Disclaimer: Are they really necessary?! Well, I suppose they are. Anyway not mine people, you wouldn't be reading this if they were. And anyway, you're not even reading the disclaimer, so I don't know why I'm writing it! Ha!

A/N: Put up your hand if you are so excited about POA coming out that you [nearly] wet your pants (or skirts, as the case may be) whenever you hear/see/read/possibly glimpse anything to do with it! I am raising my hand. I know you can't see me, but if you could, you would see my hand in the air. Yep. I am SOOOOO excited! I spend all my time surfing the net, getting trailers and stuff, so I've been a little slack, even though this chapter isn't very long; I think I rushed it a bit, but this chapter wasn't very important: it basically just told you all that they know. But this is only the second time I've updated, because I put the prologue and first 3 (?) chappies up first. Anyway.

Thank you to all my reviewers!! I am hugging you all, even though you can't tell. Okies, now I have enough to personally reply:

Monique: Well thank you! If (or should I say when) I write my own book, I will let you know, 'cause then at least one person will read it!

TheDragonSlayer: Firstly, your name better not mean Draco, because I don't want anyone slaying him, if you don't mind! Secondly, thank you very much. You can't have read many good stories recently then!

Male-chan: Yes they will, see this chapter! Ha ha, not one of you will guess until I have finished this story! Well, at least done loads more!

Silver Mist4: Yes, indeed, I will try. But don't get your hopes up about Lucius, that's all I'm saying. I'm blushing. You're very (too) nice to me! Oh, I'm giving you extra hugs for writing lots and being very nice!

Dracorum1: Nah, I'm really quite sadistic, I'm afraid. I love Draco, but can never resist hurting him. I probably need therapy, but there you go!

Scholcomp25: Oooh, instalment! I like your words! Hee!

Regina-terrae: Yes, I was going to do that, but I don't know how without giving her position away. If you can think of how to do it, let me know, OK?

oOoNOLabelsoOo: What on earth? How do you pronounce your name?! I will write more soon, don't worry!

And Veta: Ha ha, it's funny when you all want to know, because I'm the only one who does!! :D Sorry, but it is funny. For me, anyway. But if you keep reading (and reviewing), you'll find out.

Now, I want to know what you all think about the next chapters and stuff, OK? I know you all like my story (and I love you all for it!), but I'd like to know what you think for individual chapters, if you'd be so kind. Wow. Ha. Long Author's Note. Hmmm. Sorry about that. ## That's me blushing. :P

Chapter 5: The Missing Suspect

It was dinner that night when the Gryffindors noticed he was missing. After a day searching, they were tired and grumpy. But they were also furious; it had been obvious from Day One that Hermione wasn't at Hogwarts anymore, yet Dumbledore insisted they keep searching. Now they had searched every crevice of the school, and finally – finally – Dumbledore would let Fudge arrest Malfoy.

'I don't see why Fudge didn't arrest him straight away,' said Ron angrily, splashing too much pumpkin juice into his goblet; it splashed over the white tablecloth, staining it orange.

'I don't know why, either,' said Ginny, who hadn't eaten a bite of her dinner. 'I suppose he just wanted to be sure, but …'

'Well, you don't have to worry about it anymore,' said Harry, 'they'll arrest him now and he'll have to give up Hermione.'

'Why do you think he did it in the first place?' said Neville thoughtfully.

Harry thought. Malfoy obviously hated Hermione; the fire thing must have been the last straw. He told the others his thoughts, but Neville looked unconvinced.

'I dunno,' he said slowly, 'it just seems a dumb reason for getting yourself in heaps of trouble.'

'Well there you go then!' said Ron, with the air of someone ending an argument. 'Malfoy's dumb, so of course he'd do something equally stupid.'

'Actually,' said Ginny suddenly, not looking at Ron or Harry. 'Malfoy's not dumb. If he was, he wouldn't have been able to kidnap Hermione in the first place; she's too smart.' There was a general murmur of reluctant agreement to that statement. But Ginny wasn't finished. 'In case you haven't noticed, Malfoy's come nearly top in most of your OWLs,' she continued, 'He got lots; I don't remember how many exactly, but I think he was third only to Hermione and Ernie Macmillan.'

The boys stared at her.

'How did you know that?' said Ron suspiciously, frowning at her.

Ginny shrugged.

'Malfoy never stops bragging; even you should know that. I heard him earlier in the year talking about it.'

Nobody said anything for a minute, while they all digested this news. Harry didn't like to think of Malfoy coming before him in anything. Oh well, said a voice in his head, at least it wasn't Quidditch. Harry grinned. Yes, that was true. Malfoy may have gotten more OWLs than him, but Harry would always beat him at Quidditch, that was certain. With this happy thought in his head, Harry turned towards the Slytherin table, hoping to flash Malfoy a dirty look – that was when he noticed it.

'Where's Malfoy?' said Harry sharply, peering up and down the table. Ron's head snapped up so fast he cricked it. Grimacing and rubbing it, he too looked for their blond nemesis. Ginny and Neville scanned the table quickly, too.

'He's not there,' said Neville unnecessarily.

'Not there?' said Ginny, sounding quite alarmed. 'Why not? The whole school's meant to be here!'

Harry looked up at Dumbledore, who had a look of sombreness on his face. His gaze travelled to Snape, who had his head down, but an unmistakable sneer on. Harry glared at him for a moment, but his panic brought his eyes back to the Slytherin table. Pansy Parkinson was leant forward conspiringly to a group of sixth-year Slytherins including Crabbe and Goyle, who were all whispering, glancing occasionally at the High Table or the Gryffindors.

'He's done something,' breathed Harry, turning to a horrified Ron, Ginny and Neville. 'I'm sure of it; look at them all.' He waved his hand toward the Slytherins.

Ginny immediately pulled a long, flesh-coloured string out of her pocket. They all stared at her.

'What are –' began Neville, but Ginny cut him off.

'Extendable Ears,' she said hurriedly, breaking off three more strings and handing them to the boys. 'Hurry or we won't hear them.'

Neville followed the other's lead in sticking his string in his ear, looking quite perplexed.

'Go,' whispered Ginny urgently, and the foursome had the extremely hard job of looking like hearing aids weren't slithering across the floor so they could eavesdrop on Slytherins. They pretended they were immersed in conversation, but very poorly as they looked continuously at the opposing table. Finally, Pansy's voice cut through all the babble as though she were right there with them, God forbid.

'Yes, his bag too. All gone,' she was saying, her concern unmistakable.

'But where? And why?' said Blaise Zabini, as he glanced toward Harry and the others.

'You idiot Zabini,' snapped Ashlea Moon, glaring at him. 'They're all saying he took that Granger girl. That must be why he ran.'

'But it's not like him!' insisted Goyle angrily.

'Are you kidding?' said Ashlea, who seemed to dislike Malfoy. 'Draco's always got you and Crabbe around; he doesn't like to fight his own battles, big or small. He's a coward; better off in Hufflepuff if you ask me.'

'No one did,' snapped Pansy, glaring daggers at Ashlea, who simply shrugged. 'Draco wouldn't just up and leave, I know he wouldn't!'

'His bag's gone?' said Ashlea.

'Yes.'

'His cloak?'

'Yes,'

'And his broomstick?'

Well, yes –'

'Well then, Pansy darling,' sneered Ashlea, with the air of someone talking to a particularly slow three year old, 'it's seems he's done a runner.'

Harry exchanged horrified looks with Ron, Ginny and Neville.

'Gone?' whispered Ginny, who looked mortified. 'He's gone?'

Neville was shaking. Harry and Ron simply stared at one another.

'Of course,' said Ron slowly, 'he wouldn't have kept her in the castle, would he? Do you remember what he said in Dumbledore's office the other night? "You could have stopped her being taken out of the castle if you'd acted sooner"? That's what he said! We should've guessed then!' He fell onto the table with a groan.

'It's not your fault Ron,' said Ginny comfortingly, patting him on the back.

'We have to tell Dumbledore,' said Harry, getting to his feet and pulling out the Extendable Ear as he did so. The others followed suit, and they walked hastily up to where Dumbledore was sitting. He caught sight of them and beamed, though it was slightly false.

'Hello Harry,' he got out, before they interrupted him.

'Malfoy's gone!' Harry said, his words stumbling over each other in order to escape his mouth.

Dumbledore looked quite alarmed.

'What?'

'We overheard Pansy Parkinson and they other Slytherins just now,' said Ron frantically, pointing in their general direction. 'They said his bag and cloak were gone, as well as his broomstick! They said he's gone, sir!'

'Gone?' Dumbledore got to his feet immediately, stepped out from behind the High Table, and led the way down to the Slytherin table, while everyone stared at him. Pansy and the others stopped talking and sat back down properly, looking at him with faked innocence. 'Miss Parkinson, is it true Mr Malfoy's stuff is gone?'

'Not – not all of it, sir,' she stammered, flashing a look at Goyle and Crabbe.

'But his bag, broomstick and cloak?'

'Y – Yes, but …'

But Dumbledore seemed to have heard enough. He turned around to find Professors Snape and McGonagall standing behind him.

'Minerva, will you go down to the kitchens and see if any food was taken; Severus, to the Slytherin dormitory, if you please, check his money stocks.' Then he turned to Harry, Ron and Ginny.

'What does this mean?' said Ginny, her voice cracking. Dumbledore sighed and looked away.

'I'm not sure,' he admitted finally, 'If Mr Malfoy truly has gone, then it could mean one of two things: he is guilty and running; or, he is innocent and running. Unfortunately,' he sighed again, 'there is no way we can tell.' He ushered them out of the Hall. 'Please,' he said, 'wait in my office. The password is "Cherry-cream".' He left them, walking, almost running, down the corridor leading to the dungeons.

Harry looked at the others and led the way towards Dumbledore's office. Ginny was making odd noises, a cross between whimpering and hissing, while Ron was ashen-faced and silent. Harry was feeling cold, both inside and out. He never thought he'd feel awful at the prospect of Malfoy leaving Hogwarts, but Harry had been – and still was – sure that he'd kidnapped Hermione. And while she was still at large, he didn't like the idea of Malfoy being somewhere where Harry couldn't see him. For all he knew, he'd gone to finish Hermione off; he might have gotten spooked and decided to go down for murder as well as kidnap. Suddenly, Ron tapped his shoulder. Harry turned around, and found he had walked ten paces past the gargoyle. Feeling clumsy, he walked back to Ginny, who was standing in front of it.

'Cherry-cream,' he said dully, and the gargoyle jumped aside, revealing the moving staircase. Harry liked this staircase; he didn't have to bother moving, it would just take him up …

He followed Ron and Ginny onto the stairs, and it carried the upwards. Harry shut his eyes until they reached the top, where he got off, and they went into Dumbledore's office. Ginny fell into one of the three chairs sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk and stayed there, her head down, while Harry and Ron followed suit. After a minute Ron said, 'Where would he have gone? Especially with everything happening here. And where's Hermione?' Nobody answered him, and a minute after that, the door opened and Dumbledore strode in, his face grave and worn. He sat down before he spoke, and at first busied himself with his hands. After a moment of watching him twiddling his thumbs, Harry spoke up.

'Well?' he said accusingly, glaring at this calm old man.

Dumbledore looked up and sighed. Harry felt his chest constrict painfully. But Ginny spoke before Dumbledore got a chance.

'Why?' she said, 'Why did he go? I don't whether he's gone, but what about Hermione? What do we do now?'

'We don't do anything,' said Dumbledore heavily. 'We let the Aurors handle it. Mr Malfoy's gone, and so is Miss Granger. There is nothing we can do now except wait for the Aurors to find them.'