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Just as Padma had told her, the two men were released from the DOM the following week. Andy took Teddy for the day so Hermione could help Remus get settled in before going to get him. She and Andy had many conversation on what to do now that Remus was back, especially in the realm of what they were going to tell Tonks. They agreed that Andy would send an owl to inform her, since Remus is her husband, but it also came with a warning that she was to stay away from Teddy. It was Andromeda's idea to keep her away from Teddy. Hermione didn't know what to do, and left it up to his grandmother. She hugged Sirius goodbye, and told him to come by once he was feeling up to it, before she and Remus slowly made their way into the floo. They both stumbled out into Hermione's living room, but they managed to stay standing. She helped Remus over to the couch, easing him down onto the cushions.  

"Do you need anything?" She asked, sitting on the coffee table in behind her and watching Remus shift in his seat to get comfortable.

He shook his head. "No, I'm alright Hermione." He reached his hand out and grabbed onto hers. "Where's Teddy?"

"He's with Andy. He stays there through the day while I'm at work." 

"Have you told Tonks yet?"

Hermione hesitated for a moment, before slowly nodding her head. "Andy sent an owl yesterday. It's more of a curtesy than anything since she is technically your wife."

"Has she tried to make any contact with Teddy?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. I haven't seen her since she signed over her rights and left Teddy to me."

"How is Teddy handling all of this?" he asked, hesitating slightly.

Hermione sighed, squeezing his hand once more. "He's nervous. He doesn't want to lose either of us, but knows that at some point he's not going to see both of us together all the time. He's excited that his daddy is alive, and he can see you. It's just going to take some time."

Remus nodded in understanding. He jaw dropping open as he tried to find something else to say. "Why didn't you tell us about the attack?"

Hermione sighed once more. "I wasn't sure if you already knew. Besides, it does no one any good to relive it."

She watched his jaw clench, eye flashing gold for a moment, before his expression turned into one of neutrality. "Hermione, I need to tell you something."

"What is it Remus? Do you need something? Are you uncomfortable?"

"No, Hermione, it's just I want to be honest with you since I'll be living with you."

Hermione narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Every time she's heard that line it was  always accompanied with bad news. "What is it?"

Remus sucked in a deep breath. Do you remember when I kept avoiding you during your fifth year?" He waited for her to nod, before continuing. "When we met, Moony caught you scent. He recognized you as his mate. But you were too young, so I stayed away. I stayed away and was going to wait until you graduated to talk to you about everything. Only Sirius died, and I slept with Tonks. We were both looking for comfort. Then she got pregnant. I wanted to do the right thing, so we got married. Then Teddy was born, and I was so happy. Then I died, and I watched you with him. And the love for you that I had from your fourth year, grew. You are my mate, Hermione."

A silence stretched over them, as Hermione processed what he had said. Mate, she was his mate. She knows what that means. She's done plenty of research on werewolves over the years. She knows what that means. 

"W-What-How-AGGH!" She ran her hands through her hair as she tried to process everything. "I'm your mate. Is that why Tonks left him with me and not Harry? Did she know?"

Remus sighed. "I don't know why Tonks left Teddy. She was excited through her pregnancy. She did know about you being my mate, but she knew I was waiting to tell you until you graduated."

"Not a word to Teddy until I can figure out what to do." Hermione said, standing and heading towards the kitchen. Leaving a stunned Remus on the couch.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione stayed busy (avoiding Remus) as much as she could until Teddy came home. 

He and Andy stumbled through the floo, Teddy immediately racing over towards Hermione and jumping into her arms. "Mom!" He screamed.

"Hey, Teddy-Bear. How was it at Grandmas?"

"We had so much fun!" Teddy rambled on, grinning and flailing his arms around. 

“Good.” Hermione grinned, ruffling his hair. "Did you say hi to your dad?" Teddy shook his head, as they both turned to look towards Remus who was talking quietly with Andy. "Why don't you talk to your dad, while Grandma and I have a chat. Ok?"

Hermione scooped him into her arms, squeezing his gently, as she moved over towards a large recliner chair that she liked to sit and read in after Teddy went down for the night. She placed him down, smiling encouragingly at him before nodding her head towards Andy. They walked a little ways away, still in the room, but away enough that Teddy wouldn't overhear what was being said. "How was he today?"

Andy's smile strained. "He was alright, but he's nervous. He knows this is a big change, with Remus being back. I'm not sure what I have to tell you will make it any better." 

Hermione's brows furrowed. "What's going on?"

"Nymphadora wrote back. She's coming back to fight for Teddy. She wants to be a proper family, her, Remus, and Teddy."

Hermione's vision tunneled at her words. Her hands clenching into fists, as tears blurred her eyes. "I don't understand. Why...?"

"I don't know, but I will not be participating in this war she is trying to brew up. You are Teddy's mother, as much as it pains me to say this, but she doesn't deserve the moniker of Mother." Andy hissed.

"You know if push comes to shove, they would rather have Teddy with Tonks than with me. Even if Kingsley backed me, they would rather have someone with Black blood over a mudblood like me." She tried to contain it, she really did, but a burst of magic flooded the room. Hermione's hair sparking, as anger and fear overcame her. Teddy's bright blue hair, turned a dull color and growing longer and turning more curly, as he rushed over towards her and clutched at her leg. Hermione sucked in a deep breath, reaching down to pick her son up and cuddle him close. Andy smiled sadly at the pair, reaching over and pulling them both into a tight embrace.

"You are his mom. Don't let anyone tell you you're not."

When she pulled away, Hermione smiled sadly at her, but nodded her head in understanding. Andy said her goodbye's before leaving quickly. Hermione pressed a kiss to Teddy's brow, and moved to sit in the recliner chair. He sat curled in her lap, as Hermione ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.

"Mom?"

"Yeah Teddy-Bear?"

"Is Tonks coming back?"

Hermione's eyes watered, but she took a deep breath in order to have this conversation with her son. "That's what your grandma thinks."

"Is she gonna take me away from you?" He whispered.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." She replied.

"She's only coming back because Daddy came back, isn't she."

"I don't know. She told your grandma that she want's you and your daddy to be a proper family with her."

"But you are my mom. Why would she want to take me away from you? She didn't want me before."

"I don't know, sweetheart. But no matter what happens, you are my son. You are mine, just as I am yours. Nothing is going to change that." Hermione swore, adjusting Teddy so he could look at her as she spoke. Teddy nodded, curling back up in her arms. Hermione's grip tightened around him, as tears slowly fell from her eyes. She was not going to let Tonks take her son away from her. She may have a right by blood, but she wanted nothing to do with him until Remus came back. At the thought of him, Hermione looked up at the man sitting across from her on the couch. His eyes a brilliant shade of amber. It was then it sparked in Hermione's brain on why she had been avoiding Remus for the majority of the day. Even through tears, her cheeks turned a slight pink.

"Hermione, I am on your side through this. He belongs to you, not Tonks. I am yours, not hers. My mate."

Hermione sighed, nodding her head in assent to his words. Teddy fell asleep not long afterwards, safe in her arms.

"Why does his hair get so curly?"

Hermione smiled. "When Teddy was little, when he would get upset, his hair would change to be more wild. At first we thought he was imitating Harry; but as he got older, his hair would grow out and the curls became more defined. He was changing to look like-"

"You." Remus whispered softly, grinning at her. She nodded. "When did he start doing it?"

"It started about three months after Teddy officially became mine. Sometimes he would still change to look like Tonks or you, but most of the time it was just his hair grew more wild, more frizzy."

Hermione checked the time, sighing as she realized she needed to make dinner, only to decide to order out. "What kind of pizza do you want?"

"Just cheese will work."

"Meat lovers, got it."

Hermione summoned her house phone, and called the pizza place. She placed the order, and they continued to sit and chat while they waited. When the pizza arrived, Hermione stood and arranged Teddy on the chair, before heading towards the door to grab it. She woke Teddy up and as they arranged to sit at the coffee table to eat. Teddy, who was more lively at the table, sat and only answered when he was spoken too. Even then, he only responded to Remus with yes or no answers. Hermione put Teddy down not long after wards, before helping Remus to his room. Just before Hermione was about to leave, Remus grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I'm not going anywhere Hermione. You might not be ok with it for now, but one day soon, I'll win you over."

"Remus-"

"Just think on what I've told you today Hermione. No matter what happens, I'm not going anywhere."

Nodding, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek, Hermione headed to bed as well. Her mind and body too exhausted to do anything else.