Chapter 3
They were gone. Those words screamed in Harry's head, echoed in his empty soul. It was his fault. He shouldn't have left Hermione alone. Tears stung his eyes as he pushed them back. Hermione was his sister, at least to him. She was always there. He could go to her. She always knew what to do. But now she was gone. Lost. Probably dead.
"She'll be fine, most likely," Remus Lupin announced. "They would have killed her if they wanted her dead. But be on the watch Harry, they will probably use her to get to you. They'll lure you into a trap using her as the bait."
"It's my fault! Just like Sirius' death was!" Harry yelled. "I shouldn't have left her alone! We knew they wanted her!"
"Don't think like that, Harry. You know it isn't true," Lupin said.
Percy joined them on the front porch. He had left his ministry position because of Fudges persistent denial of the Dark Lords return.
"Hermione did some damage! There are three fractured ribs, his nose is fractured as well as his cheekbone, he has a sprained wrist, which we assume was from the fall, a black eye and uncountable bruises," he announced to them.
"Hermione did this? SPEW Hermione? Are you sure?" Remus asked in awe. Harry and Ron just nodded. "What set her off?"
"Draco. Being around him, being here, her parents being murdered, not knowing about her sister... since when does Hermione have a sister?" Ron raged.
"Well, Jules is safe. She's over at her friend's house. Tell the whole story though. I'll explain Jules later, it's apparent Hermione didn't want you to know about her."
So Ron told the story, Harry adding comments as well.
"Harry's right, the Order was wrong to send you here, to Draco's." Lupin said. "It's a terrible thing we can't change the past."
"Yes, well, I must be getting back to Fred and George. I'll work my hardest to find Hermione." Percy exited with a pop.
"Professor Lupin?" Draco asked, squinting to see in the bright sunshine. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm good friends with Harry. Knew his dad quite well. Call me Remus, or Lupin, I'm not your Professor any more." Draco nodded.
"What happened? Where's Hermione?"
"Let me explain..." Remus told the story and plans.
Harry forced back tears once more. He could already hear the taunting. "Harry the Great cries over Mudblood Granger!" He didn't cry, but he did notice something very unusual.
A single tear fell from Draco's eye and he pounded the table with his fist. "It's my god damn fault. I shouldn't have fought her and now she's fucking gone!"
Ron turned to him, "Draco.... Do you like Hermione?"
Hermione awoke to a surge going through her body. She couldn't move, hear or see anything. Some invisible force held her, trying to tear her limb from limb. She hated the feeling, but knew she would have to get used to it. It was apparating.
Earth was beneath her feet and her knees gave way. She wore only socks and could feel every bump that rubbed against them
Hermione saw the rock that jutted from the ground. It's sharp edges grew bigger as her body drew closer. Her instep was sliced open and a jagged gash was left when they passed. Lucky for her, the sock would help clot the blood, even a little bit.
"STOP!" she cried out. "FOR MERLINS SAKE, LET ME WALK!"
"No," the man to her left grunted. He raised his hand to his forehead to wipe the perspiration that was starting in the heat. The black sleeve fell to his elbow and the Dark Mark was revealed engraved in his skin.
"LEMME GO!" she screamed and fought with all her might. "HELP!" she struggled, using her remaining strength, but it was no match. "I swear to Merlin's beard... I'll kill you when I find you're names." She tried once more to escape their grasps, but their grips only tightened. Hermione felt bruises forming on her arms.
She caught a glimpse of her foot. The sock was red, drenched with blood. She had never been able to take a large amount of blood, and hardly any of hers. She passed out.
Hermione awoke in a cell. She was lying on a lumpy bed with no blankets at all. What more, there was no pillow either. She looked around. There was a toilet, more like a seat with a hole, a dripping sink that was irritating, bare walls and barred doors.
She tried to sit up, and to pull her arms out of the very uncomfortable position. They were bound by cold, black metal that had sharp points jutting out. They were wizarding handcuffs. Probably bought in Knockturn Alley.
Hermione fell from the bed, too weak to stand. Her body turned to a heap on the floor and she tried to steady her breathing.
Draco pretended not to hear.
"I'll be leaving now. You three obviously have something on your minds." Lupin apparated away with a rather loud "POP!"
"You're making it obvious. Now tell us, or the whole school will know!" Harry challenged.
"You can't be serious. Harry, so how long have you liked Lovegood? Heard you muttering in your sleep, remember when you took a nap on the couch? Ron, well, we all know that you love Hermione, but what about Gabriel Martin, the 5th year in Ravenclaw? Don't think that note was unfound. Should I read that to the whole school? Don you dare try and blackmail a Malfoy." Draco smiled slyly. "But now that you know the consequences... Yeah, sorta."
Harry seemed to remember something as he started to mutter under his breath. "Shit, I meant to ask about Padfoots picture."
"Padfoot? The marauder? Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail? You know them? Those arseholes who tortured Snape? I know about them."
"Don't you ever criticize my father like that again, Malfoy!" Harry's eyes turned to slits and he burned with anger.
"Sorry!"
"How much about Snape do you know?" Ron inquired.
"More than you could ever imagine. Don't ask..." He shook his head slightly. He did not want to get himself into any more trouble with Snape and other people.
"So... What'll we do about Hermione?" Harry's voice brought him back to reality.
"Won't the ministry find her? I mean, isn't it their job?"
"Like they'll be any help? They thought Sirius Black was a murderer! They didn't believe me that Voldemort was back! Why should they be of any help to us? Why should we even trust them slightly with Hermione's life? I mean, don't you care about her?" Harry half yelled.
"My father forbade me from doing anything that would interfere with the ministry, or anything that'll put me at risk." Draco muttered.
Ron looked at him seriously, "Don't mind him. You're going to help."
Harry thrashed around in his bed, the comforter and sheets now at his ankles. His limbs pounded against the mattress, making a muffled banging noise.
He kept trying to help, yet he kept being pushed away.
"HERMIONE! It's me! Harry! You're safe now! Come with me! Hermione!" His attempts were fruitless. Other words replaced his own, in a voice much to deep and evil to be his.
"Miss Granger. You really are a brilliant witch." He, whoever 'he' was, took a step closer. She scrambled backwards frantically, her back soon hitting the wall. She squeezed as close as she could and looked away from him, looking at her shackled wrists. Tear stains laid upon her cheeks and a gash crossed her foot. "Look at me!" He ordered, reaching out and forcefully pushing her face to meet his. Their eyes locked.
"Get the hell off of me!" She whimpered, trying pull away. Her eyes shifted, but returned to him, after pressure was applied forcefully to her neck, choking her slightly.
"Don't you just adore this cell? Blank, slimy walls, empty, floors, a lumpy mattress, most comfortable. Perfectly suitable for a girl like you." He moved closer yet, and their noses were close to meeting. "But what's even better, you don't know why you are here, do you now?"
"Because it's a plot to get Harry! For VOLDEMORT to gain power!" She screamed out the Lords name fiercely, pure bravery was seen in her.
"You dare speak his name? Oh, you are quite mistaken if you think that is the main reason." Curiosity filled Hermione, and she looked at him through eyes in slits. "You are here because you...."
Harry awoke, drenched in sweat. "HERMIONE!" He was on the floor, his back and head killing him. He rubbed his raven hair and felt a warm liquid. When he turned his light on, there was blood on his fingers. He had cut his head, but not deep enough to be harmful. It only caused a splitting headache. Harry jumped up, despite his body's reluctance, and ran out the door.
"Ron!" He pounded on his friends door. "Wake up! Bloody Hell Ron!" Ron didn't respond, so Harry leaned against the door. "Shit."
"What the fuck Harry! It's two freakin' thirty in the morning!" He raged.
Harry looked at him and growled, "It's about Hermione, so don't be so bloody pissy."
"Well, sorry. You know how much of an arse i am when awoken at night. But what about Hermione?"
"I'll tell you in a bit. But for now, let's wake up Draco. I'll tell him with you and Dumbledore. Nothing more is to be said about it until we get to him."
They headed down the hall to wake Draco.
"DRACO!" A faint voice flowed to his ears. There was a slamming upon his door and muffled cusses that awoke him from a deep slumber.
"Harry? Ron?" He mumbled, opening his door. Draco stumbled into the hallway, squinting from the bright hallway lights.
"'Bout time!" Ron yelled in his face.
"Come off it Weasley. I'm a deep sleeper. It's two thirty in the morning. WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!" He yelled at them.
"A dream. Hermione. Dumbledore. Owl him. Leave," Harry muttered. It was apparent he was half-asleep for his eyelids were halfway shut and a constant muttering flowed from his lips.
"Why don't you go to bed, Harry, and I'll send out a letter. We can get there tomorrow. Mystic!" He called. A black owl with white spots on it flew to him. "C'mon, we're going to send a letter to Dumbledore."
Draco wrote a quick letter, saying that Harry had a dream about Hermione and he should be awaiting their arrival.
"ACCIO!" He flipped up his wand and soon had three Firebolt Fourteen, exclusive brooms not yet released. His family was giving them a test run. He has assumed his father had bribed the company, but it didn't matter. He had the fastest brooms ever made and they would get to Hogwarts in record time.
"Where'd you get there?" Harry asked in awe.
"You used magic!" Ron yelled
"Emergency. It always is in this household." Draco grinned evilly. "We'll wait until 6:30, then we can leave. By then, Mystic will have brought back a letter from Dumbledore."
The group fell asleep in the living room, the sun would wake them up when it rose.
"You're a liar!" Hermione exclaimed. She looked up at the man whose face was hidden by a hood.
"I am no liar. You are who I say you are, and you can not escape that. Now, whether you believe me or not is your choice." He growled at her.
"Where's my wand?" She had finally realized it was not in its rightful place, her left pocket.
"'Bout time ya asked," he grinned madly. "Impedimenta!" He held her in the air with her precious 13in. Unicorn Hair Willow wand.
"Lemme go!" She gasped. The mysterious man dropped her on the bed and left. She fell asleep, wishing only to see her sister and friends.