Back at Hogwarts
Sun shone through the windows of the boys dormitory and although usually crowded with late sleepers, today only one boy slept in.
Harry rubbed his eyes as the suns rays directed themselves onto him. He rolled over in hopes of getting more sleep to avoid the day ahead of him, but after laying there for what seemed forever, he finally pushed the covers back and got dressed. He was surprised to see the rest of the beds empty and his roommates gone. He wasn't particularly upset though, he wasn't looking forward to all the questions about him and Hermione.
Harry quickly made his way downstairs and his curiosity grew stronger when he noticed that not a single person was in the common room. He quickly climbed through the portrait hole and made his way down top the great hall for breakfast.
On his way down he noticed a large group of kids making their way towards Hermione and Draco's room. Curiosity took hold of him and he swiftly followed the group. The quiet chattering slowly grew louder as they drew closer and closer to the common room and when he turned the corner he was shocked to see nearly every Gryffindor outside of the common room. A mass of red hair made its way through the crowd towards him.
"Harry! Harry!" Ron emerged, pushing his way through the crowd.
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
"Hermione's gone missing." Ron replied a worried look on his face.
"She's probably out with her Slytherin prince." Harry said scoffing. Ron shook his head.
"Malfoys the one that reported her missing." Suddenly butterflies formed in Harry's stomach.
'There's no way Hermione would leave without telling someone or leaving a note…' Harry thought. He quickly grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him with him racing back towards the boy's dormitory.
"Come on Ron, I've got an idea."
Although she knew it had only been a day or so, Hermione felt as if she had been held prisoner for months. After searching her memories Voldemort finally abandoned his hopes of finding any other weaknesses in Harry. Instead his hopes of him coming for her had been heightened. Hermione could only hope that Harry hated her enough to not try and find her. After Voldemort was through with her she was thrown back into her room and left alone with nothing but her thoughts.
Left with nothing to do Hermione pulled out the photo album again and began flipping through the pages. It appeared to be all photos of all the members of The Order. She was disappointed as she turned to the last page. It was a picture of Lily, James and a very young looking Sirius. A tear fell from her face as she stared at all of their smiling faces. She quickly shut the book as more tears started falling.
"Why, what's the matter dear?" A kind voice asked. Hermione spun around in her chair and gazed behind her, expecting to see another death eater but instead seeing no one.
"Who's there?" She asked tentatively.
"Over here dear." Hermione focused her gaze on the dresser in the corner and was surprised to see a framed portrait she hadn't noticed before. She slowly got up from the chair and made her way towards the portrait.
"Who are you?" She asked. The portrait was of a witch who couldn't be older than 25, her hair was styled in light brown ringlets and she wore an old-fashioned green velvet dress. All in all she was very attractive.
"My name is Gabrielle Malfoy." Hermione gave her a puzzled look.
"If you're a Malfoy, than why are you in here?" She asked. Gabrielle smiled a little before answering.
"I fell in love with a muggle born and when that was discovered I was disowned and killed for being a traitor to my blood." Hermione let out a small sob.
"Your own family killed you?" Gabrielle nodded as if it were an everyday occurrence.
"If they hated you so much why didn't they just burn your portrait, why'd they put you here?" Gabrielle shrugged a little.
"Even though I betrayed my family, I guess my mother felt that she'd rather have me near her somehow so she hid me here. She's dead now of course" Hermione smiled a little.
"At least someone cared a little bit about you…What happened to the man you fell in love with?" A look of sorrow passed on Gabrielle's face as she answered.
"As part of my punishment he was killed in front of me…" Hermione clenched her fists.
"All because of blood you were put through that, by your own family." Gabrielle smiled a little.
"It was so long ago I guess it doesn't get to me as much as it used to. And now that you know about me, what are you doing here?" Hermione's shoulders sagged.
"I don't really know…" Gabrielle gave a little smirk.
"If you're in here you certainly must know what you've done." Hermione gave her a small smile.
"I'm muggle born and am, or was, best friends with Harry Potter." Gabrielle frowned.
"Is that all?" She asked. Hermione wasn't sure what to say.
"That's all I've been told…Why?" Gabrielle shrugged.
"Just a legend I heard…" Hermione grew curious.
"What kind of legend?" Before Gabrielle could answer a loud crack filled the room and Casey stood before her again. Hermione turned back to say goodbye to Gabrielle and was shocked to see she wasn't there anymore. She shrugged and walked towards Casey. His appearance hadn't changed much, although his clothes appeared to be different, but still covered with grease and grime. Hermione smiled a little at him as he sat her tray of food down.
"It isn't much," he began.
"But at least the soup is warm this time." She laughed a little.
"Well it's a slight improvement. Do you think you can join me this time?" Casey smiled a little and ran a hand through his hair.
"I suppose I can." He said making himself comfortable in one of the chairs. Hermione slowly picked up her tray and set it in her lap once she made herself comfortable across from Casey.
"So how'd you get to be a slave here?" Casey grinned.
"I don't see it as being a slave. This is the only life and home I've known." Hermione scoffed.
"I wouldn't exactly call this a home and you didn't answer me question." She pointed out. Casey pursed his lips, but didn't say anything. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Let's start with your full name? Are you another disowned Malfoy?" Casey scoffed.
"Hardly, my last name is Grant. My mother was a prisoner here and at the time she was pregnant with me and for some reason they decided to keep me around."
"So you've been here your whole life and they never made you a death eater?" Hermione asked through mouthfuls of soup. Casey smirked.
"My mother was anti-Voldemort, there was no way they'd let me join, even if I wanted to." Hermione nodded.
"I guess that makes sense. So how'd you learn to do magic?" Casey rolled his eyes at her.
"You're nosy aren't you?" Hermione smiled and nodded her head.
"Well they decided for me to be fully useful, I'd need magic, so I was taught by old Lucius himself." Hermione made a small gagging noise before asking another question.
"So did they teach you any dark magic?" Casey shook his head.
"Of course not. I think they were too afraid that I'd use it against them one day." Hermione nodded and sucked down the rest of her soup.
"Yummy." She said smacking her lips. Casey's face grew serious.
"You know for a prisoner here, you don't seem to be that scared." Hermione nodded.
"I think it just helps if I push all the fear down and don't think about it. I just pretend that I'm in a really bad hotel room." She said with a little smile. Casey smiled and scoffed.
"And does that actually work?" He asked. Hermione shrugged.
"It has so far." He solemnly nodded.
"You think you'll get out of here?" He asked quietly. Hermione smiled sadly at him.
"I'm a mud-blood and friends with Harry Potter; do you think they'll let me out?" Casey gave her a reassuring smile.
"I don't think you should give up all hope yet…"
"Harry…I don't think she's on the map." Ron said yawning a little.
"You've been looking at it for hours mate…She isn't in the castle." Ron said sadly. Harry glared at Ron.
"You don't know that." Harry said angrily.
"Harry, I know you're worried, I am too, but sitting here for hours on end isn't going to help her any. Let's at least go down for dinner." Harry's gaze softened a little and he relented. They made their way down to the Great Hall and silently sat themselves at the Gryffindor table. For once the usual chatter was nowhere to be found, except for at the Slytherin table of course. Harry gritted his teeth as he heard Malfoy laugh heartily at a joke another Slytherin at told.
Finally Dumbledore stood up from the table and the hall was quiet.
"As most of you know, one of our top students and head girl Miss. Hermione Granger has gone missing two days ago." A small sob escaped from Ginny who put her head in her hands to hide her face as Luna embraced her.
"Anyone who knows anything about Miss. Grangers disappearance is asked to come forward." Dumbledore's gaze landed on Harry and Ron
"Until we find out more information, let us pray for the safety of Miss. Granger." Dumbledore sat down and food appeared at the table. Harry stared blankly at the food in front of him.
"You know Ron; I'm not very hungry I think I'm just going to go for a walk. I'll see you later." Ron nodded, unable to answer through the mouthful of food he had already shoveled in. Harry swiftly made his way outside and made himself comfortable in front of the lake. There was a crescent moon out and the light shone on the lake. He gazed at the moons reflection in the water when he was aware of someone nearby.
He turned around to see Malfoy standing a few feet away from him, seemingly waiting for someone. As if on cue another figure appeared next to Malfoy. Harry squinted, but couldn't make out the persons face.
"So what do you want?" Malfoy demanded.
"I'm ready to get it." The stranger announced.
"It's about time." Malfoy said gleefully.
"I'll tell my father and he'll let us know when it'll take place." The stranger nodded.
"Have you heard anything about 'Mione?" The stranger asked hesitantly. Harry was taken aback for a moment.
'Whoever it is seems to know 'Mione' He thought to himself. Malfoy scoffed.
"Why do you care what happens to her now? You helped put her where she is." Harry felt his blood boil. The stranger shrugged.
"I was just wondering." He said innocently.
"Well no more wondering, you do what you're told no questions asked, got it?" Draco said almost viciously. The stranger nodded and began to walk away. Harry felt the need to run after him, but a voice inside of him told him to wait. As the boy walked closer and closer to the castle, it became easier to try and make out his face. Right as he walked into a well lit area Draco called to him.
"Hey Weasel!" The boy turned around.
"Be ready to go." Malfoy warned.
Harry felt his heart stop as he realized the stranger was his best friend Ron Weasely