Hello my beloved readers. This is the first Harry Potter multi-chapter story that I have written, so go easy on me :P This is my very first Vampire!Harry story, and I've had it on my hard drive for so long that I felt it was time to really get back to it.

As always, all Harry Potter names and places belong to the very talented JK Rowling, I merely borrow her wonderful characters for my own amusement. No copyright infringement is intended.

Sumus Noctis

Chapter One

Harry danced around Hermione, serving the waiting witches and wizards their drinks in the nightclub they owned together: Sumus Noctis. For two years their nightclub had been thriving and with a huge capacity in space, they were still packed out most nights. Though it was a club that sold Muggle drinks, they catered purely to magical beings, not limited to witches and wizards.

After the war had ended, Harry had really struggled to find something to do with himself, preparing for the war was all he had known. Even though no one had really started training him until his fifth year, he had been fighting Voldemort since his first year at Hogwarts. Well, before even then if you counted the night of Halloween in 1981 when Harry's parents had been murdered, with fifteen month old Harry to go the same way.

Professor Quirrel had been their Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, but he was hiding a deadly secret, for he had shared his body with Lord Voldemort's soul. Unable to take human form after Harry had defeated him at the age of one, he had no alternative but to join his soul with another's body.

Going after the Philosopher's Stone; Harry, Ron and Hermione had gone after him. Though they had thought it was their potions professor, Severus Snape. Misguided though they were, Harry once again stopped Voldemort, halting his return to power. But not without suffering himself, the attack on him had left Harry weakened for several days.

Harry smiled softly at the thought of his ex- potions professor. He had been so adamant that Snape had been on Voldemort's side all along that it had taken a botched Occlumency lesson, resulting in his delve into Snape's mind, for Harry to realise that the Professor was indeed on the side of the light. So much so, that he was lying daily to one of the darkest and most powerful wizards to ever live.

The music pounded away, his chest vibrating with it and he couldn't help the satisfied smile that crossed his lips. The club was in full swing and everyone was apparently having a good time. He'd not had to throw anyone out yet, which was in itself a success.

Seeing the bar clear of waiting patrons, their glasses full and cheeks flushed with fun and intoxication, Harry looked to Hermione and smiled. Pointing to the dance floor, he nodded and made a shooing motion for her to go have a little fun. She was going to do a quick floor walk, and maybe a dance or two, then collect the bottles and glasses. The customers all adored Hermione and the way she would always engage with them, dance, have fun, and also manage to keep a firm hand on the patrons who grew out of control after imbibing too much Fire Whiskey.

Leaning against the counter with the spirit bottles behind him, Harry returned to his memories of fifth year. After realising Snape was on their side, and that his mother had been the best friend of the snarky Slytherin, he'd apologised and fled the dungeons, tears in his eyes after seeing how cruel and demeaning his own father had been to Snape.

To have the image of his perfect father shattered was enough to send Harry into near hysterics. After a screaming match with his professor, Harry had been forced to see that even though James Potter had died trying to save his family, as a teenager, he was nothing more than a cruel bully. And nothing, not even his sacrifice to protect his only son, could redeem the fact that his father was a cruel child and in no way deserved to be forgiven for his actions.

He'd ran the entire way to Dumbledore's office and practically screamed the password at the revolving staircase that would take him up to his office. As he'd approached the doors, magic had seeped from him, making everything in the near vicinity shake.

"Why?" Harry had shouted, cheeks stained with his tears.

"Harry? What in blazes is the meaning of this outburst?" Dumbledore gaped.

"How could you? You knew she was his friend and you twisted it all, just so you would have someone on the inside! If she could see you now, she'd be ashamed and disgusted with you, making him risk his life day after day!" He'd screamed.

"Who in the Gods names are you talking about, my boy?"

"Lily. My mother- and I am not your boy!" Harry hissed.

Blue eyes had flashed with something Harry couldn't identify. "Harry, I understand your pain, but you cannot shout the odds on something you do not have full knowledge on. Severus' love of your mother was as pure and real as any others."

Harry snorted and pointed a finger at him. "Except he wasn't in love with her, she was close enough to be his sister. But you made it into some perverse form of unrequited love to suit your needs and manipulate Snape into doing your bidding for the next decade and a half!"

Dumbledore had opened his mouth to respond but Harry had already stormed from the room, his office door closing with a slam so hard, the wood split down the centre.

Harry was startled out of his reverie to the sound of smashing bottles as Hermione threw them into the bottle bank, despite how many times he told her that she could calmly place them into the bin, instead of making him jump out of his skin.

"You okay, Harry?" Hermione asked softly.

"Yeah, just remembering fifth year when I confronted Dumbledore," Harry sniggered.

"Oh, Harry! You gave the castle quite the scare," Hermione chuckled. "All that shaking, half the school thought the entire castle was going to collapse."

Laughing with her, Harry turned to whoever had approached the bar. Seeing Ron Weasley looking at him, his smile faltered before falling completely. Not a face that he wanted to find in his club.

"What can I get you?" Harry asked neutrally, green eyes inexpressive.

"Fire Whiskey, Ogden's if you have it," the red head asked softly.

Harry nodded and turned to the optics behind him, he drew a single shot of Ogden's Finest, levitating it back to Ron as he rung it through the till that resembled one from a Muggle store, except it would only answer to his or Hermione's magical signature, so no-one could open the till and take the money from it. Not that he thought anyone would dare try it.

"Ten sickles, please," Harry stated, still refusing to show any emotion to his once best friend.

Handing over the coins, Ron asked, "Mate, can we talk, please?"

"There's nothing to say, Ron."

"Harry, please, I'm sorry," Ron pleaded.

"It's not me you need to apologise to," Harry snarled.

Looking over at Hermione, Ron sneered viciously, his entire face morphing from the pleading look it had just shown. "I have nothing to apologise for. She wanted it that night, she was all up for it, then suddenly went all shy and coy on me. She was asking for it the whole time."

"It doesn't matter if a woman changes her mind, wants to slow down or take it easy. No means no, Ron. What you did was rape."

"I didn't rape her! Don't be so melodramatic, I already told you- she was up for it. She's exaggerating."

"Exaggerating! Really? That's amusing, Ron. Or have you forgotten the visit that I had to pay to you? It was my house that she turned up at; bloodied, beaten, bruised and sobbing. I had to take her to St. Mungo's to get her checked over, she was in such a state," Harry roared.

Ron paled as he remembered when Harry had turned up at his flat, battering the door until he'd opened it. The argument that had ensued was finalised when Harry had punched Ron so hard, he'd broken three of the guy's ribs. Without another word, Ron took his drink, gulped it in one and disappeared into the throng of dancers.

Seeing Hermione's tear stained face, Harry sighed. "Hermione, go take a break, I'll cover the bar."

Harry stood back and watched her move through the dancers, heading to the bathrooms. He eyed the crowd and made sure that everything was in order and nothing untoward was happening. He rarely got any trouble in the club, but occasionally someone felt brave on too much alcohol and took something too far. Seeing a flash of red hair, Harry saw Ron leave the club. He breathed a soft sigh of relief.

An hour passed and still Hermione didn't return, but it was fine. Harry was more than capable of locking the place up on his own if she had decided to go home. He really wouldn't blame her. Seeing Ron in their club, their haven, was nothing short of being stabbed in the heart all over again at his betrayal.

Harry still felt sick when he recalled the events of what led to Hermione coming to live with him. They'd had the bar for two years, but she'd lived with him for six months now. It was actually rather pleasant having company all the time, instead of roaming around Grimmauld Place during the day like some ghost.

He checked his watch and noticed the time. It was way beyond closing up, so he flipped the speakers to the automated message asking everyone to finish their drinks and leave for the night, wishing them a safe journey home and a 'hope to see you again'. He looked around for Hermione as revellers drifted toward the doors and the club became quiet. He saw neither hide nor hair of her. Figuring she was must have gone home after all, he began the tedious task of cleaning up the floor. He didn't keep bins anywhere other than behind the bar since he didn't want unsavoury objects being left in them. It may be a Wizarding club, but unfortunately, many of the patrons had a thing for Muggle narcotics and Harry refused to have anything like that in his club.

Once he was done with the bottles, he went in search of Hermione. He looked through the gent's toilets first, making sure they were empty, then called out into the ladies that he was coming in. Finding them just as empty, he frowned. Leaving, he went out the side door exit and lit up a Mayfair, looking around to see if she was maybe outside instead. Hermione denied being a smoker, but occasionally lit up, especially if she was stressed. He blew out a stream of blue smoke and called her name into the night.

Instead of getting a reply, his ears were met with a muffled yelp, scuffling and soft crying. Harry felt panic begin to well up in him and as he sniffed the air, he located Hermione's scent, among others, but she didn't smell the same. Following her scent around past the large bins, he was confronted with a very scared Hermione surrounded by Ron and several former Death Eaters. Harry's eyes narrowed coldly as Ron's fist hit Hermione, first in the stomach then her face.

"Harry!" Hermione choked out, gasping for air, her hazel eyes wide and frightened.

Ron turned quickly. Facing Harry, he paled significantly. He tried to recover with a self-satisfied smile, but failed. The growl that vibrated through Harry's chest was enough to frighten anyone, the animalistic urge to protect his best friend rearing in him.

"Come to join your girlfriend, Potter," a voice sneered, familiar from so many crossings with Voldemort.

Harry looked around and saw the face of Avery staring at him, a sneer twisting his lips. So much for the assurances of the Ministry that all the Death Eaters were no longer a threat to Harry. "Not particularly, Hermione is more than capable of taking care of herself."

"Harry, please, just leave," Hermione cried. "You can't stay."

"Well, why would I do that? On second thought, why haven't you already dealt with this lot?"

"I can't… Ron… He gave me something… I can't feel you anymore."

It took a moment for her words to sink in before her meaning smacked him like a freight train. The implications of what she was saying were catastrophic. He thought back to a few months ago when he'd been reading the Prophet and had come across an article about a new potion that had been created. If administered to a Vampire who had been turned within twelve months, they would once again become human.

"He gave you the Blood Reversal potion?" Harry hissed.

"That's right, Potter. My Hermione won't be some blood sucking monster, and I'll kill the fucker that turned her - I'll find the bastard!" Ron screeched.

"You're still a witch, Hermione," Harry pointed out.

Bowing her head, she whispered. "He bound my magic, Harry. Until he either releases me or dies, I'm nothing more than a Muggle."

"How long have you been out here?" He croaked, realising he'd left her here without bothering to come look for her-just in case.

"I don't know..."

Harry saw red. His rage reached boiling point as he charged past the Death Eaters at lightning speed and pinned Ron to the damp brick wall by his throat. He could see the red-head's pulse fluttering wildly under the skin of his neck, the rushing blood wafting a teasing scent up to his nose. It would be all too easy to just bend his neck and drain the man dry, but Ron's blood would serve nothing but to make him feel sick.

Snarling in Ron's ear "If you don't release her from the bind, I'll rip your fucking throat out, Weasley - no-one harms my Childe."

With that said, Harry pulled back and smirked at Ron while he allowed his fangs to slide through his gums. They shone brightly in the moonlight and Harry knew he looked deadly, the bone-white teeth were honed to sharp points, with a slight curve, his lips red against his pale skin and eyes brighter than ever. He was the perfect predator, and it showed.

"You want to kill her maker? Well, I'm right here - I'm her Sire."

"You?" Ron squeaked.

"Yes, me. I was turned about a year after the war. It just about finished me off realising what had happened. If Hermione hadn't found me, I probably wouldn't be here. She asked me for so long to turn her, but I refused. I hadn't chosen this for myself, but she insisted. In all honesty, I'm glad I did."

Harry could see Ron's eyes getting wider the more he talked. Keeping his focus on Ron, Harry let his peripheral vision sweep the Death Eaters in his near sight and continued. "Now, in your haste to take what wasn't yours in the first place, you took my Childe from me. That is a very serious offence, and you must pay."

"You can't do anything to me! There are laws against your kind turning others!" Ron cried, his eyes flitting around wildly, seeking an escape from the predicament he had gotten himself in.

"At least Hermione got a say in it all. I wasn't offered the same courtesy - I woke up to find myself alone and hungry. Besides, Hermione and I took the blood bond years ago, before the war, which made us already family. The laws don't apply to turning family, or someone who wishes to be changed because they are dying."

Other things were often taken into account when turning someone. Though Harry didn't know all of them, he was only aware of the two he had recounted to Ron. Both Hermione and Harry were aware that the Bond formed between Sire and Childe could have taken on a sexual one, but most likely didn't, due to their blood bond. Without it, it could have gone the other way, and Harry wasn't sure he would have been able to fight what the Bond would have inevitably forced them into: a physical relationship. For starters, he didn't bat for the opposite team, and he loved Hermione as a sister, nothing more.

Harry's eyes flickered to Hermione and he noticed that she wasn't looking at him, but somewhere behind him. Keeping his grasp on Ron's throat, he swung them both around, holding Ron in front of him. He didn't want to leave his back to him, he certainly wasn't about to trust someone who would willingly stab him in it.

His eyes quickly focused on Avery as he swished his wand through the air and shouted "Avada Kedavra!"

Harry didn't react as a blinding green light shot out of the end of Avery's wand and struck Ron in the chest. He probably would have had enough time to move him out of the way, but why do that, when he could remove the problem of the bind on Hermione's magic, and rid themselves of someone who would no doubt return to kill them again?

It wouldn't have mattered if the curse had hit Harry - the Killing Curse couldn't harm a Vampire. The curse worked by stopping the heart of whoever it hit and that couldn't happen when a Vampire's heart no longer beat. It did give him a rather nasty headache though, and it was probably not in anyone's best interests to piss him off further.

Releasing his grip on Ron's throat, he watched dispassionately as his body crumpled to the ground. Snarling at the Death Eaters, they Disapparated quickly, Avery being the last to leave. Harry grabbed Hermione by the hand and yanked her back inside the club, pulling the door shut behind them, the clang of heavy metal slotting into place giving him a feeling of momentary relief.

Harry's mind worked quickly as he thought back to the piece on the Blood Reversal potion; if memory served, the magic of the potion could be undone so long as the recipient was turned back to a Vampire within an hour of the potion having been drunk. All he had to do was remove all of the blood from Hermione's body and refill her with his own. He could only hope that their bond taken in school hadn't been destroyed by her being changed to human again, or they risked their Vampiric Bond becoming a sexual one.

It was risky though, he had no idea how long ago she had been given the potion, and replacing her lost blood with his would only make her sick, eventually killing her once he'd drained her past the point of return. He would either save her, or kill her.

"Hermione, we have little time, please don't ask questions - just listen to me and decide," Harry spoke fast as he locked the door they had passed through and erected his wards. "We have a one-hour window in which we can stop what happened and change you back to a Vampire. What do you want?"

"It's too dangerous, Harry, you'd ingest the potion through my blood…"

"I said no questions!" He hissed before softening his voice. "The potion won't affect me. As I said out there, it only affects those changed within twelve months, and I've been a Vampire for three years now, there is little it can do to me."

Hermione nodded once. She'd never leave Harry's side. She loved him too much - he was her brother in every way but through parents. Harry dragged her toward the bar and swiped his arm across it, sending bottles and glasses crashing to the tiled floor. He climbed up pulling Hermione with him. Seating himself, he drew Hermione to his spread legs and settled her against his chest. He remembered from last time that his touch had lessened the agony of her alteration. There had been rumours that the change was pleasurable, but Harry had yet to find a Vampire who had experienced it that way.

Mind you, not that he actually remembered anything about his transformation. He'd recalled snatched glimpses in dreams, but nothing that was concrete or that he could say was what had actually happened. For all he knew, it was nothing more than his mind making things up to fill in the blanks, his cries of pain, the burning feeling of his blood dying as his organs began to fail.

Cradling Hermione to him, he brushed her hair to one side, whispering in her ear, calming her. If she was agitated when he bit her, it would be all the more painful.

Locating the original claiming mark, Harry's fangs descended once more and he pierced the soft skin of her throat, hitting the carotid artery straight away. He heard her small groan of pain, and he rubbed soothing circles on her stomach with his free hand. He gulped as her blood flooded his mouth- it tasted strange, no doubt from the potion that was still swirling in her system.

Once he felt her begin to weaken, he pulled away from her and used a fang to create a small cut on his wrist. Watching his blood well up, he directed his wrist to her mouth. He felt her begin to suck and resumed his place at her throat. He drew more of her blood until he no longer tasted the potion. Harry pulled away and licked the twin puncture wounds closed, waiting for her to finish with his wrist.

As she became groggy, he lifted his arm away and licked his own incision closed, laying them both out side-by-side on the bar, wrapping his arms around her small frame as he waited for the change to begin.

It was always subtle things at first. Her hair became less frizzy and more of a sort of loose curls that framed her face, the skin paled from the lack of circulation as her heart began slow down as his cells took over her body once more. He knew that her eyes would be sharpening, even the irises changing so they were hazel with little flecks of green in them.

Hermione soon began jerking and shaking as the last of her human cells were attacked by the Vampire ones. Her cries and screams becoming too much, she tried to claw at herself in pain. As his blood replaced hers, her body would try to fight the transformation, the pain so intense that many blacked out from sheer agony.

He threw his legs over her lower body and squeezed her to him, trying to stop her thrashings, he couldn't allow Hermione to harm herself. It would be over before long.

Hermione's screams tore through the empty club, echoing off the walls. Thank Merlin for silencing spells, Harry thought. The club was already warded with them since he didn't want Muggle police turning up with complaints from nearby dwellers who were affected by the noise of a nightclub in full swing.

A last scream ripped from Hermione's lips when her pain reached its peak, before she slumped next to him - her body relaxing as the change completed. Harry listened to her heart slow down, beating just a few times a minute before coming to stop. The familiar smell of his Childe returned and Harry was satisfied she was in no immediate danger to herself-or him.

Harry judged that it would be safe for him to back off, allow her a few moments to assimilate her last thoughts and become once again accustomed to being a hunter. He jumped down from the bar, waiting for her to open her eyes, his body tensed to spring into action should she be feral. He was almost afraid, dreading that the Bond would force them together. He knew it mustn't happen- he'd release her before either of them were pushed into a compromising moment.

He resumed his watch of Hermione and saw her eyes open slowly, blinking a few times before getting her bearings. Her eyes eventually landed on Harry and she stared at him before rising and hopping off the bar. She took a few tentative steps toward him before running full pelt at him. It took all of Harry's strength not to fall over at the force of her impact, her body slamming into his, causing him to stagger slightly.

"Oh, Harry! Thank you! I was so afraid we couldn't go back to the way we were," she sobbed. "I don't know how he even managed to get me with the potion."

"You don't feel any different from the last time?" He asked. "And we'll deal with that later."

"No, nothing more than the usual urge to be around you. Seems our Bond remains like last time."

Harry grinned and hugged her tightly to him, relief no doubt clear on his features, had Hermione been able to see his face. The Bond was very fickle- it could only be their blood ritual taken years ago that spared them from a more intimate relationship. He knew that the Bond could not be ignored, no matter how much Sire and Childe wanted to- not without the Sire releasing their Childe from their care. And no Sire in their right mind ever wanted to do that...except perhaps the one who had made Harry.

It was why a Vampire had to be careful when taking someone to be their Childe. It was all too easy to think the Bond would work in your favour, when it most likely wouldn't, and there was so much pain when a Childe had to be released. Not physical pain, but more that there was an emotional emptiness, a deep loss that took so long to overcome.

Not only that, but a Sire was not only responsible for their Childe's well-being, but would also be held accountable for their misdeeds, especially law breaking. The Childe for committing the offence, but the Sire for not keeping them in line; they would both be punished severely.

Harry knew there would be repercussions for allowing Ron's death, and no doubt for changing Hermione again- not that he really cared- with their blood bond still in place, it could not be disputed that they were still family. Besides, after what the piece of scum had done to Hermione, he would gladly have brought him back just so he could kill him with his bare hands.

He could also claim the right to protect his Childe, since she had been placed under threat and harm had come to her. Any Sire could protect their young should the danger potentially culminate in their death, and Harry was in no doubt that Ron would not have hesitated to kill her if she continued to refuse to cooperate with his wishes. The look in his once warm, brown eyes was nothing short of mad.

The pair broke apart and resumed Harry's cleaning of the club. There wasn't much left to do except clean up the glass that he had knocked to the floor and a few cleaning spells here and there. Thankful for small favours, both were exhausted and needed some rest. They could return to the house they shared, Hermione wouldn't need to feed until tomorrow at the earliest- she'd taken more than enough blood from Harry. While Hermione finished wiping down the last of the tables, a knock on the main doors resounded through the club.

Frowning, Harry withdrew his wand and went to open up, Hermione following close behind with her hand around her wand, still in her pocket. He swung the doors open and was greeted with a sombre looking Dawlish and Tonks, Aurors for the Ministry of Magic.

"Wotcher, Tonks!" Harry grinned, using her usual greeting.

Tonks didn't react to his smile or use of her standard greeting. Dawlish spoke first. "Harry James Potter, Sire to one Hermione Jean Granger, you are hereby under arrest for the unlawful killing of one Ronald Billius Weasley. You and Miss. Granger are to be taken into custody tonight and appear before the Ministry tomorrow morning for a hearing with the Minister for Magic and the Wizengamot."

"Why is my Childe to be taken also? She has done nothing against the law," Harry growled, an instant urge to protect her rising within him.

"She is accused of attempting to use one of the Unforgiveables on Mr. Weasley. She will attend her own hearing tomorrow," said Tonks sorrowfully.

"Let me lock up," Harry seethed, his eyes meeting Hermione's, a look of understanding passed between them.

Harry turned to Hermione, gesturing that she should wait outside for him. Harry pulled the heavy iron doors closed behind him, locked them and murmured his wards, mainly ones to repel Muggles from finding the place. If they approached the building, all they saw was a dilapidated block of flats.

As soon as he'd finished, he felt magical shackles snake around his wrists, binding his magic. Tonks removed their wands from them, before both she and Dawlish took hold of them, Disapparating into the night with a crack to the Ministry. Harry could only hope that he would be given the chance to explain their actions, and it wouldn't be a head hunt like his fifth year and dealing with Umbridge.

There was no telling how things would go in the Ministry, but Harry was resolved to do anything he could to make sure that nothing happened to Hermione. If all else failed, he would take full responsibility for the events of that night.

Hermione had done nothing wrong and didn't deserve to be treat like a criminal. Harry could have saved Ron and had chosen not to. That was his burden to bear, not one that Hermione should have to pay the price for.

So here you have the first chapter of the Vampire!Harry story that I have been working on. I cannot say how long it will be, other than that I have four edited chapters (including this one) with a further three that need a little more work. But rest assured, this is far from over ;)

Sumus Noctis- we are the night