Author's Note: This is a short story that is co-authored with me and my friend Desi. The story's going to be less than ten chapters, but we aren't for sure how many yet. Just so you know, this chapter remains unbeta'd, but I hope you like it anyways. Please tell us what you think and note that this is not a Ron/Hermione story, it just starts as one.
Disclaimer: If I was JKR, I would make Hermione marry Draco.
With a muttered curse, Ronald kicked a chair out of his way as Remus made his way outside the room to overlook the rest of the rooms. Ron sighed in frustration while allowing a tear to fall. More followed as he looked at the bed that Hermione had slept in merely hours before. Now the bedspread had been torn to shreds, along with the pillows, there were feathers everywhere from where the pillows had been slashed open. Everything had been going wrong – when Voldemort died everything was supposed to be perfect. Destiny had a different plan. Everyone was dying, and he could do nothing to stop it. Everything in his power wasn't enough. It seemed he could do nothing but stand and watch as the people he grew up with die.
If Harry had been there, everything would have been okay. Everyone who loved him followed him, he was a born leader. Ron wasn't, and couldn't deny that. He was the amazing Harry Potter; people would follow him to their death. Sadly, it was just his death, along with many others that accompanied him. Harry died saving the world, or what was thought to be true. He saved them from Voldemort, but now there was even more chaos to defeat - and this time, they had to do it without their leader to guide them.
He looked around the room, where the blue seemed to be faded without her presence. The black stripes seemed bolder and overtook the room, reminding anyone that entered of the doom that had occurred. The blood splatters only enforced it, giving the room an even gloomier cast. The brown sheets on the bed lay in disarray, chairs were randomly thrown about, pots and pans in the kitchen littered the floor, and a cup of coffee had dropped and now stained the beige carpet. Everyone was afraid to move anything in case there was a vital clue in the arrangement. Of course, all of this was folly. None of it was going to give them any clue as to where she was.
Everyone who had seen this all had an idea who took her and were pretty positive about it– the new order of Death Eaters or their new leader himself – Draco Malfoy. The bastard himself would take time out of his life to destroy what was left of The Golden Trio.
It had been no less than a year since Lord Voldemort's downfall when Draco Malfoy took control over the remaining Death Eaters and named himself their leader. Tales had been told that Draco was named at birth to be the Dark Lord's successor, and that he'd been trained his entire life for such an event as this one. Ron had been hoping for the chance himself to be the one to kill the bastard. This event made him desire to do so even more.
With a sigh, Ronald took a deep drink out of the fire whiskey he held in his hands. So much had gone wrong. At 21 and everything was going wrong. True enough, Voldemort was defeated when they were 17. From there, everything grew gradually worse instead of better. Deciding that he was getting no where by drinking away his troubles, he decided to begin going through the many papers that littered his fiancé's desk. Perhaps, just maybe, there would be a clue.
Looking in the drawers first, he pulled each one open. Nothing occupied them, except the one in the top-right corner. In it was rather large book that turned out to be a photo album. Ron smiled as he saw the picture of him, Hermione, and Harry during their first year at Hogwarts. He traced along the faces of his friends - only he was remaining. Flipping the pages, he found some of the rest of the Weasleys, some of her parents, Tonks and Remus, and he stopped at one that immediately caught his eye. This one was of Harry and Ginny sitting out under a tree in a lip lock. They pulled apart before waving at the camera. Harry and Ginny were gone forever; he would never speak to them again or hear them laugh together.
Turning the page again, he noticed there was a picture of him and Hermione trapped in a loving embrace. This was taken just a day ago, when they had dinner at the Weasleys. The two smiled at the camera, and Ron watched as he gave Hermione a small peck on the cheek in the picture. Ron felt a pang in his stomach. He had no idea where she might be, he didn't know if she was alive or not. If he knew that this was going to happen the very next day after that picture was taken, he would have kissed her a million more times to show her how much he loved her, he would have married her right there, he would have protected her.
Ron felt guilty at this. He knew that it was dangerous for Hermione; he knew that she should be watched at all times. If only he'd protected her more, maybe this wouldn't have happened...If only they'd protected Ginny more...maybe none of it would have happened at all...Shaking his head, he rid himself of the thought. What's done is done and can't be changed, he thought getting back to the task at hand.
As he rummaged through the papers Ron's hand paused with his hand over a little black notebook. He knew from many screams at him that this was her personal diary, and she wouldn't want anyone to read it…but if it continued to reveal a clue as to where she might have been taken… Ronald ran his hand over the velvet cover of the diary and quickly looked around. Hearing the pops of the disappearing Order members, he strode over to the bed and carefully sat down on it, being cautious not to sit on anything. He carefully opened the book and turned to the last entry. Finding the beginning of it, he traced his fingers over her delicate writing. Taking a deep breath, he began to read the entry silently.
Dear Diary,
It's been a two years since Harry's...you know, and three years since Ginny's. I can't believe I haven't seen or spoke to them in all this time. I guess I better get used to it, but I really can't believe I'm never going to talk to either of them every again.
They were good people, amazing people, what did they do to deserve this? Both of them have had such hard times throughout their childhood, the least they deserved was to live out the rest of their life. And to find out Ginny was the horocrux…that was a life shocker. Harry didn't want to kill her, she had won his heart. Ginny wouldn't live with everyone suffering because she was still alive. So she took her own life…she left Harry a letter, though no one knows to this day what it says. He died with it in his hands a year later and no one removed it.
I mean, it's so hard sometimes. If I didn't have Ron, I don't know how I would survive. He's been there for me so much he doesn't even realize it. These past years have been unbelievable with him; I can't wait till we officially become husband and wife. Then maybe, things will start working out. Although, that's highly unlikely.
After Voldemort's downfall, we thought it would be better. Now, Draco Malfoy (the one I've mentioned in previous entries, yes the ferret) has taken over and proclaimed himself the new Dark Lord. He's gained much since the incident at Hogwarts, and has become more ruthless than ever before. Killing muggles daily is what I've heard, and killing muggle born. He won't allow any in Hogwarts, now that he controls it as well.
Hogwarts used to be the only truly safe place. Now that he's taken over, there's no telling how dangerous it is in regular society. It seems to be crumbling before our eyes. There seems to be no Ministry of Magic anymore and there's no way of ruling. We're trying to get our numbers back up for the Order, and try to take Draco down. But, with how long it will take, it worries me. How we live now is alarming in the world, so I just hope we survive to be able to defeat him. The longer it takes, the harder it is. I just worry about one thing. How much longer can we survive like this? I don't mean to whine, I enjoy that I've made it to 21…I just wish my friends could also be here with me.
I hear a noise outside the door, so I'm going to invest-
Ronald hit the wall in frustration. He didn't bother to tend to his now bleeding knuckles. All he could do was stare at the scene where his fiance was taken. Judging by the shape of the room, she definitely put up a fight. Otherwise the room wouldn't look like it did. At least that was a comforting thought. She didn't go willingly and made them fight to get her. But by the blood…she ended up being taken by force. This worried Ron, how much more blood was there? And whose blood was it?
Everything was just a mess now. Hermione was right. He couldn't go on without her, as she couldn't him. He had no idea what he would do. But now…he would have to find out. From now on, he would do everything in his power to hunt down the ones that had kidnapped Hermione. She had to be alive, she just had to be. If they wanted to kill her, he didn't understand why they didn't just kill him as well.
Looking around the room once again, he was startled by a pop to his right. Wand ready, he turned to face his brothers arriving. "Come on Ronnikins. We've got to get back to the Order." Fred spoke, they had always concealed their emotions with their humor and whatnot. Glancing around the room one last time, Ronald muttered, but disappeared with a pop.
Arriving at Grimmauld Place, Ron took a look around to see everyone left from the Order sitting in front of him with worried eyes. Remus had arrived earlier, and was sitting next to his mother with a saddened look across his face. Ron had told him not to tell anyone what had happened just yet, that he would. Though, anyone could tell that just by the look on his face that something horrible had happened. The only other time they had seen him like this was right after Tonks' death. Ron looked away, so many people that he wished to see were no longer here. Tonks, Bill, Moody, his father...they were all gone.
He became detached for a while after his father's and Harry's death. For the first week or so, Ron didn't even talk to anyone at all. Barely would he eat, and he never left his room unless it was to use the bathroom. Many thought that he was going mad, and sometimes he believed it to be true. Though, Hermione never once gave up on him. Every day she would come to his room and attempt to talk to him. Food would be brought by her whenever she appeared with a small tray. She helped him from losing his mind, she was his savior. Now, she needed saving and he would try his hardest to find her.
His attention was brought back as Molly stood up. She walked over to him and traced the cut across his cheek that the Death Eater had caused. It was still bleeding, and he could feel the bruise forming on his cheek. He realized now that it had been just a distraction to get Hermione while he was unable to reach her. Lucky enough, the Death Eater's mask fell off, revealing their face. A gasp had escaped Ron when the mask fell to reveal that Cho Chang was behind it. Never in a million years would he believe Cho to do such a thing. Ron knew that she would be the first one that he would kill if he ever met with her again. She dated his best friend for Merlin's sake, she lost her first love as a mere teenager, he didn't see why she would take his away from him.
"Cho! What are you doing following him?!"
"You don't know who you're dealing with. He has a way of...persuasion, and soon he will have something else dear to you." Cho smirked.
"Persuasion with what, your life?!" Ron yelled, she glared at him. He knew he must warn Hermione, fast. Ron's eyes darted for his wand that had fallen a foot away from where he was. She had her wand pointed at him and when she saw him diving for his wand, she kicked him in the gut. He grunted, and gave her a look of pure disgust before kicking her feet, causing her to trip and fall. This gave him time to grab his wand and mutter a curse. A scream caught his attention. His name was yelled, and he suddenly knew what Cho was talking about a moment before. Looking back, he saw her smirking before apparating away.
"Hermione!" He screamed running to meet an empty room.
Ron shook his head, trying to rid the horrid memory. He knew that the memory of her screaming his name would always be burned permanently into his mind. Never would he forget that. She was calling for help, for him, but he didn't make it.
"Ron, what's happened?" Molly asked in a worried tone. "Remus just told us there was another attack."
In a very upset tone, he replied, "It's Hermione. She's been taken."