Chapter 10: Midnight

Author's note: I do not own anything in VHD, Harry Potter, Evil Dead, Final Fantasy, or Rurouni Kenshin.

Ash, Ron, and Harry were worried when Hermione didn't follow them in. But their fears were alleviated and curiosities piqued when she walked in with a young man. Hermione did the introductions.

"This is Vlad. Vlad, these are my friends Ron, Harry, and Ash." Vlad bowed and then singled out the barkeep.

"I'd like your finest, good sir." Then he withdrew some gold coins from his pocket. The bartender was instantly alert and had provided his best. Ash grabbed a bottle and poured some booze, and then he raised his glass.

"Thanks pal. C'mon guys, lets see if you two can hold your liquor." Then the house wares employee took two bottles and shoved them down Ron and Harry's throats. The young wizards sputtered and choked as the alcohol coursed down their gullets. Ash saw that Vlad wasn't drinking anything. "What's wrong, don't you want some of the good stuff?" Vlad smiled at the question, as if Ash had told an amusing joke.

"I don't drink wine."

Ash was satisfied with this and resumed his drinking outside. Ron and Harry were dragged along. Hermione moved next to Vlad.

"So, where do you come from?"

Vlad turned towards her and gazed into her eyes. Hermione felt an arousal rise within her, one that overpowered all other thoughts. He reached for her hand and Hermione shivered. She was like a leaf before the storm and was about to be swept away. Then Vlad moved his lips over hers. A soft moan of pleasure escaped her half parted lips.

"Beyond the forest." Vlad whispered into her ear and then resumed kissing her. It was at this moment that Ron came back from outside, where he, Ash, and Harry had been singing drunken songs. His blue eyes widened at the sight of the pair.

"Her-Hermione!?!" At his voice, Hermione jolted out of her dazed state. "Why?" Ron asked pain evident in glance. He ran from the bar, his mind in a daze after what he had seen.

"Hey Red, slow down!" Ash called after him. Ron didn't heed the voice and ran on, vanishing from Ash's vision just as the sun was sinking on the horizon, painting the sky the color of blood.

Hermione stood up to leave when Vlad appeared in front of her.

"Where are you going, fair one?" he asked, lips curled in an amused sneer.

"To Ron." She replied, trying to move past him. He merely gazed into her eyes.

"Sleep, and when you wake you shall be mine, blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh, forever." Hermione's last image before she passed out was of a pair of red eyes getting closer and closer in the darkness.

Fog obscured the moon as Ash and Harry were going into the bar to find Hermione. The barkeep was nowhere to be found and the inside was dark.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted, panic in his voice. Just then Vlad appeared in front of them, seemingly made out of darkness.

"Don't bother; your voice can no longer reach her." Then Harry felt fear grip him, such as he had never felt before. He couldn't move. He could only watch as Vlad punctured Ash's chest with his bare hand and shoved him out into the night. Harry's voice returned to him.

"What are you!?" The wizard shouted. Vlad turned towards him and grabbed him by the throat. Then he squeezed and Harry felt his neck snap in two. He was thrown out into the night and died slowly, ever so slowly. Just before he entered oblivion and the light of life had left his eyes, he heard a cold voice.

"Dracula." Then the boy wizard, the "Chosen One" of prophecy, who had such dreams, such a long life before him, died an expression of fear on his corpse. Dracula grabbed his newest daughter and took her toward the direction of the tower; his tower, which the foolish humans had tried to take over during his travels, and which he took back every time he returned. I've made the first move, it's your turn, D. The figure in black thought, his steps fading into the night.

Ash opened his eyes and saw Tifa's face, tears flowing down. He jolted up but was stopped by a massive pain in his chest.

"Where's Harry?!" He shouted, even though he already knew the answer, he could tell from Tifa's tears. "No…no..."Ash stammered and then he started to cry and Tifa held him to her chest stroking his hair as they cried for the boy who lived.