Chapter Thirty

Draco rushed himself from the cellar back to the dining room; he had to meet his father and their Master. He could only hope Hermione had gotten his message and had enough time to evacuate his mother and Andromeda before they arrived.

He worked to clear his mind. He boxed away the moments he had spent in the cellar, and the memories of calming himself afterward. As he arrived back in the dining room, his father looked up.

"Well?" The elder Malfoy demanded.

Draco forced himself to smirk. "All handled."

At Draco's words, his father and the Dark Lord rose from the table. They met Draco at the doors to the dining room and together, the three Apparated to Andromeda's house.

As they arrived, they heard the crack of Apparition. The trio turned just in time to see a quick flash as someone disappeared. It was too quick to discern who it may have been.

Draco glanced to his left; Voldemort looked furious.

"Check the house. They may still be here."

Draco and his father heeded the command at once; Lucius swept down the hall and Draco started through the door that showed a glimpse of a tidy kitchen. A quick glance around showed breakfast dishes still on the counter, dirty from a recent meal.

Draco muttered homenum revelio; there was not a hidden witch or wizard in the kitchen with him and he breathed a small sigh of relief.

From the kitchen, he stalked out into a small back garden, overflowing with flowers. His heart skipped a beat as he realized how much his mother must have loved it here. The gardens at the Manor had once been a work of art to look upon; they had all been curated by Narcissa's own hands.

A short walk around the yard told him no one was here. His heart was pounding. He hoped the Floo connection had been closed and that the person exiting as he had arrived would block anyone from coming back to this house.

Draco quickly made his way back into the sitting room where the Dark Lord still stood. Upon the questioning look he received, Draco shook his head. His father entered the room mere seconds later, a look of anger gracing his features.

"No one, my Lord," Lucius drawled.

Voldemort breathed deeply, his red eyes flashing with anger. He turned and exited the sitting room. Draco and Lucius locked eyes before following their Master out of the house. As soon as they stopped beside the Dark Lord, the house exploded. Draco flinched. He watched as the flowers all around the house slowly began to burn.

"Back to the Manor," the Dark Lord snapped before disappearing with a crack.

Draco avoided his father's eyes as he too, Apparated home. He had Apparated himself to the study, assuming this is where Voldemort would be. He found his suspicions to be correct as he landed, finding the Dark Lord before the fireplace with his hands clasped behind him. Lucius arrived seconds after Draco's feet touched down. Neither Malfoy said a word as they waited for Voldemort to speak.

"We need to bring Mundungus up here. He gave faulty information and he must be punished. When we find Narcissa, we will also find out who rescued her today, and they too will be punished. They cannot keep her from us forever."

He still stood facing the fire, his voice low and velvety as it stretched across the room. "However," he continued icily, "I must wonder why no ransom demand has been issued. Why has the Lady Malfoy not been used as a bargaining chip? I wonder, Lucius… if there is a reason for this. Maybe your wife isn't as loyal as she claimed to be…" the Dark Lord drifted off as he glanced toward the elder Malfoy.

Draco watched as his father paled, but held his ground. "My Lord, she would never betray us. She is an obedient wife."

The Dark Lord smiled. It was hard to watch. A smile from Voldemort could only signal danger. "We will see just how obedient she can be when we get her back."

Draco felt his stomach drop. He didn't like the sound of testing his mother's obedience. It chilled him to the bone.

Hours later, Draco lay in his bed, staring at his ceiling. He was attempting to keep his mind empty of all thought. The more days passed, the closer the Dark Lord kept Draco. Draco wasn't sure why it was happening, but he hated it. He was constantly tense.

He also missed Hermione, but at this point, he was sure she wanted nothing to do with him. He'd kept quiet for well over a week and the only message he'd sent was devoid of emotion. He'd never even gotten a message back.

Sighing, he glanced at his watch. He debated with himself for nearly a full minute before he closed his eyes and placed a finger upon the watch face.

I miss you.

He slung his arm over his eyes as he waited for a return message. When one didn't appear immediately, he dragged himself out of bed and toward his bathroom. He stood in the shower, under the cold spray, for a quarter hour before stepping out and toweling off.

Just as he was climbing into bed, he felt his left wrist heat. He scrambled to read the message so quickly, he nearly toppled off the edge of his bed.

I miss you, too. I love you.

He felt his heart clench at the missive. She still missed him. She still loved him. His heart was still pounding as the watch heated once more.

We got your mother out. She's safe.

Thank you, for letting me know. Who got her out?

Me, and McGonagall. Your mother and I, we were leaving just as… you three arrived.

Draco clenched his teeth. He wanted to reprimand Hermione for not staying safe, but he reminded himself that it's just who she is… plus, she was trying her hardest to keep his mother safe. Sighing, he sent his next message.

I really do miss you, you know. And Mother. Can you let her know?

Of course. And I miss you too, Draco. Are you staying safe?

As safe as one can be with the Dark Lord living in their home.

Hermione didn't respond for a while, and Draco felt himself drifting further toward sleep as the stress of the day overtook his senses. Before he let himself succumb, he sent one last message:

I hope to see you soon. I love you, always.