A/N: I know, I know, I said Friday. I'm a day late, so sue me. It's a long story involving our school's awful football team, so on. Anyway, once again, I have the best beta in the world, cheese riot, who gets 'the' major shoutout. And, yey, I'm writing the sequel! I was really going to anyway, but to hear all of ya say you wanted it makes me smile a whole bunch! Luv ya!

Ron and I both squatted down in a bush just outside the clearing. All I could make out were figures in black cloaks. My eyes scanned all over the place for any sign of my daughter's red hair. It only made me more nervous when I couldn't see one.

Ron glanced at me, eyebrows raised. I nodded back. I knew she was down there.

He motioned with his eyes to the far side of the clearing in which neither of us could see. I gave him another nod. I held up three fingers. One down...then two...

"Three." I made to stand up but the bodiless voice behind me reached out a hand and grabbed my shoulder. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Two little lost students? No, I suppose not."

I tried to look around, but the hand had made its way to grasp the back of my neck. It shoved me forward into the clearing we had been looking at. Eyes shot around and snickers followed. Ron was shoved forward next to me, much harder. I grabbed onto his arm to keep him from falling forward as he lost his balance. He took my hand in his, grasped it, and dropped it. We knew we were in trouble now.

"Everyone, we have guests," the voice sneered from behind us. "The loving parents, I believe. She's a lovely girl. Amazing she came from you two."

I glanced at Ron out of the corner of my eye. I could see his temper rising. The color rising to his face, his fists balling. Now I was praying he wouldn't do anything stupid.

The man had strolled around so we finally had a chance to see him. He was tall and a bit plump. He was completely bald, but he had a prominent brown mustache, making it obvious he was in charge of the place. I was very interested in his stone gray eyes. They were looking at Ron and seeing what mine saw. A twenty-something boy with a ferocious temper on the verge of exploding. Unlike me though, the man's eyes showed extreme amusement.

"Of course," the man continued, strolling over so he was directly in front of Ron. He motioned toward me. "The girl's rather pretty, isn't she? Nice job, Weasley."

My face went crimson. How dare he!

That did it for Ron. He want for his wand so fast, even the man in front of him looked shocked at his stupidity.

One of the other men had caught on though. I heard "Expelliarmus!" ring through the clearing.

As his wand flew out of his hand, Ron seemed almost unfazed and continued to glare at the one man in front of him.

The man grinned again. He pulled back his hand and hit Ron over the head with it. I gasped loudly. "Idiot!" the man said.

Ron looked back up a moment later. I was begging him with my mind: don't hit him, don't rise, don't do anything stupid. I might as well have been trying to send messages to my mother for all the good it was doing.

Ron moved forward slightly when I made the decision to stick out my hand. I put it in front of him, and he recoiled slightly.

I turned to the man in front of him. "Who are you, and what do you want?" I said, trying to sound brave.

He looked to me. "I know you at least know who I am and what I want. I'm not going to play games with you."

Ron glared at him. "Wait, that's not what you're doing? Is this not all one big damn game?! Who the hell are you?"

"Language, Weasley. You and I both know perfectly well who I am. But, to please you, Jamison Wayden at your service."

"Where's Baker?" Ron spat.

"Is that the little brat's name?" Wayden asked. "Yes, I would tell you where she is, but for now, let's just say, we're babysitting her."

"Wayden, you're crazy! Killing her isn't going to remerge the worlds. It's more complicated than that!"

Wayden smirked. "Do you think me an idiot, Weasley? I know more about this than you do. When you two and your idiotic friend destroyed our master, I spent two years researching this, trying to figure out how he could take over both worlds when I split them. The Missing Link is but the first step."

Ron was staring. I could almost see his brain trying to take everything Wayden was saying to memory. I however, wasn't an Auror. I just wanted to save Baker and leave.

Wayden seemed to hear my thoughts and took an interest in me. He strolled over. "Miss Granger, is it? I busted my ass for three years trying to keep you and your little brat away from these people. I look away for a second and someone's found you!"

"Stop calling her a brat!" Ron burst out with.

"Shut up, Weasley! I'm trying to talk to your more intelligent half."

Ron shook his head, but heeded the warning. After all, he was wandless and outnumbered at least fifteen to one.

"What do you want to talk to me for?" I asked, trying to keep up my façade of bravery.

"You're very interesting to me, Miss Granger. You were so easy to manipulate. My guess is you still are."

I swallowed. I'm not easy to manipulate! He had tricked me, and he had tricked my heart.

"When I split you three up, I never began to imagine you would get pregnant off this buffoon. I mean, I knew about the two of you, sickening really, what happened." He was smiling an evil smile. He knew I didn't understand what he was talking about. "But I thought, surely, when I split you two up in this world, you would stay away from the moron. You're very smart, Miss Granger. And that's what interests me."

"You don't know what you're talking about," I said quietly.

"Now, why would an intelligent girl like you give up your future not once, but twice, for this idiot? Can you tell me that?"

I couldn't help it. I glanced over at Ron for a split second, but when his eyes met mine, I stared at the ground.

"Oh, I see. You don't wish to talk about it in front of the idiot. Go on, Miss Granger. It's not like he'll understand anyway." He cupped my chin in his hand and made me look up at him. "Come on now. The longer you talk, the longer you live."

I saw Ron snap completely. He left where he was standing and jumped on top of Wayden, swinging his fists.

Several of the black-cloaked men sprang forward and pulled Ron off. He struggled against them for a moment, huffing and puffing, but they held him firm. His face was beet red and he looked as if he would've killed Wayden had they given him the chance.

Wayden stood up, brushing off his robes and sporting a bloody nose. He finally looked visibly angry. "You do begin to grate on one's nerves after a while, don't you, Weasley!" he spat. Then, looking suddenly sickening, he laughed. "If this weren't going to be so much fun, I'd kill you now."

Ron swore loudly, still struggling against his captors. "You're a sick, sick--" he called Wayden a considerably appropriate name.

Wayden laughed harder. "Weasley, you have no idea. You wouldn't. Now that I've met you, I can't believe it took me so long to figure things out."

"What are you talking about?" I said quietly.

He looked back to me. "Ahh, Miss Granger. Since you asked so nicely...Silencio!" He pointed his wand toward Ron. "There, that's better, isn't it?"

"So, tell me. Why are you after us?"

"Oh, not after you, Miss Granger. You, your daughter, you ignorant boyfriend--" he laughed and pointed towards Ron—"are all simply casualties. They all really are, aren't they? The child of course, has been on the death list since she was born."

"Why?"

"It's not so much why as how. How she was conceived, how she was born, how she lived. That's why she was marked. Really, both of your faults, wasn't it?"

I shook my head.

"We've been after her for months—since we found out she existed—someone had hidden her from us. After we found her, we knew the Ministry still hadn't. We kept her a secret for a few more months, but it was inevitable they would find her if we had. They did and put an idiotic bodyguard auror around her every hour of the day.

"We knew we had found the perfect chance at Dumbledore's funeral. We approached her, as mournful civilians, but she didn't trust us. She screamed, caused complete chaos and we had to retreat. That's when I knew she was going to be difficult."

I glanced over at Ron. The Silencing charm seemed to be wearing off, yet he had stopped struggling. He wanted to know every detail of Wayden's existence; I could see it in his eyes. I couldn't help but think that every moment Wayden talked, the closer Baker could be to death. Why couldn't Ron see that?

"So, we planned a half way elaborate scheme. Last week, we made sure you would arrive before the woman and child at the babysitter's. We delayed them and made you get there early—some sort of worry jinx or something—you worked like a charm, throwing your panic fit. The aurors took you as the boy who cried wolf after that. Even he did," Wayden continued pointing at Ron. "He didn't believe you when you told him the child was kidnapped."

I looked at Ron, but he wasn't looking back at me.

"He had to go to Szechznik to have it confirmed. He actually trusted that two-face over you."

I attempted to ignore Wayden's jibes.

"So, we came to the house when you were sleeping off whatever excursion the two of you had been on, and stole the child. It was so easy. And it too, was your fault."

I stared at the dirt, tears dripping down my face.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it, Miss Granger?" he said, pulling my face up with his hand again. "This has been fun, hasn't it?

I looked over at Ron. He was staring at the same spot he had been before. I had thought he was avoiding my eyes, but I now saw he was studying something on the ground a few feet away from him.

Wayden saw my eyes and he looked to see what I was looking at. "Embarrassed, Weasley?" he asked, obviously thinking what I had before. "Milton, Gerris, bring him here."

The two large men holding Ron brought him over to stand in front of Wayden and me. "Weasley, what were you saying about this girl before? How did you feel about her?"

Ron's ears turned red.

"Yes, I thought so," Wayden continued. "She looks nice—do-able I'd say. But how does she kiss?" Before I could even register the fault, the horrible man had swooped in onto my lips, pulling me against him.

He let go and vomit rose up into my mouth. Ron had lost all containment of his thoughts. He fought ferociously against the men, looking completely insane with anger, cursing as loudly as he could, every word he could think of.

Wayden pulled out his wand, still wearing a sickening smile of triumph. He pointed his wand towards Ron's chest. I reached out and attempted to grab the wand but another mysterious body pulled me back into a restraint. Instead, I screamed "Ron!"

He stopped at the sound of my voice, huffing again. He glared at Wayden and his wand, not looking afraid at all. "She's not bad, is she, Weasley?"

Ron jumped again but was still unable to break loose of the men's hold on him. "You're so damn lucky they're keeping me away from you, you sick pervert! I would rip you into a thousand tiny shreds with my bear damn hands if they'd just let go of me for one bloody second!"

Wayden looked amused. "Really? Gentlemen," he said, addressing the men hanging on to Ron. "By all means, let the boy go."

Both men looked baffled. But, heeding the order, they let go of Ron and stepped back. As soon as their hands were a centimeter away from him, Wayden's voice rang out through the clearing. "Crucio!"

Ron's face of fury contorted into a face of pain in a second. He dropped on his knees, then onto the ground, screaming. I'd never seen Ron look so weak before in my life and only once before had I seen him come close.

I blinked and felt tears I hadn't noticed were fluttering down my eyelashes. I closed my eyes, in hopes of escaping the image. It was in my eyelids too. Wayden stood, holding the wand. No, it was night. No one but me was watching. I opened my eyes; they were still there, but it wasn't the same. I shook my head angrily. I wasn't going to have flashbacks; not now!

Ron had stopped screaming. He looked up from where he had fallen to glare at Wayden. Wincing, he attempted to push himself up on his knees. Wayden's eyes were twinkling. He was biding his time.

"Crucio!" he bellowed again.

I pulled my hands to my face as Ron began to scream again. It was then I realized the two men on my sides had released me.

Ron's screaming stopped. Oh, God, he was whimpering. I dared to open my eyes again.

Ron's face and body had been robbed of all color. All I could do was sit there and stare. I saw Ron glance over at me. He was hurting badly; I saw it in his eyes. His gaze left mine, as he felt Wayden approaching him.

Wayden pulled his leg back and kicked Ron's already worn down body. "Come on, Weasley!" he said cheerfully. "Get up! Tear me apart." He kicked him again.

He repositioned his wand. "Cruc--"

"Expelliarmus! Stupefy!" Wayden's wand flew out of his hand, but the Stunning jinx missed and hit the man a few feet behind him. He turned and stared at the wand held out in front of me. He smiled. "Aw, do you want attention too, Miss Granger? Don't worry, we'll deal with you later." The smile was different, it was sick. It looked as if he was planning a different sort of torture.

My hand went limp. I almost had time to worry about the way he had said that.

"Now, I know you aren't talking to a lady like that!"

I looked around; my prayers were answered. Harry and a group of no less than twelve aurors were running into the clearing. Harry fired a spell and the groups began to duel.

I fell onto the ground, in fear of being hit by enemy or friendly fire. I began to crawl through the people, trying to get to Ron.

Suddenly, someone dropped on the ground next to me. It was Harry. He rubbed his arm and jumped up next to me. "Hermione, you need to get out of here!" He suddenly looked around and panic rose into his eyes. "Where's Ron?!"

"He's hurt."

"Where? How bad?!"

"I'm not sure. I'll get him out of here."

Harry looked unsure of himself. "All right, but be safe."

I nodded and stood up. This time, I ran through the bodies, dodging spells as I went, trying to find the place where Ron had fallen.

He was still crawling around on his knees, as if looking for something.

I dropped to my knees and grabbed his shoulders. "Ron, are you ok?!"

He looked up at me. I could tell he was dizzy and slightly confused. He grabbed my shoulders too and almost lost his balance. I took his arm.

"Are you ok?" I asked, trying to sound more calm.

"Hermione?" he asked, gazing at me. He shook his head. "Hermione, I'm fine. I need to find something...it's like—a mirror. It was on the ground. I think you should..." He trailed off and looked away.

"Ron!" I yelled.

He looked back. "Hermione?"

"Ron, what are you talking about? What mirror?!"

He gazed blearily at me. "Hermione, I—I—God, you're beautiful."

He fell over on the spot, unconscious.

"Ron!"

His eyes opened again as I shook him. He stared at me. "Find the mirror! Smash it!"

I stared at him. Whatever he was talking about, he had to be imagining it.

"Hermione, I know what you're thinking. I'm not hallucinating. Hermione, promise! Promise me you'll find the mirror and smash it!"

"I will, Ron! I promise!"

He blacked out again.

I crawled around, remembering the spot I had seen Ron staring at while Wayden was talking to me.

I felt around on the ground, maybe it was covered up by the dirt. I was so frantic in my search for the mirror, I didn't notice running into someone's feet.

The man looked down at me. It was a man in a black cloak. He kicked dirt in my face. "Get away, stupid girl!"

I backed away, scared he might do something to me. As I moved backwards, I caught a glimpse of something shiny in the man's belt. I ripped it away, got up, and ran to the other side of the clearing. He yelled.

I got all the way to the other side of the clearing when I noticed all the fighting had stopped. The men were all staring around, apparently confused.

Everyone turned around as a voice I had grown familiar to spoke. "I suggest you give that back, dear," Wayden said, standing at the other side of the clearing.

Stand your ground, stand your ground. "Why should I?" My hand was shaking like a leaf.

"I could think of one reason." He had Ron by the back of the neck. That was great. "I'll kill him. Right now." He laughed. "Odd reversal of the damsel in distress, isn't it?"

"Let him go, or I'll smash the mirror," I threatened.

Wayden threw back his head. "You think I care if you smash the stupid mirror. It will amuse me, of course. You smash the mirror, I kill the boyfriend. And all you'll have done is smashed a stupid mirror."

Ron was turning red. Wayden was going to choke him! He could hardly stand on his own two feet. Maybe if I just dropped the mirror, he'd let him go.

I moved to lay the thing down. I didn't need it; it was stupid.

"Good, very good," Wayden said smiling. "Ac--"

"Smash it!" Ron yelled through Wayden's hold.

As the mirror began to move toward Wayden my foot met glass, and cracked it. I put my foot on it again. It was smashing into millions of pieces.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Wayden rolled his eyes. "Verisais!" he yelled, pointing at the mirror. Out of the blue, all the men in the black cloaks began to apparate away.

Everyone was quiet and looking around. "Is it over?" one of the aurors asked.

Ron apparently thought so. He found it a good time to pass out again.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

The pieces of the mirror exploded.

I fell backwards and everything went black.

Omigod! Is that another mother freakin' cliffie! You should form an angry mob and kick my ass, I would. You should also kick my ass cause I'm skipping my review responses again this chapter! Please don't get mad! I know my cliffie obcessions are sick, as is the guy in this chappie. You know what else is sick? Taht commercial where that thing goes under that guy's toenail. Ehw, ehw, ehw, I'm shuddering now. To continue:

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