The Stroke of Midnight
a/n: So the idea for this new story popped into my head while I was rereading scifichick's Harry Potter/Lara Adrian's Midnight crossover fic. Adrian is coming out with another book next week but I'm kinda pissed that Chase, one of my favorite characters may not be in it. Since reading scifichick's series I've been totally hooked on a Hermione/Chase pairing and decided to follow the plot bunny down the hole. I'm not sure how far I'll go with this story, cause the idea just vaguely came to me but at the very least I'm thinking maybe five chapters. Let me know if it's worth continuing.
Disclaimer: HP and characters are the property of JK Rowling and the WB and the Breed characters are the property of Lara Adrian and Bantam Dell publishing
Chapter 1: So it begins
It was a very rare occasion these days that the breedmates were permitted to venture out in the world by themselves. Since the Rouges have declared all out war on the civilized population of the Breed, everyone has been on high alert, cautious of the ever present danger. But today the women of the order banded together and convinced their mates that a daytrip to Boston would be safe as long as they were together and promised to stay vigilant.
Tessa searched through the slim pickings of maternity wear in the chic boutique, sighing in frustration that no matter what she wore, she still looked like a seven month pregnant woman. Giving up on the search she heads back towards the dressing room where Gabrielle and Dylan were trying on dresses. She smiles politely to a rather tall and regal looking, dark haired woman who was waiting just outside the dressing room doors. The woman smiles back but her expression soon contorts into exasperation as the door to their left swings open and a pretty young brunette with wild curls pokes her head through the door.
"Explain to me again the reasoning behind purchasing this?" the girls asks in a clip British accent, motioning with her hands to a revealing red halter dress that hugs her firm curves perfectly. The girl arches an incredulous eyebrow to the woman.
The older woman beams at the girl, gesturing for her to step further out of the dressing room so that she may get a better look. The girl sighs but does as she is told, twirling around once so that the woman can check out the fit from every angle.
"The reasoning my dear is that you look absolutely smashing."
"It's a bit snug." the girl complains, fiddling with the hem
"Nonsense," the woman slaps her hand away, "it's the exact fit to accentuate your assets."
"Yes, I'm sure father will be pleased with your assessment." the girl answers sardonically
"Tosh, what your father doesn't know won't hurt him." the woman dismisses with a wave of her hand. The girl takes a peek at the price tag and scoffs.
"I beg to differ, once he sees my charge account he's libel to keel right over."
"Your father would happily buy you the moon if it meant we would get to have you to ourselves for a few days." the woman tries to keep her tone even and appear unaffected but Tessa can see the way her eyes avoids her daughter's gaze as she stiffly goes about adjusting the fabric of the dress. The girl grips her mother's hand, forces her to make eye contact.
"I truly am sorry for not being around lately," she says, her voice full of remorse and though Tessa senses this is a private conversation she cannot turn away from the raw emotion in the girls hazel eyes. "It would be easy to blame my absence on work, but the truth is ever since…"
"I thought we agreed to put that all behind us and to start anew?"
"But that's just it mum, we're not dealing with it. While I still maintain that I did what I did because I love the both of you and the thought of your lives being in danger because of me was too much to bear on top of everything else that was going on at the time, I know what I did was wrong. I should have spoken to you and dad first, explained things more clearly before taking such drastic measures…"
"Hermione, now is not the proper time to discuss…"
"But there's never a proper time," the girl checks herself as her voice rises in anger, "you say that you want to start over, no more lies of omission or half truths but you refuse to hear my reasoning for what I've done. How can you truly forgive me if you don't know the whole story?"
"I know that you are my daughter and that I love you dearly, I raised you to stand up for what you believe in and to protect the ones you love, for that I am ever so proud of you. But you need to remember that just because your father and I do not posses the same…talents as you, that we are not incapable of defending ourselves. While we have a basic understanding of the reason behind what you did, it's the execution that leaves something to be desired. That is going to take some time to get over."
The girl nods her head, seemingly accepting that whatever her transgression was, that it would be a while before she was fully forgiven. Just as the serious conversation started the older woman shakes off her melancholy expression and turns them back to the decision of buying the overpriced dress.
Tessa is startled out of her contemplation of what the girl could have done to upset her parents so, when Dylan exit's the dressing room with an arm load of clothing shortly followed by Gabrielle.
"All set." she announces, looking to the red head for confirmation
"Yeah, me too let's pay so we can meet the others for lunch." the two head for the register and Tessa takes one last glance back at the young girl and her mother before following her friends.
It's a perfect spring day, so the five women decide to have their lunch on the patio of the elegant bistro in downtown Boston. Skimming her menu for the perfect meal, Tessa spies movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning to her left she spots the two women from the boutique being seated at the table next to theirs. The older woman appears to be in a jovial mood but Tessa can read the underlining tension in her shoulders and it seems that Elise, being an telepath, has also picked up on her distress.
Gripping the edge of the table, Elise takes a deep breath as she attempts to get her empath abilities under control. Tessa leans forward to clasp one of her hands.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, it's just been a while since I've been around so many people." she says quietly in a way of explanation. Tessa nods her head in sympathy, she tries to catch Elise's eyes to discern if being out in the middle of the day surrounded by so many people, is too much for the telepath to bear but Elise is staring off to her right completely focused on something. Curious to see what has her friend so entranced, Tessa glances over to find the young brunette from the boutique locked in an intense standoff with Elise.
Her penetrating hazel eyes almost appear as though they are challenging Elise to try to peak into her mind, but that's crazy, Tessa dismisses, there's no way she could know that Elise can read minds. Yet there is a knowledgeable gleam that tells Tessa that that is exactly what she is doing. Elise suddenly jerks back in her seat as though she were physically pushed, breaking the visual contact. The normally well composed blond, looks a bit discombobulated and quickly excuses herself to the restroom.
"Would you like me to come with you?" Tessa politely offers, causing the three other women at their table to take notice of Elise's distress.
"No, thank you," she declines, "I'll simply freshen up and return shortly." with one last fleeting glance to the young brunette, Elise walks off in search of the ladies room. Tessa stares after her long after she disappears behind the door, worrying her bottom lip. They had promised their mates that they would not let each other out of their sight, it was the most important condition placed upon their little outing and Tessa had just violated the agreement. Normally a trip to the ladies room wouldn't be cause for alarm but in the midst of war anything was a possible threat, which brings her back to the reason for Elise's sudden departure.
Tessa turns to find the girl staring at her with the same unreadable look she'd given her lunch companion. For a split second, Tessa considers that the girl may be a minion, but her eyes were too expressive, calculating instead of the empty void that appears when a Breed Vampire drains a human of their soul, forcing the human into servitude. Tessa nudges Dylan slightly, signaling that they should get the check and leave as soon as possible, this girl may not be a minion sent to spy on their group but there was definitely something off about her.