Chapter 17-There must be a way.

Draco stormed through the ministry atrium like a roiling thunder cloud. He ignored the fragments of press who had remained behind from the earlier court case. Barrelling his way to the lifts, ministry employees cowered in his path-if they had forgotten what a powerful wizard Draco Malfoy was those who encountered him that day were suddenly reminded.

"Potter," he all but screamed as he entered the office of Magical Law Enforcement and sought out the Head Auror. Armed aurors rushed from their desks wands drawn ready to bring the raging blond down but they never had the chance.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry Potter's cold tone cut the air and everyone stilled.

Draco forced himself to calm, he had not drawn his wand not even defensively though the air around him fairly crackled with magic. Draco knew he must look deranged, dangerous, but it would not help to hex Potter.

"A private word if you will Potter, please," he added as a concession to his former rival who looked entirely unimpressed.

As soon as the office door closed Draco cast a silencing charm and asked immediately;

"Where is she?"

"So it's true then," Harry stated ignoring Draco's question,

"Where is she?" Draco asked again determinedly,

"If she doesn't want to see you, you can not imagine that I would tell you!"

Draco had no patience to play games;

"I don't have time for this Potter if I can't find her she will die!"

That seemed to get Harry's attention

"What do you mean she will die, what have you done?" Harry demanded

"For fucks sake Potter, I haven't done anything just tell me where she is,"

Suddenly sensing the frantic nature of Draco's plea Harry came clean;

"I don't know I haven't spoken to her in weeks," Harry confessed

Draco tore at his hair; "where would she go? you must have some idea," his tone was desperate and Harry looked at him with the shocked realisation that Draco Malfoy loved his friend desperately.

"I don't know?" Harry told him sadly, "may be her parents' home, I believe she kept it?"

"The address," Draco demanded imperiously moving towards the floo in Harry's office

"She may not be there," Harry cautioned.

Draco barely seemed to listen as he took a handful of floo powder; "if she comes back send her to the manor, 'Draco called behind him urgently as he dissolved in the green smoke that flooded the fireplace.

Harry sat back at his desk determined not to get involved, not to take sides but he couldn't focus. What if Hermione died whilst he sat shuffling paperwork? Harry knew he would never forgive himself.

Harry purposefully rose from his desk and went into the general office;

"Hermione Granger* is missing, we have reason to believe she has only hours to live if we don't find her-I want every available auror to search for her. If found she needs to be taken immediately to Malfoy Manor," there were some apparent rumblings of discontent at that pronouncement, as Harry added, " and I am to be informed immediately!"

For a moment no one moved,

"Well!" Harry shouted, "move it!"

The aurors scattered like a flight of nervous birds. Harry stood for a moment and wondered where Hermione might be if Malfoy had not yet found her.

Draco's attempts to access the address Harry had given him failed, the floo was closed and the floo system threw him out in a seedy pub that he quickly established was some distance from his destination. Casting a notice-my-not Draco fled the pub into the darkened streets of a village he didn't recognise.

"How the hell am I supposed to find you!" He called out desperately, even though he knew Hermione could not hear him. There had to be a way, Draco racked his brain but nothing came. As he was about implode from frustration he saw it, a slight shimmer in the air that indicated a muggle repellant charm. Draco raced towards it, he had never moved faster without the aide of a broom. He broke through the charm and there before him stood a large detached house. In other circumstances he might have lingered, intrigued by her home but not now, now he barely dare take the time to breathe. He barrelled towards the door casting an alohomora as he lurch forward. He crashed into the black and white entry and froze in horror. All around him was destruction, furniture was splintered, drapes torn and ragged, a myriad of personal possessions, the detritus of a lifetime, were spread across the floors. Draco quickly realised this was not the work of casual vandals; a residue of dark magic hung in the air that could only mean one thing;

"Hermione!" He called out his cry a mangled mix of sob and scream. He raced from room to room. Finding the ground floor deserted he took to the stairs, ascending them two at a time. The first door crashed against the plaster of the wall as he threw it back so violently the walls shock. Empty. The bathroom, empty, bedroom after bedroom all empty.

Finally, his heart about to give out, Draco crumpled to his knees unknowingly collapsing in the room that had been Hermione's own;

"Where are you?" he sobbed, "Hermione!"

Harry paced the floor of his office wondering if he should ask for Ron's help. They had been through so much together surely if Hermione's life was in danger Ron would help? Then Harry had an epiphany; where was it that Hermione had taken them when they were in danger? The Forest of Dean.

Harry raced out of the ministry to the nearest apparition point. Turning on his heels he disappeared with a small crack. He reappeared in a small clearing, the area thinly forested with a river making its serpentine way across the land nearby. She was here he could sense it;

"Hermione!" he called but there was no answer merely the caw of a distant crow, "Hermione," he tried again nothing. Harry stumbled towards the river bank that was when he saw a flash of red. It wasn't anything natural, red cloth he realised. He hurried towards it recognising the shape of a human form as he got nearer. Breaking into a sprint as he identified the riot of brunette curls scattered amongst the leaf debris.

"Hermione," he coaxed as he approached her but she was totally unresponsive. Harry gathered her up and then cast a patronus to carry two words, "Malfoy Manor."

Draco knew he couldn't crumple now he had to keep looking, he would not build another tomb for a woman that he loved. Determinedly he got to his feet and made his way to the ground floor. As he approached the front door he was accosted by Potter's patronus.

"Malfoy Manor," it clearly intoned

"Had they found her?" Draco barely paused to consider if she was okay, if she was alive he just spun and disapparated.

A house elf had taken her from him at the gates leaving Harry cursing as he was left behind unable to get through the wards.

"For fucks sake Malfoy," he yelled but no one answered.

Draco materialised in the entrance of his manor, his house elf was there immediately.

"Miss is in your room sir," the elf dutifully informed him

"And Scorpius?" Draco asked aware that his son was possibly upset

"Playing quietly in his room," the elf confirmed

Draco nodded as he ran up the stairs to his room.

Hermione was unconscious on his bed, he immediately gathered her into his arms.

"How could you be so stupid?" He asked her, "I never wanted you to do this," he cajoled

She didn't respond.

Author's note

*Harry refers to Hermione Granger because I am assume she would return to her maiden name after her divorce.