Chapter 11 – Taken
Author: Rikka
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters; I'm just playing with them for a short while. I'll give them back, with a knowing smile on their faces, once I've finished with them.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Mandy Snape (thank you for your kind words!) since she is leaving soon. School is done (finally!) so I have more time to write now. Updates should come much more frequently! (Hey, I'm excited I get to write ff instead of write code!) Thank you all for your reviews to everyone else! And remember…it has to get dark before dawn =D
Hermione was awake, but she hadn't let that on yet. Beneath her she could feel something soft, and around her face she felt a blindfold. She realized she must be in a full body-bind, since she couldn't even move.
"How much are we getting paid for this?" she heard a familiar voice ask.
"Not enough, that muggle stuff smelled awful!" ah…is that Crabbe?
"How long was that stuff supposed to last?" And Goyle. Wonderful. When I get out of this I'm going to hex them to bits, and then hex their bits to bits, and then…
"Not long enough, apparently. Stupefy!" Crabbe shouted, relieved when it seemed as though his spell had actually worked. He poked her a few times, just to be sure.
"Hey…do you think we could, um…well, can't we take a peek?" Goyle asked, reaching for her robes.
Crabbe slapped his hand away. "Not if you want to be paid and still be alive well and good to use it. Plus, this should earn us points with Mr. Malfoy, and you-know-who too, maybe."
"I think Draco is going to be mad, though. You saw them kissing, what was that all about!!"
"I'm sure he was planning something, you know Draco. Anyway, his dad ought to be happy, we got her off Hogwarts without using magic and no one'll notice she's gone till tomorrow at the earliest." For his part, Crabbe was amazed they had actually done it. Most of the time they had Draco telling them how to do stuff, and he was still glowing at how brilliantly he had Stupefied Hermione when they reached the Shrieking Shack, where Malfoy, Sr. was waiting for them.
"I see you boys managed well enough, I'm as shocked as you are, Vincent." He said, stepping out of the shadows. Tall and lithe, with long blonde hair and an wintry, untouchable aura, he had always frightened both Crabbe and Goyle. They shook a bit as he handed the money over, and before they could say thank you, he had apparated both Hermione and himself out of the shack.
*****
The next thing Hermione knew, she awoke, still blindfolded. She tried to move her hand, and realized whoever had taken her had removed the body bind. She sat up slowly, removing the blindfold. The only light in the room was pale, and flickering, coming from under the door. From the judge of things, she was in a dungeon, though she doubted she was at Hogwarts anymore.
"Help! Someone help me!" she screamed, but for all she knew there was probably a silencing charm on the room. Listening closely, she realized the only sound she could hear was her own breathing. Please let someone know where I am, please let someone know where I am!
Quickly she walked the perimeter of the room, wishing she had her wand so she could at least have a little more light. She felt along each wall, and at one point, found something that felt like a chain. Following it down to the end, she felt something cold and sticky inside a larger, smooth metal cuff. Shackles. But what is in…oh Gods, she jumped back as she realized what she had touched must have been the body of someone, only to find herself tripping over a protrusion on the floor and falling backwards, hard, upon her elbows. More blood, she thought in alarm as she scooted away, rubbing the cool, sticky substance on her robes. Where am I? She climbed back onto the cot she had awoken on, and wrapped her arms around her, rocking back and forth and trying not to imagine who, or what, she was sharing a cell with.
*****
"Draco, why don't you tell Professor Snape what you told me," Dumbledore said, holding out a candy dish for both of his guests. After briefly shaking his head, Draco began to tell his story.
"You see, sir, I've noticed for awhile now that my dad isn't completely…"
"Sane?" Snape interrupted him, relieved that the conversation had nothing to do with Hermione.
"Something like that. You see, he's developed quite a fixation on a fellow student of mine. At first I thought it was innocent, you know, kind of weird for him to be talking about her, but I guess when it comes to sex the brain isn't up top—"
"Draco, no need to further analyze that particular aspect of this…situation. Continue with your story," Dumbledore interrupted, and then popped a lemon drop into his mouth.
"Well, anyway, I should have known nothing with my father was innocent. You see, the more I think about it, the more I realize; he's been harping on about her for quite some time now. Since first year, actually, and I realize part of that might be my fault for always complaining about her and such, but…ok, anyway, somehow he found out that I had a 'date' with this girl, and he is absolutely livid! Sent me a nasty note telling me how she is 'his property' and if I'm lucky and do everything he tells me to do he might 'share her' with me. It really was kind of frightening how he kept talking about how she was his, it was fate and all that muck, and that if I were anyone else he would have me killed for daring to touch her without permission,"
"I think we understand that, Draco, now who is this he's so obsessed with and why are you telling us this story? Do you think this student might be in actual danger from him?"
"I'm not sure if she's in danger or not, but I thought it best to tell you so you could keep an…extra close watch on her." Draco smirked, folding his arms across his chest.
"Who is it that I am to be babysitting now, Dumbledore?" Snape asked, frustrated.
"It seems the object of Mr. Malfoy's desire is none other than Hermione Granger. I think-" but Dumbledore was interrupted when Snape stood up, slamming his fists on the armrests of his chair.
"Hermione!? You had a date with her?" in his anger, he missed both the satisfied look on Draco's face, and the Super Twinkle™ in Dumbledore's eyes.
"Well, we have no cause for that yet, Severus. Calm down. I called you down here since you are in the best…position, within the school, and without, to protect young Ms. Granger. I think it best if we not tell her of the situation, there's no need for her to actually go looking for trouble as I'm sure she would. Draco, I expect you to keep this to yourself and not tell another soul about it. Now, seeing as it is quite past curfew, I suggest we all try and get some rest?"
After Draco and Snape left, Dumbledore just shook his head and smiled. Poor Severus. I don't think I've seen him react in such a manner about…well, anyone, in a very long time. Maybe it's time he started living…
*****
Hermione wished she had some way to tell time. She was far too frightened to sleep or move, and so she slowly recounted ingredients to the potions she had been working on in her special project with Severus. Please let him find me. Or Harry. Or…anyone.