Blood Ties

A/N: Here's the next installment. I do hope you enjoy. 

Chapter 33

Hermione and Draco met Albus and Harry on the edge of the platform. In her mind, she'd already stopped calling him Dumbledore or Professor. She wouldn't be returning to school so she was no longer a student. He was her peer. She followed along behind the duo in front of her and ignored the curious looks aimed in their direction. Of course people would wonder what the four of them were doing together. They were the most unlikely of quartets.

She slid into the ministry car beside Draco and laced her fingers with his as they drove away. They had so much to do. Sure, she knew where all the horcruxes were and what they were, but it didn't make the task seem any less daunting. Getting the cup from Bellatrix's vault at Gringott's would be no easy feat. And neither would be getting to Nagini. They had a long uphill road in front of them.

Then of course there was Harry. She didn't know if she could willingly kill her friend if it came down to it. She just hoped that it wouldn't come down to that.

They sped toward Grimmauld Place and got there sooner than she expected. There was definitely something to be said about the features on a magical car. They could squeeze thru traffic and cloak themselves from prying eyes as they traveled far faster than the normal car.

She got out and stood next to Draco as Albus told them that this was the location of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. She watched as the house slowly materialized in front of them, squeezing itself from in between two muggle homes. It amazed her that they could be so oblivious. The ground shook and windows rattled as the house showed itself. Magic really did never cease to amaze her.

She followed behind Harry with Draco bringing up the rear, his hand on the small of her back protectively. She was rather nervous to meet Sirius again. She hadn't seen him since her third year. She knew that he was a lady's man and she could only imagine what his reaction would be when he saw her new look. As it turned out, she didn't have to wait long.

"Harry!" he greeted her friend warmly.

"Sirius!" he gasped as his godfather enveloped him in a fierce hug. She knew that Sirius was important to him. She knew that he counted the man as the only real family that he had left.

She waited quietly as the duo had their moment. She was glad that Harry had some sort of parental figure in his life. Even of it was someone as incorrigible as Sirius.

She watched as they separated and she fidgeted slightly as he raked his eyes over her form.

"Hermione," he greeted, his voice pitched a little bit lower as her name fell from his lips. "My, but you really have changed, haven't you?"

He took her hand and pressed as small kiss to her knuckles. She trembled as she felt him swipe his tongue across her hand to taste her skin. She withdrew her hand swiftly as a growl left Draco's lips.

"Hands off, Black!" he snarled. "She's mine, as you well know. Cousin or not, I will end you if you touch what is mine!"

"Draco!" Hermione chastised. "This is his house!"

"I don't care," he growled. "I'll not stand idle while he manhandles my mate."

Sirius held up his hands in surrender. "I apologize Draco. I meant no offense. Surely you must know how attractive a vampire female is to a mortal? I'll be more careful in the future not to step out of bounds."

He said this and then gave her a roguish wink. He would be trouble. She just knew that this was going to be a long summer.

End Note: So, Sirius... what do you think? Is he going to be trouble? What do you think of possessive Draco? Reviews=love. Be sure to leave me some.