A/N: I do not own anything involving with Harry Potter.
Chapter Twenty-Five: Gone
No one had any idea of what to do, seeing as just because before Hermione had barged into the kitchen door; the had all believed the had no war in the future to face. But they were wrong. They all knew very well that Bellatrix Lestrange was a twisted soul and would do anything she could to have revenge.
Hermione was worried, Draco and Narcissa were still most likely with Bellatrix. She know she told Draco to contact her as soon as she had the chance, but being worried was something Hermione didn't work well with.
It was now the next morning and Hermione hadn't slept well. Most of the night, what was left at the Order who was at the Burrow for dinner stayed in talks to discuss what they could do to prevent Bellatrix from doing anything that she had planned to do. Hermione couldn't imagine what would happen when Bellatrix would see the Order. She would have to know that Draco had said something because a sister would never turn her in. She was worried.
"Hermione, what's the matter?" asked Ginny, when she found Hermione sitting at the window at the stairs. She had been sitting there most of the morning, staring at the sky in thought.
"What? Oh, nothing Ginny. Just thinking." she admitted quietly. She couldn't figure out why Draco hadn't been in contact yet. Something had to be wrong.
"About Malfoy?" Hermione nodded. "I'm sure he is fine, Hermione. He is a tough person. He can handle it."
"I know that, Ginny. What if Bellatrix… forcing something out of him? What if she finds out I was there? Or worse! Since I let the Order know what she was planning, she'll known someone turned her in. She immediately know it was Draco or suspect something else."
"You're over thinking things, Hermione."
"No, Ginny. I just have a feeling that something is the wrong or something bad is going to happen."
"Everything will okay. I know it will. Besides we're all here for Malfoy and you."
Hermione smiled. "Lets go get some breakfast." she said happily, trying to enjoy the dreadful thoughts in her mind.
She stood up from her spot and the two girls walked to the kitchen to join the rest of the crew at the table to eat breakfast. She sat beside Harry and Ginny joined her on other side.
Hermione was enjoying a piece of toast and a cold glass of milk when an owl came through the window and landed in front of Hermione. She froze, seeing he scribbled Hermione on the front of the letter.
Hermione,
Trouble is a head. She knows about us, Hermione. She knows..
I don't know what is going to happen, but you need to try to
Stay save. I love you. I hope I'll see you one day soon.
-Draco
Hermione looked up to the wondering eyes and she fled out of the house. By the time she ended her run, she was the at the beginning trail to the Weasley's Quidditch pitch. Harry had followed her out, knowing what was probably the matter with her.
"Hermione! Stop!" he yelled catching up to her. Harry grabbed her by the arm, catching her from falling.
"Harry, we have to help him! She doesn't care about anyone but Voldemort. She'll kill him!"
"Hermione, think about this though. It could be a trap. She could use you to come save him knowing that I'll be with you."
"Harry, I'm sorry but I have to help him."
"HERMIONE!" but she was gone. Apparating right in front of him, she was now standing in front of the Malfoy Manor. It was completely silent and not even the ducks she had remembered seeing every morning during her stay where anywhere about. She knew some where Bellatrix had to be lurking about.
Hermione rushed down the trail to the entrance of the Manor, running to the front door. Not even bothering to knock on it. As she entered, she heard nothing. Glancing around in the beginning of the library and the large dinning room, she saw no one around. Hermione was being to panic. It was only a matter of time before Harry or the entire order came to the Malfoy Manor.
After a few days she had gotten the hang of all the hallways and knew how to get to Malfoy and the room she stayed at. She didn't have time for politeness, she opened the door rather quickly to find Draco sitting across from the door at his desk. His back was turned to her and he had been writing. But when she opened the door his body froze.
"Bellatrix! I'm not dealing with this any longer! LEAVE-" he had turned around with his wand at the ready, but he stopped speaking when he saw Hermione. "Herm- Are you mad?! What are you doing here!" he said, as he lowered his wand. But Hermione only rushed to him and pulled him into a hug.
"I thought she did something horrible to you. I got your letter when I was eating breakfast! What has she done to you?" she finally took a good look at him. He had a gash across his cheek and he looked like he hadn't slept at all the previous night.
"What letter? What are you talking about?"
"This letter?" she pulled out the letter that was still in her robes. "I got it this morning.."
Draco snapped the letter to look at it. Shock was written on his face.
"I didn't-"
"Well, well, well." said a voice behind the two of them. Hermione looked over her shoulder. Bellatrix was standing in the doorway and she looked rather pleased to see Hermione. "I knew it would only be a matter of time before you came rushing to Draco's aide."
"How did you do this?" spat Draco, at his aunt. Everything at once hit her. She should have known from the letter it was a set up. The obvious signs were that Draco never signed his letters with Draco but always DM.
"I was informed about the two of you, by a dear boy in Slytherin. He spoke about this to his father and he then informed me. I knew this mud blood would come to your aide if she thought you were in danger. Which would surely bring me to Potter!" she creaked a smile before laughing lightly. Hermione cringed and Draco pulled her closer.
"Don't you dare touch her, Bellatrix."
"Ohhhh what is my dear little nephew going to do?!" she laughed. "Expelliarmus!" Draco's wand was thrown across the room. "Transmogrifian!" Draco was suddenly thrown across the room and fell down against the wall. Hermione stood shocked, before attempting to rush over to Draco.
"Where do you think you're going?!" shrieked Bellatrix.
"DRACO!" yelled Hermione, as her brown curls were pulled back. Bellatrix had rushed behind her and pulled her back by the hair.
"Come along, mud blood! I don't have all day!" Hermione began to scream as she was pulled down the hallway under her free will away from Draco. Her screamed seemed to fill the entire house as it echoed against the halls. Hermione had dropped her wand when Bellatrix had pulled her and she didn't know what to do. In no way possible Hermione knew she would be able to escape from her with a punch.
"NARCISSA. DRACO!" Bellatrix laughed again.
"I'm sure why my dear nephew is sleeping on his floor. Along with my traitor of a sister! As she is doing the same thing on her floor!"
"How could you?! You're so cruel! You're going to pay for this!"
"I'm sure not! They betray the Dark Lord, they shall deserve the coincidence." she threw Hermione on the floor. They were in the Ball room of the Manor. Completely open space. Hermione knew what was coming next. She didn't even bother to stand.
"DRACO! No, please! You can't do this!" she begged. She was going to die.
"CRUCIO!" she said with a laughter built up on her voice.
Hermione felt the pain at once. It was worse then the first time Bellatrix had yelled the curse on her before Voldemort had been killed. She began to scream in agony and roll on the floor with pain growing on every inch of her body.
Then it came to her, with every flash back of the most exciting days that she could remember. When she received her Hogwarts letter, the night Ron and Harry saved her from the troll, when Harry defeated Voldemort. The morning Ron got Carmen as his girlfriend and Draco was the one that had came after her, and the best one was when she had went after him to find him at the Tower and he kissed her and told her he loved her for the first time. She knew she was inches from death.
Hermione's thoughts suddenly stopped when she realized the pain wasn't as unbearable as it had been. She knew she was dead. Bellatrix wouldn't have stopped for anything; Hermione could still hear her cruel laugh as she had sent the curse at her. But when Hermione rolled back over, she could see Bellatrix trying to find a way to escape as Harry and some of the Order had entered the room.
The only person Hermione was trying to focus her eyes on, was for Draco. But he was no where to be found in the small crowd. She could see Harry rushing to her side, Bellatrix trying to fight her way out, and Harry speaking to her but she couldn't hear a word he was saying. She could barely move her body from still being in pain.
"Hermione." she heard Draco's voice from the back of her mind. "I love you." she looked around, but he was no where to be seen.
"Harry…Harry… Where is he? Where is my Draco?" Harry shook his head. She saw Lupin appear in the room, with a dread look on his face.
"Harry!" he shouted across the room.
"DRACO." she began to yell again, she needed him with her. She began crying, something was terribly wrong.
"Hermione. Stop." Harry had come back to her side. "He's gone, Hermione."
That was the last thing Hermione had heard, she had tried to raise up from where she had been sprawled across the floor. She fell, hitting her head against the hard floor and fainted.
