Here And There
"Broken this fragile thing now, and I can't, I can't pick up the pieces."
Tears of hurt ran down Hermione Granger's face. In front of her, stood the one person who could make her hurt so deeply she'd actaully cry about it. He looked like he didn't know what to do, now that he'd wrecked Hermione's emotional state. He just stood there, his arms limp at his side and his face twisted with remorse. But no words could escape his lips, and she didn't want to hear it anyways.
She picked up her books and turned away from him. She was turning her back on love and everything she'd worked for, for the past six months, but she didn't want to deal with it, or him anymore.
"And I've thrown my words all around, but I can't, I can't give you a reason."
Earlier
"What? You're going to believe them over me?" Draco said angrily and Hermione shook her head.
"Well, you and Pansy have always been close. What am I supposed to believe? It's not as if you tell her no when she tries to make a move on you," Hermione pointed out.
"You should believe me! I'm your lover for Merlin's sake!"
"I do believe you, but you don't give me any reason to! You're always sneaking off to do something, and you never will tell me what," Hermione pouted and Draco rolled his eyes.
"I was trying to work on something private," Draco snapped and Hermione glared venomously at him.
"Thank you for sharing it with me," She hissed and then turned away.
"It was a book, alright. Are you happy? I wanted to give it to you as a suprise, but I guess you've ruined it now," Draco yelled and Hermione looked at him her expression suprised.
"A book? What is it about," She demanded.
"None of your business. I'm just going to give it to Pansy now," Draco said knowing this would peturb Hermione.
"How dare you give my suprise to that skank!"
"Better that skank than you," He yelled back, and Hermione bit her lip in anger.
"It's over," Hermione said through gritted teeth and Draco raised an eyebrow at her.
"Why," Draco wanted to know.
"Because, all we do is fight. I'm sick of it," Hermione said although she was telling a white lie.
"That's stupid," Draco said laughing coldly,"We've always fought, if you thought that would change when we got together, then you're an idiot."
"Shut up!"
"Make me," Draco said childishly and Hermione screamed with frustration.
"You are a git," Hermione said her cheeks reddening with anger.
"Tell me something I don't know. Why don't you just go crying to Harry and Ron, that's seems to be what you're really good at," Draco suggested nastily and Hermione's eyes narrowed with rage.
"What are you suggesting," Hermione demanded.
"Hmm, let's see. Those, oh, so long study sessions you three share must be very exhausting, especially when their spent in the boys dorms," Draco said.
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Hermione stood up on her tip-toes and slapped him with all her might.
"How dare you insinuate that I am sleeping with my two best friends, you... you PIG!" Hermione shrieked her eyes filling with tears.
"I should have known better than to mess with a Mudblood. My father was right," Draco said and that was it.
Hermione looked at him shocked. He hadn't used that word in a very long time, and she had almost forgotten how much it hurt to be called it. The tears that had been threatening her before broke free of her eyes and cascaded down her rosy cheeks, to cross her lips and dribble down her chin.
"I feel so broken up, and I give up, I just wanna tell you, so you know."
"I'm really sorry, Hermione," Draco said, but his apology fell on deaf ears.
On their last train ride to King's Cross Station, Draco kept trying to get Hermione to speak to him, but she was having none of it. She barricaded herself in a compartment with Harry and Ron and refused to talk to him. Draco left her alone after that, he knew he'd lost her.
She said goodbye to Ron, Harry and Ginny, hugging them gently. Then she met her parents and didn't look back once she'd crossed the gateway. They got into their car and drove home. The drive wasn't very long and before she knew it, Hermione was in her bedroom with her trunk sitting open on her bed.
She could hear her mother downstairs making coffee for her father and she sighed happily. She had missed her house and her parents very much. She was now seventeen, she would never be going back to Hogwarts again and her whole life was before her, but she was determined to make her summer a good one. She threw her last shirt into a drawer and went downstairs her shoes clunking on the wooden floors.
She went into her mother's office and got out a thick book from the shelf. It was a book about different types of coral. She wasn't sure how interesting it would be, but she was starved for knowledge since she was done with school. She walked out into the sitting room across the hall and sat in a large wing-backed chair. The sun was streaming in through the windows and Hermione felt a sleepy daze coming over her.
It wasn't too long until Hermione heard the dinner bell being rang, She walked down the stairs to the main floor, cheerfully humming to hersellf. Hermione went into the dining room, but her parents weren't there. Only one person sat at the table and he was buttering his toast in a slightly jerky way.
"Uncle Tom," Hermione acknowledged and he looked up and smiled at her.
"Hello, Hermione. My, my you've grown more beautiful," He whistled and then stuffed the bread into his mouth.
Hermione blushed, but ignored his compliment.
"Where are my parents," Hermione asked taking the seat acrossed from him.
"Had to go to the office. I came to visit, but they were on their way out, invited me to supper though. Your mother sure knows how to cook," Tom said as he put some potatoes onto his plate.
"I'm not that hungry actaully," Hermione said and she watched as he tore a turkey leg apart with his greasy fingers.
"Ah, that long trip took it out of you, did it," Tom asked and she nodded.
"When did my parents say they were going to be back," Hermione asked and Tom raised a dark eyebrow at her.
"Awfully eager for your parents, aren't you? Well, they said they were going to be back in half an hour or so," Tom said and he laughed loudly,"Most girls your age would be glad to have your parents gone for a while."
"I'm not most girls, Uncle," Hermione said and she got up.
"I'm going to go lay down for a while. Go ahead and make yourself at home," Hermione said although in her mind she thought he already had.
"Fine, fine, honey," Tom said and he went back to eating.
Hermione lay on top of her comforter, she was too warm for blankets. She slid a hand down the bed and sighed to herself. She had wanted to block him out of her mind, but Draco's face kept popping up everytime she let her mind wander. She was waiting to hear the sound of her parents coming home, but they seemed to be taking their time. She didn't think much of it when she heard footsteps on the stairs.
A moment later, her door creaked open and Tom's large head came around the doorframe. He looked in at her laying there, dozing lightly and came in. Hermione sat up in her bed warily looking up at her rather annoying uncle. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.
"Change of plans, Hermione. Your parents say your going to come stay with me for a while," He said in an oily tone.
"But why," Hermione asked as he pulled her rather forcefully down the stairs.
"Because they are going to a convention for dentists. They said it was short notice," Tom explained as they hit the downstairs landing.
"Don't I need my stuff," Hermione asked and Tom guffawed.
"No."
"This doesn't make any sense. Why would they go to a convention? They didn't even bring any clothes. Short notice indeed! Besides, I don't need a babysitter, I'm fully grown," Hermione said getting more and more angry as her uncle hustled her out of the house and into his car.
"Stop agrueing, sweetie,. Your giving me a headache," Tom said sounding not very nice anymore.
"I don't think I want to go with you," Hermione said politely and she tried to open the car door.
"That's not your desicion anymore," Tom said and he pushed the lock button on his side.
Hermione was now frightened, she fought with her door, trying desperately to open it. She screamed and started crying, making her uncle very angry and agitated in the process. To shut her up, he finally hit her across the mouth, causing her lip to split and start bleeding. Hermione was quiet after that, sitting huddled close to the passenger side door, she watched the countryside rolling by, her heart hammering at her chest in panic.
She soon realized that he wasn't taking her to his house, he drove the complete opposite way. Instead he was taking her to some backwoods, deserted place and that didn't bode well for her.
Draco felt like an ass, but he wasn't about to let that stop him. He rang the door bell, then dropped his arm back to his side and waited. He heard footsteps and the door opened. A woman stood there, looking slightly vexed, her thick brown hair was frizzing out of the bun she had tried to trap it in. Her blue eyes flashed when she saw him.
"Can I help you, young man," She asked crossing her arms across her chest.
"I was wondering if Hermione was in. I wanted to talk with her," Draco drawled and the woman's eyes widened.
"No, she's not here. I haven't seen her since two and I'm beginning to get worried," Hermione's mum said and Draco's heart skipped a beat.
"She didn't leave a note or anything?"
"No, and it's so not like her. My husband is on the phone right now, calling all her friends. But I don't think she'd have left without leaving a note saying where she was going," She said sounding on the verge of hysteria.
"It doesn't sound like Hermione. She's very thoughtful of others," Draco said kindly and Hermione's mum's eyes softened.
"That she is. So may I ask your name and how you know my daughter?"
"I'm Draco Malfoy. I went to school with your daughter at Hogwarts, we were friends of a sort," Draco said and Hermione's mum nodded.
"Nice to meet you, Draco. I'm Aileen. Let me ask you something, do you think someone could have taken Hermione?"
"M'am I don't want to worry you, but it does seem that way. Hermione is much to responsible to just run off without saying anything. No, some one must of forced her," Draco said and Hermione's mother nodded.
"It's what I keep thinking," She said calmly although tears were leaking from her eyes, "I'll have Richard phone the police immediately," She said and she motioned for Draco to follow her.
"I can't think of who would do this. It couldn't have been a stranger, it seems someone just waltzed Hermione right out the front door, without her noticing that something was wrong," Aileen said.
"Then it must of been someone Hermione knows, and maybe trusts," Draco said and Aileen smiled wanly at him.
"You're a very clever young man. I understand why you and my daughter are friends."
An hour later and the cops were swarming Hermione's house. Draco had been interviewed, as had Hermione's parents. All of them were almsot too upset to speak. In fact, Mrs. Granger was sobbing so hard her husband and a woman plice officer had taken her outside and were trying to calm her down. Draco was soon hustled out as well, for the police needed everyone out so they could check for fingerprints on everything.
But to Draco all their crime work was a waste of time. His Hermione was somewhere out there, pobably scared out of her witts, with some physco breathing down her neck. He sorely needed to vomit and he did so into one of the Granger's bushes. When he was done, he wiped his mouth with his hankerchief and walked over to Hermione's parent.
"If you don't mind me asking, do you know anyone who could have done this? A family friend, a neighbor, a relative?" The investigator asked and Mrs. Granger sniffed loudly.
"I can't think of anyone," Mr. Granger said and then looked towards his wife.
She shuddered and then looked frightfully at the cop.
"No one, except maybe my brother Thomas. He's never seemed right after he fought in Vietnam, and he's always had a weird adoration for Hermione," Mrs. Granger said in between heart-wrenching sobs.
"Where does your brother live?" The cop asked and Aileen looked blank for a moment, before giving her his address.
"I don't think he'd of taken Hermione there," Mr. Granger said.
"Well we'll send someone to his house and if he's not there, we're back to square one," The lady cop said.
Draco looked at her incrediously. They were never going to find Hermione in time. It would take ages if they went about it that way. Draco felt for his wand in his pocket and concentrated on Hermione's uncle's home address. He started edging away from the group, but no one noticed. He went into the neighbor's backyard and with a loud 'pop' he was gone.
Draco reappeared in a rather small home situated in a regular suburb. He immediately could sense that no one was around, just as he'd suspected. He climbed the stairs quickly not really knowing where he was going, but trying to find some clue to where this maniac could have taken Hermione. He went into the man's bedroom, which was messy and smelled of something rotten. Draco opened the bedside table's drawer and leafed through the stuff in there. Old birthday cards, all from Hermione's family, a picture of Hermione from when she was a little girl, and a large drawing of a castle that had the initials H.G. written on it were all that Draco could find.
This man really did have a sick obsession with his neice, Draco decided. He went to the bureau, five drawers later and still nothing. Draco left the bedroom and went back downstairs. He went into the kitchen, and rifled through the drawers in there, with more stuff of Hermione's and no sign of anything else, Draco moved on. In the living room there was a large oak desk sitting by a couch, Draco supposed this was because the man's home wasn't big enough for him to have a study or an office.
Draco opened the first drawer, as he tore through it he realized there was nothing but bills and documents proclaiming ownership of different items. Draco felt the bottom of the drawer after having shifted most of the papers, hidden underneath an old newspaper clipping of a Spelling Bee Champ (Hermione, of course) Draco felt a button, he pushed it, and a small door swung open in the bottom of the drawer. Draco pulled more papers out and reached his hand into the hole.
He brought out a sheaf of papers, all dull with age. One of them was the deed for a cabin. Draco had found what he was looking for.
Draco found an old map of the woods surrounding Tom's cabin. He needed to know where he was apperating to. He knew he couldn't just appear in the cabin, that would make things messy. It was better if he snuck up on it.
Draco made the details stick in his brain and then he raised his wand and was gone again.
He re-materialized in a meadow, the trees around him making the places where they grew dark and mysterious. Draco set off at a brisk pace, on the map it showed the cabin as being little more than a mile away from the spot he stood at. It should be very easy to find his way.
"Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you, you are my only one."
Draco was wrong. He didn't know it, but the map he was using was nearly a hundred years old and grossely inacurate. He walked around in circles really for the first hour, until he realized he was doing such. Then he sat down on a large rock and tried to figure out where he was. It was no use though, he was hopelessly lost. He ended up setting fire to the blasted map, in a fit of rage.
As soon as he set out again, it started raining, and not just a slight drizzle, but a pounding rain that left him soaking within four seconds. He shivered and shook in his muggle attire, although he had to admit a good set of wizard robes couldn't save him from this onslaught. He kept walking, more to keep warm, than because he knew where he was going. He just wandered hoping he could stumble onto the cabin.
After walking for two straight hours in the pouring rain, he came across a dirt road, leading deeper into the woods. Draco didn't hesitate in following it, where there was a road there was bound to be houses somewhere. He soon became unsatisfied with that idea and dropped to his knees on the road. He felt angry, lost and hungry. But the one emotion that was plagueing him the most, was the fact that he felt so helpless. It was a new experience for him and he didn't like it one bit.
Draco buried his head in his arms and howled deeply. Letting out all the loss he was feeling.
"I let go, but there's just no one who gets me like you do, you are my only, my only one."
Hermione hit her fists against the door, but it was no use, it was locked tightly and she'd left her wand in her bedroom at home. Thoughts of her own stupidity were swirling in her mind. She shouldn't have trusted her uncle, she should of known that. His whole presence was a good indicater that he was off his rocker in a big way. Hermione slid down the wall to sit with her knees tucked up under her chin.
She could hear Tom scuffling around outside, muttering to himself delightedly. She shuddered and wiped at her eyes, they'd been streaming since she was in the car and the skin underneath was becoming sore. She wondered if anyone was looking for her at that moment, surely they had to be, she'd been gone for hours now. Her parents must be completely panicked.
Having nothing else to do she let her mind wander to possible scenarios. Her mother screaming and her father shouting in a sea of cops. Hermione sniffled and blocked that image from her mind. Instead she looked over at the window, only Tom would be stupid enough to put her in a room with a window. Hermione got up and quietly tip-toed over to it, she inspected every inch, noting the window's thickness and the huge locks that had been placed there. Maybe Tom wasn't too stupid, but Hermione was determinded to get out and no mere sheet of glass was going to stand in her way.
She went over to the bed and was about to rip the sheet off, when the door flew open. Hermione spun around and faced her uncle who was smiling broadly.
"Hello, sweetie! I'm fixing breakfast would you like some," Tom asked, but instead of waiting for Hermione's answer he brought a tray in and set it on the bed. He went back to the door, shut it and locked it quickly.
"Eat up, precious," He said softly and Hermione sat warily beside the tray.
"I'm not hungry," Hermione mumbled and her uncle just looked miffed for a moment.
"Not hungry? No, that ain't so, you're gonna eat Tom's cooking, even if he has to force it down your throat," Tom said and Hermione quickly picked up a spoon.
She spooned out a portion of the glob that was in a chipped blue china bowl and looked at it skeptically. She closed her eyes, held her breath and put the food in her mouth. The porridge was thick and nearly tasteless, but Hermione managed to swallow it down. Tom was watching her closley for her reaction.
"Oh wow, this is delicious," Hermione said fakely and Tom grinned.
"I knew you'd come around."
Tom had sat with Hermione for an hour, watching her choke down the gross tasting porridge and pulpy orange juice. He took the tray with him when he left, but he didn't leave without leering at her first.
"Later on, we're gonna have some real fun," Tom said and he winked at her.
As soon as the door was closed, Hermione threw up on the floor. She kept hurling until her stomach was empty and she was dry heaving. Her poor body shook with strain and fear, as she stood again and took the white sheet in her hands. She ripped through it with one graceful motion. When she had a strip that was of suitable length, she wrapped it around her left hand as many times as she could. She walked over to the window and taking a deep breath slammed her hand into it.
The glass was thicker than she'd realized and it took several more blows for her to crack it, but she soon had a sizable hole and she still had adrenaline pumping through her viens. She hit the glass over and over again, breaking through more and more. She ignored the shock waves of pain that were shooting through her arm and focused on her need to escape this place. She was suprised when Tom didn't come running into the room, to see what the noise was about. But he'd headed off to a local market to get some groceries. He'd thought Hermione couldn't get away, a gross mis-judgment on his part.
Hermione pried a large piece of glass from it's frame and sized up the hole she'd created. She'd cleared all the glass at the bottom, so it couldn't cut her. Her hand was numb within all it's wrappings and she didn't even want to look at it, because blood was oozing through the sheet rapidly. Instead she hoisted herself onto the window frame and dropped outside. She cradled her right hand against herself and ran as fast and as far as she could. She only stopped when she felt she was far away enough from Tom and the cabin.
She dropped down in the dirt and cried to herself. Now that she was out she wasn't sure where to go. Nothing was familiar and the throbbing in her hand was making her head ache. Hermione unwrapped her hand and tried not ot be sick at what she found, there were little cuts all over her hand, but worst of all there was a large gash going deep into her palm, but there was so much blood she couldn't make out just how bad it was. Hermione took the bloody strip of sheet and wound it tightly around her hand. It was all she could do for now.
"Made my mistakes let you down, and I can't, I can't hold on for too long."
Draco finally found the cabin, but when he went in no one was around, even so he walked around until he found a dirty oak door that had to lead to a bedroom. It had a huge padalock and chain attached to the front and it looked like the most likely place Hermione would be. He undid the locks and pushed the door open. This was most certainly where Tom had kept Hermione, but she was no longer there. Instead the coverlet from the bed was tossed in a corner, and the white linen sheets were laying half on the bed and half on the floor in tatters. The window was broken, and on the windowsill was a bloody handprint.
Draco gasped and walked over to the window, definately blood, but whose? Draco thought about it and then came up with the most reasonable explaination. Hermione must of ripped the sheets and broken the window, she probably cut herself on the glass and was now somewhere out there in the continuing rain, alone, scared and bleeding. Draco groaned in frustration and hopped through the window himself.
He check the ground for any signs on the way she might of gone. There was nothing, except a small partial footprint a few yards away and to the right. Also a few bushes looked heckled as if someone had run past them recently, and had taken a few of their branches with them. Draco followed what he hoped was the direction Hermione had taken. He stumbled along blindly, the branches of trees tearing at his clothes and face as he passed them.
He walked what seemed like a good thirty minutes, checking the ground and the shrubbery around himself for any signs of disturbance. The rain never stopped, instead it seemed to come down harder, pelting Draco's already soaked body until he felt like he was being beaten with beater's bats. He slogged through the underbrush, his boots and his spirits sinking lower and lower into the mud as he went.
"Ran my whole life in the ground and I can't, I can't get up when you're gone."
Hermione was laying in the dirt, her hair spread about her and her bandaged hand clutched to her chest, when Draco found her. He gasped when he saw the state she was in. He rushed to her side and shook her shoulder. Her eyes popped open and she looked frightened until she recognized his face. She started to cry as Draco helped her to sit and she grabbed his arm tightly and burried her face in his shoulder.
"Shh... it's alright, Hermione," Draco said softley stroking her hair in an effort to calm her down.
"I never thought I'd see you again, or my parents, or anyone," Hermione said when she could breath.
"Hermione, that doesn't sound like you. Look you got yourself out, I'm just here to take you all the way," Draco said and Hermione hugged him quickly and let go, sitting back on her heels.
"Of course I got out! That baffoon left me alone for nearly an hour and he put me in a room with a window with no bars. I would never just sit there and wait for him to do what he wanted with me," Hermione said and Draco smiled appreciatively at her.
"That's the Hermione I know," He said cupping her chin in his hand.
"How did you find me," Hermione asked as Draco continued to stared at her.
"Your mother thought that your uncle would have taken you. I went to his house and found his ownership papers for this place. Unfortunately, I would have found you sooner if I hadn't been using a completely out-dated map," Draco explained.
"I'm glad you're here," Hermione said.
They sat silently memorizing each other's features for a moment, before Draco broke the silence.
"Come on, let's get out of here," Draco said taking Hermione's hand and pulling her to her feet.
"Do you feel up to apperating?"
"I don't know," Hermione said trying to wiggle the fingers of her right hand and only feeling sharp jolts of pain instead.
"That doesn't look good," Draco commented as Hermione held up her hand.
"It's worse without the bandage," Hermione said slightly synically then she took a deep breath and cleared her mind of the pain and her annoyance.
As she closed her eyes though, she swayed on the spot. Draco reached out and held onto her arm, steadying her.
"Well apperating is out of the question," Draco said and he cursed himself for losing his temper before, he could have really used that map.
Hermione just stood mutely as Draco looked around them.
"We need to go north," Hermione said finally as Draco seemed to be lost.
"How do you know?"
"I've just realized I know where we are. I've been here before. This is Menadose Forest. There's a lake two miles from the main road, and a stone garden two miles from the lake. Tom once told me that his cabin was four miles north of the main road. So if we find which way is north we'll be walking adjacent to the stone garden and the lake, and we'll get to the road. The nearest town is five miles away, but there is a rest stop, with a conveinance store, a small hotel and a visitors center, one mile away from the forests end," Hermione said sounding happy with her discovery.
"You sound like a walking travel book. Not that I mind. Good job, Hermione," Draco said knowing praise could keep him in her good graces.
"Thank you."
"Now how do we tell which way's north," Draco asked and Hermione smiled.
"A simple spell will work. Harry used it in the Triwazard Tournament. It's called the Four-Corners Spell," Hermione said and Draco rasied an eyebrow at her.
"Simple? Well, you won't be able to do it with your wand arm in the state it's in," Draco said and he somehow felt fearful, because Hermione was the most powerful witch - person he'd ever met. If she was defenseless, he didn't feel much better.
"I won't have to, you're going to do it. Now, hold your wand out on the palm of your hand. Now say "Point Me". That's all, I told you it's simple," Hermione said as she watched Draco's face twist into a unbelieving expression.
"POINT ME," Draco said loudly and the the wand spun til it was sitting sideways, near his thumb.
"That way it is," Hermione said in a mock cheerful voice and started walking away from Draco.
But Draco wasn't following her, he was looking off into the bushes, because standing behind a small tree and well concealed within the foliage was Lucius Malfoy, his wand raised and a malicious smirk on his face.
"Somethings breaking up, I feel like giving up, I won't walk out until you know."
It was only a moment before Hermione realized Draco wasn't walking with her anymore. She stopped and spun around grinning foolishly, ready to tease him. But her smile dropped and she paled instantly when she saw Lucius coming out of his hiding spot and advancing on his son.
"I've had enough of your games, Draco. You're Initiation Ceremony is in a week and I've had to track you down because you missed the initial meeting. Everyone is cross with you, and I dare say you'll be punished accordingly when I bring you in."
"Father, please not now," Draco said pleading like a petulant child.
Hermione shifted her weight and a twig cracked under foot, Lucius turned and looked at her.
"Oh yes, the gutter snipe from summer. You're still carrying on with her? I thought I told you Mudbloods are good for only one thing," Lucuis said coldly glaring at her.
Behind his back Draco was motioning for her to run. He knew his father all to well. Hermione wasn't safe in his presence.
Hermione closed her eyes slightly, nodding her asent.
"Ahh and even better it's the Mudblood, Granger. I'm shocked that you didn't mention that you were bedding her," Lucuis said snidely.
"Father, you're right. Let's go home," Draco said and Lucuis turned to sneer at him.
Giving Hermione the perfect opprotunity to dash into the woods. Lucuis whipped back around at the sound of her running footsteps.
"You are no better than those filthy cousins of ours the Weasleys. You are not allowed to speak to that girl ever again, you will be flogged when we get home for your disobedience," Lucuis said and Draco nodded, defeatedly.
"Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you, you are my only one,"
Hermione hid behind a large leafy tree, breathing hard, her heart pounding widly in her chest. She knew Lucius and Draco were gone, but her emotions were still running away with her. As soon as she stopped gasping for breath, Hermione pushed wearily off from the tree and started walking. Draco's plight was smashed in her brain, but he would have to wait, she needed to get home before she could do anything useful.
It took Hermione several hours to reach the rest stop and once she did the young man working there stared at her bewildered. Hermione stood as straight as she could, and smoothed her shirt and then her hair, in an attempt to seem normal, but still the youth gaped at her. His eyes kept traveling to the bloody cloth wrapped around her left hand.
"Do you have a phone I could use," Hermione asked and he seemed to snap out of his reverie.
"Where you out in the park, alone?"
"No, it's complicated. I could really use a phone, I need to contact my parents," Hermione said slightly worried at the fact that he was acting so stupid.
"Right, right. We have a pay phone in the very back corner, right by the bathrooms," He said pointing to the left.
Hermione groaned and felt her pockets, already knowing what she would find. She looked at the boy, pleading with her overly bright brown eyes. He tried looking at the floor to escape her needing look.
"Please, I was kidnapped and my parents will want to know I'm alive. They need to come and pick me up, before my kidnapper gets back to his cabin and realizes I'm gone," Hermione said in a panicked voice.
"You're the one they've been going on about then," He suddenly said sounding as if he'd just found out she was a celebrity.
"Yes, yes. Please, do you have a phone," Hermione begged again and the boy fumbled with something behind the counter.
He handed her a bright red phone and she nearly cried with relief. With shaky fingers she dialed her home phone number. As it rung, Hermione slumped warily against the edge of the counter.
"Hello?" A voice sounded and Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Mom? Mom, it's me, Hermione," Hermione said and her eyes pricked with grateful tears.
"HERMIONE! Oh honey we were so worried! Where are you?" Came her mother's shrieked reply.
"I'm at the rest-stop outside of Menadose Forest. Please come and get me," Hermione said and to her own ears she sounded like a little girl.
"We'll be right there, don't go anywhere!"
"I let go, but there's just no one who gets me like you do, you are my only, my only one."
Even though her parents had promised a speedy arrival, it was nearly half an hour before they got to the little rest-stop. Hermione ran out the front doors and into the arms of her father, who squeezed her tightly. Her mother was crying, predictabley it made Hermione cry as well. Hermione got into the car and she and her mother held each other through the ride to their home. The whole way they were followed by a police escort.
When they got home, there was only one police car waiting for them. An older gentleman rested against it, looking very imposing in his spiffy blue uniform. Hermione unbuckled herself slowly and watched as the man walked in a stately manner over to her father. Hermione got out of the car, wanting to listen to what he had to say.
"We apprehended the man who kidnapped your daughter. He's being held at the jail until they draw up the charges. You are a very lucky young lady," He said turning to Hermione, who nodded.
"That's all I needed to say, have a nice evening."
Hermione and her parents went into the house, the first thing her mother did was lock all the doors and have Hermione's father check the windows. Hermione sat on the couch in her living room and watched the news of her return to her home on the television.
At nine o'clock that evening, Hermiong was taken to the local hospital to get stitches. The docter cleaned her cuts and put band-aids on the less worrisome ones. Hermione stared blankly ahead while he stitched the large wound closed, she was clenching her teeth tightly together though and her father's hand even harder. It hurt, and her head hurt and all she wanted to do was go lay down, but she waited.
"All done, little missy," the docter said cheerfully.
Hermione supressed the need to give him a withering look, instead she let her mother wrap her coat around her shoulders and got up from the small stool she'd been sitting on.
Her father conversed with the docter for a moment and then he handed Hermione a bottle of pills.
"What is this?"
"Tylenol, your new best friend," Her father explained.
Hermione lay in bed that night, but she couldn't sleep. Maybe it was the fact that her parents kept coming in every half hour to make sure she was still there or maybe it was that even though she'd taken some Tylenol, her hand still was paining her, but whatever it was, it had Hermione on her back at four in the morning, pondering why she'd ever allowed her parents to paint her room that god-awful turqoise color.
It was when she was thinking of what color she might want to change it to, that she her thoughts suddenly leapt to Draco. The color of his eyes, especially when he was looking at her, was the loveliest color she had ever seen and she was trying to decide what it might actaully be. Grey? Blue? Colbalt? Silver? To her they were all those colors mixed into one.
Merlin, she missed that bugger. She kept trying to remind herself how much he had hurt her, but he had also saved her, in all sense of the word. She came to the conclusion then that she had already forgiven him, unwillingly, in her mind.
"Here I go, so dishonestly, leave a note, for you my only one."
Fair and wonderful girl, please don't come to my rescue. It will only make everything harder on you and worse for me. Know that I'll love you forever.
Hermione stared at the small scrap of paper. It had no heading, and it wasn't signed, but she understood. Draco had never asked her to stand against his own family, mostly, because he knew the concequenses of such a rash move, but Hermione felt a heavy sadness fall over her as she read his note again.
What an amazing and loving, and perfect person he was, and at these thoughts, she felt her breath constrict in her throat. She wanted, no needed him so badly at that moment, but she knew what he was asking of her was for her to let him go. It would nearly kill her, but she was going to try.
"And I know you can see right through me, so let me go and you will find someone."
So Hermione had lied to herself. Completely. What was the big deal? When you fell in love it wasn't over like that, was it? Nope, it slowly sunk in that that person was no longer accesible to you, and it hurt. It hurt worse than anything she could imagine. That's why she was sitting in the Three Broomsticks one afternoon, sipping a butterbeer thoughtfully in the back of the noisy pub.
She had met Draco here occasionally. Every other Hogsmeade trip, Saturdays at two. It so happened to be a Saturday, this day, but it was a bit past two o'clock. Hermione was hoping he would show up by some twist of fate and at the same time she was wishing he wouldn't. Seeing him would crush her resolve to move on, she knew that much.
But fate was with her that afternoon, or against her, however you looked at it. Hermione was just taking another drink of her butterbeer when the door squealed open and her eyes immediately darted to the person darkening the doorway. Hermione's heart jumped into her throat, and she choked on her drink. Draco walked in, he hadn't noticed her yet, and Hermione was praying he wouldn't.
Following behind Draco was the girl who always had done so. Hermione couldn't help feeling the old jealousy flare in her. She had never liked Pansy Parkinson. She was rude, arrogant and a huge gossip. All qualities that Hermione deplored, yet she was Draco's closest friend. It was something that had always irked her. Hermione averted her eyes, trying to look unconspicious as she pulled a magazine out of the large handbag she carried.
But she couldn't keep her concentration on the articles, she was constantly finding her vision drifting to the table near the front door. Hermione couldn't take it after five minutes, she got up and made to leave the pub. She had nearly made it to the door, but at the last moment someone moved into her way and she bumped into them. She apologized profusely to the person, keeping her red face turned towards the floor.
"Hello, Hermione," said a casual and familiar voice.
Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin at his words.
She looked up to see an almost shy looking Draco looking back at her. She gulped and tried to smile at him.
"Hello, Draco," Hermione said souding a bit wrong-footed.
"Are you here with anyone?"
"No, should I be," Hermione asked feeling odd that he was asking her this.
"I don't know. I just though you might be," Draco said shaking his head.
They were silent for a moment, both staring past each other.
"Hermione, how did we end up this way?"
"I'm not sure," Hermione answered truthfully.
"I hate it," Draco said scrunching his face in child-like disgust.
"It was always this way, we knew it'd never work out," Hermione said although she sounded unconvinced.
"Your right. I'm sorry if my note hurt you in any way. I'm trying to do what's best for you, I'm hoping that you can forget about me...No, okay, don't forget about me, but I just want you to be happy and if it's with someone else then I will live," Draco said nearly choking on his words.
"Someone else? Who else could there be? I'd rather live alone forever," Hermione said stubbornly.
"Don't! Not for my sake," Draco said and Hermione looked away from him, her eyes filling with tears rapidly.
"Draco, I'm only telling you the truth," Hermione said finally turning back to him.
Seeing her eyes sparkling with unshed tears broke a little of Draco's spirit, but he took in a big whooshing breathe to steady himself.
"Hermione, please don't cry. I should of never said anything. I have to go," He said hurriedly and then he turned and nearly collided with the barmaid. She scowled at him as he hurried past her, not paying attention to his surroundings.
"Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you, you are my only one."
As the rivlets of water ran down from her hair and into her eyes, Hermione blinked, but didn't move. She was sitting outside on a tire swing that her father had put in their backyard when she was eight. Rain was falling in torrents from the gray and imposing sky, but none of this penetrated Hermione's thoughts. Being underneath a tree while it was storming probably wasn't the best idea, but that thought hadn't been on Hermione's mind when she'd come outside.
The back door squeaked open and Hermione watched as her mother came out, pulling her coat tighter around herself. She didn't look too happy about coming out in the rain, but she did anyways. She stood next to Hermione for a moment, just stroking her hair.
"I think we need to talk," She said just as a bolt of lightening split the sky.
Hermione didn't say anything, but she let her mother lead her towards the house. Instead of taking Hermione inside, her mother led her around the wrap-around porch to the front where there was a swing hanging from the roof. The two women sat down, and Hermione's mother pushed off so that they would rock gently.
"I understand if you don't want to tell me what's wrong, but I am just trying to help you, keep that in mind. Why have you been so sad lately? Me and your father are worried about you, it's unusual not to see you curled up in the parlor with a book. Now when we see you, you're staring off into space with a terribley depressed look on your face."
Hermione was quiet for a moment, weighing her options and trying to decide if she wanted to talk about it. Feeling that maybe she was ready to, Hermione took a shuddering breath.
"I was in love, but now he doesn't want me to see him anymore, because his family hates me and he doesn't want me hurt. But it hurts not to be with him and knowing that maybe he's with someone else is killing me. I just want to stop feeling," Hermione said in a rush, sobbing near the end.
"Oh, honey," Her mother said pulling Hermione into a hug and letting her cry on her shoulder.
"These past couple of weeks, I've wondered what would happen if I just jumped off a cliff. I hate how my life is now, I just want to end it," Hermione said and her mother's face turned horrified, but Hermione couldn't see it.
"Nothing is worth killing yourself over," Her mother said sternly and Hermione sobbed harder.
"I know!" She wailed, "And that's why it's so terrible."
Hermione suddenly straightened and looked her mother in the face.
"What should I do?"
"I don't know, love. If you love him as I think you do, don't give up. But if he's not worth it, which is something you'll have to evaluate, then you need to move on."
Hermione nodded mutely, secretly she was wondering if she could be lucky enough to get struck by lightening.
Draco woke up from a nightmare, he was panting and his bed sheets were soaked with her perspiration. He had dreamed that he'd been at a Death Eater meeting, and his mother had been killed by his own father. After killing Narcissa, Lucius had turned to Draco with malcontent in his cold steel eyes.
"Women are worthless, Draco. Just pawns or trophies to be discarded. You'll learn in time."
Then another captive had been hauled before the black hooded and cloaked crowd. She wasn't screaming like Narcissa had been, she stood stubbornly straight, although she had to know this was her last moment on earth. Draco felt his heart wrench as Hermione turned towards him with a sad expression on her face. She stared at him for what seemed like an eternity, until his skin felt like it was alive and crawling to escape her gaze.
"You condemmed me to this," She finally said and Draco jumped at her dead tone.
"Shut up, Mudblood," Lucius cried and then he turned to Draco, "You will have the honor of wiping a little more filth off this earth."
Draco shook his head feverently and looked pleadingly at his father.
"Please don't make me do this," He whined.
"If you will not, I will," Lucius said and with that, he turned and pointed his wand at Hermione.
"Avada Kadavra," He cried and Hermione fell to the ground in a flash of green.
Lucius laughed maliciously at the girl on the ground and his own cowering son, and the group around him broke into hysterical howls also. While they laughed Draco had looked behind him to the craggy ledge they were all standing on and an impossibley long fall off the cliff. Lucius suddenly turned his attention to his son.
"Come here, Draco," He demanded sternly and Draco looked at him with wide eyes.
"Come see what you've done," Lucius called coldly and Draco took a step backwards.
"Stop being ridiculous, boy. Get over here, now."
But Draco wasn't listening, he turned and ran for the cliff, diving off of it and into nowhere.
That's why Draco was sitting huddled on his bed with his coverlet wrapped tightly around himself. He just couldn't shake the ill feeling he'd recieved after that nightmare.
Hermione cried out as she felt someone apparate on her legs. She had been lying in bed, sleeping rather fitfully, when a loud 'pop' and a sudden weight on her calves anounced the arrival of someone.
"Ronald Weasley, what are you doing here," Hermione cried as soon as she spotted the bright thatch of feiry hair.
"Shh... it's not Ron," Said a fairly deep voice and Hermione shot up.
"Draco?" She cautioned looking at him doubtfully.
"Who else could it be," Draco asked snidely and Hermione smiled into the dark.
Draco moved, allowing Hermione to pull her feet out from under his rear. She scooted across the bed, coming to sit on her knees beside Draco. She ran her hand affectionately through his hair.
"But now your hair is ginger. Why?"
"It's my disguise. I also have freckles. I feel terrible, please don't make fun of me," Draco said sounding not at all like himself.
"Why would I do that? You make a very cute red head," Hermione said tweaking his noise in an annoying fashion.
"Never again! I want my old hair back," Draco pouted.
"Why are you in my house in the middle of the night looking like a Weasley," Hermione asked and Draco scowled at her last statement.
"I do not look like one of them! I ran away from home, I was sick of being there with father and mother. I hate them!"
"No you don't. They're your parents, you are meant to love them," Hermione sighed.
"Well I don't."
"Draco, why did you really run away," Hermione asked and Draco avoided her probing gaze.
When he wouldn't look at her or answer, she pulled at his arm and he arched back from her, falling off the bed in an effort to escape her touch. Hermione stared at him where he sat on the floor, huddled with his shoulders hunched over his knees. Hermione slid off the bed to sit beside him, keeping her distance, because she felt that's what he wanted.
"Please, tell me what's wrong," Hermione said and when Draco turned to her, he had tears in his eyes.
"You may hate me," He whispered.
"Never!"
"They tried to initiate me, earlier today, but I refused. He's going to kill me, father and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and I ran, I ran so fast, Hermione. I couldn't do it, I wouldn't ever do it, and then she screamed and I panicked and I apperated, and then I changed my hair and my skin, and I came here," Draco rambled nearly delirious with terror, pain and self-loathing.
"Initiate you as a Death Eater?"
"Yes," Draco said shakily and Hermione felt him inching closer to her.
"How.. how do you become one," Hermione asked and Draco's eyes seemed to glow in the dark as he moved his face close to hers.
"You have to kill a muggle. They use you're first victom's blood to etch the Dark Mark into your arm," Draco said and he twitched slightly and grabbed his arm.
"Let me see," Hermione said bossily and Draco let her hike up his robe sleeve.
The skin on his forearm was bruised and clearly started was a small serpent etched into Draco's otherwise flawless skin. It was bleeding a little, but Draco didn't seem to care as he pulled his sleeve back down.
"Does it hurt?"
"No, only the memories do," Draco said shaking his head as if to rid himself of terrible images.
"You were supposed to kill a muggle and you refused? Oh, Draco, you are so brave," Hermione said suddenly wrapping her arms around him.
Draco choked and put his head in the crook of her neck. She could feel his hot tears falling on her skin, but she didn't mind.
"I'm not brave. I'm just stupid. Stupid, for ever believing anything my father said and all those years spent idolizing him. He's a monster and I never saw it. I strutted around Hogwarts acting as though I owned the place, when all along it was his blood money that allowed me to go there. I feel sick to my stomach at the thought," He sobbed.
"Draco, you were meant to go to Hogwarts. What your father does and is, doesn't reflect on you, if you don't allow it to. Shh... stop crying please, it makes me want to start crying."
"My whole life is a lie and now I have no idea what to do," Draco said sitting up and wiping his eyes.
"Whatever you want, of course," Hermione said smiling wanly at him.
"No, they'll want me dead. I have secrets about them, they won't want exposed. I'm not safe, and now neither are you," Draco said the realization dawning on him.
"We'll go to Dumbledore, first thing in the morning. He will protect you," Hermione said simply.
"After the way I've been my entire life? I doubt that, love," Draco said softly.
"No, really. He'll help you," Hermione said sincerely.
"My only one, you are my only, my only one."
"Miss Granger has told me that your father tried to make you become a Death Eater against your will and that you fled for your life and now are seeking protection, is that about right, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Yes, sir," Draco said lowering his head in a humbled way.
"I always knew you'd be turned. I do believe Poppy owes a little bit of money on this subject, but that's beside the point. You will obviously have to go into hiding, your father will kill you if he discovers your where-abouts and I daresay he'd kill Miss Granger as well," Dumbledore said solemnly.
"Am I really in danger?" Hermione queried and Dumbledore stared at her levelly for a moment before speaking.
"Yes, very grave danger. You are after all a muggle-born witch who has corrupted the son of a well known Death Eater, also you are friends with Harry Potter, everything about you in fact is probably a reason to kill you. By Death Eater's standards, anyway. I strongly advise that you and your family go into hiding," Dumbledore said wisely,"Mr. Malfoy could accompany you. I think Cananda would be nice this time of year, you could look at it as a vacation. You are not such a high risk that we need to resort to a secret keeper, not just yet.
"Sir, could you speak to my parents, I don't think that I can convince them to leave by myself," Hermione said and Dumbledore nodded.
"Of course, I would happily prod them in the right direction. It's always been my skill," He said winking in Draco's direction, "I will pay them a visit this evening, in fact. You two are free to go, by the way."
"Thank you so much," Hermione said all but bowing to the old man.
"Yes, thank you, sir," Draco said regally.
"My bags are packed, we shall buy you new clothes when we get there, and my parents have purchased the airline tickets. I do believe we are set," Hermione said smiling at Draco.
Hermione's parents were outside, packing their things into the car. Hermione had asked Draco to help her with her bags, and so they went inside.
"Oh won't Canada be nice. I read somewhere they have beaches and ski resorts. How amazing! I can't wait to get there," Hermione prattled as Draco picked up her bags again after having a slight rest after lugging them down the stairs.
"Yes, yes and resting sounds pretty good about now too," Draco said wryly.
Hermione threw open the door carefully, in one arm she had a carrier with Crookshanks inside and on the other she had a small suitcase, but she dropped both of these in shock when her way to the outside was blocked by a familiar person.
"Going somewhere," Asked a very smug Lucius Malfoy.