Hello Everybody and Happy Halloween!
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).
There is a saying among wizards, 'The most clever of potion masters cannot brew happiness, it cannot be transfigured, or charmed into existence. It is something that must be born from within." When Draco was younger, he had never really understood the saying. Born in the literal lap of luxury, the spoiled child had never wanted for anything.
It wasn't until he awoke later that night, choking on a tangled bush of russet hair that he finally understood what the ancient proverb meant. He took a glance around, and it was with slight shock that he realized they were in his room at the Manor. Earlier he had been unconcerned with where they had apparated to, and was more concerned with the fact they were finally with each other. But, as the moon's soft glow draped the room in cool grey light, Draco realized that not only had Hermione apparated them through the wards to his ancestral home, but that she had stayed.
Looking down at her, her face cushioned on his bare chest and the moonlight practically causing her ivory skin to glow, Draco knew that this was something he couldn't give up. Her hand twitched in its sleep before wrapping around his chest, pulling herself tighter around him, as if she was scared even in sleep he would leave. The warmth that filled his chest was a feeling that could only be described as the purest of happiness, and he knew that this memory would be one that would pull him from the darkest of places.
Draco moved his arm from its current perch on her shoulder and brushed a single knot of hair from her face, watching as her dark lashes twitched slightly. It wasn't until he heard her stomach rumble that he realized how late it must be. They had arrived back at his house around noon and had immediately had sex, which left no time for eating either lunch or dinner. A slight frown creased her face before she immediately snuggled deeper into his chest, as if not even starvation could pull her from her dreams.
We need to feed her, you know? Draco rolled his eyes before closing them and settled back down for sleep. No. She needs to eat. The wolf barked angrily. Draco took a deep and steadying breath through his nose, before acquiescing and leaning down slightly so he could nuzzle her head gently.
"Granger," He whispered, the scent of her sweat mixed with his locked in her tangle of curls, caused his more animalistic self to stir. "Granger, darling. I need you to wake up so you can eat." He groaned and closed his eyes when she began to stir, unknowingly moving her leg over his more sensitive area.
He glanced down as her stirring became more incessant.
Two large cinnamon eyes looked up at him sleepily. "Ready for round two, Granger?" He asked jokingly, watching her closely as she sat up and looked around the room. She appeared slightly disoriented. Slowly she wrapped the sheet tightly around her chest.
"Maybe next time," She smiled weakly, avoiding his eye contact as she slid off the bed and reached down to gather her clothes.
"Next time?" Draco asked, with a confused laugh. The laugh slowly faded as he watched her dress with a sinking feeling.
"Yeah, have you seen my wand?" She asked, distractedly. She searched through the large room, crossing to the small sitting area near the fireplace and turning over cushions. Draco remained still, feeling even more confusion cloud his mind.
"You're not staying?" Draco asked, hating the way he sounded as if she had told him his favorite team had lost the quidditch world cup. Disappointment, anger, and fear all laced his voice.
"Oh, um-" her face furrowed before brightening as she found her wand hiding beneath his dark wood wardrobe on the opposite side of the room. Quickly she grabbed her shoes and sat down on the small cerulean chaise lounge.
"I-I don't think that is a good idea." She looked up from tying her shoes, locking eyes with him before quickly looking away and tucking her thick hair behind an ear only for it to fall back forward. She stood, alternating her weight from one foot to the other, hesitating as if she knew he was about to argue.
"What do you mean?" He demanded, standing from the bed and throwing on the pair of black trousers he had left on the floor, leaving them unbuttoned as he crossed the room to where she was standing, barely feeling the cold hardwood on his feet.
"I just don't think that-well in the morning I mean." She stammered, as she finally began to move towards the door, brushing past his shoulder quickly as she did. She reached for the brass door knob, taking an audibly shaking deep breath as she did, "I think that in the morning, you may regret what I-what I did. I just, think that you need time to process-"
"Granger, I don't need time. What are you talking about?" He demanded moving forward another step before hesitating as she raised a hand, indicating for him to keep his distance.
"Listen Malfoy," She said his name tiredly, as if she didn't have the energy to keep going...he winced, "I think it's best if you avoid me for the next week ok?"
"So what? You kiss me? Drag me back here and fuck me? And now you think it's best if we avoid each other?" Draco demanded, pacing back and forth his hands raking through his hair. Panic was building inside him. Making him revert back to the petulant child he used to be. But he couldn't help it. She was leaving him.
"I'm sorry, ok? I just couldn't help myself. I don't know what came over me, and I think it's best if we take some time to think about what we both want before we pursue whatever this is!" She raised her voice, and turned to face him fully.
Draco hesitated, and turned to face the witch standing in front of him. "What do you mean?" There was that sinking feeling again. The dark pool of liquid that filled his gut began to swallow his rapidly beating heart. He had a feeling that she was about to say something that would crush him, and by the look of tears in her eyes, she knew it too.
"Don't come looking for me, Malfoy. Ok? I'm sorry."
"No Granger, don't. I don't need time, I've had time." He began to move forward, but hesitated, his eyes flicking down to her still upheld hand. His breath shook as he tried to maintain what little composure he had, but all he could think about was her leaving, and the tears in his eyes were begging to break free. To fall like shards of glass breaking from a burdened castle.
"Please," He took a couple quick breaths, "Please, stay." Draco pleaded, his voice cracking just slightly on the edge as she made no move to leave the door. He wasn't really sure what he was actually begging for. Maybe for her to stay? More time? But most likely for Hermione Granger-his mate to turn around from that door and kiss him like he was fresh air and she was drowning. All he knew was that he didn't want her to leave. Because if she left, he was pretty sure she would take his heart along with her.
"I'm sorry." Was the last thing she said. It was followed quickly by the finality of a closing door.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
The words echoed in his head as he stared at the walnut door she had passed through, his mind racing. He was not sure how long he stood there, staring after her but eventually he broke through the haze and the hurt and realized that she was gone.
Rushing forward he threw the door open, and raced through the halls of his Manor with only the thought of a beautiful brunette with a broken face leaving to keep him company. As he ran down the oaken floors he was haunted by the smell of her and the memory of her soft skin against his. Her soft moans, the color of her caramel eyes.
The way the tears had begun falling down her cheeks right before she left his room.
When he crossed the last steps to the first floor of the Manor, he found a door open to the main sitting room. Hope bloomed in his chest as he saw the veridian flicker of green flames bouncing off of the cream colored walls. He could imagine her, perched on a chair, a book propped on her soft thigh and a cup of tea clasped gently in her hand talking happily with his mother.
Maybe she had changed her mind, and decided to stay?
But, as he took a deep breath in through his nose it was not the strong earthy scent of Earl Grey tea that met his nose, but the gentle floral scent of Jasmine.
Disappointment rebounded through the space in his chest where his heart was still beating in powerful rhythmic thuds. In place of a gorgeous and confident brunette, he found a precise and regal blond. His mother's eyes flicked to him, and with a small nod of her pointed chin she indicated the chair in front of her, signaling for her son to take a seat. His feet moved forward even as his mind willed him to keep looking. To find out where Hermione went.
A small part of him knew that his answers lay in this room.
Narcissa's shrewd blue eyes searched her son's face for several moments, before waving her wand and charming the tea to prepare itself. "She just left through the floo." His mother crisply announced, stirring her tea gently before setting the spoon down on the accompanying saucer. "She told me she would finish preparations for the gala from her office, or her home. She also stated that I should not expect her for dinner anytime soon, but that I was more than welcome to visit her in her office."
Narcissa took a small sip of her tea before setting the delicate China softly on the saucer, so not even the quietest clink was audible. She folded her hands in her lap before looking back at him, her piercing blue eyes flashing dangerously, "Draco, I have never felt ashamed to call you my son. Not once. But if you have done something to that girl, Salazar himself won't save you."
Draco was taken aback. He blinked several times before shaking his head roughly, "Mother, I-'' He paused anxiously running his hands through his sleep tousled hair. "I didn't do anything, I-we finally. I was finally-" Narcissa's eyes flicked down to Draco's pale neck, where he knew Hermione's love bite still lay, uncovered. The last piece of evidence that their earlier encounter was real.
Draco was shocked when the first tear rolled down his cheek, but once they started he really couldn't say he was surprised they didn't stop. Burying his head in his palms in embarrassment he let small sobs wrack him, until he felt the cool touch of his mother's hands on his shoulders.
"I am sorry, my dragon." She whispered, "I made an assumption based on your past stupidity." Draco gave a choked laugh before looking back up at her. His mother had aged quickly since the war, where her skin was once smooth there were now faint lines around her eyes and mouth. When the emerald light from the fireplace danced across her hair just right he could see hints of silver amongst her pale blond. But her eyes were as bright and clear as they had been when he was a child.
"I don't know what I did, mum." He whimpered, "I thought I was finally doing the right thing, and then she left. She just left...she said I shouldn't look for her and that she is sorry. She kept saying she was sorry… I don't even know what she is sorry for." Draco waited, his sobs quieting as his mother mulled those two words over and over "I'm sorry". Finally, she cleared her throat and stood, banishing the tea service from the table.
Narcissa hesitated, humming to herself as she began to pace the room. "Perhaps," she began, "there is something she thinks she has done."
"But what could she have possibly done?!" Draco exclaimed standing up, quieting quickly under his mothers narrowing gaze. "Sorry." He mumbled sitting back down on his chair.
"That is not something I can answer. What I can tell you is that if she doesn't want to be found before the gala, you won't be able to. That girl is as clever as Rowena Ravenclaw herself." Narcissa began to walk towards the door, twisting her wand to turn down the fireplace as she went, "If I were trying to figure out why someone is upset, I would try looking at the people that person is closest to." The suggestion hung in the air long after Narcissa had swept up the stairs and into her bedroom.
Draco sat in the sitting room for a while longer. Pondering what exactly his mother was suggesting. He could of course ask Potter, Bill, and the Weasel what Hermione was upset about, but there was always the possibility that they wouldn't know. Could he trust them not to go to Hermione and tell her that he was questioning all of them regarding their nonexistent relationship? She did say, afterall, not to look for her.
Furthermore, did he want anyone to know what had transpired between the two of them hours earlier? His heart was a very delicate thing, and admitting what had happened out loud was asking for it to be shattered.
Still the questions bounced around his head for several hours, long through the night, and continued until the sun rose high in the sky. The thoughts continued when Draco found himself moving distractedly to the floo, and when he distantly heard footsteps on cobblestone streets, realizing vaguely they were his. When he found himself standing outside of the large and imposing building of Gringotts, the questions repeated. They had barely calmed when Draco found himself pacing outside a set of familiar office doors waiting for a certain curse breaker to make an appearance.
When the echoing sounds of footsteps falling on the marble floor preceded a flash of red, Draco was about ready to burst with nervous energy. When Bill finally unlocked the door with a glowing brass key, Draco pushed himself into Bill's office and flopped down on the brown sofa that took up one whole wall.
Draco glanced quickly around the room, taking in the bookshelves that lined the tall office, along with the ornate, iron chandelier with quick flicks of his slate eyes. The redhead's voice was the first thing he fully registered since his mother had left him alone to his thoughts in the dead of night.
"Blimey, by all means, make yourself at home you pompous git." Bill exhaled, tossing his briefcase at Draco, who caught it easily and placed it on the floor next to him. Bill slowly came into the room, taking his time to remove his cloak and position himself in his chair behind his big shiny oaken desk. Draco didn't mind, he was using the time to organize his thoughts.
After several long moments Draco looked up at the eldest Weasley brother and began to speak, "We were intimate last night." Bill for all his joking became very serious in an instant. Leaning forward on his elbows, his fingers steepled at his lips he waited. "I want her," Draco continued, "I want her as much as my magic, and I honestly thought she might want me too. I mean she kissed me. She started it, not the other way around. But then she left me standing in my room. She left me, saying sorry as she did." Draco stood and strode towards the desk before beginning to pace.
Bill's blue eyes watched Draco for a second, before cocking an eyebrow as if he was waiting for the story to continue. "She said 'I'm sorry' and fled my house as if Death Eaters still lived there, and now I don't know what to think."
"Start from the beginning." Bill for his part remained silent as Draco explained what had happened, pacing the room like the wolf trapped inside his mind. He hummed in the right places and even winced as Draco told him about Seamus' Alpha behavior. Draco skimmed over the more nitty gritty of the night, leaving the more intimate parts to himself, much to Bill's obvious relief.
"Which brings me here. To your doorstep when I should be clocked in at the office. Potter's going to have a field day." Draco finished lamely. Bill waved his hand and rolled his eyes dismissing Draco's concern for his career. At some point they had switched positions, with Draco now sitting on the couch and Bill pacing as Draco had told the story. The scuffing of his shoes on the deep green area rug kept Draco distracted as his mentor quietly mumbled to himself. Suddenly he stopped, facing Draco with a severe look on his face.
"So, you said that your wolf took control of you during?" Bill inquired, quietly tapping his wand against his thigh, a tick the older man had for when he was solving a relatively difficult curse or riddle.
"Yeah, but only for a moment." Bill nodded. His mind worked so fiercely you could practically see the steam rolling out of his pierced ears, "You don't think I hurt her do you?" Draco demanded suddenly, feeling sick to his stomach at the thought that he may have injured Hermione without even realizing it. He racked his brain for that moment. That split second when he couldn't maintain control. What if he had bruised her, or even scratched her. He couldn't forgive himself if he had somehow hurt Hermione.
"I doubt it," Bill was saying. Finally, like a light switch went off inside his mind the redhead's eyes brightened as a look of realization dawned on his face. As quickly as it was there it was gone, leaving a controlled facade as he once again made eye contact with Dracp sitting before him.
"What?" Draco stood slowly, as Bill paced himself back behind his desk.
"Nothing yet," Bill shrugged, "Could be something, but I will have to talk to a few people to be sure." Draco leaned forward.
"What aren't you telling me?" He demanded, frustration and exhaustion making themselves evident in his tone of voice.
"I can't be sure, Draco." Bill sighed, moving back towards the blond and clasping him gently on the shoulder, before nudging him towards the door. "If you want my opinion, go and rest. We have a little over a week until the gala. She will be there, so you can see her then. Once I get more information I'll owl you. I promise." Draco nodded, before heading back out of the office. Once on the other side of the door, Draco stood for a few minutes, and prayed that it wouldn't take long for the eldest Weasley brother to get back to him.
Draco had to wait several days before any news had come to him regarding his situation from Hermione. He had visited Bill's office several times over the past week but was quickly told that he was still working on it, and that Draco would have to be patient.
Draco tried, but when Tuesday came, and for the first time in over seven years she didn't bring a steaming cup of tea to her best friend, Draco broke. Draco marched down the unfamiliar hallways of the Department of Magical Cooperation to try and speak with her himself.
She was gone, 'away from the office' according to a couple of her colleagues. So, Draco vowed he would try again the next day.
Unfortunately, it seemed that Hermione had a knack for leaving as soon as he was coming down to see her. When Draco tried to make appointments, her secretary said with very stern words that Miss Granger was fully booked for the next few weeks, though a quick glance at the desk calendar showed Draco that nothing was planned. Hermione's seeming sixth sense for Draco's visit's were too keen for Draco to believe it was just chance, giving him the sneaking suspicion that a certain bespectacled fellow had to do with it.
The week of the gala, late in the afternoon Draco stormed into his superiors office with little concern. Harry Potter hardly glanced up from his file as he waved his holly wand at the door. After a few more sentences written in scratchy penmanship, Harry finally looked at the seething man in front of him. "Can I help you, Malfoy?" He asked calmly before tossing the file aside and leaning back in his cushy leather chair.
"Yeah." He hissed through his teeth. "Just tell me why?" The wolf had been on edge all week due to Hermiones 'disappearance,' and with the full moon less than 48 hours away Draco was starting to think he wouldn't be able to go to the ball at this rate. The night before the full moon was always the worst, and with a full group of other people in his house he was bound to be territorial. Now, standing in front of a man who was keeping him from his mate, he couldn't remember why he ever wanted the wolf locked up in the first place.
"Because," Harry stated slowly, his green eyes not backing down from the challenge, "She asked me to." Harry stood from his chair, his wand still locked tightly in his hand, "And I will literally do anything for that woman. If she asked me to kill you, I would without question." Harry's conviction matched his eyes, making it very obvious he was not lying. "She said in no uncertain terms that you could not find her. So you won't. Period."
"But what did I do?" Draco yelled, causing books to shake roughly on the shelf from uncontrolled magic.
"I don't know, mate." Harry breathed calmly, "I didn't ask for clarification. She just said she needed time, and I think that given how much time you have taken for yourself, it's something she is allowed to ask for."
Draco gave her time. He waited anxiously for days until the night of the gala, making sure to take his wolfsbane every night. When the day of the gala finally came, he stayed away from the Manor to make sure she had the space she needed to decorate the hall, and the ballroom. He sent a quiet prayer to Merlin that her stereo would work, and that the ballroom would look as beautifully as she dreamed.
When it was finally time for him to arrive and greet guests as the host of the gala he made sure to take a clear path to the ballroom, so as not to run into her if she was doing any last minute planning. The pearlescent ballroom was decorated in celebration of winter. There were magical snowflakes occasionally blown around the room by a gentle breeze. The floor looked as though they were standing on a frozen lake reflecting every flake like a star caught in the ebony night sky. Each round dining table had a large crystalline decanter of wine situated in its center.
It reminded Draco of a more sophisticated Yule ball, and harshly drew the memory of when he saw Hermione standing there with the Bulgerian champion. Back then he had thought then that she had cleaned up well for a mudblood. But now he knew she had been the most beautiful girl in the room.
Guiding his mother around with a firm arm, they greeted guests with smiles, and handshakes. They made sure to grin and laugh at all the right jokes, talking quietly so that the soft sound of music floating from the speakers on the stage could still be heard. There was a ward around the stereo to prevent magic from penetrating the area, so the music was safe from the occasional surge of arcane energy. The ward, his mother told him, was Hermione's personal spell invention. Leave it to his witch to come up with a spell to merge magical with muggle.
He took a glass of wine off of a silver tray carried around by Hogwarts students, each smiling brightly and enjoying the party. It had been Hermione's idea. To put Hogwarts' best and brightest, funniest and most charming in the front as workers. It allowed them to chat with the guests and talk up the idea of exchanging with other students and participating in courses in the other schools. Each student eyed him warily, the knowledge of his tainted past apparently still echoed around the Hogwarts halls, leaving its stench like old milk.
He glanced down at himself, his tailored robes and shiny dress shoes looking perfectly at home, and in complete contrast with the tense beast beneath his skin. He smiled at each of the students, trying to make them feel more comfortable. A couple even gave him a small, if a little timid, smile back.
Draco reminded himself as the gala was underway that he only needed to survive for a few hours, and then he could retreat to his cabin and spend the rest of the night alone to prepare for the monster's arrival in just over 24 hours.
It worked, until the great doors opened and Hermione walked in. He smelled the lavender drifting along with the magical breeze through the hall and all the way to where he was standing with his mother. With a murmured excuse to his mother, and the French official they were currently speaking with, he moved forward, searching the room for her. He found her easily, as most of the crowd parted making room for her to move around.
She was wearing a beautiful silver gown with dark blue robes. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant twist, allowing him to see the dark pink flush on her cheeks. She smiled as she spoke with the first politicians to find her in the room, her soft laugh drifting above the music in the background. She looked gorgeous, if a little tired. A part of him that had been restless since their separation over a week ago finally calmed now that she was in front of him. In front of him and whole, and safe and perfect.
Almost as if she could feel his gaze, Hermione glanced towards him. The smile that had been lighting up her face fell, and she motioned to her date to move her to the next figure waiting for her attention. It wasn't until Draco's view of Hermione was obscured by a taller, dark haired figure that he fully realized she was on the arm of another wizard. A wizard he vaguely recognized. The way the man moved brought Draco back to the situation at hand.
All Draco could think about was that this other wizard had his hand wrapped around his mate's waist. He was competition. A quidditch player by the looks of the man's sure movements. A quidditch player around his age, and when the stranger turned towards Draco, giving him a playful smirk, realization dawned on the blond like an avalanche. The ice that spread through Draco's veins was nothing compared to the lead ball that fell into the pit of his stomach.
This wasn't a stranger.
Graham Montague.
A former Slytherin.
Two years older than Draco.
Draco remembered that Montague worked for the Department of Magical Cooperation as well. He was in the senior division and well known for his charismatic sway. It would make logical sense that Hermione would invite him to try and convince some of the other countries to allow the exchange program. But there was something else that Draco knew about Montague that replaced the ice in his veins with white hot fire, and a deep fear for Hermione to penetrate his soul.
Graham Montague was charming with a magnetic personality that could sway even the most oppositional adversaries to his side. The catch? He never did anything for free. He always took what he wanted. And he had wanted Hermione since Draco's fifth year. He could still remember the way Montague had made comments about her hips. Telling anyone who listened that he wanted to make the mudblood scream his name. Boasting in the common room that he knew she studied late at night, and all he needed to do was convince her he loved her and she would be his.
Of course, that was the year that school regulations in Hogwarts became nearly unbearable. Montague lost his chance when he left Hogwarts that year. But now, with Hermione on his arm Draco knew that those plans had never ended, they had simply been put on hold.
Draco spent the next hour watching closely as the other Slytherin moved his hand slightly too low on her waist only for her to tactfully move it back. Watched carefully as Montague drug his hands gently over her arms, and gripped the fabric of her dress until it wrinkled at her back. The wolf watched too. Growling and snapping at Draco to make Montague stop. To take her back to their cabin where she could be safe. To rip Montague's throat out so that he wouldn't be able to touch her again.
When Montague once again moved his hand below her waist and squeezed, Draco heartily agreed with the wolf. Draco took a step forward, but was stopped by a strong hand on his arm. Draco glanced down as a gruff voice said, "Easy, mate." Draco glanced up at Bill who looked like he was struggling almost as much as Draco was.
"Do you see what-"
"Yes, I did," Bill hissed, leading Draco quickly from the room and into the side hall that housed the bathrooms. Draco pulled his arm from the older man's tight grasp and began running his hands through his hair. Bill for his part, just watched. When Draco finally calmed down enough to ritualistically adjust his cufflinks, the redhead spoke.
"I see it too, but you can't go and tear the bloke's throat out."
"...It's like you are in my head, Weasley." Draco glanced up and into Bill's hardened expression.
"Or we just have similar trains of thought. Hermione is a powerful witch and can handle herself." Bill walked forward, his more wolfish traits raising to the surface as his voice lowered and became more gravely. Bill shoved a finger into Draco's chest so hard that he was sure it would bruise, "What I can't do is have you blow the cover that you have maintained for nearly a decade because you're jealous. Take some time, calm down out here, and meet me back inside to finish up this party."
"How did you even get here?" Draco demanded heatedly, straightening his pressed shirt from the wrinkles Bill created.
"Cissa invited me. Thought it might be a good idea when she found out Hermione was bringing a date." Bill huffed, before backing towards the great hall. "I mean it Draco. This moon has got me on edge and I can't guarantee that I won't knock your lights out if you start something and ruin this for Hermione."
Draco glared at him, but nodded once before taking a deep breath. Draco stayed out in the hall for several minutes allowing the soft hum of the music and the distant chatter to lull his mind. He was almost certain he had the beast put back in the cage when he heard the sound of an argument coming from out in the garden.
Crossing the hallway up the main stairs, Draco could reach the upper balcony. It connected with the ballroom, but allowed a fantastic view of the gardens. Following the noise, Draco went outside to the cold March air. Peering over the balcony he found a very flustered Hermione yelling at her date on the stone patio just below him.
"This is a work function. I invited you to be my date because I needed you for work. Keep your hands on my waist or higher. Do you understand?" She demanded, her hair escaping the twist as a gust of cold wind blew over her.
"I'm sorry Hermione, you are just so beautiful in that gown. How did you expect me to keep my hands off of you?" Montague joked before reaching up to grab one of her curls.
"I told you to keep your bloody hands off me! That's how!" She hissed, taking a step back.
"Hermione, just give me a chance." Montague's voice carried to Malfoy like oil. "Why else would you invite me?" The suggestive quality left a bad taste in Draco's mouth.
"Because, I was told by many higher ups that you would help me pass this program." Hermione rolled her eyes and flung her hands up in exasperation. She was speaking to Montague like he was a student that couldn't remember yesterday's homework.
"I will," Montague assured smoothly, "which means that you owe me. So, I think that I deserve a little incentive to try my best." Draco watched angrily as Montague leaned forward and began kissing her. The thing that made Draco snap…was that she was trying to push him off of her.
Sharp claws dug into Draco's consciousness and he was yanked into the cage inside his mind, and the iron door was slammed shut and locked. The wolf surged forward claiming his body. Draco felt his posture change, his senses sharpen, his muscles tense as the wolf stood tall, assured, and settled into his form.
Draco tried to take back control, but it was as if the wolf had tied his hands together, and gagged him. He watched as the wolf put both his hands on the banister, using them to heave himself over the edge, landing perfectly in a crouch next to Montague.
Montague, hearing the crunch of Draco's shoes on the cobbled patio, pulled back before gazing astonished at him, "Malfoy, mate did you just jump-" The rest of the sentence was cut off as the wolf's hand snapped forward, quickly grabbing the Montague's throat and shoving him up against the pale stone wall behind them, so his toes barely grazed the ground beneath him.
"What was that?" The wolf questioned calmly. Draco recognized his voice barely among the deep rumble it took. The way it almost sounded as if both their voices were layered on top of each other. When Montague answered with a sharp gasp a slow satisfied smile crept across their face, "Oh," It purred, "I'm sorry, Draco's not here right now." Draco felt his hand flex more, registering the pulse of the other man's heart beneath his fingers.
Again the wolf spoke through Draco, "That woman over there," the beast flexed his head towards Hermione, his eyes never leaving Montague's face, "She's mine. You understand? You won't ever touch her again. Ever." He squeezed harder emphasizing the last word until Montague's face started to turn purple.
"Stop!" The sharp command that echoed through the night was enough for the wolf to glance over at Hermione, the source of the sound. Draco wanted to beg her to run. To leave before the beast became the monster it was and attacked her. He didn't understand why she wasn't running already. Clearly she must have known that it wasn't Draco anymore, because as sure as he was a Malfoy he knew his eyes were glowing like reflective platinum in the night.
The wolf locked its gaze on her and waited. Hermione just stared back, moving forward confidently and pointing at the ground. "Drop him." Much to Draco's surprise, the beast did just that. Like a dog caught with a dead bird, he dropped the threat. An amused look crossed the beast's face.
Montague took a couple of labored breaths before glancing at the two of them. "I think it's time you went home, Graham." Hermione spoke steadily, never taking her eyes off of the wolf in Draco's form. The wolf growled as Graham ran back into the hall, leaving them standing alone on the outer patio of the main garden.
"That was my prey, witch." The wolf smirked as he spoke to her. "You have no idea how much it is taking not to chase him."
"I'm sure you can handle it." She rolled her eyes, tucking a curl behind her ear. She cocked her eyebrow as she looked at him, clearly waiting for him to speak.
"Are you ok?" The wolf asked, moving forward and delicately touching her swollen lips.
"Yeah, it's fine. Nothing I couldn't handle." She sighed, before grabbing the pale fingers at her mouth and holding them tightly in her hand. Glancing back towards the glass door she took notice of the party before moving deeper into the garden, dragging them behind her. Draco made a move to take back control of his body, but the restraints that had been placed on him had only grown stronger. Not today, human. Was the only response Draco got from the wolf as they followed obediently behind the brunette.
They took many twists through the ancient lands. The many areas of trimmed shrubbery made it a maze to any who didn't know their way through. Hermione walked swiftly, winding her way down different paths and leading them through his mother's favorite morning trail. He wasn't surprised when she began to slow down, showing him that Narcissa had probably led her out here a time or two before.
"What's your name?" Hermione asked breathily when they finally arrived at a small swing attached to an old maple tree. The tree had been there as long as Draco could remember. Its branches twisted over the swing making it a favorite place for him during the humid English summers. Draco had imagined taking Hermione here a number of times, but never with the wolf in control of his body. Hermione for the most part seemed at ease. She sat down, apparently perfectly comfortable in the wolf's company.
"Orion." The beast volunteered smoothly, leaning down until he was face to face with her. "You know what that means?"
"The hunter." Hermione smiled, "How appropriate." For all her confidence, her breath hitched as the wolf moved his hands to her waist. He hesitated briefly, moving slower, drifting fingers over her exposed skin before grabbing the ropes and pushed her so she began to lightly sway. "How long have you been hunting me, Oh mighty hunter?"
"Your sarcasm is much appreciated," Orion answered jokingly, before whispering in her ear, "I have wanted you forever." When goosebumps kissed her skin all the way to her collar bone Orion pulled back and spoke in a normal tone, "Of course, part of me didn't know that. So...for simplicity's sake I will say since the year Dumbledore fell." Hermione nodded. "But of course, you already knew that, didn't you?" The wolf leaned down and sniffed her hair, shuddering as he did. "Clever witch." What the bloody hell are you talking about? Draco asked, only for the wolf to shush him. Just wait.
"Yes," She whispered, her voice taking on a breathy quality.
"Tell me, my clever witch, what was your first clue?"
"Draco was brewing wolfsbane in his office." She looked up at them, and shivered. The wolf removed his jacket and wrapped her shoulders, humming as he went. "I saw the potion early in our arrangement. It didn't take long after that to put the pieces together. All the signs were there, I just had to ignore the feeling of being torn in two when he wasn't next to me enough to think about it. He looked like he had been beaten up that first day I showed up in his office. The day after the full moon. He avoided me, except when he thought I was in danger. The other wolves respected him, but also viewed him as a threat to their alpha."
"Clever witch." Orion laughed gently, walking around her in a predatory way.
"It doesn't matter though, does it?" She sounded upset, glancing up at him, he saw the frustration evident on her face. Orion stopped his circling and gave her a questioning glance.
"Why is that, Mate?" He demanded, staring at her, "You know now. What is stopping us from finally being together?"
"You are," She seethed, motioning towards his body from where he stood between her and the tree. "He is. I heard him at Bill's that night. He doesn't want me, never has." She made a frustrated noise and stood from the swing, moving quickly towards a dormant rose bush. Once she got there she paused, her fingers kissing the delicate thorns on the plant, "You love me, Orion. I am your everything. You would die for me." She laughed weakly, turning back towards the pair of them. She jammed her finger in the space between them, pointing at Draco's body and continuing her frustrated rant, "But he thinks that this connection is wrong and unnatural."
The wolf waited, leaning against the tree as the wind began to blow again. The trees rustled as their branches brushed against each other with no leaves to cushion the noise. When the wind finally died down she glanced back up at the wolf, a self-deprecating laugh ripping through her mouth, "And I love him." Her cheeks flushed pink due to the cold, but together Orion and Draco watched her eyes. Watched as the fire in them began to die and the hurt made itself known. "I love him, and I know that this is for the best. What happened last week was us," She moved her hands in the space between them, "I saw you there and I took my chance to have you if only for that night. He didn't want that…I took advantage of him. If he doesn't want me then-"
"He didn't understand what you are, but he does now." The wolf explained, moving slowly towards her. "He regrets pushing you away."
"I can't trust you right now," Her voice warbled. "You would say anything to have me."
"But it's the truth." The wolf growled, "Ask anyone, ask Harry...or Bill-"
"Oh, don't even get me started on those two." She yelled, throwing her hands in the air, "So much for loyalty. They fucking knew, and Ron too. You all let me feel as though the Earth was literally swallowing me and no one said anything." She stopped suddenly and whipped towards them, "Can he hear me right now?"
Her sudden change of subject took them both by surprise, but Orion recovered quickly and nodded. "Good. Well, Malfoy, I will let you know that if you had just explained your situation instead of being a prat and hiding it from me I would have helped you."
"How?" The wolf demanded, "Would you have buried your head in the sand like he did."
"No. I would have left. Studies show that distance from a mate can make the bond easier to manage. Not gone...but bearable. I have already begun to take these steps to help." She hissed, anger still prevalent in her voice.
"What-" The wolf stuttered, the confidence in its voice wavering for the first time since Draco had met him. "What do you mean?"
"I have already talked to the Head of Muggle and Wizard relations in the United States, and they have offered me a position. I accepted. I start there in about two weeks, just after I get everything settled with the exchange program." She paused, the fight in her nearly gone. "I can't very well expect you to be the one to leave. Can I, Malfoy?" She motioned to his home, to the garden. "Your mother needs you, and I-I don't have anyone. Harry can visit on the holidays, and my parents-"
"You can't be serious." The wolf stammered, taking several steps towards her. "You realize I can't let you leave-"
"Petrificus Totalus" The charm hit them square in the chest. They had paused, mid step, his fingers brushing her soft skin. Her wand centimeters from his body. "Draco...I know you can still hear me. I'm sorry this happened to you. If I could go back in time, I would kill that monster before he hurt you. With this distance I can help you. You can figure out who you want to be with. Who you love, and maybe one day who you will want to marry."
YOU. I WANT YOU. Draco yelled desperately, but her spellwork was strong, and even if the wolf let him out of the cage, he wasn't sure he could break the enchantment.
"For once you'll have a choice." She reached up, brushing some fringe out of his eyes. "I hope she is pretty, and that she makes your tea the way you like it, and that she appreciates the way your forehead crinkles when you focus on a potion. Promise me, yeah? Don't settle for any woman who is less."
Please...please don't do this.
Hermione stood on her tiptoes, making as if she was going to kiss him before changing her mind and lowering herself back onto her feet. "Good luck Draco, remember to take your potion every night. Wouldn't want Orion to try and swim the Atlantic to find me." She gave a weak laugh, flicking her wand towards him. He felt the caress of a warming charm wash over him. Hermione shot him one last brittle smile, before she apparated out of his field of vision. Leaving him alone in a field of dead flowers.
While sitting out in the gardens, Orion relented control back to Draco. The beast that would normally be fighting for control curled up into a small shape in the back of Draco's mind. His heart ached as he thought about what Hermione would be doing right now. Packing bags probably. She wouldn't have told him this if she had planned on going back to work. She would probably work out of her house. If Draco was able to cry, he probably would, but right now he was frozen like the marble statues situated within the gardens.
"Over here!" Draco heard the shouting after what felt like hours. The warming charm was still going strong, but he knew his limbs were going to be stiff once the curse was released. "I found him!" Bill Weasley sprouted from the path, jogging up to the still statuesque Malfoy heir.
Waving his cedar wand quickly, Bill released the curse that held Malfoy in place. The only thing that Malfoy could do was stand there in shock. Malfoy looked over at Bill, his gray eyes still and broken, and Bill looked back with pity. "You knew?" Bill looked down, shame washing over his features.
"I knew she was offered the position. I didn't know she had accepted. I tried to talk her out of it-"
"But you knew she would take it didn't you? You knew she had figured it out?" Draco ignored the crashing of the leaves, and the thick thud of footfalls as Harry and Ginny, still garbed in their formal wear from the Gala, bounded into the clearing.
Bill looked over at Ginny with pleading eyes. The woman stepped forward, nibbling on her cheek as if she was struggling. "She-She came to my house about a week ago. After you two-" Ginny raised her hands, rubbing them up and down her pale arms, currently naked due to the formal dress she was wearing. "She told me everything. She-she was scared." Draco looked away, his heart cracking over again at the other woman's soft words.
"You have to understand, Malfoy, she thought you didn't like her- let alone anything more. We tried to tell her, but it was too late." Ginny finished in a weak whisper, her sapphire eyes tearing up in the cold. Harry draped his dress robes over Ginny, before moving forward to Draco.
"So that's it then?" Draco asked, "I waited too long and now she is leaving?"
"Is that what you want?" Harry prompted, his soft green eyes searching Draco's face. "Are you going to let her leave? Let her go even though you just learned to accept what we've been trying to tell you for years?"
"You have a better plan?" Draco asked roughly, "It's not like I can stop her. I don't know where she lives!"
"659 Victoria Road Hampstead." Harry raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Now you do. Go get my sister, convince her to stay. Convince her to be happy!" It took a moment for the words Harry had said to sink in.
An address spoken from the lips of a Secret Keeper.
Draco released a shaky breath, quickly he raised his wand and apparated away without a goodbye. Leaving his friends behind, and reappearing on a familiar empty street with a crack!.
Where once there was an empty plot of land there now existed a nice brick home. Draco stood there for a second, stunned in disbelief. The hedges surrounding the house were trimmed neatly, and there was a funny looking petrified gnome guarding the front lawn. Draco approached the house. He stood in front of white painted door, not knowing what to do next. Without any better options, he knocked and waited.
He heard shuffling from inside, and before he could think twice about how she was going to react, Hermione had opened the door and was standing in front of him. She had taken her dress off, wearing a pair of pajama shorts, and a t-shirt. Her makeup was off, leaving behind puffy red eyes, and lips that were swollen from biting them. A white stick was sticking out of her mouth, and a sticky bluish white substance was on the sides of her lips. After several moments. "Stay." The word was rushed. Short. Whispered into the space between the two of them and carried into the night as they both stood staring at each other in the cold March air.
Her brown eyes widened. Draco assumed this was due to the fact that he was standing on her front porch. It didn't take long for her to regain her composure. "I 'ont-" Her voice struggled to make words around the glob of white spit that bounced around her mouth. " 'old on,' ' She forced out before rolling her eyes and moving deeper into the house. Draco followed behind quickly, closing the door to keep the cold out. Draco heard the sound of the strange heat maker kick on as he followed behind her into a small water closet. She turned on the tap before spitting. She then grabbed a small cup next to the faucet. After rinsing her mouth she turned back towards him.
"Um-the sitting room-" She motioned, and he followed her direction down the small hall to a room with clean cream colored walls, and dark leather furniture. She stood anxiously in the doorway, her hands rubbing up and down her arms. "I don't-"
"Stay." Draco repeated, allowing himself to put every ounce of emotion in his voice. "Or don't, I guess." Her brows scrunched up at that, but she stayed silent. Draco screwed up his face, trying to focus on his words, on what he wanted her to understand. "What I'm trying to say to you Hermione is that if you want to go to the States and find a nice American bloke who can take care of you, then I will find a way to deal with that. I'll focus on my career, and dedicate the rest of my life to be the man I know you deserve, and hope you come back to. But, if for even a moment you are making that decision because you believe that I don't want you…That I, Draco Abraxas Malfoy don't want you?" His voice sounded incredulous as he looked at her. She had locked eyes with him. Like she was waiting for something that only he could give.
"Then stay. Don't go. I have wanted you for every second of every day for years. You are all I think about from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. I am so thankful that I was bitten by Greyback because without him I would have never realized how perfect you are. How much I need you. So…I am begging you. Stay."
Draco waited for what seemed like hours. Her eyes had begun misting around the time he had said his full name, and now fat droplets were rolling down her cheeks, but she wasn't sobbing. Instead…she was smiling. The largest smile he had ever seen on her face was this singular smile. And before he knew what was happening…she was in his arms. She was hugging him and kissing him and touching him, and everything he had ever hoped he could have was finally in his hands.
…And she stayed.
The End
A/N 2: Thank you to everyone who has stuck by and waited for this final installment. I have been going through some mental health issues and have appreciated everyone's kind words and thoughts. I hope you enjoyed this and I will be back in the future with another fic, so please keep your eyes pealed for that. Thank you!