A/N: I totally forgot after my lovely little holiday that today was Sunday but here we are. Thank you all for sticking with me.

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Hermione felt so odd riding the train 'home' knowing that she would simply turn around and rejoin her love after she was done with Harry and Sirius. She turned to her all-but brother again to check on him, but he stared out of the window at the world going by. She glanced at Ginny but she could only shrug and she knew Ron wouldn't be any help in this particular situation so she turned to him and touched his thigh.

"Talk to me."

"I dunno," he hedged. "I wanna understand it, but it feels weird."

"Lemme ask you something, and I mean this exactly as it sounds, okay?"

"'Kay," he mumbled.

"How would you feel if Sirius was dating a random woman?"

"I dunno," he frowned. "It's part of the reason I feel so weird. He's always just been Sirius, ya know? On his own."

"I do," she smiled. "And what about the fact that it's Remus? Or maybe that he's a werewolf?"

"No," he turned his nose up. "It's not that. The werewolf thing," he shivered. "Actually, okay it's a bit of that but not for the reasons you think. I don't want him to get hurt or anything. I don't have any issue with Remus being a werewolf, and I don't know how to say it without making it sound like that!"

"That's okay, Harry," she smiled. "They know - or at least I would hope they do - that you aren't against Remus or werewolves in general. This is still Remus and Sirius -"

"And Tonks," Ron shrugged.

"Yes," Hermione chuckled. "And Tonks too. We know and love them all, right?"

"I guess," he winced.

Hermione laughed and hugged him.

"We'll figure it out when we get there, how about that?"

"Spose so," he grumbled.

Ginny laughed and they fell silent.

"So," Ginny winced. "What's next then?"

"Nothing," Hermione said gently. "Go and enjoy some time with your families."

"'Mione," Ron groaned.

"No, I'm serious. Go and enjoy it. If we need you, we'll let you know but I think The Order is going to deal with Malfoy Manor. We need to get Draco's mum out and all the books he promised me," she chuckled. "But," she sighed. "There is some reliable intel that the other lot all using Malfoy Manor as a base, so," she shrugged. "I dunno how successful that's going to be, nor how they're treating the woman now that Draco's defected."

"I'd go mad," Ginny winced. "I know Mum's the way she is, but I'd still," she shivered. "Well."

"That's why we have to get it done as soon as we can. The only issue is, with the Order all Ministry workers, we have to get through speaking to them first."

"It's so bloody complicated," Ron groaned.

"I know," she sympathised.

They felt the train slow at the last bend before King's Cross. Harry tensed, but Hermione took his hand by force.

"Relax. It's going to be alright."

"Do you want me to tell the Twins anything?" Ginny asked as they stood up to grab their things.

"Only that I'll see them sometime over the holiday and to keep being careful. Minerva will never forgive them if anything happens to them."

"I'll tell 'em that exactly," Ginny chuckled.

They all hugged while they were on the train, knowing that they were going out into the open for the first time in a long time and didn't really know what to expect.

"Got your knives on?" Hermione asked as the train slowed completely.

"Yup," Ron nodded.

Ginny lifted her trouser leg to show her.

"Harry?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Good. I'll keep in touch. I'm hoping we can be done with the Malfoy thing early so we can all take a break for a while but some of that will be up to Albus. I still haven't seen him since I woke up."

"He'll be back," Ron muttered. "He will be."

"I know, I just don't know when," she clarified. "So stay alert. Don't do anything crazy and if your parents want to, refuse," she chuckled. "Or try to, I guess."

"Yeah right," Ginny groaned. "You've met Mum, right?"

Hermione didn't say anything but she did catch Harry's eye and was gratified to see a twinkle of something in his eye.

"She might very well end up being your mother-in-law one day," she muttered to him as she got out of the train. He laughed and blushed to his roots.

Quite a few of the younger students' eyes widened as she did but most of them immediately turned away. A rather plucky one, the one she'd helped during the battle, if Hermione remembered correctly, waved to her before he turned and went with his family through the wall to the Muggle side.

"RON! GINNY!"

Molly grabbed them and hugged them hard, Harry received the same treatment but Hermione stayed beyond arm's reach. She did smile when Molly looked up though.

"How are you dear?" Molly asked genuinely. Her smile faltered a little when Hermione didn't step forward for a hug.

"I'm very well, thank you, Molly," she smiled. "It's been a very busy year. I'm glad for the rest."

"No doubt," she chuckled. "Are you not -" She motioned the way they were going.

"No," Hermione shook her head. "Harry and I are going to London for a day or so. Harry is going to be joining you after. I'm going to go home."

"Alright then," she nodded. The tension was a bit awkward, but Hermione didn't mind. "Harry, are you sure I can't -"

"I'll be there in a day or so," he repeated. "Thanks though."

"Alright, sunshine," she smiled sadly. "Come on then kids. Best not be out here too long past time."

They waited until the platform was mostly empty before Hermione shrunk Harry's trunk and put it in her pocket. Harry let Hedwig out and watched her fly away for a while before letting her deal with her cage as well.

"Straight there?" she asked.

"Can't very well go anywhere else, can we," he muttered.

"Great point," she chuckled. "Hold on then."

He did and she turned. They landed exactly on the front step, where she knew they could and a whistle went up a few feet from where they landed once the door opened.

"Crimes, woman, you are good at that. I don't think I was that good at your age!"

"Hey!" She smiled as Sirius stepped forward and hugged them both. She stepped back and let the hug between the two boys linger as she shut the door and waved her hand over Mrs Black's portrait to shut her up.

"Holy moly," Sirius chuckled. "You really have been training."

"Oh," Hermione laughed. "You have no idea."

"Well come on then, come in. Remus is upstairs, Dora's here somewhere."

Harry turned to her with wide eyes but she shook her head. Whatever they called Tonks after hours was none of their business.

"Whoa," Hermione blinked.

Grimmauld Place had undergone a transformation. Gone were the dusty, dark corners. The drapes had been ripped down and the windows were cleaned. She glanced at Harry now and he looked at her like they'd entered the Twilight Zone.

"You've been busy!"

"Have we ever," he chuckled. "Once Albus sent word about the Ministry, we realised we probably needed to clean up the place a bit. "He asked if the Order could still use the place but -" He blushed and scratched the back of his neck. "I dunno about that just yet."

Something piqued Hermione's interest in the way that he said that but her thought was interrupted by Remus coming round the corner.

"Harry!"

"Remus!"

Despite his previous misgivings, Harry threw his arms around Remus and hugged him tightly. She stepped back a little and left them to it. The house wreaked of werewolf but she realised that would be something only she would notice. And before long, Remus would notice her too. She watched as they chatted until he froze and glanced around.

"Remus?"

She smiled as he pulled Harry behind him, despite Harry's protests and Hermione immediately held up her hands.

"Remus, I mean you and your pack no harm."

"What?"

Sirius was looking between them like a tennis match.

"You?"

"Yes," she chuckled at Remus' wide eyes. "Me."

"Dora wouldn't say," he blinked. "It really is you!"

"Yes," she laughed again. "It really is."

"Oh, wait!" Sirius yelled. "You're the dragon?"

She laughed as Harry finally managed to get Remus' big hands to let him go and he punched Remus' bicep for good measure.

"I've been with her all year," Harry grinned. "She's not going to hurt me. We're part of her thing- "

"Her -"

Harry showed him his wrist and Remus grabbed it and looked at it carefully.

"I know you can feel it, Remus, but I mean you and yours no harm at all," Hermione said again. "I equally am not here to take over or anything like that. I am just here to support Harry while we work through this."

"Wotcha!"

Hermione turned and smiled as Tonks walked in and then froze as she realised something in an instant.

"Oh!" Hermione breathed as she realised why Remus was acting like he was.

She glanced at Remus, who looked a little less on edge and a little more proud of himself now that Tonks was there and she smiled.

"If you need me to leave, Remus, I will not be offended. I came with Harry so we could work through this, but," she offered gently. "I do not think it will matter if I am here or not as long as you are all honest with each other."

"I dunno," he winced. "I don't like it, I'm sorry."

"No," she said gently. "I totally understand. Filius and I had a discussion that was not dissimilar. And until I saw Tonks, I did not consider it fully and I apologise for intruding."

"No, don't go," Harry squeaked. "Please, Remus?"

"Harry," she said gently. "This is your family and it will be alright. Things are going on that you don't know yet," she glanced at the three of them. "I'm sure they'll tell you when it's time."

"How much do you know?" Sirius asked quietly.

"She always knows everything," Harry mumbled.

Sirius looked at her and she nodded with a smile.

"You will, please, forgive me for that as well," Hermione bowed her head. "I did not set out to break your trust, nor your news but he needed time to consider it and so I made that decision for you. He is mine, even though he is yours as well, and I care for him and the three of you. I equally understand if Tonks and I need to figure out how to undo what was done - she is in no way more bound to me than you. This was not something we considered at the time."

"Christ, Moony, what the hell have we got ourselves into here," Sirius chuckled.

"You know," Remus' nostrils flared. "Everything?"

"I do now," she chuckled.

"Well," he said as he stood up. "I," he winced as he looked down at Harry. "We will see how it goes and if it gets too much, then we can rethink, alright?"

"That sounds reasonable, thank you."

Remus turned and hugged Harry into his side and nodded for them to go into the kitchen. Considering it was Sirius' house, it seemed as though this was now definitely Remu's home. She waited for them all to go and hugged Tonks once the boys were out of earshot.

"Congratulations!" She smiled.

"Thanks," Tonks grinned, blushing a little. "We didn't really -"

"None of my business," Hermione laughed. "I'm just happy for you."

"I didn't know Remus was gonna be all -"

"Nah, I didn't really think about it until after either. But I don't want to leave Harry on his own just yet so let's go in. Also," she said, stopping Tonks at the door. "If we need to remove this, or whatever -"

"No, he's fine," Tonks smiled. "He's just a bit overprotective right now."

"For good reason," Hermione grinned. "Just know I'm not going to ask anything if you."

"I know," she smiled. "But I'll be there regardless." They linked arms and went into the kitchen together and joined the boys.

Sirius was pouring tea and offered her a cup. They sat quietly, sipping for a while until Sirius cleared his throat.

"Um, so." He sighed. "Harry, I wanted to tell you, I did. I just didn't want to tell you in a letter. And I'm sorry."

"S'alright," he shrugged.

"No," Sirius insisted. "It isn't. I should have come and seen you or something. Remus -" Hermione watched a man she'd only seen being a prankster or a sourpuss smile at Remus and she sat back with her own smile. It was undoubtedly going to be fine. "He told me I should tell you before we saw each other," he shrugged. "I chickened out."

"It really is okay. I didn't know how to feel, not really. But," Harry shrugged now and then glanced around at the three of them. "Now I'm here, I think it's kinda great."

"You do?" Remus asked. "Even though it's not," he glanced up at her. "Conventional?"

"Hermione helped me see that if you have people that love you then that's not a bad thing, right?"

"I think so," Tonks grinned as she reached for a biscuit. She knocked over the milk jug as she did so but Sirius didn't even bat an eye. He just waved his wand and it cleaned up the mess and righted the jug.

"Thanks, Pads."

Hermione had to bite her tongue to stop herself from laughing at how domestic it was and she wondered, absently, while Remus kept chatting to Harry, what the hell Minerva and her looked like from the outside.

"Harry told me you have some news for us too," Sirius said, breaking her thoughts.

She glanced at Harry and decided that this would be part of their trust exercise and she nodded.

"I am also," she considered what word to use. "Bound," she settled on. "To someone."

"Someone amazing," Harry chuckled.

Hermione preened under his assessment and chuckled at Remus' questioning look.

"You really didn't tell them?" she asked Tonks.

"None of my business is it," she grinned. "Tell 'em now though, cos I want to watch their heads explode."

"Ooh, maybe they should guess!"

Tonks laughed with Harry and even Hermione, herself, couldn't help but chuckle. Sirius and Remus looked at each other for a long time before they just shrugged.

"Is it someone we'd expect?"

"Kind of, but also not," Harry admitted. "Once you know, you'll understand."

"What the hell does that mean," Sirius laughed. "Okay, I don't know anyone at school though."

"You know this person," Harry grinned. "Like, really well."

"Oh god, it isn't Ron, is it?"

Harry guffawed obnoxiously and even Hermione laughed as she shook her head.

"Bloody hell, it's not Snivellus?"

"Hey," Harry said, with all seriousness in his voice. He touched Sirius' arm and made him stop. "Don't call him that, okay? There's," he glanced at Hermione and she shook her head so he swerved at the last minute. "I just think we need to do better."

"What's better than making sure Sn -"

"Sirius," Hermione said quietly, but with authority. "Please do not call him that again."

The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees and everyone looked at her carefully.

"Alright, I feel like something has happened that we are not aware of."

"It has," she said gently. "But I will not be speaking of it. I would like you to simply be aware that Severus -" She emphasised his name. "Is now under my protection and he shall therefore be awarded the same courtesy as you do me."

"What!" Sirius laughed. "Ol' Sn -"

"Sirius," Hermione whispered coldly. "I will not warn you again and I do not wish to damage our relationship because you will not grow up."

"Bloody hell you sounded like Min then."

Tonks grinned and they looked at her.

"No," Remus gaped. "Really?"

"What?"

"Minerva," Remus chuckled.

"No," Sirius laughed. "Seriously?"

"Very happily," she smiled, allowing the subject change.

He turned to Harry.

"I see what you mean."

"It works," he shrugged. "Dunno why and don't really wanna think about how but it works. They're so mushy."

"Harry!" Hermione blushed. "I'll thank you not to spill all my secrets."

"Just saying," he grinned.

She realised then that this was exactly the dynamic he needed to be in and she smiled.

"I adore you all, I genuinely do, but I don't need to be here any more than you guys need me here."

"What?"

Harry's face dropped but she leaned forward and offered her hand.

"These are your people too, Harry," she said as he took it. He relaxed and Remus looked at her in shock. "It's a cool side effect," she winked before she turned back to Harry. "Enjoy them," she smiled. "Most people have two sets of family. You may have started out with less, but now you have so many you can't fit them all into one holiday."

He grinned that little grin he got when he was really happy and he leaned into Sirius' shoulder.

"I kinda do, don't I?"

"Yes, you do. I know you all have stuff to do from Albus," she said softly. "And that desperately needs doing. Harry can help."

She suddenly realised that she hadn't told Harry not to tell them about the Horcrux but he shook his head when she glanced at him and she assumed that meant he understood without her saying so.

"I'll walk you out," Remus said kindly.

They left Tonks and Sirius entertaining Harry in the kitchen and Remus stopped her in the hallway.

"I," he paused. "I have learned a lot about myself in the last few months," he admitted. "And I have come to terms with it even more so."

"I am glad," she said, and meant it.

"I will not bow to you."

"Nor should you," she smiled. "Ever. I do not demand fealty from you," she said, not really knowing why she was saying it. He looked equally perplexed.

"We are being used," he growled.

"No," she said gently. "We are fulfilling traditions. There is," she sighed. "An entity, entities, from a bygone era I have communicated with before. Sometimes when I speak, they speak with me."

"My -" He swallowed. "Wolf, has taken to making decisions."

"As my creature is still me, Remus, your wolf is still you." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Happiness looks good on you, my friend," she smiled. "And as I have already told Tonks, I wish you all the happiness and congratulations in the world. And I say this and mean it, from me and Minerva," she looked him in the eye - something she knew she could do. "If you need anything, you should ask it of me."

"You are something great, aren't you," he whispered.

"I am," she smiled. "And with it comes a clarity of thought that most will never have and I," she sighed. "Enjoy it."

"Is Min -"

"We aren't yet bound properly," she whispered. She trusted this man, regardless of how their creatures were sizing each other up. "But it will be soon."

"That must have been difficult," he mused. "She is a stickler for rules and regulations. And she has -" He winced. "Longer held beliefs."

"The heart wants what the heart wants," she smiled, knowing he would understand. "And all my heart wants is her. It has been difficult," she admitted. "It has taken a long time for her to be comfortable with the idea. But the things that are worth fighting for often are."

"I understand," he mused as he looked back towards the kitchen where they could hear the three of them laughing.

"Enjoy this time, Remus," she said softly. "There is a war coming closer every day and I would ask for your help when it gets here."

"You have it, as you have always had."

"Thank you," she smiled.

She bowed her head and stepped out of the door.

"Hermione?" She turned. "Give my love to Minerva. I understand what Harry said about you and I agree. I wish you all the happiness that I have in my power to give."

She turned on the spot and apparated back to Hogwarts in one jump.