Chapter 12-Gone

Remus landed with some grace considering his fear that Hermione might splinch them. In fact they could have walked. They were outside the doors of 12 Grimmauld Place. It was grey and a fine drizzle continued to slick every surface.

Hermione pointed to the green space before them as if to indicate Draco was there. It was worse than Remus had thought. Hermione had indicated a public space where muggles might see or find the body. They needed to act quickly before muggle police arrived and muggle lives were placed at risk.

"Show me," he coaxed gently.

Hermione crossed the street, slowing entering the green space, as if in a trance. She looked to the spot where Draco had fallen. There was nothing there, in confusion she spun around was she disorientated had she been facing the other way? But no matter what direction she faced there was no sign of a body.

Remus reasoned to himself that there had not been enough time for someone to remove Draco's body. So where had it gone? He Considered.

Taking Hermione's arm he walked her gently back to the doors of Grimmauld Place. She had begun to sob.

"Where is he?" she demanded of Remus. There was nothing Remus could say because he simply didn't know.

Draco awoke to find he was soaking wet and his nerves were still twitching from the aftershock of Hermione's raw magic. He knew it was a miracle she hadn't killed him. Tentatively Draco sat up to survey his surroundings. There was no one about, he hadn't the slightest idea where he was or where Hermione had gone all he knew was that he had to get out of sight before his all too distinctive features were recognised and he found himself with unwanted company.

Standing, still shaky on his legs, he brushed down his mud splattered clothes. His hands were like ice and he jammed them deep into his pockets. That was when his right hand brushed up against something small round and solid. The protean charm, Draco recalled, it would take him to his aunt Andromeda. Although Draco didn't know his aunt, he knew she was a better chance than staying here, deciding to take the risk he rubbed the charm gently.

Re-entering Grimmauld Place they were met by a concerned looking Harry and Ginny. Harry's worried look quickly transformed to confusion as he realised that they had not returned with Draco.

"Ginny," Remus addressed the red haired Gryffindor, "can you take Hermione to lie down somewhere, I think some sleep might do her good."

As the two young women disappeared Remus signalled to Harry to join him in an adjoining room.

"Where is he?" Harry began his confusion still apparent in his voice.

"I don't know but there are clearly only two possibilities, either he is dead and someone has taken his body or he isn't dead and he has moved himself. It is the latter possibility that concerns me most Harry, " Remus told his young friend before continuing, " some weeks ago Draco came to me offering his help, he wanted to return to the Manor, take his chances in re-joining the Death Eaters so he could act as a spy. I told him 'no' but with few other places to go I'm concerned he may have done something stupid and he might have compromised our security."

"So what do we do now?" Harry asked.

"Be very much on our guard, leave for another safe house as soon as we can, until we know that Grimmauld Place is not compromised and try to contact Severus."

Harry nodded in agreement.

Some hours later Snape sat across the kitchen table at Grimmauld Place glowering at Harry.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Snape demanded.

With a long suffering sigh Remus explained what had happened.

"Well one thing I can confirm," Snape told them, "he is not at Malfoy Manor so you are safe here at least for the time being. So that means he has either found some other refuge or he is dead. What exactly has Miss Granger told you perhaps I could speak to her?"

"I'm not sure that is a good idea Severus," Remus told him.

"Why?" Severus asked with characteristic bluntness.

"Because she isn't quite herself."

Snape raised a dark brow, "explain."

"Hermione has suffered a mental collapse; it seems the loss of Ron followed by the incident with Draco has caused part of her brain to shut down. It is difficult to get any sense out of her."

"Perhaps I could…" Snape began.

"No!" Harry spoke for the first time, "not until she is lucid enough to give her consent."

"In the meantime then we had better hope that my Godson is and can stay alive on his own," Snape retorted with a bitter sneer.

"Harry," Remus began gently, "perhaps we can try, see whether Hermione is up to it."

"No," Harry was insistent, "I don't care what's happened to Malfoy, Hermione is like my sister…"

Snape bristled at that comment but before he could fire one of his stinging retorts Remus interrupted.

"Harry, would Hermione want Draco to die if she could save him?"

Harry knew that she wouldn't, he shook his head with bitter resignation, "I will go and get her."

Andromeda bears a striking resemblance to Bellatrix, Draco thought as she stepped from the shadows to greet him. But Andromeda, unlike Voldemort's lieutenant, had none of the signs of madness and like his own mother she retained much of the renowned beauty of the Black sisters.

"Nephew," she greeted him.

"Aunt," he inclined his head in a small polite bow.

"I had thought I would never meet you," she told him, "I see you are uncommonly like your father as your mother has told me."

Draco's eyebrows shot up at that he was not aware that his aunt and mother had any contact at all.

"That surprises you I see," she responded to his startled look, "your mother was too proud of you not to share word of your growth and development with her elder sister."

"Oh!" was Draco's only response.

"So Draco shall we get to the point, what is it that you want?"

Seeing no point in prevaricating Draco came straight out with it, "Sanctuary."