Unbreakable Vow

The marauders were stretched out on their beds in varying states of undress. Remus had full pajamas on because he was self-conscious about the scars that marked his body. Peter had his pajamas as well. James was sprawled across his bed wearing pajama bottoms absently reading a transfiguration text, researching an upcoming prank. Sirius was wearing boxers and a pair of warm socks. James was grateful that Hogwarts instilled enough decency in Sirius so that he wore the boxers. Sirius was watching the map, frowning.

"What time is it?" Sirius asked suddenly.

"After curfew," Remus said sharply. Sirius gave him a rude gesture.

"Uh…almost midnight," Peter said absently.

"So is there something going on between Lily and your sister?" Sirius asked curiously. James snorted.

"I doubt it. Hermione would have said something snotty about how I wasn't her type or something." James said dryly. "She probably would have danced through the commons and put hickeys right on Lily's neck or something."

"Hermione doesn't strike me as the vindictive type," Remus said mildly. James grinned wolfishly.

"No, but she's damned possessive. If something is hers, it's hers." He explained.

"She didn't mark up Malfoy," Sirius said with a frown. James shrugged.

"No, thank Merlin! Ugh, I plan on eating this week, do not give me those kinds of images," James growled and threw a pillow at his friend.

"Well, yeah, but you said she's possessive, so maybe she didn't think of Malfoy as being hers?" Sirius was not looking anywhere near Remus because he didn't want to see the smug smile of his other friend. Still, he needed to hear the answer to this question.

"I really couldn't say," James said in irritation. "If you'll recall, she wasn't all that happy with me. I don't know, I guess. All I know, is that if something was important to My Own, she marked it. Somehow, someway, she put her mark on it. Here, look."

James pulled up his pajama pant leg and the other boys could make out a faded silvery scar that was small and looked rather like…teeth marks.

"She bit you?" Remus asked, a strange look on his face. James shrugged.

"We were five, and our grandparents wanted to take me away from her for a summer. Grandfather Potter wanted to instruct me in our legacy or some such rot," James muttered.

"She bit you," Remus said again, that strange look on his face. James nodded.

"Yeah, Remus. She bit me. First, she started shrieking that I was hers and they couldn't take me away from her. Of course, at the time we were still in the nursery and we slept together in the same bed every night. It was the first time anyone had ever tried to separate us." James said smugly, looking at his bite mark fondly.

"Potter, you have issues," Remus said faintly. James shrugged.

"Oh well, don't we all?"

"Yeah, but back to the fact that it is midnight and your sister and your future wife are skipping merrily down the dark corridors of Hogwarts," Sirius interrupted.

"What do you mean skipping merrily?" James demanded.

"Well, they could be skipping. Or walking quickly." Sirius handed over the map. James snatched it out of his hand and quickly looked it over.

"What the hell is she doing out after curfew?" James growled. Remus snickered.

"What?" Sirius asked him.

"Don't you think it's a little hypocritical for you to be upset about Hermione being out after curfew? Aren't we out after curfew all the time?" Remus, ever the voice of reason, said calmly. Peter snickered.

"We are, you know," he observed from his bed. Sirius tossed his hair.

"I suppose we are," he muttered finally. James chuckled as something occurred to him.

"They're probably getting ice cream or chocolate or something from the house elves in the kitchen. Girls do that, right?" He asked the room. The boys shrugged, and Sirius set the map aside.

HP/HG/HP

The precise wording of an Unbreakable Vow was a delicate thing. Hermione felt a twinge of her conscience that Lily would not fully understand what was being done, but she shook it off quickly. This was war, and this vow could save Lily's life. Severus understood the risks and he agreed. Once they had each sworn their vows to Hermione she moved back from them carefully and shifted forms.

"My lioness!" Lily exclaimed happily and hugged her tightly around the neck.

"No wonder you got that look on your face every time I called you Griffyndor Lioness," Severus said dryly. Hermione quickly shifted back.

"No one can know," she said fiercely, looking at each of them. They nodded. That had been part of the vow actually, that Hermione's Patronus or any other of her magical forms must remain a secret.

"I have a question, though," Severus asked. "Do you even know how to do a Patronus charm? That's a NEWT level spell, isn't it?"

"Yes, I can," she said shortly, and soon a silvery Padfoot was gamboling around the Room of Requirement. Hermione blushed furiously and glared at her stupid Patronus.

"What's so special about your Patronus?" Lily asked curiously. Hermione's blushed darkened.

"It won't be obvious for a year or two," Hermione muttered. She was pretty sure that Lily, as the future beloved of James Potter, would be included in the small group that knew all the animagus forms of the marauders.

"Planning ahead, how un-Griffyndor," Severus observed with a smirk. These were the sorts of comments that Hermione made, often unconsciously, that convinced Severus that she had some sort of gift, or a touch of the Sight. Hermione swatted him on the arm.

"You shush." Hermione admonished.

"How?" Lily asked suddenly. "When?"

"I'm an unregistered animagus, which is very, very illegal, but I can't have the Ministry tracking me right now. It would be most…inconvenient. I did it this last summer. Well, I studied and did prep work for a year or so beforehand, as well." Hermione explained carefully. There was no need to mention all the research she had done in her past life. Severus stared at her in awe.

"It's not supposed to be possible," he muttered shortly. This sort of magic was complex, delicate, and dangerous. Hermione shrugged.

"There are extenuating circumstances," she said softly. "If it makes you feel any better, you will always beat me in potions. You are amazing when it comes to potions."

"I suppose I shall have to accept that," Severus drawled, "especially since you have said it."

"Hmph." Hermione crossed her arms and pouted at him.

"What about Amos Diggory?" Lily asked innocently, her brow furrowed.

"What about him?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"Everyone thinks you two are dating now. He took you to Hogsmeade. That's the Hogwarts relationship indicator, you know," Severus stated. Hermione sighed.

"I don't really care for him. He's attractive, but the personality doesn't match up at all. In fact, he's a little arrogant," Hermione said with a slight frown.

"Well, is there anyone else you're interested in?" Lily asked curiously.

Yes.

"No."