Chapter Nineteen
Narcissa pushed Hermione in the wheelchair heading to the canteen. Draco sat in the relative's room finally able to let his tears flow, he knew he had to stay strong for Hermione but it was so hard to hold back the tears. It seemed that as everything was going right, someone had to pull the rug from beneath him, putting his head in his hand and letting go of the facade. He was so lost in his grief that he didn't hear the door open
"Malfoy?" it was Harry, Draco cursed himself that he had let Potter see him in such a venerable state, he took a deep breath before looking at the other man
"Any news?" he asked,
"Not yet, I wanted to ask you some questions, without Hermione here" he said taking one of the empty seats,
"Why? So, she doesn't punch you in the face" Draco muttered
"too late for that" he mumbled, "Look I don't want to be here, I don't want to help you, however as you pointed out Hermione was like family to me and seeing her the way she was this morning I knew I had to do everything in my power to return the girl to her mother. I was beginning to think that you didn't care…Because you hadn't shed any tears. But I can see now you were held together by string, trying to stay strong for her." Harry swallowed, Draco had his hands balled into fists his nails digging into the bandaged hands, "I have a suspicion of where the child is…"
"Pandora! God dam it Potter her name is Pandora!" Draco snapped he was sick of his daughter being referenced as the child or worse It!
"Pandora ok, I'm sorry, I have a suspicion of where Pandora is, there was a log of someone coming to the hospital at around one A M this morning and leaving fifteen minutes later, however it is going to take me some time to trail the person, I don't want to scare them into harming the…Pandora. I need you and Hermione to do an interview with Celestina Warbeck, I have a team waiting to take the two of you in the next hour" Harry said,
"Hermione won't leave" Draco said "Not even I or my mother can convince her to go home"
"I'm hoping that if the two of us talk to her, or even us and your mother we can convince her to do the interview and then maybe she will rest away from here and let my team do their job." Harry said,
"Who do you think it is?" Draco asked
"I can't say," Harry looked at Draco,
"Worried I'll go and kill whoever it is" Draco Asked running his hand through his hair,
"Could say that…" Harry said "But I am also worried that if this person think we're on to them, sh…they may hurt you daughter and as much as I hate you, she is less than two days old and does not deserve to be kept from her M…Parents" Harry said, Draco watched Harry closely,
"Do you believe that at this second that Pandora is safe…" Draco asked,
"I believe as long as the person or persons, believe that we do not suspect them, Pandora is in no immediate danger." Harry said, "So, can you come and help me with Hermione?" Draco let out a sigh,
"Lead the way" Draco sighed standing and following Harry down to the canteen.
XXX
Hermione and Draco exited the studio, to meet with a crowd of people, Draco placing a protective arm around her and pushing past the crowd to the waiting ministry car that had been sent to collect them. Their next stop was to speak with Harry and Blaise at Blaise's Office at the ministry. As they sat in the car, they heard Celestina Warbeck,
"For those who have just joined us, the top story at this hour, it has been confirmed that there has been a kidnapping from the Nursery at St. Mungo's Hospital, The New-born Girl less than two days old at this time was taken from her parents but persons unknow. Her parents are desperate to have their little girl back, offering an unlimited reward for the safe return of the child. Should anyone know or suspect the whereabouts of Pandora Malfoy-Granger are asked to contact the department of law and crimes and give any leads to the Aurors as soon as possible, let's bring this little girl home to her heartbroken parents"
Hermione cuddled into Draco, she wasn't crying now, he suspected that she was all cried out. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to her hair before letting out a shaky sigh
"We will find her…we have to" he said but it wasn't to convince her, it was to convince himself.
XXX
As soon as they entered Blaise's office Luna threw herself at Hermione giving her a warm hug.
"Luna, love, let them breath" Blaise said, "Pansy, can you Lock the front up, it's up to you if you want to stay or call it a day." Blaise said, she nodded before standing picking up a notepad and pen,
"What drinks can I get everyone?" she asked, "And shall I go over and get a sandwich platter so that there is food should anyone get hungry"
"Thank you Pansy" Hermione whispered, Pansy nodded taking each order from the group that consisted of, Blaise, Luna, Hermione, Draco, Narcissa, Harry, Susan and herself.
Susan Bones had come straight to Blaise's office upon hearing Celestina Warbeck interview with Draco and Hermione.
"Right" Harry said, he pulled out his wand and cast several spells making sure what was said in this room would not be heard by anyone other than the eight of them. "What I am about the say cannot leave this room until we have Pandora Safe and sound. As I informed Draco, we did find a name in the manifest of the Hospital, arriving at 01:00am leaving around fifteen minutes later." Harry began
"Who?" Susan asked,
"I cannot say at this time, but trust me I have the best Aurors trailing the person now. Once I receive conformation that this person does or does not have Pandora, we will need to make a plan on how to get her away safely and without alerting the person that we are on to them as I fear they may do something stupid and worse case may never get Pandora back."
"Do we know the Person?" Luna asked
"Again, I can't say" Harry sighed, "I swear to you as soon as that information can be told the people in this room will be the first to know"
"And you're sure that she's in no immediate danger? It's not a follower of…" Narcissa swallowed,
"If it is the person I suspect…" Harry let out a sigh, "I do not believe that they will hurt the child, I believe this is to hurt Hermione and Draco" Harry said, Draco's eyes widened as the puzzle in his brain fit together, True there where people who hated him and people who hated Hermione, but the number of people who hated them both left him with a very short list…a very short Red Headed Family List. Harry could see the cogs turning in Draco's mind…he probably should have kept that last bit back, but he hoped that Draco would keep the thoughts to himself for now.
Pansy returned with food and drinks not long later having to sneak into the office via the back door. The group sat in silence waiting for any news. Draco headed back to the bathroom, looking at Harry as he went. Harry got the message and a few seconds later followed the blond
"Which one is it?" Draco asked,
"Draco, not now" Harry said checking they were alone
"Fine don't tell me which one but tell me am I correct that one of your in-laws are under suspicion" Draco asked in hushed tones, "if you don't confirm I will go discuss the idea with the group" Draco went to turn, Harry took a deep breath and sighed,
"Fine, Yes, it is a Weasley, but until we confirm that the person has Pandora please don't say anything, I fear if anyone approaches them, they could hurt her" Harry hissed,
"I won't put my daughter in danger, I'm trusting you Potter." He said "I just want my daughter home" Draco headed back to the main room; Harry returned moments later
"I am going to head to my office and get an update from my agents" Harry said "Nothing we have said here can leave this room" Harry said sternly
"I should go as well" Susan said, "I'll come back in the morning" she hugged Hermione,
"Luna and I are going to stay with you here, we can transfigure, the sofa's into beds should we somehow find sleep this night" Blaise said
"Mum, you should go back to the house and get some rest" Draco sighed, he wasn't even going to try to convince Hermione to return home and sleep.
"I will not" Narcissa said "I am going to stay right here with you until we have our little angel back" Draco nodded.
"Pansy, you should get home too" Blaise said,
"Ok, I'll bring breakfast tomorrow, any orders" she yawned, picking up the note pad again
"Thank you Pansy" Hermione said and surprising the woman Hermione pulled her into a hug, Pansy looked bewiled at first then hugged her back
"Like you said the war is over there are so few of us left and we should not be fighting amongst ourselves" she said pulling back from Hermione, "I'll see you in the morning unless something happens sooner, you will call me if something happens"
"Of course, Pansy" Draco said, and with that the group of eight became a group of five.