Chapter 10.)

A/N: So, I know I said I would put this story on the back burner. And it is. I've recently put up a new story, that already has 23,113 words in the 5 chapters that are up. I actually have high hopes for that story, the title is Iniquitates Per Dominum Et Tempus. Check it out, please? Eventually I will finish every story I have started writing. Those are my plans. A girl can dream...anyways, I decided I was going to update this story while I felt inspired. As well as my other story, Hope It Gives You Hell. Enjoy, and Review! :)

'No. . .I cannot have another mate. It's just not right! In all of the books I've read and researched on the topic, it stated that a person could only have one Soulmate. . .But apparently, THEY WERE FUCKING WRONG! Because here I am, sitting in front of a man and our souls just bonded. Oh. . .Sirius please don't be upset. I. . .I don't understand how this could be.' After the backlash of Hermione's magic, everyone came to a stop and stilled as their eyes turned towards Hermione, and Paul.

The group of wolves were all watching in worry, knowing that their friend and brother was a very temperamental shifter; meanwhile Harry had moved closer to the pair, having put the kids at a safer distance away.

Hermione's eyes began to water, and she ripped her hand out of the frozen wolf's hand. Her grief turned into anger, and she was trembling. Harry approached her swiftly, and quietly, everybody watching his movements. "Hermi-" he was cut off when she whipped around towards him.

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY ANYTHING HARRY. . .I DIDN'T MEAN TOO. . .please belie-" she couldn't finish her statement, a heartwrenching sob escaped her lips as she collapsed into herself. Sensing her mental breakdown, Harry swiftly moved to her side. Growling at the angry wolf in warning, and wrapping his sister into his arms. "I. . .d-didn't m-mean. . .too. . .Har-"

Harry simply ran a hand through her hair as he tried to comfort her. He didn't notice when the elders arrived to join the pack dinner, he didn't notice when a silver-grey wolf shifted and scratched his back,severely injuring him, and he didn't look at the children's terrified faces. He just focused on Hermione. "I know, Mione. I know, dear. Sirius, he would understand. It wouldn't have happened if he were still here. . .take this slowly. Mourn, and move on. Please. . .don't ever think I could upset with you. I just need you safe, and happy." He kept rocking her, the ground beneath them being saturated in his flowing blood and the wolves all staring in disbelief.

"Harry!" Hermione heard Neville shout as soon as he arrived at the house, "Holy shit...what happened here?!" He asked and looked around. He saw a silver wolf snapping and swatting at a bigger silver-grey wolf; he saw Harry and Hermione on the floor, Harry's back was pouring blood out of it and Hermione looked to be breaking on the inside. He saw the wolves, imprints, elders, and their children watching in still, silent manner that eerily reminded Neville of vampires or even the Battle of Hogwarts. "Merlin's saggy balls! Can't have a simple day!" He ran over to Harry and started casting healing spells and charms at his back, carefully stitching up his back. He then turned to Hermione and looked her over, "Luna, come and help Hermione to a seat. Try to get her calm enough to tell you what happened."

Once Hermione was out of his arms, Harry finally became aware of the pain his back was in. He gritted his teeth as he swiftly stood up, a groan escaping his lips. "Bloody wolf, I'll tear into his ass." He looked towards the fighting wolves, "Nevermind, my Leah has that covered. Nev?"

Neville turned to him, "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He nodded, in acceptance, and turned to the fighting wolves. "Will you two knock the shite off?" They took a step back and growled, before noticing neither of their mates were on the ground; one bleeding, the other breaking down. Instead there was one standing, gritting his teeth in pain, but no longer bleeding. The other was still crying, but no longer kneeling on the floor, instead she was seated next to her blonde friend. They disappeared to shift back and grab clothes from a hollowed tree.

Harry turned away from the too wolves, he had a someone to comfort. Now that she seemed calmer. He walked over to the girls, "Luna. Hermione did your magic choose another soul that it felt most compatible with?"

She nodded with her bottom lip trembling, "Oh, it's not your fault 'Mione." He knelt in front of her and placed a hand on her knee. "Take your time, and talk it out with your friends, your daughter, and the wolf." He gave a smirk, and chuckled darkly, "And if the mutt tries anything that you don't like, you tell me. He'll wish he never met us."

"Hermione," Kim said, from a few yards a way. "Perhaps, we girls can just have a day to get to know each other. Perhaps it'll give you the much needed time to get to know Paul, as well as the imprints."

Hermione looked at Luna, who nodded and rubbed her stomach gently, "I think...that would be the best option, at the moment." Her voice sounded rough due to crying. She stood up, and walked over to Paul.

He looked into her eyes, the molten caramel color was swirling in pain, grief, and anguish. She opened her mouth, and drops her eyes to the ground, "I wish to speak to you privately, for a moment."

He nodded and gestured for her to walk ahead of him, and once they were far enough away, she turned to him. He quickly smiled an uncertain smile at her, "I apologize, for that. We have no control over this pull."

She smiled sadly, "Yes, same. Though. . .I still feel the love for my Sirius, I feel the pull as well. I hope you don't mind if we take this as slow as I need." She watched as the pain of what she had said enter his, but it was overshadowed with joy; pure, unadulturated joy.

His hand came up and brushed her cheek. "As long as you need. I am literally here to be what ever you need, Hermione." He smirked, "But, I hope you understand, that now I've imprinted, you're all I'll ever think of. Even if you can't accept anything more than a friend."

Her breath hitched, as her mind caught up to his implications. "Well, we shall take this as slow as we can, together."

"Together." He smiled, a brilliant white smile, "Shall we return and get that bonfire and dinner started?"

She giggled and nodded her head, before saying, "I'll race you, and I bet I'll win." She took off at a run that was so fast he could almost barely follow, quickly he ran after her and caught up quickly.

"Not so fast, I'm quite adept at this running thing." He smirked. She cocked an eyebrow at him, and returned her attention to running. She ducked under branches, and jumped over roots.

Entering the backyard first, Hermione looked a little more alive and immediately walked over to Luna and Kim. She was recieved with a hug from both girls, and then she rubbed Luna's baby bump. Behind her, followed Paul, who was unsure of who to talk to. He saw Harry standing beside Billy, and he knew they wanted to talk to him. But he was scared of that conversation.

Being beckoned over to them, he immediately went to them-knowing it would be a death wish to ignore them. "Yes, chief and Lord Potter-Black?" His hands fidgeted to at his side.

Harry's eyes glared at Paul, as he tried to determine his worth. He saw that beneath his hot-headed temper, there was someone who cared. He noticed the caring way Paul's eyes seemed to drift towards Hermione. "She's not ready." Harry said, his voice low and a growl behind the words. "Don't expect much out of her right now. Be friends, help her cope, get on with her daughter. Hurt either of them, and I'll cause you so much pain, you'll wish you were dead."

After Harry said his part, he departed the two and walked over to Renesmee, Jacob and their brood. He seemed fascinated by the family. Paul turned his attention back to Billy, the chief of the tribe, the father figure of his life, the most protective man he ever knew. And Paul knew that Hermione's life was going to be protected fiercely by the man. "You will protect her, love her, cherish her. She will never forget her love for my cousin Sirius; But she will come to love you. Keep control of your temper, and help her cope with her life. Or I'll forbid you from ever shifting out of your wolf form."

Paul's face looked incredulously at the man, and he simply nodded in shock. After those two conversations he walked away towards the food. As he was making a plate of food, he noticed the woman beside him. "You hurt her, I'll rip you to shreds and feed you to a dragon." After that she smiled and walked away, leaving behind a bewildered wolf and a few guffawing friends at the food table. He looked around and caught the eye of the other adult wizard, and knew that he was getting a threat through the man's eyes.

The message was, 'You will die. And it will be painful.' And the message was received properly. He was wondering how many times he'd get that threat, on that night.

As the evening drew on, everyone got more comfortable and were joking around the firepit. The adults had noticed that the kids had been unnaturally silent, and kept shooting Paul looks that promised something. Harry seemed to understand the looks and pulled them over to the side, and whispered something to them-before sending them off to do whatever they were planning.