A/N: I've changed the ending of the last chapter partially, so you might want to have a peek at it before continuing with this chapter. Enjoy!
"What do you want with me?" Hermione snarled, glaring up at her captors from the chair they'd bound her to. They were all here now and she could see them clearly: Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Lucius and Dolohov.
"We need your help, little girl" Bellatrix snapped, as if it were obvious, but Lucius placed a hand on her shoulder in warning and she stopped herself, forcing a smile on her face.
"I realised" Hermione quipped, smirking at Bellatrix's predicament.
"Well, we need to resurrect your father, Miss Riddle" Rodolphus explained, business like. Hermione sneered at him. "And we need your participation to do so"
"Your will to bring him alive" Lucius added curtly.
There was a short silence, while Hermione pretended to mull things over before slowly leaning forward in her chair and glaring at them. "Never will I ever help you bring back that beast of a man" Hermione said in a deathly whisper.
Bellatrix's eyes flashed with badly concealed anger and Hermione relished the fact that none of them could touch her for fear of what their master would do to them when resurrected.
"Don't" Lucius warned her and gradually the anger abated from her eyes and she could finally manage a cruel sort of grimace at Hermione.
"I'm sure that you'll change your mind" she said as sweetly as she could.
"I don't thinks so" Hermione shrugged "Especially after seeing what company I'll be having" she stared pointedly at the four in front of her.
Seemingly unable to handle Hermione's cockiness, Bellatrix swung at the brunette, shoving the chair and girl into a narrow alcove at the back of the cave.
"It's going to be an eventful few days with these two at each other's necks" Antonin chuckled gleefully. Rodolphus glared spitefully at him.
Back at Hogwarts, the others had got back alright. No one was majorly hurt but they did have a multitude of scratches and grazes and Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping them stuck in the confines of the infirmary, not that any of them protested much. They weren't in the mood for strong emotion or outbursts of passion anymore. They were more worried about Hermione; if staying bed-ridden for a day or two allowed them to talk freely about her whereabouts, why not?
Draco hardy joined in the conversations, though. When Hermione had been apparated away, he had been the first to notice. He'd felt her absence in the air around him, like a burning fire had been extinguished, even though he'd been stunned. He didn't think much of it for the few seconds that the Death Eaters kept fighting, not until the enemy had apparated away and he'd been brought back to consciousness had he realised what they'd come for and taken: Hermione. He'd made to go right after them, but Blaise had held him back and reasoned with the poor boy, but only the comforting words of "They need her, Draco. They wouldn't dare hurt the daughter of their master" and the memory of how his father had acted around her, made hm rethink his actions and decide against it. Since then he hadn't said much, other than a brief recount for Dumbledore and a muttered "Sorry" to the others before collapsing onto the infirmary bed and lying there, still.
Ginny glanced sympathetically at the blonde boy and grimaced at the thought of his life. Brought up by Death Eaters, became one himself and now, after everything that had happened during the war, another bout of attacks. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. But it was life.
Ginny looked to the others and they all pulled faces at her from each of their individual beds brought together, glancing at Draco.
"He won't thank us for feeling sorry for him" Pansy told them all, like she was continuing a conversation.
"He'd hate it" Blaise chuckled shortly; no one was in much of a laughing mood.
"What we need is a plan" Harry proclaimed determined.
"I think we've had enough of your plans for now, Potter" Theo mocked "Going shopping? Really?"
"Well, you didn't have any objections at the time either" Harry argued, not one to let himself get walked over.
"It was your idea, though, and you are Harry Potter. You should've known better." Theo shot back "Or did you want her to get caught?"
"I would never!" Harry cried, growing red in the face.
"Well, I don't thi-" Theo began, but three loud shrieks cut him off.
"Shut it!" Ginny and Pansy reprimanded the two just at the same time as Madam Pomfrey came over and glared at the two boys "I want no fighting in the Hospital Wing!" she snapped. "You two should know better!" She then proceeded to ramble on about the multitude of ways that arguing could deteriorate a patient's mental health.
It all reminded them vaguely of Hermione.
A deep sense of longing lodged itself stubbornly in their hearts.
Hermione hated the alcove she was forced into. To her surprise, there were no spiders or cobwebs, nevertheless the place had a general eerie atmosphere to it that caused shiver after shiver to crawl up her spine. The worst was that Hermione had no way of finding out how much time had passed since she'd been there. Minutes seemed like hours; hours seemed like days.
She couldn't even sleep, because whenever she closed her eyes, she saw the haunting, almost lifeless eyes of Draco Malfoy lying on the floor. Hermione had heard Ginny, albeit tardily, and she was thankful that she did. Still, every time she let her mind wander, that sense of absolute horror enveloped her. She shivered incontinently.
Fingers drumming against the arm of the chair, Hermione tried to calm herself for long enough to think of a plan. She stared around at the walls, but there was absolutely nothing in sight, other than a solid cave wall that only increased her perturbation.
Suddenly, there was an audible scuffle from outside the door and the long, blonde locks of Lucius Malfoy swished into sight. Hermione let a soft pang of longing wash over her as the familiarly of those grey eyes got to her.
"Lucius" she said with a fake smile. "Back again?"
A few times a day, one of the Death Eaters would drag her out for a few minutes of 'light persuading' to see if they can get her to break and help them.
Obviously, she never did.
"Of course, m'lady" Lucius smirked giving her a small bow, to which Hermione sneered, and proceeded to levitate her chair out of the alcove and into the centre of the cave.
Rodolphus was the first to speak.
"Made your decision yet" his voice was even, but there was a tangible bite to his words.
Hermione shook her head and Bellatrix growled threateningly.
"Your time is running out, missy" Bellatrix hissed "You better watch that mouth of yours"
Hermione smirked. "I don't think my father would take very well to you talking to me like that" she said matter-of-factly as casually as if sh were reciting the weather forecast.
Bellatrix paled.
This was too fun. Hermione continued. "I don't think he'd like that you're keeping me locked up in that dingy alcove either. My status deserves respect don't you think?"
"I think he'll be grateful that we brought him back to life" Lucius strode forward confidently "He will understand that we did what we had to do"
"And he'll believe strangers over his own blood?" Hermione challenged and this time she knew she'd done the trick. Gulping, Rodolphus peered over at Bellatrix, who was breathing heavily.
"Professor!" Harry called, the moment he caught sight of Dumbledore entering the Hospital Wing. The old man gave the raven-haired boy a warm smile before turning to the others with a frigid look. Blaise noticed and stifled a sneer. What a quack!
"I trust that you all are fairing well" he nodded curtly, not waiting for an answer and continuing. "I know that I've asked you already, but do you have any idea why the Death Eaters were looking for you?" His voice was bordering on cold and harsh and it was obvious to anyone who noticed that he was struggling to keep his usual finesse composure.
"We have no idea, Professor" Ginny replied heatedly "But what I think we should be focusing on is that Hermione is in their clutches"
"She's been there for the past day, Miss Weasley" Dumbledore said, trying to conduce solace.
"So you're just going to leave her there?" Harry asked with disbelief.
"There is nothing I can do, Mr Potter. The aurors have so far found no leads on the Death Eater's whereabouts and until they do it wouldn't be prudent to act" Dumbledore said with a bite of irreverence. Harry made to open his mouth once more, but Pansy cut across him.
"We understand Headmaster. The ministry is beyond your reach" There was a faint challenging tone to her voice, but Dumbledore pretended not to notice it, as he turned to them as a whole once more with a piercing look.
"I trust you all to not go looking for Miss Granger. I am working on it."
Then, without giving them a chance to answer, he smiled at them all again before gliding out of the infirmary.
"Nothing you can do?" Blaise mocked in a comical impression of Dumbledore.
"I didn't entirely believe you guys about him until now" Harry breathed. "He really is just looking for aggrandise"
"Finally realised, Potter" the bordering on hoarse voice of Draco Malfoy spoke up from his bed. Everyone turned to look at him, surprise etched onto their faces. Draco hadn't spoken a jocular word since he came back and this short, totally superfluous jibe at Harry brought where exasperation would usually be, a warm sense of happiness for the boy.
Pansy beamed at him and being the one closest gave his a soft hug.
"Back from the dead, mate" Blaise joked.
Draco scowled playfully at him. "I was thinking, Blaise."
Blaise coughed loudly. Draco's scowl deepened.
Everyone laughed.
"Well, while I was thinking" he shot a glare at Blaise "I remembered something, something I hadn't thought to consider before…"
A/N: How did you like it! Am I going too slow? Hopefully the next chapter will cut to the chase