Disclaimer: You know I used to wonder why people never asked me for autographs…I mean I am the amazing brilliant genius who wrote Harry Potter. But then one day I was telling this kid how I wrote the books and he didn't believe me…he said some gal named JK Rowling wrote it. Go figure.

To The Reviewers: Well. Here we are again. I was just wondering…was my last chapter really that bad? I mean…I got like…NO reviews. Well I did get reviews…but not as many as I usually get…oh well. I love you all! ::tacklehugs::

Geekofyerdreams: It was short huh? But…oh well this is a nice long one…twenty pages in word…enjoy

SailorPPearl: hehehe…you think THAT cliffie was bad just wait till you read THIS one

Malleana: Yup…something like that

DarkAngelB: YAY! I'm happy you and Rose read it. Here is the update, I like Harry…just not in fanfics

Allayne: What? No death threats? I'm disappointed with you…JK!

Oreopet: Yah…those are my feelings on the HP cast as well

Dershana: I'm glad SOMEONE appreciates my sense of humor

Sk8erpunkGCpnay: No you didn't review…but that's is being a bum

Draco-and-Jack-lover: Thank you so much! Here's the update

V-queen: You go Girl Scout! Don't be mean to my man! I'll have to get yah! Just Kidding

LegolasEstelstar: Nothing wrong with getting emotional! I love being emotional!

Awwww: I'm sure they have computers in heaven…and if they don't…I'm NOT going. Well…I'm probably not going ANYWAYS but let's not get into that

Oni Tenchie: ;; I was just kidding…jeez

Bluesky: Well…here it is! Hope I keep you on the edge of your seat ::winks:: it means I'm doing a good job

Teralyn: and reviews make me happy!

Chapter Twelve: You

Out on the road between nowhere and hell I caught a glimpse of my reflection in you

-Er…not quite sure actually

Voldemort walked around Hermione's prone form, twirling his wand in his long, skeletal fingers

Occasionally he would give a high pitched cackle, but so far he hadn't touched her or spoken to her since Harry's return to the after life

He also had yet to remove the full body bind curse he had performed on her

So Hermione lay, stiff as a board on her back, her eyes following Voldemort's every move

Voldemort came to an abrupt halt and turned those, crimson, hate filled eyes to her

"Finally alone, eh my dear?" he hissed as he aimed his wand at Hermione

A flash of red light was followed by a cold, high pitched laugh

XOXOXOXOX

Draco's feet fought for purchase on the muddy slope

He struggled up the steep incline, his heart pounding

He had to find her

He had to find Hermione

Something was wrong

Draco reached flat land and took of at a run towards the forest

He had to find her

He couldn't let her get hut

He HAD to protect her

XOXOXOXOX

When Hermione came to she found herself once again in the dungeons of Hogwarts

Except this time she was chained to a wall

Rusty shackles were clamped tightly around her wrists and ankles

Their chains bolted firmly to the damp stone wall behind her, giving her only enough slack so that she could sit, with her arms up, and slightly bent at the elbows

That however, was not the position Hermione awoke in

Hermione was on her bruised knees, kneeling on the unforgiving stone of the cell, leaning as far foreword as the shackles around her wrist would allow and her head hanging limply.

All and all, she was not very comfortable

Hermione stood, wincing at the needle sharp pains in her legs

Her hazy mind struggled to remember…to remember…

Hermione gasped

Harry

She let out a low moan and sank to the cold stone floor

How could it have happened?

Again?

Hermione waited for the tears to come

But they never did

Hermione raised an inquisitive hand to her cheeks only to find them dry

She wasn't crying?

How could that be?

She screwed her eyes tightly shut and tried again

She opened her eyes

Still no tears

Hermione gave a grunt of annoyance

Harry Potter the love of her life had just died…again

Hermione willed the tears to come

But her cheeks remained stubbornly dry

Okay…

Hermione realized (AN: finally) that she wasn't going to cry over Harry

At all

Not even a drip

She once again placed a hopeful hand on her cheek…just to make sure

Okay fine.

'I'm not going to cry…then I might as well do something productive'

So Hermione settled down as comfortably as she could get with her hands chained over her head and her legs cramping from her continual kneeling position

And prepared to do what she did best…

Think

Okay first of all, facts

Cold hard truths

Harry was dead

Voldemort had brought him back

Voldemort had her locked up in his dungeon

Draco didn't know

Then questions

Why had Voldemort brought Harry back?

Why had Voldemort recaptured her?

What was Voldemort going to do to her?

Was there some way to let Draco know where she was and that she needed help?

Than speculation

That Voldemort brought Harry back for the sole purpose of bringing her to him

That Voldemort wanted her for some reason…Hermione shook her head. She DEFFINETLY did not want to get into THAT

She frowned

She inevitably would have to get into that, if she wanted to figure out what was going on but…she'd come back to it when she wasn't feeling so…well…weak!

Righto back to speculations

That if what Draco had said was true she would some how be able to contact him…let him know that she needed his help

That-

Hermione's musings were cut off at the sound of echoing footsteps

She stood, standing up as straight as she could while making allowances for the shackles

She wouldn't face her captor on her knees

She would not make this easy for him

XOXOXOXOXOX

Draco skidded to a stop in front of the forest

Pushing his sopping wet, silver hair out of his eyes

What was he supposed to do now?

He didn't know which way they went from here

He didn't know where to go

Where would Potter have taken Hermione?

Where?

Draco plunged heedlessly into the forest

He didn't know where she was…all he knew was that he had to find her

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

(AN: This next scene is very reminiscent of the first chapter. Also IMPORTANT: THIS IS A DARKER PART OF THE CHAPTER CRUCATIUS CURSE USED…A LOT…if you are not into that kinda thing DO NOT READ)

The footsteps came to a halt in front of Hermione's cell door followed by the jingle of keys and the door to her prison slowly swung open

Hermione squinted trying to make out the features of the silhouette in the door way, the torches behind him cast his face in shadows

The man took a step into the room and Hermione finally saw his face

The glowing red eyes

The slitted nostrils

The pale skin

Why was Voldemort here?

Well obviously he was here to kill/torture/maim her (AN: Take your pick! .) but why was HE here?

Why hadn't he sent some nasty, over weight, leering, masochistic prison keeper with a penchant for leather and whips to come and kill her?

Or at least send someone to fetch and bring her up to some nice clean ball room, or the great hall or something, where he could kill her while sitting in a plush chair wearing that I-am-the-supreme-ruler-of-the-world-and-will-now-kill-you-while-sitting-down-because-you-are-not-worthy-enough-for-me-to-expend-even-the-small-amount-of-energy-I-would-use-to-stand-up-with-on. (AN: boo hoo…did that even make sense? Hehe…I actually don't care)

That's what he SHOULD be doing

But oh no

He was here

In the dimly lit, musty, cold dungeons (AN: Actually it is my opinion that the Dungeons would be quite nice. You could go for a kind of Gothic theme with heavy silver candelabras and red carpeting to brighten the place up…rambling again aren't I?)

HE was HERE

Oh god

She was going to die chained up like a dog

She was going to die

Hermione stood even straighter and tilted her chin up and pasted on a devil may care look

Bring it Voldemort

Give me your best shot

Hermione looked Voldemort square in the eye…and sneered

XOXOXOXOX

Draco ran through the forest, heedless to the branches that whipped across his face and ripped his clothes

Where was she?

Where could he have taken her?

A burst of icy pain hit his jaw

His hand went immediately to his face, a reflexive reaction

It felt as if he had been hit…but…

Hermione

The bastard had hit Hermione

He tore of with a fresh determination

He had to find her

XOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione's head snapped to the side with an audible snap from the force of the blow

Hermione gaped in shock

Turning back to face Voldemort, she wiped a dribble of blood from her mouth on her shoulder

Had Voldemort just hit her?

Okay, killing her with a spell she could see

But actually getting his hands dirty?

Very not Voldemort like

Hermione met Voldemort's crimson eyes once again

And then spit on his shoe

XOXOXOXOXOX

Draco felt another wave of pain, this time it ripped through his body, leaving him weak and shaking

The crucatius curse

He had been privy to it many times, the ripping agony

But it wasn't he that was experiencing it…it was Hermione

Draco stumbled over a root and fell to his knees scraping his wrists open, the pain resonating through him, as exquisite as the sound of ripping silk

He wrapped his arms around himself and shook with the pain

He had to find Hermione

His eyes welled up with frustrated tears

He had to find her

Find her before Harry killed her

He dug his hands into the muddy ground and threw his head back his face turned towards the unforgiving sky framed by towering black trees, and screamed

"HERMIONE!" His head fell foreword limply and his shoulders shook

The bastard was going to killer her, the bastard was going to kill her and he couldn't do anything about it

He couldn't find her

He couldn't rescue her

He couldn't sense where she was, just her pain

Just the crucatius

The tears began to fall in earnest now

Tracing silvery patterns down his cheeks as the despair broke him

He had sworn he would protect her

And now

And now she was probably dead

And he couldn't do anything

He couldn't do anything to save her

He turned his hands palm up towards the rain and watched as the mud washed away, showing the shallow lacerations along both his palms that he had attained when he fell, the rain rinsed the blood across his palm, flowing over the scar on his palm leaving his skin clean, and devoid of all traces of dirt and blood

He couldn't save her

He was useless

He stared at his hands, the rich pampered hands one would expect a Malfoy to have. The only sign he did anything, were the tracery of small calluses along his fingertips from wielding the wand

And the scar

The scar from the blood bonding

Draco blinked the rain out of his eyes

No he wasn't useless

He just had to find her

If he could find her then…

The tears began to fall again, mingling with the rain as they fell down his face

But he couldn't' find her

Not anywhere

Their bond was broken

Draco had just lost all hope when a warm throbbing started in his right palm

He looked down to see the scar on his palm glowing a soft red

Pulsing in time with his heart beat

And then images were flashing through his brain

In front of his eyelids like a slide show

Hermione kissing Harry at the edge of the forest

Hermione telling Harry she was sorry and that she had to go

Harry's eyes glowing red

Red

Crimson Eyes

Draco's own silvery blue eyes snapped open

"Voldemort" he whispered, his voice raspy with hate

He knew where Hermione was

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione bit through her lip, trying to keep from screaming

But the pain was to much

She screamed

Tears running down her sweaty face

Her arms strained against the shackles as she writhed in agony

Her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms, leaving crescent moon shaped pools of blood that smeared on her palms, across the scar

Voldemort released her from the grip of the spell and watched as she fell limply to her knees.

She would have collapsed entirely if it weren't for the shackles holding her erect

He smiled coldly as her body heaved with dry sobs

And then when she lifted her dirty, tear stained face to his and once again met his eyes, her hair hanging limply around her face, he raised his wand and pointed it towards her

"And again my dear"

With a casual flick of his wand and a casual "Crucio" he had her body going rigid, her back arching as if a wire were running through her

Her muscles bunched as she tried to fight the agony

And then she screamed

The sound so pleasurable to Voldemort's ears he closed his eyes to enjoy it more fully

And if he had had them open he would have noticed something strange

Hermione's right palm had begun to glow, a pulsating, soft red aura that soon dissipated

When Voldemort next opened his eyes the glow was gone and Hermione was still thrashing wildly, her arms straining against their bonds and her eyes were clenched tightly shut, tears squeezing out the corners

Then he released her

And once again Hermione fell foreword, this time, to tired and spent to even cry

"That should be enough for now" he hissed, and pocketed his wand

"I suppose that that insatiable curiosity is gnawing at you isn't it my dear? You're wondering why you're here. Why haven't just killed you." He laughed here "I wouldn't worry about that though, the end will come soon enough." He crouched down and tilted Hermione's head up towards him

Her eyes were glassy and unfocused

And then he leaned in closely, as if he were about to tell her a great secret

And when his lips were right next to her ear he whispered "I had planned on killing you sooner, but I hadn't counted on you being so much more fun alive."

He leaned back and studied her pale, sweaty face, the blood from where she had bit through her lip dried to a brownish red on her chin, her eyes dull and unfocused.

"You hardly look like an opponent worthy of me." He drawled "A filthy weak mudblood. Normally I would just kill you. You have no apparent value. You're body is weak. Your magic is strong yes, but no stronger then some of my followers. The only redeeming quality is your mind. A brilliant mind. It's unfortunate that it is in such a tainted, useless body. But then again…brains can only take you so far. No if it wasn't for one little thing…I would have killed you immediately."

Hermione's blue eyes flickered weakly

"You're wondering what that one reason is?" Voldemort stood and began to pace back and forth across the cell, running his wand idily through his fingers "It's Harry Potter" He looked towards Hermione, acknowledged the shock on her face "Harry loved you. I saw it. Felt it."

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Hermione gaped in horror

He FELT it?

He felt love?

He loved HER?

Hermione almost shook her head but the blinding, thumping pain that erupted at the tiniest of movements stayed the gesture

No he didn't love her

There must be some other explanation

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"When I cursed him, the first time, I created a bond. Much like the one I created between you and Draco" He looked pointedly at her palm "Just as he could feel my emotions, I could feel his. I FELT it when he fell in love with you, and it weakened me."

Comprehension dawned on Hermione

It weakened him

Voldemort did not tolerate weakness

He didn't tolerate her

Voldemort looked towards her

"I see you are beginning to understand." (AN: but for the benefit you readers I'll continue with the explanation) "It weakened me. You weakened me. And I do not allow anything that jeopardizes my position to remain alive" he said silkily

"I had to destroy you. The one who weakened me through Harry. The one who made me and Harry experience love" he fairly spat the last word "I hated you for what you did to me. And now I can finally eradicate your presence from this world once and for all" He smiled at her" My original plan was to just kill you. But then I realized it would be so much more fun to make you suffer. To watch your pain. To watch break. And what better way to do that then to leave you alive? Leave you alive while all your friends and family were gone. Destroyed."

He grinned wickedly at the pain that washed across Hermione

Savoring it

Emotional pain was every bit as satisfying as the physical

Perhaps more so in her case

After everything she had made him feel…it was only fair to return the favor…ten fold

"Ah yes, and then I had my best idea yet. Why not GIVE you to one of the men who helped bring about this new world. One of the men you went to school with, someone who killed many of your close friends, someone you hate. But that plan back fired. It seems I misjudged Draco. He has become soft. I'll have to deal with him…" Voldemort broke off "Ah yes, but I'm getting rather off topic…where was I again?"

He looked towards Hermione

"Oh yes that's right, the plan. Thank you for reminding me. It back fired. It would have been most amusing to watch, but I hadn't counted on Draco's attachment to you. He fell in love with you, or was in love with you all along. He's changed" Voldemort frowned "Ah well, that's not important. He was soft, weak. When I offered to blood bond you two, I never thought he would accept. That was my first clue something wasn't right. But I let him take you anyways. I watched. But there was never any torture. No pain inflicted. He didn't do anything. I had thought that when the time came he would simply give you back to me. But now…well he was in love with you, and you with him. The blood bond would not allow me to take you, and I knew he wouldn't give you to me and you would never come of your own accord."

Voldemort looked over at Hermione, his face screwed up into a sick mockery of a smile

"So then I stumbled upon another amazing idea. Harry. Harry Potter. The love of your life. One of the only things keeping you from telling Draco you loved him and making the bond unbreakable. I brought Harry back, and you came away with him willingly. I took back the power I used to raise him, and cast the imperius. And now…now you're here with me."

He stopped pacing and stood in front of her

"And I finally get to kill you. Not yet I don't think. You've had it way to easy for the past months. I think I'll make you suffer a bit more before I release you."

And once again he hit her limp body with the Crucatius curse

And watched her twitch in agony

Her anguished screams were like music

XOXOXOXOXOX

Draco apparated to the outskirts of the Hogwarts land

His glacial eyes hard and determined

He was going to rescue Hermione

He began to run across the grounds, from the outskirts of the forest, past the dilapidated game keepers hut, and up the expansive lawn of Hogwarts

He was almost there

XOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione had felt the effects of the crucatius curse before

On numerous occasion

She had steeled herself for the pain

Resolved not to scream

She had felt the effects of the crucatius curse before…

But never like this

Voldemort's curses were a thousand times stronger, simply because of the pure hate he was channeling through his wand

Every second she spent under the curse felt like an eternity

The pain ripping her

Tearing her

Destroying her

Hermione's resolve had broken under the first onslaught

In the first second

At the first taste of the pain

But a hundred times worse then the physical pain, was the mental anguish

Voldemort had successfully manipulated all of them

And now there was no escape

No escape from the pain

The pain that was slamming into her, remorselessly

No escape from the inevitable

Death

And finally the world dimmed before Hermione's eyes, faded

And she slipped into blessed unconsciousness

XOXOXOXOXOXOOX

Voldemort released her from the curse as her body went limp

He grinned

Yes that was enough for now

He didn't want to kill her just yet

No that was enough for tonight

He'd come back tomorrow

And repeat the process

Every day

Until she broke

XOXOXOXOXOX

As he hurried up the immense steps of Hogwarts he cast on himself every single invisibility spell he knew

And slowly opened the elephantine front doors of Hogwarts

Moving quickly and silently he entered the hallway

Making sure his boots made not even the tiniest of noises

This was much too easy

There were no wards, no guards

Draco congratulated himself on his good luck

But he still had to find where Hermione was

Where that bastard was keeping her

Draco clenched his hands into fists

Really what had he been expecting?

That Voldemort would just give her to him?

No strings attached

Draco would have snorted if he hadn't been preoccupied with quietly opening and closing doors

He should have known it was Voldemort all along

You know what they said about twenty twenty hind sight after all

Harry being back was strange enough

And the tainted magic

The taint he recognized now as Voldemort

He should have known

Now where was she?

Draco continued to open and close doors

Becoming more and more frustrated as the minuets ticked by

The minuets slowly became an hour

Draco was very, very, pissed

By the time he found her she'd probably already be dead

And so would he if Voldemort found him

He had to find her

And soon

His right hand began to pulse

And this time, when the scar glowed red, Draco realized what it was

His mouth fell open and shock and then snapped shut with an audible click

Well that was blood bonding for you

And all of a sudden Draco knew where Hermione was

He raced down the stair case and expertly jumped the missing stair

He was coming for her

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Hermione slowly regain consciousness

The pain growing in intensity as she awoke

Degree by degree

Hermione wished she had stayed unconscious

She opened her eyes weakly

And immediately wished she hadn't

Even that small movement sent sharp stabbing pains through her body

Pale echoes of the crucatius curse

She tried again, to open her eyes

And this time kept them wisely half closed

Her blurry vision focused dimly on the cell door

The cell door that appeared to be opening

Hermione blinked

Trying to bring the fuzzy picture into focus

It still appeared to be opening

Hermione stared at it dumbly

But that couldn't be

There was no one there to open it

But still the door opened

And there, standing in the doorway was…nobody

Hermione blinked in confusion

'I must be hallucinating' she mused

XOXOXOXOXOOXOXOX

Draco stood in the door way of the cell and could only stare

Hours ago Hermione had been well dressed, clean, skinny and bruised yes, but healing. Her eyes had been full of life and her hair back to a slightly less fuzzy longer version of her hair

But now

Her dress robe was stiff with mud and blood, and the hem was ripped almost to her waist in places, she was splattered with dirt and filth from head to foot, her eyes were blurry and unfocused her hair lay lankly around her face. Her left cheek was swollen and already bruising

But she was alive

Draco moved swiftly towards her and ran a gentle hand along her cheek

Hermione flinched back, fear painted across her features

"Whose there?" she whispered hoarsely

Draco blinked confusedly before he remembered that he was invisible

Muttering the charm to counteract the original one he became once again visible

"Draco?" Hermione gasped

Shock evident on her tired features

Draco once again reached out a hand to her cheek, and this time she didn't move away

"Yes love it's me" He gently tucked a strand of ginger colored hair behind her ear "Let get you out of these things" he whispered and pulled out his wand

Pointing them at the shackles he muttered "Alohomora" and Hermione's binds released with a quiet snick

Catching Hermione as her limp body fell foreword, freed from the bindings, the only thing keeping her upright, he pulled her to her feet

Looking her in the eyes he said "Hermione. You have to stay awake! Do you understand? I'm going to get you out of here, but I need your help."

Hermione nodded blurrily and then said "Draco…I tried to come back! But Harry…I love you Draco! I love you!" her voice urgent

Draco's heart jumped with elation but Draco had to worry about getting them out of the dungeons

While she spoke he wrapped one of Hermione's arms around his neck, and wrapped his own around her waist, supporting her and they began to walk out of the cell

"I know Hermione" He said quietly "I felt it. We have to get you out now. Do you understand?"

Hermione's vision was becoming rapidly less fuzzy and her mind sharper

"Yes Draco, I understand…lets get the hell out of here."

They reached the stairs that would take them out of the dungeons and began the agonizing climb

Each step Hermione took felt like thousands of hot needles were being rammed into her skin

But she continued to climb, biting her already abused lips to keep from whimpering

She had to be strong

Yes Draco was rescuing her

But she wasn't very well going to let him do all the work

She was much to much of a feminist to allow him to do all the work for her without bristling in anger

So up they climbed

Draco elated with the fact that, he had rescued her and that she loved him

And Hermione…well…the only thing keeping Hermione on her feet was pure determination

She was NOT going to fall over

They were almost out

They were in the entrance hall and the front doors were becoming closer and closer

And she would not spoil her exit by falling over

They reached the doors just as the clock in the hall toned one o'clock

Draco shifted Hermione so that he could open the door and she gasped in pain

Draco had just turned his head towards her to mutter a quick apology, when a voice cut through the silence of the hall, as sharp and as cold as a knife edge

"Well, well, well, leaving so soon?"

Draco stopped dead; his hand poised a mere inch from the door knob

Looking down at himself he realized, to late, that he had forgot to recast the invisibility charm

And they both turned to meet the glowing red eyes of their fate

AN: WOOHOO!!!! Chapter Twelve is DONE! Oh gosh I'm sorry about the long wait…oh wait…it's only been eleven days. But still it felt like a long time to me. It took me forever to get my lazy ass going on this chapter…I've been procrastinating hehehehe. Well one more chapter to go and then we are done! Maybe I'll do an epilogue but…I don't' think so.

Draco: Good. This cruel mockery of a wonderful story is almost complete. Then you'll leave us alone

Voldemort: You know I'm really not all that bad…I mean…a good physiatrist and I'd be good as new

OA: ::ignoring Voldemort:: Well no I'm afraid I won't be leaving you alone. I have another story I'm going to start working on as soon as this one is finished

Draco: ::ignoring Voldemort as well:: Damnit

Voldemort: No really I mean I'm not as evil as everyone seems to think. I believe my hate for muggles comes from abandonment issues that I have with my father

Hermione: ::ignoring Voldemort:: what was up with that chapter anyways? Torturing me? I mean…god…how sick ARE you?

OA: ::also ignoring Voldemort:: it was necessary to the plot

Voldemort: And I mean I can't get any closure being as he's dead…you know I killed him…maybe I have guilt issues as well

Hermione: ::continuing to ignore Voldemort:: oh sure the plot. Everything is about the plot! Have you ever stopped to consider MY feelings about all of this?

Voldemort: Why are you guys ignoring me? It's making me angry

OA: ::still ignoring Voldemort:: Well…I guess you're right…I should be more considerate of your feelings

Voldemort: Come on! Stop it! I'm baring my soul and you won't even acknowledge me

Hermione: ::Voldemort? Where?:: Thank you very much

Draco: ::I don't see a Voldemort anywhere:: Hey! What about me?

Voldemort: STOP IT!

OA: ::Voldemort…the name sounds so familiar…hm…::What about you?

Voldemort: YOU"RE MAKING ME MAD!!

Draco: ::See no evil hear no evil:: Well can't you be more considerate of my feelings as well?

OA: Well…I suppose I could….

Voldemort: AVADA KEDAVRA ::kills everyone in the room::

Voldemort:…damnit…I guess I really am a bad person

OA: REVIEW! AUTHORS NEED FOOD TO!!!!