The headmaster set about writing one of the most difficult letters he would ever have to write.

Hermione was sitting in her room, reading, when a ball of fire appeared before her. Snatching her wand from beside her, she aimed it readily at the ball until realising it was Fawkes.

"Fawkes, why can't you ever announce your presence before bursting into flames in the middle of my room?" Hermione grinned at the phoenix to show him she was just joking and took the letter from his leg.

When he didn't leave the witch figured he must be waiting for a reply so she found some biscuits she had left over from when her mother had brought her them and gave them to Fawkes. She sat down at her desk and read the letter her headmaster had sent her.

"Dear Miss Granger,

I must ask that you come and see me immediately to discuss some recent developments that we have just become aware. Fawkes will transport you to my office and home again so please inform your parents, as this is very important.

Your Headmaster,

Albus Dumbledore."

Hermione was intrigued so quickly went to tell her parents where she was going and then held onto Fawkes' tail to leave for Hogwarts. A warm feeling rushed over her body as she was transported via phoenix, something she had never done before. As she landed softly on the floor of her headmaster's office Hermione was pleased that it was nothing like floo or portkey transportation, which usually left her butt first on the ground when she arrived.

"Hello Miss Granger, I see you were true to your nature and came promptly. Now I need Mister Potter to be here also but we have some things to discuss before I get Fawkes to collect him. Please have a seat," the headmaster was as he usually was but Hermione noted that the customary twinkle had left the wizard's eyes.

Once they had both seated and Hermione had politely taken a lemon drop did Dumbledore drop the facade, "As you know Severus is a spy for us, as a Death Eater. He was sent for a few weeks ago to attend a meeting, a finish for a plan that Voldemort had devised. He returned cursed to unconsciousness and only earlier today did I learn as to what the plan was to be. I cannot confirm my theory as Severus fainted again once warning me."

Hermione nodded grimly because even if she did not like his teaching methods or attitude the witch knew that Snape had gone well past his duty to collect this information.

Dumbledore continued, "The plan is to infect a member of the light, one close to Harry, successfully turning the person into a vampiress. Now we know who it is that is to be infected and the vampire who will be doing the infecting but we do not know when that will happen. If it is not done then Voldemort will find out he has a rat and if he finds it to be Severus, we shall lose a much needed component in this war. Do you understand Hermione?"

Hermione took the grim news well, her intellect telling her that the proposed victim was herself, she also knew that Harry would not take this information well. The witch nodded and worked out a plan of her own, "Sir I want to tell Harry myself, he will only attack you if you tell him. I know that there is no other way for this to happen, as Professor Snape is needed more than I am."

Dumbledore shook his head sadly, "No Hermione, you are needed too, maybe more than Severus but we don't have another spy in the Death Eater ranks. If we did, we could hide Severus away to help in the background and take you and your family to a safe house. Even though that cannot happen we will still have safeguards around so that no one is killed, Cassius has a very bad temper and kills for no reason. He is also known for infecting those that he wasn't told to so we will be moving your parents to a safe house and have Order members as replacements."

The witch knew it was for the best but she didn't want her parents to leave her, "Wait, sir, do you mean Cassius Night? The vampire who was to be executed decades ago for killing and infecting a whole wizarding family? Where has he been all this time then?"

"I was unaware that he was even around any longer but in hind sight I guess I should have expected him to come back. Voldemort treated him better than the light or the Ministry could or would, he is too evil and loves nothing more than killing. Voldemort offered many victims for both the werewolves and vampires, though not many of either species took him up on it. Many are happy to take potions and feast on animals when they need to, they're still more human than not, that is how we're going to win them over to help fight for our cause."

"Professor, the fact that I am going to be a vampiress will be common knowledge at most only hours after it happens. We need to prepare the Weasley's, the Order and the professors here at Hogwarts. There will be a huge fight with the ministry over allowing me to continue my education and whether to snap my wand, are you prepared to fight for my cause?"

The headmaster grinned whole-heartedly for the first time during this meeting, "Of course Miss Granger, I swear to Merlin that I am going to fight to let you keep your wand and if the ministry likes it or not you WILL be a graduate of this school if you so wish."

Hermione smiled and slumped back in her chair, "Professor, can you get Harry and have Fawkes drop him off in front of the Room of Requirement? I'll wait for him there, if that's ok with you sir."

Albus nodded and waved her on her way while he set into writing Harry. The witch calmly exited the office before sprinting off to the seventh floor to find the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. She passed the bare wall three times thinking of a calming room where she could sit and talk to her friend. A door appeared and Hermione entered to find a garden setting with a koi pond and plush garden lounges. She sat herself down and relaxed as she awaited her friend's arrival.

Harry was slightly concerned when Fawkes had shown up in the kitchen of Number 4 Privet Drive, scaring his aunt, uncle and cousin, but was calmed when he read the letter from his headmaster. Making sure he had his wand with him, the wizard told the Dursley's that he would be going out and grabbing a hold of the phoenix's tail feathers, away he went.

Believing that he was destined for a confrontation with Dumbledore, Harry tensed when he arrived outside of the Room of Requirement. Of course, the elderly wizard had told him where he would be going to but not whom he was meeting, one of his favourite pastimes seemed to be confusing and irritating his students.

Entering the room Harry was greeted by the calming room Hermione had wished for, only the witch was fast asleep beside the koi pond. Grinning in happiness the wizard quickly but quietly made his way over to his best friend, he hadn't seen her since the start of the holidays, nearly two weeks ago. Letters just couldn't make up for the loss of his friend, sure, he had Ronald Weasley to write to but Harry had always been closer to Hermione than he had Ron.

He sat and just watched the witch in amazement as to how he had only recently noticed that she was exquisite. Of course he had always known she was a girl, unlike their red head friend, but only after his supposed `date` with Cho Chang did he realise that he liked Hermione more than a friend should like another friend. It was while he was reflecting in on himself that the witch he was daydreaming about awoke.

"Harry? Oh, did I fall asleep? I'm so sorry Harry I meant to be awake; it was just the pond and the tranquillity. Well better get up then."

Harry smiled lovingly at his sleepy and just awoken friend, "It's ok Mione, you looked so calm and peaceful, I didn't want to disturb you. What are you doing here? I thought I was getting a talking to from Dumbledore, so what's this all about?"

Hermione chewed her lower lip and worried her already wild hair, "Ok Harry, now don't go wild and hear me out all the way. Long story short Snape got news of an attack against someone by a very evil vampire, which HAS to happen no matter what you say. The intended victim is, well, it's me, Harry."

The wizard saw red and started to turn red too. He knew Voldemort was a vicious, evil, son of a bitch but he would have never thought the monster was willing to sic a vampire on Hermione. He would track him down and kill him if he even tried to hurt a hair on his witch's head. His witch? Where did that come from? Voldemort was going to die if only for planning to hurt Hermione.

"Harry? HARRY! I don't mind. I can help you whether I'm a vampiress or not. Actually, I may be a bigger help for you as a vampiress, get the local or national covens to join in the fight. I can also spend my time amongst the werewolves without a threat of being attacked. I can move forward the laws around the other species and turned breeds. My only problem with this new evolvement is my family and their safety around me but Dumbledore is going to put them in a safe house away from both myself and the war."

Harry looked at his friend as though she had two heads at what she had just stated, "Hermione, how can you say that? You would have to watch us die while you live on, you would watch your parent's age but you stay 16 forever. I don't want to see you in pain Mione; you don't have to do this for the light or me. Hmmmmh if this is what you want to do I shall stand by you all the way but you must know Ron won't be very pleased about this."

Hermione squealed quietly as she launched herself at the wizard, "Thankyou Harry, I was so worried that you would leave me. I don't care what Ron does but as long as you're by my side, I'll fight for as long as I live. Now Professor Dumbledore may want to see us to plan the 7 weeks, apparently the attack is scheduled for before we come back for school. Let's go," the witch took hold of Harry's hand and dragged him out of the room and to the headmaster's stone gargoyle protector.