Harry Potter The Vampire Lord

Chapter 15

"Daphne?" Hermione exclaimed as she saw her sitting at the front door to her house. She immediately cast a worried glance at Harry. While she knew that he wasn't as biased as Ron was, he didn't really mingle with the Slytherins. It was for this reason that she had kept her friendship with Daphne a secret from him, the only other secret that she kept from him. She was relieved to see that Harry was simply looking at Daphne confusedly, and as he was beginning to turn towards her, no doubt looking to her for an explanation, she walked forward towards Daphne.

"Daphne, are you alright?" Hermione asked taking in her weathered appearance. She was always dressed immaculately, robes perfectly pressed, hair tied up just right, and her expression always showing cold indifference. But Hermione knew for a fact that she needed to do those things, it wasn't about vanity for her, her survival in the Slytherin Dorms depended on it, and so far she had always come out on top. Looking at her now, Hermione had to blink several times before she had recognized her.

As she got closer to her she caught a good look at her face, more specifically her eyes, her ruby orbs that were always so cold and dispassionate were shining with grief and hopelessness, though as she got a look at Hermione it was soon replaced by surprise and shock. Hermione lowered down to Daphne's level, and grabbing her shoulders gently stood up, bringing Daphne up with her.

"Dad, could you please open the door?" Hermione said impatiently.

Dan Granger was utterly confused right now. But seeing his daughter's impatient expression, he hurried with the keys and they all entered the house. Hermione led Daphne up to her room, knowing that it would cause unnecessary problems if she didn't and she knew that Daphne would want some privacy. She came down the stairs to see the three inhabitants of the hall looking at her with varying expressions of expectancy on their faces. Hermione faltered; her mind not able to come up with a suitable excuse that would satisfy both her parent's and more importantly Harry's curiosity.

"Um . . . right. That's Daphne, she is . . . I . . . um . . . I actually don't know . . . I'll just go talk to her." Hermione practically ran all the way back to her room.

Hermione's mind contemplated various scenarios that would lead to Daphne coming to her house unannounced, adding in her dishevelled appearance narrowed down the possibilities but increased the threat that she was under. While she was her friend, and Hermione would do everything to help her, she had to think about her family's safety first. Hearing Perenelle talk about the last war had really opened her eyes to what was expected of the two of them, and she wouldn't jeopardize that. It might sound cold and calculating, the traits of the very house that Daphne belonged to, but it was what was on her mind as she knocked once, feeling silly to be knocking on the door to her own room, and opened the door.

(Break)

Harry watched as Hermione came down from her room, tried saying something to explain the situation that they found themselves in, and then promptly left. Harry didn't know what to think, he had recognized Daphne after Hermione had said her name, and he was frankly worried and surprised by her presence here. The only thing that had stopped him from going ballistic and demanding answers right away was the look that he had caught in Daphne's eyes, although Hermione claiming to be her friend had calmed him down somewhat.

He honestly had no idea that Hermione had any other friends that she was close to other than him and . . . no, she wasn't exactly close to Ron. He just figured that Hermione knew her from one of her Clubs or Daphne might be in her Runes or Arithmancy classes. Figuring that she would tell him eventually and felling tired, he turned towards Hermione's parents.