A/N: I apologize for the long wait. I have no beta so all the mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the HP universe.
Chapter 35
The niggling feeling Draco has that something is wrong turns into worry. "Hermione has not been here?" Ginny shakes her head. "No and it's not like her to be late."
Harry immediately flips from his laid back, easy-going self into his Auror persona. "Ginny, floo Luna and the Burrow to see if she's there. Malfoy, check both of your flats to see if she went ..." He stops speaking and is stunned to see Draco perform the patronus charm, especially when he sees what form it takes.
After seeing it done so many times, Draco adds the Auror spell for secrecy just in case something has happened, then incants, "Quaero* Hermione Granger. Dico** 'Contact me love. If you cannot. I will find you.' Finis nuntius." *** He performs the charm again without the addition of secrecy and sends one to his mother to see if she returned to the Manor. Turning to Harry and Ginny, he notices their astonished looks. "What?" Neither replies. "For the love of Merlin, stop staring at me and help me find Hermione! I am checking our flats again." With a crack, he is gone.
Ginny and Harry look at each other. She shakes her hand and walks over to the fireplace. Kneeling down, she tosses in floo powder, and shouts, "The Rookery. Luna are you there?"
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Hermione awaits her kidnapper to enter the portrait room of where ever she has been taken. To fake being unconscious, she relaxes her body, as much as she is able since she is tightly bound to wooden chair. She begins to believe she was wrong in her profile about one of her captors. He's displaying characteristics of a sycophant that has had enough, rather than a submissive. She's pretty sure she knows who is about to come through the door, so perhaps she can play on his vanity and turn this to her advantage.
She senses an overwhelming feeling of love and opens her eyes to see a huge and majestic glowing white lion sauntering toward her. Opening his mouth, she feels relief to hear Draco voice, "Contact me love. If you cannot. I will find you." Closing her eyes, she slumps again to feign being knocked out.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
A few minutes later, Draco returns, appearing with a pop into Grimmauld Place. Theo and Lovegood are there but not Hermione. "She is not home and my mother said she did not return to the manor. Did anyone check with the clerk in the lobby of the ministry? We should have before we left." Harry pipes up, "I will," and disappears through the floo.
As Draco paces, Ginny fills him in, "We checked at the Burrow, with Neville, Hannah and even with George at the shop. Is there anyone else she would have wanted to talk with about the case you are on?" Losing control of his temper, Draco clenches his fist. In a low ominous voice, he threatens, "I'll kill that bloody bastard." He stalks to the floo and thunders, "Ministry of Magic." Luna is the first one to jump up and follow. The others trail behind her.
Stepping out of the fireplace into the lobby, Ginny sees Draco stop mid-rant to look at Luna. The Minister, Harry and a woman she doesn't know are staring at him. None had ever seen him like this, even at Hogwarts.
Draco continues to stare at Luna for a few minutes as everyone is still shocked silent from his outburst. Taking her advice, he breathes deeply and looks to Kingsley and mumbles "Sorry." Before turning back to Luna, "Will it work through wards?" She nods. He concentrates on contacting Hermione.
Luna explains to everyone about being able to communicate silently with others. It is an ability similar to telepathy. Initially she believed it was only possible with natural occlumens, like she and Draco. She first discovered the ability with Theo, then spoke with Draco the same way at the New Year's Eve party. After testing, they realized that Theo is not an occlumens. She hypothesized that those who share a bond, can also communicate in the same manner. Draco is using it now to contact Hermione. She didn't mention realized they had spoken that way earlier in the day when his mother interrupted them.
Kingsley suggests she should work with the Unspeakables offering an introduction. Luna agrees, turns and smirks at Theo, even the Minister for Magic has no idea who they are. He walks to her and gives her a tender kiss. They found their bond, working on this project together. She is a little concerned that she really shouldn't be sharing this information yet, but he reassures her through their shared mindspeak, that it is being used as intended. This will be the first real world test. He also tells her only they and the Aurors present will remember it's use after today, due to the "need-to-know" charm he preformed when they first arrived. Luna beams at him and kisses him sweetly.
Harry explains to the group that he just called the Minister down. When the night shift clerk came on duty, the other woman there, no one was in the lobby. Then when Malfoy found out who was supposed to be here, he started yelling.
It takes Draco some time to clear his mind, but he is finally able to solely focus on his Hermione. He is not sure if he is doing it correctly, but he will not give up until he reaches her, "Hermione love, can you hear me?"
*quaero-Latin for seek, look for
**dico-Latin for say, tell speak, utter
***finis nuntius-Latin for end message.