Set in the summer after Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix. After Sirius' death, Harry, Ron, and Hermione demanded to be initiated into the Order as temporary members at least, so that they could help track down Sirius' killer.

Warning: Character Death

Discliamer: The characters in this totally don't belong to me. They belong to J.K. Rowling, and always will. Too bad for me, but at least I get to play with them a bit. The plot belongs to me.

…………………

Hermione shivered as a chill went down her spine. Somehow, tonight felt off. It felt wrong.

"Tonks? Tonks, maybe we should go back. I'm getting…"

"A bad feeling?" finished Tonks for her, a worried expression on her face.

Hermione nodded, pulling her black leather jacket more snuggly about her. "I almost feel like they know we're here. Like they're the ones watching us, like-"

Hermione jumped as she heard a dry stick snap somewhere beyond her. Tonks yelled as something large flew out of the darkness at her.

"Run Hermione!" she screamed, realizing too late that Hermione had been right, and that they had been watched all along. Her screamed gurgled into gasps as Hermione watched in horror. The thing… it was sucking her throat. It was sucking her blood.

Dropping her wand in her heedless terror, Hermione turned blindly, trying to run. Behind her she heard what sounded like a body falling. Tonks' body, she thought, unaware that she was thinking at all. Strong arms, however, caught her from behind and lifted her up, screaming.

"Thought you'd do a little spying, did you?" growled a silky voice, and Hermione could feel the creature's breath on her face, sticky and sweet… and smelling of death.

"You're a vampire!" she choked out, her eyes wide in fear as the vampire pushed her against a wall in the dark alley. Knowing what was going to happen, Hermione struggled in panic as she felt his hand slide into her jacket, over her breasts and up to her neck.

"Ten points to Gryffindor little witch," he said, smiling. Hermione saw moonlight reflect of his sharp canines and struggled with the last of her energy as she felt him sink his fangs into the delicate flesh of her throat. She gasped in pain as she felt herself being drawn on, her life draining out of her in greedy mouthfuls as the vampire fed.

Within seconds, her struggles ceased as her limbs grew heavy, and the vampire ceased his feast. "The dark lord doesn't wish you dead, witch. We all come into his service, sooner or later." With that, he slit his own wrist and pressed it to her mouth.

"No…" she moaned as she tasted his foul blood in her mouth. She tried to turn her head, but strong hands forced her head to stay still, and pinched her nostrils to force her to open her mouth.

"Yes…" he hissed, looking down on her as she died. "We are all in his service."

……………………

"Oh God! No! Hermione! Hermione, wake up!"

Hermione saw hazy faces swimming above her, but her grasp on her consciousness slid from her grasp and she sank into dark oblivion once more.

……………………

Hermione opened her eyes to tiny slits, a thundering headache threatening to make her eyeballs pop out of their sockets if she opened them any more.

"Harry?" she hoarsed, trying to make out his face. Her vision, limited as it was, was also horribly blurry and unsteady, and everything seemed to be moving.

"I'm here Hermione, I'm right here." She felt his hand touch hers, and she tried to squeeze back but could not.

"Harry, why are you so hot? You're burning…" she opened her eyes little more, thankful for the darkness around her.

"It's you that's ice cold Hermione," he replied shakily, his voice cracking a bit. "We thought we'd lost you- you had no pulse, and there was so much blood." He smiled through the tears in his eyes. "But then you opened your eyes and spoke my name before passing out again." Harry brought Hermione hand to his cheek, kissing it. "We almost lost you," he repeated again.

Hermione tried to sit up but found that she couldn't move her body. She tried to speak and found her voice, rusty though it felt. "I thought I had died…" Suddenly, her memories became less blurry. "And Tonks? Harry, is Tonks allright? Did she…" Hermione lost her voice as Harry looked up, anguish written in every line of his face. "Oh god, Tonks. No." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she closed her eyes again.

"I'm sorry. We got there too late for her… she was gone. We had to save you Hermione!" he said fiercely.

Hermione opened her eyes again. "I don't blame you Harry. I'm only sorry I didn't save her myself. If I hadn't dropped my wand… if I hadn't panicked." A sick feeling of remorse curled up inside her stomach as she struggled with her feelings.

Harry laid a hand on her cold forehead. "It wouldn't have made any difference. They had you two covered in an anti-magic barrier. We had to take it down before we could help you." He stood up, tucking Hermione's quilt snuggle around her. "Sleep Hermione. You need to get better."

Hermione closed her eyes wearily and let herself drift off as she heard Harry leave, closing the door to her darkened chamber behind him.