The next morning, the occupants of the Gryffindor boys' fifth year dormitory were woken by the uncharacteristic almost squeal of delight of Remus John Lupin as he peered at Sirius' bed, from his spot on his own bed, and saw Sirius lying in the bed with Hermione, both peacefully asleep until the squeal left his happy mouth.
"What is Remus squealing about?" James groaned tiredly as him and Lily sat up in his bed and saw exactly what their friend was excited about. Sirius and Hermione just smiled at each other before sitting up themselves.
"I WON THE BET! WAIT, WHEN DID YOU GET TOGETHER?" Remus exclaimed excitedly.
"Last night." Sirius replied with a happy grin that lit up his face.
"Why are you shouting, Rem? I have never seen you so excited over anything. I have definitely never seen you squeal like a girl. And, what's this about a bet?" Hermione questioned as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hands.
"I am shouting because I am happy for my friends. Also, around the time of the full moon my hormones go crazy and my mood changes constantly…"
He was cut off by James saying, "Like when someone is pregnant and they go all crazy because their baby hormones are all over the place."
Remus glared at his friend who just smiled cheekily back at him, at least, before Lily smacked him upside the head.
"Anyway, I'm happy for you. And the bet is the one that myself, James, Lily, Severus and Regulus made in which we bet on when we thought you two would get together. I said Halloween, therefore, I won and I expect five galleons from each of our friends as soon as possible." Remus explained, smiling again.
Hermione just smiled as she watched Lily and James find the galleons and give them to Remus, resting against Sirius. She was happy that her friends were happy. She was happy herself. She just hoped that she could help win this war soon so that everyone could be happier.
…
Time flew by as the friends focussed on their studies, among other things. Sirius and Hermione were together and happy, so were James and Lily. Albus even took it upon himself to give Sirius the 'if you hurt my daughter I will give you a very painful death' talk.
Severus and Regulus had completed their Animagus training and had join them on the subsequent full moon. Severus was a black panther and Regulus was a long snake that looked rather like how Harry had described Nagini. It took some time to come up with Marauder names for them, but the group soon named them Pan and Python respectively.
All of them were becoming closer, although they all noticed that Severus and Remus were getting closer and closer each day, and they all thought that soon they would be dating, if they would just gather the courage to tell the other their feelings.
They all used the Room of Requirement still to study, research, plan and train (they had started training in the art of duelling together so they would be prepared for the inevitable battle). It was also the place where they would all go just to be together, to talk and laugh about life and anything else. It was also where they had started creating the Marauders' Map, after Severus and Regulus had become fully fledged Marauders with their Animagi forms.
Although Hermione missed her old life still, she loved it here. She knew that this is where she belonged, with these people, in this time. She would see her old friends again, she would just have a different role in their lives, and they would grow up happy and loved by herself and everyone else. She knew she would be happy too.
On the Saturday of the 6th of December Hermione was called to her new parents' quarters after dinner. She wondered why, but she was happy to get to spend some more time with them anyway. She had been busy studying for end of term tests recently and hadn't had much time to spend with them.
She gave the portrait the password and was allowed entry, she saw her new mother on the sofa, waiting anxiously for her. Minerva smiled, stood, and hugged her adoptive daughter as Albus walked in with a tray filled with mugs of tea, made to their liking, and a plate of biscuits. Albus hugged her also, after placing the tray on the coffee table, before they all sat, Albus and Minerva on the sofa and Hermione in an armchair.
"Sorry I haven't been able to see you much recently, I've been studying." Hermione apologised.
"It's fine, we understand. How are you and your friends? Did you have fun in Hogsmeade?" Minerva asked, smiling as she took a sip of her warm tea.
"We're fine, thank you. Hogsmeade was amazing. I spent the morning with Sirius, we had a small picnic in the forest by the Shrieking Shack and just enjoyed the time away from everything else. Then we met up with everyone at The Three Broomsticks for lunch and spent the afternoon shopping before coming back. I managed to grab some Christmas presents as well, I will owl order the rest soon. Did you two have a good day?"
Her new parents smiled at each other before smiling at her.
"We had a wonderful day. This morning Poppy told us that we are to be expecting your baby brother around the first of August." Minerva announced with a beaming smile on her face and a hand resting on her still flat belly.
"Really?" Hermione asked, an excited grin on her face.
"Yes." Albus replied, smiling with his mouth and his twinkling eyes.
Hermione left her seat and walked over to them, still smiling, she sat in between them and they all embraced each other, happy that their new family would be extended once more.