Monday had Hermione in the library. She was flipping through book after book of old and new family crests. She reasoned that Pansy was right. She deserved answers and that didn't mean that she had to do anything with the information. She slammed the last book in her pile closed.

"Is there a problem dear? I've never seen you so upset in here before." Madam Pince approached Hermione with a light tap on the shoulder.

"I'm alright, thank you. I just can't seem to find anything for my paper for potions." Hermione rubbed her eyes.

"I see you must be in the class that made that lineage potion?"

Hermione nodded.

"Well if you don't see what you're looking for in there, there might be one other book that can help you. It's in the restricted section so you'll need permission from a professor. If you get that, I'll show you where to find it." Madam Pince smiled.

"Why is a book of crests in the restricted section?"

"Well, due to the rarity of the book itself, and private nature of the families listed in it."

"I see. I'll go talk to Professor Snape now. Thank you, Madam Pince."

"Quite welcome, dear. Best hurry along if you hope to check it out before curfew."

Hermione nodded and packed her things. She stared at her feet most of the way to the dungeons and as she rounded one corner she stumbled into something solid.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking." She said, picking up her bag.

"You."

"Sorry?" Hermione looked up into the slightly pink and obviously drunk face of Draco Malfoy. He inhaled and straightened his spine for a moment.

"I used to think my father was a dignified man. What my mother found in his study, however.. not so much."

"Sorry?"

"Stop saying that." He fussed.

"Sorry." She looked down.

He glared at her. "I know who you are."

"Sorry?"

"Seriously, stop it!" He whined.

Hermione looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"I know you are Granger."

"It's not like I'm trying to hide that fact. What, should I wear a name tag? I didn't think anyone cared anyway."

"Actually they were relieved."

"Sorry?"

"Ugh!" Draco threw his head back and turned rather ungracefully on his heel.

"They were relieved when they thought you left. I'm the only one that knows it's you!"

"It's just a silly spell that got stuck. If no one else knew, how did you know?" She asked, a little hurt that anyone might be relieved if she weren't around.

Draco began laughing. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Every family has a version of that spell, Granger. It's an inheritance spell. You don't really think all Malfoys are born looking like this, do you?"

"Why shouldn't anyone think that? That's what you all look like!"

Draco stepped uncomfortably close to Hermione and whispered in her ear. "I was born with brown hair and green eyes." He giggled like a child and put his finger to his mouth. "Shhh!"

Hermione stared at him as thought he had three heads. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I drank a whole bottle of 'Fuckit' and it's kicking my arse! Also I no longer care. Why should I? I don't have to play a role for 'Daddy' anymore!" He flung his arms wildly above his head and laughed. He slung one arm around Hermione and put his head on her shoulder as he walked.

"I'm really not sure what's going on here, Malfoy-"

"No, please, call me Draco."

"I'm going to take you to Snape, okay?"

Draco laughed hard and gasped, "Oh, he is going to be sooo mad! I'm going to have detention for the rest of the year!" He stopped and quite seriously said, "I'm going to hate you for this tomorrow."

"I do have some practice in the being hated department, I'll manage just fine, I'm sure."

He shrugged. "If you're sure, lead on."

Hermione couldn't stop the small bubble of laughter that came out at Draco's expense.

"Oh, heeyy.." He said. "That's pretty, you should do that more."

"Laugh?"

"Yeah, you know, I've never heard you do that."

"That's because you always make me cry."

Draco looked immediately sad, and put his hands on her shoulders, and bumped her forehead with his. "Aww, hey, I'm so sorry! You can't take me too seriously. I can't help it, you know."

"Okay, Draco, you're too close. But thanks, I think. I kind of like drunk you."

"Right?! Tell Pansy. She doesn't seem very amused."

Hermione laughed again.

"Hey! you're getting the hang of it!" Draco said, half asleep on her shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence, they reached Severus's chambers and Hermione knocked.

They heard grumbling and Draco giggled and shook his head. "-so mad!"

The door opened and Severus's eyes widened a moment at the sight.

"Godfather! I am so drunk! I'll take my detentions now. This is my friend Hermione. She brought me here because she cares about my well being." Draco smirked proudly.

Severus rolled his eyes and dragged Draco by the front of his robes through the door.

"Thank you, Miss Granger."

"Yes, Sir. Actually I was already on my way here. I was hoping to get permission for a book from the restricted section of the library. I couldn't find my crest in any of the other books. Madam Pince said there was one more in the restricted section."

"I- I can't give you permission."

"Professor, please, I'm sure you know I don't have any other way of getting that information."

Severus sighed and blinked hard. "You won't find it there, Hermione."

Hermione frowned. "Do you know who's it is?"

Severus blinked again. "You are excused from the assignment. Please, get to bed now." He gently closed the door between them and Hermione stood staring at the door.

"Hey! What are you doing down here?" Pansy said as she came up the corridor.

"Um..I was asking Professor Snape if he could give me permission for the restricted section. He said no."

"Oh. Well surely, one of the other professors can get you in?"

Hermione turned slowly toward Pansy. "He said I was excused from the assignment.."

"What?" Pansy asked, shocked.

"Um.. can we just..go..read some?"

"Sure, I'll get the book and meet you up there. You okay?"

"Um, I'm not sure. I'm very confused. Also Malfoy made me call him Draco and said I have a pretty laugh, so..there's that."

Pansy laughed and shook her head. "Drunk, was he?"

"So very much, yes."

Pansy laughed again. "Go on, I'll be up in a minute.

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I chose the most noble man I could think of and my husband has not questioned me. I know that he trusts me, and my decision. The pack order decrees it must be so. There are conditions though, that as a normal human, I'm not sure I could manage. I have to give her up. Her father is too tightly intertwined in all sides of things. He puts his duty above all, and his love for his daughter above even that. It was by his request that she be sent away. His position being such a high profile would put her in too much danger. I know he's right. She'll be coming soon and my sense of duty will be the only thing that lessens the pain of leaving her. My husband will find her a home and then obliviate himself. I cannot imagine how my husband must feel, not being able to give me another child. My respect for him has doubled. We all wish that he hadn't been injured in the last mission, but it is what it is. I'm so tired. Just thinking about losing my baby, even if for a short time, hurts my heart. I only hope that when we are reunited, she can for give us.

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"I don't understand what exactly happened." Hermione confessed.

"Well, my uncle said that my father was injured during a mission after I was born, and the pack knew she needed to have another child, but my father was no longer able to give her another child."

"Why, though? Why did it matter?"

"I admit, before I took my place in the pack, I never could have understood the need to fulfill a duty like that. But now that I'm a part of it, I know how little choice there is. My mother made a promise to earth itself. It wasn't like some burden. She asked for the gift, and she gladly paid the price. She never questioned her place. Neither do I. I'm happy to do what ever is asked of me."

"You mean, you weren't forced to take your mother's place just because you're her daughter?"

"No. I chose to. When I learned the truth about her and the pack, I was extremely proud of her and everything they built. I was angry at first when I learned that my sister had a different father, but my uncle and my general assure me that my parents were very much in love and their relationship with me and each other did not suffer. In fact my sister's father is regarded as a hero for allowing my mother to keep her promise."

"Two questions.."

"Yes I have a general, and no, I'm not going to tell you who the father is."

"Aww, Pansy, come on!"

"No, no! Not yet at least. I'm still searching for her, see. I have to find her before someone else does."

Hermione sighed. "I think I understand at least. Sometimes there's no choice about your familial circumstances."

"Well I hope you can find some sort of peace knowing that."

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"Severus, I don't think I can wait. The more I talk to her, the more I feel like it's just wrong to not have it come from us."

Severus let out the breath he'd been holding in a rush. "Oh, thank Merlin. I almost said something to her earlier tonight. I don't want to wait anymore. I need her to understand."

"I think she'll be okay. That settles it."

"I'll keep her after class tomorrow. We can tell her then."

"Good. You might want to give a note to her professors and excuse her from classes the rest of tomorrow. I'm sure she'll be in quite a shocked state."

Severus nodded. Finally, he thought, finally I can tell her.