A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! If I wasn't so excited, I would have held off on posting this chapter another day. Sleep deprivation. Thank you, children. But, oh boy. This is getting tense and I can't just leave the story where it was with the last chapter.
Story is almost done, and will be completed next week! Bitter sweet knowing this journey is almost at it's close.
More notes at the end
Chapter 27, Have You Seen This Girl?
Missing Child: The young Malfoy Heiress, Aurora Jean Malfoy, was reported missing early yesterday afternoon after an outing at a muggle park, located in London. DOB: 9th May, 2006, age 4. Physical description; Height: 91 cm. Weight: 13.5 kg. Eye Colour: Grey. Hair Colour: White Blonde. Pale skin tone. (Picture above taken the morning of abduction)
The Auror's office is in need of help locating one Aurora Jean Malfoy. Aurora is the daughter of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, born in the United States, where she resided with Ms. Granger until July of this year when Ms. Granger accepted a job at the Ministry of Magic in the DMLE. Ms. Granger and her daughter returned to London after living in the United States.
Aurora Malfoy was last seen at a muggle park in London getting ice cream, with her godfather, Theodore Potter, before being Apparated away with an unknown male suspect.
The Malfoy – Granger family is pleading with the public for any information that might bring their daughter home. The family is offering rewards of up to 500,000 Galleons of any information that might lead to the safe return of Aurora to her family.
Any information can be submitted directly to Head Auror, Harry Potter by Owl, Fire Call, or Patronus. Anonymous tips may also be left with the Auror's office.
"We are begging the public and anyone who might have any idea of where Aurora might be being held. I'm not only speaking as Head Auror in this case, but also a concerned godfather and uncle. We just want our little girl to safely come home." Harry Potter is quoted saying at a press conference held earlier today inside the Ministry of Magic's atrium.
We, at the Daily Prophet, can only hope that the Malfoy – Granger family soon have Aurora back home safely with them. Updates will be printed as this story develops.
ooo
The number of tips being sent in was more than the DMLE had ever experienced in their entire history. It was a combination of people wanting some sort of reward money, people who were curious for more details about Aurora, and people who were either sending their well wishes or being hateful saying they hoped she was never found.
In all of that though, not a single tip in the last twenty-four hours had been helpful in finding their little girl. Not even a whisper of what had happened to her.
Theo was in St. Mungo's in a magically induced coma. While he'd been placed under the Imperius Curse, he'd also been poisoned to ensure that he couldn't throw off the Imperius with the help of his Legilimency before the kidnapping. Whoever was behind this knew about Theo's natural Legilimency skills, but it was the worst kept secret of the century, so that didn't help narrow down their suspect list.
Lucius had been drug into the DMLE for questioning under the influence of Veritaserum, and that had shown no results for any knowledge on his part that he had any idea where Aurora was. It had, however, shed a light that Lucius not only held no ill will towards his granddaughter, but when he met her, he had been entranced by her, and was mostly curious about her.
Even with her being a half-blood, Lucius claimed that he wanted to get to know his granddaughter and felt a connection with her. Though, in the same breath he said he would rather rot before her filthy mudblood mother ever joined her as a part of the Malfoy family. That had led to Draco – who had talked his way into the interview room with the excuse of making sure there were no loopholes in the questions – punching his father in the face and breaking his nose.
"I swear on Merlin, Morgana, Mordred, and Crice that I'm going to find who took my daughter and they are going to pay." Hermione said when she heard someone opening the door to the conferences room that held all the case details on the wall. "Worse case scenario, I become a murder." She whispered just under her breath as she looked into a picture of her daughter taken at the park while Draco was helping her cross the monkey bars.
"You need to go home and sleep, Hermione. Your parents haven't seen you since before… Well, your mother is going completely mental and stomped on Judson's foot and broke it when he told her he couldn't bring her to you at the Ministry. You need sleep and I just got Draco out of any legal trouble for assaulting his father. You both need to go home and wait for news." Harry said coming up and laying a hand on Hermione's shoulder.
Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at her best friend. "This is all my fault, Harry. I shouldn't have agreed to going to the park. I knew we were taking a risk and I still agreed to take her there."
The guilt was eating her alive. Regardless that the park had been Draco's idea, he was just looking out for the best interests of their child. She'd been the parent longer. Being the more seasoned parent and she also was the only who worked for the bloody DMLE, she should have known better. She shouldn't have agreed, and it was that grave error in judgment that led them to this point.
"It's not your fault. There were eight trained adults and wards around the park in place to protect her. The only people at blame here is whoever it is that orchestrated this and took her. Not you, not Draco, and not Theo. Just the bastards that took her. Now, go home. Take your boyfriend and go get some sleep. I'm sending two doses of dreamless sleep, one for each of you. If I hear anything, I'll personally come to wake you both up." Harry said putting his hands on her shoulders and guiding her out the door of the conference room.
Hermione stalled her steps and looked up at Harry, narrowing her eyes at him. "I'm not leaving, Harry, you can't make me leave. I'm a DMLE employee and have just as much right as you do to be here and help in anyway I can with this investigation." Hermione insisted putting her hands on her hips. "There could easily be something that some imbecilic overlooks that delays my daughter's return home." Hermione said glaring up at Harry.
"He can't send you home, but I can. Granger, Malfoy, neither of you are to be back in this office for the next twelve hours. Go home and sleep." Hermione's attention was pulled away from Harry to Hestia Jones standing next to Draco, who appeared to be on his way into the conference room. "I'm supposed to make it twenty-four hours, but I know the pair of you, so I'm cutting it in half. You both need to rest, otherwise you're good to anyone. Now, get going. If I have to sign a mandate that will literally force you off the property, I will." Hestia said looking at Hermione with worried eyes.
"We'll find her, Granger. I swear to you, we'll find her and we'll bring her home. Where she belongs." Without another word Hestia turned on her heels and stalked back down the hall towards her office.
Hermione couldn't help herself, at the sight of Draco, she flung herself into his arms as they circled around her and buried her face into his chest. This had to just be another nightmare, right? There was no way that they were dealing with the kidnapping of their daughter. Hermione was going to wake up, and down the hall Aurora would be still asleep in her bed wearing her nightdress and clutching to her little dragon for dear life.
Only, no matter how many times Hermione repeated to herself that this was just a nightmare, she couldn't wake up. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. They were supposed to catch the person who had threatened their family and nothing bad was supposed to happen, not whatever sick twisted game this was that they found themselves in.
"Hermione," she could hear Harry saying behind her, "go home. You can be back here in twelve hours. Hell, you might be back even sooner. We might find her before then. But, please. Take the dreamless sleep and get some rest. I swear I'll wake you when I hear anything." He finished looking at Draco and giving Hermione's shoulder a squeeze before he walked back into the conference room that now held three different squads waiting for Harry to give the next order.
"Come on Granger, let's go back to your house." Draco whispered into her hair and tugged her towards Hestia's office so they could use her Floo connection.
Without running into anyone else, Hermione and Draco stepped into the fireplace and were whisked back to Hermione's home. Exiting into her sitting room, Hermione was bombarded by her mother, throwing herself into Hermione's arms. Running her hands over Hermione's hair and face, it seemed that Helen was searching her daughter for any physical injuries. "I'm fine, mum." Hermione mutter as Helen's hands continued rummaging over her.
"You're not, and that's okay. I'm here, I'm going to be here. Whatever you need, Hermione, Draco. Whatever you need from us, you've got it." Helen replied giving Hermione another bone crushing hug.
Looking over at her father, Hermione felt her heart break just a bit more. Roger was nursing a glass of whiskey, while sitting looking out the window towards the barn, where he spent most of his time with Aurora. It seemed that while Helen was a nervous ball of energy, Roger was shutting down and closing everything else out.
Shaking out of her observations, Hermione looked over to where Draco was standing looking at the toy chest that hadn't been touched in much too long. "Alright, Draco. What are we doing here? I know we aren't actually going to take that dreamless sleep, so what's the plan?"
Before he could answer, however, the fireplace flared green and out stepped Narcissa Malfoy without a speck of soot on her robes. If Hermione's nerves weren't completely fried, she would have pondered it more, but as it was, she just wanted to know what the woman was doing in her home.
"Hermione, Draco." Narcissa said addressing the two adult children before looking at Hermione's parents. "Hello, my name is Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother." She said stepping forward extending her hand towards Helen.
"Helen Granger, and this is my husband, Roger. I'm assuming you're either here to offer your support to our children or maybe you have an idea of where our Aurora could be." Helen said looking Narcissa over. Normally Hermione would have been mortified at not making the introductions, but again, her nerves were fried.
"Mother, what have you heard?" Draco asked not looking up from the glass of whiskey that Roger had placed in his hand before taking a sip.
"I have found, through your father's more questionable associates, about a black-market trading center that the two of you are aware of due to your involvement in the Borgin trial." Narcissa began and Hermione nodded her head waving her hand on encouraging her to continue. "Were you aware of the Veela trading that has being conducted there? Your father's last business meeting was concerning the magical beings being traded and bartered for. It appears, that a rumor had gotten out that he knew of a young Veela child."
That sentence made something in Draco snapped, causing him to throw his whiskey across the room, the glass shattering against the wall as he turned on his mother. "HE SOLD HER OUT!" Draco roared, chest heaving and arms trembling.
"Actually, he denied any knowledge of knowing what the person was talking about. Though, that does lead the question, of who all knew of her being a Veela." Narcissa said looking towards Hermione, who was shaking her head.
"No one that would harm her, or utter a word about her abilities." Hermione said shaking her head. "But, the black-market auction, I've been there. I saw the magical creatures and there were no beings, especially no Veela being sold. I would have remembered that."
"Might I suggest, the two of you go and check it over again. The DMLE moves paperwork for a raid so slowly, the red tape and all, that I fear it'll delay them getting there too much. Two people attending an auction will draw little to no attention and not give anyone the chance to possibly move Aurora if they fear she might be recovered." Narcissa said looking between the parents.
"Agreed, mother, do you have any Polyjuice – " Draco began asking when Narcissa held out two vials to each of them.
"Hairs are from a pair of my distant French cousins. Never know when one might need to blend into the crowd. I'm going to go report this tip to Mr. Potter, so you best be going before the Aurors storm the compound in a few hours." Narcissa said, giving everyone in the room one last nod before stepping back into the grate and calling out for Hestia's office.
"Go on, if anyone shows up, we won't tell them where the two of you got off to." Roger said, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. "Go find our little girl."
Sparing each other a glance, Hermione and Draco quickly drank the first dose of the potion that Narcissa had left with them. The mud texture slid down Hermione's throat as she felt her face and body begin to bubble and transform.
Hermione could feel as she was stretched and grew at least a few inches, her waist narrowed and was now much trimmer and hips not nearly as wide as they'd been. Silk like straight black hair hung over her shoulders and past her larger and firmer breasts. Her now pale completion almost made her appear that she was glowing in the light of the house.
Looking up at Draco, his hair was also now black, but still straight. It hung down to his shoulders, and his grey eyes had become sapphire blue. He retained his high cheek bones and his straight aristocratic nose, but his jaw was a bit wider and her brow heavier. He'd stay around the same heigh, though instead of the lean muscular form, he was broader with thicker muscles.
"Shall we?" Hermione asked after she'd finished appraising him.
"After you. Just in case, we're disguised as sister and brother, Juliette and Luc Rosier. Distant cousins from my grandmother Druella. I believe they are her great niece and nephew." He said holding out his hand.
With a nod and a final wave towards her parents, the pair stepped into the fireplace and headed towards the Leaky Cauldron. "Come on, we've got to move quickly." Hermione whispered into Draco's ear as they slipped in the alley, heading towards the hidden entrance that she'd used when she'd gone on her surveillance mission with the DMLE.
Without a word between the two of them, they swiftly moved through the crowd of Diagon Alley with a purpose. In the window of every shop, smiling up at her and waving, was the same picture of Aurora that had been published in every news outlet asking for help in finding her. She could only make out a few whispers from the patrons looking in the windows at her little girl, but none of the words they said registered. None of what anyone had to say about her mattered anymore, the only thing that mattered was finding Aurora and bringing her home.
"Dra - Luc, here." Hermione whispered bringing Draco's attention to the barely there runes on the brick. Quickly, Hermione used her wand and replaced it with the same ones she'd used when she'd entered with Sasha not so long ago. Passing through the entrance, Hermione wasn't shocked to see the bustling crowd moving towards the warehouse where the auctions were held.
"Come on, that's where the big action is. The street venders are all only going to have some low level and cheaper creatures and beings." Hermione said as Draco eyed the stands that were already being set up, one with House Elves cramped inside a cage and another with Bowtruckles in a glass jar.
Hermione and Draco didn't take the same care to blend into the crowd as she had with Sasha, their looks alone easily drew too many eyes to them for that to be possible. Following Draco's lead, their purposeful strides screamed to anyone who looked their way that they were not to be trifled with. Stepping inside the building and glancing at the stage, Hermione could see a young Centaur bound in chains with fresh scars running across his face and chest.
Rage filled her as she began to imagine what condition Aurora might be in if this is how they were treating any beings that were being sold. Pushing through the crowd, until she was at the edge of the stage, Hermione saw a burly wizard standing next to a door with his arms crossed, looking slightly bored.
"I'll distract him, you slip inside and see if you can find her." Hermione whispered as she pulled Draco into a dark secluded corner and tapped his head, disillusioning him. "You have a half hour, if I don't see you by then, I'm coming in after you."
Hermione glanced down at what she was wearing and quickly transfigured the outfit into a bit shorter skirt and a low-cut shirt. A quick tap of her face applied a quick beauty glamor that was only meant to slightly enhance one's looks, since that's what she was most comfortable with.
Sauntering up to the man, Hermione plastered a smirk imitating Draco's, and flipped her hair just like Pansy did. It only took a few moments before the man noticed her approach. His Adam's apple visibly bobbed as he racked his eyes up and down her form and dress with eyebrows slightly raised, Hermione knew this was going to be easier than she'd originally thought.
"Madam" he greeted with his eyes locked on her cleavage and not her face. Honestly, she could hex him for being a pig, but him being so distracted was her goal after all.
"Hi" Hermione said batting her eyelashes like she'd watched Rachel do countless times when she'd flirt with unsuspecting men that she wanted to do her bidding. "I was wondering, if you could possibly help me with a question I had." She said, leaning forward drawing more attention to her chest as she saw the back door slip open with Draco slipping inside.
"Uh, yeah, sure, anything you want." The man said finally looking into Hermione's face. Reaching forward, Hermione laid a hand on the man's pecs.
"Could you tell me what all beings are being sold today? I'm in the market, and I don't want to," she cleared her throat for effect, "waste my time if I can help it." Hermione said taking a step closer to the man, who gulped looking down at her.
"Uh, yeah. Vampire, centaur, and a hag." He stuttered as Hermione took another step towards him, letting her chest press against his.
"No Veela?" She whispered against his ear as she heard a slight commotion behind the door. As the man began to turn his face towards the noise, Hermione lifted her hand and pulled him back to meet her gaze.
"Oh, uh, no. The Veela were transferred to Paris last night." He said looking down at her again.
"Do you know if there were any Veela children?" Hermione purred at him as she saw a silent flash over the man's shoulder happen through the crack in the door.
"There was one." He confirmed as the sound of a scuffle started behind the door. Hermione was going to have to speed this up before this brut went to help.
"And how do I find the auction house in Paris?" Hermione asked, leaning forward, letting her lips brush the man's earlobe.
"By the apothecary in Boulevard Haussmann" he breathed out, turning to try and capture her lips just as Hermione backed away.
At the same time, the door cracked open and then quietly close. As she continued to back away still facing the man, she shot him a wink just as a hand brushed hers and tugged. Hermione turned on her heels and began walking towards the exit when Draco whispered into her ear.
"She's not there, made a bit of a mess with a worker I ran into. You get anything."
"Yeah, we're going to Paris."
A/N: Ohhh, we're getting so close to finding out! Everything is coming full circle and sigh.
So, I realize that usually with stories similar to mine, Draco will be an Auror, but eh, didn't fit here. I also like the idea of parents just doing what they have to when it comes to finding their babies. Momma Bear Hermione's claws are coming out next chapter.
Next chapter Thursday or Friday of this week. Oh, also if you haven't checked it out yet, my other WIP 'If Only' is getting an update Wednesday. All exciting things!
