Hey guys :) Sorry it's been so long. I've had some writers block but thanks to lax23-nitty-book I was able to get an idea of where I wanted the story to go :D I probably won't be as regular with my updates this year as I'm in my 3rd year of Creative Writing and I have my dissertation and four other modules worth of work to do, but I will try :)

Chapter One

Apart

Bella kicked the door in and the pair descended the steps.

"Hermione!" Bella called.

Jacob looked at her with worry. There hadn't been an answer.

Bella bit her lip. "I can't smell the air. If she's bleeding, I don't think I can control myself being this close to her."

Jacob nodded and raised his nose to the air. He caught a whiff of parchment, vanilla, an unknown scent and rust. Hermione.

He followed the smell down the corridor before coming to stop outside a cell door, scratching at it with his paw.

"She in there?" Bella asked.

Jacob nodded.

"Stand back." Bella told him.

Jacob backed up and Bella grabbed hold of the door, denting the edges with her strong grip. She tucked and some of the brick crumbled around the doorframe. The door came away easily in her hands. She threw it to one side and Jacob hurried into the cell.

Hermione was curled up against the far wall. Her brow was creased, sweat shone on her forehead and she was very pale.

Jacob whined and nudged her with his nose. She didn't respond. He turned and looked back at Bella in concern.

Were they too late?

Bella crouched down beside Hermione and tilted her head to the side, listening. Her red eyes slid closed and she went still. Jacob looked back at Hermione, his heart thudding in his chest. He sent a silent prayer up to the ancestors and God that Bella would hear something, even if it was only faint.

Bella sat back on her heels and opened her eyes, looking at Jacob. "I'm sorry."

With those two words it felt as though his world had caved in on itself. A tear trailed down his cheek and disappeared into his fur. He threw his head back and let out a mournful howl that echoed around the stone cell.

He looked back down at the pale figure of his wife and let out a whimper. He licked her cheek and rested his head on her still chest. The familiar, comforting sound of her heartbeat was silent and his head didn't rise and fall with her gentle breathing.

He was too late. Hermione was dead.

Jacob jerked as he shot up in bed. It was that nightmare again. The same one he had been having for weeks now. He glanced over at the empty spot in the bed. It was the spot where Hermione used to lie.

Not being able to take it anymore, he leapt from the bed and walked out of his bedroom. He padded down the hallway to the spare room. He pushed open the door and felt every muscle in his body relax.

Wild curls splayed across the pillow and duvet was wrapped round a familiar figure that was curled up in a ball. Her sides rose and fell with each breath and she squirmed a little in her sleep, snuggling further under her covers.

Hermione was safe.

Okay, so she was sleeping in the guest room, but she was alive. That was the important thing. He hadn't lost her in the dungeons. She hadn't gone to be with Harry and Ron. She was still with him.

He could take the fact she had moved out of their bedroom for now as long as he knew she was alright. They had agreed to take it slow. They had reverted back to how they were when they were dating, getting to know each other again.

This time they were getting to know each other's true self. Hermione was starting to use more magic in the house now and Jacob loved it. Though she wouldn't admit to it, Jacob sometimes caught her smiling to herself whenever he reacted to her magic. He swore she would cast some spells to surprise him. He didn't mind, he liked the sound of her laugh and the way her eyes would dance with mirth.

"Jacob?"

Jacob smiled as Hermione looked at him through sleepy eyes. "Sorry, I had a nightmare. I just wanted to check that you were alright."

Hermione opened her arms to him and he slid into bed beside her, wrapping himself around her tightly.

"It's okay." She whispered. "I'm still here."

Jacob took in a deep breath and took in the smell of parchment and vanilla that was uniquely Hermione. There was something else there but it was faint and Jacob didn't want to think about it. All that mattered was that she was in his arms.

"I love you." He murmured.

"I love you too." Hermione replied, stroking his hair tenderly.

The two sat in silence for a while, Jacob listening to the calming beat of his wife's heart. He couldn't shake the memory from his dream of her silent chest.

"What was your nightmare about?" Hermione asked after a moment.

Jacob shrugged. "The usual. That Bella and I found you in your cell but we were too late and you were gone."

Hermione cupped his cheek and pulled his face up to look at her. "I'm right here, Jacob. I'm never going to leave you again."

She bent her head down and gently brushed her lips against his. Jacob closed his eyes and deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to him. Hermione moaned and pushed herself closer to her husband. She pulled away and looked at him, smiling.

Jacob whimpered. "Why did you stop?"

"Because we're not ready to go that far, honey." Hermione smirked.

He groaned and rested his forehead on her chest. "You're such a tease."

"And you are such a teenage boy!" She giggled.

"I am a teenage boy."

"Maybe in age, but you have an old, wise soul, Jacob Black." Hermione whispered.

"So do you, Hermione Black."

"Now, as nice as this is, I need to get some beauty sleep." Hermione chuckled. "So get out of my bed."

"You don't need the beauty sleep. Besides, why can't I just sleep here with you?" Jacob whined, snuggling closer.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Jacob smiled to himself and pressed his head to her chest, closing his eyes and listening to her heartbeat. He let the soothing thump lull him into a state of contentment.

Hermione absently began to run her hand through his short jet black hair, sending him to sleep. She truly had missed sleeping in the same bed as her husband but she felt like needed to take some space from him before they got comfortable with each other again.

She felt sleep tugging at her and her eyes slid closed. Slowly she drifted off into dreamland, a soft smile crossing her face.

The sun rushed into the room and shone strongly onto Jacob and Hermione's faces. Jacob groaned and snuggled even further into Hermione's stomach. During the night he had shifted further down the bed and was now curled up at her side with his head on her stomach and his arms wrapped around her.

"Jacob, I think that's our cue to get up." Hermione groaned.

"No." Jacob stubbornly closed his eyes tighter.

Hermione giggled. "We're going to see Bella, Edward and the twins today."

"Don't want to."

Hermione made to move but Jacob held onto her even tighter.

"You're acting like a kid." An amused smile crossed her face.

Jacob looked up at her with his big, brown eyes and lopsided smile. "Can't we have just a few more minutes?"

Hermione felt her resolve and heart melt at her husband's handsome face and sighed, nodding. "Five minutes."

Jacob smirked and moved up the bed to properly cuddle Hermione. The curly haired witch sighed and tucked her head under his chin, resting her delicate hand on his russet skin. She watched her fingers slid over his smooth skin and play with the sunlight that shone on the muscled chest. Jacob shivered at her touch and slid his hand up and down her waist.

"Can't we stay here all day?" He purred his voice deep and husky.

Hermione bit her lip. She loved his voice when it was like that, but she wasn't ready to make herself that vulnerable to him again just yet.

"Not this time." She admonished him gently. "We have plans."

Jacob led in bed and watched as Hermione slid out of it. His eyes travelled up her long, smooth legs to the Gryffindor shorts that encased her bottom and the loose shirt that used to be his. Hermione caught him looking and rolled her eyes, chuckling. She grabbed a towel from her drawer and threw it at her husband.

"Go get dressed, we told Bella we would be there at eleven." She called over her shoulder as she left the room.

Jacob smiled. "I do love that woman."

Please Read and Review. I hope you liked this first chapter. It gives you more of an insight into how the couple are coping after the events of the last story :)