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Chapter Text

Hermione waved her wand in a gentle motion, releasing a small spray as she murmured the aguamenti spell. The water lightly showered the Aura Tree she was tending to. She focused on yielding the smallest amount of water she could manage. It was important to be extremely careful with it. Too much would drown the plant, too little would stifle its sentient nature.

Aura Trees were a fascinating study in biocommunication and biophysiology of plant life. Perfect specimens were able to perceive, feel, and emulate the emotions of nearby humans. They displayed mannerisms through movements, often imitating the physical stance of individuals. They turned shades of color to represent the feelings they were absorbing.

Hermione ceased the flow of water from her wand and smiled softly at her tree. It drooped with an almost lazy type of contentment, as though it was satiated and relaxed under her care. The tree was small with soft wide oval shaped leaves. Her tree was currently a pleasing shade of peach. Leafing through her Herbology book she noted that the color peach exuded the emotion charming. She supposed she thought the plant was charming and was therefore projecting the feeling.

Across the workbench, Neville sat with a slightly taller and fuller tree. The leaves were turned upward and dipped in a startling bright red. Neville was beaming at it, running a hand softly on one of the branches. Hermione glanced at the color chart page. Red, Pride.

"That's wonderful Neville," she praised.

He looked up at her with a disarmingly bright smile. "It's a brilliant species isn't it?" He responded. "Difficult to care for, but rewarding when properly done. I'm very proud of how mine turned out, as you can see." He laughed as he gestured to the plant.

A little burst of longing punched in her chest at the handsome expression of wonder and excitement behind his smile. She felt a light blush tinging her cheeks. Recently her friends were throwing her heart off in moments of surprise. At the most unexpected times she would notice something handsome or beautiful about her classmates, evidence that they were now into their wizarding adulthood.

This was to be expected as most of them were attending Hogwarts for an extra "eighth" year. There was still tension and loss in a lot of them, but it was also a sense of relief to spend a final year with no threats looming over them. There were students from every house in the eighth year group. Many were notably absent, but a great number had returned. Nearly all of them were now adults and with adulthood came a new sense to their magic and interactions.

Neville's presence this year was very soothing to her. It was good to have a trustworthy friend around. She was enjoying the partnership they had in Herbology and DADA. Harry and Ron had resolutely decided not to return to school and were instead attending Auror Training. Hermione admired Neville's plant and felt a sense of happiness at his success. He had always loved Herbology and really had a true aptitude for it.

Wonder and pride looked so wonderfully breathtaking on Neville's face. Hermione swallowed around a lump in her throat. He had become such an attractive young man, but it only added to the warm humble personality he possessed.

Neville glanced down at her tree, likely ready to praise her work. His cheeks bloomed scarlet instead as he raised his eyes back to hers slowly. She furrowed her brow and looked down. Her Aura Tree was now tinged with a shimmering light red, the branches leaning toward Neville as though turning toward the sun's warmth. She sucked in a breath, desire. She felt a bit of mortification in her heart and the tree suddenly shuddered backward as though hiding under its now green downturned leaves, embarrassment.

Neville cleared his throat before he spoke, "It seems that your tree is responding very well to your care. They're very intriguing in their rapid response aren't they?"

Hermione nodded and bravely looked back up. She found him smiling once more. The expression was soft, his dark hazel eyes warm and confident, despite the shade of his scarlet cheeks. Neville had grown impossibly taller, even though he'd already had several growth spurts over the last few years. His once chubby cheeks were thin over his aristocratic bone structure; his shoulders broad and sure. They no longer seemed to droop with hesitation as they did when he was young.

"It is rather amazing," she said quietly. "I was a bit afraid that I would over water it. My hands aren't as calm as they used to be. A bit shaky since…" since the war, she meant. The unsaid words were certainly understood by him. All things were different since the war.

"No, you did it perfectly," he responded just as quietly. "You were steady, I was watching."

"Perhaps you could show me how you tended for yours?" She asked him nervously.

His smile broadened. "Only if you show me how you mastered that hex in DADA yesterday."

Hermione tucked a curl behind her right ear and smirked at the table-top before she leaned a bit closer to him. "I mean…we could work on it together tonight. If you wanted?"

He tapped his fingers on the wood. "I don't know. Can I trust you to not hex me?" He raised his eyebrows.

"You can always trust me Neville," She exhaled. His expression turned dark in a way that made her toes curl.

Professor Sprout suddenly appeared over Hermione's shoulder, bursting the bubble of emotion around them. Hermione shivered slightly. Both of the trees jolted upright with a jostle of surprise, startled by the intruder.

"Granger, Longbottom, wonderful – wonderful. You've both done a splendid job!" Professor Sprout exclaimed. Neville's plant sprung back into its pride colored leaves.

"Ten points to Gryffindor for an excellent representation of the species," she declared.

"Alright, let's all pack up. You may take your plants back to your houses to care for them over the weekend. Perhaps some of you may manage to reinvigorate them. I'll expect you to all bring them back on Monday for grading." The clang of students packing up their garden supplies quickly filled the greenhouse.

As she quickly cleaned her tools, Hermione glanced around and noticed that a few of the other trees were in various degrees of dishevelment, with leafless branches, multi-colored leaves, or drooping trunks. It seemed that most people had struggled to get the water and light just right. Luna and Ginny were two work-stations away. Luna's plant seemed well enough, shimmering with a vibrant blue. Ginny's was wilted, but holding a solid blue of its own. She caught Hermione's eye and smiled with a relieved expression. Clearly she had been worried that she'd kill the poor thing.

"See you at lunch Neville," Hermione said softly. He smiled at her once more, no longer red in the face. "Yeah, see you then 'Mione." He hung back to seemingly talk with Professor Sprout about something.

Hermione draped her bag over her shoulder and hoisted the small blue pot up into her arms. She fell into step with Ginny and Luna on the path from the greenhouses, navigating the moving mass of seventh and eighth year students as they meandered around the side of the castle to the front entrance.

"Neville's Aura Tree seemed rather infatuated with you and yours with him," Luna said matter-of-factly. Her tree was thin, but the trunk seemed strong. It bobbed slightly as she walked.

Ginny gaped, turning to Hermione with a firm smirk. "Really Luna? Do tell," she implored. Her voluptuous plant in contrast swayed dramatically back and forth as her owner carelessly waved the pot about.

"Hermione's tree was a lovely shade of desire. Neville was pleased with that, before Professor Sprout interrupted their plant's affections, his had just turned a very determined shade of scarlet." Luna shook a few curls from her face. The wind gently blew against them, whispering against all of their faces.

Ginny snickered and elbowed Hermione as best she could with her full arms. Hermione groaned, staring off into the shade of the Forbidden Forest. It was just beginning to swirl into the Autumn season. She glared ahead, not at all pleased with her emotions being discussed aloud.

"What does scarlet mean, Luna?" Ginny asked innocently, though her Cheshire grin was nothing but. Her flaming hair whipped about as she gleefully turned back toward Hermione. The older girl tried to portray a look of annoyance at her friend, but it failed miserably as she blushed. Luna appeared unaffected by the non-verbal war that was waging between her companions.

"Sensuality, of course," Luna answered dreamily. "Neville is a very sensual man." She walked on as though that wasn't an odd thing to say. She was watching a pair of cranes circle the sky near the shore of the lake.

"How would you know that?" Ginny asked excitedly, walking a little bit quicker to look between Hermione and Luna more easily. Hermione did wonder about the same thing, but she wasn't going to admit it aloud.

"We kissed, at the battle." Luna sighed happily. "And many times after." She seemed rather fond of the memories

"Ooooh!" Ginny goaded lowly, "Luuuunaaa."

"Yes, Ginevra?" Luna asked innocently.

Hermione thought she may have seen a glimpse of amusement in Luna's eyes, but it could have been a trick of the mid-day sunlight. She found her heart bursting with an almost girlish excitement, but couldn't quite place why, perhaps because she had never really been privy to girly gossip before – before the war. Now though, it seemed like an almost welcomed normalcy, being a young woman.

"Luna Lovegood, you can't just leave it at that. You need to at least provide a little more information. It is part of the girls' kiss and tell policy," Ginny burst out in fake exasperation. She smiled broadly as they began to climb the front steps into the castle.

The wide wooden doors were open and inviting, freshly polished. The entire castle had been rebuilt in the year after the war, reopened to the students 16 months after the battle that had decimated its ancient structure. They had been attending classes for nearly 3 weeks. The first week had been difficult, emotional, and sentimental. Things were feeling a bit more normal now. Ginny was determined to be strong and vibrant. Luna maintained the same flowy presence she always had, with perhaps a tinge more knowing in her soft gazes. Hermione found that she was at least mostly back to being herself, but there were parts of her that were missing in a way. Parts that would never fully be back and parts that were also new. Hermione was drawn back to the present by Luna's willowy voice.

"Is that really a policy?" She asked looking at her friends with what could possibly be a smirk hidden under her gentle expression. Her blue-grey eyes were doe-like in their innocence.

The more she knew Luna, the more she suspected that her wide eyes captured more than expected. She seemed to absorb the world around her in an all-knowing way, despite the flighty things she said.

Ginny laughed, "It is now." Hermione rolled her eyes. Luna stared up at the ceiling, seemingly in thought. She tilted her head to one side and then hummed as she nodded to herself.

"Well then…His kisses were gentle in an arousing way, almost as though he was expressing all his desire through them. His lips were soft and inviting, but firm and confident. His smell - woodsy, homey. I rather felt like I was standing in a very welcoming fire every time we touched."

Ginny whistled lowly and murmured, "That's hot."

Hermione blushed, glancing around before she spoke, "That sounds really lovely Luna. What happened after that? You both seem so casual together now."

"We went on a few walks last year and a dinner at my house once. We spent a lot of time talking about the war. He took me to the manor to have dinner with his Grandmother a few times. We kissed often, of course. In the end we decided we are better off friends," Luna shrugged, "Much like Ronald and Hermione, except we were lovers for a time."

They were riding on a moving staircase, making their way up to the hallway where they would split off to go to their own towers. Everyone knew that Ron and Hermione's brief spat of dating hadn't really amounted to much. They loved each other deeply and truly, but realized that they were better off friends as well. The spark was a short and vibrant one, but fizzled under the tension of loss in their lives. He'd lost a brother and she'd lost her parents, unable to bring them back to their old memories.

"Lovers?" Hermione whispered, leaning toward the blonde. Luna grinned, an expression that neither of the other girls had ever witnessed. They both leaned back in surprise, eyebrows arching upward.

"Yes, very much so. He's very gentle and caring. I think I was a bit too explorative sometimes though. He can be shy you know. He wanted to wait to give himself fully to someone he would love for a much longer time." Luna continued to smile as she leaned against the banister. The expression made her face bloom in a way that caused that feeing in Hermione again. Her friend was beautiful as she smiled. It was so lovely. Luna's tree leaned softy against her shoulder in a dreamy way, the leaves drooping in a satisfied pink.

"I had no idea you too were getting so heavy. I mean I knew you were both pretty randy for each other last year, but still!" Ginny laughed, unashamed by her boldness.

"He's a good kisser then? 'Mione, you should take a go at it, you need to release some excess tension," Ginny provoked as the stair halted at its destination. "Go climb that man like a tree, he's interested."

Hermione gasped, "Ginny!" Hermione's Aura Tree flared up in protest, shaking its leaves in agitation.

A busty 13th century witch leaned forward in a portrait hanging to the left of the staircase. She fanned herself with a kerchief, "Listen to your friend dearie, I saw that young wizard kiss a Hufflepuff the year he led Dumbledore's Army. I still haven't recovered. It was heavenly to watch, pushed her right up against this railing and devoured her. A dashing wizard, dashing indeed."

Ginny raised her plant in salute to the witch, "Hear, hear." The girls began to move forward. Hermione was looking toward the ceiling once more, embarrassment seeping through her every pore. Another nearby portrait was whispering something. She barely caught the words "Longbottom…..sword….snake".

"You would enjoy yourself Hermione," Luna sighed as she floated down the hall in thought.

"Not you too!" Hermione groaned, staring at her Ravenclaw friend in exasperation. "Don't encourage her Luna," she demanded, tilting her head toward Ginny. She could feel the heat of a blush burning across her neck and chest again.

"It's the truth," Luna said simply. "See you both later." She smiled and off she went toward Ravenclaw Tower.

Hermione and Ginny nodded since they couldn't wave. They turned and moved on in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. The portraits were mostly back to their old positions, but some were missing entirely. There were a few new ones dotting corridors throughout the castle. Hermione looked at one depicting the black lake in winter. The snowy weather relaxed her beating heart. It hung along the middle of the corridor in a dark cherry frame. She couldn't remember what had hung there previously.

They walked silently for a while, content in each other's company. Ginny stopped just short of the portrait hole and turned to Hermione with a sincere expression, her sky blue eyes soft and loving. "I care about you, you know. I was joking mostly, but don't forget what we talked about this summer."

She hugged the plant tighter to herself as she nodded at Hermione firmly. "We're here to finish up our education, but we're also here to be normal teenage witches for a while. Neville's great, we both know that. It doesn't hurt to flirt with a good friend once in a while," Ginny said warmly.

"Besides that he's effing sizzling these days," she added in a stage-whisper.

Hermione allowed a smile to grace her features. "I know, I know. Normal witches for a while."

She hefted her own tree up higher to readjust her grip. She bit her lip and then looked at her friend's warm expression with a look of certainty as she acquiesced, "And yes…he's pretty damn gorgeous these days. You're right about that too. Just, ease up on the boy craziness. This is all knew for me…this normal witch stuff."

Ginny grinned. "Alright, I'll leave you be. At least you admitted it though, that man has grown into his looks. I know I'd want to ride him like a broom if I wasn't so into Harry."

Hermione sighed. "I don't want to think about you riding anyone like a broom, let alone Harry."

Ginny rolled her eyes, then grinned once more, "Holy Herra though, could you imagine fucking Neville in the greenhouses? Bent over one of those work benches, he's tall enough for it anyway."

"Ginny!" Hermione grit out, "You're spending too much time with your crass brothers!" She turned looking back to make sure no one was in the corridor behind them. To her mortification Seamus and Dean were just entering the other end of the hall.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. Come on lovely, let's get these to their new home and then we can go work on Transfiguration like we said we would this morning."

At lunch, Hermione sat next to Dean and Seamus as she waited for Ginny to arrive from her History of Magic lesson. She slowly ate a garden salad, lost in thought while the boys debated about their favorite Weasley Wizard Wheezes product. They were trying to determine which one was best of all.

"I'm telling you mate, Miraculous Mystic Mayhem Makers are where it's at," Seamus said assuredly.

"No, you've got it wrong. The Dung Bomb. It's a solid bit of work and it's an oldie, but a goody," Dean argued. Dean leaned toward her, brushing his forearm against hers to shake her back into the conversation.

"Hermione, we need your opinion on this. We need to put this to bed and let it rest," He demanded.

She sighed and shook her head. "You're both wrong," she stated.

"U-No-Poo is the absolute best. It's devilishly secretive, bound to harm any unsuspecting person. It's positively evil, as far as jokes go."

Seamus and Dean shared a flabbergasted look. "You're cruel Hermione Granger," Dean laughed his words out harshly.

Seamus nodded in agreement, "Not going to eat around you anymore Hermione, you're going to poison me."

Ginny unceremoniously dropped her bag onto the bench beside Seamus. "Hello all," she greeted brightly. Hermione smiled, Dean nodded, and Seamus turned to her with a grin. "Just the girl we need to settle this debate," he affirmed, rubbing his hands together excitedly.

"What kind of debate," Ginny asked as she piled her plate with mini-sandwiches and fruit slices. She began to dig in quickly as the lunch hour was nearly over. Seamus and Dean rushed into speaking all at once and had to sheepishly stop talking over each other. Hermione filled in for them.

"A heated discussion about the best Weasley Product," she told her, packing up her bag and taking a last sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Oh, that's a tough one," Ginny agreed and took another huge mouthful, sometimes she was more like Ron than she knew. She chewed in thought for a moment. Dean listed their choices so far.

She blanched at Hermione's suggestion, "Cruel indeed 'Mione." Hermione shrugged with a smirk in return. The Great Hall was beginning to empty around them. Hermione hadn't seen Neville yet. She wondered briefly if he was avoiding her. The idea seemed a bit preposterous though. Her stomach seemed to jump at the thought, squirming nervously.

"I'd have to say I'm partial to Pygmy Puffs, but I think I'm biased since I own one," Ginny proposed. She bit her lip, "Hmm. I'd say the Dung Bomb. Dean's right, it's an oldie but a goody. Tried and true."

Dean pumped his fist and Seamus shoved him good naturedly. "Don't gloat you tosser!" He growled in a fake response.

They all rose to exit the hall together and travel out to Hagrid's hut for their last lesson of the day. Care of Magical Creatures had been a welcome familiarity upon their return to Hogwarts. Hagrid remained as chipper as ever and his continued love of creatures and beasts was all the more endearing.

As they reached the heavy wooden doors they were passed by Draco Malfoy. His face was turned down as he slid into the Great Hall and made a quick bee-line for the Slytherin table. Hermione watched him stuff an orange into his black leather satchel and swiftly fold a sandwich triangle into a napkin to take with him. He fell out of sight as she walked through the doorway.

She sighed. If truth be told, Hermione was a bit worried about Malfoy. He was still thin and pale like he had been at his trial 10 months ago. He'd been on house arrest up until his appearance before the Wizengamot. Harry, Hermione, and surprisingly Ron had spoken on his behalf – all attesting to the events that they witnessed during their 6th year and the war. He'd been put on probation with the stipulation that he attend his final year of Hogwarts and take Muggle Studies as a course. He hadn't spoken much in their courses so far and he seemed to only talk to a few friends outside of the classroom.

She'd had a lot of opportunity to ponder him, something that seemed absolutely out of the ordinary for Hermione Granger, but she assured herself that it was all due to her Prefect duties. He'd been partnered with her for rounds. They were required to roam the castle on Thursday nights. So far it had been a rather silent job. They solemnly greeted each other with a nod or a murmured welcome: "Granger", "Malfoy". Once in a while they spoke to determine which way they would go during the patrols.

His voice, low and deep, seemed so different from the pitchy snide tones she was used to previously hearing. He'd grown taller and broader like Neville and many of the other boys. Most of them looked more like men than boys seemed to be this year. His gaunt features were sharp though, his eyes a more muted silvery grey. He rarely looked her fully in the face. She shook her head and carried on walking with her friends.

They arrived at Hagrid's hut with several minutes to spare, piling their bags along the fence. Hermione peered into the paddock, but didn't see any animals within. Hagrid was petting Fang's head as he slobbered all over his owner's giant black boots. Hermione smiled rather fondly at the scene. She'd always had a soft spot for the burly mutt.

"Wonder what Hagrid's got fer us today, I don't see anythin'," Seamus said aloud. Hermione was thinking the same thing as she watched the swaying trees surrounding the enclosure. Whatever it was must be hiding just beyond the largest of them.

The last of the students meandered into the area as Hagrid walked toward the group with a broad smile. Neville stumbled over to the Gryffindor's tripping over a tree root and quickly catching himself with a hand on the fence. He smiled sheepishly at them.

"Alright all?" he enquired. They murmured various levels of assent.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, referencing his slight misstep with a nod toward the offending root.

He nodded, "Yeah, thanks 'Mione."

His hand lightly brushed against her arm as he tossed his bag down beside her left trainer. She wondered if it was a purposeful or accidental motion. A fuzzy heat shot up her arm at the light touch. They both turned toward the paddock to watch Hagrid open the gate and wander in. In her peripheral vision she saw Malfoy quietly slip into the back of the group, his silvery hair gleaming in the late afternoon sun.

"Aft'noon," Hagrid bellowed as he addressed the assembled group. They all followed his greeting with a mirrored response of, "Good afternoon."

"Today we're talkin' 'bout a very special beast. I'll be usherin' 'er out shortly. Firs' we need ter talk 'bout safety. This can be a dange'rous beast if not dealt with properly. They need respect and care. Do not approach the beast, let it come ter you. Do not touch it unless it appeals ya to. Today we're workin' with a Unicorn. They're difficult ter catch and rightly so, 'cause they have powerful magic. Now, I understand that many o' you saw Unicorns during yer 4th year. They prefer a woman's touch as you might remember. Today though, we are goin' to attempt to interact with a young Unicorn. Babies are a boo'iful golden color that is mesmerizing to most. Young Unicorns seek out pure hearts and can often only be touched by virgins. We'll be formin' a circle round er to feel the magic that emanates from the Unicorn's presence. Let's get ter know er."

Hagrid clicked his tongue as though beckoning a horse. The light sound of hooves galloping rose from the far end of the area. Behind the curve of the trees a beautiful sight appeared. The golden foal shimmered as it moved in the sunlight, staring hesitantly at Hagrid and then scanning its ocean hued eyes across the students. Nearly everyone had pressed up against the fence eagerly. Hermione's breath caught. She could feel the pull of warm magic vibrating through the area. She'd read that Unicorn young had less control of their power and often projected it on animals and humans nearby.

"Right, ya don't have ter be honest if ya don't want ter be. But, those of ya who be virgins can come 'round the gate and form a circle 'round this pretty girl. If not, stay where ya are. She'll be skittish 'round anyone who's not and we're lookin' to see if she'll approach someone pure o' heart. We're lookin' fer strong magic to come forth from er," Hagrid said, swinging an arm around the gate to open it slightly.

Hermione glanced nervously around. Ginny gave her a sheepish look and Hermione widened her eyes at her friend. Clearly Ginny had spent more time with Harry in quiet quarters than she'd thought. Dean and Seamus both seemed a bit nervous too, looking at the girls with hesitation. They stayed firmly in place. Luna smiled lightly at Hermione with a soft nod toward the fence, apparently feeling the need to encourage her. For a moment Hermione wondered if she should stay where she was, she felt a bit foolish to be honest. She grasped her Gryffindor bravery though and moved toward the gate, the first one to venture into the paddock. Hermione turned to look over the tall wooden posts, aghast that no one was following her. Hagrid coughed awkwardly.

"Don't be shy now, we aren't judging you lot. But, like I said ya don't have ta if you don't want to. 'Mione come on over, why don't you start over here." Hagrid pointed toward a spot about 10 paces to the left of him, closer to the beautiful beast.

She took a deep breath and cautiously approached the foal. It watched her with sharp eyes. As she took her position she observed a slow stream of students entering through the open gate. She tried not to gape at a few of them, namely all of the Slytherins. Every single one had entered the fenced in paddock, with the exception of Blaise Zabini. He stood near the gate, twiddling with his wand as he watched his friends with a focus. None of them seemed surprised that he had stayed behind.

Hermione's eyes fell on Draco Malfoy, standing with his back steady and shoulders back. He was directly across from her. He was composed, but his eyes seemed hesitant. It occurred to Hermione that she had read a number of years ago about the customs of pure-blood wizards and witches. It had been expected that they wait until marriage to engage in serious carnal relations. It was to prevent the births of bastard children, which would affect future marriage prospects. She had no idea the notion was still so prevalent among her peers.

Hagrid silently pointed to various spots around the Unicorn. The students formed a slow ring. Hermione's eyes scanned the circle and landed on Neville just a few people away. He was standing just as tall as Draco, looking out among the students in front of him with a sort of boldness. Hermione suddenly realized that virginity and purity were held with utmost respect, that one who waited until marriage was highly regarded. The archaic social construct was almost laughable to her.

All of the purebloods were looking on with proud faces. Hermione felt a bit strange standing in such a peculiar group of traditionalists. She had never truly meant to wait; she just hadn't felt the need or taken the opportunity to engage in a relationship of that nature. She had certainly considered it with Victor and Ron, but it just didn't seem pertinent at the time. It wasn't something she viewed as highly valuable and honorable. It was just a normal thing to engage or not engage in sex.

Neville met her eyes with a very slight blush tinging his cheeks. She felt her hands quivering slightly. This felt a bit too revealing to know which of her classmates were still pure in body. This activity was not solely about that though; they were here to find someone pure of heart. It was said that a person pure of heart might ride a Unicorn and receive a magical blessing. Hannah Abbott was the last to join the ring. She hesitantly smiled at Hermione. "A bit scary, yeah?" She mumbled. Hermione nodded in agreement.

Once Hannah had come to a full stop Hagrid clapped his hands, "Right, come on lil' one, show us your magic."

Everyone stood unobtrusively still as the foal regarded all of them. It looked out at the students beyond the fence, and then refocused on the group surrounding it. Its deep blue eyes landing on each person. It huffed as it slowly began to move around the ring of students, smelling each of them in turn. Its hot breath breezed over Hermione, ruffling her curls and heating her face. She was amazed at the feeling of peace she felt as it breathed on her. It felt as if the beast's eyes were looking into her very soul. A deep sense of calm crept through her body.

It moved onward measuring each person in time. The coat of gold seemed to radiate a visible magic. It was almost like watching static or a perceptible vibration. Hermione glanced at the students who had remained on the other side of the fence. They were all looking on with matching expressions of awe. After the foal had finished its inspection it neighed quietly. The sound was throaty, but held a jingle as though it had an undercurrent of wooden chimes.

It slowly walked forward and nuzzled against Neville's cheek and neck. He looked shocked. "Neville, go ahead and touch er. She's givin' you a blessing," Hagrid implored.

Neville shakily raised his right hand to run his fingers softly along the mane and neck of the Unicorn. It huffed happily and nuzzled him once more. "Hello there girl," Neville murmured quietly. It suddenly knelt down in front of Neville and he stood back, surprised. "What…" he trailed off.

"Simply amazin', go on Neville. She'd like fer ya ter take a ride. Yer a very lucky fellow. Few can say they've done it. An honor, a true honor," Hagrid smiled broadly, pride gushing through his voice.

Neville gently bent a leg over the beast and when he was sat securely behind the shoulders, it rose to walk him round the outside of the circle. The golden hue caused Neville's skin and hair to appear bronzed. His hazel eyes were effervescent in the glow. Neville looked simply amazing. Hermione's heart swelled at the beauty of his presence. Her heart and stomach seemed suddenly knotted in the haze of her magical peace. She wondered briefly whether everyone was so enraptured with him.

The foal trotted as it made two rounds about the ring of students. Then it neighed softly as it came to a stop, moving toward them once more. Hermione gasped as it nuzzled over her shoulder, pressing to her cheek. All of the pureblood students sucked in a collective breath, the sound of which startled Hermione. Her heart began to race more rapidly, despite the calming effect of the Unicorn's magic. Unicorns represented 'One' in Arithmancy. She puzzled over what that could mean. Why would it want her to join Neville on its back?

She glanced out at Ginny and Luna, looking for reassurance. Ginny's eyebrows were so high they had disappeared into her fringe. She was gaping at Hermione, eyes shifting up to Neville in a look of complete surprise. Luna was the only one who didn't seem at all stunned. She was smiling, rather widely. Luna tilted her head toward the foal, another silent assurance for Hermione to follow through with her Gryffindor bravery. She tucked her wand into her inner robe pocket.

Hermione turned toward Hagrid, uncertain about what she should do next. He smiled in a strange way, pleased yet somehow nervous. "Bloody amazing that. 'Mione, go on, turn round. It wants ya ter ride with Neville," Hagrid said with amazement.

Slowly she pivoted on her right leg until she was eye to eye with the beast. It seemed to nod at her with reassurance as it knelt down once more. Neville was gazing down at her with a fierce look that filled her gut with a peculiar longing. He stretched out his hand to help hoist her up behind him. She swung her leg over the golden back, her arms automatically coming up to wrap around Neville's waist. She could feel the firm form of him beneath his robes. She shook slightly against him. Neville's right hand squeezed her knee in reassurance. He seemed solid and sure of himself.

A warmth radiated up at them from the foal. Even though it was young, it was rather tall and strong. A shimmering magic buzzed around them, filling her ears with a light ringing sound. Neville lent forward to hold tight to the neck and mane. Then suddenly the Unicorn pranced forward quickly, running round the enclosure. Hermione shrieked in surprise, squeezing Neville tighter with her arms. She was amazed to feel the heat that was radiating off him as well. Magic, she realized. She was feeling his magic mixing with her own. Her hands splayed across his chest, soaking up the untainted joy of their magic flowing together. She could feel his heart beating just as wildly as hers.

"This is amazing!" Neville laughed, tilting his head back toward her.

"I feel so wonderful," she exclaimed, "It's like pure light and goodness is bursting around us."

"I think I feel your magic," he said more smoothly. She gripped him tighter in answer.

The wind whipped their hair and robes and Hermione began to laugh with delight at the merry feeling that overcame her. Neville laughed as well, a deep booming sound. His left hand rose up to grasp hers over his heart. He clutched her fingers firmly. Her belly burned, intensely exultant at the feel of his energy against her. The Unicorn slowed down until it had approached their side of the ring. Then it stopped and allowed them to slip off. Neville squeezed her fingers once more before letting them go. Immediately she noticed that she could no longer feel the energy that had surged between them, although she seemed to still be affected by the Unicorn. Hermione was shaking slightly, but her cheeks were aching with the largest smile she'd ever had.

"Brilliant," Hermione breathed as she beamed at Hannah beside her.

Hannah spoke with astonishment, "I can't believe what I saw. You rode the Unicorn with Neville. That's…" Hannah's voice faded as Hagrid's booming words startled her.

"We're lucky ter see this. Bloody lucky, we are." Hagrid grinned around.

Everyone seemed to be smiling; especially large smiles graced the faces of those within the enclosure. Perhaps they were all feeling the exhilarating feeling that Hermione felt in the presence of the beast. The Unicorn huffed once more before it turned away from her and trotted across the circle to Draco Malfoy. The smile fell from his face as he stared wide-eyed with surprise at the beast before him. It leaned forward and nuzzled against his chest. Hermione's heart was still beating rapidly, her chest rising up and down. Draco continued to stare at the beast with an air of awe and surprise, a look that settled a pleasure in Hermione's chest. He looked handsome with the expression so clear and innocent on his features. The Unicorn knelt once more and there was a slight gasp heard from a few of the students.

"Draco, up ya go. A blessing for you as well," Hagrid clapped him on the back happily. Hermione had never heard Hagrid refer to Malfoy as Draco. Malfoy seemed hesitant to move.

Daphne Greengrass was standing just a few paces away from him. "Draco, please. Take the blessing. It's good. It's the purest magic," she seemed to beg, somehow knowing he might refuse.

The golden beast looked up at Draco expectantly. He appeared to be shaking as he mounted it and murmured a soft greeting to it. As he swung his long leg over the back his skin became startling pale silver, the opposite tone to the bronze that had blazed from Neville's skin. For a moment, Hermione wondered how she had looked. The Unicorn moved in a graceful trot twice around the circle. This time Hermione followed the entire path with her eyes, watching the beauty of calm melt across Draco Malfoy. He looked radiant and full, a more attractive visage than his gaunt features held only an hour ago.

After the second loop the Unicorn entered the middle of the circle and walked determinedly back to Hermione. She gasped, automatically raising both hands to cradle the head as it pushed against her face. The same radiating peace and wonder pushed through her heart. Draco was breathing heavily and looking down at her with an expression akin to admiration. Everyone was now murmuring amongst themselves excitedly, some with expressions of confusion and concern, others with amazement. Hermione again glanced toward Ginny and Luna. Ginny looked concerned and awe stricken at the same time, while Luna seemed pensive.

"Granger, no one's ever ridden a Unicorn twice," Malfoy whispered almost shyly. He held his hand out to her as the beast bowed. His long fingers were shaking. His eyes were intense and exquisite in the glowing magic, irises reflecting almost white.

"Take my hand," he whispered more firmly. Malfoy was scared, she could see it. Yet, he was also sure of something.

Hermione was shocked at the range of emotions she was seeing from everyone and beyond that, the range of emotions she was feeing herself. The Aura Trees had been revealing in and of themselves. This magic however, seemed to engulf all of them. Hesitantly she grasped his fingers, shivering as he gripped her hand and pulled her up in front of him. His chest was firm against her back. She shook against him, wondering what this all meant. 'One' – the number represented by the beast; she had ridden as one with Neville Longbottom and then again with Draco Malfoy. It made no sense to her, the request of this magic.

Hermione could feel Malfoy's body quivering in resistance to hers. They knocked against each other nervously, their motions out of step. She gripped the mane in front of her, knowing that the Unicorn would again race through the enclosure. Malfoy expected it too. He slowly wrapped Hermione with his arms, weaving his fingers into the foal's mane just below hers. She felt the barest of brushes from his skin.

This time the Unicorn ran at a faster gallop, weaving through the ring of students as it moved outward around the fenced area. Malfoy released a breath against her ear. Hermione burst into a laugh once more just before she heard him exhale an energetic laugh of his own. She briefly caught sight of her friend's gasping faces. Luna had jumped up onto the bottom rung of the fence, her hair flying widely in the wind as she screamed with delight. Ginny looked almost as if she might vomit.

The magic beat against them in time with the galloping of the foal's feet. Hermione felt it bursting from Malfoy as well. She found herself leaning back into his chest to seek the happiness she felt there. Malfoy gasped at the eruption of her energy as it thrust against him. Hermione felt him shaking once more and her heart urged her to calm him. She pulled her fingers backward on the foal's mane until her palms settled over the backs of Malfoy's hands. She gripped onto him and basked in the pulsing of her magic blending with his and with that of the Unicorn. It was different than Neville's vigorous warm magic. Malfoy's magic felt serene beneath its timid energy. It surprised her and opposed every thought she'd ever had about him. Hermione wanted to know what her magic felt like.

The Unicorn galloped even faster, jostling them together. Hermione pressed her legs firmly against the rolling back, trying to keep herself from sliding further backward. Malfoy leaned into her, squeezing his arms inward as if to shelter her from falling sideways. She could feel her heart racing with his.

"Don't let go," he gasped. His left cheek pressed against her right, as his chin rested over her shoulder. She felt the merging of their magic sizzling across her face. Something was wrong. He was afraid, like the Unicorn.

"Draco," she exhaled a note of fear in her own voice.

Hermione was beginning to feel the terror rising and didn't even pause as she said his given name. Her bubble of happy energy ruptured. Something was spooking the Unicorn and it would injure them in the process if it didn't calm down. She could vaguely hear the students running and yelling, Hagrid shouting for them to "Get out. Get help!"

"It's alright Hermione. Just don't let go," Draco beseeched her in as calm a voice as he could manage. She could sense the tension in him though and she was now truly frightened.

Suddenly, the young Unicorn reared back, lifting its front hooves high as it let out an alarmed shriek. Hermione screamed and gripped the neck tightly between the withers and the crest, subconsciously bringing Draco's hands with her. Hermione and Draco molded flat along the Unicorn's mane and back, gripping the belly with their legs as their bodies attempted to tumble from the flanks, over the point of hip and past the croup.

"Woah, girl!" Hagrid was yelling. The sound seemed to rally the beast's fear, rather than calm it.

Draco's shoulders were squeezing her so tightly that tears sprung to her eyes. Hermione could feel his legs slipping off the Unicorn's hips, gravity ready to pull him over her tail. "Draco!" She yelled as he began to slide away from her. Her mind surged with energy and she suddenly felt compelled to whisper to the Unicorn.

Hermione pressed her face into the silky mane and began to whisper sweetly to the beast, "Sweet girl. Beautiful girl. Calm. Be calm. We're here. We won't let anything harm you. We'll protect you. Sweet, wild thing. Gentle, calm." She felt the shoulders shudder as the forelegs slammed back into the ground.

Tears were leaking from Hermione's eyes, but she continued to murmur softly to the foal, "Thank you for your blessing. We'll protect you. Always. Calm sweet girl. Calm." Her voice shook as she spoke. Draco was breathing heavily above her, his weight full on her back as he pressed over her. They continued to lay flat, arms gripped tightly together around the withers.

"Shhh," he whispered shakily when Hermione could no longer speak. He continued hushing the beast as it began to slow its pace. "It's alright. We're safe. You'll be safe with us. Shhhh." Hermione shook beneath him, crying heavily as she felt the Unicorn's fear begin to abate. The foal neighed nervously. Draco sat up, pulling Hermione slowly back into a sitting position. He wrapped one arm around her, pressing the hand against her middle. The other hand he kept tangled tightly in the mane.

"Shhh, Granger. We're alright. I've got you," he soothed. Hermione lent her head back on his shoulder as she raised her hand to grip his in the mane, the other rose backward to grasp his neck, pulling his head onto her shoulder as well.

"Don't let go of me, please." She wept openly.

He nodded against her. "I won't if you won't," he replied his voice still quivering lightly. He cleared his throat as the Unicorn came to a hesitant stop.

Hermione opened her blurry eyes and saw Hagrid ahead of them, palms outstretched as he cooed at the beast. She inhaled shakily as the beast lowered into a kneeling position. Instantly, Draco pulled her off and pressed her behind him. They began to back away slowly, clinging to each other. He continued to hush the foal and gently speak to her as they retreated. Hermione felt arms envelope her from behind and quickly pull her through the gate.

Hands pressed against her tear-stained face. "Miss Granger," Professor Sprout spoke her name earnestly, her face filled with concern. She felt Draco's hand leave her waist and turned to him with a dazed expression.

Madam Pomfrey had her own hands pressed against Draco's face just as Professor Sprout was doing to her. "Mister Malfoy," she soothed. Draco's head turned away from her and his shining eyes met Hermione's.

"You alright?" He asked. His voice was gravelly as though clogged. He swallowed thickly.

Hermione nodded unsteadily. "I – I think so."

His eyes scanned her quickly, presumably looking for injury. Hermione noticed that the right leg of his trouser was torn from knee to ankle, blood weeping from the gash beneath. She gasped, taken aback. Madame Pomfrey waved her wand performing several incantations and spells, binding the bloody flesh back together.

"How did – "she began. "Blast-ended skrewt escaped from its pen," Hagrid boomed beside them.

"It was probably attracted to the magical energy," Professor Sprout explained.

"Sorry it scratched you sum'in terrible Malfoy," Hagrid said sincerely. "It scared the right mind out o' that poor young'in. She could 'av killed ya both." He looked properly ashamed.

"It was an accident, Hagrid," Hermione murmured. Draco nodded shakily, surprising Hagrid with his lack of fuss. A far cry from his old mantra of, my father will hear about this.

"It was all rather beautiful before that," he added. His eyes met Hermione's and she nodded in agreement, still shaking with residual fear and magic.

Chapter Text

After Madame Pomfrey had properly determined that Hermione was perfectly unharmed, at least physically, she sent her back to Gryffindor Tower with the direction to rest.  Hermione quite agreed with her recommendation. She felt exhausted and just wanted to crawl into her four-poster and draw the curtains closed. She couldn’t recall ever having felt so entirely worn out.

“My word, what’s happened to you?”  The fat lady gasped as Hermione came to a halt in front of the Gryffindor Tower entrance.

“It’s a long story,” Hermione said quietly. The fat lady harrumphed, obviously looking for some sort of information. She was holding a goblet and the vivid color of the wine splashed out as she teetered.

Hermione sighed as she gave the password, “Bellum vicimus.”

The portrait swung inward without another word. Hermione felt her shoulders fall in reprieve. She came into the circular room and felt bathed in the inviting warmth of the fire, the mountains in the distance, the tapestries and paintings – the relief of home. She slowly walked across the common room, making her way toward the girls’ dormitory staircase.

“Hermione, you’re back!” Ginny exclaimed, jumping to her feet from one of the window seats.

Ginny rushed toward her, reaching her arms out and enveloping Hermione in a tight Molly-esque hug. Hermione’s weary body throbbed in the embrace. Often Ginny’s embrace was akin to being squeezed by a vice, albeit possibly not as fierce as Mrs. Weasley’s hugs.

“I was so worried about you,” Ginny whispered into her ear before she pulled away. Hermione could only nod and swallow thickly. The world was fuzzy and too warm.

“You must be so tired, all that magic bursting out of you like that,” Ginny said. Ginny tilted her head, regarding her friend with a concerned eye. She nodded to herself, as if confirming something.

“Come on; let’s get you to bed then.” She put an arm around Hermione’s shoulders and a hand to cradle her elbow, gently guiding her toward their dormitory.

Hermione’s feet were leaden. She dragged her toes up the backboard of each step, barely maneuvering her foot up to the next one each time. I’ve drained my magic, she thought, no wonder I’m so tired. She fell into her four-poster with her robes and uniform still on.

Instantly she met with blissful dreamless darkness.

Hermione gasped for air, rolling to her side to grasp onto the bed curtain. Her arm wobbled as her fingers curled around the edge of the thick fabric. She shakily pulled the curtain back, still gasping. She could feel a tight pressured sensation in her chest. She instantly recognized it as the onset of an anxiety attack. She stumbled from the bed, wiping sweat from her brow as she moved toward the windowsill.

She unlatched the window quickly and leaned her head against the frame, slowly inhaling air through her nose and releasing it out her mouth. Her healer had taught her the technique and told her to center herself and her thoughts on something.

She scanned her eyes across the sky-line where the sun was beginning to slowly rise over the Scottish highlands. There was a large bird of some sort flying in lazy circles over the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She focused on it, pulling and pushing her breath in and out in time with the bird as it made its rotations. She felt her heart rate slow, but the tense feeling remained.

There was a rustle of movement in the four-poster to her left. Sheets and blankets were kicked about, one corner of the bedding dipped out under the curtain. Hermione focused back on the bird. The curtain drew back quickly and the girl tumbled out, knocking her knee into the bedside table and muttering a curse. Ginny appeared at Hermione’s side her hair was like a fire-flaming messy tangle. She propped her foot on the windowsill to better reach and rub at her sore knee.

“You alright?” Ginny said. Her voice was still hoarse with sleep.

Hermione nodded slowly as she focused on evenly breathing. The bird suddenly swooped down and out of sight, likely after a bit of prey. Hermione swallowed the choking feeling down.

“Was it about Bellatrix again?” Ginny whispered as she gently placed her hand on Hermione’s shoulder.

Again Hermione nodded. She felt the hand squeeze her shoulder gently before letting go. Hermione briefly closed her eyes and Ginny sighed as she pulled herself up onto the windowsill. She leaned back into the stone archway, drawing her knees up to rest her cheek on them. She looked toward the sun. It was a beautiful clear morning. There were very few wispy clouds hovering in the distance. The lake was just visible to their right, nearly placid without the heavy winds of late. Hermione joined her on the ledge, mirroring her stance and turning toward her friend.

“It’s happening less, at least,” she said slowly.

“The nightmares or the attacks?” Ginny asked.

“Both.”

Ginny reached out and grasped her left hand. It was a comforting gesture. They held hands and looked at each other thoughtfully.  Ginny’s face was thinner and her eyes held things that Hermione wished neither of them had to. Ginny squeezed Hermione’s fingers and she squeezed back.

“Someday we’ll go without them,” Ginny said firmly.

“One can hope,” Hermione responded.

Ginny ran her thumb over Hermione’s knuckles. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, but still quite weak. I never realized you could drain yourself like that,” Hermione wondered.

“I’ve heard of it, but it’s usually something that happens under extreme duress, like trying to protect someone with a large shield charm,” Ginny said.

That made sense. Hermione assumed it wasn’t something that happened to people often and she’d certainly never felt that way, even during the war. There were plenty of times when she would have done just about anything to protect the boys.

“Mum told us that it happened to her,” Ginny paused and bit her lip, “When her brothers died.”

They both startled as they heard the rustling of Parvati waking up. They squeezed hands firmly one final time before they slid off the sill and moved to their respective trunks and drawers to ready for the day. Parvati smiled weakly at them as she emerged. She appeared to be shaking as well. Hermione gave her a reassuring smile and nod.

They seemed to all have demons in the hours of darkness. They’d woken to her screaming for Lavender only a few nights ago. Hermione had never hugged Parvati before then. In all the years she had roomed with her she would have never had reason to, but she’d fiercely hugged the girl while Fay Dunbar rubbed her back as she cried. Lavender’s ravaged body haunted Hermione’s nights as well.

Thinking about what happened to Lavender always made Hermione sick to her stomach.

The Great Hall was full of boisterous students despite the early hour. It seemed that many of them were excited for the bright sunny Saturday ahead of them. Hermione chose food for her plate, fruit and toast with a dollop of jam. She poured herself coffee from the carafe beside the egg dish.

“Oh come to me, my sweet,” Ginny gushed as she laid eyes on the dish of eggs.

Hermione had seen that style of casserole before, but the elves didn’t make it often. It was blended with cheese, ham, onions, and peppers. Ginny loaded the egg casserole onto her plate with sausage patties and fruit. Hermione always marveled at how much the Weasley’s could eat and still remain fit. Ginny smiled brightly as Luna and Hannah Abbott walked in talking with each other. Ginny waved them over to sit. Hermione nodded her hello around her bite of strawberry.

“The day’s aura seems tumultuous,” Luna said in way of greeting as she lowered herself into the seat beside Hermione. Hannah sat next to Ginny across from them.

“How so?” Ginny questioned. She moaned as she took a second bite of her egg casserole.

 “Divine,” she whispered to herself. She reached forward and scooped a giant helping of the casserole onto Hannah’s plate. Hannah snorted and began to pile food onto her own plate.

“Trust me, you’ll be thankful,” Ginny said solemnly. Hermione smirked and shook her head.

“There is a sense of something impending,” Luna said brightly, as though she was talking about something exciting. Ginny just nodded without questioning it further. Luna poured herself some porridge. She dumped half of the honey into it and topped it with a slice of bacon. Hannah’s eyebrows rose in question for a moment, but she shook her head.

“I would certainly feel a sense of foreboding after yesterday,” Hannah said softly. She glanced at the doorway and then out across the tables as if checking for eavesdroppers. She leaned in, her braid swinging over her shoulder and nearly missing her own berry laden porridge.

 “What do you mean?” Hermione asked, furrowing her brow as she took a bite of her toast. This particular jam tasted amazing to her. It reminded her of the prickly-pear cactus jelly her great-aunt brought back from a trip to Arizona in America.

Hannah looked at her blankly for a moment. Then she grimaced and looked at Ginny. There seemed to be some sort of non-verbal questioning between them.

“The blessing,” Hannah stated simply.

“What about it?” Hermione asked warily. She felt a strange sense of foreboding in the pit of her stomach as she looked between the three girls.

Luna was giving Hermione a tender smile as though she was looking at a cuddly kitten. “Tumultous,” she said dreamily. Hermione’s cheeks warmed into a blush.

“Well, it certainly complicates things,” Hannah began. “You’ll likely get some inquiries from the Department of Mysteries and of course owls from House Longbottom and House Malfoy.”

The potential involvement of the Department of Mysteries seemed a give in to Hermione. She understood the complexities of such a rare occurrence warranted some sort of investigation. At the very least she would expect them to discuss the event with those who witnessed it. It wasn’t like a prophecy, but it was certainly an abnormality within magic. Hermione resolved herself to research unicorn blessings that evening. She couldn’t figure out why she’d be receiving any letters from Mrs. Longbottom and certainly not from anyone at Malfoy Manor.

“Hermione, listen we might want to talk to Professor McGonagall today,” Ginny entreated.

“Why?” She glanced between the girls once more, raising her eyebrows in question.

“What’s wrong?” she demanded when no one seemed willing to say anything. Luna only hummed to herself as she doodled on a piece of parchment she’d pulled out of her sweater pocket. She spooned some porridge into her mouth and smiled innocently at Ginny who looked at her warily.

“There are potentially some dire consequences. Usually the implication is that you somehow need to bind yourself to the individual that shares your blessing. Obviously that’s something complicated in and of itself, but with two boys…and pureblood ones at that. It’s going to get messy in and outside these walls,” Hannah whispered as she surreptitiously glanced at the Slytherin table. Hermione followed her line of sight, but the tell-tale blond head was missing.

Three of them sucked in startled breaths as the man in question suddenly walked right passed them. Luna only hummed louder as she watched him blatantly. Hermione felt strong embarrassment, confusion, and something heavy rise up inside her. For the briefest of moments Draco Malfoy’s eyes locked with hers. The heaviness increased before he looked down at the stones below his feet. She swore that she saw a tinge of pink on his pale thin cheeks, but shook her head at herself in doubt.

“Do you think anyone’s snitched on them?” Ginny asked Hannah hurriedly. She hunched her shoulders forward.

“Hard to say, I mean Hermione hasn’t gotten any strong worded letters from Augusta Longbottom,” Hannah said.

Then she paused with her spoon halfway to her mouth and looked to Hermione with bright worried eyes. “You haven’t, have you?”

Hermione dropped her fork down and opened her mouth to demand that one of them tell her what the hell was going on, but she was interrupted by a booming voice calling a greeting. They all turned to see Hagrid striding up the aisle, a large smile plastered on his face. Luna waved airily at him as he stopped beside them.

“Your beard is especially lovely today Hagrid,” Luna notified him in a proud tone.

He clasped his thumbs in the large purple suspenders at his chest. “Thank ye Luna!” He laughed heartily and ran one hand through his full beard.

“Hermione, guess wha’! I named the young’un. It came ter me just before I walked up ter the castle!” Hagrid told her excitedly.

Ginny bounced in her seat, eager to discuss the stunning creature. “Oh she’s a darling thing Hagrid, what’s her name?”

“Aine,” he said proudly as he pressed a large hand over his heart.

All the girls smiled. It was the right name, Hermione thought.

“Like the Irish goddess of summer, wealth and sovereignty?” Hermione questioned.

Hagrid nodded, beaming at them all. “Thought o’ tha’ as I finished feedin’ the thestrals.”

“A beautiful name for a beautiful thing,” Luna breathed. They all hummed in agreement, gentle smiles on their faces. Hagrid puffed up proudly.

Hermione couldn’t shake the feeling of dread in her belly though, as she saw the tension between Hannah and Ginny. She couldn’t ask on it further as a few of the boys lumbered up to grab seats, shortly followed by Fay and Parvati. There just wasn’t an opportunity to inquire further at that point. She sighed in frustration and finished up her berries, while Ginny resolutely avoided her eyes.

As they exited the great hall, Ginny slammed a palm against her forehead, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling.

“I forgot! I need to work with my Aura Tree! The damn thing is going to start losing leaves on me, I’m sure. I’ll see you later,” Ginny exclaimed as she jogged toward the nearest staircase.

Hermione sighed and turned to Luna, just as Neville and Seamus passed by them headed to the Great Hall. Seamus elbowed Neville unceremoniously, nodding to the two girls. Neville smiled sheepishly, raising his hand in greeting.  Hermione studied his strong face. His skin was flushed a bright rosy red, despite the chill of the hallway. It wasn’t a blush though; it was almost as if he was overheated. Hermione felt a strange hum in her chest and a pull at her navel. It wasn’t nervousness, but she couldn’t really place exactly what it was. Neville’s hazel eyes grew determined and she recognized the resolute expression he wore when he’d decided to do something.

He cleared his throat and the deep sound seemed to reverberate through her.  “Since we didn’t get to practice the defensive spells yesterday, would you still be interested? We could practice by the lake this afternoon,” he suggested.

She felt a large smile pulling her cheeks. “Of course!”

Neville’s resolute expression melted into a heart-stopping smile. “Excellent, meet at 4 o’clock?”

Hermione nodded, pulling at the sleeve of her maroon sweater. It felt warm to her now too. She furrowed her brow at that as she and Luna moved toward the clock tower courtyard to take in the weather and do a bit of reading. Hermione settled herself onto a large stone bench. Almost immediately the sun began to seep its warmth into their skin. She turned her face up to the sky, closing her eyes and humming in contentment. It was a lovely day, the type of day that her great-aunt would have called an “Indian Summer”.

She and Luna didn’t say a word as they both opened their respective books and leaned back against the pillar behind their bench. Hermione had put a novel in her bag that morning, set on reading for pleasure for once. She’d finished all her assignments and already done a lot of the research preparation for next week’s courses. It wasn’t often, at least during previous school years, that she took the time to read something that wasn’t a text book or some sort.  

It had always been something she missed so she’d generally spent a large portion of the school breaks and summer months reading in all manner of places within her home. She especially enjoyed reading in her mother’s tea garden. Thinking about her mother, even in the fleeting fond memory of summers in her garden, made Hermione’s heart clench painfully. She grimaced and tried to focus on her book. The words seemed to swim and she realized that tears were blurring the lines. She grit her teeth blocking further thoughts of her childhood.

She glanced at Luna and observed the moving pages of her book. It appeared to be a magi-zoology book. It was a thin tome with a sky blue hardcover. “I think I am going to take a summer in South America studying,” Luna said thoughtfully.

“Really?” Hermione asked in interest.

She could just picture Luna; pants rolled up to her knees, wading through the Amazon forest, exotic flowers dangling from her long curly hair. It sent a nice warm feeling through her. Luna would certainly always have a very happy life, Hermione was convinced of it.

“I’m thinking about studying at a muggle university.”  She lay her open book in her lap for a moment as she turned to Luna. “It would certainly be a welcome change and I think I’d like to study political sciences.”

Luna nodded, turning her book upside down to examine the pages from an alternate angle. She kept the book that way, holding it at arm’s length and shifting it back and forth in front of her. Luna’s bright eyes shown excitedly as she said, “Ah!” Clearly she had found something that she had been searching for. She turned the book right-side up and turned the page.

“You’ll be a benevolent Minister of Magic,” she offered as she examined the next set of drawings and photographs.

“Well, I hadn’t really meant to move in that direction.” Hermione furrowed her brow as she considered it.

The courtyard was filling with groups of students from all houses. Hermione watched as a cluster of first years struck up a game of Gobstones, children from every house cheering each other on and laughing. This is why we fought the war, she thought. Luna didn’t say anything else, so Hermione shook her head and began reading again. In the back of her mind she continued to ponder the strange behavior of her friends, but resolved to speak with Ginny about it later.

The sounds of laughter surrounded them and she smiled to herself as she read.

Thirty minutes later Luna’s soft voice interrupted a particularly engaging scene in the story. “When you’re Minister you should take a vacation to Arizona. Something tells me you would like it there.”

Not for the first time, Hermione wondered if Luna was a Legilimens. Hermione had been thinking about prickly-pear cactus jelly only that morning. She released a small laugh. Luna smiled serenely beside her.

“Yeah, I’d probably like that.”

At half past eleven Hermione finished her novel and placed it back into her bag. She pulled out a parchment and re-inking quill to pen a quick letter to Harry and Ron. She pressed a quick kiss to the envelope and addressed it in care of the Auror Academy. Luna was now laying on her back on the cool stones, her head below the bench to block out some of the sun. She seemed to be snoring slightly. Hermione lent down to lightly shake her shoulder and let her know that she would be heading to the Great Hall, followed by the owlery and the library. She wanted to check out a new novel before meeting Neville later.

Luna’s eyes remained closed as Hermione stood to bid her farewell. Her airy voice was clogged with the sound of sleep. “Say hello to the Restricted Section for me.”

Hermione scoffed, but agreed. Saying hello to a set of books, she still wondered about Luna’s sanity at times, even if she was a Legilimens.

Hermione dodged Neville’s “Expelliarmus!” and rolled behind a tree.

They had been practicing for well near half an hour on the West shore of the Black Lake. She breathed heavily as she pressed her back against the tree trunk. She held her wand at the ready close to her face as she quietly crept along the backside of the trunk. She could hear Neville’s own heavy breathing, but couldn’t quite place where he was hiding. She quickly peeked to the left and caught sight of his shoe behind a neighboring tree trunk.

She smirked and flourished her wand swiftly yelling, “Levicorpus!”

The air was now settled into a comfortable and welcome breeze. It rushed past her as she surged forward in victory. Neville accidently dropped his wand and groaned as he dangled by the offending foot. “Bugger,” he moaned.

“I win,” Hermione said cheerily.

Neville’s face was turning purple as the blood drained into his face. He crossed his arms and the upside down image of his fake pouting had Hermione bursting with laughter before she had gently lowered him to the grass and released the spell. Neville lay on his back, placing his hands behind his head as he looked up at the bright blue sky above them. Hermione unceremoniously dropped his wand beside him and stood looking down on him. For some reason that odd pressure was back in her gut. She felt a bit hazy standing beside him. She looked down at his face smugly.

“Don’t you have something to say to me Mister Longbottom?” She asked, raising her eyebrow humorously.

She’d made a wager with him that if she could beat him five times he would owe her a butterbeer at the next Hogsmeade weekend. They’d ended their game with her winning five to his four victories. It had been a much closer race than she thought it would be. Neville had certainly gained a lot of skill over the past two years.  

The man in question groaned and pretended to grit his teeth angrily, but he could barely hold back the mirth in his voice. “I shall buy you a butterbeer my queen.”

“Thank you good sir,” she replied with ridiculous fanfare, affecting her most ‘royal’ tone and flowing her wand hand in a regal arch.

“Holy Hera, I’m beat,” Neville sighed.

She laughed and nodded in agreement. It felt lovely to spend time doing something energetic and silly. Hermione stepped back to lean on the tree and put some distance between herself and the striking man below her. It was astonishing just how long his legs had become. He crossed them at the ankles as he closed his eyes. There was a soft smile on his face and the wind lightly ruffled his fringe.

“I better go check on my Aura Tree before dinner,” Hermione said quietly as she examined her friend’s face. “Thanks for an entertaining time Neville.”

He lent up on one arm to look at her and the position settled a strange feeling over Hermione’s skin. Something about his stance was so comfortable and intimate.

“Alright, see you at dinner…maybe. I’m planning to eat quickly. I’ve got some things to do in Greenhouse 7.”

Hermione herself planned to work with her plant and take a walk after dinner to bring some snacks to Aine.

“Farewell, my queen,” Neville said cheekily. Hermione kicked some grass at him and laughed before she turned to head back to Gryffindor tower.

At dinner she made no headway with trying to ask Ginny about the strange conversation from breakfast. It frustrated her, but she figured they could at least discuss it in the Common Room or as they prepared for bed. She sighed to herself and resolved to enjoy the delicious Shepard’s pie.

“Hello sweetheart,” Hermione whispered.

She held the carrots up in offering as the foal reached its head over the fence to nuzzle her cheek. Hermione smiled softly as she felt the buzz of magic against her skin. It sniffed at the carrots hesitantly before taking a hearty bite of the largest one. Hermione giggled as it greedily consumed the rest, licking her fingers clean after every bite was gone. Hermione softly rubbed her fingers up the bridge of the foal’s nose.

“How are you, Aine?” She asked.

The unicorn neighed quietly in return. The magic emanating from the creature was soothing to her. She laid her arms on the fence and rested her head on her folded hands as she watched it walk a few feet away and nibble some grass.

“Your name suits you well,” she said as Aine moved to munch a separate patch. Hermione watched her for quite some time, basking in the sounds of creatures and bugs moving in the area.

“Do you need anything else?” She asked the foal as she stood back from the fence.

The unicorn stepped up to her again, giving her cheek a farewell nuzzle. Hermione sighed. She ought to get up to the castle and work on her Transfiguration assignment. She promised Luna she would help her search for information on Thestral’s food preferences, so she should really get a start on her own work first.

“I’ll come back to see you tomorrow,” Hermione whispered before she kissed the unicorn.

It was a promise she intended to keep. It pranced off beyond view and Hermione turned back toward the castle. She only took a few steps before she noticed a person standing stoically a few paces from her. Her eyes met liquid silver. Her heart stuttered a beat and then seemed to swoop into her stomach. She didn’t know how long he had been watching her.

“Hi,” she murmured softly.

She wrung her fingers together for a moment in the silence. The day was bleeding into dusk around them and it seemed to bring out the pale sheen of his hair.

“I was just…” she began, gesturing blindly behind her.

“Yeah, I was on my way to see her,” he cut in.

She noticed that he had a large red apple gripped between his palms.

She smiled gently as she pointed down at the gift. “I just brought her carrots,” she said. 

He nodded and took a few steps closer to her, tossing the apple back and forth between his hands. “She seemed to enjoy those,” he replied.

Hermione laughed lightly. “She’ll be spoiled if we both bring her things.”

He smiled genuinely at her and her breath caught in her throat. He was gorgeous when he smiled, like a beam of sunshine. He walked past her and placed the apple on the fence post. He hesitated for a moment, nodding to himself before he turned back toward her.

“Granger, about yesterday – ” he began. She watched as he bit his lip in hesitation.

“Yes?” She asked, grasping onto her bravery.

“Do you know the significance of unicorn blessings?” He asked.

She shook her head, curious, but also a bit wary of his behavior. She watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed. His long fingers threaded together in a nervous way, before he resolutely pushed them into his pockets. Hermione felt a frisson of dread.

“In the magical world, blessings of this nature have a permanent tether to your soul. It’s sort of a legend in the pure-blood culture, something we all hear about in bedtime stories as children. It’s never been something I thought possible,” he started.

A slight breeze blew a few locks of hair into Hermione’s face. The temperature was starting to drop as the day shifted into darkness. Hermione reached up to push the curls back behind her right ear.

“When alone, receiving a blessing from a unicorn usually entails the bestowing of a magical gift. Something akin to more power, more grace, more strength and so on,” he paused, glancing toward the enclosure.

The unicorn was still out of sight, but a few fairy lights were just visible in the tree-line beyond. When he looked back at her, the illuminating hue of his eyes startled her. She swallowed. His stare was dream-like in its mystic quality, as though he was visualizing something else entirely, even though he was looking right at her.

“And when you share the blessing?” She found herself asking.

His eyes focused on her face, “When you share it – it ties you to that person. It gives a bit of your magic to them, like an exchange. You share qualities of your magical cores and together you are stronger. In the olden days they fought wars over it, trying to yield the power. Sometimes the stories say you wither the magic away without the other person. Other times, they say you lose stability and control of it, as though there is a creature inside you that is yearning to cross the bridge between you.”

“What are you saying?” Hermione said her voice soft to her own ears.

Draco took a step toward her and yet another, until he was only a few feet away. Hermione’s heart was racing. She tilted her chin upward, to maintain eye contact. He was taller than her, not as tall as Ron, but roughly the height of Harry.

“I’m saying, Granger, that there is a bit of you inside me and when I’m this close to you I can barely breathe.”

She bit the tip of her tongue lightly, thinking back on her morning, searching for the unusual sensation that she had felt in the Great Hall. There had been a zip up her spine and a swooping pull in her belly the moment she had noticed him. He had looked at her as he passed, but quickly turned away. She could have sworn she had seen a blush tinging his cheeks when she peeked at him later on. She’d had a similar pressure when she was near Neville throughout the day.

“At breakfast when you passed behind me. I felt that too,” she said.

“And do you feel it now?” He questioned. She shivered at his voice, goosebumps rising on her arms and legs.

She nodded. “Yes, a pull, as though I’m being drawn forward. It’s…almost painful.”

He moved closer, raising his left hand with the palm out toward her. Instinctively she raised her right, gently laying her palm against his larger one. The effect was instantaneous. She gasped as a timid, but serene force glided through her. It had been painful, but with his touch it was something else entirely.

It spread from her fingers, up her arm and into her chest as it flowed outward into every limb. She closed her eyes as it surged stronger through her. She felt Malfoy’s fingers tightly threading with hers. Their clasped hands were pulsing and when she opened her eyes she saw an ethereal glow emanating from their joined hands. She felt peaceful. The pulling pressure from moments ago was lifted completely. It was almost eerie, how unburdened she felt.

Malfoy raised his right hand and she immediately grasped it with her left, twining fingers with him. The glow increased, spreading light up their arms. It took only a few seconds for the power to reach their chests and begin to flow through the rest of their bodies. Hermione’s lips parted as she sighed. It felt sinuous now, twisting and winding in her belly and down into her womb. Hermione gasped and pushed against his palms at the same time that his eyes grew comically wide. They both fell back, panting as they stumbled away from each other.

A hot blush flared across Hermione’s face as the magic began to fade away. She released heavy breaths, one hand over her stomach and the other pressed against her flaming cheek. She looked to Malfoy. He was bent over, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. The pressured pull was back in her chest. Hermione stepped back, to distance herself from the cause of it. He looked up at her then, likely feeling the release of it. His lips were parted as he continued to gasp for air.

“Oh Merlin,” she breathed, “What was that?”

Malfoy stood back at his full height, running his hands through his hair the way she had seen him do at the end of Quidditch games. She was struck with how becoming his hair was with his complexion. The thought seemed so ridiculous in the here and now.

“Maybe our magic was trying to fuse us together? I’m still a bit foggy on how those parts of the connection work,” he said. His voice was breathy and hushed.

A true blush was blossoming on his cheeks; she could just make it out in the rising moonlight. She turned to see that the foal had returned. It seemed to have been watching them. Noticing her gaze it leant forward to grasp the apple in one nimble bite. Hermione swallowed a lump in her throat, pulling every nerve of boldness from within her gut. She had to know how that had felt to him.

“I felt something else,” she pressed.

“If I hadn’t let go of you – well, it felt like what I imagine really deep passion would feel like.”

Her resolve to be honest felt firmer by the end of her words. His eyes were blazing as he looked at her and she knew without a response, that he had felt the very same thing. He took a few steps closer to her and she felt her limbs shaking in anticipation of the enraptured feeling. It was as though her body found it to be a drug, as if it needed the sensation more than anything else. She closed her eyes and bit her lip hard as his hands rose to cradle her face, fingertips just caressing her hairline, thumbs grazing a pattern across her cheekbones.

She moaned as a tenuous buzz ricocheted through her muscles. It felt exactly like the wave that burned through her in the throes of a good orgasm, except this was near constant. Every fiber of her very being was burning her in a most delicious way and the pulse of it went straight through her magical core. She felt the hollow aching sensation of needing to be filled.

Malfoy released his own moan. It reverberated in her chest and she couldn’t believe the sensation.  She imagined that it was the feeling of actual ecstasy. She pressed her fingers into his firm chest, gripping his shirt tightly in her fists. Her hands were shaking just like her arms and legs. Her chest was heaving and she could feel his rising in time. His heart was beating roughly against her right hand. She looked up into his eyes and in that moment saw a lust she had never seen before.

“Draco,” she gasped.

“I need –,” he exhaled.

His lips were parted in a raw voluptuous way, eyes half lidded. She pulled him closer and he came with no protest. One of his hands slid into her hair, cupping the back of her head as the other slid down her shoulder and skimmed her side. He pulled her hip and she was flush against him. His lips were on hers a mere second later, her fists trapped between them. A needy whine rose in the back of her throat as his lips overwhelmed her.

She felt drunk on sin.

They stumbled backward until they roughly hit the fencing of the paddock, jostling their lips, teeth clicking together. She felt both of his hands gripping her scalp roughly. She wrapped her arms around his thin waist and pressed her fingers into the taught muscles between his shoulders.

She was dying of desire, she was sure of it. She thirsted and hungered for it. This boy, this man, was the only refuge. She drank him in.

He bit into her bottom lip, pulling a gasp out with it. His lips and teeth nipped her chin, her jawline, her neck and her collarbone. Her head fell back roughly and she looked up into the heavens. The stars were hazy through her glazed eyes, their edges seeping out in bursts as she squinted up at the sky. She felt a hand press down into her breast and a frisson of electricity shoot down into her core. She moaned louder, digging the tips of her fingers into his shoulders.

He pulled back and met her eyes with a harsh intensity, both of their chests heaving with the effort to catch their breath. She grazed her teeth along his jaw gliding her fingers up into his hair as she sucked on the skin behind his left ear. They teetered sideways and he roughly gripped the top rung of the fence to stabilize himself, caging her in.

“Hermione,” a gruff voice said from off to their left.

Startled, Hermione and Draco both looked up. There was a figure standing not too far away from them. He was holding his sides as though he had just run there and needed to catch his wind again.

“Neville!” Hermione gasped, as Draco pressed off the fence and stumbled off to one side.

Hermione’s limbs were quivering with the closeness of his power and the endorphins still coursing through her. She sunk against the fence, feeling nearly limp with sudden exhaustion. Neville stepped forward and a great weight bore down on her. It was like the combined pull of Draco and Neville was crushing her.

“Are you alright?” Neville’s voice wavered slightly.

“I was in the greenhouses and I felt this intense need to find you, like you were being hurt,” He explained.

If she could feel any more mortified she couldn’t imagine it. She felt like the earth should swallow her up and save her from her own embarrassment.

“I’m alright,” she whimpered.

“Clearly not,” Neville deadpanned. His eyes scanned her clearly drained form.

“What the fuck happened here? I could see you glowing from halfway across the lawn and since WHEN did this happen?!” He whipped his hands back and forth, gesturing between them.

Draco sank to the ground resting his forehead on one knee as his other leg sprawled out before him. He seemed just as exhausted as Hermione felt. She dragged herself along the fence in an effort to put distance between herself and both of them.

 “Fuck.” He exhaled.

“You got that right,” Neville said sarcastically.

“If I hadn’t of shown up I guarantee that’s exactly what you would be doing! I mean holy shite right out here in the open!” He stepped back, roughly running a hand through his windswept hair in exasperation before spanning his arms wide to indicate the massive bare yard behind him as if to non-verbally say, out in the fucking OPEN, and reiterate his point.

Hermione felt the chill of the wind course through her and goosebumps bursting on her skin once more. She was still quivering and she felt herself moan as her heated skin hit the coolness of the breeze. She felt needy and embarrassed all at the same time. She fell to her knees, gripping a lower rung of the fencing and pressing her face into the back of her hands.

“Morgana,” she whimpered.

Hermione’s brain began to buzz back into life, like a lustful fog was lifting. She could hear Neville pacing back and forth in the grass and feel a sort of agitated pull in the magic that must be tethering him to her. She looked up at him and saw the concerned and almost angry look on his features.

“Neville, it’s alright. We put our hands together to test out the pull of magic we were feeling and it just overtook us. I think it would have consumed us if you hadn’t come along. It’s drained our cores again. Whatever it is, it’s like a drug. We couldn’t stop ourselves,” she explained quietly.

He stopped pacing and looked between them skeptically.

“Do you feel it Longbottom? When you step close to her?” Draco raised his head. His voice was hoarse.

Hermione watched her friend as he stared at Draco for a long minute. He swallowed and closed his eyes as he spoke. “Yes. Some sort of attraction.”

“A tether,” Hermione spoke. Neville opened his eyes and nodded.

“Well shite,” he muttered as he lowered himself into a seated position separate, but facing them. They formed a crooked triangle of sorts.

“I assume you’re aware of blessing legends,” Draco said quietly. Neville nodded absently. He seemed to be staring at the grass.

Hermione felt at a loss. She knew nothing about the connotations of unicorn blessings, besides the runic symbolization they had, the number one.

“I expect we’ll be getting a visit from my mother tomorrow.” Draco sighed. Neville nodded again.

“Or my Gran,” he said faintly. He kicked at a stone and shook his head, releasing a maddened laugh.

“Or both,” they said in unison.

“Oh, fuck,” Malfoy repeated.

“You can say that again,” Neville muttered.

“Fuck,” Malfoy said with a smirk this time.

Chapter Text

Hermione didn’t have to wait long for her reply letter from Harry. His new owl Oscar arrived during the evening post bringing with him a small box of muggle cherry cordials, her favorite treat. Oscar politely dropped the box into her hand and perched on her arm. She untied two letters from his leg, one for Ginny and one for herself. She smiled and patted his head affectionately before she gave him a bit of her toast. Ginny greeted him lovingly.

Oscar was a pleasant owl, a tawny brown color and larger than Hedwig had been. He was a birthday present from Ginny and Ron. Harry seemed to adore him and that made Hermione happy. Having the unconditional love of an animal was such a soothing thing.

She slid her knife through the envelope, breaking the seal and pulled out the tan paper beneath. It had the Auror Academy emblem on the letterhead. It was very official and regal looking. She smiled.

Hermione,

We appreciated your letter and we’re glad to hear that things are going well at Hogwarts. Give Ginny a hug for us, well in Ron’s case he said a punch in the arm will do fine. Ignore him, of course. Things have been busy here. We’re doing a lot of coursework, but we got to start hand to hand combat training this week, which has been fun. Ron had a bit of a rough go at it to start, but he’s figured it out. He says to tell you that’s rubbish and he’s amazing.

Anyway, we’ve gotten permission to have one week worth of leave the first week of October. Since your first Hogsmeade trip is that weekend, would you like to meet up at the Three Broomsticks? Ron says he’ll buy you a pie with your butterbeer because he’s a fancy working man now. Obviously you should bring that smoking hot girlfriend of mine because I’m a fancy working man now too. Ron says don’t listen to me, I’m a gross wanker who’s pervy over his sister. Ignore him, obviously.

We better go; it’s almost time for lights out in the barracks. Oscar enjoys a bite of toast or bacon, but I’m sure you already know that. Give him a pat for me, though I’m sure you’ll do that already too.

All our love,

Harry and Ron

P.S. We took a trip to London on Monday and I spotted these in an all-year round Christmas shop. Don’t eat them all at once!

Hermione smiled brightly at Ginny and immediately passed the letter over to her. Ginny laughed and handed over her own letter. Hermione read it quickly and genuinely felt affection for Harry and his sweet words to her. They had struck up their relationship only a few months ago, but things were progressing quickly. Hermione was overjoyed to see them so happy.

“That gross wanker who’s pervy on me sure knows how to be a sappy romantic.” Ginny sighed and pretended to swoon.

“It’s sweet. You’re like a pair of cute cuddly bunnies,” Hermione joked. Ginny stuck out her tongue and pulled the letter out of Hermione’s hands with a fake annoyed face.

“At least we aren’t like a couple of sweet slimy flobberworms,” Ginny supplied.

When Ron had been dating Lavender Ginny had often joked that their kissing was like watching two flobberworms mate. It was a vulgar comparison at the time, but she wasn’t wrong. As soon as the old joke left her lips, Ginny’s lighthearted eyes lost a bit of spark. Lavender was gone and there was nothing they could do about it. If she were alive, perhaps she would have found the joke funny.

Ginny and Hermione ate the rest of their meal in silence. Afterward, Hermione wordlessly offered one of her coveted cordials and they walked side-by-side to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hermione felt a bit giddy at seeing Neville, her partner in the class.

“He’s really handsome in a sinful bad boy way,” a girl gushed.

Hermione could just hear the whispered giggles of a group of girls behind her. She huffed, annoyed. She’d rather not listen to gossipy girls when she could be focusing on her work.

“Imagine what he looks like naked,” another whispered. Another round of giggles commenced.

“Do you think he’s got the dark mark under those long sleeves he always wears?” This voice she recognized as belonging to Romilda Vane. Hermione rolled her eyes, honestly.

Hermione had spent two hours in the library after classes. Her research had yielded very few leads regarding the magic of unicorns and bonding rituals associated with unicorn blessings. She’d skimmed through at six tomes, written down the names of 8 more to read, and decided that she would take a few back to her dorm.

She sighed to herself. There was no sense in making herself exhausted before she’d even had the chance to work on her assignments for the night. She had a crick in her neck and an ache in her back as she rose to shelve her used books on the magical cart. Madame Pince used the carts to return books to their respective cases throughout the day. As she returned to her table so let her eyes roam over to the group of girls sitting with Romilda. None of them appeared to be working. Go somewhere else, she wanted to tell them, but she refrained. She was leaving anyway.

Hermione glanced outside and saw that the sun was setting. She grabbed her three remaining books from the table and took them to get checked out at the librarian’s desk. She bid Madame Pince goodnight as she placed them into her bag. Her stomach growled its desire for dinner. She placed a charm on her bag to lighten the load.

“Granger.”

She paused at the voice behind her. Draco Malfoy was leant against the wall just beyond the library doors.  She wondered if he had been waiting for her, waiting perhaps to catch her alone rather than approaching her in the library. He stepped toward her. She shivered.

“Malfoy?” she asked quietly when he said nothing else.

He looked tired and grey again. Very unlike the way he looked bathed in magical light. He bit his lip.

“I got a letter from my mother.” His voice was quiet. He lowered his eyes to the large stones below their feet. He seemed nervous and the thought made Hermione feel anxious.

“…Okay?” Was he implying it had something to do with her or Aine?

“Is something wrong?” She inquired.

“In a way, yeah.”

He paused and looked back up at her. His eyes were dark in the muted light of the hallway. The nearest torches were further down the hallway and there weren’t many windows to bring in the waning sunlight. It felt chilly.

“My mother wants to ensure my safety and stake a claim on the right to bind with you.”

Hermione’s heart rate increased, pounding roughly within her chest. “Stake a claim? I’m not a possession.”

Draco stepped forward once shaking his head. “I know that.”

“I just wanted to tell you before she got any crazy ideas like sending you a letter as well.” He ran a hand through his hair. It was already a bit disheveled, but that made it worse.

“Oh. Thanks for letting me know, I guess,” she said uncomfortably.

She felt infinitely awkward. The tension of the previous day, the kisses, the energy; it was so fresh in her mind still. She had no idea how to handle a situation like this. Malfoy didn’t seem to know what to say or do either. They stared at each other warily, waiting for the other to act.

“Listen Granger – “

“Excuse me, you’re blocking the exit!” Romilda Vane’s haughty voice jolted them both. She sneered at Hermione and shot Malfoy a strange questioning look.

“You should take your angst somewhere else Granger,” she shrilled.

“No one wants to see it. No matter if you’ve been blessed or not.”  She shoved between the two of them, roughly hitting Hermione’s shoulder. She marched down the hallway and glanced back at Draco with a coquettish look. 

“What was that all about?” Draco asked.

Hermione huffed in annoyance. “I’ve got an idea, but I don’t think you want to know.”

“Malfoy, I better go to dinner. Thanks for the warning.” She smiled shyly and left him standing there without turning back.

As she approached the Gryffindor table she could see Dean regaling Neville and Seamus with some sort of story. He was always telling them horrible jokes. Hermione was familiar with a few. They were common muggle ones. Her dad always liked to tell ridiculous ones like them. She smiled as she approached, but none of them had noticed her.

“I mean, she’s fit as hell nowadays. I would just snog the hell out of her if I was you. Forget about discussing it.” Dean grinned.

“I’d shag her, who cares about snogging. Imagine those perfect tits bouncing,” Seamus elbowed Dean who laughed and nodded. “True.”

Neville blushed deeply, “Alright, that’s enough about Hermione. Save the talk for the dorm.”

Hermione stopped so abruptly that she jostled into a girl who was playing wizard chess with a friend. The girl knocked over her pumpkin juice and the pieces all scattered trying to avoid the fluid. Hermione mumbled an apology to her. She looked at her startled friends. All three of them had the decency to look embarrassed. Seamus even looked down-right ashamed.

His freckles stood out starkly on his red cheeks. He cleared his throat and sat up. “Evening ‘Mione.”

Hermione tried to quell her own embarrassment. She’d been an unwitting fly on the wall to many similar conversations between Ron, Harry, and the Weasley brothers. She understood the vulgar nature of boys. She’d never heard a conversation about herself though. It was mortifying and somehow satisfying at the same time.

“Hello boys,” she said as she slowly lowered herself onto the bench.

She made sure to sit a few places down from them in order to keep a safe distance from Neville’s magic. She took a deep breath and then looked back at them.

“You know Seamus,” she said thoughtfully, “If you’d like to be a chauvinistic pig it’s probably best you do it in a private place. You’re liable to get your bits hexed off otherwise. I seem to recall that just the other day you said I was cruel and capable of poisoning you. I don’t think you want to test the theory.”

Seamus choked on his drink.

“If you want to know what my tits look like you could simply ask Ron or Harry. They saw them by accident during the war. I could tell you what happened to both of them afterwards, but I don’t think they’d want you to know. Things are probably still a bit sore regarding that subject.”

This time Dean choked.

 “What’s wrong with you lot?” Hannah asked as she sat down and appraised the boys.

“Nothing!” Neville said. His ears were still red.

Hannah raised her eyebrows at Hermione clearly saying, what did you do? 

Hermione smirked and began serving herself food.

Mid-morning the next day Hermione received a note from Professor McGonagall concerning the Department of Mysteries. She entreated that Hermione and Neville join Draco in her office promptly at 4 o’clock. Hermione sighed as she folded the letter back up. She cast a tempus charm and winced when she saw 3 o’clock flashing back at her.

“What’s with the face?” Ginny asked as she glanced at Hermione over the top of her potions book.

“I’ve been called to a meeting with Professor McGonagall. She wants to speak to me, Malfoy, and Neville. It sounds like a representative from the Department of Mysteries will be here.”

Ginny nodded in sympathy. “Have fun with that, I suppose.”

“Oh, I’ll try,” Hermione moaned as she threw herself onto her bed and opened her own potions text.

Hermione arrived at the entrance to the Headmistress’s office ten minutes before the scheduled time. She took a deep breath before she provided the password to the archway. A staircase slowly descended, grating against the wall as it twisted downward in a spiral. She stepped up and allowed it to raise her. It felt a lot like a muggle elevator and she mused on whether the idea for it was derived from one. The door to the office was ajar and it fully swung open of its own accord when she neared it.

“Ah, Ms. Granger,” the Headmistress greeted her.

She raised her arm and gestured for Hermione to take a seat in one of the wingback chairs or on the chaise lounge. Hermione noticed a woman sifting through a file near McGonagall’s desk. The woman appeared to be around fifty. She was wearing the robes of the DoM Unspeakables and a pointed hat. Her ears were donned with numerous earrings. In a way she somewhat reminded Hermione of Tonks. A punch hit her heart at the thought of it.

Hermione smiled weakly at her old Head of House and fiddled with the cuffs of her school robes. The scrape of the staircase announced the arrival of another person. Both Neville and Draco stepped through the door. Based on their body language it appeared as though they’d just had some sort of argument. Neither of them looked at her as they greeted McGonagall and sat down, resolutely avoiding eye contact.

“All set?” The Unspeakable asked, lowering the file and smiling brightly.

“Yes, I’d like to introduce three of my best pupils.” She named them as she gestured to each.

“Nice to meet you all, I wish it were under different circumstances of course. I’m Unspeakable Harrigan.” The woman had a very pleasant and open face and Hermione instantly felt at ease.

“As you may have assumed an event such as this warrants investigation by the Department of Mysteries. I’ve been assigned to your case. None of us would like to see three promising young people die.”

“Woah! Wait a minute,” Malfoy interrupted at the exact time that Neville exclaimed, “Die?”

Unspeakable Harrigan raised her hands gesturing for them to calm down. “Let me explain please gentlemen.”

“As young men raised in the traditions of the sacred twenty-eight, you are well aware of the instances in which death has occurred. It is unclear whether other factors played a part in the past, but I am here for the express purpose of preventing such an occurrence. This is an unusual case already due to the fact that three of you have been affected.”

Unspeakable Harrigan looked between them she came forward and placed the file open on the tea-table between the seats. She used her wand to swiftly move the furniture closer together. Hermione’s chair slid so that she could now look down on the file effectively. It contained a number of magical signature diagrams, star charts, and several thick packets of paper.

“We have gotten thirty separate reports of prophecies, warnings from centaurs, and information from other sources. All of them center around three people pure of heart, immense power, and paths of either death or desire. After we started getting information from students who had witnessed the events with the unicorn it was very clear that the connections we had seen were leading toward the three of you.”

She handed each of them a packet of information outlining the findings so far. “You may take these with you, but I ask that you do not share them with anyone and will need an oath that you will disillusion them in some manner and never speak of the contents unless absolutely necessary.”

“At this time my team is working on a way to circumvent a binding process. We are also consulting with a number of specialists abroad. This is a mass effort, which you will also need to be part of. If you have any resources that may help, I will need them immediately.”

“In the interest of not loading too much onto the three of you at once, I am going to allow you to take and read these packets. I will expect them back by our next meeting. I’d also like to interview you each personally to assess the effects of the magic. Let’s give it a week so that you adjust accordingly and we are able to monitor vitals.”

Unspeakable Harrigan smiled at them kindly. “I’m here to help you all, please do not hesitate to contact me if something out of the ordinary occurs. For now, I’d like you to have regular check-ins with Madame Pomfrey to monitor your wellness and magical signatures.”

“Any questions?” She asked.

Both boys immediately looked to Hermione who launched into an examination of the subject. They shared a look of understanding as she went on. If there was anything they could agree on it would be that Hermione Granger was a veritable thesaurus on questions.

After two hours, Unspeakable Harrigan put a halt to the discussion and bid them farewell. Professor McGonagall thanked her for her time. Hermione’s throat had been growing sore from all the talking anyway. She closed her packet and lay it on her knees. Her heart felt heavy.

“Now, the three of you have work to do and I expect you back tomorrow at this time. I have informed your elders of the situation and they will be here to discuss it,” their Headmistress informed them.

“Off to dinner with you.”

Narcissa Malfoy was the first to arrive at the meeting. She breezed through the fireplace with nary a hair out of place. To call her appearance immaculate would be an understatement. Hermione blushed as the woman appraised her. She was clearly unimpressed.

She turned to her son. “Hello darling, are you feeling well?”

She could see Draco nodding in her periphery, but Hermione did not pull her eyes away from Narcissa. She’d never had reason to observe her before. She was quite tall and thin. Her shimmering hair was longer than Hermione remembered and was pinned back at one temple with a gorgeous emerald hairpiece.

“Mother.” He bowed his head slightly and moved forward to kiss her cheek.

“I’m as well as can be, considering the circumstances,” he said lightly. Narcissa hummed and moved toward one of the chairs accenting the fireplace.

Hermione bit her lip as she glanced nervously at Draco. He was paler than usual, but his expression was perfectly blank. His eyes met hers as he turned back to stand beside her. Hermione immediately looked down at her shoes. She couldn’t fathom why she was so nervous about this meeting.

A second rush of flame proceeded Neville’s grandmother and what must be his uncle. Augusta Longbottom pulled her shoulders back and marched to the chair adjacent to Narcissa’s. Her brother-in-law stood jovially looking around.

“Blimey,” he said with awe as he looked at the trinkets.

Augusta was less impressed. She ran her eyes over the room and the three young adults, appraising them with an air of displeasure. Her gaze lingered on Hermione before moving to Narcissa. Augusta's attire was every bit as ostentatious as the Bogart Snaps Neville had encountered in third year.

Hermione was surprised when the flue went off a third time and Molly Weasley swept onto the rug, rubbing a swath of flour off her cheek. She glanced around at everyone with a false cheer and went to the chaise loung. When she realized it was the only option.

“Ladies,” she greeted. Augusta greeted her warmly while Narcissa merely nodded.

“Hello Neville, Hermione.” Both of them smiled at her. 

“And Mr. Malfoy, nice to meet you officially,” she said kindly. Draco seemed taken aback for a moment but greeted her cordially.

Hermione was surprised to see her, but guessed it had something to do with the fact that the Weasley’s were the only family she had to speak of presently. She felt the sudden hole of her parents’ absence like a knife.

Molly smoothed her hands down her front and seemed to suddenly realize that she was still wearing her kitchen apron. She flushed and quickly removed it, shrinking it for storage in the pocket of her dress. The awkward silence that followed was heavy. Then the sharp click of the door drew attention to the arrival of the Headmistress. McGonagall entered, her robes sweeping behind her. She looked annoyed.

“I apologize for my tardiness, I was attending to an issue amongst some students in the courtyard. “

“Mrs. Weasley, Mrs. Longbottom, Lady Malfoy, and – Mr. Longbottom I presume?” The Headmistress greeted Neville and Draco’s families. Her expression was carefully composed. Hermione was practiced in the art of McGonagall’s stoic faces, so she could just perceive the tension around the elder witch’s eyes.

“Thank you for joining us. It has come to my attention that the Department of Mysteries has taken an interest in the magical blessing that was gifted to your sons and Ms. Granger. Yesterday we were joined by Unspeakable Harrigan to discuss the circumstances and options.” She paused, glancing between each person. Her long grey hair was pulled into a severe bun at the back of her head.

“I thought it prudent that we meet about the now dire situation. We were hoping that there would not be any negative consequences from the complex way in which these blessings were acquired; however, Unspeakable Harrigan and her team from the DoM believe that one or more of them will die without a proper binding. This magic is volatile and resilient. It is difficult to suppress and contain.”

The headmistress was standing stoically beside her desk, choosing not to sit as the the orher women had. Hermione found herself standing between Neville and Draco. She could sense each of their magical signatures and the blend of it was oddly soothing. Hermione saw the veiled fear in the eyes of Augusta and Narcissa.

“We are happy to hear that the DoM will be looking into this. Our family cares for Hermione very much and we are currently her surrogate representatives,” Molly looked at her kindly. Hermione felt a sense of ease as she looked back at her friends’ mother. A rush of affection bloomed inside her.

“No need to worry with the DoM. This can be resolved very quickly!” Algernon Longbottom was clearly a very boisterous man, despite his age. He was round in the middle, but also quite tall. His receding hairline gave him the appearance of constant surprise. He looked nothing like Neville but for the similar height. He cleared his throat, tucking his hands into the deep pockets of his grey robes.  

“I’ve already got our family solicitor ready to draw up the marriage contract. No time to waste, I say. We might as well pursue the bonding as soon as possible to increase the magical potential.” Algie clapped his hands together in a way that reminded Hermione of Arthur Weasley when he was excited to investigate a new Muggle object.

“A marriage contract?” Hermione demanded putting her hands on her hips and gaping at all of them. “Absolutely not!”

“I agree with Granger,” Malfoy bit out quickly, grimacing as his mother glared at him. Clearly he wasn’t supposed to speak until spoken to. Her icy blue eyes were very penetrating. Draco grit his teeth as he glared back.

Augusta Longbottom looked as though she was suppressing the need to roll her eyes at her brother-in-law. She leant forward in her wing-back chair. The raven on her hat swayed menacingly as she straightened her back and swiveled to look at him. The wrinkles on her face somehow added to her ferocious expression.

“Preposterous Algernon! We aren’t here to formulate a marriage contract. Our Neville’s life is at stake, we’ve more important things to worry about than who you’re writing as heir to the House and whether Neville will become more powerful.” 

“Lest you forget, this is about my Draco as well,” Narcissa added. She turned to Augusta with an attempt at a placid look, but there was clearly annoyance and an air of haughtiness in the expression.

“Augusta, as man of this family I have a right to decide what is best for my nephew. He is the scion of a very old and important family as you well know!” Algie huffed in annoyance. Hermione grit her teeth and took a deep breath. Professor McGonagall had a hand raised to her temple as she appeared to be taking her own deep breath.

“Man of the family!” Augusta bellowed angrily.

“You are NOT the head of House Longbottom Algernon. That mantle was given to me.”  She grit out.

“Besides that, it’s not up to you to decide when and who Neville marries,” Hermione said to the man, though it may have come out as more of a snarl. She wasn’t going to stand by and let someone dictate her friend’s life. Neither was she going to have someone dictate hers.

Algie turned toward her in annoyance, “Now see here miss, you are Muggle-born and therefore lack the knowledge of how important these blessings are. It’s not something to be trifled with. Clearly you were meant to bind with House Longbottom. The unicorn even chose our house first.”

Hermione scoffed, “You weren’t even there! Aine chose each of us, not Houses, and certainly not to bind us in marriage. It’s a magical blessing for a reason, to make us more powerful and help us understand our own magic in a deeper way –.”

Algie made to interrupt her tirade, but his speech was cut off by Mrs. Malfoy. She coughed lightly as she interjected.

“I’d rather not listen to the opinions of a man who once threw his nephew out a window in order to determine if he were a squib.”

Narcissa somehow managed to be regal while ridiculing the man. Algie looked perturbed and annoyed at the chastising.

“I’m appalled Mr. Longbottom, these aren’t the dark ages,” Molly agreed.

“Gran, Mrs. Malfoy, Molly, I think we are all grateful for your interest and care in our wellbeing, but I think this is a matter left to Draco, Hermione, and me.”

Neville’s voice was clear and strong. He stood straight and Hermione could feel his warmth radiating a defiant sort of strength.Augusta looked at him proudly.

“You’re right dear. I think it would be best to suggest though, that you get to know Ms. Granger further. I really would rather you live a long life and not die from your own magic combusting.”  

Narcissa nodded. “As much as I would like for Draco to be considered your biggest priority Ms. Granger, I think Augusta is acting reasonably, for once.”

She glanced condescendingly at the other woman, sweeping a bit of her long shining hair over her shoulder.

“You should carefully think about what you are doing to my son and to Mr. Longbottom. I’d rather not see any more senseless deaths nor be exposed to any meaningless pain in my lifetime,” Narcissa vowed.

She looked at her son and Hermione could clearly see sorrow in her eyes. Mrs. Malfoy shook her head lightly and Hermione found the Malfoy matriarch’s piercing eyes on her. At her right she felt Draco take a step closer to her. It placed him ahead of her and directly between his mother and Hermione. The stance didn’t go unnoticed by his mother who graced him with a raised brow. Hermione’s anger seemed to wane at the caress of his serene magic.

“I will not get married out of obligation because some ancient magic demands it.” Hermione balled her hands into fists and focused on the soothing feeling of Draco and Neville beside her.

“This isn’t about marriage Ms. Granger,” Professor McGonagall said firmly. “This is life or death dear and we need to focus on ways to prevent or circumvent it."

“But it is, isn’t it? About marriage,” Algie demanded. His cheerful voice juxtaposed the annoyed statement.

“If she won’t bind to House Longbottom solely then she could always bind with both houses. Triads were respected in ancient times.”

“I’d prefer it if you spoke about me by name. I do have a name. It’s not she.” Hermione had frankly had enough of the man.

“Uncle Algie, that’s enough. This isn’t a light decision and we are looking into ways to address it with the DoM,” Neville assured. His magic burst against Hermione. It felt like something protective.

“We will think about this very carefully,” Draco stated seriously, emphasizing their joint decision. Augusta and Narcissa weren’t looking at him. They were both penetrating Hermione with very determined stares.

“I can’t force you to make a decision girl, but I will not allow you to kill my grandson with your indecision,” Augusta said firmly.

Despite her strong self-determination, Hermione felt herself wavering under the crushing looks. The urge to grasp for Draco and Neville’s hands overcame her and she threw caution to the wind and grasped both of their palms firmly.

Their combined magic coursed up her arms. It tingled every fiber in her muscles. It spread up into her core. A soft glow began to emanate from the three of them. Neville squeezed her hand tightly. Hermione glanced between Neville and Draco finding both of them looking at her. Both of their faces held determination.

“I won’t let them die,” Hermione said firmly.

“We won’t let anyone die,” Neville affirmed.

He looked at Draco as well, bridging some sort of wordless agreement between them. Whatever they were communicating nonverbally seemed to boost the intensity of their combined light.

Professor McGonagall was taken aback by the brightness permeating her large office. Algie gasped, wide-eyed and whispered, “Blimey”, once more. 

“Take Neville on a few dates. Heavens, take Mr. Malfoy if you must, but you will decide on something by the end of this year. You’re meant to be the brightest witch of your age, so figure something out,” Augusta said firmly.

She left no room for argument and stood with an air of finality, apparently determined to ignore the bright glow in front of her. She adjusted the brim of her large hat and turned to her grandson with her chin raised.

“Give a kiss to your Gran, Neville love. I have several specialists to owl now.” Neville obliged his grandmother and moved forward to press his lips against her left cheekbone.

“Come Algie,” she demanded and pulled her brother-in-law rather forcefully toward the flue.

"Molly dear, say hello to Arthur for me." She said, voice sacarine. 

“Narcissa.” She turned toward the younger woman.

Mrs. Malfoy nodded back in what was clearly an act of pureblood etiquette and not one of respect. She rose as well, smoothing out her absolutely immaculate navy robes. She turned to Professor McGonagall.

“Headmistress, I trust that you will do your job and ensure that all of your students make it home safely at the close of the year.”

McGonagall raised her brow, her annoyance thinly veiled. She folded her hands in front of her. Her expression was fierce, a Gryffindor through and through. She wouldn’t back down to someone, no matter how high society the person might be.

“Mrs. Malfoy, I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to cooperate with the Department of Mysteries and all of my students will receive the utmost care and attention.” 

Narcissa swept away, bidding a quick farewell to all of them. Her eyes lingered on her son, but she said nothing more. She threw her flue powder into the fireplace and called out “Malfoy Manor.”

Molly looked between the three of them, marveling for a moment at their glow. “Take care then dears. Good evening Minerva.” She was gone quickly. Hermione let out a breath.

There were a few beats of silence.

“That went well,” Neville said sarcastically.

“You’re uncle is a fucking imbecile Longbottom,” Draco snapped. Neville released a sharp laugh of agreement.

“Mr. Malfoy, language. I will remove house points if you make any further unrefined statements even if I agree with you.” Neville smirked at her.

McGonagall looked between them solemnly. She walked around her desk and lowered herself slowly into her chair. The desk and chair were decidedly different than the ones Dumbledore had used before her. Several of the trinkets were the same. Perhaps they were homages to her old Headmaster. Hermione quickly looked toward the frame that would typically hold him, but found it empty. Snape’s was occupied however, and he stared at her blankly.

McGonagall settled her elbows onto the surface of her desk, clasped her hands and peered at the three of them pensively. She seemed both resigned and concerned. Hermione couldn’t quite figure out what that meant.

“Ms. Granger, I think it wise that you let go now,” she advised, glancing down at their joined hands.

Hermione looked and found the glow between them was turning into a deeper hue, the shade it had been when she had kissed Draco. She blushed and quickly pulled her hands back. She folded them across her chest.

“I will not discourage you from further researching this; in fact I want to encourage all three of you to exhaust every possible avenue. I in turn will do all that I can. I’ve already contacted a number of renowned wizards and witches. I will not allow any of you to fall into harm. I will advise that you all think very carefully about what you want and what you will do. Dismissed.”

All three of them did not linger in her office. They filed out in silence and went their separate ways. Neville waved at her halfheartedly as he turned to go. Hermione of course went immediately to the library.

She wasn’t going to marry these men of that she was certain. Beyond that though, she wasn’t going to let them die.

She’d do whatever she had to.