AN: Well everyone...I clearly have a problem...here is a new story. A little different then what I've done before, but I like where it's going. Anyways, I'm already working on chapter two so I'll have it up hopefully tomorrow if my girlfriend continues to play Skyrim like she has been. And I am STILL posting another new one since, as I said before...I clearly have a problem. Anyways, enjoy this new story, reviews and all that fun jazz is appreciated :)
Chapter 1: Lost
Of all the things that Jade McHale despised of the human world in all of her years living on this planet, shopping malls had to be the worst thing anyone could've ever invented. A closed in space that was full of clutter and noise that almost stifled the moment you walked into the establishment as a heavy fog of noise and fluorescent lighting assaulted your senses. The blue eyed girl just huffed as she sat in the food court, watching people flit by, laughing and chattering incessantly about nothing that echoed in her sensitive ears. She had just arrived in London that afternoon and was recovering from a rather long flight in an equally suffocating human contraption called an air plane.
The girl poked around at the half eaten food in front of her and rested her chin on her hand. Her cousin had requested the visit to help with some pack matters, now that she was half a century old, a societal adult in the eyes of lycan culture, but forever trapped in her twenty year old body. It hadn't been the first time Jade had traveled from her home in Colorado to visit England, but it had been the first time in almost twenty years and she was a bit culture shocked by the amount of city and lack of forest. Suddenly, the cries of a child rang in her ears as she turned her blue eyes to the right to see a small child with frizzy brown hair sobbing in the middle of the mall at a cross section. No one was stopping to make sure the girl was all right or try and ask what was wrong, so Jade feeling a bit guilty, rolled her eyes and dumped her food in a receptacle before approaching.
"Are you lost?" Jade asked gently as she knelt down in front of the girl as the brunette nodded and wiped her eyes on her sleeve with a tiny sniffle. "Can you tell me where you last saw your parents?"
"M-mum told me never to talk to strangers." The little girl cried with a hint of defiance in her voice that made the raven haired girl chuckle. At least the kid had a good head on her shoulders.
"Well, my name is Jade," Blue eyes looked kindly into smoldering brown as Jade held out her hand towards the child. "What's yours?" The girl looked suspiciously at the older girl's hand before finally giving in and shaking it softly.
"H-Hermione," She stuttered as Jade gave her a reassuring smile and Hermione visibly relaxed as she wiped her eyes again.
"Now, Hermione," The lycan muttered softly as she stood and extended her hand to the young girl. "You know my name and I know yours, we aren't technically strangers anymore. So, can you tell me where you last saw your parents?" The little child nodded as she shyly took the woman's hand and pointed towards a large department store at the end of one of the long corridors, a large group of people convening at the end where a large red sign read 'SALE!'. Jade sighed and shook her head, humans.
"Mummy said if I ever got separated from her that I should wait there, in the middle." Her brown eyes looked at the fountain as Jade followed her gaze. "I've been waiting, but she hasn't shown up yet and it's been a really long time! Do you think she forgot about me?"
"I don't think your mother would forget about you, Hermione." Jade reassured kindly as she looked around for some who resembled the girl or had her scent at least. "But I will sit and wait with you if you'd like, so you don't have to wait alone." The small girl nodded as Jade sat on the ground, leaning her back against the fountain as Hermione sat on the ledge.
"Have you ever been lost before?" The girl asked as she lazily kicked her feet in the air as if there were invisible targets above her toes.
"Not in a physically, no, but that's just because I have a good sense of direction." The lycan answered truthfully as she leaned her had back to see big brown eyes looking back curiously. "But emotionally or mentally, I have been lost a great number of times."
"Did you lose someone you love?" The blue eyed girl tensed slightly as her eyes widened at the young girl's questions. "My daddy lost his mummy when I was younger and he was acting very weird and sat for a long time. My mum said it was because he was lost without her. Was it the same for you?"
"You're a very observant child, aren't you?" The brunette just smiled before tilting her head to the side, waiting patiently for the older girl's answer. "How old are you anyways?"
"I'm six years old." She answered proudly as she straightened her back a bit more and smiled. "My birthday was in September." Jade nodded as a smirk spread on her lips and she released a sigh from her lungs.
"I did lose someone very close to me," Blue eyes darkened slightly at the memory that flooded her mind and she shook her head slightly to try and rid it from replaying behind her eyes. "And like your dad, I wasn't myself for a very, very long time. My best friend, my only true friend, passed away some years ago now, but it still plagues me now and again."
"I'll be your friend," Hermione smiled at Jade as the older girl chuckled and ran a hand through her long black hair. "But you have to promise never to lose me. I don't like being lost." Jade quirked an eyebrow as the girl made a fist and then extended her pinky to the lycan. "Pinky promise, friends always pinky promise." Confused blue eyes darted from the girl's hand to the stern brown eyes before conceding and hooking her pinky around Hermione's. "Cross your heart." The brunette took her free hand and traced an X over her chest that Jade mimicked. The younger girl smiled before the sound of clacking heels resonated on the hard tile floors.
"Poppet!"
"Mummy!" A brunette woman was approaching them, clearly Hermione's mother, and before Jade knew it the girl was being scooped up into a tight, desperate embrace.
"Darling!" The woman sighed as she held her daughter closer to her chest and Jade stood, dusting off her jeans. "I was so worried I'd lost you. I'm so relieved you remembered to wait here if we got separated." A strange wave of nostalgia hit Jade hard as she watching Hermione's mother crush the little girl in a frantic embrace and she shook her head to keep the memories that threatened to consume her at bay.
"Jade helped me, mum." The child mused as she pointed at the black haired girl who smiled and extended her hand. "She stayed with me until you got here, we're best friends now!" Jade chuckled as the woman looked at her and before Jade could stop it, she was being crushed in a hug.
"Thank you so much for keeping an eye on her!" The woman spewed as she pulled away and beamed. "I truly to appreciate it, I don't know what I'd do if I had lost my little Hermione."
"It was no trouble, ma'am." Jade insisted as the woman smiled again and hugged her daughter tightly. "I know what it's like to lose someone, and at such a young age, I didn't feel right leaving her alone." Hermione's mother thanked Jade numerous times before turning and heading towards the exit, the little brunette waving until they reached the doors. The lycan sighed before feeling a familiar presence and turning around to see her cousin standing behind her.
"That was very noble of you." The auburn haired woman said softly. Athena Matthews was a true visage of beauty as she smiled at her younger cousin. She had bright green eyes and her hair fell in loose waves over her shoulder to the middle of her back. All lycans, at some point in their lives, either early or very late, stop aging. Jade's grandfather seems to think it's up to the particular person when this phenomena occurs, but the blue eyed lycan believed that time seemed to slow after something life changing happened to someone. In a technical term, lycans are immortal, but not invincible. Destroy their heart and they die just as easy as any other human, although it would take a great amount of effort. Athena was no exception, she had seemed to stop feeling the ravages of time around the age of thirty. "It's amazing how easily humans lose their offspring. It's like they try to get rid of them."
"They're just insensible, cousin." Jade bowed her head slightly as Athena walked past her towards the exit and the raven haired lycan followed. "I imagine you were watching me the whole time?" Athena merely nodded before flipping her hair over her shoulder as a warm, fall breeze washed over them the minute they exited the mall. Jade was happy to be out of the place, she enjoyed nature, as all lycans do, and being around that many humans in a confined space made her anxious. No matter how large the building may be, it was still a cage in her eyes.
"I was, you helped her because that girl reminded you of Jaynee, didn't you?" Jade tensed at the question before her shoulder slumped forward slightly and she nodded her head. "All reasons aside, it is rather convenient for you. The reason you were brought here was to protect that girl, she's a witch."
"You're joking…?" The blue eyed girl asked as they walked down the busy streets of London, but Athena didn't respond which caused Jade to sigh. "You're not joking."
"Our Seers have seen the future, Jade." Athena continued as they reached a small park and entered to get the feel of nature in the busy metropolis. "She's very important to the outcome of a very fast approaching war that we need the light to win."
"How am I supposed to protect her?"
"Well, helping her today was a very decent start." Green eyes glanced over at the younger lycan before Athena stopped at a small pond. "Corbin has already set it up, you're going to be living in the same neighborhood and working as a 'government' agent that's been transferred from America, so if she or her family ask any questions you'll have an alibi." Jade rubbed the back of her neck and groaned as her cousin handed her a piece of paper with addresses written on it. "The top one is your new home and the bottom is theirs. We have people moving you in as we speak so the neighborhood will know you've arrived. When you're ready, I'll take you there." The blue eyed girl sighed and nodded her head before looking over at her auburn haired kin.
"Let's go then."
x-x
It didn't take long for Jade to ease into her new life with Emma Granger, Hermione's mother, being ecstatic and extremely welcoming when she found out she was their new neighbor. As the months passed, Jade had become a high trusted friend to the Granger family and as such, would be asked to babysit and pick little Hermione up from school when her parents were stuck at their dental office. For five years this carried on and Jade had come to view Hermione as a friend since the girl grew smarter and more mature with her age. It was the third of July and Jade was waiting patiently outside a small primary school for the bushy haired girl to get out for the summer. It was routine now that the Grangers had decided to extend their office hours on Fridays, which had greatly increased their business. Oddly, as bright as the child was, she had never mentioned anything about Jade's ageless appearance over five years and the lycan wondered if maybe the girl just hadn't noticed.
"Jade!" Blue eyes looked up from the ground to see a frizzy head bobbing as Hermione waved animatedly at her. This was how she was greeted every week and the lycan smiled as Hermione jogged towards her. "How are you? Did you go on any covert missions this week?" The raven haired girl just chuckled as Hermione readjusted her back pack and looked up with excited brown eyes. The lycan had been telling Hermione altered truths about her 'government' job and it left the eleven year old yearning for spy stories.
"Now, Hermione," Jade started in a gentle, yet firm tone as they began to walk down the street towards their neighborhood. "You know if I told you, I'd have to kill you." Blue eyes looked down to see the brunette rolling her eyes as they stopped at a crosswalk. "And I've told you before, lion, my job is boring, like babysitting really." It wasn't a complete lie, she technically was babysitting, even though Hermione was the one being sat. "How was school today? Make anyone's head spin with your brazen intellect?" Hermione's face fell slightly as she shook her head and sighed forlornly.
"No, I just get teased when I answer all the questions." The girl whispered as she watched the light change and the pair began walking again. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't so smart or interested in learning and could be like all the other kids my age."
"Don't say that." The blue eyed lycan admonished gently as they made their way slowly down the street. "You're meant to be who you are, Hermione, and if people can't like you for you, then you don't need their friendship. Take it from me, your brains will save your life someday. The other kids are just jealous because they're ordinary." Jade put a reassuring hand on the young brunette's shoulder and gave her a winning smile. The pep talk seemed to do the trick as Hermione smiled and started talking about what she had learned in her science class. The walk passed by faster when they talked, well, usually it was Hermione doing the talking and Jade listening intently.
"Did you know that stalagmites are formed from the moisture dripping from cave ceilings?" The older girl smirked and nodded to keep the girl talking, not that that brunette acknowledged her nod. "The water seeps through the minerals and carries deposits down onto the ground and over years they form these tower like rock formations. I'd love to be a researcher someday and travel the world, doesn't that sound fantastic?!" Jade uh huh'd as they neared Hermione's house, knowing that Emma and Kenneth wouldn't be home for another hour or so, she opted to stay with the young girl until they got back. As they approached the door, Hermione pulled her keys out of her bag and unlocked the deadbolt before swinging it open and walking in. The Granger home was very quaint, but very homey and Jade enjoyed being there as Hermione dropped her bag on the couch and sat down. The girl began doing her homework, odd for an eleven year old in Jade's opinion, but who was she to judge?
"You're such a nerd sometimes, Hermione." Jade teased as she ruffled the girl's hair before walking into the kitchen to get some water. "You know, sometime soon you're going to be more interested in boys than books."
"Not anytime soon I hope." The lycan chuckled, hearing the disgust in the brunette's voice. She was still a preteen after all. "What about you? You're old enough to have a boyfriend, so why don't you? Mum always wants to set you up with random young men she meets at the office, you know."
"Well," The blue eyed girl sighed as she came back and handed Hermione a glass of water. "I guess it's better you learn now, but I prefer the company of women, Hermione." Hermione turned her head slowly and gave Jade a curious look. "What? Is that a problem?"
"No!" The brunette squeaked as she shook her head and her bushy mane swished in her face. "I just…I never saw you as being…well, as liking girls. You're…I mean, you're really pretty and…"
"Pretty girls can be lesbians too." Jade raised an eyebrow at the girl who was now blushing and averting her gaze to the ground. "Don't worry, Hermione, it's no big deal, right?"
"R-right, of course!" Suddenly the spot where Hermione had been staring started to smoke and Jade's eyes narrowed. A look of fear crossed the younger girl's face as the spot on the carpet burst into flames and Jade jumped up, throwing her glass of water to douse the flames. Blue eyes were wide as she glanced over at the young girl who had backed herself against the wall, knees pulled up to her chest.
"Hermione," Her voice was a whisper as she walked over and crouched down in front of the brunette who was trembling. "How did you do that?" Brown eyes were void of anything but fear and Jade put a calming hand on the girl's shoulder. "Hermione, it's ok."
"I didn't mean to…it…" The girl swallowed hard as she blinked her eyes a few times and finally Hermione came back as she looked into cerulean orbs. "It was an accident…I don't know what happened!"
"Calm down," Jade's voice was very soothing in the girl's ears as she took a few deep breaths and tried to calm the tremors in her body. "Just breathe, it'll be ok." Hermione's head whipped around, her eyes wide again as she shook her head.
"It'll be ok?" She asked sarcastically before pointing her finger at the small scorch mark on the ground. "I just burned a bloody whole in the carpet without matches or a lighter, anything! How is that going to be all right? What's wrong with me?!" Suddenly there was a noise at the front door and Jade glanced at the brunette before sighing, rising to go see what the noise was. There, on the floor by the mail slot, was an envelope with green writing and a red wax seal on the back.
"About time." The lycan hissed as she picked up the envelope and took it over to the person it was addressed to. "Hermione, this just came for you." She sat back down next to the girl who timidly took the letter and opened it.
"Dear Miss Granger," The brunette read aloud slowly, brown furrowed in confusion as her eyes scanned the paper. "We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry." Hermione's brown orbs widened as she scanned the rest of the letter and then looked up at Jade. "This has got to be a joke, right?" The raven haired lycan smiled as she shook her head.
"As much as I wish I could say it was, it's not." If possible, Hermione's eyes got wider as the lycan closed her eyes and sighed. She had been waiting anxiously for this day and yet, not it seemed it was a curse the way Hermione had reacted to her own magic which had been showing itself more and more, though subtle enough for the girl brunette not to notice. "You've been doing these things lately, that you can't understand or explain, but I've noticed, Hermione. All this time since you were about ten you've been doing magic."
"No, no…you're wrong." Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and dropped the acceptance letter. "No, this is just a joke, a stupid joke. Magic doesn't exist! It's just things in fantasy books and television." Blue eyes softened slightly seeing the panic rise in the girl's face. "You're mean to play along with this trick, Jade."
"It's not a trick." The lycan said calmly as she stood and offered her hand to Hermione who looked at it as if it were a snake preparing to strike. "Come, I'll prove it to you." As Hermione timidly to Jade's hand and stood up, the blue eyed girl pulled her forward against her body. A gasp escaped the girl's throat as she crashed gently into Jade's chest. "Close your eyes and take a deep breath, ok?" The girl just nodded as she did what she was told and immediately there was a horrible feeling in her stomach, like someone was trying to pull her insides out through her navel, but as fast as the sensation manifested, it dissipated, leaving Hermione nauseous when she opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by brick. She was about to ask the girl where they were, when she felt the burning of bile rising in the back of her throat. Hermione turned quickly enough before the contents of her stomach came hurling forth and into a nearby trash bin. "I'm impressed, some people pass out their first time." Jade's tone was teasing as she rubbed Hermione's back in soothing circles.
"Wh-what…what just happened?"
"We just apparated." Jade offered Hermione a handkerchief to wipe her mouth as the brunette stood and took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. "Something you will learn to do in the future when you're old enough. It's a lot faster than traveling by car or plane, I can tell you that much and only witches and wizards can do it."
"Wait," Brown hair swished as the girl shook her head slowly, a revelation dawning on her. "So…you? You're a witch?" Jade just chuckled before she shook her head and smirked.
"A quarter," When Hermione's color had returned to her face, Jade grabbed her by the hand and led her out of the alley to a wider street that was bustling with oddly dressed people and children. "This is Diagon Alley, where you'll buy all of your supplies if you decide to go to Hogwarts." Hermione was glancing back and forth between shops as they passed until Jade pulled her into a store.
"This can't be real."
"Oh it is, Hermione, I promise you." Jade smirked as they walked into the book store and she saw the girl's eyes light up with curiosity. "This is Flourish and Blotts, where you'll get all of your school books and parchment." Hermione was too busy to hear Jade as she wandered off to a random bookshelf and began scanning the titles. If there was one thing Hermione couldn't resist, it was books.
"Humbert's Guide to Hippogriffs?" The brunette whispered as she looked at the spines of other leather bound tomes. "Grindylows: the Tiny Terrors, The What, about Werewolves? Jade, what kind of books are these?"
"Magical Creature books, of course." Curious brown eyes narrowed slightly before Jade handed Hermione a very thick leather book that the brunette examined closely. "You'll want to read that I'm sure."
"Hogwarts, a History?" Her eyes darted up to blue and they narrowed in questions as the lycan shrugged. "So…this magic school, it really exists?" Jade nodded as she took the book and went up the clerk, handing the man a couple gold coins along with a few bronze ones. Hermione was being over stimulated as she thought about what was happening to her. Not only had she been accepted into this 'magic school', but here she was with her long-time friend and she'd been part of this alternate world this whole time. "Here, we still have one more stop to make before I take you home." The older girl handed Hermione a paper bag with the large book in it as Jade grasped her hand again, leading her out and down the street to another small shop.
"Ollivander's Wand Shop?" Hermione gave Jade a skeptical glare as the lycan gave her a reassuring smile before pulling her in. "You really have to be kidding."
"Welcome to Ollivander's!" An old man behind the desk greeted as he adjusted his glasses with a friendly smile. "I'm Garrick Ollivander, you're here to find your wand I assume, eh Miss?"
"Hermione Granger," The girl answered hastily. "And I suppose I am?"
"Very good, very good," He disappeared for a moment down the aisle behind the desk before pulling out a long rectangular box and walking back to where Hermione stood. "Try this one, dear," He opened the box and handed the girl a light brown stick of polished wood that Hermione took timidly. "It's made out of Yew, very pliable, nine and a half inches long, with a phoenix feather core." Brown eyes glanced at Jade who was leaning against the wall and then back at Mr. Ollivander, confused on what she was meant to do. "Well give it a wave!" The girl nodded and flicked her wrist, causing the man's desk to burst into flames. "No, no, no, that's won't do!" He cried as he waved his own wand and doused the flames with a jet of water. Hermione stared wide eyed at the previously burning desk when she heard Jade chuckle before whipping her head around and glaring at the older girl. "How about this? Blackthorn, eight inches with a unicorn hair core." This wand felt heavy in Hermione's hand as she flicked it and all the windows in the shop shattered. Jade was laughing now as she stood up straight and snapped her fingers and the glass shards flew up and back into place.
"How come you don't use a wand?" The brunette huffed, irritated and yet fascinated by what she had seen Jade do.
"I'm special." Jade answered as Ollivander came back with yet another wand that was sitting elegantly in its box, intricate carvings adorning the handle.
"Try this one, Vine Wood, ten and three quarter inches, with a dragon heartstring core." He handed it to her cautiously as if she was going to blow him up, but the way the other wands had responded to her, she didn't blame him one bit. As soon as her fingers wrapped around the handle, Hermione noticed the difference with this piece of wood. It was light and comfortable in her hands, almost as if it was forming to her grasp. She timidly gave it a wave and a warm light emanated from the tip, warming her as she looked down in awe. "It seems your wand has finally found you, Miss Granger." Jade sighed in relief, thankful that it hadn't taken ages for the girl to find her wand before walking up and handing the old man some gold coins. Hermione was still in a bit of shock as she carried the wand in her hand and exited the shop.
"You should probably take a few days to think this over Hermione." She said calmly as she led the girl back to a secluded alley away from the commotion of the main street. "This is a lot to take in, but you should read that book I bought you and decide on your own if going to Hogwarts is what you really want." Hermione looked up to see the seriousness in Jade's blue eyes and nodded before the lycan wrapped an arm around the girl and disapparated away.
x-x
Three days had passed since Jade had introduced Hermione to Diagon Alley and now she was sitting at home on a lazy Monday night, watching television before she heard a knock on her door. The lycan sighed before getting up and opening the door.
"Good evening, cousin." Jade greeted as she swept the door open and bowed her head before Athena graced into her home. "What brings you here?"
"I hear that Hermione got her acceptance letter?" The auburn haired woman said wistfully as she went into Jade's living room and sat down on the couch as Jade followed. The raven haired girl nodded as she sat in her armchair to the left of the couch. "You know once she goes to that school, you'll be moving to Hogsmeade to keep a better watch on her?"
"As you've told me before." The lycan nodded as she folded her arms over her chest. "Although I don't understand why you're putting me with Hermione when Harry Potter is the real person we should be protecting."
"That boy won't get anywhere without Hermione." Athena retorted as she looked around Jade's house and took in its rather…human feeling. "She is going to be what pushes him to succeed, her intelligence and loyalty. That's what will win this war. I see she's quite taken with you."
"She thinks I'm a witch." Blue eyes glanced over at her cousin and sighed. "I'm just another parent to her I think, or an older sister maybe since she's an only child."
"We'll see what it turns in to as the years pass." The green eyed lycan stood slowly and smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress. "You need to nudge her in the right direction, lest she makes friends with the wrong people or goes down the wrong path."
"I will," Jade stood and walked with her cousin to the door. Their visits were never long, in case someone was watching either of them, but it never really mattered to Jade. She'd never been too close with her family in Europe, but she'd never turn down a plea for help. "I don't think she'd ever join the dark."
"She's coming." Athena's eyes shot to the door where there was a tentative knock and Jade sighed before answering.
"Good evening, Jade!" Emma's smiling face was the first thing she saw and then she saw Hermione standing behind her mother with her father to the right. "I'm sorry to bother you, but we just got a call from our friends and they have tickets to a show tonight. Would you mind terribly if Hermione stayed with you for the night?" Mrs. Granger stopped smiling when she noticed Athena standing with her arms folded and eyes closed, waiting for the woman to stop speaking. "Oh, I'm sorry…I didn't know you had company!"
"No, no!" Jade shook her head as she held up her hands and smiled. "She was just leaving, right?" The other lycan nodded as she walked past Jade and glanced down at her.
"Remember what we discussed." Was all she said before nodding and smiling kindly at the Grangers, walking past them into the night. Jade sighed, that surely didn't look appropriate, but she didn't really have to explain, since her 'job' meant she could blame a lot of things on her being secretive.
"Sorry about that." Jade said as she turned back the Grangers with an apologetic smile. "Uhm, but sure, Hermione can stay over."
"Are you sure it's not a problem?" Kenneth asked kindly as he adjusted his glasses. "We wouldn't want to intrude."
"Please," The lycan waved her hand dismissively and shook her head. "It's no trouble, that woman was just…my superior and we were discussing a job I have to do. Really, it's not a problem."
"All right then," Emma bent down and kissed Hermione on the forehead before stepping back so Kenneth could follow suit. "You behave yourself now, Hermione." The brunette rolled her eyes as she stepped through the doorway and stood next to Jade. "We'll be back late so she can just walk home tomorrow." Jade nodded and waved as Mr. and Mrs. Granger walked down to the car and sped off. The lycan shut the door with a huff and found Hermione sitting on the sofa, her knees bent and huddled to her chest.
"Something wrong, lion?" Jade didn't remember when she had started comparing Hermione's untamable hair to that of a lion's mane, but the nickname had stuck and the rest was soon becoming history. "You look a little pissed."
"You do know 'pissed' in Britain means drunk, right?" The lycan shrugged at Hermione's criticizing tone and rolled her eyes.
"Hey, I'm American so I'll use American idioms." She argued as she went and sat down on the couch next to the brunette. "So what's wrong?" Hermione just sighed as she rested her chin on her knees and narrowed her eyes, staring at the show on Discovery angrily and silently ignoring Jade. "Jeez, you sure can tell you're becoming a teenager." The brunette snorted as she narrowed her eyes and glared at the older girl.
"Who was that woman?" Jade's eyes widened at Hermione's question as she furrowed her brow and tilted her head to the side. "Is she your girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend?" The blue eyed girl repeated and then quirked at eyebrow. "Why would you think that?"
"Why else would you have someone over at this hour?" Hermione continued as she turned her gaze back towards the television. "Especially a woman who looks like…that." Jade was confused by the girl's behavior and shook her head slightly. Hermione was only eleven, twelve in about two months, so what was she getting at? Then it hit her like a bolt of lightning.
"Hermione," Jade said gently as she turned a little to look at the girl. "Are you jealous?" Hermione tensed and shook her head, a light blush covering her cheeks. "Because you know I'm like…fourteen years older than you, right?" Even though that was technically a lie, Jade had continued with the façade that she was twenty when Hermione had been six and every year Emma Granger would bring her a cake on her birthday even though she wasn't aging and she was well into her mid-fifties by human years.
"I'm not jealous," The young girl hissed between clenched teeth. "I was just…curious is all. I've never seen her around here before and it's not like you have a lot of company besides myself." Jade couldn't stop her chuckles which soon grew into a full blown laughing fit. "What's so funny?!"
"I'm sorry!" The lycan gasped between laughing, especially when she saw the brunette's angered, yet blushing face. "It's just…I dunno, you're so mature for you age I forget you're only eleven and how perceptive you can be, but in this case you're way off. That woman was my cousin." Brown eyes widened slightly as Hermione opened and closed her mouth a few times before huffing and wrapping her arms around her knees. "You were jealous!"
"I was not!" Hermione argued furiously as she let go of her legs and balled her small hands into fists. She groaned in frustration and stood abruptly before heading towards the stairs. "I'm going to bed!" Jade finally stopped laughing when she had disappeared up the stairs and heard the door to the guest bedroom slam shut.
"Well that was new for her." She mused to herself with a smirk as she sighed and shut the TV off, ready to end the night as well. She yawned before locking the doors and heading up the stairs to the master bedroom. The light in Hermione's room was on as Jade passed and the lycan smiled to herself remembering how flustered the girl had gotten. After brushing her teeth and washing her face in her joint bathroom, she changed into t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and a pair of boxers. It was nearly ten o'clock now and Jade was surprised to find herself a little weary as she laid down in her queen sized mattress. With a snap of her fingers, the lights doused and a contented sigh escaped her lips. Even with her body being weary, for some reason the lycan had trouble getting to sleep so she folded her hands behind her head and stared up at the ceiling. A few silent moments later, there was a gentle knock on her door before it creaked open and Jade saw the moonlight reflecting in Hermione's eyes. "Do you need something?"
"I can't sleep." The girl whispered as she entered the room with a pillow in her arms and gently shut the door with a click. Jade sighed, for as long as she could remember, Hermione had always had trouble sleeping and in her younger years, would always wind up in Jade's bed when she stayed over, but she hadn't stayed the night since she was nine years old. "Can...can I…?" Jade just sighed and moved to the side of the bed closest to the door. The brunette hugged the pillow in her arms close to her chest as she made her way over and crawled under the comforter.
"You're getting a little old for this, aren't you?" Jade mumbled as she turned on her left side to face the young witch. Hermione just huffed and shook her head before burying her face in her pillow.
"It's not my fault I have trouble sleeping." Hermione's voice was muffled into her pillow as she looked up at Jade with defiant brown eyes. "I just, I don't like feeling so vulnerable."
"Then how do you sleep at home?" The blue eyed girl pressed as she moved her arm under her head for support. "Don't tell me you sleep with your parents still?" Hermione's head snapped up and she blushed.
"N-no! Of course not!" The brunette was getting upset with how easily Jade was ruffling her feathers and even worse the taller girl seemed to be enjoying it. "I have…well, I have like a lot of pillows that I sort of make a fortress out of." Jade envisioned this and began to laugh softly, but it really made sense. The first time Hermione had stayed at her house she was six and had been woken from her sleep by a nightmare, which was the very first time Jade had woken up to the sounds of Hermione sneaking into her bed. The girl had snuggled herself close to Jade's chest that night and fallen back to sleep. So it was logical that Hermione just didn't like feeling exposed or unprotected.
"So you're a snuggler." Jade concluded as the brunette raised her eyebrows in question and then shrugged her shoulders. The lycan sighed before raising her arm and Hermione just looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Well? Come here then." The girl flinched slightly before scooting into the opening Jade had provided and rested her head on Jade's arm. Hermione was suddenly thankful for the dark since she felt her like her cheeks were on fire and she cleared her throat before making sure that the pillow in her arms was between her and Jade. The older girl's arm draped lazily around Hermione's shoulders and blue eyes closed. Cuddling had never been one of Jade's strengths and she felt a little awkward having the young girl move as close as she could to her.
"You're warm," The girl muttered as brown eyes fluttered shut and Hermione released a contented sigh. Jade tensed slightly feeling the younger girl nuzzle closer to her and a soft whimper escaped the brunette's lips. There were a few moments of silence with Jade staring at the wall and listening to the steady breathing of her ward. "Hey, Jade?"
"What is it?" The older girl's voice was a little raspy as she adjusted her position slightly.
"How long have you known?"
"Known what?" The lycan asked as she closed her eyes and sighed.
"That…well," Jade was a little nervous at what exactly Hermione was going to ask, but curious at the same time. "That you were a witch?"
"I'm only a quarter, Hermione." There was a small silence before Jade continued. "And well, the other three quarters are…uhm, different."
"What do you mean different?" Hermione scooted back a little so she could look into dark blue eyes. "You look normal." Jade sighed and rubbed the back of her neck before looking into Hermione's curious eyes.
"There a lots of things that are different in the magical world, Hermione." The older girl continued softly as she lifted herself up and rested her chin in her hand. "You read that book, right?" The brunette nodded and waiting patiently for her friend to continue. "Then you should know that there are a number of magical creatures and well, my other three quarters of my heritage are lycan."
"What are lycans?" Hermione blinked a few times and thought back on all the information she had read in Hogwarts, a History. "I didn't read anything about them in the book even though it never did mention a lot of creatures. Just werewolves, Veelas, Dementors, and a number of different pixie species."
"Lycans are an ancient form of werewolf." Blue eyes looked out of her window at the almost full moon that was shining brightly. "You see, lycans are different because you are usually born, not bitten to get the disease and those who do get bitten, usually go mad and that's how werewolves came to be. Through the bite, the disease mutates your human DNA instead of bonding with it, although you can get bitten and keep your sanity, but it's very rare. My mother was half witch, half lycan and my father was full blooded, so having magic in my blood allows me to perform magic."
"Is that why you don't need a wand?" Jade nodded her answer as she laid back down and looked at Hermione who looked utterly fascinated. "So, do you change into some wolf like creature then?" A chuckle vibrated in Jade's chest as she nodded. "That's amazing, could…could you take me back to the book store tomorrow so I can get the rest of my school books?"
"Sure, lion. I take it you talked to your parents then?" The brunette just nodded and yawned contentedly before snuggling back into Jade's shoulder.
"I'll miss you when I leave…" Hermione whispered as her eyes fluttered shut and she hugged the pillow wrapped in her arms. "Jade." The lycan's gaze softened as she gave the young girl in her arms a gentle squeeze. Even though Jade was going to be staying in Hogsmeade to stay close to the young witch, first years at the school weren't allowed to visit so she'd be watching from afar, basically not seeing the girl for almost a whole year.
"I'll miss you too, Hermione."