Wolves | Dramione

17. cat

Hermione's breath hitched at the sight as she murmered something under her breath, panick-striken. Ginny was left panting, and that was the only thing they both hear-- not until an echoing howl disturbed the frightened two. It was too dark for Malfoy to even see both Hermione and Ginny, but what if he can hear their footsteps? their breathing? their smell?

"Ginny, you have to get back to the portkey" thumps of paws start to get louder in their ears. "Wait, what the hell was that?" she whispered loudly. "No time to explain, please, you have to go!" she tried to push her back, quickly running towards the small steps of the front door, opening it as she had her wand at the ready.

"Draco?" her voice echoed the pitch black hall. She can already hear loud breaths, signaling that he was near. Hermione started to feel goosebumps as the wind drew upon her, as she slowly closes the door.

When it clicked, the loud breathing stopped, and his silvery grey orbs opened right in front of her eyes-- He was only a few feet away, and he was tearing the newly fixed sofa. Then, it growled, his feet almost dragging with his nails on the floor, giving Hermione the shivers as she stood still, clutching the bag on her other hand.

The silvery fur of his body gleamed with exposure to such little light peeking out the window, as his nose scrunched and came closer to her. Hermione took a sharp inhale, keeping herself steady.

His nose drew over the bag she was holding, sniffing, and then aggressively yanks it out from her hand with one bite. Hermione was startled. The wolf then drops the bag down, takes a sniff, and snaps his head at Hermione who was already frozen to death. She gulped. But he focused more on what he was given, and so he tears off the bag to reveal his food-- this is the only time Hermione hasn't given him a sleeping draught. How am I going to get out of here? she thought to herself, beads of sweat dripping down her temples.

While he was busy eating, she slowly backed out silently, with her wand pointing at him before he could even attack. As she reached the door knob, Ginny automatically twists it open from the other side, her wand already pointing, and abruptly swinging the door open.

Ginny snapped her head back at the wolf, and her eyes widened as it growled at her. "Sectum--"

"Ginny, NO!" Hermione pushes Ginny away as quickly as possible. The wolf started to bark at Ginny and Hermione. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, HERMIONE--"

"RUN! LEAVE! NOW!" she exclaimed. But Ginny was stubborn, and still she insisted to point her wand at him and said, "Alarte Ascendare!" which came the wolf flying into the air. "Let's leave, Hermione before it attacks us!" Ginny pulled her arm and went out running to the portkey. As soon as she reached for it, Hermione yanks her arm off of Ginny, and with a gasp, Ginny apparated away from the manor without Hermione.

Hermione looked back at the manor, breathing heavily, with a loud howl from the inside.

***

The next day, Draco woke up feeling light-headed, slowly opening his eyes in the process until he has finally realized that he was tucked in his bed, and a bandage on his left hand, raising it up to get a closer look.

When he slowly sat up, he again immediately felt like he was under a vertigo, and so he plummeted back to the pillows. Draco sighed, staring at the ceiling for about three seconds, until he blinked at the bedside table, seeing a basin of water and a piece of cloth. The door creaked open.

"Oh, you're awake." Hermione said in a soft tone. "I hope you don't mind I stayed the night. Don't worry, though, I slept on the couch." she said, holding a tray of breakfast, and putting it aside.

"What's that?" he asked with a coarse voice. "Eggs benedict and a cup of hot tea". He sighed, slowly sitting up, but he can still feel his head throbbing. "Why did you stay the night?"