Turning over Hermione smiled at the soreness between her legs and took the moment to look at the man next to her. Peace was embedded on his face and she couldn't help but reach her hand up to sweep back his hair and caress his face feeling his stumble under her palm. She leaned over top of him and pressed a kiss against his lips, crawling over top of him only when felt him started to move beneath her seconds later.

The first thing Sirius noticed as he started to wake was a hand on his face. Suppressing a grin he willed himself to stay completely still even as her lips brushed against his own. He counted to 5 before smirking against her mouth and returning her kiss. Once he responded Hermione threw her legs over his waist and ground her pelvis into his own, with a throaty groan he flipped them so she was under him and swiftly entered her causing a heavenly moan to pass her lips into his own mouth.

Already feeling the pressure in his abdomen he pulled up her leg and lifted it up to his shoulder successfully angling her pelvis up to allow him deeper. Hermione moaned at the sudden change and arched her back as Sirius continued to pound into her.

"Oh Gods!"

Growling at her exclamation, he leaned down and nipped her shoulder, "Come for me kitten." That was all it took, within seconds they were calling out one another's names as they reached their climax together. Slipping out of her, he settled at her side and closed his eyes as his head hit the pillow, "Sorry. That wasn't as long as I'd have liked."

Laughing Hermione leaned over him, "I assure you, you have nothing to be sorry for."

Barking out a laugh, he looked at his witch and pulled her down to kiss him. After a few moments Hermione broke apart and sprung from the bed. Sitting up in bed, Sirius watched her glide to the bathroom. At the doorway she stopped and turned back to him. "I'm going to have a shower, care to join me?" Without waiting for an answer, she made her way completely into the bathroom and turned on the water in the shower. She summoned her robe as the steam began to cloud the bathroom. Before she had stepped completely into the shower she felt Sirius behind her, turning her to face him as he pushed her through the shower stream and into the wall.

Sirius prepared their tea as he listened to Hermione hum while making pancakes, swaying her hips a bit to the rhythm. Putting their tea in front of their respective seats, he came up behind her and placed his hands on her hips and swayed time in time her. Smiling she plated the last of the pancakes and turn to face him. "You are beautiful," he said as she wound her arms around his neck stealing a kiss.

He deepened the kiss before grabbing the plates and going to the table. Sitting down to eat they lapsed into comfortable silence.

"What are you doing today?"

"I wanted to take the day off but I have a meeting with Kingsley so I'll be going in for that before meeting Ginny and James for lunch in Diagon Alley. What about you?"

"I'm meeting Remus and Arthur at the burrow. They asked for help restoring that old car."

"Just keep Harry and Ron from it," she laughed. "Sirius, do you want to tell people about us?"

Shocked by the sudden change of subject he looked at her, "I want nothing more than to tell everyone you're mine."

"Me too but I want to keep it quiet for a bit longer, if we can." Seeing pain flash behind his eyes she proceeded reaching for his hand, "Please don't think I'm ashamed of being with you. I know some of our family won't be as accepting as others and I'd rather keep to ourselves for a little while longer before we involve everyone else."

"We will do whatever you want Kitten," giving her a wink.

Her bully warmed at the idea but she quickly noticed the time, "Bloody hell, I need to go! I'll see you tonight." Giving him a quick kiss, she hastily left for the floo hearing him chuckle behind her.

"Gin!"

"Mione, there you are!"

"Sorry I got out of my meeting early and stopped in Florish and Blotts to pass the time and I got distracted."

"You and books, I swear it is something I will never fully understand." Giggling she lead them into the café. Taking their seats Hermione turned the stroller so she could peer down at James as he slept. After ordering their lunch Ginny looked at Hermione and smirked, "Have a good night?"

Looking up from her godson, Hermione smiled, "Yes I did."

"Did you two figure out what you were?"

"Yes. But we're keeping it to ourselves for now. No one but you, Harry, Remus and Tonks know and we're going to keep it that way for a bit longer."

"Worried about what people will think?"

"More like I'm worried about how certain people will react. We've only had a few weeks of peace at the burrow and I don't want to be the reason that peace is broken again."

"Seeing as how I am one of the few who already know...", Ginny wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Hermione laughed, "I really like him Gin."

"That much is obvious, on both sides. I want to know if you're falling for him."

Hermione paused. Am I falling for him? She thought of everything that led up to now, of how it felt to distance herself from him for those two weeks and how it felt worse than when she left Ron and distanced herself from the entire family. The completely calm and peace she felt being with him. And how being with him felt like the easiest thing in the world. "I think I could be," she whispered, smile gracing her face as she looked back up at Ginny. "But Gin this only just started. I don't want to get ahead of myself."

"We're happy for you Mione, both of you. You've both been through a lot and you deserve to think of yourselves." Their meals arrived shortly after that and they began eating, talking about a whole number of things ranging from James new found love for his thumb, Fleur's new pregnancy and Molly's reaction to the news. Paying for their meal, they started to make their way through Diagon Alley, stopping here and there to check out various stores. As the sun began to set, they started for the apparition point.

"Mione are you coming to the Burrow this weekend?"

"Of course, why wou-ah! Ginny!" Hermione drew her wand, rolling her shoulder in attempt to stop the pain caused by the hex. Ginny was slumped unconscious against the wall nearest them. Throwing up warding around James's stroller Hermione crawled over to Gin to make sure she was breathing before warding her too. When she was sure they were safe she faced their attacker, deflecting a stream of red as she did so. In the middle of the alley, Amycus Carrow stood poised for a fight.

"Mudblood! Give us the Potter child and I'll make your death quick."

"Us? What do you and Dolohov want with Harry's boy?"

"Oh he'll be so happy you remember him, mudblood. He has a deep affection for you Dolohov does."

Wincing at the proclamation Hermione stood her ground, "I will not give him to you."

"A fight it is then." Sneering he begun to throw hexes and curses at her, growing more and more angry as she deflected and dodged them. She shot hexes back and tried to stay between him and James but she ended up missing a step on the cobblestone pathway and it was enough of a stumble to give Carrow just enough room too hit her with another stinging hex. Having successfully caused her to falter he decided to make her suffer before killing her and threw an unforgivable at her, "Crucio!"

Hermione fell to her knees in pain. Despite the pain, she refused to scream and remained upright, wand in hand she silently cast additional wards around James and Ginny. Closing her eyes she fought the pain radiating through her body until it all stopped. Hermione swayed forward as she saw Aurors arrive and start to surround Carrow. But not before Carrow sent one final curse towards James's stroller. Knowing that in her weakened state the purple beam of light would break through her wards she stood and put her body between the curse and James. Falling to her knees again, she felt a familiar pain radiating through her abdomen and grabbed her stomach, immediately knowing that Dolohov must have taught his partner his favorite curse.

"James! Ginny!" Harry cried out as he ran over, Ron following closely behind. Ginny had began waking up right after Hermione was hit and had grabbed James from his stroller and currently had him cradled to her as she sat against the wall. "Are you okay?" Harry fused over them but Ginny unable to do anything other then hold her son to her chest. "Ginny! Are you okay?"

"They're okay," Hermione breathed, her voice course from the pain, "I warded them after Carrow stunned her." She tried to stand but immediately fell back to her knees. Ron caught her and laid her down, "Mione?"

"She took the curse that Carrow shot at James," Harry said, "Check her."

Hermione felt hands on her stomach and cried out in pain for the first time, almost succumbing to the vertigo she was overwhelmed with.

"Mione do you know what curse it was? If we know what it was we will know how to help you."

"Dolohov's curse," she breathed, grabbing at her shirt. Satisfied that Ginny and his son were okay Harry went to Hermione's side carefully lifting her shirt. "Fuck".

"We need to get her to Mungo's." Ron raised his wand and began to levitate her when she screamed and blood began to pool underneath her. Startled by her scream Ron dropped her back down gracelessly.

"Harry, take James." At Ginny's command he immediately complied taking his son from his wife. Pulling out her own wand she began casting numerous healing charms along Hermione's abdomen. "Dolohov's curse causes internal bleeding along with the external damage. We need to stop the bleeding first or she will die before we get there."

Both Harry and Ron paled as they remembered the effects of the curse, after all they had seen many people die because of it during the war.

"There, that should be enough." With that Ginny cast a weightless charm and levitated Hermione into the Three Broom Sticks to use the floo, her husband and brother following after them.

"Mum!" Ron yelled stumbling through the floo. "Mum! Dad!"

"Ron? What is it-," stopping as she saw the blood on his jumper Molly began to panick, "Oh Gobric, what happened?" Ignoring his mothers questions he ran to the back door and called for his father. Hearing the tone of the youngest Weasley boys voice, all three men around the car hurried into the house.

Once more ignoring their questions he made his way into the living room, "I'll explain everything but we need to go to St. Mungo's." Without waiting he went back into the floo calling out for St. Mungos and the four others followed through directly after him and continued to follow him as he lead them into a private waiting room where they met a Ginny rocking James as she cried and Harry pacing back and forth wringing his hands through his hair every few seconds.

"Where's Hermione?" Sirius breathed but his voice was drowned out by Molly's cry. "Okay we're here tell us what happened. Why are you three covered in blood?"

"It's Hermione's. Carrow attacked her and Ginny in Diagon Alley and tried to take James." Sirius froze. "Hermione refused to give him James and they fought. When we got there he had her under the cruciatus and before we could disarm him he sent a curse at James stroller and...H-Hermione got between them."

"Is she okay? What curse did she get hit with?" Sirius asked in a hoarse voice.

It was Harry who answered him. "She's in surgery."

"What curse, Harry?"

"Dolohov's." He whispered. Molly gasped and started to cry, flinging her arms around her daughter. Sirius stumbled back only to be steadied by Remus who sat them the chairs next to them and spoke, "Where was she hit?"

"Her abdomen. Gin was able to stop the bleeding before we got her here." Ron responded in a gruff voice.

At that moment Healer Clearwater walked into the room. "Hello everyone. Hermione is out of surgery and after a night of observation I can let her go home. Harry, Lord Black, can you follow me please?"

"Wait what? I'm her point of contact." Ron argued.

"No Mr. Weasley, you're not. She made changes to her point of contact in early May. Can you two please follow me? I need to discuss a few things with you before I allow you to see her." Nodding the two men followed her out of the room. Stopping just outside Hermione's room Penelope turned to face the men. "As I said before Hermione is out of surgery and she is fine. But the damage to her abdomen was extensive. She will have another scar but unlike the first time she got hit with this curse she had some internal damage."

Harry raised his hand and shook his head softly looking as though he was going to be sick, "Please tell me you aren't about to say what I think you are. Please."

Penelope nodded her head and continued, "Because of where she was hit the curse caused internal damage to her uterus and while we were able to repair the damage to her uterus we were unable to save her left ovary. I'm afraid that the amount of scar tissue on her uterus could keep her from carrying a child to term in the future."

Harry crouched down with his head in his hands, "Fuck!" he yelled.

Sirius moved to put his hand on Harry's shoulder and after a few moments of silence he found his voice, "Are you sure?"

"She can still conceive, even with one ovary, but she will require extra attention during any possible pregnancy to ensure she doesn't miscarry. The scar tissue will make miscarriages more common." Sirius closed his eyes. He accepted years ago that he may never have children and he was fine with that. But he knew his witch wanted them, and even if it's something they hadn't talked about he knew he wanted them with her. "The reason I wanted to tell you two first was because this can be delicate information and sometimes it's better to hear it when you have loved ones around you."

Harry let out a strangled cry from his spot on the floor.

"She should be waking up soon. If you send me your patronus when she wakes and I can come in to talk to her." Giving them a sad smile she opened the door to Hermione's room and ushered them in. Standing up, Harry followed Sirius into Hermione's room. Coming to stop at the foot of her bed Sirius grabbed her feet and started kneading his knuckles into her toes. She looked so peaceful, oblivious to what had happened to her and he begun to worry about her reaction to the news.

"How am I ever going to make this up to her?" Harry whispered.

"What do you mean pup?"

"She saved my son and in turn she may never have her own children. You've seen her Sirius, she loves children. She always wanted them but something always kept her from taking that step with Ron..."

"Harry, she isn't going to blame you. She loves James, she would never let anything happen to him, that's why she took that curse. You heard the healer she can still have them, she's just more high risk now."

Processing his godfathers words he turned a icy stare to him, "Does this change how you feel about her?"

"What?" Sirius snarled at his godson, "Do you think so little of me that I would leave the woman I-..that I would leave her over this?"

Harry's eyes softened and arched an eyebrow at the near slip up but when he opened his mouth to reply Hermione let out a strangled whimper. Instead of continuing he sat on her bed, "Mione?"

"Harry? Sirius? Where are we?"

He quickly sent off his patronus and Sirius told her, "St. Mungo's."

"Oh gods, James!" She shot up in the bed and gasped in pain before falling back down.

"No Mione, don't move. James is fine. You saved him, and Ginny for that matter."

"Hermione! I'm glad to see you're awake." Penelope exclaimed as she walked over to Hermione's bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just took a curse to the stomach," Hermione teased.

"Well you did and that's what I need to talk to you about." Hermione's smile fell when Harry refused to meet her eyes. Sirius he gave her a reassuring smile before she turned back to Penelope. "The curse you took was Dolohov's and his curse, when used at its full strength, causes just as much internal damage as external." Hermione nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "The curse hit you just below the navel and did irreparable damage to your left ovary. We were able to repair the damage done to your uterus but the amount of scar tissue will make it hard for you to carry a child to term."

After a short pause Hermione spoke, "So I..the curse I took, it's stunted my chances for carrying a child?"

"Yes."

"But I can still have children?"

"Pregnancy isn't impossible but any possible pregnancy will be met with an extra set of complications. You'd end up a high risk pregnancy and your chances for miscarriage will be much higher."

Hermione nodded, now understanding why Harry refused to look at her. "Thank you Penelope."

"I have a pain potion I'd like you to take, but as always the option is up to you. I have others set up for you to take home when you're released."

"Can you leave it? I'd like to talk to Harry and Sirius for a moment."

She set a blue potion on the table and left. Leaving the three of them alone.

Hermione looked to her best friend. "Harry?" He shook his head. "Harry. Look at me." Reluctantly he raised his head to look at her meeting her misty gaze with his own. "Don't blame yourself."

"Hermione you saved James, you saved my son. And in turn you may never carry your own."

"Harry, stop. James is my life, just as Teddy is. Even knowing the outcome I would do it again without hesitation." Grabbing his hand she pulled him closer and let him sob into her shoulder. Looking at Sirius she gave him a small pained smile. Harry stayed there until he finished and pulled back to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you for saving my son Hermione. I will spend the rest of my life thanking you." Hermione laughed.

"Now can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Will you go home and change? Then come back and bring me my godson. I need a minute to talk to Sirius alone."

"Of course. Do you want me to let everyone else in?"

"Can you tell them I'm not ready for visitors yet and I'd rather just see them all tomorrow? We'll be at the burrow for lunch." He nodded, "And Harry?"

"Yes."

"Only tell Ginny," she said in a strangled voice.

Nodding he kissed her forehead once more and left the room. Sirius watched him leave before coming to sit in the spot Harry just vacated.

"Kitten. How do you feel?"

"Physically I hurt but if it's anything like the first time, it will be gone soon enough. Emotionally, I'm not sure just yet."

"We haven't talked about it before but I need you to know that this doesn't change anything for me Hermione."

"You can't say that Sirius. You need an heir and I may not be able to give you that. You deserve a woman who can give you everything, including a child."

"I meant what I said last night." Reaching over he put his hands in hers, "You are mine and I'm not letting you go, not even over this. You heard Penelope, pregnancy is possible but even if it weren't I wouldn't leave you."

Shaking her head, she looked at their hands, "You should find someone else."

Pulling her chin up he stared into her eyes not letting her look away. "There is no one else. You are it for me Hermione." Her breath hitched at his words and she finally let her tears fall. He placed a firm but delicate kiss on her lips before she climbed into his lap with a whimper. "No, love, you can't do that, you'll hurt yourself." Ignoring him she made herself comfortable in his lap, head resting against his shoulder just under his chin, legs curled under her. "You stubborn little thing," he smirked as he resituated himself back against her pillows. Grabbing her potion he uncorked it and handed it to her, "If you want me to continue holding you like this you need to drink your potion." Chuckling against his chest she drank the potion and handed him the empty vial before reaching up to kiss his neck.