Fifteen years later

Bobby Winchester shoved the last of his books into his school bag and sprinted for the door, only pausing to glower at his substitute history teacher, Mr Crawley, who glared straight back.

"Become a dentist!" He yelled as Bobby joined the throng of students outside in the hallway and made his way towards the main doors, where he paused waiting for...

"Hey, Bob!"

Bobby rolled his eyes as his kid brother skipped up to him, curly hair bouncing with each step. He skidded to a halt next to him, grabbing his hand and beaming up at him.
"Hi, Danny." Bobby grinned down at him. "How was class?"

Just like that Daniel was off, jabbering away about every little thing that popped into his head from what had been in his lunch (the same thing as had been in Bobby's) to which colour crayon he'd used to colour in his picture of a jellyfish. Bobby pulled him towards the parking lot, only half listening to his brother's excited storytelling. Uncle Sam's car was parked near the rear of the lot and being eyed suspiciously by a lot of the soccer moms.

"Reckon Dad's back?" Daniel piped up when he paused to breathe.

Bobby shrugged.

"Must be, if Uncle Sam's home. Aunt or Uncle today?" He added thoughtfully.

"Aunt!" Daniel crowed.

As if on cue, their uncle stepped out of his car, pushing his hair away from his face as he looked across the cars for them. Bobby waved and Sam grinned back. A short man with blond hair and a devilish smirk popped up from behind Sam and stuck his tongue out at them.

"Uncle Gabriel." Bobby announced gleefully. "I win."

Daniel pouted.

A lot of the suspicious looks increased to outright scowling when the moms caught sight of Gabriel, but that was normal. People got confused when Uncle Sam was out with Gabriel because sometimes Gabriel was Aunt Gabriel and sometimes he wasn't. Bobby didn't really see what all the fuss was about. Like his Dad said, people are weird.

"Hey guys!" Sam greeted, grinning at him. Bobby looked him over for bandages but Gabriel caught where he was looking and winked at him.

"All in one piece, kiddo." He teased as they opened the doors to the car. Daniel began chattering away instantly, telling their uncles everything that had happened while they'd been gone. Gabriel came and went, sometimes for days, sometimes for months. Sometimes because of a job, sometimes because Bobby's dad had gotten so sick of his pranks he banished him.

Sam grinned as his nephews filled the silence of the car with busy noise, glad they were safe and happy. None of the Winchesters like to be away from home for too long but the last hunt had had them away for almost two weeks. Both he and Dean were glad to be back. Since Hermione had had Bobby they'd settled in the Bunker and sent out teams to specific hunts which they couldn't delegate. Sam and Dean, Cas and Hermione...there was always someone holding down the fort and watching the demons that were Sam's nephews. Hermione still worked for the Ministry of Magic so she was frequently summoned overseas by Harry, Castiel travelled a lot with Luna and Meg and Gabriel...well Gabriel did whatever the hell he wanted, but he seemed to have a soft spot for school pick-up duty. If anyone had told him that this was where he'd end up…Gabriel picked up that thought and swatted at his arm.

"Never mind you, remember how Dean took it?" He reminded him slyly.

"The real question of course," Hermione announced as they trooped back into the Bunker, having fought off a band of rogue demons. "Is, where did Sam get that Angel blade?"

Sam froze and Hermione smirked at him. He's always suspected she knew more than she was letting on, and had just been thankful she'd not mentioned it to Dean. Apparently he'd finally managed to irritate her enough…or she'd just decided it was time. Hermione's moods were mercurial at the best of times, never mind five months pregnant.

"It's...uh...just one I picked up from somewhere." Sam managed and Hermione's eyes widened innocently.

"But that blade's a bit large to be from a seraph." She said dramatically, like she'd unearthed some massive mystery. Sam swore he was going to kill her, baby or not. "Are you sure you can't be more specific?"

Dean frowned at them.

"She's right." He added, playing right into his wife's hands. Hermione's smirk got wider. "Where'd you get it Sammy?"

"I found it!" Sam blurted, sounding completely guilty.

Dean, with the unerring sense of a big brother who had just picked up the scent of something that's probably worth being held over someone's head for quite some time, grinned like a shark.

"C'mon Sammy. It can't be that bad." Behind Dean, Hermione laughed quietly into her hand. "Where'd you get the blade?"
Sam had gone completely red by this point and was attempting to hide the blade behind his back.

"It's nothing, Dean. Just leave it."

Hermione felt the grace before she heard the wings and she cackled at the short man who appeared by Sam's side.

"It's mine, Dean." Gabriel said easily. "I gave it to him."

The room went silent as Dean just stared at his brother and the Archangel who'd linked arms with him.

"So...uh...Gabe's alive?" Sam managed weakly.

Dean went completely ballistic, which, to be honest, was exactly how Sam had predicted he would react, right down to the swear words he was using. Hermione just laughed however, utterly content to cause havoc in any way that she could.

"It's about bloody time." She told them fondly. Dean stormed past her, wearing a trench in the ground with his pacing as he snarled under his breath. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to strap on your wings and confess?" She teased.

"You knew about this?" Dean squawked, as Sam turned a challenging glare on a rather embarrassed looking Gabriel.

The witch tipped her head back, staring at the atrium ceiling. There was still a slight smirk hanging around her face.

"That he wasn't dead or that he was sleeping with Sam?"

"Both!" Dean spluttered.

"Mm. Yes, I knew. We've been meeting for coffee for years. And Sam isn't as subtle as he thinks."

Dean went red and turned back to Gabriel who'd managed to tuck himself under Sam's arm and was being unusually quiet. Hermione suspected Sam had something to do with that.

"Where the hell were you when we needed you?" The hunter snapped. "If you're so hot for Sam's ass," Sam went red. "Don't you think you coulda helped a little? We've been up shit creek without any fuckin' ammo since the Apocalypse..."
"Hey!" Gabriel complained. "I helped! But people thought I was dead. I couldn't risk coming out of the Heavenly closet without a good reason, all right?" Sam rested one hand on the angel's shoulders and Hermione watched three sets of wings calm to lie flat against his back. "Look, I helped where I could. The easy things, stuff people would think was someone else..."

"Oh, Merlin." Hermione groaned and dropped into a chair. They all jumped forward in concern, but Hermione waved them back, too busy staring at a Gabriel who wouldn't meet her gaze. "Just tell them, Gabriel."
The Archangel's jaw clenched.

"Tell us what?" Sam demanded, looking between the pair of them suspiciously.

''Think about it,'' Hermione murmured, engaged in an angelic staring contest with Gabriel who looked extremely unhappy. ''Can you think of anything unexplained in our history, anything good?'' She sobered, looking over at the pair of them. ''No Seraph could free a human from the Cage, Dean. But an Archangel...'' Sam and Dean gaped at her, but Gabriel didn't dispute her claim.

"In my defence..." He joked. "Cas has incredible puppy dog eyes." Sam tugged on their joined hands and he sobered. Slightly. "No one deserved to be stuck with my brothers as cell mates. And if I went that meant that Cas didn't kill himself, and you, trying to do a half-assed job."

"Where's Dad?" Bobby asked, suddenly pulling Sam out of his memories.

"At home with your mom." Sam smiled at his eldest nephew in the rear view mirror. Bobby took after his mother a lot, her intelligence showing brightly in whiskey coloured eyes but he had Dean's features although, thankfully, not his temper. Bobby was much more likely to hold onto a grudge than explode when he got angry. His overprotection of his little brother, however, was all Dean.

"No magic in the car." Sam added sternly, catching sight of the sparks Daniel was trying to summon in the back seat. The youngest Winchester pouted, but doused the sparks before they could become flames. As predicted, both of Hermione's children had inherited her magic. Sam thought Dean would have a heart attack the first time Bobby summoned the sweets from the top shelf, but after a brief freak out, Dean got over it. Next to him Gabriel stealthily smuggled candy into the back seat, grinning at the boys. Sam pretended not to see.

It was a twenty minute drive from the local school in Lebanon back to the Bunker, so the boys had to be picked up and dropped off everyday, either by car, apparition or via angel, whichever was possible at the time. Sam usually volunteered for pick-up, enjoying the time spent with his nephews. He didn't have kids of his own, but he didn't really need any. Bobby and Danny were as much his children as they were Hermione and Dean's. This was, co-incidentally, why the Winchester's were banned from the PTA.

Schooling had always been a contentious issue. Not within the Winchester family, everyone, especially Hermione and Sam, had stressed the importance of "stability" and "building social skills" and, as Dean would sometimes bluntly put it, "Not winding up like their parents." No, it was surprisingly other people who had issues with where Hermione Granger's children went to school. He couldn't believe when he'd come home one day and Dean had told him she'd been chased down in the middle of town.

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione paused on the corner of the street, shopping bag hanging from her arm. Her other hand slipped into her sleeve, resting on her wand handle. She turned slowly, eyes catching on the woman in an ill-fitting and badly coordinated trouser suit, with a pointy hat perched jauntily atop her grey hair.

"Miss Granger." She added, stopping in front of Hermione and panting slightly. She didn't look like a demon, Hermione decided, or an angel and monsters didn't tend to stop a Winchester in the street. Which left...

"You're a witch." Hermione decided and the woman beamed at her.

"I am indeed and might I say it is an honour to meet you Miss Granger!"
"It's Mrs Winchester," Hermione told her, icily. "And I'm sure it is. Who are you?"
If the woman was bothered by Hermione's cold tone she didn't show it.

"Apologies, we weren't informed of your marriage. I'm Tabitha..."
"DAMN YOU TABITHA!"

Hermione jerked backwards as a group of rather odd men sped around the corner, eccentric clothes fluttering in the wind as they advanced towards them. Tabitha placed both hands on her hips and grinned smugly at them.

"I got here first, ya Yank!" She bellowed as, what Hermione now strongly suspected was a group of wizards, skidded to a halt.

"Excuse me," She demanded, gritting her teeth, "But what the devil is going on here?"
One wizard, bedecked in a plum coloured skinny jeans which were not intended for his generation and an over large Hawaiian shirt, stepped forward proudly.

"Miss Granger..." He started in a loud, Southern accent, Hermione had never been able to tell them apart, so she couldn't be more specific.
"Mrs Winchester." Hermione countered, folding her arms. Anyone who knew her would have taken that for the signal it was and started backing away.

The man winced.

"Mrs Winchester! My name is Augustus Mitt, and I am here to represent Texas State School for Wizardry..." He paused, evidently waiting for a reaction to that. Hermione shrugged.

"Never heard of you. Now, if whatever on Earth this is, is done, I would like to leave."

"Wait!" Tabitha cried. "You have to hear us out!"

There came a rumble of agreement from the assembled wizards.

"Why?" Hermione demanded.

"Because you need to pick a school!" Augustus cried.

Hermione stopped mid-turn.

"Of course, we could solve half of this right now if you could tell us the sex of the baby?" Tabitha reached for Hermione's stomach eagerly and found herself staring down the tip of Hermione's wand.

"Do not touch me," Hermione ordered her quietly. "Now, you and these gentlemen are going to go and stand over there." She gestured to a nearby awning in front of a florist, "And then I am going to call my husband and we can sort this out. Understood?"

The witch nodded quickly and they ushered themselves to the indicated spot, whilst Hermione fished her phone out of her pocket.

"Dean," She breathed, relieved when he picked up. "I need you to come and meet me in town."

"What happened?" He demanded, probably reaching for a weapon.

"Nothing bad." Hermione assured him, "I think. It's just that there are some weird Americans here and they're trying to touch me." Her tone descended into a whine, but Hermione felt she was allowed.

Dean huffed quietly.

"I'll be there in five." He promised, still sounding slightly worried.

"Meet me at that coffee shop Sam likes," Hermione ordered. "I'll be the insane pregnant lady surrounded by weirdos!"

Dean laughed and hung up, which left Hermione to make another phone call.

"Auror Potter." Harry barked. He probably hadn't checked who was calling, she realised with a slight smile.

"Harry, it's me. Listen, are you busy?"

"Yes." Harry stated, before snorting. "What's wrong?"

"I need Professor McGonagall."

"What?"

"I need Professor McGonagall." Hermione repeated.

"Yeah, I..." Harry sighed. "Why?"

"Because I think I'm being chased by headmasters but I'm not quite sure yet. Could you get her a portkey for America, because I am really out of my league with this one."

Harry groaned.

"You're in luck." He told her. "Because I happen to know she's in the Ministry today, dealing with some report on NEWT scores. Where do you want her?"

Hermione gave him the coffee shop's address, before finishing the call and turning back to the assembled wizards.

"Follow me." She ordered, turning her back on them and leading them across the street, shopping bag safely retrieved from the floor, its contents still intact.

The barista gave Hermione a slightly odd look as she led the crowd in, but handed over the very large tea Hermione ordered as well as a double chocolate muffin, with only a mildly terrified expression, which was probably her brother-in-law's fault.

Sam had a bad habit of spilling his life story to the first person to give him coffee in the morning. Looked like he'd traumatised yet another college student.

The shop was mostly empty, so Hermione decided to hold court in the large group of squashy sofas near the window, dropping onto the first one she reached. An overly ambitious wizard attempted to sit next to her, but Hermione glared at him until he moved.

Gratifying to know she could still do that.

"So anyway..." Augustus began, but Hermione turned her glare on him and he wilted somewhat.

"Shut up." She ordered, and they exchanged nervous looks as she blew on her tea. "We are going to sit here and wait until my husband shows up and then you are going to explain yourselves."

They shut up.

Surprisingly Minerva got there first, sweeping into the coffee shop with her air of common sense and the unmistakable presence of a teacher.

"Hermione, dear," She started, spotting her former pupil. "I don't know..." She paused, eyes catching on the group of wizards and then stopped behind Hermione's sofa, lips thinning. Hermione resisted the urge to grin.

"Tabitha Ainsley, what in the name of Merlin do you think you're doing!" McGonagall snapped and the other witch huffed.

"We are merely here to give Miss Granger options..."

"Mrs Winchester!" Both Hermione and Minerva corrected her. The Scottish witch let loose a rather feline snarl.

"This is rude and inconsiderate. Can't you see the poor woman is..."

The door to the coffee shop swung open with a bang and Dean stepped in, tight vest and ripped jeans confirming that he'd been working on the Impala. Hermione felt herself go slightly dizzy and decided to blame it on the hormones. Dean's ego was big enough as it was.

"Hey, sweetheart." He murmured, dropping a kiss onto Hermione's head, eyeing everyone else warily. "What's going on?"
Hermione glowered at Tabitha, who was giving Dean a long once over.

"This is my husband, Dean Winchester. Dean, this is Minerva McGonagall. She was one of my teachers when I was in school at Hogwarts. She's now Headmistress."

Dean nodded and dropped onto the sofa next to her.

"And these people?"

"Are treading on my last nerve." Hermione warned when they all moved to speak.

"I think," Minerva said, stepping in, "It would help if everyone introduced themselves. For those of you who don't know, I'm Professor McGonagall, Headmistress at Hogwarts School." She turned to Tabitha, who seemed to seize on her chance.

"Well, my name's Tabitha Ainsley and I'm here from the Salem Witches Institute. I've got to say..."
Minerva cut across her.

"Thank you. Next."

The Asian wizard spoke up this time.

"My name is David Lui and I've come here from the Wizardry College in Chicago." He offered Hermione an apologetic smile. "And this wasn't my idea."

"Hmm." McGonagall turned to the next wizard, a large black man, who remained entirely silent since he'd arrived.

"Ma'am, my name is Tobias Tyndrum. I'm from the school down in New Orleans." Augustus, seated next to him, shot him a somewhat dirty look, which was ignored.

Hermione smiled at him, reminded faintly of Benny.

"And I'm Augustus..."

"From Texas. Yes, yes. Why are you here?" Hermione demanded, slipping her hand into Dean's.

Minerva sighed.

"I apologise, Hermione. Had I thought they would be quite so forward about it, I would have prepared you for it. As you are aware, most magical children are signed up to their appropriate school at birth. It's an automatic process," She added, mostly for Dean's benefit. The man frowned. "But in your case, I believe..."

"It would be an honour and a privilege," Tabitha broke in eagerly. "To have the child of Hermione Gran...Winchester attending my school!"

Dean glared at them. "Let me get this straight. You guys chased my wife down in the street to try and get her to sign up to one of your schools for a kid who isn't even born yet!"

David and Tobias grimaced.

"Actually, we had to come after we found out what Auggie and Tabby were up to." David told him quietly.

"And I hope you realise how inappropriate that was!" McGonagall cried, "Just because Hermione is a public figure..."

"Look," Augustus cut across the Scottish witch. "No offence ma'am, but that kid ain't gonna go to Hogwarts. Not if his father's American. So this really ain't none of your business."

Hermione arched an eyebrow at that.

Augustus continued happily.

"Say, which school did you go to, Mr Winchester?"

Dean gave Hermione a slightly amused glance, before turning back to the other man, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

"This and that. I travelled a lot as a kid. Never really settled in one place long enough. Dropped out in the end."

There was an uncomfortable silence after this and Hermione watched the assembled teachers give Dean a shifty look.

"My husband is a muggle." Hermione said at last and Tobias, who'd caught the expression Augustus pulled, snickered into his hand. She tore off a chunk of her muffin and ate it. "Besides," She swallowed. "There's no guarantee this child is even magical."

Both Tabitha and Minerva snorted.

"Mrs Winchester, you are one of the most powerful witches on record. The chances of your child not inheriting your magical ability are incredibly small. Even with a muggle father."

"My parents were muggles." Hermione noted mildly. Tobias outright grinned at that and David seemed rather amused. "Either way, I think you can leave, Ms Ainsley. You too, Mr Mitt."

Augustus gaped at her.

"My school is the best in the country..."

"And my husband is carrying a gun and happens to be devoted to making me happy." Hermione snapped. There was a faint smash from behind the counter. "So leave, before he makes you!"

Flushing an ugly shade of red, Augustus left. Tabitha frowned at her.

"You won't find a better school for the study of witchcraft..."

"Get out!" Hermione hissed and the other woman left in a hurry. Next to her, Minerva laughed. She turned to the remaining two wizards.

"Dean, are we sending our child to school in Chicago?" She asked.

"Hell, no!" Dean grumbled.

David shrugged as though that was the answer he'd been expecting.

"It's been an honour to meet you, Mrs Winchester. I've been a great admirer of you for many years."

The man left quietly, leaving the Winchesters and McGonagall alone with Tobias.

"I've heard good things about your school." Minerva announced. "Exceptionally high levels of muggleborns, low levels of prejudice. They teach Technomancy there." She added and Hermione hummed.

"That's nice. But..."

"Unnecessary at the moment." Tobias intoned with a smile. "An honour meeting you, Mistress Granger. Maybe we'll meet again in the future." The wizard bowed deeply and left.

Hermione relaxed with a groan and turned to burrow into her husband's shoulder.

"I'm sorry about that, Hermione." Minerva seemed to be watching the pair of them with no small amount of amusement. "But it's nice to meet you properly, Dean. I must say we were all rather surprised to hear Hermione had settled down."

Dean laughed quietly, rubbing Hermione's shoulders with his free hand.

"Yeah. So how long've you known 'Mione?"

Minerva smiled.

"I first met her when she was eleven. I was her Head of House.''

''Right. You okay, sweetheart?''

''Bloody wizards.'' Hermione mumbled.

It hadn't stopped there, and once Ilvermory had gotten word that they'd missed the conference, they'd started a letter writing campaign. Hermione, who'd caused more property damage and rule breaking during her time at school than Sam thought anyone truly realised, thought it was rather funny they were all so keen to have her kids. Bobby and Danny were something of a chip off the old block.

The Bunker's loading bay was as cramped as always. Castiel's Lincoln was parked at the back, but he'd been abroad with Luna and Meg, so it hadn't been touched for a while. Hermione's black motorbike glinted as the Impala's headlight caught the constellation stencilled on it in silver. She didn't use it too much anymore, not since the year she'd been on the run with Kevin. The tangle of kids' bikes was stacked next to it, which reminded Sam he needed to show Danny how to fix the puncture on his front tyre.

He parked his electric car in the space next to the Impala, frowning at the dusty black paint. Dean usually washed her as soon as they got home. Still, he helped the boys out, taking their bags from them so they didn't throw them across the room as soon as they got inside. The walls of the Bunker had all been repainted (or demolished in some places) and they were now heading into the green zone, as Dean called it. Or the greenhouse as everyone else called it. As this area was the closest to the surface, Hermione and Castiel, having gone stir crazy due to being stuck underground, had built this place. She'd charmed the ceiling to reflect the weather outside and filled the area with grass and plants. Castiel's beehive buzzed contentedly in the corner, tiny insects coming and going through a pipe which led to the surface. The Dirigible Plums still freaked Sam out though, so he avoided them. He sent a cursory glance across his salad rows in the raised beds as they passed and was pleased to see that someone had remembered to water his lettuce. They didn't talk about the lollipop tree in the other corner which was the result of a bored and unsupervised Archangel.

One of the phones mounted on the wall began to ring and Sam snatched it up, gesturing for the rest of them to head on.

"Winchester." He yawned, picking up the clipboard and pen hanging next to the landline.

"Which one?" The voice demanded.
Sam rolled his eyes. It was a common question. Even the angels went by Winchester when they needed a surname.

"It's Sam. What can I do for you?"

Sam jotted down the details and promised to call back once someone had done some research. The Winchester Bunker (it hadn't been the Men of Letters for a long time) operated as the primary source of all hunting knowledge in North America. Wanted to know what Latin to use? Call the Winchesters.

Didn't know where the nearest shop stocking trustworthy occult supplies was? Call the Winchesters.

Weren't sure what this creature was? Better check Charlie's online repository of all knowledge, "The Great Library" and if that failed? Call the Winchesters.

Hunting had changed a lot in the last decade and a lot of that was because of the way the Winchester's had to change once they had Bobby to look after. Sam had been terrified about setting down roots, frightened beyond belief that this home, like every other, would burn down around him. But it hadn't. Not because the crises had changed. But because they'd all, from Dean to Ellen to fucking Benny, had made an effort. They had a home, they weren't leaving it.

There were a few more messages on the clipboard that Sam read through while listening to the hunter. He would have preferred a tablet, but there was so much magic in the bunker they went on the fritz half the time. The linked clipboards that duplicated whatever was written on one of them was Hermione's solution to "the cloud".

A message from Ellen, saying she would be by in a few days to spend time with the kids. A drawing of a puppy, which would be Bobby's ongoing campaign to get a dog. A note from Hermione's angel rehabilitation network, asking about how mortgages worked. Someone had written "not it" next to that one, Sam suspected Dean. Charlie letting them know the Library would be down for maintenance on Tuesday and to have someone manning the phones. A note from Hermione requesting that Dean come see her as soon as he got home. Sam paused at that one, frowning. That couldn't be good.

Gabriel halted the fledglings at the top of the main staircase, head cocked towards the source of the commotion. Whilst he doubted the boys could hear the individual words being shouted, he was certain they could tell it was their mother yelling herself hoarse at their dad.

"What's going on?" Daniel asked, tugging off his coat.

Gabriel frowned, still listening.

"Not sure. I think Dean annoyed 'Mimi again."

Bobby snickered.

"What's going on?" Sam asked, loping down the corridor towards them, unknowingly mimicking his nephew.

"Mum's shouting at Dad." Daniel told him gleefully. The six-year old's shoulder length curly brown hair (which refused to be cut short, they'd tried everything bar burning it off) crackled in excitement as his bright green eyes gleamed up at Sam.

"You can hear that from all the way up here?" Sam said, amazed.

"Gabriel told us."

"Ah." Sam frowned Gabriel. "Any idea why?"

"I dunno." Daniel answered, frowning. "She was sick this morning though. I could hear her through the door. Maybe she's just ill." He chewed his bottom lip. "When I get ill, I get grumpy." He added thoughtfully.

"What sort of sick?" Sam asked, warily as Gabriel began to grin in a particularly unholy manner.

The six year old did a remarkable impersonation of vomiting. With sound effects.

"Lovely." Sam managed, feeling dread settle in stomach.

"Dean knock her up again?" Gabriel chimed in, looking as unholy as an Archangel could.

Both boys frowned at them.

"It would explain why she's shouting." Sam mused.

"Dad wouldn't hit Mum." Daniel defended, eyes wide, whilst his brother just looked suspicious and confused. "You don't hit girls!"

"Unless they hit you first." Sam muttered under his breath.

"Knocked up doesn't mean punched, Kiddo. It means...It's how..." Gabriel's golden eyes got a hint of mischief about them. "Your mom's gonna have a baby."
Bobby's eyes lit up even as Sam made a truly monstrous face at the Archangel.

"She's gonna have a baby because Dad punched her?" Daniel crowed.

Gabriel smirked devilishly at Sam across their nephew's head.

"That's right, short stack."

"Cool!" Daniel grinned at his brother who was frowning at Gabriel. "Mum's gonna have a baby because Dad hit her!"

Sam received a look from Bobby that went something along the lines of "This is your fault and I am not telling him." and groaned loudly.

Sam looked away as the boys sped off.

"How are you an archangel?" He moaned, not for the first time. Gabriel smirked at him, golden eyes sparkling. "How do you even qualify?"

"Ouch! That hurts Sammy." Gabriel winked at him, ducking under his arm so he could wrap an arm around his waist. They made their way after the boys.

Hermione's first pregnancy had been a shock to all involved.

It was Sam who'd finally pointed it out after he found her curled up in the bathroom for the third day running. He hovered in the doorway, feeling rather awkward.

"Um...'Mione?"

Hermione wretched into the toilet and didn't respond.

"Have you considered that this might not be a stomach bug?"

Hermione straightened up and glared at her brother-in-law over her shoulder.

"What else could it be?" She sniffled. "And why is it you hovering over my shoulder as I vomit and not my husband?"

Sam shuffled his feet, evidently very uncomfortable.

"He's...uh...out. And, well, you and Dean do spend your nights together and you're married so I suppose it's not totally out of the question that you might be..." He trailed off, looking slightly ill and she turned around to stare at him expectantly. "...Pregnant?"

Hermione's face drained of colour so fast Sam worried she might faint.

"Leave." She whispered, summoning her bag from the other room. "Now."

Sam, feeling overwhelmingly relieved and at the same time utterly terrified, left.

"Oh Castiel's Father." She sobbed. She shook the potion vigorously, hoping that the colour would change.

It didn't.

"Oh, I just bet you're laughing your head off, wherever you are." She yelled at the ceiling. "I don't have time for this." She flung the vial against the wall, where it shattered into tiny fragments of crystal. "I'm a hunter..."

The door crashed open, banging off the wall, revealing Dean, shotgun raised.
"Where's the demon?" He bellowed.

Hermione looked wide eyed from the smashed crystal to Dean and back again.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, grabbing her wand and disapparating.

She arrived with a crack of magic in the meadow just outside of town, where she collapsed onto the grass. Thirty seconds later Castiel stepped onto the ground beside her.

"Dean send you?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"He is worried."

Hermione leaned back against his legs, sighing deeply.

"What am I going to do, Cas?"

"I don't know, Hermione."

She stiffened.

"You knew?" She accused, glaring at him.

He nodded, staring at the horizon.

"You've been carrying the child of Dean Winchester for forty three days and six hours."

"I feel like I should be embarrassed about that." She mused. "I never wanted children, Castiel. I don't know about Dean. We've never discussed it. Didn't seem like it would really be an option. Never thought we'd live long enough to be honest."

Hermione rested a hand on her stomach.

"What if they're magical? Hell, even if they're not there are so many things a baby needs that I can't provide. A stable home, friends, good meals. How can I raise my child if I spend my life constantly worried about demon attacks? I couldn't just let Dean go out and fight them alone. But we'll need a house, a base of operations...I can't raise them on the road. Look what that did to Sam and Dean." She dropped her head into her hands. "It's just...I can't do this, Castiel."

"There is a saying which goes, I believe, God never gives us more than we can handle." Hermione snorted in irritation. "I feel it is apt in this situation. If there is one thing in this world you can be sure of it is that Dean Winchester loves you. To have the heart of the Righteous Man is a precious thing indeed. He will take care of you."

"I don't need taking care of." She whispered irritably. "I'm just scared."

Castiel shrugged.

"You are having the child of Dean Winchester. Any woman would be scared."

"Has Meg been teaching you humour again?"

"She has made an attempt."

Hermione sighed and uncurled, holding out a hand to the still standing Angel, who hoisted her to her feet with little apparent effort. She linked their fingers together, resting her head against his arm, as she couldn't reach his shoulder.

"Even if Dean...doesn't want this, can I count on you?"

"Of course."

Hermione paused.

"Will you be the godfather?" She asked quietly.

Castiel frowned, but it was his confused frown.

"I...you...Do you really mean that?" He asked eventually.

"Of course I do. Sam's going to be an official uncle, but if anything happens to us there is no one else I would trust to keep them safe."

Castiel flushed and his wings, shadowy at the best of times, fluttered and stretched with his agitation.

"Then I would be honoured."

"Good. This baby is a Winchester. It's going to need all the help it can get." She smiled grimly. "Right. Flash me back. I'm not sure apparating is such a good idea in my condition."

Dean was pacing the motel room, twisting his wedding ring around his finger.

"Mione!" He gasped, tugging her into his arms. Hermione winced slightly as he hugged her too tightly and he immediately let go. "Sorry. What happened?"

Hermione sat down on the foot of their bed, motioning for him to join her. Castiel took the opportunity to vanish off to wherever it was he went, either sensing the need for privacy or simply not caring enough to stay.

"I've got something to tell you. And...I'm just not sure how you're going to take it."

"Did you sell your soul?" He demanded.

She stared at him, confused.

"What? No."

He visibly relaxed.

"Thank fu.." he trailed off, anticipating the glare. "I am not going through that hell again."

"Pun intended?"

"Focus 'Mione. If you've not sold your soul then what? Cursed by witches? Bitten by a werewolf? Attacked by a..."

"I'm pregnant." She blurted. Dean froze and Hermione waited quietly for a reaction.

Any reaction.

"Dean, as good as your fish impression is, I really need you to say something."

Dean's mouth shut with a click.

"But...you...how...?"

Hermione glared at him.

"You know perfectly well how."

"I'm gonna be an Uncle!" Sam cried joyously, causing Hermione to jump and stare at him.

"How long have you been standing there?" She shrieked.

He shrugged, holding up the dustpan and brush as an explanation.

"I was cleaning up the glass in the bathroom. Are you being serious?"

Hermione scrunched up her nose.

"Why would I joke about this?"

Sam dropped the glass fragments into the bin and grinned at her.

"I have no idea."

"Hmmm. Well, yes. You're going to be an uncle." There was a pause and Hermione sighed. "Put me down, Sam."

Sam dropped her gently back onto the floor and she turned back to her very pale and quiet husband.

"Say something, Dean. Anything."

"Is it mine?" Dean blurted.

"Anything but that." Sam whispered, taking a careful step back from the witch who had started breathing deeply through her nose.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She hissed angrily.

Dean didn't answer, just gave her a challenging stare.

"Of course it's bloody yours! Who else am I ever around? SAM? CASTIEL? For the love of all that's holy, Dean, I married you! That implies you're my only sexual partner. I cannot believe you would ask me that." Hermione grabbed her jacket out of her wardrobe, slinging it around her shoulders. "I'm going out." She nabbed Sam's wrist and began to drag him towards the bedroom door. "I'm taking Sam with me. When I come back you had better have accepted that in eight months you're going to be a father you bloody, fecking moron!"

It only took an hour for Dean to come around, and then a few more hours of grovelling to win his way back into Hermione's graces. As it began to sink in, Hermione began to look for a healer, Dean developed a look on his face that was part proud, part terrified and Sam started researching.

The thing was...The thing was... was that Hermione Winchester was a vengeful bitch when she wanted to be. So she sat through three lectures from Sam about eating healthy and avoiding alcohol, stress and caffeine, all with an innocent smile on her face...

And then she threw out all the coffee in the Bunker and replaced it with loose leaf peppermint tea (which Sam hated) and bottles of elderflower cordial (which Dean refused to drink on the principle that it had the word flower on it). When Sam, delirious without his morning coffee, confronted her the next day, Hermione looked him dead in the eye and said it would be better for her to not have it in the house at all so as to avoid temptation.

Dean thought it was pretty funny...until he realised she'd poured all of the alcohol down the sink and left a note declaring that if she wasn't getting drunk then no one else would be either.

Sam and Dean went out that night, only to find that Hermione had visited every off-licence and bar within a thirty mile radius and handed out pictures of them, tearfully explaining that she wanted them to go sober for the sake of her unborn, illegitimate child.

One woman actually chased Dean out of her shop with a broom for trying to buy whiskey and told him he should be ashamed of himself for even thinking of drinking when he had such a concerned and upset wife at home.

Sam had to give Hermione this.

She was pretty creative when she was feeling vindictive. Well...creative and thorough.

Dean stormed into the Bunker, feeling both furious and slightly terrified. Hermione greeted him from the sofa in the library with a smirk.

"Have a nice drive?" She asked innocently.

"What the hell?" Dean demanded.

Hermione shut her book with a snap and got to her feet.

"I had an epiphany." Hermione told him, glaring at her husband. Dean squinted and Sam ducked behind a pillar. This did not sound good. "When Sam was going on about me eating and drinking and thinking about what was best for the baby. And the thought I came to was that the very best thing for this baby would be for it not to be ours!"

Dean felt his stomach drop and he gaped at her.
"What...?" He sucked in a breath. "What're you sayin'?"

"We aren't fit to be parents!" Hermione cried, throwing her hands up. "We are broken, bitter people, Dean! You know I didn't even realise how much I drank until Sam stopped me? Let alone, Morgana forbid, you! We're alcoholic, danger seeking, vengeful, violent, caffeine junkies!"

Dean blinked twice.

"Okay." He managed, with the look of a man who'd just been hit with a short plank of wood.

Hermione sighed.

"I can't do this." She whispered and Dean shook himself from his stupor.

"Yeah, you can." He crossed to the sofa, tugging her into his arms. Hermione rested her head against his shoulder and sighed, resisting the urge to cry. "I mean, you're right. Our lives are crap and...yeah we shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a kid."

"Not helping." Hermione ground out.

"Let me finish." He threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled gently, so she had to look up at him. "But we'd do anything for our family. Hell, we've done everything for our family, haven't we? An' if that means we gotta act a bit more like Sam, then that's what we gotta do."

It was one thing to be prepared as a family. But it turned out a Winchester pregnancy was more of a community thing. Crowley had left a head on their doorstep as a Baby Shower gift. With a letter saying he was going to encourage his demons to stay away from the newest Winchester in the hope that, without any demonic interference, they wouldn't end up to be like Sam and Dean, wreaking havoc upon the supernatural forces of the world. It had been almost sweet, in a despotic kind of way. After that Hermione had just decided to get as many allies on their side as possible. No more going it alone. Well, as alone as two hunters, a witch, an angel and their honorary mom had ever been.

"I don't get it." Sam had announced, looking around the Bunker in amazement.

Everyone present rolled their eyes.

"What's not to get?" Hermione asked patiently.

"We're doing Thanksgiving, which you hate," Hermione hummed an agreement and handed him a pile of cutlery. Sam started setting the table on rote. "And not only did you invite the Prophet of the Lord, his mother, a hacker, several hunters and two angels, but you invited Benny! You're insane."
Dean winced as something breakable shattered nearby and his brother found himself backing away from Dean's wife, who was holding a fork threateningly against his throat.

"We are doing this because I want to prove that we have a family. All of us. And no matter how much I hate the holiday, or how difficult catering is, we are doing this. So, sit down, shut up and I won't give Becky your phone number."

Sam blanched.
"You wouldn't dare."

Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"Try me."

Sam shut up.

"She's scary." He muttered to his brother.

"I know." Dean grinned. "It's seriously hot."

Sam looked sick.

"Dude, gross. That's my sister you're talking about."

"In-law." Dean corrected, head cocked to the side as he stared lustfully after his wife.

None of the Winchester's try to think about their co-dependency issues. It's easier and less stressful not to, and now that Hermione's carrying around the next generation, stress is something they really try to avoid. A hormonal witch is terrifying.

The guests start to arrive, Garth, Kevin and Mrs Tran arriving together. Hermione automatically got drawn into a conversation with Mrs Tran, leaving Kevin to try and hide behind Dean and Garth to wander into the kitchen. They wouldn't be having traditional food, because anything fried was making Hermione nauseous at the moment. So Dean had made lasagne and chilli, and Mrs Tran and Garth had brought enough side dishes to feed an army. Castiel, Luna and Claire arrived next, although the teenager ducked away to go stand with Kevin. Dean, who really didn't want to find out if Cas had used up all his resurrections, shooed the pair away after they made the mistake of telling Hermione she looked fertile. Ellen arrived shortly after that, and Charlie was next and hugged everyone, followed by Gadreel, who stood stiffly by the door and looked angelically awkward. Dean wasn't really sure why Hermione had invited him but he wasn't going to question it. After Gadreel came Donna and Jody, with Jody's adopted daughter Alex, who spotted Claire and headed straight for her. Donna fluttered after her jabbering on about grudges and non-violent solutions whilst Ellen leaned against the wall and rolled her eyes at Jody. Still it wasn't until Benny turned up that things became..interesting.

Dean greeted the vampire like a brother, hugging him tightly.

"How have you been?"
They hadn't been in contact much, except for the occasional phone call, but he knew Benny was still working for Hermione's friends and was still safely on the bandwagon.

"Fine, brother. Just fine." Benny winked at him and turned in time to catch Hermione when she jumped up to hug him.

"Benny!" she cried delightedly. She wasn't really showing, only three months into her pregnancy and wearing one of Dean's shirts, but Benny grinned at Dean over her head.

"You look radiant, ma cher. What have you been lettin' ma brother do to you?"

Something that really irked Dean was that vampires, shifters, kitsunes, angels...basically anything with a good enough nose, could smell a pregnant woman from a mile off.

Dean narrowed his eyes.

"Don't flirt with my wife."

Benny's eyes widened and he reached for Hermione's left hand, staring at the ring.

"You never told me you two got married."

Dean shrugged, wrapping an arm around Hermione's shoulder.

"I'm telling you now. Brother or not, she's mine!" Dean was almost certain said wife was rolling her eyes and making a face, but he liked to pretend she wasn't.

"Hey, 'Mione." Garth called from the doorway. "Where's all your alcohol gone?"

Hermione chuckled as the room turned towards them. Jody, Ellen and Linda had worked it out in an instant, she could tell by the way they all looked smug.

"Actually, if that's got everyone's attention, this is a pretty good reason to tell you why we're celebrating Thanksgiving...um..." she glanced up at Dean, biting her lip. "You're all family and you're all important to us, and family, in the words of Bobby Singer, don't end with blood. However some family does, which is why in about five months, there's going to be a new Winchester."
There was silence for about five seconds whilst everyone digested that, which was broken by Ellen Harvelle, the toughest woman Dean knew, (second only to his wife) yelling.

"I'M GONNA BE A GRANDMA!" And hugging Hermione tightly.

Thanksgiving was momentarily interrupted by the appearance of the wicked witch of the west, but with so many hunters on hand, the situation was quickly dealt with and Charlie got a new girlfriend for her efforts.

Sam's research had prepared him for normal pregnancy symptoms. It had not prepared him for magical ones. Pregnant women were weird. The brothers knew this, although admittedly most of that knowledge came from TV and not real life. But magical pregnant women were another thing entirely.

They'd been driving through the night Sam and Dean talking quietly in the front seat, Hermione and Castiel sleeping in the back when the radio flipped over from the news station Sam had been listening to, to a soft rock station that Dean preferred.

"Dude!" Sam snapped, twisting the radio knob.

"What?" Dean frowned at him. "I didn't do anything."

Five minutes later the station changed again.

After the sixth time, Dean got suspicious.

"'Mione, you doing that?"

Hermione, who'd been roused from her nap by Sam's whining, scowled.

"You know I hate Metallica." She muttered drowsily. Hermione had the unfortunate habit of remembering most things people told her, which meant she knew Dean's music tastes by rote, even if she wouldn't listen to them by choice.

"Then what the hell is up with Baby?"

"It's probably the baby." She murmured, leaning against the window.

"No, I fitted this radio myself."

Hermione sighed heavily.

"No. Not Baby. The baby. Our baby. Evidently it doesn't like the news."

Sam and Dean paused, glancing at each other.

"How the hell can the kid be changing the radio?" Dean asked slowly.

"I'm a witch. So the baby is in tune with my magic and can...if not influence it, express desires. It's like cravings I suppose. Of course, it wouldn't be surprising if the baby was magical, considering its parentage."

Sam frowned.

"What do you mean parentage? Is this a descendant of Cain and Abel thing or..."
That made her laugh.

"No. It's a wizard thing. It's not obvious but some of us aren't as powerful as others. There's more to magic than latent ability, the magic manifests stronger in some people than others."

"And where do you fit on this scale?" Sam asked, twisting around in his seat.

"Not to boast," Dean snickered, but kept his eyes on the road. Boasting about his wife was one of his favourite things to do. "But there aren't very many wizards as powerful as me. One of the few still living who tops me is Harry."

"Harry?" Sam asked doubtfully. "But..."

"He's got more raw strength." Hermione pushed her hair back behind her ears. "I've got the knowledge to back mine up. My point is, this is my child. It's...influencing my magic. Like...when you're low on iron and you want lamb chops?" She offered.

"Couldn't you just have wanted weird chocolate?" Sam muttered. Dean punched his shoulder to save Hermione from leaning forward and having to do it. It dawned on Dean ten minutes later that his kid liked classic rock and he grinned inanely for the next two days.

Castiel stumbled as his godson and his brother crashed into his legs.

"Ow." He complained, more out of habit than actual pain. Although considering the hellions that were the youngest Winchesters, pain was always possible.

"Hey, Uncle Cas."

"Robert, Daniel." Castiel greeted, crouching down so he was on a level with them. "Why are you running?"

"Mum's yelling at dad!" Daniel crowed happily.

Castiel nodded.

"I can hear that."

"Gabriel said mum's gonna have a baby."

Castiel laughed.

"And what do we say about believing Gabriel?"

Both boys scuffed their shoes on the floor.

"Don't." They mumbled, calming down somewhat.

This was true. There was even a poster on the back of the kitchen door which bore that exact message. Gabriel had tried to set fire to it twice.

"But Uncle Sam agreed with him!" Daniel added, looking up at him with wide eyes. Castiel always found it rather unnerving to see Dean's eyes staring at him from a different face. But that was humans, he supposed.

The Archangel and consort in question appeared at the end of the corridor.

"What're you doing back?" Gabriel called.

"Luna's still in Calcutta." Castiel explained. "I decided to come back early. Meg's out in Atlanta, I believe." There was a scurrying of feet from behind him. "Is it true?" He added breathlessly, getting to his feet. "Daniel just told me." He frowned at the empty space beside him. "I believe they may be trying to call Ellen." He added as an afterthought.

"Oh crap." Sam breathed, jogging after his nephews. Castiel and Gabriel followed behind him.

"Where've you been?" Castiel asked his older brother.

"Dodgy arms dealer in Lybia." Gabriel told him airily. "He's now 'armless."

Castiel groaned. Gabriel's sense of humour never got any better. This particular corridor was lined with pictures, and Castiel let his gaze trail over them as he walked. There were various family photos, pictures of the Grangers, of Hermione's time at school, the boys growing up and Castiel's favourite, the slightly grainy picture of Hermione and Dean's wedding.

They'd had a typical hunter's wedding. They were hiding from...something, after all these years Castiel forgot what, and the abandoned church had been the best tactical position available. Dean had told him later that he hadn't thought they'd survive that one.

Somewhere between covering the walls with sigils and boarding up the windows, Dean had paused, turned to Hermione and yelled;

"Marry me?"

To which she replied with an unswerving amount of calm, built up over years of dealing with boys like Dean.

"Yeah, all right."

It hadn't been legal (and in fact had to be repeated in England a week later), but they were all wanted felons anyway, and it definitely wasn't conventional, but no one cared. There were no guests, no flowers, no dress. Just salt and knives and the forces of something closing in on them.

Sam was Dean's best man and Hermione's maid of honour. He also gave Hermione away, with as much seriousness as he could walking her down a dusty aisle in an empty church.

Castiel officiated, his grace almost sparkling in his happiness.

"Do you, Dean Winchester, take this woman as your wife, your soul mate and your partner for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Do you Hermione Granger, take this man as your husband, your soul mate and your partner, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Then in the name of the Angelic host, or at least what's left of it..." He trailed off frowning. "I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now..."
Dean didn't wait for permission and grabbed his new wife, twirling and dipping her so the tip of her braid dusted along the floor. Hermione shrieked with laughter until he silenced her with a kiss.

Sam got his phone out and snapped a picture.

He could hear Dean muttering something that sounded like a primitive mixture of "Mine." and "Thank you." in her ear as he brought her back up to vertical.

And that was it. Dirt and blood, demons at the door and the utter contentment on both their faces.

They wore the Granger's rings, resized to fit, and for legality's sake, had a quick handfasting done at the Ministry of Magic. But the wedding that mattered, was the one in the empty church…which had been obliterated six minutes after the I Do's.

There were several times of the years Castiel had had cause to regret following his orders and bringing the two of them together. When Hermione had thrown herself into the Pit. When they'd been forced to split up because of the Leviathans, Hermione wiping the brothers' memories to keep the magical population safe from the memory stealing monsters. Although Dean couldn't remember her, he'd known something was missing, something that was vitally important to him. She'd spent that time in a quiet depression, which had only been made worse when he and Dean had been lost to Purgatory. So many times when Castiel wondered if they both would have been better off if they'd never have met. If he'd just left that cottage by the sea, and not intervened.

"It wasn't about the Apocalypse, was it?" She'd asked him once, shortly before her wedding.
Castiel traced a finger in the dust and shook his head.

"The Brightest Witch will save the Righteous Man, in body and in soul. He will heal her and bring her back to glory, for even they shall not be cursed to a half life."

Hermione nodded.

"It was about me saving him, not the world."

"It was about you saving each other." Castiel smiled at her, feeling unusually at peace.
"You never did tell where you got your orders from." She murmured.
"A cherub." Castiel grimaced. "Cherub's are granted the power to intercede only when it concerns soul mates. As my superior in such a matter, I was bound to follow their orders and, by extension, the prophecy."

"It was worth it," Gabriel assured him, with the certainty of someone who'd been eavesdropping on his thoughts again.

Hermione and Dean were facing off in the kitchen. Or more accurately, Hermione was facing off against Dean and Dean had apparently become suicidal and had started snickering.

"It's entirely your fault." She yelled, stamping her feet. Her hair was charged with static and crackling angrily around her face. Several loose pots and pans rattled on their hooks.

If anything, Dean only looked more smug.

"Yeah. I know!" He beamed.

"Three times now. How the heck do you do it? It shouldn't be possible. That potion is infallible."

"Maybe I'm just that good." He drawled, leaning back against the kitchen counter and folding his arms. "Not bad for a guy in his old age."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You're forty six. That's not old."

"Is for a hunter." He reminded her and grinned. "You didn't think I could do it, did you?"

Hermione laughed and then remembered why she was mad at him.

"Not the point." She groaned. "We're going to have to ask Cas or Gabriel to cover my hunts."

"Yep." He agreed cheerfully.

"Just how many Winchesters do you want?" She added, exasperated. He shrugged and she let him wrap his arms around her, drawing her back against his chest.

"I didn't plan this." He defended at last. "I'm just that..."

"If you finish that sentence, we won't be having this argument ever again." She threatened. He - rather wisely- shut up.

"It's still your fault." She added grumpily.

He kissed the top of her head.

"I know."

"Can we keep this between ourselves for a bit?" She pleaded. "I don't want the entire clan to know just yet."

Daniel slid into the room in his socks, closely followed by his brother, Sam, Castiel and Gabriel, who was hanging off Sam's mammoth shoulders.

"Is Mum going to have a baby?" He demanded.

Hermione began to thump her head off Dean's shoulder.

"I hate you." She muttered.

"Nah. I'm adorable." He rested his hand on her belly. "Welcome to the family, little one."

A/N

It's been a while, hasn't it?

The world has changed a lot since this started, and my writing has changed a lot, but here we are. There is a huge word document that will never see the light of day that I've been picking away at for years, but I wanted to get this finished and signed up. This epilogue has been written since, probably 2015, the italics have been cherry picked from the larger unfinished document.

If you're still out there, and you're still reading this after ten years… Thanks for all the support, the encouragement and most of all…thanks for reading.