The silence is suffocating in the way it surrounds them. Hermione can tell how much this is paining him, but she wants to visit her friends. If she doesn’t make peace with them and know exactly where they stand it will haunt her for the rest of her life. She won’t be able to truly live in the life she is creating with Fenrir.
“Fen… I’ll only be gone for a week. I’ll be back before we both know it.” Hermione carefully walks up to Fenrir and she gently grabs his hands and puts them right over where their pups are growing. Her swelling stomach safely cradled in his hands. She catches his eyes and reaches up to cup his face with one hand, a soft, sweet smile comes to her face and he knows he’s doomed. “I love you Fen. I’ll always choose you and I’ll always come back.”
Just like that he melts and they both know that he’ll be letting her go, by herself, to visit her friends. Fenrir tries to ignore his wolf and instincts, quietly telling him that this will only end in disaster. Fenrir pulls his mate into a tight hug that Hermione wholeheartedly returns.
“I don’t trust them with you, my moonlight. Please, be careful and contact me the moment you feel something is wrong. You owe them nothing.” His words are quiet in the brightly lit room with the sun painting streaks throughout. Hermione burrows deeper into his embrace.
“I promise and I know, but I owe this to myself.” Her words are equally quiet and they both catch the trepidation in them. For his beautifully kindhearted mate always thinks the best of people. Yet, even in this, she is hesitant. She knows her friends and knows how they are. Hermione has long since lost the blind trust and hope that she held for them. But, that doesn’t stop her from still holding out the slightest bit of hope that they will at the very least be happy for her.
----
Hermione finds herself staring at the burrow, trying to gather enough of the Gryffindor courage that she knows she has to no avail. Everything in her is screaming at her to go back to Fenrir and just forget about these people that she calls friends and family.
With an incredibly deep breath, Hermione steels herself for what’s to come. Keeping in mind that it will only be a week and that she can leave whenever she wants. Gripping her wand with white knuckles, she steps across the wards.
----
Hermione, with light feet, steps across the threshold of Malfoy Manor. As she follows the elf to meet with Lord and Lady Malfoy she squares her shoulders and forces the shiver running up her spine to disappear. Keeping her memories firmly locked in the box in her mind and tucked deep.
“Lord Malfoy, Lady Malfoy.” Hermione keeps herself blank and calm as she studies how Lucius Malfoy is standing behind the chair that Narcissa Malfoy née Black is sitting in, with his hands resting on the top of it. From his stance alone Hermione senses the protectiveness he has and feels towards his wife.
“Miss Granger.” Lucius’s voice seems to fill the whole room and Hermione has to lock down on the memories even harder.
“What, not mudblood?” Hermione viciously bites her tongue and grimaces even as she takes notice that both the Malfoy’s pale a bit and flinch. When she sees that they are about to speak, she raises a hand. “No, don’t apologize…” Hermione pauses to gather her thoughts as the silence grows, “That was incredibly rude and highly uncalled for. We all have scars from the war, both mental and emotional. I refuse to blame either of you for mine.”
Narcissa’s eyes fill with tears and in a split second she’s across the room and pulling Hermione into a tight hug. All Hermione can do is stare at Lucius with wide eyes and slowly hug Narcissa back. The slightest glimmer of tears is hidden in Lucuis’s eyes as he watches his wife. Who finally pulls away and cups Hermione’s cheeks.
Narcissa locks eyes with Hermione, “You’re wrong, we not only owe you many apologies, but we also owe you our freedom.” Lucius steps forward and gives Hermione a stern look when she goes to deny it.
“We owe you many things and we will have further conversations at a later date. This isn’t why we asked you here, we know that we have no right to ask you for anything, let alone for you to help us…” Hermione eyes Lucius and can tell that there is something else making him hesitant. She gives him a slightly impatient look. Which he gives a slightly amused smirk in response, but the wariness doesn’t leave his eyes.
Narcissa is the one that tilts Hermione’s whole world on its axis. “We are housing an extremely weak and injured Fenrir Greyback in our home. You, as his mate, is the only person on this planet that can heal him. Before I forget, forget everything you believe you know about him. My husband and Severus Snape were not the only ones forced to commit heinous crimes.”
The last thing Hermione remembers is her ears ringing as her body goes numb and her sight goes white as she falls into Morpheus’s embrace.
----
Hermione finds herself passed around the burrow and given hugs in a whirlwind of movement. In the next moment Molly is bustling back to the kitchen to finish getting breakfast ready. As Ginny comes up to Hermione and pulls her to the opposite side of the room away from everyone.
A slightly wild grin is on Ginny’s face and Hermione gives her a wary and warning look. “How are you and Fenrir doing? I haven’t talked to you since you both moved into the cottage! I still have yet to see it! We should plan a time for Thorfinn and I to visit.” A soft smile makes its way onto Hermione’s face as she rests a hand on her barely swelling stomach. Which quickly turns into a scowl as Ginny looks like she’s about to scream in excitement. Ginny immediately quiets herself with a slightly embarrassed look, but it does nothing to quell her excitement.
“We are doing well! Really well, but he’s not happy that I’m somewhere he cannot reach me. If I’m being completely honest… I’m a bit worried about Fenrir being unable to reach me. You know how it is being a werewolf’s mate, after all Thorfinn is a berserker which has a lot of similarities. There’s also the small problem of how sensitive pregnancies are with werewolf mates. I’m only able to be here without him because of how early on in the pregnancy I am.” Ginny grips Hermione’s hands and studies her with worry and understanding.
Ginny’s brows are furrowed. “How long are you able to be safely away from him?”
A slight grimace comes to Hermione’s face. “Ginny… just being here a week is already pushing it. Most likely I’ll start to get weaker at the beginning of my fifth day here. So, I’d appreciate if you could-“
“Hermione, of course I’ll help you out! All you have to do is ask or get my attention. If you start feeling stressed, please just get me. You’re my friend Hermione and I know how my mother and ickle Ronnie-kin’s can be. There’s no saying how Harry will react, no matter what Hermione, I have your back.” Hermione’s eyes start to water and her lips tremble a bit, “Oh, Hermione!” Ginny quickly pulls her into a tight hug. One that Hermione tightly returns as she tries her hardest to get a hold of her hormone, stress and fear filled tears under control.
Hermione whimpers in Ginny’s ear, “I just can’t fight the feeling that this is bound to end badly.” Ginny tightens her hold on Hermione, though she doesn’t say anything in response. For Ginny cannot lie to Hermione when she is unable to lie to herself on this matter. She also feels that this whole thing is going to end badly… for both herself and Hermione.
----
Hermione comes to on the settee, seeing that Narcissa is sitting across from her sipping on tea as she writes reply letters. Hermione slowly sits up and blinks at the blanket the pools in her lap. “I’m glad that you are back with the waking world. I apologize for my lack of tact, but I feel that there was no good way to break this information to you.” Hermione blankly blinks at Narcissa for a few moments as she gets lost in her memory of her and the boys getting caught in The Forest Dean. Mainly her being held tightly by Fenrir and all the horrible things he said to her.
“When we got caught and before we were brought here,” Hermione misses Narcissa’s flinch because her eyes are glazed over in the memory. “Fenrir is the one that had a hold on me. The things he said to me made my skin crawl, every single thing was disgusting. I’m finding it hard to bring that Fenrir into the same person as the one you speak of.” A soft sigh escapes Narcissa, brings Hermione back to this moment as she blinks a bit. Catching sight of Narcissa’s troubled look.
Hermione stays silent and watches as Narcissa finishes the wax seals on her letters, allowing for her to gather her thoughts. “I cannot fully give you the answers you seek on Fenrir. However, I can say that he was caught in a very bad place during the two wars and he did his best to straddle the line between gray and complete evil. You need to understand that he’s been waiting a long time for his mate and when a werewolf goes as long as Fenrir has without a mate… They lose their grip on their sanity. Most of the time, werewolves have to be put down the moment they get to that point because they are not only a danger to themselves but others as well.”
Hermione’s brows furrow, “So why didn’t anyone put Fenrir down?” Narcissa clicks her tongue and leans back in her seat. Hermione carefully watches as Narcissa once again gathers her thoughts.
“Fenrir… Fenrir is complicated. Arguably, if you look only at what The Prophet has written and other horror stories. He should have been killed a long time ago. If you look at it from the werewolf hierarchy, killing him would have caused an all out war between all the werewolves on this side of the pond. His death, without having any children or an appointed successor, would create a power vacuum. One that will leave no magical and non-magical folk untouched. Let alone what he has done for my family and Severus Snape. We all owe him life debts ten times over. Debts that we are more than willing to pay.”
Narcissa brings in a deep breath as she leans closer to where Hermione is sitting. “All I ask, Hermione, is that you help to heal him and hear what he has to say. Then make your decision from there.” Hermione very carefully studies Narcissa and finally she gives a slightly shaking nod. The relief that comes to Narcissa’s face and body almost takes the breath from Hermione’s lungs.
In that singular moment, she realized that Narcissa Malfoy née Black truly cares for Fenrir Greyback. It was that realization which made Hermione think that perhaps… Fenrir Greyback is worth saving.
----
The next morning Bill Weasley finds Hermione sitting outside with a steaming cup of tea and book in hand. He sits next to her, being sure to keep a respectable distance from the Alpha’s mate. “I only have one question, Hermione.” She warily glances at Bill and Bill has to hide his wince at how mistrusting she is. The slight nod she gives is all the okay that Bill needs. “Is he treating you right?”
A sharp breath escapes Hermione as she gives her full attention to Bill. Her wide eyes rapidly study his face for how genuine he is being. When she sees that he is, Hermione bursts into tears. “He is,” The words come out broken between her wet sobs. “He treats me like a queen, I love him so much and I feel so guilty for it. Every time I’m around you, I feel so much guilt for it. What kind of person falls in love with someone who’s caused so much pain and suffering?”
Bill pulls Hermione into a tight embrace as he slowly rocks her back and forth. The shadow of his potential wolf wanting nothing more than to comfort it’s Luna. “Don’t feel guilty for loving a man like Fenrir, you two were born for each other. I have long since made my peace with the effects of Fenrir’s attack. I realize now that the reason it was so vicious is because I was blocking him from getting to his mate. Had it been another situation, he would not have been nearly as violent or enraged. You are the most compassionate and loving person I know. You are the only person that would ever be able to love Fenrir the way he needs his mate to. Just as Fleur is the only one able to love me the way I need her to, as she is my mate. You need to remember Hermione, when it comes to true mate bonds, it is an equal give and take. You are exactly what he needs, just as he is exactly what you need. Let go of the guilt, Hermione.” Bill drops a kiss to Hermione’s head as he locks eyes with his mate, who is watching with soft eyes.
“You will always be welcome to Shell Cottage, Hermione. Fleur, myself, and Victiore love you so much. Perhaps, someday soon, we can meet Fenrir as well.”
Hermione pulls away with a sniffle,“Thank you so much Bill, I would like that. I think both of us would like that.” Bill grins at her which prompts her to give a watery smile back.
----
Hermione startles when she takes notice of Fenrir starting to move on the bed. His fingers flex against her hand and she bites her bottom lip nervously. How is she supposed to speak with him? How can she fully trust him when everything she has heard and has had first hand experience speaks to how much of a monster he is… Or at least appeared to be.
Fenrir is studying her with intense eyes. “You’re here.” Hermione nervously licks her lips and gives him a slightly hesitant nod.
“Lady Malfoy told me about you, some of it was easy to believe… the majority of it wasn’t.” Hermione can barely meet his intensity, she can’t help but think that this was a terrible mistake. She stares at where their fingers are now intertwined and vaguely wonders when that had happened.
“I’m glad that you’re here. My Luna… My Mate.” Her eyes jump to his and only sees sincerity and a slight smile is on his lips. For some reason his sincerity brings tears to Hermione’s eyes. Somehow, Hermione knows that this will work out as she gives him a slightly shaky and watery smile.
----
It takes Harry and Ron five days to realize that Hermione is avoiding being alone with them. In fact she’s completely avoiding them, period. They’ve noticed that Ginny, Bill, Fleur, the twins, and Charlie have been helping her. Luna has also been helping while she’s at the Burrow. In fact, they’re helping keep not only Harry and Ron away, but Molly as well.
It’s during dinner on the last day that Hermione is there that they finally decide to say something. Completely ignoring how sickly, weak, and slowly Hermione is moving. She’s incredibly pale with a slightly green tinge and her hair is limp with none of its normal crackle of magic.
Harry wipes his mouth clean, “What’s been going on in your life Hermione? I can’t help but notice that you’ve been avoiding speaking with us.” Ginny’s eyes narrow at Harry as the room goes completely silent. Hermione freezes and looks at him with wide eyes.
“Yeah, ‘Mione. I’ve been wanting to talk to you about us.” A frown makes its way to Hermione’s pale face as Ginny rolls her eyes with a grown and her forehead thumps against the top of the table. Dark looks pass across Fleur, Bill, Charlie, and the twins' faces.
“Ronald,” Hermione's voice is all controlled patience, “I have made it clear to you time and time again. At most all I see you as is my best friend, nothing will ever happen between us. That kiss? Was purely adrenaline and I-cannot-believe-we’re-alive fueled, to that extent, I would go so far as to say that it was a massive mistake. Now, you believe, in such a delusional way, that I will ever want anything more. Even when I have flat out told you that it will never happen.” Ron’s face turns an ugly shade of purply-red as his anger builds.
When Ron opens his mouth to no doubt spill vitriol. Hermione gives him such a chilling look that his jaw snaps shut with a click of teeth. “Yes, Harry James Potter I have been avoiding the both of you. Would you like a list as to why?” It’s as though all of Hermione’s strength and what was left over of her energy is zapped out of her with her last words. She slumps back in her chair as her head lols a bit. Bill moves quickly to her as everyone cries out in alarm.
Hermione finds herself going in and out as everything takes on a hazy quality she can hear as everyone’s voices raise. Yet, she’s unable to make out anything or do anything. It isn’t until she feels completely weightless and she’s being moved at a rapid speed that she hears two words in the voice of the one she had believed was her best friend.
“Grimmauld Place.” Then all Hermione sees is green flames swirling around her as she’s sucked into oblivion with one thought echoing her head.
‘I’m sorry my wolf, you were right, I should have never come here.’
----
“I love you, my wolf. Your demons will not scare me away.” Hermione has Fenrir’s face cupped in her hands as she gazes into his eyes. “We’ve talked about this Fenrir. I didn’t run then and I won’t run now.”
Fenrir’s eyes fall close as he allows his head to fall forward and rest on her chest. He wraps his arms around Hermione tightly as she cradles his head. Hermione lovingly drops a kiss to the top of his head and cards her fingers through his hair.
His hold tightens a bit more on her, “You are everything. You are my mate, my Luna, my love. You are my whole universe.” Even with his gruff and low voice slightly muffled, Hermione has no trouble hearing his words. “My soul and my demons belong to you, my moonlight, who alights my whole soul.”
Hermione carefully moves away from Fenrir and sits herself in his lap, so that their eyes can lock. A beautiful smile spreads across her face as she grabs his hand and puts it onto her chest, directly over her heart. “Feel my heart, my wolf. You have moved my whole soul, my whole world. My dear wolf, have no doubt in your mind, heart, and soul that I will always love you. That I am yours just as much as you are mine, our souls will never be separated again.”
----
Luna has her arms crossed as she stares down Harry, it’s been two days since he kidnapped Hermione and she hasn’t gotten any better. Luna, of course, knows exactly why. The problem is that Harry absolutely refuses to see the truth.
“Harry James Potter, just because someone else's life doesn’t fall in line with your beliefs doesn’t make their life less right for them. Her fate has always been to be the alpha’s mate, she was born to be luna. Hermione is her wolf’s sanity, what do you think will happen… if you remove the sanity from the wolf?” Luna is calmly looking at Harry even as she soothes a weakened and distraught Hermione. Though Harry can feel the disapproval and disappointment hanging over his head, like always, he takes Ron’s side.
He pushes past it and shakes his head as if to lodge something loose. “No, Luna, you’re wrong about this. I know that Greyback’s done something to brainwash her. There’s no bloody way that Hermione would ever love a monster like him! No, I’m doing what’s best for Hermione!”
Luna tilts her head as a frown pulls at her lips and a broken whimper leaves Hermione. “Are you doing what’s best for Hermione… or are you doing what’s best for you and Ron?” Harry blanches and by the time he gathers himself to say something, Luna has already turned her back on him and is wrapped around Hermione holding her tightly. Harry opens his mouth to speak, but quickly snaps it close. Without a word he leaves the room and closes the door definitively behind himself. Harry forces himself to ignore the sickening twist in his gut and his Auror instincts screaming at him that something is very, very wrong.
----
“Fen…” Hermione’s eyes are hazy as his massive form comes into her view. He looks angry, he looks annoyed, he looks like a caged animal, he looks… worried. Why does he look worried? How much time has passed? What was the passage of time? Hermione knows that there is something amiss. That she should be worried about something. Yet, she is unable to put her finger on what it is.
Hermione tries to touch his face, but her hand barely lifts off the bed. “Little moonlight, I’m here.” He carefully brushes her sweat soaked hair away from her face and holds one of her hands. “I’m here, my Luna. I’m here. I’ve got you and our pups, I’m here. Rest, rest and when you wake up, the pain will be a distant dream.” Hermione’s eyes flutter futilely, wanting to stay open, but Fenrir’s gentle stroking of her hair slowly leads her to a deep and restful sleep. Their bond humming happily with the reconnection of the two mates.
“Greyback.” Fenrir doesn’t bother to look back at his moonlight’s friend, his fury is barely contained at what his actions have caused. The air is saturated and heavy with their bond and small sparks are in the air. The sparks are the only outward sign of Fenrir’s fury, though it is ignored by all present. All he does is lift her up and move to walk out. A loud snarl escapes him as Harry Potter blocks him, “You’re not taking her anywhere Greyback!” Greyback feels his wolf claw to the forefront as it comes out in his eyes, allowing for his fury to be known.
“The only reason I’m not killing you, pup.” Fenrir practically spits out ‘pup’ as his magic crackles violently. “It's because of Hermione. Your actions, your decision to ignore what was told to you and choosing to believe her to be crazy. Has brought her to death's door. When a woman is pregnant with a werewolf’s pup - especially a mate to a wolf - she needs to have the sire of the pup to keep both herself and the pup healthy. You. Harry Potter. Almost killed your best friend because you forcibly kept her from me. You risked their lives!” Fenrir watches dispassionately as Harry pales in realization and stumbles backwards.
Fenrir sneers at him and shoves past him, the moment his foot lands outside of Grimmauld Place’s protection spells. He’s gone in a loud crack, bringing his pregnant and dying mate with him to the safety of their home.
----
Hermione can’t stop staring in amazement at how her body has started changing to make way for the life that is slowly growing inside of her. Reverently she runs her hands over her bare stomach as she stands in front of the mirror with just her undergarments on. She slightly startles when Fenrir presses his front to her back and cups her softly swelling stomach in his hands.
Hermione lightly hums as a shiver runs through her body while Fenrir nuzzles her neck. “How are you and the pups doing?” Her lips lightly twitch as she stares at him ever since the incident as Hermione has been referring to in her mind. She can’t bring up Harry’s name or even try to talk about it with Fenrir without Fenrir losing his ever-loving mind. He’s also been incredibly overprotective; he barely lets her get dressed without his help. If Hermione’s completely honest with herself, it brings her immense comfort.
“We’re good and perfectly healthy my wolf.” Hermione lets her head rest against Fenrir’s chest. Fenrir breathes deeply and drops a loving kiss to her head. “There is no need to worry anymore, we're all safe. Also, Ginny and Thorfinn are wanting to visit,” A light laugh leaves Hermione, “she gave me a lot of crap when I saw her before the incident.” a slight frown twitches on Fenrir’s lips at the reminder. It swiftly goes away when Hermione’s fingers lightly soothe the frown away.
He kisses her fingers, “They are more than welcome to visit, my Luna. However, that will not change my stance on anything when it comes to you and the pups.” a slight huff of annoyance leaves Hermione because as much as his overprotectiveness brings her comfort… it also agitates her. She does understand why he isn’t budging, since he almost lost his mates and their pups due to Harry James Potter’s actions.
“Of course, my Wolf. I love you and I love the pups.” Hermione turns around in Fenrir’s arms to face him with a soft smile touching her lips. Fenrir pulls her into a deep kiss and slowly pulls away as Hermione’s eyes flutter softly. Focusing on holding onto the feeling of him and their magic, their souls dancing together.
“I love you, my Luna. I love all three of you.” With his hand cradling her stomach, he feels their pups lightly kick in response. He takes in a deep breath as the waning moon lights everything in a cooling glow. The peace that echoes in his soul and his wolf allows for him to fully relax. Knowing that his Luna will always be there and their pups will always have both parents.