"You know this is not allowed."
"You think I don't know that? I've been… this way for longer than you, Sirius. I am very well aware of the laws surrounding Vampires."
"And are you willing to risk everything, your very existence, to save her?"
Lorcan let his gaze rest on the woman laying still on the hospital bed. His heart clenched as he took in her pale skin and thin frame.
"Anything. I would do anything to save her. I… I love her, Sirius. I can't let her die, not like this."
As his eyes were still fixed on the woman in the bed, he missed the wide grin that appeared on Sirius' face.
"Does she know that?"
"No. I've tried to tell her, a few times. I've never been able to get the words out, however. I imagine she would just pat me on the head and tell me my feelings were misplaced appreciation for all the help she's given me."
He jumped slightly as Sirius laughed at his statement, sounding almost like his animagus form. Well, his form… before everything happened.
"That sounds exactly like something she would say. It would appear you know her quite well," Sirius said, still laughing. If Lorcan had been still human, he knew he would be blushing right now.
"Well, we have spent a lot of time together, trying to re-write the laws. Trying to get more rights for our kind."
"I really appreciate you helping me out on this, Hermione."
"Of course, Lorcan! There was never any doubt, of course. You know how much your… your mother meant to me. I would never let anything happen to you if it's within my power. And there was once a time you called me Aunt Hermione," she said in a teasing tone.
It was true. When he was growing up, Hermione and his mother was very close, almost as if they were sisters. Lorcan had taken to calling her Aunt Hermione, something both his mother and Hermione encouraged. It wasn't until the attack that killed his mother and resulted in both him and Sirius being turned into vampires that he stopped.
It felt… completely wrong to call the woman he loved 'aunt'.
And love her, he did.
It started slowly. Following the attack, the Ministry wanted to round up all Vampires (including himself and Sirius) and throw them into Azkaban. Hermione was outraged of course, as was Uncle Harry. They all worked together to change the minds of the Ministry and were ultimately successful. After that, Hermione would come around to bring him blood from the newly established banks and to make sure he was doing well. He knew she did the same for Sirius.
It was one of the things he loved about her. She spared nothing for those that she cared about.
And now his heart was breaking as he watched her slowly slip away from him. He knew that she would most likely never care about him in the same manner that he cared about her. He was a vampire. She was… decidedly not. She would yammer about the age difference, but if she was a vampire as well, that would no longer be an issue.
What was twenty years when you lived forever?
It was a mystery, how she had contracted Dragon Pox. The illness was considered extinct now, and her case was the first seen in almost fifteen years. Even stranger still was that she wasn't responding to any of the known treatments. Uncle Harry and Sirius were convinced this was an assassination attempt, but no-one was taking them seriously, everyone brushing off their concerns.
He was having none of it. He refused, refused, to let her die.
He was going to save her if it was the last thing he did (and it most likely would be the last thing he did). The laws were clear. Vampires were not allowed to change people, not even to save them from death. He scoffed. Stupid law.
He knew if he did this that they would never be able to be together. The relationship between a Sire and his Child was parental, not romantic. It would create a bond that would pretty much ensure she would never look at him as a lover. She would look at him as a father. He couldn't help the shudder that went through his body at that thought.
His mind was made up, however. He was going to do it.
He took a purposeful step towards her, reaching out to trail his finger down her cheek. Picking up her wrist, he placed a small kiss upon it and –
Was shoved right out of the way by Sirius. Before he could shake himself from the shock, he watched Sirius sink his teeth into Hermione's flesh. Once he drank his fill, he stood up and sliced his palm open, dripping his own blood into her mouth.
"Sirius! What… what did you do?"
"I saved her. I know about the bonds, just as you do. Besides, I've always wanted to be a father. She might as well be my daughter."
A groan from the bed interrupted his next thought. He rushed right over to her.
"Lorcan?"
"Yes, yes I'm here. How… how do you feel?"
"I feel… odd. But yet, I feel wonderful. Like everything is suddenly clear."
He sighed in relief as he pulled her into his arms, grateful that Sirius' bite worked. Even if she never ended up wanting to be with him, at least she would still be here.
He could only hope that, now that they were on an even playing field, one day she might give him a chance.
Even vampires can dream.
Thanks to Jordi for looking this over for me.
Written for Round 14 (finals) of the Quidditch League FanFiction Competition. Go Wanderers!
Prompt: Write about Lorcan Scamander and a character of your choice.
Hogwarts – Divination: Write about something that cannot be touched (either physically or mentally) or something that is banned or forbidden.