Pierced (Completed)

Chapter 12: Magic

Hermione collapsed on the bed in her and Harry's bedroom, sighing as she sank into the soft mattress. It helped that Harry's scent still lingered on the sheets and comforter. She felt her heart warm up and a smile spread on her face as she hugged his pillow. It felt so good to be in love.

A small shock jolted Hermione at the moment she hugged Harry's pillow, making her eyes widen as she scrambled out of the bed. The feeling that had just hit her could only mean one thing – her ward had been tripped. She had set up a ward around the bedroom that notified her if anyone but Harry passed through it.

Does this mean…does this mean Harry's dead? she thought as dread gripped her heart.

Then she blinked, amazed at her lapse of memory as she felt the bond between them as strong as ever. She had forgotten that they were connected like that. If Harry had died, she surely would've felt it.

Hermione took a deep breath, drew her wand out of her pocket, and faced the door, ready for the intruders. What did they think? That she was helpless because she was a human? She wasn't stupid. Ever since being kidnapped she had been working on ways to ensure that nothing of the sort ever happened again. She was Hermione Granger, not some brainless, helpless ditz.

She began recanting long, ancient spells under her breath as the intruders attempted to break down the door, the magically-reinforced wood groaning as it was slammed from the outside. Hermione smiled as power surged through her at the completion of her spells at the exact moment the door blew apart, allowing the intruders in.

She was ready.

*****

Harry literally flew through the hallways, springing from wall to wall almost too quickly for his reflexes to keep up. He knew her surprise could only mean one thing: there were people attempting to kidnap her again.

Harry's mouth tightened as he kicked up his speed a notch. Dracula…

As he flew through the halls, he blew past a guard so quickly that the unsuspecting vampire was blown off his feet. Harry came crashing through the throne room doors and skidded the length of the fifty-foot hall to the bedroom, his eyes widening as he came to a stop in the doorway.

There were three vampires clad in black just like the three that Harry had just killed in the arena, and they were all lunging straight at Hermione with swords drawn. Hermione's eyes met Harry's, she smiled, then, just as she was about to be sliced into tiny pieces, she…she disappeared…

Harry blinked as his eyes scanned the room for her, amazement making his jaw drop as he found his mate standing calmly on the ceiling upside-down, her hair dangling below her and a bored look on her face. The vampires looked at each other in confusion before they darted for her again just as Hermione sliced her wand through the air at them.

A giant wave of white-hot liquid fire that made Harry shield his body from a good twenty feet away erupted from the tip in a wide arc, exploding towards the three vampires, who managed to Shadowalk to safety at the last moment while the fire slammed against the stone floor, instantly melting a good portion of it.

So these vampires weren't pushovers, either. They were the real thing if they could Shadowalk…

Hermione stood motionless at the foot of the bed, pointing her wand at the ground as the vampires sprang at her again, swords drawn above their heads to deal massive, devastating blows. Harry felt strong magic pulse through Hermione just before the vampires reached her, an invisible force-field blocking their attacks and throwing them off-balance.