A/N: Hi, sorry for the long wait. I won't say much except for the fact that I was pretty busy and things will only get busier from here on out but I'll keep doing my best to update. I hope you like this chapter!

Enjoy ^^

Hermione was tired. Not exhausted and heavy limbed as when she extracted memories to give to Dumbledore but still tired. Why? The twins.

She loved them, adored them but she had to admit that two babies could be tiring. Especially when they both started crying in the middle of the night. She helped where she could, giving them a bottle, trying to calm them down when needed, help putting them to sleep. There were days where the twins were so easy to take care of and then there were days they almost seemed impossible to handle.

She also quickly learned the difference between the two, learning quickly who was Fred and who was George. George was the calmer one of the two. He was the one who would settle quicker when he threw a fuss, the one who was quicker to fall asleep. He was also a little needier, needing body contact and reassurance. He was also the one who would start crying first if he didn't feel his twin close enough.

Fred was a little feistier, the one who would start throwing a tantrum rather quickly and took some more time to calm down. He was a little less needy, though that didn't take away the fact that he loved to be cuddled. He was a little tougher to handle but he was still so sweet. Yes, she loved them, absolutely loved them.

The fact that she got to see, to know the twins as babies… It still amazed her, like she still couldn't wrap her head around it completely.

Fabian and Gideon came to visit sometimes. She liked them both very much. Hermione didn't know them very well, only seeing them occasionally when she was at the Burrow but she couldn't deny the fact that she was fond of them. They were easy-going and could lighten up any room. They made her think of the Fred and George she had known, the way they would grow up to be like them in several ways.

When they visited, they almost immediately went to the twins, each twin picking up one of the little ones. When Hermione asked them why they always first went to Fred and George, they had replied, "It's a twin thing. You wouldn't understand, seeing as you are as a matter of fact not part of a twin." They had said it in a teasing tone, not really meaning anything by it. It only got an eyeroll out of her and an exasperated chuckle. And when they teased Molly in the process of handling little Fred and George… Well, that was just a bonus.

Why did she attract so many pranksters? Both here and back in the future? She didn't know. And though it could drive her crazy at times she realized that she didn't really mind.

One day she was trying to put down Fred for a nap, Molly doing the same with George when a patronus came bouncing through the window. During an attack, Gideon had been wounded and brought to St. Mungo's. Mr Weasley was at work so it was only Mrs Weasley and Hermione with the kids.

Molly was in a frenzy, not really knowing what to do. She wanted to go check on her brother, both of them but she couldn't leave Hermione alone with the kids. As if reading her mind, Hermione sad, "Go. I'll watch them. I'll ask one of my friends to come help."

"Are you sure dear?"

"Yes, but can you let me know how he's doing?"

"Of course. I'll be back as soon as I can." And with that she left through the fire place.

Hermione immediately wrote a quick note to Lily, asking if the redhead could come help with the children for a while. About half an hour later the redhead stepped out of the fire place followed by James and Sirius. Hermione raised an eyebrow in question. Seeing this the redhead said, "I was at James' when I got your letter. What happened?"

"Gideon is at St. Mungo's and Molly went to visit, see how he is doing so I needed some help with the kids," she explained as she rocked Fred in her arms, leaving out the part that Gideon got hurt while he was doing something for the Order most likely. "Could you please get George? He started crying a couple of minutes ago but I got my hands full with this little one."

"Sure," Lily said and went to pick up George. After a few minutes he stopped crying, only a few whimpers still passing his lips. They both probably sensed something was strange, not sensing their mother nearby.

Bill and Percy entered the room. "Where is mom?" Percy asked.

"She had to leave for a little bit. She went to see uncle Gideon for a moment," Hermione told him in a soft and steady voice, not wanting to risk that they would get upset.

"Will she stay there long?" Bill asked.

"She'll probably be back for dinner, sweetie."

It didn't take long or Bill and Percy had managed to convince James and Sirius to play with them in the garden, Charlie following soon after. Not that those two needed much convincing.

When Hermione looked through the window at intervals to make sure everything was okay, she saw Bill hovering a few feet above the ground on his toy broom. Hermione didn't like flying, or heights in general for that matter. And even if he was still close to the ground she still felt uneasy, fearing he would fall and hurt himself. But then she saw how close the two marauders stayed at his side, close enough to catch him should something happen. Plus, they were experienced flyers themselves.

Eventually she took a seat next to Lily on the sofa. The twins slowly fell asleep and the witches tried to stay as quiet as possible, not wanting to risk waking them up. Their voices soft when they spoke.

When James and Sirius dragged three little tired out children inside a couple of hours later, she put them to bed. She handed Fred to Sirius, his look a mix of wonder and panic. She quickly put Percy and Charlie in bed for a nap and did the same with Bill, though he insisted that he was old enough to not need one anymore. As he said this a yawn left his mouth. She stayed with him until she was sure he was asleep before going back downstairs. Fred, to all her surprise, was still asleep in Sirius' arms. Thank Merlin.

When she went to grab him, Sirius shook his head. "It's okay, I got him. Don't want to risk waking him up, now do we?" he asked with a smile. She smiled back. She went to take her seat next to Lily only to see that James had taken it so the brunette went to sit in the chair next to Sirius'.

"So what exactly happened?" Their voices were soft. "Why is Gideon in the hospital?"

She could hardly tell them that it had something to do with the Order, now could she? "I don't exactly know. Fabian's patronus just came to tell us he was hurt. I don't know what happened or how it happened." A small pause. "By the way, it came as a surprise that I ask for one person to come help and get three instead," she told them, amusement colouring her voice.

"Do you want us to leave?" James asked.

"Not at all. I'm glad you're here. But why were you at James'?"

"I needed a break from my sister."

"Aahh." She didn't need to say more. They both knew how the situation with her sister was back home. She understood.

"How are you?" Sirius asked her then.

She smiled. "Good. Tired but good. Worried."

"Because of the twins?" Lily asked.

"Which pair are you talking about? Fred and George? Or Fabian and Gideon?" This earned her a few chuckles. "Both. I'm worried about Gideon and Fred and George can get a little fussy."

"That explains why you haven't written I assume?" Sirius asked, half serious half teasing.

"You assumed right. By the way, I didn't know you were so good with children." She had seen them play with Bill and Percy in the garden and Fred just kept sleeping in his embrace.

"What can I say? Just one of the many things I'm good at," he boasted playfully, giving her a grin.

"Or it's because you two are still children yourselves," Lily interjected, looking at James and Sirius in turn. Before Hermione let out a laugh she put her hand in front of her mouth.

"But we're children you love apparently," James said.

"It would seem so," the redhead relented, George still in her arms. Hermione only needed to imagine that George was Harry as a baby and she could see their little happy family. She felt a pang in her heart knowing they had sacrificed themselves to save their son. She wouldn't let that happen this time. She would not. She would make sure they were there for Harry, that they would see him grow up this time. They deserved that much. Both them and Harry.