Downside of Aging Potions - Chapter Sixteen

"Laughing, screaming, tumbling queen
Like the most amazing light show you've ever seen
Whirling, swirling, never blue
How could you go and die
What a lonely thing to do."
-Boy George, Il Adore

At the sight of the older man, she instantly tried to shut the door. He stuck his snakehead cane in the crack easily before it shut all the way.

She looked for her wand and found it on her nightstand. She wasn't even into her second stride when he said calmly, "Accio wand."

Her wand flew into his hand.

Hermione backed up into her room, seeing no other way to escape. Malfoy backed her into a corner and reached into his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, he threw some pink powder into her face and she was instantly swamped with fatigue.

The last thing she remembered was his cold smirk as she fell into his arms.

!

Snape was insanely worried. Hermione had been missing for a day, without a single trace.

So, in addition to his unhealthy worry and extreme weariness, he was on the worst guilt trip he'd possibly ever been on.

Was it a coincidence that she is missing after their argument? Couldn't be... It was his fault. He drove her away somehow.

Damn females. He fumed silently again.

"Any word, Severus?" Dumbledore asked quietly, to avoid the ears of other teachers.

"No, Headmaster."

The ancient wizard looked at him skeptically, "You're blaming yourself. Why do you blame yourself?"

Snape didn't answer. Dumbledore didn't need to know. It was none of his damn business.

"I need to get to work on a potion." Snape said, trying to move from the Headmaster and find sanctum in his dungeons.

"Severus." Dumbledore said firmly.

He stopped and faced the older man, "It's to find Miss Granger, sir. Please."

Snape walked the way back to her room to find something, something that was from her. The potion he had in mind was like the Polyjuice potion in that for this potion, the Seeking Potion, you needed something from another to make it work.

He said the password to the Head Girl room and made for her room.

Wondering what to search for, he began with her dresser. It didn't take him long to smirk in satisfaction when he picked up her hairbrush.

After delicately pulling a few hairs from the comb, he quickly left for his lab.

!

When Hermione woke, she was lying flat on her back in the middle of a cold, dark dungeon. She guessed she was lying on a table of iron, it was very hard and it seemed to fit the background. She didn't know she was tied down until she tried to move and found it unsuccessful.

Fear taking over all her senses, Hermione struggled and pulled as hard as she could. Only, it was all for nothing when she finally gave up, limbs tired from straining.

Her head snapped up towards the direction of a door clicking open and her stomach dropped as she saw the unmistakable figure of Lucius Malfoy. Again.

She buried her fear and replaced most of it with anger.

He saw her and smiled coldly, and said with sweet venom, "Good morning, Miss Granger."

"Go to Hell." Hermione hissed.

"Oh, trust me, Granger. I've been there." He assured her with a silky smile.

Hermione glared, "Bastard. Let me go! I've nothing to give you."

"Oh, but you do." He crooned, reaching out to stroke her face.

Her glare had not faltered a notch. As he came close to her cheek, she bit him. She bit Lucius Malfoy.

He sucked in air to keep from showing his pain in any other way and then he glared at her.

"You're a spitting little cat, aren't you? No matter... Two can play that game."

His wand was out a half-second later and he hissed, "Crucio!"

The Unforgivable hit her like a brick wall, piercing all her molecules and atoms and everything else she was made up of. She was screaming, she thought. Her body buzzed with pain and agony and she thought her body would fall apart. After what seemed like years, the spell slowly died until the only thing she felt was subtle contempt.

She desperately gulped for air, knowing how hoarse her throat was. Her skin was sticky and she was practically bathed in her own sweat. She opened her eyes slowly, anticipating the curse again.

Lucius watched her intently behind his lashes, a interested look in his silver-gray eyes.

Hermione felt hot tears on her cheeks and she looked away. "What do you want, then?"

He smirked smugly and replied, "We need to know where Severus is."

She didn't have to ask who 'we' was. Obviously he was talking about the Death Eaters and Voldemort.

She frowned. That was the purpose of all this? "I don't know where he is."

"Oh, I think you do, my little cat." She didn't bite him this time when he stroked her face with his gloved hand.

Hermione blinked blankly, "No. I don't."

"Don't make me use a Veritaserum on you." He warned, his strokes becoming a little rougher.

"But- I don't know where he is. He's been gone for weeks and no one knows why. No one would tell us where he went."

He sighed heavily, "Pity you can't cooperate. I was counting on it. For your sake, of course." He formed another silky smile as he beckoned two Death Eaters forth from the shadows.

!

"Potter!" Snape rushed into the Gryffindor Common room with Dumbledore's previous permission.

"Sloan?" He asked, looking up from an essay he was writing. Snape saw Ron turn fifty shades of red.

Ron demanded, "What are you doing here? This is the Gryffindor Common room."

Snape completely ignored the redhead and quickly said to Harry, "Potter, I need to speak with you. Privately. Now!"

Harry got up, suspicion on every centimeter of his face.

Snape led him just outside the Portrait of the Fat Lady and he said, "I need your hair."

"What?" Harry burst, and Snape could read Harry's thoughts from the look on his face: 'Are you fucking mad!'

"It's to find Hermione."

He suddenly forgot the last statement and his face lit, "You found her? Where is she? Is she okay? What-"

"There's no time for this, Potter! Hair! Now! This is a very pressing matter."

He plucked a few of his hairs and handed them to Snape. Snape thanked him and abruptly turned to leave.

"Wait! Tell me what the hell-"

"I will explain when I get back. With Hermione. Keep the weasel occupied, will you? And don't mention this to him."

Snape left, leaving Harry to ponder worriedly.

With any luck, he would reach Hermione in time before Malfoy got to her...

!