The Muggleborn Vampire: A Dramione Story

Chapter 36: Ramblings

Hermione was sitting on one of the shorter stone walls of the astronomy tower, dangling her feet over the edge, enjoying the the gentle breeze caressing her face and luring her eyes to close.

As she breathed in the cool, late evening air, she could detect the faint smell of blood, that in which was still contained in the circulatory system of some rabbit or squirrel that dared to venture outside of its burrow so late in the day, for who really knows what evil creatures dwell in the shadows of the forest at night? Creatures that crave the taste of flesh and blood of those foolish enough find themselves alone and defenseless in the dark.

A smile crept on her face as she smelled, then heard, the presence of a creature much closer to her than the rabbit in the forest. Truly, the blood source behind her, the one walking up the tower stairs, meant more to her then the rabbit below, but was he any less in danger? Aren't both creatures in close proximity to a stronger, possibly deadlier presence lusting after their blood?

'No.' Hermione answered silently as she turned and smiled at the blond boy behind her, 'Draco is more than his circulatory system...but does he see me as a life threatening predator?' She tried to not let that last thought cross her mind.

"Hi Draco."

"Gr-Hermione."

Hermione scooted over, making room for the Slytherin on the stone wall beside her. He seemed to be nervous, his fingers flexing and unflexing on the stone at his sides, and much to her disappointment, she couldn't tell whether he was nervous of her, or at the height at which that sat, or something else entirely. She wished that his pheromones would tell the reasoning behind his emotions rather than just the emotions themselves.

"How are you?" She asked, studying the side of his face until he turned to look at her. His eyes were deep pools if mercury. She had to blink hard to stop herself from drowning in them.

"I'm...just fine."

"Good."

An awkard silence settled as both teens turned back to study the forest in front of them; neither one quite knowing what to say next.

"Draco," the Gryffindor started, being the inheritantly braver of the two represented houses, "I feel like I need to apologise."

The Slytherin jolted his head towards her, as if that was one of the last things he expected to hear from her. But he soon recovered from his look of suprise and replaced it with a dangerous smirk. "For being a knuckle-headed Gryffindor? I'm not sure if I can ever forgive you for that."

"Oh, shut up you slimy Slytherin."

"Why don't you make me?"

"I believe I showed you I can back in third year."

"Hmph." He grunted, rolling his eyes. "Only a Gryffindor would resort to physical force at a school of magic."

"You didn't seem to mind my use of physical force on you last night."

Though she could see him trying to keep his mask of indifference in place, she had to force herself to hold back her smirk as a small blush colored his cheeks and his eyes flicked down from hers to study the stone. "Yeah, well..."

"That's actually what I wanted to apologise for." She fiddled with the lace on the palms of her gloves. "I hope I didn't pressure you into doing something you didn't want to do. I know that I kind of derailed your life by dragging you into a relationship you didn't want and then I keep losing control of my vampire around you...but I can't help it when your scent is so alluring and your eyes are so gray and stormy and your skin is so..."

"As much as I hate to cut you off in the midst of telling me how perfect I am, you really should stop rambling and let me respond."

"Oh." She felt her face warm and she bit her lip in embarrassment. "Sorry. Again."

He rolled his eyes at her for the second time that night before looking out towards the forrest in thought. "I...supposed its not entirely your fault that I'm involved with this now. We've discussed creatures and their mates in Defence and the fact that they have no say in who they're mate is; that it's up to Fate or whatever." His nose scrunched up slightly at that.

"Yeah, that's true..."

"And as for last night..." Draco paused, rubbed the back of his neck unconfortably, and sighed "it's just, all so bizarre. I mean, I'm supposed to be this macho, proper, Pureblooded Slytherin who's destined and honored to follow every word his mighty father tells him to. But..."

"But you're not." Hermione finished his sentence.

"No, I don't think so." He huffed and grabbed his hair with one hand, looking far passed the woods as he continued, looking like he was no longer talking to just Hermione. "Truly, is it really that aweful that I don't think Muggleborns are inherantly despicable? I mean look at you! You're as bloody smart as any pureblood!"

"But I'm not technically..."

"And just because some magical creatures are dangerous and unpredictable doesn't mean all of them are, right? Uncle Severus has been a vampire my entire life, and even though he craves blood he's never attacked me."

"Draco..."

"And why do guys have to always be seen as the dominant one in a relationship? So what if I like having my hair pulled and have a Mummy kink? Does that make me any less of a man? I mean...-"

Draco only stopped when a pair of soft lips pressed themselves against his, stealing all the breath necessary to form coherent words. 

Hermione smirked, pulling back from the gobsmacked blond beside her. "And you said I was rambling."

"Oh, sorry." He mumbled. His cheeks were the color of firetrucks, though she quickly realized that they may be over pronounced by how pale he now was and that's when she remembered they met in the astronomy tower for a reason.

"Here." She reached down to pull her beaded bag on her lap from the floor behind them. She dug through the seemingly bottomless sack until she pulled out a water bottle and handed it to him. "I did some quick research during lunch and read that increasing the donor mate's hydration often helps with the fatigue they may feel after a feeding."

"Oh, well I guess that makes sence."

"Indeed." She hopped off the wall and went to sit in the center of the room, automatically scorchify-ing the stone before she sat and ignoring Draco's snort at her clearly Severus Snape inspired reply. Clearly getting to know her father was causing some of his mannerisms to rub off on her. "Now, are we going to sit here and ramble to each other all night, or are you going to be a good little boy and let his Mummy bite and suck at his neck?"

"Oh God, yes."

----

Draco and Hermione walked silently through the dungeons, coming to a stop at her and Severus' quarters door. Hermione smiled and grabbed the other's hand.

"It's going to be weird not seeing you on the couch in the morning, now that you can edure the bite without falling unconscious."

"I know. But I think Sev will appreciate having his couch back."

"He doesn't actually sit on it all that often. He prefers his chair."

Draco gave her a small chuckle, squeezing her hand gently before letting it go. "I will see you in Potions tomorrow, then."

"Ok. Good night Mate."

"Good night, Hermione."