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Chapter Text

“Crookshanks! Get back here!” Hermione cried as she ran down yet another alleyway. She hadn’t even realized Diagon Alley went this far until she was chasing him. Thank Merlin the twins were with her or she would be completely lost by now.

“Fred, are you sure it’s Crooks? I know it’s a ginger cat, but it looks far too thin. When I can get a look at it at all,” she huffed.

“It’s definitely him,” George said, coming up beside her.

Fred was still hobbling behind them on his crutches. Even magical intervention couldn’t fix everything that had happened to him. Until he learned to use the prosthetic that was being made for him, Fred was stuck on crutches. It was sad, but at least they hadn’t lost him. And although Fred was still teasing Molly that he would just get a peg leg like Mad Eye had, it was nice that St. Mungo’s had been convinced to try out muggle prosthetics for all of the many people permanently harmed in the war.

“How can you be sure?” Hermione asked, focused back on her baffling half-Kneazle cat.

Now that they were still and he could catch up, Fred laughed. “He came right to us earlier. He must remember us from the common room.” Pulling something from his pocket and unwrapping it, he added, “Course, a little steak never hurt in the favoritism department.”

Sure enough, Crookshanks was beside them within moments, though Hermione noticed that his movements were stiff despite his speed. Something was wrong with his legs and paws, more so than just his normal crooked gait. Still, Crooks was growling quite impressively at a couple of alley cats who had smelled dinner as well, making it clear he would be happy to fight them for it. As he gobbled down the meat, Hermione shook her head. What was she going to do with this little monster?

Picking him up just as he reached the end of his meal, Hermione quickly found herself overwhelmed by the flailing ball of fur that was trying to escape her. “Crookshanks! What is wrong with you? I know you’re angry with me for leaving you with my parents - it was very naughty of you to get away from them and stay here, you know - but that is no reason to behave this way.”

It was ridiculous how much calmer he had become as she admonished him. The moment she had mentioned that he was supposed to leave with her parents, he had stared up at her with his wide yellow eyes. Maybe he just needed to hear her lecture to believe it was really her.

“Are you going to take him to The Burrow?” George asked.

“Do you think your Mum will mind?” Hermione fretted. It already felt like such an imposition to be there herself and now she was bringing home a pet. But she and Crookshanks had no other home. Her parents, well, the Wilkins, had sold their house - a step Hermione hadn’t suggested - before leaving, so even that wasn’t a possibility. The Burrow was her only option until she figured out what they were going to do next.

“Bet she’ll fatten him right up, she will,” Fred said, fighting not to let them see how hard he was working to keep up with them. They had slowed down now that their prize was captured, allowing Fred to keep up, though Hermione worried that it was still too much for him. She silently wished he had stayed behind and let George help her with the chase, but Hermione would never say so. They did everything together, and who was she to put a stop to it?

“Can I use the floo at the shop?” she asked next. “Crooks has always hated apparition, and I don’t want to rile him up again when we’ve only just caught him.”

“Of course,” George answered. “We can all go through. We’ve worked hard to help you fetch him,”

“And I bet Mum will ask us to stay for dinner as a reward,” Fred finished with a grin.

*********************

Hermione realized too late that she should have expected her stubborn familiar to lose his mind over flooing, too. Crookshanks let out a yowl the moment they were inside The Burrow and scrambled until he scratched her hard enough that she let go. She wasn’t even sure how since his paws looked positively mangled.

Healing the scratch without looking, she watched the cat frantically inspect the room. Hermione still couldn’t quite believe Crookshanks was here. Had her parents not remembered him or had he just gotten away from them? The more little things that were different than she had expected from the Wilkins’ behavior, the more worried Hermione was that she had done something wrong.

She shook her head and paid attention to the way Crookshanks was sniffing everything. He must be reacquainting himself to the Burrow. She didn’t remember him acting like this when he had been last time. What had happened to her poor baby? His weight loss and the number of fights he must have been in recently to be so beaten up concerned her. Though, looking down at her emaciated frame, Hermione realized she didn’t have much room to talk.

When Molly rushed in, pulling the twins and Hermione into her crushing embrace, Crookshanks was suddenly wrapped around her legs. All four of them stopped and stared down at the cat. He had always appreciated Molly’s cooking, but he had never acted like that before.

“Goodness, what has happened to you!?” Molly exclaimed. “You need a few good meals, don’t you?”

Reacting to his current behavior, and seemingly forgetting everything she had ever known about Crookshanks previously, Molly bent and picked him up, cooing about food as she headed back into the kitchen with the beast. The cat went rigid when she first lifted him, but then relaxed against her, sniffing and giving sweet little meows that Hermione was certain she had never heard from him before.

She and George and Fred stared after Molly and the cat in awe. It did look like him, but was this really her Crookshanks? He had the distinct three spots on what was left of his right ear that he always had. It was a very identifying mark. Still, she could hear Moody in the back of her mind, “Constant Vigilance!”

Hermione walked purposefully into the kitchen, still stunned by the sight of her familiar - or what appeared to be him, at least - curled up at Molly’s feet beside a bowl of cream. With a sigh, she cast, “Animo veritas!” She was careful to aim away from Molly, but it still made the older woman jump. A dart of blue shot out, hitting the cat... but nothing happened. Crookshanks looked up at her, blinking slowly and offered up a pitiful meow.

“Good point,” Fred responded ruefully. “But it appears that Crooks is himself.”

“I was just checking. He’s never been so happy to see anyone before,” Hermione pouted, sliding her wand away in hopes of covering her embarrassment. At least Crookshanks seemed unbothered as he continued to accost Molly, perhaps even more aggressively than before.

“Well, he is hungry,” George said to the unspoken question on all their minds.

“And Mum’s the best at fattening a body up!” Fred continued.

“So you best be sitting down for something, too, Mione,” George finished up.

She nodded sadly. As hard as it was to cope with food at this point, with the battle and their time in the tent only a couple of weeks behind them, Hermione knew she did need Molly’s cooking. The woman, the closest thing she had to a mother of her own now, was generously keeping light soups going at all times. Both Harry and Hermione had to work to eat enough and weren’t able to handle much in the way of heavy food yet.

Hermione headed for the kitchen, braced for seeing Ron. Their relationship had gone down in history as the fastest, most ill-advised catastrophe the world had ever seen. That’s how it felt to her anyway. Even the kiss they exchanged during the battle hadn’t been the wildly passionate culmination of their years of yearning the way she had hoped it would be. But she had still agreed to try dating. Until they were screaming at one another non-stop within the first three days. She loved Ron, but she could see now it was only as a friend - not even as a brother like Harry.

To her relief, he wasn’t there. Of course, that meant that Harry wasn’t either. They were in talks with Kingsley to go straight into Auror training as soon as they were ready. Hermione couldn’t understand why they wanted to continue fighting rather than finish their education, but she was trying to accept it without harping on them.

That was something to be pleased about where Crookshanks was concerned. It wasn’t the same as having her boys, but at least she wouldn’t be alone. As she slid into a chair at the table and quietly began enjoying Molly’s wholesome soup, Hermione contemplated her other plan to not feel so alone.

Kingsley was already in touch with the Australian Ministry. It was a testament to her strange new place in the wizarding world that in under two weeks, mountains were being moved to reunite her with her parents. They had been found and the best Healers in Australia were working with them. Nothing was guaranteed, but she hoped to hear some news about them any day now. She was terrified about the complicated spell she had done on their memories and what it might have done to them. But Kingsley assured her it would just require patience.

“Right, Mione?” George asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“What?” she said, knowing it would be fruitless to try and pretend she knew what was being discussed. With the twins, there was no telling.

“We were just saying you would probably take the summer school option as well as going back next year,” Fred explained.

“There’s a summer school option?” Hermione asked excitedly.

Molly laughed. “It was announced in the Prophet this morning. It’s for taking an extra NEWT in Magical Architecture. It’s standard in some parts of the world, but has never been offered here before.”

“What it really means is that you get to help rebuild Hogwarts,” George started.

“and write essays about what you’re doing,” Fred said with a snort.

“But are there new spells involved? Things related to building?” Hermione was a little nervous at the idea of re-entering the castle so soon, but the thought of gaining new knowledge might be enough to get past the traumas that occurred there.

“Among other things,” Molly hummed as she skimmed back down the article. “Yes, there will be various construction methods and ways to shore up already standing buildings. But a lot of it will be about restoration of furniture, paintings, and books, too. There will be-”

“Books!?” Hermione squeaked. “There will be books that need restoring? We get to learn how to restore books?”

The twins were grinning from ear to ear, but answered seriously. “The library was hit pretty hard, Mione.”

“But magic should be able to fix the majority.”

“And maybe you could have a hand in deciding what to order new to replace those that can’t be restored.” George finished up this time, still looking at her fondly.

“You haven’t even heard the best part yet,” Molly said with a twinkle in her eye, “There will also be spells about warding and working with sentient buildings!”

“How soon does it start?” Hermione asked, heart racing at the possibilities.

“Next week,” Molly told her, almost as excited to tell Hermione about it as she was to hear it. “There’s a lot to get done before the regular term starts and not enough time to do it in.”

Hermione was feeling overwhelmed. This was an opportunity she could not pass up. But next week! How was she supposed to do that and go to Australia?

“Are you okay, dear?” Molly asked as she watched Hermione closely. The twins, too, were staring at her worriedly.

“Yes. I just… I have to… I mean, I want to do that. I have to. But I also have to…” Hermione was not hiding her distress well enough now.

“What’s wrong, Mione?” Fred asked.

“You know we can help if you tell us,” George added.

“Not with this,” she whispered.

“Try us,” George insisted.

“We really would like to help,” Molly said, scooting closer. Crookshanks jumped up on the seat next to her and bumped his head against her hand.

“I… I haven’t told anyone what I did,” she stated. “What... happened.”

Molly’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Hermione Granger! You know I don’t approve of premarital relations and but I’m more than ready for grandbabies and some new life after the war! We would never judge you and are more than happy to add to the family!”

Hermione was so stunned by Molly’s assumption that she couldn’t even answer for a long moment. While she was trying, Molly continued on, detailing which room in the Burrow would become the nursery, as the twins nearly fell apart laughing behind her. Clearly they had understood the horrified expression on Hermione’s face.

“I do know a thing or two about having and raising babies, you know. I think we can all be a huge help. You will marry Ronald, won’t you? I know the two of you struggle sometimes, but a baby changes things, you know. I think-“

“Mrs. Weasley, please!” Hermione finally managed to cut in. “I’m… I’m flattered to know you would still want me around if I were pregnant but that… that’s not it at all.

Molly’s face fell just as Hermione started laughing hysterically, taking big gulps of air to keep from crying.

“Oh I’m so sorry, dear. I didn’t mean-“

“It’s okay. Really. It’s just… This is so hard to talk about and I, maybe I needed the reminder that things could be more difficult. This choice I made-“

“Now Hermione,” Molly began, clearing her throat and moving on from her incorrect assumption. “You’re a brilliant young lady and you make excellent decisions. This past year has not been much like anyone could expect. If you made a mistake, it’s understandable.”

“It’s… I…” The memory of her slowly disappearing from their photos replayed in her mind, causing a tear to slip out. “I had to do it when they weren’t looking. It was awful. All traces…”

“What?” One of the twins asked. “Hermione, you aren’t making any sense.”

“I… I erased my parents’ memories of me,” Hermione rushed out, choking on the words. “They don’t know me anymore, don’t remember they ever had a daughter. I’m not sure they ever will.”

The jaws of all three Weasleys before her collectively dropped, with a small gasp escaping the matriarch’s lips as she struggled to find words.

“Mione…” George whispered, his eyes brimming with sympathy.

“Why would you do that?” Molly burst out, tears already flowing down her cheeks.

“They were killing muggleborns’ families!” she said. She wasn’t sure if she sounded defensive or desperate. “I couldn’t leave Mum and Dad unprotected but I knew we would have to run.”

“Oh, child,” Molly groaned. “Why didn’t you tell us? We could have brought them here instead. Or put them in a different Order safehouse.”

“They wouldn’t have done it. I know them better than that, or knew, I suppose,” Hermione said, tears rolling down her cheeks now. “Even if they did… the Death Eaters burned the Burrow once…”

Hermione grimaced when the Weasleys all flinched. It was a succinct point, if not tactful.

“Well... where are they now?” Fred asked, cutting to the heart of it.

“Australia. Kingsley had the Ministry there find them and Healers are supposed to be reversing what I did, but I haven’t heard back yet. I’ll need to go get them and there just isn’t time before the summer term.”

“Absolutely not!” Mrs. Weasley said firmly. “I am not letting such a trivial thing stand between you and your education! Here’s what we’ll do. Bill can get immediate portkeys anywhere in the world through Gringotts - he has to be able to go places at a moments’ notice my Bill, he’s very important in that way - so he can take you straight to Australia-”

“It won’t be pleasant,” George began.

“But it will be quick!” Fred added. “We’ll get you back in time, our little swot!”

“They’re both right, but it will be fine. You’ll go to the Australian Ministry and they can take you to your parents. At the very least you’ll have an update, but hopefully you can bring them home. Or at least to St. Mungo’s,” Molly stated.

“But Kingsley-”

“I’ll floo call the man. It will be fine. Go pack a bag,” Molly told her.

Hermione smiled to herself. She still had everything she owned packed, so that wouldn’t be a problem. “Oh! Molly, would it be okay if I leave Crookshanks here? I don’t think he would travel well and I really don’t have anywhere else for him to go.”

“Of course, Hermione. I’ll take care of him. You just take care of yourself.”

*************************

Landing in Australia on a portkey straight from London was a bloody nightmare. Even Bill went to his knees and threw up, and Hermione had been assured he had done this sort of thing loads of times. “Your Mum said you were good at this,” Hermione teased with a groan, not even wanting to contemplate how she had just responded. She was just grateful the room was magicked so that it all disappeared instantly.

“I didn’t throw up on you. I am good at this,” Bill said.

“Well if that’s the standard-”

She didn’t get to finish her statement as two official-looking men approached. It took only a few minutes to get their paperwork sorted. A representative from the Minister himself, some sort of Junior Assistant Hermione thought, appeared to escort them to the Spell Damage floor of the Greater Australian Hospital of Magical Miracles. Once there, they turned down a secluded hallway.

“This is the memory work wing,” the Assistant, Roderick, told them.

He introduced them to the Healers there before turning to go, but Hermione could barely pay attention to their names or bother to say goodbye to Roderick. Through a door behind the Healers, she could see her Mum. She started forward when there was suddenly a Healer between her and the door.

“Miss Granger!” the woman snapped at her just enough to get her attention. She looked like a sweet little grandmother. Her gentle tone when she went on seemed much more appropriate for her. “I know you must be excited to see your parents - from the look in your eyes I know we must have picked up the right muggles - but-”

“Was that a concern?” Hermione asked, suddenly worried about their competency.

The Healer sighed and her counterpart, a tall blond man, picked up the conversation. “As we did say, the Wilkins… er… Grangers have been very certain of their identity, to the point that we were concerned we had picked up the wrong couple.”

“We mean that somewhat in jest, dear,” the grandmotherly Healer said. “We can see, when we enter their minds, that things have been altered with magic.”

“Now that you’re here, I can feel that the magical signature is the same,” the man interrupted, almost excitedly. “Your magic is so strong!”

Hermione blushed, but worry was gnawing at her. What were they not saying?

“It is so strong,” grandmother Healer began, voice hushed, “that your spell moved into a deeper subconscious part of the mind. There are no memories of the Grangers to retrieve.”

******************

It took a few days before all the tests had been run in front of Hermione. The Healers had even allowed her a few attempts at a reversal under their supervision, in case her magic might be more successful than theirs had been. It was all for naught. These two muggles were completely the Wilkinses with no idea of Hermione or the wizarding world beyond hints of magic they had seen in the hospital - the Healers had been very careful to show them as little as possible.

Hermione was leaning on Bill far more than he had really signed up for. She felt bad, but he had been the one who put up a cheerful facade and talked to the Wilkinses. Monica was a force to be reckoned with. In some ways she was just like Hermione’s Mum, but… different, too. And of course neither of her parents recognized her. Just before they left, Hermione had thrown herself into her Mum’s arms and cried, even if it left the woman utterly bewildered. Bill had nearly carried her out. And now the Healers were working to make minor alterations to their memories so that they could be released back into their muggle lives.

The two of them stood inside a quaint little house, now. The Ministry had suggested she take a look at where the Wilkins had settled and see if there was anything she had forgotten to remove that might remind them of their previous life - disregarding the fact that the Healers said there was nothing left to be reminded of. Hermione’s implanted memories had simply been too strong. They were the people she had created.

Something about the way the Ministry official had hinted they should come here rubbed strangely at her brain. As though they had reason to believe there was something here she should take with her. But she had taken every hint of herself, even donating her childhood toys and things before she left their house in London. There would have been nothing…

Crookshanks walked around the corner and paused, staring at her. Hermione stared back in absolute shock. Even Bill seemed frozen. He, too, knew that she had found Crookshanks in Diagon Alley. So who was this?

Her cat was suddenly making his most demanding yowling sound, wrapping himself around her legs and making it very clear that if she didn’t pick him up immediately, she would regret it. So she did pick him up, mostly out of habit. But, honestly, at this moment, she needed something to cuddle. Crookshanks practically hugged her as he settled a paw over each shoulder and snuggled into her neck, purring aggressively.

This was the Crookshanks she knew. He didn’t seem as large as he had been before she sent him away, but he was nowhere near the skin-and-bones creature she had found. There were also no marks on him that hadn’t been there before. Yes, Crooks got into tomcat scuffles now and then, but he had never been one for the kinds of fights that other cat had seen. Sure enough, the tell tale spots on his ear were still present… perhaps not so tell tale anymore.

Even though she knew it wasn’t entirely about her cat, Hermione found herself sobbing. “I knew that wasn’t my Crookshanks! I knew it wasn’t! Here’s my sweet, clever boy!”

Bill put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. “Hermione, love, I think this must be what the Ministry wanted you to retrieve, though I don’t know why they couldn’t just say so. Do you want to look around some more or can we go?”

“I don’t think I can stand to see very much. They’re clearly very happy here and that’s… it’s all that can matter. They’re alive and they’re happy,” Hermione choked back another sob as she said it. She changed the subject, partially out of embarrassment and partially out of the growing fear of realization. “I just… I just don’t know whose cat I left at the Burrow!”

“We need to get home,” Bill started slowly as he let her get herself back under control. “Now. If someone created an imposter of your specific cat, I’m worried. We need to get a message to Mum. There are still Death Eaters loose and things are not always what they seem in the wizarding world.”

“Like Pettigrew,” Hermione gasped before gritting her teeth. “I knew it! My charm must have failed! I’m so stupid! I hadn’t ever cast that charm on a real animagus and I thought - Damn it! I was just so worried to hear that Crooks was skulking around half starved that I didn’t even… Let me grab some cat food. I assume we’ll be portkeying back to your office?” When he confirmed with a nod, she continued, “Thank you. Your mother’s cooking is delicious, but human food isn’t great for cats and…

“Hermione,” Bill reminded tightly.

“Merlin, that’s right, we have to go!”

One look at the bag of diet cat food told Hermione why her pet was in better physical condition than she had seen him in ages. She laughed a little at the disgruntled look he gave the bag when she scooped some out into a jar. “A diet hasn’t hurt you any, but we’ll see if we can find you something you’ll enjoy a bit more once we’re home, Crookshanks.”

He looked at her adoringly. Hermione went back to Bill, who already had the portkey out and ready to go. “I guess there isn’t a cage for him, eh?”

“There probably is somewhere,” Hermione responded. “But that would make it look like he was stolen instead of running off.”

Bill nodded. “Well, I do hope you like your arms shredded to ribbons.”

Chapter Text

Hermione hated how right Bill had been about Crookshanks digging into her, but at least he had immediately healed her. Now they were headed through the floo to the Burrow and she found herself inexplicably nervous. Yes, that cat could be a Death Eater in disguise…. but what were the odds? Especially since he hadn’t tried to get away once they were in the Burrow and Molly was feeding him.

Crookshanks didn’t like flooing, but he seemed resigned to it. At least it wasn’t another portkey. The moment they arrived at The Burrow, he tried to leap to the floor, but Hermione held him tight. She didn’t want the two cats attacking one another before they even had time to say anything.

The scene they walked out into was very odd. The twins were cross-legged on the floor, with bits of parchment spread in front of them, each with a word or letter. It reminded Hermione of a muggle ouija board. The Crookshanks imposter was in the middle of the papers and looked shocked at their sudden appearance. His stare had gone immediately to the real Crookshanks, but he didn’t run.

“That’s not Crookshanks!” Hermione cried at the same moment both twins said, “This isn’t Crookshanks!”

George scooped the imposter into his arms. To Hermione’s surprise, the cat didn’t fight him at all. “He’s not even a cat,” Fred said as he reached over to pet him.

“We’ve only just come up with this way to let him talk to us,”

“But now we won’t have to, with Bill here!”

Hermione’s head was spinning with what they were saying, but Bill had moved to put himself between her and the twins. His wand was out and pointed at the cat in George’s lap. “If he’s a human, what the bloody fuck is he doing pretending to be Hermione’s cat?”

“He hadn’t told us that yet,” Fred said, not a hint of fear that his twin was holding a human who could be anyone.

The cat gave an angry yowl and suddenly Crookshanks began to struggle. Hermione tried to hold on to him, but it was a lost cause. He squirmed away from her and landed lightly on his feet. With a delighted air that was rarely seen from him unless he was hunting something, Crookshanks bounded over to George and the other cat.

Bill, Hermione, and the twins stared in awe. The two cats didn’t try to fight as one would expect of rival males. Crookshanks looked ecstatic, jumping around, purring like mad. He kept rubbing up against the other cat as though he couldn’t touch him enough. The imposter answered with timid meows at first, but leaned into Crookshanks when he touched him. He was far more hesitant, but obviously recognized the other cat.

“They’re bloody twins,” Fred said suddenly.

Hermione blinked and looked at them more closely. Yes, one was well groomed and clearly cared for while the other looked like he had been beaten and half-starved. But their markings were identical from the trademark spots to their whisker placement. It was no wonder she had believed the imposter was Crookshanks. If he had been on his own for almost a year, it would be believable that he might be reduced to that.

“And if one of them is human, then what if they both are?” George asked, growing more excited.

“Why exactly do you think that one is human?” Bill asked, his voice puzzled.

“He told us so!” the twins answered in unison. The imposter moved off of George’s lap and tapped on a piece of paper that said human.

“Why were you writing words on paper in the first place?” Hermione asked.

“We weren’t,” Fred said, brandishing today’s copy of the Prophet. The headline was “Are Muggles and Wizards Both Human?” Hermione rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of that, but then gasped when the cat came over and tapped the word human.

“We thought he was just batting at the paper at first, but he kept yowling at us and suddenly it just clicked. I asked if he was human and he nodded. A sodding cat nodded at me,” George said in wonder, scratching between the cat’s ears.

“Well it certainly seems to enjoy parts of being a cat,” Bill snickered.

Calling up his magic, he took a few long minutes to look over the two cats. He came out of it with a gasp. “That’s Dolohov’s flare. And Merlin, I don’t know how long your Crookshanks has been under that curse - his has almost completely faded.”

The imposter meowed worriedly in response to that, butting his head against Crookshanks. Hermione’s cat seemed perfectly proud about it, plopping himself in the center of the papers and spreading his legs to lick his balls. Hermione rolled her eyes. It was a habit of Crookshanks’ that she had never managed to put a stop to.

“If he’s human, too, that’s going to be a wild position to appear in,” Fred said with a laugh.

“He is human,” Bill said. “I can’t see any sign of it in my readings, but he has a magical core that is too strong for an animal.”

“And the other?” Hermione asked, staring at the two cats and wondering how this could be possible.

Looking puzzled for a moment, he explained, “He resonates as human.”

“Why would one-”

Bill looked away with a grim look and snapped an order. “Let’s see what we have here. Fred, George, Hermione, can you three keep your wands on them in case they’re Death Eaters or something goes wrong?”

“Of course,” they all responded, wands already in hand.

Hermione’s voice trembled a bit when she asked, “Are you doing them both at once?”

“I… perhaps it’s best to do just one at a time,” Bill said, sizing them up, magically Hermione assumed.

“Which one then?” George asked.

“Do ours,” Fred suggested, as excited as a little kid - and looking like one, too, the way he was snuggling the cat in question.

“He was the one who told us he’s human,” George agreed.

Bill hesitated. “That could just mean he’s a Death Eater wanting to be freed.”

“Does he look like he’s in any condition to fight us?” Fred asked.

“He won’t be able to do much damage even if he is one,” George pressed.

Fred nodded. “Poor guy can barely walk even as a cat.”

“I think they’re right,” Hermione said quietly. “And… Crooks… I don’t think he cares as much as this fellow does.” She reached forward to pet the battered cat, and he leaned into her hand after a moment of staring at it.

No one could argue with that as Crookshanks continued to ignore them and lick himself. The imposter cat stared at them pleadingly.

“Okay,” Bill said, taking a deep breath. “Are you all ready for this? Wait. Where’s Mum? And Dad and everyone?”

“Mum’s at Aunt Muriel’s,” Fred began.

“Dad and Percy are working late,” George ticked off next.

“Harry and Ron are at training. It started yesterday,” Fred continued.

George picked it up with, “Ginny’s at Luna’s last I heard, though who knows what the two of them are actually up to.” He and Fred both waggled their eyebrows suggestively and Hermione found herself smiling at the thought. Ginny and Luna were sweet together.

“So it’s just us,” Fred concluded.

“Good,” Bill said. “I’m warding the room so that nothing can get in or out of it.”

“Really don’t think he-”

“Constant vigilance,” Bill muttered and Fred stopped.

Hermione knew no one was willing to cross that line that reminded them all of the war. It was worth being cautious.

Finally, Bill was done with his preparatory spells and he turned back to her and the twins, and the cat in the middle. The look in the cat’s eyes was as hopeful as she had ever seen a cat look.

Bill began chanting his incantations with his wand waving a complex pattern in the air.

It felt like hours, but was probably only minutes, before Bill gasped, panting, sweat dripping down his brow, as the magic in the center of the room took on a life of its own. Slowly, the cat twirled around, his body contorting. He was crying out a long yowl, then the magic spun him again and was suddenly gone.

A man around Bill’s age with bright ginger hair lay naked on the floor. He was emaciated, covered in scars. An ear was missing and his hands looked like every bone had been broken and allowed to heal wrong. It had been done to his legs as well, giving them the same crooked look that had inspired her cat’s name. Hermione thought it would be excruciating for the man to stand, and impossible for him to hold onto much of anything. If she looked past the horrific condition he was in, the man reminded her of Charlie, though Hermione had certainly never seen as much of Charlie as was on display right now.

Not that this fellow stayed that way. The moment he caught his breath, he scrambled to sit up, hunching in on himself so that his body was as hidden as possible. To her surprise, he lifted his head, his clenching jaw speaking defiance at the wanded people surrounding him. He was quickly scanning over each of them, eyes calculating something though Hermione wasn’t sure what.

When his eyes came to hers, she tried not to gasp at the sudden feeling of connection. Her heart was in her throat, but somehow beating in the center of the room as well, as though she could feel his heart from the inside. Hermione saw the man’s eyes widen and he looked rapidly away, his pale cheeks reddening. It was a relief when the painful feeling stopped, though it also left her feeling oddly empty.

“Mione?” Fred asked, dropping his wand tip to move closer to her.

She meant to assure him she was fine, but she swayed on the spot instead, the words lodged in her throat. George was at her side in a moment, helping her to the sofa with one arm while the other still held his wand on the man crouched in the center of the room.

“What did you do to her?” Fred demanded.

The man tried to speak but began coughing instead, a sound not dissimilar to a cat with a hairball. When he was finally able, he croaked out, “Didn’t do anything.” His voice was soft and harsh at once. Hermione shivered when she heard it and she didn’t know why.

“Who are-” George began.

But Bill had taken a step forward now, peering at the man, and interrupted, “Uncle Prew?”

The man stared back for a moment, his throat bobbing as though he were holding back some strong emotion. Slowly, he nodded. “Who are… Billy,” he said, his tone questioning and eyes looking lost as he looked at Bill.

With an expression of vulnerability Hermione had never seen on Bill before, he nodded, almost stepping forward before he seemed to stop himself. Biting his lip, he asked, “Fabian or Gideon?”

“Gideon,” came the slow, careful response.

*************

He had frozen at the sound of his name. Gideon couldn’t remember the last time he had heard it. Years ago. Maybe all of them, however long it had been. He choked trying to form the words. He needed to know, but didn’t want to.

These boys… Molly’s boys, some of them. Where were the others - Charlie and Percival? A baby, no two. A boy and then the long-awaited girl. He couldn’t remember their names. The twins had been toddlers. Little Billy just off to Hogwarts for the first time. Gideon’s head spun at the time that must have passed. They weren’t boys, not at all. All three of them in front of him were men.

And the girl. Who was the girl, to make him feel so strange? It was like a distant memory. She felt like his twin, like Fabian. But obviously she wasn’t.

Fabian. He looked over at the fat, fluffy cat. Gideon had never seen himself as a cat, that he could recall, and his memory of seeing his twin back when they were first changed was fuzzy at best. He was ugly, but he looked quite proud of it. Well, that was Fabian, for sure. He reached his hand out tentatively.

The cat strutted over to him, sniffing in a way that made it clear he was only doing him a favor rather than because he wanted to. Then he turned and trotted away, back to wrapping around the girl’s feet. Gideon felt a pang of something he couldn’t identify. Fear, hurt, loneliness.

Gideon swallowed hard and pushed it down. He was himself again, finally. And no one was hurting him. No one was going to. Fabian would remember once he was a human. He had to.

He looked to the oldest, the one he remembered best. “Billy…” He started coughing again and this time he couldn’t seem to stop. It was that horrible, cat-like sound that he hated.

Suddenly, one of the twins was beside him. It made him flinch away, the unexpected movement sending shockwaves of adrenaline through his system. No one had stepped that close to him in years without an intent to inflict as much pain as possible.

There was no telling what his expression was like, but Gideon knew it must have been defensive or scared in some way because the young man held up his hands. Staring Gideon directly in the eyes, he took a careful step back.

“I thought you might like some water,” he said, conjuring a cup and performing a quick Aguamenti before offering it in his direction. With a glance at Gideon’s gnarled hands, the twin shook his head to himself, stepping gingerly forward to hold it at his lips instead.

It hurt what was left of Gideon’s tattered pride to accept a drink without holding it himself, but the boy was right. He couldn’t hold it himself. Closing his eyes, he let the twin do it, suddenly too thirsty to care. The fresh, cool water flowed down his throat like a balm and he swore he had never tasted anything so wonderful. Goosebumps broke over his skin at the feel of it. He didn’t know when he had last had fresh water and it nearly brought him to tears.

He scolded himself for being so pathetic, but he couldn’t stop drinking. The twin held the cup for him without speaking or trying to pull it away until Gideon felt like he would float away if he drank another drop. He would probably be sick soon from drinking so much, but he couldn’t have stopped before if his life depended on it.

Taking the cup away, the twin transfigured it into a blanket and hung it over Gideon’s thin shoulders, allowing him the dignity of hiding his broken body. Again, he found himself fighting tears - kindness doing what hours of torture could no longer manage. But Gideon was made of steel, even more so than he had been as a young man, and would not give in. Kind though they were, and his nephews as well, whom he could probably trust, he wasn’t about to break down in front of strangers.

Maybe in front of anyone, he thought, staring sadly at the cat now snuggled in the woman’s arms. If that was his brother, his twin, would they have the same inseparable bond as before? Fear swept through him at the idea that they might not.

“I’m George,” the man told him, “My other half is Fred. I see you and I have a few things in common.” There was humor in his eyes as he pulled his hair back to show off the absence of an ear.

Gideon felt shock radiate through him. What had this child - man, they clearly weren't children anymore - been through to lose an ear? In his heart, he already knew. Molly’s boys were as war-worn as he was. Well, looking down at his useless hands and the legs that ached constantly from the improper way the bones had healed, hopefully not quite as war-worn. He looked at the man’s hands, relieved to see that they were whole and remembering then that he had already seen him holding a wand.

“There are things the Healers can’t fix,” George said quietly, “but the bones… they’ll be able to vanish them and grow new ones, you know.” He had apparently realized what Gideon was thinking about. Perceptive young thing.

He felt his eyes widen as he processed the boy’s words. Merlin, he had forgotten how wondrous the healing arts could be. This was all so surreal. He hadn’t thought… the last few years since Dolohov had returned, he had given up, just wished for death. George sat down next to him on the floor, near but not touching. “I’m open if you want someone to lean on, but I’m a stranger and… you look like you’ve been through a lot. I’m here either way.”

The other two men moved toward them while the girl continued to hang back, watching. Bill knelt in front of him, not too close, but the way he was staring at him was unnerving. Gideon wasn’t sure what he should say, what he was supposed to say to the nephews who were older now than he had been then. Billy, at least. Merlin. “What year is it?” he managed.

Bill blinked and then his face slid to pity in a way that made Gideon feel awful. It was the other twin, Fred, who answered. “1998.”

“17 years,” Gideon heard himself say. He had lost 17 years. “I’m 40 now.”

“Might want to check a mirror, mate,” Fred said.

Gideon barked a laugh he hadn’t known he could still manage. “Seeing myself now is the very last thing I want to do.”

“He meant-” George began.

“You’re not 40,” Bill said. “Or you don’t look it anyway. You… I mean, obviously there are differences, but… you haven’t aged since the last time I saw you.”

“Just like all the pictures Mum has of you,” George added. He would have been too little to remember personally, Gideon realized with a pang.

Trying to keep himself from reacting, he looked across the room at the girl again. The cat in her arms was staring at him. “Fabian,” he croaked, his throat going dry again at the thought of seeing his brother in the flesh.

“Shite,” Bill said, pulling himself to a standing position and walking over to the girl. “We should change him, too.”

***************

Hermione could barely hold back the tears as she relinquished her familiar - apparently a man cursed into cat form - to Bill. Crookshanks was not at all pleased to be taken from her.

Bill moved him to the center of the room, repeating the entire process, a little faster this time since he knew the curse he was breaking. This time he collapsed to his knees at the end, toppling to the side as he passed out. Hermione ran to him, ignoring Fred, George, Gideon, and the new totally nude man laying in the center of the room staring at his very human hands in confusion.

She ran a diagnostic over Bill. Her healing skills were limited, but she knew how to do that much, at least. With a sigh of relief, she said, “He’s fine, just overextended his magic. He’ll be okay after he rests for a bit. And he’ll need to take it easy on the magic this time. Fred, George, can you get him onto the sofa?”

The twins moved to do so and Hermione’s eyes finally landed on the new man in the room. He had the same red hair as Gideon. Their faces were identical minus the scars. But this one, her Crookshanks, the man named Fabian, looked healthy. He was in his prime. His legs appeared a little crooked as Crookshanks’ had been, a sign of broken bones that healed poorly she now realized, but otherwise he showed no signs of harm. He was chubby in places - she’d let him have too many treats, Hermione couldn’t help but think - and it looked good on him. Oh Merlin…

Hermione realized she had been staring at him, running her eyes over his body and the man’s brown eyes were staring right back. He looked smug, and intrigued. When she dared meet his eyes, though. It was that same overwhelming feeling she had with Gideon, only magnified. His heart was hers and she was sure he felt the same. For one wild, disorienting moment, she could see herself as he did, as though she were in the center of the room looking at this human woman who was suddenly very, very appealing. She felt a surge of emotion from him - confusion mostly, but also pride, adoration, and an intense lust. Hermione looked away as she realized that his body was responding to her and she couldn’t really avoid seeing it without turning her head away.

She was blushing as the connection between them broke. Well, dimmed. Hermione could still… feel his presence in the room, but she wasn’t sure if that meant anything, if it was something magical or just... tension she barely understood and certainly wasn’t used to dealing with.

“Fabian?” Gideon’s voice was gentle but there was a shred of uncertainty to it. Hermione wasn’t sure how she knew when she had only just met the man, but she was painfully aware of the fear and desperation he was hiding, the longing for his brother and for the crushing loneliness to go away.

Physically making herself step back, Hermione tried to understand what was happening. She occluded, but it didn’t make any difference. She could hide her own emotions, but she couldn’t hide from theirs, either of them. She wanted to hug Gideon and never let him go. Fabian… well, she wanted things with and from him that scared her. Hermione had never had thoughts like that, and certainly not about a grown man. Yes, she had schoolgirl crushes on a few of her professors - Lockhart and Remus came to mind - but she hadn’t been old enough to think about that.

Fabian was staring at his twin now, head tilted to the side, cat-like. He tried to say something in return, but what came out was more like a cat yowling than human speech. Hermione barely held back a laugh at the startled look on his face. Fred didn't even attempt to stop himself. Bill and George both shot him a look, but he continued laughing anyway.

Surprisingly, Fabian grinned in return. He wasn’t concerned at all as far as Hermione could tell. In fact, he made the sound again before trying to stand. The look on his face was one of confusion and he landed in a heap before he made it all the way up.

It was Gideon who made it to his side, despite the obvious pain the movement gave him. “I imagine it takes a bit to re-learn how to walk,” he said. His voice was firm, though Hermione had that feeling that it was a fight for him to be so calm about it. “I… there was a point where I was in cat form for a few years, probably 7 or 8. It was… difficult to come out of mentally. I’m sure it’s no easier physically.”

“And he’s been one for 17,” George said.

Gideon nodded, looking grim.

“Wait,” Hermione interrupted. “You had to come out of it physically, too. Why did you make it sound like you don’t know?”

Shifting uncomfortably, Gideon said, “I can’t really walk, you might have noticed,” gesturing to his shaking, crippled legs. “I sometimes had to hobble from place to place, but it wasn’t enough to call it walking.”

Just barely refraining from pointing out that he was walking now, Hermione questioned, “But you ran from us in Diagon Alley?”

“Walking and even running as a cat was easier since there isn’t as much weight and it’s distributed over four legs instead of two. It still hurt, but pain doesn’t phase me much when it’s about survival.”

“Will Fabian recover? Be able to walk and talk?” George interrupted, looking to Gideon.

Hermione knew George was trying to help by moving the topic away from the things Gideon had gone through, but she could still feel someone’s distress at these questions. Was it Fabian or Gideon? She wasn’t sure, but she thought it was Gideon. Fabian didn’t seem to understand enough yet and Gideon… his concern for his twin was palpable.

“Let’s give them a little space,” she said to George. Turning to Gideon, she added, “Unless you would like one of us to help you?”

“No,” he managed to say, though he wasn’t looking at her. Hermione and George both backed off slightly as Gideon stumbled with Fabian, determination written all over his face.

“I don’t know what to say to make this easier,” Gideon told his brother, who looked at him like he had absolutely no idea what he meant or how to respond. Of course, he couldn't really respond, though the sound he made was a more curious meow rather than the yowl he had made before.

Bill stepped forward. “Can I help?” he asked.

Gideon clearly didn’t like the idea, but even from across the room, Hermione could see him physically shaking as he tried to stand again and pull Fabian up. George darted back to his uncle, caught his arm and helped him back to the sofa as Gideon gave his reluctant blessing for Bill to help Fabian stand. Bill tried, but as he was also obviously uncomfortable touching his nude uncle, Fabian collapsed even faster this time.

Turning to George, he asked, “Could you get them some clothes?”

George nodded, a blush across his cheeks, as he headed for the stairs. Until then, Hermione just tried to look away as Gideon offered his twin the blanket he had, though it was obvious from his expression that the idea of being so revealed was upsetting. Bill solved the problem by bringing another blanket.

“Thank you,” Gideon said quietly.

Hermione was grateful when they were both covered, though it seemed Bill had decided to wait on helping Fabian stand until after he had clothes on. George made it down with some clothes fairly quickly anyway.

“I think Charlie’s old things should do best for Fabian,” he said. “And I got another set of them for Gideon, or some of mine. I’m not sure what would be most comfortable.”

Hermione felt her cheeks go red as Gideon grabbed a set of clothes and began pulling things on. She felt his embarrassment as he realized that they had expected him to go into another room to dress. Blushing, he asked, “Could someone direct me to the loo?” He left the pile of Charlie’s things there. He had tried on some of them first, but they practically fell off him. George’s slim items were undoubtedly going to be a better fit, even if the jeans drug the ground a bit. Fred led him away to the loo.

Fabian was looking at the clothes with a puzzled face, clearly not understanding what he was supposed to do with them. Gently, Bill crouched down next to him and asked, “Would you like some help? Clothes will be good for being around other people.”

Looking disgusted, Fabian turned his nose up.

“I don’t know what to do,” Bill said after a few minutes of trying. George and even Fred tried as well, but to no avail. Fabian truly was not interested at all. Finally, Bill turned to Hermione.

“I’m sorry, but… You should try. He might listen to you.”

“Oh for Merlin’s sake,” she exclaimed, shoving the boys out of the way and grabbing Charlie’s old shirt. Hermione didn’t do it on purpose, but as Fabian stared at her, she realized she was using her bossiest voice - a tone Crookshanks had heard many times. She could almost see his ears flick toward her, though she knew it must be her imagination. “Fabian Prewett, you will wear these clothes. I’ll help you, but you have to cooperate. It’s… for your own good.”

She hadn’t meant to hesitate, but knowing that it was more for her sanity and everyone else’s sense of decency than for Fabian himself made her feel a little guilty about the statement. Somehow, she didn’t really think he would feel embarrassed about the situation later, so she couldn’t even use that as reasoning for why he had to wear something.

Gathering the shirt, she slid it over Fabian’s head, though he dodged a few times and she had to fight it onto him. He liked it, though, when she had to pull him close to fight the shirt over his head and down his body. Fabian’s nose was effectively right in her neck, and he was quite happy about it.

Hermione felt decisively uncomfortable about being so close to a half naked man, especially considering the half that was still nude. Mercifully, she remembered a spell she should have used in the first place. “Vestiuntur,” and the pants that had been in her hands were quickly and easily covering Fabian. He was so distracted, he didn’t even seem to notice.

Sniffing at her experimentally, he rubbed his nose along her neck and then licked along her collarbone. Hermione squealed and tried to pull away, but Fabian’s hands caught her upper arms and pulled her closer, his tongue working it’s way up her neck and nibbling at her ears. Hermione couldn’t help but whimper as George and Bill pulled their Uncle off of her. She wasn’t exactly scared. Or even disturbed in the way she expected to be. But she was definitely having a hard time calming herself down.

Gideon returned to the room, confused to see them holding his brother away from Hermione. “What happened?” he asked.

“Fabian needed some help getting clothes on, and Hermione was the only one he would let near him. But Hermione wasn’t expecting him to start… licking her once she got that close to him.”

“Licking?” Gideon asked.

“Fabian, humans don’t lick each other,” Hermione chastised in her bossiest voice.

“Well, some do,” Fred snickered.

Hermione primly amended, “They don't lick people they don’t know well.” And glared at Fred, daring him to argue.

Fabian made a confused sound and tried to get closer to her. Twisting in a way no human should be able to do, he slipped out of Bill’s hold and was suddenly back on Hermione. His head was rubbing against her in a way that she could clearly tell was supposed to mean they were quite well acquainted, thank you very much.

“Yes, I know we knew each other before,” Hermione told him, “but you were a cat then and this is different.”

“Do you think he’s going to act like a cat forever?” Fred asked.

“Of course not, “ Bill said. With a frown he added, “but he may need a Mind Healer to help get past this.”

“A what?” Gideon asked, but before anyone could answer, the whoosh of the floo sounded.

Everyone whipped around to see Mrs. Weasley coming out of the floo and looking around to see what everyone was doing standing there. It seemed she noticed all the parchment bits all over the floor first. Her smile of greeting turned to motherly irritation.

“What have you all been doing?” she asked, tone rising. “What is this mes-”

She cut off as her eyes finally landed on one of the twins. Molly gasped, a look in her eyes that Hermione had never seen. “Fabian… Gideon… What…?” She looked stunned, but then she took a deep breath just before a sob broke. Tears streamed wildly down her face, but suddenly stopped as her face contorted, going from heartbroken to overwhelmingly angry in a blink of the eye.

Chapter Text

Molly gasped, a look in her eyes that Hermione had never seen. “Fabian… Gideon… What…?” She looked stunned, but then she took a deep breath just before a sob broke. Tears streamed wildly down her face, but suddenly stopped as her face contorted, going from heartbroken to overwhelmingly angry in a blink of the eye.

“What is the meaning of this?” she screamed. “Those were my baby brothers. They’re not something to be joked about! I can’t believe you would do this. How? And where did you find a photo? I got rid of them! And… and why… why would you make Gideon look like that?”

“You can tell them apart just like that?” Fred asked. “As your son, I’m hurt.”

“Not the time, Fred,” George shushed him.

“She’s our Mum and she’s never learned how to tell us apart, but she knows them when she hasn’t seen them in 17 years?”

“Explain the meaning of this,” Mrs. Weasley snapped. “You have taken this joke much too far and I don’t… I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive you! Who are they really? Is this some kind of polyjuice trick? I don’t-”

“Molly,” Gideon finally cut into her tirade. His voice was soft, but it stopped her immediately.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she said, “You sound just like him. Fred? George? Why did you do it? This is too much. And the rest of you - why would you help them with this?” She was crying harder again as Gideon stepped toward her.

“It’s not a joke, Mols. We’re here. We were alive all along.”

“That’s ludicrous. Impossible. My brothers died heroes.”

“Died? We didn’t die! Dolohov captured us. And no one ever came. Fabian escaped, but I…”

“Dolohov?” Molly paled. He was the worst possible person to have been captured by. “But he’s still free.”

Gideon’s eyes widened, panic clear in them. “He’s not in Azkaban? Merlin, I can’t be here! He’ll target you next. There… there will be a raid!” he gasped. Hermione could see him both trying to snap into what she suspected had been a commanding presence from before the war and dissolving into the panic of his captivity.

“You’re safe,” Hermione cut through his terror. “We all are. The war is over.”

“It is,” Molly confirmed. “The raids are over.”

“But you said he’s free,” Gideon said, confused.

“He is,” Bill confirmed. “There are still a few Death Eaters at large, but… well, there will be a lot to explain about the wars, but Voldemort is gone for good, most of the Death Eaters are dead or imprisoned, and the handful still out there… it’s just a matter of time for them.

“You don’t know Dolohov,” Gideon said darkly. “And I… there are things I know that might help catch him. But he’ll know that I know them.”

“How could you have been alive all this time and no one knew it? That’s not possible,” Molly insisted. The look in her eyes was stubborn and sure… except for the tiniest sliver of hope as well.

“But it is. I’m telling you it’s me. And that’s truly Fabian, though he’s not able to speak yet,” Gideon returned, looking just as stubborn.

“What? Why not? What are you playing at?” Molly demanded. She looked like she was ready to fight the young man in front of her.

“He still just meows,” Fred put in with a helpful tone that was clearly meant to be as unhelpful as possible.

“Meroww,” Fabian agreed.

“Meow?” Molly asked, baffled. “Now I know this is a prank. You-”

“Mum,” Bill said, “They were cursed into cats. Fabian has been a cat for 17 years. He barely seems to remember being human.”

“I suppose you were also ‘cursed’ as well? Spent the last 17 years as a cat as well, hmmm? Why aren’t you meowing then?” Molly demanded of Gideon.

“I...haven’t been a cat the entire time. Dolohov, when he returned from Azkaban, turned me back sometimes. It was hard at first, remembering how to be a human, and that was after only 7 years.” He didn’t want to explain everything, but his sister would eventually insist on knowing. He knew her well enough to be certain of that.

“If any of this were true, why would he turn you back to being human at all?” Molly asked, fists on her hips as she shook her head with disbelief.

Gideon blanched, but finally said, voice harsh, “It was Dolohov. Why do you think? He’s not interested in having tea.”

“Don’t you take that tone with me,” Molly started, then gasped, looking horrified as the significance of what he said hit her. “I… this is… please tell me this is a prank boys.” She looked to Fred and George. “Please.”

“Oh Merlin,” Hermione whispered. George looked like he might be ill. After the war it had come out how horrible Dolohov had been to his prisoners. Most of them didn’t make it out alive. The ones who did often wished they hadn’t.

Shifting uncomfortably, it seemed Gideon had decided to change the subject. “Molly? What’s something I could tell you to make you believe?” he asked.

Molly looked blank for a moment. The memories were clearly painful. Quietly, Hermione leaned over to Bill. “Should we send a Patronus to your Dad? Maybe that would help her?”

He nodded, agreeing with Hermione’s assessment that this situation called for back-up and quickly sent it.

When Molly spoke, it was sudden, the words gushing out as though she needed them gone quickly. “What was it that you did to me when I was 15 and I didn’t talk to either of you for almost the entire summer before I went back to Hogwarts?”

Gideon made a sound that was cat-like but also kind of a snort. “We stole your diary, read the whole thing, and then owled all the boys you liked and told them you had a crush on them. Even though he wasn’t one of them, we knew Arthur fancied you and sent him one, too. It gave him the courage to approach you after that. Which I never received a thank you for by the by.”

Fabian meowed in agreement across the room.

Molly stared at him for a long moment in shock before turning back to Gideon. “And what did you say when I forgave you?”

“That we knew you couldn’t go a whole summer without us. And we certainly didn’t want to go through one without you.”

“And I never wanted to,” Molly said, her tears returning and she suddenly rushed forward to envelope him in her arms.

Gideon froze. Hermione could see him stiffen away from the crushing hug, but as Molly didn’t let him go and kept crying, he slowly leaned into her somewhat. It wasn’t until she reached for his hand and he yelped that Molly stood back from him and really seemed to see him, see the damage. “What happened to you?”

“Dolohov. What more do you need to know?” he replied gruffly.

“We need to get you to St. Mungo’s!” Molly exclaimed.

“No!” Bill said just as emphatically.

“What? Why not?” Molly demanded, already bustling around to get them all ready to go.

“Mum, it would be a media circus,” Bill explained.

“Better that than to have him here in pain,” Molly said decisively.

“I don’t want to go,” Gideon quietly declared.

Molly just rolled her eyes. “You’ve never wanted what’s best for you, but we’re doing it all the same.”

A stubborn look appeared on Gideon’s face. “I won’t go. You may be older, but you still don’t get to make my decisions for me.”

Molly’s face crumpled back into tears. “You never listen! You never did! And you got yourselves killed… cursed for seventeen years because you wouldn’t listen. For once in your life-”

“Mum, please,” George cut in, but his argument was stopped by the sound of the floo and Arthur’s call.

“Bill? Molly? What’s wrong?” He came out of the floo with his wand drawn, then skidded to a halt with his jaw on the floor as he took in the occupants of the room.

“Dad,” Bill said in relief. “Um…” He trailed off, clearly unable to decide where to start.

“Uncle Gideon and Uncle Fabian are alive. Surprise!” Fred burst out when it seemed that no one else was going to speak.

Slowly, Arthur said, “I see that… How?”

It took several long minutes to go through the whole explanation again. Gideon had moved stiffly to the sofa and sat down with his head in his hands as they spoke. Hermione was almost certain he was overwhelmed and part of her wanted to go to him and comfort the man who was a complete stranger. She didn’t know where these urges were coming from.

Soon, they were back at the St. Mungo’s argument and Hermione wanted to pull her hair out. Quietly, from the sofa, Gideon said, “I know things.”

“Of course you do, dear,” Molly said. “I’m sure your mind is fine.”

“No. I mean, I know things that the Aurors should know. I’m not sure… how much of it is relevant now, but I need to talk to them,” he told them, his voice gaining strength as he spoke.

“Dolohov hasn’t been captured,” Bill reminded everyone. “If Uncle Gideon has information that could lead them to the man, it is essential the Aurors get it, and just as essential that no one knows Gideon is back.”

Molly finally stopped, with her body drawn up as though she had been about to launch another argument, then deflated.

Arthur spoke up instead. “That’s true, we need to keep this quiet. I don’t know what’s going to happen or how we can keep anyone from finding out, but we need to do all that we can.”

Recovering, Molly argued, “They need to be seen by a Healer. We can’t just leave them unhealed and I think… Gideon is beyond my healing abilities.”

Hermione was more bothered by that than she had expected. Anyone could see that Gideon was not well, but Molly had raised a family of six boys and Ginny. She could handle some very extreme injuries. That this was beyond her was distressing. “Could we get someone to come here?”

“Like who?” Fred asked.

“Madam Pomfrey!” Hermione suddenly realized.

“Excellent idea, Hermione! We can definitely trust her. And she knows the twins, so they might feel more comfortable with her anyway,” Molly said, warming to the idea.

“I’ll floo her,” Bill offered.

*****************

It only took a few minutes for Madam Pomfrey to arrive. Gideon spent the time trying to shrink into the sofa as he watched his sister hug Fabian and cry all over him. He reacted to it well at first, butting his head lightly against her, but he started trying to squirm away from her before long. Arthur talked to Fabian, too, though his eyes drifted over to scan Gideon now and then. It only made him want to shrink further into the couch.

“Now what is this emergency?” Madam Pomfrey asked as she bustled in. Her hands flew to her mouth as she noticed them. “Fabian? Gideon?”

Gideon had never seen the matron so flustered. Even in the middle of the war, with Death Eaters threatening Healers who might help the Order, she never failed to calmly handle any and all cases who showed up, no matter how much blood, how close the Death Eaters were behind them, or how bizarre the injury.

He would never forget the time he and Fabian had appeared after a run-in with one of the Lestranges. Fabian had nearly died then, his blood boiling him to death. Madam Pomfrey had handled it quickly and efficiently, not blinking an eye when Gideon was panicking. She handed him a calming draught with one hand while casting the complicated spell to fix Fabian with the other. In Gideon’s eyes, Madam Pomfrey was the best Healer in existence and the only one he could imagine truly trusting.

Between everyone’s garbled responses, Madam Pomfrey seemed to piece together enough of what had happened that she dismissed it. As usual, the magic that got them to the point wasn’t as important as fixing it.

Gideon saw her Healer’s eyes move quickly over each of them and quickly landed on him as the one most in need of attention. He tried not to flinch when she waved her wand at him, even though he knew it wouldn’t be anything harmful. Even though he trusted Madam Pomfrey with his life, a raised wand meant different things now. He took a deep breath to steady himself as the diagnostic appeared above him.

When it appeared in the air, everyone gasped.

Fred whistled lowly, “That’s a lot of bloody red.”

“Or a lot of red bloo- Ow!” George yelped as his mother boxed his ear.

Which was an understatement; the entire reading was red. Gideon couldn’t remember what everything meant. And he knew how much of a mess his body was, but seeing it in a diagnostic made it so much worse.

“It’s a miracle you’re alive,” Madam Pomfrey said in the same no-nonsense tone he had heard a hundred times, at least. It was oddly calming, but the words were still unnerving. “Should have come to me first thing. All you Weasleys are always-”

Gideon tuned her out and retreated behind the mask he had used during the torture that he had endured. He would not break now. Still, his belly roiled with nausea and he nearly lost control of it, a loss he couldn’t abide when it was finally, actually full of good food. If he had been capable, he would have shot up and walked away. But that much movement would be intolerably painful, and stupid as well since she was here to help him.

George stood and nudged the woman. “I doubt he needs the reminder, Madam Pomfrey. Could you give him a pain potion? I don’t know what all that means, but I'm sure it hurts.”

Her eyes widened and she blushed at his admonishment. “Yes, of course. I’m so sorry. This is just… unexpected. I've grown used to this sort of injury on you and your brothers from your own hands. Not...” She shook her head as though to clear it. “I’ve certainly seen odder things. Let’s get you healed.”

She produced a potion and Gideon hesitated for a moment. “Well, drink it. We have things to fix, most will hurt, and you don’t want to be in pain while I do it.”

Gideon swallowed hard, holding back the tremors that wanted to wrack his body at the memory of the last potion he had been forced to drink down quickly. It took every shred of courage he had left to open his mouth and let her tip the potion in. The nearly instant cooling sensation swept through his entire body, tingling for just a moment then… nothing.

This pleasant feeling of nothing that made Gideon question whether he was even still alive settled into him, into every part of his being. He felt like he was floating as Madam Pomfrey took his hands, one after the other, and began poking and prodding at them. He was in such shock at the lack of pain that he didn’t even flinch away from being touched.

Briskly, Madam Pomfrey said, “The first order of business will be vanishing and regrowing your bones. May I suggest we do that a few at a time so that it isn’t so much pain at once?”

“Vanish all the bones that need to be regrown,” he said. “Please, right now.”

“I can’t do that until the pain potion wears off, since you can’t have the skelegro until then. I really suggest we do them a few at a time however, Mr. Prewett. The pain will be unbearable.”

“I can handle extreme pain,” Gideon said quietly. He hated that Molly and her husband and sons were listening. And the girl.

Giving him a look of intense pity, Madam Pomfrey said, “I can see that, but it is no longer necessary.”

He didn’t know what to do with that idea right now. “When the potion wears off, I don’t want to feel my broken bones anymore. It’s been years. Please,” he begged. There had been a time when Gideon had too much pride to beg. He was far beyond that now.

Madam Pomfrey looked worried and uncertain, not emotions he would normally have associated with the steady matron, but she nodded at him. “If you insist, we can do it that way, but you will have to come to the infirmary. It might be best to do that anyway.”

“I want to keep them here,” Molly said. “We can take care of them just fine.”

It seemed Madam Pomfrey knew exactly how difficult his big sister was going to be, judging by the hefty sigh she let out before turning to face Molly. “I can’t allow that. Not with everything that has to be healed.”

“I have dealt with skelegro patients plenty of times before,” Molly argued.

“Even I have never regrown forty-eight bones at once, Molly. And that’s just what I can tell initially. There are undoubtedly more. He will likely need my assistance through the night.”

Gideon felt the blood drain from his face. As with the diagnostic, he knew how bad his body was, but hearing it from someone else was horrifying. Apparently Molly agreed because she started crying again and whispered, “Okay. The infirmary.”

Waving her wand at him again, Madam Pomfrey rechecked the diagnostic and told him to remove his shirt. The response from all those who hadn’t been there when he was returned to human form was outright horror. He was grateful when Madam Pomfrey stepped in front of him so that the others weren’t able to see as much of him. Gideon wanted to hunch in on himself again, but he knew she would chastise him if he did.

Slowly, she began moving around him, healing curse wounds that had never stopped seeping blood and pus and hurting constantly. He couldn’t feel the pain right now, but he was still relieved as he felt his skin finally knitting back together properly.

“Madam Pomfrey?” a young woman’s voice questioned. The girl.

“Yes, Miss Granger?” the matron returned absentmindedly, her fingers on Gideon’s ribs.

“Gideon’s diagnostic says he is 26. I thought they were 23 when… it happened,” Miss Granger carefully said.

With a wave of Madam Pomfrey’s wand, a diagnostic appeared over Fabian’s head.

There were sounds of confusion as everyone took in the fact that his twin was somehow three years younger than himself.

“How is that possible?” Molly asked.

Madam Pomfrey was silent for a few moments before speaking to Gideon.

“Were you a cat the whole time?” she asked as she continued feeling around, testing his ribs now and making notes, presumably on which ones would have to go.

Images slammed through his memory, the back and forth between being a cat and the terrifying, painful torture each time he was forced into human form. The constant taunts that no one cared that he was here, that his family had abandoned him, all while they shot curses at him, broke his bones and beat him and burned him. Had those interludes lasted days? Weeks? Sometimes months? He honestly had no idea. They were just a blur of pain and fear and horror.

“No,” he choked out. “Not always.”

The look of pity in her eyes was overwhelming. He had never considered how he would feel about his ordeal after the fact. Once the first bit had passed, once they took Fabian away and he never came back, Gideon had stopped imagining an after. Now that there was one, he wasn’t sure how he was going to cope with it.

He felt his breathing starting to come in gasps. Madam Pomfrey was saying something to him. Focus, count the things around you. He couldn’t. Merlin, how was he supposed to do that when he couldn’t breathe? Everything seemed to be swirling and darkening. Too many lights and sounds and people in the room. How was he supposed to live in this world?

A small hand appeared on his arm. Honey-colored eyes bore into his and he realized they were like an anchor, something he could cling to. Warm and soft, with long lashes that sprung every which way. That explained the hair too. When she spoke, the corners of her eyes squinted and wrinkled. What was she saying? More important, what was a girl that young doing with worry lines? Suddenly, sound returned and he was painfully aware of his deep breaths. It took him a moment to realize that Fabian had crawled over and was rubbing against his legs.

Madam Pomfrey was looking at Miss Granger as though she had never seen the girl before, though they clearly knew one another. Gideon could see the matron’s eyes flicking between the three of them. He wondered as his world came slowly back into focus if she was making some kind of connection he should understand.

Still breathing heavily, Gideon finally felt calm enough to tell them all he was okay. Madam Pomfrey gave a single nod, but moved on. Almost talking to herself, she said, “24 hours, maybe 36, and this should all be taken care of, though you will need to rest for some time after that. But at least there won’t be pain any longer.”

“I’m not sure I’ll know what to do with myself if I’m no longer in pain.” The words slipped out of him before he could think to hold them back. Gideon heard Molly sob into Arthur’s shoulder.

“You’ll learn,” the matron said confidently. “I’ve always known you to be a fast learner.” She gave him a small smile then. High praise from her.

She moved suddenly enough that Gideon flinched, even though she had been turning away from him. Any fast movement was a reminder that he could be hurt at a moment’s notice. He hated it, hated that he had learned to live that way.

Madam Pomfrey was now approaching Fabian, who had managed to get out of the pants Hermione put on him and was working on the shirt. “You will keep your clothes on, young man,” Madam Pomfrey snapped with a slightly horrified tone. Gideon wasn’t sure of the spell she used, but the pants were instantly back on Fabian’s body and, from the way he was tugging at them, fixed to stay that way.

With Bill’s help, Madam Pomfrey coaxed Fabian to sit on the other end of the sofa like a human. As she started prodding and probing at him, he reacted as a cat might - alternately making a purring noise and leaning into the touch, then hissing and twisting away. When she was studying the poorly healed bones in his legs, Fabian actually batted at her with what would have been his claws if he had any.

The girl lightly smacked the back of Fabian’s hand and chastised him. “Absolutely not. We don’t act like that as humans.”

Fabian gave her a disgruntled yowl back, but allowed the medical exam to continue. Gideon noticed the confused looks everyone gave them, but neither Fabian nor Miss Granger seemed aware.

‘Crookshanks’ she had called him before she had known Gideon wasn’t his brother. Fabian had been a cat named Crookshanks, and he had been the girl’s familiar.

“How long was he her cat?” he asked George, who had sat down next to him.

After a moment’s thought, George said, “About five years now. She was a third year when she got him. The shop said they’d had him forever. He was such an arrogant arsehole of a cat that no one had wanted him. Hermione took one look and thought he was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.”

“The girl clearly has no taste,” Gideon said, falling into a banter as easy as breathing, like he and Fabian had shared. He had laughed, but now his heart clenched at the thought and the strange, cat-like noises his brother was making across the room. He remembered, vividly, what it had been like to fight years of feline instincts trying to take over his humanity. And it had been fewer years in cat form when Dolohov had returned and begun regularly changing him back to toy with and torture. He couldn’t quite imagine what almost 20 years as a cat would do to the mind. What if Fabian couldn’t get past that?

George laughed. “We all told her so and she told us off for it. She’s a spitfire when she’s mad.” His voice dropped low, “Riling her up just to see her angry used to be Fred’s favorite pastime. He said it was worth whatever she did to him.”

Gideon wanted to say more, but his brother had just been helped to stand for the first time and somehow at the same time figured out how to undo Madam Pomfrey’s spell that kept his pants on. Worse, this time Fabian had discovered his cock. He was clearly quite impressed by it and ready to prowl about showing the ladies, were there any around. Like any tomcat would be. Gideon felt himself blushing profusely, looking away from his twin. George was snickering next to him.

Sighing as she cast the spell again, Madam Pomfrey looked back to Molly and Arthur. “He will need a Mind Healer to work on his speech and remember how to be a human. He has spent nearly as long being a cat as a man. It may take longer than we would all like. Gideon, you would do well to see the Mind Healer as well.”

He felt puzzled. Though he could deduce what a Mind Healer helped with, he had never heard of one before. Gideon wasn’t sure if it was a new field or just something he hadn’t come into contact with previously. “I’m quite aware of my humanity, thank you,” he said.

Madam Pomfrey gave him that pitying look again. “Mind healers are also recommended after facing… the sorts of things you have been through. It will be part of your recovery process.”

“Hermione needs that, too,” Bill said suddenly, though he looked guilty the moment the words were out.

The girl, still standing next to Fabian, squeaked. Hermione was her name. Hermione Granger. And Hermione was currently very upset with his nephew. She sounded almost as cat-like as Fabian when she hissed, “You and Fleur swore you wouldn’t-”

“I haven’t told anyone anything,” Bill replied with a tired look, “but if she’s arranging Mind Healers, you need one, too.”

“Why would she need a Mind Healer?” Molly demanded, eyes darting between Bill and Hermione.

“She’s just been through a war, Mum,” Bill said uncomfortably. “They… we probably all need one. Harry would be a priority, too.”

Madam Pomfrey nodded, silencing whatever Molly intended to argue next with a look. “I will see to it.”

“But-” Hermione began, quelled almost immediately by a sharp look her way. Sighing, she seemed to give up. Gideon couldn’t help but wonder what she had been through, and how Bill knew about it.

“I need to move them to Hogwarts now,” Madam Pomfrey said.

Molly jerked away from Arthur again, “No! They should stay a little longer.”

“You are welcome to join us, Molly, but you will need to calm down,” Madam Pomfrey said without even looking up from the Healer’s kit she was rummaging in.

“Fine,” Molly said after a moment, “What can I do to help?”

************

Hermione was relieved - and ashamed of herself for feeling that way - that Fabian and Gideon would soon be gone. The way Fabian constantly followed her on all fours like he was still a cat and Gideon watched her with something between curiosity and distrust was making her feel vaguely ill. She was mortified that she hadn’t seen what they were before now. Fabian, at least. There hadn’t been much time with Gideon at all, so she didn’t have to feel so badly about him, but she honestly still did. He had just been through so very much.

Bill, Fred, and George followed Molly’s commands to gather more clothes for Fabian and Gideon. Arthur grabbed a quill and parchment to scrawl a note for the other children when they arrived home to an empty house. She couldn’t imagine that he was telling him their long lost uncles had appeared via a note but it was essential these days to let everyone know if you weren’t where you were supposed to be. People would panic otherwise.

Of course, she would still be here to tell them, but perhaps Arthur hadn’t thought of that. Hermione was interested in the Prewett twins’ miraculous return, but her guilt and the intense emotional toll of the last few days meant that she just wanted to go to bed. And she wasn’t family. They were better off without another person crowding them.

“I’ll bring Fabian through,” Molly told Madam Pomfrey, “And Arthur can bring Gideon.” Apparently she had decided it was Fabian who needed a firmer hand. Bill and Fred helped the man to a standing position, letting him lean somewhat against Molly as she started to pull him into the floo with her.

Suddenly, Fabian yowled and jerked away, falling to the floor before anyone could get a hold on him. Scampering on all fours, he raced across the room, flinging himself at Hermione. She squeaked as the impact of his body on hers flung her into the doorframe she had been heading through. There were screams across the room, but Hermione couldn’t hear them as the world went black around her.

Chapter Text

When Hermione awoke, she was blinking up at a familiar ceiling - that of the Hogwarts hospital wing. Sometimes she felt like she had spent more time in this place than in her actual dorm room. She felt her forehead crinkle as Hermione realized the dorm room wasn’t where she should be right now either. Squinting her eyes, she started trying to piece together exactly what had happened to her, but no clues came until she noticed the voices.

The voices were nearby, and she could hear scuffling sounds as if someone was being subdued. Or at least the sounds of people trying to subdue someone. The strange part was that a human voice kept making strange cat noises and- Oh. Fabian. She remembered.

Gingerly, Hermione worked to sit up. She was surprised when Harry appeared beside her, pressing her shoulder down and offering a potion. “Madam Pomfrey said you have to drink this when you wake up or you’ll be dizzy,” he told her.

“Did… I think I remember being knocked down,” she stated questioningly.

Harry nodded. “That’s what I’ve heard. By the human cat that no one has gotten around to explaining yet.”

“Crookshanks,” she said as he slowly helped her raise up to a sitting position so she could watch the chaos across the room.

“Why are there two of him? Wait.” Hermione could see her best friend using his uncanny intuition to connect the dots. “The bloke who isn’t a cat - he was the skinny version, wasn’t he? The one Fred and George had talked about seeing out by the shop.”

“Yes,” she agreed.

“Then who’s the extra? Did Fred and George somehow double him? If Crookshanks was in Australia…”

But the mention of Australia had reminded her of her parents and Hermione felt an emotional storm coming on. Suddenly the whole story was pouring out of her. Quietly, of course. The Weasleys had enough problems of their own to be dealing with without hers added, but she and Harry talked for some time while the other people in the room struggled with Fabian. By the time she had finished her story she was silently crying but trying to hide it as Fabian grew even more cantankerous.

Gideon tried to help, but Fabian swiped at him with what would have been his claws and knocked his brother back. If George hadn’t caught him, the poor man probably would have added yet another broken bone or more to his collection. George seemed to have convinced Gideon to lay down instead, bringing Madam Pomfrey bustling over for a few minutes, waving her wand in intricate patterns, before heading back to the ongoing fight with Fabian.

Ron and Ginny, who must have arrived with Harry, seemed in awe of the entire situation, not helping, but not getting in the way either. Hermione was just happy Ron was giving her this time with Harry. It had been hard to find time to talk with him since she and Ron had broken things off.

Calming as Harry simply rubbed her back, promising that she always had family in him, Hermione watched over Harry’s shoulder as George poured some potion down Gideon’s throat. The man looked almost instantly pained, but he set his jaw and murmured something to George that made him hesitantly nod before leaving to join his siblings and parents.

Fabian suddenly burst away from the crowd. He bounded across beds, leaping with powerful legs and catching himself with equally strong arms, until he skidded to a halt on the bed next to her. More gently than before, he approached her, leaning over to sniff at her even as Harry got between them in a protective stance.

He meowed at her, and for the first time, she could somewhat understand what he was trying to say. “Sorry,” came through despite the distortion of the word. He tried to get closer to her, but Harry held him back.

“I think it’s okay, Harry,” Hermione told him, reaching over to the redhead to scratch his head like she knew Crookshanks loved. “If he’s not charging at me, he’s not so intimidating.”

Harry nodded, but stayed close as he moved slightly out of the way. Fabian moved forward to rub his head along her arm and shoulder.

“Fabian!” Molly scolded as she stormed across the room, “That is enough of your nonsense. You’re not Hermione’s familiar anymore and you have to leave the poor girl alone. Hermione, stop petting him.”

Growling at his sister, Fabian moved even closer, suddenly hopping up on the bed, thankfully near Hermione’s feet. “Crookshanks!” she snapped without meaning to. His head swung around and he grinned at her.

Hermione had a split second to realize her mistake before he was moving up the bed, pushing her down onto it as he went, until his nose was buried in her neck and his long body was pressing her down into the mattress. It was exactly how Crookshanks liked to sleep. There was just so much more of him now. Fabian purred on top of her and it sent an electric current through Hermione that she had never experienced before.

She could feel people trying to jerk Fabian off of her, but he didn’t budge. His heartbeat was steady against her rapid one. Hermione wasn’t scared precisely, but having someone Fabian’s size on top of her was uncomfortable, especially when she knew there was nothing she could do to remove him. Well, unless she used a burst of magic to throw him off. She felt an almost instant calm as she realized she wasn’t trapped.

Then he nuzzled into her neck and set her heart off again for a completely different reason. Hermione’s breath stuttered as the cat-man on top of her shifted with his efforts not to be pulled away. Through the thin hospital trousers they were each wearing, Hermione could feel a hardening bulge.

Fabian pulled his head away from her neck rather suddenly, his purr turning somehow darker. His eyes met hers and dilated almost completely black as his heart rate picked up. Merlin, she had never been this close to a man before. Not like this.

His lips were lowering closer to her own when he was hauled backwards. Hermione saw that it was taking the combined efforts of Ron, Harry, Bill, and Arthur to pull Fabian off of her. Holding back an unwanted whimper at the loss of his heat and the way he felt against her, she was determined to ignore the thought that she would have been okay with them leaving him there.

“Are you okay, Mione?” Ron rushed out, grabbing her hand as though he had a right to it.

Hermione instantly felt the waspish need to lash out at him, though she tried to hold back somewhat. “I’m fine. I accidentally called him… his other name, so he acted like him.”

“Bloody weird that you would call a human by that arsehole cat’s name,” Ron said.

Harry laughed. “He literally was that arsehole cat. Guess he’s not going to be your favorite Uncle.”

Fabian was fighting hard to get back to her. The sounds he was making were breaking Hermione’s heart. She didn’t want him on top of her, but she didn’t want him to be miserable, either.

“Is there anything we can do to help him calm down?” she asked loudly. At her voice, Fabian quieted. His wide eyes were watching her.

Madam Pomfrey arrived at that moment with a potion. “Of course,” she snapped at Hermione.

In her younger years, Hermione would have been terribly hurt and offended by Madam Pomfrey’s tone, but now she could see the careworn lines on the older woman’s face and she understood the toll the war had taken on all of them. No one was unaffected and Madam Pomfrey had seen the worst of it up close and personal in the aftermath.

Hermione watched as the men held Fabian back and tried to force him to drink. He did that thing again, where he turned in ways no human body should be able to, twisting out of their hands.

“Fabian!” Hermione snapped before she could think better of it. She noticed the reproachful looks she was getting from several of them, but the way he instantly stopped fighting seemed to win over some of them.

His wide eyes turned to her and he gave a mournful “meroww.”

“Yes,” she said, hoping she wasn’t agreeing to anything, “but you need to drink the potion.”

Fabian stared at her wistfully, then nodded once, the man shining through for a brief second. He reached out, taking the potion from Fred, and drank it down. Within moments, he sagged between George and Bill, head lolling as he was instantly asleep. Carefully, they started dragging him back to the bed he had been in. But it felt wrong.

“Wait,” she called. She bit her lip, wondering if she should say what she was thinking. “Maybe it would be best if you put him in the bed next to mine.”

“Mione, he’ll be on top of you again if we leave him that close!” Ron said.

“It’s sweet of you to offer, dear,” Molly told her, “but he really has to learn how to get on without you.”

Hermione nodded, carefully keeping her emotions in check. She didn’t really want Molly to know that having him across the room felt uncomfortable to her, too. That knowledge felt… more private than that and she worried about how the matriarch would take it.

As Molly helped get Fabian settled in bed, Madam Pomfrey came back to Hermione and began running diagnostics. “You’ve mostly recovered from the slight concussion, but Miss Granger, your body is not well. You must rest. And you are in dire need of nutrition. I have a few potions for you to take and then you’re going back to sleep.”

“But-”

“Mione, please just do what she says,” Harry begged. “I took some of the nutrition potions already. They really do help.”

“You did?” she asked.

He nodded. “The Aurors wouldn’t let me start training until I did.”

“Fine,” she agreed, somewhat irritated, but also relieved. She did feel drained and, honestly, she didn’t feel like she should leave with Fabian still here. And Gideon. She didn’t know him, and he had never been her familiar. She still felt oddly drawn to him. Drinking down her potions, those were her last thoughts before sleep hit her like another wall.

****************

Gideon’s back arched off the bed as he struggled to keep himself from making any noise. We’re back in the cage. No one is coming for us. We’ve been abandoned to the pain and we will not scream for these bastards.

He wanted to scream. Needed to so that the pain had somewhere to go. But he wouldn’t, like he had refused so many times before. He couldn’t wake his twin. Or Madam Pomfrey. Or the girl. He didn’t want anyone to know, despite the fact that he was afraid he might break his teeth from how hard he was clenching his jaw.

I’ve been through worse, he kept telling himself, but he hadn’t dealt with Skelegro in twenty years. It felt almost as bad as the cruciatus when it covered this much of his body. He hated to admit it, but Madam Pomfrey was right. He should have let her do a few bones at a time. Perhaps his hands first, then another area. It didn’t matter now. What was done was done.

It would only be a day or so.

Sweat clung to him as Gideon panted helplessly. In a vague kind of way, he wondered if one could lose their mind from this pain. He had held onto it through everything else, even if it was tattered and barely there. It would be just his luck to finally be human again, without the threat of ever being tortured again, and go mad from the pain of healing.

A cool, wet flannel suddenly appeared on his forehead. Gideon was so startled that he almost screamed in surprise. He only held back because he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop if he did. Wanting badly to reach up and grab the hand that was attached to that cloth, he knew he wasn’t able to. Any tiny movement shot excruciating pain through the areas the new bones were growing in.

He was fighting to breathe normally as the cloth moved across his face. Gideon allowed his eyes to open. The low light didn’t hurt exactly. It was just that having them screwed shut made it easier to shut out the pain. Despite the darkness, he could make out dark bushy curls and honey colored eyes that almost glowed in the dark. Like a cat’s, he couldn’t help but think. Looking at her made his instincts purr. But then another stab of pain shot through him - along his arms and legs, his hands, his ribcage - and he couldn’t worry about it.

Gideon came off the bed again, gritting his teeth, but trying to gasp for air at the same time. He heard a whispered spell and then Hermione turned to him. “I’ve put up a silencing spell. You can make whatever noise you need to make.”

“I don’t… fuck,” he swore softly as another wave of pain rolled through him.

“I’ve never had to have Skelegro, but I’ve experienced other things. You’re clearly in a lot of pain,” she said matter-of-factly. Her small hands were still gently wiping at his brow, cooling him down. “You’re feverish, too. I should probably wake Madam Pomfrey.”

“No. She can’t help… Skelegro only works if you take nothing else with it,” Gideon said, gasping at the end as his body began shaking hard, wracked with more pain than he could ever remember facing before at one time. “How… how did you know I…” He didn’t know how to phrase his question. He didn’t want to admit that he had needed her as a distraction. Or draw his twin’s attention to the fact that the woman he had clearly claimed as his own was tending to him, instead.

“That it would help to have someone here?” Hermione finished for him. “I could hear the bed creaking. You were about to fall and crack your head open when I came over here,” she explained as she soothed a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. Gideon tried to draw away from her, sure the girl must be disgusted by him, but he also felt himself wanting to lean in to the stroking.

Shaking from the pain, he fought off the urge to get closer to Hermione. It would feel better, part of him was insisting, but he couldn’t - wouldn’t - let it happen. He had been nursing a growing dislike for her since he watched Fabian practically fly across the room to be near her. It had been somewhat hard to watch even when he was still a cat, but seeing his twin’s attachment to the girl now, Gideon wanted nothing to do with her. Except, something about her felt so fucking familiar. What she was doing felt so good. And what if he had to be close to her if he didn’t want to lose Fabian completely? And then there were those eyes.

Suddenly, another wave of pain washed through his body and Gideon lost the battle to hold in his screams. Hermione had her hand resting lightly on his head. He wanted to tell her it was unnecessary to be there for him, but he could only stop screaming now to take ragged breaths between screams. And… as much as he didn’t want to admit it, having her there was comforting. She was leaning on the side of the bed and he turned his face into her stomach so that he didn’t have to think about her staring down at him while he was contorting in pain.

Gideon had no idea if minutes or hours had passed when Madam Pomfrey stormed into their bubble. “What is the meaning of this silencing charm, Miss Granger?”

“He didn’t want to bother anyone and this way he could cope with the pain more readily,” Hermione told her without blinking. It took a strong person to stand up to Madam Pomfrey. Then again, it took a strong person to stand by someone in the condition he was in, too. Gideon was fighting hard to hold his screams down to whimpers and groans but he wasn’t sure how long he could manage it.

“You get back to bed and let me tend my patient.”

“But he-”

“You may go to bed by yourself, or should I make you take another sleeping potion?” Madam Pomfrey threatened mildly.

Hermione turned and marched back to her bed, huffing. Gideon wanted to laugh if he had been physically able.

“I wouldn’t laugh too hard, Prewett,” Madam Pomfrey informed him. “I believe I told you this was a terrible idea. Let me at least put some salve on you to help the aching. You should have told that girl to come get me.”

“You said… wasn’t anything you could do,” he gasped through the pain.

“I lied,” she said primly. “I was trying to convince you to make the better choice.”

“Now I know for next time,” he grunted, trying to keep what humor he could.

The salve she put on him helped, though not enough to let him rest. Still, he wasn’t screaming anymore, and after a few more hours, his exhaustion overwhelmed the pain and Gideon finally fell into a fitful sleep.

Chapter Text

Hermione snuggled into the warmth beside her. She couldn’t exactly remember why she felt so warm, but it was lovely.

“Fabian Ignatius Prewett!” Molly Weasley screamed from far closer than Hermione would have preferred. Unfortunately it was quickly followed by, “Hermione Jean Granger!”

In confusion, Hermione blinked her eyes slowly open and tried to move her head up to see what was happening. She was entirely blocked by a wide, shirtless, male chest and strong arms that held her tightly to it. Oh Merlin. As her brain slowly came to life - mornings were not her best time, especially after a sleeping potion - Hermione realized the chest was covered in a light smattering of red hair and deduced that Fabian Prewett was possessively holding her against himself. Lovely.

Fabian was growling at his sister and curling more tightly around Hermione. Only now was she aware enough to realize that their legs were intertwined and he didn’t seem to be wearing his sleep trousers. She tried to squirm away from him, but he held her tight. Molly was yelling again, but Hermione couldn’t discern what she was saying. She honestly just wanted Molly to stop yelling so she could sink back into the warmth of sleep, even if it meant being held in a stranger’s arms. She had slept with him for years, after all.

Unfortunately, there was no possibility that Molly would let that happen. Hermione’s voice was muffled when she called, “Molly, please! He won’t let me go while you’re yelling, and his arms keep getting tighter.”

For the moment, at least, Molly stopped. Fabian loosened his grip and looked down at Hermione now. His eyes were curious as he nuzzled her head with his nose, sniffing. She managed to maneuver enough that she got her hands between their chests and pushed away from him slightly.

“Fabian, I need to get up.” He didn’t move. “Fabian. I have to use the loo.”

Nothing. Rolling her eyes, Hermione said, “Crookshanks, let me up!”

He smiled and released her immediately. Hermione scrambled out of bed before he could change his mind, rushing to stand behind Molly.

“Are you okay, dear?” Molly asked her kindly.

Hermione heaved a sigh of relief before answering. She hadn’t been at all sure that Molly wouldn’t blame her for waking up with Fabian in her bed. “I’m okay. A bit squished, maybe, and not pleased to be awake so early, but all right.”

Molly chuckled and patted her on the cheek. “It’s after lunch, dear. You’ve all slept so long.”

“All of us?” Hermione questioned, her eyes skimming around the room. Harry was blinking sleepily from his bed. Fabian was looking grumpy in hers. And Gideon was completely passed out, dead to the world, in his.

“All of you, thank Merlin,” Madam Pomfrey confirmed, a subtle glance toward Gideon giving Hermione the idea that Madam Pomfrey was letting her specifically know he had been sleeping for some time. She was immensely grateful to know. “But the Mind Healer will be here soon and you all need nutrition potions and food between now and then.”

The hospital ward was a sudden flurry of activity everywhere except Gideon’s warded bed. It seemed that Madam Pomfrey had cast a silencing charm to keep him from hearing them as well.

While Molly and the Weasley siblings were busy trying to get Fabian to put clothes back on - Hermione was absolutely not going to think about the apparent fact that she had been sleeping with a naked man in her bed - she snuck off to speak to Madam Pomfrey. “Is he sleeping because the Skelegro is done?”

“I wouldn’t call it done - he shouldn’t move for some time yet while the bones solidify, but he’s through the worst part of it.”

“Is he not seeing the Mind Healer today?” Hermione asked.

“He is. But he can go last and sleep until then.”

Hermione nodded. Nervously, she questioned, “Who is going first?”

“Fabian Ignatius Prewett!” Molly’s piercing cry came from across the ward again.

“That one,” Madam Pomfrey said dryly. “If he can remember some of his humanity, it would be very helpful.”

Hermione certainly agreed with that. Her thoughts were scattered when a man walked in the room. He was short, with a kind face. His hair was wild, probably brown or black at one time but mostly grey now. When he cleared his throat it was less of command and more gently prodding everyone into silence. Hermione found that she liked his gentle way in a room full of chaos instantly.

Smiling around the room, he said, “Hello. I normally introduce myself individually, but as I’ve been told I’m seeing a crowd whose lives are intertwined, let me start off with a group introduction. I am Healer Mitchell. I began working with the mind after the First Wizarding War and unfortunately have a lot of experience helping people deal with traumatic experiences of various natures. Madam Pomfrey asked for me to come and speak with all of you, suggesting that you would all benefit from my specific specialities. I am sorry to hear it, but I am glad we’re here to work on it.”

Speech finished, he shrunk back into himself a bit, looking relieved. Hermione suspected he wasn’t the kind of man who was inclined to speak to more than one person at a time if he could help it.

Madam Pomfrey walked over and spoke with him for a few minutes gesturing none too subtly at Fabian. Before long, Healer Mitchell knelt down beside Fabian and began coaxing him into Madam Pomfrey’s office. Fabian turned to look back at Hermione and she smiled, nodded, and waved him in. He still looked uncertain, but went. Thank Merlin.

Hermione was soon very grateful that Ron had appeared with some exploding snap cards. She needed something to think about besides the two cats-turned-men that were a strange new part of her- the Weasley’s life.

They weren’t a part of her life technically, maybe just peripherally? And yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were so important. Logically they didn’t want or need her near them. But she somehow felt like she should be anyway. Maybe just the trauma from the war, Crookshanks was her familiar and beloved pet. After all, losing a partner like that after already seeing so much death couldn’t be healthy. Hopefully Healer Mitchell could help her sort it out.

******

Fabian felt… confused more than anything. His head was spinning as he tried to process the memories Healer Mitchell had retrieved from the depths of his mind.

Humanity. Walking upright - though his long human legs weren’t as good at supporting his form, crooked as they were - was a way to get to higher things. And faster, sometimes. Human speech would let him communicate. His Hermione was the only one who had understood him at all until now, and only sometimes with her. He could explain things now. If he remembered how to form the words.

Thinking of his girl made him confused between growling and purring, a decisively human confusion. Healer Mitchell said she wasn’t his and that he needed to forget about her. It had been hard - impossible, really - to explain that he couldn’t. It was the Healer he needed to growl at. He wanted to purr for Hermione, wanted her to pet him and tell him what a good boy he was.

But he wasn’t a cat (apparently), he was human. He could identify the thoughts, the ones that belonged to Crookshanks. He was Crookshanks, too, but Healer Mitchell had suggested that it would be easier to embrace his humanity if he gave his cat thoughts to Crookshanks and separated himself from them. Fabian wasn’t sure he liked that, or that he even could, but he had promised, in halting speech, to try.

It wasn’t that it was hard to remember who he had been. He wasn’t sure how Healer Mitchell had brought back those old memories but they were there. Crookshanks hadn’t thought of them in many years. But the human world didn’t seem particularly nice, at least when compared to the cosy life of a cat, prowling the castle and lazily lounging on his girl. It hardly seemed worth it to be human, but he supposed that he didn’t have much of a choice nowadays.

As he stepped outside the office on unsteady legs, his eyes flicked around to first find the wild hair that marked his Hermione. He had always been able to find her easily, no matter how far he had wandered. It was like she was connected, and if he just followed the trail it would always lead to her. Just like the other one used to… Gideon. His brother. His twin. Pain throbbed through him when he reached out for that connection. It was cold, empty. Nothing like his Hermione. Did Gideon feel it, too? Had it always been like that? How had Fabian not noticed it before, even if his mind was more cat than human?

Finally, his eyes sought out a third person, Molly. She had thought they were dead. A cat had no need for tears but understood them all the same. The animal part of him could feel her fear and grief still through the cloud of noise. It told him to go comfort her. To lay on her lap and let her pet him until she calmed down. What did humans do instead? Talk? He thought he remembered talking.

Did he go to her first? Or to Gideon? He analyzed the room, categorizing things as the “before” version of Fabian had often done. Gideon was napping. He wasn’t in sunshine, so Fabian didn’t really see the point, but he wouldn’t pounce him unless he slept too long. That left Molly his litter- sister. His human sister.

He moved slowly. There was pain shooting up his legs and he felt like he might collapse. Fabian knew he must have made some sort of sound when several of the others were rushing toward him. His instinct was to pull away, to run or hide, but he wouldn’t have gotten far. He was starting to really dislike his nephews and brother-in-law. They kept wrestling him around and he did not appreciate it one bit.

A hand suddenly clapped his shoulder lightly. Healer Mitchell was standing behind him. Bill reached them first as Healer Mitchell asked, “Your legs are hurting?”

“Y-yes,” Fabian said slowly, wondering if the healer had been a cat too for his innate understanding.

Turning to Bill, the Healer suggested, “Perhaps you could help him to a bed and I will send Poppy to help after I have a word with her.”

Fabian noticed Hermione watching their exchange avidly, and their progress to the bed, but she didn’t come over to him. It worried him more than he would have liked. The cat had rarely worried. He just did what was needed to take care of his Hermione as best he could and announced to her when it was time to take care of him. She wasn’t looking at him the same way now and it… Fabian wanted to purr or rub his face against her to let her know how he felt about it, what he needed from her. But that sort of behavior wasn’t human and he didn’t know how to otherwise translate it.

Madam Pomfrey appeared in front of him. He remembered her, from today but also from before, when he and Gideon were kits, marking this castle as their hunting grounds. And she clearly remembered him. She smiled at him fondly and said, “It is good to have you back, Fabian Prewett.”

Haltingly, he replied, “I-it is good to be back.”

She smiled more broadly at his words, and launched into an explanation that left his head spinning with information. The most important part, he was certain of. “Yes, please fix my legs.”

“You understand it will hurt?” she asked.

Fabian nodded, remembering that Healer Mitchell had said that was appropriate. It was certainly easier than talking about it. Crookshanks knew pain just as well as the human Fabian had. He could accept this along with the rest. As he lay back and felt the odd sensations as Madam Pomfrey removed the bones from his legs, Fabian tried to calm himself, and desperately tried not to watch his girl or his twin. No matter how much he wanted them both close.

***********

Hermione had watched as Fabian came out of that office seeming mostly human. There was still… something in his eyes when he looked at her, but she did as Molly and Madam Pomfrey had asked and didn’t try to talk to him about it, didn’t go to him at all. A large part of her hated it, screamed that they had no right to keep her separated from her beloved pet. But it was illogical and any closeness would just make it harder for him. She didn’t want to hurt his progress, even if the need to go to him felt like an itching under her skin.

Harry went in with Healer Mitchell next. He came out looking happier and more confident in himself than Hermione had seen him in some time, maybe ever. It gave her hope that this wouldn’t just be a horrible exercise in anxiety. She sighed. If nothing else, she would figure out what she was going to do with herself.

“Hermione Granger?” Healer Mitchell asked, appearing beside her.

“Yes, that’s me,” she said, swallowing hard around the sudden knot in her throat.

“Do you mind coming with me?” he asked.

“I don’t think I really have a choice,” she responded.

The man smiled gently. “There is always a choice.”

But he caught the look Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Weasley were giving her and chuckled softly. “Some choices just aren’t very appealing,” he said as he led her into the impromptu office.

There was a large, plush chair and a lounging sofa in the room as well as the straight chair that Healer Mitchell sat down in, pulling a little table up close for his notepad. Beyond that, the room was decorated in pristine whites except for the models of body parts. Those reminded Hermione of muggle science class when she was young and she felt a pang of nostalgia. Her parents had a tooth like that in their office.

She was crying and talking before she had fully sat down, babbling incoherently about muggle science models and the experiments she and her Dad used to do on the weekends. Hermione talked and cried. Healer Mitchell let her, encouraging her to let it out.

“You made the best choice available to you at the time,” the Healer assured her. “This guilt could crush you, Hermione, but it is unnecessary. As you said, they are safe, and they are happy. The important thing for you to do now is grieve for your own loss.”

“I don’t deserve to-”

“You absolutely do,” he told her. There is no one going around deciding if anyone’s sadness is valid enough. You have lost something vitally important to you, and you have a right to feel your emotions about it.”

Hermione almost sobbed again when she whispered, “Thank you.”

“Well we’ve made a lot of progress on your parents,” he said, “but this is more than one session-”

“Wait, please,” she begged, sniffling though her tears had finally dried some time before. “I’m not… not ready. There is so much more to say. More to- we didn’t even talk about Crookshanks.”

Healer Mitchell paused. “Do you have a lot to say about Crookshanks? Or is it more about Fabian?” he asked.

“They’re the same person,” Hermione responded, hoping her shock didn’t come through. How could his Mind Healer not see that?

“Yes and no,” the Healer said. “Fabian was a man before and will be again. Someday he can see that Crookshanks is a part of himself. For now, for his healing, I have advised that he give his cat thoughts to Crookshanks, separating Fabian and his cat self. It’s a method we use sometimes to help those who have very disjointed personalities.”

“It sounds like you’re asking him to give up part of himself,” Hermione said disapprovingly before she could catch herself. She didn’t mean to question the man. He was a professional after all. But… she could feel Fabian. And she knew, somehow, that he needed to be Crookshanks as much as he needed to relearn how to be a human.

Nodding sagely, Healer Mitchell said, “I’m sure it seems that way, especially when you were so close to Crookshanks. But you need help as well and we cannot repair other’s boats while our own are sinking. He needs to focus on himself. You need to focus on yourself..”

Bristling under the man’s light chastisement, Hermione gave a curt nod and rose from her seat. Talking to him about her parents, listening to his advice, had been cathartic and helpful. But she couldn’t help but feel he was wrong about Fabian. Still, she left the office at a carefully sedate pace. Showing her worry wouldn’t help him any; there was already a hint of concern.

Off to the side, Hermione noticed as Madam Pomfrey woke Gideon and sent him in. He was floated into the office, and presumably onto a bed of some sort inside. His bones were still hardening, Hermione knew.

She looked around the room, feeling somewhat displaced. The session had been good, but… she felt like running away now. She wasn’t even sure from what. The feeling was just so intense. So… not hers. And not Fabian’s either, she guessed, based on how animatedly he was responding to being the center of attention with his family.

Gideon. She realized it suddenly, though it made no sense. She had felt… something when their eyes met, or a wave of something now and then when he was overwhelmed. But that couldn’t mean she was actually experiencing some kind of connection to him like she had to Fabian. Could it? Was there even a connection with Fabian or was she imagining it all, clinging to what she had left in her life?

There was another wave of overwhelming anxiety, fear, loneliness. There was no mistaking it as her own. The loneliness maybe, but not the fear, or even the anxiety. She felt an immediate sense that she should go to Gideon, be with him through whatever of his former ordeals he had to face. Hermione shook herself, trying to be reasonable. Why would some stranger even care if she was there?

Instead, she focused on walking away, moving toward the group around Fabian’s bedside. There was suddenly a hand on her arm.

Madam Pomfrey’s expression was sad, but her tone was still firm. “No, child. He needs to recover, not be reminded. Stay away,” the matron said.

“Then where will I go?” Hermione asked. She felt bereft and she wasn’t sure whose emotion it was. She couldn’t be sure if it was one of theirs or if she just felt pushed away from the only family she had left.

“As much as I would like to keep you here another night, it might be best if you go up to your new room in the tower,” Madam Pomfrey suggested.

“New room?” Hermione asked distractedly, her eyes on Fabian and the way he was batting chess pieces around the board as Ron laughed and tried to explain how they were supposed to be used.

“The summer term starts tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow!?!?” Hermione jolted. “Already?!? I’m not prepared! I don’t even have the books and I haven’t done any reading or-”

“You haven’t changed a bit, child,” Madam Pomfrey laughed. “Your books are taken care of and I am sure you are somehow still ahead of all the other students in your reading. Go speak with Professor McGonagall since you’ve missed the opening feast, she'll cover anything important.”

For the first time since she woke, Hermione felt enthusiastic about something. With barely more than a glance back, she left the hospital wing, not noticing the way Fabian’s eyes tracked her, and so happy she didn’t feel two sources of distress at her sudden distance.

*************

Gideon gasped when he felt the connection pull tight. Then it felt like she was gone and the panic inside him welled up to swallow him whole.

“... deep breath in. Hold… 1… 2… 3… Let it out. 1… 2… 3… In… 1… 2… 3…”

Following the man’s directions, Gideon slowly came back to himself. “I’m sorry,” he finally managed.

“You never have to be sorry for the things that happen in our sessions. And panic attacks are not something to ever be sorry about.”

Gideon’s mind stubbornly supplied at least three scenarios in which a panic attack would be the worst possible thing to happen, situations where people ended up tortured or killed because he couldn’t keep himself together. He had seen too much not to believe those things could happen.

“Now,” Healer Mitchell said gently, “We were discussing how close you used to be to your twin, and how disconcerting it is for him to act so aloof now. Is that what caused you to panic?”

Freezing, Gideon clamped his jaw shut. He couldn’t talk about it. He wouldn’t. There was an emptiness that filled him with fear he couldn’t even begin to describe, but he didn’t want to talk about it. The girl had somehow caused this attack, but relating it to the distance felt with Fabian was almost enough to send him back under the tidal wave of emotions.

“Perhaps it would be better to discuss something else right now?” the Healer suggested, smoothly transitioning to another topic. “How do you feel about your sister?”

Almost taken aback by the subject change, Gideon laughed. “She’s as overbearing as ever. Maybe more so since she clearly thinks of us like we’re her sons now. I love her, and I understand how hard it must have been for her thinking we were dead.”

“But?” Healer Mitchell led.

“She was out and free and raising her family in peace while we… I… was trapped in a cage and tortured. I… resent her for it. I hate that she never tried to find us. How could she just believe we were dead?” Gideon was nearly shouting by the end.

The Healer paused for a moment. “I’m not sure they told you, but there were bodies. They appeared to be you and your brother, though I am not sure how thoroughly they checked. It is said the Prewett family, including Molly, mourned for weeks. She wouldn’t even leave the cemetery for three days.”

Gideon paused, his mind whirring with the information. “There were bodies,” he stated, waiting for the Healer’s nod. “Then whose bodies are they really? And if they were some sort of magic - what’s down there now?”

Healer Mitchell blinked. “I… don’t know, but those are very good questions for the Aurors.”

“Will I be talking to them today?” he asked, almost feeling eager, though fear was laced beneath it.

“No,” the Healer answered firmly. “You need several days of recovery before I can allow that.”

“But the things I know!”

Making a calming motion with his hands, the Healer suggested, “Why don’t you tell me anything you think would be most relevant right now and I can pass your information to them for the moment.”

“Will they know it’s from me?” Gideon asked.

“Not yet. Just that it is from a found prisoner who is recovering and will talk to them in person soon,” Healer Mitchell assured.

Gideon didn’t feel like he needed reassurance in the way the Healer was probably thinking. He needed to know they would take the information seriously. He needed to know he could keep Molly’s family safe. And Fabian. And Hermione. But if the Aurors didn’t know it was him, then it would be fine. He settled in and began listing places they might be hiding as Healer Mitchell diligently wrote.

************

Hermione was thrilled with the Hogwarts meal Professor McGonagall provided her in the Headmistress’ office. She was thrilled that her room was ready for her. She was thrilled that, though there were other Gryffindor girls in the summer term, there were few enough that she was able to have her own room. The luxury of a room of her own was overwhelming after the year running and hiding in a tent with two teenage boys.

When she entered, she found the other beds normally present in a dorm room had been removed, leaving just hers, and the unexpected addition of a small desk and a comfy reading chair. It was perfect.

Perfect except for the tight feeling in her chest, the emptiness when she reached unconsciously for one of the twins and they weren’t nearby. But that was ridiculous and just in her head. The healers said she needed to be away from Fabian and they undoubtedly knew best for a situation like this. If they knew she was feeling a connection to Gideon, they would undoubtedly say the same for him.

So why did she feel so bloody empty?

It had to be the adjustment from everything she had been through to living in the crowded Burrow still surrounded by people to now being alone for the first time in what felt like years. Of course she would feel an emptiness. She just needed time to find her equilibrium.

Hermione’s mind switched off surprisingly fast, her body’s never-ending exhaustion pulling her under with ease, but she kept waking. She wasn’t even thinking about anything. It was disconcerting. When turning over problems, Hermione often slept fitfully as her brain turned things over in her sleep and she worried over it.

This wasn’t like that. It was… emotional again. The connection to something she didn’t understand was driving Hermione mad, like an important task she had forgotten to do. She felt stretched and alone. She dismissed it over and over, tossing and turning as she tried to fight herself back to sleep.

**********

Run. Run. Gotta find her. Run. If he could move he would be running circles around the room. Around the castle! Fabian was going mad laying on the bed with his instincts screaming at him. Or he had been. Now he was lying on the floor screaming because Skelegro was not forgiving of those who jarred the body while bones were reknitting themselves.

Madam Pomfrey was yelling something at him. Fabian couldn’t remember if he had ever seen her so angry, but he didn’t care. Where was she? His girl. His Hermione. Why wasn’t she here? He was in so much pain. She could fix this, if only she were here.

He could hear yowling and his throat hurt, but he didn’t fully realize it was himself until a bucket of water magically dumped itself over his head.

He screeched an even louder yowl even though he remembered himself now. But the water was cold on his uncovered skin.

“What is the meaning of this racket!?” Professor McGonagall demanded, slamming the doors open. “There haven’t even been any reports of students in here ye-”

She cut off with that same stunned expression everyone had when they saw them for the first time. “Is this… Is that…?” She looked between the two redheads and then to Madam Pomfrey in bewilderment.

The matron walked over to her, ignoring Fabian for the moment though he was still writhing on the floor. “It is. They are alive, Minerva, but this must be kept secret. No one can know.”

There were tears tracking down the Professor’s cheeks as she stared at them, nodding slowly. “Whatever you need, Poppy, but why did you take down the silencing wards?”

“The silencing wards?” Madam Pomphrey asked. “They can’t come down. They… how did you know they were here? How did-”

“I heard them. I was a cat at the time, but there are students out of bed in the dungeons trying to figure out what’s going on. Thank goodness they must not have been able to hear up in the towers.”

Fabian gave a loud yowl at the mention of his home. For the last several years, Gryffindor tower had been the perfect place. Hermione’s parents didn’t know how to take care of a pet properly with their diet food rubbish. The Burrow was nice, the food excellent, but it had always felt strange to him somehow. Now he realized it was Molly. He had felt odd because they were his family but he really only ever wanted to be with her. His witch. His partner. His.

“Hermione,” his unfamiliar voice hissed. Professor McGonagall blinked slowly at him, indicating a cattish confusion.

“Miss Granger? She’s getting some rest in her room. What do you want with her?”

“Minerva!” Madam Pomphrey snapped, much to the confused Professor’s chagrin.

Home? The tower… Merlin, that’s where she was. Fabian went wild, flailing until his muscles all froze, held still by some spell from one of the old women staring at him, wands raised. Lamps along the walls began shaking and popping, the glass scattering around them, wracked with Fabian’s raging need for his Hermione.

“What on earth is happening?”

“He did it, somehow. The wards. He’s reaching for the girl, I think. Minerva, the situation is so complicated,” Madam Pomfrey was saying as she approached him with a potion bottle in hand. Fabian tried to fight away, but he knew it was in vain. “Healer Mitchell believes Fabian will forget about her with time, but I think there’s more-”

Her voice faded away as Fabian lost consciousness from the potion she had forced him to swallow.

Chapter Text

Hermione meant to go to the Great Hall and have breakfast like a normal person, but she found her feet had carried her to the Hospital Wing instead. It was unexpectedly quiet, almost eerie in its silence.

Looking around, she found Fabian asleep in his bed, but Gideon was awake a good distance away from him. Hermione wondered why the twins were being kept so far apart. Surely they would be better off next to one another.

Unless Fabian didn’t want him there, she supposed. Perhaps it wasn’t such a bad idea to keep them separated until they were sure Fabian’s memories were strong enough to make him reach for the bond between magical twins like the one Fred and George had.

She found her feet moving toward Gideon even as she tried to understand what was different about the hospital wing this morning. It wasn’t until her shoe crunched on something and she looked down to see glass that she realized all the lamps were off. Not off, really, broken, shattered, and the glass still on the floor.

What had happened? And why had Madam Pomfrey allowed it to stay that way.

He must have been watching her because Gideon commented, “She’s been trying to clean it up since he did it. Fabian’s magic seems to be keeping any repairs from happening.”

“Even while he’s asleep?” Hermione asked incredulously. He didn’t look merely asleep. He had probably been knocked unconscious with a potion.

Gideon nodded. “It doesn’t seem to have made much difference. They can’t get the silencing wards working either.”

“He took down the silencing wards on the hospital wing? I didn’t even know they could come down. I thought they were built into the castle.”

“Yes, she said something similar,” Chuckling, Gideon asked, “But why do you even know that? Are you hoping to be Hogwarts’ next Matron?”

“Oh, no. Not at all. I can’t stand blood anymore. I know because it’s in Hogwarts: A History. It’s… well, it seems silly, I suppose, but it’s my favorite book,” she admitted, though she wasn’t sure why she had felt the need to share that with him.

He looked puzzled for a moment. “You seem a bit too intellectual for a book on such a simple subject to be your favorite,” he said slowly.

“It was the first book I read about my new world. After I found out I was a witch. And it seemed the most relevant since I was off to Hogwarts soon. I poured over it and all of my lesson books. I was so afraid I wouldn’t be good enough and they would decide they had made a mistake. Can you imagine learning magic was real and then being turned out to the muggle world again?”

“You’re muggleborn,” he breathed, looking worried.

“It’s okay,” she rushed out. That odd feeling of connection was pulsing through her. It took her a moment to remember that the war wasn’t over for him yet, not really. Hermione felt certain he needed the reassurance that Voldemort and his cronies weren’t about to appear before them and murder her for her parentage. “I’m safe now that Voldemort is dead,” she reminded him, “And I like being muggleborn. It gives me a wider perspective of the world.”

“You’re not safe until all the Death Eaters are captured, Dolohov especially,” Gideon said. “You don’t understand how terrible-”

“Unfortunately-” Hermione interrupted his rant, a habit she was used to from dealing with Harry for the past few years. Interruptions were key to preventing the spiral. “I do,” Hermione revealed. She probably shouldn’t have, but Gideon was a part of her new family now. He was scared and alone and Hermione had always found that the best way to reach out to someone was to share herself in any way that she could.

Gideon paled. “How did you escape?”

“I… it wasn’t like you, where you were captured. It was on the battlefield. There were a lot of us there, but we were younger. They had used Harry to lead us into a trap. Dolohov hit me with a curse, but he had been silenced just before or Madam Pomfrey thought it would have killed me. I had to stay here for more than a month to heal.”

“But how did you get away from him?” Gideon stressed.

With startling clarity, Hermione realized why this was such a necessary point for Gideon. “We were lucky,” she admitted. “He was distracted for a moment and Harry caught him in a Body Bind. The Order of the Phoenix arrived soon after, and then Dumbledore as well.”

Gideon visibly relaxed with Dumbledore’s name. With a sickening feeling of premonition, Hermione realized what his next question was going to be.

“Where is Dumbledore now? Professor McGonagall was here last night and Madam Pomfrey called her Headmistress. Did Dumbledore step back from the school to focus on the war this time? Really give it his all?” Gideon asked.

The answer must have been written on her face, because Gideon paled. “He’s okay, isn’t he? Safe?”

“There’s a lot of history you’ve missed,” Hermione said, wishing hard that one of the adults would appear. She was still so wrapped in the recent past that she wasn’t sure she could stomach retelling things from the point 17 years ago when they had disappeared. “There was a prophecy, back around the time you were captured. It’s why the Potters had to go into hiding.”

“I remember that. Not even those of us in the Order could know where they were because there was a mole. I always thought it was the spy, that Snape boy who was a Death Eater.”

“Despite everything, he turned out to be… well, not good, but on our side,” Hermione said, thinking irritatedly of how easily Harry had accepted Snape as a good guy despite the way he had treated Harry and all the students for years.

Gideon’s eyebrows rose at that information, and perhaps the qualification she placed on it. “But Dumbledore?” he pressed.

Hermione swallowed hard. “There’s still more backstory. A lot of it unfortunately. The Potters, James and Lily, were murdered on Halloween night of 1981. Voldemort tried to kill Harry, too, but the magic of Lily’s love, sacrificing herself to protect him, made Voldemort’s spell rebound.”

“It killed him?” he asked. “All those years ago?”

“Sort of. Everyone thought he was dead. And his body was gone. But he was still alive as a wraith. He started trying to come back during our first year,” Hermione explained. It was all so complicated, and difficult to condense.

“Our?” Gideon asked.

“Harry’s, Ron’s, and my first year.”

“My nephew Ron?”

“Yes, the three of us have been best friends since the troll incident,” Hermione said absently as she tried to figure out how she was going to explain everything.

“Troll incident?” Gideon repeated, sounding a bit like a parrot.

“Oh dear. That’s off topic a bit. Well, maybe not. Our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that year was possessed by Voldemort and he let a troll into the castle as a distraction while he tried to get to the Sorcerer's Stone,” Hermione tried to glaze over the details.

“The Sorcerer’s Stone?” Gideon repeated. “The one that gives life? Merlin, I guess we know why he wanted that.”

“Indeed,” Hermione agreed. “It was the end of our fourth year when he was successful at returning.”

“Fourth year? But you were a child,” Gideon said, his voice quivering. “Weren’t you protected?”

Hermione didn’t answer. She wasn’t sure why Gideon cared, but it was clear he did and she was afraid his reaction was going to be intense when he realized how little adult guidance the three of them had.

Sighing, he asked, “So what happened to Dumbledore? It can’t have been good. Where is he?”

“He was killed at the end of our sixth year,” Hermione said quietly, deciding it was easier to just let it out.

Even seeming to half expect it, Gideon gasped. “He’s gone. He can’t protect- How was Voldemort defeated?”

“Harry,” Hermione said simply. “That’s what the prophecy was about. That he was the only one who could defeat Voldemort. A bit more complicated than that, but-”

“Bloody prophecies always are. So you’ve been fighting this war basically since you learned magic is real?” It was both a question and a statement.

“I… you could say that,” Hermione said. She hated hearing it that way, but he wasn’t wrong. And something deep inside made her feel the need to share with Gideon. “We didn’t really know it was a war at first. We thought it was just some poor luck and the curse on the Defense position.”

“I bet it seemed like such a grand adventure,” Gideon said bitterly.

“Not quite,” Hermione sighed. “It was quite scary and despite what everyone thought, we never thought of ourselves as heros. By the end, we all just wanted to be done. To have a quiet year without danger or fear.”

“But then the war…”

“But then the war,” she agreed. The two lapsed into silence for an awkwardly long time and she began twisting her hand in the sheets. When it became too much she cleared her throat, drawing his attention from where he had been staring at the sleeping Fabian. “What about you?”

He blinked. “What about me?”

“How old were you when the war broke out?” Hermione asked more plainly.

“Oh,” Gideon stalled, his eyes shooting around the room. She was about to offer to let the conversation drop when they met hers and he sighed deeply. “It all started when we were kids, second year, maybe third. We knew it was happening, but didn’t know much about it until there was an attack on Diagon Alley while we were there just before our 5th year. We were there with Molly and the boys. I’ll never forget how scared Billy and Charlie were; they were young, maybe 8 and 6? We put them behind us against a wall, but I’ve never felt so helpless. Molly was shielding Percy and the babies. If they had come after us then, we couldn’t have stopped them well enough,” Gideon remembered, lost in it for a moment.

“The cruelest war is a war against children,” Hermione heard herself say.

He raised an eyebrow at her, but continued anyway. “After that, we decided to dedicate ourselves to Defense Against the Dark Arts. We spent all our spare time learning new spells we could use, dueling each other and our friends. If we fought back to back we did best. We could protect each other that way, and sometimes it was like our magic connected and we were both more powerful.”

“Mad Eye Moody said you fought like heroes. That it took five of them to kill you… well, capture you,” Hermione corrected.

Gideon blushed but gave a short laugh. “Those are strong words from Moody. Nice to know he didn’t mind us as much when we were dead.”

“He didn’t like you before?”

“It bothered him that we often joked and flirted more than he thought we were paying attention. Then again, if we had listened more to his theory that Antonin Dolohov was behind more than we thought, maybe things would have turned out differently,” Gideon explained with a far off look.

Hermione felt a stick feeling in her stomach when he mentioned himself and Fabian flirting. She wasn’t wholly sure why, she never felt that way about Ron or Harry. Not that it was any of her business who they flirted with anyway. But something still felt wrong about it and she wasn’t sure why. Some of her thoughts must have crossed her face because Gideon asked, “What’s wrong?”

Before she could come up with something to share, Madam Pomfrey bustled out of her office. “What are you doing here, Miss Granger?”

“I just wanted to check-”

“They’re fine! Now get out before Fabian wakes up!”

“Why?” Hermione demanded, suddenly stone still. “What’s wrong with Fabian?”

Gideon spoke up, “He missed you last night.”

Hermione waited for a beat, not sure what she was waiting for, but she knew her heart sunk when the words didn’t come. Turning away from him, she said, “You want me to go so he can keep getting used to us being apart.”

“Yes, very perceptive, Miss Granger. Now please do leave,” Madam Pomfrey snapped. “Don’t come back until there is a summons. It will likely be after dinner before Healer Mitchell is ready for you.”

Hermione nodded, then headed out to grab a bite for breakfast before it ended and then head to the first day of classes. She pushed aside an uneasy feeling in her belly and focused on her excitement over the new things she was going to learn.

************

Gideon wasn’t sure how to feel about the conversation they had just had. The idea of that girl wrapped up in a war from the time she entered the wizarding world made his heart hurt. Just because she was so young, of course. Anyone would feel protective of a child in those circumstances.

When he could get past those emotions, Gideon tried to process what she had told him about the war. There had been a brief rundown right after they were made human. Enough to know that Voldemort was dead, but clearly there was much yet to be learned about the state of the world.

Madam Pomfrey was bustling around him, casting diagnostics and checking things. “Your bones are hardening nicely. You should be able to walk by the end of the day.”

Her manner was brisk this morning and her eyes kept glancing to Fabian. She was clearly worried, though whether she was worried about him or because of him, Gideon wasn’t sure. Either way, he had a question. “So I’m in bed all day again?” he asked.

“Most of it,” she agreed.

“May I have something to read? I haven’t read a book in 17 years.”

Madam Pomfrey stopped her bustling and looked at him, her eyes changing to pity. “Of course, Gideon.”

“Boopy!” she called. A tiny elf in a matron’s pinafore popped into existence next to them. Gideon jumped, but forced himself to calm at the sight of the little creature.

Madam Pomfrey looked at the two of them. “Gideon needs some reading material, Boopy. I have to go check his brother, so please assist him with whatever he needs.”

“As long as it’s not from the restricted section, Madam Pomfrey?” the elf spoke quite well.

“Of course,” she gave Boopy a genuine smile and actually winked at Gideon as she turned away.

“What books would you like, Mister Gideon?” Boopy asked.

“I need a couple of history books, maybe one from after the first war and one written as recently as possible. If you’re able to, books that are considered accurate representations,” he requested, unsure how well Boopy would be able to identify particular books when he didn’t know exactly what he needed.

“Boopy reads, Mister Gideon. Working with Madam Pomfrey is an honor not every elf could achieve. But I know just the books you’ll need.” With that, she popped away, coming back not two minutes later with two books in hand. The Rise and Fall of Lord Voldemort was older, clearly from before the second war. Our Troubling Times and How We Got Here looked as yet untouched. “It doesn’t chronicle the end of the war, but the war heroes are here with you. They can be telling you.”

“Thank you so much,” he told the elf. “These are perfect.”

Picking up the older book, he skimmed to the section on the last year or so of the war. He could work on the background of why it all happened later. Right now he was intent on catching up. As he looked down at the first page and saw all those beautiful words unfurling a story in front of him, Gideon found his vision blurred.

What he would have given for a book all these long years. And now here were two, and a library full of others, and more being written all the time. He felt overwhelmed with both excitement and contentment, a confusing mix. Several tears fell down his long nose before Gideon got himself back under control. It wouldn’t do to get his book soggy.

************

As he started to wake, Fabian knew it was still wrong. She was far away, maybe not as far as home, as the tower, but too far to call for. He did anyway. “Hermione! My Hermione!” he yowled, and kept on until Madam Pomfrey marched over and yelled at him.

“Fabian Prewett! That girl is in classes. She has things to do,” the matron scolded.

“I need her,” Fabian declared stubbornly.

Madam Pomfrey looked, for a moment, as though she might explode at him. Then, suddenly, she smiled at him instead. “Of course you do, Fabian. But did Crookshanks go to classes with her?”

Reluctantly, he said, “No. That wasn’t allowed in most classes.”

“Then you understand she needs to focus and learn right now. You’ll see her tonight after all of you have talked with Healer Mitchell again.”

Fabian grumbled, “What am I supposed to do until then?”

“Your brother is reading. And Molly and her family will undoubtedly be here soon,” Madam Pomfrey coaxed.

His eyes fell on Gideon, immersed in his book. Fabian felt the urge to knock it out of his hands. Not maliciously, just to have his attention. Of course, he was too far away for that. “Why isn’t he closer?” Fabian whined.

“Would you leave him alone if he were?”

Fabian didn’t answer and Madam Pomfrey shook her head. “That’s the reason why right now, but there are other reasons, too. I hope Healer Mitchell will feel it’s time to put the two of you together after your sessions tonight.”

Fabian nodded. “So what am I supposed to do?”

He wasn’t sure if it was more of a relief to Madam Pomfrey or himself that at that moment, Molly stepped through the door with her daughter, little Ginny. Fabian couldn’t decide if he wanted to rejoice that they would pet him and adore him as they should or be annoyed that the boisterous brothers weren’t there to entertain him.

Of course, Fabian soon found he was wrong. While Molly was certainly still pampering him, the girl had no patience for it. But she brought something even better - a snitch. Before-Fabian had always been a Beater, as he had the build for it, but now, the buzzing, golden ball was mesmerizing.

Madam Pomfrey stormed toward them. “Don’t you dare let that thing go near him. He’ll throw himself off the bed again chasing it.”

“Again?” Molly asked in horror.

“There was an incident last night,” Madam Pomfrey told her, pulling his sister aside to explain.

Ginny grumbled, “They act like I’m not smart enough to think of ways to make this safe. First, we’re strapping you to the bed.”

Fabian started to protest as the magical straps fastened around his waist and down his legs to hold them in place, but Ginny released the snitch with a grin and he could do nothing but follow and grasp for it.

“It won’t go more than two feet from him,” he overheard her explaining to her mother and Madam Pomfrey, “but it should keep him safely entertained.”

“Thank Merlin,” Madam Pomfrey said. Molly and Ginny both looked at her in shock until she indicated the glass from the lamps, which still wouldn’t magic away. “Boopy will have to clean that up by hand. His magic is stopping me from fixing it.”

“After that incident, why isn’t the Mind Healer back already?” Molly demanded.

“He does have other patients to see, Molly. Especially as we don’t want anyone knowing about your brothers. Professor McGonagall and I do, however, hope he can move the appointments up a few hours,” Madam Pomfrey assured her.

“The boys do seem distracted enough right now, but I think Fabian needs to see him as soon as possible,” Molly worried.

“‘M fine,” Fabian purred, pawing at the snitch again. “Just want Hermione,” he added, in case they had forgotten. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the women all exchanging a look.

Ginny stepped closer. “Hermione and Crookshanks were always so close.”

“Yes,” he purred. “She is a good human for me.”

“And you don’t like being without her?” Ginny asked, despite the angry looks the two older women were giving her.

“No!” Fabian said, batting angrily at the snitch in his displeasure. “She should be here. It hurts.”

He dropped one hand to show Ginny the spot above his heart where he felt the hollow pain when they were stretched so far.

Ginny nodded at him like it made sense to her, too. “So when she’s around, it doesn’t hurt?”

He nodded and she frowned. “It doesn’t hurt,” he elaborated, “when she has petted me or we have snuggled together.”

Smiling at him, Ginny turned to Molly and Madam Pomfrey. He wasn’t sure what they were saying as they whispered together, but at the end he heard Madam Pomfrey declare, “We’ll see how early he can get here. I do think this changes things. The big question is how it affects Gideon.”

**************

Hermione was summoned far earlier than she had expected. As soon as her last “class” of repairing furniture in the Great Hall ended, Ginny was there dragging her to the Hospital Wing.

“Madam Pomfrey told me they wouldn’t call me until after dinner,” Hermione told her friend.

“They’ve changed their minds,” Ginny replied. “Fabian was a handful even while distracted by a snitch. And even worse last night.”

When they arrived, Hermione quickly took in the scene. A shirtless Fabian was batting at a snitch, looking bored. Gideon was reading, brow drawn as though concerned, with a second book beside him, ignoring the world around him, though he did look up at her entrance and smiled in a way that looked oddly relieved. Fabian must have really been difficult for Gideon to give her a look like that.

“Miss Granger,” Healer Mitchell called, waving at her from the office door. “Are you ready?” he asked.

With trepidation, she nodded. After yesterday’s session, she wasn’t sure she was ready again so soon, but there was clearly something important to discuss.

She was surprised when Healer Mitchell immediately turned to Molly and Arthur who had been standing off to the side, saying, “Would the two of you like to join us for this first bit?”

Why did that make Hermione so much more nervous than she had been before? Moving more quickly, she made it into the office and looked around. This time there were a couple of extra comfy chairs as well as the one she had used before, clearly to give space for Molly and Arhur.

Biting her lip, Hermione took her seat, her nerves making this all much worse. She wasn’t sure why part of her appointment included them, but it had to be about the brothers.

The three adults joined her, each taking a seat. Arthur smiled over at her, Molly was focused on Healer Mitchell, and the Healer was looking over his notes with a concerned look on his face.

After a moment, Molly couldn’t take it anymore, “How are my brothers? I can’t believe how quickly you were able to help Fabian speak but he’s still very cat-like.”

Healer Mitchell sank into his seat, looked over all of them. “Fabian will likely retain some of Crookshanks’ behaviors and personality for some time, possibly forever. It was ingenious of your daughter to bring him the snitch to play with. He will be much calmer when he can expend that animalistic energy he is accustomed to.”

“But Gideon is so quiet today!” Molly worried.

“Yes. He is coping in a different way,” Healer Mitchell said, his tone pleased.

Hermione had to say she was happy with what she had seen, too. “He is reading.”

“Recent history books, yes. It seems the two of you spoke some this morning. Ever since, he has been reading, trying to assimilate all the information he can about what is essentially a new world for them.”

“That makes sense,” Hermione said, “but… how does it connect to my appointment?”

Looking troubled, Healer Mitchell leaned forward. “I can’t share everything they tell me, but there are conclusions I have drawn that must be shared.”

“But—” Molly began. Arthur reached a hand out, first to tap her knee, then taking her hand and squeezing it. Healer Mitchell waited patiently for her to calm.

“Fabian and Gideon have both been through a lot, though in very different ways. They will each have their own difficult journey through this.”

“We’ll be there to help them all along the way,” Molly declared.

The Healer nodded. “I know you will be. And they know it, too, Mrs. Weasley—”

“Call me Molly, dear,” she said eagerly.

“— Molly, while your brothers will undoubtedly need you, their family, they also need— well, let’s talk about familiars.”

“Familiars?” Molly asked in confusion as Hermione’s heart sank. This was why she was here, too.

Healer Mitchell nodded. “Some familiars are really just pets, especially those of lesser intelligence, but others become bonded much more deeply. The smarter a creature is, the more likely they are to become a part of your magic.”

Hermione sighed. Her heartbeat had picked up. Worry filled her about where the Healer was going with this. He was watching her, so Hermione murmured, “Crookshanks was always brilliant,” afraid to say the words any louder.

“Because he was my brother!” Molly said.

“Yes,” Healer Mitchell agreed, “But no one - not you Molly, not Hermione, not even Fabian by that point, was aware of his humanity. So I believe the bond formed as it would with any close familiar.”

“What?” Molly cried. Arthur visibly squeezed her hand. “What does that mean for him now?

“It means he has a connection to Hermione that he would otherwise not have.”

“And that’s why he wants to be close to me?” Hermione asked, as confused as she could see that Molly was. Why had the connection held into his human form?

“Yes, I believe so, Miss Granger. I believe… well, how do you feel when you don’t have him near?”

“I… do you mean now or when he was… when he appeared to be Crookshanks?”

His eyebrows shot under his hairline. “Was it uncomfortable for him to be away even as a cat?”

“Yes, somewhat. I mean, there were lots of other uncomfortable things happening. I’m not sure my discomfort was because of him.” Hermione shifted under the scrutiny of the others. “I suppose it would be more certain to say that I always felt more comfortable, more… settled and stable, when he was with me. But that could just be because those were calmer moments.”

It had always been comforting for him to be near, but that was normal for a familiar, wasn’t it? It was normal even for just a pet, she thought.

Healer Mitchell nodded for a moment. “That makes sense,” he said, looking concerned. “It might even be probable except… I suspect your connection with Fabian, Crookshanks at the time, may have been stronger than normal.”

“What difference would that make?” Arthur asked calmly.

“I believe, from speaking with both brothers, that there is something more going on here than a normal familiar connection.”

“You’re speaking of it as though it still exists. He isn’t her familiar anymore,” Molly pointed out.

Hermione was grateful she hadn’t been forced to say it.

Again, Healer Mitchell nodded, but his eyes went to Hermione. “How do you feel when you leave him behind now?”

She didn’t want to answer. Merlin, Hermione especially didn’t want to admit it in front of Molly. “It is still uncomfortable,” she said quietly.

“Describe the feeling it leaves… perhaps in your chest,” Healer Mitchell said to Hermione.

Hermione let out a quiet gasp, realizing he must know how she was feeling already. Which meant… it had to mean she wasn’t the only one feeling it. Fabian… Swallowing hard, she said, “It’s like there’s a hollow spot right here,” she indicated the spot, “and something pulls tight the further we are from each other. I don’t know how else to explain it.”

“How do you feel about Fabian?”

She squirmed. This was not a conversation she wanted to have with Molly in the room. “I feel guilty, horrible really, for not realizing he wasn’t just a cat, even part-Kneazle.” Hermione thought for a moment, then said, “But there is something more than guilt, I think. I don’t understand exactly what, but that uncomfortable feeling when I leave him is different. And Gideon...” She trailed off. She wasn’t sure what to say about the weird connection anytime their eyes met.

“You feel some connection to him as well?” Healer Mitchell asked. His tone was not surprised. That worried Hermione much more than if he had thought this unusual.

“Only when our eyes meet, so I just… I’ve tried not to look at him. It feels rude to stare anyway. He’s so lonely, but he wants his privacy. He…” She trailed off again, realizing suddenly what she had said. Merlin, she should not know how he was feeling. Hermione didn’t want to look up and see Molly condemning her. There was silence for a moment and that was almost more terrifying.

“You’re saying you can sense his emotions?” Healer Mitchell asked gently.

“No of course not,” Hermione rushed to say. “That would be silly. I can just tell.”

“You can?” Molly asked.

“Of course. But it’s so obvious isn’t it? I mean it’s so clear he’s sad, and alone, and confused. Who could blame him really but…” Hermione trailed off as the adults around her stared blankly at her. “You… you can’t see it?”

“I see him reading,” Atrhur said. “I see him mildly annoyed at his brother’s antics and understandably upset about things pertaining to the war but otherwise… he looks fine… mentally speaking.”

“But Molly—” Hermione started but Molly was just watching her oddly.

“No, dear. He seems fine to me. A bit standoffish but that’s nothing new.”

“Are you more aware of Fabian’s emotions, too?” Healer Mitchell questioned.

“I mean… I suppose, though they’re not as complex,” she explained, ignoring the murmurs she could hear of Arthur trying to calm Molly. “I suppose they wouldn’t be while he’s still so used to being a cat.”

“No. His feelings will get more complicated, but right now he is very focused on a few strong emotions. Most of those center around the people most important to him.”

“Gideon?” Hermione assumed. Seeing the Healer’s expression, she mentally groaned. Her voice was a little higher when she asked, “And... me?”

The question hung in the air for a moment, then it seemed Healer Mitchell had decided to move along. He quietly spoke. “I think you know the answer to that, Hermione.”

He paused for a moment before continuing. “Fabian and Gideon share a magical core. If there is a connection to one, it follows that there would be a connection to the other.”

“But it doesn’t,” Molly finally protested. “Hermione can’t have a connection to Fabian when they just had a familiar bond before.”

Arthur added, “And it truly doesn’t make sense for such a weak bond to transfer to Gideon.”

“Under other circumstances that would be true,” Healer Mitchell agreed, but then he continued, “However, I don’t believe the bond between Hermione and Crookshanks was a simple familiar bond. Dolohov did something to weaken the twins’ bond. Gideon believed Fabian was dead.”

“Oh, Gideon,” Molly wailed, leaning into Arthur.

Healer Mitchell continued after she calmed enough to hear him, “We don’t know what Fabian felt or thought at the time because he has no memories to retrieve of that time. He has very hazy memories of living with an old woman, but no bond seems to have formed. Then he was in Eeylops Owl Emporium for many years. That and his time with Hermione are the only significant memories he retained from being a cat.”

“What does this have to do with Hermione?” Arthur asked. He was a gentle man and it was said with his customary gentleness, but it was also a demand.

“Fabian’s connection to his twin was nearly gone by the time he became Hermione’s familiar. He hadn’t seen Gideon in years, most likely had a hard time even remembering he existed. If he had remembered, listening to each of them talk now, I can only imagine that he would have gone after his twin the moment he was out of that pet store.”

“He didn’t remember Gideon?” Molly asked in horrified shock.

“I’m afraid he did not. He had lost his humanity almost entirely by that point. Not completely - when he saw Gideon in cat form for the first time, it seems he did recognize him and felt the weak connection they have now.”

“But?” Arthur questioned.

“But, all those years alone, he had forgotten he had a twin, a human he was so connected to. His magic, however, had not forgotten. And the loose end was searching for something to complete it, to make him feel whole again. I believe he found it in the familiar bond.”

“But he wasn’t a familiar,” Hermione added numbly. “He was a human.”

The healered hesitated before nodding. “That is correct, Ms. Granger. A wizard who had just lost part of his soul with the purported death of his brother.”

Hermione knew he couldn’t be saying what she thought he was. She wanted to ask, but her mouth wouldn’t form the words.

“What are you saying?” Molly asked. Her voice was shaking.

Chapter Text

“I am saying that this bond may go far deeper than we had anticipated,” Healer Mitchell said cautiously.

Molly glared at him. “How deep?” she demanded.

“I suspect it is a soulbond,” the Healer said with some exasperation. Then he turned to Hermione. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it that way. I had hoped to ease you into it a bit more.”

Hermione couldn’t process his apology. “A soulbond? Is that… you mean like what muggles think of as soulmates?”

“Sometimes. There are those who are ‘meant to be’ as the Muggles would say,” Healer Mitchell explained. “But for wizarding folk, it can also be like this, where magic joins the souls, the very essences of the individuals, together to make them stronger. In cases like this one, it can help them cope with things that might otherwise be beyond them.”

“Things that would be beyond them?” Hermione felt like a parrot, but she just couldn’t wrap her head around what this all meant.

“Tell me,” Healer Mitchell began, “Have you ever had a time when you felt like you were drawing on strength beyond your own? Magically or mentally?”

There it was. That nagging thought. “Yes,” Hermione said slowly, drawing the word out as she thought. “I… during our capture at Malfoy Manor when… certain things happened.”

Healer Mitchell nodded. Someone had told him. Who would have- Harry. It had to have been Harry, unless Bill pulled him aside ahead of time. Taking a deep breath, Hermione reminded herself that it was a traumatic event for Harry, too. And for Ron. They had a right to talk. She just hated that it was possibly about her.

“You were able to draw from them, even without knowing they existed in that way for you. Gideon, for all that he’s been through, has a deep mental strength that kept him going. Perhaps that was what he lent you. And perhaps Fabian’s magic came to you in that moment. Their strength made the difference you needed.”

Hermione couldn’t decide if she was horrified or glad that she had been able to pull from Fabian and Gideon — use them, really — in her moment of need.

Somehow, the Healer seemed to recognize her concern. “They undoubtedly pulled from you more frequently than the time or two you needed them, Hermione. It is sharing strength, sometimes even power does not weaken the person it came from. The bond makes every party stronger. That’s just how a bond like this works.”

“It’s how it worked when we were separate, but how does that change now?” Hermione asked.

“There’s still that possibility, of course, perhaps even more often as you bond more closely. There are also the emotions you are feeling that are not your own. They feel some of yours as well, from what they have each said, Fabian especially.”

Molly sputtered. “I still don’t- I just don’t understand how this happened.” Arthur squeezed his arm around her, but also looked quizzically at Healer Mitchell.

Looking contemplative for a moment, the Healer began to explain, “Fabian’s magic bonded to Hermione in the way he was previously bonded to Gideon-”

“He replaced his twin with Hermione?” Arthur asked, too shocked to keep quiet.

“No,” Healer Mitchell assured them. “Well, not entirely. His magic merged with hers. It’s hard to explain when I don’t entirely understand it myself. A familiar’s magic, as I said before, can fuse with a human’s, but it’s a fairly light, surface bond, easily broken, easily replaced. But Fabian’s magic as a human was already intertwined with a human. It knew how to do that on a deeper level, so to speak. So when presented with a human to bond to, the magic clung to what it had known, that missing piece Fabian had been searching for without realizing it.”

“And… and that’s why you think it’s soul deep?” Hermione managed to whisper. She felt… She had no idea what to feel. If this was true…

“It is. You just don’t yet behave like you are soulbound. The connections are weak, especially with Gideon.”

“How can I be bound to Gideon when I’ve only just met him, even as a cat?”

“Despite how damaged it is, in its core, Gideon’s magic is still shared with his twin. Because Fabian’s magic is now tied into yours, Hermione, so then, is Gideon’s. Though, I admit, this is hypothetical. It is so unprecedented that I can’t be certain, but the fact that you have some idea of what he’s feeling, too-”

“Perhaps I’m just very observant!” Hermione insisted.

“About emotions, dear?” Molly gently questioned her. Hermione knew she was right, but she didn’t have to like it.

“Well, they’re not usually what I’m best at, but I could be improving,” she told them stubbornly.

Healer Mitchell smiled at her. “Of course. How is Harry feeling since the battle?”

“I… I’m sure he’s relieved, now that Voldemort is gone, and um… struggling. With… things.”

Looking at her with a waiting expression, the Healer nodded when she couldn’t go on. “I think you can see there is a difference in what you can observe about your best friend-”

“Brother!” Hermione corrected.

“About your brother versus Fabian and Gideon. You can observe things about Harry - whose emotions are very complex and mixed - but you don’t feel him as though he is a part of yourself.” Healer Mitchell was watching her carefully as he spoke.

As much as she hated to admit it, Hermione was aware that her expressions had already confirmed it for the other three in the room. There was no sense in trying to deny it. Wearily, she nodded. “So I am tied to them,” she finally admitted aloud - to herself as well as them.

“But what about his twin bond with Gideon?” Molly asked, her voice somewhat frantic as she pushed back into the conversation.

Healer Mitchell sounded very sad when he explained, “I believe, based on my consultations with each, that by the time Hermione came into Fabian’s life, Gideon had long since given up. At that point, Gideon had also been a cat for several years, but before that… all he knew was that they took Fabian away and he never came back. Whatever Dolohov did to their twin bond then made them so unaware of one another that Gideon couldn’t feel him. It hurt them very deeply to the core of their magic.”

Molly gasped and started sobbing. Arthur held onto her, but nodded at Healer Mitchell to continue.

“It may be that whatever the Death Eater did to their bond, the way that he did it, is to blame for the way Fabian’s magic was seeking another to bond to. Regardless, Gideon’s belief that Fabian was not alive any longer may have further broken their core.”

“What are you saying? Can they still-”

“They are both still magical, though I suspect Gideon’s magic is weaker than it should be. But their connection, their shared magical core, is no longer shared by just the two of them. All three must connect for the twins’ magic to return to its natural state. Fabian is stabilized by his connection with Hermione. Gideon, however, is suffering.”

“Is the bond with me keeping the two of them from connecting?” Hermione asked, heart thumping wildly in her chest. As crazy as she knew it was, she wasn’t sure she could give Fabian up, no matter that they had just properly met. And Gideon… she didn’t feel the same way about him, but it would hurt to break away from him. But if she was blocking the connection between the twins somehow, she would have to.

“No!” Healer Mitchell hastily assured. “The bond with you is what’s keeping them both afloat. Gideon is suffering because of his lack of connection but if he were reliant only on Fabian, it would be worse. I suspect he’s been drawing on your strength, and Fabian’s, over the last several years. Tiny increments, but enough to sustain him and keep his magic from breaking completely.”

“Then what the soulbond means for me is that I have two… two extra people drawing on my magic?”

“While it’s possible that could happen, it’s unlikely,” Healer Mitchell said, “Especially now that they are safe.”

Hermione felt a panic that was not her own well up. “But they’re not safe! None of us are!”

The Healer’s brows went up. “I hadn’t realized Gideon was so strongly influencing you,” he murmured. Raising his voice, he said, “You are safe Hermione. And so is Gideon. And Fabian. Gideon gave me information to pass to the Aurors that should help them roundup some of the Death Eaters that have been avoiding capture thus far. I know it’s frightening that they’re not all in Azkaban, but they will be soon enough.”

“I just don’t know how we can focus on anything else until we know we’re all truly safe,” Hermione said in a whisper.

“There’s never a complete guarantee of safety in life,” Arthur said, smiling sadly at her.

“Well said,” Healer Mitchell agreed. “Right now, your focus must be on healing yourself and, if you are willing, helping Fabian and Gideon heal as well.”

Hesitantly, Hermione said, “I won’t leave them without hope.”

The Healer looked relieved to hear it. “That’s all we can ask. The important thing now is to connect with both of them as they reconnect with each other. I know this... isn’t conventional, especially for muggleborns, but with the combined magical core the three of you share, they need you near.”

“What do you mean by near? How near?” Hermione asked. If anything, her heartbeat was even wilder now.

Healer Mitchell looked away for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “As you’re aware, Fabian is very possessive of you and can hardly stand to have you out of his sight. He was kept distracted today and seemed understanding and somewhat accepting of your need to go to classes, but last night he tore down the ancient silencing wards on the hospital wing and blew apart all the lamps in his desperation and anger that you were gone. Part of that is his cat-fear of being abandoned again. Part has to do with who he was before and how he feels about someone he is bonded to. Gideon, though… he needs you to bond to him just as strongly.”

Hermione couldn’t seem to find her words. How was she supposed to cater to such intense needs while taking care of herself and keeping up with her studies? And he wasn’t answering her question, though she had a disturbing feeling she knew where Healer Mitchell was going with this roundabout answer. The man continued without even a pause. “I strongly suspect, though it’s hard to tell under all the rest of his pain, that Gideon is simply unaware or perhaps unable to ask for your attention.”

“Unable?” she asked faintly.

“Reaching out will be hard for him. To anyone, but especially to someone he will have such a deep connection with, someone he will need to connect with, live with.”

“What?” Hermione asked, feeling suddenly angry that they were asking this of her. Live with him? Them. She had just fought a bloody war. She had lived in a tent with two teenage boys. Now she was expected to let two cat-men live with her?

“Hermione, dear,” Molly began, “For this relationship to work, you’ll need to-”

“Relationship? Like… love? I’m supposed to love two men I just met?” Her voice was peaking, growing hysterical.

“That was perhaps not the best way to say-” Healer Mitchell tried.

“You… are you saying that, at 18, I’m expected to live with two wizards I just met? For… for how long?” Hermione burst out. How could they ask this of her?

“I am saying, Miss Granger,” the man gently told her, “that you are magically bound to these twins in a way that cannot be changed and will only cause damage to all three of you if you do not get closer. The most sensible way to accomplish that will be to live together, unfair as I know it is.”

Hermione’s head was spinning with what was happening to her now. She didn’t know them. Twin brothers, born in - what - the late 50s probably, no matter how young they appeared to be now, and she was supposed to have them in her life forever, in her home? They were so damaged she couldn’t even tell what they were really like as people. Surely, coming from Molly’s family, they were good men, but they didn’t even know how to be human right now.

“What… what kind of connection will we have? What does being soulbound mean for us?” Hermione asked.

There was a pause as the Healer exchanged a look with Molly and Arthur. “No one can force the three of you to behave in any particular way. It is possible for you to choose whatever kind of connection you wish.”

“But?” she asked, hearing his hesitation.

“While a different connection would serve to strengthen each of you, a romantic connection is what would typically be expected.”

“Is there a magical reason for that or just societal?” Hermione questioned.

Healer Mitchell looked contemplative. “It’s hard to say, actually. Soulbonds like this are rare, and the circumstances even more so. I believe you could just be very close friends, but I have no experience or research to prove it.”

“But it is something we can learn and explore on our own?” she asked with some relief. At least it was not an instant requirement.

“Yes, though I will caution you,” the Healer began, “that there are still important considerations if romance begins between yourself and either brother. This bond is a triad. It will function best if equal, something that will already be a struggle since you know one brother better than the other and their connection is practically severed. If it were romantic with one brother but not the other… the one who was denied that… it would be heartbreaking in a way they might not survive.”

Hermione caught something in the way Healer Mitchell said that. “They? Or are you thinking of one of them in particular?”

“Gideon,” Molly burst out. “You mean she’s already connected to Fabian enough that it could become romantic but leaving Gideon out could kill him.”

Healer Mitchell looked saddened that it was so obvious, but he nodded. “Though they both… have some processing to go through, Fabian’s challenge is larger now than it was over the last few years as a cat, though he doesn’t yet remember much beyond that. He would be hurt and angry if you denied him the kind of connection that he might want, but he is strong and would be able to cope. Gideon, I fear, might not ever recover if you chose a romantic relationship with Fabian but not with him.”

Hermione bristled. “You’re saying if I start to fall for Fabian, I must include Gideon as well?”

“I cannot tell you what you must do,” the Healer disagreed, “but I can caution you about potential consequences. If you were to seek connection with only one of them right now, on a friendly level or more, Gideon would benefit most. His magic is barely sustaining him. He is hurt in ways I haven’t even brushed the surface of-”

“Well why aren’t you-” Molly began but was cut off by Arthur’s hand on her shoulder as he said, “We know you’re doing your best for him. We’re just trying to understand.”

“I will do everything I can to help him, Molly, but it will take time, possibly years, to work through everything that was done to him. He may never deal with all of it.” Healer Mitchell sighed as he saw that Molly was close to protesting again. “The first steps are breaking through the walls he had to put up around his mind just to survive. While I could use legilimency to rip through them, it would likely damage him beyond repair. For his well being, this is a journey Gideon has to choose for himself. He has to be willing and ready to let those walls down. For that, he will need to trust the person or people he is with explicitly.”

“He knows he can trust me! And Arthur. Fabian…”

“The trouble is that he doesn’t know that. I don’t yet know what he told himself over the years, especially in the beginning, but based on other captives I have worked with… you never came to get him. He didn’t know until now that you believed he was dead from the beginning. Fabian he could have reasonably assumed was dead, but as far as Gideon knew, the rest of the Order and his own family just abandoned him to his fate there.”

Molly was crying again, but they all were this time. Hermione couldn’t imagine the horrible desperation he must have felt. She felt it more deeply when Healer Mitchell looked to Hermione and asked, “You were tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange?” Hermione saw the Healer glance quickly over to Arthur and Molly after a beat of silence following the damning question. She could tell he hadn’t wanted to mention it in front of them, hence his vague attitude about it at the beginning of their conversation.

Still, she gasped, because even people who knew were never so blunt about it. Hermione found her voice after a moment, though she glared at him as she said, “Yes.”

“It was horrible, yes? Maybe a couple of hours of pain and horror,” he pressed.

Hermione nodded. She didn’t see where he was going with this, so she didn’t have anything further to offer. Molly and Arthur were crying quietly as they watched the exchange. They hadn’t known she was tortured unless Bill had told them. From their expressions, he had not.

“Gideon was a captive for seventeen years. In that time, he had nearly three solid years worth of torture.”

Face draining of color, Hermione bit her lip and shook her head, denying that could happen to anyone. “He couldn’t have… the Cruciatus would drive-”

“I’m sure it wasn’t only magical, though his body certainly shows signs of excessive use of that curse, too. But the things he underwent… It’s a miracle he’s still with us at all, physically or mentally.”

“How do you know the length of time he was tortured?” Hermione asked, barely above a whisper.

“He is three years older than his twin, meaning he was brought back to human form enough to age by that length of time.”

“Maybe he wasn’t always… always tor-” Molly dissolved into sobs, unable to say the word.

The Healer was quiet for a moment. “I wish I could tell you that was possible. And perhaps there are times he doesn’t remember when he was human and left alone, but he has said they only turned him human for the single purpose, and changed him back immediately when they were done.”

Hermione’s heart went out to the broken man in the nearby ward. How had he survived? She was drawn to him. She couldn’t deny it and didn’t want to. At least now it made sense. It had already seemed normal, or something like it, for her to be drawn to Fabian. But Gideon she hadn’t been able to explain.

“So you believe that for Gideon to survive, he needs to connect to me… preferably romantically. And Fabian, too,” she said, just confirming the words.

“In order to recover, Gideon needs to reestablish his bond with Fabian and connect with you in some way. Anything less would be extremely detrimental. Fabian, too, would suffer if you decided you did not want to get to know him as a human,” Healer Mitchell said carefully.

“So I have no choice,” Hermione said bitterly.

“I believe I’ve said before,” the Healer said, “there is always a choice. But some are much less attractive than others, some are more harmful than others. Trying to walk away from the brothers would be harmful to yourself as well as them. You are very strong, as is Fabian, so you could probably have a long and successful life without knowing them, but you would never feel complete. There would always be a sense of longing and loss.”

She nodded. They were bound, all three of them. There was a cry from outside the office. Something about putting pants back on.

“Fabian will likely regain his humanity faster if he can be near you more often,” Healer Mitchell said.

“Can you work with him on keeping his clothes on during those times?” she asked dryly.

“I’m doing my best,” Healer Mitchell said with a smile. “But a lot will depend on how fast he can recognize it as inappropriate for humans. And his willingness to assume that particular part of being human.”

“Prewett!” Pomfrey shouted with an exasperated tone. “Pants are for comfort and… Fine. Pants are for the dignity of others as well—” They heard her cut off with an “oof” before continuing to try and explain while presumably trying to wrestle him into a pair.

Both Arthur and Healer Mitchell laughed, but Molly looked contemplative. “Would it help them to do more with Hermione right now?” Molly asked.

The men stared at her and Hermione couldn’t stop the words that came from her mouth. “Are you suggesting I… I have physical relations with your brothers?” Hermione’s words were getting higher pitched as she went on.

Molly blushed. “I didn’t mean… I’m sorry, dear. I don’t want that for you. Merlin, two complete strangers, and so much older than you. And just…” flustered, she seemed to remember herself as a Mum and primly added, “You aren’t even married.”

Arthur and Healer Mitchell were clearly trying to hold back laughter now, but Hermione didn’t feel like joining in. It was funny that Molly “everyone stays in separate rooms until they’re married” Weasley had just suggested she sleep with her younger brothers for their health - except that she was suggesting it be Hermione who did it.

With a sigh, Hermione said, “I believe we should start with getting to know each other.”

“Of course, Hermione. That’s an excellent place to start,” the Healer agreed, but then he looked a little nervous. That couldn’t bode well. “Perhaps it would be best, Molly, Arthur, if the two of you head out now and let Hermione do the rest of her session alone,” Healer Mitchell suggested.

“Yes, we’ll be happy to do that,” Arthur agreed, helping Molly up as he stood.

“Healer Mitchell, once they’re physically healed, do you think it will be… safe to bring them home?” Molly asked when she was almost to the door.

Pausing for a moment, Healer Mitchell glanced apologetically toward Hermione before saying, “If that is where Hermione is staying, then yes. If not… well, if there is no other possibility, they would be safest with you, Molly. But for their recovery-”

“They need to live with me now? Immediately?” Hermione heard herself squeak. “I… they can’t. I’m to be here at Hogwarts all summer. And I don’t know where I’ll go after that.”

“Back to the Burrow, of course, dear! You’re always welcome. And if Fabian and Gideon need you-”

“May I make a suggestion that you discuss possible living arrangements with Professor McGonagall? If you feel comfortable with the idea, Hermione. The castle has offered many housing possibilities over the years. Perhaps they could be satisfied in Gryffindor tower with you, or Professor McGonagall might have some further solution to allow the three of you space to get to know one another,” Healer Mitchel suggested.

“What? They can’t!” Molly almost wailed. “They need to come home and let me-”

“They will want plenty of time with you and your family as well, I have no doubt,” the Healer assured, “But if Hermione is willing, they must have time with her.”

Hermione scoffed. “If they must then I don’t see how I am allowed to be unwilling. What would happen to them then?”

The Healer was silent. There really was no alternative that wouldn’t detrimentally affect the two men. And her, though she wasn’t as worried about herself. Hermione felt her world collapsing around her yet again, but pulled on strength she didn’t know she had to push it all back up. She suddenly paused, wondering whose strength that really was. Healer Mitchell gave her a strange look before turning to the Weasleys.

“It is time for you to go, I’m afraid. There are things Miss Granger and I need to discuss.”

************

Gideon watched his nephews crowd around Fabian as he slowly tried to speak with them. He felt like he was going to fall apart if he didn’t get to his brother, but he also might fall apart anyway and he couldn’t… Merlin, he couldn’t stand to be stuck here a second longer, but he couldn’t physically do anything to get away. It was the same nightmare with new faces. Just that these faces wanted to help him, if he could hold on long enough to let them.

Or they said they did. A nasty little voice in the back of his head - one that sounded just like Antonin Dolohov - reminded him that none of them were crowded around his bed. None of them had come to help him. No one had ever looked for him. Fabian had gotten free but never came back for him. Fabian…

His breaths were harsh as he heard his sister cry out from the office he had been in not long ago. What would she be so upset about? It was the girl’s appointment. Healer Mitchell was a talented Healer of the mind; Gideon didn’t doubt that. His questions had been very open. He had asked about every person Gideon had come into contact with. It had been very covert, but Gideon had noticed - he came back to Fabian, and the girl, over and over. There was a pattern to the questions and Gideon couldn’t help but notice it. But why? Fabian was obvious. But Hermione… why? Why had Healer Mitchell been so focused on her? Had Fabian seen her at his bedside last night and wanted the Healer to warn him away or something?

Gideon dropped his head back, trying to focus on the lingering physical pain along his bones. It was just… there was so much less pain now than he was accustomed to facing day after day, that it couldn’t distract him.

“What is your pain level?” Madam Pomfrey asked from beside him.

Jumping at the unexpected voice, Gideon took in a deep breath. “Two,” he said, knowing that she preferred the 10 point scale muggles had created to the less precise wizarding version.

Her eyebrows rose. “I expected the bones to still be giving you quite a lot of trouble.”

“They are,” he told her uncomfortably. He had no desire to talk about his pain tolerance levels. He felt unbalanced and exposed. He wanted the ability to get up, and time with Fabian. Perhaps… he wasn’t sure how much he could stand, but he wanted food.

Pursing her lips, Madam Pomfrey cast a diagnostic over him. He wasn’t sure why she made such a worried little tsking noise as she walked away. He could tell it was much better, almost no red left at all. She returned after a moment with a pain potion.

“Take this,” the matron said, placing it on the table next to his bed. “Then you may have some food if you feel up to it.”

“Please,” he answered her enthusiastically enough that heads turned from over by Fabian’s bed.

He thought he was silent when he whispered his brother’s name again, but Madam Pomfrey seemed to understand. “After you’ve eaten, we can move you to the bed next to his. If you think you’re ready for it.”

“Merlin, please,” he said quietly. Then his brows knit together as he looked at the pain potion next to him. “Are you going to give it to me?”

“No. I believe you can hold it now,” she told him as she worked on something on one of the other beds. Gideon suspected she was just giving him his privacy while he tried this.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had held something in his hands. It had been years since they worked. Shaking, he reached over with both hands, just in case. “Are you sure my bones are ready?” he asked.

“The diagnostic says they are. If you want dinner, I suggest you find out quickly, young man,” she chided him.

He wrapped a hand around the bottle and lifted. He drained the potion and carefully set the bottle back on the table. There were tears on his cheeks that he hadn’t meant to let free. Gideon stared down at his hands and cried.

“Gideon! What’s wrong?” Molly asked, appearing beside him.

Now was not the time that he wanted to talk about it, as much as he had needed someone just a little while ago. “Everything is good,” he said quietly. “I thought you were seeing Healer Mitchell about something?” Perhaps he could distract her.

Molly stared at him, a sorrowful look in her eyes. Fuck. What had that man told her? He hadn’t even revealed anything. They just talked about his family and… Fabian and Hermione. His heart caught when he thought their names together like that. Merlin, why did that hurt so badly?

“Nothing to worry about, Gideon, dear. Is there anything I can do for you? How are your pillows?”

“They’re fine, Mols. And I can…” Rather than tell her, he decided to show her, picking up the empty bottle from the table. He was surprised Madam Pomfrey had left it, but maybe she wanted him to have something he could demonstrate with.

“Oh Gideon!” she cried, dropping onto the bed and pulling him into a hug. He stiffened for a moment, unused to being touched, before forcing his body to release a bit at a time. Showing people love this way had been as natural as water flowing, once upon a time. Gideon wanted it to be again.

“I’m about to have dinner. Do you want to eat with me?” he asked tentatively. He didn’t want her to know how much it would mean to him, or how much it would hurt if she wanted to go check on Fabian instead.

His sister smiled at him and said, “Of course I do!”

Relief and happiness flowed through his veins, both foreign emotions. He didn’t have to be alone.

************

Fabian felt considerably more human after food and fellowship. He vaguely remembered how much he had always appreciated those things. Of course, he also appreciated spending time with his brother, which he hadn’t been able to do until now.

Madam Pomfrey was directing Arthur and Percy, the third boy who had joined them after work to meet, or re-meet, his long lost Uncles. They were helping Gideon stand on newly straightened legs. As Fabian watched, he saw his twin smile for the first time. He must have seen it at some point long ago, but he didn’t remember now. This was the first smile in his mind, and it was beautiful.

He hadn’t known how much he needed to see it until their eyes connected and he felt his own smile return it. Gideon’s eyes grew round for a second before the smile brightened even more and he began walking more steadily toward Fabian.

Madam Pomfrey scolded him as, instead of dropping onto his own newly made bed as he was supposed to, Gideon fell onto Fabian’s and tentatively wrapped him in a hug. Fabian leaned into it immediately, pulling his twin close. The matron stopped whatever she was saying as the two brothers clung to each other.

“I never thought I would see you again,” Gideon said, his voice tight.

Fabian wasn’t sure what to say back. His human mind was suggesting he say something similar. But licking Gideon or kneading his claws into him felt far more appropriate. Since he didn’t have claws and had already been admonished for licking people, he suspected the human way was probably the right thing to do.

Only… he hadn’t thought such a thing. He hadn’t remembered so he certainly hadn’t thought about not seeing someone, hadn’t felt the anguish of losing his litter-mate.

Thanks to Healer Mitchell, he remembered some. He vaguely knew how close they once were. And he felt that old connection sometimes, for brief moments. Healer Mitchell had mentioned it should be important to him. But it was faded, brittle and old and easily broken. It was not as appealing as what he felt when he saw Hermione. But there was an emptiness inside him, too, inside that glowing spark that he knew, even as a cat, was his magic. The emptiness should be filled with Gideon. He knew that without being told. So Fabian pulled his twin close and said, “Me too,” because those were the right words, he thought.

He noticed suddenly that two new people were watching them. Healer Mitchell and Hermione had just left Madam Pomfrey’s office. There were tear stains on Hermione’s cheeks and Fabian immediately wanted to know what was wrong. He wanted to demand that she tell him, but that wasn’t the right thing. Being human was a pain in the arse.

The Healer was watching him, Fabian, specifically. He wondered if the man was pleased that he was giving Gideon the attention he needed. He could feel his brother’s need like it was his own. At least that wasn’t hard. But his own need for Hermione was almost overwhelming the urge to be here for Gideon. He wanted Hermione to come pet him.

Instead, Fabian looked back to Gideon, noticing Gideon’s brown eyes were still glued to him, Fabian tried a human smile at his twin. He spoke slowly but distinctly, remembering how the words worked as he said them; a long lost saying that he knows he can mimic from before. “We still in this together, Gid?”

A look of surprise flickered across his brother’s face. “Always,” Gideon coughed out, his eyes wide.

“You look like—like you—you don’t believe in me,” Fabian said, though he wasn’t at all phased by the observation. It just was.

“I’m not sure… what if you’re a hallucination? If all of this is? I could wake up any moment and be right back in the middle of…” Gideon couldn’t continue since he was shaking too hard to speak. Something about talking to Fabian had disturbed him.

Concern swept through Fabian, but he wasn’t sure what to do. Yowling might have worked before, but here they wanted much more human sounds.

Trying to think back to their past, before being Crookshanks, Fabian wondered how he would have helped Gideon then. It was frustrating, worthy of shredding curtains if he had still had the claws to do it. This man beside him had once been just an extension of himself.

The memories of that were… blurry, but the way it had felt wasn’t. Gideon needed him. And despite the distance between them, Fabian wanted to take care of his litter-mate. “Bloody weird hallucination for a cat,” he stated after contemplating the words for a moment.

It was weak, but Gideon laughed. His body was still trembling slightly, but he didn’t look like he was ready to break down.

Healer Mitchell walked over to them when it seemed they were done talking. He placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “I hope the two of you are feeling more at ease. I will be back to see you again tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Gideon asked, frowning.

“Daily, my friend. For some time,” Healer Mitchell told him. Fabian was surprised, too, but he didn’t say anything. The Healer had told him it was okay to be silent if words didn’t have to be said.

Healer Mitchell motioned to Madam Pomfrey and they walked toward the doors, mumbling together. Fabian wished for his cat ears so he could know what they were saying.

Then he was too distracted to care. Hermione was standing beside the bed. She had her arms wrapped around herself as she often did when frightened. There were tear stains on her cheeks. Fabian moved away from Gideon, his arms instead going for his girl. He growled slightly when she stepped back.

“You need… comfort,” he found the word, tasting it and feeling it was right. “I’m here. I can…” He trailed off. He wasn’t sure what he could do. Hermione and Gideon were both looking at him, so he said, “I want to rub my head on your belly and lick your nose to make you laugh. But that’s not right anymore.”

Bloody miserable was how that made him feel. He didn’t like not knowing the right thing to do, especially where it concerned his girl. Their girl? He felt Gideon’s need, even as he could see his brother backing away from Hermione.

She was smiling tentatively at him, though her eyes kept shifting over to Gideon. “I appreciate you wanting to, Fabian,” she said, “but I don’t think I’m ready for that. For the human version, that is.” Hermione lowered herself onto Gideon’s new bed, crossing her legs and pulling the pillow into her arms so that she had something to hold onto.

Fabian almost growled thinking of how good it had always felt when she held him that way. Gideon’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Do you… would you like to talk about it?”

“I think it would be better if I didn’t. We need to…” She seemed to think better of whatever she had considered saying. “You’re both still here in the hospital wing for tonight?”

Fabian and Gideon exchanged a look of confusion. “I’m not going anywhere,” Fabian said. “I have bones regrowing.” He patted his legs, then winced at his body’s reaction.

Gideon’s cheeks reddened slightly and he looked down at the bed. “I don’t want to leave Fabian, even if Madam Pomfrey said I could. And I don’t know if she would allow that yet anyway.”

A great sigh, seemingly of relief, escaped Hermione then. “Okay,” she said. Muttering, she continued, “Okay. I can do it tomorrow. I can…”

She looked up at Gideon, then to him. “We should… I want to get to know you both.”

Fabian tilted his head and took her in, examining how pale and unhappy and frankly scared she looked. “You don’t want to. And you don’t need to know me. You already do.”

“You mean me,” Gideon said. “Except you don’t want to know me. You just feel like you have to.” His voice was steady, but Fabian could feel his hurt radiating out of him. It was very curious that Hermione winced as well when the pain seemed to crescendo.

She reached toward Gideon, but then pulled her hand back awkwardly. “I don’t want to hurt you,” she said quietly. “Maybe we should forget… I need to go.” With that, she stood, dropping the pillow back into place and headed for the door before he or Gideon could say anything to dissuade her.

He felt that same uneasiness he had experienced last night, but it was somewhat dulled with Gideon nearby. He realized he could feel his twin if he focused and it felt… good. Like being whole again, like being with his girl. Hermione.

“What was that?” Fabian asked his twin, wondering what her strange words and actions had meant.

Gideon looked upset, not answering as he pulled himself up and onto his bed. He buried his head in the pillow before saying, “Sounded like Healer Mitchell thinks I need her attention as much as you do. And she feels obligated.”

“Human thing?” Fabian grunted. Obligation sounded like a pain in the arse, too.

His brother didn’t respond. A cat nap, it seemed, or he was pretending to. Fabian could respect that. He didn’t want to get clawed right now. He laid back and closed his own eyes.

Chapter Text

Hermione was nearly running by the time the door to the hospital wing closed behind her. She knew what she felt she had to do, what the right thing was, but she didn’t like it, didn’t want it. Healer Mitchell had done his best to make up for the whole conversation in front of Molly and Arthur once they were gone. It had helped, but…

“I owe you several apologies, Miss Granger. I had not anticipated delving so deeply into the subject when I invited Molly and Arthur to attend the first part of our session. I forgot how tenacious Molly Prewett always was. Weasley, I mean, but it’s been a fair few years since I saw her. I had thought it best to discuss the twins’ future living arrangements with all three of you at the same time, not… much of any of that.”

The Healer looked truly remorseful, but it hardly fixed the damage now.

“I suppose you’re going to tell me you didn’t mean to tell me so much about soul bonding either,” she said, not even trying to hide the bitterness she felt.

After a pause, Healer Mitchell admitted, “Privately, it was a conversation we needed to have, but I hadn’t intended to even touch on it with an audience."

“Would you have told me so much if they hadn’t been here to push it?” Hermione asked bluntly.

“No,” the Healer admitted, “I think it would have been easier on you to adjust to the idea slowly, perhaps even consider Fabian and Gideon friends first.”

“I don’t think you know me very well, sir. As much as I didn’t want them here for that, I’m glad they were if it forced you just to tell me.”

Healer Mitchell was quiet for a moment before saying, “And that is another apology I owe you. I should have taken into account your intelligence and love of knowledge and realized you would prefer to have all of the information.”

Grudgingly, Hermione said, “I would have had plenty of questions; however you presented it. There is every possibility you would have told me all of it anyway.”

“While that is likely true,” he said with a chuckle, “It does not excuse my oversight of the facts.”

Despite his blunders in that conversation, Hermione couldn’t help but still like the Healer, both professionally and the glimpses of who he was outside of being a mind healer. She wouldn’t forget that he told her all of it in front of Molly, but she wouldn’t hold it against him, she decided.

“Apology accepted,” she said gravely.

He looked relieved before saying, with clear trepidation, “I won’t be talking about the soulbond with Fabian or Gideon anytime soon, but I want to be there when that conversation is needed eventually.”

Hermione took a sharp breath. “How is that fair to them?” she asked, feeling uncomfortable with the idea that she knew something so important about the three of them, but the other two did not and would not.

“Their lives haven’t been fair for some time, unfortunately. They will be ready for the discussion eventually, but they’re not there yet. Fabian would consider it confirmation that you belong to him and Gideon… I fear it would just push Gideon further away,” Healer Mitchell said.

“I wish you would have waited until they knew to tell me as well,” Hermione grumbled, thinking it would have been nice to have another blissful month or two thinking that she had this wonderful world of opportunities before her, something different behind every open door. Now, her every door had a cat flap in it.

“Hermione, I know that the concept of soulbonding is hard on you, but I want you to think about this. We know that Fabian had an owner prior to you. He was with an old woman for some time. Magic doesn’t care about age. In fact, it often finds the older more powerful and therefore more intriguing. Yet, his bond did not choose her, despite being at loose ends. Why?”

“I know nothing about soulbonds. Why do you ask me?” Hermione said, but her mind was turning the question over.

“Because I know you will seek the answer,” he told her. “Something about you matches Fabian, and by extension Gideon, in a way that a powerful older witch did not.”

“How do you know it includes Gideon? Fabian didn’t remember him,” Hermione argued.

“Fabian didn’t, but his magic did. Magic doesn’t forget so easily.”

Hermione couldn’t stop wondering about the old witch and Fabian’s magic, just as Healer Mitchell had undoubtedly intended. She had research to do. But first, there was the task ahead.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione squared her shoulders and faced her next challenge. They never ended.

Stepping up to the guardian gargoyles, she stated Gryffindor Pride, and she was allowed into the Headmistress’s office.

“Miss Granger? To what do I owe this visit?” Professor McGonagall asked.

“Has Madam Pomfrey talked to you about… the guests in the infirmary?”

“I know. I am the Headmistress. I do try to know what is happening in my own school.” She was peering over her glasses at Hermione.

Relief swept through her that she didn’t have to tell her professor the startling news that the brothers were not dead. There were plenty of other, more pressing explanations to make.

Opening her mouth to speak, Hermione was suddenly distracted by the movement of a portrait. “Oh, Merlin… I can’t tell you in front of all of them. I can’t trust them.”

Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow but then flicked her wand at the wall of portraits, causing all of the portraits to be suddenly blank. “They’ve been sent to their other portraits and won’t be able to come back in until I allow them.”

There was another feeling of relief. The protectiveness that had surged through Hermione when it occurred to her that the portraits might reveal the twins to other people had been intense and unprecedented. Hermione appreciated that Professor McGonagall was willing to take this precaution as well, but it made her nervous, too, wondering if the portraits already knew about Fabian and Gideon. It was imperative that anyone who might harm them did not find out. Portraits that could move to other places were too hard to control.

Hermione shook herself as she realized the Professor had pinned her with one of the looks designed to get information out of students. Still, she resolved not to say their names without whispering. “Fabian and Gideon… do you know how they survived?”

“I was told they had been cursed into another form, but nothing further. Even with me, Madam Pomfrey was reticent to speak of them, just as you are.” Professor McGonagall only looked slightly put-out, her face settling into something like the look Molly had that first night — somewhere between grief and anger. “Those boys were always some of my favorites. I would never wish you or her or anyone to do anything that might hurt them.”

“I’m glad. I want… I guess I want what’s best for them, too.” Hermione swallowed hard, wondering how to have this conversation, where to start. “Do you remember my familiar, Crookshanks?”

Professor McGonagall looked confused but said, “Of course. He was always either very aloof or very… amorous when I was in cat form. I don’t follow how—”

“He was never a cat,” Hermione said quietly.

“What? Are you saying he was… but there are two of them,” Professor McGonagall thought aloud.

“Crookshanks, or rather what I thought was a cat named Crookshanks, was Fabian Prewett.”

Professor McGonagall laughed, covering her mouth with a hand. “That’s suitable for him,” she said.

“Gideon Prewett was a prisoner of Antonin Dolohov, but also in cat form except… except when it was time to t-torture him.”

Professor McGonagall gasped. “Oh, Gideon! How… how were you able to discover this?”

“I found a cat that I thought was Crookshanks, but he was skinny and… had many injuries.” Professor McGonagall nodded. She had clearly seen Gideon, the man. Hermione continued, “I thought that he had gotten away from my parents and had a hard time while we were on the run. But then I went to Australia where my parents are, and Crookshanks was there with them. When we brought him back, Fred and George had found a way to communicate with the one I had left with them. Bill looked them over and confirmed they were human, then broke the curse.”

“This is… well, I can’t quite imagine how…”

“How we didn’t see it?” Hermione finished, regret seeping into her tone. She felt so horrible when she thought of it. Truly. How had she not? But… Professor McGonagall was an Animagi—and a cat, to boot. Surely she should have seen the signs as well?

“Indeed,” Professor McGonagall said, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “I feel like I should have… Merlin, that means Fabian Prewett has been here for years, and I didn’t even realize it.”

“I’m devastated that I didn’t realize,” Hermione admitted. “I’ve spent five years snuggling a familiar who is actually a human. I should have seen the signs. Crookshanks was always so intelligent. And once I knew about animagi… But when we found the skinny one, I did try the animagus reversal spell, and it didn’t work.”

“I should imagine it was a far stronger curse than would have responded to that,” Professor McGonagall assured her.

“Yes. Performing two of the curse breakings drained Bill’s magical core and made him pass out.”

“A strong curse indeed,” Professor McGonagall said, her eyebrows shot clear up her forehead. Shaking her head, she seemed to refocus on Hermione. “So, I am pleased to know more about our guests, but what did you need to request?”

Hermione fidgeted. She didn’t even exactly want what she was about to ask for, but what was the alternative? “Fabian is… attached to me. Madam Pomfrey has been having trouble with him at night, and when someone is not entertaining him during the day, basically… anytime I’m not there.”

“I was aware of the… nighttime troubles,” Professor McGonagall noted. Sharply, she asked, “How do you feel about that?”

“I don’t know… I… Professor, what would you do if you found out you have a soulbond, or most likely a soulbond, with someone you didn’t know?”

“A soulbond?” Professor McGonagall rocked back in shock. “Hermione… they’re incredibly rare, but that’s an intense bond. Madam Pomfrey mentioned the bond you had to him as a familiar might somehow still be there, but… I wouldn’t have expected something so strong.”

“Well, Fabian can’t stand to be separated from me. And Gideon… we don’t know each other, and I feel like he hates me, but… Healer Mitchell, the Mind Healer that Madam Pomfrey—”

“I am well acquainted with Healer Mitchell,” Professor McGonagall said quietly, making Hermione snap her eyes to her Professor in dawning horror. “Go on, child,” the Professor added without looking away.

Hermione swallowed. “Healer Mitchell believes they are… bound to me in that way. That Fabian’s magic was seeking connection after he had been separated from Gideon and found me. Healer Mitchell said… he told me that it’s a soulbond and explained a bit about them and—”

“He just flatly told you there is a soulbond?” Professor McGonagall asked her voice tense. The look of horror on her face didn’t help Hermione feel any better about the situation.

“Well, yes, but I think he genuinely hadn’t planned to. Molly kept asking—”

“He told you that in front of Molly Weasley?” the Professor demanded.

Hermione winced. “It was okay. Arthur was there to calm her down and—”

“I have never heard of such blatant disrespect. That man knows better. Molly and Arthur? Did he parade anyone else in there with you?” Professor McGonagall was slipping into the Scottish brogue that only showed when she was particularly angry about something.

“No, it was just them. He—”

“Did something completely unacceptable, Hermione,” she fumed, nostrils flaring, “And he’s going to hear about it!”

Even though she had decided to let it go, Hermione felt warmth spread through her at the caring nature of her favorite Professor, at her willingness to stand up for Hermione. The only part of it she didn’t love was how difficult this might make her request. Trying to bring things back round to that, she brought up the soulbond again.

“However he presented it, there seems to be no way around the soulbond,” Hermione said.

“If that’s what it is!” Professor McGonagall insisted. “I’m not even sure if Healer Mitchell is qualified to recognize that. I barely passed the test for that. It’s—”

And then she was casting something complex; her wand pointed at Hermione’s heart. When two tiny golden forms appeared in the air in front of her, exact replicas of Fabian and Gideon — though this version of Gideon looked far more filled out, closer to identical with his brother — Professor McGonagall gasped and sat down hard in her desk chair.

After a moment of silence, Hermione said, “I take it that means he’s right.” She was unable to keep the tears from leaking down her face again or stop her voice from shaking.

“Merlin, child,” Professor McGonagall finally managed. “Toppy!” she called, and an elf appeared. “Could you please bring us tea and some chocolate? It is much needed.”

“Of course, Headmistress,” the elf said, popping away and back almost instantly with a full pot and a heap of both chocolate and biscuits. “You look like you need more than chocolate,” Toppy said without seeming to care how they felt about that.

When the elf was gone, McGonagall said, “I’m sure this is very overwhelming, but you’re not alone, Miss Granger.”

“I suppose there’s truly nothing to be done about it now,” Hermione said, just barely hinting at it being a question. Professor McGonagall shook her head. With a sigh, Hermione said, “It’s probably for the best. Trying to break it would hurt Fabian and probably kill Gideon. Fabian and I are already so intertwined even though I don’t know him at all and—”

“Miss Granger. Calm down,” Professor McGonagall insisted, though her voice was nearly as frantic. “It is a frightening situation, no doubt, but you have people here who will help you. And… I’m sure just hearing assurances from others isn’t very helpful, but Fabian and Gideon Prewett were two of the best men I’ve ever met. Hearts of gold, braver than anyone, funny, loving, powerful, and not to mention easy on the eyes.”

Hermione coughed to keep from gaping or laughing at her professor. “I… hope that is still true. I’m sure they’re wonderful. They’re just… barely human at this time. And strangers. And they’ve been through so much.”

“And so have you, Hermione. It’s not fair that this has been asked of you, too,” Professor McGonagall said, sadness and anger radiating from her.

“No one asked, really,” she responded quietly.

“The men I knew… They would have asked if they could have. Neither Fabian nor Gideon would ever take that choice from you or anyone else if they could have helped it.”

“I believe you. I don’t think anything bad about them. I just don’t know what to do about it. About any of it. Except…” Hermione took a deep breath, afraid to take this step but knowing it had to happen. Closing her eyes in a childish attempt not to face her own words, she asked, “Is there any living arrangement we could manage that would allow them to be close but not… not with me obviously. I don’t want anything improper happening. But I can’t stay in the hospital wing with them and still get my studying and work done. They can’t really stay there either, not with people about all the time. But I’ve been told they won’t be able to stand being at the Burrow while I’m here. There has to be a room somewhere they can hide in.”

Professor McGonagall stared at her, clearly working to determine her sincerity for that. “There are several options, but are you certain you want this? We could put them in Gryffindor tower, and they should be close enough.”

“But others would see them, and we would have to say who they are. It’s not safe for so many people to know,” Hermione insisted.

With a nod, Professor McGonagall said, “Very well. There are marriage suites, from years gone by when students married young. But that won’t do for this situation.” She was tapping her finger on her chin when she suddenly gave a tight-lipped smile. “The Heads Suite.”

“What?” Hermione asked, a bit taken aback.

“As I’m sure you know, the Head Boy and Girl share a common room, with their bedrooms separated, to help them better work together. It will keep them close—and hidden—but will leave you with some privacy.”

“Oh Merlin, that’s perfect!” Hermione said with relief.

“And,” Professor McGonagall added slyly, “If you stay for the school year, you’ll already be moved in.”

Hermione gasped. Being Head Girl had been her dream since age eleven. Well, when she could dream beyond trying to stay alive. She hadn’t been sure about coming back, and even this didn’t completely sway her feelings, but it was a heavy weight in that direction. Professor McGonagall was smiling like the cat who got the cream.

“I honestly can’t guarantee I’m going to stay but, I… that makes the thought of anything else very uninteresting,” Hermione admitted.

“I had hoped it might,” Professor McGonagall said with a genuine smile. “Now, will it be just Fabian sharing your quarters since he is the one you know better? If so, perhaps we could house Gideon with the Gryffindors. He might feel comfortable in his old dorm for the time being.

“I’m not sure,” Hermione said, brows knitting together. “Fabian doesn’t… he barely seems to remember Gideon, and I think it’s crushing him — Gideon. I feel like he would suffer if he were separated from Fabian.”

“So you wish to live with two men?” Professor McGonagall asked. She was looking stern, but Hermione knew her well enough to recognize the tiny twinkle in her eye as a sign of mirth.

“Merlin, not when you say it like that!”

Professor McGonagall actually laughed. “It sounds like that will be the best course of action, however,” she solemnly suggested once she calmed.

Hermione blushed. “Yes. I’m worried about them.”

Professor McGonagall nodded sadly. There would be a lot for both men to recover from. “Does Madam Pomfrey believe they will do best hiding?”

Hermione paused. “I’m not certain. If she feels a certain way about it, she hasn’t discussed that with me yet. They… we need to keep them out of the media. For their own sakes and because… Gideon has information, a lot of it, to share with the Aurors. He could… they might easily target him.”

“Perhaps glamours or Polyjuice would be best, then. To keep them hidden but allow them to interact with the world as much as possible. They are, I suppose, in their 40s now, but—”

“That’s an oddity of the curse. They’re not. Well, physically not. Fabian hasn’t aged at all. Gideon… He’s three years older.”

“Then he has spent three years outside of the curse while with Dolohov?” Professor McGonagall deduced, her eyes becoming sharp and angry as she considered the information.

Hermione knew she had gone pale when she nodded. Professor McGonagall had clearly understood the implications of what the man had gone through. After a few moments, she asked, “Is he sane? I won’t have you sharing space with a man who might hurt you, no matter how unintentionally bonded you may be.”

“Yes,” Hermione assured. “He seems withdrawn, but I have no fear of him. I think… I would know if he wasn’t okay.”

“Can you feel them?” Professor McGonagall asked, peering over her glasses again.

Staring at the ground, Hermione nodded. “Not always, but enough to know it’s them.”

“That’s remarkably rare,” Professor McGonagall said excitedly. “I know this isn’t anything you were looking for, but the fact that you can feel them is a sign of great potential!”

“Potential for what?” Hermione asked.

“I’m not sure—”

“Surely you know me well enough to know, Professor, that I would rather know than not. And that I’ll just go research it if you won’t tell me,” Hermione said without a shred of shame.

Professor McGonagall laughed again. “I could point out that it will be more difficult to do so right now with the library in its current state, but I doubt it would slow you down much.” She sighed and looked Hermione over before continuing. “Triads—true triads where all three individuals are balanced and whose magic becomes joined—can only be formed in situations where the bond they first form allows them to feel each other in that way.”

“Is it a bad sign that I only feel them—Gideon especially—sometimes?” Hermione asked, her curiosity overwhelming the slight feeling of alarm.

“No. In this situation, it is natural. You don’t know him in any way. That it is already so strong is astounding. I am thrilled to have the three of you share a space as long as you feel safe with them, Hermione. I am interested to see the progress the three of you make.” It was obvious that Professor McGonagall was dying to see that progress happen quickly. Hermione hated to disappoint her, but she couldn’t imagine how that might occur.

“Thank you, Professor.”

“You’re very welcome, Hermione. Don’t be a stranger. We’ll be working together anyway, but I would be happy to take tea together again anytime you like.”

Hermione felt her eyebrows raise at that invitation. “I would like that, Professor.”

“Call me Minerva when we aren’t in class, Hermione. You’ve more than earned it.”

Hermione left the Headmistress’ office with her head turning over the possibility of being Head Girl, how she would arrange her studies — and what to do with the two men she didn’t know who were so connected to her.

Chapter Text

Hermione was grateful that Professor McGonagall had agreed to show her the room as soon as classes were out the next day, so she would have time to move in ahead of Fabian and Gideon. It really shouldn’t have mattered, but Hermione thought it would help her feel more in control of the space. Everything seemed so out of control right now. She needed this.

Fabian was seeing Healer Mitchell right now, so she had a respite from his neediness. He would be unhappy she still hadn’t made it to the hospital wing when he returned to his bed, but his bones weren’t yet healed enough for him to come prowling the castle in search of her. She hoped.

Merlin, she was so tired. The constant emotional toll of the twins was exhausting, not to mention the exhaustion she would have had anyway from taking Portkeys to and from Australia. And dealing with her parents. And the war. Then there were classes.

She still hadn’t had today’s session with Healer Mitchell yet, either. Yesterday’s had been exclusively about the Prewetts and how to cope with that. The first day was all about her parents. Tonight, she hoped to talk some about Harry, Ron, and being on the run. But knowing herself and the life she lived, Hermione knew something might just happen within the next couple of hours that needed talking about more. It would be just her luck. There was far too much going on already in her world. As Hermione looked around the new dorm, she remembered that she hadn’t actually told Fabian and Gideon about the new living arrangements yet since she had only stopped by the hospital wing briefly that morning. She knew she should have, but she just hadn’t been able to make herself. No, she would have to as soon as she got back to the hospital wing. But this would be her last little bit of quiet for who knew how long. Not quite ready to give it up, she explored the rooms slowly.

She walked to each bedroom, selecting the slightly smaller one for herself since there was only one of her and two of them. Almost the moment she decided, the bedding arrangements changed so that two single beds were in the larger room, and the smaller room contained one huge bed.

She tried to transfigure the bed—it had to be at least a queen size—to shrink down to a single size, but it seemed to have been spelled to stay at its current size. Hermione conceded after a few tries. It looked too comfortable to give up.

There was a beautiful little writing desk in the room, and the walls were lined with shelves. It seemed someone had her in mind when they arranged everything. It was a perfect set-up.

Holding her little beaded bag open, Hermione smiled as her books flew out and organized themselves on the shelves. It already felt more like a home. She brought her clothing out next, straight into the closet, though she had to frown at it all. She badly needed a new wardrobe. Thankfully, the summer term would allow her to go back to Diagon or Hogsmeade or even Muggle London and shop with Ginny. Or alone, but it was far more entertaining to go with Ginny.

Situating the last of her things carefully on her desk, she gathered her toiletries and took them into the bathroom. Merlin, it was only now that she realized she would be sharing a bathroom with the two men. Hermione had to breathe carefully through her nose several times before she calmed again.

This was what they needed to do. It wouldn’t hurt her to get to know them, and they clearly needed her. Rejecting the bond would only hurt all three of them. It could kill Gideon. She didn’t know him, and he seemed to like her even less since she started trying to get to know him, but she could feel how much he needed her and Fabian. Hermione couldn’t imagine walking away from that.

Moving out into the common area, Hermione looked around. It was decorated much like the Gryffindor common room. She wasn’t sure if it always was or if it was because all three of them were Gryffindors. There were three big comfy chairs around the fire and a deep sofa that looked perfect for lounging. Bookshelves lined one wall in this room. A perfunctory check showed, to her delight, that it was full of books on magical architecture and restorations. How perfect!

On the other side of the room, there was a small kitchenette. She would be able to have tea or coffee at any hour. And perhaps she could stock it with some snacks if that seemed necessary. She could even do a tiny bit of cooking if she really wanted to.

With a happy sigh, she plopped herself into the chair nearest the fireplace and squirmed around until the position was perfect. Summoning a blanket from her beaded bag, she draped it across this chair, claiming it as her own. She would curl up for just a minute.

But it was several hours later when she blinked awake, suddenly sitting bolt upright when she realized that the sun’s rays were slanting in the high window now and painting the room a glowing reddish-orange. It made her smile, the way the colors filtered in, but, if the way her chest was constricting told her anything, Fabian must be frantic.

**********

Gideon felt helpless as he watched his brother fall apart. He felt it, too, but he wasn’t going to say so. There was already enough chaos without him adding to it. He couldn’t believe Fabian was able to so completely swamp him emotionally when he could barely feel the connection most of the time. The pain and emptiness felt like they belonged as much to himself as they did his brother.

Molly and her family were trying to calm Fabian. Madam Pomfrey was loudly telling him that she would have to give him a sleeping potion if he didn’t settle down. Then he wouldn’t see her at all. Unfortunately, that sent Fabian into a complete panic.

Anger at the girl flooded Gideon’s system, even though he knew it was irrational. She undoubtedly had a life before they became human, and she deserved to live it instead of being at Fabian’s beck and call. But they needed her. Well, Fabian needed her. It wasn’t his fault either—whatever had gone wrong with mixing two humans into a familiar bond—and Fabian certainly hadn’t done it on purpose.

Not that they had been told that was what happened, but Gideon wasn’t stupid. He understood the implications.

The door to the Hospital Wing opened, and Fabian bounded across the room far faster than his new legs were supposed to be able to carry him. He tackled Hermione but didn’t take her to the ground this time. Instead, his body rubbed against her, weaving around her catlike as he peppered her with questions. “Where have you been? You smell like… Why do you smell like our old tower? This is where we sleep now. There are new smells, too. Why were you gone so long?”

Gideon clung to the bars of his uncomfortable hospital bed to keep from reacting the same. It was just Fabian’s overwhelming relief at seeing her. He needed to stay here and not make things worse.

Part of him wanted to get up anyway. Beyond needing to be near the girl, he couldn’t stop himself from basking in the amazing feeling of walking without pain. He hadn’t remembered what it felt like, not at all. So, once he was certain he could control the need to be with Fabian and Hermione as she tried to calm him, Gideon slowly stood and began walking toward the crowd of people surrounding the two.

“I was preparing something,” Hermione was explaining, “And I was just so tired that I fell asleep.”

Her hands were in Fabian’s. It made Gideon feel empty and a little dizzy and sick from the intensity of that emptiness. He needed… no. It was just Fabian who needed it. Where was the emptiness coming from when Fabian was beaming like that?

A steadying hand gripped his shoulder. “You okay?” George asked in a low voice.

“Fine,” Gideon replied, more tersely than he meant to. “I’m just… feeling tired.”

“You’ve been through a lot. That’s reasonable,” George told him. “Do you need to sit down?”

“No,” he said. If he got any further from them, he felt like he might disintegrate. What was she saying?

“So Professor McGonagall has arranged for a suite for us. We won’t be in the same bedroom, of course, but we’ll share a common room and…”

“What!?” Molly cried. “That’s incredibly inappropriate, living together, and you are barely even an adult!”

“Do you think she’s noticed they’re not married yet?” Fred stage-whispered, setting Molly off again.

Gideon couldn’t hear the rest of the words around the blood pounding like a hammer in his head. No! No, she couldn’t take Fabian from him now.

He didn’t realize he had said those words aloud until everyone turned to him in surprise. They weren’t as surprised as he was, though, when Hermione quickly appeared at his side and cupped his hollow cheek with her hand. She was brushing away… tears? Had he been crying?

“You’re coming, too, Gideon. I wouldn’t have agreed to anything that would separate you from Fabian. Healer Mitchell thinks this is the best thing for both of you.”

Relief hit him hard enough that Gideon swayed. George and Hermione each caught hold of him, though it was only Hermione he truly noticed. The aching emptiness left him, and he wanted to lean into her. What was this? Why did he need—

“We're going to a different part of the castle,” Hermione was explaining. “There is a suite for all of us to stay in. It has a room for you and Fabian to share and a room for me.”

Everyone waited to see how Gideon would react. He hated the way they were watching. Before he could consider anything else, he heard the words thank you come from his mouth. Hermione took his hand and led him over to Fabian.

“Would you like to go see it and move in now?'' she asked.

“Yes!” Fabian agreed happily.

“I don’t think—” Molly began.

“Molly,” Healer Mitchell said, appearing from the office pink-cheeked, with Professor McGonagall standing sternly behind him. She had been yelling at the man for some time, though the silencing ward she must have put up had covered most of it. Gideon was impressed by how very loud the Professor must have been to overcome them. It was no wonder the Healer looked embarrassed and made him wonder what she had been yelling about.

“You know we discussed what the twins need,” the Healer said. “This will accomplish what they require without over-exposing any of them to each other. Hermione will be able to close them out if need be, but they will all have an opportunity to get to know one another better as Fabian and Gideon work on both their independence and relying on each other once again.”

There was some communication happening through looks at one another because Molly finally huffed and threw up her hands. “Merlin, fine. Let’s see this place.”

Professor McGonagall and Hermione led the way with Fabian at her heels and Gideon following. Of course, Molly and Arthur came with them, with Molly muttering about impropriety and how they ought to be at the Burrow. Gideon couldn’t help but wish for that, too, though the draw to the girl was so strong he wondered how he would have been able to stand being so far away. Fabian’s need for her, that is. That’s all it was. He didn’t need her himself.

After a few staircases, Gideon was grateful Arthur was with them and willing to help him climb the rest. His new legs—the muscles unaccustomed to such a workout—were trembling like new leaves in the wind. They were soon there, but Gideon hesitated at the door.

Unsure why he was so nervous about this new living arrangement when it was supposed to be perfectly appropriate, Gideon couldn’t make himself enter. Molly shoved past him as he contemplated how much he didn't want to go inside. But Fabian had already run in and was making excited sounds, some more cat-like than others.

Arthur asked quietly, “Do you need assistance coming in?” as though it were his legs giving him pause rather than the panic he felt welling up.

“No, I’m fine, really,” he replied, steeling himself to go in.

“This is just perfect! It's like the Gryffindor common room,” Molly cried inside.

“We thought that would make everyone feel more comfortable,” Professor McGonagall said.

“I appreciate it. My room is so thoughtful,” Hermione gushed. Gideon wasn’t sure how she felt about sharing with him and Fabian, but he could see her enthusiasm for the space itself was genuine.

“Let’s get their things all set up in their room,” Molly said, taking armloads of clothes, undoubtedly her boys’ things, into the room Fabian and Gideon would be sharing.

Fabian curiously wandered in and out of rooms before saying, “Why are you putting my things in there, Molly?”

“It’s your room, Fabian,” she replied without really looking at him.

“But Hermione sleeps in there,” he said, pointing to the other bedroom.

Arthur stepped in. He had been giving Fabian a lot of lessons on behavior. Gideon supposed that after raising six sons, he had some relevant practice. “Yes, she does sleep there. And it would be very inappropriate for your things to be in her room.”

“But I belong with her.”

“No, mate,” Fred said, clapping him on the shoulder. “You belong with your twin. Remember how we talked about that?”

Fabian’s face took on a stubborn frustrated look. “We both belong with her,” he insisted.

“Well, a set of rooms with common space is as close to that as Hogwarts is willing to provide for a student, which she is even if you are not,” Professor McGonagall said sharply. “Hermione does not belong to you. She is her own person.”

“And remember what Healer Mitchell said about letting her have her own life,” Arthur added quietly.

Relief flooded Gideon’s system, both that the Healer had told Fabian to leave the girl alone and that Arthur had so carefully kept his words from carrying through the room. He wasn’t sure why, but Gideon felt ashamed that he was so relieved, and he worried about how Hermione would feel if she knew. It shouldn’t matter what the girl thought. She was nothing to him… except for the inexplicable draw to her.

Gideon busied himself, putting away the things his sister had brought for him. Thankfully it wasn’t much, or he wouldn’t have had the energy to handle it all. Madam Pomfrey was pushing nutrition potions into him at every opportunity. He knew he had already begun to gain weight, looking and feeling far healthier, but he had a long way to go. And after the climb up here, he was more than ready to lay back down and sleep.

“Well, I think that’s everything,” Molly said, sighing. “I wish you boys were coming home, but I understand that isn’t what you need most right now.” Her tone was still grumbling, but the words were what the Healer seemed to feel was best.

She gave each of them a bone-crushing hug before moving on to Hermione. In what Molly clearly thought was a quiet voice, she said, “Now don’t be worried, dear. They’re good men, and they won’t do anything you’re not ready for.”

A hot blush lit up Gideon’s cheeks as he realized his sister was implying the possibility that one of them might come on to her. That, Merlin, the girl might be afraid they would hurt her or… He couldn’t even think it. He remembered the intense fear when someone would imply they might… And suddenly, he couldn’t breathe.

Kettle. Cups. Books. Gryffindor Banner. Blanket. He focused on grounding himself with all the things he could see. The scent… well, it just smelled like Hogwarts, and perhaps a little bit of an intoxicating cinnamon and apple blend. By now, he had calmed, pushing the other thoughts back to be dealt with when he was with the Healer. Nothing had ever happened anyway, not that. It has just been another threat.

Still shaken, he decided it would be nice to sit by the fire for a bit now that everyone else had gone. And the blanket looked cozy. Gideon made his way over and slid into the comfortable chair closest, pulling the blanket he found there tight around him until he finally felt safe. Until she came over.

“That is my blanket,” Hermione said to him. “And I meant it to claim that chair for me.”

Gideon blinked at her. “I’m sorry. I just—”

He didn’t want to tell the girl he had needed it. He didn’t want to tell her that a cozy spot by the fire might make him feel safer. He stood, throwing himself upward fast enough that he lost balance. Hermione caught him with both hands to keep him from toppling over.

Heart beating like mad, Gideon jerked away from her as soon as he had his footing. “There, you can have your blanket and chair,” he practically snarled as he moved quickly to get away from her. Gideon wasn’t about to analyze why he was reacting so intensely to her, why he felt better with her hands on him than he had even when he was curled in the chair. Merlin, if he could curl up under a blanket by the fire with her… No. That would never happen, and he didn’t even want it to.

Fabian was sitting on the sofa, laughing at Gideon’s near fall. “You could have sat by me, doll,” he said. Gideon felt his cheeks burn when he realized that his initial thought that Fabian was inviting him to sit on the sofa was wrong. It would have been the first time today that Fabian really reached out to him.

Taking a deep breath, Gideon headed for the bedroom, doing his best not to walk too fast and give away his turbulent emotions. Behind him, he heard Hermione say, “No, thank you, Fabian. I like to sit by myself.”

“You didn’t before,” he replied.

Gideon closed their bedroom door, so he didn’t have to hear it. He was free, and Fabian was alive, and somehow things still weren’t okay. He selected a book from the shelves and flopped down on the bed. At least he could read again. Merlin, he had missed reading.

He wasn’t sure how much time passed before he heard a squeal out in the common area and then shouting. “You can’t come in with me!” Hermione was yelling.

For a moment, he considered continuing to read, but something about the nearly hysterical nature of her voice told him this was a situation he was likely going to need to intervene in.

Looking out, he found Fabian trying to press his way into the girl’s bedroom. “You said it’s time for bed,” he was saying to her.

“Yes. And your bed is in there,” she told Fabian, pointing to their bedroom. Gideon saw relief in her eyes at the sight of him, but then a wariness, like she wasn’t sure if he would help or not.

Gideon came out of the room, sharply calling his twin, “Fabian, that’s enough. Our room is over here.”

“I won’t sleep alone,” Fabian stated.

“I’m in the room, too. You won’t be alone,” Gideon tried, getting a hand around Fabian’s arm, but it was painfully obvious that he wouldn’t be able to move his brother by strength any longer.

“You’re not snuggly like she is,” Fabian replied. “And even if you were, we’re not in the same bed.”

“Well, you certainly aren’t sleeping in the same bed with me, either,” Hermione told him. “Goodnight!”

With Gideon tugging him back, Fabian was just far enough from the door that he couldn’t stop it from closing. Fabian growled at him and ripped his arm out of Gideon’s hold, marching angrily back to the sofa.

“Come on, Fab. It’s time for bed,” Gideon coaxed.

“No!” Fabian denied. This was much like dealing with a spoiled toddler. Not that he had been around many of those—Molly never spoiled her boys, and they were the only kids Gideon had much experience with. But he could guess this was how a spoiled brat might act. Or a self-entitled tomcat, he amended.

Healer Mitchell had yet to have been able to break through Gideon’s resentment toward his brother for the relatively easy situation he had ended up in, but it had only been the two sessions so far. They still weren’t sure what had happened to Fabian, or why he never returned for Gideon, but it seemed like he simply forgot. It was inconceivable for Gideon, whose bond constantly ached, then and still now. The only time it felt remotely better was when he was touching Fabian or Hermione, or sometimes being in a room with both of them—even if they weren’t touching—was enough to keep the ache at bay.

Gideon didn’t understand and, though he was certain Healer Mitchell understood why, the man wasn’t telling. That only frustrated Gideon more and made him question whether or not he could trust the Healer, who otherwise did seem to have his best interests at heart. Yes, Gideon understood there was likely a reason for keeping whatever it was quiet. That didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Fine. Stay out here if you like,” Gideon said. “I’m going to bed. You should come to bed too when you’re done with your tantrum.” He didn’t look back to see how his brother reacted.

***********

A wave of bitter anger filled Fabian, and it made him restless. He badly wanted to chase something. Of course, he knew that the nights were often like this, but doubly so when he couldn’t be near Hermione. As if being in the lonely bedroom with his git of a twin would be enough compared to sleeping next to her.

Unable to contain himself, Fabian began to pace around the room. He just needed to stretch his legs. He needed—what he really needed was for his girl to stop being so damn shy and let him be the tomcat he was. It was an integral part of him. And it would make their time together that much better.

His pacing had become almost a run when Gideon came out of their bedroom. “What the bloody hell are you doing, Fabian?” he hissed.

“I have all this energy, and it has to go somewhere.”

“Go to bed and run it out tomorrow when people aren’t trying to sleep,” Gideon snapped.

“No. I can’t be with my girl. You can’t tell me—”

They were interrupted by a horrific scream from Hermione’s room. Fabian jumped the sofa and ran to the room, heart pounding. Whatever was happening to her, he was going to put a stop to it. He was surprised to find Gideon right behind him, looking as worried as Fabian felt.

Slamming the door open, Fabian cast a wandless, wordless Lumos without thinking about it. With the room bright, the twins saw Hermione wrestling in the sheets, her back arched off the bed, and the screams so intense Fabian was searching the room for a hidden Death Eater Crucioing her.

Back-to-back, as they had always done before, Fabian and Gideon took in the room together before approaching the bed. Hermione was utterly alone in the room, but between screams, she was mumbling.

“Please stop! It’s just a copy!” Her screams were getting louder, and Fabian wasn’t sure what to do. “I won’t! Please! Help me!”

He couldn’t stand it anymore. Despite Gideon’s protest behind him, Fabian climbed onto the bed. Gently at first, Fabian shook her, but the screams continued. Hermione began fighting him, trying to push him away.

“Get off of her, Fabian,” Gideon said.

“I’m not on her—though I used to calm her that way,” Fabian said, frantically wondering if he should lay down on top of her or if it would upset her more.

“Don’t even think ab—” Gideon started, but it was too late. Fabian had crawled on top of Hermione, effectively holding her down. “Fabian!” his brother nearly shouted.

But Hermione, while still crying and whimpering, had stopped screaming. Her body was calming under him. Fabian was surprised it had worked, but… he had helped her. He couldn’t stop the grin that split his face as he looked up at Gideon.

When his brother stormed from the room, Fabian wasn’t sure how to feel. For a moment, he had gotten an intense wave of emotion: hurt, anger, loneliness, jealousy. Was that… did Gideon feel all that right now? He understood anger. That would make sense as Fabian’s move had been risky. But why would he be hurt by Fabian helping his girl?

Shaking aside those thoughts for later, Fabian assessed what to do now. Hermione’s whimpers had subsided now as well. Her body was still trembling, and tears were sliding down her face, but she was calming rapidly. Would she stay that way if he moved?

Something he was learning—re-learning Healer Mitchell kept reminding him—was that this human body reacted rather strongly to being on top of his girl, especially when it had started with her body moving wildly under his. While his instincts said it was time for mating, the human thinking part of him said that would be a terrible idea. Much as he didn’t want to listen, Fabian knew the right thing to do.

Carefully, he moved to the side. He didn’t slide under the covers with her, much as he wanted to. He didn’t pull her up against him or lick or kiss any part of her. Fabian willed his body to calm and curled up on his side to watch over her. When she became restless again, he put an arm protectively over her, and it seemed it was enough to chase her nightmares—memories?—away. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep beside her, exactly where he wanted and needed to be.

*************

Hermione awoke slowly. There was a soothing sound near her head, and it seemed like her body was pressed against something warm. Something about that wasn’t quite right, and she found that her eyes were flickering open—only to see Fabian next to her. He was purring in his sleep.

She almost screamed but then made herself pause. How had he gotten past the wards? Merlin, she must not have warded the door last night! Nearly hyperventilating, she calmed when she realized she hadslept through the night without waking herself screaming, the first time since the battle. Slowly, she understood that Fabian’s presence was likely a direct result of a nightmare—and that he had somehow calmed her down.

He was on top of the blanket, which meant he hadn’t done anything inappropriate. She wondered if Gideon had come in with him. Merlin, she didn’t want him to have to deal with her nightmares when he had been through so much worse. She wasn’t sure how the poor man was able to sleep at all.

Without meaning to, she found herself staring at Fabian. His face was handsome. His jaw was square, the chin manly, and prominent cheekbones graced his face. Truly, the Prewett men were beautiful. The freckles all over his face were light but numerous. His eyelashes… Merlin, lashes that long shouldn’t be allowed. They were a gorgeous golden red, too, in case their length alone wasn’t enough.

Fabian was in a pair of sleep trousers and nothing else, so his broad shoulders and chest were visible, as well as his soft belly. She liked the dark red hair that followed from his belly button down into the trousers. She curled her hand into a fist to fight the urge to run her fingers along that line.

It was as she was eyeing his chest again - not defined, but muscular enough - when his purr changed slightly. Darting her eyes up, she met Fabian’s brown gaze. In the morning light, she could see that his eyes were a light brown, almost golden. They weren’t terribly dissimilar to her own, lighter, she thought, but she wasn’t certain.

“You are welcome to keep looking,” he told her, his voice gravelly with sleep. Hermione blushed, shocked by the way her body had reacted to that look, that tone. “Or touch,” he added. “Touching would be better.”

Before she could think of a response, Fabian leaned in close, his nose running along her skin, ghosting along her jaw, her cheekbones. His lips were suddenly hovering just over hers, and Hermione couldn’t breathe. He moved closer still, close enough that they were barely a hair’s breadth from one another.

The door flew open, Gideon asking, “Are you up y—” He abruptly stopped as he realized what he was seeing. Fabian growled darkly at him, his head rising away from Hermione’s.

She felt suddenly overwhelmed, unable to tell if she was happy or sad that they had been interrupted. Quickly, Hermione fled the bed, grabbing clothes and running into the loo, locking the door quickly behind her. She could hear the brothers yelling at one another but not the words they were saying.

That must be some sort of charm, she mused. The logical part of her brain seemed oddly detached from the rest of her. Pull yourself together, Hermione, she chastised herself. This was the first day of the summer term, and she wasn’t willing to miss out on things just because of a near kissing experience that she was somehow certain would have changed her whole world.

When she came out of the loo sometime later, both men were in the common area. Gideon was reading. Fabian was pacing.

“I’m sorry, Hermione,” Fabian said the moment he saw her.

“It’s fine,” she said, wishing he hadn’t mentioned it at all.

“No, I shouldn’t have—”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Hermione groaned. She saw his eyes go a little wide and noticed that Gideon glanced up at her as well. Cheeks burning, she searched for something to talk about that wasn’t that, the almost kiss. “The twins—Molly’s twins—are coming to keep you entertained today.”

“To be our jailers, you mean,” Fabian said with a huff. He was clearly not pleased that they weren’t leaving the suite for the day and that Hermione was.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, feeling calmer at the familiarity of a whiny, complaining boy. “They’ll be far more fun than me.”

“I doubt that,” Fabian said, his voice dropping low again. Gideon shot him an angry look just as a knock sounded on the door.

“Here they are now!” Hermione announced with a relieved smile on her face. The moment Fred and George came in, she darted out the door with a quick “See you later!” It was obvious she badly needed to be away from them and gain perspective.

Chapter Text

When Molly appeared shortly after the twins, just in time to miss Hermione, Gideon wondered if that was by design or accidental, but it didn’t matter. He was just glad to see Molly. He wanted to reconnect with his big sister. After a couple of hours of her mothering, however, he was done. She had been overbearing in the past. Now that they were younger than some of her sons? It was more than any man who had lived 40 years should have to deal with.

The twins—the set she made, as Fred and George said—had tried valiantly to deflect her attention, but it hadn’t worked. Molly wanted to fuss over Gideon and reprimand Fabian. As much as some part of Gideon wanted to be fussed over, a much larger part wanted to pretend he was fine. He didn’t appreciate her trying to destroy the illusion.

Thank Merlin that Fabian had been the one who lost his temper. Gideon had been afraid it would have been himself, but his twin, perhaps predictably, turned out to be more volatile, yowling and hissing until he remembered himself and began shouting instead. Molly and Fabian had screamed at each other for a while until George calmly led his Mum to the door and told her she needed to come back tomorrow.

Fabian was riled up after that. Truly, he was riled up in general, having been ready to show his colors with Hermione this morning. Gideon cursed himself for leaving the poor girl alone with his twin. He just couldn’t stand to see the sweet, loving way Fabian looked at her and petted her hair while he calmed her nightmares, so Gideon had left the room without forcing Fabian to join him.

“How do you boys feel about Polyjuice potion?” Fred asked suddenly.

“What for?” Fabian asked.

But Gideon felt like he might throw up at the very suggestion. He was vehemently shaking his head no, but it took a moment for George to notice as Fred and Fabian discussed their idea.

“You doing okay, Gideon?” George asked.

“No Polyjuice. I don’t ever want to change forms again, even to another human,” Gideon said firmly.

George’s eyes widened. “Merlin, I’m so sorry, we didn’t think about that!”

“We can do glamours instead,” Fred compromised. “We can still make you look enough like us to fool people. It’ll be fun!”

“You know we’re not supposed to leave this room, right?” Gideon asked.

“Oh, Uncle—” Fred began.

“It seems you’ve missed out—” George continued.

“On getting to know—” sing-songed Fred.

“The Weasley Twins!” they chorused.

“Besides,” George said with a grin, “The two of you need new wands, don’t you?”

“New wands?” Gideon felt his fingers twitch with the desire to feel magic flowing through a wand again. It wasn’t exactly that anyone had told them they couldn’t have a wand, but no one had offered either.

“We’re in,” Fabian said after the two of them glanced at one another long enough to confirm. Gideon felt his heart swell at the automatic check-in that was once a given. Perhaps it would be again after all.

It took only a few moments to glamour the Prewett brothers, and suddenly, there were identical Weasley quadruplets—two with both ears and two with only one. Of course, only one was missing his lower leg and hobbling on crutches, but it was as close as they could manage.

“The world quakes before us!” Fred said, cackling.

Fred and George looked carefully out into the hall, and then motioned Fabian and Gideon forward.

“Should we leave a note or something?” Gideon asked, unsure if he wanted to go along with this plan. But Merlin, having a wand. And… sunshine—being out in the world in a human body. The lure was too much no matter how frightened he felt by other aspects of it—being in a crowd, in an area without protection, Molly’s wrath if they were discovered, Hermione’s reaction when they were discovered. With Hermione’s cooperation, they might be able to claim she got the wands for them or something. But Hermione was going to have to know.

Fred and Fabian rolled their eyes, though George gave him a sympathetic look before saying, “Best to ask forgiveness rather than acknowledge we should have gotten permission beforehand.”

Hesitantly, Gideon followed the other three out. He was thoroughly confused when they headed to the third floor and came to a stop in front of an ugly statue of a one-eyed witch.

“What—” he started to ask, but then the Weasley twins whispered, “Dissendium” together, and the hump on the witch’s back began to open.

Fabian and Gideon turned to one another with a stunned look. “Always here?” Fabian asked, clearly too excited to make a longer sentence. His words had almost slurred into a meow.

Fred and George gave twin grins. “As far as—”

“—We know,” they answered.

Gideon remembered when he and Fabian had spoken like that, mostly in their younger years. As adults, it had only been used when they wanted to remind people how much they were a part of one another. Or occasional moments of being so completely in sync as the Weasley twins seemed always to be. For all that they had obvious differences, they were more completely linked than he and Fabian had ever been despite their shared magical core. And now…

There wasn’t time to think about it as he realized that Fred and Fabian had already disappeared into the passage, despite it being a bit of a scramble for Fred to manage. George was grinning at Gideon and gesturing him forward. Gathering himself, Gideon went in.

He was surprised by the slide he found himself on, then the abrupt landing in the tunnel. There wasn’t time to ask questions, though, as Fabian had already rushed ahead, Fred barely keeping up with him.

“Fab, slow down,” Gideon called, but his brother just laughed. Racing along through the low tunnel felt like it took forever. Gideon’s new legs were strained, his whole body aching and exhausted, by the time they made it up and out of the cellar of Honeydukes.

“Amazing!” Fabian declared as Fred and George let him lead them around and bought all of them a variety of candy to enjoy.

Gideon wanted to roll his eyes, but he couldn’t quite turn away the chocolate frog they handed him. Merlin, he hadn’t had one of these in… over 17 years, he realized. Trying to ignore that fact, he concentrated on enjoying the chocolate as it struggled to escape him.

Leading them to an apparition point, George said, “There is a new wand shop here in Hogsmeade, but I wouldn’t trust anyone but Ollivander.”

“His shop just reopened a few days ago!” Fred added enthusiastically. But more seriously, he added, “Try not to react to how much he has changed, though. He was a prisoner for a long time. He’s sensitive about how much damage it did, I understand.”

Those words felt like a physical blow to Gideon, but he was surprised to find Fabian’s hand on his shoulder in support. “Understood,” Fabian growled.

Fred blushed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“It’s okay,” Gideon managed to say. “Ollivander isn’t the only one. I am pleased his shop is open, and we can offer our patronage. We… our galleons… are they still in Gringotts?” It had only just occurred to him that the vaults he and his twin had before might no longer be open.

“Mum and the Prewett family were always confused that Gringotts wouldn’t shut down the vaults. So they’re still there, but I don’t think we should draw attention to them being used right now,” George said.

“We’re covering you,” Fred said firmly. “We’ve never had a chance to know our twin Uncles before. You’ve always been our heroes, and now we get to know you. But, if we’re going to bask in it properly, we need for you two to have wands. So it’s really for our benefit, you know.”

“You have to promise to teach us everything you know, though!” George added, his own enthusiasm coming through now.

Fabian laughed and looked to Gideon. He felt himself melt a bit again. “Of course,” he answered, giving in to the inevitable.

“Now, we’re going to apparate—it’s faster than going in and sweet-talking Rosmerta into letting us use the floo,” Fred explained.

“That’s fine,” Gideon agreed, placing a hand on George’s arm. Apparation wasn’t a problem.

Before he knew it, they were in Diagon Alley, walking slowly along through small groups of people. It wasn’t close enough to school starting that the Alley was inundated, and at this time of day, most people were at work. Gideon breathed a sigh of relief that the number of people was not overwhelming.

The four of them got some odd looks—most of them horrified wonder. Fred and George were playing up having duplicated themselves and how much trouble they could be now. Fabian was having an easy time grinning and jumping around with them, but Gideon could only manage a smile that might have looked more like a grimace based on the people who turned away from him. He was glad the glamour covered almost all of his scars, or he would have assumed it was him and his disgusting body that turned them away. No, he was just the least entertaining of the quadruplets, so people naturally looked to the others.

Fortunately, people were thoroughly amused and seemed to consider it normal Weasley twin antics when Fabian began chasing a bird around in front of the very loud storefront that embodied his nephews. Fred and George helped with the bird situation by turning it into a game and then hitting Fabian with a stream of water in the face when he did almost catch the bird. They had somehow made it look like the bird threw the water at him, and people were doubled over laughing.

Before Fabian could stop sputtering, Fred and George were announcing the possibility of a new product that would make a joke of that very situation to be used on one’s pets, making it out that their third partner had only been playing the role of cat for everyone’s enjoyment. A quick spell, and Fabian was dry again, though grumbling.

Leaving the laughing crowd behind, they kept walking toward the quiet little shop at the end of the Alley. Only, they didn’t quite make it there. As they passed Eeylops Owl Emporium, however, they lost Fabian. Their only warning was a low growl, and then he was gone, inside the shop.

“Merlin, he’ll be feasting on owls!” Fred whispered with alarm.

The three of them darted inside after him, but came up short when they found him inside, not terrorizing the owls, but petting the cats. Seeing the expression on his face, Gideon approached with trepidation. Fred and George followed behind him in an unacknowledged nod to him being the appropriate person to help his twin through whatever this was.

Sadly, Fabian said, “Here so long.” He quietly made a plaintive meow sound and let a grey cat sniff him before he began petting the now wide-eyed creature. “This is Mist, my best friend. Humans are mean, so she doesn’t like them.”

Gideon looked at Fred and George, who seemed to be conferring quietly. He wondered if they were thinking what he hoped. As it turned out, they were.

“Fabian, why don’t we take her back to the castle with us. If you would want to, that is,” George offered.

His eyes lit up. “Really?” He made another soft sound at the cat, and she answered back. “Yes,” he said with a smile at George.

It took almost half an hour for Fabian to select all the items Mist would need carefully. The surly shopkeeper looked surprised by their selections when they finally brought them up. “Are you sure you want this cat?” the man asked. Turning, he began to unlock a door they hadn’t noticed before, “In this back room, we have some much nicer—”

Fabian cut him off with a growl. Fred stepped in before Fabian could make a scene. “They’ll suit one another, believe me,” he said with a laugh.

“Are you certain it’s a cat you’re after? I have this lovely Krup,” the man gestured to the creature in question as it tried to wrestle away from him. It looked like it was barking its head off, but had clearly been silenced since there was no sound coming from her.

“She’s a handful for me, but she’d be happy somewhere she could run,” the proprietor queried, sounding almost desperate to be rid of the animal.

Laughing, Fred shook his head. “You know we’re above the shop. No space for running there, either. But if I hear of anyone with the space looking for a Krup, I’ll let them know you’ve got a good one.” He was soon joking with the shopkeeper, and it seemed any strange behavior on Fabian’s part had been forgotten.

“No more side trips, Fab,” George mildly scolded as they continued toward Ollivander’s.

Gideon was thrilled that they actually made it there this time. As they stepped into the quaint little shop, he felt a wave of nostalgia. Even through two wars and the capture of its proprietor, the shop hadn’t changed a bit since the day he got his former wand at age 11. He smiled into the dusty quiet as the strange wizard approached.

He was glad that Fred and George had warned them of Ollivander’s time as a captive. He had aged dramatically and had clearly been through an intense ordeal. Honestly, Gideon thought Ollivander might look worse for wear than he did due to his age, he imagined. He had a sense of foreboding that made him shiver. Ollivander was not for this world much longer.

Ollivander came to a sudden halt, studying the four of them. Nervously, Fred declared, “We’re here to get wands for our new brothers. Now that they’re officially part of the Weasley quadruplets.”

Ignoring their nephew, Ollivander walked around Fabian and Gideon, looking them over. When he stopped in front of them, he said, “You were dead, they said. I was, too, you know. That’s what people believed anyway.”

Swallowing hard, Gideon nodded, even as the other three shook their heads. Ollivander’s eyes snapped to him, focusing on him. “You’ve had a rough go of it, boy. I think I have just the thing for you.”

Wandering off among the rows of wand boxes, he returned a few moments later with three boxes in his hands. “I suspect these will speak to you as my new wand did. Blackthorn is no longer right for you, Gideon Prewett.”

Despite the gasps behind him, Gideon wasn’t really surprised that Ollivander knew who they were, even with the glamours. He wasn’t surprised, really, that his wand needs might have changed, but it made him sad. “Is it unusual for a wood to stop working for someone?” Gideon asked.

“Unusual? No. Almost assured after the Blackthorn’s first death, in fact,” Ollivander replied.

“First—” Gideon’s startled question was cut off when Ollivander thrust a box into his hand.

“Fir. 15 inches. Rigid. Phoenix Feather,” Ollivander listed its attributes as Gideon removed the wand from its box. A nearby potted plant began to grow rapidly toward the ceiling, bright flowers popping out everywhere. Gideon watched in horror until Ollivander snatched the wand from his hand.

“I should have known that one would be too flashy,” the wandmaker mumbled as he set it aside, and the plant slowly shrank back to its normal size—though the bright flowers remained.

Looking between the two boxes he had left, Ollivander selected a lovely white wand. “Willow, 11.6 inches, flexible—almost whippy, and a dragon heartstring.”

When Gideon raised this wand, it made a roaring noise and blasted over a huge stack of wand boxes near the back of the shop.

“Well, the dragon heartstring is still a match,” Ollivander muttered. “Which means this one won’t do. Fir, 12 inches, mostly flexible, but unicorn hair. Bother. Let me go find another Fir.”

“Why Fir and Willow?” George asked as Ollivander wandered around looking for… whatever it was he knew it would be right.

“Willow for healing, though it often indicates someone with a lot of insecurity. It’s what worked for me, but… I’m an old man now. Survivors’ wands are made with Fir. And you, Gideon, are a survivor.”

He wanted to protest, but what could he say? He had survived. He hadn’t done much else, but he had managed that at least. Gideon was still alive.

When Ollivander pressed another wand into his hand, Gideon finally felt that warmth and glow that came from a wand’s acceptance and the moment of bonding together. Golden sparks shot from the end.

Ollivander grinned. “Perfect. Fir, 13 inches, somewhat rigid, dragon heartstring. A survivor with the heart of a dragon. I know you are stubborn, but don’t fight her help for too long.” His voice had dropped low at the end.

Gideon’s breath caught. “What?”

“You heard me, Gideon. Fabian’s turn,” Ollivander called the last part aloud. He looked Fabian over, particularly down to the cat following him happily. Fabian had let her out of the cage the moment they left the Emporium. “Yes. I think we have some fun options for you.”

Meandering through the store again, Ollivander laughed to himself. Gideon was offering his hand to Mist, who sniffed him at a meow from Fabian. As the old man returned, he held seven boxes in his arms.

“You’re a harder fit as you still aren’t entirely yourself, Fabian Prewett.” Gideon could understand that point, but his twin seemed offended.

“I am entirely meowself,” he insisted, not even noticing his slip. Fred and George stifled laughter.

As they began trying different wands for him, Fabian was delighted by the accidental magic blasting this way and that. His trials seemed to cause silly things mostly—hair color changes, wand boxes turning round and rolling away, a cat’s tail on Fred—but there was a noticeable trend of dogwood as the wand wood.

“What is special about dogwood that makes it right for him?” Gideon asked.

“Yeah,” the Weasley twins echoed. “Ours are dogwood as well.”

“Dogwood wands are often quirky and mischievous—perfect for jokesters like yourselves. I wasn’t sure it would work for someone so in tune with the feline, but it seems to enjoy him.”

They all watched Ollivander’s face as the wandmaker grinned, watching as Fabian stared down the end of another wand and bright splotches of paint exploded all over his face.

“And he enjoys it as well,” Gideon observed.

Everyone laughed at the curious expression on his face as Fabian picked up another, his face filling with awe as light pulsed around him and a shower of red sparks went up. That was it.

“Dogwood, 14 inches, rigid at first but flexible, Phoenix feather core,” Ollivander announced, a slightly awed tone.

“What is it?” George asked.

“Especially following the Blackthorn wand from before, this is an amazing change to the boy’s heart.”

“Fabian’s heart hasn’t changed,” Gideon denied, fear surging through him.

“It is not your heart we discuss, Gideon,” Ollivander said, a trace of pity in his eyes. “But I think your flexibility means yours will change as well. It just may be hard to get there.”

Gideon didn’t think he needed another hard thing in his life.

Fred and George each touched one of his arms. George’s soft smile and the look the two exchanged around him said they understood how scary the idea of having one’s twin’s heart change could be.

Fabian was grinning and twirling around, letting the beautiful red sparks fall around him. Part of Gideon knew he should be pleased to see his brother so happy, but he wasn’t. Not when it meant they were so different now. Their wands had been nearly as identical as they were once upon a time.

The Weasley twins paid, though Gideon was almost certain Ollivander wasn’t charging as much for them as he should have.

Making their way back out into Diagon Alley, there were now more people. Gideon felt himself scooting slightly closer to George just as Mist nearly climbed Fabian. He gently placed her back in her cage after a brief conversation where it seemed he had gained her consent on the matter. They were headed back to the Leaky and Hogsmeade from there when Fabian got excited again.

“Ice Cream!”

“I don’t think Fortescue—” Fred began.

“It’s not,” Fabian replied with his head cocked to the side.

It seemed that someone had opened a new ice cream shop where Fortescue’s had previously been. The sign proclaiming his name was gone, but a new one had not yet appeared.

Fred grinned before anyone else could protest, grabbed Fabian’s hand and headed inside, moving far faster than anyone on crutches should be able to do. Those two were not a good combination as far as Gideon was concerned. George didn’t look any more trusting of the duo either, as he and Gideon headed inside.

They all happily ordered. Not only did the place have all the flavors Fortescue had kept, but a variety of new ones as well. When everyone had been served, the four nearly identical men went out to the patio.

Gideon should have cautioned the others that this was a bad idea. He felt immediately exposed. The feeling didn’t improve one bit when a reporter pulled up a chair next to them.

“Messrs. Weasley?” he queried as a hello. “I can’t help but notice you’ve doubled yourselves. Is this a new publicity stunt? A product you’re trying? Something else entirely?”

Fred grinned and said, “Yes.”

The reporter blinked. “We never know with you. Which one was the ‘yes’ for?”

“Sorry,” George said mischievously, “Only one question for today.”

“Come now, Messrs. Weasley, surely you want to tell the public about this,” the reporter practically begged.

“Or we want the public to wonder,” Gideon said, wanting the man to go away.

Suddenly, he heard Fabian whisper a few words under his breath, words Gideon hadn’t heard since before. The cloaking spell, to keep anyone from seeing a spell fly by. “What in Merlin’s name?” he hissed at his brother, grateful that the reporter’s attention had been grabbed by Fred again when George nudged him.

Gideon knew there was no way the boys could know what Fabian was casting, but George clearly had realized something was going on.

With Fabian not responding, Gideon did his best to follow his brother’s stare without turning completely around to look behind him. The Owl Emporium? What could Fabian be—

The spell must have hit as the front door of the building suddenly blew open, distracting the proprietor from where he had been yelling at the boisterous Krup he had shown them earlier. Gideon’s brows knit together just before the sound of owls calling and wings beating became louder than the people noises of Diagon Alley.

It was suddenly okay to turn and look since everyone was doing it. Owls were pouring out of the shop and flying off into the sky, though Gideon noticed a couple took the time to swoop at the proprietor, hooting angrily before flying off. On the ground, toads, rats, cats, kneazles, ferrets, snakes, and Merlin knew what else was scattering. The shopkeep had managed to hold onto the Krup and seemed to be trying to get the door closed before the rest of the animals could escape.

Fabian was smiling, satisfied, as the reporter scurried away to catch the scoop.

“Maybe it’s time for us to get you two home,” Fred said, a tinge of worry in his voice.

“Good thought, Twin-O-Mine,” George agreed.

Both Gideon and Fabian were amiable to the idea, so, with Mist still in tow—Fabian said she had asked to stay with him even though he offered to let her go—they apparated back to Hogsmeade and then made their way through the tunnel.

Chapter Text

Fear and fury were the only emotions Hermione could manage right now. Where in Merlin’s name were they? Why had she trusted Fred and George when she knew them? If this was some sort of prank, she was going to hex all four of them until they couldn’t sit down anymore.

Hearing laughter out in the hallway, Hermione darted to the door, flinging it open and running straight into Gideon. Despite his dilapidated body, her own was too small and fragile even to knock him back. Merlin, they were a right pair.

Gideon looked down at her in surprise, then his rugged face paled, leaving his freckles and scars standing out in stark contrast against his skin. “H-Hermione. We weren’t expecting you back so soon,” he managed to say.

The hallway suddenly went quiet as the other three moved forward protectively around Gideon.

“I’m not going to hurt him, arseholes,” Hermione huffed.

“Your eyes look a bit like you could cheerfully murder someone, Mione,” George explained. “As he’s in the front, we thought he might be the first point of attack.”

“Where were you!?” she cried out, unable to take their banter when she had been so scared.

There was an awkward silence into which a loud “meow” was interjected. Hermione felt her eyes go round.

“What is that?” she demanded.

“A cat,” Fred said dryly.

“Obviously,” George added in an imitation of Snape.

Fabian grinned at her. “My best friend!” he announced, holding up the cage.

Hermione felt a surge of terror surge through her. “You… you took them out of the castle? Fred… George… You didn’t!” She was absolutely horrified to find that she was ready to burst into tears at any moment.

“They needed wands,” George muttered, staring at his feet.

“You took them to Diagon Alley?” The fury was back. That was better. The hot tears spilling on her cheeks were not better.

“There’s a wand shop in Hogsmeade now, you know,” Fred noted.

“But you wouldn’t have taken them anywhere but Ollivander’s,” she said with absolute certainty.

Seeing that neither Weasley twin believed she could just know that, she rolled her eyes and added, “Not to mention that the cat carrier says Eeylops on it.”

“Oh,” Fred said, already starting to back away.

Hermione caught all four of them with a quick Incarcerous and levitated them into the Common Room, carrying Mist in herself. As soon as they were inside, she released Gideon, who was looking panicky, and apologized to him but directed him to the sofa near where she had placed the others on the ground.

“How dare you remove them from this room at all, much less…” Hermione tugged at her hair in frustration as she paced back and forth. “It was supposed to be a secret that the Prewett brothers weren’t dead. Did you forget that?”

“Of course not, Mione,” George said in the most soothing voice he could manage.

“We glamoured them,” Fred added. “We were safe about it.”

“You glamoured them?” Hermione repeated.

“Yeah. So they were fine. No one recognized them except Ollivander,” Fred explained as George tried to kick him.

“But someone did recognize them! Do you not see how dangerous that was?”

“We do now, Mione,” George consoled. “It was truly a terrible idea!”

“And you… you bought him a cat when he’s supposed to be trying to remember he’s human.”

Fabian looked at her, hurt. “Mist is my friend. She was there so long,”

Hermione felt her heart breaking a little at the sadness in his eyes. But then she noticed the wand in his hand and the way it was sparking lightly and felt rage all over again.

“And you… you got them wands when they’re barely human yet!” she raged.

“I’m quite human,” Gideon said quietly. “And Fabian remembers more than you think. More than I realized.” He was staring at his twin shrewdly, though Hermione had no idea what that meant.

“I’m not going to apologize for trying to keep you safe! And you barely made it home in time for dinner before you see Healer Mitchell!”

“Maybe you should see Healer Mitchell,” Fabian growled at her.

Hermione wasn’t sure why it was so upsetting that the man who was half-cat was angry with her for trying to help him. She tried to liken it to bathing Crookshanks for his own good and the way he would fight her then. It didn’t help. This was a man, and she wanted him to understand.

“I will be seeing Healer Mitchell as well, but that’s not the point. The point is you almost missed something important, and you could have been in danger, and I was worried about you!” By the end, Hermione was shouting.

Fabian watched her, his expression cautious. “This is… because you care?” he asked slowly, as though he were putting together a puzzle.

“Yes!” Hermione yelled at him, chest heaving with the force of her emotions.

Her exasperation was overwhelming as a grin spread across Fabian’s face. “This is good, then.”

Gideon looked as bewildered as she felt at that announcement. “Fabian, how could it possibly be—”

“My Hermione cares about me,” Fabian said, still smiling happily.

Hermione felt like ripping her hair out. “Of course, I bloody care that you don’t get yourselves killed!”

“Why?” Fabian asked, a smug look on his face.

“Because I don’t want anyone to die! Or be hurt! Or… bloody hell, the two of you have been through enough already, don’t you think?” Hermione ground out.

“Mione,” Fred interrupted. “As much fun as it is to be tied up by you, Georgie and I need to get going. Mum is expecting us for dinner and—”

“Oh grand. I’ll come with you! Just wait until your Mum hears what you’ve done!”

“Whoa, slow down there, love,” George said. “Isn’t mentioning it to Mum—”

“—a little harsh?” Fred finished.

“Not at all. It’s exactly what you deserve. And you two can come along for dinner,” she said to Fabian and Gideon, noticing as they both paled dramatically. “Maybe you can spend the night there!”

“No!” Fabian growled. “I sleep with you.”

Hermione grit her teeth as she noticed the Weasley twins were now leering at her. “No, you don’t.”

“We can’t go to Molly’s for dinner,” Gideon suddenly said.

“And why not?” she demanded.

“We’re not supposed to leave the castle,” he said deviously, barely stifling the first grin she had seen on him in some time. “Surely you don’t plan on flaunting that.”

She sputtered, trying to find a way around his logic.

“Besides, we have to see the Healer soon, and it’s much faster to eat here,” Gideon continued.

“You didn’t care about leaving earlier,” she argued, ignoring his last and even better point.

“To be fair,” George interjected, “Gideon was very reluctant to come along and was only won over by the suggestion of getting a wand.”

“And sunshine,” Gideon said quietly. “I hadn’t been out in the sun as a man in 17 years.”

Hermione felt an involuntary sob catch in her throat. How could she go from so angry at him to so hurt for him in such a brief span of time?

“Fine. We’ll have dinner here,” Hermione declared. She saw all four faces relax. “But I’m taking Fred and George to their Mum’s, and I’m telling her what they did before I come back.”

She didn’t even untie them before taking them through the floo. She had left Gideon with instructions to ask the elves for their dinner but left Fabian bound until she returned.

Molly, of course, had not disappointed Hermione when it came to her reaction with the boys.

“If you ever even think about pulling a stunt like this again, I’ll use enough stinging hexes that neither of you will be able to sit for a month!” the matriarch was shouting as Hermione whirled away in the Floo. The yelp that punctuated Molly’s statement was very satisfying after the worry those boys had put her through.

*********

Gideon didn’t blame Hermione for overreacting, not really. He knew they shouldn’t have done it. But he also bristled at being bossed around by an 18-year-old. Especially when the outing had been so successful in many ways — the Eyelops incident notwithstanding. He understood her fear in them having wands, especially Fabian, without the Healer and other so-called adults weighing in on it. Still, he was also a grown man capable of making decisions like that.

As he ordered them dinner, Gideon realized that he asked for her favorite things without consciously knowing he had memorized them. Of course he knew what he and Fabian liked, but her… They hadn’t been around her long enough to know that. He hadn’t, at least. Could he have gotten that from Fabian?

That was how their bond worked. Or how it had worked. One of them knew something, so they both did. That had to be it. He felt a bubbly, elated feeling at the idea that they were growing closer again. For all that parts of today had been frightening out in the real world, it was worth every second of connection they had gained.

When Hermione came through the floo, she looked entirely too pleased. Gideon could only imagine what his sister was doing to Fred and George to get that reaction from the girl. Sadistic, she was. But he had to admit she didn’t behave that way until provoked. He very much enjoyed what little he knew about her, besides her closeness with Fabian. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get to know her better.

They were almost done eating when there was a knock at the common room door. Hermione rushed to get it, quickly greeting Healer Mitchell and ushering him in. Forgetting her food as she often did, the girl immediately launched into her request.

“Healer Mitchell, tonight can we do a joint session?”

He looked surprised. Pleased, but then a little worried. “I’m not sure it’s in your best interest, Hermione, to have a session with the two—”

“These are very different circumstances. I need your help with them,” she explained.

The Healer’s eyebrows shot up as he looked over at Fabian and Gideon. The two of them nodded, though their trepidation was easy to see.

“Probably better to discuss it with you here than without,” Gideon gruffly agreed.

A stubborn look crossed Fabian’s face, but he strutted over to the sofa and sprawled out, inviting Mist to join him with a quick “meow.” The grey cat leapt nimbly onto the sofa and curled into him with a happy purring sound.

“This is my best friend,” he told Healer Mitchell.

For a moment, the Healer looked taken aback. “Ah, from before,” he questioned, “Another of the familiars here in the castle?”

“No,” Fabian said lowly, almost a growl.

“They left the castle while I was in class today,” Hermione said, looking like she just couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Healer Mitchell looked alarmed. “Left the castle? On your own?”

“We were with our nephews,” Gideon said.

The Healer ran a hand over his face. “The twins, I assume?”

“How did you know?” Fabian asked.

“Their reputation precedes them,” Healer Mitchell said drily. Turning to Hermione, he added, “I’m surprised you didn’t bring them in as well.”

“Oh, I told their mother what they did and turned them over to her,” Hermione said with a slightly evil grin.

It took the Healer a moment to properly stifle his laughter. Clearing his throat, he said, “Well, I’m sure Molly will properly handle that end of things. Now, what made the two of you decide to go along with this?”

“Going out!” Fabian enthusiastically answered. Gideon knew his brother hadn’t even worried about the potential consequences of leaving.

More sedately, Gideon nodded. “It had been a long while since I was able to go out in the sun,” he said simply.

“And…?” Hermione prompted.

Huffing, Gideon added, “And a wand. They took us to get wands.”

“They took you out to shop?” Healer Mitchell asked, his distress as obvious as Hermione’s.

“On Diagon Alley,” she offered.

Clearly trying to calm himself, Healer Mitchell questioned, “Gideon, didn’t you want to keep your return from getting out?”

“Didn’t go as us,” Fabian said, sounding like he might be protecting him. Gideon’s momentary elation at that possibility left quickly at the look on Healer Mitchell’s face.

“You were in disguise?” he asked.

“Yes,” Gideon agreed. “They glamoured us to look like them. People thought it was some sort of publicity stunt.”

“It was still incredibly dangerous!” Hermione stated, her voice so shrill it was nearly a shout.

Healer Mitchell turned to her in surprise. “You have strong feelings about this, Hermione.”

“Of course I do,” she huffed. “I was worried out of my mind when they weren’t here. I was about to check the Burrow when they showed up. Then Molly would have been worried, too.”

Gideon felt his stomach drop at the thought. His sister would undoubtedly yell at them the next time she saw them, but it was nothing compared to what would have happened if she had known they were missing and had to wait for their return. Gideon understood that feeling of waiting for someone when you didn’t know if they would ever come back or not, but it still didn’t mean he wanted to face his sister’s fear.

Turning to Gideon and his brother, Healer Mitchell said, “Do you understand why she was upset?”

“Yes,” Gideon said just as Fabian gave a petulant, “No.”

“We can go,” Fabian continued, glaring at Hermione. “We’re not prisoners.”

“You can’t just go out unprotected!” she responded.

“We were with Fred and George!” Fabian shouted back.

“They’re not responsible enough on their own,” she argued.

Healer Mitchell kept trying to interject, but he couldn’t find a spot that fit.

“It still feels like being a captive,” Gideon said quietly, his words cutting through the battle between the other two.

Hermione’s breath caught in a way that looked painful, and she started to cry. “But if you’re out there without protection, you could be caught by the Death Eaters. And I wouldn’t have even known where you went!”

“We should have left a note,” Gideon said. “I’m sorry.” He knew it wasn’t really enough, but it was something worth acknowledging. She did deserve to know where they were going. He could tell by her expression that his apology hadn’t helped, maybe even made it worse.

Mist got up from her comfy spot with Fabian, delicately moved across the sofa, and snuggled into Hermione’s lap instead, glaring back at her best friend. Apparently, the cat approved of Hermione’s sentiments.

“Hey! She’s mine!” Fabian protested, though it was unclear which ‘she’ he meant in this case.

Gideon enjoyed a private chuckle over that one before saying, “I don’t think she agrees,” which also applied to either of them.

“Traitor,” Fabian hissed at Mist. “You wouldn’t even be here if we hadn’t gone out.”

Mist gave him a derisive look and then began washing her paws. Hermione smiled down at this new addition to their lives with adoration. Gideon supposed it made sense. She had clearly loved Crookshanks a great deal.

“So this new friend—”

“Old friend,” Fabian corrected.

“An old friend?” Healer Mitchell questioned.

“She’s from Eeylops Owl Emporium, where he lived for several years,” Gideon explained.

Healer Mitchell steepled his fingers under his chin. “How do you feel about Diagon Alley?” he asked. Hermione made a disgruntled sound, but shushed at a look from the Healer.

“Wicked,” Fabian said with a grin so like Fred Weasley’s that even Gideon expected trouble in the next moment.

Fortunately, his brother brightly continued instead. “I got Mist and a new wand. And ice cream! Brilliant.”

Gideon couldn’t help but laugh a little. “How about chasing that bird?”

“Yes!” Fabian launched into as much of a retelling as he could manage, with Gideon interjecting to ensure the other two were aware that their nephews had done well at hiding them. They were in enough trouble without adding any more.

Still, he was careful, as was Fabian, not to mention how the day in Diagon Alley had ended. It would be common knowledge before long, but there was no reason for them to be associated with it.

“Now, you each have wands again?” Healer Mitchell inquired. “May I see them?”

Gideon was reluctant to show his, but Fabian was quick to wave his about, producing a bright array of twinkling cucumber-shaped lights across the room on accident. Well, it was probably an accident. With Fabian, it was hard to say, but he looked as dazzled — and confused — by them as everyone else.

When Gideon did produce his, Healer Mitchell looked at it seriously, all levity gone. “A survivors’ wand,” he commented.

“How did you—” Gideon began.

“Many of my patients have found their new wands to be made of fir, sometimes willow. How does this wand make you feel?”

“Incredible,” he admitted softly. “But…” he glanced over at Fabian, happily swishing his about.

“Your wands were previously similar?” the Healer surmised.

Gideon nodded. “Almost as identical as we were, but I guess that has changed, too,” he said, the bitterness seeping through.

“We don’t need our wands to be similar in order to be twins,” Fabian said suddenly. The other three watched him with wide eyes. He hadn’t seemed to be paying any attention at all. “We can still be just as connected as before. With time.”

Feeling tears threatening, Gideon didn’t respond, but Hermione did. She was not looking at him, but Gideon felt her attention anyway as she said, “You will be.”

“To that end,” Healer Mitchell said, “And for their overall health and wellbeing, perhaps it is best for them to go out into the world — under glamours — and interact with other people. Here at Hogwarts, this is a uniquely sheltered community. You can be out in the sunshine, working and regaining strength, while also getting reacquainted with humanity.”

“If they’re participating in the summer semester, will they be doing the schoolwork with me?” Hermione asked, getting excited.

Fabian looked mildly irritated at the concept, but Gideon found himself intrigued and excited by the possibility of learning alongside her. What little he knew about Hermione suggested she was very intelligent and worthy of debating and studying with. He wanted, and knew Fabian wanted, the work outside in the sun and getting to know other people, but he was happy to take it with some learning as well. Except for the self-imposed historical reading he had been doing to try to catch up with the world, Gideon felt like his mind had gone numb over the years.

Healer Mitchell chuckled, “I certainly think it could be good for them, but I doubt the Headmistress will force it on them.”

“I might be interested,” Gideon remarked, pleased when Hermione’s sudden sad look brightened again. Not that it should matter, of course, but especially after they scared her so badly, Gideon wanted to do something to make her happier. That was all it was.

“The Aurors are coming to talk to you tomorrow, Fabian, Gideon. I suggest we wait until the next day to leave the security of the castle as your time with the Aurors may be far more draining than you might hope.”

“You will be here for them, won’t you?” Hermione asked.

Healer Mitchell nodded. “Of course. I have cleared my schedule for it.”

“Will I be able to be with them, too?” she asked anxiously.

“I think that can be arranged if they are okay with it.” Fabian nodded immediately, and Gideon gave a short nod after a moment. He didn’t want her to hear about his time as a captive, but… he also felt a little bit like he needed her. It was Fabian’s need, of course, but he still felt it enough to agree.

The Healer continued, “The Aurors will be here shortly after breakfast. I know you, Hermione, are loath to miss your classes, but I believe the Headmistress will allow it under the circumstances if you wish.”

“Yes,” Hermione said. Gideon wasn’t sure how to interpret her expression, but then their eyes met. For a single moment, he could feel the emotions brewing inside her — worry mostly, but also fear and caring, some deep protectiveness he didn’t understand. The way she wanted to take care of himself and Fabian hit Gideon like a ton of bricks, his surprise and confusion perhaps obvious as he tried to assimilate the information. Why would she care so much?

Even as he wondered, Gideon felt his heart warm. It felt good to know that someone cared so much about them, even if it didn’t make sense. It must just be because of her connection to Crookshanks, the familiar bond.

When he blinked a few times to clear his head, Gideon realized that Healer Mitchell was now watching him, his eyes flicking between Gideon and Hermione. For some reason, Gideon found himself blushing.

Fabian, thank Merlin, was busy trying to lure Mist back to him and therefore wasn’t paying attention enough to get possessive of ‘his’ Hermione. Gideon’s glance toward his twin also served to distract the Healer from whatever he might have asked about the little moment Gideon had.

“I was hesitant at first, but I think Mist may actually be quite good for Fabian. Aside from being your friend,” Healer Mitchell said to Fabian, “Mist can help you with the differences between being a cat and a human.”

Fabian looked up at him and grinned, his hand on his friend, who had decided to grace him with her presence again. “We are different but still the same in our hearts.”

Gideon rolled his eyes at his own urge to say “Awwwww,” to that. Hermione lost the battle, and Healer Mitchell looked like he was close behind.

“She can sleep with us in the big bed,” Fabian stated happily, grinning at Hermione.

The girl gasped. “You are most definitely not sleeping with me again, Fabian.”

“Again?” Healer Mitchell prompted, eyebrows shooting into his hairline.

Hermione looked like she had been caught out at something she shouldn’t have been. Fabian’s grin had grown wider. It was up to Gideon to save the situation before Hermione combusted from embarrassment.

“Hermione had a nightmare last night. Fabian and I both thought someone was attacking her. Fabian decided to comfort her like Crookchanks would, so he stayed on the bed the rest of the night — over the covers.”

Not looking any less embarrassed, Hermione seemed like she was trying to find something to say to that but failed.

“Perhaps Miss Granger and I should spend some time without you boys. Hermione?” Healer Mitchell indicated the need to talk to her alone.

Pursing her lips, Hermione nodded and, with the Healer’s help, began erecting a barrier around some of the chairs, as they had originally intended, for privacy. She clearly wasn’t looking forward to talking about her nightmares, but Gideon thought it would perhaps help.

**************

Why was the woman so stubborn? Fabian wondered, wishing he could have stayed to make sure she told Healer Mitchell everything she should. Not that he knew the things she should tell. Even if he knew the right words, he doubted he could convince Hermione to tell him about her nightmares. Whatever they were, they had happened while she was away, when she had left him behind with her Muggle parents and their disgusting diet food.

He shook his head, chasing those memories out. She had come back for him now. It was just that terrible things had happened to her between. While he wasn’t studying the “history” that had happened while they were changed, Fabian had perused the papers enough to understand that Hermione and her friends were the heroes of this war that had just ended. She had not only been through things herself but had two boys to keep alive through it all.

As more of his human memories came back to him, Fabian found himself worrying more. What if Hermione had just transferred her feelings of mothering Harry and Ron to himself and Gideon? He didn’t want her seeing them as two more boys to be responsible for. She wasn’t their mother. She was his mate, their mate.

Only that belonged to Crookshanks. In human words, she would be their girlfriend, wife, maybe something more he couldn’t quite remember the word for. Fabian fought his mind for the word he was seeking but gave up as he saw the makeshift walls come down.

There were tear tracks down Hermione’s cheeks, fresh ones, as she thanked Healer Mitchell and saw him to the door. Fabian started to move toward her when she turned back, but she had a look of warning on her face, shaking her head subtly. She didn’t want him around right now.

He understood, but he wasn’t sure how to react. From what he could remember, Fabian wasn’t used to uncertainty, not as a cat or even as a man. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t think it would help to react in the aloof Crookshanks way. Too, he felt… hurt that she didn’t want him. But he was determined.

Even though Hermione had scurried into the loo and he could hear her preparing for bed already, Fabian wasn’t going to give up. He would show her he could be there for her, too.

He was waiting when Hermione opened the door to the loo and stepped toward her door.

Nearly tripping when she caught sight of him, Hermione asked, “What are you doing, Fabian?”

“Waiting for you so we can go to bed,” he responded.

She sighed. “Fabian, you’re not coming to bed with me. You have Mist to sleep with.”

He shook his head. “Even if she likes to sleep with humans, you need me.”

“I don’t,” she said, her whole body stiffening with the implication. “I’m sorry I forgot to put up silencing charms last night. I won’t forget tonight.”

“Does not make you better,” Fabian emphasized. He was proud of how much better he was speaking, even if he could still understand Mist’s running commentary at his feet, telling him to leave the mother cat alone until she was in heat and ready for him.

“Fab, leave her alone,” Gideon said, his arms crossed and the nearly permanent glower on his face as he watched their interaction.

“No,” he told his brother. He was glad Gideon was looking better. The nutritional potions Madam Pomfrey had him taking six times a day were helping him put on weight. His scars and bruises were fading as well with the matron’s ministrations. He would always be marked, but he was improving, his whole body becoming more healthy. Unfortunately, that meant that before long, Gideon would be able to push him around as he had in their younger years.

Hermione had tried to slip into her room unnoticed while Gideon had distracted him, but Fabian moved with feline speed and stopped the door. “I’m not sleeping without you,” he informed her.

She rolled her eyes at him and said, “Stay up all night if you wish.”

“I don’t know why you would fight this when you sleep better with me,” he told her. His tone was questioning.

“I—” Hermione cut herself off and sighed. “Fine.”

“Fine? Come in Fabian?” he asked, wondering if he had misunderstood.

“Yes. But you stay above the covers again.”

Fabian purred before he could catch and stop himself. Happily, he found a place on her bed. Hermione turned off the light and slid into the bed next to him, but under the covers. “We’re not doing this every night,” she said sleepily.

He knew he had only won because she was exhausted and drained from the session with the Healer, but he would take it. Fabian suspected that, just as she had with Crookshanks, she would give in over and over. They were too connected, and she was too logical to turn away the help.

His last thought before falling asleep was that this would be better with Gideon on her other side.

*************

Hermione wasn’t certain at first what she had heard, what had woken her. Fabian still slept soundly next to her. She didn’t think she had been screaming for once. Damn him, having Fabian there really was helpful.

There was an anguished scream and garbled words. Begging. Helpless babbling.

Trying not to wake Fabian, Hermione scurried from the bed and out into the hall. As she approached the other bedroom, the screaming was louder. It was far more guttural than her own but no less disturbing. As she made her way into the room, she could see Gideon on the floor, flailing in his sleep.

Her first instinct was to run to him, but she knew it might be the wrong thing to do since touching often bothered him. Gideon was a landmine to begin with, so helping him in a situation like this was going to be difficult.

Pulling out her wand, Hermione channeled some wind into whirling gently against him. Gasping, he came up off the ground screaming but cut it off abruptly as he stared at her. There was silence between them for a few long moments as he tried to catch his breath.

Hermione wasn’t sure what to say or do, so she carefully took another step toward him now that he was standing. “Gideon,” she whispered. “What… what do you need?”

“Nothing,” he growled at her, his voice harsh.

Accioing a cup from the kitchen, Hermione filled it with water and carefully handed it to him. Though he hesitated, Gideon took it gratefully, drinking it quickly down. She wondered what she could do to help him feel safe enough to talk to her. Whispering her spell, she lit the lamps in the room to a low light so that they could see each other.

“You were screaming,” she said quietly.

He grunted but then said, “Like you did last night?”

“Yes, I assume the reasons were similar,” she acknowledged, hating that she understood that much of what he was going through, that either of them had to deal with it.

“Merlin, I hope not,” he muttered, shuddering.

“Do you… would it be better for your nightmares if someone were here in the room with you? I hate to admit how much better it makes things for me,” Hermione told him.

He stared at her in what seemed to be shock for a moment before slowly nodding. “It would help. It does.”

She quietly moved Fabian’s bed closer to Gideon’s, though still with space between them, and crawled in. She curled on her side, facing Gideon. Hermione was surprised that he faced her as well. Following pure instinct, Hermione put her hand out toward him. That he met her halfway with his seemed like some kind of miracle.

That they fell asleep that way together? That was a miracle for sure.

Chapter Text

Hermione woke with a squeal as something landed on top of her, something large and somewhere between grumpy and playful.

“Why aren’t you both in our bed?” Fabian complained petulantly.

“Our bed?” Hermione asked, blinking sleepily.

Fabian nodded. “The one for all of us to share.”

“We don’t have a bed for all of us to share,” Gideon groaned.

“Of course we do! I was sleeping in it! You should have been, too!” whined Fabian.

Hermione shook her head. There was no reasoning with him. Her eyes met Gideon’s before she smiled and said, “I suppose it is at least bigger and more comfortable than these shabby things.” She was honestly appalled at the lack of quality in these smaller beds. It was almost as if Hogwarts, in her sentient glory, was actively trying to send the boys into her bed…

Deciding she probably shouldn’t put too much thought into that lest she become very irritated with the castle, Hermione instead focused on dragging herself out of bed. Her muscles ached as she stood and stretched. She was confused to notice that the twins were sitting next to one another on Gideon’s bed, twin expressions on their faces.

Glancing down at herself, Hermione let out a squeak, realizing that her camisole had rolled up in her sleep to just under her chest, and the entirety of her abdomen showed. Pulling it quickly down, she rushed to the loo ahead of the other two, leaving them slack-jawed behind her. Her heart was beating quickly as she analyzed why they had been looking at her like that. She didn’t think it had been high enough to show the whole scar from fifth year, but perhaps she was wrong. Hopefully, they thought it was a shadow. There wasn’t any other reason she could think of for them to react that way.

Putting her mortification at that behind her, Hermione focused on getting ready for the day. Even though they wouldn’t be joining the rebuilding efforts today, Hermione and Healer Mitchell had decided she could bring them out to breakfast. They had to leave their rooms to meet the Aurors anyway, so they might as well.

She wouldn’t say so, but Hermione was secretly thrilled that they would be joining her, everyone, in the rebuilding efforts. Though she was a bit nervous for Gideon to be doing anything strenuous, she was fairly certain the exercise would be good for him, for both of them. Healer Mitchell and Madam Pomfrey had both agreed, so she knew it wasn’t her place to worry. And at least they would be with her now rather than the Weasley twins and could look out for them.

When they had all gotten ready for the day, she set to work on glamouring the boys.

“Okay, we need to talk about aliases for the two of you,” she said. “To everyone who doesn’t already know who you really are, Fabian, you will be Adrian.”

He made an almost growly-meow sound. Mist said something back to him, and Hermione got the distinct impression his friend was laughing at him. It had been a surprise that Healer Mitchell had been delighted when they introduced him to Mist.

He understood her worries and discussed them with her at length—during her time alone—about it causing Fabian a setback. Ultimately, the Healer suggested having a cat, especially one he knew when he was a cat, would illustrate the many differences between human and cat for him in a way that appealed to the feline mind as well. Hermione had been relieved since, honestly, she was already in love with Mist.

“And I’m Gilbert,” Gideon said before Hermione could tell him who he was. He was hiding it, but she could tell he was both nervous and excited. Both boys’ glamours looked nothing alike and nothing like the men they truly were. They should be quite safe with their fake names and looks. Who would ever guess the truth, after all?

Hermione still couldn’t help feel nervous for them, both because they would interact with others and knowing what today was supposed to hold. She had no idea what would come out as they — especially Gideon — spoke with the Aurors, but it couldn’t be good.

Walking the halls was an experience Hermione was unprepared for. Fabian absolutely strutted along, greeting all the paintings and conversing with all the cats. Gideon stuck far closer to her than she had expected, but she found she quite liked that fact. It was nice to know he trusted her after all. If the occasional brush of his hand against hers sent sparks along her skin, that didn’t mean anything.

When they arrived at the Great Hall, Fabian headed straight for the Gryffindor table with absolutely no hesitation. There were Gryffindors and ex-Gryffindors of all ages taking breakfast together.

“Hello!” Fabian greeted excitedly. “I’m… Adrian!”

Hermione’s heart stuttered in relief that he had remembered his made-up name. He turned to introduce Gideon, but Hermione shook her head as Gideon stepped slightly behind her.

Instead, Fabian grinned around at them and announced, “My friend and I are here to help rebuild.”

“So are we all,” an exasperated older gentleman replied, “Let us drink our tea in peace for a few more minutes before we get to it.”

Hermione managed to get ahead of him and dragged Fabian to the section where her friends were sitting, tugging him down to the bench between herself and Seamus. Gideon took a spot on her other side, near Parvati, who was looking him up and down. Hermione noted that she lost interest quickly, the glamour not quite hiding some of his worst scars.

She hated to think poorly of the girl she had shared a dorm with for so many years, but… whether it was his looks or the obvious damage it meant beyond the physical, Hermione knew Parvati wasn’t interested for the very reasons that would hurt Gideon the most. Despite how much that angered her on his behalf, Hermione also felt the tiniest bit relieved. She hated admitting it, but she didn’t want other women interested in him, in either of them.

As they settled in for breakfast, the boys distracted by a story Seamus and Dean were telling, Hermione happily opened her copy of The Daily Prophet. However, before she could read a word, Fred and George suddenly rushed into the Hall, panting. Fred was making a beeline for her, which was never a good sign. Did she play along and wait for him to approach or continue reading the paper until he got to her and made her pay attention to him?

She did so love to irritate Fred. And then she looked at the front page. Holding in her quiet rage, she casually asked, “Gid-Gilbert, Adrian. Did you happen to see anything odd while you were in Diagon Alley yesterday?”

Before they could answer, Fred groaned at her question. “How about you, Freddie? George? Any odd goings-on that I should know about? Oh, look. Another article, this one about the Weasley quadruplets — how interesting. Anything you want to talk to me about before I read these both in-depth? Anything?”

***********

Fabian wanted to yowl. Why did she always have to make such a big deal of things that were logical and right?

He watched as Fred and George sheepishly began confessing, folding to her demand without question. Fred explained about the interview with the reporter, making it such a tale that the entire table was cracking up except Hermione. Fabian noticed that her lips were twitching, though, and he knew that meant she was pleased and filled to the brim with her laughter.

When it came to the other situation, however…

“Did you have anything to do with what happened to the poor shopkeep at Eeylops?”

Fabian hissed, “Nothing poor about him.”

“So you were involved?” Hermione surmised, her foot tapping with agitation.

“He was hurting one of them,” Fabian growled. “The crup pup he tried to sell us.” Fred and George nodded to back him up, though Fabian was fairly certain neither had actually seen it happen.

Hermione gasped. “Hurting one of the animals?”

Fabian barked an unamused laugh. “They hurt all the animals.”

“What did you do?” she asked him, almost captivated now.

Seeing he had pleased her, Fabian preened. “I used a spell Gideon and I created to hide my next spell from sight. Abscondere. Then I blew all the doors open—cages, entryways. They needed to get out. He keeps them all too long and too cruel.”

“In what way? Fa-Adrian, what does he do to them? Did he do anything to you?”

He could see her ire rising, and it felt… good to know that was for them, for him alone in this case. “He did, but nothing too terrible. Mostly he does not feed enough. He hits, kicks. Sometimes he burns someone. And the backroom. We don’t know what he does in there, with his special stock. They were never allowed near the rest of us. But they were cats and kneazles and crups. Good ones, I guess. But sometimes the sounds...”

Fabian shuddered, remembering the yowls and screeches and barks of pain. He felt no remorse for freeing the animals. He only hoped the backroom creatures had been freed as well. The crup hadn’t escaped, but maybe the rest of them.

A stormy look graced Hermione’s face as she said, “He deserved it then. You did a good thing, Adrian.” Her praise made him want to purr, but they were in front of people he remembered at the last moment.

Looking over the article, though, his heart sank. The proprietor was assuring people that he still had his best animals, kept in the back room, and they should shop from the best of the stock.

His eyes met Fred’s, and he knew there was a scheme brewing for the future. But for now, it was time to be done with breakfast and face today’s task.

************

“I’m not sure I want to do this,” Gideon said as he stared at the doors ahead of them.

His voice was quivering, and Hermione felt awful. “You have to tell them. Or you can tell me so that I tell them, but either way, we have to let the Aurors know what they need to in order to protect you.

“To protect all of you,” he said, looking both determined and as if he might collapse from the strength of his nerves, the desire to run.

“The Aurors are already here, Gideon,” Hermione said softly. Moving so that she didn’t startle him, she said, “It’s okay to be nervous, but they’re here to help you. And I’ll stay in the room if you want me to.”

Gideon’s eyes went round. “Please?”

“Of course,” she agreed, taking his hand gently so that it didn’t startle him. Hermione was surprised when Gideon’s eyes came up to meet hers, and he gave her a charming, boyish smile. There was the man she had seen pictures of.

She wondered what she would have thought of him if she had grown up with him, known him before all of this. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad to be linked to him and Fabian in this way. Perhaps it would work out okay eventually.

They met in a room just off the hospital wing, newly restored. Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey were there, along with Healer Mitchell. And Molly. As soon as they walked in, Gideon dropped Hermione’s hand and let Molly envelop him in a hug. A whisper of magic and his glamour was gone. Molly hated having them look like someone else.

Hermione was surprised to see Kingsley Shacklebolt there with Harry and two other Aurors. The regular Aurors she had expected, but… the Minister for Magic and Harry?

“Kingsley?”

“Hermione, dear,” he said, moving forward to give her a hug instead of a handshake. She received it happily, then slightly irritated as she heard Fabian growl lowly behind them. Madam Pomfrey was suddenly at his side, drawing him away with muttered words about examining him.

Annoyed as she was that it was necessary, Hermione appreciated that there were enough extra people there to have someone babysit Fabian in this situation. She was surprised as she stepped back to note that Gideon was now looking at Kingsley with a confused and somewhat angry expression as well.

“Gideon, this is Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister for Magic, former Auror, and one of the primary members of the Order of the Phoenix,” she said. When his expression didn’t change, Hermione added, “We worked together at times during the war. Kingsley became a friend then.”

She emphasized the word ‘friend’ rather more than she normally would, but it had the effect she was hoping for. Gideon’s expression cleared, and he gave Kingsley the same tight smile he gave everyone and shook his hand.

“And you know my best friend, Harry.”

“Brother.” Harry corrected her with a wink, smiling and stepping forward to shake hands, though they had met before. Hermione grinned at the show of professionalism. So did Gideon, his face brighter and more open with the young man before him. For reasons Hermione was sure she didn’t want to explore right now, it pleased her that the two seemed to get on.

Kingsley introduced the other two as Auror Johnson and Auror Pinkley. “Pinkley, can you manage the other brother, Fabian?”

The man rolled his eyes. “It’s only my primary job.”

Pausing for a moment, Kingsley just stared at him until Pinkley huffed and said, “Yes, sir. I can handle it.”

“Let me come with you,” Healer Mitchell said gently, breaking some of the tension between the two men. “Fabian still has some cat-like tendencies and struggles with language sometimes,” he explained. “But I can come back over here, if I’m needed.”

As the two of them walked off to where Madam Pomfrey had Fabian over in the exam area, Hermione noticed that Gideon was looking nervous again.

Seeming to notice as well, Kingsley pushed forward. “Are you ready to go over what happened to you?”

Gideon sat down in the chair Kingsley had gestured to, shaking his head. “I’ll never be ready for it, but it needs to be done.” Kingsley nodded solemnly and looked to the Auror still with them.

Auror Johnson asked, “Can you tell me what happened the day you were captured?”

Hermione slid a hand onto Gideon’s shoulder. He didn’t acknowledge her, but he didn’t shrug it off, either. Molly came and sat next to him on the other side, taking one of his hands.

Everyone leaned in as Gideon began to talk. “They ambushed us. There were seven of them in total. Fabian and I fought back to back like we usually did. We took out two of them before Dolohov and Rowle captured us.”

“Mr. Prewett, you and your brother are impressive, but no dead Death Eaters were found that day, and Dolohov left too abruptly to take anything with him,” Kingsley interrupted.

“That’s not right,” Gideon disagreed. “He took Fabian and me, for one. Apparated with me while Rowle apparated with Fabian. Perhaps the others gathered the bodies.”

“We caught the others,” Auror Johnson said.

Kingsley was shaking his head. “I heard the story straight from Moody, and he was the one who found your bodies.”

“There were bodies?” Gideon asked in shock. “That looked like Fabian and me?”

“Of course there were!” Molly chided. “Do you think we would have just believed they had killed you without them?”

Gideon didn’t look over at his sister at all. Hermione was fairly certain he would only be able to hold on if he ignored everything else that was happening around him. “Until this moment, I didn’t know there were bodies that looked like us. I thought everyone just gave up finding us.”

“Oh, Gideon!” Molly cried. “Never! We would never have given up if we knew you were alive!”

Quietly, he said, “Fabian did.”

Silence met that statement, no one knowing what to say. Finally, Molly rallied, “Gideon, I’m sure he would have come back if he could if he hadn’t lost himself.”

“Probably,” Gideon agreed, but Hermione knew he didn’t believe it. That was the problem, really.

Harry suddenly spoke up, forgetting it seemed that he was supposed to be quietly witnessing the interview as a trainee, “You said bodies that looked like you? And they obviously weren’t really… And you and Fabian had taken out two of them. So whatever spell he used may require a form to latch onto if you want to leave behind someone ‘dead’.”

“It couldn’t have just been Polyjuice or a glamour,” Molly spoke up beside them, making Gideon jump. “It was days later before the funeral, and they still—”

She broke off sobbing. Professor McGonagall sat down on her other side and patted Molly’s arm as she held out a handkerchief with tears leaking from her own eyes as well.

Kingsley looked to Gideon. “Do you remember where they took you?”

Nodding, Gideon said, “A cottage in Hogsmeade, right in the middle of town. We could hear people talking up and down the main street. He would tell us…” He paused, seeming to consider whether he could say the words or not. “Dolohov told us to scream all we wanted. That none of the people we could hear were going to do a thing about it. We knew there were silencing wards. Those people couldn’t hear us, but...”

Gideon trailed off, unwilling or unable to go on.

“What happened there?” Auror Johnson prompted

Almost robotically, Gideon recalled, “That first night, they broke our legs so we couldn’t run, beat us, told us they were coming after Molly and her kids next, made us beg. At the end of the night, Dolohov changed us into cats for the first time. He said he wanted to remind us that we only thought we were lions when we were just ugly little kitty cats.”

“And he left you as cats?” Auror Johnson was scribbling into his notebook.

“Sometimes. He changed us back when he wanted someone to hurt. He would usually threaten to hurt one of us so that the other would beg to take it instead. A couple of times, he used the Imperius to make one of us actually do the dirty work for him. The rest of the time, we were cats. Easier to take care of than humans, I guess. And the magic of the curse helped us heal; I eventually figured out. Not well, but well enough to stay alive.”

“Can you tell us the nature of the things done to you?”

Gideon blanched, but nodded. “Cruciatus sometimes. Physically hurting us more often — said the human body could take more of that.”

“Physically hurting you with what?”

“Fists, knives, whatever they found nearby to hit us with. It was a variety of things. They would kick us once we were on the ground usually. Sometimes, they used spells. Dolohov likes to experiment but, I think Madam Pomfrey would be useful in explaining what some of those were. I mostly just remember the pain, but she recognized a lot of the wounds.”

Molly was crying, but quietly now. Hermione felt the urge to cry, too, but she wanted to be strong for Gideon. He deserved someone standing beside him. If it couldn’t be Fabian, then it would be her.

Kingsley started to prompt him again, but Gideon shook his head and continued. “I don’t know how long it was before Fabian disappeared. Probably a month or so? I’m not sure. Time feels different as a cat. It’s hard to explain. One day, they came in, grabbed cat-Fabian by the scruff of his neck and took him out of the cage they kept us in. I never saw him again, not until I was at Molly’s house last week.”

“What happened when Dolohov went to prison?” Kingsley asked with a glance at Molly, clearly wanting to skip further descriptions of torture.

“There was a house-elf who was tasked with feeding me every few days when Dolohov was still there. He never stopped,” Gideon shrugged.

“You were in that cage for fourteen years?” Molly asked, horrified.

“If that’s how long he was in prison,” Gideon responded. “The house-elf cleaned the cage sometimes as well as feeding me.”

“What happened when Dolohov returned?” Kingsley asked.

Hermione was a little shocked when Gideon paled even more. His breathing was harsh, and she felt that he was barely hanging on. Moving forward, Hermione slipped her hand in his. He looked at her for a second like she was everything. Then it was gone, and his face was grim and sad again.

“It was… similar to before. Only, this time Dolohov was unhinged by his time in Azkaban. More unhinged. It was… worse. And he didn’t always change me back to a cat. Sometimes… sometimes the things he did went on for hours… or days.” Gideon’s voice became quieter and quieter as he talked. Hermione had a feeling he was leaving out a lot, but what he was willing and able to say was horrifying already.

“This was the point when he started having guests. They met frequently. Sometimes it was just… for their enjoyment. Other times they would discuss… business, so to speak, while I was present.”

Kingsley’s attention had sharpened. He was no longer just interested in the story. “What kind of information did you hear?”

“Unmarked allies, hidden locations, lots of plans of attacks and things, but they’re not of any use now. I suspect the first two will be the most useful,” Gideon said, pulling a roll of parchment from his robes. “I’ve written down the most sensitive information. I would rather not say any of it aloud in case someone were to overhear. I hope something I know will lead you right to them.”

Hermione tried not to show her surprise physically. She didn’t want Gideon to know that she was shocked he could write again. She was surprised again when she felt a surge of emotion she just knew came from Gideon — but it was more smug than anything else. She looked at his quiet smile and hoped he could feel her pride in him.

As Kingsley took the parchment, Gideon looked over at her. “There are still lots of things that are hard, but they’re all getting easier,” he explained. “It’s only been a few days, but with Madam Pomfrey and Healer Mitchell’s help, I feel like I’m getting back to normal. As normal as I’ll ever be anyway.”

“We’ll find you a new normal, Gideon,” she said as their eyes met. Long moments passed before either of them realized they should look away.

Auror Johnson, Harry, and Kingsley were studying the parchment. Suddenly, Harry declared, “This one! We hadn’t heard of it before since we didn’t know Bartel was with them. We could get a team there within hours!”

“Slow down, Trainee Potter,” Kingsley laughed. “You’re probably right, and I know you’re very good with your intuition, but try to remember there’s a process we follow. Protocols. You can’t just run off after the bad guys, Harry.”

Hermione almost laughed at Harry’s expression. She suspected the majority of his training was going to be about following the rules. Not that he would when his instincts said otherwise, but other Aurors would try to make him behave. They had their work cut out for them. Hermione knew that much from years of trying to keep him alive.

Kingsley turned back to Gideon. “Your information is invaluable. Do you think Dolohov realizes you have it?”

“He might if he realizes I’m alive,” Gideon said.

Nodding slowly, Kingsley divulged, “No one has seen even a glimpse of him, but Harry’s probably right about where he is.”

Auror Johnson nodded. “Permission to go discuss with Auror Pinkley, Minister?”

“Of course,” Kingsley granted.

Gideon had paled at the mention of Dolohov still being at large, but then a grim resolve seeped over him. With the Auror they didn’t know out of earshot, he spoke. “I won’t back down if he finds us,” Gideon told the Minister. “I will kill him in self-defense or in defense of my family. That man shouldn’t be on this planet after the things he has done. I won’t have him near Hermione or Fabian, Molly or her kids.”

“If he comes after any of you and you have the opportunity to take him down, I will ensure there are no consequences to acting in your best interests.”

Hermione almost gasped. She could hear Molly and Professor McGonagall actually gasp at the statement. “Kingsley Shacklebolt,” Molly began, “Don’t you dare encourage my little brothers to be anywhere near a fight!”

“It’s okay, Mols,” Gideon coaxed. “I’m not going out looking for trouble. I just know what I’m going to do if trouble finds me.”

“It would be better if you weren’t going out at all!” Molly insisted.

“Healer Mitchell thinks it’s best for both of them to be around other people,” Hermione interjected. She wanted to be sure that Gideon knew she was there to back him up, though she had intuitively realized that letting him know she would fight just as hard for him and Fabian when defense plans were mentioned wouldn’t have been helpful.

He smiled at her, squeezing her hand. “She’s right, Molly. You know I've always been more of a homebody anyway, and I’m… I don’t love being where people can see me with the way I look now.”

Molly started to protest, but Gideon quelled her with a look. “I can’t deny I feel more human—more normal—when I’ve spent some time out with others. And Fabian… Merlin, it’s like he comes back to himself when there are people. I was afraid he wouldn’t.”

Hermione could see that Molly was softening under his careful words. No one could deny how much progress Fabian had made.

“Speaking of Fabian,” Kingsley stated, “I should go see how that has gone. Harry?”

Harry nodded at them and followed the Minister away, Molly and Professor McGonagall following as well.

Before Hermione could consider going with them, Gideon looked to her. She could almost feel his words before he said them. “Would you come back with me? To our rooms?”

Hermione had thought she would check on Fabian as well, but noting that he was surrounded by people and she could hear his boisterous laugh from here, she realized it was Gideon who needed her most. “Yes, I’m with you if that is what you want,” she confirmed.

“Unless you need to speak with me first,” Healer Mitchell noted, having walked up without them noticing.

“I’m safe with Hermione,” Gideon said firmly. “I’ll be okay until tomorrow, Healer.”

Hermione was happy to see the proud smile the Healer sent to Gideon. And there was a lightness in Gideon’s steps that she didn’t think had been there previously as the two of them made their way back home.

************

He had done it. Speaking of the ordeal had been terrible. Knowing that Molly was right there listening, that Hermione was hearing everything that had happened to him — though why that mattered he didn’t know — drained him in a way Gideon hadn’t really expected. He felt wrung out.

Gratefulness suffused him as they crossed the threshold into their common room. As much as he would have preferred not to live with the girl Fabian was so hung up on, having her at his side right now was more comforting than Gideon could have imagined.

“Would you like some tea?” she asked.

“Yes, please,” he agreed and went to sit down near the fire. It was crackling already, the house elves seemingly knowing they would turn up here and need the comfort.

Hermione appeared beside him, a cup of tea in each hand. When he had his — made to his liking, he noticed — she sat in her chair, but surprisingly offered him her blanket. Molly had populated the place with blankets, but somehow Hermione’s was still the softest and warmest.

Until that moment, Gideon hadn’t thought about being cold, but he realized suddenly that his body was trembling. “I don’t know if I’m cold,” he said before he could think.

“You look it. Or like you could use the blanket either way,” she amended.

Gideon shrugged. “It’s yours.”

“But I’m offering it to you,” Hermione said, looking a bit exasperated.

Not knowing how it would be received, Gideon still pushed his compromise. “We could both use it on the sofa.”

He wasn’t sure what made him ask it, and he immediately wanted to retract his statement when he saw her expression. The contact would be nice. It was just because of Fabian… except it wasn’t. His brother was nowhere around, and Gideon knew he wasn’t feeling anything from him right now. This — whatever this feeling might be — was him. But he didn’t need her like Fabian did. He couldn’t.

Racing through his recent memories, Gideon tried to catalog all the times he had felt something from Fabian, trying frantically to confirm they weren’t his own emotions. He concluded quickly that it was impossible to be sure.

Hermione took several moments to process his suggestion and slowly nod at him. “Okay.”

“What?” he asked in surprise. Gideon had been sure she would say no.

“Okay, we’ll share the blanket,” she said quietly, standing and moving to the sofa.

Gideon stared at her, thinking he had to have misheard. But she was soon motioning to him as well, and he felt himself moving to comply before consciously deciding he was going to do it. Staring at the landmine that was their sofa, he realized he was going to need to sit next to her. Right next to her if he wanted to share the blanket. It was warm and cozy, but it wasn’t huge.

“I can use an enlargement charm if you don’t want to sit by me,” Hermione said carefully.

Blinking, he shook his head. “I didn’t know if it would be okay with you—”

“I wouldn’t have said the idea was okay if I wasn’t all right being near you, Gideon.”

He stared at her for a long moment before finishing his walk to the sofa, planting himself in the middle so that he was close to the corner she had chosen. It was the right move. Hermione smiled at him in a way Gideon found slightly dazzling.

When the blanket was spread over both of them, Hermione sighed happily. “Book?” she asked him, offering the one he had been reading the night before.

“Yes, please,” Gideon responded, taking it from her and opening up. He was barely aware that she, too, was getting situated with one, quickly lost to the world.

She was so lost that she seemed to forget he was there entirely. Before long, he was startled to find her legs across his lap as Hermione settled into her reading. Gideon almost gasped when her body made contact even though she didn’t seem to notice she had even done it. But he — he felt like something had come alive inside him, felt whole in a way he could barely remember.

The feeling was both overwhelming and so comforting that Gideon felt himself practically melt back into the sofa. Mist wandered up to them, crossing over Gideon to delicately place herself in Hermione’s lap. The girl pet her without even looking up.

Contentment. This was safety, contentment, pleasure, and wholeness — and everything good Gideon wanted in his life. Well, if Fabian were here with them, too.

Chapter Text

“I’m just so worried about him! Of course, I was worried about you, too, dear,” Molly assured him, “but I had no idea how bad it was for Gideon.”

There were tears on her cheeks again. Fabian, exhausted with all the tears his sister had shed, was at his wit’s end for how to stop them. As a cat, he might have made her laugh by chasing something; or licked the salty tears from her cheeks; or just sat on her and purred. But as a human? Hugging her seemed to make Molly happy, but it was getting tiresome.

“He’ll be fine, Molly,” Fabian said, trying not to let his exasperation slip into his voice.

“Oh, I know. I know you’re both fine, but I wasn’t there. And you didn’t hear him, Fabian. You didn’t hear…”

The way Molly trailed off and suddenly sounded more guarded than upset raised Fabian’s hackles. There was something there she didn’t want him to know, wanted to protect him from. It had to be something Gideon had said, but Fabian couldn’t imagine what his twin might have said that would upset him.

“What did I not hear?” he asked, curiosity overwhelming him.

“I don’t think—”

“Well, I do,” he insisted. “Whatever it is, clearly it concerns me.”

“And me,” Molly said miserably, giving in. “He thought we didn’t care about him, Fabian. All those years he was tortured, he thought Mum and Dad and Arthur and I and the whole Order just didn’t care enough to find him. He thought you were dead, but now that he knows you weren’t…”

“Now he wonders why I didn’t come?” Fabian asked, instantly understanding why she hadn’t wanted to tell him.

The wave of emotion that hit him was unpleasant, to say the least. His heart squeezed painfully for his brother, for everything he had lost. Crookshanks felt anger at the losses his littermate had experienced, but it was human-Fabian struggling with a feeling he barely remembered.

The Fabian from before hadn’t felt guilty very often. He, like Crookshanks, did not feel much remorse about anything. For before-Fabian, it had been from a typically clear conscience. Crookshanks because he was a cat. Now-Fabian felt a crushing weight at what he had inadvertently done to Gideon.

How did he just leave him there? From Madam Pomfrey’s assessment, he understood that something had happened to sever their twin bond almost wholly.

But there had still been a thread. There should still have been memories of having a brother, a twin he should go back for. There were no memories from that time. He had vague recollections of the old woman he had lived with, fuzzy memories of arriving at Eeylops. Things cleared once he had been there for a while, but what had obscured his memories until then?

Fabian shook his head, refocusing on Molly sobbing again as she dropped heavily into a chair. As Fabian came around the sofa, it was only then that he stopped in his tracks. There they were — his twin and their Hermione. They weren’t entirely wrapped up in each other, but they were asleep with Hermione’s feet on Gideon’s lap and him leaning toward her. Mist was sleeping on the girl’s lap. It was perfect, except Fabian wasn’t with them.

Molly gave a hiccuping gasp next to him as she noticed the peaceful tableau as well. Fabian put a finger to his lips to shush her. He instinctively knew that she was about to do something loud to break up the moment.

Barely above a whisper, he said, “If that’s what Gideon needs, we should let him have it, yes?”

There was conflict in Molly’s eyes. “He won’t know I was here. Fabian, he has to know I was here, that I would always be there for him.”

He nodded. Fabian could understand that sentiment, all things considered. He didn’t want Gideon thinking anything else of him, either. But he wouldn’t. If he could get Molly out of the suite, Fabian would be right there with them. Surely there was room on the sofa for him as well.

“Mols, I’ll make sure he knows you were here. He just needs rest right now.”

“And his…” she cut off suddenly. “Yes, I’m sure he’ll feel better after this and I can see you both tomorrow.” Molly kissed his cheek abruptly and bustled toward the door, barely pausing to set down the bundle of food she had prepared for them.

************

Gideon jarred awake as his nose began to pour blood. He felt his heart speed up in anticipation of another blow before his eyes flickered open. Some part of his brain knew this wasn’t what he should expect, and words left his mouth. “What the—”

Two cat yowls cut him off — one high pitched and one a deep growl — and a yelp of pain. Gideon could barely see past the foot in his face to an elbow flying near Hermione’s head. Her legs were still resting in Gideon’s lap, but now his brother flailed on top of her.

Clearly, it was a kick to the face that had woken and bloodied Gideon. Who knows what body part hit Hermione as Fabian tried and failed to curl up on the petite woman much like he did in his feline days. Mist had scrambled away in a flurry of fur and claws, having let Fabian know precisely what she thought of him joining them.

“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” Hermione huffed breathlessly as Fabian writhed on top of her, and she tried valiantly to shove him on the floor.

Gideon helped her push, and Fabian was finally off the two of them. Gideon reached for his wand on the side table, cleaned up the blood, and fixed his nose as Fabian explained himself in a tone that made it clear this should be obvious.

“I needed to be here, too. All of us together like we’re supposed to be.” He was kneeling on the floor beside the sofa, his head practically in Hermione’s lap since she had turned to sit upright now. Gideon disliked the cold against his legs without her comfortable weight resting there.

“How could you possibly think you would fit?” she yelled, rubbing at her head.

Fabian’s face fell, and his ears, if they could, would have drooped. Gideon could feel it. He was just as irritated, but somehow… he also felt that urge to keep his twin out of trouble, like he always did before. And now—Gideon almost laughed to himself—he was the older twin. He had to protect his little brother, didn’t he?

“Come on now, Hermione,” Gideon coaxed with his most innocent look, “He’s been reminded of his time being a cat today like I was reminded of… everything. It’s no wonder he’s thinking like one again.”

He saw her ferocious look melt before she sighed and said, “Next time, wake us up so we can make room for you, Fabian. I have a terrible headache now.”

“Can I help?” Fabian asked, and Gideon felt himself bristle for no good reason. They were getting close again, but it shouldn’t matter to him. It didn’t matter.

For a moment, Gideon’s heart fluttered, thinking she might say no. She almost bristled like a cat herself. But then she relaxed slowly—purposefully—and asked with suspicion she couldn’t hide, “What did you have in mind?”

Blinking innocently, Fabian offered, “I thought I could rub your head like you always did for me.”

Hermione’s eyes softened some more, and Gideon knew it would happen. Staring at her, he could feel a tentative sense of contentment emanating from her. It wasn’t relatively as peaceful as the two of them established earlier, but this was stronger. Something about having Fabian there had made things more intense.

It made Gideon feel unnecessary. Perhaps he should go to the bedroom, try to read until he fell asleep, even if that felt like it would kill him.

A hand settled on his hand, startling Gideon despite the slow, gentle touch. When he looked into her eyes, he could almost feel her one word compelling him. “Stay.”

*********

Hermione wasn’t about to let Gideon walk away when they had made so much progress yesterday. She needed to talk to them—both of them together. Now that she knew what Gideon had been through… she couldn’t keep anything from him. Not after hearing how betrayed he had felt by the people who were so close to him. It hadn’t been about lies or withholding truth, but Hermione knew it amounted to the same thing.

She needed to tell him, them, about the soulbond. She just didn’t want to. The conversation would change things.

But as Fabian’s nimble fingers began kneading her scalp, she forgot how to speak. When Gideon picked her legs up and moved them back to his lap, this time digging his fingers into her feet, Hermione swore she was turning into a puddle of goo.

“Nnnngh,” she made a positively indecent sound before asking them, “Have the two of you taken lessons on making a person helpless? This is more effective than any torture.”

“So you’re saying we can ask for anything right now, and you’ll give it?” Gideon asked, smiling for the first time since he woke.

“Anything,” she moaned, feeling decadently relaxed and—she hated to admit it—turned on. She was aroused in a way Hermione couldn’t ever remember feeling before. Merlin, if their hands could make her feel this good just rubbing her head and feet…

Hermione had almost no experience with boys, much less men. While she was technically of age—and had certainly done enough for the wizarding world that she damn well better be considered an adult—Hermione had no practical experience where relationships were concerned. There had been some lovely kisses with Viktor Krum back in fourth year. And a stolen kiss or two with an older Ravenclaw in fifth, but after that, Hermione had been too busy keeping Harry alive and fancying bloody Ron to look at any other boys, much less experiment.

What in Merlin’s name was she supposed to do with Fabian and Gideon? They were so much older and more experienced, even if Gideon was rusty at it, and Fabian… well, she had a feeling his courting tactics were likely a bit feline.

But if they were soulbound, and she had to concede that all the research she had done on the subject in her free time had made it undeniable, then it didn’t matter how inexperienced she was or how they went about it. Exploring how relationships worked and her own sexuality would have to happen with these two men. The thought wasn’t as abhorrent as it had been at first.

At this moment, it was downright appealing. She wanted their hands to move to other parts of her body. She wanted…

Fabian’s stomach growled more loudly than she had ever heard him growl personally. He looked down at his pudgy belly as though it had betrayed him. Gideon began laughing. “Looks like you’ll be needing to find some dinner,” he said.

Grumbling, Fabian nodded. “Molly left us some roast. She was here to be with you for a bit, Gideon. She didn’t want to wake you.”

Hermione noticed Gideon’s initial reaction was shock. But it changed to a small, satisfied smile. “I haven’t had her roast in a very long time.”

“Mmmmm…” was Fabian’s only reply. He had clearly made his way to the food already. Hermione was lying there watching Gideon seemingly fight with himself over whether or not he would abandon her, too.

It had been a while since she had Molly’s roast, though, and she did need to eat more. “As much as I don’t ever want you to stop rubbing my feet, I’m hungry, too,” she told Gideon.

He smiled as his cheeks pinked just the tiniest bit. It made Hermione happy that he seemed to be pleased by the compliment.. Gideon deserved so much “goodness” after everything.

As she wandered over to the table, Hermione chastised Fabian’s table manners, where he had simply dug into the roast without fixing a plate. She reminded him gently that humans served their meals out into smaller portions and demonstrated, though she made him do his own.

Gideon was shaking his head, clearly believing his brother knew exactly how to do it and just hadn’t wanted to. Privately, Hermione agreed, but kindness would reinforce proper behavior much better than being angry about it. She sat down next to Fabian while Gideon was fixing his plate and began to eat as well. It really was delicious.

“This is even better than she used to make it,” Fabian remarked.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Gideon disagreed.

“Want to wager on that?” asked Fabian with a grin, but his brother was already eating, making noises almost as indecent as the ones Hermione had made earlier when they began massaging her. It did something to Hermione, made something deep inside her coil and purr and long for more.

Fabian laughed, but only for a moment before digging back in. It made Hermione laugh as well and she found herself eating more than she had since they had gone on the run, especially when Fabian began to regale them with tales of his time as Crookshanks. She noticed that Gideon was consuming more as well, and she was glad. It was rare. Perhaps they should make their way to the Burrow for more meals.

The twins should, she meant. Of course, that didn’t have to include her. That wasn’t what she had meant at all. Only it was, and there was no use hiding from it. Hermione realized she was right back to that spot she was in at the beginning of the evening. She was determined to talk to them about being soulbonded but hated to break the peacefulness, the normalcy that surrounded the three of them this evening.

And it wasn’t just the peace. Hermione didn’t want to ruin this sense of belonging and happiness. What if she told them, and they were offended or angry they were stuck with a child who had no idea what she was doing? Of course, now there was a part of her brain and burning body asking other questions. What if they were thrilled and wanted to make her just as happy about it as they were? What if…

Hermione’s thoughts were interrupted by Gideon yawning hugely. Somehow, the windows outside had gone dark, and Hermione felt the drag of time on her body also.

“I think I’m ready to turn in,” Gideon said.

“Turn into what?” Fabian asked him, a look of confusion on his face. Hermione had almost forgotten for a moment how not-human he could be at times.

With a smile that she was fighting not to allow laughter to burst out of, she explained, “He just means it’s time for bed.”

“You sleep with us tonight,” Fabian said.

Hermione opened her mouth to argue and, for one wild moment, considered just saying okay. Having both of them in the room would be easier. And her body was telling her it would be pretty pleasant. But she wasn’t ready. She still hadn’t told them for one thing. And she couldn’t quite imagine herself ever calming down enough to sleep tonight. In fact…

“Fabian, I think you and Gideon should both sleep in your room tonight.”

“In our room,” Fabian said.

“Yours and Gideon’s. I should sleep alone,” she pushed.

Fabian blinked at her. “Why?” He seemed thoroughly bewildered.

“I… I just need to be alone tonight. And I think Gideon needs you.”

Gideon looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded slowly when she sent him a pleading look. “Yes, I need you in the room with me.”

“Don’t you want to sleep in the big bed?” Fabian asked.

It looked almost painful for Gideon to say “no.” Hermione felt terrible, but she needed that little bit of distance. Tomorrow she would tell them, and then she might let them back in if they didn’t hate her.

Slowly, the three of them got ready for bed, Fabian arguing all the way and Gideon looking more and more upset. It was Mist who seemed to decide them on this being okay. Hermione had no idea what she said to Fabian, but he suddenly looked wiser and whispered to Gideon. The older twin laughed aloud and nodded, then they both headed for their room.

In perfect synchronicity, they turned and said, “Goodnight, Hermione,” just before she disappeared into her own room. They closed their door behind them, and she had to try and pretend she didn’t feel bereft without them near her.

With a deep breath, Hermione put up a silencing ward to keep them from hearing her. Perhaps she wouldn’t wake in the night, but she wasn’t going to count on it. She already missed them both, but her body’s response to those thoughts told her this was better. Hermione wasn’t ready yet. She would be. But she needed words first—and commitment—to know that they were genuinely interested even knowing the truth.

Tomorrow.

*************

Fabian woke to a scream. Rolling over, he promptly fell from the bed onto the cold, hard floor. The thud of his body hitting did nothing to quiet his twin’s cries, hardening Fabian’s resolve to help as he scrambled up and over to shake Gideon awake.

He succeeded in increasing his brother’s panic and the severity of his screams but couldn’t wake him. As the door flung open and Hermione burst in, Fabian realized that they had neglected to ward their room.

Without question, she ran to Gideon’s bed, sliding into place right next to Fabian. As they touched Gideon and Hermione said, “Come on, wake up,” his eyes finally popped open. The screams, however, took another moment to stop and only morphed into sobs instead.

Fabian wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel when his twin slumped into Hermione’s arms instead of his own. But he slid an arm around each of them and held them as close as they would allow. It took barely a brush of Hermione’s skin to notice that she was quivering the same way Gideon was.

“You were already awake,” Fabian stated to her. “You had nightmares tonight, too.”

Hermione didn’t answer, which confirmed his suspicions. Gideon’s voice shook as he said, “Why? What do you have nightmares about?”

Knowing how badly that would go over, Fabian started to say something to distract her, but a meow from nearby cautioned him to let this happen. Mist hadn’t steered him wrong before when she said that they’d just end up in bed together anyway and to give the mother cat her space.

His twin hadn’t meant that she didn’t have the right to her nightmares, but Hermione bristled, taking it that way.

“I know I haven’t been through anything like you have, but I’ve experienced torture,” she hissed. If she were a cat, she would be spitting.

“You’ve—” Gideon began, his voice giving away his unwillingness to accept it. Through their bond, Fabian could feel his brother’s sorrow and horror at the very thought, the feeling crashing over him like a wave.

Hermione didn’t take his tone well at all. She jerked up her left sleeve, revealing to them a series of ugly marks on her arm for the first time. They looked drawn on, like words penned raggedly on the skin—

Gideon leaned over and threw up over the side of the bed. It was then that the marks, the word, made sense to Fabian.

Mudblood. In large, blocky letters.

He, too, had to turn away, though he managed to retain his dinner. This was not something Crookshanks had ever seen. So it had happened while she was gone—when she had left him behind. Hermione was staring between them, surprised, it seemed.

“You didn’t think I would care?” Gideon asked after he had Scourgified the mess away. “You thought since I had been through worse, it wouldn’t matter that you had been— Merlin, no matter what else Dolohov did, he never carved a slur into my skin.”

Fabian leaned forward to get a closer look, pulling up memories from before. “This was done with a cursed knife,” he commented, remembering the kinds of scars they left.

“Who did this?” Gideon demanded tightly, each word a separate command.

It surprised Fabian how easily the girl said, “Bellatrix did it, but she’s gone now.”

“She died?” Fabian asked. He was surprised anything could have taken out that witch.

“Your sister killed her,” Hermione said with a satisfied grin.

Both brothers drew back as though they had been slapped. “Molly?” Gideon asked, coughing as he spoke; his shock was so great.

Fabian had felt the same but was simply too stunned to speak.

“Molly,” Hermione confirmed. “She was brilliant.”

“I didn’t know she had it in her,” he finally managed to say.

“Well, she did,” Hermione said with a hmph. It was so cute that Fabian almost laughed. “And I survived what Bellatrix did to me and didn’t tell her what she wanted to know before we escaped!”

“How did—”

“Now is not the time for stories,” Gideon interrupted wearily. “We should all try to go back to sleep.”

“Together,” Fabian said, switching gears.

“We’re not—” Hermione began, but Fabian shook his head.

“If we want to sleep tonight, we should all stay in our big bed. Together we are… comfort.”

He could see Hermione preparing to argue, but then she sighed, her rigid shoulders slumping in defeat. “Okay,” she agreed, leading Fabian to grin broadly.

Gideon was still sitting on the edge of his bed. “I could just—”

“No,” Hermione disagreed. “If I’m allowing one of you, we’re all sleeping there. As much as I hate to admit it, Fabian is right. None of us are getting rest this way, and we need it. We have a big day tomorrow and… I want you there with me.”

The admission was obviously hard for her, but Fabian didn’t understand why. But he would take it. Hard to say or not, his girl — their girl — had admitted she wanted them with her. It was a step forward as far as he was concerned.

Gideon slowly rose from the bed, a silent agreement to the plan. As they made it into her room, Fabian bounded to the bed and jumped into his spot on Hermione’s right. She slid in next, under the covers. Gideon hesitated.

“I’m cold,” he stated simply.

Hermione was quiet for a long moment before saying, “Get under the covers then,” and turning toward Fabian before Gideon slid rigidly in next to her.

“Then can I—” Fabian began.

“No,” Hermione told him firmly.

Still, he was in their bed, and Gideon had finally joined them as he should. This was better.

Chapter Text

Hermione woke slowly. She was so warm and cozy, practically cocooned in warmth. It took a long moment for her to realize how unusual that was. Then her eyes slammed open in a near panic, rapidly taking in the situation.

In a sense, she was indeed trapped, something she had sworn she would never allow to happen again. But she was safe, maybe safer than she had ever felt before. She pillowed her head on Gideon’s chest, his arms protectively wrapped around her, one hand gently cradling her head.

If that wasn’t shocking enough, she could feel someone against her on the other side — undoubtedly Fabian — pressed as close against her as he could get, thankfully still over the covers.

As her brain caught up with what was happening, she realized that it was partially the blankets held so tightly between them that was making her feel trapped. She wouldn’t even be able to untangle herself from Gideon — move off his chest — until Fabian moved.

As she tried to work out how she would wake Fabian, her eyes went up to Gideon’s face. He looked more relaxed than she had ever seen him before, even when she had seen him sleeping in the past. At some point in the night, he had lost his pajama shirt. She could see now that, though still skinny and no doubt weaker than he had been in his prime, Gideon was filling out, no longer the skeleton he had been when they turned him from cat form.

The scars covering him were all exposed right now, their glamours melting away overnight. She was accustomed to the worst ones—the ones he couldn’t hide with a glamour—but there were so many that weren’t curse scars crisscrossing his body. With the prominent blemishes on his skin, some might have thought that Gideon was somehow less than he could have been. To Hermione, however, they were the markings of a warrior. He had been through so much and come out on the other side.

Hermione was surprised to realize that she found Gideon handsome, almost more so than Fabian. It took her a moment to acknowledge that she had just admitted to herself she found Fabian attractive — both brothers, really. That was… unexpected but… nice, all things considered.

Suddenly her thoughts turned to the conversation they needed to have, and her potential to panic returned. She was so uncertain how the two men would feel about being tied to her. She still hadn’t accepted it herself; how could they? They had barely experienced freedom yet, and it was already taken from them.

Hermione started to move the arm that she had flung across Gideon’s abdomen, but as she did, he began to stir slightly, a rumbly, sleepy purr coming from him as his arms pulled her tighter to him. For a moment, she held her breath, terrified he would wake and find her so close. Of course, he would be nice about it, but she did not want to experience the rejection she knew was inevitable if he woke while she was still so close to him.

She needed to get out of this bed, and the first step was to move the dead weight behind her. “Fabian,” she hissed quietly, though the sound was mostly lost in Gideon’s chest.

“‘m Gideon,” he mumbled, his thick red-gold lashes fluttering slowly open.

Hermione felt herself blush as she said, “No, I know that. I meant… I can’t move because Fabian is right behind me and—”

“Hmmm,” came a rumble from behind her and a sleepy, “I am, aren’t I?” before Fabian managed to snuggle in even closer and toss an arm casually over both Hermione and Gideon. Somehow, he managed to burrow close enough that she could feel his nose nuzzle into her hair. Fabian took a deep breath in and sighed happily.

When Hermione blushed harder and could only sputter, Gideon grinned at her, laughter bubbling up out of him. “Fab, I think she wanted you to move back, not get closer.”

“Stupid thing to want,” Fabian grumbled, but he pulled away, and Hermione could breathe again.

However, even rolled away, his presence on top of the covers made it hard to maneuver. It didn’t help that Gideon hadn’t made a move yet, his arms still around her, though a bit looser than they had been. Hermione was shocked that he wasn’t reacting poorly to her in his arms, but apparently, half-awake-Gideon didn’t have the same personal space issues that awake-Gideon did.

Unfortunately, no matter how good this felt, Hermione did have personal space issues, and she was fully awake and aware. He seemed to realize before she could form the words, she needed to get Gideon off of her. Gingerly, his hands moved to lift her off him, positioning a pillow for her instead as he edged closer to the side of the bed.

“Sorry, Hermione,” he said without elaborating.

“You should be,” Fabian said in a disgruntled tone. “I’ve slept with her twice before this and never put my hands on her.”

Gideon blushed as he got up. Stretching, he spoke as he looked around for his shirt. “I didn’t think I would still get cuddly in my sleep, or I wouldn’t have agreed to it.”

“It’s fine,” Hermione cut in, ready to forget the whole thing—and silently vowing not to let either of them back in bed with her again. It had felt too good… no. It had caused too much trouble. She reminded herself that had to be the real problem with it.

“We should be doing better than fine,” Fabian answered, though he was smiling at her now. “If we were both under the covers with you, it would be much more than fine.”

Hermione felt her cheeks go hot again. “I don’t think so,” she answered as she practically threw herself from the bed and dodged quickly around Gideon, who chuckled at her. “I’ll just… need to use the loo,” she said, rushing away as she cursed herself for being too cowardly to have the necessary conversation. Surely there had been an opening in there somewhere.

*************************

Despite the layer of tension that waking up together had brought, Gideon was happy to find that Hermione wasn’t angry with them — him especially — as he had expected. She seemed more embarrassed and contemplative than anything else, and he wasn’t sure why.

Considering his twin’s not-so-subtle requests, he understood why she was embarrassed, but the way she chewed her lip and stared away from them made it seem like she had something big on her mind.

Fortunately, Hermione was easy to distract. When he brought up wand lore, she shook herself out of whatever was going on in her head and focused. Her undivided attention made Gideon want to preen like a teenage boy, feeling things he hadn’t contemplated in years beginning to stir inside him. The thoughts were wildly inappropriate with a girl so young. And there were academic things to keep their minds on, after all.

The topic seemed to fascinate the girl, especially with the way Voldemort was finally defeated. It had been easy to mention that their wand woods had changed, and Fabian’s core, the simple fact that they weren’t twin wands any longer. Hermione would have talked about that for hours if they hadn’t been distracted once they arrived at breakfast.

He and Fabian were under their disguises again — Gilbert and Adrian. The moment they arrived, “Adrian” had again overwhelmed the Gryffindor table with jolly greetings and peppered everyone with questions. Gideon shook his head and dug into breakfast, as much as he could handle. His ability to take in food still hadn’t recovered, and this was a particularly difficult morning for it, though he knew he needed his strength.

Gideon was both anxious and ecstatic that he would get to use his wand and do some actual magic for the first time in years. He could tell Fabian felt the same—perhaps less anxious, though—with his joy shining through his fake face.

As they finished breakfast and joined the crowd moving toward Professor McGonagall for their day’s assignments, a young woman with silvery blonde hair came running toward them, flinging herself on Hermione. A tall boy with short dark hair followed.

“Luna!” Hermione laughed as the two girls hugged. Reaching a hand out to the boy, she joyfully greeted, “Neville! I feel like I haven’t seen the two of you in forever.”

“You haven’t,” Neville agreed. “It’s about time you come out of your hole.”

“I was here yesterday, too,” Hermione laughed.

“Well, we weren’t yet, so it doesn’t count,” Luna said. “Besides, you were probably in the library.”

Hermione laughed, but Gideon saw her blushing. That was exactly where she had been, no doubt.

Turning the attention from herself, Hermione said, “Let me introduce you to some new friends I have here, Gilbert and Adrian. They’re brothers.”

“Were you Hogwarts students?” Neville asked, his brows knitting together, clearly trying to place them.

“A few years ago,” Fabian said smoothly. “We’re not here for the classes as much as to help.”

“And to be with your lady,” Luna said, though she was staring off into the trees of the Forbidden Forest rather than looking at Hermione or the disguised twins.

“What?” Gideon asked nervously.

Luna looked at him oddly for a moment before patting his hand. “You needn’t worry, Gilbert. No one knows. Oh, look! Professor McGonagall is waving to us.”

The girl turned and was gone. Hermione smirked at them. “Luna’s a little odd.”

“Clearly,” Gideon replied. He wondered if she had really known something or had just guessed that two young men—as they appeared to be—would be here more for a woman than to genuinely help. She didn’t seem the sort to think the worst of people, but… there had been a nasty looking scar along her cheek.

War changed people’s outlook. This Luna didn’t look like a girl who wouldn’t trust people, but it was easy to lose trust when you saw people at their darkest—no matter if it was their choice to be dark or not.

Professor McGonagall smiled at them as he and Fabian followed Hermione over. Neville and Luna were just ahead of them. “Neville, please take Gilbert with you to work on the greenhouses. Luna, Adrian will join you in the hallway of Ravenclaw tower. Hermione, you will be leading a team in the library. Let me gather them.”

The Professor bustled off to do just that, Hermione in her wake. Adrian was jumping around as he and Luna headed into the castle. So it was just Gilbert left with Neville now.

“We won’t only be in the greenhouses. When Aberforth needs help at Hagrid’s hut… or where the hut used to be, we go there to see what we can do. We’re not needed much — the creatures love Ab, but he’s a bit older, too, so it’s rough on him if chasing is involved,” Neville explained as they walked.

“Aberforth Dumbledore?” Gideon asked. He remembered the man from the Order. Neville gave him an odd look but nodded.

“Ab’s devoted to fixing up the place. Some say it’s to honor his brother, but I’m pretty sure it’s to make up for all the creatures who didn’t make it. In some ways, he and Hagrid are two of a kind, though thankfully Ab doesn’t have the same obsession with dangerous creatures,” Neville rambled.

Gideon was thankful for the boy’s information and the way he didn’t need an answer to much of anything. Neville reminded him of someone, but Gideon couldn’t put his finger on it.

“So what we’re doing is repotting plants, trimming back broken plants, and collecting ingredients, especially from plants that are too damaged to keep alive. Does that make sense?” Neville asked.

“It does. I always enjoyed Herbology. McGonagall must have remembered,” Gideon said with a smile. Honestly, he liked working with plants. And creatures if they got that chance.

“How long ago were you a student here?” Neville asked as they got busy repotting Firesnaps, gathering their fallen leaves as they worked.

“A few years,” Gideon mumbled, cursing as he pretended a Firesnap had gotten him. “Are you still in?”

Neville gave him that odd look again. “Yes. I’m staying for an eighth year, too. Of course, we learned plenty staying alive, but I’m starting my mastery with Professor Sprout.”

“What are you planning to do after you have your mastery?” Gideon asked curiously.

“Well, I don’t have to do anything really, but I hope to work here at Hogwarts when Professor Sprout retires. If not, I guess I would put in more greenhouses at Longbottom Manor and-”

“Frank Longbottom! I knew you reminded me of someone!” Gideon cried, excited now. “How is he?”

Staring more than oddly this time, it took Neville a few moments to speak at all. “How do you not know?” he asked. “Everyone knows.”

Gideon gulped. What had he said wrong? Merlin, had Frank died? Shite, the poor kid. “I…” Gideon truly had no idea what to say because he didn’t know enough about what might have happened.

Neville had been watching him. Gideon wasn’t sure what conclusion he had come to, but suddenly Neville began to explain what had happened. Gideon knew he must be turning pale by the faintly alarmed look in Neville’s eyes. When he ran outside and lost everything he had for breakfast, Neville was there with an Accio’d glass of water.

As Gideon drank it, Neville continued to watch him for a moment. “Who are you?”

“What?” Gideon asked in shock, his heart beating harder and faster.

“Your name isn’t Gilbert,” Neville stated. “Who are you really?”

Mind racing, Gideon decided there were things he could say. “Gilbert is a pseudonym. This isn’t my real face either. My brother and I have been captives for many years.”

“Since the first war, or you would have known about my parents,” Neville observed.

Slowly, Gideon nodded.

“How did you escape? It had to have been recent.”

“I… I can’t tell you everything without it showing who I am and, I’m sorry, but I just don’t know you that well yet.” Thankfully, the boy seemed to understand that—another should-be-child too far grown because of the stupid war. “I had been kept in another form, caged, most of the time. The house-elf who fed me through the years was tasked with taking me somewhere. But the cage he had to use to move me from one place to another wasn’t very secure.”

Neville listened carefully, even though his hands had returned to pruning a Venezuelan Varikiss.

“We arrived in Diagon Alley, and I went berserk. I knew if I could get out of that cage, I could find someone to help me. It hurt, but I threw myself against the cage again and again until I realized the latch was nearly broken. The house-elf was struggling with me moving around so much. I knew it well enough to know it was getting tired. But I could see that Eeylops place up ahead and figured that must be where we were headed, so I needed to change tactics. With a paw, I could jiggle the latch itself loose and used my teeth to pull it out. Thank Merlin it was easy, or I suppose I would have lost them all.”

“What happened when you got it unlatched?” Neville asked.

“The house-elf popped around, apparating here and there, but he couldn’t catch me. I was hurting but far too desperate to get away to let myself get caught again. I crawled back behind and under a trash bin where it couldn’t get to me and hid until I could run again. I followed where I saw other stray cats go, and it kept me alive.”

“So you were a cat,” Neville said.

Gideon blinked, “How did you know?”

Nevile smirked. “You said ‘other’ stray cats.”

“Oh,” Gideon said without any more appropriate come back. Fabian would have thought of something witty, but such subterfuge wasn’t Gideon’s strong point. “I was a cat.”

“You don’t look very old for having been around for the first war, for knowing my dad,” Neville said suspiciously.

“The curse… it kept my brother and me from aging.”

“Hmmm,” Neville contemplated, focusing on the plants again. “Do you know how to extract the roots of the mandrakes safely, Gilbert?”

Feeling thrown by the change of topic, Gideon confirmed that he did, put on earmuffs, and got to work. He was on the last plant when Neville stepped up beside him and pointed his wand.

Gideon gasped, jumping out of the way of the first spell as it harmlessly hit the mandrake instead. The second, though. It hit him. Gideon scrambled backwards, his heart pounding. He was too frozen to even pull his own wand in defense.

Air. He needed air, but he couldn’t get it. He tried to focus on the things around him as Healer Mitchell had been teaching him. Pruning shears. Mandrakes. Neville’s apologetic face, then the look of a warrior as he called forth a Patronus and sent it off to someone.

It wasn’t working. Gideon felt light-headed and knew he was seeing things, because suddenly, Hermione was there in front of him.

“Gideon!” she was calling. “Come back to me. Gideon… you’re okay. No one is going to hurt you.” She shot Neville an irritated look. “He wasn’t trying to hurt you. It was just a Finite. Come on, Gideon. Breathe.”

Curly brown hair. Honey eyes. Soft, smooth looking skin. He took a breath. It was unsteady, and it took long moments for the next to follow, but slowly Gideon calmed again, letting Hermione pet him and comfort him.

She had reapplied the glamour almost the moment she arrived, but now he heard her and Neville having a hushed conversation. “Gideon Prewett? The war hero? And is Adrian his twin, Fabian? Truly?”

“Yes, but Neville, please. You can’t tell anyone. Dolohov is after him. Them.”

“Antonin Dolohov?” Neville asked in alarm.

“I thought we were supposed to keep this quiet,” Gideon said to her grumpily.

“Neville is one of our closest friends and allies. He protected the children in the castle this past year, and he confronted Voldemort personally,” Hermione stated proudly. Neville blushed like mad but was smiling happily. “I trust him as much as myself.”

More than she would trust Gideon.

He heard that even though she hadn’t said it, probably never would. Why should she? No one else had. He hadn’t mattered enough. His breathing started stuttering again.

“Gideon… Gilbert! Stay with me,” Hermione started the process again, coaching him through deeper breathing. “You can do this. You’re going to be okay.”

She was right; he knew she was. He could be okay through this. It took him more time than he would have liked, but his breathing returned to normal again, and the three of them began working in tandem there in the greenhouse. He wanted to apologize for taking her from the library, but she seemed happy, and he… Gideon couldn’t say how glad he was to have her there. It made no sense, but she made him feel safer, wanted.

**************

Fabian’s morning had been… odd. He enjoyed the bizarre Lovegood girl. Her father was old enough that Fabian hadn’t known him well, but Pandora had been one of his favorite people to pal around with. She was a couple of years older, but so strange that she either had very few friends or wasn’t opposed to hanging out with a boy so much younger than herself despite the standard age divisions maintained by living and growing up with a year-group and in a different house. It had been a pleasant surprise that Pandora seemed to find him as amusing as he found her.

He had learned to listen to her wisdom, too, and it seemed her daughter was the same. She had scratched behind his ears as though he were still Crookshanks, making Fabian adore her even more. They were fast friends by the time lunch rolled around, so when she invited him to bring his brother and Hermione for a picnic by the lake, of course, he accepted on everyone’s behalf.

As they arrived at the Great Hall, Luna said, “Winky,” and a little elf popped up next to them with a giant picnic basket. “Thank you,” but she had already popped away again.

“What are we—” Hermione began, walking up to see why an elf had been called.

“We’re going for a picnic,” the blonde said, running her arm through Gideon’s and tugging him along. He looked at his brother bemused, and Fabian gave the tiniest nod. There was a fondness immediately in his brother’s eyes as he seemed to realize who Luna was.

Hermione seemed slightly disgruntled, but they all traipsed out to the lake with Neville following.

Soon, Fabian found himself lounging, spread out in the sunlight, rolling around in the grass and stretching.

“He’s like an overgrown cat,” he heard Neville comment to Gideon.

It was a moment before his twin answered quietly. “17 years. I was turned back sometimes, but Fabian was one the whole time.”

“Fuck. That must be hard to come back from,” Neville said.

Fabian considered saying something, but he would likely speak cat instead of human at the moment, so he just basked instead.

He must have fallen asleep after a moment because suddenly there was a hand on his belly, and he reacted as Crookshanks always would, with a “mreow”ing growl and curling his hands and legs around the offending arm, pretending he might bite.

It was considerably less effective without claws, but it certainly set their little party laughing. Luna very seriously turned to Hermione. “Are you sure he wouldn't make a better cat? He’s so very good at it.”

Hermione laughed, loud and hearty. It was a delightful sound, and it set him purring. Luna was even more delighted by that, petting his hair until Hermione grumpily declared it was time to get back to work. She seemed nervous for some reason and he suddenly wanted to make her better.

As they got up, Fabian slid his arms around Hermione from behind, making her squeal and giggle in surprise. He liked that almost as much as the hearty laugh. He did enjoy being Crookshanks, but mostly because he had loved his girl. And now that he could love her differently if he could just re-learn how… he was dedicated to doing that, too.

Chapter Text

“I wish I knew what they did,” Gideon stated, his frustration showing in the tightness of his fists.

Healer Mitchell leaned forward. “Would it matter? Truly?”

“It might,” Gideon told him. Before the man could ask him the obvious question of how it would matter, he forged on. “It’s possible we could undo it.”

“That is a possibility.” The Healer was nodding contemplatively. He sighed then. “Even I must admit it would be nice to know, but it is doubtful that whatever it was could be easily reversed by magic alone. The most important thing to remember is that the bond is healing.”

“Slowly,” Gideon muttered. It was excruciating how slowly it was mending. He felt nothing from his brother most of the time, no different from the horrible years when he had been so sure Fabian was dead.

Healer Mitchell shook his head. “Gideon, it’s barely been a week, and you’ve both made so much progress already. Individually—”

“But we never did anything individually before,” Gideon explained, his frustration ready to boil over again. He wanted his twin back. He wanted the years back.

Merlin, he sounded like a petulant child. If he voiced that, he knew Healer Mitchell would comment that his awareness was a good sign and that he had every right to be angry and to want those things. Having the right to it still wouldn’t do anything to help.

“You’ve had to be alone for a long time, and it is natural to want that to be over quickly and easily now that you are free. For most people, the level of human interaction you are receiving from your sister’s family, your niece and all your nephews, as well as Hermione and Fabian, would seem—”

“That’s another thing!” Gideon burst out. His emotions were so turbulent today. They had been ramping up throughout the day, more and more anxious for no reason he could discern. “Hermione is the only person I don’t feel alone with, the only person… Merlin, sometimes I think I can feel her the way I used to feel Fabian.”

“Really?” Healer Mitchell leaned forward again, a gleam of interest in his eyes that Gideon was certain hadn’t been there a moment before.

Gideon blushed. The man must think him insane. “It was just a moment here and there when our eyes would meet. I’m sure I was just taking cues from her outward emotions and things or…” he rambled to a standstill and was relieved when Healer Mitchell interrupted.

“You said ‘was.’ Has it progressed to something more?”

“I’m sure it’s just my imagination. I barely know her—” Gideon cut himself off, a quick blush flowing across his skin as he thought of waking with her draped across his chest, resting in his arms, and how absolutely perfect it had felt when Fabian threw his arm over her, too. Merlin, touching the two people who meant the most to him…

No. They meant the most to each other. He was just there because of a bond that barely existed anymore.

The Healer brought him out of those thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he snapped before thinking it through. What could possibly be a worse thing to say to one’s Mind Healer?

“Your thoughts matter more than anything else. And if they are so very upsetting, then the new thoughts to replace them are what matters most.” Healer Mitchell gave him a quizzical look.

Sighing, Gideon gave in somewhat. “I was just thinking about a time when I felt close to her and Fabian, but then reminding myself that they’re close without me.”

“So you were with the two of them, but you felt alone?” he clarified.

“No. In the moment, it felt perfect,” Gideon admitted.

Healer Mitchell said, “Ahhhh. So your thoughts say that it would have been better for them without you somehow?”

“No,” Gideon said slowly. “No. They both felt like it was perfect just as it was.”

“You know how they felt?” Healer Mitchell asked.

His tone was carefully calm, but Gideon suspected he was excited to hear the answer. Perhaps because it was another sign the twin bond was healing, though that still didn’t explain Hermione.

Gideon considered for a moment whether to divulge the connection or not but then nodded. “Yes, I know how they felt. Both of them. I know it doesn’t make sense for me to know about Hermione, but sometimes I just do. It’s effortless, like Fabian and I used to be. Like things with him are in some moments. Only somehow, it happens more with Hermione than with Fabian. It’s not exactly that she’s taking his place but like she’s… another part of us.”

Once he began talking, he couldn’t stop. Healer Mitchell was scrawling rapidly on his parchment. He must think Gideon was a nutter. The crazy part was, it was all true. Gideon was absolutely sure he was feeling Hermione’s emotions sometimes. And he often felt like she was reacting to emotions he wasn’t displaying, so what did it mean if she could feel him, too?

Before Healer Mitchell could say anything else, Gideon asked, “What if she feels us… me… too?”

The Healer steepled his hands, looking thoughtful for a moment. “Because of patient confidentiality, I can’t give you the answers you’re looking for without her permission. But I think you should consider discussing it directly with her—and Fabian, of course—rather than me, Gideon. Maybe set up a nice, calm moment in the comfort of your common room and talk.”

“You think she’ll need to be calm?” Gideon asked, his anxiety spiking.

Healer Mitchell gave him a knowing look. “I think this will be hard for any of you to talk about. Having outward calm and peace will only help ease the inner difficulties of such a conversation.”

Gideon felt his gut spinning as he left Healer Mitchell’s office. His nerves were out of control, and the prospect of walking through the castle alone was setting off his anxiety even further. Wondering what the Healer knew that would make him caution a calming environment, Gideon was still standing just outside the hospital wing when he heard someone call.

“Gilbert!” came a dreamy voice.

Turning to Luna, Gideon felt relief flood his system. Even having known her for only a few hours, he found the girl’s presence soothing. She was so like her mother, yet completely herself in a way he couldn’t yet explain.

“Hello Luna, What are you still doing here?”

“I needed to walk you to your rooms,” she said airily.

Gideon blinked. “Hermione asked you to?” he guessed.

“No,” she said without explaining. She started to walk in the direction of his room, so Gideon rushed to keep up with her. Luna smiled as he caught up. “You are nervous. You all are.”

“What about?” he found himself asking.

“The same thing,” she told him cryptically. “But you have a question for me. A better one.”

Gideon found himself again shocked by her, but his tongue dropped the question anyway. “How would you make Hermione calm?”

Luna’s laugh was light and airy, too. It could have been offensive to be laughed at that way, but somehow it wasn’t. “Give her a book to read. I brought one, but you can’t look at the title yet, so I wrapped it.”

As she handed him a book-shaped package wrapped in brown paper that had been whimsically painted on, Luna continued, “Then you should make her some tea and let her know you’ve noticed she needs to talk about something.”

“But what—”

“Oh, here we are at your rooms. I can’t stay. Daddy’s waiting for me to get home. Good luck, Gideon. It will make you happier than you’ve ever been.”

With that, the strange girl leaned up, kissed him on the cheek and disappeared.

When Gideon entered the common room, he knew he had a slightly bewildered look on his face.

“What’s wrong?” Hermione asked from across the room.

Taking her in, Gideon realized that she looked flushed, like she had run a kilometer, and her hair was wild, curls popping out everywhere.

“Nothing,” he denied. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” she said tersely, but he could feel it was a lie.

Somehow Gideon knew better than to press. Instead, he explained himself and the odd package he was holding. “Your friend Luna walked me up to the room.”

“Oh, Merlin,” Hermione groaned. “What did she—”

He cut her off before she could ask what they had talked about. “She said I should give you this.” He handed her the package. “It’s a book she said, but I wasn’t allowed to know the title. Would you like a cuppa while you read?”

Taking the wrapped book, Hermione still looked suspicious. “I can’t… yes, that would be nice.” Her voice had gotten more dreamy as she carefully opened the package, preserving the strange creatures Luna had painted on the paper.

She gasped when she caught sight of the front of the book and held it to her chest. Gideon wasn’t sure if that was because she didn’t want him to see or if it was simply that precious. Either way, she wandered over to the sofa without another word.

Gideon smiled fondly as he watched her settle in, shook himself, and went to the kitchenette to prepare their tea. Her favorite, a special blend the house-elves made, was thankfully available. He knew already that it calmed her nerves. She probably should have been drinking it all day.

He took his time, puttering around and making it the muggle way. Gideon honestly wasn’t confident if he was prolonging the inevitable out of fear or knowing she needed the time. Either way, it was some time later before he interrupted her reading to hand her the cup of tea.

Hermione looked startled by his presence, paling dramatically.

“That good, eh?” he asked, his curiosity killing him.

“It’s just… a bit on the nose,” Hermione gulped her tea and leaned back against the sofa.

“May I sit?” Gideon asked, hoping she would allow him on the sofa beside her. Not that it made sense for him to want that, but… his own nerves were frayed and, even though he could see how anxious she was, he knew being closer to her would help them both.

“Yes,” she said, nothing more or less.

He sat next to her and relaxed when she didn’t tense further. They watched each other for a long moment before he felt the words tumbling out of his mouth. “It seems like you have something you need to talk about. I’m here and happy to listen if you’re ready.”

Hermione made a soft gasping sound, glanced down to the book, and bit her lip. “Okay,” she finally said. “Yes, it’s past time.”

“Whatever it is, Hermione, I’m hard to scare away,” Gideon said, though his heart was beating painfully fast with whatever fear she was experiencing.

For some reason, her face blanched at that. Still, Hermione turned to face him as she snuggled her teacup and stared down into it.

When she finally spoke, Gideon had to lean in to hear her. “They only told me a few days ago. After they did full physicals and magical checkups. Healer Mitchell felt it was best to wait on telling either of you until there had been more recovery.”

That made sense to him. This was obviously something big. He was slow about it, but Gideon said, “That’s understandable,” and gestured for her to continue.

Hermione was biting her lip, so Gideon leaned forward to pull it gently from between her teeth. He heard her breath catch as he did it. “Tell me, Hermione. I won’t be angry.”

“I’m not afraid you’ll be angry exactly,” she said. “I’m afraid… I really have no idea how you’ll react. But I think you’ll be upset. Merlin knows I was.”

That fact made his heart thud painfully. She must have felt his distress, though, because she rushed to say, “Not because it’s you. Or Fabian. Because it’s… there was no choice…” Her voice dropped off as she drew her lip between her teeth again.

When he started to lean toward her this time, she let her lip go and made a soft huffing sound in his direction that left Gideon smiling. Why was he so drawn to her? He knew suddenly that the answer to that was what this was about.

**************

“I’m usually just busy trying not to be a cat, but the bond is broken, and I want to fix it. Healer Mitchell says it just takes time to heal, but he wasn’t sure how to do it. I thought the two of you might know what to do,” Fabian told the twins.

Fred rubbed his chin. “Well, we’ve never really been without each other, so it’s hard to say.”

“There were times during the war when one of us was on a mission separate from the other. That’s probably the most time we’ve ever spent apart,” George mused.

Fabian felt relieved that they might have some insight after all. “What did you do to be together again?”

“To reconnect?” George gently gave him the word. He did that often, and Fred had begun to now and then, suggesting the word they could tell Fabian wanted.

Nodding, Fabian encouraged them with a look.

“We just spent time together, I think,” Fred said, “It helped to hug a lot.”

“And sit close, especially when it was just the two of us,” George added.

Fred nodded. “Having time for just the two of us was good. But we’ve always done that. We have good friends we spend time with, but a lot of our design process is just the two of us hanging out.”

“And we touch often,” George said, “though I’ve never really thought about it before. I guess it is part of what makes us so connected.”

Fabian furrowed his brow. “My memories are still fuzzy, but I don’t think Gid and I touched all that often once we were teenagers.”

“But you’ve also said that the two of you weren’t quite as closely bonded as Georgie and I,” Fred pointed out.

“It might have been Gideon who said that,” George said.

“No one has mixed us up until now,” Fabian said with a grin.

George grimaced, “Take it from a one-eared wonder; people don’t mix you up as much after you’ve been through a war.”

Fabian felt himself sober. “No, they won’t. But people don’t even know we still exist yet.”

“Does it bother you that people don’t know?” George asked.

“I like people. I liked meeting Luna and Neville today. Talking to Healer Mitchell and doing the memory recovery exercises with him is helpful, but it’s not the same as meeting people. Someday we’ll be part of the world again, and I look forward to it. But I want Gideon to look forward to it, too.”

“You think it will be harder for him,” Fred stated.

“I know it will be,” Fabian asserted. “I still know him well enough for that. It would have been hard for him even without the… physical differences.”

George sighed and nodded. He clearly understood Fabian’s fears about his twin. It was part of why this was so important. Fabian needed to help Gideon, and the bond was what he could do. The more memories he regained, the more he missed it, but he knew the longing was far worse for his brother.

So he would do this. More time together, just the two of them, more touching. He could do those things. He liked touching people, though it was something Healer Mitchell had warned him he needed to consider carefully whether any touch he wanted was Human Fabian or if it was an impulse that belonged to Crookshanks. It was bloody exhausting, but those urges might be useful with Gideon.

They were with his girl. Well, some of them. Others were extremely inappropriate now. He knew that, but it didn’t keep him from wanting to touch her that way. Sometimes he wasn’t sure whether those impulses were human or tomcat.

“Maybe it could help, too, for you both to spend more time with us? Twin bonding?” Fred asked hopefully.

George snorted. “I think we know what Hermione would have to say about that after last time.”

“She’s not my boss,” Fabian said petulantly.

“Are you sure about that, mate?” Fred asked with a laugh.

“Mate,” Fabian rolled that word around with his tongue and his mind. It belonged to Crookshanks to think of her that way, but Fabian knew it fit when Fred inadvertently supplied the word.

“Not like that,” George asserted, laughing too.

“No, I know not with you two,” Fabian said with exasperation. “But it’s what Hermione is. She’s my mate.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that,” Fred said seriously, darting a side glance at his twin.

They agreed. Fabian was certain of it even if they weren’t saying so. But of course, she was. There was something there with Hermione. Something like he remembered with Gideon. When he connected to Gideon, he felt more connected to her, too.

Suddenly, he felt a strong urge to return to their rooms, anxiety and need pouring into him from the other two. He needed to get back to his twin and their girl. She wasn’t just his mate.

***********

“You know that Fabian was my familiar, right? When he was Crookshanks, I mean,” Hermione began hesitantly.

“Yes,” Gideon agreed.

Before he could say more, the door to the common room flung open, Fabian striding in with confidence and command in his stance. Those things had been growing as he became more human. It was easy to see the leader between the twins, though Hermione had noticed that Gideon had those same qualities in the moments he allowed himself to forget.

She hoped she would see him so confident again someday. For now, though, it was Fabian who exuded those qualities, and he was oozing them right now.

“I should be here,” Fabian said, his voice calm but certain.

“What do you mean?” she heard herself ask.

“For this. For what you’re telling us,” he explained, walking to the sofa where they were situated.

Hermione blushed. Once the conversation began with Gideon, she honestly hadn’t considered that they should — or that she even could — wait for Fabian.

Kneeling in front of her, Fabian’s eyes met hers. “I don’t know what is happening, but I know it’s important.”

Earnestly, he reached for Gideon’s hand and took hers with his other. “We should be connected.”

Gideon started to pull away almost instantly. “Fabian, you don’t know what’s going on and—”

“I can feel it,” Fabian interrupted. “I feel it here.” He dropped both their hands to indicate his heart. “I don’t have to hold your hands, but I’m staying down here,” he declared, moving to sit on the floor, his side pressed against Gideon’s leg and one foot entwined with hers.

Hermione couldn’t deny that it made her feel better, calmer. His energy—usually so chaotic—was calming right now, making her less anxious and, she was positive, helping Gideon as well.

With a sigh, she said, “Okay. That’s okay. We were just about to talk about… well, you know you were my familiar…”

“Of course,” he replied with a grin, “a damn good one, too.”

Hermione rolled her eyes but continued. “Well, maybe so. Maybe too good of one. We developed an unnaturally deep familiar bond. Madam Pomfrey and Healer Mitchell hypothesize that it was because, from my magic’s perspective, Fabian was a very intelligent and worthy familiar. From his magic’s perspective, I was someone it could connect to the way he had been connected to Gideon. The twin bond had been harmed in such a way that his magic was desperately reaching for someone’s magic to hold it together.”

“So his bond to you is like Fabian and I used to have?” Gideon asked. A sudden understanding crossed his features as she began to talk again.

“Yes, but… now it’s all three of us. As soon as you were nearby again, the magic started repairing itself. Only I’m all tied up in the middle of it now, too. But it’s not… I don’t understand how it works. Why I’m somehow tied up in your twin bond but not like the two of you, not as a… a sibling.”

Hermione stared between the twins. She couldn’t help how her voice went low and sultry when she said, “I don’t feel like a sibling. I feel like… and they said, too… they said I’m a part of you both and a… romantic partner.”

She blushed and rushed on before either of them could say anything, her voice back to normal. “Not that you have to think of me that way! I don’t… I didn’t… I mean, you’re both…”

Gideon began to unexpectedly laugh. It wasn’t hearty laughter, more like the expression of relief. Fabian looked up to him, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

“He doesn’t mean it in a bad way,” Fabian rushed to assure her, though how he knew that, Hermione had no idea. But she believed him.

“No, I don’t,” Gideon said, gasping. “Mean it in a bad way, I mean. I… I’m so happy to know there’s a reason for the way I’ve been feeling and that… that I’m part of it all.”

“I know you probably don’t want to be stuck with me,” Hermione began, cringing at how they both stared at her. They were undoubtedly disgusted by the idea.

“Are you barmy?” Fabian broke in.

Punching his brother’s shoulder, Gideon said, “What he means is that you’re a beautiful witch, Hermione. And we’re bonded. What kind of fools would we be to feel the way you think we do?”

Blushing, Hermione shook her head. “I have mirrors, you know. I’m far too skinny and—”

“A problem I share, you might recall,” Gideon interrupted this time. “Scars, too, if that’s another argument.”

“I—It’s just—I’m so young,” she pointed out. She knew they couldn’t be happy about that.

“Is that supposed to be bad?” Fabian asked, looking to Gideon, who rolled his eyes.

Reaching for her hands but seeming to think better of it, Gideon scooted a little closer instead. “I think that’s more a problem of you being stuck with two old men than the other way around, Hermione. And how you feel about being bonded to us without having a choice in the matter.”

Hermione blinked. Was this a chance to ask her questions? The twins didn’t seem phased at all. “To be honest, I’ve had a hard time truly understanding the bond. This book that Luna sent is about bonds, and it’s the first thing I’ve run across that really talks about them. But it doesn’t seem to phase the two of you at all. So is this something the two of you don’t really understand either, or… is this just one of those things that muggleborns aren’t taught?”

Gideon nodded. “I would suspect it’s a bit of the latter, but Fab and I have a better understanding than most wizards, no matter their blood status. We were born with this kind of bond. It’s always been a part of both of us. So when I feel you — and you have no idea how much of a relief it is to know you can feel me, too, and that the bond is not one-sided — you feel like Fabian, but I also know it feels different. At the same time, I have the cultural background to know how deep this bond must be.”

“How deep is that?” she asked. She knew Healer Mitchell had said soulbond, but maybe it wasn’t. Before Voldemort’s soul had been splintered into objects, Hermione hadn’t entirely believed in the soul as a separate entity. Now she knew it could be, but… how could they bind it to each other through an accident?

Gideon stared into her eyes, looking — and feeling if this bond was true — nervous. With a deep breath for courage, he told her, “It’s for life. There are… ways, a ritual primarily, to make it go beyond the grave, but as it stands, we are bound for the rest of our lives only.”

“So it… it’s not a soulbond?” Hermione wasn’t sure why she suddenly felt bereft.

“Most people would probably call it that as the bond twins share is very deep. We share magical cores and—”

Hermione gasped before she could help it. She hadn’t thought of that. “Our magical cores?”

Fabian nodded this time. “I think that started with the familiar bond. A familiar enhances a witch or wizard’s magical power by joining its own magical core to theirs. Animals are natural channelers of magic, so it happens without fanfare, just when an animal connects strongly to you.”

“Why isn’t that taught here?” Hermione demanded.

“Take it up with the Headmistress,” Gideon suggested, his hands up in a small surrender. “It should be, as well as plenty of other things about wizarding culture. I can’t believe they haven’t corrected that in the years since then.”

“Believe it. I don’t think much has changed here in centuries,” Hermione declared.

“Except the DADA teacher,” Fabian snickered.

“Well, that much is true,” Hermione agreed with a short laugh. She wasn’t sure how the two men had put her at ease so quickly, but somehow this was now just a conversation they were having instead of the confrontation she had built it up to be.

Gideon watched her carefully, so he must have noticed when she started to worry again. Or, Merlin, he actually felt it. Either way, he said, “Do you understand the difference between a soulbond and the joining of the magical cores?”

“Not really,” Hermione admitted, leaning closer to him in anticipation of the puzzle pieces she needed. “Healer Mitchell and Madam Pomfrey were a bit baffled, and a soulbond was their only guess.”

“Souls have to be more of a conscious choice between the three of us,” Gideon explained, “The melding of our magical cores is what has already happened, and it did so naturally, at magic’s bidding, I suppose you could say. It’s why we can feel each other and feel better around one another.”

“That’s not just me?” she asked, relief flooding through her. Hermione had thought it was her imagination, but even so, she had been worried that she was becoming dependent on them.

Of course, this meant she truly was dependent on them in a way. Yes, they could clearly give one another strength when needed. They had proven that before she even knew Gideon existed or Crookshanks was a human. But what would happen now?

“It’s definitely not just you,” Fabian agreed, his voice more of a purr.

Hermione blushed. Something about the way the man’s eyes watched her made her feel… something. She blurted out, “But if we’re not soulbound and the romantic ideas the Healers put in my head were rubbish, why am I so attracted to you both?”

Fabian grinned. “Have you considered we’re attractive blokes?”

Covering her face with her hands as she realized what she had admitted, Hermione groaned. “No. I mean, yes, but… I can’t…”

“Hermione, we don’t own you. We won’t push for things you’re not interested in. This could easily deepen to a soulbond if you want that, but it’s not something that has to happen,” Gideon reassured her.

Fabian shot him a look that clearly said ‘speak for yourself’ and turned his face up to Hermione. “Of course, we won’t do what you don’t want, but I am always yours,” he told her.

**********

Gideon could feel a wave of mild panic start rising inside Hermione, so he raised his hands, wanting to do something to make this easier for her to accept. He slowly reached to grab her hands from covering her face.

Without meaning to, magic leapt from his hands, encompassing her and Fabian with sparkling warmth that he could feel settling over his skin as well. Fabian watched the sparkles with interest, but Hermione squeaked in surprise, jumping slightly.

Looking at his twin, Fabian caught his eye, and they both immediately knew what had happened.

Hermione’s panic seemed to change mid-breath to something akin to wonder and peace. “This is… remarkable,” she whispered reverently. “How did you do this? What is it?”

“I… it wasn’t completely on purpose. Kind of an accident,” Gideon rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, searching for an answer with Fabian, but both were equally lost on how to word it. “I just wanted you to feel better about things, to not panic.”

Calmly, she said, “Sort of like a mind magic to make me happier?”

“No, I… well, it may have worked like that. I don’t know. I just wanted to help, not force anything,” Gideon explained, working his sweaty palm open and offering it to her. Hermione accepted it without hesitation, scooting a little closer on the sofa. Fabian immediately scooted closer from his spot on the floor, stealing their other hands excitedly.

Hermione cocked her head curiously, a shy smile crawling across her face as she looked down at their joined hands. “What did you force?”

“Well, this… I’m afraid what we’ve done is much like getting married.”

Gasping, Hermione took a moment to get herself under control before saying, “It’s okay. More than okay. It’s… it feels right. I know it’s probably just the… sparkly happy magic talking, but this… It feels like we have a future together, a future and so much… more, a life, a good one. I think I’m just… worried.”

“About what, love?” Fabian asked, the last word a purr.

Hermione blushed before responding, “If this is like a… a marriage, I don’t want to keep you both waiting, but I’m not exactly what you would call experienced. At all.”

Gideon intellectually knew that the only reason she was so willing to openly admit that was her body being covered in ‘sparkly happy magic’ as she called it, but he was glad for it. Merlin, he was tired of both of them responding to everything from a place of self-doubt. Was there a way to function normally—or maybe confidently like Fabian—but still have this essence of sparkly happiness somewhere inside?

“Oh, don’t worry about that, both Gideon and I are plenty—” Fabian started to say, meant to reassure her, but Gideon knew it would only increase her insecurity.

“—What he means is,” he shouted, cutting off his twin with a look, “We won’t rush you. This can all go slow and start as… friends? Well, more than just friends since our magic just accepted all of us as the third piece of each other.”

As he thought it, the magic seemed to sink into the skin of all of them. It was a pleasant bubbly feeling for a moment, and then he felt… closer to normal again, but also… separated somehow from the feelings he had been left with for so long—the pain, the self-doubt, the loneliness. For the first time since returning to the regular world as a human, Gideon felt that he was going to be fine. All three of them would be.

“What do you mean ‘accepted’ us?” Hermione asked.

“The marriage… it’s not as binding as a soulbond would be, but you’re probably on the Weasley Family Tree now. Not as our sibling, but our third. A third piece of our magic, our cores—” Gideon began.

“—Our love, you know?” Fabian added with a warm smile on his face.

“Magic was just outwardly recognizing what we apparently all simultaneously accepted subconsciously. That we’re in this together.” Gideon softly smiled at her, giving her hand a squeeze and then glancing at Fabian as well. His smile was large now with a hint of mischief.

“How long do you think it will take Mols to notice?” Fabian asked, and Hermione and Gideon froze. So, that’s what the mischief in his eye was.

Gideon considered, and then to lighten any lasting worries Hermione might have, said, “I give it a day.”

Chapter Text

Fabian couldn’t stop grinning. Even with Hermione buried in the book Luna had sent and Gideon busy studying one on stonework, Fabian felt content. He was lounging in front of the fireplace with a metalworking book that he skimmed when he felt like it. Mostly he was watching his humans through barely open eyes.

Hermione was still a bundle of nerves but calmer than she had been when he entered the room earlier. She had taken the information — and their new status — far better than Fabian expected. He hoped that meant his mate was done pretending they weren’t perfect for each other.

Don’t push her; you’ll get scratched, Mist meowed at him. She seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. And since she was right, he couldn’t very well disagree with her.

Probably, he conceded, but his grin remained. Hermione was worth getting scratched.

Mist batted at him with a lazy front paw. Human girls don’t like to be pushed. She makes the rules here.

Fabian showed her his contempt for that idea, and Mist batted at him again. You know your mate better than I do, she pointed out.

He did, at that. And Fabian had to admit that Hermione was unlikely to be interested in the things he had in mind. But they were married now. Marriage meant things to humans. He remembered that, but it also felt like he’d always known that, even as a cat.

Shaking his head, he shifted his attention to his littermate, no, his brother. It was hard to think like a human when he was curled up like this and warm from the fire. Gideon deserved the connection he had discussed with his twin nephews. He deserved every effort Fabian could make, but what if the little Fabian could say wasn’t enough?

Your littermate will appreciate your efforts, Mist assured him with a purr. Now get up and feed me.

But I’m comfy, he argued.

Mist yowled at him, and Hermione brought her nose out of her book to laugh. “I think she wants to be fed, Fabian.”

See, the Mama cat knows. Mist looked smug as she purposefully yowled at him again.

Grumbling, Fabian got slowly to his feet. I think you are the Mama cat since you are the one in charge, he told her.

Mist purred at that and meowed thanks as he poured food into her dish.

He smiled as he watched her. Fabian knew it was strange to have a cat as his best friend, but there was no escaping the truth of it. Having her here made their home feel even more perfect than it would have already.

He had just settled back down in front of the fire when it turned green.

****************

The Floo sprang to life, and Molly Weasley came barreling out of it, nearly tripping over Fabian as he scrambled out of the way. Arthur followed in her wake.

“Now, Molly…” the patriarch tried.

Mrs. Weasley bustled over to Hermione, pulled her off the sofa away from Gideon, and crushed her in a hug. “Are you okay, dear?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I don’t know what—” Hermione tried to say without air.

“What have you boys done?” Molly demanded, glaring first at Fabian, then Gideon as she placed herself slightly in front of Hermione in a protective stance.

“Calm down, Mols,” Gideon said as Fabian laughed.

“Faster than we thought,” Fabian commented through his giggles.

Gideon rolled his eyes at his brother and tried to continue, “We were just talking about—”

“Talking does not put a girl on the family tree,” Molly screeched.

“Mrs. Weasley, it really was just—” Hermione tried, already irritated that none of them were getting to finish their sentences.

“Hermione, darling, I’m sure it’s not your fault, but I know how men are, and I know how marriage works.”

“That’s not what happened, Molly,” Hermione told her firmly, if a little rushed so that she got the whole sentence out. She was blushing hard at what Molly clearly believed, but that was all the more reason to set the record straight.

Looking nonplussed, Molly demanded, “Then what happened?”

“If you would let any of us talk, we would tell you,” Fabian said, his voice as commanding as Hermione had ever heard it. Molly blushed at the censure in his words and muttered an ‘okay’, though she was still clearly waiting for them to explain.

“We were talking about the bond,” Hermione began.

“You told them?” Molly screeched again, “Healer Mitchell said—”

“I’m not sure why this was information you had before we did,” Gideon cut her off, “but it was time for us to know. Healer Mitchell told me to ask Hermione the questions I had.”

“But you didn’t really ask me anything at first, just invited me to talk about what was on my mind,” Hermione said curiously.

“Luna’s suggestion,” Gideon explained with a fond smile. “I think it was just time for the conversation, and we all felt it.”

Hermione smiled back at him, lost in his eyes for a moment. “It was past time,” she agreed, her voice dreamy as she thought about the conversation and the magic that had washed over them.

There was a throat-clearing to the side, and Hermione realized she had gotten a little lost. Blushing, she said, “So… we were talking about the bond —”

“And my magic got a little out of control,” Gideon cut in.

“And now we’re together!” Fabian finished excitedly. “More together,” he amended.

“We all three accepted what the bond meant at the same time, basically, and Gideon’s magic just sealed it. Nothing else happened,” Hermione said, still unable to control the heat on her cheeks.

“And nothing will!” Molly declared.

“She’s our wife now!” Fabian protested.

“In the eyes of magic, maybe, but I still see a young girl —” Molly began.

“Who can make her own choices, Molly,” Hermione interrupted, unwilling to be treated as a child considering what had transpired. She blushed again at the incredulous look Molly gave her. “Well, I can. But I… you’re right that I’m not ready for anything… like that.”

“The bond won’t be as stable until it has been… consummated,” Arthur stated, his face matching his hair as he said it.

Molly turned around with her fists on her hips. “Arthur Weasley! They hardly need to worry about that right now.”

“What does it mean that it won’t be as stable?” Hermione asked.

“For most people, a magical marriage wouldn’t change much, the Ministry just doesn’t record it until it’s consummated, but—”

“Wait!” Hermione cried, “You’re telling me the Ministry of Magic is notified the moment a married couple first have sex?” She was so startled she forgot to be delicate about it.

“For registration purposes. It’s efficient, but there has always been an argument that it is a breach of privacy. The compromise is that the record books are rarely accessed, but still there,” Arthur explained, still a bit pink in the face.

Gideon continued his own explanation, “So for most couples, that’s the only change. For us, because of the shared magical core, completing the bond should help us better control the emotional sharing between us all. Both in blocking it when we don’t want it and sharing when we do.”

“I don’t understand why consummation would have anything to do with the emotional aspects of the bond,” Hermione stated.

“That’s because we haven’t done it yet,” Fabian said with a playful eyebrow waggle, “You’ll understand when we’re through with you.” Molly and Hermione both hit him on opposite sides, making him laugh.

Gideon coughed to hide his laughter. “As much as I hate to agree with that statement, he’s not wrong,” Gideon said, blushing.

Hermione hated that her inexperience was so evident, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. There hadn’t been time to even think about normal teenage impulses over the years, and she wasn’t ready to think about them now, either.

“Molly, could I come to the Burrow tonight?”

“What?” both of the twins cried at the same time Molly beamed and said, “Of course, dear.”

“Please, Hermione, believe me when I say that we won’t push you for anything you aren’t ready for,” Gideon begged.

Hermione felt a rush of his sincerity in her own heart, and she knew he did mean it. The emotions rolling off of Fabian through the bond, however… it was best she wasn’t home tonight. Goosepimples rose over her entire body at the realization that this—with them—was truly home for her now. She had a feeling, too, that it wasn’t just the place she was in, but the fact that she was where she should be, with the two of them.

She was honestly sad that she didn’t feel comfortable staying here tonight; she knew it wasn’t truly the boys that made her feel that way, even if Fabian was excitable. She just needed some space to process everything; Gideon explained everything perfectly, but Hermione’s brain could use the distance to catch up with her heart. Merlin, just that morning, she had woken sandwiched between them, Gideon’s arms around her. And now they were married. It felt right, but it was… a lot.

Fabian sat down on the floor in front of her like a petulant child. She tripped over him on her way to gather her neglected homework from the coffee table and her book from the sofa.

“Stay, Mione,” Fabian begged, looking up at her with big eyes that she couldn’t properly classify as a cat’s when he looked so much like a puppy.

“No,” she responded, not bothering to explain herself as he already knew why she had to leave. Moving quickly, she dodged around him and began grabbing papers. Only he managed to throw himself on the coffee table and lay right on top of everything she needed.

“Let us convince you that you’re being silly. There’s no reason to be in-ins-,” he struggled to find the word, “scared. Gideon is really good at making women relax when we mate with them. We’ve both gotten many compliments.” Fabian ignored Gideon loudly clearing his throat, just talking louder over top of his coughs. Hermione appreciated that he tried. “Stay and we’ll show you.” Fabian asked again.

“I can’t stay when you are acting like this and feeling… well, you know how you’re feeling. Accio Homework,” she said, magically yanking things out from under him and neatly gathering them into her open beaded bag so that she could leave. “I will see you both tomorrow morning. Can we go, please, Molly? Arthur?”

“Why don’t you go ahead and take her through, Arthur?” Molly suggested with her eyes on Fabian.

As she disappeared toward the Burrow, she could hear the tempest that was a disappointed Molly Weasley lighting into her younger brother.

*************

“You have to get control of yourself!” Gideon exclaimed with exasperation bordering on anger the moment Molly was gone.

“How am I supposed to control wanting our mate?” Fabian asked, bewildered.

“We don’t always get what we want,” Gideon growled. He wasn’t sure why he was so angry all of a sudden.

Fabian looked at him incredulously. “You’re jealous!” he accused, his voice sounding almost more awed than irritated.

“I’m not,” Gideon denied, but he knew he wasn’t being honest. He wondered if Fabian could feel that through the bond as he continued, “I just don’t want anyone to push her—”

“You are! Merlin, Gid. Why would you be jealous? She’s our wife, not just mine. And even if she weren’t… it was always better when we shared, wasn’t it?”

Gideon was stunned. “You… remember that?”

“I remember more all the time. Especially when I work with Healer Mitchell, but even on my own sometimes. There are still blank spots, moments when things don’t go together, so I know I’ve forgotten the connecting events. The time as a cat is hard to follow most of the time, and I don’t remember a thing about escaping or most of my time with the old woman.”

“The cat memories are hard for me, too,” Gideon agreed sadly, wondering how much worse that part would be if he had spent so long in that form. “But… Fabian, I’m relieved you aren’t trying to shut me out of… the possibility of a relationship—”

“With our wife—”

“But you still can’t act like that with Hermione. What were you thinking?” Gideon asked.

“I told you already. I was thinking I wanted us to be with—”

“Fabian! I mean, why would you act like you expect her to… to have sex with us anytime soon?” Gideon demanded, stumbling over the act itself. Not that he wouldn’t enjoy that with her also, but not yet. She wasn’t ready. Merlin, neither was he.

Rolling his eyes, Fabian said, “We’re married. Stop being a prude.”

“I’m not being a prude, you wanker. She’s 18! Until she says she’s ready, neither of us are touching her,” Gideon fumed.

Fabian paused. “18? Really?”

“Yes! Have you not talked to her enough to realize that? Or Neville? Luna? We’re lucky her birthday is so late in the year, or she would still be 17 like Neville and the Potter boy.”

“Merlin. I had no idea. She’s so much older. You know… inside.”

“I know,” Gideon replied, his anger slowing down somewhat. “But she’s not. And while you and I look like we’re in our 20s, we’re really 40, even if half of that was spent as cats.”

Fabian shook his head. “Doesn’t count. I asked Healer Mitchell about it. He said we should go with the age that feels right. So I’m just 23. You might be 40, though.”

“What? You arse!” Gideon kicked the coffee table Fabian was still sprawled on top of, shaking him slightly.

A slow grin told him Fabian was playing. “Not my fault you went and became my older brother. Never saw that coming.”

They both laughed, but Gideon soon sobered. “I mean it that we’re not pursuing her, Fabian.”

“I get it now. I’ll apologize tomorrow. Tonight, I…” Fabian looked uncomfortable, which wasn’t typical for him. Sitting up on the table, he took a deep breath and said, “I’m glad we have this time, just the two of us, anyway. We need to talk.”

Gideon felt his stomach tighten at the fear he felt coming from his twin. “About what?”

Sighing, Fabian began, “The details aren’t there. I don’t know why I didn’t... But… I’m so sorry I didn’t come back for you, Gid. I know when I was first breaking out, the only thing on my mind was getting you out, too, and figuring out a way to turn us human again. All my memories stopped when I left that house, even now. And I think, I wonder, if somehow something blocked my memories from that point and while I was with the woman.”

Gideon felt his throat closing up, unshed tears gathering in his eyes, but he wasn’t going to give in. His voice was tight when he said, “Thank you, Fabian. You’re right that I needed to hear that.”

“I’m not done. When the old woman passed away, I remember I was taken to Eeylops. I was there for 7 or 8 years, I think. Bastard is horrible to the animals, Gideon. He doesn’t deserve to own anything. I had to save them when I had the chance in Diagon Alley. Like I should have saved you. I wish I had some good explanation why I couldn’t, but I honestly just don’t know. I didn’t remember, and I’m disgusted with myself for being able to forget.”

“It’s okay, Fab. I’m free now. We are free. Even most of those animals from Eeylops are if they hid,” Gideon told him.

“And if we keep ourselves hidden,” Fabian said with a sigh. “The more I remember, the more I hate hiding. It’s not us.”

“It’s not who we used to be,” Gideon pointed out, wondering if he would ever feel like that person he was before or if he even wanted to be that person. Shoving those thoughts down, he said, “Right now, the Aurors are looking for the Death Eaters that are still on the loose. I don’t mind hiding until Dolohov has been caught. He isn’t getting us back, and he better not even think about touching Hermione.”

“Protective of her, brother mine?” Fabian asked with an eyebrow raising.

“Very,” Gideon responded. “She’s our wife by magic, and someday by more, I hope. I will take care of her no matter what.”

Fabian stared into the fire for a few moments. As though nothing had been serious at all, he turned to look at Gideon and leered, “Oh, I know you will, brother mine. I wasn’t lying when I told Hermione about remembering the compliments we’ve gotten. I recall a particularly juicy one about your tongue; think she’d want to hear about it?” Fabian’s eyebrows were waggling, and it made Gideon laugh, knowing that he was joking and actually did understand him earlier.

“Before we get there, we need to know her better. She needs to know us, care about us,” Gideon said.

“Like you care about her?”

Gideon felt himself blushing. “Yes. And more, for all of us.”

“So, we need a plan,” Fabian said with a grin. He had always enjoyed the wild planning period of their schemes in the past, even as Gideon was the one who organized all of them.

“A plan for what?” Gideon asked.

“The wooing of our wife, obviously.”

Chapter Text

As Hermione made her way down the stairs, she had to be careful. Her eyes were bleary from lack of sleep, the nightmares returning full force without someone sleeping next to her. Thank Merlin, she had remembered to ward Bill and Charlie’s old room, so she didn’t wake any of the Weasleys.

Ginny had offered to share her room as usual, but Hermione had declined because of the nightmares. Of course, she had been forced to admit that, in a whisper, to the other girl once Molly allowed them to head up for bed. Where the matriarch would have argued and tried to talk it out or given her Dreamless Sleep, Ginny just nodded her understanding and perhaps a bit of relief for the same reason.

Fortunately, it wasn’t odd for Hermione to come down by herself—Ginny still asleep for some time—so there would be no questions about where she slept.

“Good morning, dear,” Molly chirped as Hermione made her way into the kitchen. “How are you this morning?”

“I’m doing okay,” Hermione told her. It wasn’t exactly a lie. She was as okay as could be expected most mornings. Most mornings without Fabian and Gideon, she mentally corrected, to be truthful.

Molly gave her a look as she put a steaming plate of food down and motioned Hermione to sit. The motherly woman clearly knew better than to believe her.

Chastised, Hermione put marmalade on her toast and focused on eating rather than talking.

Naturally, that meant that Molly had an open floor to talk. “You know they’re not bad men, Hermione. Even if Fabian is a bit… forward.”

Hermione nearly choked on her bacon at that. “A bit?” she asked before she could stop herself.

Molly chuckled, but it had a worried tone. “I know he’s a handful. And I’m sorry you’re dealing with him now when his… feline instincts limit his understanding.”

“Something tells me Fabian was forward before the feline instincts,” Hermione said with a fond shake of her head. She wasn’t sure when she had begun to think of his advances fondly, but there was something endearing about the catlike man.

Molly laughed for real now. “Well, I can’t argue with that,” she admitted, “but he used to know where to draw the line. He would never try to force you into anything, even if you are his wife now.”

“She’s his wife?” Ginny cried from the doorway, her mouth hanging open in shock.

“Hush or the whole house will be down here talking about it,” Molly scolded before Hermione could do more than groan.

“You married my Uncle?” Then, in a harsher tone, Ginny demanded, “What about Gideon? You can’t leave him out!”

“I haven’t,” Hermione grumbled. “He’s my husband, too.”

If anything, Ginny’s shock was greater. “I don’t want him left out, but… Hermione, are you sure you want to be married? And to two men?”

“It’s done now, so it doesn’t matter,” Hermione declared, trying not to get upset by her friend’s reaction. “Magic decided it for us, but… I accepted it, too. There’s something… right about the three of us together.”

“Oh, I’m so relieved to hear you say so!” Molly cried. “I’ve been worried you would be unhappy or come to resent them for the whole thing.”

“No,” Hermione replied. “I think… it’s hard to admit it… or talk about it at all, but I think we’re right for each other. It wasn’t what I saw myself doing, but somehow it works.”

“Being married is hard sometimes, but it’s worth all the irritation,” Molly said wisely.

Hermione smiled, thinking of Arthur and how his muggle obsession drove Molly barmy. Much like Fabian’s cat tendencies and how closed off Gideon could be, though she certainly understood both of those things.

“Wait,” Ginny said, starting serious and becoming giddier as she went. “This makes you my Auntie Mione!”

“We have an Auntie Mione?” Fred asked as he walked in, stretching.

“I’ve always wanted an Auntie Mione,” George said teasingly. Then he paused, “But if we have one, then something happened…” He left the obvious question dangling.

“Something that’s none of your business!” Molly told the twins, catching Fred on the arm with a dishtowel.

“Hey! I wasn’t even the one who put that together,” Fred complained. George was chortling beside him until Molly snapped the towel at him as well.

“Both of you keep your mouths shut. This is Hermione’s business—”

“And your brother’s,” Fred added.

George got a worried look. “Which one of them—”

“For Merlin’s sake,” Hermione said, throwing up her hands. “It was both of them. Magic did it. The Healers thought we had a soulbond, but it turns out we just share our magical cores, and since we all three accepted it, now we’re married by magic.”

“It’s not a soulbond?” Molly asked in surprise.

Hermione shook her head. “No. Or Gideon said it’s not. Fabian agreed. A soulbond has to be more intentional. The sharing of the magical cores happened because of the way a familiar bonds combined with the way their twin bond was damaged—however that happened.”

“I didn’t know they knew so much about different kinds of bonds,” Molly sniffed.

“Comes with being a twin,” George said. “We’re bonded from birth and have reason to do some research on it. As close as Freddie and I are, it’s a good possibility we’ll have a wife between us if we can find one.”

Molly’s mouth had dropped open, and she looked like she might protest when Ginny pointed out, “Triads are very magically powerful. It seems like it would be a great honor to have two in the family.”

“Hmm. Perhaps it is,” Molly said contemplatively, looking at the twins who were present. “At any rate, I’m proud to have you in the family, Hermione. If there is anything Arthur and I can do to make this easier, just let us know.”

“Thank you, Molly,” Hermione said. “I should really get going now.”

“You’ve barely touched that plate, young lady,” Molly chastised.

Hermione laughed. “I ate more than half. My stomach can’t hold another bite.”

Molly sighed but smiled at her, “Off you go then. Try not to take the boys’ antics too badly.”

“I’ll do my best,” she told her new sister. Merlin, it was odd to think of the motherly woman like that. But then, it had to be even more bizarre for Fabian and Gideon, suddenly the age of their nephews—younger than some—and trying to relate to Molly as they had before.

“We’ll see you later, Granger,” Fred called as she headed out of the kitchen toward the floo. She paused to blink back at him. “We’ll be helping out at Hogwarts today. Apparating to Hogsmeade after we get the shop opened up and make sure Verity has things in hand.”

“It’s good of you to do that,” Hermione said. “I’ll see you there. And Fred?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m Prewett now,” Hermione said with a smile. Figuring out how to handle her husbands was going to be hard, but she knew exactly how to handle the Weasley twins.

Hermione only had a moment to duck in their rooms before class time and grab the book for her Restorations class. She was relieved to see that the men had already gone down to breakfast and the day’s work. However, surprise filled her when she found the book she needed on the table next to a vase full of green stalks. As she walked up and took Furniture Fixing For Moving Forward from the table, the ends of the stalks suddenly burst with vibrant color. There were purple hyacinths, honeysuckle, maidenhair fern, yellow roses, and a sprig of white ivy tendrils. It was… an odd combination, but somehow beautiful together.

Hermione blinked as two flowers bent toward her, and a book that she swore hadn’t been there moments before slid into her hands. The Language of Flowers. Had Fabian and Gideon left her some kind of message in flowers? Yellow roses meant friendship. She knew that much, and she had a feeling some of the others were likely an apology.

She knew she didn’t have time to pause, but Hermione found herself simply staring at the odd bouquet and the book in her hand, unable to imagine how she had found herself in a world with two men who wanted to communicate through flowers.

Shaking her head to clear it, she shoved her new book in her bag and took off. The enchanted bouquet would be there when she returned. At least, she hoped it would. Though her practical side wanted to scoff, her heart was melting.

Everyone else had already arrived by the time she made it to the classroom. Today was more of a theory day, which excited Hermione far more than most of her classmates. Neville and Luna had saved her a seat between them, which she slid into gratefully.

Today it was Flitwick lecturing, Hermione’s favorite lately as there were so many valuable charms for restoring things, but she couldn’t focus on his words. Her mind was whirring, wondering about the flowers and trying to figure out how she should act to the twins when she saw them at lunch.

Neville nudged her suddenly, almost making Hermione’s elbow slip from the desk. Only then did she realize that Flitwick had asked her something. “I’m sorry, sir,” she said sheepishly. “My mind was somewhere else.”

The diminutive Professor looked shocked and said, “Quite alright, Miss Granger. We all have those days.”

Mentally, she corrected him. She wasn’t Miss Granger any longer. Or maybe she still was until… Merlin, she wasn’t ready to think about that.

She was blushing when Flitwick asked his question again. “How do you repair 16th-century magical tapestries versus those made after that time period?”

“The magical tapestries before the 17th century used metal woven into the threads, so you must repair the metal before the threads covering it.”

“Very good, Hermione,” Flitwick said, beaming at her.

She appreciated the praise, but it still wasn’t enough to hold her attention. As soon as class was over, she rushed from the room headed for the library before lunch.

“Whoa!” Neville called as he jogged to catch up with her, “What’s the rush?”

Hermione blushed, wondering if she should tell him about the bouquet. She couldn’t really explain without telling him about the marriage… but that was silly. She could just say she had an argument with the two men. If the flowers even meant what she thought they did. She began settling into her favorite spot in the library, Neville sitting across from her.

“I spent the night at the Burrow last night, and when I arrived this morning, Fabian and Gideon had left me some enchanted flowers and this.” She showed him the book as she pulled it out of her bag.

“They left you a message in flowers?” he asked, his tone astounded.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione nodded. “Is this some kind of antiquated pureblood thing?”

“Not antiquated, but it might be just a pureblood thing,” Neville said after a moment. Hermione couldn’t tell if he was offended or confused.

“I didn’t mean—” she started.

“It’s okay,” Luna said as she slid into the other seat across from Hermione. “Neville knows you didn’t mean it to upset him. But it is traditional for courting in our world.”

“I hardly think they’re courting me!” Hermione sputtered.

Both of them gave her a skeptical look as she frantically began looking the flowers up in her book. She had put it off too long. Purple Hyacinths did indeed mean “I’m sorry; Please forgive me.” The sprig of white Ivy tendrils meant they were “anxious to please.” And she was right that the yellow Roses meant “friendship.” Honeysuckle was “generous and devoted affection.” And, making her blush, Maidenhair Ferns meant “a secret bond of love.”

“A perfect bouquet for the moment,” Luna hummed.

Neville raised an eyebrow. “A secret bond of love is perfect for the moment?”

Hermione blushed harder. “It’s a secret,” she whispered.

“I had gathered that much,” he said with a hint of a smirk. “Are you sure about this, Hermione? They’re supposed to be heroes, but you can’t know them all that well.”

“What makes you say that?” Hermione bristled.

“It’s only been a few weeks since the war ended, and if what Gideon told me is true, they’ve been back in human form less time than that,” Neville explained.

She could hardly argue with his assessment. “I know it hasn’t been long, but… we have a connection.”

“A bond,” Luna added, smiling serenely.

Neville looked at her a moment, then nodded. “If Luna approves, then so do I,” he said grudgingly. “Just be careful.”

**********

Fabian waited impatiently for Hermione to appear at lunch. Even though he had liked Gideon’s idea with the flowers, he wanted to apologize personally, especially since they didn’t really know how she would react to the flowers.

Their nephew Charlie had Floo’d into the Headmistress’s office that morning to help for a few days. Fabian and Gideon were both delighted to meet him and spend time with the young man who was their age now. Well, Gideon’s age. Fabian himself was younger.

Charlie had been grumbly that he didn’t get to meet them as themselves yet, but he had also been diligent about calling them by their pseudonyms and not acting like they were his long lost uncles. Fabian was surprised, remembering the reckless little boy he had once known. Apparently, he had matured a bit along the way, though his dragon stories suggested he hadn’t lost the reckless streak, just learned to temper it.

His reaction to the flowers was not what Fabian had hoped for when they told him about the bouquet. Charlie had emphasized that he didn’t know Hermione all that well personally. He was no expert on relationships, but noted that only in the most pureblood circles did people use the language of flowers these days.

So she might not have been pleased.

Fabian hated the human tendency to worry. It was a senseless waste of time, but he understood now that when you had time and not a solution, the worry was bound to seep in. He wished they were back in the room where Mist could advise him. Or at least somewhere away from others so that he could commiserate with Gideon, who he could tell was worried, too.

They needn’t have bothered. As Hermione walked in between Neville and Luna, she gave them a shy smile. Fabian felt instantly soothed.

The three newcomers made their way to the table, greeting Charlie, Adrian, and Gilbert and sitting down. The conversation was lively and fun, but Fabian found himself focused on his girl. She seemed happy, perhaps because of the flowers, or, dare he hope it — because she was with them.

As they were leaving the Hall to return to classes and work, Fabian found a moment to pull her aside.

“Hermione,” he said, trying to hold the purr back from his voice as he said her name.

“Yes, Fa— Adrian?”

“I wanted to apologize—”

Blushing, she said, “You already did.”

With a grin, he said, “I’m glad you liked the apology, but I owe you one in person. I was behaving very inappropriately. I forget how proper courting goes and that you are young yet.”

The way her brows knit together instantly told him he had said the wrong thing. Holding up his hands, Fabian said, “It’s not that you’re too young! It’s… you seem so much older in other ways, it’s hard to remember you don’t—”

“What are you doing?” Gideon hissed as he walked up. Fabian noticed that his brother’s arm had moved to circle Hermione protectively, then drew back as Gideon clearly wasn’t sure of his welcome.

“I was just apologizing,” Fabian said.

Hermione snorted but then laughed. “Perhaps it’s best to leave it to the flowers,” she managed, “Your apology is accepted.”

“But I haven’t told you how wrong I was to suggest we have—”

“Fab, that’s enough,” Gideon warned.

“Adrian and I were just heading to get back to work,” Charlie suddenly cut in, throwing an arm around Fabian’s shoulders and tugging him toward the door. He didn’t like it, but he allowed himself to be dragged away as Gideon spoke with Hermione, undoubtedly smoothing over the botched apology.

************

Hermione was exhausted by the time she got back to her room from class. She wished she could just relax tonight, but there was so much homework she needed to work on. When she opened the door to their common room, she was shocked to find it quiet, no sign of her two roommates except that, from the door, there was a pathway of candles as the only light in the room.

Staring in shock, Hermione set her things down beside the door and followed the path, almost in a trance, to see where it went.

When it led her into the bathroom, she stopped in her tracks. The tub had been magically expanded. It was filled with steaming water, and Hermione could smell her favorite scented bubbles from the doorway. There was a pillow against one end, a tray nearby with snacks, what appeared to be wine, and a selection of books. The only lighting was candles, but so many that it was bright in the small room.

Thoughts of homework forgotten, Hermione was soon sliding into the tub, the tray magically floating just above the water once she was settled. The water was just the right temperature. It was all just… Hermione found herself tearing up, the thoughtfulness and perfection of the gesture overwhelming her.

Hermione fought off the sentimental tears and inspected the books, choosing one that looked interesting and diving in.

Hours later, she emerged from the bathroom in her bathrobe, with her hair up in a towel, feeling rejuvenated and relaxed. The common room was brighter now, though Fabian and Gideon were each pursuing quiet interests. Gideon had his nose in a book, and Fabian was… drawing?

Hermione found herself intrigued and made her way over, despite her plans to head immediately to her bedroom and pajamas.

“What are you up to?” she asked. She noticed the way his eyes took her in before Fabian answered by moving slightly so she could see over his shoulder. His drawing was the likeness of his brother, sitting on the sofa with a book in one hand and the other petting Mist. “That’s amazing!” she gasped. “It’s so detailed.”

Fabian preened. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing and painting. I wasn’t sure if I still could, but it seems I haven’t lost too much.”

“If this is after losing skill, your drawings must have been masterpieces,” Hermione complimented sincerely.

“They were,” Gideon said. “Fred and George have the same talent, you know.”

Hermione was taken aback. “They do?”

“They have to—for designing products the way they do,” Fabian pointed out.

“I can’t believe I never knew that,” Hermione said, wondering what else she might have missed right in front of her. She had always been so focused on Harry and the fight with Voldemort. There hadn’t been time to pay attention to many others. The Weasley twins had good hearts, and they were fun, she had to admit, but they had been a handful as well.

“They’ve got a lot more substance than people think,” Fabian noted. Something in the way he looked up at her said to Hermione that he was talking about himself as well.

“I know that,” Hermione said testily. She did know that Fabian — and Fred and George — had a lot of good things about them. Deep things, undoubtedly. But he was right that she should be more willing to look at what they were.

She was distracted by Gideon clearing his throat. “Hermione, would you be interested in doing something with me tonight?” he asked.

Hermione nodded. “Of course. Do you mean a game or a book or—”

“I wanted to go on a bit of an adventure,” he admitted.

“You really should do it,” Fabian agreed.

They both looked very excited when she questioned, “What kind of an adventure?”

“The kind that takes place in Hogsmeade,” Gideon said.

“But you aren’t supposed to go to Hogsmeade,” she pointed out.

Gideon grinned. “That’s why it’s an adventure. Besides, I’ll be with you. And under my glamour. No one is going to notice a bloke and his girl on a date.”

“A date?” she questioned, feeling her heartbeat take off.

Blushing, Gideon looked away. “You don’t have to if you don’t want… I mean, maybe you should go with Fabian instead.” However, Fabian was shaking his head and looking irritated beside her.

“But I was just about to put my pajamas on,” Hermione said, blurting the first thing that popped in her head.

The twins both laughed, and Hermione couldn’t help but laugh along. It had been a ridiculous excuse and not one she really meant. Obviously, she could change into clothes instead. But before she could offer it, Gideon spoke.

“I’ll change into mine, too, if that’s the only issue,” he said with a lopsided grin that made her smile back. “I have no problem being seen around town in pajamas.”

“Really?” she asked, giggling more than she probably should have. Suddenly she wanted to go to Hogsmeade at night in her pajamas. What could be better?

“Really,” Gideon said and emphasized it by heading to his room to change.

“If you don’t get a move on, he’ll beat you getting ready,” Fabian said with a smile.

Hermione got a move on, not even bothering to worry about how silly this might be.

***********

Running along the path in the dark was a stupid thing to do, but Gideon felt reckless tonight. Normally, he wanted everything to be perfect for a date—especially the first one—but something about being with Hermione made him feel free. Besides, this was a rather silly date.

Just in case, he cast a surefoot spell to keep them from falling as they rushed toward Hogsmeade. With it so late, they headed straight for The Three Broomsticks. Rosmerta didn’t even raise her eyebrows at their pajamas, just gave them her warm smile and took their orders.

Gideon was amused when Hermione asked for a stack of pancakes nearly as tall as her head and even more amused by her giggling.

“I never had pancakes as a kid,” she said. “The sugar. Well, my parents were dentists, you see. They’re Muggle—”

“Tooth Healers,” he finished for her, displaying his knowledge. There was a lot he didn’t know about the Muggle world, but he had visited extensively with a Muggleborn friend once upon a time, so there were many concepts Gideon was familiar with.

Hermione blinked at him. “I’ve never met a pureblood before who knew that.”

“I’m not your average pureblood, I suppose,” Gideon told her.

“Thank Merlin for that!” she said fervently.

“I suppose most of them you’ve known have been bigoted arses,” Gideon questioned.

Nodding, Hermione said, “Everyone except the Weasleys and Lovegoods.”

“I’m sorry you haven’t had better experiences,” he apologized, wishing there had never been a war over something so ridiculous. But then, if there hadn’t been, he would be far too old to be sitting here with Hermione.

Gideon was surprised by that thought… and uncertain how he felt about it. There were a lot of experiences he didn’t want. But he couldn’t complain about where they had led him. Something about being near Hermione was so soothing and exhilarating at the same time. And to know she was his wife… but that thought had to be tucked away for now.

Neither of them were ready yet. It’s why he had been the safer option for this first date. Fabian would have a harder time controlling himself since he was far more than ready. He could barely contain himself in their rooms.

Turning away from that subject, Hermione asked him, “So Fabian draws. Do you have any hidden talents?”

Gideon blushed. “I used to sing and play the piano. As the girl in the family, they tried to teach Molly to play, but she had no interest. I would sit and listen to the instructions, and then I would practice what her teacher set for her from as far back as I can remember. Of course, that was years ago.”

“Do you think your hands…?” Hermione trailed off, clearly realizing she didn’t want to finish that sentence.

“I don’t know,” Gideon mused darkly. “I hadn’t thought about it until now. My fingers will never be quite the same, but I think with enough practice, I could play well enough to accompany, at least. In our youth, we would go to pureblood balls and teas and things where we were expected to perform. As a boy gifted at music, I was something of an anomaly.”

“The expectations sound positively medieval,” Hermione commented.

Grinning, he said, “I don’t think that’s quite the right period of history, but it was definitely an old-fashioned concept compared to Muggles.”

“Why is the wizarding world so far behind the times?” Hermione asked in frustration.

“It’s hard to say. Perhaps because we’re such a small community, the upper classes feel more need to show themselves separated? Or the ancient leanings of magic keep us from moving forward.”

“Muggles have had to move forward, coming up with technology to do things that magic can do, that perhaps that explains why their social thinking has had to change periodically as well,” Hermione thought aloud.

“That’s a possibility,” Gideon said, nodding.

The two of them continued to debate this point and then discuss the restoration at Hogwarts, what they had each done that day, old tapestries, and innumerable other thoughts until Rosmerta came to the table. “We’re closing for the night. I have a room if you need one,” she offered, looking over their pajamas.

Hermione started giggling, and Gideon could barely contain himself as well. “Thank you, Rosmerta, but we’ll head on home.”

“See that you take care out there,” she said, mostly out of habit, it seemed.

The two of them set out, strolling this time. Gideon found himself walking close to her, their hands brushing now and then as they made their way back to the castle, still talking. Every time they touched, he knew it was just an accident, but it sent electric tingles up his arm. Considering what that little charged touch did to him, he couldn’t imagine what it would be like to do anything intentionally.

Of course, they had undoubtedly touched more than this, but somehow, it was different that night. Perhaps it was just that everything had a more romantic tension since they were technically on a date. Gideon wasn’t sure, but he liked it.

Until they were back in the rooms and Fabian asked, “Are we ready for bed then?” He had been on the sofa looking sleepy when they came in.

“We?” Hermione asked, then blushed, glancing over at Gideon.

He rushed to assure her, “We can sleep in our own room if that’s better for you.”

Fabian started to protest, but Hermione cut him off. “No… I… I think I can trust you both, but I want each of us under our own blankets.” She began to blush before rushing to say, “I’m not ready for us to wake up quite like we did that other morning. Not now.”

“Not now?” Fabian questioned, clearly not understanding what changes would have influenced her decision.

“Not with us being… married as we are. I… I’m not going to be ready for anything more for some time.”

Surprising Gideon and Hermione both, Fabian said, “Of course not. And we don’t expect anything from you.”

“I told you, we take this at your pace,” Gideon said as he rallied. He was going to support his brother’s newfound sense of appropriateness while it was here.

Hermione nodded, watching them both with a somewhat confused expression. But then she gave them a dazzling smile before yawning. “I’m exhausted, honestly,” she said. “Let’s get to bed. Just grab the blankets from your beds.”

Moving swiftly, he and Fabian did just that and crawled onto her bed, one on either side of her.

“Can it be like this every night?” Gideon asked before he thought better of it.

Smiling sleepily, Hermione said, “I hope so. I love it here with the two of you.”

“Then we’ll be right here,” Fabian said, meeting Gideon’s eyes with a smile.

Chapter Text

Hermione squealed and ran for Harry when she saw him sitting at the Gryffindor table. It was just another bright spot in her already wonderful morning.

She had woken between the twins but not wrapped around either of them. Warm and cozy, with memories of the date from last night, Hermione had started the day in a happy mood. She was still surprised by Gideon’s spontaneity the night before, the flowers, and the lovely bath the boys had drawn for her. She felt spoiled and rather liked the feeling.

So seeing Harry was just a bonus.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him excitedly.

Harry smiled at her. “I came to help for the day… and to talk to you about something.”

“What?” Hermione asked.

“We can’t talk about it here,” he said, eyes darting fervently around, particularly eyeing the brothers behind her.

“They shouldn’t know?” she whispered, noting his look.

“They should,” Harry whispered, “but not here in the hall. They might react.”

Hermione had a bad feeling about whatever this might be. From Harry’s expression, she should. Still, he bid them eat breakfast first, saying they would talk in Professor McGonagall’s office after.

That alarmed Hermione even more, though she tried to enjoy the time with her friend and the funny stories he told about Auror training. Fabian was the one who laughed hardest at them, not seeming to catch Harry’s seriousness from before.

As Harry asked her how things had been here, Hermione found herself blushing. “I have a lot to talk to you about, you and Ron both, but—”

“Is this about the marriage?” Harry asked, darting a look at the two men on either side of her. Even glamoured, they were clearly deferring to her, and at this moment, clearly waiting for her to explode over him knowing.

Looking nonplussed, Hermione dryly inquired, “Molly or the twins?”

“Percy. Apparently, there was a preliminary notice in the Ministry office, and he told Ron and me over lunch yesterday,” Harry explained.

“Oh Merlin, how did Ron take it?” she asked, almost afraid to hear.

“He’s… unhappy, but he’ll get past it,” Harry downplayed. Hermione knew Ron better than that, but she could hope he had matured somewhat, especially since they had ended things before they had even really begun. “He was glad I was coming to see you today since… well—”

“The thing you’re not telling us yet?” Gideon completed for him, looking irritated.

“Yes, that,” Harry agreed.

Hermione rolled her eyes. There was nothing to be overly worried about, or Harry would be behaving differently. He was concerned about something but not yanking on his wild hair and had been able to eat a full breakfast. “Whatever it is can wait until after we’ve had our fill,” she said, scooping more eggs onto her plate.

“Pancakes?” Gideon asked, brandishing the platter of them.

Thinking back to the night before, she grinned at him, “That’s only a special midnight treat,” she informed. “The sweets are too bad for your teeth to have them all the time.”

“A trip down to the kitchens?” Harry asked in fond remembrance of such times they had managed together in the past.

“No,” Hermione said, blushing again. “We went out—”

“With my brother on a date—” Fabian interjected.

“—to Hogsmeade last night,” she finished. She was smiling at the memory until she saw Harry had gone pale, and now he reached up and tugged at his hair.

“I knew…” He pushed his plate away and said, “Are you all ready?”

To her surprise, as they got up, Fabian was the one who placed his hand at the small of her back and began guiding Hermione toward the Headmistress’s office, his facial expression unexpectedly grim considering the way he had been playful and laughing earlier.

Glancing back over her shoulder at him, Hermione saw him exchange a look with Gideon and Harry, pausing to let the two of them move in front so that Hermione was in the middle of their unofficial formation.

Hermione started to protest but was shut down immediately when Fabian whispered in her ear, “Just until we know the danger, Hermione.”

Grudgingly, she nodded. If this helped the three most important men in her life feel better, she could give them that even if it was ridiculous. She just hoped it was ridiculous to be so cautious. They had all had enough of war and threatening situations.

“Professor McGonagall,” Harry respectfully said when they were inside her office.

“Come in, Harry, Hermione. Fabian and Gideon.” Her greeting was tempered with worry.

“Thank you for letting us come here to talk,” Harry said, his voice laced with an authority Hermione was certain hadn’t been there even a month ago. Auror Training was good for Harry indeed. “You should be appraised of this situation as well, but..”

“But?” The Professor asked with raised eyebrows.

“The DMLE don’t want anyone to know because they’re afraid it would cause panic,” Harry explained cryptically.

Hermione had enough. “What, Harry? What don’t they want us to know?”

“Dolohov has been sighted in Scotland. There’s no direct indication he’s headed for Hogwarts, but—”

“It would be a logical place to attack,” Fabian finished. Hermione suddenly had an idea of where Ron’s skills as a tactician might have come from.

“Dolohov?” Gideon repeated, almost in a growl. Fabian put a hand on his twin’s shoulder.

“It is a logical place. But also… we think he’s after certain war heroes. Ron and I are protected by our work with the Aurors.”

“But Hermione is vulnerable here,” Fabian completed the thought, his eyes going to a very pale Gideon.

“I hadn’t thought you were leaving the castle grounds, or I would have gotten here sooner, as soon as we knew,” Harry said regretfully.

Hermione shook her head. “Don’t be, Harry. We weren’t… weren’t precisely okayed to go to Hogsmeade.” She saw Professor McGonagall’s eyebrows raise again. “It was a spontaneous trip.”

“Please don’t do it again, Mione,” Harry begged.

“She won’t,” Gideon spoke up, unmoved by Hermione’s glare.

“We will make sure she stays here and safe,” Fabian added, also unphased that she was practically growling at them now.

Hermione said, “You don’t get to speak for me. I am perfectly capable of deciding — on my own — that it would be foolish to leave the castle grounds. Harry, you know I am perfectly capable of taking precautions.”

“I know you are, but it wouldn’t hurt to have them with—”

“I’m going to the library. And I’m going alone. We’re at Hogwarts, and I will be perfectly safe,” she said, whirling and heading for the door.

As she walked out, she heard Professor McGonagall say, “Calm down, boys. She can take care of herself,” and had to smile at the Headmistress’s endorsement.

**************

Gideon was nervous. He couldn’t help himself when they were working on an outside wall on one end of the castle, and Hermione was up in the library at the other end. Logically, they were more vulnerable than she was, but logic wasn’t ruling his frantic heartbeat.

“He’s not near us today,” Luna said beside him.

“What?” Gideon asked.

Luna smiled at him. “The man you are worrying over. He’s not nearby. Hermione is safe.”

Neville snorted. “Hermione is always safe. She’s the biggest badarse I know.”

“That’s comforting,” Gideon conceded, though he was still a little bewildered by Luna’s assertions about Dolohov.

“And intriguing,” Fabian added, though his grin fell when he saw the look Gideon shot him. “I meant because she can take care of herself,” he defended. Gideon wasn’t fooled, but he let it go. Fabian was trying.

Sighing, Gideon tried to focus his attention on their task. It seemed there were endless walls that needed rebuilding and magical shoring to the entire structure in case of weak points that hadn’t actively fallen in. No matter how much he heard about it, Gideon just couldn’t imagine how intense the battle must have been to do so much damage to Hogwarts.

Perhaps everyone was right, and Hermione should be protecting them instead. Gideon forced himself to breathe evenly and focus on the fact that she had just lived through a war and come out on top.

“You were able to calm her, I see,” Luna said to him.

As always, when she spoke to him, it took Gideon a moment to catch up with what the strange girl was talking about. “Calm her?” He just calmed himself down, what did she mean ‘her’?

“Hermione. In order to have your important talk? You calmed her.”

Gideon shook his head, understanding now. “Oh. Yes, but what do you mean about seeing it?”

Luna laughed. “You have far fewer Wrackspurts now. But a bit of a Nargle infestation, unfortunately. Those should clear out soon enough.”

“Your Mum is Pandora, right?” Fabian asked. “How is she?”

Neville made a choking sound, but Luna smiled serenely. “She’s doing well. She peeks in on us now and then.” She wandered over to a pile of bricks and began levitating them into place.

“Her Mum died when she was young,” Neville whispered.

Gideon looked up, trying not to stare at the girl. Had Pandora died? He wanted to ask what happened, but he was afraid to hear. He glanced over to Fabian, knowing his brother had been close to Pandora.

Fabian looked pale, his eyes sadly following Luna as she happily hummed while she worked. “I should see if she needs help,” he started, but Gideon stopped him.

“Wait, Fab. You were going to take Hermione out tonight. Do you want help coming up with a new plan since Hogsmeade is out of the question?” He was afraid his brother might easily dismiss the danger if he weren’t reminded.

Fabian’s face fell even more. “I don’t know. Where in the castle could I take her that would be romantic?”

“For Mione?” Neville chuckled. “The library.” Then he scratched his chin and shook his head. “But it’s still a mess right now. Maybe Luna would… No, I know the perfect place. Have you ever been to the Room of Requirement?”

***********

Fabian was almost giddy at the date he had been able to plan with Gideon, Neville, and Luna’s help. It felt a little like cheating to have so much help, but the important part would be making his wife happy.

The only downside to this wondrous room was a rather strong scent of old smoke, but he had gotten around that by asking the room for a fireplace. And so much more. Without actually leaving the castle, they would be somewhere entirely new.

His nerves were singing as they waited outside the Great Hall. He wanted to catch Hermione before dinner, but several people paused to talk with Adrian and gave friendly nods to Gilbert. Neville and Luna had been drawn to the side into a discussion with an exhausted-looking Harry Potter.

“Calm down,” Gideon cautioned quietly. “She’ll get annoyed if you’re—”

“Running after my tail?” Fabian supplied when Gideon seemed to be searching for the right phrase.

His brother smirked. “Exactly.”

“We already owe her another apology,” Fabian said, worried.

Gideon cleared his throat. “We do, but I’m still not sorry that I’m concerned about her. Perhaps it’s best if I head on in for dinner with them.” He indicated their friends. “You can handle her and the apology.”

“That’s not fair!” Fabian declared.

“Nothing is,” Gideon returned as he walked off into the Great Hall with a grin.

No sooner had he left than Hermione appeared. Fabian was bouncing on the balls of his feet, trying to calm down. “Hermione! Can I take you somewhere?”

“Does it involve caging me in so I can’t endanger myself?” she asked with a dry tone.

Fabian blinked at her. “No, nothing like that. In fact, it’s almost like we’re… well, you just have to see!”

He snatched her hand and took off, Hermione almost stumbling to keep up.

“I’m sorry, and so is Gideon,” he told her as they made their way up flights of stairs.

“About acting like I can’t take care of myself?” she asked.

Fabian came to an abrupt halt and turned to look at her as the stair under them swung in a different direction. “We know you can take care of yourself, Hermione,” he said as he tucked a curl behind her ear. “But you mean a lot to both of us already, and we want you to be safe. Like you want to keep your friends safe.”

She huffed, but a look of worry stole across her face. “Fine. I understand. I…I want the two of you to be safe too, you know.”

The dazzling smile Fabian bestowed on her seemed to dazzle Hermione for a moment before they started moving again, the stairwell firmly attached to its new location.

“Excellent!” Fabian declared. “That was a shortcut!”

“Where are we—” Hermione cut herself off. “Oh, Fabian, no! If you’re taking me to the Room of Requirement or… oh, the Come and Go Room or whatever they called it when you were in school, it’s gone.”

“Really?” Fabian asked, pacing back and forth in front of the appropriate section of wall. He noticed that there were scorch marks all over the wall except the shape of a door. He was relieved when his door from earlier in the afternoon appeared, and he stepped toward it with a grin. “I’m not sad that you’re wrong this time.”

Hermione’s mouth had dropped open. “But… there was Fiendfyre inside. It had to have destroyed everything.”

“Is that why it smelled like smoke?” he asked curiously.

She nodded. “During the battle…”

Gently, he said, “We can talk about it if you want, but why don’t you come in and see the room first.”

“I know it can’t—” But she abruptly stopped as she stared at it in wonder.

The Room had produced the inside of a cabin—a very nice cabin. There was a crackling fireplace, a rug in front of it, already with their picnic and wine set out. Bookshelves were lining the walls, but he already had a few books picked out — by Gideon and Luna, though the reading had been his idea — and sitting next to the place he planned to enjoy his evening with her.

Off to the side was a room with a hot tub, though Fabian wasn’t sure she would agree to use it with him after the way he had behaved. The large glass window showed snow falling outside, a scene Neville assured him Hermione would adore. There was no bedroom, though he had been forced to ask the room to remove it since it had definitely been present when he first thought of the things he wanted.

In the middle of the sitting room floor, there was a cat’s scratching post. For Merlin’s sake, the room wouldn’t stop providing him with cat supplies. At least it wasn’t a litter box this time. That would have been embarrassing.

“This isn’t supposed to be here,” he said, grabbing it and moving it to the side. Hermione started giggling as three little balls with jingling bells rolled out from under the couch. She laughed even harder as Fabian dove after them.

Coming up with one in his hand, he tried not to look too sheepish. “I think I’ll just… if I leave them alone, maybe the room won’t throw any more at me.”

Hermione covered her mouth with her hands as she tried to control her laughter. She failed, but Fabian had to admit it was amusing to him as well.

“Are you ready for dinner?” he asked.

Finally managing to keep a straight face, Hermione agreed that she was. Fabian led her over to the picnic he had laid out before the fire. There were pillows everywhere to sit and lean on. He was overjoyed to see her happily settle in and begin reaching for the food he had prepared.

Yes, the house-elves had helped, but Fabian made all the selections and even helped a bit. He had always been decent with simple foods. Their Mum wouldn’t have allowed a child out of her house without the ability to cook. This was simple — primarily meats, cheeses, and olives with some crackers and jam on the side.

“Wine?” he asked.

Hermione blushed, “I haven’t had wine since I was in France with my parents a few years ago. I don’t know how well I would do with it.”

“I will stop you if it seems too much — if you tell me now that you want to be stopped later,” Fabian said.

Smiling at his consideration for her opinion, she said, “Yes, please don’t let me drink too much. And yes, I would like some wine.”

He filled the wine glasses as he leaned against a pillow, feeling perfectly content as the two of them began to eat and talk. When their plates were empty and more wine was poured, he delighted in how giggly his girl had become, and not just when more cat toys appeared — as they did periodically — but from his incredibly witty conversation as well.

“May I read to you?” he asked, pulling up a book of poetry Luna had suggested.

Of course, Hermione said yes, but within moments of him starting, she was laughing so hard she had fallen over on her back on the floor. It was fortunate he had already cleared away everything but the wine.

Trust Luna to choose poetry so bizarre that Hermione couldn’t take it seriously.

“Should I try something different?” he asked.

“Oh no, please keep reading this,” Hermione begged.

Soon they were both laughing and lying together on the floor to do it, taking turns reading progressively funnier bits. Hermione struggled to sit up now and then for another sip of wine, though Fabian was pretty confident he needed to cut her off soon.

That became even more obvious when she stopped him mid-sentence. “Let’s get in the hot tub.”

Grinning, he agreed. “Wait. I didn’t think to bring suits with us. Did the room provide any?” He was searching all around the hot tub area but coming up empty-handed.

“Who cares?” Hermione giggled, took a sip of wine, and began undressing.

Fabian stood slack-jawed, watching her in awe. Just the curves he could see as her shirt made its way up were so enticing… Gulping, Fabian spun around, facing the other direction as he called, “I think you’ve had too much wine now, lovely. You don’t really want to get in there with me—”

“I think I know what I want,” she said. “I’m keeping my knickers on, and you keep your pants. We can dry them after.”

“Are you keeping—” He was cut off by her bra hitting him in the back of the head, and Fabian knew this was going to be a very frustrating — and unforgettable — hot tub experience. He had to make sure he didn’t do anything she would murder him for later.

“It’s safe to come in now,” she called to him after he heard the water sloshing around as she entered.

He managed to hold in his sarcastic laugh, for safe was the last thing this was. But the nature of the danger was compelling. Fabian pulled his shirt off and began unbuckling his trousers when he heard a sharp intake of breath and realized he was being watched.

For a moment, Fabian was overcome with embarrassment, a ridiculous human reaction. Fortunately, he was so much more than human. Turning so that she could only see his arse, Fabian slowly slid his trousers down his legs, wiggling as he did.

Hermione laughed and wolf-whistled for him, which was good and bad. Fabian laughed, too, but thinking about her watching him was making a noticeable bulge in his pants. Nothing to be done about it now.

Turning, he sauntered toward her, not bothering to try hiding his… feelings.

Even far drunker than he should have let her get, Hermione’s eyes widened as he approached the hot tub. As she moved to the other side, the water teased Fabian, almost revealing her upper body multiple times as it waved around her. It was bad enough that the bubbles didn’t wholly distort the view anyway.

His cock hardened further, almost indecently stretching the fabric of his pants. Merlin, he was grateful he would soon be covered by the swirling water.

Fabian gingerly settled into the hot tub, his face heating from more than just the temperature increase. But he sighed appreciatively as the water encompassed his body. This was precisely the kind of relaxation he wanted daily after working on the castle. He could see that Hermione was appreciative as well.

He knew he probably shouldn’t, but Fabian asked, “Would you like a massage?”

The heat of the water, or perhaps the heat between the two of them, seemed to have calmed her giggles, so the laugh Hermione gave now was far more charged than before. He didn’t think she meant it to sound the way it did when she said, “Where do you want me?”

Fabian had more than enough memories back by now to know several answers to that question that would be terribly inappropriate and get him in a lot of trouble later. “Right here in front of me,” he told her, trying hard not to make it sound suggestive.

With a playful smile, she moved in front of him, but instead of leaving space as he expected, Hermione pushed against him, spreading Fabian’s thick thighs to either side of her body, pressing against him in such a way that he knew she had to be feeling his response.

He managed — barely — to keep from groaning and instead slouched forward a bit, letting the pudge of his tummy push her away just slightly to give him relief. If he didn’t, Fabian knew he would be grinding against her, and his human side said that was a horrible idea. Maybe his cat side, too, in this case. He could only imagine what Mist would have to say.

Hermione looked back over her shoulder, pouting slightly, but she moved forward a bit, too, offering him the space he needed. Fabian brought his hands up to massage her.

Oh, Merlin, the noises she made when he rubbed her back and shoulders were what he once would have called wicked. He loved them and loved that his strongest thought was to make her moan like that in other ways.

Shaking his head, Fabian had to admit he knew better. Not that he wouldn’t be able to make her moan in other ways. He definitely would. But not yet. As erotic as the massage was, and being in the hot tub together in the first place, he kept his hands in safe spots and tried his best to school his mind as well.

Hermione was young. She wasn’t ready. She would be someday, but not yet.

When their skin was pruned, and they were both getting light-headed from the heat of the water, he told her it was time to get out. Hermione tossed a grin at him and declared, “Me first!”

The way she wiggled her light blue cotton-knickered arse at him as she left the hot tub was thoroughly indecent. Wet as it was, the scrap of fabric left nothing to the imagination. Fabian loved it, and he enjoyed the show she put on for him. She half-turned, just enough for him to catch a side glimpse of her delectable curves again before he whirled himself around.

“You’re such a good boy, Fabian,” she said. He could hear the smirk in her voice as she wrapped a towel around herself.

“You could just dry off with a spell and get dressed,” he suggested.

“No, I think I’ll stay like this for a while,” Hermione said. “My knickers would probably dry faster if I’m not in them, though.”

Fabian nearly swallowed his own tongue as she shimmied out of them, thankfully leaving the towel in place, and laid them out to dry. Sweet Merlin, this girl was trying to kill him.

“Well, I am going to use a drying spell,” he told her.

Skipping the toweling process altogether, he wandered back over to the fireplace, entirely dry but still wearing just his pants. He reached for his trousers to pull them back on, but there was an unexpected ball of Hermione suddenly pouncing him. The cat instincts taking over, Fabian dropped his trousers to tussle with her, not giving up until he had her lying beneath him, their bodies pressed close.

Hermione was staring up at him, half pouting, half laughing as he pinned her. Fabian’s breath caught at the sight of her; hair flared out on the rug, cheeks red with exertion, her eyes on his until they flickered down to his lips.

Shaking his head, Fabian started to pull away, planning to laugh the moment off. The second he let go of her wrists, Hermione’s hands came to either side of his face, pulling him down until their lips were together, her tongue moving aggressively against him.

Fucking Merlin, Gideon and Mist were going to murder him if Hermione didn’t first.

But he couldn’t make himself really care. Fabian delighted in his girl’s soft lips having their way with him. Though he desperately wanted to hold their position, he still, barely, had enough sense left to move off of her, rolling so that Hermione was atop him, fully in control of whatever happened.

As his lips parted to remind her not to go too far, Hermione darted her tongue inside, and he lost his ability for coherent thought as she explored him, and he plundered her mouth right back. Suddenly, she was pulling back, frantically kissing across his jaw, making Fabian moan as she trailed her lips to his ear, sucking just below it and moving down his neck.

He needed to stop her. He knew he did and opened his mouth to do just that. It didn’t matter because her head suddenly lolled against his shoulder, her nose buried in the crook of his neck, and she let out a soft snore.

She had definitely been quite a bit drunker than he thought. Fabian moved them so that she was curled on her side against him. He debated magicking her clothes back on her body but was afraid he would wake her. Instead, he managed to fight his own trousers on, at least, before he tightened the towel around her body—adding a sticking charm for good measure—and let himself rest there next to her, next to the fire. He would let her sleep it off for a bit, then wake her to get dressed and head back to their rooms.

That was his last thought before falling asleep as well.

Chapter Text

The first thing Hermione noticed was a pounding in her head. The thought of opening her eyes was unbearable. And her mouth was so dry she would never be able to speak again.

But then the warm bulky thing she was sleeping on began to move. As it did, her cheek brushed against something — hair? Was she sleeping on someone’s bare chest? Who had she gone to sleep next to? Was Gideon shirtless again?

More movement beneath her made Hermione notice that her own clothing was sliding over her oddly. It was a very different texture from her usual cotton pajamas. What in Merlin’s name was she wearing? And why was she so slick between—

Her eyes flew open as she realized she wasn’t wearing knickers. The artificial light shining in through the room’s fake windows was splitting her head in two and made spots dance in front of her eyes when she tried to look down at what she was wearing. Hermione groaned and snapped her eyes shut again.

“Oh, Merlin,” a voice filled with sleep said from underneath her. “What’s that pounding?”

“Besides my head?” Hermione grumbled, forgetting her possible state of undress at the moment.

“Mine, too,” Fabian managed.

It was Fabian. Because they had been on a date last night. Had been drinking wine and… oh fucking Merlin, what had she done?

Hermione suddenly sat straight up, feeling like she might die in the process. Her stomach heaved at the fast movement, and she immediately thanked Merlin when a sturdy chest provided itself to be leaned on, though a low groan was emanating from it as well.

“Fabian, tell me we didn’t really get in the hot tub last night,” she hedged, hoping for the answer she knew wouldn’t come.

Sheepishly, he admitted, “We did. You insisted. I… um… didn’t cut you off soon enough, didn’t realize how drunk we were.”

Her eyes were adjusting enough that Hermione was able to squint them open and look back at him. “At least tell me we didn’t do anything—” She stopped abruptly at the sight of a hickey prominently displayed on his neck. Oh Merlin, they did. “What—” she started to ask but stopped again when she finally realized she was wearing a towel. Only a towel.

“Nothing happened,” Fabian said, seeming to catch on to her train of thought.

In a near panic, she retorted, “I’m nearly naked, and you have…” she couldn’t say it, so she pointed to his neck, her finger barely skimming over the mark she had to have given him.

Fabian purred at her touch, his eyes brightening and a smug smile on his face. “Yes, I do have that. But you fell asleep just after.”

“Fell asleep? In the middle of doing that?” she demanded. Why couldn’t she remember? She thought she remembered… Hermione’s fingers flew to her lips, and she glanced quickly at his. They looked a little swollen, and hers felt bruised.

Looking ashamed, he said, “You were very drunk.”

“We kissed, and I don’t… I barely even remember it,” she admitted, feeling angry that she missed it. Hermione blushed, realizing what she had been thinking.

“We could try again. I’ll pretend it’s the first time,” Fabian answered with a grin.

“Merlin, not while I feel like this,” Hermione declared.

“If only the room provided Hangover Potions,” Fabian shouted as loud as he was willing to with the state of their heads. Suddenly, two vials and a little mouse toy appeared next to them. He sighed, and she laughed, though quietly when even that hurt her head.

Clinking their vials together in a toast, they both downed the potions. Hermione instantly felt better — except that her anger at both of them was suddenly skyrocketing. What was she thinking? And how could he let her go so far? And—

“Bollocks,” he cursed. “There’s still that pounding sound.”

Hermione realized he was right. But… it was coming from the wall with the door. “I think… Merlin, it sounds like someone is trying to get in.”

She suspected Fabian felt it at the exact moment she did — the intense wave of panic from Gideon. Every other emotion and ailment from the moment they woke up had been blocking their connection with the third part of the bond.

Now able to move, Hermione rushed to the door and flung it open. Sure enough, Gideon was on the other side, tears streaming down his cheeks and his fists bloody from hitting the wall. He didn’t even speak before engulfing her in his arms, one hand buried in her hair and pulling her body tight against his trembling one.

She heard Fabian coming up behind her. “I’m sorry, Gid,” he said. “I didn’t mean for us to fall asleep.”

Gideon’s voice was still muffled by her hair when he said, “I was afraid he had gotten you both. I couldn’t…”

“We would have been down for breakfast—” Fabian started, trying to comfort his twin somehow.

“It’s nearly lunch, mate,” Neville’s voice came from somewhere behind Gideon. Hermione wondered if anyone else was out there, but she couldn’t find it in herself to worry about it when Gideon was in this state in her arms.

She wrapped her arms around Gideon and ran her hands in soothing circles on his back. “I’m sorry,” she murmured into his chest. “We—”

Pulling back from her suddenly, his voice shook when he said, “You’re wearing a towel.” His eyes took her in as he held her at arms length, then quickly scanned his twin, pausing for a second on that damned bruise on his neck. “You two…” He trailed off, seemingly unable to complete the thought.

“It’s not what it looks like,” Hermione rushed to say, hoping that was true.

“How can it be anything—” Gideon was cut off by a sing-song voice.

“It’s time to take this inside,” Luna stated.

She, Neville, and Ginny gently pushed Gideon into the room.

************

Gideon felt a swirl of emotions he wasn’t sure how to handle. The adrenaline and fear from when they were nowhere to be found were still pumping through his system. There was relief that she and Fabian were okay. And now this… he wasn’t sure if he could call it jealousy or if it was more just the feeling of being left out—unwanted—when Fabian and Hermione clearly did want each other.

His niece and new friends sealed the door behind them as he took in the room. It was romantic even in the daylight. He could see the nest of pillows by the fire that was undoubtedly where they had slept and… made love? As he continued to look around, he saw that there was a hot tub as well and a trail of clothing that led to it.

Fabian had lied to him. He had insisted he wouldn’t push Hermione, but everything showed that he had. He had—

“The state we’re in is my fault, I think,” Hermione said.

“It’s not. I was supposed to cut you off,” Fabian insisted.

Neville gasped. “Did you get Hermione to drink?”

Fabian grinned proudly. “I did,” but then his face fell, “But I let her drink too much.”

“And then you took advantage of her?” Gideon demanded, feeling sick that his brother could have done such a thing.

“No!” Hermione and Fabian both exclaimed.

“It was the opposite,” Luna said dreamily.

Hermione blushed and glared at her friend. “I didn’t completely take advantage of him. I don’t think I did, at least. We—He said I fell asleep right after I gave him the…” she trailed off but pointed to Fabian’s neck.

Gideon started laughing at the fact she couldn’t say what she had done. With his body nearly vibrating at trying to keep his emotions in check, the laughter was the only way he knew how to relieve the stress that had built up like a volcano. The tears on his cheeks were now replaced with ones of mirth, releasing his worry and channeling it.

******************

Blushing even more, Hermione tried to glare at him.

“Come off it, Hermione,” Ginny said through her own laughter. “You gave a man a hickey, and you can’t even say the word. It’s funny.”

She wanted to be mad about it, but Hermione gave in and laughed with the rest of them. Suddenly she stopped, panicked. “Merlin, did you say it’s almost lunch? I’ve missed morning classes!”

Neville clapped her on the back. “It’s Saturday, Hermione. There’s work to be done if you want to do it, but no one will be docking points if you want to take the day off. You’ve had quite a lie-in already. You must have needed it.”

“After a night like last night—” Fabian started, but a glare from Gideon shushed him.

Hermione shook her head. “I want to help as much as I can—” but a giant yawn cut off whatever she was going to say.

“I don’t think so, missy. I’ve worked all morning. We’re going to do something fun,” Ginny declared. With narrowed eyes, she added, “Just us girls.”

“But—” Fabian and Gideon both started to protest.

“No buts,” Ginny chastised. “You two get her all the time, and you’ll have her back tonight. Luna and I haven’t gotten to do a girls night with Hermione in ages.”

“It’s not night. And we can’t leave the castle grounds,” Hermione said.

“There are lots of unused spaces in the castle,” Luna said. “There’s one for us. I’ll show you the way.”

Hermione wasn’t sure what happened during the whirlwind that followed, but somehow they split off from the boys, who had decided to have a guys’ night in the room. Making sure she got changed during the flurry of planning, the girls were now headed somewhere down in the dungeons.

“Where are we going?” she laughed as Ginny tugged her along following Luna.

“The kitchens first, for dinner and snacks,” Luna said.

It was so strange for her to make such a practical statement that Hermione nearly stopped in surprise. Only she couldn’t, of course, because Ginny was still dragging her along. Hermione couldn’t help but laugh as they raced ahead, past other students who jumped to the side and despite the portraits commenting on their behavior.

As Luna tickled the pear in the painting that would let them into the kitchens, Ginny spun Hermione around and dipped her as though they had been dancing. For one wild moment, Hermione thought she would hit the floor, but of course, her friend had her well in hand.

Inside the kitchen, the house-elves looked up at the three giggling girls with interest and excitement. “Can we’s be helping you, misses?” one little elf asked. She was wearing a tiny sundress and had flowers around her ears. Hermione didn’t recognize her.

“What is your name?” Hermione asked.

“Delzy,” the elf answered. “I is just coming to work for Missus McGonny. She is giving Delzy a job.”

“That’s wonderful, Delzy!” Hermione beamed, but it seemed the elf was done talking about herself.

“What’s we be making you?” Delzy pressed.

Luna smiled at the elf. “Could we get a salmon dinner with whatever fine sides you think would go best?”

“Oh, yes!” Delzy cried as the other elves murmured excitedly behind them. “We’s be having it done soon.”

Hermione was shocked by the order that was so different from the regular Hogwarts fare. “Luna, are you sure—”

“It’s what you and Ginny would get if we went out, and the elves love to make things that are different. They get bored cooking the same things, but it’s too expensive for the school to make meals like this for everyone,” Luna explained.

“Not complaining, but why do they have it at all?” Ginny asked curiously.

Luna smiled and said, “Well, the teachers have to live here, you know. They get tired of the same things over and over. And they’re allowed a bit extra if they take it in their rooms.”

“How do you know so much about this?” Hermione asked, immediately wondering what books the girl had read that she needed to find.

“Professor McGonagall has asked if I would like to teach Divination in the future.”

Hermione blinked, remembering their Professor’s defense of Trelawney back when Umbridge tried to throw her out in fifth year. “But what about—”

“She has seen herself at the beach, so Professor Trelawney has decided to retire,” Luna said, actually sounding a little skeptical.

Ginny snorted. “Can I see myself at the beach? That sounds lovely.”

“You’ll go when it’s safe, and the castle is rebuilt,” Luna said serenely, leading them to a small breakfast nook inside the kitchen for them to sit at.

Wanting to get back on the former topic, Hermione asked as she sat, “So you’re going to be a Professor, Luna?”

Nodding, Luna said, “I’m the right person for the job now.”

“But you never took Divination,” Ginny said.

Winking, Luna said, “One can’t argue with the Inner Eye. It has been seen that I will teach, so I will.”

“Is that—” Hermione was interrupted by the mouthwatering scent of their food as it arrived in front of them. She was suddenly so hungry that she barely remembered to thank Delzy before digging in. She felt like Ron.

Indeed, they were so busy humming over the delicious food and stuffing it in that the girls barely talked as they ate. Elves they didn’t know brought them glasses of wine — also the teachers’ fare no doubt since it, too, was delightful — and kept them filled as the three ate and drank. Hermione personally only had a few sips before requesting water.

Finally, Ginny pushed away from the table and declared, “I’ve eaten so much that I’m not sure I’ll be ready for snacks the rest of today!”

Delzy, hovering nearby, looked so distraught by this that her little ears drooped.

“We will! We’ll be hungry later!” Hermione rushed to assure, and the elf grinned, ears popping right back up in her happiness.

The elves were all excited to gather a basket of snacks, and soon the girls were off, weighed down with treats, waving goodbye to the elves as they headed once again toward the staircases.

“Where are we going now?” Hermione asked, enjoying their more sedate pace as they ambled along with full bellies.

“To my new classroom,” Luna said.

“Trelawney’s tower?” Hermione asked in horror, thinking of the cloying scents of that hated place.

“Yes and no,” Luna answered. “You’ll see. Besides, I hoped you might help me with redecorating.”

Hermione and Ginny exchanged a worried glance. Neither of them were particularly good at or interested in decorating, thinking back to when Mrs Weasley tried to get all of them to help at Grimmauld that one summer.

Luna smile was conspiratorial. “There are an awful lot of things in the room that need to be either blown up or set aside to donate elsewhere, after all.”

Now they both grinned back. That was the kind of redecorating they could both get into.

Hours later, feathers were flying through the air as the three of them laughed breathlessly. They had started by putting certain necessary items — crystal balls and teacups — in a safe cupboard with wards around it. Then they had enjoyed themselves blasting tuffets and floor tables to smithereens with well-placed Blasting Hexes.

Ginny had drawn targets on one, and they had played a game to see who could hit the closest to the center. That one had broken apart quite impressively.

At this point, the only thing of Trelawney’s left were these pillows, the last of which they had just about beaten to pieces on each other in the ultimate pillow fight.

Laughing as she dropped to the floor, Hermione asked, “How do you think you’ll decorate instead?”

“Well,” Luna began, “I was thinking of the way Firenze took us into that classroom where we were grounded in nature and could see stars. It was so peaceful.”

“And you’re going to make a meadow in this classroom?” Ginny asked incredulously.

“Something like it,” Luna said, removing a small box from her purse.

“What’s that?” Hermione asked.

Luna smiled happily. “Do you remember the swamp the twins made when Umbridge was here?”

“Do not tell me you’re going to have class in a swamp, Luna!” Hermione demanded.

“I won’t,” Luna assured.

“I meant—”

Luna laughed. “I know. I’m not having a swamp. They made me a meadow.”

“A meadow?” Hermione asked, but there wasn’t time for further explanation as Luna tossed the box to the ground, and it began to expand rapidly.

For a moment, she thought she would lose her footing as the castle floor became carpeted in moss and flowers began to grow around them. At the edges of the classroom, trees sprouted and began to climb.

Hermione stared in wonder as Luna flitted about touching her wand here and there. Each spot she tapped grew into a toadstool table or a moss-covered stone chair. Hermione and Ginny both laughed as chairs shot up underneath them. They were surprisingly comfortable.

The twins — and Luna — truly were brilliant to have created such a miraculous thing. Then, Hermione had a brilliant idea of her own.

“Luna, would you like the ceiling enchanted like the one in the Great Hall?”

“Of course. I knew you would help me with it,” Luna smiled with delight.

“Wait. How do you know how to do that?” Ginny asked.

“I read about it—“ Hermione began, but they all finished her sentence. “In Hogwarts: A History.”

“Of course you did,” Ginny said, rolling her eyes fondly. “Can you do it?”

“I think so,” Hermione answered.

Luna was certain. “You can,” she said as she opened the picnic basket and set out some butter beers for each of them, along with an assortment of chocolates and cake.

Hermione wasn’t hungry, but the spread was appealing. She had a feeling their snacks throughout the afternoon and evening would make her parents have fits. If they knew who she was.

Just like that, her mood came crashing down.

“What’s wrong?” Ginny asked, seeing her face fall.

“It’s time for you to talk about them. We’re here to listen,” Luna told Hermione without entirely answering Ginny’s question.

Hermione bit her lip and picked up a chocolate to buy herself some time. Nibbling on it, she whispered, “It’s my parents, Gin. You know they don’t — and won’t ever — remember me. It’s nothing new that I need to talk about, just… it’s hard some days.”

“That makes sense. You know our family is always here for you if you need us,” Ginny assured her.

“I know. I do know that, but… I miss my Mum and Dad. Seeing all these sweets made me think about the silly deals they’d make me do just so I could have dessert or my dad sneaking me a candy bar. I never thought I’d miss the way Dad would argue with Mum about how many sweets I could have in a day… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to turn our fun day into some kind of pity party.”

“It’s not. This is called friends being here for you,” Luna explained.

Hermione gave a low laugh with tears building in her eyes. Better to laugh than to cry, she told herself, but the tears came anyway.

“It’s okay to be sad about them. And it’s okay to enjoy the family you have.”

“But I don’t—“ Hermione argued.

Ginny rolled her eyes again. “You’ve been family for years. And if you weren’t before, you certainly are now, Auntie Mione.”

Hermione laughed in earnest at that. “I can’t believe you all.”

“I can’t believe you’re my aunt!” Ginny said. “Are you ready to talk more about that?”

“I… don’t know,” Hermione hesitated. Was she?

“You can tell us about your dates,” Luna encouraged.

“And how you ended up in nothing but a towel with Uncle Fabian this morning,” Ginny said with a grin.

Hermione blushed. She still couldn’t believe that had happened, especially if the cheek she remembered from last night had really happened. Maybe her friends would have insight on where to go with things now.

“So you had a date with Gideon the night before last?” Luna prompted.

“Yes,” Hermione agreed. “It was sweet and fun.”

As Hermione recounted her time with Gideon, she began to relax and have fun again. By the time she got to the date with Fabian, she felt comfortable enough to spill the details she finally remembered, having been way too groggy to recall them earlier in the day.

“Hermione Jean Granger! You did not invite that man into a hot tub with you only in your knickers and him in his pants!” Ginny squealed.

“I did. Merlin, I think I threw my bra at his head to emphasize I had taken it off.”

“My poor uncle,” Ginny laughed. “I bet he had no idea what to do with you in mischievous Hermione mode.”

“He was surprisingly every bit the gentleman,” Hermione rushed to tell them, speaking of the massage he gave her and how he hadn’t let her squirm against him even though she had wanted to. Hermione’s cheeks flamed with how wantonly she had behaved.

“Of course you did. Your husband is a fit man, and it’s time for you to have fun with that, Hermione,” Luna said quite seriously.

“You’ve got to be joking! I’m not ready for anything like—“

“Oh, I think you are,” Ginny returned. “You gave him a hickey after all.”

Hermione blushed. “I was very drunk.”

“Do you remember the kiss you shared?” Luna asked, unperturbed by the fact that Hermione hadn’t admitted to a kiss.

“Yes,” Hermione said slowly. She did remember it, now. How could she forget? There had been so much passion! And Merlin, the things that man could do with his tongue… She bit her lip but then began confessing. She could hardly talk to the men about it, so she might as well hash it out somewhere.

When she was done, Luna said, “You’re wrong. You can talk to them.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t,” Hermione huffed.

“You didn’t have to,” Ginny responded.

“What can I say?” She asked. “I’m not really ready to take it to that level.”

“They deserve to know that,” Luna said gently.

“And—“ Hermione cut herself off, unsure if that was something she was willing to share. But of course, Ginny wouldn’t let it go.

Raising her eyebrows, Ginny asked, “And what?”

“And I thought it would be Gideon first. We have so much more in common. I…” She trailed off, unable to explain her connection to the twin she supposedly should know less.

“Is it bad that it was Fabian?” Ginny asked.

Hermione shook her head. “No. It was a good kiss, and he was careful not to take advantage of my inebriation, but I think it hurt Gideon, and I don’t think Fabian or I meant to do anything that would hurt him.”

“So your relationship with Fabian will be dictated by what is best for Gideon?” Luna asked.

“No!” Hermione insisted. “That sounds wrong. But he has been hurt so badly. I want to consider him and how best not to hurt him right now while he’s still recovering.”

“He may always be recovering,” Ginny said gravely.

“I hope not,” Hermione responded sadly. She wanted Gideon to get better, feel better about himself and Fabian and her, too.

“He won’t. There will come a time when he feels confident again, and the three of you will be on even footing. I just wanted to remind you not to let your consideration become a crutch for him in the future. They wouldn’t appreciate it, and he won’t need it.” Luna said dreamily.

“Thank you, Luna,” Hermione said sincerely. She wasn’t sure what was happening with Luna—when her odd powers had crossed so strangely into Seeing. She was infinitely more believable than Trelawney ever had been, barring the two times the flighty teacher seemed to have received actual prophecies concerning Harry.

Talk turned to Ginny and Harry’s relationship, and later to Luna and who she had an eye on. Afternoon turned into evening while the three of them laughed and enjoyed spending time with one another.

***************

A bottle of Ogden’s Finest was being passed around the six men — Neville, Charlie, and both sets of twins. Bill, Harry, and Ron hadn’t responded but might yet show up. The evening had been filled with laughter and bad jokes. But now, they were on to more serious topics.

“So let’s hear about our new Auntie!” Fred said excitedly, looking at Fabian.

Gideon started to protest. He didn’t want to hear about their date last night in front of everyone, but he was surprised when Fabian growled out, “She’s not a topic of discussion.”

Fred cocked his head to the side, glanced at George, and they both nodded. “I didn’t mean it to offend,” Fred said. “But you’ve heard about Katie and Angelina. Neville’s talked about wanting to ask out Hannah. Charlie told us about his newest dragons. It’s your turn to talk about something.”

Fabian grumbled, but Gideon said, “She’s amazing. Like no one I’ve ever been around. Intelligent, funny, downright scary when she’s angry.”

There were laughs from all the men. “Too right” and “That she is” came in from around the circle. Apparently, everyone there had seen Hermione angry at some point, even Charlie, who lived so far away most of the time.

“Hermione is our girl. She fits perfectly,” Fabian said, his tone reverent. He blushed as he said, “I let things get a little out of hand last night, but nothing happened that you’re all trying to find out about. She’s so young.”

“Hey!” Neville complained. “She’s not that young, you’re acting like she’s a firstie.”

Fred and George laughed, knowing he was really defending his own age versus the rest of them. “Ickle Nevillekins. You get to be our little brother since Ronnie couldn’t be bothered to show up.” Fred said.

“Too busy off learning how to protect us all,” George added.

“I can’t believe they wanted to keep that up after everything they’ve been through,” Gideon said, thinking about how uninterested he was in ever seeing another person who was out to hurt someone else.

“It’s what they know,” Neville said.

“All they know,” Fred and George said together.

Gideon felt—not for the first time—saddened that his nephews were so hardened by war, that it had affected all of them so profoundly. Musing aloud, he said, “Hermione was right there with them, but she didn’t want to be an Auror.”

“Well, but she’s brilliant,” George said.

“She doesn’t just know war. She knows everything,” Fred said, not even trying to mask his awe of the girl.

“Careful, if I didn’t know better, I would say you like our wife,” Fabian said, his voice a subtle warning.

Fred held up his hands. “Georgie and I have our hands full with Katie. Hermione is too much for us. I think she’s best off with the two of you,” he laughed.

Gideon put a hand on his twin’s shoulder. Fred’s jokes were harmless, and when Fabian was away from the situation, he would see that, too. He was just very possessive of Hermione, a cat thing, Gideon suspected; he had never been like that before. “We know you’re not trying for anything, Fred. Hermione is too principled to give you the time of day anyway,” he teased.

Everyone laughed as Fred became mock-offended and put on a performance of them stabbing him through the chest. When he was done being dramatic, he laughed and said, “She really is too principled for me. But you two are the legendary heroes she needs.”

“Excuse me, I don’t need anyone,” Hermione said from the doorway.

The men all jumped, and the three girls dissolved into giggles.

“Is it late, Hermione?” Gideon asked.

“Late enough that it’s time for you to be alone,” Luna answered for her.

It took a while for everyone to clear out, hugs all around. When they were finally alone, Gideon breathed a sigh of relief. He had fun with the boys, and it was clear Hermione had a good day as well since she was practically glowing with happiness, but being around so many people for so long was foreign and exhausting.

Thankfully, Fabian was yawning as well, and people usually energized him. It had been a long day, even if it was a good one in the end. Gideon swallowed back thoughts of the harrowing night before and the morning alone, thinking something had happened to them.

“Are you okay?” Hermione asked. Something must have shown on his face.

“I was just… I had been distracted until now, but I just remembered how scared I was this morning when the two of you weren’t home,” he told her.

“I’m sorry, Gid,” Fabian said. “It was my fault.”

“Mine, too,” Hermione insisted. “I should have known better than to have wine like that. I apologize.” Before he could respond, her arms were around him.

For a moment, Gideon froze, not having expected the contact, then his own arms came up around her. He was struck again by how perfect it felt to have her against him. When Fabian walked over and put his hand on Gideon’s shoulder, the feeling increased exponentially.

“Let’s get to bed,” Fabian said.

They all nodded agreement, and for once, Hermione didn’t even pretend to want something different than them all going to bed together. They changed into their pajamas in their bedroom while Hermione changed in hers, then rejoined her there. Fabian crawled in, then Hermione started to but paused.

“Would it be okay for Gideon to be in the middle tonight?” she asked.

He blinked in surprise. Gideon hadn’t even considered what it would feel like to lay between them. He and Fabian hadn’t slept in the same bed very often as adults, but now and then, after something particularly deadly nearly got one of them, they would seek comfort from the simple presence of the other. They often both needed it.

But now… he doubted Fabian would want any such thing. Only… his twin was smiling at him and holding the covers open encouragingly.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

Fabian rolled his eyes. “Get in here, Gid. I’m tired.”

Slowly, Gideon crawled into the bed, his shoulder bumping his brother’s. He felt better, more connected, almost instantly.

And when Hermione crawled in next to him, turning her body and snuggling against him, one arm thrown over him to brush Fabian’s belly, Gideon could have died happy. This was perfectly where he belonged.

Chapter Text

Fabian woke to the sounds of murmuring nearby. It appeared his brother and wife had been awake for a while.

“I still want to take things slowly. And I’m sorry that means—“

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Gideon said. “I don’t require anything physical to feel complete with you.”

Fabian instantly felt a surge of that bloody human guilt that he did so badly want physical touch. And more than just simple touches.

He wouldn’t push her past her boundaries, but he wanted more. The kisses they shared shook Fabian’s entire being. It was a physical reaction, but so much more. Gideon just didn’t understand yet what it felt like to be connected in that way as well.

“To feel complete?” Hermione asked.

“Like now,” Gideon replied, his voice perfectly comfortable in a way Fabian had rarely heard it since they came back to themselves. “I feel safer and more accepted when I’m in a room with both of you.”

“And close?” Hermione asked, seeming to wriggle a little in his arms.

Fabian noticed that she was indeed snuggled against Gideon’s chest without seeming uncomfortable with it at all. Maybe their out-of-control date had been useful if it made her more open to casual touching like this.

Gideon gave a low chuckle. “Yes, being close makes it even better.”

Without seeing him, Fabian knew exactly the glow of happiness in his brothers’ eyes at that moment. He could feel it. And he hoped interrupting wouldn’t take it away.

“Makes me feel better to have you in the room, too, big brother,” Fabian said, rolling to his side and propping himself up on his elbow to look over at the other two.

“Good Morning, Fabian,” Hermione said with a delighted smile. Gideon grinned at him as well.

Apparently, they were all in a good mood today. Stretching, Fabian said, “Good Morning to you, too, lovely.”

“Do we have anything we have to do today?” Gideon asked.

“No,” Hermione said. “I think we could help at the west tower if we want to, but I’m awfully tired.”

“Good,” Fabian grinned. “I don’t want to be anywhere but here with you.”

Hermione laughed. “I might have a book I wanted to read…”

“That can be done from bed,” Gideon pointed out.

“And we might get hungry,” Hermione added.

Fabian gallantly offered, “I’ll get and serve your food.” He slid out of bed as he said it, knowing he was already feeling hungry and assumed they would be soon enough, too.

Laughing, Hermione said, “Fine, a day in bed it is, but what are you going to do?”

“Is snuggle you not an option?” Fabian asked.

“It could be,” Hermione conceded.

“Good. Then after I do some exercises, that’s what I’m doing. And maybe a bit of reading, too. Gid’s right that I should learn more about what’s happened the last few years.”

“Exercises?” Gideon asked, focused back on that part of his statement.

Fabian knew he was blushing a little as he explained, “I’m having trouble with some of the physical work of moving stones and beams around. I want to regain my strength.”

“That’s an excellent idea,” Gideon agreed, moving to get up as well. “I could stand having some muscle again, too.”

“Rats, I was hoping for yoga,” Hermione said. She had rolled so that she was on her stomach watching the two of them.

“What’s yoga?” Fabian asked.

***************

An hour later, Gideon found himself contorted in ways he didn’t think he’d ever been able to stretch to before. They were definitely ways he never would have thought to try on his own.

He and Fabian definitely regretted making fun of Hermione in the beginning when she was showing them what “yoga” was. Glancing at his twin, Gideon was just in time to see him fall over from the position they were supposed to be replicating. Hermione, in front of them, continued to go through the motion—slowly—not realizing one of her students was on the ground. Gideon failed at stifling a giggle.

Unfortunately, since he wasn’t focused on maintaining the hold, Gideon’s knee collapsed and he went tumbling down just the same as Fabian. Fabian didn’t hold back from laughing at Gideon’s face plant.

“Are you both alright?” Hermione asked over her shoulder, then turned to glare at them. Gideon wasn’t sure how he felt that, once she caught sight of them, she giggled behind pursed lips.

“Go ahead and laugh, you’re not hiding it very well anyway,” Gideon grumbled from the floor, finally lifting himself off of his front.

Fabian sat on his mat cross-legged. “Maybe there’s something more for beginners we can try?” he asked.

Hermione stood up from the stretch she was in—perfectly, rather than face-planting out of it as he and his twin had done—and folded her arms across her chest.

“So are you willing to admit yoga is harder than you thought?”

Both brothers sighed as Gideon matched his brother’s position. Fabian agreed with Hermione readily, willing to comply and appease Hermione in his cat-like way; Gideon begrudgingly whispered “yes” with a small roll of his eyes. When he caught Hermione’s disappointed look, he threw her a small smile to show he was just picking on her. The grin that lit up her face made his stomach do flips. He loved being able to make her look that happy.

“It’s hard and good for us,” Fabian agreed, nearly purring at the look on Hermione’s face, even though it wasn’t aimed at him.

If Gideon were being honest, he didn’t think he’d ever used his muscles in the way yoga was making him use them, even when he was at peak performance as an Auror. It would definitely help him get back in shape and stay flexible in the long-run, something he could use more of anyway.

And if he also enjoyed watching Hermione’s bum in her tight pants, that was neither here nor there. He didn’t feel guilty about it because he caught Fabian’s eyes glued to her once or twice as well.

“Okay, let’s try something simpler,” Hermione smiled and sat with them.

She led them through some different breathing techniques from their position cross-legged on the floor, and Gideon couldn’t help but notice he could use a lot of them when he was feeling anxious. Healer Mitchell told him the anxiety would crop up quite a bit as he got used to his new life, but finding ways to combat it were more important than focusing on when and where he’d go into a panic.

After another hour of easier stretches, forms, and positions, Gideon was feeling much better about this yoga business and he could see a hop in Fabian’s step as well. Better yet, their girl was glowing with happiness—and a healthy sheen of sweat that he shouldn’t find so attractive.

While Hermione went to the bathroom for a shower, Gideon pulled Fabian aside so they could talk about Operation Woo The Wife a little bit more.

“I was thinking about doing a date with both of us soon. What do you think?” He was more than ready for things to move forward, cautious though he had been in the beginning.

Fabian thought about it a moment, obviously reliving his blunder of a date, “Not yet. I think we need to ease her into it.”

“What are your ideas?” Gideon asked with a sigh as they disappeared into their scarcely-used room to scheme. He knew Fabian was right, but he wasn’t thrilled about it.

**********

Over the following days, things were quiet. Hermione was enjoying getting to know Fabian and Gideon better. She was happy to have them near her when she woke in the mornings, and she continued to sleep well because of them.

That wasn’t all either. In the mornings, her coffee was always waiting for her. She had thought it must be the house-elves at first since it was always so fresh and sometimes they both seemed asleep next to her, but Hermione knew better. Coffee didn’t taste that good after it had been under stasis, and she had listened very carefully multiple times but concluded it wasn’t a house-elf bringing it. The only conclusion she could come to was that it was somehow one of them, despite their snuggly bodies against her. However they were managing it, Hermione was grateful.

And the yoga! They had taken to it immediately, though they did make her continue to work out with them. It was good for her, though, even as she grumbled about it most mornings as they did their sun salutations. At least they let her drink her coffee first if she wanted, and she usually did. Her favorite mornings were when they started without her as she lay in bed drinking her coffee and watching their arses. Even if she tried to pretend that wasn’t what she was doing.

Hermione loved her classes, loved learning about these parts of magic that had been previously untouched in their education. Of course, it emphasized to her how behind Hogwarts’ curriculum was, but that was no surprise. She had a list going of reforms that would need to be made. Perhaps that would be something to tackle when she decided what she would do.

The castle was slowly reforming into its previous splendor and more. A new tower was going up, and the bridge was being replaced with a more modern design. They were actually getting to work with the engineers of the wizarding world to come up with the best plan to withstand the ages. What she loved most, as hard as it was for her to believe, was when she was working alongside her men — preferably in the library — laughing and joking with them as they worked.

Every day the twins saw Healer Mitchell. Most days, she did, too. It was helping all three of them to no end, though some days it was hard. Sometimes Gideon came back silent and withdrawn. Sometimes Fabian was grouchy or more cat-like until Mist would bat her paws at him and talk the man out of his bad mood. She was a good friend that way.

Hermione had no idea she could come to love her evenings so much. She would work on homework while Fabian drew and Gideon read. Sometimes they were playful and occasionally sweet and loving. Gideon was good at understanding when she wanted alone time. He would give the word, and Mist would herd Fabian along if need be, letting her have time to herself. More often than not, they would draw her a bath.

One of them, and sometimes both, was always touching her. Sometimes they held her hand, or they had their large hand guiding her from the small of her back. Hermione loved the feel of that so much more than she had ever expected to. Fabian liked to nuzzle her, of course, and butt his head into various parts of her body, reliving the way he had connected to her as a cat. Gideon surprised her, though, with how often he touched her and, more than that, how often he let their eyes touch and hold. The draw to one another was only becoming stronger.

Strong enough that she was starting to need alone time from them because she so badly didn’t want to be alone during those times anymore. Hermione just couldn’t figure out how she would transition from friendly — maybe even loving — roommates to more without letting them take it all the way.

She trusted them enough to know they would be perfect gentlemen if she said no. But she was no longer confident she would say no even if they didn’t push at all. Hermione was quickly finding herself enjoying their casual touches, wanting their conversations, seeking their support and the affectionate looks they gave her.

Since their drunken debacle in the Room of Requirement, Hermione had been leery of any more dates. Still, she had allowed herself to be dragged out one night by both of them, spending the night on the astronomy tower together at Fabian’s insistence. Hermione had to admit it was fun, and she wasn’t cold with one of them on each side of her. Gideon regaled them with stories of the stars and the witchy characters and wizarding world creatures they found there. It was an experience Hermione wouldn’t trade for the world.

Never in her wildest dreams had Hermione imagined feeling so strongly for anyone, let alone two men, so different and alike at the same time. Merlin, she might even love them. And that was both a relief and the most terrifying thing she had ever thought of.

Tonight, Hermione was sitting on the sofa reading with her feet in Fabian’s lap as he read when Gideon came bursting into the room looking frantic.

“You’re both okay,” he said, relief so apparent in his voice that Hermione was immediately on edge.

“Of course, brother,” Fabian said, standing and going immediately to place a hand on Gideon’s shaking shoulder. “What’s happened?”

Hermione set down her book and began to make her way over as well, Mist following her with a worried yowl. The cat had come to love Fabian’s twin as much as him.

“There was an attack,” Gideon managed to say before encircling both of them in his arms. “Dolohov broke into The Hog’s Head last night and tortured Aberforth. He wanted information on how to get into Hogwarts. He had heard The Hog’s Head was how they got the children out.”

“How do they know that?” Fabian asked. Hermione was fascinated by the way, in moments like this, he would suddenly switch into this alternate state of being, shedding the playful cat personality he usually had and becoming the Auror he had once trained to be.

Gideon ran a hand through his hair. “Probably chatter from the last battle. Aberforth survived. He fought him off, apparently, enough to set off a Caterwauling Charm and brought Hannah and Neville to help him. Dolohov ran for it, but he’ll try again.” His voice was pitched toward panic by the end.

Hermione ran a soothing hand along Gideon’s back. “We don’t know that.”

“We do,” Gideon insisted. “He won’t stop until he gets in and gets what he’s looking for.”

“Which could be anything,” Hermione said.

Gideon shook his head. “Not just anything.” His hands were shaking as he handed her a photo.

Hermione gasped as she looked down at herself, a third year, clutching Crookshanks to her chest and seemingly fighting with someone—undoubtedly Ron—outside the frame.

“He knows. Dolohov knows we’re here,” Gideon said, barely holding back the panic in his voice.

“No,” Fabian stated, taking Gideon by the shoulders and staring straight into his eyes. “Dolohov knows I was here at one point. And he knows that Hermione was as a child—”

“He was looking for her now. Aberforth said the Golden Trio has to be careful. That his questions were about them. And about Potter’s Muggleborn friend specifically.”

Hermione felt the blood drain from her face. She knew that wouldn’t have been the word Dolohov used — and she hated that word even more now since it was scrawled across her arm. Still, she was not giving into the fear. It’s what he wanted. “He can ask all he wants. We’re safe here in the castle.”

Fabian nodded, “He wouldn’t be taking the risk of torturing someone if he could get in.”

“But—”

“But nothing. Come on, Gid. You can handle this,” Fabian said.

Hermione felt he was being too harsh, not taking into account everything Gideon had been through. But she was surprised to see Gideon’s expression clear and his chin stiffen up. He nodded at Fabian. Something passed between them, and then Gideon looked to her.

“I’m sorry, Hermione. Fabian’s right. We’re safe here, and we’re going to take care of you.”

“What?” she asked in astonishment. “I don’t need you to take care of me! I’m perfectly fine. I’m not even the one who’s worried; I know we’re going to be fine.”

The brothers laughed, but she could see the worry in both of their eyes. Before she could say anything, Gideon grabbed her hand and pulled it up to kiss it.

“Hermione, it’s been a couple of weeks now. Do you think we could take you on another date?”

She was confused enough by the sudden turn in the conversation that she stuttered out a yes before she really thought about it. “Wait! Where could you possibly take me? I’m not sure the Room of Requirement is a good idea. It seems like it may have an agenda with the hot tub and all.”

Both twins gave her a mischievous grin before Fabian said, “It’s a good agenda,” then ducked away so she couldn’t hit him.

Instead, she glared at him for a moment before saying, “I’m still not—”

“You don’t have to be ready for anything,” Gideon rushed to assure her. “We just want to give you a good night.”

“A special night, with both of us,” Fabian added.

“Where you don’t have to worry about anything,” Gideon completed.

“Well, I suppose,” she said, refraining from pointing out again that she wasn’t the one who was so worried. If Hermione was honest, she was more concerned than she was letting on. But they didn’t need to know that, and she was pleased by how happy her answer seemed to make them both.

That night, she went to bed anticipating the next day, trying not to think of Dolohov and how near he might be.

Chapter Text

By the time the little bird flew in and landed on her shoulder at the end of her last class period, Hermione was thoroughly tired of waiting. It had actually been hard to keep her mind on schoolwork when she was so excited about their date. She had never imagined herself as the kind of girl who got giddy over going on a date, but she was.

When she lifted her hand to the bird, its trills in her ear making it clear there was some sort of expectation there, she came away with a scroll, the bird transfiguring at her touch.

Hermione gasped, impressed with the bit of magic as she wondered if it was keyed to just her touch or anyone’s. She would have to ask the boys later.

For now, she unfurled the scroll, blinking when she saw it was actually a scrap of parchment that looked like it had been cut in an odd pattern along two edges. On one side, there was what looked like part of a picture. On the other…

You’re a Catch, and we hope you consider each of us a Keeper;

Now we’re making you the Seeker.

Keep each of the clues for a challenge you won’t want to lose.

Go to the place where Chasers play.

Her mouth dropped. What was this — some kind of scavenger hunt? Did wizards go on scavenger hunts? She felt her heart beating in excitement as she puzzled through it. Obviously, they were all Quidditch puns, so the Quidditch field. The next clue must be there, though it was a large field. She hoped it was obvious.

“You ready?” Ginny asked from the doorway, making Hermione jump.

“For what?” she asked, trying to remember if they had plans Hermione had forgotten about and how she would resolve the conflict.

Ginny grinned. “To follow the first clue!”

“You know about these.”

“I do. My uncles didn’t want you down at the pitch alone with Dolohov on the loose. Besides, you might need a Seeker.”

Hermione felt the blood drain from her face. “Do they expect me to fly?”

Snorting at her look of horror, Ginny said, “No. You’ll see. But I’m your failsafe in case it’s too much. Gideon insisted there be one. This whole thing is supposed to keep you intrigued, not irritated.”

They walked along together though Hermione could tell Ginny wanted to run. She was as excited as Hermione herself. Maybe more so since she apparently knew what was coming. Hermione was dying of curiosity.

When they got to the pitch, Hermione just caught sight of the golden glint of a snitch off to her right. “Please tell me they don’t expect me to catch that?”

“Failsafe, remember?” Ginny teased. “But I think you can do this. It’s not a real snitch. It’s the one I charmed for Fabian when he was still more cat than man. So it doesn’t fly far. It’s more an annoyance than anything else. But it does hold your next clue.”

“Are you supposed to tell me that?” Hermione asked with a laugh.

“That it’s the next clue?” Ginny snorted again. “The Brightest Witch of Her Age undoubtedly already guessed it.”

Hermione rolled her eyes at the name, then walked toward the patient snitch. It wasn’t moving, just hovering, like it was waiting for her.

Until she got close, then it was off like a shooting star, though, as Ginny said, it never went far and stayed just a few feet off the ground.

Twenty minutes later, Hermione was running to and fro, huffing with irritation. Ginny wasn’t outright laughing at her, but she was close. Hermione had a feeling the redhead was about to step in, and it irritated her to no end that she couldn't manage it on her own.

Suddenly, she saw it again, drifting slowly within reach, in her peripheral vision to the left. Being sure to pretend she didn’t see it — because Hermione was convinced by this point that it was able to tell — she called to Ginny, “Are you ready to help me?” just as her hand darted up and snatched it out of the air.

Hermione felt proud of herself in a way she never had before. Ginny cheered for her and came racing over. “You did it!!! I really didn’t know if you would, but this is so exciting!” she gushed.

“Thank you,” Hermione said, trying to retain her dignity despite remaining impartial to the fact that one of her best friends just admitted to having not believed in her. Of course, it was Quidditch, so she could hardly blame her.

Looking at the glittering object in her hand, Hermione was awed when it paused its flitting and opened. Inside was another rolled up piece of parchment. On one side was another part of the picture that would go with the first. The other side held a clue:

In number three, like us and thee,

Treasure you will find beneath the tree.

“Us and thee?” Hermione asked.

Ginny laughed, “Just because they’re mad for you doesn’t mean they’re good poets.”

“But they tried,” Neville said. “It rhymes.”

Hermione jumped again, having been unaware he had joined them. “What are you doing here, Neville?”

“You think I would miss the sight of Hermione Granger catching a snitch?”

Groaning, she shook her head. “I’m not going to escape this, am I?”

“The legendary accounts of you chasing and catching it from the ground?” Ginny asked with a snicker.

Together she and Neville said, “Never.”

“So, does your appearance here have anything to do with number three?” Hermione asked Neville, changing the subject and hopefully moving the hunt along.

“What do you mean?” he asked, far too innocently.

“Greenhouse number three,” she stated.

“Too smart for this. I told them,” Neville commented.

Ginny grinned. “That’s okay. They want to be found, after all.”

“Let’s get going then,” Hermione said, eager to do just that.

Hugging her, Ginny said, “I have to practice here. Neville will watch over you until you’re back in the castle.”

“Watch over…? Oh! Those two still don’t think I can take care of myself, do they?” Hermione realized.

“They don’t, but Hermione, it is safer for you to have someone with you until Dolohov is caught. We’re not going around alone much either. He could grab anyone,” Neville said reasonably.

“Then why is Ginny staying at the Quidditch Pitch alone?” she demanded.

To that, Neville just started laughing. “Legendary Snitch catching to watch, Hermione — did you not notice the people in the stands? Trust me; she’s not alone.”

Hermione groaned when she realized there were an unknown number of people who witnessed her running about. Still, it was worth it for the next clue. She had to keep her mind on the goal.

As they approached Greenhouse Number Three, Hermione sped up, eager to see where they would send her next. Only. There didn’t seem to be any indication of a clue. The greenhouse was simply full of greenery. Neville stood behind her with his hands in his pockets, watching.

As she wandered up and down the length of the greenhouse, she finally noticed that one corner of the structure was actually a tree trunk. Apparently, this particular greenhouse was alive.

“But if the whole thing is under the tree, how do I know where—” She cut herself off as she closed in on the tree trunk and saw what waited for her on the ground.

It was a gorgeous bouquet. Hermione would need to research meanings for most of the flowers, though she knew the two red roses meant love. She knew sunflowers when she saw them, though they were small ones, and she recognized clematis from her Mum’s garden. She didn’t know what those meant or what the other flowers were, though she noticed ivy as well.

Neville stepped forward as she fingered a clematis. “Mental beauty,” he said with a smile. Then he touched a cluster of purple flowers in some deep green foliage. “Heliotrope — devotion. The ivy means affection or friendship, always a good foundation, I think.”

“What does the sunflower mean?” Hermione asked.

“Because it’s a dwarf variety, it means adoration,” Neville said confidently.

“And these white ones?”

“White Jasmine means sweet love. I could be wrong, but I think they’re trying to say they adore you, are devoted to you, admire your beauty mentally and otherwise, value your friendship and affection, and love you a few times over,” he explained with a soft smile. Neville was clearly pleased with their selections. Hermione wondered if he had helped make the bouquet.

“You seem very familiar with all of these,” she commented, fishing for information as she leaned in to sniff one of the roses.

Neville nodded. “I was raised as a pureblood. The language of flowers was part of the education. I might have also made a suggestion or two,” he admitted.

Hermione laughed and then laughed again when a little banner unrolled right under her nose between the two roses. When she touched it, the banner enlarged to the regular size of one of the parchment pieces. Again, there was part of a picture and a clue on either side.

This may seem Riddikulus, but we need you to be part of us.

Go to the classroom you would have learned this common defense.

“The Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom?” she asked.

Neville’s only comment was, “That one didn’t really even rhyme.” He picked up the bouquet and began walking out of the greenhouse and up toward the castle.

“Where are you taking it?” Hermione asked, knowing Neville wouldn’t get rid of it but needing confirmation anyway.

“Once we get into the castle, I’ll let you go on your way, and I’ll just deliver these to your rooms.”

Hermione smiled at him. “Thank you, Neville. You’ve been such a help with this.”

“Technically, I’m helping Gideon and Fabian. But I’m glad you get the benefits,” he said. She rolled her eyes at him with a smile.

As they parted ways, Hermione found herself scurrying along to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She was a little worried about what she might find there. They didn’t intend for her to fight off a boggart, did they? Or anything else?

As it turned out, she had nothing to worry about. Hermione laughed when she saw the surly little dwarf, dressed as a cupid, sitting angrily on the teacher’s desk. It reminded her of the singing Valentine’s second year. Thank Merlin, the twins hadn’t heard about that. Had they?

She was relieved when he — it was definitely a he — spoke. “Stop right there, Missy. I have a message to deliver.”

But then he broke out into song. “We couldn’t defend our hearts against you. These brothers two belong to Hermione, it’s true. Oh—”

Hermione cast Silencio before he could go on. She wasn’t sure whether it was her or the little dwarf who looked more relieved. “Did you have a parchment message, too, or do I have to listen to the whole song?”

The dwarf bared his teeth in what was probably a grin and handed her the next clue. She thanked him and said he could go, then sat down at the desk to read.

To see how much we care, just tickle the pear.

We’ve left you something delicious there.

“Looks like I’m headed to the kitchens,” she mused aloud, almost surprised when no one popped up beside her.

Not wanting to waste any time, she raced through the hallways and down to the dungeons for the kitchens. She had only slowed once — right outside the Great Hall — in case Professor McGonagall was watching. After all, it wouldn’t do for the possible Head Girl to act without decorum.

She tickled the pear and stepped inside, only to be greeted by an unexpected sight. It seemed the house-elves had decorated for a party. When she appeared, they all squealed and cheered. Delzy grabbed her and began dancing around with glee.

“Missus finds the kitchens!” Delzy cried.

Hermione laughed. “Of course I did! I know where they are. Where we are now.”

“You does, but himses gived you clues, and you found us!” the little elf cried excitedly. “Now, young Missus musts taste their tasty treats.”

She was dragged over to a decorated table with balloons around it, forming an arch to draw attention. Not that it was necessary. On the table, there were flashing lights and two little fountains. All of it centered around a plate of what appeared to be brownies.

“What are these?” she asked.

“Thems what the Mister Giddy bakeded,” Delzy explained.

“Eat one! Eat one!” the elves joined in together to chant.

There really was no choice, and Hermione was getting hungry anyway, so she tried one — and found them utterly delicious. “Mmmmm,” she moaned as the elves cheered again.

“We’s be making sure they be in yous room later. Mister Giddy asked Delzy to give this to you,” the elf told Hermione, handing her another piece of parchment.

We’re almost done making you roam,

you should go to the place we call home.

That was straightforward enough. She started back to their rooms, wondering if the date was actually at home and they had needed the extra time to set things up.

She quickly discovered they weren’t home but had been there. On the little dining table was the bouquet of flowers Neville had promised to bring and the brownies Gideon had made, undoubtedly delivered by one of the elves. Next to them was the next bit of picture. On the back it said:

Follow the path to your bath.

Relax, unwind, and then you’ll find

A gift to make you blue, along with another clue.

She laughed at their rhyming but wondered what kind of gift they would give her to make her blue.

Candles and rose petals led the way to her bath — perfect in temperature, bubbles, and sweetened with her favorite scents. Hermione breathed in happily before shedding her uniform and sliding into the tub Fabian and Gideon had enlarged for her maximum comfort. They had even charmed the part she leaned against to pillow her head. It was glorious.

As excited as she was for the date itself, Hermione took her time luxuriating in the bath. They wouldn’t have given her a pathway to it if they hadn’t meant for her to enjoy it. When she was finished, she felt beautiful and pampered, as she knew they meant her to.

To her surprise, she found her gift — a lovely dress with a bra and knickers already laid out. The dress was periwinkle blue, her favorite color, and reminded her of the Yule Ball dress she had once worn, though this was less frilly and more mature. Hermione loved it, but the bra and knickers would have to go. They were far too plain. And she wanted… she wasn’t sure, but she wanted the option of showing them something unexpected under the dress.

Before leaving the loo, she peeked carefully out the door, but she was still alone in their suite. She took the clothes they had laid out into their — her — room and tucked the set they had chosen away, instead finding a lacy pair in a light blue color. Hermione smiled when she realized it matched the dress perfectly.

Gasping, she remembered she had been so focused she had forgotten about her next clue. Hermione rushed back into the loo and found it.

Take a look inside your favorite book.

She left the room and headed to the bookshelf but soon moved away from it perplexed. Hogwarts: A History was not in its normal place. Her brows knit together in irritation at where it might have gone until it occurred to her that she had been rereading it the night before. Laughing at herself, Hermione rushed over to her favorite chair by the crackling fire.

There was her book, and the bookmark had been charmed with new words; she could see the glow of their magic from here.

“Wingardium Love-iosa,” Hermione read aloud, and suddenly, little hearts were flying up all around her, making her laugh. As they swirled around her, more words appeared on the paper.

Go to the classroom where you learned a version of this spell.

That was all, but obviously she was meant to go to the Charms classroom. Slipping on the shoes they had left by the door — a pair of lovely ballet flats perfectly color-matched to her dress — she readied to leave. She was curious if the shoe choice meant anything or if they had just wanted her to be comfortable. The shoes felt almost like slippers.

On her way to the Charms classroom, Hermione came across Professor Flitwick with Luna and Charlie. Surprised by the odd combination of people, she blurted, “Where are you all going?”

Laughing, Charlie made a point to slide his eyes down her body playfully before smirking and asking, “Don’t you think we should be asking you that?”

Hermione blushed as she looked down at herself.

“You look radiant,” Luna said, “As you should with your men waiting for you.”

“Are they in the classroom?” she asked excitedly. Hermione loved the idea of a scavenger hunt, but she was ready to see Fabian and Gideon.

Surprisingly, it was Professor Flitwick who laughed now and said, “Patience, my dear. You’ll see when you arrive. Have fun this evening.” And he winked. Professor Flitwick winked as though implying something.

Now Hermione deeply blushed, unsure of what to say.

“Go on then,” Luna encouraged, “You want your night to start soon, don’t you?”

Hermione barely called goodbye over her shoulder as she rushed off toward the classroom. She was more than ready.

Inside, everything was normal, except a book laid open on the desk she sat in this summer. Usually, Hermione would have approached with caution, but she was too excited. There was a golden glow coming from the book, and it was open to a beautiful illustration of a key — of all things.

She couldn’t help but want to touch it. Hermione ran her finger along the page, then gasped as she realized she could feel the key itself. More purposefully, she ran a finger along it and then tried to reach into the book to wrap her hand around the key.

It worked! She pulled, and the key lifted out of the book with her hand. As she brought it up to inspect it, the next piece of parchment fluttered to the floor. For the moment, she was too distracted to care.

Turning the key over, Hermione was impressed by its weight, its absolute reality. She was certain it was quite old and equally sure she needed to know what it went to.

Picking up the piece of parchment, she saw that it was indeed the last piece of the picture. Hopefully, that meant this was the final clue. She was dying to see Fabian and Gideon now.

You’ve found them all, but you still have to find us and our location for the night.

Place our picture together and chant, “Revelio,” to see a new sight.

Hermione did just that, fishing out the other pieces and quickly putting this one with what she already had. She loved the complete picture of the three of them, so candid and happy together. Seeing them like that, she hoped it was just a fragment of the joy they would have together from now on.

Slowly, not wanting to lose that vision, Hermione tapped the picture with her wand and said the incantation. There was a ripple across the page, turning it back into a single piece, but it seemed nothing else happened. Confused, she turned it over, realizing, of course, they hadn’t erased the picture. Instead, the words of all her different clues had been replaced by a map.

The map began in this very classroom but took her to a part of the castle she wasn’t sure she had ever been in. When she had to enter a tunnel that had, by the coloring on the walls, obviously been blocked by one of those 16th-century tapestries — or perhaps even older — until very recently, she was certain she was in new territory.

The tunnel was well lit for something that hadn’t been used in probably centuries. Hermione wondered if it was the castle’s magic or if the brothers had done this. There were torches along the walls that came on as she moved near them, giving the eerie feeling that she was walking into and out of complete darkness. The walls were rough-hewn stone, typical for the oldest parts of the castle. She was fascinated to know what Gideon and Fabian had found back here.

And when they had had the time to go exploring. It must have been one of the times she was in class. Hermione wasn’t going very fast, but she came to an absolute standstill when it seemed the tunnel opened into some kind of huge space beyond. She was desperate to know what was there but somehow a little frightened as well.

For a moment, she had utterly forgotten the map she had clutched in her hands. Looking down at it, she saw that there was indeed a large open space, and she was headed down a hallway on the other side, very near her goal now.

Which was fortunate as she might not have dared move forward otherwise. When she peeked out of the tunnel, Hermione had to clap her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. There was a massive dragon on a hoard of gold and silver, and who knew what ancient magical artifacts, in the middle of the giant chamber.

It took her a few breaths to get herself under control. There was plenty of space to move past without ever touching the dragon or its hoard. This must be the sleeping dragon of Hogwarts that you weren’t supposed to tickle. Leave it to the absurd Founders to place an actual dragon in a castle full of schoolchildren.

Overhauling safety precautions at Hogwarts was going on her list of things to accomplish. Right after murdering her husbands for wandering past a dragon while exploring. They had to have known it was there. No one could miss it, and Fabian especially had very keen eyes, even in the dark.

She was going to give them a piece of her mind… as soon as she found them.

Trying to ignore the dragon and focus on her map, she made her way past — quietly, just in case — and found the hallway she was supposed to follow. Hermione almost forgot her irritation about the dragon in her excitement to see her husbands. Almost.

The door she arrived at was ornate, with an ivy pattern she recognized. It matched the key she had pulled from the book in the Charms classroom. Excitedly pulling it out, she marveled once again at the weight of the key. It seemed particularly significant now that she knew the door it was for — but not yet what was beyond. Was the dragon guarding this room? Hermione was desperate to know what was inside.

She turned the key and pushed—a little and then harder. The door swung inward slowly.

*********

Fabian was giddy with excitement as the door slowly, slowly opened. They had been waiting for ages; at least there had been plenty of things to look at and explore here.

Hermione gasped as she took in the room, not even noticing himself and Gideon. Not that Fabian was surprised by that. It had taken them long moments to take in the room as well. What were the two of them next to this wonder?

“It’s like the Beast’s library!” she exclaimed.

“We’re hardly beasts,” Gideon said.

Hermione was so overcome looking at the rows of books all the way to the ceiling — three levels high — that she didn’t even jump at his voice. She hadn’t begun to study or even notice all of the strange artifacts on the ground level. With so many books, Fabian wasn’t sure she would.

“Of course,” his brother went on, “if we count the dragon as the owner, I suppose this is a beast’s library.”

Hermione gave a laugh with tears in her eyes. “It’s a muggle animated movie. About Beauty and the Beast, and he gives her an amazing library.”

Gideon stepped forward, putting an arm around her and kissing her forehead. “And if it makes you happy, we’ll give this one to you.”

Hermione was crying in earnest then, and Fabian joined their hug so he could touch her, calm her. He didn’t completely understand why she was crying, but he didn’t think they had made her sad. Still, the urge to help her feel better was there and intense. Over her head, Gideon nodded at him to invite him in.

Having Hermione clinging to him with Gideon on her other side felt like coming home should feel. It was a completion Fabian longed for when she wasn’t around. This wasn’t something a cat could have experienced, and, for once, he was thankful he could have the human way of things rather than the cats.

“This is all… it’s so much. I can’t believe…” Hermione sounded like she might hyperventilate as she tried to speak. “You’re both so much what I want for the rest of my life, and every time I think you have done the most amazing thing, you outdo yourselves. Each of you and both of you and… Merlin, I can’t imagine how much more I can love you and… Oh! You went past a dragon to find this place! You could have been killed!”

“So did you,” Fabian pointed out before he could think better of it.

Thankfully, Gideon followed up, “And you know we would never let you do something that would endanger you. Just don’t tickle her, and it’s fine. We keep hearing you’re the Brightest Witch of Your Age, so we knew you wouldn’t try that.”

“Don’t you dare start calling me that,” Hermione said, hitting each of them lightly as her tears dried into laughter. “How did you find this place?” she asked, the wonder apparent in her voice.

“We were gathering tapestries,” Fabian explained, pleased that he had been the one to realize there was a passageway. “And found the tunnel.”

“We think it goes under the castle, but we’re not certain, especially since the windows here are clearly above ground.”

“Magic,” Hermione whispered. “This is the sort of thing magic should be for.”

“And it is, Lovely,” Fabian assured her.

“It’s such a shame that the war tainted your introduction to all of it,” Gideon said.

Hermione tilted her head. “Wasn’t yours as well?”

Gideon gave a humorless laugh. “Yes, the war was going on most of our lives, but we still had a magical childhood. As a muggleborn, you missed that.”

“Our children won’t,” Fabian said, then bit his tongue, realizing he had implied too much by the expression on Gideon’s face.

But Hermione surprised him, surprised them both when she smiled at them, “They absolutely won’t.”

Fabian felt his breath catch, and he couldn’t have come up with anything to say if his life had depended on it. The idea of children with Hermione—and of her being excited about them, too… was beyond anything he had ever desired before.

Gideon was the first to speak, “And between now and then, we’ll do the best we can to show you all the wonder you’ve missed.”

“Including hidden libraries you’ve only just discovered yourself?” she asked teasingly.

“Including those,” Gideon agreed.

“Though this is much more than just a library,” Fabian said, unable to hold back any longer.

Blinking and looking around, he could sense Hermione taking it all in for the first time. He felt her excitement through their bond and remembered the wonder he had felt as he entered the room for the first time.

There was a seating area near the fire for comfy reading. An impressive library table sat nearby where they currently had dinner laid out. Around the room, there were occasionally reading chairs, but mostly there were odd objects. Some looked like statues, odd art pieces, but with bits that turned slowly or made slight whirring noises. Fabian had no idea what they did, but he had the impression that they were deeply magical. Others were obvious — a map table laid out with ancient maps that rose up from the table, an old fashioned book holder for research rotating to allow for quick checking with various books, a telescope that they suspected showed far more than something its size should have been able to do.

“What is this place?” Hermione asked.

Rubbing his hand on his neck, Fabian said, “We can’t be sure, but we think this was a personal room of Rowena Ravenclaw’s.”

“Like the Chamber of Secrets was for Slytherin?” Hermione asked with a gasp.

“No, not like that,” Gideon assured her. “They each have a set of rooms here. We think this was where they stayed in the castle, their personal suites. Each of them had a bedroom as well as the rooms that interested them, even Slytherin. His centered around a potions lab and lots of creepy snake architecture.”

Hermione laughed. “That sounds about right from everything Harry has told me. But there are rooms for Godric Gryffindor, too? And Helga Hufflepuff?”

“Yes,” Fabian agreed. “Gryffindor’s includes an armory and a practice arena.”

Gideon snorted as he said, “Helga’s has lots of odd cooperative games and a lush indoor garden. We thought Ravenclaw’s would hold the most appeal for you.”

“You thought right,” Hermione assured them, still taking it all in. There was a lot to look at.

“Would you be interested in dinner while you look?” Gideon asked.

“Forgive us, but we’ve gotten rather hungry waiting for you,” Fabian added.

She gave them a fond look, “If you hadn’t set up such an elaborate hunt, I would have been here some time ago.”

“True, but you deserve the best,” Fabian said, smiling at her. He couldn’t believe how happy it made him to see her so happy.

“I hadn’t known there was a ‘best’ version of scavenger hunts,” Hermione laughed. “But I think anyone would have a hard time topping this one.”

Each of them took her by an elbow as they talked, leading her to the table. When they arrived, Fabian pulled out her chair, and Gideon held her hand as she sat, kissing it before Fabian helped her scoot the chair in. They each took up a spot on either side of her.

Dinner conversation mostly revolved around the wonderful things they had found here. Gideon explained different sections of this extensive library — untouched for presumably centuries. He could tell Hermione couldn’t wait to explore. Fabian regaled her with a story about flying into the air when he touched a cloud-shaped statue, able to look down on everything for several minutes before being gently lowered to the ground. There was a small round artifact on the second level that Gideon hadn’t figured out the purpose of and was hoping she might help. It glowed sometimes, and he was certain it was supposed to help with the books somehow.

Hermione shared her adventures following the scavenger hunt with them and made sure they knew they would pay for the stunt with the snitch.

“But you caught it!” Fabian said excitedly. “I knew you would!”

“That one was all Fabian’s idea,” Gideon was quick to point out.

“Oi! Throw me under the dragon, why don’t you?” Fabian playfully returned.

“Speaking of dragons…” Hermione began.

Fabian couldn’t help the grin on his face. No need to mention how much he had wanted to get close to it when they first found the chamber. It was Gideon who had sensibly suggested they not even think about touching any part of her hoard, much less her. Fabian’s curiosity still made his hands twitch when he walked by, but he had controlled himself. There were so many other things to explore back here.

“You’re not going to let the dragon thing go, are you?” Fabian said aloud, trying to sound nonchalant.

“I certainly am not! What were the two of you thinking just scooting past a dragon?” she asked.

Gideon took the reins here. “There are legends, you know. Legends that say she will sleep until tickled, and even then, she is there to protect Hogwarts, not to eat its inhabitants.”

“Legends are all well and good, but I’ve never seen a dragon so large and who knows what being magically asleep for centuries has done to her?” Hermione asked.

Gideon rubbed his chin but looked to Fabian, causing him to panic a bit. He certainly didn’t know the answer to that either. He hadn’t even considered it.

“Well, the magic of the ancients tended to be deeper and more vibrant, able to accomplish greater things because the world was wilder and more filled with magical beings. The dragon, legend says, spoke with the Founders and agreed to be Hogwarts’ protector as she had been throughout her life,” Fabian said slowly, remembering lessons he had as a child.

“Why don’t they teach this in History of Magic!? I didn’t know magic itself had changed so much,” Hermione said, obviously fascinated. And then Gideon was off on this new subject, the dragon momentarily forgotten again.

**********

When dinner was over, Fabian bowed to Hermione as Gideon charmed the old phonograph they had found. Music, dancing music, filled the room, and Hermione’s periwinkle dress was soon floating around her as Fabian twirled her and laughed.

Even off to the side, Gideon couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so happy. He would have a turn soon enough. In the meantime, watching the two people he cared about most enjoying one another was a beautiful sight.

He knew it had been crazy to come here past a dragon, but it had been worth it. He couldn’t explain his recklessness, that was more Fabian’s boat these days, but he didn’t regret it. Seeing Hermione laugh that way ensured he never could.

When it was his turn, he bowed to her and set off at a more sedate pace than Fabian had, but still twirling her as often as possible. Her dress was made for it, and the movement allowed his hands to graze her. Keeping his hands to himself was becoming increasingly difficult as he looked at her cheeks, pink from the dancing and laughing, and the smile she dazzled him with, her eyes shining with happiness. Gideon had never enjoyed dancing more.

His brother had to insist on another turn, or Gideon would have danced with her all night without realizing how long it had been, lost in the dance. Fabian would tease him for it later, no doubt, but Gideon didn’t mind. This was a welcome respite from the worries he had been feeling lately. Somehow, even when the thought came up, he wasn’t bothered by it with the music playing and his wife and brother dancing in front of him.

They were eventually too exhausted to dance any further, ending with the three of them together — Gideon in front and Fabian behind her. Gideon pulled her close to his chest and swayed to the slow rhythm of the music that matched their happy but subdued mood. It could have been awkward, but it wasn’t. The three of them fit together perfectly.

“Hermione,” Gideon said, somehow feeling the need in that moment to tell her exactly how he was feeling. “This evening with you is everything I’ve always wanted. With you and with Fabian here. I don’t know how a single word can convey how much I’m feeling, but I love you.”

To his surprise, there were more happy tears on her cheeks as she leaned forward to answer with her lips on his own. “I love you, too, Gideon.”

With that, she was pressed into him, the first kiss between them. Gideon felt like he was floating on air now, swept away by the tide of emotion and the depth of physical feeling as they explored one another leisurely.

There was a low hum behind them eventually, and Hermione giggled, pulling back from him and glancing over her shoulder at a very insistent Fabian. The positioning was a bit awkward, but she turned her neck and kissed Fabian as well. The enthusiasm between them was comparable to Gideon’s own. He completely understood.

What he hadn’t expected was that, as she and Fabian kissed, her hands began caressing Gideon, cupping his cheek, running down his neck and across his chest. The angle of her body pressed her lower half closer to him, and Gideon knew his body, already on high alert, responded by growing harder. His hips wanted to push against her, grind their bodies together, and he was almost so overwhelmed that he did it. But he didn’t want to overwhelm Hermione.

Unfortunately, Fabian didn’t seem to have that stop point. Suddenly, Hermione gasped, her body shuddering for a moment before her hips thrust forward from the force behind her and ground into Gideon. Even as he moaned from the touch, he saw the moment it was too much.

Hermione’s eyes flew open wide, and she pulled her face away from Fabian. For a moment, Gideon thought she might turn to him and continue, but then a look of panic crossed her face. Much as he didn’t want to, Gideon stepped back, taking just her hand instead as he pulled her away from his twin.

“Are you okay, Hermione?” he asked.

Her cheeks were flushed, and she was breathing hard. “Yes, I’m sorry. It was… this is… it’s all wonderful, and that felt amazing, but…”

“It’s too much?” Gideon suggested.

“Too much too fast?” Fabian added. “I’m sorry for pushing.” His voice was gravelly with desire, and Gideon knew he would be whiny later.

“You’re both… you feel amazing. And I know it’s silly to need to take things so slowly—”

“It’s not,” they both insisted.

“I already love you both so much, and we’re married for Merlin’s sake, but—”

Gideon shook his head. “Married or not, love, we’re fine to wait until you’re ready.”

“We truly are. I’m sorry the Crookshanks part of me has a harder time with it,” Fabian apologized. “I don’t mean to push you.”

“You’re both so good to me,” Hermione said, her eyes shining with tears again. She was so much more emotional tonight than usual.

A wave of pride came over Gideon. They had made her more emotional than usual. This date had been good, was still good. These conversations didn’t change how much connection Gideon felt running through the three of them. If anything, they just proved how strong the bond between them was.

“Could we… I know it’s silly when we were just—” Hermione cut off, blushing before soldiering on, “I know it’s silly, but could we look at the books and then snuggle and read? Unless you have other plans.”

“Our plans are to make your night wonderful, Hermione,” Gideon said.

“And we wouldn’t have brought you to a library if we hadn’t planned to woo you with books. We love this about you. We love you,” Fabian added with a smile. He was staring at her like she was the moon above. Gideon understood the feeling.

Stepping forward, he leaned down, giving her plenty of time to stop him, and gave her a soft kiss, not letting her sink into it more deeply as she obviously wanted to.

“I love you, too, Hermione. Now come on, let me show you the section I think you’ll love best.” He had already found the part he loved best, and she was right beside him.

Chapter Text

Hermione woke herself up with a harsh moan. She wasn’t sure, for a moment, what had caused it. Her dreams had been nothing but pleasant, and, as she took stock of her body, everything she was feeling now was decidedly better than pleasant.

In her sleep, she had wrapped her legs around Fabian’s. His right hand rested on her hip, moving in a slow rhythm, pulling her forward and back against his thigh. Gideon, behind her, had his arm slung over her with his hand slipped up under her thin silk shirt, cupping her breast and stroking her taut nipple with his thumb. Because Fabian was gently moving her, she could feel her arse pressing against Gideon’s hard length. Though he was still sound asleep, his breathing came in small pants next to her ear. He likely wouldn't be sleeping much longer.

Though her first instincts were to panic and wake them both, something stopped her. Something made her wait and sink into the cherished feeling the two of them gave her, wanting her even in their sleep. She couldn’t feel Fabian’s arousal, but when she looked down, she could see the outline in his pants.

Whereas she had transfigured the beautiful dress into shorts and her bra into a silk cami so that she would be comfortable for sleep, the boys had just pulled off their shirts and trousers, just the way they always did after the first few nights, once she knew she could trust them.

The night before, they had been far too exhausted to go back to their suite after so much dancing, reading, and exploring together. When they had found the little nook with its daybed, it had been the perfect solution. They had enlarged it and climbed into bed together after dressing down into comfort.

And now, Merlin, she was uncomfortable, but in the best possible way. She could feel the heated slickness between her legs as she rode Fabian’s thigh. The movements were gentle, not enough friction to do anything, but more than enough to indicate how interested she was. Hermione couldn’t decide what to do.

Did she wake them? Did she let this continue as it was, just enjoying the feeling while it was so innocently done?

The decision was taken from her hands as Fabian’s eyes flickered open in front of her. His lips were parted, and his eyes hooded as he came awake, looking confused for a split second before he understood what was happening.

She could tell when he really understood what was happening because his thigh muscles contracted and rocked against her pussy. Hermione gasped, waking Gideon as she ground back against his cock. She felt a groan pull out of his chest and felt his body press back for a beat before he came fully awake.

Suddenly, Gideon’s thumb stopped circling her nipple, freezing as he woke enough to realize what was happening. “Hermione,” he breathed against the skin of her neck. His fingers ran down her stomach as he pulled his hand out from under her shirt. The sensation caused goose pimples to break out across her skin.

“Gideon, please…” she whined. “Don’t stop.”

“You don’t want this,” he said against her shoulder. Yet, she noticed how intensely his body wanted it since Hermione hadn’t stopped rocking her hips, though Fabian had stopped moving her.

“I don’t know,” Fabian said, his voice so gravelly it was nearly a growl, “if you could feel how wet she is, you might think that’s not true.”

Gideon spoke on a breath that was nearly a moan. “Just because we physically want each other doesn’t mean we should do it when we’re not ready.”

Hermione could hear the strain in his voice as he said it. She felt a sudden wave of power she had never known she possessed as she pushed back against him and said, “I think I’m ready for this. Not… not much further, but touching… Merlin, I want to touch you both. And be touched.”

Fabian needed no further encouragement. His hand was snaking up her shirt almost immediately. “Do you need this?” he asked as his hand caught on the delicate fabric.

“Eventually, but it doesn’t need to be on right now,” Hermione told him, barely able to breathe herself. She was trembling with anticipation and exhilaration.

“Are you sure?” Gideon rumbled against her back.

“I’m sure,” she said as both their hands carefully pulled the silk cami off and dropped it somewhere off the bed.

“You are a thing of beauty,” Fabian said reverently, the sincerity in his eyes making Hermione feel things she had never experienced before. His hands softly began to explore up her stomach and heft the weight of her breasts.

As he did that, Gideon’s hands were down at her hips, moving her in a slightly new rhythm between the two of them. Hermione was shocked when she realized how much more stimulation this pattern offered her and heard the moans coming from her own lips.

“Merlin,” she whimpered. “This feels amazing.”

“This is nothing yet, love,” Fabian purred.

Gideon asked, “Can you tell us the limits?” as his fingers began to toy along the hemline of her shorts, his fingers brushing ever closer to the area Hermione most wanted him to touch.

“N-nothing underneath my knickers,” she managed to say. All of it felt amazing, and right now, she wanted more, but she knew later she would be upset. She added, “Even… Even if I ask you to,” and was comforted by the look of understanding in Gideon’s eyes.

Fabian was confused, but the twins seemed to communicate silently for a long moment, and then he nodded, too. “We don’t want you to be upset by anything we do,” he confirmed aloud.

It was Gideon who gave her a wicked grin and said, “So there are knickers under these little shorts?”

Hermione blushed, realizing how compromised she already was as she lay between them in so little. “Well, if you recall, they were under the dress originally, so yes, I have knickers on.”

“And they’re even smaller than these?” he prompted.

Her blush intensified, but she bravely confirmed, “A bit.”

“Bet they’re soaked right through,” Fabian commented.

Gideon’s grin widened, “Since the shorts are as well, I can only imagine the knickers are absolutely ruined. Which is a shame,” he said as he pulled up the corner of her shorts enough to peak, “as they’re matching and lacy.”

“We’ll have to buy our girl some more,” Fabian said, leaning in close.

Again, Hermione started to feel a little panicked with the attention of both of them so focused on herself, but she was determined not to let it ruin things this time. Something about having them both there and so incredibly focused made her flash to being faced with Bellatrix. Though the torture she had experienced had not been sexual, having anyone’s unbroken attention on her made Hermione feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. But she wasn’t giving in to it. It wasn’t fair to any of the three of them to be thwarted repeatedly when this was what they all wanted.

Gideon backed off somewhat—perhaps feeling her hesitation through their magic—and instead was holding her hand and fiddling with the waistband of her shorts. However, she was distracted from what he was doing when Fabian leaned down the rest of the way and began kissing her thoroughly.

Hermione barely noticed as Gideon turned her on her back and guided the shorts down her legs, leaving her in only knickers, exposed to the two of them. Gideon’s powerful hands began massaging up her legs when he moved to lay between them, paying careful attention to her inner thighs as Fabian’s fingers found her nipples again, squeezing and rolling them gently enough to be stimulating but not painful.

Before she knew it, she was moaning against Fabian’s lips as Gideon’s hand finally, finally brushed across her pussy for the first time. Her knickers still covered her, but they were thin, and when he blew on the damp fabric, Hermione shuddered both from the sensation and from realizing how close his mouth was to her body.

Shock radiated through her when that mouth was suddenly kissing her knickers, up, down, and around, but not quite where she most longed for his touch. Just when she was sure every ounce of her being was focused on what Gideon was doing, Fabian made himself known again, turning the simple kiss into something much deeper and more passionate. He took her breath away even as Gideon’s teasing ministrations made her crazy.

When Fabian suddenly broke the kiss, his lips and tongue expertly kissing along her jaw and down her neck instead, Hermione gasped at the feelings the two men were invoking in her. Then his lips closed over her nipple at the same moment Gideon’s finally touched her clit, his tongue bumping against her through her knickers, and something inside Hermione exploded.

She screamed her release, having never come so hard before.

For a length of time she couldn’t identify, Hermione heard nothing. She could barely see anything beyond stars; she was so overwhelmed.

The first sound she did hear was Fabian’s low chuckle as he gently kissed around her nipple then drew back. Gideon, too, moved somewhat, folding his arms over her pelvis and resting his head there, staring up at her.

“Did you enjoy that?” Gideon asked.

“Enjoy?” Hermione echoed. “I’m flying. Not sure how to get back down.” Her voice was far breathier than she could ever remember hearing it before, and she knew her words were silly, but when she saw Gideon’s answering smile, she knew it had been the perfect thing to say.

Fabian, too, was smiling down at her for a moment, then surprised her by rolling off the bed.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“The loo,” he answered, heading for the luxurious room they had found between this library and Rowena Ravenclaw’s bedroom. They could have slept in her bed, but it felt wrong somehow, so the daybed had been their choice instead.

“Would you like—”

“We’re perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves, Hermione,” Gideon told her.

Hermione felt instantly guilty. “But that’s not fair for the two of you,” she said.

“Sex isn’t a transaction where everything has to balance, love,” Fabian said over his shoulder as he left the room.

“It’s time spent together enjoying each other. Believe me when I say we enjoyed every moment of this and are more than happy to end this lovely wake-up having pleasured you,” Gideon finished the thought.

“What if I hadn’t wanted you to do that?” she asked.

“Then we would have stopped where you drew the line, happy to have been with you to the degree that was right for now.”

“So I’m just dictating what happens, and you have to do as I say?” Hermione asked, clearly upset by the idea.

Gideon pulled her close enough that she noticed he was already softening. “Listen, lovely, if anyone in a sexual situation isn’t having fun, then it’s time to end it. Do you think that Fabian and I weren’t enjoying ourselves?”

Blushing, she answered, “I know you were, but—”

“Then it was a successful and fulfilling experience. More than that, I feel connected to you more deeply right now than I did before, and that’s what sex is about for me personally,” Gideon told her sincerely.

“And is that what it’s about for Fabian?” Hermione asked skeptically.

Gideon grinned. “He might be a bit more focused on the physical, but he got to kiss you and touch those perfect breasts. I assure you he is very happy right now.”

Hermione still felt like that was a little too good to be true, but her guilt was lessening with Gideon’s reassurance. Stretching, he rolled out of bed as well, giving Hermione a full view of his body. It was still scarred and would forever show signs of the ordeal he had been through, but thanks to Madam Pomfrey’s nutritional potions, he had filled back out just as she had. Neither of them could be accused of being large, but they at least looked healthy.

With a happy sigh at the sight of him, Hermione too made her way out of the bed and began transfiguring her clothes — again — into something appropriate to return to their suite in.

************

As Fabian wandered back into the library, he saw Gideon and Hermione talking over near one of the lower tiers of shelves, this one with slots for scrolls rather than books. As he approached, he slid his arms around Hermione’s waist and asked, “So what are you exploring in your library today, my love?”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “As sweet as you both are, you know I can’t actually keep this library all for myself.”

Even as Gideon nodded with a fond smile, Fabian asked, “Whyever not? We found it. We gave it to you.”

“You did. And I love it,” Hermione agreed, cupping Fabian’s face with her hand. “But it’s also a massive historical find, and I can’t keep it to myself.”

“Not to mention that everyone will wonder where we keep disappearing off to,” Gideon pointed out.

“And there’s still so much to do for the rest of the castle,” Hermione reminded them. “I want to spend every moment here — think of the ancient treasures — I can’t even believe they had a library of this size back then! But some things need doing first. And this place deserves to be studied by more than just me.”

Fabian felt grumpy about it. This was their find — his find, actually, since he had noticed the tunnel and pointed it out to Gideon while they wrestled with the old tapestry of the Founders and the dragon they could now reliably say was the one from the Hogwarts’ legends. He knew it was Crookshanks who had the urge to bring her things all the time to show off their hunting prowess, of which he was also aware he was somewhat lacking in human form, but this had been an incredible thing to bring her. Or bring her to, as the case was. Fabian did not appreciate the idea of sharing it with anyone.

As they all began walking out, he noticed that his brother accepted everything more easily than he, his scholarly nature having made him have a similar reaction before Fabian suggested creating last night’s date instead. He supposed he should have expected they would both want to share this with others. They had their special suite already, after all. And it was rather more convenient to all the places they needed and wanted to go.

Finally, noticing the look Gideon was giving him, the exasperation through the bond, and the pleading look in Hermione’s eyes, Fabian said, “Of course, we should tell Professor McGonagall. But perhaps only her for now?” He knew he could handle the concept better if it happened a little at a time. He couldn’t bring himself to think about these glorious rooms being full of people.

As they crept across the Dragon’s chamber, Hermione hummed, “Perhaps your nephew Charlie, too. I want to know more about the dragon, and it would be cruel not to show him.”

Fabian grinned. He’d never say so, but Charlie might be his favorite nephew. “It would be. Can I write him the letter?”

Hermione smiled at him and said, “Of course.”

Regaining his writing ability had been a difficult task and one he and Healer Mitchell had worked diligently on for over a week. His letters still weren’t beautiful, but he could write again, and he was bloody proud of it. Gideon couldn’t yet, but he knew his twin would get it soon. His hadn’t been as much mental. Gideon just still wasn’t used to his hands working properly, and such fine work as writing was proving harder for him than they had imagined. They both had been frustrated when they realized they could remember how to write, but getting their hands to do the motions—after being a cat or having disfigured hands for too long—was much more complicated.

With a new exciting task in mind, and knowing that they did have plans to help with the castle today, Fabian offered Hermione his arm and led her along the tunnel, letting Gideon playfully roll his eyes at his sudden change of mood. As the three of them headed to write the letter and see Professor McGonagall, they talked and laughed. Fabian felt like everything was perfect.

Chapter Text

Hermione had just gotten out of class when Charlie came barreling up to her, grabbed her, and swung her around.

“Hermione! I’ve been waiting for you to get out of class for an hour!”

She laughed at his overexuberance and that the man was practically vibrating with excitement. “Why didn’t you go find the boys?”

Looking slightly ashamed of himself, Charlie said, “Well, McGonagall offered to tak e me to them, but it was heavily implied I would need to help them finish their building tasks before we could go see the…” His voice dropped to a whisper. “The dragon. And I can’t wait that long. Having to finish things up in the field at work this week was hard enough, and I was surrounded by dragons there.”

Laughing again, Hermione told Neville and Luna and her other classmates farewell and began to lead Charlie along. “Fine then,” she said to him. “I guess if you’re that excited, we’ll go ahead, and they can meet us later.”

Charlie was practically giddy as Hermione canceled the disillusionment she had most recently cast on the tunnel entrance, and they began the walk down.

“So McGonagall knows about all this, and she hasn’t told anyone?” he asked as they walked along.

“Priorities,” Hermione told him. “The main part of the castle has to be put back together before September, and she doesn’t want to divert resources to anything else right now.” She laughed before explaining, “Minerva hasn’t even been down to see it herself for fear she wouldn’t want to focus elsewhere once she sees it.”

Nodding, Charlie said, “I can see that, actually. I haven’t been able to think of anything else since I got your letter.” Pulling up his short sleeve, he showed her a shiny new burn scar on his shoulder. “Couldn’t even keep my mind on the job, and Ishtar didn’t appreciate it.”

Hermione shook her head at him, but she understood. “I’ve been able to think of little else. Especially… When we told her, Minerva suggested that the library will need an official historian and researcher.”

“You?” he asked, pride and surprise warring in his tone. “That would be such an honor—”

“For someone so young?” Hermione finished for him. “I know! I know, and I’m so excited about just the thought even if I didn’t… but how could I pass it up? But there are so many other things I’ve wanted to do…”

“Fix the wizarding world. Help the magical creatures. Become the historical keeper of the Founders’ knowledge. A million other possibilities,” Charlie listed. “What do the twins think?”

“About what?” Hermione asked, confused by the subject change.

Only it wasn’t one. Charlie paused and looked down at her, clearly uncertain what to say. “What do they think about all the different careers you’re considering?”

“Oh,” she said, still confused. “Well, I haven’t talked to them about it. It’s not their choice.”

The look he gave her made Hermione feel suddenly defensive. “It’s not!”

“Hermione, are you telling me I know more about your future plans than your husbands?” Charlie asked gently, emphasizing the fact of their positions in her life.

Blushing hotly, she said, “I’ve been writing back and forth with you longer than I’ve known them. And I don’t precisely ask for your advice on which to pick either.”

“No, but I’m just a friend. Well, until I became your nephew.” The older man grinned at her. “But seriously, Mione, you should at least tell them all the different things you’re thinking of doing. It will affect their lives as well.”

Hermione felt petulant when she raised her chin and said, “Perhaps I will. But they’re not going to dictate—”

“Do you really think they would?” Charlie asked.

“Well, no…” Hermione admitted slowly, but she still didn’t feel good about sharing. It was one thing to discuss all the potentials with a friend—quite another to talk it over with her husbands.

She was grateful that any further discussion on the subject was ended as they stepped out into the dragon’s chambers, and Charlie made a strangled sound that she suspected involved holding back a shriek of sheer joy. Within moments, there were tears on his cheeks.

Quietly, she said, “We’ve been careful not to touch its hoard. We weren’t sure if that would wake it or not.”

Charlie chuckled as he brushed away the tears. “The thing about a hoard like this… it’s a myth that they’ll know if you move a single thing. Of course, they’ll notice if the pile shifts significantly, but a piece or two is no worry for them.”

“I had no idea,” she said.

“Most people don’t. And it’s for the best, really. Our mountains would be overrun with hoard thieves as well as the poachers if more people knew.”

Hermione nodded. She wondered if the dragon handlers were responsible for some of those myths. Thinking of Charlie’s fierce determination when they discussed anything to do with the mistreatment of or danger to dragons, she had a feeling she knew the answer.

“So it won’t wake the dragon if we are less careful here?” Hermione asked quietly.

“That will depend on whether she’s in a magical sleep or if her breed is just capable of sleeping for centuries.

“How do we find out?” Hermione asked.

Before she could also ask how he knew it was a female, Charlie grinned and jumped into the pile of gold, whooping, “Like this!”

Hermione screamed, “Charlie!” as he stomped right toward the enormous beast, sending gold and trinkets tumbling down the pile. He laughed at what she knew must be her horrified expression and beckoned her to follow.

“It’s a magical sleep, or she would be up and angry by now,” he said.

“Yes, I had guessed that much,” Hermione said, her voice shaking just the tiniest bit. “What if she hadn’t been in a magical sleep?”

“Well, things would be a bit dicey right now, but I think we would have made it out okay. Did you know that legends say she could talk?”

“Legends? What if they’re wrong?” Hermione asked but then latched on to the other confusing bit, “And how do you know it’s a she?”

Charlie blushed to the roots of his hair. “I don’t, actually. But I have a feeling she is, and I’m never wrong on our dragons. We’ll check her to be sure in a minute. Right now, I want to listen to her heartbeat and check her a bit.”

Pulling out a variety of tiny instruments from his pockets, Charlie returned them to their true size with a simple spell. He proceeded to lean against the dragon’s chest with one in hand, then went about checking the dragon’s nostril, prying open her mouth to inspect her teeth, and even lifting an eyelid open.

“Charlie,” Hermione hissed, “What if you wake her now when you’re so close?”

“Magical sleep, love, we’re safe,” he responded confidently.

“Well, what if you accidentally tickle her?” she asked, exasperated.

Chuckling, Charlie shook his head. “Do you know how hard it is to tickle most breeds of dragons? Especially when they’re laying on their belly like this?”

Hermione grumbled, “Apparently not.”

“Most people wouldn’t,” he said with a grin. He was aware of how much Hermione hated not knowing something.

Pushing at the dragon’s flank with his whole body, Charlie managed to roll her just slightly so he could peer under her, using one strong arm to wrestle her leg up. Pointing with his free hand, he said, “Right through here is where you tickle a dragon to wake it up.”

“That looks terribly dangerous,” Hermione said doubtfully.

“It is,” he agreed. “That’s why you shouldn’t do it. Though with this beautiful girl, if you needed to, I would suggest having someone up front to talk to her when you did it.” His words were absent-minded as he looked further under the dragon. “And yes, she’s definitely a girl,” he confirmed, finally coming out from under her leg and letting her roll back fully on her belly.

If they ever needed the dragon, it would take two full-grown men to roll her like that if Charlie wasn’t here. Merlin. She was humongous. Much larger than Hermione remembered the Iron Belly being, though whether that was because of living conditions or the dragon’s ancient age or just her memory trying to downplay things, she wasn’t sure.

Charlie walked over to her, sighing happily. “She’s in perfect health, just sleeping until magically awakened.”

“I wonder what kind of spell they used,” Hermione mused.

Shaking his head, Charlie said, “Something powerful. Ancient magic never ceases to astound me.”

Hermione was surprised. “Do you run into a lot of it working with dragons?”

“Yeah. You should see the things we find in hoards. There was so much raw power in spells and artifacts from wizardkind in ancient times,” Charlie said, his voice broadcasting his wonder.

“So a spell to hold a dragon in stasis for centuries was no big deal?” Hermione asked.

“No. It’s definitely a big deal. I bet it took all four Founders working their magic together to accomplish this.”

Nodding, Hermione felt awed by the power that must have taken, but also so excited that she was getting to see it. “And the dragon?” she asked. “Is she—”

“She’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. So huge, and her coloration is different, almost pearlescent. Her heartbeat… I think she has at least four pumping. She would be nearly impossible to kill. And her wingspan! Merlin’s pants, she’s four times the size of any other dragon alive today. I’m just… this is the find of a lifetime,” Charlie gushed.

“Well, if Professor McGonagall decides to open up to the public about everything here, I am certain she’ll be thrilled to have you present everything about the dragon to the world,” Hermione said with a smile.

“That would be nice too, I guess, but I really just meant that I’m honored to see her and be the one who got to examine her,” Charlie said. She could see by his expression that he meant every word.

“And I see you did it without us,” Fabian stated petulantly from the edge of the hoard pile.

Hermione squeaked in surprise, then blushed at the sound she had made as the three men—because, of course, Gideon was there as well—tried to hide their laughter. “Fine,” she said. “Laugh now, but I’ll get you back later.”

Gideon chuckled. “Maybe that was our way of getting back at you for stealing our nephew and coming to see the dragon without us.”

“You’ve seen her lots of times,” Hermione argued.

“But not with a dragon expert!” Fabian stated excitedly. “A her, you say?”

“She is!” Charlie launched in, immediately drawing Fabian in by casting his diagnostic again and telling him what all of it meant.

Hermione turned and saw Gideon smiling fondly at his brother and their nephew. “I’m surprised you’re not over there with them,” she commented.

“I enjoy creatures, but I’ve always been a more bookish sort. This is fascinating, but you know I’ve been just as giddy as Fabian is now over parts of the library and Slytherin’s potions lab.”

“Not to mention Hufflepuff’s collection of ancient games or the greenhouse in her chambers,” Hermione added, smiling.

Gideon nodded, unable to contain his glee as he remembered those discoveries. Hermione loved that about them — the relaxed, carefree way they indulged in their interests when they were otherwise so guarded after all they had been through.

“We have to show Charlie all those things, too,” Gideon said. Hermione agreed though they both knew that nothing would compare to the dragon for him.

When Fabian and Charlie finally wandered back over to them, both the young men’s eyes were glowing, grinning from ear to ear.

“Do you want to see what else we found?” Gideon asked.

“Of course,” Charlie responded. He was smiling as he followed along.

“We were careful to be very quiet when coming through before, just in case we might wake the dragon, but these rooms seemed too important not to explore,” Gideon explained.

Even though Hermione had this tour before, she enjoyed hearing it again. It was no wonder they had been so drawn to the Founder’s rooms. As awe-inspiring as the dragon’s chamber was, something about the area the Founders had claimed as their own fairly glowed with residual magic. Hermione couldn’t decide if that was just in her head because she knew what was beyond or if it actually did glow.

Based on Charlie’s wonder, perhaps the glow was real. He was nearly as captivated by the rooms as he had been by the dragon.

Helga Hufflepuff’s rooms were first on the left. When you entered, the space opened up with a high ceiling covered in greenery. Some flowering plant wove its way up the walls, the green plant that covered the ceiling meeting it at the top and stopping the growth of the pink, orange, and yellow flowers. The room was set up like a garden, with benches around fountains and statues of creatures, magical and not, and floral beds here and there. A stone table off to the side had a game board painted on its surface.

“Look at this!” Gideon enthused, dragging Charlie over to it. A tap of his wand and the playing pieces appeared though they weren’t a game any of them had ever seen before or yet figured out how to play. Another tap and the board and pieces changed to something else.

“Do you know what any of them are?” Charlie asked.

“We’re still working on that,” Hermione explained, smiling at Gideon’s undaunted expression.

“There’s some way to have them explain the rules. I did it once by accident. Just have to figure out what I did that time,” he told them.

Fabian was nodding. They had apparently played a few rounds of whatever game it was before switching the table again and losing it. Hermione wished she had been with them that day. The games and boards were fascinating, even without knowing how to play.

Moving deeper into the room, Charlie gasped when he saw the greenhouse. It was her bedroom, too, but the bedchamber was easy to miss when you saw the gorgeous array of plants. “Is that a live Combusting Firesnap?” he asked. “I didn’t think they could be grown in captivity. Do you know how hard those Snaps are to find? We use them to get the dragons’ attention and in our remedies for dragon pox in the dragons. Costs a fortune.”

“Who knew you would be excited by the plants?” Hermione mused.

“These… they’re all very rare plants, aren’t they?” Charlie asked in return.

“Very. And some long extinct,” Gideon explained excitedly.

Fabian cut in—as he was enthused about this as well—saying, “We think she grew a great many of them for Slytherin to use in his lab.”

“He has a lab?” Charlie asked. “Here?”

The three of them agreed and pulled him out of Hufflepuff’s chambers. “We’ll get there in a minute,” Fabian assured him. “Gryffindor’s room is next, though.”

The door itself was carved with Griffins, making Charlie smile. “It’s a literal Gryffin-door.”

Laughing and groaning at the terrible joke, Fabian threw the door open to reveal the red and gold room beyond. It was a small greeting chamber with benches along the sides. But it was clear this was almost just a hallway into something more.

The inside opened up into what could only be described as an arena. Along each side were racks of weapons and armor. It was clear this place was meant for battles, or at least training for them, though Hermione had no idea why they would want actual weapons instead of dueling.

Truth be told, this was her least favorite room. She felt disloyal to her House, but Gryffindor seemed very focused on fighting. Perhaps it was having just been through a war, but the room held very little interest for Hermione, though she suspected Harry and Ron would be considerably more impressed.

“This is… not what I expected,” Charlie said, looking more solemn than he had since he arrived.

“Most of the weapons seem to have some sort of magic embedded within,” Gideon said. “I suspect some of them are an extension of the wizard, almost like a wand. In Godric’s time, they would have been invaluable.”

Charlie nodded. “I suppose they would have been useful during the war if we had them then.”

Shuddering, Hermione said, “I’m glad we didn’t. The battle was bloody enough without swords and axes. Well, more swords.” She thought of Neville, saving them all with the Sword of Gryffindor as he took out Nagini.

No one seemed to know what to say to that, but after a tour around the arena and into Gryffindor’s bed chambers, they headed back to the room across the hall, Slytherin’s.

While Hermione hated the decor of this room, she appreciated the well set-up potions lab. For the time, it was probably state of the art. Even centuries later, Professor Snape would have been salivating for it if he had seen it. Gideon certainly loved it, and she had been surprised to find that his interests included potioneering. He loved experimenting, apparently. She could see some of the Weasley twins’ ingenuity in his face when he explained the kind of things he liked to explore and potions he would like to create.

Charlie’s interest in potions was not high as he had even less interest here than he had in Gryffindor’s room. They moved quickly to Ravenclaw’s library. Hermione didn’t anticipate that this would hold Charlie’s attention long either, but he seemed enthralled by the library.

“How do you find what you need?” he asked.

“It’s quite simple, really. Ravenclaw had it set up so that she only needed to come to this pedestal in the middle and make her request. Magic does the rest,” Hermione explained as she led him to the center of the library.

“And you just ask it for what you need?” Charlie clarified. “Even if it’s just a general topic?”

“Yes. You can request a specific title, author, or topic. Anything, really. It will even cross-reference,” Gideon told him.

Charlie grinned and stepped up to the pedestal. “I need your materials on dragons.”

Hermione should have known. But then, she felt a deep thrill as a mass of books and scrolls began to gather beside the pedestal. What kind of information did they have about dragons back then? What a treasure this could be for someone like Charlie.

Clearly, he saw the possibilities, too, as he was running a hand through his hair and could barely stand still in his excitement.

“Now much of what it gathers may just be small references or wild tales,” Hermione cautioned, not wanting him to get his hopes crushed.

“I’m sure,” Charlie agreed. “But hopefully, somewhere, there is information about the dragons of the time. Maybe there’s even something about our girl out there.”

Hermione smiled and nodded as the pedestal finally stopped glowing, and they were left with an enormous pile of resources. “Would you like us to help you sort these?”

“Yes, please,” Charlie said as he put on a pair of reading glasses and approached the scrolls.

******************

More than an hour later, most of the pile had been magically returned to their proper places. Charlie was gleefully studying a set of three scrolls and had two books set aside to read. Fabian was excited to see them, but he had suggested Charlie review all of them first. He didn’t want to steal Charlie’s thunder on the project.

“Are you going to come to dinner with us?” Hermione asked Charlie.

“Um… no… I’m not very hungry.”

Laughing, Fabian said, “We’ll bring something back for you.” He loved seeing his nephew so absorbed.

“Though you’ll have to stop reading long enough to eat it somewhere else. No food near the materials,” Hermione said.

Charlie looked up at her and grinned. “You will be a fantastic curator for this library, Hermione if that’s what you choose to do.”

Hermione beamed with pleasure — until she saw the expressions on his and his brother’s faces. Fabian was confused, and Gideon looked surprised as well. Hermione as curator? When had that happened? He watched as Hermione’s look became nervous, and she turned and headed out without another word.

He looked to Gideon, who shook his head minutely. He didn’t know either. They both hurried to follow her out.

“What did he mean about you being a curator?” Fabian asked as they began the long walk to the Great Hall, leaving Charlie to his studies.

“Well, McGonagall suggested I might be the right person for the job,” Hermione said, trying to downplay it. Her Gryffindor courage kicked in, though, when she added, “And I’m not sure, but I think I might like that very much.”

“Are you sure she was serious?” Gideon asked. “You’re very young for a job like that. Normally people would need a mastery in at least a couple of subjects before becoming a curator of such a large and significant collection.”

“Is there any other collection as significant as this one?” Fabian asked.

Hermione and Gideon turned to him in surprise.

“What?” Fabian postured. “I may not be a bookworm like the two of you, but I certainly know that an ancient and well-preserved library like this is a treasure trove of information and history. Those in the field will be tearing each other apart trying to get here first.”

“But I’m already here,” Hermione said. “And Professor McGonagall already wants me to do it. I can work on my masteries while taking care of the collection.”

“Masteries?” Gideon asked with interest.

“Well, yes. I think… there are so many things I want to learn about. But I think a mastery of ancient runes and perhaps transfiguration would interest me most. Or other things. There is so much that Hogwarts doesn’t even cover. This summer, learning about architecture and how the wizarding world creates and maintains things… it’s been eye-opening in showing me that there are so many other magical fields that we just haven’t touched on,” Hermione enthused, getting more excited as she talked.

“When were you going to tell us about these plans?” Fabian asked, tone petulant. She needed to discuss this with them first.

“Well, they’re not fully plans yet,” Hermione defended. “And I don’t have to tell you anything.”

“She’s telling us now,” Gideon tried to soothe at the same time Hermione spoke.

“We’re your husbands,” Fabian argued as they left the long tunnel, putting their glamours in place first, and moved into the main hallway of Hogwarts. “We have a right to know what your plans are.”

“Well, what are your plans?” Hermione demanded. He could tell she was starting to fume.

“I don’t think we have any,” Gideon said. “We haven’t talked about it. Honestly, I haven’t even thought about it yet.”

“But if we did think of something, we would talk to you about it!” Fabian accused. “You’re our wife and a part of any decision we make.”

“Well, that’s great, but I make my own decisions,” Hermione stubbornly told him. Her voice was shaking just slightly, and Fabian wasn’t sure if it was from anger or if she was holding back tears. He felt guilty but no less perturbed by her blatant disregard for them.

“And we make ours,” he said. “But you can’t just make them without us. What if you decide to be here and we need to work in London?”

“Then go to bloody London,” Hermione snapped.

“Hermione,” Gideon said, his tone calming, “We’re not trying to say you can’t do this if it’s what you want. I’m just concerned that this isn’t realistic once Professor McGonagall sees the collection and realizes how extensive it is.”

Glaring at him, there was hurt and anger in her tone when Hermione asked, “You don’t think I can do it?”

“Of course, you can,” Fabian said. “It’s more a question of should you.”

Gideon gave him a look and said cautiously, “But there might be other witches or wizards that would be better suited to the job, Hermione.”

“I thought it was my library,” she said. “What happened to that?”

“You know we discussed it and agreed that it should be open to whoever Professor McGonagall deems worthy of seeing it,” Gideon reminded gently.

Hermione was clearly upset when she hissed, “Of course, I know that. And I want the knowledge to be available for everyone. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to be a part of it.”

“We had no idea you felt so strongly about it,” Gideon said.

“Since you haven’t discussed this with us at all,” Fabian added, despite the look Gideon was giving him now.

“I don’t have to discuss anything with you,” Hermione reiterated.

“We’re your husbands. What you do affects us,” Fabian argued again.

Hermione looked furious. “Maybe I don’t want it to have anything to do with either of you!” she cried passionately before turning away from the entrance to the Great Hall and heading for the castle doors instead.

“Where are you going?” Fabian demanded, feeling frustrated and angry. “We’re not done talking.”

“I hope by ‘we’ you mean yourself and your brother because I am quite done talking to the two of you. When you’ve figured out that I am a separate person who owes you nothing, maybe we can try talking again!” she practically screamed at him over her shoulder.

Fabian started to rush after her, not wanting her to wander off outside this close to dark. Gideon caught him by the shoulder. “Let her calm down her own way, Fab. We’ve done enough damage for now.”

He reluctantly followed his twin into the Great Hall, worrying over the conversation and their wife wandering off on her own. Maybe they could get Luna to talk some sense into her.

**********

Hermione stormed across the lawn, her fury nearly as hot as the summer evening. Not only was she overheating, but her breathing was erratic and out of control. Uncertain of what was wrong with her, she hugged herself around the middle to stop her hands from shaking.

She could hear thunder in the distance, a storm rolling in. To escape the relentless heat, she turned toward the path down to the Black Lake. Maybe she would even go for a swim. She could use a drying charm on her clothes after.

She just didn’t want to do it where anyone could see her. Hermione couldn’t believe the nerve of those two men. Fabian demanding that they had a right to dictate what she would do with her life. She wasn’t going to die in the war anymore. She deserved the choices she had and she wasn’t giving them up because of some relationship she had never asked for. And Gideon, not thinking she was good enough for the job! How dare they. Either of them. Both of them.

Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she walked around the Lake toward the far reaches of the wards. If she went right up to them, no one would be able to see her from the castle, and she would have the opportunity to cool off uninterrupted.

As she came to the spot she had been thinking of, Hermione managed to smile. This was perfect. Except… an eerie feeling came over her. As though someone was watching her.

It was growing dark now. And most certainly, no one had followed her. She would have heard them, even in her rage. But the feeling of being watched only intensified as she sat her wand down and took off her shoes.

Suddenly, a twig snapped nearby. Hermione glanced around but saw nothing. It was undoubtedly a creature of some sort. Probably a rabbit or a unicorn or…

Dolohov, standing by a tree just on the other side of the wards, a sickening look of triumph on his face.

Chapter Text

Gideon’s anxiety was spiking, and he wasn’t sure why. He had been the one to caution Fabian into letting Hermione go. She often needed space when she was angry, and though he didn’t understand why she was as furious as she was, she clearly needed space.

Perhaps it was just that she had gone outside where she was less protected. Gideon had planned to ask Luna to follow her out, knowing the girl was most likely to be able to get around Hermione’s defensiveness when she was angry. Unfortunately, Luna wasn’t present tonight, and he didn’t know for sure if she was yet to come or if she wouldn’t be joining them at all this evening.

Neville wasn’t there yet either, though, so Gideon waited nervously. Fabian didn’t seem bothered, at least. He was laughing and joking with the Finnigan boy and his boyfriend, Dean. They hadn’t spent a lot of time with the two, but Fabian enjoyed them. Or maybe he was just trying not to think about the fight with Hermione. Gideon couldn’t tell, and his brother seemed to be blocking him out as much as possible right now.

It left Gideon feeling alone and tense. That had to be all it was. He needed someone to follow Hermione out there so that he knew she was safe. They had all agreed not to go out alone, even in broad daylight. And it was getting quite late now.

Glancing up to the head table, Gideon saw that Healer Mitchell had joined Professor McGonagall for the evening meal. He didn’t have an appointment until tomorrow, but perhaps speaking to him now might soothe Gideon’s nerves.

Barely having eaten a bite, Gideon rose from the table and began making his way up to them when a wave of… something hit him. Staggering for a moment, Gideon looked wide-eyed at Fabian. His twin’s eyes were searching for him just as wildly.

“Gilbert?” Healer Mitchell questioned, using his fake name in public. “Is everything okay?”

“No,” Gideon answered faintly. “No, it’s not.”

“What do you mean? What’s wrong?” Professor McGonagall asked. “Where is Hermione?”

“She’s—” But he was able to give no further explanation as Fabian bounded over, looking frantic.

“Do you feel that?” Fabian asked urgently.

Gideon nodded, his throat closing too much to say a word.

“What is it?” Healer Mitchell asked, his tone somehow just the normal calm curiosity even though his eyes showed concern.

Finding his voice, Gideon explained, “Hermione was angry with us, and she went out. I was going to send Luna after her, but she hasn’t—”

“Hermione is out on the grounds alone?” Professor McGonagall checked, her voice thin as she tried to hold in her anger or concern. Gideon couldn’t tell which was more prevalent within the matron.

“Yes,” Fabian said. “We shouldn’t have let her—”

“No, you most certainly should not have!” the Headmistress agreed harshly.

Gideon shook his head. “Something is wrong.”

“Something is coming,” Fabian agreed, both of them turning to rush through the Hall.

Professor McGonagall stood. “Out the side door, you foolish boys,” she chastised, showing them the way as Healer Mitchell rose and followed them.

The grounds weren’t dark yet, but shadows slanted across the lawn. It had been a late dinner for everyone, with the work going as long as possible every day. Gideon felt a deep sense of foreboding as he and Fabian went sprinting for the place they could feel Hermione needed them.

**************

Hermione’s body stiffened at the sight of Dolohov and his sickening, maniacal grin. He looked at her like she was a tasty treat he intended to enjoy. His wand twitched in his hand as he began to walk forward.

Despite the ward between them, Hermione’s body tensed in fear. She knew he couldn’t physically get to her. Even sending spells, Dolohov didn’t have enough power to break the wards on Hogwarts as Voldemort and his entire horde had managed during the Battle, but it was still terrifying to watch him approach with such obvious glee. The man must be half-mad.

“You think you’re safe, don’t you, girly?” he taunted, and Hermione clutched her wand tighter as bile built up in her throat.

“I am safe,” she said with barely a quaver in her voice.

Laughing, Dolohov whispered a word of magic in some language she didn’t understand, then stuck his hand out to touch the ward. Only, he didn’t connect with it. He went through it, purple encasing his body where he was past the ward line.

Energy buzzed over the purple shield on his body, almost seeming to electrify Dolohov, but either it wasn’t physically affecting him or, more terrifying, he was enjoying it. From the way he laughed, it seemed more likely to be the latter.

Hermione began to back away, but suddenly a spell hit her, coming from her side. A figure was standing there, purple-encased, in Death Eater’s robes. She was stuck to the earth she stood on, and Hermione felt her heart pounding hard as she tried to move.

“Surely you don’t think I would have brought a compatriot so worthless that he couldn’t manage a simple sticking spell that would hold, do you, little Miss Granger?” Dolohov asked, his tone mocking.

Swallowing hard, she refused to answer him as she continued to pull with all her might.

“Don’t be so frightened. I just want to talk. You have something I want,” he told her.

“Whatever it is,” Hermione replied, “I will never give it to you.”

For a moment, the look that passed Dolohov’s face was furiously angry. “Let me assure you, you will,” he informed her.

Hermione decided not to waste her energy arguing. Instead, she sent a silent Expelliarmus his way, but it bounced off the purple surrounding him.

Dolohov laughed. “Isn’t this a clever spell? It not only bypasses the wards but makes them into a shield for yourself. Ingenious, if I do say so myself. And I’ve taught it to all of my men.”

“All?” Hermione echoed. She felt terror rising again after she had just fought down the now-ridiculous-seeming panic attack she had felt during her fight with the twins.

“Oh yes, child. There are still plenty of us out here. We could have overwhelmed you by now, but I’m merciful. I don’t want you. But you have something of mine.”

“I don’t have anything that—” she cut off as a slicing hex cut across her wand arm, sending pain shooting along it. Hermione held onto her wand, but only just.

“You have my cat. Your familiar belonged to me first, and I’ll have him back,” Dolohov said with a growl.

Blinking in shock, Hermione shook her head. “Never.” How could he be so obsessed with the twins?

Another slicing hex cut across her back from the other Death Eater. She wasn’t sure, but Hermione thought she saw other shadowy figures moving beyond what should have been the wards. Fear shot up her spine, for she was alone here. No one knew where she was.

“Oh, believe me, you’ll do as I wish. That cat is essential to me. I want to be very sure he understands it wasn’t okay to run from me all those years ago.”

Hermione shuddered at the thought of Dolohov getting his hands on Fabian again. Or Gideon. She would take whatever happened to her. They weren’t getting any information from her on her boys, either of them. His obsession with merely the one cat had Hermione wondering if he hadn’t yet realized Gideon was gone as well, or if he had others looking for him somewhere else.

“Maybe,” he said in a pondering tone, “We could trade you for the cat. Someone in the castle is bound to think you’re worth more than a stupid familiar. Even if you are a mudblood.”

Her stomach turned at the thought of an exchange. Either of her husbands would willingly hand themselves over for her safety. She felt her stomach sinking, and then a new resolve set in.

Gathering all her energy, Hermione moved her wand slowly, not wanting to give herself away. As Dolohov continued to outline his evil plans to get her familiar, she worked her way through the spell, letting her magical energy build before shouting “Expulso” and a brilliant white light shot from her wand, blowing a gigantic hole in the ground at Dolohov’s feet.

Apparently, his wonder shield did not stop him from being thrown about by the earth blasting out from under him. Unfortunately, it was such a large blast that the crater came all the way back to her — and Hermione was still stuck to the ground.

She was blown into the air; an unwanted scream tore from her throat as she hit the ground, hard, then everything went black.

***********

The blast that came almost from the other side of the Black Lake was enormous, and it was right in line with Fabian’s sense of danger for Hermione. He was suddenly running even faster, Gideon just behind him. They had to get to her!

Rounding into a clearing, he caught a glimpse of black robes swirling as Apparition pops — far too many of them — sounded on the other side of the wards. How had that blast happened? Why, when she had been protected behind the wards?

Fabian didn’t have time to ponder it as he slid to the ground next to Hermione’s unconscious body. There was blood on her arm and cheek. He could already see some bruising starting, but most concerning, was the blood pooling behind her.

As Gideon made it to their sides, Fabian gently lifted her into a sitting position, pulling her hair aside so that Gideon could immediately assess what was wrong, no words necessary between them to know their roles in taking care of her.

“There is a nasty cut across her back,” Gideon reported. “And she hit her head hard enough to knock her out, but the blood is just from the cut.”

Fabian breathed deeply in relief as his brother worked to stop the bleeding. By the time Professor McGonagall and Healer Mitchell burst upon them, both gasping for breath, Gideon nearly had her back knit together again.

“Lay her back down,” Healer Mitchell commanded. “Her head—”

“The blood isn’t from it—” Fabian started.

Healer Mitchell shook his head. “It doesn’t have to be bleeding for it to be serious. We mustn’t jostle her head around.”

“We had to heal the wound on her back,” Gideon said, his voice shaking.

“And you’ve done it well,” the Mind Healer told him gently, “but now please lay her down again and let me inspect her.”

“You’re a Mind Healer,” Fabian stated.

“Indeed,” Professor McGonagall replied, “And Mind Healers go through basic healer training as well as how to work with the mind. That this is a head injury makes him doubly qualified, Mr. Prewett.”

Hermione startled them when she shot a hand out to hold Healer Mitchell’s. “Not their real names. He’s looking…”

She passed out again before she could explain, but Healer Mitchell’s next words were, “Adrian, Gilbert, please assist me. We need to get her up to the Hospital Wing so that Madam Pomfrey can tend her.”

Hours passed before they were able to see her again. While Healer Mitchell had been willing to let them help, Madam Pomfrey had shooed them out of the Hospital Wing, insisting they finish their interrupted dinner before she would let them see Hermione.

When they were finally allowed back in, Fabian was practically jumping out of his skin with anxious energy.

“She has had a rough night and a nasty scare, gentlemen. You will not get her excited. or I will happily make you leave this wing entirely and not see her until morning. As it is, you may talk for five minutes before she needs to rest,” Madam Pomfrey informed them, Professor McGonagall nodding severely at her side.

“We’ll keep everything calm,” Gideon assured them, taking a seat on the left side of her bed.

Fabian took the other side, reaching for her hand. At the last moment, he stopped, uncertain. Hermione had been very angry with them earlier. She might still be.

To his delight, she smiled tiredly at him and closed the distance between their hands, then did the same for Gideon.

“I’m sorry,” Fabian rushed to say, but he was drowned out by the other two saying it as well. The three of them blinked at each other, then they all gave a small laugh.

“I’m the one who needs to be sorry,” Hermione said. “It’s no excuse, but… I panicked about my choices being taken away and you, Gideon, not believing in me, and I didn’t think when I stormed off. I should never have gone out alone and never been so near the edge of the wards.”

“Hermione, it’s okay. You have a right to feel what you do about us,” Gideon assured her.

Fabian snorted, “But we can do without you scaring us half to death trying to get killed by Dolohov. I can’t believe he blasted such a big hole—”

“That was me, actually,” Hermione said with a grin. “I was blasting him away, but I forgot they had stuck me to the ground.”

Gideon shook his head and leaned forward. “May I hug you?” he asked, though his arms were already poised to do that. Hermione leaned into him in answer, then tugged at Fabian’s hand until he joined the hug.

“Thank you both for rescuing me,” she said.

“I don’t know if we did,” Fabian admitted. “They were already running when we arrived. I think your blast scared them away.”

Hermione started to shake her head, then seemed to think better of it and carefully said, “No, I don’t think so. I think… they were sending me a message, letting me know what they want.”

“What’s that?” Gideon asked. His voice was shaking, but Fabian could see his resolve to take care of Hermione was strong.

“Crookshanks,” she whispered. “I told them I would never give him up, of course. Dolohov says my familiar was his first, and he wants his cat back.”

“He lost one plaything, and he thinks he can get one back,” Gideon said, so low it was almost a growl.

“But why—” Hermione started, but Madam Pomfrey appeared.

“Whatever the three of you are talking about is raising her heart rate to an unacceptable level. You need to say goodnight.” She watched over them as the two men squeezed Hermione’s hands and moved to rise.

“You think you’re leaving without kissing me goodbye?” Hermione demanded hopefully.

Fabian felt a thrill run down his spine. He hadn’t expected Hermione would allow them anything more intimate.

As Gideon gently kissed her, he heard them whispering but actively worked not to listen. They deserved some privacy, after all.

“Fabian,” she said when it was his turn. “I’m not done apologizing, and we all have a big conversation waiting about our future, together and separately. Don’t worry about what happened with Dolohov. It was my own stupid mistake. And at least we have more information about him now. Healer Mitchell is letting the Aurors know what happened and that he’s working with others.”

He put a calming hand on her arm. “Don’t get worked up again, love,” he told her. “We’ll have any talk you want to have after you’ve had time to heal. Gideon and I are always here for you, even when we’re being prats.”

With a smile, she leaned into him, their tongues briefly intertwining as they latched onto one another’s lips. It was difficult for him to pull away, but Fabian managed it, knowing they would have more time in the morning.

Chapter Text

“You really didn’t have to carry me,” Hermione said for at least the tenth time since they left the Hospital Wing.

Fabian smiled down at her. Next to them, Gideon rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, too. “We promised. Madam Pomfrey would have our heads if we let you walk.”

Hermione couldn’t quite believe it when Fabian lay her down on the sofa in their very own suite. She had never before seen anyone talk Madame Pomfrey into letting a patient go when they weren’t fully healed. Yet somehow he had sweet-talked her into just that.

Perhaps it was partly because Hermione was so much healthier now than she had been just a month ago. Or maybe that stuff he made up about the healing power of a triad bond was more real than she thought, though they weren’t really a triad after all, not in the soulbound sense. But perhaps that still wasn’t understood. Or maybe it was the magical core-binding that was more important for healing. Hermione wondered if there was anything in Rowena’s library about their unique bonding situation.

She was shaken from her reverie when Mist leapt onto her belly, purring away though the sound of her meows definitely seemed like a dressing down. They had rarely been home lately, so she wasn’t surprised their companion was unhappy with them.

When Fabian sniggered at whatever Mist said, she turned to him and yowled something that made him blush bright red and look thoroughly chastised. Hermione couldn’t help but laugh even though she didn’t know what Mist had said to him.

“Don’t be so amused,” Fabian said. “She told you that you wouldn’t have gotten hurt if you ever bothered to come home. She’s heard about what happened and—”

“She heard about it?” Hermione asked curiously.

Fabian grinned at her. “Trust me; if the cats of Hogwarts could talk, there would be no secrets at all. How do you think Professor McGonagall always knows what’s going on?”

“Oh, Merlin, I don’t want even to imagine the kinds of things she must know about,” Hermione laughed.

“We could find out if we wanted to know,” Gideon joked, tilting his head to Mist. She looked unamused and, turning to Fabian, she yowled again.

Fabian sighed and reached out a hand to pet her. “She says we would have to be here for her to tell us anything.” He switched to a cooing voice and said, “We’re sorry, Mist darling. We’ll try to come home more.”

“Though you could come and join us when we’re in the Founders’ Rooms,” Hermione suggested.

Mist’s response was considerably more positive, and, after kneading at Hermione, she curled up on top of her to sleep. Hermione immediately felt like she might sleep as well, her eyes drifting closed.

“Will having Mist with us affect what we’re going to do?” Fabian asked his brother.

As Gideon shook his head no, Hermione blinked awake and mumbled, “What are we going to do?”

“Use the bond to heal you, love,” Gideon told her.

That thought brought her fully awake. “I’m fine—”

“Not fine enough. With Dolohov on the loose and able to get past the wards, you must be fully healed and able to escape him,” Gideon pressed.

Even though she gripped his hand in support, she could see that Gideon wasn’t reassured. The danger was too real. “Okay,” she acquiesced. “So, what do we do?”

“You do nothing,” Fabian informed her. “Just hold our hands.”

Without question, Hermione took each of their offered hands. Something about this moment seemed charged, almost electric, and she found she didn’t want to argue about it.

Gideon smiled when they were joined, and he and Fabian linked hands as well, completing the circle. As though they had rehearsed it, the twins closed their eyes and began to chant. Hermione wasn’t certain of the words, but she thought… she felt… that it was about offering their magic and sharing with her and healing.

A small glow began at their joined hands and slowly crescendoed into a brilliant white light engulfing them but glowing particularly brightly from her. Hermione could feel the thrum of their combined magic sifting through her, energizing her as it washed away every hint of pain and weakness.

Hermione let out a contented sigh as the magic calmed, soothing her as the light died down into a golden sparkle. It was much like the tingly happy magic they had shared for the marriage. She couldn’t help but smile at Fabian and Gideon.

“Feel better?” Gideon asked, his voice a little awed.

“Much,” Hermione said. She was surprised by how much better she felt when she had thought she felt okay before. “Nothing hurts, and I even feel energetic.” Carefully moving Mist to her lap, she sat up.

“Good,” Fabian said. “Because we have some talking to do.”

“Fabian—” his brother began, but Hermione cut him off.

“It’s okay. We should talk,” she agreed.

“Doesn’t anyone want to discuss that light and the degree you’re feeling better?” Gideon asked her, clearly dying for the academic assessment.

Hermione smiled at him, then gasped. “That white light! It was like the Expulso I cast to get away from Dolohov and his Death Eaters. It’s usually orange, you know, but when I cast it that time, it was bright white and so much more powerful than I could have hoped.”

Both brothers nodded as they exchanged a look. “We felt a tug on our magic,” Fabian said. “And let it go to you. It wasn’t even a conscious thought.”

“We knew already that you had to be in trouble, but that just confirmed it,” Gideon continued.

“We were so scared of what might be happening to you, Hermione,” Fabian said, kneeling before her and rubbing his thumb up along her cheek.

This was the moment for her apology. “I’m so sorry I went off by myself,” she told them. “It was stupid.” She hated admitting she was wrong, especially when she knew her actions were idiotic and emotionally charged. Having her heart rule her head wasn’t something Hermione was used to, but since the war, it seemed to be happening much more than she liked.

“We were going to send Luna out after you,” Fabian explained. “But she wasn’t in the Hall last night.”

“It seemed important that we give you your space, but we shouldn’t have let you go out there alone,” Gideon continued solemnly.

Hermione shook her head. “I think the most important point is that I shouldn’t have wandered off out there in the first place, especially so close to the wards.”

“We can’t — any of us — go anywhere alone,” Gideon stated. She could see fear in his eyes but also a steely resolve. He was going to stand up against his former captor. She could feel it, and it terrified her on a certain level while also making her feel a sense of pride.

“I won’t,” Hermione agreed. “Not after this. And it shouldn’t have taken this to make me follow that. I just…” She trailed off, trying to figure out how to explain. Knowing everything they had gone through, she knew they would understand, but she didn’t want to seem silly. Her panic attack seemed trivial in comparison to everything Dolohov had put them through.

She must have been quiet too long because Fabian shifted and prompted her. “Just what?”

“I was having a panic attack,” Hermione admitted quietly. “I couldn’t breathe properly. I just needed air and to get away. I didn’t realize it in the moment, of course. I thought I was just overheated from the argument and winded from leaving so quickly. Still, it’s no excuse for running off alone when we knew that Dolohov was near.”

“Harry did warn us,” Fabian agreed.

“I know you’ve struggled with the panic attacks, but I don’t understand what happened in our conversation that triggered one,” Gideon said seriously. He was watching her carefully, observing every movement. It was a look Hermione recognized as his most studious. He genuinely wanted to understand.

Hermione sighed. She didn’t really want to go back over it, but she knew avoiding the necessity would do no good. “Since I was eleven years old, my life has been about keeping Harry alive and defeating Voldemort. I didn’t have time for much else or to even consider the possibility of a social life outside of school and surviving. Honestly, I didn’t even expect to live through it at all most of the time.”

“That makes sense,” Fabian said, taking her hand and squeezing it.

“But then I did. We made it through the war, and I suddenly had all these options. I could do anything, be anything. I could actually ask myself what I wanted to be when I was done with school. I could imagine myself with a family, growing old with friends, and having an actual career. It was almost too much. But then… then I was suddenly tied to two men who were born twenty years before me, that I didn’t know, and I had no choice in the matter,” she continued.

“Hermione, love, we—” Gideon began.

“Let me get this out,” she interrupted. “I know you didn’t really have a choice either—”

“That wasn’t what—” Fabian started.

“But for me, all those choices were suddenly snatched away again. And you’re going to say I still have them, but it was clear when we talked about this the other night that you, Fabian, feel I should have your permission before I make a choice. That’s nearly as bad as having no choices at all, because what if I get excited over an opportunity—like the curator job—and you both don’t want me to do it. That’s a two-to-one odds automatically, it’s like I will never win in an argument or something. And Gideon doesn’t even believe I can do the curator job. Both of those outlooks were upsetting,” Hermione finished.

While both men started to defend themselves, Gideon bowed his head to Fabian, indicating he should go first.

“I am so sorry I came across that way, Hermione. I hadn’t thought about the future much yet, but I thought we were set to stay here through the next school year. Then, I guess I had assumed we would decide—together—where to go and what to do after that,” Fabian told her. “I know what assuming gets you.”

Hermione huffed a laugh. “I thought that was a Muggle phrase.”

“Even wizards can be asses,” Fabian quipped. “We’re quite good at it.” She had to laugh at that.

Bringing things back to the serious, Hermione said, “I know you’re my husbands, and I do need to let you know when I’m making big decisions and talk things over, but it’s not going to be easy for me. I’ve never had to do that before. Both of the boys relied on me to make the decisions for us, and my parents were big believers in nurturing independence. They would always ask me what I wanted to do when making a big decision, offer advice if I asked for it, and then go over the options with me, letting me make the final call. I badly wanted that freedom again. I had a taste of it before the two of you came into my life, not that you are a bad thing, but it was refreshing to know I was in control again. I don’t think I realized how much any of this had affected me until our argument.”

“We don’t want to take that away from you,” Gideon assured her.

She didn’t doubt his sincerity, but… “I’m glad, but I’m not sure how you can say that when you already don’t approve of what I want to do.”

Gideon bit his lower lip in a gesture Hermione had come to know meant he was anxious. “It’s not that I disapprove. I just don’t want you to set your plans on something that Professor McGonagall may change her mind about. There will be scholars from all over the world who want that position. You are brilliant, but you don’t have the same training that Masters of the field have. And if McGonagall realizes this, she may not even remember promising the job to you in the first place, or she may not have looked at it as a promise. I don’t want you to end up disappointed and doubting yourself over a possible miscommunication or misunderstanding.”

Trying hard to refrain from becoming defensive again, Hermione turned his words over in her head. Grudgingly, she conceded, “That makes sense. To be honest, I can’t even fully remember the verbiage she used when we talked after everything that’s happened, so I may have blown the conversation out of proportion. I appreciate you looking out for me in that way, even if I didn’t realize that’s what you were trying to do at the time.” Hermione paused, her inner stubbornness still under the surface. “I would be excellent at research, though, and helping others find their materials. And I’m learning a great deal about preservation methods this summer.”

“You are,” Fabian agreed. “And it’s a great foundation. Maybe… what if you worked to gain a Mastery of your own under whoever Professor McGonagall chooses to curate the collection here?”

As much as she hated to admit it, that was an excellent opportunity to have. More than that, she had felt an immediate thrill at the idea of learning under the tutelage of someone with even greater knowledge. “It’s something to think about,” she replied, not wanting to fully concede.

“If Professor McGonagall still offers it to you once she sees the collection, I think you will do a good job,” Gideon told her.

“But not the best job,” Hermione finished what he wouldn’t say. “No, don’t argue. You’re right. I see that now. To be honest, I’m not even sure that it’s what I want.”

“Being in charge of your library might not be what you want?” Fabian asked in surprise. Gideon looked less shocked, but watched her with interest.

“The idea of getting a Mastery has always excited me,” she admitted. “Or… a few.”

Both men laughed, but Gideon smiled fondly as well. “I’m not surprised,” he said. “You would be excellent at many things.”

“That’s part of the trouble,” she said. “There are so many things that interest me and so many that I would be good at. How do I choose?”

“You could make lists,” Fabian suggested.

Hermione couldn’t help the grin she sent his way. He had made fun of her for the extensive lists she made more than once, but he clearly understood how important they were for her. She nodded. “Yes, I’m sure I will.”

“And we’re here to talk through things when you’re ready to talk about them,” Gideon reminded gently. “It will take some care to be sure we offer advice rather than make you feel like we’re telling you what to do, but know that we want it to be the former.”

“What if I’m choosing something you really don’t want me to do?” Hermione asked, skeptical.

Fabian got a stubborn look, but Gideon spoke up first, “We’ll have to work through it, like in any other relationship.”

“That’s the thing,” Hermione said with a sigh. “I’ve never really been in a relationship before. There was flirting with Krum and a couple of dates, but we settled rather quickly on just being friends. And Ron and I were over before we began. This is my first relationship. And it’s more serious than anything I had imagined myself in for years to come. I don’t… I don’t know how to do this, and it scares me and makes me angry.”

The twins were silent, pondering what she had said. Hermione felt ready to burst with the need to say something more, the silence heavy between them, but she made herself wait.

“I’ve never had anything serious either,” Fabian finally offered. “I’ve been in relationships, but nothing that was going anywhere.”

“But you have, Gideon?” Hermione asked, curious now, and with a tight, angry feeling in her chest.

He nodded as his eyes searched her face. “At Hogwarts, I had a girlfriend for a little over two years.”

“What happened?”

Fabian winced, and she instantly knew it was bad.

“She was a muggleborn,” Gideon began. “Louisa and her family were some of the first they went after when it all started. I don’t know why. She wasn’t important in the grand scheme of things. But they… they were slaughtered. I was the one—” He cut himself off, swallowing hard as he visibly fought to remain calm.

Hermione reached out to him without another thought, her hand clutching at Gideon’s. She was relieved when he let her have it. When he looked up at her, his eyes were grateful. Fabian, too, was looking at her like she had done something enormous by offering Gideon comfort, and she didn’t understand why.

“Why in Merlin’s name are you both so surprised?” she asked, trying to keep her tone moderate enough that it wouldn’t start a fight.

Gideon bowed his head slightly. “You looked angry when I said I had a serious relationship once before. And… I didn’t save her. She died without me there to even try and help her.”

She blinked at him. “How could you have known the Death Eaters would do that?”

“That’s what I asked him every time,” Fabian said. “We joined the Order as a direct result from that incident.”

“I had to do something to stand against them,” Gideon explained.

“So, of course, I came along, too,” Fabian interjected. He watched his brother with a worried expression.

Tilting her head, Hermione said, “I never thought to ask how you got involved.”

“It was the right thing to do,” Fabian told her, with Gideon nodding. “But knowing what could happen spurred us forward faster than we might otherwise have joined.”

“We fought from the time we graduated Hogwarts until we were captured, about six years. The First Wizarding War was long.”

Hermione shuddered. The Second War had only been three years from the time Voldemort returned. She couldn’t imagine how much damage would have been done in three more years, not to mention that it had started before Fabian and Gideon left Hogwarts and joined the Order. It was disheartening to think of their teenage years being overwhelmed by the stupid war as well.

The thought of their lost opportunities made her heart clench. And then she almost gasped aloud, realizing how deeply their pain and trauma were affecting her. Hermione wanted the best for them. She wanted Fabian and Gideon to be happy. She just hadn’t realized how much until now.

“I’m sorry I’ve been selfish,” she suddenly gushed.

“What?” Gideon asked, blinking in surprise. “You haven’t been.”

“I have,” Hermione disagreed. “We’re all struggling with what we’ve been through. I had never thought about the way your lives might have been impacted by the war even before Dolohov captured you both. You’ve both been through so much. I have, too, but… you’re right that we need to make decisions together.”

Matching looks of confusion met her declaration. “I don’t disagree,” Gideon said slowly, “But what brought this on?”

“Just what I said,” she replied. “We’re in this together. And I realized… I don’t know… how much I care about you both and want you to heal and have good lives, the lives you deserved. I don’t know if being stuck with me is good for that, but I want to make it good for the two of you and me.”

Her voice was impassioned, her breathing coming in gasps. She meant every word and wanted them to see that.

“Hermione, love, I think you need to slow down and breathe,” Fabian suggested. He took her hands in his and led her through a breathing exercise. Only then Hermione realized she had been close to another attack, just from thinking about what they had been through.

“I think I need to schedule an extra appointment with Healer Mitchell,” she admitted. Her appointments were normally every third day now, but perhaps that had happened too soon. She hadn’t realized any of these issues before, not to this degree anyway.

“Maybe that would be best for all of us,” Gideon suggested. “This whole incident has shaken me as well. I’m looking forward to my appointment later.”

“I could use one, too,” Fabian said. His normal appointment day was tomorrow. “Though I think there are other things we need to talk about first.”

Trepidation swept through Hermione. The look on Fabian’s face told her this would be something she didn’t like. “What is it?” she asked.

“Dolohov had you, but he wasn’t really after you. He wants Gid and me.”

“Well, he’s certainly not getting you!” Hermione exclaimed. She didn’t like where this was going.

“No, he’s not. But I think it might be useful if he knew we are human again,” Fabian stated.

Hermione gasped. “What do you mean?”

“He means it’s time for us to come out of hiding, Hermione,” Gideon said, nodding solemnly along with his brother. He was clearly on board with the idea, whether or not he had known about it before.

“What?” she found herself sputtering. “You can’t! He’ll find you!”

“That’s the idea, yes,” Gideon agreed.

Dumbfounded, it took her a moment to find anything else to say. When she did, sarcasm laced her voice. “What are you going to do, announce it in the Prophet?”

“I was thinking something a bit more elaborate, but I’m sure the Prophet will pick it up.”

“What?” Hermione felt like a broken record.

“We’ll have some sort of publicity stunt,” Gideon said, understanding his brother perfectly.

“That’s insane. Dolohov could be there. He could and would come after you once you did that!” Hermione argued.

“Yes. The important thing,” Fabian continued, “is that he goes after us instead of you.”

“Absolutely not!” Hermione disagreed. “You are not… sacrificing yourselves for me. Surely you know I won’t let you do that.”

Gideon gave her a sad smile. “Try and stop us, love. You’re as important to us as ourselves.”

“I will stop you. It’s a stupid idea,” she insisted.

Shaking his head, Fabian said, “It’s not. Our reappearance has to happen sooner or later, and it might as well be now when it accomplishes something.”

“What exactly would it accomplish when you live with me? You can’t lure them away from me when we are here together,” Hermione pointed out logically.

“Which is why we can’t live here for a while. I have an idea for that,” Fabian said.

Gideon glanced over at him before saying, “I can think of a few possibilities as well.”

“You’re both just full of ideas, aren’t you?” Hermione asked bitterly. “But you’re not listening to me.”

“And you’re not listening to us,” Fabian pointed out. “I could tell you my plan if you would stop arguing about it. Then you could make an informed decision.”

“No,” Hermione said. She wasn’t listening to this, even if it was immature, even if it was another sign of how unready she really was for this relationship. Rising from the sofa, she stormed out of their common area and into their bedroom, where she could break down in peace.

***********

“That could have gone better,” Fabian said, cursing himself for not finding a better way to tell her.

Gideon shook his head. “I can’t imagine a way that telling would have gone well. Not when our plan involves endangering ourselves.” He paused for a moment then said, “Mind telling me what our plan is? I can see bits of it in your head, I know it involves our twin nephews and their joke shop, but I would love to hear the details.”

“You’ll have to come with me when I talk to them,” Fabian told him. “Right now, we need to meet with Harry to talk about his part in this.”

Eyebrows rising, Gideon asked, “Harry has a role… as an Auror?”

“Yes,” Fabian returned, glad that his twin had so quickly made the connection.

“I can’t wait to hear more, but I am not going with you now,” Gideon decided.

Surprised, Fabian asked, “Why not?”

“Because I think Hermione needs one of us here, even if she never admits it.”

Fabian blinked. He should have thought of that. “I don’t want her left alone here either. That’s one aspect I haven’t thought through. If we’re not living here with her, she may go off by herself again.”

Shaking his head, Gideon disagreed. “She learned that lesson well enough. And perhaps we could talk her into letting Luna move in. Or Ginny.”

“That could be good. It might make her feel a bit more free from us, too,” Fabian said with a sigh. “Maybe this will be good for us in the long run.”

Gideon agreed sadly, then opened a book, though he glanced toward the bedroom door before he began reading. Hopefully, she would emerge before long. Fabian shook his head, grateful in all honesty that it was Gideon rather than him who would try to reason with their wife and help her calm down.

Whistling, Fabian set out toward Professor McGonagall’s office. Because Harry was still a trainee, he would have someone with him. Fabian shouldn’t have been surprised when this mentor was again Minister Shacklebolt. They were there without any other Aurors this time.

“Mr. Prewett,” the Minister greeted, holding his hand to shake. They went through the usual greeting rituals all-around before Shacklebolt nodded to Harry to indicate he should run things.

“Why did you ask us here today, Fab— Mr. Prewett?” Harry asked.

“I’m wondering why there hasn’t been a raid on Eeylops Owl Emporium yet,” he answered.

Harry blinked at him. “I’m sorry. I thought this was something more about Hermione’s attack.” He glanced over at the Minister, looking guilty. “Why would there be a raid on Eeylops?”

“I’m sorry for the miscommunication. That was my fault,” Fabian said smoothly. “But I thought Auror Pinkley would have reported what I testified about when you came for our statements.” He made sure his tone indicated he had no such faith in Auror Pinkley.

Shacklebolt cursed quietly. “There was nothing in the report about Eeylops except that you lived there for some time.”

It took a lot of effort not to growl, even though Fabian wasn’t surprised. “I did. And I don’t think the place should be in business any longer. He hurts his animals. I was always lucky not to be one he badly injured, but he went after my Familiar, Mist, quite a bit. He hits and kicks the creatures, even burns them if they’re ‘acting up.’ He never feeds animals enough unless he thinks they’re desirable enough that they’ll sell immediately. And there is a backroom. I don’t know what happened there, but the noises… He was doing something terrible to them. And he only sold the animals in that room to certain customers.”

“That’s horrible, and we’ll certainly investigate, but how does it connect to Hermione and Dolohov?” Harry asked. He was filled with righteous confidence that they would get to the bottom of this.

“When Gideon escaped — he only got free because a house-elf was taking him to Eeylops. He believed, based on the way it had been spoken of, that something bad was going to happen to him there, something possibly worse than being with Dolohov. We don’t know, but—”

“I’ll have Pinkley’s head for not reporting this,” Shacklebolt declared. “That’s more than enough just-cause to get a warrant.”

“Good, but I’m not done. Gid and I think that Dolohov is actually involved there. I can’t prove it, but… there was something fishy about that backroom. And there were often voices, one that I almost recognized. I think it was him. I think it may be another place they hide.”

“I feel like there is a connection, too,” Harry said, “But why would there be? What is it about a shop with animals that would draw him to it?”

Fabian shrugged. “Maybe he’s a part-owner, or he really likes crups or something. The bastard certainly has a thing for cats.”

“So if Dolohov were involved, we would want to catch him in there. Or nearby.”

“I think I know the perfect moment for you to raid the place. In a few days, there will be a huge distraction in Diagon Alley. Minister Shacklebolt, I was going to be asking for a meeting with you later today for your possible help with the situation…”

Fabian continued to explain his idea as the two men listened and nodded along. This was going to be perfect. It had to be.

*********

Gideon tried to read for almost half an hour before he couldn’t take it any longer. The silence was unnerving when he could feel Hermione hurting so nearby.

He approached the bedroom door with caution. Fully expecting it to be warded closed, Gideon was surprised when there was no barrier keeping him out. She had apparently only silenced the room. When he stepped inside, he could hear her sobs muffled by the pillows.

Rushing to her side, Gideon went to his knees on the floor beside the bed. “Hermione,” he whispered her name so as not to startle her before he touched her back and moved her hair so that he could see the part of her face that wasn’t buried. “I’m sorry you’re hurting, love.”

“If you were really sorry, you would be talking Fabian out of this,” she said, though it came out as more of a whimper.

Gideon barked a laugh despite himself. “You’ve clearly never tried to talk him out of something.” He continued, bringing himself under control, “Even if I could, I wouldn’t.”

Hermione’s head came up from the pillow, and he got a good look at her. The girl was a mess, but Gideon still found her beautiful in that moment. Unaware of his thoughts, she demanded, “Why not!?”

“Because I agree with him that it needs to happen,” he said simply.

“No. Just, no. What if he captures you again? What if he kills you?” Her voice was almost hysterical by the end.

“He won’t. I don’t know Fabian’s plan yet, but I promise you I won’t agree to it unless precautions are taken at every turn. I want you to be safer, but I don’t want to be captured again. Neither does Fabian, I’m sure,” Gideon soothed, moving up onto the bed to run his hand down her back, almost petting her.

“What if I just want to keep the two of you safer?” she asked.

Gideon shook his head. “You’ve protected us enough. And you give us safety to come home to.”

Hermione huffed. “I don’t give you anything here. This is all Hogwarts.”

“You misunderstand, Hermione. You are our safety. Fab and I can’t afford to lose you when you’re our everything.”

Scoffing, Hermione said, “I thought we were done with that soulmate stuff?”

He couldn’t help but smile at her. “Your eyes are still clouded by the Muggle idea of soulmates. The three of us aren’t soulbonded, but you still complete our magic, complete us in a way. We need you, but, more importantly, we want you. Hermione, you are home for us, no matter how romantic or silly it sounds to you.”

Her mouth made a funny little ‘O’ shape that made him want to take those lips with his own, but Gideon stayed where he was, watching her. When it seemed she couldn’t think of a response, he went on. “The feeling has only grown as we’ve gotten to know you. This isn’t just some magic-fueled insanity.”

“How can you know?” she asked. The look in her eyes was so earnest that Gideon wanted to pull her into his arms and fix this.

So he did. He reached under her and pulled Hermione so that she was halfway on his lap. When he smoothed her hair down and pulled her closer, Gideon was surprised to hear a soft sigh from her.

“I know because of how thankful I am to have you in our lives every day. I’m sorry that you weren’t given a choice about our magic getting all tangled up, but I can’t say I’m sorry it brought us together. Hermione, you don’t know how amazing you are. I think we would have been drawn to you even without the magical binding; I would, at least. If we had ever gotten the opportunity to know you. I wish I knew whether you would have felt the same.”

“You do?” Hermione asked. She had squirmed until she was almost entirely in his lap, and her face was very close to his own. Gideon had to work not to make this into something it was not. He was just offering her comfort, someone to talk to.

Solemnly, he nodded. “You’re not the only one who likes making their own choices, love. We’re more accustomed to the general concept than you are, so more accepting of it, but I’ve always hoped that I would have the opportunity to fall in love, to have someone fall for me, too.”

“Gideon, it’s not that I don’t love you—” Hermione started, then gasped at her own words, at the implication behind them.

He struggled not to show the wave of emotion her words brought. “You don’t have to… there was no reason to and, well, I hope you fall for us in your own time.”

“Dammit, I already have!” Hermione said, shoving him just slightly at the shoulder. It wasn’t a playful movement under the circumstances, but it was clear she wasn’t trying to hurt him. “I have, but it doesn’t mean I know how to do this.”

“We’ll learn together, Hermione. Sometimes we’ll stumble and fail at it, but we’ll be here to pick each other back up and keep trying. Do you know why I’m here right now?” Gideon asked.

“To make sure I don’t destroy our room or interrupt whatever plotting Fabian is doing?” she huffed.

With a half-smile, Gideon shook his head. “No, love. Fab wanted me to come with him. And I have faith you would restore any damage you did to the room.” He paused, tucking a curl behind her ear. He was trying to think of something other than her lips as he stared into her eyes and said, “I wanted to be here for you. Because even if you don’t need someone else, it can help to have someone. And I want to be that someone. I want—”

He was shocked when she cut him off with her lips pressed to his, her arms snaking around his neck and tugging at his hair. His startled half-cry was quickly muffled as her tongue slid in to dance with his own. Gideon slipped his hands around her more firmly, one moving to her hair while the other wandered downward. He couldn’t help himself.

Hermione didn’t seem to mind. Her hands were wandering down his broad back, one hand coming down to trace across his hip and around, to graze his upper thigh. It made his body begin to react, though Gideon was sure she didn’t mean to take things beyond the kiss. She was still half angry with him, after all.

When her hand slid further up his thigh as her mouth more vigorously attacked him, Gideon suddenly wasn’t as sure. She shifted in his lap, moving back. When her hand ran across his thickening cock and instantly brought it to full attention, he was certain he had misjudged the situation.

“Hermione…” he groaned, unsure if he was begging or trying to warn her away. But the friction her hand was giving through his trousers took away his ability to say anything else.

She ignored whatever he might have said, kissing his neck and moving down. Before he knew what was happening, his shirt was off and his trousers coming undone.

“Wait,” he gasped, feeling like he could barely speak around the drumbeat of his heart. Hermione paused in her efforts to push his trousers down. “Hermione… I don’t know if this is what you really want.”

“You’re right. You don’t know what I really want,” she answered. “But I’m willing to let you see.”

She stared straight into his eyes and fully opened the connection between them. Gideon couldn’t control the sound he made when he saw what she had in mind. Though part of him meant to ask again if she was sure, he was overcome by the images she had given him and pulled her down, so they were lying together on the bed.

This time he began the kiss between them. He had meant it to be sweet, slow things down, but it just accelerated as her hand slid into his pants, the angle much better now that she wasn’t half sitting on him. When she made contact with his throbbing cock, they both moaned.

“How is this fair?” he gritted out as she pushed his trousers and pants down and off. Gideon moved to pull her shirt off, but Hermione dodged away from him.

“No. Today I get to explore,” she told him firmly.

“I suppose I can’t deny you that,” Gideon answered, hoping the growing desperation for more of her touch wasn’t showing on his face. He had been very adamant with Fabian that they would take their time and let her lead. But thank Merlin, she was leading here. Now that she had touched him, years of neglect made it impossible for him to control his rising desire.

The way she smiled at him, like the cat who got the cream, made Gideon quite certain she could tell. He didn’t have time to think on it, though, as Hermione moved down so that her head was close to his cock. Just having her in the vicinity made him throb enough that his cock twitched toward her.

She gently ran a finger from the bottom of his shaft to the tip and then circled the head, sending chills across his entire body. It left Gideon breathless.

“It’s so soft,” Hermione commented, her voice a little awed. Then her fist wrapped around him, and she slowly pulled downward, making Gideon arch toward her while failing to suppress another groan. “But so hard at the same time. Like silk over steel.”

“Have you… Merlin, that feels good… have you never—” He couldn’t complete his sentence.

“I lived in a tent with two teenage boys for almost a year. I’ve seen cocks before, but never up close, and I’ve never touched one before. Or… tasted.”

“Are you sure you want to—” but again, Gideon was able to continue as her hot, wet mouth enveloped him.

“Fuck, Hermione. I can’t last,” he all but whimpered, his breath harsh, voice gravelly.

She hummed a reply, the vibration making Gideon go wild, his hips bucking forward before he could stop them. Hermione didn’t seem upset by it, though she did move her hand so that her fist gripped him below her mouth, making one long sleeve to push into.

Merlin, he couldn’t handle how good it felt. As much as it was clearly her first time, Hermione played him like an instrument, and Gideon couldn’t hold back. When her hands squeezed his arse and pushed him deeper into her mouth, he took the hint and began to thrust into her as gently as he could.

It took only moments before he was crying out at each movement, and then she began licking him inside her mouth, and Gideon lost it. He exploded into her mouth before he could even find the breath to warn her.

His seed filled her mouth and spilled out as she sucked at him. Nothing would ever turn him on as much, he was certain, as her upturned face, eyes meeting his with his come dribbling down her chin. Fuuuuuck. His cock was already twitching back to life despite the very intense orgasm he had just experienced.

Hermione sat up, wiping her mouth with her fingers and then diligently sucking each one into her mouth to clean them. His cock began to harden again, though Gideon did his best to cover it.

“Don’t,” she told him, smiling. “I’m happy to see it some more. It’s going to be a very long time before I tire of it, I think.”

“Come here and let me—”

“No,” Hermione said for the second time since this all began. She laughed as he dodged toward her, too slowly as his lethargic body fought against his commands to move. Gideon wanted a nap.

Therefore, he was happy when she moved to tackle him, rolling with him until they were lying side by side again.

“Can we just rest here like this?” Hermione asked.

“Nothing would make me happier,” Gideon said honestly.

She ran a hand lightly down his chest and across his abdomen. It felt casually familiar yet reverent at the same time, and it sent goose pimples over his body again. “Are you cold?”

He shook his head. “No, your touch just feels very good.”

Hermione grinned. “Good,” she said playfully. “It’s supposed to.”

Still, she pulled the sheet up over both of them. It really was unfair that she was still dressed. But apparently, she thought so, too, because she whispered a quick spell and her outer clothes were folded neatly on the dresser instead of on her body.

Gideon shuddered at her soft skin against his. Merlin, how he wanted to start something else. To distract himself, he cleared his throat and asked, “Are we okay?”

“We’re more than okay,” Hermione replied, running a hand down his cheek, and lovingly traced his worst scar.

“I know we are in this sense. I just meant… you understand what Fabian and I have to do?” he ventured.

Hermione’s jaw tensed, but she nodded. “I know there is no stopping you, and I understand why you think it’s necessary.”

“We won’t do anything carelessly, though I suspect it won’t look that way to an outsider. That would be half the point.”

“To look careless?” she asked.

Gideon nodded. “We’ll want Dolohov to have his guard down, think we’re stupid and still overconfident children like when he captured us.” He didn’t know Fabian’s specific plans, but he knew that much for sure.

“You want him to underestimate you,” she said.

He ran his hand down her smooth back as he agreed. “We’re making ourselves into targets, but we’ll have the Aurors backing us up and our wits about us. I promise.”

Hermione sighed, half in exasperation but half from the way he was running his hand down her body. It made Gideon smile as she said, “Okay. I trust you.”

It was more than what he had hoped to hear from her. This whole time together had been far more than he had hoped for. Gideon couldn’t remember the last time he was this happy.

Chapter Text

Nervously, Gideon stood in the main room of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, under a disillusionment charm with Fabian. It was an extraordinary shop, and he felt fortunate to see it in all of its renewed glory. Their twin nephews were talented inventors and had an eye for the bizarre that drew people in. If they weren’t making such a big deal about it in other ways, people might just laugh about the twins producing two people who appeared to be their dead Uncles. Merlin knew no one had batted an eye — except to run in fear of the chaos — when the four of them had gone out looking identical. It was just the Weasley twins. They did that sort of thing.

But this time, there was also Percy loitering with the Minister at the cafe across the street. Bill and Charlie were standing to the side of WWW, ready to provide crowd control for the store in addition to the Aurors he saw moving in the crowd here and there. Of course, Arthur had Molly at home so that she couldn’t protest. It was best for him, too, so he could have plausible deniability. Ginny was standing on the platform, ready to assist. And the twins were front and center, of course, playing the crowd and nudging excitement ever higher for their big announcement.

It was a busy shopping day, too, with Hogwarts getting close. Parents were scrambling about ensuring their children had the proper school supplies. In contrast, their children were mostly crowded around either Quality Quidditch Supplies or WWW, watching the twins and laughing or staring longingly at the shop, wishing to go inside. For now, no one was allowed.

Stepping forward on the platform that had erected itself at the shopfront, Fred and George began trading words back and forth together as they made their announcement.

“Friends, we, the proprietors of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, dynamic duo of comedic chaos, welcome you here today. We have something exceptional to announce to the world.”

A cheer went up. Ginny stepped to the side and shot off the fireworks that had been arranged. People giggled and laughed as two Crookshanks’ were gallivanting around the sky, chasing Whizbangs that unraveled like balls of yarn and then exploded further as the cats caught them. If Dolohov managed to miss the implication of all this, he would have to have buried his head under a pile of rocks.

“Seeing double?” Fred and George cried out just as everything in the sky above them duplicated in a large circle around the two cats. “There’s no trouble! Not with our new Dupli-Scopes Glasses! Put on a pair of these, and you’ll be seeing twins everywhere — of everything!”

Fabian looked at him, and Gideon gave a grim nod. He didn’t love this plan, but it was what needed to happen. They dropped the disillusionment and strode out onto the platform together. For the product promotion, they had agreed to keep Gideon’s scars under a glamour. He would wear them with pride soon enough. Or fake it well enough, he admitted to himself.

He focused on breathing deeply as he and Fabian came to stand next to Fred and George. There was laughter and cheering, but then a gasp, whispers, older people turning to each other as they realized.

A woman’s voice rang out above the rest of the crowd, “The Prewett twins!” Her voice carried even as the public began to buzz with whispered conversations.

Fred, George, Fabian, and Gideon all joined hands, and Gideon shouted, “It’s true! We’re back!” Earlier, it had been decided that he would be the one to speak in case the excitement made Fabian regress to more cat-like behavior. They weren’t sure how excited he would get around the crowd.

“We’ve been wearing our Dupli-Scopes Glasses so much that our shop has even doubled — opening a new branch in Hogsmeade where our twin Uncles will preside over the premises,” Fred and George announced, each speaking a few words at a time.

A cheer went up from the crowd — especially the children, excited by the prospect of another Weasley Wizard Wheezes so close to school. They would be able to restock throughout the year and have access to new products.

“Please direct your attention across the way to our venerable brother dearest, Percy Weasley, and the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, himself for a little announcement of their own.”

There was magically a dais in front of the cafe for them to stand on. People seemed unsure which way to turn, as predicted. So Fred and George made a — thoroughly planned — dramatic show of putting their Dupli-Scopes Glasses on as Ginny handed Fabian a broom. Suddenly there was a wave of smoke next to Gideon that scampered away in cat form, leaving him with a broom in his hand as well when the smoke cleared. Everyone laughed and clapped at the trick.

Fabian and Gideon mounted their brooms and flew over the street, twisting and turning in a coordinated mid-air dance they had once been well known for as chasers on Gryffindor’s team. As they dove and landed on the dais next to Kingsley and their nephew, people clapped and cheered, staring at them in wonder.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Kingsley began, “As you can see, we have something wonderful to announce today. Someone mentioned the Prewett Twins, which, of course, seems preposterous. But today is a day of wonders, as I’m sure you already gathered from the performance of our favorite Weasley twins.” The Minister gave Fred and George a wink across the way before turning back to him and Fabian. “It turns out that our favorite Prewett twins were never dead but cursed into the forms of twin cats instead. While Fabian was eventually able to escape, Gideon was kept captive until the war was won.”

Gideon felt himself tremble just slightly as the glamour slowly dissolved from him, revealing the scars, the proof of their time as captives. There were gasps. He knew how bad he looked, especially compared to the facade of innocent youth he had worn moments before.

“Today’s announcement comes with a warning. There are still Death Eaters at large. As some of you may recall, the Prewetts were taken after Voldemort fell the first time. Bad things can still happen, so be alert.”

Some people cried out or nodded diligently in response, but most did some form of an eye roll and turned away. Kingsley was losing them.

“We have some Orders of Merlin to hand out today,” the Minister shouted. The crowd immediately swung back to him. Not only were Orders of Merlin rarely given, but they also were never announced in front of regular people like this.

“The Prewett brothers, Gideon especially, were in a position to gather information despite their horrific situation. Using that information, our Auror team rounded up more Death Eaters and their snatchers. This actually brings us nearly to the end of our list of those who need to be brought to justice. But! It is not time to let your guard down yet,” Kingsley reminded the crowd. “Antonin Dolohov is still free, angry, and on the move. If you have even the slightest suspicion about him, please let the Aurors know.”

Gideon was scanning the crowd, hoping that he would and that he would not see the object of their fears. His nerves were doing well until someone moved near the back of the crowd. It was a man in a dark hat, but Gideon’s stomach lurched at the way the man moved. It was Dolohov. He was sure of it.

Signaling to one of the Aurors, Gideon could communicate where the man was. But their target clearly realized it before they could get to him. Moving along the edge of the crowd, Dolohov ducked into Eeylops Owl Emporium.

Gideon couldn’t help but grin. That evil bastard was in for a surprise.

*************

Fabian knew it wasn’t part of the plan, but he couldn’t help himself. He swung onto his broom and sped toward the shop, his concern for the creatures inside overpowering the terror he recognized in his twin’s tone as Gideon called his name.

Landing on the shop’s threshold, he shrunk his broomstick and tucked it into his pocket in one swift movement. Fabian was inside within seconds, his eyes taking a moment to adjust. The shop itself was dark, though the bright flashes of spell light kept it from seeming that way.

The room was alive with noise as all the creatures voiced their fear and displeasure at what was happening. Fabian could hear the cats’ angry voices above the others, and he felt for them all. He had to protect them—from Dolohov and any of his men who might be around, but also from the Aurors who wouldn’t consider the animals as important as a human.

Fabian threw up a massive ward around the perimeters of the room to keep the caged creatures safe. He was lightly cursing himself for not thinking of this detail sooner, setting it up with Harry as one of the raid points.

In the wand light, he could see Dolohov, the shopkeep, and a couple of people Fabian knew he had seen in here over the years facing off against a team of three Aurors.

“Drop your wands, Death Eaters!” Auror Johnson demanded, panting somewhat from the force of the spellfire he was exchanging. “You can’t apparate, and there are more Aurors outside. You’re not getting out of this.”

Dolohov laughed, a sound that sent shivers down Fabian’s spine. “I’ll enjoy proving you wrong. Though…” He turned at that moment, spinning to face Fabian. “It appears not everyone trusts you Aurors to handle the situation. Smart one, this. He escaped me once, you know.”

“And he’ll be escaping you again,” a calm, angry voice spoke from the door. Gideon.

“You,” Dolohov sneered, firing off a slicing hex toward Gideon.

He dodged it easily. “I’m not as easy to hit when you don’t have me bound.” Fabian could tell he was livid.

The other Death Eaters were scrambling into a tight circle back to back with Dolohov. Oddly, though they were still slinging spells at the Aurors, their arms were full of cages — ones Fabian recognized as having come from the backroom. He could hear at least one cat yowling from the wildly swinging prisons.

Without thinking, he dodged toward the Death Eaters, intent on rescuing the terrified creature, but an Auror stepped in front of Fabian, clearly irritated with him for being there and needing civilian protection.

Only he needed no such thing. Fabian was just about to skid to the floor and use his wand from the unexpected angle when Dolohov laughed again.

“I know you’re behind my shop’s demise, Prewett,” he said. Fabian wasn’t sure which one of them he was talking to, but it hardly mattered. “Rest assured, you’ll pay for this. Better yet, the girl will pay for it.”

“What?” Fabian gasped.

“The one you both rushed to rescue. I knew I recognized you even through your pathetic glamours,” Dolohov proclaimed.

Gideon shot three rapid-fire spells at the bastard’s head. “You will never get your hands on her.”

“I assure you, it’s just a matter of time before the Death Eaters and I rise. And I’ll have all three of you as my toys,” Dolohov taunted, ignoring the Aurors closing in on him.

The other three men suddenly grabbed hold of Dolohov’s robe sleeves at some kind of silent signal, and there was the pop of Apparition.

“How the—” Auror Johnson screeched as the others cursed.

Fabian looked to his brother across the room, not wasting time wondering how the man had gotten out past the Anti-Apparition wards he knew had been in place. Gideon was pale and furious.

“I promised her we were sticking to the plan and staying out of danger. What in Merlin’s name were you thinking, Fabian?” Gideon demanded.

“The animals needed protection. I didn’t think about it until Dolohov ran in here. I suspected he was somehow involved, but I didn’t… it was a hole in the plan, but I couldn’t let them die because I didn’t think of something,” Fabian explained earnestly.

Gideon gritted his teeth, unable to argue but visibly wanting to. “What do you think was so important about the animals they took with them?” he finally asked.

“Yes, I was hoping you might understand something about that, too,” Harry said, coming up to them in full Auror regalia. However, any air of authority it might have given him was ruined by the same enthusiastic Crup they had seen here before. Harry had been poking around looking for evidence since the Death Eaters disappeared, but the Crup had latched onto him and kept trying to jump up on him.

Fabian shook his head. “They were from the backroom. That’s all I know for certain. Are there any animals back there?”

“Just this Crup,” Harry said, trying to calm it down. “I don’t know what we’re going to do with her.”

The Crup whined at him and rubbed its body against him like a cat, an explicit request to take her home. Harry shook his head. “This girl seems so familiar somehow, but Ginny would have my head. Erm… not that she lives with me yet… I mean, not that she will, but…”

As amusing as it was to hear him stumble over the details of what might happen with his niece, Fabian was more focused on the Crup. There was something a little off about it. And Fabian found himself wanting to find out what it was.

“Why don’t we take her home?” Fabian suggested.

Gideon blinked at him. “Won’t Mist have a problem with that?”

Fabian blanched, knowing his brother wasn’t wrong. She had always found the Crups annoying, and she wasn’t likely to react well to one being in their space. “I’ll smooth things over with her,” he assured Gideon.

“Well, I’ve always liked Crups, and we can make her a surprise for Hermione,” Gideon said, though his tone was a bit doubtful.

“It’s decided then!” Fabian said gleefully. This was meant to be. He could feel it in his bones.

***************

Hermione paced. “They should be back by now, shouldn’t they?” she demanded of her keepers. Ron and an older Auror whose name she couldn’t remember had been stationed with her in case Dolohov came to her instead of falling for the twins’ publicity stunt.

“I’m sure they will be soon,” Ron placated.

“They promised me they wouldn’t do anything stupid or get anywhere near Dolohov,” Hermione stated, trying to calm herself down.

“Technically, they promised to be careful and not to get captured or killed, which could be interpreted any number of—” Ron cut off as Hermione’s stinging hex caught him on the hip. “Ouch! Merlin, Hermione, what were you aiming for?” Then he paled and backed away.

She was in no mood to tolerate joking around. Her men were out there risking themselves for no good reason. Worse, they were announcing to the world where they would be found for the foreseeable future, and it was not going to include her. Yes, they had arranged things with Professor McGonagall to still come back to Hogwarts to her when they weren’t working, but the two of them were going to be far too exposed during the day.

Hermione turned to pace back over to Ron, perhaps to yell at him some more for no reason other than needing someone to lose her cool with when they heard excited voices in the hallway. She started for the door, but the old Auror blocked her way, going to answer it himself.

Before she knew it, Hermione had arms around her from both sides, Fabian and Gideon just as eager to get to her as she was to melt into them. “You’re safe,” she whimpered, almost crying in relief.

She didn’t have the opportunity to ask why Gideon was so pale or Fabian looking sheepish at her cry. Her moment with them was interrupted by an enthusiastic series of barks and a furry body hitting their legs. Hermione lost her balance and was caught by Fabian.

“Who is this?” she demanded, displeased that there was an unexpected Crup in her home. Did McGonagall know about this?

“She’s the Crup that was being mistreated at Eeylops the day we freed most of their stock. She’s from the backroom. They weren’t sure what to do with her, so I offered to keep her.”

“Keep her?” Hermione squeaked. “What is Mist going to have to say about this?”

They didn’t have time to wonder as the cat appeared on the back of the sofa with an irritable meow.

“That doesn’t sound as bad as I expected,” Gideon commented.

“Mist says we won’t be keeping it, so she doesn’t mind,” Fabian reported.

Gideon snorted. “How is she so sure?” Worry crossed his brow as Fabian asked Mist something to that effect, and then his face slackened in shock.

“What?” Hermione asked, her own worry intensifying. “What’s wrong?”

“Mist says she’s one of us. A trapped human like Gid and I were.”

Chapter Text

“Can Mist find out who she is?” Hermione asked excitedly.

Fabian took a moment, but Hermione could already tell by the tone of Mist’s yowl back that the answer was no.

A light blush colored his cheeks when he reported, “Mist reminded me that she’s a cat and that she, therefore, doesn’t speak Crup.” A disdainful meow showed exactly what Mist thought of their question as she licked a paw and glared at the human Crup, who bounded around her barking.

“Someone with a sense of humor,” Gideon noted with a smile.

“We should send for Bill,” Fabian suggested. “Hopefully, our nephew is ready for some more intense curse breaking.”

Gideon shook his head. “He’s not. Remember he was leaving for Egypt as soon as the press conference was over?”

“Merlin. He’s supposed to be gone for a few days, isn’t he?” Fabian asked, cursing.

Hermione frowned. “We could try to find a different Cursebreaker, but…”

“It would be best to have someone who knows what they’re doing with this spell. It’s too delicate,” Gideon said.

As much as she hated to wait, Hermione agreed. “I’ll send him a Patronus just in case he’s still around.”

Fabian squatted down to pet the Crup. “Sorry, friend. We’ll get you out of there soon. Do you understand?”

The Crup nodded then butted her head more firmly into his hand, clearly asking to be petted some more. Hermione couldn’t help but laugh at her antics.

“I wish we knew who she was, but I suppose there’s nothing we can do about it tonight,” Hermione said before looking to the twins. It had been an exhausting day of waiting.

“Is someone ready for bed?” Fabian teased.

Hermione had no trouble admitting, “As long as you’re both there.”

They left Mist and the Crup firmly on the other side of the door. Hermione didn’t want an audience of intelligent animals and a trapped stranger when she snuggled in with her husbands.

She didn’t feel better about the intensity of the day until she was in Gideon’s arms with Fabian pressed close behind her, hand on her hip.

“It went well today,” Fabian whispered in her ear.

“And we’re all still safe,” Gideon reassured.

Hermione burrowed her head into Gideon’s neck. “For now,” she noted. “What about when the new shop opens, and you’re exposed every day while I’m here at the school?”

“We’ll have undercover Aurors watching us. And, after the threats Dolohov made against you—”

“He threatened me?” Hermione demanded. They hadn’t mentioned that before.

Fabian began massaging her back, his hands consoling her now-tense body. “He realized once we were revealed that we must be the two who had come for you when he attacked. He said he thought there was something familiar about us even with glamours.”

“So now we think he’s going to come after you,” Gideon admitted.

Shaking her head in denial, Hermione whimpered. “So today was for nothing.”

“It wasn’t,” Gideon disagreed. “We drew him out, found the connection with Eeylops, recovered one person who was cursed like us, and now we’re out to the world. We don’t have to stay hidden anymore.”

“We got shiny Order of Merlins, too,” Fabian added. She could hear him grinning and rolled her eyes.

“I’m proud of you both, but I’m so scared that he will come after you and know where you are now,” Hermione worried.

Gideon squeezed her closer. “You don’t have to worry about us, love. We’re going to be safe about this. And—”

“You were supposed to be safe this time, and somehow, you came home having been a part of the Eeylops raid. How can I believe you’ll be safe working in Hogsmeade every day?” she asked.

With a sigh, Fabian said, “We have to trust each other. I’m scared that Dolohov can get past Hogwarts’ wards and could get to you. But I know how fast your mind works and that you’ll do everything you can to come home safe. You have to trust us to do the same.”

“It’s hard, but there’s no other choice,” Gideon added.

“It is hard,” Hermione agreed. “But I understand what you’re saying, and you’re right. We’re all in danger, but we have what safety we can manage. I just… I don’t want to lose you. Either of you.”

Surging forward, she kissed Gideon, melting into his comfort while Fabian continued to rub her back. When she finally pulled away, she asked, “How will I get on without the two of you every day?”

“The castle is nearly rebuilt. We wouldn’t have anything to do anyway,” Fabian reminded her.

“And you’re welcome to visit us anytime,” Gideon continued.

Fabian grinned as he finished, “Plus, we still get to come home to this every night.”

“I’m so glad you won’t actually be living there,” Hermione said, grateful that they had talked this plan through before announcing it to the world.

Turning in Gideon’s arms, she thoroughly snogged Fabian now. The brothers switched her back and forth until she was exhausted and melted into the mattress between them, all three of them ready to sleep.

************

Gideon hummed to himself in the shower, not worried yet about how the day would go and if it would bring another confrontation with Dolohov. Yesterday’s had gone well enough, and he was confident that he could handle another as long as he didn’t think about it too much.

Instead, he considered his wife, thinking about all the kisses they had shared the night before and, even more enticing, their time together just a few days ago. Gideon’s cock was quickly throbbing and hard. He spent the rest of his time in the shower reliving the feel of her sweet little mouth taking him in. When Gideon came, grunting rather than allowing himself to cry out, he slumped against the tiles and let the water rinse him off.

He made his way out to the common room not long after, and Gideon was doubly glad he had been quiet since the room was now filled with people and a very overexcited Crup.

“Down, girl. Get down,” Hermione was telling the human in Crup form. “I know you understand me. You’re going to scare the baby!”

Baby?

Harry Potter was there with a baby strapped to his chest. Gideon wasn’t the best at guesstimating baby ages, but he thought this one looked around 4 or 5 months old. When its hair turned a shocking shade of turquoise, he realized this must be Andromeda Tonks’ grandson Teddy. He’d never met the child, but he had heard his name before and a couple of stories.

Next to Harry was Luna with Neville standing off to the side a bit. The Crup was ignoring everyone but Harry.

“It seems like she knows you, Harry,” Fabian observed.

In her dreamy way, Luna said, “We’ve known many people who’ve died, but he only knows a few.”

Everyone blinked. Harry said, “I’ve known too many.”

“You have,” Luna agreed.

Unable to puzzle through what she was trying to say, Neville smiled. “At least, whoever she is, she’ll be one who didn’t die.”

“And we know there are others, though considering he made this spell at least 17 years ago, there’s no telling who or from when they may be,” Hermione commented.

The Crup whined and went to butt her head against Luna’s hand as though she thought the girl was the only one who might understand her. Knowing Luna, Gideon wouldn’t be at all surprised if she could communicate with whoever it was, even in this form.

Gideon was fairly certain he was the only one who heard Luna whisper, “They’ll figure it out if you keep taking care of him.”

The Crup grumbled, making her way back to Harry, where he was talking to Fabian and Hermione.

“We’re just waiting on Professor McGonagall,” Fabian explained.

“She wants to be sure we don’t break anything?” Harry asked knowingly.

“I’m sure that’s part of it,” Hermione laughed fondly, “But this will be her first time as well.”

“I’ve been dying to see it from the moment I heard!” Neville burst out. “I can’t believe she’s waited.”

“She didn’t want to let herself be distracted from the rebuilding project. She said she needed to focus,” Gideon told them, joining the conversation.

“And I certainly suspect this will destroy my focus,” Professor McGonagall said, standing at the open door.

“We do a good job of that just by being here,” Harry said with a grin.

The Headmistress looked at him over her glasses, but she clearly had difficulty keeping a smile off her face. Gideon couldn’t help but grin, watching the old professor enjoying her former student.

“I’ll see what I can manage, Mr. Potter,” she said. “I suspect there will be a lot to catch our attention soon enough.”

“That is very true,” Fabian announced, taking the lead and ushering everyone out and toward the Founders’ Rooms, speaking like a tour guide.

Gideon found himself falling into line at the back with Luna. “You don’t want to be at the front of the line?” he asked.

The blonde shook her head. “We’ll all get to see the wonders. My father says there is a dragon guarding the castle, that the legends are true. So if there’s a dragon there — no, don’t tell me — then there will be plenty of space for all of us to see.”

Smiling at her insistence to let her be surprised, Gideon just nodded. His attention went to the barking Crup ahead of them. The creature was practically dancing around Harry, playing a game with the baby. Little Teddy would drop the toy he was chewing on, and the Crup would catch it and give it back to Harry, who would give it back to Teddy, just to repeat the whole process.

“Hermione won’t want one for a while,” Luna said as she, too, watched. “But you’ll have a house full when she’s ready.”

“What?” Gideon asked, blinking. Did she mean children? Why would she think… well, yes, he had been thinking about it. Luna was disturbingly perceptive.

They were a long way from conversations about such things, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoythe idea of their home teeming with children and love. There were many years between now and then, though.

“I look forward to seeing Rowena Ravenclaw’s room, but I’m almost more excited about Helga Hufflepuff’s,” Luna confessed.

“Why is that?” Gideon asked.

“She was a great lover of creatures. I wonder if her room contains anything about them,” Luna pondered aloud.

Gideon hadn’t thought of that before. Perhaps they had missed something in the giant greenhouse-like room. Or maybe creatures fell under one of the other founders, though he couldn’t figure out which it might be. But it was rather odd they hadn’t come across anything related to creatures.

Besides the enormous dragon, of course.

As those at the front of the group left the tunnel and moved into the Dragon’s Hoard Room, they could hear Professor McGonagall’s gasp all the way back to them. Sounds of shock and awe came from each person who stepped out to see it as Fabian rapidly explained that his nephew had already examined the beast and confirmed she was safe to be around.

“She’s enormous!” Neville marveled.

“Three times the size of Slytherin’s basilisk,” Harry noted as he absently handed Teddy the toy again.

Luna wandered away from Gideon, right up to the creature, running her hands over it reverently. He had the bizarre thought that he should really introduce Charlie to this girl. They would have a stupendous time talking about wild creatures.

Fabian was soon standing beside her, telling everyone all the facts he could remember Charlie sharing about the dragon. Gideon moved through the crowd, stopping at his wife.

“You’re quiet,” he commented.

Hermione nodded absently. “I’m trying to figure out what’s going on with the Crup.”

“What do you mean?” Gideon asked.

“She’s a human, you said, but she’s not acting like one.”

Watching the repeated game that the Crup was still playing with Teddy cackling, Gideon found himself more puzzled than amused this time. “She’s not, but she seems really focused on the baby. Maybe she’s a Mum?”

Hermione’s eyes were suddenly huge. “Maybe she’s someone particular’s Mum. Like Teddy’s!” In a flash, she was moving toward them, calling, “Tonks!”

Everyone looked confused, but the Crup nearly bowled Ginny over as she leaped up on Hermione, licking her face and nodding her head.

“Tonks?” Harry repeated, dumbfounded.

“She’s been focused on Teddy since you got here. And it didn’t make any sense unless she knew him. And Luna said earlier — I thought she meant you hadn’t known the others — but she meant Teddy didn’t know that many of the people that had died. But he knew his Mum!” Hermione was so excited that her words were nearly running together.

Harry slid down to his knees so that the Crup could get closer to baby Teddy. For the first time all morning, she calmed, gently nudging the baby with her nose. Teddy wiggled against Harry’s chest and did his best to cling to his transformed mother. It seemed he knew somehow.

Professor McGonagall was pulling out a handkerchief to blow her nose. There were tears in the eyes of all the young people, and Gideon sniffled as well. He didn’t know Tonks except as a little girl who had once been friends with Charlie, but he could appreciate this moment without knowing her. Merlin, how many more were out there? How many more reunions could they possibly have if they could find the other animals from that backroom?

*********

The surge of pride Fabian felt at Hermione’s brilliance overwhelmed him for a moment. And it stayed with him through showing off Hufflepuff’s and Gryffindor’s rooms. Of course Hermione had realized who the Crup was first. Their girl could figure out anything. They still had to wait on Bill now, but at least they knew who their new friend was, and the adorable baby Harry held would have his Mum back.

Still smiling, Fabian called out, “Anyone ready to see Slytherin’s room?”

There was a murmur that sounded more like “I guess” than the enthusiasm there had been for the first two rooms. As Hermione moved past him, Fabian could smell her sweet scent, and suddenly, he wasn’t thinking about any of the Founders and their treasures. He was thinking of his own treasure and how much he wanted some time alone with her.

He had been aware, of course, of what she and Gideon had shared. Hermione still wasn’t very good at blocking anyone out when her emotions were high, for one thing, but he and Gideon had discussed it later as well. His twin had been afraid Fabian would be upset that he was left out. That didn’t bother him, but he was very much missing the taste of her, wanting a turn for himself.

Instead, he led everyone into Slytherin’s first room, which for him was the bedroom. His lab was down a winding staircase at the back of the room. Potions was taught in the dungeon for a reason. The temperature below ground was steadier and more appropriate for brewing. Slytherin clearly knew that back then as well.

Surprised, Neville said, “Look at all the plants he has down here!” It was true. This wasn’t the greenhouse that Hufflepuff had created, but there were a number of the more common herbs growing in the room at the bottom of the stairs.

“It must have been because he used so much of those,” Professor McGonagall commented, so caught up in the wonder of it that she was musing as freely as the rest of them.

“That’s what we thought, too,” Hermione gushed, taking the lead to show them all through to the potions lab. Fabian loved how much she loved the room, even though she was loathe to admit it.

When they stepped inside, Harry let out a low whistle. “Wouldn’t Snape have loved this?”

“Obviously,” Professor McGonagall stated in a perfect simulation of the late Professor’s drawl. Everyone gasped and then started laughing before filtering through the room to look at all of the cauldrons, potions books, and tools Salazar had left behind.

Hermione came to stand beside him. “If they’re this excited by the potions lab, I can’t wait to get to our library.”

Fabian smiled at her. “If you’re sure you want to share.”

She laughed, nodding. “As much as part of me wants it to be all mine, it deserves to be loved.”

“So do you,” Fabian responded without thinking about how out-of-place the words were in their conversation.

Hermione rolled her eyes at his sappiness, but an even wider grin was on her face. It made him want to kiss her. Fabian wasn’t certain why his brain had so suddenly decided he needed her attention, but now that he was thinking about her that way, there was no stopping. He just needed time alone with her.

He was relieved when Gideon suddenly took the lead. “Just wait until you see Rowena’s library,” he said, and suddenly, everyone was clamoring to leave.

Hermione started to move off, following Gideon’s lead, but Fabian caught her arm. “Wait a moment.”

Finally, everyone else was up the staircase when Fabian made his move. He picked Hermione up, finding her lips as her legs automatically came up around his waist. Twisting around until he could set her down on the ancient worktable of the potions lab, Fabian thanked Merlin there wasn’t anything on it at the moment. If there had been, he would have quite happily raked off anything in the way, no matter how old or priceless it might have been.

Hermione moaned for him, though he could feel her accelerated heart rate and knew she was nervous about doing this with everyone nearby.

“I just need to steal a few kisses before I can go another step,” he reassured her. Fabian loved the way she blushed, the way he could feel her lips curve into a smile as they continued snogging.

Too soon, she was pulling away to breathlessly say, “I don’t want to miss the library.”

Fabian laughed. “I can still hear them milling about up there. I doubt they would leave without us.”

“But just in case,” she insisted, wriggling against him. That did nothing to convince him he should let her down. It only coaxed a groan from him.

“You don’t know what you’re doing to me,” Fabian whined playfully.

Hermione’s eyes shone as she said, “Maybe I do,” as she pushed him back and hopped down. To his surprise, she added, “Maybe later I’ll have time to keep doing it.”

“Merlin, I hope so,” he replied as she started up the stairs. After adjusting his trousers somewhat to hide the problem he now had, Fabian followed.

This time, Hermione and Gideon took the lead into the next room, both of them talking excitedly and so fast they sounded like they were using their bond to finish each other’s sentences. Maybe they were.

Even from the rear of the group, walking just behind Harry, who kept up a steady stream of informative chatter to Tonks, Fabian could hear Professor McGonagall’s gasp when she stepped into Rowena’s room. He didn’t blame her. It was a ridiculously impressive room.

The whole group was awed. Gideon and Hermione rushed around, showing them how the magical catalogue worked, also tapping various sculptures and magical items to show what they do.

“This collection will definitely need someone to tend it. Even more than I realized,” Professor McGonagall started. Fabian could hear the hesitancy in her voice.

But he saw her relief when Hermione spoke up. “I absolutely agree. You’ll need a Master for this kind of work. I would like… I think, I’m not really sure… but I think I would like to apply to whoever you choose as a student, to work toward Mastery with them.”

Professor McGonagall beamed. “I think that would be perfect, Hermione.”

“Of course, there is no guarantee they’ll accept me,” Hermione fretted.

“Rest assured, I will be quite persuasive that they consider you,” the Headmistress replied. Fabian suspected from the look on her face that it might be a requirement of their employment here, but he respected the Professor’s decision not to say so.

He lounged on one of the comfy sofas watching the others explore. Neville was seeking scrolls on plants. Luna had found a book about magical creatures that she seemed to be devouring. Harry, after being drug away from magical items by the Crup form of Tonks — clearly concerned for her baby — had unstrapped Teddy from his chest and was letting the baby roll around on the floor with his mother while Harry looked on.

Quietly, he asked the younger man, “Have there been any developments with catching those Death Eater bastards?”

Tonks gave him a sharp look and a brief bark in chastisement for his language but then avidly watched Harry for the answer.

“Not a trace,” he said, frustration oozing from him. “The apparition specialists still can’t figure out how they got through the Anti-Apparition Wards, and there was no residual trail for them to follow. It’s unheard of.”

Fabian felt his own growl of frustration. “Why does he have to be so good at creating new spells?”

“I don’t know,” Harry answered, “But it makes me question everything. People we thought were dead have turned out to be alive. The most gruesome, deadly spells in the Death Eaters’ arsenal came from Dolohov. We can’t trust Anti-Apparition Wards with him or even the wards here at Hogwarts. What else might he have done that we haven’t figured out yet?”

“Merlin, surely that was enough to keep him busy,” Fabian swore, earning another unimpressed look from Tonks.

“We can hope,” Hermione solemnly said as she walked up to join the conversation, ruffling Harry’s hair affectionately. Fabian could tell by looking at her that, despite the awful topic, she was in a good mood. In fact, her eyes were sparkling and seemed extra fixated on Fabian, meeting his repeatedly.

Surprising him again, she moved to the sofa arm next to Fabian and began running her hand absently through his hair as she talked with Harry. It made Fabian want to purr. He lost track of the conversation around him almost immediately, caring about nothing but the feel of her hands. He was so unfocused today.

Hermione was laughing at him when he finally tuned back to what was happening around him. “Did you want to go back to our rooms, Fabian?” she asked, probably not for the first time.

He started to ask why and wondered what excuse she had made but bit his tongue before he could ruin this for himself. “Yes, please,” he managed, rumbling the words from his chest in a human approximation of a purr.

As she led him from the room, Fabian noticed that Gideon was at a table talking animatedly with Professor McGonagall and Neville. Harry and Luna were watching them leave with smiles barely containing laughter. It was undoubtedly at his expense, but Fabian found he couldn’t care. He was going to be with his wife, alone for once, and Merlin, did he ever need that.

Now he just had to convince her to let him entertain her.

Only he didn’t. The moment they were in their suite, she snogged him so thoroughly that they didn’t make it to the bedroom. Falling into one of the reading chairs, Fabian found himself growing achingly hard as Hermione straddled him, squirming against his erection. As she kissed down his neck, he managed to ask, “What’s gotten into you?”

“Are you serious?” she asked, pausing in her ministrations. “You acted like you were going to strip me down on a potions table. I haven’t been able to think of anything else since we left Slytherin’s room.”

Fabian grinned, not the least bit repentant about that. “I would have loved to, but I knew you would want to get to the library.”

Now the look she gave him bordered on adoration. “And that is why I love you. I can’t believe I have you — have both of you — and you want what’s best for me all the time.”

“Just like you take care of us, love,” he insisted.

Hermione blushed when she said, “Well, tonight I want to take care of you for a while. Or, I guess I want us to take care of each other.”

Did that mean what it sounded like? “I’ll be happy to help any way I can,” Fabian told her with a smirk.

“Good. Carry me to the bedroom,” she commanded.

Fabian felt his brows rise. There was no end to the surprises today, but he was happy to comply. Lifting her up was simple. Maneuvering her to their room while she sucked and licked at his neck was a little harder. Or at least, he was a little harder — impressive considering how turned on he had already been from having her across his lap.

“May I put you where I want you?” he asked as he prepared to set her down on the bed.

“As long as you intend the position to be pleasurable,” she agreed.

“I promise,” he told her, knowing he would do everything in his power to make her wildest dreams come true. Or at least his own, but Fabian had a feeling they weren’t all that different.

He lay her down with her arse at the edge of the bed. “Do you really need those jeans?” he asked her.

“Definitely not,” she told him with a shy grin. “I don’t need my knickers, either. They’re ruined anyway.”

Fabian’s cock strained against his trousers, but he wanted to focus on her right now. He would only focus on her if that’s what made her happy. He would do anything to make her happy.

With her jeans out of the way, he took a moment to enjoy the view of her pink satin knickers before gently pulling them down her beautiful legs. Fabian meant to guide his lips back up her legs, but the temptation of that soaking wet pussy was too much. He dove in face first, licking thoroughly up her slit to twirl his tongue around her clit and bring her up off the bed with a squeal of pleasure.

Fabian devoured her, using his lips to bring her to an edge Hermione was clearly desperate to fall over.

“Do you want more of this, love?” he asked. “Do you want me to let you explode all over my face? I want to lap you up while you come.”

Hermione was nearly mindless with desire. “Please, Fabian. Please let me come,” she whimpered, her hands clutching at the bed to keep from shoving his face harder into herself as she had been doing before he had pulled away to talk.

“Come for me anytime you want, my good girl,” he praised.

Hermione screamed as she fell over the edge, but Fabian didn’t stop. He kept licking and sucking at her perfect pussy, enjoying her juices as she came again in quick succession.

Somehow, even before she came down from her second high, she raised her head enough to say, “I want more, Fabian. I want you.”

“You have me, always,” he assured.

“But I don't have you in me yet. I want you,” Hermione gasped out the words.

Fabian froze for a moment, shocked by her request. “Are you sure—“ he began.

“Do I need to call Gideon instead, or will you take care of me like you said you would?” she asked, throwing her head back as waves of pleasure continued to course over her.

“I can handle you, love. Just let me help you stretch.”

“I want you to fill me,” she moaned.

“Believe me, I intend to,” he promised, wholly meaning it. Without further ado, he worked a finger into her tight cunt.

She was so wet that he was able to add a second finger almost immediately. Fabian carefully scissored his fingers, working her looser so that he wouldn’t hurt her.

“More,” Hermione demanded after only a few minutes, dragging him up to kiss her, seeming to revel in the taste of herself on his lips.

His throbbing cock brushed against her hot center as they kissed, and both of them moaned with desire. “Please, Fabian,” she begged.

“This may hurt a bit,” he told her, knowing she couldn’t have ever done this before. He was honored to get to be with her for this.

“I know,” she said with a firm nod. “Worth it.”

He lined himself up and pushed inside as gently as he could manage, groaning the whole way in. He didn’t stop until Hermione cried out, then paused immediately. “Are you—“

“Okay! I’m okay. Just give me a moment to adjust,” she insisted, breathing carefully through an obvious bit of pain. But then her brow relaxed as he felt her muscle relax around his cock.

Merlin, she felt heavenly so tight around him. Fabian planned to give her longer, but then she contracted her muscles, squeezing his cock hard enough he almost came.

“I’m ready for more,” she told him, rocking a little against his pelvis, massaging his cock until he couldn’t stand it, and began to pull out so that he could push back in. “Harder this time,” she begged.

That sweet mouth was going to get her in trouble. But what could he do but listen? Fabian pushed back into her harder, though still holding back. He pulled out twice more before she began begging him again.

“More! Please… harder! Nnnnngh!” She was screaming and coming again as he pounded into her as she had begged. “Yes!” she wailed as she exploded, squeezing him like a vice.

Fabian growled out a half roar as he lost his ability to hold back. He barely stopped himself from collapsing on top of her. They stared wonderingly at one another as the world slowly stopped spinning around them.

“Sweet Merlin, if that was the beginning, I don’t know if I’m going to survive you,” Fabian managed to say to her as he pulled out and rolled to the side, collapsing on the bed.

“You better,” she told him earnestly. “I want more of that, more of you.”

“And Gideon,” he reminded.

Her eyes softened even more. “And Gideon,” she agreed as she snuggled into his side. After a moment, she began to laugh.

“What?” he asked.

“We never even took the rest of our clothes off,” she wheezed, and he began to laugh, too.

“Someone was a little too eager to pause for that,” Fabian noted.

Hermione blushed but grinned. “You really ought to slow down a little, Fabian.”

“Me?” he demanded.

She just laughed as she lay her head down on his chest and fell almost instantly asleep.

Chapter Text

Hermione awoke snuggled between her husbands, despite falling asleep with just Fabian. She felt sore in places she had never been before, but she was still on a high from it. The only thing pulling her down was the fact that she knew what today was going to bring.

True to their word at the big publicity stunt, today they were “moving in” to the Hogsmeade shop. Most of that was helping Fred and George get their products in place. The whole family was helping set up the shop while Fabian and Gideon pretended to move in upstairs.

As much as Hermione tried to discern their plan to be targets and get Dolohov’s attention away from her, she couldn’t come to a reasoning that her brain could wrap around. Dolohov knew the three were connected, and he’d proven he could get past Hogwart’s wards.

She was safest — they all were — if they were together. She understood that the two of them were going to need something to do now that the castle rebuilding was finished, but Hermione wished they were waiting until after Dolohov was caught. Or at least they hadn’t been so public about where they were going to be.

What if they got caught again? Yes, she had survived just fine without them before they became men again, but Hermione honestly didn’t want just to survive. She hadn’t known what she was missing then.

And she didn’t just mean the feel of Fabian’s body moving inside her last night, or how Gideon’s tongue could bring her to orgasm after orgasm. She meant the way they could all sit around reading at the end of the evening, the way she and Gideon could debate things for hours, and the way Fabian always made her laugh. Everything about them was precious to her now, even the things that made her crazy, like Fabian lying on top of her work when he wanted her attention. It was such a Crookshanks thing to do, which only made it more special as well as irritating.

She looked over to see that Gideon’s eyes were open now, smiling at her tenderly. She wondered if he knew what she and Fabian had done… if he would be upset that he was left out this time. She didn’t have to wonder long.

“Have fun last night?” he asked with a smile.

Hermione blushed but smiled back. “Yes,” she admitted. “I’m… I’m sorry you weren’t there.”

“Much as I would have enjoyed it — and hope to soon — I’m glad you didn’t have two of us to deal with at once,” Gideon said seriously.

If she thought she had been blushing before, her cheeks were positively on fire now. She hadn’t considered the implications of both of them being present.

“Not for the first time anyway,” he added, then laughed at her expression. Oh, Merlin.

She wasn’t even sure what to say to that, but a knock on the bedroom door saved her. In a flash, Gideon was out of bed with his wand in hand despite only being in his pants. “Who’s there?” he demanded.

“Your favorite nephew,” one of the twins said.

“No, I’m their favorite,” the other insisted, laughter in his voice as they started squabbling about it.

Gideon rolled his eyes as Hermione started to get dressed. Fabian groaned from the bed and stuck his head under a pillow.

“How did you get into our suite?” Hermione yelled at them through the door.

“Come now, Sunshine,” one of them — Fred, she thought — said, “You don’t really think wards and locks are going to keep us out, do you?”

“Have you heard of just knocking?” Gideon asked as he shimmied into a pair of tight jeans that Hermione loved on him.

“We did. No one answered, not even the pupper. Tonks never was a morning person,” probably-George replied. An indignant yowl suggested that Mist might have answered, but it was impossible to tell.

Hermione hadn’t thought she was that unaware, but the bedroom was not particularly close to the front door, and she was quite distracted by the topic of conversation. Instead of answering George’s assertion, she went to bed and pulled the pillow away from Fabian. “Come on now; it’s time to get up.”

He growled at her.

“We have work today,” she reminded him, slightly bitter. She was no more pleased with today’s plans than she had been with the publicity stunt of a few days ago.

Gideon came up behind her and gently pulled her into his arms for a languid kiss. “It’s going to be okay, love. Remember, this is mostly for show.”

“Tell the twins that,” Hermione told him. “They do need you to actually run the place, you know.”

“And we’ll enjoy having something to do,” Fabian replied, finally climbing out of bed. “You don’t have to worry so much about us.”

“I do when you put yourselves in danger.”

“They won’t attack again so soon. We’ll be fine,” Gideon assured her.

It would have been helpful if he had any way of knowing. Since she knew he didn’t, it wasn’t useful at all. There was too much potential for Dolohov and his goons to attack immediately, try to catch them off guard.

Gideon seemed to be able to hear the wheels turning in her head. “We’ll be surrounded by people — including Aurors — all day today.”

“Harry and Ron don’t really count as full Aurors,” Hermione pointed out.

“You know there will be others around,” Fabian said, dragging a shirt over his head.

Hermione did know that, but it still didn’t feel like enough. She knew she was just being paranoid, but it didn’t matter. Her gut churned with the desire to keep them both here in the castle. No, it wasn’t completely safe either, but at least Hogwarts had the illusion of safety.

Not wanting to argue further, Hermione finished dressing and impatiently waited for Fabian to be decent enough that she could open the door. By the time they were ready, their common room was teeming with people.

“You thought you would just let everyone in while you were at it?” Hermione demanded of Fred.

“Not everyone,” he replied indignantly. “Just the ones who were supposed to meet here. Mum, Harry, Ginny, and Ron are all meeting us at the shop.

Hermione felt like growling now herself, but she refrained. She didn’t want to look crazy in front of a room full of people. Besides, Luna was headed her way.

“The day will turn out well,” the girl said dreamily. “You’ll see.”

As much as it probably shouldn’t, that did comfort Hermione.

**************

Fabian tried not to show Hermione how excited he was about getting off Hogwarts’ grounds again. He knew it worried her and bothered Gideon, but Fabian loved the feeling of being out in the open. He laughed at the antics of Tonks as she circled around them, tongue lolling as she raced back and forth. He enjoyed people coming up to them and introducing themselves, saying they had heard of them as great war heroes, asking if they could do anything to help them today.

To that, even Fabian said no. Generously, of course, but they didn’t need extra people around who hadn’t been vetted by the Aurors. Besides, as much as he liked the attention, they weren’t the people he wanted to be around. He wanted their girl, their family, and the good friends they had made along the way.

Fortunately, that’s just what the day was made of. The Weasley twins were popping to and from their Diagon Alley location, bringing things to a drop point in front of the shop. They could have just apparated it all inside the shop. It would have made more sense, but it wouldn’t have been such a production. And half of the point was to make themselves vulnerable to draw Dolohov again.

Of course, it was unlikely that he would show up today. But if they made a big enough deal of being present here, he was bound to attack them sooner or later. And if the bastard was stalking them, he was leaving Hermione alone.

The Aurors had assessed the spell Dolohov had created to get through Hogwarts’ wards. While he clearly could do it, they didn’t believe he could get far inside because the amount of power it required to keep the spell going was enough to drain someone’s entire life force. While that didn’t mean Hogwarts was totally safe, Fabian was confident that Hermione was well protected inside the castle. It was one of the reasons he was willing to take this chance of being gone throughout the day.

Plus, Neville and Luna had sworn that they would stick right with her when he and Gideon weren’t home. It was a relief to have people to depend on. Some days Fabian was still reeling from the fact that most people they had known and fought with were long gone or grown up in a way that he and Gideon just… weren’t.

They had their own years of experience, but they were so wildly different from the typical aging wizard’s life. It was like they were starting anew. Fabian had always enjoyed adapting to new situations. He never expected things to be as they were before — without Healer Mitchell’s help, he barely even remembered the times before — but sometimes it was jarring to realize how small their circle was now.

He didn’t have long to think on it, though, getting drawn rapidly into the busy day. He carried boxes from the storefront inside over and over.

“Put it over here, dear,” his sister called as Fabian hauled in a large box full of something making a rather ominous rattling sound.

“Whatever you say, Mols,” he responded agreeably. After hearing his nephews’ stories of how their mother initially reacted to their business when they opened it, Fabian was glad for them that she had come around. It had to mean a lot to them that she was here directing things today.

Gently, he set the box down, laughing when Luna skipped over to open it, saying, “Hello, Fabian. You’ll want to watch out for the door.”

He blinked at her, trying to figure out what she meant. “That top step is a bit of a problem,” he answered.

Luna only hummed in return as she began placing whatever those rattling things were on display. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had missed something conversationally, but then, he often felt that way with Luna. Fabian didn’t mind. It always made him think of Pandora, a wistful thought since he had found out that she had also passed during his years away. At least it hadn’t been the war that got her, and she had a few years raising her charming daughter.

Fabian headed back out again, meeting Gideon on the way. He was pleased to see his brother laughing along with Hermione as he helped her carry in a shelving unit. Gideon didn’t like being so exposed, so their plan to make themselves targets was a lot harder for him. He was still determined to do it, but Fabian knew there was a much deeper fear for his twin than there was for himself.

But this was to capture Dolohov once and for all, and Fabian was determined to see that through. He was not interested in the man escaping any longer, and if he and Gideon had to paint targets on their backs to lure him out, then so be it.

He just wished he understood why Dolohov wanted them so badly. Back in the day, it had made sense. They were in the Order. The Death Eaters targeted all of the Order members, especially capable fighters. But now? Maybe if there had still been a possibility that they had information to give the Aurors, information Dolohov didn’t want out. But Minister Shacklebolt had made it very clear that they had already shared.

Gideon believed Dolohov just couldn’t stand the idea that they might have escaped him and would do anything to get them back just because he was deranged. Fabian wasn’t as certain. Oh, he believed that Dolohov wanted them specifically for that reason.

But there was something else, some other piece to this puzzle. Tonks was proof that what happened to him and Gideon was not a lone incident. There had to be some purpose to keeping people alive and in stasis rather than killing them outright.

And Fabian was confident something happened to some of the creatures since, throughout his years at Eeylops, he knew multiple animals had entered and left that backroom. They couldn’t all just be toys to torture like Gideon had been, could they? And what about the years Dolohov had been away in Azkaban? The people-creatures were still steadily coming in and leaving during that time.

Fabian’s questions itched under his skin. He missed the heightened senses he had as a cat, but sometimes, it was almost as though he could tell when something was off.

Still, nothing appeared amiss. The birds were chirping happily, even when Tonks would chase them off. The villagers of Hogsmeade were going about their lives without any signs of dismay. Getting the shop set up was going so smoothly that it was already time to “move in” upstairs.

They switched from hauling in boxes of product to fighting secondhand sofas and tables and chairs up the staircase into the upstairs flat. Gideon was grumbling about how ridiculous the whole farce was as they maneuvered a large chair inside when a crack sounded behind them, out in the street.

Fabian didn’t know how to explain it, but it felt more sinister than a normal apparition pop. Dropping the chair and eliciting a startled “Oof” from Gideon, Fabian moved back toward the door when it suddenly blew inward, its force knocking Fabian to the ground.

Somewhere outside, he heard Hermione scream. Sweet fucking Merlin, they weren’t getting their hands on her. He was up in a flash, but Gideon had moved faster, practically flying at their attacker.

Petrificus Totalus and a slicing hex flew from his twin’s wand as Fabian brought his own up for an Expelliarmus to the now-distracted assailant. The man had neatly dodged Gideon’s attacks, but he hadn’t noticed Fabian’s. The Death Eater’s wand flew to Fabian as Gideon surged forward to punch the man in the jaw — a move so unexpected that the punch landed, knocking the man out cold.

Outside, they could hear spellfire. With a glance at each other, he and Gideon were in agreement about getting back out there. Ropes flew out of Fabian’s wand and around the intruders.

They raced outside together, wands raised. The sight before them was better than he had feared. He could tell from Gideon’s racing thoughts that he, too, was comforted. Two more figures in black cloaks on the ground, tied up as theirs was upstairs. Beyond that, one Auror shouted orders to the others, clearly intending to give chase. Tonks was barking outrageously, seeming ready to lead them somewhere.

Fabian made his way down the staircase, slowing enough to keep them both from falling, despite how he could feel Gideon’s frustration at not moving faster. His twin would rather break his neck to get to Hermione right now than take the stairs at a sensible pace. Well, Fabian wasn’t about to lose his brother that way. Still, he was glad when they were on the ground, and Hermione was throwing herself into their arms, letting them catch her as she cried.

“What happened out here?” Fabian demanded.

“There was an attack,” she said.

“About 20 of them,” Neville confirmed. Harry and Ron had just left with the Aurors, surprisingly on broomstick, following Tonks out of town to the East.

“And they left on foot?” Gideon asked, understanding what the Aurors’ choice of travel meant, even if it didn’t make much sense.

“They did,” Molly said. “Now, all of you get inside before more of them show up.”

“What did Dolohov do?” Fabian asked.

“He wasn’t here,” Hermione said, though her voice was shaking.

Gideon blinked at him, and for a moment, he could hear his brother’s voice in his head, sure they hadn’t heard that properly. “What do you mean he wasn’t here?” Gideon asked. “Where else would he be?”

“He wasn’t part of the attack,” Neville confirmed. “The Aurors were confused, too.”

Fabian suddenly felt the blood drain from his face. “How many Aurors stayed here?”

Ginny gave him an odd look. “They went after the Death Eaters. None of them—” She stopped abruptly, her face going white.

“Everyone inside now,” Fabian commanded.

No one questioned him, obeying his order immediately. He and Gideon backed toward the shop, keeping their backs angled to one another. Hermione protested but moved into the shop ahead of them.

“What is it?” Molly asked, trying to herd all the young adults to the back of the shop.

“Nothing yet,” Fabian admitted.

Gideon shook his head. “He’s out there somewhere, Mols. Dolohov wouldn’t have planned an attack that went so poorly without having a secondary purpose.”

“He hasn’t managed to capture or kill anyone yet. Maybe he’s just losing his touch,” Hermione suggested, though Fabian could tell her heart wasn’t in it. She was working not to show it, but Hermione was worried.

Everyone watched and waited nervously—all but one.

“Luna, we’re in danger,” Ginny told the other girl, seemingly trying to provide comfort and shake her out of her own head at the same time.

“We are,” the girl agreed. “But the day is good.”

Neville exchanged a look with Fabian and Gideon. Sometimes it was all just more than they could accept, no matter how many times Luna might be proven correct. Fabian could only hope this was one of those times she was. Maybe Dolohov wouldn’t show at all.

No sooner had he thought it than a dark figure moved into view in the street. People shrieked again, and the villagers who had been venturing out disappeared into their homes. Fabian swallowed hard, knowing it was up to Gideon and himself to protect the others.

Suddenly, he felt annoyance and rage through his magical core and gasped as Hermione shoved past him and Gideon both.

“Hermione, no!” Gideon cried beside him, rushing to catch up to her, but Hermione in a rage, was a sight to behold.

“We are not afraid of you, Dolohov!” she shouted as she stormed toward him, Fabian and Gideon in her wake.

“I think you’re wrong, little girl,” he laughed.

Hermione opened her mouth as though she would retort, but she didn’t get the chance. Gideon suddenly had the man’s wand in his hand, and ropes shot out of his own wand toward Dolohov.

As the ropes settled around him, Dolohov just laughed. With a manic look in his eyes, he squirmed a hand loose, reaching into his coat pocket. There was a sound like a bird chirping frantically, then stillness for a moment before he burst from the ropes in a wave of pure magic.

Just as Fabian attempted to fling another spell at him, Dolohov vanished into thin air without so much as a twist or a pop of apparition. He left behind the body of a dead bird and a mass of confusion.

“His fucking wand is gone,” Gideon cursed. “Disappeared at the same time he did. How is that even possible?”

“It can’t be,” Neville said, dumbfounded as he stared at Gideon’s empty hand.

Fabian shook his head. “However he did it, let’s get back inside before he comes back to do something again. We’re staying in the shop until the Aurors return.”

“We’ll keep everyone—” Fred began.

“—entertained until they get back,” George said, the two of them trying to work their special brand of magic and cheer everyone up, despite the fact that they too looked shaken.

Everyone turned to go back in except Hermione. She was staring at the spot Dolohov had last been. “Come on, love,” Gideon prompted, gently tugging at her arm.

Hermione shook her head, staring in concentration. Fabian could tell she was thinking hard, trying to fit pieces together. “There’s something… something about… Why did he kill the bird? Why did he have a bird with him?”

“What if it… what if it wasn’t a bird?” a very pale Ginny asked.

“And that burst of power!” Hermione nearly shouted, looking panicked. “They’re using them… That’s why they do it. I couldn’t figure out what the point was, but Merlin, this is horrible.”

“It just means rescuing them is even more important,” Gideon said, looking grim.

There was a sound at the door, and Fabian found his wand raised yet again. He breathed a sigh of relief when Harry Potter smiled at them with a bunny in his arms, as he said, “I at least have a little good news on that front.”

**********

Gideon felt a decade older than he had been that morning, and the day wasn’t even done. He had his arms around Hermione, her fierceness having drained out once she figured out the puzzle. She was silent, but he could feel her shivering now and then; all he wanted to do was get her to bed. The emotional distress emanating through her and their bond was intense.

But the Aurors had found enough animals that it was taking most everyone to help them get fed and cared for. Tonks had barked excitedly around a sweet, fuzzy, little cat before nuzzling it and curling up with it.

“Do you think that could be…?” Harry asked helpfully.

Tonks looked up for a moment and nodded, nuzzling back in.

“You’re telling me the werewolf transformed into a fluffy little cat?” Ron asked, snorting a bit.

“Maybe it’s more a reflection of who they are inside,” Luna said with a fond smile.

Fabian was the one who asked, “Who is it?”

“Oh, Fabian, Gideon, if he’s back, it’s someone you boys knew,” Molly told them, beaming.

“Who?” Fabian asked again, his impatience showing.

“Nymphadora Tonks married Remus Lupin, and it appears that might be him,” explained Molly.

“Remus?” Gideon asked in surprise. “You weren’t joking about the werewolf as a cat?” And then he and Fabian’s eyes met, and they both began to laugh.

Hermione turned half into him, nuzzling his chest as she laughed, too. Her laughter sounded like relief and release as she began to come down from the horrors of the attack. Gideon couldn’t blame her. He needed the release of a good laugh as well.

He couldn’t stop wondering when Dolohov began using transfigured humans as magical battery packs. And why turn them into animals? Did it somehow increase the power potential, or did the beast of a man just find it more enjoyable to drain them when they could experience the pain of it?

Gideon shuddered. It was probably the latter. He snuggled Hermione closer, using her momentary neediness to cover his own.

“When will Bill get here to help them?” George asked.

Harry cleared his throat. “Actually, they’re calling in a whole team of Cursebreakers to handle all of these people. But we’ve been in contact with Bill. He will do Tonks and Remus personally while the team will handle the others. It’s too much for one Cursebreaker to handle alone, even one of Bill’s caliber.”

“It will get them all back to human sooner, so that’s the best course of action,” Gideon said, trying not to dwell on how much it had meant to him to finally be human again.

Fabian sat on the floor, covered in cats, and said, “They all agree with that.”

Suddenly, there was a pop of Apparition out in the street again, and everyone tensed, drawing their wands. But the man who had appeared this time was Minister Shacklebolt. He made his way in after answering a series of security questions from Harry.

“I felt you all should know some things the boys here don’t have the clearance to share,” he said, nodding at Harry and Ron. “We captured six Death Eaters today, but their stories brought disturbing news. Each of them is convinced that there are several hundred more unmarked — like them — Death Eaters who have joined Dolohov. They are planning an attack on Hogwarts sometime soon.”

There was absolute silence until Luna said, “Well, that’s good news.”

When everyone turned to her, stunned, she said, “Now, we know. And you’ve rescued all of these people. It’s a good day, if a bit scary in the middle.” Her serene smile made more than one head shake in fond exasperation.

“I will personally put up some additional wards here and send teams to each of your homes. I highly suggest that those who can should spend the night in Hogwarts. Harry and Ron, I need you to help me transport our new — and hopefully some old — friends back to Hogwarts. They’re spending the night in the hospital wing with the strongest wards possible.”

“We can help,” Fabian volunteered, nodding to Gideon as well. He nodded and found Hermione joining in.

“We’ll be honored to escort them,” Hermione added softly. Gideon could feel her exhaustion.

“As long as it happens now,” Gideon added, feeling the long day and a need for their warm bed.

“Yes, please,” Hermione agreed. He wished she would let him carry her, but instead, she stepped away, pulling her spine of steel back up as she worked with the others to bring and lead the tired, relieved creatures back to the castle.

Chapter Text

Gideon let Hermione lean on him as they made their way up staircases to their suite. He was surprised by her willingness to physically depend on him, especially after her fierceness during the battle, but he certainly wasn’t complaining.

A small part of him wondered if she would have preferred Fabian here. Now that there was time to think about it again, a tiny sliver of worry hit him that he would be left out of their relationship, out of the bond. He knew it was ridiculous. Neither Fabian nor Hermione would ever let that happen, but logic didn’t always play a factor in his emotions.

This morning it had been easy to accept how happy she was to be with both of them and bask in the joy of his other two halves that they had been so intimate. Now… well, he needed to pull himself together and note that Hermione had come over to him even when Fabian was still in the room.

His twin had split from them when they entered the castle. He was headed for the hospital wing, leading the parade of creatures who weren’t really animals at all. Fabian was determined to set their minds at ease before he retired for the night.

It was a noble thought, but Gideon couldn’t look at them without feeling sick to his stomach. Just having Tonks had been sad enough, but knowing how many they had recovered and what Dolohov had planned to use them for — undoubtedly had used others for — was too much.

He tried to focus on Hermione and what she needed right now. He could do something for her. And it would distract him from the thoughts, the fears of what might have been, the questions. Why had he been tortured for years? Why hadn’t Dolohov used him? Had he been using him somehow? Gideon had to shake his head to clear the rising panic. He couldn’t think about those things.

Hermione looked up at him quizzically, undoubtedly feeling his panic through their bond. Instead of asking about it, though, she asked, “What are four things you see?”

Gideon took a breath and said, “Tapestry of Warhawn the Warrior, our door, a very indignant grey cat, and the love of my life.” He even managed a little bit of a smile.

She rolled her eyes at him and asked for three things he could hear as they walked inside the comfort of their home. “The yowls of the cat, Peeves singing somewhere in the castle, and the crackle of our fire.”

“Two things you can feel?” she did next.

“The cloth of my shirt and the skin of your neck.” Gideon placed his cold hand against her skin and almost laughed when Hermione shrieked.

“I’ll get you for that,” she promised with narrowed eyes and a laugh. “One thing you can smell?”

“You, my Hermione,” he answered, “though I would love to smell more of you. Perhaps taste you as well?” Gideon wasn’t usually so forward, but those small feelings of being left out were driving him to be a bit braver.

Besides, they had all nearly lost each other — again — today. And they were just moving into Hogsmeade today. Even sleeping here at home, he and Fabian were going to be at the shop during the day every day until Fred and George hired someone else. What might happen next?

Gideon was determined to lead Dolohov away from Hermione, so he didn’t mind being a target, but he was worried that she made a target of herself to protect them. He pulled her back into his arms as he thought about it, and they were kissing before he had consciously decided to do so.

They kissed for what felt like hours but couldn’t have been since Fabian wasn’t back yet when Hermione pulled Gideon over to the sofa and down on top of herself. The kissing didn’t stop, but now her hands touched him everywhere, almost frantically. There was a feverish energy through their bond as well.

“What is it, Hermione?” he asked, biting back a groan as she grazed his trouser-clad cock with a finger.

“What do you mean?” she asked, her eyes momentarily wide and innocent.

He raised an eyebrow at her as he pulled back to look at her expression better. “I feel how… upset you are. What is it?”

“What is it?” she repeated, flushing. “You two could have been captured again. Or killed. Or injured. Anything could have happened, and I… it would kill me to lose either of you, let alone both. Gideon, I… I need to be close to you, as close as possible. I need you inside me so that I know just how connected we are.”

“Lovely, we don’t need to be physically connected to be inside one another. Not with the way our magical cores—”

“I want… I need more, Gideon. Please,” she begged him.

He still wasn’t sure how he felt about her reasons, but he would hardly say no when she begged so sweetly. Without comment, Gideon pressed himself back down onto her, kissing up her neck and back down again as his fingers worked to unfasten the buttons of her blouse. She had been a tiny bit dressed up today since they had actually left the castle.

As he worked, Hermione tugged on his jumper, pushing it up so that she could run her hands across his chest. Her fingers teased along his many scars lovingly, showing through her touch how much each one didn’t bother her, how much he meant to her. Gideon could let her touch him all day, but not when he had such decadent skin in front of himself to enjoy.

Gideon slid his fingers along her chest, slowly making his way down to her breasts, trapped in a satin dark blue bra. His lips came shortly behind, slowly licking and sucking at her pale, smooth skin as he went. He, too, paused to trace the large scar she had thanks to Dolohov, letting her know how much he loved it since it was a part of her.

As his fingers skimmed the top of her bra and teased her nipples to a stand, Hermione wove her fingers into his red curls and pulled his head back up so that she could capture his mouth again. Gideon groaned from the way she enjoyed him, especially as she moved to the side, nibbling his ear, and sucking at his pulse point until he was moaning.

He could barely hold himself above her on the sofa any longer, his arms shaking with the effort of staying propped above her body. Gideon wanted so badly to drop onto her and grind against her, put himself inside her as she had asked.

Of course, Hermione wasn’t helping. She was tugging him down so that he covered her body, practically enveloping her on the sofa and keeping her safe there forever. He didn’t ever want to let her up, and he didn’t want to pause their ministrations either. Instead, he raised himself just enough that he could unbutton her jeans.

Hermione laughed. “Takes too long,” she muttered, then vanished their clothes to a neatly folded pile on the end table.

The sudden feel of her skin against his entire body was almost too much. Gideon pressed against her and realized his thigh was between her legs, close enough to feel how wet she was. Hermione’s cheeks went red in understanding of what he’d just felt, but she didn’t stop herself from grinding that soaking pussy against his thigh.

Gideon gasped and whispered, “Merlin, you’re wet, love. I’m not even sure I need to stretch you.”

“You don’t,” Hermione whimpered. “Just fuck me, Gideon.”

“I think you’re much more than a fuck to me, even if we’re just doing this to get so close. There are more ways than one to feel close, Hermione.”

With that, his two fingers were dancing inside her, curved up to drive her wild as he slowly worked them in and out of her willing hole. He could just fuck her. Hermione’s body was more than ready. But he didn’t want to do just that. He wanted more for her, from her. Their bond had felt more open today, the fear and upset of the day bringing them closer. Gideon wasn’t above taking advantage of that.

He leaned down to kiss just above her heart before sliding down to suck her nipple into his mouth. His deft fingers below flicked at her clit and thrust inside her in a smooth motion that he knew was pushing her quickly to an edge. Gideon couldn’t wait to push her over. He increased his speed as Hermione began to cry out, and her sopping cunt fluttered around his fingers.

Gideon could imagine what that was going to feel like on his cock, but he wouldn’t let her have it yet. He slowed his pace but didn’t stop finger fucking her, petting the spongy spot that had thrown her over the precipice in the first place.

“Gideon, please,” Hermione begged as another orgasm racked her body.

“Please stop or please continue?” he asked, grinning.

With an exasperated huff that came out as more of a moan, she said, “Please give me your cock. Please.” The last word was drawn out as he extended her pleasure.

“Since you ask so nicely, love,” Gideon told her, finally sliding his fingers out of her quivering pussy and sucking them clean. He leaned down then and kissed her, letting her taste herself on his mouth as he gently pushed her legs up almost to her chest, leaving her wide open for him.

Lining himself up, Gideon pushed down on her, straining her legs, as he pushed slowly, slowly inside her.

“Yes! Merlin, yes!” Hermione cried out, trying to push up to meet him but finding herself trapped by the position he had put her in. Gideon chuckled at her. He enjoyed the sight of her almost as much as he enjoyed having his cock surrounded by her silky wet heat. As she struggled, her muscles worked, squeezing and toying with him without even meaning to. Gideon loved it.

She urged him faster, but Gideon shook his head. “No, love. You have to take this the way I want to give it.”

His thumb found her clit as he said it, and Hermione cried out, distracted from arguing for the moment. She wasn’t coming again yet, but he knew it wouldn’t take much. Slowly, almost languidly, Gideon pumped inside her. He drew out until only the tip was inside, then would plunge back in, luxuriating in the sweet suction of her cunt pulling him back inside her, wanting him there every bit as much as she wanted him emotionally right now.

Finally, he pressed at her clit a little more intentionally, giving up the tease and working her body in earnest. The slide of his cock in and out was still slow and purposeful, but now he maneuvered just slightly so that his angle would hit deeper.

She came almost immediately, gushing fluid over him in a wave that clearly embarrassed her even as Gideon captured her lips again, murmuring “Yes baby, Yes baby, Yes baby,” over and over as his thrusts became more erratic, and finally, her fluttering cunt was milking him dry.

“Gideon!” she cried out for him, her hand pulling at his hair as she came and came around him.

He did his best not to collapse on her when they were done, but, thoroughly spent, he pulled out and released her legs down before rolling off the sofa to give her space.

They were both startled by the sound of a slow clap nearby. Fabian was sitting in one of the reading chairs, clearly watching and enjoying since his cock was out. The glint in his eyes said he was more than ready to enjoy much more than a show.

**********

“Fabian!” Hermione squeaked.

He grinned at her unabashedly. He hadn’t been there the whole time, she was sure of it, but he had been there long enough to enjoy himself — she could see the pulsing of his cock captured in his tight fist. His eyes were dark and heated, and she could tell he was more than ready.

She was not. Blushing, Hermione found that she wasn’t opposed to that idea at all — welcomed it, in fact — but she had to have a break first. From the way he stopped strokinghimself, Fabian seemed to realize it, too. He quickly tucked himself away and stood up.

“I’m going to draw a bath for us,” he said, exchanging a nod with Gideon.

“Us?” Hermione echoed, wondering if he meant just for the two of them. She didn’t want to leave Gideon out and lose the intimate closeness she felt with him right now, but a good, long soak did sound divine. If only the tub were bigger.

“Absolutely,” Fabian replied, and she noticed that he and Gideon were exchanging a grin.

She considered protesting, but after looking back and forth between them, Hermione shrugged and got up from the sofa, stretching in all her naked glory. She couldn’t help but love the way their eyes tracked her every movement.

Fabian shook himself out of it and headed toward the bathroom, so Hermione followed. Well, she tried to, at least. Gideon pulled her back for another kiss, gentle and loving but still heated. Hermione was panting by the end of it.

When he swatted her bum and said, “Your bath awaits. Get in there,” she yelped from the unexpected impact. Then she couldn’t help but giggle as Gideon laughed at her and threatened her with more. Oddly, Hermione had a feeling she wouldn’t mind if he did spank her again, especially like that, when it only stung and startled her rather than hurt.

By the time the two of them joined him, Fabian had enlarged the simple tub to comfortably fit all three of them. It wasn’t as large as the Prefect’s Bath, but it was close. The water was filling, with bubbles on top and jets beneath the water, making it swirl. This was going to feel amazing.

Hermione gasped in awe at the improvements, and, grinning, Fabian turned to her with his hand outstretched. “May I help you in?” he asked, looking like a complete gentleman except for his unabashed nudity.

She giggled now at the absurdity of the three of them standing there naked and Fabian still treating her like a lady.

He seemed to understand because he said, “You’re always going to be their lady, no matter what you’re wearing or, better yet, not.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Hermione found herself laughing again and taking his outstretched hand. As he guided her over the edge of the tub, Gideon moved to her other side for additional stability. Fabian climbed in next, settling on Hermione’s right side. Gideon was soon on her left. Both of them looked across, fighting grins at one another, as they picked up flannels and began brushing them gently over Hermione’s body.

“What? Are you — you’re washing me?” she asked, surprised by this turn of events.

“You catch on quick, love,” Fabian told her, leaning forward to kiss her temple.

She wanted to protest, but he spoke again before she could. “Someone jumped out and tried to protect us today. It’s terrifying, but we do want to thank you and tell you to stop.”

“I’m not going to stop,” Hermione told him stubbornly. “Not when you’re purposely endangering yourselves.”

“There are two of us and only one of you. Let us look after you,” Gideon urged as he raked the cloth over her left breast, making Hermione shudder.

Fabian matched his movement on the other side, giving special attention to her already pebbled nipple. She reacted with a low sound in her throat, not quite a moan but headed in that direction. Hermione blushed again, unaware until now that she could make such a sound.

“Like I said would happen, this is two against one,” she noted.

“That’s not always a bad thing, love,” Fabian told her as they, in perfect synchronization, drug the flannels down her sides, tickling her and making her giggle.

“You say that because you’re one of the two!” Hermione grumbled even though she barely contained more laughter. It was hard to be angry with them when they treated her so well.

“Why yes, I certainly am,” Fabian preened, puffing his chest with pride.

“Oh, you—you’re talking about…” She trailed off, her face hot, while Fabian grinned and Gideon snickered.

“Let us show you exactly how good two can be,” Gideon said, sliding his cloth lower as Fabian bent in to kiss her senseless.

The kiss was teeth and tongue and completely overwhelming as he nipped at her. But somehow, Hermione was also aware of all the areas Gideon was gently and thoroughly washing. He finished her lower half while Fabian kissed her, then allowed his brother to take over with extra attention where she needed it most as Gideon now pulled her into a gentle kiss.

Suddenly, they were shifting around her, Gideon’s kiss never faltering as she was moved. Hermione found herself leaning back against Fabian’s muscular chest, his hard cock rubbing her back, trapped between her and his pudgy belly. Gideon was kneeling between her legs, still kissing her like his life depended on it.

When he released her lips, Hermione’s head was spinning. She wondered what would happen next, what she was supposed to do for them, but Fabian leaned forward until his lips were grazing her ear.

“You relax, love,” he said. “It’s all you have to do.”

“How did you know—” she began.

“We can hear you thinking it,” Gideon told her with a smile. “This is about us taking care of you.”

As he said it, she felt fingers gently running down her slit. It was only the angle that told her they were Fabian’s. She was now held so tightly between his arms that she was almost trapped. It was the most glorious trap. One of his fingers made its way inside her just as Gideon began to work her clit again.

Hermione moaned. She was almost too sore to be touched again so soon, but what they were doing felt so good, and she could hear Fabian’s stuttered breathing in her ear and see the lust and love mingling in Gideon’s eyes. It was all almost too much but perfect. She came almost before they got started.

Neither of her men stopped. Fabian’s thumb came up to push at her clit, Gideon’s hand disappearing for a moment. Then a finger was squirming inside her next to Fabian’s. With two of them working her, they were able to slide in different directions, and oh fucking Merlin, it felt amazing in ways she couldn’t even articulate.

She was coming again in seconds, this one hard enough that the two men slowly pulled out of her, letting her rest back against Fabian. She felt dazed.

“And now we soak,” Gideon said from where he was leaning against the far side of the tub when Hermione was coherent again.

“We… what?” Hermione asked.

Fabian spoke, “We rest and relax. You’ll need your strength in a little while, love, so rest while you can.” His tone was teasing, and Hermione shivered with the promise she heard in it.

“But you’re still—”

“Ready for action after we’re all re-energized?” Fabian suggested. “I am. Don’t worry; I’ll still be ready after the soak.”

She turned enough to examine his face to ensure that he was serious. Then, with a contented sigh, Hermione settled against him, squirming just a little to torture him, earning a small whimper before he pushed her just slightly away in retaliation and relaxed.

Without meaning to, listening to the steady beat of Fabian’s heart against her, Hermione fell asleep, drifting in the hot water and beautiful bubbles, trusting the man behind her to keep her safe.

She had no idea how much time had passed when Fabian roused her with a kiss. Laughter infused his voice when he backed off and said to Gideon, “I think she has relaxed enough.”

Hermione wasn’t fully awake when she felt one of the twins lift her from the tub, wrapping her immediately in one of their luxurious towels. She barely had time to protest before they were in the bedroom, and she was laid out on the bed, spread out, with the towel beneath her to keep the bed dry.

She thought Fabian muttered a drying charm for the twins, but they left her wet for some reason. The answer made a coil low in her belly tighten when she mentioned it.

“If we dry you with magic, we can’t lick the water from your body, love,” Gideon told her.

Then they proceeded to do just that. Gideon began at her head while Fabian started at her toes. Together, they… well, dried her off isn’t quite the right word, but she no longer had water droplets rolling off her skin when they were done.

Instead, she had that same wet yearning between her legs, wanting to be filled again. And, Merlin, she wanted to connect to Fabian, feel that rigid, silky cock inside her. She could tell from the look on his face that he needed release rather desperately.

Before they could start whatever the next part of their plan might be, Hermione moved, taking them by surprise as she splayed herself belly down in front of Fabian, who was standing next to the bed. She was at the perfect height to lick from the bottom to the tip of his long, weeping cock.

Fabian gasped, completely surprised by the sudden change. She had been so passive before, and now, she had a hand at the bottom of his cock, her lips around the tip, practically snogging it. Hermione loved the taste, and relished the hard feel of it in her mouth.

She did her best to take in as much of him as she could, glorying in the sounds she brought from him. She wasn’t expecting her own sudden squeal as Gideon settled between her legs and licked from the top of her slit to the little button of her arse.

“That’s— you—” she sputtered, letting go of Fabian’s cock. Gideon looked up at her and grinned, then she felt a shiver of magic down inside and felt her eyes go wide.

“Let him,” Fabian commanded. “That spell cleaned you quite thoroughly. If that’s the furthest you want to go, Gideon will stop after letting you experience being eaten out there. If you find you want more…”

She glanced up the long expanse of his body and shuddered at the look in his eyes. Looking back to Gideon, she nodded her consent, and then turned back to Fabian’s cock. She lavished it with as much attention as she could, though the sensations Gideon was sending through her body were extremely distracting.

However, when she would hum in helpless, writhing pleasure, that just seemed to excite Fabian more until he was barely holding himself back from thrusting into her mouth.

“May I try something, love?” Gideon asked.

Her first impulse was to ask what, but she knew what it must be… and wanted it, no matter how embarrassing the idea. “Yes,” she said, her voice a low sultry whisper she barely recognized.

As her attention turned back to Fabian, she felt Gideon swipe a finger through her wet folds at the front and then rested it on her arse, pressing in a most distracting — and sinfully delightful — way at her hole there. She gasped as he pushed further in.

“Hermione, if this goes well, how would you feel about having both holes filled today?”

“Both of you? At once?” Her heartbeat had at least tripled at the suggestion, but she found she wanted it desperately. “I want you both inside me. I want us as close as we can be.”

The twins smiled down at her, and Gideon began his work again, his finger stroking inside her as his mouth continued to eat around it, his tongue fucking in and out next to the finger.

Hermione tried valiantly to focus and work Fabian’s cock as she had been, but finally, she just pumped at him while she moaned and groaned around his tip.

Gideon slid in a second finger, widening her by scissoring his fingers like he had done before to her pussy. Preparing her for his cock, Hermione realized. She pulled at Fabian harder, needing some release somewhere; there was too much, far too much happening with no release.

Fabian backed away, gently taking her hand from his cock. “No more of that right now, love. Just watching him eat you out and spread you is enough to push me over without you trying for it.”

“I need—”

“What do you need, love?” Fabian cooed at her.

“You. Both of you. I need you inside me,” she gasped.

“You’re a greedy little thing, aren’t you?” Gideon commented as he worked a third finger into her.

Hermione wanted to argue, but he was right. “For you two,” she answered.

“I can live with that,” Fabian said as he moved away from her for a moment. She noticed the silent communication between the brothers but didn’t have time to ask before they pulled her up to sit between them. “Alright, love, this gets a little tricky. I’m going to lay down on the bed.” He got into position as he explained. He was lying with his legs off the end of the bed.

“Now you’re going to ride him,” Gideon told her, gently picking Hermione up and holding her over Fabian until she lined up and sank onto him with a gratifying hiss from both of them.

Fabian’s hands found her hips as he strained up into her. Hermione gasped at how full she felt in this position, loving the way they rocked together when his hands began to move her. Gideon came up, standing just behind her and kissing along the back of her neck and shoulders. He pulled her head around and kissed her slowly as she moved on top of Fabian.

“Are you ready for me?” Gideon whispered against her lips.

“So ready,” tumbled from her lips. “I want you closer.”

Gideon smiled at her adoringly. “I want to be closer to you, too, Hermione.”

He gently guided her down so that Fabian could capture her lips. Whispering a lubrication spell, he made Hermione shiver, and then he was pushing slowly in. Hermione couldn’t believe how full she felt. Every inch further he went, the more intense the sensations.

All three of them groaned as Gideon sank inside her to the hilt. She was pressed down hard on Fabian, both of them fully seated inside.

Hermione was certain she would split open at any moment, but Merlin, it felt perfect. “I need you closer,” she whimpered, barely aware of her words. When they started slowly thrusting in tandem, she thought she might pass out from pleasure.

“You can’t get any closer, love,” Fabian managed, “Not unless… fuck yes… not unless you want that soulbond after all.”

“Yes,” Hermione whispered. Then, louder, she said, “Yes, I want to be soulbound to you both.”

Fabian and Gideon stopped their movements completely, both of them buried inside her. She could feel their cocks twitching and throbbing inside her.

“Hermione,” Gideon tried, “Let’s talk about this when you’re more rational—when we all are.”

“I know what I want,” she said with even more confidence. “Do you not want it? Fabian? Gideon?”

The twins looked at each other. She could see a world of words between them. “Of course we—”

“There is power in words, love. Immense power in these. You have to be very sure you mean it if you’re going to say—”

“That I want to be soulbound to you, Gideon Prewett, and you, Fabian Prewett? Because I do. I, Hermione Jean Granger, wish to be soulbound, to always feel so close, to be one with the two of you forever.”

“And I to you,” Fabian and Gideon both responded as though there was never any question about it for the two of them, despite Gideon’s caution.

A blast of brilliant, pure white magic burst from them, surrounding the three of them and pushing the edges of their ecstasy as both Fabian and Gideon began finally moving again. With the magic surrounding them, closing inon them, on their love and desires and their—

Hermione screamed—Fabian and Gideon with her—as all three of them came at the exact moment that the bright white magic seemed to explode outward. Hermione was confident she would pass out now as the pleasure went on and on. Her heart wouldn’t be able to keep up.

But then two other hearts joined her, helped hers to beat properly. And when she finally managed to blink her eyes open again, Fabian and Gideon were on either side of her, hands linked in hers.

“Joined forever now,” Fabian said, wonder in his voice.

“Forever,” Gideon echoed.

“And always,” Hermione agreed.

Chapter Text

Fabian awoke feeling like he was floating, as if he was still immersed inside of a dream. And he had to be, didn’t he? Because he could feel it in his bones that they had completed their soulbond last night, but that couldn’t be true.

Or could it? Rolling to tuck his face into Hermione’s hair and neck, Fabian took in a deep breath of her scent and noted all of the different ways he felt even closer to her than he had been the morning before. As he took stock, he realized he could feel her in his head, resting right now, but… she felt as closely bound to him as he knew Gideon had once been.

And then, there was Gideon himself. Fabian could finally feel him as he had for the first 23 years of their lives. It was a revelation; the memory of the feeling only heightened the intensity of the newness as it slotted into place once more. If they really did soulbond to Hermione — and it certainly felt like they had — it apparently repaired the damage done between his and Gideon’s bond as well.

“Do you feel it, too?” Gideon asked with tears in his eyes.

Fabian blinked, looking over the top of Hermione. He had somehow missed that his brother was awake despite being able to feel him. When he saw that Gideon was still waiting on his answer, Fabian nodded. “I do. Was it not a dream then? We really are soulbound to her?”

“We really are,” Gideon agreed happily, not bothering to brush away the handful of tears that had leaked out.

It was hard to tell which of them Gideon was happier about bonding so deeply with — Hermione or Fabian, but he knew the answer was both. In a true triad like theirs, it was all equal. It wouldn’t have worked if their love and affection for one another had been anything less.

“Really are what?” Hermione mumbled, still half-asleep but reaching for both of them. It warmed something deep inside Fabian.

“With you forever, love,” he replied.

“Mmmmm. Forever…” she agreed sleepily, then her eyes blinked open. “That really happened?”

Gideon chuckled softly. “It was a pretty unbelievable experience.”

“But perfect,” Hermione hummed with a happy smile on her face. She watched both of them with adoration, taking Fabian’s breath away.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t lay in bed and stare at her all day. And she couldn’t stay there either. “We all have to get up,” Fabian groaned, casting a quick Tempus to confirm. After that, it was a flurry of movement, right up until they parted ways in the common room — Fabian and Gideon to Floo to “their” flat above the shop for its opening day and Hermione to head to classes.

As they arrived at the shop to find a line of customers already waiting for the doors to open, Fabian grinned to himself. It was a perfect start to a perfect day.

*************

Classes had become more mundane with the castle walls completely rebuilt and most of the tapestries, portraits, and school books restored. Still, Hermione enjoyed every moment of them, soaking in the previously untouched knowledge to be gained. She had little interest in being a magical architect, but book and artifact restoration appealed to her a lot. And if she went into curating, they could be invaluable skills to obtain and hone.

Neville, beside her, was restless, though, and his constant fidgeting made it hard for her to focus.

“Please stop that,” she whispered to him when his jiggling knee started hitting her desk.

“Sorry,” Neville said, casting his eyes downward. “I don’t know what’s with me today. I just feel like something is wrong.”

Hermione tilted her head at him. All she could feel was contentment from both herself and the twins. She didn’t know the details, but they must be enjoying things at the shop. Fabian especially seemed to be having fun.

They were so completely present in her thoughts now. She had thought that might be disturbing or at least feel like an invasion, but now she better understood what it was like and that it wasn’t intrusive. It was more like checking in with them than seeing their every thought. She knew they were likewise respectful to her and always would be unless she invited them further in.

A scroll she had found in Rowena’s library suggested it could become more deeply connected, sharing a single purpose and working together in perfect synchronization. Still, it wasn’t something Hermione could see them ever having a reason to try. At least the possibility no longer scared her now that they were connected as closely as they were.

Biting her lip, Hermione told Neville, “I’m not feeling anything, but maybe—”

“You don’t have to try to make something up,” Neville said with his self-deprecating smile. “I have days where I’m just jumpy for no reason. My Mind Healer says it’s normal.”

“Yes, Healer Mitchell says—”

Her words were interrupted by a booming sound that she swore shook the entire castle from its foundations.

“What was that?” Hermione asked with wide eyes, standing as though to run — to or from whatever it was, she was uncertain.

Luna stood, too, looking worried. “Neville wasn’t just being jumpy.”

Professor Flitwick tried to calm the class, but too many of them had come back with shadows across their memories of last year. There was panic, kids trying to climb over desks and other students to get to the door, but Hermione, Neville, and Luna blocked the door, calming everyone down and getting them into a line. With those three in the lead, they walked out quickly, but together, making their way to the Great Hall as the logical place for everyone to meet.

The sight through the castle windows as they passed was one Hermione had never thought she would have to face again. All along the ward line stood black-cloaked figures, performing magic that Hermione could only imagine was making it easy for them to pass. Dolohov and the rest of the Death Eaters. Or whatever they were calling themselves now that Voldemort was gone. She supposed they were still Death Eaters in practice.

Dolohov’s Sonorus was much less impressive than Voldemort’s had been, but they still all heard him as they raced through the castle, detouring to the Entrance Hall when everyone saw the Headmistress. The Professors nabbed the younger students from following and ushered them into the Great Hall. They paused when Dolohov told Professor McGonagall, “We’re taking this school and everyone in it. Our Lord deserves retribution!”

“Over my dead body,” the Headmistress replied as she exited out into the Entrance Courtyard, her Scottish brogue heavy in her words.

“That can be arranged,” Dolohov growled, finally locking eyes with her.

Professor McGonagall’s expression was harder than steel as she simply said, “We know how you’ve been powering your ward magic, and the Aurors are quite certain they rescued your prisoners. I don’t believe you can cross the wards now, or you already would have done it.”

At that, Dolohov scowled and dropped the Sonorus, putting his efforts into shooting spells at her instead. He didn’t try to cross the barrier of the wards, but his attacks flew through without pause.

Professor McGonagall dodged an Avada Kedavra but would have been hit by Sectumsempra if Neville hadn’t burst from the building at that moment and thrown up a shield around her. Hermione and Luna quickly joined in, as well as many of the previous DA members who’d returned for the summer, but they were far outnumbered.

Whatever tricks Dolohov was using, he had taught the others as well. The wards didn’t even weaken their spells. Hermione was baffled about how that was possible, but she kept fighting anyway. There was nothing else to do about it except for one massive advantage they hadn’t had last time. She didn’t want to be too hasty in revealing their upperhand yet.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Professor McGonagall shoot off a stealthy Patronus. Hermione’s only assumption being that it was headed straight to Kingsley and the Aurors. As she was looking that way, Hermione gasped when she noticed several figures running around the ward line and to the back of the castle. They were far in the distance, but their cloaks were unmistakable.

“Neville,” Hermione called.

When he looked her way, she nodded her head to where the Death Eaters were running.

“Well, I know how to fix that,” Neville smirked, looking back at Hermione. His face changed dramatically, and suddenly, he was running toward her.

Tackling her to the ground, Hermione shouted, but saw the neon green light fly over their heads.

“Thank you,” she whispered and they got up quickly, dusting off.

“You pay attention to these guys; I’ve got a bridge to go blow up again,” Neville said as he held her shoulders. “Seamus!” he yelled and they exchanged a look, Seamus’ face lighting up.

Gathering about half their numbers, they ran through the castle to the back courtyard and the

Aurors started flooding from out of the castle at that moment, flinging spells as they arrived. Hermione assumed they must’ve Floo’d in from the Headmistresses office. Relief filled her body, but she quickly assessed the numbers and knew… they were still wholly outnumbered. Especially since she didn’t have any visibility to the other side of the castle where they were probably trying to break the wards again.

“It’s time,” Luna said, just as a boulder hit the wall next to them and the wall crumbled as though it had never been fixed.

************

Gideon enjoyed the first part of the morning — waking up with their soulbonded wife part but also the fun of the shop. Fred and George were with them today for the grand opening, having left the Diagon Alley shop in the hands of their friend Lee and the competent Verity.

It was mid-morning before a feeling of unease began to curl around his gut. There was nothing worrisome happening, nothing to be upset about at all. Hermione was content. Fabian was having the time of his life acting up for the crowds. Gideon was happy, just… something wasn’t right. He couldn’t explain it.

Then the whole village heard a boom and everyone went silent. Gideon immediately felt Hermione’s trepidation, her surge of panic. He swallowed hard, trying to fight down his answering wave of fear and anxiety. Whatever was happening, it was taking place at Hogwarts, and they needed to get there.

He looked to Fabian and immediately saw that he had the same thought process. However, fighting the crowd to get out was easier said than done.

Or it was until George noticed what they were trying to do and threw something down in the middle of the floor. Gideon had no idea what the thing was, but it made a terrible shrieking noise and had people moving out of the shop as quickly as they could manage, almost a stampede. Even in their haste to leave, Fabian paused for a moment to help a man up who had fallen.

Whoever he was, he seemed almost prophetic when he said, “Thank you, lad, best be getting down to the castle if you have anyone there you care for. Far more Death Eaters still out and about than the Aurors think.”

Gideon wasn’t sure what to think of the man knowing this and not mentioning it until now, but perhaps it just stood to reason that was the case. There wasn’t time to worry about it because of Hermione… Merlin, she was in the heat of a battle, and he needed to be by her side. He could feel Fabian’s need for it as well.

“How do we get there fastest?” Gideon asked his twin.

Fabian shook his head. “The Death Eaters are likely between Hogwarts and us.” He paused, looking like he was listening to himself, but Gideon knew he was tuning in more deeply to Hermione. “Yes, they are. The best way in will be through a secret passage.”

“Hog’s Head?” Gideon asked, knowing there was no real question. Fabian nodded his agreement, and they set off. Fred and George, having just locked the shop doors, followed.

“Wondered if you would be traipsing through here,” Aberforth grumbled as he rushed to help them into Ariana’s portrait.

“Yes, thank you, Aberforth.”

“Can’t get between two men and their soulbonded,” he said, “And I suppose you louts want through as well.” Despite his harsh words, he was grinning at Fred and George. “Get on with you. I’ll be through myself when I’m sure no one else is coming.”

Racing along the long tunnel, Gideon was overcome with Hermione’s feelings — the rush of battle, her determination, pain as something hit her — the last filled him with adrenaline, with the need to be at her side protecting her. But now, it seemed like she was on some sort of mission. Perhaps she knew they were coming, or maybe it was just a symptom of approaching the castle. She felt closer.

He wasn’t certain how the magic of the Room of Requirement worked, but Gideon was grateful when they arrived safely in the room Neville had meticulously described to him at breakfast one morning, his pride in the room obvious.

He waited for Fabian to clamber out of the portrait hole before sprinting to the door and throwing it open. To his surprise, Hermione was standing on the other side, just about to open the door.

“Oh, thank Merlin!” she cried, flinging herself at one then the other, exchanging hard, short kisses as though they were in the heat of a battle right here.

Luna cleared her throat lightly, but it was enough to make Hermione back off. “I need your help tickling the dragon,” their wife said.

“You want us to tickle the ancient, larger-than-anything-we-can-imagine dragon that’s been sleeping for centuries and hope it doesn’t decide to fry or eat us?” Gideon asked.

“Or both,” Fabian added.

“She won’t,” Hermione said confidently. “Charlie said she can talk. And she was put into the magical sleep specifically to protect Hogwarts. This may not be as dramatic as things were last May, but we aren’t as prepared and, even with the Aurors that arrived, we don’t have the numbers that we did. There’s no way we can get more people here in time. You have to help me!”

“Of course, love,” Fabian agreed. “We’ll always help you.”

Fred and George came through the portrait at precisely that moment, with further reinforcements from the village. Gideon watched Hermione’s roam over every person that followed his nephews and couldn’t help but feel a pit in his stomach when he saw her face fall. There was no need to look further into the bond for him to know what she knew.

It still wasn’t enough.

“You’ll help best with Professor McGonagall,” Luna told them in no uncertain terms.

“Aye, aye, Captain!” Fred shouted as he led the charge out the door and down the hall.

Gideon took Hermione’s hand and began to run, with Fabian and Luna following. They didn’t have to talk about it. They all knew they were headed down to the Founder’s Rooms. Well, the Dragon’s Room, really. Hogwarts needed help.

By the time they arrived, all four were out of breath. Gideon could feel fear and determination from Hermione, and excitement and adrenaline from Fabian. He knew they were sensing his own nervousness and perseverance. Luna looked somewhere between excited and worried. He had never seen her look worried before, and it sent a chill down to his bones.

Huffing and puffing for air, Gideon gazed up at the enormous dragon. “How do we do this?” he asked. His voice came out hoarse with awe and trepidation.

Hermione stepped forward. “Charlie said the only way to tickle a dragon in this position is to pick up its rear leg and… well, it would be easiest if I’m the one to do it.”

“But you can’t lift that leg,” Fabian pointed out.

“No, but I have the two of you here for that. I think it will take all three of us to lift the leg,” Hermione explained.

“What if it stomps us for tickling it?” Gideon asked. He didn’t want to argue, but he didn’t like the odds of a beast that size not being angry when it’s suddenly woken up from being tickled.

“That’s why I’m here,” Luna chimed in. “I’ll be at the front, talking to her.”

“Luna, what if she flames you?” Hermione asked with worry in her eyes and through their bond.

“She won’t,” Luna said in that confident way of hers.

“But Luna—” she began again.

“There isn’t time, Hermione,” Fabian said gently.

With a huff, she nodded. She might not like it — Gideon could feel that she didn’t — but she knew it was necessary.

Getting under the dragon’s leg to heave it up was more of an ordeal than Gideon had imagined. “You said Charlie did this by himself?”

“He did,” Hermione grunted as she tried to help push it up.

“No wonder the boy has so many muscles. He has to,” Fabian managed to get out as he wriggled his body under the leg and stood, pushing the leg up with him as Charlie had done.

Gideon joined him under the leg, which seemed the most effective method. Hermione was still trying to help, but they had it now.

“Tickle her,” Fabian gritted out.

“Are you ready, Luna?” Hermione called out.

The girl’s tinkling laughter carried back to them. “Of course,” she replied.

Hermione bent under the leg and found the crease Charlie had shown her. Gideon could feel her uncertainty as she began to tickle the gigantic dragon from halfway under its body.

A shiver brushed across the great creature, the magic stirring as her slumber finally ended. Hermione rapidly moved from beneath her once she was sure the dragon was waking. Gideon was thrilled to lower her leg, Fabian groaning along with him as they set it down as gently as they could manage. No sense in making her mad.

Gideon heard a hiss, and the three of them turned toward the dragon’s head, where Luna was placidly smiling at the creature as its giant yellow eyes blinked open for the first time in centuries.

“Who wakes me? For what reason would you dare?”

Setting a hand reverently on the dragon’s snout, Luna said, “I’m Luna, and we need your help to protect Hogwarts. Who are you?” There was no sign of nervousness or fear in her.

The dragon blinked at her. “I am Kilgharrah, guardian of Merlin and friend of the Founders. You are very… abrupt, little human. I like you.”

“Kilgharrah? Merlin?” the words fell from Hermione’s mouth, unbidden. “But the books say—”

“Books are stories, and stories are not always correct,” the great dragon responded, but her tail flicked in what Gideon thought must be irritation.

“The castle is under attack,” Hermione stumbled to say. Gideon could feel her frustration leaking out, though he wasn’t sure whether it was at herself or the dragon.

“So I have heard,” Kilgharrah replied, carefully eyeing the three of them. “A bonded triad. Those were rare in the days long ago. I can tell I have slept long. What is the year?”

“1998, Kilgharrah,” Luna said dreamily. “You have been asleep for at least 900 years. May you rest 900 more when this day is done.”

“We can only hope,” she purred, seeming to appreciate Luna’s words. “Where is this disturbance?”

But no one needed to answer her since the castle’s foundation quaked under the onslaught of its attackers. Kilgharrah’s eyes widened, and she pointed her head upwards, giving a mighty roar that seemed to trigger something in the castle’s workings. The ceiling high above them was suddenly opening to the sky, and the great dragon took flight.

*********

Hermione scrambled over the rubble of the Entrance Courtyard as she fought to get out of the building and rejoin the fight, Fabian and Gideon flanking her. Of course, there wasn’t much fight left at this point. Kilgharrah had taken the attention of most of the Death Eaters, chasing them down and flaming at them when needed.

The only problem was that Dolohov and what they assumed was his inner circle surrounding him were finally through the wards. As Kilgharrah swooped in to flame them, Dolohov and the others entered the courtyard. That strange energy surrounded him again like he was pulling Hogwarts’ wards around himself like a cloak.

Kilgharrah’s dragon fire slid around it, charring the ground on all sides of the man’s shield but not touching himself or any of the Death Eaters he was protecting. Unexpectedly, one still fell, apparently dead, to the ground. But that didn’t make sense. Did he pass out from fright?

“You can’t escape me, mortal,” Kilgharrah said, causing Dolohov’s eyes to widen to comical proportions before the dragon flame hit his barrier again, longer and more intense than before.

The gathered witches and wizards that weren’t mid-duel watched as the flames slid off again, though this time, two more of his Death Eaters fell lifelessly to the ground. It didn’t — it did make sense. A horrible, nasty sort of sense.

“Gideon?”

“Yes?” he answered, focused on Kilgharrah and her next attack.

Hermione took a deep breath. This would be a hard conversation. “We know that he was using the people he had turned into animals as — as some sort of battery packs to do magic stronger than his own. It allowed Dolohov not to pay the price personally.”

“It drained their power and killed them, yes,” Gideon answered, his attention now fully on her. And then his face went white as he understood.

Dolohov, left without the victims he had curated, was draining his own Death Eaters to maintain the magic instead.

“So we just… just wait this out? If Kilgharrah attacks him enough times, he will eventually be unable to maintain the shield without killing himself,” Gideon talked it through.

Hermione fought between the ideal of not losing extra lives and knowing that the Death Eaters had brought this fate upon themselves. Besides, if Dolohov wasn’t “protecting” them, they would have been burnt to a crisp instead. Kilgharrah’s flames were not leaving survivors as shown by some of the other previously roaming Death Eaters.

Suddenly there was a yell beside them, a flash of terror from Fabian, and he was bodily shoving Gideon out of the way. Hermione had only a split second to process that the green beam of an Avada Kedavra was headed straight for Gideon, now Fabian, before she reacted.

Dolohov was cackling behind his shield even as three more of his followers went down from another blast of dragon’s fire and him shooting such a powerful spell simultaneously. He had only four Death Eaters left, all of whom looked nervous.

In the split second it took Hermione to catalogue all of that in her head, a blast of white magic shot out from her, expanding over Fabian and Gideon like a shield just before the Avada hit. The white light absorbed the spell completely, leaving the twins untouched.

“Hermione?” Fabian voiced in wonder, the question of how this could have been possible caught there in his tone. Nothing stopped an Avada Kedavra. That’s why it was so Unforgivable.

Dolohov hadn’t stopped, however, despite a growl of annoyance, and they didn’t have time to discuss it. Neville, Seamus, and their group came running back from around the castle where they’d been sent to protect the backside. The relief that tried to flood through her was blinked out by the sight of ten more rogue Death Eaters following them.

A spell shot towards Neville and he went down hard, clutching his leg. Seamus and the other students stopped to duel, protecting Neville on all sides. A small group of Aurors, including Ron and Harry joined the duel to keep Neville safe.

“No one can get into the school,” Hermione said to the twins and Luna.

When they had passed the Great Hall on their way out, the powerful wards coming off of the doors were tangible, the Professors combining their magic to guard the younger years. But if the Death Eaters could make it past the school wards, who knew how long the Great Hall would hold?

As the remaining Death Eaters not surrounding Dolohov felled some of their opponents, Hermione refusing to think by what means, they each joined their own duel while trying to keep an eye on the sky.

Dolohov and the inner circle used their distraction against them. Spells felt like they were coming from all sides. Kingsley and McGonagall were back to back, dueling four at once. Hermione, Luna, and the Prewett Twins held their own against two skilled Death Eaters all the while dodging Dolohov’s increasingly intense curses. Hermione felt two more hit her shield as she used it to protect the people closest to her. But Dolohov turned, eyeing Neville as he limped his way over to Professor McGonagall.

Hermione saw what was about to happen and screamed, “No! Get down!” Neville listened automatically, but it just made Dolohov laugh as the spell barely skimmed over his head. Unfortunately, it rammed Kingley in the back, but Hermione was hopeful from the coloring that it was only a Stunner. Still, it left Professor McGonagall dueling on her own.

The twins shot simultaneously with Luna, finally taking out the two they were dealing with. Tying them up tight, the four of them joined the Headmistress against her four, well, three as she’d felled one already.

Kilgarrah ignored Dolohov for a moment, flaming and defeating the group of Death Eaters from the back of the school. She’d been precise enough to miss every student, Auror, and villager that had been in the group helping. This only enraged Dolohov further, causing him to send a barrage of deadly spells at the Aurors that had been trying to hold him off. They approached closer under their infuriating purple shield.

“Do you think you can escape me?” Dolohov asked, his voice booming and confident despite his deranged words. “You belong to me! You took the creatures that were mine, and now I will take you instead. All of you!”

Gideon stepped forward, though he kept his hand firmly in Hermione’s and her shield shifted with him. “We don’t belong to you. We never did. None of those people you cursed, tortured, and used belonged to you.”

Dolohov laughed. “They did once everyone thought they were dead. No one ever came looking for my creatures because they believed the bodies my curse created. So the creatures were mine. They belonged to me and still do. I’ll have you all again and more!”

Hermione squeezed Gideon’s hand before saying, “Why, Dolohov? Why would you do this to people?”

Without pausing in the spells he was firing, Dolohov said, “Because containing the magic of a human into the much smaller body of a little animal makes it easier to consume their magic. And because I can.”

One more of his Death Eaters dropped as Dolohov fired yet another spell through the ward he was holding. He was down to three, and Kilgharrah was coming back, but Dolohov had to be taken out now before killing more people.

Hermione opened herself to Fabian and Gideon completely, letting them see and feel and hear her every thought so that they knew the plan. Together with Professor McGonagall and Luna, they felled the three Death Eaters they’d been dueling, their magic strong between them.

They paused for a moment, turning their attention to Dolohov fully, as the dragon’s fire blasted the shield again, and Kilgharrah screamed in rage. The last three followers dropped as Dolohov lowered his wand to take out Professor McGonagall with a crazed look in his eyes.

Hermione and her bonded rushed forward. She would not allow that.

Above them, she heard Kilgharrah screeching, “What are you doing, foolish humans?” but Hermione would deal with the dragon’s wrath later. Right now, she had to stop Dolohov immediately, and the dragon’s flame wasn’t ready again fast enough.

Fabian and Gideon physically split from her, moving so that they were in a triangle around Dolohov’s shield. He turned his attention to them, but the white magic still surrounded them, still protected them. And as they linked minds and hearts, the magic poured from all three of them, the brilliant white of it snapping through the energy of the wards Dolohov was using and surrounding him.

The man let out an unholy scream, and then he was gone, his body turned to ash as surely as if Kilgharrah had done it.

Hermione couldn’t find it in herself to feel sorry for him, even as the white magic leaked away from her, returning the charred grass around them to green. Fabian and Gideon both went to their knees in exhaustion, Hermione following a moment later. The three of them crawled to each other. Hermione watched around her as the remaining Death Eaters lost or tried to run. The still standing Anti-Apparition spells caught some, since they’d never broken the wards, just pushed their way through. Hermione guessed they hadn’t planned on needing to Apparate out.

Aurors rounded them all up, and those trained in healing started the long process of getting the injured to one place.

“Merlin, what was that?” Neville asked as he made it to them, Harry and Ron holding him up.

“Are you quite alright?” Professor McGonagall demanded, a disoriented but awake Kingsley coming up behind her.

“They’re fine,” Luna said happily. “We all are thanks to the magic of a soulbond.”

“Is that true?” the Headmistress asked.

Hermione could barely concentrate on anything that wasn’t the men with her, but she nodded back at her Headmistress.

“Of course,,” Professor McGonagall said in wonder. “I never thought I would see such a thing as a soulbound triad defending themselves against danger. The raw power is astounding.”

“I thought it was only in storybooks, but Hermione would be in the first fully bonded triad in centuries,” Neville shook his head

She was vaguely aware of Harry and Ron guiding him away to join the wounded in the Great Hall. Aurors started shoving portable Porkeys on the rounded up Death Eaters, ones that would take them right into a jail cell at the Ministry, where they would be charged and sentenced to Azkaban. Statements were taken from those who could stand and talk, Professor McGonagall calling out orders and Kingsley directing the remaining Aurors to help with the wounded if they weren’t processing the Death Eaters.

Hermione didn’t care about any of it. She was wrapped up in the two men who were now a part of her soul. When Fabian scooped her up and headed with her to return to their suite, Gideon by their side, all she could think was that they were finally whole.

Chapter Text

Fabian burst through the door of their suite with Hermione in his arms, Gideon following closely behind. He could still feel the charge of their magic in and over his skin. It sparked like muggles’ electricity.

Logically, he knew they should have stayed and helped for a while, whatever needed to be done after an attack like that. But their triad needed each other more, needed release together.

He charged straight into the bedroom, knowing they would need room to move around. The moment Fabian set her down on the bed, Gideon was next to her, pressing close. He could clearly feel it, too, and must be just as desperate for Hermione’s touch.

Their witch was more than willing to comply. Rather than pull away from them or try to slow things down, Hermione leaned into Gideon for a kiss as her arm reached to pull Fabian closer. He complied by crawling onto the bed behind her, pulling up on her shirt as he began to kiss her neck.

It was fast, too fast, but he needed her skin against his. Since Gideon was tugging at the shirt from the front, it seemed he felt the same. Hermione’s hands stopped groping at the two of them to help pull it off, barely breaking her kiss with Gideon as she did so.

Hermione’s hands scrambled to pull Gideon’s shirt off, but Fabian felt it was taking too long. They needed to touch each other. Immediately. “Evanesco,” he whispered, catching the other two off guard as the three of them were suddenly nude.

“Yes,” Hermione whimpered against Gideon’s lips as she arched her back, pressing her arse against Fabian while her breasts plastered to Gideon. Pulling away from the kiss, Hermione turned her head and began kissing Fabian over her shoulder as Gideon moved back enough that he could take her breasts in his hands, then slid his mouth over one taut nipple.

Fabian dragged his teeth across her bottom lip then went back down her neck and began to kiss along her shoulders. With her mouth free, Hermione was able to moan aloud at their ministrations.

She reached a hand to each of them, managing to get both their cocks in her grip. Fabian groaned and heard his twin echo the sentiment. Hermione’s grip was perfect — just tight enough, and with a twist around his tip each time. He could tell that Gideon was receiving the same.

Their pants filled the room around the sloppy sounds of kissing. It was music to Fabian’s ears as it meant they were closer yet. Hermione was wild between them, desperate for them both. More desperate than he had imagined because suddenly she bent over, taking Gideon into her mouth. At the same time, she released his cock, tucked her legs up under herself, and presented herself to Fabian.

He didn’t need a stronger invitation than that. Fabian swiped his fingers along her soaking wet slit, teasing her for a moment before using the slick to lubricate himself. Hermione was more than ready for him to enter her.

Part of him wanted to slam into her, watch her choke on Gideon’s cock while he did, but that wasn’t the mood for tonight. Desperate and fast as they were for the evening, every touch was still gentle and loving, too.

Fabian slid his fingers around her body so that he could flick her clit as he slowly sank into her, moaning with the feel of her velvety heat clenching around him. Gideon’s moans were similar, enjoying the wet heat of her mouth as she licked and sucked at him. Neither of them were thrusting into her, just letting Hermione set the pace as she began to fuck herself on his cock, hips pushing forward and back, while keeping Gideon well-sucked in her mouth.

The urge to thrust was growing with Fabian’s desire, the tingling in his bollocks, but he wouldn’t give in until she asked for more. He loved the torture of letting her control it, letting it be slow and gentle when all he wanted to do was pound into her and claim her. Gideon was having similar thoughts; he could feel it through their bond.

What was different now was that Hermione felt it, too.

Sliding Gideon’s cock out of her mouth for a moment, she begged, “More, more, pleeease!” Then she was quickly back to sucking on his twin as deeply as she could.

Fabian met his brother’s eyes and they exchanged a nod. Not breaking the softer mood of the night, he began to pump more vigorously though still not as hard as he might have liked. Gideon, likewise, became more demanding.

If Hermione’s moans were any indication, it was perfect. But Fabian reminded himself he didn’t have to rely on the sounds she made. All he had to do was check in with the bond, let them become one, and he could actually feel her pleasure as the two of them took her.

It wasn’t a power he intended to abuse. In fact, he doubted, entwined as they were, that he or Gideon would be capable of abusing their power with Hermione, just as she wouldn’t and couldn’t abuse it with them. They were one.

And right now, physically joined, they were complete.

Fabian wasn’t sure what specifically it was that set the three of them off, but the moment he focused on her pleasure and what she was feeling, he couldn’t hold back any longer. Gideon, too, grunted as Hermione screamed around his cock.

************

Gideon felt the other two shatter as he did, falling apart together in perfect unity as they should be. It was a feeling he never could have imagined, and it was perfect. The three of them together were perfect.

He collapsed next to Hermione on the bed, pulling her around so that she lay between himself and Fabian. Gideon caught her mouth with his own, tasting himself on her lips. He had been dying to kiss her since her lips closed around his cock. It was the one and only downside to having her suck him.

He made up for the time lost until Fabian poked his side, wanting his own turn to kiss Hermione. Much as he wanted to, Gideon couldn’t deny his twin. And it didn’t matter that he had to give her up. He knew that. If he wished, Gideon could feel it from Fabian’s perspective. This intense connection would take some getting used to, but it was undeniably there.

When Fabian had thoroughly snogged their girl, Gideon pulled her close again, but this time it wasn’t for kissing. “Hermione, love, we need to cast the contraceptive charm.”

She hesitated for a split second before nodding. It gave Gideon pause. “Unless you don’t want to?” It was a statement and a question in one.

“I want to… for now,” Hermione told him. “I need to finish school and get my mastery, whatever I decide to go into. But someday.”

“Really?” Fabian asked. When Hermione nodded, he made a purring sound and licked up the side of her neck, laughing as he did it.

“Really,” Hermione replied. “I’m sorry if that leaves the two of you waiting for the next few years.”

Gideon shook his head. “We can find things to do here.”

“Or near here,” Fabian added.

“What are you thinking of, Twin-O-Mine?” Gideon asked. He could see the beginnings of the vision, but he still needed Fabian to explain.

His brother blushed lightly and ducked his head. “I know it may sound like a silly thing to do, but I want to open a shop — for Familiars.”

Hermione was silent for a moment, staring at him. Gideon wasn’t sure what her reaction was going to be, even being inside her head. Then she squealed, “That’s perfect, Fabian! You can even talk to the cats there, and you’ll make sure they all go to good homes.”

“Of course I will!” Fabian said, bristling a bit at the thought of not ensuring that. “I want to educate people, too, about how to better bond with their Familiars and how to work together. So many of the children at Hogwarts act like their Familiar is just a pet and the school does nothing to help them learn more.”

“That makes sense. Even after having Crookshanks, you, as my Familiar and apparently establishing a secure bond, I don’t really know how it happened.”

“Magic at work, my darling,” Fabian answered with a grin.

Turning, she asked, “Do you have any idea what you want to do, Gideon?”

He wasn’t sure he was ready to admit his plan. He and Professor McGonagall hadn’t agreed on anything officially. But they should know… “I’ve been talking to the Headmistress about being the new History of Magic professor since Minerva is going to force Binns into retirement. I hope to make it a class not everyone sleeps through. And in my spare time, I may help with some of the curating in your library, Love.”

“Oh Gideon, you’ll be so good at that!” Hermione gushed.

“And you can research to your heart’s content ‘for’ work,” Fabian added, rolling his eyes fondly.

“That is part of the appeal,” Gideon admitted, smiling. But he knew his face slid into a more serious countenance as he said, “I’ve also considered not working for a while, just continuing to heal. With the Prewett vaults, neither of us need to work and I’m not sure if I will be passionate enough about the class to make it my life’s work.”

Hermione laid a gentle hand on his side, “If you need more time to heal, you should take it, Gideon.”

He shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I think I will be better off staying busy, especially with you and Fabian busy, too.”

“You know you would be welcome to help in my shop. Or have a different shop on the side — rare and boring books or something,” Fabian suggested.

Gideon took a playful swipe at his brother, but he was grinning. “I will consider it. There are so many things to consider now that we’re finally free of the monsters and their followers.”

“Now we can work on living,” Fabian sighed happily.

**********

The next few days were a whirlwind of witness reports, meeting those thought gone, repairs to the castle, and talks with an ancient dragon. Hermione loved watching Gideon with Kilgarrah, and then when Charlie arrived and was introduced… She wasn’t sure he would ever leave England again — certainly not until the dragon returned to her slumber.

On the fourth day, a celebration was planned, for finally being free of the dark tyranny. Hermione loved how they had decorated outside of Hogwarts’ walls — making the final point of attack a place of happiness and joy again. Professor Sprout, with Neville’s help, had coaxed the recovery of the grounds far more quickly than anyone had expected, so their picnic blankets were surrounded by beautiful green grasses and wildflower sprouts. It was perfect.

Mrs. Weasley bustled around a table setting out food with help from Bill, Fleur, Percy, and Harry. “Yes, right there, dear,” she called to Harry. Ginny snickered when he almost set the potatoes down on top of the chicken.

“He can cook nearly as well as Mum,” Ginny confided to Hermione, “But he can’t do a thing when she’s around and directing.”

“We don’t know why—”

“—He would be so nervous—”

“—Around the woman who will be his mother-in-law someday,” Fred and George said, talking so fast it was hard to tell which of them said which part.

“Have there been developments we haven’t heard yet?” Gideon asked as he began loading a plate.

“As this young lady’s uncles, we might need to have a word with you,” Fabian added.

Ginny snorted. “If you think I’m a lady, you have no business consulting about me.” She was grinning as she said it. Fabian guffawed and Gideon grinned back at her.

“I haven’t asked anything,” Harry stammered. “Yet.”

Hermione was relieved when Gideon reached out to Harry and said, “We’ll be glad to call you family when you’re ready, Potter.”

Harry gingerly sat down next to Ginny and gave her what Hermione knew was a far more chaste kiss than the two of them normally enjoyed. She managed not to giggle, turning her head to give them privacy instead.

All across the lawn, there were people, both the expected and the unexpected. Remus and Tonks snuggled together with baby Teddy sleeping soundly on the blanket beside them. They had indeed been the first two of Dolohov’s creatures returned to themselves. Everyone was still giving Remus hell about being such a fuzzy little kitty, but he didn’t seem to mind.

Hermione fixed two plates for them — making sure to get rare meat for Remus — and took them the food. “I thought you two might prefer to stay here,” she told them. They were both still weak from their time with Dolohov and his minions.

“Thank you, Hermione,” Remus said with a calm smile.

Tonks turned her hair into what looked like a brilliant pink top hat and tipped it to her before leaping up — as Remus quickly picked up the baby and cuddled him close while his mother tripped over her own feet as she lunged at Hermione for a hug. Tonks was laughing. They all were, as she righted herself and said, “We owe you so much, Hermione. You and Fabian and Gideon.”

“We were just part of the team—”

“You took me in, figured out I wasn’t just a Krup, found and woke the ancient dragon that saved all our arses, took care of that maniac,” Tonks ticked off on her fingers. “I feel like you three had quite a hand in it all.”

Hermione blushed, but nodded. “We just did what needed to be done. And, to be fair, Mist identified you as a human.”

“Yes, your lover boy’s Familiar. Still counts,” she teased. Leaning in closer, Tonks whispered, “Two red-headed hunks, Hermione? We have to have a girls’ night. I need stories!”

Feeling the heat rise up her chest even more this time, Hermione could do nothing but nod and excuse herself.

Looking around, there were other unfamiliar faces.

A man, Benjy Fenwick, had turned out to be Dean Thomas’ father. The two were sitting together talking, still trying to get to know one another.

On another blanket, Susan Bones sat, reunited with her mother — barely older than herself now — and a young sibling as well as her Aunt Amelia. Dolohov had used the rest of her family over time, but Susan was overjoyed to have any of them back, particularly the aunt who had raised her.

Emmeline Vance stood talking next to Kingsley, Alastor Moody, and Healer Mitchell, whose case load had increased enormously, but Hermione knew he would handle them all well. Dirk Cresswell walked up to join their circle as well. There were others Hermione didn’t even know the names of, but she knew they had saved 26 people in all.

She headed over to her twins, talking happily on a blanket with Neville and an old friend of theirs, Dorcas Meadows, who was shooting appreciative glances at Neville. In turn, he was trying not to get caught looking back. She was a little older than him — a lot older if the years in owl form counted — but who was Hermione to question that?

Surprised that she didn’t see Luna with them, too, she began looking around for their friend. Hermione smiled when she found her.

Kilgarrah was sprawled in the sunshine, enormous but completely docile, the many Feline and Kneazle Familiars from the castle gathered around and on top of her napping while the dragon talked with an animated Charlie. Luna was nearly as entranced, though Hermione suspected it might be more about the burly dragon tamer than the dragon herself. Kilgarrah seemed amused by the little blonde and her interest.

“Did you get yourself a plate?” Gideon asked.

Hermione started. She had forgotten. Fabian laughed and pulled a plate from behind his back. “We suspected you might forget, Love.”

She smiled as she took the plate from them. “Thank you,” she said, leaning in to kiss Fabian’s cheek, then Gideon’s. As her lips caressed Gideon’s rough skin, a flash went off in front of them.

“Colin!” she squeaked. Hermione was thrilled the boy had been recovered, but his camera and propensity for sneaking up on people was just as off-putting as it had always been. Except…

“Could you take a picture of the three of us?” Fabian asked, setting aside his food.

“Of course he can!” Colin’s enthusiastic younger brother Dennis shouted.

Hermione almost laughed at how happily Colin complied, getting her and her men posed just right a few different times before Gideon shooed him away to go eat as they did the same.

Thoroughly sated, the three of them lay down — Gideon and Hermione cuddled on the blanket while Fabian rolled in the sunny grass a little ways away, drawing some of the cats over to him and talking lazily with Mist as he basked in the sunshine.

This was the fate they all deserved, crooked as things were to get here.