Disclaimer: I own nothing but the unrecognized.

Chapter 16

"Hey, Hermione, I…" Ginny stopped mid sentence. Hermione wasn't in bed and her bed was made. That in itself was unusual at 9 AM unless she had to get up. "Hermione?" Ginny checked the closet and pushed open the bathroom door, finding no Hermione.

Ginny ran out of the room, glancing almost frantically around the common room.

"Hey, Gin, what's wrong?" Blaise asked. Draco, who was sitting in front of the fire, turned around.

"Have you seen Hermione this morning?" she clenched her fists, digging her nails into her skin.

"No, I haven't… she didn't leave early this morning, did she?"

"Hermione's a night owl, she wouldn't have. She wouldn't even be up right now. Her Christmas presents are on the floor next to her bed. She would have opened them yesterday evening," Ginny spoke roughly because she was biting back tears. She had a gnawing feeling inside of her that she had been trying to ignore, part of her woke up knowing something was wrong. "She always opens her presents Christmas evening. It was Gr-Granger tradition, one that she never broke," Ginny whispered.

"Honey, I'm sure she's somewhere around the school, really."

"I'll check the library." Draco had stood and was already halfway to the portrait hole.

"I'll… I'll check the Great Hall," Ginny choked out.

"And I'll go with you. I don't want you anywhere alone."

The three left the common room in search of Hermione. Draco ran to the library, praying to find Hermione. He whispered her name as he flew down each aisle of books.

"Draco?"

He jumped around before frowning, "what?"

"Lovely to see you too," she noticed him glancing past her, his eyes lost, hopeful, and wanting. "Draco, what's wrong?"

"We can't find Hermione. She wasn't in her bed this morning."

"Well, she's not in here. I've been here all morning in perfect view of the doors."

"Ugh…"

"Come on, we'll go check the Astronomy Tower. Besides, you can see a lot of the grounds from there."

"Okay, let's go," he started running. They passed students who stared at them quizzically. Hermione wasn't in the tower. Draco ran to the edge and searched the grounds with his eyes, scanning them for even a glance of Hermione.

Meanwhile, Ginny now had tears falling freely as they arrived at the Great Hall. She felt like there was a void inside of her.

Upon arrival, Ginny's eyes swept over the house tables. She faintly heard two sets of feet running towards her and barely felt Harry pull her into a hug. Within seconds, she had wrapped her arms around him and was crying onto his shoulder.

"Ginny, what's wrong? You have to calm down, Ginny."

"We can't find Hermione. We can't… find her. What if something… what if something happened to her!"

"Shh…" Harry cooed. "It'll be okay." He whispered into her ear. Slowly, he lightly scratched his fingertips up and down the spine of her back. "We'll find her. I promise. Everything will be fine. There is no good reason to freak out. It's okay, Ginny."

"No, no," she was less hysterical now but fighting it.

"You have to calm down, Ginny. Once you calm down, I'll help you look for Hermione. I'm sure she's fine. Okay?"

"Okay," she sniffed.

Blaise stared in amazement.

"She loves the Astronomy Tower," Ron said. "Let's go there." Ginny nodded her agreement.

The four dashed to the Astronomy Tower, only to find Draco and Pansy.

"D-did you-"

"No, she wasn't in the library," Pansy put her hand on Draco's shoulder as she spoke for him.

"Where else would she go?" Ginny wondered.

"Harry, what about the map?" Ron pointed out.

"Oh, right. Why didn't I think of that? Y'all stay here while I go get it!" He ran out.

"What's he after?" Draco finally spoke up.

"The Marauder's Map," Ginny answered.

"How did you know about that?" queried Ron.

"Like I never helped Fred and George with their pranks. They told me they gave it to Harry."

Harry returned quickly.

"Blank paper, that's helpful," Draco comment sourly as Harry unfolded it on the floor. Everyone ignored him.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," Harry tapped the map. It appeared before them.

"Whoa," Blaise said in awe.

Ginny was holding Harry's arm as she hovered over the map.

"No!" she yelled after minutes of complete silence. "No, no, no, no! This… this map. It's screwed up, defective!"

"No, it's not, Ginny."

"She's not on here."

"Gin, it was right with Peter Pettigrew. It's right now," Ron whispered solemnly.

"The Marauder's don't slip up. She not on the grounds," Harry added.

Ginny stood abruptly and left. Worried, her friends all followed.

"You," Ginny pointed. "Have you seen my sister?" she was asking the portrait.

"This morning?"

"This morning, late last night… I don't know. When did you see her last?"

"Oh, she left late last night. I left and told Dumbledore after she didn't come back."

"Do you know where she went?"

"No, I'm sorry, Miss."

"It's… It's okay," the tears formed again. "Paperclips (that will be the new password)."

Ginny collapsed to the floor in tears. Someone picked her up and carried her to the couch.

"She'll come back, Ginny." Blaise was the one holding her. She recognized his voice. Hugging him closely, she cried. No one spoke until Ginny had cried herself to sleep.

"Why would she leave?" Harry asked.

A shadow moved inside the house. Hermione, coming to her senses, moved from the open area she occupied.

After a few minutes, she walked away from the house. She walked down the streets and somehow ended up at the place where her dance classes were held. She sat down, leaning against the window of the business.

Confused, she laid her head on her knees. Someone tapped her shoulder within moments. She raised her head and gasped.

"Andrew! Oh my, Andrew!" She hugged her little brother. "What are you doing here? How… how are you alive?"

"Mommy said we never really died. Those weren't our bodies you saw. And, I ran away… after I sent you a letter. Did you get my letter?" he smiled hopefully, oblivious to the situation at hand.

"Yes, baby, I did. I got your letter yesterday. Okay, so, how does it sound that tonight we sneak into the old house, grap some of your toys, and I'll take you to my school? Does that sound good? There's yummy food and magic!"

"Ooh, it sounds great!"

"Okay, have you eaten?"

He shook his head, "No."

"Are you hungry?"

He nodded, "Yes." He was going through a stage of being totally clear, no question about his feeling towards anything.

"Let's go get you something to eat." They walked to the closest place with food, a grocery store. Hermione bought them both an easy dinner.

Around 1 AM, they began to walk to the Granger's house. Hermione carried Andy on piggyback when he got tired. When they arrived, Hermione noted that the mailbox now read Warren rather than Granger before walking all the way around the house and making sure all lights were out. Then, she went to Andy's window. It was unlocked still. She pushed it open and climbed in.

"Andy," she whispered, setting him on his bed. "Gather some clothes and toys but be very quiet, okay?"

"Okay," he nodded.

She turned to sneak into her room just in time to see the doorknob slowly turn. Her ex-father loomed over her.

"Well, well, well… look who we have here."

Important!

Author's note: Okay, there's Chapter Sixteen. I'm going to try to update a lot this week but am promising nothing. I've had a lot of things happen in my life since the last time I've updated and near to none of them have been good. Please forgive my long absecence. After I post this, I'm starting Chapter 17 and hopefully I'll have it up by tonight or tomorrow. :) Please review. :)

Molto Amore,

Heather