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Theo watched his best friend, Draco, enter the Great Hall, taking stock of his friend. Draco Malfoy was a Muggle-born wizard born into a poor family over in Cork. They grew up just down the road together and shared every thought, toy, snack, and minute that they possibly could. Draco had always been a skinny, near-gaunt boy. However, as Theo looked over his friend, he couldn’t help but think something was different about him. Draco had always been tall, but Theo had still towered over him at his impressive 6’4”. Today, three months into the term, Draco was suddenly standing a head taller than everyone in the Great Hall as he made his way to Theo’s side at the Slytherin table. Perplexed, Theo watched as Draco winced, sitting down on the bench. On Theo’s other side, Blaise shrunk away from Draco, his nose curling up in a snarl. Across the bench, Pansy dropped her fork halfway to her mouth, staring at Draco open-mouthed and panting. Draco was sweating profusely next to him, chugging a glass of pumpkin juice as if he hadn’t had a drink in years.
Theo quickly took stock of all the other Alphas at the table, watching them react to Draco’s presence.
“Uh, Draco, would you mind coming with me to the common room really quick? I, uh, forgot my potion’s book.” Theo whispered to his friend.
“We don’t have potions today, Theo,” Draco grumbled, drinking down another glass of juice.
“Right, but, uh, well, my Hufflepuff friend, you remember the one? She accidentally blew hers up last week, and I told her I’d let her borrow mine.” Theo stood up, attempting to pull Draco with him, but Draco yanked his arm out of Theo’s grasp.
“Hufflepuff doesn’t have potions today either, Theo. Leave me alone, and go get the damned book yourself.” He growled at Theo, and Theo winced as several Alphas began jumping to attention.
“Please, Draco, please, please come with me.” Theo forced his voice into a whine. That, finally, got Draco’s attention.
“T-Theo?” Draco moaned lowly, looking him up and down.
“Come with me, Draco.” Theo purred, pulling on Draco’s arm again.
This time, Draco came willingly. Without looking back, Theo pulled Draco through the Great Hall, but Draco stopped them just outside the doors. Theo looked over Draco’s shoulder to find most of the hall on its feet watching them.
“C’mon, Draco, please,” Theo whined again, trying to tug Draco along toward the dungeons.
“The Head’s dorm is closer,” Draco suggested.
Theo nodded, swallowing when Draco licked his lips. Theo breathed a shallow sigh of relief that they were at least out of the hall filled with Alphas. He nearly sprinted to the dorm, Draco calling out the password when they were still a metre away from the portrait. Theo closed the door behind them, watching Draco slide against the sitting room wall and run his hands through his hair.
“What’s happening to me, Theo?” Draco moaned, his voice husky, wrecked.
“I-I’m not sure, but I think you’re presenting.” Theo replied, observing him; sweat was dripping down Draco’s brow.
“What does that mean?”
“I think you’re presenting as an Alpha.”
“Theo!” Draco growled, standing so suddenly that Theo missed the movement. Draco crossed the room, backing Theo into the wall and crowding into his space. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“Well, in the Wizarding World, when a Witch or Wizard reaches adulthood, sometimes they present as either a Beta, like me,” Theo gestured to himself within the limited space he had trapped between Draco’s arms. “Or they can present as an Alpha or Omega. Judging from the reactions of the other Alphas at the table, I think you’re an Alpha. And I think you’re going into a rut.”
Draco’s fist slammed into the wall beside Theo’s head, causing Theo to flinch slightly.
“I’m sorry, I’m trying to explain,” Theo whispered, Draco’s snarling face watching him intently. “They probably didn’t tell you because they probably, wrongly, assumed that a muggleborn couldn’t present. You, well, it’s what it sounds like, really. You’re one of the strongest males in the school now, and you’re going into a rut. Which, I’m sure you’re feeling things?”
“F-eeling, things?” Draco stuttered, licking his lips again, his face centimetres from Theo’s.
“Why don’t you tell me what you’re feeling?” Theo inquired, applying a sultry tone and watching Draco’s eyes roll back as a result.
“H-hot, my body is so hot.” Draco groaned, his eyes closing as he focused on the feelings. “I-I smelled…something, something…it was so good.” He groaned, stepping even closer to Theo and burying his face into Theo’s neck. “I’m so fucking hard, Theo. I have been since I smelled it, and my heart’s racing. I…I need…”
“Shhh,” Theo whispered into his ear, “I know what Alpha needs. I can help.”
Draco pulled away from his neck, looking into Theo’s eyes again. Slowly, Draco pressed his body against Theo’s, pressing his erection against Theo’s navel. Theo’s hands reached up to Draco’s neck, and his right thumb grazed the gland there, causing Draco to buck against his stomach. When his eyes finally opened again, Theo carefully placed his hands on either side of Draco’s face and kissed him.
It was chaste, like most first kisses. Theo didn’t put any more intention into the kiss than merely to initiate the first touch, leaving the rest for Draco to decide. Draco’s left hand grasped the back of Theo’s neck aggressively, pulling the man away from his body and knocking his head into the wall. Theo held in the whimper from the force of the action, watching Draco’s every move. Draco’s mouth formed into another snarl, examining Theo’s face.
“Why did you do that?” he growled, “You know I like women.”
“I’m sorry, I thought you’d like it.” Theo said evenly, knowing most ruts didn’t give a fuck about gender.
“I-” Draco shook his head, giving Theo a confused look, his eyes latching onto Theo’s mouth, his left hand digging fingers into Theo’s neck. His right hand went to his throat, feeling his gland.
“What is this?” Draco whispered, his crotch bucking against Theo’s stomach shallowly but repeatedly. “It’s…it is so sensitive.”
“It’s your gland,” Theo replied, swallowing harshly against Draco’s hand. “Alphas and Omegas have them in many places. I’m just a Beta, so I just have the one.”
“Beta?” Draco blinked, relaxing his left hand.
“We, we’re ‘normal’ mostly. Alphas usually mate with us.” Draco growled at that, his fingers finding Theo’s gland and stroking it. “It-it should help calm you, my scent.”
Draco leaned in again, sniffing deeply against Theo’s gland and licking it tentatively. Theo’s slowly hardening cock sprang to attention as Draco growled against the gland and then sucked hard on it. Theo’s knees nearly buckled at the feeling.
“This,” Draco pulled away again to look into Theo’s eyes. “You’re not what I smelled.”
“That’s okay. We can figure out who you smelled later, but you can’t go back out there while you’re in a rut.” Theo said as evenly as he could, wanting Draco’s mouth back on his neck, anywhere really.
“You keep saying that…rut.” Draco’s hips kept up a slow pace, pushing into Theo repeatedly. “What does that mean?”
“What you’re experiencing,” Theo explained while Draco gently explored Theo’s available skin. “The heat, the sweating, the urge to fuck something into submission…” Draco’s right hand stalled against Theo’s forearm, thumb brushing his veins. “You’ll feel like this for several days, and it will worsen if you don’t tire yourself out. Or worse, you and another Alpha butt heads.”
“Don’t,” Draco growled, his left hand going to Theo’s throat and squeezing lightly, cutting off Theo’s air. “Don’t, I’m Alpha.”
“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Theo placated, and Draco’s hand relaxed, but it did not leave Theo’s throat. “All I meant is I can help you, Alpha. Let me help you.”
“I’m so confused, Theo,” Draco whispered.
“I know. I can take you to McGonagall or Snape after, or I can get you some books about it if you want.”
Draco’s thumb stroked Theo’s gland over and over, his mouth parting as he breathed in the scent of the Beta. “I don’t like men, Theo.”
“You don’t have to; gender doesn’t matter to a rut. You just-” Theo stopped, shaking his head. “I just know you need…someone.”
Draco’s gaze met Theo’s again, his blown pupils shifting between Theo’s as if in question.
“It doesn’t have to mean any more than a friend helping a friend,” Theo assured. “Take what you need, I can handle it.”
That seemed to be the magic words because Draco sprung into action, sealing his mouth against Theo’s in a punishing kiss. Theo’s Beta instincts kicked in, his body relaxing into submission to Draco, whose hands ripped at Theo’s robes. Theo keened when Draco latched onto his gland again.
“Can I?” Draco asked, throat hoarse, and a hand around Theo’s trouser button.
Theo nodded, giving himself over to his best mate.
*
Hermione watched Draco and Theo rush out of the Great Hall, listening to the four tables murmur voraciously at the drama unfolding over at the Slytherin table. Blaise Zabini was on his feet and staring after the men; Pansy Parkinson barely held him back with a hand on his arm. Hermione turned to Harry and Ron, and both looked a little ill while they whispered to each other.
“What’s all that about?” Hermione asked, looking between her friends.
“Nothing, Hermione, you wouldn’t get it.” Ron spat out quickly, returning to his feverish whispering.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked indignantly, setting down her fork roughly.
“Well,” Ron said, looking between Harry and Hermione. “It’s just that you’re a Muggle-born; you wouldn’t get it.”
He said it kindly, but Hermione’s hackles immediately raised.
“Honestly, after nearly eight bloody years amongst you people, is it still like this?” She huffed, gathering her things and trying to hold back her tears.
“Hermione, please, it’s not like that,” Harry said quickly, reaching across the table towards her. “It’s not some blood superiority bullshit, it’s just…well, it’s true.”
“I don’t want to hear anymore.” Hermione sniffed, standing and throwing her bag across her shoulder. “I’ll see you two tomorrow in class.”
Without a backwards glance, Hermione nearly ran to the Head’s dorm she shared with Draco Malfoy. It had been hard for her to make any friends initially, being a Muggle-born. Not only did she not know anyone, but she didn’t know anything about magic. Hermione had worked her ass off to stand ahead of her peers and learn everything she could about magic so she could hold her own in any conversation. Yet, here she was once again, feeling exactly the same as she had nearly eight years earlier, like she was an ignorant, silly little girl who couldn’t possibly understand all the intricacies of the magical world simply because she wasn’t born into it.
She scoffed to herself, as if books and oral histories don’t exist. I’m the only person who even listens to Professor Binns, apart from Malfoy.
Hermione shook her head, banishing thoughts of the blond Slytherin from her mind. She didn’t want to think about him when she was already upset, rushing down the corridor and angrily wiping tears off her cheeks. She spat the password out to the portrait and entered, sighing in relief that Malfoy was nowhere to be found but paused on her way to her room.
What on Earth is that amazing smell? She wondered, looking around the room for a candle or a cup of tea left out on their little kitchenette, but found none.
Hermione breathed in deeply and found herself, embarrassingly, drooling over the scent. It was like a fresh bath mixed with a burning wood fire, cedar wood, and maybe a hint of bergamot. She couldn’t place where she’d smelled anything like it but tried to shake it off as a cramp came upon her.
Great, she thought, of course, I’m starting my period right now.
Grumbling to herself, she went to her room, going through the motions of taking a shower and caring for her body. While drying her hair, she found she was unexpectedly fatigued, so she gave up on her hair for the time being and fanned herself.
Why is it so bloody damned hot in here?
She wiped the sweat from her brow as she dug in her trunk, eventually finding her father’s old Oxford tee and donning it and a light pair of knickers. Climbing in bed, she spent an unusual amount of time rearranging her pillows and blankets. It was as if someone was in her ear telling her that no matter what she did, it wasn’t good enough, and she couldn’t get comfortable. Merlin, she was sweating. She had half a mind to break down Malfoy’s door and demand what in Merlin’s name he’d done to the dorm to make it so unbearably hot in her room.
Even my thighs are sweating!
She huffed, walking back to the bathroom and grabbing a towel to wipe her thighs, but the towel came away much more damp than she expected.
Did I start my cycle already? She wondered, searching for her wand to flick on the lights and examine the towel, but it wasn’t red with blood. What is going on?
Hermione wiped her thighs again and whimpered at the sensation, her fingers brushing against a patch of tender skin on the inside of her right thigh. Something banged against the wall she shared with Malfoy, causing her to jump and her fingers to brush an identical patch of sensitive skin on her left thigh.
Am I chaffing?
She wondered if perhaps she should see Madam Pomfrey but quickly dismissed the thought. What would she even say: “My menstrual cycle is coming on, and I’m feeling more sensitive than normal.” What a waste of the Matron’s time.
Hermione set out to make herself more comfortable, searching the cupboards in the bathroom to find a container of Vaseline for her thighs. However, when she tried applying the jelly, it slid right off her skin, and all she did was elicit a moan from the sensation of touching the sensitive skin. Another bang shuddered through the wall of Malfoy’s room, and Hermione flinched. Annoyed, she banged back on the wall.
I’m trying to fucking sleep, damn it. She grumbled, returning to her bed, but couldn’t get comfortable.
Huffing, she pulled out her wand and summoned her Patronus to send to Ginny.
“Will you come to the Head’s dorm? I’m having some girl issues and could use your advice.” Hermione vocalised for the wispy Otter and then watched as it bounded away through the ceiling.
Tossing and turning in her bed, she waited several minutes before heading to the shared sitting room to greet Ginny. She sat on the settee, shifting around and fanning herself because the sweating persisted. When there was finally a knock on the door, Hermione stood and gasped as a gush of liquid travelled down her thighs. Looking down, she found it was still not menstrual blood but some clear liquid. Hermione blushed furiously, worried she’d soiled herself, but the liquid kept coming, and it wasn’t urine.
Ginny knocked again, and Hermione hobbled to the front door, holding a hand against her privates to try and stem the fluid from gushing down her thighs. The door opened, and she didn’t wait a second longer than necessary to pull Ginny into the room.
“Ginny, what?” Hermione looked down to her thighs and then back into her friend’s eyes. “Help me, please, what is happening?”
Ginny’s nostrils flared as she took in Hermione and the state of the room.
“You-but you can’t,” Ginny said, looking bewildered.
At the same time, Theodore appeared from Malfoy’s room, carefully locking the door behind himself. Hermione and Ginny both looked at him, and his eyebrows rose dramatically.
“I did not realise you were having company over, Granger.” He said in that lyrical way of his. “I’ll make myself scarce. I just need to rehydrate.”
Hermione watched, frozen, as he went into the kitchenette. “What is that smell?” she asked under her breath.
Theodore’s posture locked up, one hand reaching into the cooler, and looked at Hermione carefully. Ginny looked around the room as if searching for what Hermione was talking about.
“It-it’s coming from Malfoy’s room,” Hermione whispered, moving towards the room without noticing, as if her feet had their own mind.
“Stop!” Theodore shouted and jumped in front of Hermione’s path. “Please don’t go in there, Granger. I’d never forgive myself.”
“But-” Hermione floundered to explain, finding herself needing to explain. “It smells…so, so good.”
“I know, love, I know.” Ginny placated, coming up from behind Hermione and rubbing Hermione’s shoulders. “Come, come sit down, yeah?”
Together, Ginny and Theodore led Hermione to the settee she’d previously been occupying. When she was finally settled, Ginny pulled Theodore aside and began talking into his ear as quickly as possible. Hermione could only pick up a word here and there, words like: “Alpha,” “presenting,” “slick,” and “mate.” As Ginny spoke, Theodore kept passing surreptitious glances at the other room’s door. Ginny’s hand clenched down on Hermione’s thigh when Hermione tried to stand up, forcing her to stay seated.
“Please, Ginny,” Hermione whined, wriggling in her seat.
“Nott, we need to get her out of here, get her to McGonagall or Madam Pomfrey,” Ginny said urgently. “If what you’re saying…if what’s happening here is what I think is happening…”
“I know, I know, but I can’t leave,” Theodore muttered, looking to Malfoy’s door and wincing when something slammed against the door. “You’ll have to take her yourself and hurry.”
“I don’t want to leave,” Hermione whined, rubbing her thighs together, her frustration mounting.
“Nott, what do I do if I run into an…” Ginny looked at Hermione and then looked away. “I can’t protect her from that.”
“Fuck, no, no, you’re right, Weasley.” Incoherent shouting started coming from Malfoy’s room, and Hermione cried out. “Just take her to her room, yeah? I’ll send a patronus to Pomfrey.”
Ginny nodded, grasping Hermione by the upper arm and dragging her into her room. Hermione pulled against her, trying to get into Malfoy’s room.
“C’mon ‘Mione, you need to come with me.” Ginny coaxed.
“No, no, I need to go there.”
“No, you don’t, sweetie. You need to come with me and wait for Pomfrey to swing by.”
Once inside her room, Ginny locked and warded the door with every spell she could think of. Hermione returned to her bed and began fiddling with the blankets once more. Ginny watched her friend move the same pillow repeatedly before digging through Hermione’s trunk and handing her a throw blanket Molly had knitted for her on Christmas. Hermione snatched it up, muttering a ‘thank you’ after she sniffed the blanket and fortified the pillow with it.
Shouting came from Malfoy’s room, causing Ginny to wince. However, Hermione writhed around on the bed and whimpered at the voices.
“Hermione, we need to talk about something,” Ginny said evenly, watching as Hermione turned her way with a far-off expression. “Have you ever heard of Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics?”
Hermione shook her head; why am I so sweaty? She wanted to ask, but she couldn’t form the words.
“It’s common knowledge for us born into the wizarding world, but we were always told that Muggle-borns couldn’t present. Mum and Dad told us that Muggle-borns would be like everyone else.” She explained, wringing her hands and moving as close to the nest as she dared. “But this evening, Draco Malfoy presented, that’s what all the fuss was at dinner.”
“Mmmmm, Draco…” Hermione whimpered at his name. Draco can help, I’m sure of it, she thought, not knowing why she felt so strongly that was true.
“T-Theo is a Beta like me, but Malfoy’s an Alpha and-”
“Alpha,” Hermione whined, cutting Ginny off. “Alpha can help.”
“Hermione!” Ginny snapped, and Hermione shook her head, clearing it slightly of its fog. “You need to listen to me right now because you won’t be able to follow along very soon, okay? You’re an Omega, and that’s dangerous.”
“Wh-what do you mean, dangerous?” Hermione croaked.
“An unmated Omega is a walking target to other Alphas. They’ll all want to mate you, and most won’t ask your permission.” Ginny tried to speak quickly, knowing Hermione’s wherewithal would soon dissipate. “I-I can help you through this heat if you need. That’s what’s happening to you. You’re going into heat, and you need someone to help you through it, but I don’t want someone bursting in here and taking advantage of you when you’re like this.”
“Heat? Help? What do you mean?”
“You, well, it’s crass, but you have a need to-to well have someone inside you, right?” Ginny cringed at her words, but Hermione’s thighs rubbed together.
“Alpha-Alpha can help.”
“I know you think that Hermione, but I can’t let that happen right now. You’re not in the right headspace; you’re in a sub-headspace.”
There was a loud crash outside the room, and then there was shouting.
“Get out of my way, Theo!” Draco roared from the other room.
“Drake, I’m sorry, Incarerous!” Theodore shouted, and what sounded like a body thumped to the ground.
Draco shouted expletives as a knock sounded on the dorm’s front door. Ginny heard Theo walk to answer the door. Madam Pomfrey's muffled voice could barely be heard through Hermione’s door, but Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. Several spells were spoken, Ginny thought maybe Nott’s door was being repaired and maybe a Wingardium Leviosa to move Draco back into the room. From the bed wafted a strong smell of honey and lilies; Ginny took to breathing through her mouth. Her anxiety skyrocketed when Draco seemed to catch the scent and roared again. There was the sound of a silencing spell, and Draco’s roars were abruptly cut off—a knock on Hermione’s door.
“Ginny, it’s Madam Pomfrey. May I enter?” The matron’s kind voice inquired from the sitting room, and Ginny gave the affirmative. “How is she?”
Ginny moved aside to allow Pomfrey to look in on Hermione. Nott watched from the doorway, and Ginny examined him more closely. He was covered in bruises and hickeys, his hair sticking up all over the place and breathing hard through his mouth like he too was trying to block out Hermione’s scent.
“I can give them both a blocker, but I’m afraid it won’t do much since they’re both already amid their cycles, although…” Pomfrey trailed off, thinking deeply. “Perhaps, it might clear their minds long enough to come to an understanding…”
Madam Pomfrey snapped her fingers, and one of the Hogwarts elves appeared at her side.
“Hello, Winky, could you please pop over to my storage closet and bring me two calming draughts, extra strength.”
The elf bowed and popped away, returning moments later with the potions. Pomfrey took them with a quiet ‘thank you’ to Winky, who disappeared again.
“Theodore, would you please take Mr. Malfoy into the sitting room? Ginny, dear, help me with Ms. Granger.” Pomfrey instructed, carefully going to Hermione and speaking softly in her ear before assisting her off of the bed.
Malfoy was thrashing against his ropes from where he was placed on the settee, snarling through his silencing spell. Hermione started to writhe around, but Pomfrey swiftly stuck her with a blocker shot. Malfoy’s attention was then drawn to Pomfrey, and he looked murderously at her, violently trying to break free from his bonds. Pomfrey stuck him, too. Nott jumped into action, feeding Malfoy the calming draught, and Ginny did the same for Hermione.
“Are you two feeling a little more settled?” Pomfrey asked them. Malfoy nodded since he was still silenced.
“I-I think s-so,” Hermione stuttered, rubbing her hands together in her lap. “I don’t-what is happening to me?”
“It’s like I was explaining, Hermione,” Ginny started calmly but stepped back when Malfoy bared his teeth at her advancing. “You’re presenting, you’re an Omega.”
“What?” Pomfrey asked, surprised. “They both presented today?”
Ginny looked to Nott, and they both nodded. Malfoy tried to shout something but closed his mouth and grimaced, looking at Nott. Pomfrey flicked her wand, lifting his silencing charm.
“What does that mean?” He asked, voice hoarse from all his yelling.
“You’re mated, is what that means,” Nott breathed. Ginny’s head snapped to his, eyes wide.
“My thoughts exactly, Mr. Nott.” Pomfrey agreed, looking between Hermione and Malfoy. “It seems you’ve triggered presentation in each other because you’re mates.”
Hermione looked at Malfoy nervously, trying not to squirm too much. She was so sensitive everywhere. Malfoy’s eyes drifted to her thighs, and he swallowed hard, closed his eyes, and then turned his gaze back to Pomfrey.
“The easiest thing to do would be to have you two sort it out together. It was smart of your friends to separate you like this so you can understand.” Pomfrey sat down on the coffee table between the two of them. “We can educate you more after this cycle, but you must get through it first. The best thing to do is have someone with you to help you through and, well, since you’re mated, it would make sense-”
“Help you through?” Hermione cut her off. “Ginny said something similar, but I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Sex, my dear,” Pomfrey said, causing all the students to flinch, embarrassed, and she rolled her eyes. “It’s the truth. Sex is the fix for a heat or a rut.”
“Y-you’re telling me to have sex with Malfoy!?” Hermione squeaked, face flushed, Malfoy groaned beside her. “B-but…”
“It’s the truth, Granger. That’s why I was with Malfoy when you arrived.” Nott said.
Ginny and Hermione’s heads snapped to Nott at that, and Pomfrey smiled at him.
“That’s what we Betas are good for, right Ginny?” Nott shrugged, and Ginny blushed, looking away from them.
“Indeed, Mr. Nott,” Pomfrey said, taking control of the room. “Ms Granger, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. You can certainly go through your heat without any assistance, but it helps significantly.”
Hermione looked at Malfoy in her peripherals, noticing him pull a throw pillow over his lap.
“Honestly, we wouldn’t be able to have a rational conversation with Mr. Malfoy at this stage if he wasn’t a little tired.” Pomfrey continued, unfazed, while Malfoy groaned and blushed profusely. “It’s perfectly natural. You all are so shy when it comes to your own bodies.”
Nott chuckled as Pomfrey rolled her eyes dramatically, and Ginny giggled.
“I-we can stay here with you if you’d like, Hermione,” Ginny suggested, looking like she didn’t mean it at all.
“I wouldn’t suggest that, Ms. Weasely.” Pomfrey cautioned. “Once Mr. Malfoy is back in his Alpha headspace…well, I wouldn’t suggest either of you potentially getting in the way of him and Ms. Granger.”
“I’m right here,” Malfoy snapped.
“Oh, shove it, Drake,” Nott shot back. “You were acting mad the moment she entered the dorm, and you can’t convince anyone otherwise.”
“Yeah, well, you could at least talk to me and not about me,” he pouted, crossing his arms.
“I have to say I agree with Malfoy,” Hermione admitted, blushing and watching Malfoy preen at her words. “I-erm, I’m starting to get hot again, very hot.”
“Listen,” Nott sighed. “No one is saying you two have to be together, but what is clear is that you’d be good together, and since you’re both in the middle of a cycle, the easiest thing to do would be to handle the cycles together. If you don’t want to do that, we can quarantine both of you. Drake, I can still help you if you wish. Granger, you can pick someone to help you if you want or not.”
“We just want you both to get through this as painlessly as possible,” Ginny agreed, nodding emphatically.
“Very well said, Mr. Nott.” Pomfrey praised, then turned to Malfoy and Hermione. “The potion and blockers are going to wear off any moment. Your metabolisms will process them too quickly when you’re in the middle of a cycle, so I need quick choices and verbal consent from both of you regarding what you’d wish to do.”
Hermione looked at Malfoy, hesitating. She was comforted by the fact that he was also blushing at the idea.
“I-” Hermione cleared her throat. “Are you sure it will help?”
“I promise it will,” Pomfrey assured her, smiling kindly.
“Even if…I’m a virgin?”
Malfoy groaned deeply, and Hermione avoided his eyes, wringing her hands together.
“I’m sure Mr. Malfoy will know how to assist,” Pomfrey said evenly.
“Okay, I’m-I’m okay with it if you are, Malfoy.” Hermione swallowed down her anxiety and turned to look at him. He observed her carefully.
“I’m more than okay with it,” he breathed, locking eyes with her, causing her entire body to shiver.
“Well, that settles it. We’ll leave you to it.” Pomfrey clapped her hands, startling the pair. “Mr. Nott, Ms. Weasely, please come with me.”
Ginny followed on Pomfrey’s heels, eager to escape the room. Nott followed slowly, looking back and smiling at them with a thumbs-up before leaving the room.
“I would suggest you two keep this to yourselves. Let Mr Malfoy and Ms Granger decide when and if they’d like the rest of the school to be aware of their situation.” Madam Pomfrey told Ginny and Theo seriously.
“Yes, ma’am.” Theo replied, smiling warmly at her.
“Of course, Madam Pomfrey.” Ginny nodded emphatically.
Madam Pomfrey nodded minutely, placing protective wards over the Head Dorm, and then headed toward the Medical Wing. Theo clapped his hands together, turning to Ginny with a smile.
“Shall we head back to dinner?” He asked.
“We?” Ginny asked, furrowing her brow suspiciously at him.
“I figured we could go over what to say to nosey people wondering where they are.” Theo shrugged. “You know, have our story straight.”
Ginny considered it for a moment, finally nodding her head and following him back to the Great Hall and sitting with him at the end of the Slytherin table. From her position, she could see Harry and Ron eyeing her angrily, but she ignored them as best as she could.
She spent every available moment of the following week in Theo’s presence. Not only was he a viciously protective friend, but he was funny and sweet. Ginny found herself enjoying her time with him, and their new friendship took most of the brunt of the rumour mill away from Malfoy and Hermione.
At the end of the week, Hermione and Malfoy returned to classes glued to each other’s sides. They held hands, nuzzling into each other from their seats in classes, and often disappeared together. Ginny smiled knowingly at Theo when she noticed the large bite mark on Hermione’s neck. Theo gave her the sweetest smile she’d ever seen. Gods, I could kiss him.