A/n: A little shorter than I wanted because I wanted to get this chapter up! I had a pretty rough day with an exam and it always makes me happy to see the responses to this story. I cannot believe this story has over 300 favourites and 700 follows. Thank you all so much!
"Shit," Draco breathe out as he took in his surroundings. Hermione's place was in complete disarray. End tables were flipped up, papers were scattered everywhere, glass shards surrounded the floor.
He looked over at Harry and noticed he seemed to be in a sort of trance. The dread and panic he felt must have left his body in a state of paralysis.
"Potter." Draco hissed, trying to snap him out of it. Harry didn't flinch, instead just turned his face towards Draco's, with is gaping mouth still open.
"Earth to Auror Potter. The rooms. Check the rooms. Now."
Reminding Harry of his title finally got his attention. He abruptly pulled out his wand and went off in search of another presence with a determined look on his face. Draco began to scrutinize the completely trashed room he stood in.
He tried to push down the feelings of impending doom by pouring his every thought to finding an evidence where Hermione could be. It sickened him to notice signs of struggles and he chastised himself for not going to Harry sooner. A dent in the wall caught his attention and he went to inspect it. He found blood in the cracks, enraging him over the thought of someone hurting Hermione.
Harry came running out and Draco silently felt thankful over the seriousness on Harry's face. He couldn't deal with it if Potter broke down; he needed a soldier right now.
"She's gone Malfoy. There are no signs of anyone else in this house. Her belongings don't look like they've been rifled through, and there are no signs of a struggle anywhere else."
"Potter, look what I've found." He pointed at the speckles of blood on the wall and Harry's face darkened. Draco assumed similar thoughts were swarming through Harry's head as well.
"Can you figure out if it's Hermione's? I swear if we find the culprit I am going to tear him apart piece by piece."
"Woah, Malfoy. There is no 'we'."
Draco furrowed his brows, "What do you mean Potter? We have to find Hermione."
"No," Harry commanded, "I am going to inform the Aurors we have a crime scene and a missing person and you are going to go home to your Manor. You can't be here when the rest of the Aurors get here Malfoy."
"Why the fuck not?"
"You're not an Auror Malfoy, you could compromise the scene. I'll have to call you in later when we need to question you."
Draco jumped away in self defence, "Question me? Potter, I had absolutely nothing to do with this! How could you even think—"
"Malfoy listen. We need to know the events that happened before her disappearance. So I'm going to send my Patronus to the Auror department, and you are going home to inform Mrs Malfoy. We will contact you when we need you."
Draco put his arm on Harry's as Harry pushed him towards the door to apparate home, "Potter there's one more thing you need to know if this is becoming a case."
Harry lifted his eyebrow and Draco looked at him nervously, debating whether or not he should just blurt it out to get it over with.
"Hermione… she's not completely human Potter."
"Fuck's sake Malfoy, I know she's a witch. This isn't the time to be messing around. If this is something to do with her muggleborn status I swear I know how to get away with your murder—"
"Potter! Just fucking listen for a moment. Hermione is a Veela and I am her mate."
Harry stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face, not completely sure if what he heard was right.
"But-what? Hermione is a what? No, she can't be she's a muggleborn. Malfoy that's just ridiculous."
"Potter it's the truth. That's why she ran out the other night. She overheard my mother and I arguing over it. Mother thought it was a good idea to hide this bit of information from Hermione until she knew for sure, and I was pissed at the tactics she used. I don't know exactly what she heard, but Mother did tell me that I'm her mate."
"Does that mean you'll become giddy over her just because of that? I remember how our entire school acted around Fleur."
"No, and this is exactly why I think she ran. The muggle-raised kids don't quite understand Veela. A Veela mate is special; a soul mate in fact. Please, bring it up the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures; they'll tell you the same thing. Veela's and their Mates are protected under the Ministry, if this" Draco gestured to the rest of the room, "what done by the hands of someone who realized what she was, they'll have more punishment."
Harry nodded in understanding and pushed Draco out the door. Draco hurriedly made his way back to the apparition point Harry showed him. Once back at Malfoy Manor, he ran down the halls calling for his Mother. His panicked brain had forgotten to use the Malfoy elves to locate her, and he needed to talk to her now.
He skidded to a stop when he saw his Mother sitting across Mrs Greengrass with an exasperated look on her face. Mrs Greengrass turned to stare furiously at Draco, noting how unladylike she conducted herself; similar to her daughter.
"Darling, you showed up just in time. Mrs Greengrass here is trying to tell me that you hexed Astoria Greengrass bald, and they cannot find a way to undo it. Please tell me that this isn't the case?"
Draco had to hold his breath for a minute to prevent himself from laughing hilariously at that image. Vain Astoria Greengrass completely bald? That was certainly a picture he had to see. Thinking back to the day Astoria joined them for a few brief moments, he recalled a fact that might have something to do with her situation.
"No, Mother I did not. However, I did tell Daisy that if Ms Greengrass loitered for too long in the Manor or tried to take something that was not hers, she could punish her as she saw fit."
"That is preposterous!" Mrs. Greengrass shouted out, "My daughter is not anything but polite and courteous in good company. Perhaps it had something to do with the Mudblood being here."
Narcissa placed her cup of tea on her plate with an audible clink. "Mrs Greengrass, that is enough. Must I remind you that you are my guest in my home insulting a girl who is protected by the Malfoy name."
Mrs Greengrass sputtered with a loss of words.
"Mother, I really must speak to you. In private."
"Mrs Greengrass it looks like I must bid my farewells. Daisy."
"Yes, Mistress?"
"Please see Mrs Greengrass out. If she puts up a fight you're allowed to give her a matching hairstyle to her daughter."
Draco watched as Daisy smirked, snapping her fingers at the other older witch in the room.
"But what about my Astoria? Are you just going to leave her in this condition?"
Narcissa stood up and brushed off imaginary flint in her skirt. "I'm sorry Mrs Greengrass, but my attention is needed elsewhere. Good day."
Draco held his arm out to his Mother and escorted her from the room. Once they were a safe distance away, his Mother let out a little chuckle. "I am so glad that girl got what she deserved."
Draco tightened his lip, "Let's not forget the reason she was there in the first place, Mother."
Her merriment stopped immediately and she sighed, "Draco when will you forgive me for my sins?"
"It's not important now Mother. What is important is that Hermione is missing."
Narcissa paled, "you checked her apartment?"
"Yes, Potter brought me. Mother the place was completely ransacked. There was blood on the wall and glass everywhere."
Narcissa grabbed Draco's hand to steady herself, ducking her head in shame, "this is all my fault."
Draco wiped a silent tear running down her cheek and tilted her head back up, "I know you were trying to do what was best, Mother, but now we need to put our heads together to think of where she could be."
"Yes, okay." She took a calming breath, "Let's start with a list of the known Death Eaters that are still on the run."
A stag interrupted the pair on the way to Draco's study. Potter's stern voice came out clearly, "Malfoy, get to the Aurors' office, and quickly. Bring your mother."
Draco did not wait to take his mother's arm and walk quickly to their closest floo. Narcissa dragged slightly behind, but Draco did not slow his pace.
For once, Draco did not think about the stares and whispers that began once he entered the Ministry. His only concern was for Hermione.
When they finally reached the Aurors' office, he quickly noticed a head with messy black hair talking to Kingsley Shacklebolt. When the Minister noticed Draco's presence, he pointed him out to Harry. The Malfoy's shuffled over to the pair talking in hushed voices, and Draco noticed that Harry did not look happy.
"Potter, did you find her."
"Not quite, but we have a lead."
"Then why did you call me here if you haven't found her yet?" Harry blushed.
"I checked with the Magical Creature Division, and you were right. Veela's are protected by law. If what you said is correct, and you are her mate, then you have as much right to be notified as if you were Hermione's legal spouse."
"Mr Potter, I can assure you, it is correct. I've been watching the pair closely for the past two weeks." Narcissa noticed how Harry's lip curled over at her statement.
"Right, your son told me." He shot a look to Draco, "We've apprehended someone who believes that Hermione is ... his. He's completely delusional at the moment; he took a hard blow and still has Veela pheromones in his system."
"Who the hell is it Potter?"
Harry sighed, "We've arrested Ron Weasley for the attempted kidnap of Hermione Granger."
A/n: I promise I will be working on what happened after Hermione left Malfoy Manor tomorrow, or today now? Thank you all again, please let me know if you are liking this new plot in a review!
