Author's Note: A thousand apologies for the lengthy, and nigh on unforgivable delay in posting this next chapter. Blame my new job and how tiring it is that I've really not had the wherewithal to write anything. I am actually at work but it's completely dead for the wine trade in Knightsbridge on a Sunday so I'm getting some writing done on the till, would you believe it? In any case, this story only has two more installments including this one so I'll conclude it by the end of next week, I should think! Anyhow, apology over, enjoy reading!

DAENERYSTARGARY3N

One Month Later…

The weeks following the birth of the Potter twins had been a whirlwind for the young parents to say the least. Harry and Hermione got by on little sleep and constant visits from Minerva and Andromeda who had fortuitously volunteered to have Teddy during the week for a short period while the parents acclimatised to their unexpected arrivals.

"Harry," Hermione shrieked, "grab James' baby bag and hurry up! We're going to be late and Merlin knows they can't begin without us!"

Harry, clutching James in one hand and the forgotten baby bag in his other, sighed at Hermione's tone and jogged out of their front door to catch up with her and their daughter.

"I don't know why we've been prodded into doing a public ceremony, love." Harry replied, his voice hoarse. "We've not slept in nights and we could just as easily have put on a short, intimate ceremony here at the cottage."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at his term of endearment but said softly, "We agreed because I am tired of batting away Daily Prophet and other rag reporters just trying to go to the grocer's. We haven't given any photographs or interviews since the twins were born and I'm sorry, Harry, but we are public people and journalists are criminally interested in our lives. At least with today over, I can have some peace. Then, maybe, if the children allow, we'll get some bloody sleep!"

Harry smiled at her. He loved that she became quickly incensed and the passion ignited her hazelnut eyes to an amber shade. Come to think of it, he loved so much about her. She was a sublime mother, as everyone expected she would be. She had applied the same fire and drive that had protected him since he was a specky, slight eleven year old to motherhood and partnership with him. They parented all three of their charges together and Miney had very quickly become 'mummy' to little Teddy, much to Hermione's chagrin and Andromeda's relief. Hermione had been anxious not to displace Tonks and her memory, but she had been pacified when Teddy's grandmother upon first hearing Hermione's new title, smiled tearily and proclaimed that her daughter would have been proud of Hermione and grateful for her obvious kindness and attentiveness to her only child. Shortly after, Teddy began to call him daddy and Harry began to call Hermione 'love'. For, no doubt about it, Harry had fallen very deeply in love with the mother of his children.

Remembering the precise moment he had felt his heart grow to accommodate his newly romantic love for Hermione, he looked down at James with his jet black hair and familiar, cherished brown eyes.

"Sweetheart," Harry called, bounding up the stairs "where's Lily's dragon? I can't find it in the nursery."

The angelic girl would not be soothed and had grown attached to a stuffed Hungarian Horntail that Viktor Krum had sent as a jest three days after the birth. James had taken to the stuffed toy Hagrid had brought, which was a stuffed Hippogriff, much to the amusement and nostalgia of his parents over his namesake's affinity with Buckbeak. Harry had been trying to locate the Horntail and summoning charms were not producing Lily's toy so Harry left in search of her mother who was upstairs feeding James.

Usually, Harry left Hermione to it when it came to nursing the infants but disturbed by Lily's sobs, he quite forgot and simply walked into her bedroom. The sight that greeted him didn't simply tug at his heartstrings, it very nearly ripped them apart. Hermione was sitting in the armchair, the main purpose of which had been for reading, before the twins usurped all of her time and energy. Her blouse was pulled down beneath her left arm, leaving a shoulder and her chest bare while James' ruff of black hair covered her maternity-enhanced breast as he greedily suckled. Her hair was frizzy as it ever was and stuck out at odd angles and yet it was her face that captivated his attention. She was demurely looking down at James, entrammelled by his every noise and movement, her eyes were hooded and her smile slight but reaching the very core of her shimmering eyes. The serenity of the moment made time stand still and Harry knew he could have been staring at a painting but for the slight stirring of the figures.

Harry standing in her doorway simply...beaming brought Hermione out of her trance.

"What is it, Harry?" She murmured.

"Gods, 'Mione, sorry," Harry stuttered, "I forgot. It's just...I can't find Lily's dragon. I'll try and get her to calm down until you're...finished."

Hermione's expression turned into a full-fledged grin; she was evidently amused by his obvious awkwardness.

"It's alright. Lily's dragon must be at Hogwarts. Floo call Minerva and ask her to look in her office. James is nearly done so I'll come down in a bit."

"Uh huh." He grunted in response, turning quickly on his heels, alarmed by the feeling of his chest tightening and how his heart threatened to fly from his chest so wildly fast it was beating.

"Hello, Harry?! Why are you just standing there with that gormless look on your face?! We've got to go!" Hermione barked.

As both hustled away from their home, carrying a child each and dressed in full dress robes, Hermione eyed Harry as her curiosity burgeoned out of control. Over the past few days he had been behaving erratically and it was unnerving her just how many times he seemed to completely space out in her presence. Today's proceedings were going to be stressful enough as they were without Harry being 'with it'.

She knew that he wanted the twins' official naming ceremony to occur privately and with only intimate friends present but he seldom had to deal with the siege on their property that had built up since they became parents as he returned to the Ministry on a desk rotation. She needed to get the paparazzi off her case and away from the children so she had agreed that in return for a public naming ceremony at Hogwarts for the twins with a press conference afterwards with them both, they would no longer interfere with their everyday lives. She did feel guilty that the guest list now exceeded five hundred people, including Ministry of Magic officials, staff and members of the extended Hogwarts community, foreign dignitaries and then, only a handful of close friends whom the parents actually desired present. It was a farce but it was one day as payment for a multitude. As Harry had been distant since the decision to allow the press and magical public access to the naming ceremony, Hermione was anxious he was going to conclude that their partnership and co-parenting was not working out and they would be better off as individuals. The uncertainty of the situation they were now in had put her on permanent alert and she was snapping at him to work off her nerves and spur him on to just tell her what he wanted and what had altered between them. The only problem was that she was no longer sure she could function without his close companionship and that if he were to send her away - finally, as she had always subconsciously predicted he would do - she would leave her heart behind with him. For, yes, she now knew that she was very much in love with the father of her three children.

"Bloody hell! They're going to fall, Minerva, they're going to fall to their deaths…"

The Headmistress smiled looking on at her colleague. Hermione was more upright than a palm tree watching a blip in the distance as it traversed the horizon. Her eyes darted around watching the shadow like a hawk.

"Hermione, my dear, they are just gliding about like boys having fun. There's no Quidditch match or Bludgers aimed at them - they're not even that far off the ground for Merlin's sake! I know you detest flying but really, Harry was born to it and young Master Lupin looks to be the same way from how eager he was to go up with his godfather."

As Harry and Teddy swooped around in the distance over the grassy Hogwarts grounds while she sat by Minerva with her babies lying on a gingham blanket happily gurgling away blissfully unaware that their mother's stomach was in her throat with worry for their father and older brother. Harry had wanted to take Teddy on a broom to show him a bit of fun since two small lives had inserted themselves into his existence and usurped some of the attention due to him. Hermione had been adamantly against the notion but eventually - as he did in all things really - Harry wore her down and she consented but only if they flew no more than 8ft off the ground, remained in her eyeline and were on Hogwarts property so Poppy would be at hand should an accident occur.

"Look, they're coming back." Minerva announced bringing the younger woman back from her circumspection.

"Thank Merlin!"

When the pair had safely landed, Hermione knelt down as an invigorated and effervescently happy Teddy bobbed over to her on his stubby little legs.

"Mummy, mummy, mummy!" Teddy gabbled.

Hermione felt her heart soar as high as the heavens each time the little boy called her mummy. She had been mortified the first few times but having received Andromeda's blessing and heartfelt thanks, she revelled in her bond with the toddler.

"Hi, my love! Did you have fun flying with daddy?"

"Again! Fwy again!" Teddy yelled, fumbling cutely over his r's.

"Maybe tomorrow - if you're a good boy and eat your veggies tonight!" Harry announced.

Hermione smiled up at Harry, finding herself very quickly admiring his windswept hair and rouged cheeks. She forgot sometimes that Quidditch and flying was a sport and took some athleticism. Harry had bulked up since commencing his career as an Auror. It had just dawned on her how much she needed him - both his physical and emotional strength that he gave her as a true partner and friend.

"Morgana's left tit!" She swore suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Minerva and Harry asked in unison.

Hermione recovered swiftly and thanked every being inwardly that Teddy had been too distracted in that moment to notice her expletive. She waved off Minerva and Harry's concern, announcing that the twins were getting restless and they had better go home.

Harry shrunk his broom, depositing it in his pocket and swiped up the twins, leaving Hermione to secure Teddy in her own arms. He was eyeing her strangely but her furrowed brow and pensieve expression told him now was not the moment to seek the truth behind her outburst.

Little did he know that only days after his own realisation of eternal, unconditional love for the woman walking beside him, Hermione had experienced her own epiphany of feeling to mirror his own.