Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter

Author's Note- There's a long note at the end, so I'll try to keep this one short. Here's chapter 16. I had a lot of fun writing it and though it isn't in tip-top condition, I kinda like it. Enjoy and don't forget to review! (Oh, and no more back brace for me!)

Chapter 16

It had been an hour since Harry and Ron had left Hermione at the doors of Hogwarts. They were both sitting at a small table towards the front of the Three Broomsticks watching the door anxiously.

"She probably stayed with Draco." Ron told Harry, trying to calm his nerves. Harry's mouth turned to a frown and his eyes narrowed.

"Ron! She has never done this before! She told us she'd be right behind us and she would meet us here. We've been sitting here for an hour! Where is she?" Harry had stood up slamming his fist down on the table.

"Bookstore?" Ron said weakly. Harry growled and clomped his feet on the floor.

"Let's go check. I swear if she is there…" He trailed off menacingly and left the pub loudly, stomping through the door. Ron followed quietly behind apologizing profusely to the people around him.

"Harry, why are you making such a big deal of this? You know Hermione gets distracted easily! Maybe there was a book she liked or she and Draco went back to their room for a bit…" Ron made a face and Harry turned around furious and disgusted.

"Ron! Hermione died the other day! I don't want this to happen again! I don't want to lose her! She's been hated by the dark side for ages and now that Malfoy and Parkinson know that she is a Keeper I'm sure Voldemort hates her more." Harry yelled at Ron who stood tall.

"Harry! You are jumping to conclusions. I am sure she is still with Draco. He probably wanted her to eat breakfast with him or some kid from another house wanted to talk to her. Hermione's pretty popular even if she denies it. Let's just go to the bookstore and see if she is there." Harry sighed unhappily and followed Ron to the bookstore.

"Yeah, she better be there. I have a thing or two to say to her…" Ron rolled his eyes at Harry and hurried him along.

The bell over the door in the bookstore jingled welcomingly. The two boys walked in and immediately went up to the counter. "Sir," Harry said to a young man working the register, "have you seen Hermione Granger? She's a regular here." The man turned away from his customer.

"Sorry but I just got a job here. Why don't you walk around and look for her." Harry nodded and both he and Ron immediately headed off to the back where Hermione was most often found.

Stumbling through the shelves stacked with books, Harry and Ron searched the store. Hermione, they reasoned disappointedly, was not in there. Unhappily they began to make their way out and, after exiting, stopped to think about where Hermione could be. Both were beginning to worry more.

"Potter! Weasley!" a voice called. Both boys spun around to see the owner of the voice and to their relief Draco Malfoy was waving them down from the door of the Three Broomsticks.

"Thank Merlin!" Ron said, apprehensiveness departing his body. "Hermione must be in there waiting for us!" He turned to Harry and for the first time either could remember, felt contentment at seeing Draco Malfoy and hearing him call their names.

"Let's go Ron!" Harry exclaimed as he quickly made his way across the student filled street. "I want to have a word with Hermione!"

Draco watched the two practically run towards him. Since when were they so excited to see me, he confusedly thought. "What the hell, Potter? What's the rush to see me? I'm a married man you know." Harry scowled at him.

"Malfoy, we just want to talk to Hermione. Where's she sitting?" Ron asked unperturbed at Malfoy's rude comment. He peeked inside and looked around.

"I don't know. Why would I call you over to talk to you? I just want to know where Hermione is. I want to talk to her about this potion that she gave me." Harry looked startled.

"When was the last time you saw her, Malfoy." He asked uneasily.

"After I had a word with her up at the castle. We only talked for about five minutes before we parted ways. Why?"

"Was she heading to Hogsmeade?" Ron nervously asked.

"I watched her exit through the doors. WHY?" Both Ron and Harry took a step back.

"She isn't here." Ron said, his mouth dry.

"She never met us at the Three Broomsticks." Harry added. Draco's eyes widened.

"Shit!" The three boys said in unison.

"We've got to get to Dumbledore!" Harry breathed, turning instantly and racing towards Hogwarts. Ron followed after him. Draco stood for a minute before heading into the store behind him.

"Millicent!" He called. The young witch turned to see his stern face.

"I just sat down, Draco. What the hell do you want?" She asked rudely. Draco didn't spare time to frown at her or respond to her remark.

"Come on." Millicent, sensing the urgency in his voice, followed him out the door. As soon as she had safely exited the building, Draco took off at a sprint towards the castle. Millicent ran after him, her face showing her confusion.

"Draco, what is this?" Millicent shrieked after him. He spared her a glance.

"Millicent," he yelled back while dodging his classmates left and right, "Hermione's gone missing." Millicent's mouth fell open and she stopped in place.

"She's what?" She mouthed. Draco didn't stop and Millicent immediately picked up her pace again. "Where?" Draco gave her an exasperated look.

"I don't know! They took her."

And Millicent immediately understood.

"I don't think that isssss ssssmart, mudblood." A snake-like voice filled the room. "IT jussst might causssssse ssssome problemssssss."

Hermione froze. That was Voldemort. She was in a room with Voldemort. Her breath began coming in quick pants and she turned around slowly.

"Hello sir." She said politely though her eyes were narrowed into slits.

"Hello mudblood." He responded, his tone like ice. Hermione seethed and though she was mad as a hornet, she was even more afraid. "Why don't you come with me?" He asked menacingly, twisting around to face the door. Hermione frowned at his back.

"How about not?" She responded angrily, than slapped her hand over her mouth. Voldemort spun around angrily.

"What wasss that, mudblood?" Hermione gulped audibly and set her face in a strict, neutral expression.

"No thank you." She replied. Voldemort snarled.

"That wasss not a question. That wasss an order." He pointed his wanted at her. Hermione took a deep breath and, her head held high, nodded to the Dark Lord.

"Where are we going?" Voldemort sneered condescendingly and began to head down the long corridor. Hermione followed him stiffly.

"Good mudblood." Lucius Malfoy scoffed, "Following orders like you should." Hermione tensed visibly.

"I see you already forgot our other conversation, Lucius." Hermione reminded him snidely. Instantly she wished she hadn't when all four men stopped in their tracks and looked at her. Voldemort grinned evilly at Lucius and gestured to Hermione offhandedly.

"Have at it, Malfoy." Malfoy smirked and pulled out his wand. He pointed it straight at Hermione's chest and muttered the one word she had been hoping not to hear.

"Crucio!" Hermione gasped as a mountain of red-hot pain fell upon her. She wanted to scream and cry and pound against the floor mercilessly to try and remove the awful sensations from her body. She fell to her knees, her eyes watering and her teeth biting harshly into her lip. After twenty seconds Lucius removed the spell and smiled semi-approvingly of her. Hermione wheezed as she slowly, very slowly, went to stand up.

"Impressssive, mudblood." Voldemort laughed as he continued down the hallway, "Now hurry up!" Hermione felt like slamming herself into a wall. She was at a loss for what to do. She had been missing for at least an hour and a half and she figured that any logical person would have realized she was missing now. But how will they know where I am, she thought miserably.

Voldemort stopped abruptly and moved towards a white door on the side of the hall. Hermione, so lost in her own thoughts, didn't notice that he had stopped and kept walking straight down the hallway. Voldemort watched her amusedly, knowing she wouldn't get far. After watching her stroll down the hallway for a moment more, he noted the glow that was surrounding her body. He chuckled at what he thought was an innocent aura and leaned against the wall, waiting for just the right moment to speak to the girl

Desmond Parkinson was not so amused. Hermione was still walking slowly onward when he finally spoke to his Lord.

"What is she doing?" He asked, obviously upset.

"Sssshe isss not paying attention to me." Parkinson nodded doubtfully. Voldemort waited a second more and then called to her.

"Mudblood!" He hissed. Hermione stopped and turned around to face him. She looked at him for a minute and then, realizing that he was at least 40 feet away, began to run. Voldemort roared with irritation and a hint of entertainment. He faced his counterparts. "I like to play with my prisssonersss before I kill them." The three men nodded understandingly. Voldemort watched Hermione continue her race down the hall.

Hermione didn't stop running and only ran faster when, in the distance, she heard a spell being fired at her. She jumped to the side and the red ray of light shot past her. Breathing a sigh of relief she began to run again. Unluckily, three more spells were shot at her. She leapt to the side again only to be hit by a different spell. Dropping to the ground unladylike, Hermione cursed.

Damn that stupid snaky man! Hermione thought angrily as she was floated to the Dark Lord's side. Covering a distance of at least 60 feet was not fast going while being floated. Hermione pictured herself killing the man who currently had her bound tight.

Upon reaching the Dark Lord, she became conscious of the fact that running away from one of the most powerful wizards in the world was not the most intelligent thing to do. Comprehending the fact that the man she had run away from was immoral and malevolent to the core, she began to panic.

"You ssstupid little mudblood." Voldemort cackled as he floated her into the dark room he had originally stopped at. He removed the spell and Hermione fell roughly to the ground. Gustav Bulstrode grabbed Hermione roughly by the shoulders and threw her into the wall. She hit it hard and felt herself grow dizzy from pain.

"Infragilis Vinculum" Parkinson yelled as he threw a spell at her (Unbreakable Chain). Two pieces of iron seemed to materialize on the floor and each wrapped around Hermione's legs twice. She grew angry at the laughter that echoed from the throats of the men who currently held her captive.

Voldemort, who was now facing her, began to speak. "You thought you could run from me, mudblood? No, I am the sssstrongessst wizard of this time. There issss no possibility of you essscaping. Multus Poena!" (Much Pain)

Hermione's eyes rolled back into her head at the immense amount of pain she was feeling. She remembered the cartoons she had watched as a child where pianos and anvils had been dropped on the heads of the bad guys. She imagined this had to be what it felt like.

Releasing her from the spell, Voldemort snickered. Hermione merely lay against the cool wall. She gave herself a moment to regain all consciousness before opening her eyes. It was only then that she realized she was glowing. Voldemort was watching her suspiciously.

It hit her.

Her scar! She could call her friends using her scar! A burst of light filled the room as Hermione received the jerk of power she needed to refuel her energy. She put a hand to her hip and stroked the star scar.

Voldemort noticed her action and, raging at the now brightly glowing child, shouted again, "Multus Poena!"

Hermione's hand dropped from her side as she felt the pain once more soak through her body.

Harry, Ron, Draco and Millicent scrambled through the halls as they made their way to the headmaster's office.

"Students!" A strict voice echoed down the hall as they ran through the transfiguration hallway. "Stop this instant." The four teenagers skidded to a halt and swiveled around to face their professor. "Why are you running in these halls?" She inquired warily.

"Hermione!" Harry panted. McGonagall raised a thin eyebrow.

"And what of Ms. Malfoy, Mr. Potter?" She inquired again.

"Taken!" Ron wheezed. McGonagall gazed at the boy for a moment before what he said clicked in her brain.

"Oh good Merlin! How long ago?" She frantically asked.

"An hour and about forty minutes have passed, professor." Draco replied impatiently.

"What's the password to the Headmaster's office?" Harry asked, just as impatient as Draco, and wishing to waste no more time.

"Malted Snakeskin" McGonagall answered and watched as her students took off for a second time down the hall. Only then did she observe the glow that was projected from Draco.

Oh no.

"Malted Snakeskin! Malted Snakeskin!" Harry screeched as he neared the gargoyle blocking the entrance to the headmaster's office. The gargoyle moved to the side and the boy leaped onto the stairs that were moving upwards. Millicent, Draco and Ron followed his lead and leapt onto the staircase as well.

The door to Professor Dumbledore's office swung open and the four students entered as quickly as possible. "What can I get you four?" He asked calmly.

"Hermione's been taken, sir." Harry told him. The headmaster looked surprised.

"How long ago was this?" He quizzed.

"An hour and fifty minutes, approximately." Draco informed him. The headmaster shook his head unhappily and watched as the glow shining from Draco was becoming brighter.

"Are you sure?" He questioned.

"Yes!" Ron practically screamed. Dumbledore rubbed his temples.

"Please take a seat." He told them, his voice implying the worry he felt. The teenagers rushed to the chairs. Harry didn't even notice that Draco was sitting between Ron and him. "What can you tell me about Hermione's disappearance?" He queried.

The students sat quietly for a moment. "We don't know sir." Harry told him.

"We have no idea where she is." Ron added.

"Who do you think took her." Draco looked at his headmaster incredulously.

"Do you really need-" Draco's inhaled softly.

Harry turned to Draco to see why he hadn't finished his sentence and realized he was gone. "Where do –" He began to ask before both he and Ron inhaled softly.

They suddenly disappeared.

Dumbledore stared at the spot where three of his students had been sitting a measly 3 seconds ago. He only gazed at the spot for a moment more before turning to question Millicent. He faced her just in time to see her disappear also. His mouth dropped open.

"Call all the professors." He told the portraits and immediately they rushed off.

Voldemort ended the spell on Hermione just as a disgruntled Draco appeared in the room. He stared at the slightly glowing boy and called to Lucius who had been talking to Parkinson and Bulstrode on the other side of the room. The three men hurried over to where their master was torturing the mudblood.

"What is this?" He asked, focusing on Draco. Lucius Malfoy walked up to his son. He was suddenly knocked down under the force of a red haired Weasley. He snarled at the weight of the boy. Scrambling off of him, Ron cursed. Harry Potter bent down to help him up. A moment later yet another child appeared in the room.

Voldemort stared at the four students and they stared at him, but only for a second. Finally coming to terms with who was in the room he occupied, the Dark Lord spoke the word that set off the beginning of the war.

"Goodbye."

He pointed his wand at a defenseless Harry.

Author's Note- Corny ending, I know. I needed some good 'finishing' sentences and they just couldn't come to me. I was bust all weekend and wrote this Sunday night. Hopefully the time I wrote it isn't reflected in my writing. The next chapter will be a fight scene and I'm looking forward to writing it. I never though I liked fight scenes but they seem to play out in my head very easily. I think possibly Friday, it will be out? Yeah, I'll aim for then.

Hey, thanks for all the reviews I got for the last chapter. Some just make me laugh with happiness. Gottalovedrakie- I'm doing this from memory, sorry if I got your name wrong, I really appreciated your review. It was so sweet!

Fieryred20- I always look for your review. I'm depending on you! Thanks for encouragement!

Senya- I love getting reviews from you too. Thanks!

Cheers to my other reviewers as well. My Computer isn't working so I can't put certain people up here, though I did try. I hope you like and of course:

REVIEW!

Xo, Kate