A/N: Sorry for the delay. Life got in the way as usual. If I could somehow make a living off writing and quit the three jobs I have to keep the bills paid I would be a VERY happy woman.

This chapter, and in fact all my chapters and assorted scribbles are betaed by my co-dependent Lifemate Maxipoo1024. She is the rum to my coke and I love her! She has some brilliant fics of her own especially her Supernatural/Twilight crossover Hell's Bells.


Chapter 11

Draco woke to the sound of a throat being discreetly cleared. Looking up at the painting, he saw his father's image appearing uncharacteristically uncomfortable. "What is it, Father?" Draco whispered, unwilling to wake Hermione.

"Potter has come through the gates. The elves will be looking for you momentarily." Lucius' gaze flickered to the still sleeping Hermione. "Your mate, she is … well?"

Draco looked down at her and tenderly stroked her cheek. "Yes." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "She's perfect."

Hermione stirred in his arms. "Draco?" she said sleepily.

He ran his lips over her forehead, loving the feeling of her skin and the smell of her scent mixed with his. "I have to get up, love. Potter's here and I need to talk to him."

Her eyes opened fully. "Is everything alright?" She thought back to the previous night's events, and Draco could feel her distress.

"Shhh … everything's fine."

"But what are we going to tell Harry? He wanted to question McNair. We needed to find out how he was getting the information. We can't tell Harry about how he died. There's—"

He could see her worry mounting and her questions were getting frantic. "It's alright. Everything will be fine. I have to get up. You can either stay here; or if you like, you're welcome to join me downstairs while I deal with Potter. But, Hermione, McNair's disappearance is not the end of the world," he said trying to calm her.

Hermione didn't miss the fact that he gave her a choice, nor the fact that he said McNair disappeared not that he was actually dead. And Hermione had no doubts that the man was dead. Draco had definitely killed him last night. She took a breath and nodded. "I'll come downstairs. I want to be with you."

"Then we had better get dressed." He helped her up off the floor and pulled her into his arms for a last embrace. "Although the last thing I want is to leave this room or to let you out of my arms."

She melted into his arms and breathed in his scent, relishing the peace that being in his arms brought her.

"Follow my lead downstairs?" Draco asked.

Hermione closed her eyes in contentment. At his whispered question she looked up at him, knowing that this would be the beginning of many times she would have to hide something from her best friend. She was the mate of a Loup-garou and, while she didn't know everything about what that meant, she knew they never revealed themselves. "Of course."

He kissed her deeply for a moment before leading her from the Den and back into the master suite. Hermione had just closed the door to the bathroom when Dilly popped into the room, wringing her small hands. "Master, Mr. Potter is here. He is being very angry, Master."

"Show him to the dining room and fetch him some tea; tell him we'll be right down, Dilly," he said taking fresh clothes out of his closet. He knew with Potter on the rampage that neither of them would have time for a shower, so he washed quickly and then got dressed. Just as he was tucking in his shirt, Hermione emerged out of the bathroom looking ready to take on the day as she awkwardly finished fastening the last button on her blouse. The oriental collar on her new white silk blouse concealed the freshly healing cut on her neck perfectly and complimented the light pink, chiffon, A-line skirt that hit just below the knee. As she walked forward it swished, offering a flirting look at her knees that tempted a man to wonder about the creamy skin of her thighs.

"You look beautiful," Draco said. Appreciating the vision in front of him, he pulled her in for a last kiss before heading downstairs. Her hand on his arm, Draco's wolf growled in pleasure when he smelled his own scent still lingering on his mate. She was his.

When they walked into the dining room Harry shot to his feet.

"What the bloody hell are you playing at, Malfoy?!"

To Hermione's surprise Draco didn't react to Harry's outburst other than to accent his cool, arrogant mask with a cocked eyebrow. "What are you blathering on about now?"

As Draco handed her into her usual chair on his right, Hermione watched Harry turn red.

"MCNAIR! Kreacher traced him to within a block of your London town home before he disappeared. Without his wand! Coincidentally, the same night you unexpectedly relocate back to Malfoy Manor. Now I ask you again, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE PLAYING AT?!" Harry raged.

Still raw from the attack, Harry's shouting caused Hermione's emotions to rise to the surface, and she began to shake as Draco exploded.

"DISAPPEARED! You LOST him? You told me your people had it under control! This is the second time your people have let him get away! What happens when he goes back to Lestrange and tells them that we're on to him? Bloody Hell, Potter!"

"US?! What about You! You were close enough to have seen him! What did you do with him, Malfoy?!"

"What do you mean, 'What did you do with him'? What exactly are you accusing me of, Potter?!" Draco leaned forward menacingly.

"We didn't find a trace of him. Pretty hard to Disapparate WITHOUT YOUR WAND! The man disappeared a block from your town home and all we found was his wand!"

"Stop!" Hermione cried out. "Please, stop it the both of you!"

Draco looked at Hermione and noted how pale she looked, the tears in her eyes and the shaking of her hands. Their eyes met and she saw his concern.

"H-harry." Her voice broke and she tried again. "Harry, Draco brought me back to the Manor because I-" She thought about her reaction to the park and allowed her eyes to well up and spill over.

"What, Hermione? What happened?" Harry asked, kneeling in front of her.

Hermione felt awful at the thought of lying to her best friend. She looked up and let it rush out. "I wasn't doing well so close to the park because of ... b-because of what happened. I haven't been able to sleep at night, and then last night, w-walking past it back to the h-house, I had an anxiety attack. Draco caught me before I f-fainted and was good enough to m-move us back to the Manor to h-help me c-calm down." She was almost hyperventilating and tried not to let the threatening sobs break free.

Draco was impressed. Nothing she had said so far was a lie, just severely edited. Her panic however was more than distressing. He wanted to go to her, but Potter was in no way finished questioning her yet and wouldn't put up with the intrusion.

Harry looked at Hermione's face and read the shame and fear there. "So Malfoy was with you all night?"

Hermione nodded, head down and staring at her lap. "Y-yes." She looked up. "He was with m-me all night, Harry."

"Did you see anyone else there last night? Could someone have followed you? Someone who could've taken Henry McNair?"

More tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks as she tried to calm herself. "No. We didn't s-see anyone like that."

Harry heaved out a sigh and cupped her cheek. "Alright. I'm sorry, 'Mione." He kissed her forehead and straightened looking at Draco. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions."

Draco looked down at Hermione and met her gaze. He flicked his eyes to the ceiling and then cocked an eyebrow—silently asking her if she wanted to go back upstairs.

She shook her head slightly and reached over to the arm of the chair he usually occupied next to hers.

Draco looked at Harry and narrowed his eyes before sitting at the table and pouring Hermione her usual coffee and adding sugar. He hoped the heat from the cup and the familiar ritual would offer her the comfort he couldn't at the moment. Adopting an arrogant pose, Draco leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs, resting his elbows on the arms of the chair and lacing his fingers together.

"I don't appreciate being accused of kidnapping, Potter. Nor do I appreciate you barging in here, screaming and yelling when you should be out there looking for McNair."

Harry didn't miss the silent conversation that Draco and Hermione had had. He also didn't miss Draco pouring her preferred morning coffee—correctly served with two sugars—or that when he had sat and crossed his legs, that his foot came to rest against Hermione's leg, or the fact that Hermione seemed to be able to bring herself under control at the contact. "I've already apologized for that, but you can't say that you wouldn't have made the same leap."

"Perhaps. But what I want to know is how this happened—again. How was he allowed to get so close to us in the first place? As I said, that's twice your people have lost him. How are you going to ensure that Hermione's and my cover isn't blown? I'm expecting another summons to the Dark Court any day now, and I don't want us to walk into a trap." Draco knew that there was virtually no chance of that, as McNair had made it clear that he had wanted to capture them and then go to Lestrange. It was improbable that he had talked to them first. McNair would have needed something to distract from the fact that he had been uncovered as the mole. Revealing Draco as a spy and killing Hermione as his accomplice would have done job perfectly.

Harry sat in an empty chair heavily rubbing his tired eyes. "I don't know. I wish I did. We know he can't do much without a wand. I put out notices at all the local wand makers, so he won't be able to purchase one without us knowing about it."

Draco looked at Hermione. "Would you call for tea and a light lunch to be brought to the Library? This may take a while and we are going to need the space and reference materials there."

"Of course." Hermione took the opportunity to leave the room and compose herself. She also asked for one of the elves to fetch her notes from the London house. She knew Draco would want this to be believable.

CT

Harry watched the still shaky Hermione leave the room and then turned to look at Draco. "Is there something I need to know about you and Hermione?"

Draco thought about what to say. He was a naturally reserved individual and talking about his personal affairs and feelings went against that nature. "Hermione is a very special woman."

Harry's lips quirked. "I asked you if there was something I needed to know about the two of you, not something that I knew already. She's always been special."

"I know that," Draco said quietly.

Harry studied him for a long moment. "The teasing when we were kids was never about her blood was it?"

"No." Draco cleared his throat unnecessarily. "No, it wasn't. If they had known how I felt about her, it would have painted a target on both of us."

Harry chuckled. "Well, it's nice to know that my instincts about you in Sixth year were right. I wish I could tell Ron. So where do the two of you stand?"

"Are you asking because of the mission or as her brother?" Draco asked with more than a hint of sarcasm.

Harry aimed a glare at Draco. "Hermione is the only family I have. I would ask the question even if there were no mission. So I ask again, where do the two of you stand?"

"Let's just say that the relationship part of our assignment is no longer a sham."

Harry went to say something but Draco cut him off. "And if you ever come in here shouting accusations like you did and upset her to the point of tears again, not even your status as the 'Chosen One' will stop me from hexing you into next month. Are we clear?"

"Fine. But let me make myself clear. She's been through enough in her life. You hurt her, and no one will ever find your body," Harry challenged, levelling a positively lethal look at Draco.

"How very Slytherin of you, Potter," Draco sneered.

Their staring contest was interrupted when the door opened and Hermione came in followed by a small elf. She saw the tense postures and raised her eyebrows. "Is everything alright in here?"

Draco stood. "Everything is fine. Do you have your notes?"

Hermione nodded and suggested they move to the library, where for the next few hours they went over all the new information. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at the careful distance between Harry and Draco, each sitting at separate ends of the table and using her as a buffer.

There really was a lot of material to go over, and Harry was especially interested in the initials MP on the file register. He decided to pull a few strings as head of the department and get Millie Price's Ministry file. The timing of Dennis Creevey's abduction and the date that it was signed out couldn't be a coincidence.

Draco was arranging for a small shipment of dragon blood for the Dark Court. He and Harry were hoping that, because it was so valuable, it would be taken back to their headquarters. Harry had bought a Muggle tracking device, and it would be hidden in the crate so they could get a possible location.

It was late evening before their plans were set and Harry left under the cover of his invisibility cloak. Hermione walked back into the library after seeing Harry out. Draco held out his hand to her and when she took it, he pulled her into his lap, pressing his face in to her hair and breathing deeply.

"I missed you," he growled.

Hermione ran her fingers through his hair, her nails scratching his scalp lightly. "You've been with me all day."

"No, I've sat across the room from you all day. I missed having you here, safe and warm in my arms." He pushed her away slightly and pushed her hair behind one ear. "How are you?"

She took a breath and smiled a bit. "Better now. Do you think Harry believed us?"

Draco chuckled. "How could he not? We never lied to him." His eyes met her and he cupped her cheek. "You were amazing, love. Are you okay with what happened today?"

"McNair can't hurt anyone anymore and we may have plugged a leak at the Ministry. He may not have been tried and punished by the Wizengamot, but he died in the process of committing a crime. I hate lying to Harry—yes, I know I didn't actually lie, but you can't say I told the whole truth either. As Deputy Commissioner, I wilfully covered up the circumstances surrounding the death of a wanted fugitive, which goes against my oath as an officer of the Ministry; and if found out, would earn me a cell in Azkaban." She concentrated on twisting her fingers as she tried to make sense of her feelings.

Draco watched her face carefully, watched as she struggled to reconcile her beliefs with the new relationship they were in and all the repercussions it would have on her life.

She continued arguing with herself aloud. "But as someone who still champions the rights of House Elves, Centaurs, Merpeople and the like; I have to believe that by doing these things I'm protecting the rights of a secretive species that deserves to live in a world that's safe for everyone. I may not be going by the book on this one, but it's not the first time I've broken the rules for the greater good; and if he knew, I think Harry would agree with me as well." She looked up at Draco. "And I love you. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to keep you safe."

Draco pulled her back into the cradle of his arms, hugging her to him he pressed a kiss to her temple. "It isn't always going to be like this, I promise. There are very few times that we have to actively cover up what we are. As you said the wizarding world as a whole has never even heard of us."

"You say 'us' as if I'm—" She stopped, not wanting to say it out loud for fear of someone overhearing. There was also a small part of her that was still afraid that he might reject her, or that this new relationship might not be as permanent as she hoped.

"Hey." Draco tipped her head up so he could look at her. Seeing the hesitation and doubt in her eyes, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her upstairs. Within minutes they were back in the hidden study, back in their Den.

He set her down in one of the large chairs and knelt at her feet. Leaning forward, he kissed her tenderly. "I know we haven't spent much time together and that we have only just declared ourselves, but I have watched and longed for you for years, wished I was the type of man who deserved you. I've loved you from the shadows and only dreamed of a day when I could call you mine since we were children. I want to spend every day of the rest of our lives making you happy. When this is over, I want to take you to France. I want introduce you to my Clan. Hermione, I want to claim you as my mate. I love you, Hermione Granger, and you would make me the happiest of men if you would do me the great honour of becoming my bonded mate."

Hermione felt tears welling up, her hand went to her mouth as she nodded unable to say everything she had running through her mind. "That sounds like a pretty serious proposal. But, Draco, I have no idea what that means." This beautiful, powerful man; the man that had both tormented and saved her; the man who had become the centre of her world wanted to make her the centre of his.

A wave of possessiveness washed through Draco, bringing her hand to his lips he kissed her knuckles. "I love you," he said, looking into her eyes.

"I love you too," Hermione murmured before leaning down into his arms.

"You're right. I'll tell you everything." He rubbed his hand up and down her back as he gathered his thoughts. "I said that my Clan was located in the French Alps and that every five years the Clan gathers. We do it for several reasons, but the one that concerns us is the mating. It isn't very often that a human is brought in as an initiate, but like I said, a mating of that nature is revered among the Loup-garou."

"What does it involve? Becoming a Loup-garou?" The two sides of Hermione were at war with each other. The academic side wanted to know and document every aspect of the fascinating rituals and practices of an ancient and mythical race. The woman in her was both eager and terrified to find out how she was to become a Loup-garou. Would it hurt? Could it fail? If it didn't work would she die? What if the Clan told Draco that she wasn't an acceptable mate for him?

Draco could feel her breath on his chest, the nervousness rising in her, and pulled her tighter. "It's a ritual involving a potion, blood, and a bite."

Her eyes widened and she sat back to look at him. "Draco, that sounds like dark magic."

He thought for a long moment. "Once, magic was neither dark nor light; it was only the intention behind it that determined whether it was good or bad. The ritual stems from that time. It is a magic that has been passed down for thousands of years and is a sacred part of our race."

Long moments passed as she processed the information. "Can you tell me more? About what I can expect?"

"I've haven't seen a ritual before, but my father had and he explained it to me. He and my mother had to go through it when they mated. Mother was a Black and, as you know, they are only Pureblood wizard. After the initiate is presented and the mating accepted by the Clan, the ritual is performed on the night before the full moon. Words are spoken over the couple, and the initiate is given a potion mixed with the blood of their mate to drink. The initiate is then joined by their mate on the altar to be bitten and marked in front of the assembled Clan, to join the two as one and seal the mating. Afterwards, the changing initiate is taken by their mate to a secure den site where the mating is consummated. The initiate's mate watches over them until the transformation is complete which happens at the rise of the full moon." Draco explained with a furrowed brow as he concentrated on the remembered details.

None of the details sounded outrageous, but the biting and marking made her extremely nervous. How bad was the bite?

"You're nervous." Draco stated, brushing a tendril of her hair back. "Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"T-the bite." She stuttered a bit. "The thought of being bitten scares me. And the transformation; will it hurt?"

"I won't lie. The first transformation is painful. Your bones and muscles are being forced in ways they never have before, but after that first transformation it never hurts again. Your body remembers the path and it's as easy as slipping on a cloak."

"And the bite?"

Draco cupped her cheek in his palm. "I will make it as painless as possible. I can't promise that won't hurt at all, but I can tell you that my teeth are extremely sharp. They'll slide in easily and I won't be biting hard enough to bruise or tear. The ritual demands that as you took my blood in the potion, I must take yours. The marking warns all others that you are my mate and that you are a full-fledged member of the Clan."

Hermione nodded, understanding that it was necessary. She trusted him when he said he would try not to hurt her. "And that's everything?"

"After you transform at moon-rise we join the hunt. When you are blooded then the ritual is complete."

"Blooded?" Hermione was alarmed. What did he mean by blooded?

Draco stoked her hair, comforting her. "That part is the least of your worries. Once you run as a wolf, it's the most natural thing in the world to join your mate and the rest of the pack on the hunt. Don't worry about what we will be hunting, humans are not our prey; most likely it will be a wild boar or some kind of deer. As your mate, it is my duty and privilege to provide for you. After the ordeal of your first transformation, you'll likely be too tired to end up doing the actual killing but it is important that you feed. The fresh blood will replace the energy lost during your first transformation and eliminate any lingering pain."

He looked at her worried face and tried to calm her. "Honestly, Hermione, that will be the easiest part. I promise." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "I'll take care of you. I'll be there at your side every minute." Hugging her to him, he began running his hands up and down her back; loving the feeling of her small body pressed against his. The silhouette of their kneeling figures against the crackling fire threw shadows around the room.

He pulled back to look in her eyes. "Feel better?" When she nodded shakily, he decided not to press it. She was still so fragile and needed to rest after learning so much. They had time. She was worth waiting for.

Hermione felt his fingers starting to press into her, kneading, instead of caressing; clutching, instead of comforting. The desire she felt coming from his hands increased her own need. Her breaths came out in more of a pant, and she tipped her head back, needing to feel his kiss.

Draco's lips covered hers as his tongue invaded in long possessive thrusts, claiming her mouth completely. She moaned as his hand pressed against the skin at her back while the other undid the buttons of her blouse. As he pushed the blouse off her shoulders, his mouth moved to her neck and bare collarbone. Hermione gasped and clutched at his shoulders to keep from collapsing as his breath washed over her, gooseflesh breaking out on her arms.

"So beautiful." Draco's voice was hoarse as he trailed kisses over her nearly bare chest. "You smell so good."

Hermione felt herself being pulled forward as Draco lay back on the rug in front of the fireplace. The heat from the fire was nothing compared to the feeling of Draco's mouth as it covered her neck and the swell of her breasts with soft kisses.

"Ah, Draco," she exhaled.

Summoning her willpower, she braced herself on one hand and unbuttoned his shirt, wanting to feel his skin against hers.

He was so warm, the leashed power barely contained by his pale skin making her feel safe and loved.

"I love the feel of your skin under my fingers, softer than the finest silk and so alive." Draco knew the sound of his voice kept her in the here and now, kept her from flashing back to her rape and torture. She was always so unaware of her own appeal that he loved to tell her the many ways she drove him to distraction. "I love the look in your eyes as I touch you, full of need and love. I can almost feel your heart beating in my body. I know mine beats only for you. Ma seule chanson."

Hermione began to pant above him, her body moving against his as he kissed and nipped at her chest. His hand slipped lower down her back and deftly took the zipper of her skirt with it before he cupped the fullness of her ass. As her hips moved, it naturally pushed her skirt down until Draco rolled her off him and it disappeared entirely. Propped on his side he looked down on her flushed face and full lips, rosy from their shared kisses.

"Hold me, Draco. I need to feel you close to me."

Her soft plea was all he needed to hear. In a blink he had stripped his pants off and pulled her nearly naked body back on top of him. Once again, only his boxers and the silk of her knickers separated them.

A gasp broke from her lips as her legs entwined with his and she inadvertently ground her center over his rock hard length. She half expected panic to flood her at the feeling but his strangled, "Hermione," brought her back to the present before the memories had a chance to take hold.

His arms wound around her back, their strength anchoring her to him and she laid her head on his chest. The sound of his heartbeat and the deep reassuring movement of his breathing surrounded her with a feeling of absolute security. One hand came up to pet her head, and she heard him inhale deeply as he pressed his face into her hair. The act of him raising his head caused his stomach muscles to clench and his pelvis to shift against hers. Desire flooded her body and she pressed down a gasp of pure pleasure making her breath catch. She leaned up needing to feel his mouth on hers.

As they kissed, each moved against the other, Draco warring with himself to go no further than she was willing to give, fighting to hold onto his control. Their kiss broke as Hermione hesitantly pushed down on him.

"Hermione … mine. So good. So close." He arched up into her gently, but as she raked her teeth along his jaw and bit down gently, the action spoke to the most primitive part of him and Draco yelled out, his release catching him by surprise.

He felt his teeth elongating in response to the stimulus, and turning his head at the last moment he bit down hard on his own forearm to keep from marking her. She had no idea how alluring she was. When the instinct of the moment had passed, and he knew he was no longer in danger of biting her, he released his arm; quickly and silently using wandless magic to seal the bite before she could notice and panic.

Pulling her close, he wound his body around hers, ignoring the slickness that now coated both their torsos, the animal in him demanding that she be covered in his scent if he wouldn't claim her completely. The throbbing pain in his arm leftover from the barely healed bite was a minor annoyance compared to the bliss of holding her so close and so calm.

In contrast with the possession and restrained domination of his body, his kiss was tenderness and love, gently caressing her lips and wordlessly conveying his devotion. The comfort of having him near lulled her into a light sleep, relaxed and at peace.

The fire was dying as he lay dozing, content with his mate in his arms, safe in their Den; her lingerie clad form entwined with his like two puzzle pieces, but the room was cooling and he felt a shiver run through her. He hugged her close and pressed a kiss to her temple before shifting them so they could sit up. She was adorably tousled, her eyes still half lidded in the aftermath of their interlude and nap. Needing to keep her close but wanting to care for her, Draco scooped her up in his arms and carried her from their Den into the master bath. He sat her on the edge of the tub, and she watched as he ran the water, testing the temperature and adding bath salts. When it was ready he stopped and looked deeply in her eyes, an unspoken question clearly displayed in the storm grey depths.

Tentatively, she reached out and gently pulled his body towards her, wordlessly granting him permission to stay with her. He held his breath as a hand reached out and a single finger slipped under the strap of her bra. At her whimper he stopped. Tears were threatening as her personal demons rose up against her once again. Without any hesitation he withdrew his hand and stepped into the tub, still wearing his boxers. He carefully turned to lift her lingerie clad body in with him, and before long he had her settled against his chest, the warmth of the water soaking into them. He took his time washing her arms, her back, massaging her shoulders and neck. Every now and then he would kiss her lightly, sometimes her temple, her neck, the curve of her elbow. Not once did he attempt to remove her underthings or his.

Tears slipped from her eyes at the care he lavished on her. She knew he wanted so much more from her, but he refused to push for it, refused to do anything that might remind her of things she would rather forget. Slowly he was claiming her body as his own, taking back the parts of her that had been stolen, erasing the touch of someone who had no right to steal it. Draco's every touch showed the depth of his love and devotion to her.

When they were both clean and dried, he helped her into a silk nightgown and pulled on clean boxers, his back turned allowing her to remove the wet bra and panties without embarrassment. They returned to his room to find dinner waiting for them. Hermione smiled and spread a blanket on the floor, pulling him down with her so they could eat picnic style. Few words were exchanged as they tenderly fed each other between gentle touches and loving looks.

Hermione stifled a yawn just as the clock struck ten. It was relatively early but the emotional highs and lows of the day were catching up with her.

"Tired, ma chanson?" Draco asked softly brushing her cheek with his knuckles.

She nodded, a sleepy smile on her face. "Come to bed with me?"

"Love to." Draco crawled into bed that night with the woman of his dreams cuddled into his side.

"What does it mean?" Hermione whispered. "That name you call me."

Draco smiled in the darkness. "My song. Ma seule chanson, my only song."

"I love you," she whispered and pressed a kiss over his heart before slipping off to sleep.

Even though she hadn't said yes when he had asked her to be his mate, he knew it was a huge decision to make. She was still here; she hadn't been scared off. The Slytherin in him could construe that their interlude after he explained the mating process had been a yes, but the man who had watched this woman for years knew that waiting for her to say it out loud freely and with love would be worth it. For now he was content to hold her, and thinking about the possibility of a future with her; he was the happiest he had ever been in his life.

A small voice in the back of his mind wondered how long it would last.

CT

Draco awoke to the sound of tapping at his window. The room was pitch black and silent except for the rhythmic sounds of Hermione's breathing. She was lying across his chest sound asleep. Not wanting the owl at the window to wake her, he eased out from under her sated body, shushing her when she whimpered, softly protesting his loss. Pulling on his robe, he went to the window and took the letter that was tied to the owl's leg.

It was a very abrupt demand for his presence at Court. Immediately. The letter came with a knut enclosed, and Draco knew it was a Portkey. He frowned, this wasn't good. He hadn't been expecting a summons for another few days, and this one wasn't worded in an inviting manner. He was almost finished dressing when he heard her voice.

"Draco?" Hermione sat up, missing his warmth beside her.

He looked over at her small body lost in the expanse of their bed. She looked adorable, all sleep rumbled and confused.

"Draco?" she called again sounding worried.

"I'm here, ma chanson." She wasn't going to take this well. Going back to the bed, he took her in his arms. "Hermione, I have to go."

"What? Where?" She looked up at his face, worried. "What's going on?"

"I've been summoned to the Dark Court."

"Now? It's the middle of the night?" Taking in the look on his face she knew this wasn't a normal summoning. "I'll come with you." She made to get out of the bed but he held her down.

"You can't, love. If I brought you with me they'd kill you. I'll be alright." He kissed her softly before leaning his forehead against hers. "I love you. I'll be back as soon as I can." He kissed her mouth one more time. "I love you."

He pulled back swiftly and picked up the charmed knut.

"Draco, no—wait!" But he was gone.

Her panic rising, Hermione reached for her wand. Giving it a wave, she started to cry when nothing happened. Simple spells were still difficult with her off hand, and her dominant one wasn't strong enough to grip her wand. Summoning all her will, she tried to cast her Patronus again. A small wisp of silvery mist drifted out of the end but it wasn't enough. Again and again she tried but her panic and disability made it impossible.

"Kreacher!" she screamed.

There was a crack and the battle hardened little elf was standing in front of her. Seeing her tear stained face he stepped forward, hand tentatively outstretched. "Miss Granger?"

"Harry … I need Harry. Draco …" she sobbed, her breath catching, making it impossible for a coherent explanation.

Kreacher faded away with a snap of his fingers. Hermione was hyperventilating by the time he returned, Harry's arm in his grasp.

Harry was sleep rumbled and barely dressed, completely confused. He snapped out of it the minute he saw Hermione's face.

He rushed to the bed taking in her near nakedness wearing only a tiny nightgown under the sheet clutched to her chest. He took off his own hastily pulled on robe to drape around her shoulders. "What happened? Did he do something to you? Where is he? I'll Kill him for this!"

Realizing that Harry was getting the wrong idea, Hermione took a huge gulp of air. "D-draco … gone. They s-summoned h-h-him."

"Breathe, 'Mione. Breathe. Slow down and tell me again." Harry was partially relieved and partially worried. Obviously he had jumped to conclusions when it came to Hermione, but it was plain to see that she was terrified for a reason.

"L-letter," Hermione pointed.

But before they could reach it, it disappeared in a puff of green smoke. Harry cursed and Hermione cried even harder.

It was several minutes before Harry could calm her down enough to get the story out of Hermione.

"We have to find him! He's in trouble. I know it! Harry, please!"

Harry looked at Hermione's tear filled face. He had never seen her this upset, not when Dumbledore had died, not when Ron had left in the middle of hunting Horcruxes, not when Fred or Sirius had died, and not even when her parents had effectively replaced her. She looked as if her very soul was being torn in two.

"I want to find him, I do, but 'Mione, we have no idea where to look. He said he would be back; we're going to have to wait for him. He's been doing this a long time; he knows what he's doing," Harry said rubbing her back.

"We have to do something!" she cried.

"I'll go to the office and make some inquiries. Maybe I'll be able to figure out what made them call him in. I'll also call in some Aurors and put them on stand-by in case he comes back with a location for us to attack." He hated to leave her like this but just in case members of the Dark Court brought Draco back, Harry couldn't risk being caught here and blowing Draco's cover. He kissed her forehead and went downstairs to floo back to Grimmald Place, leaving Kreacher to guard her.

Hermione hurriedly pulled on Draco's discarded shirt as soon as Harry and Kreacher left the room and went to their Den. The images of Lucius and Narcissa were waiting.

"I need to find him," Hermione said. "I don't know if I have the right to ask, but I need you to visit all your other paintings and see if you can find him."

Lucius spoke first. "You are our son's mate, even if you aren't a full member of the Clan yet we have an obligation to you."

Narcissa's image carried a worried frown. "We'll do what we can, but the Dark Court is a devious bunch and magical paintings aren't hung in sensitive areas for just this reason."

"Please, I have to do something." Hermione's voice cracked as tears threatened again.

"Of course," Narcissa said. The painted figures of Draco's parents exchanged a look and left the frame, leaving Hermione to pace.

CT

Draco's last glimpse of Hermione was one of dawning panic. He knew leaving her this way would worry her, but there was no way he would allow her to face the Dark Court when he was being summoned like this.

Draco's feet had no sooner hit the ground than his body was hit with an excruciating wave of pain that dropped him to the cold marble floor. He had too much experience with it to not instantly recognize the Cruciatus curse. His screams echoed off the walls as the curse burned through his veins, making him feel as if his very flesh was being ripped from him.

And then it stopped.

"Tell me, nephew, how is it that two of the invisibility cloaks that you supplied us, failed? Two of our Court were captured and are awaiting trial at Azkaban. Phrase your answer carefully, Draco."

Draco lay gasping on the floor at his Uncle Rodolphus' feet. He glanced around to see dozens of cloaked and hooded figures. It looked like the majority of the Court had been assembled for his punishment.

"I-invisibility cloaks … are hard ... to come by. Two of … them were … obtained through other means." Draco didn't want to tell them that he had gotten the cloaks from Mundungus Fletcher. Draco inwardly cursed himself for getting anything from that two bit, no good, waste of flesh.

"Those cloaks were supposed to be used to support our cause, not cripple it," Rodolphus hissed out.

"They were—Arghhh!" Pain ripped through him again, and he knew at this point that there would be no use in trying to talk his way out of it. Tonight would be nothing but punishment.

Draco wasn't sure how long it went on for. Time ceased to have any meaning, his sole focus was maintaining his human form; severe stress could force his change. He could feel his wolf snarling and pacing at the trauma he was being forced to endure. Gasping for air in between screams of agony, he thought only of Hermione and the danger she would be in if he failed. He remembered the sight of the firelight highlighting the red and gold in her hair, the warm scent of her skin, and the way she looked as she fell apart in his arms as she reached her peak. He thought of the way she had a special smile that was just for him and the way she looked as she thought her way through a difficult problem. He couldn't fail her; he wouldn't fail her. This was no less than he deserved for standing by and doing nothing the night she was tortured in front of him.

The torture stopped for a moment and he lay on the floor twitching as he tried to regain his breath.

"Now that we have your attention. You will make reparations to this Court for your substandard contributions." Rodolphus sounded happy which was never a good thing.

"We should kill him!" Alecto squealed excitedly.

"Now, now Alecto," Rodolphus placated her.

"NO! Not only did we lose Baddock and Derrick, but he refused to hand over the slave for auction. She was supposed to be mine! Mine!"

Draco could see the insanity swirling in Alecto's eyes, and he was forcibly reminded of his Aunt Bellatrix.

"To be fair, I could have been the one to purchase her." Nott's voice came out of the shadows sounding bored.

"We all wanted our shot at the bloody Princess! I made him a fair offer and he refused," Blaise snarled.

"Which is why it's called an offer, Zabini," Nott said.

Alecto let out an aggravated scream. "NO! She's MINE! It's my turn! Kill him and give her to me, my Lord. I want the Princess," she whined to Rodolphus.

Draco listened to their bickering back and forth through the fog of pain, wishing they would all just turn on each other. The difference between this new generation of the Court and the last was obvious and almost laughable. In the days of the Dark Lord, no one spoke; no one dared draw attention to themselves. Now dear Uncle Rodolphus, the self-proclaimed Lord's Darkness, couldn't keep the members of the Court from arguing and complaining, whining like children.

"May I point out, my Lord; Lord Malfoy has been valuable to us up until this point. Not to mention that his little pet is very highly placed in the Ministry and could be very valuable to us in the coming months. If she goes missing now it could very well shine unwanted attention on us."

"Always the voice of reason, Nott." Rodolphus mused.

"He cannot be allowed to get away with this!" Zabini raged. "He cost us two loyal members!"

"I want the pet! Please, my Lord; the Princess," Aleco whined.

"ENOUGH!" Rodolphus yelled over all of them.

Draco thought it funny that never once had he ever heard the Dark Lord raise his voice above a hiss but his self-appointed successor spent plenty of time yelling to get attention.

"There is a solution to all of this. Draco, you have one week to have your pet get us the complete contents of the Muggle-born Registry, after which you will present her for auction. If you fail then your life will be forfeit." An Evil smirk crossed his face and Draco knew that it wasn't the end of it. "Now as for the matter of the arrest of Derrick and Baddock—due to the defective invisibility cloaks you provided; Zabini, I believe you should be the one to dole out his punishment. Alecto won't be able to control herself and she might kill him by mistake."

Draco saw Zabini advance on him with a cruel smile on his face.

"Make him pay!" Alecto screamed.

"But don't kill him," Rudolphus added.

Searing agony ripped through Draco's body, and he watched his own blood spill on the floor underneath him.


A/N: I know, I know. Evil cliffie. Bad author! Stay sane peeps. I won't make you wait too long for the next one. Leave me a review. If only to yell.