DISCLAIMER:
I do not own the characters, unfortunately, that privelage belongs to J.K.
Rowling and Warner Bros. I do however own the story line and any ideas
going with it. Please don't sue because I am only a poor girl whose
imagination cannot come up with any original ideas for a world she could
write in.
Love and Other Passions - Chapter Six - A Reunion, Of Sorts.
Ginny ran up the stairs to Hermione's waiting arms, hugging her tightly. They had so little to talk about, but it had been so long. It was obvious to Hermione that Ginny still held scars of Harry's death, and promptly, hadn't gotten out and about in the last few years. Fred and George came with her, each holding out a joke from their shop, which Harry had helped start.
"What are these?" Hermione asked, looking at her hands.
"Ones a tentontongue, last years version..." Fred smiled.
"And the others a.." George started.
"travelling candle that lights itself." Fred finished.
Hermione put on a brave face and almost started to smile. She had missed the twins, they were always so happy and carefree, hiding under each others safety net. The twins laughed, wandering inside to see who else had arrived. By the time all the r.s.v.p'd former students had arrived, Hermione guessed that they would only just fill half of the Great Hall. So many of her friends and school comrades had been met with untimely deaths due to the last great war against Voldemort.
"So, come on Hermione, show me what a teachers personal rooms looks like." Ginny smiled, racing her up the stairs.
Hermione, taking two steps at a time, beat her by half a jump to the fifth floor and turned to her room. She unlocked her rooms and walked in, not looking at the black crow which sat on her windowsill.
"I'll speak to you later Severus, now piss off." Hermione said, wanting so badly to push him out the window.
When the crow had disappeared, Ginny turned to Hermione, surprised and asked, "Severus? As in Snape? What was he doing here?"
"Long story Ginn... I really don't want to go into it just yet, maybe later in the week." Hermione sighed, looking out the window.
"Sure. These rooms are really nice Herm. Better than the ones I'm staying in for the week." Ginny smiled.
"What rooms did they give you? Weren't they just going to use the dorms for all the guests?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, I've got my old dorm. Not very interesting if you ask me." Ginny scoffed, "So what else is there to do here?"
"Not much really, same as what we did over the holidays that we stayed. Mind you, I wouldn't mind seeing if Malfoy has arrived yet." Hermione mused.
"You want to know if he's arrived? I heard he died in the great war, on You- Know-Who's side." Ginny asked, shocked.
"No, he's not dead. I have a very reliable source that says he's only a figment of what he used to be, but he's still very much alive and supposed to be here for the reunion. He was one of the first to say he was going to be here." Hermione sighed.
"Well, I'm going to see who else I can find. You coming?" Ginny asked, moving for the door.
"I'll be down in a second, just have to do something." Hermione smiled, taking out a leaf of paper from the folder on her desk, the same paper her parents gave her for christmas all those years ago, and started to write a page or two letter, telling them how she was going.
After sending the letter with one of the more trusted owls in the owlery, Hermione joined the rest of the former students in the Great Hall, where it was lunch time. She sat at her old spot near the head of the Gryffindor table, next to Ginny, her eyes trained on the pasty skinned figure across the room.
"That's Draco." Hermione whispered to Ginny, indicating which one she meant.
"No way!" Ginny cried, "It can't be! How do you know?"
"The scar under his cold, grey eyes, the way he stands. And I can smell fuckwit from a mile away." Hermione smiled weakly.
"You can what?!" Ginny laughed, almost spitting out her mouthful.
"Oh, hang on... my fuckwit radar is going off again." Hermione said emotionlessly as Severus strode in through the doors of the Great Hall.
Ginny let out a little burst of laughter before silencing herself, "You really do have something against Snape, don't you?"
"If you knew what he did, then you would to." Hermione replied, hoping her eyes would burn a hole in his cloak and make him go away.
"I'm starting to wish I did." Ginny said, hoping Hermione would give something away.
~~~~
Albus and Minerva had made up a timetable for the week, telling the former students which activities would be on and when. There was a trivia night one night and an awards night on the final night before everyone went home. There was a wizards chess tournament one day and a quidditch match on another. Breakfast every day was between eight and nine am, lunch at midday and dinner was to be served promptly at seven in the evening. There were activities galore and everyone started to chatter as they were handed out at dinner that night. After dinner, there was a muggle movie called 'The Witches of Eastwick' which Albus had chosen from Hermione's own video library.
Hermione sat up the back of the Hall for the movie, trying to avoid everyone she possibly could, so that she could sneak out when she got bored. Having seen the movie more than enough times to be able to recite the whole thing in three different languages, Hermione thought that Albus wouldn't mind if she skipped part of the movie.
When they had all settled in, Hermione quietly crept out, making her way for the front doors of the building to go and get some fresh air.
"Hermione, wait up." someone called to her.
As Hermione turned around, she saw Oliver Wood, former Captain and Keeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team trying to keep up with her. He was here to referee the Quidditch matches that would take place later in the week. Oliver was now Keeper for England and his favourite team Puddlemere United, having made it big in the sport he loved so much. Oliver had obviously filled out since his days as Gryffindor Keeper, no longer standing as the medium build boy with brown hair.
"Hi Oliver, not fond of muggle movies, huh?" Hermione smiled.
"I've seen a few lately, didn't really like them." Oliver chuckled, following Hermione outside.
There was a cool breeze blowing the leaves around, from across the lake. The stars splashed across the dark sky stood out like tiny lightbulbs trying to work together to light up the room that was the earth. It was a perfectly calm setting, which Hermione was going to make sure she enjoyed.
"I hear you've made it pretty big in Quidditch lately. Picked for the England team three times in a row now." Hermione smiled, sitting on the stone bench by the door.
"Yeah, it's not bad for the boy who used to be knocked off his broom by a bludger every game." Oliver smiled, "I take it you're still working here in Muggle Studies?"
Hermione nodded, "Uh-huh. Five years this year, and that's about all there is to say on that subject. There's not really much happening around here now... with Voldemort and Harry both gone."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such a tender subject." Oliver apologised.
"No, it's alright Oliver. I know that Harry will never come back, and there's nothing I can do about it, all I can do is get on with my life. Mind you, we do have another Malfoy in the making. All she needs is the surname and she could be one." Hermione smiled.
"Life Hermione? You don't have one of those." Severus smiled forcably, as he walked past them and out onto the grass, heading for the darkness of the forest, "Oh, I'll have that Grindleberry you need tomorrow."
Hermione's eyebrows narrowed and she turned away from Severus sharply, "Ignore him Oliver, he's still his usual nasty self, even to me."
"What are you using Grindleberry for? Aren't they only used for one type of potion?" Oliver asked.
"Yeah, any potion regarding vampires. I use the unboiled juice as the scent for a moisturiser though." Hermione smiled.
"I've never thought of using Grindleberry for that." Oliver laughed.
"Most people wouldn't. I spend too much time reading books though." Hermione shrugged.
"You haven't changed a bit since I was a school." Oliver smiled.
"I didn't even think you'd noticed me. You were too busy training and playing Quidditch. And then in my third year, you would have been too busy with your Ordinary Wizarding Levels." Hermione remarked, surprised.
"Trust me, I noticed." Oliver nodded, blushing slightly.
Hermione felt her cheeks get warmer, but she knew there would be no colour change in them. She put her hand to Olivers and smiled, "Well, atleast I know I wasn't alone then."
"Wow, your hands are really cold." Oliver said, shocked, as he tried to warm them up, "Maybe we should go inside before you catch a cold."
"Yeah, that might be a good idea." Hermione smiled, although she knew that inside, her body temperature would be much the same.
They walked into the large front room of the building, stopping by the closed doors to the Great Hall and before they slipping back inside, Oliver looked up and laughed quietly.
"What's funny?" Hermione asked, looking upwards.
"Above the door, see the mistletoe?" Oliver smiled.
"But it's not christmas..." Hermione said, puzzled.
"Someone left it there most likely, to catch people off guard." Oliver replied.
"Better keep with tradition then." Hermione shrugged, leaning towards him.
It had been so long since Hermione had kissed another that she thought she might have forgotten, but the second that Oliver's lips touched hers, it was like riding a bicycle and came back to her in that instant. Their bodies came closer as they kissed, almost touching. Hermione could feel the warmth flowing off Oliver, surrounding her. Their tongues brushed against each other, intermingling with the sudden passion they had found.
The heavy steps up the stone stairs outside broke them apart and they slipped inside, not wanting whoever it was to see them. Normally, Oliver wouldn't have minded, but he didn't want Snape coming back to find them in each others arms so that he could berate Hermione more about whatever he could find out about her.
~~~~
The next day, Hermione rose early, just as the first rays of sunlight had started to peak over the horizon. She had a long and relaxing shower, coming out from the bathroom in only a towel and there on her windowsill sat the black crow. Ignoring him with all the effort she had, Hermione dressed herself slowly, almost to tease him about not being able to have any of it before turning her attention to him. By then, he had reverted back to his normal form.
"That was cruel Hermione." Severus said emotionlessly.
"Yes well, peeking tom's like you should be treated cruelly." Hermione sneered, "Now get the fuck out of my room before I make you something a little more useful."
"Like a life-size clone of pretty-boy Wood?" Severus asked snidely.
"We were only talking Severus, but what are you getting all jealous for?" Hermione asked.
"My senses are as good as yours Hermione. I smelt your scent last night. You like him, don't you?" Severus asked.
"My life, or unlife as you might call it, is my business. It's not my fault I am this way, and I may never get another chance to meet someone. I'm not going to stay alone the rest of my life like yourself." Hermione explained, "Now get the fuck out of my room Severus."
"Well then, I wish you and pretty-boy a good unlife together then, pity he's not going to like it when you tell him why you really need Grindleberries and why you mix them with some other herbs and about a pint of blood, then inject it into your veins, or when he realises that you are forever cold. It's all going to lead to one thing, and he will figure it out Hermione, don't doubt that he will." Severus said coldly.
Hermione was just staring at him. There was still that thing about him that she couldn't shield herself from, and it wasn't the alluring of the vampiric side, because she was one, and it wouldn't work on her. Severus could still melt her heart if she wasn't expecting it. The baratone voice, so harsh in it's words, the way every syllable spoken had it's own rounded tone. Hermione could feel her knees going weak and the butterflies in her stomach growing wings. She needed her shot soon, otherwise she'd go insane.
"Hermione? Are you alright?" Severus asked, looking suddenly worried. There was no doubt that he still cared greatly for her.
"Yeah, fine. Need my shot though." Hermione muttered, stumbling to her bed and pulling a pre-mixed needle from the top drawer of the bedside table.
After she had injected the serum, she lay back on the bed, trying to focus her vision. She saw Severus sit beside her on the bed, looking awfully scared.
"Hermione, we aren't due for a shot for atleast another four days, what is going on? What aren't you telling me?" Severus asked.
"It's not working as well as it used to, but there are a lot of things I'm not telling you. Leave me alone and let me live my own miserable life." Hermione groaned.
"How often do you have to take it before the bloodlust takes you?" Severus asked.
"Every morning, around this time, or when I wake up." Hermione admitted.
"So, when you asked me if we could become immune to it, you were actually asking through experience?" Severus asked.
"Pretty much, but that was before I started to realise what a selfish prick you are." Hermione replied, starting to sit up slowly.
"I have a stronger dosage of the serum if you want it, I've been working on it for awhile. The potion takes a little longer to brew and a few more ingredients, but it works." Severus suggested, ignoring Hermione's comment.
"Let me go a little longer on this one, until I finish what I have. If you can have enough for me in about three weeks, then I'll go onto it." Hermione said, "I'm sick of shooting up every morning, I'm starting to feel like a muggle junkie."
"A muggle junkie?" Severus asked, never having heard of one.
"Don't worry Severus, it's a long story, and not one I have time for. I want to watch some of the chess being played today." Hermione sighed, going to leave her room, "And I'd like you out of my room and my personal belongings as well, so come on."
Severus, worried about the fact that she was technically overdosing on the serum and that it wasn't helping her much, and also surprised by the fact that she had been so open with him during the situation, followed her without another thought, straight out the room and down to the Great Hall, where they both ate breakfast at different tables.
Hermione ate alone, surrounded by the confusion in her lack of strength by telling Severus the problems she was having with the potion. She never thought that she would have done such a thing, but the sudden scare of needing the serum must have made her vunerable.
~~~~
Outside in the sunshine, nine wizard chess sets had been laid out on small tables, with a seat on either side. Each of these sets had been put under a no-cheating spell, and therefore eliminated the need for umpires or referees. There was a few seats nearby each table for the spectators and some nibblies on a table near the edge of the courtyard.
There would be three rounds today, three tomorrow and three on the last day. Three people would be eliminated today, with each game taking about one to two hours to finish. They were in for a long day, but it wasn't compulsory to be there or take part, so if you wanted to go away and come back later, you could without any problems.
Hermione entered the courtyard quietly, it was empty, save for the few house elves who were putting the finishing touches on the refreshments table. Dobby was one of these, and he ran over to her excitedly.
"Hermione, are you going to compete today?" Dobby asked, "Dobby would so like to see you play."
"No Dobby, I'm no good at playing this." Hermione smiled, "Are you going to stay to watch?"
"Oh, Dobby wishes he could, but he is needed in the kitchen to help prepare lunch and in the laundry to do washing for the many wizards and witches who are staying here at this time. Maybe if Dobby does his work extra fast, Albus Dumbledore will allow Dobby to watch a game or two." Dobby squealed excitedly.
"How about I ask Albus, if you can watch the last two games, would you like that?" Hermione asked.
"Oh yes Hermione, Dobby would like that very much!" Dobby smiled, clapping his hands together happily.
"Well then. I'll come to the kitchen after lunch and tell you if you can." Hermione smiled.
"Thankyou Hermione, but now, Dobby must do something nice for you. Oh!" Dobby cried, "Dobby knows what he can do. Dobby has some inside secrets regarding the masked ball in three nights time. Dobby will leave a note in your room with them."
"Well, thankyou Dobby, that will be wonderful." Hermione smiled, "I had best be off, I have things to do before the competition starts."
"Goodbye Hermione." Dobby smiled in his elfish way as he turned back to the refreshments table.
Hermione was feeling better already. Serverus had been wiped from her mind by the meeting with Dobby and just as she was walking steadily up the stairs to go back to her room for a bit of quiet, she heard someone calling her name.
Oliver came up behind her before she could turn around and placed his hands over her eyes, leaning in close to her ear, warm breath trickling down her neck and whispered, "Guess who?"
"I don't know, but he's going to follow me to my room." Hermione smiled, knowing who it was.
They reached her room without further interuption and Oliver closed the door behind them, making sure no one saw them come in, incase they decided to burst into the room. Hermione turned around infront of him and gently pushing him up against the door, kissed him fully. When she finally ran out of breath, Oliver had too, although it looked to Hermione like he had enjoyed himself, because as soon as they both got their breath back, he kissed her again, slowly walking her backwards to her bed. Hermione sat on the bed, Oliver leant over her as they kissed more passionately, their tongues twisting and saliva intermingling.
Oliver helped Hermione to get further onto the bed and pounced, it had been a long time since he had even had the opportunity to do something like this too, especially with someone he felt for so deeply and had for a long time. Nuzzling at her earlobe, he breathed heavily, masaging it between his lips and sucking gently, he could feel her body heaving beneath him, experiencing every moment.
Hermione wasn't expecting Oliver to move this fast, but it didn't worry her, she knew that soon he would run away because there was no hiding what she was. Thin fingers undid his shirt, spreading it to each side. His skin was cold, not as cold as hers, but still, colder than any normal humans would have been. Hermione pulled her earlobe away from him, bringing her lips to his and kissing him firmly. She could feel his fingers hitching up the sides of her skirt and pressing into her with his hips, grinding against her. They moved to unbutton her tight shirt, stopping occasionally to grope at her breast and return to fighting with the buttons. Eventually when the shirt was fully undone, pulling away from her lips, he took to the breast like a hungry beast, teasing and tasting.
Hermione thought he must have gotten bored, because soon he was shuffling down, kissing each time he moved to keep his balance. When he got to her thighs, he gently kissed, the stubble on his chin tickling her skin. She jerked suddenly and instinctively, giggling like a school girl as he did it again just to get the response.
Oliver lifted her black lace panties and pushed them to one side, his tongue touching the skin between her legs carefully at first before he found her clitoris and started to nibble on it. Hermione moaned, one hand moving to caress his head as she started to feel alive. He nibbled a little longer, bringing longer and different toned moans of delight from Hermione. A single cold finger played at the edge to her hole, teasing her as he played. When he thought she had had enough, he stopped, making her look at him in surprise as he smiled mischeivously.
She lay on the bed panting wildly, not wanting him to stop, but having no control over him. Her eyes closed long enough from him to remove his pants and touch the edge with the tip before entering her suddenly and bringing his cool body closer to her. They kissed slowly as their hips ground, until they both silently agreed that there was no holding back anymore and Oliver started to pound his hips faster to hers. The movement between her legs, was almost too much for Hermione, she could feel the passage starting to get moist and tighten as he moved inside her, and then she could think of nothing more.
~~~~
Draco, feeling more like himself now that Severus had weened him back onto the serum, sat in the Great Hall alone, wondering what Hermione was doing at that moment, but not sure he really wanted to know. He knew that his father had a hold over Hermione, and that it wasn't a magical one, so knowing Draco's recent luck with women, the two of them were most likely having it out in one of their personal rooms. After he had seen Hermione, the day after Severus and Sirius had found him lying in a puddle of mud, weak as a newborn baby and twice as upset, Draco had realised that the relationship between Hermione and his father was no where near what he had thought it would be. They fought, violently infront of him, as though there was no one in the room.
He had wasted most of the last five years by doing nothing and living off his inheritance, which he recieved when Lucius Malfoy died. Although Draco had used all the serum that he had and couldn't get back to Severus or Hermione in time to stop the bloodlust, he knew that he hadn't killed a single human being, preferring to live off the animals in the area. When he reached Hogwarts, Draco walked straight into the Forbidden Forest and started to feed on the closest moving thing. He knew that Severus would find him and know what to do.
Draco shook Hermione and his father from his mind, hoping never to think of them again. Maybe he would take the place on the Governor's table reserved for Malfoys and make their lives hell? It wouldn't be too hard, just be his old snide self, something he hadn't done in about five years, but it was easy enough to get back into, maybe he could become more powerful than his father and mother put together, and that little mudblood Granger. She was the worst of the lot, she had taken his heart and presented it to his biological father on a silver platter with a nice big note saying 'I killed your illegitimite son.'. His veela half had him set to lure in a nice young woman that would do anything for him, and if she threatened to tell, his vampiric half could kill her with one bite.
Maybe he could just kill the two of them and have it over and done with quicker?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: Read and Review please, tell me what you think! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Love and Other Passions - Chapter Six - A Reunion, Of Sorts.
Ginny ran up the stairs to Hermione's waiting arms, hugging her tightly. They had so little to talk about, but it had been so long. It was obvious to Hermione that Ginny still held scars of Harry's death, and promptly, hadn't gotten out and about in the last few years. Fred and George came with her, each holding out a joke from their shop, which Harry had helped start.
"What are these?" Hermione asked, looking at her hands.
"Ones a tentontongue, last years version..." Fred smiled.
"And the others a.." George started.
"travelling candle that lights itself." Fred finished.
Hermione put on a brave face and almost started to smile. She had missed the twins, they were always so happy and carefree, hiding under each others safety net. The twins laughed, wandering inside to see who else had arrived. By the time all the r.s.v.p'd former students had arrived, Hermione guessed that they would only just fill half of the Great Hall. So many of her friends and school comrades had been met with untimely deaths due to the last great war against Voldemort.
"So, come on Hermione, show me what a teachers personal rooms looks like." Ginny smiled, racing her up the stairs.
Hermione, taking two steps at a time, beat her by half a jump to the fifth floor and turned to her room. She unlocked her rooms and walked in, not looking at the black crow which sat on her windowsill.
"I'll speak to you later Severus, now piss off." Hermione said, wanting so badly to push him out the window.
When the crow had disappeared, Ginny turned to Hermione, surprised and asked, "Severus? As in Snape? What was he doing here?"
"Long story Ginn... I really don't want to go into it just yet, maybe later in the week." Hermione sighed, looking out the window.
"Sure. These rooms are really nice Herm. Better than the ones I'm staying in for the week." Ginny smiled.
"What rooms did they give you? Weren't they just going to use the dorms for all the guests?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, I've got my old dorm. Not very interesting if you ask me." Ginny scoffed, "So what else is there to do here?"
"Not much really, same as what we did over the holidays that we stayed. Mind you, I wouldn't mind seeing if Malfoy has arrived yet." Hermione mused.
"You want to know if he's arrived? I heard he died in the great war, on You- Know-Who's side." Ginny asked, shocked.
"No, he's not dead. I have a very reliable source that says he's only a figment of what he used to be, but he's still very much alive and supposed to be here for the reunion. He was one of the first to say he was going to be here." Hermione sighed.
"Well, I'm going to see who else I can find. You coming?" Ginny asked, moving for the door.
"I'll be down in a second, just have to do something." Hermione smiled, taking out a leaf of paper from the folder on her desk, the same paper her parents gave her for christmas all those years ago, and started to write a page or two letter, telling them how she was going.
After sending the letter with one of the more trusted owls in the owlery, Hermione joined the rest of the former students in the Great Hall, where it was lunch time. She sat at her old spot near the head of the Gryffindor table, next to Ginny, her eyes trained on the pasty skinned figure across the room.
"That's Draco." Hermione whispered to Ginny, indicating which one she meant.
"No way!" Ginny cried, "It can't be! How do you know?"
"The scar under his cold, grey eyes, the way he stands. And I can smell fuckwit from a mile away." Hermione smiled weakly.
"You can what?!" Ginny laughed, almost spitting out her mouthful.
"Oh, hang on... my fuckwit radar is going off again." Hermione said emotionlessly as Severus strode in through the doors of the Great Hall.
Ginny let out a little burst of laughter before silencing herself, "You really do have something against Snape, don't you?"
"If you knew what he did, then you would to." Hermione replied, hoping her eyes would burn a hole in his cloak and make him go away.
"I'm starting to wish I did." Ginny said, hoping Hermione would give something away.
~~~~
Albus and Minerva had made up a timetable for the week, telling the former students which activities would be on and when. There was a trivia night one night and an awards night on the final night before everyone went home. There was a wizards chess tournament one day and a quidditch match on another. Breakfast every day was between eight and nine am, lunch at midday and dinner was to be served promptly at seven in the evening. There were activities galore and everyone started to chatter as they were handed out at dinner that night. After dinner, there was a muggle movie called 'The Witches of Eastwick' which Albus had chosen from Hermione's own video library.
Hermione sat up the back of the Hall for the movie, trying to avoid everyone she possibly could, so that she could sneak out when she got bored. Having seen the movie more than enough times to be able to recite the whole thing in three different languages, Hermione thought that Albus wouldn't mind if she skipped part of the movie.
When they had all settled in, Hermione quietly crept out, making her way for the front doors of the building to go and get some fresh air.
"Hermione, wait up." someone called to her.
As Hermione turned around, she saw Oliver Wood, former Captain and Keeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team trying to keep up with her. He was here to referee the Quidditch matches that would take place later in the week. Oliver was now Keeper for England and his favourite team Puddlemere United, having made it big in the sport he loved so much. Oliver had obviously filled out since his days as Gryffindor Keeper, no longer standing as the medium build boy with brown hair.
"Hi Oliver, not fond of muggle movies, huh?" Hermione smiled.
"I've seen a few lately, didn't really like them." Oliver chuckled, following Hermione outside.
There was a cool breeze blowing the leaves around, from across the lake. The stars splashed across the dark sky stood out like tiny lightbulbs trying to work together to light up the room that was the earth. It was a perfectly calm setting, which Hermione was going to make sure she enjoyed.
"I hear you've made it pretty big in Quidditch lately. Picked for the England team three times in a row now." Hermione smiled, sitting on the stone bench by the door.
"Yeah, it's not bad for the boy who used to be knocked off his broom by a bludger every game." Oliver smiled, "I take it you're still working here in Muggle Studies?"
Hermione nodded, "Uh-huh. Five years this year, and that's about all there is to say on that subject. There's not really much happening around here now... with Voldemort and Harry both gone."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such a tender subject." Oliver apologised.
"No, it's alright Oliver. I know that Harry will never come back, and there's nothing I can do about it, all I can do is get on with my life. Mind you, we do have another Malfoy in the making. All she needs is the surname and she could be one." Hermione smiled.
"Life Hermione? You don't have one of those." Severus smiled forcably, as he walked past them and out onto the grass, heading for the darkness of the forest, "Oh, I'll have that Grindleberry you need tomorrow."
Hermione's eyebrows narrowed and she turned away from Severus sharply, "Ignore him Oliver, he's still his usual nasty self, even to me."
"What are you using Grindleberry for? Aren't they only used for one type of potion?" Oliver asked.
"Yeah, any potion regarding vampires. I use the unboiled juice as the scent for a moisturiser though." Hermione smiled.
"I've never thought of using Grindleberry for that." Oliver laughed.
"Most people wouldn't. I spend too much time reading books though." Hermione shrugged.
"You haven't changed a bit since I was a school." Oliver smiled.
"I didn't even think you'd noticed me. You were too busy training and playing Quidditch. And then in my third year, you would have been too busy with your Ordinary Wizarding Levels." Hermione remarked, surprised.
"Trust me, I noticed." Oliver nodded, blushing slightly.
Hermione felt her cheeks get warmer, but she knew there would be no colour change in them. She put her hand to Olivers and smiled, "Well, atleast I know I wasn't alone then."
"Wow, your hands are really cold." Oliver said, shocked, as he tried to warm them up, "Maybe we should go inside before you catch a cold."
"Yeah, that might be a good idea." Hermione smiled, although she knew that inside, her body temperature would be much the same.
They walked into the large front room of the building, stopping by the closed doors to the Great Hall and before they slipping back inside, Oliver looked up and laughed quietly.
"What's funny?" Hermione asked, looking upwards.
"Above the door, see the mistletoe?" Oliver smiled.
"But it's not christmas..." Hermione said, puzzled.
"Someone left it there most likely, to catch people off guard." Oliver replied.
"Better keep with tradition then." Hermione shrugged, leaning towards him.
It had been so long since Hermione had kissed another that she thought she might have forgotten, but the second that Oliver's lips touched hers, it was like riding a bicycle and came back to her in that instant. Their bodies came closer as they kissed, almost touching. Hermione could feel the warmth flowing off Oliver, surrounding her. Their tongues brushed against each other, intermingling with the sudden passion they had found.
The heavy steps up the stone stairs outside broke them apart and they slipped inside, not wanting whoever it was to see them. Normally, Oliver wouldn't have minded, but he didn't want Snape coming back to find them in each others arms so that he could berate Hermione more about whatever he could find out about her.
~~~~
The next day, Hermione rose early, just as the first rays of sunlight had started to peak over the horizon. She had a long and relaxing shower, coming out from the bathroom in only a towel and there on her windowsill sat the black crow. Ignoring him with all the effort she had, Hermione dressed herself slowly, almost to tease him about not being able to have any of it before turning her attention to him. By then, he had reverted back to his normal form.
"That was cruel Hermione." Severus said emotionlessly.
"Yes well, peeking tom's like you should be treated cruelly." Hermione sneered, "Now get the fuck out of my room before I make you something a little more useful."
"Like a life-size clone of pretty-boy Wood?" Severus asked snidely.
"We were only talking Severus, but what are you getting all jealous for?" Hermione asked.
"My senses are as good as yours Hermione. I smelt your scent last night. You like him, don't you?" Severus asked.
"My life, or unlife as you might call it, is my business. It's not my fault I am this way, and I may never get another chance to meet someone. I'm not going to stay alone the rest of my life like yourself." Hermione explained, "Now get the fuck out of my room Severus."
"Well then, I wish you and pretty-boy a good unlife together then, pity he's not going to like it when you tell him why you really need Grindleberries and why you mix them with some other herbs and about a pint of blood, then inject it into your veins, or when he realises that you are forever cold. It's all going to lead to one thing, and he will figure it out Hermione, don't doubt that he will." Severus said coldly.
Hermione was just staring at him. There was still that thing about him that she couldn't shield herself from, and it wasn't the alluring of the vampiric side, because she was one, and it wouldn't work on her. Severus could still melt her heart if she wasn't expecting it. The baratone voice, so harsh in it's words, the way every syllable spoken had it's own rounded tone. Hermione could feel her knees going weak and the butterflies in her stomach growing wings. She needed her shot soon, otherwise she'd go insane.
"Hermione? Are you alright?" Severus asked, looking suddenly worried. There was no doubt that he still cared greatly for her.
"Yeah, fine. Need my shot though." Hermione muttered, stumbling to her bed and pulling a pre-mixed needle from the top drawer of the bedside table.
After she had injected the serum, she lay back on the bed, trying to focus her vision. She saw Severus sit beside her on the bed, looking awfully scared.
"Hermione, we aren't due for a shot for atleast another four days, what is going on? What aren't you telling me?" Severus asked.
"It's not working as well as it used to, but there are a lot of things I'm not telling you. Leave me alone and let me live my own miserable life." Hermione groaned.
"How often do you have to take it before the bloodlust takes you?" Severus asked.
"Every morning, around this time, or when I wake up." Hermione admitted.
"So, when you asked me if we could become immune to it, you were actually asking through experience?" Severus asked.
"Pretty much, but that was before I started to realise what a selfish prick you are." Hermione replied, starting to sit up slowly.
"I have a stronger dosage of the serum if you want it, I've been working on it for awhile. The potion takes a little longer to brew and a few more ingredients, but it works." Severus suggested, ignoring Hermione's comment.
"Let me go a little longer on this one, until I finish what I have. If you can have enough for me in about three weeks, then I'll go onto it." Hermione said, "I'm sick of shooting up every morning, I'm starting to feel like a muggle junkie."
"A muggle junkie?" Severus asked, never having heard of one.
"Don't worry Severus, it's a long story, and not one I have time for. I want to watch some of the chess being played today." Hermione sighed, going to leave her room, "And I'd like you out of my room and my personal belongings as well, so come on."
Severus, worried about the fact that she was technically overdosing on the serum and that it wasn't helping her much, and also surprised by the fact that she had been so open with him during the situation, followed her without another thought, straight out the room and down to the Great Hall, where they both ate breakfast at different tables.
Hermione ate alone, surrounded by the confusion in her lack of strength by telling Severus the problems she was having with the potion. She never thought that she would have done such a thing, but the sudden scare of needing the serum must have made her vunerable.
~~~~
Outside in the sunshine, nine wizard chess sets had been laid out on small tables, with a seat on either side. Each of these sets had been put under a no-cheating spell, and therefore eliminated the need for umpires or referees. There was a few seats nearby each table for the spectators and some nibblies on a table near the edge of the courtyard.
There would be three rounds today, three tomorrow and three on the last day. Three people would be eliminated today, with each game taking about one to two hours to finish. They were in for a long day, but it wasn't compulsory to be there or take part, so if you wanted to go away and come back later, you could without any problems.
Hermione entered the courtyard quietly, it was empty, save for the few house elves who were putting the finishing touches on the refreshments table. Dobby was one of these, and he ran over to her excitedly.
"Hermione, are you going to compete today?" Dobby asked, "Dobby would so like to see you play."
"No Dobby, I'm no good at playing this." Hermione smiled, "Are you going to stay to watch?"
"Oh, Dobby wishes he could, but he is needed in the kitchen to help prepare lunch and in the laundry to do washing for the many wizards and witches who are staying here at this time. Maybe if Dobby does his work extra fast, Albus Dumbledore will allow Dobby to watch a game or two." Dobby squealed excitedly.
"How about I ask Albus, if you can watch the last two games, would you like that?" Hermione asked.
"Oh yes Hermione, Dobby would like that very much!" Dobby smiled, clapping his hands together happily.
"Well then. I'll come to the kitchen after lunch and tell you if you can." Hermione smiled.
"Thankyou Hermione, but now, Dobby must do something nice for you. Oh!" Dobby cried, "Dobby knows what he can do. Dobby has some inside secrets regarding the masked ball in three nights time. Dobby will leave a note in your room with them."
"Well, thankyou Dobby, that will be wonderful." Hermione smiled, "I had best be off, I have things to do before the competition starts."
"Goodbye Hermione." Dobby smiled in his elfish way as he turned back to the refreshments table.
Hermione was feeling better already. Serverus had been wiped from her mind by the meeting with Dobby and just as she was walking steadily up the stairs to go back to her room for a bit of quiet, she heard someone calling her name.
Oliver came up behind her before she could turn around and placed his hands over her eyes, leaning in close to her ear, warm breath trickling down her neck and whispered, "Guess who?"
"I don't know, but he's going to follow me to my room." Hermione smiled, knowing who it was.
They reached her room without further interuption and Oliver closed the door behind them, making sure no one saw them come in, incase they decided to burst into the room. Hermione turned around infront of him and gently pushing him up against the door, kissed him fully. When she finally ran out of breath, Oliver had too, although it looked to Hermione like he had enjoyed himself, because as soon as they both got their breath back, he kissed her again, slowly walking her backwards to her bed. Hermione sat on the bed, Oliver leant over her as they kissed more passionately, their tongues twisting and saliva intermingling.
Oliver helped Hermione to get further onto the bed and pounced, it had been a long time since he had even had the opportunity to do something like this too, especially with someone he felt for so deeply and had for a long time. Nuzzling at her earlobe, he breathed heavily, masaging it between his lips and sucking gently, he could feel her body heaving beneath him, experiencing every moment.
Hermione wasn't expecting Oliver to move this fast, but it didn't worry her, she knew that soon he would run away because there was no hiding what she was. Thin fingers undid his shirt, spreading it to each side. His skin was cold, not as cold as hers, but still, colder than any normal humans would have been. Hermione pulled her earlobe away from him, bringing her lips to his and kissing him firmly. She could feel his fingers hitching up the sides of her skirt and pressing into her with his hips, grinding against her. They moved to unbutton her tight shirt, stopping occasionally to grope at her breast and return to fighting with the buttons. Eventually when the shirt was fully undone, pulling away from her lips, he took to the breast like a hungry beast, teasing and tasting.
Hermione thought he must have gotten bored, because soon he was shuffling down, kissing each time he moved to keep his balance. When he got to her thighs, he gently kissed, the stubble on his chin tickling her skin. She jerked suddenly and instinctively, giggling like a school girl as he did it again just to get the response.
Oliver lifted her black lace panties and pushed them to one side, his tongue touching the skin between her legs carefully at first before he found her clitoris and started to nibble on it. Hermione moaned, one hand moving to caress his head as she started to feel alive. He nibbled a little longer, bringing longer and different toned moans of delight from Hermione. A single cold finger played at the edge to her hole, teasing her as he played. When he thought she had had enough, he stopped, making her look at him in surprise as he smiled mischeivously.
She lay on the bed panting wildly, not wanting him to stop, but having no control over him. Her eyes closed long enough from him to remove his pants and touch the edge with the tip before entering her suddenly and bringing his cool body closer to her. They kissed slowly as their hips ground, until they both silently agreed that there was no holding back anymore and Oliver started to pound his hips faster to hers. The movement between her legs, was almost too much for Hermione, she could feel the passage starting to get moist and tighten as he moved inside her, and then she could think of nothing more.
~~~~
Draco, feeling more like himself now that Severus had weened him back onto the serum, sat in the Great Hall alone, wondering what Hermione was doing at that moment, but not sure he really wanted to know. He knew that his father had a hold over Hermione, and that it wasn't a magical one, so knowing Draco's recent luck with women, the two of them were most likely having it out in one of their personal rooms. After he had seen Hermione, the day after Severus and Sirius had found him lying in a puddle of mud, weak as a newborn baby and twice as upset, Draco had realised that the relationship between Hermione and his father was no where near what he had thought it would be. They fought, violently infront of him, as though there was no one in the room.
He had wasted most of the last five years by doing nothing and living off his inheritance, which he recieved when Lucius Malfoy died. Although Draco had used all the serum that he had and couldn't get back to Severus or Hermione in time to stop the bloodlust, he knew that he hadn't killed a single human being, preferring to live off the animals in the area. When he reached Hogwarts, Draco walked straight into the Forbidden Forest and started to feed on the closest moving thing. He knew that Severus would find him and know what to do.
Draco shook Hermione and his father from his mind, hoping never to think of them again. Maybe he would take the place on the Governor's table reserved for Malfoys and make their lives hell? It wouldn't be too hard, just be his old snide self, something he hadn't done in about five years, but it was easy enough to get back into, maybe he could become more powerful than his father and mother put together, and that little mudblood Granger. She was the worst of the lot, she had taken his heart and presented it to his biological father on a silver platter with a nice big note saying 'I killed your illegitimite son.'. His veela half had him set to lure in a nice young woman that would do anything for him, and if she threatened to tell, his vampiric half could kill her with one bite.
Maybe he could just kill the two of them and have it over and done with quicker?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: Read and Review please, tell me what you think! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
