Hermione waited patiently in wolf form near the Whomping Willow for the three Marauders to emerge from the castle. She didn't know what time they showed, only that they usually cut dinner quite short in order to get to the Shrieking Shack in time for the change to happen. She heard Remus' panting first, the change was already happening, but she knew there would be a little more time before his form started to change. When a young man and two animals appeared in front of her, she went low to the ground and made her way to the knot on the tree, pushing it with her nose. The tree shivered as it stopped all movement and the trio made their way quickly to the tunnel, two giving her questioning looks and the third nodding at her in thanks.
When Hermione made her way down the tunnel Remus was already thrashing, trying desperately to escape the transformation, even though he knew it was pointless. She watched his change in horrified fascination, sitting close to the entrance, successfully blocking it with her larger size. James, or Prongs, watched her carefully but acknowledged her strategic placement in the room. She was well away from Moony, but in such an area that if needed she would be able to block him from going anywhere. Padfoot stayed close to her, almost protectively, and she was able to smell the tension on him. She snorted at him and both Prongs and Padfoot looked at her curiously. Hermione shook her head at him and lay down preparing for a night of chaos. She watched as they gave each other a questioning look.
Hermione listened as Moony panted in the corner of the room, before attempting to stand. It took him an hour before he was able to stand upright without falling over breathlessly. He slowly made his way over to the door where Hermione lay before she stood and growled at him. Moony growled back and lunged, but Hermione didn't back down, and just as he reached her she stood to the side allowing him a few inches past her before she took his neck in her strong jaws. She pinned him to the floor beneath her, growling. Moony snapped his jaws at her, trying to free himself from her grasp and she heard Padfoot growling at her and trying to make his way over, before Prongs regally stood in front of him. The stag watched her very carefully and soon he noticed Moony calm down and whimper, his pupils dilating. Moony whimpered at Hermione in acceptance and she let go of him, watching as he stood again and made his way across to the other end of the room and lay down. His eyes never left her and she laid back down in front of the door as if nothing had happened.
Prongs and Padfoot glanced at each other again and in a silent agreement, deciding that they would pester the young honey colored wolf animagus until she told them everything. Sirius knew it would be a long and tedious discussion, attempting to draw out exactly what it is that she had done, but both he and James deserved to know the truth. Before that could even happen, they had to wait till morning for Remus to change back. Sirius desperately hoped that the young wolf wouldn't leave them the moment she knew they had questions. He had a sinking suspicion that she would.
It came as quite a shock to three of the inhabitants of the Shrieking Shack to find that all of them had fallen asleep, and Remus was even more shocked to find that somehow, without anyone, except the honey colored wolf noticing, he had made his way over to her in the middle of the night. He had woken up with her curled up protectively around him, her eyes open and aware and his head resting near her shoulder. Even with her being in wolf form, he could smell the hint of vanilla and orange blossom that wafted off of her and something else decidedly feminine that was her natural scent. Her fur tickled his nose as he lifted himself from beside her, watching those eyes as she watched him move. He had slept through his transformation back into his human form, something that had never happened before. Sleep had never actually happened before when he was in his wolf form and he wondered where the pretty wolf next to him came from, and who she even was. Sirius didn't seem remotely surprised to see her. He could smell the friendly affection that Sirius had for the girl, like they knew each other, but those eyes that watched him closely spoke volumes about who this young woman could be.
"You can change back," he whispered. "If you want, that is."
He assumed that she had smiled, even on a wolf's face it was a pleasant sight. She rose to her feet and nuzzled him gently before slipping out of the house, through the tunnel that lead back to the Whomping Willow. Taking that as his cue, he woke up the other two animagi in the house and they shifted back and followed him out.
"Sirius," James started.
"I know, not right now, mate. You can trust her though."
"How the hell do you know that?" James snapped.
"I've met her a few times before. Wish I knew why she chomped down on Moony's neck like that though."
"Showing dominance," Remus muttered.
Sirius froze. "Female wolves don't show dominance towards males, Remus."
"We aren't wild wolves now are we? I'm a werewolf, yes, but she is a witch," Remus supplied, pushing his friend forward. "I tried to leave the Shack, she made sure to let me know that she was in charge and that I was to stay where I was."
"Your eyes dilated. I've never seen that from Moony before."
Remus froze midstep. "Ignore that you ever saw that. It didn't happen as far as you're concerned," Remus snapped. Sirius and James looked at each other in concerned curiosity before climbing out of the tunnel after their best friend. The wolf waited patiently for them to leave the Willow behind before she let go of the knot and ran after them, shifting into human form.
"Well, that was an interesting night to say the least," Hermione said happily before James rounded on her, wand drawn. Hermione's wand hand twitched, but she refused to draw her wand and watched him defiantly. "Are you going to hex me, or ask me questions, because you must know that if I were an enemy, hesitating like this would have cost you your life two seconds ago," she hissed at him.
"How do you know about us?" he hissed back, Sirius made to step toward them, but Hermione shot a glance at him and he stopped.
"I am unable to discuss that information with you, James," Hermione said calmly.
"Why?" James demanded.
"It could put me into a very dangerous position."
Sirius stepped forward again,"James, she's been here for four weeks. She's done a lot of good so far. Dumbledore trusts her, so I'm going to trust her." Sirius nodded his head as he said that, standing protectively close to her.
"Listen, we can't talk out here, there are far too many eyes and ears around. If you want answers, meet me in the seventh floor corridor at lunch. Do not be late or you will lose your chance completely," Hermione reasoned and turned on her heels, phasing back to a honey, brown wolf, she ran off back towards the castle.
She stormed through the castle, bustling past early risers to get herself to the Slytherin common room. Upon entering, she saw Severus stand looking at her almost frantically. She pushed into his mind, 'I'm fine.' He nodded. 'At lunch, meet me on the 7th floor, there will be others, please do not hex them. Pass the message on to Regulus, Lucius, and Narcissa.' Hermione turned and left the common room after another slight nod from Severus. She would hide herself in the Room of Requirement until then.
