Disclaimer: Oh Harry Potter, how I wished I owned you… but alas you and everything related to you belongs to J.K.

This chapter goes out to a few special reviewers… Calimocho, rileypotter17, marque1. You inspired me so I hope you enjoy the chapter. I do apologise everyone for the long wait since the last update… it's a work in progress. The good news is that I know exactly where it's going so never fear! Oh and youcantbesirius-1, I'll be updating 'Secrets and Revelations' in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

Chapter 12.

"So are we going to talk about what we started the other night or not?"

"Not today Sirius. Today is Ginny's day."

"It could be any day and you still wouldn't want to discuss this with me would you?"

My eyes plead with him. "Let's just make it through today… and when we get home we can talk… I promise." More than a week and he still hasn't forgotten my hasty departure from the bathroom conversation the other morning. Another baby… another two babies… I'm terrified. His face is closed off to me and he looks away. My chest contracts with that look. "Sirius… tonight… I promise." He nods and I give him a long hug. "I'll be gone a few hours. Dinner is at The Burrow at 6 sharp, so I'll see you and Lyra then."

As I begin to walk away he pulls my hand, bringing me back to him. "I love you Hermione."

"I love you too…"

By the time I've apparated to Ginny's house everyone is already there. Who knew it would be so damn hard to find?! My stomach begins to churn as the nerves set in. There are so many people here… so many old friends. Wow Lavender Brown has put on a few pounds… or twenty! Hermione! "Fleur, how on earth have you given birth to four children?! You make me feel like a post pregnant blimp." I say stunned.

"I wanted one and ended up with four. I was not going to lose my figure as well as my sanity." She says with a laugh.

"Well I hope to have six!" Ginny says easing herself down into a plush armchair. The room is twinkling with fairy lights and there are neat little piles of gifts littering the coffee table, as well as an impressive spread of food floating above and around the room.

"Heh well let's see how you feel about that once you've given birth to just the one." I say. Everyone laughs as GInny pulls a face and concedes. Conversation flares up around me as the women dig into the various nibblies. My earlier anxiety slowly begins to dissipate and I let myself relax. You're exactly where you're supposed to be Hermione. This is where you belong… with your friends… with Sirius.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

Martha

"So how do I convince you to come along to this dinner?"

"Erm… well you don't. When are you and Hermione and Sirius and Lyra going to realise that I don't know any of these people? Crashing a dinner with a bunch of people that I have no relation or connection to is not my idea of an enjoyable evening."

He's looking at me like I'm the insane one! I turn away from him, moving to scrub further down the bar. "No connection? You're Severus Snape's daughter Martha. There's a connection." My arm stops mid wipe. A lump forms in my throat.

"He was my biological father Potter. That's all. I didn't know that man. The sooner you realise that, the sooner this infatuation with me can end!" He grabs my hand before I can attempt to run.

"Don't do that! Don't run from it. Look… I can't imagine what it was like for you. I only know what the war was like for me. Snape… he saved me. He saved us all. He wasn't the best man and I know he wasn't a father to you… but he did all he could… for all of us, including you. They just want to meet you Martha. You're the only piece of him left now and they want to say thank you." He's staring at me with those green eyes and I'm lost. I'm lost in them for the briefest of moments… in that moment I would have given him anything.

Get it together Marty! Before he can say anything else I stalk towards the door. "Fine… but I need to change first. I'm not meeting them in this!" I state, gesturing to my grimy apron and jeans. "Rosie! I'm heading out. Catch you later!" Harry follows me through the door. "And get that smug look off your face buddy or our dinner date ends right here."

"Von-Fursten, if we were on a dinner date, you'd know it! This is… Order business."

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

Hermione

"MAMA! Look at the new dress Daddy and I bought today? Isn't it the most cutest dress in the whole universe Mama?!"

"No 'most' Lyra. 'Cutest' only."

My baby sighs. "Isn't it the CUTEST dress in the whole universe?!"

I laugh and lift her into my arms throwing a smile Sirius' way. Since I've come straight from work we ended up apparating separately and meeting up at The Burrow doorstep. "Yes Sweetness it most certainly is." I can see the two of them have been shopping, yet again.

"I can't say no Hermione! I swear to God if she asked for a baby dragon at this point I'd say okay." Merlin! He's toast!

"BABY DRAGON?!" Lyra squeals with delight. "Really?!"

Sirius' face is one of horror and I can't help but laugh harder. "No Lyra. No baby dragons. Stop trying to give Daddy a heart attack! Besides you know that Orion would eat it!"

My daughter looks startled for the briefest of moments before bursting into fits of giggles as loud as mine. "'Rion is a fatty! And he likes dragon shaped biscuits and he LOVES eating baby dragons! Yum YUm YUM!" She starts making crunching sounds in between chuckles, and Sirius joins in laughing as her rosy cheeks puff out in an attempt to make a roaring 'Orion like' sound. That's how they find us on their doorstep. I look up to see Molly and Arthur staring at us… the three of us laughing… Sirius trying to hold himself upright. There's this burst in my chest as I realise how we look to them… how we are… what we are. We're a family. We're a happy family.

The laughter falters but our smiles do not. "Heya Molly! I'm starving!" Sirius bounces forward practically lifting Molly up in a bear hug.

"You're always starving Sirius! I swear you're worse than my boys combined!"

He just laughs as he heads down the hall. "I'm heading for the biscuit tin Molly! Don't try to stop me!"

"You most certainly are not!" Molly starts running after him leaving Arthur and I standing in the entryway as I wrangle Lyra out of her little coat. "Hello Mr. Weasley!" Lyra pipes up before running down the hall after her father and a still yelling Molly.

Exasperated I look up at Ron's dad. "I swear to God Arthur, sometimes it's like having two children."

"Hello Hermione dear." He says leaning in to give me a fatherly hug. How's the new job treating you? Ron says they're working you to the bone."

"Merlin yes! It's just non-stop at the moment. The hours are hell… but honestly I'm bloody loving it."

"Well just don't work yourself into the ground-" His words are interrupted by the front door behind me opening.

"HELLO! We're here!" Harry yells opening the door further. We're? 'We're' who?

I don't think I could have been any more shocked if Sirius had actually come home with that baby dragon. There standing next to Harry was Martha! "Hey Mi" She says with a smile.

I take in the way Harry guides her through the entrance, his hand at her lower back. My own smile turns into a full watt grin. "Hey Marty."

"Martha Von-Fursten? Well it's lovely to meet you young lady. It's been long overdue." Arthur says shaking Martha's hand vigorously in his own. Taking her coat he continues to talk a million miles an hour. "Molly is just going to be over the moon. We've been trying to get a hold of you since we heard from Harry that you were in London… of course we knew about you years ago… but with the war and all… well… and your father… he was a great man. You should be so proud. He-"

Thankfully Harry interrupts. "Arthur how about we go on through to the living room? I could really use a drink and I'm sure Martha's feet are aching from working all day."

Mr. Weasley seems to catch himself. "Oh of course. Come through. Come through. Let's introduce you!"

The next ten minutes must have been some of the hardest minutes Martha has ever had to endure. Knowing how much she hates the attention being on her, I can only imagine how uncomfortable she must be as the only focus in the room. Somehow though she seems to manage. Perhaps she isn't as delicate about the Snape issue as you think she is.

"Aunty Marty come and sit next to me and Charlie at the table. Charlie has BABY DRAGONS!" Charlie Weasley looks up to wink at Martha and receives a grin in return.

"Hey Charlie. How're things?" Martha says moving to join him across the room.

"Not too bad Marty. How's the pub working out? Rosmerta treating you well?"

"Meh… it's not too bad. Gives me time to work at home and yeah Rosie's been fabulous."

I'm confused as hell at the exchange. Since when did Martha know Charlie? One glance over at Harry and I can tell he's in the same boat as me. He on the other hand is more on the side of pissed than surprised. And then he's walking over there too… SHIT!

"So you two know each other?" Harry breaks in.

Charlie turns to him with a grin, obviously not catching Harry's hostility. "Yeah yeah just for a while. I was at The Three Broomsticks when Marty managed to score herself a job that wasn't even advertised. Have to say that I've never seen someone smooth talk Rosmerta like that… ever" He says laughing.

Lyra, obviously bored with the attention focused anywhere but on her, pipes up and saves the day. "Charlie come and see my dragon drawing. He's green and purple and gold and has pretty spikes." Always good natured, the handsome Weasley let's my daughter drag him from the room. Taking a sip of my butterbeer I continue to watch the exchange, and feel Sirius walk up beside me.

"So you do know a Weasley after all?" Harry questions with a frown.

Martha stares right back at him. "I wouldn't say 'know', but yes we've met… Chill out Potter! What's with the look you're throwing me?" Harry remains silent. "Oh for goodness sake… I came here with you damn it… not anyone else. So just… eugh!" Then she's doing that little thing with her eyes as if she's throwing her arms up in defeat or anger and walks right out the door.

I take a step to go after her only to have Sirius pull me back. "Uh uh uh Darling. Let him chase her. That's what she wants. That's what he wants. So let it play out."

"Sirius that is not what she wants. She's more likely to curse him as soon as he walks out the door."

"All the better that you stay inside then and let Harry get the brunt of it then" Sirius says with a grin.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

Martha

"Idiot Potter" I mutter under my breath kicking a rusted watering can as I stomp through the yard.

"MARTHA!" I can hear him yelling from behind me. He's moving fast… but I can move faster. I pick up the pace until I'm running… Faster and faster until I'm sprinting. No one can touch me! No one can catch me! I'm free! I'm free!

"Damn it Martha!" his voice calls. Wait… what?

He catches me around the waist and runs a few more metres until his legs slow under him. I'm too shocked to say anything… or realise that I'm still in his arms a foot off the ground. I twist around facing him and open my mouth to speak, but he beats me to it. "I knew I'd catch you eventually." We both know he isn't just referring to our little chase.

I'm breathless as I speak. "You may have caught me Potter, but you'll never have me."

"You really think so?" he says running his hands up my waist towards my breasts as he lowers me to my feet. "Because Von-Fursten… I would have to disagree. In fact, I'd put money on it."

"Then you'll find that you'll not only be disappointed, but also broke." I snipe, stepping back from him. "I'm going to head back to dinner." Smoothing my dress down I throw one last remark over my shoulder. "Oh and you'd best take care of that before you follow me." I can't help but smirk as he adjusts his pants.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

Hermione

"Well that was certainly an interesting evening!" Sirius says with a laugh. He lifts a limp sleeping Lyra into his arms and hugs me to him before apparating us home.

"Oh stop it!" I say smiling in response, opening the front door.

"Mmm my favourite bits were when Martha came into the living room half tousled and when Harry came to the dinner table with a hard on… Priceless." He says between laughs. He moves to put our exhausted daughter to bed and I begin changing. Please don't let this end badly for them.

"Merlin what are they doing Sirius?!" I'm pulling my unruly hair free of all the pins holding it back.

"Well it's all your doing sweetheart. Harry would never have even met Von-Fursten if you hadn't brought her back here with you. He certainly wouldn't be chasing after her if you hadn't told him she was off limits."

"She is off limits!" I state raising my voice a little. "They'll tear each other apart!"

"Oh that's half the fun." He grins like the rogue he is. "Or to be more accurate, shagging like lions tearing each other apart is half the fun." With that comment I see his eyes darken and he pulls me to him as he sits on the edge of the bed. His hands are splayed on my bare skin as he kisses my stomach through my sleep shirt. "Care to tear each other apart lover?" I answer by pushing him back on the bed and pulling my shirt over my head, revealing my breasts.

It's hard and fast and fabulous. Afterwards we're both covered in a thin layer of sweat and still panting. Our break is short lived as he lifts me up and carries me to the bathroom for a second round. By the time we crawl into bed my legs won't hold me up. How did I go all those years without this?

As I start to drift off he holds me a little tighter. "Now's when we have that conversation Mi." My eyes pop open and I automatically shut them tightly. He must feel me tense in the smallest way. "What aren't you telling me?"

I'm silent. "Mi?" I remain quiet and he turns me towards him on the bed. "Hermione?"

I almost choke on the words. "Lyra is the only child we'll ever have Sirius."

His expression is confused and stricken at the same time. "What?"

"I said… Lyra is the only child we'll ever have."

"I heard what you said… but why?"

"Because they told me it was a miracle that I conceived her." I concentrate hard on my words, forcing them out. I've never spoken them aloud. "They told me the likelihood of falling pregnant again were… they said 'never'." The tears are leaking from my eyes. "I robbed you of her as a baby and now I can't give you another child. I'm so sorry Sirius. You'll never know how sorry I am."

"Don't talk like that. We're past that Hermione. We're so damn past that! I love you!" He pushes my damp hair behind my ears. "It can't be fixed?"

I shake my head and shrug my shoulders. "It's a human condition would you believe… It's not even a curse… I can't even blame it on a curse."

He's quiet for a long time. I can almost hear his heart beating. "You make my life whole Hermione. You make me whole… and if it's only ever the three of us I'll die a happy man… and if we're lucky enough to be four one day well so be it… but today, tomorrow and forever, the three of us are a whole!"

"I love you so much sometimes my heart feels like it's going to break open…" I whisper. Then I kiss him and we lay in the silence… in our own thoughts, until sleep takes us.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

Reviews pretty please! Got to get the writing flowing!