Fic: Semper Vigilans (3/?)
Title: Semper Vigilans
Author: Buffybot76
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they are the property of J.K Rowling. I am simply borrowing them for my amusement and non-profit entertainment.
Pairing: Fred/Hermione/George
Rating: M
Summary: The twins had always known that they were different from other children, even those among their own family. It wasn't until they were older that the twins found out just how different they truly were.
Warnings (if applicable): Mild violence, language, future smut
Genre: Romance/Supernatural, eventual crossover
Author's Notes: Muggle AU with a bit of supernatural thrown in there.
Semper Vigilans
- Chapter 3 -
Hermione entered the living room, and as one, the twins turned to look at her. She fidgeted nervously under the dual gazes cast upon her. Their blue eyes seemed to pierce her like never before due to the newfound revelation concerning her feelings for them. Suddenly bashful, she cast her eyes downward as she toyed with the hem of the shirt she wore - Fred's shirt.
Even if he hadn't brought it to her from his room earlier, she realized she would have still been able to tell it was his. It fell just below her hips, covering the slightly too large boxers beneath it. It smelled like him. It was one of the many ways she could always tell them apart, their scent. Fred smelled distinctly different from George.
George had a warm, earthy scent, like an open field after a summer rain, whereas Fred held the heady scent of a dense forest with a hint of pine. Both were very appealing to her. If she were being honest with herself, which, apparently she suddenly was when it came to the twins, their scents had the tendency to make her a bit weak-kneed when they were close to her, like earlier. It had been the feel of their arms around her combined with the aroma of their merged essences that had really chased away her fears.
Swallowing a lump that had suspiciously formed in her throat, Hermione raised her gaze up from where it had dropped to the floor and met the twins' eyes just in time to see the corner of Fred's lips quirk upwards into the hint of a smile. It seemed the sight of her in one of his shirts amused him. His eyes darted down the length of her body, taking in her appearance, as did George's. She could have sworn their eyes seemed to darken just a bit.
Hermione shook herself, this was ridiculous. It was just Fred and George! The two red headed pranksters who had been her friends since she was twelve. She stepped toward them until she had joined them by the sofa.
"Thank you," She said softly. "I appreciate the bath and clothes... I feel loads better."
"Not a problem, love." George told her, grinning.
"Yeah, you can steal my boxers anytime." Fred teased, his own grin growing into a full fledged smile.
"And now, you my dearest Kit, are going to rest. Seems you've had a bit of a long night. I'm sure you could use it. Take my bed." George stated. As he spoke he moved to grasp Hermione by the shoulders, turning her around and ushering her towards the door that led to his room.
"Are you sure?" Hermione questioned, looking over her shoulder at him. His hands seemed to burn her through the shirt as he squeezed her arms gently.
In reply, George propelled her into the bedroom and toward the bed, Fred following close behind.
"We're sure." Came a dual reply.
Hermione rolled her eyes and with a resigned sigh climbed onto the mattress and lay down. George pulled the covers up and tucked her in tenderly while Fred smoothed her hair with one calloused hand. And then they both surprised her by leaning over and placing a kiss to her head, one on each temple. They pulled away with smiles etched on their lips as she blinked up at them owlishly.
"G'night, love." Again, they spoke as one, Fred adding a playful wink at her before they both turned and walked from the room.
Hermione managed to swallow the knot that had again formed in her throat at the feel of the twins' lips on her skin in time to whisper a reply just before the sound of the bedroom door clicking closed sounded.
"Goodnight."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was on the eve of their fifteenth birthday, that Fred and George Weasley had discovered that they possessed certain abilities. They had felt it, as if something had stirred within them, unfurling a yearning to run, to jump, to hunt. Their eyes met, minds connecting to one another in silent agreement. They had snuck out of their family home and into the woods that very night. Once there, they had unleashed the urge, leaping with stealth and grace into the trees with an agility they had never known. With whoops of excitement and glee, the boys had flitted through the treetops, as if they had always been able to do so.
It was with this same graceful agility that Fred and George slipped from the flat not long after they'd sensed Hermione had fallen asleep. Making sure they were out of sight of any neighbors, the twins had took to the trees, George leading the way as they swiftly made their way back to the area in which Hermione's car sat.
Fred took note of the pool of blood on the ground near the wrecked car, as well as the lack of a dead body. It seemed as if George had been right, Malfoy had survived his encounter with the eldest Weasley twin.
"We can't leave any evidence behind." George murmured as he knelt beside the blood stained earth. Placing his hands upon the ground, George concentrated, initiating an ability that they had been honing for only a few short months now. Along with their ability to change into their "Foxy Forms" as they called them, the twins had learned they could manipulate and control certain things, such as dirt. A glowing energy formed beneath George's palms, radiating into the soil and within just a few moments the blood had been absorbed, disappearing into the earth.
"There," George rose to his feet and glanced over at Fred who was just placing a cell phone to his ear. 'Are you calling who I think you're calling?'
Fred nodded. 'Lee owes me a favor, so I figure it won't take much to convince him to come tow Kit's car to his garage. We can cover the expenses for the repairs, that way no authorities need be involved.'
George sighed in relief. Good, one more problem taken care of. It was a good thing Lee Jordan, one of their friends from school, owned the local garage. He could only imagine the headache it would be if the police were to show up asking questions. He waited until Fred had finished conversing with their mechanic friend and hung up before he spoke again. "There's still the matter of Malfoy. He's managed to slither away like the snake he is, but I'm not confident that once he's recovered he won't try to harm Hermione again."
Fred's jaw tightened at the prospect of their Kit being in danger.
Their Kit. God, he liked the sound of that.
'We will just have to redouble our efforts to protect her, now, won't we?' Fred smirked at the ease with which they mentally conversed. It never got old.
George scoffed. He knew Hermione wasn't some damsel in distress. Despite having to have been rescued earlier that night (that had been a special set of circumstances) they both knew Hermione was strong. They had gotten back at their little brother for his thoughtless, hurtful words to her during her first year of school (which they would forever be secretly thankful for, for it had led to the beginnings of their friendship) but despite that, she had stood up for herself quite brilliantly on most occasions. Of course, they had been there to back her up when necessary, but during those times they had been so proud of her.
The twins weren't idiots. They had sensed how the fondness they felt for her had deepened through the years. The link they had felt form from the moment she'd mowed them down in the hall in front of the cafeteria doors had grown stronger, changing into something a bit more intense with each milestone they'd achieved with their growing powers. They had definitely noticed when she had turned eighteen. The pull was almost undeniable now.
Not to mention the attraction.
It had been there, lying beneath the other emotions, just waiting for the right moment to spring forth.
And spring forth it had. When she had stood before them earlier in Fred's clothes, looking so small and vulnerable, they'd had the urge to pounce. To take her in their arms, to their bed, and never let her go. It had taken quite a bit of effort on their part to not do just that. No, it wasn't time for that yet.
Once they had finished their research and found answers to what they were exactly, answers that they could in turn give to her... Then they would claim her.
The red heads shared a look at the single thought occupying both their minds.
It had been extremely weird at first, realizing they both wanted the same girl. Strike that, the same woman. Even stranger, still, when realizing that there wasn't a hint of jealousy to be felt at the revelation. Sure, they'd shared things in the past. Toys during childhood, clothes and the like. But this was different.
They had both dated while in school, but never the same girl at the same time. Fred had dated Angelina Johnson up until their break up seventh year and George had taken Katie Bell and a string of other girls out regularly until the brothers had left school in order to follow their dream and open their business. Though, not once, had Fred nor George ever felt the urge to join their brother in kissing their chosen partner at the time. It wasn't until Hermione had seemed to blossom before their eyes that the desire had emerged.
It felt so right, the need to make her theirs, that they simply could not deny it.
The lights of an approaching vehicle roused the boys from their thoughts. Lee had arrived and with the help of the twins, was soon backing the large tow truck up to the back bumper of Hermione's car. The large chain and hook was lowered slowly and Fred connected it securely to an axle, giving the side of the old Ford a rap to signify to that everything was ready to go.
Lee Jordan stuck his head out of the driver's side window, his normally long and loose hanging dread locks were pulled back into a ponytail away from his handsome face. "I reckon this makes us even then." He grinned at the twins who returned the gesture wholeheartedly.
"Don't push it, Jordan," Fred arched an eyebrow, his arms crossed in a mock stern posture, an action to which George mirrored.
"We'll have you know it took quite a bit of finagling-"
"-to get what you asked for."
"Lots of red tape, you see."
"So you might be hearing from us again in the near future."
Lee gave a sigh that was audible even over the roar of the big truck's engine. "I kinda figured that. It was worth a shot though." With a laugh and a wave he drew back into the cab and drove away.
Once the tail lights had disappeared around the bend, the twins took a moment to recheck the area to make sure there was no other evidence of the incident they were trying to cover up. Satisfied that there was nothing incriminatingly obvious, the pair took to the trees again and swiftly made their way back to the woman who lay sleeping in their flat, completely unaware of all they had done in order to protect her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To all who knew of him, Lucius Malfoy was a very prominent, not to mention wealthy entrepreneur. He was strikingly handsome with an equally handsome son and a beautiful, loyal wife. To all who actually knew and were acquainted with him, he was ruthless and secretive, not to mention extremely vain. Having the position he held within the family business that had been passed down the genial Malfoy lines for decades didn't help make him any less vile either.
In other words, Lucius Malfoy was not someone to be trifled with.
So when his only son was brought back to the mansion, sniveling like a coward while spouting nonsense about a monster in the woods and sporting a mangled leg dripping copious amounts of blood all over his imported Persian rug, Lucius did not take it well.
"Crabbe, Goyle," Lucius sneered at the two burly young men who had hold of Draco with firm grasps under each of his arms, keeping him propped up. "Take my son to his room." The two goons nodded, then left, a still crying Draco dangling between them. Once they had disappeared up the stairs, Lucius bellowed a summons. "Dobby!"
A small, elderly man shuffled in, his shriveled face fearful as he stood before his master. "Y-y-yes, Mr. Malfoy, sir?"
"Call for my physician immediately," Lucius ordered the timid servant, who nodded and turned to comply with his wishes. "And Dobby," The little man cringed as he froze mid-step when Malfoy continued. "Make sure to tell him that discretion is of the utmost importance."
After Dobby had scurried away to do his master's bidding, Lucius swept across the sitting room and ascended the stairs. Making his way down the hall towards his son's bedroom, the sound of Draco's voice could be heard through the mahogany door.
"It's all Granger's fault..." Draco muttered to himself, a sharp pain jolting him as he tried to move his injured leg to get more comfortable on the bed. "If I didn't have to give her such an important lesson in life, and teach her that her place is directly beneath me, both metaphorically and physically," He smirked to himself for a moment. "Then this wouldn't have happened."
Lucius was leaning against the doorway listening incredulously as his son talked to himself like some crazy person, blaming a girl for his troubles. 'How typical,' The elder Malfoy thought.
Pushing himself away from the archway, Lucius entered the room. "Now Draco, surely this Miss Granger didn't do this to you? I would hope that I did not raise a son who could be bested by someone as insignificant and weak as a little girl."
Draco's body stiffened at the sound of his father's disapproving voice, then winced as pain shot through his leg once again.
"Don't be ridiculous, father, she didn't do this to me." He gestured to his damaged limb. His shirt and trousers had been removed so that he now sat upon the bed in only a pair of green boxers. Although a comforter had been thrown discretely over his lap, the injured leg lay atop it. Blood smeared the pale expanse of flesh and a set of puncture wounds lined his thigh that looked suspiciously like teeth marks.
"Then what, pray tell, did that, my dear Draco? And... don't you dare say 'it was a monster' again, or I swear I will have you committed to a psychiatric hospital. Despite my love for your dear Aunt Bella, insanity simply does not become you."
Draco gaped at his father for a moment. But it had been a monster! It had looked somewhat like a normal fox, sure, but it had been huge! He could still feel its sharp teeth digging in as it ravaged his leg, its glowing eyes staring menacingly at him once it had torn him from the car. Swallowing hard, Draco realized that perhaps he did sound a bit barmy saying it was some creature. His father could be quite level-headed and sensible... sometimes, mostly when it came to the family business and dealing with those types of things, but he would not tolerate rubbish and he hated it when he thought he was being lied to."
So, instead of continuing along this vein of explanation, no matter how true it was, Draco decided to go about it another way.
"It was her stupid mongrel," He stated, not even knowing for sure if Granger had a pet, canine or otherwise, but it would have to do. "It might have even been rabid. I'll perish for sure!"
"Oh, no need for dramatics. I've already sent for the family physician. He shall be here shortly to patch you up."
Sure enough, just as he spoke, Augustus Pye, the Malfoy's personal family physician bustled into the room. He was an older gentleman with a receding hairline and half-moon spectacles perched upon an overly large nose. Deep, brown eyes shone with warmth as he went immediately to Draco's side. "Well, now, let's see what we have here, shall we?" The cheerful tone reflected the man's disposition as he happily prodded at Draco's leg, causing the young man to yell out in pain for the umpteenth time that night.
"Dammit, Gus, don't do that! Aren't you supposed to numb it or something before you go probing about?"
Lucius watched as the healer proceeded to tend to his son, pulling the things needed from his bag in order to clean the wounds, followed by a bandage to staunch the blood and bind the leg. As he watched Pye work, Malfoy's frown deepened. He did not like that something had attacked his son, not one bit. Turning on his heel, Lucius left the bedroom and headed toward his study. As much of a disappointment as Draco had come to be, he loved boy, and so for that reason Lucius would see to it that this Miss Granger would pay.
Oh, yes, she would surely pay indeed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She writhed and moaned upon the bed, her fingers desperately clutching the sheets as her head thrashed side to side in distress. Hermione was trapped. She whimpered in fear while, in her mind, she found herself once again held at gunpoint inside her car. Malfoy had the gun trained on her as he leered, his steel grey eyes hungrily roving her curves in a way that she could practically feel it and she shuddered in disgust.
She cried out as the hand not holding the gun reached out to grab her, pulling her close. Squeezing her eyes together in terror, she felt the cold metal of the gun's barrel press to her temple as a brutal mouth assaulted hers, teeth biting her tender lips causing her to cry out yet again.
And then she was free.
She opened her eyes to discover that she was no longer trapped inside the car with her assailant. Instead, she stood amidst towering trees, a silvery mist wove its way through the foliage and caressing her body, setting a calming scene. Movement within the brush caused her to tense, however, and her calm wavered.
"Who's there?"
When he emerged from behind a particularly large tree, Hermione gasped and she took an involuntary step back. There it stood, the creature that had ripped Malfoy from the car and thus effectively saving her. Her first thought was to run, to escape, but then a voice echoed within her mind, making a presence known that she had been unaware of until now.
'Don't be afraid. I will not harm you.'
The voice was smooth, like silk, deep and assuring. Rust red fur and glowing eyes and wickedly sharp teeth, but somehow, with those eight simple words, her fear had been banished.
Boldly, she took a step towards him. "You- you can speak?"
'In this manner, yes. We are connected, you and I.'
"What exactly are you?" She asked once she'd reached him. She stretched out one tentative hand and stroked his head, her fingers weaving through the thick, soft fur. "I mean, you look sort of like a fox, only... larger."
For a moment, he didn't respond, simply reveling in the attention, but finally he spoke. 'That is something you need not know at this time. You only thing you need to know is that I am your friend and would never hurt you. In any way.'
"Why did you save me?"
'We will always protect you.'
At those words, a sense of peace settled over Hermione and she felt her body relax. She was surrounded by mist now, growing denser, more hazy so that her view was obscured. Realizing that slumber was about to overwhelm her final bit of consciousness, she asked one final question of her newfound guardian.
"Do you have a name?"
Just before she slipped into blissful oblivion, she heard a deep chuckle, followed by his reply.
'Our name is Akio.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
George sat, perched upon the side of the bed, looking down at the young woman who had finally settled into a dreamless sleep. When he and Fred had returned to the flat earlier, they had been alerted by her distressed cries from the bedroom. They instantly ran to her side to find her thrashing on the bed, clearing suffering from the grip of the nightmare she was experiencing.
In an attempt to calm her down, George had sat beside her on the bed, taking one of her hands in his own and squeezing it gently, and then an idea formed in his mind.
Now, a few minutes after he had established their mental link and used it to situate himself into her dream, he'd allowed himself time to alleviate the guilt he had been feeling all night. He hated the thought that she was frightened of him, of his other form, when all he had wanted was to protect her, to keep her safe. He smiled happily down at her now that her fear of him had been laid to rest.
Movement from the doorway drew George's attention back to Fred, who had been watching the entire exchange and listening in on the mental conversation, but staying out of it for the most part. "I take it that helped."
George let out a deep, cleansing sigh and grinned over his shoulder at his twin. "Oh, yes. It helped."
Fred smiled as well and nodded. "Good." George gently laid Hermione's hand down and adjusted the covers before rising and rejoining his twin. Together, they exited the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind them. Fred's expression turned thoughtful then.
"Akio?" He inquired, for some reason the name sounded familiar to him despite having never heard it his entire life.
George shrugged. "I don't know. When she asked me, it just came to me automatically." He tilted his head as a thought occured. "You think it might be something to look into to help our research?"
"It couldn't hurt." Fred responded. "But first, let's get some sleep, yeah? It's been a long night."
"Indeed it has, brother mine. But just so you know, we're bunking together. There's no way in hell I'm sleeping on that sofa. I don't know why we bought it, it's bloody uncomfortable."
"If you say so." Fred laughed softly, and with that they retired to Fred's bedroom for the remainder of the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author: Buffybot76
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they are the property of J.K Rowling. I am simply borrowing them for my amusement and non-profit entertainment.
Pairing: Fred/Hermione/George
Rating: M
Summary: The twins had always known that they were different from other children, even those among their own family. It wasn't until they were older that the twins found out just how different they truly were.
Warnings (if applicable): Mild violence, language, future smut
Genre: Romance/Supernatural, eventual crossover
Author's Notes: Muggle AU with a bit of supernatural thrown in there.
Semper Vigilans
- Chapter 3 -
Hermione entered the living room, and as one, the twins turned to look at her. She fidgeted nervously under the dual gazes cast upon her. Their blue eyes seemed to pierce her like never before due to the newfound revelation concerning her feelings for them. Suddenly bashful, she cast her eyes downward as she toyed with the hem of the shirt she wore - Fred's shirt.
Even if he hadn't brought it to her from his room earlier, she realized she would have still been able to tell it was his. It fell just below her hips, covering the slightly too large boxers beneath it. It smelled like him. It was one of the many ways she could always tell them apart, their scent. Fred smelled distinctly different from George.
George had a warm, earthy scent, like an open field after a summer rain, whereas Fred held the heady scent of a dense forest with a hint of pine. Both were very appealing to her. If she were being honest with herself, which, apparently she suddenly was when it came to the twins, their scents had the tendency to make her a bit weak-kneed when they were close to her, like earlier. It had been the feel of their arms around her combined with the aroma of their merged essences that had really chased away her fears.
Swallowing a lump that had suspiciously formed in her throat, Hermione raised her gaze up from where it had dropped to the floor and met the twins' eyes just in time to see the corner of Fred's lips quirk upwards into the hint of a smile. It seemed the sight of her in one of his shirts amused him. His eyes darted down the length of her body, taking in her appearance, as did George's. She could have sworn their eyes seemed to darken just a bit.
Hermione shook herself, this was ridiculous. It was just Fred and George! The two red headed pranksters who had been her friends since she was twelve. She stepped toward them until she had joined them by the sofa.
"Thank you," She said softly. "I appreciate the bath and clothes... I feel loads better."
"Not a problem, love." George told her, grinning.
"Yeah, you can steal my boxers anytime." Fred teased, his own grin growing into a full fledged smile.
"And now, you my dearest Kit, are going to rest. Seems you've had a bit of a long night. I'm sure you could use it. Take my bed." George stated. As he spoke he moved to grasp Hermione by the shoulders, turning her around and ushering her towards the door that led to his room.
"Are you sure?" Hermione questioned, looking over her shoulder at him. His hands seemed to burn her through the shirt as he squeezed her arms gently.
In reply, George propelled her into the bedroom and toward the bed, Fred following close behind.
"We're sure." Came a dual reply.
Hermione rolled her eyes and with a resigned sigh climbed onto the mattress and lay down. George pulled the covers up and tucked her in tenderly while Fred smoothed her hair with one calloused hand. And then they both surprised her by leaning over and placing a kiss to her head, one on each temple. They pulled away with smiles etched on their lips as she blinked up at them owlishly.
"G'night, love." Again, they spoke as one, Fred adding a playful wink at her before they both turned and walked from the room.
Hermione managed to swallow the knot that had again formed in her throat at the feel of the twins' lips on her skin in time to whisper a reply just before the sound of the bedroom door clicking closed sounded.
"Goodnight."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was on the eve of their fifteenth birthday, that Fred and George Weasley had discovered that they possessed certain abilities. They had felt it, as if something had stirred within them, unfurling a yearning to run, to jump, to hunt. Their eyes met, minds connecting to one another in silent agreement. They had snuck out of their family home and into the woods that very night. Once there, they had unleashed the urge, leaping with stealth and grace into the trees with an agility they had never known. With whoops of excitement and glee, the boys had flitted through the treetops, as if they had always been able to do so.
It was with this same graceful agility that Fred and George slipped from the flat not long after they'd sensed Hermione had fallen asleep. Making sure they were out of sight of any neighbors, the twins had took to the trees, George leading the way as they swiftly made their way back to the area in which Hermione's car sat.
Fred took note of the pool of blood on the ground near the wrecked car, as well as the lack of a dead body. It seemed as if George had been right, Malfoy had survived his encounter with the eldest Weasley twin.
"We can't leave any evidence behind." George murmured as he knelt beside the blood stained earth. Placing his hands upon the ground, George concentrated, initiating an ability that they had been honing for only a few short months now. Along with their ability to change into their "Foxy Forms" as they called them, the twins had learned they could manipulate and control certain things, such as dirt. A glowing energy formed beneath George's palms, radiating into the soil and within just a few moments the blood had been absorbed, disappearing into the earth.
"There," George rose to his feet and glanced over at Fred who was just placing a cell phone to his ear. 'Are you calling who I think you're calling?'
Fred nodded. 'Lee owes me a favor, so I figure it won't take much to convince him to come tow Kit's car to his garage. We can cover the expenses for the repairs, that way no authorities need be involved.'
George sighed in relief. Good, one more problem taken care of. It was a good thing Lee Jordan, one of their friends from school, owned the local garage. He could only imagine the headache it would be if the police were to show up asking questions. He waited until Fred had finished conversing with their mechanic friend and hung up before he spoke again. "There's still the matter of Malfoy. He's managed to slither away like the snake he is, but I'm not confident that once he's recovered he won't try to harm Hermione again."
Fred's jaw tightened at the prospect of their Kit being in danger.
Their Kit. God, he liked the sound of that.
'We will just have to redouble our efforts to protect her, now, won't we?' Fred smirked at the ease with which they mentally conversed. It never got old.
George scoffed. He knew Hermione wasn't some damsel in distress. Despite having to have been rescued earlier that night (that had been a special set of circumstances) they both knew Hermione was strong. They had gotten back at their little brother for his thoughtless, hurtful words to her during her first year of school (which they would forever be secretly thankful for, for it had led to the beginnings of their friendship) but despite that, she had stood up for herself quite brilliantly on most occasions. Of course, they had been there to back her up when necessary, but during those times they had been so proud of her.
The twins weren't idiots. They had sensed how the fondness they felt for her had deepened through the years. The link they had felt form from the moment she'd mowed them down in the hall in front of the cafeteria doors had grown stronger, changing into something a bit more intense with each milestone they'd achieved with their growing powers. They had definitely noticed when she had turned eighteen. The pull was almost undeniable now.
Not to mention the attraction.
It had been there, lying beneath the other emotions, just waiting for the right moment to spring forth.
And spring forth it had. When she had stood before them earlier in Fred's clothes, looking so small and vulnerable, they'd had the urge to pounce. To take her in their arms, to their bed, and never let her go. It had taken quite a bit of effort on their part to not do just that. No, it wasn't time for that yet.
Once they had finished their research and found answers to what they were exactly, answers that they could in turn give to her... Then they would claim her.
The red heads shared a look at the single thought occupying both their minds.
It had been extremely weird at first, realizing they both wanted the same girl. Strike that, the same woman. Even stranger, still, when realizing that there wasn't a hint of jealousy to be felt at the revelation. Sure, they'd shared things in the past. Toys during childhood, clothes and the like. But this was different.
They had both dated while in school, but never the same girl at the same time. Fred had dated Angelina Johnson up until their break up seventh year and George had taken Katie Bell and a string of other girls out regularly until the brothers had left school in order to follow their dream and open their business. Though, not once, had Fred nor George ever felt the urge to join their brother in kissing their chosen partner at the time. It wasn't until Hermione had seemed to blossom before their eyes that the desire had emerged.
It felt so right, the need to make her theirs, that they simply could not deny it.
The lights of an approaching vehicle roused the boys from their thoughts. Lee had arrived and with the help of the twins, was soon backing the large tow truck up to the back bumper of Hermione's car. The large chain and hook was lowered slowly and Fred connected it securely to an axle, giving the side of the old Ford a rap to signify to that everything was ready to go.
Lee Jordan stuck his head out of the driver's side window, his normally long and loose hanging dread locks were pulled back into a ponytail away from his handsome face. "I reckon this makes us even then." He grinned at the twins who returned the gesture wholeheartedly.
"Don't push it, Jordan," Fred arched an eyebrow, his arms crossed in a mock stern posture, an action to which George mirrored.
"We'll have you know it took quite a bit of finagling-"
"-to get what you asked for."
"Lots of red tape, you see."
"So you might be hearing from us again in the near future."
Lee gave a sigh that was audible even over the roar of the big truck's engine. "I kinda figured that. It was worth a shot though." With a laugh and a wave he drew back into the cab and drove away.
Once the tail lights had disappeared around the bend, the twins took a moment to recheck the area to make sure there was no other evidence of the incident they were trying to cover up. Satisfied that there was nothing incriminatingly obvious, the pair took to the trees again and swiftly made their way back to the woman who lay sleeping in their flat, completely unaware of all they had done in order to protect her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To all who knew of him, Lucius Malfoy was a very prominent, not to mention wealthy entrepreneur. He was strikingly handsome with an equally handsome son and a beautiful, loyal wife. To all who actually knew and were acquainted with him, he was ruthless and secretive, not to mention extremely vain. Having the position he held within the family business that had been passed down the genial Malfoy lines for decades didn't help make him any less vile either.
In other words, Lucius Malfoy was not someone to be trifled with.
So when his only son was brought back to the mansion, sniveling like a coward while spouting nonsense about a monster in the woods and sporting a mangled leg dripping copious amounts of blood all over his imported Persian rug, Lucius did not take it well.
"Crabbe, Goyle," Lucius sneered at the two burly young men who had hold of Draco with firm grasps under each of his arms, keeping him propped up. "Take my son to his room." The two goons nodded, then left, a still crying Draco dangling between them. Once they had disappeared up the stairs, Lucius bellowed a summons. "Dobby!"
A small, elderly man shuffled in, his shriveled face fearful as he stood before his master. "Y-y-yes, Mr. Malfoy, sir?"
"Call for my physician immediately," Lucius ordered the timid servant, who nodded and turned to comply with his wishes. "And Dobby," The little man cringed as he froze mid-step when Malfoy continued. "Make sure to tell him that discretion is of the utmost importance."
After Dobby had scurried away to do his master's bidding, Lucius swept across the sitting room and ascended the stairs. Making his way down the hall towards his son's bedroom, the sound of Draco's voice could be heard through the mahogany door.
"It's all Granger's fault..." Draco muttered to himself, a sharp pain jolting him as he tried to move his injured leg to get more comfortable on the bed. "If I didn't have to give her such an important lesson in life, and teach her that her place is directly beneath me, both metaphorically and physically," He smirked to himself for a moment. "Then this wouldn't have happened."
Lucius was leaning against the doorway listening incredulously as his son talked to himself like some crazy person, blaming a girl for his troubles. 'How typical,' The elder Malfoy thought.
Pushing himself away from the archway, Lucius entered the room. "Now Draco, surely this Miss Granger didn't do this to you? I would hope that I did not raise a son who could be bested by someone as insignificant and weak as a little girl."
Draco's body stiffened at the sound of his father's disapproving voice, then winced as pain shot through his leg once again.
"Don't be ridiculous, father, she didn't do this to me." He gestured to his damaged limb. His shirt and trousers had been removed so that he now sat upon the bed in only a pair of green boxers. Although a comforter had been thrown discretely over his lap, the injured leg lay atop it. Blood smeared the pale expanse of flesh and a set of puncture wounds lined his thigh that looked suspiciously like teeth marks.
"Then what, pray tell, did that, my dear Draco? And... don't you dare say 'it was a monster' again, or I swear I will have you committed to a psychiatric hospital. Despite my love for your dear Aunt Bella, insanity simply does not become you."
Draco gaped at his father for a moment. But it had been a monster! It had looked somewhat like a normal fox, sure, but it had been huge! He could still feel its sharp teeth digging in as it ravaged his leg, its glowing eyes staring menacingly at him once it had torn him from the car. Swallowing hard, Draco realized that perhaps he did sound a bit barmy saying it was some creature. His father could be quite level-headed and sensible... sometimes, mostly when it came to the family business and dealing with those types of things, but he would not tolerate rubbish and he hated it when he thought he was being lied to."
So, instead of continuing along this vein of explanation, no matter how true it was, Draco decided to go about it another way.
"It was her stupid mongrel," He stated, not even knowing for sure if Granger had a pet, canine or otherwise, but it would have to do. "It might have even been rabid. I'll perish for sure!"
"Oh, no need for dramatics. I've already sent for the family physician. He shall be here shortly to patch you up."
Sure enough, just as he spoke, Augustus Pye, the Malfoy's personal family physician bustled into the room. He was an older gentleman with a receding hairline and half-moon spectacles perched upon an overly large nose. Deep, brown eyes shone with warmth as he went immediately to Draco's side. "Well, now, let's see what we have here, shall we?" The cheerful tone reflected the man's disposition as he happily prodded at Draco's leg, causing the young man to yell out in pain for the umpteenth time that night.
"Dammit, Gus, don't do that! Aren't you supposed to numb it or something before you go probing about?"
Lucius watched as the healer proceeded to tend to his son, pulling the things needed from his bag in order to clean the wounds, followed by a bandage to staunch the blood and bind the leg. As he watched Pye work, Malfoy's frown deepened. He did not like that something had attacked his son, not one bit. Turning on his heel, Lucius left the bedroom and headed toward his study. As much of a disappointment as Draco had come to be, he loved boy, and so for that reason Lucius would see to it that this Miss Granger would pay.
Oh, yes, she would surely pay indeed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She writhed and moaned upon the bed, her fingers desperately clutching the sheets as her head thrashed side to side in distress. Hermione was trapped. She whimpered in fear while, in her mind, she found herself once again held at gunpoint inside her car. Malfoy had the gun trained on her as he leered, his steel grey eyes hungrily roving her curves in a way that she could practically feel it and she shuddered in disgust.
She cried out as the hand not holding the gun reached out to grab her, pulling her close. Squeezing her eyes together in terror, she felt the cold metal of the gun's barrel press to her temple as a brutal mouth assaulted hers, teeth biting her tender lips causing her to cry out yet again.
And then she was free.
She opened her eyes to discover that she was no longer trapped inside the car with her assailant. Instead, she stood amidst towering trees, a silvery mist wove its way through the foliage and caressing her body, setting a calming scene. Movement within the brush caused her to tense, however, and her calm wavered.
"Who's there?"
When he emerged from behind a particularly large tree, Hermione gasped and she took an involuntary step back. There it stood, the creature that had ripped Malfoy from the car and thus effectively saving her. Her first thought was to run, to escape, but then a voice echoed within her mind, making a presence known that she had been unaware of until now.
'Don't be afraid. I will not harm you.'
The voice was smooth, like silk, deep and assuring. Rust red fur and glowing eyes and wickedly sharp teeth, but somehow, with those eight simple words, her fear had been banished.
Boldly, she took a step towards him. "You- you can speak?"
'In this manner, yes. We are connected, you and I.'
"What exactly are you?" She asked once she'd reached him. She stretched out one tentative hand and stroked his head, her fingers weaving through the thick, soft fur. "I mean, you look sort of like a fox, only... larger."
For a moment, he didn't respond, simply reveling in the attention, but finally he spoke. 'That is something you need not know at this time. You only thing you need to know is that I am your friend and would never hurt you. In any way.'
"Why did you save me?"
'We will always protect you.'
At those words, a sense of peace settled over Hermione and she felt her body relax. She was surrounded by mist now, growing denser, more hazy so that her view was obscured. Realizing that slumber was about to overwhelm her final bit of consciousness, she asked one final question of her newfound guardian.
"Do you have a name?"
Just before she slipped into blissful oblivion, she heard a deep chuckle, followed by his reply.
'Our name is Akio.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
George sat, perched upon the side of the bed, looking down at the young woman who had finally settled into a dreamless sleep. When he and Fred had returned to the flat earlier, they had been alerted by her distressed cries from the bedroom. They instantly ran to her side to find her thrashing on the bed, clearing suffering from the grip of the nightmare she was experiencing.
In an attempt to calm her down, George had sat beside her on the bed, taking one of her hands in his own and squeezing it gently, and then an idea formed in his mind.
Now, a few minutes after he had established their mental link and used it to situate himself into her dream, he'd allowed himself time to alleviate the guilt he had been feeling all night. He hated the thought that she was frightened of him, of his other form, when all he had wanted was to protect her, to keep her safe. He smiled happily down at her now that her fear of him had been laid to rest.
Movement from the doorway drew George's attention back to Fred, who had been watching the entire exchange and listening in on the mental conversation, but staying out of it for the most part. "I take it that helped."
George let out a deep, cleansing sigh and grinned over his shoulder at his twin. "Oh, yes. It helped."
Fred smiled as well and nodded. "Good." George gently laid Hermione's hand down and adjusted the covers before rising and rejoining his twin. Together, they exited the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind them. Fred's expression turned thoughtful then.
"Akio?" He inquired, for some reason the name sounded familiar to him despite having never heard it his entire life.
George shrugged. "I don't know. When she asked me, it just came to me automatically." He tilted his head as a thought occured. "You think it might be something to look into to help our research?"
"It couldn't hurt." Fred responded. "But first, let's get some sleep, yeah? It's been a long night."
"Indeed it has, brother mine. But just so you know, we're bunking together. There's no way in hell I'm sleeping on that sofa. I don't know why we bought it, it's bloody uncomfortable."
"If you say so." Fred laughed softly, and with that they retired to Fred's bedroom for the remainder of the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~