Disclaimer: Gosh this is boring. I haven't even had any reviews 'cause I wrote all 3 chapters at the same time! Hah! OK, not mine, you know the drill. If I don't have to do this on every page, let me know. OK, screw it; this is last Disclaimer for this story unless I get in trouble. Not mine blah blah blah …

Chapter 2: The Search Begins

The morning dawned cloudy, just as it should, at least in Harry's mind. He sat up, rubbing his sore eyes. He hadn't slept much last night, the hour or two he had gotten had been on the couch in the Gryffindor common room. He looked over at Ginny, who was curled up in her armchair like a cat; then Ron, who was sprawled in his armchair, much less elegantly.

The sound of someone talking roused him completely and he turned around. Colin Creevey, Dennis Creevey and some other fifth-years crowded around the notice board.

'Hey!' said a girl, pointing to a piece of parchment. 'Today's Quidditch match has been cancelled. In favour of … what?' she squinted at the notice, as though the letters would talk to her. 'That's all. How can that be all? They don't say why!'

There were lots of murmurs, mostly people saying 'I have no idea' or 'Quidditch – cancelled? What's more important than Quidditch?'

Despite himself, Harry had to grin at the little fourth-year girl who'd said the last one; he could see she was going to grow up to be just like Oliver Wood; she'd probably be the Quidditch captain in a few years.

A groan let Harry know Ron was awake. He watched as he opened his eyes, yawned, and looked around, a faint look of surprise on his face.

'What the –' then he remembered. 'Oh no! Ginny! Wake up!'

'Whosere?' she said, lifting her head immediately. Harry had forgotten she was a light sleeper. 'Ron?' she said blearily, peering at him. 'What's goin' on?' Then she too remembered. 'Oh my God!' Her eyes opened properly and she stared at Harry. 'Harry, what's happening?'

'Today's Quidditch is cancelled in favour of Hermione's search.' He yawned.

'Oh!' she sank back down onto the chair. 'That's right. Come on.' She stood up and stretched. 'We should have breakfast; I'm sure Dumbledore will make a speech.'

The boys agreed with her, so they headed down to the Great Hall.

When they entered, over half the student body was already in there, as well as all the teachers. They sat down at the Gryffindor table, feeling very empty without Hermione. Harry looked across at the Slytherin table. They were all talking to Draco, trying to get him to talk, by the looks of it, but he was plainly ignoring them, furiously stabbing at his eggs and toast. He looked up and gave Harry an extremely dirty look. Harry looked away, towards Dumbledore.

The Headmaster stood up and the hall fell silent as he raised his hands.

'Students,' he began, 'as you may have noticed, Quidditch has been cancelled today.' He looked at all the Quidditch teams, who all looked very indignant. 'There is a good reason. A student has gone missing. Hermione Granger, from Gryffindor house, went missing yesterday, at around two o'clock. Did anyone see her after that? Please, if you have, see me after breakfast. But today, and tomorrow and Monday if necessary, we, the entire school, will be searching the castle and grounds, looking for her.'

The hall was no longer silent, but buzzing with rumours. The Slytherins began talking to each other, as if they didn't care. But Malfoy was certainly not talking; he was looking at his food still, ignoring everyone.

'Even you shall participate, Slytherins.' Dumbledore said suddenly, startling them all out of their chats. 'You will help us look. You are part of this school, so you will act as part of it.' He didn't mention that it could very well be Draco that had caused this search, and for that Draco was glad. But that feeling didn't last long as he remembered last night. He'd never had a more uncomfortable sleep in his life. It was a peasant's sleep. He glared at his eggs, imagining them to be Dumbledore's face. He obviously thought Draco guilty, even if he hadn't said it. They would all think he was guilty if they didn't find that rotten Granger.

He looked at the Gryffindor table and saw Ginny glaring at him. He sneered back at her, and then returned to his food. He couldn't believe the injustice of it all. His indignation was pounding in his chest, threatening to split out. But he couldn't have that. Oh no, they'd find Granger in some forgotten corner of the library or something, and then Potter and the two Weasley's would feel stupid, not to mention Dumbledore. Draco thought he might move to Durmstrang when this was all over. There they wouldn't accuse him of kidnapping anyone. In fact, they'd probably praise him if he did.

'Draco,' said Pansy suddenly, from beside him. Surprised, Draco looked at her. 'Aren't you going to finish that?'

He looked up at the high table and saw Dumbledore watching him. He spat into the food, never taking his eyes off Dumbledore.

'I'd never eat food from this school,' he replied, still watching Dumbledore, who'd suddenly grown hard and was almost glaring at Draco. 'I'd never touch anything from this school.' He looked back at Pansy, who was staring at him.

'Draco?' But he was already up and moving out of the hall.

Dumbledore tensed and muttered to Snape, who immediately stood up and followed him.

Out in the entrance hall, Snape caught up with Draco.

'Draco,' he said, and the boy stopped and turned around. 'Where are you going?'

Draco rolled his eyes.

'Dumbledore sent you after me, didn't he?' was his reply.

'Yes,' said Snape honestly. Draco sighed angrily. 'Draco, I don't believe you kidnapped Miss Granger, and neither does Professor Dumbledore; he just has to take certain precautions, that's all.'

'He does believe I kidnapped her, I know it; he practically said it last night! They all think that, I bet. Everyone who knows what happened earlier in the day will assume I did it! Well I didn't. I didn't do it.' He felt like crying, but he would never do that. At least where no one would see him.

Just then, people began filing out of the Great Hall. Prefects and Heads of Houses were directing their house to a certain area of the castle and grounds.

Warrington, a Slytherin prefect, approached Snape and Draco.

'Sixth-years have got the library, then the eighth floor, then the edge of the forest, OK Draco?'

'Yeah, OK,' muttered Draco, and he began to make his way towards the library. But not before he ran into Potter and the two Weasley's. He groaned. 'What do you lot want?'

'Just wanted to say good luck,' said Ron flatly. Draco stared at him. 'Because,' and his voice turned cold, 'if she's not here, we all know who took her, don't we?'

They stalked off, laughing coldly. Draco made a face at their backs, which he knew was childish, but he couldn't help it.

After a thorough search of the library, and discovering there were no secret spots, Draco went to the eighth floor and began searching the corridors and toilets. He even went into a girl's bathroom, but Lavender Brown was in there and she hit him.

'I was looking for Granger!' he yelped, running back out.

'Look in your own bathroom!' she'd yelled after him.

By the time the floor had been searched, the day had ended. Draco slouched back into the Great Hall, hungrier then he'd ever been in his life, and furious and worried to boot.

'Hungry now?' said Pansy smoothly, as Draco shovelled food down.

'A boy's got to eat,' he replied, not looking at her. She took advantage of him talking.

'So I wonder what's really going on with the whole Granger thing?' she said furtively, looking sideways at him.

'How should I know?' said Draco calmly, so as not to raise suspicion.

'Well,' Pansy continued, 'Potter and the Wealseys did come and get you out of bed last night; Blaise Zabini told me himself.'

'Well, Blaise is a fruitcake,' was Draco's swift reply. 'If they did, I have no recollection of it.'

'Then why weren't you in the common room this morning?'

'What exactly are you saying Pansy?' Draco sat back in his chair and fixed her with his silver gaze.

'No-nothing –' she was faltering under his stare.

'Are you saying I have some alliance with the Gryffindorks?'

'No, no, of course not Draco!'

'Well, what then?'

'I'm not – I wasn't – well …'

'Spit it out Pansy.'

'Are you somehow involved with Granger's disappearance?' It obviously took her guts to say that, but Draco didn't admire her for that. In fact, he cursed her inwardly. Outwardly, though, he simply looked at her.

'Don't be ridiculous; I'm not a kidnapper, Pansy.' But no sooner had he finished that sentence when a hand landed on his shoulder. He looked up and his eyes met with Dumbledore and … his heart plummeted … Cornelius Fudge? He stared at them.

'Please come with us, Mr Malfoy,' said Dumbledore sternly. Draco stood up, his heart pounding hard against his rib cage. If he had any less dignity, he'd be shaking.

He followed the pair without a word, but Harry, Ron and Ginny met them at the door and joined the group. Everyone was watching them leave and Draco felt very self-conscious. He supposed that was what made him look so guilty.

As they left the hall, all the tables burst into whispers about the scene.

The entire walk to Dumbledore's office was in silence, with the new trio glaring at him. It was weird to be glared at by three people who weren't the people he was used to. Oh sure, Harry and Ron were the same, and Ginny did often glare at him, but he didn't see her as much as the other two and Hermione, so it was odd. As he contemplated this, his mind wandered to the reason this was happening. He knew Fudge was here because he'd heard about it and thought he was guilty, so that was that question answered. But he also wondered what they were going to do with him. They couldn't throw him in Azkaban or anywhere; they'd only searched for one day. Surely they would let it go for two days?

He barley noticed when the stopped in front of the gargoyle, he only knew that he was being ushered onto the moving staircase then into the office. He stopped just inside the door, staring at a figure that was also in there.

'Mum?'