Ch 3

Hermione was pulled savagely across the yard. She was thrown down in the dewy grass. She was kneeling, her hands behind her back. She tried to lift her head but was pushed back down again. 'What is happening?' She thought. 'Is this just a bad dream?' She was scared: more scared than she had ever been in her life. She had been kidnapped on her way to the Burrow by two cloaked figures. They had stunned her and she had just woken up here. 'Where am I?'

Then she heard a familiar voice. "Where is the mudblood?" It was familiar but she couldn't quite place it.

A colder voice answered. "Here she is." She was kicked in the ribs by a hard foot. "Are you ready to be a death eater?"

"Yes." The first voice answered. Now she knew who it was: Draco Malfoy!

What was her doing here? Was he going to kill her? She ticked off options in her head. She could try to grab one of her captor's wands and stun everyone. Then she could run away. That probably wouldn't work that well. She could just wait until one of her captors got distracted then run for it. It was far-fetched but it was worth trying. She would try anything at this point.

Draco lifted his wand and pointed it at the girl's head. He paused gathering strength to perform Avada Kedavra. He had waited for this moment for ages, to finally be accepted by his father.

The mudblood knelt on the ground, her head down. She was trembling and whimpering slightly, still weakened by the stunning spell. Her curly brown hair suddenly seemed familiar.

"Boy, kill her already!" Lucius shouted impatiently.

'don't be a coward. Malfoys don't show emotions. She's just a mudblood.' But what was it about her that was stopping him?

Hermione lifted her head, wondering why she hadn't been murdered yet. When Draco saw the girl's face, he gasped.

Lucius motioned impatiently.

The first girl who stood up to him. It was the same girl who slapped in the face thee and a half years ago. The only person in school who got better marks than him. He couldn't kill her, he just couldn't.

"Father, I won't do it." Draco lowered him wand.

And Hermione, attempting to get up on her unsteady legs, succeeded and began to run away from the men.

"Stupefy!" three voices shouted. Immediately Hermione was knocked off her feet and into blackness.

Lucius called out, "Someone's coming! Run!" Draco's feet automatically followed after his father's toward the forest. Lord Voldemort dis-apparated as well as Bellatrix Lestrange. By the time Mr. Weasley and Charlie arrived everyone was gone.

"Where's Hermione?" Charlie asked.

Mr. Weasley spotted a lump in the grass. "Over here." He hurried over. Hermione was limp on the ground. A trickle of blood was dripping from her mouth. Charlie joined his father.

"It looks like she got stunned. Possibly by more than one wizard. She won't come around for a while."

"We have to get her back to the Burrow. You apparate back with her and I'll look around to try to find those death eaters."

"Okay Dad. Be careful."

"See you back at the house."

Charlie lifted Hermione onto his back and dis-apparated.

Back at the Burrow the air was full of tension. Harry was sitting on the couch running his hands through his hair. Ron was pacing up and down the living room.

Suddenly he burst out, "If those mother-fuckers hurt her I'm going to..."

"Ron." Mrs. Weasley said automatically. She was worrying about Hermione. "I wonder when they'll be back..."

She was interrupted by Charlie appearating right in front of her. He walked over to the couch. Harry got up quickly and helped Charlie gently lower Hermione onto it. The whole house was silent for a long moment. Ginny broke the silence.

"Is she dead?" She rushed out.

"No. But she got hit by a couple of stunning spells at once. Dad's still there, looking for whoever did it."

Mrs. Weasley quickly gave out orders, "Ginny go start some water boiling and get a washcloth from the hall closet. Ron go get my wand. It's on my dresser. Charlie go get Albus."

Charlie said, "okay. bye mom." and a 'pop' was heard. She knelt down next to Hermione holding her hand. Neither Ginny and Ron had gone to do their tasks, they were too worried about the unconscious girl on the couch. "Her pulse is steady. Now go you three!"

When Ron had gotten her wand back Mrs. Wealsey gently tapped Hermione's head. "Enervate." They all held their breath until Hermione slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the four faces in front of her face. She let out a little yelp and jumped back. Mrs. Weasley reached out and smoothed her hair, "It's okay, Hermione. You're safe now."

Hermione gave a weak smile and fell back asleep.