Chapter Thirteen – One Step Closer
When Hermione woke up the next morning, she felt good. Her parents knew everything (well, as much as they needed) and they hadn't freaked, (well, not too much, anyways). Just as she'd predicted, her mum was excited about the baby. Hermione wouldn't be surprised if she went to buy baby clothing as soon as she could.
And her dad, he'd been rational and calm, that was not what she'd anticipated but better. She knew he was shocked. But he didn't show it. And he wanted her best, and if it was a life with Severus, he'd let her have it.
'Oh, yes,' she thought, yawning. 'Parents are predictable sometimes.'
"Ginny," she then called.
Two days ago, Ginny's things had been brought to Hermione's room so that she wasn't alone any more. She poked Ginny in the ribs, who mumbled "No, Mum, just five more minutes!", shrugged and went off to the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, the girls entered the Great Hall for breakfast. Hermione smiled at Severus, who scowled at her, and sat down next to Ron.
"Good morning," Ron said brightly.
"Morning," Hermione replied just as brightly. Ron seemed to be in a good mood. She herself was in a very good mood. Even Lucius Malfoy wouldn't be able to spoil this day, she was sure of it.
+~*#
"W-w-what do you want?" Frank Granger asked for the hundredth time. He couldn't just do nothing. He at least had to try. Maybe he could get something out of the blond man that would be useful for the police later. He was sure people would notice his and his wife's absence from work and call the police sooner or later. After all, when they hadn't shown up this morning, Lisa, their secretary, had called. The strangely-clothed man had just let it ring, and when the answering machine sprang to life with a loud plop!, he'd flinched. Really strange, indeed.
"Frank, don't anger him," Alice hissed.
"Yes, Frank, don't anger me," the man mocked them, grinning wickedly. But suddenly he became serious. "What I would appreciate is your silence, mudblood," he said to Frank, "or you will get to know my evil self."
"Then what do you call this kidnapping? Friendly visit?" Frank shouted angrily. He had been surprised when – in the middle of the night – suddenly a light went on and this man had ordered them out of bed. He'd tied them to chairs in the kitchen and then made breakfast for himself.
"This is enough," he shouted. "Silencio!" He pointed his wand at Frank's throat.
Frank opened his mouth, but no sound would come out of it. He tried to speak, but he just couldn't.
The blond man smiled coldly. "If you don't stop whining, woman, you'll have the pleasure to experience what more I can do with my wand and a spell. And your treatment won't be painless…"
He laughed, and Frank wanted nothing more than to shout at him to leave his house. The completely lost look in his wife's eyes was worse than everything else. And he couldn't say a word to comfort her. Not one.
+~*#
After a buttered toast with ham and a nice cup of tea, Hermione didn't even mind the hundreds of owls coming in to the Great Hall, making a terrible noise. When a white barn owl landed in front of her and dropped a letter onto her plate, she was slightly surprised. She didn't know anyone who would send her an owl. Her parents always answered her letters immediately with the school owl she sent them and she'd unsubscribed the Daily Prophet ages ago. There was no one who would want to write to her.
Frowning, she opened the letter.
Her blood froze in her veins. Lucius Malfoy had her parents. He wanted her to come to her house, alone, or he would kill them.
"Hermione?" Harry asked. "Are you okay? You look pale." he sounded concerned.
She looked up and found Ron, Harry and Ginny staring at her. She handed the letter to Ron, who read it and then passed it over to Harry.
"You are not going, that much is clear," Ron finally said. "It's a trap."
"Of course it's a trap," Hermione snapped. "It's Lucius Malfoy you're talking about."
"Shh," Ginny said. She looked around, but no one seemed to have heard. "I suppose we talk to Snape, or Dumbledore."
Hermione nodded. Severus would know what to do. She stood up and walked over to the High Table.
"Professor Snape," she said. She noticed that her voice was trembling slightly, and Severus seemed to notice, too. He looked irritated, but Hermione knew he was just worried. "Could I have a word with you? It's important. I think I have a problem with the research for my essay on the Swelling Solution's variations." She took the letter and handed it to him. "Here, this is the list of ingredients I used."
Severus took the letter and read it. He looked angrier than ever but his eyes were shining with worry and fear. "Well, Miss Granger, as you seem unable to do your homework on your own, I wonder why you chose Potions as you N.E.W.T class this year." His voice sounded icy as ever. "But however, I have a free period right now. I suggest you ask Professor McGonagall if you are excused from Transfiguration if you want me to correct your essay."
Hermione nodded and turned to Professor McGonagall. "Professor, I-"
"Yes, Miss Granger, I heard you. You may go and see Professor Snape about your essay. But I expect you to catch up on the lesson."
"Yes, Professor," Hermione said.
"Well, why waste valuable time with it? Miss Granger, I hope you don't mind to skip the rest of breakfast because I intend to start with your essay right now. Maybe I'll be able to do some of my own work afterwards if you are not too stupid with it."
Hermione nodded, and together they left the Great Hall.
+~*+
"What do you want to do to Hermione?" Alice Granger asked in a small voice. She was tired and thirsty and frightened to death, but the worry for her child was above that. She had reached the point where the life of her child was worth more than her own, and by the desperate look in Frank's eyes, he'd reached that point, too.
"What do you think?" the man shot back. "And did I not tell you to stay silent?"
Alice held her head high. "I don't care. Kill me if you want, but spare Hermione."
The man laughed again. "I can't, sorry." He didn't sound sorry at all. "I can't say I'll spare that whore, and I can't say I'll kill you now. But I will later. For now, I still need you to lure her here and then… well, when I'm sure she's coming here, I won't need you anymore…"
She shot a look at Frank. He seemed to be as determined as she was. They wouldn't let him have Hermione. There had to be a way to break free, or to somehow send her a message to not come here. They just had to find it.
+~*#
"I'm sorry," Severus whispered as they went down to the dungeons.
"It's okay," Hermione replied. "I understand."
Severus opened the door to his office and they went inside. Once the door closed behind them, Hermione threw herself into Severus' arms, her calm façade breaking down completely, and sobbed. "He's got my parents," she managed between heavy sobs. "And he's gonna kill them."
"No, he isn't. Stay calm, Hermione," Severus said, trying to calm her.
"He… I can't… he's gonna kill them," Hermione sobbed. She seemed to have difficulties to breathe and her eyes were wide with fear.
"Shh," said Severus and drew her back into his arms. "It's gonna be all right. He won't hurt them, I promise. We'll stop him," he repeated over and over until Hermione finally calmed down.
"Stay here," he said. "I'm going to Albus. He'll know what to do."
Hermione nodded reluctantly. Sitting down in one of the chairs, she started crying again.
Severus sighed. He couldn't leave her alone like this. He extended his hand. "Come on. I'll bring you to Poppy."
When they crossed the Entrance Hall, he with a scowl on his face that rivalled everything seen before, and she with red eyes and a running nose, they drew attention.
Terry Boot and Hannah Abbot were sitting on the stairs leading to the Hospital Wing and chatted about O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. Terry soon didn't listen to Hannah anymore but stared at his Potions teacher, who walked towards them hand in hand with the only student to ever best him in Arithmancy.
"Mister Boot, what are you staring at, if I may ask?" Severus snarled when they reached the stairs.
"Nothing, sir," Terry answered.
"Well, then I suggest you go to your Common Rooms if you don't want to lose points. If I remember correctly, students who have a free period aren't allowed to stay in the corridors," Severus said.
"There, there, Severus," a voice came down the stairs. Seconds later, Albus Dumbledore appeared on the top of the stairs and came towards them. "I'm sure Mister Boot and Miss Abbott just met on their ways to their respective Common Rooms," he said in his usual nice voice.
He nodded to Terry and Hannah and they rose and went towards the library.
Dumbledore turned his attention to Severus and Hermione, who was still crying silently.
"Oh, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, producing a large purple handkerchief out of nowhere. "Here."
"Thanks," Hermione sniffed and blew her nose.
"Severus, what is it that upset Miss Granger so much?" Dumbledore asked, eying their entwined fingers suspiciously.
Instead of answering, Severus handed Dumbledore the letter. Dumbledore read it and his face became serious.
"I wanted to bring Hermione to Poppy and then come to you," Severus explained.
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Follow me," he then said and led the way to his office.
+~*#
"This is the most boring Divination lesson of all," Harry murmured quietly. Ron grinned. Harry said this sentence every Divination lesson. It was sort of a ritual already.
"Yeah," he whispered back. "I wish something would happen. I'm tired of listening Trelawny 'predicting' everything."
Harry sniggered.
"Mister Potter," Professor Trelawny's voice floated over to them. "I can assure you that the current star constellation isn't something to make fun of. Especially when it is your misfortune they predict."
"Yes, Professor," Harry said, failing miserable in hiding his grin.
"Mister Potter, you will stop immediately, or I will have to give you a detention," Professor Trelawny cried.
But before Harry could answer, a knock on the door interrupted the lesson.
"Come in," Professor Trelawny chirped.
Professor McGonagall entered through the trapdoor and managed to look intimidating during climbing. But maybe that was because she hated to climb the steep ladder and generally didn't come to the North Tower that often.
"Sybil," she said, "I'm sorry to interrupt your lesson, but I'm afraid the Headmaster wished to see two of your students, Misters-"
"Don't say another word, Minerva. I know already who Albus wants to see," Professor Trelawny interrupted. She closed her eyes slightly and looked around, until her gaze stopped somewhere near Dean.
Harry saw Professor McGonagall roll her eyes. "Sybil, as fascinating as it is, but this is an urgent matter. Mister Potter, Mister Weasley, follow me."
Harry and Ron rose from their places and took their bags, both relieved to leave the room with Sybil Trelawny saying "I knew it, I SAW it."
+~*#
Her captor was a muggle. He didn't have a wand to steal, but he couldn't get dangerous through magic either. She didn't yet know what she preferred. But she couldn't change it anyways, so it was no use to dwell upon unrealistic things.
Her plan was about to be carried out. She smiled. No one knew she was about to break free, back to Britain, back to where she belonged. Back to Lucius.
The man shouted something in his native tongue. She turned around.
"I have no idea what you are babbling about, old man," she snarled. "You'll have to speak my language if you want me to do something." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and stared at the man.
"Help unload," he said and turned to leave for the house. She rolled her eyes. Good, that was just what she'd hoped for. Once a week, an old man with a horse carriage brought them food and other supplies.
She didn't wait until the carriage was standing in front of the house. She went forth and met it halfway from the hill, waving the old man to stop. When he did, she jumped up to him and put a hand over his mouth. With one swift motion, she broke his neck. She'd learned that one from Lucius, shortly before she was sent here. She'd considered killing the man who lived here with her, but decided it wouldn't be wise. Maybe he was in contact with Dumbledore or ministry wizards and had to make regular calls. What he couldn't do when he was dead. So she waited for the delivery guy. Besides, this way she already had a bridled horse to take her far away from this dreadful place.
Somehow, it went all smoothly. She turned the carriage around, kicked the old man's body from it and then steered it away from the farm. Soon she arrived a little village. Straw huts and little houses made of wood were built around a church. The church itself was made of stone, and as the centre of the village it was quite impressive. But she wasn't impressed.
She left the carriage in the street and went inside. She had to find a car or any other vehicle that was faster than a horse carriage. And maybe a phone. And – most important – she had to find out where exactly she was.
+~*#
They were all sitting in Professor Dumbledore's living room. Ron was pacing again; he went his well known path from the fireplace to the sofa. Professor McGonagall was furiously clenching a handkerchief in her fist, cursing Lucius Malfoy under her breath. Hermione was sitting on the sofa, her face was pale and expressionless. Severus was sitting next to her holding her hand and feeling helpless. Harry and Ginny shared one of the armchairs, not knowing how to help Hermione or comfort her in any way. Dumbledore was surveying the scene for a moment from his place near the door before entering.
He sighed. He hated to see all those people in great sorrow, most of all he pitied Severus. He had had enough darkness in his life already, and nevertheless it seemed as if he was denied happiness whenever it came close to him. Albus really hoped Hermione could change that. But now their happiness was once more in danger.
He cleared his throat and everyone's eyes fell upon him, even Ron Weasley, who was still pacing, looked in his direction.
"I'm afraid I do not come with good news but bad," he said sadly. "An owl just arrived. Pansy has escaped her prison. She might even be back in Britain by now, but we do not know this for sure."
Ron paled visibly, and Hermione let out a weak scream what made Severus pull her closer and hug her.
Suddenly, Harry stood up. "I don't want to wait any longer. We have to do something!"
"And what?" Ron shot back. "This time, Malfoy won't be stupid enough to forget the wards. We probably won't come near the house at all without him noticing. And that would endanger Hermione's parents!"
"Ron's right, Harry," Ginny said calmly. She took his hand and pulled him back down to the armchair.
Hermione looked up to Severus' face and saw that he was desperately trying to find a way to rescue her parents without endangering her. She made a decision.
"I'll go," she said, but it only came out as a whisper. Only Severus had heard, and he looked alarmed.
"Oh, no, you won't!"
"I have to. They are my parents. And it's all my fault", she said, letting go of Severus' hand. "I won't stand there and watch them die."
"And I won't stand there and watch you die!" Severus shouted. "You are not going, or at least you're not going alone."
"And how else would it work? Malfoy isn't fooled easily." Hermione looked around, desperately wanting to know another way of doing this. But she didn't. "It's the only way."
Silence fell. No one spoke, and they all knew what Hermione would probably face.
"Well, there would be something," Ron said. "I think I have a plan."
A/N: I think this chapter took me longest to write. I hope I'm still not boring or idealess. Please review if you like it (or if you don't). Actually, I'm not really happy with this chapter, but I can't help it.
Chapter Fourteen will be up in about a week, maybe even a bit sooner (I'll have to write most parts of it, it's all still in my head). And I hope to finish this story with Chapter Fifteen or Sixteen.
And hey, Ron saves the day. I come to like him more and more…
@ Samantha Winters: Thanks, I corrected it…
@ KDarkMaiden: thanks!!!
@ Maddy-Riddle: Yes, the way Herm told her parents was supposed to be funny… And it will be chapter fourteen and the following for Ginny and her dark secret…(hehe, guess you have to wait a bit for that one)
@ everyone else: thank you all!!! I hope you enjoyed.