Beta'd by exaigon on Fanfiction.Net
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Before the vampire before her could take off she asked, "Where is he?"
Hermione didn't stop to think about what she was asking and apparently neither did he as he simply answered, "The cave."
It briefly occurred to her, as she grabbed ahold of David's arm, that if Marko was, in fact, in the cave then he shouldn't be harmed. If her health monitoring spell was working then so too should her protection one cast on the cave.
Still, she cleared her mind of the distraction quickly and thought only of their destination, the lost cave. Then, with a faint taste of blood on her lips and an image in her mind, they arrived.
The scene before her was loudly chaotic with angry growls, shouts, and screams of pain. It was all so distracting that the witch didn't even feel the arm in her grasp slip away.
Dwayne and Star were off to one side, his arm around her neck, and a blur that might have been Paul was just disappearing out the cave's entrance; he seemed to be chasing someone.
However, her eyes locked onto one person.
Marko.
Marko was lying just to the right of the dry fountain; his withering form had a makeshift stake in his chest.
Did it get his heart?
He was moving too much for her to tell. The amount of blood spilling around him didn't help either.
David was at his fellow vampire's side in an instant, "Who did this?"
His demand was answered by Dwayne whose face she saw was contorted into his vampire façade. And given the similar gravelly undertone of David's voice the girl could assume his own face was the same even though his back was to her.
"Michael..."
Somehow this both shocked her and didn't at the same time. He was still fighting them even as a full vampire it seemed.
Then the screams faded just as Marko's body stopped convulsing.
He was dead.
Everything blurred together then. First the sounds; David's voice, Dwayne's, Star's. It was all jumbled and growing distant. The images went next. The last thing she saw clearly was Marko's still form and David advancing on where Dwayne held Star.
-
With a groan, Hermione opened one eye and then quickly sat up and nearly lost whatever she'd eaten last in the process.
Swallowing, she realized that her throat was painfully dry and the scene before her was painfully familiar. It was made no better by the pounding in her skull. It felt like a hangover. Looking up felt like the worst déjà vu of her life as her eyes fell on the sign reading, 'Welcome to Santa Carla.'
It was like someone rewound the tape.
Hermione's eyes nearly watered at the thought having to start this all over; of being stuck in a loop of some kind.
'This movie is supposed to be the Lost Boys, not Groundhog Day,' she thought bitterly to herself.
Still seated on the hard ground and making no move to get up, another round of déjà vu hit her when a voice called out from the other side of the sign, "What was it that Dorothy girl said again?"
Hermione heard a slightly hysterical note in her voice when she answered with the same words as before, "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
"Yes, that... Hermione, I have a feeling that we're not in London anymore," Ginny replied.
The brunette stood up then and walked around the sign only to see Ginny's equally scared expression as the girl's own brown eyes stayed locked onto the graffitied words that stated this was the 'Murder Capital of the World.'
When she had stared long enough at the words her gaze found Hermione's and she sighed out another line the older girl was familiar with, "I think I'm too sober for this."
Her strained joking tone flew over the other witch's head, however, as those words made Hermione pale in realization.
Ginny didn't remember.
For the redhead this was new; the first time.
If not, everything would be playing out differently; there would be questions as to how this happened. Why they were back at the beginning or something like that. But there wasn't.
While Hermione was struggling not to let her inward panic bubble over, the younger girl seemed to have no qualms about doing so.
"Hermione?" Ginny's voice was frantic but the girl in question wasn't paying her any mind as her own mind was running a mile a minute trying to figure everything out.
Not seeming to notice this, the redheaded witch continued, "I can't find my wand!"
Then she proceeded to search the surrounding area for said wand.
After about ten minutes or so she noticed Hermione hadn't moved and stopped her fruitless search having come to the terrifying conclusion that her wand hadn't traveled to this place with her.
"Hermione?" She approached the brunette slowly as not to startle her, carefully watching her friend's lack of response to her she waved a hand in her face.
"Earth, or where ever we are, to Hermione. Come in. Do you read me?" The girl giggled a bit at her own impression before frowning worriedly when the other girl just blinked and asked, "Sorry, did you say something?"
"...I think maybe you've finally fired your brain by overthinking things," Ginny hummed trying to lighten the mood.
It didn't work.
"If only..." Hermione's voice trailed off but before she could wander off into her own mind again Ginny spoke up, "We don't have our wands."
She didn't want to stress out her friend even more but she felt it was something she should make Hermione aware of.
Only Hermione nodded unfazed, "I know."
"...You seem awfully calm for a witch without a wand in a world with killer vampires," Ginny stated staring into her friend's face and watching her for something. What, she wasn't sure until she saw it. Hermione had sorted out whatever was going on in her brilliant mind and was going to let Ginny in on at least part of it.
"Okay so we're in a movie, The Lost Boys to be exact."
Ginny nodded thoughtfully before adding, "Or this is a really vivid drunken dream and as I've never had one of those, I guess your conclusion is the logical one."
Hermione continued as if she wasn't interrupted, "There's another movie called Groundhog Day."
Before the younger witch could ask what that had to do with anything Hermione held up her hand, "I know..." She swallowed painfully wishing for some water before pressing on, "what does that movie have to do with this one? Nothing. At the same time, I think the theory of that movie might apply here because... in that movie the main character lives the same day over and over again."
Ginny looked confused and Hermione could not blame her.
"I know this will sound crazy but-" The witch stopped as if considering her words.
Ginny shook her head, "We're magical and currently stuck inside of a film I think I can handle whatever insane thing you're about to lay on me."
The brunette smiled slightly, "This has happened already."
"Come again? I think I'd know if I went into a movie before Hermione."
"In Groundhog Day only the one character could recall that the day was on repeat. I don't know why only I remember but it's like the tape was rewound to the place we started and only I know about it."
Ginny frowned, "So you've been repeating the same day inside of this movie?"
Hermione shook her head negatively, "No, this is the first time. Last time the movie was nearly over but then..."
"Then what?" Ginny asked going with the flow. Stranger things had happened, though at the moment she could not recall them. But she was sure that they had so, like those things she can't recall, the Weasley girl would deal with it.
Hermione's mind went back to that scene in the cave. It had happened such a short time ago and yet it was already so far behind her now, "Marko died..."
Her protection spell failed.
Michael had staked him.
David had been furious.
Star was somehow involved.
But none of that had happened yet, and maybe never would.
"And that matters because?"
Ginny's voice cut into her thoughts yanking the brunette's mind back on track.
"Our spell was cast with the idea of saving them so if even one of them dies then I guess we start over. Originally, I thought of the possibility of a loop, but I didn't want to count on it in case something went wrong, and we didn't get a do over. It looks like at least this time we do."
"But only you remember the last time." She stressed the word 'you.'
"Yeah..."
Hermione had no clue why she was the only one with the memory, they had both cast the spell that got them into this mess but obviously she had gotten more involved with it along the way. For the life of her though she was drawing a blank as to how.
It was beginning to seem like Hermione was destined to be in a constant state of confusion while in this world and she really didn't enjoy it.
The redhead eyed Hermione as if the other witch was purposefully leaving something important out of the equation, "Well okay then. Let's do it right this time so I don't have to forget again."
Hermione agreed easily as the two start their long walk to town. She debated mentioning how to use their magic and possibly even using it to get to the heart of the town faster, but she was tired, and the walk would do her some good.
Plus, apparition with the way her stomach was currently in knots would only equal one thing and she did not fancy wearing her dinner.
"We should go over what we tried last time." Ginny spoke up after a few beats of silence.
"Yeah but first let's grab something to drink and then get some sleep, we can talk it over in the morning." Sure, they could get in some important things during their walk but more than anything she just wanted to not think about their situation right now.
It wasn't the responsible thing to do but she didn't care. No, she would save caring and responsibility for the morning when she was more rested and feeling less like an anxiety attack was around the corner.
Who would've thought she'd miss those couple of hours of carefree bowling before... she stopped her thoughts there not wanting to go there. It helped when Ginny started talking again.
"I can get behind the idea of a drink especially now."
Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation but really was all too happy to keep her mind off of other less pleasant things.
"How you can even think of drinking right now when my head feels like it's about to split open, I don't even want to know."
"You're the one who mentioned a drink," Ginny pointed out.
"I meant water... my throat feels like I drank sand."
-
Instead of stealing money this time Hermione decided to simply convince the guy at the hotdog stand that they'd already paid much to Ginny's disapproval. Though, she was happy to find out they weren't going completely muggle, she did nag a bit on her use of the unforgivable if only for a moment before agreeing that it was better than her using her feminine talents.
Neither would be looked upon highly if her family knew but what they don't know and all that. Besides, as real as the hotdog and soda tasted the people weren't real.
At least that was part of Hermione's way of explaining away her use of the Imperius curse and it made sense to Ginny.
What the younger witch didn't realize was that, though Hermione said that she didn't believe it fully herself anymore.
No, she'd seen people slaughtered, interacted with the vampires of the film, and could no longer believe them to be anything but real. Even if magic made them that way or even if it was temporary, she wouldn't go about her decisions as if they were anything less than living breathing people.
That didn't mean that she wouldn't ease Ginny's mind by saying otherwise, though.
After that she explained how they got a hotel room with fake credit cards last time and the two agreed to not rough it and skip straight to the getting a room.
This time Ginny decided to try her hand at getting the hotel receptionist to believe they had already booked their stay there. This was fine by Hermione as she was exhausted which was the only reason she was able to shoot down Ginny's idea of clothes shopping.
However, she knew that she would not be so lucky tomorrow; another reason getting a good night's sleep in a decent bed was a must.
Ginny showered while Hermione looked around the room, it wasn't the same one as before. Last time they were a floor higher but still the room looked the exact same.
The chair by the window, the tv, the beds and the sheets on them, the walls and the carpet. It all matched the previous room. A lot of hotels used the same design and even layout so it wasn't a surprise, but the likeness still got to her for some reason.
Maybe because it was the same as when she stood with a vampire before her having what might've passed as an actual conversation with him... Now she was back to square one and whatever trust, though likely very little, that she had with them, him, was gone.
Shaking her head of messy curls, she took the bed closest to the window and flopped down with a sigh. What happened to not thinking about it tonight, the girl wondered moodily, hoping her brain would shut off so she could sleep.
Not even ten minutes later her wish came true and she was sound asleep and, seemingly just as quickly, hands were shaking her awake.
"What?" Her hands pushed against the offending ones to see Ginny grinning, "The shower is all yours."
Hermione nearly complained about being woken up for such a reason but instead flipped away from the amused girl and towards the window.
"I'll take one in the morning." Her words were mostly spoken into her sheets so Ginny could barely them out, but she left the grumpy girl alone anyway.
The next hour or so the older witch, despite her exhaustion, drifted in and out of sleep.
Finally, she sat up and glanced at the redhead who was fast asleep and spared a glare at her peaceful form as if blaming her for her lack of sleep before sliding off the bed and padding to the washroom, not even bothering to be quiet.
Of course, having such a large family and constant movement around her house growing up had left the Weasley girl desensitized to the noise unfortunately.
Hermione did end up showering in hopes that it would help to make her fall asleep afterwards despite not having anything clean to change into when she got out. She wouldn't have any in the morning either so waiting until then didn't make a difference.
Drying off her hair, she slipped back into the room only to drop the towel in fright at the familiar dark figure standing at the opened window.
It was David.
-
For a moment Hermione just stood there dumbfounded and that seemed to make David amused from what she could see from the slight light of the moon streaming in from behind him.
Warily, she glanced over at Ginny as if to see if the other girl may have been eaten while Hermione hadn't been in the room. The rising and falling of the sheets proved that not to be the case much to her relief.
David let out a quite snort as if he knew what she was thinking and that the very idea that he might have made a snack out of her friend was absurd.
"Red's fine..." His low voice reached her ears and drew her eyes back to his own,
"...Red?" It was a nickname and one she'd never heard him call Ginny before.
His expression was less teasing now and more thoughtful, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he pulled the cigarette from behind his ear and brought it to his lips without lighting it.
He was waiting for her to speak. She didn't want him to win whatever little game he was playing but she had to know.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was mostly puzzled but slightly fearful despite her best attempts, him sneaking up on her and Ginny didn't sit well with her.
His reasoning, whatever it may be, didn't either.
David pulled out his lighter and began to play with it but did not light the cigarette held in front of his mouth, "Just checking in on you. Friends do that don't they?"
"Friends? You don't-you shouldn't know me." There was a silent 'yet' at the end that even he must've heard.
His expression went blank. Hermione couldn't read him at all now. Not that she had been an expert on him before now, but it appeared as if he shut her out completely with her last words.
"...You remember?" The witch asked after a beat of silence in which he even gave up playing with the lighter.
"I remember a lot of things, you'll have to be more specific." His tone wasn't friendly and as if sensing the shift in the air Ginny rolled over causing the two of them to look her way and wait a moment.
Thankfully she didn't wake up.
"...Maybe we should talk somewhere else?" Hermione asked her focus now back on him.
"Lead the way." His gloved hand gestured towards the door to her right.
If he knew that those words made her uncomfortable he didn't show it and so she did. The two of them left the room through the door and he followed her into the hotel lobby where the only person behind the desk was an old lady who was looking at the two of them as if they had just committed the ultimate sin in her eyes by just being in her presence.
Hermione ignored the woman and instead turned her full attention on the vampire before her who was making himself comfortable in one of the lobby chairs and finally lighting up his cigarette now firmly perched in between his lips.
Feeling awkward standing, Hermione also took a seat. It was near enough to not be overheard but far enough away were David would have to make an effort and lean forward to touch her.
As it was, the vampire across from her was right at home leaning back in the chair. It may have reassured her had she not known how fast he could move, so she kept up her guard.
What was better; a David that remembered or one that didn't? But if he didn't know something, he wouldn't be here, her mind supplied.
"Do you remember me?" She finally asked.
"Obviously."
"No, it's not. Sure, it might explain why you showed up here but how did you even know we'd be here?"
He looked at her long and hard taking in a drag before exhaling, "Because you're always here whenever things start over."
Hermione was lost. What was he talking about? Was he trying to trick her?
"That doesn't make any sense, this is the first-time things rewound themselves." Her voice came out less sure than it had previously.
"You're wrong," He smiled and leaned forward as if he knew those words together grated on her nerves before he continued, "this is the fourth time."
Her eyes widened.
"That's not-" She paused, "Okay, if that's true then I've forgotten all but this time and the previous one?"
David doesn't say anything for a moment, focusing on smoking. She was pretty sure he was holding off speaking to try and bait her but this time she was going to wait for him to start talking.
Was he always this annoying or was it the uncertainty and lack of sleep getting to her?
"What was the last thing you remember before things reset?" She frowned wondering if maybe he shouldn't already know the answer to that.
"...Marko died." His eyes darkened slightly but that was the only thing that let onto the fact that those words angered him.
"I don't remember that ever happening." His expression tightened slightly before he grinned, "It's usually Paul that kicks it."
Ignoring that last part for the time being, she focused her attention on the most pressing matter at hand, "How is that possible?"
"Magic?" Is his sarcastic retort.
"Didn't you say that you remember three other times?" Hermione's brain was still trying to wrap around the thought that she was missing something, that something being her own memories wasn't helping to keep her calm.
"Yes, but that must've been before you cast your magic to make me remember." It was said offhandedly but she looked at him like he grew another head, "Why would I do that?"
David shrugged in a 'beats me' kind of way while taking a drag from his cigarette. Before she could scrutinize him further, he spoke.
"Maybe you got bored being stuck in a time loop all by your lonesome?" His joke was said cruelly, he was mocking her for some reason.
"I must've been losing my mind too." He glared at those words, but she was preoccupied and didn't notice. "If I came up with a way to make someone remember why didn't I use it on Ginny?"
"She's easier to manage without her memories. You're words by the way." He pointed out with a smirk.
Hermione nearly denied that but closed her mouth when she thought about her earlier thought about letting Ginny believe the people here were completely fake to ease her conscious... it wasn't the same thing but it kind of was.
It was easier if Ginny didn't know about certain things... things like her being afraid of Paul.
As if reading her mind David added, "It certainly helps on your quest to get Paul into her pants."
Hermione blanched, "W-what?"
He laughed causing the forgotten receptionist to glare with a vengeance their way but neither paid her any mind. Hermione was busy wondering just how much she told him in these other supposed loops, or maybe he was or had gotten things from her own mind? Or Ginny's?
Taking a deep breathe the brunette concentrated on strengthening her mind to prevent any possible stray thoughts. She worried that her thoughts had been broadcasting since they met in this time given how stressed the witch knew herself to be.
That would not do. Calm down. Even if he was telling the truth, she needed to keep her head.
Now more than ever, he probably knew way more about her than she was comfortable with and that needed to stop now. No more dropping her guard.
Still looking amused, he leaned backwards and butted his cigarette on the arm of the chair. Her eyes drifted to the receptionist who was not looking their way and then back to the very noticeable circular burn mark on the chair before meeting his eyes again.
He lifted an eyebrow as if daring her to say something about it; she didn't.
"If I helped you to remember then why don't I remember at least as much as you do?" She watched his amused eyes change. "What happened last time?"
"The first two times I remember Paul died." He paused and looked straight into her eyes as if to convey the seriousness of their conversation, "You've told me that you've witnessed both Dwayne and Marko's death. I suspect mine as well though you've never directly said it."
Part of her wondered why not, but then again maybe she was being considerate? Something was missing but his next words make her forget that.
"Last time none of us died."
Hermione's eyes widened, "Then the loop should've broken... so why didn't it?"
It scared her to think that no matter what they would be stuck on repeat.
"...Because last time you died."
She gasped, "I died?"
It was surreal to hear, to wrap her mind around. So, if they die or if she does, then it rewinds? Then it most likely applies to Ginny as well. That was both reassuring and not. At least neither of them could die here, not for good anyway, but why was it so hard to keep them all alive?
David stood up then startling her from her thoughts, "So I probably forgot all the other times because I died?"
But she still remembered the first time, or at least Hermione thought it was the first time that she was remembering.
"It's the only thing that was different so it would make about as much sense as anything else." That said the bleach blonde headed for the front of the hotel.
Hermione stood up then and called out, "Where are you going?"
"The sun will be up soon." He didn't stop or turn around as those words came out of his mouth and she nearly called out to ask to see him tomorrow night as she had more questions, but she stopped herself.
When he disappeared from sight Hermione walked back to her room. Her body was on autopilot at this point, her mind and her feet working almost separately.
Somehow, she ended up back in her bed, but sleep didn't find her.
Her mind analyzed their conversation for hours. Many things caught her attention after the fact but one of them stuck out above all the others.
"...Because last time you died."
In the morning she would tell herself off for over analyzing and also blame her lack of sleep but right now she could visualize it all in her mind; his voice, his movements, the darkening of his eyes.
Her being dead made him upset. His fists had clenched when he spoke of her death but she had been too shocked by said mention of her death to have thought on it. Her eyes had caught the movement, but her brain hadn't processed it. His eyes had shown his upset at his fellow vampires' deaths, they had briefly been amused at Ginny's plight with Paul, and then they had darkened once more for her?
It made sense that he would feel something for the other vampires' demise, but she was just a human, a witch. One that he likely suspected was the cause for this time loop and he wouldn't be wrong.
A morbid part of her wondered how she died.
It had to have happened in front of David for him to know about it. Should she ask him when she saw him next?
Did she really want to know?
It was eight seventeen in the morning when she fell into an uneasy sleep. It was nine twenty-four when Ginny awoke and tried to get her up.
Hermione didn't budge, not for another two hours.