The light in Adele’s bedroom wasn’t bright, but it was enough to cast two intertwined shadows on the wall.

The restraint Hermione had imposed upon herself for Adele’s sake crumbled under the weight of the girl’s seductive words. Her carefully controlled emotions surged forth like a tidal wave, engulfing Adele entirely.

Adele closed her eyes, feeling like she was adrift in a deep, blue abyss. Her body felt weightless one moment, heavy the next. At first, it was like plummeting into the depths, her consciousness fading with the increasing pressure. Then, the tide turned, carrying her back to the surface, where the sun-kissed waves gently deposited her on the warm sand, the cries of gulls and the caress of the sea breeze washing over her.

Surprisingly… it felt nice.

Adele’s eyes fluttered open, landing on the soft glow of the ceiling light. She blinked, and the light slowly came into focus, along with the face of the silver-haired girl hovering above her.

Hermione. She was breathtaking, ethereal.

 

Adele’s senses returned, pulling her back from the brink of unconsciousness. She heard Hermione whispering her name, her voice soft and gentle, her touch featherlight. As if Adele were a precious, fragile porcelain doll that could shatter at any moment.

Hermione cupped Adele’s delicate face in her hands, her touch reverent. She leaned down and placed a tender kiss on Adele’s forehead, then her brow, her delicate nose, her flushed cheeks…

And finally, her lips. Those soft, rosy petals, a masterpiece of creation.

The kiss was light, a mere taste, yet it sent a jolt of sweetness through Adele’s entire being.

Hermione, it seemed, preferred to savor the best for last. Unlike Adele, who believed in indulging in delicious things while she could, before she missed her chance and regretted it later.

Adele was greedy. Even if she couldn’t stomach another bite, she would still stuff herself silly.

It was that insatiable hunger that had driven her to tame Celeste, to draw Sharon into a “Dream Realm” painted with the colors of reality, and to seduce Hermione into her current state…

 

It was painful at times, but Adele didn’t regret it.

Especially not when Hermione was being so gentle, so considerate. Despite her own unfulfilled desires, she had stopped, worried about pushing Adele too far.

Hermione’s lips trailed down to Adele’s neck, and Adele felt a strange, wet sensation. It tickled a little, but it was also strangely comforting.

Hermione was licking her wounds, helping them to heal faster, to fade back into her porcelain skin.

Rumor had it that human scientists were studying the regenerative properties of vampire saliva. Some wealthy humans, privy to the secrets of the night, even paid exorbitant prices for the saliva of high-ranking vampires.

Vampire saliva was said to have miraculous healing properties. And Hermione’s, it seemed, was particularly potent.

Adele, on the other hand… well, her saliva was about as effective as a human’s. Otherwise, Celeste and Sharon wouldn’t still be sporting her bite marks.

 

Of course, both girls were somewhat reluctant to let the marks fade completely. A little ointment would have healed them without a trace, but some scars, it seemed, were meant to be treasured.

“…Is it over?” Adele asked, her voice weak and languid.

For some reason, being claimed by a Sequence One was utterly draining. Even though Hermione had held back, had consumed less blood than usual out of consideration for her…

And no, Adele wasn’t faking her exhaustion to elicit sympathy from Hermione. Although, the end result was probably the same.

Hermione lifted her head, her gaze lingering on Adele’s flushed cheeks. She nodded, fighting the urge to kiss her again. “Mmm… I’m a little tired…”

Adele stretched languidly, like a cat waking from a nap. “Mmm… good…” she mumbled contentedly.

Hermione couldn’t help but smile, watching Adele with adoration.

 

Relief washed over Adele. It was finally over. Tears welled up in her eyes, tears of exhaustion and relief. Before she could even lift a hand to wipe them away, Hermione was already there, gently dabbing at the corners of her eyes.

Adele basked in Hermione’s attentiveness, a sweet smile gracing her lips.

But the tender moment was short-lived.

Adele’s stomach chose that exact moment to growl loudly.

“…”

“…Pfft.”

Hermione couldn’t contain her laughter.

 

Adele blushed, glaring playfully at the girl still straddling her. “Her-mi-one! Don’t laugh!”

“I’m sorry, my Adele,” Hermione apologized, her lips twitching with amusement. “It’s just… cute.”

If word of this ever got out, the entire academy would be in shock. No one would believe that the Ice Queen, the aloof and regal Hermione, was capable of offering a genuine apology.

Adele, still pretending to be annoyed, rolled over, turning her back to Hermione. But she couldn’t resist peeking back at her every few seconds.

Did she really think Hermione wouldn’t notice?

Hermione shifted her position, lying on her side facing Adele. She propped herself up on her elbow, her silver-blue hair cascading down her back like a waterfall.

She reached out towards Adele, her hand hovering hesitantly before settling on Adele’s waist. A comforting caress.

 

“Come on, don’t be mad at me~”

If the students were shocked before, now the entire academy, faculty included, would be picking their jaws up off the floor.

The Ice Queen, the indomitable Hermione… was acting coy?

“Hmph!”

Adele tried to sound annoyed, but her heart fluttered at Hermione’s touch. She didn’t pull away.

Emboldened, Hermione leaned closer, reveling in the warmth of Adele’s skin beneath her fingertips.

Adele, however, began to tremble as Hermione’s touch grew bolder. “Her-mi-one…” she whined, her voice soft and pleading. “You’re being mean! You’re full and satisfied, but you don’t care about my body… or my feelings…”

 

Hermione froze, her hand instinctively retreating. Guilt gnawed at her. She wasn’t used to comforting others. Usually, it was the other way around. But with Adele…

Hermione didn’t question her instincts. She wracked her brain, trying to figure out how to comfort Adele.

She had been selfish, driven by her own desires, forgetting that Adele might not be able to handle it, might be feeling overwhelmed.

For the first time, Hermione felt a flicker of uncertainty, a touch of anxiety. She didn’t want to ruin things with Adele.

It was clear to her now that Adele was different. She was special.

Hermione didn’t care about their social standing, their difference in rank. All that mattered was the bond growing between them, the intimacy they shared, the longing to be near each other, always.

“I’m sorry, Adele,” Hermione said, her voice sincere. She didn’t reach out this time, knowing it would be too much.

 

Instead, she did something completely unexpected.

Like a large, affectionate cat, she nuzzled her cheek against Adele’s hair, peppering her shoulder with light kisses.

Adele, sensitive to every touch, let out a soft gasp. She turned to face Hermione, her cheeks flushed.

“…Alright, I forgive you,” she mumbled. “I was just… a little sad. It felt like you didn’t care how I felt. Like I was… nothing special to you. No different from before. Hermione, you’re not like Dorothy… right?”

Adele’s voice, fragile as spun glass, pierced Hermione’s heart.

“Never!” Hermione exclaimed, her voice urgent. She couldn’t bear the thought of Adele misunderstanding, of her image being tarnished in Adele’s eyes.

“My feelings for you… here, feel…”

 

Before Adele could protest, Hermione took her hand, her grip firm yet gentle. She guided Adele’s hand to her chest, pressing it against her left breast. Against the soft, yielding warmth that made Hermione’s heart race.

“…”

Adele was speechless.

Hermione, oblivious to the suggestive nature of her actions, gazed at Adele with an intensity that stole her breath away.

“Can you feel it?” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “My feelings for you.”

Adele nodded, her eyes shining.

Then, whether intentionally or not, she gave Hermione’s breast a gentle squeeze.

 

Hermione gasped, biting back a moan.

Adele didn’t seem to notice, or perhaps she didn’t care. She leaned closer, her eyes fixated on Hermione’s chest. “It’s beating so fast…,” she murmured, a hint of wonder in her voice. “It’s a beautiful sound.”

A comfortable silence settled between them, Adele’s expression softening. She was back to her usual self, the warm, innocent girl Hermione knew and loved.

She released Hermione’s hand, her cheeks still flushed. “Hermione…” she murmured, her eyes drifting closed.

“Yes?”

“Could you… make me something to eat? I’m a little sleepy. I’ll take a nap. I hope I wake up to a delicious midnight snack made by you…”

“…It’ll be ready when you wake up.”

 

Hermione leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Adele’s forehead.

Then, she rose from the bed and tiptoed out of the room, careful not to make a sound.

Downstairs, in the kitchen, Hermione surveyed the contents of Adele’s refrigerator with a sigh.

Two eggs, a wilted head of lettuce, and half a bag of noodles.

It was enough for a simple bowl of noodles with vegetables, but surely Adele, who had just satisfied her craving for blood, deserved something more?

Hermione knew Adele wouldn’t complain. In fact, she would probably be delighted with anything Hermione made for her.

But Hermione had standards. And now, those standards extended to Adele as well.

 

Hermione: *Why is Adele so poor? It’s baffling.*

Adele: *Let them eat cake!*(1)

Hermione pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

The vampire on the other end of the line was one of her family’s most trusted associates, a powerful figure in the city, wealthy beyond measure. Yet, he addressed Hermione with the utmost respect, his tone bordering on subservient.

Hermione’s request was simple: prepare a feast and deliver it to this address immediately.

Some resources, it seemed, were always at her disposal.

While she waited, Hermione set about cooking the noodles. It was the thought that counted. Whether or not Adele would even touch them was another matter entirely.

 

Half an hour later, Adele stirred awake to Hermione gently shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyes to find Hermione’s face inches from hers.

“…”

If she hadn’t woken up then… well, Adele was pretty sure she would have been subjected to a fate similar to Sleeping Beauty.

Suddenly, she regretted waking up at all.

Hermione, realizing Adele was awake, quickly pulled back, her cheeks flushing. “Adele, I made you something to eat. Come downstairs.”

“Mmm, you’re the best, Hermione.”

“It’s the least I could do.”

 

Despite her words, Hermione couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness at Adele’s praise.

As they made their way downstairs, Hermione’s gaze lingered on the door across from Adele’s. “Adele,” she began, a hint of curiosity in her voice, “perhaps we could invite your roommate…”

“No! I mean… she’s not really the social type,” Adele blurted out, her tone a little too eager.

Hermione frowned, a flicker of suspicion crossing her face. “Alright,” she said slowly.

If Adele had sounded even slightly more flustered, Hermione might have suspected her of hiding another girl in this apartment.

But that was ridiculous. This was Adele they were talking about. She probably blushed at the mere thought of holding hands.

Besides, after what Hermione had witnessed in the parking lot… well, she couldn’t imagine Adele engaging in such behavior.

 

Downstairs, Adele stared at the dining table in astonishment. It was laden with food. An absolute feast. Meat, seafood, delicacies from all over the world, both Eastern and Western cuisine…

And in the center of it all, a simple bowl of noodles in clear broth with wilted lettuce.

Adele was overwhelmed.

Hermione watched her expectantly.

To her surprise, Adele walked past the lavish spread and headed straight for the bowl of noodles. She sat down and picked up her chopsticks, taking a bite with a contented sigh.

Her gaze lingered on the other dishes, a flicker of longing in her eyes, but she resisted the temptation.

“Adele…? Why aren’t you trying the other dishes?” Hermione asked, confused.

 

Adele looked up, her cheeks slightly flushed. “My appetite isn’t very big,” she explained. “Besides, I told you I wanted to eat something you made yourself. This… this is all a bit much, Hermione. I appreciate the gesture, but I could never eat all of this. It would be such a waste.”

“Love means being considerate,” she continued, her gaze meeting Hermione’s. “In the end, the thing I want… the thing I choose… is this bowl of noodles that you made for me.”

She picked up another strand of noodles with her chopsticks and brought it to her lips, her eyes closing in contentment as she savored the taste. When she opened her eyes again, they were sparkling.

“These noodles… are delicious,” she said, her gaze locking with Hermione’s. “But… it would be even better if someone fed them to me.”