'Ve-ga!' A song-song voice chimes

.

.

.

'Say it with me' wiggling eyebrows…

.

.

.

'Ve-ga!'

'Oh bloody hell lass. Yer aff yer heid! I know we already agreed to keep with your blasted family naming traditions.'

'Oh hush Mo Ghràdh' The raven haired beauty said as she kissed the irritated Scottish witch in her lap. 'You're just irritated because of your pregnancy hormones.' Bellatrix continued

An irritated growl is all that she got in return

'Oh aren't you just adorable'. She cackled

'I am not adorable.' Minerva grumbled

Grabbing her chin and raising her eyes to meet her own gaze Bellatrix spoke clear full of conviction. 'Listen to me luv, you are beyond beautiful to me, I love you, our baby will love you. I know you are worried about many things but after tonight I will be by your side until the end of time wife, we just need to tie up loose ends tonight with Tom and the other Death Esther's. We are almost done with this farce.' Bellatrix lowered her head and kissed Minerva passionately at the end of her statement.

Minerva moaned into the kiss and reached up to tangle her hands in the onyx locks.

' I just worry something will happen with you tonight…

…Please don't go, I can't bare to raise our baby alone'. Minerva looked up, vulnerability shining deep in her eyes. Something the strong willed witch had rarely ever shown anyone. She knew most of this anxiety came from her growing life in her belly, but she couldn't help worrying about her witch.

'Are you sure? Is it worth leaving things unfinished so close to my end of service? Are you truly ready for me to stay with you luv? If you really want me to stay, then this is it, I stay tonight and we show our hand. I am prepared to do this, nothing I have there cannot be replaced, this'. Bellatrix said as she placed a calming hand on her love's abdomen. 'This, Is what is most important, our baby cub is what we are saving this world for. You tell me luv.' Bellatrix said while staring into Minerva's eyes

Minerva had silent tears streaking down her face.

'Eye lass, the war be damned. You have risked enough, we have risked enough, fourteen years in Azkaban…Bella! Fourteen years! Mo Chridhe it is time to be home, to make a home with me, with our family. I have a bad feeling, a premonition that I cannot shake. My dreams have been plagued with foreboding with what is to come of you leave my side.'

'You have been spending too much time with Sybill…'

'Oh hush it the divination Professor is a little scattered-brained but she means well. She is a dear friend.' Minerva chided playfully while tickling the witch holding her

Giggling wildly Bellatrix conceded. 'Ok, ha ha ha ok ha ha ha I give, I give, stop, I don't want to drop you.'

They both laughed softly

'Min, I'll stay then, tomorrow we will get Dumbledore and decide where to go from there, just how to clear my name. But now…now let's spend the rest of the night reminding you just how we made baby Vega.'

'The name does grow on me, and I do love the connection it has to your family's love on constellations…'

Bellatrix leaned into a deep passionate kiss, then broke it, staying millimeters apart, waiting a few breaths before she softly whispered.

'Ve-ga'

Minerva chuckled and shook her head. 'You really are a goober sometimes lass, but I love you anyway. …Ok... Ve-ga'


Same time elsewhere in the castle

A month had went and gone after the second task and a new normal passed over the castle. Those who previously sneered behind the boy-who-lived's back were silent. They accepted the fact that he did not seek glory, but tried simply to survive what he was entered into, in order to retain his magic and life. Some had even became fans of the boy, especially among the Slytherins, now that a fellow snake was involved.

He and Draco had a sweet romance going, one that baffled almost everyone. What started off as a joke, had blossomed into a healthy respectful relationship. The pair were truly courting one another, as Harry was currently wringing his hands nervously next to Hermione. He was set to officially meet Draco's mother at Hogsmeade today. Hermione felt sympathetic towards her brother, and patted his shoulder.

'It will be alright Harry, Cissy won't bite.'

'Maybe to you! You aren't the one dating her only son! Buggar, I am so screwed.'

'Only if you're lucky'. Draco winked as he sat down in the Great Hall next to his boyfriend.

They all chuckled at that, Harry eventually lightly smacked the blonde upside his head. 'Prat'

'True'. Draco smirked 'come, we should leave now if we don't want to be late, mother hates having to wait on anyone, it just isn't good manners'. He said the last bit with air quotes rolling his eyes.

'Wouldn't want to do that.' Harry said sarcastically, but promptly got up anyway and walked away with Draco

'Say hello to my cousin for me Harry, tell her I still owe her another ride next time I see her.' Hermione said while smirking.

'Zey really are adorable.' Fleur said as they pair retreated

'Oui, luv how about we head that direction too, there are a few texts I have at Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop about wolves that I have been assured are going to be in this weekend, and it looks like your flock is restless.'

Fleur couldn't help but coo at her bookworm mate's unending enthusiasm over knowledge.


Some time later at Hogsmeade

'Listen to this Fleur:

-Wolves run on their toes which helps them stop and turn quickly

…well that makes sense, why the arches of my feet hurt after I've ran…

-They can hear up to six miles away in the forest ten miles in the frozen barren tundra

-A hungry wolf can eat up to twenty pounds of meat in one meal

…well I don't know about twenty…

-In the 1600's Ireland was called wolf-land because it had so many wolves

-Prehistoric wolves hunted animals as big as the wooly mammoth-

…that means that…'

Fleur has by this point wrapped her arms around from behind her taller mate smiling, shaking her head, hearing her mate reading/commenting on her newest purchase. They had been standing in front of Honeyduke's Sweetshop waiting on a few members of the flock that had accompanied the mated pair to Hogsmeade.

The wolf was slightly distracted by her purchase that she didn't hear the approach of a new pungent scent.

'Well well, what do we have here'. A menacing voice sounded from in front of the pair.

Hermione's eyes snapped up from her book.

'Fenir Greyback at your service young one. Yes, yes you will do. Not as pretty as your mother, but probably less bitchy.' A menacing smile crossing his face as he stepped forward, only slightly pausing at the reverberating growl given in return.

'Oh come now be a good mare and join me, you indeed will be good breeding stock, we will rule the darkness. Your bird can also bare my pups, I won't harm your whore.'

Hermione saw red! The statements about herself were vile but she could remain calm, but anyone threatening her imprint would face her wrath.

She took one look back to Fleur, who by this point was surrounded by her flock. She wordlessly communicated her intentions and Fleur and her girls stepped back, wands drawn.

Hermione thanked whomever the great spirit in the sky was that they were on the outskirts of the city facing the forest. She stepped forward, complete disregard for her clothes and shifted lunging towards the arrogant werewolf.

Being a werewolf Fenir could not fully transition without the full moon in the sky. Hermione used this to her advantage, she grabbed the vile man with her strong jaws, throwing him over her shoulder backwards towards the trees.

With a loud thud he hit the closest tree with his back slumping towards the ground. Hermione turned quickly on her toes at breakneck speeds ramming the man into the same tree. A sickening crunch of his ribs could be heard. He yelled out, then grabbed her huge head and wrestled her to the side showing an impressive and frightening amount of strength while in his human form, throwing her off of him.

She shook her head, and lunged once more biting his thigh deeply.

'Ahhhh you bitch!' He yelled as he grabbed a rock from the ground and slammed it on her head, causing a whimper to be let out.

The smell of the wolf's blood caused him to smile. 'That's right bitch bleed for me!'

She was laying on the ground prone slightly dazed and did not see him grab the dagger from the back of his belt and swing towards her exposed neck.

He would have sliced her neck clean through if not for a screech/war cry from above. Turning at the last possible moment a large orange ball of fluff descended upon him claws extended.

-CATNIP THIEF! RUN!

-CROOKS

-RUN! I'll hold him off, I've let the centaurs know , get your girl and go!

-Oh Merlin Crooks I can't leave you to…

Bright jet beam of lights surrounded the trio and she looked back behind herself and her alpha Professor Mcgonagall and her cousin Bellatrix were throwing spells quickly allowing her to escape towards her imprint. Her Tabby beta had sent a protection spell on Hermione's familiar alleviating her worry of further damage.

She looked behind the powerful duo and saw her enraged fully transformed imprint held back by her flock, keeping her safe. Hermione was beyond grateful that she was safe, if Fleur had been damaged…she would not think of such things. The fact that she had been damaged by a very human werewolf worried her. It was curious how familiar her dark headed cousin seemed to be towards her alpha.

Hermione limped as fast as she could and cuddled her shaking imprint wrapped up in her blood soaked fur.

The strong pair of witches cast a full body bind and silencing spell on the loathsome man. He thrashed wildly, while a audible pop of multiple apparations sounded across the forest.

Wands drawn, half trained on Bellatrix the other half drawn on the immobile werewolf.

A small team of Aurors walked menacingly towards the lieutenant of the Dark Lord, wands still drawn.

Minerva jumped in front of the dark haired witch, yelling. 'No! Not my wife!'. At this movement Bellatrix put a hand protectively around the now showing belly of her love, eyes dangerously piercing the Aurors, wand threatening danger should they continue their path.

All movement stopped

Silence

.

.

.


A/N: mo ghràdh in Scottish Gaelic means my love

Mo Chridhe means my heart