"You're joking," Harry insisted after Hermione and Remus finally told him the good news.
They were walking alongside the narrow stream not far from Sirius' house. A small, secluded spot of nature, yet untouched by human hands. Teddy was being pushed in his pram by Hermione, whereas Remus lumbered along beside her, his arm draped around her shoulder in a protective manner. Hermione flashed him a grin, her cheeks rosy and her eyes shining with excitement.
"You wish," she responded, poking him in the ribs.
He ducked away, laughing breathily. Sirius was trotting way ahead of them, lost in his thoughts a content smile on his face. She loved days like these when it felt like nothing could go wrong.
"And I'm to be godfather?" Harry asked.
Remus and Hermione nodded simultaneously.
"Well, we figured you're already Teddy's godfather-" Remus began, but Hermione cut him off by leaning upwards and placing a kiss on his lips to silence him.
"We picked you because you're responsible, kind and caring." She said softly, turning away from Remus' pouting face and beaming up at her best friend.
"What about me?" Sirius piped up, suddenly walking right beside them an eager expression on his face.
"Well, you'll be her godmother, of course!" Hermione exclaimed brightly.
Sirius's face fell slightly, but then a blinding grin split his face.
"Ok, I can work with that. Godmother. I never thought I'd see the day." He mumbled to himself.
Remus chuckled and untangled himself from Hermione, walking over to his oldest friend and placing a hand on his shoulder. She smiled lovingly at the two men. So glad she could call one of them the love of her life and the other one of her oldest friends.
"Getting all sentimental are we?" Harry said quietly.
She giggled, wiping her eyes and sniffing loudly.
"It's the hormones," she claimed.
Harry scoffed, and let his fingers intertwine with hers.
"You're going to be a great Mum, 'Mione."
She nodded and leaned into him, slowing to a halt. She looked down at the sleeping child in front of her, asking herself how it was possible to hold so much love in one's heart.
They picnicked at the bank of the river, placing a blanket on the earth and unpacking the feast Hermione and Sirius had prepared. As Hermione bit into a ripe, purple plum she decided that it was time to talk about Lucius. She cleared her throat and took a long swig of tea from the thermos flask Remus had kindly prepared for her.
"Lucius wants to kill me," she said abruptly, immediately cursing herself as she saw the appalled expression's on her companion's faces.
Remus gave a low growl and she saw a look of pure anger flash across his rigid face. Sirius placed a hand on her arm as if willing her to carry on talking and simultaneously stop speaking about such horrid shrugged him off and let her eyes wander to Teddy, taking his bottle in Sirius's arms. She needed to tell them. Even if she was only doing so to keep herself from going insane.
"He won't get that far," Harry said in a threatening voice.
She shrugged again, and let her gaze wander to the trickling stream beside them.
"He-he somehow, managed to track me down on my way to work and he- he forced me into a telephone b-booth." She began, not daring to look into the eyes of her audience.
"Anyway, that's beside the point-" She continued but Remus interrupted her.
"Tell us everything that happened that morning."
She could hear the strain in his voice as he tried to keep his composure. His trembling hands told her that he was finding it difficult to restrain his fury. Even though he had just been through his monthly transformation, his nerves were still on edge and he was easy to provoke. The circumstances were making his condition worse, and Lucius' assault on Hermione wasn't making things any easier.
"He said that he was going to kill me. That he wanted to ruin you, Harry. That he wouldn't stop until he had finished his task," she said, her voice cracking and her eyes tearing up once more.
Sirius inhaled sharply, but she pressed on, finding it difficult to stop now that she had finally started talking about the attack.
"I can't remember the details of what happened next. All I know is that suddenly he preformed the cruciatus curse on me and he wouldn't stop. Then, he- well, he said he was going to use the killing curse." She trailed off, her entire frame shuddering as she remembered his words.
Harry shuffled closer to her, wrapping his strong arms around her body, burying his face in her unruly hair.
"And then Neville intervened." Sirius finished, his gaze distant.
She nodded mutely.
"That bastard!" Remus roared abruptly, making her jump in fright and Teddy cry out.
Sirius glared at him, moving in front of Hermione as if to protect her. As if in some twisted way, Remus was angry with her.
"Remus, calm down," Sirius ordered.
"No! She happens to be my mate, Padfoot. She happens to be carrying my child." He yelled, his eyes seeming unable to focus and his irises an unsettling amber.
"Moony, look at me."
"He could have killed her! She could have been dead!" he shouted, his voice breaking.
"She didn't. She's safe. The baby is safe," Sirius said, standing up to face his friend and placing a firm hand on Remus' shaking shoulder.
"Oh, Merlin," Remus breathed, his breath coming in shallow pants.
He stumbled slightly, falling to his knees, his head in his hands as he shivered uncontrollably.
"Remus," she murmured, taking hold of his hands and nodding gratefully at Sirius as he moved away.
"Look at me, my love."
He lifted his head slightly. His tortured face unrecognisable to her.
"You don't understand, Hermione. I can't-I can't lose you."
She nodded, kissing his forehead softly.
"You won't ever, ever, lose me."
"We'll keep each other safe, Remus," Sirius said.
"We fought before and we'll fight again," Harry promised.
"Lucius will pay. Merlin, he'll pay for what he has done." Remus whispered so quietly that she could barely hear him.
"That's what I'm counting on," she breathed.