Bloodlust

Chapter XVII

A loud beeping sound inside her head woke Hermione from her slumber. She hauled herself from the depths of the unconsciousness caused by the heavy dose of potions in her system. Though it felt heavy on her body - it was healing her from the inside. Her chest rose and fell like she was somehow deprived of air. Her vision spun as she opened her eyes - a ceiling stained with special walnut welcomed her blurry sight. Driven by hysteria, she strolled her eyes around, only to realise it was never a dream.

Hermione believed it was a dream when she woke up with Nott towering over her. Telling her about Lucius Malfoy had delivered her there for some reason. An expression of weak distress painted her face when her small attempts of movement awakened a stab to her chest and hips. Her mind ran in wild tracks as she tried to move her body - she was hot underneath, and every part of her body reminded her to stop moving. Hermione hardly noticed the tears flowing freely from her eyes.

An elf appeared beside her bed with a tray of food floating behind it. The silver platter clattered on the floor with the sealed bottle of potions rolling down into the floor - fortunately, nothing shattered.

The elf disappeared after a pop, and seconds later, the oak tree door opened, revealing Nott came in a rush.

He ran straight to Hermione as she shuffled into her bed uncomfortably with everything connected to her body and the bits of pain all over her.

"Hey, hey. Granger - take it easy. Calm down..." He advised softly to her, keeping in mind not to frighten or terrorise her.

The drugs he had to give her certainly contributed to her reckless actions at the moment - she could not settle down.

She whimpered in pain, eyes shut tightly as her pale hands clutched to the sheets on her sides. Her breathing exceeded normal, enough to make Nott question his abilities with potions and healing.

Hermione began to fall into a seizure - her stitches began to bleed.

"Accio, draught of peace!" Nott called, driven by panic.

As the bottle landed in his hand, he drew a sterile and unused syringe from his coat pocket.

Holly, his elf, watched Hermione from falling off the bed while he injected her IV line with a proper dose of the potion to ease the tension in her body.

Her breathing gradually returned to normal, and her body ceased quivering. Hermione drowns softly on the sweat-soaked mattress of Nott's guestroom bed.

"Finally, you're awake."

Still lightheaded but better than her state the other day.

"Malfoy..." Hermione mumbled weakly, almost in a whisper.

Hermione roamed her sight around. She was still in Nott's bed.

"Where's Nott?" Hermione asked as she lay limply on the lump of sheets and fluffy pillows, though she wanted to throw a panic outburst - she was too weak to even care.

Malfoy is unpredictable - he could transform into a homicidal vampire at any moment, but what could go wrong? Hermione knew Narcissa won't let her son murder her at a friend's Manor. Knowing the female Malfoy, she'd do anything to protect her son, and that includes his reputation.

"I don't know. Do I have to know?" Malfoy spat - a hint of impatience swimming in his voice. "Get up, Granger. You shouldn't be here, for fuck's sake."

"I wouldn't be here if - "

"You wouldn't be here if you did not run away that night. Good thing Draco was there to save you from Greyback." Narcissa explained as she entered the guestroom, her eyes drilling onto Hermione's projecting warning to keep the seal on her lips intact.