Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Bound	By : goldhorse Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 126052 -:- Recommendations : 15 -:- Currently Reading : 31
Disclaimer: JK owns HP. Not me. I also don't own any quotes you might recognize. I make no money doing this, I just get the plot bunnies to quit interrupting my sleep.

Chapter List
- 19
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- 21
Hermione felt numb as she walked over to the small stand of trees towards the back of the ranch. Melody had said that Harry had a piece of Voldemort’s soul bound of him. How had it happened? She’d said the only way to unbind it was death. Harry had to die?

She fell to her knees when the realization hit her. Draco picked her up and carried her over to the little wooden bench that his godfather had crafted from a few branches. He knew she needed some time to deal with everything. His mind was reeling as well but Potter was Hermione’s best friend and had been since she was eleven. He figured the only thing he could do now was hold her and let her mind wrap itself around the horrifying concept that her friend was going to have to die.

She didn’t know how long she’d been sitting there, only that she was getting quite cold. She thought losing Dumbledore was a blow at first but his impending death seemed to pale in comparison with Harry’s. How much time did he have? Was there a way around it?

“Well, it’s been a Merry fucking Christmas hasn’t it?” Melody growled as she slid off Izzy’s back. Hermione hadn’t even heard her ride up. Then again, that horse was unnaturally quiet. Hermione didn’t even acknowledge her arrival, simply leaning into Draco’s comforting embrace.

“Hermione,” she said softly. “I know it’s a blow, a big one. We will figure it out alright? I’ve spoken with Harmony and she’s agreed to help. We’ll do whatever it takes to try and save him, okay?”

Hermione tilted her head to the side to see Melody kneeling beside her. “Why?” She croaked.

“Because I owe a life debt to Severus for saving me all those years ago, because he’s vowed to protect Potter and he’s not about to fail, and because it’s the right thing to do. We’ve used our gifts for our own protection and only extended it to a rare few in our lives. It’s time to make a difference. We’re not going to last more than a few weeks as it is. Why not tell fate to go fuck itself and figure this out?”

Hermione sniffled, not realizing that a steady stream of tears had been falling down her face and soaking poor Draco’s t-shirt. He’d undone his jacket and spread it around her for more warmth in addition to a weak warming charm. He’d been too worried about her to cast anything stronger. She found herself thinking that at least she had him in all of this. It was an odd thought and even scarier that she was okay with it. She nodded weakly and tried to straighten herself out.

“At a girl,” Melody said affectionately. “Now, Sev will be here in a sec. We need to figure out a way for Harmony to touch Harry. She needs physical contact to see a detailed future, the longer the better. She’s in tune with you two because not only have you healed her and physically touched her, but you’re tied to Sev as well. It makes you more familiar and much easier to read. She’s only seen Harry through Dumbledore’s thoughts.

“So, we need to sneak back into the burrow. I made a note of their wards when we were there earlier. They are extensive so we’ll need to be smarter than them to get in. The only thing that can penetrate them without their permission is an animal. Fortunately, anamagi read magically as animals. So, we’ll need those new forms tonight. I’m pretty sure a dragon and a lion will attract a fair bit of attention.”

Hermione huffed. “I don’t know if I’m up for it.”

“I really don’t give a shit if you’re up for it or not,” Melody snapped. “If you want to figure out how to save your precious Harry, then you need to grow the fuck up and get to work. The quicker you accept that you can’t change fate, the faster we can try to weasel around it.”

“How in the bloody hell is another form going to help?” Hermione snapped back.

Melody smirked. “A smaller form can sneak up the stairs to an unsuspecting Harry Potter’s room and stupify him, can it not?”

“He’s in the same room as Ron and,” she shuddered, “probably his girlfriend.”

“Well, then we get to stun that tactless dickhead too,” Melody sniffed. “Honestly, Severus could get any woman he wanted to. Looks don’t necessarily matter when attracting a partner. Besides, I happen to think Sev is dead sexy.”

Draco hid a smirk. He thought it amusing that she was sticking up for Severus when just days ago she was ready to tear him into bits. Still, he was glad she was on their side. He wondered how they were going to pull this off. “Why can’t we just lower the wards?”

“That’s the thing. I can see them just fine. If Sev were to drop them, there is another one that would trip and you can’t undo it without a Weasley signature. SO… we need a sneaky animal to creep into a certain Weasley’s bedroom and have them drop it for us.”

“There’s a catch,” Draco said with narrowed eyes.

“MadEye and some green auror will be watching the wards tonight. We’ll have to find a way to get past them as well.”

“That’s going to be impossible!” Hermione shrieked.

“Nothing is impossible,” Snape drawled as he seemed to appear out of thin air. “We’ll just need some finesse.”

“And a new animagus form will do this?” Hermione asked incredulously.

“Depending on which one you find next, yes,” Melody answered for him.

“Well how on earth do we do that?” Hermione asked helplessly. “Your journal didn’t differentiate between your forms.”

“That’s because they all feel the same, it’s the mindset that changes. This time, you want to be a sneak so think stealth instead of anger or protection like you do for the lion and the dragon.” Melody said softly. “Let the need to save your friend fill you. Will yourself to find a way and when you feel the change, let it happen.”

Hermione and Draco closed their eyes and thought about stealth. What kind of an animal was tricky, cleaver, and spry enough to sneak into a bedroom at the top of the stairs of a crooked little home? They’d need to be relatively small and dexterous, not to mention fast. After a few minutes, they decided to concentrate on the change. The telltale bubbling of the skin, the shifting of the insides, the feeling of sheer animal instincts assailed their thoughts until finally, they found themselves much closer to the ground.

“PERFECT!” Melody screamed in delight. Looking towards each other, they were stunned to find a pair of pointed ears and a muzzle. They were both foxes! Hermione was a beautiful tawny color with the same golden eyes she’d possessed since birth. Draco was silver with his trademark silver eyes. They made a beautiful pair, their fur showing the patterns of the runes on their paws and necks.

Leaping in the air for joy, Hermione spun around and ran into the stand of trees. She jumped from tree to tree, running up and down logs and pushing through underbrush to try out her new form. Draco was with her every step of the way, eventually leaping out in front and tackling her with a yelp of pleasure. They wrestled around for a few minutes before a shrill whistle garnered their attention.

“If you two are quite finished, I believe it’s time to do some planning,” Snape drawled.

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It was around midnight at the burrow when five figures appeared just outside the wards. They were all wearing heavy black cloaks to blend in with the night. It was still a startling change, since it was barely six p.m. back in America. Snape quickly grabbed Melody in a harsh bear hug before she had a chance to build up any energy. They gave off a dull golden glow for a second before it died down into inky blackness again.

Melody waited a few tense moments to see if anyone had noticed before she started whispering. “Now remember, the wards start at the front fence and span the entire perimeter in a circle. You’ll need to figure out a way to get into the house after that. You should have no trouble leaping through the kitchen window, I’d imagine. I believe I can see it open unless it’s a muggle window.

“Run up to Ginny’s room as fast as you can but be sharp. I can see the werewolf sitting in the living room with Molly. He’s probably trying to come to terms with loving that metamorphmagus. He might stiffen when he smells you, keep running. He should recognize your scent and I don’t think he’ll give you away. We’ll have to hope for it anyway.

“Transform back as soon as you can. If you’re lucky, that Brown girl will be warming Weasley’s bed. If not, either enchant her into a deep sleep or stun her. Do NOT let her see you. Wake Ginny up and have her steal Harry’s cloak. Stun both the boys right then. Sneak back down here and have her lower the trigger wards. She shouldn’t be caught by the trace because of all the other Weasley signatures in that house. Do you remember the incantation?”

Hermione and Draco nodded. They took off their cloaks and shifted into their fox forms. Melody gave them the signal when both Aurors weren’t looking and they made a break for it. Luckily, the window was open and quite easy to leap through. Unfortunately, Mrs. Weasley had some dishes piled into the sink and they made a clattering noise when they landed. Terrified, they leapt off the counter and sprinted behind the coat rack, hoping it didn’t move.

Remus came in to investigate and stiffened, smelling the foreign scents of fox along with the familiar scents of Hermione and Draco. He walked back to give the all clear to Molly before he shut the door to the kitchen. “Hermione, I know you’re in here,” he whispered.

Shaking, she slunk into the middle of the kitchen and looked up at Remus, willing him to understand. His eyes widened and then he knelt down. “Hermione?” She nodded her head in an exaggerated fashion. “My word, you’ve found your form. I can smell Draco too. Where is he?”

Draco slunk out from his spot, cautiously scooting next to Hermione, instinctively placing his body ahead of hers in a protective stance. Remus smiled gently and reached a cautious hand out to give Hermione a gentle pat on the head. Draco bit back a growl, not wanting the werewolf to touch his mate. It seemed to be an instinct of the fox. Remus chuckled and gently scratched his ear.

“You are both magnificent!” He whispered in delight. “But what are you doing here?”

Hermione looked around at the windows. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see her here. Sensing her hesitation, Remus charmed the windows shut, the blinds drawn, and placed a few silencing and locking charms so no one would barge in on them. Feeling a bit more comfortable, she transformed back into herself, still kneeling on the floor.

“You can’t tell anyone Professor.”

“Please, call me Remus!” He said happily. “Now, when did you find your form?”

“Not long ago,” she said evasively. “But you must swear, you can’t tell anyone Remus.”

“Of course, after all, who am I to out an animagus, right?” He chuckled and then furrowed his brow. “Now, why are you here?”

“I- I can’t tell you why Remus but it is extremely important that we speak with Ginny. You might notice some more familiar smells in a minute as well but I promise you, we’re just trying to help. It’s vital that we are successful. No one must know.”

“How important is this Hermione?” Remus asked seriously.

“Life or death,” she whispered.

Remus eyes widened and then he nodded solemnly. “Alright. What do you need?”

“To get in and out undetected. That’s it,” Hermione said softly.

“Who’s with you?” Remus asked cautiously.

“Draco,” she said pointing to the fox.

“And…” Remus drawled.

“Professor Snape, his friend, and her sister,” Hermione said cautiously.

“His friend Melody, who is not blind,” Remus recollected.

“She is blind, sort of,” Hermione said slowly. “Her vision is very limited. If you were to see her eyes, you would see that they are completely white, like cataracts.”

“That woman could see everything in this house, including me and knew exactly what I was and what Dora was and even picked up on Fleur’s heritage,” Remus said softly and smiled a bit when he saw Hermione’s face constrict in horror. “Highly sensitive hearing.”

Hermione lowered her eyes, trying not to give anything away. “Look Remus, all I can say is that she is special and her sister is just as unique and it is beyond important that we all get upstairs undetected.”

“Hermione, look at me.” Remus said softly and waited patiently until she complied. “You said this was life and death.” She nodded miserably. “Are you sure?”

A tear streaked down her face. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire life.”

“Very well. Transform back. I’ll help in any way that I can,” Remus said softly and watched as she returned once again to a tawny fox. She accepted a gentle nuzzle from Draco and licked him in return. “You make a very striking pair,” Remus mused. “Good luck.”

They dashed through the door as soon as he unwarded it and headed up the stairs to the third floor. Ginny’s door was the first one on the right, and thankfully opened just a crack. They dashed in and scampered over to the bed that Lavender was supposed to be staying in, transforming back. She felt a small pulse in the pit of her stomach when the bed was empty but nothing like she’d felt before. A small grin made its way onto her face when she realized that she was almost over the red head.

“About time too,” Draco whispered in her ear, causing her to jump a few inches and spin around. He smirked and kissed her forehead before pointing to Ginny. He put up a silencing spell over the room just in case she screamed.

“Ginny!” Hermione whispered and gently shook the sleeping girl awake. “Ginny, wake up! We need your help!”

“Wha- Who? HERMIONE!” She screamed and sat up ramrod straight, her wand forgotten as she held her hand out defensively in front of her.

“SHHHHH! It’s me Gin, I promise!” Hermione pleaded.

“What did Hermione Granger do in third year that made the boys so angry they wouldn’t speak to her for weeks?”

“I turned Harry’s broom in to Professor McGonagall because I thought Sirius Black had sent it. I was right too!” She said smugly.

“Why are you here Hermione… and Blondie?”

“Hey Red,” Draco smirked. “We need your help. You’ve got to break into Potty’s room and pilfer his cloak again.”

“Why?” Ginny asked bewildered.

“Professor Snape’s friend that he brought earlier and her sister need to see Harry. No one can know about it though, not even Harry so we’ve got to stun him and Ron and,” she grimaced, “Lavender.”

“I’ll stun her myself,” Ginny sniffed. “Stupid bint has wrecked my holiday. ‘Oh Won-Won, I can’t believe that evil, nasty, ugly girl hexed you!’ Her screeching gave me a headache.”

“He deserved it,” Hermione said tersely.

“Agreed,” Ginny said. “So, we sneak in, stun everyone, and steal Harry’s cloak. Then what?” Her eyes were alight with excitement. She loved mischief, a trait shared by her twin brothers.

“Then we need to get you downstairs and have you lower the trigger wards so Professor Snape and his friends can come inside. They’ll go up and see Harry and then we’ll be out of here. It might take a while though.” Hermione bit her lip.

“Why do they need to see Harry?”

“They’re special,” Hermione said, not wanting to tell Ginny too much. “I can’t say why, but just know that if they do this, they could help us win the war.”

“Really?” Ginny’s eyes were wide as galleons. Hermione nodded pensively. “Wicked! I’m in.” She dashed out of bed and threw a robe on, grabbing her wand as an afterthought. She could stun without it but she wouldn’t be able to take down wards.

“Gin, there’s one more thing.” She looked at Draco worriedly. Snape hadn’t ever said whether she had a form or not but she trusted the girl implicitly. She’d kept every single one of their secrets thus far but this wasn’t just her secret to tell. Draco nodded slightly to let her know he was okay with it. “You can’t tell anyone this, alright. No one.”

“What is it already?”

Hermione and Draco exchanged glances before transforming back into their fox forms. “WICKED!” Ginny screamed and then popped her hands over her mouth, horrified. Draco shook his head and made a complicated gesture. “You put up a silencing charm didn’t you?” Ginny asked. He nodded. “Thank Merlin for that. Let’s go then. Two doors down in Ron’s room.”

They tiptoed down the hall and leaned in to hear moans and wet slurping noises coming from the room. “For the love of Merlin, keep it down!” Harry snapped agitatedly. Apparently, the snogging couple was annoying him greatly.

Trying not to laugh too loudly, Ginny swung the door open and startled the couple. Hermione transformed back and stunned them, making sure to stay out of Harry’s line of sight. They fell back into bed in a heap. “That’s disgusting,” Ginny murmured when she realized that they were both half naked.

“I’ll say,” Harry said softly. “Is there a reason you’re running around in the middle of the night and stunning your brother? You might get caught for that.” He looked so carefree and dare she think it, happy to see him. Ginny felt very sorry for what she was fixing to do. “I actually need to borrow your cloak for a few minutes. Is that alright?”

“Sure,” Harry said happily. He hauled himself out of bed and walked over to his trunk. With his back to the door, two foxes slipped in unseen and darted under Ron’s bed. Hermione transformed back and crouched low. “Why do you need it?”

“Oh, I just need some fresh air and I don’t want to have to explain to everyone why I’m out,” Ginny said casually, guilt settling in her stomach.

“I can understand that,” Harry said distractedly as he dug through his trunk. “Ah, here it is. Just give it back in the morning.”

“Thanks Harry.” She smiled and then kissed him on the cheek in gratitude. He stiffened slightly, his breath catching. She closed her eyes in pain, hating to do this to him. “Well, goodnight Harry,” she said, walking back over to the door. She leaned against the doorway as he made his way back to bed. As soon as he sat down, she nodded to Hermione and he fell backwards. A tear leaked down her face. “Sorry.”

The two foxes ran out from under the bed. Hermione rubbed up against Ginny’s leg, a silent show of support. The red head took a deep breath and nodded. Throwing the cloak around her, she ran down the stairs, foxes on her heels. Remus heard her and covertly threw a silencing spell at the stairs. Hermione caught his eye and nodded her thanks. Remus blinked and gave a little twitch in return.

Hermione crawled under the cloak with Ginny when they got outside and transformed back. She gave her the incantation and then turned again. Ginny said it expertly and the ward fell. She saw three black figures running towards her. Looking down, she saw the foxes nodding, acknowledging her silent question. These people were the Professor and his friends. A small hiss sounded as all the wards fell for a second and then reset themselves once the three cloaked figures were through the barrier.

“Adequate work Miss Weasley,” Snape drawled softly and lowered his cloak hood. She did the same, her disembodied head wide eyed. “Now, we need to get up to Potter’s room. How much time?”

“Mad Eye is about three minutes out, that green one is oh, I’d say ten,” Melody said, glancing around.

“Very well,” Snape drawled and then tapped both Melody and Harmony on the head with his wand. They disappeared from view. Then he did the same to himself. “Lead the way Miss Weasley.”

Ginny nodded and recovered her head, sneaking back in through the kitchen door. She ran to the entrance of the den to see that Remus had shuffled Molly around to have her back toward the door. The werewolf gave a half-twitch of his head and continued his conversation. They crept up the stairs as fast as they could. Halfway up, a loud gasp and a thump sounded out.

“Harm!” Melody hissed. “Sev, she’s too weak.”

“Got it,” he bit out and scooped her up, continuing up the stairs. They all barreled through the door and shut it. Snape set Harmony down, put up silencing and locking charms, and removed the disillusion charms.

“Harm, you okay?” Melody whispered softly.

“Yea, just not healed yet. No big deal,” Harmony said shakily.

Melody snorted. “Sure. Now, first things first. Ginny, come out from under that cloak.”

Ginny pulled the hood down and slowly shed the cloak. She was intrigued with the two women in the room.

“Perfect,” Melody breathed. “Now, go over to Potter and I want you to hold his hand.”

Ginny cocked her head in question and made her way across the room. “Can I ask why?”

Melody gave a grim smile. “I need to check something and it’s much easier if you two are touching. Sev, you have that nausea potion right?”

“I have two,” Snape drawled. “One time holding your hair back is enough.”

Melody sniffed. “How chivalrous of you bat. Give me one now and then I need you to conjure a paper and a pen, muggle style if you can. Can you charm the different parts colored for me?”

Snape nodded and snapped his fingers and a white notepad and a muggle ink pen appeared out of thin air. Then he took out one of the potion bottles in his robes and handed everything to Melody. She swallowed the potion in one go, not even grimacing at the horrible taste. She looked around and huffed. “Are there any chairs in here?”

Snape sighed and summoned a chair that was in the corner. He placed it at the foot of Harry’s bed and guided her into it. “Anything else?”

“Make sure she doesn’t pass out?” Melody asked innocently as she motioned toward a very sickly looking Harmony. Snape nodded and walked over to conjure a chair for her as well. He sat her down right next to Harry’s bed.

“Now, Ginny if you could just sit on that other side and hold his hand, that would be great.” Melody said softly and watched patiently as Ginny complied. A groan sounded out. “Hermione, take care of that, would you? I have no desire to see half naked teenagers; cover them up. That is disgusting by the way.”

“I thought you were a voyeur,” Snape teased her lightly.

“Yes, if the couple has style. Random groping and slobbery kisses are less than arousing,” Melody snapped.

Ginny’s mouth dropped open at their bantering. Hermione, used to their jabs by now, simply transformed back and enchanted both Ron and Lavender into a deep sleep. Draco transformed back as she did and walked to the foot of Harry’s bed.

“Does he need to be stunned or asleep?” He asked.

“I’ve already enchanted him to sleep for the next six hours,” Snape said softly. “He will mercifully miss all of Weasley and Brown’s exploits. Let it never be said that I never did something nice for Potter.”

“I’ll say,” Draco chuckled.

Ginny shook her head slightly and picked up Harry’s hand like she’d been asked. She had three million questions in her head but knew better than to ask them. She’d gotten herself into enough trouble being a nosy Nellie and she wasn’t about to ask for more.

“That’s perfect!” Melody said softly as she began to scribble on her paper. When she was done, she called Snape over to charm the paper colors. “At this line I want green; then the next section is blood red. The last one is copper. This other one needs to be a reverse of that. Leave the rest black.” Snape flicked his wand several times to make the drawing colored to her specifications.

“Now for the test. Ginny, could you please kiss Harry?” Melody asked sweetly.

“What?” Ginny spluttered.

Melody merely smiled. “It’s the last test. Severus told me about you two giving off a white flare one night. I need to recreate that. It doesn’t seem like it, but it will tell me so very much and it could matter greatly later.”

“I can’t,” Ginny said softly. “I can’t take advantage of him like that.”

“Stupid Gryffindors,” Draco muttered. “Trust me Red, the only thing he’ll be mad about is that he was asleep for it.”

“So you’d let some girl kiss you while you were sleeping?” Ginny sniffed.

Draco smirked and shot a look towards Hermione. “If it was the right girl, absolutely. Trust me, Potter is definitely okay with it.”

Melody sniggered. “He’s right you know. I’ve never met a man that would turn down a kiss from a pretty girl.”

“You’re sure?” Ginny said a bit too hopefully and she cleared her throat in embarrassment. They nodded and she shakily bent down to give Harry a peck on the lips. A tiny white light burst between them and she jumped backwards.

“You were right, Sev,” Melody breathed. “A perfect balance, if not a match. It’s like Alex and I. You’ll need to teach them together.”

“Alright,” Ginny snapped, finally coming to the end of her rope. “Will someone please tell me what is going on here?”

“Gin, remember that Draco and I are complete opposites?” Hermione jumped in and watched as the aggravated redhead nodded. “Well, every phenom needs a balance and Harry seems to be yours. You’re magic will blend together, thus the white light.”

“And I had to kiss him because…” Ginny drawled.

“A connection has to be made for magic to combine. A touch can transfer it as you know,” Melody said softly. “However, if Potter is asleep he can’t will his magic forth to expel it. Therefore, a deeper and more intimate connection is needed, a kiss. When you return to school, Sev will teach you how to dual cast to strengthen your spells. It will help in the end, trust me.”

“How do you know so much?” Ginny asked, astonished.

“I am a bit special,” Melody said offhandedly. “I see things that no one thinks to look for… and I was once a witch too.”

“You’re not anymore?” Ginny asked, confused.

“Nope. I’m a muggle, or a squib if you prefer but they were born that way,” Melody said curtly. “Now Sev, give that potion to Harmony and let’s get this show on the road. The werewolf is getting restless.”

Sensing that she wasn’t going to get any more information, Ginny got up and walked to the foot of the bed to watch as Harmony downed her potion in one gulp. Then, the frail blonde scooted to the edge of the chair and took Harry’s hand. She clasped it in both of hers and closed her eyes, seeming to concentrate deeply.

Ginny was about to ask what was going on but she was immediately silenced by her professor. Curious, she watched as the blonde’s face contorted in horror and then sadness. A smile erupted, then a frown, then the horror came back full force as she gasped. Her eye popped open and she gently touched the lightning bolt scar. A scream reminiscent of a victim of torture ripped through her throat, startling everyone in the room.

Melody shot up out of her chair and motioned for everyone to back away. In a few heart stopping minutes, the screaming stopped and Harmony slumped over Harry’s body. Melody gently separated her sister from the sleeping boy and sat her back, gently patting her face to wake her up.

“Harm. Harm! Harmony wake up! Harmony you come back to this plane right this fucking minute!” She snapped loudly. The blonde’s eyes fluttered open and she groaned. “Look at me Harm,” Melody commanded.

“I am looking at you damn it,” Harmony snapped.

“Well, I can’t see your eyes, can I?” Melody said softly. “Did you get everything?”

Harmony nodded tiredly. “For now. It’s much more than we figured Mel, so much more. I’m so tired.” Tears streamed down her face.

“Shhhh,” Melody said softly. “We’ll go home and you can get some rest alright?” Harmony nodded. “Sev, you’ll have to take her. She won’t be able to function for a while.”

Snape nodded stoically and gently lifted Harmony from the chair, cradling her like a child. “Miss Weasley, thank you for letting us in. Hermione will show you the incantation to put the wards back up.” He wiggled his fingers and disappeared. Hermione walked over and tapped Melody over the head to disillusion her as well. They saw the three head down the stairs and out the door.

“What’s wrong with her?” Ginny asked softly.

“She’s very special Gin,” Hermione whispered. “She’s trying to find a way for us to win the war with as few casualties as possible. I’m not sure what just happened, but it isn’t good.”

“What’s wrong with Harry then?” Gin said, her head cocked in confusion.

Hermione shook her head. “I don’t know everything-“ she broke into sobs and turned to Draco.

Shocked, Ginny looked to Draco for answers. He took a deep breath to center himself. It was quite shocking to see Harmony’s reaction to the boy wonder. Feeling Hermione’s despair was almost too much for him but she desperately wanted Ginny to know. He debated for a while. Should he tell Red about Potter’s fate and let her worry or simply reassure her? He knew what he would have done a few months ago and it sickened him. He would have made her suffer.

“We’re not sure Red. It’s got something to do with when his magic shifted, kind of like yours.” He felt Hermione’s approval and breathed a sigh of relief. “We’ll know more when we get back.”

“You’ll tell me when you know, won’t you?” Ginny asked, still staring at Harry.

“Sure Red. We’ll let you know when we get back to school, okay?” Draco said to placate her.

“First thing,” Ginny said with some finality. “Now, let’s get you out of here.”

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Hermione and Draco were taking a walk out by the stand of trees they normally practiced at. They’d been back for a while now and had pretty much had the night off. Snape had been upstairs in Harmony’s room force feeding her restorative potions and repairing the rest of the damage she’d sustained during her last attack. Melody had told them to eat a bit of something and take a walk to decompress so that’s what they did.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Maria had fixed them tamales, saying they were traditional fare for Christmas. Draco didn’t complain. He found he’d come to fancy Mexican food and figured he’d probably miss it when they returned home to Hogwarts. It struck him as odd that he’d come to think of that castle as home rather than the Manor. He didn’t want to go back to the Manor during the summer hols.

“Don’t you wish you could just turn into a bird and fly away from it all?” Hermione asked softly.

Draco laughed loudly. “You can turn into a lion and a fox and now you want to be a bird?”

“I’ve always wanted to fly,” Hermione said wistfully. “You know I’m horrible at riding on a broom. How strange is it that I’m terrified of heights and I still want to fly?”

Draco chuckled. “You’ve always been a bit strange,” he teased as he gently nudged her. “But, I get it. Flying was always one way I escaped. No matter how horrible it was on the ground, I could take off on my broom and forget it all for just a bit.”

“What’s it like, flying as a dragon?”

“It’s amazing,” Draco sighed. “You don’t have to think; you just flap your wings and go. It’s instinctive. You don’t have to worry about what limits your broom has, you’ll never fall off; it’s the ultimate freedom.”

Hermione sighed. “I want to fly but I’ve always been terrified of hitting the ground.”

“I’d never let you hit the ground.” Draco said softly and Hermione smile. She leaned up to kiss him and he returned it with passion. She broke free and giggled.

“Catch me if you can!” She grinned widely and felt herself turning. However, after she transformed, she felt different. There was no fur, she didn’t have four paws. In fact, she could still look Draco in the eye which was not a trait of either of her forms. She looked around and found that she was hovering off the ground. Startled, she quit moving and felt herself falling. Draco reached out and scooped her up in his hands.

“You’re a bloody hummingbird!” Draco said in excitement. “You were thinking about flying. Let me set you down and I’ll try something okay?”

Hermione tweeted in response and shook as he gently sat her on the bench. Then he stepped back a ways and admired her. She was quite lovely, a little red hummingbird with her amazing golden eyes. He smiled and closed his eyes, thinking solely about flying. A few minutes later and he turned, realizing he was hovering. He flew over and landed next to Hermione. He was a beautiful green color with his silver eyes. He tweeted out a laugh when he thought about their house colors. He nudged her and they took off flying toward the house.

Hermione was finally free, dipping and rolling, flying with the air currents. She wasn’t scared anymore. Heights had no meaning, just the wind through her feathers and the ultimate freedom she’d been longing for. They were at the house before they knew it and flew into the living room through the open window.

“You found it,”they heard Melody breathe as they landed on the couch. She was lying down, staring at the ceiling while tears ran down her face. “You found it all by yourselves. See? I told you once you got the hang of it that you two could do anything.”

The couple tweeted and hopped down onto the cushions, walking up Melody’s arm until they sat on her shoulders and gently pecked at the tears on her cheeks. They chirped a question and Melody sniffed.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m just a bit overwhelmed right now. We need to plan. I don’t want to ruin your evening but the sooner we get this done the better.”

The birds nodded and flew off of Melody’s chest to transform back into Hermione and Draco. “How come we can transform in the house?” Hermione asked curiously.

“You don’t expel magic, you just reform. I was extremely specific when I had Sev ward the place,” Melody answered, wiping the tears from her face and sitting up.

“Now, Sev went to go get Philippe. Harmony has been asking for him for a few hours now and he finally caved. I told her she should have cried first instead of trying to argue.” She half laughed and then frowned again.

“Melody,” Hermione asked softly as she knelt beside her. “Please tell us what’s wrong.”

“Harmony’s vision was extensive,” Melody sniffed. “In that small span of time she was connected with Potter, she saw every tangent possible in his life…and we were in a few of them. It was a bit upsetting because she was so sure that we’d only have a few weeks left. Funny thing is that she still reads that from us. We’re worried she’s starting to lose it so we’re going to have to get through all this information as quickly as we can. I hope Sev brings back some pepper up potion because we’re going to pull an all-nighter.”

“If you can see yourself in Potter’s possible future, then how can she be so sure you’ll be gone in a few weeks?” Draco asked quietly.

“Like I said, the future is subjective. What’s unnerving is that Potter has already had a prophesy applied to his life. That makes the visions volatile for a reason that we’ve never figured out. When you mess with fate, overhear a prophesy and try to fulfill it, it turns into a Pandora’s box of possibilities. It’s the reason why Harmony has never told anyone a vision she’s had that she knew they would try to fulfill.”

“She made one about godfather when we arrived didn’t she?” Draco said, remembering the haunted look in his eyes when he came back downstairs the first day they arrived.

“She did,” Melody said softly. “Severus is supposed to marry Celeste and live happily ever after with lots and lots of little daywalking children. It’s got to be a complete nightmare for a man who’s specifically avoided love his entire life. She knew he’d never actively pursue it so she told him.”

“Why tell him at all?” Hermione asked.

“Because it plants an idea in his head. Perhaps he might actually survive this war. He’s dead set against getting involved with anyone beyond the bedroom and yet he knows that Celeste is his soul mate. You’ve seen him. It’s a niggling doubt in the back of his mind that keeps him glancing at her, wondering why she’s the one. He won’t try to make the prophesy come true, but he’ll soften to the possibility.”

“So you’re manipulating him?” Draco laughed incredulously.

“Not necessarily. He can choose to walk away. We’re not Albus Dumbledore. We’re not using him as a pawn in a giant game of chess with fate. He could say ‘fuck it all’ tomorrow and walk away and we’d let him. That’s his right and his fate. Most can choose their own path but that old man pulls cards so he can choose them. I can’t fault him for it. He wants it to end but it hurts people and we could never do that.

“It’s crap that you two didn’t have a choice because of a cruel twist of fate. It’s crap that I didn’t have a choice other than that dark ritual with Harmony. Well, we did have choices, life and death. What a wonderful choice right? Still, fate never said you two had to fall in love and you let yourselves do so anyway. Ask yourselves, if you could go back and do it all over again, would you change it?”

Hermione and Draco stared at each other for quite a while. Would they change it? All the heartaches, the compromises, the feelings of rightness, would they trade it all and go back to the way they were? Hermione would still be pining for a clueless Ron. Draco would be wasting away with worry over his task for the Dark Lord. They’d been through so much and they’d done it together.

Draco would probably die within the year from breaking through his last bond. Even if he survived, he’d be serving a tyrant and jumping through hoops he had no wish to go through. Hermione’s death wouldn’t be far from his. Her bonds might have held a little longer but it was inevitable. Would death be better?

“No.” They answered at the same time, shocking them both. Smiling they snuggled up next to each other.

“See? Fate knows best apparently,” Melody said softly. “It’s the one thing that Severus and many others don’t learn until it’s too late. It doesn’t matter what you do, what was meant to happen will. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t weasel out of a few things. After all, what fun is it to walk like sheep to slaughter?”

“So,” Draco said slowly. “You’re not going to do anything to stop your deaths from happening because you know that whatever was supposed to happen will. Instead, you’re going to thumb your nose at fate and try and find a loop hole for Potter?”

“It’s not a loophole,” Harmony said as she lumbered down the stairs. “It’s a possibility. I can see it clear as day. What we’re going to try to do is speed it up a bit.”

“Explain,” Draco said softly.

“Harry contains a piece of Voldemort’s soul,” Harmony said softly, sitting beside Melody on the couch. “He’s had it since he rebounded the killing curse as an infant. The only way to remove it is for Voldemort to throw the same curse and kill it.”

“So Harry has to die,” Hermione said, her voice trembling.

“Not necessarily,” Harmony said softly. “Voldemort shares a part of Harry as well. Sev explained the ritual he used when he returned. It’s why we got so sick when we looked at Harry. Such a bond is blasphemous, a crime against nature. It’s disgusting, but it gives us hope because Harry is tied to this earth as long as his blood lives in Voldemort.”

“But wouldn’t that mean that Harry would die if we killed Voldemort?” Hermione asked, confused.

“Neither can live while the other survives so the opposite is true,” Harmony said softly. “If you kill either one, neither can die because they are both tied to each other. BUT, if you kill the piece of Voldemort’s soul that’s in Harry first, then Harry won’t die because he’s tied to Voldemort through blood. It’s very important that Voldemort be the one to throw the curse because it will gravitate to the piece of his soul stuck in Harry. Kill Voldemort after that and he’s not tied to Harry anymore because his soul isn’t holding him here.”

“There’s a catch,” Draco said.

“There is,” Harmony said. “Harry isn’t the only thing tying him here. There are other things.”

“What kinds of things?”

“Thinks like books,” Harmony said softly. “That wasn’t an ordinary diary that Harry defeated. It contained a piece of Voldemort’s soul.”

“So there are more like it?” Hermione said, trying to work everything out.

“There could be but I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that Harry has to do exactly what Dumbledore says. That old man knows something that we don’t and if we can just put the pieces together, we can have the answer.”

“Can you talk to Dumbledore?” Draco asked, the wheels turning in his head.

“Albus stated that no one would be able to contact him while he was gone,” Severus said, coming in the door with Philippe and Celeste in her wolf form on his heels.

“So we’ve hit a dead end,” Hermione said softly.

“No,” Melody said softly. “We know what must happen when the end comes. We know he won’t die as long as Voldemort remains alive until he can come back. We know there is a chance and a chance is not a dead end.”

“So we just what, bide our time until we can figure it out?” Draco asked incredulously.

“It’s all we can do,” Harmony said.

“No it’s not,” Melody snorted. “We train. You’ve got your forms, now we need to work on that mental link. Then we work on long distance magic and I know Hermione’s been dying to get some hand to hand combat training under her belt. We prepare you for everything and hope for the best. One way or another, we’ve got a leg up and that’s what matters.”

“We train,” Hermione said, settling back into planning mode. Now that she had a plan and a goal, she was back in her element. They would defeat Voldemort and Harry would live. They had to try.

Draco felt the shift in Hermione. She was determined. His spit fire was back and he couldn’t be happier. Guilt, indecision, sadness, and feelings of helplessness were gone, killed by a simple plan. He smiled, happy to finally have a direction. He felt hope for the first time. Hope. What a strange and foreign emotion.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Again!” Melody yelled as Hermione landed another flying kick on the battered training dummy. They’d been going non-stop since their dubious visit to the burrow. It was New Year’s Eve and they’d been training for four hours solid. So far, they’d practiced switching their forms back and forth, sharing magic, speaking with each other over distances, learned to apparate, and had started dual casting. Now they were instructing Hermione on several basic defense moves.

It was a good thing she was a dancer. If she hadn’t been in such good shape to begin with, she would have died several days ago. She relished the pain though and soaked up every bit of knowledge handed to her like a sponge. Draco was working just as diligently as she was. They’d taken it upon themselves to open up a link at night and share memories of learning different spells so their knowledge could be shared between them.

Draco had even been learning how to cast a patronus. They could direct flow just enough that he could conjure a shield form. He couldn’t manage a full bodied patronus yet but Hermione had every confidence that he would. She had faith in him and that was enough for Draco. He was eager to actually put his knowledge to use.

Hermione went through a series of blocks and holds before she collapsed on the ground, out of breath. She wanted to go some more but her body seemed to have other ideas. She rolled onto her stomach to push up again when Melody put her foot on her bum.

“Stay down. You push any further and you’re going to hurt yourself. I’m glad you’re determined but there is a time when enough is enough. You’re body needs some rest and relaxation. However, since Harmony informed me this morning that you’d never surrender, I managed to dig a few history books out of my trunk. They’re written journals from Merlin himself, a book of long forgotten spells, and even a bit of information on the Lady of the Lake. I thought you might enjoy them.”

Hermione’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh my goodness yes!”

Melody chuckled. “Yep. She knew you’d say that. So, let’s go inside and grab a bite to eat. Then you can read to your heart’s content but leave your evening open.”

“Why?” Hermione asked as she gingerly got up off the ground with Draco’s help.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, remember?” Melody asked in amusement. “Well, a little birdy told me you like to dance and so that’s what we’re going to do. There’s a wizarding club that’s opening up a few towns away and we’ll be going there tonight. They’re very special. You see, they allow vampires to attend so I’m quite excited.”

Hermione’s jaw dropped. “Dancing?” She squeaked.

“Did your ears suddenly stop working?” Melody chuckled. “Yes dancing, so read away, rest up, and then put on your dancing shoes because we’re going out.”

“What about godfather?” Draco asked, noticing that the dour man still hadn’t come out today. In fact, he had scarcely seen him in the last few days. He’d only showed up to instruct and then was gone again, allowing Melody to oversee much of their training.

“He can come if he decides put his big girl panties on.” Melody wrinkled her nose. “He’s got them in such a bunch it isn’t even funny. I’m sure he doesn’t know about tonight. There is a perk you see. Celeste has decided to tag along… as herself! She’s only doing so because she’s certain the big bat won’t be there and we’ll be far enough away from here that no one will harass her. Besides, who’s going to harass a daywalker in a place that invites vampires?”

“We’re in,” Draco said excitedly.

“We are?” Hermione asked weakly, not at all excited about dancing in public.

“Oh yes we are. I can’t wait to get you out and show everyone how lucky I am. We’ll need polyjuice though, won’t we?” He asked, turning to Melody.

“Mmmmm, nope!” She said brightly and then took out two necklaces from her pocket. “These babies have been instilled with a facial glamour. Simply put them on and you’ll become someone new. This way, you don’t have to maintain your concentration and you can’t finite an inanimate object. It’s win-win!”

“Brilliant!” Draco exclaimed, taking both necklaces and fingering them in awe.

“I’ll see you two outside at seven sharp. Maria will have dinner done by five-thirty so we’ll have plenty of time to eat and get dressed. Wear something sexy and muggle. It’s kind of a trend.” She winked and hopped up on Izzy and rode away.

Draco chuckled. “Godfather is going to have a stroke.”

“If he doesn’t strangle her first,” Hermione said softly as she slowly trudged back to the house.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“What in Merlin’s name is going on here?” Snape roared when he walked through the front door at ten minutes till seven. He took in everyone’s clubbing attire with shock. Melody was wearing a corset and micro mini skirt in black leather, complete with fishnet tights and stilettos. Her hair was pulled into a wild up do and her makeup was quite dark. Harmony, being her twin, copied her except she decided to forgo the heels for a pair of knee length leather boots.

Draco had decided to be daring, transfiguring a pair of tight leather trousers out of his woolen ones. He went with a tight white tee again, knowing that it turned Hermione on. He refused to give up his dragon hide boots though and to be honest, they didn’t look that out of place. Melody had taught him how to charm an earring in his ear and now a dragon tooth hung from it. His shaggy hair was tousled just enough to make him look like a rogue.

Hermione was perhaps the most uncomfortable. Melody had practically dragged her into her closet and wrestled her to the ground. When she emerged, she was wearing a skin tight dress in blood red spandex. It hugged all her curves perfectly, showed off an insane amount of cleavage, and barely covered her bum. To complete the look, she gave her some red pumps and a wild mane of ringlets, complete with the crystals she’d worn at the wedding. Draco had literally stumbled down the stairs when he saw her.

“We’re going out Sev,” Melody said, batting her eyes coquettishly. “These two are fried and a bit of fun is just what they need to get the juices flowing. Don’t worry; they’ll be in good hands. Philippe and Alex are picking us up in a few minutes.” With that, she motioned for everyone to leave and not so subtly shoved him out of the way.

“Are you insane?” Snape hissed, livid at her careless brush off.

“Probably,” Melody said, shrugging. “Still, I’m going to have a bit of fun before I die Sev and I’m going to do it now before it’s too late. See you around. We’ve got to meet them in the back pasture in five minutes.”

“Where are you going?” He asked in a deadly tone as he stepped outside again.

“Fangs and Thangs,” she said, skipping off the porch and making her way to the back pasture where their port key was located.

Snape stormed back in the house and slammed the door so hard it rattled on the hinges. Melody giggled like a school girl after a bit. “He’ll be there.”

“Ya think?” Harmony asked sarcastically.

“Oh I think,” Melody said deviously. “The real question is do we get the bat or the beast?”

“The what?” Draco asked, puzzled.

“Well, it took me damn near a decade to pull that man’s head out of his ass but when he did, oh Merlin. The last time we went clubbing, he literally had to hex witches off of him.”

“You’re joking,” Draco said incredulously.

“I joke about a lot of things, but that is not one of them. What Ronald Weasley, the amazing clueless wonder fails to realize is that sex appeal isn’t just in looks. It oozes from a person’s pores. You don’t have to look like Adonis to draw someone’s eye. Confidence and sheer animal magnetism, it’s like a bee to honey, an attractant.”

“I’m sure the lure of the vampire doesn’t hurt,” Harmony sniffed.

“You know that place is warded against it. By the way, we really have got to work on that for you two. We can resist it just fine because we’re pretty much immune from the sheer amount of exposure we’ve had but those poor classmates of yours aren’t.” Melody bit back a snicker.

“How do you control it?” Hermione asked curiously.

“Much like you do with your fangs. You will it to stop. Focus on their attraction to you and close it off. We can practice when we get back tonight. Sev has mastered it, had it down since he first went to school. I say shake what your momma gave you but he’d rather not be bothered. Shame really.”

“Goot Evenink!” Alex exclaimed as he popped out of thin air, startling everyone.

“Oh you joker,” Melody chided, lightly smacking him in the arm. “Put the Béla Lugosi act away.”

Two more pops sounded out and everyone turned to see Philippe and Celeste. Philippe and Alex were dressed much the same way, leather trousers, white silk shirts, and biker boots. Celeste, however, was stunning. She wore an emerald green silk dress that hugged her in all the right places. It flared out at her hips and ended a few inches below her bum. The top was halter styled and allowed for ample cleavage to be seen without appearing tacky. Her spiked heels made her appear even taller and more slender. The front half of her auburn hair was elegantly braided while the back hung in loose curls. She wore dark eyeliner to offset her sparkling green eyes.

Harmony smiled and clapped her hands in joy. “I do love it when you have two legs Celeste. You look absolutely amazing!”

Celeste blushed and ducked her head. “It feels strange to go as myself.”

“Yes well, the boys aren’t going to care what you are. In fact, I’d be willing to wager that a flash of fang would have half the joint pawing at you,” Melody said with a nod. “Now, are we going or not?”

“But of course!” Alex said softly as he pulled an old bracelet out of his pocket. “This is going to be one hell of a night!” He exclaimed before they were pulled through space to land in front of a rather dingy house. It looked like something out of an old timey muggle ghost movie. Alex pulled a paper out of his pocket and read it aloud. “There are things that go bump in the night.”

Suddenly, the haunted house façade melted away and was replaced with a rather hip building. A gothic style house with blood red doors and velvet ropes appeared. A line of eager clubbers waited to get in and several bouncers stood around, picking and choosing the next lucky customer. Melody smirked and grabbed Alex, hauling him up to a rather scary looking man with blood red eyes. He stood about seven feet tall and had violent blue hair.

Hermione and Draco were drug along by Philippe and Harmony. Celeste brought up the rear. They could hear Melody practically purring. “Hello Sampson. You look particularly hot tonight.” Alex grimaced.

“You haff quite de company tonight, no?” Sampson replied with a thick accent.

“Oh yes,” Melody breathed. “These are my friends, all the way from across the pond. I want to show them a good time.”

“They must be wary special to come, you know this,” Samson reasoned.

“Flash him,” Melody said softly. They knew what she’d meant. This was an exclusive club and one didn’t get in on merit alone. Simply knowing someone wasn’t a done deal either. You had to prove yourself and the perfect way to do that was flash some fang and show up looking drop dead sexy. She’d explained that while the glamour changed their faces, it did nothing to stop their fangs from showing. They both smiled widely, causing Sampson to smirk.

“Wary well,” He said softly. “Be sure to say hello to Wictor. He’s been missing you lately.”

Melody blushed prettily and nodded submissively. “Of course Sampson. Should I give him your love as well?”

“Always.” Sampson purred and opened the velvet ropes for them to pass. Melody trailed behind everyone and whispered something into his ear so softly that even they couldn’t pick it up. Sampson smiled widely, flashing a wickedly sharp set of fangs before nodding and gently caressing Melody’s cheek.

Alex growled jealously but turned to the bar to get drinks. Melody looked at him sadly before joining everyone. She leaned over and breathed into Draco’s ear. “The beast has arrived. You’ll definitely get to see what I mean.”

Hermione cocked her head in curiosity. Did that mean that Snape would be joining them? She could only imagine his reaction to Celeste. In the past few days, he’d become remarkably affectionate to her wolf form when he was there. A gentle scratch behind the ear here and a soft pat there quickly became lounging on the couch with her head in his lap. She wondered if he’d noticed or just accepted it.

Alex returned with drinks. “Bloody Mary, extra blood.” He handed Celeste a tumbler of what was most definitely blood. He had one for himself too. “Scotch, neat.” He handed Philippe a drink. “Fire whiskey for the shameless flirt.” He handed Melody’s glass to her a bit roughly. “And a smooth red for the quiet one.”

He handed Harmony her drink very gently, as if he was afraid she would break apart with a single touch. According to Draco, that wasn’t far from the truth. “Now, I did manage to sneak a few butter beers for the kiddies but I might be persuaded to be a bit lax in my astounding vigilance later.”

Melody snorted. “Astounding vigilance. I guess that makes me Mother Teresa?”

“Of course. Now drink up my oh so sexy nun because I can’t wait to twirl you on the floor,” he purred.

Melody’s hand shook a bit as she brought the tumbler to her lips. “All in good time Béla. I’ve had my heart set on watching the fireworks for years.”

Hermione almost asked what she meant but her answer came storming through the door. Severus Snape was a sight to behold. He stalked across the room like a cat and caused more than one woman to swoon. He’d removed his glamour, indigo flashing in his onyx eyes as he surveyed the room. His fangs barely poked out of his lips, adding a mysterious air to him.

He was wearing tight leather trousers which seemed about the norm for this club. His green silk shirt was unbuttoned half way, revealing a smooth creamy white chest. His hair was pulled back into a loose pony tail and his dragon hide boots made no sound as he reached them. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he were actually floating above the floor as he reached them, a dangerous glint in his eye.

“You failed to tell me why you thought it appropriate for my children to come here,” he drawled in a low seductive tone.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, Sev. They needed a break and I gave it to them,” Melody said softly.

“They didn’t need one here,” He snapped.

“Oh I beg to differ. They share blood with you now. They’ll be comfortable here. Besides, this place is charmed to keep your secrets. You know that,” Melody reasoned as Snape glowered. “Oh now Batty, let your hair down for once. How long has it been since you’ve dusted off your dancing shoes?”

“Not long enough,” Snape snapped.

“Liar,” Melody barked. “Go to the bar, get yourself a drink, and then come back here when you think you’re vampire enough to push me around the dance floor.” With that, she grabbed Alex’s hand and yanked him onto the floor. A slow sexy beat was playing and she made the most of it, not leaving an inch of space between her and her very interested vampire soul mate.

Snape huffed and walked off in a snit, not even noticing anyone else. He went to the bar and ordered something that looked like a cross between blood and whiskey. His back was to them as he mulled over his dismissal, not even paying attention to his party.

“Well, that was interesting,” Harmony said with a tinkling laughter. “It’s been six years and she can still make him so mad he can’t even talk. I’m not sure that will ever get old. Philippe, take her for a twirl and get her a man.” She pointed to Celeste. “She’s much too gorgeous to not have a bit of fun.” He bowed and pulled his sister to the dance floor.

“Think he saw?” Hermione asked, looking at all the dancing pairs on the floor now, concentrating on Philippe spinning his laughing sister around. She moved quite well and more than a few eyes were centered on her.

“Oh, he saw,” Harmony said softly. “And he liked…immensely. It’s just a matter of time.”

“Are you going to dance?” Hermione asked softly.

“No. I can’t dance anymore,” she said sadly. “Glass bones aren’t really conducive to bumping and grinding. I think I’ll just go annoy the bat… or maybe get him a date. Merlin knows he’s wound too tight.” She smirked and saluted them, sashaying over to Snape. He huffed and scooted over so she could sit down.

Draco shook his head. “Those two are good.” Then he turned and grinned at her. “How about we put everyone to shame, eh Julie?”

Hermione, caught up in the atmosphere, didn’t protest a bit as he took her hand and spun her around. Time seemed to stand still as she slid along his body in slow, undulating moves. They were having the time of their lives and never once left the floor. Suddenly, Hermione tripped.

“You okay?” Draco asked, dragging her off the floor to check her out. She merely nodded and pointed. Snape had gotten on the dance floor and was currently moving in such a sensual manner with Melody that it made her blush. They were absolutely breathtaking together.

“It looks like they’re fucking!” Draco breathed as he watched his godfather move in ways that he’d never dreamed of before. He scanned the dance floor to see Alex dancing with Celeste in a similar manner. It looked like they were having a battle of sorts to see who could make each other the most jealous. “Oh this ought to be good,” he smirked.

When the song ended, Melody sashayed over to Alex who spun Celeste in tight circles so fast that she stumbled and fell into Snape’s arms. Their eyes locked and he visibly swallowed, taking in her décolletage. She blushed a bit and lowered her eyes, looking away in embarrassment. Snape raised an eyebrow and brought a finger up to her chin, forcing her to look back at him. He gave her a smirk to rival the Devil and then gave her a formal bow. She half curtseyed before he swung her into an elegant tango.

Hermione watched Melody grinning like a Cheshire cat as she watched the two twirl and dip around the floor as if they were made for each other. Alex led her off the floor to stand beside them. “Aren’t they perfect?”

“You’re good.” Alex said softly, nibbling along her neck. She sighed softly and motioned for him to stop. “Not that good,” she said sadly and walked off, catching Harmony’s eye as she went to the restroom. The blond got up and smiled weakly at her lover before she followed her sister to the bathroom.

“Something’s not right,” Alex hissed after a few moments. He looked wildly around the place.

“What’s the matter?” Draco asked cautiously.

“I feel something strange,” Alex growled and stiffened. “Oh no.”

“What?” Hermione asked bewildered.

“It’s tonight,” Alex said in an anguished voice. “No wonder they insisted on coming here. They love this place. They wanted a bit of fun before it was their time.”

“Wait, you mean they’ll be killed tonight?” Hermione asked horrified.

“Well, they’ll be attacked,” Alex said in a dangerous voice. “But I’ll be damned if I let them die.” He growled viciously and stalked toward the bathroom, terrifying more than a few patrons. Snape was at their side in an instant with Celeste.

“I take it you heard,” Draco said, scanning the room for Alex’s return.

“Clearly,” Snape snapped and stalked off toward the bathroom.

“I’ll take a look,” Celeste said as she ran to the bathroom, pushing past Alex and Snape to look inside. She came back out in a flash with a piece of paper.

Hey everyone,

It’s been a blast. We’ve never had so much fun in our lives. We love you all tremendously but there is no need for you to get hurt and we can’t fight our own fate. However, we know you won’t rest until you find us. Look to the airport.

Love,

M&H

AN: Happy New Year everyone! Hope it was pleasant. I'm finally back at home so hopefully the updates will be more frequent. Thank you everyone for your holiday wishes and your excellent reviews. I did have a great time but it's good to be home. I'm glad I could make you laugh too! As always, let me know how I'm doing and if you find any mistakes. Have a great 2012 everyone! Love you guys!
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