Chapter 9.)

A/N: Sorry everyone, I've been going through a lot recently. And due to certain events, I had lost all my will, and my muse, to write anything, or even think of something to write. I've removed one of my stories, and will be putting up the start of another one when I get it started, and partially worked on. I hope you enjoy the next chapter. I have a feeling, that while they are happening at the same time, the outcome will be completely different.

(Harry and Leah)

As Harry led Leah outside, and into the woods. He was still silent, but his face was speaking volumes.

He was hurting, and Leah had no clue how to help him.

They walked for a while, neither one wanted to talk. Neither wanted to break the silence.

It seemed like the silence was going to last forever, that was before Harry seemed to find a comfortable spot to sit.

"Harry?" Leah said tentatively, while reaching a hand out towards his. When he placed his hand in hers, with a small smile, she began again, "It's alright, you know, to have down days. To want to cry. I just want you to know, that the pack is now your family. And we protect what's ours."

He smiles, as his had tightened around hers, "It's good to know, but there's more to the supernatural world than you know... you all could be severely injured, and even possibly killed. We need to protect each other. I won't just sit on the sidelines, and I need to know I'm protecting everyone that I can." He sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. His frustration and pain was evident on his face, and Leah vowed to always make him smile.

He glanced up at her and his face held hesitancy. "You aren't the jealous type, right? Me, Mione, and Luna are all close...and I, obviously, have two kids with my ex-wife and my surrogate son." She chuckles.

"Harry, I don't mind. The bond you all have is one no one can interfere with, and that is fine. As for your kids, all of them, I will love them as if they were my own. But I still want my own."

They laugh slightly and then Harry grips her hand as he stands up. "Wanna go for a run? My wolf against yours?" He moves away from her and changes into his Shadow Wolf form. Waiting for her to shift as well.

He sat patiently as she went behind a tree and got undressed to phase, as soon as he heard the sound of her change he ran around the tree and nudged her silver-fur covered body with his own black-fur covered body. With a yelp of excitement, he was off running and dodging her through the shadows.

She tried to keep up with him and when she was distracted by the agility his body moved with, that he was able to disappeared from her sight. The next thing she knew was that was rolling down a slight hill, and her wolf limbs were tangled with another's. When they came to a stop at the bottom, she was immediately licked in the face by Harry's wolf. At which she growled and stood up...

As they were frolicking around in the woods, Hermione was in a completely different situation.

(Hermione and Pack)

After Harry and Leah left, she was met with the eyes of every wolf and imprint that was in the kitchen. Some were obviously out working, or maybe even enjoying some free time. Others were patrolling the grounds, while others were probably still asleep from their shifts the night before.

She was watching as the family, and they were a very big family, all began to talk again and surreptitiously steal food before they got caught by Emily. I wonder how she ended up with those scars...might as well stop looking at them, it mustn't be pleasant. She looked away quickly and jumped slightly when one of the wolves sat beside her.

"What do you think? Are we obnoxiously loud or are we perfect?" He asked jokingly, "I'm Levi Uley, it's a pleasure to meet you." He said quietly, and yet he could still be heard by everyone.

She chuckles and flicks her wrist in a gesture that is universal for saying 'I don't know'. "You are both, I guess. It's different. I'm Hermione Granger." She turns towards him with a small smile. "The pleasure is mine."

They had talked and joked for a few minutes, she had even condoned a food fight with some of the pack. She even had the imprints joining in. Meanwhile she was thinking of the younger children who were at school, I hope they are all adjusting well and are having a good day.

The fun was only disrupted once, and that was when the rest of the pack showed up. At first it was dead silent because a muffin landed right on the side of Paul's face. After a second of pure, terror filled silence where everybody watched for his reaction, did they resume with even more vigor.

She had since forgotten that she had been extremely silent since the previous night, but now...at this moment in time, she was smiling and enjoying herself. She could forget the pain, forget Sirius, forget the Weasley's betrayal...she could be herself with no fear of repercussions.

After a while the food fight died down and everybody spent a bit cleaning up the messes they had made, throughout the entire house. And with a bit of magic from Hermione, to the awe of the wolves and their imprints, she had made it look as if there was never anything out of place.

"Why don't we retire to the backyard and relax for a bit before it starts to get cold?" Kim had suggested, while moving out of the way to grab some blankets of the counter. Hermione walked up to her, and grabbed a few to help her carry them outside. "Hermione, can I ask you something...?" She asked hesitantly.

Hermione stopped and nodded slightly, "Sure, what do you want to know?" She probably shouldn't have immediately said yes, but she knew that they would have questions. They had stopped in the doorway, and while everyone was outside setting the area up they could still here the question.

"I...umm..w-wanted to know how..?" She stuttered the first half of the question before letting it fade off, and be left open. But by the tear track that ran down her cheek, Hermione could guess what she meant.

She choked on a breathe and stared at her in pain for a minute before looking away and up at the stars. How do I do it, Sirius? Is it you, making sure I don't give up..? Is it my family, or is it something that is going to be unexpected..? How do I answer a question, I don't even know the answer to?

She had been so lost in thought, that she hadn't heard Leah and Harry get back, or noticed that they had grabbed the kids from school... She looked up and prayed for strength. "I t-think at the m-moment, the only t-things keeping m-me here and sane is m-my daughter...and our dysfunctional family." She whispered and could feel the tears splash and slither down her cheeks. "Every day it h-hurts, and I... I feel like I can't go on. B-but I've...got to stay s-strong." Her lips quivered, as she turned her head away from the sky and slowly moved out into the yard.

"I'm sorry... for asking." Kim whispered, and she was shocked when Hermione turned around with a small smile, after she regained composure while laying out the blankets she was carrying.

"It's okay... My Sirius, well he would have loved to still be here...but sadly fate was against us." She frowned and looked at Kim. "Cherish every moment you've got, because they're the best. I-" she was cut off by Rose's delighted scream.

"MUM! Guess what?! Guess what?!" She ran full speed at her mum, and knocked them both to the ground—much to the amusement of those surrounding her. "They were giving out a pop quiz in one of the classes, it was so unfair! I was new and they made me take it, but I passed mum!"

Hermione's eyes widened in shock, as she felt something collide with her and her wand was in her hand instantly, before she heard her daughter's rambling and she chuckled slightly. "Oh, darling. I hope you had a good day." When she got a nod, and the story of her day, she smiled and encouraged the other children to join in the conversation.

"The people at school are rude to me, Aunt Mione." Teddy whispered sadly, "I don't know what I did wrong." He sat beside her, and quietly told her about everyone picking on him because of the scars he has and how the bullies would get mad when he didn't react all day.

Harry came over and took over the conversation then, and condoned Teddy's actions and congratulated them on having a good day. As Hermione watched with a slight smile, she hadn't noticed a wolf walk over to and sit beside her. "You know, you're all very good parents. Especially with what you all have gone through." A deep voice said from her right.

Faster than anyone had seen, she had her wand tip stabbing the wolf in the throat as she observed his stance—or lack thereof—before lowering her wand. "I'm sorry, you startled me." She chuckled sadly.

"I noticed it earlier when the little girl, tackled you to the ground. It's okay. I'm Paul." He said and stuck his hand out. "We met the other day, but that was an official introduction." She cracked a small smile and placed her hand in his. She felt her magic stir slightly at the contact and the corner of her lip quirked downwards.

"It was a hectic day, but alas, it was nice to meet you unofficially now, as well." She still hadn't let go of his hand, and was about to let go when he looked at her face properly.

She watched and calculated his every eye movement, from the moment it started at her chin and rose up to her eyes. He was confused, she could see it in the way he tensed the muscles of his face and the way his eyebrows would quirk downwards.

And finally, when his eyes met hers, dead on, there was a gasp from them both and a very powerful magical backlash from Hermione. She was shaking and wanting to cry, but for some reason she couldn't. She knew what just happened. She didn't want to admit it. She couldn't believe her magic, and apparently her soul and fate, had betrayed her. I lost my soulmate in the war, and now I have another? What the hell...NO! Sirius, he's the only one...but he's not. WHAT DO I DO?!

A/N: What's gonna happen next?! I haven't a clue, this story might take the back burner because I have lost interest in it. It might even be deleted and I'll start another one, with a different plot. If someone has a challenge that they want me to do, on Harry Potter only, I will of course take your opinions into account. Please understand that, while in the beginning I had completely planned on finishing this story, I've had some serious issues in trying to even think of what to write. It has taken me close to 4 months just to write this chapter. I'm sorry my dear readers. I will, possibly, keep this story going as a side project, but I have plans of writing a story based on Harry Potter during his Hogwarts years and afterwards(MAYBE).

Lyss