Everyone stared in disbelief at Harry's statement. One of Shacklebolt's Auror's stepped forward to check, sticking his hand to Lestranges neck for a moment before confirming with a nod to the Minister of Magic.
The door to the office creaked open, everyone's heads snapped towards it to see who had entered. Adam Kegg the new DADA teacher swept through the doorway. Shutting the door before swinging round wondering why the room was in such silence. He noticed how everyone stared as if waiting for a reaction. His eyes sweeping across the room before settling on the heap on the floor.
"Is he unconscious?" the dark arts professor grunted, looking not too concerned considering what he saw in front of him.
"No Sir, He's . . Dead Sir" Kingsley Answered, pausing halfway through his statement. Hermione noticed the mark of respect the aurors seemed to show professor Kegg, Clearly his time as an Auror had crossed paths in a senior capacity. He stalked slowly towards the body.
"What in Merlin's name happened to him?" He looked towards the Aurors with a slight look of horror on his face.
"He was interrogated, under the influence of veritaserum of course" Kingsley remained calm as he answered.
". . and veritaserum causes this amount of damage?" his hand gestured towards the beaten bloody face on the ground.
"Initially he wouldn't coopera-"
"We banished physical violence during interrogation 18 years ago! You KNOW that Shacklebolt. I taught you better!"
Kingsley hung his head in shame as the older professor turned back to inspect Lestranges body more closely. He muttered a small charm as a wispy pink substance sprinkled over the body then faded as it touched.
"What exactly happened?" He questioned, still not looking up straight away. As if knowing Kingsley was opening his mouth about to address him he held a finger up to silence the Minister.
"Potter, you're enjoying Auror Training?" He looked at Harry.
"Y-yes sir" He stuttered, caught off guard.
"Tell me what happened here." he gestured pointing at the body on the floor.
"We caught him out on the perimeter of Hogwarts. We bound him and brought him here, rather than risk transporting him to base. Headmistress Mcgonagall was made aware and accommodated us on arrival straight up here to the office." Harry paused unsure if he needed to continue.
"Did anything seem unusual?"
"No Sir, Lestrange was mumbling obscenities through his gag and then out loud when we removed it"
"And during his . . Questioning?" The last word was spoken with a touch of sarcasm.
"He was purposely being difficult, refusing to cooperate. He only really changed when he saw Hermione. Obsessively he began muttering when looking for her. Then he coughed and fell over"
"You never mentioned a cough?" He responded concerned. Bending down closer once again to observe the body. "When did he begin coughing?"
"About halfway through I think, after the veritaserum was administered"
Professor Kegg stood and walked towards Slughorn who appeared to have the empty vial in his hands. He gestured to take it. Carefully placing it to his nose.
"Miss Granger, tell me if you can smell anything?" He held the vial towards her. She took it, though it seemed an odd request. Veritaserum was an odourless potion. She held it a few millimetres from her nose. It was so slight she almost missed it. The slight whiff but enough to be pungent. A brief memory fluttered through her mind of her mum cleaning the tiled floors of her kitchen.
"Dettol Cleaning fluid" Hermione whispered in realisation.
"A Telltale indicator of Moonseed when used in liquid form" Kegg concluded. The horror of realization dawned on Slughorn's face.
"Moonseed in liquid form is highly toxic" Slughorn exclaimed, genuinely mortified.
"And though not yet confirmed it looks likely it was placed in your personal stores Horace." Kegg Turned to the minister of magic " I suggest you get your potion specialists straight here to test this and do their tests on the late Mr Lestrange, and a thorough search of the immediate area for his brother if you haven't already authorised it. You know if one brothers near the other is never far away"
Kingsley immediately began barking orders at his aurors. Multiple patronuses were running through the walls as plans were carried out.
"Miss Granger" Kingsley called turning towards Hermione. "In light of the recent information I ask you do not leave Hogwarts unsupervised. An auror will be assigned to you should you have any reason to leave"
"Are you restricting me to the school?" She cried
"Protective custody Miss Granger, You will not go anywhere without an escort until I deem it safe. That's an order" He commanded before turning away. Hermione turned in annoyance. Who the bloody hell does he think he is? She thought, stomping towards the door.
"Hermione . . " Professor Mcgonnagall tried to grab her.
"I'm going to bed professor" Hermione confirmed before storming off down the stairs and through the Gargoyle entrance.
Hermione stepped into the gatehouse making her way through the small common room to see no one else was present. She wasn't surprised it was late after all. She made her way past the rooms to her own, opening the door quietly and going to sit on her bed. She lifted her hands to her face, wiping them down slowly as she began to process the last two hours in the headmasters office. What could the Lestranges possibly want with her? Could they know about her connection to Bellatrix and the fact she was alive? Unless she somehow found Rudolphus to get answers she wouldn't be sure. Her mind was reeling so much she didn't feel the movement behind her as a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and a delicate chin rested on her shoulder.
She nearly jumped, spinning round her wand already out and pointed at a pouting Bellatrix.
"Not quite the welcome I was hoping for" she muttered before prowling forward across the bed on all fours. If Hermione had not been so caught off guard to find Bellatrix in her room she would have blushed at the seductive scene she was seeing before her.
"Bella what are you doing here?" she whispered Harshly in disbelief at the dark witch in front of her.
" I Wanted to come stay with you tonight" Bella shrugged as she stood from the bed, taking a step towards the brunette."I miss you at night" she whispered. So close her breath caused goosebumps upon Hermione's neck as her lips almost brushed against it.
Coming to her senses, Hermione Stepped away. Whipping her wand in the air as she muttered several spells consecutively after another. No one would hear them or come near the door at least.
Bellatrix could practically see the panic on Hermione's face as the reality that Bellatrix was now in the bloody castle and how the hell she would get her out began to tumble.
"How the Hell did you even know this was my room?"
"Levi" Bellatrix pointed. The pygmy dragon was not paying attention, he appeared to be busy clearing up a few crumbs from a half eaten shortbread on Hermione's homework desk. She scowled towards the little beast as it blatantly ignored her. She turned back to Bellatrix who at this point looked disappointed. Clearly this was not the welcome she had expected when the brunette returned to her room.
"How did you even get in here without being noticed?"
"Shrunk myself and came in the window on Levi's back"
"You shrunk yourself that small! What? How?"
Bellatrix smirked cockily "Magic!"
Hermione glared at her sarcasm. She wasn't in the mood for it; she was thinking in her head how to get Bellatrix out.
" I guess my nephew finally got a girlfriend" Bellatrix commented looking towards the wall that seperated Hermione's from Draco's
"Draco doesn't have a girlfriend?"
"Well he's shagging someone anyways"
"What?!"
"Well he was at it with someone! I could hear it through the wall before you came back"
"I don't even think I want to know how you're so sure"
Bellatrix laughed, she could see the thoughts going through Hermione as the muggleborn seethed in jealousy, imaginary girls and boys she seemed to picture Bellatrix with in all the years before they met.
"I shared a girls dorm in Slytherin, there were always boys and girls sneaking in and out of the dorm beds" She put her hands on both Hermione's hips finally getting Hermione to look her in the face. "Never in mine though. Still never too late if you ever fancy it, your bed looks perfect for two" she husked the last part in Hermione's ear causing a shiver.
"Bella . . We can't." the turmoil cracking in Hermione's voice was enough to alert Bellatrix.
"What's wrong?" She demanded,
"They captured Rabastan Lestrange this evening. He was interrogated. They were looking for me because they wanted you."
"How can they know I'm here?"
" I don't know no but it's worse, he was poisoned, and Bella it was the same poison that almost killed you! We need to go tonight, it's not safe here for you. I won't Risk letting you be found!"
Hermione grabbed her bag and marauders map and uttered the words " I solemnly swear I am up to no good" and took Bella's hand heading towards her door.
She was halfway through the door, when she realised the next door along was also opening. Abruptly she let go of Bella's hand and pushed her with force back into the room before pulling the door shut behind her. it would seem whoever came out the other door had not yet noticed.
It was Draco and a female behind him. Hermione gasped in shock as she watched Draco put his arms around the girl and kiss her. Only then realising the girl was in fact Luna Lovegood.
The kiss was short-lived; they both heard the loud gasp and looked across at a shocked Hermione. Draco dazed slightly from his kiss, realised what had happened became wide eyed as he shoved Luna protectively behind him. Not sure whether to feel relief or more fear as he realised it was hermione who had found them both.
"Hermione" he squeaked.
"Hello Hermione" Luna breathed with a content smile on her face.
"Uh Hi"
"I should go it's after curfew" Luna turned, giving Draco a peck on the cheek. "See you around Hermione," Luna waved and walked towards the portrait hole.
"What the hell was that?" Hermione asked
"That… Was Luna." Draco answered.
"Don't be a smart ass!" Hermione spat. "You know what I mean, what the hell was that?"
"We are seeing each other"
"I swear to God if you're fucking her around . ."
"Don't be ridiculous! It's complicated . . . I really like her!" He spoke defensively. He leaned against the door and took a moment. Clearly contemplating if he should continue before making his mind up.
"When she was in the dungeon at Malfoy manor. I would go down there to see her. Sometimes we would talk. Usually about school or anything that was a million miles away from the situation we were both in. I snuck down to take her food, even healing potions if I knew they had been a harsh interrogation on the wandmaker. She kept me sane in those darkest days."
Hermione knew she would be the biggest hypocrite to question it. Afterall she was in some form of relationship with her former torturer! People could change with the right person to help them. Luna suddenly seemed an excellent match to Draco now Hermione thought about it. She simply nodded her understanding, not pushing any further. Draco smiled appreciatively before whispering a good night and returning to his room. Hermione waited a moment and turned back to her own room. Talking further with Draco could wait, Priority for now was getting Bellatrix out of the castle.