Thank you all for sticking with my story! This is the first true multi chapter HP fic I've written and I'm truly thrilled with the response. It was even nominated for two fic awards!

As sad as I am to see it go, I'm ready to put away these characters and possibly pull out a few others for my next story.

I hope you all enjoy this final chapter and, as always, it's not beta'd so please excuse any mistakes.

Chapter 30: The Way Home

"The way home, lines with all the things that you have learned.

The way home, the lights are on, but we're still getting burned."

The Way Home – Devin Townsend

25 December 1999 – Number 12 Grimmauld Place

"Is he still not talking to you?" Remus asked incredibly, watching as Sirius poured a glass of Firewhisky across the room.

Hermione shrugged, "Apparently. He hasn't even tried to get into my knickers."

The werewolf made a face and sighed when the little boy in his lap pulled at his hair. Grimacing, he looked down, "Yes, Teddy?"

"Prezzies."

The morning had been filled with Christmas spirit and Weasleys. The little pack had made their way to the Burrow earlier that morning and exchanged presents and company with the redheaded family. Hermione had received enough newborn things to decorate the small nursery that she had magicked onto hers and Sirius' room and Sirius had been excited to receive muggle tools from Arthur for his bike. Remus and Teddy had tagged along later after breakfast with Andromeda and met them in London before heading back to Grimmauld Place.

"You've had enough presents, Teddy – "

"Of course not! There's a few things under our tree if he wants to go have a look."

Hermione didn't even get to finish her sentence before the turquoise-haired little boy was wiggling off of his father's lap and dashing into the parlor.

Remus sighed before he turned back to the couple and looked between them thoughtfully. "I wonder how long he can keep it up," he mused.

"Moony, kindly tell my wife that the next time she decides to put her life in danger by visiting a Death Eater that she should at least had the decency to tell me." His back was rigid as he spoke and she could see that he was gripping the glass in his hand tight enough that his knuckles were turning white.

Before Remus could speak, Hermione jumped up and screeched, "He was Imperiused, Sirius! It wasn't him! He was imprisoned falsely! Doesn't that sound a bit familiar?"

"She does have a point, Padfoot – "

"That is beside the point!" Sirius roared, slamming the glass down so hard on the table that it shattered, amber liquid sloshing to the ground as he turned. In a few quick strides, he was standing right in front of her, his hand wrapped tightly around her wrist as he stared into her eyes. "You could have been killed! What if the Ministry was wrong? Dolohov could've done damage to you had he set his mind to it!"

She cringed, a small whimper of pain escaping her throat as he squeezed his hand.

Remus growled from his place on the couch, his eyes flecking with gold as they focused on Sirius' grasp on his pack mate. "Sirius."

He released her instantly, mortification flooding his features. Looking down, he murmured, "I could've lost you. I could've lost our baby. I…I should have a say in that at least. Don't you think?"

"Oh, Sirius," she whispered, cupping his face in her hands and tilting it up so she could look at him properly. "I wasn't trying to take anything away from you. The little one and I aren't going anywhere, I promise. You'll just have to live with that."

27 March 2000

Jaimee Rena Black was brought into the world kicking and screaming, quite literally. Hermione had been giving a speech at the Ministry in front of the Wizengamot when she felt her water break. Instead of rushing to St. Mungo's to give birth to her little miracle, she finished her meeting with poise and grace. And that was how she had given birth at Grimmauld Place after flooing back home.

Currently, the little family was sitting in the bed, Hermione's arms wrapped around their daughter while Sirius' arms were wrapped around her.

"It's James' birthday," Sirius said quietly, kissing her sweaty temple softly while his eyes were trained on their new baby.

She smiled, "I know we haven't discussed names, but I thought…what do you think of Jaimee? It's not exactly close, but – "

"Jaimee Black," he grinned, "Jaimee Rena Black. It's…perfect. And it honors Remus, too."

Hermione looked down at the small babe in her arms. A tuft of raven hair peeked out from the pink blanket wrapped around her. Pale skin had a pink tint to it and, when she opened her eyes, they both gasped when they saw silver orbs flecked with whiskey that looked almost golden.

"Remus is going to love her."

2 May 2000 – Diagon Alley

"We're going to be late!" Hermione said in exasperation. It wasn't as if she was truly looking forward to going to going to Hogwarts to deal with the second celebration of the end of the war, but she didn't want to look bad by arriving late either. Hope had offered to watch Jaimee and Teddy while they went and it was nerve wracking to be away from her daughter for too long.

"It'll only take a moment, Snow. I promise," Sirius said, leading her to a row of deserted shops on the edge of Diagon Alley.

She sighed and followed along, happy to humor him. Her eyes narrowed at the beat up building and she sighed, "You're not planning on shoving me in here just to shag before we go, right? I don't want to mess up my hair."

He smirked, his grey eyes glinting, "Now that would be a lovely idea. Thank you, babe. I now have our evening planned out."

"You're incorrigible."

"I do aim to please." Sirius looked up at the building and waved his wand, muttering an incantation. The ruined exterior faded to something much more brilliant underneath and he heard her sharp intake of breath when she saw the sign.

The Mia Lupin Home

"Oh, Sirius," she whispered, tears filling her eyes as she looked at the beautiful home in front of her. She turned to him and asked, "Is this what you've been doing? Even before you knew I'd go back in time – "

His lips stopped hers and when he pulled away, he cupped her cheek gently, "You are the only witch that's been on my mind since the first day of September in 1976. You're the only witch for me, Mia Lupin, Hermione Granger, Mia Black."

She laughed, crying while she hiccupped, "I love you so much, Sirius Black."

"You're mine, Snow. And I take care of what's mine."

23 September 2000 – Number 12 Grimmauld Place

Hermione stared down at the little stick with a mix of horror and elation. Jaimee was hardly six months old and she didn't know if she would be ready to have another little bundle so soon.

"Love, Jaimee lost her rattle. Do you have a spare – " Remus stopped abruptly, looking down at her in confusion as she sat on the side of the bath tub with a small stick in her hand. His brows furrowed before his eyes widened, "Oh, Merlin, you're pregnant, aren't you?"

She groaned, "Jaimee's barely started sleeping through the night. How can we have another? How…how can I be pregnant? We've used every sort of contraceptive, I'm even on the muggle pill!"

He smiled and sat down next to her, tugging the stick out of her grasp and pulled her so her head rested on his shoulder. "Everything happens for a reason, love. You know that. Jaimee is here for a reason and this one will be, too."

"What would I ever do without you?"

2 June 2001 – St. Mungo's

"It's a little boy!"

Hermione stifled a sob of happiness as Sirius wiped the sweat from her forehead. He kissed the shell of her ear and whispered, "You did it, Snow. You brought him into the world for us."

The mediwitch handed the small blue bundle to Hermione and she soothed him softly, "Shhh, Reggie. Everything's fine."

"I'd be crying, too, if I just vacated the most perfect place in the world," he grumbled, looking down at the small baby and giving his wife a crooked grin when she smacked his arm.

"Regulus Gideon Black," she smiled, pressing a soft kiss to Regulus' forehead.

A few years later

Hermione pinned the last of her hair up, leaving a single curl down. Her black dress hugged every inch of her body – including the hips she had learned to love after birthing two beautiful babies. She clasped the necklace Fabian had given her years ago around her neck and smiled as it glittered against her skin.

Arms wrapped around her waist from behind and she felt Sirius' head rest on top of her head.

"You look gorgeous, Mrs. Black," he smirked, catching her whiskey eyes in the mirror and practically making a puddle in her knickers.

Turning in his arms, she caught his mouth with hers and kissed him soundly. When they finally pulled apart, she looked him up and down and gave him a smirk of her own. "You don't look too bad yourself, Mr. Black. I have to admit I'm a bit jealous of the woman that's going to be on your arm tonight."

"You should be. She's a knockout. She's up for election, you know. Madam Minister – "

She snorted and shook her head, "Hush up. Minister's husband – "

He cut her off with a kiss and they pulled apart to smile at each other knowingly.

"I would go through everything all over again if it meant that I'd have you by the end of it," he said, leaning his forehead against hers, "Azkaban would mean nothing compared to not having you."

"I just had to find the way."

Sirius cocked his head to the side, "The way?"

She grinned, "The way home."

Thank you all! I'll see you all on the flipside.

~Grace xxx