Giving Up Isn't an Option

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I only own the plot and characters that obviously don't belong to the books. 'Uncle Snape' is Slytherin Girl's idea and I have permission to use it,

Previously:

They apparated to the apartment. Hermione's name was almost never spoken anymore, and her room was avoided. They never did get another room mate. They could still easily cover the bills. Only reason they had moved in together in the first place was that they didn't want to split up. So much for that idea.

"Gin? Padma?" Harry's voice came from the front doors.

"In the living room" Ginny yelled back.

"Hey you two" Padma greeted. "How'd work go today?"

"Boring" Harry scowled, "it was all paper work today. Not fun. I seriously thought that there were other people for that already, but man was I wrong"

Ginny smirked at Harry. He was always complaining about something. But, then again, so was Ron. That's all those two seemed to do. Ginny had forgotten how annoying it was, but she loved them both for it.

It had taken Padma awhile to adjust to seeing these two around on a regular basis. But you have to figure, she never hung out with them before the fight. All she knew was that they had been ignorant of one of her best friends and that had pissed her off. But now, the more she saw them, the more she found that they were ok. Pretty thick headed, but she could get over that.

"Come on, Mrs. Weasley's expecting us at 6, which with her means that we better be there early. And Fred and George are coming tonight. I haven't seen them forever" Harry said, as the four of the rose and got ready to leave.

"Padma, do us all a favour and avoid the ditch this time" Ginny taunted, apparating before Padma's fist connected with her arm.

"Ron you're going to wake up one of these days without a sister anymore"

"Go ahead, she's a pain in the ass anyway" Ron shrugged, as if it was nothing.

"You do realize that you're so dead now right?" Harry asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, I guess I am"

"Come on before you get into more trouble"

With that the three apparated to the Burrow, the thought of food way to enticing.

This is how they all were when the heard the news. Justin, Blaise and Draco at the Manor after their late lunch. Ginny, Padma, Harry, Ron and the rest of the Weasley's just sitting down to dinner.

They got news that would change all plans and break many promises. It would shake up their lives like you wouldn't believe. They never thought this would, could happen to any of them.

Hermione was missing

"What do you mean she's missing?" Draco yelled as his father brought the news.

"Exactly what I said. She's gone, vanished. All for the better if you ask me. We didn't need that Mudblood around here anyway. She didn't belong in the circle and she certainly did not deserve to be a death eater" Lucius snarled at his son.

"She's not a Mudblood" Draco was seething.

"She's a muggle child. She was born and raised as a muggle. That's what we call a Mudblood"

"She's not and she wasn't"

"Yes she is"

"Mr. Malfoy, no she's not" Blaise cut in. He saw that Draco was getting really angry, really fast. The only thing that that ever results in is a fight, one that Draco always loses.

Lucius's eyes narrowed into small slits, as he glared at Blaise. "What do you mean, no she's not"

"Exactly what I said. In fact, she was born into one of the highest ranked pureblood families. And there's only three of those. The Zambini's, the Malfoy's and damn who's the other one?" Blaise watched with amusement as Lucius' eyes widened, indicating that he knew exactly what Blaise meant.

"But she can't be. That child died"

"Yes she can and yes she is. That child was put up for adoption at the age of 6 months, she was never killed"

Draco watched as Blaise spoke to his father. Blaise always got a stupid look of amusement on is face when he knew more than a superior.

"Father, she's a Snape. The strongest Snape to have been born for centuries. She's Hermione Nacola Danica Snape to be exact. But you wouldn't know she's a Snape because she got all her looks from her mother. Now, what the hell do you mean she's missing?"

"I told you, that's all I know boy. She was called for a meeting with the Dark Lord, but she never showed. He tried sensing her, but couldn't. She's gone"

Blaise watched Draco's reaction as the news sunk in. Blaise knew how to find her. They had figured it out years ago. But he was pretty sure that Draco wasn't going to like what they had to do.

"Arthur?" a scream came from the fire place just as the Weasley's, Harry and Padma sat down to dinner.

Mr. Weasley rushed over, "What is it Danny? What's wrong?"

"I need to know if any of your kids have seen Hermione Granger? She's disappeared"

Ginny looked at Padma, her eyes wide with fear. Padma's head was shaking, as if she couldn't believe what she just heard, or didn't want to.

Mr. Weasley looked to every person in the room, but no one had seen her.

"Mr. Rollen, we haven't seen Hermione in years" Harry told him.

"And she moved out of our place months ago" Ginny's voice shook as she spoke the words.

"Oh dear god. Where and when was she last seen?" Fred and George were questioned.

"At work, around 5 this afternoon. Her co-workers saw her have a disagreement with the young Mr. Malfoy, then she ran. That's all we know"

"But she can't just fall off the face of the earth Danny. That's not possible" Mrs. Weasley reasoned.

"Apparently, it is. She disappeared off the tracker. They don't even do that when their dead"

Padma and Ginny locked eyes. They knew what was coming, and they didn't like it one bit.

Ginny sighed, "Come on Padma. You know as well as I do that we have to do this"

"No, uh-uh. I love Hermione, but I can't. I can't do that. And besides, its not there anymore" Padma whispered

"You know it is and we have no other choice" Ginny's eyes flashed at the blatant refusal to do anything to help. "Hey, sorry to do this, but Padma and I have to go"

"Go where? Hermione's gone and you two are leaving? What could possibly be more important right now?" Ron's eyes widened with shock at his sisters announcement.

"Ron, you wouldn't get it, so don't bother trying" she turned back to Padma, "We're leaving now"

"No, I agree with Ron. I'm only doing that as a last resort Gin. I love her, but no, not yet. It hasn't even been an hour."

"Padma, we live in a world of magic. Do you have any idea what can happen in less then an hour?"

"I do, but please, let's just look first."

Ginny shook her head but gave in. "Fine, but we're doing it if there's no sign of her in the next few hours"

Hermione's eyes opened. Or she thought they were opened. It was so black that there was no way of telling. The sound of dripping water rang in her ears. It was so loud.

She tried moving her hands, but they were attached to something. Or something was attached to them. It didn't feel like rope though, not muggle rope. Her head was pounding, and the taste of blood was present in her mouth.

She tried to remember where she was, why she was here or at least what had happened. The last thing she remembered was running from the office and then hearing her name. She couldn't place the voice though and couldn't remember the face.

Hermione didn't know what to do. She was sure that she hadn't come here by choice. If she was she should remember it. She also knew that she couldn't remember being here before. Her eyes began to adjust to the dark, and she saw that there wasn't a single piece of furniture there.

"I see that you've finally awoken" a male voice came from the corner, but she still couldn't place it.

"Who are you?"

"I am the darkness that surrounds you in the day. I am what you want to leave you. I'm your nightmares. I'm what you can't face" was the answer she received.

"Where am I then. At least grant me with that answer" she hissed. She was quickly losing her patience.

"Now now. I would tell you, but you are nowhere. You aren't anywhere. Now, I can make this easy on you or hard, but it's your choice"

"If by easy you mean I have to beg and grovel to be set free, then you can forget it. I won't beg and no matter what you do to me, I won't cry"

"Oh, that's really too bad. For you anyway, but all the more fun for me"

"Are you such a coward that you won't show your face?" Hermione taunted. The next instant she felt a something solid connect with her face.

He had backhanded her with enough force to throw her into the wall behind her. She hadn't even realized that he had come that close.

"Anymore questions like that and you'll wish that you were never born. That was only a taste of what I can do to you. Now you will learn your place. You are mine and mine alone now"

Hermione glared in the direction that the voice came from. "I belong to no one"

"That's what you wish to believe, but that's a lie"

Hermione heard a shuffle of feet on the ground. She looked up to see a face. She gasped as the realization hit her.

"Surprised?"