On a Hot Summer Night

The walk to the stage in the back took longer than expected. Severus led Hermione through the throngs of bodies, both of them being constantly squished on all sides. Once they reached the stage, they saw the end of another vampire duel. The losing side was badly bleeding, the healing process slowed by the lack of blood. The winning party glared triumphantly at his victim and kicked him off the stage in one graceful move. For once, Hermione felt completely inexperienced. The winner left the stage, and several humans filed out of the shadows to clean the blood.

"Is that vampire dead?"

Severus smirked as he would to students on occasion and shook his head 'no' slowly. The gesture heightened the fear within Hermione who was not sure she was aware of what she got herself into. Her 'father' motioned to the stairs leading up to the stage while pushing her petite body towards them. Climbing reluctantly, Hermione reached the top and spoke, her voice shaking slightly.

"I challenge a fledgling to a duel! A clean duel that is..."

Few vampires noticed her cry, and most of the fledglings hid behind their 'parents'. Severus scowled when he saw the result of her plea. One seemed to answer her however, and Hermione thought that the woman must have been at least as old as her human mother. She climbed the stairs cautiously, her palms already sweating from fear. When she reached the top, the vampire spoke slow and deliberate.

"I am Natalina, daughter of Trebak, aged five years. And I accept your challenge!"

There was a hint of malice in the little vampire's voice, Severus thought. At least Hermione had an age advantage on her. In the vampire community, anyone under the age of 100 was considered a fledgling since it was the time it took one to grow out of the humans one knew when alive. Watching the battle intently, Severus noticed, was Trebak. He must have sent her to duel to teach her a lesson or two. Hopefully she was just as inexperienced as Hermione.

Bowing, Hermione took a defensive stance, recreating a motion seen in very bad action movies: beckoning her enemy towards her with her fingers. The younger vampire lunged at Hermione, but Hermione had enough sense to know not to just stand there and take a beating, for she moved out of the way, forcing Natalina to stumble and fall on the stage. Onlookers laughed softly amongst themselves. This fueled Hermione, who ran towards the fallen Natalina and kicked her square in the back, forcing her down on the floor of the stage once more. From the sound that echoed, her spine was probably broken, and in a bad place as well. Learning had its benefits, as she aimed for where a human would experience tetraplegia. Unsure of how the vampire would react, she grabbed Natalina's hair and slammed her face into the hard surface of the floor.

Blood flowed freely from Natalina's nose. It was surely broken. With care, the injured vampire cracked her back, adjusting her healing spine into the correct position. The technically younger, but older looking, vampire wished that Hermione had not called a clean fight; at least she would have been able to bite her. Narrowing her eyes, Natalina balanced herself on her arms while sweeping her legs to throw Hermione off balance. Still gloating in her temporary triumph, Hermione missed the attack and feel flat on her ass. Both of them were on the floor staring at each other with equal gazes of contempt.

Using quick reflexes that were necessary in a wizarding duel, Hermione grabbed Natalina by the back of the head and began to punch her square in the face. After several bone-shattering hits, Natalina slumped into Hermione's arms. It appeared that she had hit the poor vampire so hard that it broke her skull, exposing her brain matter. Trebak ran onto the stage while surrounding vampires laughed and cheered for Hermione. A death was not uncommon in a duel, however a fledgling killing was always unexpected. Severus joined Hermione on the stage and raised one of her arms to show victory. Leading her off stage and away from the dying vampire, he gave her such a close hug that Hermione was sure she felt his erection.

Safe back at the bar, still nursing their drinks, they spoke casually. Hermione was still shocked that she was capable of such destruction, but Severus only complemented her on her first try.

"I was so worried that you might die. A much older vampire would have been a horrible opponent. You simply threw the little vamp out of her comfort zone. Brilliant moves really. I doubt such a bloody fledgling duel has happened before, and I doubt one like it will happen again."

Head down from shame, Hermione gave Severus a look of worry. She had killed. Something that she had never done. Well. That was a complete lie. However she had only ever killed out of need, never out of pleasure. But it felt good to murder that girl. To feel power as she took her life into her own hands. Severus must have noticed that Hermione was undergoing a mental crisis, and leaned forward to kiss her gently. To his surprise she was the one to deepen and roughen the kiss, the feeling of her fangs grazing the inside of his mouth. The little wounds healed quickly, however he assumed that she received the taste she was craving.

"Let's go back to my place. I could...show you a thing or two."

Hermione's voice was dripping with lust, and Severus' gaze matched her desire. He placed one of his long elegant fingers to her lips, which she proceeded to lick sensually. Shivering from the tiny pleasure, Severus spoke with whispers into her ear.

"No. It's the dungeons for you. You naughty...."

He apparated to the dungeon hall leading to his abode, carrying her with him with side-along apparition. With their feet firmly on the ground he pushed her against the cold stone, letting their nether regions match up underneath their clothing. The blood rushing in his tool and her hollow created a heavy beat that they felt pulsing through both of their veins. He finished the phrase into the other ear, licking it when he was done.

"...naughty witch. My naughty naughty vampire."

[AN]I had never intended this to end up this long as a whole. Short-ish chapter. Sexy stuff next. Finally. lol. Thanks for all of your support and reviews![/AN]