Intertwined destinies - Once a Malfoy, always a Malfoy?

Chapter 32: The Vampire's Ball...

"Hi! I'm back! I took a really long time on this one, admittedly, but you only take the BAC once (in general!) so I devoted all my time to it! The results are in today, and I'm happy to announce that I've got the mention Assez Bien =) This is my life, but at the same time you're part of my life, you follow me all the time, you read my useless comments like this one, you review and encourage me even after such an absence...

So I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! If someone had told me a year earlier that this fic wouldn't be finished, I wouldn't have believed them!

Now I'm working as an activity leader at the day-care centre all day, so holidays don't necessarily mean free time! At the beginning of August I'm off to New Zealand for 8 months, and there I'll take the time to finish this fiction.

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING!

- Drago-Malefoy-Granger

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Chapter 32: The Vampire's Ball...

Hermione and Draco had the same reflex, and their two proteges expelled the vampires who had pounced on them. Back to back, the two wizards asked themselves the same question: how long would their protection spell last before one of these thirsty creatures broke it?- And now?" cried Hermione, looking terrified at the crowd of vampires who were trying to claw their way through the transparent bubble that was their only means of survival.- We're going to transplane!" replied Draco in a tone of voice that he wanted to be sure. Give me your hand! The protection spell prevents me from using my wand to glide, so I'm going to have to lift the spell!- No, they're too fast! she replied immediately. They'll pounce on you before you've had time to glide!- That's why I'm counting on you to have my back, my love!His tone of humour was very unwelcome to Hermione, but, even if his idea was perilous, did they have another solution? Their protego was fading fast and soon they would be out in the open, facing more than thirty blood-drinkers.- On three," he shouted. On the count of one! Two!... Three!
Everything happened very quickly. Draco broke his protective field and Hermione spun round to fend off the vampires who were already rushing at the young man. At last, the vision of red eyes and large fangs disappeared as she felt herself moving away from here. But as her body picked up speed, something icy grabbed her ankle, digging five sharp blades into her skin. Hermione was yanked backwards at breakneck speed and fell abruptly to the stone floor she had left seconds earlier. Draco's hand had not let go of hers, and she soon felt him fall too. Holding her wand as tightly as ever until her fingers ached, Hermione reacted quickly:- Deprimo!" she cried, pointing her wand blindly above her. Protego!
Immediately, an explosion sounded around them as she defended her body and Draco's with a new protective bubble. Wasting no time, she took advantage of the diversion created to grab Draco's hand and drag him through the first tunnel she saw. The explosion had ejected the surrounding vampires in a burst of flame, but there were far too many of them and they were soon pursued by a new wave of flesh-hungry creatures. Hermione ran as fast as she could, ignoring her sore and bloody ankle, content for the moment to survive. Throwing stupexes back and forth behind her, she shouted at Draco to do the same, surprised that he hadn't taken the initiative himself. But the answer came as quickly as her spells:- I've lost my wand!" he shouted in a distraught voice. It fell when they stopped us from transplaning!- She shouted in horror.
Draco Malfoy without a wand? Hermione had the impression of being alone with a defenceless being, because a wizard without a wand was as strong as a Muggle. It was really strange to know that he was powerless when he had always given this impression of invincibility.She and Draco rode through the intersections of tunnels, passing from one dormitory to another, with no idea where it would lead. Hermione turned left, Draco at her heels, when she collided with what she thought was a stone statue. Unfortunately, it had red eyes and a sharp smile. The creature extended its jaw and for the second time, Hermione watched in horror as the sharp teeth plunged towards her neck, which she twisted in all directions, hoping to escape the bite. As she closed her eyes, she had just enough time to see a human hand forcefully grasp the creature's jaw, and then the sound of breaking bone rang in her ears. Released from the grip, Hermione opened her eyes to find the vampire on the ground, screaming in pain, both hands in front of his bloody mouth.- Come on!" ordered Draco, taking her hand.They entered a particularly dark and narrow tunnel, but Hermione wasn't sure that hiding was a good solution; it would simply be enough for their heartbeats to be heard for them to be found. As they went deeper and deeper into the darkness, the two wizards began to worry that they wouldn't see the end of the passage leading to another square. Suddenly, Hermione froze:- By Merlin, it's here! she cried.Draco dived on top of her and pressed her against the wall before blocking her mouth with his hand to prevent her from screaming again. But it was too late. Suddenly, a vampire appeared in front of them, falling from the ceiling like a spider.- Stupefix!" Hermione shouted in a voice shrill with fear.The creature collapsed. More landed the next second, tumbling from the ceiling like raindrops. Soon they were surrounded again.- Petrificus Totalus! Stupefix! Everte Statum!" cried Hermione in despair.But even if she managed to fend off the closest ones, the number of attackers seemed to double every second, and the distance maintained between them and the vampires grew dangerously small. Then, her only hope of getting out of the situation collapsed: a brave vampire slipped between two spells before pouncing on her wrist, snatching both her wand and an abominable cry of pain. The skin of her hand flayed raw by sharp canines, Hermione collapsed from the pain. She heard Draco shout her name amidst the hoarse, victorious growls of the hungry vampires.There was no point in fighting any longer. Disarmed and trapped, Hermione gave her last glance to the man who had become her only reason for living, then closed her eyes, waiting for the assault.She felt Draco squeeze her with all his being and all his strength, as if he hoped he could still protect her, as if he could be taken in her place...Hermione opened her eyes to see death coming; a tall blond vampire leapt forward, claws out, and the young woman instinctively clutched Draco's shirt, tense with fear.At that moment, a black mass appeared from nowhere and literally threw itself at the blonde vampire, at such a speed that he was violently thrown against the wall before reaching his target. Hermione squinted against the darkness and let out a cry of joy as she realised that the black mass was none other than Soane.As wild and enraged as she had ever seen him, Soane swung his claws at the two vampires who tried to approach. They were hit with such force that the others redoubled their caution. Standing a few centimetres in front of Hermione and Draco, the royal-blooded vampire challenged them with his eyes. Three creatures attacked at the same time, but Soane, faster and quicker than them, sliced through their necks before they could take another step. The vampires grunted their displeasure, but none dared attack again; the message seemed to have got through. Despite their mutation, they seemed to recognise the authority of a Pureblood. Once he was sure they would obey, Soane rose to his full height. He then spoke the vampire dialect that Hermione could not understand and, little by little, she saw the creatures regain their green irises, she saw their fingernails and canines shorten, their features regain a beauty that had been distorted during their savagery.
One of the vampires then slipped through the crowd until he found himself standing in front of the young Prince: it was Azaan. Like the others, he had regained his normal appearance, but his features still expressed the same hatred that Hermione considered to be his only face.He then addressed Soane in a deep voice:- Do you want to keep lunch all to yourself?" he sneered evilly. Or maybe it's because you're attached to these humans?Soane's face fell as if he'd just been insulted. He immediately replied defensively:- You know I don't! They're only humans, how can you believe such a thing? They belong to the Ministry, and the Queen doesn't want any trouble from them, that's all!Azaan stared at him for a long moment, then suddenly barked something in his own language and jerked his head at Hermione. Soane's reaction was swift and, in a fit of rage, he pounced on Azaan. The latter, calm, pushed him back with one hand and his attacker staggered backwards.- It's pathetic," said Azaan, looking at him with disgust. You haven't mastered the art of lying well enough yet, poor Soane. I'm not surprised by your reaction to my words, you like this human, whatever excuse you're hiding behind. Besides...His green pupils turned to Hermione.
- If I remember correctly, the fate of the previous ministerial messengers didn't matter much to you at the time, did it?Hermione stiffened. The images she had been trying to block out for the last twenty-four hours had just resurfaced. Was she to understand that she would be next on the list of Aurors never to return? On the face of it, there was no way out of the situation she found herself in. How could she explain to them what they were doing in their lair in the middle of the night?- By Moana, what's going on here!" cried a childish voice.All the vampires fell to their knees in a single movement as the Queen entered the dark corridor, surrounded by four vampiresses, including Inaya. Her little green eyes widened when she saw Hermione, huddled among the vampires.- What's she doing here?" she asked curtly.- Majesty," Draco tried.- Silence!" she hissed, her eyes flashing. What do you think, young Malfoy? That I don't know you're one of the few humans capable of lying to a vampire? Don't be fooled, I know perfectly well that you can control your feelings and your expressions just as well as your father did, back in the day. You know, when he promised us freedom in exchange for our services?Her features darkened at the memory. Finally, she said:- No, if I want the truth, I can't get it from you.She turned her head towards Hermione, and the latter felt Draco stiffen at her side. He did indeed have something to worry about because, if she had once been able to lie to him, deceiving a vampire was not on the same level. Hermione bit her tongue until it bled: whatever she was about to say, she was sure that everyone here could already hear her heart pounding in her chest. Lying or telling the truth, what difference did it make? There was no way out for her anyway. The young woman summoned up all her courage, then launched out, her throat tight:- We... we came because...- Because I asked him to," interrupted Soane in a firm voice.All eyes turned to him in disbelief.- What did you do?" spat Inaya.- I asked him yesterday," he replied, confused. I...I wanted her to see the awakening of a vampire, she seemed so passionate about our people, I...
He paused, hoping to be forgiven. He did not look at Hermione, who was vainly trying to hide her surprise. Was he sacrificing himself for her? What was he risking by deceiving his Queen like that?- Soane, are you mad?" murmured the vampiress Hermione had already seen at dinner the day before, and whose name she still didn't know. What exactly did you hope to achieve by bringing her on a night like this? That she would be killed?- No!" he exclaimed.The Queen raised her eyebrows, and Soane took a long breath to calm himself, then continued:- I didn't know tonight would be a full moon," he breathed, his eyes fixed on the ground.Azaan gave a mirthless laugh:- What, you forgot? A vampire doesn't forget the full moon, it's a cycle that's in his blood! We all felt it coming several days ago, so stop lying to your Queen, Soane!- It's the truth!" he exclaimed. Leeyame, don't you understand? I didn't transfer tonight...A sudden commotion awoke the crowd. For the first time, Hermione saw the Queen lose her confidence. The Queen addressed the vampiress with a grave expression and Hermione finally knew her name:- Orience, gather all your sisters and prepare the Ball. Soane is celebrating her birthday.