Severus Snape and Harry Potter, both sat completely still as they listen to Draco's story. Who in the hell would have thought the Ministry of all things would have a program where assassins were needed and used. Who the hell would have thought that the once vibrant, well loved girl, would actually be an assassin and able to kill on command… it threw them both for a loop.

Harry was having a harder time with the information that he was being told. He had known Hermione for years and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that the girl he grew up with wasn't a killer, but with this information, he realized he knew nothing.

Severus was taking the news a bit easier. He had seen enough over the years to not doubt a single word that was coming from the youngest Malfoy. He had to admit that the news of the Granger girl being an assassin wasn't one he was expecting, but then again, things in life were rarely what anyone expected.

He could understand why Granger would fall into the roll. She was treated like the shit on the bottom of a shoe…. Like he had been treated for so many years, but the difference was he had been treated like crap his entire life, he knew the way Granger was being treated probably did more damage than anything considering she was the prized Gryffindor for so many years.

"So that's the story." Draco finished with a sigh.

Harry remained completely silent but Severus wasn't one to ponder for long.

"Do you have a plan, Draco? Surely we are not to just storm in when we know nothing of the numbers we are up against."

Draco shook his head, "I don't know what to do, that's why I came to you. I tried to think of a way to go in and get them both, but I cant do it alone, it would be impossible."

Severus gave a slight nod and looked over to Harry before turning his attention back to Draco.

"I will help you in whichever way I can. Abby needs to be saved before any harm can come to her."

Harry was still listening and it kind of jolted him to hear his mean, scary Potions Master actually care about a child.

"And Hermione." Harry added in a low voice.

Draco once again sighed, "Yes, Hermione as well."

000000000000000

Hermione walked down the dingy halls, holding Abby tightly. She didn't like the looks the guard was giving her or the child and she would be damned if some filthy old man tried laying a single finger on the young girl.

"You are to clean her up quickly." The man gruffed out, " There is no need to spend a large amount of time on something that wont even be around much longer." He finished with a snide chuckle.

Hermione was fast growing irritated at the man. He didn't look to be a hard target, but she would have to be precise and she would have to be quick. The trick was getting Abby out of the way and taking the man down within a few seconds of each other.

"You know, You could probably use a good bath yourself." Hermione replied in a sing song voice.

She had learned a long time ago that men very rarely liked to be made fun of by a woman, even if what the female was saying was true. Was she trying to piss him off? You're damn right she was, it was part of the plan.

"You have no room to talk." The man growled out, showing both Hermione and Abby is rotting, yellowed teeth.

Abby didn't like the man at all, the gross teeth didn't help, so she gripped Hermione a bit tighter.

"Now I suggest you shut that pretty little mouth of yours and just do what you are told."

Hermione snorted and continued to walk without even giving the man the satisfaction of a reply.

The walk seemed to take forever, but in reality they had been only walking for 5 minutes before they came to the room at the end of the hall. The room wasn't small, nor was it large, it was just about right for being a decent sized bathroom. The floors were grungy and dirty, the spa sized tub was disgusting and littered with rat feces, and there was nothing to wash with, much less dry off with.

Hermione looked around and turned up her nose.

"Could you at least clean things up a bit. It would be rather pointless if the child got sicker because of the nasty conditions."

The man growled and waved his wand quickly, cleansing everything.

"I suppose you would like soap and a towel as well?" the man asked in a condecending voice.

"Yes, actually, and some clean clothing too." She replied in the same voice he used.

The man did as requested, he didn't need the girl getting sicker and Alexia having his balls for dinner.

Hermione walked over to the tub and turned on the taps, not once putting Abby down with this man still around… There was no telling what the creep would do. She waited patiently for the tub to fill as she explained to Abby what she needed to do.

"I'm going to tell the mean man to turn around while I pretend to undress you. Do you understand?"

Abby was only two, but she nodded so Hermione took it for what it was and continued.

"Now, when I put you in the bath, I want you to sit on the step and do not move, do not make a noise… do you understand that."

"Sit and quiet" Abby whispered back while looking at Hermione for conformation.

Hermione nodded back and dropped down to her knees, placing Abby in front of her.

The man watched, bored with the whole task in general.

"Do you mind turning around? Unless you are one of those perverts that like children." Hermione asked in a cold voice.

"I have no interest in a child and should curse you for even thinking such things." He hissed, but turned away to prove his point…. Perfect.

Hermione looked to Abby and pointed to the step in the tub. It wasn't deep and she would easily be able to stand up without drowning. Abby looked to where Hermiones finger was pointing and nodded.

Hermione followed right behind Abby to make the sounds of what she knew the guard was waiting to hear. Abby slipped into the water and Hermione wiggled her hands in the water a bit to make the washing sounds.

"Now do not make any noise and do not move… no matter what…. Okay?"

For being only two, Abby seemed to know what the situation was and how serious it was. Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was knowing that she didn't want to be in the rank little cell with old food and no warmth, maybe she was just to damn scared to do other than what she had been told…. No matter the reason, it worked for Hermione.

Hermione nodded towards Abby and stood up very slowly. She couldn't be heard, not even a shuffle of the feet could be made, she had to be absolutely quiet and use the stealth she had been trained with.

The man wasn't very far away, ten feet at most, but every step had to be calculated, every step had to be precise and silent in order to make it the lousy ten feet in order to take down her objective.

The stand it self took some work. She had to make sure not a joint popped when she stood from her knees to the upright position and everyone knows the body did whatever it wanted whether she wanted it to or not.

She finally made it upright completely and to her relief it was completely quiet. Hermione looked over to Abby and made a cupping motion, urging her to move the water a bit so the guard suspected nothing. It took a few seconds, but Abby understood and did as she was told.

The first step in the guard's direction was swift and sure. There was no room for mistakes and as slow as she knew she should take it, the reality was he could turn around at anytime and blow the entire plan out of the water… not to mention royally piss him off.

The second step was a bit more calculated. Yes, the guard had cleaned the room up a bit, but there was still grit on the floor and that would definitely get his attention. She sucked in a deep breath and continued to move towards him… the sooner the better.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Harry was now pacing. It didn't make since to go with Snapes plan. The needed to do research, find layouts of the manor… something other then watching and waiting for the right opportunity… who knew what the hell was happening with the two girls at that minute.

Flashes of what Harry remembered reading in the damned journal raced through his mind. What if she was being tortured again? Raped and beaten? What if she had already been killed? It made him regret everything he had said and done all the more.

"And then what?" Harry finally yelled, " We sit and watch while they may be in serious trouble? We need to come up with a plan that will get us in quicker!!"

"And what do you suggest?" Snape asked in a bored voice, "This isn't a Voldemort situation where you are destine to be the damn hero… anything can happen."

"I know that" Harry yelled back. He wasn't meaning to be a jerk about this, but his guilt was eating away at him and all he cared about was getting her back safely.

"Look" Draco finally interrupted, "We need to work this out together. There are two people in that place that mean something to us and fighting amongst ourselves will bring nothing helpful."

Harry and Severus both glared at each other before turning to Draco, he was right, they knew it, and they had to figure it out together.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

She was close. She could smell his unwashed skin, the sweaty, mildew smell that came from his clothing, the odors that attached themselves to his hair from the foods he had eaten… is was nauseating, but she was close and knew what she had to do.

She had exactly 10 seconds to bring him down. He was larger than she was by a good six inches and probable 130 lbs, but she had taken down bigger without a problem, the difference this time was the man had a wand and was ready to use it if need be.

She was only a foot away. The perfect distance to reach out, grab his head, and twist with enough force to snap his neck. It would either work or it wouldn't, she just hoped it would.

Her hands slowly rose, not moving to quick for fear that the air moved from moving to quickly would alert him to her smell. All she had to do is grab tightly, hang on, and twist… that was it…. She was so close.

Six inches left and she would have him. The sweat was starting to form on her brow from intense concentration and maintaining perfect muscle control. Her nerves were wracked because this could be it, she failed or she succeed, one way or another, someone was getting hurt, if not killed.

She was right where she needed to be. She started to close her hands so she would have a good grip on his head, and then the worst thing that she could never have imagined happened. A rat ran across the floor, startling the man and causing his head to hit her hands.

It was no longer simple, she was going to have to fight with everything she had in her to get out of this one.