A/N: I'm amazed at the amount of reviews I have gotten. Not just for the past chapter but the story in general!! I love all you guys! –Hands out virtual cookies- I don't own Harry Potter…but that would be too cool if I did.
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Pain seemed to be flowing through my veins. I shut my eyes tightly, as if trying to block it out. My whole body throbbed and I couldn't even think coherently.
Suddenly the pain stopped and I opened my eyes. Valkyrie was floating in front of me. "Hermione." She whispered, avoiding eye contact. "Come with me." I stood and took her offered hand. "It is time for you to stand in front of the council."
She turned and I gasped when her normally silver eyes flashed deep red. I tried to free my hand from her grasp but she dug her nails into my wrist and started hissing at me. "You must stand before the Council."
"What council?" I shrieked. "Where are you taking me?"
She turned and faced me smiling. Instead of having four sharp fangs all her teeth came down to a point. "The Council of Death." She cackled.
I ripped my hand from her deathly grip and took a sharp breath as I felt her nails rip through my skin, leaving bloody trails behind. As soon as my feet hit solid ground I started to run.
Time passed and my scenery, what I could see of it through the darkness, stayed the same and I realized that I wasn't getting anywhere. I looked down and a pang of dread hit me as I noticed that the floor was moving the other way.
--
My surroundings had long dissolved and I found myself floating in a fuzzy grey world. Voices faded in and out as I wandered carelessly wherever the current took me.
"Severus, what's happening to her?" The loudest voice asked.
I tried to clear the fog from my mind. Severus, that name sounded like it should be important to me. Memories played on a hazy screen before the voice faded out again and my mind went blank.
--
A bright light surrounded me and suddenly I was standing in a very familiar hallway. Valkyrie shimmered into existence and I flinched away. "Hermione, child, what's wrong?" She reached out to me with a delicate hand.
"Don't touch me!" I shrieked, stumbling backwards. "Leave me alone." Silvestra and Parisa appeared on either side of me. "No!" I yelled, stumbling back into gentle arms. I turned and saw Fiammetta. "Go away! Leave me alone! I don't want to die!"
"Who said anything about dying, child?" Parisa asked sweetly, stepping closer. "We're here to help you through your transformation."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to find a way out of the circle of former Council Leaders. "What's happening?"
"The current leader of the Vampire Council has recently taken ill and it's time for you to take over." Rhoswen said. "When you wake up someone will arrive at your house and take you and your family to New Zealand where you will meet with Idonia. She will bless you then you will leave the room so she can come to us."
Time passed by quickly and I felt my body undergoing changes. Everyone started to shimmer away until only Talia was left. "It's time to wake up." She whispered in my ear and everything went black.
--
I blinked and the bedroom came into focus. I sat up and stretched the stiffness out of my joints. As I did so I noticed Charlie snoozing in a chair to my left and Sev doing the same to my right. The door clicked softly as it opened and Draco stepped in. He looked cautiously at the sleeping duo and then turned his attention to my bed.
"Oh." He said looking shocked. "What happened to you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, not sure whether I should be offended or not.
"Your eyes…your skin….your hair…" He started, trailing off and staring at me in confusion. "You look different."
I stood, wincing as my knees cracked loudly, and immediately went into the bathroom down the hall. The image reflected in the mirror was nothing like I had expected. My eyes seemed to glow with a silvery shine as they looked out from beneath thick black lashes. My pale pink lips parted with a gasp and my hair seemed to flow like a silvery blond river down my back. Smooth skin that sparkled silver in the light spread where my old pale flesh used to be.
"Something's definitely up with you and I want to know what it is." Draco said from the doorway as I marveled at my reflection.
The doorbell rang and I gasped. "I'll tell you sometime but right now you need to go wake Sev and Charlie." He opened his mouth to protest. "Please Draco?" After a moment of hesitation he turned on his heel and stalked off to my room, grumbling under his breath.
I raced to the door and flung it open. On the front step stood a young vampire with golden eyes. "Miss Hermione Snape?" He questioned. I nodded. "You are requested at the Council Manor in New Zealand. Gather your belongings and your family and I shall take you there immediately."
"Of course." I said, "Please come in and make yourself comfortable." The vampire stepped inside and I turned back to the stairs.
"Hurry up you guys." I said as I entered my room and found Sev and Charlie rubbing sleep from their eyes. "Go and pack up all of your clothes and anything you want to take with you." I stared at Charlie for a moment. "Well, you don't actually live here so I suppose you really aren't coming with."
"Bullshit!" He yelled, "Of course I'm coming." There was a long pause. "Where are we going?"
I giggled then said. "I'm sorry Charlie but I don't think you can come. He said family, and I'm sorry but you really aren't a part of my family."
"Neither is he!" The redhead yelled, pointing to Draco. "And yet you're not telling him that he can't go."
"Because we're all the family he has." I said. "I really am sorry Charlie. I'll come find you as soon as this is over, I promise."
"And when will that be? When you die?" He was red with anger. "Look at you! It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened to you. You're just gonna fly off to your new manor and leave me behind and I'll never see you again."
"What is he talking about?" Draco asked as he re-entered the room, Sev not far behind.
"I'll tell you later Draco right now we really need to get going." I turned back to Charlie. "I promise that I'll send you a letter tomorrow and then you can come live in the manor or whatever you like but for now I really need to go." I wrapped my arms around the angry Weasley and he stiffened. "I promise that you'll see me again before I die."
--
"Are you ready?" The golden eyed vampire asked as we all gathered by the front door. I looked to Sev and Draco before nodding. "Excellent, the sooner we can leave the sooner we'll get there. Come on." He stepped closer to us and suddenly we were surrounded in a golden mist.
When the mist faded away we were standing in front of a large manor. "Would someone tell me what's going on?" Draco asked loudly as the vampire led us into the manor. I threw him a sharp look and he glared back at me.
--
"Hermione, please sit. I've been expecting you." Said the vampire in the bed as I stepped into the room. I sat down in the chair next to the bed. "It's nice to see that someone so young taking my position."
"It's still a shame to lose a leader like you." I said, slightly taken aback by how gorgeous Idonia was, even on her deathbed. "I can only hope that I will be as successful as you."
She smiled up at me, her fangs glittering behind pale lips. "May the former leaders be with you every step of the way. We will meet again Hermione Snape."
"May your transition be smooth." I said as I stood. I left the room but I could have sworn that I saw 6 lights shimmering.
"You are now ready to be inducted as the Council Leader." The golden eyed vampire, who I'd discovered was named Joseph, told me as I came down to the entrance hall where Sev and Draco were waiting for me. He turned to Draco. "You must stay here. I will come for you when the ceremony is over."
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"Do you swear to look over the vampire community and do as feel is best for everyone?" The black haired vampire asked as he stood in front of me.
"I swear." I said as I kept my left hand raised.
"You are hereby the leader of the Vampire Council." A loud snap resounded in the large room.
Everyone stood and I approached the vampire that had sworn me in, Ebbe. "Will I still be able to continue my schooling next year?" I asked. I had really been hoping that I'd be able to go back to Hogwarts for my seventh year.
Ebbe sighed and contemplated my question for a few long moments. "I don't think so. You will be needed around the world. In fact, there's something else I need to talk to you about." He led me to a chair and motioned for me to sit down. "You will need to choose a co-leader that you will be bound to. He will be in charge of our warriors and once he dies you will become very sick over the course of a few months then die as another leader is sworn in."
"You mean I have to find a husband?" I clarified for myself and he nodded. "How long do I have?"
"I'd say only until the New Year." He said. "I have to take my leave now. I shall see you at the next council meeting in two weeks."
Until the New Year. That only gave me a little over a month. I steadied my breathing and left the room.
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A/n: Who will she pick to be her hubby?!?!? It's all up to you guys!! Here's the voting so far!
Charlie-6
Draco-9
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