CHAPTER FOUR: DRAWN TO YOU

~ St. Mungo's

Hermione was nearly done with her shift, but it felt to her as if she'd been mindlessly floating through the last few hours. Her mind kept revisiting a certain blonde who plagued her thoughts. Did he ever end up visiting the Beasts and Beings Ward? Did he heal okay? Harry hadn't said much in the few times she'd run into him, and she didn't think it was her place to ask. It had been a few days since she discharged him to Harry's care, and she hadn't heard a single thing from him since. The full moon was only two days away, so she could only hope he had his affairs in order.

"I swear to Merlin, if he sends me another flower at work, I'm going to bloody blacklist his mail," Katie spewed, walking up to Hermione with an overflowing pile of carnations in her arms.

"Can't get rid of an admirer?" Hermione smiled in amusement, grateful for the distraction.

"Hardly," she scoffed. "It's Nott, he keeps trying to apologize for his friend."

Hermione's eyebrows flew to her hairline. "Theodore Nott? The man who was here with Malfoy?"

"One and only," Katie grumbled.

"I don't know, that seems rather sweet to me."

"Believe me, I know," Katie huffed. "He even insisted on making sure I got home okay after you discharged Malfoy."

"Oh? So what seems to be the problem?"

Katie glanced at her shoes, biting her lip in frustration. "Don't judge me, okay?"

"I would never," Hermione immediately assured her friend.

"It's just..." Katie hesitated, closing her eyes. "I was cursed by a Death Eater in my seventh year- at school!"

"I remember," Hermione said softly. "I was walking not far behind you when you accidentally touched the necklace."

Katie closed her eyes at the memory, grimacing slightly.

"What does that have to do with Theo? Malfoy was the one who gave you the necklace."

"I know, I know! But... part of me was just thinking. Theo was a Death Eater too during the war. He could've easily been the one to curse me if the mission was given to him instead of Malfoy."

"But he wasn't, and he didn't," Hermione reminded her. "Is everything alright? It isn't like you to jump to conclusions."

"Fine," Katie said a little too quickly. "You're right, I'm probably just being paranoid for no reason. I guess I just get a little nervous when it comes to that whole incident. Not a pleasant time, ya know?"

"Okay," Hermione said hesitantly. There was something Katie wasn't quite telling her, but she wouldn't push the witch.

"Anyway, are you leaving early?" Katie asked her. Hermione was already shedding her Healer robes for the night.

"Yeah, I figured it's the least they owe me for calling me in on my day off," Hermione said. "I'm exhausted."

"No definitely, get out of here," Katie insisted. "You work much too hard as it is."

And for the first time in months, a bone-dreary Hermione couldn't help but agree.

~o~o~o~

~ Hermione's Flat

"Well hello, Artemis," Hermione cooed at the snowy owl waiting outside her window.

She was slightly anxious as she untied the note from Harry's owl. Would it have news about Malfoy? Why did she care anyway?

She unrolled the parchment, berating herself for her own thoughts only to be pleasantly surprised by a note from Ginny.

Hermione,

Just wanted to confirm our lunch date tomorrow, it's been ages since we've really had the chance to talk one on one! By the way, Harry snitched about the whole Malfoy business. I know you two have a rocky history, but go easy on the poor man, will you?

See you tomorrow!
Love,
Ginny

What in the world, Hermione thought? She couldn't understand for the life of her why her friends kept pleading with her to go easy on Malfoy. She'd been nothing but polite to Malfoy! It was he who kept provoking her, if anything! She hastily penned a reply to Ginny, making her confusion quite clear.

Ginny,

Lunch is a go; we'll meet at our usual place? And honestly, why are you warning me about Malfoy? I'm perfectly polite to him, if anything he needs the warning to keep civil. Anyway I can fill you in more during lunch, you're right, it has been too long.

Love,
Hermione

Sending the letter off with Artemis, Hermione changed into her favorite pair of pajamas: a smooth pair of satin shorts and a comfy cashmere sweater that enveloped her like an oversized blanket. She was thanking herself for getting take-out on the way home because as it would turn out, she was much too tired to cook herself a meal now that she was all cozy and clean. She decided to warm up her favorite fettuccine in the oven when she heard an urgent knock on her door.

Hermione's head peeked out from behind her kitchen counter curiously. Strange... Her friends would usually Floo or apparate straight in.

She cautiously stepped towards the door when the knocking turned into a banging. Her wand was already drawn and at the ready. Just because she'd been healing for the last few years didn't mean she didn't remember her training from the war. Steeling herself for a fight, she carefully opened the door.

"Malfoy?" Her jaw dropped open.

This was definitely not what she'd expected. Malfoy was leaning heavily against her doorframe, the ends of his hair damp from what appeared to be his own sweat. His face was scrunched into a pained grimace, and he was practically keeling over. For once, he was not the immaculate man he'd always presented himself as. He looked horrible.

"Malfoy, what's wrong," she asked, immediately reaching out to help him inside.

To her surprise, he didn't protest as she helped him over to her couch. When she sat down beside him, he began to shudder violently. One look at his eyes told her all she needed to know- they were rapidly flashing back and forth from his normal metallic grey to the piercing silver she'd come to associate with his wolf.

"Draco," she said hesitantly, genuinely concerned for him. He looked as if he were barely holding himself together. She brought up a gentle palm to his clammy cheek, and his shuddering faded. After a brief second, he let out a relieved groan, his hand coming up to trap hers against his cheek; not that she was trying to shy away.

She waited patiently as he visibly began to collect himself, taking deep steady breaths and forcing himself to calm. When he opened his eyes, she was ensnared by the piercing grey gaze.

"Thank you," he said hoarsely. He finally leaned back from her touch, but she noticed he kept a hold of her hand. Not that she blamed him, if his wolf was really that close to the surface.

"What's going on? How did you even find where I lived?"

Draco looked up at her sheepishly. "I followed your scent," he admitted.

"My scent-" Hermione broke off, her eyes widening. Sometimes she liked to get home the muggle way instead of apparating, especially on nights like this when she wanted the time and fresh air to clear her head.

"But how? I took multiple busses, it's a few kilometers from the hospital to here."

"I ran."

"You what-" Hermione blanched, her eyes bulging. "Malfoy you ran all the way here from St. Mungo's?!"

"It helps release the excess energy," he simply shrugged.

"Right," she droned, not really understanding at all. "Why did you run all the way here to find me? I'm sure there were other Healers who could've helped you at the hospital."

Malfoy laughed frustrated, running his hand through his still damp hair. "Come now, Granger. Don't play dumb, we both know you're not."

If it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, Hermione would be marveling over the fact that he actually just paid her a compliment.

"Okay, so I happen to calm down your wolf," she admitted, well aware of what she observed after the incident with Katie. "But I'm sure you could calm him yourself with enough practice," she droned on. "I told you, Malfoy, the hospital has resources to hel-"

She broke off at the sight of Malfoy's manic laughter. Had he officially lost it?

"Oh Granger, Granger, Granger," he shook his head at her sadly. Hermione felt like she was missing the answer, and the thought annoyed her to no end. "The wolf isn't just calmed by you, oh no."

His deprecating chuckle made the hairs on her arms rise. What was she missing?

"Oh?"

"No, you see he- it -is drawn to you, as surely as a wand to its wizard."

"Oh..." she whispered, much quieter now.

"Yeah," Malfoy said, sounding quite defeated. "The thing was getting restless earlier, and before I knew it I was tearing into St. Mungo's asking for you. Then they said you weren't there, and I was already out following your scent."

"And seeing me helps?" Hermione asked curiously.

"It does," he admitted reluctantly.

"Oh!" Hermione's eyes lit up. "It's probably because the full moon is tomorrow!"

"It has been getting stronger," Draco murmured.

"But why me?" She pondered aloud.

At that, Malfoy stoutly avoided her gaze.

"Is it because I healed you?" She pushed. "But I wasn't the only Healer working on you..."

Hermione rose from her perch on the couch and began to pace back and forth, muttering about some book she'd read about werewolves. She reminded Draco a lot of herself from her school days. But he gritted his teeth in frustration because to his great detriment, his wolf was much easier to keep a leash on when Hermione was sitting right next to him.

"Remus didn't have problems like this as far as I knew, even with Tonks," Hermione mused.

Draco barely held back a growl at the mention of the other wolf, and he felt horrible for it. The man was dead for Salazar's sake!

"Maybe we should take you to Bill, he might have some answers," Hermione continued, completely oblivious to his rising impatience.

When Hermione turned after reaching the wall, she ran face first into Malfoy. When had he even gotten behind me? She tried to take a step back, but his hands game up to grasp her upper arms, holding her against him. He was taking deep breaths again, a low rumbling reverberating from his chest.

"Malfoy," she warned, despite her own racing heart.

"Just give me a minute," he bit out, his fingers tightening around her arms.

So she waited until he pulled himself back together once again. When his hold on her finally loosened, she leaned back to look at him. Still grey.

"Does proximity help?"

"It appears so," he said unhappily.

Hermione boldly raised a steady hand to rest on his chest. "So this helps?" She asked innocently.

"Uhh..." he let out a strangled breath, his head dropping against the top of her head.

"Draco?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know what's going on?" She asked softly.

When she looked up at him, she noticed his eyes were once again silver, which was strange since he seemed to be conscious of himself unlike the other times. He leaned into her, watching her lips hungrily, making Hermione's breath hitch in anticipation. He was but a hair width away when he suddenly jerked himself back, his brilliant silver eyes darkening to their normal grey.

He pulled himself away from Hermione with a disgusted scoff. "I know what's going on all right, this wolf has taken a perverse liking to you."

Hermione stiffened, leaning back against the wall for support. She knew she was not friends with Malfoy. They were lucky to be cordial at best! But even then, after all the mutual friends they had and all the shared events they'd both attended, she'd thought at the very least that there was a level of distant but mutual respect. She hated it, but his words stung more than she'd care to admit. So she was good enough for the wolf but not for him?

"Don't worry," he continued stiffly. "I'll find a way to get rid of it, and if not I'll just muzzle the damn thing."

With that he turned out of her apartment, leaving without a glance backwards. Hermione sank to the floor, more confused than anything. Part of her wanted to fume at him for his rudeness. He'd come into her home, taken up her time, and then insulted her! Yet her friends' warnings came back to her, and some part of her brain kept needling her to look twice. Even in her own studies of werewolves, she'd never come across something like this where the wolf and man were so at odds about someone else. Hermione knew what she had to do, and she knew she would not be satisfied until she had some answers.

~o~o~o~

If you guys are a fan of Marauders stories, I've just published a new one called Hiraeth! It's a James Potter romance that eventually follows the canon timeline of James and Lily marrying, but with a whole lot of twists on the way.

Please go check it out! It's a bit lighter in tone than Promise to the Past, but tbh I need the humor as a break in my own writing.

~Mischief Managed