A Werewolf\'s Love

Chapter 2

The Sorting had just ended, and Dumbledore gave the announcement for food to be served. Draco grinned at the sight of all the delicious food, and leaned over at once to get as much meat as possible. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle watched with stunned faces as Draco tore through the meat, finishing it in less than a minute. He grabbed more meat and ripped a strip of skin off with his teeth. Pansy gaped at him.

“Draco, baby, what has gotten into you?” Pansy asked, her eyes wide. “I’ve never seen you eat so much before!”

“I’m just very hungry,” Draco replied, his mouth full of food. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

But a few tables away, someone did think something was wrong.

“Hey, have you guys noticed? Something seems up with Malfoy,” Hermione said. “He looks grey and tired, like he hasn’t had such a great summer. And he’s ripping through the steaks like there’s no tomorrow.”

“Maybe he’s ill,” Ron said hopefully. “Why do you care about Malfoy anyway?” he asked suspiciously.

“I don’t,” Hermione replied, giving him a stern look. “I’m just observing something.”

Harry laid his fork down. “Did you guys hear about that teenager who got bitten by a werewolf?” he asked in a whisper. “They say he goes to Hogwarts.”

“Really?” Hermione said. She lapsed into thoughtful silence.

At the Slytherin table, Draco was listening to Pansy and Blaise discussing their summers.

“I had a rather nice time of it,” Blaise was saying, drinking his pumpkin juice. “My mother and I visited France and I met some veelas on our travels. They really seemed to like my look,” he added with a smirk.

“Did you enjoy their company?” Pansy asked.

“Oh, several times over. Veela are damn good in the bedroom, I must say,” Blaise answered.

“Bet the same can’t be said about you,” Draco said scathingly.

Blaise glared at him. “I’m better than you, I’m sure.”

“And how many have you had?” Draco asked. “Two?”

“Whereas you’ve fucked three cousins,” Blaise shot back.

“They were far from being my cousins,” Draco said. “Just because they were Pureblood doesn’t mean I was related to them. Especially since I met them in another damn country. Now stop being a bitter bastard and continue on with your story.”

Blaise shot him an angry look, but plunged on. “Mother met a rather wealthy French warlock, and she’s invited him to our mansion for the holidays.”

“So she can get his money, I’m assuming?” Pansy asked.

“Of course. What business would my mother have, other than to get money?” Blaise asked. “Pansy, your brains are almost as empty as Crabbe and Goyle’s.”

Draco slapped him upside the head. “Don’t ever give her an insult like that. No one’s head is that empty. Well, except Longbottom,” he added with a snigger. “You could shine a light through his head and it would reflect on the wall.”

At that moment, Dumbledore stood up and the Great Hall fell silent. Dumbledore began making his speeches and Draco twirled his wand idly in his hands, not listening to a word of it. He didn’t believe that the speech was important to him at all. That is, until his closing statement.

“And finally, as I’m sure you’ve all heard, a teenager at Hogwarts was bitten by a werewolf this summer. You must know that we’re looking into the matter right now and will have said werewolf identified before the next full moon. You are safe here, and should not feel otherwise. If anyone knows who it is, you will remain anonymous when you tell me. I will not announce who it is, to save that person from the embarrassment,” Dumbledore explained. “Now, off to bed with you!”

Draco got up, feeling a little sick. He didn’t want to tell anyone, especially Dumbledore, about being bitten. He would prefer to keep it hidden from everyone else, at least for the time being.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The next morning, at breakfast, Snape delivered the schedules to all the Slytherins. Draco took his and glanced down at it. Monday morning was Double Potions, followed by Transfiguration, with Charms before lunch and Care of Magical Creatures in the afternoon. He followed Pansy out of the Great Hall and down to the dungeons. They were directly behind Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were discussing the werewolf rumor.

“I’ve heard that it’s someone in our year,” Ron said.

“Ernie said it was a seventh year,” Harry said. “But he said he heard it from someone else, so that information could be wrong.”

“Does it matter what year they’re in?” Hermione asked impatiently. “Honestly, I think this whole thing is ridiculous. Once the werewolf is identified, he or she will just be an outcast, mistreated by the whole castle. I can’t blame whoever it was for wanting to stay hidden. If that’s the treatment I knew I would get, I would hold my silence too.”

“You honestly believe a werewolf can stay and learn here?” Ron asked in disbelief.

“Of course I do!” Hermione exclaimed indignantly. “Remember Professor Lupin? He went to Hogwarts as a werewolf, and even returned to teach here later.”

“That’s because he had the Wolfsbane Potion and the Shrieking Shack,” Ron pointed out. “Dumbledore can’t allow someone to miss several lessons every month and just say they were sick or something. It’s total bullshit. I think whoever it is should be asked to leave the school.”

Draco growled, but did nothing. Hermione spoke up again.

“Well, I think you’re being an insensitive wart, Ron Weasley,” Hermione said fiercely. “Stop being so prejudiced! You were ok with Lupin!”

“That’s because he wasn’t our age! It’s different now!” Ron said loudly.

Hermione opened her mouth to retaliate, but Harry butt in. “Shut it, both of you, before it gets worse.”

Draco continued on behind them, Pansy rambling right next to him. He hadn’t heard a word of what Pansy had been saying, having been listening so intently to the trio in front of him. It was nice to know that someone thought it was ok to keep secret and stay at Hogwarts, but Ron’s words were burned into his brain, making him angrier than before. He wasn’t sure if he could handle it if everyone’s attitudes were like Ron’s. But there was one thing Draco was sure of. This would not be the last time he dealt with an attitude exactly like Ron’s.