A/N: This story was written for the "Fall in Love with Draco and hermine Fic Exchange", and has an Autumn theme. The person I wrote this for requested a sexually experienced, but not slutty Hermione, Draco's a virgin, and a Gryffindor scarf is in there somewhere.

DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter characters do not belong to me. I'm only playing with them.

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger sat in Herbology class and dreamed of summer.

Her mind replayed the warm sunshine, the green garden outside her aunt's home where Hermione had lolled away the quiet hours reading, and warm, roughened fingers sliding over her smooth skin.

"Hermione! Why have you got that silly smile on your face?" Ron poked her crossly.

Startled, Hermione blinked and looked around at her friend. "It's nothing, Ron. I was thinking of summer vacation, that's all."

"Had a good time, did you?" Ron asked

Hermione smiled. "You could say that."

In front of the class, Professor Sprout was talking about autumn.

"Now that you're all seventh years, it's time to pay more attention to Samhain, or Halloween as the Muggles call it. It's all been fun and games and floating pumpkins for you lot until now, but you've got to start taking Halloween a bit more seriously now. It's when wizards and witches create some of their most powerful spells, you know!"

Heads around the class began to perk up. This sounded interesting.

In the Slytherin side of the class, Draco Malfoy propped his head in his fist and glowered at his desktop. He paid no attention to Professor Sprout. He didn't even pay much attention to Harry Potter, his usual nemesis. He too was thinking of the past summer.

"Tomorrow night is the night of Mabon," Sprout was lecturing. "Can anyone tell me about it?"

Hermione glanced up with some interest and checked the date in her head. September 21st. Of course. She really should concentrate on class, she thought. Harry and Ron had already remarked numerous times on how absentminded she'd looked since returning to school this year. She ought not to daydream in class.

As for the night of Mabon...

She raised her arm high, a habit she had never managed to cure herself of.

"The Autumn Equinox, Professor?" she asked.

Sprout beamed. "Exactly. When day and night are equal. The forces of good and evil vie for supremacy all the time- but on this night they are equally balanced.

"This is the night that Persephone returns to the Underword, to Hades, her husband. As you know, she was stolen from Earth by Hades, who wanted her for his bride. When Hercules came to rescue her from the Underworld, Hades tricked her into eating six pomegranate seeds. The seeds meant that Hades could keep Persephone."

Many Slytherins nodded with pride at Hades' sly move. Hermione could only frown.

"But Zeus persuaded Hades to return Persephone to the loving arms of her mother for six months of the year."

Professor Sprout looked around, his face sorrowful.

"Autumn is when Persephone leaves the Earth and goes to her husband."

Draco decided he couldn't care less. Any fool who ate from the Underworld deserved what she got.

He looked around, and his gaze landed on Hermione Granger. Disinterested, he was about to look away, but something caught his eye. She was blushing. And she wasn't looking at either Weasley or Potter as she did it. Who was she thinking about? Because Draco was suddenly seized by the firm conviction that she was thinking about a boy.

Surely not. He shook his head and turned away, dismissing the idea. He had troubles of his own.

"You'll all be going out to pick certain plants for spells, and the Equinox is the perfect time to do it! Halloween is a month away, and by then your herbs will be dried and ready! Now, I'll be giving you a list of..."

Professor Sprout talked on, but the words buzzed unintelligibly in Draco's ears. Who cared? When he'd had the worst summer ever, what difference did plants make?

His mind drifted back to the summer wedding he'd attended with his mother. Some relative of his had been getting married, and they'd both had to attend, even with his father still secure in Azkaban. And there he'd met Melissa.

"...were made out of these plants. Now, the faunsfoot, especially, was greatly sought after for its magical ability of confidence. Warriors found it increased their confidence to great levels, and when they overimbibed, well, that's where the term 'berserkers' comes from, you know."

Draco perked up. Faunsfoot? Yes, he'd heard the name. Hmm, it rather sounded like what he needed.

He'd been sure that Melissa was going to be his ticket to manhood. But...well, the whole thing was embarrassing to remember.

And worst of all, he'd come back to Hogwarts a virgin, something he'd sworn was not going to happen this year. Not that there were a dearth of girls throwing themselves at him, but he'd have preferred to get in a little...practice...to make sure that the right sort of rumours spread around the school. It would be unbearable to be rumoured as an unskilled lover.

Hermione too, decided that she should like to find the plant. It was an important ingredient in several potions she had in mind.

"Of course, we all know the danger of going out on the night of the Equinox, and that is..."

And then Professor Sprout was called away by Professor McGonagall and class was dismissed. But that didn't matter. All the class knew the danger of wandering the forest on the Autumn Equinox.

The Wild Hunt would be out.

Sometimes, students could hear the barking of the hounds at night. Even the muggle-raised students were quickly apprised of the situation.

"Thery're called the Cwn Annwn," Ron was explaining to Harry as the three of them began to exit from the classroom.

"The Coon Anoon?" Harry asked, repeating the sound.

"Yeah, Harry, they're the hounds of Arawn, the lord of the forest." Ron's eyes were alight with excitement. "He isn't seen much, but he brings out his pack of hounds to hunt on the night of the Equinox."

"But of course that's the best time for wizards and witches to gather useful plants for potions that will last all year," Hermione explained, navigating around a Slytherin. "It's a bit of a problem, of course, but the hounds won't come out until true dark. We've just got to be careful."

Someone pushed her from behind, trying to move ahead, and Hermione stumbled onto the person in front of her.

"Oh, sorry!" she said automatically, softly touching the back of the student she'd hit in apology.

Malfoy's patented glare turned around on her.

"Watch where you're going, Granger!"

"You," Hermione's eyes narrowed.

Harry and Ron moved to defend her.

Draco swept them all in an ill-tempered glare, and left.

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Later that evening, Draco was walking to the main hall for supper when his shoe lace untied itself. He bent to tie it, and that's when it happened.

"You what?" Came an astonished voice.

Draco looked up. He was kneeling behind a row of pillars that separated the hallway into two. Unseen by him, two girls were walking on the other side, also going in to dinner.

"Hush, Ginny!" Draco recognized the voice. Granger, of course.

"Well, how was it?" The littlest Weasley.

"It was wonderful. Sean was...very tender." Hermione was talking in a dreamy tone of voice. "It was really unplanned, but...well, mum and dad and I were visiting mum's sister, and Sean was a friend of my cousin's, and we started hanging out a lot. It was just one of those magical summer things. Inexplicable!"

Draco might have fallen over if he hadn't already been kneeling on one knee. Granger? Had had a summer affair? The blood started to pound in his temples. It simply wasn't possible. But he remembered the dreamy look in her eyes and her pink cheeks in Herbology class.

Which Sean was it? One of the Gryffindors?

"But a muggle!" Ginny exclaimed.

Not a wizard then.

"Well, I don't even know if I'll see him again," Hermione said, sounding like she was smiling. "It was just one of those things."

The girls continued talking as they walked down the hall, but Draco's mind was working furiously. Granger of all the people in the world had had an affair? He stood, then dipped his chin in thought. He was a Slytherin. He could work out an advantage in this.

Harry, Ron and Hermione agree to split up later that evening. The walk on Mabon had to be done alone. Each of them, along with the rest of the seventh years, separated to take a solitary path into the forest.

The wide stream Hermione decided to follow was shallow and rocky, its banks strewn with smooth white rocks of various sizes. Hermione made her way along the stones, looking into the clear water for any sign of her plant. Bordering the stones, the forest underbrush grew thickly. At some points along the stream, it reached nearly down to the water, forcing Hermione to cling to some of the thin branches to make her through to the other side. The forest's trees surrounded her, growing in green profusion, though here and there she could see a hint of yellow and red. One tree she glimpsed had turned its leaves completely red, and the contrast against the dark, mossy bark of the tree was startling.

Hermione followed the curve of the stream until she was well out of sight of Hogwarts, yet there was no sign of the plant. She gave up for the moment, and looked at the item next on her list.

"Oh, uva ursi," she saw, and bent to strip the low-lying plant of a few berries, noting its position. She added the berries to her tiny basket.

Finally, she'd gathered everything on her list but the faunsfoot.

"It's got to be somewhere nearby," she decided. She glanced up at the sky, and was shocked to see how much darker the sky was. It was time to get back, faunsfoot or no.

And that's when she saw it.

Just around the final bend of the stream before it disappeared into the hillside, the faunsfoot grew in the shallowest water, its roots in the cool mud, its leaves shining green above.

All thoughts of leaving left her. Excited, Hermione slipped out of her robe so as not to wet her hem, bent and carefully began to dig in the murky soil of the stream. The faunsfoot came out easily, but she was very careful. The root was indeed shaped like the cloven foot of a deer. Carefully, she scraped the slightest bit from it, wrapped it quickly in horsehair, and returned the scraping to her basket.

She replanted the faunsfoot and sat up, her back sore. Stretching it, she glanced at the sky. It was definitely well into dusk by now. The twilight was deepening rapidly. With a worried look at the sky, Hermione rose to stand.

And that's when she heard it.

The first mournful howl echoed low and long through the trees. A second, third and fourth joined it, until a chorus of howls reverberated through the darkening autumn forest.

Hermione stood in awe and consternation, watching the moonlight turn the lean white bodies of the Cwn Annwn a silvery colour as they swarmed through the trees toward her. Their red ears were grey in the gathering darkness. Though they were yet a distance away, their barking was loud. Hermione was abruptly aware of her vulnerability, alone as she was in the forest with only her wand to protect her.

Were the hounds susceptible to her magic? They were closing too fast for her to cast a spell.

She turned and began to run, her basket bumping her hip as she leaped over fallen branches and skirted trees and undergrowth. The barking grew quieter, but Hermione knew the legend of the hounds, and knew that their barking grew quieter the closer they came.

They must be very close indeed.

Raw fear washed over her, sweeping rational thought before it, leaving her hunted- the prey. Hermione's pulse pounded in her ears, and she thought that at any moment sharp teeth would snap around her ankle and drag her to the ground. She chanced a glance behind her, although it wasn't a good idea, and then really wished she hadn't. A hound was nearly at her heels, ahead of the rest of the pack. It snapped at her, saliva oozing from its canine mouth. Hermione screamed and jumped to avoid it, lost her balance and felt herself falling-

A sudden wind brushed her, making her eyes tear with its force. Strong arms caught her around the waist and lifted her free of the ground. Hermione's vision was blocked by Hogwarts robes as her rescuer's broomstick soared high into the air. She hooked an elbow around the handle, her legs still swinging in the air.

"Harry?" She nearly sobbed with relief. "Thank goodne-"

"Quiet, Granger, you'll get us both killed."

She drew in a sharp breath and angled her head up, still unable to see over the billowing robes.

"Malfoy?" Hermione's blood went cold.The arms firmly holding her abruptly changed significance.

"The very same," came the cold, aloof voice of her classmate above her head. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Why...?" Hermione's quick mind leaped ahead and decided that she wasn't in the best spot to ask questions. She wanted to know why Malfoy had rescued her, and she worried that if she asked, he might wonder, too. Best not to remind him that they were mortal enemies just at that moment.

The broom changed direction, and the wind in Draco's robes deflated. At last she could see him. One of his hands had a white-knuckled grip on the broom's handle. The other was tight around her waist and gave her the oddest feeling. Only one other person had touched her in such an intimate manner, but those circumstances had been far different.

Malfoy turned his cold gaze on her as though he could read her thoughts. It occurred to Hermione that his eyes were the exact shade of the silvery fangs of the Cwn Annwn. The thought didn't comfort her at all.

The broomstick darted through the forest, tearing off leaves and small branches from trees as it passed by. Up here it was much colder, and freezing air rushed past Hermione, numbing her exposed skin. The broom abruptly bumped something, and Hermione gasped, nearly losing her precarious hold. Draco's arm curved more snugly about her waist, and hauled her closer against the length of his body.

The strength and warmth of him disconcerted Hermione. She felt utterly helpless as she was. Utterly at his mercy. This would not do. She hooked one ankle behind Draco, trying to gain some kind of grip on the broomstick. She could feel gravity pulling her downward. She fumbled for her wand in her pocket.

"Stay still!" Draco hissed, leaning down. Her hair blew wildly around them, slapping his face with soft strands. He cursed and shook them off. Behind them, the hounds' baying took on new urgency, and Hermione stole a glance towards them.

"Oh, no!" She gasped. Draco glanced warily behind him.

The hounds were climbing...swarming up onto the very air. They leapt into the sky, and the stream of dogs ran a silvery path up towards them. There was a dark shape behind them now, wrapped in shadows.

"The hunter! It's Arawn!" Hermione said fearfully. Another fumble in her pocket brought the chilling realization that her wand was nowhere to be found. Had she left it behind in her robe?

"Quickly! Climb on or you'll fall off for certain." Draco began to pull Hermione upright, but at that moment the hounds surged forward, and Draco's broom responded by cocking up and shooting forward, sending Hermione tumbling and nearly dislodging Draco from his seat. He hung half on, half off his broomstick, clutching Hermione's arm as she hung over the forest floor.

A hound, bolder than the rest, surged forward and snapped at Draco's arm. Its silver teeth clamped into skin and muscle, and bit. Draco yelled in pain. He flinched, and Hermione screamed. His grip loosened and Hermione grabbed at his arm with her other hand.

"Malfoy!"

Draco grunted with pain and effort, as the broom swerved and slid along the tops of the trees. The moonlight reflected off the hound's eyes, bright with anticipation as it fell back a few paces. The rest of its brethren were catching up. Their barks grew softer the closer they came, something that chilled Hermione.

Draco wouldn't be able to hold her much longer.

Using her free hand, she yanked off her long, striped Gryffindor scarf from around her neck and threw one fringed end over the broomstick. Releasing Draco's injured arm, she quickly caught both ends, so that now she was dangling from the scarf.

"Granger! Where the hell is your bloody wand?" Draco gripped his broomstick with his knees to anchor himself, reached down with his other hand and pulled Hermione up again. She hooked a leg over the broom and finally pulled herself up to crouch on the handle in front of him.

She was about to retort sharply when she faced front again.

"Malfoy!" Hermione shrieked as a thick tree branch zoomed towards their faces.

"Hold on, Hermione." Before she could open her mouth, Draco locked his ankles around the broomstick, grabbed Hermione's shoulders and swung them both upside down on the broomstick. Hermione's hair hung upside down, falling away from her face. The blood rushed to her head. Draco's fingers held her shoulders against him in an unbreakable grip, stopping her from falling off the broom.

She heard a thud, and looked behind to see two hounds fallen to the ground, unconscious or dead.

Probably not dead. Did their kind die, she wondered briefly. The broom completed its turn and Draco swung her upright again. She felt dizzy and let her head rest back against him, briefly.

The other hounds swung around the tree towards them.

"We can't hold them off much longer," Draco said, watching them.

Hermione gasped as she saw a clearing in the trees.

"Malfoy, look! We're almost at Hogwarts! And look!"

"I see," he said grimly.

"Do you think you can...?"

"Bite your tongue," he said with some of his old insouciance. "After all, which of the two of us is on the Quidditch team?"

Hermione wisely closed her lips over an answer.

Draco grinned and zoomed his broom around the final stand of trees, and the broom shot out into the open lawn of Hogwarts. The hounds didn't stop, though.

The broom whizzed around a corner and straight into the Whomping Willow, which awoke at the disturbance. Its giant branches swung around and whaled at them with dizzying speed. Hermione covered her head with one arm, wishing again that she had her wand. But Draco whizzed them out of the path of the oncoming branches, deftly twisting and turning through them. The hounds, close behind, turned and found themselves being thrashed soundly by the willow.

Draco sped towards the castle as they heard pained howls and yips behind them. He headed for one of the taller turrets, and landed on a stone balcony. He brought them to a not-too-gentle stop, his feet brushing the flagstones, and let the broom land on the floor. He and Hermione fell off the broom in an exhausted heap.

For a moment, Hermione was enveloped by warmth from Draco's body. The feeling brought back memories of another warm body moving over her. It made her feel safe. Draco's wide sleeves were like dark wings shading her from danger. She let herself relax.

And gasped when Draco stood and picked her up, his arms under her shoulders and her knees.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

He stared at her and quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you fainted," he said. He allowed Hermione to stand up.

Hermione turned to look at the Whomping Willow. All the hounds had retreated from the monstrous tree, even the ones that had been hurt. Looked as though nothing would hold them down for long.

The dark shadow that had been driving the hounds coalesced into the shape of a man with a horned head. His form approached them until he stood hovering just a few feet from the balcony. Hermione had moved so far back that when her back bumped into Draco again, she pressed herself against him unconsciously, something that Draco enjoyed very much. He put his arm around her in a protective gesture, and then gently moved her to stand behind him.

The forest lord considered them for a long moment, then turned and pulled out a hunting horn from his side, and blew long upon it.

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself to control a shiver. The horn had the sound of wild things in it.

The hounds responded, baying loudly, and disappeared in a stream back into the forest.

They'd found another prey to hunt.

When she returned her gaze to Arawn, the forest lord was gone.

Abruptly, Hermione found herself trembling. She bent her head. Draco turned around and drew her into his arms, warming her with his body.

"The hounds are gone," he said unnecessarily.

"I know." Her voice was muffled. She raised her head slightly, regarding his chin. "How did you come to be there?"

"You're a fool," he said impatiently. "All the seventh years have gone to walk the wild places on the night of the Equinox, but you forgot what any pureblood who's grown up in the magical world knows- that Arawn and his Cwn Annwn hunt on this night."

"I didn't forget!" Hermione said hotly, tilting her head to look Draco full in the eyes. "I simply lost track of time. The light fooled me."

Draco's expression told her what he thought of that. He released and stepped back.

"At least I still have my herbs," she said, lifting the small basket she'd tied to her waist. "But-oh!"

Her eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" Draco demanded.

"My wand! It's back at the stream! I...I dropped it."

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