Rated M for future LEMONS. Well semi-lemons.
DO NOT READ if you're young and innocent. Don't want to corrupt ya :)
Teaser:Aah-ooooo!
Prologue: BREACH
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"There's been a compartment breach, down in 68B," Seamus informed her, as they ran down the corridors. "Immediate rooms around it have been put on lock-down."
Hermione longingly thought of the coffee she left upstairs, cooling on the table without anyone to drink it. Her hair was half-brushed and somehow during the process of running down the stairs, she'd lost one of her shoes. Not a brilliant start to be working with, when a dangerous wolf was on the loose.
Seamus of course, was effortlessly keeping up with her. Own of every stride matching three of her own. To add injury to the whole mess, he looked the picture of calm, with a dashing quiff bouncing up and down in his hair whilst hers resembled a hedgehog burial site. The vanity.
Seamus continued giving her the logistics as they ran.
"Bitten male, roughly 20 years old. One of the most viscous wolves we've had in a long time."
"And nobody thought to keep him sedated?" Hermione puffed as they reached the stairwell leading down into the laborities. The wail of whimpers and growls that reached the pair was immense, shifting towards the latter the more they wove into the labyrinth. Hermione looked in at every cubicle, checking no harm had fallen the captees inside.
"That's the thing! We had applied a stunning spell strong enough to knock out a grizzly! He must be stronger than we thought...." he muttered the last part, as if he didn't want the superior he idolized to overhear. But Hermione heard, and she wasn't liking what she was hearing.
"Why couldn't you wait till I got there?!" she gasped as the reached the doorway to 54C. The incantation came second-hand to her, and within a second Seamus and Hermione was running through a similar corridor again. As she passed, a person slammed into the glass wall containing him with overbearing force. Hermione made a passing note to find a stronger holding spell. Anyday now and he would be strong enough to break free.
And that presented a possibilty Hermione didn't even want to think about.
"I didn't want to disturb you from your sleep..." Seamus blushed as Hermione sent him a fleeting glare. His white lab coat flapped around his ankles as they progressed another compartment.
"Sleeping is positively trivial to this! You should've have flooed me! Be it in the shower, bedroom or any other place!"
Hermione meant her words. All the dedication and effort she'd put into this project couldn't go to waste now. The entire ministry was relying on her to guide this team to success! And finally her name will be linked to the most controversial project this side of the century. No more secrets. No more lies. She could truly look into Ron's eyes and discuss every single issue plaguing her since the late shifts started.
Her body thrummed with regret at the lacy red bra under her clothing. Now Ron would never have the opportunity to discover its wonders, well not for another night at least.
Finally they emerged near the escape site, and Hermione lagged against the wall in an attempt to cool her breathing. Seamus waited patiently by her side to receive her orders. At last, Hermione regained enough adrenaline to gasp, "We go in at the count of three. I check the right, you do the left. Understood?"
A brisk, professional nod was all her answer.
Gearing herself up, Hermione clutched tightly at the wand and cried, "One, two, THREE!"
Semi-darkness greeted them as the edged down the hallway. Occasionally the lights overhead flickered in a rhythmic pattern before dying completely.
"You're not using any magic, are you?" Seamus asked softly and Hermione understood his concern. It had been long proven that electricity and magic did not go hand to hand. Since the equipment down here usually ran on the former (Hermione's suggestion, of course), magic was strictly forbidden down below.
There's something powerful here. And it's watching us.
Her body hummed in distress and she immediately swung her wand to the right. The light reflected her haunted expression, but beyond the initial scare there was nothing. Behind her, Seamus began opening and closing the doors to each cubicle. Her mouth formed a puckered grin as she observed him.
He's smoking the bugger out.
The wolf must be hiding in one of these cubicles. Being a magical creature, it would feel distress if any magic was used. So when Seamus began doing the task manually by hand, Hermione knew she had taught him well. He had begun to take control of the initiative that had made her handpick him for the team in the first place.
From behind her, came an ominous rattle.
"Sorry," Seamus cringed, his hand still fixed on the door handle of a compartment. Hermione fixed him with a no-nonsense stare and raised an accusatory eyebrow. Seamus blanched and began waving his free arm about. "It's just that I forgot to oil-"
His voice broke off into a haggard yell when something unseen pulled him into the room, and the door crashed shut behind him.
"SEAMUS!" Hermione screamed, running to the door and rattling the door handle. It didn't budge. She banged at the door for one final time before stepping back and yelling, "ALOHOMORA!"
By the time the door banged open into unyielding darkness, Hermione had lighted her wand and taken a precautinary step into it. The stuffed warmth of the room pressed into her the moment she stepped in, bright lights dancing in front of her eyes before fading away. Seamus lay wrangled on the floor, and she rushed to him, muffling her fear when she realised an entire chunk of his leg was missing. "Seamus," she whispered, shaking his shoulders as tears threatened to fall down her face. "Stay awake!"
Behind her, something ran out into the open hallway and Hermione spun around at once, retribution fierce in her eyes.
"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE!" Hermione yelled, giving chase.
Down another set of corridors they went, a black blur always dancing out of her field of vision, before she finally reached the end of the cubicles.
There was no escape now. The only exit was behind her and this beast would have to pass her, before it could make it's escape. Her wand drifted over the surroundings, and halted when a person huddled on the floor swam into the light. Hermione nearly screamed, but then hardened her resolve.
"Get up."
The person remained in a foetal position. Shivering violently till she could hear his teeth chattering.
Her resolve faltered.
She moved closer to the beast, prodding it lightly with her toe. When nothing consequential happened, except the wolf curling up even tighter, Hermione resolved that his human side was in control and he was deeply ashamed of his actions. Most wolves were repentant that way, not having wished to bear the curse. She lent down and shook him slightly, her cool palm molding onto his naked arm.
His burning heat warmed her and Hermione found herself leaning over the creature.
"Just come with me," she whispered, in what was hoping to be a reassuring tone. The person began uncurling and Hermione had to sit back on her heels, when grey eyes bored into her own, pale blond hair in disarray. Hermione was in shock. She gaped at him in true confusion.
"Malfoy?!"
The man who so uncannily resembled her arch-nemesis did not reply. Instead he rolled over, his naked buttocks disappearing to be replaced by his penis as he leered up at her. Hermione hastily averted her eyes, trying to protect this man's modesty by not staring at the eight inch anatomy, topped with a mottled crown weeping at her. It stood proud and erect, the cold air not dampening it's enthusiasm in the slightest. Hermione coloured profusely.
The burning hunger in his eyes was something she found un-nerving. And when he leant slightly into her cold body, like a weak man seeking his oasis, Hermione couldn't help but cower away. Seamus, she thought desperately. He could be dying! I have to get to him... I can't be embarrassed now!
Whilst Hermione pondered a way to call for help, the wolf saw it's opportunity and launched at her.
Bad Draco. SO.... Confusion and a half, or what? lol Next chapter will hopefully answer questions. But feel free to review anyway :)