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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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“The decision has been made.”

Hermione shivered when she heard Alex proclaim those words. No one else could have heard him. He was currently standing just to the side of the shadows and muttered the information under his breath. She gave a curt nod and turned around from her path to the Great Hall. If she were honest, she was relieved to hear those words. It was dinner and they hadn’t heard anything. It was starting to worry her.

“Have you forgotten about dinner?” Harry asked when she started to walk past him.

“It’s time,” she said softly and kept walking.

Harry mimed the words before understanding dawned on his face. He ran into the hall, coming out moments later with Ginny. They were hot on her heels. The time had taken its toll on them as well. Neither one had eaten much for lunch nor could she really blame them. Snape had warned them to leave Ron alone until he was ready. What would he decide?

“Ready?”

Hermione smiled when Draco appeared from the shadows beside the ROR. He was wearing his Derik glamour in case anyone else saw him. She nodded and went to bury her head in his chest. Whatever Ron decided, she would always have Draco. Always. She gave him a chase kiss and headed into the room, not daring to get her hopes up. Harry and Ginny followed her.

“That was fast,” Ron said flatly.

She sniffed. “No vampire is slow Ron.”

“No, suppose not,” Ron said. “I…I have a few questions.”

“Okay,” she said, conjuring a chair and sitting down. “Shoot.”

“What happened… when you were attacked?”

She swallowed hard. It was still difficult to relive that night. “I… it was two days after I’d gotten out of the hospital wing. I was in the library, hiding form Harry.” She blushed and looked over at Harry.

Harry smiled sadly. “I really am sorry I was such a git to everyone.”

“You had your reasons,” she said with a sad smile of her own before turning back to Ron. “Anyway, I was in the library, but I couldn’t concentrate on studying. Draco came in with Crabbe and Goyle, looking to start a fight.”

“You didn’t give me one,” Draco cut in, snapping his glamour bead back to his normal looks. “You looked so tired… so sad.”

She chuckled. “Your insults were rather feeble too.”

“Touché. My heart really wasn’t in it. I was just going through the motions at that point.”

“Ugh, spare me,” Ron groaned.

Harry and Ginny giggled and Hermione couldn’t even glare at them properly. This was the Ron she knew, the one who paled at the mention of feelings. Maybe there was hope after all. She gathered her courage and continued on.

“Anyway, we exchanged really weak insults and I went for a walk to clear my head. I thought… after everything that had just happened, that You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters would be regrouping and it would be safe. I was very wrong. A vampire found me… down by the lake. I was distraught, too busy feeling sorry for myself to realize he was there until it was too late. I cast a light spell but it didn’t affect him. My head was fuzzy. I couldn’t think. I tried crossing my wand and another piece of wood in a crucifix, another fruitless attempt. He already had me. I begged him to let me go. He said-“

Draco scooped her into his arms and let her calm down. He knew all too well how horrible it was to relive your turning. She was thankful for the comfort. She still wasn’t entirely over her turning. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be, but she had to finish. She had to make Ron understand. She pulled back and turned to Ron.

“He said that I begged so pretty it made his heart sing. He said he’d give me a gift if I was good.”

Ron’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “What kind of gift?”

“Immortality,” she said quietly. “Melody found me then, told him he’d do no such thing. They fought. I don’t remember much. I was still under his thrall. He broke away long enough to rip my throat open. Then there was pain, so much pain. Melody offered me the choice. You see, after you’re bitten, you only get a few choices. If a vampire drains you and sucks all the venom out, you just die. You don’t come back. But I couldn’t just leave like that. I wanted to help Harry, so I chose to turn.”

“You really died though,” Ron breathed.

Hermione shrugged. “I don’t remember. All I remember is pain. Melody and Professor Snape took me back to his rooms and kept me calm through the turning. Melody posed as me on the train home so no one would be suspicious. She convinced my pa-parents that I was in a summer study program so they wouldn’t worry. They even helped me hide them so they would be safe during the war. They helped me on my first hunt, taught me how to control my impulses and use my gifts.”

“So that’s why you were with him during summer.”

Hermione nodded. “He makes the potions that let me walk in the light, make me impervious to silver.”

“Wooden stakes?”

Hermione chuckled. “I’ve yet to meet anyone who wouldn’t die from a stake through the heart.”

Ron snorted. “I guess you have a point there. So why did you come to the burrow then?”

Hermione shifted awkwardly. She was still a little uncomfortable with reliving her exit from Spinner’s End. Draco put his hand on her shoulder and started his part of the story. She was relieved that he wanted to do this, to make himself vulnerable to Ron.

“That was my fault. She left a little less than a week after I woke from my turning. She… she never left me the entire week, cradled my head in her lap. She was the light in the darkness.”

Ron turned a little green. “Um, okay, so why did she leave then?”

Draco sighed. “I was angry after I woke up, angry at myself. Vampires are sensitive to emotions, especially subs to their dominants. She thought I was angry with her, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. I was angry at how I’d treated her in the past. I was sick, disgusted with myself, and she couldn’t take it anymore, thinking it was directed at her… so she left.”

“You got back together though,” Ron said glumly.

Draco nodded. “She still had to eat.”

Ron turned white. “E-eat?”

Hermione couldn’t help but giggle. “We only drink muggle blood Ron. Magical blood has an electric taste to it, like lightening or something.”

Ron shuddered. “But… eat?”

Hermione sighed. “It’s not glamorous, Ron. I don’t really enjoy it, trying to eat without being noticed. It’s just survival now. There are no sweets, no desserts, and I only get my favorite flavors when I find a muggle that smells that way.”

“But I’ve seen you eat and drink.”

Hermione smiled. “You’ve seen me vanish my food and sip on a teacup full of blood.”

Ron was silent for a very long time before his head jerked up. “Why did that nurse stick you and Malfoy together as punishment that day if you’re both bloody vampires?”

“And now we’ve come to it,” Hermione sighed. “She did that so we’d have an excuse to skip class… and to make it appear as though Draco and I had a reason not to fight anymore. We’re quite incapable of it. Well, with any amount of believability.”

“You put on a pretty good show at the dance.”

Draco smirked. “Yes Granger, that two fingered salute was inspired.”

“Why thank you Malfoy,” she purred but ended up collapsing into giggles. She straightened up when Ron cleared his throat. “Oh yes, um, Dumbledore wanted to show us where he thought the Horcruxes were. We started searching for them after that.”

“And you’ve gotten them all?”

Harry butted in. “We still need the snake Ron, but she’s practically glued to Voldemort’s side. We were hoping that you could add your thoughts.”

Ron pursed his lips and nodded. “I don’t like it Harry… but I understand. I… I mean, well, Remus is a bloody werewolf isn’t he?”

“And he almost ate us all,” Harry said. “And you forgave him for it.”

“Well, it wasn’t really his fault, was it?”

“And it isn’t Hermione’s either,” Ginny added.

Ron hung his head. “I… I know… and I’m sorry. Really, I am. I just, I’m sorry, alright?”

Hermione let out a strangled cry and threw herself at Ron, hugging him tightly. She was so relieved. Her friend was back and thought they’d never be the like they used to be, he accepted her. That was the most important thing.

“Hermione release!” Harry ordered.

Hermione jumped back like she’d been burned. The order had been sharp and alarmed. She squeaked when she noticed Ron’s pale grey face. What had she done?

“Oh come on Potter,” Draco smirked. “You ruin everything.”

Harry snorted. “You’d have just sat there and let her squeeze the life out of him.”

Draco shrugged. “He should learn how to take a hug.”

“Oh Ron,” she breathed, realizing she’d been squeezing him too hard. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

Ron grunted. “S’okay. Just… try not to do that again, yeah?”

Hermione nodded and forced herself to get off of his lap. She could feel Draco’s strong disapproval but he was holding himself in check… for her. She launched herself at him, joy flooding her. She had her friend back and her mate was being civil and… she couldn’t imagine a better day.

“Harry,” Ron said, sighing when he was released from his chains. “Um, how come she obeyed you?”

Draco snickered and she could tell she wouldn’t be able to stop him from ribbing Ron this time. She sighed, knowing what was coming. She couldn’t very well expect Draco not to be himself sometimes.

“Potter is a dominant Weasel. She’ll obey him... sometimes.”

“What do you mean?” Ron asked, his eyes narrowed.

“Remember when she said she would have been the Dark Lord’s puppet?” Draco asked, waiting for Ron’s nod. “Well, submissives obey dominants. Every vampire is either submissive or Dominant and one of each is in a mated pair.”

“So she has to obey?” Ron asked, a certain gleam in his eyes that Draco growled at.

“No Weasel, she doesn’t have to. She’s been trained to resist. However, a dominant can get her attention if needed. For example, Potter didn’t want to see her crush your ribs, so he ordered her to stop. The order wasn’t unreasonable so she obeyed.”

“So she can obey if she wants.”

“Exactly.”

Ron smirked at Draco then. “Come here Hermione.”

Hermione quirked an eyebrow. “No.”

Ron frowned. “You don’t want to?”

Hermione shook her head. “I know what you’re thinking Ron. You can’t order me to do anything.”

“Why the bloody hell not?”

“Because you are submissive,” Draco said with an evil grin. “She feels absolutely no pull when you order her around.”

“I am not!” Ron yelled.

“Oh really?” Draco said, his eyes alight with mischief. “Alex?”

Alex materialized from the shadows, where he’d been watching the entire exchange. He smirked at the quickly paling red head. “Shut your mouth. You’ll find no flies in this room.”

Ron immediately snapped his gaping mouth shut, eyes widening in surprise. “What was that?”

“An order from a true dominant,” Draco supplied, loving the way Weasley was squirming in the chair. “Now, watch your friend.”

Alex turned to Harry and quirked an eyebrow. “Have a seat, Potter.”

“I’d rather not, thanks,” Harry said, crossing his arms.

Alex nodded and moved over to Ginny, who was trying very hard not to give away her fear. “Miss Weasley… sit.”

Ron’s jaw dropped open as his sister immediately planted her bum on a nearby chair. “What?”

Alex shrugged. “It’s a natural instinct. Turning doesn’t change you Mr. Weasley.”

“So Mione was always submissive?”

Draco sniffed. “Honestly, as big of a teacher’s pet as she is? I would have been surprised if she was dominant. No, she always follows.”

“Are you calling her weak?” Ron snapped.

“Absolutely not,” Draco said. “She’s one of the strongest women I’ve ever known. But she still has this insane desire to please, not that I’m complaining.”

Ron sneered. “She’s just your pet.”

Draco rolled his eyes. “See it how you want to Weasel. She can resist if she wishes.”

“Prove it.”

Hermione rubbed the bridge of her nose and sought out Alex for approval. She wasn’t sure she wanted to do this right now. They had plans they needed to make. To her surprise, Alex nodded. Draco looked eager to do this. She rolled her eyes then. Of course he did. He’d have a reason to punish her later.

Draco smirked and nodded. “Alright pet. Kneel.”

Hermione immediately hit the floor, grumbling to herself. She couldn’t explain it, but she really wanted to please Draco in that moment. She searched her feelings and realized what it was. Draco was insecure. With Ron in the picture, he wasn’t so sure about her anymore. She didn’t like that feeling, thus the kneeling. His approval made her want to beam.

“She resisted so well,” Ron said dryly.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Alex drawled. “She didn’t even try to fight it.”

“Why not?”

Alex smiled softly. “Because she didn’t want to… and it pleases him.”

“Gross.”

“Oh shut it Ron,” Ginny snapped. “It’s lovely.”

Draco chuckled. “It is lovely, but I promise I’m not going to punish you if you disobey pet.”

“Really?” she whispered.

Draco placed a hand on her head, carding through her hair and murmuring softly. “Really, though your cooperation just now made me insanely happy. I’ll have to reward you later.”

Hermione shivered and Alex chuckled in approval before speaking up. “Come here little one.”

Hermione shook her head, feeling a slight sting at the refusal. Draco hummed under his breath to sooth her. She did not miss this part of her training. The very first lesson where Severus made her strip was still fresh in her mind. That was what she used to justify disobeying. Stripping might have been harmless, but it lead to many other things which would not be happening; especially if her friends were there to witness it. She tried not to think about the sudden dampness in her knickers at the thought of obeying Draco in this very room the day before.

“I said come here,” Alex said a little more sternly.

“N-no g-grandfather.”

“Why are you disobeying me?”

“B-because I c-can.”

Alex hissed. “You will not disobey your leader.”

Hermione grabbed her chest where it was starting to burn. “Please don’t grandfather. It hurts.”

Alex caved instantly and knelt to hug her. “I’m sorry little one.”

Ron frowned. “What?”

“The submissive hurts when they don’t obey,” Draco said quietly. “But it’s excruciating to feel the sub struggle against the order. The Dom does more caving Weasel.”

“So why is You-Know-Who a threat then?”

“Because she had to learn this,” Alex said, standing up and walking back over to snatch Nancy from the shadows. He held her closely while explaining. “A newborn, sub or Dom, must be trained… and it is very painful to resist. Being mated makes it easier. She could easily resist this Lord now, or any Dom for that matter. However, resisting your family… that’s still painful. Resisting the head of your coven, not even I could do that for a very long time.”

“So you’re the leader?” Ron asked.

Alex nodded. “While I had help taking out the original leader, I am the eldest and I have a unique bond. You see, Melody is my daughter by blood, not just because I turned her. In order to help Hermione, she drained her attacker’s venom and fed her own blood, making Hermione her daughter… and my granddaughter. As the eldest and the original blood in our group, I automatically became leader.”

“How bad does it hurt Mione?” Ron asked.

Hermione rubbed her chest again. “Imagine a troll sitting on your chest and lighting your skin on fire.”

Ron winced. “But you can resist him.”

Hermione nodded. “I can resist anyone I wish. It took a while to learn it though.”

“Nonsense,” Severus snapped as he blew through the door, Melody hot on his heels. “You were an exceptionally fast learner. Enough nonsense. Off the floor, we have planning to do.”

Hermione practically jumped off the floor, glad to be done with the demonstration. Severus smirked at her before conjuring a blackboard with several different times and places listed on it. He waved his wand a few times, making a time table and twirled to face everyone.

“This is the Dark Lord’s schedule of events until Christmas. As you can see, it involves a lot of injured muggles and destroyed property.”

“Why though,” Harry asked, studying the table. “What’s he trying to prove?”

“Nothing,” Severus said quietly. “He uses these raids for two purposes, to rile up the Death Eaters and to coax you out to fight him.”

“If it’s a fight he wants,” Harry said.

“No!” Severus snapped. “Catering to him is the worst thing we could do at this point. You are not nearly prepared enough to face him.”

Harry sighed. “I doubt I’ll ever be ready.”

“Ready or not Potter, you can at least be prepared.”

“So what do you propose?” Harry snapped.

Severus sneered at him a moment before returning to the board. “As you can see, even the Dark Lord observes the holidays. He has plans to host a grand feast on Christmas Eve. Attendance is mandatory.”

“So they’ll all be in one place at one time,” Ron said, his eyes scanning the board. “If we strike then, we won’t risk missing some of them.”

“Precisely,” Severus said. “Unfortunately, this year’s Feast is to be attended at Malfoy Manor.”

“Fuck!” Draco growled.

“Exactly,” Severus said, his eyes darting across the board.

“What’s wrong with it?” Harry asked.

Draco sighed. “Malfoy Manor has been the headquarters of the Dark Lord for some time now. It is equipped with two-fold protection. First, the blood wards. Anyone not of Malfoy blood will not be allowed to cross without express permission. Second, the Dark Lord outfitted it with Mark wards. No one but those with the Dark Mark can be admitted.”

“Is there a way around it?” Ron asked.

Draco pursed his lips. “Well, the Mark wards are easy enough. You simply need to be touching someone with the Mark to get across. Otherwise, there would be no way that they could take prisoners. The blood wards are trickier. I could give everyone permission as my blood will allow it. However… the Dark Lord has access to permissions granted, a gift from Lucius to get back into his good graces, no doubt.”

“What form do the grants take?” Melody piped up.

“You should know. You have one,” Draco said with a smirk.

Melody frowned and looked down at her right wrist where a tiny little green mark lay, almost like a discolored freckle in the middle. “I… I thought-“

“No,” Draco said too quietly for anyone to hear. “He didn’t mark you that night. You were marked at the party. That’s how I knew it was you, all those times in different disguises.” He spoke a little louder for the benefit of others. “Malfoy party invitations include a plus one and temporary access to the grounds. Logs are created and placed in a certain area, which the Dark Lord now has access too. They expire whenever the Malfoy heir wishes.”

“He never wished for it to expire,” Melody said under her breath.

Draco nodded. “I don’t either. However, he tampered with your name. Somehow, no one, not even mother, knows where your name is.”

“So if you were to give us access, it would mark our hands?” Ginny asked.

Draco nodded. “And write your names down on that list.”

“Is there a way to get around the blood wards?” Harry asked.

Draco frowned. “I could take them down. But that would alert those inside, no matter how smoothly the removal goes. Especially with Lucius still alive and acting head. I’ll have to work on that I suppose.”

Severus nodded. “In the meantime, it would be wise to get you all up to snuff.”

“You’ll let us fight?” Ginny asked, her ears perking up at the thought of being able to fight though her mother was vehemently against it.

Severus nodded again. “Unlike your mother, Miss Weasley, I hold no such reservations as to keeping you from fighting. I only ask that you realize that there is a very real danger of losing your life.”

Ginny looked at the floor. “I’m quite aware of that, Sir. I’ve already come close to it once. I’d like to get a little back, if you know what I mean.”

Severus allowed a tiny smirk to show on his face. “I understand Miss Weasley. I have a few things to settle myself. However, you are nowhere near ready and we only have until Christmas to get you there.”

“So let’s get started,” Harry said, barging ahead as always.

“Actually, Mr. Potter, before the end can come, we must find a way to dispatch Nagini.”

“Why don’t we take her out at the feast?” Ron piped up. “If he doesn’t know the rest of his Horcruxes are gone, he’s probably feeling pretty confident right now. Destroying her in front of everyone would throw him off balance, wouldn’t it?”

“An excellent idea,” Melody said. “Any ideas how to sneak in there and get rid of her without dying?”

Ron grumbled. “No.”

“Well, we can work on that later,” Harry said. “But now that we’ve agreed on when, we need to train.”

“Not so fast Mr. Potter,” Severus said, his eyes darting to Hermione’s. “There are a few things you and I have to discuss.”

Hermione felt her stomach bottom out. Was it time already? Why were they telling him already? Draco spun her into his chest to spare her from trying to hide her emotions. She couldn’t handle the thought of the light leaving Harry’s eyes when he found out he wouldn’t be storming the castle. She had to get out of there.

“Come on,” Melody said to her children. “We’ll go practice out in the forest. “

“Practice what?” Ron asked.

Melody gave him a nasty grin. “Why, fighting of course. They’ve already mastered fucking.”

Ron’s protest died on his lips as Melody flew out the door and into the shadows. Draco tugged Hermione out into the hall, leading her through the shadows. She heard Alex and Nancy dismissing the Weasleys and leaving Severus and Harry alone to talk.

“It’ll be alright love,” Draco whispered after they materialized in the forest. “He deserves to have a chance to set his affairs straight.”

She nodded, though her heart wasn’t in it. She only hoped that something would snap and someone would yell ‘just kidding’ somewhere. But that was folly. She forced the thought from her mind and crouched down, ready to wrestle Melody to the ground. She’d train to her peak… for Harry.

AN: So, Ron's on board. But now we have to give Harry the bad news. I hate bad news. As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'm glad that while you all aren't fond of Ron, you agreed that he would come through. Keep those reviews coming and let me know how I'm doing. Until next time... love you guys.

*For those reading FF, I'm sorry again. I had to work this weekend. I actually wrote ^that chapter at work but I got to busy to finish FF. It should be up tomorrow. Gosh I'm glad a 3-day weekend is coming.
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Beyond the Pale