On the day of the full moon, Hermione and Draco spent the afternoon with their friends. Aside from Harry, no-one else knew what was about to happen that evening, but it had already been decided that it would be handy for Hermione to have an alibi if Ginny accused her of being involved in her attack. Not that Hermione and Draco were going to let their friends stay too late, but they would all be around long enough to work out how the couple were supposedly going to be spending their evening.
Over the course of the afternoon, Draco and Hermione were becoming increasingly hands on with one another. It wasn't that long before Hermione ended up settling herself on Draco's lap and the pair were whispering to themselves, rather than talking to their friends. Of course they ended up doing more than talking, and Harry visibly blanched when they began to kiss passionately and Draco's hand slid under Hermione's skirt.
"Enough," Harry cried, jumping to his feet and scowling at his aunt and best friend.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked innocently as she tore her lips away from Draco's.
"I know you two are love's young dream, and you're obsessed with each other, but this is going too far," Harry said. "I'm as happy as anyone that you're together and getting married, but we don't need to witness your hormones taking charge. Either put each other down, or find somewhere private to canoodle."
"Canoodle?" Theo laughed. "What are you, Harry, a hundred? Who the hell says canoodle?"
"What's wrong with canoodle?" Harry asked.
"Everything," Blaise snickered. "I would have said Draco and Hermione were groping."
"Fine," Harry huffed, refusing his attention on the amorous pair who were watching the interchange with amusement. "Stop groping in public."
"It's not public, it's our private dorms," Draco pointed out. "And let me tell you Harry, we've done more than grope in these dorms. In fact, I don't think you want to know what we did right where you were just sitting."
"Please stop," Harry wailed as everyone burst out laughing at Draco's comment. "I don't need to know anything more. You'll scar me for life."
"I was just saying that we really weren't doing anything too sordid," Draco said with a shrug. "I'm sure we could do worse."
"I'm sure you could," Harry muttered. "But do you really have to do it now? Can't you control your hormones for a few hours?"
"We've been good all afternoon," Hermione argued. "And it's not as if you and Daphne weren't holding hands earlier."
"We were holding hands, I didn't have my hand up her skirt," Harry protested, gesturing to where Draco's hand was still out of sight under Hermione's skirt.
"It's not like you can see anything," Hermione pointed out. "Besides, as Draco said, these are our private dorms."
"Maybe we should leave," Harry said wearily. "Before things get totally out of control."
"Or we could go deal with our hormones and come back," Draco suggested with a wicked smirk.
"Yeah, it shouldn't take more than an hour or two," Hermione added mischievously.
"Maybe we should go," Theo said eagerly, not wanting to stick around and potentially hear something risqué.
"If you're sure," Hermione said as the others nodded in agreement to Theo and Harry's suggestion.
"It's for the best," Harry said as the group got to their feet. "You two enjoy your evening."
"Oh, we intend to," Draco answered with a smirk as he moved his hand under Hermione's skirt, causing her to moan slightly.
Hermione's moan sped up the departure of the group, and after quickly saying their goodbyes they left the head students to enjoy their night of debauchery. Despite his eagerness to leave, Harry was the last one out of the door, and he gave the pair a knowing wink before he exited the room.
"Perfect," Hermione laughed, not bothering to move from her boyfriend's lap. "Now all our friends will swear when they left us, we were heading for an early night. And I'm sure if we're really pressed, we can produce memories of our night."
"You really think it will get that far?" Draco asked. "Even if Weaselette does accuse you, who would take her seriously? The headmaster is your brother, and everyone knows the Minister is just keeping the seat warm for either you or Harry to take over. It's not like anyone will really investigate this."
"Actually, father is going to tell Bernard to launch a full investigation if the Weasleys complain," Hermione said. "That way, it doesn't matter how much they protest, the world can see that the Ministry investigated and found that Ginny was the one at fault."
"What about Pansy?" Draco asked. "She's also going to be implicated. But she'll deny ever having spoken to Weaselette."
"And that's why it's so perfect," Hermione replied with a smile. "Pansy will be convincing, because she'll be telling the truth. And she's not going to get the blame, because she'll be tucked up safe in the dungeons with the other Slytherins. I may not like the girl, but I won't let her take the fall for this. Don't worry Draco, everything will work out just as we planned."
"Let's hope so," Draco said. "Now since we've got a couple of hours to kill, what do you say to making our implications to our friends come true?"
"You can count me in," Hermione replied, eagerly connecting her lips with Draco's.
Since they had a limited time, the couple didn't bother with going to the bedroom. Instead they got frisky in the common room and when they were finished they got ready for the evening ahead. Half an hour before the moon was due to rise, the pair snuck out of the head dorms and using their knowledge of the castle, they slipped out of a rarely used back door and onto the grounds. Making a beeline for the Forbidden Forest, the pair slipped into the trees nearest to the path as they began heading down to the gates that marked the end of the school grounds. When they reached the gate, they found it locked as expected, but it was easy enough for them to clamour over the top and out into the Scottish countryside.
"Do you think Weaselette can climb the gate?" Draco asked, stashing his set of clean clothes in a hole just outside of the school gates.
"I can't see why not," Hermione remarked with a shrug. "I guess we'll find out in a few hours."
"I guess we will," Draco replied. "Are you going to wait here? I can be back for midnight."
"Are you not sticking around?" Hermione asked with a pout.
"I can do, but I was looking forward to exploring somewhere new. I know the manor grounds like the back of my hand, but this is a new adventure."
Not having the heart to ask Draco to stop with her, Hermione told her boyfriend to go off and enjoy himself. Giving her a quick kiss, he disappeared into the forest as the moon began to rise. Hermione shivered in anticipation when she heard a loud howl from nearby, and she smiled when a gorgeous grey wolf padded out of the forest to greet her.
"Go off and explore," she said to Draco with an affectionate chuckle as she stroked his fur. "But be back before midnight."
Draco's head nodded in agreement, before he turned and loped away. Hermione watched him run off into the countryside, wishing she could join him. She loved that she could now be with Draco in his wolf form, but she knew what they could do in that time was limited. She would give anything to truly experience what he did, and to run at his side, free as only animals were.
"Or can I?" Hermione whispered to herself, something Harry had once told her Sirius had mentioned to him, popping into her head.
Musing over her options, Hermione made her way to the bench she'd already picked out as the perfect place to wait for Ginny. The bench wasn't visible from the school grounds as it was nestled on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It wasn't until you were passing right in front of it that you saw it, although sitting on the bench offered perfect views of the school gates. Settling down on the bench, Hermione pulled out her wand, and keeping an eye on the gates she began to think about ways she could join Draco during his transformations.
Hermione had all but settled on a plan for the future when she heard movement in the trees behind her. Jumping to her feet, she raised her wand in protection, but lowered it again when Draco trotted out of the forest. Smiling at Draco, she flopped back down on the bench and returned her focus to the gates. Draco settled himself on the ground beside the bench, but Hermione could sense that he was alert and looking out for trouble.
"I think this is her," Hermione whispered ten minutes later as she spotted shadows in the grounds.
Abandoning the bench, Hermione and Draco both slipped into the forest for further cover. Normally Hermione would never have dreamed of entering the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night, but she knew with Draco at her side that nothing would hurt her. Creeping through the trees, she edged closer to the gates and watched as the shadow edged closer to the boundary line of the school. The closer the shadow got, the more detail became clear and long before she reached the gates, Ginny was clearly visible making her way towards them.
When Ginny reached the gates she hesitated when she found them locked. For one moment, Hermione thought the younger witch was going to turn back and return to the castle, but after a bit of indecision, she began to climb the metal structure. She may have been alone, but Ginny made the climb look effortless and she dropped to the ground outside of school with a soft thud.
"Pansy?" Ginny hissed, her eyes darting to both sides as she sought out the witch she was due to meet.
Hermione remained silent as Ginny ventured a bit further away from the gates. She waited until Ginny was halfway towards the bench where she'd just vacated, before quietly stepping from the trees and positioning herself in between the redhead and Hogwarts. Now Ginny would have to get past her to return to school, and Hermione was not going to let that happen.
"Pansy?" Ginny hissed again, not having noticed Hermione appear.
"She's not coming," Hermione announced, alerting Ginny to her presence.
Whirling around at the sound of her voice, Ginny glared hatefully at Hermione. "You. This was a trap. Parkinson's set me up."
"And it was oh so easy," Hermione cackled, not correcting Ginny's mistake. "You would think after everything that had happened, that you would be on full alert. How stupid are you that you've left the safety of school grounds to meet a witch you don't really know?"
"People know I'm here," Ginny said defiantly, refusing to give into the fear that was starting to creep up inside her. "If you do anything to me, people will know it was you."
"How, you're supposed to be meeting Pansy?" Hermione cackled.
"And you think she'll protect you?" Ginny asked, glancing from side to side for an escape route. Hermione was in between her and Hogwarts, and she knew she wouldn't make it to Hogsmeade without Hermione catching her up. "Parkinson will sell you out in an instant."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Hermione replied with a shrug. "Although for the record, I have to say that I don't intend to do anything to you."
"Yeah, because you've just lured me down here to talk," Ginny snorted.
"Actually, I lured you here to meet a friend of mine," Hermione said, a devious smirk creeping onto her lips. "Come on out," She called loudly.
Ginny whirled around looking for whoever Hermione had with her, and she froze when a large, grey wolf stalked out of the forest. The wolf casually strolled into the path, and stood himself between Ginny and Hogsmeade. Now unless she wanted to run into the Forbidden Forest and face whatever dangers lay in there, she was trapped.
"Greyback," Ginny whispered, remembering what her brothers had told her over the summer holidays. Although, it looked more like she was facing a wild wolf rather than a werewolf.
"You've heard of Greyback?" Hermione asked. As before she didn't correct Ginny's mistake, as it was good for them if she thought Greyback was the grey wolf.
"I've heard of him, I'm not an idiot," Ginny snarled.
"That is a matter of opinion," Hermione laughed. "You let yourself be lured out of Hogwarts, where you're about to be attacked by a werewolf."
"You're going to let him attack me?" Ginny asked in horror as the wolf barred its teeth and began to growl quietly.
"I am," Hermione replied with a sigh as though she regretted what she was about to do. "I would say I'm sorry, but I'm really not. You deserve this, Ginny."
Knowing that Hermione was serious, Ginny turned and ran towards the forest. Sadly for Ginny, Draco had anticipated that would be her move and he launched himself at her. Draco's large form crashed into Ginny before she even reached the nearest tree, knocking her to the ground. Crying and screaming, Ginny lashed out at Draco, but he was too strong for her and she was stuck underneath him, completely at his mercy.
"Please don't," Ginny whimpered.
"Do it," Hermione urged her fiancé.
Draco turned his head and looked at Hermione, before focusing back on Ginny and sinking his teeth into her neck. Ginny's cries of terror ricocheted around the forest, but Hermione wasn't worried about anyone hearing them. No-one was around to see or hear what was happening. No-one was around to save Ginny as Draco launched a savage attack on her. An attack which would change her life forever.
Hermione watched the attack with relish, and she wasn't even put off when Draco moved away from Ginny's lifeless body with a bloody snout. Giving him a stroke on the head, she carefully checked on Ginny to make sure she wasn't dead. Thankfully, Ginny was still breathing, which was what Hermione wanted. Draco may have been able to embrace his inner wolf, but she knew Ginny wouldn't have that option. She would be like the majority of the wizarding world and think she'd been cursed, and more than likely she would be shunned by the wizarding community.
As Hermione stood over Ginny's body, Draco nudged at her legs. Turning to her boyfriend, she watched as he jerked his head in the direction of Hogwarts. Knowing that he was telling her to get back to school, Hermione nodded and gave his head another stroke.
"I'm going, you keep an eye on her," Hermione said.
Even though Severus and Lucius had erected a new ward around Hogwarts, they hadn't been sure that it would definitely keep Ginny out of the grounds. Then there was Hogsmeade to take into consideration, as no-one wanted Ginny to go on a rampage and hurt innocent people. The plan was for Draco to keep an eye on Ginny, and make sure that she didn't hurt anyone. If needs must, he would take her out if that was what it took, but they were hoping that it wouldn't be necessary. With any luck, Ginny would spend the night wandering around the forest, and when she was found in the morning, her life would be changed forever. Nothing was ever going to be the same for Ginny, not now she'd been bitten by a werewolf on a full moon.