FIC: A Tempting Conversation (NC-17)
Title: A Tempting Conversation
Type: Fic
Prompter: iulia_linnea
Creator: worrywart1966
Beta(s): timandsophsmom
Rating: NC-17
(Highlight to View) Warning(s): Frank discussions of sex and ritual suicide.
(Highlight to View) Prompt: "Certainly you may speak to the witch of the house. Indeed, I cannot wait to witness your . . . conversation."
Summary: Hermione experienced a change in lifestyle which led her to fall in love with Severus Snape. He completely approves of her new lifestyle and partakes in the change himself. Poor Ron, he should have listened to Severus' warnings that Hermione didn't want him to be part of her new life.
September 14, 2003
The Snape house was situated in a small community called Whipsnade, in Bedfordshire, not far from the Icknield Way, an old footpath that was first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon period. Muggles believed the path was a ley line-and there are maps documenting such-which guided travellers between settlements and even ritual sites. Magical folk knew better, and the closer one lived to a ley line, the stronger their magic was. That was just one of the reasons the Snapes chose the location to live.
The other reason was that Whipsnade had been declining over the years, leaving just a small population and a few store fronts, meaning the Snapes could live in relative obscurity with a few magical precautions. The Whipsnade Zoo brought tourists during the warm months, but they could easily avoid them and continue their lives quite happily.
Hermione and Severus lived in a converted shop along the high street, the store front serving as a small bookshop, and the back and upper storey as their home. They didn't need to make a living with the bookshop, but it allowed them to have an explanation for the neighbours. Their home was unique in that they had a lovely back garden ending just along the woods beyond. This offered the perfect spot to Apparate to and from their home.
No matter how much privacy they had to Apparate, they did not have privacy from callers, even in such a tiny village. This was partially their own fault because in order to better fit in with the Muggles, they did not place wards on the property so the residents would not notice their home. They frankly had not expected callers, given their lifestyle which did not include being seen at all hours, but only during those the supposed bookshop was operating.
It did not come as a surprise, only an annoyance, that random callers would knock upon their door, some selling home improvement schemes, others peddling religious paraphernalia, and even the odd tourist looking for a quick loo. Severus always graciously let them speak to the woman or witch of the house, depending on the caller.
So it was, one evening, that with a groan, Severus Snape dropped the journal he was reading to unfold himself carefully from the sofa where he had been relaxing. His wife, Hermione, was dozing draped between his legs, using his stomach as a pillow, and he did not wish to disturb her. He very gently laid her down upon the warm cushions to answer the door, thoroughly planning to eviscerate the individual who was beating on its wooden planks.
Who the hell is calling now? It's nearly bedtime! Severus grumbled as he walked, sock-footed, to the door. Flinging it open, he peered up at the redheaded idiot standing on the threshold.
Weasley.
Ronald, to be precise.
The biggest pain in the arse of his entire career, aside from Potter. If Weasley upset his wife or interrupted her nap, he would pay.
"Weasley," Severus said flatly. "What do you want?"
"Give over, Snape," Ron growled, "I need to talk to Hermione."
Severus bristled. "I will not 'give over', as you so bluntly order, Weasley. This is my house, therefore, my rules. You can't talk to Hermione; she is sleeping."
"I need to talk to her!" Ron whinged.
"Weasley, if you remember at your last encounter with my wife two months ago, she said, and I quote, 'keep the feck away from me and mine, or I will suck out your soul'. You are most categorically not in the 'mine' category anymore." Severus crossed his arms, just hoping the ginger twit would keep pushing; it'd had been a couple of days since he and Hermione had had sex.
Ron laughed. "Oh, please, Snape. You know 'Mione…all talk and no action. She was probably just on her period, and she is one scary witch at that, erm, time."
Severus laughed. Full on, belly deep, bend-over-because-your-sides-hurt laughed. "Oh, Weasley, how little you know just how true her words are."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Severus regained his composure and stared at Ron, taking a long moment to consider the options before him. With a nod of his head, he made up his mind. "I've decided after all, Mr. Weasley; you may certainly speak to the witch of the house. Indeed, I cannot wait to witness your… conversation."
Late August 1998
Hermione had barrelled into Severus' hospital room three months after the war ended. Heedless of the fact he was in a coma, she plonked herself down into the chair next to his bed, opened her latest novel, and never left.
He was quite angry when he awoke weeks later and even tried to bully her out of his room. When he discovered she had a determined streak about her-one he admired-he simply deflated upon his bed, and she remained.
As he recovered, they quietly talked about the aftermath of the war and what Severus may face. They discussed his healing and how it might be enhanced through one of her many theories based on Muggle science. When the Healers stated they had done all they could, she discussed with him theories on alternative medicines.
Severus was discharged after several weeks, and Hermione followed him home, taking up residence on his couch and caring for the weakened man as he recovered. It was during this time he and Hermione returned to their discussion of alternative medical means and how to apply them. It took many nights of debate about the pros, cons, and the outright flim-flammery of possible alternatives before he finally agreed on one. He grew well, and when he was well again, she easily gave up the couch and moved into his bed. All in all, not a bad reward for months of nagging from the woman to 'get well or I will kill you, dammit'.
Severus' persona had not changed a great deal from his days as a professor, but he had mellowed enough that if someone else wanted to defend him, then he was going to allow it, and watching Hermione defend him was truly the most gratifying part of his day. She was magnificent when she did so…her curly hair bristled, her lithe body positioned to protect him, and she would let loose her displeasure at the challenge to her husband. Woe betide the individual who attempted to accost Severus when the couple were out in public, as Rita Skeeter learnt to her grave dismay. Draco Malfoy also fell victim to Severus' bodyguard, but after some major grovelling, his gaffe was forgiven, and he slotted into their life perfectly, becoming a staunch defender of not only Severus, but Hermione as well. He also ran interference between the Ministry and the couple when the situation deemed his influence as a Malfoy would benefit them.
One perk, if one could call it a perk-and Severus would definitely call it a definite perk,-was how turned on he became watching her in action. So much so they had had some of the most satisfying sexual encounters afterward. The evening they had been caught in flagrante delicto in an alley, they were grateful for Harry's position in the Auror Department to smooth things over.
Before the couple had consummated their relationship, and as Severus was recovering, they had discussed what Hermione had been up to prior to her plonking herself beside Severus' chair at St. Mungo's. With a fearful whisper, she had confessed what had happened...
May 1998
Hermione had been frantically busy, driven by the adrenaline that had not left her system. There was the welcomed death of Voldemort, the unwelcomed death of dear friends, rounding up Death Eaters, attending the immediate installation of Kingsley Shacklebolt as Minister, getting bitten by a vampire, attending funerals, discussions with Minerva about taking her NEWTS, and moving into Harry's home on Grimmauld Place.
Wait…what was that bit there in the middle. There, right between 'Minister' and 'attending'? Yes, right there...getting bitten by a vampire. That bit.
In the aftermath of the war, Hermione had been combing through the Forbidden Forest, searching with a team of other Order members and Aurors for the dead and wounded, and especially those who might be hiding. It was just after dusk, and she had unknowingly become separated from her partner. As she had struggled through the undergrowth of fallen trees and broken branches, casting Homenum Revelio in search of bodies, she was not aware she was being watched. Had she had her seventh year at Hogwarts, then she would have learnt in Advanced DADA that by that by modifying the Homenum Revelio spell by one Latin vowel, she would have been alerted to an undead presence in her midst.
The attack happened quickly, as any vampire attack would; vampires are silent and deadly. She only felt a cold sweep of air on the back of her neck as it was pulled back to expose her jugular. The vampire fed quickly and then turned her.
When Hermione became conscious again, she saw a face before her. At first, she thought it was Severus Snape, so pale was the face, so red were the lips. The hair was long and lank, just like his. When she spluttered his name, the feral laugh from the vampire stopped her.
"I am not Severus Snape, fledgling, although he is well-known to us. I am Jabot."
"What happened?" Hermione asked.
"You wandered far from your fellow humans in your search for the dead. I could smell how delicious you were, and I was hungry."
"You bit me?!?" cried Hermione.
"I did. However, I when I looked down upon your white, beautiful face after I had fed, I realised who you were, well," Jabot looked languidly at his fingernails, "I decided to take pity on you and did not leave you for dead. I sired you."
Hermione crab-crawled as quickly as she could away from Jabot, but wound up backing into a tree. "Y-y-you sired me? Do you mean…I'm a vampire?" her voice trailed away as the horror overwhelmed her. She would have cried if she had had tears.
"Yes, my dear," Jabot said. "Now, take my hand; I've a lot to teach you and little time in which to do it. We vampires have heard of your world and of you, so I must teach you all you need to know as quickly as possible. Of course, if the rumours are true, what I can't teach you, you will read up on your own."
Hermione stared at Jabot, not comprehending that her life was no longer her own…no longer human. Her relationship with Ron would go no further than that night in their tent where they fumbled their way through sex. She would no longer reach her dream of working at the Ministry or much else, truth be told, unless it involved working at night. Laughter interrupted her thoughts.
"The myth that we must survive in the dark is not altogether true, fledge. Nor do we sparkle or burst into flames upon exposure to the sunlight. We have adapted, depending on where we live. You have much to learn; come," he finished, indicating with his fingers that she should take his hand.
Reluctantly, Hermione did so and faster than she could take a breath (if she were able to breath, that is), the pair were outside of a large home. Her innate curiosity did not diminish with her new status, and she blurted out, "That was smoother than Apparition! What was it?"
"It's how we travel. We move within the other realms, rather than the temporal as you magical folk do. It's smoother because we don't have to deal with the realm of time or temporal."
"It's amazing," Hermione claimed despite herself. "Do you have any literature on it?"
Jabot laughed at her eagerness and said, while pointing, "This is my clan's home; we are in Dundee, Scotland. There are vampire clans all over the world, all of us born from the centuries of long-ago Transylvania. Clans still exist there, and there is a yearly gathering of all clan heads at the Castle Vlad. You will learn about our history and travel within the realms soon enough. We have many hundreds of books for you to peruse. Even when you leave us, you will be allowed to return and use them."
The next two months of Hermione's un-life were busy as she immersed herself in vampire lore, history, culture, and etiquette. She learned the three facets of a feed; to feed from a host and leave them fully human albeit a bit anaemic, to feed from a host and leave them dead, or to feed from a host and turn them into a vampire. She also learned about feeding etiquette; ensuring no blood dribbled down your chin, not being uncouth enough to slobber down your front as you fed, not picking flesh out of your fangs (should you happen to dine a little rough one evening) in public, for example. She learned how to deal with her fangs in situations where the urge to feed in a crowd would overwhelm her, yet it would be considered impolite to simply grab the nearest human and feed. She was told that for a while, her feeds would be supervised to ensure she remained safe until she was able to defend herself should a feed go wrong.
Despite her initial horror, Hermione found herself enjoying life as a vampire, especially from a scholarly aspect. There were nuances to all facets of vampirism in much the same way there were nuances of life among the Centaur. Offenses in etiquette could be easily construed as an attack against another vampire and care had to be taken that even among friendly debates that you spoke the correct words and respected the right of another vampire to be heard in his or her entirety. Gatherings of vampires had their pecking order when it came to where one stood, to whom one spoke to first and the like. Hermione, rule follower that she was, eagerly gobbled up all of this new knowledge and used it daily.
However much she enjoyed scholarly vampire life, she mourned her life as a human and psychologically was having trouble dealing with immortality and the limits of her day to day life. With joy she could travel the globe without the bother of keeping track of days or hours. She could revel in exploring every library on earth in its entirety as she would live long after the binding glue among the pages had broken down and the pages faded away. She could visit all the places she had dreamt about whenever she wanted, with caution, for as long as she wanted.
But, she struggled with not being able to just pop into a café with friends for coffee and a long chat. She could not lie on a beach at the sun's zenith and enjoy the warmth as her skin toasted to a golden brown. She could not face the fact that she would live long after her friends. Harry and Ron would die, and their children would die, and those children's children would die. Would she want to live forever, knowing that she would watch the end of the world, the end of magic? What if she fell in love with a human? It was allowed within vampirism, but would she be doomed to watch him die if he decided not to become a vampire?
Those were questions Jabot could only partially answer for while he too had learnt to deal with life as a vampire, he could not deal with the emotion of a female, and so turned Hermione over to his trusted friend, Lisette.
Lisette was a Molly Weasley sort of vampire; old enough to have seen it all, yet not so old, in vampire terms, as to be jaded. She welcomed all the young fledges and knew just how to comfort and nurture each one. She allowed Hermione to mourn her human life upon her ample bosom. When Hermione lifted her head and murmured an apology, Lisette tsked and began her no nonsense approach to healing.
The two women spent hours together, tending a small garden of mostly night blooming herbs that were sold to apothecaries around the world-magic and non-magic-to help the vampires purchase items for daily living. One didn't just steal the clothes from those they fed upon, after all. Hermione learnt all the ins and outs of being a female vampire, some of which were delightful to know and others sad; Hermione would never have to deal with a monthly again, but that also meant never having a baby. Lisette always allowed a day to discuss that particular facet of vampirism for it meant another round of mourning for a female fledge.
As the pair walked through the forest glades in search of a night blooming iris, Lisette continued Hermione's education. She explained that Hermione would mature as a vampire and with that maturity came a sexual awakening.
"But I'm already a woman," said Hermione with gasp. "I have, or at least used to have, my monthlies, and I'm not a virgin."
"Were you very sexually active?" asked Lisette.
"Erm, no. It was just the once."
"Did you like it?"
"I think so."
Lisette laughed. "What do you mean, you think so? You did or you didn't!"
"Well, he was not experienced either. I didn't have an, erm, uh…an orgasm," Hermione whispered as though her mother was lurking behind her, waiting to punish her for having had sex.
"Then you're in for a very wonderful experience," Lisette explained. "As much as vampires need blood to survive, they need sexual contact to release the endorphin rush that feeding creates or else they rampage and feed needlessly. In most cases, mates feed together and enjoy the bliss of sexual satisfaction afterward. For non-mated vampires, it is common to find that release among members of the clan with no upset of the status quo."
Hermione spluttered, "You have orgies? I don't think I could do that!"
Lisette laughed again. "Orgies have been known to happen, but you don't have to participate in them. Even among the vampire, your body is your body. Casual sex happens in the clan, it's a fact of our life and part of how we survive, part of how we manage to not decimate our food sources."
Hermione was silent for a while as the women continued to harvest the lilies. "I was taught," she began, "that sex is natural and wonderful, but my mum encouraged me to be, erm, discreet, to not have multiple partners. She said that for some, a multiple partner lifestyle works, but she would hope that I would be less…"
"Outgoing?" Lisette suggested.
Hermione chuckled. "Yes, that's a good word for it."
"New fledges find it hard to shake off their former human teachings. Vampires haven't completely rid themselves of human teachings as some of them form the bases of our culture. Think of it this way, Hermione; if you move to a foreign land, do you not learn new ways to live, to cook, to speak? Among the humans, among their differing cultures are differing attitudes toward sex, love, and marriage. Vampires also have differing attitudes."
"I hadn't thought of that, to be honest."
"You've not had a lot of time to think, little fledge; your life has turned upside down in the last few months, eh?"
Hermione snorted. "You're not kidding. My human life was not normal by any stretch of the imagination. I don't know why I expect my unhuman life to be normal!"
Lisette stood up and pulled Hermione with her, wrapping her arms around the young girl as she did so. "It will take time, but I promise, you will feel 'normal' again. Remember, I was a young peasant girl under King Aethelwulf in 842…I've had time to adjust, and so will you."
"Are you mated, Lisette?" asked Hermione.
"No. I enjoy the 'outgoing' part of post feeding," she answered.
Hermione dropped the basket she was holding.
"What?" said Lisette. "Just because I may not fit the mould of what a sexual vampire who prefers multiple partners should look like, does not mean I forgo it. I have had, and continue to have, many happy and satisfying partners."
Hermione looked sheepishly at Lisette. "I'm sorry for assuming. You remind me so much of the mother of a dear friend, and that sort of put me in a certain frame of mind about the motherly sorts."
"You may well be a 'motherly sort' yourself someday. When that happens, you come to me and I will say, 'I told you so'!"
The pair laughed as Hermione picked up her basket, and they continued on. As they walked through the glade, Hermione asked, "Do vampires die? Can they?"
"Not like you've seen in the human films, no. However, there is a ritual that can be performed should a vampire decided to end his or her life."
"What's it like?" asked Hermione.
Lisette turned to Hermione. "It is one we do not speak of to new fledges. Vampires must allow time for fledges to adjust to this new life, this new way of living. Only after a period of time has passed and we feel the vampire is not adjusting, will we discuss the ritual. Often times, a fledge will change his or her mind, but sometimes not. It is a hard experience, and we vampires take months to recover from it as we must participate in the death."
"Do you psychologically evaluate the fledge before that?"
"In a sense, yes. One of the things you should have noticed by now is a heightened sense of emotional awareness of your clan."
"Yes, now you speak of it," Hermione said thoughtfully. "I get a jumble of thoughts that are not my own sometimes, a jumble of feelings."
"That will sort itself out as you grow out of your fledgling stage. You will learn to discern and discard the emotions of others as you wish or not. It is how we know when a fledge is in trouble psychologically."
Lisette pointed further along the path they were walking. "Let's go a bit farther that way, shall we? Now that we have the iris, I believe there is a grove of nightshade just beyond that ridge and Raul, our quartermaster, will be pleased to have it for trade with the brewers at St. Mungo's."
Not long afterward, Hermione experienced her first non-supervised feed and her first vampire sexual encounter. It was an eye-opener for her and one she was surprised to find she was keen to enjoy again. She continued her studies, both in vampire culture and in sexual encounters, happy to experience the escape of her current life in the throes of ecstasy.
At the end of her third month with the vampires, her master, Jabot, conferred with the leading members of the clan regarding Hermione's training and her role in the human world. All the members agreed that the witch was formidable and accomplished. Their contacts in the human world and specifically in the magical world had led them to the decision to allow Hermione to return and continue her training 'remotely'. They did not wish to have humans tramping through their lands in search of the woman and Hermione, now well-versed in vampire culture, had to agree.
Just prior to her return, she obtained copies of The Daily Prophet so that she would be current on the situation of the magical world post war. She learnt that Severus Snape had survived and was currently residing, in a coma, at St. Mungo's. Not wishing to encounter Harry and Ron immediately and explain her new situation, she went straight to St. Mungo's and plonked herself in a chair beside the comatose Potions master.
October 1998
When Severus regained consciousness, he tried to make Hermione go away, but she persisted, and in the end, she was his friend. She followed him to his home to continue to watch over him, much to his outward annoyance and his inward delight, taking care of him, trying to feed him until he was just short of round-she was unsuccessful-and confessing to him what had happened to her.
Despite the fact she would outlive him, they fell in love. The night he witnessed her take down Rita Skeeter was the first night they consummated their relationship. It left Severus in bed, exhausted for two days.
The encounter with Draco Malfoy was difficult, and it took all of Severus' faith in Hermione to see reason to avoid his becoming a victim. She compromised by only feeding a short while from the blond which bound him to Hermione, but did not leave him dead. The three became rather like a small family with Draco respecting Hermione and Severus as pseudo-parents.
Other encounters with those who might harm Severus or herself were ghastly. Severus could never quite watch her feed and was thankful he was not around during her more frenzied feeding as her victims were usually torn apart.
When some of the residual effects of Severus' near-death experience finally overcame him near the end of 1998, he asked Hermione to again discuss how turning him would affect his life and in turn, hers. She had fed from him on occasion, often during passionate sex, but always stopped at precisely the right moment. The endorphin release when she was feeding from him would heighten both their orgasms and he really enjoyed that, but the encounters left him quite tired afterward and he always needed a blood replenishing potion to avoid becoming anaemic.
Hermione explained in detail what would happen and the fact that he would need to go to the vampire clan to be taught all he would need to know. She could help him manage, but she did not want to be responsible for teaching him the etiquette required and perhaps make mistakes. They agreed he would be turned on New Year's Eve, and the pair would travel to Scotland to meet Jabot.
Time spent with the clan while Severus learned the ways of vampires was rejuvenating for Hermione. To be near her kind was as though she were on retreat from the world, and she truly relished the time. However, this time, she was mated to Severus and when his sexual awakening occurred, the pair secluded themselves away from the rest of the clan to experience his first vampire mating as a mated pair. Just prior to them leaving the clan, they were bonded as husband and wife.
September 14, 2003
"I've decided after all, Mr. Weasley; you may certainly you may speak to the witch of the house. Indeed, I cannot wait to witness your… conversation."
Ron shoved past Severus and strode to the sitting room. "Hermione! 'Mione, wake up!" He went over and poked her in the shoulder.
"Weasley," began Severus as he trailed into the room, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"She won't care. I always used to wake her this way."
Severus grabbed Ron by the shoulder and pulled him away. "You're not to wake her that way anymore; I will waken her." He leant down and gently rubbed her cheek with a finger. "Love, we have company. Come on, I believe you'll enjoy seeing who our guest is," he finished with a chuckle.
Hermione slapped Severus' hand away. "Leave me be, love," she mumbled. "We were out late last night."
"Regardless, I need you to wake up. You will be most pleased when you do," Severus teased and then looked at Ron. He was amused to see a frisson of fear pass over Ronald's face. He was sure it was because Weasley assumed Hermione was on her period and therefore, to be considered 'scary'. If he only knew.
Severus shook Hermione again, admonishing her to get up, and she finally groaned and obeyed. Rubbing her eyes, she looked up at Severus and smiled. "I love you," she said.
"And I you," he responded, giving her a kiss on the top of her head. "We have a visitor," he said. He saw her face light up and her nose twitch. Ah, he thought, she needs a feed. A twitchy nose was always her tell.
Hermione looked over at their visitor. "Ronald!" she exclaimed, "I've told you time and again to come nowhere near me."
"But 'Mione," he whinged, "I need your help."
"Get another girl in trouble?"
"Wha-? No!" he replied hastily.
"Need money? Lost at gambling again?"
Ron hung his head.
Hermione rose from the sofa and stalked toward Ronald. "Ron, Ron, Ron," she chided, "Did I not tell you just two months ago to keep away?"
Ron smiled and laughed. "But 'Mione…you were just kidding. On your monthly, I reckon. You didn't mean it! You've always helped me in the end."
"Oh, I most certainly did," she growled as she stepped closer to Ron. "And an end is certainly in your future," she said cryptically. "Come, let me tell you something." She gestured that Ron should bend down so she could whisper in his ear.
"What do you have to tell me?" he asked as he bent down.
Hermione didn't answer because as soon as Ronald bent over, she opened her mouth. Fangs quickly descended and bit. Ronald struggled quite valiantly but failed to realise the strength of a vampire. As the life left his body he slumped against Hermione. Severus was at her side in a moment to help Hermione let him down, rather gently, all things considered, to the floor.
Hermione stopped feeding for a moment. "All the way love, or should I turn him?"
"Do you want him whinging his way at you throughout eternity?"
Hermione looked down at Ron's now paperwhite face. "Hadn't thought of that," she snorted. "Would you like to join me? I know you tend to like the marrow."
"If I join you, we'll need to get Draco over again."
"Well, that's why we keep him around, don't we?" Hermione asked glibly. "Someone has to tell Molly Weasley a logical story about why her boy is dead." She turned back to Ron. "Now hurry and have your feed, love, it's been a few days since we've had sex, and I am rather…needy."
With delighted laughter, the pair set to.
Type: Fic
Prompter: iulia_linnea
Creator: worrywart1966
Beta(s): timandsophsmom
Rating: NC-17
(Highlight to View) Warning(s): Frank discussions of sex and ritual suicide.
(Highlight to View) Prompt: "Certainly you may speak to the witch of the house. Indeed, I cannot wait to witness your . . . conversation."
Summary: Hermione experienced a change in lifestyle which led her to fall in love with Severus Snape. He completely approves of her new lifestyle and partakes in the change himself. Poor Ron, he should have listened to Severus' warnings that Hermione didn't want him to be part of her new life.
September 14, 2003
The Snape house was situated in a small community called Whipsnade, in Bedfordshire, not far from the Icknield Way, an old footpath that was first mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon period. Muggles believed the path was a ley line-and there are maps documenting such-which guided travellers between settlements and even ritual sites. Magical folk knew better, and the closer one lived to a ley line, the stronger their magic was. That was just one of the reasons the Snapes chose the location to live.
The other reason was that Whipsnade had been declining over the years, leaving just a small population and a few store fronts, meaning the Snapes could live in relative obscurity with a few magical precautions. The Whipsnade Zoo brought tourists during the warm months, but they could easily avoid them and continue their lives quite happily.
Hermione and Severus lived in a converted shop along the high street, the store front serving as a small bookshop, and the back and upper storey as their home. They didn't need to make a living with the bookshop, but it allowed them to have an explanation for the neighbours. Their home was unique in that they had a lovely back garden ending just along the woods beyond. This offered the perfect spot to Apparate to and from their home.
No matter how much privacy they had to Apparate, they did not have privacy from callers, even in such a tiny village. This was partially their own fault because in order to better fit in with the Muggles, they did not place wards on the property so the residents would not notice their home. They frankly had not expected callers, given their lifestyle which did not include being seen at all hours, but only during those the supposed bookshop was operating.
It did not come as a surprise, only an annoyance, that random callers would knock upon their door, some selling home improvement schemes, others peddling religious paraphernalia, and even the odd tourist looking for a quick loo. Severus always graciously let them speak to the woman or witch of the house, depending on the caller.
So it was, one evening, that with a groan, Severus Snape dropped the journal he was reading to unfold himself carefully from the sofa where he had been relaxing. His wife, Hermione, was dozing draped between his legs, using his stomach as a pillow, and he did not wish to disturb her. He very gently laid her down upon the warm cushions to answer the door, thoroughly planning to eviscerate the individual who was beating on its wooden planks.
Who the hell is calling now? It's nearly bedtime! Severus grumbled as he walked, sock-footed, to the door. Flinging it open, he peered up at the redheaded idiot standing on the threshold.
Weasley.
Ronald, to be precise.
The biggest pain in the arse of his entire career, aside from Potter. If Weasley upset his wife or interrupted her nap, he would pay.
"Weasley," Severus said flatly. "What do you want?"
"Give over, Snape," Ron growled, "I need to talk to Hermione."
Severus bristled. "I will not 'give over', as you so bluntly order, Weasley. This is my house, therefore, my rules. You can't talk to Hermione; she is sleeping."
"I need to talk to her!" Ron whinged.
"Weasley, if you remember at your last encounter with my wife two months ago, she said, and I quote, 'keep the feck away from me and mine, or I will suck out your soul'. You are most categorically not in the 'mine' category anymore." Severus crossed his arms, just hoping the ginger twit would keep pushing; it'd had been a couple of days since he and Hermione had had sex.
Ron laughed. "Oh, please, Snape. You know 'Mione…all talk and no action. She was probably just on her period, and she is one scary witch at that, erm, time."
Severus laughed. Full on, belly deep, bend-over-because-your-sides-hurt laughed. "Oh, Weasley, how little you know just how true her words are."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Severus regained his composure and stared at Ron, taking a long moment to consider the options before him. With a nod of his head, he made up his mind. "I've decided after all, Mr. Weasley; you may certainly speak to the witch of the house. Indeed, I cannot wait to witness your… conversation."
Late August 1998
Hermione had barrelled into Severus' hospital room three months after the war ended. Heedless of the fact he was in a coma, she plonked herself down into the chair next to his bed, opened her latest novel, and never left.
He was quite angry when he awoke weeks later and even tried to bully her out of his room. When he discovered she had a determined streak about her-one he admired-he simply deflated upon his bed, and she remained.
As he recovered, they quietly talked about the aftermath of the war and what Severus may face. They discussed his healing and how it might be enhanced through one of her many theories based on Muggle science. When the Healers stated they had done all they could, she discussed with him theories on alternative medicines.
Severus was discharged after several weeks, and Hermione followed him home, taking up residence on his couch and caring for the weakened man as he recovered. It was during this time he and Hermione returned to their discussion of alternative medical means and how to apply them. It took many nights of debate about the pros, cons, and the outright flim-flammery of possible alternatives before he finally agreed on one. He grew well, and when he was well again, she easily gave up the couch and moved into his bed. All in all, not a bad reward for months of nagging from the woman to 'get well or I will kill you, dammit'.
Severus' persona had not changed a great deal from his days as a professor, but he had mellowed enough that if someone else wanted to defend him, then he was going to allow it, and watching Hermione defend him was truly the most gratifying part of his day. She was magnificent when she did so…her curly hair bristled, her lithe body positioned to protect him, and she would let loose her displeasure at the challenge to her husband. Woe betide the individual who attempted to accost Severus when the couple were out in public, as Rita Skeeter learnt to her grave dismay. Draco Malfoy also fell victim to Severus' bodyguard, but after some major grovelling, his gaffe was forgiven, and he slotted into their life perfectly, becoming a staunch defender of not only Severus, but Hermione as well. He also ran interference between the Ministry and the couple when the situation deemed his influence as a Malfoy would benefit them.
One perk, if one could call it a perk-and Severus would definitely call it a definite perk,-was how turned on he became watching her in action. So much so they had had some of the most satisfying sexual encounters afterward. The evening they had been caught in flagrante delicto in an alley, they were grateful for Harry's position in the Auror Department to smooth things over.
Before the couple had consummated their relationship, and as Severus was recovering, they had discussed what Hermione had been up to prior to her plonking herself beside Severus' chair at St. Mungo's. With a fearful whisper, she had confessed what had happened...
May 1998
Hermione had been frantically busy, driven by the adrenaline that had not left her system. There was the welcomed death of Voldemort, the unwelcomed death of dear friends, rounding up Death Eaters, attending the immediate installation of Kingsley Shacklebolt as Minister, getting bitten by a vampire, attending funerals, discussions with Minerva about taking her NEWTS, and moving into Harry's home on Grimmauld Place.
Wait…what was that bit there in the middle. There, right between 'Minister' and 'attending'? Yes, right there...getting bitten by a vampire. That bit.
In the aftermath of the war, Hermione had been combing through the Forbidden Forest, searching with a team of other Order members and Aurors for the dead and wounded, and especially those who might be hiding. It was just after dusk, and she had unknowingly become separated from her partner. As she had struggled through the undergrowth of fallen trees and broken branches, casting Homenum Revelio in search of bodies, she was not aware she was being watched. Had she had her seventh year at Hogwarts, then she would have learnt in Advanced DADA that by that by modifying the Homenum Revelio spell by one Latin vowel, she would have been alerted to an undead presence in her midst.
The attack happened quickly, as any vampire attack would; vampires are silent and deadly. She only felt a cold sweep of air on the back of her neck as it was pulled back to expose her jugular. The vampire fed quickly and then turned her.
When Hermione became conscious again, she saw a face before her. At first, she thought it was Severus Snape, so pale was the face, so red were the lips. The hair was long and lank, just like his. When she spluttered his name, the feral laugh from the vampire stopped her.
"I am not Severus Snape, fledgling, although he is well-known to us. I am Jabot."
"What happened?" Hermione asked.
"You wandered far from your fellow humans in your search for the dead. I could smell how delicious you were, and I was hungry."
"You bit me?!?" cried Hermione.
"I did. However, I when I looked down upon your white, beautiful face after I had fed, I realised who you were, well," Jabot looked languidly at his fingernails, "I decided to take pity on you and did not leave you for dead. I sired you."
Hermione crab-crawled as quickly as she could away from Jabot, but wound up backing into a tree. "Y-y-you sired me? Do you mean…I'm a vampire?" her voice trailed away as the horror overwhelmed her. She would have cried if she had had tears.
"Yes, my dear," Jabot said. "Now, take my hand; I've a lot to teach you and little time in which to do it. We vampires have heard of your world and of you, so I must teach you all you need to know as quickly as possible. Of course, if the rumours are true, what I can't teach you, you will read up on your own."
Hermione stared at Jabot, not comprehending that her life was no longer her own…no longer human. Her relationship with Ron would go no further than that night in their tent where they fumbled their way through sex. She would no longer reach her dream of working at the Ministry or much else, truth be told, unless it involved working at night. Laughter interrupted her thoughts.
"The myth that we must survive in the dark is not altogether true, fledge. Nor do we sparkle or burst into flames upon exposure to the sunlight. We have adapted, depending on where we live. You have much to learn; come," he finished, indicating with his fingers that she should take his hand.
Reluctantly, Hermione did so and faster than she could take a breath (if she were able to breath, that is), the pair were outside of a large home. Her innate curiosity did not diminish with her new status, and she blurted out, "That was smoother than Apparition! What was it?"
"It's how we travel. We move within the other realms, rather than the temporal as you magical folk do. It's smoother because we don't have to deal with the realm of time or temporal."
"It's amazing," Hermione claimed despite herself. "Do you have any literature on it?"
Jabot laughed at her eagerness and said, while pointing, "This is my clan's home; we are in Dundee, Scotland. There are vampire clans all over the world, all of us born from the centuries of long-ago Transylvania. Clans still exist there, and there is a yearly gathering of all clan heads at the Castle Vlad. You will learn about our history and travel within the realms soon enough. We have many hundreds of books for you to peruse. Even when you leave us, you will be allowed to return and use them."
The next two months of Hermione's un-life were busy as she immersed herself in vampire lore, history, culture, and etiquette. She learned the three facets of a feed; to feed from a host and leave them fully human albeit a bit anaemic, to feed from a host and leave them dead, or to feed from a host and turn them into a vampire. She also learned about feeding etiquette; ensuring no blood dribbled down your chin, not being uncouth enough to slobber down your front as you fed, not picking flesh out of your fangs (should you happen to dine a little rough one evening) in public, for example. She learned how to deal with her fangs in situations where the urge to feed in a crowd would overwhelm her, yet it would be considered impolite to simply grab the nearest human and feed. She was told that for a while, her feeds would be supervised to ensure she remained safe until she was able to defend herself should a feed go wrong.
Despite her initial horror, Hermione found herself enjoying life as a vampire, especially from a scholarly aspect. There were nuances to all facets of vampirism in much the same way there were nuances of life among the Centaur. Offenses in etiquette could be easily construed as an attack against another vampire and care had to be taken that even among friendly debates that you spoke the correct words and respected the right of another vampire to be heard in his or her entirety. Gatherings of vampires had their pecking order when it came to where one stood, to whom one spoke to first and the like. Hermione, rule follower that she was, eagerly gobbled up all of this new knowledge and used it daily.
However much she enjoyed scholarly vampire life, she mourned her life as a human and psychologically was having trouble dealing with immortality and the limits of her day to day life. With joy she could travel the globe without the bother of keeping track of days or hours. She could revel in exploring every library on earth in its entirety as she would live long after the binding glue among the pages had broken down and the pages faded away. She could visit all the places she had dreamt about whenever she wanted, with caution, for as long as she wanted.
But, she struggled with not being able to just pop into a café with friends for coffee and a long chat. She could not lie on a beach at the sun's zenith and enjoy the warmth as her skin toasted to a golden brown. She could not face the fact that she would live long after her friends. Harry and Ron would die, and their children would die, and those children's children would die. Would she want to live forever, knowing that she would watch the end of the world, the end of magic? What if she fell in love with a human? It was allowed within vampirism, but would she be doomed to watch him die if he decided not to become a vampire?
Those were questions Jabot could only partially answer for while he too had learnt to deal with life as a vampire, he could not deal with the emotion of a female, and so turned Hermione over to his trusted friend, Lisette.
Lisette was a Molly Weasley sort of vampire; old enough to have seen it all, yet not so old, in vampire terms, as to be jaded. She welcomed all the young fledges and knew just how to comfort and nurture each one. She allowed Hermione to mourn her human life upon her ample bosom. When Hermione lifted her head and murmured an apology, Lisette tsked and began her no nonsense approach to healing.
The two women spent hours together, tending a small garden of mostly night blooming herbs that were sold to apothecaries around the world-magic and non-magic-to help the vampires purchase items for daily living. One didn't just steal the clothes from those they fed upon, after all. Hermione learnt all the ins and outs of being a female vampire, some of which were delightful to know and others sad; Hermione would never have to deal with a monthly again, but that also meant never having a baby. Lisette always allowed a day to discuss that particular facet of vampirism for it meant another round of mourning for a female fledge.
As the pair walked through the forest glades in search of a night blooming iris, Lisette continued Hermione's education. She explained that Hermione would mature as a vampire and with that maturity came a sexual awakening.
"But I'm already a woman," said Hermione with gasp. "I have, or at least used to have, my monthlies, and I'm not a virgin."
"Were you very sexually active?" asked Lisette.
"Erm, no. It was just the once."
"Did you like it?"
"I think so."
Lisette laughed. "What do you mean, you think so? You did or you didn't!"
"Well, he was not experienced either. I didn't have an, erm, uh…an orgasm," Hermione whispered as though her mother was lurking behind her, waiting to punish her for having had sex.
"Then you're in for a very wonderful experience," Lisette explained. "As much as vampires need blood to survive, they need sexual contact to release the endorphin rush that feeding creates or else they rampage and feed needlessly. In most cases, mates feed together and enjoy the bliss of sexual satisfaction afterward. For non-mated vampires, it is common to find that release among members of the clan with no upset of the status quo."
Hermione spluttered, "You have orgies? I don't think I could do that!"
Lisette laughed again. "Orgies have been known to happen, but you don't have to participate in them. Even among the vampire, your body is your body. Casual sex happens in the clan, it's a fact of our life and part of how we survive, part of how we manage to not decimate our food sources."
Hermione was silent for a while as the women continued to harvest the lilies. "I was taught," she began, "that sex is natural and wonderful, but my mum encouraged me to be, erm, discreet, to not have multiple partners. She said that for some, a multiple partner lifestyle works, but she would hope that I would be less…"
"Outgoing?" Lisette suggested.
Hermione chuckled. "Yes, that's a good word for it."
"New fledges find it hard to shake off their former human teachings. Vampires haven't completely rid themselves of human teachings as some of them form the bases of our culture. Think of it this way, Hermione; if you move to a foreign land, do you not learn new ways to live, to cook, to speak? Among the humans, among their differing cultures are differing attitudes toward sex, love, and marriage. Vampires also have differing attitudes."
"I hadn't thought of that, to be honest."
"You've not had a lot of time to think, little fledge; your life has turned upside down in the last few months, eh?"
Hermione snorted. "You're not kidding. My human life was not normal by any stretch of the imagination. I don't know why I expect my unhuman life to be normal!"
Lisette stood up and pulled Hermione with her, wrapping her arms around the young girl as she did so. "It will take time, but I promise, you will feel 'normal' again. Remember, I was a young peasant girl under King Aethelwulf in 842…I've had time to adjust, and so will you."
"Are you mated, Lisette?" asked Hermione.
"No. I enjoy the 'outgoing' part of post feeding," she answered.
Hermione dropped the basket she was holding.
"What?" said Lisette. "Just because I may not fit the mould of what a sexual vampire who prefers multiple partners should look like, does not mean I forgo it. I have had, and continue to have, many happy and satisfying partners."
Hermione looked sheepishly at Lisette. "I'm sorry for assuming. You remind me so much of the mother of a dear friend, and that sort of put me in a certain frame of mind about the motherly sorts."
"You may well be a 'motherly sort' yourself someday. When that happens, you come to me and I will say, 'I told you so'!"
The pair laughed as Hermione picked up her basket, and they continued on. As they walked through the glade, Hermione asked, "Do vampires die? Can they?"
"Not like you've seen in the human films, no. However, there is a ritual that can be performed should a vampire decided to end his or her life."
"What's it like?" asked Hermione.
Lisette turned to Hermione. "It is one we do not speak of to new fledges. Vampires must allow time for fledges to adjust to this new life, this new way of living. Only after a period of time has passed and we feel the vampire is not adjusting, will we discuss the ritual. Often times, a fledge will change his or her mind, but sometimes not. It is a hard experience, and we vampires take months to recover from it as we must participate in the death."
"Do you psychologically evaluate the fledge before that?"
"In a sense, yes. One of the things you should have noticed by now is a heightened sense of emotional awareness of your clan."
"Yes, now you speak of it," Hermione said thoughtfully. "I get a jumble of thoughts that are not my own sometimes, a jumble of feelings."
"That will sort itself out as you grow out of your fledgling stage. You will learn to discern and discard the emotions of others as you wish or not. It is how we know when a fledge is in trouble psychologically."
Lisette pointed further along the path they were walking. "Let's go a bit farther that way, shall we? Now that we have the iris, I believe there is a grove of nightshade just beyond that ridge and Raul, our quartermaster, will be pleased to have it for trade with the brewers at St. Mungo's."
Not long afterward, Hermione experienced her first non-supervised feed and her first vampire sexual encounter. It was an eye-opener for her and one she was surprised to find she was keen to enjoy again. She continued her studies, both in vampire culture and in sexual encounters, happy to experience the escape of her current life in the throes of ecstasy.
At the end of her third month with the vampires, her master, Jabot, conferred with the leading members of the clan regarding Hermione's training and her role in the human world. All the members agreed that the witch was formidable and accomplished. Their contacts in the human world and specifically in the magical world had led them to the decision to allow Hermione to return and continue her training 'remotely'. They did not wish to have humans tramping through their lands in search of the woman and Hermione, now well-versed in vampire culture, had to agree.
Just prior to her return, she obtained copies of The Daily Prophet so that she would be current on the situation of the magical world post war. She learnt that Severus Snape had survived and was currently residing, in a coma, at St. Mungo's. Not wishing to encounter Harry and Ron immediately and explain her new situation, she went straight to St. Mungo's and plonked herself in a chair beside the comatose Potions master.
October 1998
When Severus regained consciousness, he tried to make Hermione go away, but she persisted, and in the end, she was his friend. She followed him to his home to continue to watch over him, much to his outward annoyance and his inward delight, taking care of him, trying to feed him until he was just short of round-she was unsuccessful-and confessing to him what had happened to her.
Despite the fact she would outlive him, they fell in love. The night he witnessed her take down Rita Skeeter was the first night they consummated their relationship. It left Severus in bed, exhausted for two days.
The encounter with Draco Malfoy was difficult, and it took all of Severus' faith in Hermione to see reason to avoid his becoming a victim. She compromised by only feeding a short while from the blond which bound him to Hermione, but did not leave him dead. The three became rather like a small family with Draco respecting Hermione and Severus as pseudo-parents.
Other encounters with those who might harm Severus or herself were ghastly. Severus could never quite watch her feed and was thankful he was not around during her more frenzied feeding as her victims were usually torn apart.
When some of the residual effects of Severus' near-death experience finally overcame him near the end of 1998, he asked Hermione to again discuss how turning him would affect his life and in turn, hers. She had fed from him on occasion, often during passionate sex, but always stopped at precisely the right moment. The endorphin release when she was feeding from him would heighten both their orgasms and he really enjoyed that, but the encounters left him quite tired afterward and he always needed a blood replenishing potion to avoid becoming anaemic.
Hermione explained in detail what would happen and the fact that he would need to go to the vampire clan to be taught all he would need to know. She could help him manage, but she did not want to be responsible for teaching him the etiquette required and perhaps make mistakes. They agreed he would be turned on New Year's Eve, and the pair would travel to Scotland to meet Jabot.
Time spent with the clan while Severus learned the ways of vampires was rejuvenating for Hermione. To be near her kind was as though she were on retreat from the world, and she truly relished the time. However, this time, she was mated to Severus and when his sexual awakening occurred, the pair secluded themselves away from the rest of the clan to experience his first vampire mating as a mated pair. Just prior to them leaving the clan, they were bonded as husband and wife.
September 14, 2003
"I've decided after all, Mr. Weasley; you may certainly you may speak to the witch of the house. Indeed, I cannot wait to witness your… conversation."
Ron shoved past Severus and strode to the sitting room. "Hermione! 'Mione, wake up!" He went over and poked her in the shoulder.
"Weasley," began Severus as he trailed into the room, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"She won't care. I always used to wake her this way."
Severus grabbed Ron by the shoulder and pulled him away. "You're not to wake her that way anymore; I will waken her." He leant down and gently rubbed her cheek with a finger. "Love, we have company. Come on, I believe you'll enjoy seeing who our guest is," he finished with a chuckle.
Hermione slapped Severus' hand away. "Leave me be, love," she mumbled. "We were out late last night."
"Regardless, I need you to wake up. You will be most pleased when you do," Severus teased and then looked at Ron. He was amused to see a frisson of fear pass over Ronald's face. He was sure it was because Weasley assumed Hermione was on her period and therefore, to be considered 'scary'. If he only knew.
Severus shook Hermione again, admonishing her to get up, and she finally groaned and obeyed. Rubbing her eyes, she looked up at Severus and smiled. "I love you," she said.
"And I you," he responded, giving her a kiss on the top of her head. "We have a visitor," he said. He saw her face light up and her nose twitch. Ah, he thought, she needs a feed. A twitchy nose was always her tell.
Hermione looked over at their visitor. "Ronald!" she exclaimed, "I've told you time and again to come nowhere near me."
"But 'Mione," he whinged, "I need your help."
"Get another girl in trouble?"
"Wha-? No!" he replied hastily.
"Need money? Lost at gambling again?"
Ron hung his head.
Hermione rose from the sofa and stalked toward Ronald. "Ron, Ron, Ron," she chided, "Did I not tell you just two months ago to keep away?"
Ron smiled and laughed. "But 'Mione…you were just kidding. On your monthly, I reckon. You didn't mean it! You've always helped me in the end."
"Oh, I most certainly did," she growled as she stepped closer to Ron. "And an end is certainly in your future," she said cryptically. "Come, let me tell you something." She gestured that Ron should bend down so she could whisper in his ear.
"What do you have to tell me?" he asked as he bent down.
Hermione didn't answer because as soon as Ronald bent over, she opened her mouth. Fangs quickly descended and bit. Ronald struggled quite valiantly but failed to realise the strength of a vampire. As the life left his body he slumped against Hermione. Severus was at her side in a moment to help Hermione let him down, rather gently, all things considered, to the floor.
Hermione stopped feeding for a moment. "All the way love, or should I turn him?"
"Do you want him whinging his way at you throughout eternity?"
Hermione looked down at Ron's now paperwhite face. "Hadn't thought of that," she snorted. "Would you like to join me? I know you tend to like the marrow."
"If I join you, we'll need to get Draco over again."
"Well, that's why we keep him around, don't we?" Hermione asked glibly. "Someone has to tell Molly Weasley a logical story about why her boy is dead." She turned back to Ron. "Now hurry and have your feed, love, it's been a few days since we've had sex, and I am rather…needy."
With delighted laughter, the pair set to.