Chapter 2
Here it is folks, the next chapter enjoy! - Phoenix XxX
Werewolf's Mate
The three men sat with the sleeping girl until she slowly came too with a painful wince. To which Sirius smirked at Harry, who bushed brightly. This caused Remus to scowl at the Animagus. Hermione sat up slowly and blinked.
'Sirius? Professor Lupin?' She said looking around, groaning lightly. 'Harry?' She said as her eyes rested on the green eyed boy. Something was different about her best friend.
'Hello my dear.' Remus said lightly holding out a few squares of chocolate. 'Here this will help.' He said. Reminding Harry of third year when he had fainted due to the Dementors.
'What do you remember Hermione?' Sirius said lightly, helping her up off the floor and into one of the seats.
'I remember being on the platform, and then I smelt something...it was heavenly. I followed it…and nothing really...' Hermione said softly frowning as she tried to remember. why couldn't she remember? She had the feeling that whatever had happened had been important. Why did all of her muscles ache?
Harry's eyes widened slightly and then he looked down at his feet. She didn't remember. Did that mean that her magic regretted the choice it had made? Was he not good enough for her?
Hermione looked at her best friend and frowned why did he look so crest fallen? What had she said?
'Quite natural.' Remus said nodding to himself. He shared a look with Sirius who's mouth quirked up at the corners, before he moulded his face back into a look of concern.
At Remus' words Harry looked up at him through his lashes his face still bright red, but filled with renewed hope which only caused Hermione to frown in confusion. What the hell had she done? Was this all connected to her illness?
Hermione looked at her best friend and cocked her head to the side, her eyes sparkling with questions. 'Harry?' she asked gently. He would tell her, she knew, even if it was something she didn't want to hear.
Harry opened his mouth but was unable to find the words he needed and looked helplessly to Remus and Sirius. Hermione in turn looked to the two older men. If Harry wouldn't tell her what happened, then they sure as hell better.
'Hermione have you been experiencing strange symptoms? fever, itches, enhanced senses, and an insatiable need for raw meat?' Remus asked, casually, hoping not to scare the girl.
The girl's eyes widened as she turned to her Professor, the wheels of her mind slowly turning as she took in his appearance. Realisation slowly dawning on her as she took in the werewolf's form, his grey sweat sheened skin and the red scratch marks on his forearms and neck.
'I haven't been bitten.' She said more to herself than anyone else in the compartment. She looked at her hands folded in her lap, she was sure she hadn't been bitten, she would have recalled being bitten she was sure. Unless someone had tampered with her mind.
'Hermione, creature genes, like the magical ones can lay dormant or even skip generations.' Sirius said gently, taking the young girl's hand in his. 'Some, few mind you, purebloods even believe muggle-born's are actually descendent from pureblood lines via a long line of squibs.'
Hermione's eyes went wide and she paled. He couldn't be saying what she thought he was saying, there was no way. Her parents would have known, surely. 'Are you saying I'm a born wolf?!' she shrieked, staring at the two men wildly. They couldn't be serious; this was some kind of joke. She had been bitten and her mind had been altered that was a better explanation surely.
'There's more...' Harry added softly. Tugging the neck of his tee down to reveal her paw shaped mate mark.
Hermione's eye went impossibly wide as she turned to stare at Remus, knowing full well that only a born wolf could give a mating mark like that. A bitten wolf's mark would be just that, a bite mark. She squeaked and buried her head in her hands. 'I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I would have had no control once I realised what you were to me Harry. I'm sure you don't want this; I've destroyed your life' she said her voice quivering with every word she uttered until there was nothing other than hiccupping sobs.
Harry frowned and looked at his best friend, his crush, his mate. He wasn't sorry. He loved her, he realised with a jolting start. He wanted her to be happy. He stood and sat himself beside her before pulling her into his arms and holding her tight murmuring sweet nothings in her ear until she calmed, and her tears stopped flowing. 'I'm Happy 'Mione, I love you.' He whispered finally.
'Oh Harry.' She said with a watery smile as she buried her head in his chest. 'Mine.' she muttered into his chest and Harry noticed her sniffing him lightly. his scent seeming to calm her.
Remus and Sirius looked at the pair fondly and smiled at one another, both knowing the comfort a newly bonded pair found in each other. After a few moments Remus cleared his throat. And the pair broke apart.
'Now Hermione, When the train stops, you and I will be making our way to the forest. Harry and Sirius will explain things to the headmaster.' Remus said with a gentle smile. 'Your first change will be painful, but it'll become easier after that, and you needn't worry about wolfsbane. You don't need it. Natural wolves have a better harmony with their wolves than those who are bitten.' Remus explained and the young she-wolf nodded happily, snuggling into her mate, once more, but still paying attention to the elder men when they spoke. Remus wasn't sure she'd really taken in half of what he'd said but at least she wasn't crying, that was something.
'Love you, mate.' She whispered and Harry smiled wildly. Whilst Remus and Sirius looked on fondly.
HpHpHpHpHpHpHpHpHpHpHpHpHpHp
The train finally pulled to a stop and, Harry and Sirius made their way to the Headmaster's office. Sirius having to all but pull the boy from his mate as he refused to let go.
'Remy will take good care of her, now come on.' Sirius said gently, leading the boy away as the pair looked at each other with longing eyes.
'But...' Harry said gently.
'New mates, they're so clingy.' Sirius muttered to himself rolling his eyes. The pair made it to the headmaster's office and the old man regarded them wearily. As they told their tale.
'I see Mr Potter. and you and miss Gran...Mrs Potter are happy with this development?' Dumbledore asked sternly.
Harry Nodded. 'Not Happy per say sir, I never planned to be married at sixteen but there's nothing I can do to change it. All I know is I'd do anything for her.' he said with conviction.
Dumbledore sighed, he wasn't happy that the boy had mated so young and on the train no less but he knew that there was no controlling these things, Creatures were a law unto themselves. As many before him had proven. 'Very well my boy, I'll have Professor McGonagall sort out a family suite for you and your new bride.'
'Thank you, headmaster.' Sirius said lightly and the old man looked at the head of the Black line.
'Have you appointed a new consort? Now that you've been cleared my boy?' The elder man asked and Sirius started with surprise. Glancing wearily at his godson.
'Err no I hadn't, headmaster, it's slipped my mind...has anyone shown...signs?' He asked mentally hitting himself. He'd been free nearly six months and the consort hadn't once crossed his mind. How long had they gone without one? He wondered. Probably about as long as they'd gone without a head of house.
'Not that I'm aware which means you can appoint a regent until such times as one does. You've been neglect in your duties Sirius.' Dumbledore scolded lightly.
Sirius shifted lightly aware of His godson's curious gaze on him. 'I apologize. I'll get right on it.' Sirius said with a slight bow and turned to leave the office knowing that he was dismissed.
'See that you do,' Dumbledore said sternly. 'And Harry, know that magic works in mysterious ways.'
Harry frowned at the cryptic words but nodded and followed Sirius out of the room. The pair made it down to the great hall and Harry found Ron and Ginny with Ease.
'Hey, Mate where the hell have you been?' Ron asked, as the boy hero sat down in front of him.
Ginny beamed widely at him and asked 'Where's Hermione? Is she alright?'
'She's okay now. She's with a Professor.' Harry said lightly, not wanting to say too much without Hermione being there.
'Okay but what was wrong with her?' Ron asked lightly, Harry frowned at the concern in his friend's voice. He knew that Ron liked Hermione, But the knowledge that she was now his and he was hers made him want to keep the girl away from his best friend. She wondered how Ron would take the news that Hermione was a wolf and a mated one. He knew as well as anyone what Ron could be like when he was angry.
'She's fine, she was just feeling a little off.' Harry answered frowning at the redhead. 'Girl problems, I think.' Harry smirked, when the freckle faced boy blanched and turned to the Headmaster who was now seated at the head table with Sirius and the rest of the Professors.
Dumbledore gave his usual Speech and alerted the student body to the fact that Professor Lupin would be returning to teach. There were resounding cheers from three of the four Hogwarts houses and the fourth just glowered at the headmaster as if would make the elderly wizard change his mind. He did however mention that one week out of every month Professor Black would be taking the defence classes to cover Professor Lupin's sickness.
The food appeared and Harry put a little on his plate but he found he couldn't eat. He ended up pushing the chicken and mash around his plate. He was worried about Hermione.
Was she okay? Did the change hurt her? Would Lupin's wolf know she was mated? Would she? Was this what it would be like every full moon? What did it really mean to be a Werewolf's Mate?
He closed his eyes and sighed he really needed to head to the library first thing tomorrow morning. He was really glad that September first fell on a Friday this year.
