Chapter Five.

Hermione had never been so happy to see the Burrow. After the war the place had been rebuilt, adding extra rooms and more space so that Molly could have the whole family visit and not be too crowded. Hermione and Luna would still have to share Ginny's room but there was now space for extra beds without feeling too cramped. Molly was very happy to show them around all the changes she had had George help her make since they had returned to Hogwarts, and yet though the place was bigger it still felt homey and a place filled with love.

The only sad note was George who was still lost without Fred, he would still wait for him to finish his jokes only to have his face crumple in the silence that followed. He broke Hermione's heart and she didn't blame Molly at all for demanding he move home so that she could care for him. Hermione couldn't help but reach over and hug him as they sat in the living room, leaning her head on his shoulder, even as he teased her mercilessly for being even shorter, telling Molly that they would need to find a step stool just for Hermione. Hermione slapped him around the back of the head only to find herself pinned to the couch with George tickling her mercilessly as she laughed begging him to stop.

"Tell me I am the greatest wizard you've ever met and I'll stop" He smirked down at her, grinning as she giggled unable to get her words out as Ginny and Luna laughed refusing to help her and laughing harder as she called them traitors.

"I'll get you both back for this I swear" She laughed, her threat falling flat from all the laughter.

"George get off of her this instant" Molly reproached, her hands on her hips as the tea and cakes she had been bringing in floated to the table ahead of her. Looking up Hermione met the eyes of Remus and Sirius, who had Teddy playing with his hair, getting sticky mess in his locks.

George looked down at her with a gloating grin, mouthing I win, before he reached for a slice of carrot cake, scowling when Molly slapped his hands away. "Honestly woman, I am wasting away, all skin and bone and you deny your favourite son cake." He touched his heart for dramatic effect only to scowl when Molly replied

"Charlie isn't here and I would never deny him cake, you however have started eating like Ron, honestly the two of you are trying to eat me out of house and home." She took a slice for herself giving Ginny a pointed glare to move her feet and let Remus and Sirius sit.

Hermione sat up with help from Remus before reaching for Teddy from Sirius' arms, cuddling him and smiling as his hair and eyes changed to match hers, making her smile wide. She kissed his chubby cheeks as he cuddled into her neck and gave a wide sleepy yawn. She looked up to see Molly smiling at her with a knowing look and when she went to ask why she was looking at her like that Molly smiled and shook her head.

"Hermione dear one day you'll make a wonderful mother. Of course I had always hoped one of my sons might ask you, and get you into the family by marriage, but even when your name is Malfoy I will still think of you as a daughter." Hermione could feel her cheeks growing hot as Luna lent over to nuzzle Teddy in her arms. She did not miss the scowl on Sirius' face or the warning touch that Remus gave his arm.

"One step at a time Molly, let's get her settled into being a Black before we send her off to further the Malfoy line." Remus spoke in a tone that brokered no arguments and Hermione didn't know how she knew, but she sensed that it wasn't Remus that said that, it was Moony. Maybe it was the touch of anger in his tone, or the slight change in posture that told her that Moony was in control right now. Hermione knew that the full moon was only four days away and wondered if that meant Moony had a stronger pull over Remus.

"Yeah let's not talk about Hermione and Draco procreating, we don't need to talk about the future litter, what we do need to talk about is what colour I'll be in as maid of honour". Ginny winked at Hermione and Luna as they laughed Lupin asked.

"Litter? How many children is Hermione planning on having?" Hermione bit her lip knowing she would have to tell them, that Ginny wanted answers to the questions they had both had after Sirius had dropped her off at Gryffindor tower at 3am.

"I… oh hell Ginny couldn't you have eased into this, you know they are going to blow a fuse, and for the record you are not coming with me when I tell Harry and Ron and I might just have no maid of honour for your cheek." When Ginny's only response was to grin and settle back on the sofa with a mug of green tea Hermione sighed. "Draco was punished for not killing Dumbledore and letting Snape do it for him, that's why he wasn't at Hogwarts last year, Voldemort had given him to Greyback to learn his lesson in obedience."

Silence filled with tension followed her statement and Hermione squirmed so much that Teddy whimpered and she passed him to Luna to settle him, knowing that her discomfort would make him cry. She noted Teddy took on her looks almost immediately before he settled with Luna who hummed dreamily to him, not even slightly perturbed by the growing tension.

"You know, werewolves are said to make very loving fathers, I think it's the pack instinct that drives them to protect and defend. If the person was sane before he was turned then so is the wolf. Werewolves are reported to recognise their own children even in wolf form and will protect them instead of attacking them." Luna smiled at Hermione before going back to humming as Sirius, Remus and Molly stared in stunned silence.

"He's a werewolf?" Sirius asked, his voice low and angry, but his eyes flicked to Teddy and over to Remus, who's knuckles had gone white, laying a calming hand on the werewolf's shoulders. "Yes" Hermione replied her voice tight. She would admit to being slightly worried about that, but having done the research to help Tonks knock some sense into Remus she knew that any children she have might have stronger senses but would be human, a little more potent with their magic because of it.

"Merlin" George said, staring at her wide eyed, before Grinning, rubbing his hands together manically "You'll want to ask Fleur how she deals with Bill at his time of the month, Charlie reckons their cycles have synced so they are temperamental and moody together, I hear she has a very special technique to, ah" He wiggled his eyebrows and glanced at his mother "quell the raging beast if you catch my drift". He ducked when Hermione threw a cushion at his head and the growing tension was broken in laughter. She couldn't help but laugh too when he asked "Are you sure he's a wolf and not a were ferret?"

It was long minutes before Molly got them all to calm down and stop fighting in her living room. "Enough, all of you, this is serious. Hermione you will need to make an appointment with St. Mungo's, the specialists there will help you as they did Fleur, Bill might not change but he is stronger and he does have a bigger temper now. The last thing we want is you getting hurt because he's not in control. Remus maybe you could talk with him, see how strong his control is. I know he's very young and has been a wolf for a year now but even my mild mannered Bill has his moments, and that Malfoy temper is almost as infamous as the Blacks."

Remus nodded, his eyes meeting Hermione's and she knew now without a doubt that she wasn't talking to Remus but to Moony. His eyes hadn't changed they were still his, but the look in them wasn't human, it was the look of a wolf, an alpha. "I'll speak to Minnie and arrange to meet the boy before the full moon, and see just how well he can keep his control. If he can't I'll help him. Don't get me wrong Hermione I am angry over this, but it wasn't his choice but he's not marrying my Goddaughter if he has no control, I'll kill him myself to break the blood bond first."

Hermione gulped and her eyes flicked to Sirius who had been strangely quiet as he walked out of the room. She got up and followed him out through the kitchen and into the yard. She could see the line of tension in his shoulders and his hands shook where he held them in fists at his side. Hermione walked silently up to him and huddled herself under his shoulder, cuddling him as he pulled her in tight, kissing her temple. "I am so sorry Kitten. I should have protected you, I should have ran and taken you on the run with me, saving you from this wretched fate my Mother has devised for you. I wanted better for you, I didn't want you involved in her madness and now it seems I've doomed you to it. If he ever hurts you I need you to promise me that you will run, run to me or to Harry but don't be brave, I don't want that fate for you. I don't want to find you bloody and broken like so many girls who are wedded to werewolves. I know you helped Tonks get Remus and I am happy that he found happiness with her, but the reason he was afraid is that werewolves are always angry and so many women have died at their mates hands at the week of the full moon."