Harry Potter's desk at work was nothing more than a very large pile of clutter. There were maps and charts and thousands of useless coordinates that had all lead to dead ends. His quest had been unsuccessful for ten years, that is, until today.
He had searched for her high and low, near and far. Every possible lead was shot down and destroyed. It had all gone far past just finding her; it had become an unhealthy obsession.
Harry was buried in the latest hopeful location when a knock came on his door. He grunted and Ron Weasley entered, bringing with him a stack of files and assorted papers.
"I've got a few more mate, but I don't know what good they'll do you. Maybe its just time to let go Harry."
Harry looked up over his glasses at his best friend. Hearing those words made him angry. How could Ron want to so easily give up? Especially after all the time and effort they had put into this?
Harry sighed, laying his papers down and ran a hand through his hair.
"I can't just quit Ron. I can't give up on finding her. If it takes the rest of my life, I swear, I will find Hermione."
Ron sat down in a chair facing Harry's desk and leaned forward.
"I know this is like some weird kind of obsession to you but what if you do find her? Have you ever thought about that? I mean, do you honestly think that she will just come bounding into your arms and shower you with lost kisses? She's not Hermione anymore Harry, at least not the one we knew. She's a vampire, not that that even really matters, but she's not just a vampire, she's the vampire. She's their leader, their Queen. Do you think that she would leave all of that behind?"
"Yes, I do. Look Ron, I love her, ok? It's been ten bloody years and I still love her. Fate meant for us to be together and this is just some wrench in the works but I know that it is meant to have a happy ending. Just let me do this ok? Let me look. That way if I do find her one day, she'll know how much I still love her because I never gave up."
"You're just working yourself into an early grave Harry."
"I don't give a damn Ron. If you want out then now is the time. Just remember, she was your best friend too once. I think you owe it to her to help me. So, are you going to stay on or do I need to find someone else to help me dig up resources?"
Ron paused for a moment, a resigned look settling over his face.
"I'll stay on Harry, but I'm telling you, this is all futile."
**
Hermione woke with a start, wiping sweat from her moist brow. She sat up in bed and lit a cigarette. She's had the dream again, the one where Harry showed up on her doorstep.
She had the dream frequently but it seemed to have become a nightly occurrence recently and it was always exactly the same.
She would be in her study when Kronus would knock on the door and tell her that she had a visitor. At the door would be a tall man, dark hair, dressed in black with his back to her. When she would address him, he would turn and she would cry out, because it was always Harry.
He was so beautiful in her dreams. He no longer wore the old fashioned round spectacles she'd always known him to wear but instead upgraded to a pair of small square ones with black frames. His hair was still dark and unruly but a little longer than she remembered and his eyes, god his eyes, they drew her in to their magnificent depths. They were as green as ever but held that light that only she ever saw. His lips were full and soft and inviting. All she wanted to do was kiss them. And as she would go to embrace him, she always woke up.
She put out the cigarette in a small glass ashtray and got out of bed. She removed from her closet a long black, skirt and a red corset. She dressed quickly, untangling her curls and lacing up her knee high boots. She placed her small dagger in the sheath attached to her boot and let the skirt fall around her ankles, all the while making up her mind.
I can't let this go on. This war is about to reach its pinnacle and Harry could be caught in the middle. Remus may try to use him against me so I must get to him first. I'll just march right in, demand he come with me and that will be that. No, what am I thinking? He's probably married with a thousand screaming kids and a nice boring desk job. Oh well, it doesn't matter.
Hermione tucked one more dagger into the back of her corset and headed out of her room.
The mansion was unusually dark for this hour. It was early dusk, the sun barely hiding below the horizon and there was not a soul in sight, at least, not that Hermione could see.
As she reached the front door, a hand caught hold of her arm and she turned, pouncing violently on her attacker. Her eyes iced over and her teeth grew, ready to strike out in self-defense. When she realized whom she was about to kill, Hermione sat bolt upright and cleared her appearance. She stood gracefully pulling her near victim to his feet.
"Kronus, you really should try to avoid sneaking up on me. I may not always be so quick to see who you are before I attack."
"I apologize my lady. Please forgive me. I only wanted to ask if you were heading out if I could join you."
Hermione liked Kronus. She really did, but he was so clingy. He stuck to her like white on rice but she always tried to let it go. All newborns acted that way.
"I'm sorry Kronus, but I have some personal business to attend to this evening. I'll be back in a day, two at the most. Keep an eye on things while I'm gone."
Kronus bowed, delighted at the opportunity to serve his Queen.
"Yes, my lady. I will keep everything in perfect working order in your absence."
"Good. I trust you Kronus, you have a good heart."
He looked at her for one bewildering moment and then with a loud `pop' she was gone.
**
Harry looked at his alarm clock. 3:58 am.
Who the hell is knocking at my door at 4 in the damn morning? He thought as he tumbled out of bed and stumbled to the front door. He was about to say something very ugly as he opened the door but as he did, all he could feel was shock and a complete and utter lack of conscious thought.
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