A/N: Ok so this chapter is a little slower, it's more of a filler that I didn't think fit with the next chapter so I just expanded it to give a little more detail and to add a little more suspense. I hope you guys like it but like I said it is just a filler and hopefully I'll be updating again within the week. Again sorry for the darkness but I won't linger it on too much. Thanks to everyone for sticking with this story and for reviewing and everything.

This chapter goes out to LizaHP for a PM that made me smile, you are an awesome reader.

Disclaimer: No not mine, but I do dream about it...lots.

Trouble in the Sweet Shop

Chapter 23

Hermione apparated straight to the Ministry, Blaise was acting weird and she didn't like it. He knew something and Hermione was going to find out what.

She walked through the entrance hall, passed all of the workers and visitors, rushing through corridors. Finally she reached the door she was looking for and stopped. She was filled with dread, closing her eyes she took a deep breath; in and out. Finding her courage she pushed the door open.

"I need your help."

The person behind the desk, stared at the woman in front of them, he could see the woman was distressed and he wanted to help but his pride was telling him to ignore her. His stupid pride had always got in the way.

"What do you want Hermione?"

"It's Draco." That name. That name ruined his life, it had haunted him his entire life. He rubbed his face and placed his hands on the back of his head.

"Can't you ask someone else Hermione, you know I can't deal with this right now." Her eyes started to water as she walked forward and sat down.

"I'm not leaving until you help me Ron. Draco has gone missing and your the only hope I have."

"Why me? Why can't you bother his friends, or any other Auror, do you really think I have it in me to help you find him. This isn't even to do with my department Hermione, so I suggest you go and find someone who is willing to help." The red head stood and walked towards the door, holding it open for Hermione, she just looked at him. There was determination in her eyes as she looked at him, she was crying now, tears flowing freely but that wasn't going to stop her. He nodded towards the corridor as if signalling her to go but she just shook her head, Ron knew that she was stubborn and wouldn't move but he was determined to make her leave.

"He was kidnapped Ron, my husband was kidnapped and he's probably hurt somewhere and that's why you need to help. You're an Auror, you can stop them." Ron shook his head and shut the door, she was helpless and for the first time since returning home, Ron could see the same old naive Hermione, the young bookworm who would cry because she was called mudblood or teased because she was a bookworm. He knelt down beside her and looked into this broken girl, she had faced so much in her life, like they all had. The only difference was he had Harry after the war, he had his best friend to pull him through the hard times, Hermione had nobody, she didn't have anybody to fall back on, she lived with a new family, a loving family but not her own family. This led her to fall into the arms of an enemy because it was the only place she felt love. Right there and then Ron hated himself for leaving, if only he had not left, if he had stayed Hermione would be with him, maybe married or at least engaged, perhaps with a child of their own.

"How long has he been gone?"

"Since last night, he went out with Blaise but he never came home. I went to see Blaise, Ron and he was acting suspicious like he knew something I didn't. I'm scared, Ron."

"Hermione, there's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"You know why Hermione. He needs to be missing for 48 hours for us to do anything and you don't have any proof Zabini has done anything wrong." She put her head in her hands and cried, 48 hours was too long to wait, what if something happened to him in that time? What if it was too late by then?

"What am I meant to tell Scorpious?" Enraged, she stood to face Ron.

"Am I meant to tell him his Daddy has been taken but nobody will do anything to help? Do you even know what that'll do to him Ron? He is 4 years old, too young to understand why Daddy isn't coming home, yet old enough to remember this in years time. I can't hurt my baby like that, he needs his father. I won't let him be without him." She stormed out of the room, leaving Ron in a confused and guilty state. He needed to talk to Harry.

Hermione arrived back home, she needed to calm down. Should she go around Blaise's again, demand to know what's going on? Hex him? She really felt like doing the latter at the moment, she was furious. She knew she had to be smart, she had to find a way to get to Draco.

How did she even know he was in trouble? He could be fine, he could have simply left. She sounded crazy but deep down, she knew he was in trouble. She had dedicated her life to this man, fell in love and married him against her better judgement. If she was smart, she would have ran so far away from him, but she couldn't. Something was pulling her back to him, curiosity for the forbidden relationship soon turned into love and that was all that mattered to Hermione; her love for this man and their child.

"Wake up" A kick to the ribs was what woke the blonde man, he curled up in pain and clutched his ribs, something felt broken or at least severely bruised or fractured. His hair was matted and red where he had been hit on the head and left to bleed. His face was covered in the dry blood and mud, his eyes were red and sockets bruised, he tried to stand, to lift himself up so he could fight back but he had no sort of protection, he had no wand and he was too weak to physically fight.

"Your mudblood of a wife was here. I thought I told you not to tell anyone where you were last night?"

"I didn't say a word" Draco pulled himself and looked up into his "best friends" eyes, he had been tortured this way before with his father, he knew not to show emotion, to show emotion was to show your weakness.

"Liar! What would happen if I brought your little wife and boy in here? Let them see what you've been up to?"

"You go near them and I will kill you, no matter what it does to me." Draco was met with a strong kick in the face, he was knocked backwards and in the distance he could hear Zabini laughing hysterically. He got back up and spat out the blood in his mouth.

"Calm down Draco, I won't bring them here. We're off out soon anyways...be back soon" Zabini turned and casually strolled out of the room, locking it behind him.

A/N: So hopefully you liked it. Thanks so much.

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