A/N: Thanks for the reviews.
DISCLAIMER: Only the plot.
Chapter Three: The Phone Call
Hermione pulled off her robe and hung it on the coat rack. She then pulled on clean gloves and opened her evidence kit pulling out the blue fabric and dagger, knife, whatever it was. She was still yet to properly identify it. Opening the evidence slip the fabric was in she used her tweezers to pull it out.
Though she lived and worked in a magical society, even magic didn't give the answers to everything and some things still had to be done the muggle way, like forensic work. This was why Hermione chose the Auror career. It was challenging and even fun… at times.
"Hey, I just heard about the murder," said Harry walking into the laboratory as Hermione pulled a strand of the fabric off the bit to scan into the system.
Yes, the magic world had a computer like system. It wasn't an actual computer though. The scanner was a black glass box. Inside the box were spells that would go over the fabric and the pad of parchment attached to the scanner box would write up what the item being scanned was. Hermione thought was ingenious when it was brought in two years ago. It beat going through every single textbook.
Hermione turned to Harry nodding, "Does it bother you?"
Harry shrugged, "She was a friend… ex-girlfriend."
"First rape victim," murmured Hermione more to herself then Harry.
Harry frowned at Hermione curiously, "Point being?"
Hermione sighed, "She was the first rape victim and was raped by Blaise. Maybe it is a pointless thought… but what if they are going through the list now? Victim by victim until they get to me?"
"Who is next on the list?"
"Lavender Brown," answered Hermione, "I have to warn her."
"Stay here and work on that. Ron and I have an afternoon break. We'll go."
Hermione nodded, "Thanks."
Harry left with a quick turn. Hermione looked down at the parchment as the words came up on the parchment. One it finished she ripped the parchment off the pad and removed the piece of fabric.
"Blue denim. Muggle clothing formally. No DNA found," sighed Hermione shaking her head in slight defeat.
She put the note in the kit with the denim and lifted out the sterilized plastic bag holding the weapon that brought on the death.
Opening the bag Hermione placed it on the clean bench and got the finger print powder and brush. She sprinkled it on the handle but, much to her anger, came up with nothing. Though she knew the blood was Cho's she had to place some on a glass slip and put it in the black box to be processed formally.
"Found anything?" asked Draco walking in. He had been at the autopsy and had a hand full of photos and reports.
"Well the blue fabric is indeed muggle," said Hermione, "No DNA and the handle of whatever the knife thing is,has no prints what so ever. I am getting the blood sample recognised officially. And maybe it will tell what type of weapon it is."
Draco nodded.
"What did you find?"
"I actually have some good news."
Hermione's eyes lit up expectantly, though Draco didn't even offer her a smile.
"Jeremy found a skin sample under her nails," said Draco showing Hermione the glass slip, "Once the weapon has been processed after the blood, I'll put this through, and see what it comes up with."
"Excellent. Anything else?"
"Well I also have some of that weird substance to process as well."
Hermione nodded, looking thoroughly pleased. The parchment began getting the writing on it and once it ended Hermione ripped the paper off and pulled out the glass slip. Frowning she looked at the paper confused.
"This can't be right," murmured Hermione in confusion, "It says that the blood DNA is males. But Cho was killed with that weapon right?"
"Jeremy believes so," replied Draco taking the parchment from Hermione, "Put the weapon through. Once it is identified we'll track down where it was sold from."
Hermione placed the weapon in the black box scanner, "Could we have two separate cases on our hands, or could someone else have been killed by the mafia?"
"Who knows? I'll inform Kingsley now. Let me know what comes back."
Hermione nodded and Draco left, taking the DNA result with him. Hermione waited impatiently for the weapon result to be printed. She looked over at the photo's laying on the bench beside her kit and picked them up. The first ten were of the scene out side of Ginny's business. The next lot were taken in the room next door with Jeremy holding up a bruised right arm and whatever else needed to have a photo taken of. Placing them back where they were Hermione stepped over to the box scanner as the result printed out.
"Goblin made dagger," read Hermione, "Seven inch, pure silver blade. Male blood DNA. No fingerprints found."
With a sigh Hermione put the Goblin dagger in the bag and pulled out the skin slide. She carefully placed it in the ultra handy scanner box and waited silently. Five minutes later Draco returned.
"I just ran into Jess Wilkins. She went around to see Oliver… he isn't home."
"You don't think he was killed do you?"
Draco shrugged, "Anything is possible."
Hermione ran her ran over her hair, "I didn't need this."
"We don't need this. Remember this case is as much mine now as it is yours."
Hermione shot glare at Draco as the skin result came out. Hermione grabbed the sheet and read it.
"It's male DNA," said Hermione, "Pass me the one you're holding."
Draco handed it to Hermione so she could compare the two.
"They don't match," murmured Hermione, "If they don't match, then skin result may have been Cho's attacker. She probably grabbed them by the arm to stop them from killing her-"
"Or drugging her," cut in Draco as he pulled out the skin slide and put in the unknown substance.
"Right, whatever," replied Hermione, "But this is the break through needed!"
Draco turned to Hermione frowning, "Don't get your hopes up. You don't know who the skin belongs too yet."
"I know. But this just might be enough to get us a warrant for a DNA sample," said Hermione, "Zabini is already a prime suspect. He raped Cho. She came to us and dobbed him in – naturally he would want revenge on that. He has motive for killing her."
Draco just gave a nod, not really listening to Hermione's rambles. Hermione gave him a dirty look and packed up her kit. She walked out and almost ran into Jess Wilkins.
"Sorry," said Jess, "I was coming to tell you that we found Oliver. He is in Belgium playing Quidditch at this very moment."
"Have any males been reported missing?"
"Not that we know of."
Hermione pursed her lips together and nodded, "Thanks."
Jess nodded and left. Hermione headed on her way to her and Draco's office in deep thought. She needed a board of some kind, something to pin the prime details too. Entering her office and looked around and saw the blank, sky blue wall. Finding tacks she grabbed pictures, putting the victims on the top row and suspects on the bottom. Grabbing a black marker- she could easily clean away the damage later- she wrote, names, ages, and every other small detail. Stepping back she nodded. Now she could see clearly what was going on.
"I stay behind to get some results and come back and find you have graffitied the wall with case photos and black writing," commented Draco walking in, "By the way, the substance is called Unaware. It makes the drugged person unaware of everything around them. They literally feel they have nothing to worry about until it actually happens."
"Make Cho unaware of everything to make her easier pray to murder," said Hermione as she wrote it under Cho's section, "Look, Cho was the first one raped – by Zabini. She is the first one murdered. The next inline, possibly, if it turns out the way I am thinking, is Lavender Brown. Ron and Harry have gone around to tell her."
"Whom was she raped by?"
"Marcus Flint."
"If it is going the way you think, she won't stand a chance."
Hermione turned to Draco frowning, "What makes you say that?"
"Marcus is a vicious guy. If he wants something bad enough, nothing will stand in his way. He will kill those that try to stop him."
"Well he better prepare to die himself," snapped Hermione, "The LED will do everything in their will power to protect Lavender."
HD
Hermione arrived home late that night, still not knowing who the two males were. For all her and Draco knew, the blood male DNA person could be dead. Hermione checked her post the owl had delivered during the day. She flipped through it and then got her muggle lot from the front door.
"Bill, bill, bill… Mum?" said Hermione surprised.
She placed the bills on the kitchen bench and opened the letter from her mother frowning.
Dear Hermione,
Hermione I am writing to you with bad news. Your father is dying. He has lung cancer and nothing can beat it, no matter how hard we have tried. He only has three months to live and his one wish is to see his daughter one last time.
I know things between us are bad and maybe this is a chance given to us to make things right. Please think about it sweetheart.
We love you dearly,
Love Mum.
Hermione folded the letter up and placed it on the bench. She went to her room and changed into her pyjamas and cooked herself some dinner. She ate at the table and cleaned everything till it was spotless. After adding more food to Crookshanks bowl and refilling his water she sat on the lounge and watched the muggle Australian drama McLeod's Daughters.
"No," she cried bitterly nearing the end of the episode, "Alex! You can't push Stevie away!"
As the episode ended with Hermione shaking her head in frustration the phone rang. She grabbed the receiver from the table beside the lounge with a sigh.
"Hello, Hermione speaking," she said politely.
"Hello darling."
It was her mother. Hermione sat on the lounge stunned not knowing what to say exactly. The best she could come out with was, "What do you want?"
"Did you get the letter?"
"Yeah. I only just read it really."
"Oh, been at work all day?"
"Yeah. Big case."
"Sounds interesting."
Hermione didn't reply. She was not going to tell her mother how big the case really was to her. She hadn't spoken to the woman in years.
"So, honey, I was thinking of having a roast dinner this Saturday night. Perhaps you would like to join your father and I?"
Hermione remained silent as she pondered the request, "It depends on work. This case I am doing is huge."
"I understand. Well turn up if you can."
"Okay."
"Maybe you and I can have a coffee tomorrow? During your lunch break?"
"Look, Mum," sighed Hermione, "I know we haven't spoken in a long, long time. But you have to understand that the case I am doing concerns me more then you can possibly imagine. Maybe when I have completed it we can meet up for a coffee. Can we just mend things one step at a time?"
"Sure honey. One step at a time."
"Tell Dad… tell Dad I say hello," said Hermione glancing over at the one photo of her and her parents, "I have to go."
"Okay. Take care."
"You too."
"Goodbye."
"Bye," said Hermione before hanging up.
She turned the television off and stared at it blankly unsure of what to do. She gave a sigh and stood up and switched all the lights off before climbing into bed. If she slept, she wouldn't have to deal with the fact that she was purposely avoiding going home, going back to where her horror all began.
HD
"Hermione," said Ron seeing his friend arrive the next morning, "Harry and I got to Lavender's. We informed her of the situation and she is leaving England with her husband, Terry Boot, to go and stay in France until it all comes to an end."
Hermione nodded, "Good. We still need to inform Padma Patil, Hannah Abbott, and Marcia Krum. We need to protect all these women."
"What about you Hermione?"
"I'll be fine."
"But you are the sixth victim. Zabini will want you dead as well."
"If it takes me being killed to solve this case, then fine. So be it," snapped Hermione before storming down the corridor to her office. Ron watched her in a stunned silence. Even he could tell something else was bothering Hermione other then the case she was desperately trying to solve.
Hermione entered her office and slammed the door shut. She sat at her desk and leant her head in her hands blinking back tears of anger, frustration and from feeling utterly overwhelmed with everything going on.
The sound of the door opening alerted Hermione of her dreaded partner's arrival. She hastily wiped her tears away and sat up straight.
"Ah, Ron and Harry have told Lavender about the situation. She is going to France with her husband. We need to tell the others," said Hermione as Draco sat at his desk with a sigh.
"Granger… we found out who was murdered."
Hermione turned in her seat to look at Draco, "Who was it?"
"A young toddler. Only two years old."
Hermione's mouth fell open, "Oh my gosh."
"He was Cho Chang's son from a previous relationship with Michael Corner. Bradley Lewis Chang Corner."
Hermione shook her head in disbelief, "When did this happen?"
"Michael heard about Cho's death from Oliver. Bradley was meant to stay at Michael's for the weekend but he didn't turn up. Authorities found the body dumped in a bin at Hogsmeade."
"That is horrible."
"Slit throat just like his mother."
"Poor, poor little boy," said Hermione shaking her head sadly, "This is going to far. It's one thing to kill an adult… but a child? What joy does Zabini get from that sort of act?"
"But there is one more thing… and despite the circumstances this is good news. We found foreign DNA on his clothes. A strand of hair, which tells me that maybe the murder was done so there were no witnesses to see what happened to Cho."
"Hang on, Cho was killed at Diagon Alley," frowned Hermione confused.
"Bradley was killed before Cho. They must have drugged her at Diagon Alley then killed Bradley before taking Cho to Diagon Alley and killing her there."
"Then for that to happen there must have been more then one person at the time. Cho was a smart witch. She wouldn't of let her son get killed so easily."
"You're right," agreed Draco standing up, "I'll go process that strand of hair and see what it comes up with. What will you do?"
"I have to go and see Oliver."
"Granger, don't get anymore involved that what you are."
"I already am in far to deep with this case," snapped Hermione, "I was bloody raped by the leader of the mafia, Malfoy. You can't get much more involved then that now, can you?"
"But you are getting emotionally involved."
"I am emotionally involved, Malfoy! Do you think I just laughed off getting raped?" cried Hermione in frustration, "The families of these people are all counting on me to bring down that blasted mafia! So it is pretty hard for me not to be emotionally involved. A little boy was murdered before his mother's eyes. Imagine the horror Cho was feeling when she was murdered. Imagine what Oliver and Michael are going through right now! So don't stand there and tell me not to get emotionally involved because it is damn to late for that!"
Without another word Hermione apperated away not taking noticed to the shocked look on Draco's face before he left to get the DNA on the strand of hair.
HD
Hermione stood on the Wood Mansion doorstep. She rang the bell and looked around her at the large property. A two-storey building with white and crème bricks and a white painted door. It opened slowly revealing Mrs Wood, Oliver's mother.
"Hermione Granger, Auror from the LED of the Ministry," said Hermione showing her badge, "I am here to see Oliver."
"Oh, yes. Cho told me… when she was alive of course, that you were handling the case. Come in, please."
Hermione walked in and Mrs Wood led her through to the lounge room where Oliver sat with a glass of fire whiskey in his hand.
"Honey," said his mother touching his arm gently, "Hermione Granger is here."
Oliver looked up at Hermione and stood. He placed his glass on the coffee table and hugged Hermione tightly. Hermione hugged him back blinking back tears. When she pulled back she saw Oliver had tears of his own.
"You helped her through everything," said Oliver, "And I am thankful for what you have done."
"I know," said Hermione softly, "But I didn't protect her well enough. I should have organised some form of protection."
"No one was to know this would happen," said Oliver just as softly, "But… but I keep on asking why her? Why Bradley? Why couldn't they just have left her alone?"
Hermione felt guilty. She looked at Oliver and saw the pain and grief in his eyes. Suddenly she took hold of his hands and made him look at her.
"Oliver, I swear on my own life that I will bring down Zabini for what he has done. That bastard will be locked away or even sentenced to death when I finish with him. I promise you that. Mark my word."
Oliver nodded and Hermione hugged him once more before leaving.
HD
The following Tuesday came and Hermione once again found her self at counselling with Annie sitting across from her with her notebook and penned poised to take notes. Hermione sat in her normal seat fiddling with the sleeve of her wool jumper.
"The case I am dealing with is really big," said Hermione softly, "We found some DNA… and the test results got back. We have a match in the system but we have to wait for the mans file to be sent before we really know who was behind the murder."
"I see. Is the case hard on you?"
Hermione nodded as she looked at a picture of Annie's daughter holding a baby in her arms, "Is that your daughter's child?"
"Yes. Alyce and her daughter Willow May," smiled Annie.
Hermione gave a small vacant smile, "I was pregnant once… it was after I was raped the first time. I just lost control and slept around. Looking at me now no one would ever guess that," Hermione paused, "I missed my period but thought nothing of it because it can generally happen. But then I started to worry because I was getting tired easier. I told Mum and she got me a test. It came out positive. My parents were furious with me. I was kicked out of home for it," Hermione took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I was taken in by Molly Weasley. But the stress got to me and I ended up loosing the baby… at five months. I had a stillborn pretty much."
"Did you name it?"
Hermione nodded, "A little boy. Jayden Riley. Some times I have dreams that he is alive and running into my room on his birthday all excited. He would be nearly four years old."
"Do you do anything on the day you lost him? Or the day he was meant to be born?"
"I drink. I drink till I am drunk. That way I forget about it."
"Drinking answers nothing. It makes everything worse."
"I can't go to his grave site. I haven't been since the day he was buried. It is too painful."
"Do you know who the father is?"
"Yes. After I slept with Ron we became a couple. We broke up a month after he died because neither of us could get through it together. Luckily after some time apart we managed to salvage our friendship. He is still my best friend."
"Nothing more?"
"Nothing more then friendship."
"You are strong woman Hermione. I don't think you see how strong you really are. Many people can't get through something like this the way you have."
Hermione smiled a little, "Yeah, well. We all have our pasts."
"Have you spoken to your parents?"
"My mother called me last week. I got a letter before that saying my father is dying from cancer. He wants to make things right. Mum is expecting me to forget everything like it never once happened. How on earth am I meant to do that?" asked Hermione with tears in her eyes, "They may be able to cast a blind eye too it, but I can't."
"Ah, excuse me," said the receptionist poking her head in, "Draco Malfoy is demanding to see Hermione. He says it is urgent – a development in the case."
Hermione looked at Annie who gestured for her to go. Hermione stood grabbing her cloak on the way out. She ducked past the receptionist and ran down the corridor pulling her cloak on and drying her eyes.
Draco stood out, mainly because of his pale hair and pacing.
"This better be one big development to pull me from my session," snapped Hermione as he saw her enter the waiting room.
"Do you class Lavender Brown being murdered a big development?" replied Draco coldly.
A/N: -Evil music plays followed by a mad cackle- So that is where I am leaving you all. Anyway, please review!
Until next time…
Love yas!
Love Coz!