A/N: Here we go again, slowly but surely the drama unfolds.

Thank you to everyone for writing reviews. And since it was pointed out to me, I just wanted to quickly say this: I'm sorry for perpetuating the age old cliché of French people not speaking English. I am aware that this might have been true once but has gotten a lot better in recent years. I simply wanted Hermione to show off in front of Ginny and thought it might be a good opportunity. And who knows, maybe Thierry is simply not good with languages, because he had a crappy English teacher who hated him and gave him bad marks on all the tests until Thierry started skipping English...sorry, I think I've gone off topic.

Anyway, thanks to the wonderful kyresar for helping me improve my story and for finding all the ridiculous spelling and grammar mistakes I make. A round of applause for her, please!

And now have fun with the next chapter and let me know what you think. It's kind of depressing, I know.

Chapter 13

"So, what do we do now? What is the plan?" Ginny asked.

Hermione got up from her chair and started pacing again, muttering under her breath. From time to time she would massage her temples as if to stimulate her mind to think even faster. Ginny scrunched up her nose, torn between the gravity of the situation and the cuteness of her girlfriend when she was in her element. Thinking.

"We need to get the Ministry involved." Arthur said with intent. Hermione kept pacing and muttering.

"We should put the kettle on." Molly offered and went to make some tea.

"We should talk to some people in Azkaban or on Hermione's list for the trials. I'm sure with a couple of drops of Veritaserum they'll sing like robins." George suggested.

Hermione ignored them all, still pacing.

Ginny walked up to Hermione and put her hands on the brunette's shoulders to stop her mid-motion. Hermione lowered her hands and looked straight into Ginny's eyes, as if woken from a deep sleep. It took her a moment to focus on the red head in front of her. Ginny cupped Hermione's face with one hand and spoke softly, "Hermione, calm down. Walking a hole into the floor will not help you come up with a plan. I know you feel guilty, so do I. But it's no use. Valerie has been taken. We need to focus on how to get her back. 'We', do you hear me? Not you alone. We're all here to help you get her back."

With very measured motions she took out her wand and spoke, "Come to the Burrow. Now." Not a moment later, Ginny's patronus horse appeared, ran a in a circle around the two women and then galloped off.

Ginny put her hand back on Hermione's face and smiled lovingly. "We'll do it like we always do. Together," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind Hermione's ear before pulling her into a hug.

Suddenly, the flames in the fireplace turned green, leaving Harry and Ron standing there looking worried.

"What is going on?" Ron asked. Molly went to get more tea and Arthur beckoned the boys to come closer and sit down.

Harry tried not to look at the two witches in their evening gowns but couldn't quite help himself. They both looked stunning and probably had been out. It stung but he could see how happy they were together, how at peace they were with each other.

Molly put two more cups of steaming hot tea in front of the boys and sat down again.

Ginny let go of Hermione, but kept one arm firmly around the brunette's waist to give her the support she needed. "I asked you to come here, because we need to make up a plan to capture Malfoy," Ginny said, "He's kidnapped Valerie and gave us two days to get the charges against him dropped. If we don't succeed, he threatens to kill her."

"Valerie is a Muggle." Harry said silently.

Hermione shot him a grim look, "What are you saying, Harry?"

She clearly didn't like the implications of that statement.

Harry quickly scrambled to explain himself, "It means that there is a lot of red tape if we want this to go through the official channels. It's a weekend. That already slows things down, but Valerie being a Muggle means, that I would have to get the Muggle-Auror liaison officer involved and trust me, we don't want her to be involved. She usually insist on coming along to every investigation to make sure we don't cock everything up. And there…"

"Harry Potter, you are not using such language in my house!" Molly reprimanded the dark haired man.

Ginny chuckled at the thought of the language Hermione had used just during her outburst a couple of minutes ago, and yet one little word from Harry and her mother was lecturing him.

"I'm sorry, Molly." Harry apologized taking a sip of his tea.

"Do you have a plan?" Ron asked and looked at Hermione. The others turned their heads to look at her too.

"I can't come up with anything. We have nothing to go on. Seems like this is the moment where I disprove Remus." Hermione said.

"Nonsense. Just because you don't already have a plan, doesn't mean, you're not the brightest witch of our age," Ron said and blushed a little.

"Hermione, you once said that you had received information that Valerie was being watched. Who did you get it from? Maybe that's our starting point?" George asked hopefully.

"Of course, that's brilliant, George!" Ginny said and then caught the confused look of her girlfriend.

"Ginny, you know I have no way of contacting him!" Hermione reminded her.

"You do, if you think about it. Just send me a letter!" Ginny countered and then it dawned on Hermione.

"Brilliant!" she exclaimed.

But before the two of them could even begin to explain anything to the confused faces in front of them, there was a loud crack in the garden followed by loud swearing. They all bolted outside.

George was first, as he was closest to the door. Harry and Ron were right behind him, closely followed by Molly and Arthur. Then Ginny and Hermione finally managed to run outside in their evening gowns. Whoever this Muggle designer was, he clearly hadn't thought of a witches need to react quickly to a possible threat.

The Weasleys and Harry had their wands drawn and were shouting at a tall blond man, who was standing a few meters away, shouting back, holding his wand at the ready too.

"Lift your wards, I need to get in and speak to Hermione!" Draco shouted.

"Not bloody likely. I won't let you take her hostage too!" George yelled back.

"I'm not here to kidnap her, I'm here to talk. Now, lift your wards!" the Slytherin bellowed back

"You are braver than I thought, to turn up here like this. After what your father has done. How about I'll teach you a lesson!" Ron growled and flourished his wand, sending a stunner at Draco.

Just in time Hermione, threw up a shield and stepped into the line of fire.

"Hermione, get out of the way! Don't turn your back on him!" Ron wailed, looking alarmed at her carelessness.

"No. Put your wands away," she said, glaring at the family of red heads, "all of you!" she added, turning to give Draco a stern look, that reminded him instantly of Professor McGonagall, causing him to obey immediately.

"Why are you defending him?" Harry asked, suspecting that there was something that Hermione hadn't gotten around to explaining.

"Molly, Arthur. Could you please let Draco in and I'll explain everything over a cup of tea," Hermione said, sighing. This really was a lot of drama that she could do without, as it didn't get them anywhere near closer to finding her friend.

Had anyone ever told the Weasleys that they would be having tea with a Malfoy sitting at their kitchen table, they would have laughed. Admittedly, it was the most unusual sight.

"Come on, then. Out with it!" Ron tried to get Hermione started on the explanations she clearly owed all of them.

Ginny had put her hand over Hermione's on the table and gently squeezed it, in an attempt to keep the brunette witch calm and collected. It earned her a warm smile.

"George, you remember when I told you that I had someone inform me about Valerie being watched." Hermione asked and George nodded in response.

"You're stalling, Hermione." Harry stated.

"Yes, well. Sorry. Draco came to me with all sorts of information. I'm not dumb enough to blindly trust him, but he seems to be on a mission to prove himself to me." Hermione explained.

Draco snorted, making a dismissive hand gesture.

"So far all of his information has turned out to be true. So I think, I can safely assume that whatever he has come to tell us now is true as well." Hermione concluded and looked at Draco expectantly.

"So you're saying we're supposed to rely on this cunning little snake for finding Valerie? You're actually saying that he, who tried to kill Dumbledore and became a Death Eater to impress Voldemort is our best chance of getting her back? We're talking about your best friend here, Hermione. You trust him with her life?" George had talked himself into a rage.

"No George, you're not listening. I said that I'm willing to give Draco a chance. I'm willing to listen to the man who couldn't kill Dumbledore and in the end turned on Voldemort and fought for us. I obviously don't trust him with Valeries life." Hermione explained calmly, "or have you seen me fall into his arms as if he were a knight in shining armour begging him to bring her home safely," Hermione added sardonically. Draco blushed.

"Ahem. Well, thanks, Hermione," he said before someone else could unleash their opinion of him and continued quickly, "I've come because I've finally got some good information, Hermione. Father has summoned me to this mansion of his and even though I couldn't get him to confirm it or give me any details, I know that Valerie is there and alive. And I know that the mansion is unplottable. Only father, his secret keeper, and now I, know where it is."

"How do you know she is there, when Lucius didn't tell you?" Hermione enquired.

"Let's just say, Valerie really has a vast vocabulary at her disposal when she wants to convey her discontent over something, aided only by the sheer volume of her voice," Draco smiled, clearly content with himself for bringing useful information.

She must be dead afraid of what is going on around her, if she is bringing out the colourful vocabulary. Merlin, Valerie, I'm trying. I really am. I'll find you.

Hermione was pulled out of her thoughts when Ginny posed the obvious question, "So where is this mansion, and how do we get in?"

"You can't. It's unplottable, remember?" Draco answered.

"So what do you suggest instead? I think I've already told you that I don't trust you with her life," Hermione repeated her earlier statement.

"You will have to," Draco admitted, gritting his teeth, "If I tell you where the mansion is, father will know who told you and what then? What if you won't be able to get her out? What if he gets away? He'll have me killed and I won't be any use to you dead, now will I?"

Hermione contemplated his words, as did everyone else it seemed.

"There has to be a way, Draco." Harry said, "I understand your predicament. But what if you blame this other person? I'm sure he will believe you over one of his lackeys!"

Draco shook his head, "I'm afraid you're wrong. He doesn't trust me. He just needs me, because I'm actually allowed to move around in public without being arrested."

Hermione had grown quiet. She could feel Ginny rubbing her back soothingly, but it didn't help. She felt her anger rise and then she exploded. Again.

"Draco, are you seriously telling me that you came here tonight to tell me that you know where my best friend is but that you won't tell me?" Hermione yelled, now standing and towering over a still sitting Draco, who at the onslaught tried to scramble to his feet.

"I…You…I mean…," he stuttered helplessly.

Hermione whipped out her wand and aimed it at the Slytherin's throat. To Draco this situation felt all too familiar, but this time he would see her fist coming and duck, should it be necessary.

"Hermione…please," he kept stuttering.

"You foul loathsome evil little cockroach!" Hermione began again, "I want you to tell me right now, where this mansion is. I want you to side along apparate me there and I dare anyone to stand in my way!"

"Hermione, if you don't want to be Lucius' neighbour in Azkaban, you better not just waltz in there and stupefy him. You know better than I what it takes to turn an accusation into a legal sentence that sticks. We need Aurors to apprehend him. And I won't let you march onto his turf alone, anyway." Harry tried to get his best friend back to her regular plane of logical thinking.

It seemed to work, as she lowered her wand and sat back down, motioning for Draco to do the same.

"So what would you do, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I say, Ron and I need to be there to make it an official arrest. Otherwise it's just Hermione breaking and entering," Harry explained.

"If we all go, there is no way Lucius can escape!" George chimed in.

"Yes he can! Listen to me, as soon as you set foot on the property the alarms will go off. Father, who by the way is the only one who can apparate there, will be gone instantly. The only one who won't set off an alarm is Hermione, since this is all a trap for her," Draco elaborated on his father's plan.

"He wants me to go there?" Hermione said, giving the Slytherin a distrustful look.

"Yes. He knows that his demands will not be met, but he wants you to suffer for putting him behind bars and that's why he is trying to bait you with the whole hostage situation," Draco explained.

Hermione grew silent again, obviously thinking. Anyone could see that she was coming up with something crazy.

"No, Hermione. Just no. I won't let you do this!" Ginny's voice grew louder, emphasising her feelings towards any plan Hermione would come up with.

"Ginny, I have to. Valerie is scared to death, hiding behind her encyclopaedic knowledge of expletives. I need to get to her," Hermione argued.

"Hermione, don't be daft. You don't believe, he'll keep her alive for a second, once he has you?" Ron piped up.

"No, he won't. You're right," Hermione said weakly, acknowledging the truth to Ron's statement.

Suddenly, Draco winced and held his left forearm in pain. His face was screwed up and he seemed to contemplate screaming loudly. "It's father. He's summoning me. I've got to go," he pressed out between clenched teeth.

"Alright, go. But come back as soon as you can, with more information. At please, try and get Valerie a message. Let her know, we're working on a plan." Hermione pleaded.

Draco just nodded and with an almost silent pop he was gone.

The room was silent. It was unbearable. Hermione felt tears burning in her eyes. She was beyond exhausted, she was desperate and at her wits end. She felt Ginny gently wipe away the tears and hold her tighter, but it didn't help. She felt more vulnerable than ever before. She realised that Malfoy had her exactly where he had wanted her: Helplessly watching from the sidelines. So she did the only thing that seemed logical to her now, she turned her head and sobbed into Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny wrapped the brunette witch into her arms and slowly stroked her hair. Her elaborate hairdo had mostly fallen apart by now and Ginny began to carefully pick the pins out of Hermione's hair with one hand, "There, there. I know it probably won't work, but what do you say if we all tried to catch some sleep. We are all exhausted and there is not much we can do until Draco comes back. It's awful this helplessness, but we're no good to Valerie if we can't fight because we're too weary to hold a wand."

The others around the table nodded and a yawn escaped from Arthurs lips, " I agree. We'll come up with a plan tomorrow. I don't know about you, but I think Draco really tried. I think we should try and give him a chance to find some information."

"I trust you can all find spare beds to sleep in. I'm too tired to get them ready for you," Molly said and stumbled towards the stairs. The rest followed slowly.

Only Ginny stayed seated, holding a crying Hermione. It was heart-breaking to watch and feel her body quiver and quake with every sob that wracked her body.

"Love…? Hermione? Let's go upstairs. Let's get to bed and try to get some rest, ok?" Ginny tentatively tried to get through to the mess that was Hermione.

After a while she felt Hermione sit up. Her eyes were red and swollen, her nose was running and her face was wet with tears. "OK, let's go to bed," Hermione said, defeat filling her voice like never before.

"Come back, you coward! I want to keep shouting at you! Where have you gone? Can't take verbal abuse from a woman?" Valerie had screamed herself hoarse over the last few hours. But she wasn't done. She was about to unpack some of her favourite insults, when suddenly the door to her windowless chamber burst open.

The same man that had been bringing her water and food (which of course, she had refused) stood in the doorway, brandishing his wand menacingly.

"You've done it! Congratulations! Your shouting has earned me the right to silence you," he said and evil smile playing on his lips. He took a few steps in Valerie's direction and she instinctively retreated until she felt a cold hard wall against her back. Her eyes widened in fear.

"Not so quick with the cursing anymore now, are we?" he continued, clearly enjoying himself. Valerie contemplated her chances of overpowering the man, but as he was half a head taller and looked quite muscular, she didn't fancy her chances much. And there was the insignificant fact that he wasn't holding this wooden stick because it was Halloween. He kept walking until he had reached her, causing Valerie to try and press further into the wall, hoping against hope that he would go away and leave her alone. He was so close, she could feel his breath on her face.

"You should know that I am actually not explicitly forbidden to hurt you. I'm not allowed to either, but I'm sure Master Malfoy won't care about a little scratch here or there. So either you shut up now or I will make you!" the wizard threatened.

Valerie summoned all the courage she could muster and spat at him, delighted to see that it landed right in the face. It made him angry, she could see that, but at least he took a step back.

"You dirty little Muggle," he roared and backhanded her across the face, leaving a bloody trace where his ring had split open her cheek. Valerie fought to keep standing and bit back a scream. The pain was excruciating. Defiantly she stood and looked him in the eyes. She felt the blood trickle down her face but kept her eyes trained on the imposing figure in front of her.

"My, aren't we brave today. No wonder you're shacking up with a bunch of Gryffindors!" he laughed menacingly.

Valerie wanted to say something but as soon as she moved her jaw a blinding pain shot right through her brain. He had broken her jaw.

"Can't speak? What a pity," the man said, grinning sardonically.

Tears were clouding Valerie's sight but she was determined not to let him see her cry. The pain in her jaw was overwhelming and she thought she might be sick or faint. She willed herself to keep standing and stared at him, less defiant now, praying to whichever God was available that Hermione would be coming for her.

"What is going on here?" Draco Malfoy said in his most authoritative voice. He took a few strides into the small room. Three people was really was the limit in here. There was a bed, and two doors. One led to the hall from which Draco had come in and the other one led to an even smaller bathroom with a toilet and a sink.

Valerie recognised Draco from his first visit to her old flat, but she also knew he was the son of her captor and decided to wait and see what would happen next.

"What have you done to her, Danvers?" Draco demanded to know.

"I have followed my masters orders to shut up our guest. The constant shouting was giving him a headache," the man called Danvers replied, omitting the fact of how he had shut Valerie up.

Valerie was having trouble keeping on her feet and put her hands behind her back against the wall to steady herself. She hoped they wouldn't notice. The last thing she wanted was to faint and expose herself on yet another level of vulnerability.

"Leave us." Draco sneered, but Danvers didn't move.

"I have strict orders not to let her out of my sight after shutting her up," he replied unsure of what to do.

"Danvers, do I need to remind you of who I am?" Draco drawled with more force, saying it in a way that he felt would make his father proud. That did the trick. Danvers bowed and left. He closed the door behind him.

"Are you ok?" Draco whispered in his lowest voice and took a step closer.

Valerie backed away but kept one hand on the wall to steady herself.

"Look, I have a message from Hermione. She said that she's working on a plan and that you don't need to worry. She'll come for you." Draco whispered hurriedly to calm down the frightened Muggle in front of him.

Valerie didn't respond. She didn't trust him. This had to be a trap. He was trying to gain her trust.

"I'm assuming, you're trying to figure out whether you can trust me or not? Hermione doesn't trust me. But she relies on me. Are you in pain?" he enquired when he saw the angry gash on Valerie's cheek. She nodded.

Draco took out his wand and mumbled something under his breath. The cut disappeared, but her jaw was still raging with pain.

"There, all better," Draco said confidently.

Valerie just shook her head and pointed to her jaw. She wouldn't trust him and she didn't believe him, but he had tried to heal her once, maybe he would do it again.

"He broke your jaw?" Draco asked with a trace of panic in his voice, "I don't know the spell for that! I'm so sorry. Oh Merlin, Hermione is going to kill me when she finds out about this. You will have to grit your teeth and wait for a mediwizard. No, don't grit your teeth. Oh Merlin, I'm done. She's going to kill me," Draco seemed genuinely worried and Valerie was almost inclined to believe his earlier statement about working with Hermione.

"I will try and get you something for the pain as soon as possible. Please believe me, I'm truly sorry, that I can't help you," Draco promised and then turned to leave.

As soon as he was gone Valerie sat down on the old bed and let her tears fall. She was alone and helpless. She couldn't scream for help, not that she was of the impression that anyone would hear her. All she could do was wait. Defeated, she buried her face in her hands and wept.