CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Summary: Sent to Volterra in order to negotiate terms of an alliance to end the war, Hermione's life is turned upside down as she is brought into the world of the Volturi, better known as the Vampire Kings. There she is made a part of a new kind of family and a most trusted member of the guard, whether she likes it or not, and surprisingly, she does. Rated M for language, violence and sexual content.
Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and Stephenie Myers. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. As for the descriptions of appearances for the Twilight characters, all my research is based on the books and not the movies, but I may have changed a few things regarding Alec's height and age.
Page count: 17
Thursday 31st December 1998
She was alone. Her waters had broken and she was alone!
What the hell was she going to do?
She couldn't shout and scream for help with the silencing wards that surrounded her suite; no one would hear her. She couldn't send her Patronus to alert someone of what was happening; she was in far too much pain to be able to concentrate long enough to conjure her tiger. She may be powerful enough but the Patronus required not only magical power, but a powerful happy memory and despite being happy about her babies soon being in her arms, she was also worried given the current situation. And she couldn't just wait for Alec and Demetri to return because she didn't know how much longer they would be.
She knew from reading that the average time in labour for a first-time mother was eight hours but could be far more or less, but she wasn't just any first-time mother. Snape was of the belief that once her waters had actually broken, she'd give birth within an hour, both due to her magic and the babies themselves.
She needed someone to be with her to help deliver the babies; she didn't even care if they were someone she hardly interacted with. She just couldn't be alone and she knew what she had to do.
She took a deep breath in hopes it would calm her and help to settle her magic (which she could feel rushing through her body) before she pushed herself off the couch, turned and slowly headed for the door, practising the breathing exercises she'd read about in one of her books. The only option she had was to leave her rooms and hope to stumble upon someone before it was too late, at the very least, she needed to be clear of the silencing wards so she could scream for help, but with so many vampires in the castle and the loud orchestra playing, she was unsure if someone would hear her, and if they did, she had to be careful she didn't attract someone that would wish her harm.
She didn't like the idea of leaving Teddy alone but she couldn't exactly take him with her, but she did take comfort in knowing that for the time being he was sleeping and when she'd checked on him earlier he showed no signs of waking any time soon. She also knew he would be safe from harm, the wards around her suite preventing anyone but Alec, Demetri, Felix and Jane from entering without her permission to do so.
She reached the door and gripped the handle, ready to pull it open only she paused as another contraction hit her and she cried out and gripped the handle tightly. She'd only had a few but from what she could tell, they were happening too often and that made her all the more nervous. As soon as it ended, she took a deep breath and pulled open the door, stepping out into the hallway and making sure to close the door securely behind her.
Using the wall to keep her upright, she slowly headed down the hallway, the immediate chill of the castle hitting her and causing goosebumps to erupt. Realistically, she needed footwear and a cloak rather than being barefoot and wandering the castle in only a nightgown but she didn't have the time to put on either.
She did her best to keep herself upright, controlling her breathing the best she could and taking brief pauses when a contraction would hit her. What usually would only take a few minutes to cross the silencing wards, took her far longer than she'd have liked, but she didn't feel confident enough to shout for help, not when anyone could hear her and find her, especially someone that may have been serving out their punishment and therefore couldn't be trusted. While she felt weak and defenceless, she knew her magic would protect her the best it could, especially given that it wasn't just her that needed protecting.
She walked for several minutes more before she had to stop, leaning against the wall for support when a contraction hit her, only this one lasted longer and was far more painful than the previous ones. Crying out, she almost collapsed to the ground and would've done so if it weren't for the wall holding her up.
"You can do this," Hermione muttered to herself. "You survived a war, you can get through this."
Taking a deep breath, she pushed off the wall and continued in her steps, her intended destination being the ballroom as she knew that's where her husbands would be. She knew the time before leaving and therefore knew the firework display still had an hour or so before being set off at midnight.
She rounded the corner, feeling relief fill her when she realised she'd passed the halfway mark on her journey and if she could make it that far, she had every intention of reaching her destination.
Her babies had other ideas.
She cried out when another contraction hit her and whilst it wasn't as painful as the previous ones, it did last longer and came unexpectedly quicker than the rest and in doing so had take her by surprise, causing her to trip on the uneven ground and she lost her footing. She fell forward, panic filling as her as she headed straight for the ground but she was lucky enough to catch herself on her hands and knees.
Taking a deep breath, she shuffled until her back was pressed against the wall and her hands cradling her stomach. Despite the freezing cold of both the ground and the castle itself, she felt herself sweating, beads of sweat gathering on her forehead and her hair sticking to the back of her neck.
Even if she could get up from the ground, she couldn't walk anymore and she had a feeling she didn't have long left. The babies were determined to be born into the world.
"Merlin!" Hermione breathed out before her eyes darted down the hall. "Help! Someone, please help me!" She shouted breathlessly. "Can anyone hear me?! Please, I need help!"
She trailed off when another contraction hit, her hands clenching into tight fists and pressing her back more firmly against the wall, not caring about the stone digging into her spine as she cried through the pain. Hearing footsteps, Hermione opened her eyes and they searched for the one responsible, landing on the most beautiful vampire she'd ever seen.
"Heidi! Thank Merlin," she breathed out. "Please, help me."
The beautiful vampire slowly approached, her heels echoing in the silence, the train of her blood-red ball gown trailing along the floor behind her, her hands clasped together in front of her delicately and her head tipped to the side as she watched her.
"The babies are coming. I need Alec and Demetri and Snape. Where the hell's Snape?!" She said breathlessly. "I can't do this on my own, I need them."
She came to a stop and by the look held on her face, she had no intention of helping her.
"Why would I help you?" She asked, her German accent not being as strong as it once was but it was still noticeable.
"What?" Hermione questioned. "I'm in bloody labour, why wouldn't you help me? Look, you don't have to stay; I just need you to get Alec and Demetri."
"Why would I do that?"
Hermione frowned before another contraction hit and she cried out once more, her breathing quickening once it was over.
"Their children are about to be born, they need to know."
"I don't know how you did it, how you fooled the Lords into believing you, but you and I both know neither of them is the father of your children," she said impassively.
"Are you being serious? Lord Aro saw into our minds, he saw the babies are Alec's. He was witness to the information the source revealed. He was witness to my unnatural development; I went through my first trimester in less than two months."
"I wouldn't put it past you to have paid someone to come to Volterra and tells lies. With your magic, you could easily hide the true development of your pregnancy."
Hermione gritted her teeth and cried out as another contraction hit and she slumped back into the wall. "I get it, you're jealous, aren't you? You're jealous that the Lords are so fond of me, that they see me as their most powerful and treasured member. You're jealous that Demetri no longer has an interest in you. He told me of what almost happened between you but nothing ever came of it because he met me, his true mate."
The beautiful vampire sneered at her, bearing her fangs threateningly. Hermione had hit the nail right on the head.
"You're jealous that he loves me, a human, more than he does you. You hate that he chose me over you, that he no longer has an attraction to you and that your gift no longer works on him. I can see right through you."
"I should just kill you now and the demon spawn you're carrying."
Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously and her anger began to flare up inside of her. "I may be vulnerable but I am not defenceless. And should you harm me, the Lords will know and punishment will be given."
"There are no witnesses; I simply throw you out the window and when your body is found it won't take much to convince them you took your own life. Demetri will grieve but I will be there for him and he will soon move on."
"It seems the only thing you've got going for you are your looks, and that's only due to the vampire venom enhancing your best feature. Even as a human I can tell you were as thick as a jellyfish. They don't have brain cells either."
Heidi let out a snarl before lunging for her and Hermione didn't even have to move for her magic to react instinctively, and Heidi was suddenly being thrown away from her, across the hall and smashing straight through the stone wall.
A snarl of fury sounded and Hermione prepared for having to defend herself again, only another contraction hit her and she cried out, her eyes landing on Heidi as she stood and the rubble that had collapsed on top of her went flying everywhere. Hermione knew she was going to kill her if she could and she closed her eyes, waiting for her attempt, only it never came.
Screams of agony that were much louder than her own sounded and once the pain of the contraction wore off, Hermione tiredly peeled open her eyes to the sight of Heidi being sprawled out on the floor, her body contorting and writhing unnaturally as Jane stood over her, fury twisting her child-like angelic features and her blood-red eyes shining brightly with rage and hatred.
Hearing footsteps, her eyes darted past Jane and to Alec and Demetri, them both looking angrier than she'd ever seen them and she understood that they'd been close enough in their vicinity to have heard everything that had just happened.
She cried out once more, her cries drawing their attention and they both blinked slowly, as if a fog had settled over their minds and was slowly disappearing. Their dark eyes settled on her before they widened and they were beside her quicker than she could blink. Demetri's cold hand pressing against her cheek was a welcome feeling, helping to cool her down and Alec's hand moved to cover hers, resting gently over her stomach.
"I'm fine," she breathed. "Well, I'm in labour so I'm not fine, but still, I'm fine," she corrected. "I need Snape, the babies aren't going to wait much longer, there's barely any time between my contractions and the need to push is starting to make itself known."
"Hermione..."
"It's not your fault," she said, already knowing what Demetri had wanted to say, his guilty expression all but broke her heart. How could he even think it was remotely his fault? "And I don't want you to blame yourself. Right now, I need you to help me through this because honestly, I'm terrified," she admitted.
"We'll get through this, and I promise, she will pay for what she did," he muttered softly, his thumb swiping gently over her cheekbone and he looked to Alec.
"I'll get Snape," he nodded, disappearing from her side and ignoring the sounds of Heidi's screams still piercing the silence and it had drawn the attention of Felix and the Lords.
"Jane, what is the meaning of this?" Aro spoke, and Hermione blinked when Marcus was crouched down beside her, his red eyes scanning her worriedly.
"My Lord, I am protecting Hermione," she spoke calmly. "I witnessed Heidi refuse to help Hermione when she found her. Heidi not only accused Hermione of lying about the identity of the father of the children, but she threatened her life when Hermione accused her of being jealous of her relationship with Demetri. She tried to harm Hermione but she protected herself and I stepped in afterwards."
"Is this true?" Aro asked, his face far too calm to be believable.
"Yes, My Lord," Demetri breathed out, trying to contain his anger and keeping his eyes on Hermione. "Both Alec and I overheard also, we were lucky to have been on our way to return to Hermione or we would have never known."
"I see," he said quietly, his eyes blazing with fury. "Jane, please release her. Felix, take Heidi to her rooms and ensure she does not leave until we send word."
Felix nodded, his eyes darting to Hermione worriedly before he grabbed the beautiful vampire by the arm and hauled her onto her feet and within the blink of an eye, they were gone.
"Are you well, My Dear?" Aro asked.
"Aside from the fact I'm in labour? I'm fine."
He chuckled softly. "It seems they have waited long enough."
"Well, I would've appreciated it if they'd have waited until I wasn't on my own."
"Idiot girl," Snape chastised, coming into view with his robes billowing behind him and he came to a stop, crouching down in front of her. Marcus stepped aside and allowed Alec to take his place, his hand immediately moving to grip Hermione's.
"It's not my fault," she responded, annoyed. "I didn't will my waters to break when I was alone. I couldn't shout for help with the wards around my room, I couldn't wait for someone to come back and I couldn't send a Patronus given the situation. I had to find someone to help but be cautious as I didn't want to attract the wrong person. It seems I did that anyway. And I knew Teddy would be safe as the wards would protect him and he was sleeping when I left."
He ignored her, being too busy running diagnostic charms over her.
"From what I can tell, you'll be ten centre meters dilated in a matter of minutes and these babies are going to be born a lot faster than the average birth, I'd say no more than half an hour for both."
"Fantastic," she grumbled.
"We have to move you and get you comfortable. And this is going to hurt; we can't risk giving you any pain relief as we don't know how it may affect the babies."
"I'll do what I can in regards to numbing the pain," Alec said softly. "We best get you back to our rooms," he said.
He was careful not to hurt her when he lifted her into his arms and not wanting to cause her discomfort or make her nauseous, he walked at a human pace. Demetri opened the door for them and Alec swept into the room and moved over to the bed, placing Hermione down on the mattress.
"We will wait outside," Marcus said, giving her a worried look before the door was closed, leaving only Snape, Alec and Demetri in the room with her.
"Support her weight," Snape instructed, waving his wand and various items of towels and blankets, scissors and bowls of hot water appeared before him, settling on the small table he'd conjured.
Demetri looked to Alec and nodded, letting him know he should be the one to do so as he was the children's father biologically. Removing his robes and rolling up his sleeves, Alec climbed up onto the bed behind Hermione and she leaned back into him, practising her breathing exercises. She automatically held a hand out, Demetri feeling a smile pull at his face at her wanting him to be a part of the delivery, was quick to remove his own robes, roll up his sleeves and move to sit on the edge of the bed beside her, taking her hand in his.
Snape removed his robes, too, and rolled up his sleeves before muttering a spell to clean and disinfect his hands. Running his wand over Hermione, he took a deep breath to prepare himself for delivering the babies of a witch that he'd once taught and had known since she was a child. If that wasn't traumatising, he didn't know what was.
"You're fully dilated," he muttered, more to himself than the others. "Do you feel the need to push?"
"Yes," she breathed out.
"When I tell you to, I want you to push as hard as you can," he said, putting his wand off to the side and lifting her nightgown up. Having already magically removed her underwear, he paled dramatically.
"You're not going to faint, are you?" She asked through her breathing exercises.
"You are not the one delivering his student's of eight years babies," he snapped irritably.
"You're not the one that has to push out two human beings from their body whilst being tended to by their professor of eight years," she fired back.
"I think we agree this is awkward for everyone," Demetri interrupted, "But we need to focus."
"He's right," Snape said, taking a deep breath. "Alright, push!"
~000~000~000~
"I'm so proud of you," Demetri muttered softly, placing a kiss to her forehead as she leaned back against Alec's chest, feeling exhausted and drained but happy.
Their son, who had been born into the world at 11:46 and weighing six pounds, was currently being held by Alec, him staring down at their little boy in complete wonder and disbelief. She had never seen such a look of adoration grace his face before, as he cradled him gently in his arms.
Their daughter had been born weighing five and a half pounds and at 11:59 and with only one minute until the new year began, and Hermione thought it a lovely thing that the birth of her children was celebrated with fireworks bursting before her windows and the coloured sparks raining down to the ground, even if it weren't for that particular purpose.
Snape, having finished cleaning up their little girl and wrapping her in a blanket, handed her to Demetri, Hermione wanting her husbands to be the first to see and hold their children. He was careful when he cradled her in his arms and he smiled down at her, his expression so soft and loving she felt herself tearing up.
"Thank you," she said, briefly turning her gaze to Snape.
"I'm billing you for therapy," he muttered, his cheeks flushed red and his eyes avoiding her gaze as he cleaned up.
She chuckled. "I'm sure the Lords will pay you handsomely," she responded.
Her eyes moved to look over her shoulder and Alec was sat in such a way that as he supported her with his body, he was still able to hold their son without issue. Feeling her eyes on him, he tore his own away from their son and looked down at her. If he were able to shed a tear, she knew he would. Smiling at her, he was cautious as he shifted so his arms wrapped around her and he held their son out in front of her, allowing her to see him.
A smile pulled at her face and she reached up, shifting the blue blanket to better see his face and her eyes darted over to her daughter, and Demetri shifted closer so she could better see her, too. If there were any doubts that she'd been lying about Alec being the father of her babies, just one glance at them would put an end to it.
They both had a thick head of dark raven hair and a pale complexion, and when their son opened their eyes for the first time, they were a grass-green colour, being matched by their daughter's. Knowing that they didn't get the colouring from her, she thought it to be the colour of Alec's eyes before he'd been turned. They both looked like him, the only part of herself that she could see so far were their little button noses.
"They're beautiful," she said softly.
"Just like their mother," they both responded, making her mouth twitch as they hadn't realised they'd done it together, being too focused on the babies in their arms.
"And they're healthy?" Hermione asked.
"Perfectly," Snape replied, his back to her as he busied himself at the table.
Alec was the first to relent his hold on their son and he passed him into her arms and soon after she held their daughter before handing them back to their fathers as Snape carried out a few diagnostic charms to ensure she was fine.
"The delivery went a lot better than I was expecting," he admitted and she knew why; she'd been there to hear Ranulf's story about the witch's delivery and it almost killing her. "Your iron levels are a little low but that's an easy fix and with you no longer being pregnant, we don't have to be cautious about what medication and treatment you ingest."
"What about breastfeeding?"
"You may do so if you wish."
"But?" She said knowingly.
"But I would advise against it. Given the circumstances, I have been working on a formula that contains all the nutrients and vitamins every newborn needs, but it also has a small amount of human blood, easily allowing you to cater to both sides of the babies at once."
"Formula it is," she nodded.
Hearing a knock on the door, they all turned to it and Hermione nodded, letting Snape know she was feeling well enough for visitors. He crossed the room and opened the door, revealing the three Lords and Jane, their eyes immediately locking on the bundles in their fathers' arms and they widened in surprise. She could understand, knowing she was pregnant was one thing; actually seeing the babies was another.
Jane stepped through the wards without issue and crossed straight over to them, coming to a stop beside the bed.
"I'm fine," Hermione smiled tiredly. "And thank you for what you did for me."
"You are my sister," Jane said simply but her eyes didn't move from being glued to her nephew and Alec understood and passed him into her arms.
"You look so much like your father," she said softly, looking down at the little blue bundle. "You poor thing."
Hermione laughed when Alec scowled at Jane and reached out for his son. That didn't deter her though, she just walked around to the other side of the bed and Demetri reluctantly handed her their daughter.
Looking over at the Lords, she was able to give them verbal permission to enter her rooms but it wouldn't last as long as her physically escorting them into the room. Marcus was the first to reach her, not even having to ask before Alec was passing their son into his arms and Marcus stared down at him silently, his eyes taking in every feature of his tiny face.
"There is no denying Alec is the father," Caius mused, looking over Marcus' shoulder and peering down at the blue bundle.
"I know," Hermione responded.
Aro came to stand beside her, holding his hand out and she lifted her own and placed it in his, not bothering to hide her thoughts from him. Not only was she too tired to do so but she knew what he was looking for; he wanted to see her interaction with Heidi.
A frown settled on his face. "She will not escape punishment," Aro promised her before gently shaking his head. "Congratulations, My Dear."
"Thank you, I'm just grateful it's all finally over. I have missed being in my lab."
She could practically hear Snape rolling his eyes on the other side of the room and she sent him a glare. Aro dropped her hand and peered over at the blue bundle in Marcus' arms before they darted over to Jane and the pink bundle she cradled, his eyes lighting up in a way she didn't like. In the coming years, she'd be sure to keep him from getting any ideas about using her babies and that included Teddy, too. She didn't know how the blue-haired child had slept through all the noise she'd made, but in doing so it had made it less stressful for her.
"Your experiments?" He questioned, looking over to Snape.
"I think it best we allow Hermione to heal and rest, and for our new parents to spend some time with their children before we start experimenting on their newborn babies," Snape drawled.
"He's right," Marcus spoke up, preventing Aro from countering Snape's argument. "We know the children are healthy and for the time being that's all that matters."
~000~000~000~
Friday 8th January 1999
Two weeks after the birth of the twins found Hermione stood in the centre of the chamber room with Alec and Demetri on either side of her and each cradling one of their children whilst Teddy was on the ground and crawling about inside the area she's cordoned off for him, making sure he couldn't go too far and keeping him in her line of sight.
This was the first time she'd left her rooms since going into labour, as Snape wanted her to rest up and monitor the babies for any sign of accelerated growth and the possible symptoms of a newborn vampire. But there hadn't been any. After countless tests and several experiments, they now knew the twins would age and develop at a human rate. The milk and blood formula Snape had created worked perfectly and ensured her babies were always getting the correct nutrition needed for their growth.
The only visitors she'd had was that of the Lords, Jane and Felix, as they had prohibited anyone from going near her suite until they were given permission to do so. She'd been sure to owl Harry a few days after the birth when she was feeling better and his response had arrived the next day, detailing how happy he was and that he couldn't wait to meet his niece and nephew.
She knew from previous letters that he'd already told the others about her pregnancy and she hadn't been surprised when he told her of their anger and confusion and disbelief, but once they'd read her letters and they'd had a couple of days to process it, they seemed to be more curious about her pregnancy than angry and she only hoped everything went fine when they visited in two week's time. She had Kingsley arriving within the next few days to speak to the Lords and to be told about the babies, and a meeting was scheduled with the Coven and Guard in less than half an hour, finally introducing them to the new members of the Coven.
The two weeks for Hermione had been both tiring and peaceful and being confined to her suite meant she spent most of her time playing with Teddy and watching her babies sleeping, just because she could. The Lords had given both her husbands 'maternity leave' allowing them to be free of their duties and responsibilities and to stay with Hermione and the children until she was allowed to leave her suite.
During the night, Alec and Demetri tended to the twins and Teddy, being able to pick up on their breathing and knowing when they were going to wake so Hermione's sleep wouldn't be interrupted. As a result, she woke every morning feeling well-rested and to the sight of Alec and Demetri perched on either side of her and cradling their babies and it was a sight that never failed to remind Hermione how lucky she was to have the life she did. She had loving and wonderful husbands, a great support system, family and friends that loved her and three children that she adored. She couldn't be any happier if she tried.
And to make things better, with the aid of magic and her body's healing, her stomach was once again flat and she could fit into her clothes and she no longer had to waddle about or had the need to use the toilet every five minutes. She knew she was still a little out of shape but once she returned to her training room that would no longer be an issue and she'd be as fit as she once was.
"Are you certain?"
Hermione shook her head and turned her eyes to Aro and then to Snape, who was stood off to the side with his hands clasped in front of him.
"I am positive," Snape nodded. "I conducted each experiment several times and the results have all been conclusive. The children have magical signatures and are perfectly balanced within their human and vampire DNA. From our source, we know that them having vampire abilities is possible and I was sure to perform several tests and the results show that their hearing, sight, smell and taste appears to be stronger than what is considered normal. As they age, I believe their speed and strength will also be more advanced, but for the time being and due to their young age, they have no need for it, but this may mean that the children will be able to sit up by themselves and walk long before Teddy was able to as their bones are stronger."
"Their diet?" Marcus asked, his eyes darting between the babies in their fathers' arms as they were currently being fed.
"The formula of milk and human blood appears to be working as intended. We won't know how often they may crave human blood, if they do, until they are older and are able to communicate their wishes of food preferences. As of right now, as a precaution, we are giving the children a teaspoon of human blood per feeding and they appear to be drinking more than the average newborn. I've determined their metabolism works a lot faster than the average newborn's, and so they are needing to be fed either more often, or they are being fed almost twice the recommended amount."
"And what of their gifts? Do they have one?" Aro asked, his eyes gleaming in a way that had Hermione narrowing her eyes on him. Sensing her gaze, he turned his eyes to her before casually sitting back in his throne. "Purely out curiosity, of course," he placated.
"Liar," she responded and both Marcus and Caius snorted at her.
"As for gifts, the blood I drew from the children I've compared to the markers in the venom of both vampires with and without gifts, and I observed a pattern. Due to my findings, I am of the belief that both children do possess a gift. What that gift may be I am unsure and I won't be until it presents itself and it should as they age, much like a magical child having their first case of accidental magic. On average, a magical child is between five and six when this occurs, for the children, it may happen sooner or it may not, we can't be sure until it happens."
Hermione was unsure if she should be worried by the news of her babies having gifts. They were already special due to their conception and therefore Aro found both her and them to be priceless, but them having gifts, too, just doubled their value to him.
"Excellent," Aro said, clapping his hands.
Hermione wasn't blind to the way Marcus sent him a suspicious look, too. At least she knew she had one-third of the Vampire Kings on her side and she could count on him to help run interfere if and when it was needed.
"The others are due to arrive shortly," Marcus reminded and Aro nodded.
"Thank you, Severus," Aro dismissed.
Snape tilted his head and made to leave, knowing he was being excused, but Hermione caught his eye and she gestured to the corner of the room. Stepping away from her husbands, she followed after Snape before throwing up a Silencing Charm around them to keep their conversation quiet and knowing she received curious glances from the others for doing so.
"Is what we've previously discussed possible?" She asked him.
"It is," he answered. "Your reproductive organs are without damage and should you wish to, I see no reason as to why you can't conceive again, though Merlin knows why you would want to," he spoke.
A weight instantly lifted off Hermione's shoulders and she felt herself relaxing, her heart filling with hope and anticipation as her eyes darted over to Demetri, seeing him smiling down at their daughter as she finished off the last of her bottle.
"You wouldn't understand," she responded. "Demetri was heartbroken when we discovered that Alec had fathered the twins. His one regret before his death was never having a child and when we discovered I was pregnant, he allowed himself to hope he was the father. I promised him that if it was possible, I would give him a child."
"I advise that you not have relations for a further four weeks," he said shamelessly and Hermione blushed, being reminded of their awkward sex conversation, not to mention, that he'd been the one to deliver her babies.
"I don't plan on falling pregnant any time soon. I already have enough on my plate with three children below the age of one and I wish to allow them the opportunity to grow as they should before they are given another sibling."
"In other words, you want to know if it's possible to make a Contraception Potion," he stated knowingly.
"Exactly, for the time being, it needs to prevent both Alec and Demetri from being able to get me pregnant, but once enough time has passed and we wish to try to conceive another child, it needs to be effective against only Alec."
"I imagine injecting their venom into the Contraception Potion would have the results you want," he mused.
She nodded. "Have the Lords spoken to you yet?" She asked.
"They have."
"And?" She asked nosily.
"And they have said all they wish to."
She rolled her eyes. "Have you made a decision?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but no, I haven't."
"You've got to admit, living here does have its merits. You have their support, their protection and their funds available to you. You have access to my library and lab, and should you choose to stay, I suspect they will have another built solely for you and you will be responsible for managing the potion brewing business that is being set up. Once I complete my potions masters, I can focus on my transfiguration and charms, followed by my arithmancy and ancient runes. I've a busy few years ahead of me, especially with three young children. Having you around will not only help with my workload, but I know I can trust you with the secrets that are kept here. Not to mention, you'll be left alone to your research and potions for the most part and the Lords are very much interested in having a never before seen potion that they can patent. You'd be great at that."
"Flattery does not work on me."
"I wasn't trying to flatter you, I was merely stating facts. And the fact of the matter is, Volterra is better suited to you than England."
"And you wish for me to be here if you find yourself pregnant again," he drawled.
She shrugged. "It would certainly be handy if you're here, but I've also seen the way you and Jane look at each other."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he denied.
"Of course you don't," she said lightly. "Anyway, you better go before the others arrive, it's probably easier to just apparate, that way you won't run into any of them. If I were you, I wouldn't want to witness what is going to happen." He arched a questioning eyebrow. "Lord Aro wishes to set an example and Heidi's punishment it to be showcased after spending two weeks in isolation under guard."
"Vampires," he muttered before removing his wand from his robes and spinning on his heel, disappearing from view.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw Demetri watching her and she beckoned him over to her. Jane was beside him instantly, more than happy to take her niece from him and Demetri stepped through the silencing barrier.
"And the reason behind your secret conversation?" He prompted.
"I had a few questions only Snape could answer. He said my reproductive organs are fully functional and without damage, and he believes that there isn't any reason why I shouldn't be able to conceive again. What happened with Alec is a genetic anomaly, yet it has been seen before and with my magic, it may just be possible again. All we can do is try."
"Seriously?" He asked quietly, stepping closer to her and his eyes locking on hers.
"Yes, he believes that he can make a Contraception Potion that is effective against both you and Alec, and once the children are a little older and I feel we are ready to try once more, I simply stop taking the Contraception Potion that is meant for you and continue to take Alec's, ensuring that should I fall pregnant, you will be the father."
She huffed out a breath when she found herself being pulled against Demetri and he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her a little too tightly for her human frame to handle.
"I can't believe it," he muttered with his nose buried against her neck.
"I made you a promise and I intend to keep it, but I do wish to wait a couple of years."
"I've waited a thousand years, a few more won't kill me. Until then, I have more than enough to keep me preoccupied."
"And yet you want another child," she said and he laughed at her, pulling back from her.
His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing her cheekbone as he stared down at her, his red eyes bright with emotion and he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. Stepping back from her, he took her hand in his and guided her back over to Alec and Jane and Hermione cancelled the Silencing Charm with a wave of her hand, being so grateful that her magic was no longer going haywire and it was back under her control.
"Is there anything you would like to share?" Aro asked with a raised eyebrow, referring to the conversations she'd just had.
"Not with you, no, it's none of your business," she responded and Marcus and Caius snorted at her, sending Aro amused looks.
Looking to Alec, he looked at her questioningly and she nodded, knowing that he would understand what she and Demetri had just discussed. His eyes widened in surprise before a smile pulled at his mouth and he looked to Demetri, silently conveying his happiness for him and Demetri nodded in thanks. The entire scene didn't go unmissed by those in the room.
Reaching out, Demetri took their daughter from Jane and she moved back to her place stood beside the dais whilst Demetri and Alec moved to stand on the other side and Hermione collected Teddy and moved the little playpen she'd made for him so the Coven and Guard could fit in the room. She set him down not far from the dais where he would be in her line of sight but also nearby should someone try to harm him and he could be protected by her magic.
A few moments later, the room was filled with the Coven members and Guard and their eyes looked to her and her husbands curiously, obviously knowing that she'd given birth, but Alec and Demetri were stood with their backs to them, facing the Lords so they weren't able to see the babies in their arms.
The last to enter was Felix and his hand was wrapped tightly around Hiedi's upper arm as he guided her forward, stopping in the centre of the room with the vampires muttering between themselves in confusion, having no idea what was about to happen.
As soon as Hermione's gaze locked with Heidi's, the beautiful vampire glared at her murderously and Hermione felt no reason to fear her. She was no longer vulnerable and should she wish to, she knew dozens of spells that would kill her before she was able to attempt to harm her. Hermione's mouth twitched in response and it infuriated Heidi more so, but despite having her attention on the vampire, she'd felt both Alec and Demetri tense on either side of her and she reached out, her hands settling on their upper arms and they relaxed under her touch.
"You are all aware that on Thursday 31st December, our dear Hermione went into labour and delivered the newest members of our Coven. It did not go without issue," he said, his eyes darting to Heidi for a moment and others' followed his actions, "But we will get to that in a moment. Currently, we wish to celebrate the birth and officially welcome the children of Alec, Hermione and Demetri into our Coven."
He looked down to them before they all climbed the steps of the dais and Aro stepped back, giving them the sole focus of their audience. Hermione stepped in-between her husbands and Demetri handed their daughter to Hermione before she looked out to the crowd, them all watching her expectantly.
This would be the first time anyone would learn her children's names. She and Alec had spent weeks discussing potential names but once the babies had been born, they'd realised that the shortlist of names they'd chosen didn't seem to fit right. After a few days and with Demetri's help, they'd finally settled on names they believed to be perfect for their children and once they had, they'd purposely kept it a secret from everyone, including the Lords and Jane, wanting it to be a surprise for when they were actually revealed.
Alec shifted their son in his arms, ensuring he had a gentle but secure hold on him and turning so everyone in the audience would be able to see him. The vampires in the audience all began muttering between themselves, the strange buzzing filling her ears.
"Our son, Erasmus, was born at 11:46," he introduced.
Hermione shifted their daughter in her arms much like Alec had and she held her out for everyone to see.
"And our daughter, Eleanor, was born at 11:59. And might I say, I am very grateful it is all over and I am now able to consume alcohol," she said, a low rumble of snorts and chuckles ringing out.
At the sound, both of their children opened their eyes and looked about curiously, their grass-green eyes standing out against the little maroon cloaks they were wrapped in and she would swear she saw several of the female vampires sighing and their facial expressions softening. She could understand, even if she was biased, her children were absolutely adorable.
With a nod from Aro, Hermione handed their daughter back to Demetri and they descended the steps of the dais, retaking their previous positions. Jane looked to Hermione before crossing over to her, an expression of surprise on her face.
"Traditional English names?" She questioned.
Hermione smiled and nodded. "Of course, it only seemed right given your heritage."
"And Eleanor?" She asked, her expression softening as her eyes darted to her niece.
"Not only a traditional name from your time, but, Alec also informed me it's your middle name. It was already a shortlisted name but when I learned that, I thought it perfect for her."
Jane made to reply but Aro called for attention and she moved back over to her position, her eyes immediately locking on Heidi and she looked far from pleased. Hermione thought Jane was taking Heidi's words and attack on her more personal than she was.
"It has been brought to our attention that some of you believe that Hermione had lied about the identity of the father to her children, whilst also using her magic to convince myself, Caius and Marcus, to believe her lies," he said, his eyes darting to Heidi and the others' eyes followed, the pieces slowly beginning to slot into place. "One of you, in particular, took it upon yourself to not only refuse Hermione help when she went into labour alone and in the middle of a corridor, but to use her vulnerability to your advantage in an attempt to not only harm her but to kill both her and her unborn children."
Buzzing filled her ears and she saw vampires shifting on their feet with their eyes darting between Hermione, Heidi and Aro.
"As you have now all seen, Alec is undoubtedly the father of both Erasmus and Eleanor," Aro said, alerting to the fact the children looked more like Alec than they did Hermione. "Felix, bring Heidi forward," he instructed, the buzzing in the room picking up as she was guided forward, being stopped in front of the dais and she was pushed to the ground until she was kneeling. "Heidi, you have been with this Coven and a member of the Guard for over five centuries. You know what is expected of you and you know what happens to those that disobey orders. It is not often we give such protection or hold someone in such high regard as we have Hermione. You witnessed her power and you have seen what she is capable of when she is wronged and those that she cares for are threatened. Yet, despite all of this, you still made the decision to attempt to harm her when she was at her most vulnerable, and even so, you failed. You will be punished for your actions."
Heidi's eyes briefly flicked over to Jane and the little blonde vampire's mouth twitched and her eyes glowed in anticipation.
"Hermione," Aro said, gesturing for her to return to his side and she stepped out from in-between Alec and Demetri and approached, coming to a stop beside him. "It is you and the lives of your children that she threatened and attempted to harm, how do you feel she should be punished?"
Hermione's eyes locked with Heidi's and she glared in response, Hermione's mouth twitched in amusement.
"You wish for me to punish her, but I don't think that's wise. If I am the one to do so, I have a feeling I won't just punish her, but I'll kill her. She is a Coven member and a trusted Guard, despite my hatred of her and my wish to see her dead, I know the Coven will suffer."
"What do you wish to do?" Caius asked her, frowning at the thought of not seeing her magic in action as he had the evening she'd punished and killed Lucian.
"I feel Jane is more than capable enough of handling the physical punishment," she responded, lightly clasping her hands in front of her. "My punishment is much worse."
"How so?" He asked curiously.
A sweet smile pulled at Hermione's mouth. "Heidi dislikes me because of my relationship with Demetri. She hates that he chose me over her, a human, whether I'm his true mate or not. She hates that he no longer gives her the attention he once did, that he is no longer affected by her beauty the way he once was, and that he is no longer attracted to her. Demetri chose to marry me of his own free will. Her reason for her attempt on my life was jealousy. What better punishment than to have her living out her days, here at Volterra, and having to witness Demetri being happy in his life, but more importantly, being happy with me. Every day she will be reminded that I won and that she is second best to me and always will be."
"That is vindictive," Caius commented. "I like it."
"I thought you might," Hermione tipped her head, her mouth twitching in amusement. "Is that all, My Lords?" She asked. "Teddy is due to be fed and the twins require a nap."
"That is all, My Dear," Aro confirmed. "We will visit shortly to speak of future plans."
She nodded and bowed her head before walking down the steps of the dais and heading over to Teddy, picking up the giggling blue-haired child from his playpen and stepping in-between Alec and Demetri.
"Do try to not enjoy yourself too much," Hermione said.
"That I cannot promise," Jane replied, knowing it had been meant for her and as her eyes locked on Heidi, they gleamed darkly.
As Hermione and her husbands made to exit the chamber, Felix sent her wink in which she rolled her eyes and Demetri scowled at him.
"I have found more items that Fred and George snuck into my luggage when I was last in London," she said.
"I will visit as soon as possible," he replied with a smirk.
The crowd of vampires parted, creating a walkway for her and her husbands to walk down and they all peered at the twins being cradled by their fathers as they passed. When they stepped out of the chamber, Heidi's screams followed them as they made their way to their own little hideaway that was their home.
"You scare me sometimes," Alec commented.
"I didn't lay a finger on her, not only was it what everyone was expecting, I wasn't joking when I said I'd kill her. Besides, physical punishment doesn't last for long and once it's over, it can be forgotten. My punishment will follow her everywhere she goes."
"I really am sorry, Hermione," Demetri spoke softly.
"It's not your fault," she shrugged. "She's the one that couldn't handle you choosing me over her, and considering she's known and worshipped for her beauty, she hates me all the more because I'm human and without the enhanced beauty all vampires are known for having."
"It wasn't a choice; that implies there was more than one option. I knew from the moment I met you that you were different and even before I discovered you were my mate, any thoughts of Heidi disappeared when I laid eyes on you."
"And still, it's not your fault. You would never harm me, Demetri, intentionally or otherwise. You don't have it in you to mistreat me, mate or not. And it no longer matters now, I am safe, we have all our children with us and we are a family. Everything I need in life is with me right now and we must look to the future and not dwell on the past. I'm not letting Heidi come between us."
"Enough of this now," Alec piped up. "I have an important question to ask." Hermione arched an eyebrow. "When can we have sex again?"
Demetri blinked in surprise and Hermione burst out laughing, almost tripping on the uneven ground and her eyes watering. Well, she couldn't say her life was boring, and she couldn't wait to see what else the future held for her and her family.