Wolfblood

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Page count: 8

After Hermione had left The Ministry she returned to Andromeda's and immediately packed up her things, and after saying goodbye to a surprised Andromeda and a disappointed Teddy, she left the cottage and activated the port key earlier than she planned, just wanting to get home.

She'd arrived at The American Ministry, signed the appropriate paperwork and then apparated to her cottage. As she stepped inside there were no lights on and it was cold, so she quickly lit the fireplace with her wand, understanding the cottage was empty.

Given the fact it was a little after ten o'clock at night, she wasn't being greeted by an over-excited puppy and she couldn't feel Derek's presence, she'd guessed Derek had taken Magic for his nighttime walk before bed.

Hermione kicked off her shoes and stripped off her coat before she collapsed onto the couch, pulling a cushion to her chest and wrapping her arms around it, and then the damn burst. The tears she'd been holding back since leaving Harry's office flowed freely and she sobbed, unable to stop.

She didn't know how long she'd been curled up on the couch sobbing her heart out, but the door opening drew her attention.

"Hermione?"

Through her bleary eyesight, she saw Derek quickly approaching her after he growled out a command to Magic, preventing him from bounding over to her and he sat down in front of the fire obediently. Meanwhile, Hermione stood and met him halfway, throwing herself into his arms and holding onto him tightly as she sobbed into his chest.

"Hermione? What happened?" He muttered, the worry in his voice clear even as his nose brushed against her hair and he breathed in her scent, his head going dizzy after going so long without it.

She tried to answer him but couldn't through her sobs, so he scooped her up into his arms, moved over to the couch and sat down with her cradled against him, rumbling sounds leaving his chest, his wolf's attempt at calming her and it worked as soon her sobs had died down to sniffles.

He pulled her back from her to look at her face and what he saw broke his heart. Her face and eyes red from her cries, her cheeks showing signs of the path her tears had taken down her face and her eyes being puffy and bloodshot. She looked distraught, even more so than when he'd been injured and she'd healed him.

Uncaring for his t-shirt –it was already wet from her tears anyway- he removed his jacket and then reached down to grip the hem of his t-shirt, pulling it up and stretching it out so he could gently dab at her face, the fabric being soft against her sore eyes and cheeks. He then let his t-shirt fall back down and gently he cupped her face in his hands, locking gazes with her.

"Alright, can you tell me what happened?" He asked softly.

She gave another sniffle and took a deep breath. "I told Andy about the baby, she's happy for me and I actually think she wants to meet you, and I saw Teddy, Merlin, it was only a few weeks ago that I last saw him but I swear he's grown another three inches or so," she said and he chuckled at her. She gave another sniffle. "I went to see Harry at his office. He'd been avoiding me and making up excuses when I owled him, so Andy told me to just go to his office and then he had no choice but to talk to me. I told him about the baby and he didn't take it well. He said some hurtful things, and he took my ex's side, like he's always done, even when we were children. Since I've been gone he's been filling Harry's head with lies about me and now he hates me," she spoke, tears once more gathering in her eyes. "He's done it; he's finally succeeded in taking Harry from me."

She buried her face back against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing circles on her back and making comforting rumbling sounds in his chest.