Draco's fight
Hermione woke up on her small sofa four hours later to the smell of food coming from her kitchen. Ginny was unpacking some take away from the leaky cauldron. "Hey there." Ginny moved away from the counter and went over to Hermione as she sat up on the sofa. "I got us some food. I figured we could eat and go see Draco afterwards." Hermione tried to force a smile to her friend. "Thanks Ginny." Hermione got up and stretched out all the stiff joints she had from sleeping on the sofa. She walked over to her counter and stared at the fish and chips on the counter. She just ate a few chips and she walked away heading to a cabinet that had a lock on it. Alohomora and the cabinet unlocked. She reached for a bottle of fire whiskey and poured herself a shot and then another before Ginny was able to stop her; she had consumed five of them. "Hermione, sweetie, I know you could drink all the time to deal with problems, but do you think Draco would want you to start drinking?" Ginny was able to get the bottle away from her and put it back in the cabinet. Hermione was feeling the numbing sensation from the fire whiskey and slid down the side of the cabinet till she was sitting on the floor.
"Ginny, what if this is all my fault?" Hermione looked up to her friend wanting to get answers. "Hermione, none of this is your fault. It's the sick bastard that thinks this is a game." Ginny sat down on the floor next to her friend. "Not the attack Gin, Draco's suffering now. I asked him not to leave me. If he wasn't fighting the change he wouldn't be hurting so badly." Hermione leaned her head against the cabinet and closed her eyes trying not to cry.
"Hermione Jean Granger, don't you dare blame yourself. He is fighting because he loves you and will never give up trying to stay here for you. That man would crawl out of the depths of hell to be reunited with you. The last two years you both have been there bringing happiness to each other. You made each other whole again. Sober up and we will go see Draco. You can't go in this state. I'll pop over to my house to get you a sobering potion.
Hermione sat on her kitchen floor as she heard the familiar sounds of the Floo network as her friend left her alone. She sat there feeling sorry for herself for a few minutes till an idea hit her. Why didn't she think of it before, what was she known for being the smartest witch of her age and yet she didn't bother looking for an answer to her problem. She grabbed her phone and started searching the internet. Granted there was minimal information still on the European internet, but the United States had been working for years on having scholarly databases available for their government officials and school children to use. She started her search with one intent in mind. She needed to help Draco. As she searched she came across a short report from the Magical Congress of the United States of America about a government official that had been attacked by a vampire and had been able to reverse the effects and beat the virus to prevent them from turning. She looked everywhere in the report to see if there was a name attached of who this person was or who published the report. Unfortunately everything was redacted leaving Hermione with no leads to go off of. Just as the floo activating sounded through her small flat and Ginny came through, Hermione was starting to feel defeated. "Hermione, here's the sobering potion and a pepper up potion to help you out." Hermione reached for the potions and downed both of them. "Ginny, does Harry know anyone in MACUSA? I think I might have a lead on how to help Draco." Hermione looked deep in thought as Ginny answered her, "No I don't think he does, I mean he has only made a couple trips there and those were with you a few years back when you went over there to take a look at their Forensics department." "FOR MERLIN'S SAKE! You're right I was there I remember the lead forensic scientists name and I have her contact information around here somewhere. I don't remember much else from that trip though." Hermione jumped up off the floor and raced into her small office she still kept at her flat and found her tablet that she left there in case she was staying there and opened the cover. She searched through her contacts and found Burmecia. Hermione hoped sending her an owl may just be able to get her closer to helping Draco. She opened the e-owl app and began to plead for information.
Dr. Burmecia,
A few years back I had traveled to your Forensics lab while I was in the process of setting up my own department here in the UK. I am now in need of some information in hopes of helping several victims in a case I am working on. I was able to find a research article that mentions briefly that there was a MACUSA worker that was contaminated by a vampire, but was able to beat the virus and did not turn. I am wondering if you have any information on this or know the witch or wizard in question and possibly allow me to get in contact with them. I will eagerly be waiting for your response.
Dr. Hermione Granger
Head of Forensics
Ministry of Magic UK
Hermione clicked send as Ginny finally could be heard over her thoughts. "What is going on? Hermione you took off and I'm a little worried." Hermione proceeded to fill Ginny in on what she was able to find. "That's great, hopefully she will know something" Ginny smiled at her friend excited to see that spark that had been missing. Hermione brought her tablet with her to the hospital when she went to see Draco. She took notes on her tablet of everything that was going on with Draco. She took pictures of his charts and was going to make sure she had all the information that she could use to cure her boyfriend. Draco was unconscious and heart rate was almost nonexistent. The healers were trying to keep him as comfortable as possible. The night waned on to the early hours of morning and there had been no change in Draco's condition except for him being given another sleeping draught. Hermione waited till Narcissa had shown up before leaving and heading back to work. She went to her flat and changed before heading to the ministry and straight to her office.
Hermione sat at her desk going over all the information on Draco's case and the other vampire cases she had been working on. There were some similarities and differences. The biggest thing Hermione saw as a difference was the amount of time it was taking the transformation to occur.
*ping*
Hermione looked at her computer and saw the notification of an owl.
Dr. Granger,
I am glad to hear that we can be of service over here in the states with one of your cases. I went back and looked at the report that you were referring to. Most of that report is redacted due to classified information. Though I am familiar with the witch that is in question. I am willing to see what more information I can dig up and will pass your inquiry on as soon as the witch is back from an international case. I am pretty sure that she will have no problem helping you out when given the opportunity. She is a unique individual to say the least, but she is good at her job in the Earth Merc squad, least that's what we call her unit. She should be back in the next few days if everything goes according to plan. She does work with an independent herbalist that may have some information for you. She doesn't use any type of electronic communication though. I will see if I can get in touch with her and send you anything that I can find out.
Respectfully,
Dr. Freya Burmecia
MACUSA Forensics Magical investigative Bureau
Hermione was both ecstatic, but disappointed at the same time. Draco may not have a week. She hoped this herbalist would be able to provide something, but until then she would ask Neville Longbottom if he knew of anything being the herbology expert that he was. She made a note by the end of the day to owl Neville and ask him what he knew about any useful herbs. Hermione looked at all the information she had in her lab along with Draco's information. There had to be something in common with all the victims or a way to track down this vampire. "Merlin's balls who is this guy and why is he doing this?" She frustratedly stated out loud while shoving the pile of reports off her desk. *knock knock* "Yes" Hermione held her head in her hands as she heard the opening of her door. She got the familiar scent of her best friend's cologne. "Hermione, There was another attack and there is some more evidence coming in. I was wanting to see if you were ok to keep working on this case or should we make Theo the head on it. You know you can't be working Draco's case but you can work the others." Harry stated standing there.
"I know my job, Harry Potter. Do you? I know how to get results that close the cases and make your jobs easier. Just send me the evidence and while you are at it get me the medical charts from this victim and any of the past victims. If this victim is available anytime soon I need a testimony of what happened as well to see if I can align any of the evidence with it." She waved her hand in a dismissing way at her friend. Harry opened his mouth wanting to snap back at her, but nothing he could say would make her predicament any better. "I'll send Ron to find that information, but this victim didn't make it." Harry turned and walked out shutting the door behind him.
