The blonde slayer rounded on Hermione.

"What did you do to him?" she demanded

"Spike? I didn't do anything, why?" Hermione asked, lunging forwards. The slayer dodged.

"Well?" Hermione asked, pretending to tap her foot as Buffy circled her. Hermione was glad of her cloak's hood; she wasn't quite ready to come out yet. Anonymity may still be useful yet. The slayer just growled and charged at Hermione. Hermione whipped out her wand and froze the eldest slayer. She hadn't gained enough strength to face her yet. Hermione stepped backwards, grabbed Dru and Spike, and apparated out.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Spike demanded as they landed in a heap in Hermione's old cell.

"To keep you alive!" Hermione snapped, the turned her back on Spike to help Dru up. He just stalked out.

The whole school was in shock. First Hermione and Katie's disappearance, then the bodies, and now the ministry. Fudge had grown so paranoid that he refused to search for Hermione, in fact, he refused to believe she was missing, when confronted by the Daily Prophet he claimed she didn't exist, and he'd never met her. The entire Wizarding World was up in arms, especially Hermione's schoolmates. Hermione herself just found it funny. Either way you looked at it Fudge was going to leave the ministry soon.

Hermione was having fun in her new world. She had become Dru's new favourite, and Spike had a grudging respect for her. The rest of the renewed order of Aurelius walked over the other side of the corridors to her. Becoming a vampire had done nothing to her Slayer or witch powers, if anything it had strengthened her. Gone was weak, bookish little Hermione, and the transformation started 4 years ago when she had first met Harry was now complete. She was a fighter, and a survivor.

"Hermy pet, must you read so bloody much?" Spike exclaimed, tripping over one of Hermione's many piles of books, and snapping her out of her reverie. She just grinned playfully at him and went back to reading.

"Dru and her new friend" he said the last words a little bitterly "want you upstairs." Hermione slowly stood up, and closed her book.

"Who's the friend?" she asked as they started to walk along the corridor.

"The new boss guy." Spike almost spat. Hermione sped up a little, she was yet to meet this person, according to Dru the stars didn't like him, he was too dark, but that could mean anything.

"Ah, miss Granger, how nice of you to join us." A cold voice came from a shadow in the corner. Hermione gasped.

"Voldemort!" She exclaimed, any part of her that had been scared of him was now long gone. Now she loved the evil she could feel rolling off him.

"Very astute Miss Granger. I see you live up to your reputation. You are indeed very smart." A month ago Hermione would be bright scarlet by now, but that was another annoying habit her new condition had changed. Now she simply nodded.

"You don't need to flatter me to get me to do your work." She said, "What do you want?"

The cold voice chuckled.

"Miss Granger, I have a mission for you, one only you can complete."