A MATE FOR LIFE

Chapter Twenty

Time seemed to speed by as the beginning of December drew near. The school grounds were covered in snow, where the students played outside having snowball fights or skating on the lake in their spare time.

Hermione looked out her window, loving the clean fresh smell that came with winter. The tree branches were covered in a light dusting of snow, where they seemed to sparkle against the morning sun. She took one last look and inhaled the crisp morning air, then closed her window to get ready for class.

At breakfast, she received an owl from her parents, wondering if she was coming home for the holidays. They also said if she wanted to bring a friend, that she was more than welcome to. All through her morning class, she though of her letter, occasionally taking notes for her History of Magic class. ‘They must have found about Draco somehow.’ She wondered to herself.

After lunch, Draco was waiting in the hall to walk with Hermione to their transfiguration class. They were almost at the door when she stopped. “Draco, what are your plans for Christmas?” She asked.

“I’m not sure . Why?” Draco answered as he shrugged his shoulders.

“Well,pareparents want me to go home for the holidays, and I was wondering....if you would like to come with me.” She asked hesitantly.

He was taken aback. It felt like a big step meeting her parents. “Um, I don’t know Hermione, what would your parents think of you bringing a guy home with you?”

“Actually, I think they suspect that I may be serious about someone here. It was their suggestion to bring someone.”

“Are you serious about me ‘Mione?” He asked, wanting her to say the words.

She kissed the corner of his mouth, “As serious as can be, I guess. I know I love being with you, and would like to spend the holidays with you.”

“I like being with you too ‘Mione. I’ll owl mum after class to find out if she has made any plans for Christmas, and let you know as soon as possible.” He hugged her close for a quick kiss.

“Hey you guys, get a room huh.” Ron said as him and Harry rounded the corno seo see their embrace.

Draco and Hermione pulled apart smiling to each other. “Later.” He said as they walked into the classroom.

Hermione sat down and looked across from her to Draco. “Oh, by the way. It will be a muggle Christmas. No magic.” He rolled his eyes and gave a mock sigh. “Think you could handle that Malfoy.” She said cheekily.

“Hey Granger, I can handle anything, and I mean anything you dish out.” He said suggestively.

She started laughing, when the classroom door opened to see Professor Fisk come in. He was a tall black haired man, who wore his hair in a long ponytail. He dressed casually in jeans underneath the robes and looked like he was in his late 30\'s. He stood in front of the small group. “Today we will be working on your animal senses. If all goes well today, some of you may notice an immediate change to yourselves. For example, Harry you having a wolf counterpart, your sense of smell my sharpen or your eyesight may be better. Hermione and Draco, with your counterpart being the tiger species, your sense of hearing or smell may be more sensitive.”

He let the information sink in as the students waited eagerly on their instructions. “First I think we should try to get more comfortable, as this will take deep concentration on your part.” He waved his hand at the desks where they all disappeared for them to sit in deep cushioned chairs. “Now, close your eyes and think and picture your counterpart. Look it in the eyes in your vision, connecting yourself to the animal. You will probably feel a tingling sensation as the animals essence pours through you. I would like to warn you, before you attempt this. It may take a awhile, so don’t panic if it doesn’t happen right away. And.....these senses will become a permanent part of you. So if that freaks you out a bit, there’s the door.” He glanced at each of the eight students who stayed seated. “Good, now....Relax back and close your eyes.”


Hermione kicked off her shoes and crossed her legs under her, smoothing her skirt over her legs. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, clearing her mind. In her meditation, she soon appeared to be in a misty forest with lush tropical vegetation surrounding her. She followed the sounds of rushing water to come across a large waterfall that cascaded into a small deep lagoon. She lookeoundound at the beautiful surroundings, until her eyes stopped at the large tiger that was lapping at the clear water. er per presence, the tiger looked up and snarled at her, growling deep in it’s throat.

In her vision, Hermione slowly approached the tiger, never breaking eye contact. The tiger walked forward still growling as she walked steadily onwards. She reached out her hand, where the tiger sniffed it, then nudged it’s nose against her hand. She smiled as she went down to her knees and placed both her hands at the sides of the tigers face, rubbing the soft fur at it’s sides. She looked into the tiger’s eyes as she continued to pet the animal. Seconds, minutes ticked by slowly as she looked into the tigers soul as it did with her. She then felt the warm, but tingling sensation start at the ends of her hair to run slowly throughout her body.

Professor Fisk watched his students carefully, as there could be risksolveolved. Especially with the wilder animals that they could become. He paid close attention to Hermione, as she was the only female in this group. He watched the play of emotions run along her face, seeing that she was succeeding in her task. He watched as her skin started gathering up sweat and her breathing becoming erratic. She started rubbing her hands along her arms and legs unconsciously. He had hoped that this was one sense that she wouldn’t have developed right away.

Hermione opened her eyes slowly feeling hot all over. She used the edge of her robes and wiped the sweat off her face. She looked around the room to see that most of the students were also awake, and to see Draco’s blue eyes looking heatedly at her. She felt her body heat up another couple of notches as she felt herself becoming very wet between her legs. She looked into his smoky blue eyes and licked her suddenly dry lips.

Mr. Fisk watched this exchange with a worried look. He should have thought of separating those two, as they were a male and female of the same species, where it appeared that Hermione’s tiger counterpart may be in ‘heat’. He watched as she unsteadily got to her feet and walked up to him.

“Excuse me Professor, but I’m not feeling well and would like to be excused from class.” She tentatively asked, as she leaned against his desk.

He looked at her flushed face. “Of course Hermione, you may go. I’ll walk you up to your dormitory.” He then instructed the students to write down these new senses they felt and that he would be back momentarily.

Hermione was grateful that he escorted her, as she was a bit unsteady on the stairs. She approached the portrait and leaned against the coolness of the stone wall. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I felt fine before class started.” She said breathlessly.

Fisk smiled at her confusion. “Do you know much about tigers Hermione?”

“A bit. Why?”

“Well, being as you are a female. There will be a couple of times a year that you will feel like this.” He hedged.

“What do you mean?” She asked already guessing what the answer may be.

“A female tiger, well....goes in heat I guess you could say....a couple of times a year.”

She looked up at him and sighed, and leaned her head back. “How long will these episodes last?”

“It could take anywhere between three to five days.” He said waiting for this information to sink in. “I’ll inform your professors that you may be off for a couple of days. Stay in bed, and take cooling baths to keep your temperature down.” ‘And stay away from the male population of the school for the next couple of days.’ He thought to himself.

Draco, back in the classroom, was sitting there quietly with his eyes closed. He thought it strange that when Hermione looked at him, just before she left, that he could smell that she was highly aroused. He squirmed in his seat, wrapping his robe around him to cover his hard-on. He opened his eyes and started to write these new feelings and sensations he felt, like his hearing seemed to have a longer range and his smell was more accute.

Near the end of the class, Professor Fisk walked in and made sure the rest of his students were alright and to collect their assignment. “Okay class, this was a great beginning. After Christmas we’ll work on the some of the physical changes. Enjoy your holidays, and I’ll see you in the New Year. Class dismissed.”

Ron, Harry and Draco waited until the other students had left and approached the professor. “Is Hermione okay Professor, it’s not like her to not feel well, she’s one of the healthiest people that I know.” Ron asked.

“She is fine. Some of the senses of the female tiger are a little more heightened, and she needs to kind of ride it out.” He looked at the relieved expressions of the three boys. “Just leave her to her privacy and she will be fine in a couple of days.” Fisk added.


Draco went up to the owlery to send a note to his mother enquiring about the holidays, then went to his dorm to make sure Hermione was okay. He came through the portal to hear the shower running. He went to his room to kick off his shoes and slip the pullover sweater off, then went to the bathroom door to find it unlocked.

He opened it and went around the corner to the closed in shower. “Hermione, are you okay?’ Smelling her arousal under the scent of the body wash, and immediately felt himself get hard for her.

She opened the doors of the shower, for him to see her fully naked body glistening from the shower. He looked up to see her nose flaring slightly and the wild look in her eyes, before she grabbed his shirt front and hauled him into the shower.

“Now I am!” She said huskily as she pushed him against the wall and pressed her wet full body to his, him feeling her heated skin even though the water was set for a cooler temperature. She licked him along his neck hungrily as his hands went around her, oblivious that his clothes were now soaked to the skin.

Draco struggled for breath as her hands travelled up and down his body frantically. She brought his head down where she plunged her tongue into his mouth to meet his, as she tugged his tie out of the knot and threw it out of the shower. She grabbed his hand and moved it between her legs where he found her slick with want. He plunged a finger in her as she moaned deeply. She started to undo the shirt buttons, but instead grabbed the edges and impatiently yanked it apart, the buttons flying everywhere.

“More. Please. Use two fingers.” She pleaded as she undid his pants to reach inside.

Her warm hands wrapped around him, stroking him roughly while he plunged two fingers in and out of her. She placed her lips on his neck and nibbled her way down to his chest. Harsh moans filled the room as he felt her inner muscles clench around his fingers and her teeth sink into the skin of his upper chest. He flinched back a bit from the pain from her bite, when she suddenly went to her knees to tug his pants off his legs. She grabbed his shaft and put her lips around him, driving her head down, taking him deep into her mouth, while her hands were at his lower back, pulling him into her hot mouth. He heard what seemed to be a growl as she sucked him fast and hard, her fingers digging into his back.

She felt him beginning to tense and knew that he was holding back. She stood up and kissed him hungrily as she gripped his cock. She looked into his heavy-lidded eyes. “I want you inside of me, hard and fast. Right Now!” She ordered.

He looked into her wild hot eyes and kissed her hard before he turned her around to face the wall. He put the crown of his cock against her opening and rammed up all the way in hard. He gripped her upper arms and held them back as he fucked her hard and fast. She moaned as her head went back in ecstasy. He let go of her arms and glided his one hand up her back where he gripped a handful of her hair to pull her head back. His other hand went between her legs and found her clit, where he rubbed it vigorously. Her legs spread more as his tongue ran along her shoulders to her neck. He bit into her the back of her shoulder as he came deep inside of her while she throbbed around him in a shuddering orgasm. Her knees gave way where she kneeled down on the shower floor.

Draco rinsed himself off and helped Hermione, as her hands were a bit shaky. He shut the water off and towelled her dry and then himself, and carried her still warm body to her bed. He layed her against the pillows to look into her eyes, which were heavy lidded. “What was that all about? Your skin is so warm, are you okay?”

She sighed deeply already feeling the wetness pooling between her legs with want. “It appears.....that one of my tiger senses puts me in an aroused state for a couple of days. In other words, I’m int.” t.”

He smiled at the flush that spread across her face. “In heat?”

“Yes. In heat. I don’t know much about it yet, but I do know that I want you again inside of me.” She said huskily.

“Again. Already?”

“Yes.” She said simply as she grabbed his hand and placed it between her legs.

Draco felt that she was literally dripping with her arousal. He smelled her and licked his lips then bent down to lower his head between her legs. He ran the full length of his tongue along her swollen folds, while he slipped two fingers inside of her, pushing them in and out. His strokes were short and slow at first, savouring the taste of her, until she raised her hips up and grabbed a handful of his hair to pull him closer. He then wrapped his lips around her clit to flick his tongue along the sensitive nub while sucking gently, drawing it into his mouth. She bucked up as her climax gripped her body and squeezed her thighs closer together. He plunged his tongue inside of her, lapping up her juices.

She tugged a bit at his hair to pull him over her. He slowly entered her, while she contracted her inner muscles around him. He started moving his hips slowlrwarrward, not quite going all the way in. He looked down at her, her face very flushed and her eyes closed while she bit her bottom lip. He ran his thumb along her bruised bottom lip until she looked up. No words were said as a quickened his thrusts. He went on his knees and pulled her spread legs towards him where he dove into her unmercifully, going fast and hard. Her hand coming up to pinch her hardened nipple while the other one went to her nest of curl to rub vigorously on her clit, bringing her closer and closer to release. He groaned and tossed his head back as he came wildly inside of her, her throbbing inner walls milking him dry.

He rolled off her and gathered her warm body against him where they drifted into an uneasy sleep.


The next two days, they spent in bed, as they couldn’t get enough of each other. The third day Draco woke up exhausted and looked up into Hermione’s eyes. She kissed him softly on the lips. “Thank you.” She said simply.

“For what?” He smiled as he smoothed his hand along her back.

“For being there for me.” She ran her hand along his scratched and marked chest, and then
to his stomach . “I’m sorry I did this to you. I didn’t realize what I was doing.”

He looked up at her. “It’s okay. But you are somewhat marked up to you know. We should
probably get something for these scratches and bites. They’ll probably hurt like hell later if we don’t. Only problem is, I don’t think I can make it down to the infirmary in the shape I’m in. I’m a bit....sensitive. I don’t think I’ll be able to get pants on right now.”

Hermione chuckled. “Me neither. I’ll owl Harry and Gin to bring us some healing potion and maybe some food. I’ll also owl Professor McGonagall explaining what happened.

“It’s probably the only excuse that we would get away with for having sex for three straight days in a row.” He said as they slowly started to get out bed.


Draco and Hermione managed to get their housecoats on and walked on rubbery legs to the couch in their common room. An hour later, Harry and Ginny walked into the Head common room laden with food and the healing potion. Harry looked down at the two of them lounging on the couch. He went to Hermione and saw a couple of deep bite marks on her neck. He looked over to Draco, “What the hell did you do to her Malfoy?” He asked angrily.

Hermione looked over to Draco who was smiling wickedly. “None of your business Potter.” he replied tiredly.

Gin Ginny looked down at Draco noticing a faint mark on his neck. She reached out her hand and opened his robe a bit and smirked into Draco’s eyes. “Relax, Harry. Looks like he got the worst of it.” She said as she saw several deep bite marks and scratches along his chest. “Do you guys need help with this potion?”

“No, I think we could manage it later.” Hermione said tiredly as she lay her head back against the couch cushions.

Ginny looked at the exhausted couple and took control. “This potion needs to be applied right away.” She conjured up two low tables. “Draco you lay down first. I do assume that you are not wearing anything underneath that robe?”

Draco grinned in reply. “You assume right Ginny.”

Ginny ordered them to remove their robes and lay face down on the table while she covered parts of them for modesty sake. Harry had turned his back as Hermione disrobed and lay down on the table while Ginny covered her bottom. She gave Harry a portion of the potion, “You do Hermione’s back and legs, I’ll do Draco’s.” She ordered.

Draco looked into Hermione’s smiling eyes, “Bossy thing, isn’t she?”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Harry piped up smiling over to Ginny. “So, tell us what’s going on, and why you both look like you were in a cat fight?” He said as he gently soothed the potion over the cuts and bite marks on Hermione’s back.

“Well, you know in transfiguration with Professor Fisk. Well, it turns out me having a female tiger counterpart, I also inherited some other unexpected traits.” She hedged. “About two times a year, I guess I will go in.......”

“Heat.” Draco concluded with a smirk.

Ginny had stopped rubbing the potion into the scratches and bites and looked at Hermione. “In heat, like a cat?”

“Yes, a lot like a cat, but a bit more wild.” Hermione answered sighing as the potion was started to heal her back.

“Yes, I would say quite a bit more wild by the looks of it.” Ginny stated as she brought out her wand to heal the bruises. She went over to Hermione and healed her bruises and checked the backs of her legs and bottom. Harry turned as Ginny put some potion on a bite that was on Hermione’s hip and healed the bruises. She was smirking as she told them to roll over, where Ginny covered Hermione’s breasts and pelvic region, and told Draco to cover himself when he rolled over.

Harry then began to spread the potion on the bites on her chest, neck, stomach and the tops of her thighs. He shook his head at the savagery of their mating. Draco had been watching Harry touch her smooth skin, and a flash of jealousy seared through him. Ginny had felt his shoulders tense, then saw the direction that Draco was looking. “He’s her friend Draco, nothing more. Harry wouldn’t do anything to her that would jeopardise that.”

“So, does that feel better ‘Mione?” Harry asked . Nothing. “Hermione?” Nothing. Harry ed oed over to Ginny and Draco. “She fell asleep.”

Ginny came over while she was asleep and healed the bruising on Hermione’s skin, then took out her wand and waved it over Hermione’s pelvic region to ease the soreness from too much sex. She then went over to Draco who was watching them. “She’s exhausted. We didn’t get much sleep in the last couple of days.” Draco said as he laid his head back and closed his eyes.

“How long were you.....ah...in bed?” Ginny asked.

“Three days. It was the roughest three days of my life. But it was like we couldn’t get enough of each other, no matter how tired we were.” Draco said smiling as Ginny continued spreading the potion on Draco’s chest.

“Professor McGonagall had talked to us a bit about it when we asked for the potion. I guess it will happen twice a year, like Hermione mentioned. If it hadn’t been for you Malfoy, if could have lasted a few days longer for her. Hermione as inadvertently chosen you as her mate for life it may seem.” Harry said noticing Draco’s smile. “You don’t mind being her mate for life?”

“No. No I don’t.” Draco replied.

“You don’t?” Harry asked again.

Draco looked into Harry’s eyes so he could see the sincerity in them. “No, I don’t Harry. You see over the past few months, if not longer, I fell in love with her.”

Ginny stopped her hand. “You love her? Are you sure it’s just not lust?”

Draco thought about the question. “I will admit, she turns me on something fierce. All she has to do is look at me andeel eel myself wanting her. But I don love being around her, holding her as she sleeps , and I worry like crazy when she’s playing quiddich that she’ll get hurt again.

“Have you told her how you feel?” Ginny asked.

“No, I plan on it soon. I was going to a couple of days ago, but other ‘things’ came up.” Ginny had then waved her wand over Draco to ease his soreness between his legs. “Thanks Ginny, that feels a lot better.” As he sat up and wrapped the sheet around his hips. “Hermione has asked me to her parents house for Christmas. I plan on asking them for Hermione’s hand in marriage - if she’ll have me.” He said as he looked to Harry.

“You love her that much?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, I do. I know I can make her happy.”

“When are you going to propose to her and do you have the ring?” Ginny asked.

“I was going to propose at the New Year’s Ball here, and .....I was hoping Harry here would help me pick out a ring next week in Diagon Alley.” Draco said waiting expectantly.

Harry agreed and they made plans for next week to do some shopping. He then motioned for Ginny to leave. “Well, we’ll see you guys tomorrow. Need a hand with Hermione?” Harry asked.

“No, and thanks for your help, and your support.” Draco said as he waved them out. He picked up Hermione close to his chest and carried her to his bed, where he lay beside her and gathered her close where they both slept deeply.