Chapter Text
Hermione was standing outside, letting the sunshine warm her face. While everyone else complained about the hot summer suppressing their desire to do anything, she let it tingle her skin and clear her mind.
It had been one month since the Battle of Hogwarts. Today was Harry’s 18th birthday. Hermione could tell she was burning by the feeling on her skin.
It was peaceful.
It’s not that everything was perfect. Voldemort wasn’t defeated, but Harry had wounded him. Harry had killed off the Horcrux within himself, leaving Voldemort to be all too aware of how vulnerable he was now. He was more accessible to track, no matter how much he moved around the country or continent. He had lost followers. The die-hards were becoming more of a problem for the Aurors than Voldemort himself.
The Battle had given the Order of the Phoenix enough leverage to capture Death Eaters and retake the Ministry. They installed their people in top positions across Departments and organizations. Kingsley was now the acting Minister of Magic. Professor McGonagall was Headmistress at Hogwarts. The Wizengamot had been purged of known families with ties to the Death Eaters. Kingsley allowed half-bloods to take seats if they had a long family line—a holdover to pacify the pureblood families. Remus Lupin, appointed head Auror, and Sirius Black, working a casual job in the Department of Mysteries, were both given seats. Or, as Sirius liked to joke, he was given his chair back. He often swore he saw one of Lucius Malfoy’s hairs on it on his first day.
The Wizengamot was busy every week imprisoning more caught Death Eaters.
But today, it was just a normal dinner at the Burrow.
Molly was in the kitchen, preparing for Harry’s party and bossing her children around.
“Hermione,” she called again from the back door, “get in here before you’re crisper than these potatoes.”
Hermione loved the Weasley matriarch, but she was happy that the calmness of their world allowed her to have her own apartment in London. The compromise was that she had to pick somewhere within a ten-minute walk of Grimmauld. After the war, no one was comfortable with anyone on their own. Least of all, Hermione, much to her loving annoyance. Sirius had wanted her to live there with them, but when she visited to see the room he had kept aside for her, it was clear to her that three adult men and Remus’ girlfriend, Tonks, were not the environment for her. Sirius helped her sign a lease the next day.
Hermione walked back into the house and was immediately put to work. Everyone was popping in now. Bill and Fleur were expecting their first child so every move she made was watched carefully by Bill. Fleur was rearranging the table outside and gave Hermione a ‘be quiet’ look when she passed.
“Mum, no one cares about multiple cakes being on display,” Ginny rolled her eyes as she was forced to ice another one.
Ginny had been forbidden from living with Harry at Grimmauld. She would turn seventeen next month and, from there, go back to Hogwarts to finish her seventh year. She complained loudly and frequently about the trio getting to skip Seventh Year, something Hermione reminded her they hadn’t done.
“I don’t know,” Hermione licked the icing, “a few selections might be nice.”
In reality, this was the second grand get-together they had had at the Burrow since Hogwarts. It was clear that everyone was trying to make up for lost time.
The floo went off, and Harry walked out. Hermione and Ginny both stopped what they were doing to gawk.
“Harry,” Hermione started.
“Bloody hell,” Ginny gasped. Molly instantly swatted at her.
Molly walked over and hugged him. “Harry, you look wonderful. Happy Birthday. How do you feel?”
“Like my head is going to hit everything,” he laughed nervously as he played with his hair.
Harry had presented as an Alpha.
The belief was that Alphas and Omegas had cropped up during the First Wizarding War as a way to get the opposing sides to stop fighting. It was an old gene that had been dormant since the war in 1912. However, with the amount of killing occurring, there was speculation that it would happen, and it did.
Except, after the war, it didn’t stop.
It seemed like Hermione was surrounded by so many of them, but researchers said it’s because they tend to find their way to leadership or positions that rely on bravery.
Kingsley, Sirius, and Remus made sense. When Bill, Charlie, and many boys their age began showing symptoms, the Ministry had to act quickly to get laws back in place.
Many presented around their 18th birthday, plus or minus a few months. Ron had presented during the war. Harry got his actual birthday. Hermione knew Neville had presented shortly before his birthday.
As for the omegas, it was the same thing, except that they were given a grace period of about six months before the girls were deemed betas.
Molly and Fleur were happily paired off and married. While not married to Remus, Tonks had a claim mark, and they seemed pretty content with their arrangement. They spoke often of marriage and kids when the time was right. Ginny was expecting to present next summer. It had been widely known and accepted that Harry would soul bond with her during her first heat.
Hermione had been dubbed a beta, and as she told everyone, she was delighted.
“I’ve brought the party.” Sirius walked through the floo carrying too much liquor. Molly gave him a disapproving look.
Hermione always thought Sirius was attractive but in that brother’s dad’s kind of way. She knew Sirius didn’t see her like that, but sometimes, with all of the teasing, Hermione couldn’t help but think… maybe. However, reality would set in, and Hermione would remember that Sirius was waiting for his omega. He still came over to echo the same compliment Charlie and Bill had said to her.
“Princess,” Sirius hugged her tightly, “new perfume? You smell nice.”
“Yes, actually.” Hermione lit up at Sirius, noticing the perfume she had just picked from Harrod’s. It was foolish to spend so much, but sometimes dipping into the trust fund her parents had left her was the only thing to comfort her. The Death Eaters had killed her parents while she had been away with Harry and Ron. She had not quite forgiven herself yet.
“Happy birthday, Harry.” Hermione smiled widely at him and hugged him.
“You do smell nice, Hermione. What is that butterscotch?”
“I hope not,” Hermione frowned. She had wanted to go for alluring and memorable, not an old person’s favorite treat.
Sirius complained loudly about eating outside as it was about five million degrees. Molly snapped that maybe if he didn’t wear three-piece suits everywhere he went, he wouldn’t feel as bothered by it.
“Hi, hi,” Tonks opened the front door. She was carrying a present for Harry. Remus was behind her, trying to take it out of her hands. His eyes found Hermione’s, and he looked her up and down, giving her a slow smile.
Everyone called out a greeting to them.
“Hermione, be a dear and get more plates for us,” Molly yelled over her shoulder as she took the first round of food outside.
Hermione was gathering any dishes and cutlery she thought they would need.
“Hey,” Tonks popped up next to her. “I was thinking if you still needed help painting your flat, I could come by next weekend.”
Hermione was happily surprised. “Please. That would be amazing. I have the colors, but I’ve been putting it off.”
“Great. You feeling okay? You look a little flushed.” Tonks looked her over.
Hermione waved her off. “It’s actually brutal outside. Don’t say anything. Molly has really been looking forward to this.”
Truthfully, Hermione had been feeling off since last night. She was cramping and feeling feverish. Signs that her period would be arriving soon, for which she was grateful. During their time on the run, she had lost it due to the weight loss. With its return, Hermione knew her health was on the mend.
Tonks let her head fall back, showing off her claim bite. “Great. Happy birthday, Harry; let’s all go sweat around the table.”
Tonks took the plates out, and Hermione counted forks and started pulling glasses down.
“Let me.” Remus approached behind her and reached for the top glass. His body pressed against hers, but only just. Even with his werewolf transformations taking a toll on him, Remus was the quintessential definition of an Alpha. His shoulders were broad. His thighs, muscular. He was the tallest of the group at 6’7.
He dwarfed Hermione’s 5’4 frame. She blamed being petrified in the Second Year.
“Thanks.” Hermione gave a polite smile. She felt her cheeks burn with the blush of a holdover crush from her Third Year. One that she had never been able to kick fully but was more than happy to keep to herself.
“New perfume?” Remus sniffed the air. He could smell Hermione when he walked in and had to get closer to her. He thought if it were perfume, he would need to get it for Dora.
“Do all alphas have a sixth sense for women’s body care?” Hermione joked. “But yes, thank you. I’ll have to make it my daily one.”
Remus was already walking away as Hermione mumbled, “Since everyone’s been saying it.”
She took a second to think it was said because she usually smelled not as well. Her mind quickly scattered as she took in Remus’s scent. He always smelled nice, but today, he smelled extra clean. That was what Hermione decided on. She wanted to get closer to him to determine if she could decipher his smell.
Hermione assumed her crush was getting out of control due to loneliness. She had thought she and Ron would make a real go of things, but when he presented in the tent, his cockiness took over, and he told Hermione just how useless she was to him now. Six months later, he was still single.
Charlie opened the door for her to carry out all her glasses. Everyone else was already seated. Hermione darted for the chair next to Remus. Charlie looked pleased to sit next to her on the other side.
Everyone celebrated Harry and their new, easier way of living for the next couple of hours.
When table clean-up began, Hermione kept feeling drawn to whatever Remus was doing.
“You’re the perfect clean-up buddy,” Remus joked.
“Hey,” Tonks screamed from her chair, “I’m getting to it.”
Remus raised his eyebrows at the younger witch before going into the house. He took the glasses from her and let his hands connect with her skin. Hermione felt her body surge with a spark of want. She tried to swallow it down, as even alphas could smell a beta’s need. Remus, a werewolf, would sense her womanly need.
Hermione ran back outside to sit with Ginny. The redhead girl shot her a sexy, exaggerated smolder to tease her about the professor-turned Auror. Hermione threw up her hands in surrender.
The party was just getting started. Sirius had offered Hermione a drink, but she was already feeling lightheaded from the sun.
“You do look a little red, love.” Sirius looked her over. “Hermione, are you feeling okay?”
“I’m just going to go inside for a minute and cool down,” Hermione stood up, shaking a bit, and went to the bathroom. She was feeling more and more out of sorts as she walked. Her cramps were coming in earnest, and her center was throbbing for what felt like attention, but Hermione blamed her cycle. She felt wet from the heat and tried desperately to cast a cooling charm to get her clothes to unstick from her body.
Splashing cold water on her face only worked for a second. Hermione’s mind kept flashing to Remus and how he stood behind her in the kitchen. She could almost feel his body against hers. Her hand moved from its grip on the sink to her bare leg. She was about to let herself indulge in her recurring fantasy when she remembered she was in the Weasley’s hall bathroom.
“Get it together, Hermione,” she shook her head and looked at herself in the mirror. “It hasn’t been that long.”
In truth, it had been long. It had been forever. Hermione always meant to have sex before she left Hogwarts, but she also thought she would have another year there. Harry was pining after Ginny while they were in the tent, and Ron’s disappearance seriously turned her off.
She had hoped that in the last month, she would be able to make time, but every day was busy. She was doing the school work she missed, interning at Wizengamot under the solicitors there, and setting up her new flat. She was too busy and stressed for dates.
Hermione took a deep breath before she opened the door and walked out. Remus was walking down the hallway towards the bathroom.
“Hermione?” He stopped and looked her over.
Hermione didn’t think. It was like a drug came over her mind, and thoughts would not form. She let her body guide her every move as she walked down the hall towards him. Her hand found its way to his body, gripping the shirt in her fingers. She wasn’t touching his stomach or chest necessarily. She convinced herself that this was a safe place to touch him, and she had to touch him. His body felt hard under her hand, and the more she gripped his shirt, the more she wanted to open the buttons and see what he looked like.
“Hermione, what’s wrong?” Remus tried to meet her eyes, but she wasn’t looking back at him.
Hermione stepped towards him and let her nose hit his chest in response. She felt the words trying to come out, but his smell intoxicated her. Warm, but fresh. Something clean but deep and rich.
“Hermione,” Remus put his hand to her forehead. He had never experienced the witch's loss for words, and it was giving him the strangest anxiety. “You’re burning up. Are you sick?”
Hermione finally made herself look up at him and shake her head. Her hand started moving up toward his neck. She watched as his features contorted from being uncomfortable to confusion.
“Come on.” he led her to the front sitting room. “Sit here.”
Remus placed her on the sofa and tried to ensure she was okay before he sat himself. He could feel the way she was pushing her body against his and making tiny whimpering noises.
“Are you sick?” He asked again, hoping to get a coherent answer from her. She only shook her head again.
“I’m feeling a bit out of sorts,” she stared into his green eyes. Her hands trailed up his leg and hooked around one of his belt loops. “But starting to feel a bit better.”
Remus nodded and watched her hand move around his leg as he said, “You still feel really hot.”
“I was outside,” she moved closer to him until there was no more space between their bodies, “I’m happy you’re here. That you came. I need you to come.”
Her cheeks were flushing more. The idea of Remus cumming sprinted through her mind. It was like an empty well of need to see that, to feel that happen, had just opened.
This was not Hermione. She was acting more like… Remus let the thought slam into him. He wanted to jump up from his spot and put as much distance between them as possible, but he was weighed down by the need to help her.
“Are you pleased to see me?” She asked innocently. Remus was sure of his suspicions at that question. Hermione started to look worried at his nonanswer. “You’re not? You’re not happy I’m here.”
Remus snapped out of his thoughts at the wounded look she gave him. “I am.”
Hermione beamed at him, “Can I do anything for you?”
What the fuck was she saying? Hermione was screaming at herself that she was being insane. Tonks was right outside. Sirius had to have spiked her drink when she declined again to do shots with him. Remus would never go for her, but she couldn’t stop herself. She was gripping his thigh in her hand and still trying to get closer to him.
“Hermione,” Remus took a deep breath. It was a mistake. Her scent assaulted him, clouding his mind. There was something candy-like about it, but earthy. A spring morning after rain when the sweet flowers bloomed. It drove him to need another inhale, “I’m going to—. “
He was going to get Molly. She would know how to handle this situation. When he went to stand, Hermione whined loudly, and with speed neither knew she possessed, she crawled into his lap.
“Please stay here,” Hermione threw her arms around him. In an act that was too bold, she angled her face up and let her nose barely touch his scent gland. When he didn’t react, she put her lips directly on it.
“Fuck,” Remus hissed. He had expected anger to be his first emotion, but desire sprang forward. His body reacted without permission, and he gripped Hermione tighter. “Hermione. Do you know what’s happening?”
“I want you,” Hermione whispered against his neck. She nuzzled against his gland again. She had just enough sanity left in her to stop herself from licking it. “I have wanted you. Please?”
And she did. She could feel the need to have him burning through her. She didn’t know what was making her act on this now, but they were alone after all. Sure, losing her virginity in the Weasley’s front room wasn’t ideal, but did it matter? Something in the back of her mind was screaming that, yes, it did matter to get control of herself. She couldn’t. She needed him to take her now. Her body was hot and aching. The throb from her core was more than normal biology.
“Hermione, stop,” Remus breathed out, trying to get control of the situation. His eyes were closing as his finger tips brushed the hem of her dress. “No.”
He let a little bit of his alpha voice seep into his words. The effect was instant.
Hermione shrank in on herself and tucked her head down. She felt the tears burst from her eyes at his rejection. She hated it, but she couldn’t stop it. He had denied her. Remus didn’t want her. Remus pushed her off of his lap, making her cry harder.
Remus could feel his alpha cursing him. This beautiful young woman was crying because he wouldn’t fuck her. He was neglecting her, and his mind was radiating pain throughout his body. He had turned down omegas before, some even before Tonks, but he had never thought twice about it. Something with Hermione made it different; something made him feel different. Remus could feel the disgust building in him at how much he wanted to find out if she tasted as good as she smelled. His fingers were itching to move under the sweet yellow dress she wore. He didn’t remember her body being so developed after the last battle.
“Hermione, listen to me.” He moved her chin up so he could look at her. She was crying so hard his hands were wet within seconds. “You’re going into heat.”
“No,” Hermione shook her head. Her sobbing made speaking difficult, but she got the words out. “I’m too old. I just want you.”
“Hermione,” Remus still kept a hint of his alpha tone, “you’re an omega. You’re presenting late. Listen, stay here.”
“No,” Hermione shrieked. “I need you.”
“I know.” Remus thought quickly. “It would make me really happy if you sat here. Don’t move.”
“Okay, I can do that.” Hermione nodded and smiled brightly at him for letting her make him happy.
Remus stood and reminded her not to move. He walked quickly down the hall and out to the table. Sirius was playing some card game with Harry and the boys.
“Sirius.” Remus was breathless. “Can you help me with something?”
“Sure, what?” Sirius didn’t take his eyes off the cards being dealt. When Remus didn’t respond, he looked up at him. The look on his face made him stand. “What is it?”
“Come inside with me for a second.”
“Everything okay?” Charlie asked.
“Fine, fine,” Remus dismissed him. “No problem at all.”
Remus turned and went back into the house. Hermione, from sitting on him, had left her scent clinging to his clothing. Sirius was following closely behind as he had always done, but with every step, Remus wanted to push him away from the door. As soon as Sirius walked through the door and Remus closed it behind them, Sirius inhaled deeply.
“What is that?” Sirius smirked back at Remus. “That is-”
“That is Hermione,” Remus intoned.
Sirius stepped towards his best friend, inhaling another deep inhale. “She’s all over you, Moony.”
“Yeah, she didn’t know what was happening. I’m trying to help her. There’s a situation I need to fix.”
Sirius shook his head but was giving him a lecherous grin anyway. “And by fix, do you mean you fucked her once already. You smell divine.”
Sirius was moving his hands into Remus’ shirt, pulling it towards his nose. Remus slapped his hands away.
“Sirius,” Remus was offended. “Of course, I didn’t. She’s 18.”
“Legal in our world and the muggle one. I wouldn’t blame you.” Sirius sniffed at his neck. “She was on your scent gland?”
“Not my doing. Can you be a responsible adult for ten minutes? Come on.”
Remus pushed Sirius down the hall. He knew his friend was enjoying the scent by how he strolled into the sitting room.
“Oh fuck.” Sirius smelled the air as if it could get him high. “Can you believe that?”
Remus felt the full force of Hermione’s heat hit him. It was unlike anything else he had ever smelled. His primal urge was telling him to take her.
“What should we do?” Remus asked, trying to gain his composure.
Sirius chuckled and stepped towards Hermione. “Moony, look at her. I think you know what we should do.”
Sirius had always let his baser instincts drive him. It was believed alphas would develop the traits most needed to appeal to the most compatible omega. For Remus, that was his caring and thoughtful demeanor. For Sirius, it was his spontaneity and general cavalier sexiness.
Hermione was still sitting on the sofa where Remus left her, but she had let her dress move up her legs. Both men were looking at the shiny skin of her inner thighs, which were now coated in slick. Hermione was alternating between panting and whimpering Remus’ name.
“Sirius,” Remus yelled his name. That brought him back to the situation: "We need to get her out of here. There’s too many unclaimed alphas around.”
“Just Charlie and Ron. They wouldn’t do anything.” Sirius gave Remus a look. “Molly wouldn’t let them do anything.”
“You missed where Neville and Kingsley showed up, and you’re not counting Harry.”
Sirius turned to take his eyes off Hermione.
“Fuck, yeah, I did. Okay, we’ll take her back to Grimmauld,” Remus suggested before he changed his mind. “No. We should take her to her place. No one knows the wards there. We should be safe for a while.”
“Let’s go.” Sirius let Remus get Hermione off the chair. The twitching in his fingers to touch was noticeable by both men.
Remus struggled to get her to stop pawing at him and trying to force their bodies together.
“Can you help?” Remus angrily asked Sirius.
Sirius was chuckling, “A hard life you lead. Here,” Sirius took Hermione around the shoulders to steer her, “fuck, she’s on fire.”
“I’m too old,” Hermione cried softly. “Too old.”
“We’ll get that sorted,” Remus mumbled.
They got her to the floo without anyone walking in. Remus and Sirius considered this one of their most challenging tasks to date.
“Take her through, and I’ll follow,” Sirius instructed Remus.
Remus was reluctant but called out for Hermione’s flat anyway.