Author's Note: ALL HP characters are owned by JK Rowling
The Hangover
Hermione waited patiently but fearfully in the tree. The three wolves seemed to be calming down. Their breathing was returning to normal, and there was very little meat left. Hermione looked closely and realized that these wolves were the largest ones she had ever seen in her life.
The wolves then suddenly ran off in the opposite direction, in which Hermione was going. She waited for another half hour before climbing down. Hermione rushed along, knowing that she didn't want to run into the wolves, and that she probably wouldn't reach her grandmother's until after dark.
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The three wolves had reached the stream near Hermione's home, by this time they had changed back to their human forms. The three young men were naked, bloody and exposed. They jumped in the stream to bathe, and then ran to Hermione's cottage. No one was home.
"We have to break into that cottage, we need to find some clothes!" Draco exclaimed. Unlike the other two wolves, Draco was possessed of a well muscled body, but had pasty white skin. Bracken and Brody were just as well muscled, but had lovely tanned skin. Draco felt very self-conscious.
Bracken walked around the cottage unabashedly naked. There he found one of the windows open. Pushing open the window, he called to Draco and Brody to walk around to the other side of the house. The three men climbed in and started looking around for something to where. Draco happened upon an oak chest. It was old, and dusty and the lock was rusted shut. He looked around to make sure he was alone, and waved his hand, muttering alohamora.
The lock broke free, flinging rust everywhere. Inside male clothing lay folded neatly, a little old fashioned, but something to get them to their next adventure. Dressed and ready to regroup, the men settled in the kitchen to regroup.
"What the hell happened back there in the forest?" Draco asked.
"Bloodlust. It's very dangerous, something even the most skilled werewolves have trouble controlling." Brody rejoined.
"That's behind us now, we have to find Little Red. She wasn't in the forest, and if she was, we probably missed her due to the bloodlust." Bracken stated.
"I bet this is her cottage. If that's the case, where is her mother?" Draco asked.
"With Troy and Ewan, can't you smell them? They were here."
"I smell three others, but I don't know which one is Red's mother, which one is Little Red and which one isn't." Draco replied. The others stood very still, and smelled there air. There was definitely a fifh persons scent. The scent didn't seem to really permeate in the house, it seemed to come from outside.
"Someone else has been here, but who?" Bracken asked.
"We can find out, there is an entrance to the lair near by, we need to go and find out what's going on." Brody suggested.
"You have a lair?" Draco asked incredulously.
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Hermione had finally reached her Grandmother's cottage. She approached it cautiously, knowing that something was supposed to be there in the place of her grandmother. She quietly walked up to the window and peaked in. Her grandmother was sitting in her chair.
Hermione frowned, because she knew something was not right. She was torn between staying outside for a while, or just going in. The day was approaching a fast end, and she had made good time after spotting the three wolves in the forest. Hermione decided she would go into the stable and take one of the horses and ride into town. Something didn't feel right, and she couldn't put her finger on it.
Inside the cottage, Haas waited impatiently. He didn't know how long he would be trapped in this disguise, but he wanted this whole bounty to be over. Ignacio hadn't returned yet, and that worried him even more. Then again, Ignacio would probably die of fright if he had seen Haas, thinking perhaps he was the ghost of the dead woman.
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Draco and the guys were preparing to leave the cottage, when suddenly a wave of nausea swept through Draco.
"What's wrong?' Bracken asked, when he saw Draco's face, paler than usual.
"I feel like I'm going to be sick."
"Ah, that's just the bloodlust hangover. Gorging on bloody meat can do that to you." That was all Draco needed to hear. He ran for the door, and promptly ruined Bianca's flower garden.
"You get used to it. Before you know it, it will just be a passing wave, instead of intense sickness." Brody said. The men headed over to the tree in which Biana, Ewan and Troy had entered. When Draco passed through to the other side, he stood gaping. He had never seen a lair like this before, but then again he had never seen a lair period. They were in another part of the forest. It was hidden off by a huge stone wall, it surround the perimeter of the lair. There were nice cottages and healthy people all around. Troy came running up to them suddenly.
"Where have you three been all this time? We have Bianca here."
"Who is Bianca?" Bracken asked.
"Little Red's mother, she's here and safe. Where is Little Red, did you find her?" Troy asked.
"No, we met a hunter and he had blood snares all around, so we were all in the throws of bloodlust. We have no idea if she was in the forest or not." By this time, Ewan had come on the scene.
"I think you had better go and look for her." Ewan replied.
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Hermione wandered about the village, even selling some wares, wondering how she was going to explain the missing items to her grandmother. Her grandmother. Hermione's thoughts kept drifting back to her grandmother sitting in her chair. Something just didn't feel right. She knew the story, and her grandmother was NOT supposed to be there.
There was only one thing to do, and that was to return to the cottage and face the last bit of the fairy tale. Hermione prayed that Draco would come in time to save her.
