A/N: At the moment I am annoying my bestie by messaging her constantly and not letting her read the chapter I sent her. Anyway thanks for the reviews…
DISCLAIMER: You all know.
Chapter Twelve: Angry Determination
"Harry! No please!" laughed Ginny as her husband chased her with bubbles in his hand from doing the dishes, "Harry! We'll wake the children!"
Harry laughed as he caught Ginny and rubbed his bubble filled hand on the back of her neck. Ginny screamed as she laughed and turned in his arms to kiss him on the lips.
"You are evil Harry Potter… but I love you," she smiled before kissing him again.
Harry smiled, "I know and I love you too… I'd better go finish those dishes. You take a shower okay?"
Ginny nodded, kissed Harry once more and left to have a warm shower.
Harry returned to the kitchen and pointed his wand once more at the soapy sink to get the dishes cleaning again. He turned and sat at the table and began reading through the Daily Prophet.
"Ha… Chudley Cannon's loose again. Poor Ron… Rita Skeeter number one reporter ever… someone has been using Quick note things again," muttered Harry turning the page, "Dakota May Granger: Cutest Millionaire Child. Wonder what Hermione would think?"
Harry closed the paper and stood up to leave the kitchen when an owl cam flying in through the window. Harry caught the hastily folded note and smiled at Ginny when she entered dressed in her nightgown.
Harry unfolded the letter and read it aloud once he saw it was Hagrid's very messy handwriting.
"Harry,
"Your help is needed. Dakota missing. Cannot find her. At Three Broomsticks with Hermione and Malfoy."
"Hagrid."
Harry looked up at Ginny in shock. Ginny had her hand over her mouth in surprise. She walked around to Harry and took the letter from his hand. Harry was pale from shock. Hermione was his bestfriend and she had made him Godfather of Dakota.
"Harry, go to Hermione now. She needs you. I am going to write to Mum and tell her the situation. Hopefully she can come here and look after James and Rianna. I will then come to Hogsmeade to help out."
Harry nodded, kissed Ginny on the cheek and left with a crack. Ginny sighed and looked around her. Parchment, she needed parchment and ink.
O
"Sharla took her Draco!" cried Hermione, "Remember what she said in the restaurant?"
"Hermione, she was kidding. Dakota has ran off somewhere that is all," said Draco confidently, though he knew Hermione was right. It was just something he didn't want to hear or believe.
Hermione glared at Draco and pulled away from him, "My daughter would never run away! I have always, always told her to never run off! Harry!"
Behind Draco, Harry had appeared. He ran over to Hermione and hugged her tightly.
"Have you searched Hogsmeade thoroughly?" asked Harry calmly.
"No Potter, we stood around panicking the whole time!" snapped Draco as he began pacing, "Of course we looked around! We looked everywhere possible!"
"Harry," pleaded Hermione ignoring Draco, "I think someone has taken her!"
"Calm down Herms," said Harry, "You too Malfoy. Now, I am going to contact the Aurours on call. With them we are going to organize a search."
Hermione nodded, tears in her eyes, "She must be so scared."
Draco felt his heart break at the sight of Hermione. Her eyes looked so scared and her arms were wrapped around her body. She was powerless in the situation. She couldn't be the brave Hermione Granger like she was in every other situation she had been in. It was her daughter, no their daughter who was missing.
Harry sighed. He couldn't say anything to console Hermione. Draco should, not him. Harry gave Draco a look and walked over to Hagrid who had parchment and a quill for Harry to use.
"Everything will work out Hermione," said Draco lamely, "Harry will find her."
"You don't know that," snapped Hermione, "She is only three years old! This… this will torment her forever!"
"You need to calm down."
"Calm down? How can I calm down when I know where my daughter could be and everyone is like, oh no! We don't agree with you… we'll just start a search party!"
Draco sighed. He didn't know what else to say. Hermione glared at him and turned her back on him just as Ginny arrived.
"Hermione!" cried Ginny running over to her, "How is everything going?"
"Awful. No one believes me!"
"I never said that!" snapped Draco causing Hermione to spin around to glare at him.
"Crap Draco! You said she was kidding!"
"Well who wants to believe some crazy psycho took their only child?"
Hermione fell silent. Ginny glanced between the arguing two and took a deep breath. Obviously she landed the role of peacekeeper tonight.
"Draco… perhaps it would be best if… just listen… if you listened to Hermione's idea?" said Ginny calmly, earning a nod from Draco, "Okay Hermione... tell us your idea."
"I think Sharla took her. You see Ginny," started Hermione as she explained that nights happenings and who Sharla Mink was, "I really do believe she took her. But no one will listen to me. I'm just the distraught mother."
Ginny nodded and looked at Draco, "Do you think Hermione is just creating things in her mind to explain this all?"
"What are you? Our counselor?"
"No I am Hermione's friend and Godmother of the missing child," snapped Ginny, "Answer my question!"
In Draco's mind he saw Molly scolding her children and almost laughed at the resemblance between mother and daughter. Instead he shook his head knowing Hermione was correct. Ginny sighed and glanced over her shoulder to her husband who was now instructing the arriving Aurours. She smiled at Hermione and walked over to Harry.
"Harry I need a word with you," said Ginny firmly.
"I'm busy Gin. We have to find Dakota before it's too late," replied Harry, "Jesse I want you to head to Hogwarts with Mick, Ben and Blake. Inform the Headmistress of the situation. Ask her to get the Ghost's and Professor's to search the school grounds and castle."
"Harry! Dakota has been kidnapped. Hermione has taught her daughter to never run off! The little thing is always going to be a target of kidnapping. Her mother is the owner of a near billion-dollar business and her father is the Heir to the Malfoy fortune! She has been kidnapped!"
"And who would take her?" snapped Harry turning to his wife.
"Sharla Mink."
"Who on earth is Sharla Mink and how is she an enemy of Hermione?"
Ginny grabbed a Daily Prophet from a nearby bin, hoping it was that day's one. Thankfully it was. She flicked through the pages until she came across an advertisement. It was small unlike the large one beside it, which was an advertisement of Hermione's business.
"Sharla Mink, owner of the Wizard Wedding's business in Knockturn Alley. Hermione wouldn't hire her when her business was beginning and ever since Sharla has had a grudge. She threatened Hermione tonight saying if she didn't close her business bad things would happen to Dakota."
"Why didn't Hermione get Dakota then?"
"Harry, Hermione gets these kind of threats from rivaling businesses all the time. If you got a lot of them would you believe it after a while?"
"Okay. Look I will look into it-"
"You will Merlin damn act on it! This is a lead in this case Harry! Take it before you loose it!" shouted Ginny in anger, "What if this happened to us? What if James and Rianna were taken? Would you take this lead into the case or ignore it like you are now?"
Harry looked away guiltily, "Take it."
"Then take this one. Hermione wouldn't lie about something is terrible. Her daughter needs her Uncle."
Harry nodded as he looked at Hermione. Finally after all their arguing, Draco was holding Hermione in his arms.
"Right!" shouted Harry jumping up onto the table, "I want all Aurours here now! We have a lead and need to take it while it is hot!"
O
"Will you shut her up?" screamed Sharla shutting the blinds in the room, "They will hear her!"
"Shaz, this is crazy! What will we earn from this?"
"How stupid are you Delia?" sneered Sharla at her younger sister, "That Granger woman didn't believe I would make her nightmare come true. Now I am. She will close her business for sure."
Delia gave her sister a not so sure look and tried to soothe the screaming Dakota. But every time Delia went near Dakota the girl would scream louder and attempt the kick, hit or bite her.
"This is stupid!" yelled Delia's boyfriend Andrew, "The girl is a Malfoy heir! The Malfoy's have power! They will murder us!"
"The Malfoy's are nothing. Little do they know my cousin who works at the bank has been decreasing their Malfoy Millions."
"I WANT MY MUMMY!" screamed Dakota kicking out at Delia again, "TAKE ME BACK TO MY MUMMY!"
Sharla gave an angry scream and stormed over to Dakota. She pulled her wand out and pointed it roughly into Dakota's chest, "Shut up or you won't be alive to see your mudblood mother again."
"My Mummy would hurt you for touching me," replied Dakota innocently.
"How is that child three?" asked Andrew, "It has more intelligence then you do Sharla."
Sharla turned from glaring at Dakota to shooting Andrew a look of death, "Shut up. Delia keep her silent. Andrew scout the Alley for any aurours. Find any… kill them."
"My Mummy is going to hurt you," said Dakota confidently, "She doesn't like naughty people."
"She mustn't like you then," replied Sharla before she slapped the little girl across the face.
O
Hermione looked around her as all the Aurours began leaving. She gripped Draco's hand tightly and swallowed a lump in her throat. This wasn't right. She shouldn't be standing here and doing nothing. She should be finding her baby girl. She turned around to face Draco and kissed him softly on the lips. Draco looked at her in surprise but when he saw the look in her eyes he began shaking his head.
"No, Hermione, let Harry do his job," insisted Draco.
"She needs her Mum to find her. I'm her protector," replied Hermione.
"I have to protect you both," replied Draco, "Look… this isn't safe."
Hermione stepped away from Draco. This side of her he had never laid eyes on. He could see the look in her eyes: angry determination to do what is right. Before Draco could stop her Hermione was gone with a crack.
"Father," whispered Draco. He would know what to do.
O
Hermione opened her eyes to find herself in Knockturn Alley. Around her Aurours were scouting the Alley, but none took any notice of her. Hermione looked around her. Creaking signs hung above her advertising the businesses. Across from her was a noisy pub and an empty alleyway beside it. Hermione pulled her wand out. She needed to find the business. It was the only place she could think of going too.
She started up the alleyway checking the signs hanging from business buildings. The aurours kept running past her, ignoring her.
"Where is it?" murmured Hermione, "Lumos!"
Her wand let out a bright light making it easier to read the signs. She held it high and walked towards a building painted a dark blue, near black. The word's jumped out at her sending Hermione's heart to pound like crazy. How could people not see the sign? They were running right past it all the time.
'Then again,' thought Hermione, 'The words are painted in dark colours.'
"You won't be going in there," came a threatening voice.
Hermione spun around in surprise to see a tall man with black hair and piecing blue eyes, "My daughter is in there."
"Is that so? Well in there she shall stay Miss Granger."
The man stepped towards Hermione, gripping his wand tightly. Hermione held hers up, narrowing her eyes.
"Don't even think of stepping any closer!" shouted Hermione.
"Expelliarmus!" he shouted catching Hermione off guard. Her mind wasn't working properly; to her all that mattered was finding her daughter. The man caught her wand with ease, "And they call you the smartest witch to graduate from Hogwarts?"
Hermione took a deep breath and concentrated entirely on the spell she needed. Wandless magic, sixth year stuff. Out of nowhere the spell hit him fair in the chest and sent him crashing into the building behind him. Hermione ran forward, ignoring the Aurours running towards the commotion. She grabbed her wand and glared down at the confused looking man.
"They did call me that and now you know why," snapped Hermione turning around to be face to face with Harry.
O
"Father! Father!" yelled Draco running up the staircase towards, "Father!"
At the top of the staircase his worried mother and father met Draco. Narcissa saw Draco's pale face and led him to a seat to the side of the hall.
"What happened? Did you and Hermione fight?" asked Narcissa, "I told you not to be so fast moving in relationships!"
"Will you quit badgering the boy, woman, and let him talk!" snapped Lucius, "Draco, what is the matter?"
"This woman threatened Hermione tonight at the restaurant… she told Hermione to shut down her business or something bad will happen to Dakota. Hermione gets these sorts of threats on a daily basis and nothing has happened… until now. The woman… Sharla Mink… she has taken Dakota and Hermione has gone after her. She says it's her duty," explained Draco before putting his head in his hands, "What do I do? I can't stop her… that would be pointless. She is incredibly stubborn."
"Sharla Mink," murmured Narcissa, "She owns that horrible Wedding business in Knockturn Alley."
"Yeah, Hermione wouldn't hire her when her business was beginning."
"Who would? She has a horrible attitude to life and everyone around her. Plus her hair needs a good cut and her style could be reassessed."
"Mum! I don't care about her hair or clothes. Do I go help Hermione or stay here?"
"Dakota is your daughter and Hermione is your love," said Lucius calmly, "Go help her. She needs you by her side no matter what she says or does."
O
"You shouldn't be here!" yelled Harry, "I can handle this!"
"You all bloody walked past the building a thousand times!" snapped back Hermione, "And I just took out that man, who works for Sharla! He could have taken you all out one by bloody one! How the hell can you all call yourselves aurours when you can't even find a building or a threat?"
"Don't you bad mouth my team!"
Hermione took a deep breath and gave Harry a hard shove to the side. She pointed her wand at the door and blasted it out of her way. Inside the screams of a child could be heard, with shouting the sound of someone being hit.
"She hit my daughter!"
Hermione jumped and saw Draco beside her, wand in his hand.
"Hermion-" started Harry worriedly but Hermione walked in followed by Draco. Harry looked at all of the Aurours around him, waiting for instruction.
"We wait. Hermione wants to do this alone."
"But it's dangerous!" said Dean angrily, "We don't even know how powerful that woman is."
"We wait."
O
Dakota held a small hand to her bleeding lip. It was hurting her to the point of hysteria. But when the door blasted open Dakota knew her Mummy and Daddy were coming to save her. She was her Mummy's angel and Daddy's princess. They would never let any harm come to her anymore.
"Hide her!" screamed Sharla to Delia, "Now!"
"No!" screamed Dakota, "Mummy! Daddy!"
"Dakota!" came her mother's worried cry, "I'm coming baby!"
Sharla ran forward and shoved Delia into a shelf. She grabbed Dakota by the hair and yanked her up off the dirty ground. Dakota gave a terrified and painful scream, earning a hit in the back from Sharla. This woman showed no mercy. The door in front of them blew open, but Dakota was too scared and in too much pain to make any noise. Silent tears slid down her dirty cheeks as her mother ran into the room followed by her father.
"Oh my Merlin," cried Hermione seeing her daughter's injuries, "What have you done to her?"
"She misbehaved," sniggered Sharla, "She only received her required punishments."
"She's a little girl!" screamed Hermione before shouting a stunning spell at an unprepared Sharla.
The woman's body fell to the ground along with a weak Dakota.
"Potter!" yelled Draco, "I need an injury aid kit!"
Hermione was already beside her daughter's body. She lifted Dakota onto her lap and used her coat to wipe the blood from her mouth.
"Mummy," whispered Dakota as tears fell down her cheeks, "I wasn't naughty. I promise."
"I know sweetie… Daddy will make you feel better."
O
Harry closed the door behind him and leant on it with a sigh. The image of his Godchild flashed through his mind and nearly sent him to tears. At least the nightmare was over. Sharla would be locked away for a long time, along with Andrew. It turned out Delia was forced into the situation but she too knew she would be in Azkaban for five horrible years.
A warm hand touched Harry's arm and he looked up at the face of his loving wife.
"How is everything going?" asked Ginny quietly, "All convicted?"
"Every single one. Do you know how Dakota is?" asked Harry.
"She is at the Children's Ward at St Mungo's. So much as happened to Hermione. Her mother's death… now this."
"I know. How bad are the injuries?"
"Bruised back, black eye and cut lip… plus the trauma of it all."
"If I had only listened to Hermione Dakota wouldn't be hurt," snapped Harry angry with himself.
"You don't know that Harry. All that matters is she is alive," replied Ginny placing a hand lovingly on his cheek, "Come on. We can go see her now. Then we can go home to our children."
O
Hermione yawned a little as she watched Draco apply some healing balm to Dakota's cut lip. Hermione watched as the swelling went down and the cut disappear. Dakota sighed in her sleep and cuddled her teddy to her closer.
"When she wakes I can give her the potion to heal her back and eye," said Draco quietly, "But she needs sleep now more than anything. So do you."
"I'm not leaving her," replied Hermione not taking her eyes off her daughter, "I nearly lost her today."
Draco walked around the bed and sat beside Hermione. He took hold of both of her hands and made her look at him, "And what if something happened to you? I could have lost both you and my little princess. But I didn't and for that I am grateful. I love you and our daughter. But dwelling on tonight won't help life go on. Dakota's alive and will be better by tomorrow. Besides her Mummy kicked butt."
Hermione smiled, "I did, didn't I?"
"Don't get pig headed about it, now."
Hermione chuckled and gave Draco's hand a squeeze, "Draco… I know I have said this all before but I am sorry for everything terrible that has happened."
Draco smiled and ran one had down the side of her face, "I have you here with me now. That's all that matters."
Hermione smiled and leant forward. She kissed him softly on the lips and pulled away smiling.
"Sorry to intrude!" came Ginny's happy voice, "But I'm a Potter after all!"
Hermione laughed as Harry playfully hit Ginny on the backside. Draco smiled and stood up.
"I'd better get these empty bottles refilled," he said, "See you all later."
"Bye," said Hermione watching him leave.
"How is she doing?" asked Harry looking at his sleeping Goddaughter.
"Good. Draco healed her cut lip and when she wakes he'll give her a potion to heal her back and eye," said Hermione standing, "Thankyou to you both. I wouldn't have been able to cope without you both."
"Hey," said Harry walking around the bed to hug Hermione in a brother sister manner, "I should have listened to you but I am glad you came to Knockturn Alley when you did."
Hermione smiled, "She is alive and that's what matters."
"So," said Ginny a mischievous grin on her face, "When are you and Draco going to move in together?"
Had it been yesterday Hermione would of avoided the question or made some random reply. But after all that happened she now saw her and Draco had changed, but it still didn't change anything between them. She loved him and he loved her.
"Soon," said Hermione, "Maybe even tonight."
A/N: Not as long as the previous chapter… but you get that! Anyway… yeah… not much for me to say. Anyway please review!
Bye for now!
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Love Coz!