Chapter 2

Pyromaniac

Madam Pomfrey and Hermione managed to lug the blue eyed man and his 6ft wingspan to the hospital wing, the only interruption having been Professor Snape who's, now obviously obsessive loathing towards all things Potter had him pause to make sure 'Blue' was not one of Harry's adventures gone wrong, before hastening to alert Dumbledore

Professor Snape lost any remaining respect the bushy-haired witch held for him that night

It was ordered, due strictly to the fact that an unknown and potentially dangerous being was being held and treated in a school, that Blue be restrained as soon as he was thoroughly examined and treated accordingly. Professor Dumbledore, despite Professors McGonagall and Snape's objections refused to allow any leakage of Hermione's discovery, and thus Blue was now being accommodated in a private ward, usually reserved for examinations and more contagious or embarrassing cases, wings outstretched and supported by massive slings fastened to the ceiling, and chained securely by the wrists and ankles

Hermione spent most of her spare moments with his slumbering form, between classes and maintaining a steady friendship with Harry and Ron, although the later seemed adamant to make it as difficult as possible for her, and all the other essential habitual exercises that made up her day. Sometimes she even studied with him, asking him rhetorical questions and sharing with him some of her more impressive work. She would spend hours on weekends examining his wings and the excessive damage done to his body

Unfortunately, Blue's already critical condition seemed only to be deteriorating, despite the Matron and Hermione's best efforts, and neither Madam Pomfrey nor Professor Dumbledore would answer Hermione's questions about the strange hybrid man, other than 'he's like nothing we've ever seen before'. Although Hermione was positive they knew more than herself, she wasn't so sure they had any answers either

Though he had fangs, he wasn't a Vampire, nor Dampier, Hemophage or anything related. Though he had wings, Harpies, Sirens and Furies were strictly female, and if Hermione's glimpse of his naked form indicated anything, then Blue was most definitely a man. Demons, however they were portrayed in fairy tales and horror stories, had only ever been described in factual books as evil spirit beings, closely linked to nature spirits or 'angels', and Blue was far too solid to be a spirit. 'If he even has a spirit anymore'

Blue's plea still haunted her, and she wondered how someone who simply oozed power, even in slumber could have been reduced to begging a stranger to take their life. Even more worrisome, is what could have done it? It was obvious Blue was equipped to be a killer – vampire fangs, dragon wings and a figure so incredibly seductive it was almost impossible to believe he existed, a figure Hermione had gradually come to notice, and caught herself…appreciating more often than she was willing to admit, didn't exactly scream 'cuddly'

And if there were more beings like him, as it seemed there was nothing else strong enough and capable of flight to inflict such horrific wounds, wouldn't someone have sighted one before? Nothing can hide so well that no one had even glimpsed it…could it?

A gentle nudge to her shoulder roused Hermione from her musings, and she turned to the concerned face of one Harry Potter. She smiled reassuringly. 'Sorry, off with the fairies. Did you say something?'

'Are you sure you're ok? You seem really…distracted'. Harry hesitated for a moment, before leaning in closer. 'It's not Ron, is it?' he whispered. Hermione shook her head

'No. Not really…I don't know. I'm just sick of these little head games he thinks he's playing. I wish he'd just make up his mind' She sighed. Lovely Lady Lav-Lav was flouncing around attached like a leach to Ronny's elbow…again….for the fourth time. It'd seem she enjoyed wedging herself into the picture two seconds after Hermione and Ron has made some kind of progress towards a 'relationship'. Now Hermione wasn't so sure she wanted a relationship with Won-Won

'Oh…um, right…' Harry paused, and grinned boyishly at her. 'I'd say something helpful, but I'd probably just screw things up more'

'Probably', Hermione agreed, and Harry pouted sulkily. Ginny bounded down the stairs a moment later, and the boy wonder immediately perked up

'Hi Gin!' he all but screamed. Hermione rolled her eyes. Screw things up, indeed.

'I'm going to the library' she announced, rising. Harry looked panicked for a moment, his gaze shooting to Hermione, expression pleading, as Ginny recovered from the initial shock of Harry's enthusiastic greeting

'Oh…oh, ok. See you, 'Mione…erm…Hi, Harry!' Ginny spluttered. She grinned none the less, and Harry seemed to relax a bit. Hermione know she wouldn't be missed, and waved a final good bye as she headed for the portrait

She, of course, has no intention of going to the library, instead heading for the hospital wing, and private ward number 3. It was as it always was – still sterile, still white, the 20th inch-by-inch tile, 4th row from the right on the opposite wall still missing, Blue still a ghastly grey under his olive complexion, still lifeless, still hopeless, just still.

Hermione sighed, collapsing into the visitors chair positioned next to the bed and a small set of draws. For a moment she did nothing but stare, longing for another glimpse at his extraordinary eyes – his beautiful, eerie, crystal-blue eyes. Briefly, she wondered if that was in fact the color of his eyes, or if it was just what she wanted to remember them as. But no, she was sure they were blue, as if staring at a summer sky through a diamond, or the froth-tipped folds of the clearest ocean. Hermione's fingers curled daintily around Blue's frozen hand, allowing herself the smallest of contact, just to prove he wasn't a mirage, and gently traced to the lines of his calloused palm

"What are you?" the young witch wondered aloud, pausing her mindless ministrations to massage the tips of his frozen fingers. A moment later something occurred to her; he was cold. Too cold. Despite the increasing crispness of the autumn atmosphere, despite the fact that he was laying half dead in a chilly hospital room, despite the fact that he hadn't moved an inch in eight weeks, Blue was freezing!

Grinning triumphantly, Hermione dashed across the small room to the cupboards, and, after a moment of searching, swaggered back to her seat with a large beaker in hand, and set it down on top of the draws next to Blue. "Incendio", uttered Hermione, flicking her wand. Flames shot from the tip, igniting a fire inside the beaker

Blue's response was almost immediate – a subtle twitch of a bandaged wing, and then, with a groan, his head turned to face the flames, expression taunt. Hermione could have cried

'MADAM POMFREY!' she hollered, racing for the ward door. Something smashed outside, and the quickened clicking of heals could be head growing rapidly clearer, before the door burst open, revealing a confused and concerned Poppy Pomfrey

'What is it?' the matron demanded, eyes flicking from Hermione to Blue, and back again

'Fire! I lit a fire, and he moved! I…I think he's cold!' In a blink of an eye, the elder witch was at Blue's side, checking his pulse, his breathing, his temperature, his blood pressure. Even from where Hermione stood, out of the way, she could see the warm color creeping into Blue's beautiful face. 'All this time, and he was just cold!'

A/N: consider this sentence a disclaimer to all characters, names and words/terminology recognized solely from within the series Harry Potter. They belong to J.