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Beyond the Pale	By : goldhorse Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 81362 -:- Recommendations : 11 -:- Currently Reading : 17
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does, lucky woman. I make no money from this, which is probably why I'm poor as a church mouse.

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“Father,” Hermione croaked and then snapped her mouth shut in embarrassment. If she had any blood left, she would have been red as a beet. “I-I’m sorry.”

“It is alright child. I am your father now,” Snape said softly. “You’ll feel the bond with me and your mother from now on.”

“I-I don’t understand any of this,” Hermione whimpered and then realized how badly her throat was hurting. It felt like she had taken ill. She rubbed it in a feeble attempt to soothe it but it was useless.

“We will discuss it later,” her mother said softly. “Right now, you need to feed.”

She turned her head to take in the sight of the vampire who had saved her from losing her soul. She was breathtaking. Long strawberry blonde hair fell in soft waves to her waist. Her eyes weren’t indigo like they were the last time she had seen her. Instead they were a beautiful jade green color. Her skin was pale and flawless. She couldn’t be much older than Hermione was. Then her words registered.

“Feed?”

“Yes child,” Snape said and helped her to sit up. “You might still have a soul, but unfortunately, you will survive on human blood. You aren’t a dunderhead Hermione. You have studied vampires. It isn’t a glorious lifestyle.”

“No,” Hermione squeaked. “I-I don’t want…I’m not a murderer!”

“Who said anything about murder?” her mother huffed. “Just because we feed on humans doesn’t mean we kill them, that asshole in the forest notwithstanding. No, your father and I will help you these first few months so you can control yourself but you will not become a murderer if we have anything to say about it.”

“Really?” Hermione knew she was being childish but she was just so…off-center.

“Yes,” Snape said in exasperation. “Now let us get on with it. I’m sure you’re hungry. We can talk later. Up.”

Hermione couldn’t help but submit to the direct order, which was off-putting to say the least. She couldn’t even think of disobeying it. Her body was achy but she stood obediently on unsteady legs and waited while Professor Snape stood up and stretched his limbs. It was then she realized that he was only wearing a white button down and trousers with his trademark dragon hide boots. It was strange seeing him so informally dressed. No one had ever seen him in anything other than his solid black tunic and teaching robes. Even his dress robes during the tri-wizard tournament were similar.

“Let’s go,” Snape ordered and marched toward the door.

Hermione tried to take a step but faltered and went careening towards the floor. Her mother caught her right before she crashed. Strong arms hauled her back up and drew her into a soft chest.

“Perhaps we should take a moment to get you used to your body little one,” her mother whispered in her ear. “You are taller now, an inch or so I’d gather. It isn’t much, but you haven’t had any time to adjust. You’ve also grown a few…assets. I dare say you are a bit more top heavy now.”

“What?” Hermione gasped and pulled away.

The vampire chuckled as she watched Hermione frantically smooth the shirt she was wearing down so she could see her new shape. Oh goddess, she wasn’t kidding. Where had these breasts come from? She had grown at least two sizes larger. Why wasn’t her shirt tighter? Oh, not her shirt. This one hung down to her knees. She was mortified to think she had commandeered her father’s shirt.

“You had to have something to wear,” Snape said uncomfortably as he watched her tug at his rather large dress shirt. “Your clothes were ruined…not that they would fit now anyway. I suppose we should find you something suitable to wear though.”

“Here,” her mother said and motioned for Professor Snape to take her arm. “She might be able to fit into my clothes. They’ll be a bit long though.”

“It will suffice until we can take her shopping,” Snape said and replaced her mother’s arm with his own.

“P-professor?” Hermione whimpered when the vampire disappeared.

Snape sighed. “Yes child?”

“W-what happened to me?”

“The turning will age a newborn to their adult appearance. It is an abomination to change a child because of this. If the victim is too young, the body breaks down and not even the turn can save them.”

“They age to death?” Hermione squeaked.

Snape nodded.

“Why did he try to turn me then?”

“A ravenous vampire rarely cares how old their prey is. I fear that he turned you out of anger because your mother interfered.”

Hermione thought about it for a few moments. “No. He said he might give me a gift if I was good. Mother hadn’t shown up yet.”

Snape nodded. “Most dark vampires consider their affliction a gift.”

“I could have died.”

“No,” Snape said quickly before she could think further. “She would have never allowed it.”

“Who is she?”

“My name is Melody Bach,” her mother said as she flitted back into the room. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I do wish it was under different circumstances though. Here.” She shoved a black tank top with a built in bra and a pair of jeans into Hermione’s hands. “Put these on and we’ll alter them to fit.”

Hermione was relieved when they stepped out of the room to give her some privacy. This was all so surreal. She changed as quickly as she could with her awkward new body, making sure to neatly fold the Professor’s shirt and place it on the couch. He was acting strange as well. A million different questions fluttered around her mind but the burning in her throat and stomach increased the longer she took. Where were her new parents anyway? Weren’t they supposed to go feed? How did one feed anyway? She shook off the dread that mounted in her stomach and timidly walked toward the door they’d gone through. She was much steadier on her feet now which she was thankful for.

Hermione was hard pressed not to squeak at the site that met her when the door nudged open. Professor Snape had Melody pushed up against the wall and was grinding his groin into her as he devoured her lips. She had her legs wrapped around his thin torso and was clawing at his back. It was perhaps the most erotic thing she had ever seen, including those pornos that her crazy cousin Julie snuck in the last time she’d come to visit. There was so much raw passion it was hard to breathe.

She tried to back away to give them their privacy but ended up tripping on the excess length of her jeans and landing hard on her bum. Too dazed to move, she realized her mistake when both her parents were hovering over her with twin looks of disapproval. Thoroughly ashamed, she couldn’t help the tears that welled up in her eyes.

“Stop crying!” Snape barked. “You’ll lose what little blood you have.”

“What?” Hermione asked, wiping her face. When she pulled her hand away, it was tinged pink. “Oh my God.”

Melody sighed and grabbed Hermione’s hand to help her off the floor. “Vampire rule number one: we never cry if we can help it. Our hydration is obtained from blood, so naturally our tears are blood stained. If you are already depleted on blood, crying will make it worse. No crying.”

“I-I’m sorry,” Hermione sniffled, trying desperately to stop the tears. “I was just…I didn’t mean to…I’m sorry.”

“Next time… knock!” Snape snapped and waved his wand, immediately tailoring the too long jeans. “Now, let’s get you out of here before you scent someone.”

“What do you mean?” Hermione asked as she shuffled along behind her father.

Melody kept pace with her and whispered as they walked. “Your senses are heightened now, or they will be after you feed. If you go into hunting mode, you’ll be liable to eat any human in the castle. We don’t want that. Dumbledore is the only one who knows about Sev…and me for that matter.”

“Father?” Hermione asked questioningly.

“You haven’t figured it out,” Melody said with some amusement. “Severus is like us sweetheart.”

Hermione came to a dead stop in the hall. Professor Snape was a vampire? Well, that explained a lot of things. Then she remembered the rumors. Ron in particular had believed so whole heartedly that the professor was a vampire that he always wore a crucifix around his neck. Flashes of the night she was attacked flew through her mind. The vampire’s voice was still clear. “I can assure you, two mere twigs won’t stop me.”

“Hermione, snap out of it!” Melody hissed.

Hermione’s eyes flew open in alarm. She hadn’t realized that they were closed. “I’m sorry.”

Snape had now stopped and was glaring at her. “Was the news of my heritage so shocking that it turned you to statuary?”

“I-no,” Hermione said quickly. “I mean, it was a shock, but there have always been rumors about you. I was thinking about how Ron always wears a crucifix and then…then I-the…that vampire that attacked me. He said that a cross wouldn’t stop him.”

Snape nodded. “It is not uncommon to have vivid memories of the circumstances in which you were turned. In fact, the more violent the attack, the better you remember. It can be paralyzing at times but you must learn to accept the memories and get past them.”

“Oh,” Hermione said softly and sprinted forward when she realized that he had started moving again.

“As far as the crucifix goes,” he continued, “that is a matter of circumstances. For example, merely crossing two sticks is about as effective as spitting into the wind. However, were you to believe in the Christian doctrine, any crucifix holds great powers against truly dark vampires for it wards against the soulless. If you do not hold Faith, then a crucifix of pure silver is still quite effective. The point being that vampires will burn if made to touch silver.”

Hermione nodded even though he couldn’t see it. His information made complete sense. Looking back, crossing two sticks did seem like a silly bargain but she had been desperate at the time…and possibly under the vampire’s influence. Her mind had certainly been muddled, still was actually. She wondered when they were going to sit down and have a talk. She didn’t realize they had already made the trek across the castle until Professor Snape opened the doors in front of her. It was probably midday. Hermione froze in fear.

“It won’t hurt you,” Melody whispered in her ear. “You still have your soul. You can walk into the daylight without worry. You might be a little sensitive to it and will probably sunburn now. I suggest purchasing a pair of sunglasses and some sunscreen as soon as you can.”

Hermione nodded and timidly stepped into the daylight. Nothing, well, maybe a bit bright. Thank Merlin. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe Melody, but it was still a frightening concept. She heaved a huge sigh of relief and set off in her father’s footsteps.

“Ah Severus, I was wondering when you would be free.”

Hermione recognized Dumbledore’s jovial tone, but a glance around couldn’t locate him. All she could see was forest and the lake. There was no one else about except for her party.

Snape lifted his hand and made a large arc in the air. “She awoke this morning Albus. We are going to hunt.”

“Very good,” Dumbledore’s voice returned. “Please inform me when she is properly settled.”

“Of course,” Snape replied and then slashed his hand in the air. He turned and marched towards the forest.

Hermione sprinted to catch up, her mother easily keeping pace beside her. “What was that? I didn’t see the Headmaster at all and there was no patronus.”

“It is a spell designed to talk over short distances,” Snape explained. “I’d imagine it works much like muggle walkie-talkies. I believe that was where Albus got the idea. You see, he is much smarter than to approach a ravenous newborn vampire in person.”

“He knows?” Hermione asked. Her spirits sunk. She didn’t want anyone to know. It was a constant reminder of how incredibly stupid she had been. The one person in Gryffindor besides Neville who thought out their actions first and she’d gotten into trouble because she hadn’t. She had been overly confident and it almost cost her soul.

“I daresay Albus knows much of what happens on these grounds,” Snape sighed. “Unfortunately, he was unable to keep close enough tabs on everyone this year, what with that mad cow Umbridge stalking the halls.”

Hermione giggled. “Ron tormented her in the hospital wing with clip-clopping noises.” She must have imagined the grin on her father’s face after that comment.

Melody, on the other hand, laughed uproariously for a few moments. “That bitch deserved it. Sev will kill me for this but I believe I will miss the twins terribly next year.”

“Those two,” Severus grumbled. “Forever making my life miserable.”

“So that’s why you conveniently forgot the formula for the potion to cure the firework burns?” Melody asked innocently.

Severus merely spun and quirked an eyebrow before taking out a rather battered trainer. “Place your hand on the portkey.”

“Where are we going?” Hermione breathed.

“A rather seedy part of London. No one will miss the inhabitants if you should…lose control during your first feeding.”

Hermione felt nauseous. “But…aren’t you going to stop me before that point?”

“We will do all we can,” Melody reassured her. “But sometimes there is no stopping it. Sev and I haven’t fed in a week and it will be hard for us to overpower you.”

“So I could…I could…kill someone?” Hermione tried desperately not to shed tears at the thought.

“It’s always possible,” Snape said gravely. “However, with the area we are going, there are no noble men.”

“It doesn’t make it right to kill them!” Hermione snapped.

“I never said that,” Snape spat. “The fairytale is over and it is time to wake up and realize what you have become. You can decide to persevere and make your peace or you can lie down and die. I, for one, was under the impression that you were not one to just give up.”

“I’m not a quitter!” Hermione screeched. “I just find the thought of murdering someone to save myself horrifying!”

“What do you believe happens during a war?” Severus drawled and snatched her hand up, placing it over the shoe.

The familiar jerk of the portkey left Hermione wanting to throw up as she landed in a heap on a cobblestone ground. Fortunately, there was nothing in her stomach to come up. She struggled to stand to her feet, vertigo threatening to pull the ground out from under her again.

“Easy,” Melody cooed and offered her a steadying arm. “Portkeying is bad enough as a human. As a vampire, it is much worse and being hungry does you no favors.”

Hermione tried to take a deep breath to steady her nerves but the air choked her. It was heavy with the scent of death and decay. The stench of rotting food, refuse, and unclean bodies burned her nose. She slapped her hand over it, trying to protect the smarting appendage. “What is that?”

“That,” Snape said quietly, “is the delightful odor of Beggar’s Alley, the muggle equivalent to Knockturn alley. Most who reside here are either high on some designer drug, very near death, or extremely shady. Wizards popping in and out doesn’t raise the least of suspicions, and if it does, they remain mute, less they be caught.”

“It smells horrible,” Hermione croaked. The portkey trip combined with the now overwhelming burning in her throat and stomach and the stench in the air had her on the verge of tears.

“This is precisely why I picked this spot for your first meal,” Severus said quietly. “The smells are a deterrent and will act as a buffer for your appetite. I hope to use this to make it easier to pull you away.”

“I don’t want to touch anything!” Hermione insisted.

“Come,” Snape said, ignoring her protests. “You will think differently in a moment.”

Hermione was grateful that Melody had taken her hand. It gave her something to ground herself with. The view only confirmed what her nose did. Dirty men and woman dotted the streets, their tattered clothing almost blending in with the trash strewn about. They looked disgusting…and possibly diseased. She didn’t want her teeth anywhere near them.

“Here we are,” Snape drawled and came to a stop in front of a beady eyed man that reminded Hermione a bit of Wormtail.

“Wha’ can I do ye for?” The man spoke and rubbed his hands together. His mannerisms reminded her of a creepy pervert.

“Look into my eyes,” Snape drawled.

The man scoffed but obeyed him in short order. Seconds later, his eyes glossed over and his head lulled to the side, giving easier access to his neck.

“Come here Hermione,” Severus ordered.

Hermione couldn’t help but obey. Her heart was banging like a drum; the idea of feeding from the man was terrifying. There were so many unanswered questions. She started to open her mouth to ask one but jumped in surprise when she felt two sharp painful tugs in her gums. She ran her tongue delicately over the tender area to come in contact with two very sharp fangs. She had fangs! It was almost comical that it surprised her.

“What does he smell like?” Snape asked her gently.

Hermione didn’t want to smell him but she obeyed anyway. She took a shallow breath near the juncture of the helpless man’s neck. The smell was different than the ones in the alley. It took her a second to put a name to it. “Fish and chips!”

Severus gave her a knowing smile. “Good. Now, lean in and let instinct drive you.”

What was that supposed to mean? Hermione hated vague instructions like that. Still, if she was a vampire, she should have some instincts. Shouldn’t she? The smell of fish and chips was mouthwatering though and her stomach lurched at the thought of tearing into the savory meat. Her mouth descended at the man’s jugular, the pulsing vein like a beacon. She couldn’t hold back anymore.

Fangs slid into the tender flesh, bringing forth a delicious bounty. The warm liquid spilled over her tongue, down her throat, and soothed the burn. The taste was exquisite, the best fish and chips she had ever eaten. She wanted to purr at how fabulous she was feeling at the moment. All thoughts of the man whose life she was sucking away disappeared. There was only the sweet nectar flowing into her mouth. Words started registering in her mind.

“Hermione! Stop! You’re killing him. Find the strength child. You must pull away!”

It was her mother and father, pleading with her to let this bountiful meal go. What were they saying? It was hard to concentrate. Kill. Oh Gods! Her mind snapped back to itself and she hastily pulled out of the man’s neck in horror. He was limp, hanging from her father’s arms like a rag doll. She’d killed him. Her heart fluttered in her chest,aching at the horrible act.

“He isn’t dead,” Melody said softly. “Listen closely. You can hear his heart beating.”

Hermione strained her ears. How was she going to hear a heartbeat? But there it was, not a moment later. It was slow and erratic, but it was there.

“Lick the puncture wounds,” Snape said softly. “That will seal the bite.”

Hermione did as she was told and quickly licked the bite, jumping back a few feet when it was done. She didn’t want to be lured in by his scent again. She busied herself with licking the blood from her fangs carefully while Snape tossed the man aside as if he were mere trash. When her mouth felt clean, he ushered her further down the street.

“You did so well your first time little one!” Melody said with excitement.

“I almost killed him,” Hermione said flatly. Her body felt cold with that knowledge. She had no control.

“He lived,” Snape said curtly. “That is more than most newborns can boast…especially for your first feeding. I give you an O for your performance.”

Hermione’s head jerked up in shock. “Did you just give me an O for sucking blood?”

“I did,” Snape chuckled. “And we’ll see how your next performance goes. I see them now.”

“What?” Hermione screeched in alarm.

“You are a newborn,” Melody said. “You need more blood this first feeding, especially since Sev and I nearly drained you dry to turn you. You have to replenish what you lost. Most vampires only have to feed once or twice a month but you’ll need to feed more frequently. Of course, most dark vampires do kill their victims whereas we do not. It means we need to feed more often than they do. Something about the last few pints of blood makes the feeding richer, but I’ve never wanted to find out. I find it just as detestable as you do.”

“How many do I have to bite?” Hermione whispered when Snape snatched up a man in his early twenties.

“Probably three,” Snape said as he held the man up for her. “Drink!”

Hermione didn’t want to though. She didn’t want to lose control again but the man’s scent had already hit her nostrils. He smelled like beef wellington with steamed vegetables. That had always been a favorite of hers. Her stomach clenched in anticipation and she tried to ignore it. It proved to be too much of a temptation. She sunk her fangs into his soft neck and pulled the rich blood into her mouth, drinking like a lost man in the desert. This time, she heard something as she drank, a heartbeat and it was slowing down. That was what her first meal had done. Reluctantly, she backed away and licked the man’s neck.

“Very good my child,” Snape drawled and dropped the man in a pile of clothing behind him. “You did it all on your own. It would seem that you are going to approach your newfound life as you did your old one, ahead of the curve.”

“Did you do as well?” Hermione asked.

“Neither of us did,” Melody answered. “When I awoke, I went for the first thing in the room with a pulse. It was only when my victim’s heart gave a pitiful thud of protest that I realized what I was doing. I pulled out but realized that he wasn’t going to make it. In a blind panic, I slashed my wrists and begged him to drink my blood.”

“Did it work?” Hermione asked wide eyed.

“Well, considering he’s standing there with your last meal of the day, I’d say so.”

Hermione’s mouth fell open in shock. Professor Snape had been turned on accident! Now he was glaring at her. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and walked up to him resolutely. This time he held a woman in her late fifties. She had the same glazed look as the other two but she smelled like lime cordial, her favorite desert! Hermione didn’t hesitate to slide her fangs into the woman. After all, she did well the last time and she felt much more in control. She settled in, contentedly sucking the delicious blood down. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered that she’d just classified blood as delicious but she dismissed it. A ka-thunk could be heard as the woman’s heart beat harder to make more blood. She released easier that time, pleased that the woman was still standing when she was through.

“Feel better?” Snape asked as he gently laid the woman down.

Hermione took a second to assess herself. The burning in her throat was gone, as was the aching in her stomach. The smells, while still horrifying, were sharper. She could identify hundreds of different nuances in the air, right down to what kind of birdseed a nearby pigeon was eating. She could hear the bird’s little heart beating out a tattoo as well. In fact, the entire alley seemed to increase a few decibels in sound.

“Well?” Snape asked impatiently.

“Oh!” Hermione squeaked when she realized she hadn’t answered. “I feel great!” She honestly did.

“Any pain?” Snape asked.

Hermione jumped from foot to foot, testing out her balance. She ran her hand over her bum where she landed on the floor earlier. It didn’t hurt a bit. In fact…she took a deep breath of air. “It’s gone! I can’t even feel the pain from Dolohov’s curse!”

“Wonderful,” Melody clapped. “Then your turning is complete! To retract your fangs, just run your tongue across the bridge of your mouth from teeth to uvula and think about the movement of your teeth when you do it.”

Hermione cautiously followed her orders and winced at the sharp sting. A quick swipe of her tongue let her know that her fangs had successfully been put away. She grinned to show off her human smile.

“Perfect! You’ll get used to the feel after a few times.” Melody said. “Let me and Sev catch a quick bite to eat and then we’ll go back to Hogwarts to have a chat with Albus before going home.”

“Home?” Hermione asked timidly.

“To my home,” Snape replied. “I do not stay at Hogwarts over the summer.”

“Oh, okay,” Hermione nodded. Then she remembered her thoughts as she was turning. “My parents!”

“They are fine Hermione,” Melody said soothingly, misunderstanding her sudden outburst. “They believe you are staying for a special summer studies program.”

“I know that,” Hermione said quickly. “I heard you when I was turning. It’s just that…I want to protect them.”

“And how do you plan on doing so?” Snape asked, his eyes darting around, searching for his meal.

“I-well, I wanted to wipe their memories of me and send them off to a foreign country. I’ve been reading on memory charms but I’m afraid I’m not confident enough to try them just yet.”

Snape hummed in thought and then became a blur. He appeared down the street, a frightened girl about her own age in his grasp. She couldn’t help but watch in awe as her father delicately pulled the girl’s hair to the side and lowered his mouth to her neck. It almost looked like he was kissing her, until he pulled back, fangs bared and covered in blood. He licked her neck and then laid her down.

He appeared before her again in the blink of an eye, causing her to jump in shock. “We will discuss it further when we get home but I believe I can help you in that endeavor.”

“Th-thank you sir.” Hermione stuttered, still amazed at his quick appearance. She watched Melody zero in on a man a few blocks away. “How did you do your first feeding?”

“Melody learned from her mistake,” Snape began gruffly. “As soon as I woke, she dragged me to a brothel in Knockturn Alley. I killed the first person I drank from, an old whore who was terminally ill and expected to die in a few weeks. The second was much easier but she was still very weak when we left. Since I had drained the first, I didn’t need a third.”

“Have you…killed any others?” Hermione asked softly, not sure if she wanted the answers.

“Not drinking from them,” Snape said quietly and then sighed. “Hermione, I am not a good man. I lead the double life of a spy and that includes killing at the bequest of the Dark Lord to maintain my cover. My one respite is that he usually prefers to do that part himself. I don’t enjoy it and avoid it whenever possible, but it is inevitable. When this is all over, I will get my due.”

“Your due, sir?” Hermione asked, shocked at the vehemence in his voice.

“He means he will get a one way ticket to hell so he can burn for eternity,” Melody snapped when she returned. “He believes that is what he deserves…and he’s wrong.”

Before anyone could answer, Melody had already pulled out the shoe and affixed their hands. The jerk behind Hermione’s navel wasn’t near as hard on her body this time. She landed wobbling but surprisingly still on her feet. She looked up to see Professor Snape open his mouth in protest but was cut short by a now livid Melody.

“Shut it right now Severus Tobias Snape! I’ll not hear another fucking word about how unworthy you are to have a bit of happiness in your life. You might be a bastard at times, a vampire all the time, and a general mean ass dickhead when the mood strikes you, but you are not a monster. You are a good man, believe it or not, and I’m sick of hearing you put yourself down. Do us all a favor and shut the fuck up about it!”

Melody was breathing hard by the end of her rant, though Hermione suspected it was from anger and not breathlessness. The passionate speech made her want to cry. It was beautiful. She could tell that her mother loved him very much. Whether he returned that love or not was unknown. His face was set in stone, no emotion leaking through.

“You will be punished for that,” Snape said in a deadly tone and then stalked off towards the castle.

Melody sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose before ushering Hermione to go in front of her. “I’ll definitely pay for that, you can bet on it. He just makes me so damned mad, thinking he’s worthless.”

Hermione’s heart clenched at the somber tone of her mother’s voice. She unconsciously grabbed for her hand and was pleased when she squeezed it. It wasn’t enough though. She had to say something. “No man would risk himself so selflessly to protect others if he was worthless.”

“No,” Melody said with a smile. “He is a great man. He’s just been given a very difficult road in life.”

“What happens now?” Hermione asked. It suddenly occurred to her that she hadn’t thought of anything past surviving her turning. How was she going to live now?

“Calm down,” Melody chuckled. “You don’t have to plan your entire life away little one. Over the summer holiday, we’ll teach you how to use and master each of your new abilities. You’ll learn self-control around humans. We’ll help you square away your parents and then you’ll return to school. Of course, you’ll have to be careful to keep your new inheritance a secret. Vampires might be more accepted than werewolves, but they aren’t exactly little darlings of society. You’ll also become a huge target for the Dark Lord. I dare say not even Potter and Weasley should know at first, at least until you have ironclad control. Anger is a powerful emotion and if you let it overcome you, it would be disastrous.”

“You think I’d hurt them?” Hermione asked in a small voice.

Melody giggled. “Well, if they didn’t end up in tiny little pieces, they might become a sandwich. It’s hard to know beforehand.”

“I’m not human,” Hermione cried. The weight of her decision finally crashed down on her.

“Try not to cry child,” Melody reminded her. “It’s a hard realization but nothing will change from tears. Throwing things, now that is something worthwhile.”

Hermione let out a miserable half sob, half laugh at that statement while valiantly trying to hold in the tears. Her mother was right. There was no sense in crying. Tears never solved anything, only made you sick. In fact, tears is what led to her becoming a bloodsucking creature in the first place. No. Never again would she cry, no matter what. Feelings were useless.

“It isn’t wise to lock away your emotions,” Melody said, breaking into her thoughts.

“What?” Hermione gasped. “How?”

“I can sense the changes, smell them in your pheromones,” Melody sighed. “Just because you can’t cry doesn’t mean you don’t need to grieve. It is fine to mourn the loss of your human life. I was devastated when it was time for my turning.”

“Wait,” Hermione said, noting the odd turn of phrase. “What do you mean it was time?”

“You really don’t want to know. It’s kind of a long story.”

“The Headmaster’s office is a good ways from here,” Hermione countered. “And I could use a long story.”

Melody sighed, knowing from having observed her child that she wouldn’t give up anytime soon. “Very well. My father was a daywalker. He was turned in his mother’s womb, the ultimate sin for a vampire to commit. Vampire decree states that any daywalker found will either be destroyed or turned.”

“How are they turned?” Hermione asked, fascinated already.

Melody grinned at her enthusiasm. “Daywalkers do not need blood to survive. In fact, it is consuming human blood that finishes the curse. Venom has no effect on them. Therefore, if they opt to live, they are forced to drink. My father was fortunate and didn’t come across any vampires until he was grown. He met my mother, who believed him to be human, fell madly in love and had me. When she found out what he really was, the day after I was born mind you, she freaked out and killed herself. However, it wasn’t before alerting a large coven. He was stuck, unable to take a newborn baby girl on a treacherous journey to escape.”

“How horrible!” Hermione cried. “What happened?”

“He made a deal. Having not run across any vampires before, they granted him some leniency, especially since he had a child. They were most curious to study me, as I’m sure you can imagine. No one like me has ever existed. Anyway, he agreed to let them study me initially if they would spare him the turning until I was weaned from the bottle. He also agreed to live with them as a member of their coven and lure meals their way. He hated their disregard for human life, but he had no choice.”

“What did they learn about you?” Hermione asked. She didn’t want to hear any more about the barbaric vampires.

“Daywalkers can walk in the light and resist silver. They are a virtually unstoppable creature, which is why they are feared and executed or turned upon discovery. However, they still have fangs. Their eyes glow indigo when they are extremely emotional. They also react to the vampire detection tests wizards have. They do have a reflection and will show up on film. I didn’t have fangs or color changing eyes. I was stronger than average, had more acute senses, but I was utterly ordinary compared to them.”

“But they still wanted you to turn,” Hermione said knowingly.

“Yes,” Melody sighed. “After I was weaned, dad drank to be turned but something went wrong. He could still walk into the light and touch silver. However, his reflection disappeared, as did his ability to show up on film. They chocked it up to the fact that he had a child and insisted that I be turned before I could have one as well. He pleaded with them to let me find my mate before I was turned, counting on that being well after I had hit adulthood. They agreed but only if he intervened before I conceived.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Hermione growled. “Having a child should have no effect on his turning.”

“It didn’t,” Melody chuckled. “It was the fact that he didn’t want to be a vampire and fought it tooth and nail. He refused the darkness, the first of our kind to do so.”

“And he passed this knowledge on to you,” Hermione stated.

“He did,” Melody acknowledged. “He drilled it in me from the time I could keep it a secret from the vampires. Vampires turned with venom never have to confront the darkness. It is an ability unique to daywalkers, something he refuses to tell the coven and with good reason. It was why I sucked the venom out of you. I wanted to give you a chance. My dad was the first daywalker born in a century. He was the one in for a huge surprise though.”

“What?”

Melody grinned. “My mother never told him she was a witch! When my magic manifested, the vampires panicked. I was too young to be turned. Dad got my letter to Salem Academy for the Magically Gifted shortly after, explaining my acceptance into the prestigious school due to my abilities. The vampires cooled down but didn’t want me near them after that, which was just fine with me and dad.”

“So how did you meet Professor Snape then?”

Melody’s face grew dark. “When I turned sixteen, the vampires caught up with us again. They saw how close to maturity I was and insisted that I be turned immediately, but I still hadn’t found my mate. As a last ditch effort to forestall my fate, dad packed us up and moved us to England. He swore to them that he would find my mate there and we would return as soon as we did. I enrolled in Hogwarts my sixth year and was sorted into Slytherin because of my dark heritage. Little did he know, my mate was attending as well.”

“Professor Snape,” Hermione supplied.

“No,” Melody whispered. “Sirius Black.”

AN: Yes, I had to bring Melody back. I just love her too much. Check out that cliffhanger! I always thought that Snape needed a better excuse to continue hating Black. And now we know. :D If no one has noticed it yet, my titles are from Marilyn Manson's If I Was Your Vampire.

Oh gosh you guys, I am absolutely overwhelmed at the response I got from this piece. It was just something I cooked up while listening to a song. Words can't express how greatful I am to everyone for your kind reviews. I've successfully cleared my writers block! I'll be continuing on and updating this story once a week or so and will continue on with Fooling Fate twice a week. Keep those reviews coming and let me know how I'm doing and if you find any errors. Until next time...Love you guys!
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Beyond the Pale