Padma apparated into the fields. She started walking around, eyes searching for someone. "Hermione! Where are you?" She called out. She had come there to accompany Hermione in her duties. Arelle had begged her to. Besides, it was dangerous and who knew who, or what, was still roaming around? Sure Hermione was tough and smart, but even she could get caught.
Walking deeper into the fields. Worry started brewing inside her. Hermione was nowhere to be seen; only blood stains on the once healthy green grass. A few seconds later, she heard mutterings coming from the woods bordering the fields. 'Hermione!' was her first thought. As she entered the forest, she could see blue light appearing out of nowhere. Sprinting towards the light, she was just in time to see, a tall, bulky boy picking up an unconscious girl. Mainly speaking, Crabbe picking up Hermione. Courage grasped her as she approached him.
"You put her down!" Padma said, voice filled with anger, wand pointed at Crabbe. He turned his big head to her direction, giving her a stupid grin, he disapparated. "Damn!" Padma cursed, how was she going to tell Arelle? And worst still, Ron and Harry? They were like her surrogate brothers. And super over-protective surrogate brothers, mind you. She spun around to leave, but caught something lying on the ground. Scooting closer, she recognized it as a wand. Hermione's wand. Now, Hermione was absolutely harmless and unprotected. Cursing again, but louder, she pocketed it and disapparated to the infirmary at Hogwarts. Merlin save her from the hands of Harry and Ron.
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Crabbe happily arrived at his destination. Malfoy Manor. Goyle and Blaise greeted his arrival. "Who you took this time, Crabbe?" Goyle asked. Again, with his idiotic grin, he shoved the body he was carrying on his shoulder, to the ground. As the person turned, her features could clearly be seen. Goyle gave a small gasp of surprise while Blaise smirked evilly. "Where's Draco? I'm sure he will like my capture." Crabbe asked before being led by Blaise up the stairs and into the Manor's library with the person once more back in his arms. Goyle followed them stupidly.
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Padma appeared in front of Arelle's bed, which so conveniently happened to be next to Harry's bed. Ginny was not there, but Ron was. 'Oh well, at least I don't have to repeat myself...' Padma thought to herself. "Hey Pad! You're back quite soon! How did it go? And where's Hermione?" Arelle asked in one shot. Harry and Ron, who were in deep discussion, looked up at Padma expectedly at the last question.
"Ah...hi Arelle, Harry, Ron. Well...it went...I found Hermione!" Padma stuttered. "Ok...so where is she?" Ron asked. "Ah...that's where the bad part begins...." Padma replied. At her words, Arelle paled, Ron turned red and Harry was still quiet. "What happened?" Harry asked. 'Time to break it to them...' Padma sighed and started to begin. "Well, I was walking around looking for Hermione, when I heard someone saying a charm of some sort. When I walked closer, I saw a blue light. When I got to the light, I saw...I saw Crabbe picking up Hermione---"
She was cut off by Ron, who banged his fist on the table, nearly waking up the sleeping patients, and scaring the wits out of those who were awake. "What the hell do you mean?" He growled dangerously. Padma gave off a little squeak. "Calm down Ron. It's no use getting angry. Let's fully hear what Padma wants to say, before jumping to conclusions." Harry said wisely. "Jumping to conclusions?! I don't need to make one to figure out what happened!" Ron's face was as red as his hair. "Calm down." The two simple words were caked with sternness. Ron simmered down a little and looked back up at Padma, a sign for her to continue.
Arelle took hold of one of Padma's hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. Padma found her voice again and continued. "Um...so I asked him to put her down, but before I knew it, he was already gone with her. I was so stupid! I should have just jinxed him the moment I had the chance too!" Padma sobbed. Tears flowing down her cheeks. Arelle gave her a comforting hug. Glaring at Ron all the while. She continued soothing Padma, thinking about how they could fix the mess, get Hermione back, and how Hermione was doing.
Harry sat there calmly. He had somehow or rather expected this. He had always warned Hermione not to go out alone. But did she listen? Of course not! He let her go, even though he could very well stop her. And now, look where his compliancy had let her to become a prisoner. Who knew what they would do to her! Unknowingly, his palms curled up into fists, and his knuckles were turning white.
Ron was furious. Angry, livid, enraged, mad, irate, infuriated, upset, you said it, he was it. In his mind, all he could see was Crabbe kidnapping Hermione. Again and again and again. He wondered how she was. Where was she? He should have just followed her! To protect her! He should have been there! In frustration, he banged the table again. Madame Pomfrey came out of her office to reprimand the person who was making all the noise. However, after seeing Ron's crimson face, she thought twice and went back in.
Padma stopped her crying. Finally calming down. Then she remembered the wand. Breaking out of Arelle's embrace, she slipped out Hermione's wand. "What's that?" Arelle asked. Padma didn't need to answer. Harry and Ron did it for her. "Hermione's wand."
Silence overtook the moment. Everyone fully realizing the helplessness of the situation. Finally, Arelle broke the creepy quietness. "So what do we do now?"
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Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle reached the cold, damp, dungeons. They had earlier gone up to the library to find Malfoy, to no avail. He was not there. So they had decided to put her in the dungeons first. As they walked past the other cells of prisoners captured, they could hear gasps of surprise and horror. Of course, she was, after all, their head. "Hermione!" a shriek came from the nearest cell. The anxious, worried face of Lavender Brown could be seen peering out of the iron bars. "Keep quiet girl!" Blaise rasped before muttering a spell that send Lavender flying backwards against the hard stone wall. Shuffling could be heard as Dean stumbled to her side and helped her. Both looked weary and beaten. Marks of abuse were all over their bodies and their robes and clothes looked like they were rags instead.
The three soon-to-be death-eaters threw Hermione into an empty cell, slammed the iron bars shut and left. The impact of being thrown onto the cold, hard floor, roused Hermione up. Giving out a low moan and sat up. Her body ached. She noted her surroundings, wondering where she was. Then she realized what had happened. "Crabbe!" She hissed loudly. She search her robes for her wand. "Damn it! They didn't take it did they?" she swore as when she couldn't find her wand. She noticed that her cell were further away than the rest, and that the cells around hers were empty and dark. An odd feeling came over, as she moved quietly into a corner. Sleep took over her minutes after that.
It was in the middle of the night. When she awoke. Someone was in her cell. She could sense an evil presence. She looked around, trying to determine where the intruder was. Then she saw the black robes in front of her. Gulping nervously, and praying that her fright did not show in her eyes, she looked up to see Lucius Malfoy's icy, gleaming face. He sneered at her. Grabbing her hair and pulling her up, he slammed her onto the wall. She bit her lip. Refusing to cry out in pain. Refusing to let him see that she was hurt by him. He saw this and he smirked.
He grabbed her again and pulled her out of her cell to a small room at the end of the row of dungeons. Once there, he tied her wrists together behind her back and placed a binding spell on her. Than he took out a long whip made out of leather. Small spikes stuck out of it. It looked deadly lethal. He took off her robes, leaving her in her jeans and blouse. Raising the whip, his smile grew more sinister as it hit her back.
The prisoners looked away, trying to get rid of the whipping sounds that was flooding the silent cells.