Author's Notes:

Thank you to everyone how had read and reviewed, your comments fuel the fire of this story. Please keep them coming, they really do mean a lot to us writers, even if it's just a small comment like "that was great" "thanks" "brilliant".

I know this story is updating slowly, but that's what's working right now, I hope you can understand.

Also there was some confusion about the way the ministry floors were set up, and I shared an image of it in my group, but the Attrium (where everyone arrives is on the 8th floor of the ministry). You than go UP to the upper floors, and down to the Department of Mysteries or Wizenagmot Courtrooms.

Beta Love:

Once again a ton of the credit for this story goes to my wonderful betas GidgetMalfoy and Lucefray27. Without them, this story would be very difficult to read and you'd see about a million commas, scattered everywhere.

A Note of Importance:

I DO NOT own Harry Potter, it's characters or features of the story, that belongs to the wonderful Jo Rowling. The only thing I hold is the creative muse of this story.

Hermione looked to her right after hearing what she was sure was a loud gasp in that direction. With quick reflexes, she pulled out her wand, the war still showing its effect on the young witch. She took a step toward the sound, lighting the tip of her wand as she went. She hadn't moved two steps when the smell swept over her and she felt the spots by her neck, wrist and inner thigh tingle in anticipation. Hermione groaned, knowing what it must mean; that smell belonged to an Alpha, one who was probably close enough to touch.

"Who's there?" She asked to the air around her, uncomfortable with how husky her voice had come out, but almost salivating at the smell that surrounded her and brushed against her skin like an almost physical assault. She could feel her core grow wet and tighten and pushed her thighs closer together to both create some friction but also try to keep the scent of her arousal from the space around them.

The intelligent woman in her, Brightest Witch of Her Age, wanted to walk away and never look back. She was disappointed by her purely instinctual response that gave away none of her intelligent and rational thinking, but she could feel the Omega sliding forward. She'd be lying if she said it didn't scare her that she didn't even know who this wizard was, yet she already wanted him. It was a battle of wills right now and she thanked Merlin that she wasn't in her heat just yet; she hoped the Alpha near her wasn't in his Rut because she would surely be in trouble if he was.

Narrowing her eyes, she realised that if the alpha was that close, he must be hiding from her, which wasn't a normal reaction for an Alpha. Hermione moved her wand in a subtle arc, then brought it down, using a spell of her own invention that would peel back the layers of most spells meant to disguise a person. She let out a startled gasp as Draco Malfoy stood before her. She hadn't seen him since the hearing she had attended, testifying on his behalf that he had not named Harry, and had turned to their side in the Final Battle, at least once Vincent Crabbe had died.

"Bloody hell Granger, what are you thinking?" Malfoy ground out, his teeth clenched and fists closed tightly, wand in hand.

Hermione didn't lower her wand, aware that Alphas were allowed to do some drastic things in the pursuit of an Omega. She might be nearing her heat and in desperate need of an Alpha, but Malfoy? She wanted to curse something.

"Why, you . . . I mean . . . " She couldn't help stammering as the reality of what they both were and what that could mean hit her. Hermione knew from just having read the list of known Alphas in Wizarding Britain that she was left with very few options of who could help her get through another heat. The last one had been so miserable she had almost sought out a beta, or betas, just for something to ease her suffering.

"Granger, you're going to need to complete your sentences—" His words cut off sharply and Hermione saw his nose twitching. Watching it made her own nose flare as she took in the air around them. There it was, and she cursed herself for her idiotic decision to come to the Ministry today, so close to her heat. She should have looked up these names four months ago when her last heat had finished. Another Alpha was nearby and not far away from the scent of him.

She watched as Draco turned around, his body moving closer to hers, and she froze, realising what was about to happen. Among the stacks of records, there would be an Alpha fight over her. Cursing she moved toward Draco, breathing through her mouth so as not to get overwhelmed by him.

"Malfoy, do you know who—" Her sentence was cut off as Draco pulled her closer, her chest to his back, staking a claim on her.

"It's Cormac McLaggen, Granger, want me to stun him or would you rather him than me?" Malfoy's voice was low, barely audible, ensuring that only she heard him speak.

Hermione bit her lip, feeling her stomach plummet, while McLaggen was a Gryffindor and she didn't have a history with him of bullying, she also immediately knew that it wouldn't feel right. A sickening feeling crawled across her skin and she somehow knew that she wouldn't be able to walk away from McLaggen because he'd claim her as his mate, whether or not she wanted it. At least Malfoy had a vested interest in not claiming her—the threat of tarnishing the good, pureblood Malfoy name would keep his teeth away from her neck.

Just as she opened her mouth, she heard McLaggen speak, "Omega, oh little Omega, come out, come out. I know you want to play."

His overconfidence was sickening, utterly disturbing, but she knew another day or two would have her puddling at his words. She couldn't afford that, she wasn't ready to settle down.

"Malfoy, if you promise to never tell anyone, I'm yours, for this heat only." Hermione's words fell from her mouth, her Omega deciding that this was the best possible solution. She made a mental note to herself to travel and seek other Alphas out so at least she didn't end up with either of these two. She gasped when Malfoy swiftly moved her from behind him to right in front of him, her backside now rubbing what felt like a growing hardness in his pants.

His breath tickled her ear as he murmured, "If you value the ability to talk before this happens, do not utter the phrase 'I'm yours' again."

Hermione's body tensed, feeling the weight of the words that had poured from her mouth. She could now see Cormac McLaggen, which meant he could see them. His confidence was idiotic, as both of them had their wands out and he hadn't even reached for his.

"Oh Granger," he purred, causing her to shiver at the sound of her name in his mouth. "It's you. Well, Malfoy, this is no contest, unhand Granger, we don't even need to duel. We both know she would never be stupid enough to go off with you—"

McLaggen's words froze as he fell to the ground, the bright red light from both wands fading. They had both cast Stupefy at the same time, knocking Cormac to the ground.

Hermione turned in Malfoy's arms, letting his scent fill her nose, and she breathed him in deeply. "Why did you stun him?" Her voice came out like a purr, and if his heady, deliciously musky scent wasn't so entirely distracting, she might have been mortified.

Malfoy's grey eyes moved over her face before stopping on her lips. "No one was going to talk about my Omega like that."

Hermione's heart raced—that little phrase was having a potent effect on her body; she grew slick, and her core heated, and at that moment she knew her heat was coming fast and all she wanted was to be wrapped in his arms until it was over.

Malfoy had filled out in the years since she had seen him. The Alpha in him had helped him to tower over her, making her feel small in his presence. His eyes continued to stare at her lips as he began to lean slowly forward, bringing his face closer to her own.

Her eyes closed automatically and she waited, and then continued waiting. Finally, after what seemed like a minute, she opened her eyes and stared into his.

In the softest whisper, he uttered, "Say yes, Granger, and I'll make you the happiest little Omega for this heat. Say yes, Granger."

Hermione wasn't even sure she made a sound, but somehow her lips formed the word yes, and then his mouth met hers in a crash of passion and need. His lips melded against hers as he pulled her closer, turning and apparating on the spot. When they reappeared, she didn't even bother looking to see where they were. She just melted, because she was sure she had never felt a kiss like this; a kiss that, with help from the apparition, had pushed the two of them together until neither was sure where one began and the other ended.

To be continued. . .