Hermione watched Draco playing by the entrance of the cave. 'When has she started feeling that way anyway?' she wondered to herself. Sometimes she'd think that she only liked his four-year-old self but the longer she stayed with him, the more she became quite unsure.

She was about to delve deeper into her emotions when she felt it: a ripple in the magic around her. She grabbed her wand and cautiously walked towards the entrance of the cave with shaky feet. The Gryffindor called out to Draco who promptly stopped what he was doing and went to stand beside her.

Hermione held his hand tight. Something was wrong, she could feel it and she knew Draco did too because he moved closer to her. It was as if the world had gone quiet—she couldn't even hear the birds and the crickets that had accompanied their lonely nights.

She whispered an *Aura spell to detect any life presence in the vicinity. Three strands of silver smoke seeped out of her wand. Two of them slithered its way deep into the forest but those did not bother the Gryffindor just yet. Instead her eyes watched the third silver strand of smoke fall gracefully by her feet before moving behind her. She whirled around in panic.

"Hello, love" a man smiled devilishly.

Hermione could feel her blood drain out of her. But this was no time to panic. She cast a quick hex at the man and the next thing she knew she was running for her life with Draco in her arms.

She dove right into the forest and at that minute she wished she had paid more attention to the other strands of smoke that were warning her as two more snatchers had appeared behind the darkening trees. How did they break in? It's like they're always one step ahead of us. Hermione thought in desperation, We'll never outrun them—

A chain caught her legs that sent her toppling over with Draco falling a few feet away from her. She quickly raised her wand and casted a glamour spell, before her hands were chained down too. Draco looked back at her with horror, his hair and eyes turned brown making him look as forgettable as possible.

"Lookie what we got here. It's the mudblood herself" a thin snatcher sneered at her.

"How would you know?" Hermione spat at them

"Feisty one, this is. You're all over the wanted list lass. Got your picture" another one with an eye-patch laughed

"Shut up you two" the leader of the three snarled, "Just bind her nice and tight. We'll dine in galleons tonight"

"Just our luck, eh boss? We caught the complete set," the skinny one said gleefully

"Complete set?" Hermione was too afraid to ask

"Haven't you heard? We've got Potter and his blood-traitor of a sidekick. Aren't you happy lass? Reunited once again" the boss laughed cruelly

Hermione glared at them through her tears

"Hey boss, what about this one?" the eye-patched snatcher said poking Draco with his grimy finger

"Don't touch him!" the Gryffindor hissed

"Is he yours?," the boss sneered, "A mudblood offspring. How quaint. A little extra galleons won't do no harm. Bring him too."

"So what now? Are you going to take me to the ministry and have me tried?" Hermione sneered.

The boss's smile sent shivers up Hermione's spine. He leaned in and whispered, "Oh no love. You're much too special for that.

xxx

When the snatcher said Hermione was special the muggle-born did not imagine it to mean a one-way ticket to Bellatrix LeStrange as she and her captors appeared inside the Malfoy Manor.

"Hermione this is—" Draco started to whisper to her but she quickly brought her finger to her lips as if to say, keep quiet. Don't say a word.

The four-year-old nodded with wide, frightened eyes and Hermione hoped he understood how important that instruction was. She assumed he did as he kept his eyes down and stayed as close to Hermione as their captors would allow him to. The snatchers pushed them towards the drawing room. Hermione felt all hope of survival leave her.

There in the room stood Bellatrix LeStrange in all her crazy, mangled glory as she grasped Harry's face in her hand as if trying to get a good look. Only it wasn't Harry…or it was, but it didn't look like him. Hermione met the eyes of Ronald Weasley and he gave her a look that said that she was the last person he wanted to see in this place.

"Madame LeStrange," The boss snatcher bowed

"You're late" she barked out without turning around, "At least your other team had the decency to show up on time to deliver…this" She said as she bore here eyes into Harry's.

"Forgive me, Madame LeStrange. But you might find our reason for our tardiness quite satisfactory"

Bellatrix let go of Harry's face and he crumpled to the floor, finally turning towards the newcomers. She stalked towards the golden girl with a gleam in her eyes.

"Ah yes, the mudblood," Her eyes flicked to the movement of a little boy pressing his body up closer to the Gryffindor, "And what's this? Is this yours? Disgusting. No matter. More fun for me"

The witch cackled before steering her attention on the Snatcher, "You!" She hissed, "You said that this boy was Harry Potter"

"He is!"

"What's wrong with his face? I don't remember that Potter boy being this hideous. I can't allow mistakes to happen with it comes to our Lord"

"Well, he was with the red-head. I assumed they travelled together." The boss had the audacity to be smug

Bellatrix stared at the snatcher for the longest time and then broke out into a smile that sent Hermione goose bumps all over her arm, "Wormtail! Bring those two to the dungeon. Here's your gold. You may leave."

A rat of a man scurried into the room ready to grab the two boys when the boss snatcher spoke up.

"No way. We caught Potter, we want the glory"

Bellatrix whirled around with a crazed look in her eyes. The next thing Hermione knew the snatcher had been sent flying out of the Manor along with his two minions. Bellatrix laughed with glee. Hermione took this time to look around the rest of the room. That's when she noticed Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy standing in the corner. Both of them looked tired and weary as if they had been mourning—mourning for the son they thought had died and was now missing.

Bellatrix' laugh was cut short as she leered at Hermione's direction.

"What…what is that…" She said slowly coming nearer

Hermione braced herself only to realize in horror that Bellatrix wasn't looking at her. She was looking at the four-year-old hanging onto her. The spell was wearing off and the unmistakable platinum blonde hair and silver eyes of the Malfoy genes were starting to show.

Bellatrix's eyes widened in recognition.

"WHAT IS THIS?!" She screeched at Hermione

"Draco?" Narcissa said as if in a trance, "Draco! DRACO!"

Draco looked up for the first time since he entered the room, alerted by the sound of his mother's voice. He found her looking at him with tears in her eyes, "MUMMY!"

Narcissa broke free from Lucius' grip from across the room and ran frantically towards her son. Draco tried to run towards his mother only to be stopped by the chains that bound him. Bellatrix staggered backwards surprised to see her nephew alive and well. Lucius looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Oh darling, where have you been love" Narcissa sobbed as she scooped her son up in her arms, unbinding the chains.

"I've missed you mother" Draco sobbing as well

"Shh. It's alright. It's alright now. I've missed you too little dragon," the Malfoy matriarch cooed

"I thought you forgot about me and that you weren't coming back," the four-year-old cried

"Coming back?" Narcissa pulled back from their hug to look at her son in the eyes. By this time Lucius had found his way towards his family and he put his hand on his wife's shoulder

The Slytherin nodded, "Hermione said that you and father had to go away for a while and that I had to stay with them until you came back and—" Draco stopped himself as he noticed his father's presence. He quickly straightened himself up and stood up straight trying to stop his tears that were already falling, "Good evening, Sir" the little boy greeted.

Lord Malfoy looked down at his son with a penetrating stare.

"Lucius…" Narcissa pleaded softly as she watched her son

Lucius held his hand up to signal Lady Malfoy to silence. He then approached the boy and reached a hand out. The boy flinched and closed his eyes as if preparing for punishment. But instead Draco did not feel pain, he felt two strong arms lift him up and envelop him in a hug.

Draco's little body froze as it came into contact with such a compassionate gesture from Lucius. It had been a long time since he received affection from his father and soon the little boy clung onto his father a little bit tighter.

Bellatrix watched in horror as the scene unfolded in front of her. And then she screamed. Her horrid voice echoed through the wall of the manor, "WORMTAIL. TAKE THOSE TWO TO THE DUNGEON. LEAVE THE MUDBLOOD"

Wormtail hurriedly grabbed the two boys and dragged them into the depths of the manor. The last that could be heard of them were their screams calling out to the Gryffindor.

xxx

"Mummy" Narcissa heard Draco whisper to her, "Why is she hurting, Hermione? She really didn't do anything wrong. She really did take care of me"

The Malfoy family had quickly resumed their position at the corner of the room at Bellatrix's outburst. The Malfoy patriarch's grip on his wife grew tighter as they watched the muggle-born getting tortured. Narcissa hushed Draco for fear that her crazed sister would turn on them. She would not jeopardize her son's second chance at life.

"I'm only asking you one last time, TELL ME THE TRUTH" Bellatrix spat at the Gryffindor.

"Please, please" Hermione whimpered, "I already told you. The Aurors found him when they were scouting. They brought him back to the headquarters and we healed him. We were supposed to feed him Veritaserum but Tonks accidentally gave him an age potion"

"LIES" The Deatheater bellowed, "That couldn't have happened. You never found him. YOU WERE THE ONES WHO HELPED HIM ESCAPE WEREN'T YOU? HE WAS ALWAYS WORKING WITH YOU, MY TRAITOR OF A NEPHEW. CRUCIO"

Hermione screamed, "Please, please. We really did find him"

"NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. You couldn't have found him. Because the Draco Malfoy that I knew died, " Bellatrix said, "I should know because I left him to die."

Narcissa gasped, "Bellatrix? You?"

The crazy witched left her muggle-born prey to face her sister again. She spoke with a sneer, "Yes Cissy dear. Oh it had been slow and painful. Who do you think gave him to the dark lord?"

"You…you can't…"

"Ah, but you see, dear sister, I already did"

"Why?" Narcissa whimpered, "How…how could you? He's my son!"

"Because the Dark Lord wishes it. And anything he wishes is my command. You should be glad I had gotten rid of your Draco dearest. He was nothing but a failure, a disgrace, an embarrassment to the family!," Bellatrix raved furiously as she pressed her face near Narcissa's, "He couldn't even kill a wizard that was already defenseless and begging for his life. He deserved to die—"

Narcissa slapped her sister, "You'll regret the day you laid your hands on my son" She then whipped out her wand and pointed it at the crazy witch, "Leave my house"

Bellatrix smiled an eerie smile as she licked the blood of her lips, "You wouldn't dare Cissy. I'm your sister."

"I only have one sister," The Malfoy Matriarch said coldly, "Who, thanks to you and mother, I might never see again"

Bellatrix LeStrange looked furious and then she cackled maniacally, "Oh sister dear. You actually think I care? You're just as good as dead now." The Deatheater looked sideways at the little boy who was still clinging onto his father and this did not escape Narcissa's notice as she shuffled in front of him to protect him.

"Have it your way then," Bellatrix sneered as she sent two stunning spells so fast that Narcissa had no time to react. The lord and the lady of the manor were sent flying back leaving a cowering little boy in his father's arms. Bellatrix pried him away by yanking his arm up.

"Oh little dragon, do you want to come play with your Aunt Bellatrix, " she smiled like a Cheshire cat.

Draco shook his head and whimpered.

Bellatrix laughed, "You were never any fun anyway. No matter, I'm sure your dear Ms. Hermione wants to play"

She dragged the little boy towards the center of the room and propped him right beside the tortured muggle-born. Draco made a move to touch her but Bellatrix shot him with a spell than glued him to his place.

"Now, now Draco. No touching, just look," Bellatrix mock scolded her nephew, sending another spell his way. Then suddenly the four-year-old couldn't bring himself to look away, let alone blink.

Bellatrix crouched beside the Gryffindor and took out her pocketknife, "This game is simple really. There's only one rule. If she screams, she dies," and with that she drove the knife into her skin and Draco watched as the first drop of blood fell.

"Stop it," he whispered as he watched his guardian convulse with pain.

M-U-D Bellatrix carved.

"Please!" Draco said louder

B-L-O.

Hermione turned to look at Draco and she smiled at him as if to say that it's going to be okay.

O-D. A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek.

"STOP!"

xxx

The whole manor was shaking and was filled with the defeaning sound of glass being shattered and wooden floors and doors cracking. Hermione struggled to flip herself to her side, bringing a hand up to her face to protect it from any stray glass falling. She watched the little boy sitting there with his eyes shut tight and curled tightly into fists.

Draco Malfoy was experiencing accidental magic.

Even Bellatrix had momentarily forgotten what she had been doing as she looked over to her nephew, "Who knew that pathetic little Draco was capable of this" She laughed at her own discovery.

Hermione took this opportunity to crawl towards the obviously upset little boy. Bellatrix turned her attention back to the muggle-born and stepped on her mutilated arm holding her in place, "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You sneaky little mudblood! Where do you thinking you're going?"

Tears spilled from the gryffindor's eyes as more pain shot up her body. Then the chandelier above them started swaying dangerously. Bellatrix laughed as she watched it tether dangerously above them. "On second thought. Go ahead, save the blood traitor," she said as she removed her foot from the muggle-born and stood back to watch.

Hermione did not hesitate to do exactly what Deatheater mocked her to do. She resumed her feeble attempts to reach the boy before it was too late. She got herself back on her belly and started crawling once more. She ignored every stab of pain each time she pushed herself off the floor. The chandelier above gave a terrifying groan.

"Draco," Hermione pleaded as she continued to crawl towards him, "It's okay now. Everything's okay now, please stop."

But the boy could not hear her. The chandelier groaned again.

"Draco, I'm alright now, see? You don't have to be scared or angry anymore ple—"

Hermione looked up just in time to see the chandelier snap off from its place and come crashing down. She used her remaining strength to lunge herself on top of Draco and cried out as her body reminded her of her injuries. She waited for her end to come.

But the end never came. She opened her eyes and saw Draco fast asleep in her arms. She looked up and saw the chandelier just hanging mere inches away from her.

"Cissy!" Bellatrix hissed

The Gryffindor followed the Deatheater's gaze and came upon Lady Malfoy propped up against the wall, fighting off the remaining stunning spell in her body. She flicked her wand again and the chandelier burst into fine ash, clouding the entire room with black dust.

"CISSY YOU'RE DEAD. YOU'RE DEAD. YOU'RE DE—" Bellatrix's voice was cut short only to be followed by a loud thud. Hermione coughed through the ash and waited for the air to clear. The first thing she saw was the frozen body of Bellatrix LeStrange crumpled against the fireplace. She looked up at Narcissa Malfoy and watched to see what she would do next. The Gryffindor breathed a sigh of relief as she pocketed her hand once more and gave the muggle-born a tight smile. But this victory was short lived as the little boy in Hermione's arms started screaming.

xxx

"What's happening?" Narcissa asked as she rushed to her son's side. Draco's body was now stretched out on the ground as if he had been petrified. In fact, the only indication that he hadn't been petrified was the blood-curling scream that was still coming out from him.

"He's changing" Hermione whispered in horror

"What? What does that mean?" Narcissa

"It means he's changing back to his original age"

"Why is he in so much pain," Lady Malfoy whimpered

"We need a sleeping draught! Please Mrs. Malfoy, a sleeping draught!" Hermione snapped the Lady of the Manor out of her trance. Narcissa's lips tightened.

"Finney!"

A house-elf popped next to Narcissa and bowed down to her.

"Fetch me a bottle of sleeping draught" she instructed, "Quickly, now."

The elf popped out and back in less than five seconds. Hermione hurriedly took the bottle from Narcissa and forced down the content into Draco's throat. She didn't even pay any attention as Narcissa whispered yet another instruction to the elf before turning back to her and her son.

At first he resisted the potion but Hermione clamped her hand over his mouth until he choked it all down. After a few minutes he shut his eyes and fell asleep.

"Ms. Granger, please tell me what's happening to my son."

"You already know that he was de-aged by a potion. Normally we use antidotes for ageing potions. These antidotes help whoever drinks it transform back without any discomfort. The drinker would be placed in a heavy sleep and the transformation would take a day" the muggle-born explained.

Narcissa waited for the muggle-born to continue.

"Draco…when he transformed into a four-year-old his magical abilities did not. He might have forgotten about them but it's still there. My guess is that he released too much magic tonight—magic that his four-year-old body could not take and as a consequence he's being forced to change back. The hard way. He's changing too fast. A whole day's worth of transformation is being rushed into a couple of hours."

Narcissa swallowed hard and Hermione quickly comforted her by adding, "He'll be alright as long as we keep him sedated like this."

Hermione watched as the Malfoy Matriarch nodded her head unable to take her eyes away from her son. She guessed she couldn't hate the woman when her only true crime was loving her son. The thundering sound of footsteps was heard behind the Gryffindor followed by a crack.

"Mistress, I have brought who you've asked for."

"Hermione!" the boy-who-lived suddenly appeared in front of her, "Are you okay?" And then he noticed the Narcissa sitting peacefully with her son, "What's going on?"

"Relax Harry, they are not our enemies," Hermione said calmly as she let her gaze fall back to Draco.

"Bloody hell. Is she dead?" Ron said as he poked Bellatrix who was still lying with her eyes wide open. Her eyes twitched and Ron jumped back, "That would be a no."

"Cissa," Lucius Malfoy called weakly from the other end of the room as he tried to get back up. It was a lot harder to fight the spell off of him without his wand.

"Oh Lucius! I'm sorry I forgot," Narcissa jumped up and she rennervated her husband and helped him up.

Lucius stood up to his full height. His presence really was intimidating even in his weakened form.

"Stay ba—" Ron started to say.

"Really Mr. Weasley? You're challenging me without a wand?" Lucius sneer as cut short as he winced. He clasped at his dark mark, "Cissa, they have to go."

"Don't worry we weren't planning on staying," Harry retorted.

"That portkey in your pocket won't work in here," the Lord of the Manor drawled out.

"How did you—"

"You are in my home. I know everything. I can feel every magic that's coursing through these halls right now," he replied smugly. "Take the house-elf. Finney!"

A loud crack, "Yes, master?"

"Apparate our…guests," Lucius tested the word, "to wherever their portkey was supposed to lead them."

"How do we know we can trust you?"

"You don't," Lucius smirked as he took his wife's wand which she willingly gave. Harry and Ron immediately stood in front of the group. He flicked it and a chest came flying out of the wall and landed near his feet. He flicked the wand again and the chest opened to reveal wands. One final flick of his wife's wand and the chest was sent skidding across the room towards the trio.

"What is this?" Harry narrowed his eyes at the chest

"I'd feel a lot safer if the Chosen One was aware what wands were," Lucius sneered at the boy.

Harry stared hard at the Deatheater before slowly nodding his head and gathering three wands for him, Hermione and Ron. He then proceeded to stand beside his best friends and gave the portkey to the house-elf waiting for them.

"What are you going to do now?" Hermione questioned the older Malfoy.

"That is none of your concern, Ms. Granger."

"Lucius…you…bastard…" Bellatrix said through her teeth.

Everyone looked at the witch in panic but sighed with relief as they saw her still very much bounded. Lucius stalked over to Bellatrix and pointed his wand at her.

"You know, I never did like you," He smirked.

"What are you—"

"Crucio. Crucio. Crucio. " Lucius said with much satisfaction in his voice. Lord Malfoy raised his wand once more, "Obliviate." He watched the body of Bellatrix LeStrange go limp before he turned back to the group, "That should take care of her memories today. Now where were we?"

"Really Lucius?" His wife shot him a look, "Now is hardly the time."

"I've waited so long to do that Cissa."

"Erm…can we please leave now?" Ron Weasley spoke up in impatience.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed at him. They were at the mercy of bloody deatheathers.

"It's quite alright, Ms. Granger" Narcissa offered a tight smile, "He's right. You best be off but before that I have one last request to ask of you even though I am not in the position to do so"

The Gryffindor nodded her head slowly.

"Please take Draco with you. The Dark Lord cannot know that he is alive and well. He'll kill him."

Hermione exchanged looks with her best friend who nodded in agreement. Harry stepped forward and lifted the now eight-year-old into his arms. The Gryffindor Princess waited for her best friend to fall back in his place beside her.

"One more thing," Narcissa said as she stepped away from her husband's side to approach the Gryffindor witch, carefully taking her hand into hers. Hermione flinched at the contact but did not pull away as the Malfoy Matriarch put a small vial in her hand and closed her fingers around it, "Before Draco disappeared he told me to take care of this. Please give it back to him when he wakes up."

The muggle-born tightened her grip on the vial and nodded her head. With one last smile, Lady Malfoy stood back and watched her only son be ripped away from her yet again.

A/N: *Aura spell. I got this from Skyrim (Aura Whisper) except that I changed how it worked.

I know I said that I was going to be gone to do my projects but it's april four where I am and today is my birthday and I don't really feel like doing anything school related (haha when do I ever feel like doing anything school related.) So I decided to write this chapter while I wait for my birthday dinner yay. Hope you liked it!

&& Thank you to everyone who followed/reviewed the last two chapters.

& To HallowRain8587 Apples! Why didn't I think of that hahaha what is wrong with me.