Hermione had heard some guttural sound, some animalistic whimper full of pain. She turned around and saw Ron kneeled on the ground, staring at the grass with a lost gaze. Immediately she felt her whole stomach inflate with fear. The girl tensed and turned around to hold him, to help him, drag him to the infirmary, or do something to ease his suffering, whichever it was.
"RON!" she called fearfully trying to reach him, meanwhile Harry stares curiously, attentively, on his four legs.
"Step… away!" Ron whimpered painfully, gasping through his words while feeling a terrible pain shooting through his bones.
"But Ron…!" Hermione was a little more hesitant now, hearing his voice so feeble, so weak, and so strong all at once.
"STEP AWAY!" Ron growled loudly, looking up and extending a hand to stop her advance.
Sure it did, for when the boy looked up Hermione saw his eyes glancing straight at her. That might have been normal, had it not been for the fact that a very full moon was reflecting strong in the depths of his pupils. Hermione understood herself.
Ron collapsed, the pain was so unbearable that his arms and legs could not hold him any more, hence he allowed his body to collide with the soft grass. There he laid, curled in a ball and shaking and twisting like a worm being stabbed in a hook. His moans, his whimpers, and a growl born deep in his throat alerted the girl. Tears were falling down his cheeks, and his voice pleaded to be killed, being the pain to terrible, his suffering so cruel and intense. Hermione wanted to help, but each yell motioned one step farther in her body.
The change began, before the consciousness of the boy. His bones shifted, red hair began to grow all around his body, making him scream even louder. He laid facing the sky and arched his back, while claws and fangs grew in his hands and mouth, and the flaming fur covered his arms and legs completely. His howl could be heard from any part of the castle, and people began to look through the windows at the struggling form on the floor. The boy's face disappeared, his mouth elongated into a muzzle, his ears moved upwards and became pointy, a black, humid nose replaced his long, human one. The legs became canine, the body, although slim, was muscular and stronger, the arms strong yet the hands were almost human, and a fluffy tail grew at the end of his spine.
The suffering finished.
Ron laid there, panting, breathing heavily. His brown eyes looked into the infinity, who knew what was crossing the wolf's mind now. The rosy tongue lolled out, resting on the grass, and the whole body remained still, recovering strength, after the fatigue of the transformation.
A guttural bellow was heard, a wild roar, a savage growl. Hermione looked back in time to see the black bear galloping towards the limp form of the red werewolf. It took milliseconds before she had gathered her instinct, and her strength.
"DON'T!" the girl yelled fearfully, leaping towards the bear.
A small, chestnut mare slammed her weight against the bear's black body. She had warm, brown eyes, a bushy mane, and a slender body that denoted andalusian blood. The equine was not half as heavy as the bear, but the strength of the impact was enough to make the bear trip. Both animals collapsed on the ground.
"Hermione…" the black bear shook his head, standing up again, his green eyes piercing the mare's eyes ferociously, "He's dangerous!" the animal growled.
"He's your friend!" the mare neighed with frightened protest.
"W… What?" Harry whimpered lightly, "you thought I was going to hurt him?" Harry stared at the horse with disbelief.
"But… but you were roaring, and running, and…" Hermione pawed the ground nervously, staring at Harry with shame.
"Hermione, we had a werewolf professor, who was my father's best friend. How could I ever think of hurting Ron because he transformed?" Harry tilted his head sideways.
"But what where you doing?" Hermione protested, now becoming furious.
"Protect him! Look up!" Harry snarled gently, motioning upwards.
The mare raised her sharp head, indeed there was an enormous amount of people gathered on the windows. Just perfect, all the students knew there were two unregistered animagi and a bloodthirsty werewolf at school, this was going just great.
"We must get him away from here!" Harry commented with a roar, so severe that noted the urgency of the problem, "To Hagrid's hut!" the bear finished.
Hermione became human again, and approached the werewolf. The poor creature was laying on the floor, looking miserable, his chestnut eyes were shaded, veiled with sorrow. When the girl approached, the wolf raised his head and whimpered, curling in a ball and maintaining his large body away from Hermione's reach.
"Ron… shh, it's ok!" Hermione said smiling gently at him, her sparkling eyes reflecting his frightened face with so much care.
The wolf flattened his ears against his head with shame. The animal whimpered lightly when he saw the woman extending a hand towards him. There was that gentle smile placed on him, that loving gaze, that fearless heart that had confronted a bear to protect him. The girl kneeled before the werewolf and placed a hand onto the furry cheek, caressing him so gently, so lovingly. Tears began to fall down the girl's cheeks, emotive drops of glossy fluid.
"Oh Ron, you are so beautiful, you know?" the girl said in an strangled voice, so much sincerity flowing through each note as the wolf rested his head against her palm and closed his eyes.
"Herr…My…Ou…Nee!" Ron growled with a terrible effort at articling words with an animal's throat.
"Ron?" Hermione leapt back startled, retreating her hand, glancing at the werewolf as if he had suddenly appeared, "You can control it?" the girl inquired surprised.
"Moust…lee." the red headed attempted, nodding with his head to mark his failing trials at speech.
"We have to go! To Hagrid's hut! Can you run?" Hermione inquired gently, placing a hand on Ron's large, furry paw.
"I… thenkk… sou…!" the wolf growled lightly, staring at the black bear.
Harry was equally surprised as Hermione, hence the calm bear was waiting patiently for the turn of the events. The animal nodded and grinned and fanged smile, motioning his approval, and his gratefulness that the wolf had not taken control of the boy's humanity. Ron returned the same fanged grin, curling his lips such that it almost seem as if he was threatening the bear. Standing up, the werewolf directed a gaze at the group of people perched on the windows. The hybrid grinned again, and raising his head, the red head inflated his chest and lungs, filling them with fresh air. A torrent of wind was released from the werewolf's mouth when the beast emitted a deep, prolonged, howl. Many people retreated back inside, startled, frightened, or simply full of terror inspired by millenniums of tales about werewolves.
"Let's gou!" the wolf barked at Harry, then turned to Hermione, and his grin softened into a gentle, loving smile.
The bear and the wolf began running a race towards the caretaker's cottage. Hermione had had time to return that loving smile, and her stomach began to flutter with millions of butterflies, for even furry, with a nose longer than usual, and a mouth full of fangs, he was still Ron. With a neigh, the girl shapeshifted into her mare animagi. She galloped with all her might, pursuing the retreating traitors, leaving her behind. The courage of a terrible werewolf, and a perilous, fierce bear. The mare passed them and neighed a laughter, making the two carnivores growl and bark at her in mock threat.
"Suddenly, this has become one of the best nights I'll ever remember!" the girl thought with a smile, and how true her words were, for this night was to be recorded in her mind, forever.
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Hagrid's face was a picture, a priceless image the three friends would remember. Upon opening the door, which had been stomped aggressively by some enormous weight, the man found himself face to face with someone as big and hairy as himself, a gentle mare and a humanoid wolf standing on two legs. The three explained everything, from their plans to become animagi, to Ron's transformation. The young werewolf was sitting on the bed, shifting uncomfortably due to the odd way his legs bent.
"Do ye' want sum' tea, Ron?" Hagrid asked, while the werewolf glanced at him oddly.
"I... betterr nout…" Ron said shaking his wolf head, trying to vocalize as clearly as he could.
"What I don't get is why he is able to control it? And how is it that he can talk!" Hermione commented glancing at the werewolf curiously.
"Betterr four mee!" Ron complained with a growl, his chestnut eyes glancing at the girl with a sparkling glint.
"Logically he can talk because he can control the wolf, that is the odd thing however!" Harry commented taking a gulp of warm tea.
"Ah, well, tis' one odd situation, ye' know? But I happn' to have read much bout' werewolves 'ere" Hagrid grumbled excitedly.
"What?" whimpered the wolf urging Hagrid on. Ron pricked his red ears with attention, Hermione leaned forward, and Harry froze in his seat while the three friends waited to hear the explanation.
"When were ye' bitt'n? Hagrid inquired at Ron.
"Mee?" howled the wolf sitting very straight. "I've neverr been beetten!" complained the boy shaking his furry head.
"Dat's what I thought!" Hagrid commented with a shrug, and taking a deep gulp of tea from an enormous mug before him.
"What? What?" Ron growled lightly, now sitting on his hind quarters and glancing at Hagrid with a curious gaze, as if the large man had a steak on his hands.
"Ye' art a born werewolf!" Hagrid deduced with a proud smile.
"I'm a borrn what?" the wolf laid his ears lightly, staring at the man, while Hermione and Harry stared at both dumbfounded.
"Ye' have the wolf in yer' genes, Ron. Dat's why ye' control the wolf. Ye' have grown with him. Unlike in bitten werewolves, where the wolf is suddenly placed in a weak body, a body dat' has never had contact with the beast." Hagrid explained calmly, staring at the large wolf sitting on his bed.
"But…but I killed soumething! I wouke up couvered in blood!" Ron growled fearfully, staring at Harry and Hermione, and flattening his ears against his head.
"Ah, yeh', tis' normal fer' young wolves. Ye' didn't know bout' the wolf, which gave him advantage, and ye' haven't eat'n fer' days, the wolf was hungry. Normally, in born werewolves, befer' the firs' transformation the wolf escapes because the human is sick and doesn't eat, or throws up!" Hagrid explained as if it was something seen everyday, but deep inside he felt sad and nostalgic for the loss of the equine.
"Makes sense, but why didn't I know unteel now? That I'm a werrewoulf!" Ron inquired scratching the back of his furry head with a clawed paw.
"Ye' did. Just ye' never realized it was da' wolf, 'ere." Hagrid grinned vividly, almost as if he found the whole situation rather amusing.
Ron tilted his head briskly to the side, his brown eyes staring at the man curiously. Harry and Hermione, on the other hand, stared at the giant hybrid as if he had gone completely bonkers.
"Ron, ye' ever bin' angry? So angry dat yer' anger took the best of ye'?" Hagrid inquired and smiled when Ron nodded slowly, thoughtfully, "and ye' have been so hungry ye' thought ye' would never satiate. And in full moon ye' have been restless, and couldn't sleep. Sumtimes ye' feel just like running, and others ye' feel exhausted. And in the last days ye' have been very sick, vomiting blood, right?" Hagrid commented with airs of knowledge.
"Yeah, but I thought it was parrt of my perrsounalitee!" Ron commented wagging his tail.
"Ye'r right, but yer' personality is the wolf!" Hagrid grinned at Ron, and was almost pleased that he could have another werewolf student, like in times of Remus.
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The three friends returned next morning to the castle. Hermione had plans of staying up, while Ron, already human, and Harry, were plotting a relaxing, comforting nap. Ron was feeling achy, the transformation back to human was almost as painful as transforming into a wolf, but otherwise, he felt cured of his odd illness. Ron was smiling, he felt tired but completely euphoric, and glad that everything had solved out fine.
"Thank you for trusting me last night, Hermy!" Ron began, smiling at her gently, however looking away, his face becoming very red.
"Oh… it's ok, Ron, you would have done the same!" Hemione answered, as much as she doubted her last predicament.
Harry smiled to himself. Ron was too proud, and Hermione too subtle, but he was simply not an idiot.
Everything was fine, or at least that was until they entered the common room.
People were looking at them oddly. Ron realized suddenly that they had seen everything last night, his mourns, his yells and howls had woken up everyone in the castle. People from his house stared at Hermione and Harry with reverential respect, almost praising them for the glorious honour of being an animagi. But to him, people glared at him hungrily, full of racist hatred, and also with the deep ancestral fear humanity felt for his kind.
"I'm not going to bite anyone! I can control it!" Ron snapped taking a step closer.
People took a step back, as a wave of murmurs began to flow from the multitude. Ron looked around, suddenly very aware of himself. He was becoming frustrated, angry and furious with the people around, he was a good werewolf, like he was a good man, as long as he wasn't provoked.
"Neville, you believe me! Right?" Ron gasped fearfully, staring at the boy with pleading eyes.
"Yeah, I guess…" Neville stuttered taking discrete steps backwards, "but you killed a horse… how do we know you will not kill us?" the boy attacked accusatively.
The red headed realized suddenly what was happening. He understood how Harry must have felt in their second year, when everyone thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. Hermione and Harry approached the boy to get a hold of himself before he allowed his temper get out of control. Ron pulled his arms free when the two friends made an attempt to hold him. With a howl of frustration the boy pounced forward and vanished into the spiral staircase, under the attentive look of the two friends, and the whispering people at the common room.
"Well, I hope you are happy! What would it be like if that happened to you?" Hermione yelled at the people severely, standing tall and strong before them.
"Hermione…" Harry tried to hold her, trying to keep her from doing something crazy herself.
"Leave me!" Hermione yelled getting free of his grip, "It doesn't matter right? Because it hasn't happened to you. Well, that boy…" her voice began to break, "that boy up there has been your friend since he was sorted into Gryffindor! That boy has his flaws, like all people… but he is a lovely person and a wonderful friend!" Tears began to fall down Hermione's cheeks.
"Hermione… I'm going up!" Harry said before going up the stairs in pursue of Ron.
"Well, know something? Ron might have a little furry problem, but he is, was and will be the same boy I met at Hogwarts the first day I stepped on this castle." Hermione was now sobbing uncontrollably.
Turning around the girl vanished in the direction of her room. People around her began murmuring to themselves. Neville, on the other hand, looked very pale and much affected by her words, perhaps due to the fact that her eyes had been piercing his soul like a judge.
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"Hermy…" Hermione murmured to herself, placing her fingers to her lips eagerly.
Ron had taken a use to call her Hermy lately. He didn't seem to realize his words, but to Hermione it was taking a strange turn in the relationship, and a much stranger turn in her heart. Something was beating backwards in her heart, like a misplaced little fairy, taking things and ordering them differently inside her. The boy was so ugly, so skinny, tall, his nose was longer than normal, and his pale face was covered in freckles, not to mention that mop of messy red hair. His eyes were of that vibrant chestnut colour, and his features were so young and gentle, his lips were just perfect, and his cocky sideways smiles was simply so irresistible. She loved the way he looked at her, with so much irritation, and at the same time with so much care.
"Hermy…" the girl sighed closing her eyes painfully.
Her mind flashed into the world of memories. There he was, that lovely boy with bright blue eyes and a sleek, black hair that rested against his cheeks. Jake was smiling at her, both of them were seated at a park, enjoying of a warm, summer evening.
"You know Hermy?" Jake gripped her hand so gently, so lovingly, "I want to give you this!" Jake placed his fingers covering the girl's thin hand.
Hermione felt something cold wrapping her finger. When she looked down, a beautiful silver ring had been placed on her finger. It was so pale it looked almost white, glimmering under the fresh light with its polished freshness. Two threads united to form the shape of an 8, or seen from her perspective, it became the symbol of infinite.
"Oh, Jake, it's beautiful!" Hermione jumped on his neck and hugged him tightly.
"It means my love for you is infinite, Hermy!" Jake returned the embrace and smiled at the girl, before placing a gentle, feathery kiss on her lips.
The memory faded, and Hermione was left alone, in the common room, crying. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as consciousness of her lost life began to bloom in her. She had loved this boy, she had been happy, and she just didn't know where all that youth and joy had gone.
Her blurry vision looked down, at her hands, seeking for the memory of her lost life. Hermione gasped loudly, and her eyes widened, glancing with disbelief at her appendices.
To Be Continued…
AN: Yes, Ron is a werewolf. I wonder how many figured it out? Well, now things might start to get more angsty, since I am going to focus basically on Ron and Hermione's life. How will Ron cope with being a werewolf, and everyone knowing it? How is Hermione going to sort her memories and find her missing life? Next chapter might reveal a lot of things!