Chapter 5 Hermione's Helping Hand

Authors note: I will not be updating until next weekend and or Friday. Thank you for all the views and enjoy!

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It was the last week of September which meant Quidditch tryouts. It also meant patrol with Malfoy was coming to an end. Surprisingly Hermione didn't really want it to. They still called each other Malfoy and Granger but she liked the constant bickering. Sometimes wands were drawn but that just added to the excitement. Harry was always off doing dangerous things with Dumbledore and Ron paid her no attention. Malfoy was someone she could rely on. He would always be there to help patrol and call her names. But now that was changing.

It was Saturday so she slowly made her way to the Great Hall. All her friends, Gryffindor at least would be dressed in their quidditch uniforms, waiting for Harry to host tryouts. Ginny would probably force her to come. Hermione seated herself in between Neville and Ginny. A very nervous looking Ron and stressed out Harry across from her.

"Oh Hermione please, please, please, oh please come to tryouts!"

"Fine Gin."

"Plea—oh that was easier than expected."

After a while Neville went back to the common room and Ginny went to practice before tryouts. However, Ron wasn't eating anything. He was just clinging onto the seat for dear life.

Quickly Harry handed Ron a glass of pumpkin juice. "Ron quick drink all of this."

"Blimey Harry I can't keep anything down."

"No Ron you want to drink this. Trust me it will help."

Hermione looked between the two before gasping. "Harry you didn't!"

Harry winked and flashed her a look before pushing the glass closer to Ron. Ron on the other hand was looking between the two and the glass trying to make the connection. "What?"

"Ronald Bilius Weasely do not drink that pumpkin juice."

"Why?"

"Because Harry here put Felix Felicis into your juice."

"Really!" Ron quickly grabbed the glass and gulped it down as quick as he could.

"So Ron how do you feel?" Harry had never tried the potion himself but new at least what you should feel like.

"I feel like we should get to quidditch practice." Hermione reluctantly stood from the table and scolded the two all the way to the pitch. After everyone dressed out Harry made his way over to Hermione on the stands.

"Hermione don't make that face."

"Harry what you did was wrong. Possibly illegal." She wasn't looking him in the eye to prove her frustration towards the topic.

"Hermione look!" He held up the gold liquid completely full.

"You didn't!"

"No Hermione. But at least Ron thinks he has luck on his side."

"I guess." She watched as Harry made his way to back to the large group on the pitch. Quickly tryouts began and the stands started to fill with the rejects from the team.

The last spot was Keeper. McLaggen vs Weasely. Ginny had obviously made Chaser so it was her job to throw the quaffle. McLaggen went first, Hermione watched as he caught the first, second, third, and forth. Ginny was coming for the last shot when Hermione muttered "Confundo" and she watched as McLaggen's broom jerked to the right causing him to miss the quaffle. To her surprise Ron caught all of them and McLaggen went storming off the field. Everyone started to leave and to her surprise Malfoy was seated right behind her when she got up to leave.

"What was that Granger?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You cheated. You helped you boyfriend win. But to the sound of Lavenders cheering I would assume she was the girlfriend."

"Oh shut up."

"No, no its really fine. With the weasel as Keeper, Slytherin will be sure to win."

"Do you always have to be an arse?"

"Would you expect it any other way?"

She studied his face for a few seconds before walking back to the common room. Upon entering she noticed the loud cheering in the room. Everyone was celebrating the new quidditch team. She went to stand by Harry and her eyes were drawn elsewhere. In the middle of the room she found Ron and Lavender snogging like there was no tomorrow. She felt her heart shatter and tears run down her face. Quickly she left the room and found an empty stairwell leading into a corridor she could cry in. She never wanted to believe Ron and Lavender were a thing. She saw the way Lavender threw herself at Ron but she always thought he liked her. That he was just too nervous to make a move. Anger filled her chest as she realized how stupid she acted. Ron wasn't too afraid to make a move. He was never interested.

Meanwhile Malfoy had barely made it to the Slytherin common room with Blaise when he dropped to his knees gasping for air. Grabbing at his chest.

"Mate what's wrong!"

Malfoy was now laying on his back shaking in pain. He felt his eyes turn black and his shoulders started to tingle in a funny way. He stood and meet the gaze of Blaise. Suddenly two great black wings ripped through his robes and spread out into the air. Draco screamed in pain as he latched onto Blaise for support.

"It's her. I have to find her." Draco started to run off down the hall while Blaise called after him.

"Someone might see you!" Blaise however was not surprised with the sight of Draco. He had seen the signs and this change only proved to him that Draco Malfoy was a Veela.

Hermione was crying when the sound of laughter filled the halls. She looked up to see Ron and Lavender standing there. Lavenders annoying voice broke the silence. "I think this corridor is taken won-won."

"Yeah you go ahead, I'll be right there." He started to approach Hermione slowly. "Hermione?"

"No!" She stood with her wand raised. "Avis!" Suddenly 5 small birds shot from her wand and flew towards Ron. He ducted to miss them and left soon after she sat back down and started crying.

Only moments later Draco turned the corner to see his mate crying. He paced back and forth many times until his wings disappeared. Slowly he turned the corner and approached her with his black eyes. He was slowly filling with anger at the sight of Hermione. 'How could anyone hurt what belongs to him.'

"Hermione?"

Her head shot up to the sight of Draco Malfoy standing before her. She started to laugh in between sobs. "Come to see the show Malfoy or maybe make fun of me for a little!" She broke back down and began to cry into her hands.

Slowly and cautiously he sat down on the step next to her. He didn't like seeing his mate in pain. He slowly reached out to pull her against him but she quickly moved over and latched on. Her face was buried into his chest crying while his hand rested on her back and the other removed curls from her damp face. He started to purr softly and trace small circlers on her lower back with his fingers. Her breathing became normal and she removed her face to look up at him. To Draco's surprise her eyes were pure black as well. He wondered if she even knew.

She reached up and touched his cheek. "Your eyes are black."

"They are." They sat there in silence before Hermione stood up breaking the contact. The loss of skin contact made Draco feel cold. She was like a warm honey smelling blanket he could sleep with every night.

"I know touching a mudblood must have been hard for you so I just wanted to say thank you."

He looked up with desperation in his black eyes. Only if she knew what he was and what he wanted. After she left he got up and started walking back to the common room with a smile on his face. Her scent was still lingering on his shirt.

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When Hermione walked back into the common room she found Ron, Ginny and Harry on the couch.

"What do you mean Ron?"

"She was crying in a corridor and then sent killer birds my way for no reason!"

Ginny's voice broke through. "Oh Hermione. Are you okay?"

She couldn't bare the thought of her friends talking about her behind her back and ran to the bathroom. Locking the door with charms. She could hear them call after her but she didn't care. Tears started to fill her eyes again as she leant against the sink for support. Slowly she lifted her head and was shocked by her reflection. Her hair looked bloody awful like normal but her eyes were pure black. She leaned into the mirror to get a better look as images of Draco and his eyes popped into her head. What did this mean. She returned to her bed and closed the curtains all around her. She couldn't stand the sight of Lavender. She also placed a silence charm around herself so no one would hear the loud whimpers when she finally fell asleep.

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Draco returned to an empty common room with only Blaise sitting on the couch with a cup of tea.

"Draco we have to talk."

"Not here." They walked into an empty classroom and placed multiple locking and silencing charms on the door.

"I know you're a Veela."

"Yeah I figured."

"Would you just shut up and listen." Draco took a seat and nodded his head.

"I know you were given a task by the Dark Lord." Blaise slowly lifted his left arm to show his bare skin. "I am not one of them but I assume you are. You can't let this Veela thing get in the way of the Dark Lords plans."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"No Draco you don't understand. He will kill you if you don't succeed."

"Yeah I know but my mate has nothing to do with this."

"If the Dark Lord learns you are a Veela he will find your mate and torture her. Possibly make her one of them. You have to keep the Veela thing under control."

"Why are you telling me this."

"Draco you're my best friend. I just don't want to see you hurt or broken."

Suddenly the realization hit Draco like a million bricks at once. If the Dark Lord ever found out his mate was Hermione Granger of all people she would never be safe. She would be the second most wanted person after Potter. The Dark Lord would find her and constantly torture her in front of him. He would never kill her because he needed Draco but there were far worse things than death that could happen to a person. The Dark Lord would test him by hurting someone he loved in front of him. Try to find his breaking point. The thought sent chills down his spine.

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Draco was now standing in Malfoy Manor with 20 other Death Eaters around him. A body with a bag over there head was laying in front of him.

"My Lord."

"Aye Draco I have a treat for you." With a flick of his wand the bag was removed and showed a helpless Hermione Granger laying on the floor.

She scanned the room and meet Draco's face. Her voice come out as a whisper and he thought he was the only one to hear it. "Draco please…."

He quickly ripped his gaze from her and meet the red eyes of the Dark Lord. A smug smile on his face. "Crucio!"

Draco watched in horror as his mate's beautiful body began thrashing on the floor and endless screamed erupted from her lips. The Dark Lords laughing filled the room as he dropped to his knees.

Suddenly his body was shaking and his eyes opened to meet Blaise.

"Draco! Wake up and stop screaming!"

"What! Where is she!"

"Draco lay back down it was just a dream!"

He clenched at his heart as he tried to steady his breathing. He could never let anything happen to Hermione. He would never.