Chapter 23

AN: Hey my totally awesome rockin' readers! I'm baaaaaack! Your eyes are not deceiving you…I AM posting another chapter! LOL I hope everyone is well; things are going well for me and my family, at last! Thank goodness! I was really getting tired of RL being a nasty bitch! Anyway, here's the next chapter for your enjoyment. I really hope you enjoy it. After a year of nothing I finally felt inspiration! YAY! *happy dancing* I have to give a shout out to mattdombaston fanfiction dot net who just recently read the story in one sitting and left a review/comment after every single chapter! This got me to reread the story (again) and voila, I felt inspiration at last! It still took a bit to write due to my muses not agreeing on how it should go but I got it done! Thank you all for your patience, now onto the reading! :) Oh, and there will be at least one more chapter, possibly two before this will come to an end. :)

Disclaimer: I make no monies with this.

Severus enjoyed watching Pam direct the servers in their opening procedures, making sure everything was as it should be before the doors were opened. As he observed her, he didn't miss the way the females would eye his vampiress. Smirking, he walked up behind her, placed a hand on her hip and whispered, "You have several hoping they'll get lucky tonight."

"Yes, not happening. I have someone way more interesting to entertain me from now on." Pam smirked.

"Indeed you do, my lady." Severus replied as he ran his nose over her neck, inhaling her scent. Pam shivered as she felt his touch, knowing the night wouldn't end soon enough.

Severus leaned against the bar and chuckled darkly at the looks he received. Pam had caught the looks as well and had barked at the servers to "Stop staring at my mate or I'll let him wipe your minds and send your sorry asses on your way."

Those who had been giving Severus dark looks gasped. He was a witch and they all knew no one crossed a witch. Of course, neither Pam nor Severus corrected their thinking, it was too much fun to watch them give him a wide berth and avert their eyes from Pam.

As soon as the door guard stepped out, Severus was amazed at how many were waiting to come in. The line seemed to never end already. However, what he found the most surprising, in a disturbing way, was how all those in line and entering the bar were dressed…if one could call it that; most barely had enough on to cover the important bits and don't get him started on the looks in their eyes. He knew then that neither Eric nor Pam had exaggerated about the people who frequented the bar. They could give the DeathEaters a run for their money with the desperation and depravity rolling off of them.

While Pam stepped out to do a cursory look over the line and give some instructions to the guard, Severus enjoyed just watching her. She was beautiful, strong, snarky and sexy as hell and she was all his. It amazed him that he finally had someone who accepted him, all of him. He did not need to hide any part of himself with her; the good, the bad or the ugly. When he had told her about his life, all about his life, she had listened intently and Severus had learned what it was to lay your soul bare to someone; terrifying, yes, freeing, unbelievably so. When he had nervously asked what she was thinking when all was said and done, she had held nothing back.

She had told him that he had indeed been a hot headed, brooding boy but then she would turn around and compliment him on not killing his sire as soon as he knew he could weld magic. She had agreed that his joining the DeathEaters had been a monumentally stupid idea but then followed that with her thinking him brave to have chosen, before his "bastard of a Headmaster" could take advantage, to do what he could to sabotage the machinations of a madman. She had ranted about Lily's two-faced actions while also agreeing that Severus might have been able to handle the Marauders a bit better…maybe, probably not.

Pam had told him what was needed to be told and nothing else. She hadn't blown smoke up his arse nor had she condemned him for his poor judgment. She had simply said what he had already known with the exception that she thought him a good man and was proud of him for rising out of the ashes of his former life to make an even better life now.

She had then shared much of her past with him. Severus wished he could go back in time and teach her sire a lesson or two. But, alas, that wasn't possible, such a shame. He would have loved to be able to show just how much he learned from Riddle and the DeathEaters to those who had mistreated Pam when she had been human. It didn't bother Severus that she had been a madam or that her and Eric had such a close relationship. He admired that, actually. It was nice when there was one person around to depend upon no matter the situation. Severus had that now and it was a very surreal feeling.

In the office, Harry and Draco sat on the couch while Hermione perched on the arm of Eric's chair and Godric leaned against a wall while Eric went through the night's mail and filled out a few reports he needed to get done.

"Do you really sit on a throne, center stage, for those coming here to gawk at?" Draco asked Eric.

"Most nights, yes." Eric answered with a small smile.

"Most nights, meaning you won't tonight?" Harry wondered.

"Correct. I have much more interesting company to keep tonight." Eric smirked as he caressed Hermione's thigh.

A light conversation was had while Eric finished his office work and then all five walked into the bar.

All but Eric were surprised at the amount of people already inside when they entered. However, those four didn't miss the looks of lust and hopeful depravity and desperation that were directed at Eric who just rolled his eyes and led them to his booth. He slid in to the middle, then Hermione followed by Godric. Harry and Draco sat on the other side of Eric. A short time later, Pam and Severus joined them before Sookie showed up. Eric spotted Sookie first and murmured that Godric, Pam and he would leave the booth so the magicals could have some fun. When Hermione raised a brow at him, Eric chuckled, "We will not be far, älskare. We are quite interested in hearing your interactions with her."

"Will you ever tell me what that means?" Hermione smiled at Eric.

"Later" was his answer just as Sookie walked over.

"Eric, do you want me here or at the side of the stage?" Sookie asked, her voice showing her surprise to so many being in Eric's booth.

"Here will be fine, Miss Stackhouse." Eric told her. "If you will excuse us, we have some business to attend to." Eric said as Hermione, Godric, Severus and Pam slid out. Once the three vampires were out, Hermione slid back in next to Harry with Severus on her other side.

Eric paused his leave when Sookie touched his arm. Raising a brow at her, she whispered, "How do I let you know something needs taken care of?"

"The way you normally do it." Eric answered. When Sookie darted her eyes towards the group in the booth, Eric informed her with a smirk, "They have more secrets than you, they are fine."

She stood there for a moment before finally sitting down as close to the edge as she could get, not wanting to be any closer to the strangers.

Sookie eyed the newcomers with suspicion then she narrowed her eyes at them.

Shortly after Eric, Godric and Pam "stepped away", Hermione, Severus, Draco and Harry felt a presence trying to scan their thoughts.

"Why can't I hear you?" she hissed.

"Because we don't want you to." Draco sneered at the blond, speaking slowly as one would a child.

"No one can block me." Sookie dismissed the comment, not appreciating the way the overly blond haired guy was talking to and looking at her.

"Well, we can." Harry snidely retorted, not at all impressed with Miss Stackhouse.

"Is that why Eric is interested in you?" Sookie asked no one in particular but she was looking at Hermione. As if there would be no other reason for Eric to be interested in her.

"Could be but that is none of your concern." Hermione finally spoke up.

Sookie bristled at the comment as she looked Hermione over before speaking. "You do know that Eric has, you know, been with most in this bar, right?"

Hermione raised a brow at the blond woman, reminding the two young wizards of her mentor, and smirked, "You mean he's fucked and fed from them?"

"Well, yes, but there's no need to be so crude." Sookie huffed back, acting scandalized by the brunette's language. "Doesn't that bother you?"

"Not at all." Hermione replied nonplussed, much to Sookie's shock, making Severus chuckle, Draco snort and Harry to roll his eyes.

"It doesn't bother you that Eric's been with just about everyone here and many that aren't?" Sookie asked with disbelief.

"Nope. He's over a thousand years a vampire. Do you honestly expect him to be celibate?" Hermione scoffed.

"Well, no, but I would think he wouldn't be so, so, blatant about his, his activities." Sookie stuttered.

"Seriously? You're offended over a word that describes the act perfectly and that Eric, an ancient vampire, has had many conquests?" Draco drawled, shaking his head.

"It's a nasty word and I won't stand for it to be used in my presence." Sookie raised her chin, daring them to defy her. "He shouldn't have so many conquests. It's absurd!"

"Really? You work around vampires and some of the most depraved being around and you're offended by someone saying fuck and having an active sex life? Wow!" Harry grinned and shook his head.

"I am and I would really appreciate it if you didn't say that word again." Sookie demanded.

"Tch, aren't you just all high and mighty." Severus commented. "Dressed the way you are."

Sookie looked herself over and then back at the pale man before her. "What's wrong with what I'm wearin'?"

"A summer dress and ribbon in the hair, one would think you are trying to garner the attention of everyone here." Severus said in his professorial voice, making the other three smile.

Sookie gave Severus a narrowed look, "I don't want anyone's attention."

"Tell me, are you always this obtuse and oblivious or do work at it?" Draco asked a flustered Sookie.

"Makes one wonder why Eric tolerates you." Harry pondered aloud.

"He has his reasons." The blond said as she sat a bit straighter, trying and failing to control her temper.

"I'm sure he does." All three said, slightly off from each other, in various tones which caused Severus to smirk.

Sookie huffed in annoyance, "I'll have you know I have helped him avoid a lot of nasty situations since I started working for him."

"Don't think too much of yourself do you?" Draco asked with a cocked brow.

"I'm not anyone special, just a girl with a curse." Sookie defended.

Draco and Hermione snorted as Severus averted his attention elsewhere while Harry smirked, "And so very humble too. Wow! Eric's lucky to have you on his payroll."

Sookie opened and closed her mouth a few times before she finally hissed, "How dare you! I'm a valuable asset!"

"Not for long." Hermione murmured.

"Excuse me? What was that?" Sookie demanded.

Hermione looked the blond brat over and smiled, "Careful you don't lose your usefulness."

"What is that supposed to mean? Lose my usefulness?" Sookie heatedly asked.

"Just what she said, you seem to understand English." Severus retorted, getting bored with the blond "child".

"How dare you! When Eric gets back, I'm letting him know just how rude and horrible you four are." Sookie stated confidently.

"Be our guest." Harry said.

"He'll throw you out." Sookie stated, confident in that happening.

"Doubt that but you're welcome to try." Hermione told her coolly.

About that time, the three vampires returned and took their seats by their respective partner wearing varying degrees of smiles.

"Eric, are you going to let your new friends talk to me like they have?" Sookie commanded to know.

"How have they spoken to you?" Eric asked her.

"They were rude and crude and, and making fun of me for no reason." Sookie explained.

"Were they?" Eric responded.

"Yes. They used language that was uncalled for and threatened my working here." Sookie told him with expectation heavy in her voice.

"Tell me, Miss Stackhouse, do you always expect others to fight your battles for you or are we an exception?" Draco asked with disdain.

"See, Eric, rude!" Sookie fumed.

"I do not see anything wrong with his question. It was a fair question after all." Eric smirked at the frustrated blond across from him.

Sookie huffed and stood quickly, "You know what, Eric, if this is what you are going to allow, then I might have to rethink working for you. I refuse to be treated in such a way." She said with righteous indignation.

"There is the door Miss Stackhouse. No one is forcing you to be here." Eric told her coolly as the smile slid off his face.

"Fine." Sookie said before looking right at Hermione, "I would warn you about Eric but I see you both are made for each other."

"You think so? Thank you." Hermione smiled at Sookie as she snuggled more into Eric's side and squeezed Godric's thigh in response.

Sookie let out a frustrated sound and left in a huff.

Eric and Godric leaned over and kissed Hermione's temple, "Nicely done min älskling."

"Yes, very nicely done, älskare."

"I believe she is the muggle version of Lavender Brown." Severus stated, getting nods from his three former students. Hermione explained to the three vampires about Lavender and they had to agree with the comparison.

"How in the bloody hell have you tolerated her this long, mate?" Harry asked.

Eric sighed, "Because she was helpful before I met the four of you."

"Do you think she will return?" Draco was curious.

"She will unless I terminate our agreement." Eric told them.

"You know, you did put that clause in about her being insubordinate, which she has been since you first met her." Pam chimed in with glee dancing in her eyes at the thought of no more Sookie.

"Did I now?" Eric grinned. It had amazed him that Sookie hadn't questioned him about that particular clause when she had asked so many other questions about the contract. It would seem she had thought it would not pertain to her considering their bantering before he met Hermione and her friends; her loss.

"You did and I believe it's time to enact that particular clause." Pam cheerily answered.

"Yes, I believe it is time to let Miss Stackhouse go." Godric added, surprised by the blond's attitude and expectation that she could demand someone be thrown out for expressing their opinions and questioning her "morals".

"We could move up our timetable of warding to after the bar closes tonight, if you wish." Hermione told her vampire.

"I believe that is acceptable." Eric agreed as he squeezed her shoulders and kissed her temple.

The small group spent the remaining hours chatting about nothing important, waiting for the bar to close so the witch and three wizards could do their warding. Eric knew it would be a relief to not have to worry about the troublemakers coming into his place of business. Oh, and no more Sookie Stackhouse to placate or tolerate. She had been a fun distraction at first but Eric and Pam grew tired of her antics and waffling quickly. Bill Compton could have her and her childish ways.

Once the bar closed and all the employees gone, the magical beings started on warding the bar, realizing that the sooner Eric could be done with Sookie Stackhouse, the better off everyone would be. While the wizards got busy putting up the age barrier and various protection spells, Hermione touched Eric's temple so she could use Legilimency to see what the dealers and drainers were like; how she might be able to separate them from other patrons. She had told Eric what she would need to know to keep those types of people out yet still let everyone else of age in. She had assured him she would look at nothing else. Eric's response was to smirk at her and wink causing Hermione to blush lightly and shake her head. Where touch wasn't needed for most magicals to have Legilimency done on them, supernatural vampires did. Their minds, especially ones as old as Eric, were too well guarded making touch a necessity.

After locking eyes, Hermione whispered the incantation and entered Eric's well-structured mind. She was amazed how well he had his thoughts and memories organized whether he knew it or not. Having a watery surface was nothing new, many did that but the memories were usually still hidden behind a door or drawer of some sort. Eric's though, his were waterways. When she got near one that had nothing to do with why she was there it would freeze over. Hermione found it fascinating and marveled at how well guarded he was. However, she realized that the edges would "melt" after a moment or two as if he was giving her permission to venture there. She was awestruck at his trust and promptly set back to reviewing the memories of the various dealers and drainers he had come across. Where all of them looked as everyone else around, their auras were very different. The drainers felt slimy to her but evil generally did. The dealers felt, well, the closest thing she could say was fuzzy around the edges and she had to concentrate hard to discover that. She studied the memories quite a few times before pulling out only to have a napkin handed to her. When she gave Severus a curious look, he smiled, "Your nose is bleeding."

"Oh, I forgot it could do that." Hermione responded as she placed the paper to her nose as she searched her bag for the proper potion to take.

"It often does when such intense Legilimency is done." Severus explained so everyone present would understand.

"Ah, well, it was unavoidable." Hermione told them.

Severus nodded his head before cocking a brow at her.

Hermione chuckled, downed her potion and answered his unspoken question. "His mind uses waterways to protect his memories and knowledge."

"Waterways? That's different, right?" Harry asked.

"Depends, waterways for the surface or various bodies of water holding the different types of information?" Severus questioned.

"Both. Initially, the surface is one large body of water that I had to 'tread' across to get to his memories. Once there, it was like the large body of water split off into many varying sized bodies." Hermione explained. "What was really interesting was the areas that had nothing to do with why I was there would freeze over when I got close."

"Interesting indeed." Severus said with a hint of pride in his voice for Hermione being able to enter Eric's mind and stay as long as she had and for Eric for having such an unconventional method to protect what was his.

"Impressive." Draco commented.

"I had no idea that that was how I organized my mind." Eric told them, truly surprised.

"You wouldn't unless someone like me enters and sees it firsthand. We instinctively use what we know to protect our minds." Hermione said.

"So yours would be a library?" Godric asked, only slightly joking.

"Actually, no. I worked hard to make mine a maze with hidden spaces since everyone would expect a library." Hermione shared before she turned to Severus with a questioning look. At his nod, she shared with him the memories Eric had showed her and emphasized the feelings that went with each.

"Very good, Hermione." Severus praised making Hermione stand a bit straighter. Eric realized that no matter the student or the situation, him a vampire, her an apprentice, a Master's praise was always something to strive for.

"You are correct that it will take both of us to tweak the ward. May I show you what I think may work?" Severus asked.

"Of course." Hermione answered as she locked eyes with her Master still showing him unwavering trust. After a few minutes, Severus broke the connection.

"Did you figure out what to do?" Harry pondered.

"We did, yes." Severus answered.

"Ready when you are." Hermione told Severus who nodded and they raised their wands together and repeated an incantation that was foreign to everyone else, well, almost everyone.

"What spell did you use? It sounded vaguely familiar." Draco wanted to know, not able to place where he knew it from.

"I used the same ward the dark lord loved to use to secure any area where muggle-borns might venture." Severus answered in a dead tone. Draco cringed and paled.

"This ward, will it hurt them?" Godric was curious.

"I tweaked it to only give them a minor sting but the more they try the stronger the sting until it will knock them unconscious." Severus explained.

"What would have happened otherwise? If you hadn't changed it?" Harry pondered, morbidly curious.

"It's initially designed to torture before ripping the person apart…slowly." Hermione said gravely, shuddering. Severus had shared the untouched ward with her so she could understand the tweaking to make it easier for her to cast.

"Sounds horrible." Harry frowned.

"It was, yes. Fortunately, I am the only surviving wizard with the knowledge of how to cast it." Was all Severus would say.

"Thank goodness for that." Harry stated as he shivered at the thought of anyone else knowing something so horrible.

"Yes. Now, are we done here?" Pam spoke up.

"We are." Severus answered as he eyed each of the former students to make sure, all of them nodding.

"Good." Pam smiled, "It's almost my 'bedtime' and I would really enjoy some fun before turning in." she purred as she melded her body to Severus'.

"Best idea tonight." Draco stated as he eyed Harry.

"Then let us depart and adjourn to our respective homes." Godric told everyone as he wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist just as Eric stepped over to them to claim her shoulders.

Minutes later found the small group outside and leaving the bar behind.

AN: I find myself borrowing from 'Bound' by goldhorse where the ward for keeping dealers and drainers out of the club. They didn't go into any detail but had the character state that it was a nasty piece of work. So I ran with that. Again, if you haven't read that story and are a DM/HG fan, then you really, really should! Anyway, thanks for reading and I'm honored to have such wonderful readers who have allowed me the time to become inspired again for this story. You guys ROCK! Love to you all!

Translation: älskare means lover

Translation: min älskling means my darling