Chapter 20

Despite the warming charms, wool hat, both her and Harry's scarves, Draco's winter cloak, mittens, boots, and wool socks; Hermione was still freezing. Scottish Novembers were no joke, and she couldn't help but glare at the red and green streaks flying past her. She couldn't even enjoy the book she'd brought because every few seconds Theo would ask her how fit she thought Draco looked in his Quidditch kit.

"How much longer?" She whined, looking at Pansy who stood wearing Harry's spare jersey charmed green.

"They're still doing warmups, honestly, have you never gone to a Quidditch match before?" Astoria asked from behind her, her binoculars pointed at the field. Astoria happened to be the leader of the Ravenclaw Quidditch cult, so despite their house not throwing the balls around, the girl was still invested.

"I don't entirely understand why you're out here," Hermione said, turning her attention to Luna, who despite all odds, was currently the most rational person to have a conversation with at the moment. "I didn't realize you were into this sort of thing."

"I'm not, but my stepfather is coming today as he's one of the school governors. He played for Slytherin when he was at Hogwarts and always tries to attend the matches." She explained, her back turned away from the pitch and looking into the crowd.

"Can I go back to my dorm?" Hermione asked, shifting in her seat as her bum went numb from the cold, to which both Theo and Pansy said 'no.'

"Oh, there he is, Papa!" Luna exclaimed, waving her hand. Hermione turned to see who she was speaking of when she saw what lucky guy that had the pleasure of trying to contain and raise Luna. Hermione couldn't even stop herself as she let out a laugh, instantly recognizing the poor soul she had only heard of, but never met.

"Regulus Black is your stepfather?" Hermione asked, looking at Luna, who was starting to excuse herself from the group while also pulling Hermione along with her.

"Oh yes, he and mama started spending more time together after I went off to Hogwarts. When Walburga met her untimely demise, he asked mama to marry him that same night," Luna said, weaving their way through the crowd. "It was around then that he also reached out to Sirius, though he has often said that might have been a mistake to reopen that door. Sirius was disowned and burned off the family tree after he came out as gay when he was still a teenager, which caused Papa to become the Black Heir. Until his mother died, he was forced to follow her strict rules."

Hermione in fact did know that tidbit about Sirius and the Black family, seeing as she spent much of her childhood around the elder Black brother and his husband. He'd been Harry's father's best friend, and even after James' death Sirius had stayed close to Lily, he was Harry's godfather after all.

As they got closer, Hermione couldn't help the groan slipping from her as she heard the voice of that dog carrying over the crowd. "Come on little brother, it's not Quidditch without a little gambling. Fifty gallons says my old house stomps yours," Sirius' barking laugh was too loud and uncontrolled.

"Can you please try to control him," an unfamiliar voice she assumed belonged to Regulus replied. "It's a school match, you can't be serious about placing a bet on children!" The outraged man chided his brother, his choice of words only making Sirius even more unhinged.

"I'm not sure why you think I can control him," a third man said, the voice calm and comforting, reminding Hermione of sipping hot chocolate in front of a fireplace while reading a new book or having a debate on a variety of topics.

"Because he's your husband!" Poor Regulus exclaimed just as the girls reached the odd group.

"He's your brother, yet somehow he still manages to do exactly as he sees fit," Remus said, before turning around and facing Hermione with a wide smile. "I thought I smelled that familiar cinnamon and vanilla coming towards me," the werewolf said, bending to press a kiss to Hermione's forehead. "How have you been?"

Remus Lupin, the unfortunate man who'd dedicated his life to living with and somehow loving Sirius Black. Long deep scar covered his entire face, but it didn't make Hermione flinch away. His oversized and patched clothing showed the hardships he'd faced in his life being a werewolf and openly gay man in this horrendous society. His green eyes were soft and kind versus the bright and intense green that were Lily and Harry's. His overly long sandy hair fell in his face, most likely trying to hide away what magic couldn't cover.

Hermione jumped into his arms, hugging him tight, trying to show how much she'd appreciated his letters throughout the years when she hadn't come to her dad's. Remus held her tight, and she could feel him breathing her in, most likely to settle the wolf within. At one point he'd confessed that his wolf viewed her and Harry as his pups and that being separated from her made him slightly restless.

Pulling away from his unnaturally warm embrace, Hermione finally turned towards the younger Black brother, laying her eyes on him for the first time ever. The family resemblance between him and Sirius was uncanny. The same silver eyes that all the Black family members shared, his black hair long just as his brothers was, however instead of thrown on the top of his head in a messy bun he had it pulled back at the nape of his neck. The main difference between the brothers was that where Sirius was covered in tattoos and scars, where Regulus' skin was completely flawless and unblemished. His face was also much more stern than she would have imagined someone who willingly inserted himself into the role of father for Luna would look.

"Lord Black," she said, tipping her head towards him, deciding that addressing him with his title was the proper thing to do in this case. "I'm very pleased to meet you."

"As am I, Ms. Granger. My Luna has written to me and told me all about the friendship the two of you have created and for that I'm grateful that she has someone with sense and purpose in her life." The compliment caused Hermione to pause, she'd hardly spoken with Luna, and yet here was her stepfather giving her praises that she wasn't entirely sure that she'd earned.

"I appreciate the kind words, sir," Hermione said, causing Sirius to burst out laughing again. Both Hermione and Regulus narrowed their eyes at the older man, who only bent over laughing even harder at their motion.

"Oh, I should have introduced the two of you years ago," Sirius choked out, brushing tears from his eyes.

"You are the most obnoxious person I've ever had the displeasure of meeting in my life," Hermione told the man, moving back into the warmth of Remus. Hermione looked up at the werewolf, who only smiled fondly at her. This was going to be a very long afternoon.