Dedicated to my awesome friend, Melissa, aka FanofBellaandEdward in celebration of her belated birthday which was last Thursday. Melissa, I am so sorry I couldn't get it done by your birthday (stupid finals week) but better late than never right? Also shout-out to innocentlittledarkangel for suggesting that I change Draco from being a veela or a vampire as I originally planned to a werewolf. Christina, thanks to your suggestion, the story was born.
A lot of readers were greatly impressed by my fem-Draco stories featuring Nisa Malfoy, and some have asked me to try my hand at doing fem-Harry. I've been wanting to do one forever. It was just a matter of the right idea falling into my lap. I hope you guys enjoy the story as well.
Little Red
The young, heavyset man let out an irritated grunt as the cold winter night air bit into his skin. With one hand still holding onto the reins of his horse, he tried to wrap his cloak tighter around his thick frame, though only thing that managed to do was let more cold air in.
He hated being on guard duty. Hell, he wasn't even on guard duty. He wasn't even a guard, much less a knight. This wasn't even about guarding. It was about hunting. One of the high lords from his village called for a meeting in the town's square, urging every remaining young man left to hunt down the beast that has been terrorizing them. At first the decree was met with reluctance until the promise of immense wealth slipped in and raised the people's enthusiasm. His mother had been one of them. She pushed him forward, saying he could handle it. It made sense after all. He served for years as his father's apprentice who was the village's butcher-at least he was before his accident. He helped his father carve almost every animal in their shop-well mostly pigs, but that was beside the point.
At the time he thought it would be a quick in-and-out. Find the beast, slit its throat, and bring back its head. Now, he was cursing his mother for volunteering him as much as he was himself for overestimating his strength. And for not wearing more layers of clothes.
Stupid, bloody weather, he cursed.
The sound of a snapped twig echoed in the air, cutting off his train of thought.
It's just the wind, he told himself. Just the wind.
A second snap broke, louder than the other. His heart leaped at the sound, wedged tight in his throat.
Clamping his mouth to keep in his screams, he slid off his horse as quietly as he could and grabbed his bow and arrows. He left his horse by the trail as he ventured into the woods, heading east. Another snapped twig and the sound led him to a fence of tall, thick bushes covered in snow.
He set the arrow into his bow and pulled it back. Slowly counting back from five, he shoved the leaves aside and charged.
"Halt! I'm armed!"
He braced himself for a wild boar. Or even for that…creature. What he didn't expect to see was red.
Vivid red that practically glowed in the dark night, the deep shade of blood, the material following the direction of the wind, swaying gently. Red that covered a petite figure far too big, far too curvy for an animal, crouched down before a bush of crimson roses that were fully in bloom, despite the season. The cloaked figure slowly rose from the ground, a pair of lightly-tanned, slender hands grabbing onto the hood and slowly pulling it down, revealing waves of inky-dark hair before she looked over her shoulder.
His bow and quiver dropped the same time as his jaw did. It shocked him he didn't hear a second thump.
She was, in one word, beautiful. Her long hair was black as a raven's wing, tinted blue under the moonlight, spilling over her shoulders and cascading down her back. Skin that was smooth and tanned a light, golden caramel color. A mesmerizing face that was looked like it belonged in the pages of his cousin's old storybooks she was obsessed with, a lovely face that consisted of plump lips that looked like they were filled with something sweet and piercing, bright emerald-green eyes that were wide-set and framed with thick lashes.
There was something about those eyes, that odd glint sparking in them that brought a strange sense of vague familiarity. Though for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.
Her ruby-red, full lips curved into a soft smile, heightening her beauty. A glint sparked in her jaded eyes that glowed like a cat. "Hello." she murmured.
She spoke. He was still staring. He retrieved his jaw and rubbed it to ease the soreness.
"Hr-I mean hi. I mean," He cleared his throat. "Hello."
Her smile broadened. He felt his smile grow, but it crumbled as he felt something...focusing on him, on the back of his neck, boring holes. He broke eye contact with the girl and looked over his shoulder. There was nothing but trees and bushes surrounding them.
"Is everything all right?" He turned back to the girl who took a small step towards him.
"Um, no. Far from it actually."
Her smile dimmed into a confused frown.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "It isn't safe for a girl to be out here on her own. You could get hurt."
"Picking flowers." She held out a small, straw-woven basket filled with roses and food. From a distance, his nose picked up the scent of bread. "As for being safe, I believe I'm more than capable of handling myself."
"You're just a dumb, worthless girl!" He pushed her, satisfied with the hard thump that boomed as her body hit the ground. A little more to the left and she would have landed face-first into the mud, a fitting place for freaks like her as his father often said.
He moved forward to push her again, but was brought down by a rock she slammed against his knee, nearly shattering the bone. He opened his mouth to curse her, but a glob of mud flung towards his face, bits of it landing on his teeth and tongue.
His cousin towered over him, the look in her green eyes hard and fiery, making her appear older than eleven. "Better a dumb, worthless girl than a stupid, useless pig. At least I know how to handle myself."
"Even so," he said, shoving the memory into the back of his mind. "It's dangerous to be out here out alone this late. You never know what you may run into."
"Well," Her smile reemerged. "It's a good thing I ran into you."
"Um," Warmth crept onto his cheeks. "Can-can-I mean-" He cleared his throat. "May I escort you to…where exactly were you heading again?"
"A friend's house. The poor thing is ill and I thought a few treats might help," She held up the basket of goodies. "Are you sure? I would hate to trouble you."
"It would be an honor."
It was like a layer was dropped from her face, revealing a softer side that made her look even prettier than before. She pulled back on her hood and headed towards the trail. He stayed behind for a bit, admiring her backside and curves, until that feeling returned, creeping onto his skin like a shadow, boring holes into his neck.
He looked over his shoulder. No one was there. That didn't stop him from quickening his haste, collecting his fallen arrows and bow, practically running out of the woods.
He expected the girl to be saddled on his horse. To his surprise, she was walking ahead of them. He grabbed his horse's reins and pulled him along as he tried to keep up with her. For such a tiny thing, she was definitely fast.
He was sweaty and out of breath by the time he finally caught up with her. He tried to keep his breathing under control but his panting was as mortifyingly loud as his horse's steps. Luckily for him, the girl didn't bat an eye, staring straight ahead. That gave him time to study her profile. He saw she was prettier up close, her petite frame set with curves that were shown through the white dress she wore underneath her cloak, the scooped neckline teasing him with a peek of her full breasts. Her looks surpassed even Astoria Greengrass, the town beauty whom many of his friends would give their left nut to have one night with. Especially Nick.
A pang slit through his chest as he remembered how Nick's mangled corpse was found in the south side of the woods less than a month ago. Torn and slashed in ways not even pigs were cut in.
"Why exactly is it dangerous for me to be out late?" she asked, eyes set forward.
"There have been animal attacks. Been scaring the town shitless. Killed a lot of people, too. Good, innocent people including my best friend." He choked on the last part.
"You have my sympathies."
He nodded, blinking his eyes to ease the burning sensation building behind his lids.
"Any ideas on who the creature might be?"
"I have an idea."
Her too-green green eyes shifted over to him, and once again he was struck by a strange sense of déjà vu.
"A wolf." Fur that was pale as snow, eyes cold and hollow, its body almost as big as a bear's.
"A wolf?"
He nodded and took another peek at the girl. Her eyes were fixed on him.
"My father told me tales of the occasional wolf that crossed onto our borders. Sometimes it would be a pack, most times a stray, always hungry for human flesh. I thought it was all rubbish until one day me and my cousin were out getting firewood and I saw it. With my own eyes. I was sixteen. I managed to escape, but…"
He should have known something was wrong when she stopped working, eyes widening in shock, chunks from wood spilling from her hands. As annoying as she was, as much of a freak she was, she wasn't one for being dramatic. However he dismissed that gesture as a silly thing dumb girls did, until he turned over to where her shaky finger was pointing to.
His mouth was opened, but what came out was a strangled hiss. His heart fell, dropping all the way down to his feet.
Big…big…big dog.
One that was bigger than any animal he watched his father butcher. One set with claws and teeth that was huge and sharp as knives. One that was inching closer and closer to them.
Hot liquid ran down his pants, dampening the material, and if he wasn't frozen in fear, he would be mortified at the fact he pissed on himself like he was a child.
"Dudley."
Hearing his name broke his spell. He glanced over at his cousin whose fearful eyes shifted from him to the wolf whose hungry eyes were slicing him like a Christmas ham, a pink tongue running across those sharp canines.
Without a moment of hesitation, he ran. He ran like he only had seconds to make it home before dark. Like the devil was right on his heels.
Behind him, a scream boomed in the air, loud as thunder, sending chills down his skin. Guilt and fear churning his stomach, he ran faster.
"My cousin…she didn't." Her final scream echoed in his head. He tried silencing the sound. "I went back. Came with reinforcements." He cleared his throat, forcing the words out. "All that was left was blood and a scrap of her cape."
"Her cape?"
"Yes. Her parents died when she was a baby, and the only thing her mother left behind for her was a red cape. My cousin cared for it like it was her baby or something. Rarely saw her without it."
Come to think of it, he took another glance at the girl's cloak. It looked an awfully lot like hers.
The girl tilted her head in a slight nod. "How did your relatives take the news?"
"My parents?" She nodded again. "They-they were devastated. They loved her. She was like a daughter to them. I adored her like she was my own sister."
The next nod was slow.
"The town elders called for a search. Had every man search for the wolf. But nothing. We couldn't find her. We couldn't find a body. As sad as it was, we moved on. However a month after that, a body turned up. One of the hunters. Shortly after that, another man wound up dead. Then another, then another, and another. Eventually it got my father. Torn his legs, chewed off his left arm. He was only one left breathing. Barely though."
"He was the last victim then?"
"Not exactly." A strong gust of wind blew in, searing through his clothes. Cursing Mother Nature, he wrapped his cloak tighter around his body. He spared another glance at the girl, taking her thin cloak and dress. "My…my best friend, Mike, led the last hunt for the beast. All the men were dead, but for Mike, that wasn't enough for it. He was slaughtered like a pig."
"And yet you're here?" There was a twinge in her voice, either amazement or suspicion. He wasn't sure which.
"Well…the high lord of my village issued another hunt. Offered big money to whoever can bring back the wolf's head." The girl's lips turned down in an unimpressed frown. "I'm also doing this for Mike. My father. And for my cousin. I adored her and the wolf took her from me. From my family. He killed her. And-and he left a hole in my heart. Her name was-"
"Aria Potter."
The name stopped him like a punch to the gut, knocking out his next breath. He looked over to the girl, wondering how she knew that name when a growl ripped through the air, the sound raising the hairs on the back of his neck.
Legs trembling, he slowly turned forward to the trees. A paw crept out though the maze of bushes, its pale color as white as snow, then another emerged. A set of canine-fanged teeth glistened in the moonlight, fixed into a deadly smile, and eyes two pieces of gray that were colder than ice.
It was like he was sixteen years old all over again. The girl may be different, but the setting was the same: frightened him, killer wolf. The very same one who stared at him in the exact way as he did back then, like he was a ham he was already carving with his eyes.
No. No, it wasn't the same. He had something he didn't have back then. He had weapons. He had arrows and a sword. He had a gorgeous girl behind him he could make a wife of if he managed to impress her.
"Don't worry, miss," He stepped in front of her, blocking her from the wolf's view, bringing out his sword. "I'll protect you."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," she said, her voice strangely calm. "For you see, sir, I'm not the one who needs protection."
What? He turned his head back to her.
Silver flashed across his face, its metal tongue kissing his neck. His next breath came out in a strangled hiss as streams of blood gushed from the slit wound.
The girl's smile morphed from soft to sinister as he placed a hand against his neck, attempting to stop the bleeding, slowly sinking to the ground. The blood dripping from the dagger she held in her hand matched the shade of her cloak.
"Even in my "'death,'" you're still a spoiled, stupid pig."
He tried to speak, but his mouth, his throat…useless, heavy sacks. Too much blood, not enough air.
"Most of the deaths were unfortunate. A case of simply being at the wrong place, at the wrong time." She shrugged with one shoulder as she ran her fingers over the bloody blade. "Except for a selected few. Victims of my own choosing."
He couldn't stop coughing. He could barely do anything but choke.
"Uncle Vernon for beating me at every chance he got. With a belt, a whip, his hands. Hitting me so hard that I'd black out and have bruises that lasted for days. For locking me up in the cellar for weeks at a time. For nearly starving me out with bits of crumbs that could barely feed a mouse. For every horrible name he ever called me, my mother, and my father. You know when I saw him, I honestly wanted him dead. Then it occurred to me that death would be too kind, so I decided to let him live."
Was it really living if you no longer had feet? One hand?
"Mike I spared no mercy for." Rage rattled her voice. "Whenever he stayed over, he came into my room at night and did things to me no twelve year old should have to go through. Pinning me down, laughing at my struggle, ignoring my pleas and tears. For three straight years he kept it up until he finally had his fun and said I was damaged goods. I made sure his death was nice and slow."
The only parts that could be made out of Mike's corpse were his skull that had been carved like ham and his torso.
"And, of course, there's you. " Those piercing green eyes that captivated him when he stumbled upon her were fierce as fire, carrying a torch of deep, unflinching hatred that was a fear all its own. "You who stood guard at the door while your friend did those things to me. Who delighted in seeing me get beaten, be punished. Who caused all the trouble and pinned it on me every time, which brought on more beatings."
It couldn't be. It wasn't possible. There was no body. Only a scrap of red silk.
"You left me that day to die. Then again," Her lips twisted into a cold mockery of a smile. She pushed her hair away from her eyes, revealing a thick birthmark shaped like a lightning bolt. "That was probably the nicest thing you've ever done for me."
There was only person he knew who had that birthmark. "Aria!"
"Hello Dudley," she smiled. "And goodbye." She looked up at the wolf that was enjoying their family reunion. "Have fun, Draco."
Draco? Dark delight shone in the wolf's eyes as he looked down at him, his lips curving into a terrible smile.
He barely had time to scream before the wolf pounced on him, turning his world into one of teeth and pain.
She shook the remaining snow off her cloak and boots before she entered the cottage, almost immediately bathed in the house's warmth provided by the roasting fire.
Aria heard footsteps behind her but didn't turn around. She did, however, smile as she felt a strong pair of arms entwine around her waist and pulled her against a bare chest that was lean but warm as the fire.
"Have I mentioned how ravishing you look in red?" he murmured in her ear before he caught it in his teeth.
A pleasing moan hummed from her lips as she leaned against him, tilting her head to look up at him.
As magnificent as his wolf form was, his human one was even better. Blond hair so pale it was practically white, stony gray eyes that held a devilish glint, his porcelain complexion as luminous as the moon, his aristocrat features sharp and more beautiful than any of the princes from her old storybooks.
"That depends. Do you mean clothing-wise or spilled blood?"
"Both." he purred, the sound causing goosebumps to prick her skin.
She hummed, and then shivered as she felt something thick and hard pressing against her backside. Right at the exact moment a hand tugged at the string of her cloak, untying the knot and having it slip off her shoulders, pooling around her feet and leaving her only in her flimsy dress.
A broken moan escaped from her mouth as she felt his hands travel down to her chest. He played with the low neckline of her dress, cupping her breasts and running his fingers over her sensitive nipples that hardened at his touch. He tugged at the laces of her dress, exposing patches of bare skin, the chill air relieving some of the heat brewing inside her. Yet it still wasn't enough.
"You know?" Draco carried on, seemingly oblivious to the effect he had on her, despite the fact she was leaning against him for support and that his fingers were still toying with her breasts. "Your cousin was an imbecile, but he was right about one thing."
"W-what was that?" Her left sleeve slid off her shoulder, falling down to her waist. She whimpered as his hand ran against her bare skin.
"The big, bad wolf did take you, little red," he grinned darkly. "And what's more: he claimed you as his."
"Is that so?"
Draco's eyes glinted, accepting the challenge. He swooped down and claimed her lips in a fiery, passionate kiss that stole her breath, causing fire to surge through her body. Aria surrendered to the sweet flames, allowing herself to be burnt, with a whimper as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Draco's hands grasped onto her dress and tore the garment like it was mere tissue paper. Aria gasped from the bold move, then did so again as Draco brought them closer together, bare skin brushing and gliding across bare skin. Aria fought for dominance, challenging her love to an intense battle of with through dueling tongues that lunged and parried, artful but precise strokes meant to weaken the defenses. As hard she fought, Draco fought harder, winning the battle and claiming his prize. All she could do was surrender to him, leaving him do what he wished.
When the need for oxygen became too much, she eased away. Draco refused to let that faze him, transferring his devouring lips to her neck, marking every inch of her skin with his kisses and bites.
"Ah…mmm. Draco." She tilted her head back to give him more access, moaning as his lips focused on her sensitive spot.
"Mine." he hissed.
Aria was aware that she was being carried, that they were moving, but only absentmindedly. She was too focused on Draco's lips, his hands, and the sensation he was brewing in her body. She only became fully aware of the fact when Draco laid her down on the carpet and slowly broke the lock of their lips.
She took a few moments to catch her breath, feeling lightheaded and warm. Draco brushed strands of her wild hair away from her face, tucking them behind her ears.
His eyes gleamed with hunger and desire. "You look so delicious laid out like that, Aria," He grabbed hold of her legs and spread them wide apart. "I could just eat you up."
The signs were already there: his smirking eyes, the dark glee ringing in his voice, his ghost-like touches that brushed but not fully touched, making her pant and ache. However it wasn't until she felt a hot tongue brushing against her that realization hit, his fingers opening her folds.
"Oh, Draco. Yes!" She arched her body closer to him, needing more.
That was all it took for him to strike, feasting on her with a greedy mouth and an even more greedy tongue, stroking her so tenderly she was melting, thrusting into her so deeply she was screaming. Aria tried to ease her aching breasts with her hands, hips buckling wildly towards his mouth. Moans, whimpers, and breathless chants of his name tumbled from her lips, the volume heightening with each stroke and thrust that brought her closer to the edge.
"Draco!" she screamed as she flew off the edge, heat coiling in her body like a tightly-wound spring before it snapped, setting off waves upon waves of pleasure that swept across her body.
He released her, and she collapsed onto the ground in a boneless limp, struggling to catch her breath.
"You were so delicious, love."
Panting, she opened her eyes, nerves rattling her body as Draco loomed over her, hands gripping tightly onto her thighs.
"I think I want more."
Her eyes shut tight as he plunged into her in a swift swoop, causing a wordless scream to bellow from her lips as shockwaves exploded from her center. She wrapped her legs around his torso and held onto him tight, her nails drawing clean nails across his back.
"Mine!" he declared. "You're mine, Aria."
"Yours!" she whimpered.
There was nothing gentle or slow about Draco's movements. Once he found his rhythm, he unleashed a series of brutal, deep thrusts that killed her, brought her back together, and killed her again in a continuing cycle. Aria struggled to keep up with his frantic pace, trying to meet desperation with urgency, creating more friction between them. His lips were everywhere: on her neck, her collarbone, her chest, her lips, sucking hard on skin until bruises appeared. Her world was filled with nothing but Draco, then nothing but heat as pressure built inside her.
"Yes, yes, yes," she chanted. "O-oh…Draco."
"I'm close, Aria, and I expect you to come with me." He crushed their lips together in a desperate kiss that stole whatever breath she had left in her body. He then tore his mouth away from hers and latched it onto her neck, biting down hard, breaking skin, causing blood to flow into her mouth.
That was all it took for Aria to be pushed over the edge, taking off into the stars with a cry, her body breaking apart into millions of pieces, being pour to crisps by the fire that exploded from within.
Draco held onto her tightly and thrust into her several more times; throwing back his head and let out a scream that sounded more animal than man.
He eased down and rolled onto his back, collecting her in his arms. She kissed his chest before she laid her head down on it, sighing happily as she felt his arms wrap itself around her waist and his fingers combing through her hair.
"Now?" Draco asked. "What was that about me not claiming you?"
"Oh hush." She lightly swatted his arm.
He didn't even bother hiding his chuckles, but he did press a soft kiss on her head and tightened his hold on her. "How are you feeling?"
"Good."
"And…you're happy?"
Aria blinked, surprised by the question, and then smiled as the pieces began to click. As confident, if not somewhat arrogant, as Draco was, occasionally insecurity would strike and he'd need reassurance that she was here on her own free will. That she was here with him because she wanted to be. Because he made her happy.
"I've never been more so." She kissed his chest and snuggled against it, her hand drifting down to her slightly plump stomach that has been housing their unborn child for the past three and a half months. "We're both are."
Draco's hand sank down to her stomach, covering her hand, stroking her baby bump. With his other hand, he placed his fingers under her chin and lifted up her head. He leaned down and brought their lips together in a slow, lazy kiss that melted whatever parts of her hadn't incinerated from their fierce lovemaking.
"I love you." he murmured against her lips.
"I love you too." she whispered.