Chapter 15

Hermione's eyes slowly opened, her vision blurring briefly before clearing. She looked around at her surroundings. She was tied up against a tree, with her arms tied behind her back around the tree. She seemed to be in a forest clearing. The trees around the one she was tied to didn't seem to be very thick but when she looked further in past the area she was in, she couldn't see anything other than tree trunks. The sun had risen, but it was really cold and Hermione shivered in her thin pyjamas. Looking around, she couldn't see anyone else with her. Memories of last night rushed back to her. She remembered everything from her fight with Draco, to her being captured.

"Ah, I see you're awake mudblood," said the same voice that had given her chills last night, from right behind her. Hermione's breath quickened. "What's wrong?" he asked with mock concern, laughing a cruel laugh.

"What do you want from me?" Hermione demanded, short of breath. He continued to laugh. Finally he moved into her line of vision. This time though, the face wasn't Jake's but Yaxley's. Hermione had not been wrong about the voice. She remembered the time in her 7th year when she, Harry and Ron had broken into the Ministry of Magic. Yaxley had grabbed onto her just at the moment that she had apparated. She had dragged him through the barriers of Grimmauld Place. His face had haunted her for a long time. But it was his voice that made chills go down her spine. Everytime she thought of him, she remembered the way he had chased them. Sometimes, while she slept, she felt like she could feel the weight of him hanging on her arm again. But she didn't understand how his face had been Jake's last night.

"I can see the wheels turning in that pretty little head of yours. Really want to know what I want Granger?" he said coming straight in her face. "I WANT REVENGE!" he shouted. "But let me start at the beginning so you'll understand. I wouldn't want you to die without knowing," he said with mock concern. "I'm sure you remember that day at the ministry Granger. When you dragged me through your protective spells and barriers. Well, that night I was severly punished for not getting rid of you all when I had the chance," he moved away from the tree Hermione was tied to and started pacing up and down, wringing his hands. Hermione watched him silently whilst trying to control her breathing. He looked almost derranged. "The Dark Lord crucio'd me so many times I thought I was dead for sure. He closed me up in a dungeon not long after. Surely you noticed me missing from the action at Hogwarts. Well I was BEİNG TORTURED THEN!" he yelled close to her face again. "Even after the Dark Lord was no more, I vowed to get revenge on you. It was because of you, that I had been imprisoned before, during and after the war. So what did I do? I disguised myself as the cafe owner, Frank. I came all the way into your dorm room Granger, and you never even suspected a thing. I watched you flirting with that guy," he said with a disgusted twist of his lip. "That's when I came up with my plan. I kidnapped that loser, Jake, and made a polyjuice potion. I was the one that took you out on a date. But I must admit, I did go a little overboard with my drinking and did things that I had not planned. And I was doing so well as well. You were falling for me weren't you Granger? Then that night at the club, the stupid Malfoy spawn caught me offguard. That's when I vowed to make both of you pay. For he had been no help to me too, considering I was locked up in the dungeon at his DAMN HOUSE!" he yelled frightening Hermione, for she was not expecting him to. "I knew that if I kidnapped you, Malfoy will come looking. Then it will be two dumb birds with one stone," he said moving away and laughing again.

Hermione thought about all he had said. She was more freightened of what he may do to Draco than to herself. She prayed to Merlin that this psycho would not be able to find him. Yaxley started laughing again, cruelly.

"You're hoping the Malfoy kid won't come aren't you? Well that's impossible because I have powerful magic and this time it will not fail."

He started pacing again as Hermione watched. She noticed from his body language, that he was not sure about his magic at all. She prayed and prayed for his magic to be useless, but she had to know what he had planned.

"What did you do?" she asked making her voice more scared than she was to make him feel like he had the upper hand.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he said laughing, but because he was too proud of his plan, he couldn't stop himself from bursting forth with," I know you two were fighting so I know that when he comes back he'll want to make up. I did some magic to your bed so it looks like you're sleeping there and I made your bed into a portkey. As soon as he touches any part of your bed, he'll be transported right here," he said pointing to the exact spot that he was standing on.

This time Hermione got really scared. She knew that Draco would try to make up with her and he was way too impatient to wait till she would have woken up. Although he was an idiot, Yaxley's plan looked like it would work without a hitch this time.

Over at the university, Draco returned back to their dorm after walking around campus the whole night. He was feeling more and more ashamed of his feelings of anger as the night went on. He couldn't believe the way that he had treated Hermione, before storming out. He most definitly owed her a big apology. He remembered the look on her face as he had yelled at her. This never should have happened. He sat by a pond on campus until the sun had risen. He had to talk to her.

Taking big strides, he walked to their room with an apology ready on his lips. He pushed the door open but stopped mid step when he saw she was sleeping. To be honest, he had expected her to stay awake waiting for him to come back. He couldn't stop the small dissapointment bubbling up in him. He decided to let her sleep. Walking into the bathroom, he stripped down for a shower. He spent almost 30 minutes in the blistering heat of the water, mulling things over. Putting on fresh clothes, he walked back into their room, certain that Hermione would be awake now. Disappointment took over again as he saw her sleeping under her covers still. He sat on his bed watching her for a while longer, checking his watch every few seconds. Finally, getting completely impatient, he decided to wake her. He walked across the room to her bed. Reaching out a hand, he was very near to grasping her duvet when a loud knock on the door startled him.

He walked to the door and yanking it open, he found Blaise standing with his fist raised, ready to knock again.

"What?" Draco asked impatiently.

"What's with you?" Blaise asked pushing his way into the room.

"Sorry mate. I'm just on edge a bit."

Blaise looked around the room and caught sight of Hermione sleeping.

"Ooops," he said sheepishly, keeping his voice down.

"Why are you here so early?" Draco whispered.

"Lucy said she heard you guys shouting last night. She was worried so I came to check on you both," Blaise whispered back.

"We'll be fine. I was just gonna wake her so we could talk."

"Oh ok. I better go than. We should meet up later," Blaise said turning towards the door. Draco didn't bother answering just walked to Hermione's bed.

"Ok. Listen Hermione, you better wake up now," Draco said grabbing the duvet. He suddenly felt an uncomfortable jerk in his navel. "Shiiiitt!" he yelled, before disappearing. Thankfully Blaise had not left the room yet. He quickly grabbed a hold of Draco. Before they knew it, they both landed in a huge forrest. Draco quickly stood up when he saw Hermione tied to a tree in her pyjamas.

"Draco quick you have to get out of here, he's going to kill us both you have to leave quick," she whispered frantically.

"What? Who? What are you talking about?" he said in a rush. He quickly ran to her and untied her hands.

"Yaxley. He kidnapped me to take revenge. He wants you too for not rescuing him during the war when he was in your dungeon," she explained as quickly as possible. Blaise quickly understood what was going on.

"Well he's not expecting me is he?" he said. "Where is he?"

"He went that way. He said something about lighting a fire," Hermione explained pointing to their left.

"Ok. Let's apparate back –" Draco began but Blaise cut him off quickly.

"We can't. If he's after revenge, he won't let you guys rest. We'll need to get him locked away or suffer forever.

"He's right Draco," Hermione said holding onto him. Draco wasn't happy with any of this. He was scared for Hermione's life. He didn't care about himself. It was her he was freightened for.

"Listen, I have a wand, I'm going to hide behind these trees," Blaise said pointing to the trees infront of them," you guys stay here, he wants you both defenseless. When he's not expecting it, I'll attack from behind."

"Blaise, send a patronus to Harry. He'll know what to do," Hermione pleaded. Blaise nodded his understanding and quickly walked away to hide. Hermione turned to face Draco who had deep worry lines in his forehead. She softly tried to smooth them out.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry for the way I acted. I never meant to hurt you," Just then, they heard a heavy footfall coming from their left. "Mi, in case we don't make it I just want you to know, I love you. I've never loved anyone, the way I love you," he whispered frantically, kissing her quickly.

"I love you too," she whispered back, just as fiercly with tears in her eyes, for she was scared for both of them.

When Yaxley walked into the clearing, he stopped dead at the sight of the two of them, wrapped in each others arms. He started laughing his cruel laugh again.

"Well, well, well. Look who's decided to drop by," he said. Draco stood straighter, gently pushing Hermione to stand behind him.

"What do you want Yaxley?" Draco spat out.

"Revenge!"

"Yeah? Well come and get it!" Draco yelled lunging forward with his fists raised. Just at that moment, several things happened at once. Many pops sounded in the surrounding area as a group of people apparated into the clearing. A shout of "stupefy" followed by a jet of red light, came from the trees up ahead. Both Draco and Hermione dived to the floor as many more spells followed the first one. Yaxley got hit with 2 stupefy's and one petrificus totalus.

Hermione raised her head from the ground to see Harry, Ginny, Ron and Blaise standing with their wands pointed at Yaxley who lay emotionless on the ground with his arms and legs locked together. She quickly stood up from the ground and ran to Harry, throwing her arms around him. She then released him to grab a hold of Ginny, then Ron, who held on the longest. Blaise rushed over to Draco and gave him a hand to stand up.

Harry walked over to the two guys and held his hand out to Draco, than to Blaise.

"Thanks for calling us," he said to Blaise.

"No problem."

Meanwhile, Hermione and Ron were having a whispered exchange.

"I know about you and Malfoy Mione," Ron said softly. She quietly pulled back from him to look in his face. He laughed softly. "I'm not angry. I promise. I was shocked though cause, well it's Malfoy. But seeing the way he's looking at you now, I don't feel as against it as I thought I would. I know it sounds stupid but, you have my blessing," he said.

"Oh Ron," Hermione exclaimed before throwing herself into his arms again.

"Just be careful," he whispered. During this exchange, Ginny had moved towards Yaxley and tied him up. She sent off a patronus for some ministry officials to come and retrieve him.

Hermione moved back to stand by Draco and told everyone all that Yaxley had said about his plan. She had to admit, she was a little worried about what Yaxley may have done to Jake. She made sure that especially Harry understood everything, for he was the one to guide the Aurors in finding Jake.

"Hey everyone?" Ginny called out when Hermione had finished, "why don't we go and grab something to eat next friday? Together." She added looking at Blaise and Draco especially. With a nod of approval from the two guys, she smiled triumphantly and moved to stand with her husband. Not long after, the officials came to take Yaxley. Afterwards, with promises of meeting up, the whole gang went back to their respective homes. As soon as they landed in their room, Hermione flung herself at Draco. He wrapped his strong arms around her, letting her receive comfort from him.

"I'm really sorry Draco," she mumbled into his neck.

"Me too."

"I don't care that it's only been just a little over a month. All I care about is you. I love you so much."

"I couldn't have said it better myself. Don't ever let me go ok?" he teased, but there was a small amount of pleading in his voice.

"Never!"

Draco released her than and pulled her to his bed. He lay down, pulling her down with him. She lay on his chest with her arm across his stomach. Laying like this, Hermione felt secure enough to tell Draco anything. She told him about how Yaxley had kidnapped talked for a long time until they both fell asleep, holding onto each other tightly. Like this, they knew that they would be able to overcome anything together. For they were what soul mates were made of.

Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter. I hope I've been able to answer all of the questions you may have had with the past chapter. Thank you to all of you who have added me/my story onto your fav/alert lists and for reviewing..You all make my day! Anyway..enjoy this chapter. I'm very happy with it..Let me know what you all think! Xxxxxx

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter..It all belongs to the lovely Ms Rowling...!