Deatheaters' revenge, chapter three.
This was originally chapter two, but I decided that the last chapter of Ginny and the Muggles should really have been the first chapter of this story, so they've been renumbered. Don't worry I've uploaded the next chapter at the same time.
Disclaimer:-
News just out! Harry Potter belongs to J.K.Rowling, her various publishers and Warner Brothers. Anyone who didn't already know that should probably check into St. Mungo's right away – ask for the floor for spell damage as you've probably been subject to an Obliviate curse. The only things in this story which belong to me are the plot and any characters not found in JKR's books.
Author's note...
The deatheaters came to attack Bonnie, but thanks to Dawn, she escaped, but now Dawn has disappeared.
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Ron had left the aurors checking for any clues that might be found at the scene, though he was sure that there wouldn't be any. He was not looking forward to the job he had to do next.
He walked rather than apparated to Jeff's room. Even the minute or two that gave him, put off the unpleasant task for a little.
"What is it?" Ron's face had given him away. "Some thing's happened to Bonnie?" asked Jeff.
Ron shook his head. "Bonnie was attacked, but she got away. She's fine. Dawn was with her. She put Bonnie's hand on the port key and said the words. Bonnie's safe."
"Then?"
"One of them had knocked Dawn away from the port key, but she went ahead and said the words anyway. Bonnie arrived in St. Mungo's alone."
"Dawn's not...?" Jeff couldn't finish the question.
"No," Ron assured him. Honesty made him add, "At least we don't think so."
"What do you mean, you don't think so?"
"We don't know, Jeff. When I got to the room, she'd disappeared." He decided not to mention the traces of blood on the wall. "We've got aurors checking everything, believe me, but we don't know where she is."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Arrathay, the leader of the remaining deatheaters, was furious. "I ask you to get that bitch who tricked Um bridge, and you bring me this?" He aimed a loose kick at the girl lying on the floor between them. "Who the hell is she?"
"We don't know. She was with the Wright girl."
"So she knows nothing. Just some random muggle. And just how is that going to help us? Why didn't you just obliviate her? Or kill her? Why bring her back to me?"
"She must know something. She activated the Wright girl's portkey."
"Oh." For the first time, he smiled. "Did she now? Enervate!" he commanded.
"She wasn't stunned," the other deatheater explained. "She just hit her head,"
"Damn. Well. Let me know when she comes round. I've some questions for a muggle that knows how to activate a portkey."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bonnie was inconsolable. The moment Ron walked into the room, she flew at him. "You've got to find her," she begged, tearfully.
Ginny pulled her off.
"We're trying," Ron said. "But there's nothing to go on."
"Then try harder."
"They're doing everything they can," Hermione assured her.
"I know," sobbed Bonnie, "it's just..."
"Careful," said Ginny, hugging her closer, "don't go getting Harry Syndrome on us."
"Harry Syndrone?" Bonnie asked, curiosity overcoming the tears for a moment, then a slight smile came to her lips. "Oh. I see what you mean."
"I don't," said Ron.
"Ron," sighed an exasperated Hermione. "What's Harry's most notable characteristic?"
"His scar?"
"I mean emotional characteristic," she said patiently.
"Oh. Wanting to save everyone. Didn't you call it his hero complex?"
"Among other things," replied Hermione. "But I didn't mean that. What else does he do every time something happens to someone?"
Ginny couldn't help a grin as Ron's face changed like a light had been switched on. "You mean he blames himself for everything, even when it's not his fault."
"Well done, Ron," said Ginny cheerfully.
"Alright," he said crossly, going slightly red.
Hermione looked at Ginny and Bonnie and said in a loud stage whisper, "Boys."
"You didn't seem to mind me being one last night," Ron retorted, leaving Hermione the one going red.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was nearly a week later that Ron flooed into the Burrow. Bonnie immediately looked up hopefully, but cast her eyes down when he shook his head slightly.
"Not a thing," Ron said with a note of frustration. "It's like she's disappeared off the face of the earth.
"I have to go back," said Bonnie.
"No," protested Ginny.
"I can't hide forever. Saying I've been ill has been fine for a short time, but..."
"How are we going to guard you?" said Ginny.
"You're not," insisted Bonnie. "I'm not having anyone else hurt or... worse, for me. I can take the portkey. I'll be okay."
Ron began to argue, but Ginny shook her head at him. Realising that Bonnie was determined enough that he wasn't going to win this argument, he said, "I'll ask Hermione if she knows a charm that can automatically activate the portkey if you are apparated or portkeyed away somewhere."
As usual Mrs Weasley insisted that Ron have something to eat before he went back to work, and, also as usual, Ron had no objection.
The fireplace suddenly came to life. "Hi, Mrs. Weasley. Is Ron there?" On being told yes, a few seconds later Hermione appeared.
"Ron. Jeff's been trying to call you all day on the cellphone I gave you."
"But I haven't turned it off," he protested, pulling it out to show her.
"The battery's dead, Ron. I gave you enough batteries to last a week, but you need to change them when the symbol on the screen tells you too."
"Okay, okay, but what did he want?"
Hermione struggled for a moment between continuing to lecture Ron on how to have a cellphone properly and telling the news she had. The news won.
"Dawn's been found. She's alive," she added quickly at the worried look from all the faces in the room.
"How is she? I want to see her," said Bonnie at once.
"Not good. She was badly beaten, Jeff said. A lot of bones broken. A lot of the time she's unconscious. The police have a guard outside her room in the hospital. Only family are allowed to visit. Jeff said it took ages for him to get permission to see her."
"Will she be...?"
"She's not in danger, Bonnie. It'll be okay."
"It's NOT okay."
"I'm going to have to interview her," said Ron. "If it's a muggle hospital I can apparate into her room, right?"
"I'll ask Jeff to find out if it's possible without being seen. If you change your batteries in the phone I'll ask him to call you when the coast is clear."
"The coast? What's that got to do with it?"
Hermione sighed. "It means, when it's possible to be there without anyone seeing you."
"Okay."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"So, I still don't understand."
"What don't you understand this time?"
"Why we let her go."
"I want them frightened," their leader explained patiently.
"So why didn't we at least crucio her into insanity?"
"Because, brainless, I want her to be able to tell them what we did to her. Every detail."
"Why?"
"I told you. The next time, I want to drive them crazy with worry. I'm going to enjoy my revenge, every little bit."
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It was almost two days before Jeff called Ron to let him know that Dawn was conscious enough to see him. The police could see into her room, so Dawn had had to insist on some screens at the window so that she could have some privacy.
At the slight crack of apparition, the police ran into the room, but Ron was safely under Harry's invisibility cloak. Jeff was still siting in the chair.
When they were satisfied the area was still secure and left, Dawn tried to sit up a little.
"Hi, Ron. How's Bonnie?" Dawn asked him with difficulty. Her face was still badly swollen.
Ron couldn't help a smile in spite of gasping at the sight of her.
"Worried about you."
"I told them. I'm sorry."
"Told them what?"
"About the port key. I didn't want to, but they wouldn't stop hurting me... I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. They would have guessed about the port key the moment you activated it."
"Oh," her face relaxed a little.
"What else were they asking you?"
"Just who gave it to me. I told them it was you. I tried not to."
"Hmm. Surely they'd have guessed that anyway?"
"I don't know," she replied weakly. "Even after I told them, they just kept on punching and kicking me. I said I'd tell them anything, but they just laughed."
For the first time, he noticed a tear in her eye.
"Tell Bonnie, I'm sorry. I should have held out."
As Jeff grasped her hand, Ron told her, "You have nothing to be sorry for. She's alive and she's safe, thanks to you. Just think about that. You've told them nothing that has helped them at all."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. That's probably why they did all that to you, out of frustration. You did okay."
Dawn slumped back in the bed. "Good."
"You get some sleep."
"Hmm," she sighed. "It's all I seem to do now."
Ron turned to Jeff. "Look after her."
Jeff nodded. His face showed strain.
"And look after yourself too. When she's well enough to come out, she's going to need you."
"Okay," he replied, his voice filled with sadness.
"I'll get them, Jeff. I promise you. I'll get them."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Despite Ron's promise, neither he nor any or his team had any lead on who Dawn's kidnappers and attackers were able to make any progress. She had been too badly beaten to be able to give them a usable description, in fact they had kept her blindfolded much of the time anyway.
There had been occasional attacks on muggles, though not as many as before, and sometimes there were attacks on wizarding targets as well.
Ron was furious with himself and his team that they were no further forward than at the start of the investigation. It took his mother and Hermione together to force him to stop working all hours and take time to sleep and eat.
Hermione couldn't help a slight smile at Ron not even wanting to take time to eat, but knowing how the worry was getting to him wiped the smile from her face.
"Ron, when you do find them..."
"If. We're not getting anywhere."
"When," she insisted. "When you do find them, you all need to be fit enough to take them down. If you work yourself ragged and your team ragged, you won't be. You all need to rest."
"But, I have to..."
"But nothing," snapped his mother. "Hermione's right. If you're not fit enough, they'll escape. Is that what you want?"
"Of course not," he said angrily.
"Then take the day off tomorrow, please?" begged Hermione.
He nodded in agreement.
To his surprise, his mother had packed them both a picnic lunch. "It's a lovely day. Go somewhere and enjoy it."
Hermione looked up in surprise. Even since they'd been engaged, Mrs. Weasley had seemed to do everything possible not to allow them, or Harry and Ginny, time alone together. Mr Weasley had told her that his wife had muttered something about being worried about "hormones".
If Hermione was surprised, that was nothing to Ron's reaction. He pulled out his wand saying, "Who are you and what have you done with my mother?" before laughing out loud.
A warm feeling went through Hermione at the sound of Ron's laugh. It seemed an age since she'd heard him laugh.
Mrs. Weasley smiled at Hermione as if she could read her thoughts. "Take him somewhere nice and peaceful..."
"But what if I'm needed?" Ron protested.
"Your team can handle it," insisted Hermione. "And if they can't, there's always Harry."
Ron turned to his mother. "He's worse than me, you know. You'll have to get Ginny to get him away on their own as well."
His mother's face reddened slightly. "Go. Before I change my mind and get you in the garden. I think there's a few gnomes we need to get rid of."
Hermione grinned. "We're gone."
"Look after him Hermione."
"I will."
"You should be telling ME to look after Hermione," Ron protested.
"NO," said both his mother and Hermione firmly.
Before Ron could say anything else, Hermione took his hand and they apparated away.
"Where are we?"
"It doesn't matter. It's quiet. There's nobody here but us." To Ron's shock, Hermione began undressing.
Amused but satisfied at his stunned look, Hermione grinned, "It's only a bikini, Ron. Lot's of girls wear them at the beach. I've packed some swimming trunks for you in the bag."
"In front of everyone?"
"Oh, Ron. You're so Victorian sometimes?"
"Victorian?"
"Old fashioned. I mean a lot of girls only wear a thong."
"What's a thong?"
"It's like... a very thin bit of material at the back." She turned round, and pulled the back of her bikini together. "Some only have like a string at the back."
Ron snorted.
"And a lot of girls go topless too. That's without this bit," she explained. "Do you want me to show you that as well?"
Before he could answer she ran to the edge of the sea and began splashing around. "Get your trunks on and come in. The water's lovely."
He quickly found them. "She wants me to wear these?" he thought. "There's nothing to them." Actually they were pretty standard swimming trunks. He changed quickly and ran to join her.
Seeing her looking at him made him suddenly shy as he realised how little they covered.
Seeing his embarrassment, Hermione immediately began splashing him and they had a splashing fight for a while.
Almost out of breath, Hermione said, "Let's rest a while." She hugged him to her and could feel him against her.
"Hermione!" her protested. "I can't come out of the water now."
"Even if I promise to show you how some girls wear this?"
"You mean top... whatever."
"Topless," she corrected.
"You're not helping," he replied.
To his shock, she put her hand down and touched him. "It's only natural, Ron," she told him as he gasped.
She ran out of the water, Ron following her. She turned to him and undid the top of her bikini.
"You don't have to," he said, looking at her face, which suddenly looked uncertain.
She looked at him. "They're not very..." she said as the material fell away.
His eyes flickered downwards for a moment, they went back to her face. "You're beautiful," he whispered.
Hermione let out a sigh of relief, suddenly aware that she'd been holding her breath waiting for his reaction.
She turned to her bag and pulled out a pair of large towels and spread them out on the grass.
As they lay together she told him, "You can touch me, you know."
Ron began stroking her arm. It was nice, but frustrating.
He seemed hesitant to go further. Finally she grabbed his hand and put it on her breast. As he gasped with shock, she moved her hand down to firmly grasp his erection.
"Ron. I love you. I'm yours. All of me."
"You mean?"
"Ron," she said in an exasperated tone.
Finally he got the message and leaned over to silence her with a kiss. A long kiss.
She thought it would never end and that she never wanted it to end, but then her cellphone rang.
"No," she moaned angrily. "I knew I shouldn't have brought it."
Ron moved off of her as she answered it.
"Hello?" She was unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. Then it changed. "We'll be right there. Ron. Diagon alley's been attacked."
Ron was pulling on his clothes, ignoring the wet sand on his trunks.
"And Ron. Ginny's missing."
Author's note. Sorry this has been so long. I had real writer's block. Depression does that to you. I finally unblocked myself by starting another story. It's called "Prophecy Repeated" if you want to check it out.
Brian