A/N: Hey guys, I'm so pleased you're all enjoying the story so much thus far. I apologise if there are a few 'typos' that seem like the words are mispelled. It's because my MS Word is set to English Australian. There are a bunch of words spelt with s instead of z and whatnot. Sorry about that. Anyway, if you find any other issues, don't hesitate to let me know. I've edited this fic a bunch, but every now and then I get in the groove reading and my brain transplants the word I meant, rather than what my fingers typed. =) I've still got heaps of chapters for this pre-written, and inspiration has struck for more, so you'll be getting daily updates for a while yet =) xx-Kitten
Chapter 6
Hermione suspected she might be swaying where she stood. Ginny was beside her and she had a sneaking suspicion that if either of them were to move, they might both fall down. They'd had quite a lot of wine and Hermione was beginning to regret it as she felt the prickle of her earlier head-ache returning tenfold as she began to sober back up.
They both stood in the reception area waiting for Malfoy and Zabini to arrive and they were running late. The Healer had already come by once, but had told them they couldn't start without both spouses in attendance.
"Really, Granger?" that annoying drawl sounded from next to her and if she hadn't still been tipsy, Hermione knew she'd have jumped to realise Malfoy was suddenly standing beside her, having snuck up next to her when she wasn't paying attention.
"Where did you come from?" Hermione asked him, feeling her stomach squiggle uncomfortably to be suddenly in Malfoy's presence again.
"Outside," Malfoy replied bluntly, "Are you drunk?"
"No!" Hermione protested immediately, momentarily forgetting that she was a twenty-two year old woman with every right to be getting drunk if she so chose.
"Well, maybe a little," Ginny said, slurring just a tiny bit. Hermione wasn't sure if Ginny had gotten so drunk because she was showing her moral support for Hermione or because she was going out of her mind overthinking everything to do with Zabini.
"The idea of marrying me offends you so much that you got sloshed?" Malfoy asked though he looked amused rather than offended.
"I wouldn't say I'm shloshed," Hermione slurred.
"Because you're too drunk to pronounce it," Malfoy inserted cheekily.
"NO! Though the idea does offend me," Hermione said though she felt a little too muddled to think of anything else to say to protest his correct statement.
"Well, all I'll say is that if this is how you plan to spend our marriage, I'm sure we'll get along just fine. In fact, we should get sloshed together, perhaps even on a regular basis in order to make this entire ridiculous situation more bearable." Malfoy told her, seeming uncharacteristically flippant.
Hermione rolled her eyes and almost immediately regretted it when everything spun dizzily and her head began to throb painfully.
"You're late," she told him as she tried to change the subject, "The healers were looking for us."
"Ah, Mr Malfoy. Excellent, if you and Miss Granger could follow me, we'll begin," the smiling healer said, appearing before Malfoy could sneer about how he had more important things to do or how he was better than other and therefore reserved the right to arrive when he felt like it, not when he was commanded.
The healer was an elderly woman, maybe in her early sixties, plump with a kindly face and a warm smile that inexplicably made Hermione think of her late grandmother - a woman who had always been smiling and happy and would always slip Hermione sweets when her parents weren't looking. She felt a prickle of sadness at the reminder that she no longer had her grandmother to slip her sweets, nor her parents to scold her about the cavities she'd get for eating them.
"Come, wife," Malfoy said, oblivious to Hermione's sinking feeling of sadness and clearly losing his mind if he believed he could ever address her as such – married or not. He reached for her when she didn't look much like moving because she was too busy glaring at him, "Stop propping up the Weaselette and let's get going."
"Don't call me 'wife'," Hermione grumbled, attempting to jerk her arm out of his grasp when he took firm hold of her and tugged her towards himself.
"Don't make a scene," Malfoy muttered to her even as he tucked her under his arm to make sure she wouldn't sway when she walked. Hermione felt insulted but when she almost tripped over her own shoes, she found herself wrapping her own arm around his lower back to balance. She chose to ignore the strange looks the other patients and patrons shot them at the sight of herself and Malfoy willing touching each other even before they been given their fertility treatments.
She glanced back at Ginny to see her standing staring wide-eyed up at Zabini, who had appeared from somewhere and was eyeing her with a look of disgust on his face.
"You hate me so much that you show up here drunk?" Hermione heard him demand of her friend, sounding angry and appalled at the same time and making Ginny cringe just the tiniest bit.
"No! It was moral support for Hermione. She's a little put out by today's events. I couldn't let her drink alone," Ginny explained hastily, her ears turning red. The scathing look Zabini gave her in response made Hermione feel sorry for her friend. Ginny looked miserable when Blaise turned his attention to anything else, even while she kept looking up into his face hopefully.
"What are you looking at?" Malfoy asked her, glancing back when she almost tripped again because she was trying to catch Ginny's eye instead of watching where she was going.
"I know why they're acting weird," Hermione told him, glancing up at his face as they rounded the corner, blocking Ginny and Blaise from view.
"Do share," Malfoy replied, looking somewhat intrigued even though he managed to sound utterly bored.
"When we were still at Hogwarts, they were shagging," Hermione blurted, before remembering that Ginny probably wouldn't be all that fond of that information getting out. Especially since it could land in the lap of Harry or Ron, both of whom would no doubt be furious over the idea of Ginny having lost her virginity so young.
"That bastard!" Malfoy exclaimed, though he had begun to smirk rather than looking angry, "He never told me that!"
"Probably because it's a secret that only the two of them and now you and I know, so don't you dare tell anyone or I'll wax your tail while you're all wolfy." Hermione threatened him, trying to repair the damage she may have already done simply by telling him and hoping her would buy her threat.
Malfoy glared down her though he looked more amused than annoyed at the mention of his condition.
"You just couldn't bear the idea of not knowing something, could you Granger?" He asked her judgingly.
"Nope. It's a personal foible. You'll get used to it," She waved a hand dismissively.
"Well, I imagine you got more information from her than that, so you might as well share it." Malfoy told her and Hermione raised her eyebrows at the fact that he was being so… tolerable.
"They started snogging in our sixth year," Hermione told him, before biting her lip and wondering if she should elaborate further and how tipsy she still was that she'd told him at all.
"I thought the Weaselette had a thing for Potter?" Malfoy said, looking puzzled as they followed the healer into an examination room.
"She did. Apparently she was arguing with Zabini about something and he pushed her into the wall and snogged her. It seems he's good enough at it that she couldn't resist doing it again."
"I wouldn't know," Malfoy quipped, smirking when Hermione snorted in surprise.
"Anyway, it was causal for most of our sixth year. Then Ginny and Harry got together but broke up when Harry, Ron and I left to go hunting Horxcruxes. When she went back to school Ginny and Blaise were all over each other again."
"In our seventh year she was only there for half the year," Malfoy frowned.
"No she wasn't. She and the rest of the DA were hiding out in the Room of Requirement most of them time. Apparently she snuck out to shag Blaise," Hermione told him.
"I'm guessing it didn't end well?" Malfoy asked, and Hermione found herself surprise by the way they were managing to have an actual conversation without insulting each other.
"He asked her to run away with him at the Final Battle" Hermione told him, letting go of him and moving to sit in the seat the Healer had silently directed her towards "And she said no. After that she and Harry got back together. Seems Zabini still has his wand in a knot over it."
"And you thought our marriage would be awkward," Malfoy smirked at her and Hermione paled at the reminder that in less than a fortnight she was going to become Lady Hermione Malfoy.
"Well now, I think we'd best get started. We don't have a lot of time to get these treatments into you before your wedding" The healer told them when an awkward silence replaced the conversation they'd been having. "So, my name is Healer Underwood and I'll be taking care of the pair of you personally from now on. Not just for your fertility treatments. I'll also be the one to examine you Miss Granger, to confirm that the pair of you consummate your marriage next week. You'll need to see me every month after your honeymoon to make sure everything is going well and to test for pregnancy."
Hermione fixed her eyes on the healer, feeling the dark red blush creep up her cheeks at the sudden reminder that she was supposed to shag Malfoy and that the goal of such an act was for her to get pregnant. She could feel Malfoy's eyes on her and she wanted to hex him for it, knowing her was probably enjoying her awkwardness and embarrassment.
"Right then, today we're going to start by doing a full physical examination on both of you so that we can monitor the effects of the treatments on both of you and to make sure you're both healthy. So, I want both of you to take one of these" Healer Underwood continued, holding hospital gowns out to both of them "And go through that door there. Inside there are cubicles where you can change. When you're done I'd like both of you to come back in here please."
Hermione gingerly took the robe, still not looking at Malfoy as she got to her feet and moved towards the door where Healer Underwood had directed them to go. As she slipped through the door, Hermione could feel the hair on the back of her neck begin to prickle and she knew it was because she was being stalked by a predator. She couldn't hear Malfoy moving, but she could feel that he was only a pace or two behind her. When she ducked into the stall, Hermione made sure to bolt the door tight, uncomfortable with the knowledge that she could hear Malfoy doing the same in the next stall over.
She stripped quickly, wondering if she was supposed to get completely naked beneath the robe or if she was allowed to keep her knickers on. Gritting her teeth as she considered the fact that a pelvic exam was likely, Hermione slipped them off over her ankles and stood there staring at herself in the little mirror completely naked for just a moment, trying to imagine the way Malfoy might see her.
Her hair had been tamed somewhat since her days at Hogwarts, the frizziness smoothing into neat curls and waves, though her hair was still a little bushy. Her skin was that peaches and cream complexion, and unblemished but for the long thin scar across her chest from the Battle in the Department of Mysteries and the few potion-burn scars on her hands. She was slender and she supposed she was well proportioned. At least, nothing about her body stood out as being too attention-grabbing or ugly. Her breasts were modest and pert, her waist trim with just a suggestion of her ribs outlined beneath the skin. Her hips were wide; 'child-bearing-hips' she'd been told by her aunts and grandmothers as she was growing up; a statement that still made her shudder.
Her legs were long and toned with no visible imperfections.
At least, that was what Hermione saw. She wondered if Malfoy would see the scar on her chest and think it ugly. If he would be disappointed by the size of her breasts or her utter unremarkableness. Scowling to herself for even contemplating what he might think and feeling her headache getting worse, Hermione quickly donned the hospital gown she'd been given, and stepped back out of the stall. She squeaked in surprise when Malfoy exited his stall just as she was about to pass.
His grey eyes landed on her, sweeping over her despite the fact that the baggy gown hid most of her figure. When he stepped into the corridor in front of her, Hermione felt her gaze suddenly drawn to his bare feet and she giggled just a little bit to see him without shoes. Normally, feet freaked her out a bit, but it was so odd to see Malfoy – who prided himself on being well-dressed at all times – barefoot and dressed in a gown that was just a bit too short for someone of his height.
"What are you laughing at?" He asked her, glaring over his shoulder at her.
"Erm… It's just strange to see you not in a Hogwarts uniform or wearing a suit," Hermione murmured truthfully, dragging her eyes away from his feet.
She noticed as her eyes skimmed up his back to meet his gaze that he'd forgotten to do up one of the ties on his gown. He'd done up the one in the middle of his back – mercifully – but the one at the back of his neck hung open, revealing a strip of his bare back beneath the gown.
In spite of herself, Hermione felt her gaze drawn to the pale expanse of flesh, cringing just a bit when she noticed that between his shoulder blades and disappearing beneath the folds of the gown, there was a mess of shiny pink and white scars crisscrossing his flesh. She knew at a glance that they were claw-mark scars.
She wondered if they were self-inflicted or if at the full moon he and Mr Malfoy fought like beasts. Could it be that Greyback had done that to him when he'd bitten Malfoy on the command of Voldemort?
"Erm… Malfoy?" Hermione began hesitantly, her eyes still glued to his scars.
"What?" He asked, sounding annoyed.
"You erm… you forgot to tie one of the ties on your gown," Hermione stammered, her cheeks heating to be mentioning it. Malfoy cursed colourfully as his hands leapt to the back of the gown, trying to pull it closed as though he feared she could see his bum.
"Hold still," she told him, stepping closer and resisting the urge to run her fingers over the claw-marks on his flesh, instead picking up the pair of strings and tying them in a bow at the back of his neck, watching the scar covered flesh disappear.
"What did you see?" He asked when she was finished, his voice low and rough and his back still turned to her.
Hermione realised he must know about the scars all over his back, and that he probably hated them.
"It was only the neck-tie Malfoy," Hermione replied smoothly, "I didn't see anything vital, I promise."
"Not yet, anyway," he murmured.
"Let's not discuss that," Hermione suggested quickly at the mention of the fact that all too soon she was going to find out what he looked like completely naked and would learn of anywhere else he might have scars.
"You sure you're not a prude Granger?" He asked her, grinning now when he turned to look down into her blushing face.
"I'm not a prude Malfoy," Hermione replied, watching his eyes flash to lupine-gold for a moment and realising that he'd taken her statement as a challenge.
"I guess we'll see about that," he replied devilishly and Hermione wanted to sink through the floor when her cheeks flamed crimson while he chuckled wickedly.
Unable to think of anything to say that wouldn't just make him laugh more, Hermione pushed her way past him in the narrow corridor and stormed for the door back into the examination room.
"Ah, wonderful," Healer Underwood said by way of greeting, "Hermione, Draco, this is my assistant Healer Huang. She's currently in her final year of Healer-School and still in training, but she's going to be helping out with getting a full and detailed medical history and medical record in order for both of you. If you'd both like to re-take your seats, I will begin the preliminary tests while Healer Huang asks you a few questions."
Hermione did as she was told without looking at Malfoy and hated the idea of answering any questions about herself with him in the room. Not that either healer seemed to care when Healer Underwood strapped a blood-pressure cuff to her arm and began muttering incantations to test her temperature and Merlin knew what else.
"Miss Granger, I'll start with you if you don't mind," Healer Huang said, smiling brightly, "So to begin with, we need to collect a full medical record regarding your parents. Could you tell me their names and any medical conditions either of them had?"
Hermione scowled.
"My mother's name was Monica Granger. She's currently forty-eight years old with no known medical issues that I'm aware of, however she does have a family history of heart problems and I think her grandmother died of breast cancer, though it may have been too early to have been diagnosed back then. My father's name was Wendell Granger. He is currently fifty-two years old and suffers high cholesterol and a stomach ulcer. He takes blood pressure medication and something for polyps in his stomach. He also has a history of heart problems on both sides of his family, as well a family history of diabetes, cancer and severe arthritis."
"I see," the healer said while Healer Underwood urged Hermione to her feet and asked her to move over to stand on a set of scales to measure her weight even as a bewitched tape measure began measuring her height, the length of her arms and legs, her bust, waist and hip measurements and even the circumference of her head.
"I thought you said you don't have parents anymore?" Malfoy asked her from where he sat watching on and looking bored.
Hermione stared at him for a moment even as a thermometer was forced under her tongue and a pair of testing swabs went into her ears.
"To keep them safe during the war I modified their memories," Hermione replied, "They forgot they have a daughter and operating under the new memory I gave them, moved to Australia. They have new names and are living there comfortably. After the war I went to find them, but was unsuccessful at undoing the memory charm I'd put on them. It is safer for them to be there anyway and they seemed happy. They have no idea who I am or that I even exist." She replied flatly and she caught the flicker or sympathy in the eyes of both healer's though Malfoy didn't react at all.
"Do you know if either of your parents had low levels of fertility Miss Granger?" the healer asked her.
"My mum had four miscarriages before carrying me to term," Hermione told them and the healer's glanced at each other worriedly. "I think she also had two after I was born, which is why I'm an only child."
"Did she share with you the medical reasoning for the miscarriages at all?" the healer asked.
"She didn't like to talk about it, but I remember reading some pamphlets she was given regarding Endometriosis and IVF treatments."
"What's IVF?" the healer's both asked her.
"In Vitro Fertilisation," Hermione replied, "It's a procedure that involves the embryonic egg being fertilised outside the body and then deposited into the womb."
"What a strange way to create pregnancy," Healer Underwood commented, "Why do muggles do that?"
"Lots of reasons. Some women have issues that mean the eggs aren't released properly. Others have very strong immune systems that recognise sperm as a threat to the immune system and so attack them rather than allowing pregnancy to occur. Sometimes it happens too if the male has weak sperm, resulting in them not reaching the egg to fertilise it. The muggle doctors separate the sperm and egg from the donor and put them together in a controlled environment and then insert the fertilised eggs back into the womb to grow naturally. For some couples, that's the only way they're able to have children." Hermione explained, ignoring Malfoy's snort when she went into lecture mode as she explained the process.
"I wonder why they don't just do what we do and heighten fertilisation," Healer Huang said.
"They don't have access to magic, so they rely on science alone. I know they do have some fertility treatments they heighten the levels of hormones and things to improve the chance of pregnancy, but for some, even that doesn't work," Hermione replied, "Can I sit back down now?"
"Not yet, dear," Healer Underwood said, "First we need to run some more tests. Could you sit over here in this chair and put your feet in these stirrups.
"I'm not letting you do this exam with Malfoy in the room," Hermione told them seriously while Malfoy glanced over in surprise to hear her objecting.
"Miss Granger…" the healer began.
"No." Hermione said, "It's one thing to poke and prod at my mouth and nose, but I'm not lifting my gown and letting you poke around down there with him in the room."
"You're being unreasonable dear," Healer Underwood told her sternly.
"Perhaps I am, but I'm currently doing so rationally. You do not want me to begin regarding this irrationally, I can assure you," Hermione replied icily, glaring at both healers now.
"Granger, it's nothing I'm not going to see anyway," Malfoy told her, smirking now and clearly enjoying how uncomfortable she was.
"And I have no doubt that at some stage I'm going to see your bum, but do you really want me in the room when Healer Underwood asks you to lift your gown, turn your head and cough?" Hermione snapped.
"I think, perhaps Miss Granger, that you are regarding these exams from the point of view expected based on what you know of Muggle procedures. I can assure you things here are done differently."
"Then why do I need to sit in the chair with my legs in stirrups?" Hermione demanded.
"We need to do a pelvic exam and test your fertility levels," the healer explained.
"Which you do by having me spread my legs while you shine bright lights on my privates and poke around with your finger, wand or some other probing device," Hermione snapped, noting Malfoy's look of horror at the very idea.
"If you're going to do that, I'll step out," Malfoy said, getting to his feet and making for the door back to the changing hall.
"Miss Granger, we are not so barbaric in the wizarding world," Healer Underwood assured her. "As you can see, the chair faces the wall over there. The stirrups are only used to ensure your body is positioned correctly. The rest of the pelvic exam is performed by this."
She held up a very small metal ball that looked to Hermione like a ball-bearing.
"Is that a tiny snitch?" Malfoy asked, eyeing the object curiously.
"Definitely not. This is a pelvic exam instrument. It is programmed to make this procedure as non-invasive as possible."
"What does it do?" Hermione asked, eyeing it uncertainly.
"When you are in position in the chair, I will place this on the inside of your knee. Once it comes into contact with your skin it will roll up your leg and…" She began pausing when Hermione gasped.
"Basically that goes into my private parts instead of anything else?" Hermione asked seriously. The ball was small, no bigger than a regular marble so she doubted it would be all that invasive.
"Yes, it does." Healer Underwood told her kindly "The metal will heat to the temperature of your body so it is likely you won't feel it at all. It is small enough that it will travel all the way to you cervix where the properties of the metal will test your fertility and will also record an internal view to allow us to make sure there is no damage or illness present. It will determine everything we need to know in a matter of minutes without being at all invasive. I can assure you no one will be shining bright lights or prodding around down there. No one will even see up your gown."
Hermione stared at it a moment longer.
"I can still just leave, if you want?" Malfoy said and Hermione glanced at him to find him watching her and looking strangely… understanding.
"Erm…" Hermione began.
"Miss Granger, this might be a good moment to point out that you and Mr Malfoy are here to receive fertility treatments that will result in you falling pregnant. I can understand that the two of you might not much like each other at present, but by the night of your wedding, the treatments will override any aversions you have to one another physically. The two of you will have sex, which will mean you will see each other naked, and at some stage you will fall pregnant. It would be best for all involved if you could overcome your modesty and nervousness around one another, especially since Mr Malfoy will be the one helping to take care of you when you are pregnant. I can understand your uncertainty and nervousness, but you do both need to get used to the idea that from here on out, everything about yourselves is going to be shared with each other."
Hermione understood what they were telling her, but the idea of Malfoy being in the same room while anything was poking around in her vagina made her nauseas. Something she expected may become an issue when sex came into play given that sex generally meant he would be the one poking around her vagina and therefore would need to be in the room. Hermione wondered how he would react if she threw up on him.
"I'm just going to wait in the hallway," Malfoy said, when Hermione didn't answer.
Both healers sighed and looked at one another in frustration.
"Very well, Mr Malfoy, rather than the hallway, if you could take this and go through this door over here," Healer Huang pointed, handing him a fluid collection cup, "We need a sperm sample from you."
"What?" Malfoy said, his cheeks turning pink while Hermione blushed too.
"Did you not hear me?" the healer asked him.
"No I did, I just didn't expect…"
"Mr Malfoy we are going to need to test your sperm. In order to do that you can either provide a sample this way or we have a device that will travel up your penis and gather the sample that way, much the way this Pelvic exam device works on Miss Granger. They are about the same size." Healer Underwood said sternly. Hermione watched Malfoy blanch at the very idea of putting anything near his penis the size of a marble.
"Give me the bloody cup," he growled, sounding very lupine as he snatched it before stalking through the door and slamming it behind him
"Are you people purposely trying to make this entire ordeal even more awkward?" Hermione asked them as she moved over and sat in the seat, squirming when Healer Underwood pressed the metal ball to the inside of her knee.
"There is nothing awkward about it Miss Granger. You and Mr Malfoy are expected to participate in sexual intercourse with one another. You are going to have to get used to the idea of him seeing you naked and of the idea that his sperm will be inside you with the intent of making you pregnant." Healer Underwood snapped, "There is no use in being awkward and immature about the matter."
"It's not immaturity to be uncomfortable about these things with someone who has been your enemy for ten years. Someone you haven't spoken to in four years before today." Hermione argued softly, still squirming as the ball rolled up the inside of her thigh.
Healer Underwood took a deep breath in before sighing in out slowly.
"I apologise for snapping, Dear. It's been a long day for all of us and my job isn't made any easier by uncooperative couples," She apologised. "Now then, since we have a moment alone, is there anything you need or want to ask me about what is going to happen to you in the coming future?"
"What's in the fertility treatment you're going to give me?" Hermione asked immediately.
"There are several live ingredients in the treatment, the most important being Gonadotrophins, which stimulates ovulation in women and improves the sperm count in men. In addition to that there are several hormones and chemicals which are often found in foods that have been included in the treatments that stimulate the libido, which will result in you feeling like having sex more often. Almost all of them are found in low levels in common foods like bananas, avocados, asparagus, strawberries and oysters. Since all of you need the treatment increased to speed up the process in time for your wedding next Friday, we've compounded them to ensure you'll be ready by then. There is also a hormone called oxytocin."
"You're giving us the 'love' hormone?" Hermione demanded.
"You've heard of oxytocin?" the healer asked, surprised.
"Of course I have. It's the hormone that engenders trust and fosters love between people. It can actually be taken as a hormone or sprayed on like perfume as a pheromone. My understanding is that it is released in high levels during and after the delivery of a child – which is how women are able to forget about their laborious and painful delivery and care for the child. I read that it's also secreted during orgasm, social recognition and pair bonding. Basically you're giving me something that will make me feel more comfortable being around Malfoy and that will make me more likely to trust him and to form a bond of some kind with him. You're literally giving me something to engender love between us and synthetically creating love."
"It's not a love potion dear," the healer smiled, "You're not going to suddenly fall head over heels in love with Mr Malfoy. Furthermore, children conceived under a love potion aren't able to feel love, and so we do not under any circumstances promote its use. Oxytocin will simply make you more receptive to Mr Malfoy, and will make things between the two of you less awkward. You won't fall in love with him because of it, you'll just feel a little more comfortable and relaxed with him."
"What exact effects will the entire treatment have?" Hermione asked, "I mean, obviously it will make me want to have sex more often and more likely to trust Malfoy and make me more fertile; but will it be specific to Malfoy, or will it make me just want to have sex in general?"
"I should've known you would be the one to ask something like this," Healer Underwood sighed. "A few others have asked about the effects but not quite like this. When your pelvic exam is complete, I'm going to take a blood sample from you, and one from Mr Malfoy when he returns. A small fraction of the sample of Mr Malfoy's DNA will be added to your treatment, and a small fraction of your DNA will be added to his treatment. This will ensure that each couple will only be attracted to one another."
"Isn't that…. I don't know gross? Amoral?" Hermione asked, appalled.
"It's entirely healthy, we make sure of that…. It's a part of the Ministry implementation. It was suggested that if each couple is treated such and therefore only attracted to each other it will speed up the acceptance process."
"But it's so wrong. I mean, who knows maybe eventually, after being married for years, I might actually be genuinely attracted to Malfoy, but won't know it because you'll be drugging me into feeling that way already." Hermione protested.
"After the first child is born to each couple we're going to begin decreasing the dosage, and eventually will phase out adding the DNA of each couple to the treatments. If everything continues normally and the couple continues having children without incident, we won't add it again. If things go sour and the couples stop trying for kids, we'll add the DNA again."
"Well it's nice to know the Ministry is concerned for the mental well-being of the population," Hermione replied sarcastically.
"They are concerned with it Miss Granger. In addition to these treatments each couple will undergo mandatory psych evaluations to ensure no spousal abuse or enmity is happening," Healer Huang commented.
"Was there anything else you wanted to know dear?"
"How is Malfoy being a werewolf going to effect this process? I mean, I know from my job that unless he bites me or any children we have, the curse won't be passed on, but I also know that the genetic make-up of a werewolf causes any who come into contact with their DNA to get a little lupine. If I'm taking a medication with his DNA in it, will I become more lupine?"
"Yes, you will," Healer Underwood answered truthfully, "I believe it was due to your understanding of the werewolf condition that you were paired with Mr Malfoy in the first place. It is also well known that the spouses of werewolves end up somewhat lupine due to the predisposition of the animal within to want to claim their mate. It is likely that when you and Draco Malfoy share intercourse he will bite you. He won't be able to help it, especially given the injections we'll be giving him."
"I told him he's not allowed to bite me," Hermione said.
"Even if he can resist, which is unlikely, you will become somewhat lupine anyway because his DNA will be in your medication." Healer Huang told her, "And speaking from personal experience Hermione, I would recommend letting him bite you. He will become rather violent if he constantly denies the urge to bite you. There are benefits to having him bite you anyway. Letting him do it signifies to the animal within that you are his mate, not just because the bite is a claiming mark but because you accept the mark. If he does bite you, don't mention it to him. The animal within has more control than you are probably aware of and when the animal claims you and you accept that claim it will influence Mr Malfoy's position towards you to be more favourable, overall making your marriage easier."
"How do you know all this?" Hermione asked her.
"My husband is a werewolf," Healer Huang told her, smiling softly, "He was bitten during the war. He tried for months after we were married to resist biting me, and it nearly drove him mad. It actually overrode the effects of the Wolfsbane Potion, so even though he took it dutifully, he still became the monster at the full moon. If you ask Draco to refrain you will drive him mad too and you don't want to get caught in the same house with a werewolf on the full moon who thinks he's going to become the harmless wolf only to become the mindless monster."
"Does it hurt?" Hermione asked, wondering how being bitten during sex could possibly not hurt.
"Yes, the first time hurts a lot. The need to mark you will overcome him and he'll actually grow his fangs during sex when he feels the need to claim you. The first bite is painful. Or it was painful for me, at least, but after that things improve. He'll bite you often, usually in the same place, like this."
Healer Huang moved closer, pulling aside the neck of her healer robes to show Hermione the top of her left shoulder in the apex where it join her neck. The skin was purple and it was obvious she'd been bitten there repeatedly, from several different angles.
"That looks painful," Hermione said, eyeing the fact that the skin on the healer's neck was scabbed over as though she'd been bitten recently.
"Only the first time. After that it improves so much that if he doesn't bite you during sex you'll start to miss it," The healer said.
"Do you have any suggestions about how to live with a pair of werewolves?" Hermione asked weakly.
"A pair?" Healer Underwood asked sharply.
"I have to move into Malfoy Manor. After the war the Malfoy's aren't allowed to leave very often without ministry permission. Lucius is a werewolf too," Hermione explained.
"Oh, I didn't realise…" Healer Underwood said quietly.
"They don't advertise the information," Hermione replied.
"Well living with one is hard enough so I wish you luck living with two. My husband Peter is usually grumpy in the lead up to the full moon because even taking the potion the transformation in painful. He's tired and cranky for a few days afterwards as well. The best thing to do in those situation is to tread lightly, and feed them lots of meat. The thing to realise is that you're not just living with a werewolf. You're living with the wolf, and the man and they have different wants and needs. When he's the wolf – if he takes the potion – he'll want to be close to you and protect you even if the man doesn't want to. I've found the best thing to do is treat him like an overly protective guard dog while he's transformed. The man is still there in his mind but has no control over the wolf. He's not mad, but he's not human either."
Healer Huang explained.
"So just feed him steak and let him growl a lot?" Hermione asked.
"That's what I do. I usually curl up on the couch or in bed with him and read while he lays there protectively. Make sure to move slowly, don't startle him or he will bite you and if he does… well Peter bit me once when I had a nightmare and woke up thrashing and screaming. He was so contrite that I couldn't actually clean the wound because he wouldn't stop licking it and whining and lying on top of me staring at me with puppy eyes."
"Any suggestions for dealing with the moodiness?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, don't hold it against him. Most of the time the moodiness comes from the animal warring with the man even though it's not the full moon. The conflicting needs and wants of beast and man make the man grumpy and snappy, just like a wounded animal. I recommend more meat, and occasional cuddling when he's not expecting it. If he's really snarly leave him alone for a while and let him deal with it. He's been a werewolf for a while now so he'll know what he needs. If he says 'leave me alone' do it because if not he's likely to take his temper out on you, which results in fighting and sometimes that's what the wolf wants. Since there are two of them, they might fight each other, and if so don't interfere with them. Just let them do it. Mostly try not to take offense if he snaps at you or growls at you."
"What happens when I get pregnant and I'm grumpy and tired and snappy and he is too?" Hermione asked, biting her lip.
"We'll be managing your pregnancies very carefully Hermione, dear," Healer Underwood assured her, patting her arm comfortingly as though she could see how afraid Hermione was at the idea of having Malfoy's kids. "With your mother's history it is likely that there might be some complications, especially since Narcissa also had trouble conceiving to have children. Miscarriage is likely and it's going to be very hard on you. We're in the process of designing a special medication and dietary routine that we would like you to follow to ensure things don't go wrong. While you're pregnant we'll be keeping a very close eye on you and if need be will separate you and Draco to ensure nothing threatens your chances of healthy pregnancies. It might very well be that things will all go smoothly and be fine, but we'll be on the alert just in case."
"You know, I was happy with the way my life was. I don't think I'm ready for these complications," Hermione confided in them.
Both women looked at her sympathetically.
"I can empathise Hermione. I'm not ready to start having children yet, but I'm in the same boat as you and will be having some sooner than I hoped," Healer Huang told her.
"At least you're in love with your husband though, and got to pick him yourself," Hermione sighed.
"Things will work out in the end, dear" Healer Underwood assured her, "My marriage was arranged when I was young and I hated the boy my father told me I was to marry. I hated him for years, even after my children were born. But now I couldn't imagine my life without him. Believe it or not, Draco will grow on you until one day you'll look at him and realise that amid all the fighting and scowling and children's tantrums and even the sex, you fell in love with him."
"How long did it take for that to happen to you?" Hermione asked her, doubting that she could ever fall in love with Draco Malfoy.
"Almost thirty years. I was eating breakfast one morning at home, Walt sitting at the other end of the table grumbling over some story in the Prophet like he always does, when our granddaughter came running into the room crying about the fact that our grandson had just pulled the head off her favourite dolly. And this man that I had spent so many years arguing and fighting with, hating him and resenting him for the fact that he'd let his father and mine push us into this marriage, leaned right down and picked up that little girl. He told her it would all be alright, kissed her forehead and fixed her dolly while she was still crying."
Healer Underwood sighed.
"While Maria began to giggle and shout happily, hugging him and kissing his grizzled cheeks thankfully, he looked over at me with this pleased, understanding twinkle in his eyes. One that said 'it's because of us together that our little angel is even here' and I realised that if he hadn't been my husband, we'd never have our beautiful children and grandchildren to enjoy, we'd never have built the happy, comfortable life we've made together. I realised then that I loved him."
Hermione found herself smiling a little bit "Is your husband by any chance on the Wizengamot?"
"Yes he is. Why?" Healer Underwood asked her.
"He gave us a similar speech, though much less specific when we were all a little irritable about our arranged marriages earlier that even though we might not like it now, it was likely that our spouse would grow on us." Hermione told her.
"What did he say?"
"Oh something along the lines that they'd grow on us, maybe not right away, maybe not until we were looking over the heads of our grandchildren, but that nonetheless we'd one day realise that we loved each other." Hermione said "He also informed the men that all sharp objects should be kept away from pregnant witches and that no matter the argument, they should always admit that their wife is right, even when she's not. He told us girls that nagging men about things was useless and if we wanted to get through to them about things the best way was by cooking something tasty and bribing them with sex."
"Oh that scoundrel!" Healer Underwood cried, though Hermione could see the fondness in her eyes. "But he was probably right dear. You're not in for an easy journey, but there are things you can do to make it better. My most important recommendation is to avoid doing what I did. Don't push your husband away and close yourself off from him. Take the time to get to know him, make sure to show him that even if you're not best friends, you respect him and want to make sure he's happy. In turn he'll do the same for you. The best suggestion is to get to know him better early on, and to learn his favourite food. Cook it often."
Hermione bit her lips realising she had a lot to think about given her looming nuptials.
"Alright dear, your pelvic exam is done, you can sit back in the chair over there and we'll take that blood sample now." Healer Underwood added after a moment and Hermione did as she was told. "Jenny, could you check on Draco and make sure he knows he can come back in if he's finished with his sample."
Hermione hissed in a sharp breath when she felt the needle bite into the inside of her elbow as some of her blood was drawn for testing. She was gritting her teeth against the sting when Malfoy came back into the room looking uncomfortable.
"Ah, Mr Malfoy, excellent. Let's get a blood sample from you now and then we'll do all your measuring and test too. After that I'll give you both your injection and you can be on your way."
"Injection?" He asked.
"Yes, dear. The fertility treatment comes in the form of an injection," She explained, shooting a glance at Hermione that made her think the healer didn't want her to enlighten Draco about the ingredients of the injection. She wasn't surprised and she supposed it would be better for her if Malfoy didn't know the reason he was going to soon be exclusively attracted to her was because of the medication.
Hermione stayed quiet while Malfoy was weighed and measured, noticing that they didn't bother asking his medical history due to the fact that as a pureblood wizard they probably had files on all of his ancestors already and one on him from the time he'd been born.
"Alright excellent," Healer Huang said when everything but the injection was done. "Now, Healer Underwood is going to step out for this part and I'm going to be giving you both your injections. Once we make certain the effects will be fine, you can both go on home."
"I thought you were only the assistant," Malfoy commented rudely and Hermione glared at him.
"I am, but since we're uncertain about the effects this injection will have on you Draco, we're going to make sure everything is safe," Healer Huang told him calmly.
"Meaning what?" Malfoy growled and Hermione caught the lupine flash in his eyes as his temper flared.
"Meaning that Healer Underwood is a little too old to survive the subtle yet encompassing changes that would occur if you were to react badly to the medication and bite her," Healer Huang said, still very calm and Hermione could tell she was used to dealing with touchy werewolves.
"You're the reason I can smell another wolf," Draco accused and Hermione glanced at him in surprise.
"My husband is a werewolf, yes," She nodded, "Now, you should be aware that this injection will boost your fertility but will also heighten your sex-drive. Since it's not been tried on a werewolf before we're unsure if it will awaken the wolf, so you need to be on your guard."
"The wolf's always awake," Malfoy replied, his voice dangerously low now and Hermione found herself watching him curiously, knowing from her experiences at work that such a statement was not made lightly.
"That's not normal," Hermione told him, sharing a nervous glance with Healer Huang.
"It's a side-effect of being bitten by Greyback and living in the same house as another werewolf," Malfoy told them both, "My father and I are in constant battle with the wolf because it doesn't fall asleep between moons."
"But Remus was bitten by Greyback," Hermione began.
"When he was a child, not when he was already an adult. He had a lifetime to learn to leash the beast, most of which was spent shunning all other werewolves. I've been a werewolf for four years and live every day in the same house with one."
"I didn't know that living in close quarters would keep the wolf awake," Hermione said, intrigued and looking at him with interest. He glanced at her and growled warningly.
"I'm not a science experiment so stop looking at me like that Granger," He snapped.
"Sorry. It's just interesting to learn new things. Most werewolves that I work with are solitary." Hermione said, "And not fond of discussing their condition."
"It's a shared trait," Malfoy hinted none too subtly.
"I wonder what keeps the wolf awake," Hermione murmured, her mind already whirring with ideas.
"The pack mentality, Granger. Wolves – real ones – live in packs. When werewolves are solitary the wolf sleeps, when there are other wolves – thereby meaning potential pack-mates – in close quarters, the wolf stays awake."
"Does that mean you have more or less control of the beast?" Hermione asked him, leaning closer to him to speak, her interest getting the best of her.
"Keep asking questions and find out," Malfoy growled nastily and Hermione jerked back from him, realising she was within clawing distance. He sighed in frustration, tipping his head back to stare at the ceiling. The way he drummed his fingers made Hermione think he must be counting to ten in his mind as he reached for patience.
"It means I have more control because I have to fight the wolf all the time, thereby getting more practice," Malfoy said a moment later, sounding much calmer, "But I don't like discussing my condition so I would appreciate it if you would refrain in future."
"Ok," Hermione said quietly, used to dealing with the temperament of werewolves and so recognising that it was time to back off lest she push him too far and incense the beast. That way led violence. "I'm sorry. I'll not ask any more questions unless they're really important and not just to satisfy my curiosity."
"That would be best," Malfoy replied, his eyes still closed and his face still tipped towards the ceiling.
"Well I think that went well, given the potential for disaster – I speak from personal experience of course – and let me say my own experiences were far less controlled than this. Now then, let's get on with these injections shall we?"
Hermione held still when Healer Huang came towards her, a needle at the ready. She frowned when she caught sight of the colour of her injection, which was a rich shade of gold that look suspiciously like lupine gold to Hermione. She noticed that the injection for Malfoy was vivid shade of purple.
When the needle pushed into her arm it stung and Hermione bit her lip as the fluid in the syringe was forced into her system. She could feel the sharp sting of her body reacting to the invasion and the underlying zing of magic. As Healer Huang withdrew the needle again, Hermione groaned softly while her whole body began to quiver in what she suspected was a reaction either to the ingredients of the injection or to the fact that werewolf DNA had just been forced into her system. Hermione dug her nails into the wooden handles of her chair and gritted her teeth against the tingling that overtook her body in a matter of moments when the injection reached her bloodstream, pumped through her heart and then to everywhere in her body.
"Is she having an allergic reaction?" Malfoy asked and if she hadn't been in pain Hermione might've been touched that he actually sounded mildly concerned.
"I don't believe so. Hermione, do you feel woozy or light-headed? Like you might vomit?"
"No," Hermione gasped, "It just stings and tingles, like pins-and-needles all over."
"That's normal. It will pass shortly, I promise."
Hermione opened her eyes to see the significant glance Healer Huang gave her that said it was the effect of werewolf DNA and not the rest of the injection.
"Why was hers gold when mine is purple?" Hermione heard Malfoy ask suspiciously.
"The active ingredients are different based on your gender, because different hormones need to be used to stimulate the fertility and libido in males and females. Hermione's was gold because hers was tailored for her, yours is purple because yours is filled with active ingredients specific to males. It's such a vivid colour because yours needs to be stronger than others to overcome your heightened immune system. Yours might sting a little too because your antibodies are going to attack the serum."
She explained before picking up the syringe and moving towards Draco.
"If I start to growl," Malfoy said, holding up his hand to fend off the injection while he spoke, "Get out of the room as fast as you can."
"I have a sedative ready in case things go badly Draco," Healer Huang assured him. Hermione saw him nod before he held his arm out to be given the injection. Healer Huang was quick about it and stepped back in a hurry the moment she pulled the needle back out of his arm even as Malfoy's head fell forward onto his chest.
Hermione watched him, her body still tingling madly as he began to pant, his hands tightening on the handles of his chair until the wood began to groan.
"Hermione, get up and walk slowly towards the door," Healer Huang instructed her, still sounding calm but looking slightly panicked.
A feral snarl ripped through the air the second Hermione moved and she glanced at Healer Huang to see she had a small tranquiliser gun aimed at Malfoy.
"I think maybe it would be for the best if you step out," Hermione said softly, noticing the way the predator within Malfoy began to vibrate at the threat of the weapon trained on him.
"Are you mad?" Huang asked her whilst staring at her as though doubting her sanity.
"I think it's the smell of Peter on you and the weapon that's upsetting him," Hermione told her, "And that stuff was meant to make him like me more."
"What if he attacks you?"
"I've survived worse. Get out," Hermione said when Malfoy began to snarl some more.
Huang must've decided she was right because Hermione heard the door open and then close again, her own gaze now trained on Malfoy, waiting to see if he was getting control of himself or if he was about to attack her.
"Malfoy?" Hermione asked softly, his growling having stopped now that Huang was out of the room. She slipped out of her chair, wondering if maybe she was a little barmy as she began to creep towards the werewolf.
Hermione squeaked in surprise when she was close enough to touch him as he shot up out of his chair, knocking it over backwards even as he seized hold of her upper arms in a grip so tight she knew she'd have bruises tomorrow. In spite of the fear, Hermione could feel the drugs in her system working on her because the feel of his skin on hers made her body tingle again, only this time it was pleasurable instead of painful.
Hermione felt her blood run cold as she gulped and looked up into his face to meet eyes that had changed from cold-silver to a hungry lupine-gold.