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).

Several hours later, Draco had his nose buried in his work. He had successfully made it to work before anyone else in his department and had avoided the questions regarding the numerous scratches on his face and arms. It turns out that injuries sustained while in wolf form could not be healed due to the curse. Which was just bloody brilliant. Draco had never had to think about this before, having never before let the wolf out to play. Now, his whole body itched as the wounds from the night scabbed over, causing discomfort every time his expression changed. Draco had read, in one of the many werewolf tomes he read over the years, that this didn't include those of the life threatening variety, but he had no desire to test it out and did not really want to compare the healing factor to that of his human form.

The sound of someone knocking on his door, caused him to release a low groan before calling for whoever stood at the door to enter. The door flung open, and a raven-haired wizard moved swiftly into Draco's office, closing the barrier softly behind him. Harry moved to one of the small chairs that allowed a place for guests to sit, and plopped down. He took one long look at Draco before releasing a heavy sigh, "Why do you do this to yourself, mate?" His soft voice echoed through the walls, concern leaking on the edges of the words. Draco took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Do what?" He eventually asked, praying that playing ignorant would make the Gryffindor leave. Of course that was a fools hope. The other wizard leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. The boldness that was so characteristic of his house came forward when the wizard spoke again.

"Hermione came to my house last night." Draco raised his eyebrows before busying himself with his paperwork. "She came telling me that there was a werewolf outside her house, pacing her wards." When Draco remained silent, Harry rolled his eyes and pushed on, "Are you seriously going to try and tell me that wasn't you?"

"It was a one time slip up." Draco grunted through clenched teeth, "I forgot my morning dose. It was the first time I've ever forgotten and it won't happen again." Harry eyed him before running a hand through his already messy hair.

"If it does? What are we supposed to do when she starts questioning why a werewolf keeps returning to her house?" Harry demanded, leaning back in his chair. Waving his hand at Draco he continued, "You could change all of this if you just told her."

"Told her what exactly?" Draco sneered. Unwilling to admit to what he was sure Potter already knew.

"You are torturing yourself, you fucking git. Hermione is your-"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Potter." Draco snarled. He pushed himself up and walked to the window behind his desk. Peering out at the cloudy grey sky, Draco tried to order his thoughts. Technically, Draco had never admitted to Hermione being his mate to Harry. Legally that was something that was highly guarded. Everything that Harry was going off of was stolen glances, and the epiphany that Draco hadn't had a serious relationship since Hogwarts. This wasn't the first time that the other man had brought up the possibility of it being her, and Draco had never denied it.

Draco stood straight, and took a moment to adjust his cufflinks, trying to seem more put together than he was. The moon had rattled Draco for the first time in years, and he needed to grab hold of his emotions so that he could behave normally-like a wizard who didn't have a snarling beast always in a cage. He just needed another second of silence.

Harry apparently wasn't having it.

"I know exactly what I am talking about. You could at least be around her a few days a month. It might take the edge off. It might help you when the full moon comes." Harry moved so he was standing behind Draco.

Draco took a deep breath, leaning his head against the cold glass, and watched a child walk down Diagon Alley with their mother. The young boy had one hand wrapped around the tail of an enchanted dragon toy that was trying to fight its way free, his shaggy dirty blond hair falling over round cheeks. The little boy's other hand was holding onto a lollypop of multi-colored swirls and the size of his pudgy face. That particular candy could have only come from Weasley Wizard Wheezes just down the alley, as the boy would occasionally burp a bubble the same color scheme as the lollipop. Draco watched as the mother, a pretty witch with pin straight black hair in plum robes, leaned down before stealing a quick lick of the boy's sweet. She smiled and laughed as the boy pulled it away with a scrunched up face, finally giggling as his mother too burped a bubble. Something deep inside Draco twisted and turned as he watched the scene.

"I can't be around anyone Potter. You should know that." Draco sighed, turning to face his coworker with guarded eyes.

"Oh, don't give me that self sacrificing bullshite. I've heard it from a far more experienced wolf, and trust me I didn't believe it then, and I won't now. Just tell her, and you can-"

"I could what?" Draco challenged, his voice reverberating off the walls, his emotions finally over taking him. "She is marrying Weasel. Even if I wanted to, I can't be around her…ever."

"She would help you, if you asked." Harry charged on, "You don't have to sleep together, but you could just hang out."

"Hang out?" Draco scoffed. Not wanting to admit that the reason for the pain on his face was the stabbing in his chest at the thought of being around her. At the thought of knowing that he could spend hours listening to her laugh, and seeing the sparkle that appeared only in her eyes, just to have her return home to another man. He felt his heart crack at the thought, and forced back the pressure behind his eyes that always came when he imagined her spending her life with someone else.

When he finally spoke again, his voice was cracking on the edges with emotion, "I know she would, and that is why I can't ask. I don't want her help." Draco rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, feeling his tense muscles move beneath his long fingers. Hoping that if he said the lie enough, it would finally be true.

He knew she would help in any way she could. Fuck, she was already helping when she worked in the Department of the Control of Magical Creatures. She had created new legislation that made it so no one had the right to know what Draco was. He didn't have to tell anyone and didn't have to register to the Ministry about his affliction. She was helping him without even knowing who or what he was. Of course Potter had already had access to his files before that legislation came to pass, so he had already known. The day after the legislation had passed all records of his disease were removed from the Ministry and destroyed. Draco had felt almost as free that day as he had at the end of the war.

"You're lying to yourself." Potter murmured, moving away and back towards the door. "The ingredients for your next batch will be brought up later today. If you want to, I don't know, get a pint or something before the next full moon just let me know, alright?" Draco nodded absently, now thoroughly lost in his own thoughts.

He knew he was lying to himself but couldn't bear it if he began to tell the truth. Rolling his shoulders to release some of the tension that had begun to build, he shifted to look over some of the documents on his desk. Hoping to distract himself with his work.

Draco had thought that he had met his drama quota for the day when Potter left, but apparently, he had been wrong. Oh, so wrong. He had finished packing up for the night, leaving the now barely brewing wolfsbane to simmer overnight, when there was a knock on the door.

This one was small and timid in contrast to the confidence that had preluded Potter's entrance earlier that day, and after only a couple of seconds of staring at the door like an idiot he was hit with the scent of lavender. He stood as still and steady as the desk behind him, praying to Merlin that she would go away, when her quiet voice echoed through the wood. "Malfoy, can I talk to you? I know you are in there, I saw your shadow moving." The wolf sat up at attention at the sound of his mate, before jumping up and down excitedly in his mind. Draco harshly commanded the beast to stay quiet, and surprisingly it did-the promise of it's mate enough to keep it in line.

He waited for several minutes for her to leave, but instead she knocked a little louder. Draco heard her huff through the door and could imagine her arms folded across her chest in impatience. He smiled for only a moment at the vision before cursing himself, and running his fingers with his hair, before slowly opening the door.

She stared up at him for a moment, looking just how Draco had pictured. arms crossed and brows furrowed in impatience, before releasing a sharp gasp. "Merlin, Malfoy what happened to you?" She asked, reaching her hand up to touch one of the many scratches on his face. Draco jerked his head back away from her fingers, avoiding her touch but not the flash of hurt that crossed her face.

She pulled back her hands, and after a few moments of staring into her wounded chocolate eyes he realized she was waiting for his answer, "Oh," thinking quickly he waved his hand in the air flippantly, "I fell off my broom." She scrunched her face for a second, before rolling her eyes.

"Those bloody things are deathtraps." She huffed. She stood for a second, her eyes flicking back into his office, "Are you going to…let me in," She asked pointedly. Draco jumped slightly, opening the door wider, and sweeping his hand to let her in before he could question what he was doing.

"What-Uh what can I help you with Granger?" He stuttered for a second before gathering himself. He watched her walk around his office, leaning slightly on the wall by the door. She was in a dark blue pantsuit today, her grey blouse ruffled around her neck. Her robes matched her blouse, and she had them left open to give him a good view of her body. While his heart began beating widely, she looked at his books, fingering along their spines before settling on his hidden novels. No longer only his hidden secrets, he smirked.

She smiled before gently caressing the spine of one of his favorites like a long lost friend or, he shivered slightly, a lover. "I love this one." She said casually, her fingers tracing the title, "'The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause…'"

"'….While the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.'" Draco finished automatically. He glanced at her face, noticing that she was staring at him before she glanced back at the books, her face erupting in a very pretty pink. Draco's own neck flushed in embarrassment before he cleared his throat and asked again-quieter this time, "What did you need, Granger?" She laughed lightly then, before turning to him.

Hermione released a heavy sigh, placing the book back carefully on the shelf. She moved deeper into his office perching herself on a chair without being asked to. He moved towards his desk and propped himself up against it, folding his arms across his chest, as if that would prevent him from giving in to the impulses that were already racing through his mind.

He wrinkled his black button up in the process, fearing for a second that it would permanently crease the expensive material, but was just happy that the wolf was quiet and seeming to bask in the presence of his mate. He waited, watching her chew her lip as she worked out what she wanted to ask him. "I have a werewolf problem."

Draco hoped she couldn't hear the pounding his heart began to make as it raced in his chest. "One showed up at my home last night, and just…stayed there. All night." Draco turned away from her, crossing to the other side of his desk to avoid her eyes. Knowing she was waiting for his response he idly fingered a quill before clearing his throat.

"That still doesn't explain why you are here." He rolled up his sleeves, figuring he had already creased the sleeves. He hoped she didn't hear the slight tremble in his voice. His mind raced while it tried to convince him that she didn't know. That she couldn't know. But then again, Potter was her bloody best friend, and had no loyalty to Draco. He could of told her. Bloody hell she knew!

"Well, to be frank Malfoy, you're the smartest person I know." She chirped primly, crossing her long legs, and pulling Draco from his mental ramblings. Hermione placed her hands gently on the higher knee as she waited for his response patiently, her eyes never leaving his face.

Malfoy's eyes were drawn to the movement, the way her shapely calves adjusted as she put weight on one of them. The way her slender fingers caressed each other where they rested on her thighs. His gaze was caught for a moment on her fingers, his brains slowly catching up with what he was seeing. He had to lean forward, his arms supporting his weight over the desk, just to make sure what he was seeing was right. Her fingers were…naked.

"Where is your ring?" The thought made itself verbal, his eyes never leaving her fingers. He kicked himself for his lack of tact, and even more for his need to know.

"What?"

Draco flushed for a second, in for a sickle in for a galleon he thought, his hand fluttering in the air motioning towards her hand. "Your engagement ring. You're not wearing it."

"I-uh…well we-" She sputtered for a second, glancing away and towards the bookshelf, as if the hundreds of creme colored pages could swallow her up. Finally, she looked back up at him with flushed cheeks, meeting his steel colored eyes with her proud chocolate ones. It seemed like she came to a decision as she squared her shoulders and pursed her lips, "Ron and I have decided to break the engagement, but we have not yet made it public." Hermione's gaze never faltered as she spoke, emotion littering her voice, "I would appreciate it if you extended us the courtesy of not telling anyone."

"Of course, Granger. I don't make it a habit of spreading gossip, even if it is as salacious as a break in the perfect façade you seem to portray." Draco responded, he pushed himself off the desk and took a seat at his chair. Trying to look calmer than he felt, he took several deep breaths. The engagement to Weaselbee had been one of the main reasons he was still fighting to stay away from her. With it broken…well that left a wide space that he could fill. Draco stopped those dangerous thoughts in their tracks, continuing the conversation on less vulnerable topics, "So, you were commenting on how smart I was." Draco grabbed a quill at the change of subject and turned it in between his fingers distractedly.

"Yes, you are quite literally a genius," Her eyes rolled for a second, but her voice was genuine. Draco felt a warmth spread through his chest at her compliment, and even more so at the fact that it seemed like she actually meant every word of it.

"OK, why not ask Potter to help? He has familiarity with werewolves if I am not mistaken."

"He has, but he is also supremely protective of me." Hermione scoffed. "He wouldn't let me go anywhere near a werewolf. You on the other hand don't really care if I get infected with Lycanthropy, or if I die. Do you?" Draco fought the urge to laugh in her face. If only she knew how wrong she was. Just the thought of her being infected with the virus had his stomach clenched in knots. He forced the feeling down before giving her what he hoped was a conceited smirk.

"So you need someone who is smart, and who would not care whether you lived or died?" Draco prompted, making sure he had heard her right.

"Right. I need help figuring out who this werewolf is, and you are the smartest person I know of other than myself. They seem to be without wolfsbane and could potentially hurt someone. I would like to provide them access to the brew." She paused looking up at him, making sure he was following, he nodded for her to continue, "I also believe that you are skilled enough in your profession to brew the potion, is that correct?" Draco forced himself not to look at the potion brewing on the other side of the room, currently simmering no more than 2 meters away from her.

"Yes, I am capable of brewing wolfsbane." He was surprised at how steady his voice sounded. Then again, he had spent several years lying to some of the most powerful dark wizards and witches of the era. At least he picked up a skill from his time there.

"Well, in that case I would also request you teach me how to brew the potion. I would like to be able to provide the werewolf with doses of it once they have been discovered." She chewed her lip for a moment before releasing the abused flesh, her eyes dropping to her lap "I need to help them, it's like they came to me specifically. Like they were looking for me." Draco's heart sped up as she spoke, seemingly lost in her own thoughts for a moment. She had no idea how close to the mark she was. She shook herself of whatever thoughts were running through her head before looking back at him.

"What makes you think they were without wolfsbane?" Draco paused, his eyes on her, "Maybe they have access and were just having a night out on the town." Her head was shaking before he finished.

"I don't think that's it. They seemed…well they seemed wild. Like the wizard was not in control." She pursed her lips, her eyes tracking back to his bookshelf.

"Maybe it was a wild wolf." Draco shrugged, "People have been known to get those confused with werewolves quite often."

Hermione's head snapped back towards him and her eyes narrowed. "I have studied werewolves in depth since our third year at Hogwarts. I am quite sure I can tell the difference between a wolf and a werewolf," She brushed her hair out of her face forcefully. "It was a werewolf."

Draco sighed, "Ok, if this was a werewolf, what purpose would they have to seek you out if they were not on wolfsbane." Draco tried to appeal to her logic, looking steadily at her as if he was explaining something to a small child, "Why wouldn't they be off killing wizards and witches, or muggles. Wolves don't often seek out company of others-"

She cut him off, nodding excitedly like she was waiting for him to arrive at this thought, "I have a theory, but I can't test it until the wolf comes back."

"What theory?"

She blushed for a second before looking away again, "I don't want to say in case I'm wrong." She shook her head for a second, "No matter, are you going to help me?"

"What if the wolf doesn't come back?" He asked, ignoring both her question and the pounding of his heart at the idea of her already having a theory. Her theories were rarely if ever wrong, "What if it was a one-time thing?"

Her head tilted towards him, her eyebrows raised in challenge, "How about you help me until the next full moon, it won't be that big of a change as I am already working with you and your mother for the gala. You do this and I will owe you one. I have quite a bit of pull in several departments in the Ministry, and I would be willing to extend to you one I.O.U.."

Draco thought about it for several seconds, but honestly it wasn't a hard decision. All he had to do was work with her for one month, throw her off his scent, and then he would be in the clear. He knew that she was going to investigate this whether he helped her or not, so really this was just a chance to prevent her from putting the pieces together. Not to mention her presence for the next few weeks would calm down the wolf and make the next transformation easier. At least that's what he told himself.

Smirking, he stood from his desk and extended one pale hand across the surface. He waited until her soft skin made contact with his, tingles working their way from his palm to his shoulder and finally settled in his chest as the small digits closed around his larger hand, "Deal, Granger."

A/N2: The book quoted in the chapter above is Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. Not my work, or I would be so rich lol.

A/N3: I hope everyone liked this chapter! Any comments are much appreciated. Below are responses as promised. Thank you all!

Ardina Falconhurst-You were right on the scent lol. I hope this helps clear some things up, and I like how your brain works! I hope you enjoy this next installment.

MadamSlytherinSnake-I have never written from a male perspective, especially one that has been through so much so I really appreciate that you are enjoying this. Thank you so much for the comment!

Hellonurse19-I hope I keep you sucked in lol! I am glad you like it so far, and hope to keep you impressed!

98lemons-I hope that answers your relationship question. She was...but now she's not. I wonder what happened to them!

Ass Ventura-I am sorry, but if I am reading your comment right it seems that you are not enjoying it? If you would like I can recommend other fics that I have enjoyed!

VictoriaJameson-Your wish is my command, love.

Shadowfax00-I am glad you're enjoying his wolf! Maybe I will include some more interactions between the two, because yea...he is just as snooty! lol