Sorry for the long wait, I got a bit of writers block and decided to read more. But I saw no stories that really caught my eye, sooo yea. Anyway, hope you like this chapter.

The usual disclaimer

Chapter Four

Defence Against the Dark Arts

Hermione was lounging in front of the fireplace, unnecessarily warming her cold body up, when Ginny and Harry came down.

"Good morning. How did you sleep?" Hermione asked, a brilliant smile on her face. "I slept fine, thank you." Ginny smiled. "Me too. What did you do?" Harry asked. "I read a series of books. Very good they were too. Then I got up at sun rise." Hermione replied, pulling herself up in one fluid motion. "Shall we go down to Breakfast?" Harry asked. Hermione sighed heavily. "Another meal I have to pretend to eat." She groaned. The two humans grimaced apologetically.

As Harry and Ginny ate their dinner, Hermione watched out for the schedules. She had never eaten at Breakfast usually anyway, so no-one, except Hans, cared about the fact she wasn't eating. At long last, Professor McGonagall made it to the trio and handed them their schedules. Hermione grinned, momentarily dazzling her professor, and took it from her.

She scanned the lessons. "We have Defence first." Harry grinned, excited about his favourite lesson. Ginny sighed wistfully. "I wish I had that, anything's better than Snape." She muttered. Hermione laughed and playfully patted Ginny's hand. "You'll cope. Just remember, Snape doesn't have to be all 'stick-up-the-ass' guy this year. He can be non-biased." She comforted the red head. "Doubt he will though." Harry added, blissfully unaware. Hermione shot him a glare. "What?" Harry asked, genuinely confused.

The girls rolled their eyes in exasperation. "Boys." Ginny muttered. "Tell me about it." Hermione replied, rolling her eyes at the raven haired boy. "But, for some reason, we still love them." Ginny said thoughtfully, sending a fond smile at Harry.

Ten minutes later, the Gryffindor seventh years began to head off to classes. Hermione and Harry bade goodbye to Ginny, Harry giving her a quick peck on the lips, before following their classmates. The two caught up with Neville, Dean and Seamus and walked with them, all the while discussing the new Defence Professor and what his lessons might be like.

The group walked into the class to see Professor Christophe standing in front of his desk. "Don't sit down. We'll wait until everyone is here and then we're going outside for our lesson today." He told them, his voice rich and seductive.

Unlike the other girls, Hermione wasn't affected as she only had eyes of Edward now. Parvarti and Lavender swooned and giggled as they clung together after the Professor had spoken. "He is so hot. And that voice…" Lavender exclaimed breathlessly. Parvarti nodded. Behind them, with the guys, Hermione rolled her eyes, causing the boys to laugh.

After another five minutes, the Slytherins, led by their new prince, Roland McNair, sauntered into the room. "Finally!" Seamus exclaimed. Roland shot him an awful glare. "Now you are all here, we have to go to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. That is where our lesson is held today." Professor Christophe told them, striding towards the door.

The class followed their new teacher across the grounds until they came to the forest. A large cage stood before them, covered by a dark canvas to hide the creature within. "What do you reckon it is?" Harry whispered, wary. "Hopefully nothing as harmful as Hagrid's creatures he used in lessons." Hermione replied, causing her friend to nod.

"Right, before I show you the creature, I have some things to tell you about myself." Hans began. Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes, predicting another Lockhart. "My name is Hans Christophe and I belong to the ancient guild of Lamia Venator, the Vampire Hunters." The students' eyes widened in shock and, in Hermione's case, fear.

Hans used this opportunity to rip the cover off the cage. A young, beautiful woman with black hair and startling red eyes growled and tried to reach the students. They all gasped and took a step back, except Harry, Ginny and Hermione. Hermione felt pity for the obviously newborn Vampire.

"I caught this vampire when she was leaving an alley way, she's a newborn. Had only just changed when I found her, the blood lust is strong for her. Like a fire she can't quench." Hans told them, meeting Hermione's eyes.

"Sire, why isn't she reacting to the light?" A Muggleborn student asked. Hermione quietly huffed. 'Does no-one listen in lessons?' She thought. "That is just a myth. Have any of you ever seen a Vampire in the sun?" Hans asked. Most of the students, except Hermione, shook their heads. "But sir, there's no sun today." Another student called. Hans grinned darkly. "I have a spell that casts a light on a vampire the same as the sun. It's easy to decipher whether it is a vampire or not that way." He told them.

He pointed his wand at the vampire. "Lumos Soilem!" He cried. A light erupted out of his wand and bathed the vampire in false sun light. The students gasped in awe as the vampire's skin sparkled like diamonds. Hermione had taken a step back to avoid the light and remembered seeing Edward like that. She smiled softly at the thought of her boyfriend.

"When a person is bitten by a Vampire they become one as the venom spreads through their bodies. As they change, the pain they feel is worse than even the Cruciatus curse. It lasts 3 days before their hearts stop. After that, their eyes are blood red and remain so for a month. The blood lust is so strong that they need to hunt right away." Hans began.

"Vampires are inhumanly beautiful with no imperfections on their skin at all. They also don't eat human food or sleep. They have no heart beat or breathe, and can remain still for hours. They also don't blink and can run faster than anything." He concluded. The students' eyes were wide in awe.

"Now, to kill a Vampire is what I will show you." He added. Hermione's breathing, an act she kept purely to keep the illusion she lived and as a comfort thing, hitched and her eyes went wide in horror. She had seen enough of that before she was turned.

Hans enlarged the size of the cage before entering. The vampire lunged at him and Hans pulled out a knife. He viciously cut one of her arms off and she let out a wail. The Gryffindors were horrified and Hermione flinched with each cry of the Vampire.

Bit by bit, Hans hacked the vampire to death before burning the pieces. "That is how to kill a Vampire." He announced. Harry, as well as most of the class, were looking a bit sick. He and Ginny hadn't seen the Cullens and Denali clan tear apart the newborns as they had been duelling the Deatheaters. Hermione gulped silently, her eyes warily watching the fire burn the vampire. This man was deadly.

Hermione and Harry walked back up the castle, Harry shaken by what he had seen and the fact the that could happen to Hermione. Suddenly, as he thought that thought, he hugged Hermione fiercely.

"Harry?" Hermione asked softly, worry creasing her flawless forehead. "What if that happens to you?" Harry whispered so only he and Hermione, thanks to Vampire Hearing, could hear. Hermione sighed and gently hugged him back, kissing his cheek. "It won't. Besides, I'm not blinded by thirst and I have the Cullens." She replied, a smile on her gentle face.

Harry nodded, wiping away some tears and shot her a small smile in return. "There. Now, don't worry. I'll stick with you and your family till the end. I promise." Hermione grinned. Harry blushed slightly at the fact he had shown his vulnerable side again. The thought of losing someone else always made him vulnerable and scared.

The two friends passed Ginny in the hall with her friends and greeted her, before heading down to the dungeons for Potions with Professor Snape.

Hermione and Harry took their seats at the front of the class like they always used to, leaving a vacant chair, that would have been Ron's, next to Hermione. It was soon filled by Neville, who seemed relaxed. For now.

The door burst open and Professor Snape swept into the room. Neville turned into a nervous wreck and Snape scowled. 'Back to normal.' Hermione thought.

Please Read and Review. If like this one so far, check out my newest story; The Curse of Eternity. And I have also posted a trailer for another one of my stories I haven't started just yet called Defenders of Anarchy. It's a St Trinnian and Harry Potter crossover. :)