Recap:

"Tell him how you survived," came her voice; it would be an understatement to say she was annoyed. He didn't bother to look at her. Some things were still within his control. "I've had enough rebellion for one evening. Let's keep this calm tonight."

Harry nodded and began his tale.

Chapter 2: Rules and Regulations

"Technically, Ididn't survive the Final Battle. And trust me when I tell you there is absolutely no way for you to get this information to Voldemort. Your dear mother has failed miserably hundreds of times.

"Anyway, as I said, I did not survive. But I didn't die either. I'm stuck in a sort of limbo. Something in the curses we used that day opened up a different realm, which I unfortunately fell into. I'm almost a ghost, but not really. I still need to eat and sleep and breathe. Only no other living person in your realm can see or hear me. Unless, of course, you're on a different plain of awareness, such as you vampires.

"Don't sneer when I call you a vampire, Malfoy. It's certainly not the worst thing that's going to happen to you. I can assure you of that.

"Now, getting back to my story.

"I don't know how long it took me to realize—because I continued to throw curses at Voldemort, who appeared to have given up—but somehow I suddenly knew. Maybe it was when people started to leave the battlefield. I can't be sure. It wasn't so clear or black and white.

"But even when I figured it out, there wasn't much for me to do except wander and become disappointed when someone would occasionally cross my path.

"You see, I secluded myself from the world that couldn't see me. I was too bitter for my own good.

"It wasn't for an entire year that I finally came across someone who could see me. And she must have been very powerful even then, because she recognized me immediately—and even I couldn't have picked myself out of a line-up. A year in the absolute wilderness changed me in more ways than I could have imagined. Some not so bad, I have to admit.

"So, naturally, I was shocked when I was seen. But not nearly as much as when I realized who it was who recognized me. I thought she'd been dead for almost two years. Well, gone. She wasn't exactly dead. Not the way so many others from the war were.

"'I thought you were dead,' we both said at once. And then I think we laughed, because we hadn't seen each other in too long.

"I said don't sneer, Malfoy!

"Anyway, it took us several hours, once she brought me here, for our stories to be told. And it took me weeks after that to accept the fact that someone I loved was a vampire and there was nothing I could do to save her. I might still have a chance if I figure out how to break the realms again. But a vampire, well…not even Merlin could undo such a thing.

"It didn't take her long to reveal what she'd been doing all this time. The plans she'd worked out, the Death Eaters she'd either killed or turned, those few still alive she'd contacted and told her secret to. And then she introduced me to your mother.

"She was unbelievably resilient, Malfoy. I'll give her that. Even under the curse of the vampire's blood, she was able to keep us from finding you until now. We're still unsure how, but we suspect maternal love. Though that sort of magic could only protect a person for so long. Fourteen years for me; five for you. And I'm surprised the magic was powerful enough to last five years. I suppose I never expected a Death Eater to have such feelings.

"Don't scoff at her, Malfoy. She protected you as long as she possibly could.

"We also found—along with you—several dozen of your Death Eater friends last night. Perhaps I should let Hermione tell you what became of them."

Draco felt nothing by the time he was led from the room to "feed". His mother—forcefully obedient—was instructed to take him out. It almost made him laugh. Take him out? As if they were simply going to a nice restaurant for Mother's Day.

They walked down the quiet country road (for Hermione preferred the seclusion) towards the city in silence. Draco wouldn't have spoken had he known what to say. He didn't particularly blame her for his fate, but at the same time it was her teachings that brought him to Voldemort. Of course his father played a role as well, but he wasn't alive to give the silent treatment to.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Narcissa said. "And I'm sorry I failed you."

Draco squared his shoulders and walked a pace faster. When would he learn to read minds like the others? And when could he go out and feed alone? He loathed being babysat. Snape always tread his heals, and now his mother?

"Try not to—"

"Try not to piss me off," Draco spat, not bothering to look at her. "It's bad enough I have to endure this for an eternity thanks to you and my upbringing. Don't make it worse."

The silence grew deeper and denser before, finally, the dull throb of voices could be heard at a distance. Draco didn't need to be told that in about one more mile they would reach the small city Hermione had chosen to take up residence outside of. Instinctively he licked his lips, the smell of human blood growing stronger with each step. His pace quickened without his command. He was almost a full block ahead of Narcissa when she called out to him.

"You must learn to walk before you run," she said. And then she was beside him, her hand on his elbow. "Unfortunately," she sighed, "Hermione has strict rules regarding who and where and when we feed."

"What do you mean?" He almost couldn't concentrate on his mother's words, the scent of blood consuming his every desire. Had he ever wanted something more? Had he ever been so hungry?

"Stop for a moment and allow me to explain before we reach the city." Reluctantly Draco slowed his pace, then sat beside his mother on a low brick wall along a paved sidewalk, a further clue that they were nearly there. "First, we are only allowed to hunt those who have done wrong: murderers, rapists, anyone with evil in their heart."

"And how the hell are we supposed to know who has done wrong?" Draco sneered. Leave it to a muggle-loving mudblood to come up with such ridiculous rules.

"You will know," she said. "Trust me."

"And if I kill an innocent?"

Narcissa frowned and looked at her shoes.

"She will know," was her answer. "And you won't be able to feed for as long as she says. Once…once I killed a woman and her young son, and when I returned home Hermione bound me in a tight, rotting coffin and left me in the basement for twelve days and nights. By the time I was able to hunt again, I was so weak I could barely move. For two nights Hermione hunted for me, bringing barely living prey to my coffin-prison for me to feed on…It was unbearable…and humiliating."

Draco groaned loudly, but nodded nonetheless. The last thing he wanted was to be further indebted to and humiliated by Hermione Granger. When he captured her and gave her over to the vampires all those years ago, he thought it was the last time he'd have to see her, have to put up with her 'do-gooder ways'. He wished he'd paid more attention to his vampire texts but, alas, he'd had 'more important' things to worry about, namely his task for the Dark Lord.

"Second," Narcissa said, bringing Draco back to the matter at hand, "we are only allowed to feed every other night." Draco's eyes widened and he stared almost accusingly at his mother. "I know you feel you hunger is too great to be satisfied that way but, trust me, after the first week of feeding your hunger will lessen. Fortunately for you, it's your first week and you are allowed to hunt every night for eight nights."

"Allowed?" he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "This is pathetic mother. How can you live with yourself under this filth's commands?"

"I have to," she sighed. "Trust me, Draco, if I could I would leave her in an instant, do as I wished with my eternity. But, as she so arrogantly pointed out, we are bound to her until she decides otherwise. If you disobey her, she has the strength and will to punish you as she wishes. But, being that you're bound by blood, disobedience does not occur as often as you might think. Your body and mind will force you to conform to her demands, as I'm sure you've noticed already."

Draco's mind focused on when he first awoke, when he first knew his fate, and the 'urge' he had to be silent when Hermione commanded it of him. Involuntarily, he let out a soft hiss of anger.

"But you were able to protect me! Surely there's a way past her!"

Narcissa laughed sadly, taking her son's hand in hers.

"It was as Harry said, Draco. 'Maternal love'. Strong magic, but not strong enough. I have tried and failed innumerable times to break free and always I end up back in that house, doing what she commands. My only solace now is knowing that I have you here with me, that I am able to protect you again to some extent."

"What are you talking about?" he snapped. "You failed at protecting me, or don't you remember? The spell is broken. We're both fucked."

"I can still protect you in a way," she said, and let go of his hand. "I can do what she demands of you. I can take your place, keep you from harm."

Draco couldn't have spoken had he known what to say. Why was he being so bitter to her? She'd tried to save him! It wasn't her fault she'd failed; it was that retched mudblood's fault, and Harry Potter's stupid ghost. If he was going to have to endure eternity under the command of Hermione Granger, then he was lucky his mother was there with him. Against his personality, he reached over and took his mother's hand again, letting her know he appreciated what she'd done and tried to do. He didn't need to look up to know she was smiling.

"And where?" he asked, wanting to hear the rest of his restrictions, so not to end up starved in a coffin for nearly two weeks.

"This small city, though possessing its fair share of evil men, is not allowed to be hunted for long periods of time. Hermione wishes to keep the city always with a supply of prey, and therefore only when she says so are we to feed here."

"And tonight?"

"Tonight we are allowed, as well as for the first eight nights you can feed straight."

"And after that? Where are we supposed to go? I'm no expert at geography, but the next big city is too far away for us to travel there and back every two nights."

"Did you assume you lost all magical abilities when you died?"

Draco arched his eyebrow at his mother.

"Vampires who were once witches or wizards still retain some abilities they had in life. Very few, I'm afraid, but enough for convenience-sake."

"And those would be?"

"You can still Apparate, my son," she laughed, giddy with delivering the 'good news' to him. "Granted it's only to places we are allowed to go, but it's more than sufficient for feeding."

"What else can we still do?"

"Well," she said, pulling him to stand, having noticed the paler-than-usual shade of his skin. He needed to feed soon. "I'm not sure exactly. I've only discovered a few myself, but some I have that others don't. I think it varies from person to person, though Apparition seems to be standard to everyone. Now, before you do something silly like faint, we need to get some blood in you."

Draco's nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed, the prospect of feeding causing his blood to pound through his ears.

"Come now. I know the best place to eat in town."

Chapter 2! All done! Oh yeah, uh huh! Haha. I'm thoroughly enjoying this story, as you can tell. Now, as for my vampires, some might have noticed that they are very similar to Anne Rice vampires. This was not a mistake. They are the only reputable vampires, and therefore I modeled them after hers. Obviously they're not exactly the same, I just took a few aspects and incorporated them into my version of vampires in the Harry Potter world.

Anyway, let me know what you all think! Do I have a good story here? Or should I scrap it now?

REVIEW!!! Without reviews I won't know whether to continue or not. Lack of reviews tells me not to write, and so REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!

P.S. I know I posted chapter 1 and 2 at the same time. This is because I had them both written and wanted to post them as I made them. The 3rd chapter and all others will most likely be posted individually and further apart, by weeks. I am, after all, very busy. Please keep that in mind. And hound me if I'm too slow. Please! That does help motivate me 