(A/N: This is an AU fic, meaning 'alternate universe'. The setting is completely different, and sometimes the characters may seem out of character. But that's the fun of AU fics, no? The setting is vampires vs. vampire hunters, and throw everything you know about Harry Potter away, because I'm only borrowing the characters and the setting is completely different (No Lord Voldy, for instance). I will add footnotes (aka A/Ns) when something needs explaining, and I have a whole other document with background notes on this story, which I may add as a "Behind the Scenes" chapter later. :) Meanwhile, please enjoy the story!)

Prologue

All she could think of was to get away. To get away from him. And to escape before the hunters came. To be caught by either would be a disaster. Her neck was throbbing. She pressed her palm against the wound. Blood seeped through her fingers. Her head was spinning and her vision was blurry. She must have lost a lot of blood. But she must get away.

She could hear distant yells and screams from the manor that she left behind. They must have found him, lying on that cold dungeon floor. But he's not dead. They don't die easily. That was why she had to get away. Soon they'll revive him. Soon he'll come for her.

Then quite suddenly, the wound on her neck burned into her skin. She screamed out in pain, and fell to the ground. The pain rapidly spread throughout her entire body, and she soon felt like her whole body was on fire. She needed to drink. To quench this thirst.

She pulled herself up. The thirst was worse than the pain. She started running, and was surprised at her newfound speed. She dashed past blurry houses, trees, and walls. She needed to find water, but could find no well or a pond or any body of water for that matter. She lost track of time. How long had she been running? Just a few seconds? Or maybe hours? She didn't know. What mattered was to find water.

Then suddenly, she stopped. She was in the backyard of someone's mansion. She looked around, and came to the conclusion that she was far away from that cursed manor. Then something caught her eyes. A well.

She ran over to the well, and hurriedly pulled up a bucket full of water. She gulped it down hastily. But the thirst was still there. Crying out in frustration, she lowered the bucket again and withdrew another bucket full of water. She thrust her head back and literally showered herself with the cold water. But still her body was on fire.

"Who are you?" said a voice. She sharply turned, and saw a young boy standing there. His white gold hair tickled his neck, and his pale gray eyes held fear and curiosity.

"Are you a vampire?" he whispered. She didn't say anything, for she did not know the answer to that question. Instead his fair skin caught her eyes. His neck was so exposed.

"Where are your parents?" she asked. Her voice came out cracked and dry. She was so thirsty. The boy didn't answer. She moved closer to the boy. The boy looked up at her and instinctively turned and started to run back towards the house. Without thinking, she ran after him, and in a matter of seconds grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Let me go! Let me go!" he screamed. He pulled out a small silver knife from his robes, and swung it around blindly. It slashed her left cheek. Blood gushed out.

"I need… you…" she grabbed the knife with her bare hand, and felt the blade cutting into her skin. Disregarding the pain and desperate to quench her thirst, she violently robbed the boy of his knife and dropped to her knees.

"I… I'm… sorry…" she whispered, and buried her head in the boy's shoulders. His pale gray eyes widened in shock and pain, and finally he let out an ear-piercing scream. She felt the boy's blood flowing out of his body and gushing down her throat. It felt orgasmic. She gulped down mouthful after mouthful of the blood. Soon the boy stopped struggling, and finally fell limp in her arms.

Coming to her senses, she tore herself away from the boy and held him tightly. She couldn't believe what happened. Worse, she couldn't believed what happened was done by her. The boy was struggling to focus his vision on her face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "If you don't die tonight… my life is yours."

She laid him down on the soft grass. He feebly grabbed onto her old, worn robes. She gently pried his fingers off her clothing, and placed the silver knife she had taken in the boy's hand.

"If you don't die tonight… I'll be waiting. My name is Hermione Granger."

(A/N: I know silver isn't originally a Vampire-weakness-weapon. And it is not intended as a Vampire-weakness-weapon (I'm stating to like this made up word..) The blade that the little boy pulls out is just for self-protection, and it's silver because, well, silver is cool and glints. :D To kill a vampire in my story, you must first weaken them by slashing the hell out of them, make them lose a lot of blood, and then finally set them on fire. Yay.

Also, constructive criticism is very welcome. And I heart heart heart reviews!)