Harry has been trying desperately to get Hermione out of Ron's stupor. He is sitting with Hermione all the time; he is been more agreeable with her. He even agreed with her that that he may be obsessing about Deathly Hollows. He even tried to make some jokes to make her laugh or even just make her smile which are far from his comfort zone. He never has to make a joke or anything to lighten the situation it was always Ron's area of expertise. He realized with a pang in his chest that always it was Ron who made her smile; it was Ron who made her laugh and it was Ron who usually drags her out when she overworks. All that time Harry was with his own problems he never even thought about all those.
After all his tries Harry got frustrated when he still sees her crying over Ron when she thinks he is not seeing. It made him even more to try hard for her. A small comfort to him is that she is not crying every night as in the beginning when he left. He took it as a good sign that she is slowly getting over Ron. He is still very much far away to make her see him in a different light like she sees Ron when she thinks nobody is seeing her. But Harry felt his chances have been increased.
As far as Horcruxes are concerned they made zero progress with him not at all concentrating on them it has been total dud. He kept trying to open the snitch but to no use. He kept on working on the Potterwatch password with no success.
Harry sighed he once again turned on the radio and started trying different names for the password to his sheer luck he got the password and it is Albus.
"Hermione, Hermione come here, come fast." Harry nothing but shouted in excitement.
"What is it Harry" Hermione came running with her wand out.
"I got it; I got it, the password for the Potterwatch." Harry said in excitement momentarily forgetting that he never told her about the program. When he saw the blank expression on her face he realized his mistake and cursed under his breath. He quickly came up with the cover story,
"It is the program conducted by the Order, Mr. Lovegood said to me about that when you went to washroom and I forgot to tell you that." Harry said hoping Hermione will buy his lame explanation. To his immense relief she nodded her head.
"What is this program is all about?" Hermione asked taking a seat opposite to him.
"I don't know much but it is the program against you-know-who." Harry said as he increased the volume of the radio.
Harry and Hermione immediately recognized the voices of all the speakers. They listened with absolute silence and mourned for Tonks father along with the speakers in the radio. Harry saw Hermione flinch at the mention of Bathlida Bagshot. Hermione sighed in relief when the name of his favorite red head is not in the casualty list. When they announced the news about the arrest of Mr. Lovegood both Harry and Hermione looked at each other and the silent message passed between them, apparently Hermione's plan of showing Harry to the Death eaters didn't work. Both of them gasped when they heard the news of Hagrid's narrow escape.
"Harry we didn't heard anything about Ro-"
Harry didn't let her finish the sentence remembering Ron's words he has taken enough care not to let Hermione to speak Ron's name aloud by not letting her to finish Ron's name.
"Hermione, you know Weasleys are well known for their pride and loyalty. They may still not have forgiven Ron."
Hermione started speaking then Harry hurriedly changed the topic.
"Voldemort's abroad Hermione, he is still looking for the Wand, I knew it."
"Honestly Harry, I thought we are over this discussion-"
Hermione stopped talking suddenly as the Sneakoscope on the table lit up and begun to spin.
Suddenly it clicked to Harry, he has spoken Voldemort's name aloud. He cursed loudly for forgetting that before he knew he suddenly hit by a curse straight to his face by Hermione as they heard the Death eater's announcing their presence.
Ron has been sitting in outside in the sand and listening to the Potterwatch. All the news they are saying is old news to Ron. He already gathered all the news from Bill. He wished Harry and Hermione guessed the password and are listening to the program. Today is the day he will be going to the Hogwarts he is just waiting for the sun to set.
He is going to the Hogwarts to speak to the Dumbledore's portrait. He cursed loudly for his stupidity for not thinking about it before. He didn't have the idea until he read about the portraits in Bill's curse breaking books. His plan is plain and simple he has to enter the castle with an invisibility charm which he learnt from Bill and meet Professor McGonagall and get her help to get into Headmaster's office.
As he is absently listening to the Potterwatch, the word 'basilisk' suddenly got his attention. He jumped and let out a joyous triumph. He remembered Harry saying that he destroyed the dairy with a basilisk fang. If he is able to get into chamber of secrets he can get as many basilisk fangs he want and he will be also have some means to destroy Horcruxes if he gets his hands on one. He made a mental note to thank Fred when he meets him.
Ron sat there for an hour playing skimming stones. As he is getting up to go back into the house he suddenly heard a weak voice calling out his name which caused him to jump. He checked the surroundings for the source of the voice, when he didn't find anybody he took out the Deluminator from his pocket and clicked it; a bluish ball of light appeared in front of him and went straight into his heart. With a pop sound he dissaparated.
Hermione is trying not to let the panic engulf her as the snatchers took their wands and other belongings. She shuddered when Fernier Greyback ran his hands over her cheek and letting out a monstrous laugh.
"Look what we have got here, a juicy girl and a stinging boy on the run. What's your name girl?" Greyback asked with an evil glint in his eyes.
"Penelope Clearwater and Half blood." She said terrified yet convincing.
"What is your name stingy boy? You are carrying the mirror in your pocket to see your ugly face" Greyback laughed maniacally throwing the mirror away.
Harry quickly replied, "Dudley, Vernon Dudley and my father works in the ministry in Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."
"You know what, Greyback; I think there is a Dudley in there."
Hermione breath caught in her throat, she hoped against hope that they can get out of here. Now they are this close to get out of this.
"Oh yeah, then why did you speak the Dark Lord's name aloud? Nobody uses his name."
"It is an accident; we didn't intend to, it was just an accident." Hermione said as much convincingly as possible.
"You don't speak Dark Lord's name accidentally_" Greyback words are cut off by Scabior.
"Look here Greyback; she is the Mudblood who is on the run with Harry Potter." Scabior shouted in excitement.
It didn't take them long to identify Harry and adding to their bad luck Harry's car started hurting making the matter worse. Hermione desperately tried to think something to get out them from this situation.
The snatchers along with Greyback decided to take them to the Malfoy Manor rather than the ministry and quickly dissaparated them into the front gates of Malfoy Manor. Within no time they are face to face with Lucius Malfoy. He immediately called Draco for identification.
"Well Draco, is it Harry Potter?"
"I can't- I can't be sure." He is keeping his distance from Greyback and scared to look at Harry.
"But look at him carefully! Come closer!"
Hermione heartbeat quickened as she heard the excitement in Lucius Malfoy's voice.
"Draco, if we are the ones who hand over Potter to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgi_"
"Now we won't be forgetting who actually caught Potter, Malfoy." Greyback interrupted menacingly.
"Of course not." Lucius dismissed impatiently and approached to examine Harry himself.
"What happened to his face? It appears to be someone hit his face with a stinging jinx."
"That wasn't us."
"What is this? What happened, Cissy?" Bellatrix Lestrange walked slowly around the prisoners staring at Hermione, causing chills on Hermione's back.
"But surely, it is Mudblood Granger girl."
"Yes, yes, it's Granger and we think we finally caught Potter." Lucius Malfoy said as he rolled up his sleeve to touch the Dark mark to summon the Dark Lord.
He is wildly stopped by Bellatrix Lestrange whose eyes are widened as saucers making her look even more crueler then she normally looks.
"Where did you get that?" Bellatrix shouted with furious rage pointing to Scabior who is holding Gryffindor's sword in his hands.
"I got it from Mudblood's belongings and it is now mine." Scabior replied in a foul tone. Before he even realized he is stupefied. Remaining snatchers went for their wands were all stupefied in the blink of eye. They were all no match for Bellatrix. With a flick of her wand she brought Greyback into his knees.
"Draco, take that Mudblood boy and Potter into the cellar. I have some business with this Mudblood scum." Bellatrix ordered Draco without taking her eyes from Hermione.
Draco pointed his wand towards Harry and Dean and led them into the cellar.
Hermione knew what is coming now but she is unable to find her voice. Before even she uttered a word Bellatrix curse flew towards her.
"Crucio."
Hermione let out a pained shriek as the pain coursed into her body. She never felt such an intense pain before. It is like thousands of needles penetrated into her every part of her body. The curse suddenly lifted as she fell on the ground.
"Tell me Mudblood, how did you get your filthy hands on the sword? It was safely kept in my vault by Snape. Tell me how did you enter into my vault?"
"I don't know what you are talking about. We found the sword and it is a replica of Gryffindor Sword not the original."
Bellatrix laughed like a maniac and cursed again causing Hermione to whither on the ground from the ultimate pain.
"You think I am a fool to believe your scum, Mudblood. Now tell me what else you took from my vault?"
Harry down in the cellar walking around like a caged animal. His ties were cut by Luna and he is trying desperately not to hear the Hermione's painful screams. He closed his ears praying God to send somebody to their rescue.
Hermione let out another painful shriek as once again the curse hit her body. Her mind is losing control she is trying with everything she had to remain conscious. She tried to remember her parents' faces and their happy faces when they left to Australia.
She remembered Ron and his lopsided smile and knowing she is never going to see him again with everything left unsaid between them. She desperately hoped that he makes through the war unscathed.
Gathering all her energy she called, "Ron." Everything went black for her.
When the screaming stopped Harry prepared for the worse. He never felt more alone than that moment in his life. The war consumed all his loved ones and now he lost Hermione.
And suddenly there is a loud pop of somebody apparating into the Manor and in the next instant Harry heard Ron's voice yelling, "Impedimenta" then they heard a loud shriek of yell of Bellatrix, this time not from pleasure but from pain.