Hermione's Cottage

Eagle's Glen, Shropshire, England

June 27 1998

All of them sat in a scattered pile on her living room floor. Tully had moved the furniture out of the way and conjured pillows big and small for the group. No one had wanted to be alone. So they had come home and all had a nap then a shower. Everyone needing to wash away the taint of the island prison.

Once awake the elves had fetched them all plates of dinner and they had eaten in a circle on the floor. It was late but no one cared, not even Raynor. Four elves stood and watched their charges in clear house elf enjoyment of looking after their families. Occasionally serving food or getting an item from another house or room. The fifth, Porky, had stayed at 'The Hub' and only popped in now because Blaise had called him. Everyone else was here, the elf should be too.

"Many letters Master. Porky be working. No time for talk. Porky knows where the right ones. Porky go now. No master. Porky goes." And with that the elf left, despite Blaise forbidding him to go. Several people were laughing at the Italians clear lack of authority.

Others were in conversations all over the room. Occasionally moving from one place to another. In one corner on the couch that had been moved there was Hermione and her family. Finn was stretched out with a foot on the floor, Hermione's head on his chest and body between him and the couch cushions. Raynor was sleeping on his chest, one hand in her hair. In much the same position but more upright were Nola and Maksim.

Theo, Pansy and Blaise were sat with Narcissa and Draco. Andromeda and Tonks as well. Little Teddy asleep in his grandmother's arms. The group was talking quietly with their heads together. Remus was at the second safe house with the werewolves. There was a full moon tomorrow. Tonks reported them being given wolfsbane this week but not today. Severus had gone with him to administer it then observe the potion like a mother hen over her chicks, Luna had put in with no trace of a smile. There had been a small disagreement when he insisted Theo stay with his friends. Narcissa ended it quickly and decidedly as was her way, emotional blackmail about her weakness and concern about all of her children being here together. That had been that.

Luna was on the floor in front of their couch colouring with violet. Looking out the windows every so often. Hermione would reach around Finn and squeeze her shoulder or run her fingers through the long sheet of her hair. It was hard for her to be here with them, when Adrian was not yet himself. Charlotte would arrive tomorrow. Severus had potions ready for before and after. The girl would get the best care. Andromeda had promised to be there as well, just in case.

"Let's go to bed Lioness. I assume you have one here. I don't want to share you right now." His low whisper met her ear. Maks leg kicked hers gently.

"Best go Kotyonok, that's why he agreed to nap here earlier. Also best for the furniture if you do something about those flames. This couch is too comfortable for you guys to ruin. Come on Nola. Let's take the little man to bed." With a wink at the two he stood and helped her up. Then picked up the little boy and headed for the stairs. Nola explaining the room situation as they went.

With a sigh Hermione hauled her body out from where it was wedged and rolled over Finn and up to standing. He watched her stretch with growing heat in his eyes and the flames ran faster over his skin. She jerked her head at the stairs and headed that way. Before she got her foot on the first step he had swept her up in his arms and was laughing as he climbed the stairs two at a time.

Neither noticed the remaining people watching them. Small smiles and glances shared between them.

"You can all stay if you want. There are three unused rooms. Just ask the elves if you need anything." Hermione's voice called down the stairs.

Finn wasn't laughing when he reached the door she indicated was hers. He was singeing the shirt she was wearing. Quickly Hermione cast a spell, vanishing the smoke, and then the shirt itself when they were about to enter her room.

"The shower. Let's go to the shower. No Finn. This bed is amazing and I won't burn it like a pyre with my son in the house. Maksim would laugh at us and tell everyone. No." Hermione was laughing by the end and she couldn't believe how normal being here with him felt.

Gazing at his face as he grumbled about the fucking kusipaa nearly made her cry. She had promised herself she wouldn't shed another tear today. Tomorrow maybe, but not today. Magic was wonderful Hermione thought as always when another wand wave and incantation had them both naked and the bathroom already starting to steam.

"Yesterday morning I made myself cum in here, with no satisfaction at all, thinking about the last time we showered together. You're already clean. Just sit down. I've been waiting for twenty five days. Twenty four nights of dreaming of you with no satisfaction. The magic demands it Finn. Please don't make me wait. You did the ritual and I've been paying the price for it. Oh fuck!" When he did what he was told and sat, Hermione immediately straddled his lap. Rubbing against him like a cat.

Her curse had been in response to the two fingers he had slid against her soaking slit. Then plunged them into her. Immediately she was pulling his hands away and the flames were climbing higher. She didn't want anything other than total connection. Neither did the magics.

One hand holding one of his to her waist and the other was reaching for his hard length. Gripping it with her hand she pumped once and revelled in the groan pulled from him. Impatiently she pulled herself closer to him and was so grateful when he helped her move over him. Then she was sinking down onto him, looking in those eyes all the while.

When she was fully seated on him they each let out a moan and then their lips met. The flames were all around them and the steam was so thick she couldn't have seen him from a foot away.

Their bodies were captive to the magics dance as it flowed through them. It was not very long at all before she felt a surge of magic and whimpered. Then in sync they began to move. He lifted her and when they were complete again her hips rocked against his. Breasts rubbing his chest hair had never felt so good. Then he was thrusting up into her downward slide.

Her eyes closed and head thrown back she could feel herself and the ritual getting closer to completion. Then she felt his hands in her hair and she forced her eyes open when he told her to open them.

Fire, steam and the two of them were all there was in the world. Finn had a look of such disbelieving pleasure on his face. There it was. She came down harder on his cock and then the world shattered. The flames roared around them. Not flaming freely but tightening into a swirling cocoon of fire. She couldn't see it, her eyes having slammed shut when she came, but she could feel the magic pulse again with his orgasm. Then it slowly absorbed into them and the flames dissipated. Leaving the two of them still joined on the shower seat.

Hermione's Cottage

Eagle's Glen, Shropshire, England

June 28 1998

Finn woke slowly. Assuming he was dreaming of his witch relaxed and asleep, naked in his arms. Then her hair tickled his nose and his eyes opened. Not a dream. Hermione was asleep in his arms snoring softly. Head on his chest and arm tight across his abs. So he lay there, not really able to believe this. She felt so soft and slowly he started to run his hand up and down her back.

There was a hole in his memory. He could tell. Not how long it was, though he knew it had been almost two months. Of course she had completed the ritual, married him. Hermione was married, to him. That had been brilliant of him, even Maks had agreed. He had been pissed at his methods but not his goal.

As if thinking his name had conjured him there was a soft knock at the door. Their private code. He was alone. Finn reached for Hermione's wand, on the bedside table by him, and was surprised at the warm feeling from it. Merlin his witch felt good. Naked in his arms, her magic, her weight on him, grounding him. He spoke quietly and jabbed the wand in the direction of the closet. Not surprised to have a pair of his boxers and a shirt fly towards him. Witch had probably been wearing his clothes the whole time. With a smirk for that thought he waved his wand again the boxers were on him but the shirt on her.

Nose wrinkled she tried to burrow further into him. Not possible but a good effort. Small smile on his face, he flicked his wand at the door and lowered the locking wards. Maks could always feel ward changes and true to form the door was immediately opened. He entered in a pair of pyjama pants slung low on his hips and had a slight frown on his face. Immediately Finn tensed in response to the expression. It was a worried look from his hard to read friend. Hermione sat straight up. Looking around and a hand running through her hair.

"What's wrong Maks? Is it Otso? He has been sleeping fine, what happened?" She was babbling questions before she really realized she was talking.

"Calm down. Everyone is fine." He replied coming further into the room. Waking up a bit more Hermione surveyed her cousin carefully. Just apprehensive about not knowing exactly where they were maybe.

"Move over. Make room. There. Come lay down with us. Raynor will come in here when he wakes up if the door is closed. Don't be ridiculous. I want us all together too. Emotions are not bad you know. Even for you." The last was said with a teasing smile. He grinned at her. A full on grin. She tried to grin back but then she was crying.

Sobbing hysterically and speaking half formed sentences. How she had thought it would never happen. They would take them or hurt them. Raynor had written letters. She had missed them. Maks would be happy with her. She had yelled at Harry and kicked him out of her house. Tully had been wonderful. Nola wasn't married anymore but she still worried about her. Silencing charms on her room at night. She had missed them so much. Eventually she quieted and the three of them lay together. Hermione on Finns chest and holding Maks hand.

"Nott was in the kitchen when I went down. He told me a bit. I'm sorry. It sounds like you finished the war and then had to fight another. I read a few articles he gave me. Brilliant work Kotyonok. Really. I am impressed." He was smiling softly at her and she was beaming back at him.

"I have so much to tell you both. It can wait though. I hear our boy coming." There was the thudding his little feet and the sound of him yelling everyone's names in a row. Then the door burst open and he ran in. Blond tangle flapping madly around his head.

"Not a dream Aidi! Not a dream! All here with us. Just like you said. You finded them." He climbed up, using the stool there for that purpose, then jumped across them. Laughing as Maks tickled the boy. They lay there talking, mostly listening to Raynor tell them everything he had been wanting to. Then she summoned the letters and they were on the third one when Nola joined them. Laughing, though her eyes were wet.

"His letters are brilliant aren't they? I will keep mine always." Nola had climbed onto the bed too and the family of five stayed there. Just being together, until Tully came to inform them breakfast was ready and the rest of their people would be back this afternoon.

"Thor I need your bride for a moment. Don't give me that look. Go fly with Otso or something. He was bouncing around upstairs a second ago, telling me how great Nott is at teaching him." Maks and Hermione shared a grin at the open manipulation. After breakfast they had all gotten the obligatory tour of his toys and the playground outside. He was just so happy to have them all together. Raynor was to young to understand what had happened but the fact they weren't there had been hard on the little boy.

"Tell me about Dolohov. He didn't stay after my magic was returned. Just clapped my shoulder, told me I was in your home and he would see me sometime in the next couple days." They were in Hermione's attic library. Knowing he was as comfortable in this setting as she was, it seemed the best place for them. She had thought of him often while organizing it, and it was another one of the moments she had promised herself she would have.

Hermione stood and walked to one of the scroll cabinets Kreacher had sourced for her. Making sure he could see, she opened the cabinet. Her way of letting him know anything here was his to use and read. Pulling out the goblin scroll she went and sat in the armchair beside his. Quickly pricking her finger it and smearing the blood on it they watched it open and she handed it to him. She watched his face carefully. Maks has displayed more open emotion today then she had ever seen. Maybe it would be a permanent lessening of his defences, at least with family. There was a flicker of surprise then rage. Neither Theo nor Dolohov had told him the nature of their family connection.

"Explain Hermione. How did you come to be here with those people instead of Liniya Dolohov as was your right." Maksim's eyes were steady on her. It was so freeing to be able to speak the him. To Finn. Be able to be totally honest and not worry about what impressions she gave. So she began explaining. They laughed about the Russian Minister and she promised to introduce him as soon as possible. Another Dolohov to hold to their mother countries breast.

While they talked it was clear to her, as he relaxed, that his main concern had been that she would be unhappy to be related to Antonin. That she was proud, to be his daughter and Maksim's cousin clearly pleased and relieved him.

By the end of the story of the missing Tatiana and the squib with memory loss he was floored. He agreed with Hermione's thoughts then. Did Alexei Dolohov, Antonin's father, not think she would be found in England? Antonin had a solid connection here, in Yaxley, and was involved in the raging war here. What were the motives for wanting her found later? If he hadn't wanted her to be found America, anywhere else would have been better.

Perhaps it was a disregard for anywhere not Russia, she was a legitimate pure blood of impeccable Russian lineage. Hardly a disgrace of any kind. Punishment for his a disobedient son, was their best guess.

Together they wandered outside. Luna was there, on the grass with Nola talking quietly. Watching Finn fly with Raynor securely against his chest. Hermione shoved Maks away when he went to sit with them.

"If Tully got Finn his broom she would have got yours for her 'little Maks' as well. We have almost two hours before we have to leave. Go be with your brothers for a bit, find the edge of this property, I haven't yet." She told him gently but firmly. They were trading off guard duty, making sure one of them was with the people they were responsible for.

'The Four' had talked about this. Everyone outside of The Mandate already had just about two months of post war life. Admittedly they were not safe in the way they had felt before her fourth year. No one was, they knew better. Fighting The Mandate had kept them alert and no one was to be anywhere without leaving word.

Finn and Maks had shared that they knew time had passed and before they were stripped of themselves in the Ministry they had known Voldemort was dead.

Neither Nola nor Hermione wanted to spend the rest of their lives under the two men's eye however. The three girls were not defenceless. Furthermore they were on a Fidilius property that was also still under Rowle wards. No apparating without Rowle magic, and no one who hadn't been given the secret could floo in.

This was the first step towards normalcy, and Hermione was determined they would get there. She could feel herself get agitated when the three boys flew out of her sight and Raynor's laughter faded. Beside her Nola shifted and Luna began to hum soothingly. Slowly she forced the tension out. She would feel if they breached the wards and Maks would definitely feel the old magical property boundaries. He was responsible even if Finn was a bit excitable. Though the same worry about her and Nola would curb the desire to explore. Settling into being together and safe would take time. She was sure the others were having similar issues.

Safe House 2

Unknown Location by the Sea, Ireland

June 28 1998

Hermione held Finn's hand and watched the people milling around. They been shuffling people around a bit. 'The Hub' had been running full tilt all day. As people were brought in and through to do the ritual on their family members, then a representative of 'The Four' would talk to the recovered person and their families. Helping them understand what had happened and soothe their understandable uncertainty. After that they stayed or left with clear contact information and safety recommendations.

Hermione was the current face of 'The Four' available to the people here. The two safehouses could floo one another so the regular whooshing sound was common. Healers, having formed another of the categories, were helping those with physical and in more cases emotional issues. Mostly Hermione was there for reassurance on a myriad of issues, even if was just a 'we don't know but will do our best to find out'. Thank goodness for all of the people who had formed the lists of people willing to volunteer. The lists of tasks were endless but things got done.

Most of these people were Death Eaters or Paterfamilias of light supporting families. It was surprising how few of them had issues being together. As if the Mandate had lessened the prior differences. Also much had been shared among family members of those in Mandate custody during the previous month. Explanations and information shared on what each knew of others circumstances. It wasn't a joyful atmosphere but it wasn't hostile or fearful either. No one really felt it was over but the relief of finally having some families reconnect was palpable.

The ones who left the safe houses without the Ritual having found its intended were disappointed of course but not despondent. They were on the Estates and now it was clear they would succeed eventually.

Luna was with Adrian and his sister in the private room set aside for Charlotte. Andromeda and Severus' having done what they could and ensured only rest could help her recover further. Severus had then left to make sure the wolves had their last dose of wolfsbane for tonight and taken Theo to oversee the potions exposure and reaction to the full moon.

In a room in the other safe house Mason Selwyn had locked his cousin Michael in and had a frank conversation. About Nola and what had been done to their contract. More importantly, about his father, not being in Azkaban and what that would mean for his sisters. Mason had come to Hermione and Finn and explained what he had decided. It was clear now that Michaels father hadn't been among those removed from Azkaban. No one reported seeing him at the battle. It was possible he was dead. Until Michael went to Gringotts and tried to take up his paterfamilias role they wouldn't know for sure. Regardless Mason and his father had decided that unless Michael met their expectations his family would be taken into House Selwyn as dependents.

Tonks and Teddy were staying with Andromeda and her guests tonight as they did every full moon. No one had their properties returned officially, and there were six werewolves including Remus.

So The Den has been decided on for their transformation, it was the obvious choice. Everyone Remus had thought could help had long ago warded it against anything entering and werewolves exiting. Truly the worst that could happen was destruction of property. All should be in their human mind, even if they didn't know themselves, due to the wolfsbane. Also Lucious hadn't been in the group from Azkaban. All wondered if he was dead or had somehow escaped.

So Hermione leaned against Finn and watched several people race Raynor's cars around a course laid out on the floor. Not everyone had wands, the Ministry still had the victims, but they made do. Maks had the little boy on his shoulders and Hermione's wand in his hand, theirs was Otso's favourite fire truck. Many watched the child's gleeful face with hope and despair. Their children were still on Estates. Maybe she had her family but it was clear the job was not completed.

Kusipaa - bastard (Finnish)