Daimons

Chapter 11

It had been a long time since Remus ate raw meat. He was pleasantly surprised that he enjoyed the flavor. A little salt would have helped. After chewing on the bone, Remus wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. To hell with being civilized, he felt a freedom here with the other werewolves he hadn’t felt in ‘civilized society’ in a very long time.

“You enjoyed dinner?”

Leaning back in his chair, Remus rubbed his full stomach. “Very much, it’s been too long since I ate raw meat. I forgot how much I enjoyed it.”

“Talk to me Lupin. Tell me what is so important that you would walk into a den of werewolves?”

“I know what He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has offered you.”

“It’s no secret.”

“Not only can I offer you the freedom for all werewolves, I can offer wolfsbane for those who wish it. Those who wish to remain feral will have a secured forty-five hundred acres of forest to wander freely during the fool moon.”

“Not enough,” Greyback replied as he cleaned a bone sliver from between his teeth.

“I wouldn’t think so. No restriction on the jobs that we werewolves can have and we can’t be fired for days missed. Our wages will be comparable to non-werewolves' wages.”

“Voldemort has offered me about the same, you must do better or you’ll be dead within the hour.”

“I have more.” Remus grinned. He was keeping the best for last. “A free clinic for all werewolves and something Voldemort can’t and won’t offer you. A percentage of werewolves gain seats in the Wizengamot.”

“No. I don’t believe you.” This was the first time Greyback was interested in what Lupin had to say.

“Believe it. We will no longer be second class citizens but productive members of the wizard society. More importantly, we can be free to be what we are.”

“It could never happen. The ministry will never let it happen.”

“If it was up to the current ministry you are absolutely right. We plan to take over the administration after the war. If we defeat Voldemort we can have what we’ve been striving for years.”

“The public will never allow this. It’s insane even to listen to you.”

“I would agree with you except for one reason. We have Harry Potter. No one will deny anything to the savior of the wizard world.”

There was some logic to what Lupin said. Greyback ran the scenarios over in his head. Harry was loved by the people where Voldemort would rule with fear. He knew he could never trust the Dark Lord but could he trust these wizards?

Lupin interrupted his thoughts. “You don’t have to make up your mind at this moment. Play both ends. See where your fortune lies before you make a decision.”

“Lupin, you will see sunrise tomorrow. I promise nothing.”

“I expect nothing more.” He sighed in relief.

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Hermione stood over Armstrong, her hands on her hips. “You better start talking before my foot finds its way to your balls.” She pulled her leg back to make her point. Armstrong wisely cupped his balls with his hands.

Armstrong couldn’t help but to smirk. She did Gavin proud.

Dumbledore stepped forward and tried to intervene. “Ms. Granger I assure you…”

Before he could finish his sentence he felt a hard poke in his chest. Stunned, Albus only could stare at Hermione as she kept poking her finger into his breast bone.

“Don’t give me that old man. I know you have something to do with the disappearance of Gavin. If it wasn’t for your age you would be on the floor next to him.” She pointed to Armstrong who seemed a little too pleased. “What are you grinning about? I just knocked you down on your arse.”

Standing, he replied, “That there are very few people in the world that can say they had knocked me to the ground and they were all done before I was ten. I missed calculated. You will be an extremely good Daimon. Now if you’re done beating our arses, should we adjourn into a room, where we could have some privacy. He took her elbow and led her to the nearest empty classroom.

“Now Ms. Granger, first thing's first. If you ever threaten my ‘boys’ again I will spank you so hard you won’t be able to sit for a week, do you understand?” She turned bright red and looked down at the toes of his shoes. “Alright then, you are correct, Gavin is working undercover. It was not my, nor was it Dumbledore’s, decision. It was Gavin’s. He and Miriam worked out a plan to infiltrate the enemy’s camp.”

“No, we were just getting to know one another. He wouldn’t leave me, not voluntarily.” Tears weld in her eyes.

“You were his only concern. He did not want to leave you.”

“He did though, didn’t he?” Tears flowed freely.

“Hermione we are at war. He’s a warrior and will do anything to shorten this war.”

“Even if it means leaving me?”

“Even if it meant leaving you!”

“Ms. Granger, your young man is no more. Until all the charms are taken off of him he ‘is’ a Death Eater.”

“I hate you. I hate both of you.” She stormed from the room.

“Will she be alright?” Arm asked the older wizard.

“Once the war is over and Gavin comes home to her.”

“If he doesn’t come back?”

“She's young, she’ll find someone else to love,” Dumbledore casually stated. The Daimon gave Albus an appalled look. “Don’t look at me like that Armstrong. I’ve seen too much in my life not to know that ‘life’ does go on… even if we don’t want it to.”

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“Hermione, what are you doing?” Ron asked as he watched an irate witch tossing clothes into a valise.

“I’m doing exactly what you’ve been doing. I’m going out and find my boyfriend.”

“Mione, you can’t. You’ll be killed!”

“So can Gavin and nobody tried to stop him.”

“He’s a man…”

“Don’t finish that sentence Ron. You might not like what I do to you if you do.”

“Okay. I won’t try to stop you. Harry’s going to kill me when he finds out I let you go. But believe me I do know how it feels not to have your other half next to you.” Ron gave Hermione a brotherly hug. “You can’t go looking like you. You’ll be killed within the first five minutes you entered Knockturn Alley.”

“What do suggest… glamour charms? They're too easily detected.”

“For being a muggle you’re awfully dense.” Within an hour Hermione’s short hair was died black. Wearing contact lenses, her dark eyes were turned to violet. Her fair skin went from fair to dark olive. Even her small breasts were enlarged. Well, at least seemed to be enlarged by a push up bra. With the slightest charm her voice was lowered to a sexy purr. Finishing the look were false nails painted bright red. When Ron was done, her own mother wouldn’t recognize her. Hermione’s new look went from a nice looking school girl to an exotic woman.

“Wow!” Hermione said as she looked in the mirror. She so wanted Ron to explain why he had all of this stuff in his locker but thought better of it. Some things just shouldn’t be asked.

“Yea, wow, you’re hot.” Ron drooled

“I don’t want to be hot. I want to be undetectable.”

“No one will recognize you. Remember these are not magic. They have to be maintained. You’ll have to go into muggle London to get most of these things. You have any money?”

“A little, enough for a few days.”

“I don’t have a lot but you can have what I have.” Ron handed her a small pouch of money.

“I can’t take your money Ron. You’ve done so much for me already.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I can never thank you enough. No one else would do what you have done for me.”

“Take my money. It will make me feel better to know you have it. Do you still have the portkey that Gavin gave you?”

Hermione pulled form around her neck to show Ron.

“Good. Be careful. I don’t think I could live if anything happened to you. It would be my fault entirely.”

“Don’t be silly. I would have gone anyway. At least now my chances are a lot better… If I don’t come back I want you to know. You’ll always have a spot in my heart. You were the first one I had ever loved. Gavin will be the last.” She shrunk her valise and slipped it into her pocket. “Tell Harry I love him and not to be too mad at you. Nothing could have changed my mind.”

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Neville stood at Miriam’s front door with a bouquet of flowers he had grown. He wore his finest robes and his hair was slicked back with enough oil in it to make shine. His hand was about to knock on the door when he noticed that his shoes were dusty. He leaned his hand on the door jam while he lifted his shoe to clean it on the back of his calf. He was about to lift the second shoe when the door opened. He heard the continuing ringing of the doorbell and gathered that his hand was on the doorbell. He jumped back, dropping the flowers. Giggling uneasy, he reached for the bouquet when he bumped heads with Miriam, who also was reaching for the flowers.

“I guess I’ll go.” He turned to leave when Miriam’s soft hand caught his arm.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I thought… I mean… you still want me to come in?” He couldn’t have been more shocked if she had leaned over and kissed him.

“Of course, you have to come see my plant, she’s doing wonderfully.” Miriam smiled and took his hand. Neville cringed, his hand was sweaty and he didn’t have a chance to dry it.

Miriam led Neville to her living room. On a small table, under the widow, was the plant that Neville had given her.

“I call her Pansy.” She grinned.

“Well technically she isn’t a pansy… Oh… her name is Pansy. I get it.” He felt so awkward.

“Neville relax.” She walked behind him and started to massage his tense shoulders. “I don’t bite… unless you want me to,” she teased.

“I… I… I have to leave.” He took off.

Blocking his way Miriam asked. “What do you think you're doing?”

“I shouldn’t be here. Not with someone like you.”

She took offense at his remark. “And what does that mean?”

“You’re so wonderful and beautiful. You should be with someone who deserves to be with you. Not someone… like me.”

“Neville, I would have never have asked you to my home if I didn’t want you here.” She took a step forward. “No one can tell me who I want to be with. I make that decision and I have decided that I want to be with you.” They were toe to toe. “Before you have a heart attack I’m going to get this over with.” She smiled as she slid her fingers into his greasy hair.

“Get what over with?” He was breathing heavy.

“This.” She kissed him, a soft but demanding kiss, one that begged for him to open his mouth. Neville, as naïve as he was, eagerly reciprocated. His arms encircled her small waist, pulling her body into his. His eagerness was pressing into her stomach. He was shocked at how forward he had become and pulled slowly away.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I like you Neville Longbottom. I like you a lot. I will take it as slow as you want me to but I want more than a one night stand. I’ve never felt this way about a man before.” She kissed his moist lips again.

“I’ve never… I mean… Can we be friends first? I’m not comfortable about going to…” He motioned with his head toward what he assumed was the bedroom.

“Neville take as long as you want. When we go to bed I want us both to enjoy it.” She gave him another peck. “Now how about that dinner I promised you? Then for desert we can snog.”

“I like your plan.” He gave her his first real smile of the evening.

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When Hermione walked into the bar, time stopped. The room was silent and every head was staring at her. She turned around looking behind her to see what everyone was looking at, and then it dawned on her. They were looking at her, not only looking but lusting after her. She could do this. With an attitude that belied her true feelings she walked into the lions' den.