Hermione ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. Even though it felt unnatural to her, she liked how she silky it felt—no tangles or bushiness. She turned at the sound of someone approaching, and felt her heart catch in her throat as Lucius Malfoy came striding toward her. He raised his snake's head cane as he spotted her, and then turned around a few times slowly.

"Well? How do I look?" He asked. Hermione smiled tightly and nodded at him.

"Perfectly horrible." She blushed as she realized that as much as she hated Lucius, he was still Draco's father. He grinned and didn't seem to be offended.

"Good. I hope you're not worried about this part of the plan. It's perfectly natural for my parents to be hanging out at the Ministry. In fact, the Death Eaters are probably wondering where they've been. Especially our darling Minister." Hermione shivered at the thought of running into the Minister, who was none other than the notoriously insane Bellatrix Lestrange. Noticing her reaction, Draco moved closer and put his arms around Hermione. She shrank away from him instantly, bringing up her wand at the same time. He dropped back at once, a stricken look on his face.

"Sorry." Hermione muttered. "It's just that you look like him, and I can't stand to have him near me..."

"I know." Draco said. "I wasn't thinking..." He ran his hands through his hair, a move that Hermione had come to associate with him. She smiled, closed her eyes, and embraced him. He hesitated a moment, and then wrapped her in his arms. "Let's get this over with."

OoooOOoo

Draco held Hermione close to him, trying to give off a bravery he did not feel. The truth was that there was so much that could go wrong with their plan, he didn't see how they were going to succeed. He knew that Hermione was an extremely talented witch, but the place was obviously going to be crawling with Death Eaters. He had a back up plan in case things went wrong, a plan that he hadn't told Hermione about. She wouldn't like it at all, and he hoped that he wouldn't have to use it. Especially since his plan involved only one of them making it out alive. He looked down at her, disguised as his mother. Even though she had Narcissa's likeness, he could still see Hermione in her eyes, in the way she held herself, in her smile...Draco mentally shook himself. He had to focus if they had any chance at all. That wand was their only hope, the only hope of the Wizarding World. And if his theory was correct, he was the only one who could truly control it. He didn't want to think about what would happen if he was wrong. All of their careful plans centered on getting into the Ministry and obtaining the Wand. Once it was in his hands, the game would be up and the Death Eaters would be upon them. If he was its Master, they wouldn't stand a chance against him. If he wasn't...well, he kept his thoughts from going in that direction just yet. Hermione pulled away from him slightly and looked up at him.

"Ready?" She asked him brightly, doing a poorer job than him at hiding her fear.

"Whenever you are, baby." He said roguishly, earning himself a playful smack from Hermione. He took her arm, twisted, and Apparated them both to the entrance of the Ministry.

"Why, Mr. and Madame Malfoy! So good to see you, I trust you have business here today?" Hermione felt her heart beat faster as she recognized Yaxley, the Death Eater who was Head of Magical Law Enforcement. She hoped that it wasn't a bad omen, running into the person who had almost caught her, Harry, and Ron on their last illegal trip to the Ministry.

"Of course, Yaxley." Draco answered in a perfect imitation of his father's smooth drawl. "Narcissa and I are here to reclaim our possessions that were confiscated in the raids from...that other regime." He smiled cruelly, and Hermione had to physically steel herself against shrinking away from him. She forced herself to meet Yaxley's eyes and nod in Narcissa's haughty manner.

"Ah yes. Filthy mud bloods and blood traitors, all of them. Well, those dark days are behind us, my friend! You'll want to take the lift to the 4th floor and speak to Dawlish, he's in charge of magical items. After you..." Yaxley gestured toward the door, and followed them through it.

Hermione was astounded by how confidently Draco strode in. There was not an air of doubt, no reason at all for anyone to suspect that something was amiss. She supposed that it came from being a Slytherin, they were naturally good at being sneaky and deceitful. She hoped that she was doing a good enough job acting.

They made it to the 4th floor without incident, and found themselves in front of Dawlish's office. A quick glance around told Hermione that the Wand was not being kept here. She had not expected it to be that easy, but knew that they had less than an hour to complete their task.

They entered the office, and found Dawlish there alone. Draco shut the door nonchalantly, and Hermione cast a silent silencing charm on it. Their plan had been to get a Ministry official alone, but things had gone well and they were ahead of schedule.

"What can I help you with, Mr. Malfoy?" Dawlish asked pleasantly as he addressed Draco and nodded at Hermione.

"Ah, Dawlish." Draco said in a friendly manner. "Narcissa and I were hoping to reclaim some of our confiscated possessions. But as we are not in a rush, I thought it would be nice if we sat down to a drink together first to catch up." Dawlish looked momentarily surprised, and then shrugged.

"Why not?" He stood up and moved toward a closed cabinet. "What's your pleasure, Lucius? Madame Malfoy?"

"Thank you Dawlish, but I happen to have my supply of Godin's Best Firewhiskey right here with me." Draco winked at the other man and pulled the bottle from his cloak. "If you would be so kind as to fetch glasses..."

"Of course." Dawlish waved his wand and conjured three glasses, which he placed on his desk. Draco handed the bottle to Hermione, and she poured all three, willing her hand not to shake. Dawlish held up his glass.

"To the Ministry." He said, and Draco and Hermione echoed him enthusiastically. They both pretended to sip as they watched Dawlish take a hearty gulp. "Ah, nothing like a good glass of Firewhiskey! Now, about your possessions..." A strange, blank look came over his face and he dropped into his chair. Hermione quickly moved behind the desk and pulled Dawlish's wand out of his unresisting fingers. Draco perched on the edge of the desk and addressed him.

"Tell me your name."

"Whittaker Vernon Dawlish." Dawlish answered in a monotone voice. Hermione smiled and Draco clenched his fist in triumph.

"Phase 1, success! Okay, Dawlish, where is the Elder Wand stored?"

"On the fifth floor, outside of the Minister's office, in a glass case."

"Is the glass case charmed?" Hermione cut in.

"Yes." Dawlish answered.

"How do we break the charm?" she asked breathlessly.

"I don't know." Dawlish responded, and Hermione locked anxious eyes with Draco.

"What is the charm, Dawlish?" Draco inquired in a strained voice.

"Infrangible incantum" came the reply, and Hermione closed her eyes.

"I know that counter charm...let me think..."

"Hurry!" Draco hissed, his eyes going from Dawlish to the door.

"Got it." She said as the words came to her. "Modify his memory, and let's get up there!" Draco waved his wand and muttered the words to vanish the glasses, and put the bottle of firewhiskey spiked with Veritserum back into his cloak. Then he pointed his wand at Dawlish's face and said

"Obliviate!" Dawlish's features went slack for a moment, and then a dreamy look came into his eyes. Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her out of the office.

They headed for the stairs, hoping that the anxiety they were both feeling was not showing. Draco nodded at his father's acquaintances as they passed by, and then took Hermione's arm as they ascending the staircase.

I should have asked Dawlish about Harry and Ron! Hermione thought angrily, feeling as though she were letting down her two best friends. She had to find out where they were, she would not let herself think that either one could actually be dead. Draco opened the door that led to the fifth floor, and looked at Hermione reassuringly.

"It's going to be okay." He said, rubbing her arm. "We're almost there..." They both looked around the empty hallway, searching for the Minister's office.

"Its not here!" Hermione whispered, starting to panic.

"Through here." Draco said, leading them through a doorway. The doorway opened up into yet another hallway, this one much grander and lined with many items displayed in cases and tapestries on the walls. They both moved toward the largest case, and Hermione raised her wand to say the words to break the charmed glass...

"Lucius! Cissy! To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" Bellatrix Lestrange stepped out of her office and stood in front of them and the Elder Wand. Hermione recoiled from her without thinking and pressed herself into Draco. Bellatrix stared at her for a moment, confused. Draco quickly put his arm around Hermione.

"Narcissa is not feeling her best today, Bella." He told her. "We were wondering if you had any of that healing potion left...to go to St. Mungo's is such a bother..." Bellatrix shrugged.

"It's here in my office. Cissy, you couldn't wait until later? I am in the middle of something..." From the office they heard a muffled shout that was strangely familiar. Hermione shook her head quickly.

"No, Bella. I thought that you might have some potion left, and as Lucius said, we don't want to waste time at St. Mungos. We won't take up too much of your time." They followed Bellatrix into her office, Hermione clutching her wand tightly. If it weren't for Draco beside her, she didn't know where her courage would have come from. A figure was huddled in the corner of the office, covering its face and moaning softly.

"What's this, Bella?" Draco asked casually. She smiled cruelly.

"He has secrets, and I will have them! You don't want to go back to Azkaban, do you?" She asked of the prisoner in a mock kind voice. The huddled figure did not respond.

"Answer me!" She screamed, her wild eyes flashing. She pointed her wand at him, and he looked up. Hermione gasped and almost dropped her wand. Crouched on Bellatrix's office floor, looking thin, beaten and completely defeated, was none other than Harry Potter.