Feast of the Saint\/p
Severus Snape and Hermione Granger are thrown together when she's turned into a vampire now as the only man capable of brewing the potion she needs to abate her hunger the two must work together, and work through their differences. (AU Dumbledore alive)
Saint's Dear Friends
Hermione woke slowly the next day her jaw dully aching, she just lay for a moment trying to sort out her feelings, her eyes didn't sting as bad as they had yesterday... how curious. She supposed since is was very common for vampires to be so violently allergic to UV Rays that they had to hide during the day, she was lucky to get of with just a bit of eye irritation...
"I'm a vampire..." she said her lips felt different fuller she could feel how they moved, curious, everything felt so different like her soul and consciousness, like Hermione, had simply been placed in a different body. She moved her lips slowly
"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." She murmured mindlessly before sighing and sitting up, sometime during the night her bonds had been removed and two more of those vile tablets and several glasses of water. with a sigh she reached over and chewed the tablets cringing and fighting past the gag reflex quickly downing all the glasses of water before letting out a heavy sigh and looking around... now what?
She was surprised how quickly she became irritated with nothing to do, throwing off the covers she began to pace grumbling mindless slurs against vampires, against magic, against Harry and Ron for not being there, against herself for being the stupid one who had to get her cat back that late in the afternoon.
She herd something a shifting a shuffling crouching low she moved swiftly and silently towards the noises a mouse small and unassuming has gotten into the ward god knows how. It sat there cleaning it's self it's tiny heart thunderously loud in her ears blood pumping through tiny veins as she slinked closer she lunged hand shooting out and grasping the rodent she crushed it, killing it instantly the ceasing heart beat snapping her back to reality she opened her hand looking at the crushed animal letting out a chocked sob before hugging it to herself
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she wept hearing but ignoring the approach of Madam Pomfrey until she touched Hermione's shoulder the girl looked up at the woman crying
"I didn't mean to I don't want to be a killer." She said weakly holding up the mouse her hands shaking the matron nodded before banishing the body and cleansing Hermione's hands with a quick charm.
"come on All your homework has been sent up, undoubtedly your ahead on your revisions." The woman said attempting a smile Hermione nodded the enveloped by Poppy's scent. She clamped down hard on her teeth it wasn't as bad as it was yesterday
"Those tablets? What are they?" Hermione asked suddenly Poppy smiled
"Those tablets were developed by the ministry to curb blood cravings of newly turned vampires, it won't permanently suppress the cravings but they last long enough for the fledgling to learn how to use their fangs." She stopped when Hermione gasped causing the elder woman to laugh
"Don't get me wrong you won't have to feed off humans, or animals, but you do have to take the potion in through your fangs." She said Hermione nodded climbing onto the bed watching the woman
"What dose the potion do?" she asked
"It send nutrients to your brain to suppress your blood lust and allows you to eat many normal foods." She said Hermione nodded
"What about magic?" she asked the woman wilted a bit "Unfortunately, an enzyme in the vampires bloodstream prevents the use of most practical magic..." she said softly Hermione gasped
"B-but t-that can't be possible..." she said weakly the only thing in her life she'd really been good at had just been stripped away from her, studying? Big deal! Anyone could study but Magic had been something special for her and now...she turned slamming her fist at the pillow surprised as her fist ripped through the pillow and the mattress metal springs shredding her arms.
With a gasp she pulled her arm out looking at the shredded pale skin and the dark blood slowly seeping from the wounds
"I-it's healing..." she said softly watching with fascination as the skin slowly knit it's self together the blood seeping back into the wound
"This is wrong... so wrong... I shouldn't be able to do this." she said weakly shaking her head letting her hand fall into her lap "God..." moaning out the word despair in her voice she curled up hugging herself tightly. After a moment she felt Madam Pomfrey's weight leave the bed and her even steps bustle from the ward.
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Hermione wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep all she knew was when she woke up the sun was shining in the windows with a warm golden glow and it seemed cooler, evening was setting in.
"Hermione?" she sat up with a gasp looking over seeing her friends standing at the edge of the ward watching her
"H-Harry... Ron..." she said weakly looking down ashamed as they gazed at her
"Hermione I'm so sorry!" Ron said suddenly causing her to look up shock on her features.
"If I hadn't kept saying your cat was ok, if I'd agreed to help earlier while it was still all sunny you'd be... You'd be ok." He said edging around the word, edging around saying that she was now, no longer human.
"It's ok Ron, there's no guarantee I wouldn't have gotten attacked while the sun was up." She said, she'd spent time blaming them, she knew it wasn't their fault...
"The only one at fault is the vampire who turned me." She said imploringly not wanting her friend to beat himself up about something that wasn't his fault she pushed off the blanket she'd been covered with and stepped over to the ward placing her hands on the gel like wall.
"It's ok neither of you are at fault." She assured then looking between them her eyes falling on Harry's throat watching the slow thump of his pulse.
"Hermione?" Ron's voice seems drowned out as she watching the steady beat of hi pulse her hand slowly passing along the gel
"Harry..." she purred softly her hand pushing into the gel trying to pass through
"Take my hand Harry... You're not at fault for this... come on..." she said softly coffee locking with emerald eyes. "Come on Harry come to me just a moment so we can talk.." she said softly,
"Miss granger!" the voice was sharp cutting through the air and Ron moved bodily pulling Harry away while she stumbled back away from the ward. Dumbledore strode over purposefully stepping between the two young men and their now distraught friend
"Take them away... I can't see them... not like this..." she said curling up and turning away
"Hermione..." Harry tired
"GO AWAY!" she yelled a deep resonant growl lacing her words making the teen flinch Dumbledore nodded and the two left leaving the headmaster and the fledgling vampiress to talk.
"Why... you should have just let me die, anything is better then this..." she said anger in her voice. "I wanted to eat him Dumbledore, I wanted to drink his blood and hear his heartbeat slow, something in me wanted to feel it..." she said softly before standing
"This isn't right I'm not human anymore why am I still here?" she demanded rounding on the aged man eyes flashing red the same angry resonance in her voice.
"Because Miss granger the only man in Briton who can brew the potion you need to curb your urges, is our potions master, Professor Snape." The man said Hermione shook her head
"And what I'm supposed to just hang around drinking this potion and ... and what then what? I'm useless now!" she yelled crying again, her whole meaning was gone, what could she do as a vampire? Nothing but pose a threat to her friends and family.
"That isn't true, You could still get many jobs in the wizerding world... You can still brew potions, you can still cast a few spells, your magic just isn't as expansive as it was once. You could easily get a jog at the ministry with your expansive knowledge of spells and other area of the magical world Miss Granger he said speaking frankly, he understood she was going through a difficult time but she needed to pull herself together. The girl sighed and nodded
"Y-yes your right I've read this, about vampires, the programs the ministry has running for them... I need to think positively." She said taking a deep breath and letting it out. She could do this, she could do this!
"I'm sorry for shouting professor." She said softly he laughed and waved a hand the twinkle eyes
"Quite alright Miss granger quite alright." He assured her, she cast him a smile and he was certain things would get better.
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Severus was sitting in front of the fire in his chambers thinking, odd random thoughts in the rare moment of peace while he waited for potions to finish settling and had all his papers graded... this was a time he was lucky to have once a month if at all so he enjoyed it...
A bright flash of green in the fire quickly killed what little of a good mood he had and he shifted sitting up as the headmaster welcomed himself and looked down at were the potions master sat with a characteristic scowl and a crystal glass of a fine fire whisky in one hand.
"Ah! Severus I'm pleased to see you aren't doing anything I must speak with you do you mind?" he asked flippantly the darker man considered a moment to just say yes he did mind and send to overly cheerful man on his way but in retrospect that seemed like a bad idea so he moved and arm pointing listlessly to a chair best hear the old fool out the sooner he said what he had to say the sooner he'd leave and Severus could get back to his silence.
"Well as you know our head girl got into a spot of trouble and this means she is unfortunately unable to continue her magical education." For a odd instant Severus felt his blood run cold, surly not...
"Oh no need to look worried she's quiet alright." He said with a laugh Severus frowned worried? Worried about some silly little Gryffindor chit? He must be joking.
"But it would be a waste to lose her abilities even if she can't perform stable magic she is a very bright young woman... and still capable of doing other things..." the man said Severus frowned he didn't need to be a seer to know were this was probably going.
"No absolutely not, I told you before hen you tried to push an apprentice on me I would not take one I refuse to play baby sitter for some silly little girl!" he said standing, Dumbledore just laughed that infuriating laugh of his.
"She's hardly a little girl and as it is you'll be seeing her a lot anyway... you're the only man in the country who can brew the potion she needs." He said calmly the potions master frowned
"What do you mean?" he ventured wearily the man before him sobered a bit
"Hermione Granger was regrettably attacked by a vampire, in the Forbidden forest, she is now turned." He said calmly. Severus felt a jolt a shock, no...
"You better be babbling old man." He said in a spurt of anger that surprised him Dumbledore frowned and shook his head
"It's the truth why?" he said standing the potions master faltered
"My last summons... to plan attacks, I told you of the ones that were of most concern but there was one plan it was thrown out by someone new... of turning Potter and order member into Vampires, so that they couldn't use magic against the dark lord..." he said watch the headmaster who now had a grave and troubled look on his face.
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The moon rose slowly over the silent castle, Hermione stood at her window watching the silver glow it cast on the grounds below, even her window had the gel like ward but the ward allowed the breeze of the evening to pass through. She looked out at the shadow of the forest and beyond that the soft orange glow of Hogsmeade.
"a world that's no long mine..." she said softly resting her head against the window frame tears slipping silently down her cheeks, her mouth still tasted of copper... she'd have to get used to that taste wouldn't she. "If I wasn't locked in here... I hunt that beast down and kill it... destroyed my life." She said slamming her fist into the stone the headmaster could think what he liked... once she was free... once she was free she'd go into the woods and kill the beast that had made her into a monster.
"And that snake... the hiss of a snake..." she said thoughtfully before frowning something wasn't right here... what had she forgotten... something nagged at the back of her mind, something about the attack that she couldn't put her finger on... "What is it what is it." She said turning and pacing black silk billowing around her frame, her clothing had been brought up including her night gown.. Ron had been shocked to see the silk a definite change for the flannel PJ's she wore during their evening excursions...
tossing open the bag she fished through it pulling out a long pronged comb fast fingers quickly wound up her hair and slipped the comb in place to hold it there before she pulled out several sheets of parchment and a quill and started writing and thinking, starting from the moment the trio had trekked across the lawn to find her wayward feline.
As she ran thought the attack in her head she just couldn't place what she was forgetting... the fear didn't help... terrifying images of that pasty face those rotting fangs... those eyes...
"No... I can't, I don't want to become that." She moaned softly curling up on the bed, "I'm Hermione Granger I won't I can't become that... I won't." she said firmly to herself shoving the parchment and quill of the bed she pulled the blankets around herself and curled up against the pillow shaking.
"I won't... I won't... I won't..." She fell asleep muttering I won't over and over again to herself as her body shook violently, what was happening now?
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Harry frowned looking between Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna. He'd hoped maybe with all of them together Hermione might feel better but they'd been shocked when Madam Pomfry refused to allow them near her, from what they could see the head master was beyond the ward with several others holding down a hissing and growling Hermione. Ginny was shaking and crying between from for Hermione and fear of her, Harry pulled her close hugging her as Ron Neville and Luna watched with mixed expressions of horror and fear for their friend. There was a sound of something snapping and a cry of alarm as the bed shudder and squeaked from the girls violent movements
"I want it Give it to me!" she growled sounding angry and desperate seven scared. "Please, If I'm going to become a monster anyway what dose it matter if you won't kill me I'll do it myself!" she howled Harry gasped as he caught a quick glimpse of a pale hand her nails were long and looked like a black liquid was dripping from her hand it took him a moment to realize that was Hermione's blood.
"HERMIONE!" Ginny yelled tearfully, the growling and hissing ceased the for a moment everything was quiet
"Ginny..." the voice was tearful "Why are you here... the others are there aren't they? I didn't you to know me like this... I don't be a monster I'll turn into that thing... I don't want to be that way." She said Ginny wrestled from Harry's hold and ran to the edge of the ward
"You won't be! You have all of us you have me and Harry and Ron and Luna and even Neville we're all here because we're worried about you! You aren't a monster Hermione!" Ginny insisted The headmaster turned smiling and nodding Neville stepped forward taking up the verbal baton.
"She's right Hermione we're here for you We've been through a lot together we've fought together as friends we won't abandon you now when you needs us most!" he said as the teachers who'd been holding her down stepped back slowly
"Yes Hermione, Their both right... Your are our friend, how many people can say they have the smartest vampire for a friend... how many people can say they have a vampire for a friend at all..." Luna said in her common dreamy tone a noise almost like a laugh came from the fledgling vampire.
"If it wasn't for you Hermione so many people would be hurt or dead, first second all our years if we didn't have you we never would have lived through it all... if not for you we'd never have become such a great group of friends." Ron said as she shifted sitting up
"Hermione, No matter what, you are our friend, Sister, if not by blood, Your are our family, and we'll always care about you no matter what." Harry said in a firm calm tone as she looked over looking close to tears again.
"I... I..." she watched her friends nod encouragingly.
"I'm Hermione Jane Granger I will never be a monster because I have My dearest closest friends!" she said gasping the red ting in her eyes shifting a gold sheen as they watched she jolted again grabbing her head hands fisting in her hair.
"Step back!" Albus ordered, every one watched with shock as Hermione shivered
"Professor what's happening!" Ginny asked fearfully as they watched
"It's the final stage of the turning, most don't know this but this last stage is all the mental changes it determines if the vampire become an insane monster bent on blood lust or a free thinking being, Hermione is becoming a true vampire." He said tree gold shimmers formed around the bed and soft pops were herd as three aged looking people stood around the bed one a women the other two men. Hermione gasped her eyes going wide shining fully gold for a moment pupils slitted before the faded coffee colored pupils rounding out and she collapsed on the bed.
"We are sorry we were so late Albus but you were right to contact us." One of the men said the woman nodded settling a hand on Hermione's forehead
"She is a strong young woman... she has transformed safely, this little fledgling, shall stay sentient, in control of her mind and body." She said looking at the students Her eyes shining gold
"These children... they are the ones who helped her through this last stage of the transferal?" she asked Albus nodded side stepping to show the five the woman smiled stepping forward, she had beauty and grace none of them had ever seen her hair was long but well white with age braided down along her spine. She wore cloths different from wizards robes but beautiful all the same slightly reminding them of the cloths Parvati and Padma during the Yule ball only hers were of a black fabric that flowed in an almost ghostly way.
"You have done your friend a great deed, because of you belief if her she will stay the woman you have grown to care for... but You must be with her in these times, dark magic rests in every vampire, and with the war her control over her blood lust shall be weak, she will need you to help her stay herself during these times." She advised them. The other two men nodded. Ginny gasped, when the woman spoke the sixth year had seen her fangs. The woman cast Ginny a smile
"You needn't be frightened child, Me and my stewards have been vampires for many centuries, we check on every fledgling that is made and help them through the transition should they need, it... because of you , she did not need us, you are all truly great friends." She said with warmth
Albus smiled "How long can you stay Minda? It's been so long you welcome to stay the evening if you wish." He said the woman turned to him smiling "You know I'd very much enjoy that but at this time the vampires of Briton, need me most with the dark lord in control and trying to call dark creatures to his side I am needed to help keep then sane, many vampires have families and loved ones you know this... I'm sorry Albus old friend, I will... once this war is over, we shall have a grand party, a grand celebration of the defeat of a truly evil being." She said comfortingly Dumbledore nodded watching as Minda turned to her stewards she cast one last look at Hermione before the three stated walking right for the wall gold shimmering forming around their bodied they vanished before they made contact with the wall.
"Who were they? Ginny breathed Dumbledore smiled to them. "Those three are Mind and her stewards, Richetti and Christopher. They are head of the three vampire clans of Great Briton, Minda is in charge of not only her clan but the other as well she is the oldest vampire in England and ninth oldest in the world." He said before smiling
"But it is wise never to ask how old she is exactly." He said Ron frowned confused
"Why not?" he asked looking up at the headmaster who chuckled
"It is never wise to ask a woman her age I feel if the dark lord himself asked a woman her age, he may not survive the encounter." He said with a smile his eyes twinkling with mirth causing Ginny and Luna to laugh
"Now Miss Granger needs her rest her transformation is complete but the ordeal is far from over." He said as the professors stepped out of the wards
"Minerva if you could be so kind as to escort our young Gryffindors to their dorms." The man asked the aged woman nodded.
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Later that evening in the common room the five sat around the fire silently as they contemplated the position they now found themselves in.
"Poor Hermione..." Ginny said curled up in Harry's side and letting out a long sigh the two had been together for a while now it wasn't hard to see how devoted they were to each other, though Neville's feelings weren't guarantee able considering her had dated Ginny for a time. Ron was still iffy but in his opinion better Harry then anyone else.
"She'll be ok... I can't wait till I owl my dad in the morning and tell him I met the leader of the vampire covens of Briton..." Luna said in a wistful tone the slight amount of energy in her voice made it clear that was as excited as she ever got.
"Luna..." Harry looked over at the eccentric blond before sighing and shaking his head before Ron took up the mantle "Echoing from first year, you need to sort out your priorities..." he said shaking his head making the others laugh a confused expression crossing Luna's face. The group talked for a while before dispersing and heading to bed until only Harry and Ginny remained gazing at the fire
"Harry... do you think... this is His fault she asked he knew instantly who she was referring to.
"Maybe I'm not sure, I haven't been able to feel him... I occasionally get really strong emotions but he's being careful, he's hiding his feelings from me." He said sounding grave. Ginny shifted pressing her lips to his lightly
"It's alright Harry, If he is at fault, you'll get him, we all believe in you." She said shrugging him tightly he smiled relaxing into her embrace as she looked up and out the windows the shining moon hanging high in the sky
'Please, if there is good in this world... don't let us fall... don't let him win.'