See first chapter for disclaimers/warnings/summaries.

RECAP:Harry and Megan Jones are newly claimed Alpha and Sub, still waiting to complete their full dragel bonds, but the weekend is over and they are now returning to daily life at Hogwarts. Harry readjusts to student life and finds himself fascinated with Daphne Greengrass, only to learn from Megan that the Slytherin girl is a dragel Beta. There are even other dragels at Hogwarts.

Harry woke the next morning feeling warm, safe and quite definitely loved. Megan was curled around him, radiating warmth and security, smelling faintly of lavender shampoo and floral soap. He liked the scent and leaned back ever so slightly so he could enjoy it for a few moments longer before she woke. The bed had been small, but snuggled together, it hadn't seemed that way at all.

Looking from his safe, warm cocoon, he was surprised to see that the privacy curtains drawn around Megan's section of the room had turned into stone walls. He couldn't believe it, but he could understand it. Hogwarts was a magical castle after all. He looked around him to see that the curtains had indeed shifted to be stone and there were two desks braced against the wall, rather than one—provisions for him, it seemed. He could make out a second hook near the bedroom door—perhaps for his school robes—and generally more space overall. Megan's section of the room hadn't been tiny, but it was more cozy now, as he realized there were a few more touches of dark brown and deep red, in addition to the elegant black and gold of Hufflepuff house colors.

Surprised, but pleased, Harry settled back against his pillow, sorting through the feelings that came with that revelation. He'd never expected that even the castle would notice his changed status. Dumbledore certainly hadn't done anything about it. He'd expected something, given the Headmaster's confusion and strange worry in the hospital wing, but yesterday had been surprisingly normal. Well, mostly normal for him, anyway.

His mind flickered back to their nighttime conversation and he found himself wondering about the other dragels within the walls of Hogwarts. He wasn't surprised that Megan knew them, he figured it was an Alpha thing and he'd expected her to know anyway, now that he thought of it. She was supposed to be well-informed and well-connected, at least, that was the instinctual explanation his sleep-addled brain allowed him.

In his mind's eye, he was simply left with the image of Daphne's very soft, very brown eyes burned into his memory. They were such a lovely, light shade of brown and yet, there was something off about it that he couldn't quite place. He didn't like not knowing what it was, but there also wasn't much he could do about it either. He could not ignore that or the new, itchy feeling that had come to him as he realized that there was something that did not quite feel right and he could not ask Megan for an explanation of something he didn't even know how to put into words yet. He was sure that it had something to do with his dragel nature, but he didn't know just what it was.

So, for the moment, he contented himself with thinking of Daphne and her pretty blonde hair and then of Astoria and her auburn tresses. He wondered if siblings were always such visible opposites, because even the Weasleys, for all of their uniqueness, had the identifying trait of pure red hair. Daphne and Astoria were sure to have a story in there somewhere and he wondered, briefly, what it was, before he realized that he would have to start readying for classes and breakfast. A low moan bubbled out from his throat and he burrowed unhappily back into his pillow.

A soothing, soft sound, a cross between a comforting rumble and a purr, came from Megan's side of the bed and a moment later, one of her arms slid free of Harry and began to gently stroke his back. The gesture was just as soothing as the sound and Harry allowed an unhappy chirp to escape as he soaked up the tender affection. It was one thing to wake up in a busy dorm room with Ron and the others, and an entirely different experience to wake up to warmth, softness and comfort.

"Morning Harry-love," Megan murmured, sleepily. She shifted to roll onto her back and gave him one final pat, before stretching carefully beneath the covers. "Sleep well?" She turned her head to the side to see Harry's half-hidden face. "The weekend will be here soon," She said, seeming to read his mind. "Just a few more days."

Harry sighed. He nodded, because it seemed as if she wanted some sort of answer from him and he didn't think he could manage one just yet. He had to admit that he did like waking up like this much more than his usual alarm clock and sleep-fogged mind, with Ron's snores for background musice.

Megan smiled, then reached for him with both arms. He went, willingly, allowing the hug that made his chest ache just a little less than before. She pressed a kiss to the side of his temple. "Shower. Breakfast. Classes." She recited. "The usual. But I do have something of a surprise for you."

"Surprise?" Harry blinked. He usually didn't have a very good track record with surprises, but he would be willing to give one of Megan's surprises a try. At least once.

"A fun one." She said, nuzzling his neck. "With food. You can meet me outside for lunch. We Badgers are having a picnic of sorts."

"A picnic?" Harry twisted around in her arms, as much as the embrace would allow. That was news to him. He thought that all students were required to be in the Great Hall during meals, at least, unless it was a holiday or the weekend. At the very least, Gryffindor had never had any picnics of any sort and he'd certainly never been on one. Outings with the Dursleys usually meant that he was either left behind or up an hour earlier to make up the meals for their picnic lunches. They'd never deigned to take him along with them, not that he'd really wanted to go—not with them anyway.

"A picnic," Megan confirmed. She ruffled his messy behead and chuckled at the face he made when she did so. "It's nothing fancy, but Professor Sprout makes it a reward of sorts, for us upper years. We're allowed, because we've earned it and we can invite one friend." She smiled. "I usually invite my fellow classmates or a firstie that looks like they could use a break. Today, I'm inviting you. It'll be fun and there will be dessert."

"It's just for lunch, right?" Harry asked.

"Just for lunch. We might have a few games in between. Some of the boys bring Exploding Snap or Gobstones. Nothing too complicated. Chess takes too long, but one of the girls has a Checkerboard."

Harry allowed his imagination to wander, thinking of fat sandwiches and crust-less bread, with lemonade and checkered tablecloths spread out on the grass. He frowned. "Rather cold for a picnic."

Megan laughed. "We are wizards and witches, are we not?" Her smile softened in understanding. "Warming charms. I'll cast one for you before we step out and Hagrid usually has a bonfire of sorts. Sometimes we can roast potatoes or such there."

Harry nodded, dumbly. He was amazed at the fact that Hufflepuffs had picnics and they were apparently a tradition of sorts. It was certainly one of the best-kept secrets he'd ever been a part of. His musings were cut short however, when Megan nudged him off of her and sat up, stretching her arms over her head. She eyed him for a moment, speculatively, then swung her feet off the bed and to the floor. "I'll take first turn in the shower—you can enjoy a few more minutes, if you like."

Harry grimaced. "No thanks. Once I'm up, I'm up. Otherwise I'll fall asleep in history again."

"I don't think anyone stays awake in history," Megan said.

"Hermione does." Harry wrinkled his nose, thinking of his curly-haired friend. She'd been acting a bit odd since school had started, but he chalked it up to girl stuff and the fact that he'd been able to scent that she was with Ron. They were probably both trying to find a way to break it to him and hoping he wouldn't be upset. He was, really. He had Megan now, anyway and he'd certainly never been interested in either of them for any reason. They were friends, good friends and he'd counted himself lucky to have them at all. Even Ginny was a friend too, these days, though she had also been acting rather odd lately and mostly in tandem with Hermione. He made a mental note to see if there was something happening there that he had missed. He didn't like being out of the loop, so to speak, it usually meant bad things would come his way quite shortly.

"She is probably the only one." Megan said with a laugh. "I have to pinch my arms to stay awake. Make sure you've got your homework all squared away and in your bag. I'll be quick." She was halfway to the en suite before Harry could say anything else.

He watched the door click shut behind her and wondered what it would be like to share the same shower. A flush of warmth swept over him from head to toe and he shook his head to banish that particular thought. It was welcome, but he did not need to think of that just then. Instinctively, he knew they were together and there were certain things that came with that. Rationally, he thought that there had to be something more—official, for lack of a better word—as proof of their Bonding. It felt as if there was something missing, but short of losing his virginity, Harry didn't know what was expected of him to make it official.

Megan certainly hadn't hinted to any of that yet and she seemed to be someone of deliberate focus and methodical operation. He was sure that if, given more time than the handful of days they'd had together, that she would see to the solidified bond and all necessary claims. He just couldn't help feeling rather antsy. He wanted to make sure that everything was set. Unbreakable. It had to be. He didn't want this single shot at happiness to slip through his fingers.

With a sigh, Harry thumped his head against the scrunched up pillow from earlier. He really needed to move his mind from this pointless thinking and onto more useful actions. Yes. Actions. Those were always better than words and thoughts that tangled up inside of him, making a muddle of things. Rolling out of the bed, he began to make it up. It took a few minutes and when he'd finished, he saw that a set of clean clothes had been set on the chair beside the wardrobe, just like it had been the day before.

The Hogwarts Elves were really paying attention, it seemed. He'd never given any thought to the fact that the Elves, for all that they did, were more observant than anyone gave them credit for.

Gathering up his homework from the night before, he tucked the appropriate parchments where they belonged and then double-checked that he had everything for the day's classes. There was a pitcher of lemon and mint water, with a few glasses on the small table next to the vanity, along with a bowl of fruit. Harry poured himself a glass, enjoying the refreshing taste and selected a handful of grapes to nibble on. The craving for fruit hadn't really subsided and it was something he didn't mind indulging, given that he was at Hogwarts and fruits were supposed to be healthy.

He had just gathered up his clothes and a fresh, fluffy towel, when Megan stepped out, wearing a short bathrobe, toweling her wet hair, barefoot and smelling of vanilla. He couldn't tear his eyes from her, feeling several emotions welling up at the sight before him. Out from under her school robes and without the flowy cotton of her pyjamas, Megan had lovely curves in all the right places and the fat knot of the bathrobe's belt only enhanced the fact that she was every inch a woman in those regards. Harry swallowed.

Pride warred inside of him, pride that his Alpha was such a lovely dragel specimen and a bit of hurt at the fact that he hadn't been invited to join her in the bath. Never mind that they had not quite consummated much of anything beyond their initial, deliberate claims of each other—but the yearning to be closer to her, to know her better, deeper and more intimately than he did at present, was half-instinct and half pure want.

"Shower's all yours." She said, tossing her rumpled nightclothes into the charmed hamper on the other side of the wardrobe. She didn't seem to notice his stare at all, simply moving about her usual routine. "They should have brought your toiletries over as well." She nodded to the chair which now held his heavier outdoor robes and his warmer, winter boots. She frowned at the wardrobe for a moment. "I'll see what I can about some space of your own. Better hurry up though. Don't want to miss breakfast."

"Thanks. Right." Harry scurried for the loo, only to be caught with one hand. He froze, staring up at her, a mixture of uncertainly and apprehension. He was entirely speechless when she simply leaned down and kissed him warmly, tasting of minted toothpaste. He blinked up at her in shock as she released him with a little shove towards the en suite. He opened his mouth and then shut it, unable to think of anything to say and knowing that his face was swiftly turning just as red as his Gryffindor tie.

He could have sworn he heard her musical laughter as the door slid shut behind him. He didn't care. He was grinning from ear to ear and thinking just how lucky he was for once in his life.

They walked through the Hufflepuff common room together and Megan was partially accosted by some of the younger badgers with help in knotting ties, lacing complicated shoes and fancy braids. "Presentations in class today," Megan explained, at Harry's puzzled look. "Professor Sprout changed the curriculum last year, to give everyone a unique learning experience." She tapped the moving head in front of her and the firstie obediently held still, a strip of parchment clutched in her hands, her lips moving in a frantic recitation.

Megan deftly braided the golden strands into a neat French braid and then sent the younger 'Puff off with a one-armed hug and a whisper of good luck. The others smiled at Harry, thanked Megan and quickly assembled themselves into neat rows to be escorted to breakfast. It was only then that Harry realized that not one of them had questioned his presence there or with Megan and they were all running about far more orderly than anything he'd ever seen in Gryffindor.

"Morning, Harry." Susan and Hannah passed by, arm in arm, talking about a project in the greenhouses for that afternoon. They smiled at Harry, both of them in tandem and headed for the exit door.

"Morning," Harry managed to say as they passed by. He was startled to see them there, before he realized that they did belong there and that it was Hannah's prefect room they were sharing after all. It was hard to think of it as a shared room, now that it was a private room, thanks to the new walls. He'd discovered a second wardrobe for his own use, after emerging from the shower.

Now, he reminded himself to focus and pulled himself back to the present. The younger students were still clamoring around and Harry was wondering if Megan was the one to be looking after them all the time. The sound of loud voices caught his ear and he looked up in time to see the older students flooding out from the dorms. There were a few cheerful greetings called out to Megan and a few backslaps for him, with exclamations of "you lucky dog, you!"

"Easy," Megan said, half-heartedly. Her warning look said more than her verbal caution and she used her height to her own advantage, slipping an arm around Harry's shoulders and guiding him out towards the entrance. They all lined up in double file and scrambled out, one after the other, a few of the older boys holding the door open for the girls, while the prefects took a morning roll call and saw that everyone was ready to leave for breakfast. Susan and Hannah worked together to make sure they were all ready, before the procession to the Great Hall began.

"Very organized," Harry muttered, not sure if he should shrug off the warm arm around him just yet or if he could enjoy it at least halfway to the Great Hall. It was surprising to see the usually quiet, but polite Hufflepuffs being so well-organized and cheerful for that hour of the morning. It made him wince, thinking to the madhouse that Gryffindor could be during the frenzied morning rush to get dressed and down to breakfast, before class started.

"Gryffindor isn't like that?" Megan looked down at him in surprise. "Well, I suppose they aren't, now that I think of it and that would actually explain so much. We 'Puffs look out for each other and we tend to stick together." She tugged him a bit off balance, bracing his weight when he had to stumble quickly to keep up. "So we can lean on each other and learn at the same time. Professor Sprout doesn't baby us by any means, Merlin no, but we are expected to show some degree of maturity."

Harry's brows knitted together in an expression of puzzlement. What he knew of Hufflepuffs in general was largely limited to his own observations and the less-than-flattering gossip that floated around Hogwarts in regards to them. They were known for being good finders—whatever that meant—prone to cry at the drop of a knut, and usually good friends, if you were nice enough. Hufflepuffs reminded him of Cedric and Cedric reminded him of the graveyard, the graveyard reeked of death and Death was something that Harry had been trying to pretend did not quite terrify him as much as it should.

He shivered, unwilling to be sucked down that particular twist of memory lane and felt a gentle squeeze 'round his shoulder, the warmth pulling him back to the present. He looked up to see Megan looking down at him in concern, a tiny furrow of worry on her ivory forehead.

"Harry?"

"M'fine." He stopped walking and hugged her properly, a tight, squeezy hug that held the words he couldn't quite find yet, with all the desperation that circled 'round his head about the dark things his life seemed destined for. He heard her sigh and then both of her arms were around him and the chatter of the other Hufflepuffs faded as they all continued on and they remained behind, together.

Harry tried not to think too much during his classes. He kept up the general politeness that he'd managed to stockpile, so that he could safely interact with Ron and Hermione, without somehow giving himself away. He was glad that they were somewhat still preoccupied with each other to notice that he wasn't quite up to being his usual self.

Classes seemed tedious and stressful and Harry forced himself to take notes for later. He kept himself together by thinking of the possible lunchtime picnic and wondering how and when Megan would come to retrieve him. He wondered if she would continue to take an active interest in his schoolwork—as she had offered to help him with his homework last night and proven to be an excellent student and an equally good teacher. He'd found himself hoping that perhaps he could bring up a few of his A's into E's and perhaps even an Outstanding in something.

She made him want to try harder, to be someone she could be proud of, it just felt right.

Instinct, maybe or something else. He didn't quite care. It was still new and tentative, but the definite promise of forever was linked between them, a bond formed that he was sure wouldn't break from some trivial thing.

Harry almost smiled.

In the end, Megan sent a note with one of the 'Puff's in Harry's year and he found himself reading her neat, curly script instructing him to meet her down by the lake and 'around the corner' whatever that meant. He made his way outdoors and followed the usual trail down to the lake, understanding the postscript when he realized there seemed to be a hill there that hadn't been there some time before.

An illusion, he mused, when he walked around it and felt the familiar magical tingle. The moment he was around the lump of damp green grass, he spotted a little tent pitched beside the lake, with the flaps all tied up, so it resembled a pavilion of sorts. At the four cornerposts, there were flickering braziers of bronze, holding heaping mounds of coal to feed the hungry flames, warmth fanning out from them as the breeze wafted through.

There were several red and white checkered tablecloths spread out on the ground and little wooden tables set in the midst of each of them, low to the ground, but large enough to hold a rather impressive picnic spread. Harry stopped and stared for a moment—who wouldn't have—and then made his way on over, when he realized the 'Puff's where helping to bring platters of food from one end of the little tent to the other.

He recognized a few of the older students from the common room that morning and he had yet to lay eyes on Megan. He approached the tent somewhat cautiously. He'd never had anything against the 'Puffs, not really, but it didn't hurt to be cautious and he did not want to somehow start off on the wrong foot with them. He hung around the farthest corner of the tent, before he laughed at himself.

So much for Gryffindor courage-! He thought mockingly. How hard could it be to simply step in and say that he was invited and then find Megan?

"Harry Potter?" A voice said clearly.

Harry flinched, turning in time to see a vaguely familiar face and a prefect's badge affixed to the Hufflepuff robes. A very nice face stared back at him, a young man with soft grey eyes and sandy-colored hair, with rather bushy eyebrows. He was waiting for an answer and cocked his head to the side when Harry did not reply at once.

"Were you invited?" He looked over Harry's shoulder as if to check for Hermione and Ron, then shrugged. "Never mind it, come on in. You wouldn't be here if you weren't." He gave Harry a moment, then smiled in understanding and reached back, pulling Harry into the tent with them. "It's warmer in here," he said. "And I'm sure you'll find-" he paused, frowning at Harry for a moment, then leaned close and took a careful sniff.

Harry leaned back at once, pulling his arm free of the gentle grip. "I'm-" he started to say.

"Megan's." The boy said, flatly. He looked Harry over, appraisingly, then stuck out a hand. "Nico Burmese." A flicker of amusement played over his even features. "Werecat. I take it you're Megan's Submissive? I didn't know she had it in her. Always so quiet and calm and put together." He gave a low whistle. "And yet she's the first of us to find her Intended."

A rush of warmth flooded over him and Harry cursed the inclination to blush so easily. Then the rational part of his mind translated the other half of Nico's casual introduction. "Werecat?" He blurted out, before he could help himself.

Nico smirked. "Runs in the family." He held up his hands, palms facing outward. "I won't touch you or try to court you, seeing as you're claimed and all that. You need not worry. Besides, I already have my eye on someone." He turned back, scanning the familiar faces in the crowd of students. "Your Alpha is over there," he pointed to one of the far corners of the tent. "Tell her I said hello and—well done." He winked.

Harry nodded. "I'll do that." He then carefully made his way through the clusters of students and arranged picnic blankets. He saw that Megan had been right and that several of the older students had invited each other, it seemed and some of the firsties, who seemed absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to have a picnic outdoors with their fellow house mates. Moving easily around the little checkered sections, he found himself standing behind Megan, who was sharing a blanket with two other 'Puffs.

She was telling a story about something that had happened in the greenhouses earlier that month and her audience, a young man and a young woman, listened in rapt attention. Megan reached upwards and back with one hand outstretched to Harry, without a single break in her narrative. When Harry took her hand, she tugged him down to sit beside her gifted him with the usual one-armed hug.

He settled down, feeling more at ease, though vaguely apprehensive of the two strangers across from them. There were platters of neat sandwiches and cheese cubes and fruit on the low table before him and at Megan's urging, he began to help himself. The others had already filled their plates, but had yet to start eating. Megan finished her tale several minutes later and her audience seemed content with it.

"Harry, love, I'm glad you made it." She smiled at him and added another handful of winter grapes to his plate. "I was hoping the directions were specific enough. You didn't have any trouble, did you?"

"No. No trouble." Harry balanced the plate carefully on his knees. "I found the hill." Her friends laughed at that and Harry found himself chuckling along with them. The hill had been rather difficult to miss.

"These are my friends, Amelia and Leonard Vreck." She nodded towards the pair. "They are brother and sister, without a year between them, but they are not twins." Her lips twitched. "Anything else beyond that, they would have to share with you. Say hi, you two. This is Harry. My Harry. I told you about him earlier, remember?"

The possessive use of 'my Harry' was not wasted on Harry at all. He felt a flutter of warmth pool in his stomach at that. Megan liked him. Megan wanted him. Megan was more than happy to proclaim that he was hers in public. It made something inside of him stretch and dance for joy. He was wanted! What an amazingly foreign feeling. What a welcome and joyous—Harry gripped his plate a little tighter than necessary and found himself leaning heavily against Megan's side as a sudden slew of thoughts raced through his head.

Old memories. New memories. Things he hadn't yet reconciled within himself.

He felt her hand on his head, feathering across his forehead and then scrubbing gently through his hair, as she seemed to have taken a liking to doing. She didn't question or push him, she was simply there, strong, unwavering and silent—even when a single, fat tear trickled down his cheek, courtesy of the first time he could ever recall being invited out of genuine care on behalf of someone who wanted him as Just Harry.

A/N: Here we go! I figured I might as well get another chapter for this one done, after the lovely reviews last time. I hope you enjoyed the Megan and Harry fluff. I think they will make a good pair. The rest of the picnic will be in the next chapter and hopefully some of Daphne as well. Thanks for reading!

-Scion