Hermione knew that a person could not be left under the Imperius curse for too long. It would kill them. But somehow Hermione knew that Draco's health wasn't the top priority to Lucious Malfoy. She would just stay here until Draco was free of the curse, and then the hard part would begin, how to get him out!

Tonight was another party with the Death Eaters. For all the parties that Lucious Malfoy was having he could have been running for public office! That's it, Hermione thought, he is trying to move up in rank and Draco will be his final test.

Hermione slunk between legs and chairs, under tabled heavily laden with food of every sort. She couldn't find Draco anywhere. Usually, he was the center of attention. Lucious couldn't have done something to him yet, could he?

Hermione picked up the pace. No Draco outside where the party spilled out into the grounds. No Draco hiding out in the kitchen or snogging in the lavatory. She searched the upstairs living quarters, nothing! Surely, Lucious hadn't let him go off the family property. The Imperius curse was most effective when the caster and the victim were in close proximity. Where could she have missed him? She made her way back downstairs for another sweep. She walked down dark hallways searching every nook and cranny. Finally, she noticed a hallway that she hadn't seen before, it lead to a stone staircase the winded down below ground level. There was a large wooden door with a heavy metal handle. She would never as a cat be able to open it. She scanned the halls making sure that she was alone. In a whirlwind flurry, the tabby cat transformed into a house elf. She wasn't much larger than a cat and not much stronger, but at least she had fingers. She worked the door open slowly and peered in.

Even Hermione, who treated Hogwarts – A History like a bible thought that the days of dungeons was passed. But here before her was a dungeon like was depicted in fairy tales. Before her, crumpled into a pile on the cold stone floor was the prince that she was to rescue. Even when she opened the door enough to enter he did not lift his head. She toddled to him. Only when she was within arms reach did she notice the deep gash on his head. She cried out instinctively. Only then did Draco flinch. She reached out and touched him with her short elfish fingers. He recoiled. "Draco…"she whispered, "Draco, please."

"No, please. No more," he cried.

"No Draco, I am not going to hurt you." She knew that she had to work quickly because she had no guarantee how long they would be alone. But she also knew that she could not move him in this form. A moment later, the beautiful Hermione Granger was knelt at Draco's unresponsive body.

"Come on, we have to get you out of here."

Draco thought that he was having another dream. He heard a voice and his mind was taken back to another time, it was Hogwart's. He had just found out that his father had agreed that he should receive the Dark Mark and he was furious, he had burst into his common room and collapsed into tears, that is when the muggle-born had found him and comforted him. He knew he was near death because he could almost hear Hermione's voice again comforting and consoling him. Once again, he gave into the soft arms and the scent of lavender.

Hermione thought for a moment that Draco would regain consciousness but he blacked-out again. Judging from the pool of dried blood that had been exposed when she lifted him, it was a wonder that he had a pulse much less consciousness. She did the best that she could to hoist him up. She tried to apparate, but Malfoy Manor must have had a blocking spell around it. She could come and go in any shape she wanted, but she had no idea if Draco was an amigos or what form he would take. In any case, he was in no shape to transform.

There was nothing in the cold cell that would aide her escape. But she remembered that the kitchen was only a short distance away. Right now it was empty and there was a fireplace. Luckily enough, she had just brought along her floo powder. She put her arm under Draco's shoulder and heaved him up the stairs. She peered out before she rushed down the short hall to the kitchen. She stood in front of the fireplace, Draco beside her ready to floo when she heard someone coming. It was Lucious and several followers.

"Now, if you will follow me," he said dryly, "we will continue with tonight's initiation process."

Just the words he spoke made Hermione's stomach churn. Draco was his son not some process. She whispered affirmations of their safety into Draco's ear as she waited for the group to descend down the stairs. As the last one went through the door she quickly threw the floo powder in the fire and said, "2000 Pickering Way, Apartment 77, London." As she stepped into the fire with Draco at her side she heard Lucious bellow obscenities from the basement. But then even that sound was gone.

Lucious ran up the stairs cursing. He ran down the hall and stopped at the kitchen door. All was dark and as it should be, but he caught the unmistakable sulphurous scent of floo powder. And he knew.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

She had almost run through the floo to keep Lucious from seeing them. The momentum kept them moving. Hermione fell onto her floor and Draco fell beside her. She was scared and sore, but they were safe, for now.

She moved Draco to her sofa and did the best she could to clean his wounds with peroxide and gauze. He had a deep cut above his eyebrow that looked to be infected. A deep bruise covered his cheek and she was sure he had some internal injury because every time he shifted his weight he winced.

Hermione had a good friend who was a healer but she couldn't call on him until morning when his shift was over. The curse he had been living under made his mind and body weak. So for now, her muggle medicine and chicken noodle soup would have to do. She sat on a stool beside the couch with Draco through the night. She intermittently fed him soup and water. She gave him muggle medicine to help fight the fever that had overtaken him. When the first rays of light permeated Hermione's thick curtains, she awoke with an awful neck cramp and her head lay on Draco's chest. He still lay on the sofa perfectly still, but the fever was gone and he was resting peacefully. Now, Hermione just had to get him a qualified healer.

………………………………………………………………………………………………