Previously on Love Vessel Chapter 4: Good Girl Granger

As Draco made his way to the door, Bella began emitting soft growling noises. Hermione rushed to pick her up. Bella jumped out of Hermione's arms to rub herself against Draco's legs now emitting a loud yowl. Draco tried to step around Bella, but as he moved, so did she. Draco finally reached down to pick Bella up to hand her to Hermione.

Hermione took Bella from Draco. "She does like you Draco. Perhaps Bella knows better than her mum. Please stay. We may be able to figure things out."

Draco hesitated. He didn't want to argue over every third word out of his mouth. He had been given a mission which he either fulfilled, or suffered the consequences. Draco decided to stay, but had some words for Hermione.

"I'll stay to try and sort this out, but you need to know I take offense over you calling me a slave trader."

Hermione sighed. She had let her mouth operate without engaging her brain. There were strange things going on and she needed Draco's help to sort them out. "I apologize for using those words, especially when I don't have the full story. Please forgive my impudence. Let's start again."

Bella jumped out of Hermione's arms and headed for her bed. After what appeared to be a scathing look directed at Hermione then Draco, she put her head on her paws and closed her eyes.

/************************************************************************

Chapter 5: Marked

Hermione watched as Draco finished off another brandy. No matter how improbable, she needed this git. She needed every bit of information he had to offer. "I was attacked. Not only was I attacked, it was here in my own flat."

Draco slowly set his empty glass down on the table thinking, you aren't the only one. "I'm sorry to hear that Hermione. I think it's what we have to figure out. May I ask you a somewhat personal question?"

Hermione didn't know if this was some of the shite Draco thought of as foreplay so she hesitated before answering. "Personal? I'm not sure what you mean."

"Personal. You know. Something pertaining to yourself."

Hermione tried to keep her composure thinking that Malfoy was taking their conversation somewhere it didn't need to go. "I thought this was going to be a discussion Draco not an attempt to pry into my personal life, but I want to get to the bottom of all this so I'll entertain your questions."

"Listen," said Draco sliding forward in his chair. "Let me explain some things then you might feel more comfortable answering my questions."

BellaBlue lifted her head to let out a soft mewl. Both Hermione and Draco turned to look at the kneazle.

"Well Bella seems satisfied. I guess I am as well. Talk to me Malfoy."

With a nod, Draco began to share the whole of it. He explained in minute detail about Fantasm. It took him almost two hours to get it all out. When he finished, Draco asked Hermione if she knew how she figured in the whole thing, and what did she know about the blue flame.

Hermione was at a loss, but admitted she had explored some things during her first year at Uni.

Draco was listening. He was listening closely. However, Hermione hadn't gotten out more than five sentences when she suddenly stood up and bent over in pain.

"What Granger? What's happening? How can I help?"

BellaBlue had shot out of her bed trying her best to climb up Hermione's leg, but Draco grabbed the kneazle and basically threw her into the nearest room and closed the door.

The unflappable Draco Malfoy was in a panic because Hermione was still bent over with her face contorted in pain, and he was at a loss over what to do. "Granger! Hermione! I don't know how to help you."

Ripping of her jumper and her bra, Hermione shouted at him. "My chest is on fire Malfoy. My chest is on fire."

Draco drew his wand and began calling out spell after spell. "Aguamenti! Aqua Eructo! Finite Incantatem!" All to no avail.

Hermione fell to the floor grabbing at her side. Draco didn't have any time to observe the niceties. Pulling Hermione's hands away from her chest, Draco tried to see what was causing the pain. Even as he was trying to find the source of the pain, he couldn't help but notice the fullness and curvature of Hermione's breast. Although Hermione had her eyes closed in pain, Draco could almost feel her daring him to make something sexual out of her distress. And Hermione wasn't the only one. BellaBlue was trying to rip the wood from the door of the room he had put her in.

Yeeeow. Yeeeeow. She was crying at the top of her lungs trying to get to Hermione. Draco was caught between two howling females. As a last resort, or perhaps to bring a tiny bit of sanity to the room, Draco opened the door to let Bella out. The kneazle rushed at Draco and began pawing at his hands. Draco who was still trying to figure out what was going on with Hermione pushed Bella away.

"Get away you little monster. I'm trying to help your mum. Go away." But Bella came right back and tried to insert herself under Hermione's arms.

Finally, Draco thought he understood. Bella was trying to get to the source of Hermione's pain. If he was wrong…. Draco didn't want to even think about what would happen if he was wrong, but he couldn't stand by and do nothing. Kneeling in front of Hermione, he gently pulled on both her arms to lift her. As Draco lifted her, the source of her pain became visible. Her right breast appeared to be inflamed by some absolutely horrendous looking eruption situated right in the crease of the breast. The eruption appeared to be pulsating. Draco was nauseated but he was also frightened for Hermione who seemed near to passing out.

Running a litany of spells through his head trying to settle on one he thought could help, Draco settled on a healing spell. He had raised his wand and was trying to determine the correct wand movements when Bella slipped past him and began to lick the infected area. Draco went to push Bella aside, but she clawed at his hand and continued to lick her mum. Draco watched as the rigidness left Hermione's body and she began to relax. The kneazle had somehow reduced the inflammation. As she continued to lick the area, it became less and less red. Finally, the only thing left was a mark that looked to Draco's eye as nothing more than a birthmark or a tattoo.

Hermione who had fallen back over on her left side when Draco let her go to push Bella aside laid there with closed eyes. "Thank you Malfoy." She whispered. "I felt like I was burning up. Thank you."

Unsure if Hermione knew she was lying there naked from the waist up, Draco was reluctant to say anything before picking up the discarded jumper and placing it haphazardly across her shoulders. "You gave me a fright there Granger. Before I take undue credit, let me just say it was your blue monster that cleared everything up. None of the spells I cast did anything. The most I can take credit for is lifting you. Once you were turned on your side, Bella did all the rest. I think you might be able to hire her out as a healer. She licked you well. Does shite like this happen to you often, or am I some harbinger of doom?"

Hermione attempted a half arsed laugh but ended up coughing. "For once Malfoy, I think you are not guilty. Somehow, it seems you, Bella and I have become a team. If you'll excuse me for a minute, I want to check what is going on with my body and put on a proper top. Please make yourself comfortable. I am under attack and I need your help to find out why."

Pulling the jumper around her shoulders as best she could, Hermione called BellaBlue to her. Picking up her baby, Hermione carried her out of the room.

/*/

Draco's hand trembled as he poured himself another drink which he downed in one. What the heck was going on with Granger? She was a lovely witch, but Draco didn't think he wanted to be skin to skin with someone who indiscriminately oozed pus. Draco shivered. That shite might be catching. He would help Hermione out because she asked and he needed her, but shagging was un-bloody-likely. Unless, of course, she'd shag him with her jumper on. Draco knew he was being an arse, but what would he look like with open sores popping up all over his body. He was in the middle of another cringey shiver when Hermione and Bella reentered the room.

/*/

"Alright then Malfoy? It wasn't my intention to scare you half to death. Truth be told, I scared myself half to death. I know I need your help, so don't take this the wrong way, but my body never tried to burn itself to a crisp until I invited you over. I hope what happened isn't a prediction of things to come."

Draco began to sputter, but Hermione turned to him with a smile. "Kidding Malfoy. Just kidding. Although puzzling, I don't think you and your machismo had anything to do with it. Before my body went into meltdown, you asked me if I knew how I figured into all this, and what I know about the blue flame. I'll answer the easiest first. I only became acquainted with the blue flame when I began to handle my volumes of Being The Receptacle. The flame simply materialized. At that point, I used gloves to handle the books because I was convinced there was some foul magic afoot and didn't want to be poisoned. I also learned it is best to handle the books gingerly, because if they are handled roughly, they retaliate."

Draco shifted slightly.

"I know how that sounds Malfoy. I honestly do, but it's Merlin's truth, and that was with only two volumes. In all honesty, with all three volumes in the same room, I shouldn't be surprised I half burned to death."

Draco cleared his throat. He knew the books made odd things happen. But, again, those things were associated with Fantasm and The Aware not some overly avid book collector such as Hermione.

"Before I comment on what you've just shared, may I inquire how you came across Volume 1. I know you found Volume 3 at the Fantasy Faire Book Sale. Because you were only interested in finding Volume 2, I imagine you had Volume 1 all along."

This was the sticky part. Hermione gave Bella a few scratches behind her ear before looking Draco in the eye. "Have I mentioned that I've had Volume 1 since my first year at Uni? I just didn't realize it until… until. Well, I didn't remember until I was prodded to remember."

"Prodded?" Asked Draco like a dunce.

"Yes Malfoy, prodded. Although I must admit I had begun to realize I'd seen the title before but didn't know where. Anyway, I was handling Volume 3, maybe a bit too roughly when some bit of magic hit me in the back of my head. After running through my apartment like a nutter casting Revelios and finding nothing, I tightened my wards and locked down my floo. Then I sat down to mull over what had just happened. While I sat there, the word trunk appeared before me in large, bold, red letters. Just as plain as I see you sitting across from me. TRUNK. Then Presto! I knew the connotation. I hurried to my old school trunk, and after some rummaging, found Volume 1. The next part will again make me sound more of a nutter, but every word is true. Something grabbed me by the ankles. I grabbed my wand, cast more Revelios. Nothing was revealed, but my ankles were still bound. That is until my Bella literally flew through the air, and clawed the living shite out of whatever it was I couldn't see. The binding or whatever was holding my ankles disappeared immediately. There you have it.

Draco understood everything Hermione had said. Knowing she was not a witch to stretch the truth. Beat it to death, yes, but never stretch it. He believed her. What he couldn't figure was why or how an Uninitiated witch ended up with the book, so he asked. "Do you remember when or where this book came into your possession?"

Hermione sighed. Except for the few first year witches at Uni, no one knew the nonsense she had participated in during what she called her wild witch days. It was part of a time the now staid Hermione had pushed to the farthest corners of her mind never to be referred to again. And now, now she was about to share the foolishness with none other than the insufferable Draco Malfoy.

Taking a sip of wine, and shifting Bella around, Hermione began speaking. "Let me preface my story by saying, getting away to Uni was like experiencing a cool breeze that swept away the cobwebs of my life. I don't mean to downplay the meaning of friendships, but for seven years I was like the filling in a Harry/Ron sandwich. At Uni I felt free. I felt liberated. For the first time in my life I made decisions which only impacted me. Needless to say, I made some not so good decisions. One of those decisions was to involve myself with a small group interested in fantasy that tested the boundaries. Well, let's just say the boundaries of good taste. After one particular night, of which I have very little memory, I woke with a tattoo and Being The Receptacle, Volume 1 laying underneath me. From then until I transferred to a different building and major, I had the privilege of being called the marked woman. Other than leaving out some of the more salacious parts, there you have it. That's how I acquired the book."

Draco was fascinated and had hung on Hermione's every word, but was unprepared for what she did next.

Lifting Bella from her lap, Hermione stood up, removed one arm from her jumper, lifted her arm and invited Draco to have a look. "I believe this tattoo," she explained, slightly lifting her bra. "is what caused my near combustion. Because I would like to live my life without this thing blowing up every two minutes, I'd like us to figure what one thing has to do with the other. This is where our team comes in."

Having Hermione in his face half naked once again would normally have Draco stimulated. However, he still couldn't wrap his mind around seeing the pulsating, infected looking thing under her breast. Draco couldn't even begin to think along the lines of sex or sexuality, so it was a completely composed wizard who examined Hermione's tattoo from a safe distance.

"Well. Your tattoo might not actually be a tattoo. Perhaps it's a participation mark."

Hermione huffed as she slipped her arm back into the jumper. "Participation mark Malfoy? I've participated in a fair number of things, but nothing that would end up with me being marked like merchandise."

Draco was beginning to think things, and gave Hermione a skeptical look.

"What's that look about Malfoy? Do you know someone who goes around marking witches?"

Draco hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering. "As a matter of fact I do. Sound implausible? It isn't. What I know about things like this pertain to the circle I spoke about. I believe that at some point in your wilding, you were introduced to the circle and as such, remain a member. I also think you, me and the books have been brought together for a reason."

Hermione gazed at Draco thinking he was having her on. "A reason? Secret circles. Marks that suddenly erupt. That's a stretch even for you Malfoy." She replied sarcastically.

"You asked for my help. That's what I'm offering." He snapped back. "Listen or don't. I'm telling you what I think. You've said yourself. There are aspects of your party days you don't remember. Perhaps you should try. The circle doesn't steal witches off the street Granger. It's willing participants only."

/*/

As though she was hearing the animosity in Hermione and Draco's voices, BellaBlue casually sauntered across the floor and jumped into Draco's lap where he automatically began to run his hand across her back.

/*/

Draco took a deep breath and spoke in a more level voice. "Rather than argue the point back and forth. Why don't we discuss what we know?"

Hermione still wasn't ready to concede that there were circles of witches and wizards who danced by the light of the moon furiously copulating with each other. And a High Priestess who had her way with anyone she wished, bloody nonsense. However, the fact of the matter was, she had just suffered several unexplainable incidents which needed to be explored.

/*/

Draco sat back quietly watching as Hermione struggled with the unfathomable. The more she struggled, the more he became convinced she was the person who could help him secure the vessel. "I know this is hard to swallow Hermione, but, as I said, it seems we have been thrown together for a reason. Somehow, some way, whether you believe it or not, you are part of all this. Together, I believe we can find The Vessel. It's time we studied the books."

Although Hermione wouldn't believe she had joined a sect where she had howled at the moon, danced in the nude, and consorted with different wizards, and possibly witches, she knew something was going on. Something that had to be resolved. "Alright Draco. I must admit there is something going on here. Since my body has never tried to burn itself up until now, I agree your bloody arse is somehow involved. Let's review the books."

Hermione had called him Draco. Draco smiled down at Bella, and thought to himself. I think we have made a breakthrough. Your mum is on the verge of admitting she might have done things which the two ends of the sandwich wouldn't approve. To Hermione he responded. "Perhaps you should brew a pot of tea. Our research might take a while."

"Yes. I can do that. If it will make you more comfortable, you can put Bella in her bed. Stretch your legs. I'll be back in a few."

"Good idea. I'll put Bella in her bed then use the facilities. I'm glad you've opened your mind to the possibilities. Thank you."

/*/

In the kitchen, Hermione was mumbling that she hadn't opened her mind to shite. She only hoped to find some way to keep the bloody tattoo or mark from leaking liquid fire.

After having his pee, Draco shook off his very limp dick thinking, I'm not getting close to anything that ignites and oozes pus. That will be a pass for me.

/*/

Hermione and Draco reentered the living room at the same time.

"Would you like to take your tea here or in the kitchen where there is more room to spread out?"

"The kitchen will be fine Granger. Shall I bring the books?"

"Bring the books Malfoy, but handle them gingerly. One incident tonight is more than enough."

Ah, back to Malfoy then, he thought.

"Agreed. I'll be very careful." Draco replied as he leaned down to pick up the books. This time, instead of gigantic red letters appearing in front of his face, Draco heard a loud roaring in his ears accompanied by the words, Bring Me The Vessel. Draco staggered a bit from the volume level, but immediately pulled himself up straight while thinking, an assault on his ears was so much better than a crushing blow to the chest. There wasn't any need to let Hermione see his discomfort. He didn't need comforting. He needed her help. He'd just have to soldier on. Once they reviewed the books and got all ends tied up, finding The bloody Vessel should be an easy task for him and Granger together.

/*/

Draco laid the books out on the kitchen table one after the other making sure none touched the other.

Hermione sat across the table from Draco. Before she had a chance to say anything, Draco remarked that he'd left out one small part.

Hermione shook her head in exasperation. "One small part Malfoy? Will that one small part necessitate me being killed in my bed?"

"Don't be daft Granger. Why would you be killed in your bed?"

"Are you so obtuse you don't recognize sarcasm when it's laid out in front of you Malfoy? Will you be letting your needs out a bit at a time? Will there be any more small parts after this? Just tell it all to me in one. Please."

Draco stared at the annoying witch across from him as he spoke his mind. "First. There isn't any more to it. Second. Will you please give my surname a rest. It's bloody annoying. Malfoy this. Malfoy that. Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy. You know my given name. Use it. Third. Either speak to me in a reasonable tone, or write it out on parchment. Last. I have been ordered to find and deliver The bloody, fucking Vessel. As previously stated, I believe our books may contain answers. Can we get on with it?"

After the telling off, Draco sat back to wait for Hermione's explosion. However, there wasn't one. Hermione sat there looking at him with her mouth wide open.

"Feel better now Mal….. Draco?" She asked. "I may have been a tad harsh. My apologies. Just put it down to me almost being burned in my skin. Since we are now down to first names, you may call me Hermione. With that settled, can we move on to something more interesting before the sun rises?"

Draco smiled down at his hands. This witch would annoy the trousers off Merlin, if he wore any.

After clearing his throat, Draco responded with a cheeky answer of his own. "Yes Hermione. Let's get to it, because as you've said, you wouldn't expect me to be out in the sunlight."

Hermione let out a soft huff which sounded like the word prat as she reached for Being The Receptacle Volume 1.