30th of October 2005

"Dean?"

The man grinned up at his younger brother.

"Hey, Sammy."

Sam rolled his eyes and helped his brother to his feet.

"Dammit Dean. We could've killed you. Why can't you use the doorbell like a normal person?"

"We?"

The lights clicked on to reveal a woman, standing by the door. She was tucking a wooden stick into her long curly hair, her other hand self-consciously tugging down the t-shirt she was wearing as a night dress.

"Hi." Dean beamed at her. "Aren't you going to introduce us Sammy?"

Sam sighed and moved so he was standing next to the woman, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"It's Sam. And this is my girlfriend."

"Hermione," She provided helpfully, watching Dean with more suspicion than he probably deserved. "Hermione Granger."

Sam watched his brother connect the dots.

"Wait, Hermione? Not Sam's imaginary friend?"

"Best friend, actually." Sam corrected.

"But she wasn't real."

Hermione's expression crossed from wary to bemused.

"I'm perfectly corporeal, thank you."

"Yeah I can see that." Dean gives her a lecherous stare as he looks her up and down. "Well sweetheart, imaginary or not you are way out of my brothers league."

Sam made a noise in the back of his throat and moved in front of her, blocking Dean's view.

"Why, the hell, are you here, Dean?"

Dean smirked. He'd forgotten how possessive Sam got.

"I need to talk to you so," He peered around Sam's massive frame. "So it was a pleasure meeting you darling, really..." His eyes snapped back into focus. "But I need to steal your boyfriend for some private family talk."

Sam snorted in disgust.

"Dean, she's been the only family I've had for four years. Whatever you want to say you can say in front of her."

Hermione stepped forward and Sam wrapped his arm around her again, tugging her close.

"Huh. Okay." Dean glared at his brother. "Dad hasn't been home in a few days."

The couple tensed.

"Then he's working overtime." Sam said tightly. "He'll stumble back in sooner or later."

Dean clenched his jaw and he swung his arms, evidently trying to gather his patience.

"Dad's on a hunting trip and he hasn't been home in a few days."

Sam's eyes narrowed.

"And what? You want me to drop everything to go look for him with you? He'll turn up like he always does."

"You're not hearing me Sammy. Dad's missing. I need you to help me find him."

"Dean you broke into our house in the middle of the night. You can't seriously expect me to help you. Or him."

"What was he hunting?" Hermione asked quietly.

Dean froze for a second.

"Bears."

She sighed and moved away from Sam.

"Really, Winchester? Sam was more believable when he was ten."

"You told her?" Dean yelled.

Sam smirked at his brother.

"Didn't have to. Found out herself."

Dean snarled, but answered her question.

"Don't know. All I know is he took off. I know roughly where he was headed, but I need Sam to help me track him down."

"Dean, you don't need me."

Dean sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, well. I don't want to do this on my own. Dad's never been gone this long before. So are you coming?"

"No."

"What?"

Hermione sighed.

"Sam, he's your brother." She murmured.

"Yeah and this is the first time he's spoken to me in four years."

"Hello?" Dean called. They both ignored him.

"Yeah and if I remember correctly he's also the brother who pretty much raised you. He's family."

"Hermione you know what it was like. You can't expect me to go back to it."

"I don't. It's your choice. But it's one trip. One favour and then you can forget about it." She tugged on his hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Am I invisible?" Dean muttered.

"I've got that interview on Monday..."

"You know I can get you back for that. I just need to be in the right place and I can send your brother straight to him."

Sam slumped and turned to his brother.

"Just to help you find Dad, right?"

Dean held up his palms and nodded.

"One trip. That's all I'm asking."

"Fine." He slouched out of the room, leaving his brother and his girlfriend behind.

"Where's he gone?" Dean asked, hating that he could no longer predict his brothers movements.

Hermione folded her arms and glared at him.

"He's gone to pack."

"Right..." He looked around the room. Nearly every wall was covered in bookshelves, each groaning under the weight of hundreds of leather bound volumes. Most of the room was occupied by two large desks. One was easily recognised as Sam's, it had his laptop on it and everything was organised with Sam's unique blend of OCD. The other was covered in scrolls, books and feathers and was probably hers.

"So, what happens on Monday?"

She smiled slightly, tucking that stick more securely into her hair.

"Sam's got an interview. For Stanford."

"Er...brilliant. So how'd you find out?"

"About the hunting? I worked in the government and I came across your file. Decided to confront Sam about it." She shrugged. "Here I am."

"And you just accepted it? Like that?"

"Well first I had to tell him I'm a being with magical powers." She dead panned.

"Funny."

Hermione chuckled.

"Sam stopped hunting before I came to the States remember? Just as well really. That could've been...uncomfortable."

Sam's back before Dean can ask what she means.

"That's me." He drops a bag at their feet, used to packing in a hurry. "Your turn."

"Wait, what? She can't come too."

"Dean, I'm not leaving her behind."

Hermione smirks at the elder Winchester.

"Don't worry. I can take care of myself."

Sam's eyes track her as she leaves the room before snapping back to Dean.

"Are you insane? You want to bring your girlfriend hunting?"

"Listen Dean, me and Mione are kind of a package deal. She comes or I don't go." Sam starts pulling weapons from behind books and tucking them into his bag. Dean would be impressed if he wasn't still in shock.

"So you two, you're pretty serious?"

Sam tucks a knife in his pocket and turns to his desk. He riffles through a drawer for a moment before tossing something to Dean. He snatches it out of the air, but almost drops it when he realises it's a ring box.

"You're that serious? Sam you're twenty two. Aren't you a little young for settling down?"

"Being..." Sam drops his voice to a whisper. "Married, doesn't mean settling down. Besides, Mione's twenty six."

"She's the same age as me." He says, impressed.

Sam shrugs.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Dude, it took me two years to get her to go out with me and we were living together at the time. I'm not letting her go again."

"Think she'll say yes?" He asks, tossing the box back. Sam tucks in it a pocket and shrugs.

"Only one way to find out."

"Huh. And you're okay with her coming with us? She could get hurt."

"Dean, she can take care of herself. She's an ex-soldier."

He frowned.

"Is that why those letters stopped when you were fourteen? Because I remember you that year. You went insane. Took down your first werewolf that summer, if I remember right."

Sam winced.

"Yeah. Tour of duty."

"I'm ready."

She was dressed much the same as Sam, jeans, shirt and boots with a rucksack slung over one shoulder.

Dean groaned.

"You sure you can take care of yourself?"

Hermione and Sam exchanged a long look and Sam shrugged.

"Show him. He's not armed." He held up Dean's gun as proof, which Dean hadn't realised he'd nicked.

"All right then." She pulled the stick from her hair. "Please don't shoot me."

23rd of August 2006

Mione,

I figured this was probably the best way to do this. Believe me I've been trying to find a better way for months and it just hasn't happened, so bear with me.

I know things are rough right now with the hunting and the motel rooms and everything. I'm sorry we lost our normality. But it's like you used to say, family is home. And I've got you and Dean, so no matter where I am, I'm always home.

I love you. I've probably loved you since I was eight and realised that you had eyes like that chocolate river from that Roald Dalh book you love so much. We've been best friends through the best and worst times of each others lives and honestly, I don't think I could live without you.

I know I don't want to.

I want to spend the rest of my life with you, loving you, looking after you and watching you annoy Dean.

So here goes,

Hermione Granger,

Will you marry me?

Sam.

Hermione glanced up from the letter and stared at him, down on one knee in the middle of their motel room, with Dean watching from a corner.

"Yes."

A/N

Will that do?

This has been a hectic week, hasn't it? I never expected this kind of response to what was supposed to be a oneshot to cure writers block. Anyway massive thanks to everyone whose stuck with this fic. Love to all of my reviewers, everyone who PM'd and Genius for listening to me rant. You know you're the Sam to my Mione.

It's been a pleasure and an honour readers,

Marion E A Hood