A/N: I am very sorry for the delay on this. Work and Life, well you know the drill. Thanks for sticking with me. Let me know what you think, Happy Reading!
Chapter 6 - The Manor
As everyone started to reenter the war room Harry noticed the looks of anticipation on their faces. "Okay" Harry said. "Malfoy, were you able to get the Manors Maps?" he asked. "Yea, there right here, I am glad I didn't throw these out, my father was going to make a few enhancements on the Manor so he had these drawn up. A year before the war. Nothing has changed since." Draco replied spreading the maps on the table.
There were sounds of awe, most of them had never seen the Manor in full before and it was huge. The maps showed several ballrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and a quidditch pitch. "Too bad about this," Harry said pointing to the pitch on the map. "Having your own pitch and probably people to help you practice and you still couldn't beat me?." he finished with a very Malfoy smirk. Draco just glared at Harry.
"I had forgotten how big it was." Blaise stated and Pansy nodded in agreement.
"I haven't," Draco said "So many of those rooms have bad memories for me. After you escaped." Draco said looking at Harry "Voldemort put a spell on the entire manor. Similar to the irremovable moot the twins had placed in the hallway our 5th year. Keeping everything the same as it was when you three escaped," He paused for a brief moment then continued. "There is a stain of blood on the floor where Hermione was tortured." Draco finished in a whisper, so only Harry could hear it. At times like this he couldn't help but blame himself for everything that had happened to Hermione and he desperately wanted to find her.
"So..." Harry said not knowing how to respond to Draco's last comment. "buttons on your underwear!" Ginny exclaimed. Everyone turned to her, "What?, Hermione used to say that to me any time I left a sentence hanging in the air after I said the word so, so.. it's habit now." She smiled and a small humorous laugh went around the room for a brief moment, everyone knowing that was a very Hermioneish thing to do.
Harry shook his head and in a serious tone spoke. "Does anyone have an idea for what we should do? She has been missing for about a day and a half now" Harry finished. "Do you think we should search the Manor?" Neville asked. "I do," Harry replied. "Well, if that is what we are going to do, I suggest we split into two groups and one starts in the basement. I mean DUNGEON!" Ron said, looking at Draco. " And the other in the attic. Then each team will work their way to the center of the house." Ron finished. "That sounds like a good plan, any ideas for the groups?" Neville asked.
"Yea, I think you, Ginny, Pansy, and Luna should be in a group and start in the attic while Harry, Malfoy, Zabini, and Myself start in the dungeon." Ron Said. He had split the groups like this because he wanted to put Malfoy through some torture while they looked for Hermione. He had put some obstacles in his path and he wanted to see him suffer. His sister would have also been fun to watch but he thought that Zabini would be more entertaining. While he watched his friend struggle with what was ahead of him.
"Whichever group finds her will inform the other group and we will rescue her together, clear?" Harry said. "Clear!" was echoed throughout the room. With that they disapparated to the Manor.
They were all standing outside the Manor and Draco gave a shiver. He hadn't been here since Hermione had said yes to their first date. He was trying to figure out why Ron would have used his old childhood home for the kidnapping, then it hit him. She was brought here because she had been tortured here before. She had nightmares of Bellatrix cutting into her arm the first few nights they had stayed together. He felt so guilty, but she had told him not to. He hadn't cut into her arm and if he had done anything he could have died. She never blamed him and was even glad that he stood by so he wasn't killed. He was so relieved when Potter and Weasley arrived to get her that he wasn't really trying to duel and didn't even try to stop Harry from stealing his wand, pretty much pushing it into his hands that night. As soon as this is over he thought, I am going to beat Weasley senseless. He knew that Weasley was an arse but this, this was a different kind of cruelty all together, Voldemort level cruelty. Torturing someone in the same place that they had been tortured before. She must be out of her mind Draco thought, as he brought himself back to the present.
"Potter" Draco Said.
"Yea?" Harry replied.
"When I was last here I took down all of the wards and enchantments. I wanted someone to burn it down, thinking someone would get revenge on my father for his beliefs. But we don't know who is in there and I think it would be better if I go first. If they have replaced the enchantments I should be able to go in without being harmed, I am still a Malfoy after all" Draco smirked
"Just get on with it," Harry said, slightly amused.
Draco walked to the door, down the long cobbled path. As he opened the door, he stood at the threshold and took a breath. The next thing he knew he was pulled inside by a great force, door slamming behind him. He lay on the tiled entryway, and from behind the door he could hear everyone screaming his name. Before he could answer, a shadow of a figure emerged... Voldemort.
Hermione's POV
She lay there on the floor trying to move but was unsuccessful. She had started to give up hope when she heard the door to the Manor open. Great, she thought to herself, now what? Before she knew what was going on a cold air penetrated her flesh, similar to a dementor but not as sad. What on earth was going on? She felt a heaviness from the darkness that engulfed her and she wasn't able to hear anything else.
Harry's POV
Harry watched as Malfoy stood at the entrance to the Manor. When suddenly it looked like he had fallen inside and the door closed. On instinct Harry ran to the door shouting "Malfoy!" Everyone else followed, once Harry was at the door he began pounding and yelling for Draco.
In the Manor
Draco was transfixed, staring at the figure before him. All sound disappeared and darkness surrounded him. It can't be he thought, he's dead, Potter killed him. "Welcome home Draco," Came the evil voice of Voldemort. As Draco stared he noticed that the figure wasn't solid, it was almost ghost-like. "What do you have to say for yourself Draco?" The Voldemort figure asked. It needs an answer Draco thought, but what if he gave it the wrong one.
He looked at the figure and thought about Hermione, could this figure have done something to her. "What do you have to say for yourself Draco? "it said again. Draco thought he knew the charm. It will take the imprint of a memory or person and have them guard a home. Hermione and Harry had talked about this. While they were on the hunt for the horcruxes an image of Mad Eye Moody guarded Grimmauld place. He thought he knew what he had to do. Draco stood to his feet and walked over to the smiling Voldemort. Rolling up his left sleeve and showing the memory his faded mark, "I have betrayed you my lord" Draco said. The words felt rotten on his tongue but it worked and the figure disappeared. All the sound around him came back. He could hear Potter pounding on the door. He just shook his head. Sometimes Potter jumps into action too fast, he thought as he opened the door. "Took you long enough," Draco said with a smirk.
Hermione's POV
She slowly arose from the darkness that had overcome her, but she was still unable to move or open her eyes. What was that? she thought as her mind cleared. She thought she could hear footsteps, Many of them and she began to worry. Then someone kneeled beside her. "I think I will add a new stain, this old one is starting to fade." Lucius' voice came from next to her. And then a sharp pain. If she had been able to scream she probably would have just like she had years ago. She could feel the blood drip from the now reopened Mudblood scar. With a small laugh Lucius left, leaving Hermione to drift into unconscious the pain and memories unbearable at the moment.
In the Manor
Once everyone was inside the Manor and Pansy had made sure Draco was okay. Harry said "Alright, stick with your groups," and he walked over to Ginny. "Be careful, you know this place could have anything around every corner." "Always," She answered. Blaise was standing next to Pansy whispering something to her and Neville looked over at Luna. He could see she was worried and put an arm around her for comfort. Blaise and Harry rejoined Draco and Ron. "Good Luck!" Harry said as they went their separate ways.
Ginny's POV
They walked up to the attic and nothing seemed amiss which made them more nervous. "Something seems off." Ginny said as Neville stood next to her. "I agree, Something should have jumped out at us by now. You think Ron is just giving Draco and Harry a hard time because of what happened with him and Hermione?" "Yes, but do you know the whole story?" Ginny asked "No, Hermione never told you, I thought you knew." Neville replied. "I don't think anyone knows, well maybe Draco," Ginny Said. "Something tells me these teams weren't put together by accident" Pansy interjected "I think your right Pansy," Luna Said. "Let's try to get through the floors as fast as we can so we can get back to them." Everyone nodded and resumed looking for Hermione.
In the Dungeons
Blaise, Harry, Ron and Draco walked through the Dungeons, and it smelled of death. As they approached the last cell they saw something laying on the floor. Draco's stomach curled, No not Hermione he thought, as he walked closer he was enclosed by black smoke and the something became a figure as it sat up his heart fell into his stomach. No one had seen Ron make the smoke or the amused grin on his face. Harry immediately went over to see what the black smoke was. It would take the boy who lived a bit to get through, Ron knew, so he just sat back and listened to the show.
It was Hermione, and she was battered and bruised. "Hermione!" Draco said as he started walking toward her. "Stay away," she hissed. Draco stopped dead in his tracks, he was terrified of the sound that escaped her lips. That sound he would have expected from his Aunt Bella, but not her, what had happened to her? "Hermione, we are here to help you," Draco said, trying to take another step closer to her. He could hear Potter yelling outside of the black smoke that Draco hadn't realized was around him as he had been focused on Hermione. "Malfoy!" Harry yelled. "Were here, were okay," Draco replied. "Harry how could you?" Hermione began yelling "How could you care more for this Death Eater than me, I am your best friend, and this is all his fault!" Hermione howled through the smoke.
"Hermione, you don't believe that," Harry shouted back. Draco was stunned, he couldn't believe Hermione was saying this. "Hermione please let me help you?" Draco said as he tried to step closer again. "No! Stay away from me! This is your fault. You lied to me, you never changed. I have this scar because of you. I will never come near you again after everything you have ever done to me. How dare you! You should have died in the battle, I should have let Harry leave you in that fire. Your a bloody monster!" She shouted. Draco was so hurt, this is something he had always feared she would say. He was not worthy of her and he knew it, but she always said he was more. She was his light, how could this have happened.
Ron stood by listening to everything. This was more satisfying than he could have imagined. He thought of having Malfoy finding her dead but to have her saying these things he knew that this would be better. He was glad Malfoy's worse fear was this, The boggart was doing exactly what he hoped it would.
"Hermione please, let me help you?" Draco said again, not giving up no matter what she said. "No!, no one ever helped me, I did it all!, I was the one who kept everyone alive including you and you treated me the worse of all." She answered and she slumped to the floor. "Hermione!" Draco shouted as he ran to her side. He touched her, she was ice cold.
"No, no this can't happen!" he said. That couldn't be the last thing they would ever say to each other. There needed to be an I'm Sorry and I love you. He quickly looked at the bracelet it was Red. This can't be, he thought as he check for a pulse, still nothing. It didn't make sense, how can she be dead and alive, unless this wasn't her. All of the things he ever dreaded she would say and than died before he could tell her he loved her. What could do this, what could make him see what he dreaded most? "A Boggart?" Draco exclaimed, "Is this a Boggart? Riddikulus!" A light flew from Draco's wand hitting Hermione. Before it could be affected by the spell Hermione it transfigured into a dementor, What? Draco thought. He turned around to see the Buggart going after Harry, Somehow he had gotten through the smoke. "Riddikulus!" Draco said again and this time the monster backed away turning into a balloon and it floated into a box on the floor that he hadn't noticed to start with.
"You alright?" Draco asked Harry with a shaky voice, "Yea, you?" "Never better," Draco laughed, letting his nerves escape. He was so relieved that it was a Buggart that had said all those things and not Hermione. "Well it looks like the dungeons are clear," Came the amused voice of Ron. He was a bit upset that his fun had ended so quickly but was very glad it had worked out the way he wanted. Draco and Harry looked at each other and without a word knew that the other wanted to hex him. "Alright," Blaise said, noting the murderous faces on both Harry and Draco. "To the next floor?" He finished and he started walking back to the entrance of the dungeon where they had come from.
Both teams had no luck in locating Hermione as they entered the Main Entrance. "Find anything?" Ginny asked Harry, "Just a Boggart," Harry said with the slightest tilt toward Draco, who was very pale, even for him.
"Has anyone looked in the Drawing Room?" Neville asked "No, We just got up here" Blaise stated.
"I think that is the last place in the Manor to check?" Harry answered. Immediately everyone pulled out their wands and Harry opened the double doors.
Hermione had regained consciousness a while back, and was unable to do anything but listen to the world around her. She wondered who it could be. She still assumed that Ron and Lucius had left. Could it be Harry? She waited.
"Hermione!" She heard someone say and her heart leaped.