"Viktor." Hermione said surprised. "What are you doing here?" He just looked at her. There was something wrong with him. His eyes looked glassy and he was pale. "Viktor, what's wrong?" She checked her watch again. "Oh no, I'm going to be late. Lets talk later. Bye." She turned to rush off again but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. "Viktor, let go I have to go to work." She looked at his eyes. They weren't looking at her. They were still looking straight ahead. Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it at him. "Viktor, let me go."

"Herm-my-onee," he managed. He looked like he was trying to fight something. The Imperious curse. Just as it had seemed that he was fighting the curse, it took him over again. He squeezed her hand a little harder and reached inside his pocket with his other hand. He pulled out a quill. Hermione looked puzzled.

"Viktor let me go! What are you doing?" Hermione was now struggling to get away. He took her hand and made her touch the quill with him. It happened to be a Portkey. And just as she had touched it, they both were pulled somewhere very dark. Hermione looked around and saw the last person that she wanted to see. Pansy Parkinson.

Ron and Harry rushed into Draco's office.

"Were is she!" Ron yelled and pointed his wand at Draco's neck.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Said Draco pulling out his own wand and point right back at Ron.

"Don't play dumb Malfoy, we know you were the last to see her." Said Harry pulling out his wand and pointing it at Malfoy too.

"Who's her!" Said Malfoy looking agitated.

"Hermione you slimy ferret! We know you did something to her! Now where is she before I kill you." Yelled Ron.

"I don't know what you're talking about! Yeah, I saw her yesterday night before she went home. She was pretty pissed, so I went to her flat to make sure she was alright. After that I went home!"

"So you don't know were she is?" Asked Harry.

"Why the hell would I know? She's not at work?" Asked Malfoy with his wand still pointed at Ron.

"Harry don't believe him! He knows were she is!" Yelled Ron.

"Listen, why would I want to keep a Mudblood like Granger." Asked Malfoy.

"Watch your mouth Malfoy!" Warned Harry pointing his wand back at him.

"I don't have time for you two. Hope you find her. I have things to do." Said Malfoy putting his wand down and gathering papers.

"Like torture her!" Yelled Ron not letting him go anywhere.

"I DON'T KNOW WERE GRANGER IS! I went to her house last night to check on her! that's it!"

"Why did you go to check on her?" Asked Harry.

"Because she was so pissed she could barely make it around a chair let alone floo back to her flat! I wanted to make sure she didn't end up somewhere else! She was at home when I saw her!"

"And were would somewhere else be!" Asked Ron.

"I don't know! Like someone else's house maybe. She did kind of slur her words when she was trying to talk to me."

"Harry didn't say anything for a while. He was to busy staring into Draco's eyes. Draco caught on to what he was doing and stared back."

"What! Are you two having a staring contest? Harry snap out of it!" Said Ron.

"Ron put your wand down. Common". Harry lead Ron out of the room.

"Harry what are you doing? He has Hermione. We just…"

"He doesn't have her." Harry said cutting off Ron.

"What are you talking about?" Asked Ron.

"I can do legilimency you know." Said Harry aggravated.

"Oh, so you read his mind? And he let you?" Asked Ron.

"Yeah. He's telling the truth. He didn't do anything to Hermione. He went to her house and checked on her and after that he apparated home."

"Harry are you sure?" Ron asked.

"He didn't even try to fight back. I'm as sure as I'm gonna be."

"Then who took her?"

"I don't know. Let's wait for a while. She's not at home and she didn't show up for work. She might not of felt like coming to work. let's go back to her flat and wait for her."

"Parkinson. What the hell is going on? Why am I here?" Hermione asked as Viktor let her go.

"Shut up! I ask the questions! Accio wand!" Yelled Pansy but Hermione was faster.

"Protego! Accio wand!" Hermione shouted back at her but pansy blocked her spell too.

"This is stupid! We're going to be here all day!" Hermione turned to walk out but she didn't see a door. She turned around to stare at Pansy. "Okay then, what do you want?" She asked Pansy.

"I want Draco back!" Yelled Pansy.

"What are you talking about. don't you have him?" Asked Hermione.

"No! thanks to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"He got rid of me for you! Of all people, a Mudblood."

"What do you mean for me?"

"God, Granger, for the smartest person in our year you sure are dumb."

"Then if I'm dumb then you must be dumber than a doorknob." Replied Hermione. "Seeing as how I am smarter than you."

"Shut up!" Pansy pointed her wand back at Hermione and shouted a spell but Hermione blocked it.

"Common Parkinson, I helped defeat Voldemort. Do you really think you can beat me?"

"He left me for you!" Yelled Pansy.

"Are you trying to say that Malfoy dumped you for me?" Pansy shook her head yes. Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "You're funny you know that? Malfoy doesn't like me, you know that.'

"Yes he does! Ever since seventh year at Hogwarts! He couldn't help but look at you when ever you crossed our path. He would think about you all day in class too. And when we were kissing he would call your name!"

"That's not true." Hermione wasn't laughing now.

"Now if I kill you, he would want me back." Pansy was now smiling at her brilliant plan.

"First of all, he doesn't like me. And second, if he did, not that he does, you killing me wouldn't make him want you back. He would be more upset and ready to kill you if anything." Pansy looked hurt. "Now if you don't mind, I really need to get to work." Hermione turned around to the blank wall. "Impero Doorum! "Hermione, using one of her new invented spells, created a door in the door less room.

She looked around the hallway that she had entered. It had green and silver wallpaper and portraits of old wizards with blood hair. "I'm not were I think I am." Hermione said to herself. She looked down the hallway and saw that there were more doors. She walked down the corridor to find a door leading to outside. She didn't know if the house had wards around it and she didn't want to risk splinching herself. She entered the grand entrance. She could hear voices coming from a room but she didn't want to see who it was. She ran down the stairs and out the door. There, she apparated back to her flat.

"Hermione!" Yelled Ron as he jumped off the couch. "Where were you?" He asked and grabbed her in a hug.

"Hey Ron, Harry." She looked at the two. "You'll never believe what happen," said Hermione as she sat down to tell them were she had been.

After she was done, Harry and Ron just stared at her. Then after a while, Ron fell over in laughter. Harry just looked at her.

"Really Ron, it's not that funny.' She said looking disapprovingly at him. She turned to Harry. He was just looking at her. "So Harry, what do you have to say about this. It's stupid isn't it. I mean come on. The whole wizarding world knows that Malfoy hated me from the beginning."

"But it's true." Replied Harry. Hermione couldn't believe what he said. Ron just doubled over again at what Harry just said.

"Harry, that's ridiculous. You know he doesn't." Hermione didn't find the humor in this.

"But it is. Listen, when Ron and I went to Malfoy's office to see what he did to you…"

"You thought Malfoy kidnapped me?" Asked Hermione looking shocked.

"Yeah, anyway, we were talking to him and he wouldn't say anything about where you were. So I used my legilimency skills on him."

"And he let you?" Hermione asked again.

"Yes now stop interrupting me! So I looked inside his head and saw things about you. Nice things. Ever since seventh year." Hermione was starting to get upset now.

"Okay you guys. Very funny joke. Really. I have to get to work and explain why I wasn't there today."

"Well, me and Ron told them that you went to Greenland because you thought you found the answer to what ever you were working on. That you went down there to fetch whatever it was that you found. So make sure you stick to that."

"But Harry, what on Gods earth am I going to tell them when I don't have what I missed work for?"

"Just say that you were wrong and your sorry. They love you Hermione. They won't fire you if you don't have what you thought was the answer to what ever your working on."

"Whatever." And Hermione apparated on the platform at the Ministry. When she got focused on her surroundings, she found that everyone was staring at her. She never missed a day of work. Hermione felt awkward again. She pushed pass people to get to the lift as fast as she could. She found it and climbed inside. She hand nine floors to go before she reached her destination. She might as well relax. The lift stopped on department of magical defense. The doors opened to the last man she wanted to see at the moment. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of her. She felt her heart skip a beat. Draco regained himself again and stepped in.

"So, Granger, you seem to be okay.' He said walking next to her and looking straight ahead. "I'll be expecting and apology from Weasel and Potter."

"What for?" Spat Hermione. Why would they apologize for suspecting him when he did try anything to make her life a living hell.

"They didn't tell you then? Well then don't let me spoil the big secret then. Anyway, were did you go? It's not like you to be missing a few hours of work."

"Its none of your business were I was. You just need to talk to Parkinson. She really has lost it." They reached the ninth floor and when the doors opened for Hermione to exit.

"What are you on about?" Asked Malfoy with a puzzled look on his face. Hermione turned to take one last look at him and walked to her office.

Hermione reached the heads office and braced herself for what was to come. She turned the door knob to see Mr. Bungeed sitting at his desk. He looked up at her.

"Well, Miss Granger, how did it go?" He asked her.

"How did what go sir?"

"The trip to Greenland. Did you find the answer?"

"Oh, um no. my conclusion was wrong." Hermione couldn't believe she was lying to the head of her department.

"So you didn't show up for work because you thought you found what you were looking for?"

Hermione shook her head yes.

"So then you don't have anything?"

"Yes sir." Hermione felt horrible. It wasn't her fault that she had been kidnapped.

"You know I don't approve of that." Hermione braced herself to be fired. "But on the other hand, you are the best person on this team. It would be unfair to fire you because you thought you had the answer." Hermione couldn't believe what he had just said. "But make sure it doesn't happen again." He said looking at her in the eyes. She could tell he was trying to find out were she really was. She turned away from his stares.

"Yes sir it won't happen again. I'll make sure of that."

""Okay. Then your excused. You may leave. He said waving his hand for her to leave. Hermione turned around to leave. She shut the door behind her and walked to her office to continue research. She didn't know that someone was in her office before her.

"Malfoy! What are you doing in here?" She was already raising suspicions.

"Hold on Granger before you get your knickers in a twist. I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"Well then, what."

"Why were you so late today? I know you didn't go to Greenland for an answer to a problem. that's not your style."

Hermione just stared at him for awhile. She couldn't believe he wanted to really know why she was late. Why is he being so nice to me all of a sudden. Was what Harry and Pansy said true. She had dismissed the thought almost as soon as it had came.

"Like I said, Malfoy, none of your business. Now if you don't mind, I have work to catch up on." She held the door open for him but he didn't move.

"Did it have something to do with Pansy?" He asked.

'How did he know that?' Hermione asked herself.

"You told me to talk to her. I just assumed that she had something to do with it."

Hermione felt foolish. "Maybe."

"It did. didn't it."

"If I tell you then will you leave me alone?"

"Sure."

"Yes. She is the reason why I was late today." Hermione answered him. She held the door open for him to leave.

"What did she do?" Malfoy asked.

"I thought you said you would leave if I told you the answer."

But I didn't say that that was my only question.

"Fine! She wanted to kill me because she has this crazy idea that you like me." Hermione couldn't believe she had just said that. Malfoy on the other hand, couldn't believe that Pansy would go that far.

"Okay, listen Granger, stay away from her."

"Malfoy I don't like people telling me what to do." Hermione countered.

"Just do it!" He yelled back at her. He turned to walk out of the office and slammed the door behind him. Hermione couldn't figure out why he was acting like this. It was as if he was protecting something. Or someone.

"Pansy!" Yelled Malfoy. He walked around his parents mansion searching for the women who threaten Hermione's life. "Pansy! Answer me!" He couldn't find her anywhere. He came across the hallway with many rooms and the room that didn't have a door. Except that room had a door this time. Hermione must have been inside. She was the one who invented a spell to create doors. He opened the door to find it bare except for the person he was looking for. She was in a corner crying her eyes out.

"Pansy." Malfoy said. She looked up to see him staring at her. She just turned around and continued to cry some more. "Pansy, did you kidnap Granger today." He asked closing the door. She shook her head yes. "Why?"

"Because! You love her more than you love me and if she's dead then you could love me again."

Draco moved over to her and crouched down next to her. "That's not true." He lied. He did love Hermione more than Pansy but he couldn't tell anyone about that. Pansy looked up and stopped crying.

"Really?"

"Yes." Another lie.

"Then why did you say that you want me to find someone else for a while?" He asked now drying her face.

"Because. I really need to figure something out for a while. I'm sorry."

"So this has nothing to do with Granger?"

"Of course not."

"Oh. Okay then. But I don't think that I can find someone else to take your place though." She was making this harder than it had to be. "Can I wait for you?" She asked.

Draco wanted to say no but then she might do something to Hermione. "Sure." He looked at his watch and found a way to leave before his father found them. "Listen, I have to get back to work so I'll talk to you later." He stood up and apparated out of the room back to his place. When he arrived there he was surprised to see the person that he hated almost as much a Voldemort himself.

"Draco, where have you been?"

"F…father." Draco stammered.