That very morning, Narcissa Malfoy was gracefully walking in her garden, carrying a throw in her slender arms. A frown of worry crossed her beautiful face as she saw her only son laying in a pool of blood.

She knelt beside him, feel the pulse on the side of his necked, smiling when she felt the heart beat. Her boy was sometimes such a baby when he was ill. She brought a finger to her lips and bit down with her razor sharp fang. She opened her sons mouth and held her finger over his mouth, squeezing a few drops of the warm blood into him.

The affects were immediate. Silver eyes bolted open-the young mans hands flew up to his grasp his mothers slender hand, trying to draw the source of his relief closer. Narcissa took advantage of her position and managed to pull her arm away right before her son's grip became too strong.

Merlin. That was the first thing Draco thought when he awoke. His body felt as if a million dull and rust knives had decided to slowly cut into him, one at a time. The pain was like no other, blindingly perverse and unrelenting. He tried to call out for something-mercy, death, he did not know, but he discovered that his throat was apparently made of fire like the rest of his body.

When he felt as if he would die, he caught a smell in the air. It smelled indescribable-like all his favorite sweets, the air after a thunderstorm, his mothers flowery perfume, and a trace of what he couldn't quite place. When he felt a hand on his chin, he opened his mouth and that liquid slowly poured into his lips. Merlin! It tasted a million times better then it smelled! He struggled to open his eyes and see where the sweet nectar was coming from when it was cruelly taken away. He let out a whimper, closing his eyes and licking his lips to see if his had missed a drop.

"Now, now, love. We mustn't forget our manners." Said a voice he recognized belonging to his mother, but somehow was different. He slowly opened his eyes, squinting up at the intense sun.

Slowly, his senses came back to him. There was still the pain of something he couldn't touch, but not so unbearable as before.

When he managed to focus, the first sight that met him were with big, gorgeous brown eyes. He blinked and only saw his mother, looking down at him with a worried smile.

"How are you feeling, love?" She asked gently, brushing his hair off his forehead.

"Hurts." Was the only thing he managed to blurt out before he felt his fangs for the first time. He ran his tongue over them a few times, testing the new teeth. He gave his mother a wolfish smile, showing that he really was feeling better. With her help he slowly sat up, feeling the earth swaying at the motion.

"Welcome to the rest of your life, mon amour." Madame Malfoy whispered into his ears, knowing that the drastic changes of last night would never leave them the same.

Hermione awoke with a start at midnight, according to the clock on the nightstand. Sweat was pouring off her and she quickly got up off her bed, turning on her lamp. She checked the amulet that Pansy had given them all, a charmed crystal that would glow red and hot if there was any danger to there circle of friends. The stone was clear, so that clamed her. She looked around, noting nothing out of place.

She put on a robe and went downstairs to the kitchen. On her way back to her room, she noticed that the study light was on.

"Isn't it a bit late to be working, mum?" She asked with a smile, walking into the cozy room and sitting down on the overstuffed chaise, tucking her feet under her.

Mrs. Granger looked up with a returned smile. "Yes, darling. Remember what I always say-A woman must work Twice as hard as a man and never, ever, let them get the upper hand." hermione finished for her, having been listening to the same words since she was a young child.

Jane Granger just smiled. Hermione was her hope. All of her unfulfilled dreams now rested on her daughters shoulders. The fact the she was a witch didn't really impede her plans for the young girl. No, her daughter was meant to make a difference in the world.

With sly lead, she had guided the young woman's footsteps. She was brilliant, beautiful and completely independent of any man. The one bump that might have been disastrous was Viktor Krum. That boy was the first one Hermione had mentioned with any details, bringing painfully restless nights to Jane.

No, her daughter wouldn't fall prey to senseless love. She thanked God that that affair had ended quickly and no harm was done to the future career of her daughter.

No, love was not in her plans for Hermione, but a brilliant career, the career that she should have had. "Why don't you go back to bed, dearest. I have some new books that I brought for you that I want you to go through before you leave to be with your friends."

"Ok. Goodnight, Mum." Hermione said, standing up and kissing her mothers cheek.

As she climbed into her bed, she sighed. There was something different, something she couldn't place. She glanced over at the picture, her eyes resting on Draco for a split second. As always, she pushed the thought away. Draco would only be her friend. Instead of what, she didn't know, but her future held no room for petty crushes as her mum helped her realize a while back.

Yes, a friend and nothing else. She would work hard and achieve success to repay her mother and father for all the sacrifices they had made for her, especially her poor mother, leaving her rising career to give her a proper upbringing.

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