Chapter 7 - The Transformation

Birds chirped outside the window, flying around, the sunlight spilling through soft gray curtains, breaking the extremity of the brightness into a soft warm illumination of the room. Light fell onto a messy desk, window frames reflected onto the ground, the rest of the room slightly dusty and illuminated by other windows.

Hermione slowly moved her head, sighing a bit as she woke up, her eyes peeling open, groggy and sleep ridden as she moved her hands. She took a deep breath, raising her head, looking around. It was quite a pretty morning. She smiled, before feeling movement that she didn't cause. Her eyes moved downwards, finding a very happy looking Draco sleeping soundly beneath her.

She just sat there, watching as he slept, happy he was able to sleep soundly with her, noticing how relaxed he was, not stressed. Her idea seemed to have worked and she intended to continue letting him sleep here with her. She would never admit it, but she had never slept so soundly and dreamlessly before. Not even with Ron. Never with Ron.

Hermione smiled softly, reaching out and touching her cheek, watching him move his head and nuzzle his face into her palm. Hermione studied his face, amused, and wondering how much longer until….

She then placed her hand over his heart, pressing a bit to feel the heartbeat, and her eyes widened, excitement flying onto her features. She felt his strong heartbeat, but another faint second heartbeat echoed his strong one.

"It's soon…" She whispered, releasing the pressure, and looking out the window, relieved that he wouldn't have to deal with that god forsaken leaf anymore. Hermione then slowly got out of her bed, walking into her closet, shutting the door gently. She went over to a small dresser, grabbing a new pair of underwear and a bra, getting changed. She couldn't get the clasp, no matter which way she stood or reached.

"Damn it."

Draco had woken up a few seconds afte she had moved away, and was just lying in her bed, stretched out, eyes closed, relaxed, but then heard,

"Draco!! Come here." 

He raised his head; his eyes searching and then saw the light on in her closet. He got up, walking over, slowly opening the door and keeping his eyes closed, "Are you decent?"

She looked down at herself, blushing, "Yeah.", Seeing him peak but close his eyes again. Hermione chuckled, "Come here ferret."

He reddened more at the nickname, but he obliged, walking closer, his eyes still closed, hands at his sides, shoved into the pockets of his sweatpants.

"You have to open your eyes to do it." Hermione said softly, as he finally did, his eyes slowly trailing down her body, but then she snapped in his face, and spoke, "My eyes are here." Quite enjoying messing with her very flustered veela.

She turned around, and heard a slight sigh or a whimper, she couldn't tell, but she raised her arms up, trying to reach the clasp again, "I can't reach it. Can you clasp it?"

She felt nothing for a while, but then his cold hands against her skin, as he tried to figure out how to clasp a bra, every brush of her skin, sending sparks through his body, making his knees weaker and weaker.

Finally, he got it, and she turned around, smiling up at him with bright eyes, and his eyes dropped again. She reached out, her fingers under his chin, bringing him closer, their noses almost touching, as she spoke sweetly.

"My eyes are up here…. You can go now."

Draco's jaw was slightly open as Hermione pushed it shut, "I'll meet you outside my room." Pushing him out the closet, shutting the door again.

Hermione leant against it, smiling brightly, resting her head against the cool wood, sighing, before she walked back to her clothes racks, finding a skirt, pulling on the skirt and doing it up, taking a deep breath before doing the final clasp of the corset like waistband. She pulled on socks, and a pair of her ½ inch heeled school shoes. Hermione then found a dress shirt, doing up a Gryffindor tie, and doing up a button up vest. She looked at herself in the mirror on her door, grimacing at her hair, before stuffing her wand into the built in pocket in her socks.

She then left her closet and entered the bathroom, trying to tame her hair with her hairbrush. She brushed most of the tangles out, pulling it up, a few baby strands falling around her face as she tied it up into a ponytail.

Hermione grabbed her bag, tossing it over her shoulder, before spritzing a bit of perfume and she felt much better.

Hermione walked outside, leaning against her door, waiting for her veela. He walked over a few moments later, dressed in his Slytherin attire, the head boy badge pinned to his own button up vest. She stopped him by grabbing his wrist, and she ruffled his hair a bit, making him roll his eyes.

"Did you have too?"

Hermione smiled up at him, "Yes."

Draco winced suddenly, rubbing his chest, and taking a sharp breath. Hermione studied his face, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. Don't worry." But he winced once more. Then he shook it off, shaking his head, "I'm alright."

He was lying, this had happened a few times in the past few days, but he suspected he knew what it was now after yesterday's chaotic events.

Draco smiled down at his mate, seeing her worried face, "Don't be worried, ok? Let's get this hell over with."

"No, you're not fine." She insisted.

"Just leave it Hermione!" He snapped.

"No, I'm not leaving it!! You're obviously in pain!!"

Draco took a deep breath and yelled, "Leave me alone with my problems!!"

But Hermione was staring him down, just as the door opened, and Blaise walked in, pursued by Theo.

Blaise grinned, "Hey there, Granger. Draco."

Theo waved, "Watcher Draco."

Both teens turned towards them, red in the face, clearly angry. Blaise took a large step backwards.

"Ooookayyyy…." Holding his hands up in surrender. Theo looked quite surprised, just as Draco suddenly took a sharp pained breath, holding his chest, suddenly his knees gave out. He hit the floor, nobody moving, all three shocked to the core as he lay motionless, eyes half-open, every muscle constricted and tightened.

Hermione snapped out the trance and dropped down to her knees beside him, her hand shaking as she touched his shoulder, slowly rolling him from his front onto his back, his eyes sliding shut in the process. She checked for his pulse, letting out a heavy and shaking breath.

"He's breathing. And he has a sturdy pulse. Blaise? Theo? Can you carry him?" Hermione asked quickly as she checked his chest and then head.

Blaise nodded slightly, before he reached down and grabbed roughly onto Draco's right arm, managing to haul his friend's body up, just as he had a sudden spasm, his eyes flying open and a choking sound came from his throat just as his body went rigid and limp again. Blaise tried to sturdy him again, as Theo got onto Draco's other side, hauling his other arm around his neck.

The two boys managed to pull Draco off the floor, grimacing slightly as Blaise grunted.

"For not eating and being as skinny as a stick, he sure is heavy- Granger where too?"

Hermione was standing in front of them, her hands either side of Draco's face, seeing his blueish-silvery eyes peeking through half-open lids, and she didn't hear Blaise. His eyes slowly managed to drag up and meet hers, and she faintly heard his voice, even though he wasn't speaking.

The time is soon…

Hermione nodded, confusing Blaise and Theo, before looking up at the boys, "Alright. Hospital Wing. He needs the hospital wing for now."

Hermione stroked her veela's cheek, and gave him a soft expression, and her thumb found his temple, slowly and gently rubbing it, watching his expression soften and then relax, "And you. You need to relax. Let's not sleep…. Ok? Stay awake Draco."

She let his head go as Blaise and Theo fully pulled him up and started to drag their front towards help. Hermione took a slow and deep breath, before turning and walking quickly into her room, climbing onto her bed to retrieve a book, flipping through the pages. Her body itched to just run to Draco's side.

Her eyes snapped wide open, and her head raised from the book. She was amazed. She had never felt that way, just…Drop everything? Simply for a boy? Well….A man?

Hermione looked back down into her book, but didn't take in any information, her eyes roaming over the same sentence over and over as she thought.

How many things had happened so far? How crazy was all of this? First finding out that Draco was the Head Boy…Furthering to that he had changed? Hermione sighed as she continued to think. Then his strange behaviour leading to him being a veela? And her being twined into his life as his mate? Hermione had thought that would be it, trying to adjust…Trying to understand the warmth she felt around him? Then that kid had died. And now her…Something, her veela was thrown into the centre of a massive murder investigation…? 

She pulled her knees up, pressing her forehead against them, taking a sharp breath. Then she had the dumb idea of an animagus, and now….

She threw the book across the room, hearing it shatter something, but she didn't care. She had flying anger and sadness and didn't care. She just…Didn't care anymore.

She wanted to wrap Draco into a big hug and wanted that hug to just cover and protect him from everything, keep him happy and safe and be able to just be. Was that too much to ask? For her to be safe, healthy, happy, and for him to finally be able to relax and be himself? Not the monster his father tried to mould him into. She wiped her eyes, reaching her hand out and speaking.

"Accio bo-"but she stopped when she looked at the doorway. Everything in her mind faltered. Her heart clenched, her entire everything screaming at her to run. Screaming to get her wand, to hide, to run. As standing in the doorway, one of its heads bowed down to peak through, was the biggest Chimera Hermione had ever seen.

Kids outside in the hallway slowed for a moment before continuing, as a ear splitting scream sounded, and then nothing else.

Blaise and Theo got Draco into the Hospital wing, the boy conscious and verbal, but not very…There. He kept mumbling nothing, until his eyes focused onto Blaise, and he spoke.

"I need….I…I have to get outside…."

Theo watched as Blaise leant down, talking quietly to their friend, who kept insisting he had to go outside, saying he was drawn to the lake. Had to get to the lake.

Theo looked around, not seeing Pomfrey, and then grabbed Draco's arm, "Are you sure you have to go outside?"

Draco's drowsy eyes found his and he nodded, so Blaise asked, "Can you walk?"

Draco tried to move his legs, but they barely did, "No, no I can't move much of my body."

Theo groaned and he hauled Draco out the bed again, pulling him over his shoulders, "If you complain once, I'm dropping you."

Draco stayed quiet as his two best friends ran down the hall, and into the Grand Staircase. For a moment he felt a pang of guilt and sadness from Hermione, but then it faded, his emotions drowsy and his thoughts murky.

He felt a blast of cool winter air as they ran through the newly fallen snow, towards the black lake. Theo sat him against the rocks, squatting in front of him.

Draco managed to raise his head, and then his eyes went black, his veela growing claws, and it grunted, "Move. I am trying to get his limbs to cooperate." As it shakily managed to crawl, quite animal like over the rocks, snatching up a vial of silvery dew, and it laid there, cursing its claws, letting Draco take control again. His thoughts grew dimmer, his head confused and lost, but he took the mandrake leaf from his mouth, shoving it into the dew, where it disintegrated. He capped it again, just as his body gave out, his head falling forwards, the vial falling from his grasp.

Blaise rushed forwards, and just jumped into the water, not caring as he retrieved the sinking vial, before breaking surface and yelling at Theo.

"Get him to the forest!"

Theo was standing, his eyes wide, a scratch over his nose from the veela's claw previously scratching out on accident. He then snapped into action, rushing forwards and lifting his friend's body off the stone, wondering why he was getting heavier and heavier. He wound up dragging Draco, his arms tucked up under Draco's arms, his blonde friend's feet dragging. Blaise followed, shaking the via profusely, as Draco jolted, whining, his eyes black.

"Hermione!!" But his body gave out again, despite his frantic breathing and minimal thrashing. Theo dragged his friend into the forest, grinning when he found a clearing. He laid him down in the centre as Blaise rushed forwards and made Draco down the horrid red liquid. He then rushed back, grabbing Theo and the two rushed to get away, as Draco thrashed, and cried out, his eyes flying open and body thrashing again.

All he could feel was pain, as if his soul was being ripped into two. That's not what was happening, however. His soul was not being ripped in two, but was being duplicated, doubled…Changed…He writhed on the ground, his head flying back, another scream, and then everything went dark.

As the darkness surrounded him, a faint white fog started to form, falling and landing around his body. The pain was gone, and he slowly sat up, looking around and standing up. He looked around some more, venturing through the fog, hearing footsteps behind him. He spins around, not seeing anyone.

"Hello?" He called, feeling for his wand but not finding it, realising he was wearing a flowing t-shirt and shorts, no shoes, no anything else.

Draco turned around, seeing something flying through the mist across the ground from him. He heard more running sounds and started chasing after the noise.

"Hello??" He called again. The darkness became heavier, pressing down on him, as he ran. The running never stopped. He kept catching sight of something dark ahead of him, but as soon as he grew close enough to see, it was gone again. Every time he got close, the fog grew thicker. Suddenly he blinked and everything was white. He looked around, his eyes widening as he recognised where he was.

He turned in a slow circle, taking in the room he was in. No creature was ahead of him. He stared around, recognising everything. This was the dining area in Malfoy Manor, the home he no longer associated with. He walked towards the table, his fingers brushing over the now porcelain white table, feeling the cool material. He heard a door creak open, and he yanked his hand back, turning around quickly, his eyes widening.

"Hello, Draco."

He stood there, his mouth forming words he didn't say as he stared. The thing approaching him was…Him. But different. Every feature was sharp, as if it would hurt to touch…. His skin was so pale, it was almost glowing…Draco slowly moved forwards, eyes closed in on the thing.

"I assume you are very intrigued…. I would be had I not seen you before."

He reached out, his hand passing through the creature's body, and he yanked it away.

"I am merely a vision of your mind. This is all in your mind."

He still didn't speak as his veela stood in front of him, wearing one of his expensive black suits.

"Reach inside of yourself." It instructed. Draco looked confused. "Reach inside yourself…Allow the animal inside to breathe. Do not fear it."

Now he spoke, "What if I don't have one….?"

The veela gave him a smile, and he almost flinched seeing the fangs, and he now understood Hermione's fear….

"I am a part of you. I know you have one."

Draco slowly closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and suddenly everything faded again. He felt an animal like sound building inside of his body, and he took a sharp breath, his eyes flying open.

He found himself in the middle of a dark and foggy Diagon Alley. He spun in circles, looking for something, anything, before his heart stopped.

"I always knew you would be a disappointment…" A male voice said sternly. Draco turned, finding himself feet away from his father. He swallowed thickly.

Lucius spoke, "You always insisted you were good…. Always said you would be amazing…Now look at you…Sad…Alone…. With a mud-"

Draco exploded, his voice half sounding as his own, half containing an animal scream, "DON'T TALK ABOUT HER!! DON'T SAY THAT WORD."

Lucius chuckled, grinning, "Ohoho you are a feisty one…."

Draco felt his fury come out in a low growl.

"Yes…Yes keep snarling, keep hissing…You foul-"

His eyes snapped closed, and Lucius faded, and he took sharp and fast breaths.

He didn't open his eyes this time, but a hand slid into his. A hand he knew.

"Open your eyes…" Hermione's voice cooed, "I'm safe, remember?"

He slowly peeled his eyes open, finding himself kneeling on the floor, in what looked like Hogsmeade…? Maybe the three broomsticks? No colour. Just white.

He stared at her, feeling his body growing weirder and unusually heavy.

"Deep breath in…" He listened as she spoke, "Now say the animal you feel…."

"I- I don't…Know…" He spoke weakly, as she held his cheek, and then she brought her face closer, whispering.

"Say the name…"

His eyes fluttered closed, and he took a sharp breath, "Leopard…."

Wincing as suddenly Hermione was gone, the white area surrounding him disappeared, and suddenly he was on the ground of the forbidden forest, eyes open wide, body twitching.

He went to move, but suddenly pain overwhelmed him, and a scream of bloody murder hit his ears, and he realised it was from him. He screamed more and more as his body felt like it was being torn to shreds. A few moments and suddenly his screams disappeared, and he heard vicious and ferocious cries of a wild cat.

The pain became a dull throb, and he just laid on the ground, panting, feeling…strange. He laid silently and still, feeling his body, taking in the sensations he could feel…. His hands weren't hands, but small fingers, or…paws? He slowly lifted one paw, moving it just slightly, but his muscles screamed and ached.

Draco slowly opened his eyes, taking a sharp breath, feeling his lung capacity had grown. He stared, his eyes taking in so much more. His eyes could see every slight movement, and much more colour.

He moved his head slightly, looking at his nose, noticing the colours.

Draco slowly twitched his ears, spinning them around, surveying the sounds he could hear, before narrowing in on two heartbeats, a few yards from him. Draco closed his eyes, slowly breathing in and out, letting his instincts settle in, feeling more control over his strangely shaped limbs. He listened as one heartbeat grew closer, until he knew it was right beside him. A stench hit his nose, making him breathe in sharply. He couldn't identify it, but it smelt…. Human? He could identify a human.

Draco felt his haunches roll slightly when a hand grew close to his body, and he felt himself growl, a low rumbling noise.

He then heard a whisper of a breath, "Oh, Merlin…" Then the voice grew louder, "Theo…? He's awake."

Then the hand settled on his abdomen, and a harsh hiss exploded, and he felt his fur stand on end. Then Draco forced himself to take a deep breath, and he went quiet, hearing running footsteps.

His eyes fluttered, sudden exhaustion washing over his body. Another heartbeat settled near him, and a hand touched his muzzle. He then slowly moved his head, his tongue wrapping around his palm, slowly licking with his newly changed and rough tongue.

He heard Blaise speak, "Can you pick him up?"

"And get eaten???"

"Theo, that's Draco, not a wild cat."

"So???"

But Draco managed to sit up, his head rolling a bit before slumping into his friend's lap, his ears pinned back, but suddenly a scream hit his ears, his head shooting up.

The leopard leapt onto his feet, his body still as a statue, hearing another scream. Both boys had leapt back, scrambling away, as Draco's head shot in the direction of the castle, before taking a few slow steps.

Another scream that neither Blaise or Theo could hear, and Draco was bolting, using every step as a spring, faster and faster, tearing through the low brush, bursting onto the grounds, pursuing the sounds of his mate screaming.

He burst through the doors, racing through the halls, kids screaming and people jumping out of the way, launching into classrooms and onto the walls, over windowsills, screams illuminating the halls. He couldn't hear her. He had lost her sound, but he just kept running, meeting the staircase, and struggling up, his paws slipping and sliding as he raced up as fast he could. He jumped the last few steps, hitting the wall before almost galloping down the hall, and breaking the portrait down. He landed silently on the floor, slowly venturing into the heads' dormitory, which was…Deathly silent. His eyes narrowed in on every little detail, the room a disaster, claw marks, broken wood, broken….Everything. He saw the kitchen was also destroyed, doors torn off hinges, walls…Broken?

He slowly peered through into the untouched library, listening. He heard only one heartbeat, shaking breaths, the heartbeat slow and unsteady. He sniffed, and knew her scent, mixed with a copper like scent, horrifying him. He prowled around, until he got to her door. It had scratches all over it, pieces broken and torn off, shatters on the floor, one of the hinges torn off. The room smelt horrid. He saw her desk was smashed, and the bed was torn, the posts broken.

Draco slowly ventures in, his tail thrashing, before he heard a shaking breath.

He moved slowly closer, his tail thrashing more, before emerging on the other side of the bed. His body froze, as he stared down at her form on the floor. She was on her side, her head tilted to the left, hair stuck to her face from the blood on her temple, her eyes open. She had scratched and gashes all down her sides, and a chunk of skin was missing from her left arm.

The veela in him screamed, and he staggered closer, his paws unsteady, before suddenly he was kneeling beside her, his human hands reaching for her face, tilting it to the side. He had…He could hear her heartbeat.

"No…." His lips quivered, his body unable to feel an emotion, as a door flew open behind him. He hadn't recalled shutting her door, but he had. Standing in the doorway, was Harry Potter, his wand in hand, with Blaise and Theo at his sides. All three boys stood, only able to see Draco's head, but they all knew what they were about to see. They ventured forwards, and Harry spoke first.

"She needs the hospital wing."

Blaise was first to act, getting down and using his wand to levitate the girl's body, as Harry helped guide her. Draco hadn't moved, hadn't spoken, his eyes locked onto the floor, his face emotionless. Theo came closer, squatting down and touching his shoulder.

"Draco? Are you ok?"

He got no response, his friend not even hearing him. "Draco??" Theo asked again, tapping his shoulder, but to no avail. Theo then took his right arm, and put it around his shoulder, before standing up, forcing Draco to do so as well.

"Come on…Come on, buddy," he said gently, his blonde friend silent and emotionless, his legs barely cooperating as Theo held him far enough back to not see Hermione, but led him as well to the Hospital Wing, praying Pomphrey had a good few doses of dreamless sleep potion on hand.

Harry and Blaise got Hermione to a bed; the girl having passed out on the way. Harry then retrieved Pomphrey for help, who started tending to Hermione's large injuries. Moments later, McGonagall was in the infirmary, just as Theo was easing Draco into a chair. The Professor went right to him, kneeling. He wasn't speaking or responding when she did so, not even looking at her.

"Mr. Malfoy…? Are you alright young man?"

He gave nothing in response, his body numb, his sight dim, his chest tight, too tight.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

Everything was spinning, the world seemed to be full of ringing bells.

"Mr. Malfoy!!"

Suddenly he felt himself shifting, but he wasn't passing out. His body just reacted, leaping from the chair, and as he hit the ground, he hit on four legs, his claws digging into the floor, before he leapt up into the rafters, curling around a post, the only sight visible of him were striking silver eyes peering down into the bed where Hermione lay, not answering anyone, his tail hanging down and slowly flicking side to side. One thing he was happy with, was being able to shut out the world. His hearing was selective apparently as a leopard.

He just sat, and watched, listening to Hermione's faint heartbeat as it held strong, listening to her soft and comforting breaths as she breathed in and out in her sleep, counting the seconds until she would be with him again.

The same dark room as before, however windows now shut. Papers flew around the room, racing from the printing press and out the door. A soft chuckle from the doorway.

"You really are enjoying this aren't you?"

The chair at the desk spun around, as a woman got up, walking out from behind, her heels clicking.

"I am not enjoying this; I am paying this girl back for destroying me. For destroying my work."

The person in the doorway sighed, "Well, here you go." Dropping a file into her hands. "Photos as you requested. And new photos. You will have a field day. Now, where's my money?'

"Yes yes yes of course, the money. Here." Handing the person a bag full of coins, "Do with it what you will."

"Thanks Rita. Be careful…Her boyfriend is something else." Before leaving the dark room, as the woman opened the file, dumping out photos onto the desk, getting to work. 

Two long and dragging days passed, with no luck getting Draco out the rafters. Multiple attempts from his friends, one evil attempt to trick him that Hermione was waking up, and multiple attempts to bargain. Now Blaise sat on the floor directly below him, looking up at the dark leopard in the rafters.

"Draco." He said calmly, gently. The Hospital wing was closed off for other students at this point, as Draco couldn't be seen by people, and hundreds of students were trying to flood Hermione's sick bed. The leopard hadn't moved, staring right at Hermione's face.

"Draco, please. You haven't eaten. Or drank. She won't be happy with you when she wakes up." He tried to reason, but his friend wouldn't see it.

The doors opened, and Theo walked into the hospital wing, having gone to his own dorm the previous night. Draco's head snapped towards him, and he moved for the first time since he launched up there. Theo was carrying something in a brown paper bag, and he looked up at the creature.

"Hungry?" He asked, hearing a low rumbling growl, causing Blaise to scramble up.

"Dude, he hasn't made a sound! What did you bring?" Walking over to Theo, and hearing Draco make more sounds, causing both boys to smile slightly.

"I went to the kitchen. You should see the house elves when I asked for a raw T-bone steak. One of those things looked horrified." He reached into the bag and pulled out the slab of meat, raising it up, watching as the leopard crept closer in the rafters, eyes hypnotised by the meat.

"You hungry, Drake? You haven't eaten anything in a while. Come on down here. Stop growling or no steak." Hearing the wild cat swallow another low rumble, preparing to pounce, but Theo chucked it across the floor, as Draco leapt after it, hitting the floor and scrambling, his claws slipping on the tile. He launched and started to tear into the meat, both Blaise and Theo looking slightly appalled.

The cat finished his steak, licking the floor, before suddenly turning and slowly moving towards Nott, who backed up.

He extended his hands in a sign of peace, "Draco, come back, buddy-" As the cat raced towards him, his paws slamming into his chest and pinning Theodore down. Theo cried out, but then he found Draco just laying on him, licking his hands ferociously.

Blaise came closer, watching, "Oh, you touched the meat…. He can taste it."

Theo snapped, "No shit." As he tried to sit up, the cat rolling off him to the side, his paws around his arm. He then pulled his hand out the cats grasp and snapped in its face.

"Draco." And silver eyes investigated his, "You with us?"

Slowly the creature grew stiff, rolling onto his belly and sitting up, suddenly very stiff and professional looking, drawing his paws closer together as it sat neatly, looking from Blaise to Theo. It sat like that for a while, all three in silence.

Then, "You went wild on us…" Blaise's voice registered with Draco, and he suddenly had all his human thoughts back, his emotions, his feelings, his… veela.

The cat's head inclined slightly, ears tilted back as he listened, letting the sound of Hermione's heartbeat settle in his head, before turning his attention back to his friends.

He let his head drop, and slowly sank to the floor, and as Theo and Blaise watched, the cat's body changed, slowly becoming human, until Draco was on his side, head tucked between his arms, legs curled to his chest, and he was in human form again, eyes closed.

He didn't move, taking slow breaths, nobody bothering him. He didn't say anything, just trying to ground himself.

A few minutes passed and Theo spoke, "You morphed really smoothly Drake." A hand settling on his shoulder, and he moved, simply just curling towards his friend, his head settling in his lap, body exhausted as the pain from his first transformation settled in. Blaise slowly got up, moving over to the side of Hermione's bed, watching her face. He barely knew the girl, but he felt protective of her, and if he ever found out what had hurt her, he might pull something alike to Draco and go on a murderous rampage. The thought made him smile slightly. 

"Theo…. Draco…" he said quietly, suddenly breaking the silence, "Theo, wake him up."

Nott did that, shaking Draco's shoulder, rousing the half-asleep boy, making him get up, pulling him to the side of the bed. Draco sank into a seat, right by Hermione's head, but then his own head fell forwards, and he was fast asleep, his head and shoulder resting across Hermione's right arm and side. Neither Blaise nor Theo had the heart to wake him.

Hermione's head slowly moved, and she took a slow and deep breath in and then out. The two boys sat as she woke up fully, her eyes slowly fluttering open. Hermione found that she was lying in a bed in the hospital wing, her eyes focusing on the boys over her, and her vision focused.

"Zabini….? Nott…?" Hearing a heavy sigh of relief from Blaise at her recognition, and she murmured, "My arm's heavy…." Trying to more her right arm, unable to.

Theo made sure to keep his space, while Blaise spoke, "Your arm's perfectly ok, you have a veela sleeping on your arm." Smiling slightly.

Hermione slowly moved her head, seeing Draco's hair close to her face, and she relaxed, leaning her head back against the pillows, her eyes drowsy.

"What…What happened?"

But neither of the boys answered, "It's good you are awake. I think you should try and get some more re-" Blaise tried.

"What happened to me." Hermione said harsher, as she tried to sit up, forgetting where Draco was, feeling his head roll to her lap, seeing his face, and she cut off, seeing a cut on his cheek. Hermione dropped her concern for what happened, touching his cheek, seeing his eyes fly open, but he didn't move. His silver eyes found hers, and she touched the cut, the two staring at each other. Blaise and Theo backed off for a moment, as Draco sat up and just engulfed Hermione into a hug, holding her head to his shoulder, his other arm tightly wrapped around her back.

Draco sat like that for a while, before whispering, "I ate raw meat…." And he heard Hermione crack a laugh, her arms wrapping around him.

"You amaze me…"

Draco just went quiet and held her, his arms tightening around his mate. She had almost died. And he had no control over it. He felt his lips quiver, but he swallowed the emotions. He didn't cry in front of anyone but her, refused to show Blaise and Theo. Hermione felt his sudden change in breathing and spoke gently, tilting her head towards the boys.

"Could you both go and try and start repairing my dorm? It got destroyed." Her voice gentle.

Blaise looked at Draco and saw a slight tremble in his shoulder, and nodded quickly, "Course." Dragging Theo from the hospital wing. Hermione then repositioned and spoke gently to her veela.

"Come on… Get up on the bed…"

Draco pulled away for a fraction of a second, and moved using his veela's speed, suddenly on the bed in her arms again, even though Hermione didn't recall seeing him move. She just shook her head gently and wrapped her arms back around him.

"Do you need to talk about it?"

She heard a humourless chuckle, "I don't talk about feelings, Granger."

"Don't call me Granger."

"Sorry…" He said gently, his head slowly settling on her shoulder, and he closed his eyes, feeling white-hot tears fighting against his eyelids to spill down his face. He silently told himself 'Malfoys don't cry'. He took a slow and steady breath, feeling her fingers rubbing in his hair, a feeble attempt to make him feel better. Sometimes he wished he had never walked into the head's dormitory at the beginning of this year. Wished he had never set foot into the Hogwarts Express. Would death be more painful than this? Then having one person he loved more than life itself, but he couldn't use his extensile abilities to keep her safe…?

"Draco, you're doing it again…" Her soothing voice broke through his depressing thoughts, and he slowly looked up at her just as a few tears escaped.

"What….?"

"You're moping over what could happen…. Other than thanking Merlin that I survived…." Then her eyes widened, and she pressed her palm to his chest, feeling two simple heartbeats.

"Wait, Draco, did the transformation work???" Her eyes lighting up slightly, growing more alive, less exhausted. He nodded simply.

"It did." Not looking at her as she reached for him.

Draco closed his eyes and sighed, "I'll show you another time, right now I just want you to rest…..Please just rest and be ok…." His voice gentle and worried, a hint of guilt.. Hermione however wouldn't take this. She turned a bit, wincing as she pulled her tight muscles and she faced him.

"You have two seconds to be the soft Draco I love before I kick you out with all of your moping." Her finger pressed into his chest, "I'm serious."

Draco raised his head from her shoulder, staring into her eyes, and he blinked, his expression relaxing a bit, and he wasn't as tense. She stared into those silver eyes, feeling her own mind relaxing, the worries and fears melting. She took a slow breath and touched his cheek with the hand that she had touched his chest with. She slowly rubbed his cheek and looked at his face, noticing the bags under his eyes, letting her thumb drift under his left eye.

"You aren't sleeping." She commented gently, rubbing his head a bit. He wasn't saying anything, but she felt that now was not the time for his smart Alec responses. This was a time for him to be quiet and listen, and just relax. "Nightmares?"

Still no speaking, but a subtle nod was all she needed, "You didn't come to me when they keep happening?" His eyes grew downcast, guilt hitting him heavier, and she spoke quickly yet softly, "No no, that's not a negative. I'm just asking." She held his chin in her palm, watching his face express emotions he was feeling, as he normally hid how he felt or what he was thinking with a solid and passive expression. Hermione gave him a sad smile, relieved he was now showing his emotions.

"When I get released, promise me you will come to me if you need help? I know what you're going to say, thinking nobody can help you, you don't want to bother me, worried about annoying me, but you won't. You're my Veela, not my problem. Even if those two things are the same thing sometimes." Smiling a bit when he heaved a sigh. Hermione then just let his chin go, leaning closer to his face and whispered when she spoke.

"Close your eyes."

Draco slowly did so, feeling safe in her presence. He slowly took a deep breath in, sighing, feeling her sitting still in front of him. The darkness of his eyelids being closed was comforting, especially with Hermione's left hand tucked gently against his own, before he felt her hair brushing his cheek, and he took a sharp breath, just as her lips slowly pressed against his, a question lingering in the soft peck. A 'may I?'. He leaned forwards when she pulled away, keeping his eyes closed, as Hermione held his head, kissing him again, just enough to tease his lips, before pulling away again, and she spoke.

"You can open them now…."

He pulled them open slightly, not sure what he was feeling. His pupils were big, obviously shocked and flustered, and Hermione smiled up at him, her lips forming such a comforting smile he melted inside as she patted his cheek.

"You are adorable when you are flustered." 

Draco swallowed slightly, watching her then lean back against his chest, her left hand slowly sliding under his shirt, making him want to squirm. She was so warm, and direct touch always made him nervous, but then his veela felt like it was on cloud nine.

"Show me your animagus…. Please?" Her voice spoke again, and her hand started twirling, making circles on his skin. His veela was making him fall into his strange happy trance.

"Please?" Looking up into his now drowsy eyes, and he had a small smile on his lips.

"Why?" He asked, finally speaking. Hermione took a breath and sighed again, turning so she was laying on his chest on her stomach, both hands wrapped around, tucked nder his shirt and planted on his back, gently rubbing.

"Because I want to see."

His head sank down and thumped against the headboard, his eyes half-open, and he spoke in a mumble, "Mmmm….What if I don't…?"

She chuckled, loving how he acted sometimes, "Draco, please?"

A deep sigh vibrated against her ear, and he spoke, "Fine princess…..Up you get if you want to see…."

He felt her detach herself from his body, as he just laid there, weakened in his trance, overjoyed from her touch. "Gimme…gimme a sec love…" She stared at his face as she sat in front of him, her head tilted. So, she was princess? And now love? She watched his behaviour and smiled. Apparently the Veela was one for sappy pet-names. She vaguely wondered how a fully sober, not drunk-on-love Draco would react to a sappy pet name, the thought making her chuckle.

"What's…So funny baby?" He asked quietly as he raised his head, blinking a bit.

"Nothing…baby…" Seeing him not react as he scooted to the end of the bed. He sighed, wondering exactly how to force himself to turn.

He sat there for a moment, before planting himself, in a position on all fours, closing his eyes, thinking 'leopard, leopard, leopard' but nothing happened. He let out a heavy breath out of his nose.

"Draco, why-"

"Hush." He snapped quietly, his voice…strange. Raspy, as if he was finally getting his body to morph. Slowly fur sprouted on his nose, and she watched, her jaw slowly dropping and eyes widening as her veela transformed into a beautiful, stunning leopard before her eyes. It sat back, raising his head, posing himself on his haunches to hold himself in a powerful position, and even though cats couldn't smile, he looked proud. Hermione slowly sat up, her eyes wide and amazed. She watched the wild cat, and she took a slow and deep breath, reaching for his head. Draco's eyes followed, and he leant towards her touch, his ears bending down and back as she stroked his fur a few times.

She scooted close, and reached down, her hand rubbing down his chest and his left leg, touching his paw, lifting it up and holding it in her palm. His paw was warm, and he noticed how big they were compared to a human hand. She lifted his paw up over her face to look at the pads, and then he pulled it pack, smacking her leg.

"What was that for?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the wild cat, who made a sound in his chest. A warning. 'Don't touch my paw pads'.

She sighed and placed her hand in his fur on his chest, looking at the dark colour, rubbing gently, before she reached out and got on her knees, hugging the leopard. Draco felt comforted and safer as she did so, a bit annoyed that he couldn't hug her back right now, but still happy.

"You are so unbelievably soft, Draco." She murmured into the fur on his back, as the cat manoeuvred out of her grasp, silently dropping to the floor, and circling the bed, then jumping back up, onto her pillow.

She watched as he settled, laying down, his tail curled underneath him. She leaned back, hearing a soft sigh from her veela, as she leaned into his body, feeling him curl. He was curling around her, a form of protection.

"You really should turn back…. If anyone comes in and sees-"

He curled his lip and snarled, making Hermione jump.

"No need to raise your voice." She said sourly, shoving his paw from her shoulder. She sat up again, and heard movement, turning and startling when she saw Draco sitting on her pillow, his legs pulled to his chest, arms just tucked against his chest.

"I didn't." He said softly, his face passive, watching, just observing. "I made a sound, Hermione, that's what cats do."

She scowled, "Your sarcasm is not needed."

He remained passive, "Really? Oh thank you for that insightful information Granger."

Hermione felt insulted by this, "What is wrong with you? You're being awfully…Rude…"

He tilted his head, his eyes gentle, "I am not." His words, the way he spoke, made Hermione take a deep beath, puffing it out. He was bothering her.

"Yes. You are. And you're still doing it."

No emotions. Why wouldn't he show emotions???

Draco's eyes twitched just slightly as he stared at her, "I am not being rude Hermione. I am simply speaking. I am sorry if you take it negatively."

Something in Draco riled up at his words, and he shifted uncomfortably. He looked away for a moment, letting his own shaking breath out. His veela was… Angry, but at him. Not her. It was furious.

"Shut up and fuck off!" He snarled harshly, and then his eyes widened when he realised, he had said it out loud.

"What did you just say….?" She asked in a quiet and shaky voice.

She saw emotion in his face, confusion, upset, guilt, and anger, "I didn't- No, wait, Hermione, I didn't-"

"Are you serious….? Right now? Get… Get out of here."

He tried to cover it, "No, Hermione, my veela-"

"I don't give a damn about your veela, Draco!!! Out!"

He felt her words hit him hard, his veela instantly trying to scramble and make him listen to her words. 

"No, Hermione, please don't make me-"

Her voice snapped viciously, "Get out of my sight!"

His veela forced him to comply, and he was leaving, every step hurting, and he suddenly felt the heavy want to just burst into tears. His fae burned as he walked down the hall, his fists clenched, body shaking, breathing turning heavier. This was not the first time he wanted to kill his veela.

He just found a window and he sat down on the sill, staring at the floor, his face hot, his chest throbbing, telling him to go back, his veela refusing to move, refusing to let him go back, hurting and broken…And him? Nothing could break him. Who even cared? Why break something already destroyed…? 

He stayed there for a while, ignoring people walking past, until he closed his eyes and just focused his mind, deciding it may be best if he went back to the head dorms, just simply to go and help fix it up. He also might want to look at Hermione's schedule and see if he had to night patrol. She had mainly taken over all of the head's responsibility, and he regretted neglecting it.

He looked at the floor as he got up, startling some first year Hufflepuff, but he just ignored her, walking down the hall, hands in his pockets, and he ventured to his dormitory. He stood at the doorway, staring at the demolished door frame he had incidentally caused breaking through it in his rush.

He just pulled out his wand, his eyes closing as he swallowed his emotions. It was just a small argument. Over a misunderstanding. But he was absolutely having a harsh discussion with his veela later.

Draco stood in the living area, his wand out, and he muttered, "Reparo"

As he stood unmoving, he watched as the room started to move. Tiny shards of glass flew in reverse, flying back into the picture frames they had broken out of. Wood splinters from chairs started to fly and morph back together, chairs suddenly reforming out of the rubble. He watched with a small smile, seeing the tables and chairs reforming, the chandelier in the ceiling slowly spinning as the crystals flew from around the room, reforming onto their rightful places, the destroyed candles fixing themselves and flying up, sticking back into place, relighting themselves. The room stopped moving and he relaxed, watching as the few books he had left on the couch slowly stitched themselves back together and closed.

"Perfect…" he sighed, closing his eyes, knowing he had to fix the rest of the dorm. He ventured into the kitchen, wincing at the sight of all the smashed China and broken hinges of demolished cabinet doors.

Draco stepped through the mess, seeing claw marks and bites, wondering exactly what this creature was looking for. He touched the scratches, feeling the splinters in the wood, grimacing.

What sort of creature would destroy an entire dormitory, and then attack the person inside…? More else, how did Hermione not hear a creature rampaging only feet from her door?

He stood up, sighing and then did the same thing, muttering a small, "Reparo."

He watched as most of the room sprang into action, doors flying up into cupboards, China spinning in circles and fixing itself, the door to the refrigerator unbending itself from bangs and dents it had. He had to move as he was standing on top of stuff trying to fix itself. China bowls flew past his head as he ducked under them, smiling a bit, watching this all happen.

"I love being a wizard." He muttered to himself as the last China bowl fixed itself, the cupboard door closing, and the room was complete.

He looked around, his thoughts flying as he tried to understand what had happened. One thing was for certain. Hermione's attack wasn't planned. It was out of anger. Which explained why she was left so far worse than the others. The others had been just a stab through the heart and a cut or slit throat. Hermione had been fully attacked and left to die. That was out of anger. And Draco was left to piece together the puzzle pieces of why…and who the creature was looking for.