The Dark Mark

Epilogue

"For someone who complained so much about getting a dog, I sure do come home many nights finding you snuggling our daughter." Hermione smirked.

Bella tried her best to give a cross expression, "she coerced me into the snuggles, I assure you, love. They meant nothing to me."

"How could you ever deny this face?" She grabbed Nova's cheeks and turned her around to look at Bella. Nova snorted and turned back to the mummy who was currently paying attention to her.

"That's the face of a criminal. She pooped in my shoe yesterday and pissed all over the couch this afternoon." Bella grumbled.

"Then why were you snuggling her so tightly?"

"Semantics, love and coercion." She got up and stretched. "I kept a plate warm for you," she smiled, walked over and ruffled Nova's head before holding her hand out for her wife to take.

Hermione shot Nova an apologetic look before standing up and allowing herself to be pulled into Bella's embrace. The older woman was immediately drawn to the long expanse of Hermione's neck since her hair was pulled back in a bun. She inhaled the inherent smell of her wife and placed a line of reverent kisses along her jaw. "Welcome home, Mrs. Black." She lightly nipped at the pulse point presented in front of her. Hermione shivered at the use of her surname that she would never tire of hearing and a small moan escaped not going unnoticed by the older woman. "I've missed you terribly," she smirked as her hand snaked its way down to squeeze Hermione's ass.

"Bella," she breathed out. "I thought I was meant to have dinner." She felt a deep chuckle reverberate through her neck as her wife pulled her lips away with a tearing noise.

Bella stepped back and nodded. "Come on through then," she winked and led Hermione into the cozy kitchen.

"Two plates?" Hermione asked when Bella returned from shutting the oven door, putting two plates down onto the small two seater table. "You waited to eat with me?"

"Well," Bella gave her a look that turned her inside to mush, "I get lonely when you aren't here." It was Bella's turn for her eyes to darken. Hermione shrugged out of her suit coat and was wearing only a tight fitted vest underneath. It has been almost four years since she had given Hermione her first tattoo but now her body was her favorite canvas. Her eyes raked over the brunette as she stood there, smiling back at her. She had insisted on keeping up the black and gray theme that she had started with her lighthouse. Hermione's left arm was a half sleeve of wild flowers. Her other arm was a full sleeve with different time pieces and roses, and a woman's open hand with an evil eye on the palm. It couldn't be seen through the vest but starting at the top of Hermione's neck and going down her spine were the seven chakras. "Maybe you should put your jacket back on until tea is finished unless you want me to take you here on the kitchen table."

Hermione smirked and rolled her eyes, "behave." She calmed her own heat traveling through her body and took a bite of the perfectly roasted chicken presented before her. Moaning with her first bite wasn't anything new. Bella was an amazing cook and she exploited her talents almost daily. The couple ate in relative silence making small talk about their respective days. Nova had only come over and begged for food once. "No," Hermione said in a motherly tone, "you have a dish full of puppy pellets over by your water. I don't care how cute your puppy eyes are, you won't be getting any table scraps from me." Nova snorted and walked over to Bella looking at her expectantly. She looked up seeing Hermione raise an eyebrow, "have you been feeding her from your plate?"

Bella glared at the dog, "traitor." She returned her gaze to Hermione, "I have no idea what you are talking about," a goofy smile adorned her face when she shoved a fork full of mashed potatoes in her mouth and slipped Nova a piece of chicken who happily took it and pranced from the room. "Coercion," she shrugged and watched as their pup left the room, shaking her head and chuckling as she watched her wife's mouth fall open. "Careful of that bird shit, pet."