Hermione's Secret
by Drew the Wolf
edited by SimbiAni

Summary: [AU] SIXTH YEAR. Hermione has a horrid secret, it is tearing her up; she has been bitten by a werewolf. She does not want to be forced to leave Hogwarts, so she makes the decsion of not telling anyone about the bite. She is battling the changes and symptoms and trying to hid what she has become. How will she tell Ron and Harry? And what if Draco finds out what she has become...?

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews!

Chapter Two: The Book

"Your homework is, explain how the lunar cycle affects a werewolf's shifts." Snape said, turning his back to the class. The bell rang. "You are dismissed!" He said coldly. Hermione let out an anxious sigh of relief and scooped up her books and hurried out of the room. Snape watched her with weary eyes.

Draco followed her, snickering, Crabble and Goyle right behind.

"Oh, Hermione!" Draco called teasingly, Hermione snapped around.

"What?" she growled. Draco let out a howl.

"Aroooooooo!" Pansy, Grabble and Goyle all starting howling with Draco, and it faded into snickers and howls of laughter.

Hermione boiled with anger as she stomped down the hall.

"Draco!" Harry snapped. "Cut it out!" Draco turned around, smirking.

"Oh, I'm scared, Potter!" he said, grinning. "Your little girlfriend is afraid of werewolves!" He laughed even harder and walked past Harry.

"I hate that bloody mongrel..." Ron stepped up next to Harry.

"Yeah." Harry gritted his teeth. "He's a git." Harry muttered. "Come on, and let's go see what's wrong with Hermione." He hurried down the hall and broke into a run, Ron following closely behind. They turned the corner, skidding to a stop.

As they hurried up to the girls dormatories, the stairs gave way and Harry fell backwards, flipping over Ron, as they landed with a thud on the Gryffindor Common Room floor.

"Bloody 'ell!" Ron snarled, rubbing his back, and he pushed Harry off him; "Wha' the –" Hermione interrupted him.

"Ron! Harry!" she snapped. "Did you forget what I told you last year?" They groaned as they stood up.

"Apparently." Ron said angrily. Harry nodded.

"Hermione, what's on with you?" he asked. "We're concerned, you're acting so jittery, and well, is –"

Ron blurted out, "What's wrong with you, Hermione? Is there something you're not telling us?" They both looked up at her, Hermione hesitated.

"I- w-well, I... Nothing. Nothing at all!" She snapped at them angrily, and stormed back into the girl's dormitories. She slammed the door and ran to her bed, shaking as she looked at the Lunar chart, she sobbed. It was only two days till Saturday! She placed down the lunar cycle on her bed. The bite would affect her. Undoubtedly. "No. No... no," She sobbed, shaking her head, "I won't let it happen!"

She flipped open a book, "Werewolf Psychology" it was titled; she brushed the dust off and flipped it open, thumbing through the chapters; she whispered to herself, "Chapter five, the symptoms..." She read slowly and carefully.

Symptoms from a werewolf's bite can vary, but no matter what order, the most common symptoms for a newly-bitten werewolf are: 1. Denial, 2. Heightened senses. 3. Lust for raw meat, 4. Increased strength, 5. Extreme aggression 6. The final shift.

Hermione let out a soft cry, and threw the book down, cursing at it. Then she cupped her mouth in a gasp- "Aggression..." She lay on her bed and sobbed. How was she going to tell Harry and Ron?

To be coniunued... please review!!