Chapter 3 Where we areAs Harry raced across the halls, all that was on his mind was Hermione, lying lifeless, motionless in the dark room. He reached the office and said 'Acid Pops' and it echoed through the hall. Then appeared the flight of stairs, revolving in its own invisible orbit. He knocked on the door, twice. The door opened and Professor Dumbledore emerged from behind a stack of papers on desk. "What is the reason of this immediate visit? I was contacting the Order to get Hermione back." he said. "He's got her. I saw it! He has her and is torturing her! Do something, please." Dumbledore was dumbfounded. He rushed to him and held his arm in front of Harry. He grabbed it and knew they were about to apparate. For a moment, he felt as though his organs were being forced inside his body and like he was trapped in a drawer but then it felt normal and his eyelids flew open. They were in the Dark Room. Harry had not idea how Dumbledore knew where she was, but he did and that was all that mattered at the moment. He heard footsteps from upstairs and screams and arguments. Dumbledore, fearlessly started moving towards the stairs, Harry had not seen them as it was really dark. They climbed up in silence. Dumbledore pushed the door on his left, open. And Harry heard people gasping. "Well, well, well... Dumbledore? Long time, not see." Cackled Bellatrix. Harry at once felt the urge to knock her down, remembering Sirius, but he suppressed it. A few Death Eaters stepped forward but with one swish of his wand, Dumbledore pushed them towards the wall,all stunned. Harry gasped as he saw Hermione on the ground, looking at the ceiling and her eyes glistening. In one corner, he heard someone trying to suppress his crying and as he looked, he saw Malfoy, his eyes red, and his hand over his mouth. He walked up to hi. and grabbed him by the collar, and cursed. Malfoy was crying. Harry felt like torturing him but his thoughts were held on Hermione. She was lying, not lifeless but helpless. He walked up to her and shook her as she looked at him. From her eyes, water streamed out, rapidly. She sat up, with Harry's help and he embraced her, his lips in her hair and she was crying on his shoulder. He was so happy to have her back, to hold her in his arms, where she could cry. Dumbledore was helping Draco up. He had dark rims across his eyes. "They forced me to. I didn't want-" he broke into sobs. Harry felt guilty for thinking about cursing him. He was now trying to help Hermione up but each time, her legs gave away, so he scooped her up, in his arms where she curled up. Harry noticed that Hermione was pretty light, he had no trouble, escorting her to the hospital wing-he tried not to admit it but he liked feeling Hermione in his arms-and at last surrendering her to Madam Pomfrey.
He sat there, near her, holding her hand while Pomfrey did her thing, he passes her smiles every minute and caressed the soft skin of her hands. He never noticed when he feel asleep, his head, resting on her bed. He woke up to see Hermione smiling at him and tapping his head in a beat. He smiled when he saw her and his heart did a leap although he didn't know why. "Harry, I am so sorry! I couldn't, I didn't-" she started but stopped as Harry gave a weak laugh. "No, Hermione, I'm sorry. I took so much time and look at the consequences." he said. "I don't blame you." she whispered. "It's not your fault either." he sighed. Hermione looked at him while he put his head in his hands. "Hermione, what happened, that night?" he looked up. Her face formed an emotion of confusion. "What night?" she asked. "When you were on the stairs." he explained but she still didn't seem to remember. He went to Madam Pomfrey and asked what had happened.
Madam Pomfrey sighed and began, "She was imperiused when, as you tell, you found her, but she resisted it. But the person must've gone restless so he or she stunned her and took her away. There," she hesitated. "You Know Who, tortured her to get information on you but she didn't give in, Harry, she didn't. When he was not able to get it out, he tried killing her but she fought back, she's a great witch. Then he ordered the Death Eaters to do it for him. They argued whether they should get the information or kill her, that's when Dumbledore arrived with you. She's resting now, she is badly hurt, mentally too." she looked at her.
Harry nodded and went back to sit with Hermione. She looked pale. She clutched her chest. "Hermione?" Harry called, she looked at him and clutched even tighter.