7

In a blur of movement Dean was standing over Sam who had to hunch to allow him to see. Hermione stayed back a little. She was aggravated and when she was aggravated electronics tended to malfunction around her. With a whistle Dean moved in closer, "They caught the thing on video, and he's an ugly mongrel; even for a wolf."

Hermione tried to stay back, she really did but curiosity got the better of her. She took a couple steps forward to see the lit screen before feeling every bit of color drain from her face. "Oh, bloody hell," she murmured, "It can't be, it just can't."

Hermione started shaking as her control slipped and sparks started shooting from the laptop causing the boys to get away from it quickly. "What the hell?" Sam practically shrieked as he kicked his chair backwards escaping from the dying device. Dean spun his head and saw the panicking witch sink to her knees.

Dean didn't even realize he was moving. He didn't realize he was doing anything until his arms were around the sorcerer. "It's ok," he said in the calmest voice he could muster, "It's ok." He felt her head sink into his chest as a quiet sob escaped. Dean looked up at his brother who had a questioning look on his face. Dean gave a small shrug and rocked the woman back and forth until she sat up on her own.

"I'm alright," she said meekly, "Just a bit of a shock really."

Sam groaned, "Your bit of a shock just fried my computer."

Hermione winced, "Sorry about that," she said, "I have money, I can replace it."

Sam waved her off, "Bigger fish right now. It sounded like you knew him." This got an unsteady nod from her, "He's only one of the most feared werewolves in Britain; Fenrir Greyback."

Sam blinked for a minute, "How can you tell? It was in wolf form?"

Hermione pried herself out of the protective arms of Dean and quietly left the room. A moment later she returned carrying the green book that she had lent Sam a couple nights ago.

"Hogwarts a History?" Dean asked, "Doesn't look like any lore book I've ever seen."

Hermione shook her head as the green leather bound book opened with a slight creak that all three of them had come to associate with older books. The witch flipped through pages until she reached the last quarter of the book before stopping on a page with two pictures; one of the mangy wolf that had seen in the video, and the other of a man who didn't appear to be much more human than the damn wolf.

"It was always hoped that he died in the war," Hermione explained in shallow breaths, the nerves showing in the strain of her now very small voice, "But a body was never found." She looked up at Dean who was inspecting the pictures in the book. "He's dangerous."

"So are a lot of things we face Princess," Dean replied gruffly, "Dude's so ugly he'll stand out in such a small town." He looked down at her face and felt something stir, "Don't worry, it's not our first wolf."

Hermione shook her head, "You don't understand," she said with a small break in her voice, "He's not just a werewolf, he's a wizard too." This caused Sam to look away from the smoking ruin of his computer and didn't bother trying to hide the questioning look on his face.

Dean's lip curled into a snarl as he slammed his palms into the table, "So it's what? A monster that does magic too?" Hermione stared at the book and simply nodded, "Well that's just great; in fact it's freaking fantastic. So how do we kill it?"

"Normal way," Hermione answered. She looked down at the pictured in the book remembering the faces of those he had hurt and killed, "Just be careful of the magic." Dean growled as he looked at her, "You wanted in? You're in. Get whatever you need we're out in an hour."

Hermione didn't need anywhere near an hour to get ready and decided to just sit in her room to figure some things out. She still wasn't really getting Dean. He was ready to put a bullet in her one moment and comforting her the next. It was all rather confusing and all she wanted was an answer. "I don't know why I thought that I could do this," she muttered. She sat up at the sound of flapping to see the angel Castiel standing in her room. "I sensed your distress," he said coolly, "Are you in danger?"

The witch regarded the angel, "No, it's just… Nothing seems to be going well." Castiel looked down at her, "You mean with Dean?"

Hermione nodded, "Mixed signals don't even begin to cover it." Cas looked down shamefully at the floor, "I am afraid that this may be my fault." The witch stared at him with a questioning look which even he had to admit was better than Dean's, "I may have shown Dean the first time he met Rose."

Hermione went rigid. She knew their first meeting was tense because her life was at stake when Rose went looking for the man who corrupted her mother. "YOU DID WHAT?!" She screamed, "No wonder he didn't want me to go! You showed him that I need protecting!"

Cas did not avert his eyes from the floor and simply nodded, "I thought it was for the best, but now I see that I was mistaken."

Without another word Hermione shot out of her room and into the garage where Dean was loading the car. "Can we talk?" she asked him meekly. Dean put his green ice chest in the trunk and glanced over to her, "Sure, talk." The witch swallowed the lump that had found itself in her throat, "Castiel told me what he showed you."

Dean smacked his head on the lid of the trunk as he shot to a standing position. He stared at her as his mind raced at a million miles per hour, "Why would he have done that?" He watched as she deflated a bit before looking up at him, "Because I was upset. Because I don't understand why you're treating me the way you are. I mean, I get the hunter paranoia, and I get the caring aspects as I've seen both from you in the past… future, whatever. This is different though. Your attitude about me spins on a dime, and I can't handle that."

Dean understood. How could he not? This woman came to him. A witch comes to a hunter for help; she obviously has a good reason to. The word soulmate was still spinning in his head. How was he supposed to figure it out? "I get it," he said, "I was shown a girl in need and I reacted without thinking, but I won't apologize for trying to protect you and yours."

Hermione nodded and smirked a bit, "She loved you like a father you know." Dean once again felt himself taken aback. "Let me tell you a bit about me and mine. After she found you at the diner, the two of you rescued me from Lucifer using a secret entrance to Hell a demon told you about, and after that… We became each other's family."

"Rose," she continued, "Followed you everywhere hoping to would drop just a breadcrumb of knowledge on her." Hermione saw the slight smirk of pride show in his eye, "You gave her, her first gun."

Dean chuckled as he saw the airy faraway look in the witch's eyes. No matter how bad the future might be, he could tell some of it was truly dear to her, "And why would a witch need a gun?" He watched her face and she looked at him as though the answer were obvious, "Well we don't… unless we lose our wands. Then it never hurt to have one."

"Alright," Dean said," you've made your point. Now get your stuff and get in the damn car." The last part held no anger or gruffness. Hermione felt a pressure in her relax and she nodded and began walking back to her room.

"Dean, I can explain," Cas said moments after Hermione left the room, "It was not my intention to cloud your judgement." Dean waved his hand dismissively at the angel, "I know Cas, you never do. I just don't like this predestined crap. You know that."

The trench coated angel nodded, "I know Dean."

Twenty minutes later Hermione arrived back in the garage to find Sam had now joined Dean in being ready to go. "Alright princess," Dean said, "You ready?" Hermione nodded and opened the back door sliding in with her bag. Once the boys were in the car she handed them each a little bottle.

"The hell is this?" Dean asked as he looked at the bottle of reddish brown liquid.

"Pepper up potion," Hermione responded, "It's like coffee only better." Sam eyed the bottle suspiciously as Dean popped the small cork out. He looked over to his brother, "I already drank whiskey that makes you breathe fire, so what the hell?" Without another word he downed it like a shot and started the engine.

A/N: sorry about the long update times. free time seems to be a luxury, but I am still working.