Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the intellectual property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer and JK Rowling. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Of Battles and Rescues
Hermione had a mission, a simple goal that she absolutely needed to achieve. She needed to know who was behind the plot that she discovered when she'd been digging around down in New Orleans. She had a strong suspicion that a vampire or a whole coven of them was involved in the nasty business she'd found. She still did not understand how it all tied in with the dark wizards.
It was also the last word she'd written in the notebook—given to Winky—to be passed to Harry. Harry would understand, he always did. They'd always worked well together. She would find the clues and Harry would find the missing links in the puzzle. Then, together, they were able to get the bigger picture behind any mystery. After all, it was a rather well known fact that Hermione Jean Granger hated not knowing something. Now that Tony was out of harm's way, Hermione knew she would be able to focus on her task.
The front door of her flat was blasted by a strong spell. In a heartbeat, Hermione moved next to the wall just to the left of her bedroom door. She stayed silent, fingering the bendy wand that she'd won the allegiance of from Bellatrix Lestrange, listening for any sound coming from behind the dark wood that made her door.
"Find her, she's still here. Be careful, the Master wants her alive!" someone ordered before she heard movement inside her flat.
So, there was more than one wizard coming for her. Hermione supposed she should feel honoured. If they did not want to kill her, it would mean that she was needed for whatever nefarious plan they had hatched.
She turned to her right and saw the still fresh—thanks to a handy preservation charm—bouquet of red and gold Calla lilies that Maximus had given her on their second date standing in a water-filled vase on a console. She did not know why she bothered with water for the flowers since the preservation charm would prevent the flowers from withering but now, the water would have a use.
She pulled the bouquet out of the vase and threw the water on the floor at the foot of the door, making sure that the water also flowed to the other side before moving silently to grab the long foot lamp that stood on the other side of the console. She pulled off the shade covering the bulb and tested the light to make sure it was still working. Leaving the light on to lure her attackers to her, Hermione grinned. Well, if they'd stupidly thought that Hermione would come easily, they were in for a nasty surprise. She was certainly not going to make the task easy.
"She's in there!" a new voice exclaimed. They'd probably seen the light turn on.
"We're coming for you, Mudblood," a third voice said.
Really, the insults were getting old. Hermione held her breath as she waited for one to come neared to her door. The water at the foot of the door served as a mirror and Hermione glimpsed a hooded figure approaching cautiously with a larger hulking shadow behind the first one. Only once the hooded figure was traipsing in the puddle of water did Hermione breathe out. She juggled the lamp in one hand and slammed the lighted bulb onto the wet floor.
Water being a very effective conductor of electricity, Hermione's trap worked perfectly. She did not stop until she heard the loud double thuds. Luck was apparently on her side. The larger of the two wizards approaching her bedroom had been touching his acolyte, and was electrocuted as a result. Only then did she switch off the light button of the lamp before throwing it to the floor.
Now, holding her wand in a resolute grip, Hermione aimed her wand at the door, non-verbally lifting the Colloportus charm she'd placed on it earlier before shouting, "BOMBARDA MAXIMA."
The door was blasted off its hinges and was sent flying into the hallway after hitting the two men already down. The temporary airborne door collided with a third man who'd been standing in the middle of the corridor and was propelled into the large plasma TV in her living room while the door crashed into the wall. Hermione rushed out of her bedroom, jumping over the two bodies lying down. She saw a shadow move in the living room and Hermione slid down the rest of the corridor before slipping into the kitchen. She closed the door before crawling behind the kitchen island.
She glanced upwards at the pots hanging over the working surface before turning and seeing the knives in the gleaming, heavy aluminium knife-block near the sink. She stood quickly before she pulled one long knife out of the block before again hiding behind the island.
"Stop playing Hide and Seek. We're not here to play, Mudblood!" a female voice hissed behind the door.
Hermione got a sudden idea and she needed to check if it would be possible. She again stood and pulled open the drawers in front of her. All her gleamingly clean cutlery was in there. It was a testament of Winky's efficiency. A quick wave of her wand and the silverware floated in the air and followed her as she crouched back down.
The door was forced open and Hermione saw the reflection of a short woman stand at the doorway on the gleaming surface of the red retro fridge.
"I know you're there so you better give up. We won't get nasty," warned the woman, her wand poised exactly a few inches above where she was hiding.
"Well, it's too bad for you because I'm only starting!" Hermione roared before with a slashing jerk of her wand, she bellowed, "Waddiwasi."
As one, the spoons, knives, forks—her entire cutlery—shot through the air into the opposite direction, onto her opponent of the moment. While a part of the silverware hit the wall of the kitchen and of the corridor through the open doorway with loud clinking sounds, a larger part hit the designated target with terrible accuracy. The witch let out a painful wail of pain before—with a final gurgle of blood—she fell backwards, dead.
She moved from her hiding place to take cover behind the open door but remained in a crouching position as she heard someone moving towards her again. Whoever it was, he or she moved cautiously into view and hesitated at the door before he moved inside, sidestepping the body of the fallen witch. The moment the black boot-clad feet moved pass the door and came directly in Hermione's direct line of vision, she reacted.
She violently stabbed the foot with one of the long knives that she'd picked a few minutes earlier from the drawer. The howl of pain that was released was male but Hermione did not have the time to think more on it. She jumped up from her crouching position, pulling out the knife non-delicately from the boot. The injured wizard let out at string of curses as he hissed with the added pain caused. Hermione finally in a standing position pushed the blood-covered tip of the knife right into the wizard's heart. The latter looked down at the foreign object planted deep into him before he glared back up at Hermione. A final thrust of the knife and a splutter of gore later, the wizard fell forwards. She moved out of the way before being trapped by the fallen body.
Hermione flinched when she glanced back down at the dead wizard—the knife had run thought the wizard's body—blood was flowing at her feet. She paused a few moments as she listened for any other intruders. She was certain that she was finally the only person alive in her flat.
It was the reason why Hermione was the first one surprised when she felt the tip of a wand on her throat when she walked out of the kitchen. She saw in her peripheral vision a Disillusionment Charm being lifted and a sixth assailant appeared. She chastised herself for forgetting to cast the Homenum Revelio Charm.
"Impressive for a Mudblood," said the wizard, who with the tip of his wand forced her to move to the living room.
Her wand was wrenched from her hand before she forcefully pushed to stand behind the half-ruined black leather couch. A new silhouette moved into the apartment from the landing and Hermione—now defenceless— felt even more terrified. Her luck had finally run out as she regarded the wizard who'd stepped into her apartment. It was a wizard from her past—someone she'd thought long dead—but the evidence to the contrary was now standing in front of her, a predatory gleam in his dark eyes.
"How?" Hermione simply asked.
Antonin Dolohov smiled ominously back at her.
Edward could claim that he'd roamed the earth's surface for nearly a century as a vampire and seen all of the marvels of the planet, but as he gazed down at his asleep son, he could not imagine having ever seen anything as beautiful as his son. The little boy had fallen asleep just after whispering the most heart-warming words he'd heard, "I love you, Daddy."
True, initially, he had his rightful reservations—at least to him—about his paternity after hearing Carlisle. Now, though, he no longer questioned it. No doubt, tired from a long day, Tony had fallen asleep, shortly after hugging him and Edward had laid him down on the long white couch. His eyes had not left the little marvel that was his son. He was so beautiful, a real little miracle. Edward caressed the slightly flushed cheeks before fingering the soft reddish-brown locks that framed the angelic little face.
He had a son. The words echoed in his head for a long time. Yet, Edward still had to get use to the novelty of what it meant. He was now a father. Hermione had given him something that he, himself, had never contemplated the possibility of ever happening. Still, as his cool fingers lovingly touched his little boy's face, Edward was certain now that he would do anything for his son's safety and wellbeing.
Carlisle had asked something from the small creature—Winky—but Edward was lost in his thoughts. He only tuned back when he heard Carlisle call his name loudly. Rosalie had glared back at their father for being too loud, fearing that the little boy would awaken. Still soundly asleep, Tony had curled himself on the couch, a small happy smile lingering on his adorable face.
Edward was still smiling before he glanced back at Carlisle. The look on his father's face shook him from his peaceful happy thoughts. Carlisle had a very sombre grave look and he was holding a small notebook in his hands. Only one word filtered out of the blond vampire's thoughts and—more than anything that had happened that evening—it perplexed Edward, greatly.
Vampires.
"Edward! We need to get to Hermione fast!" his father said.
Edward, as well as the other members of his family, noted the urgent tone in Carlisle's voice. Jasper stood even more rigidly than ever, as he glanced over Carlisle's shoulder at the notebook and the words written in there.
"Vampires!" Jasper read.
Edward moved in front of Carlisle before grabbing the notebook from his hands, before also reading the hastily scribbled word on the last page of the notebook.
"What does this mean?" he asked.
"It would seem that Hermione's under attack and that vampires could be involved." Carlisle replied.
Edward read from his father's thoughts that the latter was very worried for the witch he considered like a daughter.
"But how would we be able to get to Hermione quickly? She lives on the other side of the country." Emmett asked, understanding the dire situation.
Carlisle's eyes shifted to look down to the small creature, which had remained silent. As one, the Cullens turned to look at the house-elf. Edward understood immediately what Carlisle was getting at. The house-elf had been the one to appear with Tony and a fat orange cat. It would also be the one able to take them directly to Hermione.
"Winky, you need to take us to Hermione. She'll need our help." Carlisle asked.
"I's can't, Mister Cullen. Mistress Hermione explicitly asked Winky to give the notebook to Carlisle and to ask him to call Harry Potter. Winky's a good house-elf and will do what her mistress ordered," the house-elf replied, obviously stressed.
"It would take too much time to get to Harry and we don't have much time to spare. Hermione needs our help," Carlisle stated, in earnest.
"I's understand. However, Mistress asked that you inform Harry Potter before I's can take you there. Winky is a free elf but Winky won't disobey," the house-elf replied. "I's can't disobey Mistress' instructions."
"This is ridiculous!" Rosalie exclaimed, "Why can't she understand that it's a matter of life and death?"
"Winky understands perfectly what is at stakes here. But—despite being a free house-elf—she's still bound by the magic of her kind," Carlisle observed. "If Hermione clearly asked her to get to Harry first, we won't be able to change anything. Only Tony can ask something from Winky."
Carlisle had glanced at Tony, who had been wrapped up in a thick blanket—courtesy of Esme—contemplating whether he should wake up the little boy. Before Edward could protest, Carlisle's eyes flashed to look at Edward.
"Ask her, Edward." Carlisle surprisingly said.
"What?" Edward replied, baffled.
"Winky is the house-elf to Hermione's household, she's thus bound to obey anyone from Hermione and Tony's direct family. You're Tony's father, she'll probably follow what you ask of her," Carlisle said.
Hesitantly, Edward turned to the house-elf who had been fidgeting. "Winky," Edward spoke, firmly. The house-elf's huge brown eyes looked up at being addressed. "Can you get us to Hermione's quickly?" Edward questioned.
"Yes. I's can. Winky can follow orders from the young Master's father," announced Winky, to the relief of the family.
"Good. We'll need you to get us there quickly," Edward continued.
"We'll need it to be discreet to not alert others of our presence. Something, like a bathroom," Jasper supplied, the soldier in him pulling forth.
Edward nodded before repeating the same words to the house-elf who nodded in understanding. Edward straightened as Jasper, Carlisle and Emmett prepared themselves for the different travel means.
"Be careful, please," Esme pleaded before lightly kissing Carlisle.
"We will," Carlisle assured.
Edward's phone rang loudly startling him and he pulled the small device out his pocket. He nearly groaned when he saw the caller. Bella could not have picked a worse time for that.
"Not now!" he cried.
Alice snatched the phone from his hand, "I'll handle her," she said. "You just be careful, okay?" she also added.
"We'll be, love," Jasper replied, lovingly.
"Babe, don't I get a goodbye kiss?" Emmett asked.
"Nope. You'll get a welcome kiss when you come back in one piece and if you're lucky, you might get more," Rosalie answered.
"You'll look after him?" Edward asked the women.
"Of course, Edward. We'll prepare the guest room to accommodate for Tony, Winky, Hermione, and the cat. Don't worry about us. Just get back here safely," Esme promised.
Edward's gaze flicked to his little treasure. Already, he loved him so much and he did not know what he'd do should something happen to Tony during his absence.
"We need to move now, Edward," Carlisle reminded as he pulled Edward to stand next to him.
Carlisle's right hand was gripping Winky's left while Emmett held the right one with his other arm over Jasper's shoulder. A glance to one of the floor-to-roof window confirmed the strange sight the four of them made surrounding the small figure of the house-elf. His last glance before darkness surrounded him was surprisingly not for Alice—finally answering Bella's call—it was for his son.
Edward felt as if Carlisle's arm had twisted away from him and he re-doubled his grip. The next thing he knew was the darkness; it seemed like he was pressed very hard from all directions. He could not breathe—not that he needed it—he felt iron bands tightening around his chest. His eyeballs were being forced back into his head; his eardrums were being pushed deeper into his skull. It might not be real but it sure felt like it. He had the sensation that he'd been compressed and that he was travelling in a long rubber tube.
A few seconds later, he felt himself being squeezed out of a very tight hole and the rush of air that accompanied it was more than welcomed. The brightness of the white and blue bathroom was overwhelming but Edward's eyes adjusted quickly.
"This is the weirdest thing I've done," Emmett proclaimed.
It was a bit too loud to Edward's liking and Jasper immediately reminded Emmett of what.
"Emmett! We'll lose the element of surprise if you're going to be loud about this," Jasper informed him.
He was already springing into action with Carlisle following closely behind him. Edward asked Winky to stay hidden in the bathroom before he moved out of the bathroom. The bedroom was Hermione's; he knew it at first glance. The room was in complete disarray.
"Did you hear that?" an unknown voice asked down the open corridor.
"What?" another replied.
"Someone's in here!" the first voice said.
Edward could hear someone struggling as though bound. He caught Hermione's smell; it was still distinct in his memory. It was fainter than Bella's strong smell—which still made his thirst burn intensely—but it was still ingrained in Edward's thoughts. He'd recognised it anywhere. Distinctive and subtle.
"Hermione's still here," Jasper shared, glancing back at them. "She's been gagged and bound."
The empath vampire had quickly assessed the situation peering around the corner. "There are only two of them but I don't sense a vampire around," Jasper continued telling them. He was speaking at a very low frequency; only vampires could hear him.
"There's no one else there, Antonin," the second voice said.
"We need to act quickly so they won't know what's hit them, Carlisle." Jasper advised. "Before they pop out of here."
"We can't kill them! You know that, Jasper!" Edward hissed, hearing the thought from his brother.
"Well, it looks that Hermione didn't get your memo, Edward," Jasper informed him smugly, gesturing down.
It was only then that Edward saw the two bodies lying down in a nearly dry puddle of water. They were dead.
"There's one more body down there in the corridor riddled to death by forks, spoons and knives," added Jasper.
"Huh, she's no Bella that's for sure," thought Emmett. "Oh shit. Edward, I didn't mean like that. Bella is tons of wonderful but she can't defend herself like that," Emmett defensively babbled.
"Later, we need to move now," hissed Jasper urgently.
In a rush of speed, they moved down the corridor. However, the passageway was still narrow and when Edward arrived in the living room; the wizards had already been disposed of by Jasper and Emmett. Carlisle was now next to Hermione ripping off the heavy rope and pulling the gag also off.
"Carlisle, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked surprised. Nonetheless, she hugged him. "Where's Harry?"
"We didn't have time," Carlisle replied. "We couldn't wait for Harry; we wouldn't have made it on time to help you."
"You still did a fantastic work on your own," supplied Jasper, appreciatively.
"Yeah, a kick-ass witch. That's what you are," contributed Emmett.
"I've still let my guard down too long and they managed to disarm me," Hermione argued, as she moved to grab her wand that had slipped under a side table.
"Nevertheless, you still took down five wizards on your own," observed Carlisle.
Edward had glimpsed another body with a knife jutting out in the back and another one had been smashed headfirst into the TV.
Hermione had looked up to see Edward standing next to her. "Are you all right? Were you injured?" Edward inquired.
"Nothing serious, nothing to call the Healers about. Just a salve and no scarring left. I'm just tired; I'll probably need a long good sleep," replied Hermione.
"What's that?" Emmett asked as they turned to the wall behind them.
"Oh, that's the ready-made excuse. They would have held me prisoner and left this to make believe that I had been killed," responded Hermione.
Edward was sickened. There were crudely painted words on the wall. Painted in blood.
WE SHALL RID THE WORLD, ONE MUDBLOOD AT A TIME. That was what was written.
"What does this mean?" asked Edward.
"Blood Nazis, that's what they are," answered Hermione. "Anyway, we need to move out of here. I'll have to call the Aurors because my neighbours were killed and there'll understandably be a lot of questions from the Muggle authorities."
"Winky!" Carlisle called.
"Mistress Hermione," squeaked the house-elf, who ran the distance from the bathroom to hug the witch.
"Hello, Winky," uttered Hermione. "Didn't I ask you to call me Hermione?"
"Yes, Mistress Hermione did but I is a proper house-elf," said Winky, in a disapproving tone.
"We'll have time to talk later, Hermione. Let's get out of here," advised Carlisle.
"And Tony?" asked Hermione, as she walked back towards Carlisle.
"He's fallen asleep," replied Edward.
Hermione glanced back up at him before she took Carlisle's arm and Emmett's. There was a questioning look on her face, as though she wanted to know something else but she abstained from it before with a twist of her body, she disappeared.
Edward did not know what to make of it but a thought from Jasper told him what he believed she wanted to know. "She was afraid. Afraid that you rejected your son."
Edward nodded in response, before he grabbed Winky's hand and glancing a last time at the writings on the wall. Edward understood one thing about Hermione; he did not know the witch as well as he believed.
They popped back into their house and Alice rushed to Jasper's to hug him. Everyone was being hugged and it didn't escape Edward's notice that Hermione felt a bit awkward with all the couples' embracing around her. Edward caught her glimpsing at him before she turned away.
"Hermione, I'm so glad to see you again. We've prepared the guest room for you. Tony's already sleeping on the large bed in there. You've had a long day, you'll need our rest," coaxed Esme, as she ushered the witch and the house-elf up the stairs to the guest room next to his.
"I've talked to Bella," announced Alice, as she handed him back his phone. "She said that she'll wait for you tonight. You should go now."
He shook his head indicating that he did not plan to go over at Bella's, at least not until he had some answers. Only two persons could give him these; one was currently being showed around the room that the women of his family had prepared for her and the other was standing next to him. He, thus, turned to Carlisle.
It was roughly seven hours later that Hermione woke up in a foreign bed. She opened her eyes on the most important person in her life now. Tony was snuggled into her side.
Hermione lovingly touched his tousled silky curls. She'd feared that she would not have been able to do that again and now, she still could. She let out a sob because she felt overwhelmed by the surge of emotion. She'd done so much in the last few hours and she thanked the heavens for allowing her to stay with her son. Tears ran down Hermione's cheeks as she inhaled her boy's scent but Hermione did not care to wipe them. They were happy tears.
However, Tony roused with the extra attention that Hermione was bestowing upon him and she hastily wiped away the tear tracks. The little boy let out a large yawn before he looked up into her eyes. A gorgeous smile lit his innocent little face.
"Mummy!" he cried, hugging her tightly.
"Good morning, my little prince," laughed Hermione, hugging back her son just as tightly.
"Good morning, Mummy. I missed you," he said, in earnest. His dazzling green eyes fixed on her chocolates ones.
"Oh, I missed you too, honey!" she replied, just as truthfully.
"Mummy, I've seen Daddy," he announced. "Daddy's, the bestest of Daddies, ever. I love Daddy already."
"I'm happy to hear that, Tony." A huge smile spread across her face at seeing the look of adoration on Tony's face.
"Where's Daddy, Mummy?" he asked, looking around.
"He's –" Hermione began, before a heartbeat later, the bedroom door was opened and Edward appeared standing there.
"I'm here, Tony!" he simply said, welcoming the little boy who'd bounced joyfully on the mattress into his arms.
Hermione was truly happy that Edward had welcomed their son. It would have caused her great pain if Edward had rejected Tony. She glanced back at Edward whose eyes had been fixed on her.
"Thank you," he whispered to her, before he cherished his son's embrace.
Carlisle appeared at the door, a beautiful smile on his face as he watched Edward holding Tony in a loving hug. "Esme's made some pancakes especially for you. You should go now while these are still warm, Tony."
Tony jerked away from Edward's arms to look at Carlisle. "Pancakes!" he exclaimed. "Can I have pancakes, Daddy?" Tony asked, glancing back at Edward.
The latter smiled back at his son before he turned to look at Hermione. Hermione nodded at his nonverbal question. She understood that Edward did not know what to answer. He was in unknown territory with his son.
"Yes, you can. Don't indulge too much though," Edward answered.
"Yippie!" Tony cheered, before he bounced back to Hermione for his morning kiss.
Once done, Edward lifted him off the bed and the little boy ran to take Carlisle's outstretched hand. Hermione observed Edward watch his son lovingly as the latter scratched his pyjama-clad little bum. She'd seen so much of Edward reflected in Tony, and now, the two of them were finally together. They were so beautiful.
"He's so beautiful," observed Edward, turning back to look at her.
"Yes, he is," Hermione approved. They were alone in the room, Winky having gone off somewhere and Crookshanks was nowhere in sight.
"I believe we need to talk," Edward said, standing next to the door.
"Yes. We definitely do," agreed Hermione.
Author note:
There you go. A new chapter and a quick one to boot. I believe I'm probably spoiling you but you still merit it. The battle scene—in my humble opinion—remains too short but that can't be changed right.
I've toyed with the idea of Edward arriving too late to save Hermione but ultimately I chose to part with that option. That's not to say that Hermione is safe now. We know the witch; she's not going to sit there and wait. She'll want to get into the thick of things again quickly and that's exactly what she'll do. At least, that's what I'll make her do.
So, the plot thickens. Vampires, huh? What would vampires want from Hermione? Wait and see.
I've not yet decided whether I'll have Tony have supernatural abilities. Other than having inherited the improved speed from his father, I don't know if I want him to have other abilities. I'll no doubt look into it later.
Thanks to all reviewers: Crimsonprincess99, Babynora1983, Amata0221, Arabellagrace, Flyingberry, Amortentia-Malfoy, Angeldevil11, NorthernLights25, Liani, Vepattinson, Thersia, Invisible-gurl, xXBelieverXx and Meghanakiran.
Thus, I'll end this by wishing to every one of you a great day and as always, take care of yourselves.
Love,
Ludo.