She was greeted at the Burrow with loud excitement. The marauders were at the hospital under observation so this would be the first anyone outside of Harry and Ginny that would have seen them. Hermione had dressed nicely in a sun dress despite the minor chill. She was practically skipping with giddy excitement as everyone congratulated her.
It wasn't until she saw a pink tuff of hair that she jumped for true joy, "My Teddy Bear!" She shouted and he ran toward her.
Remus and Sirius watched her with amusement as she greeted the boy.
The boy squeezed her and kissed her face, "Mione, oh my, Grandmother told me that I was going to see you and you brought me a surprise."
"I did, I brought you a surprise. It is a big one, are you ready?" She asked and he grinned widely.
Hermione had the child walk in front of her and stepped in front of Remus and Sirius. "Teddy, I want you to meet your Uncle Sirius and... your dad, Teddy." Hermione murmured and the boy gasped.
Remus kneeled down to see the boy and Hermione could see the glassy green orbs display joy. "Hello, Edward Remus Lupin. I couldn't wait to meet you again." He told the child who did not give him time.
Teddy jumped in his arms and Hermione covered her mouth and tears filled her eyes. Remus closed his eyes and a few tears trickled down his cheeks. When he opened his eyes he met Hermione's and she could see his gratitude.
"I wished for you and mom, every night." The boy whispered and Remus nodded against him.
"Mione brought me home, Teddy," Remus choked and Teddy pulled away.
He turned to Hermione and she ducked down so he could hug her tightly, "thank you, Mione. I love you so much!"
"I love you so very much, my little love. I am glad I could make you happy," she murmured and he pulled away enough to wipe her face.
"Don't cry, Mione," he declared and she smiled.
"These are happy tears, Teddy. I am so happy!" She declared and he nodded and wiped his face.
"You go spend some time with your dad and I will play out in the grass with you, alright?" She asked and he nodded and pulled away from her.
He took Remus's hand, "come on dad, I want to tell you all about Grandmother's house." He tugged the man lightly and Remus cleared his throat and nodded.
"Of course, I want you to tell me everything." He replied and gave Hermione a nod before they walked off together.
Hermione turned to Sirius who was shaking his head at her. "You are absolutely amazing, Hermione. You just made his life, literally." he declared and swooped her in for a big hug.
"Don't make me start crying again, Sirius," she whispered and he kissed her hair. "I have a surprise for you too," she told him and he pulled away.
"A tight witch for me? Oh, you are going to take me up the stairs?" He teased and she giggled and smacked his arm.
"I am being serious," she retorted and he grinned wolfishly at her. "Don't say it!" She exclaimed and he chuckled.
She took his hand and she led him to Ginny, "Gin, I think he should meet him now," Hermione murmured and Ginny stood up with a nod.
Harry was on the other side of the room and Ginny waved him over with James. Hermione watched Sirius who was questioning the whole thing until he saw the boy. Harry came over and grinned. "James, I want you to meet your-"
"Uncle, I am not old enough to be a papa, Harry," Sirius interrupted him and Harry chuckled.
"Your Uncle Sirius. Sirius, this is James Sirius Potter," Harry declared and James waved and walked up to him.
"Uncle Sirius?" He asked and Sirius picked the boy up.
Hermione watched the man grin and nod, "of course, James. And I am going to be there through everything from now on alright?" He told the boy who grinned and hugged him.
Harry patted Hermione's shoulder and hugged her. "Thank you, Hermione," he whispered in her ear and she choked on another wave of emotion.
"I did it, Harry. I brought them home," she whispered and he nodded against her.
"You did so well, I am proud of you," he responded and Hermione pulled away.
"Alright, I am going to go find something to drink, have some bonding time!" Hermione exclaimed with a smile and Harry sighed.
Hermione walked off but the animagus watched her. She brought them back and honestly did so for the people that missed them. He was touched beyond belief.
0o0o
The witch sat alone with her dress tucked under her. She was listening to the wind in the twilight and enjoying the chill in the air. She was so emotional from everything she just needed a moment to get grounded. She heard footsteps on the grass and a floppy large dog came over and barked at her.
"Come to relax a bit, Snuffles?" She asked and he rested next to her, his head in her lap.
"Mind if I join as well? Molly is doting on my son," Remus declared and she waved him over without looking.
"Of course, plenty of grass for everyone," she declared and Remus sat on her free side.
She was staring up at the sky and watching the stars slowly appear. "An intense reunion," she commented and Remus chuckled.
"You were right there with us. Thank you for caring so much about my son, Hermione. Thank you for caring about his wellbeing and his heart sickness for his parents. Thank you is such a dull word for the gratitude I feel." Remus declared and she leaned against him.
"It is well worth it, I promise you." She whispered and he was thankful she could not see his blush at her affectionate nature.
Snuffles jumped up and started licking her face and she was trying to retreat against Remus but the dog was insistent and covered her in saliva as she giggled. "Sirius!" She shouted as he started to lick her neck and the top of her chest.
He jumped back and formed back with a huge grin and chuckled, "I was just thanking you as well!" He retorted and waggled his eyebrows.
"Such a bad man, you ruin all the quality moments!" She growled but her blush was fierce and made him climb on the grass with her.
"Tell me, love, because your face tells me something different... want me to repeat that like this?" He asked and she glared at him.
"Sirius Black!" She snapped and he grinned wolfishly. "You would not be able to handle me, Sirius." She retorted and got up off the grass.
She kissed Remus's forehead and stomped away trying to hide a giddy smile. They watched her skip back to the Burrow and they stared at each other. "was she- she was, wasn't she?" Sirius asked with a bright smirk.
Remus sighed and shook his head, "she was definitely something, Pads. Please don't treat her like a tart." The werewolf warned and Sirius glared at him.
"You fancy her a bit?" The animagus asked and Remus glared.
"I was her professor at Hogwarts. We both watched her grow up... don't be such a depraved animal, Sirius." Remus spat and Sirius chuckled.
"Oh, Moony, we both are. I saw your face. I smelt it off of you just as I did on her, didn't you?" He asked with a bright smile and Remus blushed.
"Sod off, Padfoot. I am not going to go into what you may or may not know. Leave her alone, alright? She isn't a tart, she brought us back from the dead..." Remus growled and Sirius flopped on the ground next to his friend.
"Moony, I will not shag her just to shag her, alright? But if she comes to me, I am not going to say no." He told the werewolf who shook his head.
"Fine," he spat and Sirius cleared his throat.
"As you shouldn't if she comes to you too. We are living with her."
Remus covered his face with his hands and shook his head, "this is a mistake waiting to happen."
0o0o
"So, I was organizing the place in my free time. Sirius don't look at me like that, I did not color code things or label them. But I did make sure your rooms were cleaned up on the off chance that my incantation was a success." She told them as they were walking into the kitchen.
"You planned on living with us, Hermione?" Remus asked, clearly surprised.
She rolled her eyes as she went to get herself some water. "Well, yes. You weren't going to live anywhere else and I am not about to move. At least yet. I know you both will want your space eventually."
The marauders sat down and glanced at each other, "love, do you realize how awful this looks for us? We are well... we are a bit-"
She held up her hand and glared, "are you insinuating that I am going to just jump in bed with either of you, Sirius Black?"
He shook his head and scratched his chin, "not that I would complain. I have always been able to express gratitude in a different way," he retorted and she huffed, her cheeks red.
"I am quite sure I would end up in Remus's bed long before yours, Sirius." She said with a deadly calm tone that made Sirius gape.
Remus had his back turned to her and his cheeks were tinted brightly. "Hermione,"
She cleared her throat and finished her water, "I am going to get into something less flashy. Draco will be here with some spirits." The girl disappeared from the room and Remus let loose a low grumble.
"Padfoot, what are we doing here with her?" He asked with a tormented stare.
Sirius grinned and shrugged, "she set it all up, Moony. Maybe that Malfoy brat was right, she thinks we are dashing."
"Speaking of Malfoys, I am here," Draco declared and walked in with a few bags.
He set them on the table and started pulling out bottles, "Cousin, you have to tell me something." Sirius started.
Draco raised an eyebrow and kept pulling bottles from the bag, "depends on the query, cousin."
"What is with her?" The animagus asked and Draco laughed.
"She is insane, but a fantastic shag," Draco told him and Sirius gasped.
"Are you two?" Remus asked calmly and Draco snorted.
"Hardly, Lupin. She was shagging me while we looked into how to bring your lot back. She is a bit high strung otherwise. Lovably so. I am in the process of nabbing me a Greengrass for marriage." Draco said casually as he went to get glasses.
The marauders glanced at each other in shock; neither expected her to be so... cavalier.
"Draco! Glad to see you are prompt," Hermione declared coming into the room with a tank top and shorts on.
Draco smirked and shook his head, "Granger, you are disgustingly cute in that," he snickered and she glared at him.
"Now, where are those wonderful spirits you were talking about?" She asked and he handed her a glass. "What is it?" She inquired and he laughed.
"Does it matter? You are going to get sloshed one way or another."
Sirius poured himself a glass and poured Remus a glass, no chance was he going to miss this. "To, life?" Sirius joked and Hermione giggled.
"Yes, to life," she declared with a nod and they lifted their glasses to each other.
Hermione sat down and sipped hers, "Merlin, Draco, I should have convinced you to bring these over before. This goes down nicely."
"Be careful, Granger, they bite you in the arse if you are not careful." Draco sat next to Sirius on the far side.
"I am just entertaining the idea of another, thanks for the warning." She murmured with a smile and Remus grimaced slightly.
"Slow down, Hermione, we won't be able to catch up," Remus declared with a chuckle.
Sirius filled her glass again and smiled, "we are going to learn all your dirty secrets tonight."
Remus huffed and rubbed his face, "Padfoot."
"Oh, do you know one of them?" Sirius asked and the werewolf glared.
"I know one of them," Draco declared and Hermione glared at him.
"Don't you dare!" Hermione growled at him and Draco smirked.
"It is not every day you can brag about a witch sleeping with twins, Granger. Let me have the right." Draco spat and Hermione groaned and downed her glass.
"You slept with twins, love?" Sirius asked and turned to Remus, "was that her secret you knew? She slept with the Weasley twins?"
Remus blushed and cleared his throat, "it wasn't on purpose that I heard."
Hermione giggled and sighed, "I know, Remus."
Sirius barked out a stream of laughter and shook his head, "at the same time?"
"Why didn't I think to ask that? She said it was all summer long she was shagging them." Draco declared and Hermione poured herself another glass.
"Yes, alright, it was both at the same time," Hermione growled and Draco chuckled.
"Again, you surprise me, Granger," he told her and she raised her glass with a smile.
Sirius was grinning and shaking his head, "I had no clue you were that... creative, love."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "says the man who snogged a seemingly innocent teenager under a Weasley mistletoe."
Sirius blushed and Remus glared at him, "you kissed her?"
Hermione grinned and nodded, "twice. His tongue was so far down my throat I thought I might die from lack of air."
Sirius growled and pointed at her, "that just makes me look horrible. I was sloshed, Moony I was bloody pissed off my ass and there I was minding my own business and over walks this... witch. Gets me stuck right under the mistletoe and gives me puppy dog eyes. What was I supposed to do?"
"Not stick your tongue down her throat, Pads," Remus tried to glare but he laughed and shook his head, "puppy dog eyes... blame it on the girl."
"Oh, it was my fault," Hermione declared dismissively.
Sirius glared, "I knew it! You looked far too happy to be stuck there with me!"
Hermione smirked, "You bragged so much. My teenage whims kicked in, Sirius." She teased and Remus gaped.
"Hermione Granger!" Remus exclaimed and she gave him a coy smile.
"Yes, Moony?" She asked sweetly and he blushed.
Sirius covered his mouth and shook his head, "oh, no. You cannot live with us, Hermione. This cannot happen." Sirius snickered and she grinned.
"She was pretty meticulous about the whole process, fellas. I believe she is exactly where she wants to be." Draco reentered the conversation after admiring Hermione wrapping them around her finger.
She gave him a flinty glare, "keep your mouth shut, Malfoy."
Sirius wrapped his arm around Draco to the blond wizard's distaste, "tell me, cousin. What does this girl have planned?"
Draco grinned and shook his head, "I cannot say. She never told me exactly. But she is a planner. Nothing just happens without reasoning with Granger."
"That is correct," she murmured and clearly starting to feel the effects of said spirits. "I suppose I should not be so headstrong, Malfoy."
Draco laughed and nodded, "I warned you, fairly, Granger."
"Tell me, Hermione, why go through all this trouble?" Remus asked her tilting his head.
She giggled and shook her head, "Remus! Don't you understand? It is history!" She said with a finger up and giggled again.
Draco chuckled and sighed, "Granger, I like when you are getting pissed. You are so much less logical."
The werewolf was not convinced, "just history?"
She waved him off and shot him a glare, "I am unbearably dedicated to my work."
"Then sign me up next," Sirius teased and she smirked at him.
"Sorry, Sirius, lady's choice," she teased and he chuckled at her.
"You are lucky that Moony and I don't show you a thing or two, love." Sirius baited and she shot him a challenging stare.
"Oh that's one of my favorites, Granger," Draco told her and she rolled her eyes.
Remus sighed and shook his head, "this was a bad idea, I am going to bed."
Her face dropped and she stared at him sadly, "but, Remus, why?" She asked and he glared at her.
"Because you are hiding something and I am not fond of playing games," he told her and left the room.
Hermione raced after him and stopped him in the stairwell, "Remus, please don't be testy with me. I was just so happy to see you and Sirius. I worked very hard to get you back. Please?" She asked with wide eyes and his hand went to her cheek.
"This won't end well, Hermione. Whatever you are trying to work out in your beautiful mind is just not going to work." He told her and she bit her lip.
"Please?" She whispered and his demeanor softened.
He sighed heavily and kissed her forehead, "why are you so determined?" He asked her and she smiled up at him.
"Because, you and Sirius need me too! Trust me, alright?" She said with a wide smile and he chuckled.
He nodded and she pulled him back into the kitchen. They drank until Hermione couldn't remember anything... never a good sign for her.