CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Summary: Sent to Volterra in order to negotiate terms of an alliance to end the war, Hermione's life is turned upside down as she is brought into the world of the Volturi, better known as the Vampire Kings. There she is made a part of a new kind of family and a most trusted member of the guard, whether she likes it or not, and surprisingly, she does. Rated M for language, violence and sexual content.
Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling and Stepenie Myers. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic. As for the descriptions of appearances for the Twilight characters, all my research is based on the books and not the movies, but I may have changed a few things regarding Alec's height and age.
Page count: 6
Saturday 2nd May 1998
They landed in the centre of the fields that surrounded the house belonging to the Lupins and the headquarters for the Order.
"The security measures?" Demetri's brow furrowed in confusion.
"I am the beneficiary of this house until Teddy comes of age, I am magically bound as his guardian and all of his possessions are passed to me until he reaches seventeen. I am magically bound to the house, meaning I am able to surpass the security measures and I can apparate straight through the wards, just as Remus and Tonks were able to," she explained quietly.
They both tightened their hold on her and they walked to the house, Hermione opening the door and stepping inside, coming face to face with Harry, the Weasley's and Kingsley.
They were arguing and muttering, Harry was pacing back and forth whilst Ginny tugged at her hair, Fred and George were whispering between themselves, their eyes flickering between the arguing Kingsley, Ron and Mrs. Weasley. Mr Weasley sat in an armchair silently, as did Percy and Charlie, and Bill sat on the couch with Fleur in his lap and he was muttering into her ear as she had her arms looped around his neck.
They were all sporting injuries that looked to have either been healed or were currently being treated. Cuts, burns and bruises littered their bodies, Ginny looked to have hurt her ankle as it was elevated by a cushion, Harry looked to have broken his left wrist and Mr. Weasley had his right arm in a sling.
When she entered, all arguing and muttering halted to a stop, the room plunged into silence and every pair of eyes turned to her.
"Thank Merlin, you're safe," Mrs. Weasley breathed out, moving forward to hug her but Hermione took a step away from her and Mrs. Weasley stopped in her movements, a frown on her face, and it deepened when she saw the bundle in Hermione's arms and the blood covering the blanket.
"Hermione, what happened?" Harry asked quietly, his eyes wide and obviously coming to the same conclusion as everyone else, which was that something terrible had happened since her leaving Hogwarts.
"Andy's dead," she whispered. Gasps and curse words filled the room. "Greyback killed her and kidnapped Teddy. He's been dealt with."
She turned away from them and headed for the stairs, not wanting to say more on the matter. They knew everything they needed to know.
"What do you mean he's been dealt with?" Kingsley asked.
"Who is to be Teddy's guardian?" Mrs. Weasley questioned.
Hermione released a slow, steady breath before turning to face everyone. "Alec and Demetri killed him when he tried to attack me and bite Teddy," she answered Kingsley before turning her eyes to Mrs. Weasley. "I am Teddy's legal guardian."
"Don't be silly, Dear, you can't be his guardian," she scoffed. "Give me Teddy and I'll take him."
She reached out for him and Hermione took a step back, Demetri and Alec stepped in front of her protectively. She blinked in surprise and eyes darted between them at the vampires' actions.
"No, you are not getting my Godson," Hermione said, her voice sounding broken and sad but also strong and determined. "Should anything happen to either Remus, Tonks and Andy," she stumbled over their names, "I am to be his legal guardian. The magic involved has already transferred all of the Lupin's possessions to me, for safekeeping until Teddy becomes of age. And I am to raise him."
"It's true," Kingsley said to everyone's surprise. "Remus informed me of his wishes before the battle and Hermione was able to apparate straight through the wards," he looked to her sadly.
"That's ridiculous!" Mrs. Weasley spluttered. "She's just a child herself, she can't possibly look after a newborn. It's best it be done by someone who knows what they're doing. Give me Teddy."
A snarl of warning ripped from Alec's throat when she stepped forward again to try to take Teddy from Hermione and she froze in fear, as everyone else shared strange looks due to the vampires' behaviour.
"With all due respect, Mrs. Weasley, shove off," she said tiredly. "I haven't been a child for years, this war took my childhood from me, and although I have always been more mature than my peers, I was forced to grow up rather quickly. I've kept your son and Harry alive for the past seven years, and I may not know how to care for a child, but I will learn, as does every first-time mother, just as you had to do yourself. You are not taking my Godson from me."
Before Mrs. Weasley could respond or anyone else could for that matter, Hermione turned and headed for the stairs, disappearing from view. Alec and Demetri followed behind her but not before letting out snarls of warning to prevent anyone from trying to follow them.
Hermione made a detour to Teddy's nursery, grabbing clean clothing, nappies and wipes and the milk formula. She disappeared into Remus and Tonk's room for all but a minute and rushed out after retrieving Teddy's preferred blanket and two pillows from the bed, and she made her way to her own room.
Alec and Demetri followed her silently and when they were all in her room, she erected the strongest locking and silencing wards she knew and then she turned her attention to her Godson. Alec and Demetri hovered by the bed, observing Hermione as she silently climbed onto the mattress and placed the sleeping child down gently but it woke him up. He gave a big yawn and his eyes opened, latching onto Hermione's.
Tears fell down her face silently as she went about removing Teddy from the blood-covered clothing and blanket. She changed his nappy and had him dressed in a blue sleepsuit before wrapping him up in his preferred blanket. She picked him up in her arms and magically prepared the milk formula, being glad that Tonks had shown her just what to do.
Hermione supposed she should've known. During the time she spent with Tonks over the past week, Tonks always made sure that Hermione changed Teddy's nappy and clothing, she made sure she fed him and burped him at least once a day, and she often spoke of things that settled him if he were upset. She should've seen the signs. Tonks was preparing Hermione in case anything should happen to them all and Hermione was left alone to care for Teddy. Her tears fell harder as she fed Teddy his bottle before she burped him.
Hermione arranged the pillows on the bed to prevent Teddy from rolling off the bed during sleep, one of the pillows was hers, the other two belonged to Remus and Tonks, and they would have their scent on them. It would comfort Teddy in his sleep, and she supposed, it would comfort her as well.
She laid down beside him, the pillows separating them and Teddy latched onto her finger and her other hand rested on his stomach lightly, brushing her fingers over him in a soothing manner, and the newborn was sleeping within minutes.
"Hermione?" Demetri said softly, crouching down by the side of the bed, her eyes locked on his over the head of Teddy. "Why don't you get cleaned up, you'll feel better once you're free of all the blood and dirt. The hot water will help to ease the aches and pains in your body and you'll be able to sleep." She blinked at him. "We'll watch Teddy and we'll make sure no harm comes to him," he promised.
She blinked at him again but when Demetri moved his hand closer to Teddy, the sleeping child automatically latched onto the proffered finger and shifted in his sleep slightly but he didn't wake. That sole action from Teddy convinced Hermione to climb off the bed and move over to her bathroom and she hovered in the doorway before walking into the bathroom. They expected her to close the door behind her like she usually did but this time she left it open, wide open.
They heard the water being turned on, the removal of clothes and the sound of the shower curtain. She was silent until sobs of grief suddenly sounded and they heard them clearly. They both looked at the bathroom sadly, restraining themselves from rushing to her.
Right now, she needed the time to get it out of her system and when she had done that, they would comfort her.
Demetri turned his attention to watching Teddy sleep, completely unaware that his life would never be the same again. Completely unaware that his family had been slaughtered. Completely unaware that he would likely be growing up in a castle in Italy, surrounded by vampires.
He knew Hermione needed time to grieve and get her affairs in order, he knew that she wouldn't break the terms of the contract and that she would return with them in two weeks time. He knew that she would need longer than two weeks to grieve and she would be different for a while, but he could wait, he had waited a millennia for her. And he knew that she would bring Teddy with her. And so, he would protect not only Hermione but her Godson, too. Aro probably wouldn't like it, Demetri didn't know what, but he knew Aro had plans for Hermione, even if she didn't. Demetri's number one priority was no longer the Volturi, it was Hermione and Teddy. His loyalty was solely hers.
He didn't know where Alec stood on the matter but he would have to find out.
Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, clean and free of dirt and blood. Her face was tear-stained and pink, her damp hair was left running down her back and she wore mismatched pyjamas that can't have been hers for they were far too big. She looked exhausted, he could still see the burns and cuts and bruises on her but they didn't seem to be bothering her. She silently climbed into bed, being careful not to wake Teddy.
She kissed his forehead and muttered, "Silencio," placing a Silencing Charm around him so her inevitable nightmares wouldn't disturb his sleep but she would be able to hear if he were to wake. Teddy latched onto her finger in his sleep whilst still holding Demetri's, who hadn't moved from his position since she left for the bathroom.
He gave her a soft smile and her eyes flickered behind him to where Alec stood. He smiled at her softly, too.
"We won't allow anyone near him, should they get into the room," he promised her.
She blinked at him before the emotional and physical exhaustion took its toll and she fell into a fitful sleep.
~000~000~000~
Demetri waited until her breathing evened out before speaking quietly so he wouldn't wake her.
"I think we both know we need to discuss this new development."
Alec shifted behind him, moving to sit on one of the chairs in the room.
"We do," he agreed, his eyes watching Hermione's sleeping form. "Lord Aro will not approve of this," Alec muttered.
"Lord Aro will approve when he learns of her circumstances. Lord Aro wishes for her to stay in Volterra and we both know he has plans for her, even if we aren't privy to them. He covets those that are different, those that are powerful and unique. I don't know about you, but I've been doing research on the Wizarding World and what I've discovered is that our, dear mate, is far more powerful than the average witch. And Lord Aro seems to already know this. He wants her. He's already made compromises for her, he would've agreed to everything but the visitations if he knew he could get away with it. It was the true show of how much he wants her, and if he wants her to remain in Volterra, he will allow her to raise her Godson and he will make sure no harm comes to him." He looked behind him, catching Alec's gaze before turning back to the slumbering pair.
"I have come to that conclusion as well," Alec nodded.
"She's going to need us more than ever, we must protect her, she's going to be vulnerable to attack for a while. She's not just grieving the loss of fellow comrades and peers, she's grieving for her parents and for the child's family. I believe Hermione's relationship with the werewolf was stronger than she led us to believe."
"Meaning?" Alec asked intrigued.
"She loved him and she referred to him as family but this is not grieving the loss of an Uncle, this is grieving the loss of a parent."
"A father," Alec mumbled in realisation.
"She lost her parents and she was taken to a safe house to grieve, she was not alone. It is my belief that something occurred between the two of them that bonded them in the way of father and daughter, maybe not magically, but emotionally. She has not only lost one father but two, and now she must raise her Godson."
A sad expression crossed Alec's face as he watched Hermione sleeping restlessly.
"I don't know about you but she's my mate and I've waited a millennia for her, I'm not going to lose her because of her circumstances."
"You mean to raise the chid, too?" Alec questioned, arching an eyebrow.
Demetri's eyes softened as the little blue bundle yawned in his sleep before settling back down, still refusing to let go of his finger.
"I mean to do and be anything Hermione requires. And if that means that I help her with raising a child that is the product of a werewolf and his mate, then I will do so."
"But you don't know the first thing about being a parent or raising a child," he frowned.
"So I will learn. It's just as his Grandmother said, parenting is trial and error. You learn from your mistakes and you guide the child into adulthood the best you can. In over a millennia the thought of never being able to have children or of never being a father never once crossed my mind, but now, seeing this tiny life being so dependent on others, seeking comfort and love, it's made me wonder what fatherhood may be like. And this is the closest I am ever going to get to experiencing that."
Alec stared at him in complete surprise.
Alec stared at him, looking as though he were trying to figure out if he had been currently speaking to the real Demetri.
Alec stared at him as though Demetri had revealed he was secretly in love with a werewolf and that he planned to run away with it.
Alec stared at him in silence.
Hermione made a whimpering sound in her sleep and Alec's eyes shot to her. He would protect her and he would protect her Godson should he be required to, for he knew how much she loved him. He knew that losing him would be the ultimate breaking point and the woman he had met less than two weeks ago, would never be seen again. She would never be the same. He wanted her safe. He wanted her happy. And if it meant protecting the child then he would. But to raise him, too? He wasn't sure he could do that, he wasn't sure he could do what Demetri was willing to do.
Thoughts of fatherhood had never crossed his mind, he didn't see the appeal Demetri apparently did. He didn't want children, which was one of the biggest regrets the majority of vampires had, hence immortal children and the whole fiasco it had caused.
Maybe it was his age, only being sixteen when he was changed, maybe it was the last thousand years of his life, but he had never had thoughts of fatherhood, and he believed, that he may even grow to care for the child, but never as a son.
Little did Alec know, that the future was always uncertain and his views could soon change.