Signum Vitalis (a dramione story)

In which there are unwelcome visitors

She nodded and then swallowed hard as she tried to force herself to leave him. There was a strange overwhelming sense of dread here. Was something going to happen to one of them? Surely they wouldn't have found each other to die by the hand of some stupid teenagers.

She reached out and traced Draco's cheekbone which she couldn't quite see. "Thank you," she said solemnly, not really sure what else she could say without it sounding sentimental or inadequate.

He squeezed her hand and then reluctantly took a step back. Still facing her, he took another and another until he brushed up against a tree. Only then did he turn around and Hermione was able to force herself to turn and walk her own direction.

The forest had reached the uncomfortable point where there wasn't enough light to see by but there was still occasionally just enough to stop her vision from adjusting to the poor light. She squinted through the dusk and was able to just make out the Auror on her right, who had taken to standing under a tree where his dark form wouldn't stand out against the white snow. She looked to her other side and saw Draco wave from his spot.

She waved back and then tucked her hands under her armpits to try to warm them without getting caught in her deep coat pockets. Her body still hadn't adjusted to how cold it got in New York, especially at night.

The forest quieted as the Aurors found their places and settled in for the wait.

Hermione watched her breath frost and curl away from her like smoke. She took a deep breath and made another ghost-like breath. Maybe it was a little silly, but she couldn't help feeling that if she could just keep herself preoccupied nothing bad would happen. She blew against one of the mangled leaves that had managed to cling to a branch near her face. The air sent the leaf trembling, its frosted veins catching the rising moon's light. She did it again, almost trying to force the cheeriness that should come with something this light-hearted. Still, the dread she had felt earlier was still there. She waited and waited and then waited even more until it felt like nearly an hour had passed and her nose was starting to go numb. Realistically, it probably hadn't even been ten minutes. Finally, she gave in and sent two quick messages to Draco. 'You' 'Ok?'

There were the answering two pulses on her own ring and she didn't dare take her gloves off to read the actual message. Besides, she told herself, all that mattered was that he replied in code. He was okay.

She palmed her wand and recast her warming spell because it was starting to fade. Or maybe it was getting colder. The sun had definitely set now. Even its residual warmth gone. The wind picked up, sending another shiver over her. As it slithered through the branches, it sounded almost like an eriey keening. Hermione forced herself to relax, she couldn't get caught up in every noise the forest made or else she would be half-mad by the time the Snakeheads actually came through here. Possibly even attack one of the other Aurors if she got too panicked. She had to stay calm. The sound came again from behind her and she took a quick glance around to make sure. Nothing was there. She couldn't let it get under her skin. She took a deep calming breath and the cold burned against her throat.

Again, the branches cried, but this time there was no accompanying wind. It sounded too much like a child to be a coincidence. Luna and the newspapers had both mentioned Tiyanak sightings here. At the time it had only seemed like another puzzle piece but now, hearing the cry echoing across the otherwise white silence of the night, it seemed like a very stupid thing to overlook. Her research on the Tiyanak had been perfunctory at best, occupied as she had been with Draco and her friends. She sent a quick two pulse message to Draco. There were a few terrifying seconds before he responded in kind. She let out a breath. He was okay. They would be okay.

She reviewed the information she had looked up about the Tiyanak. She was pretty sure that typical spells worked on them. It was just the wings that were impervious to most spells. So, as long as it was still in its baby form, it wouldn't be a problem. They had faced a lot worse. They would be fine.