After six minutes of mayhem where everyone said that they were also coming along the group set off from 12, Grimmauld Place headed for the Malfoy Manor. The first group consisted of Hermione, Draco, Harry and Ron they were going to get Hermione's parents whilst the other group of Lupin, Moody, Tonks and Shacklebolt were going for Bellatrix Lestrange the final group would round up all the other Death Eaters, Minerva McGonagall and Arthur Weasley were in charge of this group as Arthur had been involved on a few raids of the Manor previously. The only ones staying behind were Molly, Fred and George the twins were called to baby sit Mrs Malfoy and to try any new tricks on her (much to Ron's pleasure)
Draco took his group to Wiltshire where his former home was located the troop of teenagers' stood in front of the wrought-iron gates under Harrys invisibility cloak, taking a deep breath they pushed the gates open and made their way through the elaborate gardens past the fountain and round the back of the manor as they walked Hermione could hear Draco getting rid of the Anti-Apparition spell so the other members of the Order could apparate into the grounds where they located the servant kitchen door.
"No one ever comes down this part of the house it is beneath them so we're safe for the moment." Draco informed them. Ron was looking around the kitchen "Where are the house elves?" he asked the blonde, Draco shrugged "Possibly cleaning the bedrooms, Bella was never one for looking after anything."
"Where would they keep any prisoners?" Hermione asked not wanting to stop until she had found her parents and made sure that they were alright.
"Prisoners are held in a secret room below the drawing room, but that is also where any of the Death Eaters who didn't go to set the trap will be."
"We'll have to make a diversion." Harry reasoned looking around as if an idea would pop out to him. "If you called a house elf would it follow any instructions you gave it or would they be loyal to Bellatrix?" Harry asked Draco. Draco shrugged again "Tell me your plan." He demanded
"We get any house elf to do something, I don't know make them drop some chandeliers or start a fire at the other end of the manor."
Draco started nodding "Not bad, right, guess it's time to find out. Luca." There was a few moments when nothing happened and Hermione started to get extremely impatient then there was a soft 'pop' and in front of them stood a slightly bewildered house elf.
"Master Draco?" the creature asked looking up at the man before him.
"Luca I haven't got a lot of time, will do you as I say, ask no questions and mention it to no one, not even on pain of death?" he asked hurriedly. The house elf nodded his head "I live to serve you Master Malfoy." He bowed so low that his nose touched the floor.
"Is Bella here?"
"No master she left this morning with some friends"
"How many of her friends are still here?"
"Three are in the drawing room and two are in the special room that house elf's are not allowed to enter."
"Okay Luca this is what I want you to do..."
Eight minutes were wasted explaining the plan to the individual before he left the room with another small pop. "Right everyone get ready." Draco commanded he stood beside the doors that lead into the house and the others fell in line beside him. His fingers brushed Hermione's hand that wasn't holding her wand and she came give him a squeeze trying to keep her breathing steady.
An almighty crash made them jump even though they were looking out for the sound. A few seconds later they could hear voices swearing calling through the manor trying to find the cause of the disturbance. At this Draco lead them out of the kitchen and through the halls leading to the drawing room, Hermione didn't even spare a glance at the ornate furniture or the gilt mirrors that lined the halls.
Harry and Ron were stunning all the portraits that lined the walls so that they wouldn't raise the alarm, Draco stopped outside two huge wooden doors taking a deep breath he charged in and stunned the Death Eater that was sitting having his lunch on sofa next to an open fire. The fallen man slumped to the floor and Ron being the last one in used his wand to shut the door behind them and then lock it.
"Where to now?" Harry asked looking around the mammoth room, Draco pointed in the direction of a heavy set of curtains "We need to hurry we don't have a lot of time before the others attack this place." Hermione warned as she followed Draco to the other door. "Remember that there are still two wizards down here so let's try and keep the surprise on our side!" Harry advised them. Wands at the ready the four opened the door and went down a long flight of stairs to a damp dark chamber.
Hermione spotted her mother first, wearing her work uniform which was once pristine white was now ripped and dirty. The small woman was chained to the wall with her arms stretched above her head looking at a cloaked figure in front of her "Not saying much now are you!" a voice hissed, Hermione quickly pulled Draco back onto the last step so they couldn't be seen.
"Why would I want to waste my breath on vermin like you?" the woman asked, there was the sound of skin hitting skin followed by a small cry of pain. Hermione was now struggling to get around Draco to save her mum but he, Harry and Ron held her back "Wait for the other one!" Ron hissed at her.
"You're not meant to touch her. That's my job." A voice whispered, Hermione and Draco turned to look at each other and froze. Hermione was being transported back to a few months ago when she went to her father's function and was in the bathroom with a frightened Draco, the same voice started singing to Hermione. One of the men that were now in the same room as her mother was the same person who had tortured Draco this man also shot and killed Snape!
"He might have a gun." Hermione whispered to Draco. "What!" Harry muttered to them, Draco was looking at Hermione "I will not let him do to your mum what he did to Snape." The blonde promised Hermione felt her body go cold at the thought. "On three then." Ron whispered "one, two ..."
Hermione and Harry stunned and disarmed that man that was standing in front of her mother she could hear the commotion behind from Draco and Ron "Hermione!" her mother screamed "Draco!" she screamed again when she noticed him. Hermione quickly released her mum from the chains and then crushed her in a hug "Oh my lord!" the woman muttered into the hug when they broke apart Hermione turned to look around the room "Where's dad?" she asked "David!" Mrs Granger called looking dishevelled.
"Hermione!" Ron called; Hermione turned around, Ron had walked through a door she only just noticed. She followed him into the room closely followed by her mother and found her father laying face down on a table him shirt had been removed and he had a long burn mark down his back. "Oh my, David!" his wife gasped in shock "He's still breathing! We need to get him back to my mum she is the best healer I know." Ron advised and Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Right mum, we need to get out of this building so we can apperate to Harrys" Hermione let out in a rush but her mother didn't seem to hear her she was still looking down at her husband. "Dr Granger." Came a voice from the door, mother and daughter turn to look at Draco "Dr Granger, as soon as we get out of here we can help your husband now I will be carrying him so I can't look after Hermione I need you to look after her for me," Mrs Granger looked at her daughter "Can you do this for me? Can you watch her?" he asked the woman straightened her shoulders "Of course I can." She said firmly.
"Ron, you take the prisoners' I'll carry David. Harry and Hermione will be our guard. Let's move!"
With her mum holding one hand and her wand in the other Hermione followed Harry up the stairs and back into the drawing room the Death Eater from before was where they had left him, face down by the fire Ron immobilized him and tied him up so he could join the two other men following behind the group.
As they neared the kitchen they heard the voices of people arriving at the door and the unmistakeable voice of Bellatrix Lestrange, "Hurry!" Hissed Ron as Harry faltered "But..." the dark haired man started "No buts Potter I need to get my parents to safety." Harry sighed but hurried along through the kitchen door then out to the garden.
They couldn't leave through the front gates as Death Eaters were using that entrance. Draco had to lead the way through the grounds; they passed peacocks and stags on their way out of the manor. They had to climb a wall to escape Hermione and Draco levitated Mr Granger over the wall, Ron being the tallest helped Mrs Granger.
As they were doing this they heard the shouting and banging from the house, the Order had made an appearance at last. Once free they apparated straight to steps of Grimmauld Place "Mum!" Ron shouted as soon as they were inside "Ron?" was the reply, Mrs. Weasley came running to meet them then told them to take Mr. Granger to the living room and Ron was to take the prisoners to the cells under the stairs where Fred and George were currently holding Mrs. Malfoy.
"Okay, I can fix this no problem." Molly reassured Hermione and her mother "Harry gab my bag from the kitchen." Harry ran out of the room and was back just as Ron walked into the room. As they watched Molly took out a blue bottle from the bag which Harry dropped at her feet, she dipped her wand in the potion and then began making figure eight movements with the wand. The skin on Mr. Grangers back began to knit together to leave just a thin line where the burn mark had been.
"Thank you!" Mrs. Granger cried when Molly had finished, she sat on the floor by her husband's head and ran her fingers through his hair "You're going to be okay David." She whispered "He'll need to sleep for a while so let's give your parents some peace." Hermione nodded to the woman who was a second mother to her and with Draco clutching her hand she was lead to the kitchen where the waiting game happened again.
Hermione had thought that once the Order had gotten Bellatrix Lestrange they would come back to Grimmauld Place but they never the Order had taken all their prisoners to the Ministry of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt and Tonks came back for the four prisoners Fred and George where watching. Mr. Granger had woken up and everyone was sitting in the living room "Everyone is fine Molly." Tonks reassured the red head "Moody received some scarring pulling Mundungus Fletcher out of the way of a curse but apart from that everyone is fine."
With this news on top of the stress of the day Hermione fell asleep on Draco's lap, he had been rubbing her back as Tonks started to explain what happened at the Manor when she drifted off. "Are you going to look after her?" Mr Granger asked looking over his daughter "With my life." Draco replied without hesitation "Suppose I couldn't ask more than that." Mr. Granger beamed at them his arm wrapped around the shoulders of his wife.
"What's going to happen now?" Ron asked the room, Molly sighed. "We go to trial; you do know that you will be asked to testify against your mother Draco." Draco looked up from the sleeping woman in his arms "I know what I have to do. Don't worry; I won't let them get away with what they did to you." Moving gently he stood up with Hermione in his arms "We're going to go to bed now; it's been a long day. Goodnight."
Hermione woke in a cold sweat in the early hours of the morning after a dream of being told that everyone she loved had been killed. As she started to cry warm arms wrapped round her. "It's okay Hermione, you're okay, and everyone is safe."
"Draco?" she sobbed turning to bury her face in his chest, taking in his scent he held on to her tighter. "You're parents are okay." He tried to reassure her but Hermione couldn't shake off the fear that gripped her "Are you okay?" she asked pulling away from his body slightly so she could look into his eyes. "I've never been better, I'm free from them and you're parents are fine no one was hurt today and I have you in my arms."
Hermione smiled at that "You know that was cheesy right?" the blonde nodded, "But it got you to smile so it was a manly thing to say." Hermione leant back onto his chest "Are we going to be fine?" she quietly asked not sure if she wanted to hear his answer "I mean with your mum and what she tried to do to my mum and dad." It was a while before Draco asked and he spoke as if he was picking his words carefully "From that moment this morning I became an orphan, that women gave birth to me and that is all, I owe her nothing I am ready to live my life and not be in hiding anymore." He stroked her arm "I guess I should really take you on a date as well."
"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy on a date?" Hermione did laugh at this, "I think I could agree to that." She conceded snuggling further, as she drifted off to sleep she couldn't help the smile that clung to her lips.
THE END
Okay, so how much do you hate me? I was evil and horrid and left forever but life got hard and I moved on them came back with another fanfic and finished that before I could move back to this.....
Disclaimer ------ Harry Potter and other characters belong to J K Rowling