Cuarto

Forbidden Obsession

Cuarto

A week after the Gryffindors' library confrontation with the Slytherin trio, Professor Lupin appeared to be in a somewhat better mood as he stood in front of the DADA class, wearing a set of robes that had clearly seen better days.

"I must apologize to you," he began with a slight hint of sarcasm, "but as I was taking a closer look at what you will be tested on during the N.E.W.T.s, I realized that you only need to know the basic principles of a vampire, which we covered in your third year. I am canceling the essay on vampires that I assigned you last week. Clearly, it would be a waste of time, since we have much more important topics to explore." His eyes flashed in Malfoy's direction as he finished.

The class breathed a sigh of relief, except for Hermione, who was not only disappointed, but also a bit suspicious of Remus' motives. It was so incongruous for him to make such an error. Hermione simply smiled, however, and pretended to be just as pleased as her classmates with the revelation.

The lecture began immediately, so it wasn't until they broke into small groups to discuss the applications of the new defense curse they just learned that Hermione leaned closer to Harry and Ron and whispered, "It doesn't make sense. Why would Remus backtrack on an assignment? It's not like him."

"What are you talking about, Hermione?" asked Harry.

"The Vampire essay."

"I don't care what his reasoning is, even if it's insanity, just as long as I don't have to write a twenty foot essay," snapped Ron.

"I have to agree with him there, Hermione. Our homework load is much heavier than it's been in the past, and a twenty foot essay on Vampires is not what I want to be spending my time on for the next month," added Harry. Faced with the apathy-motivated opinions of her friends, Hermione dropped the subject and concentrated on her current assignment. Harry's observation on their workload was, in all fairness, accurate, but she was still concerned about the true genesis of Remus' change of heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The month passed by slowly for the three, consumed in homework and classes. Together they made the decision to become Aurors, and since they had all their classes together, they were able to work on the assignments together.

Despite her best efforts, Hermione's thoughts still wandered occasionally back to the vampire essay that Remus had reneged on, so she decided to complete her research for it to see if the something in the material itself would establish the reason for its cancellation.

She had been working on the research for almost two weeks when she received a letter from Madam Pince.

Miss Granger,

Madam Pince

Hermione read the note several times before tucking it away and pulling out a scroll to write her reply. She had always been considerate of others by quickly reading and efficiently returning books before they had been due, so this note was unusual and worrisome. Also, Hermione had already noticed that this book had not previously been checked out by anyone for over 20 years. Her suspicions grew because it was a professor, rather than a student, who wished to borrow it. Feeling more than a little put out by this request, as well as suspicious, Hermione decided not to simply give in and return the book easily.

Madam Pince,

Hermione Granger

The next day Hermione received another note.

Miss Granger,

Madam Pince

Hermione made her way to the library a little before five o'clock with the book in hand. She had finished reading the book and had taken the necessary notes, so she was ready to return it, but she was still offended at the notion that she was keeping other students from learning. Madam Pince was sitting behind her desk, looking at the Head Girl sternly as she entered the library and approached her.

Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun while her eyes searched Hermione suspiciously, as if the girl were there to destroy all of her books in retaliation.

"Miss Granger, I see that you decided to return the book," she said irritably. She resembled an underfed vulture, with her shriveled face and cold eyes.

"Considering that I didn't have a choice, Madam Pince, I decided that it was best." Hermione handed the book to her and waited. Madam Pince snatched the book from her hands and placed it on the desk before returning her attention to what she had been working on. Looking up after a short time, the Librarian was surprised and irritated to see Hermione still standing in her presence expectantly, her arms crossed and her fingers drumming absentmindedly.

"Can I help you with something else?" snapped Madam Pince.

"I am waiting for you to send the book to the professor who needs it, seeing that he or she couldn't bear to be without the book for another moment."

"Miss Granger, I suggest that you mind your own business before I take points from Gryffindor. Do I make myself clear, young lady?"

Hermione gave her a small smile, answering mechanically, "Perfectly clear." She then turned and found a table to sit at to work on her homework. Hermione sat in the library the remainder of the evening, waiting to see who came in for the book or to whom Madam Pince sent it. Needless to say, there was an array of both professors and students that entered the library, but none, as far as Hermione could tell, approached Madam Pince and left with the book. At ten o'clock, the library was set to close, and Hermione casually walked by Madame Pince's desk. The book was gone.

Hermione was ready to kick herself. It was occasions like this when she realized that she still thought like a Muggle, when witch's logic was what was needed. It was obvious that there were other ways for a professor to get a book from the library without actually walking into the library - or were there? It didn't matter now, since the book was gone and there had been too many people in the library for her to possibly remember who might have taken it. Gathering her things, Hermione left in frustration.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That weekend, Severus was summoned by the Dark Lord, and found himself standing in the circle of Death Eaters, waiting for his Master to speak. There was a new moon, so the evening was not only cold and windy, but dark and eerie. Of course, it could have been the middle of a summer afternoon and the Dark Lord's presence would still create an atmosphere of foreboding.

"It is time to remind Dumbledore that I am in control. I want a member of his Order to die, but not just any member. I want Remus Lupin dead. It is time to put an end to the Marauders," hissed the Dark Lord. His servants murmured amongst themselves as he slowly walked to each Death Eater, reading their thoughts. When he came to Severus, he stopped.

"Severus, you have no thoughts, my son?" Severus didn't move, but maintained eye contact with his Master. "There is only one reason for this. You are keeping information from me."

Severus did not respond, knowing that denial would make it worse. The last thing he heard was the cold hiss, "Crucio!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

With all Hermione's duties as Head Girl, her homework, and regular meetings of the Order, it had been a long, stressful week. She decided to make some time for herself by enjoying the serenity of the night while sitting by the lake. It was very late, but if she didn't take the time to clear her mind, she would only deny herself another night's rest. She often suffered sleeplessness because of her ever active mind, which constantly churned over events in her life, searching tirelessly for answers and solutions that usually failed to come forth.

Sitting on a rock outside Hogwarts' grounds that she had claimed as her own, she curled her legs up to her chest, rested her chin on her knees, and wrapped her robe tightly around her body to keep the night chill out. She could easily have placed a warming charm on herself, but preferred the comforting feeling of her robes.

She stared off into the direction of the lake, listening to the ripples caused by the movement of the squid lap against the rocks at the shore. Only the stars could be seen tonight, as there was no moon to illuminate her surroundings.

This was Hermione's time to reflect and try to make sense of what her life had become. She certainly wasn't complaining or disappointed that she was a witch, but the challenges, prejudices, and wars that accompanied rewards were complications she had never anticipated in childhood.

Slowly breathing in the crisp night air, she momentarily held her breath before exhaling, releasing her tension. Closing her eyes, she emptied her mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus lay on his back, trying to regulate his breathing and overcome the pain from the Cruciatus that had been inflicted upon him by the Dark Lord. Hearing his Master say, "That is all," Severus finally breathed a sigh of relief instead. He heard his colleagues of the dark Disapparate and became painfully aware that he was drained of his energy. Keeping his eyes closed, he concentrated all his energy to Disapparate.

Severus opened his eyes to the blackness of the night. He heard the familiar sounds of water splashing into rocks and realized he had again succeeded in Apparating under strenuous circumstances. He continued to lie on his back, waiting for death. His energy had never been so depleted and, not having the energy to find a victim to feed upon, he resigned himself to his fate and readied to face his mortality.

With her mind feeling relaxed enough to sleep, Hermione slowly rose from the rock and began walking back to the castle. Suddenly, she tripped over something in the dark.

She fell flat on her face, but quickly rolled onto her side and drew her wand to defend herself.

"Lumos," she whispered. A light shone from the end of her wand, and she turned it toward the object lying in her path.

"Oh gods," she whispered, seeing Professor Snape lying on the ground. Dropping to her knees, she leaned over him to see if he was conscious. Shining her wand over his face, she could see that his hair was wet and he was sweating. Assuming that he was sick, she touched him on the cheek and cradled his face.

"Professor Snape," she said gently, "you will be okay, sir. I'm going to help you."

The voice sounded so far away, but Severus forced his eyes open. Looking into a pair of familiar brown eyes, Severus recognized Hermione Granger.

Faced with the choice of life or death, Severus' natural instincts took over.

On the occasions that Severus had to save his life, whether for self-defense or survival, he would automatically go for his victim's jugular which would guarantee his victim's death but his survival. When feeding to restore his low energy levels, his victim of choice was a woman, because sex, like the energy released at the point of death, was far more powerful and restorative than blood alone.

With a strained voice, he replied to her assurances, "I know." Then he was in her mind, controlling her.

A warm and alien feeling of comfort and desire flooded Hermione as she searched into the depths of Severus' eyes. Her fears and doubt disappeared, replaced with security and a need, a passion to please and an urge to give the man lying beneath her all she possessed. She wanted him. She wanted nothing more than to do his bidding, to be rewarded with his validation of her - his scent making her heady, the feel of the skin of his face tempting her to give him the same pleasures that he was bestowing on her. Somewhere deep inside she could hear a voice, a familiar voice, trying to scream out, but its warnings of danger were muffled by the unadulterated calm she found herself succumbing to. She was lost within herself and she would not fight him.

Maintaining eye contact with him, she continued to hold her lit wand in one hand and stretched out her other so that her wrist was over his mouth. Severus buried his sharp fangs into her soft tender flesh, slicing her skin and piercing her artery. The blood pumped into his mouth and he drank eagerly. At first he swallowed quickly, desperate to replenish his energy reserves, but after several minutes he slowed down and was able to suck the blood from the artery, taking full swallows.

Hermione flinched from the initial piercing of his teeth, but quickly the pain turned into a feeling she had never experienced before. Her hiss of pain turned gradually into a feral moan of delight and desire as she began to move her hips restlessly and bite her lower lip in anticipation. Further down her body there was a release she had not known before, a damp heat that spread not only to her senses, but also to the man beneath her. Sucking on her more enthusiastically, he groaned as well, thrusting his hips towards her, a mutated dichotic relationship. She was giving back his life, and he was passing on the eroticism of a thousand past encounters to her. Breathing as one. Their hearts beating as one. Their life forces pulsing and fusing to form the perfect entity. Unstoppable. Insurmountable. Beautiful and strong. The feeling was so pure it caused a relaxation to spread over her body, so powerful her eyes rolled into the back of her head and closed. The contact had been broken, del Severus was sure. Many other feedings had ended prematurely for the same reason. He prepared himself to have her pull her wrist away, but instead he heard her whisper, "More."

He quickly let her go, frightened by his victim's acquiescence despite the broken contact, for the first time ever. His fear brought Severus back to the reality of his situation, well aware of the ramifications of draining too much of her blood, well aware of what he would do to her - his student, entrusted to his care - if he allowed himself to continue.

He took her hand, removed it from his mouth, and sat up. She opened her eyes, surprised, to see him sitting in front of her. She looked down at her wrist: two perfect punctures. Her eyes flashed back to his face; he was no longer sickly. Then it all became clear. Snape was a vampire.

Both stood up, facing each other. Holding up her wand to see him, Hermione stared into his dark eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a syllable, she heard, "Obliviate."

~TBC