A/N - Sorry for the slow updates with this story. I am busy working on other stories so this one is on the back burner I'm afraid. I have a couple more chapters already written and the main storyline is already plotted so although updates may be slower than normal this story will definitely be finished. (I know there's nothing worse to be reading a story that never gets finished so I promise that definitely won't happen with any of my stories) I also know people are eager for Dramione interaction, the next chapter features a brief conversation between the pair which is the start of regular interaction between them.
Harry sat at the kitchen table in The Burrow drumming his fingertips on the wooden surface in frustration. The Order were due to have a meeting but Kingsley and Tonks hadn't yet shown up. Harry had wanted to start without them but Remus was insistent that they waited for everyone.
"Are you alright, Harry?" Ginny asked, sitting down next to Harry. Since their brief relationship that Harry had ended in fear of the Voldemort using her to get to him the former couple had rarely spoken but Ginny still cared for Harry.
"I'm fine." Harry muttered sarcastically. "Hermione's now been missing a week and no-one seems to care."
"Of course people care." Ginny insisted.
"Yeah they care so much that they don't even bother to show up at meetings." Harry snarled.
"I'm sure Tonks and Kingsley have a good reason for running late." Ginny said, standing back up.
Harry muttered something as Ginny walked away from the table. Ginny was just as worried about Hermione as Harry was but he seemed to be taking it harder than everyone else. In the past week Harry had snapped at nearly everyone as he felt that they weren't doing enough to find Hermione.
Harry sat at the table alone for another ten minutes before Ron slid into the seat next to him. Harry turned round to speak to his friend when he realised several other people were taking their places around the table. Finally it looked like the meeting was about to begin, much to Harry's pleasure.
As everyone settled down Harry glared at Kingsley and Tonks as they entered the room. Kingsley sat down at the other end of the table but Tonks sat next to Remus practically opposite Harry. Harry waited until they were both seated before speaking.
"Why were you late? What was more important than trying to find Hermione?" Harry demanded of the two Aurors.
"We were on a raid." Kingsley explained. "We can't neglect our jobs Harry."
"Not that we'll have them for long." Tonks muttered. Everyone knew it would only be a matter of time before Voldemort launched an take-over attempt on the Ministry.
"Sorry." Harry said quietly. "I'm just frustrated with our lack of progress." He knew that everyone was trying their best to find his friend but he couldn't help but worry about what was happening to her.
"We know. We're all frustrated." Molly said soothingly. Hermione was part of their family and she was terribly worried about her.
"I just wish we knew more." Harry sighed. "We know they've got Hermione but we have no idea where she is or what they want from her."
Harry had explained to the Order about the vision he had received from Voldemort. Several of the group had been sceptical about what Harry was telling them but they all agreed they would proceed as though the information was real. Harry was determined that they wouldn't give up on Hermione, he was convinced that she was still alive and he didn't plan on giving up until they had her back.
"Actually we do know one place where she's not being kept. Malfoy Manor." Kingsley said.
"I thought we had no idea about whether Hermione was being held in the Manor, due to its immense security." Minerva McGonagall said.
"We didn't ,until this afternoon." Tonks said. "The raid that held up Kingsley and I was taking place at Malfoy Manor."
"You've been in the Manor." Ron exclaimed. "How?"
"I filed a fake report about receiving information that there were dark materials in the Manor." Kingsley explained. "We then organised a raid quickly and quietly."
"Couldn't you get into trouble for filing fake reports?" Bill Weasley asked.
"Yes, but it was worth it to get inside the Manor." Kingsley said.
"Did you find anything that might help us?" Arthur Weasley asked.
"No." Tonks shook her head sadly. "The Manor was clean and there was no sign of Hermione ever being there."
"Maybe they were expecting you and removed any dark material." Molly said.
"No, they had no idea we were coming." Kingsley said. "Lucius Malfoy was totally unprepared for us."
"If he knew we were coming he would have made sure Narcissa was out of the house." Tonks said. "He was terrified about leaving her alone with any of us."
"Why?" Remus asked.
"Because she's scared. I think given the chance she would come to us for protection." Tonks said, thinking about how nervous and scared Narcissa had been throughout their visit. "Lucius knew that so made sure she was never in any position to ask for help."
"Who cares if Narcissa Malfoy is scared, she should have thought about that before she married a Death Eater." Ron snarled.
"Ron." Molly scolded, appalled by her son's lack of empathy.
"Ron's right." Harry said. "We don't have time to worry about Narcissa Malfoy, we need to concentrate on finding Hermione."
"We will." Remus reassured Harry. "But we can't ignore people if they ask for our help."
"She hasn't asked for our help though." Harry protested, standing up.
"Where are you going Harry?" Molly asked, sensing Harry was ready to leave before much had even been discussed.
"Back to Grimmauld Place. I have things to do." Harry said. "Are you coming Ron?" He asked his best friend.
Ron nodded and stood up, he knew that Harry wanted to get back to making plans. In the last week they had found the location of the locket Horcrux and were currently trying to come up with a plan to snatch it. Harry had spotted the locket in a picture of Dolores Umbridge in The Daily Prophet and the two boys were trying to decide how to get near enough to her to snatch the Horcrux.
Harry and Ron headed into the front room to floo back to Grimmauld Place. Before the boys had a chance to grab the floo powder and step into the flames Remus followed them into the room.
"Harry, can I have a word?" Remus asked.
"As long as you're quick." Harry said, eager to get back to his planning.
"I want you to be careful." Remus said. "Whatever you do you can't go rushing off after Hermione based on what Voldemort is showing you. We don't want a repeat of last time."
Harry looked hurt that Remus would bring up the incident in fifth year that had resulted in Sirius' death. There wasn't a day that went by that Harry didn't regret his rash actions and the consequences that followed them.
"I won't be acting rashly." Harry promised. "But I'll also not be abandoning Hermione, we will find a way to rescue her."
"No-one's going to abandon Hermione. We just all need to work together." Remus said.
Harry nodded before saying goodbye and heading into the green flames. Ron also said goodbye to Remus before he followed his best friend back to Grimmauld Place.
Draco nervously paced the floor in the front room. It had been exactly a week since he had arrived at the house and he was expecting his aunt to be paying a visit today but so far there was no sign of the witch. It was well past seven o'clock in the evening and Draco was wondering if he had gotten his timings wrong and his aunt was actually due the following day instead.
Draco was actually about to go and find something to eat when a loud crack sounded behind him and his aunt appeared in the middle of the front room.
"I was beginning to think you weren't coming." Draco greeted his aunt.
"No such luck, Draco." Bella laughed. "I'll be keeping a very close eye on you and your prisoner."
"Should I always expect you this late?" Draco asked. The days when his aunt was due to visit would be more stress-free if he knew what time to expect her.
"No." Bella shook her head. "I was held up. The Manor was raided by Auror's this afternoon."
"Is mother all right?" Draco asked immediately. His mother's safety was all he was concerned about, if anything had happened to anyone else in his family Draco couldn't have cared less.
"She's fine." Bella said, wondering if Draco was bothered about anything other than his mother. "They didn't find anything incriminating and they certainly didn't find what they were searching for."
"What would that be?" Draco asked curiously.
"The mudblood of course." Bella snapped, unimpressed with Draco's question. She thought it would have been obvious what they were searching for. "Speaking of which, where is she?"
"In her room." Draco replied. "Why did you kidnap Granger? She'll not tell you anything, she's very stubborn."
"We don't expect to get information. Everyone knows the mudblood is the brains behind Potter's exploits, without her he'll struggle to achieve anything." Bella explained. She failed to mention The Dark Lord's plan to taunt Harry as it was nothing to do with her nephew.
"So you're hoping that without Granger, Potter will be less of a threat." Draco said, understanding the logic behind the decision. Draco was well aware that Potter would have perished years ago if it hadn't been for the brainy Gryffindor he was best friends with.
"Yes." Bella nodded. "Now go and get the prisoner, I want to see her with my own eyes." The Dark Lord was very clear on the fact that Bella needed to see the mudblood so he could use the memory to taunt Potter at a later date.
Draco obeyed his aunt, leaving the room to go and get Granger. He just hoped the stubborn witch wouldn't cause problems and get them both punished. Draco was relieved to be out of Voldemort's reach and he didn't want to have to return home where he wouldn't be able to avoid the dark wizard.
Hermione had spent the afternoon in her bedroom, she passed the time be doing more research into the wards surrounding the property and having an afternoon nap. In the last week Hermione had developed a routine, her mornings were usually spent in the garden or the library but she always spent her afternoons in the bedroom.
Hermione always had a nap in the afternoon because she had yet to experience a whole night's sleep without interruption. Malfoy was still having nightmares and he woke her up every night with his horrific screaming. Hermione could see the effect the dreams were starting to have on Malfoy but she had yet to gather the strength to approach him about them.
Hermione was standing at the window and debating whether to go and get some dinner when the wards suddenly dropped. Hermione barely had time to register the green countryside behind the boundary line before the wards were back in place. Hermione was sure someone had just arrived at the property and she was curious about who it was.
Hermione opened her bedroom door and walked out onto the landing. She could hear the murmur of voices coming from below but she couldn't pinpoint the owner of the voices or what they were saying. Hermione was just about to creep down the stairs when she heard a mad cackle. Hermione froze as she recognised the laugh, it belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange.
Not wanting to see Bellatrix, Hermione retreated to her bedroom and quietly shut the door behind her. Hermione sat on her bed hoping that Bellatrix was just paying a visit and wouldn't be staying long. She was desperately hoping that she wasn't here to swap with Malfoy or tell him that someone else would be coming to guard her.
As crazy as it sounded Hermione felt safe with Malfoy in the house. Hermione knew that he wouldn't hurt her and that he was actually suffering just as much, if not more, than her. For the past week Hermione and Malfoy had existed in peaceful harmony as they pretty much ignored each other. Hermione was unsure if another Death Eater would let her wander the house freely and not bother her.
Hermione didn't have much time to debate the reason for Bellatrix's visit as she heard footsteps on the stairs. After living in the same house as Malfoy for a week she knew it was him coming up the stairs as she recognised the tread of his footsteps. Hermione listened as the footsteps approached her door before they stopped and he knocked on the door. Hermione was surprised that Malfoy had knocked on the door rather than just entering the room. Impressed with the blond's manners Hermione went to open the door, even though she really didn't want to.
"You're wanted downstairs." Draco said as soon as Hermione opened the door.
"What if I don't want to go downstairs." Hermione said, not wishing to see Bellatrix.
"Then I'll have to make you." Draco sighed as he realised that the stubborn witch in front of him might prove to be a problem.
Hermione folded her arms over her chest as she stared at Malfoy, silently challenging him to make her do something she didn't want to do.
"Things would be a lot easier for both of us if you just came downstairs with me." Draco said, running his hand through his hair nervously.
Hermione continued to stand unmoving. She was impressed that Malfoy hadn't immediately whipped out his wand and threatened her but she was still reluctant to face his mad aunt.
"Please, Granger." Draco said quietly. Asking her politely was his last resort and Draco knew he would have to use force if she didn't give in.
Hermione looked totally shocked at Malfoy's words, she knew there was no way to refuse him without being rude. "Okay." She nodded.
"Thank you."
Hermione barely caught the quiet words as Draco turned round and headed for the stairs. As Hermione followed the blond down the stairs she began to wonder if it was time to consider trying to get him onside in her escape plan, not that she actually knew how she was going to escape yet.
Draco led Hermione into the front room where Bellatrix was standing beside the window. Bellatrix turned to watch as her nephew led the mudblood into the room, interestingly she seemed to be following him of her own free will instead of being forced. As Draco stepped further into the room Hermione hovered in the doorway, not wanting to be anywhere near to the older witch in the room.
"Everything looks to be in order." Bellatrix said, staring long and hard at Hermione. She wanted to make sure The Dark Lord had good enough memories of the mudblood to manipulate into something to taunt Potter with.
Bellatrix stared at Hermione for several more minutes before turning her attention to Draco. Hermione noticed that Malfoy visibly flinched when Bellatrix stepped closer to him and ruffled his blond hair.
"Keep up the good work, Draco." Bella smirked at her nephew, revelling in the fact that she made him nervous.
Bella stepped back from Draco. Taking one final look at Hermione, she smirked evilly at the brunette witch before she dropped the wards and apparated away with a crack.
Hermione stared at the spot where Bellatrix had been standing, wondering why she had made such a fuss about wanting her to come downstairs. Apart from staring intently at her Bellatrix hadn't uttered a word to Hermione.
Draco was also wondering the same as Hermione, he had no idea why his aunt had requested to see Granger when all she did was stare at her. Shaking his head at his aunt's peculiar behaviour Draco headed into the kitchen to find some food.
Hermione waited until Draco had sat down at the table with his meal before she headed into the kitchen to make something for herself. After making herself a sandwich Hermione sat down opposite Draco and the pair ate their food in silence before they went their separate ways for the night.
