When Darkness Falls >>formerly Pity to Power<<

Chapter Eighteen: Regrets.

Surprise, surprise! I am alive! I know, a lot of you are probably mad at me for disappearing for so long, and I thoroughly apologize for that. However, I hope this chapter is at least partially worth the wait.

"Hermione! How nice of you to join us!" Draco said, a bit mockingly. Hermione gave him a glare and he practically crumbled under her gaze. "I-I mean, M-M'Lady?" He said, awkward smile creeping onto his face. Hermione glared at him for another moment before nodding subtly and piling a bit of food onto her plate. She was even more pleased when her court members (she called her circle of followers the Queen's Court) gave Draco looks of horror and their own little glares. She had to suppress a smirk.

The court chatted idly throughout breakfast, everybody being relatively calm until Dumbledore decided to interrupt their peace with the sharp clinking of silverware against his cup. "Alright, alright, calm yourselves please. I really hate to bother you all, but I feel there's something I must discuss." Those twinkling eyes Hermione despised swept over the students of the school as he prepared for his announcement.

"Some authority figures have informed me of some traces of magic that seem to be less than proper when compared to regulations set by myself for the school." He let the crowd process it before continuing, "I must ask all of you to please refrain from using spells of darker nature. We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we?" With that statement, he made brief eye contact with Hermione as he gave her a calculating look. She felt a poke at her mental walls and instantly made them stronger, her bored gaze turning into an annoyed glare. The headmaster blinked in what looked to be slight shock before looking away like it'd never happened.

"That is all," he said weakly before sitting down. The school barely acknowledged him, going back to eating. Harry and Ron sent curious looks her way, she only sent a smirk at them. They looked away and mumbled to each other. Hermione was tempted to listen in, courtesy of her enhanced hearing, but she couldn't be bothered to waste her time with them.

Breakfast ended as quickly as it started, the professors shooing students out of the Great Hall as they scattered to go to their classrooms. Draco and Hermione were chatting simply as they walked through the halls. "Do you think the old man knows about you?" Draco mused. Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think so, but I wouldn't be too worried if he did. I mean, it'd throw a kink in our plans, but—"

"Plans, eh?" a distinct, annoying voice said as the couple saw two boys (that Hermione could live without seeing ever again) walk around the corner. "Well, if it isn't Saint Potter and the Weasel!" Draco said, smirking. "What a...pleasant surprise," Hermione purred, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, shut it, slut!" Ron spat out, face red with fury. Hermione gasped with a fake offended look. "We know you went over to his side!" the annoying ginger hissed. "Oh, his side, hm? Let's see, how many 'he's are there, Dray?" Hermione purred. "Too many to count, m'lady," he said, smirking at the duo before them. Hermione innocently replied, "Hm, then surely I can't possibly tell which 'he' this little weasel is talking about!"

"Hermione, please," Harry muttered. "You know exactly who we're talking about." Hermione smirked at the raven-haired hero as she said, "Hmmm, maybe I do, maybe I don't! What does it matter to you, Saviour?" Harry gave her a pained look, and before he could respond, the Weasel cut in. "It matters because we're gonna kill you, you whore. And don't think we haven't seen you rolling around with...with Ferret over here." Hermione's eyes seemed to flicker slightly as she smirked dangerously. "I'd watch what you say, Weasel. I've got my ways of making you regret your words." And, because he didn't seem to believe her, she'd have to show him.

"Do it, slut!"

Draco and Hermione smirked at the same time as instantly, her court members appeared behind them. "What've we got here, my queen?" Theo said smoothly, smirking at the duo. Harry suddenly looked like he desperately wanted to leave, while Ron scoffed, trying and failing to hide his fear. "Be careful, Weasley, or you might trip on those ridiculously oversized hand-me-downs and end up kissing our queen's boot. Ah, but that's what you should be doing anyway, isn't it? You just haven't learned your place yet. I guess that's why we're here, am I right, my queen?" Pansy said, mocking the Weasel without mercy.

"Exactly," Hermione replied smoothly. Ron glared at them all with fiery hatred. "It seems Weasel here doesn't believe that I can make him regret what he does. He's rather stubborn, I must say. And he's dragged the saviour of the light down to his personal circle of hell with him. Can we show him exactly what he's risking? Don't kill him, yet," she said with a wink. Pansy smirked and nodded, lifting her chin slightly. Blaise ran his fingers through his hair, Theo adjusted his tie, and Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles. "Tsk tsk tsk," Draco said. "I guess we'll have to make you learn, since you can't absorb the information on your own."

Ron shook with anger, gritting his teeth before yelling, "Rictusempra!"

Of course, the spell missed by a long shot. The group shared a look, a smirk, and a chuckle, before launching into battle. Spell after spell was launched, punch after punch was thrown, and it seemed to be a well controlled fight until one spell changed that.

"Crucio!"

Ron made the mistake of throwing out the spell. It hit Draco and he grit his teeth, holding his breath as he waited for the spell to lift. Hermione looked at him with concern before looking to Ron and growling furiously, the sound almost animalistic. She stalked towards him as he backed up, realizing his mistake. Harry tried to grab him and go away, but Ron was stubborn. Hermione's eyes glowed with the power of a furious magical creature.

Before she could stop it, her wings sprouted from her back, her fangs lengthened, and her pupils became slits. She hovered over Ron dangerously, as she had him backed into a wall, nearly crushing Harry with Ron's own weight. No words were said except for furious growls as Hermione grabbed Ron by his neck and threw him to the ground. "How dare you!" She hissed venomously. "How dare you touch him! How dare you hurt him!" She continued, stomping on his face with all her strength. Her court heard the cracking of broken bones as at least Ron's nose was shattered.

Her wings flapped powerfully, blowing him into a wall. Her court could do nothing but watch as Hermione mercilessly beat the stubborn Gryffindor, Harry watching from the side in shocked horror at what his former friend was capable of. "Hermione!" he cried, but alas, it was of no use. As the infuriated girl continued, blood became splattered and screams grew louder. It was...gruesome.

Hermione was just about to deal her final blow, about to rip the boy to shreds. That is, until she heard a whisper behind her and suddenly felt strong arms wrap around her shoulders. She was stopped mid-attack, glowing eyes dulling slightly as she glanced behind her to confirm her suspicions. As the oh-so-familiar scent flooded her nose, she let herself relax into her mate's arms. This gave the boy-who-lived time to retrieve his nearly dead friend and make their escape, which Harry appreciated and gladly took advantage of.

The members of her court smiled at the sight. It wasn't often that they got to see their lady this vulnerable, but none of them would dare take advantage of it. Especially not with a protective veela wrapped around her. So they remained silent, smiling faintly. As Draco whispered little things into Hermione's ear, the court watched Hermione's wings and other supernatural features fade as she slowly regained control. The moment was beautiful, and would've been perfect if it hadn't been interrupted by the voice of a certain transfiguration professor.

"Miss Riddle! What is the meaning of this?!"