That month's moon cycle passed quickly and before she knew it there was only one day before the moon. Hermione had completed the second stage in her animagus transformation and it was time to test out the transfiguration. Waking before the dawn and wiggling out from beneath Fenrir's arms carefully so as not to wake him, the witch made her way into the woods to her favorite clearing. The sun had just begun its slow climb on the horizon and she found the peace and quiet of the early morning the perfect time to focus.
She desired the solitude in this because it was both a self-awakening journey and incredibly difficult to focus with the distractions from the pack. Releasing the sticking charm she had used to keep the blasted mandrake leaf on the roof of her mouth she spat out the disgusting thing and closed her eyes.
The transfiguration stage in the transformation was the final step but the most challenging. It required complete relaxation and a clear mind. It took a few moments but slowly Hermione felt her body starting to become one with the earth as her muscles let go of their tension and her breathing slowed to an even, steady pace. This practice was much like muggle meditation and came easily to her. Her thoughts slowed and eventually floated right through her, passing as though they were nothing. Finally at peace, she pictured her animal form in her mind's eye and was suddenly overtaken by a trickle of magic washing over her.
In the place where only seconds ago she sat she was now standing on four legs and seeing through the eyes of her lioness. It was a truly strange sensation as she still possessed her human thoughts and feelings but had the senses and instincts of the lion. She darted off at full speed to the cabin she shared with her mate. Pleased to find him still deeply asleep she hopped onto the bed and burrowed her fur covered body against his legs, curling into a ball and snuggling with him. It didn't take him long to wake, and even less time to realize something was odd. He sat straight up and looked to where the fox was leaned up against him. Smirking at him, Hermione lazily lifted her large head and head butted Fenrir's stomach.
The werewolf reached down and scratched her between the ears, grinning amusedly. "Clever little lioness you are, mate." He commented wryly in his rough morning voice. Hermione let out a contented purr as she laid he head back down. "You think you could change back now Hermione? We have much to do today." Begrudgingly she complied and shifted back easily into her human form.
"Good Morning, Mate," she smiled and leaned in to peck him on the lips.
"Leave it to you to beat your deadline, little one. I give you three moons to transform into an animal and you get it before the second one even comes." He remarked proudly.
"I haven't beaten the deadline yet," she reminded gently suddenly afraid. "I haven't yet turned into a wolf."
"Do you doubt that you will?" He asked.
"No, I don't know. I feel that Mother Moon won't let me down but until I change I won't exactly rest easy," she explained. The truth was that yeas she feared that she wouldn't turn into a wolf. She fully expected it wouldn't be an issue but through this whole ordeal she had grown attached to her animal form. If she failed to turn into a wolf through transfiguration then Fenrir was going to turn her... And if she was bitten then she would lose her animagus form to the venom. The though nearly broke her heart.
"Well, you've only until tomorrow night to find out, little one," He replied. "Now come shower with me."
The time had arrived. The night Hermione both anticipated and feared was upon her as the first signs of twilight lit the sky and the sun began its gradual western decline. Hermione gathered out in the clearing with the rest of the pack and surveyed their preparations for the moon's rise. The pack elders were gathered with the young cubs chanting what could only be described as prayers to the moon. The Omega in the pack passed out blankets as they all began shedding their deer-skin clothing. Hermione noted that Fenrir had no inclination to use a blanket and was quite comfortable in his nakedness as were several others. Based on some of the confused looks from those who accepted blankets, Hermione felt they were more for her benefit then the pack's. Carefully avoiding looking at any of the nude Hermione kept her gaze firmly on the assets of her mate. He caught her ogling stare and smirked. Eventually the moon appeared over the horizon and Fenrir crossed to stand by her side.
"Are you ready, mate?" He asked.
"I'm as ready as I ever will be," she answered honestly. Silently she sent a prayer to merlin that the gift of the mother moon was true and she wouldn't shift into a lioness this night. The pack had long been aware of Hermione's ambition to become an animagus but many of them hadn't known she was successful. Fenrir had to explain to them all why Hermione wasn't locked up in their cabin like she had been last moon. Now, instead of the worried glares in her direction she was given curious stares of awe and disbelief.
"Have faith, Hermione," Freya said softly to her from where she stood nearby next to her mate, the pack's beta. Hermione had gone over several times the plan should she not shift properly. If she was her normal lioness she was to dart immediately for the safety of the cabin, shift back to her human form and lock the doors. While a lion was greater on the food chain then a wolf, a lone lioness against a pack of hungry werewolves didn't have great odds of survival.
She heard the first crack of breaking bones sounding from her mate and echoed by the rest of the weres. She held her breath, expecting to hear their howls of pain like she had experienced Remus do when he shifted. However the pack seemed genuinely at ease, and despite the fact that their bones were breaking and reforming into the form of a wolf, their acceptance of their wolves voided the pain. As everybody finished their shift Hermione effortlessly let go of her own human skin and transformed to a four legged beast. She braced herself to flee should she notice glaring eyes fixating on her but calmed when the largest wolf standing next to her nuzzled her with his snout. Hermione knew then that she was in fact blessed by the mother moon and had shifted into the small silvery white wolf she had encountered in her meditations.
Despite knowing what she would look like she was eager to see her reflection. After licking her mate on the nose once, playfully, she bounded directly towards the tree line seeking out the river inside the forest. It was dark beneath the canopy of leaves but there was a clearing by the water, where the moon shone down over the surface of the murky depths and allowed her to catch a glimpse of her form. Howling broke through the night signaling the pack had followed her.
Fenrir, unmistakable as a large, black wolf, came up beside her an expression akin to amusement crossed his features. As an animagus Hermione wasn't compelled like the other wolves. She had no desire to hunt, seeking the taste of her prey's blood, or craving violence. She was content to run, play, and be one with her wolf. She relied on the senses and instincts of her animal form but her mind was intact. Behind her the rest of the pack was hunting, minding their own business.
A sudden rustling in the bushes drew her mate's attention away from her. He stalked towards the sound and in seconds was walking back a brown spotted bunny clasped in his jaw. Hermione was surprised when he dropped the critter in front of her, not because of his offering but because the bunny was still alive. Shaking and terrified, with matted fur from Fenrir's drool, but alive. Hermione circled her paws around the poor thing and sniffed at it.
This was how the decided to pass the night. Laying by the river, playing with a less anxious rabbit and enjoying the silent companionship. When they tired from running in circles and freed the rabbit the two wolves cuddled together by the river's edge and gave way to their exhaustion.