Hermione flitted about the cottage like a Golden Signet; it was one thing to see photographs, courtesy of the goblins at Gringotts, but another thing entirely to see every room right before you in person. Peeking over her shoulder, she smiled as Sirius observed her indulgently for a moment, before he casted a Feather-Light Charm upon their trunks, and guided the pair of them seamlessly up the stairs with his wand.

Dashing through the kitchen, Hermione spotted a pair of white French doors with brass handles, and ran for them, opening them up to a beautiful courtyard, which formed into the land surrounding their house. There was a conservatory which looked vaguely Victorian beyond, and Hermione could clearly see a lovely table and several chairs positioned inside it. There were also several plants, which made her smile at the green forest within. And finally, there was a Sons Rococo-style grand piano within, done up in impressively-carved cherrywood, alongside an old-fashioned gramophone.

There was an orchard on the property, which had plum, apricot, pear, apple, and peach. Around the area were mulberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, gooseberry, blackcurrants, cranberry, and strawberry plants, which Hermione could imagine making lovely jams or pies with come the summer season. Just beside the orchard was the kitchen garden, which featured courgettes, aubergine, tomatoes, carrots, spring onions, celery, potatoes, leeks, rhubarb, onions, climbing French beans, kale, spinach, okra, lettuce, parsnips, squash, asparagus, peas, rocket, swede, beetroot, pumpkin, shallots, brussels sprouts, radishes, cabbage, watercress, artichoke, cauliflower, and broccoli. Finally, just beside the kitchen garden was the herb garden, which featured basil, thyme, oregano, chives, tarragon, catnip for Crookshanks, garlic, parsley, lemon grass, and sage. Each plant featured had a little indicator beside it, and Hermione beamed at both Neville and Luna's handiwork in this, as it was hers and Sirius's wedding gift from two of her closest friends.

With wandering eyes, Hermione found Harry and Severus's wedding gift to them, which was the flower garden. Roses, tulips, daffodils, irises, wisteria, hollyhock, geraniums, hydrangeas, daisies, foxglove, hyacinth, poppies, peonies, lavender, lilies, and violets covered rows upon rows of beds. A stipulation of the wards upon which the goblins installed were that flowers, vegetables, herbs, and trees of different climates could now all be suited to an English country cottage garden. It was ancient magic, according to Headmaster Dumbledore, but beneficial nonetheless if you wished for a wider variety than that of a Muggle yard.

There was a whinny from close by and, turning, Hermione saw a beautiful red barn on just the other side of the orchard. The French doors came open from behind her then, and Sirius stepped out into their garden. Staring quizzically at her husband, the man gave her that same indulgent and loving look as he stepped forward.

Sirius took her hand in his. "It seems as though the goblins neglected to mention that our cottage is a working farm as well."

Hermione's eyes widened. "A farm?"

"Yes," Sirius told her, nodding. "Horses, cows, chickens, some goats, pigs, and sheep. There's also a dog who herds the sheep," he explained.

"Who works the farm?"

"Many people," Sirius told her, "all who are experts on their respective animals that they've agreed to tend to. However, I've given them the day off, as it is our wedding day, and they were all extremely understanding."

Hermione rolled on the balls of her feet. "I always loved horse riding," she said, and gave Sirius a shy smile.

Sirius looked indulgently down at his young wife. "As do I," he replied, placing his hand upon the small of her back as he guided her through the orchards, and towards a massive red barn just beyond. Using his wand, he summoned an apple for each of them as they walked, before they walked into the stables, taking a look at their horses for the first time. "The first two are for our own personal mounts," he explained, "while the rest are working horses."

Hermione, still holding the apple in her hand, stepped towards the personal horses, and caught sight of the mare which was likely intended for her. "Hello," she said softly, and the white mare huffed curiously under her breath. Slowly stepping forward, always in the beautiful creatures' line of sight, Hermione showed her the apple. "Look what I've brought for you," she said, and offered the magnificent animal the piece of fruit, flattening her hand as she did so, brown eyes alight with excitement.

The mare lowered her head, her impressive nostrils inhaling the scent of the fruit on offer, before she slowly opened her mouth and accepted it. It was an amazing thing to watch, and the beautiful thing even ate the entire core. It kept its head down, eyes trained upon Hermione, as she stepped forward, and smoothed its mane, cooing softly at her, as she touched its body for the first time. It was a great relief when she spied a brush, showing it to the horse, and smoothed its fur, and the horse shut her eyes in enjoyment.

There was a flash of something from outside then, and the early winter sunshine disappeared into dark gray clouds. Peering out of the barn, and past Sirius petting the impressive black stallion he had claimed for his own, the sky cracked. The crack turned into a boom, and Sirius pulled himself away from the stallion, and grabbed ahold of Hermione as both horses whinnied, rising up onto their back legs in fear as thunder and lightning slashed through the sky. Keeping ahold of his wife's hand, Sirius pulled her out of the stables and back through the orchard, as heavy rain pelted them from above.

Hermione gasped at the sensation, of thunder which filled her ears, her eyes taken up by the flashes of lightning, and her body becoming doused with rain. Her wedding gown clung to every inch of her body, and Sirius took that moment to turn and gaze upon her, his blue eyes flashing with hunger. Sensing her husband's eyes upon her, Hermione turned slowly, the rain dripping from the dark curls of his hair, his lips parted and dripping wet with raindrops, and his eyes roving over the entirety of her body.

"Sirius..." She whispered.

Sirius released Hermione's hand then, utilizing it to tilt her chin up, and permitted his lips to meet hers in the rain-soaked orchard. He delighted in the slight gasp which escaped betwixt his young wife's lips at his descent, and relished in her taste once their lips met. They seemed to part their lips at once, no longer satisfied with so brief a touch, and their tongues carefully came out to play, almost as if they mutually feared rejection.

Hermione let out a startled gasp as she was suddenly slammed against a hard and wet trunk of an apple tree, and immediately wrapped her arms and legs around her husband. She felt positively wanton as a moan escaped her, directly following her husband grinding up against her. Shivering as further raindrops slid beneath her gown, she somehow managed to tear her lips away from her loving husband, and stared deeply into his eyes.

"Might I persuade you to move this to a bed?" she whispered coyly.

Sirius's eyes darkened further then, as he eased Hermione into an easier holding position. He rushed through the rain-sodden garden, before wandlessly opening the French doors before him, and carried her over the threshold. "Permit me to show you to the master bedroom suite, Mrs. Black," he said, his voice husky with lust, and somehow managed to snap his fingers, a wandless Drying Spell preventing them from ruining their health, or the expensive Parisian carpets throughout the house.

Hermione giggled as she was carried through the luxury kitchen, the parlor, and down the corridor before Sirius began to climb the sweeping grand staircase. There was beautiful scarlet and gold stair carpet upon the cherry wood stairs, and Sirius kept ahold of Hermione as he climbed them quickly. He ventured towards a finely-carved door, opening it with a wave of his hand, and Hermione gasped as they crossed the threshold.

The walls were done up in a beautiful dark red hue, and the cherrywood four-poster bed seemed to dominate the space. Each side of the bed had cherrywood nightstands, while the bed itself was outfitted with a red velvet canopy, matching curtains, and a golden cord to pull them shut, and was completed by impressive golden bedding, along with a long bench positioned at the foot of the bed, outfitted in a similar style. There were paintings by John William Waterhouse with gilt frames scattered on various walls, with Hermione recognizing all of them, due to her frequent visits to art museums growing up. There was Miranda – the Tempest, The Magic Circle, Circe Invidiosa, The Crystal Ball, The Sorceress, Fair Rosamund, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, and Tristan and Isolde.

"All originals, from the House of Black Family Collection," Sirius told Hermione softly. "Your father told me how much you favored this painter. He was sorted into Ravenclaw, did you know that?"

Hermione smiled when Sirius released her, thus allowing her to take a closer look at the breathtaking paintings. "I'll admit, I wasn't aware he attended Hogwarts..."

"Muggleborn, just like you," Sirius told her, his voice quiet, as he walked up behind her, watching as she took in the gorgeous brush strokes of the sea, just in front of the red-haired maiden named Miranda. "All he wanted to do was go into the arts, like the rest of his family, so he left the Wizarding World after he graduated from Hogwarts in 1867, before he joined the Royal Academy of Art four years later."

Hermione leaned backwards into Sirius's arms; apart from the little gallery dedicated to Waterhouse in their master bedroom suite, it had its other luxuries. There were two cherrywood wardrobes on opposite walls on either side of the bed, plus more Parisian carpets spread about the floor. The ceilings were incredibly high, and painted with attractive cupids in the same style as the Waterhouse paintings. A fine crystal-cut chandelier controlled the center of their bedroom ceiling, and had genuine candles within it.

There was a vanity table with a gilt-framed mirror, with a wonderful little cushioned chair just in front of it, already covered with all of Hermione's favorite makeup and cosmetic products, despite the fact that she didn't use them much, apart from very special occasions. Through the only other door in the bedroom was the attached bathroom, with a large standing shower, dual sinks, plenty of counter space, a loo, a bidet, and a bathtub outfitted with marble that was large enough for a small army.

Hermione pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, whereupon she waved the red velvet window curtains shut, and turned to her husband, ensuring that the candlelight from the chandelier was low enough to emanate an intimate glow throughout the room. "I think we've waited long enough, don't you, my husband?" she whispered.

Sirius looked as if he would expire on the spot, as he reached behind his young wife and quickly began untying the knots at the back of her gown. He took great delight in Hermione's gasp at the sensation of his hands upon her bare skin, and, once the gown was off from her and her heels had been hastily kicked away, he lifted her up into his arms again and brought her over to the bed, placing her there reverently.

Hermione braced herself upon her elbows, not wanting to miss a moment of her husband disrobing for the first time. Heart in her throat, she watched as Sirius's burgundy and midnight blue wedding robes came off, giving way to black trousers and a white button-down. She gripped hard upon the golden goose down comforter, watching as Sirius kicked off his highly-shined black Oxfords with passion, before she lunged forward, and proceeded to unbutton his shirt with a haste she didn't know she had within her.

Sirius was momentarily taken aback by his wife's forcefulness, but nevertheless unzipped his trousers and removed his socks with a wave of his hand. "No need to rush, love," he told her gently, cupping her face as she eased the shirt from his shoulders. "We've got the rest of our lives to make love, you know."

Hermione smiled up at him. "Yes, I know," she whispered, heart hammering in her breast at the sight of his lithe and toned body, pale and just barely sun-kissed. Her hands trembled as she eased back onto her knees, swallowing at the sight of her husband's arousal in a pair of scarlet silk boxers. It was a fantastic feeling, knowing he wanted her, and she sucked her lower lip into her mouth as she brought a cautious hand forward, softly tracing the outline of Sirius's erection with the pad of her index finger.

Sirius breathed in harshly through his bared teeth, his eyes closing immediately, and Hermione found herself altogether powerful at the notion that she was capable of evoking such emotions from her husband. Sirius's eyes opened slowly then, staring down at Hermione, who was kneeling before him, her curly hair long enough to cover the tops of her swollen breasts, and found she looked more tempting than any woman, witch or Muggle, he'd ever seen before. She was yet to be naked, and was instead in the white silk corset trimmed with lace, and the white panties she had been wearing beneath her wedding gown. She was beautiful, she was perfect, and Sirius knew he would have taken her for himself eventually, had he not been handed the chance to marry her.

"Sirius..." Hermione whispered, her cheeks flushing with arousal, her heartbeat becoming a prominent sound throughout the master bedroom suite. Though she knelt before her husband, her knees and legs shook ever so slightly at the notion of what they were about to do. The gasp that escaped forth from her lips could not be called back as her husband slowly reached behind her, and proceeded to gently unknot, then tug at, the silk ribbon which held the beautiful corset she was wearing in place.

"Hermione," Sirius whispered back, the huskiness not leaving his tone, especially as Hermione did not take her hand from his erection, although the merest traces of fingertips had now graduated to full-on cupping.

Hermione gave her husband a shy smile, wondering why such a handsome man as Sirius Black would even look on her that way. Of course, he likely cared about her well-being, given that she was one of the best friends of his godson. However, Hermione was determined to believe that it meant more to him than that and, even when an heir for the House of Black was produced, she found that she hoped he could still bear to touch her...

"You're shaking," Sirius remarked softly, breaking into her thoughts as he finished untying her corset, and gently eased it off from around her body. "Are you afraid?"

Hermione wetted her bottom lip for a moment, before she slowly pulled it into her mouth. She hated that her shoulders shook, and hastily wrapped her arms around herself, wishing not to be vulnerable in front of this man who was now her husband. Lowering her eyes, the tears came unbidden, suspending themselves upon her lashes, and, as she shivered from the shame of showing such outward negative emotions, she wondered if Sirius would be altogether disgusted with her demeanor, and leave in a huff.

Sirius slowly tossed the corset across the room, and knelt before his young wife, before he gently tilted her chin up, waiting for her extraordinary brown eyes to lock with his common-looking blue ones. "Hermione, are you frightened, love?" he whispered.

Hermione bit her tongue; he was not acting patronizing towards her, which was a shock, and was instead being quite gentle. Shaking her head, she got up from her knees and drew them to her chest, still covering herself from his prying eyes. "Not because of what we have to do, but because of the meaning behind it..."

Sirius lowered his hand from her chin and gently took her hand in his. "Would you mind telling me what you mean by that?"

Hermione sighed, hating that the tears had escaped from her lashes and were now leaving wet trails down her cheeks. "I don't want you to think that I don't want to, but..."

"But it is a big step," Sirius said softly. "I won't lie and tell you that I've never been with a woman, Hermione, because I have, a few..."

"I'm not jealous," Hermione told him crossly, glaring at him.

Sirius gave her a small smile. "And I would never insinuate that you were," he said, obviously trying not to laugh. "However, since we are now husband and wife, I would like to have a certain openness between the two of us, in which we are honest with one another. If I promise to be true and faithful in that way, and in all ways, can you promise the same to me?"

Hermione nodded. "I can. It is not a difficult promise to make, not to you."

Sirius smiled, reaching out and gently wiping away one of her tears with the pad of his thumb. "I still would like to hear what is bothering you, though..."

Hermione swallowed, not pulling away, but not leaning towards him either. "I suppose I'm wondering where the two of us stand..."

"Stand?"

"Emotionally speaking," she whispered, drawing her shoulders inward. "I mean, my parents betrothed me to you, and you honored their plea by marrying me. However, I am unsure if you merely did so out of obligation and honor..."

"You fear that I don't have feelings for you, true feelings of a romantic nature?" Sirius asked her, regarding her seriously. "I affirmed my love for you, Hermione..."

Hermione's eyes wetted further with tears. "I know. I just fear that..."

"That I merely said so to reassure you?"

Hermione nodded, putting her face into her hands and sobbing. "I am so sorry," she whispered, her voice muffled by her hands. "I know I should have more faith in you, not just because you're in the Order, or that Headmaster Dumbledore trusts you, or that my parents chose you for me, let alone the fact that you agreed to this marriage..."

Sirius reached out then, gently prying Hermione's hands from her eyes. "I told you I loved you because I meant it, Hermione Jean Black. It is only natural to feel unsure, especially when you will have your first and only lover at eighteen. I can only hope that I am worthy of you, and not just because your mother and father, let alone Albus, deemed me to be so. And, if I'm not worthy in your eyes now, perhaps one day I can..."

Hermione was shaking her head as soon as Sirius expressed his doubts, and promptly launched herself into his arms, her lips meeting his. "You are more than worthy, Sirius Black. You are everything I want, and have ever wanted. My magic was sworn to you before I even knew about the betrothal, and it was only confirmed by our marriage. You have my heart, as evidenced by my quick acceptance of the circumstances, and now, now all I can offer to you are my body, my life, and soul, and I can only hope that is enough..."

Sirius cupped Hermione's face in his hands and pressed a passionate kiss to her mouth. "You are everything I have ever wanted, Hermione, everything..."

Hermione wetted her lips then, guiding Sirius's hands around her waist, as well as tipping her head back, so as her breasts were now exposed to his eyes. "Then, perhaps we should affirm our commitment to one another," she said softly, coyly, as she smiled up at him, arching into the hard muscles of his body. "I want nothing more than for you to claim me as your own, Sirius Black, as your wife..."

"My wife," Sirius whispered, leaning down and capturing her lips once more. It was her groan that set him off, and he promptly reached between the two of them, pulling her panties from off around her bum, as she tore forward and yanked his own boxers off. "My, my, my, Mrs. Black. I would never think you would dare have an impatient demeanor..."

Hermione's eyes glittered. "Well, then, perhaps I need to be taught a lesson in patience, Mr. Black," she responded.

"Perhaps, but not tonight," Sirius told her, and Hermione blinked up at him. "Tonight, I shall make love to you." His eyes turned sad then. "If you came into this marriage looking for a relationship in which punishments are put forth, even in the bedroom, you will find your parents selected the wrong husband for you, Hermione..."

Hermione shook her head, wrapping her arms around Sirius's neck. "No, of course that's not what I want," she assured him. "It was a joke, I assure you." She lowered her eyes, pressing her forehead to him. "I'm sure such relationships exist out there, and, as long as the people involved in them want such things, I'm not one to judge. However, I don't want to be involved in such things, and I'm so pleased to know that you don't either."

Sirius's hands splayed along his wife's back, admiring the paleness and smoothness of the skin he found there. "Typically, I would make the use of Protective Enchantments of some sort, due to your age..."

"But that is not an option for us, I know," Hermione assured him, pulling back just enough to gaze up into her husband's eyes. "I want to have your babies, Sirius Black. I just hope that we can have more than one..."

Sirius's eyes widened. "You would wish to...?"

"Merlin, yes," Hermione whispered, giving him a slow smile. "Perhaps not as big a household as the Weasleys, but certainly more than one..."

Sirius smiled. "How many were you thinking, then?" he asked, slowly easing one of his hands around his waist, and offered it to Hermione.

Hermione's eyes quickly darkened at the implication as she leaned forward, proceeding to wet her husband's fingers slowly, tantalizingly, with her tongue. "I would certainly be willing to have four at the most," she said softly, watching avidly as Sirius gently eased his hand back, and lowered it between her legs.

"I would be all right with four," Sirius responded, gently teasing her folds, already wet with arousal and anticipation, and smirked as Hermione unexpectedly bucked closer to him in his arms, arching herself against him again. "Anything to have a daughter who is as beautiful as you are..."

Hermione moaned as he found her clitoris, and began teasing it with his fingers. "Or a boy who looks just like you," she whispered back, retaining her grip around his neck. "Gryffindor babies with Ravenclaw and Slytherin tendencies," she joked.

Sirius chuckled. "I am never going to live down how I treated Severus Snape while we attended Hogwarts, am I?"

Hermione grinned up at him. "Perhaps you can," she assured him.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "How?"

"Well, Harry is like a brother to me, and he is your godson," she said, a gasp escaping her lips as Sirius lowered his hand. "Which means, by process of elimination...oh, yes, right there...that our dear Professor Snape would be my brother-in-law, and your godson-in-law..."

"The horror," Sirius said mockingly, flattening his entire hand along Hermione's walls and folds, and she mewled into his mouth as his lips gently caressed her throat. Pulling back his hand, and giving Hermione a small smile as she let out a plaintive wail, he slicked his erect member with her own juices, and Hermione's breath caught in her throat.

"Merlin, that's hot," she whispered, already breathing heavily.

Sirius gently eased his hand away from his cock, casting a wandless and wordless Cleaning Spell upon his hand, and gently took ahold of Hermione's hips. "I suppose I don't have to warn you that there will be some pain..."

Hermione nodded, doing her best to relax, as Sirius considerately eased her backwards to lie against the phoenix-feather-filled bolsters behind her. "No, of course not. I anticipate it will, but I also anticipate you will be as gentle as you can."

"You anticipate correctly," Sirius said softly. He gazed down into Hermione's eyes, knowing that life they knew it would never be the same again. "Are you ready?" he asked tentatively, vowing then and there never to make Hermione do anything she didn't want to do, and would strive to keep that vow.

"I'm ready," Hermione confirmed, unclasping her hands from around Sirius's neck, and gently placed her hands upon his shoulders. "Go slowly, please."

"Of course, my love," Sirius responded, easing his hips forward, and slowly entered his wife, and grimaced when she shut her eyes in a wave of pain. "I'm so sorry, love..."

"It's just an ache," she whispered, smoothing her palms onto his shoulders. "I know it has to be done, love. It had to happen eventually. Better that we're getting this part over with now, so that we have the rest of our lives to have painless love making..."

Sirius caressed Hermione's side, marveling at how brave she was being, and knew he had made the right decision by accepting Colin and Demeter Granger's formal request that he marry their daughter. "Hermione," he whispered, "I love you."

Hermione's eyes flew open. "I love you, too," she whispered back, pulling Sirius closer and pressing her mouth to his. Swallowing, she realized that the ache had subsided, and she was more than ready for whatever her husband wanted to do. "You can move, you know," she told him softly, running her fingers down the rippling muscles of his chest. "I won't shatter like glass, I hope you know that."

"I do," Sirius confirmed, easing himself fully into his wife, before he pulled halfway out, and continued in his fashion, shuddering when Hermione let out a delightful moan. "Gods, you're so beautiful like this," he breathed.

Hermione smiled slowly up at him. "And you're the only one who will ever know that," she said in reply, arching up to meet his lips again.

Sirius felt a wave of possession flowing through him then at the notion that Hermione was truly his, and no one would ever see her like this, spread out before them, with her beautiful eyes looking adoringly up at him, as she was his wife. "Merlin, you're mine..."

"Just as much as you're mine," Hermione told him. "I'll always be yours, Sirius. I take my vows very seriously, and I couldn't commit to Ron because my destiny had already been decided, even if I didn't fully know it yet."

Sirius caressed Hermione's cheek, setting a brutal pace with a mere snap of his hips, and his wife mewled from beneath him. "I never thought I would marry, nor love someone like this," he said softly to her.

"Neither did I," she whispered back. "I didn't think I could, when my heart seemingly belonged to someone who was no longer in this world..."

"My heart too belongs to you, Hermione," Sirius whispered, pushing himself further still inside of her, and Hermione nearly screamed at the force of it. It took Sirius a moment to fully realize that it was from pleasure, not pain, especially when Hermione gripped him all the more tightly, and tears escaped her eyes.

"Merlin, how will I ever manage to get anything done?" she asked, laughing aloud through her tears as she arched closer. "I have to prepare for my NEWTs, and decide what I must do once I graduate from Hogwarts..."

"If we manage to conceive a baby, which I dearly hope we will," Sirius said softly, "the Ministry of Magic will provide you with maternity leave. Then, once the child is three months old or so, you can go there and work at any vocation you like, my love. I will gladly be at home and raise the children, if you truly want a career..."

Hermione considered that for a moment, a pang of sadness entering her subconscious then as she fully considered leaving Sirius to his own devices with their future children. She trusted him, naturally, but she also wanted to be a complete family, desperately, and didn't want to miss anything coming up developmental-wise with their babies...

"Have I said something to upset you?" Sirius asked, stilling his hips.

Hermione shuddered at the loss of the pleasurable sensations that were a driving force behind Sirius's hip movements, and took ahold of them herself, leaving her husband to chuckle above her at her desperation to complete the consummation of their union. "Not saying, rather than doing," she said with a smirk, before returning to the topic at hand. "Perhaps we can figure out a way in which I can complete everything from home..."

Sirius smiled down at her. "All I wish for is to see you happy, my dearest love," he told her, and placed his hands upon her hips, before rolling them over, so as Hermione was now the one on top and, thus, in control. "Perhaps you would like to set the pace, my darling."

Hermione felt her cheeks flushing, and her eyes darkening. "It would be my pleasure," she told him, placing her hands, palm down, onto the mattress. She used this as leverage, pumping Sirius in and out from inside of her, and Sirius's eyes snapped closed, a growl escaping from betwixt his lips as she sped up in her movements.

"Merlin, Hermione..."

"Circe," Hermione whispered back, continuing in this fashion, her eyes rolling backwards up into her head as Sirius brushed something inside her. She saw sparks from behind her eyes, and felt Sirius stiffen from inside her, knowing that the both of them were close.

Sirius suddenly flipped them around again, pounding Hermione into the mattress, their moans and groans suddenly escalating into screams as they went faster and faster. "Are you close?" he whispered to her then.

Hermione nodded, gripping as tightly to Sirius as she dared. "I am..."

Sirius reached down between them then, massaging her clitoris as quickly as he dared, and, then, there seemed to be a white light which overtook both their visions. Their screams of pleasure and ecstasy co-mingled then, and Sirius made quick work of expelling his semen inside his wife, his fingers mentally crossing themselves that it had worked, and that she could be pregnant. Easing himself off of her and rolling onto the side, he promptly opened his arms to her, and Hermione burrowed into them.

"Circe," Hermione whispered, her entire body trembling as Sirius held her close. "Bloody Circe, love, that was..."

"Fantastic," Sirius told her, "as if our souls were firmly joining."

Hermione traced through the light dusting of hair upon her husband's chest, leaning down and brushing her lips against one of his nipples. "I never knew it could be that way..."

"Neither could I," Sirius replied, gently tracing complicated patters into her shoulder and arm with his fingertips. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "The notion that I never have to give you up is a welcoming one..."

"Is it?" Hermione asked with a small smile.

Sirius turned his face so that he could meet Hermione's eyes. "Of course it is. The fact remains that I am a jealous individual. The notion of any man taking you into his bed..." He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "You're mine."

"I am," Hermione confirmed, pushing herself upwards ever so slightly, so that she could meet his lips. "And I'll always be so."

"The fact is mutual," Sirius responded, holding his wife closer, as the pair of them slowly drifted off to sleep.

~*~

It was still raining when Hermione awakened next, and the sky was a dark gray, leading her to believe that it was evening. Turning, she found her husband still fast asleep, and carefully eased herself out of his arms. She casted a thorough Cleaning Charm upon herself, and found a peach-colored silk robe, hanging beside a sky-blue one, on the back of the bathroom door. Draping it around herself, she slipped into a pair of pale brown mink fur slippers, a gift from Bill and Fleur for their wedding, and left the bedroom.

Heading down the grand staircase and into the kitchen, Hermione proceeded to familiarize herself with the various gadgets, thankful to Molly Weasley, who had told her all about a wizarding kitchen, so that she would always know how to work things. Looking into the cooling cupboard, she saw various forms of meat, and a smile came onto her lips. She easily found pasta as well, and selected ground beef, ground pork, and ground turkey from the cabinet, as well as a brick of delicious-looking parmesan cheese. Going through the pantry that the pasta was in, she found breadcrumbs, and then went to the door leading out into the garden.

"Accio parsley," she called, and three generous springs of the aforementioned herb came flying into her hand. "Accio tomatoes, accio garlic, accio basil." Once the four requested ingredients came flying into the house, she set to work washing and cutting them into the proper shapes needed for the meal she was intending upon making. Putting the pasta into the pot was simple enough, and then she blended the tomatoes into a paste, before setting them into a cast iron skillet, along with the basil and garlic.

She next prepared the meatballs, mixing the trio of meats together, and adding the parsley, the parmesan and the rest of the garlic, and some salt and pepper to the concoction. She found a second skillet, once the meatballs were formed, and fried them up in a generous helping of olive oil. Next, she transferred the meatballs to a baking dish, and shoved them into the oven. Turning the sauce to simmer, she located the wine cellar, finding a bottle of Chianti from Tuscany, a painting of a beautiful woman upon the label of the bottle. Taking it upstairs, she slowly added some to the sauce, which bubbled merrily at the addition, and making the kitchen smell all the more delicious.

The pasta was done shortly thereafter, and she removed the meatballs from the oven once they had finished cooking as well. She summoned linens, china, silver, and golden candlesticks with red candles inside them onto the small round table in the kitchen, knowing that the grand dining room would likely only be used for lavish dinner parties or other special occasions. She then mixed together a Caesar salad to accompany the spaghetti and meatballs, and popped a blackberry pie into the oven shortly thereafter. As it was a magical oven, it would know when said item was done, if no one was around to keep an eye upon it, and would extract the food from within itself.

Casting another Cleaning Charm upon her person, so that she wouldn't reek of oil and garlic for the rest of the evening, Hermione summoned a beautiful black dress to wear that evening. Her breath caught in her throat then when, after changing and placing the food upon the table, as well as lighting the candles, her husband stepped into the room. Swallowing, she took careful note of the simple deep blue robes he wore, and felt her face flush at the memory of what the pair of them had done earlier that day.

"Good evening," she whispered, clasping her hands together nervously, hoping that their first dinner as husband and wife would be satisfactory to him.

"Good evening," Sirius replied, stepping forward, and placing a loving kiss onto her lips. "It smells and looks delicious, love. How did you know that spaghetti and meatballs was one of my favorite meals?"

Hermione smiled, the tension out of the air. "Lucky guess, plus we had everything we needed for it right at my fingertips." She let out a small gasp as Sirius pulled her chair out for her, and eased her into it. "Thank you..."

"Of course," he replied, kissing her on the cheek, before moving around the table and sitting himself down. "It's only fair that, since you made such a beautiful dinner, that I serve you tonight, my love."

"You don't mind?" she asked, putting her serviette into her lap and looking over at him. "I wouldn't mind..."

"Nonsense," Sirius told her gently, putting a serving of salad into each of their bowls, and a generous helping of spaghetti and meatballs onto their plates. "This marriage is to be an equal partnership, Hermione. I want there to be no question about who is in charge here, as it is both of us, as we are adults."

Hermione flushed becomingly and lowered her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly, "but you really make it sound like a business arrangement..."

"While many marriages, especially ones which were orchestrated during the first Pureblood Regime, were seen as such, this one, I can assure you, is not," Sirius told her gently, filling their glasses with more Chianti. "I apologize if I made it seem like one," he continued, and Hermione raised her eyes to his. "I love you, Hermione."

"I love you, too, Sirius," she responded, taking the glass on offer and raised it, mimicking his movements, smiling at him.

"To us," Sirius said softly, almost reverently.

"To us," Hermione responded. She took a small sip, watching avidly as Sirius lowered it, and then the pair of them started on the salad course.

"This is delicious, love. Not too heavy, or too fishy..."

Hermione grinned. "You know me well."

"I like to think I do, especially now that I'm your husband," he responded. They made small talk as they finished their salads, before the bowls and salad forks were banished into the kitchen to wash themselves. "I didn't have this meal until I went to Hogwarts for the first time," he admitted, once they were about to begin the main course.

Hermione blinked, knowing just how traditional the House of Black proved to be. "Too Muggle for their tastes?" she guessed.

Sirius nodded. "Yes. Albus was always more tolerant of such things, given his penchant for those little knickknacks in his office," he said fondly. "Regulus and I tried a great many foods for the first time once our education began."

"So, no steak and kidney pie, then, or fish and chips?"

Sirius grinned, cutting into a meatball. "Not at Grimmauld, no. The only thing we seemed to have in common with the rest of Britain was that every Sunday, without fail, we would have a lavish roast with all the fixings."

"We did roasts," Hermione confirmed. "It was one of the first things I learned how to make by myself. Mum always loved teaching me to cook, and it was one of our favorite things to do together."

"They seem...quite dedicated to their practice..."

"And they are," Hermione told him, "but never mistake dedication for their careers as neglect for parenting. They were very devoted, especially when it was revealed that Mum and Dad would only have me for a child."

"Did they want further children?"

"They certainly discussed it, but when it was only me, they never made me feel less-than, nor did they overtly spoil me with material possessions. I mostly wanted books, and they were more than happy to indulge me in that." Hermione lowered her eyes to her plate, and began fully eating in earnest then. "Other than roasts, what would you eat?"

"Roast chicken, chateaubriand, racks of lamb, pork roasts, steaks, lobster, swordfish, tuna, caviar, prawns... One positive thing about my mother and father is that they ensured that we never went hungry. Even though I proved to be a disappointment to them, and was thrown out when I was sixteen, I never went hungry on their watch..."

"You went to Fleamont and Euphemia Potter's home, isn't that right?"

Sirius smiled fondly. "I did. I was always welcome at the Potters."

Hermione nibbled on her bottom lip. "Harry and I have one thing in common—we didn't have friends until we entered Hogwarts..."

Sirius blinked. "Harry never mentioned that..."

She shook her head. "He doesn't know. No one does, not even Ron. I kept it hidden from Mum and Dad, but I suspect they knew. I was seen as strange growing up, and poor Harry was branded a freak. It just wasn't an environment suited to witches and wizards, unfortunately..."

"But now, you've many friends..."

Hermione nodded. "I do. It was a sign of divine intervention that I got my Hogwarts letter. It was a relief to know I wasn't as alone in the world as I thought."

Sirius smiled, reaching out and taking Hermione's hand. "I can assure you, my love, that you will never feel alone in the world again."

Hermione returned her husband's smile. "And I am grateful for it."

They finished their dinner, and their pudding, which were both rousing successes in Sirius's mind, and Hermione couldn't have been happier. Even though Sirius had told her that their marriage was an equal partnership, she still wanted to make him meals and give him many children, and found that she had no qualms about that. Perhaps it was being around her own mother, a career woman, and Molly Weasley; both women were committed to their families, although they went about it in different ways, ways which proved refreshing.

"Selfishly, I am glad you are back in all our lives," Hermione remarked, once the dishes had been cleared and were washing themselves in the kitchen proper. "I never envisioned a life like this for myself—wife, hopeful mother... After Ron, well..." She pursed her lips. "He was broken up about me taking up with Viktor our fourth-year, just as I was when he began seeing Lavender last year. Naturally, we believed the logical reasoning behind it was that we needed to be together as a couple, but that couldn't have been further from the truth, because I was already sworn to another, even though I didn't know it yet..."

Sirius traced at the white linen tablecloth, deep in thought. "When everything happened at the Department of Mysteries, in the Death Chamber, all I wanted was to keep you all safe. Then, when Bellatrix said the words of the Killing Curse, and I fell through the veil..."

"How did you survive, truly?" she whispered, letting a gasp escape her lips as she was lifted from her own chair, and drawn into her husband's lap. "I realize that the veil acted as a Stasis Charm, so that you didn't age, but surviving the Killing Curse..." She shook her head, and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. "Harry is the only one within the Wizarding World who has been able to do so..."

"The House of Black has a family crest," Sirius explained, "one that must be worn beneath our clothing at all times, which is equipped with healing magic, and blockers. Since the family has been dark over the generations, it was considered beneficial for any heirs of the family to have this form of protection, given that there were people out there who wanted us dead, to eradicate the family line, potentially steal our fortunes and property, or to simply stop people from believing what they wanted to believe..."

Hermione shook her head. "How cruel. I may not agree with what many of the families in the Sacred Twenty-Eight believe, but that doesn't diminish their right to believe such things. Surely, I believed the Wizarding World was better than that, but it seems as if I was mistaken..."

"Not all the old families believe such things, love," Sirius told her gently.

"Where is the crest now?" Hermione asked. "Did Bellatrix destroy it?"

"Physically, yes," Sirius said with a small nod. "However, since it is wrought from goblin magic, they must be the ones to heal it, so to speak. Even attempting to do so yourself is a sign of utmost disrespect to them."

"So, the goblins are fixing it, then?"

Sirius opened his mouth to reply, when a black box appeared upon the table before the pair of them with a shimmer. Keeping one of his arms wrapped around Hermione's waist, Sirius reached forward and opened the box. Smiling at what was within, it was what appeared to be a badge on one side, with a locket on the other. Reaching in, he pinned the badge on the undershirt of his robes, so that it was touching his skin, and reached for the locket next. Both pieces had swirled letters in an ancient-looking script wrapped around the other, so HoB appeared to be staring back at them.

"Know what these are?"

"The family crest of the House of Black?" Hermione guessed.

Sirius smiled. "Very good, and it is also my wedding gift to you," he said, gently putting the locket, which, upon closer examination, was studded with black pearls, around her neck, which seemed to warm as it was placed over her heart. "It doubles as an amulet of protection, as mine does, and cannot, nor should it be, be taken off."

Hermione fingered the pendant, which hummed with complex and ancient magic, seemingly accepting its new placement. "It will protect me in battle?"

"Precisely, and it also protects anything you carry," Sirius told her, and touched her belly, hoping that their child could potentially be slumbering within.

"Our children?" Hermione whispered, touching Sirius's hands from where they were clasped along her stomach.

Sirius nodded. "Yes. My mother was the last Lady of the House of Black to wear it, and it kept both me and Regulus protected when she was pregnant with us."

"Will our children have crests to wear as well?"

"They will," Sirius assured her. "The last thing we would want is any evil potentially lurking around every corner to endanger our children."

Hermione reached out then, and buried her face into Sirius's shoulder, her arms clasping themselves firmly around his neck. Even though it hadn't been spoken aloud between them, it was the implication that frightened her the most. Their children, for their name alone, would be in danger, and Hermione knew she would never live it down if one of their future children died as a result of everything happening around them.

"The war is still raging, isn't it, Sirius?" she whispered, her tone muffled. Even though she knew it to be true, she had to hear it from her husband, because, as a member of the Order, he would certainly know more about it than she would at this point.

"I'm afraid so," Sirius responded, clasping her tightly against him. "The only thing we can do now is wait, and protect each other when the time comes."

Hermione slowly eased herself backwards, her eyes locking with her husband's. "I really thought that, once Harry killed him, that the prophecy would be fulfilled, and that all of this madness would be over..."

Sirius smiled slowly. "We all did, love," he said, his eyes riddled with sadness as he stared up at her. "We all did."