Chapter Two: Hermione's condition
Dean awoke in a place as cold and as dark as a place he once had been and he had longed to forget. His head was pounding, and he felt something wet leaking from his forehead. What happened last night? He pulled himself up to a sitting position. He couldn't see anything. He raised his hand up to try to feel around him for something. Anything. All he could feel was emptiness, and the cold. The cool touch of cement greeted his hand once he put it behind him. He was in a cell of some sort. But where? The events from last night came clamoring into his mind.
"You aren't going to find any sort of light, mate." A gentle voice spoke in the blackness. "Not any, but this." Dean heard a click, and a blue orb made it's way to the center of the room. Dean could at least see his surroundings now. He had made the correct assumption. He was imprisoned. "Who are you?" Dean asked, trying to keep his voice even. A small laugh was heard, and his cell mate inched forward into the light. "A friend." Dean pressed his back to the wall of the cave, and he glared at the being across from him. Red hair, blue eyes, freckles. He looked just like the boy Molly had described as her foolish son. "Ron?" Dean questioned, and he rested his arms on his knees.
Eyebrows crinkled, Ron slid back into the darkness, and he smiled faintly. "I was called that once, I think." Dean stared at him intently, and he waited for him to continue on. When Ron showed no sign of continuing to speak, Dean sighed, and he leapt to his feet. "How long have you been here?" Dean provoked, he needed to get the wizard talking. Ron began to count on his fingers, and finally he looked towards the wall for confirmation. "About six weeks." He replied, his voice cracking. Dean ran his hands against the wall, looking for something to get them out. Six weeks. Ron had disappeared six weeks ago, or so Dean was told. He had left his family a letter blaming them for the war. The room wasn't very big, about as big as a cell would be in an american prison.
"Where are we?" Dean started to go near the back left corner, and Ron squeaked out. "No! That's the loo." Dean backed away, hands up in surrender. There was one door, and one window high above the cellmates. Big enough for hopes of escape, but high enough to squash them. "I-I don't know." Ron's voice faltered, and he pulled his knees up to his chest. Dean sighed, and he sat back down in the spot he had woken up in. "How have you been able to survive this whole time?" Finally, the question that had been bugging Dean most was asked. The sound of his voice was hopeful, a little too hopeful, but Ron didn't seem to mind. He was dirty, and pale beyond comparison. Dean hadn't noticed the smell before, but it crept into his nostrils. He shuddered. "He feeds me once a day. Sometimes he even takes me to use the bathroom. Not the loo though. Yet, that entirely defeats the purpose of getting clean. He doesn't care though, because he's Draco Malfoy, and his father will hear about this, Wealsey." Ron was rambling. He hadn't had a decent conversation in six weeks, and Dean thought he didn't know if Ron could have a decent conversation at this point.
Suddenly, Ron re-clicked the thing in his hand, and the light disappeared. "Don't say a word about this light." Ron commanded. Just then the door swung open, and bright fluorescent light burst through the doorway. A tall thin man with long platinum hair stood before them. "I see you're finally awake. It's about time. It's been three days." The man held his wand out, and he pointed it at Dean. "Draco will be most pleased." The door swung shut just as fast as it was opened, and they heard the retreating footsteps of the man. "I think I know a way we can escape." Dean whispered.
Ginny had sat by Hermione's side at St. Mungo's day and night for the past week. The Healers were baffled, they had never seen this type of magic before. At first they had thought that it was the cruciatus curse, but it seemed to be a mutated version of the unforgivable curse. Harry crept in through the open door, and he sat down next to Ginny. She looked exhausted. She could barely keep her eyes open. She hadn't slept for three days. "Gin, it's time to go home, and rest." Harry placed his hand on her shoulder, and he gave it a squeeze. "I don't understand." Ginny began, and she gazed upon Harry with frantic eyes. "How could Dean do something like this to her?" Harry shook his head, and he took off his glasses. "I don't know, Gin." He replied, honestly. "Why isn't the ministry doing anything? He's a muggle for Godric's sake!" Ginny exclaimed, and she burst into tears. Harry held her in his arms, and he pressed his face into her hair. "They're doing all they can to find him."
They heard a sharp intake of air, and Hermione shot up from her place in the hospital bed. Ginny and Harry started, and they rushed by her side. Hermione looked around her in shock. "Where is he?" She asked, desperately. Ginny was speechless. Hermione began to pull the IVs out of her arms, and she pushed back the blankets. "Hermione, don't" protested Harry, and he pressed the nurse aid button on the side of the hospital bed. Hermione swung her legs over the side, and she tried to stand. She crashed to the ground instantly, and pain shot through her. Ginny rushed to her side, and she enveloped Hermione into a hug.
Two healers rushed into the room, and they forced Hermione back onto the hospital bed. "No!" She bellowed, and she fought back against them. Harry helped Ginny up, and she clutched onto him. They had never seen Hermione like this. "Ginny, get Draco! I need him." Hermione cried out, as the lead healer stuck a needle in her arm. The head healer looked at her companion. "She's in stable condition, but she's in shock. Get her IVs back in and keep her monitored." Hermione tried to hold her head up, and she looked at Ginny with glazed over eyes, pleading with her.
A tear fell down Ginny's cheek, and she pulled away from Harry. She went to Hermione's side, and she held onto her hand as Hermione was being pulled back into unconsciousness. "What did she mean, Get Draco?" asked the tall blonde nurse. Ginny looked at her with misty eyes. "She ment Draco Malfoy." Harry started, and he followed the head nurse out, discussing with her what the best possible treatment would be. The blonde healer, Nurse Blake as read on her name tag, circled around the bed, and she went closer to Ginny. "THE Draco Malfoy?" She whispered, in fear. Ginny nodded, and she sat down in the visitor's chair next to Hermione's bed. "I don't understand it. She's hated Malfoy for years. Why would she want him here?" Nurse Blake shrugged, and she went to the door way. "Maybe she's had a secret life that none of you knew about, and she's affected by a..." Realization washed over the nurse's pointed features, and she gasped. "memory spell. Oh good Merlin. Healer Chamberlain!" Nurse Blake ran down the hallway almost knocking over a tray of potions.
Visions of tall broad man flashed in Hermione's mind, but she couldn't place him. She saw little glimpses of him in different events; the last that stayed with her was him laying across from her on the bed. The sheets were white, and comfortable. She could feel his warmth against her. He looked at her lovingly, and he placed a kiss on her nose. "Why can't we just stay like this?" She heard herself ask, and she snuggled closer to him. He smiled at her, a pure white teeth smile. She felt happiness rush over her. "Because we have work to do." He replied honestly. Hermione sighed. "I know, but it can wait until tomorrow." She brushed her hand against his cheek, and smiled. "I love you." She grinned, and she laughed.
It was four hours later when Hermione came to. Everything was dizzy, and she struggled to focus. "Ginny?" She called, and she closed her eyes. She felt a cool hand touch her shoulder. "No, not Ginny. It's me, love." He spoke quietly, and reassuringly. Hermione relaxed instantly into his touch. "I thought I'd lost you." He smirked, and he knelt next to her bed. Hermione opened her eyes to meet his soothing gray ones. "I was so worried." Hermione admitted. "The last thing I remember is the battle, and I saw a curse being fired at you, Draco." Draco brushed his hand against her cheek, and he placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm fine." He reassured her. Hermione grinned at him. "I know that now." She touched his lips lightly with her fingers. "I love you, Hermione."
Harry stood before the board of Healers with an angered expression on his face. "So what you're telling me is that someone created a fourth unforgivable curse." He asked incredulously. Head Healer Chamberlain shook her head 'yes' in confirmation. "We don't know how, and we don't know why, but we're working hard to reverse it." Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, and he groaned. "She is my best friend. Call me when you have some actual news of her betterment. Thank you. You are all dismissed." He commanded. The healers obliged, and they stood up from their seats. Head Healer approached Harry. "Sir, I beg your pardon, but we're working as hard as we can." Harry glared at the young woman, and he said in the most authoritative voice he can muster. "Well, work harder." With that he left the room, and he stalked down to his best friend's room. Only to find his arch enemy, and his best friend in the middle of a heated embrace.
Sam Winchester sat on the edge of his queen sized bed in their hotel room. Dean had been missing for a few days now. He had searched for his brother, but he couldn't find any trace of him. He was told by an Auror that his brother was going to be prosecuted for the attack of Hermione Granger. That couldn't possibly be true. Sam knew it, because he had been watching his brother from afar. The only clue he had found was a ring of some sort. It had snakes swirling around the outside of it. He had asked several shop-keeps in Diagon Alley, but no one had said a word about what it ment. He had seen a dodgy place in Diagon Alley, but he didn't want to venture into it. It seemed a little too dangerous, and he was cautious. Knockturn Alley was the name, and he felt that today was a good day to go into it. He went to the safe across the room, and he pulled out another vial. He had a whole stock pile of the potion, but he had wasted one of them for Hermione's birthday.
He downed the vial in one gulp, and he felt the familiar warmth rush into his bones. He clutched 'his' wand in his pocket, and he pulled it out. "Lumos." He whispered, and the tip of his wand had shone brightly. "Nox." The light went out. He had paid a pretty penny for the amount he had, but it was well worth it. The effects would last for two days. Sam held out his wand, and he felt the squeezing effects of apparation. He landed with a pop outside next to Dean's car. He hopped in, and he zoomed downtown. Dean wouldn't have left with out his car, and he certainly wouldn't have left without his brother. The ring. The ring was the key to everything.