A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters/locations related to the franchise. That all belongs to J.K. Rowling. I hope you enjoy the only thing I do own...the plot. Also M rating for language and possible sexually explicit scenes (really just wanted to be safe with the rating).

"Malfoy, get up you git!" Draco woke up to the furious shaking of his shoulder with a splitting headache, and a hatred for all thing's daylight. Weasley was holding his head and waving his wand at his torso, ironing the previous day's clothes with a simple household charm. "It's half nine in the morning. We are late." The redhead grunted before hopping around on one foot to shove his shoe on.

Draco sat in bed while his mind caught up to what Bill had just said. Once the words had crawled their way through the dense fuzz of his hangover, he shot off the bed, immediately regretting his decision as the room spun. Grabbing his shoes he ran to the closet and changed quickly. Running his fingers through his hair he decided to go for a lazy, sexy, just rolled out of bed look. He didn't have time for much else. "Thanks a lot fucker." Draco growled, Bill smirked and just handed him his wand.

"You're the one who wanted to drown his problems, not me." Bill defended, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you are the older one. You should have told me to stop drinking." Draco snarled, grabbing his satchel from where it had been abandoned the day before. He slung it over his shoulder, a sense of unease filling him as he thought he might be forgetting something. Was there a meeting today? Yes. Thinking that was probably what had his stomach tightening he went through the talking points he had to go through in order to convince the Minister of an increase in budget for the Auror Department.

"I'm not your bloody mother."

"Thank Merlin for that. I would look terrible as a redhead." Draco smirked, grabbing a handful of floo powder, and offering the bowl to his friend. Bill laughed heartily in agreement, before crossing the room, accepting the offered powder.

"Too true." The redhead continued to laugh, his booming guffaws echoing through Draco's room well after Bill was engulfed in emerald flames. Draco glanced around the room, a niggling in the back of his mind telling him he was still forgetting something. But that niggling was quickly replaced by the sharp stab of pain. Draco groaned again at the throbbing in his head before he too exited the house through the floo, calling for the Ministry as he did.

Draco had never been late before, and with the headache he was currently sporting he really just wanted to get to the Auror Department and shut his door tightly. He walked to one of the lifts and was happy to see it was blessedly empty. There was nothing Draco hated more than sharing a lift with fifteen other witches and wizards. He smirked as a couple of interdepartmental memos soared above his head, eager for the lift doors to open. Draco pushed the button, opening the grate, smiling as the paper occupants hovered above his messy hair.

That happiness was washed away with panic when he heard a flustered voice call, "Hold the door!" Draco had a moment of indecision. He could ignore the call, and then let the door close on her. Avoid her for yet another day. It would be so simple, and the simple act might make her more reluctant to speak to him, saving him the trouble of curt and tight-lipped responses. She thinks you fucking hate her. Bill's voice from the night before echoed in his mind, and before he could fully register what he was doing he slipped his palm between the closing grate to keep it open.

He didn't want her to think he hated her. Not really. He didn't know what he wanted her to think, but it wasn't that.

His favorite and most despised witch slid in on her heels in a flurry of bushy hair and papers, "Thanks, Malfoy." She smiled up at him, out of breath from her jog to the lift. He nodded, but kept facing the lift grate. They both stood awkwardly next to each other before she slowly reached her elbow towards the button selecting the Auror Department, still juggling the many folders in her hands. Malfoy flushed as he realized that in his moment of panic he had forgotten to push the button for his destination.

She was wearing a dark grey muggle pantsuit, the blouse underneath a lovely rich blue color. Her heels were sensible at only a couple inches, but still gave her a professional look. The aesthetic was all almost completely shattered by her hair. The brown crown of curls was as large as ever, each ringlet standing up at odd ends from the run to the lift. The more defiant strands poked out and seemed to reach into the empty air around them, as if creating their own personal bubble.

She was chewing her lip nervously, and he could tell from the corner of her eye she was trying to work up the courage to speak to him. It didn't take her long though, and before they had arrived at their destination, she cleared her throat softly to gain his attention.

"So, I wanted to thank you for letting me use the Manor. I honestly thought you were going to say no." She looked over at him, her arms wrapped tightly around a large stack of brown files.

"Of course," Draco replied, still refusing to meet her eyes. In this small space her natural scent was intoxicating. He felt his trousers get a little too tight, and tried to silently list all the Ministers of Magic in order to take his mind off of the beautiful witch standing right by him. He adjusted his stance to make it more difficult to see his problem, trying hard not to make it seem like he was inching away from her.

Merlin why was she so close? She had the whole damn lift, did she really need to be so close he could touch her if he wanted? His hand twitched at the thought, making him clench his fists in order to keep them at his side. "Also, thank you for suggesting your mother. She has been brilliant and has already suggested several vendors who will work wonderfully for the gala." He nodded again. Granger had turned towards him now, trying to blow a curl out of her face as she clung to her folders to prevent them from tumbling from her hands. After several puffs of unsuccessful air, Draco sighed.

"Here." He grunted, and before he could stop himself, he had reached out and tucked the volatile curl behind her ear. He couldn't help but let his finger brush the lobe as he did. When was he going to get this chance again? He took a moment for the guilty pleasure, noticing the way her pupils began to dilate, and how her breathing caught in her throat. Her brown eyes went wide in shock before her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Malfoy-" She sounded breathless. It wouldn't take much, just a slight shift of his hand and he could pull her mouth to his. He could finally taste her. Would she taste like fresh rain? He licked his lip quickly in anticipation of the taste. She glanced down at his lips for one split second, seemingly drawn to them by the action, and Draco swore this was going to be it. He was going to ruin her life by having poor impulse control and snogging her here in a lift.

He was saved by the bell as the lift came to a stop. Steeling himself, he let his hand drop to his side feeling like a weight had settled between them. He stepped out into the Auror Department exiting the lift hastily, refusing to look back. She hesitated before following him out. She kept a respectable distance though, and he was thankful for that. They separated at the end of the short hallway, her walking through the bullpen to Potter's office and him towards his own.

The rest of Draco's day went by in a blur. It seemed like every time he got a chance to breathe there was another metaphorical fire to put out. Not to mention that if he had a moment to relax it was plagued with thoughts of how soft her riotous curls had been. Like fresh Acromatula silk sheets.

He had meetings through the first half of his day. He was able to convince Kingsley to give them an increase in the budget, which they desperately needed in order to afford proper protective gear. Why Potter insisted on him running these mandatory budgetary meetings was beyond Draco, but he did admit he was good at them.

He then had to look at a cursed object that had recently been turned in by the Burke family. The object was particularly nasty, and he made a note to contact Bill regarding it, thinking he might need the other curse breakers help. Bill had responded quickly and promised Draco to be over later that week.

It felt like the day had just begun when Draco found himself in his familiar cottage, counting down the minutes to the moonrise. When it was just a few minutes away, Draco got a sinking feeling in his stomach like he was forgetting something again. He went through his day, going back to when he had first got the feeling. It had been when he was ready to go to work. When he was standing in front of the floo. With a sudden bout of nausea Draco remembered what he had forgotten. Right as the moon rose and he felt the first twinge of the change. For the first time in over seven years, Draco had forgotten to take his wolfsbane.

Finally! The wolf called inside, and Draco had his first taste of fear since the war.

Lupin had been wrong. It felt nothing like being under the Imperius. It felt like standing at a window and staring out as the world twisted and changed around you. The change took place at its normal speed, but the difference was that as it was finishing Draco felt his control over his limbs sink away. It felt more like he wasn't becoming the wolf, but was being devoured by the beast. When it was over, the wolf stood on strong legs and shook himself out.

Let's go find her. It called before releasing the loudest howl Draco had ever heard. The wolf ran through the living room before taking a running leap, its powerful body crashing through the bay window his mother loved.

Ahhh. Why the fuck would you do that? Draco felt every single shard of glass cut into his skin. He felt blood begin to run down his front paws, and wanted nothing more than to stop and lick them clean. The wolf had other ideas though. It lifted its nose to the air and started sniffing. After doing several sniffs he huffed out his nose to clear it before starting again. Good luck catching her scent. Draco felt himself fill with a smug air as the beast released a low growl.

I already have it daft boy, or did you forget your little lift ride with her this morning.

Draco felt a swirl of anxiety invade him in his cell inside his own mind. Wait, don't- The creature growled low, then took off at a speed Draco thought impossible. The beast began to wind its way into the forest surrounding the manor, barely dodging trees. Every few moments a tree branch would scratch into his face, causing the wolf to yelp before pushing itself to run faster, jumping over fallen logs and rocks as it raced through the thick foliage.

Draco didn't know that they could move so quickly. Every full moon since his turning he had held a peaceful sleep inside a comforting cottage. They had to be going as fast if not faster than his favorite racing broom, and a part of him thought it was exhilarating. He felt the pulse of the Manor wards as they crossed them, but still the wolf ran. It took them about an hour, but they found themselves outside muggle London. They could see the lights of the city ahead, and again the wolf stopped and sniffed the air. Finally, Draco could feel a warm contentment fill the wolves bones.

There she is. The wolf took off again into a tiny muggle suburb. The neighborhood was small and quaint, with two story houses on either side of the streets. The soft glow of street lamps filled the air, along with the muffled sounds of muggle television. A desire to hunt filled them both as they paced, but the wind brought her scent to them once again, drowning out the other instinctual urge. They had to find her.

They continued to run down various streets, following the scent of lavender and fresh rain. Finally, the beast skidded to a halt, its sharp claws knocking loose some of the black asphalt. The wolf sniffed the air again, confusion filling its bones before turning around and pacing between two buildings.

Draco watched in fascination as the beast narrowed its eyes between a pair of relatively nice two story houses. They were separated by a patch of grass, roughly the size of an empty lot. It was like it was bought out for the construction of a house, but the project had yet to begin. The wolf paced angrily. Releasing several deep growls that almost echoed.

Where is she? The beast snapped at Draco.

How am I supposed to know. She is your mate, can't you find her on your own? Draco replied petulantly. The wolf paced onto the grass, making several turns in the dew before growling again in frustration.

She is OUR mate you irritating flea, she is ours and she should be here! The beast began sniffing close to the ground, the whole area tingled the beast's nose, causing him to jump back slightly, and blow hot air through his nostrils to cleanse it. This whole spot reeks of magic. It's her's. Can't you recognize it?

No. I can't. Draco mentally rolled his eyes before settling himself in the mind of the beast. It was going to be a long night. The beast did several more laps around the small lot before aiming its large snout towards the sky and releasing a howl. The noise was saturated with several emotions, none more present than a morose mourning that echoed through the night like a reverberation of the pain the beast was feeling.

Draco could hardly imagine what it must have felt like to wait quietly for years for a chance to find her, only to have that chance ripped away by the harsh sting of magic. The beast's dejection washed over his human counterpart like the blanket of darkness over the world. The sting of failure like salt to the cuts and bruises the beast welcomed only minutes before because they were a precursor to the possibility of her presence. Draco almost felt sad for the creature who had lost something it never had. Almost.

Eventually, the melancholy creature settled down and curled its head into its tail, right in the middle of the vacant lot where her scent was strongest. Draco allowed his mind to quiet, drifting off into a restless slumber as he waited for the moon to set, and for the sun to rise, his chance to be in control once again only a few hours away.

For the second day in a row Draco was shaken awake by a familiar shock of red hair. "Dammit Malfoy, if you know what is good for you-" The sentence was not finished, because once Draco had opened his grey eyes to the even more grey sky he was hoisted up and forced to stand on his feet.

"Here." A black wizard's robe was thrust into Draco's torso. Distantly he shook the sleep and only then realized he was standing in a Muggle neighborhood, in nothing but what his mother gave him. He quickly wrapped the cloak around him before turning to Bill.

"How did you-"

"You're mother floo called me last night when you broke through the wards." Bill said as a way of explanation, before grabbing Draco by his arm and tugging him away from the lot. Draco fought the pull, refusing to move. The lingering fear of leaving the lot and losing his mate pushing through his bones as he stood on the dirt.

Bill turned back to him raising an eyebrow. When the younger wizard realized what he had done he pushed forward past Bill and towards the sidewalk. Once they were out of sight of other Muggles, Bill grabbed Draco again before Apparating them back to the small cottage.

Bill had been added to the family wards years ago. This was a precaution for the unlikely event that Bill would need to bring Draco back hurt, or otherwise incapacitated. Draco had never been more thankful for his mother's foresight than he was at this moment. He didn't really want to have to walk through the grounds of the Manor in nothing but a wizard's robe.

Shaking away the imagery he took a seat at one of his cushy chairs in front of the small fireplace. His clothes lay shredded at the foot of the couch that he normally slept on, and he shuddered at the thought of the night before. Of not being in control of his mind.

Bill stood behind him, his hands shoved in the pockets of well-worn jeans as he bounced from foot to foot. The quiet was too good to last, and before long the redhead came to stand in his view whispering, "You alright?"

"No," Draco huffed, he looked up at Bill before releasing an involuntary chill. "Where did he take me? How did you find me?"

"I got there before you did actually." Bill said, leaning up against the mantle, but keeping his eyes on the other man. "Your mum called as soon as the wards pulsed, and I knew where your wolf would take you. You went to her house." Draco looked at him sharply before realization dawned on him.

"She put it under fidelius?" When Bill nodded Draco released a low breath, "I thought only Dumbledore could do that." The awe that infected his voice was not of his own volition, and he cringed at how impressed he sounded. Bill took pity on him and just smiled.

"Dumbledore was the only one who could do it, until about six years ago." Draco watched steadily, waiting for more with baited-breath, "She was receiving death threats from those who thought the war was lost on their side due to her and Harry's meddling. She just wanted to be left alone. She placed her parents house under the charm and made Harry the secret keeper. I don't even know the 'secret'."

Draco let that sink in before asking another question that had popped up in his mind, "But her parents. They're muggles. How are they living in a-"

"You don't know?" Bill straightened quickly, the shock slowly melting his features and twisting them into disbelief. He looked at Draco with something akin to pity and anger in his blue eyes.

"Know what?"

"She had to-" He hesitated, taking a breath. "I actually think it would be better if she tells you this. It's not my place." Bill scratched his head before casting a quick tempus charm and muttering to himself. "I am needed at work in an hour, and so are you." He turned quickly on his heel, Apparating out of the small cottage before any more questions could be asked. It was a shame because Draco was littered with them.

A/N 2: Sorry it took me so long to post. I had a hard week at work, and just had time to upload this for you guys. Tell me what you think below! Any comments left for this chapter will be responded to when I post the next one! Love you all!