AN:
English is not my native language, that's why some Beta readers are helping me: Twilight684 Hodgeheg
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Luckily we had only a few lessons on Fridays and as soon as Hermione came out of Arithmancy we headed to the grounds in the daylight and with the sun at its highest. I was doing a Herculean effort not to rush off to hide in my chamber and to rest there, but Lucian wouldn't accept such behavior from me. I had to endure the sun. I had to lose the fear and the respect that each of my vampire cells had so that I could become stronger.
Hermione looked at me worriedly with every step we took. I guess part of my discomfort was noticeable in my face, so I decided to try to give her a false relaxed smile so that she could calm down. But I couldn't help paralyzing when we were going to cross the gates. The sun seemed to be looking at me as if it expected me to become a burning torch. I sensed Hermione's hand clasping mine, she didn't know why I didn't want to leave the castle at that hour, but with that gesture she wanted to give me her support.
How is she able to do it? Last night I was about to kill her and yet she still cares for my welfare, my emotions, my moods-and not just those that can lead me to end her life in a rush. In her eyes I can only see tenderness and love, courage and support, understanding and patience.
Why am I doing this to her? Why do I torture her needlessly? Wouldn't it be easier for her if I break up with her now? But I can't. With every beat of her heart she tells me that she loves me, that she's mine...and I'm a totally selfish creature. I don't want to stop hearing the beating of her heart.
Finally, I managed to continue walking and we met with my sire in the middle of the Quidditch field. Isabel was sitting in the stands. She hadn't gotten rid of Lucian so she would also have to endure his eccentricities.
When we entered the field I noticed that Hermione was a little nervous. I wanted to believe it was because she was away from the safety of the castle with three vampires that could kill her...but I can't fool myself in that way. I know that her nervousness had nothing to do with that.
"Hermione, I have the pleasure to introduce you to my sire, Lucian De Veraux," I said when we approached him.
"It's a real honor to meet you, Mademoiselle," Lucian said, taking her hand to kiss it.
I knew he wouldn't hurt her, surely he is the only one of the three of us that is harmless to her, but I couldn't hold back the groan. The bloody sun made me forget everything and it forced me to react to any gesture towards what was my property.
Hermione quickly withdrew her hand and looked at me with concern.
Lucian was kind enough to step back while he smiled. "Don't worry, Mademoiselle. It is normal for him to react like that," he reassured her.
"Maybe we would be better inside the castle..." she murmured still looking at me sympathetically. "Surely we can find a room where we can talk without being disturbed..."
"That's not necessary. The cub has to get used to the sun and I know he has been negligent during the time he has been away from me." His eyes pierced me even though his tone didn't reflect any reproach. "You can be confident that nothing will happen to him. However, he would be better if you move away at least one step."
She looked at him in confusion.
"He will feel better if he doesn't have to control every gesture to not break your hand," he whispered to her with complicity.
She immediately released my hand and stepped back a few inches from me.
We were silent for a few seconds, but it was a torture for the always talkative Lucian, so he began to ask us about our classes and if any of our schoolmates had asked us anything about his and Isabel's presence in the castle.
Of course they asked. All the students of the school asked something, even if it was through the most experienced gossipers of the school-Lavender and her friends. They had harassed Hermione in every class to find out who was the mysterious man that had accompanied me at breakfast, and Ginny enjoyed her moment of glory when they asked her about the occasion when she surprised me getting out of the shower... Because of this Lucian was more excited than usual. The fact that people praise his cub is always a source of pride, even for something as dull as that.
"Mr. De Veraux, I still don't understand why you are so determined to protect me," Hermione said, glancing toward the stands in which Isabel was. "I don't think anyone would dare to come here..."
"The clan members that they are going to send to talk to Draco will not think the same as you," he answered her patiently. "They will do anything in order to get what their masters have ordered them to get. When I have to prepare myself for situations like this I just try to put myself in their situation. If I had to convince Draco to join me I would use every means at my disposal, along with some others that were not entirely lawful. I would make sure to know each of his weaknesses, his movements, his hunting areas-everything I could find out about his habits and himself. We're lucky they will not be as thorough as me.
"Their masters have probably sent them with the knowledge that Draco will kill them and thus give them an excuse to attack him while they get rid of the scum. After what we have planned to make them, it is very likely that they've decided to send someone a little more...persuasive and less influenced."
Hermione listened to him carefully. She seemed to be calculating the best way to attack the castle and to kidnap herself. "But if they enter Draco's territory without his permission...then they'd be the ones starting a war," she added to the ramblings of my sire.
"Exactly, but they will think that by then they will already have you in their power, so Draco would have to be a mere puppet who did what they wished." He smiled and sat in the middle of the field, inviting her to do the same. "Chérie, believe me when I say that our world is a continuous walk on quicksand infested with snakes. During the meeting he will have with the emissaries of the most important leaders of what they call society, they will be juggling with the little information they have about him.
"They know absolutely nothing about Draco except the basics: he's my cub, he has only been a vampire for a few months, I have allowed him to move away from me after only two months of training, and-the fact that they love the most-he's a real wizard." He smiled and looked at me with a strange gleam in his eyes. The gleam seemed to be ironical, cruel, cynical and also of pride and approval.
"Some of the vampires have developed an ability to reuse their knowledge and the power of our blood to pretend that they can do magic, but it's not real magic. They are limited by the blood, rituals, and hundreds of restrictions... The great advantage of Draco is that he has been able to maintain his real magic, the essence that each one of you have..."
He kept talking to Hermione incessantly about the wonders of my powers compared to other vampires. When I heard him talk about me I detected some notes of real appreciation and recognition, even some notes of admiration. For Hermione it was certainly exciting to hear how Lucian, a complete stranger to her, was able to analyze so accurately some aspects of our world that were supposed to be totally alien to the muggles. He is able to analyze things in that way because he is a muggle, or at least he was one when he was alive... Every time I thought less about the distinction between muggles and wizards because I wasn't part of any of the two ratings anymore.
She looked totally spellbound. Slowly she had approached him and at the moment she was supporting her elbows on her knees in a charming way while she rested her chin on her hands... Seeing her in that moment, her eyes shining with excitement, attentive to each of the words that my always fascinating sire said...it was like seeing her engrossed in a book with the curious advantage of not having to turn the pages. Occasionally she looked at me when what Lucian said was heavily related to a particular aspect of my personality.
I tried not to get distracted in order to not laugh because of the tired sighs from Isabel. I knew what Lucian was actually doing, he was going to prove to Hermione that in reality she was vulnerable despite all the great confidence she had in her magic and in herself. I knew Lucian too well, much better than what he believes. I also guessed that this was a test for me, and I'm afraid I will not pass it.
"Ah, I'm sorry, chérie... I always get carried away when I talk about something as exciting as Draco..." he looked at me with a sly smile while, with a quick movement to Hermione's eyes, he tried to drop a blade of grass on the collar of her jacket.
I reacted immediately and I stopped his hand a few inches away from Hermione.
"Touché." He pulled away slowly and I released his hand and then he clapped in amusement. "Perfect! You have perceived my simple trick and you have precipitated with your actions, Draco."
Hermione immediately approached me.
"Don't fear me, chérie, it was just a small test-nothing too drastic." He showed her the blade of grass.
"I don't understand," Hermione said, confused.
"Lucian, I think you owe her an explanation." I looked at him with suppressed fury. Now Hermione was practically attached to me and if he wished to continue with the lessons, it would be too complicated for me to move fast enough without hurting her.
"Of course..." he sighed with annoyance. "Mademoiselle Granger, what just happened is that you have trusted me too much and you also have relied too much on the few security guarantees that your protectors give you. You've lowered your guard and you've also approached me more than any other human would have dared knowing what I really am. I've taken advantage of it to fake an attack. If I had used a dagger instead of a single blade of grass, I'm afraid you wouldn't be among us right now. Draco was agile enough to stop my hand before I got close enough to hurt you in any way, but he has also proven that your safety is something he cares much about. I could have attacked him because he left his left flank unprotected in order to save you. If I truly wanted to attack him, that would have been my best tactic because, for a vampire, you are nothing more than human and they wouldn't mind to kill you in order to obtain their goal."
"But…" Hermione was even more confused, "I thought we were just talking."
"And that's what we were doing. I just wanted to show you with a practical example that Isabel's presence is more than justified."
A snort came from the top of the stands.
"Isabel would have thrown a dagger from where she was sitting to stop the progression of my hand by immobilizing me or even something more radical, but she would remain completely on guard and she wouldn't lose her advantage over me, which would help to keep you alive."
"Luc, I'd appreciate it if you retained your lessons just for me," I said through clenched teeth. "You don't need to involve her."
"Okay, cub," he agreed. "We should change the subject. Have you thought about what you will do during your Christmas holidays?" he asked excitedly.
We went to eat and we left Lucian trying to plan our lives along with Isabel in the Quidditch pitch. I knew exactly what Lucian really wanted. He wanted to give a false sense of security and tranquility to Hermione. A part of me thought it would be the best for her, that she would think that we were not dangerous and just an annoyance, a slight pain in the ass that came with the boyfriend. Maybe in this way she wouldn't realize the deception-the truth...
She was still thinking about our brief chat in the field; she was furious with herself for falling into Lucian's trap and something told me that that had only triggered thousands of questions in her head.
When we approached the castle she looked thoughtfully at me. She must be willing to formulate several of those questions, but she just asked me to go to rest since the sun was still high enough to be annoying for me.
I looked at her with a raised eyebrow and I agreed after she promised me that she would eat something. Once in my shelter I laid in bed to rest.
When I opened my eyes and my body started moving, I found Lucian sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for me. In his eyes was no trace of the feigned joy with which he looked at Hermione, not even the hint of mischief that he always showed.
"What happened?" I asked.
"You have to meet with them tomorrow. You have an appointment with the messengers of Mithras and Monçada in a local area of Cardiff tomorrow at eight in the evening," he told me seriously.
"Right." I sighed. "Take care of Hermione while I'm gone, please."
"Draco..." he began patiently, "that girl is a witch, certainly a very intelligent, beautiful and funny one, and she can even be very entertaining in bed..."
I quickly got up, furious.
"Remember that you are only pretending to be in love with her... But if you are not just pretending, you should start considering the idea of giving her your blood to turn her into your ghoul. If you don't have either of those options in mind, she will become a big problem for us.
"What makes you think that I've forgotten that I'm faking?" I asked, annoyed.
"The way you look at her and protect her. I'm old enough to smell problems and that girl is a whole lot of trouble."
"My lord, this new life you have given me is full of them... Nothing happens if I add one more problem to the list." I shrugged.
"Don't make the mistake that many have made before you. Accept who you are-embrace it and forget your mortal life..." he sighed. "It would be better for you to end this farce. If you left this castle and you abandon her...all your problems will disappear faster than you can say vampire, Draco."
"I don't want to do that! I told you I want to finish my school year, and I will not leave her… Not yet."
"But you will have to do it someday." He looked at me comprehensively.
"I know."
With those thoughts in mind I left Lucian in my chamber and I started looking for Hermione. She was in the library with Isabel. I watched them for a moment without Hermione noticing my presence. She was totally concentrated in a book that I was sure belonged to the restricted section. I guess she was looking for some potion or spell for school.
A shy light entered through one of the windows and through the dust that was in the air of the room before colliding fully with her hair. Her delicate hands rested next to the decrepit book, occasionally slipping a finger over the parchment, gently stroking it. Her body moved with the rhythm of her breathing and her heart was pounding peacefully in her chest, tormenting my ears. That moment was going to be etched in my memory forever.
With the passing of time I will still remember every detail perfectly. I will be able to see the lines of letters written in black ink as night against the paper, her silky fingers moving over them, her perfectly trimmed nails shining with the brightness of the sun, the movement of her hand turning the page...everything.
I was so engrossed watching her that I barely noticed the exit of Isabel. She sighed and closed the book. When she turned and found me standing against the bookcase and watching her she gave me a wide and sincere smile, the type of smile that someone that is in love gives. Her heart increased the rhythm of its heartbeats, surely remembering the last time we had been alone in the same place. She got up slowly and approached me. The hands that before had caressed the parchment rested on my chest and I could feel her warmth through the silk of my shirt.
She stood on tiptoe in order to kiss me. I put my arms around her narrow waist and lifted her up against me. Her body molded to mine as if we were made for each other. She loved me and was totally mine, and I knew I would kill anyone who dared to think otherwise.
Her hands moved across my chest to my shoulders and caressed my neck before becoming entangled in my hair. My hands moved down her back and hips, pulling her even closer and her lips brushed mine slow and sweetly. The blood ran through my body instantly to met her wishes, focusing on reviving what she wanted from me.
The clothes, which were nothing more than an impediment to unite our bodies again, were furiously ripped by my hands without taking into account the buttons or the zippers. We didn't care about anything but ourselves. I wanted to lay her on a bed and kiss her warm and excited skin, but her urgency didn't allow me to do it. No, she needed me immediately and I granted her her wish. I sank into her slowly, tasting her, inhaling her scent and losing myself in the fast beating of her heart against my chest.
She gasped against my mouth and when her body began to tremble against mine, when she was losing her strength at the intensity of the pleasure that filled her, I stopped holding her so tightly. She opened her eyes and stared into mine before hugging me again to keep us skin against skin.
I knew then that I wouldn't be able to lie for a year and that I would have to get away from her as soon as I could, for her own good.
"Do you have to go?" she asked worriedly while she finished fixing my tie.
"Yes, I'll do this as quickly as possible." I kissed her lips briefly. "Thanks. Not having any reflection is sometimes an inconvenient." I smiled when she finished fixing my tie.
"How can you be so relaxed?" she reproached me.
"They will not hurt me," I laughed, carefree. "They will not be able to approach me. Don't be afraid. Lucian and Isabel will take care of you while I'm gone."
"I don't like Lucian," she whispered with a pout.
"You will break his heart; he loves you."
She gave me a disbelieving look.
"Seriously, Hermione, his representation of yesterday was just a way to make you see how vulnerable you can be among my race. He didn't want to make fun of you or anything like that."
"It's not that... I don't like the way he looks at me sometimes." She shuddered. "I get the impression that he thinks I'm not good for you."
"Well, I guess there is some truth in that." I hugged her and kissed her hair. "It's not good for a vampire to be as in love as I am with you."
"Can Isabel protect me from Lucian?" she murmured against my chest.
"No. Neither can she protect you from me." I stroked her cheek with my thumb. "I'm the only one that can protect you from him..."
"I know it's crazy but..." she looked at me with real fear in her eyes for the first time, "can I go with you?"
"Sure," I laughed sarcastically. "Of course not. I will not take you to a room full of vampires so that they can kill you. That would be like bringing them a snack to the meeting," I snorted, obviously annoyed. "Forget it, Hermione. Luc will not hurt you." I looked at her with a slight frown. "You're mine," I said almost in a guttural roar.
"What do you mean when you say that I'm yours?" she protested, offended.
"I mean that neither Isabel nor Lucian would dare to hurt you because you are with me..."
"No," she interrupted me, "you said very clearly, "you're mine". You didn't want to say anything else... Do you really see me as nothing more than your property? I'm just a human from which you eat and with which you sleep with? Is that what I mean to you?"
"Hermione…" I rolled my eyes, "I recognize that I'm too possessive, but I've never seen you like that... You're not nothing more my property, you're my girl..." I sighed because she would not be able to understand all that she meant to me. "No other guy has been with you-I have been the only one, the first... I know it's stupid and irrational, but I cannot help feeling a sort of primitive male pride when I think about it... They respect that, especially Lucian, and they also respect the fact that I'm the only one that has drunk your blood. They wouldn't dare to do anything to you... That is why I don't care to go to that meeting because, although I'm not with you, you are completely protected from both strangers and friends. You're mine, Hermione, by your own decision." I approached her. "You have given yourself to me completely, you have given me your blood, your body and...what I value the most..." I lightly caressed her lips with my own, "your heart."
"It's not fair…" she whispered with her eyes closed.
"Why?" I asked confused.
"Because you haven't given me anything in return."
I stopped a single tear that threatened to fall from her nose.
"I haven't been the first girl you've been with. You haven't given me your blood, but I think that isn't something you really want if I'm honest," she looked at me with her eyes filled with tears, "and I often think that I don't even really have your heart. Sometimes I get the feeling that you don't love me as much as I love you and that you don't intend to stay much longer with me." Her voice broke because of the sobs that wanted to get out of her throat.
When I heard that, when I saw her tears and heard the pain that was in her words, I froze as if someone had driven a stake through my heart. I felt my chest ache and everything that I intended to do was no longer important. I knew that sooner or later she would begin to doubt my feelings for her, but seeing it was not the same as imagining it. In my mind the scene was completely different. I wouldn't react to her reproaches and she would simply list the many details that had led her to such reasoning.
"Hermione... I'm a vampire." My voice was extremely serious. "I will always have this aspect; I will never grow old, I may even get to live forever... Any time I spend with you is, by necessity, brief in my new perception of time. Maybe you have that feeling because it's the same one I have. Sometimes I think you're just a dream that I'm having while I'm lying in my grave." I kissed her tears away.
"It is true that you aren't the first woman I've been with, but you're the only one with which I want to be with right now... You said yourself that you don't want my blood even though that would make you live much longer and thus prolong your beauty, your youth, and the time we have to be together... That would eliminate your free will, however, and I don't want that. But you have to trust me when I say that if I could rip my heart from my chest and give it to someone...I would give it to you."
I kissed her intensely. "I have to go," I said reluctantly. "If you don't want me to come back...leave the closet door open."
I left before she could say anything. I went downstairs quickly, ignoring the stares of those who I passed. When I got to the common room I met the two vampires that would protect her that night. My mentor was sitting on a sofa surrounded by young little girls who were willing to give him everything he wanted, and Isabel was standing against the fireplace. She looked me straight in the eyes and she stroked the sword that no one other than Luc and I could see. She left the fireplace and went upstairs towards Hermione's room, perhaps to talk to her... I guess Isa has become the only one with whom she can talk freely.
Ginerva appeared behind me, furious. She encircled me and slapped me. I turned my face so that nobody noticed that she didn't even hurt me.
"What did you do to her, demon?!" she screamed, holding her sore hand.
Luc stiffened on the couch, forgetting about the girls who now turned their attention to us.
"Nothing," I said without a trace of emotion.
"Then explain to me why my friend is crying upstairs!" She shook her hand as if in that way she could erase the pain. "Shit, you have a very hard face!"
"We have only argued, Ginerva," I said in irritation. I didn't want her to cause a scene in front of everyone… Besides, I couldn't tell her the truth.
"Sure!" she yelled, stepping in front of me with her arms crossed over her chest, obviously furious.
"What happened, Ginny?"
At that moment Potter and Weasley appeared through the portrait.
Just what I needed.
"This asshole made Hermione cry and now he is leaving... Have you broken up with her? That's it, right? You have broken up with her without caring what she may feel because you're not interested in her anymore."
From the corner of my eye I could see Lucian sink into the couch, shaking his head and smiling.
"You broke up with Hermione?" Ronald asked with a smile on his lips before advancing towards me.
"If you think you're going to leave this room without getting a few curses, you're very wrong," Potter said angrily, pulling out his wand.
"I'll talk to her... She will need a friendly face..." Ronald tried to approach the stairs that were behind me.
"Stay where you are, Weasley," I threatened him with a growl. Isabel wouldn't be so benevolent.
"Don't you dare do anything to my brother, bastard..." Ginerva clenched her fists with anger.
"Enough!" I shouted, sick of their insults and unable to contain myself. I sent them three powerful disarming spells that beat them against the walls of the common room. "We only had an argument because she doesn't want me to go to a meeting," I explained in a calmer tone. "That's all. I have to go to a meeting and she doesn't want me to go, we said a few things and nothing else."
I looked at Ron while he tried to get up. "Don't you dare get close to her if you value your life." I walked toward the portrait while muttering under my breath, "Damn meddling Gryffindors!"
What do you think about this chapter? Please, write a review and let me know.
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This are the reviews of the Betas that Edited this chapter:
Twilight684: Oh wow ^.^; this is getting really intense. I still don't get how Draco doesn't seem to realize he's totally in love with her. I mean it's so obvious by the way he's acting and yet he still thinks he's faking. He shouldn't break up with her at all when he cares so much about her L He might not admit it, but he'll be just as upset as she is if he does. They had better be able to work this out…I seriously can't stand sad endings… Can't wait to see the next chapter, and hopefully it won't be so sad ;~;
Hodgeheg: Gotta love Ginny. XD I loved her little outburst at the end. And Ron seems to want to sweep in fast! But Draco really needs to stop pissing around and admit his feelings, or end the relationship. It can't keep going on as it is.
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