Draco POV

Where the hell was Hermione?

I paced back and forth in the Room of Requirement. She was supposed to meet me here three hours ago! At first I'd been annoyed, but now I was getting worried. I decided to look for her.

Maybe she just had her rounds extended. I decided to go on her route and see where she'd gone.

I went out into the corridor and approached a portrait of tree wizards playing Exploding Snap.

"Hey, guys, have you seen a witch go by here?" I asked.

"Several," said one.

"Did you see Prefect Granger?"

"Who is that?"

"Curly brown hair, walks by here every day?"

"Ah, yes. Someone attacked her and dragged her into the Vanishing Cabinet."

My stomach dropped. "What? Who?"

"Two girls. I don't know who. One was blonde, one had dark hair."

"What? Is she hurt?" I demanded fearfully.

"They tied her up before dragging her in. I've no idea where they took her," the wizard said, looking extremely bored.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked hurriedly.

He nodded. "Positive."

"Thank you!" I threw out. I took off at a dead sprint for the Great Hall.

I knocked over a few fourth years who shouted at me as I rounded a corner. I ignored them and kept running.

I screeched to a stop in the doorway. Please be here, please be here...

"Oh, thank God!" I gasped, taking off for the Gryffindor table.

I didn't stop myself soon enough, so I slammed into the table.

"Ow!" I yelled, regaining my balance.

"Malfoy, what the hell?" Ron shouted.

"Hermione's in trouble!" I gasped out.

"What?" Harry demanded. "What kind of trouble?"

"Someone tied her up and dragged her into the Vanishing Cabinet outside the Room of Requirement."

"Well then, let's go!" said Ginny, swinging her legs over the bench.

"Whoa, whoa, wait!" Ron said. "Don't just go running off! How do we know he's not lying?"

"Okay, you know what? I was supposed to wait until graduation, but I can't! Hermione and I are in love! We've been seeing each other since Christmas. I was waiting for her, and she didn't show up, and I got worried! I asked a portrait on her route, and he told me what happened. Anyway... She needs help. I need your help. I don't know what I'm gonna find, and I'm going to need your help."

"You had better be lying," Ron snarled in a low voice.

I shook my head. "I'm not. I know your pissed, and I get that. I'm me, she's Hermione, and you're you. But I love her, Weasley. I would do anything for her. And right now, I need your help. All of you."

"Of course," said Harry.

"Whatever. I don't believe him," said Ron, standing up and walking away.

"Unbelievable," muttered Ginny. "is there anyone else we can get?"

"Probably Blaise. He's my best mate, and I know he'll be supportive about this."

Ginny nodded. "Let's go," she said. Be by the cabinet in ten minutes. I need to change my shoes."

"I'll get my Invisibility Cloak," said Harry. He looked at me. "Go get Zabini."

I nodded as they took off running. I headed over to the Slytherin table at a run.

"Blaise!" I said. "I need your help! It's urgent!"

He stared at me. "Dude, you look terrified!"

"My girlfriend's been kidnapped! I need help getting her back!"

"You have a girlfriend?"

"Yes, we've been seeing each other since Christmas. Are you coming, or not?"

"Yeah," he said immediately, standing up.

He followed me at a run to the entrance hall. "So who is it?"

"Hermione Granger," I panted. "I swear to God, Blaise, if you make any cracks about her, I will kick your ass."

"I won't," he promised. "You really love her, don't you? I can tell by the look on your face."

We arrived at the cabinet then, panting. When I caught my breath, I answered him.

"Yes, I love her. More than anything. If I lose her... I won't have anything to live for. She means everything to me. I can't lose her." Tears came into my eyes.

Blaise squeezed my shoulder. "We'll find her. I promise."

I nodded, wiping my face with the back of my hand. "We have to. I can't lose her. I just can't lose her!" I sobbed over and over.

"Draco, calm down!" Blaise said, trying to calm me.

"What's going on?" asked Harry, coming down the corridor with Ginny.

"He's freaking out. He's deluding himself into thinking that Hermione is gonna die, and I can't talk him down."

"Malfoy, calm down!" said Harry. I didn't even hear him.

SMACK! I jerked as Ginny slapped me in the face.

"What the hell?" I said, so shocked I stopped crying. Before I could reach up and rub my face, she had shoved me against the wall.

"You listen to me, Malfoy! We are going to find her, and we are going to save her! But if you want to save her, then you better stop crying and get it together! Because if we have to fight and you're crying, you won't be any help! So get it the fuck together, or I will kick your skinny, white, Slytherin ass from here to graduation!"

Extremely taken aback, I nodded.

"Good. Let's go," she said, backing up.

I looked at them all. "Be careful," I said. "Let's partner up."

"I'll go with you," said Ginny.

"Ginny-" protested Harry.

"Harry, it'll be fine. I trust him," said Ginny.

Harry looked torn, but nodded.

"Great," I said. "Okay, you guys go under the Cloak. We'll go first."

Harry pulled Ginny to him and kissed her. "Be careful."

"Always," she said. She turned to Draco. "Let's go."

He nodded, turning to the other guys. "Be careful. Wait five minutes, and then follow. Whatever you do, don't reveal yourselves. If something goes wrong, go back and get Dumbledore, McGonagall, or Snape. Good luck."

Ginny and I looked at each other. "Ready?" I asked.

She smiled and nodded. "Let's go kick some ass."

I shook my head in disbelief as I opened the cabinet. "I'll go first."

I ducked inside the cabinet, feeling the whoosh as it transported me. Ginny was right behind me.

"Shhh," I mouthed, raising my wand as I went to open the cabinet.

She raised hers as I slowly opened the cabinet door and stepped out into the room.

We were in a room with old-fashioned furniture. It was similar to the style at my house, but was unfamiliar.

Faintly, I heard a very feminine scream, and my heart leaped into my chest. "Hermione," I breathed.

I started to take off running, but Ginny grabbed my arm.

"Let go of me," I snarled.

"No!" she hissed. "If you take off running, you'll get lost and have no idea how to get back! Just go slowly and quietly!"

I nodded. "I guess."

We slowly made our way forward. The screams had stopped, so there was no way to follow Hermione's voice now.

Wherever we were was big. It was dark and musty and old. And creepy.

There was a creak from nearby. I jumped, startled; Ginny grabbed my arm in a reflex reaction. We both froze.

"I don't think it was anything," I said after a moment. "Let's just keep going."

She nodded, but didn't move.

"Get off me, will you?" I said, shaking my arm.

"Sorry!" she whispered. "I keep forgetting you're not Harry."

"I take offense."

She smacked me on the arm. "Usually I'm with him in these types of situations. I can usually hold onto his arm or something."

"Well, please try to remember."

Suddenly, there was a bloodcurdling scream from a door directly ahead.

Hermione.

I burst into the room, Ginny right behind me.

Hermione was trussed up in the middle of the floor, crying. Standing over her was...

I gasped at the sight of the very last person I ever expected to see.

A/N: Cliffie! :D Send in a review with your guess as to who YOU think it is! I'm not updating until I get some answers!

See? Incentives are a good thing. )

Peace out

xoxoOliviaxoxo