Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Seriously.
A/N: It has been ages since I last did anything to this series. I recently had the series re-betaed. I am currently working on a Chapter 10 (honest!) and I swear that this time I will deliver on my promise. In the meantime, please review if you like the series – it gives me more incentive to work faster on finishing it.
A/N2: Thanks to Katy (who was my beta when I started out with this series) and thanks to Uval Braman (it_will_cook) for looking the series over once more. She did an amazing job!
"Me," her captor agreed gleefully, a slow smirk spreading across her lips.
"What?! But – I mean – how could you?!" Hermione sputtered in disbelief, still reeling from the shock.
"Indeed, how could I?" her captor readily agreed once more, her hands clasped together behind her back as she began to approach closer. Her eyes regarded her prisoner with what felt like detached interest. Hermione felt like fish on a cold slab, waiting for the impending scalpel as she was about to be dissected for some morbid child's science experiment.
Her blue eyes, which had once looked so attractive to Hermione, now only looked cold with a hint of psychotic glint. How did Hermione ever find it in herself to sleep with this woman? Sure, she was just one of her many one-night stands but she thought she had better taste than this! And what on earth was her name! Pa – Patty, Penny, Pandora … That was it – Pandora!
"You're a Death Eater?" Hermione asked, picking at random the many questions rushing about in her mind. "But you can't be! You don't have the Mark on you!" Hermione was sure she would have been able to spot the Mark had it been on the blonde's body. She was sure she had been very thorough that one night they were together. She was never looking for a committed relationship but that gave her no reason not to give her one-night stands something worth remembering.
"I pride myself as one equivalent to the position," the blonde replied with a thoughtful expression, now coming to settle herself down on the bed, careful to keep out of Hermione's range. "It has always been my regret that I have never attained the Mark. Nevertheless, it has not discouraged me from carrying out the Dark Lord's vision and you might have noticed that as of now, I'm starting with you."
"Why?" Hermione asked, trying to get as much information as she could.
"I've told you before," Pandora replied patiently, her fingers trailing lazy circles about one of Hermione's exposed calves, "your mind has been the reason behind the Dark Lord's defeat, despite others mistaking the significance of your contribution with Harry Potter's. Though I suppose that is mostly because he is a much more ostentatious figure. I imagine that you prefer to work in the background, only to grace the stage with your presence when the situation is out of control or something catches your eye."
Hermione's breath involuntarily hitched when Pandora's fingers came dangerously close to her inner thighs. Pandora laughed a little at that and moved her fingers to safer regions. "I recall that was exactly what you did the night we met. Can you believe it was barely two nights ago? It was past midnight and the crowd was finally starting to pick up. I remember seeing you standing just outside of the dance floor, along one of those long counters, nursing the same gin and tonic you have for the entire night. You were not drunk on purpose. You were keeping alert to scan for potential … victims," Pandora paused, a predatory gaze as she leaned in so that her nose was only a few inches away from Hermione's.
"You were fending off suitors left and right, male and female, and then you found me. I felt your eyes on me as if it was a physical presence, caressing me," Pandora did just that to Hermione's bare arm, watching Hermione shudder with a small smirk, "holding me captive. I had not planned to get that close to you, I must admit. But you have quite the allure, Ms. Granger, and you showed me quite a night. In fact, since I'm not exactly planning to obliterate you from existence, how about you join me? I'm sure I can show you many," Pandora leaned in much closer, so close that Hermione and her were practically sharing the same breath, "many perks," her eyes had half-closed, "of the dark side," she finished before closing her eyes and pressing her lips against Hermione's finally.
If she were Harry, she would have outright bit down on Pandora's lip and then launched into a self-righteous speech about dignity and honesty and whatnots. If she were Ron, she would have kissed her rationality goodbye and just shagged this gorgeous woman. But she was Hermione and she had more brains and cunning than even the male two-third of the golden trio combined together. So she kissed back willingly, all the while planning to use this to her advantage.
She felt Pandora's tongue demand entrance and she granted it quickly without looking too eager so as not to arouse suspicion. Besides, it was not like it was that hard to fake her attraction to Pandora. Sure, the blonde was a fruitcake but that could not dispute the fact that she was downright gorgeous. Before she got carried off thinking about irrelevant matters, she bit down gently on Pandora's bottom lip – remembering from their night together that it had been Pandora's weak spot, and then ran her tongue over the bite to soothe it. The moan that erupted from the base of Pandora's throat seemed to show the blonde's approval of Hermione's course of action. Hermione broke free of the kiss after a while, smirking as she took in Pandora's swollen lips, flushed cheeks and glazed eyes. So I haven't lost my touch, Hermione thought to herself. "Don't you think you should free me of these restraints first?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"I'm sure you'll do just fine with them on," Pandora burred as she leaned into another kiss.
"Any luck?" Ginny asked, or more like her head was doing the asking while the rest of her remained in Pansy's penthouse.
Jane turned from her desk to regard the floating head in the fireplace of her employer's office. "The team I sent to the nightclub has just returned. I am currently sifting through the reports and so far, I've found nothing useful or relevant. Unless," Jane continued with a sigh, pulling out a piece of paper from the pile on the desk, "you'd be interested in getting a membership to their Search for Sexual Enlightment Organization, which is really a fancy way of saying Fetish Club. Starting from midnight onward, it's leather on Monday, candles and other wax products on Wednesday and, my personal favourite, animals on Friday."
By the time Jane had finished reciting the report, Ginny had turned a sickly green colour. "What?!" she finally shouted.
"Precisely," Jane said dryly, removing her glasses to pinch at the bridge of her nose, "it just goes to show the kind of company Ms. Granger seems to prefer. It doesn't seem very healthy, both physically and mentally, to me."
Ginny had blushed at what Jane was implying but refused to be led on. "Will you please update me the moment you get a lead on her whereabouts? I'll be at Pansy Parkinson's penthouse the whole time."
"I promise, Ms. Weasley," Jane told Ginny, a grim smile on her face as she watched Ginny's head disappear and the emerald hue of the flames return to normal.
"How is it?" Pansy asked, helping Ginny to her feet automatically the moment her newfound girlfriend finished the conversation.
"They have nothing," Ginny replied, sighing as she sunk down into one of the armchairs in the living room. The worry was evident in both her voice and expression; even the set of her shoulders had taken a slump to reflect her mood.
Pansy linked her fingers around Ginny's neck as she settled herself on her lap. "Look at me, Gin," she whispered, smiling reassuringly as the redhead slowly looked up. "We'll find her, alright?" she said simply, giving her a crooked grin. "I promise. So you have to promise me that you'll at least get a bite with me. I'm starving and stress can kill, especially when you're running low on energy."
Ginny sighed again, but this time it was not worry she was channelling, and leaned her forehead against Pansy's. "You take such good care of me," she teased gently, wrapping her arms about Pansy's waist. "What did I do right to deserve you?" she asked sincerely, turning her eyes on Pansy's.
"You gave us a chance," Pansy replied, giving Ginny a quick kiss on the lips as she did so.
They had not been in an official relationship for even a day yet and they had been assaulted with so many trials already. Kate's reactions had been expected and Pansy was more grateful than she let on that despite it all, Ginny had chosen her over Kate. Now Hermione Granger was missing.
Before they had found out about it, they had taken the time to sit together – James had been considerate enough to leave the two of them alone, though Ginny suspected it had more to do with the cute security guard down in the lobby than anything else – to simply share about each other. Pansy, who had never known the meaning of laying yourself bare, had found it relatively easy to do. Maybe it was because Ginny was such a good listener or because she just trusted Ginny to such an extent. Whatever it was, by the time they received the summon from the Aurors Office, they had known a general outline of each other's lives: pre-Hogwarts, during Hogwarts, post-Hogwarts, during the War and after the War. Details could be filled in at a much later date.
Ginny had gone without much explanation and it was only when she came back that she told Pansy everything. Deriving from Ginny's confessions about Granger's visits, she found herself agreeing with Granger's secretary's decision to request for Ginny's aid. It made sense that Ginny would know most about Granger at this point in time – though the logic also led her to burn with jealousy with the realization that Granger had stolen a kiss from Ginny while she herself was being denied intimacy by the said redhead. Pansy was pulled away from her musings by another set of lips on hers.
"I still think you're too good to be true," Ginny murmured reverently.
"Don't say that, you'll jinx it!" Pansy said before she could stop herself.
"I'm sorry?" Ginny asked, amusement dancing about in her eyes as her eyebrows shot up.
"I didn't say that out loud, did I?" Pansy asked in a small voice, her cheeks taking on a red tinge.
"Yes, you did," Ginny teased, now starting to laugh openly as she watched her normally composed girlfriend turn the colour of a cooked lobster for a change.
"Shut up," Pansy told Ginny half-heartedly as she buried her face in the nape of Ginny's neck.
Pandora was sprawled across the bed next to Hermione, the sheets only half covering her as the gentle rise and fall of her chest indicated that she had finally given into her exhaustion and fallen asleep. Hermione rose slowly, making sure she would not wake the blonde psychopath as she began searching.
Hermione tried to remember where Pandora had stowed away her wand when she had taken it out the night before to charm Hermione's restraints into lengths of chains connecting each of her wrists and ankles to the four bedposts, allowing her to be more mobile without giving her too much freedom for the purpose of their indulgence. Hermione cursed under her breath when her eyes seemed to fail in finding the wand.
"Accio wand," she whispered, concentrating hard as she extended her hand. She had never been a fan of wandless magic. She had practiced it nonetheless. A part of her had thought it curious that her fingers would be the only tangible barrier between the magic and the real world – in that moment when the magic pulsed through and across, she felt almost … in tune with the world at large and with herself. It was an addictive feeling, which was the very reason why Hermione did not favour it. It left too much opening and it was too volatile. If she had lost just a fraction of the concentration needed … she shuddered to think of the consequences. Besides, above all else, Hermione hated to lose control.
The solid feel of Pandora's wand flying into her outstretched hand snapped her out of her reverie. It did not come as a surprise that Pandora's wand was more or less the length of her own – they were of the same height after all. The slight humming that started from the spot at which the wand was resting and now extending to the rest of her body as a result of the contact was a surprise though. Dragon heartstring, she thought, an awestruck expression on her face – then looking at Pandora's sleeping form, she chuckled to herself, we are more alike than you might be comfortable with, Pandora dear. Now to conjure a Patronus to send a message, she continued in her mind.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to conjure in her mind her happiest memory. She was not sure how far her Patronus would have to travel but she would just make her as strong as she could. Just in case, she thought as her eyes opened – thinking hard of brown eyes and red hair. "Expecto patronum," she said firmly but quietly enough so that Pandora would not wake.
It was not her first time casting the Patronus Charm but as always, she thought it a marvellous process. Beyond the strictly academic interest she held, she personally thought casting the Charm was a little of a spiritual journey, if you would. Her eyes followed the trail of silver lights as they swirled and moved together, in a dance well-practiced and well-memorized, and the seconds seemed to slow as she found her happiest memory reflected in every little silver orb, slowly seeking each other and then coming together to form the familiar shape of her Patronus.
"Hello there," Hermione called out, watching as the otter glide closer, stroking the ethereal presence fondly as she kept a wary eye on the slumbering blonde not too far away from her. "I need a favour from you," she whispered, leaning in to impart her message. It was a while before she pulled back. "Please be quick. I don't know how long I can keep this charade up." When the otter turned to glide and pass through the doors – and took away with her what felt like the only physical remnant she would ever have of her beloved redhead, Hermione felt so bereaved she felt she could almost cry.
In an unspoken agreement that they should not yet engage in the 'consummation' of their newfound relationship, Pansy and Ginny had taken to sleeping apart. Both were quite confident, though they had not told the other, that they would not be able to resist the temptation should the distance between them plummet to practically non-existing.
So it was two in the morning and while Pansy rested in the comfort of her own bed and James had once more taken residence on Pansy's couch in the living room – Ginny honestly believed he would come to sorely miss the couch once this assignment was over – Ginny stood guard by the window as she did before, counting down the hours until it was James' shift. Not that she was complaining. It helped distract her from Pansy … and Kate … and Hermione … and the attacks that they had unanimously agreed had yet to stop. Her head hurt. She had been so wrapped up in her own world that it took her sometime to realize there was something, or someone, behind her. Odd, James had not said anything and he was not one for silent steps. It was not Pansy either, she would have been able to tell. Whenever Pansy was within her immediate vicinity, there was always a series of electric tingles running up and down her spine, warming her insides and heating up her cheeks.
Ginny slipped her wand quietly into her hand and turned slowly, almost bursting into relieved laughter when she saw who or what it was really that had scared her so: a Patronus – in the shape of an otter. Only one person she knew had her Patronus in that shape. Ginny rushed forward and asked carefully, the excitement causing her heart to race, "Did Hermione send you?" The otter did not reply, obviously. Moving in a complicated dance as if to say yes, the otter suddenly burst into a million lights and it was as if someone flipped a switch inside Ginny's head.
"Pansy! James! Wake up!" she suddenly called out, rushing to Pansy's bedroom. Pansy, startled from her sleep, jerked awake immediately. Her hair was tousled and she was rubbing her eyes sleepily even as she tried to be alert. It was an impossibly adorable image of the cool, calm and collected Pansy that Ginny quickly made sure to file it away for later when they had more time for themselves.
"What?" Pansy asked, yawning as she looked up at Ginny.
"What?!" James shouted as he came to a stop just behind Ginny.
"I know where Hermione is," Ginny replied, grinning giddily as she looked from her girlfriend to her partner.
