Author's Notes: I've long been a reader of HP fanfic, but never before tried one of my own. So keep that in mind. I have been reading a lot of awesome Hr/G fics the past few days and it gave me the courage to try this.

This was originally an answer to a challenge for a Hr/G yahoo group. I found it in the depths of an old hard drive, so I decided to give it another crack. Also: Femmeslash. Hermione/Ginny. If it is not your cup of tea don't read it. Or if it is not your cup of tea and you do read it, don't tell me how much you hate it or how this couple would never 'work.' The whole point of fanfiction is to write about character pairings that we as fans would like to see.

Let's see, what else….I guess I will say this takes place during Harry's 6th year, though it doesn't follow HBP. Any mistakes are my own. Oh yeah, and Harry Potter is incredibly not mine. JKR is awesome for creating such a cool universe.

The Beast Within

By Melissa

She sucked the salt from her fingers, remnants of the bag of potato crisps she had been munching on. One by one by one, in such slow succession that it nearly drove me insane. I swallowed hard. She must have realized I was staring because she returned my gaze, but with only a fraction of the intensity.

"What?" she said shyly, and suddenly self-conscious. "Do I have something on my face?"

'Me…. In a minute,' was all I could think. I reached out with my hand and brushed the soft skin of her cheek with my callused thumb. The constant note taking through the years had done a number on my hands.

"Got it," I lied, since there was nothing there to begin with.

She reached up and took my hand in hers. She began rubbing the pads of my fingers with her own. Now it was my turn to be self-conscious.

"Sorry about my rough hands…"

She smiled as she continued to stroke my fingertips. I bit my bottom lip hard to keep from sighing, so much so that I tore the skin and could taste copper.

Her eyebrows knit in an adorable display of concern. "You bit your lip. You're bleeding."

I withdrew my hand from hers, slowly, as to savor the contact until the very last second.

"A nasty habit," I replied. "Some people bite their nails…" I drew my bottom lip into my mouth and gently sucked on it to stem the flow of blood.

I went back to the textbook laying before me, knowing full well that Ginny was still staring at me. I would not return her stare. If I looked up I knew I wouldn't be able to look away. And not being able to look away would cause me to leap across the table, pounce on her, and kiss her like it was going out of style.

"I've got to get going," I say hastily. "There's some ingredients I need to collect."

"Do you want some help?" she asks, completely innocently.

"No, I'll be okay." I shove my books, quills and parchment into my bag and head back to the Tower. If she knew where I was going to collect the ingredients, she would have insisted that she come with me. Not that I would have minded in the least bit, but I don't know how much longer I could control myself around her.

Later

I ran like I had never run in my life.

Dear Merlin, it was almost on me. I could hear it slobbering between ragged breaths. It could smell my fear and if I did not do something, it would soon taste my blood.

In retrospect, it was extremely foolish of me to go traipsing into the Forbidden Forest. I rationalized that I wasn't going in very far. I suppose they can write that on my tombstone.

I needed some fluxweed, used for polyjuice potions, which needs to be harvested during a full moon to be effective. I like to keep supplies on hand in case we need them. Ever since those break-ins to Snape's office, he had placed wards. He wasn't a fool and I wasn't about to get expelled for breaking and entering. So, true to form, death seemed preferable to expulsion. Which is all I can think of as I run for my life.

Tonight was the full moon. In and out of the forest, that was all I was going to do. Grab a hand full of the weed and be on my way. The best-laid plans though, are the ones that most often go asunder.

I couldn't very well tell anyone what I was doing. Not even Harry or Ron, who surely would want to accompany me. I had previously turned down Ginny, mostly because if Ron had heard I had taken his little sister into the Forbidden Forest he would have killed me. Twice. And of course we all know what happens when Ron, Harry and I get together to do something less than legal.

The light of the full moon lit the grounds but could do nothing to penetrate the trees. I stopped at the edge of the forest and peered in. It was like looking into an abyss.

'Lumos,' I whispered, the tip of my wand illuminating. I weaved my way through the trees. My quarry was not but a thirty feet in from the tree line, just as I expected it to be. After glancing cautiously around I rushed in and bent down, examining the plant. Yanking some out of the ground, I hastily turned to leave.

It was then that I heard heavy breathing, not unlike that of Crabbe or Goyle after they have climbed steps in the castle. I froze. I knew I should have just kept walking, but my legs would not obey.

I didn't want to turn around to see what it was, afraid of what might be making that sound. I didn't have to, because it leaped over my head, coming between my freedom and me. Startled, I dropped my wand, and with it my only way of seeing.

I couldn't see it, but I knew it was big and I also knew it couldn't possibly be friendly.

'Run!' My brain was screaming. Well, if I was going to die, it was going to have to catch me first.

I ran parallel to the edge of the forest. I couldn't lose sight of clearing or I was a goner for sure. I think I caught the monster by surprise because for a scant second I thought it wasn't following me.

Then I heard it. It was snarling, as if angry it was actually going to have to catch its dinner.

I veer suddenly to the right, so desperately wanting to believe that if I could just make it out of the forest I would be okay. But I made such a sharp cut that I lost my footing.

And then it is on me. I feel its hot, fetid breath on my skin only an instant before its teeth tears my skin.

I scream. And then I feel nothing

Hermione sits bolt upright in a bed in the hospital wing, her heart threatening to break out of the contents of her chest. Was it a dream? Upon seeing the large bandage on her right arm she learns it is more like falling into a nightmare instead of waking from one.

Madame Pomfrey bustles in, no doubt to check on her status.

"Hermione, thank the stars you are awake. It was a bit of a touch and go there for a while. We thought maybe we had lost you."

"How did I get here?"

"Hagrid said he found you by the edge of the forbidden forest. Something had attacked you. You lost a lot of blood and looked like death itself when he brought you in."

"Please don't take this the wrong way, Madame Pomfrey…but why am I not dead?"

"That's the interesting part actually. I'm sure you would have died had Hagrid not found you when he did. And he did because of a Unicorn. After making his rounds he said he saw a unicorn at the edge of the forest. He went to investigate and it was standing watch over you. He picked you up and ran all the way here."

To Be Continued...

A/N: There's more where this came from, if anyone is interested.