Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter 'verse. I am making no money in writing or in posting this.

AN: Sorry to do this, but I have to edit a previous chapter. I'm in conflict with my story, with the fact Draco said he couldn't turn the ring off without taking it off. Later he turned it off, without removing it.

Enjoy the next few chapters.

Chapter 9

"Malfoy?" Hermione's voice pierced through Draco's worried and brooding thoughts. Ron followed close behind her, scowling.

"Granger. Did you bring the Blood Replenishing Potions?" Malfoy asked, ignoring manners. In non-emergency situation, he would've invited them to sit and have tea ready.

Ron scanned the cave. "Where's Harry?"

Hermione gestured to the shoulder bag. She brought a wizard medical kit. "What's going on, Malfoy? The bracelet said you were unconscious." She motioned to Ron to lay off. Ron huffed.

Malfoy nodded. "I took mine off. I hoped that gave you a little warning before Guide came knocking. We should discuss other summoning methods later."

Hermione nodded.

Malfoy took a moment to read Potter's status. The hunger was strong, perhaps as strong as it was for the final battle. Voldemort didn't usually allow Potter become this hungry after he accepted Draco as a second controller. Malfoy wished he didn't have to take any time to explain, but he had to.

"Short story is that Potter is a vampire." Malfoy stated bluntly. Hermione and Ron shook their heads. Malfoy pressed on. "Whether you believe me or not, is immaterial to the situation. Potter got into a fight with the centaurs. The spiders rescued him and brought him to me. Unfortunately, he's already finished his Death Eater reserves."

Malfoy paused, not quite ready to confess he was depending on them to feed him the blood potion after Potter as done with him. Of course, manipulating one of them to feed Potter was a possibility too.

Hermione set the kit down, angry. "You summon us, in the middle of the night, to tell us Harry's a monster? Malfoy, what were you thinking? Vampires can't be in sunlight! This cave…the final battle…sunlight burns them to a crisp!"

Ron volunteered, "Maybe he got bit after he came into the forest, Hermione. Which makes Malfoy responsible for it."

Malfoy shook his head. "I've seen Potter out during the day. It pains him, but he's capable of it. I've also seen him bite and kill countless of people. Why Dumbledore and Snape haven't told people, I don't know. Potter's been a vampire for at least a year. If not ever since Voldemort captured him!"

"Where is he, if he's injured at all?" Ron demanded.

Malfoy sighed. "He's in the tent." Malfoy gestured to the solid cinder bricked cell. It had no windows and a plain wooden door.

"That's not the tent you brought. Yours was a cottage." Ron pointed out.

"I had the tent double linked, in case of a situation like this one. Unfortunately, I can't get to my potion lab. Which is another reason why I called you both here with my request." Malfoy explained.

"Open it." Ron walked over to the door, drawing his wand.

"He's too hungry to know anyone. He'll feed on the first person to get close to him." Draco warned.

"Hermione keep a watch on Malfoy. Malfoy, open this door now, or I swear…"

Malfoy smirked. "Fine." The door clicked, the door opened slightly. Ron pushed the door more, opening it wide.

Potter became alert, aware of something in his territory. Malfoy sensed through the ring.

"Get a blood replenishing potion out. Keep out of sight. Try not to let Potter outside this cave." Draco told Hermione. He didn't know if Granger would obey him, but at least he warned them and advised them accordingly.

Draco entered the cell.

Potter was huddled in the far corner of the cell. Draco had missed Ron's approach to Potter. It wasn't terribly cautious, since Ron was crouched at Potter's side trying to gently categorize Potter's injuries.

Potter was a mess of cobwebs and torn clothing. None of the wounds seemed to be bleeding, but they needed to be cleaned and bandaged properly. His eyes were closed, but through the ring and reading Potter's position Malfoy guessed Potter was waiting for the right moment.

"Oh, Harry… what sort of mess are you in now?" Ron muttered. He looked away from Potter and towards the door. "Herm! I need the med kit-itk!"

Malfoy smirked. Potter quickly moved. It was so fast and sure, Malfoy didn't know how Potter managed to flip Ron. Just that Potter effectively pinned Weasley, who was now very helpless. Even Wealsey's wand was out of reach, either Weasley dropped or Potter got it away.

Potter hissed, looking at his prey. Malfoy lost the smirk. Dread flowed through him. He had left his non-existent Parlsetongue phrase book with his not-made-yet Blood Replenishing Potions. It was not good that Potter regressed to his captivity with Voldemort.

"In English." Malfoy snapped.

"Punish or death?" Potter asked, in monotone but eagerness flowed through the ring.

Ron's eyes went wide. He fought, as if it was now he realized the situation he was in. Potter didn't allow Weasley to wriggle very much.

"Punish. He'll be useful later." Malfoy requested.

"Wha! Harry! Don't-" Ron protested. Potter cut off the pleas by biting Weasley's neck.

Weasley and Granger gasped. Now they couldn't deny Potter was a Vampire.

Draco watched the feeding. He was accustomed to Potter's feelings during a feeding, since the time in the spiders' cave. Draco closely observed, wanting to keep Weasley alive and give Potter the meal he needed. After all, Potter would never forgive Draco or himself, if Weasley died because of this.

Weasley exhaled slowly and his eyes fluttered shut.

"Potter." Draco said sharply, but Potter continued to nurse at Weasley's throat.

Draco cursed to himself, not wanting to have use the pain of the ring to get Potter's attention. Potter left him with no choice.

Draco sent a second of pain through the ring. "Potter!"

Potter's head came up. Confusion danced through the ring. The hunger was still there but muted. He scanned the interior of the cell. It was bare and a square. The door was still open. Draco was almost between him and the door. He had an unresisting body in his grip.

Potter looked down at the body. "Ron?!" Shock reverberated through the ring. "Shit! What the hell is going on!"

"Um, Ron insisted in seeing you, even after I told him about your nature." Draco reported.

"And you let him! He's still bleeding Malfoy!" Potter was growing panicked.

"Potter. Let me take him. I have potions ready." Draco suggested. It was hard to stay calm, with Potter's panic and Draco's guilt melding together.

"You have potions ready! You planned this! You said you would feed me!" Potter yelled, standing over Ron's body.

"Potter. You gave me the end of your leash." Malfoy brought up his hand with the ring. "You're crazy to think I would feed you, when you near starving! Release Weasley now."

"He better not die, Malfoy. Leash or not, I'll kill you." Potter said shaking. He stepped away from his friend.

"I'm going to use my magic to get Weasley out. Then we have to talk."

Potter nodded. Even with Potter about 10 feet away, Malfoy knew if he drew his wand without warning Potter would've been on him in a second.

"Mobilicorpus!" Malfoy quickly floated Ron to the door. He felt Ron's weight lessen at the door and assumed Hermione got him. He turned back to the irate vampire.

"Who else is here, Malfoy?" Potter asked coldly.

"Granger." Malfoy answered.

"Shit." Potter paced the back wall. "I… Did they…"

Malfoy watched as Potter alternately hugged himself and dropped his hands to sides. Finally Potter managed to choke out. "Why did you do this? They weren't to know…"

"I summoned Granger. Anyone who feed you would've needed a potion afterwards. Weasley tagged along. I would've have-"

Potter glared. "Don't even start to say you would've walked in here to feed me. Hermione would've come in here, just as innocent as Ron! And you would've let her!"

Malfoy kicked himself mentally. Stupid Gryffindor, they just don't respect cunning. "I'm not the only guilty party here! Why do you go fight the centaurs in the first place! You left in middle of a diplomatic meeting! You knew you finished that last Death Eater!"

Potter snorted. "I didn't mean to run into the centaurs. You… I… I needed some space to think. I… feed off of the centaurs too."

Malfoy sighed. "Right. Are you ok now?"

"I… I'm fine until tomorrow. I'll hunt with the spiders tomorrow night." Potter stated.

"Wait…one more thing… Why did you demand I turn the link back on?" Malfoy asked.

Potter smirked. He closed his eyes and brought a hand to his collar. Malfoy felt a surge of magic and the ring turned cold. Potter removed the collar and held in the palm of his hand.

Malfoy felt like Hermione with her insistence that Harry wasn't a vampire. The slave collar can't be removed by the slave! It defeated the purpose of the collar and controlling ring!

Potter put the collar back on with a snap of magic. "Well?" Potter asked a bit smugly.

"Why. Why didn't you escape Voldemort if it was that easy?" Malfoy bluntly asked.

Potter froze. "Couldn't remove it then. I would have. If it was a bracelet or anklet, I would've when I escaped the few times I did."

"Then why can you now?"

"Because, I managed to change the magics enough when you didn't immediately put either ring on. Will you check on my fri…them please?" Potter requested.