A/N: Hello all! Well this may be a little short but…I think you'll find is quite interesting! I hope you like it! Thanks for all the reviews as well! Please continue to review, it's the only thing that keeps me typing!
Chapter Sixteen: Bittersweet Betrayal
The woman laughed ferociously as Hermione helplessly watched Draco leave. The laughter suddenly halted, the cold eyes of the woman seemed to now be boring deep into Hermione's soul. She winced at the icy feeling shot through her by the intimidating stare. And that crooked smile, just barely visible under a black hood. Hermione's struggling was in vain, for her bindings were preventing every form of movement and almost preventing her from breathing.
"So, you have feelings for him?" the woman questioned casually, as if they were old friends.
Hermione snarled softly under her breath.
"So what if I do? It's not like you'll spare either of us so what's the point in telling you anything!" she spat.
"Tut tut now, someone's a bit cranky!"
"I'll give you cranky!" Hermione shouted and pulled all the harder on the restraints.
Again, more laughter. She was growing tired of this little game of cat and mouse; she wanted to end it now! If only she could break the bonds!
"You won't escape me! Servant! Why don't you entertain our guest?"
A snakelike creature came forth on two scaly feet, bowing low in front of the woman.
"My Lady," he hissed through fangs, "do you fear no retaliation from the Dark Lord? You have strict orders-"
"I'll hear nothing of these orders! He is a weak and simple minded fool!" she snapped, making her reptilian ally tremble in fear.
"Yes M'Lady!" he whispered, bowing low again.
The claws of the creature reached up and began working on Hermione's bindings, slowly but surely cutting through the magical thread.
"You don't fear Voldemort?" Hermione questioned.
"Why should I fear him? He is but a blithering fool. His plan will never work…but mine…"
"What makes you so sure?"
"SILENCE! Pathetic mortal…you are bound by time and thus cannot see what I do…" The woman replied, almost wistfully.
Hermione suddenly fell forwards, the claws of the reptilian creature digging painfully into her flesh. She let out a whimper which was met by a forceful claw to the face. The woman seemed to be having a revelation; she slipped to hood lightly off her head. Hermione would have gasped, had she been able to see her face. The woman faced the other way but there was no mistaking the black wavy hair. She turned and stared Hermione down, knowing she would be recognized.
"No…" Hermione whispered, "How could you?"
"How could I? How could I!" she screamed, "You have no idea what you and your pathetic friends put me through! The agony of my beloved dying…and he didn't even care! He has to pay, it's his fault my love is dead!"
The creature that had been supporting Hermione had dropped her to the ground to escape the fury of his Mistress. Hermione grunted as she bled steadily from the claw wounds and pulled herself from the ground. Her legs were weak at the sight of this girl from her past. The sweet, innocent girl turned wicked by hate and the grief of her lost lover.
"I'm…sorry…" Hermione whispered, true sorrow in her voice now.
"You're sorry?" she scoffed; hate burning in her eyes, "Sorry cannot bring him back. Sorry cannot give me all the years Mr. Potter has taken from me! His life will be the only thing that can make my many years of pain and suffering, my eternity to be spent here on this vile planet, worth living."
Ron wandered the corridors; he knew this was the way. He just had a weird feeling, a drawing feeling towards Ginny. In the dim light he could hardly see anything but this only intensified his hearing, and now he was hearing whimpers. He wasn't sure if the soft noises were from a real person or in his imagination. He stood still, pinpointing the sounds.
"Ginny?" he whispered.
"Ron? Oh, Ron!" came Ginny's voice.
He was overjoyed, he had actually found Ginny! He leaned down to the sound and saw a deep hole, darkness covering it.
"Don't worry Ginny I'll get you out, I promise!" he said, "Koji! I need your help!"
Koji, who had been searching a little ways behind Ron, came rushing up to him to help in any way possible.
"Help me get her out!" Ron nearly screamed.
"How?"
"I don't know! Just think of something!"
"Hermione's in danger…"
Ron jumped at the echoes off the walls and growled. What now? Save Ginny, or save Hermione? He looked down into the hole and pictured Ginny's terrified face, but then the image of Hermione being tortured came into his head. What was he going to do!
Harry jumped at the sound of another voice and turned to Arthur, was it a trick or was Hermione really in danger. He wouldn't doubt it, they were in an evil place and traps could lurk in any dark corner they failed to thoroughly inspect.
"Let's go." Harry said, taking a step towards the direction of the voice.
Arthur's hand quickly grabbed Harry's shoulder in an attempt to convince him of the risk he was taking. A last stern look from Harry was all it took for Arthur to fall in step behind him and follow towards Draco.
With a heavy heart and a feigned smile on his face Draco greeted Harry and Arthur. He knew that Arthur might get in the way of the woman's plans but so be it, he had to save Hermione.
"Thank goodness you're here!" He exclaimed, "Hermione has been captured by this deranged freak who's got her tied up to a wall!"
That was most of the truth…and the only part that they needed to know at this point. Harry merely nodded and Draco took that as the initiative to lead them to Hermione, the halls were as dark as ever as Harry was unknowingly sealing his fate. Draco paused at the space where the door should have been, it was now blending perfectly with the wall. He pushed roughly on the door but it didn't budge. Again he tried, this time assisted by Harry, the door burst open with a thunderous 'bang.'
"What's going on here? Who intrudes!" the woman screamed, whipping around to finally face the three who resided in the doorway.
Immediately she realized that this was a mistake, the three merely stared. They were so shocked at the sweet, porcelain smooth face that stayed with them through the years. She turned to Hermione in a rage.
"You planned this didn't you! You little wench!"
She grabbed Hermione's collar and wrenched her from the ground, knocking the breath out of her as she did so. With a quick maneuver and the pull of magic she threw Harry, Draco, and Arthur back against the wall and bound them. Harry was the only one not to struggle, he was far too shocked.
"Why Cho…why?" he whispered softly.
