Title – Black Blood

Author – Akasha (crazygirl8639467aol.com)

Pairing(s) – Harry/OC, Ron/Hermione, Draco/Pansy, implied Draco/Snape

Disclaimer – Alas I own nothing, least of all the rights to the characters of this story.

Rating – R

Summary –In response to SilverFireFox's "new girl" challenge on AFF.net

Secrets and lies abound when a new arrival at Hogwarts catches the attention of one Golden Boy, it's only natural that the Potter Fan Club won't be happy with said new girl.

Categories – romance/humour

Feedback – Sure, why not.

By the time the morning came around Ron was hoarse from apologising to Hermione through the thick oak door of her new private room. Harry had to admire his persistence, he would have given up sometime after the first hour, but Ron had been there all night.

"You coming down for breakfast?" Harry asked, dropping down to sit in a chair nearest to Hermione's door. Ron was slumped against the door and looked up at his best friend bleary eyed.

"Sorry, mate. I'm going to wait for-" Ron was cut off as the door opened and her fell backwards. Hermione strategically stepped to the side, quick enough to avoid Ron falling on her feet. She looked down at her boyfriend,

"Do get up" she sighed, then looked to her friend sitting on the chair "morning Harry." Harry nodded and bit into an apple, Ron wondered where he got the apple from, but decidedly changed his thoughts when he realised that from his position on the floor her could see right up Hermione's robes.

"Naw I'm fine here thanks" he replied with a coy smile. That earned him a light kick in the side. "What?" he asked undignified, gently touching his side "it's not like I got to see last night, is it?" That earned him a hard kick in the side.

Harry was laughing in the chair, his legs thrown over the side casually.

"Ron, I mean this in the nicest way, learn when to stop!" Harry grinned, and then took another bite out of his apple. Hermione looked at the redheaded Gryfindor and nodded. Ron shrugged reluctantly and allowed himself to be helped up by his girlfriend.

Hermione entwined her fingers with Ron's and Ron grinned at the show of forgiveness, he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and despite herself, Hermione blushed. Harry made a great show of cheering from his chair. His dark hair falling over his emerald eyes. He pouted.

"I hate my hair" he whined, half jokingly.

"Then you should cut it" Hermione glared, having been telling him to do so for most of the summer,

"Yes mother" Harry giggled and took another bite of his apple.

"Maybe I should cut mine," Ron enquired, fingering the locks that where now just touching his shoulders.

"No" Hermione said a little to forcefully, spinning around to face Ron, when she saw both boys raising an eyebrow at her quizzically she added sheepishly "I like your hair long".

Ron laughed.

Harry snorted.

Hermione shrugged.

"So breakfast?" Ron said, just now acknowledging his growling stomach,

Harry was about to open his mouth to agree with his friend when the sound of high-pitched giggled came from the stairs that led up to the girls dorms. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were making their way down the stairs. Both had their arms linked through a very confused looking blonde girl.

Hermione could not help but smile, Mercedes looked terrified. The two girls were giggling inanely and the French girl did not know whether to laugh or cry by the look on her face. Ron and Harry turned to look at her, and Hermione could not stop herself rolling her eyes.

"Good morning" Hermione threw at the newest Gryfindor; her brown eyes snapped up and connected pleadingly with the head girl. Smiling cheerfully Hermione beckoned her over, Parvati and Lavender stopped giggling and told Mercedes they'd meet her at breakfast. Mercedes nodded unsurely and walked over to Hermione, Ron and Harry.

As soon as the other two Gryfindor's (who had resumed their giggling) where out of ear shot the former Beauxbatons student smiled gratefully at Hermione,

"Thank you, they've been like zat all night" standing awkwardly next to the frizzy-haired girl Mercedes smiled her welcome at Ron who grinned back.

"I remember I had to share a room with them for six years" Hermione sighed,"Oh" she looked at Harry who was looking at her expectantly "Mercedes this is Harry, Harry, Mercedes."

"Hullo" Harry smiled, frowning at his finished apple,

"'ello" Mercedes smiled back timidly. Hermione once again felt sympathy for the new girl, she did not seem the type who was usually shy and Hermione vowed to bring the girl out of her shell. It also had nothing to do with the fact that Hermione hoped Mercedes could help her improve her French.

"So, would you like to come to breakfast with us?" Ron offered, Hermione squeezed his hand slightly in a show of gratitude.

"Of course" she smirked playfully "it's either you three or" she didn't need to finish her sentence, she merely inclined her head towards the door.
When they got down to the Great Hall Hermione strategically sat Mercedes next to herself, and Ron and Harry opposite them. Hermione could not deny that she was somewhat intrigued at the fact that she may have a girl to talk to. She loved Ron and Harry like her brothers, but sometimes merely having boys to talk to was very grating. For the past six years, she had made to with the other giggling girls of Gryfindor, but now finding someone else that found their giggling as annoying as her, made her feel less alone.

"What's first lesson?" Ron asked through a mouthful of food,

"Potions" Harry replied, in the same state at his best friend. Hermione frowned at the two and Mercedes tried to stop her lips quirking up at the silent disapproval Hermione was sending at the two in waves.

Mercedes picked at a dry piece of toast,

"You okay?" Hermione asked, filling her own plate carefully,

"Yes, thank you. I never usually eat breakfast," the blonde explained. Looking at the baffled expression on Hermione's face, she continued "well, me and my friends used to just grab a drink from ze kitchens and zen we would spend ze hour in ze library". Hermione dropped her spoon.

"Really?" the head girl attempted nonchalance, Ron and Harry exchanged looks, and Ron made a joke under his breath about Hermione leaving him for Mercedes. Hermione did not hear it but Harry got their attention when he let out a snort of laughter. Shrugging at the girls her went back to his food.

Unfortunately, that's when the rest of the Gryfindor's started piling into the Hall and started noticing Mercedes. After an endless tirade of questions, that Hermione disapproved of they headed down to potions.

As much as she disapproved Hermione at least now knew some extra things about her new friend, she had a younger sister named Claudiá who sixteen and would be starting Hogwarts in the Christmas term because she had important exams that she had to stay at Beauxbatons for. Her father had been a very high up member of the French Ministry of Magic, but had now transferred to the British Ministry. Her mother had taught in Beauxbatons for seven years. However, a slight blush had answered the rest of the questions from the boys and eventually Hermione had decided to rescue her new friend.

Walking down to potions Hermione wondered just how put out her boyfriend would be if she changed partners for the day,

"Ron?" Hermione asked gently, he was on the left side of her while Mercedes was on the right, Harry was on the other side of Ron,

"Yeah?" he asked, still finishing off the bacon sandwich he had created at breakfast,

"I was thinking maybe I could work with Mercedes in potions" Hermione offered, Mercedes raised an eyebrow. Ron stopped and cast a hurtful look towards his girlfriend,

"But we always work together?" he looked at her, pulling her hand so she had to stop too. Mercedes and Harry looked at each other, a couple of paces in front of the bickering couple and both looked lost,

"But – Mercedes needs somebody who can show her the ropes, Ron. You know how Snape'll be extra hard on her because she's a) new and b) sorted into Gryfindor," Hermione argued.

Mercedes looked at Harry,

"So is Snape bad?" she asked, looking away from the argument and ahead into the corridor, she heard Harry shrug,

"More an asshole than anything else really, a greasy git who has nothing else to do with his time" he explained, looking apologetic on behalf of his friends "they do this all the time, you get used to it"

"Really?" she smiled, "because you seem so used to it!" Harry grinned,

"Naw, I just feel bad for you, usually I just go on ahead" Harry looked down the corridor and then looked back "hey, they're going to be at this for a while, want to just walk with me to class?"

"Sure" she agreed and the two made their way to the dungeons.
-Notes-

Well – I'm glad at least a few of you liked it. I'm not really used to het at all and it feels weird. If any of you start to feel a Hermione/Mercedes undertone, I'm really sorry and please inform me so I can rectify it at once.

The reason I'm responding to the challenge at all is because me friend said I should expand my writing so we did this thing where we both choose a challenge for the other.

It's also my first challenge.

Go me!

To my reviewers, thank you. I was actually going to resign from the challenge. Eventually this will be posted as one long chapter, but I like having feedback as I go! Selfish of me yes, but oh well.

Keeper Darius – not exactly the couch as you can see.... hehe, glad you like it.

BloodRedSword – soon enough?

The Vampire Story Hunter – aa.net, is actually a mistake on my part. I actually meant, AFF.net which is (Adult Fan Fiction.net) another fanfiction site specifically designed for R and NC-17 fictions. I've changed it.