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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.

Chapter List
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“Where are we?” Hermione asked, looking around the gloomy alley where they landed.

“The back alley entrance to Nancy’s,” Alex informed them. “This little alcove can’t be seen from anywhere, highly useful for when your daughter likes to pop in unannounced at all hours of the day.”

Melody glared at him. “You said you didn’t mind.”

“I don’t,” Alex said with a smirk. “And neither does Nancy. I just said it was rather useful. Now, don’t you think you should swap clothes with Hermione before you change? I’d hate to ruin such a lovely dress.”

The girls swapped clothes quickly while Severus mixed up a bottle of eau de Bellatrix. He fixed up another bottle and handed it to Draco, much to the younger vampire’s confusion.

“Who better to impersonate Lucius?” Severus asked.

“Exactly what are you thinking?” Hermione asked with a frown.

“Goblins are extremely sharp creatures,” Severus drawled. “They have vampire sensing charms up so they can counteract their powers. However, the charm can’t tell how many vampires enter the building.”

“I take it that is where we come in,” Alex said quietly.

Severus nodded. “Melody sat up an account long ago when she was still a student but it has remained untouched. You need to go in, set up an account, and close hers out since she won’t be needing it any longer.”

“And why won’t I need it any longer?” Melody asked with a frown.

“You are to marry soon,” Severus breathed.

Melody gave him a brilliant smile and a kiss on the cheek. “Too right you are.”

“So, I am to just waltz in, show them my non-existent ID, claim to be Melody’s father, and close her account into one of my own?”

“You don’t need ID in the wizarding world,” Draco said. “They set up the account from your blood. They’ll be able to tell that Melody is your biological child, since she set up her vault with her blood. They’ll also run another test on her blood to see if a magical contract has been set in place for her marriage.”

“But there hasn’t been,” Melody said with a frown.

“But there has,” Draco said. “He asked you and you said yes. That creates a magical contract. Also, he is your mate and they’ll be able to tell you’ve been bound to the same wizard.”

“All that from a drop of blood?” Alex asked in shock.

Severus nodded. “That is why giving blood is the most dangerous thing a wizard can do. It can give someone the power to rule over you for the rest of your life… or possibly end it. In this case, it has already given us the perfect diversion to sneak in.”

“So what do I do?” Nancy asked softly.

“You’ll each walk in with a pair of us, so Alex will enter when Melody and I do and you will enter with Hermione and Draco. Just meet up with Alex, let them know you’re his wife, and stand by. We’ll need to do the same walking out.”

“So if Melody is Bellatrix and Draco is Lucius,” Hermione said, “then who will you and I be?”

“That would be a what,” Severus said. “You and I will turn to shadows and sneak in under their cloaks. If we have any problems, Melody and Draco can imperio the goblins, since they are quite immune to the thrall.”

“There are a few things to beware of though,” Melody said. “They have many anti-theft devices in place. There’s a waterfall that will erase the effects of polyjuice, a dragon that guards the lower tombs, and all sorts of locks on the vaults to keep those who needn’t be in the vaults out.”

“And, of course, a sunlight charm in place in case of a vampire break in,” Severus said with a grin.

“Let’s do this then,” Melody said, wrinkling her nose at the bottle of polyjuice. “I bet she tastes like vomit.”

“Try not to taste it then,” Severus said drolly. “And be sure to fix your dress after the change.”

“Yes,” Nancy said distractedly. “She strikes me as a psychopathic goth.”

“I’d say that sums her up,” Hermione said with a giggle.

A few minutes and some creative transfiguration later, the six found their selves ambling into Gringotts. Just like Severus had said, the alarm went off as soon as Alex walked in. Hermione wondered how Severus managed to do his banking if that alarm went off every time he entered. She couldn’t think on it much because she had to concentrate to stay up with Draco as he stalked through.

“Ah, Bellatrix, I thought I’d find you here,” Draco drawled, sounding so much like Lucius it made her want to cringe.

“Lucius,” Melody said curtly as she nodded her head in acknowledgement.

Hermione crept along Draco’s cloak so she could peek out of the sleeve. It was a strange sensation, being a shadow. She could still see, but it was like looking at the world through 360 degree glasses. Everywhere the shadow touched was in her view path. It was quite disturbing and yet very freeing at the same time. Alex and Nancy were causing quite the disturbance which was excellent. The goblin servicing Bellatrix was quite distracted.

“I’d like to visit my vault,” Melody said snidely.

The goblin shook his head to clear it and narrowed his eyes at her. “Name?”

“Are you kidding me?” Melody screeched and proceeded to rant about how terribly stupid and clumsy the goblin was, how he was a disgrace to his own filthy kind, how she would teach him a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget.

In other words, she was being Bellatrix. It worked too. The goblin was so put out with her ranting and raving that it bid her entry. He didn’t even say anything about Lucius tagging along. It seemed he’d like nothing more than to be shot of the raving lunatic. The vault goblin eyed Alex and Nancy before opening the door and admitting them. The distraction was holding up quite well.

The first half of the ride went without a hitch. It was difficult to stay close to Draco on the hair raising ride through the tunnels but Hermione managed alright. It was when they went under the waterfall that things started falling apart. The polyjuice wore off, leaving four soaking vampires in its wake. It had even turned her and Severus back into humans.

“Who are you?” the goblin screeched and reached for his alarm.

“No one you’ll remember,” Melody hissed and quickly placed him under imperio. The goblin’s eyes slid out of focus as the spell settled into his mind.

“That was close,” Draco breathed and helped Hermione untangle herself from his cloak.

He didn’t mind her being wrapped around his bits, but she needed to be free to move when they got to the LeStrange vault. The cart jolted to a stop, the dazed goblin leading the way out as he picked up a set of sticks resembling an enlarged baby rattle. He shook them vigorously which made a creature behind a stone wall roar.

“What’s that?” Hermione asked quietly.

“The dragon,” Draco answered. “The goblins use it to guard the lower vaults. It’s chained to the floor so it can’t escape. They trained it using the sound sticks. Each time it hears the sound, they would hurt it. Now it equates the sound with pain and backs off.”

“That’s positively barbaric!” Hermione cried in outrage.

“That’s the way of goblins,” Draco said gently and ushered her along, aware of her soft spot for creatures.

They walked for a while until they saw a row of vaults. Draco quietly muttered that this was the most secure section of the bank, as it only opened for the goblins themselves. It was reserved for the oldest pureblood families. When Hermione questioned this, he explained that it wasn’t about blood purity so much as the fact that the oldest families were often the most wealthy. The goblins couldn’t care less about blood purity but they treasured gold and, of course, their first customers were pureblood wizards no less. The lower level was the first built, higher floors added later.

Their goblin guide ran his hand down one particularly wicked looking door, making hundreds of locks turn in its wake. He stepped aside obediently and waited for them to file in. Hermione was struck with just how full the vault was. Galleons were stacked to the ceiling. Priceless gold and silver goblets were piled haphazardly around. Jeweled potion bottles sat atop old furniture with strange animal skins draped over them. There was even a crown still sitting on a skull. She tripped over some bauble and yelped when it burned her and replicated itself.

“Shit,” Melody breathed. “The entire vault has Flagrante and Gemino cast over it. Don’t touch anything unnecessary.”

“How are we going to find the cup in this mess?” Draco asked.

“Sniff it out,” Melody sighed, taking a whiff of the air.

Everyone joined in, hoping to make this a quick expedition. They each took to hovering over the vast treasure, eyes skating over obscure dark artifacts that smelled inviting. There was nothing with quite as pungent of an odor as the cup though. It took a few minutes to find it, even at vampire speed.

“Got it!” Hermione squeaked, plucking the cup from its position atop a precariously stacked pile of furniture. She was ecstatic as they climbed back into the cart. This trip couldn’t have gone any smoother. She should have realized she spoke too soon.

A loud wailing sound filled the air, hurting the vampires’ sensitive ears. Flashes of red sparks lit up the dark cavern. The goblin that had previously been under the imperious snapped out of his magic induced stupor.

“Intruders!” He thundered, shooting a flare from his fingertips.

“Fuck,” Melody hissed and quickly stupefied the goblin before obliviating him. She levitated him into a corner of the track to be found later.

Severus took out his wand, his eyes darting around the cave. “We’ll have to find an alternate way out. In case of a lock down, all vault doors are sealed. Any activity above is shut down, patrons are locked in, and aurors are called in to search with the goblins. The sunlight charms are activated in the vaults as well, but not the lobby so Alex and Nancy won’t be compromised.”

“Great,” Draco growled. “Well, we’ll definitely need a distraction.”

“I have one,” Hermione said darkly. She’d spotted the dragon that was currently cowering in the corner and groaning pitifully. She quickly cut him free from his bonds. He didn’t move so she sent a stinging hex at his tail. He roared and thrashed, lifting in the air and quickly discovering he was free.

“He’s blind!” Draco yelled as the dragon smacked into the wall beside him.

“Well, it’s a distraction all right,” Melody said. “Quick, let’s get to the top of this thing. I think there is a window we can escape through.”

They bolted around the cart track as fast as they could, making it to ground level before the aurors were able to enter the locked down area. The sunlight charm effectively ate away all the shadows they could hide in. Mist would be too conspicuous. They’d have to play cat and mouse with their speed.

“Here,” Melody yelled, throwing glamour charms at everyone.

When she was done, they all had wild purple hair, orange eyes, skin the color of mocha, and were wearing something resembling muggle clown outfits. It was garish but it did obscure their features and had the added benefit of frightening the aurors half to death. They stunned as fast as they could, running through dozens of aurors on their way to the very top.

“We’ll have to fly,” Severus said as he looked skyward towards the ornate glass ceiling.

“I hope that’s not charmed glass,” Melody said warily.

A roar echoed in the cavern, signaling the approach of the pale blind dragon trying to get out of its prison. Goblins and aurors alike dove out of the way as he bashed his way upward. Melody motioned for them to follow.

“Fly as bats, stick to his underbelly, and avoid glass at all costs.”

The jumped as soon as the dragon flew by, obeying Melody’s directions to the letter. Glass flew in every direction as the dragon burst through the ceiling. It narrowly missed them as it rained down. A few minutes later, they broke apart, flying back to a back alley and turning back. Melody spelled them back to their normal selves with a few flicks of her wand.

“Well, that was close,” she breathed.

“What about Alex and Nancy?” Hermione asked worriedly.

“Ran out before the alarms went off,” Alex informed them. They jumped and spun around in fright, sighing in relief when he and Nancy grinned at them. “We were done anyway. Nancy had them stalled asking all sorts of random questions, like what spells did they use to clean the floors. They were quite annoyed.”

“What set them off?” Draco asked.

“Seems the sleeping spell Severus put on those two in the graveyard wore off a little quicker than anticipated. They came marching in here demanding to know if anything had happened to their vaults. Claimed a swotty little mudblood threatened to rob them.”

“Oh, that’s rich,” Hermione snorted and then paled. “Oh gods, now they’ll know we really did steal something. You-Know-Who will go ballistic and strike before we can get that blasted snake. What-“

“Stop,” Melody ordered. “Everything’s going to be just fine. I obliviated every goblin I saw on the way to the vault. If they remember anything about us, it’ll be a miracle. I also transfigured a bit of pocket change into a fair replica of the cup. She shouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

“Thank Merlin,” Hermione sighed.

“This is where we bid you adieu,” Alex said. “Let us know when you need us again.” He and Nancy kissed everyone goodbye and disappeared into the night.

“Let’s get back and destroy that thing,” Melody said, looking at the cup in Hermione’s hands.

“One last thing,” Hermione said before anyone could shift. “How have you two been doing your business since you were turned?”

Severus smirked. “There’s hardly a need for vampire detecting charms during the day is there?”

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Harry was waiting for them in Dumbledore’s office. Well, he was sleeping in the office anyway. It was nearly dawn when they finally returned, cup in hand. Harry hopped off the chair and tackled Hermione, scooping her up in a relieved bear hug. She giggled and extricated herself from her over exuberant friend, handing him the cup.

Harry sat it down on Dumbledore’s desk, frowning at the object. “I want to destroy this one myself.”

“Go ahead,” Dumbledore said, pointing to a case behind his desk. The sword of Gryffindor sparkled in the dim lighting.

“How did you get it back?” Hermione gasped, remembering it disappearing from Draco’s hands when he tried to destroy the last horcruxes.

“It appeared there shortly before you arrived,” Dumbledore informed them. “It must have known that we would have need of it tonight.”

Harry didn’t hesitate, yanking the sword up and bringing it down swiftly on the cup. The cup let out a terrible scream as it hissed and seemed to melt on the table. Harry hacked at it again, cutting the handles off the cup. Another hack separated the flute. The final one shattered the cup, black ooze flowing from the fractured pieces. It dried up and disappeared.

“Fuck Potter,” Draco breathed. “Angry much?”

Harry chuckled and laid the sword down. “I just wanted it gone.”

“Well, it certainly is that,” Melody said in awe. “And, as fun as this evening has been, I have a date with a shower so hot it will blister my skin.”

Harry frowned and cocked his head in question.

“Trust me,” Melody said with a shudder. “Running about it Bellatrix’s mind will make anyone want to sterilize their skin. I just wish that there was a way to bleach my brain as well.”

“I could obliviate the memory, if you wish,” Severus said.

Melody sighed. “That would be wonderful. I just wish it would last more than a few hours.”

“What do you mean?” Harry interrupted.

“Vampires,” Melody began, “like werewolves and many other dark creatures, are impervious to obliviation. No doubt, Hermione has told you that we are quite hard to use legilimency against as well. It also allows us the ability to fuck with people’s head. However, traipsing about in other people’s memories leaves an impression on our own mind that is impossible to forget. Vampires have a high capacity for memory, an adaptation of living for centuries. I’ll be feeling Bellatrix’s insane thoughts long after she’s dead.”

“Sounds horrible,” Harry shuddered.

“It felt like wading through evil tar,” Melody said, turning a bit green. “Uh, Sev, I wouldn’t mind that obliviate right about now.”

Severus nodded and raised his wand. “Sit down and close your eyes.”

Everybody in the room held their breath as Severus stunned Melody and whispered the memory erasing charm. She slumped sideways, her tense expression smoothing out. She would come to in just a moment, but it was better to knock your memory charm victims out if they knew it was coming.

“When will she regain her memories?” Draco asked.

Severus sighed heavily and put his wand away. “They will slowly come back over the course of a few hours. I just hope that it will have dulled them enough for her to deal with them.”

“Can it do that?” Hermione asked.

“If I was forceful enough,” Severus said with a frown. “She was more than willing to let them go, which aided my removal of them. If a memory is removed enough, it becomes fuzzy, though not forgotten.”

“Can you remove it enough to make it permanent?” Draco asked curiously.

Severus shook his head. “Not without causing brain damage. It will always be there, though not in vivid details like she no doubt witnessed. Bellatrix’s mind is quite vile, second only to the Dark Lord’s.”

“So you’ve been in her head too,” Harry said.

Severus nodded. “For a brief moment of time, yes. However, it wasn’t a focused attempt at finding information like Melody’s experience. I can only imagine the things she saw.”

Melody’s eyes fluttered open, her face a mask of confusion before she realized what was going on. “They’re gone! Oh gods Sev, they’re gone. Thank you!”

Severus stumbled backwards with the force she used to hug him. He willingly let her snog the daylights out of him though Harry was watching in stunned awe. He sensed just how disturbed she truly was and didn’t wish to harm her in any way by rebuffing her affections. Besides, they were quite pleasurable.

“I’m not sure whether to vomit or adjust myself,” Harry muttered, making Draco bark out in laughter and Hermione giggle a little.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. “No doubt Miss Bach is quite eager to show her gratitude. However, there are a few more matters that we must discuss before we depart for the evening… or morning as it were.”

“Of course,” Melody said, backing away from Severus. “Forgive me, I was just happy.”

“Do not think a moment longer on it, my dear,” Dumbledore said with a wave of his hand. “It is quite refreshing, young love.”

Harry snorted. “Young?”

“Harry,” Hermione chided. “Wizards live twice as long as muggles. By muggle standards, Severus and Melody are still very young.”

“She’s a vampire,” Harry snorted, waving his hand around in the air. “She’ll always be… however old she was when she was turned.”

“Seventeen,” Melody snapped. “Now what did you want to discuss Albus?”

“We have successfully destroyed Tom Riddle’s fifth horcrux. The only other known one in existence is his snake Nagini,” Dumbledore said, his eyes losing a bit of their twinkle at the small lie. “And we can’t be sure that we have them all.”

Harry frowned. “You need Slughorn’s memories.”

Dumbledore nodded. “I believe he is the only one who knows what Riddle’s plans were, as inadvertent as the reveal was.”

“And Melody can’t get them because…”

“She’s done enough!” Severus exploded, barely containing the full measure of his anger. He was quite disturbed at having to erase Melody’s memories.

“But she could just force them from him,” Harry said, holding his ground though fear radiated from him. “You aren’t bad at it yourself.”

“Potter,” Severus growled. “Do you not thing that Dumbledore could pry them from Slughorn’s head if he had the power to do so?”

Harry frowned, blinking in thought before turning to Dumbledore. “Then why didn’t you sir?”

“Harry, Slughorn is quite a gifted Occlumens. You saw the false memory he gave me. He is powerful enough to thwart my attempts at gaining the truth. Even using the thrall of the vampire, Melody wouldn’t be able to pick the correct memory out of his head. It is guarded too tightly.”

“They how could she pick through Bellatrix’s mind.”

“I’ll tell you when I remember again,” Melody said with a frown. “But if I know myself, I pushed very hard at one particular memory that would have been related and then slid to the other so fast she couldn’t stop me.”

“You couldn’t do that with Slughorn?”

Melody shook his head. “He’d know what I was looking for. Bellatrix knew we were looking for the cup but she was already scared. Fear makes anyone shaky. But she’s brash, overconfident. She wouldn’t think of changing the memory, only blocking it.”

“So I have to get him to willingly give it over,” Harry said with a sigh. “That’ll take ages. I’ve already tried and he ran so quickly I thought he might be a vampire too.”

“Because you were probably a Gryffindor about it,” Draco sniffed. “No subtlety at all. You’ve got to think like a Slytherin, Potter. Stealth, cunning, and maybe a bit of flattery will get you everywhere.”

“Says the Slytherin,” Harry sneered.

“Slytherins have ambition, Harry,” Hermione said softly. “Can you think of many Slytherins who haven’t gotten what they wanted?”

Harry pursed his lips, knowing he’d been schooled once again by Hermione. “Fine. What do you suggest Malfoy?”

Draco shrugged. “All you need is a bit of luck.”

Harry’s eyes lit up. “I forgot about that. Do you think it would work?”

“It only makes you lucky Potter.”

Severus frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Potter won Felix Felicis our first class with Slughorn,” Draco informed him. “I simply suggested he use it for a worthy cause.”

Severus nodded curtly. “If there is a memory to be had, Potter, the potion should help you obtain it. You will instinctively know the path you should choose to acquire the object of your desire.”

“So if I wanted to get the girl…”

“You would know how to win her,” Severus hedged. “However, once the affects wear off, you are on your own.”

“Well, I won’t need it after he hands over those memories,” Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ll try it tonight.”

“Good,” Draco said. “Now, I suggest you retire for the ni- day… and make excuses for Hermione. We have something we need to settle.”

Harry held his hand up. “I don’t want to hear about it. I’ll tell them you’re studying or something.”

“And when they undoubtedly look in the library?” Severus drawled.

Harry grinned. “Everyone knows that when Hermione truly wants to study, the library is the last place you’ll find her.”

Severus cocked his head and look at his daughter inquisitively. “Is that so?”

Hermione blushed. “I don’t want to be disturbed when I’m trying to study for a test so I find a random abandoned classroom. I never use the same one consecutively. Makes it harder for them to find me.”

“I take it Potter has been on one of the many manhunts?”

Hermione chuckled. “Harry has learned to leave me well enough alone.”

Harry unconsciously rubbed his shoulder. “She packs one hell of a punch.”

Melody giggled. “Well, I am going for that bath now. Sev?”

Severus smirked. “I’ll escort you.”

Harry turned a bit green. “Uh, I might ask for an obliviate in a minute. I’ll see you guys tonight.”

The four vampires laughed as Harry practically ran from the room. Severus didn’t wait another moment before sweeping Melody off her feet and disappearing out the door. Draco and Hermione chuckled at the two, acting like teenagers again. It was refreshing to see.

“I take it you feel whole again,” Dumbledore said softly.

Hermione turned. “I do. We’re complete now.”

Dumbledore nodded. “Enjoy it. Love is such a wonderful gift. Now, I must bid you both farewell. There is a delightful fruit confection calling my name.”

Draco wrapped his arm around Hermione’s waist, escorting her from the room. They had just stepped on the spiral stairs when he pulled her even closer, his breath warming her lips.

“Now then, I believe there is a punishment in your future, my pet.”

“What?” Hermione asked with wide eyes, though she knew that she was in for it.

“Yes,” Draco purred. “My little tease. Did you honestly think you could get away with torturing me all night with those delectable legs of yours and that filthy mouth and get away with it? Not to mention that very threatening remark before the night even began.”

Hermione huffed. “It was hardly a threat… more like a statement.”

“Well, I always keep my word,” Draco growled. “I suggest you go fetch Draco Jr. and meet me in the Room of Requirement in no less than ten minutes…or else.”

Hermione shivered. She wondered what ‘or else’ meant but she was hard pressed not to full on spring when they ended up on the landing. She didn’t hesitate though, making a beeline for Gryffindor tower. Come hell or high water, she was showing up for her punishment…with bells on.

AN: I know. I know. I'm evil. But I wanted to have a pure smut chapter before we started preparing for war. Something to look forward to perhaps? As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love each and every one. They make me warmer... and it's really bloody cold right about now. Until next time... love you guys.
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Beyond the Pale