Chapter 10: The Letter

"NOOOOO!" Hermione reached her hand out towards her parents trying to keep them from being taken away. The Death Eaters holding the incapacitated bodies started laughing as they apparated on the spot.

Then she woke up.

"Calm down!" came another voice to her left. "Do you want Lucius and the Dark Lord to know you've woken up?"

"Professor Snape?" the man nodded. "Where am I?"

"Malfoy Manor, in Draco's wing of the house and we're trying to keep you from getting killed." He hissed the last few words. "In case you forgot the Dark Lord attacked the Weasley's house and you were seriously injured. I was put in charge of keeping you alive and Draco has been helping."

Hermione sighed and leaned back into her pillow. "You said Malfoy has been helping you keep me alive?"

Snape nodded again and picked up a goblet of water. "Here, drink this."

Malfoy has been keeping me alive? But if I'm in the Manor then Voldemort could have come in at any time and killed me!

"How is she?" A soft voice from behind Snape grabbed Hermione's attention and she turned her head towards the door.

"I'm fine Malfoy, thank you." She replied not remembering the door ever opening.

"I went to the Weasley's house and told them everything we were doing. They were obviously kind of upset that I was even there but when I mentioned that you were alright." He reached in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a vial for Snape. "I guess taking her out of the dreamless sleep went well," he continued. "Looks like she'll be strong enough when she gets some food."

"Dreamless sleep?" Hermione asked trying to sit up and failing. "I guess that's why I only remember having a dream right before I woke up."

Draco walked around the bed and offered his hand. Hermione took it and sat up with the blonde's help.

"I guess you're a little confused aren't you?" He asked sitting at the foot of the bed. Hermione nodded. "Well, I know I've always put on that façade about becoming a Death Eater but I honestly want them to get taken down and want Potter to kill the Dark Lord."

Hermione took another sip of the water. "I guess I would feel the same way."

Fred rolled out of bed after another night of no sleep. Pulling on a shirt he walked into the bathroom and pulled some pepper-up potion out of the cabinet and downed it.

"Fred, why don't you actually try sleeping?" Ginny said from the doorway.

"Because I just can't." he responded. "It's difficult getting a good night's sleep while my girlfriend is being held captive at Malfoy Manor by You-Know-Who and Merlin only knows if Malfoy is telling the truth or not! Maybe he's just giving us false hope and Mione's already dead!"

"Maybe we should go down to the kitchen and get some breakfast before you start with your conspiracy theories." The youngest red head turned and walked down the stairs leaving Fred there by himself.

"Did he listen to you at all?" Mrs. Weasley whispered as Ginny arrived in the kitchen.

"He might've, if only a little bit though." Ginny said picking up her fork and shoving eggs into her mouth with much more grace than Ron could ever hope for.

Fred shuffled his way into the kitchen and slid his way onto the bench next to Ginny at the table. "What's for breakfast?" He asked his mother who spooned eggs and potatoes onto a plate and handed it to him. After shoving a few forkfuls into his mouth Fred smiled "I'm gonna miss this when I eventually move out." He said taking a sip of the juice his mother had set in front of him as well.

"But you know that if you live close enough mum's going to have us over at least once a week." Ginny said.

"Just to make sure we're all still alive." Fred responded.

George walked into the room and sat down. "And she'll stop by our houses or work if we don't show up or even send a letter."

"Oh, shut up you three!" Molly said throwing her dishtowel towards the table with a smile on her face. "Even though we all know it's the truth." The four in the room erupted with laughter.

Fred sat there and smiled with his family, but that didn't stop him from thinking about Hermione.

"Severus, how is the Granger girl?" Voldemort's voice was chilling, even to Snape.

"She is not yet strong enough to properly be questioned, My Lord." He answered, not bothering to block his mind. "After a few days of eating a proper meal and rest she should be alright."

"How long is a few days?" Voldemort asked.

"About two weeks." Snape blocked his mind with a false memory.

"I'll allow it. Severus, go fetch young master Malfoy I must ask him something." Snape nodded and left the room.

Turning a corner Snape almost ran into Draco. "In the room, now." Draco allowed himself to be pushed into the nearest room by his mentor. "The Dark Lord has asked me to get you and take you back to his chamber. Apparently, he has a question he would like to ask you."

Draco's face drained all color (if that was even possible). "What do I do?"

"Remember everything I taught you. Block your mind and never falter with the wall no matter what, the Dark Lord will say things to surprise you so expect anything and everything. And most of all be careful." Snape rested his hands on the boys shoulders before letting him leave the room.

"What if he isn't careful?" the man let out an almost inaudible sigh.

"There's a chance he could slip up and be punished." Hermione's eyes grew wider with fear.

"Is there a chance I could write a letter?" She asked taking a sip of water.

Dear Mrs. Weasley,

Before you ask, I'm fine. Snape and Malfoy have been making sure I've been eating well and getting enough rest as well as trying to prepare me for what could happen when I'm finally taken to get questioned. I'm really going to owe them both a lot by the time I get out of here. I hope that everyone in the house can understand what I mean when I say that. There two have been keeping me alive and making sure I'm ready to take on whatever comes my way in the very near future.

I should probably end this although I wish it could be longer.

Hope to see you all soon,

Hermione

"What do you mean she wishes we could understand?" Ron roared after the letter had been read to everyone. "These are people that we have hated since day one of meeting them and she wants us to help her repay them for something they could potentially be doing just to hurt her even more!"

"RON! SHUT UP!" Fred stood up. "We are all worried about her but if she says she's alright then we just have to trust her right now."

"What if someone else wrote the letter?" Ron asked back his ears turning pink.

Fred picked it up. "Look at it! You have seen Hermione's handwriting so many times; you tell me if someone else wrote it."

"He's right Ron, its Hermione's handwriting. She does that thing with her f's remember?" Harry said taking the letter and looking it over.

The room got quiet as the realization hit everyone, and then the fire turned green.

Hermione handed Snape the letter before he left the room to send it off. A few minutes later the door reopened and Draco walked in.

"What happened?" Hermione sat up and crossed her legs making room for him to sit on her bed.

"He tried to get into my head until I finally let him in on a fake memory I created that Snape and I sent a letter to Potter yesterday saying that everything was fine here and you were making a full recovery." Hermione's eyes grew wide. "What?" Malfoy asked.

"I sent a letter to them today saying that I was fine." Hermione said in a small voice. "I think we might be screwed."

Snape threw the door open. "It's time." He said.