The Girl Amongst The Wolves

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!!

The Girl Amongst The Wolves

Chapter 12

Wherever they were, it was dark and cold. The arms around her waist were hot and hard muscled, keeping her tight against his body. Trying to pull away but not succeeding, she gave a frustrated yell, alerting others to her presence.

“Greyback!” Shouted a furious female voice. “We do wish you wouldn’t bring whores back with you.” A Lumos was cast and Hermione fought when the annoyed face of Bellatrix Lestrange was illuminated. Behind her, Hermione could see a concerned Narcissa Malfoy and a scared Draco. The older woman cackled when she saw Hermione. “Okay, maybe not a whore, just your own personal one.”

“Bella!” Narcissa cried, outraged.

“Lestrange, you will not talk of my mate in such a way!” He roared.

“Whatever. What are you thinking? You can’t bring her!”

“She’s my mate and I have her at last, after spending two years in Azkaban!” He tightened his grip on her, making her squeak a little.

“Two? Try fourteen!” Bella screamed, jabbing her wand at him threateningly.

“Bella, this doesn’t help the situation.” Narcissa calmly interrupted, stepping between her sister and the Weres. “The end word, Fenrir, is that if you take her, Dumbledore will come after us and Draco will be unable to complete his mission. And we all know that it is imperative that he should do so.”

Fenrir growled before burying his nose in Hermione’s hair, inhaling the long-lost scent of his sweet mate. And then he caught it. Whipping her around sharply in his arms, he roared, “Who claimed you?!”

She stuttered in fear. “R-Remus Lupin. He’s my Alpha now.”

“He is not your Alpha, I am!” He bellowed, his eyes now a dark yellow. He bent his head to her neck and opened his jaw. He was about to bite down when Narcissa yelled at him.

“No! Greyback, you can’t! They’ll know!”

“You expect me to just let her wonder around, with his mark on her?”

“Yes, and you must. You’ll have her later. After Draco has completed his mission.”

“But-”

“Fenrir. It’s the only way. Now, send her back before they call the Aurors.”

Fenrir growled, licked a long line up her neck, smelt her hair for good measure and then shoved her away, making her Apparate as she fell to the ground. But instead of landing on the corridor floor, she fell on the cobbles of Knockturn alley, faintly hearing the boys calling her name. She grabbed her shoe, shoved it on her foot and then ran towards the boys’ voices. She sighed in relief when she saw them. They looked at her, equally relieved.

“There you are!” Harry sighed.

“You can’t just wonder off, you know! This is Knock-”

She continued walking towards them, took their arms and started pulling them away. “We need to leave.”

“What?”

“We have to leave. We have to go now, we have to leave.” They allowed themselves to be pulled back to Diagon Alley, and then were surprised when she abruptly let go of them and stalked off. Mr Weasley left his sons’ shop and looked around the street, visibly sagging in relief when he saw them.

“I’ve been looking all over for you! Harry, you can’t just wonder off, what if someone gets to you? And Hermione, you should know better than to-”

She snarled and pushed past him.

!”!

The next few months were uneventful. Hermione had expected to be contacted by Fenrir in some way, though no sign of him was seen or heard anywhere in the Wizarding world. Hermione and Harry had been invited to Slughorn’s dinner party that evening and they were all having dessert. Slughorn asked about everyone at the table, and then turned his head to Hermione.

“So, Miss Granger, what exactly do your parents do in the muggle world?”

Hermione detested his tone as he sneered the word ‘muggle’. She cleared her throat, delicately put her spoon down and bluntly snarled,

“My parents are dead.”

Everyone around the table went quiet. The only sounds in the room were the ticking of the clock and a boy stuffing profiteroles into his mouth.

“Oh. I’m so sorry.” Slughorn stammered.

“I live with the Weasleys during the holidays.”

“Very well. So, um…” They were all saved when the door opened and Ginny entered. “Ah! Miss Weasley!”

“I’m sorry, I’m not usually late.”

“Never mind, never mind, you’re here now. Just in time for dessert. That’s if Belby’s left you any.” He laughed. As Ginny pulled her chair out, Harry shot up. Everyone looked at him, Hermione with a knowing smile and all others confusedly. They sat down and Harry looked at Hermione.

“What?”

“Nothing.” She smiled, spooning a piece of pasty and chocolate into her mouth. When she looked up, she had trouble swallowing when she saw the look Cormac was giving her as he ‘seductively’ sucked chocolate off his fingers.

!”! TIME JUMP !”!

!”! NIGHT OF THE BATTLE !”!

Hermione stood at the top of the Astronomy Tower, looking over the lake bathed in the light of the half moon. She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. As she straightened up, a crack of Apparation shocked her and she spun around, whipping her wand out. She sighed in relief when she saw that it was Harry and Dumbledore. She lowered her wand and rushed over to them, helping Harry support Dumbledore and lower him down onto a stair for him to rest.

"Professor, we need to get you to the Hospital Wing." Harry strained, lowering the elderly man awkwardly.

"No. Severus. Severus is who I need. Wake him. Tell him everything that happened."

"Go, Harry, I'll sit with him."

"No, Miss Granger. You too." He whispered firmly, giving an exhausted but firm nudge. "Severus."

She stood. "Come on, Harry, quickly!"

They hurried across the small loft and began to go down the stair when they heard the distant sound of the door at the bottom of the Tower opening, and a set of hurrying footsteps begin to climb the rickety stairs.

"Down below." Dumbledore ordered, struggling to stand. "Don't be seen or heard by anyone."

They hurried into the storeroom below the loft and waited. A set of footsteps passed them and entered the loft.

"Good evening, Draco." Dumbledore greeted pleasantly.

"Who's here? I heard you talking!" Hermione and Harry looked through the gaps in the floorboards and saw Draco Malfoy standing across from Dumbledore as he shakily held up his wand.

"I often talk to myself. I find it very therapeutic."

Hermione tried to hush Harry, who was attempting to leave the storeroom.

"He's the traitor!"

"Harry, we have to stay here! They both looked alarmed as they heard the door below open again and more footsteps climb the Tower. "Harry, stay here." Hermione opened the door, but Harry grabbed her arm as she went to step out.

"What are you doing?! He said-"

"He's coming up. If he smells you here, he'll get us both. Or he can be so distracted by me that he won't notice you."

"Hermione, no!" He begged.

"Stay here." She left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.