Hermione dredges her way through the summer, then visits Andromeda's for tea and answers, only to find an unexpected guest there waiting for her...


The summer passed by in a blur, as though someone had pressed the fast forward button on a TV remote. Flashes of funerals, rebuilding Hogwarts, and ducking reporters took over their lives, the depressing monotony of it all helping to numb the pain. Hermione threw herself into war restoration efforts in attempt to think about everything as little as possible:

The faces of the dead.

Their weary, war torn society.

The trip to Australia she'd taken barely a week after her visit to Azkaban that she knew was in vain, but broke her heart anyway when her efforts to reverse the memory charms on her parents proved unsuccessful.

Hermione especially tried not to think of Draco Malfoy, even when she was awoken in the middle of the night by a mournful pull in her magical core or a pair of silver eyes in her dreams.

She did however, think of her relationship with Ron, and how quickly it seemed to have fizzled out. The thought of not being with him, of things never working out between them, strangely made her feel nothing.

At first, Hermione was furious, believing that it must be the stupid bond making her feel that way; perhaps in attempt to push her towards Malfoy, it made all other options seem undesirable. Because surely, surely, after years of fancying Ron, her feelings wouldn't just disappear into thin air, right?

However, as Hermione pondered and meditated upon the subject for longer than was probably healthy, she soon reluctantly realized that the bond was not to blame for her seemingly abrupt disinterest. Though her magic was undoubtedly drawn to Malfoy, after some serious contemplation and soul searching, Hermione was relieved to discover she hadn't grown any sudden feelings towards the blond Slytherin. She had no desire to pursue Malfoy romantically any more than Ron, or any other boy in her life. So if the bond didn't force feelings in her, it only made sense that it also wouldn't erase existing ones.

Then, Hermione sat down and really thought about the last time she'd looked at Ron in a romantic light. When was the last time she'd indulged in little fantasies of them holding hands or stealing kisses when no one was looking? When was the last time she offered to help him with something just so she'd have an excuse to spend time with him? When was the last time her skin tingled and her heart skipped because of a casual touch from him? The answer, Hermione realized like a blow to the head, was that she couldn't remember. Was it sometime in sixth year? Or maybe even before that?

The point was, she knew it had to have been sometime before Dumbledore died and everything went to shit. Before living on the run, before scavenging for their every meal, before sleeping in shifts, before Ron walked out on her and Harry, leaving them alone in the middle of nowhere.

The miserable truth of it was, Hermione's feelings for her redheaded friend had completely died out sometime during the war, and she'd been too busy trying to keep them all alive to notice.

The Gryffindor spent days reeling in guilt following her realization, fearing that she'd led Ron on, dreading his reaction when she would inevitably tell him.

However, it seemed that particular conversation would have to wait, as Ron was still giving her a bit of a cold shoulder following her visit to Azkaban; and he only grew frostier when she and Harry broke the news that they'd be testifying at Malfoy's trial.

Though Hermione didn't visit Malfoy again, they managed to scrounge up enough evidence for his freedom through Harry's correspondence with Narcissa Malfoy, who was freed a few weeks following the battle at Hogwarts. Several reasons contributed to the Malfoy matriarch's release, including the fact that she had no mark, was largely complacent throughout the war, and most of all, Harry's testimony that she'd lied for him right to Voldemort's face, allowing him to come back and save the day.

Though Harry asked Hermione many times to speak with Narcissa – apparently the woman had been inquiring after her – the curly haired witch had no desire to be near anymore Malfoys at the moment.

The day of Draco Malfoy's trial, Hermione took a calming draught and sat with her chin held high before the full Wizengamot. Harry stepped up to the podium first, followed by Tonks, then Remus as the couple recounted how Malfoy saved their lives in the final battle. Even Luna Lovegood made an appearance, reporting in her usual dreamy, airy countenance how the Slytherin would smuggle her food and blankets during her imprisonment at Malfoy Manor. Hermione was rather surprised to hear this information, but didn't get a chance to gauge her feelings about it, as she was then called up.

Hermione gave her testimony firmly but impassively, all the while stubbornly avoiding the silver gaze she could feel boring into her from the cage on the other side of the courtroom.

After hours of waiting in the uncomfortable chairs of the lobby and downing another calming draught, the bond wilted with relief when Malfoy was proclaimed innocent of most charges, assigned with nothing more than a two year probation, a required final year at Hogwarts, and a withdrawal from the Malfoy vaults to go towards the restoration efforts.

At the time, Hermione was confused that Malfoy's lycanthropy hadn't been brought up at all. Later however, she would learn from Harry via Narcissa that the guards of Azkaban who'd been present the day of his turning had been sworn to secrecy by Kingsley himself, in exchange for yet another hefty donation of galleons that would be put towards several charities. Miraculously, Malfoy hadn't killed nor turned anyone, merely injured a few unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, so his condition remained mostly unknown.

Hermione still had yet to tell her close friends about her bond with Malfoy, though now that Harry knew about the Slytherin's lycanthropy, she wouldn't be surprised if he suspected something.

Thankfully, Harry refrained from questioning her about it; he merely took her into his arms when she came back from Azkaban in tears, offered a distraction when he caught her staring listlessly out a window, and pulled up the covers when she crawled into his bed at night because she was afraid to sleep alone.

Both Hermione and Harry had moved into Grimmauld Place for the time being, Ron's continued moodiness and the overall grieving atmosphere at the Burrow too much to bear. Ginny visited often, and Hermione was grateful that she and Harry had managed to make up and were now tentatively restarting their relationship.

After everything, Merlin knew Harry deserved some happiness, and Ginny brought him that in spades. She helped Hermione a great deal as well, dragging the brunette out of her room if she'd been holed up there for too many days, bringing her treats from Honeydukes because she knew going out in public was difficult, and regaling her with funny stories of Crookshanks' antics (who'd stayed at the Burrow after sixth year).

All in all, Hermione could confidently say that she was…coping. Sure, she could hardly eat anything without feeling nauseous, sure the sound of a plate shattering sent her into a panic attack, and sure, there was a constant hollow ache in her chest that sometimes hurt so much she felt numb, but overall, Hermione really thought she could be doing a lot worse. Really, her suffering was mild compared to what so many others were going through.

She'd be fine. She could handle it.

It was two weeks before Hermione was to return to Hogwarts when an owl tapped on her bedroom window. The curly haired witch shut the book she'd been (attempting) to read to let the bird in. She didn't recognize the dark brown owl, who stood patiently as she untied the note from its leg. Reaching for a scone she'd brought up from breakfast to stop Harry from nagging her to eat, Hermione broke the pastry into owl-sized pieces and fed them to the bird before opening the letter.

Scanning the parchment revealed it to be an invitation from Andromeda to visit her, Remus, Tonks, and Teddy at her house for tea the following afternoon.

Though she didn't truly feel like leaving the house, Hermione did want to see the former Order members. She'd thought about visiting them many times in the past couple months, but with Tonks still in recovery and a new baby to care for, she hadn't wanted to intrude. However, given that it'd be rude to ignore an invitation, Hermione elected to go.

Besides, it'd be an ample opportunity to ask Remus about the bond between her and Malfoy. Despite her best efforts, she'd been frustrated to discover that there was very little useful information regarding werewolf mates in all the magical creature books she'd poured over; they mostly consisted of educated theories and questionable second-hand reports from individuals who'd known of someone affected by the phenomenon, but none by any who'd actually experienced it. Sadly, prejudice against werewolves was still distinctly present in the wizarding world, and it showed in the nature of the information that all these so-called experts included in their useless books.

Penning a quick reply, Hermione sent her agreement off with the owl, watching plaintively as it soared away. And she tried to tell herself that the ache in her chest and the curdling in her stomach was just from something she ate.

The next day found her apparating to Andromeda's cozy home alone. She'd asked Harry to come along, but he confessed to having plans with Ginny, and asked her to give his godson a hug for him.

Remus was the one who answered the door, greeting her with a tired, but genuine smile. "Hello there, Hermione. Glad you could make it," said her old professor as he pulled her into a side hug.

"Glad to be here," Hermione replied, lips curving up just slightly. "How have you been, Lupin?"

Remus chuckled as he shut the door behind them. "We're getting by. The boy's a bit of a handful, but I wouldn't trade him for the world."

The Golden Girl brightened. "Oh yes, little Teddy! I've not had a chance to meet him yet! Where is he? May I see him?"

"Of course, I'm sure he'd love to meet you! He's upstairs with Dora, feel free to head on up. We'll meet you in the parlor for tea whenever you're ready."

Nodding her thanks, Hermione trudged up the stairs, where she found Tonks burping her baby. She knocked on the open bedroom door and the auror turned in her charmed wheelchair, smiling widely. "Hermione! So good to see you! Been a while, eh?"

Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Tonks looked as sprightly as ever as she rolled forward to give her young friend a one-armed hug. Hermione was careful of the infant on Tonks' shoulder as she leaned down to awkwardly embrace the auror. "It's wonderful to see you too, Tonks. How are you? Rehabilitation going okay?"

Tonks shifted her son and shrugged. "Well, it's slow progress. All the healers say there's about a fifty percent chance of me ever walking again, and that's the generous estimate, apparently."

The curly haired witch frowned. "Oh Tonks, that's awful…"

Tonks scoffed, waving off her concern. "Please, as if I'm gonna let some bloody numbers determine my future! I'll be up and walking in no time, then I'll get to rub it in all their faces!"

Hermione chuckled. She didn't know if Tonks was trying to appear strong for Hermione's sake or her own – even with the aid of magic, not being able to walk or stand had to be a difficult adjustment, not to mention she'd never work as an auror again – but it was good to see that the woman hadn't lost her spirit.

"But enough about me! I bet you came up here to see this little guy!" Tonks declared, gesturing to the baby in her arms. Little Teddy Lupin was actually quite a large infant considering he was only a few months old. The boy had a full head of teal hair, and was currently chewing on his fist while staring up at the Golden Girl with curious green eyes.

Hermione's face softened, feeling some of the darkness ebb away as she extended a cautious finger to run along Teddy's chubby cheek. "He's very beautiful. I can't believe he's really a metamorphagus like you! It's so rare for that trait to not skip a few generations."

Tonks beamed. "We were surprised as well! You should have seen Remus' face the first time he burped him and his hair went from brown to blue! I think he almost dropped him!" Both women tittered at the story, amused by the thought of the usually cool and level-headed Remus being startled by his son's hair changing colors out of nowhere.

Hermione was relieved to hear that her former professor seemed to be coping alright with fatherhood. She still remembered the day the werewolf had burst unannounced into Grimmauld Place, scared to death and seriously considering running away from his newly pregnant wife in a misguided attempt to protect her.

"Hear that, Teddy? You're a very special young man," Hermione whispered to the baby, who simply blinked up at her.

Tonks chuckled at her son and said, "Well, we'd better get down there before Remus and mum start calling us. Let me just put Teddy down for his nap."

The Golden Girl watched her friend lower the young boy into his crib, cooing and whispering softly to her son as she swaddled him in a blue blanket decorated with giraffes. The sight made Hermione's lips curl up just slightly, the first genuine smile she'd given in months. She'd needed to be reminded that not everything born from the war was horrible.

They left baby Teddy to his snoozing to join the others. "Do you need help?" Hermione asked when they reached the stairs. Smirking, Tonks tapped her wand on the railing, causing the steps to groan and shift until a steady ramp took their place. "Oh, how clever!" praised the curly haired witch.

"Pretty nifty, in'nit? Remus thought it up. They've even got stabilizing charms on 'em so I don't roll down too fast," the auror explained as they descended the ramp.

Hermione's reply was lost when she spotted Andromeda at the bottom of the stairs, and her heart seized in her chest for the briefest moment. It had been a while since the last time she'd seen the older witch, and as a result, she'd forgotten just how much Andromeda resembled Bellatrix.

Hermione's steps faltered as she forced a smile, quickly linking her hands together to conceal their shaking.

You're fine, you're fine, you're fine.

She desperately focused on all the features of Andromeda's that were nothing like those of her sister's; her hair, straight and well-kept, nothing like Bellatrix's ratty mess of curls. Her pretty lavender robes, so different from the black lace and leather Bellatrix seemed to favor. Her eyes, though a similar shape and color, held only kindness and warmth, not a trace of the madness and blood thirst so present in Bellatrix's when the evil witch had been on top of her demanding answers and cackling horribly.

It's not her, it's not her, she's dead, she's dead. She can't hurt you anymore.

Hermione's mounting panic finally abated when Andromeda drew her into a gentle embrace, surrounding her with the scent of pine and clean linen; a scent that reminded her of the perfume her mother often used to wear.

If Andromeda noticed the wet sheen in Hermione's eyes when she drew back, the woman kindly said nothing and merely squeezed her arm encouragingly. "It's so very good to see you again, Hermione. It's been far too long."

Swallowing, the Golden Girl nodded. "Yes it has. Thank you for the invitation."

"Of course. You've been doing well, I hope?"

The normally perfunctory question sounded so soft and genuine, that Hermione could only shrug in reply. "I've been getting by."

Andromeda's brows furrowed sympathetically. "As are we all, dear. Oh, but look at us just standing about-"

"I'm sitting, actually," Tonks interrupted with a smarmy grin.

Andromeda sent her daughter a withering glare. "In any case, let us move to the parlor so we can continue our chat like the civilized individuals that we are. Well, most of us, anyhow."

"Very funny, mum," Tonks drawled when her mother sent her a sideways glance.

Hermione chuckled lightly at their banter, glad to see that Tonks was well enough to crack jokes about her situation.

"I do hope you don't mind," Andromeda said as they approached the parlor, "but another guest will be joining us this afternoon."

The young witch arched a curious brow. "Who might that be?"

However, any replies she might have received were lost the second she stepped into the parlor. Sitting on one of the loveseats, somehow looking both poised and comfortable at the same time in her sophisticated dark blue robes, was Narcissa Malfoy.

Hermione froze on the spot, mouth running dry when she met the Malfoy matriarch's gaze.

Narcissa eyed her for a long moment, then slowly smiled. "Hello, Miss Granger. So lovely to finally meet you properly."

The Golden Girl could only stare, flabbergasted and completely taken aback. Briefly, her eyes flitted over the faces of the other three adults, who didn't look the slightest bit surprised at the additional guest. Flushing with indignance, Hermione dipped her head toward Narcissa. "Thank you," she muttered. After an awkward pause, they all silently took their seats. Hermione chewed on her lip as the teapot floated around the room, numbly accepting her own cup.

"I do apologize for surprising you, Miss Granger," said Narcissa, taking a prim sip of her tea. "I've wanted to speak with you for a while, but it's my understanding that you've been rather busy as of late."

Hermione shrunk into herself, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her. She had a feeling Narcissa knew she'd been avoiding her.

"Cissa and I reconnected shortly after her release from Azkaban," Andromeda chimed in, "she's been staying here with us while the manor is under all that artifact purging and refurbishment."

Hermione blinked and clutched the handle of her teacup, unsure of how to feel about the information. She knew she should be happy for Andromeda getting the chance to reconnect with her family, but it didn't soften the fact that her sudden invite was starting to seem a bit too coincidental.

"My sister has been telling me how much she wishes to thank you for testifying for Draco during his trial, isn't that right, Cissa?" Andromeda continued, seemingly oblivious to the Golden Girl's chagrin.

"Quite right, Andy," Narcissa confirmed, setting her teacup on its saucer. Hermione then found herself under the intense gaze of the Malfoy matriarch, and had to take a deep breath. "Miss Granger, I cannot properly express how grateful I am to you. I know that you and my son had a…less than savory relationship in school, if the endless complaints and countless comments about you I've had to endure over the years are anything to go by."

Hermione cast a confused look into her teacup. Malfoy talked about her with his mother?

"But despite all that," Narcissa continued, "you willingly stepped up at my Draco's trial and defended him, even though you had every reason to condemn him. So thank you."

The Golden Girl fought the urge to squirm in her seat. Instead, she offered a bare shrug, not meeting Narcissa's eye. "It was nothing. I wasn't the only one who testified for him."

Narcissa hummed. "True, however, I think that you had deeper motivation than anyone else up on that podium; personal motivation."

Hermione bit her lip.

After a beat of uncomfortable silence, Narcissa sighed. "Miss Granger, I may have been a Slytherin, but I am in no mood for games. You and I both know why I'm truly here. Is it or is it not true that you are my son's mate?"

"What?" Andromeda interrupted with a gasp. Tonks and Remus shared a concerned glance, but didn't seem surprised by the news.

"Cissa, what are you saying? What's happened to Draco?"

Narcissa didn't answer her sister, continuing to stare down the Golden Girl.

Timidly lifting her gaze, Hermione almost winced at the knowing, yet pleading gaze the Malfoy matriarch was sending her.

Finally, the curly haired witch managed to give a short nod, and braced herself for the sneer, the disappointment, the you're-not-good-enough-and-how-dare-you-try-to-sully-our-line stare.

To her immense surprise, Narcissa seemed to relax in her seat. "Oh, thank Merlin," she breathed, placing a hand over her chest.

Hermione cast a bewildered look. "You're…relieved?"

The older witch nodded, drawing a handkerchief from her pocket to delicately mop her brow. "Yes, very much so. When I'd heard bits and pieces of what happened at Azkaban, I was hopeful, but Draco refused to answer any of my questions. Thankfully, Remus and Nymphadora-"

"Mrs. Malfoy," Hermione interrupted tersely, "you do recall that I am a muggleborn, do you not?"

Andromeda shot the Golden Girl a frown while Tonks and Remus winced, but Narcissa merely pinched her lips and lowered her gaze. "I have not forgotten, dear girl. However, in light of the situation, your blood couldn't matter any less."

Hermione blinked and narrowed her eyes. "Forgive me for saying I struggle to believe you're being genuine."

"Hermione-" Andromeda reprimanded, but Narcissa held up a hand.

"It's alright, Andy. Miss Granger is right. She has no reason to believe me. For all she knows, I could be trying to manipulate her into seeing Draco against her will."

"Frankly, I don't know what I believe," Hermione snapped, setting down her untouched teacup. "I receive an invitation to visit out of nowhere, only to discover you've been staying here, something that all of my friends failed to mention-" here, she shot a glare at the other three occupants in the room, "-and now I feel as though I'm being interrogated on a matter that is frankly none of your business. And I don't appreciate you using those close to me to-"

"Hermione!" Andromeda snapped, setting her teacup down with a harsh clank. The Golden Girl startled, having never been on the receiving end of Andromeda's ire. "I understand you're feeling confused right now, but I'll ask you not to thoughtlessly accuse my sister in my home. I may not know exactly what this is about, but for the record, it was my idea to invite you over. Cissa has been agonizing over the thought of meeting with you for weeks, but she didn't know how to approach you, particularly after you ignored her owls."

The woman softened as Hermione shrunk back in her seat. "All I ask is that you hear my sister out. I know you've not had the best experience with her or her family in the past, but I assure you, she means you no harm, darling."

The young Gryffindor withered, thoroughly chastised. Andromeda was right. She'd automatically assumed she knew what Narcissa was going to say and do, judging her by her past and her status. Though the war was over, it seemed her knee-jerk response to jump right on the defensive wasn't going anywhere.

"I, um…I'm sorry, Mrs. Malfoy. I don't do well when I'm taken off guard," Hermione quietly apologized.

Narcissa smiled gently. "I understand, Miss Granger. Perhaps I should have known better than to catch the Golden Girl by surprise."

"I'm sorry too, Hermione," Tonks chimed in, "mum's right, Aunt Cissa has been wanting to meet with you. Honestly, we thought if you knew she was here, you wouldn't have come."

"I thought she knew," Remus muttered, drawing a bare smile from Hermione. At least not all of them had been in on it.

"Well, now that all that fuss is out of the way," said Andromeda, retrieving her teacup, "why don't you elaborate you thoughts to Hermione, Cissy."

Narcissa nodded, pinning Hermione with her dark but warm gaze. "You see Miss Granger, when my son was attacked and turned by that…that monster," she bit out, lip trembling. "I was terrified. For him, and for our family. I thought my dear boy was going to be killed. Whether by someone on your side, law enforcement, or another Death Eater simply for being a werewolf…I saw no future for him. For us."

"A werewolf…" Andromeda breathed disbelievingly.

Narcissa offered her sister no reply, instead dabbing the corner of her eyes with her handkerchief. "When he was first turned…I didn't know what to do. I wanted to protect him anyway I could, but I had no experience with werewolves. I did all the research I could that first week, but between caring for Draco and mandatory appearances at meetings and meals, I wasn't able to do as much as I wished." Narcissa's eyes darkened. "My husband was utterly useless. All he did after that was sit around and drink himself stupid, bemoaning the fact that his line had ended. Not the fact that our son had been attacked and turned into a beast!"

Hermione swallowed, oddly moved by the woman's obvious love for her son; so unlike the poised, aloof woman she'd been in their previous encounters.

"With all due respect, Mrs. Malfoy, I don't think werewolves deserve to be labelled as beasts. Most of the time, they're just ordinary people who happen to have an unfortunate condition. And now with the wolfsbane potion, even when they change, they can still keep their human mind. Draco is still the same boy he was before."

Narcissa's eyes watered, and she quickly dabbed at them. "Yes of course, thank you, Miss Granger. Apologies, old habits die hard. Forgive me Remus, I meant no offense."

Remus merely smiled. "None taken. I've been called far worse."

Narcissa sighed. "In any case…I knew I had to conceal Draco's condition if he were to have any chance of surviving. However, it was only a week after that the battle at Hogwarts came about, and I found myself woefully unprepared. Draco had just barely finished healing from his attack. I didn't want him to go, but the Dark L – he demanded that all his Death Eaters be there. It wasn't long after the battle began that I lost track of him, and…and before I knew it, we were both being led away in cuffs." Despite her efforts, a lonely tear slid down Narcissa's cheek. "My poor boy…if only I'd done a better job at protecting him. He should never have taken the Mark! I should have ignored Lucius and ran-"

Andromeda reached out and took her sister's hand. "You did the best you could in your situation, Cissy. You were trapped, but you still tried. That doesn't count for nothing."

Narcissa sniffed and nodded, but Hermione could tell she didn't really buy her sister's kind words. Clearly, the Malfoy matriarch was shouldering a substantial amount of guilt.

In that moment, Hermione didn't see a sophisticated, prim, and perfect pureblood wife, but a mother weighed down by concern for her only child.

And just for a moment, she wondered…was there a side like this to Draco as well?

Narcissa visibly collected herself and continued before Hermione could ponder that thought any further. "When Draco was sent to Azkaban, I was so afraid of what would happen when he changed. When I thought there was nothing I could do to help him," she smiled, "you came along, Miss Granger. Because you were there, no one was seriously hurt or killed, and Draco wasn't alone for his first turning. With the help of Mr. Potter, I was freed shortly after, and we managed to convince Minister Kingsley to swear all the guards to secrecy by wand oath. My Draco's secret is safe again, thanks to you."

Hermione shrugged, chest stinging with the reminder of the events of Azkaban.

"Don't be so modest, Miss Granger," Narcissa insisted, "truly, my son and I owe you more than we can say. Because of you, Draco now has a special connection to fall back on-" Hermione winced at this, "-and regardless of my husband's shallow mindedness, our line can and will continue with you in the picture."

The Golden Girl went pale. "W-Wha-" she choked.

Tonks rubbed her face while Remus swore under his breath.

"Cissa…" Andromeda admonished lightly.

Narcissa frowned in confusion. "Oh…does she not know?"

"It's unlikely. Most basic werewolf information available to the public doesn't tend to go into detail. Well, not positive detail, at least," Remus mumbled spitefully.

Hermione glanced between the three adults with wide eyes. "What? What do I not know?"

Remus sighed heavily. "This isn't the time or way I wanted to break this to you, but, well…"

Tonks nodded encouragingly at her husband. "Go on. She'd have found out eventually. Besides, it's important that she know."

Slowly, Remus met Hermione's petrified stare. "The truth is, werewolves cannot have biological children with anyone but their mate."

Hermione felt her stomach drop.

Tonks nodded. "Why do you think all werewolves' instincts are to bite others? They physically can't produce children on their own, so spreading the virus to others is the best way to increase their numbers."

Hermione's mouth gaped uselessly. "B-But…if that's the case, why don't more of them simply reproduce with their mates?"

Remus ran a hand through his hair. "Hermione…I don't think you realize just how rare werewolf mates are. Most werewolves are extremely reclusive, so very few ever even find mates for themselves. Or, suppose a werewolf does forge a bond with someone but isn't accepted by the mate, or mates with someone of the same sex. Even in a rare case such as Dora and I, there's never a guarantee that the child would also be werewolf. In all my years of research, I've only managed to come across two cases of a mated couple who had children that were also werewolves, or had werewolf traits."

Remus paused and gestured between himself, his wife, and Hermione. "Us three here, we're a rare case. An extremely rare case. Biological werewolf children simply aren't a regular occurrence."

Hermione slumped back in her seat, brain scrambling to process the fact that she was apparently the only hope for the future of the Malfoy line.

"Thank you for explaining, Remus," Narcissa spoke up, "and I do apologize for springing that on you, Miss Granger. I was under the impression that you were aware." The woman sighed. "So you can understand, Miss Granger, why I was so relieved to think that Draco may have found his mate. The Malfoy name may be in tatters, but I still have a duty to it. Besides, I've always wanted to be a grandmother."

Hermione felt dizzy, like she was trying to wake up from a bizarre dream. "And you're truly okay with those grandchildren being half-bloods?" she found herself asking.

Narcissa pursed her lips sadly. "I will not lie to you, dear girl. A year ago, or even a few months ago, you are not who I would have chosen for my son." She paused to draw in a breath. "However, in light of everything that has happened, I find myself struggling to recall what it was about my former beliefs that was so important. Now, my son's future and happiness are all that matter to me. Pureblood, half-blood, or muggleborn, I believe any children born from you and Draco would be brilliant and worthy of the world itself. This meeting has only convinced me of that."

Despite Narcissa's warm words, Hermione felt empty. "Yes, well, I'm sorry to tell you that you won't be getting any of those children. Draco wants nothing to do with me."

At this, Narcissa frowned in disbelief. "Wants nothing to do with you? What on earth gave you that impression?"

"Oh, I don't know," Hermione scoffed, "maybe it was the way he told me to forget all about the fact that we're…what we are to each other and that it didn't matter."

Remus winced while Tonks sighed mournfully. Narcissa on the other hand, merely sighed in exasperation. "That foolish boy…I knew he'd make this more difficult than it needs to be."

Hermione shook her head, eyes downcast. "It's alright, really. It's not as though I expected any different. After all, we've never exactly been close. I still don't even know why this happened in the first place, it's all so ridiculous. Malfoy doesn't want me anymore than I want him!"

The adults' expressions at her outburst ranged from confusion to alarm. "Wait, Hermione…does that mean you plan on rejecting Draco?" Tonks asked, her brow set in a deep furrow.

Narcissa sucked in a fearful breath as the Golden Girl huffed. "There's nothing to reject! As I said, Malfoy made it abundantly clear that he didn't choose me, and that's fine," she choked out. "I don't particularly care for him either! And I'll not doom myself to a life of misery at his side just because some stupid magical bond or bloody fate decided we belong together!"

A warm hand atop hers stopped Hermione's rant. Tonks linked her fingers through those of the young Gryffindor with one hand while the other reached up to brush away the tears Hermione hadn't even realized she'd been shedding. To her humiliation, Hermione felt her lip wobble as the auror gave a soft, understanding smile.

A second, larger hand then descended on her shoulder. Remus, who'd moved from his seat without her notice, was now standing behind her chair in quiet support, his eyes so warm and piercing that Hermione felt he could read her every devastating thought and emotion perfectly.

The Golden Girl hiccupped as more tears escaped. "Why? Why does it hurt so much? I don't even like him! He's caused me nothing but trouble and pain for so long! Why am I suddenly tied to someone like him!? It isn't fair!"

The rest of the room said nothing as Hermione sobbed tears of frustration and stress, the poor girl growing visibly overwhelmed by the position she'd found herself in. Remus and Tonks held her while Narcissa offered her handkerchief, and Andromeda silently reheated her tea.

"Hermione," Remus said gently once she'd calmed, "there's more to this than you think. I need you to promise to listen carefully to what it is we're about to tell you. Can you do that for me?"

Though Hermione really wanted to escape, she sniffed and nodded. She sheepishly handed Narcissa back her handkerchief, body flushed with embarrassment that she'd broken down in front of the Malfoy matriarch. Though, if Narcissa thought less of her or was displeased with the unsavory words Hermione had spoken against her son, she didn't show it.

Remus nodded to his wife, who sighed before speaking. "I may not know my cousin too well yet, but I do know what it's like to have a bloody stubborn werewolf mate; and let me tell you Hermione, whatever it is that Draco said to you at Azkaban, I guarantee he probably didn't mean most of it."

Hermione couldn't help but snort in disbelief. That was easy for her to say, she hadn't been there.

"Tonks, I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but-"

"Oi, let me finish," the auror cut in sternly. "Do you know what Remus did and said to me when he started realizing that I was his mate?" Tonks eyed her husband playfully, who grimaced under her gaze. "He started avoiding me like the plague! Every time I'd walk into the same room as him, he'd get this look on his face like he was trying to decide which window to jump out of so he could escape. Whenever I managed to corner him, he'd start spouting these excuses about how it wasn't professional of us to get involved, or that he was too old for me, or my personal favorite, that it was too dangerous for me. Ha! I'm an auror, danger is my bloody job!"

Andromeda gave a slightly exasperated noise, but Tonks paid her mother no mind as she gave Hermione a small smile. "And do you wanna guess why he was trying so hard to push me away?"

Here, Remus squeezed her shoulder. "Well, for the record, I was serious about the danger-" Tonks scoffed at this, "-but it was mostly because I was terrified," the werewolf admitted quietly. "My whole life, I'd been taught that I was a monster with no future. My own father told me not to bother making friends or finding love…that I'd only bring pain and hardship to them."

Remus paused, eyes glazing over. "After everything that happened with James, Lily, and Padfoot, I hadn't attempted to forge any meaningful relationships with anyone since. So, when Dora and I started growing closer and the bond began forming, I panicked. All I could think about was how she deserved better than me and I couldn't possibly give her what she wanted."

"Lucky for him, I'm too stubborn for my own good!" Tonks cut in with a grin. "When I first felt the pull of the bond, you bet your arse I answered it!"

Hermione glanced between the smiling couple thoughtfully. "This…bond you keep mentioning…"

Tonks nodded firmly. "It's why you feel drawn to Draco, and why you feel sad thinking about him even if you yourself aren't very keen on him yet."

The young Gryffindor nodded. "I thought as much," she said dourly.

Remus and Tonks shared a look. "I understand it may seem scary right now, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's likely still in its early stages," Remus explained.

"When exactly did you first feel the pull, Hermione?" Tonks asked. "I suspected something happened at the battle, yeah?"

Hermione squirmed as she remembered that day. She didn't enjoy recalling it for a number of obvious reasons, but those brief moments with Malfoy were particularly toe-curling. "I…he…" she cleared her throat awkwardly, fiddling with her teacup. "We ran into each other in the Room of Hidden Things. He was acting incredibly strange, so I-"

"Strange?" Remus interrupted with a frown. "How do you mean?"

Hermione bit her lip, pondering how much to reveal. "Well…it was like he wasn't really there. He kept, um…trying to get close to me." Massive understatement. "And every time I tried to talk to him, it was like he couldn't hear me. He was more like an animal than a person, I guess."

Tonks cast her husband a confused glance. "You never did anything like that…"

Remus nodded thoughtfully. "Well, Malfoy had just been turned recently when he ran into you. I'd venture that he had little control over his other side, so unexpectedly finding his mate caused the wolf to take over."

As Hermione recalled a warm tongue on her skin, she decided that explanation clarified a lot about the encounter.

"Quite an extraordinary reaction, don't you think?" Narcissa suddenly spoke up, eyeing Hermione pointedly. "Draco recognized Miss Granger as his chosen mate immediately after their first encounter following his turning. Not only that, but Miss Granger acknowledged the bond as well soon after."

Hermione's brows furrowed while Remus and Tonks shared a thoughtful glance.

"That is true…Hermione, you never did say when you first felt the pull to Draco," said the purple haired auror.

The Golden Girl fidgeted, feeling as though she were being scrutinized. "Er…I don't know. Maybe right before he was arrested? Or…sometime after he saved me?"

Remus and Tonks eyed her incredulously. "Merlin, that fast? It took me at least several days to feel it after Remus initially chose me as his mate!" Tonks stated with wide eyes.

"Indeed," Remus breathed, "the bond normally takes a while of regular contact to manifest to the point that both parties can feel it."

The pit in Hermione's stomach grew as Tonks ran her fingers through her magenta hair. "Circe, Hermione. You and Draco's compatibility must be off the bloody charts!"

The young witch shook her head quickly. "What does that mean? I still don't really understand much about these bonds. All the books I read barely had any information on them."

Remus rubbed his chin. "I'm afraid that's because the answer isn't quite clear. Mating bonds are extremely old and complicated magic…even I don't fully understand them, and I happen to be both a werewolf and a scholar."

"If I may," Narcissa chimed in. "I may not be an expert on werewolf mates specifically, but the Black family has dabbled quite a bit in soul magic throughout the centuries."

Andromeda scoffed lightly. "Why am I not surprised that only you truly paid attention to all those tedious, overblown family history lessons Mother used to shove down our throats?"

Narcissa cast her sister a subtle smirk that was strangely reminiscent of her son's. "Well, I was the brightest out of the three of us for a reason, Andy."

Andromeda chuckled behind her teacup.

"As I was saying, I know a fair bit about soul magic and bond magic," Narcissa continued, "and if I were to make an estimated guess regarding this unique situation, I would say that the dire circumstances prompted Draco's magic to reach out for Miss Granger more aggressively than it would otherwise. Many magical bonds can be utilized for protection, after all."

They all gave slow nods of understanding. "A reasonable theory," Remus acknowledged, "however, it doesn't explain how Hermione also felt it so soon. At the time, she had no reason to trust Draco. I would have thought her magic would be far more resistant to the bond."

At this, Narcissa leveled Hermione with a knowing look that made the young Gryffindor's stomach squeeze. "Tell me, Miss Granger…by any chance, did anything odd or…untoward happen between you and my son during your encounter?"

Hermione felt every eye in the room on her.

If it were possible, she somehow felt herself pale and blush simultaneously as the ghostly sensation of warm, chapped lips against her own assaulted her.

"He…we, uh…he sort of…kissed me," she admitted quietly.

Narcissa, Remus, and Tonks shared an 'Aha' look.

"Bonds react strongly to touch. I imagine that sparked it," Remus thought aloud.

"Indeed," Narcissa agreed. "And I would hypothesize that Draco saving her afterwards cemented it."

"How so?" asked Hermione, growing annoyed that they were talking about her as though she wasn't there.

"Well, just as Draco's magic reached out for you at the sign of danger, your magic likely latched onto his in turn for protection," the Malfoy matriarch explained.

Hermione visibly relaxed in her seat. "I see," she breathed, "so you're saying it was merely the circumstances that caused Malfoy and I to bond like that."

The adults shared a dubious glance. "Not exactly, Hermione," Remus said gently.

The Golden Girl tensed and opened her mouth to argue, but Tonks beat her to it. "For you and Draco to forge a bond that quickly, dire circumstances or not, your magical cores would have to contain an insane amount of compatibility. You two probably would have bonded at some point regardless. What we're saying is that the situation just sped up the process."

The pit in her gut evolved into an uncomfortable knot. "Are-" she swallowed, "-are you telling me that Malfoy is my…my soulmate, or something?"

The whole room nearly jumped in surprise when Narcissa barked a short laugh. "Oh, dear girl, no," the witch assured, "soulmates are nothing more than magic theory, and a rather dubious one at that. All we're saying is that your magic recognized Draco's as a strong potential match. That is what Nymphadora has been referring to when she mentioned compatibility."

Hermione chewed her lip, equally reassured and troubled by this information.

Some would be delighted in her situation, being handed a suitor and told that they were basically perfect for them.

But to Hermione, it simply felt like her own magic was betraying her. How could it possibly see anything worth tying itself to in Draco Malfoy?

"And there's no way to break the bond?" asked the curly haired witch.

Narcissa's smile fell while Remus squeezed her shoulder apologetically. "As far as I know, breaking the bond is impossible," he admitted. "You have the freedom to choose someone else, yes, and you won't face any serious repercussions. However, the bond will always be there. You'll always be able to feel it, the pull to him…and some part of you will always desire him. The best you can hope for is that the bond will grow weaker over time. But it won't ever completely fade."

Hermione clenched her fists, anger and despair washing over her like an icy downpour. She was mostly angry with Malfoy; angry at him for approaching her at such a poor time and creating the circumstances that caused them to bond, even though she rationally knew it wasn't entirely his fault.

Before Hermione could voice any of these thoughts, something in Remus' words gave her pause. "Wait, Lupin, you said that I had the freedom to choose someone else, correct?"

The werewolf looked at her quizzically, but nodded.

The Golden Girl swallowed the sudden feeling of dread as she continued. "I can choose someone else…but what about Malfoy? If we ignore the whole…biological offspring part for now, could he still love and be with someone else if he wanted to?"

A strained silence accosted the room. "In a basic sense, yes…" Remus began tentatively, "…but he won't."

A stone sat in Hermione's gut. "Why not?"

The werewolf sighed heavily, scratching at his scalp. "Werewolves are a strictly monogamous species, Hermione. We can only bond once in our lives. Once we've chosen, that's it. It's either them, or no one. We're not capable of wanting or needing anyone else."

Hermione's chest tightened until she was forcing herself to inhale and exhale less she pass out right there in Andromeda's loveseat.

"T-That's…no, that can't-" she stammered pitifully. "B-But – what will happen to Malfoy if I reject him?"

Remus pursed his lips and pinched his eyes shut, as though the thought of Draco's potential rejection hurt him. "He won't die, if that's what you're worried about," the werewolf assured stiffly, "but it will be hard for him. His wolf will grow more and more depressed without its mate over time. Eventually, the pull of the bond will start to hurt him. It's not uncommon for rejected werewolves to go insane or commit suicide."

Narcissa whimpered softly, but Hermione barely heard her over her own mounting horror. Noticing her expression, Remus softened. "The best advice I can give you if you choose that route is to stay away from Draco as best you can. The further away you are and the less interaction you have with him, the less it will bother the both of you."

Hermione sucked in a breath, eyes filling with angry tears. "That's not really an option, though, is it?" Giving a moan of despair, the Golden Girl buried her face in her hands. Ignoring Tonks and Remus' attempts to comfort her, she grit her teeth and spoke. "Dammit, Lupin, I almost wish you would have just lied to me and said he'd be fine. How – how can I possibly just go on with my life knowing I might have doomed someone to a life of misery? To potential insanity? I-I-I'd regret it forever!"

Growling, Hermione suddenly shot up, eyes blazing. "It isn't fair! None of this is fucking fair! Not for either of us! We didn't choose this! We didn't want this! Why did this happen!?"

Tonks and Remus exchanged a worried glance, unsure how to placate the young witch.

It wasn't either of them that spoke next.

"Miss Granger," Narcissa began, tone firm but warm. "You are incorrect about one thing, my dear. You may not have consciously chose my son…but make no mistake, Draco was fully aware when he chose you."

Hermione gave a slightly hysterical laugh. "Mrs. Malfoy, if this is your way of trying to make me feel better, please stop. I'm not stupid. Draco's wolf chose me, not him. He told me himself that he didn't ask for a mate!"

Narcissa remained unmoved. "Did he say it was a mate that he did not ask for? Or did he say it was you he did not ask for?"

Hermione huffed. "Oh, what difference does it make!? The result remains the same! His wolf is the one that wants me…not him."

The bond pulsed in defiance just as Remus knelt down in front of her. "Hermione," her old professor said carefully, "there's something you've misunderstood. Werewolves are not like Veela. Our mates aren't dictated by fate or magic alone. Werewolves choose their mates."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

Choose.

Remus had been saying this whole time, hadn't he? He and Tonks hadn't gotten together immediately, after all. It wasn't until after they'd worked together and been friends for a year or so that Remus had chosen her.

But…

But-

But if that was true, then-

"But that would mean that Malfoy already felt something for me long before he became a werewolf," Hermione croaked.

Remus' reply was drowned out by the sound of a sudden CRACK of apparition outside.

The wizard tensed, head darting up and pupils dilating as he sniffed the air. Tonks placed a hand on her husband's shoulder, and he relaxed a moment after.

Hermione, alarmed by the display, looked up to find Andromeda watching the parlor entrance expectantly and Narcissa standing with an eager look on her face.

Slowly, Remus stood as well, and appeared to be visibly gathering himself. The sound of the front door swinging open had Hermione darting to her feet as she desperately look to the adults for explanation.

Finally, Remus looked down at her almost apologetically and said, "Perhaps that's something you should ask Draco yourself."

Hermione froze, and the bond sang with joy.

A moment later, filling the entrance to the parlor was an irate looking Draco Malfoy.


I hate being an adult. People expect me to communicate properly, take out the trash, and make my own appointments and shit. Why can't I just burrow under my blankets and read fanfiction all day like when I was sixteen?

Anyway, here's the next part of my own personal escape mechanism, yaaaay! Finally about to get to the good stuff! Next chapter will have some hearty Draco POV!

As usual, thank you all for your kind reviews and sticking with me even though I can't update all too often right now. You all make my day. :)