Hermione tossed about the bed, kicking off the bed covers. It was hard to sleep when every time she closed her eyes she saw flashes of what felt like someone else's life. Even with her eyes open, as she looked down the length of her naked, sweat covered body she could see a blond head between her legs, grey eyes sparkling as they watched her. It wasn't real, he wasn't actually here. She tried but could not just blink him away from her memories.
She sighed.
"Yours," she said out loud, remembering the promise she had made to him.
Mate.
She could not understand why it hurt to want to forget him. The she-wolf was correct; Draco Malfoy had proven himself unworthy. She needed someone who would properly bond with her and never abandon her in her time of need the way Draco had.
A part of her protested at these thoughts, but despite sensing that something wasn't quite right Hermione struggled to see the flaw in her logic.
Draco sat up in bed, his heart thumping. His eyes wildly cast about the room until they rested upon the bundled forms of his sons. They were okay. He relaxed a little. If only he had some way of checking on his mate, he thought ruefully.
He left his bed knowing sleep would not come to him now. He would have preferred to go out on a run but did not want to be away from his pups while he was feeling this way. He decided to do some reading instead.
Draco's fingers caressed the spines of the books left behind by Hermione. His fingers trailed the bindings of the books remembering how eagerly she had devoured their meagre offerings. He had never thought it possible to miss anyone the way he missed his witch. It wasn't even anything to do with the mating instinct; he just wanted to see her, know she was safe.
He sighed.
The goddess had shown herself to be abundant in her generosity to him ever since he had been marked as one of her creatures. With that thought in mind, Draco closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer.
Luna, watch over my mate. Return her safely to me.