5th August 2002
On the day of the Wizengamot hearing, Draco and Hermione both woke up nervous. While she was now claimed and relatively safe, the hearing still mattered; future generations of Alphas and Omegas would have to live by them. Hermione didn't want any other Omega females to go through what she had with Cormac, and she'd do anything she could to stop it.
She had given Theo a written statement detailing every interaction she could remember having with the Alphas in Britain, along with relevant health details about her delayed heats from St. Mungo's and any research she'd compiled so far. Secretly, Hermione was hoping the Wizengamot would also consider funding more research on Alphas and Omegas to give witches and wizards a better overall understanding. In addition, she wanted Muggle-borns to be educated about the designations before they hit puberty. Theo knew about this ambitious list and had promised to do his best to secure everything he could for her.
Hermione stood in her closet, trying to figure out what to wear. Draco's clothes hung where Ron's used to, and Hermione still found it a bit surreal. He had moved out of Malfoy Manor and into her normal, modest house, and he seemed to love it. Darcie had come with them, as well. Since she had cared for Draco his whole life, she refused to leave his side. Hermione just accepted her help and didn't fight her about wages; the elf was never mistreated, had plenty of time to herself, and was clearly devoted to Draco.
With a sigh, she pulled out a modest blue blouse and a pair of high-waisted grey trousers. She allowed Darcie to style her hair so it would hold all day — it would be one less thing for her to fidget with while they sat in the courtroom. Draco had dressed in all black wizarding robes as a sign of respect to the elders on the Wizengamot, his pureblood roots just as strong as ever when it came to formal proceedings.
Hermione considered her life since discovering she was an Omega and found herself wondering if things would be different if she had known about her designation before sixth year. She certainly would've understood why she was attracted to Draco, but would it have stopped her from shagging him that first time?
She wasn't sure. It wouldn't have changed their past at all, but, if she had known then, she probably would've feared it changing their future. She knew she wouldn't have made such a life-altering decision lightly, but she wasn't sure if she would've been able to resist the pull she had felt that first night.
At this point in her life, she was glad she hadn't known. Draco was incredibly precious to her, the love of her life, and she cherished their bond. They somehow survived every obstacle thrown in their paths and found their way back together, so it was senseless to play the 'what-if' game. But her mind wouldn't stop, wondering if changing the way students were educated about Alphas and Omegas would lead to missed connections in the future. If there was a chance for a happy accident to bring two unlikely people together… didn't they deserve that? If it led to them feeling the love she felt with Draco, shouldn't she butt out and let it happen?
And then she spiraled back around to McLaggen. She didn't want any woman to go through the fear she'd lived through when she thought Cormac would claim her. Her mind had been spinning in circles, and she was stalling, not wanting to head into the Ministry for the hearing. Ultimately, she knew there would be a crowd there, people who would want to gawk and gape at the Alphas and the Omega.
Likely feeling her stress and anxiety, Draco came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck softly. "I know this is going to be a hard day," he began, "but it's for the best. Everything is going to be okay, love. At the very least, we're going to get people thinking about these disgusting laws."
"I know," she sighed.
Squeezing her a bit tighter, he stroked his tongue over the bruised spot on her neck. "But I don't want you to cover this when we go. I want all of them to be able to see it. You're mine, Granger, and I don't want any of the other Alphas to forget it."
Hermione looked at the mark on her neck and her body started to heat. She pulled away from Draco and pointed a finger at him. "You're going to put me into a state if you keep that up."
Draco scented the air. "I guess I am. You should take some suppressants, too. I don't want any of them even catching the tiniest bit of your scent."
His possessive words were twisting her insides… in the best way possible. Nodding, she headed back into the bathroom and swallowed the familiar potion, trying to calm her raging libido for the day. Once she felt a bit more in control, she walked back into the bedroom and Draco said, "Much better."
"It was your fault to begin with," she grumbled. "Think about how you'd feel if I was licking all over your neck."
He swatted her arse as she passed. "Do you really want to raise my testosterone levels today, witch?"
Hermione just laughed and made her way down the stairs, realising that he'd just been trying to redirect her focus and calm her all along.
Sneaky snake.
Draco didn't answer verbally, but she noticed the small smirk on his face.
After a light breakfast, they headed to the Ministry. Theo was pacing the hallway outside of the courtroom, clearly going over his arguments for what was likely the millionth time in a month. He had firmly held to his stance that the laws encouraged Alphas to attack Omegas, leading to the age-old debate about nature vs. nurture. Luckily for Theo, Draco was the perfect example — he hadn't known he was an Alpha, so he hadn't behaved in the typical way. There would be no one arguing against Theo. He would only have to answer any questions the Wizengamot had about his statements, and he was more than prepared to do that.
Theo also had several other witnesses lined up, such as Kingsley Shacklebolt and a few healers from St. Mungo's. Even though she hated the very thought of it, Hermione was also going to be testifying. Her journal had been transformed into a written statement, but she also wanted to speak directly to the wizards and witches who would decide the fate of the Alpha and Omega laws.
She knew more newspaper articles had been written since her attack, but she had purposely avoided reading them, not wanting to know what people were saying about her. Hermione's focus had been on Draco and the apothecary, her days filled with potions, research, and sex. They still attended brunch at the Manor on weekends and had dinner with Narcissa a few times a week, but they were enjoying their seclusion at Hermione's house in the countryside.
As she stood waiting for the courtroom doors to open, she contemplated how much her life had changed in such a short time. It had only been a little more than three months, but she felt like it had been at least a year — so much had happened. Like a movie on fast forward, she saw flashes of Draco at the Victory Ball, his platinum hair disheveled from his fingers carding through it; their first lunch together at the Muggle cafe; her arguments with Ron, Draco helping her brew potions in the lab and being excited by pens and notebooks, visiting Hogwarts and their interrupted dinner with Narcissa and Andromeda… the end of her marriage to Ron. The incident with Cormac and the subsequent fallout with Astoria.
And that was only the first month and a half.
"Love," Draco's voice broke through, beckoning her back towards reality and out of her daydream. "We can go in now. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Draco," she replied, and despite everything she'd just thought about, she really did feel fine. All of the drama and trauma had led her back to this man — to where she was supposed to be.
Taking her hand in his, he led her into the courtroom to watch Theo Nott argue a historic case against Alpha laws. The Prophet had called him a 'pureblood knight-in-shining-armour' for all Omega witches. While Hermione didn't like the way the Prophet still specified a person's blood status, she was willing to overlook it in this case; wizards like Draco and Theo hadn't been raised to give a shit what happened to Omega witches.
They were seated in the front row of the courtroom, side by side, and Draco kept her hand enclosed tightly in his. Hermione knew he was likely staking a further claim on her since there would be other Alphas in attendance. By now, everyone would know she'd been claimed and they'd be able to smell Draco's scent all over her skin. However, this would also give a visual, tethering her to him. While it was extremely unnecessary, she didn't fight him, knowing that he likely needed the contact to keep calm throughout this whole ordeal.
Harry, Ginny and, shockingly, Ron joined them in the seats. She noticed Ron's eyes on her neck, likely examining the bitemark, but she didn't acknowledge it; it wasn't the time. Her Alpha, however, must have also noticed Ron's lingering gaze — he wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, pulling her even closer and holding her hand with his free one.
Ron is not going to steal me away, Draco. For Merlin's sake, I'm sitting right beside you and everyone can see you've claimed me.
I'm not taking any chances. He took you away from me once. I won't let it happen again. I want everyone to know you're mine, especially while we're here.
Everyone already knows, but I know I'm not going to win this fight.
When several other Alphas entered the courtroom, he tightened his hold on her, his possessive and protective instincts going into overdrive. Roger Davies and Marcus Flint looked towards them, and Hermione thought she saw twinges of jealousy in their expressions. Neither of them had given her a second glance at Hogwarts, though they'd been quite a bit older than her.
Draco placed a kiss on her neck and the two men looked away, realising that she was most definitely claimed and off limits. They sat on the opposite side, likely planning on protesting any changes to the laws. After all, who would want to be governed by a law that forbade sexual assault?
Oh, right, most people already were.
Rolling her eyes at the sheer asininity of it all, she thanked her lucky stars that Draco was not like the other Alphas she'd met. It strongly supported Theo's theory — being taught from a young age that it was okay to take whatever they wanted from Omegas heightened their Alpha personalities and instincts. In her opinion, the Alpha laws had led to this type of behaviour. She hoped that the witches and wizards on the Wizengamot would agree; some good had to come from her ordeal with Cormac.
And then the quintessential Alpha arsehole walked into the courtroom, side-by-side with Anthony Goldstein and Zacharias Smith. A shiver ran through her when she thought about Cormac's statement in the lift, that he was going to claim her and give his mates a turn with her.
Disgusting.
She felt Draco tense beside her and he kissed her neck again, breathing in her scent. From what he had said, it was back to normal, though he could always smell himself on her now, too.
The other three Alphas went took seats away from Marcus Flint and Roger Davies, which she found strange. Meanwhile, a few other diminutive females older than Hermione, paired with visibly larger male partners, had entered the courtroom and sat behind their party. When Hermione turned her head, they smiled at her warmly.
Did Theo mention anything about other Omegas and their Alphas?
No, but this hearing was in the Daily Prophet, so any witch or wizard could've seen it. I'm sure you're not the only living Omega in the country.
I know I'm not. I have several customers who owl order suppressants. Let me up. I want to talk to the women behind us before everything gets started.
Draco reluctantly let go of her, and she made her way towards the other Alpha and Omega pairs. Their eyes saw the bite on her neck and visibly relaxed.
"Can we chat for a few moments?" Hermione asked, not wanting to force her presence on these women who had managed to keep their lives private throughout the years.
"Of course, dear," a woman who looked to be about twenty years Hermione's senior replied. "I was so sorry to hear about what had happened to you here in the Ministry."
Hermione smiled weakly. "Thank you. I'm hoping that some good comes from it today. I've never met another Omega before."
"Ah, well, you know we're quite private. We've always had to be," another woman responded. "Though, honestly, I wondered about you after the war. When you married the Weasley boy, I just assumed I had been wrong."
"Because of my size?" Hermione asked, curious to know what had tipped the woman off.
"Partially. I was also at the Battle of Hogwarts and saw the way the Malfoy boy looked at you. I was helping out as an unofficial healer at the time, just fixing minor injuries for people, so I was in the Great Hall when everything ended. I was getting ready to tend to Mr. Weasley before he ran to you," she explained. "I figured when Mr. Malfoy just slunk away, it had just been a weird fascination. I'd never heard of an Alpha walking away from an Omega like that. He's quite strange."
Hermione smiled. "He is, and you'll find out why today."
"Did he insist on leaving that uncovered today?" the first witch asked, gesturing to her neck.
"We both thought it would be for the best since there are likely to be more Alphas here today. He's still a bit possessive," Hermione answered.
The witches laughed, along with their Alpha mates. "He always will be. It will never change. Everything he feels for you is written all over his face. He's even watching you carefully right now."
One of the males spoke up. "His world begins and ends with you, Ms. Granger. You will be his focus and his main source of love and comfort for the rest of your lives. Even when you have children, you will still be the most important thing in his life."
Hermione had read this, but to hear it confirmed by a mated Alpha — it really hit home with her. She didn't know how to reply.
"It's overwhelming at first," the second witch commented. "But you'll get used to it. You may even grow to enjoy it a bit. It can be fun if you play it the right ways."
Hermione watched as the woman's partner leveled a glare at her. "Oh, yes, it's so much fun to make me jealous. What a wonderful game you created when you were younger," he mocked.
The woman shot her a wink.
Everything okay, Granger? Do you need me?
I'm fine. The ladies are just telling me how they like to make their Alphas jealous as a game. Nothing to worry about.
Hermione looked over her shoulder and saw Draco frowning, likely not enjoying the thought of her making him feel jealous of another man. She turned back to the women and asked their names, interested in contacting them at a later date for both research and personal reasons. She learned that they each had multiple children and had managed to keep their identities secret through arranged marriages — they were purebloods married to other purebloods.
"Ms. Granger, I hope you won't be upset that we're not going to join in the proceedings unless absolutely necessary," one of the women said. "We've managed to keep our lives private and really don't want to expose ourselves."
With a shrug, Hermione replied, "I understand. I've been in the public eye for so long that it barely phases me anymore. But can I ask one thing of you?"
They eyed her curiously.
"If it seems like it's not going our way, would you be willing to step in and lend your support? You're all from old families, and as much as I hate that it still matters to some people—"
"It does," one of the Alphas answered. "Of course, Ms. Granger. If one of my daughters was an Omega, I'd want her to be protected. I wouldn't want to arrange her marriage for her. I'd want her to have the chance to work where she pleases and meet someone and feel that connection, the one that you and Mr. Malfoy have. Samantha and I, we're a bonded pair, and love grew, but we don't have the same type of connection. I can tell just by the way he looks at you."
Hermione nodded. "So you're not soul bonded?"
"We are, but the strength of that bond can vary," he said. "I'm sure you know this — you've likely read everything you could get your hands on. From the way he keeps looking at you, I'm guessing you can communicate non-verbally. Only those with the strongest bonds can do that."
"We can," she answered. "Can any of you do that?"
Out of the three pairs, only one of them had a bond like her and Draco's.
"Was it the way it was forged?" Hermione asked aloud.
The other pair who shared the gift shook their heads. "No. We like to believe it means we were truly fated to find one another, even if we were arranged. I think we would've made our way together eventually."
Hermione smiled, knowing exactly what they meant. "I see," she replied. "Well, either way, thank you for telling me about yourselves. I know you've kept private, so I do appreciate it."
She made polite conversation, asking about their children and where they lived. She found out that they ordered their suppressants from her, and they complimented her brewing skill.
"Well, I need to be good," Hermione laughed. "I do use them myself."
One of the Alphas looked at Draco, and she followed his gaze. "He's getting anxious. Can you feel it?"
Nodding, she said, "We've both been like that all morning. This hearing is going to be a bit hard for us, I think."
The man glanced at his watch. "It'll be starting momentarily. You should go and sit with him. I'm sure he'll feel more at ease if you're touching."
Hermione felt the color rise to her cheeks, admitting to herself and the man in front of her that he was right. However, she didn't walk away immediately, opting to finish her conversations first.
When the members of the Wizengamot entered the courtroom, Hermione said her goodbyes and sat down beside Draco again. He laced his fingers through hers and kissed her cheek, subtly showing his affection and possessiveness. She had noticed most of the other Weasleys in attendance, along with Narcissa and Andromeda. Padma had also made sure the apothecary was staffed so she could attend. The press was relegated to one box, and Hermione saw both Romilda Vane and Parvati Patil sitting front and center.
Theo's face had grown more serious and the Chief Warlock was looking down on the courtroom. After a moment, he addressed the witches and wizards in attendance.
"Looking out over the crowd, I can see that we have numerous Alphas and a few Omegas in attendance. I have asked the DMLE to staff this hearing. Anyone who steps out of line will be Stunned and removed from the courtroom. Am I understood, gentlemen?" A rumbling sound of agreement swept through the room, and the man continued. "Theodore Nott is here to present proposed changes to all laws regarding Alphas and Omegas. These laws have not been changed in hundreds of years, and he feels they are severely outdated. I will allow members of the wizarding community at large to ask questions and give their opinions. However, the ultimate decision will fall to the Wizengamot."
Hermione squeezed Draco's hand and he squeezed back, trying to reassure her. She vaguely heard them asking Theo to rise and give an opening statement. The room was already becoming thick with mixed Alpha pheromones and she leaned closer to Draco, breathing him in.
There are so many Alphas in here. Pheromones galore.
Hermione felt Draco tense before he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
You're mine. Focus on me, love. No one will touch you here.
She tried to keep her attention on Draco while also listening to Theo.
"As we all know, Hermione Granger, one of the saviours of the wizarding world, is an Omega, and she was attacked in the Ministry just two short months ago. She's a formidable witch, but she was caught off guard by an Alpha in a premeditated attack because she was unclaimed at the time. This man had seen her a few days earlier and discovered her Omega status. When she entered the Ministry on the fifth of June to file for divorce, the Alpha in question saw her. He rode in a crowded lift with her and claims he was overwhelmed by her pheromones," Theo lectured.
When he used a sarcastic tone for the word claims, murmurs broke out among the other Alphas. The Chief Warlock sent them a stern look and gestured for Theo to continue.
"However, he made sure he got her alone in a lift after she had been in a meeting for about an hour. He had to wait for her. This was not an impulse; he had plenty of time and opportunity to walk away and clear his head. It is my opinion that this Alpha felt he could lie in wait for Ms. Granger simply because she is an Omega and he is an Alpha — he felt he was entitled to take liberties with her body because the laws allow for it—"
"What would you know about Alpha impulses, Nott?!" Cormac exploded from his seat. "You're not an Alpha! You don't understand what it's like to get hard just from the scent of a woman's skin or to feel like you need to have her or you might die!"
"Mr. McLaggen," the Chief Warlock warned. "Retake your seat. Now. We're going to listen to the whole story and you'll have your chance to speak after the fact."
Hermione shuddered, though her body felt flushed with anger.
Is that really what it's like?
To a degree. I have more control over myself than that. I don't get hard from the scent of your skin alone…
Theo cleared his throat and began speaking again. "Like I was saying, the laws on the books currently almost encourage sexual assault. They encourage forced claimings and say outright that no Omega will be granted protection from an Alpha. Basically, if an Omega crosses the path of a random Alpha in Diagon Alley, the Alpha would be perfectly within his rights to strip her bare, have sexual intercourse with her, and claim her in front of everyone present. Now, what Mr. McLaggen said is partially true — I'm not an Alpha, so I don't know what it's like to be hit with a pheromone burst or to have the urges Alphas deal with. However, I do have several Alphas who have been around Hermione Granger over the years without attempting to assault her who are willing to testify, along with healers from St. Mungo's hospital who are far more knowledgeable about the subject than I am."
Hermione's heart was still racing, still filling with hope that something — anything — would change today. Theo was eloquent and seemed to have his hippogriffs in a row.
"Originally, I wanted to change the laws," Theo stated. "However, the more I think about it, the more I want to abolish them. No one, whether they're an Alpha, Beta, or Omega, should have to worry about being sexually assaulted. To excuse a person's actions on an assertion that cannot be unequivocally proven is wrong. We don't know if there was a pheromone burst in the lift that day, and there is no way to determine if it happened or not. I'll let the healers handle the biological specifics for you since they're better equipped to explain it all. However, I have no doubt that by the end of these proceedings, you will agree that these laws are outdated and misogynistic, limiting the rights of witches and protecting men who sexually assault them. When you have all the facts, the only logical choice will be to step into the twenty-first century and abolish these laws."
The Chief Warlock looked down at Theo. "Anything further as an opening, Solicitor Nott?"
"No, sir," he replied. "I think I pretty much summed up what I'm hoping to accomplish and why."
"Very well. Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot, please send up blue sparks if you are in favor of hearing from Alphas, Omegas, and experts on the matter."
Hermione watched as nearly every wand emitted particles of shimmering blue light, a sense of victory coursing through her veins at their willingness to explore the issue at the very least.
"Mr. Nott," the Chief Warlock began. "Let's hear from your first witness."