Hello again! Fancy seeing you again so soon ;) But also- for being gone for years I want to prove I'm here to stay!

I'm so grateful for all of you new and returning readers!

Huge shout out to Asteroth1 AND Te3ny for reviewing! You're extra amazing.

I've taken enough of your time- enjoy!


I stay seated with my head between my legs breathing slowly- in and out. Just focus on my blood lust. Nope- don't use the word lust. That sends the memory right back into the forefront of my brain.

Maybe I shouldn't have let Neville leave. He could have distracted me. Though- he's gotten magically attractive over the last year and probably would have triggered some kind of hormonal sexual urge that would have brought me right back to Pansy's stupid memory.

I can and should focus on how I'm going ask for Snape's assistance. Because asking for him to remove a sex scene out of my head starring my boyfriend and his ex won't be awkward. AT. ALL.

Can he even do that? Help me with this?

Maybe I'm just wasting my time.

"Do not think this school will sit idly by while its students are tortured."

"Is that a threat Minerva?"

"It's a fact, Severus. You are charged with the protection and education of these students."

The footsteps stop and I can feel the aggression in Snape's voice from where I'm sitting.

"I know my role. I'm doing what I can. Do not presume the safety of these children is not my top priority."

"It can't be. Not with the Ministry pulling the strings. At the very least you must reign in Carrow's antics. I've heard rumors- he's teaching students unspeakable things."

Snape's silence stretches on longer than I expect and their footsteps pick back up again. I stand up and ready myself for when they turn the corner.

"We will finish this discussion later. I have a student to attend to."

Both of them see me at the same time. I keep my face as passive as possible.

"Understood. Good day Delilah. Headmaster." And with that, she exits. I mean, she's definitely not wrong. But I don't blame Snape- what's he going to do? Tell the Ministry to go fuck itself? Especially, as I'm coming closer and closer to accepting since it seems to be in the dark lord's pocket.

"What are you doing here Delilah?"

"Offering you an easy way out of that glorious conversation," I say, with a little more sass than I probably should have.

He takes a deep breath and mutters something in Latin. With that the gargoyle begins to move, allowing him to step in on the rotating staircase.

"You might be one of my favorite students, but I will not tolerate your attitude."

"I'm sorry. It's been a bad morning. I'm here because I need a favor. Or help? I don't know if you even can. Help me that is." I say, my words turning to mumbles as we finally enter his round office.

"What's on your mind?"

And just like that, the memory begins again. Are their voices louder somehow? And what his demanding touches and her intimate caresses. Fuck. Fuckity fuck. I look around for a trash bin. There's one sitting to the right of his desk. I run over to it and quickly find myself on my knees, heaving, once again, my guts up. Delightful.

"Delilah? If you're sick you should have gone to Madame Pomfrey," but his voice tapers off at the end, almost like he remembers I'm a vampire that doesn't get sick.

"I need you to remove something from my mind. Pansy used a mind-meld spell on me in a duel. I need her memory out of my head." I say, panting heavily, trying to hold back the tears.

"She did what?" He asks furiously.

"Carrow's class. We dueled. She used it as a distraction. But I need it out. Please, Headmaster. I'll do anything." I say weakly, leaning back against his desk.

"That spell is not for dueling." He says moving over to a small alcove with a dresser type thing.

"Yeah, well, it worked pretty effectively," I growl, reminding myself not to close my eyes. It just makes the scene more vibrant.

"I've never seen someone react so adversely to it." He comments, more to himself than to me.

"Yeah, well, I don't think it's the spell. It's the memory. It was a distraction while Crabbe used an unforgivable curse on me."

He drops whatever he was holding- the glass vile explodes when it hits the ground.

"I'm sorry Delilah." He says waving his wand over the mess. It disappears.

"It's no biggie. I'd rather it be me than anyone else. It doesn't hurt vampires nearly as much as humans." I chuckle darkly. "I care way more about this mind-meld thing."

"Are you sure you want me to do this? I will be invading your privacy and it will be painful; the memory she planted will probably fade with time otherwise."

"NO!" I cry, "Please. You have to take it out. Remove it. I can't keep seeing it."

"Very well. Can you stand? I'll need you to drink this and then sit in this chair. The potion will make your mind more pliable, and hopefully, make it easier to remove the memory."

"Sure, whatever you say, boss." I stand pathetically, still holding onto the trash bin. I take the vial in his outstretched hand and shoot it back. It didn't taste that bad all things considered. I head over to the plush chair and take a seat. Bring on the pain.

"Do you need me to tell you what it is? The memory I mean." I ask hesitantly.

"No. I'll know exactly which memories aren't yours. Now close your eyes, don't move, and try not to scream."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I wake with a deep intake of breath and a pounding headache.

"Here," Snape says, handing me a cup. I take it and sip. The warm blood runs smoothly down my throat- soothing my sore, well, everything.

"Remember, you'll need real blood in a couple of hours otherwise you'll lose control."

"Right, got it. What happened?" I ask, no need to beat around the bush. I drink the rest of the blood in two gulps.

"You passed out. Towards the end." He says sitting down in front of me.

"Yeah, no, I got that too. But did it work?"

"You tell me." He says.

I pause at his question. The memory didn't slap me in the face. Of course, I still remember how I felt- how and what that memory made me feel- but it's not nearly nearly close to as bad as the real thing. I sigh with relief. Now I just have to deal with the remnants of my wounded pride and molested ego.

"I feel better. Not great. But it's gone. Thank you."

"Don't thank me quite yet."

"Um, what does that mean?"

"I found something." When I don't say anything to that he continues, "The mind-meld spell is generally used to trick a person into thinking they've experienced a real-life memory that wasn't theirs. It's quite useless when it's performed on someone awake. You know the memory isn't yours and can separate what is known from what has been inserted."

"Okay."

"Pansy's memory was not the only one I found in your head."

I stare at him. "Um, what?"

"There was another melded memory from your childhood. I removed it and."

"Wait, what was it?"

"Some child frolicking around. Nothing of note."

"Then why…"

He gives me a stern look for interrupting him, again.

"Right sorry. Go on."

"It was covering up a memory charm. You've had a memory from your childhood removed. That kind of charm leaves an imprint, something like a scar on the mind. Each witch and wizard would leave a different imprint"

"Like a fingerprint?"

"Similar, yes."

"So I've had a memory stolen from my mind and someone replaced it with someone else's memory?"

"Yes. But that's not all."

"Headmaster, you're killing me here. What else could there be?"

"The imprint. It's the same as another student's."

"Well, how many other student's minds have you needed to dive into?!" I exclaim.

"It happens quite a bit during Occlumency lessons."

A second ticks by before it clicks.

"Draco." I gasp.

"Yes. Mr. Malfoy has the exact same imprint on his mind. And what looks to be during the same time of your lives. Sometime before either of you were five."

I stare at him, knowing my eyes have grown wide. Like super wide. I stand up suddenly and start pacing back and forth. What the hell does this mean? Why do I have a memory missing? Why does Draco?

"Have you told him? Does he know?" I ask, stopping mid-stride.

"He does."

"And?" I urge.

"And nothing. His family has their fair share of secrets. I'm sure he thought it was something best left out of his mind."

"This is insane. That's insane! Who would steal a child's memory?"

"Delilah I do not know, but I do believe it's time for you to get to your next class." He heads back over to his desk, "If you're feeling better that is."

I look up at him again. He looked… well, he looked exhausted to be quite frank. Older than he usually looks, that's for sure. Maybe that spell did a number on him as well?

"Yes, thank you again. I'm sure that isn't something you thought you'd have to do today."

"No. And to be quite frank, you could use some Occulmency lessons yourself."

I try not to take offense to that.

"Can I come back later? To dive into my past more?"

"Perhaps. For now, run along." He says shortly, taking a seat and not bothering to look back up at me as I exit.

I should be thankful. He didn't even bring up what exactly he had to extract from my mind. But I do want to know more about what he found. Or what he didn't find. He seems annoyed with me now though, or maybe just done. Heaven knows I'd be done with all the crap he has to deal with. Between the Carrows, the vampires, the ministry, the student populace, me… he's got his hands full.

But damn, I really want to figure out why I'm missing a memory. And what it was. I mean- I barely remember anything before I turned six, so why take a memory I probably wouldn't have remembered in the first place?

I shake my head running down the hallway. I feel so much better. It was probably the blood. Well, synthetic blood. Speaking of, how am I going to get real blood so I don't attack random students throats?

I could find Draco.

His name has butterflies swarming my stomach again. I still don't love that I remember what it felt like- feeling him in Pansy. And I certainly need some time… to process all of that… but I want to see him. At least talk to him.

But I should probably head to class first. Pretend like I care about my education at least a little bit.

"You've been quite the most disobedient vampire."

His voice makes me stop cold. What is he doing here?

"I really thought you'd wise up and make better life decisions, but it seems I was very very mistaken."

I turn around slowly; desperately trying to build up the courage I know I'll need to face him. I haven't seen him for well over a week. He never showed at the top of the astronomy tower for our 'meeting', and I thought maybe Damon's announcement would have scared him off for a while. Or maybe he'd just forget about me? Silly thoughts.

"What are you doing here Malachi?" He's dressed in a dark suit, tie and all like he left a board meeting to come and harass me. His dark hair looks longer and frames his face well. To be fair, he does look good. Then again, he always looks good.

"You're well overdue for a visit. I've been busy dealing with the consequences of your brother's shenanigans and got distracted. It was unfortunate for me to think you'd stop chasing after your pathetic human plaything."

I glare up at his tall figure leaning nonchalantly against the wall like he hasn't tried to destroy my life in more ways than one. He kicks off the wall and walks towards me.

"You keep trying to control my life. You may have turned me, but you do not own me, Malachi." I say angrily, my fingers itching for my wand.

He continues his stride until he's standing right in front of me. His piercing brown eyes hold a darkness I've never noticed before.

"I do own you, little girl. And I've played nice for far too long."

I run.

I turn and run so fast I don't even pause to think. To think about the fact he's a 600 hundred-year-old vampire who has taught me everything I know.

"That was dumb." He says as I collide into his body that appeared out of nowhere. He grabs my arm and ushers me over to an alcove.

"Let me go." I try to yank free of his grasp. His grip is solid and unyielding.

"You, my little kumquat, are going to shut up and listen for once." He shoves me into the wall. "What you did today was stupid and insolent and I have never wanted to ravage you more."

"What are you talking about?"

"You had sex with that kid and for what? Because you're in love?"

I stare at him extremely confused. "I haven't had sex with anyone." I spit out as I push him away from me.

"You're lying." He growls, "I felt it."

My eyes widen. "No. I'm not. That wasn't ME you felt. It was someone else. Someone else's memory."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I don't care, it's the truth. Now please let me go." I say standing straighter.

"I'm going to kill him, and I'll enjoy every minute of it. This boyfriend/girlfriend charade you've put on is delusional. You are a vampire and will always be. You need to let him go."

"If you even touch him I will stop at nothing to obliterate you, Malachi. Do you understand me? I will destroy you, in whatever way possible. So do not threaten him ever again."

He begins laughing, heartily. Like I just told the best joke in the history of jokes.

"To be so young and naïve. Your dramatics are always endearing."

"Dramatic? You said you'd kill Draco! And I'm the dramatic one?"

"I'm just being honest. Especially if you don't stop all this. But you've been so foolish. You could have had the world. You were my world Delilah. And you're trying to throw it away, for what? A boy who used to bully you? A boy who 'says' he loves you? For how long? Until he gets bored? Until his family orders him to stay away? Please, Delilah. For once use your brain."

I slap him across the face. God, I hate him.

He rubs his cheek with a wicked grin on his face as he turns back to me.

"You are coming with me. I will have no more of this."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Don't touch me." I growl slapping his hand away from me.

"How about this, I'll give you an ultimatum. You come with me now, or I will suck the life out of Draco, your best friend and pretty much anyone you've ever cared for? How does that sound?"

"Fuck. You." I curse aiming a punch right for his jugular. I'm either getting faster or he was convinced I wouldn't turn this into a physical fight. Dumb vampire.

My fist makes contact with his throat and he doubles over. And then I knee him in the balls.

I take this distraction and make a run for it. Again. Only this time he's at least slightly incapacitated.

Classes should be out soon and once students hit the hallways there's no way Malachi would continue this craziness right? Or am I endangering a butt load of humans?

Don't think. Just run.

Run.


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