DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. I ONLY OWN THE PLOT

Seven

Harry looked between the elders and back again. Snape had to be lying. There was no way Hermione could be dead. She was his best friend. She was his sister and no! She was a member of his family. He loved her and she was always there for him.

"That's not true! She can't be dead!" he exploded. He looked at Lupin who looked equally shell shocked. They couldn't believe it. Hermione couldn't be dead, it just wasn't possible.

"I am sorry Harry. I think we have to believe Serverus on this," Dumbledore said sadly while Harry shook his head.

"No! No! She can't be dead! She's part of my family!" he yelled loudly. The rest of the Order members looked shocked too.

"Are you sure? Maybe you heard wrong," Molly asked, her hope quickly fading. They all knew what would happen to poor Hermione. Ron turned away, quickly hiding his glistening eyes. Ginny rushed over to Harry and pulled him away before he attacked Snape.

"HARRY STOP!" she yelled, pulling his arms back.

"NOOOO! Hermione!" he yelled, fighting against Ginny's hold.

"Aresto momentum!"

Rabastan gritted his teeth against the pain in his body as he withered on the floor in pain. It felt as though knives were digging into his skin and his insides were on fire. The pain increased in his body and he almost passed out. God, this was the worst kind of torture ever preformed. He could see the others being tortured too, except for Bellatrix who was in the corner. The Dark Lord had special plans for her…

"All of you have failed me tonight! I sent eight people to go after that mud blood and none of you could catch her! You filthy humans!" Voldemort screamed. Rabastan was tempted to tell the man about the mud blood in his house but he held his tongue. He'd get her back but mean while he had to focus on the Dark Lord.

Then, suddenly the pain in his body stopped and he had to keep from crying out in relief. He still lay on the floor, panting and trying to catch his breath. His head was bowed before Voldemort who looked furious enough to kill them all.

"Get up! All of you!" he cried and they all stood, showing not one sign of weakness. This was the way it was supposed to be. The dark lord hated any one showing him weakness after their punishment.

"Rabastan I am disappointed in you. You are supposed to be my most loyal follower." Rabastan kept his head down and his tongue in check. He had no doubts that if he were to open his mouth the dark lord would kill him on the spot. Tonight it didn't look as though he cared who had been his longest followers. No all the dark lord had wanted was Hermione and he hadn't gotten her.

Rabastan tuned out the rest of what was being said to the others. He was standing there thinking about the girl in his house and why the hell he hadn't turned her in. At least he wouldn't be getting this kind of torture from Voldemort tonight. But there had been something which had struck him when he had first seen her. The dark lord had shown them the scene at the ministry where the Order had rushed in to save Sirius Black and there had been little Hermione Granger the mud blood standing and fighting. She had been covered in grime and blood yet she had stood her ground like a true warrior and fought till they had won that battle.

"Lestrange! What are you waiting for? Get lost!"

Rabastan walked out of the Manor on shaking legs and spied Bellatrix looking alarmed for the first time in her life. He kept his smile hidden. Thank God, the crazy bitch was finally going to deserve what she got. Once he got outside Rabastan apparated home.

Hermione was awakened by a loud thunder clap inside the house. Her eyes snapped open and she grabbed her blanket closer to herself. Oh God, don't let it be another death eater! Mercifully, there had only been one loud pop and the voice of Rabastan as he called Tibby for something to drink. Hermione gulped when she heard him cursing. Obviously the meeting hadn't gone too well. She hoped he wouldn't come up for her anytime soon. Straining her ears Hermione heard him ask where she was and Hermione paled at that. She closed her eyes shut and heard the loud pop outside of her room. Closing her eyes tighter, Hermione clenched the comforter tighter around her body as the door knob turned. The hinges creaked open and then the door shut. It took all of Hermione's will power not to whimper and jump.

The hot breath tickled her face causing Hermione's heart to accelerate. His body pressed into her back and Hermione tensed hearing his chuckle.

"I know you're not asleep mud blood," he whispered sending shivers down Hermione's spine. Don't move. Don't move! She told herself. Hermione felt a hand on her bare shoulder and trail down her smooth arm before she jerked awake. Rabastan removed his hand, leaving a trail of fire where he had touched her. Hermione glared at him.

"Well I am not asleep anymore," Hermione snapped.

"We have to go." Hermione was startled by the look in his eyes. What the hell did he mean they had to go? Go where?

"Go where?" Hermione asked, afraid of the answer. Rabastan looked at her and sighed.

"To the dark lord." Hermione gasped.

"NO! NO you promised! I can't go there! He's going to kill me! NO! NO!" Hermione screamed her face pale as a ghost.

"Come on Granger, he's not going to hurt you." Hermione felt him take a hold of her small wrist and almost fainted from the shock.

"He won't hurt you Granger, come on," Rabastan said annoyed. She was supposed to be part of the damn golden trio so where was her spirit and courage? Hermione gaped at him. How could the dark lord not hurt her? He hated mudbloods! She felt like informing Rabastan. Hermione stayed rooted on the spot her eyes wide. How could he do this? The man was a murder and now he was taking her to sign her own death sentence?

"Rabastan please, you know what they'll do to me! He'll have them rape me!" Hermione cried out scared of what was going to happen to her.

He pulled her roughly toward him, his face a blaze of anger. Hermione realized that maybe Voldemort wasn't the only one she had to worry about. Rabastan looked quite frightening when he was angry too.

"Do you know what I have been put through just so I could buy him some time? I told you no one is going to hurt you not as long as I am there so just shut up and answer his questions. He promised to hurt you and the dark Lord doesn't go back on his word." Hermione gulped and felt like a complete coward for following Rabastan. He sneered at her and held onto her arm while they apprated to the Malfoy Manor.