Ron burst through the portrait hole and searched about the room with his eyes. Frowning, he rushed over to where Harry was sat, working on the corrections Hermione had given him of his potions assignment.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked Harry, eyes darting about the room.

Harry looked up. "She said she was going to the library" he told him.

Ron's face fell. "I have just come from there!" he huffed.

Harry stood, gathering his things. "We had better check then" he said, giving Ron a knowing look. The two boy hurried to their dormitory. Harry retrieved his Father's map and opened it.

"See! She's in the library" Harry said, looking at Ron.

Ron looked closer at the map and scowled. "Wait a minute, look!" he pointed, his cheeks flushing crimson with rage.

They watched as Draco Malfoy appeared on the map to be near Hermione. They two wizards exchanged a look and hoped Hermione was currently hexing the shit out of Malfoy. Then suddenly, the two names vanished. Ron blanched.

"Where did they go?" Harry cried. They shared a look and dashed out of the room, heading for the library as fast as they could.

Searching the library, they failed to find either their best friend or their nemesis as they checked the stacks. Scratching their heads, and frantic with worry, they reached the desks and sat down to think.

"I don't understand. Hermione cannot have just disappeared into thin air" Harry stated, running his hands through his hair.

"I bet Malfoy is to blame for this" Ron spat, kicking out at the table.

He was shocked to find his foot connect with something soft and ducked his head under the table to see what it was. Screwing his face up, he brought the item up and slammed it on the table.

Recognising the item Harry's eyes grew wide with amazement. "That's Malfoy's bag!" he cried. They set about searching the desks for other clues. Suddenly Harry cried out "Ron! Get over here, Ron!" and Ron hustled over.

"This is Hermione's stuff. Look. Her quill, her books, her bag on the floor. And, oh dear…" Harry trailed off.

"WHAT?!" Cried Ron, desperation permeating his broken voice.

"She's left her wand behind" Harry whispered.

Clutching her items and dragging his bag along, the two raced along the corridors to Dumbledore's office.

Harry had stopped by yesterday at his headmaster's request and hoped the password had not changed since then.

"Sherbert Lemon" he told the statue who let the pair past.

They raced up the steps, barely knocking before crashing into the room.

"Ah, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley. How are we today?" the old man drawled.

Harry was the first to speak "Professor Dumbledore, sir, its Hermione! She has been kidnapped!" he stated.

"And it was Malfoy" spat Ron.

Dumbledore asked them for their evidence and they relayed the story.

The old man postulated all that had been revealed while sat quietly, leant back into the chair, hands clasped together.

Eventually, he dismissed Harry and Ron, asking them to return to the Tower and to leave it with him. The shocked wizards were visibly distressed by this, however aquiest to the request, mainly because Harry trusted Dumbledore implicitly. Catching the twinkle in his eye, Harry privately wondered if he knew more than he let on.

Opening his desk draw as the two wizards made their way back to the common room, the old professor rummaged around until he located what he was looking for and placed it on the desk as he shut the little draw.

He grabbed and quill and opened the book. On one page, smiling as his eyes twinkled, he wrote

"amicis factus amatores"