A/N: So I'm gonna extend the voting for one more chapter. I don't own Harry Potter, although that would be pretty sweet if I did.
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"Hermione!" Severus called up the stairs. "Get down here!"
I sighed and put the letter down on my desk. What the hell was he still doing up? Hadn't he gone to bed? He just wasn't going to let me read my letter, was he? I trudged down the stairs and found him standing at the bottom with his hands on his hips.
"I just got a letter from the vampire counsel that says you haven't replied to their letter. Have you?" He asked angrily.
"No!" I yelled. "I haven't even read the letter because every time I open the dang thing I'm interrupted!"
Severus froze. "Well, then you should probably go up and read it, shouldn't you?"
I sighed and marched right back up the stairs. Miss Hermione Snape, you have been recognized by the Vampire Council and are hereby invited to a revealing ball in ten days. There you will accept the vampire code or be exiled from the wizarding community, eventually resulting in death. Send your acceptance within three days. Jacqueline, Head of the Vampire Council. Refolding the letter I took out a quill and parchment.
The next day I slept until noon. When I woke up I found a note from Severus attached to my door. 'Yes!' I celebrated silently after reading it. 'The blood has arrived.'
I skipped down the stairs and threw open the cabinet to find it filled with glass containers full up to the brim with thick red liquid. After pouring myself a generous glass I sat down with a book but I couldn't focus on the words I was reading.
--Day of the Ball--
I stared at myself in the mirror and smoothed down the front of my dress. It clung to me from my waist up then fell elegantly down to the floor. It shimmered silver in the reflection and sparkled brilliantly when it caught the light.
Downstairs Severus was waiting for me in his dress robes, which honestly didn't differ much from his day to day robes. "You look beautiful." He told me with fatherly pride shining in his dark eyes. "Shall we go now?" I nodded and took his arm. The feeling that came with Apparating overwhelmed me and I felt as if I couldn't breathe. When the world around me stopped spinning I let go of my father's arm. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." I replied as we started walking to the large white manor that stood proudly at the top of a hill.
"May I announce you Sir and Miss?" An elderly man at the door asked.
"Severus Snape and Hermione Snape." Severus said and we waited as he went inside and announced our names.
When he came back out he smiled at us. "You may go in now." Severus smiled reassuringly down at me as we stepped through the doors.
"Miss Hermione Snape." A soprano voice rang as I stepped into the large ballroom. I turned to my right and saw a graceful vampire floating across the floor towards me. I'm sure she was really walking but her movements were so fluid that it looked as if her feet never connected with the floor. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine." I said with a slight curtsey. "Thank you for inviting me to your wonderful home."
"You are welcome here whenever you need somewhere safe to stay." She smiled at me. "We will be dining soon, then closer to the end of the night we ask you to step foreword and read you the vampire code and you will choose to accept or decline. Until then you are free to socialize. Have fun."
I smiled as she left to converse with some of the other guests. As I surveyed the room I noticed Severus talking to many older vampires who I didn't recognize but from where I was standing I could detect slight French accents.
Tables were set up around the perimeter of the room and there were place cards at each seat. As I went searching for mine someone called my name behind me. I turned to look and found myself eye to shoulder with…
A/n: I know, I'm mean but I'm giving everyone a chance to get their votes in! I promise that it'll be in the next chapter. Here are the results so far:
Bill: 5 (and in third is bill…poor bill, he was winning for so long)
Charlie: 8 (and the dragon tamer pulls ahead)
Fred: 2
George: 2
Harry: 2
Marcus: 5
Adrian: 1
Draco: 6 (falling in close second)
Twins: 3
