Alright I didnt expect this chapter at all, but I hope you guys like it all the same. I wanted action and I guess this is me getting my wish.
The Lovely JKR owns all
P.S. I want to take this moment to thank everyone that has reviewed. You guys literally don't know how much that means to me, you guys brighten my day with your words of encouragement and I appreciate it so much. This story is for you guys. Thank you.
Draco magically locked the elevator and laid there curled in the fetal position. He couldn't believe what had transpired. When he had read the Daily Prophet this morning, stating that one of the "Golden Couples," had been seen fighting and were broken up and respectively seeing other people already. It had hurt Draco immensely because he had wanted her for himself. As much as he hated to admit it he had been crushing on Hermione since the first moment he saw her bushy head of hair and gorgeous eyes. He had treated her so bad to mask his feelings. He really thought she was beginning to see how great he was, but seeing her with Charlie really affected him, and he'd thrown his foot in his mouth and called her a mudblood. Draco rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with his arm, how was he going to make this right? How was he going to get her to notice him? This called for a large sum of money to be taken out of his vault, to try to win her back.
The door shut behind the couple as they stepped into Harry's office. Harry looked up from the paper he was reading and smiled at the two of them, "Yes I won the bet." He said smiling.
Hermione sat down in a chair and looked at him quizzically, "What bet Harry?"
Harry laughed, "Oh the bet I had with Hugh, and he said you guys would be late this morning, but I knew you'd be on time. I have more faith in Hermione being able to get you here."
Charlie burst out laughing and sat down beside Hermione, "Well it did take a lot of threatening on her part."
Suddenly the door was pushed open and Hugh came walking in, when he noticed Hermione and Charlie sitting there a frown crossed his face, "Damnit!"
Harry, Hermione and Charlie burst out laughing, "Obviously you don't know Hermione as well as I do." Harry said smiling holding his hand out.
"I thought I knew Charlie better," he said putting a Galleon on Harry's outstretched hand, "Mate have you learned nothing from me, when you get a lovely witch in your bed you keep her there." He said seriously to Charlie.
Charlie pulled Hugh into a headlock and they wrestled a bit, pushing one another until they pushed into Hermione, causing her to get her "mother" tone.
"Alright boys, knock it off. What would the Minister say if he walked in and seen his "experts" on dragons acting like asses on the floor."
"He'd laugh and say betting on Charlie." A deep voice filled the office.
Charlie and Hugh separated quickly and went to shake the Kingsley's hand.
"Good Morning Minister," Charlie said smiling and grasping Kingsley's hand warmly.
"Ah good morning Mr. Weasley, it's nice to finally have you back home. I haven't been able to find a decent dragon tamer in a long time. That's why I called you two in."
Hugh quickly pushed past Charlie and shook Kingsley's hand, "Really Minister, you'd bet on Charlie, I may not have as many muscles as steroids over here, but I'm tough, and wily." Hugh said laughing.
That brought out more laughter from them all.
"Anyways I did come in here for a reason," Kingsley said seriously, getting everyone to calm down.
"What's up Minister," Harry said coming around his desk to stand by the rest of them.
"Well the reason I called Charlie and Hugh here has gotten worse. We've found out that the Lestrange brothers and Bellatrix have captured a Chinese Firebolt and Hungarian Horntail and are creating havoc all over Europe."
"The Lestrange brothers," Charlie said questionably, "I thought they were dead? And we all know my mum killed Bellatrix, what is going on Kingsley?"
"We thought so too, until a few weeks ago." Harry said, worry setting over his features.
Hermione reached over and snagged Harry's hand giving it a tight squeeze. She herself had known about this for a couple days but from everything that had happened she had forgotten. She knew how much Harry hated Bellatrix and if he had to choose she knew he'd rather face Voldemort again rather than know that Bellatrix was on the loose.
"That's not all," Kingsley said seriously, "We just got a demand."
"A demand!" Harry asked angrily. "What kind of bloody demand?"
"Well maybe a demand isn't the right word for it; I guess it would be more of a warning." Kingsley sighed and pulled out the Daily Prophet that had a big picture of Hermione on the cover with smaller pictures of Ron and Charlie on the side, with a bloody X crossed over her face.
"Oh my god," Hugh said quietly.
"What the hell is this," Charlie said grabbing Hermione in a fierce hug, if this bitch was going to threaten Hermione she had another thing coming. He was going to finish what his mother started.
Harry fell into a chair and let his head fall into his hands, how could this be happening? Why did it always come back to her?
Hermione stood there not believing it at all, "How do you know this has anything to do with Bellatrix, Kingsley?"
"Here is what is written on it, "To the soon to be overthrown Minister, Thought you could get rid of me didn't you, you piece of mudblood loving scum. That chunky blood traitor doesn't know what she evoked by trying to kill me. Did you really think the Dark Lord wouldn't protect me? And you have no idea what's coming for you. The Dark Lord will rise again, especially with the help of this dirty little mudblood. P.S To little icky Potter, I KILLED SIRIUS BLACK, does it still sting? Don't worry, you'll see him soon."
Hermione stifled a moan of panic into Charlie's shoulder as her body shook; ever since that crazy woman had tortured her within an inch of her life she was absolutely terrified of her. She felt Charlie's arms tighten around her and she also felt Hugh rub her back tentatively.
"What does she want with me?" Hermione asked her voice obviously shaky.
"I don't know Hermione," Kingsley said tiredly, "Don't worry Hermione; we'll get this figured out. We need to find out why they are using dragons though, and see what that could mean. We have to keep muggle death to a minimum."
"Of course Minister," Hugh said quietly. "We'll come to your office in a second to get on it."
"Thank you. Hermione, we won't let anything happen to you, I promise." Kingsley said kindly, offering Hermione a small smile as he walked out of Harry's office.
"I won't let anything happen to you Mione, I promise." Charlie said fiercely into her hair, pulling her into a tight hug as if he was trying to press her into his soul. "Now that I have you, you aren't getting away that easily."
Hermione laughed a little and took comfort from Charlie's hug. He really did mean so much to her, but she couldn't get the worry about Bellatrix out of her head. "I know Charlie, but you and Hugh go. Lets get this figured out okay. That's the only way we'll be safe."
Charlie squeezed her again, "I don't really want to leave you Hermione." He said quietly into her ear.
"Its okay, I have Harry. And after that, I'm going to do some research."
Huge laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood, "That's our Hermione for yah," he reached over and pulled her out of Charlie's arms and into his. "And just think babe, with all this worry over your safety Charlie will start getting annoying and you can dump him for me."
That brought a little giggle from Hermione as she kissed Hugh on the cheek, "Thanks for trying to make me feel better Hugh."
"No problem sweetie," then he got serious, "But nothing is going to get to you, we'll all be there, protecting you." He pulled Charlie out of Harry's office before Charlie could wrap his arms around Hermione again and refuse to leave.
Once the door shut, the strength Hermione had been trying to convey broke, and tears slipped out her eyes. Harry wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his shoulder. "Why her Hermione? Why does it always have to be her?"
Hermione patted Harry's back as he patted hers, they were trying to comfort each other, but it wasn't really working. Hermione sucked her tears back in, she needed to be strong for Harry. "Harry it will be okay, we'll figure this out. I promise."
Harry looked at her seriously and imagined his life without her, she was his best friend. His family, more than anyone else. That bitch wouldn't get to her, he had lost one person to her, and he wouldn't lose Hermione. "I won't lose you Hermione." Harry said severely, "I refuse to live my life without you in it."
Hermione laughed, "Well look at me, I've gone from no protectors too three, and what all of you don't realize is that I can take care of myself."
Harry smiled at her slightly; he always did forget that Hermione was the brightest witch of their age. She knew more spells than anyone he knew and she was just about as good as him at defense against dark arts. She just looked so utterly breakable and he didn't want to think of her broken.
"I know Mione, I know you can handle yourself. But I can't not be there to protect you, and believe me, I know Charlie can handle it, but Bellatrix is tricky. She should be dead. I don't understand why she's alive."
"Do you think maybe Voldemort helped her create a Horcrux?" Hermione asked quietly.
"That's possible," Harry said pondering. "Well I guess maybe we need to research this."
Hermione smiled at him, "And that's where I come in and shine."
"You always shine Hermione," Harry said tucking a hair behind her ear, "Now get out there and find me some answers." He said laughing, "I think I need to tell Ginny what's going on, if she's threatening people important to me it would make sense for him to go after her."
Hermione nodded and grabbed Harry in another tight hug, "We'll get through this Harry, we did last time. And we will this time."
Harry hugged her tightly, and let himself take comfort from Hermione's words. They had to get through this, Harry had too much to lose.
Wow. So yah, I hope you guys don't mind that I brought Bellatrix back, she was such a good bad guy. I think even better than Voldy. I hope you guys don't mind... Now I just need to figure out whats happening and why they need dragons... This might take me a little while to figure out...
Anyways, much love. And I hope you guys enjoy, and don't mind a little action.
