Disclaimer: Neither Harry Potter or Vampire Knight is mine. I don't claim the characters. They belong to J.K. Rowling and Matsuri Hino respectively. I also don't make a profit from writing this. Thank you.
Warnings: Foul language and some bashing.
A/N: I don't know if a lot of you know, put I put up a poll to see who is to be with Willow. If you want to vote, all you have to do is go on my profile and click to vote. Surprisingly, that is all I need to say at the moment other than I hope you enjoy this chapter and to review.
"Vampire." - Talking
'Vampire.' - Thinking
A/N: Hello everyone. Sorry for taking so long to update. As for the question on how Willow knows Senri and Toya, I plan on saying how in a side story as well as showing the scene where Willow and Yuki bake the chocolates. Other than that, I hope you like this chapter. Please review.
Chapter 8
Willow Cross wasn't a very happy being at the moment. Why, one might ask, was because her best friend in the whole world screwed up. Big Time. It didn't help that he brought it on himself by not taking the steps to prevent it from happening.
'I even offered him my blood the day before. Instead of taking me up on it, he lied about how the blood pills were working for him so he didn't need my blood. What a load of crap. I knew I shouldn't have believed him.' She thought on their way to the Headmaster's Office after making sure Zero was ok and wasn't about to go on a rampage.
So far, she hasn't said anything to him afterwards, too angry to say anything. Not to say, so disappointed in him as well. She didn't know how to react in this situation. She knew she should say something to him to make him feel better for she knew he was drowning in guilt and shame for what happened. However, she couldn't bring herself to do so.
'Just think, last night I was catching up with Senri after not seeing him for a few weeks and now this happens. It's like one good thing happens followed by one bad thing.' She thought in annoyance.
"Willow?" Zero called tentatively after the silence got to him.
"..." Not saying a word, she picked up her speed a little. She needed her space away from him before she said something that might break him. No matter how mad she was at him right now, she didn't want to hurt him more than her silence was doing. She knew she had a very sharp tongue, so she was going to keep it still.
"Willow?" He called out with a hint of desperation sneaking into his tone.
"We're here." She snapped in answered before throwing open the door and strolling in without a backwards look to him.
"Will..." Kaien started happily but froze when he saw the state Zero was in. "Zero? What did you do Zero?" He asked in horror. He knew something happened when Kaname ran out of the room like bats out of Hell, but he thought one of his vampires did something. Not Zero.
"Yes, Zero, tell him what you did." Willow said coldly, still not looking at him. Instead she went to one of the windows and looked out to the crescent moon.
"Zero?" Kaien called softly, but sternly, when he didn't say anything after a moment.
"I...I..." He started hesitantly, before stopping again. He didn't know how to tell him what happened.
"He bit Yuki." Willow bit out for him, patience snapping after hearing him stutter.
"Zero!" Kaien gasped in horror. "Oh my, is she ok?" Standing up, he was about to round the desk and run to the infirmary to see for himself.
"Calm down. She's find. He barely took anything. From what I seen, he only took a couple of mouthfuls before stopping. Kuran took her to the infirmary, so let him take care of her. We have more important matters to deal with. Like Zero biting someone." Willow snapped making Kaien sit back down on his chair in surprise at her tone. He felt like a chastened child.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't even know she was looking for me until she found me. I tried to get her to go away, but she wouldn't. Then she got so close and her scent overwhelmed me and before I realized what I was doing, I bit her." He almost yelled out in anguish. Seeing the Headmaster's expression and the back of Willow's stiffen form was breaking something in him.
"I understand, Zero. What I don't understand is, why did you get to that point in the first place? You never really had a problem before. Well, not like this anyways." Kaien asked in confusion, sneaking a glance at Willow. He knew she was the one giving him blood, even if they never told him. He also knew how Yuki's blood tested his control sometimes, but with Willow around, he didn't think he really had anything to worry about. "Didn't you say that the blood pills were working?"
"He lied." Willow said before Zero could open his mouth.
"Sigh. I figured that. What I don't understand is, why? Why didn't you say anything Zero? Why did you keep your thirst quite?"
"I can't keep hurting Willow like this!" He gritted out, fists clenched until his nails pierced skin. Small droplets of blood falling to the floor to be ignored by all in the room, even by the one they came from. "How long until I end up draining her dry? Huh? I don't know! I don't know! I didn't want to attack anyone. I wanted to make the pills work so I no longer put her life in danger."
"Hey, don't act like I am some damsel in distress. I am the one who offered my blood in the first place. You accepted after weeks of me hounding you. Don't forget, that you don't take much before you are satisfied. So stop acting like I am like how Yuki was. Practically fainting after just a couple of mouthfuls. I am not that weak and pathetic. Don't insult me!" She snapped, whirling around with a vicious snarl on her face, hair whipping around her body like a whip.
Zero's and Kaien's hearts skipped a beat at the sight of her. They had never seen her this angry before. It even seemed as if the shadows themselves were withering with her rage, darkening the room. Her eyes glowing even more brighter then ever before and they couldn't help but wonder just what she was. Not knowing what to say to that nor how to act, they remained quiet.
"We have to tell Master about this." Willow stated bluntly after she calmed down and when the silence got too much again. With her calming down, the shadows, too, calmed down. "He will be the one to decide Zero's punishment. He won't be lenient with his punishment because of sentiments like the two of us. Not only that, I don't want to hear Kuran complaining about playing favorites."
~ Kaien's POV ~
"I will call him right away then. I want the two of you to go straight to bed. I mean it. I don't want anything else to happen tonight. Do I might myself clear?" He demanded seriously. He got two nods in return. "You're dismissed."
He needed them to leave so he can think as clearly as possible. He really didn't know on how to handle this situation. Don't get him wrong, he has plans for everything under the sun from a Night Class student attacking a Day Class student to even an possible invasion. But he wasn't really ready to deal with Zero being the one to attack another student. As stupid as it sounds, it just never really crossed his mind.
'How very foolish of me.' He couldn't help but think while watching the dejected form of a boy he thought of as his son and the angered stiffened form of his adopted daughter walk out of his office. 'I know I should treat this as if I'm dealing with a Night Class student attacking a Day Class student, but I just can't.' He thought with conflicting feelings.
On one hand, Zero attacked someone under his protection. What's worse is that it was Yuki that was attacked. Yuki, an unknowing Pure-blood princess. Yuki, who has a powerful watch dog in the form of Kaname Kuran. Who, in his own right, was a Pure-blood prince. Let's not forget, her brother. Her big brother at that. He was really surprised that Zero wasn't already dead, splattered across the school's walls.
On the other hand, Zero was his son in everything but blood to him. The thought of anything happening to him sickened him to his very core. He helped raise that boy since the night of the attack. Even before then, he was the nephew that he spoilt when he saw him on the days he picked up or dropped off Willow to his house. He shudders in terror at the thought of what Willow would do if anything permanent happened to him. 'I don't think this World would survive her wrath.'
He then looked at the phone on his desk and hesitated with his hand hovering over it. He really didn't want to get Toga involved with this situation, but he knew that if he didn't call him, Willow will. Not because she wanted to see him being punished, but because she didn't want him to ever repeat this ever again. Neither he nor Willow would punish him the way he should since Kaien would be too soft and her too harsh.
The one, and only time, Willow punished him still gives him nightmares from time to time. So, she was forbidden from ever doing it again. Him, on the other hand, tried to punish him once but it was a failed effort on his part when he broke down at the first sight of his upset pout and had let him go with a warning. When Toga heard about their punishments for Zero, he yelled at the both of them for hours on and demanded that all punishments should be decided by him. So, they call him when Zero needed true discipline. Not that Zero was happy about the decision with no input on his part.
"I might as well get this over with. If I were to prolong in telling him, Zero won't be the only one getting punished." He muttered under his breath with a light blush.
With that thought, he picked up the receiver and dialed a number he memorized by heart a long time ago. While he waited for the other to pick up, he started to drum his fingers on his desk to help relieve some of his nervousness. Part of him hoped he wouldn't pick up so he could hold off on telling him and the other part hopes he does so he knows that the other was ok and still alive.
The gruff "Hello" coming from the other end had him straightening up and trying to fix his hair as he fidgeted from his over worked nerves.
"Hello!" Came the gruff voice again but with demand in it for the one who called to speak.
"Oh, hello Toga-chan!" Kaien exclaimed with a slight squeak.
"Kaien? What are you calling for? AND DON'T CALL ME -CHAN EVER AGAIN!" He yelled at the end making Kaien remove the phone from his ear which was now ringing.
"Oh, it's about Zero." He muttered with swirls for eyes.
"What did he do this time?" He asked with a deep sigh. While it was rare he got in trouble, but when he did, it was always something big.
"Hebityukichanandidon'tknowwhattodo!" He rushed out in one breath.
"I did not understand a word you just said. Repeat slowly." He commanded.
"He bit Yuki-chan and I don't know what to do." He said as commanded.
"HE WHAT!" Toga yelled out angrily.
"Ok, I am not repeating myself again." Kaien said with a huff and pout.
"This is no time for jokes, Cross. This is serious. If the Hunter Association find out about this, this will give them to opportunity to take him out." He snapped making Kaien's face harden and him to glare at the opposite wall.
"You don't think I don't know this. Not only will this give them a chance to take him out, but it will give them a chance to shut down my school as well. I know very well what is a stake. So don't talk to me as if I do not." He snapped right back. He won't sit back and take that insult lying down. As cruel as it might sound and no matter how much it would kill him inside, he won't allow anybody to get in the way of his goal, even if the price for achieving that goal was Zero himself. All for his promise to Her.
"Whatever. So, what do you want me to do? I am not even close to the school at the moment. Not only that, I am in the middle of a mission."
"Finish quickly with it and come as fast as you can. It's about time you came here anyways. Not only because Zero is getting worse but Willow wants Sano-chan back."
"That kind of sounded like you are expecting me to stay longer than a day or two." He growled.
"Well, I do need you here. So, yes, I want you here to stay." He said bluntly instead of beating around the bush like he usually would.
"And what, prey tell, would I be doing there." He growled suspiciously.
"Teaching of course." He chirped happily.
"WHAT?! No way in hell would I teach a bunch of unknowing civilians." He hissed, shuddering at the very thought.
"Don't worry, it's not the Day Class you'll be teaching but the Night Class."
"No." Toga deadpan.
"Why not?" Kaien whined.
"No. Just no."
"It would be fun for you. I mean, think about it, you get to keep an eye out for unruly vampires while staying close with Zero and Willow. Just think, having a big bad Vampire Hunter as a teacher will help keep them in line. And if they act up, you will be there to punish them." He tried to entice him to say yes.
"No." He snapped agitated.
"Please? I will make it your wild." He tried.
"No and that's that. I will be there as soon as I can to deal with Zero then I am gone." He said after a moment of stunned silence before just hanging up so he didn't have to listen to any more.
"How rude." Kaien said with a pout. 'At least he will be here soon. Until then, I hope nothing else happens.'
~With Willow and Zero ~
For the first couple of minutes of leaving the office, they walked in tense silence. Neither one knowing what to say to the other. Willow, afraid of saying something that would hurt the other deeply and Zero, afraid of saying something to set her off.
"Willow?" Zero called out first when he couldn't take the silence anymore. It also made Willow have a sense of deja vu.
"What is it." She answered calmly.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not going to you even though I knew you would have helped me." He said shamefaced.
"Damn right I would have!" She snapped. "Do you know what I was thinking when I came upon the scene I did?" She stopped and turned towards him with a cold glare on her face.
"No. What?" He asked weakly but curiously.
"My best friend didn't need or want me anymore. You went to Yuki! Someone you knew I had no fondness for. But there you were, drinking her blood. Why? Why did you drink hers when I offered you mine? Don't give me that crap about not wanting to hurt me either. I don't buy it. I want the truth." She growled when she saw him open his mouth making it snap shut. She knew that part of the reason was that he didn't want to hurt her. However, she had the feeling that wasn't the whole reason.
"I. Didn't. Go. To. Her." He deflected. He didn't want to tell her that he was starting to want to do more than just drink her blood to quench his thirst and he was tired of being accused of it as well. He wouldn't ever go to Yuki for blood so being accused of it pissed him off. "She came upon me when I was at my weakest and her scent overwhelmed me. I already told you this. Why don't you believe me?"
"I do." She confessed making him blink in shock.
"Then why do you keep saying that I did?" He questioned confusedly.
"Because you might as well have!" She snapped poking him hard in the chest. "You knew you were on the verge of snapping but you didn't do anything to prevent it from happening. What if it was someone else instead of Yuki? She at least knew about vampires so knew how to somewhat defend herself against them. But what about a weak and oblivious Day Class student who stumbled upon you? Hmm?"
"Wha?" He asked confused not understanding why there would be a difference.
"Really?" She asked deadpan when she saw his confused face. "Let me put this in prospective for you, shall I? Now, think, why is Yuki different from any other Day Class student? Other than being one of the adopted daughters of Cross, Kaien, that is."
"Because she already knew about vampires?" He answered hesitantly.
"Oh, come on! You are way smarter than this. Think!"
Doing as she says, he stopped and really thought about it.
"She's different because she..." He trailed off, coming up blank. The only thing he could think of is that she already knew about vampires.
"Come on, think, Zero." Willow encouraged.
"I'm sorry, I am coming up blank still." He finally said in frustration.
"Fine. I will tell you. It's because Yuki has no records. Yeah, she has some school records but no more than that. She is a blank slate. No family other than us. And guess who is in charge of her school records?"
One of the reasons Yuki has no records is for when Kaname decides to change her back into a vampire. Once that happens, there can't be any records of her existence in the mundane world. Not only that, it was safer if there was no trace to track her from enemies that would like to see her dead.
"Kaien." He stated in disbelief.
"Yes. Not only that, she only has one mundane friend. Other than that, she's not really noticed. Not even for her role as a Guardian. Don't get me wrong, the fans know her name and everything, but they don't truly think about her. So, if you ended up draining her and killing her, nobody would have really noticed except for us and Kuran. The government wouldn't send anybody to investigate for they wouldn't even know that they should. With me so far?"
She got a stiff nod. She almost didn't go on when she saw how wide his eyes were but knew she had too.
"To make sure nobody investigates her disappearance, all Otou-san has to do is destroy her school records and wipe the Day and Night Class of her existence. Not as hard as it sounds when nobody really interacts with her. Your only problem with draining her dry is Kuran. He would kill you for revenge for hurting his precious girl. Now, tell me what makes a Day Class student different."
"Because they would be remembered." He said numbly.
"Yes. They have records in the government system and they have family and friends that would be demanding justice for the one you drained. Not that they would know why they were, just that they were. Once the public outcry reaches the Hunter Association, what do you think will happen?"
"They would come and eliminate the one that caused the disorder to calm the public back down and to get rid of a vampire in the process." He stated roboticly.
"Right. So, while you were lucky it was Yuki, who I am sure would forgive you, you might not be so lucky next time. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"So, in that event, what do you think I would do?" She asked making him flinch back as if strucked.
He knew exactly what she would do. Fight for him. She would fight with everything she had to make sure he lived even if it would cost her her life. Something he wouldn't allow her to do. He wouldn't be able to live in this world if anything happened to her. She was his rock. His World.
"You'll fight." He said in a breathy voice.
"Yes. I would fight for you." She confirmed.
"No. No. I can't allow you to do that. I can't lose you. Not you." He said while grabbing her to him in a tight hug. A hug that felt as if he was trying to cling to her. As if afraid that if he let go, she would disappear from his life forever. Something he couldn't bare to think about.
"Calm down. It's ok. We were lucky this time. I need you to realized that you are in a very precarious position at the moment. One wrong move could cause such chaos and destruction, that nobody would be able to overcome unscratched. While I must admit, I was jealous that you drunk from another, that is not the only reason why I am so upset with you. I don't want to lose you, Zero." She confessed making his heart skip a beat and start bumping faster.
"Willow." He sighed out with a small happy smile before wiping it away putting distance between them before he did something that could cause more problems than he could deal with at the moment. "I understand. It won't happen again I promise."
"Good. I would hate to do something more drastic to get your attention." She threatened playfully though he knew she was serious.
'You will always have my attention.' He thought. "No need."
"Hmm. So, you will come to me from now on to feed again? Right?" She demanded.
"Yes." He answered slightly strained.
"Oh come on. You won't drain me dry. You haven't for over four years now, you won't do it now. Tell me, have you ever felt the need to drain me?"
"No." He answered without any hesitance.
"Then theirs your answer."
"Oh."
"So, stop being a pussy about this whole thing. Now, I don't know about you, but I am exhausted. So, I am going to bed. Goodnight." She said with a yawn when the tense atmosphere calmed down a lot.
"Yeah. Me too." He said. He watched her turn and walk towards the girl's dorm building with longing. He wished he could stay with her the rest of the night but knew he couldn't. For one it wouldn't be appropriate and another, he was tired of being vulnerable that night. So, instead of calling out to her to come back, he turned and went to the stalls to stay with Lily instead. He knew the coming days won't be so peaceful.
~ Kaname POV ~
Kaname had just left the infirmary after making sure that Yuki was ok with Cross. He had to get out of there. The thought that his precious girl defending that Level D, made his blood boil with hatred. All he wanted was for her to stay away from him for her own safety, but instead she fights him.
"Tch." He gritted his teeth trying to resist the temptation of finding the Level D and erasing him from existence. If he did, he knew he would never hear the end of it from Cross, Yuki and that Willow would do everything in her power to kill him.
"It won't matter how they feel for when he attacks another, I won't allow that to just go by. No, I will punish him myself like a Level D descending into a Level E should be punished." He swore, walking towards the Night classroom to calm his vampires down.
When he got there, the classroom was abuzz with rumors and agitated vampires trying to keep their bloodlust in check.
"Kaname-sama! What's going on?" Aido asked when he saw him entered the classroom, drawing the rest of their attention towards him as well.
"There was an accident. Everything is fine and taken care of. Please calm down. Class is over so we are going back to the Dorms now." Kaname said calmly before turning around and starting to head for the Dorms.
"Kaname-sama! This scent. Is this Yu..." Aido started but stopped when Kaname turned his head slightly to glare at him from the corner of his eye. "Um...never mind." He said instead. He didn't want to be punished for pissing him off again.
When they arrived to the Dorms, Kaname went straight to his room. He had to get everything ready. While he didn't want that Level D anywhere near him or his vampires, he knew he couldn't let him stay with the Day Class anymore.
"Come in." He called when he heard a knock on his door. He already knew who it was. There was only two people who was allowed to come and disturb him without punishment. Ichijo and Seiren.
"Kaname-sama? Are you ok?" Ichijo asked when he opened the door and saw his frustrated face while working on some paperwork.
"Yes. Just working on some transfer papers."
"Oh? Who's transferring? Do I know them?" Ichijo asked, standing in front of the closed door.
"You will find out when it's time and yes you know them."
"Is it Kiryu?" He asked tentatively knowing how that name can set him off.
"Kiryu? Why would you think that?" Kaname asked tightly.
"Because he's a Level D. I am actually surprised that he wasn't a Night Class student from the beginning. I guess it helps to have the Headmaster on your side." He explained.
"And how would you know if he was a Level D or not?"
"Really? Kaname-sama, please don't take this the wrong way, but it's not like it's rocket science. All one had to do was put the pieces together to get the whole picture. I mean, a Pure-blood princess attacking a Hunter family with only Zero and Willow surviving. It was kind of obvious and you can smell it on him as well. The only thing that confuses me is Willow herself. How did she survive? Is she a Level D as well? If so, why doesn't she smell like one?" He asked uncertain.
"Sigh. Yes, Kiryu is a Level D. As for Willow, no she's not one. I don't know how she survived. The only one who does, is her herself." He answered, putting his hands in front of his mouth.
"What is she? She's not human, I know that at least." He said.
"I don't know." Kaname answered honestly. It still hit a nerve that he hasn't been able to figure out on his own just yet.
"Kaname-sama?"
"Enough on this subject. I have a lot of paperwork to get done. Not only that, I have to speak with the Headmaster about the transfer tomorrow as well. Just make sure that the others keep it down." Kaname commanded.
"Yes, Kaname-sama." Ichijo agreed with a slight bow before going to do as he was ordered.
"Sigh. I will never be rid of this paperwork." He grumbled.
Finally after three more hours getting his work done, he finally called it quit. He had to get up early again and he at least wanted to get some rest that night. So with that in mind he got ready for bed. As he was falling asleep, his mind brought back the the scene of Willow fussing over Kiryu even though he wasn't the one to get hurt. It annoyed him that she didn't even spare a second to even see if Yuki was fine.
'That girl needs to learn some priorities.' Was his last thought before he fell asleep with the image of Willow running through his mind.
