He knew the moment he'd met her that she is his. Is he her guardian angel or a devil trying to claim her soul? Hermione/ Aro

A/N: AU. No Voldemort, therefore Harry's parents are alive and he's in a happy home. I got this inspiration while I was channel surfing and saw a commercial for a series in CI. I've edited this short story, although with other things going around, I don't know if I've polished it enough. Thanks for the head's up, Writer'sBlockPotterhead.

Warning: Beloved characters deaths

Obsession: Dark Desires

They say that for every person that ever existed on this planet there is someone made just for him or her. But more often than not, the said soul mate is born from a different time than his or hers, or it could be that the person lives in a far away land. But once their paths cross, even for the briefest moment, it is the most exhilarating experience that one can experience nowhere or with anyone else. Humans, with their short lifespan have little to no chance of meeting their true soul mate; an example to this could be in a case of a woman born in Elizabethan England could have her soul mate born during the modern times. Thus, when her descendant meets this man, they could claim their meeting to be love at first sight but they are not, in reality true soul mates. With the distance and time in consideration, vampires, with their almost endless existence have more chances of meeting their soul mates than their human counterpart.

Aro couldn't believe his good fortune when he finally met his soul mate, or his anima gemella, the twin of his soul in the local language. His senses, long dormant with his sedentary lifestyle, went on an overload and he felt emotions he'd forgotten in the passing time, stirring within him. Unfortunately, not only is she underage but she is also a witch, therefore under the protection of a treaty long forgotten but still held as legal by the wizardry world. To drain her would not cause them much problems as it is in a vampire's nature to feed and the ministry would have no qualms over this, but to take her as his bride could spell trouble. Besides a couple of years would not hurt, it would only serve to have her ripen and mature.

It all began in the summer of 1994, when Hermione Granger, a mere 15 year old or 16 year old by Ministry reckoning with her use of the Time-Turner, joined her parents' tour group. Her parents won, even though they did not remember entering a contest, an all paid vacation tour to France. They've gone to France before, but not to this particular historical site. Call it intuition, but Hermione felt that there was something off with this tour group; the luxurious free transportation, the delicious meals aboard the plane (nothing's ever free, a lesson that even a child knows) and even the inconsistency in dating the artifacts on display by their tour guide Heidi (she just dismissed it as misinformation, many tour guides are not exactly archeologists or historians). She also wondered why Heidi and her group lied about their location. They claim that they are on French soil, but she knows due to her basic Astronomy lessons, that the positioning of the stars on the evening sky indicates that they are possibly somewhere in Italy. She thought that perhaps they are somewhere near the border of Italy or she miscalculated (she is only a student after all).

As soon as they walked in the grand room that resembles the throne rooms of days gone by, a man whose paleness resembles the marble around him stared at her for a while, seemingly panicked for a few seconds before he shouted and gave what seems to be an order in Italian (it is guess work on her part but Hermione definitely knows that he didn't speak in French). An order that neither she nor the tour group they were on did not understand. After a while, the man approached her, kissed her hand and murmured something she didn't understand in Italian. 'Why speak Italian if they're in France,' had been the first question on her mind. He looked at her quizzically, almost as if he was trying to read her mind and couldn't. Their proximity, her teenage hormones and his extreme good looks had her blushing. "You are very beautiful when you blush, cara." He said smilingly before he turned to the rest of the tour group. "You are all welcome to continue your tour unmolested." He told them and before giving them a sweeping bow.

Her parents and the other members of the tour group presumed they were actors who wore make-up. They went back to their hotel for the evening before they were flown back to England and all considered it a luxurious but an uneventful and wonderful vacation. All but Hermione, who thought the situation odd and upon her return to Hogwarts researched about the situation she and parents found themselves in and realized that they faced the Volturi.

As she read, she learned some things about the Volturi, she learned that her world considered them the ruling power amongst the vampires but still urged wizards and witches to stay away from their paths. She also learned that they hunt with the use of their lure and elaborate ruses, leads unaware and unsuspecting humans where they drain them. Often times, the humans have no idea that they are in Volterra as they are not told of their location. Vampires hunting humans in Volterra is not allowed, in order to maintain the secrecy of their government's existence there. The Volturi, long aware of the existence of the magical world, has a treaty of co-existence with the wizardry realm. The treaty states that the Volturi and subsequently, the vampires of their realm be allowed to exist unmolested and they in turn do not interfere with the wizardry realm.

She also learned the names of the vampire kings and from the old sketches from the 16th century, she learned that the vampire who kissed her hand had been none other than Aro. Sworn brother and co-king of Marcus and Caius. She figured that the treaty did not allow for her to be bitten and thus, she and her group had been left unmolested. Hermione might be smarter and more mature than most of her age, but she was certainly naïve about the way she perceives things. She didn't realize that she was just a Muggleborn. The Ministry of Magic may look for her, upon the reports of her absence and may even discover the reason for her demise, but would not have done anything about it. The wizardry world is afraid of change and she is unimportant, a nobody in their realm. Something else saved her and her parents that day, and it was not the Treaty between the Wizardry Realm and the Volturi.

A vampire's perception is several time stronger than a human's. While sight is the perception humans first use to determine attraction and in certain cases find their true soul mate, vampires, on the other hand rely on their sense of scent. Given that the sensory perception of vampires are more powerful than a human being's sensory perception, this enables them to verify this easier and their sight of the person only helps them to merely verify what their nose tells them. A few seconds in the company of their true mate, would allow a vampire to ascertain whether the human is their true mate or not.

The owls containing letters started arriving a week after her arrival at Hogwarts. The first thing she got was an amethyst necklace in a gold setting. Her dorm mates had been envious, Ginny had been bothering her to give her more details about her suitor and Ron started to sulk. The girls from her year figured it was a holiday fling. But it was not even that, given that she did not even know who it came from, as all the letters were only signed; "Eternally Yours,".

Time went on, the weeks unfolded into months and she continued to exchange owls with her anonymous pen pal and whoever he (she had asked him during one of their correspondence about his gender) would send her gifts. Even the smallest trinkets, she found to be expensive. He gifted her with an abundance of jewelries, some dresses and when he discovered her love for books, started gifting her rare books, some out of print and others contemporary. He had dismissed her concerns over the price of these gifts, merely assuring her that he can well afford it and he is doing it as a friend. "Are we not friends that I cannot give you gifts, Hermione?" He once asked in his letter. At this, Hermione started giving him small gifts and he had been pleased with the smallest gifts she'd given. His only request in their correspondence is that she does not ask who he is and where he is from. Hermione, despite her curiosity, was afraid to lose the one person who understands her acquiesced. He can only answer things that do not pertain to his identity or location and some small details about his person.

Despite this, Hermione kept their correspondence. After all, what teenage girl would not be flattered by compliments on her beauty and brilliance? Therefore, she took the time to learn beautifying charms to improve her appearance and grooming. She told him of things she would not dream to tell her parents about, of her frustration to being linked to Harry and Viktor Krum and how people perceive her to be a slag when they didn't even know her and how she is losing Ron as her friend. He gave her an assurance that even if the whole world vilified her, he would always believe in her.

The Daily Prophet issued a front page apology to Hermione Granger and her family for the libelous materials they've published. Rita Skeeter was promptly demoted and someone else was assigned to the Tri-Wizard Tournament, a more professional writer who only wrote facts. Skeeter was soon found dead in Germany, where she was supposedly following a lead about a "sensational story" as she is known to be trying to regain her former seat of glory in the Daily Prophet.

Vampires who've lived for a long time, starts to lose his or her humanity in the passing years, the basest emotions and feelings would fade away, particularly if they do not have their soul mate as anchor for their soul and more pronouncedly if they've lost contact with the humans at large. All they remember is the hunger, in cases of some, their quest for power or acquisition. This lack of feelings and emotions can lead the said vampire to be overwhelmed with its return when they finally see or even smell their true mate. Their absence, can lead the immortal to almost insanity. The desire to attain his or her soul mate goes higher than even their thirst for blood. It cannot be sated until he or she is ascertain that they can possess their object of affection.

Aro is experiencing this, a craving accompanied with pain that he almost, if it were not for his years, cannot bear. He cannot risk breaking the treaty, but he can wait. Meanwhile, he'll eliminate those who stand in his way as he continued to write her twice a week. He'd wanted more correspondence but she asked him to maintain this limit as she cannot compromise her studies. Since she is safely protected in the warded castle she calls a second home, he had the time to gather all information he could about her as he set about planning how he'd get her.

A mourning Hermione stood by her friends, Ron, Harry and Ginny and watched as her parents' caskets were lowered onto the ground. They both died in a car accident. Finances-wise, Hermione did not have much concern as her parents have already organized their insurance, leaving Hermione as their sole beneficiary. She'd wondered though, where the additional trust-fund, which gave her a generous monthly allowance, came from, but chose not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

She cannot believe her father had been speeding. He'd never been one to do that. Both him and her mother were not wearing seatbelts and were drunk beyond the legal limit, another point she couldn't believe. But she ignored the niggling feeling and just dismissed it as the life her parents have beyond their daughter. It was probably a good thing that she did not pursue it further, because she may not like what she will find out.

Her pen pal had been her constant support in these trying times. She almost fell into depression if it were not for him. Their correspondence were full of anecdotes about their days, vague but insightful and took to exchanging essays, short stories and poems. They talked about history, the battles of old and the lives of ancient people of long dead cultures. But no matter how long they've wrote, it seems as if they never ran out of things to converse about in their bi-weekly letters.

Upon her parents' death, she leaned on her pen pal for support and he had been willing. "I hope to take you away from all of your worries, but the time for that had yet to come." Her friend wrote. Given that they were used to her correspondence with her pen pal, Ginny and the others have stopped badgering her about her pen pal but Ron, in all of his hypocrisy continued to plague her with his questioning and sulking. All the while flirting (read making out) with Lavender Brown. She confided her grief over this situation to her pen pal who merely wrote that Ron is not worth her attention. This had her feeling more confident about herself and she started to stop seeing Ron as a romantic figure and began to see him as an annoying brother. She was more often, than not, fantasizing about her pen pal, imagining what he looks like from the sparse information he gave about himself. A fact, that she unfortunately, neglected to tell the said pen pal.

The Wizardry Realm is out of touch with the world around it in its arrogance and the sense of their superiority, therefore Hermione had not heard the news about one of the vampire realm's kings. News of how Aro, unprovoked, was attacked by his wife in the throne room and that he had no choice but to have her executed.

Almost everyone in the vampire realm knew that Aro, one of the kings of the Volturi, hand-picked his wife to be his consort when his sworn brothers found their soul mates. As such, Sulpicia is not his true soul mate. The vampires of Volterra, being extremely loyal to the kings, especially Aro through Chelsea's ability, would never dare gossip, thus, the story of how he found his true mate did not circulate. Sulpicia had not caught wind of it until Aro himself told her that he will separate from her because he finally found his soul mate and she should find hers as well.

This was a cruel action from Aro as Sulpicia, like Athenodora, Marcus, and Caius, to some extent, is reliant and therefore, addicted, to Corin's powers. Unknown to many, except for the two whose abilities he utilized, told her this without the influence of Corin on her mind and without Chelsea's hold to her, in anticipation of how she will act out. A vampire's sensory perception and physical attributes are not the only thing magnified by their change, their emotions, if they chose to feel are also magnified exponentially. Therefore, the scorned and abandoned Sulpicia, acted as Aro expected her to, attacked him with the intent to kill in the throne room. This was treason, a rightful excuse to execute anyone in the vampire world, including his queen.

The Wizardry Realm, particularly the Quidditch sports fanatics faced a sad news as the a tragic death of a Quidditch sports hero circulated. A horrified Hermione read on the Daily Prophet that Viktor Krum, with whom she exchanged an occasional owl with, had a tragic accident as he was attacked by a rampaging dragon in his country home. He had wanted to invite her to visit him for the summer and she agreed, she was about to depart in a few days' time. She wanted to attend his funeral but Bulgaria issued a rule that only citizens of their country and foreign dignitaries may attend their hero's wake and burial. So as not to feel lonesome in her parents' home, she spent the summer with the Weasleys instead. Molly and Arthur, being her almost second parents paid her owls no heed unlike her parents who were concerned over the time she spent writing this pen pal of hers, seeing as their children assured them that Hermione had been corresponding with her friend for some time now. They did not know that Hermione has no idea who she's corresponding with as she failed to mention this to even her friends.

That summer, tragedy struck the Weasleys, as Ron, who'd been visiting Lavender in her family home had been attacked by a wayward troll while he was picnicking with her in the forest near her home. Lavender fell under depression, given that she claimed she and her Won-won are engaged and that they were planning to get married after Hogwarts. Ginny did not believe it, but Molly was carried away by the grief of her almost-daughter that she kept on hugging Lavender on Ron's wake and cried with her. Hermione just mourned her latest loss, without the comfort and support of anyone around her. She's only his friend after all. It didn't matter that he used to hold her affection.

When Hermione went home to her parents' empty house, she found her latest letter, with its writer, her pen-pal holding it, waiting for her in the sitting room. If she had been an adult, full grown and well-versed in the world, this should have sent her warning signals. The first being, how did he enter her home without any signs of intrusion? The second and one her parents would have warned her about had they lived is why in the world someone as old (as his appearance indicates) would want to correspond and even show interest in someone like her as he often did in his letters? Instead, being a flattered innocent teenager, she smiled as he took her in his arms. "I've come to take you away from all of this. I'm sorry, I couldn't before. You were too young. They'd lynch me in your world." He said ruefully. "What about school? I'm only a year away from…" Hermione asked but before she could finish Aro held her closer to him. "You know what I am. You've mentioned knowledge of my kind before, as a topic in one of your studies. You are my soul mate, my anima gemella. I will not force you into something that you do not want but I cannot wait any longer, I cannot take our distance anymore. I need you in my life. I need to see you every day, to know you are by my side." Aro begged. His vampire charms, which Hermione had not really taken into consideration working to his advantage. "I will worship you every day. I will love you and cherish your beauty for the rest of our days. Our love will go on for eternity." He continued. She weakened and she did not know that in that moment, she lost.

Hermione thought it through. Harry has his friends, despite being an only child of his still young parents, he'd not be alone. Ginny has her family and other than these two, she didn't really have anyone else in her life. She gave her hand to him.

Hermione did not arrive at Hogwarts for the last term, she was supposed to be the head of her year and everyone knew that she, instead of Draco Malfoy would have had the honor of being the first in their class. She had vanished, only indication that she was alive was the letters she sent to her friends assuring them of her safety. They didn't understand why studious ambitious Hermione would want to drop out of school when she'd been so close to graduating. But they have their own lives and were easily mollified by her continuous owls. Her favorite professor, Professor Minerva McGonagall, who'd been protective of Hermione even before her parents did felt that something suspicious is afoot and badgered the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore to investigate on her disappearance.

Being a wizard with connections around the world, Dumbledore found out that Hermione is in the keeping of Aro, one of the kings of the Volturi. She'd been turned with her consent on the eve of the day of her birthday. As she is of legal age in the wizardry world, nobody could complain about this. If he told Minerva about this, he is sure that she would inform her friends and have them rile up the ministry or possibly condemn Hermione for her choices. He cannot afford to have a newborn Hermione receive owls that might upset her as she might turn on her friends. For the greater good, Dumbledore decided to just tell McGonagall, and subsequently her friends and their families, that she ran away to Europe to live with her boyfriend. Her belief in Dumbledore assured McGonagall of the safety of her student. Despite thinking that this course of action is foolish, she remembered her own passion and her youth and decided that, at least, Hermione was brave enough to pursue her dreams and ambitions.

Despite appearances, Hermione did not have a fairytale, in spite of her belief that she has one. She didn't end up with Prince Charming, as Hermione thought him to be, but a manipulative murderous villain. She really don't know him, not of his actions from the past, what he will continue to do and what he did to get her. He had her parents murdered because they objected their correspondence and because their continuous existence would always keep Hermione tied to them and therefore, he'd find it difficult to spirit her away. He eliminated Rita Skeeter to protect Hermione and her reputation. But he also eliminated those whom he deemed to be a threat to their relationship, Viktor Krum and Ron Weasley. He would have had Harry Potter assassinated had Hermione and him been closer but Harry had been more of Ron's friend than Hermione's.

In the two months he'd kept her human so as not to cross the treaty with her world, he wooed her and when he couldn't take anymore, he'd seduced her. He is after all, a man from a different time, her youth is not a deterrent to his goals. He relished in her innocence and beauty, taking pleasure in the knowledge that he's the only man she'd ever allowed to touch her. He had, of course, not allowed anyone in his suite of rooms where he had her room placed, thus for two months all she saw was him. Their ties as soul mates were intensified by what some psychiatrist can call Stockholm Syndrome, because in reality, no matter how gilded her cage is, he would never let her go. He took a temporary leave from his duties in those two months and spent all of his time, if he's not feeding, in ensuring her care; he made sure she eats well and rests well, provides her with wonderful books and stories from the past and even in her sleep, watches over her. What teenager wouldn't relish in the attention?

Her presence staves off his madness, his callousness, even his savageness and reminds him of the man he once was. He was still the same power hungry maniac but he remembered human emotions, though he just won't apply them in his decision making, he merely enjoys its presence in his being.

On the eve of her birthday, after gifting her with wonderful things and celebrating her birthday with a trip to the Opera and a wonderful dinner, he turned her. He walked her through her first feeding and gloried in her control and restraint. But he coaxed her not to feel shame in her thirst for blood as it would keep her beautiful and beside him eternally. She felt aghast, at first that she needed to kill humans for her subsistence but was somehow mollified when he explained that is the price of staying with him for eternity. For a teenager who grew up feeling unwanted by her peers, she relished in the idea of being wanted. She may have her values and her virtues but she is young, still malleable and her thirst prevents her from thinking about things too much. He neglected to tell her of Carlisle Cullen's alternative lifestyle and by the time she found out about it, she'd been too set in her diet to change. She had been lapse in writing letters to her friends and it would not do for them to worry. Thus, he continued her correspondence with her friends, imitating her handwriting to keep them from worrying as he guided her through her new life. He would slowly decrease letters sent to them over the years until they've finally faltered.

On the other side of the coin, Aro had been so proud when, unlike his first wife, Hermione began showing her talent. It renders Renata's and later Bella Swan's talents as inferior not only in their redundancy but in strength, as Hermione manifested shields that are both physical and mental. Perhaps, this talent was magnified by her being a witch while she was human, but the strength of her talent did not wane and instead grew as she practiced using it. At first, it had only been a small dome like area; then it got larger until it can finally cover the entire Volturi coven and its guards. Later, she was able to fine tune it to protect individual coven members and guards, enabling them to battle and use their skills even if they are not near her, provided they remain within an almost city wide range. She also learned to diversify and learned to create an enclosure when the Volturi needs to apprehend dissenters. Aro, soon got out of his sedentary lifestyle as he was thrilled to watch his wife use her powers against those who dared to rise against his coven.

Later on, when Edward sought his death, he'd wonder why he could not read the thoughts of those in Volturi until he remembered Carlisle's news that Aro's mate is a powerful shield, both mental and physical in nature. When Bella came and stopped him from his trying to reveal himself, Aro did not find her a wonder, nor did he sway from his decision when Alice informed him that she'd be a vampire soon, he knows is that she is a threat. Not only to the secret of their realm, but to the rule of his coven. With her as an addition to the Olympic coven, Carlisle's family, even if he were a pacifist, would have the strength to be a serious threat. Alice cried out in her grief before he'd even acted out as Aro drained Bella of her blood. Edward would forever grieve the loss of his soul mate, especially for his role in her demise, rendering him as hollow as Marcus is. Aro bid the two farewell, because even if he wants Alice's powers, his friendship with Carlisle stops him from "acquiring" her talents. As for Edward, it was only his familial bonds with his family that stopped him from joining Bella in her death, in a few decades, not even this could hold him back. Thus, when he went back to Volterra to ask for his death, Aro had Chelsea bound him to the Volturi with Carlisle's permission given that he'd rather Edward stay with his friend than depart from this world.

Does love excuse one's actions against the person they love, even if it assured them of a happy life together? Hermione never knew what Aro did to have her and in her devotion to him did not venture to question what he and his sworn brothers did as they rule the vampire world. She is blind to the kind of person he is. Given their affinity as soul mates, he is a perfect loving husband to her. He sees personally to her care, more of a slave than her king. He does not allow Corin to use her powers on Hermione and warned his mate that the said vampire's powers are addictive, besides with her talent, she does not need to stay in the tower. Instead, he stimulated her intellect and gave her topics to study and learn about. He allowed her to pursue her interests and hobbies. He taught her beauty and shared culture of the world he'd known throughout the several millennia he'd existed. She thrived on this academic and artistic world and he is her patron, her partner and lover. With Aro's love, or obsession, whichever way you look at it, he made her world beautiful and perfect. He felt pride that he didn't need Corin to give this to his soul mate. He didn't care about anything else as long as he had her love.