On a Hot Summer Night

[AN]Sorry for the long wait, but life bites you in the ass sometimes. Thanks for the reviews.[/AN]


"Don't touch that Lily! You'll burn yourself. And I'm no medi-witch."

Ginerva stood with her hands on her hips scolding her five year old child. Little Lily was first born and had all the spunk and rebellion that both her mother and father shared. Ginny was trying to make dinner, when all Lily could do was find a way to interfere. Luckily James, only 2, was still in a high chair waiting for dinner, or else he would probably be as mischievous as Lily. The phone in the kitchen rang as Ginny was stirring the soup in the pot, and the little screen said Hermione's name. Ginny shook her head. Hermione would never have children, and would probably never settle down. Coming from such a large family, Ginny wanted one just like hers, and Harry was only happy to oblige. He was off at the Ministry at the moment, taking care of some business or the other. Ginny had started out working, but when she became pregnant with Lily, she and Harry decided that it would be best if she stayed at home. They had enough money anyway.

Balancing the phone on the crook of her shoulder, she tended to her soup as she answered.

"Hermione, what's the matter now?"

"If I tell you, you must promise me not to scream. Or hex something."

"Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. It's just that I need advice. I need to wear some makeup. And do something with my hair. And I honestly, don't know what to do. Ginny, you were always quite the vixen when we were younger; you must know something about this."

"What is this for? Do you have a date?!"

"In a way. I'm going hunting with Severus..."

"Hunting! Mione I thought you weren't going to kill! And with Snape? When did you two become best friends? Hermione, I'm not helping you. Least of all to go out killing with that greasy old bat."

"Ginny! How dare you? It is me. I would never harm someone that didn't deserve it. Besides, you know what day it is. He just came over to wish me a Happy Birthday, and things went from there. Would you please help me, I only have an hour or so now."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Hermione looked at the screen to make sure she was still connected; afraid that maybe Ginny hung up on her. She bit her bottom lip, grazing it with her fang. She had expected Ginny to overreact. No one approved of her vampiric nature. But she didn't expect Ginny to go off like this. She supposed that the silence was her realization of what day it was. Everyone had walked away with scars from that battle. Or, in Harry's case, a lack of one.

"Fine. What are you wearing?"

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at her outfit, she relayed the information to Ginny. At least her friend seemed to calm down a bit. When she was done there was another small silence on the phone.

"Alright. Wear neutral makeup. You don't want to look as if you've overdone it. Or as if you're asking for it. By the way...are you? Never mind. I really don't want to know. As for your hair, well, that's always been a problem, hasn't it. Just put it up in a bun, leaving a few strands around your face. If you wanted, you could put a bit of red highlights in it, dark ones though. That may be overkill though."

"Oh, Ginny, you're a lifesaver! Thank you so much. I must be going, but give a kiss to Lily and James and say hello to Harry for me."

"Will do. Hermione, good luck. And don't be overzealous about this whole killing thing. Addiction is bad with anything."

"I know. I'll be logical as I always am. See you soon. Bye."

Ginny hung up the phone before she heard the last few words from Hermione. Honestly, she didn't want to help her out. Especially if Snape was involved. She had half a mind to strangle him. Maybe when Lily went to Hogwarts, she would be able to give him a piece of her mind. Ron may have been fine with her best friend's transformation, but Ginny never was. Harry had accepted it better than she expected as well. Ten years could change a person, for better or for worse, and as far as Ginny had changed, it had been for worse, as she despised what her friend became.

Twirling with her skirt in anticipation, Hermione went back to her mirror, and tried to put her hair up. She used similar techniques from the Yule Ball dance, but made sure that the pieces of hair around her face were elegantly sculpted. No highlights though. Her makeup started with just a simple foundation, with little color accents. The most she put on was a bit of red tinted lip stick. It brought out the brilliant white of her teeth, including her fangs.

Now all she had to do was wait.

Severus had only apparated to a New York street. From the look of it, he was in Union Square. A nice area, and great for picking up victims, he walked around, surveying the crowds. Many of them were students in college, some of them just business workers. No one to his liking. He found an alley and apparated from there to the South Street Seaport. The smell of raw fish filled his nostrils, and he wanted to cover his nose quickly out of habit, but refrained from doing so. It would look strange to an ordinary human. The next thing his sense picked up on was a vampire. A male, if his nose told him right. The thought messages Severus was getting told him that this was his territory. Severus was older than this male, and he found the other vampire, quickly stopping the flow of blood to his heart with a bit of magic. Being both species helped sometimes.

It was almost 8 PM and Severus, disposing of the young vampire's body, noticed the time. He grumbled, and apparated back to Hermione's apartment door. It was rude to apparate inside, although he had done that already for the day. But at that point, she would never have let him in. Now, he had a reason to not apparate inside.

With one last look in the mirror, she heard the pop outside her door. Opening it without even looking, she saw Severus standing in what he wore before. She smirked, and stepped out into the hallway, locking her door behind her.

"Shall we get going?"