Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“Hermione? Do you have a moment?”

The voice went unheard as she scribbled away furiously in her notebook. The most recent results had arrived and she needed to mark all of her points down while they were still fresh in her mind. She subconsciously rubbed her face, wiping the sweat from her brow, leaving a trail of ink behind. 

“Hermione?”

Her head shot up, “Oh, Kings! I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you come in!” She said, scribbling a few more notes down before relenting to the figure in her office, placing her quill down on her desk, “What can I do for you?”

“I heard from Harry that you’ve possibly broke ground on a cure for Vampyrism.”

She gestured for him to take a seat, and reached for a file on the cabinet behind her, “Yes sir—well sort of. It’s merely a theory at this point. To prove its validity I would need to have funding and a team, not to mention test subjects.”

Kingsley adjusted in his seat, leaning towards her, a grin stretching across his features, “I have everything you need, including test subjects, just say the word and I’ll send it all your way.”

Her mouth fell open in shock, “You have test subjects for me? Who? All the vampires I’ve met with are quite content with their predicament.”

“Well, that is true, but fortunately this group has offered their services as penance.”

A shiver slid down her spine, “Penance? For what?” 

“Honestly it’s best if they tell you in person.”

Gooseflesh rose across her skin, excitement and curiosity rolling through her, magic tingling her fingertips. She smiled, “When can I meet them?”

“Tonight. I’ll send you the address.” He stood to leave, pausing to add, “I hope you trust me enough to know I would never put you in danger.”

“Of course, Kingsley. I trust you with my life.”

“Just as I do with you, Hermione.”

When the door clicked closed Hermione quickly prepared everything she needed, neatly storing it in the briefcase Ginny had given to her for her birthday; High time you upgraded from that ugly beaded bag, she had said. She was right of course, the briefcase had built-in shelves and a cloaking spell engraved into the wood so that if you were inside, and engaged the lock, it would become virtually undetectable. What she would have given for this when they were on the run.

A ministry paper plane slipped under the door and landed on her desk, unfolding itself for Hermione to read. 

Hermione,

I must reiterate that you will be safe where you are going. I would never put you in danger. You will know with whom you will be meeting once you read the address.

Kingsley 

Behind the note was a second piece of parchment, just big enough for a few words. Hermione unrolled it, dropping into her seat when the words on the paper registered in her mind. Her heart thundered and the angry scar on her arm began to itch. Surely Kingsley was mistaken. Surely he wouldn’t send her there, to the one place she vowed to never set foot in again—the one place that haunted her nightmares more days than not. 

Malfoy Manor.

She paced back and forth before the fireplace in her office, digging deep into her inner self for the strength and courage to make the trip. She needed this. Forty-Seven vampires had turned her down, dwindling her list of known “safe” vampires to zero. 

It’s my only option. Go. It will be fine. Kingsley promised I would be safe.

She steeled herself and stepped into the fireplace, a death grip on the floor powder in her hands. 

Go!

“Malfoy Manor!” she shouted, tossing the powder at her feet, closing her eyes as the flames enveloped her and the world began to spin.

When she came to an abrupt halt—the floo spitting her out into the receiving room of Malfoy Manor, she stumbled, feeling like a newborn deer as she tried to steady her wobbly feet on the marble floor.

“Bloody hell Granger! Learn to walk in those things before you kill someone!” a familiar voice shouted as she felt herself being steadied by the tall figure before her. 

She looked up, nearly choking on her gasp as she took in the image of the man who has played a key role in many of her recurring nightmares as of late. He looked so different then she remembered, but 5 years would do that to a man. 

“I happen to know exactly how to walk in heels, Malfoy.” She spat, pulling her arm from his grasp. 

“Defensive as ever. Good to see nothing’s changed.” 

She paused, glaring at him, but quickly lost her fire when a smile crept across his face; not one of smugness or righteousness, but one that was soft and kind.

“You’re teasing me.”

“Still a fast learner I see.” He added, gesturing for her to follow him.

They walked in silence for a moment, and she took in her surroundings—trying to remember which door had led them into the Drawing room. She rubbed her arm, her scar flaring up once more.

“The room is gone.” He stated simply.

“Sorry?” 

“Don’t play dumb with me Granger, I can see you fidgeting, I know what’s troubling you. I don’t like being here either, but it was the only place I didn’t mind the Ministry tracking. I’m not here when I don’t have to be.”

She frowned slightly, “Why is the Ministry tracking the Manor?”

A gasp escaped her throat as he pushed her up against the wall. He towered above her, his looming presence shrouding her in shadow. He held her by the wrists, pinning them above her head so far she was nearly on her tiptoes to prevent her arms from dislocating. He looked down smiling, 2 large fangs emerging from his gums. He sniffed the air, his eyes shifting from stormy grey to blinding white. Leaning down his nose brushed against her cheek as he whispered in her ear.

“Because, Granger, if I were to give in to my desires and feast upon the Golden Girl herself, the Ministry will want to know where to come looking for me.” He hissed, his hot breath on her neck sending shivers down her spine.

Her breaths came out in shaky pants; his hands were cool against her skin and Hermione felt a flood of heat shoot straight to her core. Draco took a deep breath in, his grip on her tightening as the scent of her enveloped his nose. His fangs extended out and his eyes flashed a dangerous look. Hermione needed to be careful, the possessive nature of Vampires rival that of Werewolves. She remembered reading about the bond of a vampire and their “queen” in Lockhart’s “Voyages With Vampires”, the key difference between the two species being that it was very common for not just one vampire to bond to said “queen”, but the entire nest. 

The copies she had read 2nd year had been abridged, cutting out the more inappropriate aspects. When she had garnered a new edition as an adult to begin her vampire research she was shocked to find whole chapters dedicated to describing how the nest would feed off of their queen together, often engaging in sexual acts in the process.

“Something on your mind Granger?” 

“What? N-n-no!” she stuttered.

He trailed his thumb down her carotid, taking lock of her curls between his fingers, gently stroking it, “I’m a vampire, Goldie Locks, no sense lying to me; besides that, I’m a Legilimens.”

“How do you know about Muggle fairy tales?”

He laughed, dropping her hands, the spell between them broken, “Salazar Granger, sometimes I question that Brightest Witch of Her Age moniker.” 

He waved his wand, a book flying into his hand a few moments later. She took it from him, glancing over the title, “ The Tales of Beedle the Bard? I have a copy already.” She said, offering it back. 

“You have the standard copy. Only the oldest families possess original, unedited copies; full of stories deemed… inappropriate for the general public.”

She pulled her hand back, flipping open the book to a random page. Her eyes widened, “Little Red Riding Hood!?”

“Werewolf.” He stated simply.

Turning to another page, she found it, “Goldie Lockhart and the Three Werewolves!?” she paused, “Lockhart?”

“His ancestor, however many greats back. Why do you think he was so set on making a name for himself working with beasts and creatures across the world?”

His logic was sound and she had to admit that there was definitely a resemblance between her old professor and the drawings she had seen of the story. 

“How many stories are missing from my copy?”

“I don’t know, probably half of them?”

“HALF?!”

“It’s a prejudiced society Granger, you know that better than most.” His eyes flicked to her arm for a moment making her stomach drop, “Pureblood society didn’t want people hearing stories of a woman who was mated with 3 werewolves, or a werewolf who became obsessed with a girl and killed her grandmother to get close to her.”

She nodded, absentmindedly stroking the spine of the book, “Could I borrow this?”

“Keep it.”

“Thank you Malfoy.” She said softly, beaming.

“We should probably get to the point of you being here.”

Shite.

She had almost completely forgotten her reason for coming. Straightening her spine, she tried to put on her most professional expression, “Yes. Sorry, I am being unprofessional. The Minister said there were 4 of you?”

“Yes. Father, Theo Nott, Severus and myself.”

“PROFESSOR SNAPE IS ALIVE?!?”

Chapter Text

Shocked into silence, Hermione was led through the Manor’s corridors to a room near the back garden. As he swung open the door and the 3 figures on the couch came into view, Hermione burst into hysterical laughter. Draco jerked his head towards her, concern and confusion crossing his features.

“Miss Granger, what in Salazar’s name is so funny?” her former professor asked, causing Hermione to double over, nearly toppling to the floor.

“Granger, you okay?” Draco added.

“H-Har..” she tried.

“Good Lord Draco, what did you do to the poor girl.” Lucius said, standing to cross the room to her.

“Har-Harry’s son!” 

“What about Potter’s children?”

“T-T-They…”

“Oh for crying out loud, Miss Granger,” Snape said, reaching into his cloak and pulling out a vial, “Here. Calming Draught.”

She took it, grateful, downing it in one swig. Her muscles relaxed, the laughing subsided and her breathing evened back out. She swayed a bit, the effects of the potion stronger than she was used to. Two sets of arms wrapped around her waist, guiding her towards the sofa, gently setting her down between them. 

“Miss Granger, I apologize, I should have warned you to only take half. That particular brew was made to work on vampires, so it’s twice as potent as you needed.”

She leaned back, struggling to open her eyes. What a horrible position she was in. Stupid really. Sure, Kingsley had promised her safety, but this was the most vulnerable she could possibly be and she was surrounded by 4 very strong vampires.

Draco shot a glance at Theo, who was rummaging around in his robes looking for something. When he pulled out a small vial he checked the label before handing it to Draco, their eyes meeting for a moment as if having a silent conversation.

“Here,” Draco said, taking the potion from Theo, “Pepper-up potion, just a couple drops to counter the excess Calming Draught.”

She couldn’t open her mouth, her muscles and bones feeling heavier than steel. She looked to Draco for help, feeling a tickle in her mind signaling he was using legilimency on her. He took the potion in one hand, gently opened her mouth with the other.

“Open.” He said gently. She couldn’t. Cautiously he pressed the sides of her mouth opening it just enough to drop the potion in. He placed 4 drops onto her tongue, rubbing his thumb down her throat to trigger a swallow. Hermione knew that had she not been under the effects of a potion, her heart would be hammering in its cavity. 

“Should start to feel better in a moment, Miss Granger.” Her former professor said, taking the bottle from Draco. 

He was right, she was already regaining control of her body. She carefully tried to rise into a sitting position, rubbing at her neck nervously. She stroked along her carotid, still feeling the sensation of Draco’s fingers against her skin.

“I feel much better thank you. Serves me right for downing a potion in the lion's den”

The boys stared at her, confused.

“Muggle joke—nevermind. I’m so sorry that this did not go as smoothly as I had hoped.”

“You could say that again—ow fuck!” Draco said, interrupted by a smack on the back of the head from Lucius.

“Show our guest some respect, Draco. I raised you better than that. Miss Granger, I am sorry for all that has happened since you’ve entered my home and, if I may, all that happened before. Why don’t we all sit down and you can inform us as to the nature of your visit.”

“Yes! Thank you, truly, for agreeing to this meeting. You have no idea what this means to me.”

“Would you care for some tea?”

“That would be lovely, sir.”

He went to snap his finger, but paused for a moment, “Miss Granger, I should inform you that I do have an assortment of house elves. I hope it eases your mind to know that they are all free and here of their own accord. In fact, there are a couple who I know are just dying to meet you.”

“Oh. Thank you for telling me.”

He smiled nodding his head before calling, “Polly!”

The daintiest house elf appeared before them. Hermione was sure she was the smallest house elf she had ever seen, positive the girl couldn’t be taller than 46cm. She wore a pastel pink dress and spotted a pink polka dot bow in her thin blonde hair. 

“Yes, my lords, what can Polly do for you?”

“Polly, there is someone I would like to introduce you to.” Lucius said kindly, gesturing to Hermione who stood some distance behind the elf, “Miss Hermione Granger, this is our Ladies of the House Elf Polly. She sees to all the needs of female witches who come into the home and is the personal elf of the Lady Malfoy. We unfortunately do not have one of those at this moment so she’s been bonded with Draco for the time being.”

Polly turned sharply, her eyes widening at the sight of the woman who had freed them, “Miss Hermione Granger! What a pleasure it is to meet you, truly! Oh, you have done such great things for us! My cousin Quinn had been with a horrid family who treated him badly, they did, your bill saved him.”

Tears welled up in the elf’s eyes and Hermione offered her a tissue to dry her tears, which only seemed to exasperate the tears more.

“Good job Luce, you made the elf cry.” Snape chided.

Hermione looked up, a bizarre feeling of potion-suppressed laughter bubbled beneath her chest as the concept of Professor Snape having a nickname for Lucius Malfoy rolled through her mind.

“I did no such thing!” 

“Children! No arguing during business!” Draco snapped, officially signaling to Hermione that she must have slipped into the Twilight Zone because she couldn’t fathom what was happening all around her.

Lucius scoffed, “Son, I haven’t been a child since I was 16 and took the mark.”

Draco rolled his eyes, “And how’s that w—” Theo’s hand slapped over his mouth, silencing him.

“If I may?” Hermione interjected.

They all turned to her nearly in sync making Hermione startle. She picked her briefcase up off the floor, setting it into her lap.

“Apologies Miss Granger. We don’t get out much so life can get a bit full without some spats.”

“No need to apologize.” She smiled.

She waved her hand over the latch, releasing the lock and pulled out a stack of blank files. 

“Did Kingsley inform you of any part about why I am here?”

“He said you were working on a project.” Lucius answered.

“A cure.” Draco added.

“That’s right.” She said, passing an empty file folder to each of the men, “I’ve made some groundbreaking headway in my theoretical study of a cure for vampires, but I’ve hit a snag due to the fact that no vampires have been willing to work with me.”

“That’s not surprising, Miss Granger, immortality along with other physical effects Vampyrism creates can be quite…addictive.” Snape said.

“Exactly. So I have yet to be able to test any of my discoveries on a single vampire. That’s where you four come in.”

Draco squinted his eyes, crossing his arms across his chest. Lucius, stoic and regal as he was, huffed, slouching in his chair. The remaining two, however, were listening intently. 

“Miss Granger, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you were surely informed that Draco and I are genetic vampires. We’re born with the mutation that develops as we reach adulthood. We are not like the others, same goes for Severus and Theo seeing as we turned them.” 

“I was not aware of that fact sir, but it matters not.” Hermione stated, straightening her spine with an air of determination on her face, “This research is one of a kind. It stemmed from a ridiculous tale I had read in a book about vampires and I wondered if there was anything close to truth somewhere between the lines.”

“What would you need us to do?” Draco stated simply.

“Well I need to interview each of you so I can see if there are any variations I should be aware of.”

“Very well, you can start with me.” Lucius said, waving his hand to dismiss the others.

As they left, Poppy appeared with the tray of tea and several assorted treats. She caught sight of a lemon tart, and her mouth watered, thinking back to her year of apprenticeship and creating an antidote for Amortentia and realizing her scents had changed. No longer was there the smell of spearmint toothpaste but, instead, that of a Lemon tart. No freshly mowed grass, but of something coppery yet sweet that she couldn’t place. She had retained the smell of parchment, however, it had shifted into something more complex—more specific that she couldn't yet decipher.

“How would Miss Granger like her tea?" Poppy asked, pulling her from her daze.

“Oh, that’s alright Poppy, I can make it myself.”

She nodded, leaving the tray on the table and leaving the room with a quiet crack. 

“Well Miss Granger. Let’s get started.” 

Chapter Text

“Alright, Mr. Malfoy. I’m just going to go through a series of questions and just answer them as honestly as you can. No pressure.” 

She pulled a tape recorder from her pocket, clicking it on and placing it on the table before her. As she readied her pen and notepad, she spoke aloud, “I, Hermione Granger, lead researcher for the Department of Magical Maladies, am here today to begin my research study on a cure for Vampyrism. My current test subjects include: Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, and Severus Snape. I am conducting this interview on Friday, 17th October, 2003 at Malfoy Manor. Please note the following files which contain copies of the questions heard in this recording. Any comments made by me are included with the answers in (italicized parentheses).”

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Lucius Abraxus Malfoy

Age: 49

Gender: Male

Date of Transformation: 29th December, 1970 I was just a few days away from taking the mark having just turned 16. (That must have been difficult.) It was, the transformation is already hard on the body as it is, but to add a branding? (I’m so sorry Mr. Malfoy) Call me Lucius, please.

Species/Type of Vampire: Bloodborn

Place of Birth: Wiltshire, England. Right in this very manor. Mother didn’t trust St. Mungos.

Date of Birth: 27th December, 1954

Eye Color: Grey when normal, White when feeding, hunting or… excited.

Describe any visible physical anomalies (e.g., fangs, pallor, scars). 2 retractable fangs, about 2 cm long. Can extend out to 4cm. 

Do you have a reflection? Yes, only Half-Breeds lack a reflection.

Describe your reaction to sunlight. We are no more sensitive to sunlight than a Weasley. (Must be pretty sensitive to light then.) My my Miss Granger, I never took you as one to make jokes.

Have you sustained any injuries that did not heal completely? There are some lingering Cruciatus tremors that haven’t subsided yet. (You still have Cruciatus tremors? Even with the Vampyrism?) Yes, Miss Granger, I—(Hermione, please.) Hermione. Yes, I do. There are some curses that are just too powerful to be protected from.

HEALTH HISTORY

Date of Last Human Blood Consumption: Yesterday, 16th October, 2003. It was a willing participant. (How long does the session last?) Depends on my mood and whether or not Severus is partaking.

Amount of Blood Consumed Daily/Weekly: Oh I’d say roughly 4 liters a week? Each session is about half a liter, maybe a whole. That’s really the most a normal human can manage to give without becoming anemic. If I had a queen, I could feed so much more. (What's so special about the queen? They are still human, right?) Yes but the queen is magically bonded to the nest. Like a werewolf to its mate, or regular wizard soul mates. The queen being bonded to the nest makes her stronger, able to regenerate faster. Our magic heals her as we feed.

Do you experience any physical discomfort after consuming blood? Because I have to restrain myself I can feel a little unsatisfied most of the time, however, I have no pain, if that’s what you’re asking.

Do you have any known allergies or sensitivities (e.g., garlic, sunlight, silver)? Unlike Half-Breed vampires, Bloodborn don’t have most of the sensitivities. Silver is the only exception. 

Do you experience any chronic pain or physical limitations? Not in the traditional sense. We have physical limitations because if we used our strength to our full capability, we would destroy everything we touch. (Really? Could you show me?) Another time perhaps.

Who or what transformed you? Nobody. The Bloodborn curse dates back farther than Malfoy records. (Do you have any idea where it began?) Based on some historical texts regarding the beginning of the Malfoy line, I would wager that my family either made a deal with a god, or offended an ancient Romani witch.

Describe the circumstances of your transformation. When a Malfoy heir reaches maturity, which varies based on the life of the child, their mutation will develop and they will go through a weeklong transformation that is extremely painful. Every cell in the body must die and reform as the mutation takes over. It took 12 blood donors to keep me alive while it happened. (12? Were they full donors?) Did I bleed them dry, do you mean? (I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that.) Yes… yes, they died.

What unique abilities or powers do you possess (e.g., speed, strength, mental abilities)? Charm obviously. (Shocking. Any others?) Luck? How else do you explain not being killed by Voldemort after all my failures in his eyes? 

Do you have control over these abilities? Yes, of course.

How do you typically regenerate or heal from injuries? To regenerate and heal we must feed. Fresh blood from an alive subject is crucial. (You can't just heal on your own?) In some cases, yes. It depends on the severity of the injury.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE

Do you experience human emotions or have they dulled since transformation? If anything, they are enhanced. I feel joy and sadness just as much as anyone else. 

How do you cope with the need for blood? I am very lucky to have access to willing donors so I never have a need to cope without. (Where do these donors come from?) There is a pub in Knockturn Alley that has a donor service. They are all willing and registered through the Ministry.

Describe any psychological effects you’ve experienced since becoming a vampire (e.g., increased aggression, depression). Vampires, like werewolves, have a loyalty to their kind. However, unlike werewolves, the beast never fully takes over the host. So since I’ve been fully developed I’ve always had an overwhelming sense of loyalty to those I care for. (Anything else?) I also have an increased libido, but we're not allowed to have sex with the donors. Impregnating them is barred. (How do you deal with that?) Well, Hermione, even though I do miss the feel of a woman, Sev and I are quite satisfied with each other most days. (WHAT?!) I apologize for dropping that on you, Hermione, I thought you realized. (I… I… what?!) In hopes of saving you another spiral I'll move us along. If I'm ever lucky enough to find a queen, I'll be very lucky. (I… I… I'm sorry–no–okay–right–let's move on.)

How do you feel about participating in this research project? I am willing to do what I must to pay penance for what I have done. Losing my Vampyrism will only be a small step to paying for my crimes. 

Describe your relationship with humans post-transformation. My relationship with other humans is bad whether or not I have Vampyrism, because at the end of the day, I am still a marked Death Eater. (You're not.) I'm not what, Hermione? (A marked Death Eater. Yes, you carry the mark with you, but that is not who you are anymore. Any of you. I can tell.) I appreciate the sentiment, but you are on an island with that opinion.

Do you feel a stronger connection to certain individuals after consuming their blood? Not yet. Severus and I, when we feed together our bond strengthens, but a vampire will only form a connection to the one they feed from, if they are their queen. (How do you find a queen?) Luck. The only way to know is to feed from them, when our magic mixes it will either activate it or it won't.

LIFESTYLES AND HABITS

Do you consume human food or drink? If so, what effect does it have on you? We are very lucky to have retained our ability to enjoy normal food. It does not provide us with nutrition but we do eat for pleasure. (That's good, I would be heartbroken to no longer have the ability to taste food.)

Do you sleep or enter a dormant state? If so, for how long and when? We can sleep, but we don’t have to. (Do you?) Sometimes. When I need to pass the time, or I've just had an intense love making sess–(Okay. Nope. I get it.) Is that blush I see Hermione? (No comment.)

Describe your feeding habits (e.g., type of blood preferred, method of feeding). Well I am partial to someone who has recently consumed alcohol and someone of a…thicker persuasion. (Thicker?... Really?...) Curious, are you? They taste sweeter, and even though I can't have sex with them, I do so love having substance to hold on to. That blush is a lovely shade on you, Miss Granger.

Do you live with other vampires or humans? Normally it's just Severus and I here, but for now during this study we will all 4 be here together. (That's all the questions I have for you. Thank you for answering them, this is a huge help.)

She paused the recorder, scribbling a few more notes onto the file before putting it away. She took a sip of her forgotten tea and a small bite of lemon tart, her eyes fluttering shut at the delectable treat.

“Gods, this lemon tart is delicious.” She exclaimed, taking another small bite. 

“Alice has been our family's chef since my grandfather was a boy. I’ll be sure to pass along your sentiments.”

She covered her mouth as she chewed, embarrassed at her sudden outburst. She nodded her head, forcing out a curt thank you, “I appreciate that, sir. Thank you for your help. If you would send Draco in next, please?”

“Of course Hermione.” He said standing, Hermione quickly following his lead, “If I don’t see you again before you part for the evening, I hope you have a lovely rest of your night.” He finished, taking her hand in his and placing a kiss to her knuckles. Hermione’s heart skipped a beat.

“Goodnight to you too, Lucius.”

“Feels like an Azkaban interrogation.” Draco teased as he sat down in the chair directly across from her.

“You’re flattery knows no bounds Draco Malfoy. Try to think more intellectually; none of these questions are meant to be accusatory. Each and every one has its purpose for my study.” 

He rolled his eyes and she reached over, turning the tape recorded back on.

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Draco Lucius Malfoy

Age: 23

Gender: Male

Date of Transformation: 5th June 1996 (On your birthday.) Yeah. How did you know that was my birthday? (Brightest witch, remember?) 

Species/Type of Vampire: Bloodborn

Place of Birth: Wiltshire, England

Date of Birth: 5th June, 1980

Eye Color: Grey to White depending on my… mood. (Can you elaborate?) When I’m… Hunting or horny. (Thank you.)

Describe any visible physical anomalies (e.g., fangs, pallor, scars). 2 fangs, dark mark, Sectumsempra scars… tattoo. (The sectumsempra scar didn’t heal? But you would have already had your Vampyrism set in. Why didn’t it heal you?) Do you know who made that curse? (Professor Snape) Exactly, and you don’t think that he created that spell to overpower any and all magical protection? (No, I mean… that makes sense.)

Do you have a reflection? I do. Father does. Theo and Severus don’t. 

Describe your reaction to sunlight. My reaction is the same as everyone else. One of the few pros to being Bloodborn. (Any other pros?) None that I can attest to at this time.

Have you sustained any injuries that did not heal completely? Cruciatus tremors when stressed. (I didn’t know.) Why would you, Granger? When would you have found out? When I was turning your squad into Umbridge? When I jinxed your front teeth?!—Or was it when you were being tortured on my drawing room floor? (Malfoy that wasn’t—) Don’t. Please. (Okay, let’s move on.)

HEALTH HISTORY

Date of Last Human Blood Consumption: Today, 17th October, 2003. (Oh? What time was that?) About 4 hours ago. 

Amount of Blood Consumed Daily/Weekly: 6 liters a week, half to a whole liter per feed. (Your father said the same amount per session, but he only feeds 4 times a week, why is that?) Age. And I’m more flexible with who I feed from than he is. I mean, I have preferences—hell I’d feed from one person and one person only if that option was available to me, but it’s not.

Do you experience any physical discomfort after consuming blood? Sore fangs, headache, shame… intense desire for something I don’t have. (I’m assuming you’re talking about your queen?) Yes. (Do you think you’ll ever find her?) I hope so.

Do you have any known allergies or sensitivities (e.g., garlic, sunlight, silver)? Just Silver.

Do you experience any chronic pain or physical limitations? The dark mark burns non stop. I figured that once Voldemort died it would fade away but, if anything, it feels worse. Dad says he feels it too. (It burns? Can I see it?) Sure. (I’ll be sure to note this and see what I can do.)

Who or what transformed you? N/A (See Lucius Malfoy response)

Describe the circumstances of your transformation. Well, my transformation happened simultaneously to me receiving the dark mark. In fact we just assume it’s what triggered it. Unfortunately, because it happened in the midst of taking the mark, Voldemort wanted to provide me with “everything I needed” to get strong. So he brought me dozens of muggles, men and women, forcing me to feed upon them until they begged for death. 38 muggles died at my hand that first week. (Malfoy… Malfoy that wasn’t… you can’t blame yourself. Voldemort knew exactly how to break people.) How many lives have you taken Granger? (24.) We’re they all bad? (Yes.) Then you can’t understand how I feel. (Would you like a break?) No. Just… keep going.

What unique abilities or powers do you possess (e.g., speed, strength, mental abilities)? It has amplified my ability to use legilimancy and occlumency. I don’t even need to look at you to get inside your head anymore, or even in the same room; I can feel you once you’re within about 100 yards. (That’s amazing, we will need to study that later on.)

Do you have control over these abilities? More now than I did during the war. Back then I kept hearing everyone’s thoughts accidentally. It was maddening. (Is that how you avoided detection for so long when you were sneaking around during 6th year?) It helped, yeah. It became a lot easier once you began learning to occlude. Honestly, Granger, how did you live inside that mind of yours? (Years of practice.)

How do you typically regenerate or heal from injuries? Feeding is the fastest way—the only way if the injury is serious enough.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE

Do you experience human emotions or have they dulled since transformation? I feel emotions just fine. More so really. Being a vampire amplifies any and all things. 

How do you cope with the need for blood? It’s not bad. I don’t have cravings for it, not the way Half-Breeds do. I can develop blood rage during my nightmares though, so I can’t feed from a source if I’ve had a nightmare within the past few days. (How long does the blood rage last?) Until I feed. (How do you mitigate that situation if you can’t feed because you have blood rage, but the only way to cure it is to feed?) Blood banks. It's not easy; it takes 5 times as much blood to satisfy the body because it’s not from a live source.

Describe any psychological effects you’ve experienced since becoming a vampire (e.g., increased aggression, depression). Loneliness, desire… lust. It… lingers at all times. (What is it with the sexual amplification? Is it an animalistic thing?) No, Granger. Think of it like… a book. You get a new book—a new edition of Hogwarts a History, (How did you know that’s my favorite book?) Spoiler’s, Granger. As I was saying, you receive a new edition and you know the newest chapters lie at the back of the book, so you read and read, excited and desiring the moment you finally reach that new piece… only it’s not there, someone has ripped the pages out, and the only way you will ever know what was on those pages is to find the one person in the world who has them. (Why wouldn’t I just buy a new copy? Not to mention, tearing pages out of a book is incredibly disrespectful.) I didn’t see you complaining about a ripped page in 2nd year. (How did you know about that?) A story for another day. (It was you?!) Another day, Granger. (Fine.)

How do you feel about participating in this research project? Uncertain. I want to help and do the right thing for others—make up for the horrors I’ve been a part of. At the same time, I don’t mind being a vampire… I just miss being in society—not that it matters really. I’d probably still be ostracized for being a Death Eater anyway. (I’ve been working on legislation to keep the public from condemning those deemed innocent.) Don’t bother Granger, no laws can force people to think differently.

Describe your relationship with humans post-transformation. Post transformation… post marking… it’s all the same. All negative. All the time.

Do you feel a stronger connection to certain individuals after consuming their blood? No—well yes, to my nest, mostly Theo since I am his sire, but I hope for more one day, if I’m not cured that is. (Your relationship with Theo, is it like your father and Snape?) Pretty much. (And that won’t be a problem if you find your queen?) Of course not. She wouldn’t just be my queen. She would be “our” queen. (Like you would all?...) Is that blush I see Granger? Well, isn’t this an interesting turn of events?

LIFESTYLES AND HABITS

Do you consume human food or drink? If so, what effect does it have on you? I love food just as much as I always did. And now I don’t have to worry about the consequences of eating it. (You should eat more lemon tart.)

Do you sleep or enter a dormant state? If so, for how long and when? I don’t need to sleep, but I can. However, I actively avoid it due to the risk of nightmares. (How often do they occur?) Every time I try to sleep. (Me too.)

Describe your feeding habits (e.g., type of blood preferred, method of feeding). Blood type doesn’t matter to me. I like specific visual stimuli, which you won’t want to hear about, but that’s all. (If you wouldn’t mind telling, for the record.) I like… curly hair. (Curly hair?) Yes. Big, bushy, curly hair covering my face, suffocating me. (I…) Careful Granger, I do love a good blush. (You’re just teasing me.) Right, yes… teasing.

Do you live with other vampires or humans? Theo and I live in a villa in Avignon, but we do spend a lot of time with father and Severus as well. (Okay, thank you Malfoy, that’s all I need from you at the moment.)

She hit pause on the recorder, standing to follow Draco to the door, “If you would, please send in Professor Snape next.” 

“Granger.” He said, pausing in the doorframe.

“Yes?”

“Look, I… The thing is…”

“Yes?” she repeated, stepping towards him.

He reached up, taking a curl between his fingers once again, “I’m sorry. For everything. Truly, I--”

“Already forgiven, Malfoy.”

He smiled and then, surprisingly, leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. The heat she felt before, pinned up against the wall, returned in full. His lips lingered, just briefly before the cold returned, leaving her skin tingling.

“Goodnight.” He said, before slipping out the door completely.

“Thank you for participating Professor, I know that this must be difficult for you—having to be so forthcoming about personal matters with a former student.”

“I don’t mind Miss Granger, it’s not like you’re not my student now.”

She observed him briefly, noticing an air of ease in him that had never been present in her time and his student. She wondered if that was the Vampyrism or maybe, just maybe, it was from the sense of belonging.

She clicked the recorder back on.

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Severus Tobias Snape

Age: 43

Gender: Male

Date of Transformation: 2nd May, 1998 (Lucius did mention he transformed you to save your life. I’m sorry. We thought you were dead. Had we known you could be saved we would have done more.) Don’t worry your pretty head, you crazy girl, only Lucius could save me. I was as good as dead otherwise.

Species/Type of Vampire: Half-Breed

Place of Birth: Derbyshire, England

Date of Birth: 9th January, 1960

Eye Color: Black normally, yellow when feeding (Interesting, do you know what makes your eyes yellow, but Lucius and Draco’s are white?) I think it’s all about eye color. Draco and Lucius have gray eyes to begin with, so the white just comes through as white. With me, I have black eyes, so when the white tries to shine through it turns my eyes yellow. Don’t know that for sure, but that is my theory.

Describe any visible physical anomalies (e.g., fangs, pallor, scars). 2 fangs, sire scar, dark mark, and about a dozen bite marks from Nagini’s attack.

Do you have a reflection? No. 

Describe your reaction to sunlight. It burns intensely, but it won’t kill me—not easily anyway. Think radiation sickness. (What about indirect sunlight, like on a cloudy day?) There is still some discomfort but it’s tolerable.

Have you sustained any injuries that did not heal completely? The sire scar will never be completely healed. Bonds like that must be sustained and renewed. (Really? How so?) Well, about once a month I can begin to feel a… call. It’s not really a call, but more like my magic is searching for its Master. Lucius feels it too, but in the alpha way. He feels the need to claim. (Oh! So, I would imagine more is involved then just a bite.) Correct, Sire bonds are reinvigorated through both the bite and… intimacy.

HEALTH HISTORY

Date of Last Human Blood Consumption: 14th October, 2003 (Really? Why so distant? Everyone else seems to feed more regularly.) Because my appetite is not permitted. (What do you mean?) Forgive my bluntness, Miss Granger, but there is no way around it. I desire blood that is rich in endorphins, specifically those released into the body through orgasms. (Oh!) Sex with the donors is forbidden, the closest I can get is a witch or wizard who is willing to touch themselves while I feed. Believe it or not, those are rare finds—ones who aren’t faking it anyway. (I think I’m going to need a stronger drink.)

Amount of Blood Consumed Daily/Weekly: 6 liters, only 2 the typical way. Then other 4 I get from blood banks. (Lucius informed me that blood banks bags are unsatisfactory feeds, how do you deal with that?) Miss Granger, I worked as a spy for 17 years, I think I can handle a little hunger. 

Do you experience any physical discomfort after consuming blood? No. Well… arousal, I guess. It’s why I avoid feeding from a human source as much as possible. (Definitely need that firewhisky.) 

Do you have any known allergies or sensitivities (e.g., garlic, sunlight, silver)? Silver yes, severely. Sunlight, yes. Garlic, only if it’s been recently consumed by whoever I get blood from. (Italian food is my favorite. I guess you won’t be feeding from me anytime soon.) A shame.

Do you experience any chronic pain or physical limitations? No.

Who or what transformed you? Lucius.

Describe the circumstances of your transformation. He was the one who found me in the Shrieking Shack. He and Narcissa had been looking for Draco when they found me all but dead on the ground. Narcissa wanted to leave me there, but Lucius and I… we had a history and so he saved me. (Was your history… intimate before he changed you?) I think the spark was always there, but I had been so dedicated in my quest to avenge what happened to Lily that I ignored all other emotions. (Why did Narcissa want to leave you there to die?) She saw me as a threat to her marriage. I think she knew if I was sired, Lucius would lose interest. Thankfully that didn’t matter in the end. 

What unique abilities or powers do you possess (e.g., speed, strength, mental abilities)? Occlusion and Invisibility (Those make sense knowing what you’ve done to keep us all safe. How does the occlusion differ from regular?) I can not only hide them behind barriers, but occlude them permanently. I can also lock your memories away for you, which is beneficial to those who have memories they wish to forget.

Do you have control over these abilities? Yes.

How do you typically regenerate or heal from injuries? So, unlike Lucius and Draco, I must feed from my sire or, if ever lucky, a queen. (I’m starting to think that there should be a queen testing center, seeing as how important they seem to be.) Is that jealousy I detect, Miss Granger? (Why would I be jealous?)

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE

Do you experience human emotions or have they dulled since transformation? I could only have hoped for it to dull my emotions but sadly they have unfortunately increased since turning. (You’ve been the only one so far that is complaining.) Yes, well, we all have our faults.

How do you cope with the need for blood? I keep very busy making potions for St. Mungos. Keeping away from the public also helps, but I also just don’t crave it in the way people think. It’s like when a regular human has a craving. I’ve yet to become so ravenous for blood that I felt the urge to become violent or dangerous. (So you’ve not had an episode of blood rage either, I imagine?) No. I think that’s due to my enhanced occlumency.

Describe any psychological effects you’ve experienced since becoming a vampire (e.g., increased aggression, depression). Like I said before, heightened arousal and protectiveness. (Being with Lucius doesn’t stave the arousal?) It does for small periods of time.

How do you feel about participating in this research project? Well, either you cure us and I can live a life away from society, able to grow old and pass on , hopefully peacefully. Or you don’t and I can live long enough for the modern world to forget who we are and possibly get the opportunity to rejoin society. Either way, silver lining. (Silver lining.)

Describe your relationship with humans post-transformation. I’m sure the others have described it well enough. 

Do you feel a stronger connection to certain individuals after consuming their blood? No. Just when I do bonding rituals with Luce. (If you found a queen, would her addition strengthen your bond to everyone in the group or just her and Lucius?) The whole nest. She is the key to true happiness for a nest. 

LIFESTYLES AND HABITS

Do you consume human food or drink? If so, what effect does it have on you? Yes, when it pleases me.

Do you sleep or enter a dormant state? If so, for how long and when? Often. It’s one of the few times I feel like I can be normal. (I understand that. Before the war got really bad it was one of my only escapes.) Are you not sleeping well? (No. Never. Most nights I have nightmares.) I can help you with that, if you want. (You could lock them away for me?) Of course.

Describe your feeding habits (e.g., type of blood preferred, method of feeding). I did that already. (Yes, you did.) Are you blushing, Miss Granger? Draco warned me you might do that. What kind of blush is that? Embarrassment? Nervousness? Arousal? (Another drink please.)

Do you live with other vampires or humans? Lucius and I live here together, Draco and Theo live in France—or did. They’ll be here a while now. (Alright, thank you sir. That is all the questions I have for you.) 

She paused the recorder again, checking how much time she had remaining on the tape. Not much, she thought to herself. She would need to make Theo’s interview quick.

“If you could send Theo in, Professor, I’d greatly appreciate it.” She asked, tucking his file nearly away.

“Of course but, please, call me Severus. Professor seems a little inappropriate.”

“Oh. Yes, of course. Goodnight… Severus.”

“Goodnight, Hermione.”

Five minutes had passed since her former professor exited the room. He had agreed to send Theo in, so what was taking so long? Had he forgotten? She bounced her leg, debating whether or not she should go search for them. Surely there was just a hold up and everything was fine. Another minute ticked by and Hermione stood, unable to stand the anxious wait. She crossed the room and reached for the door when it suddenly swung open—nearly hitting her.

“Merlin! Draco, you gave me a fright!” she shouted, leaning against the wall for support. 

“Apologies Granger, I was rushing.” 

“Everything alright? I was coming to look for you all. I thought something might be wrong.”

“Yes. Well… it’s just… Theo is… he has…” he signed, rubbing his hands down his face, “Theo suffered a lot under the hands of his father, more than most can understand. I don’t know if you noticed, but he doesn’t speak.”

“I just figured he was quiet.”

“No. Like you, he was born in late ’79, so he had to wait for the following year to start school. That also meant he turned 16 nearly 6 months before me. With my father’s failures in the eyes of Voldemort, Theodore Nott Sr. was looking to be the new prospective second in command. As a “token” of gratitude, Theo was to be the first of the new generation to take the mark.”

“Oh no.”

“He refused. That night, Theodore Nott Sr. took out his wand, and crucio’d Theo for hours. By the time he was finished, Theo had screamed so violently for so long that his vocal cords were damaged.”

“Oh my God!”

“I think he only survived because Nott Sr. went bragging to Voldemort about teaching his son a lesson for refusing a gift from the Dark Lord. Father and I heard so I rushed over there to get him—found him in a pool of his own sick. I did my best to heal him, but that was never my strong suit.”

“He’s alive. I think that counts for something.” She said, placing her hand on his arm, gently squeezing. 

“Healers say the same thing, but he will likely never talk again and that makes me feel like a failure. You didn’t know him, Granger. He was the most spirited debater. You would have loved spending time with him in school, arguing points about nonsense things like house elf enslavement.” 

“Hey!” she smacked his arm, scowling.

“Joke, Granger. Calm down.”

A moment of silence passed between them, warming the air. Hermione sighed, realizing this was going to be more complicated than she originally planned.

“So, did he not want to do the interview?”

“He doesn’t have a way to communicate with you. It’s not personal, he just doesn’t have a way to answer your questions.”

“Oh. Is he not learning sign language?”

“Sign Language?”

“Wizards don’t have… huh… Erm, okay, well… sign language is a Muggle form of communication used for people who have both hearing and speaking disabilities. I assumed the wizarding world would have their own version, but in hindsight I should have realized that deaf or mute children would be no use to “pureblood society”… no offense.”

“None taken.”

Hermione wrung her hands together nervously, unsure of how to proceed, “So. What do we do?”

“Well, I gave him the questions by memory, and wrote them down for you.” He pulled a roll of parchment from his pocket and handed it to her. She carefully accepted it, tucking it into her pocket.

“Thank you, Malfoy. If possible, would you just accompany him next time so that if I have follow up questions, they can be answered right then?”

“Sure. Sorry, I was just trying to be helpful.” 

“No! No, it was very thoughtful of you. Truly. This will be just fine, and if I have questions, I’ll owl you, okay?”

“Alright.” He said, “Come on, I’ll walk you out.”

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Theodore Alexander Nott

Age: 23

Gender: Male

Date of Transformation: 30th June, 1997

Species/Type of Vampire: Half-Breed

Place of Birth: London, England 

Date of Birth: 25th December, 1979

Eye Color: Green or Yellow

Describe any visible physical anomalies (e.g., fangs, pallor, scars). 2 fangs, sire scar, lattice scars on the back from being whipped by father.

Do you have a reflection? No.

Describe your reaction to sunlight. Like boiling water, but it never ends.

Have you sustained any injuries that did not heal completely? Just the sire scar

HEALTH HISTORY

Date of Last Human Blood Consumption: Today 17th October, 2003

Amount of Blood Consumed Daily/Weekly: 6 liters

Do you experience any physical discomfort after consuming blood? No. 

Do you have any known allergies or sensitivities (e.g., garlic, sunlight, silver)? Yes. All of them. 

Do you experience any chronic pain or physical limitations? No.

Who or what transformed you? Draco

Describe the circumstances of your transformation. It was the night Dumbledore died.

What unique abilities or powers do you possess (e.g., speed, strength, mental abilities)? Healing. 

Do you have control over these abilities? Mostly.

How do you typically regenerate or heal from injuries? I haven’t needed to but I know I would need to feed from Draco.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE

Do you experience human emotions or have they dulled since transformation? They have easily increased. 

How do you cope with the need for blood? Don’t. Use blood banks if we have to.

Describe any psychological effects you’ve experienced since becoming a vampire (e.g., increased aggression, depression). It’s lonely, even when you have a nest.

How do you feel about participating in this research project? Nervous.

Describe your relationship with humans post-transformation. Non-existent 

Do you feel a stronger connection to certain individuals after consuming their blood? No. Maybe one day. Draco and I have moments but that’s it.

LIFESTYLES AND HABITS

Do you consume human food or drink? If so, what effect does it have on you? All the time. It doesn’t hurt me.

Do you sleep or enter a dormant state? If so, for how long and when? No. No sleep. Don’t dream if I don’t sleep.

Describe your feeding habits (e.g., type of blood preferred, method of feeding). No preference.

Do you live with other vampires or humans? Draco and I live in Avignon.

(End of interview)

Chapter Text

A month had passed since Hermione’s visit to Malfoy Manor. She had been busy at work, setting up shop in her new Ministry funded lab. Kingsley had fully held up his end, providing her with anything and everything she needed and then some. Her biggest hurdle had been finding staff willing to work with former Death Eaters, not to mention getting them to believe in her “vegetarian diet therapy” hypothesis—one girl in particular, who Hermione recognized from Hogwarts as a Hufflepuff who had been 2 years below her, laughed in her face before walking out. She had enough funding for 10 full-time staff members, but as of now, there were only 4 Hermione had found that she was comfortable with: Hannah Abbot, Traci Crenshaw, Lee Jordan, and Astoria Greengrass.

“I’m headed home for the day, Hermione, do you need anything before I go?” Astoria asked sweetly, a hint of her posh upbringing lingering beneath the surface.

Hermione offered a smile, “No thank you Astoria, I’ve got it covered, go enjoy your night.” 

“Are you sure? I don’t mind staying, really.” 

Hermione smiled, and shook her head, “I’m sure Astoria, go, have fun.”

“Alright, I’ll see you Monday.”

She really did need another set of hands to finish up for the day, but her guilt always won out, not wanting to make the others suffer for her lack of staff. Astoria was her most dedicated employee, having grown up in the circle of purebloods and Death Eaters. She had even been betrothed to Draco prior to the downfall of Voldemort, giving her a personal connection to the study that Hermione desperately needed. 

The alarm on her watch buzzed, signaling the final synthesis of her first test batch. Phase 1 of the Vegetarian Diet Therapy hypothesis consists of 5 steps: 1. develop synthetic blood from plant matter, 2. remove live food sources, 3. run labs on test subjects before and after one month supplementing synthetic blood, 4. Abstain from human blood completely, 5. Run final labs and prep for phase 2. Her hope is that if she can cure 1 vampire of the disease, she can synthesize their blood to create a cure. Problem is, she knows her four subjects are going to get very sick during the process and there is a small risk that it will all be too much for them and they might die. She felt a pang in her heart thinking about losing them.

If 11 year old me knew that one day I’d be sad over the possibility of four Slytherins dying, she would throw me off the Gryffindor Tower.

She rolled her eyes, let out a sigh, and extinguished the flame beneath the cauldron. After placing the brew under a stasis spell she returned to her office to floo Malfoy, needing a live subject to taste test the batch. She subconsciously fluffed her hair and straightened her work robes before tossing the powder into the fireplace. 

“Malfoy?” she called, hoping she wasn’t disturbing him. 

A few moments passed without response and she found herself picking her nails—a horrible habit she had developed during the war trials sitting all those hours in the courtroom. 

Why am I nervous? It’s only Malfoy. It’s not like I didn’t just see him a few days ago.

She was about to give up when Malfoy stumbled into frame, knocking something over that she couldn’t see. He was disheveled, looking freshly shagged—or mid shag really. His hair was a tousled mess, and his shirt was only buttoned in a few… uneven places. 

“Granger sorry, was upstairs, didn’t hear the Floo.” He nearly shouted, obviously out of breath, “What can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you so late, but our first batch of the plant brew is complete and I was hoping you could come real quick and test it out for me?”

“Yes of course, I’ll be right through.”

She stepped back from the floo, and found herself, once again, picking at her nails. Frustrated, she sat on the edge of her desk and placed her hands firmly beneath her.

There. No more picking.

It took about five minutes for Draco to emerge from the flames, dusting himself off with a graceful flick of his wrist. She quickly stood, twisting her ankle in the process. 

“Shite!” she shouted, pulling her weight off her foot and hopping back up onto her desk, “Merlin, I really have to stop doing that!”

“What, Granger, existing?” he teased, crossing the room to her, gently kneeling down to look at her foot, “Your mind has always been quicker than your body, either train it to move faster or defy the laws of humanity and slow that big brain of yours down.”

She huffed at him, “Well if you would have hurried your little love session up, I wouldn’t have been sitting here waiting, frustrated and frazzled.”

He looked up at her through pale lashes as he pressed his fingers gently into her skin, examining her, “Goldie Locks when it comes to love sessions, I don’t hurry.” He dropped her foot, standing, placing himself between her legs where she sat on the desk, “I relish every single moan that rips from my partner's body, knowing it was I who called forth its sound.”

Her breath shuttered on her next inhale and he grinned in delight. Blush flooded her cheeks and heat pooled in her stomach like before. He leaned into her, placing a hand on her thigh.

“W—we need to test the batch.” She finally forced out breathlessly, angry at herself for sounding weak.

He lingered a moment longer, the air buzzing between them. She caught a whiff of salty sweetness on his breath and she gasped at the implication. He smirked, finally drawing back offering his hand to help her stand.

“You win, Granger, for now. Let’s go test this nasty plant blood.”

She smacked his arm, insulted by his remark, “Hey! I’ve spent over 160 hours perfecting this formula!”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” He said sheepishly, “I didn’t mean to insult your work.”

“Thank you.” She said, shocked at his seemingly genuine apology. Hermione sometimes found it hard to separate the decent man before her from the boy who tormented her for 6 years of her childhood. Looking him over now, she saw not even a glint of that angry boy.

“You’re welcome, now, let’s go test this nasty plant blood that has nothing to do with how hard you’ve worked on it, but solely on the fact that it’s vegetarian.”

There he is.

Before she could offer a retort he took hold of her hand, pulling her down along the corridor to the lab. She chuckled at the ridiculousness of it all—running hand and hand with Draco sodding Malfoy. She wished she had someone to talk to about it, but the project was on a need to know basis. Even Harry had no idea what exactly was going on or who she was working with, only that it had something to do with vampires. 

“Everything all right, Granger?” 

“Huh? Oh… I’m sorry Malfoy, I was eons away.” She shook her head, letting the worries in her mind fade away.

“Well, are you going to pour me a drink or what?”

“Yes, yes, here.” She poured a small amount of the brew into a mug and handed it to him, “One second, I need to take a sample of blood.” 

He sniffed, wincing at the scent, “Gods, Granger, honestly, if all you wanted was to kill me, just Avada me! What exactly is in this monstrosity?” he asked, offering his hand to her.

She took it carefully, whispering a slicing spell and quickly collecting his blood in a separate vial. She had no need to heal it, his Vampyrism closing the wound before she had corked the vial.

“Don’t be so dramatic, it's just a mix of: red clover for blood purification, beetroot and nettle for iron, yarrow and dragon's blood—not real blood, it’s tree resin, and elderberry for flavor.” 

“Well, salut Granger.” He sighed, downing it in one swig, a shudder of disgust rolling through his body, “Salazar’s fucking taint, that is foul!”

“I'm sorry, I'll work on tweaking the flavor once I get the main ingredients right.” she said sympathetically.

“How will we know if it was a success?” He asked, leaning against the counter. Hermione caught a glimpse of a bite on his neck–Theo’s doing, she imagined. Her heart skipped a beat. “Sorry, what?” 

“Merlin, Granger, pull it together. I said, how–” a pained expression crossed his face as he collapsed to the ground.

“Malfoy!” She shouted, dropping down beside him. He convulsed violently, blood seeping out of every inch of his body. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” she shouted, casting every healing spell she knew over him. 

Nothing worked, he was losing blood fast, too fast. She cast a diagnostic spell, looking for the source.

Silver? How? No time. Later.

Blood replenishing potions were out, being a vampire, he needed fresh blood from a living source. Hermione wrapped her arms around Draco, pulling him up to a sitting position. She tore her turtleneck, exposing her whole left shoulder and pulled her hair out of the way. She pointed her wand at her neck. Was she really about to do this? 

No time. Can't let him die.

She cast a mild slicing hex, blood immediately pooling on the surface. She pulled him close, his cold lips brushing against the wound. His hand twitched in her lap, a sign of the animal within him sensing food. She cradled the back of his head, pressing his mouth more firmly against her skin. 

Come on, Malfoy.

In a flash, her world flipped. Malfoy's arms snaked around her and his teeth sunk into her neck. She sucked in a breath, gasping at the sensation. His hands gripped her tightly, an animalistic growl tearing from his throat. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, pleasure surging through her. She hadn't expected that. She knew many girls volunteered to be fed upon and that sex while feeding was extremely common, however, it never occurred to her that the ones being fed upon felt… she couldn't think of a word to describe the feelings coursing through her body. Her magic was thrumming beneath her skin, a powerful radiating sensation that she never wanted to end. Her core throbbed, creating an intense desire that was rare for her. His touch cooled her burning skin and she desperately wished for him to cool the rest of her.

“Mal…” she tried, her faculties failing. His fingers dug into her, bruisingly, before tearing off her sweater completely. Had he heard her thoughts? He pulled her into his lap, forcing her to straddle him. Little crackles of magic shot out from the tips of her hair and fingers, escaping wherever it could. “Malf…” she tried again, to no avail.

He bit down harder, almost desperately. Her vision began to blur, but it didn't matter, she needed him to keep going, needed to always feel what she was feeling in that moment. He tore off her skirt, the cold air of the room very apparent on her suddenly bare skin. He reached between them, his fingers brushing against her damp knickers, and Hermione felt a deeper, guttural growl reverberate through her bones. He slipped his hand beneath them and rubbed circles against her clit. She buried her face into his shoulder, a muffled moan escaping between them.

The world was spinning, how much blood had he taken? He was used to girls who had stuffed themselves with replenishing potions before feeding while she was just… normal. He coated two fingers in her arousal and pushed them in, gently.

“Dra…” she breathed. He pumped his fingers in and out of her, his thumb pressed firmly to her clit. She rocked her hips in rhythm with him, trying to garner more friction. “Please.” she cried.

His hand disappeared for a moment, and she frowned at the loss of touch. The rustling of his trousers caught her attention, but she had no time to think as the head of his cock swiped across her clit. Draco released her shoulder, pulling back to look at her. His face was covered in blood and his eyes were pure white. He looked ethereal, yet terrifying… beautiful really. 

His hands grasped her arse, lifting her up onto her knees fully. He removed one hand, taking hold of his cock, stroking it. Their eyes locked onto one another as he lowered her down, guiding himself to her entrance. Her mouth dropped open as his cock began to fill her, the sensation almost too much to bear. When he was buried to the hilt, he paused, allowing her time to adjust. Her head dropped onto his shoulder. 

Is this what it feels like for everyone? Is this why everyone else is so obsessed? 

“Granger.” He murmured against her ear. “I..I don't know if I'm going to be able to control myself.” 

“Don't.” Was all she could muster.

It was all he needed to hear. He latched back onto her neck, sending a jolt through her body, pulled back and slammed up into. Hermione cried in delicious agony. She gripped his arms tightly, holding on as best she could as he pistoned in and out of her.

“Fuck! Hermione! Gods… so… fucking… good!” He forced out with every thrust. 

Her peak was near, just a little more. She reached between them and rubbed her clit furiously, desperately, chasing her oncoming orgasm. 

“Please.” She begged again. 

Draco grasped her hair, pulling her head back and crashed their lips together in a searing kiss. Her mouth opened in a gasp and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue against hers. It was all she needed. The tension snapped and her orgasm tore through her. 

“Draco!” She cried, and the world spun as Draco latched back onto her neck, drinking in the euphoric blood pumping through her veins.

He followed her immediately, spilling into her with a gravely cry. Hermione’s vision darkened and she wondered if she was dying. Draco had drained a lot of her blood, maybe he's gone too far. She supposed it was a good way to go–sated and warm. She closed her eyes and let herself slip into the void.