" Hermione's missing..."
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Draco walked calmly into his office. It had been a bad morning. He slept badly, hell, he hardly slept at all. He had all the physical makings of a person who lacked sleep. Dry looking hair, tired looking eyes, but still, he tried to remain upbeat.
" Good morning, Sir, " his thirty year old; plump secretary greeted. " Some coffee, sir? "
Draco frowned a little, and tried to smile. " I- I don't know- perhaps- a croissant would do. And make my coffee black today, if you could, Alice. "
" Of course, " she said as she stepped out.
" What's bugging the boss today? " a young receptionist asked as Alice stepped out.
" No sleep, I guess. Perhaps he had a little love spat with his pretty beau, " she giggled. " But they do look like a charming couple, really- "
" I've seen her twice only, once was when I saw them shopping downtown, cute, actually. I've never seen him look so- carefree. I mean he does have a lot of girls, but she's- ummm, how do I put this? "
" Different? "
" Yes, different would do, Mrs. Alice. "
" Well it has to be. Mr. Malfoy only asks for black coffee in his nastiest days. If you ask me, that Hermione girl has hit him hard- " She smiled and imagined them together, imagining him whispering sweet nothings in Hermione's ear.
The young receptionist giggled. " Do you smell marriage in the air? "
" No, " a male voice came. " But I do hope I smell my coffee. " Draco stood in the doorway to his office, with an amused smile on his face.
" Sir Malfoy, sir! " she stood up, beet red. " I was- talking about- "She looked flustered all of a sudden, smoothing some papers on her desk, piling up the folders as quick as she could.
" Marriage? " he said. Then he smiled. " I was wondering if you could tone down on your gossip in the office? Working hours are working hours, after all. "
She nodded and resumed filing some folders on her desk.
Alice smiled and carried a silver tray with a buttered croissant. " Where would you like this, Sir? " she asked as she went inside his well-designed office.
" Place that near the balcony, please? " he said yawning.
There was the distinct sound of silver and china tinkering, the clatter of a moving chair, and Draco looked at the balcony, facing the fashionable district of London. He cleared his throat. " Alice, " he began, suddenly avoiding her gaze.
" Yes, sir? "
" How many years have you been married? "
" Oh- ten years, five months and thirteen days, sir. I've got three kids too, " she said with a little twinkle in her eye. " Two girls and one boy, ages seven, five and four years old respectively.
" You women remember everything, don't you? " Draco said with a surprised and amused look in his eyes.
Alice chuckled. " Of course, when it's love, it's love. "
" You don't have problems in your matrimonial life? "
" I don't think that can be avoided, Sir. Marriage has got a long way to go. Especially if you want it to last. My husband and I pull through, of course. He was after all, my college love, " she replied, smiling wistfully." The bastard practically swept me off my feet with silly poems and flowers any woman would have killed to have, " she laughed.
" Is it difficult? When you have children? " He was smiling now.
" I never saw it as that way, sir. I put it in as a challenge. You want kids, you got to raise them, and love them- give them the best, " she replied. " Would you like to know anything else, sir?"
He shook his head. " Nothing, you may- you may go. "
Alice nodded and started for the door.
" Um- Alice? "
" Yes, sir? "
" Do you think, I'd make a good- um- husband or something like that? " He felt himself flush in the face, much to his annonyance and much to Mrs. Alice's secret enjoyment.
" The 'something like that' would mean as a 'father'? I'm sure you'd make very good at both, " Alice replied with a smile. " It's not everyday a girl gets to have a young man by the name of Draco Malfoy- "
" I'm- I've got no plans for that, I'm too young, " he protested feebly, suddenly feeling vulnerable.
" Right, Sir. Now if you'll excuse me? "
Draco smiled a little as Alice left his office.
Alice passed by the trainee receptionist. She leaned in on the trainee's counter. " He's going to get married soon, " she said excitedly in a low voice.
" Like how soon, ma'am? "
" Six months- give or take, " she replied tapping her chin with one finger.
" I'd bet on a year- " the receptionist said.
" Is that a real bet, dear? " Alice said as she placed the tray down a table.
" Of course Mrs. Alice. A hundred pounds says he's getting married after a year. He doesn't seem like the committed type-" her voice trailed off, she was looking thoughful.
" Hundred pounds says he'll get married in less than six, " Alice said with a another twinkle in her eye. She was grinning now.
" It's a deal. "
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Ron was back in the job after a few days of rest. He had been joyous of being away from his mother's grasp. Not that he was really complaining- well- aside from the good food, his mother clung to him like a house elf, constantly reprimanding him for lifting the lightest objects, like a chair or a stack of books.
" Welcome back, Ron, " Lee Jordan greeted him with a pat on the back. " You're a bit early to be back, aren't you? "
" Thanks, mate, " he replied. " Did I miss anything? "
Lee laughed. " Hell yeah! "
" Where's Hermione? "
Lee shrugged. " I don't know… perhaps at home? She didn't send an owl today; maybe she's not feeling very well- time of the month? " And Lee grinned.
Ron frowned. Hermione should've called in sick. And he felt a sudden alarm rise in him. He grabbed his coat. " I'm going for awhile. "
" But you just got here- "
" Be back real soon, " Ron said as he rushed out. He ran to the nearest phone both and dialed her landline number. It rang for 12 consecutive times- no answering machine either. He shook his head and tried to call her cellular phone number. Still the same outcome.
" Hermione, " Ron muttered as he got out. " Where the hell are you… " And he went to a secluded alley, and seeing no one was there, he apparated despite knowing the risks.
He arrived inside her living room, and he immediately began to call out her name as he walked for the kitchen. " Hermione, " he said. " Hermione! "
No reply.
He walked into her bedroom, and saw the bed made up, like no one had ever slept there at all. His heart raced again and he felt panic rising inside him as he entered her bathroom, to see it empty and spotless.
" Hermione! " he yelled at the top of his lungs.
He searched for signs of intrusion, and found none.
" Think, think Ron…where could she have gone? Where? She's definitely not at her muggle job- It's her day off at her muggle job- she's supposed to be at the Ministry of Aurors- seven in the morning- but she wasn't there, despite you arriving at eight- " he muttered to himself.
Then he saw something at the corner of his eye...a wand… her wand- was on the floor, beside her bed…
Ron gave an inaudible gasp. Did Malfoy- ? Perhaps he knew! And in a second, Ron was gone.
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Draco's mug of coffee stopped midway from his mouth when he saw Ron appear in front of him. He put his mug down and smirked.
" There's this contraption called a door, and a human action accompanying it, called knocking. " Draco smirked at him again.
"Shut up, Malfoy."
" To what do I owe the pleasure, Weasley? "
Ron walked up to him. " Hermione's missing. "
Draco stood up. " What? "
" You bloody heard me right. "
Draco frowned. " She's probably- "
" I checked her flat, she wasn't there, her wand was on the floor, Hermione would never dash out without her wand, not now, not that there's a red alert at the Ministry-I searched for signs of intrusion, there was none- "
Draco put his coffee mug down. " You're bloody overreacting- "
Ron took out Hermione's wand. " No, I'm not. Were you with her? "
He laughed. " Weasley, she told me to stay away from her because you asked her to stay away from me, right? "
Ron felt his face go red. " You- that's besides the point. Did you see each other again? "
" So what if I did? They held a party, Weasley. A muggle party at the Savoy. Their editor-in-chief asked me to go, so I did. And lo and behold… Hermione in an appealing dress, right before my eyes. "
Ron frowned and closed his eyes for two seconds. " I get the picture. What time did you bring her home? "
" Four in the morning, tops, " Draco replied quickly.
" Suppose she's at- her mum's…" Ron muttered. " But- she couldn't be- unless she apparated- but her wand- she knows it's no longer safe- "
Draco frowned. "She should be at her muggle job then- "
" No! " Ron said tetchily. " It's her schedule today at the Ministry- she'd never- and I suppose she's not sick- unless she went to a hospital- "
Draco opened a drawer in his desk. He had taken out his wand. " Where do you suggest we go? The Ministry? "
Ron shook his head. " There'll be an uproar- trust me. "
" Then I suggest we go back to her flat first. "
Ron nodded. " Have you got Floo powder? "
" What? " Draco looked at him in bewilderment.
" We're using your fireplace- "
" I can apparate and defend myself just fine- "
" I'm not quite sure about that. To be safe- "
" You're not my doctor! "
" Thank god! " Ron snapped as he took out a tiny leather pouch. " I'm almost out of stock- " he sighed and offered the opened pouch to Draco who was frowning rather spectacularly. " After you! "
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Draco coughed as he dusted off some soot off of his polo shirt. He shook his head and fine gray particles fell on the floor. Draco's eyes fell on the veranda's sliding door. " Look, " he said, pointing to the sliding door. He walked up to it. " The bloody lock's broken- "
" What? "
" You missed this 'sign of intrusion'; Weasley. "
Ron felt his face burn, and he scowled to try to hide it. " Right. I can't believe I overlooked that. "
" Believe it. "
Just then they heard the front door to her apartment click. Draco and Ron stood straight, wary, and with their wands aimed high in the air, straight, to any intruder that might come through the door with a weapon. The door opened…
Draco's eyes widened, and so did Ron's. A second later a clatter was heard on the floor.
" You arse! " Ron yelled running for Hermione.
Hermione stood, holding a little brown paper bag and felt Ron's masculine arms around her petite frame.
" Don't you ever scare me again! " Ron told her.
" What's going on? Draco? What are you guys doing here? Together? "
Draco smiled dryly. " Weasley's imaginations flew the coop this time. He thought you were in serious danger, seeing how you missed your Ministry work schedule- blah, blah, blah. "
Hermione laughed. " Ron! " And she hugged him and explained the whole thing. " I went to buy some Midol. Guaranteed, I've got my time of the month, my stomach's, bloody- excuse the pun, bloody cramped up on me, I did send a message though- "
Ron slapped a palm on his forehead. " I'm bloody- I mean, I'm sorry, Hermione. "
She smiled. " You shouldn't be… wait a minute- aren't you supposed to be resting? Why the hell are you here! You had a sick leave of two weeks! " Her facial expression had changed. She looked irritated now.
" I was bored to death on my mind. Mum was being- "
" Get out of my flat! " she said.
" Hey, I was just, " Ron explained.
" Go home! Get your stubborn arse home! " she said angrily. Hermione stomped her foot on the carpeted floor as Ron backed away from her.
" Better do as she says, " Draco warned.
Her attention snapped to Draco. " And you! What the heck are you doing here too? Aren't you supposed to be working? "
Draco backed away a little. " Hey, I just accompanied your best friend here. "
Hermione was seething. " Get out! I don't need to be taken care of! Go back to your house and you- go back to your office! " She pointed at each of them.
Ron stepped into Hermione's fireplace. " Damn it, Hermione. You should really do something about that female problem. " Ron stopped as a jet of water flew from Hermione's wand. " Oy! What the-! "
Draco took a handful of Floo powder and prodded Ron to go. In a second and with a burst of smoke and green light, Ron was gone. Draco stood for a second, watching Hermione's face.
" What are you looking at? " she asked, annoyed at his stare.
" You just look beautiful when you're angry, " he began.
Hermione's scowl disappeared as Draco said it. Then she raised an eyebrow. " You're testing what's left of my patience. " She raised her wand.
Draco frowned. " Bloody menstrual cramps! " he snapped as he vanished into a cloud of smoke.
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This was some sort of dungeon, she knew it. There were rooms like this, dungeons like this in her own house. She shuddered and tried to compose herself, suppressing the urge to sob, to shake, to call out for someone.
The air was damp and dead. She could feel particles in the space drawing into her nostrils. There was the sound of water dripping somewhere, bad plumbing, perhaps? A light, a very faint, greenish one was coming from the slit under the door. She thought she saw a tail pass by and she almost screamed… but all she did was whimper as she drew herself up to a cold wall, with moss and god-knows-what. It had to be a very large rat- or something else. She heard squeaking now, and little feet scurrying about. And she gasped and held onto nothing, but air and the walls behind her. The door opened, and light, a sickening light, flooded in. Still greenish. A man stood in the doorway, heavily cloaked.
She stood up. " You! Who are you! "
He smiled underneath the hood. Such arrogance, such a command for respect- it only took those words to actually prove her birthright worthy. A true witch. A pureblood.
" Why did you bring me here? I demand to know! " she tossed her chin high, to quell the frightened soul inside her.
" I am quite sorry for the- pathetic accommodations. My subordinate had not used his head, again. I told him you should remain in good condition. Apparently he didn't get what that truly meant. I also meant your room, Madame. I shall see to it you get transferred immediately. "
She walked up to him. " I demand to know who you are! Who's behind all this! "
He smiled again. " Why, of course. Where were my manners, Madame Malfoy? "
She shuddered, hearing the man say her husband's name. He took of his hood. And she shook even more this time. " Oh god…" she gasped.
" Not a god, Madame Malfoy. Just… Lord Voldemort. "
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A/N: I decided to inject a little light moment prior to the Narcissa and Blaise part (i felt happy that i've reached past the 20,000 hits mark). I'm warning/telling you guys ahead, the next chapters will be darker, the pace will pick up too. So...please review after this? I hope to get alot of reviews before i upload the next chapter... Oh yeah, before i say my many thanks, i've been to one of my doctors yesterday; we'll begin treatment soon enough. My mother really cried since she's not with us, she's in America, so she kinda took the news hard. Anyway, enough with my sappy life story.
TBC! Thanks again to all those who reviewed: SelfHatred- no one died. :), beautifulshadow-i didn't get upset at all. it's been really nice of you to uplift my spirits, Zarroc-sorry it wasn't Hermione that was taken, Ms.Bianca Grint-thanks for praying for me, MunchkinThompson-i still find it hard to tell my friends, but thank you so much for the care, angelraine-i'll update as long as i keep reading your reviews hehehe, SailorMerucury909-yep, Blaise is bad but Draco is badder; there's always something about bad guys ala Draco that turns me on. hehehe, GangsterGurl135-you're never late!
And to all those who keep reading, thank you for the continued patronage:)