." He paused, "Do you ever think that if you hadn't been a witch?"

"I'd be in college now, or out. I'd be working on something academic. I might be married, probably not with a kid, still." She said. She had wondered, just as she was sure any other muggle born had, "But, you and Harry would totally have been dead." She teased, nudging his shoulders, "Merlin knows I saved you enough times in school."

"Yeah," Ron rubbed the back of his neck, "But maybe, even if I hadn't known you, it would have been okay because you wouldn't be here."

"Don't say that Ron. I'm perfectly happy." She said, and her eyes traveled down to the ring on her finger.

"Really, honestly?"

"Completely."

And so, time went by.

She ended up putting her ring on a chain, just because she was so often very involved in work, getting her hands dirty. The twelve-year plan, by year three, seemed on schedule. Things seemed to be going up. They hadn't gone back to England in six months. They had one, maybe two more planned, but after that...no more.

"Forward," She often whispered to herself in the quietest of moments when she wondered if the steps they were taking were the right ones.

Everyone was given a job, but the core group, the council, was also required to teach a class at the new school, which was the old rooming quarters. By this point, at least a quarter of everyone had moved into houses, which was right on plan. Hermione taught advanced theory courses, all the things she'd taken at Hogwarts. Ginny taught hexes. They would sit together and plan out their days, giving eternal kudos to all their teachers before them.

"McGonagall was a boss," Ginny decided, "Lesson plans are a pain the arse."

"Even I agree," Hermione said since she had about six different advanced-level classes to deal with. Ginny taught hexes to the young group and then to the old group. Since they didn't have the influx of students like they had at Hogwarts, things here were put into groups of ability. A particularly gifted 11-year-old could be in class next to a slower fourteen-year-old.

"Hey, did you hear about who Harry's with?" Ginny began hesitantly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "I haven't."

"It's…" Ginny looked at the floor, "Gabrielle."

"Delacour?"

Ginny nodded once.

"Great Gryffindor…" Hermione leaned back into her chair, chewing on her quill tip, "I mean, she is of age…"

"I think it's just odd." Ginny said, still ever protective of Harry, "I don't think he'd be taking advantage of her, I'd think it's the other way around! You know how simple Harry can be, especially about girls."

"I guess I'll look into it." Hermione sighed, "But honestly, he's probably fine. If he knew about you and a Slytherin-,"

"Oh, that stuff hasn't existed in eons now," Ginny said, partially hiding her face as she sported a full-on blush, "And if they did, people got over Daphne and Oliver. Plus, we're not...it's just friends with benefits."

"That's how Seamus and I started," Hermione gave a casual shrug, "Is that was Warrington says?"

"We haven't discussed it."

"Maybe you should," Hermione reached across the table and took Ginny's hands into her own, "You'll never know if you don't ask. Life is too short, too fleeting no to, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah." Ginny waved her away, "Speaking of asking…" She giggled into her palm. Hermione wasn't sure when this had turned into a gossip fest, but their 'teacher' meetings usually did, by the end, "Someone's been asking about you."

"Ugg, don't tell me it's Luca."

"So you do know," Ginny said, leaning forward on her chin, "Oh, he thinks he's being so subtle."

"About as subtle as a hippogriff in a crystal ball shop," Hermione groaned, thinking of the younger French wizard who had planted himself here about a year ago. They were in constant contact with their French partners and people moved between here and there with some casual fluidity. There were some that stayed more seriously and some that came to apprentice for a year with some masterful witches and wizards before returning home. She'd heard from Fleur that there was another hold-out somewhere in Spain...it would be nice to reconnect with another Wizarding Community since all their attempts to find Italian witches or wizards had been fruitless so far.

But that was neither the point, Hermione reminded herself as she brought forth the blonde-headed boy. He was attractive; she wasn't blind. He was also three years her junior and a bit irritating. At least Draco had been intelligent in school. This wizard seemed one Quaffle short of a full Quidditch set.

Which, she considered, is why his efforts were not quite as quiet as he might have thought they were.

Only Merlin knew why he'd decided on Hermione as his romantic target!

"He stares at your arse all the time," Ginny continued, "And wanted to know your favorite flower the other day. I told him you were more of a book type of girl."

"Ginny!"

"I'm not trying to encourage him, rather, I'm hoping to discourage him. I doubt he's ever picked up a book in his life."

"Did you…"

"Tell him about Seamus?" Ginny rolled her eyes, "You know, you lecture me on living life, but you and Seamus still are so quiet about it. But no, I didn't. You're very firm in your opinions."

"We're not hiding it. If Luca asks me, I'd tell him," Hermione said, touching the ring on the chain around her neck, "We just don't need to broadcast it to the world. We don't need the public PDA like Oliver and Daphne. We just need each other."

"As romantic as that is it obviously creates problems a la Luca," Ginny said with a giggle.

"He'll find an obsession elsewhere. I hardly give him the time of day."

"He probably thinks that's intentional," Ginny said. Hermione frowned, tilting her head. Ginny snorted into her hand, "Merlin, that's what girls do when they like a boy!"

"Spirits." Hermione rubbed her temples. Sure, there had been some miscommunication between her and Seamus at the beginning, but she'd prided herself on the idea that she always said what she meant. She never bothered with those teasing giggles or saying one thing and meaning the other. Seamus had often voiced how glad he was of that. If Hermione was upset with him, she just bloody told him. None of that 'I'm fine' and then walk around fuming all day.

No, if Hermione was furious with Seamus, half the compound knew.

"It will fade out if I truly ignore him long enough. I honestly don't want to give him any more reason to obsess," Hermione said with a shrug. There had been the occasional boy who'd fancied her, moment to moment. She usually just smiled politely and let it fade. In this world, emotions were so fleeting but so powerful it was easy to confuse respect for lust.

"Hermione-,"

"I'll talk to him if you talk to Warrington."

Ginny shut up immediately, "There's nothing to discuss," She murmured, looking jumpy.

"Exactly, nothing at all," Hermione said, nudging her shoulder, "Now, where were we. Ah, Vivian. Do you think she's ready for Potions 4?"

XXxxXX

Luca continued to bluster around Hermione, though she did her best to ignore him. She pointed it out to Seamus one night at the dining hall, who snorted. They sat with Draco and Su and ate their shepherd's pie.

"Oh, that's his name?" Seamus questioned. Their compound had grown large and there was a constant movement of people, so it was reasonable that perhaps they wouldn't know, "Yeah, I've noticed."

"You noticed?"

"That he thinks you're hot?" Draco broke in, leaning back in his seat to see him, "Oh, totally obvious." Su nodded with Draco, staring at Hermione with a sort of 'it's not hard' look. She was only interested in Seamus' response. He was looking at her with such a soft look of devotion it made her realize why she fell in love with him in the first place, but it also frustrated her. Not that he was so dearly in love, but it frustrated her that some idiot would not catch on to all her very obvious brush-offs.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, wincing hard.

"Why are you apologizing? My lass is a catch," Seamus said, nudging her with his shoulder, "A man must be blind or gay not to like you."

"You're not...upset?"

"Love, we've been together years. I don't have anything to fear about you leavin' me for a younger model, do I?"

"No! Of course not!" Hermione choked, absolutely horrified he could even ask that. She knew, in her bones, she'd die with Seamus- whether it be young and in a blaze of glory, or old after years of building this place from the ground up.

"Then it's of no consequence," Seamus shrugged, "There are a great many more issues out there for me to focus on. Like bloody Oaks. Do you know what that bugger did during raid practice?" Seamus' changed immediately, throwing up his hands. Just like that, the matter was dropped and settled.

For not the first time, Hermione was grateful she'd found someone so unmovably solid in both his morals as well as his love for her.

XXxxXX

It was three months later that things with Luca took, well, a turn.

Hermione had only been brisque as well as cordial with him, answering his questions in a polite and professional manner and giving no indication she had any thought of him outside their scholarly association. He was teaching Oliver how to make broomsticks. Luca was something of a master at broom creation; it was about the only thing he had the intelligence for. Hermione always reminded herself he'd be gone soon enough, maybe another year or so before he'd be returning to France.

She kept expecting he'd ask her out, but it never came. Not she wanted him to, but at least then the matter could be buried.

Despite his obvious affections for her, which he tried to shove down in her presence, he made no moves toward her.

Maybe he'd noticed the small touches between her and Seamus. Maybe he noticed the ring on her necklace, it having fallen out once when they were at the pitch together. Maybe he realized she didn't seem interested in anyone and he had no intention of ever making his feelings known. Hermione wasn't sure, and there was so much else to obsess over, so it wasn't worth talking about.

Moreover, Seamus seemed almost...tickled by Luca's feelings. As though it was a joke of some sort. Jealous husband he was not. He often teased at night that perhaps he should give Luca some pointers, which was followed by swift jabs of Hermine's elbows to his ribs. She did not find the situation funny at all.

Lots of girls fawned over Seamus. Hermione did not find their giggling to be worth laughing over, even if she knew Seamus wouldn't go for them. Call her crazy, but it just reminded her of 4th year with Viktor, where Hermione consistently felt like she was one day away from some other girl swooping in. Which, she knew to be false, but yeah, she was a bit protective. It was in her nature. She couldn't understand how Seamus, more of a Gryffindor than her, she often thought, was not like that by design?

It was one bright morning. The mess hall was packed, more so than other mornings it seemed. It was a sunny day and everyone was itching to get outside and about. Though they were making steady headway in making houses, the majority of the population still queued up for three square meals and ate communally. There was something familiar about sitting at the long tables with all your friends, so maybe people weren't so quick to want to give that up. Even the children who had never eaten a meal at Hogwarts seemed to cling to this unspoken shared reminisce of something past.

Maybe, had Hermione not been so exhausted (Thank you, Seamus. This was thought with a fluctuating mix of sarcasm and genuine appreciation of the night previous), she would have noticed how jittery Luca seemed. She always had one eye on him, one narrowed eye, mind you, in case he do anything bone-headed.

Alas, this morning she was yawning and hoping she cast the concealer charm correctly, or else Malfoy would have lots of grins and jokes at her expense this morning. As it was, at her exhausted expression and Seamus' apparent absence (he always slept in after a long night), he had already put the two together. She was not sure why her sex life thrilled him so, but hey, everyone had to enjoy something here, or they'd go mad.

Plus, she could dish back anything he threw at her.

However, before Draco could utter one lewd joke, there was a most irritating sound. Hermione raised her eyes from her tea and suddenly jolted right awake.

Luca was standing on the table in the mess hall banging two tin plates together to create a ruckus. Hermione had a bad feeling about this immediately.

Apparently, so did Ginny, who stood so abruptly that she knocked her plate of eggs to the ground and nearly vaulted a table to get next to Luca, where he stood next to his friends.

"What are you doing? Get down!" Ginny hissed.

"I will not!" Luca said. By now, everyone was staring at him with curiosity, his attention held over the entire mess hall. Draco was absolutely loving this.

"Oh, I hope this is what I think it is…" Draco muttered to himself. Hermione hit the back of his head. He was still a prat sometimes.

"I cannot wait another day. I must make my feelings known to the world," Luca said, speaking slowly and almost agonizingly precisely. Hermione hunched her shoulder, wondering what the chances were that all the time he'd been staring at her, it was actually Seamus or Draco he'd been admiring?

"Luca-," Ginny tried again, but Luca was in no mood to listen.

"Hermione Granger!" He said, and Hermione wished she could melt into the floor. She felt like she was young again, being called out by Snape for something she'd said without permission in class. It was that same sort of 'oh, Merlin, stop looking at me' feeling.

Luca pulled out a book from his back pocket, "You are not charmed by flowers or by chocolate or by gemstones. The one thing you love is books, and thus, I shall read a poem from one."

Hermione understood Ginny's horrified face now. She'd practically given him the idea for this little stunt. She glared at her best friend, though she had a feeling that he would have modified this 'moment' with any kind of romantic gesture. She shuddered to think what it would have been like had he gone with chocolate.

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.."

"Well," Draco grinned, "I'll give him ten for dramatics, but one for originality. Is there a more cliched poem he could have chosen?" He side-whispered.

"Bloody hell, he just mispronounced 'candle'," Dean said, trying to hold in a laugh.

"He's French."

"No, he's just daft," Su said, "Oh, what a poor, foolish boy."

Hermione heard all the side-chatter with a growing sense of dread. She placed her face on the table, trying to figure out what she should do next. He'd gone and made a spectacle of himself, hadn't he? This wasn't quiet anymore.

When he finished, Hermione stood up and swiftly moved to his table, where he was still proclaiming from. People parted like she had the plague to let her pass.

"Hermione, you deserve the most beautiful of proposals. You deserve someone to announce to the whole world their love for you!" He said, looking at her adoringly.

"Fuck, man, did you ingest a love potion this morning?" Ginny asked frantically, trying to brush Hermione away.

"I could not contain my feelings any longer!"

"Right, uhm," Hermione rubbed her arms uncomfortably. Most people were looking between the pair, as though considering that maybe they'd all missed this unusual love story. A small amount was looking at Luca with pity, knowing full well about her and Seamus.

"Dude," Draco's laugh broke through the quietness as Hermione tried to form a rejection. She hadn't decided if she wanted to be nice or mean about it yet, "She's totally taken."

"W...hat?" Luca said, his gusto vanishing, "You're not...single?" He said, staring down at Hermione with a complete look of surprise. Hermione would chalk it up to his general slowness, but many others seemed just as shocked.

"Erm, no? I never claimed I was," Hermione said, jutting her chin out.

"She's been taken for ages," Su stood as well, "If you'd just asked…" She clicked her tongue.

"But...did you…" He looked at Ginny, "You said she was single!" He sounded aghast.

Hermione spun on Ginny, seething until Ginny held up her hand and pointed at Luca accusingly.

"No! You asked me whether or not Hermione had submitted a housing request!" She sputtered. To submit a housing request meant you were partnered. It had been unanimously agreed that houses should go to couples first since they were the most likely to procreate and a child should grow up with some sense of normalcy. Or, sometimes the child came first, but either way, a housing application did reveal some surprise pairings no one knew about prior to it, "And why you were asking me was insane, to begin with. I'm not even on that committee! I told you she hadn't. I've just decided you were being purposely obtuse and twisted my words to fit your own ideas."

"I don't think he was being purposeful about anything," Hermione muttered, knowing it was far more likely that he had taken that as an honest-to-Merlin sign she was unattached.

Suddenly, she was furious. Why should she have to prove to someone she was taken by submitting a form? Sure, she and Seamus weren't kissing at the gates goodbye, they weren't sending cute love letters via bird charms during the day, they weren't announcing a pregnancy or a marriage in the town center, but they were simply existing. They didn't shy away from kissing, though it was in the privacy of their bedroom, and they weren't going out of their way to hide their romance like a pair of naughty teens. Luca and most just lacked awareness, Hermione had decided. Most of the witches and wizards in their grade or people that they worked with regularly had figured it out.

"If you're not single," Alyse Hodgins spoke up, scratching her head, "Who are you dating?"

It seemed everyone was just as curious now.

"Yes!" Luca said, regaining his bravado (Merlin, never a good sign), "Who is this wizard! I will fight him for your hand! I will prove I am worthy of your love!"

Hermione was vacillating between pulling out her ring and correcting everyone that she wasn't merely 'dating' someone, or replying with a scathing 'wouldn't you like to know' when out of nowhere, someone grabbed her and kissed her.

It took her three beats to realize it was Draco.

Once the initial shock of the event passed through her mind, she had to admit he was not a bad kisser. There was no chemistry, but it was a fine kiss as far as they went.

When he broke apart with an audible smack, the entire room was buzzing in hushed, shocked whispers. There were many 'I knew it', which horrified Hermione, but mostly just surprise from the crowd.

"You!" Luca jumped down, "I will fight you to the-,"

Hermione was whiplashed again when another person grasped her shoulders and kissed her. It was Dean this time.

"But...wait...which one of you is it?" Luca said, his shoulders dropping as he stared between the two wizards.

Draco merely shrugged while Dean winked.

"Hermione, dear," Someone else said. When Hermione turned, it was Neville. She grinned, catching on a bit, and let him lean down to kiss her. Neville threw in a grab to her arse, which was daring.

"Are you not with the blonde?" Luca asked, seemingly entirely distressed at this point. Neville looked back at Hannah, who waved merrily at Hermione. Hermione was sure she'd been the one to nudge Neville over at this point.

"Uhm...I dunno. Am I?" He asked, slinging an arm around Hermione.

"Or, maybe," Ginny said, winking at Hermione and kissing her too. Out of all the boys, Ginny's was the most scandalous kiss yet, "Eat yer hearts out, fellas," She said as she stepped back.

"But...you...which…"

Hermione was not nearly as embarrassed that she'd been kissed by four separate people in the dining hall as she thought. A part of her was strangely touched. She shouldn't have to tell everyone something they had no right to know and Luca needed to be put into his place. He'd clearly seen too many cheesy 80s movies during his muggle childhood. There was an unspoken sense of family between those that knew who Hermione was married to, plus there seemed to be a sense of mischievousness to mess with everyone's perceptions.

"Are you actually with anyone?" Luca finally asked, his face completely purple.

"Yes, entirely," Hermione said, pulling her ring out to show everyone, trying to ignore the gasps at the revelation, "But I'm not sure you're worthy of that knowledge. Now, if you excuse me, you interrupted my breakfast."

She turned on her heels sharply, tucking her ring under her blouse, and sat back down to eat her food. She did not look at anyone, just continued to cut her sausage, and soon the conversation started up again. Mostly about her, but at least it wasn't the silence it had once been.

Seamus arrived fashionably late, sauntering in and stretching. As much as Hermione wanted to keep a lid on things more than ever, she couldn't help the sense of relief and joy at seeing him, despite just leaving his side on the bed two hours ago. She tried to fight back the grin on her face, but it twitched and could not be contained.

Seamus grabbed a mug of tea and the leftovers of the meal, sitting two people down from Hermione.

"So, what did I miss?" He asked cheerily.

Draco burst out laughing. Seamus' brows creased.

"Well," Dean said, setting down his cutlery, "Uhm, Luca announced his undying love for Hermione."

"What?" Seamus asked, craning his neck, "Shit. The kid's got balls. Did not see that one coming."

"It was...public," Hermione said icily, "And mortifying."

"Oh," Seamus sobered a bit, "You okay? What did you tell him?"

"It was told to him by more than one person that Hermione was taken," Su said, sending Hermione another apologetic look.

"Oh," Seamus said again, "By…" He swallowed. He, just as much as Hermione, liked the secrecy of this. Or, the lack of pomp and circumstance. It was in these moments Hermione knew how dearly she loved him, how suited they were for one another.

"Well," Draco almost couldn't speak he was laughing so hard, "Either by...me, Dean, Neville, Ginny, Harry, George, Su, Anthony, or Morag. Maybe a combination of a few." Yes, Hermione had a few more 'visitors' since the original show, and she greeted them just like she was intimately acquired with all of them, "Did I get all of us?" Draco said, turning to Ginny.

"Mhh, Warrington, he came over when you were grabbing more pumpkin juice."

"Ah, right," Draco snapped, "The three of you might be in some sexy, kinky threesome deal." He said.

"Merlin, wow, I missed quite a bit." Seamus leaned back. He stood, coming to the other side of the table.

"Seamus…"

"Oh, come on love," He winked, sort of a 'might as well', "Give yer old love Seamus a kiss?"

Hermione rolled her eyes but pulled him down for a long, caressing touch. It felt nice to be able to kiss him in front of everyone, even though at this point no one was paying attention anymore, sure it was just another in on the scheme.

"Wow, so that's what it's like to kiss Hermione Granger!" Seamus said in an overly loud voice, "Luca sure missed something. Sucks to suck."

He looked over the sea of people, saw Luca sulking, and grinned.

XXxxXX

Hermione tried, often, not to pay too much attention to the gossip around camp. She usually succeeded.

She supposed the difference was that the gossip was not usually centered around her.

It almost seemed to become a game to the rest of everyone, to figure out who Hermione was married to. For those that knew, they kept it mum. For those that didn't, she found students scrutinizing every interaction with the list of people who had kissed her a few weeks ago.

At first, she just wanted to announce it and get it over with. She hated that she was being pushed to do it, but it was better than the whispers or the weird questions she'd been dodging. Seamus said that it wasn't in good fun and all but forbade her.

"It's so entertaining though," He said, pouting, "You're really going to ruin everyone's fun?"

Hermione didn't think she had to explain that it was hardly fun if it was at her expense.

However, it did seem to lighten moods. And who did she really care if people thought she was sleeping with around eight different people at once?

And, she figured, all gossip fades away quickly.

It did.

Sort of.

Like all good news, something brighter and shinier replaced it quickly. Hermione let out a small sigh of relief when the bigger news came about, that being that someone else in the camp was pregnant, but then it started back up again.

Someone said, 'hey, we still haven't figured out who Hermione Granger- is it still Granger? Bollocks. We haven't figured it out.' Hermione wasn't going to tell anyone, because obviously, that would ruin it, but she rather considered herself a 'Finnegan-Granger' now.

Just like that, gossip back on her.

All those that came to her aid seemed to be having a grand old time playing it up. Draco was taking every moment to kiss her passionately, almost to the point of indecency. Neville would bring her meals and use ridiculous pet names. Warrington read her a sappy love monologue from a Muggle film before he went on a raid. Ginny talked often about how Hermione was truly the girl that made her realize she was bi.

It was honestly ridiculous.

The only positive to come out of it was that Seamus was able to touch her more openly. So, touch he did.

If someone slapped her on the ass, she would bet all the money she'd pulled from Gringotts it was Seamus, who'd be standing behind her with a mischievous grin on his face. Or, if someone tugged on her hair just enough to be a little annoying, and then kissed her crown, it was Seamus. If someone was pulling her into an alcove, just like the way they used to years ago, and kissing her where anyone could potentially see, it was Seamus.

If people took enough notice, they'd realize who's bedroom he had been living in for years. Or that he too had a ring around a necklace. Or that the only time Hermione felt truly at ease was next to him.

They'd discussed coming out as a couple many times, but they always brushed it aside at the end of the day.

"If everyone's leaning, really leaning, we might as well not deny it," Seamus shrugged. The entire camp was very split on who Hermione was married to. Everyone seemed very protective of their pick. Yes, there was a small subsect that was sure it was Seamus, but it was not the majority voice by a longshot.

The two that consistently seemed tied were Draco and Harry. Harry, people would say, because they'd been friends for so long and because they were some of the least 'PDA' out of the couplings because obviously, they didn't want to let anyone know. Draco was in the lead for the exact opposite of reasons.

"They used to hate each other. Love and hate a circle," Hermione overheard a younger student explaining to her friends one day in a hushed voice, "Plus, do you see the way he attacks her in the halls?"

Hermione reminded herself to give them more homework if they had time to prattle about her love life.

If she had to pick, Draco inched out Harry by just a smidge, mostly because he had Luca's endorsement. Luca had given up his attempts to woo Hermione and had made a big show about conceding to Draco, who he clearly thought was the true husband.

"Thanks, mate. I'll treat her right," Draco had said, winking erotically at Hermione across the dining room.

Many thought that since Luca had been vying for Hermione's hand, he obviously had to know something more, didn't he?

Ha, people needed more things to do with themselves.

An entire year after the confusion about Luca and Hermione's love life, Harry dropped from the competition. He and Gabbi put in a housing bid and cited a new Potter that would be coming into the world very soon.

He asked Hermione for drinks with him and Gabbi as soon as they were approved for a newly built house.

Hermione sat, sipping her wine, marveling at the craftsmanship of the structure. The witches and wizards who built these small houses weren't doing shoddy work, that was for sure. Not for the first time, she wondered if maybe she wanted this with Seamus? With each passing day, it was becoming a more pleasing idea.

"Sorry I can't lead you on anymore. In the gossip, that is," Harry apologized. Hermione kissed his cheeks.

"You never had to."

"They have no right to know who you're dating...or married to," Harry corrected himself, "They're just frustrated about their own lack of love."

"Or they just want something interesting," Gabbi theorized. While Fleur still spoke with a thick French Accent, Gabbi's had all but vanished.

"Mhh," Hermione shrugged, uncaring, "I suppose I should be apologizing to you, Gabbi. An entire year of your husband fondling me in public."

Harry spat out his whisky, "It was hardly that. Merlin, the likes of Anthony and Draco go a little far for my tastes."

"Anything for a friend," Gabbi said, "Plus, it was most...intriguing to watch it play out. Plus, I know Harry is loyal. I have nothing to fear. You're already married too." She pointed out, which were all fair points.

"Yes, I suppose that sometimes it is tiresome to be accosted by a harem of witches or wizards," Hermione said, giggling to herself, "But it's easy like this. In a way," She said, realizing the truth. It afforded her invisibility to her own relationship, hidden in plain sight.

"Yeah, you and Seamu-," Harry broke off. He narrowed his eyes, "You are married to Seamus, right?"

"Harry!"

"After a year of watching you get snogged by everyone, I just want to make sure I'm remembering right," He teased.

Hermione pulled out the wedding ring to the front of her blouse, "Yes, it's Seamus. He treats me very well before you ask that. He always has."

Harry smiled softly, fondly, "I'm just glad we survived."

At that moment, he seemed so much older than he actually was. Yes, it was coming up on ten years since the escape from Hogwarts, but he seemed as wise as Dumbledore or McGonagall. He'd seen enough to rival them, "It does make me sad that my kids won't go and be sorted like I was." He admitted.

"Well, it would be a discussion if we'd even be sending them to Hogwarts," Gabbi chuffed, crossing her arms, "Beauxbatons is much safer on average than your school."

"It was just Harry," Hermione said dryly, "Trouble followed him, and by extension me, like a magnet."

They continued to talk and drink (Gabbi only had sparkling water, of course) late into the night. By the time Hermione left, the compound was dark and all were asleep, sans the guards. She slid into her bedroom, pausing to admire Seamus sprawled out across the sheets for a second.

Quietly as she could, she pulled the covers back to try to avoid waking him. Seamus, who always seemed aware of Hermione's movements, shifted and yawned.

"Have a nice chat with Harry?"

"He's officially pulling himself out of the 'Who is Hermione Married To' mystery," Hermione said, "And yeah, it was nice."

"Mhh," Seamus nosed up her neck, half-asleep, "How pregnant does Gabbi seem?"

"Ready to burst. Thank Merlin they moved in before now. I think she might be due any day."

Seamus rolled them over so that Hermione was resting on his chest, "Have you thought about it?"

"About…?"

"Kids. I ken you wanted some before."

"I'm unsure," Hermione said honestly, "Once, in a different world...but I'm so busy now. The plan has hardly just been put into place. There's so much to do. But I'm also not getting younger, and I still do want kids…" She gnawed on her lip.

Seamus's fingers traced along the edge of her jeans, teasingly, "Should we start tonight? Really throw the compound into confusion when you get pregnant."

"No," Hermione groaned, "I can't imagine the horror of that. I'm sure that I'll have many people sure that the father and my husband are two separate people." She said, wincing at the idea.

"Well, we'd know," Seamus said, "And, once that laddie comes out with my Irish colorin' and burnin' things left and right, there wouldn't be any doubt, eh?"

"That's how you want to announce to Gatorio that we're married? Via an apology because our son or daughter burned down a house?" Hermione sat up, raising an eyebrow.

Seamus shrugged, as though not entirely upset with that idea.

Hermione snuggled back next to him, "Not tonight. But soon."

"Soon as in...tomorrow?" He asked, his fingers, always warm, tracing patterns over her backside.

"Soon as in closer to the future than farther," Hermione said, "Let's just exist right now?"

Seamus pulled the blanket over them, pushing her hair away from her face with a soft, kind look, "Of course, luv. That's easy to do with you."

XXxxXX

Two years later, they launched their last excursion to London, which was still a burning firepit of hell, or so Seamus claimed.

They were washing their hands of their former association, and after this, it would feel like they were really putting down their roots here for good. There would be no more hoping that they would just 'go back' one day, no more waiting for someone to rescue them, no more wondering what it was like. They would simply be immigrants and start here a new.

As it was, they were gathering the attention of some Italian wizards.

Italy did not have a strong and unified Wizarding Community like Beauxbatons or Durmstrange or Hogwarts had. Most wizards were taught by their families or went to Beauxbatons if they were so inclined. Hermione and the other council members had voted to allow any witch or wizard that wanted to join their community the right to do so. It could only help them to have some natives that could help them navigate things and protect their identity. If Voldemort had taken over other countries, which it seemed he had, it might not be too long until he attack Italy. With any hope, if they stayed invisible and off-the-radar enough, mixed with the very good charms they'd erected, they stood a chance of surviving.

There were children that could scarcely recall Voldemort, other than a scary name growing up. Merlin, there were children that were now being born that would have no idea who he was, other than the stories passed down.

Seamus insisted on going on the last raid, for old times, of course. While Hermione knew him to be a ruddy good wizard, it did not stop her anxiety. She remembered how many they'd lost over the years to these trips and was not looking forward to that sort of heartache, but times a thousand.

They were late on returning. Three days late.

While a usual raid or excursion up to France or any other country, or even to the other side of Italy, might take the troupe longer than expected, there was no reason for this particular one to not be back at the gates promptly. They knew how important it was to return within the timeframe, not if they wanted to keep their identities on the DL, not if they didn't want to worry people.

Hermione's anxiety was noticed by all.

Of course, Warrington and Anthony were both on the raid too, which didn't help the ongoing board- yes, they'd put up a board- with bets on who Hermione was married to. People were taking money bets, and if not for Seamus who still was so amused by it all, Hermione would have burned that down months ago.

"I think I love him, fuck," Ginny said, sitting on Hermione's bed on the third night, wiping her cheeks, "I love Warrington."

"Gin, I could have told you that a year ago," Hermione sighed, but gave her a soft smile.

"What if he's dead?" Ginny said. Ginny had come by to comfort Hermione, but it seemed that Hermione was really comforting her, "What if he's dead and I never got to tell him…." She broke off, taking a big swish of the vodka she'd dragged in, coughing at the taste.

"They have to come back," Hermione said, but she herself felt unsure of this promise. She had told Seamus not to go. She'd had a bad feeling about this.

She always hated when he left. She'd reminded him about how worried he'd been when she'd left the camp and gotten shot all those years ago, but he insisted this was different.

There was cheering outside. Hermione shot up, but Ginny all but threw herself down the stairs. The gates were opened to reveal the weary travelers, their faces stained with soot and their clothes absolutely filthy. They looked like they'd been trapped in the underworld for days. Warrington was carried in on a stretcher, much to Ginny's horror, a bandage wrapped tightly around his head.

Daphne was at his side immediately, barking orders and taking control medically.

Hermione saw Seamus directing items and boxes, looking just as weary as the rest, and bleeding from a few places, but nowhere near as bad as others.

The courtyard was filled with light now, as people stumbled outside. Most of Gatorio was milling, being pushed back by the council to make room for the troupe to get some air and the attention they needed from the right people.

Hermione pushed past, throwing herself at Seamus, and refused to let go.

"Mione, I need to finish this," Seamus said, but hugged her back, his arms tightening as though he too intended to never let her go.

She cupped his cheeks, kissing him soundly, ignoring all the gasps from the back.

"I think that confirms it!" Someone hissed, "It's gotta be Seamus, huh?"

"What happened?" Hermione asked, drawing herself an inch away, but no further. She wasn't sure she could bear a long separation.

Seamus opened his mouth, but closed it again, sighing heavily, "I'm just gunna say that anything you remember about England, about Hogwarts…" He gave a slow shake of his head.

"That bad."

"Worse."

Hermione pressed her lips together, "The last one," She reminded, "No more."

"Thank Merlin," Seamus agreed. She got the acute feeling that he had seen horrors she could not imagine. He did not want to tell her now. One day, he would. She would not push him. When he was ready, he'd admit in the cover of darkness all the things he'd seen, the things he'd done.

And Hermione would hold him, rubbing his cheeks, kissing his palms and crown of his head, and murmuring reassuring ballads of affection.

Seamus yawned, seeming to collapse. His body crunched a bit and he rested his chin on the top of her head, groaning as he rolled his muscles.

"I need a bath. Maybe a power wash," He grumbled, "And a thousand-year nap."

"Food?" Hermione asked. She waved to one of Seamus' lieutenants, knowing they'd take over the rest of the unloading well enough.

"A whole cow," Seamus teased tiredly, lifting his head and allowing Hermione to help him limp through the crowd. She did not care about how people side-eyed them, or how people bemoaned about losing out on the betting pool.

It all seemed so trivial compared to her love for Seamus and the last few months he'd just experienced.

"We can arrange all of that," Hermione assured, linking fingers, relishing once again in the feeling of his form against hers, even just the heat that radiated from his flesh, warmer than average, as always.

"Oh," Seamus said as she maneuvered him to the showers near their bedroom, "I got you something. Nearly forgot. Before I touch these clothes," He added dryly.

"You didn't have to."

"That's what a husband does, eh? Get their wives a trinket while they're on Holiday."

"Yes, but usually they go to Bali or Greece, not their war-torn former country," Hermione said, but was happy that he was thinking of her all the same. As though reading her expression, Seamus, whilst stripping off his tattered shirt, laughed.

"Luv, there wasn't a second you weren't on my mind, whether it be the relief you didn't have to see what I was seeing, worry about yeh back here, or just missing you."

"Sea-,"

"It's not much, I know," He said, taking something from his pocket and using a charm to resize it properly, his wand clenched in his teeth as he held it, "But there's nothing else left, and I thought…"

Hermione took it. It was a metal street sign, more specifically, her childhood street sign. She knew that her house had been burned years ago, and she didn't remember ever telling Seamus the street specifically she grew up on.

"I didn't know I…" She ran her hands over the metal. It wasn't a reproduction of the sign either; it had the same scratch marks from neighborhood children taking aim at it, and a little indent where one of the muggle boys she'd had a crush on in her youth had shot rocks from his sling-shot at it, right over the first 'a' of the title.

"You did, once, five or six years ago. Then I asked Harry 'n Ron about it. Between the two of them, they confirmed it." Seamus said offhandedly, as though recalling such a minor thing from what seemed like a lifetime ago was a casual motion.

Hermione set the metal on the sinks, "Seamus?"

"Hmm?"

"How tired are you?"

Seamus cleaned his face off in the sink, at least so that his cheeks were cleaned of the ash, soot, and dirt, "Awake enough for what you're suggesting if I think you are," He said cheekily, "I'm always willing to do that."

"Good. Then, we'll get clean, and you can sleep until next year for all I care." Hermione said, locking the door behind them.

Seamus pulled her under the spray of the show still clothed, kissing her. Hermione reached up on her tip-toes to reach his face, smiling despite everything.

"Have I told you I loved you yet since getting back? Great Gryffindor, I can't even remember, I'm halfway in the grave, I swear. " Seamus winced. Hermione hit his shoulder, rolling her eyes.

"Tired, sure. Dying, doubtful," She said, doing a once-over. He was riddled with small cuts, but unless he was bleeding internally, his biggest concern was sleep, "Not in words, but I think that sign pretty much did," Hermione said.

And, even though Seamus was bone tired, she gave him a proper coming home welcome, full of many different forms of 'I love you' of her own.

After, as he slept tangled in their sheets and she stared out into Gatorio, basking in the light spilling in, Hermione felt perfectly happy.

XXX

They had thought that would cinch it. The kiss at the gate, that is. It hadn't been planned. They didn't know how or if they'd ever formally come out with it, but they talked the next day about how, well, that had to be the pin in the juiciest gossip that ever was here.

But, apparently, not so.

Because, and repeat it with Hermione, because really, people are stupid.

Hermione had forgotten this.

For nearly the next six months, the jury was apparently still out whether or not they were supposed to be together.

"It was a ploy! To confuse us!" Some cried when the people that apparently had grown up with common sense pointed out that, okay, this was the confirmation that everyone had been waiting for.

When people also pointed out the kiss had seemed quite intimate, and not just something for jokes - and also, when had Hermione Granger ever participated in a joke- the responses were just as stubborn.

"It's supposed to look like that! To obviously throw us off!"

Sure, the mystery of her partner had gripped the community for so long that Hermione knew there would be some disappointment in seeing the game was over, but Merlin, she didn't expect people to be so obstinate when faced with the truth.

There were people that were still convinced she was with Draco. There were some people that were sure that she, Seamus, and Draco were in a kinky threesome.

It did not help that when Draco was asked point-blank, he just waggled his eyebrows, grinned, and replied, "Ooh, how kinky!" and then walked away.

Wanker.

"But Hermione," Ginny pointed out one afternoon, "Why not just cast your voice with magic and make one big announcement? That it's Seamus? Be done with it!"

And yes, even though Hermione had thrown caution to the wind to kiss him, she was bothered.

"Do I need to write it in the clouds? Do I need to write, organize, and perform an entire musical about my feelings for him in front of everyone? Do I need to stab myself at his grave and set us off on a Viking Funeral?" Hermione bemoaned, "Do you honestly think they'll believe me?"

"I think you just gotta be explicit about it. And sure, there will always be some that think you're lying, but screw 'em anyway."

Hermione always wished she had the confidence Ginny had to just ignore others.

She mulled on this for a bit. Seamus told her she was free to announce it however she wished. He offered that perhaps they just start wearing their wedding rings and let maths win out in the end, as people started to calculate that there wasn't really anyone else unmatched wearing wedding rings.

"You think those that think it's a big smokescreen are smart enough to do maths?" Hermione asked with a slightly humored smile.

"No," Seamus sighed after a long moment, "But," He said, this entire debacle still deeply funny to him, "I really would want to hear what they'd come up with this time to explain away their ships and hopes and dreams."

Six months later, about a year after the kiss, their answer was given to them. Or, it was pushed to a point where Hermione was just done with it.

She had her life to get on with and others to care about more than those that were spreading conspiracies about her marriage. And, it was all harmless when it came down to it. With a step back and some old-fashioned musings, she realized that as long as Seamus didn't believe a lick of what they were saying, it didn't matter anyway.

Perhaps old age started doing that to you. Made you care just…less.

Or, maybe it was a change going on within her.

Either way, thirteen years after the Fall of Hogwarts, Hermione told herself that thirteen was not going to be unlucky not for her.

It was the year that two significant things happened.

The first; she and Seamus applied and were granted a house. A three-bedroom, one of the bigger models.

And the second was an announcement she made the day she moved her meager assortment of things to the house, with a promise to make this space feel like a home. Not for her sake, but for the sake of those that would soon live here too.

There was a board outside of each house along with a tiny mailbox. Hermione found some paper and a marker and went out to the board with a sense of determination and a look on her face that told Seamus not to try to stop her.

She tacked the board up, and then with a sense of precision and need for this all to be over with, she wrote:

"Arriving in 7 months' time - Baby Finnegan-Granger.

Seamus is my husband.

Not Draco. Or Neville. Or Dean. Or Harry. Or anyone else.

Stop asking.

It's Seamus."

She called Seamus out after she was done. Seamus took one look at it, stifled a laugh, and nodded.

"Yes, well, that's very to the point."

"Exactly."

From inside their new house, with no curtains yet and just some old furniture dragged from their original rooms, they watched the survivors wander past the sign and start to talk and murmur.

Seamus poured a glass of wine for himself and brewed some tea for Hermione. They sat, Hermione leaning her head on Seamus, Seamus with his arms around her. From their view, they could see out to the sign, but no one could see in. They clinked their glasses together.

"This is entertaining. Nice to be the ones watching instead of the ones being watched," Hermione mumbled. They spent the rest of the afternoon together, mapping the waves of realization wash through their friends.

After that, pretty much no one questioned who Hermione was with.

There were maybe two or three that Hermione was sure a Hippogriff kicked when they were younger because they were the last hold-outs for some unfathomable reason.

Seamus was right, however. When the baby was born and immediately set a bassinet on fire, showing an affinity to fire magic from a young age, people stopped questioning whose baby it was.

The question was never asked in any seriousness ever again and was only ever referred to with a slight smile.

There were other things for people to focus on soon enough, leaving Hermione to settle in with her family.

XXX

There was a quiet buzzing of cicadas that rang in the background of Hermione's ears, mixed with the whistling of birds as they flew through the trees. She could hear the tall grass sliding against each other, the tall blades rustling around her. And Hermione could hear laughter; the tinkling sound of little bells that echoed and pitched and grew round and hearty. Then, mixed in, a deeper tone of joy, the sound of Seamus showing the girls a frog or a toad.

"And when ye used to go off to Hogwarts, you could get a familiar. I never had one. Yer mum had a cat for a while; fussy, proper thing. It looked like a ball of fire and when it stared at yeh, oi, I felt like it was judging me. But anyway, you could take a toad or cat or an owl. Err…your Uncle Ron also had a rat, but that's something to tell you lot about later."

"So do I get a toad soon? Please, dad! I'm nearly 11!" Hermione heard her eldest daughter plead.

"You just turned ten," Her second daughter, Orla, said with a sisterly sense of argument. She liked to get on her older sister's nerves.

"Yes, but theoretically, I'd be going to Hogwarts soon, Orla."

Hermione cracked an eye open, catching Seamus' wide smile at her. Despite the fact that Fiadh had Seamus' grandmother's name, his hair color, eye color, and penchant for fire, they often joked (along with many others) that her personality was a mini Hermione. She also had Hermine's unruly hair and it always puffed out when she was angry, not unlike Hermione had looked around that age.

"Viola, wanna see a toad? It's slimy!" Orla turned her attention to the baby who was babbling on the picnic blanket, the last of the Finnegan-Granger children. The absolute last; after this surprise, they had made certain of it. Hermione had to think that the world knew best because even though she was not having any more, her family now felt complete with the little one.

Viola reached her little fingers out, but Seamus grasped the toad out of Orla's hands.

"Err, let's not traumtiaze it, yeah?"

"Mummy, what was your cat's name?" Fiadh turned her attention to Hermione, pulling her knees underneath her chin. At this age in between a child and a pre-teen, she was all leg and freckles and wildness, which lived up to her name meaning.

"Crookshanks. And it was much smarter than anyone thought it was," She smiled warmly at the memory, "Perhaps we'll find a cat the next time we head into town."

The Orla and Fiadh were sent into a tizzy of excitement and immediately fought over the name, and Viola waved her fists, wanting to be in on the excitement.

"How about a dog?" Seamus offered.

"No!" Both the girls protested, "A cat!"

Seamus sighed, but he was still smiling, "You are terrible," He mumbled to Hermione, "You know I can never say no to these two." He said, pulling them under his arms for an awkward hug they both squirmed to get away from. Fiadh was just about the age her father's affection was embarrassing, and Orla had never much liked being touched, perpetually independent and aloof since the moment she was born.

Hermione had never doubted that Seamus would be a good father, but watching him grow up around the girls was the best gift that she could have ever asked for.

Nearly 22 years after the end of her previous life as a witch in London, everything felt like a lifetime ago. There had not been trouble for ages. They hardly contacted anyone outside anymore, only feeling the need to go into town on occasion, and often, they pretended to be Muggles. They were entirely self-sustaining with classrooms, Hermione making new wands for everyone, houses, food…anything that anyone truly needed, they had it.

Going outside the gates into the surrounding land was also not so much a taboo, as they were outside now. They stayed close to the gates, but Hermione liked to see the unbridled excitement and fascination of her young girls in nature, none of them had any idea that her parents had not always lived in Gatorio.

One day, they'd tell them. One day, Hermione would sit down and explain everything. Seamus had suggested that perhaps they start with Fiadh, who was naturally mature, to begin with, on her 11th birthday. His argument had been that Hermione had been experiencing those things at 11, so perhaps Fiadh could handle hearing about it.

But Hermione had shaken her head. She wanted to spare them as long as she could from the horrors she'd gone through. And her age was exactly the point.

"None of us should have been involved in a war at age 11," She said, sighing. She'd felt so grown-up at that age to have helped Harry vanquish Voldemort/Quirrel. Now, as a mother herself, it hurt her to think she'd been experiencing such things with so little life behind her.

No, these discussions were for other days, far away from this moment in the sun.

"Can we play tag?" Orla asked, bouncing in front of her mother.

"Stay within the barriers," Hermione said, knowing they'd be safe for a good few kilos out still.

"Can we play with magic?" Fiadh asked with a wicked grin.

"No fair! I can't do that yet!" Orla pouted.

Growing up around everyone in such a close community meant that magic use was different. Kids were taught magic from a much younger age, though actual classes would not start until 11, like at Hogwarts, the age when they were able to refine their magical signatures. Still, most kids learned spells from each other through whispers and practice, and at the age of ten, children learned a lesser version of apparition. Fiadh had picked it up immediately, of course, and was always itching to show off her new skills.

"Not with your sister," Seamus shook his head, "With your friends that can match you, you show em," He said, "But play fair with Orla."

"Fine," Fiadh was only momentarily disappointed. She reached out, tapping Orla's head quickly, "Tag! You're it!"

And then both girls were bouncing off through the tall grass, their laughter rolling through the wind back to their parents.

Seamus eased himself onto the blanket, picking Viola up and setting her in his lap.

"You sure you don't want another? She's so cute like this," Seamus teased.

"No, any more and we'll start to resemble the Weasley family." Hermione snorted.

"That's not fair at this point," Seamus said, "Most of 'em have had a very respectable and average number of kids…if anything, I think that the Woods are the new Weasleys." Daphne and Oliver were up to eight kids. The running joke for a long time had been that Oliver had wanted enough kids for his own quidditch team. While it wasn't confirmed by the pair, it also wasn't denied. They also announced recently that their son Callum would be the last one.

Harry was very sure that the jokes were truthful. "A full team and a spare, in case one is injured." He'd argued. All the kids were good at Quittich, so well, perhaps.

"He should have had at least two more," Ginny said teasingly, "With how often people get injured in Quidditch."

He- along with Ginny- ran the Youth Quidditch Program. Orla was dying to be old enough to join the 'real games', in her words, in another year, and not be with 'babies who don't know how to ride brooms'.

Even though Hermione had never been good at Quittich, she would be the best Quittich mom out there, she'd already made up her mind. Where these Quidditch genetics came from beat both of them since neither had much interest in the sport.

"For Orla's birthday, I was thinking we get Harry to make her a new broom-," Seamus' planning was cut off by a yell from the girls.

Both Hermione and Seamus stood immediately, on the defense, as they trampled through the grass. Fiadh was standing in front of Orla protectively, her hands alight with flames.

"You won't touch her! Stay back!"

"Girls, behind me," Seamus said, grasping their arms. It was only then, once Hermione checked them over with a swift glance and saw no injuries, that she turned her attention to the person that had given them a fright.

"I'll be…" The figure gasped, staring at the girls with Seamus, before meeting Hermione's gaze, "Yours?"

Hermione blinked, dropping her defensive magic slightly, sure she was dreaming.

"Professor McGonagall?" She whispered, feeling like a young witch all over again as she stared into the face of one of her most beloved teachers. Professor McGonagall's face was slightly more wrinkled, and her hair was completely white now, but she still seemed capable. Hermione reminded herself that witches and wizards lived long past regular Muggles.

"I think you may call me Minerva, Miss Granger, at this point in our lives," Minerva said with a slight smile.

"It's Mrs…and, similarly, Hermione," Hermione said, "Please, excuse me for having to ask, but what did you give me in my third year?"

Minerva gave a proud smile, "A time-turner."

"A what? Merlin, how have I never heard this story?" Seamus asked, stunned. Hermione shrugged; she had stopped talking about her past, or London, around the time Fiadh was born. It was too hard to dwell on memories and easier to not confuse the girls by just not talking about it.

"Seamus Finnegan, as I live and breathe," Minerva said, "With some fire mages taking after you."

"Surprised?" Seamus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"At this point, I am immune to any surprises," Minerva said point-blank, "I must ask…is it just you two? Or is it…"

"There are others. We have a community; guarded. It's just back there. We'll take you. Harry, Ron, Oliver, Ginny, Dean, Draco…" As Hermione began to list, knowing she couldn't get through all of them, Minerva's face broke into pure joy and tears trekked down her cheeks.

"I feared you were all dead, all of you."

"Same to you, ma'am," Seamus said.

"Come, let's go back," Hermione said, grasping Orla's hand and smiling at Fiadh, "It's okay. This is an old friend. She won't hurt us." She said, noting that Fiadh's hands were still glowing. Fiadh gave an uneasy look at Minerva before letting the head subside.

"I've been looking for all of you for years," Minerva whispered, still in shock as Hermione led her back, "I was beginning to doubt that anyone was still alive until I heard from Beauxbatons a group of witches and wizards living in seclusion in Italy. And then it took me a while to find you," She gave another watery grin, "You hid so well. I am so proud of all of you."

"Well," Hermione said, warmth pooling in her stomach, "We had the best teachers."

Neville was at the gates. He did a double-take and nearly tripped over himself coming down.

"Professor?" He blinked, "Bloody hell, am I dreaming?"

"Most certainly not. And may I remind you you are in the presence of young ears, Mr. Longbottom!" Minerva said sharply, the same as ever.

"Nothing they haven't heard from Uncle Draco before," Seamus snorted, knowing that they'd overheard Draco say far worse.

Minerva gave a curious look, as though the fact that Draco was so friendly with Hermioens' children mystified her. Then, she seemed to shake out her feelings. It had, after all, been a very long time.

The news spread like wildfire and old students were pouring out of everywhere, with their own kids trailing behind, to see who Hermione had dragged back. Minerva was looking around in absolute awe; not just at the structures, but at the families.

"You all grew up," She whispered. Hermione was sure she'd seen many students go on to have families, but something about seeing this group survive and come here must be unreal to her.

"I know you said you were looking for us, but why?" Hermione said "Why go through the trouble? To ease worries?"

And then, Minerva said the words that once Hermione longed to hear, but now was unsure what to do with.

"I suppose, but well, haven't you heard?" Minerva asked, frowning, "Voldemort is dead. He was overthrown two months ago. It's safe to return home."

Harry laughed. At Minerva's sharp look, he grinned, "Professor…don't you see? We are home."

Minerva observed for a few moments before giving a sad, but knowing smile, "I do see that."

Hermione knew some would go. She did not begrudge them.

But she knew far more would stay. Somewhere, she had a feeling she might be one of those in the latter category.

"Minerva, are you able to stay a bit?" Hermione said, "I would very much like to catch up with you and show you Gatorio." She offered.

"I am tired," Minerva said, "And we now have all the time in the world. I would love to stay a few days if you do not mind me as a guest."

"You are always welcome. Come with us; we'll put a kettle on." Hermione said, beckoning for Minerva to follow her down the path. Minerva followed slowly, staring around, taking it all in.

"It's quite wonderful here," She said when they'd reached Hermione and Seamus' house, painted light blue, a choice by Fiadh a few years ago.

"It is." Hermione agreed, watching as her girls darted in front of her, eager to impress Hermione's old friend. Seamus placed a hand on her shoulder, and Hermione took Viola from him.

For the rest of the night, they sat on the porch, drinking tea. They let Minerva McGonagall remind them of their old lives and they introduced her to their new one.

The worlds mixed like never before, previously her old life bringing up hurt and regret, but now warm and comforting, Hermione decided. And it slid into her current life, so full of joy. It was all simply paradise.