Chapter 4 Meetings
"Take a seat Miss Granger," Dumbledore answered calmly pointing to the chair across from him. Hermione nodded and obediently sat down on the upholstered chair. "Now are you sure they're coming?"
Hermione sat up in the seat. "Yes!" she blurted to fast. "I mean yes." Dumbledore nodded. She bit her lip contemplating about something. Not sure if she should say it or not. "Professor Dumbledore, it's only a matter of time before they reach me and you and I both know what that could mean," Hermione stated loudly, receding into a whisper.
Dumbledore sat back in his chair, his hands poised in the sir under his chin. "Yes, Miss Granger I know," he paused. "And that's why we're not going to worry. We'll just pretend like nothing at all has changed," advised Dumbledore. Hermione looked at Dumbledore incredulously before nodding, understanding why it was important to do nothing. If someone found out what she was, the circumstances would be irreversible. "Now Miss Granger," he interrupted bringing her attention back, "I think it's safe to say, you should head back to your room before someone discovers you're missing," he reminded Hermione smiling, eyes twinkling.
"Yes, sir," Hermione whispered, retreating back to her room.
The moon, beautiful yet so complex. It's a planet that as you look up at it, you can't help but wonder if there might be other life out there that we don't know about. But as others look at it, fear strikes them. Not only does it symbolize beauty, but it also symbolizes that the world isn't perfect.
"So how far are we away from the castle?" asked one of the werewolves, revolving about the fire they had created earlier that night, staring into its deep depths. The flames crackled wildly emitting sparks into the air, reflecting the group's mood after the night's events.
"Not far," Damien answered pausing. Damien was the leader of the pack, being the strongest, and wittiest out of all of them. He had brown hair that hung, shaping his face, with black eyes reflecting the flames that he stared into. "I'd probably say about a week's journey, two at the most," he concluded throwing more wood into the fire, making an explosion of sparks and flames.
"So that gives us enough time to regain our strength," piped in another, to which others nodded around the circle.
"Yes, but we'll still have to be prepared. Remember there's still more of her kind out there." Everyone nodded in agreement and revered back to silence, staring into the fire.
"No, no, no," Hermione whimpered, tossing and turning around the sheets. Her eyes widened as she sat up in bed, breathing ragged. She looked around red eyes piercing the sunlight shining through her curtains. They were getting closer to her and she needed to do something quick before something drastic happened. She quickly mumbled a spell, before she drew back her curtains letting the sunlight in. Not a cloud was in the sky that morning, showing off the sun's brilliant rays of color. "What a horrible day," complimented Hermione, getting out of bed.
She quickly padded over to her dresser, getting ready for another day with Severus. Something was so familiar with him, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. But all thoughts of Severus disappeared as halfway to her dresser she collapsed on the floor, her hands holding her head. "Stop it," she pleaded tightening her grip. Why did they have to do this to her. She didn't do anything to them. Her face wrinkled in discomfort as the voice in her head continued to babble. "Stop!" she ordered getting up off the floor.
Hermione slowly made her way over to her dresser, picking up her lamp and throwing it across the room, hoping it would make the voice go away. The lamp shattered on impact, hitting the wall. She groaned, seeing as the voice was still there, "No." Hermione wiped her hand over her dresser, dumping all the contents onto the floor.
Severus jumped up from the couch, hearing another crash coming from Hermione's room. "What the bloody hell?" he mumbled not in anger, but in worry of her well being. 'What the heck is going on with me?' After another crash sounded, he made up his mind to go and check on her. He pushed himself off the couch and ran up the staircase to Hermione's room.
"Hermione?" knocked Severus, pressing his ear closer to the door. He knocked again more anxiously, "Hermione?" he asked more worriedly. 'What's going on?' he voiced in his head, 'I'm barging in you room if you don't..." He stepped back from the door as he heard footsteps approaching.
"Ready?" Hermione proclaimed happily, opening the door. Severus's mouth dropped open confusedly. Nothing was wrong. She was alright. So what the bloody hell was all the crashing about? He looked behind Hermione into her room. It was fine.
Hermione watched Severus's gaze move behind her to her room. 'I guess he heard the crashing,' she laughed to herself. "Severus close your mouth, its not polite," she giggled to herself earning herself a glare, before she grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. Severus closed his mouth sending an 'I'm-going-to find-out-sooner-or-later-look' towards Hermione before following her down the stairs.
"Okay class, today we will be making Euphoria," started Lupin, "or otherwise known as the 'Elixir to Induce.' Now please turn to page 135. The list of ingredients and what to do is listed there. You have one hour. Now get started," he directed, before sitting down at his desk. Pages turned and flipped as everyone found page 136 and started to read.
Severus quickly scanned the text, before standing up and gathering all the ingredients needed. As his chair scraped the floor, Hermione looked up from the text, only to find Severus setting up his cauldron, his ingredients set neatly around him. Hermione's mouth dropped open. 'No one's faster than me,' she thought watching him, entranced by his movements.
"Hermione close your mouth," Severus whispered in her ear, smiling, "it's not polite." Closing her mouth, Hermione also smiled, trying to hide her blush from him, by turning back to the text.
Later on after everyone had finished their reading Hermione sat at her desk head in her hands reading the text. "Okay turn 30 times in a clockwise direction before adding a sprig of peppermint," she recited carefully picking up her wand.
Out of the corner of his eye, he observed as Hermione read the text to herself precisely out of the book. Severus smiled to himself. When Dumbledore said he had to be a 17 year old and go back to school, he definitely didn't expect this.
Slowly and carefully, Hermione turned her wand above her cauldron making a swirl of liquids below. '1…2…3…' she counted in her head. But soon her attention drifted over to Severus whose head was poised above his cauldron in concentration adding the next ingredient in. His hair fell on both sides, masking the perfection that was his face.
Severus felt Hermione's gaze on him the past few moments and wondered why in the world she wanted to look at him. But as he turned his head to meet her eyes, he found Hermione's hands adding the fluxweed instead of the sprig of peppermint. "No Hermione!" he yelled dropping everything out of his hands. Lupin looked up from his desk to see that something had clearly gone wrong.
Hermione snapped out of her gaze as she heard Severus's voice yell at her. She looked between Severus and her cauldron, before a cloud of yellow smoke erupted clouding her vision. She coughed and tried to dismiss the smoke around her. But for some reason she heard music playing in the background growing louder and she felt herself needing to sing along with it.
Severus put his head in his hands as he heard music playing growing louder by the moment as the smoke started clearing and knowing what came next he didn't want to be here. But hey he was here and he wasn't going to miss this for the world. It would be good for future blackmail.
When the smoke cleared the class suddenly heard a voice echo, "Ladies and gentleman, Miss Velma Kelly in an act of desperation." Some students recognized the song from a Muggle movie they saw and either laughed out loud or gasped.
Hermione appeared on one of the vacant chairs sitting down, her legs crossed. She leaned forward and started to sing along as the music started.
"My sister and I had an act that couldn't flop. My sister and I were headed straight for the top," she sung raising her hand slowly in the air. "My sister and I earned a though a week at least, oh yeah!" she said sitting back leisurely in her chair. Severus watched Hermione with wide eyes following her every move. "But my sister is now unfortunately deceased. I know it's sad of course, but a fact, is still a fact! And now all that remains is the remains, of a perfect double act!" she sung before pausing. "Now watch this," she said getting out of the chair strolling to the front of the classroom. "You have to imagine it with two people its swell with two people." Everyone gaped openly at what their know it all bookworm was doing.
"First I'd…" she sung accompanied by a dance. "Then she'd…" she sung pointing next to her and dancing. "Then we'd…" she continued. "But I can't do it alone!" Severus watched Hermione not knowing what to do as she continued to sing. "Then she'd… then I'd… then we'd… But I can't do it alone!" Hermione sung loudly before sitting on the edge of Ron and Harry's potions table. She crossed her legs and put her elbow on her knee, looking at Ron. "She'd say what's your sister like?" Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'd say men. She's say you're the cats meow and we'd wow the crowd again!" she sang jumping off the table scaring Ron.
Then grabbing a chair she dragged it into the middle of the classroom. "When she'd go..." she sang dancing on the chair, "I'd go... We'd go... Then those ding-dong daddies started a roar, whistled, stomped, banged on the floor, yelling, screaming, begging for moooooore...!" Hermione sung making her way over to Severus. She straddled herself onto his lap and sang, "And we'd say, "Ok, fellas, keep your socks up-'cause you ain't seen NOTHING yet!" she said loosening up his tie, before kissing him soundly on the lips. Everyone gasped. Lupin smiled. "But I simply cannot do it...aaaloooooone...!" she finished getting off his lap and strolled back to her chair. Severus sat there shell-shocked unable to move only touch his lips where she had kissed him a moment ago.
Hermione sat down on her chair and spoke, "So what do you think, huh? Come on... you can say," she encouraged to the class, expecting them to answer. But out of nowhere the same voice that echoed before make a sound that clearly said no. An understanding look passed over Hermione's face. "I know, you're right, the first part's shit. But the second part? The second part is REALLY nifty! Ok!" she continued hoping this would impress whoever saw it.
"She'd go ..." Hermione said getting up off the chair and jumping on the table in front of her and dancing. " I'd go... We'd go... And then those two-bit Johnny's did it up brown, to cheer the best attraction in town, they nearly tore the balcony doooooown...!" she said raising her hands high above her head. "And we'd say, "Ok, boys, we're going home! But before we go, there's a few more parting shots! And this, this, we did in
PERFECT UNISON!" Hermione said, pointing to the class and finishing her dance.
"Severus get her out of here," Lupin yelled over the singing. Severus nodded, to dumbstruck to say anything.
"Now ya see me going through it!" Hermione sang louder.
"Come on Hermione," yelled Severus grabbing Hermione's hand, pulling her down from the desk.
Hermione sang louder as she got dragged out of the classroom, "You may think there's nothing to it!" The door closed behind her as Severus pulled into the hallway. The class was silent as they heard the final line echoing down the hallway, "But I simply cannot do it...aaaloooooone...!" Hermione finished struggling against Severus's grasp.
He laughed before he gathered her in his arms and taking her to the Hospital Wing. "Madam Pomfrey," Severus called a moment later, entering the infirmary with Hermione still in his arms singing to herself.
Two lines of beds lined the infirmary on either side. With bedpans and a dresser separating each bed. Madam Pomfrey looked up from a student she was tending, to see a boy who resembled Severus so much, she had to rub her eyes to see if it was indeed true. It was. "Yes, dear?" she responded finishing up with the boy.
"Umm Hermione messed up a potion she was working on," he explained.
"Wait Miss Granger messed up a potion?" she asked confused. She never messed up anything.
Severus nodded. 'I know it comes to shock to me too' he thought. "She accidentally added fluxweed instead of a sprig of peppermint to Euphoria," he told Madam Pomfrey.
"Well then just put her in a bed and go fetch a dreamless sleep potion from my cabinet. It will help her sleep the potion off." Severus nodded once again, setting Hermione down on one of the Hospital beds, before fetching a dreamless sleep potion. He then proceeded to give her the potion, ceasing all singing, before she fell into a deep sleep. He placed the vial down on the table next to her bed and took a seat contemplating what had just happened. She had kissed him. Hermione Granger had just kissed him, without her knowing who he really was. Even though it was the potion that made her kiss him, he still couldn't get her out of his mind. Something about that kiss, stirred something up inside him and he didn't know it was.
About an hour later, Hermione's eyes fluttered open to reveal Severus sitting next to her, with a blank expression on his face staring outside at the sunset. His hand lay on top of her bed just near hers. Opening her eye's fully, Hermione placed her hand on top of his, shaking him out of whatever he was thinking. "You're… awake," he stuttered placing his other hand on top of hers. 'When do I ever stutter?'
Yeah," she remarked meekly. "What happened? Why am I here?" she questioned quietly.
Severus looked disappointed, "You mean you don't remember?"
Hermione shook her head, "No. Should I?" she panicked sitting up.
"Well let's just say you messed up your potion," he smiled, trying not to burst out laughing.
Hermione put her head in her hands, "No, I've never done that. God what's Professor Lupin going to say?"
Severus looked at Hermione. "I'm not exactly sure," he answered honestly remembering what she had done an hour ago, before laughing openly.
Hermione shot him a glare, but at that moment Madam Pomfrey decided to join in and tell Hermione that she's free to go.
Hermione sighed angrily walking into the common room. It had been one of the longest days that she remembered. Especially waking up in the Hospital Wing, Severus next to her, with no recollection of what had happened. She set her books down loudly on one of the tables present and plopped herself down on one of the red upholstered chairs, starting her homework.
Not 10 minutes later, Severus walked into the common room, taking a seat across from Hermione, setting his books up in a circle around him. He watched Hermione silently mouth the words she was writing. Smiling to himself, he went back to his work. But at that same moment, Hermione started shuffling her books around, papers flying everywhere.
"Where is that book?" Hermione mumbled to herself.
"What book?" Severus queried smirking, making Hermione look up meeting his eyes.
"My potions book," she paused, "but it's probably just up in my room. So I'll be right back," she finished, getting out of the chair heading upstairs. She opened her door and started rummaging through her room. Deciding to look under bed, she dropped to the floor and shoved her hand under there searching for the book. "Got it," she declared to herself grabbing the spine of the book. She pulled it out and got up off the floor brushing her clothes off. "Oh shit," Hermione moaned dropping her book, looking out of her window. Above the Forbidden Forest was a line of smoke rising into the air and that meant one thing.
Hermione picked up the book pocketing it and grabbed her outdoor cloak, before running down the stairs as fast as she could. Controlling her breath, she walked past Severus. "It turns out my book is in the library," she said laughing trying to hide where she was going, before strolling out of the common room, through the portrait and into the corridor. Severus looked confusedly at Hermione, before returning back to studying.
Once out of the common room, Hermione quickly put on her robe and sprinted through the castle. She reached the castle doors and looked behind her shoulders, making sure no one was following her and pushed them open. The night air was cold and crisp as Hermione made her way down the grounds to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She looked up at the moon before entering; this was going to be an interesting year.
Making her way through the forest, she couldn't help but think, what was going to happen to them when this was all over. Who would win, would her raced die or would they. Or maybe they would even start living in peace. Hermione's pacing delved her deeper and deeper into the forest. But she needed to get to the darkest part where no one or thing could see them.
She could feel herself getting closer, the energy circulating around her was tremendous. Her instincts were getting higher and it would be almost impossible to hide her hunger any longer. It had been so long since she had been fed thoroughly.
The forest was getting darker and darker blocking out the moon's rays. The spell cast on her eyes was fading as they returned to their normal red color, making her able to see in the dark. The line of smoke was just ahead and Hermione couldn't wait.
A moment later, Hermione emerged through the think brush into a clearing with a dozen or so of people. "Hello everyone," Hermione chirped happily as everyone turned around smiling there fangs showing.
"Hermione!" they all echoed. Hermione quickly strolled into the clearing, her fangs now appearing too. The clearing was very small with a fire going in the middle of it, logs set up around it.
"Now we can get started," Darien said making his way through the group. "Everyone sit down in a circle, we have important matters to discuss." Everyone took their seats around the fire waiting for what Darien had to say. "Now we have information that my brother and his group are only a week or two journey's from the castle. Which means we are in more danger than ever before. There's not many of us left and they're out for blood, not that we aren't." He paused, "But one thing is for sure. We have to be ready for war at all times. They could strike at any time," he indicated looking straight at Hermione. "Especially you Hermione," he pointed out. "You're in more danger than all of us."
Hermione nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Nothing can reach me in Hogwarts." She paused, 'I think.' "But I'm more worried about you guys. You're all I have," she concluded. This war was eventually going to kill every single one of them and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
Darien nodded as everyone else did. "Hermione I don't want you out of the castle, unless for classes or our meetings. Do you hear me?" he demanded. Hermione nodded. "Even you going to our meetings are dangerous enough. Do you have anyone you could take?" he said hopefully. He couldn't bare to lose her. She was like a daughter to him.
"No there isn't. There's no one. If I told anyone either the whole school would probably know or I would go crazy for the thirst of blood. And I'm not risking anything, especially right now. But I could use Harry's invisibility cloak," she said out loud. This caused a stir throughout the group.
"QUIET!" bellowed Darien. "You could try that Hermione, but after a week I don't want you coming unless you have someone do you hear me?" he said approaching Hermione. He knelt down and grabbed her shoulders, lifting her head up to meet his eyes.
"Yes sir," Hermione directed looking at the whole group. She didn't want to endanger them even more than they were. Seeing their pleading eyes was enough for her.
"Then you're all dismissed and I'll see you in 2 days. Please be safe all of you," whispered before disappearing away. Everyone was left staring at the fire, before they all got up and started talking to each other.
"So Hermione how are you? Anything new going on in your life?" asked Alexia one of her good friends.
"Well I got Head Girl this year."
"Oh congratulations Hermione, no one deserves it more than you do." Alexia paused, "So any guys?'
Hermione slapped Alexia. "Well yes." She blushed, "The Head Boy."
"Oh Hermione is he hot?" Alexia gossiped. Hermione nodded, making Alexia squeal. "I knew it, is he a vampire?"
A saddened look crossed Hermione's face. "No he's not. So that's why I can't get to close to him. Since we have to mate with our kind," Hermione stated disappointedly. "Plus I don't even think he really notices me."
Alexia looked down at her. "Oh Hermione, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"It's okay you didn't know," Hermione whispered, not knowing that the whole group had been listening to everything they had just said. "Well anyway I better be going don't want a detention," Hermione laughed trying to lighten the mood. Alexia nodded and watched as Hermione departed back into the Forest.
As soon as she was out of view Hermione stopped and breathed to herself while her fangs disappeared and her eyes returned to their brown color. Why did this have to happen to her? Holding back the tears, she ran all the way back to the castle.
"Where the hell is she?" paced Severus back and forth across the room. He turned his head as he heard the clock strike eleven. "That's it," he concluded, "I'm going to look for her. It can't take that much time to look for a book." Severus grabbed his cloak and headed out into the corridor.
Hermione ran into the school, her breathing ragged. She ran up the stairs towards the library she could feel Severus near there. She took the book out of her pocket turning the corner to find Severus heading towards her.
"I found it," Hermione declared holding up the book. Her breathing hadn't returned to normal and she wondered if Severus would notice.
"About time," he said approaching her. Her face looked flushed and he wondered why. "Where was it?"
"Where? It was on one of the back tables," she said trying to be convincing. "Why?" she questioned back.
"Never mind," he whispered hearing footsteps approaching. "We better go," he said hurriedly holding out his arm for her to link hers through. Hermione looked to his arm and ignored it strolling in front of him a sad expression present on her face.
Severus watched Hermione stroll in front of him, ignoring his arm. But he swore he saw a tear roll down her cheek. 'I'm going to find out what's with you Hermione,' he thought following behind her, 'I promise.'
A/N: Hey everyoneI hope you liked it. I know I enjoyed writing it. As usual comments and suggestions and criticism is welcome. And I would like to get to at least 25 reviews beforeI update. I think that's fair. So look forward to the next chapter in 2 weeks.
