Chapter 21:
Hermione woke again but this time the spinning had stopped considerably and she could sit up with little to no problem. Her bones and muscles were aching for who knows what reason but other than that she felt much better.
She shook her head and felt a ghost of pain. She tired to recall why her head was tingling or why there was a slight pain in it when she turned it to the side.
Her mind came up blank and looked around her.
Fear gripped her gut when she looked around and was not familiar with the round stone room she was in. She stood to her feet and moved to the side of the room only to be stopped. She pulled again and found that her hands were bound to mannacles that were made of solid metal links. She pulled at them vainly in hopes that maybe she could escape the cuffs.
She heard small noises in the distance and her heart raced faster. She could feel the blood racing in her veins and pounding threw her skull.
Before Hermione could think more of her surroundings she heard the sound of clicking footsteps. They were getting louder and louder until they stopped close to her. She looked for the door but the edges of the room were cloaked in complete black shadows and her efforts were in vain.
A door to her right creaked open and she felt like a deer caught in headlights. She waited with baited breath to see who was at the door and when she finally saw the glowing red eyes pierce her gaze she wished more than anything that she didn't look.
Her stomach roiled and thoughts of her death flooded her mind until she lowered her eyes in pain and realization.
Voldemort saw this and smiled cruelly. "I see that you have finally decided to join the living again miss Granger." He pronounced cooly waiting for her response.
Hermione felt the sting of his words and the unbelievable pitch his voice was. Just listening to the man hurt.
"Where am I?" Was her only response.
"That is of no importance to you. I wouldn't worry of your location at the moment since if I did in fact respond I would have to kill you and that would be a waste now wouldn't it?"
Hermione snorted in disbelief before she could hold it back. "Oh yeah I'm sure you would hate to rid the world of another muggleborn." She answered with vehemence lacing her words.
"Hmm, there we go. I thought Lucius had perhaps lied to me about you but of course I see what he meant." Voldemort added quietly to himself.
"Oh I bet Malfoy had smashing things to say about me." Hermione added in a sickly sweet voice that made the dark lord raise an eyebrow.
"your quite the character. Like a sweet glass of wine laced with a deadly poison." He said and it was now Hermione's turn to raise an eyebrow.
"Well I don't mean to be rude but what am I doing here and what's going on?" Hermione said concealing her absolute confusion and forgetting her fear of him.
"That will all be reveiled in time miss Granger...In time.
Meanwhile back at the Burrow:
It was total chaos at the house as Harry and the Weasley's demanded to go find Hermione. Dumbledore had refused them and told them it was being taken care of. They of course did not like that answer and would not stop pestering Dumbledore until he finally raised his voice and told them sternly that it was being delt with and there interferance would only make it more difficult to retrieve Hermione. The dark lord had asked to see Viktor and only Viktor. He would no doubt leave if the others were with him.
Vitkor had already left with a glare and he had not spoken to them since. He was thinking only of getting Hermione back into his arms and never letting her go then what the others thought of his behaviour.
Tonight was the night he had to meet Voldemort and he was prepared for every enventuality that he could foresee.
Though he was ready his mind was working on only one function. "Save Hermione, do watever you have to to ensure her safety." He was not going to alter the thought and he felt himself get more and more angry and worried as the hours went by.
He wished to any and all gods that Hermione was allright and would come back to him unhurt and the same as she was when she disapeared.
"He had better not haff hurt her." Her whispered in a low growl. His accent was creeping in slowly as the time wore on and he got more emotional.
The clock ticked and Viktor felt as if it was Hermione's life that was draining away with every chime of the clock.
Voldemort was now sitting in his study going over his plan one last time to ensure of it's success. He had thought of everything and was certain that he would be the victor in this small battle.
No one was completly sure of his plan but he liked it better that way. There was a leak in his information and he did not want the order of Phoenix to know of his plan before it was in comlpete effect.
Soon enough Viktor Krum would have the seed of doubt planted in his mind and he would pass it to his intelligent other and it would bloom quickly to his advantage. He would have the best brain and the best brawn on his side before the end of this war and Potter would be crushed emotionally and would have nothing to fight him with.
He had figured out that the reason Harry had figured him out in the chamber of secrets was because of Hermione Granger and she had played the brains and real captain of their trio.
He thought of how the real core of the trio was so eclipsed by the hardheaded lucky son of a bitch Potter when she clearly had so much more potential and more ability to be frank.
He stopped his minds ramblings and smiled before he prepared for there leave to meet Viktor Krum.
An: I really did try to make this longer and now I am going to bed so R&R and tell me what you think...