Hermione felt her magic swell up protectively within her even as she started to fall. It was a bit like being hit with a numbing curse, Novocain for the whole body. She saw Draco rushing toward her, but she couldn't raise her hands to soothe his panic. She couldn't do anything but tumble to the ground.
She'd relaxed. She'd let her guard down. Moody was going to rip her to shreds on the other side of the veil if this went badly.
She heard Harry yelling. It was a bit like being back in the war. She felt Draco gathering her into his arms. Her brother. He was trembling like a leaf. She wanted to pat his shoulder and comfort him, but there was nothing she could do. If Draco was this distraught in public, things were pretty much pear shaped. Goddess, her family was going to cause a whole world of trouble.
Draco was whispering into her hair. His words were broken into an odd phonetic train. It wasn't one she could catch.
The heat of his arms was comforting as the cold descended. Numbing, then cold, she knew those symptoms shouldn't be combined. It was dangerous to freeze a body. The pins and needles started as her body struggled to live.
She wanted to scream, but this magic had locked her within its shell. Her own power was draining as it pushed out against her prison. She managed a breath before darkness carried her away.
Severus stumbled and blinked as the world seemed to spin around him. A sharp pain took up residence along his spine and carried him down to the ground. He clenched his muscles and forced his body up onto his hands and knees.
There was no way he could form the proper focus to apparate. He needed the elves, but the pain sent him off into tremors and dropped him onto the gravel path again. It was as excruciating as a well delivered Crucio.
He managed a breath or maybe two before blessed darkness rolled him under.
"This wasn't supposed to happen." Ron fell to his knees beside Malfoy. "She was supposed to love me again."
"She was supposed to love you again?" Astoria Greengrass yanked her wand free from her hair and stared down it at him with nothing but contempt. "What did you do?"
"Nothing." Ron looked away from the witch and caught sight of Malfoy casting diagnostic charms on Hermione.
"It's a potion, some sort of love philtre." Draco looked toward Harry. "Check that bottle. We might need a sample."
"What?" Harry looked lost.
"Her drink, get it in stasis." Draco glared at Harry. "The bottle didn't break. We need to test it."
"Ron?" Harry looked over at him with wide panicked eyes. "What did you do?"
"It's a potion. It's only a potion." Ron shook his head. "It wasn't supposed to knock her out."
"You went to a lot of trouble to conceal it." Astoria jabbed her wand into the side of his throat. "You dosed those drinks and resealed them. You didn't want anyone to know. That's a pretty sure sign that you shouldn't have bloody done it."
"We need to take him with us." Draco stood up. "We need to get her to Saint Mungo's now."
"We need to call the aurors." Ginny pushed up toward them. "My brother has rights."
"That depends on what's in that bottle." Astoria glared at the redhead. "If it's a love potion, he's interfered with the succession of an Ancient and Noble House."
"Send for Kingsley, Harry." Ginny grabbed his arm, but Ron knew it was hopeless. "The Malfoys can't just take him."
"Actually, we can." Draco glared at Ron. "He's suspected of an attack on my sister. He will not be leaving our custody until she releases him or death does."
"You can't make those proclamations." Ginny fisted her hands. "The aurors need to be called."
"Do you know why you're called a blood traitor?" Astoria pressed her wand against Ron's throat, pushing it hard against his carotid. "Do you know why your family is poor? Do you know anything besides the little witch's stories your mother stuffed your head with? Do you know why your father was the only one of his generation to marry?"
"You're just a death eater whore." Ginny tossed her head and sent her hair long red hair cascading down her back. "You don't know anything."
"I know that your family interfered with the succession of my fiancé's house. I know that the Wizengamot stripped your family of status and monies as reparation. I know this stupid traitor has opened up the right to blood feud." Astoria took a deep breath and smiled. "I know it doesn't matter how prolific your family is. If she dies, your family will be nothing but a cautionary tale whispered to little children."
"No one follows the old ways anymore." Ginny huffed. "You're mental if you think you can intimidate me. I'll summon the bloody aurors myself."
Ron watched his sister stomp off. This wasn't going to go well. Percy had told him about the censure of their family. It had just seemed like some old clap trap back then, but he knew it wasn't now.
"Harry, get the bottle in stasis and get us all to Saint Mungo's before she gets back." Ron looked at his friend and saw how hollow his eyes looked. Harry didn't deal well with shock.
"You want to go with them?" Harry looked slightly confused.
"I want Hermione to be okay." Ron swallowed down the bile in the back of his mouth. "I've really screwed up. Draco needs help. He can't fix her, but the healers can."
Narcissa took a deep breath of the night air. The gardens flowed in the moonlight. Lucius rubbed her shoulders as she leaned against the railing of their balcony.
This wedding would be perfect. Her family would all be there. She could start negotiations with Severus for the next wedding. They had his surrogate family here. It would be easy.
"It's a beautiful night." Lucius lips brushed her ear before he pressed a kiss just beneath it.
She was leaning back into him when heat flared through the runes that rested over her heart. She heard Lucius gasp and knew he'd felt it as well. Their children were in danger.
It was a manner of moments before they were striding through the house toward the family room. Lucius strode just ahead of her, his long black cloak swirled along the marble floor. She could feel the rage within him and knew it matched her own.
When their guests fell into step behind them, she didn't question it.
If Hermione was threatened, so too was Severus.
Lucius stepped into the room that welcomed all members to their family. The tree writhed in an unseen wind as he approached the wall. His left hand settled over Draco's representation and his right covered Hermione's. She felt the magic surge as the room answered his call.
"Hermione's been harmed." Lucius growled, and Narcissa felt the cold swirl of rage whip inside her.
"Severus is hurt as well, but they are not together." Hernan Aiza frowned. "What could hurt them both? At the same time?"
"It doesn't matter." Narcissa gathered her cloak about her. "My daughter is hurt. There is no time theorize."
"Get Andromeda." Lucius cupped her shoulder. "Draco will take her to Saint Mungo's. We will meet there."
"May we go with you?" Hernan looked at Lucius. "We have both worked as healers at various times."
Narcissa looked to Lucius and nodded. She would see them all in a matter of moments. The odd sense of urgency wasn't diminishing. She whirled away through space and time to land beside her sister's house.