Chapter 15
The week to follow Joe's Hogsmede weekend had been an interesting one indeed. It was the first proper full week they had spent together with nothing to really do. Both Hermione and Storm had had the time off of work for the impending holidays.
They had taken their opportunity to visit some of Muggle London's furniture stores. Hermione having been taken back by Storm's suggestion of redoing their home on the beach. She had found she actually was quite excited by the prospect of making it something for both of them, something new.
They had chatted about what they might like, coming to the conclusion that neither of them actually was too bothered by the choice of décor. Storm had only requested a big couch for her sofa naps after practice. Hermione had added that she would like a reading lamp and a few side tables as well. They decided to go and pick everything while the flat was still in her name for a short amount of time. At least then they would have somewhere for the items they picked to be delivered to.
They had talked about just transfiguring what was already there, that way the only things they would need were things they didn't actually have at all. Lamps for one weren't something Storm had ever personally thought about, and none existed in their home. Side tables were also on that list and they figured while they were out buying those things, they could get some ideas for what to do with what they already had.
That's how Storm found herself lounging on a sofa in the middle of a huge furniture store. Watching as Hermione meandered around the isles around her. Dark eyes assessing all of the options they had previously picked out, weighing up which one she wanted to actually decide on. Storm figured she'd give her the time she wanted, and was definitely not upset with where she had landed.
The brunette seemed to decide then, nodding to herself as she stopped in front of their favourite sofa so far. She turned her attention back to Storm who was still watching her lazily from her adopted perch. Dark eyes crinkled at the sides as she wore a small absent smile, not quite having registered that Hermione was actually looking back.
The older woman paused as she took in the sight before her. She watched how the Shifter was just watching her, looking like the most content person to ever exist. She wondered then briefly if this is how it would always be. Making the decision then to make her way back to her, settling down quite happily into her side as Storm moved to wrap an arm around her shoulders.
"Hey, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" The shifter questioned, her small smile never faltering as she lent over to press a kiss to the older woman's cheek.
"I was just wondering the same thing" Hermione quipped back with a chuckle, taking in the rows of furniture completely devoid of people. "I think we just need to actually pick out things we need now, I have a good idea of what to do with what we already have." She added, moving to smooth her palm across Storm's chest.
The younger woman just sighed a comfortable sigh, relaxing into the touch. "That sounds good to me" Storm replied quietly as she lent in to brush the tip of her nose against Hermione's cheek for just a moment before pulling away to allow the older woman to get up.
The time passed quite quickly that afternoon and soon their furniture expedition had been completed. It wouldn't take them long at all to transform the living room and even the bedroom once they arrived back at the house. They had made a short pit stop at Madam Malkin's to sort out a set of dress robes for Storm ahead of the Ministry party. The Shifter looking quite sharp all dressed up, surprising Hermione to no end. She had even promised to actually do her hair rather than leave it shaggy.
Overall, their day had been incredibly productive and they were in high spirits once they had landed back on the decking outside their home. A misty rain was coming off the sea and Storm had looked as if she was itching to go for a swim. Something Hermione found she did most afternoons regardless of the weather and would be gone for about an hour.
"Go if you want to, I'll get dinner on the go and start on the living room" She stated, pushing at the younger woman's stomach gently. She knew Storm found peace in her swims and her runs. She'd always return so relaxed.
"Are you sure? I can go in a bit?" Storm questioned, dark eyes flicking back to look at the water sloshing a little aggressively against the sand.
"I'm sure, if we both do it it'll be done far too quickly." She laughed softly, watching as Storm nodded and started to strip down to nothing but her underwear. Flicking her wand to summon her thigh strap from somewhere deep within the home so she could secure her wand to herself.
"Alright, I won't be too long" She smiled widely then, white teeth entirely on show as she lent over to steal a quick kiss. "Don't miss me too much" Was quipped before she shifted into a large bird on the spot and took off.
Hermione watched as she shifted again once she was over the water and disappeared with a splash beneath the waves. The sight still a little strange for her, but interesting to see non the less. She always did the same thing, and would return so sated it was almost impossible.
Hermione had asked her once why, and she had simply replied with it was in her nature to change and to stay in one form too long set her nerves on fire. She had thought back to Hogwarts and how often the younger woman actually disappeared and reappeared at the most random times. She wondered how often Storm had isolated herself throughout the years to remain hidden from the world still so unaccepting of magical creatures.
She made her way into their home, noting how she warmed up considerably as soon as she stepped in past the door that had always been kept open. One of the first things she had done once she had moved in was put a warming and drying charm on the entryway. As soon as you stepped through there was a wave of warmth that kept out the frigid cold and left the kitchen much cosier.
Pulling her wand from her coat pocket as she shrugged it off to hang on a few hooks she had put in, she set about putting together dinner for them. Using magic to do most of the hard work she managed to finish it within minutes and leave it to warm slowly in the oven. She wasn't particularly great at cooking, but Storm never complained and always polished off everything that was left.
With that sorted and out of the way, her sights had been firmly set on the living room and the existing furniture that resided in there. There wasn't really that much, an old beaten-up sofa and an armchair served as seats. A glass coffee table sat in the middle of the room, with a muggle television hung up on the wall.
The floor was wooden and needed a little TLC and to Storm's credit she actually had a large area carpet that stretched under all the furniture. That gave Hermione quite a bit to work with and after examining what exactly was there, she set to work. Starting on the sofa she transfigured that so it was larger and more of an L shape. The colour changing so it was more of a washed grey, and the fabric altering so it was no longer leather but more of a suede instead.
The armchair came next, and that was soon stretched out into a larger seat to match the sofa now sat beside her. The carpet and wooden floor soon followed and then the glass coffee table was split into two separate side tables and placed either end of the large sofa. The whole living room had been left looking fresh and completely new.
"Looks brilliant" Came Storm's voice, and Hermione turned around a little surprised by how quickly the hour had passed. Her dark eyes settled on the younger woman's face, a bright smile pulled across her lips, but a bright red welt had been left over half of her usually pale skin. The mark caused her own smile to falter as she watched the younger woman wince a little as her own fingers came to touch the mark.
"What did you do?" She questioned, moving then to get a closer look. Though as she got closer, she soon realised it wasn't as bad as it had seemed from across the room.
"I swam into a bunch of these little jellyfish" Storm laughed, shaking her head as she did so. "It happens more than you'd think, it's not that bad" She clarified simply with a shrug as she moved to flop non too gently on the new sofa. Her wand still firmly strapped to her thigh; she made no move to put any more clothes on.
Hermione watched her, a little perplexed by what she had said. Dark eyes watching as the half-naked woman simply stretched out, pulling her wand from her thigh to conjure a large red tartan blanket to wrap around herself. "Would you like me to shut the floo network off? We can have a little fire going. It's absolutely awful outside" Storm spoke then, moving from where she had settled herself.
"I think that would be really nice actually. I'd definitely like that" Hermione spoke then, deciding not to dwell on the complexities that were Storm and everything she entailed. The welt still prominent across her face in the dim light of the living room. "Is there a particular film you'd like to put on? We can have dinner in here tonight" She quizzed then as she too made to move herself.
The little shelf that sat under the television was packed with a multitude of muggle films, she crouched in front of it as Storm went about setting up a small fire in the hearth of the large fireplace. "Lord of the Rings is good, have you seen it?" The younger woman questioned as she stacked a few logs in place.
"I haven't ever heard of it" Hermione answered honestly. She had been pretty shielded from the muggle world over the past few years. Something she regretted more the longer she dwelled on the topic.
"Oh man, there's a character in it that reminds me of Dumbledore. It's brilliant to think they made it and have no idea who he is and that we even exist" Storm laughed, her eyes bright as she turned finally towards the older woman, a small fire crackling behind her.
"Well, that sounds interesting" Hermione stated honestly. She was always interested by how spot on some of the muggle films and books actually were. She was equally as interested in their take on magical worlds, even when they were so far off.
"There are three of them. If you really want to, we can watch them all tonight. We have time" Storm spoke happily. "Why don't you go an put some pajamas on, and we can get comfy" She added as she moved to take the DVD box that was being held out to her.
"Do you need anything from upstairs while I'm up there? A t-shirt maybe?" Hermione laughed, leaning up on her tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to Storm's lips.
"Nope I'm good, unless you want me to put a t-shirt on?" Storm quizzed; an eyebrow raised in question as she looked down at herself. Still only in her underwear transfigured into a swimsuit. The charm Hermione had put on the door leaving her dry, but still salty.
"Never" Hermione admitted proudly as she wandered up the stairs towards their bedroom. Quite content with their plans for the evening ahead of them.
-x-x-x-x-
"Hermione, are you almost ready?" Storm called as she wandered up the stairs towards their bedroom. The Christmas party at the Ministry was that evening, and they didn't have much time left before they would need to be heading over.
She had gotten ready pretty quickly herself, her hair done and out of her face for once. Dark dress robes clung to her body in all the right places and her white shirt remained as crisp as it had been when it had come off the hanger. She was quite impressed with herself, and hoped it was enough to ensure she didn't embarrass the older woman.
Hermione herself had looked stunning when Storm had finally ducked out of their room to leave her with just the finishing bits and pieces. Her dress was strapless and black and white to match Storm's robes. She had picked out a nice pair of matching heels and pulled her hair back in a low bun. Storm had surprised her with a simple silver heart shaped necklace and matching bracelet to finish off the outfit. Something she had definitely earned brownie points for.
Though as she peaked into the bedroom to check on the older woman there was another surprise burning a hole in her pocket. She wasn't too sure about the reaction she would get from the particular article of jewellery tucked safely against her thigh. Though she supposed it was definitely worth the risk.
"I'm just coming now!" The brunette called, unaware of the younger woman standing propped up against the door frame, dark eyes watching as she collected her clutch from the side table and checked it for everything she may need.
"You look beautiful" Storm called wistfully, finally pushing herself from the doorjamb and into the space. Watching as dark eyes flicked up towards her, a small sheepish smile tugging on Hermione's lips as she looked down at herself finally.
"This is nothing, just something I threw on" She spoke modestly, though the way her sheepish smile changed and pulled her lips up in a beaming grin Storm figured she had definitely said the right thing.
"Nonsense." The younger woman muttered as she made her way over, reaching out to take Hermione's hand in order to bring it to her lips. Ghosting her knuckles with a barely there kiss to accentuate her point. "I have something else for you" She added as she reached down into her pocket to pull the box from its depths.
The suede of the outside soft against her fingers as her hand finally broke free of the fabric the item had been hidden in. She watched closely as dark eyes widened almost comically, as red tinted lips fell apart and a silent gasp tumbled from them. "Storm" Was muttered as she smirked, though not as confidently as she normally would.
"It's not what you think, kind of. I mean it could be that, when you're ready" Storm started, holding the box out to the older woman before flipping the lid up with her fingers. A simple silver band with a round diamond inlayed into the metal sat inside, hugged safely by crushed red velvet. "I just, I know this is moving quick. I am completely on your timeline, but I just wanted you to have something that was a token of just how much I absolutely adore you." She started, a little shakily.
Watching as deep brown eyes found hers, sparkling in the bright light of their bedroom. The way Hermione was smiling a little… well a little smugly; it had her stomach twisting. The older woman pulled her hand free finally and started rummaging around in her clutch making Storm's eyebrows furrow in confusion.
"Hermione?" She questioned the still silent woman before her. Though any more thought of cognitive conversation died as she watched Hermione pull free a box of her own, clutch now entirely forgotten and tossed back to lay on top of their bed. Dark eyes flicking back up as she laughed out loud as if so, entirely amused by the predicament.
"Well, yours might not be but mine most definitely is" The brunette spoke as she opened her own box. A not too dissimilar plain silver band sat within its depths. Pulling all the air from Storm's lungs as she flicked her eyes back up, brows still furrowed together in confusion as she took in the beaming smile that had pulled at the older woman's lips.
"What?" She questioned, unsure of herself. "I'm confused" She laughed then, though a little nervously unlike Hermione's own laugh. She sounded positively delighted with the events, the sound easing any nerves that had bubbled within the Shifter's stomach.
"I was going to invite you to my office this evening, and well, I was going to ask you to marry me" Hermione added as a matter of factly. Her shoulder's impossibly straight as she raised both brows as if daring the Shifter. "But it seems this is much better than that plan" She laughed again, holding the box out to Storm, still stood staring at her dumbly.
"Will you?" She questioned finally, "Marry me that is." She clarified as if she needed to. Dark eyes boring into Storm's own as the Shifter's jaw slackened a little in shock.
"Well, that bloody wipes the floor with my daft token of adoration" Storm muttered finally with a loud laugh, her hand moving to the back of her neck to rub at it in disbelief. "Hang on" She stated as she made to pull her wand from her own pocket, pointing it at the ring she had produced from the same pocket moments earlier.
With a few whispered words she was soon transfiguring the metal band and small stone into something that resembled more of an engagement ring. Holding it out towards the brunette after a few seconds of concentration. "I'll say yes, if you say yes." She laughed again, her grin all but splitting her face.
Hermione's own laugh met her ears, and this time she sounded so entirely elated. The noise alone made Storm's belly warm, and kick started her heart into almost jumping from her rib-cage out of sheer joy. "Most definitely yes." She added as she moved to grab the younger woman's hand finally after pulling the band from the box. Sliding it onto her finger with ease as the shifter just shook her head in disbelief.
"I can't believe this" Storm laughed again as she copied the older woman, pulling the now much more engagement ring-esque ring from the box in her hand to slide onto Hermione's hand. "You sure don't waste any time at all do you?" Storm spoke with a smirk, discarding the now empty box onto the bed with Hermione's clutch.
"You are my person, and honestly Storm I've never been surer of something in my life. I love you so entirely, in every way possible that it just makes so much sense to me. I want you in every way, and all the time. I just, don't want to wait for things when this is how strongly I feel." Hermione spoke then, her voice so chirpy, so happy.
Storm reached out then to pull her into herself, long fingers stroking down her ribs for just a moment before she moved to envelope her entirely. Sighing as strong fingers wound into the jacket of her dress robes at the stomach for a brief moment before sliding up to linger at her chest. "I love you too Hermione, I'm so happy you feel the same way." Storm muttered as she pressed soft kisses to the older woman's temple.
"I'm so happy to have found you. You're just so much more than I ever thought was possible." The older woman stated simply, leaning back slightly to press her own lips to the hinge of Storm's jaw. Her fingers splaying out against the front of strong shoulders as she sighed into the warm flesh of Storm's neck.
"I don't particularly want to leave now" Hermione added a little forlornly. On one hand she absolutely wanted to go to the party, knowing Harry and Ginny would be there. Knowing she would have the opportunity to just enjoy herself with Storm.
On the other she just wanted to relax with the younger woman she was still cuddled into so safely. Her chest rising and falling as Hermione lay her head so comfortably on her where they stood. This was more than enough, just being together in any capacity was where she wanted to be.
"Well, we could always make a pit stop in your office…" Storm teased, eyebrows waggling as she pulled away finally. Knowing she would have to move this along if they didn't want to be extortionately late.
"You are impossible!" Hermione laughed as she whacked her shoulder gently, scolding her half-heartedly. "Is that honestly all you ever think about?" She quizzed; an eyebrow raised in question as she moved away from the younger woman. Grabbing her clutch from the top of the bed before taking Storm's hand to lead her down towards the fireplace.
"Hermione, have you ever used a mirror? Because quite frankly I don't understand how you expect that not to be on my mind when you look so good" Storm muttered defensively, but followed hot on the older woman's heels.
"You're quite attractive yourself, but I don't think about that ALL the time" Hermione shot back, dark eyes alight in a way that told Storm she wasn't actually mad at all.
"No, just Ninety percent of the time. You're worse than I am sometimes, honestly." Storm laughed out loud, moving to wrap her arms around the older woman's waist from behind. Careful not to crease their clothes as she squished them both into the fireplace.
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, honestly Storm" Hermione quipped seriously, moving just a little so she could fix the younger woman with a scolding stare.
"Yeah yeah, that's why you planned to take me to your office… Maybe you have some unrealised fantasies about that Head Girl's desk also." Storm started, her voice as even as she could possibly manage. "Maybe you even wanted to do some defiling yourself" She finished with a laugh.
"Don't be ridiculous" Hermione quipped, though the red tint that was quickly making its way up her neck told a completely different story.
She wasted no time then in cutting the conversation off by dropping a handful of floo powder into the fireplace. A green flame erupted around them and before Storm knew it, she was standing in the Ministry. Unphased by Hermione's wand pointed directly at her chest, watching as any dust she may have collected on their travels vanished.
As soon as they had gotten themselves sorted, a man Storm had never seen before was making his way towards them quite quickly. A wide smile tugged at his lips as he approached them both. "Hermione, lovely to see you. I see you've brought a friend!" He spoke, holding his hand out for Storm to take.
The Shifter did just that, smiling politely as she squeezed the offered hand. "Hello, yes of course. This is Storm, my Fiancé" Hermione spoke for the both of them, her shoulder's squaring impossibly as she laced her fingers with Storm's own. There was something in the way she seemed to tense that set Storm's own shoulders.
"I know, I know. Hollyhead Harpies, the best Seeker out there and the best chance we have at winning the next Quidditch World cup. I hardly recognised you without your robes!" The man spoke, almost entirely bypassing the older woman. Though his eyes flicked towards her in recognition of her last words, growing wider slightly. "Congratulations, I didn't realise you were engaged once again!" He spoke again, a little bumbling.
"Well, it's not exactly something we would discuss during office hours" Hermione quipped, the air of professionalism taking her tone entirely. "I suppose, we best go and make the rounds!" She added with a small tight lipped but polite smile as she nodded towards a very familiar set of redheads crowded around a few tables.
"Yes, yes of course! Congratulations again. I hope we see you again soon, Miss Griffin. I'll be sure to have something for you to sign!" He added as they sidestepped him, Storm nodding quite happily as she waved her goodbye.
"Bloody hell" Hermione laughed a little tersely, shaking her head as she lent up to speak quietly to the younger woman who remained quiet at her side. "I didn't realise so many people would be so obsessive over Quidditch." She added as an afterthought.
"Everyone loves Quidditch Hermione" Storm laughed, as she shoved her free hand deep into her pocket. The other firmly clasped between Hermione's fingers, the crook of her elbow held just as firmly with the brunette's other hand. "People love to watch others get beaten bloody and play with balls" She added, her lips tugged up into a grin that was not entirely innocent.
"How vulgar" Hermione stated, though couldn't help the quiet laugh that pulled itself from her chest. Though that conversation was short lived, and soon Ginny and Harry had spotted them. The redhead waving quite excessively.
"I think I see Ginny!" Storm joked as they got close enough for the pair to hear her also. Her words being met with a roll of the redhead's eyes. "I try and I try, but I just can't get away from you" She added, her words directed towards her best friend who was holding out a beverage of sorts.
"Oh, shut up" Ginny scolded, "I don't know why I choose to be friends with you, really" She added as an afterthought. Her own lips tinted pink quirked up into a warm smile as she let herself be pulled into a one-armed embrace by the younger woman.
"You guys look great." Harry added as he too lent in to pull Hermione into a hug, his green eyes sparkling in the dim light.
"You do too" Storm quipped as she pulled her drink to her lips to take a testing sip. Unsure of what exactly might be in the glass. It definitely was not butterbeer, so she figured it must be some sort of mead. As soon as the liquid hit her tongue she nodded, the taste confirming her theory.
"So, Hermione judging by the ring on your finger, I'm guessing that question you were going to ask went well" Ginny prodded, her keen eyes trained on the engagement ring now firmly in place.
"We both sort of had the same idea" The shifter added, her eyes finding her best friends. She had already spoken to Ginny about her plans. She held her own hand up, showing the redhead and Harry her own band.
"It seems we have some planning to do" Hermione spoke almost gleefully, dark eyes trained on Storm's profile as she took another hefty swig of the beer in her hands.
"Congratulations to you both" Harry added, his lips tugged up into a bright smile. Though the smile didn't quite meet his eyes, and there was a certain tenseness there that Storm figured she hadn't ever really seen before. Not recently anyway.
She noticed then how Hermione too seemed a little… preoccupied even still. The tenseness she had sensed earlier on remaining now they were within the Ministry. Something about it setting her nerves even further alight. She scanned the area around them, really taking a look at exactly what was happening.
There were a lot of people there, more people than she had expected there to be. A band was playing somewhere, Christmas music echoing around the large expanse of space that was occupied by the party. She figured it probably looked even bigger during the daylight hours.
"Why do you look so concerned, Hermione?" She questioned then, leaning over to whisper her words. Not really wanting others to hear what she was saying.
Dark eyes found hers then as Hermione reached up to straighten out her collar a little bit. "There's just a lot of people here." Hermione explained, though Storm couldn't quite help but feel the explanation wasn't exactly what she was looking for. "Did you want to dance?" She questioned then, watching as Harry was pulled out to the dance floor by Ginny.
"Sure, that sounds nice" Storm answered truthfully, though she couldn't shake the unease that she felt now. There was something stressing Hermione and Harry out, and that didn't really sit well with her.
She followed close behind the brunette, ensuring she wasn't bumped or nudged in the wrong way by anyone. The space was crowded, though not overly so, she figured there was still a risk of someone throwing an elbow out and not realising how close they were to others.
The tension eased after a while, and even Harry and Hermione seemed to relax. Storm put the discomfort at the start down to the fact they were in their work place, and really nobody actually wanted to be where they worked if they didn't have to. She doubted even Hermione really didn't want to be there.
After they had enough of dancing, they had found themselves surrounded by the rest of the Weasley clan, bar a few of them. Storm had been surprised when they all seemed delighted by the news of Hermione's new engagement, each in turn tugging Storm into a crushing embrace. She was no stranger to the group, not even remotely. Over the years she had spent quite a lot of time with them all, though not really all together like this.
She had been invited to all of their family dos and events, but had always politely declined. Big gatherings set her teeth on edge, and watching a family so happy to be together made her mourn the loss of her own. Though it had been years previously, it was something she had never really been able to handle.
As she sat thinking on it, she figured it was actually quite bizarre that she hadn't had many if any encounters at all with Hermione. Something that she never really clocked onto before. Though, she had seen Ron quite a few times, he had frequented their games for a while. He had just never been with the brunette now at her side any time she had seen him.
"Is that a muggle watch?" Arthur's voice came then, and she noted he had taken the seat beside her to her right. Hermione sat wrapped around her arm to the left, chatting quite happily with Harry and Ginny opposite them.
"It is" Storm answered happily, a wide smile tugging at her lips as she showed the timepiece off. "Some things muggles just do better" She laughed then, knowing she was in for one hell of a conversation.
"That, is very true" Arthur agreed, his own keen eyes taking in the small clock strapped to her wrist. The mechanisms that made it tick entirely on show, winding with every move of the arms.
"Do you have one of those… what do they call it now… DVD players? They are fascinating" The older man spoke, entirely enthralled by the topic at hand. Storm was quite pleased to engage in conversation with him. It had been a while since she had seen the head of the Weasley clan, and had always appreciated his enthusiasm when it came to muggle paraphernalia.
They chatted away idly for a long while, discussing many different topics all consistently within the realm of the non-magical. After an hour or so Arthur was being beckoned by Mrs Weasley, and they were saying their farewells. The clock was ticking onto eleven, and it seemed as if the great expanse of area had become much emptier.
As Storm moved to relax back into the chair she was sat in, her glass still half full and Hermione's still mostly full she almost fell back entirely. The very walls of the Ministry seemed to shake and the lights around them flickered. Before she had time to register what exactly was happening the lights went off again and spells were flying past from every direction. The continuous booming becoming even louder and the screaming that had erupted in the space was deafening.
Hermione grabbed her by the collar then and pulled harshly, dragging her entirely out of her chair to the floor. Dark eyes wild as they met hers, fear behind irises evident even in the darkness.
"What the hell?!" Storm muttered; her words muted as the entire room seemed to shake again. More screaming erupting from all corners, spells raining down in a barrage around them. She pulled the brunette close to her, her wand pulled from her pocket and readied to return any fire aimed their way.
"I knew it!" Hermione shrieked, her wand now drawn and at the ready. Harry and Ginny were in a similar position, Harry's body shielding the redhead as best as possible. A magical shield erupted around them as spells were shot their way.
"Hermione! We need to get out!" Harry whispered; his voice harsh as his own eyes reflected the fear in Hermione's. Ginny seemed just as bewildered as Storm felt, though they too readied themselves for whatever it was that was actually happening.
A body dropped to the floor just behind where Storm was crouched, landing with a solid thud that sent scenes of the battle of Hogwarts flitting through Storm's mind. The table above them all splintering and exploding shards of wood into the air as a bright red spell made contact with it.
Storm moved then pushing herself in between the older woman and the barrage of spells still being aimed their way. "Do not go home!" Harry yelled again, and before Storm could register what exactly was going on he and Ginny were gone.
"Storm! We need to go! I'll explain! But we need to go!" Hermione shrieked, her fingers digging sharply into the younger woman's bicep. Hermione missed the spell that had been aimed their way; a sharp slicing ripped through her shoulder as she turned just in time to shield the older woman from the spark. Before Storm could say much of anything at all she was being pulled and twisted and pushed in ways that made her body ache and mind throb.
When the feeling stopped, she noted they were no longer in the Ministry. They weren't at home either. They were in the middle of absolutely nowhere, large dark trees loomed over them a little, shrouding them in almost entire darkness. The screams from the Ministry had vanished and had been replaced with almost total silence.
Storm could hear Hermione panting, a dim light spilling from the tip of her wand as she circled the small area they were in. Her lips moving as she muttered incantations quickly, dark eyes never leaving the task at hand. The Shifter dropped to the snow underfoot, falling back with a heavy huff as dark eyebrows pulled together, knitted in confusion.
Her hand had dropped her own wand, moving to pull her dress robes away from her arm now liberally spilling crimson blood over the powdery white snow beneath her. "Hermione!" She called as she shook herself free from her dress robes with difficulty.
The brunette paid little attention to her, if any at all. Still very much focused on what it was she was doing, her lips still moving as quickly as possible. "Hermione!" Storm yelled, frustration slipping into her tone as she pulled the ruined fabric of her shirt away from the wound. Her fingers growing sticky as dark eyes tried to assess the situation in the dim light. Her vision blurring considerably as her head grew lighter and lighter, darkness encompassing everything around her.
"Storm!" Hermione yelled from beside her then, dark eyes fluttering open to take in the dim light of their bedroom. Her chest was heaving and she was panting heavily. The contents of her stomach threatened to spill themselves out entirely as she sat up. Dark eyes wild as she turned to meet the older woman's own. Soft hands already on her face, her skin damp with sweat.
"What? What happened?" She almost yelled, her voice hoarse as she did so. Her eyes falling away from Hermione's to look at her arm that was still entirely intact.
"I think you had a nightmare, you were yelling in your sleep." Hermione soothed, running her fingers through dark hair as she smoothed it back and away from the Shifter's sweaty face.
"The Ministry" Storm muttered, falling back into the pillows of their bed. Her chest still heaving, but the heaviness had gone.
"We got home a few hours ago" Hermione spoke then, shifting to push their sheets off of the Shifter's radiating frame. "Nothing happened, it's alright." She reassured her, her voice soft as she did so.
"We're still engaged right? I didn't dream that bit did I?" Storm questioned, lifting her hand to inspect her ring finger. The silver band Hermione had given to her still firmly in place.
"We're still engaged" Hermione laughed, rolling her eyes playfully as she moved to press a tender kiss to the younger woman's temple.
"I swear, whatever Red gave me to drink shouldn't be legal" Storm quipped with a groan, moving to grab the glass of water she kept beside the bed in order to take a hefty swig.
"You did have quite a lot." Hermione added with a smirk of her own. "I thought there was something really wrong, you've never yelled like that in your sleep." She quipped, watching as Storm relaxed once again. Her skin still glistening in the dim light coming in from the moon.
"There was something really wrong, I was really hurt and you were ignoring me" She stated, her lip poking out in what could only be described as a petulant frown. "It was like I had been injured in the war, except it was different." Storm explained quietly. "The Ministry fell during the party, and we escaped but I got hit with a cutting curse and it tore my shoulder to shreds. Just like at Hogwarts" She added quietly, dark eyes shutting tightly as images of the war ripped through her.
Hermione scooted a little closer, leaning to pull Storm's head onto her chest so she could soothe the younger woman. It relieved her in a small way that she wasn't the only one to still have nightmares about the events of the war in some twisted way. "It's all alright now, I've got you" She hushed as the younger woman relaxed further. Fingertips dragging themselves across naked flesh, heated and slick from the nightmare that had ravaged Storm's unconscious just moments before.
They stayed like that for what felt like hours before the younger woman was breathing deeply once again, Hermione following soon after. Her own heart calming after being woken by the Shifter all but yelling her name. The peace finally restored once again, in just the way it should be.