Chapter 18
Hermione lay in her bed, awake. She had been awake for an hour now. She had showered, changed. She was wearing a pale green, thin spaghetti strap top, and a slightly darker pale green, short pleated skirt, with a belt attached, which fastens around the middle. She had some biggish silver hoops in, and was wearing beige high-heeled sandals that had thin straps, which strapped up to her ankles. Her hair was left to hang naturally. (She's had it thinned. So, it's not as bushy. Also she has developed a sense of style.) She had on some natural coloured make up, to highlight her eyes and lips.
She was starring dreamily at the ceiling. Her mind was occupied by the thought of meeting Sifen again. Hermione's thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at the door. She jolted up. Again, Hermione sighed dreamily before walking slowly over to the door. Silently she opened the door .In front of her stood Ginny.
" Hey Hermione. I was wondering...do you have any information on Griswold the Grim? I'm doing an essay on him, and I've got nowhere." Ginny asked enthusiastically. Hermione motioned for her to come in.
" I think I have somewhere." She began to rummage through a huge chest filled with books on almost everything they had studied.
" I got it..." Hermione pulled out a huge book. Satisfied after flicking through a few pages, Hermione passed it to Ginny.
" So...Hermione. What have you been doing lately? I haven't spoken to you for ages." Ginny said scanning the book.
" You know? The usual. Do you want to go down to the Great Hall?" Hermione asked, as shelooked at her reflection in the mirror.
" Oh...I'm sorry I can't. I'm meeting up with Dean. We're going on a 'date'. I just hope Ron doesn't find out. Anyway...I have to finish this before we go." Ginny was smiling so much that Hermione couldn't help but smile herself.She had turned a cute shade of pink.
" Dean...that's so sweet!"
Ginny basically skipped out of the room.
Hermione grabbed a thin beige jacket. She looked at her appearance. Hermione since last night had decided to change. She wanted to be noticed. She had grown up a lot over the holidays. She was into make-up, boys, and romance. She was determined to turn heads. Hermione smiled.
Hermione didn't have to wait long for the boys to come down. Harry and Ron were again engrossed in another fascinating conversation. They eventually stopped in front of Hermione. Ron looked at her. He tapped Harry on the shoulder. Both looked at her outfit. They had their mouths open. They simply stared at her, until she broke into laughter.
" Does it really look that bad?" She asked innocently.
"No...you...look...great." Harry was still staring at her. Ron only began to walk when Hermione pushed him along.
" So...what do you think our detentions will be?" Hermione asked boredly.
" Considering it's Lupin and Sirius, I don't know. They are still mad a bit at us...but that's cause they were worried. But if they give us something too tiresome I have a plan." Both Hermione and Ron looked to Harry curiously. He smiled. " Refuse to talk to them. They wouldn't want that now would they?" Realisation dawnd and Ron and Hermione's faces.
Just as they turned into the charms corridor, Fred and George ran into them.
" Sorry you three. We were just pulling a prank on some Slytherins. It turned out better than we thought. They all still have green hair and orange skin. Of course they naturally still are dancing and singing." Fred was almost running out of breath.
Hermione turned around to see a bunch of Slytherins chasing the twins. The twins also noticed this and continued to run down the hallway. Everyone burst out laughing. To get to the great hall they had to pass through the defence corridor. The three walked unaware down the hall .Planning on ways to get off with a light detention.
" Wouldn't be planning to get off with anything now would we?" Lupin asked, obviously tired. The trio spun around. Behind them was a very grumpy looking Sirius, and a very weary, calm Lupin.
" N...no" Hermione replied nervously. The way the professors looked today worried her. Even Harry and Ron seemed nervous.
" We were just talking about..." Ron stopped.
" About...about..." Harry too looked stumped.
" About what we did yesterday. It's called socialising, with out the social bit. If that makes sense." Hermione said looking round at everyone slightly confused her self.
" Well...I'm sure what you did yesterday was interesting." Sirius said coldly. " Well...you better get going. Oh and Hermione..." Hermione looked up as if she hadn't been paying attention." I'd try and lengthen that skirt before Snape sees it." Hermione just looked uninterestedly at them. " Well you had better be going."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione did not need telling twice. The all quickly turned and hurried down the hallway.
" So Lupin...what are we going to do about Hermione?" Sirius was still sulky.
" Well...we should; next Thursday; if she goes out, follow her. But not transformed. The next day, we have her in defence against the dark arts. We could do a lesson on vampires. If she doesn't get the hint, or acts like she doesn't know, we'll ask her, after class. Without….." he said looking at Sirius as he ran through questions in his mind.
" Pressuring her .Okay? Anyway...there's still that detention."
Sirius looked surprised at Lupin, but nodded his head in agreement.
Thursday Night
Hermione sat on a grave whistling. She was wearing the same outfit she had worn last Sunday. She thought about the past four days. She had so far, gotten 45 points for Gryffindor, turned quite a few heads, and got in trouble with Snape for her skirt. No one else seemed to be complaining. Moody's DADA lesson had been great. They had done about hexes. Harry of course had gotten it right first go.
Hermione smiled. She thought of how Harry had to give a demonstration. He was told to stand in the centre of the room. Moody would cast a hex on him and he had to deflect it. He happened to deflect more effectively than expected, knocking Malfoy straight into a wall.
She laughed to herself loudly.
Sirius and Lupin had followed Hermione carefully. So far they had only one close encounter, but generally gone unnoticed. They stood in a different cemetery tonight, watching Hermione carefully.
Hermione was getting bored. She had been sat down for at least 20 minutes. Her legs were cold. It wasn't a very cold night for autumn, but it was chilly. Hermione needed to fight to warm herself up. Once again she had to call for the vampires to come out.
" Scary vampires...I know you're there. Come out come out where ever you are." This time on queue a vampire jumped out from behind a huge crypt she had been using as shelter from the cold earlier.
Quickly she off the grave to her feet. " Finally!" The vampire had wild ginger hair. Her eyes were mud brown. She threw out her arm, trying to scratch Hermiones bare neck. Hermione luckily had her stake and cross necklace today. Dodging the attack, Hermione stood up, then swiftly kicked the vampire in the face with one leg. Then, as soon as she brought that legs down, she kicked her again with her other leg, ( is that a double kick?). The vampire fell back. Hermione jumped, spinning in mid air. She kicked the vampire sharply again, this time in her neck. The vampire shrieked with pain. Hermione, made a circle shape in the air with her left leg. The vampires head was roughly cut off, from the impact.
Hermione didn't even have to use her stake. Triumphantly she smiled.
" Well...that was fun." Hermione said sarcastically.
A few other vampires seemed to have heard Hermiones call. They, however, were coming for her from behind where Sirius and Lupin stood. Both totally unaware. The vampires closed in on them both. There were 3. One tapped Lupin on the shoulder.
Lupin turned slowly. He was 'greeted', by the sight of 3 hungry vampires. Shocked he tapped Sirius's shoulder.
" What?...I'm trying to keep look out here." He replied annoyed.
" Sirius... I don't think that you did a good job." Sirius turned around about to criticise. When he saw the vampires he withdrew his wand.
" Flippendo" He shouted aiming for a vampire wearing a tux. Another had an earring in his left ear. The third was very small. He was wearing a black muscle tee.
Hermione heard the sound of a man shouting something. It appeared to be coming from behind the bush, where she had felt a presence before tonight. Cautiously she approached the bush.
Silently she looked over the top. Behind the shrub was Sirius and Lupin knelt down, with 3 vamps behind them.
" Holy Crap! Hey ugly!" all three vampires turned to see Hermione. "Can I help you?" The small one smiled to the others, who ran up to Hermione.
Instinctively she thumped one in the chin. He wasn't hurt. Hermione back flipped, kicking his chin up. He was decapitated. The other two were fighting Sirius and Lupin. They weren't doing well. Both were being knocked down from a blow from the small one.
Hermione looked around for the one with the earring. He came up from behind her, kicking her back. Hermione toppled over. She neatly rolled forward. Got up then turned. She was instantaneously hit in the face. She swayed sideways. Just in time she ducked a kick from it. Behind her Lupin was hit. He fell, bleeding.
Hermione now got up. She kicked the vampire in the chest. With the headstone near her she put her hands on either side of it, then cart wheeled. The vampire now dropped sideways. Hermione withdrew her stake and stabbed it in to his unbeating heart.
The small vampire had hurt both Sirius and Lupin. Hermione was quick to think. She jumped over a headstone then jump kicked him. He rolled backwards. Niftily she landed on top of him. She forced her stake through his chest. He exploded to dust.
After wiping blood away from a cut she had on her face Hermione twisted around. Sirius was helping Lupin up. He was hurt most. It did not help that he was already tired.
" Uh-ohhh" Hermione said standing still and looking pale.