A/N I just want to say thank you! Thank you to everyone who reviews, thank you to everyone who favorites, who follows, who might not review or favorite but still might have my story bookmarked. Thank you! We've reached Chapter 30 and I'd love to reach Chapter 60! You guys, you are one of the reasons that I update with any sort of frequency. Also, I would like to add, Hermione is a few days over 4 weeks pregnant at the starting of this chapter. She wouldn't even know it yet, let alone be thinking of it. Considering it can take anywhere for 6-12 days for the sperm to meet the egg and such.
For the next two weeks they focused on training. Transforming, changing themselves. It had become clear to Draco that quite a bit of his classmates hadn't been practicing on their own free time. Even Hermione seemed to be slacking in classes. In fact, the girl had seemed to wilter lately, despite how each day her skin looked better, her hair healthier, her eyes shinier, ever her nails. Though Draco hadn't noticed that, he'd heard it on an off hand comment by Padma, who of course had been told by Pavarti that she thought Hermione had been doing her own manicures.
Draco had noticed then, really began to notice the girl, in more of a technical aspect than a sexual one, and she hadn't been practicing.
Draco had been practicing nightly on his animagus training for two reasons. 1) He loved the idea of running free again. Be able to get rid of all his problems in an instant by transforming into a powerful animal. 2) It helped him get his mind off Hermione. The concentration it required to transform him shoulders, his face, his back, his legs, his hands, never having done it before, it took his mind off everything but breathing. He knew that he would be ready by Christmas break. In fact, Draco grinned, positive he'd be able to complete the transformation, if only for a few exhausting minutes, on that very day.
"Very good, now close your eyes. Concentrate on your breathing. Think of what it feels like, what it felt like to be your animal. The muscles, how they move, the differences in which you will undergo." Professor Langdon's voice, though soft, calm, irritated Draco. He was used to doing it in complete silence, not to mention darkness, he had to be more aware in darkness. Draco sat down, he'd discovered long nights ago, that it was best to be sitting when any part of the transformation happened. He just needed to find the thread, that link to his inner wolf.
There it was.
White hot. Beautiful black shimmering thread. Draco grasped for it.
Draco ignored Professor Langdon's instructions. He knew he'd be able change his face, his entire hair. He'd practiced that the most, wanting to bring that face back, those senses back. Look himself in the eye in the mirror and be able to see the danger lurking there. Draco couldn't lie, it gave him a little bit of an adrenaline rush. Draco felt the world around him leave, Professor Langdon's voice no longer meeting his ears.
Draco fixated on his back, his entire back, he'd found it easiest to start there. With the most massive part of his body. It had hurt at first, nothing too dramatic. Warm, hot warmth as Draco's body didn't exactly know what to do. His spine rippled, muscles changing, bones changing, fur spouted beneath his clothes. Draco had done the spell though, they wouldn't be ripped. God he loved the change. Had Draco not been so focused he would have noticed the stillness, the quiet around him. Everyone in the room had stopped moving. Professor Langdon had silenced them all with a wave of her hand. They all stared as his arms changed, lengthening, cocking oddly before he fell forward, hands turning into massive black paws.
Bliss. Sweet bliss. Draco felt it immediately. The warmth spread through his spine, tingling down to his legs and fore-paws.
Hermione stared in awe, watching as the gossamer hair turned into velvet, black, tresses of fur. Had she been so lost in herself, so involved with trying not to fall asleep all the time, that she had missed how far along Draco had come? His mouth, full lips, turned into a snarling muzzle. Draco stepped out of his shirt, the white M cresting on his chest in fur, bright against all the black.
A gasp rippled in the classroom. Draco stepped completely out of the clothes, everything looked perfect, from his front paws, to his hind-legs, to the tail sweeping across the floor. A long pink tongue snaked out, licking vivid canines. He'd done it. Draco had completely his transformation. More importantly, he had done it before Hermione, he had beaten her at something. Hermione felt flabbergasted, awestruck, and angry. She had been slipping. She knew it'd been happening lately, but she hadn't known to what extent that Malfoy would beat her at something, for lack of her trying.
A thunder of applause broke out hurting Draco's sensitive ears. They flattened against his skull in pain. Even Ron, who still hated Draco more than anyone in the world, after all Snape wasn't around to hate anymore, gave weak claps. Draco's snout rolled back slightly. He could smell everything, like before. Could sense everything, the warmth of their bodies, hear their hearts pounding wetly in their chests. Turning toward's Hermione, Draco ignored Professor Langdon.
"Well done! See here Ladies and Gentlemen! Mr. Malfoy is the first. Now I hope you all know what hard work can do. Mr. Malfoy has completed his first transformation and," Professor Langdon held up her wrist an awkward, swirly, squirly, watch on her wrist ticked. ", He's held it for a minute now. This, this is really something. How long does everyone think he'll be able to hold it?" Professor Landgon looked at them all, but they were staring at Draco. He'd begun to walk.
Come on Draco, you can do this.
The young man told himself. He smelt something, something wonderful. It reminded him of himself, as conceited as it sounded. With his nose against the floor Draco took slow, deliberate steps. His legs felt uneasy. He was as unsure of his steps as he had been the first time Professor Langdon had transformed him into a wolf.
Draco followed his nose though. Something inside him drove him. He had to figure out what the smell was. That devine smell. Like, cinnamon, almonds, mint, vanilla, musk, all wrapped into one delicious nest. Though they weren't different decipherable smells. It was one unique smell, a thriving smell.
The black wolf sneezed hitting a patch of dust on the floor. It only drove most dust up in the air. The act, looked a very violent one. A few students stepped away from the wolf. Hermione stood where she was though, having had experience with wolves before. She knew it was better to stand her ground than to show fear. That and he was walking toward her. Curiosity got the best of her.
Draco sneezed again, this time to clear his nose. He had to get back on to the scent. Taking in a deep breath, it hit him once again. Draco breathed it in, like every breath he took brought light and warmth to him. When his nose hit the hem of Hermione's robes the entire class stilled once more.
"Now Hermione, he's probably just a little overwhelmed, all these new senses. You are the only person that's transformed with him. Don't panic." Brown eyes snapped up glaring at Professor Langdon.
"I'm not worried, nor am I about to panic, I just want to know what it is he's smelling." Hermione wasn't on her period. It wasn't due until next week, Hermione did a double take, quick mental calculation. Not a week, three days. Yes, it was due in three days. Draco's nose moved away from the hem of her robes, and hit her squarely on the stomach.
Draco looked up! Yes. He had found it. The source of the scent. Before he could help himself, Draco felt his tongue snaked out, lapping against the warm flesh beneath his nose. Draco wasn't even sure when he'd gotten his nose beneath her shirt, faintly he heard the girl gasp, then giggle. He was tickling her. God what was that smell? Draco's mind wandered, in that moment his concentration wavered.
A flurry of giggles echoed around the classroom, Draco kneeled before Hermione, his mouth pressed against her stomach, only for a moment though. He collapsed, his chest heaving, sweat prickling at his forehead. Only one thought echoed in Draco's mind. He ignored Professor Langdon as she pushed a piece of chocolate into his mouth to give him back his energy. Though he ate it mechanically, disliking the sweet taste that overwhelmed his mouth. Draco wasn't one for sweets.
A baby.
Draco looked up at Hermione, who was red faced, collasping her hands over her stomach, looking down at Draco. A million questions written across her face.
His baby. Their baby.
Hermione was pregnant. Draco doubted the girl even knew. The only question now Draco found, was whether or not he should tell her, or let her find out on her own. Would she even think it was his baby? The man glowered at the thought. It wasn't a good one.