Chapter 8

Anxiety mixed with trepidation as she stared down at her hand, blood pooling across her palm until it dribbled off the side of her hand and began dripping down onto the top of table – and she felt her apprehension begin to ebb away. Her wound wasn't coagulating.

Instantly brown eyes lifted to meet emerald ones, "It isn't…coagulating."

Minerva reached out, hand waving over top of Hermione's palm causing the blood to immediately disappear to ascertain whether the wound was truly healing or not. And to Minerva's utter surprise, Hermione's palm was not healing.

Long fingers tentatively reached out, dexterously taking Hermione's hand within her own as blood began to pool once more in the palm. She paused in her movements, eyes lifting to meet Hermione's once again. "Please forgive me, but I have to be sure."

Hermione's eyes held an underlying question but restrained and nodded.

Without another moment of hesitation, she brought Hermione's hand forward until it was just beneath her nose. She could smell the iron as she heard the beating of Hermione's pulse. Lowering Hermione's hand, she removed her own, and with her own finger dipped the tip into the small puddle of blood resting along Hermione's palm – and squelching her own unease, she brought it to her mouth.

And for a singular heartbeat, Minerva could feel something in her waver as the blood burst across her taste buds eliciting a deep, penetrating need and ravenous hunger causing her to take a step away from Hermione as she felt her transfiguration warble…

"Minerva…"

In the recesses of her mind she heard Hermione, the concern, and she held up a hand hoping to keep Hermione at bay – to keep her from approaching, because she needed the space for another heartbeat, lest she do what she'd never forgive herself for doing.

"Minerva?" Hermione repeated, concerned but withheld herself from moving toward Minerva as the elder woman's hand remained upward, indicating that she didn't want Hermione to come closer.

"You…" Minerva cleared her throat as she swallowed once more as the burning need continued to diminish, "have remained human."

Relief immediately burst through Hermione's soul, but was immediately tempered by the distance Minerva had placed between herself and Hermione. "Then why do you look as you do? Why have you backed away from me?"

"I believe your body has absorbed some of my antigens, meaning that while you remain human, your immune system will be far stronger and while I don't believe you shall heal as fast as I or Gawain, you will heal faster than any other human."

"And the reason you backed away from me?"

Golden irises slowly began to fade back into emerald ones, as her brow arched, "I believe you know the answer already."

Hermione numbly nodded as she recalled vague passages from long since forgotten texts regarding vampires, "I don't think it was so you could create your own coven or gathering."

"Vampires rarely do that in this day and age. Even when they do, it inevitably occurs after they've had…"

"Sex." Hermione quietly finished.

"Quite." Minerva coyly replied before elaborating, "When a vampire bites another, they become drawn to them and forages a lasting bond. That is why vampires tend to be so loyal to the one who bit them."

Hermione began to realize what Minerva was inferring, "You've never bitten anyone before, have you?"

Minerva could feel her heart skip a beat as she met Hermione's far too inviting gaze, "I have not."

"Then why bite me?"

"I did so to draw the poison out, however, I never believed I'd complete the possible transformation by giving you some of my blood in return."

Hermione blinked in disbelief, "You gave me some of your blood?"

"In your wound," Minerva's voice softening, "which was pumping your blood out in equal measure, so the amount consumed…"

"Was not enough to turn me into a partial vampire such as you, but enough to save my life and create an even greater draw between the two of us."

"A draw that cannot be."

"Minerva…"

"You are married to a man whom you love." Her jaw rippled as she continued, "And while an aching need has been ignited within your soul urging completion, know that it shall ease as time passes."

"As time passes, Merlin Minerva, are you telling me that you will not…"

"No." Minerva succinctly answered, eyes portraying the depth of the commitment that her comment held. "As much as I desire to, you have pledged yourself to Ronald."

"While I love Ron, I dream of you."

"And you undoubtedly will continue too." Minerva sadly answered, "As you will forever plague my thoughts as well."

Hermione's soul cried out in despair, "How can you ask me to ignore what I feel and remain with Ron?"

"Because, you owe it to Rose and Ronald to remain faithful."

"I do owe it to them," Hermione rasped in agreement as she took a harrowing step closer, "But I also owe it myself be truthful and honest with my feelings."

"Then take some time and reflect on your decision," Minerva moved across the room in barely a blink, stopping at the doorway to finish her comment, "because it would have a rippling effect on not merely your life but others as well. In the interim, I shall ensure Rose, Ronald, along with the Potter's safety prior to returning to Hogwarts." She tipped her head a half measure in respect, "Till tomorrow."


xoxo


Hermione was going out of her skin as she waited. And waited. And waited. She tried to occupy herself in Minerva's library, which under any other circumstance would have been borderline on divine bliss; but this was not any other circumstance.

But she was waiting for Minerva to return with word on how Rose, Ron, his family and her dearest friend were and what she had done to ensure their safety. And…she couldn't help but…have Minerva's heartfelt, albeit agonizing words continually repeat themselves since her departure yesterday afternoon.

You owe it to Rose and Ronald to remain faithful.

As much as I desire you, you have pledged yourself to Ronald.

I desire you…

She closed her eyes as Minerva's voice echoed those words once more – words that mirrored her own feelings.

She desired her.

Completely.

Utterly.

Wholly.

And yet, she couldn't help but feel the nagging truth behind Minerva's belief that she did owe it to Rose and Ron to remain faithful – even though that was the last thing in the entire world she desired.

Taking another deep breath, she forced her gaze once more back to the book ensconced within her hands pretending to read as she continued to wait.


a/n: In case you thought I forgot about this ;) As always hope you enjoyed, and hope each of you are having a Happy Holiday season!