Cherries

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Story: Cherries
Author: bubblybabs
Email: bubbalilly@gmail.com
Beta: Periculum
Story Consultant: WesleyY7
Total Word Count: 11,749
Chapter 30 Edit Date: 04/06/2009 – corrected an error found by apkblack.
Clean-up editing: 04/26/2009
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I know I'm going to catch a lot of flak for this chapter. Many of you will be going, “I can't believe she actually went there. I can't believe it.” But, I did. You'll know what I mean when you get to the end of this chapter. It's a hard one to read that will pull at your heartstrings so be sure to pull out the hankie. However, things start looking up for Hermione from now on – for a while, anyway...
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bw – When the first infant passes the birth canal, it stretches all of the tissues... I do believe I am accurate in depicting the possibility of the second child's body passing the birth canal fairly quickly and then head taking longer to pass through. I had Mrs. Weasley grabbing the child's head due to her haste to get the child out – she's not an expert at birthing, as she had pointed out.
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apkblack – Hello! Nice to hear from you! Sorry! Draco doesn't help with the rescue! However, he helps in other ways in later chapters... Thank you, I am trying to be consistent with some things though it's hard! And, yes, I'm trying to get across that rape isn't acceptable, no matter what... People keep mentioning this Fritz guy (I had to look him up, I had no idea who they were talking about at first) – I'm sure his daughter had orgasm's from time to time but that doesn't mean it was okay for him to do that to her... And, people need to realize that it's okay to read this stuff as long as it doesn't happen for real – it's called fantasy for a reason – it's interesting reading but who wants any of this to happen to them in real life?
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soniab – I meant this chapter when I made the comment in the previous chapter – I added a clarification to the top of chapter 29 to make things clear... The psychological healing/dealing part is going to be tough, hope I get it right! BTW, your story is turning into a psycho-torture story – it's interesting that I made my Lucius kinder whereas your Lucius is deliciously evil!!!!
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apkblack (again) – Well, there will be some healing for Sirius... Sirius is quite controversial in this story because you want to hate him for what he's done, yet you feel sorry for him because you understand how he's been manipulated by Kreacher...
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mrsfloyd – I don't know if that is repetitive or not, I'll be honest, I struggled to figure that out and finally decided to leave both parts in! To me, she's laying before him, and she's the task at hand! Good, I'm glad you feel better about my precious Remus! *smile* Draco is another one that is controversial – he's not the nicest guy, yet he was surprised by his feelings of sympathy, and he's basically powerless and being manipulated by his Aunt Bella... Hope you think this chapter has sped things up! Imagine Sirius' sense of loss, his anger, his feelings of rejection,and his struggles to decipher his true feelings – all of which are mixed in with the false feelings that Kreacher has 'taught', intertwining and twisting them all together so that Sirius isn't sure what is real and what isn't, not to mention what has become real now that the false feelings have become integrated into his psyche. How's that for a mess to deal with? I put a note on the top of chapter 29 about having to scroll on some pages – I've fixed the problem.
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elphaba - *giggles* I'm glad you clarified which 'head' you meant!
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ninjamonkey26 – Hello! Thanks for the review! You know, you have a very good point about the clitoris and the penis – I'm glad you pointed that out, I'll correct my commentary after I upload this chapter... Thanks! *giggles* on the 'gag me with a spoon' comment! I didn't want Draco to be a big meanie with Hermione, I wanted to lighten his character a little bit and make him slightly more mature than in canon to make Hermione's time with him less harrowing than it was... Well, there was some affectionate sex with Sirius - in the beginning... This story is meant to be depressing and meant to make the readers think about what is happening – I'm trying hard to keep from glossing things over...
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Wistful-Stargazer – Nothing shameful about not reviewing – I know real life gets in the way sometimes... Reviews are appreciated, but I've tried very hard to keep from begging for them... I've tried to keep Remus consistent with Hermione, and to keep him close to canon – I hope I'm being successful! I debated on whether or not to include that part where Bella makes Hermione barren or not, but then I decided that life as a DE captive would not be pleasant AT ALL and that Bella would do something like that if she could... Glad you liked the part with Draco! It gets kind of difficult to write so many different sex scenes without being too repetitive!
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Visitkarte – Um, this chapter is bad on Hermione... Both good and bad... As the stories beta, periculum, said – this chapter is bitter sweet.
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WesleyY7 - “It really highlights how evil and sadistic Bellatrix is “ - exactly! I'm glad you liked the part with Draco – I added that in for you since you've asked about him before! I think a lot of people will hate me after they read this chapter – remember, no lynch parties!
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Chapter 30 – A Cherry Blossom Falls

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Story Date: May 11, 1996 (5:22am)

Hermione ran to the bassinet that held the twins and peered in anxiously. She could see the girls had indeed awakened during the night, having kicked off their covers and no longer in the same place they had been when she put them down, probably from kicking while they cried – Adara was on her belly while Persimmonie was still on her back. Hermione agonized over who to pick up first, finally deciding to pick up Adara since she was the one who had flipped herself over while crying. 'Oh, I hope that didn't scare her too much when she flipped over!'

“There, there, sweetie, mummy's back, m-mummy's back.” Hermione began to cry along with Adara as she changed her daughter's nappy. “Mu-mummy's sorry, sw-sweetie, mummy didn't mean to l-l-leave you all a-a-[gasp-sigh]-lone. I'm sorry, baby, I'm s-sorry, I'm so sorry, Adara, pl-please forgive mummy.”

Still crying, Hermione carried Adara over to the rocker and put her daughter to her breast, thankful the distressed babe latched on immediately and began to feed with noisy grunts and wet sucks. Hermione had feared there wasn't any more milk left after Mistress and Kreacher had been at her before she was brought back, but she felt the reassuring letting down of her milk and Adara's squeaking as she breathed around the milk squirting into her mouth, and she knew her babies wouldn't be left with empty tummies. She continued to apologize to Adara while she cried, her tears dripping off her face and onto her chest as she rubbed Adara's face and played with her hair, the child's eyes finally opening and turning to look at her. Hermione smiled at her daughter and quickly wiped off her tears, not wanting her baby to see her so sorrowful while feeding. She was relieved when Adara grabbed her finger tightly - she knew it meant nothing more than a reflex on Adara's part, but it made her feel better all the same.

Finally full, Adara's mouth popped from Hermione's nipple and she began to stretch. Hermione picked Adara up and put her over her shoulder, rubbing and patting her back until she let out a moist burp and Hermione felt a little spittle slide down her back.

“Yuck, Adara! You always adorn [gasp-sigh] me with your sl-slobber, don't you, sweetie?” Hermione lowered Adara onto her lap and wiped her back off with a towel. “That's what I get for n-not [sniffle-gasp-sigh] putting the towel over my sh-shoulder first, isn't it?”

She smiled at her little girl, taking in the dark eyes looking up at her intently, her little fists, her chubby little arms and legs. Picking Adara up, she walked around with her for a little bit, talking to her and telling her how much she loved her and wanted to hold her but she needed to feed her sister first, promising to hold her again once she was done with Persimmonie. Adara simply cooed a few times before gently falling asleep, making Hermione feel better, knowing Adara wouldn't feel abandoned when she put her down.

She lay Adara on her back in the bassinet, then picked up Persimmonie. Being in a little more control, she didn't cry so hard as she changed the child's nappy, though a few tears did fall as she apologized for not being there for her babies when they needed her. Persimmonie began crying from the time she awoke when picked up, her crying escalating with each passing moment, finally making Hermione's fragile control break down as she clung to her daughter and began crying in earnest as well, falling to her knees as she clung to the child and rocked herself back and forth, all the while frantically apologizing. Winning the struggle to get herself under control somewhat, Hermione stood and stumbled over to the rocking chair, putting a flailing and screeching Persimmonie to her other breast and quieting the child as she frantically latched on and began to nurse.

“I don't care wh-what Sirius says, I'm [gasp-sigh] breastfeeding you from n-now on, my little baby. And I'm not sn-sneaking around to do it an-anymore.”

Hermione continued to cry while Persimmonie fed, her trembling hands brushing along her baby's face and hair, outlining her tiny hands, and rubbing her arms and legs. It took longer for Hermione to calm herself down while feeding Persimmonie, the child's blue eyes watching her as she struggled to stop crying, making Hermione feel guilty for allowing her baby see her in tears. Just as Hermione would feel she was calming down, she'd start crying all over again, finally turning her face away from Persimmonie as she let the tears fall.

When Persimmonie finished feeding, Hermione brought her up to burp, then held her a long time as she rocked in the chair, rubbing the baby's back and talking to her, telling her how much she loved them and how she was so, so sorry for leaving them alone to cry and fall back asleep, hungry and wet. Hermione hugged her baby, holding her tightly, oddly finding her a source of comfort. She finally put Persimmonie down in the bassinet, next to Adara, when she felt herself drifting off to sleep, fearing she would drop one of them if she didn't lay down herself.

Her feet dragged as she walked to the bathroom and showered, struggling to stay awake as she did so and glad she was alone. She marveled that she no longer bled, glad that if she had to take an awful potion from Mistress that it at least had some useful effects, not knowing the true meaning for her lack of lochia flow. She leaned down in the sink and drank until she was no longer thirsty, then drank some more.

Finally done, she climbed into bed, still naked, and wished, just as she fell asleep, that Remus would come down soon and give her a hug.

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Story Date: May 11, 1996 (12noon)

“Hermione.”

Hermione became aware of a warm hand on her hip, then felt it shake her slightly.

“Hmmmm?”

“Sweetie, the babies need to be fed.”

“The babies? Oh, okay, is it late? I've had to feed them twice since I've been back, and I'm so tired after being up all night.”

“Since you've been back?”

Hermione frowned as she looked up at Sirius. “Nothing. It's nothing.”

She yawned before scrambling out of the bed and walked towards the bassinet.

“Hermione, your clothing, where are they?”

“My? Oh, oh, I don't know, Sirius. I'll, uh, I'll get dressed when I've taken care of the girls.”

Sirius stood still, watching Hermione as she walked away from him, completely uninhibited with her nakedness.

“Sirius? Can you help me?”

He walked towards her slowly. “How can I help?”

He saw that she was holding Persimmonie while also attempting to pick Adara up, so he reached down and picked up the infant without waiting for Hermione to instruct him.

“Thank you, Sirius. Bring her over here so I can feed them.”

“Together?”

“Yes, and don't fuss at me for doing that. I'm breastfeeding Persimmonie, too. I have plenty of milk for both of them as long as I drink enough fluids. That's what Mrs. Weasley told me when she was showing me how to breastfeed.” She looked wistful. “I miss Mrs. Weasley, she's such a nice lady.”

She sat on the couch and placed pillows around her, then put both babies down on either side of her, their feet towards her back.

“I know, I know, I'm hurrying!” She used a baby-voice as she spoke to them. Cradling each child's head in her hands, she brought them up to her breasts – each child latching on and beginning to suckle contentedly, both making little grunting and squeaking noises as their bodies stilled and they concentrated on feeding.

“Thank goodness they were both born knowing what to do! Mrs. Weasley had mentioned that some babies have trouble learning to breastfeed. I don't know what I would have done if I'd have had to struggle to get the girls to boobyfeed.”

She looked up and smiled at Sirius who had sat in the chair situated, at a pleasing angle, next to the couch. “See? They both feed fine, there's plenty of milk for both.”

Sirius nodded, his eyes going down to look at the girls feeding.

Hermione frowned, her voice curt. “There's plenty for you, too. Don't look like that.”

Sirius gave her a startled look, then shot out of the chair and walked towards the kitchen. Hermione watched him walk away, preparing herself for an explosion over the fact that she was breastfeeding Persimmonie, but the explosion never came.

Finally, Persimmonie was full and popped her mouth away from Hermione's nipple while Adara continued to suckle slowly as she toed her mum in the ribs and prodded her breast with her fingers.

“Sirius?”

“Yes?”

“Could you burp Persimmonie? Please? Adara's not quite finished yet.”

Sirius walked over slowly, then reached down and gingerly picked up the baby. He sat down on the couch next to Hermione, placed Persimmonie over his shoulder, and began to briskly pat her back. He chuckled when she eructated loudly.

“My! I haven't done that in years! I forgot how satisfying it was to hold an infant!”

Hermione looked at him strangely. “You burped Adara just yesterday.”

“I did? Oh, I forgot.” Sirius patted the child in his arms a few minutes more, making sure there wasn't another burp waiting to come up. He then brought the child down and looked at her closely.

“My, she is a beautiful baby, isn't she?”

Hermione stared at Sirius with narrowed eyes. “Did Remus give you something to make you act funny? You've never said that about Persimmonie before.”

Sirius chuckled. “No, my dear. I'm just feeling rather wonderful this fine day.”

Giving Sirius another confused glance, she picked up Adara and was about to put her to her shoulder for burping when Sirius said, “May I?”

“Okay, sure, I guess.”

She handed the infant over to Sirius who immediately put her to his shoulder and began burping her, she then picked up Persimmonie from his lap and walked over to the bassinet to change her nappy.

“Uck, I can't wait until they have normal poops and not this slimy stuff!”

Sirius smiled as he listened to Hermione chatter with the infant. Once Adara burped noisily, he brought her forward so he could look at her closely. “Well, hello little Adara. My, aren't you a pretty little thing?”

He smiled as the infant looked at him intently, her legs kicking and arms waving about. He put a hand behind the child's head and lifted her in his hands as he stood. Turning, he walked over to where Hermione stood and handed Adara to her so she could change her nappy as well. Once done, she put Adara in with her sister and watched them to make sure they would remain quiet.

“Sirius?”

“Yes.”

“I hope you don't get mad or anything, but I'm awfully tired. Could I please go back to bed?”

“Why, of course, my dear, of course.”

“We don't have to, um, you know...”

Sirius was quick to respond. “Oh, no, no, not if you're so tired, no.”

Startled, she looked up at Sirius quizzically. “You're awfully agreeable today. You sure Remus didn't hand you some happy juice?”

Sirius smiled, then touched the top of her head and slid his hand down so he was cradling the back of her head, a look of concern on his face.

“No, he didn't give me anything. You go to bed, you look like you need some sleep. I'll stay awhile and watch the infants.”

“Okay, thank you.” She put her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the lips before turning to climb back into bed.

Sirius watched her as she settled under the covers. He could see how tired she was, smudges of discoloration under her eyes making her appear wan, and he noted she hadn't grown much taller, but had definitely lost weight since he had seen her last.

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Story Date: May 11, 1996 (5pm)

“Kreacher!”

“Yes, Wolf?”

Remus turned to look at the spot where Kreacher had appeared. “I'd like to go see Hermione now.”

Kreacher crossed his arms, a frown on his face. “What do you plan to do with her?”

“Pardon?”

“Are you going to bed her?”

The puzzled look on Remus' face turned to one of ice. “Of course not.”

“Master always does.”

Remus paused briefly. “Yes, well, that's your Master. I don't feel up to it right now.”

“I can give you the potion.”

“Potion? No, no, that won't be necessary.”

“Then you aren't going down there. Oh, no, you aren't. I'm tired of taking you down there and all you do is sit and talk with her and help her with the brats. I told you that the last time, didn't I?”

Remus grimaced as he spoke with forced calm. “Nevertheless, I wish to be transported down to see her.”

“No. Not unless you plan to do more.” Kreacher's eyes stared pointedly at Remus' crotch. “You've got that dong hanging between those legs for a reason, use it!”

Remus stood staring at Kreacher with obvious discomfort as he considered what the elf was demanding of him.

“Fine,” he ground out, “just take me down there.”

“Your wand.”

“What about it?”

“It goes on the nightstand before I take you.”

Remus clenched his jaw and ground his teeth a moment before he hesitantly put his wand on the nightstand.

Kreacher grabbed his arm and they were in the slave room a moment later with a soft Pop!

Remus stepped away from Kreacher, his eyes surveying the predominantly blue room quietly. In a rocker, he saw Hermione with an infant to her breast, a smile adorning her face when she saw who Kreacher brought down to see her. Setting his jaw, he walked towards her, his eyes on the red hair of the infant.

“Hi, Remus!” Hermione lifted her face, obviously expecting him to bend down and kiss her. Stiffly, he did so, his lips grazing hers quickly.

He turned and sat down in the other rocker, crossed his leg so ankle sat on knee, and continued to watch Hermione feed her baby. He, too, noticed the tired smudges under her eyes as well as her wanness; her hair, if possible, seemed even more dry and frizzy than he remembered it. Despite her full breasts, she also looked as if she had lost more weight than she should, just as 'Sirius' described.

“I'm so glad you came down! I'm feeling a bit better since Sirius was down earlier, I just wish the girls would give me more time to sleep. I don't know how often they woke me up, but I've had to feed them three times since he was here.”

Remus made the mental calculation. 'Sirius' had been down at lunchtime, so she was feeding the infants at least once every hour-and-a-half or so.

“Do they wake you so often at night?”

“I don't know. There's no clock in here so I have no idea what time of day it is. You know that. I, well, we sleep when we feel the need. Lately, that seems to be all the time.”

Deftly, she lifted the infant and put her up to her shoulder to burp her. Remus stared at her exposed breast a moment before looking away, his hands going over his lap and his foot shaking restlessly. 'Why is this making me feel nervous? It's not like I've never seen a fucking tit before, though admittedly, it's been a while. Obviously, it's been too fucking long. I've dealt with far worse and here I am, nervous over an exposed fucking breast.'

“Did I make you angry?”

“No.”

“You seem angry.”

“I'm not angry.”

Feeling hurt at his apparent indifference to her, and struggling to keep herself in control, Hermione stood up and walked around while holding Persimmonie. She breathed in the infant's smell and hugged her close as a few tears fell. 'Darn these hormones! I cry at the drop of a hat!' She changed her daughter's nappy and put her down to sleep, then stood uncertainly at the bassinet while looking at Remus. 'It's not normal for him to be edgy. What did I do wrong? Did I do something? I can't think of anything.'

Her eyes on him, she settled herself decently into her pale blue nightie and removed her bathrobe before walking up to Remus. She got on her knees in front of him and put her hands on his shoulders so she could lay against him with her eyes closed. She felt his hands go around her but he didn't rub her back like he usually did, and he remained silent.

“Remus? Are you sure you aren't mad at me?”

“I am not angry with you. I merely have a headache.”

“Oh, you want me to rub your head?” She pulled away from him slightly, looking up at him with worry, her hand on its way up to touch his temple before he grabbed and lowered it.

“No, that will not be necessary.” For a moment, his eyes traveled down to her cleavage, which was far more ample than usual due to her breastfeeding, before he pulled her back down against him, his hands on her shoulders and holding her against him.

“Remus?”

“Yes?”

“I like it when you're down here. You're so good to me.” She rubbed her cheek against his chest, listening to his heart beat slightly faster as she spoke those words.

Silence.

“Are you sure...”

“I am not angry. Please, stop asking me that.”

Hermione shifted herself due to her knees aching; when she did so, he suddenly took in a deep breath through his nose, then let out a low growl, squeezing his legs against her tightly as his hips flexed reflexively and his arms came around her, holding her closer to him. She smiled when she noticed a change in his breathing pattern as his head came down, his chin touching the top of her head, while an important part of his anatomy directly beneath her began to transform itself admirably.

“I can feel you.” Smiling, she sounded mischievous as she rubbed her chest and belly against him.

“Yes, I'm sure you can.” Again, his voice remained stilted and impersonal, though a slight tremble shook it. He loosened his hold on her and sat up straight, distancing himself, though his knees remained tight around her.

She looked up at him and pulled back, a frown on her face, suddenly unsure of herself. “Don't you want me anymore?”

He stared at her a long time, his jaw clenching and unclenching as his eyes made a path from her face down to her breasts and back up again. “Of course I do, just not now.”

She brought her hands down while still looking at his face. “This says you want me now.” She spoke quietly, her face hopeful but also wary as she found herself fearing rejection for the first time since her captivity.

He grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away, not letting her go when she attempted to back away from him. He knew he was confusing her by giving double signals, but his mind was working one way while his body was very obviously working its own way down a different, far more exciting, path. 'Why the fuck does she have to be so fucking alluring? You'd think that that bird's nest on her head would take away from her sensuality, but it doesn't. All you see is her pretty face and that fucking body. And, to top it off, she would have to be throwing herself at me. Talking about an irresistible combination. Fuck!'

He took a deep breath in through his nose, then let it out slowly while scanning the room for Kreacher.

“Where's the elf?”

“I don't know.” She tried to pull her wrists out of his hands but he wouldn't loosen his grip; indeed, his legs continued to hold her in place as well. “I hope he's gone. Why?”

“I want him to bring Sirius down.”

“Oh.” A split second ticked by, then, “Oh, I, uh, don't you, I mean, must he join us?”

His eyes snapped down to look at her critically. He noted the disappointment in her voice and the pleading look in her eyes. Unwillingly, but unable to stop himself, he lowered his eyes and saw her taut nipples peaking through her dark green nightgown, the cloth stretched tight from when she had pulled up due to the bottom of her nightgown being caught under her knees. Merlin, he could even see the shadow of her belly button, and for a moment, he wondered if it were pierced, knowing it was an intriguing thing Muggles did with their bodies. Her continued struggle to free her wrists didn't lessen his libido in any way, shape, or form as her breasts jiggled beneath that very thin, wonderfully tight, shimmery cloth with lace in just the right places that left little to the imagination. He was dismayed when he felt the muscles in his legs automatically tighten at the sight of her, and he forced himself to relax them, finding doing so to be an unusually monumental task.

“I need to know if the elf is here.”

She stilled, looking puzzled. “Just call for him then.”

Remus cleared his throat. “Kreacher!”

Pop!

“Yes, Wolf?”

“I wish for Sirius to be brought down.”

“Why? Are the both of you going to use her together?”

He bristled at the thought. “Certainly not.”

“Then, no, I won't bring Master down.”

“Fine then, I'm ready to go now.”

Hermione gave out a hurt gasp as Kreacher surveyed the scene before him. “I told you, Wolf. You use the girl before I bring you back. You're slipping in your duties. Oh, yes, you are.”

“My duties?”

Kreacher walked up behind Hermione and she pulled from him slightly as his hand came down upon her bottom, his thumb rubbing her suggestively. Hermione's eyes closed, her face changing to one of resigned discomfort as her body tightened at his touch. The elf didn't notice how Remus' eyes narrowed or how his lips went into a firm line as he unconsciously let go of Hermione's wrists, reached his hands around her so he could pull her closer to him.

“Yes, you are an instrument as well as my entertainment.”

“Instrument?”

“Come on, Wolf. I'll bet that cock of yours is aching to be free of those pants and inside the Mudblood's cunt.” Kreacher sniffed loudly. “I can smell her now, waiting for you, getting juicy so you'll slide right in.”

Hermione could feel Remus' heart hammering in his chest and his hands spasm on her shoulders as Kreacher continued to utter erotic fantasies in lyrical whispers. Suddenly, Remus let go of Hermione and put his hands on the arms of the chair, preparing to lift himself up.

“I do not wish to 'use' her at this point in time. Now that I have seen to her safety, I wish to go back.”

“No.” Kreacher spat the word out, his face livid. He backed up slightly and lifted a hand, then lowered it.

Suddenly, Remus felt an invisible force push him back down into the chair. The elf slid his hand forward and Hermione's body unceremoniously slammed up against him, both of them grunting from the impact. Kreacher squeezed his fingers into a fist and Remus' arms unwillingly embraced and then tightened around Hermione uncomfortably, causing her to whimper in pain until Kreacher loosened his grip, Remus' arms also loosening as he did so. Remus looked up at Kreacher as the elf gave him a malevolent smile, his gaze turning towards Hermione's bottom once again. He opened the first two fingers of his other hand and the back of her nightgown ripped, eliciting a fearful whimper from the girl. Pointedly looking at Remus, he shoved his fist forward and Hermione screamed as she heaved herself against him with the pain, then began to cry. The elf pulled his fist back, then relaxed and lowered his arms - Remus felt his arms relaxing as the elf released his magic over him, but he tightened his embrace around her as she trembled and clutched at him.

'Holy fuck, where the hell did the elf learn this kind of magic! Now what the fuck do I do?'

“I fail to see why it is so important to you that I 'use' the girl in the first place. You'll not join us, if that is what you desire.”

Kreacher scowled at Remus. “As if you could stop me! I should make you use her with me, just for your insolence!” His eyes on Remus, he reached out and ripped the silky, dark green nightgown further.

“No, please, don't, Master Kreacher! No more! Please don't!” Hermione lowered her bare bottom as she squealed tearfully while reaching back, trying to pull her nightgown together as the elf came up behind her, a hand pulling his manhood out.

Disgusted and angered, Remus reached forward and pushed the elf away from her before hugging her to him tightly as he began lifting her into his lap. He defied Kreacher verbally, his voice shaking with anger. “Oh? And how would you accomplish that, elf? We'll fight you every step of the way. I doubt very much that you'll find your time with us to be very entertaining.”

Kreacher stepped back, his face twisted in anger. “I'll hurt one of the brats if you don't, Wolf. Is that good enough incentive for you to do as I say?”

“No! No! Don't hurt the babies!” Hermione threw Remus' arms from her, shot up from his lap, and began backing away towards the bassinet, her hands coming up to her mouth as her panicked eyes looked at the elf.

Kreacher smiled nefariously.

“If you harm one of the infants...”

“What are you going to do, Wolf? Bite me at the full moon?” Kreacher laughed loudly at his own joke before becoming serious as he rubbed himself suggestively through his cloth. “Come on, Wolf. Let's get busy.”

“I will not.”

Kreacher walked towards the bassinet but Hermione jumped in front of him. “Please! Please, don't! Please, don't hurt the babies! I'll do anything, I promise! Just don't hurt the babies!”

“Oh, I know you'll do anything I want, slut. That's not the problem.” He grabbed her nightgown and pulled on it, smiling when he heard it rip even further. “And, don't worry, I won't hurt 'the babies', not both of them anyway. I'll just hurt the red-headed brat.”

“No!” Hermione yanked her nightgown out of Kreacher's hands, then turned and ran to the bassinet, the ripped material of her gown fluttering about her, her fearful cries echoing off the walls. Frantically, she scooped up both girls and hugged them to her chest as she cried in anguish and backed away, one of the infants giving out a sleepy wail as she did so.

Remus, now standing, silently watched all this unfold before him. 'Shit! How did all of this get so out of hand? I'll save Black the trouble by killing this fucking elf myself. Mother-fucking-son-of-a-bitching elf is as good as dead in my book.'

“I'll make you a deal, elf.”

Kreacher turned to look at him, his arms crossed and foot tapping. “Go on, it had better be good.”

“I'll use the girl now, as you wish, but alone.” Kreacher made a 'pfffffting' noise, then turned again towards Hermione as he raised a hand, obviously preparing to use magic upon her as she cowered away from him, turning her body to minimize his access to the girls. “However,” Kreacher paused, his eyes turning to look at Remus, “I'll agree to the three of us using her the next time we are all together.”

“The next three times you come down.”

Remus merely stared at the elf, not giving an answer either way. He didn't have to, Kreacher knew he had won this battle.

Kreacher looked over his shoulder, yet another evil smile gracing his face. “I get to choose what we do. Oh, yes, I do. And you must do anything I tell you to do to the Mudblood. Anything.”

“She will not be harmed?”

“Of course not! Why would I hurt my key ingredient?”

Remus, his facial features carefully schooled to look emotionless, stared at Kreacher as he took in the peculiar wording the elf used, his fists clenching and unclenching.

“I get to decide what we do the next three times the two of you come down together. You will abide by my rules whether you want to do them or not. I promise you, you won't regret your time using the Mudblood when I'm in charge. Oh, no, you won't.”

Remus glared at Kreacher with undisguised disgust before grinding out between clenched teeth, “It is agreed.”

“Fine then.” Kreacher lowered his hand and turned to face Remus. “Tomorrow afternoon I'll bring you both down to my zoo. And maybe a few Rabbits will join us as well. Oh, yes, I believe they definitely will.” He smiled toothily. “Be prepared for a long, lust-filled night, Wolf. I also believe you'll finally give the girl your ownership mark as well. You've avoided that particular rite for far too long.” He looked at Remus' crotch. “I'll also be sure to bring the potion with me since it's so close to the full moon.” With a laugh, Kreacher disappeared with a Pop!

Both frozen in place after Kreacher left, the silence rang on for what seemed hours to them, each listening to the other breathing.

“I'm, I'm sorry. I didn't know he was forcing you to, to... I mean, I just wanted to, you know, and he, I just wanted to feel you touch me, that's all! I didn't know, I mean, I should have realized, well, I did realize, I knew you didn't want to, but I wanted to. I'm sorry! I should have left you alone, it was obvious you didn't want to. I just, I don't know, I just needed, but it doesn't matter, not really, I suppose, well, yes it does, but, well, never mind, never mind. I didn't know he was making you, forcing you, to do things with me, and you didn't want to, and I tried to, well, I mean, I didn't know he was, and then, when you refused, and he said he'd, that he would...” Hermione fell down to her knees, still hugging the sleeping girls to her chest. “Oh my god! He's going to use the girls as a way to make us do things! Oh no, oh no, oh no!”

Remus stood stonily, listening to her as she struggled to voice her thoughts, her confusion obvious, then watched her burst into tears and cry as she rocked back and forth, her wet face nuzzling against her daughter's slumbering heads. Her desperate crying seemed to reach a deep part of him and several emotions began warring on his face as they fought for a stronghold – his thought processes matching his facial features as anger, worry, disgust, fear, bitterness, and sadness all whirled through him within a few seconds time. Nodding his head slightly as he seemed to make his mind up about something, he strode over and knelt down beside her where he brought up a warm hand and, hesitantly touching her shoulder, slid it down her back and began rubbing her gently.

“The infants will not be harmed.”

“Oh, how do you know? How do you know? Oh no, what do I do? What do I do?” She continued to rock back and forth, her tone reflecting her desperate emotional state. “I can't protect my babies! I can't protect them! How do I protect them? Oh, gods, we'll be better off dead.”

“Don't speak of such things. There's always hope.”

“No, no! There's no hope! Not anymore! Not if my babies will be hurt! No, no, no...”

“We will do what we can to protect the infants. Sirius and I.”

“I know, I know you will, I know. But, you'll never be able to stop him, never! Look at how he did that stuff with his hand, how he made us do things! He's getting stronger!” She continued to hug her babies to her as tears fell. “Oh gods, what if he makes me do things to the babies? I love my girls! I couldn't live with myself if he made me do things to them! Made me hurt them!”

Remus watched her as she clung to her children, watched as a tiny hand come up to grab at her hair and heard one of the girls give a high-pitched grunt as she hugged them tightly to her.

“We'll do what we have to to keep them safe.”

Hermione's shoulders drooped as she kissed one of the little hands that touched her face. She stared at her girls for a long time, a few tears glistening as they rolled down her face.

“Please, let me put them back into the bassinet.”

She turned away from him slightly. “No, I want to hold them.”

“They are safe now, you will only wake them up completely and they will fret. At this point, they will fall peacefully back to sleep. Please, let me put them into the bassinet.”

Big brown eyes looked up at him for a moment. “Yes, sir.” She sniffled a few times as he stood, her eyes following him.

Remus took Adara from her, then Persimmonie, placing both into the bassinet carefully. He stood a moment, his hands on the edge of the bassinet, looking at them both as they peacefully drifted off, going back to sleep, blissfully unaware of the danger they were in.

“Re-Remus?” She wasn't sure of what he was thinking, what he planned to do, or what she should do for that matter, so she stayed on her knees on the floor, her bum setting on her feet, her hands in her lap.

He didn't look at her when he spoke, instead, he continued to look down at the infants. “Please believe that we will do our best to protect your daughters.”

He could barely hear her whispered reply. “I know you will, Remus. I believe you will.”

“I need a fucking drink.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask, grimacing as he took a long swallow, wishing it was his favorite Firewhiskey instead of the exotic drink he had placed in there hours ago. The stuff tasted terrible, like wet fur, but he drank it anyway, knowing he needed to.

“Remus?” Her voice was higher-pitched, not sure what to make of his uncharacteristic use of alcohol.

Silence stretched on between them. Remus finally took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“It seems that I will be forced to copulate with you, Gr-Hermione, before I will be allowed to return to my room.” Under his breath, he murmured, “The elf has more fucking power than I believed to be true.”

She looked down at her fingers in her lap, then looked at her tummy and tried to suck it in. “Is that so bad, sir? I mean, I know I'm not all that desirable right now, you know, so soon after the babies were born, but I'm exercising and trying to get back into shape. Really, I am.”

“It's not that. You are incredibly desirable.”

“I am? Do you really think so?” Not believing him, she continued to push at her tummy as she thought about what could be making him not want her. She pushed her boobs up, wondering if they were sagging already. “What is it, then? I mean, you always seemed to like it when we, you know, made love. Anyway, I, I thought of it as making love,” her lip trembled, “and not as just sex. I thought you liked me.”

He struggled to think of a reason for his obvious rejection of her, knowing he was causing her undue pain. 'Strange, it never bothered me before if I insulted her in some way.'

“Miss...” He took in a deep breath. “Hermione, the full moon arrives in two days. I am fatigued, as usual, before its arrival.”

“Oh. But, I mean, you were aroused a little while ago.” She paused, thinking a moment. “If you want, I can do most of the work, I don't mind.”

He stood tall, as if insulted and his voice reflected his stance. “That will not be necessary.”

She tried to think of ways to increase his interest in bedding her, wanting to get started before the babies woke up for feeding and diapering, knowing they couldn't do anything too rigorous, else the babies would be awakened, not to mention that Remus might be too tired to participate. An idea suddenly popped into her head and she looked at him hopefully.

“Do you want to take a shower together? Like we did before?” She tilted her head slightly, her voice becoming slightly more high-pitched as she spoke. “Would that be better?”

She knew he had no idea how desperately she wanted him to touch her, to make the feelings of the previous night go away. While she was surprised that she enjoyed her time with Draco, she still felt dirty, especially since Mistress and Kreacher ruined the nice afterglow with their own version of breastfeeding – she recoiled reflexively when she thought of them enjoying themselves at her expense, still feeling their mouths upon her flesh. She was sure Remus would make her feel better - she loved his nice soft hands that were gentle yet strong, his calm manner, his quiet voice that commanded respect, and his respect for her and for her wishes.

Looking at him as she wrung her hands in her lap, she worried over how he was acting towards her, sure that his lack of interest was due to her body's postpartum state. She hesitated a moment before offering helpfully, “I'm not bleeding anymore.”

Not really hearing her last statement, he turned slowly and looked down at her, his arms crossed in front of him. “You wish for us to shower together?”

“Yes, I enjoyed that a great deal. Could we?”

Remus thought about this for a long time before hesitantly nodding his agreement. Smiling, Hermione jumped up, grabbed his hand, and guided him to the bathroom.

Letting go of his hand, she went to the shower and turned on the water, making sure it was warm before pulling off her nightgown and preparing to climb in. Turning, she saw Remus was still dressed as he leaned against the wall watching her with great interest, his arms crossed. She hoped he meant it when he said her body wasn't the cause of his rejecting her as she sashayed towards him, grabbing his hand and twirling into his arms with a giggle, his hands sliding down her sides and landing on her hips as a smile and hesitant chuckle escaped him, his eyes dancing over her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, making sure to grind her pelvis into his before going on tiptoe to kiss him.

“Well, kiss me back, silly!”

Slowly, Remus lowered his head and touched his lips to hers, and was surprised by Hermione's tongue immediately invading his mouth. Soon, their kiss became passionate as his hands began to rove the back and sides of her body, finally resting on her bum and squeezing while also pushing her against his erection, his legs now parted so she fit within them better.

Giggling, she came up for air and looked into his eyes. “This is nice, isn't it?” She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down so she could whisper into his ear. “And this is only the beginning, Remus, I promise.” She kissed his ear, then slid her tongue into it, making him pull back as he took in a deep breath, his large hands pulling her against him by her hips and bum.

She began to unbutton his shirt, her fingers trembling from excitement. “Let's get your clothes off! It won't do to have you get your clothes all wet, now will it?”

Remus allowed her to remove his jacket, unbutton his shirt and remove it, and then undo his pants. She lowered herself down to her knees, sliding her hands along his body and kissing him on the way down, then pulled his shoes and socks off before unbuttoning his pants. She took a moment to inspect his manhood, listening with a smile to as he groaned appreciatively, before finally liberating him from his pants. She stood slowly, giving him little nips and kisses on her way up, her hands working magic as his body twitched to her touch. Finally, she stood before him, her nipples teasing his lower chest; her belly, his erection; her fingers, his body, and kissed him. With a smile, she backed away, his hands trying to pull her back, and picked up his clothes, teasingly folding them neatly, finally laying them down on the toilet, her bum in the air, before turning back to look at him with a smile, a finger to her lips.

Slowly, she walked up to him and put her arms around him again as she looked at him intently, a pout beautifully decorating her face. “I've missed you, Remus. I like it when you touch me, it's so nice.” She closed her eyes and kissed him lightly as she put her arms behind her back. “Please, touch me. Please, make me feel good.”

Remus smiled as he raised his hands to do as she asked, finally giving himself over to her as he kissed her with an ardent rapaciousness she had never known before, his hands working like magic to erase the feel of all who had touched her antecedently.

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Story Date: May 12, 1996 2:49am

Unable to sleep, his mind in a turmoil over all that had occurred with the girl as well as the enraged conference he had to endure with the other three men once the elf brought him back up, Remus walked down to the kitchen, planning to get himself a glass of warm milk – his mind was still on his first delicious drink of breast milk he had had from the girl. Because of her, he felt drawn to the thought of drinking a warm glass of milk, something he hadn't done since he was a small lad, long before he went to Hogwarts. He opened the icebox door and reached in, preparing to pull the bottle of milk out when he heard the soft Pop! of Kreacher's arrival behind him. Quickly, he turned as he closed the door, his hands empty, his eyes scanning the room for the 'you-are-so-dead' elf.

“Wolf!”

“What is it, Kreacher?”

“You need to come, now!”

Surprised that Kreacher would approach him while in the kitchen, Remus looked around, checking to make sure they were alone.

“What's wrong? Is it Hermione?”

“She's in with the nighties again.”

“All right. Transport me before someone enters the room.”

Kreacher grabbed Remus' arm and they both disappeared with a Pop!

Remus looked around the room, looking at the bed, noting that it's linen was in complete disarray from Hermione's frantic exit, the sheet pulled onto the floor and pillows strewn about. To his right, he could hear a baby screaming. Quickly, he strode over to the bassinet and peered in, but the babies were gone. Feeling the blood drain from his face, he quickly went to the armoire and jerked the door open. Inside, Hermione, wide-eyed, red-faced, and soaked with perspiration, was balled up in terror, a baby under each arm.

“No! No! Don't hurt them! Don't! Don't!”

“Shit! Granger, come out of there. Now! You are causing harm to the infants.” He grabbed at Hermione's arms and tried to pull her out, but she kicked at him and clung to the girls even tighter, briefly quieting the one who was screaming as she compressed its rib cage.

“Kreacher! Get Sirius. Now!”

Remembering his wand that the elf, thankfully, had forgotten to remove from him in his haste to get him down to her, he pulled back and levitated a screaming Hermione out of the armoire, setting her down on the floor where she promptly let go of the girls and scrambled back into the closet, then climbed out and grabbed for her babies as Remus grabbed hold of her and pulled her out of the closet and away from the girls, her panicked kicking and screaming causing him physical pain.

“No! No! Don't hurt them! Don't hurt them! Hurt me, but don't hurt them! Don't hurt my babies!”

“Granger! Wake up! Wake up, now!” He slapped her a few times, trying to wake her from her nightmare - he succeeded in quieting her for a moment before her screams began again. Perplexed, he stared at her as her fugue state continued, her cries of panic renewing with a vengeance. 'What the fuck is this? I've never heard of a nightmare state that one can't be roused from. Did that fucking elf do something to her to cause this strange state? If so, why? It obviously distresses him.'

While Remus pondered over Hermione's nightmares as he struggled to get her under control, Kreacher arrived with Sirius, the soft Pop! announcing their arrival was drowned out by screams of terror. Kreacher backed away and stood, watching Remus with the girl while Sirius ran over to help, Hermione flailing her arms and legs around while screaming.

“What's happened?”

“The infants, they're over there!” Remus nodded to his left as Hermione's hand grazed his cheek.

Sirius turned and saw the babies, obviously unceremoniously dumped haphazardly on the floor. Grabbing the girls, he hugged them to his chest.

“Tell me, what has happened!” He began to check the girls for injuries, his worried eyes becoming alarmed.

“Granger was having a nightmare and dragged the babies into the armoire with her.” Remus continued to struggle with Hermione as he yelled over her screams. “I removed them from her as soon as I could but she was clutching them to her in her terror. Make sure they're all right.”

“I am checking, they're tangled in their blankets.”

Remus looked over Hermione's head, having finally bound her with invisible ropes and holding her tightly. He knew being bound would increase her terror, but he had to get her under control somehow, and this was the first thing he thought of. He looked at Sirius with growing concern as the other man finally used his wand to vanish the blankets - one struggling, screaming child held to this chest, the other on the floor, in between his knees.

A moment's silence, then, “Oh, my lord in heaven.”

“What? What is it?”

Tears in his eyes, Sirius looked up at him as he mouthed, “Pull your wand.”

Both men pulled their wands out and simultaneously turned towards an unsuspecting Kreacher, both clearly shouting - “Imperio!” - as one. Kreacher, unmistakably surprised by the attack, didn't have time to fully process what they were doing, let alone make himself disappear and get out of harms way - he was thrown back from the strong force of the wizards' combined spell-work, his body flying onto the floor rigidly before relaxing and becoming limp. Slowly, he sat up and gave Sirius a dreamy look, his unfocused eyes seeming to be seeing things that were far, far away.

Sirius grabbed the baby on the floor and cradled both girls to his chest, then indicated for Remus to pick Hermione up and follow him. Remus looked down at the girl, who was now quietly begging him to keep the big green monsters away, her big eyes looking up at him, whimpering that these monsters were coming to hurt her and the girls because there was so much noise. Picking her up with ease, he carried her to where Kreacher continued to sit on the floor, Sirius standing on the opposite side of the elf, the precious babes in his arms.

“Kreacher.”

“Yes, Master?”

“You will take the five us to Hogwarts, now. The hospital wing. Immediately.”

Remus flicked his eyes at Sirius questioningly as Kreacher stood before grabbing both men by the leg and said, “Yes, Master.”

The next moment, they were in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Both men breathed in a huge sigh of relief as they turned to look at each other, triumphant smiles flitting across their faces for a moment before they set into motion what needed to be done.

“Kreacher, sit in that corner.” Sirius pointed to a corner where a rickety-looking wooden chair was placed. “You are not to move, not at all, until I tell you to. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.” Obediently, Kreacher turned, briskly walked to the corner, and climbed onto the chair without any sign of resistance.

“Poppy! Poppy! Come immediately!”

Instantly, a woman in a white nightgown, busily attempting to throw on a dark brown bathrobe, ran into the room. “Who is it? Who are you? Professor Lupin? What's wrong? Who do you have in your arms? Who's crying?”

“She is not the one you need to care for, Poppy.” Sirius lowered the two girls down onto a cot. One lay very still; the other gave out a shrill cry, her face turning beat red with her indignant and pained exertions. Hermione began to fret, murmuring “my babies”, forcing Remus to cast a silencing spell upon the child so Hermione would fall back into her dazed state.

“Oh, babies! How old are they? They're so tiny! Newborns?” She placed her hand on each, but immediately turned to the one who was so still, and bent down to inspect her closer. “Oh, no.”

She quickly picked up the infant that concerned her and ran her wand over the child's body.

“I, what happened?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Sirius stepped closer, his hand reaching down to touch the downy-soft wisps of hair on the child's head. “Poppy, tell me, is she...”

“She's dead, yes.” Poppy hugged the child for a moment, then put the body down and covered her with a cloth before quickly turning to check the other infant who had finally cried herself to sleep. Once satisfied of the child's health, she securely bundled her up in a new blanket with a flick of her wand, then whirled around on the two men, hands on her hips and a very stern look on her face. “What happened to these infants?” She looked at Sirius. “And who are you? You look familiar, but I can't place your face.”

Foregoing her questioning, he pressed on about the shrouded infant. “You can't do anything for her? This only occurred a few minutes ago.”

“No, there's nothing that can be done for her. Even if I did get her back, which is doubtful, she would be brain-damaged. Let the poor child die in peace.” She looked up at the man she was talking to, her shoulders squared. “I wish to know who you are, sir.”

“It's me, Poppy, Albus.”

“You're not Albus.”

“Polyjuice.” She turned to look at Remus as he spoke.

“Are you Remus Lupin?”

“No, I'm Severus Snape.”

Poppy stood for a few moments, looking between the two men suspiciously, wanting to ask them questions but knowing she wouldn't be given any answers.

She turned to look at Albus-Sirius. “The other child is fine, she'll have a few bruises, but otherwise, she'll be fine. Lucky for her, the bones of infants are pliant, so nothing has been fractured. She's been crushed, as was the other child, who was also smothered.” She glared at Albus-Sirius, “I demand to know what happened to these babies!”

Albus-Sirius nodded, his eyes turning to look at the covered infant. “It's a long, complicated story, Poppy. For now, we must accept what has happened and move on, for we are unable to help the poor little thing. We must tend to the living.”

They stood in a silence dripping with sadness, a twinge of failure creeping into the very being of both men and twisting a part of them into knots - the castle walls around them seeming to mourn the passing of one so young and innocent as deeply as the magical humans contained within them.

Sighing deeply, Poppy turned to look at Severus-Remus, her eyes dropping to the young woman in his arms. “Remus, I mean, Severus, who are you holding in your arms? I sense she is alive.”

“She is very much alive, Poppy. I hold Hermione Granger.”

“Her-Hermione Granger!” Poppy's hand went to her mouth in surprise, then she bustled up to him in an attempt to see her better, her hands coming down to smooth the girl's hair out of her face. The girl whimpered and turned her face into Severus-Remus' ragged jacket. “Oh my, the poor child! Quickly, put her down over here!” Quickly, she stepped away and backed up as the sheets and blankets pulled back on a bed with a practiced sweep of her wand. “Is she injured?”

Severus-Remus turned and put a heavy-lidded Hermione down in the cot indicated by Poppy. He felt a strange, irresistible compulsion to comfort her come over him and he found himself whispering to her that she was safe now as he stroked her cheek, her eyes slowly closing as she smiled and drifted off to sleep. As he watched her eyes close, he felt an unfamiliar wriggling, tingling, aching feeling in his chest as he tentatively smiled with satisfaction. Quickly hiding his pleased smile, he stood back, studying her as he released the invisible ropes that bound her. Once free, she immediately turned onto her side, snuggling further into the covers that Poppy charmed over her.

“No, she's not injured. She's asleep after a violent nightmare of some sort, though to remain in her nightmare state and then to fall asleep as she has is highly unusual and will require investigation for Dark Magic.”

All three stared at Hermione as she appeared to sleep peacefully, her hair a haphazard mass of frizz, some wisps sticking to the perspiration that glistened on her flushed face.

“Do the children belong to her? She is their mother?”

“Yes, yes, she is, Poppy. She's their mother.” Albus nodded gravely, his lips pursed. “She will need to be checked once she arouses as she had no prenatal or postpartum care.”

“She had twins without any care at all? None at all? In this day in age?”

“Correct.” Albus-Sirius smiled wanly. “She's an incredibly brave girl who has struggled through inconceivable trials and tribulations; she will likely be very fragile of mind for a while, and we must be prepared to deal with that.” He closed his eyes for a moment as he collected his thoughts, his mind sadly going over some of the things he had seen when he performed Legilamency upon the real Sirius, a Sirius who was enraged once he was released from the spell. 'I needed to know what I was dealing with, truly dealing with, before I allowed Severus or myself down into the lion's den. I'll not apologize for trying to be thoroughly prepared before I embarked upon such a mission.' “Poppy, please do not tell her what happened to the child who died. I will discuss it with her later. If she arouses before I come back, just tell her that I will be back to talk with her about how she came to be here and where Adara is.”

“Adara?”

“That is the name of the deceased child.”

All three briefly turned to look at the cloth covered body.

“Oh. What a lovely name.”

“Yes, it was.”

“But Albus, Miss Granger will be frantic once she arouses and is unable to find one of her twins, don't you think?”

“Just tell her I took Adara to Sirius and I shall return with her as soon as possible.”

“Lupin stated that Miss Granger tends to sleep until the morning after her nightmares,” Severus-Remus turned to look at Hermione, a long finger tracing his lips as he mused, “almost as if drugged, though she apparently wakes up briefly so she can tend to the children when they cry.”

“There you have it, Poppy. See if you can keep Persimmonie from crying.”

“Persimmonie? Is that the other child's name? How unusual.”

“It is, yes.”

“Well, I'll do my best to keep her from crying. I'll have to have someone get me some formula. Infant bottles are no problem to transfigure, as are nappies. I'll move the child to another room and place a silencing charm on the doorway. By the way, how old are the babies?”

“They were born May 1st.”

“Headmaster.” Albus-Sirius turned to look at Severus-Remus. “Lupin and Black?”

Both men looked at each other gravely.

“Yes, I believe it would be prudent to inform Sirius and Remus that Hermione and the girls are free.”

“What do we do with the elf?” Severus-Remus jerked his thumb towards the elf, still sitting in the chair, his eyes seemingly out of focus as he happily waited for instruction.

Eyes on Kreacher, his voice heavy with emotion, Albus-Sirius stated, “I don't know, Severus, I just don't know.”

“If you would let me...”

Albus-Sirius held up a hand. “No, Severus, it is not our place to decide who lives and who dies.”

“With that elf, the sooner he is put to fucking death, the better.”

“No, Severus. He may still be of some use to us in the future.” Albus turned to look sadly at Kreacher. “And, as I said, it is not our place to decide who lives and who dies.” He turned back to look at Severus. “We will question him further, later today, once things settle down. I believe that, between the two of us, we shall understand his reasoning for tormenting those who were residing in the 'Noble House of Black'.” Sadly, he looked at Kreacher once again. “And, we need to discover the full extent of the damage he has done, not only to those who were living there, but to members of the Order.”

Severus grunted his agreement.

“I believe I shall go back to Headquarters.”

“Do you wish for me to come along?”

“No, I'd feel much better if you were to stay and guard Miss Granger. She is in danger until we figure out what to do with Kreacher. We don't know yet if Sirius still poses a threat.”

Silently, Severus turned to look at the elf for many minutes before his eyes drifted to Adara's covered body, finally asking, “Are you going to tell Black about his daughter?”

“Yes, I believe I shall go speak with Sirius now, there's no sense in waiting. I'll also take his daughter's body to him.” Albus sighed deeply. “He will need time to grieve.” Albus, still looking like Sirius, though his hair was slowly growing longer with tufts of white showing through the black, turned to look at the tiny black-haired infant, still under her shroud. “He's going to be devastated.”

“He should have confessed long ago. Had he done so, the child would be safe.”

“We don't know that, Severus. Perhaps this was destined to be, no matter what happened.”

Albus walked over and carefully picked up Adara's tiny body, then turned briskly and walked up to Kreacher, still sitting in the rickety chair, his eyes remaining dreamy and unfocused.

“Kreacher, you will take me to the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. Once there, you shall stand where I instruct you to and not move. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

Kreacher reached up and grabbed Albus' leg, then they disappeared.

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Author's notes, you may freely skip:

First off, yes, yes, I know that 'Remus' aka Severus, should have just said, “yes, we'll use her together” when Kreacher asked, and I'm sure he would have in 'real life' aka canon - just to get 'Sirius' aka Albus down into the 'slave room'... But, this is fanfic, and I had to make it so that Hermione and Severus (looking like Remus, in case you didn't catch that) have their sexy little interlude in the shower! That shower scene will play an important part in the future, BTW... Just pretend that Severus was too disgusted by the mere thought of sharing Hermione with either Albus or Sirius to think straight!
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Okay, I have now moved on to the serious topic of infant death. This is not infanticide, which is the intentional murder of an infant. Hermione did not kill Adara on purpose, but accidentally suffocated her against her breast while squeezing herself into a ball in the armoire. It's not an easy topic to discuss, I know.
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Infant death secondary to suffocation (I doubt I'll find anything that correlates with what happened to Adara):
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/103/5/e59
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Mentioning cherry blossoms falling was a way to write about death in poems without actually mentioning the word (hence, the name of the chapters title):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_poem
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Another nugget of information about Adara's middle name... Cassiopeia was a woman in mythology who was made into a constellation after her death... That was another reason I chose that name, due to the significance of death being associated with it...

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