Draco was fast asleep when he was jolted awake by the unpleasant sensation of someone on top of him, desperately trying to ride his deflated cock. He did not need to open his eyes to know it was not moonrise yet, or that the female stroking his cock was one of the pack's omegas. He rudely shoved her off him and got out of bed, his cock hanging limp, completely uninterested in the naked woman lying sprawled on her arse in his bed.

"Are you to be my moon mate, tonight?" he asked in annoyance.

"Yes, sir"—she spread her legs and held her pussy lips open with her thumb and forefinger—"Please fill my womb with your seed, sir."

Draco took in the obscene invitation, uninterested. He would have preferred to shove her out of his room, but that was not an option, thanks to Fenrir. In less than an hour, the moon would be out and he would feel the compulsion to act on the alpha's order. Fenrir had specifically commanded that he was to release his seed into any bitch presented to him at the full moon. Greyback did not single out Draco in this. With the exception of Cora and a few others like her who lost their mates in the Pack Wars, every unmated beta in the pack was expected to mate during the full moon. Sometimes they got to choose their moon mate, sometimes it was chosen for them. This was their way even before the Dark Lord began to interfere in pack business. Weres believed that mating before Luna brought forth her blessings in the form of offspring. The select few conceptions that took place in their kind happened when they mated at the time of the full moon, when her presence was felt the strongest on earth.

"Dammit, Moira! The moon isn't even out yet, why the fuck would you already take the potion?" he demanded in exasperation, taking in the way she was shivering with need.

"I was eager to please you, sir." She moved to get up from the bed.

"Stay where you are," he ordered. "I'm going to need some time to get ready for you."

Ogling his still flaccid cock, she licked her lips suggestively. "Allow me to assist you, sir."

The offer only irritated him further. Even after working and fighting his way to the position of beta, Fenrir was in the habit of treating him like a pup when he wasn't treating him like a fool. His resentment of Draco's past life as the Malfoy heir ran so deep Fenrir still sought to find ways to put him down, even though he was pack now. It didn't matter how attractive or seductive an omega may be considered by human standards, Draco recognised the insult intended behind always being paired with an omega.

Werewolves strictly followed a social hierarchy to maintain order in the pack. This hierarchy helped establish who made the decision, who mated with whom, even who ate first. They believed Luna looked favourably on a match of equals, so alphas mated with alphas, or in the absence of another alpha, the strongest beta in the pack. Betas mated with betas, and omegas did not mate since omegas were either their young or their weakest members. While there were no restrictions on whom they could have sex with during the rest of the month, the social order was so instinctual, omegas vied for the attention of betas because even an omega did not find another omega sexually appealing.

"Just stay on the bed and play with yourself while I get myself ready," he ordered brusquely and walked over to the window.

Of course, that she was an omega wasn't his sole objection to the naked female currently stuffing two, three fingers into her pussy in an attempt to pleasure herself. That was simply adding insult to the injury that he wasn't going to get to mate with her. He threw the curtains open and looked to the other side of the castle, to the little window in the distance he recognised as part of her bedroom. He imagined she was probably keeping herself busy rereading one of the select few books he was able to give her.

He felt at ease knowing Hermione would be safe tonight even without him there. Before heading to bed this afternoon, he made sure to ward her room with repelling spells that would prevent anyone other than him entering or leaving. With the number of Black Cloaks and Death Eaters in residence, he wanted to ensure no one was able to barge in on her, like Pansy had, while the pack was busy with the full moon. Her physical safety seen to, he worried for Hermione in other ways, especially in light of his conversation with Cora this morning.

"Is Hermione okay?" he asked anxious over Cora's unscheduled visit. "Is it because of the full moon? Are you worried the babies will try to shift?"

She shook her head and smiled reassuringly at him."No cause for panic, pup. I was only checking on her since I was here. As far as the babies go, you know we have yet to confirm that she's indeed carrying lycans. So far they appear to be normal babies, Draco."

"Yes, but—"

"And, even if they are lycans, the whole point of letting them do those experiments on us was to allow us the ability to reproduce in a manner similar to other magical creatures, like the Veela and part-Veelas. If the babies carry lycanthropy, it won't be triggered till they enter adolescence. You don't have to worry about them shapeshifting in vitro."

Early on, Cora had tried explaining to the betas of the pack the significance of some of the procedures they were to undergo and their impact on the pack's future. But her talk of 'gene manipulation' and 'virus latency' had sounded like nothing more than mumbo-jumbo to them.

"Cora, knowing what little I do of the things done in the dungeons, I trust the information I'm given on this matter even lesser than I understand any of it. But, I trust you, and if you believe there is no cause for alarm, I'll go with that."

"I never said there was no cause for alarm, pup. While Hermione is definitely on the mend since I changed her potions and diet, she is still underweight and malnourished. I suspect her mental health is affecting her pregnancy. Each time I've visited her, I've noticed her mood switch from restless to listless in an instant. I'm not sure if it's caused by idleness, isolation, or both, but she needs something to help her cope."

"I've noticed it too, but I don't know what else to do. I gave her what few books I could find in the castle, but there's only so long a book can make you forget you're a prisoner."

"Well, you're not doing her any favours by exploiting her loneliness to get closer to her." He opened his mouth to object to her characterisation of his friendly overtures but kept quiet since she raised her hand indicating she wasn't done yet. "Draco, I've seen you with her. I know you care for her beyond what her womb has to offer. But you can have no future together if she only turns to you out of desperation."

It may have been the sympathetic tone to her harsh words, which made him ask, "What would you have me do, Cora?"

"House her with the prisoner Fenrir is bringing here this week. I know of your reservations, but I believe it will do Hermione good to have a real friend at her side. Plus, they're both pregnant. Hermione will have someone to commiserate with."

"If you know of my reservations, you'll know the risk in keeping them together. You have an idea of what they do to blood-traitors. Can you imagine the state the other prisoner's in by now? If we put them together Hermione will end up hating me, thinking I'm no different than Lucius."

"Or," said Cora, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "she sees proof of just how different you are."

"Please, sir. Please fuck me," begged the omega, drawing Draco's attention back to the female in his bed.

Picking up the robes he wore earlier that day, Draco reached into the pocket to pull out a pair of Hermione's knickers he had borrowed from her dirty laundry on its way to the wash. Holding the item of clothing against his nose, he inhaled deeply, using his other hand to palm his cock while thinking of Hermione. The scent of her arousal still lingered on the undergarment. Had she thought of him when she fingered herself to a climax? He desperately wanted to believe she fantasised about him, the way he did about her.

His cock now hard enough to perform the task, Draco walked to the bed, grabbed a hold of the female's legs and flipped her over. Far too aroused to care about his manhandling, she pressed her breasts to the bed and raised her hips as far in the air as they could go as she presented herself to him. With her slender built and brunette locks, it was easier to imagine he was holding her hips, sliding into her wet heat, sheathing his cock to the hilt inside her. But even in human form the omega's scent made him sick, predictably so, which was why he had the foresight to steal one of Hermione's undergarments to aid him in his task.

The previous night, in the midst of his briefing with Gunnolf, Fenrir had marched in and handed his second-in-command a parchment with the names of some of the pack members.

"No Fero for any of the lads on the list, okay?" he instructed.

Even without looking at the writing on the sheet Draco, like Gunnolf, knew Fenrir wasn't its author, but past experience taught them not to press the alpha for answers concerning his activities with the Death Eaters.

"The Dark Lord's got some business for me, so I won't be around. You'll be running the show tomorrow," he told Gunnolf.

The head beta raised a brow at that, "Again?"

"My-my, thought you liked playing alpha. Isn't that what you were doing before you joined me?"

Gunnolf's indignation at the alpha's taunt was palpable, but to his credit, he grit his teeth and bore it. Before the Pack Wars, Gunnolf was being groomed to be the next alpha of his pack, which was why he did a far better job filling in as alpha than Fenrir himself did. It was said that when Greyback challenged and defeated Gunnolf's alpha in the most barbaric manner imaginable, it was clear that Gunnolf would be no match for the diabolical alpha. It was also clear that the pack would be lost subsequent to his death, as they would never bond with a bloodthirsty monster like Fenrir. Hoping his presence would facilitate the assimilation of his pack into Greyback's, Gunnolf sacrificed his honour for the wellbeing of the pack by offering his submission that night.

Fenrir's smug smile at the restraint exercised by Gunnolf made Draco once again thank his stars that the cruel alpha was not his sire. He felt sorry for the ones turned by Greyback because he did not care for anyone but himself.

"Be sure to have the betas set up a magical barrier to stop these foolish Black Cloaks from stumbling in on the festivities and getting themselves eaten."

"Why do we care if they end up dead? They ought to know their boundaries when they're in our territory," declared Gunnolf, arms crossed over his broad chest.

"Well, I don't care 'bout those shits. But, I do care what You-Know-Who may do if any of His men turn up dead."

"And, why would he concern himself with the fate of foolish Black Cloaks who do not even carry his mark?"

Draco sighed and shook his head. Turned as a young child, and raised all his life in a pack of werewolves, Gunnolf had little exposure to humans and did not truly understand the nature of human bigotry. He did not understand that in Lord Voldemort's world, even if the Black Cloaks were considered unworthy of receiving the Dark Mark, a privilege reserved solely for his Death Eaters, they were still higher up the hierarchy than any werewolf would ever be in the eyes of the Dark Lord.

Having caught Draco's reaction, Fenrir pointed to him and said to Gunnolf, "Ha! I'll let the Malfoy pup handle this one. Now, I've got other business to see to, but pop by later and I'll tell you who I want paired as moon mates tomorrow."

After Fenrir left, Draco checked the list of males who were not to be given the potion the following night. His name was on it. This would not affect the other werewolves as their sex drive increased at the time of the full moon, but it would be a problem for him. As keen as he was about Hermione, he did not expect to get a rise out of his cock for anyone other than her. This would clearly be a hurdle to overcome if he was to follow the alpha's order.

Obeying the alpha's command gave one a general sense of calm and wellbeing not all that different from executing an order while imperiused. Ignoring an alpha's order caused constant unease and unrest in the werewolf followed by intense pain. While it was possible for someone other than the caster to end the Imperius curse, the only way to throw off an alpha's command was to break the bond with the alpha, which in turn would result in a loss of the pack bonds as well. At that stage, you may as well be a rogue, an outcast. He still remembered the way Oskar, his sire, had first explained what it meant to be an outcast.

"Being an outcast is the worst punishment for one of our kind, pup. Doesn't matter if you leave, get kicked out, or are simply lost, once out of the pack you become a lone wolf, an outcast. As social creatures, our minds cannot cope with the loss of the bonds—we slowly go mad.

"Our nature compels us to seek others, to create a substitute for what we would have naturally found with the pack. But this is impossible to do, as humans do not accept our kind. A wolf who has lost his mind grows more feral, he envies pack members for having what he cannot. In his jealous rage the mad wolf will lash out and attack our weakest members, thus making him a threat—a threat we then bear the responsibility to eliminate."

Draco's own experience reflected the truth of Oskar's words. He could still recall those early days of madness when he first woke up—no bonds, his body in agony from the numerous bites he had received, his mind a maelstrom of hurt and rage. But once he accepted Fenrir as his alpha, the bonds fell into place and the storm within him subsided, replaced by calm and a sense of purpose.

Even without the compulsion to do the alpha's bidding, Draco saw the wisdom in keeping his head down and doing as he was told. Disobedience would earn him a one-way portkey, away from Hermione, to die in some hopeless Death Eater mission...

...or worse, put his unborn pups in the crosshairs of the spiteful alpha.

Mindful of what was at stake, he held Hermione's knickers to his face and deeply inhaled her intoxicating scent, hoping it would see him through his unpleasant task. Eyes closed, he brought forth the memory of her reaction to his offer to help with her cravings. Recalling the blush on her cheeks and the heat in her eyes, he smiled. It was a strain on his patience to wait for her to make the next move when she smelled as delicious as she did. He bit his lip on a moan as the bitch below him thrust back onto his cock. He held still, letting her do all the work as he slipped in and out of her eager cunt.

It was nearly time. Draco needed to release his seed inside the omega after moonrise—thus carrying out Fenrir's order—while concentrating on delaying his shift so his penis remained knot-free during sex. He held on to the omega's hips as she gradually and painfully transformed into her wolf. As agonising as it looked, he suspected it would be far worse for her if he turned and his wolf found himself knotted with a bitch he did not want. Resisting the urge to slip his skin he continued to thrust harder and faster into her till he was about ready to erupt. Having completed her transformation, the bitch whined and thrashed against him. In her wolf form, her channel was tighter and squeezed his cock in a way that made his eyes roll back in pleasure and finally release his seed into her.

Her cunt greedily wrung his cock of every drop of cum as he pulled out of her just in time for his, relatively quick, transformation. Her smell sickened him. His seed was wasted on this female too, but at least he had done the alpha's bidding. He could walk away now, and have one of the other unmated males attend to the omega, who would remain painfully aroused until the potion wore off.

Draco's wolf was restless, eager to go and check on Hermione despite assurances of her safety. He talked his wolf into looking for Oskar, hoping that spending time with his sire would sufficiently distract him from seeking Hermione out.

It was not hard to spot Oskar as he sat solitary, basking in the moonlight, in a clearing in the woods; the regal-looking grey wolf with the distinct white streak running down his back would have been easy enough to spot even in a pack of grey wolves. The former alpha usually kept to himself during the full moon, never participating in any of the sexual activities. Some said this was because Oskar once had a true mate who died some years ago. Draco never pried into his sire's past to confirm if there was any truth to the rumour.

Having caught Oskar's attention, Draco dropped on his haunches and lowered his head as a sign of respect as he waited for Oskar to approach him. He held still while Oskar first circled, then sniffed him. Oskar bristled and let out an angry snarl when he caught the scent on his privates. Draco knew Oskar's wolf well enough to know his sire was offended on his behalf. He was angry that Greyback had once again paired Draco with an omega.

Oskar's circumstances for joining Greyback's pack were not dissimilar to Gunnolf's, except where Gunnolf had been too young to step into the shoes of alpha, Oskar had already hung up his boots, having long retired from his role as alpha when the Pack Wars broke out. As an Elder of his pack, he chose to stay with them and offer them counsel, but he did not approve of Fenrir as alpha.

Done with his inspection, Oskar bumped his muzzle into Draco's flank, and then looked over his shoulder. He took off in a dash, meaning for Draco to chase him. His sire, most likely sensing his restlessness, had decided an exhausting run through the woods was the best cure for Draco's mood. They playfully nipped at each other's heels while taking turns chasing each other. Though old, Oskar was fast enough in his wolf form to give Draco a decent workout.

In his two years with the pack Draco had many occasions to wonder how different his life would have been if his own father had been more like Oskar when it came to their interactions. One thing was certain: he would never have volunteered to get that ugly stain on his arm if he had not been so desperate for Lucius' approval.

When Oskar eventually grew too tired to continue, they joined the other wolves in feeding and brawling. Enjoyable as it was, Draco's heart was not in it and Oskar must have noticed; he bumped hard into Draco's shoulder and nodded towards the castle, giving Draco a shove in the rear. His sire had grown tired of his moping and wanted him to go and check on Hermione and the pups like he really wanted to.

Once outside Hermione's room, Draco listened to make sure she was asleep before he pushed the door open with his paws and entered. The wards on the room allowed him entry, but would have violently repelled anyone else and alerted Draco of the attempt. Inside, as expected, she lay soundly asleep on the bed. He slowly made his way towards her, stepping as lightly as possible to soften the clacking sound produced by his claws on the stone floor.

Movement behind her eyelids suggested she was dreaming. She had bags under her eyes now and was much thinner compared to when he had knotted with her. The wolf was disappointed in himself for not taking better care of his witch, but otherwise satisfied she was doing okay. He tried to rein in his excitement as he moved his muzzle to where her stomach was located beneath the bedcovers. Placing his ear flat against the surface he listened for proof that his pups were doing fine. Their heartbeats were louder now than the only other time he had listened to them. The sound made his heart swell with pride. Even inside their mother's womb, he could sense the magic in them and the spirit of the noble wolf.

At that very moment, Hermione moved in her sleep and made a whimpering sound. The movement caused her legs to part and suddenly Draco caught the strong scent of her arousal. By Salazaar! He needed to get out of there before his wolf got any ideas.

He explained to his wolf that Hermione would be upset if she woke up to find him in there, upset enough not to let him near her or their pups ever again. He almost had his wolf convinced when Hermione moaned in her sleep. The sound coupled with the growing scent of her arousal caused his wolf to revert to the creature he was. Ignoring his human, the wolf approached the bed. He grabbed the covers by his teeth and yanked them off her, then threw his head back and howled.

—

Hermione sat up with a start. She was in the midst of a very pleasant dream when abruptly she was awakened by a noise. A blast of cold air on her bare legs had her reaching for the covers hoping to nod right off and return to her lovely dream. She froze mid-action, finally noticing the large white wolf not far from her bed. She knew who it was immediately and did not feel vulnerable, as she should have, upon finding herself trapped in a room with a beast. Instead, she observed him with a great deal of curiosity.

Her gaze washed over him as she tried to commit to memory details she had missed during their past encounters. This would be her first proper look at Draco in his wolf form; the first time she would be clear-headed enough to do so. He was a surprisingly large wolf, larger than any dog she had ever seen. His body was covered in a coat of white fur, which, though thick in appearance, did not conceal the definition of the muscles rippling beneath.

She opened her mouth, only instead of screaming in terror, she licked her lips. Her mouth felt dry, too dry. There was no mistaking the heat in his grey eyes. From the tip of his pricked up ears pulled back slightly, to the sharp claws on his paws, he looked every bit the deadly predator he was in this form, yet his eyes wonderfully retained their human quality. Even if she had never seen his wolf before, she would know him from the same feverishly hungry look he gave her in his human form. It was clear why the wolf was there, what he wanted as he stood watching her. Her heart raced, not from fear of being eaten alive. Watching him stalk up to the bed and lift himself up so he now stood almost between her feet, made her pussy weep in anticipation of being devoured by him in other ways.

He sniffed in the direction between her legs and the harsh sound of inhalation made her afraid she may have misunderstood his intent. She slowly began to close her legs and adjust her shift so her legs were covered. The wolf growled, in disapproval, she suspected. He continued to growl, low at first but gradually building into a rumble, until finally she parted her legs once more, spreading them wider than they were earlier, in compensation. This appeared to pacify him as his growling subsided.

The wolf walked to the head of the bed and nudged her shoulder. He was urging her to move farther back, so she did. Propped up on her elbows, she watched him move close to her foot and push against it. Understanding what he wanted, she raised her foot, only to flinch and pull it away when his wet muzzle made contact with the inside of her ankle. His response was a warning growl. She shook her head. "It tickles," she explained breathily, unaware if he was able to understand words in his wolf form. Remus made it a point to cloister himself during the full moon; with the exception of the incident in her third year, she had no interaction with his wolf.

Hermione questioned her sanity for even thinking about letting the wolf near her, but she was so godsdamned frustrated sexually, her condition exacerbated by the constant sexual tension simmering between Draco and her. She was desperate for release, yet, despite his offer to help, felt far too embarrassed to simply come out and ask him to lend her a hand. But, he was here now and she did not need words to express her needs. That he was in his wolf form made it easier, if anything, as her only interactions with his wolf were of a sexual nature.

The wolf playfully nipped at the inside of her knee, drawing her attention back to him. When they made eye contact, he rubbed his tongue over the small hurt.

Hermione gasped, surprised such an inconspicuous spot on her body could be so arousing. She gasped again when his fur brushed against her inner thigh, and stopped breathing altogether when his muzzle nudged her shift out of the way so she felt his breath on her wet sex, her panties the only barrier between her most vulnerable part and his sharp-looking teeth. She remained frozen, daring not to drop her head to the bed, as his eyes held hers captive.

He ran his muzzle along the length of her thighs and stopped at her hips when he reached her panties. With surprising dexterity, he used one of his claws to slice through her panties and cast them aside so his wet nose now pushed against bare flesh. She let out a strangled moan at the sensation of his smooth tongue pressed flat against her skin as he licked her from the juncture of her thighs to her mons and pushed against her nether lips, doing a thorough job of licking her quim. Finding it too much to both look at the magnificent beast and feel what his mouth was capable of, Hermione dropped back flat on the bed.

Then for no apparent reason, he stopped. She raised herself on her elbows once more and looked at him in confusion as he just stood there, nostrils flared, staring intensely at her. Silently mouthing a single word, she begged him. Please.

He bent his head over her privates, tongue poking out to caress and stroke her clit. Hermione gasped, head thrown back, eyes closed at the almost unbearable intensity of the sensation caused by the wolf's long, thick tongue teasing her clit when her body was already so aroused, so sensitive. It was like nothing she had ever experienced.

The alien sensation of his thick wolf tongue finally entering her, made Hermione jerk on the bed like her limbs were taut strings being plucked all at once. Sitting on his haunches, he used his forelimbs to pin her legs in place, leaving her open to him as he sucked on her clit, tongued it, and repeatedly thrust into her cunt. She moaned loudly, fisting the sheets as Draco feasted on her. Lost in the sensation, she could not tell what was his tongue, whiskers, or mouth. She wanted to thrash about, but his weight on her legs prevented her from moving. Her hands abandoned fisting the sheets to play with her nipples instead. She slid one hand up her stomach to reach for a nipple, rolling the nub, she moaned as it hardened under her touch. This was a familiar routine for her, one perfected over the last few weeks as she tried to keep her crazy libido in check.

"Oh gods ... oh yes, oh ... yes!" moaned Hermione. This was so much better than playing with herself, so much better than anything she remembered experiencing.

Her head whipped back and forth, as Draco used his mouth and tongue to drive Hermione closer to the edge. When he abruptly stopped once more, she responded with a guttural cry of frustration.

She found him staring at her hands playing with her nipples over her clothes. He impatiently tugged on her shift, as if he wanted her naked. So close to her orgasm, desperate to have his mouth back on her pussy, she helped him. Hastily, she clutched the edge of the offending garment, pulled it off and tossed it aside. He let out a howl, its melodious tone sounding like he was pleased with her actions. The wolf walked up her body, paws placed on either side so she was trapped between his legs. Her pussy gushed, releasing more of her juices when she realised it was his erect cock, sitting heavy on her stomach.

The wolf did not seem to care for his own needs at the time, his gaze focused on her dark nipples. Her body buckled when one sharp claw teased a puckered bud. She could not imagine the kind of control it took to execute such a move with claws sharp enough to slice off her nipple with a simple flick of the wrist. She shivered at the thought.

His head dropped low over her chest. His long tongue first traced the outline of her breast, sharp teeth dangerously close to her flesh, and then proceeded to lap at her nipples.

She fell back flat against the bed, moaning. Merlin, it felt so good! Desperate for more, she reached for him, burying her hands in his incredibly thick and soft fur. Her fingers clutched at his head holding him against her chest as he took turns lapping at both her nipples in a way that eased the ache but left her wanting more.

The wolf had other ideas, though. Shaking her hands off his head, he moved back to his previous spot between her legs, cock dragging along her stomach.

Hermione's nipples, now covered in the wolf's saliva, hardened painfully as they made contact with the cold night air. She whined at the loss of his mouth from her nipples but groaned in ecstasy, as he wasted no time burying his muzzle in her quim and letting his tongue invade her moist canal once more. The steady motion of that thick appendage, moving in and out, made her eyes roll back in her head. She could feel his tongue curled inside her while his muzzle bumped against her clit. Hermione felt him penetrate her, and between lapping drags and low growls, a pressure began to build. Small shocks of pleasure made her back arch off the bed and her hips excitedly thrust towards him, as the beast eagerly fucked her with his mouth. Soon the sensations grew too strong to bear and with a small scream, Hermione exploded. Somewhere through the haze of her orgasm she heard him noisily lap at the resultant juices of her climax; later, the memory of that erotic sound would often taunt her whenever she tried to achieve climax on her own.

Gasping and shaking, Hermione took some time to catch her breath and settle down. Thoroughly relaxed and sated in the moment, she was just about ready to fall asleep, but she sat up, unsure if he expected her to return the favour in some way. He saw her looking at his cock and repositioned himself so it was no longer visible to her, then gave her a long lick over the side of her face. She squealed and pushed his face away, but let her fingers linger in his fur.

Hermione gave him a lazy smile as she ran her fingers through the fur along his flank and sighed in contentment. Without any thought, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you, Draco," she said to him, continuing to smile. She did not bother getting dressed again. Reaching for the covers, she stretched out on the bed and pulled them over her. Leaving a wolf-sized gap for him to crawl in, she held up one end of the cover in invitation. She did not know why she did it, except it felt wrong to kick him out of bed after he had helped release all that tension built up inside her.

The wolf stood in place, appearing undecided. She could not claim any expertise when it came to lupine facial expressions, but she sensed he was conflicted. She was pleased with his decision when minutes later he settled against her. Dropping the bedcover over them, she snuggled into his warmth and let sleep take her.

She woke up a few hours after sunrise, disappointed to find herself alone in bed and a cold spot where Draco had lain before.