Disclaimer: JK's yada yada...

The Savage

A HP fanfiction by Magda the Magpie,

Beta'd by Fredrika.

A/N: Loved your reviews, thanks all! Renaid especially :D And thanks to my beta who always helps me so promptly!

10: The Rivals

A few hours after the whole student-body had boarded the Hogwarts Express to return to their families for two blessed months, a motley group was loitering beneath the benevolent stares of the winged boars that guarded the castle grounds. Severus stood rigidly in a corner, leaning against one of the pillars and glowering, while everybody else seemed to thrive on teary-eyed goodbyes. A very pregnant Ginny Potter was kissing her husband for what was probably the tenth time. Severus shuddered at the sight, the couple reminded him eerily of Lily and James Potter. Meanwhile, Minerva and Poppy were hugging Hermione who was squirming and giggling as she tried to escape them. Hagrid blew his nose loudly and his freakishly big dog whined in unison. The impatient Slytherin huffed in annoyance, they had a pre-set Portkey to catch after all.

"Give the ladies a few more minutes, Severus," Filius, the only other person with a shred of self-restraint, said softly. He had drifted closer to the island of shade provided by the pillar and wiped his head with a handkerchief. Goblins really didn't do well in the heat and sun. "You won't have to put up with their moping for the next few days."

Severus smirked.

"The end-of-year staff meetings promise to be even more aggravating than usual then," he said, taunting the small man.

"There's still time to trade…" Filius offered hopefully.

"Not that I thought I'd ever say this, but I think I'd rather stick with Potter this time."

Filius affected a shocked expression before winking at him.

"Do be careful, won't you?"

Severus scoffed, as if he needed to be reminded. A few minutes later, Harry approached him and the two older witches reluctantly let go of Hermione who immediately linked arms with the glowering wizard. The two of them had practiced apparition together so the amnesic witch would get the hang of it, and after numerous episodes of refusals, sickness and stumblings, she seemed to not mind this way of travelling too much. The Slytherin in him was convinced apparition would be needed once they began vampire-hunting too so he wasn't above killing two birds with one stone. Especially when his side-along partner was such a lovely witch. He patted the small hand resting in the crook of his arm affectionately knowing it would reassure her, then nodded to Potter and with a final smirk at Minerva, they apparated to the very South of England.

They were high up on a white cliff overlooking a restless sea, the wind whipping at their cloaks and long hair. Hermione looked awed by the view and it was no wonder, it certainly was very different from the gnarly and dark Forbidden Forest or Hogwarts' ancient castle.

Potter shuffled around, kicking the high grass aside as he looked for the Portkey that was to take them all the way to Romania. He'd better find it fast.

From what Severus had gathered, Potter had pulled a few strings and gathered more than one favour to obtain a personal portkey, "no questions asked", so Hermione's identity wouldn't be leaked in the ministry's paper-trail, because then, it would only be a question of hours before it was leaked to the Daily Prophet. It was too juicy a piece of gossip to remain secret after all. However, that had to be avoided at all costs because it could not only have reporters trailing after them, but also warn their target of their arrival. Severus wasn't sure which was worst. He absolutely abhorred journalists, who were, in his opinion, nothing more than professional gossip-mongers, and that was not a flattering distinction by any stretch of the mind..

"Aha!" Potter exclaimed triumphantly, holding up a piece of thick rope stiffened by age.

Hermione looked at him quizzically, picked up a long twig and held it up for all to see.

"Aha!" She proclaimed, daring them to contradict her as she looked them in the eye, and they didn't.

"Almost time." Potter said, taking Hermione's hand and clasping it around the portkey, entwined in his own.

Severus frowned but took hold of the rope too and slipped his arm around Hermione's waist so she wouldn't panic. They were taking a gamble, using a portkey with someone who didn't understand how it worked but had argued that between the two of them, they should be able to keep her safe. The alternative of travelling the muggle way so far away was unthinkable with Hermione since she would draw too much attention, not to mention how bloody long it would take. They would need fake muggle papers and more obliviations than he cared to use on hapless muggles, not to mention he really -really- didn't want to go on an airplane… Sitting on tons of metal shooting at impossible speeds through the sky? No thank you, not in this life-time, nor the next. But apparating as South as they possibly could before using a portkey would at least make the trip that bit shorter and more comfortable.

"Here we go!" Potter commented unnecessarily as Severus felt a familiar hook tug sharply at his navel to whisk him away.

Soon after they were standing in a dark street of an obviously wizarding village if the improbable architecture was anything to go by. Well, he was standing at least, and was holding Hermione up against him because her legs had buckled under her, understandable when you weren't used to Portkey-travel. However, Potter had face-planted in the dirt road and Severus was hard-pressed not to laugh at the absurdity of it: the saviour of the wizarding world defeated by a Portkey. What he wouldn't give for a camera right now.

"Really, Potter?" he sneered instead.

The Gryffindor dusted himself off and shrugged. Annoying brat.

"Never got the hang of it," he confessed with a lopsided grin.

They took a minute to look around, neither of them had ever visited Romania and everything was so… foreign. The houses were all three or four stories high and… pointy. The facades adorned with dark carved wood displaying plants and wildlife in the best of cases, grinning twisted creatures in others. It gave an oppressive feel to the place, especially because they couldn't see the sky. The whole village was hidden in a dark pine forest, the thin trees towering high above them and creaking as they swayed in the light breeze. At least, Hermione should feel at home, although she would have trouble climbing these branchless twigs

"About time you got here," a familiar voice drawled lazily, startling them enough that the two wizards had their wands out and pointed in his general direction.

Even Hermione crouched a little, looking ready to leap on the newcomer if need be. Unfortunately, she hadn't drawn her wand, still neatly holstered to her forearm where Severus had strapped it. That knowledge,that instinct, had been stripped from her too.

The trio's eyes settled on a dark form that detached itself from the wall it had been leaning against while pushing back the dark green cloak shrouding him.

"Malfoy! What are you doing here?" Potter barked in typical Gryffindor fashion, hurriedly stepping in front of Hermione.

"Draco," Severus interrupted sternly before the two old school rivals could start going at each other with Sectumsempra again. He stood tall in front of the pale young man and glared down his crooked nose at him for all he was worth as he cast a discreet Muffliato around them.

"You have some explaining to do, and be convincing about it, unless you want me to thoroughly obliviate you and leave you to rot in this muddy gutter."

Draco gulped but otherwise managed not to look too cowed.

"Father… suggested I be here to assist you before I start 'my silly little hobby' at St Mungos," he explained, craning his neck to peer at the person hiding behind Potter.

"Is that all he said?"

"Yes."

"And you obeyed?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I? He is my father and the Head of the family, whether I like it or not," Draco grumbled, kicking a pebble into a moldy wall. "He did mention it would be for the good of the Malfoy name."

"I see," Severus replied dryly, cursing his meddling friend.

However, Lucius was cunning. He had not broken his promise to keep Hermione's existence a secret, technically. He had just pointed in the right direction for Draco to unravel the secret by himself. Severus just hoped he only intended to have his name associated in some way with the rescue of the war-heroine Hermione Granger so it wasn't dragged in the mud as much as it currently was. However, Severus had to admit that Draco was a fully qualified healer now and he could indeed come in quite useful on their perilous mission, but he was going to keep a very close eye on the lad. If Lucius had hoped to link his name more 'permanently' to Granger's by sending his son to snatch her away, bridal style, right from under his nose, he would be in for a surprise. He was certain that if Draco had been a girl, his dear father would have married her off to Potter by now, or even to one of the Weasleys, to gain a one way ticket back to fame and power. Lucius… such a sneaky little snake.

"I imagine your father still has a few toadies in the ministry whispering little secrets in his ear, since you found us so easily?. The right place, the right time... it must have cost him a nifty little pouch of galleons," Severus said acidly, angry that the secret may have been leaked to other, less friendly parties.

"Of course he still has 'friends' within the ministry. He's not entirely destitute, you know, and he's been keeping tabs on you, Potter and the Weasel… amongst others. You can't expect him to give up his little games altogether. He'd die of boredom."

"Very well," Severus huffed, annoyed at Lucius playing puppet-master from the comfort of his manor. "You might as well assist us."

"What?!" Potter yelled. "No! I don't trust him, I don't want him near… I don't want him here."

"Potter, don't be stupid. Draco is a healer and we'll probably need him at some point," he said patiently with a small nod at the witch who was peeking over his shoulder, or trying to at least. "You should know I wouldn't take the risk if I didn't trust him."

Potter's face shifted from a defiant snarl to his usual idiotic expression, he seemed mollified by Severus' explanation for some unfathomable reason, because he nodded sharply and turned to glare at Draco who was still fidgeting as he still attempted to take a look at the third member of their group. Potter reluctantly stepped aside and Severus watched with some amusement as the pale grey eyes widened comically and his whole body stiffened.

Ah! So he did recognize her. Severus mused.

"Reckon she stunned him?" Potter asked, finally cracking up at his rival's utter stillness, but the jibe seemed to finally break the spell and Draco sneered.

"Shut your gob, Potter," he gazed at Hermione again. "Is that really... Is it really Granger? I thought she-"

He stopped talking and froze again when the witch in question suddenly decided to approach him. She cocked her head, looking at him curiously, before circling him slowly as if she was inspecting a piece of art. Severus imagined Hermione was probably intrigued by the young man's appearance with his pale skin, pale eyes and pale hair, or she was making the link between him and the one time she had seen Lucius. The Malfoys were another kind of species altogether, after all. Severus only hoped she didn't become fascinated or -Merlin forbid- enamoured by the bloke... that just wouldn't be right.

"Granger?" Draco croaked, taking one step back from the witch.

Hermione grinned and started playing with his silver-blond hair he now wore long like his father, causing Severus to bark a deep laugh.

"What's so funny?" the younger man snapped, trying to ignore the witch's odd behaviour that so obviously unnerved him.

"I think she's adopted you… as one of her girlfriends," he choked out, thinking of how she had done this to numerous witches at Hogwarts, including Minerva and Poppy despite them keeping their hair in tight buns. It was true she had seemed interested in Lucius' hair too, now that he thought about it, but Draco was definitely her favourite.

"What's wrong with her anyway?" Draco asked, darting a nervous glance at the woman hovering around him.

"That's a long story, but you are right: it is Miss Granger. However, I'd rather we met with our host so I don't have to repeat myself and your tagging along has already delayed us enough as it is," Severus answered, taking Hermione's arm and leading the small group to the better-lit center of the small town where a carriage was supposed to wait for them to take them to Krum's residence.

oOo

The carriage, that looked for all intents and purposes like a pumpkin, took them quite a ways away from the little wizarding town that Severus couldn't pronounce the name of even if he cared to try.

Surprisingly enough, Krum's dwellings were not as extravagant as he had feared, coming from such a famous and rich man, and he felt a little more at ease, that is, until he saw the man himself.

"Hermy-own-ninny!" The tall, dark man greeted enthusiastically from the front steps as soon as they descended the carriage.

Completely ignoring his three other guests, he strode forward to meet the witch with open arms.

"Erm, Viktor?" Potter stopped the man mid-stride before he could reach her. "Remember what I said?"

"Ah, you are quite right, Arry." Krum said with what could pass for a blush on the man's sallow skin. "I vos just so happy to see Hermy-own-ninny! I never thought I vould see her again…"

Severus didn't understand. Sure Potter and Krum knew each other as both had been Triwizard champions, but why was he being so familiar to Hermione? He turned to Draco when he felt a nudge of the younger man's elbow, apparently he had caught his puzzled expression.

"They dated, Severus," Draco whispered, glancing at the others to be sure he wasn't overheard. "During the Triwizard Tournament? She was her date at the Yule Ball? They made front page of the Prophet?"

He stared at Draco with a blank expression.

"Honestly!" Draco huffed. "And you called yourself a spy?"

Well, he wasn't about to tell Draco he had spent the Yule Ball in the rose garden out back, giving detentions to all the couples who were behaving inappropriately. Not deigning to give Draco an answer, he turned his attention back to their host and couldn't miss the longing looks he sent Hermione's way. Great, now he had two young men to look out for. He was just glad Potter was married, maybe he'd consent to help him keep the other two at bay.

He then caught Hermione glancing at him and then at Krum, again and again, with a puzzled expression. What… Severus took in Krum's appearance while he was still talking animatedly to Potter: he was tall, lean, with dark hair and dark eyes set in a sallow skinned-face that was dominated by a large hooked nose… Oh… Oh! They did look somewhat alike if you looked only at specific features, but whereas Krum looked fit, Severus just looked skinny and while the Quidditch player walked like he still had a broom stuck between his legs, Severus had always moved with an easy grace, and, of course, Severus realized he was much older himself, but he could understand why Hermione was intrigued by the resemblance.

He cleared his throat.

"Maybe we could talk in a more private setting?" he asked, waving in the direction of the house.

"Certainly. Professor Snape," he said, extending a hand. "It is a pleasure to see you again."

Severus scoffed but shook the wizard's hand nonetheless.

"And you are?" Krum asked Draco, although they had probably met at Hogwarts during the Triwizard tournament.

"Malfoy," Draco answered sullenly, shaking Krum's hand. "Draco Malfoy."

"Ah, yes. The ferret-boy. I remember now," Krum said with a smirk, turning his attention back to Hermione before Draco, who was flushing in anger or embarrassement, could reply.

Krum then bowed to the only woman and offered his arm that she accepted after only a second's hesitation, looking back at Severus from time to time as if to make sure he wasn't abandoning her. He would have found it cute, if he used such despicable words as 'cute'.

Once they were all settled in a room that seemed to serve as a study, library and tea-room all at once, it was left to Severus to explain to Draco and Krum what had happened to Hermione during the final battle and how he intended to return her memories to her. Even Potter learned a few facts that he had not been made aware of. Hermione wasn't so interested in her own story though and stole the platter of muffins that had been laid out, eating them with relish if the sounds were anything to go by.

"Did you even think of taking Granger to a real mind-healer?" Draco asked angrily when Severus had finished.

"Well, she saw Poppy, and I'm a master-legilimens," Severus said defensively.

"Hardly the same thing," Draco snapped, surprising everyone. "Do you think I've studied this hard for five years for something a school-nurse and a mind-reader can do?"

"You're a mind-healer?" Potter blurted out, mirroring Severus' surprise perfectly.

Lucius hadn't said as much. In fact, listening to him, Severus had almost believed Draco was a second-rate healer. Mind-healer was the most difficult speciality in the wizarding medical profession and few even attempted it, not only because the studies were so demanding but also because the job in itself was not rewarding in the least as you could almost never heal damage to the mind completely, and some, not at all. The permanent ward at Saint Mungos was a testimony of that, full of people who had lost their minds, some like the Longbottoms, decades ago.

"What, Potter? You think only Auror-training is worth anything?" he sneered.

"No! No, it's just… I just didn't picture you doing something so… so…" he gave up, apparently at a loss for words and looked at Severus for help.

"Draco, do you really think you can do something for Hermione based on the information I gave you? It's not a common occurrence, you'll have to admit, and probably nothing you've studied before." Draco, in healer-mode, nodded thoughtfully. "Also, you have to understand I couldn't exactly bring Miss Granger to such a public place, nor kidnap a mind-healer to diagnose her at Hogwarts."

"But I…" Draco interrupted.

Severus raised a hand to stop him.

"Your father has not been very forth-coming with what speciality you were following at Saint Mungos. Needless to say I would have contacted you otherwise."

The blond wizard harrumphed.

"Could you take a look at Hermione?" Potter asked, looking at Draco with something other than stale hatred for once.

"You couldn't stop me if you wanted to, Potter. It should really have been done before," Draco replied. "I'll see to it once she's settled in her room. The spells I use tend to make the patients dizzy or sleepy, ar best."

Potter and Krum were grinning like two idiots.

"I'm not saying it will change anything," Draco told them sternly. "In fact, I can tell you it won't cure Granger, given her memories have been stolen, but it won't hurt to have a look... a second opinion, if you will."

Severus had to admire the way Draco handled himself as a healer, he was clear and to the point and had managed to keep in check the two oafs he was explaining things to. They were nodding to Draco like two eager puppies as he tried explaining to them the basics of how the brain worked, a hopeless endeavour, really.

"I have to admit there's something I don't understand," Draco said when there was a lull in conversation as he looked at their host. "Aren't you Bulgarian?"

Krum grinned widely and puffed out his chest.

"My father is Bulgarian, yes. But my mother from Romania, vitch from strong covenant. This vos her home and I come here to help Hermy-own-ninny."

"Have you heard of these Deleo vampires before, then? I thought they were rather thought of as myths," Severus asked.

"Most nobody believes in vhite vampires, no. They are like your nargles, yes?" he answered, raising an eyebrow.

"What in the seven hells are nargles?" Severus replied, wondering if the Quidditch star hadn't botched one too many Wronksy Feints.

"Nargles?" Potter repeated, chuckling. "Viktor, have you been speaking to Luna by any chance?"

"Luna Lovegood, yes. I see her for interview, she has strange questions about Rotfang conspiracy in professional Quidditch leagues... but she gives me free subscription to the Quibbler as thank you for my time, yes? I read them alvays. Good practice for english."

"I see," Potter said, stifling a laugh while Severus rolled his eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't take the Quibbler articles too seriously, although I'll admit your english has improved since the Tournament."

Annoyed at their lack of focus, Severus finally cleared his throat.

"So what can you tell us about these vampires then, Mister Krum."

"Vell, mother told me bed-time stories of brain-sucking vampires vhen I vos a little boy. I never believed them…" He looked over at Hermione, looking very upset. "Mother say her covenant had fought vhite vampires many times over the centuries, easy to kill but hard to find, very hard. But she show me places vhen ve come here for holidays. I still remember places, ve can go look them out. Maybe ve can find clues, yes? Find the bastard and kill it vith fire!"

"Uhm, no, Viktor." Potter intervened. "We want it alive, remember? But I guess you can barbecue it when we're finished with it?"

Potter looked questioningly at the two Slytherins. Draco's mouth made a grimace and Severus shrugged, feigning disinterest, although he would have enjoyed, no, relished, torching the thing himself, not that he'd admit it out loud.

"Shall we start our search today?" Severus asked their host-turned-guide.

"No, night is coming," Krum answered with a frown. "Full moon tonight, dangerous, even for me."

Werewolves...right. Definitely not going out for a night stroll then.

The unlikely group ended up bickering for over an hour around dinner to split up into teams for the next few days but trying to get a bull-headed Gryffindor, a reckless Durmstrang alumni, the Head of Slytherin House and an angry healer to agree was like trying to douse Fiendfyre with Aguamenti. Everyone seemed to want to be the knight in shining armour who slew the dragon and saved the princess, even if it was for different reasons: There was Potter who wanted to be on the front line as her oldest friend, but Severus suspected he just like playing the hero. Then there was Krum, who was her former boyfriend... probably the only one she ever had, now that he thought about it, and judging by how he looked at her, he probably hoped to rekindle their relationship. And there was Draco, her old school-rival who had called her Mudblood more times than was forgivable. Severus wasn't entirely sure of his motives but he had to assume he only considered himself her personal healer for now, although it was for purely political reasons and not out of the selfless generosity of his probably non-existent heart. Finally, there was himself… the man who had found her and brought her back amongst her kind, but he was in this mess only because he had made a drunken solemn magical oath himself to cure the witch. All of these conflicting interests did not help matters, and they bickered themselves hoarse.

The men finally decided to bunk down for the night when Hermione yawned loudly in the middle of their heated conversation. It was a good idea anyway as they preferred to get an early start the next day for 'their hunt', as they had taken to calling it.

Of course, another argument had to be settled when time came to assign rooms, but a surly Krum relented into giving a bedroom to Hermione with connecting doors to Severus' and Potter's own rooms on either side since she knew them better. Krum and Draco weren't far however. In fact, they took the bedrooms just across the corridor. Severus still made it a point of putting trip-alarms on all the doors leading to Hermione's room, just in case.

Unfortunately, despite feeling quite sleepy himself, his ears picked up the blood-curdling howl of werewolves every time he was about to nod off. Bloody monsters, it was as if they were taunting him and he imagined the creatures lurking just out of his window.

Shaking his head at his irrational fear, he told himself to trust the wards of his host and used his Occlumency to calm his restless mind and send him into a dreamless stupor. That was all Occlumency was good for anyway, now that the war was over.