Draco scratched the back of his neck. The itch did not fade but spread down his back as he blearily opened his eye. And then closed them again. It was Granger and Weasley coming up the tower.

"Why is it your friends have absolutely no decorum?" Draco muttered.

"Uhhn..." Potter sighed, still entirely asleep.

Draco envied him.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Granger called.

"Yes," Draco said, not bothering to raise his voice. He had the rather unlikely hope they wouldn't hear him and go away.

They heard him.

"Um, should we come up or wait-?" Granger said tentatively.

"Fuck if I care," Draco said. He hadn't moved and wasn't intending too until absolutely necessary.

The footsteps came about halfway up the stairs before stopping abruptly with a squeak of surprise from Granger, "I- I should have a-asked if you were decent."

"Huh?" Potter frowned, his forehead crinkled in the daze of just waking.

"Even if we weren't decent, which we are, the blankets would cover everything," Draco said, "Are all you Gryffindor's such prudes?"

"Nah, just don't want to see your pasty arse," Weasley said cheerfully, guiding Granger up the rest of the steps, "You sure you aren't half ghost, Malfoy? You were pale enough before, now you'd disappear in a snowstorm."

"Says the one whose only colour comes from what looks like specks of dirt on his skin," Draco said.

"Hey!" Weasley protested.

Potter finally showed he was awake by putting his hand over Draco's mouth. "Don't mind Malfoy, he's prickly in the morning."

Draco tried to bite his finger, but Potter pulled away too quickly.

"You fucking talk to them then," Draco snapped, grabbing the comforter and pulling it over his head.

"Prickly is right," Weasley said.

"You lay off as well," Potter said, sitting up and pulling the blankets down again, and putting on his glasses.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"It was just some good-natured teasing," Weasley said.

"Maybe you ought to save the 'good-natured teasing' for when you actually get along first," Potter said.

"Yeah, fine," Weasley said, a bit more subdued.

Granger loudly cleared her throat, "Harry, we're sorry to have bothered, you but this couldn't wait."

Potter nodded.

"The auror's showed up this morning," Weasley said, "Like, all of them."

"They're-"

"Actually doing something? Yes," Granger said, "They're going to sweep through the forbidden forest this afternoon to try and flush the werewolf out. They have a hit-wizard team waiting in the east, away from the town and the school, to- to put it out of its misery."

"Any seventh and eighth years can join, two students and an auror per group. They've been drilling the students in the great hall on all sorts of spells since breakfast," Weasley said.

"What? What time is it now? Are you going?" Potter asked.

Weasley and Granger looked at one another, exchanging a complicated look before turning back to Potter.

"We are," Granger said, "We can't leave things like this, and we're not going to let you go without us."

Potter swung his legs off the bed, "How much time do we have?"

"Two hours or so. Enough time to eat and get dressed," Weasley said.

"This seems to be happening very fast," Draco said, bitterly pushing himself upright.

Granger suddenly looked deeply unsettled, "...The test results came back on the blood I sent in." She took a deep breath, "The werewolf has rabies."

"What?" Potter stiffened, "Are you serious? I thought that was eradicated here."

"Bats still carry it, but more importantly, muggles have eradicated it-"

"And wizards don't always vaccinate," Potter finished, his eyes wide.

Granger nodded, "It's possible the virus was still being carried in pockets of hidden wizarding settlements, or it was a bat that infected the werewolf, and the wizarding world has just been depending on herd immunity from the larger muggle communities."

"It's real bad," Weasley said.

Granger went on, "The virus usually kills the host in two weeks after symptoms present, and this wolf has been alive for over a month and who knows how much longer into the future, attacking things and spreading rabies through a magic forest. What if a centaur is bitten? Or another thestral and it presents with furious rabies instead of paralytic rabies?"

"Or a giant spider," Weasley said with utter dread.

"I'm just glad the ministry recognises how dangerous it is," Granger said.

"I wouldn't give them that much credit," Potter said, "They're probably more worried about the statute of secrecy if one of those creatures were to escape."

"Or more," Weasley said.

"I'm gonna change," Potter got to his feet and headed down the stairs, Weasley at his heels.

Granger crossed her arms, shouting down the stairs, "Tell me when you're finished." She didn't look at Draco. Almost guilty, she avoided looking at him.

"You could have just not told him," Draco said quietly.

Granger grimaced, "...We talked about it. But Harry would have been furious with us, and then he might not have let us help him the next time he might need it. It's a calculated risk but I think keeping his trust is more important."

"You could have lied," Draco said, "Said you didn't even know it was happening. Said you slept in, it's not that hard."

Granger glanced over at him, then back down the stairs, "Ron's not good at keeping up those sorts of lies, not to Harry. And Harry's one of my best friends, we've been through so much it- it's complicated."

Draco stared at her. It didn't seem that complicated to him. He'd do anything to protect the people he cared about.

"Sorry. I know the two of you together is still new. We'll keep an eye on him. We've always watched out for one another," Granger said.

Then Weasley called, and she hurried downstairs, leaving Draco alone with his thoughts.

-

-

Draco slowly made his way down the stairs once Granger and Weasley had left. The floor seemed to dig into his feet, like walking on coarse stones, the carpet was only slightly better.

Potter was finishing his lunch on the couch and hardly looked over when Draco sat next to him.

"I thought you'd leave with them," Draco said.

"Without saying anything? I wouldn't do that," Potter said.

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"I learned my lesson," Potter said.

"Mhmm," Draco said, "...So you're going then."

"Yeah," Potter said, like 'of course'.

"Were you going to ask me to come along?" Draco said.

Potter hesitated, "You can barely walk. Hiking through the forest would be torture."

"But you could ask," Draco said.

Potter put his empty plate back onto the tray, "Yeah, but what if you said yes?"

"I'd go."

"And I'd feel horrible," Potter said.

"Then maybe you'd stay," Draco said.

Potter shook his head, "I can't. This is important."

Draco sighed.

"I'm just going to be helping flush the werewolf out of the woods. I probably won't even see it."

"Again," Draco said flatly.

Potter shook his head, "I was patrolling the road to Hogsmeade, looking for it, on purpose. There was a good chance if it showed I was going to see it."

"You have the worst luck of any human being I've ever met," Draco said.

Potter put on a snarky little grin, "Says the bloke who ended up with Voldemort living in his house, pressured into being a death eater at sixteen, forced to kill the most powerful wizard in the world and breach an unbreachable school at-"

Draco put his hand over Potters mouth, "Enough."

Potter paused, his grin unmoved, even as he turned his head out of Draco's grasp, "Is this our new thing?

"What thing?" Draco asked, dropping his hand back into his lap.

"The hand on the face thing," Potter said.

"It works. Well...until one of us bites the other anyway," Draco said.

"Hmm," Potter said appreciatively, "Might not be that bad."

"You have the strangest kinks," Draco said.

Potter put on a frown, "I don't even know if it's a kink yet."

Draco rolled his eyes.

Potter leaned closer, "And carrying you isn't a kink because I don't get ha-"

Draco smacked his hand back over Potters mouth, with a blush. He felt Potter smile, and then grab Draco's wrist, brushing a kiss across Draco's palm as he pulled his hand away, "I do like carrying you though."

"You're the worst," Draco said, not out of choice but because it happened to come out of his mouth.

Harry smiled, "Back to who has the worst luck, you also just found out you were a veela," Potter said, "So I'd say we're probably pretty even on the luck front."

"Currently... I might possibly agree," Draco said, "but before fifth year my luck was quite good."

"For someone with such good luck, you never seemed to beat me in quidditch," Potter said.

Draco knew he was being baited and decided not to rise to it, "I beat everyone else well enough."

Potter sighed, "Can't we just call it even?"

"No," Draco said flatly. "Turn around so I can braid your hair before you go."

Potter's eyebrows rose.

"So it doesn't get in the way. I'm not putting all that practise to waste," Draco said, waving at him impatiently to stop staring and move.

-

-

Potter turned around, and Draco carefully gathered up his hair, combing his fingers through the wilder curls, knowing that he didn't have time to comb it out as thoroughly as he would have wanted. Still, he took his time braiding, making sure it was tight enough that it wouldn't fall apart. As Draco reached the end, Potter's hair curled around his fingers as if trying to hold onto him. He held the bottom of the braid with one hand, slipping off the bright blue hair tie off his wrist, once lost and now returned, and looping it around Potter's hair.

Draco let go reluctantly and leaned back, "Done."

Potter turned back around, studying Draco's face, "It is going to be fine, you know."

"You said that already," Draco said, doing his best to hide his anxiety.

Potter got to his feet, shoving his feet into a pair of boots that had seen better days.

"Don't go," Draco blurted and then instantly regretted it. He knew Potter wasn't going to change his mind.

"I have to," Potter repeated. "I'll come back."

"You had better," Draco said.

Potter leaned close, and Draco thought he was going to kiss him, and then Potter froze and pulled back.

"You might as well kiss me if you're going to go off and die alone in the forest," Draco said

And Potter smiled the strangest smile, caught somewhere between laughing and crying, "I'm not going to die."

"Then fucking kiss me, you horrible man," Draco said.

Potter grinned and stepped close, ringing an arm around Draco's waist to pull him close and kiss him until he was feeling breathless.

"You have to breathe through your nose," Potter said.

"Shut up," Draco muttered.

Potter pressed his face into the curve of Draco's shoulder, wrapping his other arm around Draco to hold him tight. Draco looped his arms around Potter's neck; loose wispy curls were already pulling free around Potter's temples, tickling Draco's cheek.

"Now you've made me nervous," Potter said.

"As you should be," Draco said, "Promise me you'll tell me what that expression was."

"What expression?" Potter asked, slowly reluctantly loosening his hold.

"The one you had when I said you were going off alone to die in the forest," Draco said.

Potter looked over his shoulder at the window then fished a dented silver pocket watch out of his pocket and checked the time, "I need to go."

"Promise me," Draco said, "You have to come back and tell me."

Potter looked at him with what Draco might have called, if he was feeling generous, fond exasperation.

"Alright, I promise," Potter said before giving Draco one more fleeting chaste kiss and hurrying down the stairs, his steps echoing up the stone steps fainter and fainter until Draco couldn't sense him anymore.

Draco pressed his hand over his mouth with a shudder.

-

-

Harry paused for a second inside the great hall, scanning the waiting crowds of students for Ron and Hermione. Ron spotted him first, raising his arm and waving Harry over.

"Hey. Am I late?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged, "Technically. But the aurors are still doing their own briefing, we're waiting for them to come back."

"You braided your hair, that's good. I thought you still had to ask Ginny to do it for you," Hermione said. She had her own hair pulled back into a ponytail and then resolutely shoved under a knit hat where it couldn't cause too much trouble.

Harry shook his head, but before he could answer, Hermione asked, "Is that my hair tie?" leaning back to look at his braid.

Harry pulled the braid around squinting at the blue hairband tying the end, "Err, maybe? I suppose it could be."

"I thought you said you lost it," Hermione said, "I stopped lending them to you because you lost so many."

"Malfoy braided my hair for me, he must have found it," Harry said.

"He braided your hair," Ron groaned. "The two of you are going to be unbearable."

Harry shook his head, "I had to start announcing when I was coming into any room with my eyes closed, so I wouldn't have to see the two of you snogging on just about every piece of furniture in the Burrow. You're practically family, I don't need to ever see that. I'm scarred for life now." Harry said.

Hermione looked embarrassed.

"That's what scarred you for life?" Ron scoffed, "That's just normal dating. It's always more exciting at the beginning."

"Have you been dating so many people you're an expert now?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

"I mean, well, everybody knows that," Ron said stiffly.

"And you could try braiding my hair you know," Hermione added.

"Hermione," Ron said with grave seriousness, "You have trouble braiding your hair. Luna's the only one who has the patience for it."

Hermione crossed her arms, "It just takes a little more work is all... and a bit of practice."

Before they could start into what promised to be an epic squabble between the two of them, a grim group of aurors filed into the front of the room with Robards at their head.

Robard's gave them a very stern rundown of what was to happen. It was pretty much what Ron had told him before, and from the slightly distracted expressions on the students around him, they had all heard it a few times themselves. There were a few new details that Robards emphasized but raising his voice, that they were to stay within ten feet of the others in their group, to move closer if the brush got thick. Above all, they were never to be out of casting range of one another. They were to protect one another first and foremost and to signal by sending up sparks at the first opportunity if they encountered the werewolf or were otherwise in danger.

McGonagall and a few of the other professors were lined up at the front as well. Each auror was assigned two students that met with the Headmistress' approval and went to stand out of the way. As the students dwindled along with the aurors, the professors taking some of the student groups as well, Robards came over to them.

He clapped his hand on Harry's shoulder a bit too heavily, so Harry just barely managed to keep from stumbling, "There you are, Potter! I was hoping you'd join us."

"Wouldn't miss it, sir," Harry said.

"I'm assigning you three the outer perimeter," Robards said.

"Us?" Harry frowned, "But aren't we going to be partnered with an auror?"

"Like I said, it'll be the outer edge of the forest that runs right along the school grounds," Robards said, "Any trouble and you can step right through the wards and be fine."

He clapped Harry on the shoulder again, and Harry let his shoulder drop, so Robards hand slipped off.

Robards didn't seem to notice and went on, "You showed yourself exceptionally capable this summer, as were Granger and Weasley in the war. We just need a few more groups to get enough coverage of that damn massive forest."

Harry didn't like it. He'd always worked with at least a pair of aurors before, never on his own. But he didn't want to fight with the person who would be his future boss, and could possibly even keep him from being hired.

He looked to Ron and Hermione first. It wasn't wholly his decision to make.

"Right on the forest's edge?" Ron said, "So no spiders. Sounds good to me."

Hermione hesitated the longest before nodding, "Having the wards nearby would be good."

Robards nodded before once again going over the plan and safety regulations.

-

-

Draco looked at the tray on the table and the plates of food and sat down. He ate without tasting, going from plate to the next, mostly staring into the fireplace with it's dimming flames.

He put the last empty plate back onto an empty tray which disappeared with a pop. Draco made his way back upstairs, wincing on tender feet with every step until he reached the bed. He sat on the edge and pulled Potter's jumper off and laid it at the end, leaning over to tug his socks off one after the other. He stood and let the soft cotton boxers he'd stolen from Potter fall onto the ground. He put on a pair of new pants and black trousers, sitting back down to roll the cuffs of the trousers up.

Draco looked at the closed double doors and shivered; cold just thinking of the ice and snow outside. He missed Hagrid's borrowed scarf, but even as he thought of it, his eyes fell on Potter's jumper and its thick warm knit. He gathered up his shoes, shrinking them down and slipping them into his socks which he folded up and then rolled into the jumper. Once he was sure it was securely bundled, he tied it around his neck where it wouldn't be in the way.

He stood up, grabbing the bottle of nutrient potion from his bedside table, pulling out the cork and dropping it onto the floor as he finished off the last quarter of the bottle, following it with the strengthening potion.
Draco stretched his neck from one side to the other, as his body filled with the warmth and tingling of the not entirely unpleasant feeling of things changing and growing. He set the empty bottle back onto the table, one chiming lightly against the other. It no longer hurt to walk as scales began forming on his feet. His talons clicked on the stone floors as he walked over to the double doors and flung them open to the biting winter cold.

-

-

Harry studied the treeline. The several inches of snow on the ground dwindled and almost disappeared at the trees grew denser, the forest green so dark it was almost black. On his left he could just see McGonagall with a student on either side of her, her mouth flattened into a thin line. On his right was Hermione and then Ron. They had argued about who would stand where all the way to the Hogsmeade road and eventually decided it by flipping a knut.
There was a shout down the road, too distant to make out, a line of lumos spreading from the centre as one after another everyone cast the spell to show readiness.
"Lumos," Harry murmured, a small orb of pale blue light forming at the tip of his wand.
He kept his eyes fixed at the centre of the road until a streak of blue sparks was cast up into the sky. The sign to start.
Harry turned back to the forest, looking over at Hermione and Ron, "Ready?"
Hermione nodded.
"Yeah," Ron said.
And they stepped into the forest.

-

-

Draco watched the forest frozen in place, the chill sending a persistent shiver over his skin until he saw lights, specks into the distant, small as stars that wobbled like fireflies as they began to move into the trees.
He stretched his wings out, flexing them and flapping them to get his blood flowing.
"Sorry, Hagrid. This is one promise I have to break," Draco murmured.
His thumb talon hooked onto the bannister, brushing snow over the edge and sending it raining onto roofs below. The sharp point scored thin white lines into the stone as he pulled himself up. Draco grimaced one last time before pushing his face to change into a beak.
He was not the brave one of the two of them, but he overruled his fear with determination.

Draco took a deep breath and screamed at the sky, snapped the sharp curved beak closed and took flight.

-

-

-

Harry looked up at the grey, dull sky, straining his ears after the strange sound he had heard.

"Sparks?" Hermione asked in a hushed tone, pausing so she wouldn't get ahead of him.

Harry looked back at the forest, quickly scanning the surroundings, "No. Thought I heard... a hippogryph or something."

"Let's keep moving," Hermione said.

Harry nodded and started walking. Every step they took, every snap of a twig, every crunch of snow underfoot made him tense up even knowing the werewolf would be in front of them, if it was even close.

He glanced to his right, seeing the open green of the grounds around the black lake through the trees close to Ron. To his left, he thought he saw the barest glimpse of yellow from the students closest to their group, but they were getting further away, drifting as the forest widened with no discernable border to keep them in place like Harry's group had.

Harry swerved around a massive tree, circling it and looking over at Hermione to make sure she was still there and he was still on track. She looked grim.

"Hermione?" Harry asked under his breath, "You alright?"

Hermione nodded grimly, "Was just thinking...."

"About what?" Ron asked.

Hermione shook her head, "No. It's probably fine."

"Too late," Ron said under his breath, "I'm worried now."

Hermione hopped over a fallen log before answering, "It's just that this plan makes sense."

"...Yeah?" Harry said.

"I'm worried the werewolf won't have any. Late-stage rabies is yowling and digging and biting anything it gets near. It isn't something that makes sense," Hermione said.

"That so?" Ron said, his voice a little strained, "Just had an idea, how about we all move close to the wards? Significantly closer, even."

Harry and Hermione both nodded. Hermione walked over to Ron as Harry started navigating his way around a large clump of brush. They all froze at the sound of something moving further ahead.

Harry strained his eyes into the distance, looking for movement between the trees. There was a small clearing just ahead, and something large with black fur was walking near the treeline, each step jerky and uncertain.

Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione. Ron waved for him to come over to them. Harry ducked around a half-fallen tree. If they were together, if they were closer to the wards, then-

A branch cracked underfoot, and the black creature snapped toward them, moving unsteadily into the trees towards the sound.

Harry knew continuing around the brush would put him closer to it, but it was faster. Going back and around would separate him from Ron and Hermione too long, he couldn't risk it. He clenched his jaw, raising his wand ready to cast and ran as fast he dared through the shadowed, cluttered forest.

"Protego!"

Harry heard Ron and Hermione cast at the same time, a shield of light going up around them as he saw the werewolf in front of him, and stopped in his tracks.

It was bigger than before, but the recent full moon hadn't fixed everything. There were scars from poorly healed wounds littered across its body, and it was missing half an ear and large patches of fur. Saliva dripped from its open mouth as it panted, occasionally making strange half whining, half guttural noises as it paced in front of the protego. Then it suddenly jumped at the barrier, throwing its full weight against it as it snapped and clawed violently, the magical protection shivering from the force.

If Ron and Hermione's barrier fell before they could recast it, if they were bitten-

The wolf walked along the barrier again, dragging its muzzle against it, trying to find a way to break it, biting and drooling against it as the whine grew in pitch.

Ron was pale and grim. He called to Harry, waving both arms to keep the werewolf's attention on them, "We all hit it with a blasting curse at the same time and run for the wards on three! Ready?!"

Harry nodded.

Hermione tightened her grip on her wand.

Ron took a deep breath, "One! Two! Three!"

"CONFRINGO!"

Harry and Hermione cast at the same time, Ron a second behind, the spell hitting the werewolf with dull thumps like they were hitting wet concrete with a few horrifying cracks as some of its ribs caved and snapped. The wolf stumbled and collapsed, blood mixing with the saliva foaming at its mouth.

Hermione and Ron headed straight towards the wards, but Harry had a werewolf in the way.

Harry ran up and around, towards the clearing, giving the werewolf a large berth. He wasn't able to stop himself from glancing over his shoulder, saw the wolf pushing itself unsteadily to its feet, snarling as broken bones began to knit under its skin.

Harry looked for the wards, pushing himself to run faster, tasting blood in the back of this throat as his boots broke through the snow of the open clearing, feeling heavier than tidewater against his calves.

The treeline was in sight and the school grounds just beyond that.

He could hear another ragged breath beneath his own. Harry looked over his shoulder again, and the werewolf at his heel, tongue lolling out of its mouth as it easily devoured the distance between them.

Harry spun around, his wand moving on its own, casting a silent incarcerous, his throat too choked on its own breathing to form the words. The ropes that spun out of his wand caught the werewolf around the head and mouth, lashing it shut. The wolf jumped at Harry anyway, mouth working futility against the too thin, too hastily cast ropes. Harry took the weight of the beast against his shoulder as he hit the ground, gasping from the pain even as he quickly rolled away and raised a wand that shook far too much, his shoulder screaming with pain at being moved.

"protego!" Harry hissed, and wanted to cry with relief when the spell cast.

The werewolf tried to open its mouth again, snarling and shoving its muzzle against the ground; rubbing and clawing viciously at the binding without any heed for its own well-being, leaving shallow gouges along its face as it finally broke free. It threw itself back at Harry, slamming into the barrier and breaking through it like it was made of glass, skidding across the snow from the force.

Harry forced himself up, half staggering backwards, using his other arm to hold his wand up, "protego-! Protego!" the spell would barely form before dissolving around him. He grimaced and gripped his wand tighter.

From the corner of his eye, he saw red sparks shoot up into the sky. At least Hermione and Ron were safe, and help would be here soon-

The wolf got back onto its feet, slower, a string of saliva trailed from its mouth leaving a blood-tinged trail on the broken snow.

Harry gritted his teeth and tried to cast again, "Protego!" The spell curled around him, but he could tell it wouldn't hold.

There was an animal scream in the air above him, bright and sharp, like a hawk on the hunt. The sound sent a shudder straight down his spine and made him feel very small, like a mouse in an open field. Harry looked up and saw something high above them, pale white against the grey sky.

Above them, massive dragon-like wings spread wide, before they folding tight to their body, the white shape driving towards the earth. Black talons opened wide as it slammed into the werewolf in a spray of snow and a mix of canine screams and terrible snarling hissing, the two tumbled across the ground, in a mass of fur and scales.

The white creature got caught in the snow, the werewolf continued skidding across the ground. As the creature began to push itself up, Harry started seeing the human in it, a familiar build even with the wings and talons, and hair the same colour of the snow that somehow still managed to catch the light.

"Malfoy?" Harry said, dismay overwhelming his shock.

Malfoy looked over at him, just a second, his grey eyes so pale they looked white, the black of his eyes blown wide before he turned back to the wolf.

Malfoy pushed himself onto his knees, leaning forward on his folded wings with a dry snarled hiss, keeping his body between Harry and the wolf.

The werewolf jerked itself back to its feet, still for a few deep heaving breaths, its tongue hanging loose in its mouth, then leapt. Malfoy's wing swung up, a black hooked claw embedding into the wolfs shoulder, catching and then tearing free as it was flung loose. Dark viscous blood soaking into the wolf's fur and pattering onto the snow, slower to heal than before.

Harry crept closer, trying not to draw the werewolf's attention. His hand was cold and stiff from holding onto his wand too tightly, but he couldn't risk doing anything about it now.

The werewolf stumbled to its feet, a leg gave out, and it fell again. A low growl rose in its throat as it slowly stood on shaking legs. It snapped at the air and shifted its weight, wavering, walking at an angle out of reach. The muscles rose along Malfoy's back as he tensed.

The werewolf turned, darting in and Malfoy swung his talon at the wolf again. But the wolf was weaker and slower, and the black talon caught nothing but air. The werewolf hit Malfoy in the side, and there was a snapping noise, no different than a twig breaking if it wasn't for the cry of pain that followed it, sounding all too human.

Harry's mind went cold, all he could see was Malfoy, Malfoy as he tried to jerk away, as he tried to hook the wolf with his other wing, as the werewolf was too close, the flash of bared white teeth snapping around Malfoy's neck.

Harry's wand swung up, flicked to the right and down and hit the werewolf across the side with a blasting curse that slammed it off Malfoy. He stumbled toward Malfoy, his breath catching in his throat.

"Malfoy? Draco?" Harry asked, his voice hardly above a whisper, dropping to his knees in the snow beside him.

There was no blood, just something like a scarf torn around his neck. Malfoy chest was rising and falling quick and fast like a bird, his grey eyes focused on Harry, his brow furrowing in irritation so familiar Harry laughed with relief.

The moment was gone in an instant when they heard the sound of paws on snow, looking up as the werewolf stood once more, snarling and panting clouds of steam into the cold air.

Harry lifted his wand as it loped towards them, madness filling its feral yellow eyes. Malfoy pulled his legs up at it leapt at them, and Harry cast on instinct. Ropes, still too thin, spun from his wand and bound around the wolf's mouth and neck at it stopped just inches from them, Malfoy's talons wrapped around its neck and chest. There was a second of pure silence, only the sound of their breathing and then the wolf began to whine and struggle, and Malfoy squeezed his eyes shut as his feet flexed and those curved knife-like talons sunk into the werewolf's body.

Harry wrapped an arm around Malfoy's shoulder, holding him tightly as the wolf spasm and jerked, trying desperately to escape. Each movement was slower than the last as blood thick and viscous as tar dripped from the body coating Malfoy's feet and legs and soaking the snow around them. Until it was still.

Malfoy flung it from him and twisted himself away, retching onto the ground, shaking violently as a tear escaped down his cheek.

On the other side of the clearing, Harry could hear Hermione and Ron calling his name, and the sky was filled answering green and blue sparks as the aurors closed in on their position.

They were safe.

-

-

It was cold. That was why Draco was shaking. And his arm hurt, with a burning stabbing pain that shot down to where the werewolf had broken his wing. Anything, anything to distract himself from the blood- so much of it- on him-

"Malfoy? Do you want to sit up?" Potter asked. His touch was warm and certain.

Draco nodded, swallowing down the taste of bile at the back of this throat, bracing himself for the pain of moving his arm.

He could hear Granger and Weasley shouting in the distance.

Potter moved around to Draco's back, lifting him up and letting Draco lean back against him.

Draco couldn't quite stop a hiss of pain escaping him.

"Sorry," Potter said softly. He sounded so tired.

Halfway across the clearing Weasley froze, lifting his wand-

Granger held a hand in front of Weasley, "It's Malfoy."

Weasley went almost comically pale, "It's- That's- That's Malfoy?"

"Yes. Now hurry up!" Granger said impatiently, jogging through the snow over to them, "Don't move."

"Usually, you ask a person if they're alright first," Potter said with weary sarcasm.

"You're obviously not seriously hurt if you can be sarcastic," Granger said. She held her wand up, "Tergeo," her wand taking a long winding loop in front of her, and as it did all the blood, sweat, and snow melted or not was drawn off Draco in a long stream which Granger direct far away.

Draco could have wept with relief if he hadn't put those feelings safely away where they couldn't overwhelm him.

Granger frowned, "I thought it would work for both of you, let me try again."

She cast the spell a for Potter then Draco again and then managed to get the spell to work on both of them which seemed to satisfy Granger and left them both clean and strangely dry, even the snow around of them had been removed.

"Now, can we move?" Potter asked.

"Yes, I just wanted to reduce the chances of infection," Granger said, "Were either of you bitten?"

Draco had to close his eyes to focus on changing his face back to normal and felt faintly light-headed once he finished.

"Malfoy's... wing-? is broken? Is that right? Or is it more like your arm?" Potter asked.

"I don't care," Draco said, his voice hoarse.

"I can heal that for you, or you could heal it by changing back," Granger said.

"Can't change right away. Used too much energy," Draco said shortly. His throat hurt.

"Or you can wait until we get back to the castle. I'll have to magically splint the bones before I heal them. I don't have pain potions. It's going to hurt," Granger warned.

"Already hurts," Draco said sourly.

"Is that a yes or a no?" Granger asked.

Draco swallowed hard and nodded, "Yes, okay."

"I'll try to be quick then," Granger said. She raised her wand again, and Draco closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to see it. The pain burned with every movement that made stars flash behind his eyelids as he pressed himself back into Potter, Potter looped an arm around his waist and held him just as tightly until Granger cast the last spell to heal the bones and the pain faded to a dull throbbing.

"That... that went well," Granger said.

"You have done this before? Haven't you?" Potter asked suspiciously.

"I've practised on chicken bones," Granger said.

Draco could just imagine Harry glaring at her to which Granger responded defensively, "It's the same thing, in principle. And worst case he would have had to change back and use the transformation to heal the damage."

"So this is why you're a Gryffindor rather than a Ravenclaw," Draco said, regretting speaking almost immediately, but unable to pass up the opportunity. He tilted his head back to look at Potter, "Water?"

Potter managed to conjure a rather lumpy mug that he filled with water and held up for Draco to drink. It was so cold it made him start shivering again but still infuriatingly the best water he had ever had in his life, even compared to past aguamenti.

"Potter's hurt his shoulder," Draco said as soon as he finished the cup.

"I'm fine," Potter said.

"He's not," Draco said.

"I'm-" but before Potter could try protesting Granger had cast some sort of spell over Potter with a frown.

"Some tearing to the ligaments..." Granger said, "It's a severe sprain, I think. Once we get back to the hospital wing, a healing potion should fix things."

"See, not that bad," Potter muttered into his shoulder.

"You're an idiot," Draco said.

"I am n-"

"Help me up," Draco said.

Potter stood up and walked around, looking Draco over.

Realising his mistake, Draco pulled his wings into his chest, wishing he could hide his feet into the snow, but Granger had so helpfully removed it all.

"Oh, I know. This will work," Potter said, reaching down and hooking his fingers around the thumb hooks on the top of Draco's wing and using them to pull him to his feet, wincing and then trying to pretend he was fine.

Draco was too dismayed to say anything.

Potter ran his thumb over one of Draco's talons, pulling his arms open and spreading his wings.

Potter reached out then stopped, "Is it alright if I touch-?"

Draco shrugged.

Potter brushed the backs of his knuckles across the thin faintly scaled skin stretched between his fingers, making Draco want to squirm.

Potter stopped, pulling his hand back, "Sorry."

Draco shook his head, "It's-" he cleared his throat, "it feels like you're touching my fingers, but it doesn't look or feel quite right. I'm... I'm not used to it."

"I thought you were a dragon at first," Potter said.

Draco was of the opinion he looked like an overgrown bat but.... Potter's idea was rather appealing. And a relief. Potter was wasn't disgusted, he didn't hate Draco after seeing him so changed.

"Ah, um, sorry about the teasing before, was really just," Weasley cleared his throat, staring very nervously at Draco's talons, "won't do it again, promise."

Granger rolled her eyes.

Potter let Draco's wings drop, and Draco tucked them back up to his chest again, mostly for warmth.

Weasley was staring at the treeline, "Auror's are here," he said, frowning as the robed figures coming through the trees started shouting and running through the snow towards them.

Weasley, Granger and Potter shared a silent look that seemed to carry an entire conversation as they all took out their wands and cast one another the other, "Protego maxima!" " -Fianto duri!" "-Repello inimicum!" that Draco could recognise as the strongest protego that existed through he had little practise himself in casting it.

As the shield surrounded them, there was a crashing sound, followed by a crack and a bell-like resonance as several spells hit the protego before it was quiet again. Draco thought he saw Weasley shudder.

Granger sighed, "If only we could have managed that before."

"Panicking makes things a bit tricky," Weasley said, sounding tired himself, "I'll go talk to them." He stepped out of the protego, came back, pulling Potter into a tight hug, saying, "Glad you're alright, mate," then left again, holding his arms up and waving them exuberantly in the air as he crossed the clearing towards the aurors.

Granger quickly asked, "No other injuries?"

"No-" Potter said.

Draco shook his head.

"I'm going to help Ron-" Granger ran after Weasley, calling over her shoulder, "We'll be right back!"

"You'd think they'd be trained better than that," Potter said with a frown, "auror's shouldn't be throwing spells around like that."

"Do you think, perhaps," Draco said slowly, "that a bunch of aurors hunting a dangerous magical creature, in a forest full of dangerous creatures, responding to a distress signal- probably about a dangerous magical creature, might not react well to seeing a monster next to a bunch of students?"

Potter turned and looked over at the cold, still body of the werewolf.

Draco didn't. Even thinking of looking at it made him feel sick.

"I meant me," Draco said.

"What?" Potter said, surprised.

"The monster I was talking about was me," Draco said.

Potter shook his head, confused like Draco had somehow made a mistake.

Draco wanted to sigh, Potter was far too good sometimes. "...You do remember how Hagrid was treated when Skeeter wrote him being half-giant without his permission."

"He was really cut up about it," Potter said.

"Because he knew how people would treat him," Draco said, insistent, "because being half-anything is treated as- as the worst thing you can be."

"But you're not a monster, neither of you are," Potter said.

"That's just you," Draco said with growing frustration, "Other people-"

"Are idiots," Potter interrupted shortly. He huffed and look down at the ground then back up at Draco with a frown, "Look, that's- It's-" He stopped again, thinking, "I don't care what they think, I mean I do, but it's more that you shouldn't call yourself that. Because it isn't true. You're a person."

"I'm objectively not," Draco said.

Potter narrowed his eyes, "You know what I mean."

"I might."

"Then cut it out," Potter said.

Weasley and Granger had reached the aurors, and the shouts of alarm had turned to shouts of confusion, confusion that wasn't helped by the constant trickle of aurors and students continuing to join them.

Draco pressed his chin down to his chest and was reminded of one other problem.

"I... I'm..." Draco started nervously, unable to look at Potter.

"What is it?" Potter asked and then added far too earnestly, "I'm listening."

Draco wanted to tell him to shut up, but he had to say it before he lost his nerve, "I'm sorry about your jumper. I promised I'd take good care of it- I-" he pressed his chin deeper into the maroon knit. He could see torn yarn and the holes left by the werewolf's teeth. "Everything was- I don't know... it wasn't what I thought would happen."

Potter's hands traced over his jumper to the back where he untied it, and let it unroll, Draco's socks and shoes falling unnoticed onto the ground.

"I thought you were wearing a scarf..." Potter said, holding it up, studying the tears near the bottom. "I'm glad you wore it."

"What?" Draco said.

"I'm glad it was there. You might have- I thought when the wolf bit your neck, I was afraid-" Potter stopped abruptly, swallowing hard.

"You said it was precious to you," Draco said in a small voice.

Potter gathered the jumper up and pulled it over Draco's head, leaving his hair a staticy halo around his head, "I can always ask Molly to make me another, if she hasn't already. There's only one of you."

Draco closed his eyes, focusing on changing his arms back.

"Wha- I thought you said you didn't have enough energy to change-"

Draco wavered, grabbing onto Potter's jacket as a wave of light-headedness washed over.

"Draco," Potter caught his shoulders.

Draco stubbornly put one arm then the other through the sleeves and that done, was finally able to do what he actually needed, put his arms around Potter and hug him as tightly as he could manage. He felt Potter slowly relax against him, hugging him back just as tightly.

Draco bit his lip, feeling his face flush, his voice hardly even a whisper, "Starling."

Potter twitched in surprise and then gave Draco a tight squeeze, "Chickadee," he sounded like he was smiling.

Draco pressed his face tighter to Potter's shoulder.

"Someone's coming," Potter said under his breath, letting go of one arm but keeping the other around Draco's back.

A string slip of a man in black robes, accented in silver was the head of a few people moving over to the werewolf. He stopped in front of the body, tilting his head curiously then turning on his heel in a slow circle, taking in the clearing and the snow kicked up all around them from the fight, finally stopping on the two of them.

"A veela?" the stringy man said, studying Draco with unnerving interest, "Full transformation?" he gestured to the wolf, "You did this?"

"I had help," Draco said stiffly, nodding towards Potter.

"Very little, I would imagine," the stringy man said.

Draco stiffened and felt Potter squeeze his side before he could say anything else.

"Have this taken to my department, immediately," the stringy man said to the people following behind him.

Gawain Robards drew himself up, "I will do no such thing, Vineland. That might well might be Greyback, who is part of an open investigation! If I let you Mystery folk take it, I'll never see it again."

Vineland seemed annoyingly unimpressed, "I can have whatever relevant identification you need done by my people and send you a report. This is a one-of-kind research opportunity. I won't let it be ruined by a bunch of dundering aurors."

A woman in healer's green, sighed at the two of them, "I need to collect some samples for testing."

"You'll take that back, there's no better lot than my aurors in the whole ministry," Robards said, stepping closer to Vineland.

Vineland sniffed at him, "A bunch of clumsy show-offs who are almost guaranteed to contaminate, if not ruin, anything they come in contact with."

The healer sighed and walked around the two arguing men, kneeling beside the body, conjuring vials filling with blood and fur, and then leaving as they continued to bicker.

Weasley and Granger returned, and Draco was happy to turn his attention to them.

"So... that ought to be everything," Weasley said.

Granger stuffed her hands deep in her pockets with a shiver, "The students are all going back to school."

There was a second of silence before Weasley helpfully added, "That means us, we're students."

"Oh, right," Potter glanced back at Robards, "If you're sure."

"It's Hermione, she's always sure," Weasley's said.

"Sometimes I listen to what's being said around me, it's called paying attention," Granger said with a glare.

Weasley made a face, "Yeah... but it's not really worth it most of the time, is it?"

Hogwarts was barely a glimmer of light through the trees and Draco wasn't sure if he turned his feet back if he'd have the strength to walk. On the other hand, his feet as they were, were not really designed for walking, at least very far.

"I'll carry you," Potter said, guessing the problem.

"You're injured," Draco said.

"I can manage until we get back," Potter said.

"You," Vineland, interrupted them, his argument apparently finished, "Full-blooded veela are exceedingly rare. After school, we'd love to have you at the Department of Mysteries."

"He doesn't want to be your potion rat, Vineland, move on," Robards snapped.

"My offer stands," Vineland said before slumping off.

Robards shook his head at him before turning back to the group, "You did well, you lot. The aurors would look kindly on an application from any of you." He turned to Draco, studying him with a faint frown, "Veela, they have resistance to spells, don't they?"

"I haven't tested it," Draco said carefully.

Robards nodded to himself, "Mighty useful thing... Keep up your studies, the aurors only accept the best!"

Robards said a few more meaningless platitudes and then headed back to his milling group of aurors.

"I mean, they require Exceed Expectations or better, that's not the best, technically speaking," Granger said.

"Good thing to or Harry'd never make it in," Weasley teased.

"Hey!" Potter said.

"I'm leaving," Draco said.

"I'll-"

"You can carry my socks if you want to help," Draco said, pointing them before starting to walk, each step a bit more careful and deliberate than he was used to.

Potter snatched up his sock bundle and hurried after, "Just let me-"

"No," Draco said, "I'll be fine. You can go on ahead if you don't want to wait for me."

"I'm not going on ahead," Potter said.

"Alright then we'll-" Weasley tried to say and got an elbow in the side for his trouble.

Weasley and Granger exchanged glares.

"I'm hungry," Weasley grumbled.

"Dinner hasn't even started yet, you're not going to miss it," Granger said.

"Still hungry though," Weasley muttered.

Draco felt ravenous himself.

"What've we here?" A booming voice called, followed by Hagrid stepping out through the trees.

"Hagrid!" Draco said, hesitating and then hurrying ahead a few steps to hug him around the middle, "I'm so glad to see you!"

Hagrid patted his back with one large hand, he tried to look stern but had to keep fighting a smile, "Thought I saw a wee birdy flyin' around in the sky, bit high up it seemed to me."

Draco winced and said quickly, "I had to save Potter from a werewolf, it was terribly important. I'm certain it won't happen again."

Hagrid blinked and then nodded slowly, "Well!... I'd imagine so. That sound like quite the tale."

"I'm afraid I don't have the energy left to change back, and it's hard to walk like this, would it be too much to ask for your assistance?" Draco asked.

"O'course not!" Hagrid said, leaning down and offering an arm.

"I could have carried you just fine," Potter said, bristling.

Draco clung onto a handful of Hagrid's jacket as he sat in the crook of his arm, "He could not. He's hurt his shoulder."

"Harry! Yeh shoulda said yeh were injured! I've another arm," Hagrid said, gesturing it with an earnest expression. "Come on then."

"Go on, mate," Weasley said.

Granger rolled her eyes with a very knowing expression.

Potter glowered.

"We can go back together," Draco said.

Potter sighed and let himself be scooped up.

"Thank you for this, Hagrid," Draco said as Hagrid stood back up to his full eight and a half feet.

"Yeah, thank you" Potter said.

"Weren't no problem. Come on then, tell me what happened," Hagrid said.

Weasley started the story off as they all walked back to the castle together, Granger adding in the occasional detail.

Draco held his hand out, and despite his mood, Potter took it and held on the entire journey back.