all characters belong to JKR

Chapter 15, Discriminate:

The room where he was discarded was dark and damp. It had a single cot, a metal chair, and no windows. The paint looked as if it had been peeled almost completely off the walls. There was a distinct smell of despair in the air; or maybe that smell was urine. The floor was cement, and had the same peeled paint. It was cold. He noticed there was an old blanket on the bed, but no pillow. It was hard for him to see. He had to blink his eyes several times before he became accustomed to the lack of light.

His first thought went to Hermione. The look on her face as he was taken away would be etched in his mind forever. She had to be scared for him. Her wedding day and her groom kidnapped right in front of her. Draco sat on the cot, and hung his head in shame and despair. This was not the way someone should spend the hours after his or her wedding. There should be a big reception, with cake, and champagne. All their friends, (well, all of Hermione's friends) and their families should have been there to help them celebrate, and then there should be a honeymoon. He longed for a honeymoon. He missed Hermione.

A man came into the room, and threw a paper down on the bed, where Draco sat. "Look, Malfoy, you've already made the papers," the man said. Draco opened up the paper, and indeed, his kidnapping had made the front page. Well, it wasn't everyday someone was kidnapped from the Ministry of Magic, in front of a slew of Aurors, in the middle of the afternoon, and on their wedding day no less. He perused the article, and threw the paper back at the man. The man threw it on the floor.

"Where am I?" Draco asked the man.

"Does it matter?" the man asked back.

"Yes, I think it does," Draco said with an air of arrogance.

"You're at a place that no one will find you," the man said, as he sat down on the lonely chair in the little room.

"Are you planning on staying for a chat?" Draco asked.

"No, I guess not," the man said, as he stood back up

"Do you know if Granger is all right?" Draco inquired.

"It doesn't seem to me that you really care," the man said with a trace of anger.

"Where have you been, anyhow?" Draco quizzed, "I haven't seen you for a long time."

"I've been on holiday," the man answered.

"You went without your boyfriend?" Draco sneered.

"You're a riot, Malfoy," the man answered back. "You know I'm married now. The old joke about Harry and I being boyfriends is getting a bit old."

"Well, Weasley, I just call them like I see them," Draco laughed.

"Harry'll be down to talk to you in a moment. I better go." With that said, Ron Weasley left Draco alone in the little dark room.

Draco never liked Ron Weasley. He and Granger had once dated. Now he probably liked Weasley even less, since he married Hermione. He got married today, and Granger would be scared and worried. She must have thought he was really kidnapped. He was beginning to think he really was kidnapped. He felt that way. On the other hand, maybe Potter and Weasley had him thrown in prison for having the gull to get married to their precious little friend.

Harry Potter came and sat down. "Malfoy," he nodded.

"How's Granger?" Malfoy asked.

"Her name is Malfoy now, and how do you think she is?" Harry maliciously asked back. "I don't like withholding information from her."

"Neither do I, but we all agreed this was the only way for this madness of end," Draco responded. "By the way, where the hell am I?" Draco asked Harry.

"Well, you can't really apparate or disapparate in or out of the Ministry, but you can apparate to different sections of the building, so you're in a holding cell. One we use for prisoners being transported to Azkaban. You're perfectly safe here. It's probably one of the most secure spots in the whole Ministry." Harry told him.

"Perfect. The accommodations are absolutely wonderful," Draco said with a drawl.

"Listen," Harry said, with a trace of spite, "If you had wanted a four star hotel for your honeymoon, then you shouldn't have come up with this plan in the first place. Even if it is a good plan." Harry said that last sentence in almost a whisper, but Draco heard him anyway.

"Just take care of Granger," Draco demanded, "I love her."

"Yeah, so do a lot of us, Malfoy," Harry spat, as he turned to leave the room.

"Are you sure the trace on her is foolproof?" Malfoy asked, as he stood from the bed beside Potter.

"Yes, I put the spell on her myself. If the Mud Ones try to get her, we'll know right away, and she'll lead us right to them," Harry explained.

"What do you suppose the Mud Ones think about my kidnapping? Don't you think Martini will know about not being able to apparate from the Ministry?" Draco asked.

"They'll probably think it was done by a copy cat organization. I don't think they'll assume the Ministry is in on it. After all, having someone kidnapped under the nose of half the Auror department, and in the lobby of the Ministry itself, doesn't exactly put the Ministry of Magic in a very good light, now does it?" Harry retorted, "I have to go. I left Ginny with Hermione. She went back to her parents' house. I want to make sure she's holding up okay." Harry turned back around and left.

Several hours went by and no one came down to see Draco. He was beginning really to feel as if he was a prisoner. He didn't even know if it was day or night. He was also very hungry. Did they feed their prisoners around here? Draco's door was not locked to his cell, so he stood up and walked out into the hall. It was silent, and somewhat eerie. Maybe the Mud Ones really kidnapped him, and Potter and Weasley were part of their little group. Draco went back in his cell, and realized how stupid that thought was. Weasley, as hard as it was to believe, was a pureblood. Potter was a half-blood. Draco rested back on his cot, in his dark, damp, little cell, (fighting his hunger pains) and he fell asleep.

He had no idea how long he had slept. He woke up, and there was a tray of food on the little metal chair. He sat up, took the apple from the tray, and started to eat. The newspaper that Weasel brought earlier was on the floor. Draco bent down, picked it up, and read the article again. There was a picture of Draco and Hermione, leaving the registrar's office. He wasn't aware there was a photographer there. That would help the plan along. The Mud Ones would be more determined to get to Hermione if they thought she was now married to a pureblood.

She was now married to a pureblood. She was Mrs. Draco Malfoy. He felt as if he married her under false pretenses. He wanted to marry her, but not like this. She didn't want to be married like this either. Draco imagined that she probably had cried most of the day, and was now sitting at home wringing her hands, trying to figure out where he was. He should have told her the plan. He just didn't think she would have gone along with everything. She would hate him now, when she discovered the truth. If all went as planned, she would no longer be in harm's way. He could handle her hate. After all, she had hated him most of their lives, and he had handled that just fine.

He finished all the food on the tray. He stood up to walk around when Harry came into the cell and said, "The wheels are in motion. They took her. We know where they are. Come on." Draco dashed out the door, followed by Potter, and they ran down the hall.

(Coming up in Chapter 16, Draco rescues Hermione, or is it the other way around?)