Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the entire Monogatari family and their affiliates and the original story that goes with them alone.

A/N: Okay…this chapter is more of a chapter to show how Hermione is reacting to Snape's death and her strange connection to Kuro; it is also a chapter to show what biting Hermione really means…how it affects Kuro and how the curse has affected the family.

Please don't forget to review and lastly, Forgetfullove has finished the trailer for "Evanescent Memory" so check my profile for that link.

Chapter 12

Addicted

Kuro stepped into the dimly lit room

The room was filled with the unusual pure white orchids Kuro remembered watching him tend to as a teen. His dark eyes settled on the figure sitting in the window looking up at the moon as if it could offer answers or grant wishes. The figure was folded in on itself, knees drawn up to his chest, one arm rested by the wrist on a knee and the other arm hung languidly down his side. Moonlight cast across his face, highlighting his refined features. The figure took a slow deep breath as if the simple act of breathing was bothersome to him. His eyes closed slowly, long eyelashes brushing against the skin beneath his eyes, and slowly, they opened again. His eyes didn't waver from the moon, though.

"When you bite the one you love…when you taste her blood…nothing is ever the same. The taste…it's different. Sweet and bitter, but addicting…so addicting. It's like you're lost. It's like a ghost that won't stop haunting you."

His head turned slowly from the moon to look at Kuro. Rui's eyes, strangely dark and bright at the same time, held a shadow of his past in them. It was a shadow Kuro knew haunted the King…tormented him daily.

"Ousama," Kuro said in alarm at Rui's words.

Rui chuckled softly.

"It is just us, Kuro. No need for formalities."

He turned back to the moon for a moment.

"Ojii-san," Kuro said.

Rui turned and stood up. He stepped toward Kuro and patted his cheek lovingly.

"No need to worry, Kuro."

Rui stepped around Kuro and gently caressed one of the white orchids.

Orchid.

Kuro looked away for a moment. The pain on Rui's face was private. Orchid. That had been his wife's name…before he was cursed on the battlefield. Kuro only knew that Orchid refused to leave Rui having loved him no matter what curse lay upon his head or what would befall her.

No one knows the whole story.

Rui turned from the orchid and smiled at Kuro.

"So, you found her," he asked. "And Ayame doubts what it is you are to do."

Kuro nodded. Rui always seemed to know what was going on. Kuro wondered if that came with age. Rui was the first after all…he was the start of it all. Something he had done or been connected with had been the reason the curse was cast upon him…the reason they all suffered now.

"Chi is collecting the archives with the words of the oracle now," Kuro told him. "Sobo says you wish to speak with me."

Rui's eyes settled on Kuro's. It was unsettling. Rui's eyes often rendered little to no emotion and Kuro wondered if his would ever do that. Would he lose the passion he felt burning like a fire inside him? Or did that look come from something he didn't know about? Something about Rui no one was privy to?

Then Kuro felt it. The overwhelming sorrow wash over him…crippling him. Ever since he tasted her…drank from her, he could feel her…smell her…taste her. He could feel her heart beating and hear the sound of her tears as grief shook her body from such a great distance.

It was like he couldn't breathe.

It was like he couldn't think.

It was nothing but her.

He dropped to his knees, hand over his heart.

She had taken over him with a simple taste.

His other hand reached up grabbing his head as if he could rip her from his mind.

His heart pounded to the beat of hers.

He fought for his breath.

Rui stood over him…a look of pain on his face, as if recognizing what Kuro was feeling…as if remembering his own experience.

"You bit her. You love her. She has taken over you and you can't get near her," Rui said as if Kuro hadn't already figured it all out. Rui reached into his pocket and pulled out a chain with a Gothic looking cross. The intersection of the cross was normally hollow and clear, but was filled with what looked to be blood though, very little. The cross hung from Rui's fingers as if about to fall. Kuro gasped for his air…for her air.

"Wear it, Kuro. I had it made for you. You or anyone you have sent to watch her will be able to get onto the grounds of that school as long as you wear this…you will be able to get to her no matter where she is at with this."

Kuro looked up at his King…his head of family and looked back at the black cross. His long fingers wrapped around the cross, holding it tightly in his hand as he bent over begging his heart to calm down…cursing his heart for actually loving her. Was this the pain Rui lived with? Was this the pain Ayame lived with? He barely got the chain over his head when he felt Rui's hand rest on the top of his head, as if to comfort him…his Prince. Kuro looked up.

Rui could see it.

The pain of the heart…the pain of the truth…the pain of many centuries reflecting in the eyes of the youngest.

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Misery all around.

That was the world she knew.

Hermione's eyes slowly fluttered open.

Lucius…Lucius Malfoy sat by her bedside. His grey eyes normally so cold danced with something unfamiliar to them as he watched her. Her heart pounded as if in time to something outside of herself. She felt herself drowning in her sorrow. She couldn't breathe…she couldn't think. Her eyes drifted to the room around her…the hospital wing.

Her eyes slowly drifted closed again.

Misery…nothing but misery.

When her eyes fluttered open again, the room was different. There were vases everywhere…vases of white irises and black irises. It was a strange sight to see. She noticed nothing beyond her own heartache and the flowers surrounding her. She tossed the covers off and slowly climbed out of bed. The floor was cold beneath her feet, but she made no indication of being bothered by it.

She took the few steps it took to reach the first vase of flowers she saw. Her fingers reached out gently caressing the black petal with her fingertips. She looked around her. It was like she was surrounded by the dark beauty of the flowers and oddly she felt so safe there…so comfortable…like home.

The black and white irises made her think of something…something familiar. She felt something...a pull of some sort. Something or someone was calling out for her…to her. She reached up, placing her hand on the side of her head as if whatever it was, was there inside her head.

"No one can figure out where they came from."

Hermione dropped her hand and turned to see Harry standing there with a slight smile on his face as if hoping a smiling face would improve Hermione's melancholy. She was rather pale. The smile faded from Harry's face, when his obvious plan of cheering her up didn't work.

"Why am I in the hospital wing," she asked softly.

Harry shifted on his feet.

"Madam Promfrey thought it best. When Malfoy brought you in she was concerned…we all were. It was so unlike you, the way you were behaving…"

Her eyes snapped up to him.

"Within a year I've lost my father and the man who was his surrogate after. How would you have me react?"

Harry cringed slightly, feeling the sting of her words like a slap in the face. Hermione looked away, back to the irises. Snape was dead…Severus was dead. He would no longer call her "my Little Princess," he would no longer threaten Lucius on her behalf. As she lay in the hospital bed she felt so alone, but now, standing amidst the many irises she didn't feel so alone. Someone was out there feeling what she was feeling…someone was out there watching over her.

"Hermione, maybe you should lie back down. If Madam Pomfrey comes out and sees you…"

Hermione nodded her head in agreement stopping Harry's worrying rant. She was halfway to the bed when a particular flower stuck out amongst all the others. It wasn't the color. It was white like half the irises. It was gorgeous though. She had never seen anything like it and it sat in the middle of the irises like the leader…the King surrounded by his loyal subjects…a pure white orchid.

It was beautiful.

"Hermione?"

She turned at Harry's voice and with a slight smile to hopefully reassure him, she crawled into her bed.

Night fell.

The castle grew quiet and dark.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open. She lay there on her side giving her eyes time to adjust to the darkness. As the flowers that still surrounded her became clear…easier to see in the darkness, she slowly sat up.

She was alone.

Madam Pomfrey had turned in for the night and Hermione was the only one currently spending any time in the Hospital wing. In the distance she could hear the slight drip of a facet that needed fixing. Her forehead scrunched up at the sound. This was a school full of witches and wizards and no one had taken it upon themselves to wave a wand and fix a leak?

She felt strange though. Disconnected from everything around her…herself included. She took a deep breath. She felt so empty. Her eyes swept over the many irises and landed on the orchid again. She stood up and stepped closer to observe the rare flower.

That was when she saw it.

Something outside the window moved…shifted. The flower no longer held her interest. She stepped across the room, feet slapping against the cold floor. As she reached the arching window, she placed her hands on the stone of the window. She leaned slightly out the open window, looking around. She wasn't insane, despite how Madam Pomfrey seemed to believe she was going in that direction. She knew she saw something out the window.

Then her eyes drifted down…down to the ground. A man stood there, stock still, looking up at her…eyes narrowed, refined features of royalty. The moon shone down on this man, engulfing him in the pale light. The haunted dark look in his eyes was familiar. She had seen it somewhere else before, but to a lesser degree. It made her heart ache.

Then he did the unexpected.

This man shot up through the air, up toward her.

No broom.

No wand visible.

Hermione gasped in surprise and backed away so fast, she tripped over her own feet and fell backward. She looked up through the window from the ground. Her heart pounded wildly. Her chest heaved in desperate anxiety and her hand rested on her chest as if physically begging her heart to calm down. Her brown eyes were wide.

Ayame looked down at her, a slight smirk on his face. She could see him.

"So, he really has tasted you."

Hermione knew why the dark haunted look was so familiar. Kuro. This must be a family member…another cursed. Then the memory of the pictures Hanajima had shown her flashed in her mind. Ayame. Then his smirk faltered and he looked at her strangely…angrily.

"You will bring him nothing but pain…"

Whatever else he was going to say was never said. His eyes shifted to behind Hermione, where the doors to the hospital wing were opening and in only a second he was gone. Hermione blinked at the empty spot in the sky now and almost missed the sound of the rapidly moving footsteps crossing the room.

She finally looked away from the empty window when she felt a familiar hand wrap around her upper arm and lift her from the ground, turning her to face him at the same time. Lucius' grey eyes stared into hers as if he could see a sign of insanity in her eyes and pitying her for her loss.

She hated that look.

It was the look she saw in his eyes when she awoke before and he was sitting there.

It was the look she saw in Harry's eyes when he looked at her.

She twisted and pulled to try to get out of his grip, but he didn't let her go. Finally, she stopped her struggle and looked back up at him. He blinked. Looking down his nose at her, he felt his will weakening. Perhaps he shouldn't have been nursing a firewhiskey before deciding to check on her. Perhaps it was the image she currently presented? Weak…broken. The corner of his lips slowly turned up in a semblance of a smile. He moved toward her slightly, bending down toward her.

How many times had Severus arrived at the most inopportune time? How many times had Severus found them in similar positions and quickly separated them? He wasn't here now to do that. Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes filled with fresh tears. She was obviously thinking of that as well.

No one was there to stop him.

He stopped his descent upon her though. His cold grey eyes just looked her over, relishing the way her lip would tremble and the way her eyes would shine just before the tears would fall. Yes, she was broken. She was like a new piece of clay, beaten down and softened…ready to be molded into what he wanted her to be. He reached out a hand and gently pushed a piece of hair out of her face. The touch, so simple, so intimate seemed to be enough to send those tears spilling down her face.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him…possessively.

She paid no attention to the way he held her…the truth behind it. She only saw human contact…comfort for her losses even if he was an enemy of the past it was welcomed with open arms.

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Chi stepped into the room with an open book in hand.

"I found the archive that holds Oriana's words," he said before looking up.

When he looked up into the orchid filled room, his eyes fell on Kuro. He was on his knees like a broken man. Chi looked back at the open door and then closed it, thinking it best that no one else sees the Prince in such a state. Rui stood at one of the orchids gently caressing the delicate flower. He turned to look at Chi observing the lines that had formed between his eyes since he had been in the library.

"I take it Chloe was still in the library?"

Chi looked up from Kuro at Rui's words and the lines became more pronounced as if screaming irritation. He nodded his head, causing Rui to smile and laugh softly. Chloe was a girl…an ordinary girl living in the estate under Rui's care that was absolutely taken with Chi, but that's another story all on its own.

"Kuro," Chi asked, turning his attention toward the younger man.

Kuro looked up. This man, Chi, his uncle, was asked to continue to help with his education in preparation for taking over the throne while they were away from the estate.

"Why did you never tell me?" Kuro stood up. "How could you not tell me drinking her blood would cause me to crave her? How could you not tell me drinking her blood would hurt?"

Chi closed the book, took a deep breath, and pushed his glasses up his nose.

"I have never had the experience of drinking the blood of the woman I love," Chi answered.

Kuro stepped forward, eyes narrowed and looking at Chi in a way that would make anyone else cringe back in fear.

"Why not," Kuro asked. "Never found yourself yearning for just a nip? Or never found yourself in a life or death situation as I have?"

Chi's facial expressions remained passive for only a moment before he smiled slightly as he looked at the Prince.

"I love no one," Chi said before turning to leave the room, sitting the book on the small end table by the door on his way out.

Kuro watched the door shut and then turned to look at Rui. His long hair had fallen forward in his face as his head bowed as if in sorrow. When Rui looked back up the dark hair fell back.

"That is something I've learned about this curse, Kuro," he said with a hint of sadness to his voice. "It affects each of us differently. Though our experiences may be similar, our reactions differ." Rui turned from the orchid. "Take me and Ayame for example. Both of us loved and married an ordinary woman, though my marriage occurred prior to the curse. Both of us watched the love of our lives grow old and die. My reaction is to always remember her…to continue to love her, but in doing so to wish everyone, even the cursed to find love. Ayame's reaction is to shun everything dealing with love, especially where an ordinary girl is involved. He walks around angry and hurt at the world and anything or anyone that could possibly make him feel again."

Kuro listened to his King silently. When he seemed to have finished his comparison of him and Ayame, Kuro spoke.

"And what of Chi? His reaction is to be cold and heartless?"

Rui smiled at Kuro.

"No," he said. "His reaction is to build a wall up around his heart. His reaction is to protect himself and his heart at all costs."

Kuro could see the heartbreak on Rui's face…seeing one of his cursed…one of his beloved fearing the pain…fearing life. Rui took a deep breath and looked back at one of his orchids.

"Perhaps someone will break through those walls…someone will be tenacious enough…persistent enough to not allow Chi to push them away. Someone will love him and his faults and his heart will have no choice but to beat for her."

Silence.

Then there was a soft knock on the door followed by the door slowly opening. They both watched as Chloe stepped into the room with a stack of books Rui was waiting on. Whenever she entered a quiet calm room, she seemed to bring chaos. If things weren't falling or she wasn't hurting herself, she brought with her the urge to talk. Rui turned and smiled at the young woman feeling the energy she brought into a room.

"Thank you, Chloe."

She sat the books down on the desk he normally used and she looked around the room. Kuro knew who she was looking for. Her blue eyes stood out with the dark hair framing her face.

"Chi has wandered off through the estate, Chloe," Rui said.

With a smile, she ran out the door determined to find the man. Rui glanced back at Kuro, watching the way his hand would wander to his chest and rest there as if urging some pain to go away. Rui understood all too well that pain…that yearning.

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"Why were they trying to kill me? I did nothing to them during the war. I didn't even recognize them."

Hermione stared into the dancing fire in the Gryffindor common room. Most of Gryffindor was in bed fast asleep, but Hermione remained up as did her guard.

"Surely, you are smart enough to figure out that you were not their target at all."

Hermione looked up from the fire and stared into the eyes of Lucius. They seemed to offer her a challenge, a dare to really look at it and figure it out.

"You are not suggesting that I was used to get to Severus?"

He raised one eyebrow at her in a way reminiscent of something Snape would do. Hermione looked away as she thought of this and stared back into the fire. She felt the tears building up again as she shook her head no.

"Who would waste their time doing such a thing and why?"

She looked at Lucius as if demanding an answer.

"Can you think of no one, Hermione? No one who would wish to eliminate all obstacles to you?"

He let that sink in. He watched as the name flashed in her eyes and she frantically began to shake her head no. How could that be? She fed him…she thought about him…every breath seemed to be with the knowledge they would meet again. There were times she swore she could feel him…heart and soul and in those still lonely moments it hurt. Her memories flashed to visions of him holding her behind him as those determined to get to him approached. He wanted her kept safe. Would he really eliminate anyone near her making his path to her smoother? She shook her head no more furiously.

"No," she yelled and stood up to leave the room in a sprint.

Lucius, calmly reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her. The momentum she already had going sent her stumbling back when Lucius grabbed her wrist. When she stumbled back, she fell over Lucius' legs, falling back onto the sofa with her legs draped over the one of Lucius' she tripped over. He turned in an instant to face her, hand on the side of her legs as if to keep them where they were. His eyes danced wildly as he stared at her, leaning over her slightly.

There she was.

Tears on her face.

Broken.

Ready to be built back up…needing to be built back up.

Just one more thing needed to be done…she needed to simmer slightly like a well developed potion.

And no one was there that could stop him.

He leaned forward, closer to her. She gasped in shock and surprise when she felt his lips just barely touch hers…not exactly kissing her, but leaving the promise of one before he stopped his descent upon her and pulled away.

It was Lucius' turn to stare into the fire. He turned and glanced at her wrist where she wore the bracelet…she had no choice. He would always be able to find her with that on…it would chain her to him essentially. With a slight smile, he stood up and Hermione watched in silence as he disappeared up the stairs leading to the boys' side of the tower.

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The grounds of Hogwarts was not nearly as crowded as the day they laid Albus Dumbledore to rest. Still, many people wandered about finding seats before the speeches began. Hermione sat in the front, in a seat normally reserved for immediate family. Hermione was the closest thing he had to a daughter and apparently many in the wizarding community were aware of this. People she didn't know or didn't recognize offered her sympathetic smiles before wandering to their seats shaking their heads about what a loss it was.

Hermione was sitting there feeling as empty as ever when it happened…an overwhelming desire filled her. The desire to leave…to get up and run into the Forbidden Forest. Her heart began to pound furiously. She took a deep breath as if she just wasn't getting enough air. Lucius turned around and looked at her. She was acting strange, had been all day…acting like she couldn't breathe. On the other side, Harry patted her hand.

"Hermione?"

She looked at him, grateful for his care and friendship. She shook her head to push away his reasons for concern.

"I'm fine," she said as her eyes began to scan the boundaries of the Forbidden Forest as a sudden calm seemed to overcome her.

Was it him?

Was it Kuro that caused the sudden calmness?

It was as if she could hear her blood rushing through her veins…as if something was calling out to her. Her eyes flickered to Lucius, he turned his head slightly and offered her some version of a smile. She wondered if he even realized he had done that. Her heart was still aching though. Did Kuro order this? Did he see Snape as an obstacle in his way to her?

That was when the shadow cast over her, blocking the sun from her eyes. She looked up and saw Draco standing there, hands relaxed in the pockets of his pants, looking down at her with grief dancing in his eyes as well.

And she thought he would blame her.

Her lip quivered. Before Draco knew what hit him, Hermione launched herself out of her seat and threw her arms around the tall boy. He closed his eyes, laying his head atop of hers as his hands slowly came out of his pockets and wrapped around her. Lucius looked up at his son holding Hermione…comforting her…her going to him for that comfort. When Draco opened his eyes, they fell on his father.

There was something there in his eyes.

An accusatory tone.

Lucius sneered at his son and looked around as if expecting that vampire to show up any time…even in the daylight.

And Lucius was right.

Standing just inside the edge of the Forbidden Forest, covered in a dark cloak, protecting him from any part of the sun shining through the treetops was Kuro. The hood of the cloak kept his face hidden, but still his dark eyes looked through the darkness of the cloak toward the service being held for who Kuro knew to be a surrogate father of Hermione's. Her tears were painful to watch.

His heart beat as if it were pounding to the rhythm of hers. Careful to keep his hand in the darkness of the forest, he gripped the tree he leaned against as if that act alone would keep him from barging in and snatching her from Lucius' side. He fought to catch his breath…finally falling down to his knees.

Hermione turned suddenly in her chair…her eyes straining to see into the Forbidden Forest. Lucius looked at her curiously, following her gaze, but seeing nothing that could hold her attention.

"What is it," he asked bringing her attention back to what was immediately surrounding her.

Hermione looked up into his grey eyes and shook her head, indicating nothing, but her eyes still kept drifting to the forest. Maybe it was avoidance…maybe she just didn't want to face the fact that they were currently laying Severus Snape to rest. It was like having to face the reality that he would never stalk the halls of Hogwarts again. She looked around at all the somber faces.

Ron wasn't there.

He refused, stating he would not go mourn the death of a Death Eater with other Death Eaters. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as Severus' coffin was lowered into the ground. She looked away, toward the forest, not wanting her last vision of him to be nothing more than a coffin being shoved in a hole in the ground.

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She was running through the Forbidden Forest. Something was after her or she was after something; she couldn't be sure which. The thunder rolled across the sky and the rain pounded around her. An evil insane laughter seemed to echo around her…it reminded her of Bellatrix, but this time it was a man. She stopped and turned circles trying to see where the laughter was coming from.

There was no one.

There was nothing to indicate where it came from.

She felt lost within. Her heart pounded to a beat that was not her own and her breaths were coming in quick succession. For a moment she thought she saw Ayame's face between some trees. He looked displeased, unhappy of her existence. She continued running though until finally, she tripped taking such a fall she became tangled in a briar.

Hermione kicked at the prickly plant, trying to free herself. In the process, she cut herself on her inner leg, just above the knee. She felt the sting of the ripping flesh as she backed away, not caring that she was on the wet ground.

The rain pelted her.

She sat there on the floor of the forest…lost in the physical world as well as within.

Then she heard it.

She heard a deep quavering breath.

Her head turned to the side, wet hair slapping her in the face. Kuro was crouched on the forest floor…soaking wet, hair not tied back, but dripping wet. The rain ran down his face and back as he looked up at her. His eyes seemed to smolder with hunger. She gasped slightly at the intensity they held and the way it made her feel.

It was like watching a man addicted.

He slowly unfolded himself and began to crawl toward her…as if stalking her. She didn't move. This was what she was looking for. If anything was chasing her, they would be fool to continue to do so now.

There was no pause in his movements; no unsure hesitations. The moment he reached Hermione, he continued his crawl until his lips crashed down on her sending her falling completely back on the forest floor.

Yes, she had been running through the forest in search of him…in search of the man that wouldn't leave her mind.

She finally felt as if she could breathe again.

When his lips moved from her lips to her neck, it was like he was desperate to get under skin…he just couldn't get close enough to her.

It was like an addiction.

Then he smelled it.

Blood.

Her blood.

His eyes opened suddenly, looking up at her with hunger dancing in his eyes. His mouth clenched and watered remembering the sweetness of her taste and the bitterness that would follow.

It was like she knew…just knew what he was thinking…what he was feeling. She pushed a wet strand of hair out of his face and nodded her head.

It happened so slowly, yet so fast. It was hard for her to describe…it was the rush from finally getting something she wanted…something she had to have.

He sat up, leaving her lying on the ground. He could see the blood…a slight bright red stream running from just above her knee. She felt her heart pound wildly in time to his as he leaned over and gently ran his tongue along the line of blood, leading to her slight wound.

Her breath came in quick short bursts the closer he got to the wound. His hair fell forward tickling her skin. His hands gripped her legs tighter, but not painful as he reached the wound and so quickly, as if he were desperate for the taste…for her taste, his teeth sank down into her flesh.

There on the wet forest floor, in the darkness of the night Kuro took what he had been yearning for…tasting what he had been aching for…Hermione's back arching as she writhed beneath Kuro on the forest floor…hidden by the rain and trees…

A/N: Bet you'd like to know what the bloody hell is going on at the end of this chapter huh? Well, you will have to wait until the next chapter to find out. evil laughter

As you all know I have shown pics of who I could imagine playing the part of Kuro, if you would like to see who I could see playing any of the other parts of the Monogatari family let me know.

The Japanese in the chapter, I researched the best I could and have explained below.

ousama: This is a term used for "King."

ojii-san: This is the term used when addressing your grandfather

sobo: This is the term used when referring to your grandmother, but not addressing her. In this case, Kuro would be referring to Hanajima as she is his grandmother (she is Kuro's father's mother).