The evening of the gala Hermione stood in front of the mirror and twisted to and fro looking for any sign of the life in her womb. If it weren't for Remus and Luna's tests earlier that week she wouldn't have believed it. Smoothing her hands down her gown Hermione checked her hair and makeup once more before leaving the bathroom and meeting Remus in their room.

"Can you tell?", she asked twisting again.

"No," he laughed, "apart from at night. If it is quiet enough and I focus I can hear the faint beat of its heart."

Hermione's jaw dropped, "You can?"

He nodded and set his arms on her hips with a smile. "It's strong." He wiped the tear that fell from her eyes and smiled, "Do you want to tell everyone?"

"Not yet. Not for another month yet j-just in case."

"I understand love. But the baby will be fine." he kissed her forehead, "You look absolutely beautiful by the way."

Hermione smiled and looked down at herself. Her dress was an A-line gown of deep rich blue with a black lace overlay over the open back, the lace reached to the sides of her gown stopping at her waist and at the edge of her breasts only to continue again at the bottom of her skirt. It hugged her and flattered her curves while remaining modest.

"Thank you. You look very dashing as well," she smiled running a hand down his robes pulling him closer suddenly. "If we don't leave now I'm afraid we will be late," she grinned. "Not that I wouldn't love to miss this gala, especially in favor of you."

He grinned and pulled her into a deep passionate kiss and she moaned into him.

"We can be a little late if you'd like," he suggested against her lips.

After considering him for a moment she moaned and reached for his robes yanking at them desperately making his laugh until he felt her desperation and desire bleed into him through the bond. Pulling up the skirt of her dress he tore her lace knickers from her thighs and lifted her hastily pinning her between himself and the wall. Fixing his hold on her he used his free hand to undo his trousers and pull himself free before brushing his hand against her. She bit his lip and licked it gently in short apology before trailing kisses down his jaw while he teased her. When he replaced his hand with his member Hermione moaned, head falling back as he entered her, slowly and completely to the hilt. Tightening her legs around him she prompted him further and they finished together loudly with her yelling out curses and him unable to stop the howl that crawled from his throat.

"Gods that was almost embarrassingly quick," he mumbled into her neck.

Hermione laughed at his grumble and kissed him, "Quick but much enjoyed and needed."

Remus grinned and set her down gently. "You might need to fix your hair."

"And grab new knickers. You really enjoy ripping them from me." In reply he gave her a mischievous grin and shrugged making her laugh once more. After a quick trip to the bathroom to check her hair and fix it she slipped on another pair of knickers and met him once more in the bedroom. "Let's grab Ted. We're late."

The young boy was in his room playing amongst his toys, none the wiser to their earlier activities. He ran to Hermione when she said his name from the doorway and quickly climbed into her hold. She held him through the house and outside until they activated their portkey. Setting him down she rubbed circles in his back while he leaned against her leg.

"I don't like the porkey," he groaned earning a laugh from his father.

Hermione merely smiles, "Me either love."

When he was recovered, he grabbed her ring finger as Remus came around her other side. The pair were arm in arm towards the castle when Hermione felt Remus stiffen beside her. Following his gaze she saw the crowd of people outside the entrance, and she heaved a sigh.

"Reporters. Every damned time."

"Are you sure you're ready for this love? It's not too late to go back home and curl up on the couch for a film," he teased wrapping an arm around her waist.

She leaned against his shoulder and sighed, "If only, but I'm afraid my attendance is expected." He chuckled and kissed her temple before escorting her and their son towards the camera's. Hermione's hand tightened over Teddy's tiny one as they walked past the camera's ignoring the questions aimed at them. When they made it in the castle Remus pulled them to a stop and kissed Hermione softly before picking up Teddy so they could start up the stairs. "I was going to grab him."

"I can't have that," he laughed. "I saw those heels."

She feigned hurt and he kissed her once more before putting his hand on the small of her back and started up the stairs. In the Great Hall they quickly found their table and Teddy crawled out of his father's arms towards his godfather. Harry scooped him up and smiled brightly when Teddy's hair became as unruly as his own and he turned to Hermione and Remus.

"Mione, you look beautiful!"

"Yes Kitten, you're positively glowing," Sirius drawled from behind them. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and he raised his hands in surrender. "You are a vision," he twirled her around.

Kingsley walked over as Sirius spun her back into Remus who caught her and laced his arms around her waist.

"Good evening all. Miss Granger, Mister Potter, Mister Weasley, we're about to begin, would you please mind following me?"

The trio shared a knowing look but followed after Harry set down Teddy and she gave Remus a quick kiss. Kinsley led them towards the stage that stood where the heads table usually sat and the three of them stood off to the side as Kingsley took the stage and began addressing the guests, asking them kindly to take their seats.

After that he launched into his usual speech about the war and Hermione found herself zoning out, her hands cupped delicately in front of her. Harry's hand on her arm pulled her from her thoughts as he lead her up the stage where Kingsley was waiting for them. They took turns each year making the speeches and Hermione was grateful that this year it was Harry's turn. When he finished his short but to the point speech, she hugged him fiercely as Ron wrapped his arms around them and the crowd clapped.

As the trio walked back to their family Teddy ran over to her while the crowd began to move throughout the room again and she scooped him up before continuing towards their table.

"Little wolf, are you hungry?"

"Yes mummy!"

"Mummy? My son calls you mummy?"

Hermione stalled, her eyes searching for Remus ahead of them while she tightened her hold on Teddy. Stealing a deep breath, she turned with a small smile and faced the woman who all but vanished from all of their lives three and a half years prior.

"Tonks."

The mtetamorphmagus had a hard look on her face as she stared at Hermione, "Hermione. Why does my son call you mummy?"

Teddy pulled on a loose lock of her hair to catch her attention, "Mummy who is that?"

"He doesn't even know who I am?"

The calm of her tone was enough to make Hermione's anxiety spike. Ignoring Tonks for the moment Hermione smiled at Teddy, seeing Harry over his shoulder she sighed, "Little wolf, I need you to go to Uncle Harry," turning she pointed at Harry who noticed her and froze after glancing behind Hermione.

"Okay!"

Teddy gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek before peeling out of her grip. Hermione waited until he was safely in Harry's arms before turning back to Tonks, her smile gone.

"Teddy calls me mummy because he wants to. And seeing as how I've helped raise him for the better part of his life, neither Remus nor I saw fit to correct him."

Just across the room, Remus watched Teddy launch himself into Hermione's arms with a wide grin before heading to the bar for drinks. Sirius joined him for a firewhiskey before they went back to the table, Sirius plying him with questions about Hermione.

"So she is pregnant then?"

"Yes," Remus grinned, "Our bonding healed the damage done to her uterus. She's around 8 weeks but is still a bit scared so we're not telling anyone yet."

"Understandable," Sirius nodded, "That explains why she looked like hexing me when I complimented h-Moony whats wrong?"

While his best friend had been talking a hot fury grew in Remus's chest that was not his own. As it became nearly unbearable Remus started looking around for Hermione and Teddy. Movement near where he had last seen them caught his eye and he took a relieved breath seeing Teddy run to Harry but the look on Harry's face was just as alarming as the anger he was still feeling. Following Harry's glare, he saw Hermione facing a pink haired woman. Immediately abandoning his drink, he quickly made it to Hermione's side, placing a hand on her lower back.

"-seeing as how I've helped raise him for the better part of his life, neither Remus nor I saw fit to correct him."

Hermione leaned into his touch but did not falter.

"You are not his mother."

"He knows that. He knows he did not come from me, but he is mine all the same."

Tonks hair darkened to a near reddish pink, "He is-"

"Mine," Remus finally spoke, "Mine and Hermione's. You left Nymphadora, willingly. You left your son and never looked back. That was your choice, you cannot just show up and demand answers."

"He doesn't even know who I am!"

"He does. He knows he got his ability from you and he spends plenty of time with Dromeda. She tells him about his birth mother. But my son is also incredibly bright and understands that his mother left and he has never questioned it. No, he has been content his entire life as he is."

Tonks looked like she ready to continue fighting but faltered looking behind them. Hermione turned in time to catch Teddy as he jumped at her. Snuggling him to her chest she buried her face in his turquoise curls and took a deep breath.

Teddy giggled, "Mummy, Uncle George says I can go to the joke shop with him."

"Is that so love? You're going to work with him and Uncle Freddie?"

"Yup!" Turning to Remus he beamed, "Dad we eat yet?"

Remus let out a strained chuckle, "Of course. You and your mum go ahead, I'll meet you in a moment." Hermione looked at him and he felt her worry.

It's okay love.

She's going to try and take him from me.

He reached for her face, cradling her cheek in his palm. I won't let that happen. You're his mum. He is our cub. Our son. His voice reverberated in her mind calming her.

She may try. She is here for him, for you.

Remus looped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him, "Teddy and I are yours, my love. She means nothing." He gave her a kiss that validated his words and before releasing her and ruffling Teddy's hair making him giggle, "Take your mummy to the table Ted, get her some chocolate."

Suddenly excited Teddy exclaimed, "There's chocolate?!" He wiggled out of Hermione grip only to grab her hand and start dragging her away, "Come on mummy, there's chocolate!"

"Mummy could really use some chocolate love," Hermione grinned down at him as he dragged her towards Harry and the worried looking Weasley's.

When they were seated Remus turned back to his ex-wife. When she opened her mouth to speak, anger evident on her face, "Don't," he started, "You have no right to suddenly appear in our lives and trying to ruin what I have built for my son and myself. Hermione is the mother to our son, and by 'our' I mean hers and mine. You may have carried him, but she has held him while he cried, nursed him when he was sick, put him to bed and read him stories, planned his birthday parties, calmed him during the moons and done everything you opted out of. You have no claim to Ted and I have a legally binding piece of parchment that confirms that since you signed away your legal rights to him. By your own volition I might add."

Tonks looked sick. He watched her swallow before taking a deep breath to speak.

"I wanted to know if it was true."

Remus huffed, his patience rapidly evaporating, "If what was true?"

"That you had found your mate." Dumbfounded he gave her an odd look but she was not detoured and continued, "I regret leaving..."

He laughed, "You can't be serious."

"I am! I love you Remus, I should never have left you, it was cowardly of me."

"Yes, it was but it was the best thing you could have ever done for me, and Teddy for that matter." He noticed her avert her eyes when he said Teddy's name and felt an anger heat in his chest, "What about Teddy, Nymphadora? Did you miss him? Do you love him?"

"I-I..." her words failed her and he knew his answer.

"I thought not. But that's fine, he has a mother who loves him. Hermione." When she said nothing, just looked crestfallen he shook his head. "And yes, Hermione is my mate. The love of my life. Mother to my son. Nothing you can say will change that."

"I guess I will leave then." She began to walk away but stopped after just a few paces away, tilted her head and spoke over her shoulder, "Ron is the one who contacted me. My mum hasn't spoken to me since I left, don't punish her for my actions."

Remus snorted, "Teddy loves his Nana, we would never take him from her or vice versa." He didn't wait to watch her leave, he just turned on his heal and walked towards his mate and son.

The closer he got to the table, the more pronounced a dull ache became. Hermione was worried, no anxious. Finding her face amongst the crowd of Weasley's he saw her smiling and laughing with Teddy, no hint of her anxiety on her face. Sirius saw him approaching first and arched a brow to which Remus responded with a look that told him they would talk about it later. Hermione caught his eye next and she gave him a blinding smile but still sensing her worry he held eye contact with her until her was behind her and pulled her from his seat and into his arms.

"I love you."

Hermione grabbed onto the folds of his robes as she began to shake, "I love you too."

Dipping his head so his face was by her ear he spoke again in softer tones, "Nothing is going to change love. Teddy is ours, despite her interrogation she was not here for him," he felt an anger blossom in her chest as she looked up at him, "and I am yours. Nothing will change that. Not even her. Not anyone or anything."

She sighed with relief and angled to kiss his jaw, "She can't have either of you. I would fight her with everything I had if she tried." Covertly he let his hand slide off her hip and in between them to rest on her stomach. Hermione let out a small whine at the action and leaned harder into him. "I was so scared, irrationally so, that she might wiggle her way back into your heart," she whispered.

"My love that is an impossibility."

"Can we eat and go home? I just want to get back to the cottage and cuddle you both.."

Her voice was soft at her omission and he tucked a curl behind her ear, "Lets say our goodbyes and go now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," letting his hand fall from between them he moved her to his side, "Ted, we're going to go home."

The young boy looked up at them and Hermione laughed seeing the chocolate covering his face.

"Can we bring some cake with us?"

"I think that can be arranged little wolf, but for tomorrow." He pouted and she stepped out of Remus's grip to reach around Teddy and grab a napkin. Cleaning his face she kissed his cheek when it was clean, "Maybe just a little more when we're home." He grinned at her looking just like his father and wrapped his arms around her neck.

"We watch movie?"

Giving Harry a kiss on the cheek as he hugged her she chuckled, "I'm sure we can do that."

They said their goodbyes quickly before retreating through the castle and back into the night where they apparated home as soon as they passed the wards.