Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Bound	By : goldhorse Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 126052 -:- Recommendations : 15 -:- Currently Reading : 31
Disclaimer: JK owns HP. Not me. I also don't own any quotes you might recognize. I make no money doing this, I just get the plot bunnies to quit interrupting my sleep.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Disclaimer: If you've heard it before, it doesn't belong to me.

It was noon Texas time and Hermione was starving. Having lost her breakfast and skipping lunch, she was sure her stomach was trying to eat itself. After Snape had settled Melody in her room, he ushered them outside where they returned all of their luggage to its proper size. He explained that the rules were to be followed to the letter and breaking them would be very unwise. They lugged their things inside and unpacked for the next hour.

Their room was quaint; a queen size bed with a fluffy white down comforter was in the middle of the room. A small closet and chest of drawers were on the far side of the room. There were two nightstands, one on either side of the bed. Each had a small lamp. Hermione spent a few minutes teaching Draco how to turn the lights on and off before they went outside to one of the pastures.

Snape had been almost silent since they went back outside. He barked orders for them to practice occlumency and then parked himself on a nearby barrel and hadn’t said another word. She could tell that the events of the day had almost broken him. Something in the anguished way Melody had said ‘you didn’t come’ made Hermione’s heart ache. What could have possibly happened?

‘You’re wandering off again,’ Draco spoke softly in her mind.

‘Sorry,’ Hermione thought back. It was almost second nature to speak to him that way. It had only taken them a few minutes to master it. Shutting each other out was proving much more difficult. They got a truly horrible headache when either of them tried. However, they didn’t want to ask Snape for any help at the moment. He wasn’t in any frame of mind to contribute.

'They’ll be okay.'

'How can you be so sure?'

Draco smirked and thought back. 'Because I put an alarm ward on both of them when no one was looking. I’ll know if they get any worse.'

'Slytherin,' Hermione thought and stuck out her tongue. Draco grinned and then sprang forward, pinning her to the cold wooden bench she sat on. He roughly claimed her mouth in an attempt to keep her from her thoughts. Snape’s snort caused them both to look up. He was standing rigidly, his eyes zeroed in on the front door of the ranch house. They looked over to see a red wolf scratching at the door.

“Door’s open Celeste.” She could hear Melody yell from somewhere in the house. The wolf grabbed the door handle in its jaws and turned, opening it. Hermione’s eyebrows rose in amazement. No animal she’d ever seen could do that.

“Animagus or familiar?” Draco asked aloud which Hermione jumped at. She’d just gotten used to him talking in her mind and his voice outside of it had surprised her. She was certainly going to have to get a handle on that.

“Melody’s familiar is a big black horse named Isabelle, a gift from her mother. I saw her in the stables when we came out. There can only be one familiar to a person,” Snape said quietly.

“Maybe she is Harmony’s familiar?” Hermione asked.

“Harmony, like her sister, also has a horse as a familiar, an evil little red mare named Buttons.”

“I take it you don’t like her?” Draco chuckled.

“Absolutely not. In fact, not one person I’ve ever met, save Harmony, has been able to get along with that demon. Even Melody only tolerates her. I’ve never understood why their mother gave her such an unruly familiar. Isabelle, on the other hand, is quite a charming beast and very talented to boot. She is the reason that Melody has been able to be mobile for so long.”

“A horse is an odd sort of familiar isn’t it?” Draco asked curiously.

“If you had met Symphony, you would have understood.” Snape smiled softly and then frowned. “No, that wolf has got to be an animagus. She smells different although not quite human, almost like a vampire.”

“She does work with one, right?” Hermione pondered. “His scent could have rubbed off on her.”

“It’s possible. Still, Melody wouldn’t be able to see her if she was just a familiar.”

“What is the deal with her eyesight?” Draco asked, exasperated. “She said she could see just fine in the healer’s office last night but not the store when she was attacked. She couldn’t tell what they’d beaten her with; hell she ran into the couch and the wall in her own home. Yet, she looked straight at us last night. She recognized you the second we’d landed from the port key and before you spoke.”

Snape sighed. “I believe it is time we had a chat with Melody. Her secrets are not mine to tell. I had hoped that Harmony would be with her as well.” His voice broke and he cleared it. “You really should see them both together for the full effect.”

Hermione’s stomach growled loudly and she put both her hands over it.

“Perhaps some dinner then?” Snape smirked and stalked off toward the house. They followed him warily. He walked through the house as if he’d been there a hundred times before.

'He probably has,' Draco thought which Hermione heard clearly. She’d somehow forgotten that they could read each other’s thoughts so easily. 'At least this way, we can communicate without bringing attention to ourselves. No more fights in the Great Hall.' She happened to agree.

“Maria?” Snape asked loudly in the middle of the kitchen. A portly Spanish woman wearing a pair of jeans and a bright red shirt that read ‘Feliz Navidad’ came walking into the kitchen.

“Si señor?” She said before she looked up and saw Snape standing there, his arms crossed, still in his formidable black teaching attire. She screamed loudly and backed up, running into a cabinet. She yanked the drawer open beside her and grabbed out a crucifix and held it out like a shield.

Hermione’s eye went wide and Snape and Draco were trying very hard not to laugh at the poor, terrified woman. “Maria, es la luz del día.(it is daylight)” Snape said softly and the woman stilled for a second.

“Luz del día (daylight),” Maria said softly. “No vampiro.(no vampire)”

“No vampire,” Snape said quietly.

“Si. Siento señor.(Yes. Sorry sir.)” She said softly.

“Por nada. (It’s nothing.)” He smiled gently. It looked rather odd on his face. “Se puede cocinar algo de comida para los niños (Can you cook some food for the children?)”

Maria nodded enthusiastically and started taking out several pans and ingredients from the refrigerator. Snape motioned for them to follow him into the dining room. It had a square table that seated eight and not much else.

“Vampiro?” Draco asked.

“Maria doesn’t speak a word of English,” Snape explained. “When Melody first brought me here, it was the dead of night. My pale complexion coupled with her extreme superstitions made her think I was a vampire. She’s been frightened of me ever since. I had to keep reminding her that I could walk out into the sunlight.”

“Not far from the truth though,” Draco muttered earning him a glare from his new blood father. “Fine, I’ll drop it.” They fell silent, waiting for their food.

“You’ve scared my cook again bat.” Melody’s voice broke through the silence. “You’d just better hope she doesn’t slip something into your food.”

“I can’t help the fact that the blasted woman has an irrational fear of vampires,” Snape groused.

“And it couldn’t have anything at all to do with the fact that you flashed your eyes at her one night,” Melody sneered.

“That might have something to do with it,” Snape mumbled.

Draco burst out laughing. “You think?”

Melody smiled. “So, is it that time Sev?”

“I’m afraid so,” Snape said, frowning. “I do wish your sister were here for this.”

“She is,” a whisper crept through the room. All eyes trained themselves on the door as Harmony’s body floated through the door and sat down in a seat.

“I thought there was a no magic rule,” Hermione said.

“Invisibility cloaks aren’t cast magic, are they?” Melody said.

“Who is under the cloak?” Snape asked, eyes narrowed.

“Celeste,” Melody said as if it made all the sense in the world.

“She’s an animagus then,” Snape said softly.

“Very good bat,” Melody answered him. “And she’s a very shy one too.”

“You forgot very strong,” Draco said slowly. “No woman I’ve ever met could carry a full grown person down a flight of stairs and through a house.”

“That is quite possibly the most sexist thing I’ve ever heard in my life. However, considering who your father is, I’m not surprised,” Melody sneered and Draco’s eyes opened wide.

“Yes, I’ve met dear old Lucius. He followed the bat one day, curious as to who he was visiting so often that it required a permanent international port key. Luckily we met in wizarding Lubbock so he was none the wiser as to my condition. He is quite possibly the most unpleasant man I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting, and that is saying something.”

“Yea that sounds like him,” Draco said dejectedly. “How on earth did he not know that you were a muggle?”

Melody smiled softly. “Batty gave me his wand and covertly hexed the bastard when I flicked it. It shut him up. That pureblood bullshit really irks me.”

Harmony chuckled hoarsely. “A lot of things irk you.”

“Too true,” Melody acknowledged and then looked up. “Ah Maria. Gracias!” The Spanish woman had walked in with a platters filled with meat, tortillas, rice, bean, hot sauce, queso, sour cream, and guacamole. “Alright everyone, dig in!”

“What is it?” Draco asked warily as he watched Snape fork some beef and peppers onto his plate. It smelled delicious but he hadn’t seen anything like it before in his life.

“Fajitas!” Melody exclaimed excitedly. “They are my absolute favorite and old batty here has a weak spot for them too. Maria, despite her superstitions, has an excellent memory and she is a master in the kitchen.” She filled her plate before she took a bite and hummed in pleasure. “That’s the stuff. Go on, try some.”

Draco warily scooped a bit of everything on his place and tried it. It was actually very good. He remained silent and observed the enigma that was Melody and Harmony. They appeared to be close in age but if they were twins, they weren’t identical. Melody seemed to be the leader of the two. She would look up every couple of bites and stare Harmony down, as if making sure that she was okay.

Harmony looked better than he’d seen her earlier. She was still a mass of bruises; her eyes were still swollen but she could open them now, although they were bloodshot. Her honey blonde hair was clean now and fell to her shoulders in straight, thick layers. She was probably still in a bit of pain despite the potions and she ate very slowly. Her jaws were more than likely still tender. He knew his mother always took longer to heal when her jaw was broken. He felt Hermione wince at that thought and he sighed.

Melody looked perfect, betraying the pain she must have been in. She had strawberry blond hair that fell to her waist in soft waves. She was rather short, perhaps only an inch or two taller than Hermione with a medium build. Her eyes were milky white, evidence of her failing eyesight but she seemed to be able to locate everyone at the table with ease. She felt her way around for utensils though, which was odd.

Hermione’s head had been filled with worry and questions the entire day and now it was making his head pound. She had some excellent theories though. One theory was that the sisters were the witches that Snape had said the Dark Lord was after. Why would they say they were muggles though? She guessed it was easier to hide that way. However, she hadn’t seen them cast one spell since they arrived. Of course, they hadn’t had much opportunity to either.

“Best tell them now Melody,” Harmony’s weak voice scratched out. “They are very close.”

Melody put her fork down and sighed. “I guess you’re right. Celeste?” A low growl sounded out. “Go chase Maria out of the house please. Make sure no one is left.”

The wolf shot out from under a cloak behind Harmony and bolted into the kitchen, growling, snarling, and barking. A loud scream sounded out and the sound of a slamming door followed. There were a few other screams over the next few minutes, obviously other ranch hands that were hanging around. The wolf walked back in and calmly took its place beside Harmony’s chair.

“I do so love that method,” Melody sighed. “And of course, I don’t run into any walls,” she joked while rubbing her nose.

“You’re going to let the wolf stay?” Snape said tersely.

“Of course I am bat. I let you stay, didn’t I?”

“Only because Albus probably either begged, paid you off, or both,” He groused.

“Both, actually. I told him to fuck off the first few times.”

Snape snorted. “Sounds about right. How on earth did he get you to listen to him?”

“He showed me a picture of your son.” The table went silent. “What? He is your son for all points and purposes now, isn’t he?”

“He is,” Snape said softly. “So his picture stopped you?”

“His and his wife’s. They almost looked like us,” She said softly.

Snape closed his eyes. He looked to be in pain. Hermione felt horribly for him but she was incredibly curious. She couldn’t hold her questions back any more. “How could you see the picture?” She blurted out.

Melody smiled. “Because it was a magical picture. This would be easier if I had my books. Celeste, could you please fetch them for me?” The wolf barked and ran out of the room. “Now, have any of you read The Tales of Beedle the Bard?”

“I have,” Draco said softly. At Hermione’s questioning look, he explained. “It’s a book of children’s fairy tales. All wizarding children know them.”

“Don’t worry, I have a copy,” Harmony wheezed softly. “I’ll have Celeste fetch it next.”

“What do children’s fairy tales have to do with anything?” Draco asked, frustrated.

“It will explain why the Scaled Self-Proclaimed Lord is after us,” Harmony rattled.

Draco narrowed his eyes in suspicion. How did she know that?

Celeste came bounding back into the room carrying a stack of books bound by a ribbon. “Oh look,” Melody exclaimed as she took them from her. “She heard you. Here Hermione, flip it to page 52.

Hermione grabbed the book and flipped through the pages until she came to a dog eared and worn page. It was written in gold ink, different from the black the rest was written in. “The Paranoid Prince?” She asked in astonishment.

“I don’t remember that one,” Draco said, perplexed.

“How old was your copy?” Harmony asked.

“Well, it was new if I recall. I’m sure there are older versions at the manor but that’s the one mother always read from.”

Melody hummed and nodded. “It was taken out decades ago along with several others that the writers deemed too gruesome for young minds or unbelievable. It’s just as well, though. The fewer people who know the story, the better.”

“They’re just stories,” Hermione snorted. “No one takes stock in children’s tales.”

“They do in the wizarding world,” Snape said darkly. “Most muggle fairy tales came from their magical counterparts. Merlin, magical creatures, dragon slaying knights, mermaids, and others are among your fairy tales and they are all true. Now, where would magical fairy tales draw from?”

“Precisely,” Melody said. “Now, go ahead and enlighten us all. Read it aloud.”

Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself. They had just all but told her that fairy tales were true. She cleared her throat and began reading:

Once upon a time, there was a young prince. He was the fourth of six children and the only male. The king had grown frail and it was time to decide who was to become his successor. By law, the eldest was to inherit the crown but the king felt that the crown should go to his son. The daughters of the king were furious but had no power in which to sway the king’s mind.

After the prince was deemed the successor, he became paranoid that his older sisters would try to trick him into giving up the crown. He went to the local wizard and pleaded for a way to be able to see his enemy’s every move and disguise. The wizard told him that if he could find two people in which he could entrust, he would enchant them with such abilities.

The prince searched and searched before he finally decided that his youngest sisters, a set of twins, were loyal to him. The wizard kept his promise in exchange for a place to practice his magic safely. The prince found a grove of trees that he swore to protect. Should the protection ever fail, the prince would be killed. In turn, the sisters were granted abilities never heard of before.

One sister was granted the ability to see the true measure of a person. The other was granted the ability to know their hearts and minds. Together, the sisters would know the enemy’s every move. However, they must never be separated and never use their gifts for their own personal gain, less they die.

One day, the oldest of the sisters found out about the deal. She figured out that the sisters only watched her brother and so she attacked the wizard, causing him to flee. Since the promise had been broken, the prince fell down dead. The sister then used the twins for her own gain. Seeing that his creations had been corrupted, the wizard modified the curse. Should the twins ever be exploited, they would pass their traits on to their children or die. Having no successors, they died a week later.

After the death of his beloved son and the twins, the frail king was outraged. The sisters were banished from the kingdom and the crown went to his wife when he died shortly thereafter. She remarried and had another three children, a son and twin girls. Remarkably, the gifts were passed to these twins. When the prince was old enough to rule, he kept his sisters closely guarded and never used their gifts for personal gain.

He searched in vain to find the wizard who had created the gifts but never could. The twins were allowed to marry under the one rule that their secret never be revealed. Grateful for his genuine care, the twins used their gifts to help their brother rule fairly and justly. Since it was done out of love, they were rewarded with large families and prosperous times.

“Well, it’s a lovely story,” Hermione said softly after she was done.

“It’s not just a story,” Melody whispered. “It’s our family history.”

Hermione’s jaw dropped open. Draco simply blinked, taking everything in. Snape sat stoically, already aware of the story. Harmony cleared her throat, gaining everyone’s attention.

“Three guesses as to which of us got what. The Dark Lord believes only part of the story to be true. Of course, he would only see the power and not the consequences. However, he doesn’t know the rest of the story.”

Melody grabbed an untitled book that was in the middle of her small stack and handed it to Hermione. She gasped when she read the first sentence. It was the very same book that she’d gotten from Dumbledore. She handed it to Draco and he simply nodded and gave it back to Melody.

“The rest of the story is that magic never goes according to plan,” Melody said wryly. “Especially not when one of the twins decided she was hot for Merlin’s son.”

“Merlin didn’t have a son,” Draco said confused.

“Not that anyone would know about. However, the notes in that book are the observations made by himself and his children through time. They were rewritten by my grandmother. When my mother had twins, she gave the book to her. You see, the twins were never meant to have magic, merely those abilities which the wizard gave them.” Melody said softly.

“Luckily,” Harmony cut in, “the wizard had allowed for the spell to transfer powers to others. Of course, there were rules that needed to be followed. It always had to be female twins. Sometimes the blessing, or curse depending on how you look at it, would skip generations at a time. There hasn’t been a set of twins born in our extended families in four generations.”

“And that brings us to now,” Melody said curtly. “Our father is a muggle. Our mother was considered a muggle; magic died in her line about six generations ago. Fate, being the fickle bitch she is, decided to give us a double whammy. We are the first set of twins ever that inherited magic.”

“Then you aren’t muggles,” Hermione said, logic winning out.

“We weren’t,” Harmony said softly.

“Your magic is gone,” Draco whispered.

“It was our own choice,” Melody explained. “You see, the curse had an unexpected effect. We were born unbalanced. Harmony was only shifted toward the dark by a fraction. I, on the other hand, was born pure, as pure as Hermione. You are lucky that Dumbledore recognized the symptoms as early as he did and bound you. I actually consider you lucky too Draco. Even though it was dark, your bindings kept you from destroying your core.”

“Sixteen,” Hermione breathed and then looked up at Snape. He nodded solemnly. “You were never bound so your magic started to eat your core. You were dying.”

Melody nodded sadly. “If the bat hadn’t tried to drown himself that night, I’d be six feet under. Sometimes I wonder if it was a good thing or not.”

“Stop that!” Snape snapped. “May I continue or are you going to be dramatic?”

“By all means bat, go right on ahead,” She spat.

“I met her on Halloween. I was distraught and tried to run away from my problems. I figured that America was just about as far as I could get where they stills spoke English so I came here. I probably pickled my liver that night and didn’t care. She walked into the bar a few rounds after I’d started and sat right beside me. She was shaking and I could feel the magical current running through her.

“Albus knew my conditions upon my entrance to the school and had told me there was a polar opposite to myself. He taught me some modicum of control through the years which is why I couldn’t fight back. Losing control was deadly. When I felt her magic, mine responded.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably and Melody blushed.

“Celeste, are you sure?” Harmony asked quietly, stopping everyone’s train of thought. The wolf nodded solemnly. “She’d like to hear what a reaction is like, in detail if you’d please.”

“I’d rather not,” Snape said tersely.

“It’s more important than you can imagine Severus,” Harmony pleaded.

Snape shook his head. “How can I argue with someone who is never wrong?” He growled. “Very well, we started glowing, scared a couple of the locals I believe. I bought her a drink, or a bottle, I can’t remember clearly and we got pissed. We both lost control; of course she was just hanging by a thread at that point anyway.”

Melody snorted. “More like I was dying and didn’t really give a shit.”

“Getting back to the point,” Snape said pithily, “I lost all sense of morality and propriety and none too gently dragged her to the nearest hotel. I didn’t realize it then but our powers were trying to stabilize by latching on to the other. However, you can’t join a pure and a phenom. You can only appease them, which we did for a length of time.”

“Oh stop trying to make it sound better,” Melody snapped. “You didn’t let me out of that damned room for a week and you only did then because I mentioned that I was sixteen.”

Snape rubbed his temples in frustration. “If you had mentioned that beforehand, I wouldn’t have taken you there in the first place.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it. Anyway, it’s neither here nor there. His personal brand of um…help…made my magic respond in kind. My core stopped breaking up for a little while. Once he kicked me out of the room, it started flaring again. Lucky for me, he didn’t switch rooms. It only took a few hours for my core to react with a vengeance so I crawled back and begged him to let me in. It was quite possibly the most embarrassing moment in my life.”

“Be that as it may,” Snape said smugly, “it was necessary. I was unable to leave her side for more than a few hours at a time. When he ran a signature test, our fears were confirmed. As a last ditch effort, we did one of the darkest spells known to the wizarding world, knowing that it could have some very extreme consequences.”

“What kind of spell?” Hermione breathed, enraptured with the tale.

“It was an ancient spell, created by Merlin himself to try and regain a semblance of himself. He was pure too. Even if the book says it’s rumor, it was true,” Harmony said softly.

Melody took a sip of water and a deep breath. “Essentially, the spell takes a piece of one magical core and switches it with another core. Intent can help one direct which piece to switch, in this case it was the imbalance in Harmony for a piece of my light. Even a minimal amount of the opposite magic will stop the core from self-destructing. Unfortunately, the cores must be compatible in every single way. What better donor than a twin? Harmony only had a five percent imbalance toward the dark. Still, it was enough.”

“Well, enough to keep her from dying,” Harmony corrected. “As a result, we both lost the ability to cast purposeful magic.”

“Purposeful magic? There is another kind?” Draco questioned.

“Accidental, of course,” Melody piped up. “I can only annoy people by randomly changing the radio station when I don’t like the song that’s playing but it’s there. Harmony has a green thumb; I’ve seen her bring dead plants back to life. Still, we kept our unique abilities and I lived. We decided to shun the wizarding world and live as muggles. We aren’t that different now after all.”

Hermione shook her head while she put everything together. Something didn’t fit. If the spell worked, then why would Melody need Snape to come back?

“She still experiences flares,” Harmony said softly. “Every six months, she requires an opposing force to help her work it out. Otherwise, the discharge is spectacular and attention getting.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Snape shouted.

“You said that first night that you would never love again Sev,” Melody whispered. “You said that when you were tired of me, you’d disappear and I should just forget about everything. I didn’t expect it after eleven years, but I still remembered.”

“You don’t love me,” Snape hissed.

“No, well not in the way a woman should love a man in our type of relationship. I considered you a very dear friend and unfortunately, a necessity. I was addicted to you because I didn’t have to practice the rigid control I have to now. I paid for it too.”

“You could have owled me,” Snape growled.

“It was too late,” Melody said, a tear streaking down her face. “They attacked before I got a chance to get a hold on myself long enough to contact you. Pride is a powerful thing Sev. I’m sure you know that. I didn’t want you to see me, us like that. You taught me so much Sev, how to defend myself, how to control my magic, control my emotions, hell just control and I went and fucked up royally.”

“How are you coping now?” Snape whispered.

“Vampires aren’t just good for thinning blood Sev. Alex in particular, is extremely special.”

“He’s a phenom?”

“Yes. His vampirism made him just as dark as my light. He can handle my surges but it kills me to do it.”

“Why?”

Melody sniffled. “We’ve been exploited you stupid bat. How long do you think we have left? I can’t form an attachment to anyone…not even my soul mate.” She jumped up from the table and ran out of the room, her fingertips on the wall as she left.

Snape stood up to go after her but Harmony cleared her throat. “Let her go Severus.”

Snape sat down heavily, looking for all the world like a condemned man. “I didn’t know.”

“Of course not,” Harmony said softly. “What happened is what would always happen. There was no other tangent.”

“Then why didn’t you say something and make one?” Snape spat.

“I couldn’t and you know it,” Harmony snapped.

“Wait a minute,” Draco said loudly. “You have the ability to know, right? You can see the future?”

Harmony nodded slightly. “What I have is a cross between a seer and an empath. One touch and I know your entire history and your future. I can usually pick it up without a touch though. What you must understand is that the future is a forever changing beast. One stone upset and it changes again. You can’t pin it and you can’t predict it. Some things, like lottery numbers or game scores, are quite easy as long as you are within a few hours of the event. Others, like events based on emotional decisions, are harder.

“What the Dark Lord is after is much harder to predict. He wants to know people’s moves before they make them in order to ambush them. What he doesn’t understand is that even if I told him, it could change because I told him. I can see you’ll need a practical application.

“Scenario: The Dark Lord asks where Harry Potter will be camping on the night of August third. I tell him, and subsequently lose a bit of my life force. Suddenly, the future changes and the Death Eaters are there. A new future is written at that moment. I tell Harry Potter that the Dark Lord knows he is going to be in a certain place on that night. He changes his mind and another new future is written. However, there is nothing saying that they won’t still cross paths.

“If you want more proof that a tiny pebble can start an avalanche, just ask the professor here. No, he’ll try to silence me in a second,” She said softly. “Nevertheless, he overheard a prophecy while he was lurking about for his master but he only heard half of it. Granted, this was even after he’d met us so it took a while for him to learn his lesson.”

Snape raised his hand and flicked it, trying to silence her. He yelped in pain and coddled his arm which started glowing a brilliant blue color. His eyes were full of hate but he stayed seated.

“See? I knew he was going to silence me and even though I said it aloud, he still did. However, I didn’t mention the effects of trying such a thing. If I had, he might have just dragged you from the room. Cause and effect children. Now, as I was saying, he told his master part of the prophecy. However, it could have meant two very different endings. His master interpreted it the way he wanted to which sealed Harry Potter’s fate, as well as his parent’s deaths. Severus came to us before he went to Dumbledore. Smart man and yet he is still so dreadfully stupid.”

“I made a mistake,” Snape spat. “Several of them. I will pay for them the rest of my life.”

“Another foolish statement,” Harmony spat.

“You can honestly tell me that I will escape this war alive?” Snape sneered.

Harmony sighed in frustration. “You know I can’t tell you that.”

“You could,” Snape said. “You just don’t want to because then I could change it and your head might just hurt for a bit longer.” He stood up from his chair.

“Severus,” She said softly. “Why set yourself up for death when there is an entire life out there for you, a happy one?”

“I don’t deserve one,” Snape said softly and stalked off.

“Well that was pleasant,” Harmony wheezed.

“Are you okay?” Hermione asked worriedly. She noticed that the woman was starting to get very pale and shaky.

“I’m fine.” She tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace. “Take this enlightening conversation as a warning on why you should never reveal your true natures to anyone. I can see that many of your closest friends would take it to their graves, Harry Potter being one of them. However, he still has control issues. Any slip of the tongue is deadly, especially for himself.

“Albus and I sat down and had a very long chat right after your first stay in the hospital. I didn’t tell him everything I knew and he was fine with that. You two will accept the same situation. However, Severus is wrong on one count. I will tell someone the future when I think they need directing. Please bear in mind this is the one and only time I will say anything. I will deny it to my grave should anyone ask.”

“We’re listening,” Draco said solemnly. “We need all the help we can get. Thank you.”

Harmony smiled again. “I’m glad you are sincere. There are several things I have to tell you. First of all, don’t condemn Severus for his prior choices. This is for you Draco. Hermione will forgive him easily. He was fueled by anger and a thirst for revenge. He’s changed so much and he has begun to feel love again. I’m sure you’ve noticed a difference in him. He and my sister were both right though. They do not love each other as lovers should. Their love is one of friendship and formed from necessity. They will build it back up, don’t worry. Their powers will draw them together even if their minds disagree.

“Second, trust only the phenoms and your closest allies. Albus’s mind revealed other tangents to me and you could find yourselves betrayed by someone you might consider a friend. However, others you’ve never thought of will come to your aid. One I can’t tell for sure is a red headed boy that is close to you. He would never tell anyone intentionally but I can see him blowing up and someone overhearing. Be cautious when it comes to that. Harry Potter also needs further training in both occlumency and magical control. Do not trust the vow alone.

“Third, and this is the hardest one to explain. There are connections that must be made before Harry faces the Dark Lord. Of course, Harry is the only one who can defeat him but with his magic unbalanced, it puts him at a disadvantage. He needs to find his mate and start the bonding process. The others I see will be the force that will keep many from dying. That being said, I believe that you are right in finding a way to help Harry’s mentor.

“Lastly, you two and the phenoms will prove invaluable at saving lives. There are only three phenom pairs. One is my sister and her vampire. Perhaps you can help convince her to let him in her heart. One contains Harry and one contains Severus. I’m sure you can make the first connection but the second lies in my lap.”

Hermione looked down to see the red wolf with its head lying on Harmony’s lap. So whoever Celeste was should be paired with Severus. Harmony nodded when she thought this and she felt Draco acknowledge this fact as well. The only other phenom she knew of was Ginny. It must be her and Harry then. Harmony smiled.

“You really are the brightest witch of your age,” Harmony said softly. “Now, Celeste, I think it is quite time you showed yourself.”

The wolf stepped back warily and transformed into a beautiful woman. She was probably around 5’8” with long, curly, auburn hair and emerald green eyes that shined as bright as Harry’s. She was quite voluptuous as well but was also modestly thin. Her green eyes flashed indigo and she flashed a set of fangs before she turned her head sharply to the door and transformed back into a wolf.

“You always ruin everything Severus,” Harmony chided.

Severus stalked into the room and straightened. “Lessons begin in ten minutes,” he snapped and stormed out the door.

Harmony chuckled. “He was always easy to rile up. Unfortunately, you two will take the brunt of his anger. Be sure to listen to his instruction though. It worked wonders with Melody.”

Hermione was still staring at Celeste the wolf. She couldn’t believe how much she looked like Harry’s mother. Snape would probably blow up when he saw her, much less accept her as his mate. Did that mean she was his exact match?

“In every single way. Melody confirmed it,” Harmony affirmed.

“Wait,” Draco said. “No one ever explained her sight.”

“Sorry,” Melody’s voice floated into the room. She propped herself against the door, her eyes still red from earlier. “I can see magic. Period. Magical signatures, auras, spells being cast, buildings erected from it and laced with wards, if it has something to do with magic, I can see it. That includes magical beings. For example, when I look at you, I see what I can only describe as a photographic afterimage. It’s black and blurry. Then there is a beautiful silver aura around you. It’s so bright it hurts my eyes. Then I can see what I call cards. They contain facts about you, your family’s coat of arms, the dark mark on your arm, the wealth of runic tattoos all over your body, your bond to Hermione, your intentions towards her as far as emotions go, and your blood bond to Severus. It is a unique signature that I only have to see once and it is forever in my brain.

“It is quite cool if you want to know all the facts about a person without all that getting to know you bullshit. For example, I knew Severus was a phenom and a daywalker at first glance. I also saw that he had very dark intentions and was being controlled by a mad man. However, there is only one thing the Dark Lord considers me useful for. I can see through disguises. Polyjuice, glamours, invisibility cloaks, you name it, and I can see it. I can even spot spies. Imagine how useful that could be. What he doesn’t know is that I can also see through objects as long as they aren’t made of magic as well.

“For example, you two have the most amazing tattoo of a hummingbird on both of your left temples but it is covered with makeup. You also have a Celtic knot at your left wrist, and bands on your right wrist and ankles. There is a circle around your belly buttons and a lone rune on your chests. On your back, there is a magnificent tattoo of a dragon embracing a lion. Hermione has runes in the shape of an otter on her lower back and Draco, you have a fox. Need I go on?”

“You can really see all that?” Hermione exhaled.

“Oh yes, and more. I can see intentions. Honesty shows as a colored glow, as does a liar or a cheat. It’s quite useful. I can also see strong emotions like anger and love and I can see soul mates. Very few people have soul mates and those that do are usually with the wrong person. Yet I find that they are reasonably happy so I have never interfered. Severus is one case in which I must though. I might be angry at that great bat but by gosh he is going to at least meet his match if I have to tie him up when he’s asleep and throw her on him.”

Draco chortled. “I’m sure he’d love that.” Then he sobered when he saw the image of Potter’s mother in Hermione’s mind and read the association. “Bugger.”

Melody smirked. “Bugger indeed. To answer the rest of your question, I can’t see because I’ve been exploited. Having double vision made my eyesight weak but I could always see. After the first attack, it started disappearing to the point that without magic present, I am 100 percent blind. I fear another attack and I’ll lose my second sight as well. It won’t be long now.”

“How long?” Hermione asked, unable to help herself.

Harmony closed her eyes. “I think it will happen before you leave but there are too many variables to tell when and where or the outcome. Best learn all you can while you are here. We might not be around to help you for long.”

“Is there anyway way to stop it?” Draco asked.

Harmony shook her head. “Each attempt leads in a different direction but it seems fate is firm on this one. There is no escaping it. Remember, we can’t use our powers for our own personal gain.”

“Thank you,” Hermione said, fighting back tears. “For however long you have.” Draco nodded his agreement and swung an arm around her shoulders, leading her outside where a brooding Snape awaited them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was only four in the afternoon but Hermione and Draco were too tired to continue. Obviously still angry from lunch, Snape drilled them mercilessly on every shield charm they’d ever learned and ruthlessly knocked them on their arses when they failed to conjure one strong enough.

“How long do you think you have to master this?” He snapped at the couple who were kneeling on the ground panting.

“They would progress faster if you would tell them the point of the exercise,” Melody said sharply. Somehow, she’d ridden up on a big black horse and never made a sound. She slipped off its back with ease and grabbed a hold of its halter, walking towards them. “The point is that if you combine your powers in the right way, you will be able to produce a shield strong enough to withstand the killing curse.”

“You’re joking,” Draco panted.

“I’m not. I’ve done it.”

They looked up in shock. “Nothing can block the killing curse,” Hermione whispered.

Snape sighed heavily and walked over to them, absentmindedly petting the horse. “Just because it isn’t in the magic books doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. It was an accident, really. We were experimenting, trying to figure out the right combination of intent and wand movements to complete the ritual to balance her out. Some wizard was pissed out of his mind and was convinced that we were going to attack him. He threw the killing curse and we both shielded at the same time. It rebounded and struck him.”

“If that’s what happened, then it was just two overlapping shields, wasn’t it?” Hermione asked.

“We thought so, until we tried to take them down,” Melody said cheerfully. “Took us the better part of two hours before we realized that we needed to, um, connect.” She blushed furiously and turned around to pat the horse on the nose. Snape started snickering. “Shut up bat.”

“By all means, I find it heartening that you can still blush at all,” Snape teased. “What Melody is so ineloquently saying is that our powers had to combine to take them down. Since we weren’t bound, there was only way to do that. You two are so you should be able to combine them without touching. Of course, contact is the easiest way to combine your magic because you can direct it. We’ve already done that; your scar is proof of that Hermione.”

“Oh and it is so beautiful,” Melody breathed as she turned back around. “I always thought Sev’s color was beautiful but it looks even better with yours and that fourth person.”

“You can see the scar?” Hermione asked timidly.

“Of course. It was borne of magic, therefore I can see it.”

“Does everyone’s magic have a color?” Draco asked curiously.

“No,” Melody said bluntly. “Most magic is white because most people are balanced. Phenoms, on the other hand, have two colors because the currents can’t blend completely. The aura shows up split. For example, the bat has the most beautiful bronze color through most of his aura but there is a thin line of platinum. His magical soul mate would have the exact opposite aura, platinum with a thin line of bronze.”

She turned the horse to block Snape from seeing her mouth. She grinned wickedly and then mouthed the words ‘and she does’ before Snape could get around the animal. Draco and Hermione bit back smirks, not wanting to risk the already angry professor’s ire.

“What color is your magic?” Hermione asked curiously.

“Yellow,” she spat. “It’s a hideous color. Its opposite is indigo. Combined, they create the same white color you two see when you kiss.”

“How did you know that?” Draco growled.

Melody smiled widely. “Because I have a sister who knows everything. Now, the bat has decided once again that revenge is better than education so I will help you.”

Snape growled. “Making assumptions again.”

“Stating a truth you overgrown chiropteran.”

“You listen to me you crass bitch,” Snape said, shaking.

“Crass bitch? That’s all you could come up with. Damn bat, you’ve lost your touch. What happened to the good insults? I’m sure you’ve had more than enough time to think them up,” Melody shouted, her voice trembling.

“You blasted idiotic woman, I wanted to come back!” Snape shouted. “I couldn’t because I had to protect Harry fucking Potter! You daft bint, do you think after eleven years I cared so little for you that I wouldn’t even owl? The bloody Dark Lord returned and I wanted to protect you. If he couldn’t trace me to you then you’d be safe!” Snape was breathing heavily, watching the way Melody was cowering against the black horse. His voice dropped to barely a whisper. “I couldn’t even do that.”

“Harmony was right,” Melody said, her voice trembling. “You’d cut off your own nose to spite your face. Do you honestly think that they wouldn’t have found us if you’d returned?”

“Would they?” Snape asked, his eyes fixed firmly on his feet.

“A few years later, I had Harmony check. I sped it up a bit, of course, but our time would have come. Severus, look at me.” A tear streaked down her face.

Snape looked up and sighed heavily. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and walked over to dry her cheek. He gathered her in his arms like a china doll and closed his eyes. “You know I hate to see you cry. This is blackmail.”

“Hardly,” Melody sniffled, her voice muffled in his robes. “Severus, sooner or later you are going to have to accept that you can’t change the past and you can’t change the future. You can only delay what is meant to happen for a little while. It is the one thing I’ve been trying to drill into that formidable thick skull of yours since we first met. Taking the blame for everything that happened beyond your control is not healthy, nor is it right.”

“So much is my fault,” He whispered.

“Yes and I believe you’ve more than made up for a few mistakes. Sev, the one thing that made me so fucking angry was that you didn’t tell me. One word, just one, and I would have been okay.”

“I’m sure,” He said sarcastically.

“I won’t say it wouldn’t have hurt but at least I wouldn’t have gotten as angry. More than likely, I would have written back only once, asked for you to help me balance until I could find a suitable replacement. It was horrible until I found Alex. I never knew when something would explode. I was never so happy that I had you charm the house to squash cast magic.”

Severus bent down rested his chin on the top of her head. “It’s under control with him?”

“Not entirely but it helps. I don’t explode anymore but I have to go back more often. He hasn’t learned to control himself like you have. What he needs is someone to teach him how to handle me.”

“In what way?” Snape’s voice dropped very low, smooth as chocolate.

“Every way,” Melody sighed as she turned her head to look at Draco and Hermione a wink. They’d been as still as statues, not wanting to intrude on the private moment the two were having. “Too bad it’s too late for that. Still, you will need to teach them Sev, not blast them because you’re angry at me.”

“I’m not angry at you,” Snape said softly and let her go, adopting his rigid posture once again. It looked as if he was trying to pull together the shreds of his old persona, the indifferent mask slipping back into place.

“Oh come off it,” Melody snorted. “They’ve seen you actually have a heart, when it isn’t buried in layers of ice. You need someone you can be yourself around again. This cold mask has changed you, made you bitter. The mask is terrific for your role Sev, but they are your family, your children now. They need to know that you have a human side too. The fangs don’t change that.”

Snape growled. “You have to go there, don’t you?”

“What?” Melody asked wide-eyed, trying to claim innocence. “I would think you’d know that I, of all people, find fangs dreadfully sexy.” She smirked as Snape’s mask dropped once again. “There’s my bat. Seriously Sev, this is a working vacation but there is no reason that you can’t let your hair down while you’re here. These two won’t say a word about it. Hell, they’ll think it’s amazing.

“Besides, would you want to spend your entire honeymoon working with a bitter old man and his vicious ex-lover? No you wouldn’t. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. You also know that making it fun helps it come faster. Well, that and lots of sex.”

Draco couldn’t help it; he burst out laughing. Poor Hermione had turned away and buried her head in her hands, extremely embarrassed. He spun her around and hugged her close to him, still laughing. Melody had joined in and even his godfather was chuckling.

“Oh, it’s so nice to see the innocent again,” Melody sighed, wiping the tears of mirth away from her white eyes. “Well, sort of see. I wish I knew what you two actually looked like. Your auras are beautiful but I find I miss faces the most.”

“Is there any way to restore your eyesight?” Snape asked softly.

“Believe me, I’ve tried. Every potion works about as good as spitting on dirt and expecting a tree to grow there. Enough about me, let’s do something fun.”

“They need to learn shields,” Snape growled.

“Yes but they can’t if you’ve sapped all their strength. Besides, it’s like ten at night in Scotland isn’t it?” Snape nodded. “It’s past their bedtimes.”

“They need to get used to the time change. We can’t waste precious hours of daylight because they haven’t gotten their beauty rest.”

“No, but you can make the transition easier,” Melody chided.

“Okay, you be the teacher,” Snape spat.

“I thought you’d never ask Sevvykins,” Melody simpered, causing Snape to hiss at her. She bowed her head. “The bond is old daddy. I suggest you quit trying,” She said softly, causing Snape to wince.

“You drank her blood,” Draco said softly.

Melody nodded. “It was the first time. I bled, he drank. Amazingly, he controlled himself and didn’t bite me. Still, calling him father was embarrassing and a bit weird so I called him daddy. It pissed him off so it stuck.”

“Sometimes I think you exist specifically to anger me,” Snape growled.

“Well, it is a perk,” Melody said cheekily. “So, who is up for some meditation?” She asked brightly.

“They aren’t ready for that!” Snape said, alarmed.

“You let me be the judge of that,” Melody said confidently. “I can see it. There will be two, no three, all very useful if I say so. Well, one set isn’t practical but it’ll be pretty fucking fantastic for a scare.”

“What are you talking about?” Draco asked, annoyed at their cryptic language. Normally he was all for ambiguity but he was tired and keeping up was making his head hurt.

“You’re going to begin your animagus training,” Melody said brightly. “I’m sure it will take you the entire stay here to get the hang of it, especially since you’ll have three forms to master. Once you do though, I’d say you’d be ready for about anything.”

“You can see our forms?” Hermione asked, having finally gotten over her embarrassment.

“Mm hum! They are magnificent. Oh how I envy you.”

“Pardon me for being skeptical, but how can you train us? You have no magic,” Draco said, honestly curious.

Melody’s face fell. “I mastered my forms at fourteen. I think I miss those as much as faces.”

Hermione gasped. She felt horrible for Melody. Not only did she lose her eyesight and her magic, but also the ability to change into an animal. Hermione had always secretly coveted that ability, wanting to feel truly free. “What were you?”

Melody smiled wistfully. “Well, I was a horse.” She petted the black mare tenderly. “Izzy loved it when I ran with her. My other form was a sparrow. It pissed me off at first, until I flew the first time. The last one was a damned spider. People seriously don’t like spiders and bats find them delicious.” She shot a deadly glare at Snape.

“What?” He snapped. “You’re still mad because I threatened to eat you?”

“Prick,” She bit out. “Now, getting back on task, learning to transform takes normal witches and wizards years to master. It requires a lot of patience and a thorough knowledge of yourself. What most don’t realize is that it is quite simple to phase, if one is simply in the right mindset. For example,” she said, turning to Snape. “Bat if you please.”

Snape glowered at her for a moment before he grabbed his robe, spun around, and leapt into the air. His body contorted, shrunk, and took flight as a solid black vampire bat. Draco and Hermione stared wide eyed at the transformation. The bat screeched and landed on Melody’s shoulder. She smiled softly and scratched the back of his neck.

“To become a bat, he simply has to leap in the air and think of flying. Meditation is important the first few times to clear your mind of all thoughts but turning. Since he is a daywalker, this form comes easiest because it is actually part of him. Wolf please.”

The bat flew off her shoulder and spun in mid-air, becoming larger, furrier, and diving down until it hit the ground as a new animal, a jet black wolf. It growled menacingly and then pricked its ears and sharply turned its head toward the house. Still growling, he stalked over to Melody and sat down in front of her feet. She snickered and scratched him behind his ear.

“Smelled that, did you? Anyway, the wolf is the other form a daywalker commonly takes. It is also second nature but requires a different mindset. The bat uses sound waves to hunt but the wolf uses its senses. He must think of stalking prey when turning. The last form he takes is something only I have seen and something the Dark Lord would probably piss himself over. It’s your choice whether or not to show them Sev.”

The wolf cocked its head at Hermione and Draco, obviously contemplating if it should change or not. After a few minutes of debate, it nodded its head and slunk down on the ground. Suddenly, it shifted into a grey snake that had to be four meters long. The snake slithered up Melody’s leg, wrapped around her body, and rubbed its nose against her earlobe, causing her to giggle.

“This one is my favorite. It’s a black mamba, one of the deadliest snakes in the world. What makes him so unique is that he possesses the venom too. We’re not sure how though. Most animagi take on the characteristics and some instincts of their animal but no one has been reported to be able to become a deadly animal so completely. No venomous animagi actually possesses deadly venom; dragon animagi can’t breathe fire, and so on and so forth. I was a brown recluse but my venom merely stung. I couldn’t kill anyone with it. One bite from Sev the snake and you’d have one painful death.”

Draco cleared his throat nervously. “How exactly do you know that?”

Melody frowned as she stroked the scales behind the mamba’s head. “Also an accident. He’d just shifted to this form for the first time ever and I transformed into my spider. We were out for a walk, or I guess a slither in his case, in the forest when we came upon this man. He had a small girl, probably not more than thirteen and he was about to rape her. Sev lost it and bit him. Harmony said that was his twentieth child that year.” She shuddered.

“Bastard deserved it,” Draco said coldly. Hermione was a bit shocked at the venom in his voice but she could understand. She thought it would be better if he’d served time but Draco’s thoughts came out loud and clear. They’d let him out eventually and he’d do it again. Dead, he couldn’t hurt anyone else. It was both terrifying and enlightening to see the inner workings of his brain so closely.

“Now,” Melody said, breaking them out of their thoughts, “I happen to know that Sev was actually trying to turn into one of his other forms when this guy popped out. Unfortunately, I distracted him in the middle of turning. I was teasing him, told him that I was more deadly and poof, deadly snake. It was the best day of my life! I’ve never seen people run so fast. Apparently, snakes are scary and women walking down the street with them are insane.”

The snake slithered down her arm and onto the grass. It stood up on its tail end and turned back into Snape. “You were insane before, I just gave them an eye opener.”

“That is true. I’ve never been sane have I?” Melody said, staring off into space. Snape grunted and she shook her head to clear it. “Right. Now, the trickiest part of your transformation will be that you’ll have three forms fighting to break through. Dumbledore told me that you connected minds and then fell into a coma. Can you do that again?”

Draco gulped. “I can separate my mind from my body.”

“Good. This is the same technique. Now, I know you are both tired and it’s nighttime back home but you need to get on our time so your assignment for the rest of the day is to meditate…together. Being bonded, it is important that you search each other’s minds as well as your own. It’s going to be extremely uncomfortable and more intimate than you could possibly imagine. There will be no secrets after this so if you have something you’re hiding, it’s best to be out with it now.”

“Could we read about it first?” Hermione asked meekly. She hated to go into something without research.

Melody smiled. “If it’s that important to you, yes, I have a book. It’s actually a journal I kept of my first transformation. It contains my thoughts, feelings, and the sensations of turning. Those bullshit advanced transfiguration textbooks are about as helpful as a boot up the ass. The reason it takes most so long to find their form is that they emphasize on the meditation alone. It’s the emotions that will help you. The emotions identify with an animal and that is how you turn.

“In fact, most normal wizards could accomplish more than one animal if they let themselves go. A person doesn’t have the characteristics of just one because we have such a broader range of thoughts, feelings, and character traits. Even that blasted sorting hat knows that. I believe Harmony said it wanted to put both of you in Ravenclaw. Is that the smart one?”

Snape snorted. “Good grief. Slytherins are cunning and resourceful, Hufflepuffs are loyal and accepting, Ravenclaws are intelligent and shrewd, and Gryffindors are brave and true.”

Melody grinned. “Well there you go. Slytherins are sneaky, Hufflepuffs are sidekicks, Ravenclaws are mad scientists, and Gryffindors are either heroes or incredibly stupid.”

Hermione huffed and both Draco and Snape started guffawing.

“I’m not sure what you two are laughing at,” Melody chided. “You were damned near a Ravenclaw too Sev. What none of you seem to realize is that no house can stand by itself if they want to survive. All the sneaking around in the world won’t help if one is too cowardly to achieve their goals. Loyalty can be blind. What good is intellect if you don’t have a practical application? Of course, being brave doesn’t mean that charging into the fray isn’t incredibly foolish.

“Each main house trait needs another one to balance it out. Just stop and think for a moment. If you mix the Slytherin’s knack for plotting-“ Two angry growls caused her to back pedal. “Fine then, if you mix the cunning and the resourcefulness together with Gryffindor courage and justness, you have a person who does the right thing without getting themselves into a bind because they didn’t have a backup plan.

“If you add Ravenclaw’s intellect, then you’ve added an even better chance of survival. Now this person can work out problems faster and have a better backup plan. If you add in the Hufflepuff loyalty, you have no need to worry about being backstabbed. There would be no need for all the ridiculous vows you’ve subjected yourselves to. You’ve just created a perfectly balanced person. Do you not honestly think that these traits can coexist in the same body, or at least more than one trait?”

Draco and Hermione pondered that question together. Many of their friends, well, mostly Hermione’s friends exhibited these qualities. Of course, some characteristics were stronger than others but they were there. “They can,” they said together.

“Then there you go. An animal form is an extension of yourself. There is more than one animal in most of us. You just need to find it. There can be no research although studying how it feels should help you your quest. Let’s get back to the house and I’ll have Celeste fetch that book for me.”

With that she turned around and stroked the black mare’s face. “Hey Iz, I’m a bit down today. Think you could give me a lift?” The mare nickered softly and lay down. Melody felt her way down her neck and gently climbed on her back. The mare then whinnied loudly and stood up, spinning around and taking off across the pasture at lightning speed. They could hear Melody laughing the entire way.

“I bet she misses it terribly,” Hermione said thoughtfully.

“You’ll never know how much she mourned the loss of that part of her,” Snape said very softly. “Now she is losing her life because of another’s greed. Take her situation as a learning experience. Keep the secret at all costs. Up to the house, both of you. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“You’re not coming?” Hermione asked curiously.

“No. I have some things to attend to. Stay at the house no matter what but do not cast spells indoors. Good day.” With that, he crouched down and became the wolf again. He took off at a dead run toward the back of the pasture.

'He needs some time to think I’d imagine,' Draco thought to Hermione.

“You think he’ll work it out?” She asked aloud.

“I’m certain of it. I’ll give her one thing; I’ve never seen anyone give my godfather such a brutal reality check in my entire life. That woman has some bollocks.”

Hermione giggled. “That she does. I just wish there was some way to help her.”

“Always the Gryffindor.”

“Compassion wouldn’t kill you Draco,” she snapped.

“Fine, fine. We’ll meditate on it okay? I have lots to discuss with you.”

“Me too. We’ll make a night of it,” Hermione said softly.

“Done, but first things first,” Draco said slowly.

“What’s that?” Hermione asked.

Draco got a wicked grin on his face. “It’s our honeymoon and we haven’t celebrated properly!” He scooped her up and took off toward the house at a dead run, Hermione squealing in delight.

AN: Hello everyone! Thank you for your kind reviews. Just a heads up, this will be my last update for a few weeks. I'm traveling so internet isn't exactly an accessible commodity. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can. Keep reviewing and let me know how I'm doing. Everyone have a Happy Holiday!
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