CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
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 Stephenie 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: 8
Thursday 30th July 1998
Hermione gave a sleepy groan before her eyes slowly fluttered open, getting used to the sunlight filtering into her room. She felt warm despite the cold hand that was intertwined with her own. She turned her head to the left and a sleepy smile graced her face when she saw the handsome face of one of her favourite vampires, who gave her a dazzling smile in return.
"Morning," Demetri greeted.
"Morning," she replied before removing her hand from his so she could stretch with her hands above her head.
She gave a satisfying groan when her back arched and her spine clicked, before she slumped back into the mattress, turned on her side and curled herself up against Demetri. He chuckled but wasted no time in wrapping his arm around her and holding her against him.
"Where's Alec?" She asked, still sounding half-asleep.
Over the past week, she'd been sleeping very well. No nightmares, no memories and no interruptions to her sleep. Due to this reason, for a lack of a better term, she'd become somewhat lazy. With her getting a good night's rest with her vampires holding her close at night, she now slept longer and it now took her longer to fully wake up, not that Alec or Demetri minded, of course. They were happy she was no longer sleep deprived and that she was fully rested.
"He's gone to get you some breakfast; we heard the change in your breathing pattern and knew you would be waking soon."
"You're too good to me," she sighed with her eyes closed and she snuggled closer to him.
He chuckled. "We could be better but you won't allow us."
"You are not my house-elf, you are not my servant, and I will not treat you as such. You are my equal. If I can do it myself, then I will."
"So independent," he muttered.
"How'd Teddy sleep?"
"Quite well, he only woke for his bottle twice last night, he's still sleeping. Alec checked on him before he left not long ago, and by the sounds of his breathing, he's going to be sleeping for a while longer."
Hermione sighed. "I don't know what I'd do without you. Most parents with young children suffer from a lack of sleep, but you refuse to allow me to tend to him during the night so I sleep right the way through."
"We don't want your sleep being interrupted, and we don't sleep. There isn't much we'd be doing with our time, we'd much rather watch over Teddy during the night so you may sleep. With our hearing, we are able to pinpoint when Teddy will wake and we can tend to him before he wakes you."
"As I said, you're both too good to me. I don't deserve it," she said.
"No, you deserve more."
"Let's agree to disagree, shall we?"
He chuckled before placing a kiss to her forehead. She turned her head and a smile appeared on her face when Alec entered through the door with a tray in his hand, filled with a full English breakfast, a steaming cup of tea and a glass of orange juice.
"Good morning," he smiled.
"Morning," she greeted, pushing herself away from Demetri and sitting up in bed. "You spoil me."
Alec grinned and shrugged. "You deserve to be spoiled."
"Let's not start this again," Demetri rolled his eyes.
Alec sat on the bed beside her and placed the tray on her lap. She looked down at it, not realising just how much there was. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"You're leaving for England this morning, having met your friends I know you're going to need your strength to get through the day."
"They're not that bad," she defended. Both Alec and Demetri looked at her with cocked eyebrows of disbelief and challenge. "They're not!" She protested.
"They are," argued Demetri. "Particularly Ron, but seeing as you've been friends with them for almost a decade, I can understand that you won't and don't see the things others do. You probably didn't notice how Ron seemed to follow you around, and when he didn't, he alternated between staring and glaring at you. You probably didn't notice the way those twins would look at you worriedly or the way Ginny was close to tears every time you asked her to leave you alone when you shut yourself away from everyone." Hermione blinked with a slight frown on her face. "We noticed things you didn't regarding their characters because you've known them for years and you've grown used to being around them. You've learnt to ignore their flaws and behaviours."
"He's right," Alec agreed with a nod. "Now, enough of this, eat your breakfast, you need to get yourself and Teddy ready for your leaving."
"You're very bossy," she said before picking up her tea and taking a sip of the hot liquid. She sighed; it was perfect, just how she liked it. She knew he'd made her tea for her; Selena could never get the milk to water ratio right, often making it too strong or too weak.
She picked up her knife and fork and began making her way through her breakfast, chatting with Alec and Demetri as she did so. She was halfway through breakfast when Demetri disappeared into Teddy's nursery, returning moments later with a slowly awakening baby in his arms and he and Alec took turns interacting with Teddy whilst she finished her breakfast.
She put her knife and fork down and picked up her orange juice, reclining back against the propped up pillows and watching her two vampires and Godson with a smile on her face.
"I'm going to miss you, miss this."
They both turned their eyes to her.
"You'll only be gone four days," Alec said.
"I know that, but I'm still going to miss you," she shrugged. "I've always had one of you nearby, if not both of you. Returning to England without either of you is going to be strange for me. I've grown used to always having you with me."
"It's not too late to change your mind, Lord Aro will understand and he won't have any objections if we were to accompany you," Demetri offered.
She smiled at him. "I'd love for you both to come, but the reasoning behind going alone still stands. I need to speak with Ron, I want to try and repair our friendship. He's been such an enormous part of my life that losing him and his friendship would take me years to get over. I can't just give up on him. I know he's upset and he's hurting, but I'm hoping Harry's talked some sense into him and that he's had plenty of time to come to terms with my decision to leave. Having you there would not be productive. And as much as I'm going to miss you, I need to do this alone."
"Please be careful," Demetri said.
"I always am."
~000~000~000~
"Have you got everything?" Alec asked her.
"I believe so," she nodded, patting her beaded bag that was slung over her shoulder and resting by her hip. "If not I can easily purchase whatever it is I need."
"You'll be back before you know it," Demetri said.
She sighed. "I know, the thought of leaving you doesn't sit well with me but I know that once I get there Harry will distract me and the Weasleys will keep me busy. Imagine Molly's surprise when she sees that Teddy's still alive and as healthy as a child could possibly be. I suspect she thinks I've killed him with my poor parenting skills and lack of knowledge by now."
They both snorted at her.
"Don't let her get to you, no matter what she or anyone says, you're an amazing mother and Teddy is lucky to have you," Demetri spoke. She had to force back the tears that threatened to well in her eyes at his comment.
"Thank you, and if she should ask, I'll tell her how wonderful you've both been towards Teddy and his care, and that he's lucky to have such great role models in his life."
Alec chuckled. "That might just kill her."
"I doubt it, though she may faint. If she does I'll share the memory with you."
They both laughed, feeling no confusion to her words after discovering all about pensives and sharing memories from one of their many discussions with Hermione.
"That would be most appreciated," Alec shook his head at her.
The buzzing of Hermione's wand on the table alerted her that she only had a few minutes before the port-key was scheduled to leave.
"Well, that means it's time to go," she said with a mixture of excitement and sadness.
"Come here," Demetri chuckled, holding his arms out towards her.
A smile pulled at her mouth and she walked into his arms, feeling his arms wrap around her and hers did the same. He placed a kiss to her forehead and she sighed happily.
"We'll be fine, you have no reason to worry. There are no plans for either Alec or I to leave Volterra, but that could change, so one of us or both of us may not be here when you get back."
She nodded, knowing that they could be sent on a mission at any given time.
"I know, your responsibilities to the Coven are important and I would never dream of asking you to put me before it. As long as you come back to me in one piece I'll be happy," she responded.
"And you say we're too good to you," he muttered. She pulled back from him and they shared a chaste kiss before Alec handed Teddy over to Demetri and Hermione hugged him.
"Are you going to be alright?" He asked her softly, feeling her nodding her head against his chest.
"I'll be fine, if it all gets too much for me and I'm unable to take it I'll come back early. And if my nightmares return whilst I'm away from you, when I get back I'll be needing lots of sleep and lots of cuddles."
"I think that can be arranged," he chuckled.
"Even if you don't have interruptions to your sleep," Demetri piped up and even though she wasn't looking at him, she could hear the smile in his voice and she laughed at him.
She pulled back from Alec and they shared a quick kiss before she took Teddy from Demetri, summoned her wand into her hand and slipped it into her boot. She then removed the old quill from her pocket and counted down in her head.
Just as she felt the tug in her navel and she was she whisked away, she looked at her vampires.
"I love you both and I'll see you soon," she said, before disappearing from view in an invisible tornado.
~000~000~000~
Hermione landed smoothly on her feet at the Ministry of Magic. She slipped the port-key into her beaded bag before making her way towards the check-in point, not expecting to see Kingsley waiting for her.
"Kingsley," she greeted in surprise.
"Hello, Hermione, I'm glad to see you well," he smiled.
"Thank you, I feel much better, leaving was the right thing to do."
"I know it was, that's why I never tried to convince you otherwise when I knew you had your mind made up," he replied before turning his eyes to Teddy. "He's grown," he said, smiling at the child that was perched on her hip and Teddy grinned a toothless smile back, causing him to chuckle. "I can see he's very happy."
He offered her his arm and she hooked hers through his.
Hermione chuckled. "He's going to be a happy child, he's always smiling and giggling. Demetri and Alec just love him."
"And that brings me to my next question. How are you?"
"In what sense? Physically, emotionally, mentally?"
"All," he clarified.
"Physically, I'm fine, healthier than I've been in a long time. I'm now sleeping without interruptions, I'm eating regular meals and I'm putting on weight. I've finally come to terms with what happened, and it almost broke me when we lost Tonks and Remus," she confessed and he noted the way her voice quieted when she said their names, but she hadn't stuttered. "Being away from everyone has been good for me, for us. I'm not surrounded by constant reminders of what happened, and as much as I love everyone, they remind me of the war. I don't think I would've ever healed if I'd have stayed."
"And how has it been in Volterra?" He asked, his words hiding his true meaning but she understood.
"Perfect," she answered. "Honestly, everything has been perfect. The first couple of weeks were a little strange as I was still grieving and I didn't know my surroundings or the vampires that surrounded me. Aro held a ball in my honour, to celebrate our win of the war, to celebrate our negotiations and to warn everyone off from harming me or Teddy." Kingsley blinked in surprise. "Most of them tend to avoid me, I only really interact with the Lords themselves, and four of their Guards, Felix, Demetri, Alec and his twin sister, Jane. They've been really kind to me and Teddy. Marcus will watch Teddy for a few hours a day so I can complete some research, Felix and Jane will walk with me around the castle, and Alec and Demetri ensure that I have everything I need, even when I haven't asked for it." she said, thinking of her vampires fondly and Kingsley picked up on the fact.
"Alec and Demetri?" He questioned aloofly.
She snorted at him. "You're a Ravenclaw, not a Slytherin, you don't have it in you to be sneaky. Alec and Demetri have been very kind to me. They each watch over Teddy so I may get some time to complete my Potions Mastery. They took it upon themselves to show me around the castle and they spent time informing me of each member of the Coven and its non-members so I knew who I was up against should anyone dare to disobey orders and harm me or Teddy. They visit with me when they are not carrying out their responsibilities and we talk about everything and anything. Alec will read to Teddy and Demetri will sing to him, unsurprisingly, he's got a good voice. I owe them a lot."
"You speak of them fondly," he noted.
She felt a smile pull at her mouth. She might as well just tell him.
"I'm going to tell you something and you're not allowed to tell anyone else, agreed?"
He eyed her carefully before nodding. "Auror's Honour," he nodded.
"About a week ago, I discovered some news that explained so much regarding the way Alec and Demetri reacted towards me and treated me." He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if you've noticed, but they're very attentive towards me."
He snorted. "I noticed, and so did everyone else, but no one dared to mention anything after all the arguments you had with Ron. They were protective of you; they were always following you around, flanking you and warning people off from getting too close or from harming you."
"And now I know why."
"And that is?"
She smiled. "I'm their vampire mate."
He stopped in his steps and Hermione had been expecting it, so she stopped before he could accidentally pull her over. He stared at her, unblinking, before he started blinking rapidly and she bit her lip to stop herself from laughing at him. He seemed to pull himself together as he cleared his throat and carried on walking.
"Is that so?" He asked lightly.
"It is," she replied amusedly.
"That explains a lot."
"It does," she agreed with a nod. "It's why they volunteered to come and fight with us. Marcus has the ability to sense the bonds between people. He sensed the bonds between Alec, Demetri and I when we first met and they were made aware of it the first night of my arrival. They knew I was their mate and as such, neither of them could let any harm come to me, which is why they came. Not for the Order, not because it was the right thing to do, but to protect me."
"And how do you feel about this?" He asked curiously.
Her smiled gave him his answer. "You've known me since I was a young witch, Kingsley. You know that I don't have it in me to hate an entire species based on the actions of one individual. Alec and Demetri have more than proved their loyalty and love for me. To be honest with you, I've known for a long time that something about them was different. My magic always felt alive when they were nearby, alive in a way I've never felt before. My magic knew long before I did what they were to me. They didn't tell me because they didn't want to put any more stress on me having just gone through a war and I was still healing and grieving our losses. I loved them long before I discovered we were fated. Despite being vampires, I adore them. Their kindness, their loyalty, their protectiveness, their thoughtfulness. They made my adjustment to a new home so much easier and without them I know I wouldn't have survived losing Remus and Tonks. They love me and they love Teddy. They would both protect him with their lives and I know they love him as if he were their own son. They certainly treat him as their own."
Kingsley had a thoughtful look on his face. "You're happy?"
"So very happy," she confirmed.
"That's all I wanted for you, and I'm glad you and Teddy have someone to count on and keep you safe, even though I know you can take care of yourself. But it never hurts to have someone watching your back. Now, let's get you to Grimmauld."
"Grimmauld?" She questioned in confusion, tilting her head.
He nodded. "About a week after you left, the wards of the Lupin Cottage expelled everyone from the land. Despite them having access through the wards, you were no longer there and so the wards reset themselves to only allow you and Teddy access. Seeing as the property knows you are not dead but you were no longer residing in it, it protected the land for you until you returned."
"I didn't know wards could do that," she said, both surprised and intrigued, making a mental note to research wards in more detail once she returned home. Home, who would've thought that she'd think of Volterra, the home of the Vampire Kings, her sanctuary and her home?
"Most don't, but the cottage was once a Black property and the wards surrounding the land would take years to research and break down and dismantle, and that's if they don't kill you first."
"That's interesting," she commented.
"I thought you'd think so," he chuckled. "Molly, Arthur and Ginny returned to the Burrow, the twins had already returned to their shop by this point, Charlie left for Romania and Bill and Fleur had already returned to Shell Cottage. Harry decided to move into Grimmauld and Ron went with him. From what I know, he spends his time going back and forth between the Burrow and Grimmauld."
She sighed. "I can't wait for that meeting."
"Then let's get you to Grimmauld."