Master of Puppets

Chapter One

"I have fallen prey to Failure."

-- The Frayed Ends of Sanity, Metallica

Hermione lay awake in Draco's bed, her eyes fixed upon the ceiling. Draco was asleep next to her, and she sighed. Why did she always fall into the same hole? And why seemed the hole to get deeper every time? She ripped her eyes from the ceiling and looked at the clock by the bed. It was half past four in the morning. Draco let out a snore, and Hermione sighed even deeper. She pulled of the blanket and started to get dressed. Draco woke up and looked at her.

"Where are you going?" he asked and yawned.

"I need to get home," Hermione said shortly. "I need to get a shower and new clothes before I go to work."

"Fine," he said and turned and fell asleep again.

Hermione sighed and left the bedroom. She walked through the gigantic living room, picking up her shoes as she walked, and then exited the luxurious apartment. She walked down the stair and out on the empty street. It was a cold morning, and the only life on the streets were some cars driving around, and Hermione started to walk towards her home. It was pretty far, and Hermione could Apparate, but she decided not to. She needed the walk to think. What had started all this? Why was she trapped in a sexual relationship with Draco Malfoy? It all started just some weeks after their Hogwarts graduation...

"So, what are you going to do with your life?" Harry asked and looked at Hermione.

"Well," Hermione said, "the Minister of Magic offered me a job the other week."

"Really?" Harry looked at her surprised.

"Yes," Hermione said and smiled. "As a vampire Hunter."

"You're joking, right?" Harry said.

"No, I'm not," Hermione said. "Cornelius Fudge talked to me right after our graduation. He said that I was already qualified and didn't need any education. He said I would make an excellent Hunter."

"Well, that's great!" Harry said and hugged her. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Hermione said and smiled. "So, have you talked to Ron?"

"Oh, yes, he's doing great in Romania," Harry said.

"Sounds wonderful," Hermione said.

"When do you start?" Harry asked.

"Next Monday," Hermione said.

And that was where it all begun. Hermione started on the Ministry of Magic as a vampire Hunter, and her first mission was to track down some of the remaining Death Eaters after Voldemort's fall. They had found the hiding place and sent Hermione and another Auror, named Jonas Peterson, to arrest them. That fatal day was still haunting her mind...

"So, they're in there," Jonas said. "Do you have any information about them?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "There are two of them in there; Draco Malfoy and Jacob Rosario. We have information that says that Rosario may be a vampire, but it's not confirmed yet. Anyway, we won't take any risks. Do you have the crucifix?"

"Yes."

"The bottle of Holy Water?"

"Yes."

"The wooden pole?"

"Yes."

"Good. Let's go then."

"Wait!" Jonas looked around. "I've heard of Malfoy. It says that he is powerful and vicious! Remember, this is my first actual encounter with Death Eaters!"

"First of all; the Malfoy you've been hearing about is Lucius, Draco's father," Hermione said and sighed. "Second of all; you're trained to do this."

"I know, I know!" Jonas said. "But what about the vampire? How's Malfoy able to hide with a vampire?!"

"I don't know," Hermione said. "There's only two explanations; the Brotherhood's Code or that Malfoy simply got bitten, and became a vampire too."

"Well, thanks. It's really soothing to know that we may have to deal with two ravenous vampires instead of only one!" Jonas said sarcastically and glared at her. "By the way, what's 'the Brotherhood's Code'?"

"You don't know?" Hermione asked surprised. She thought everyone on the Ministry knew. "Just before Voldemort's fall the Death Eaters formed a society that would keep them together and strong after the fall of Voldemort. They called the society the Brotherhood and they made rules and certain codes. One of the rules was to never leave or kill another member of the Brotherhood. When the Aurors started to arrest many Death Eaters they split up into groups of two. The Ministry has arrested everyone except these two. They are the last ones."

"But, when we've capture all of the Death Eaters, what're we supposed to do then?" Jonas asked.

"Hunt werewolves and vampires," Hermione said. "Now, let's go, before they know we're coming."

A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek, and she halted. Rain was starting to fall, and it was still dark. It wasn't sunrise until half past six. She looked at her watch. It was now five o'clock in the morning. Hermione dried her tears and started to walk again, this time not towards her home, but towards the local cemetery.

Hermione looked at her partner and counted silently to three before she opened the old door. "Expelliarmus!" she shouted and pointed her wand towards the blonde man, and Jonas did the same on the other man. "You're now arrested on the orders of the Ministry of Magic!"

Draco Malfoy started to laugh and shook his head. "Silly little Granger."

"So this is the Mudblood you've been telling me about?" the other man, Jacob, said.

"I hear that I've been mentioned," Hermione said, pointing her wand towards Draco's chest, right where his heart was placed - if he had any.

"Of course I mentions you, Granger," Draco said and smiled. "We knew you were coming. Though I expected someone else than that clown." He nodded at Jonas and laughed. "I though you, Potty and Weasel always stayed together."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Harry is somewhere in Asia, and Ron's in Romania with his brother," Hermione said.

"Come on, Draco!" Jacob said. "Let me taste her! She looks tasty. And she smells delicious!"

"Don't use your strength on her," Draco said and shook his head. "Her blood are as filthy as dirt."

"I don't care," Jacob said impatiently. "Look at that beautiful neck of hers! I'd like to put my teeth in that!"

"You don't touch her, you bloodsucker!" Jonas shouted as his hand where he held his wand started to tremble.

"Stay calm, Jonas," Hermione told him softly. Her hand was as steady as solid rock.

"Well, well," Draco said as he started to walk around the room with arrogant steps. "Jonas, is that you name? You seem to have a little crush on Granger. Am I right?"

"No!" Jonas said, and his hand started to tremble even more.

"Jonas, he's just playing with your mind," Hermione said. "Shut him out."

"Oh, isn't this sad, Granger," Draco said. "Such a talented witch like you, working with a sad thing like that."

"How thoughtful of you to think about me," Hermione said sarcastically.

"This isn't doing anything for my hunger!" Jacob shouted, and his eyes turned from a green colour to red, and he showed his sharp teeth. And then it all happened very fast. Jacob jumped straight on Jonas, and Hermione turned to protect him. Draco seized his moment and took Hermione's wand out of her hand and held her tightly while she fought with all her strength, but it was useless.

"Jonas, no!" Hermione shouted with tears in her eyes. "JONAS!" She was the black haired boy lay dead on the floor with a hungry vampire feeding on his blood. Suddenly he took the body and jumped out of the window and ran away faster than any human being; probably to eat his victim.

"Your little friend is dead, Granger," Draco whispered venomous and softly in her ear.

"Well, so is yours," Hermione growled under her breath. "They injected Coldryme in our blood before we went here in case something like this would happen."

"Coldryme?"

"The only venom that kills the ones that's already dead."

"Well then, I guess that leaves us all alone." Even though Hermione did not see his face, she knew he was smirking viciously.

"You are a double-faced bastard!" Hermione hissed. "Did you know that?"

"Well, that depends on how you look at it," Draco whispered in her ear.

"And how do you look at it?" Hermione asked.

"Jacob was to die anyway," Draco said. "We all are."

"Jacob was already dead," Hermione reminded him.

"Oh, yes, of course," Draco said. "But we're all about to depart from this world, whether you're dead or alive."

"Let go of me," Hermione demanded.

"Oh, are you really that brave?" he breathed in her ear. "Are you brave enough to face me without a wand?"

"I'd be brave enough to face you even though I missed all of my limbs," Hermione said thought gritted teeth. "Now, let go of me!"

Draco ignored her demanding and dug his nose into her hair. "Jacob was right; you really do smell delicious." He moved his hands from her waist to her upper front. "You know, I've always wondered how it would be to do you, Granger. The forbidden fruit is always the tastiest."

"That will be nothing but a fantasy of yours, Malfoy," Hermione said. "Now, let go of me!"

"Scared of what I might do if I keep you close?" he teased in her ear.

"No, I want you to let me go so I can arrest you!" Hermione hissed.

"That's not going to do you any good," Draco said. "I've got political protection."

Hermione suddenly stopped breathing. Political protection was the highest protection from prison anyone could get. How did he get that?

"My father talked Fudge over while he still worked on the Ministry," Draco said as if he had read her mind. "I've had it for years." He kissed her neck softly with his venomous lips. "But arresting me was not your purpose of coming here."

"You're right," Hermione said through gritted teeth. "The vampire is dead by now. My work here is done. Now, let go of me, and I'll leave and will never come back."

"Well, now when I've got the taste of you I will be hunting you," he breathed in her ear. "You're my prey now."

Hermione walked into the cemetery with heavy steps, her heart pounding louder than the rain that surrounded her. Her tears fell with the rain as she walked up to a white gravestone.

Here lies Gilbert Jonas Peterson, a man of bravery.

She kneeled in front of it and buried her face in her hands. "I'm sorry!" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry! I was supposed to be the strong one, but it turned out to be the other way. I do envy you. I should have died, and not you! I'm so sorry, Jonas!" She wanted to turn back time, to keep Jonas behind her all the time, so she would have fallen prey to Jacob. The only one she had fallen prey to was Failure itself. She was sent there to kill the vampire, not Jonas. So, if she got bitten, Jacob would have died of the venom in her veins, and not Jonas's.

After another ten minutes of grief she finally rose and took three deep breaths. Then she turned and walked away towards her home. It was now half past five in the morning, and her apartment was only five minutes away.

When she arrived to her apartment she stripped off and went straight into the shower. The hot water burned her skin, but she knew that it was a part of the cleaning process. She wanted the water to wash away her agony and pain, and every trace of Draco that was left on her. She knew that was impossible, though. The scars of his violent lovemaking was never to disappear, but to stay as reminders of her life's biggest mistake.

The night Jonas died was just the beginning of the violent future that lay before Hermione. She did not see anything of Draco Malfoy under a long time though, but she had never forgotten his last words he'd spoken to her; You're my prey now. Everything was calm, except Hermione's job. She had to travel all over Britain and Europe to hunt down and kill vampires. The vampires hadn't been this active under one hundred years, but now they all seemed to have been waken to life, and now with greater power; immunity to magic. It made Hermione's work much harder, but she had been given special guns with bullets containing Coldryme; the only venom that could kill a creature that's already dead. After Jonas's death Hermione never worked with anyone anymore; she flied solo.

Hermione remembered the night exactly three years after Jonas's death. That was the night it all truly started.

Hermione had just returned to London after hunting down the dangerous vampire Celeste in Paris. The night was still young, and Hermione felt like if the part of her that was still human slowly faded away. She was alone, and the only thing she did was to kill bloodsucking creatures. She slept during daylight and hunted at night. She avoided people whatsoever. But this night was different. She felt that she needed a little change in her life, so she entered a pub in Diagon Alley. When she got inside she looked around. Every woman that was in there was dressed up and walked around in high heels. So there was Hermione; dressed in plain black, with knee high boots and a black coat that reached down her feet. Her hair was not a mess though, but it wasn't neat either. She hadn't been using make-up for over two years, but that didn't matter because she was still beautiful - natural beauty. She walked up to the bar and sat down.

"Ah, Miss Granger," the bartender said. "Back at last. You know, people said that you'd been killed."

"Yet here I am very much alive," Hermione sighed. "Give me a scotch."

"Well, well, look who's here," a handsome man said as he sat down next to her. "Been a while ey, Granger. I heard that you were dead."

"And I heard that you'd left the country," Hermione said coldly.

"Now, why would I do that?" Draco Malfoy asked and gave the bartender some money for Hermione's drink.

"You know, I could've paid for that myself," Hermione muttered.

"Well, as Manager of the Economy Department I think I have money enough to pay that drink of yours," Draco said. "Consider it as a welcome-back-drink."

Hermione frowned. "Manager of the Economy Department? Well, isn't that prestigious."

"Surprised?"

"No, why should I be," Hermione said and took a sip of her scotch. "You've always known how to manipulate people. After all, you are a Malfoy."

Draco smirked amused. "I've always admired your mind, Granger."

"Are you trying to compliment me, Malfoy?" Hermione asked coldly and looked at the blonde man.

"Well, I hope you haven't become too tough to appreciate a compliment," Draco said and leaned closer.

"You're not trying to flirt your way inside my trousers now, are you?" Hermione asked and took another sip of her scotch.

"Oh, please," Draco said and smirked, "I don't even have to try."

Hermione glared at him and put her glass down. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"You're alone and miserable," Draco whispered so only Hermione could hear. "You're trying to forget that you're actually a human - a woman - by hunt and kill all those vampires, and--"

"I'm just doing my job," Hermione breathed, provoked by his sudden accuses.

"Of course you are," Draco said, and this time he didn't whisper. "But you're denying your human needs; like lust." Then he got up and walked towards the exit.

Hermione hurried to follow him as he exited the pub. "You don't know that! We haven't met in three years! You don't know anything about me!"

Draco stopped and turned to face the furious brunette. "If I were wrong, you wouldn't be so upset."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again. Suddenly he grabbed her arm and dragger her around a corner into a dark alley. He pinned her up carefully against a wall, his face only inches away from hers.

"Do you remember what I told you last time we saw each other?" he breathed in her ear.

"How could I forget?" Hermione sighed. She felt so weak in his presence. She fought vampires with strength over humanity almost every night, but this was so different. He was alive, warm, intense and human, her alike. The vampires was cold, dead and not human at all. She knew their weaknesses, but not his. He was like a riddle to her, but then again almost all humans were these days.

"Well, I guess you won't give up without a fight?"

"I don't want to fight anymore," Hermione whispered so low Draco almost missed it. A tear fell down from her eye and Draco caught it with his lips.

"Well then," he whispered, "don't fight it." Then he kissed her lips lightly, and Hermione did not struggle. He had won without even fighting.

She didn't do anything to stop what he was doing. For a whole year she had been away from humans whatsoever, and now she had realised that he was right; she was denying her needs. She needed someone who could please her without craving for love, because she didn't know if she even was able to love.

Draco parted his lips from hers and took a step back. Then he turned to walk away. "Are you coming?"

Hermione sighed and followed him down the dark alley, not knowing that this was something she would in time gets addicted to.

She turned off the water and wrapped a towel around her body. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked so different from how she looked during her Hogwarts years. Her hair was still curly, but now the curls were more rough yet elegant. Her eyes, still chocolate brown, was so knowing, as if those eyes had experienced hundreds of years. Her face was beautiful, but not with that ordinary beauty; her skin was pure and pale, but it was haunted by a few thin scars. The scars did not make her face look rough and dangerous, only experienced. She had a great body shape, mostly after all her martial arts training and her melee training. She sighed deeply. She and Draco had had this relationship for about a year now, and it was like a drug to Hermione. She went out at night, hunting down vampires, and then she went to Draco once in a while just to remind herself that she actually was human, no matter what. He was like a comfort and a punishment. For him she was only another toy, for that she was sure. He wasn't that different to her, either. She didn't love him, and she didn't care for him. He just happened to be someone she knew could wake the human inside of her.

She went inside her bedroom to but on a nice suit. This day she had an appointment with the Minister of Magic. She was going to receive the Medal of the Peoples' Protector for killing the dangerous vampire Dante. When she was done dressing she went inside the kitchen. The mail since the day before was still lying untouched on the table. She picked it up and started to go through it. Suddenly she saw a letter that didn't look like the others. It was from Harry.

"Dear Hermione,

I'm now in Thailand, living with the monks. It has been a great experience! I just wished that you and Ron could have joined me. The abbot, Hhu Li, have heard about me, so that made me surprised. I mean, I'm a wizard and he's not! It's really wicked. Anyway, before I got here I'd been travelling around China and Vietnam.

I've also been in Romania where I met Ron. He's really happy there. He's met a girl, Mika, and I think their getting married soon. He wanted me to tell you that he's sorry that he hasn't been writing, but also that you knew that he isn't much of a writer.

I heard you fought the famous Dante. When I heard that the two of you disappeared for three days I was afraid that he'd killed you, but when I read that you came back to the village I was so happy I almost got the abbot drunk!

Anyway, I miss you really much and hopes that we'll see each other soon.

Yours truly,

Harry."

Hermione dried away a lonely tear that rolled down her cheek. For the last few weeks she hadn't been thinking about Harry or Ron at all. She had been so busy thinking over her life that she'd forgot the ones she truly loved and cared for. If she would stay this selfish she maybe would loose them forever. If that happened not even Draco Malfoy would be able to wake the human inside of her; she would be as dead and cold as the beasts she was hunting.