"Hey, you—wait!"
Hermione's head throbbed as she hurried after her.
The little Vampire girl had not gone far. She stood before the archway, gazing toward Hogsmeade, where lights still glimmered like stars in the distance.
"Since last term, the school has tightened its security. The gates are protected by extremely powerful magic. Without permission from Professor Dumbledore and Professor Breen, even the other professors can't enter or leave Hogwarts late at night!"
Hermione spoke helplessly. This little Vampire girl did not seem particularly easy to deal with.
"But I'm hungry!"
The little Vampire girl still said the same thing. She tucked back the strands of hair dancing before her eyes and studied Hermione's snow-white neck, a malicious smile curling at her lips. "Do you know what happens when a Vampire is left hungry?"
Startled by her gaze, Hermione quickly stepped back to Hagrid's side and glared at her warily.
"Oh, don't scare Hermione, little Vampire—"
Hagrid raised his brows and eyed the little Vampire sidelong, wearing an expression that said he had seen right through her. "Since Professor Breen brought you here, he must know that your kind doesn't drink human blood."
The girl's expression visibly darkened. Her long, thick black lashes trembled, yet her deep crimson eyes, rich as wine aged for years in oak barrels, glinted with mischief. She stared at Hermione, who seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief. "That's true, but that doesn't mean I won't. Don't you know? Plenty of my kind would be willing to cause trouble for Amosta Breen!"
"Why?"
Hermione became nervous again. The tip of her wand had even slipped out from beneath her sleeve.
"He killed more Vampires in New York than there are students in this school!"
The little Vampire girl puffed out her chest and snarled fiercely.