Chapter 10

It was nearly four in the morning, and she was walking out after pulling a twelve-hour shift at the Muggle hospital after her normal morning at St. Mungo's. A bus had been hit by a taxi which resulted in a chain reaction of accidents in London Friday afternoon traffic. Hermione had volunteered to ride out with an ambulance to run triage on scene before returning to the hospital and jumping into a four-hour trauma surgery.

Hermione had been keeping herself busy over the last several months. Malfoy continued to show up in society pages with some heiress or another. The articles never mentioning anything more about him than the Malfoy heir. Hermione had confirmed that his job as an Auror was not public knowledge from Harry; he had jumped down her throat about keeping quiet about it.

To all of the wizarding world Malfoy was just a reclusive rich boy. It allowed him access to circles of people that an Auror would never know. It was why he was so valuable to the Ministry. The fact that a Malfoy had to use his money and influence to support the Ministry, albeit in a more honorable way than Lucius, was disgraceful. One would think after two whole wars the Ministry would have straightened itself out a bit. No in fact it was likely worse. Hermione was grateful every day she had reconsidered ever applying to work there; her career now was more fulfilling and more impactful than anything she would have done pushing paper around in some Ministry job.

Hermione was unlocking her car door when a cloth pressed over her nose and a voice, she knew all too well whispered in her ear.

"We did look like children; hope now is a good time to catch up."

Draco was groping around for his wand which was ringing incessantly to let him know it was time to start another day. With all his leads cold on the smuggling case Draco was left to wait for new leads which really just left his mother time to set him up with more brainless witches. He was likely judging unfairly, but none of them were She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Draco didn't even think about her curls or hazel eyes anymore or the killing calm that overtook him when he saw that man with his hands all over her at that club or the way she smiled and laughed that night at drinks and was so polite it physically hurt. No, he didn't even waste a moment of time thinking about her.

Draco rose and walked to the bathroom to splash water on his face before entering his closet to throw on his running kit. At the Manor he would play Quidditch in the early morning hours but in downtown London that wasn't really an option, and he found that his feet pounding into the pavement was a new sort of balm for his anxious mind over the last several years.

Draco took his usual route that would lead him along the Thames, the early morning fog still thick in the air. His mind began to wander to Granger and her curls and amber eyes. Granger was everything he would never be enough for; she was kind and generous.

To the world, Draco was still a crooked heir to a fortune steeped in the blood of innocent people. He was hardly reformed in their eyes. Being with Granger wasn't even possible in his position, he could never drag her name through the dirt like that. No one knew he lived in Muggle London and gave away vast sums of money to fund things even Granger would be proud of. It wasn't enough though; he was tired of the dirty looks from witches and wizards that presumed to know him. Draco knew his familial connections to dark wizards were invaluable to the work the Auror department was doing, which was why he continued despite his discontent.

As he arrived home an owl swooped down as he was climbing the steps to his flat. The owl dropped a heavy letter in a black envelope into his hand and waited expectantly. Usually, he would pen regrets without opening it, but the weight and color of the envelope caused him pause.

The letter was sealed in with red wax with a wyvern for a seal. This was an invitation Draco hadn't seen in years and it confirmed what Draco had believed. The Society had just gone quiet, the important members slinking back into the shadows. Draco had always received these letters in the past and had passed along the information to his superiors in the Auror's office; discreetly so it wouldn't appear that the club had a snitch. He wondered now what could have brought them out from such a deep and long hiding. What could possibly be worthy of the risks?

Brethren,

The Society cordially invites to you to a private gathering. We do apologize for the long lapse in functions, but we had a leak in our midst that threatened to expose use all. As you know we value your security and anonymity above all else. This Golden opportunity is not one any of you will want to miss. The evening will promise a rare treat, like we haven't offered in years. To miss this event is to miss your chance at owning the most prized object of greatest desire. If you have been a member of our brotherhood for many years you may have an idea of the Golden treasure of which we speak. Send your response with the owl that delivered your letter, and you shall receive further instruction on the night of the event.

Sincere Regards

The Society

Draco was sick.

It was impossible.

This had to be a sick joke.

The owl hooted at him, he ripped open his door summoning paper and quill he responded that Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy would be delighted to join. Giving it to the owl he turned and wretched on the floor.

This could not be happening.

He grabbed his phone and went to call Granger but then he reconsidered. What if it rang wherever she was because why would a wizard look for a Muggle phone and if his name appeared on the screen, it would be over.

Then an even darker thought crossed his mind.

Granger had been right; Thomas was the link. From what Draco had dug up about him he was an upstart social climber, he was from a long line of witches and wizards but unlike the Malfoys, Thomas' family's only claim to anything was the purity of their blood. Which meant nothing to anyone in today's world if you didn't have money to go along with it. So, Thomas had made himself rich, he grew a small-time smuggling ring into an underground black market that spanned all of Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa. Granger had been right that he had used his job with Doctors Without Borders to quietly expand his empire. And now it looks like he finally snagged the prize he would never have had the clout to before. The Society would never have taken the child he was seriously if he had dangled her as a prize back then. Now with the choke hold his syndicate had on the market he was impossible to ignore.

Granger was for sale and Draco had never been more grateful to be considered an important and dangerous dark wizard in his life. He wasn't just going to close his case; he would burn the Society to the ground.

First, he needed to figure out where Granger was being held; like hell was he waiting for the night of the event to see her. He would need to call in a favor with his buddy at Scotland Yard to get a trace on Granger's location. Even if Thomas took her himself and was more aware of Muggle technology, he had a feeling he wouldn't have immediately noticed the watch Granger wore.

She had valiantly attempted to explain her fancy new watch to a confused and dazzled Luna that night at the Nott residence months ago. She had mentioned its features and that it could even take calls. Her only lament was that it had to be charged so often unlike a regular watch. Luna was of course entirely confused and probably thought it was possessed by evil spirts Theo finally took pity on Granger and distracted his wife. Draco had been trying to give Granger a wide berth at the party, but she had still found him on that patio and started apologizing. He nearly broke down there, wanting nothing more that to kiss her until she stopped apologizing.

He took a breath, swallowing the terror. He would find her, end this.

Feeling resolved now Draco went to shower and change. He dressed in his usual black trousers and crisp white shirt before stepping out to his garden to Apparate near the downtown office of Scotland Yard where his grumpy unwilling friend in forensics would be on duty.

Knobs was a Muggle with a gambling problem and Draco, being the somewhat shady former Death Eater that he was, he had no moral qualms about using this information to pressure Knobs into doing things for him. As Draco, in his best impression of his father, swept into the office of one Calvin G Knobs the man grimaced before attempting to school his features into something resembling a bland smile.

Draco had no taste for games today, so he cut straight to it.

"Knobs, I need you to run a trace on this number for me, the owner of this number also had a watch that may be on a separate line I need that run as well. I need no questions today, I am not in the mood," Draco drawled.

Knobs looked as though he was finally growing a spine until Draco placed both hands on the desk and leaned in. He said nothing only raising one dark brow. Knobs folded and, in an hour, Draco was walking out with an approximate last known location of the watch and the phone. The bile rising to his mouth threatened for the second time this morning when he noted the time stamp of the last known location was nearly three weeks ago.

Draco would inform Potter and make this official. Three weeks, and no one had noticed she was gone. Draco barely ducked into an alley when he vomited. After wiping his mouth with the back of his hand Draco Apparated home so he could consider his next move. When he arrived, he was perturbed to find Potter in his living room.

"Hermione was taken three weeks ago from the Muggle hospital she works at. She would just disappear into work so often we never thought to bother her. Ginny finally went to her house, and it was evident she hadn't been there," Potter was sputtering before he stopped and took several deep breaths fixed his glasses and resumed in a much more composed tone.

"Security footage from the parking lot showed her walking out and being grabbed by an unseen figure before they Disapparated. The Muggles that have seen this have been Obliviated obviously, but I knew you were the first person I needed to tell this news. After what you and Hermione told me about France, I had a sinking feeling this smuggler you have been hunting is behind this."

If Draco didn't know that Potter was a shit Occlumens he would have thought, he had just pulled on his walls. The fact he had been able to pull himself together without it was something Draco envied greatly. Draco still found words difficult though so he only raised his wand to summon the letter and handed it to Potter. Unlike Potter he had been drawing on his Occlusion since vomiting in the hall this morning and now he pulled just a bit harder because Potter's reaction was sure to be unpleasant.

Potter's face grew in horror with each passing line.

"I'm going to be sick."

"Well, I actually wretched twice today because I know exactly how grim this situation is. I lived it for a year. I listened to the sick fantasies of "after the Dark Lord won". I know exactly what a prize like Granger is worth. I already have an approximate last location for her I am going to find her and scope out the situation. I will not extract though until the night of the event I want to take down every last one of these sick fucks then I am done Potter I don't want to be the criminal anymore. I can't live like this. It didn't bother me before but now I want nothing more than to be able to walk down the street and not have mothers cross to the other side," Draco said firmly.

Behind his Occlusion though he was on his knees screaming.

I love her and I want to be a man she can actually stand next too and I will burn every last one of those devils to ash for deigning to touch her.

"It wasn't just a drunk night in Paris for you, was it? You know what, don't answer that then I have to be the boss and take you off the case. Except you are the only person I truly believe will be able to get Hermione back. What feelings you have, I want to know nothing, just let them fuel the fire that is going to find her. I am giving you carte blanche minus The Killing Curse though I am sure you have more creative methods of which I DO NOT want to know. No one else we know knows; I want to keep it that way. Am I clear? Whatever you need from me I am here. If you need back up, I am available. If you call the calvary I will bring everyone without question but until that time it is just you and me," Potter was so authoritative when he pulled his head out of his ass.

These were the moments Draco understood why Robards picked him to step into his shoes when he retired. These were the moments that Draco finally understood that blind faith Granger and everyone else had in The-Boy-Who-Lived. The lightening crackling in those emerald eyes was dangerous and fearsome to behold.