Author's Note: Here is the next chapter! We're drawing closer to the end, whoo! Sorry about the delay... again. But here it is so without further ado...


The Missing Piece Chapter Twenty-Nine

Day: 68

Hermione's plan was ever changing, and adapting. It was one of the things that made her plan so flawless; She could shape her plans and rearrange them accordingly, knowing full well that her initial plans were not going to play out. That had been the secret to Hermione Granger's success as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Others in charge of missions planned their attacks and positions in such a way that left a small margin of error. When confronted with complications those in charge wracked their brains to find a way to get back on path, not reshaping their plans and adapting to the situation like Hermione had done.

It all began with a small, but powerful thought that came to her while Crowley broke the last bit of her left pinky: How would they even know it's the right potion? The answer: They wouldn't. Crowley and his gang of slimy Death Eaters were relying on Hermione's fear and pain to make the right potion. Soon, Hermione's mind began spending its energy thinking than the pain she felt. They would surely make her test the potion to make sure it works, she thought. Making a highly explosive potion or any other potion she could use in defense was out of the question. She would have to make the potion. There was no other way. However, since her torturers were unfortunate enough not to know the recipe, she could make adjustments to her creation. And so she accepted Crowley's offer, despite Draco Malfoy's protests. She made a desperate deal to have Draco set free, knowing full well that there was a great possibility that Crowley might not go through with it, but she had to take the chance. At this stage of her plans, a desperate attempt at keeping Draco alive would give them something to hold over her head, a reason for them to trust that the potion is done right. From there she planned to drink some of her own potion before she could Crowley could check if it was done, and fight her way out to find backup.

Hermione was now moved to the room that was a poor excuse for a kitchen, without a dent in her plans. She took no time in noticing the temperature change, and the quality of air. Unlike the dungeon, she was now above ground, which meant she was closer to the outside world, shedding sun on her escape plans. However, she reached a draw-back when she realized the vampire, Morgan, would be watching her every move, and possibly report to Crowley. Hermione would not change her plans just yet. She had to be sure of the vampire's role before changing anything else. After a day or so of attempting to befriend the vampire, Hermione came to the conclusion that Morgan would not damage her plans, as she could be persuaded to help Hermione if it were convenient. What worried Hermione now was what was due to happen after she had finished the potion. Most likely, Crowley would have her moved to the dungeons and killed alongside Draco. If Hermione were moved to the dungeon her plan would take a giant step back. She had to stay in the kitchen, where she could persuade Morgan to go feed and search for help. Hermione would now stay where she was, and allow Morgan to leave, as that was less suspicious.

And so Hermione stood, in the middle of a dingy kitchen, relieved that her plan was still going, with no one but a vampire to keep her company. She was quite surprised Crowley had allowed her to stay. It was almost a fluke, how it had happened. As an added bonus, Morgan was now angry. It would be immensely easier for Hermione to convince Morgan to help her.

"Have they always treated you with such disrespect?" Hermione asked genuinely, searching for a means to work into a way she could ask for favors.

"Usually they leave me alone, unless they require my knowledge and services." Morgan replied in a clipped tone. It was not hard to detect the anger and mistrust in her voice.

"What changed?" Hermione tried her best to use a tone that was polite, yet it was easily notable that she was trying to work toward something.

"I don't know."

Hermione had no idea what to say next. How could she possibly lead the conversation into discretely asking her to switch sides? Throwing all caution to the wind, Hermione decided to just be frank and go for it, hoping that Morgan's anger was enough to help her out.

"Can I ask you a—a favor?"

Morgan regarded Hermione with the most calculative eyes, making Hermione blush with embarrassment. Hermione mustered all her strength to maintain eye contact, and avoid looking down at her feet.

"I am listening." The vampire replied. Hermione took this as a good sign and took a deep breath, hoping it would all work out for the best.

"I'd like to propose an alliance. You help me, I help you. If you help me this one time, I can give you many things that the Death Eaters could not. I—I have a lot of power. I can write laws, and offer you protection—anything you need. And, you would not need to work for me, or be dependent on me like you are with your present company. You'd be your own person, completely free under my protection, and all you'd need to do is do me a favor." Hermione finished, speaking quite quickly due to nerves. She felt she had said all that needed to be said, and in the proper manner, however. Hermione felt increasingly better as she saw Morgan considering her proposal heavily.

"What kind of protection?" Morgan asked, a note of intrigue in her voice.

"Well, once you help me and are no longer in the Death Eater's company they will try and kill you. I can offer you safe places to go, with enchantments to ensure they do not find you, perhaps even body guards… whatever you feel is best. I'm willing to be reasonable and give you what you need, I am flexible." Hermione bit her lip out of anxiety, worrying if she had said all the right things.

"What is your favor?" Morgan asked after a moment's deliberation. Hermione took a deep breath and opened her mouth to explain. This moment would prove successful, or a fail for her, but Hermione was prepared to adapt her plans if necessary.

"I need you to find Harry Potter. He is the Head of the Department of Aurors and he would be best fit to send aurors to help us escape. You would do it while you left to feed. That's all."

"Say I am gone for an extended time. What then?" Morgan questioned. Hermione deliberated for a few seconds.

"Well, they would certainly try and track you down. You'll have to make it quick, there's no other way. But if we did come to that, I'd come up with something."

There was an ensuing pause.

Silence wrapped itself around Hermione and Morgan like a blanket, which, mixed with the air around them, became quite suffocating.

"I accept your alliance. I will do your favor, and you will give me everything you have mentioned?" Morgan said suddenly, extending her right hand to cement the deal. Hermione did not think twice—she too extended her hand and shook it, immediately registering the paper-like feel of Morgan's vampire skin.

Day: 70

It had been two hours since Morgan declared to a passing Death Eater she needed to feed, and a half hour since Morgan had actually left. She felt slightly off, not because she wasn't used to being alone in that room, but perhaps because this was the first time she was alone with a plan in action, being played out as she waited.

And waited.

Day: 71

Crowley had made sure Hermione was being tortured every minute of the day. He had come in half an hour ago, proudly telling Hermione that he would leave her body untouched, because physical pain eventually left and wounds healed over.

"But emotional pain," He had said, "That's forever."

And that's when the screams began.

Day: 73

Hermione's throat had never been hoarser. A simple inhale hurt and burned, and gave her an urge to cough that would not help the pain and burning. Her eyes felt irritated and itchy, and she figured they were probably red and puffy from the tears that had long since run out.

On the walls there were scratches, on the floor were pieces of shattered glass which Hermione had broken. She was so emotionally upset that she could not control her magic, and resulted in several shattered vials and broken cabinets.

The only word she seemed to know how to say was "Draco," the source of her downward spiraling agony.

Sometimes, she wondered where Morgan was. Sometimes, she worried. But her mind always returned to Draco. What were they doing to him? Images of his beautiful face contorted in agony flooded her mind. She needed to get out, she needed to save him. But magical enchantments forbid her to set foot outside the room she was in. She had never hated someone as much as Crowley. Never. The only thing that kept her sane was the prospect of killing him herself.

Day: 74

Draco had stopped screaming. He's just sleeping, she repeated to herself. He's okay. Morgan still hadn't returned. Hermione's patience had run thin, and she knew it was time to edit her plan.

"There's more pumpkin pie, if you'd like some more, Draco." Hermione offered, waving her wand to the woven basket that sat by her feet. The basket opened, and a pumpkin pie came floating wistfully from its depths toward Draco, who sat across from Hermione wearing the most alluringly handsome set of dress robes Hermione had lever laid eyes on.

"Don't mind if I do, love." Draco grabbed the pie, and cut himself a slice. Once he had placed his slice on a plate, Hermione waved her wand and the pie returned just as gracefully as it had come. Hermione smiled sweetly at the blond wizard, whose eyes softened to liquid silver. She felt a little bit overdressed in her pink dress robes, but paid no mind.

"How much longer now?" She asked. Draco checked his gold wrist watch.

"Two minutes." He replied.

"I'm not going to eat anymore, are you?" Hermione questioned. Draco shook his head, and Hermione grabbed her wand and the food immediately vanished. She crossed the short distance between herself and Draco, who knew what she was after and opened his arms.

There they sat, side by side, Hermione's head on Draco's shoulder, while he snaked an arm around her waist, waiting for the sun to set.

"It's starting." Hermione observed quietly. Draco merely kissed her head in reply. "It's so beautiful, and vibrant…"

"It's not the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Draco merely stated. Hermione blushed, knowing full well what he was implying.

"Nor I."

"Hermione."

"Yes, Draco?" Hermione pulled her head up to look at him. He was looking at her differently, his eyes… Hermione couldn't quite place it but something shifted and she felt wrong.

"Please save me." He said. Hermione didn't quite comprehend, but she didn't have time to, because at that moment the sun began flickering, and the earth began to tremble. "Please save me." Draco repeated, and Hermione pulled herself out of his arms out of fear. The sun extinguished. The earth began to tremble so hard even the sky shook, and pieces were falling. The ground was breaking.

"DRACO!" Hermione shouted, but too late, the ground had broken beneath him and he began to fall.

Hermione woke up with a start, believing her dream was reality for three eternal seconds. The floor shook, and with a pang of fear she realized something was happening. She stood up in the pitch dark, and made her way to the doorway, which led to the pretend kitchen in which she made her potion. She had recently taken to sleeping in the dark room where she had first seen those eyes, Morgan's eyes, looking at her from behind the door.

The kitchen was dark, but not as dark as the room Hermione was sleeping in. It was light enough to see dust falling from the ceiling every time the ground shook. Whatever was making the ground shake, sounded distant, but powerful. It was as if a bomb were going off on random intervals.

Hermione heard footsteps outside her door, and male voices shouting out curses, hexes and the like. She wanted to go there, see what was going on, but the door remained locked. She hoped a random spell from one of the duelers' wands could blast her door open.

But she didn't need a random spell.

"Bombarda!" She heard, and her door exploded off its hinges and split in half when it hit the opposite wall.

"Harry!" She exclaimed, suddenly filled with joy, relief, and hope. So Morgan hadn't failed, after all. She just took longer than expected. Way longer.

"Thank Merlin, you're… alive." Harry said. Hermione had never seen a boy with so much relief and happiness in his eyes. He had thought her dead. She had, too.

"How… what…?" Hermione wanted to ask how they found the place. If they met Morgan. What their plan was. Who else was here. How they planned to get out. But the questions all wanted to come at once, and she couldn't pick which to ask first.

Thankfully, Harry read her mind.

"We met the vampire, she showed us here, told us the situation. My Aurors are here, as well as some from Magical Law Enforcement. We're gonna fight, and bring them all to Azkaban," He explained, his voice rushed and focused. She had heard him talk this way during the Battle of Hogwarts, when Harry was overcome with his frenzy to catch the last horcrux, yet had to explain to her and Ron what he was doing. "Are you okay physically?"

"Yes." Hermione affirmed. Harry grabbed her hand.

"Come on, I'll take you to St. Mungo's."

Hermione took her hand back faster than a speeding bullet.

"I have to save Draco." She explained. "I'm not leaving without him."

Harry looked at Hermione, and opened his mouth but decided not to question it. He knew better than anyone that Hermione would not leave anyone behind. "Where is he?" Harry asked quickly, clutching his wand with his wand hand and grabbing her hand with the other.

"The dungeons. Just cover me, I don't have a wand!"

A look of realization crossed Harry's features, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out another wand. "I picked it up during battle, thought they might take yours away, so use this."

Hermione took it while murmuring some words of gratitude, and set foot out of her pretend kitchen for the last time. The hallways were chaos. Hermione never had time to fully realize where she was, but once she saw the broken picture frames on the floor she inferred they were all inside a Death Eater's manor. Once in the hallway she and Harry began firing curses and hexes left and right, dodging a couple, and covering each other until they reached the end of the hallway. Hermione disarmed a Death Eater who was in their way and Harry sent ropes from the end of his wand. He quickly pulled a coin out of his pocket, muttered a couple words, and pressed it into the Death Eater's hand. The Death Eater disappeared.

"To the Ministry." Harry answered her question before Hermione could even ask. Hermione didn't even reply. Her mind was racing. There was only one thing on her mind, and that was to rescue Draco, and bring him to safety. It was her turn to save him now. She turned left down a short corridor. There should have been a door on her right which would lead them to the dungeons, but there was nothing but rocks in their way, probably from where the ceiling and the floors above caved in. Desperation hit Hermione hard; she could not fail.

"We've got to move them out of the way!" Hermione said immediately, beginning to move a couple of rocks herself. She looked at Harry, motioning with her facial expression to help her, but instead Harry looked behind him. A large chunk of the ceiling fell right over the spot they had just entered from, but it hadn't been blocked. Harry then looked back to Hermione, with an expression of most regret.

"Harry Potter, don't you dare!" Hermione began desperately. "Draco is down there, he's alive, and I know it. I need you to help me, please!"

"Hermione, these boulders… they probably go down to the dungeons. The dungeon is probably caved in he's probably—"

"NO HARRY DON'T YOU DARE HE'S ALIVE WE HAVE TO GET DOWN THERE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Tears were streaming down Hermione's face. Draco had saved her, in a way. He had shown her something so beautiful, taught her so many things… How could she leave him? Whether he was alive or dead was a question that was pushed far back into Hermione's mind. She needed to see him, to rescue him, whether he was breathing or not. It was the least she could do. She turned to the boulders behind her and began moving them by magic. She'd do it without Harry. And if the ceiling collapsed, at least she had died trying. But this was something she had to do.

"Hermione please! You have to see reason! This place is coming down on us as we speak, we can't be down here!" Harry grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and shook her, as if the motion would somehow knock some sense into his best friend. Part of Hermione understood where Harry was coming from. He just wanted her safe. After all, he came to rescue her. He wanted the least amount of casualties on his watch. He wanted his best friend to come out alive, and not die trying to save someone who couldn't already be saved. But here's where Hermione knew Harry was wrong: No one knew if Draco could be saved. The answer, would lie in the dungeons.

"Then help me. The more we stand here, the more we waste time Harry. What if it were Ginny down there, Harry? What if I were you, telling you she was gone? Help me, or I do it alone. I'm not leaving him."

That was the last thing Hermione was prepared to say to him. She knew Harry could act clouded sometimes, and this was one instance. But she was fully confident he would realize what the more important task was, and join her. And sure enough, a couple seconds later, there were two wands removing boulders, not one.

After an indeterminable amount of time, then entrance to the dungeon was visible. Hermione realized Harry was right. There were rocks blocking the stairs. But perhaps the rubble hadn't reached Draco. Maybe only the stairs were blocked. Hermione felt Harry attempting to make her turn around but he stopped himself each time from letting the words flow out of his mouth. They kept working.

After more time still, there came a point where Hermione could make out the dungeon walls, and some of its floor. She had never thought she'd be happier to see it. This meant the rubble was thinning out, which by extension meant Draco might be alive. Hermione removed a last big boulder, which revealed an almost clear path down the stairs, with the exception of some large chunks of rocks that she had to climb over. As she made her way down the stairs as fast as she could carry herself, her eyes immediately caught a chunk of blond hair, which had still managed to retain some of its shine after all Draco had endured. But what stopped her dead with shock was the amount of blood on him, covering almost every inch of his skin. What stopped her dead was how odd he looked, his body and fingers twisted at odd angles, cuts and bruises decorating his face.

It was frightening, to say the least. Draco Malfoy looked like he could be sleeping, his soul somewhere far away from Hermione. Hermione pushed any and all such thoughts from her mind, and mustered up the small amount of hope that inhabited her heart.

She walked toward him, trembling, wondering if her legs would be able to support her weight.

"Draco?"


A/N: Yeah, I did just leave you on a cliff hanger. I did do that. Please don't forget to leave a review! I'd like to know what you think so far, and whether you think Draco is dead or not. Thanks for reading guys!