Chapter Seven
Ginny looked at her husband restrained in one of his own cells,
"He said he had to stay in Hogsmeade." She said digging through her purse, "It's not unusual for him to spend a night away on a high-profile case" she handed Seamus the letter, "I thought with it being Hermione that nothing was wrong?"
"When was the last time you him?" Dean asked as Seamus passed him the letter,
"That would have been Wednesday morning, he left early, said he needed to chase Ron on paperwork that was outstanding…" she said tearing her eyes away from her husband,
"He didn't mention anything else?" Seamus asked,
"We don't really talk about his work; I know that some of the things he does require a large deal of secrecy." She was barely holding back the tears, "We have to find Hermione, I know he will never forgive himself…what has Ron said about this?" she asked,
"That the next issue, Ronald hasn't been into work since Tuesday, or Wednesday, we're not sure if he was here Wednesday when Harry arrived, but he wasn't here when We got in so we don't know if Harry sent him to follow a lead or if whoever used the Imperius Curse on Harry"
"Have you told my mother?" She asked, "Of course you haven't, you didn't know he was really missing, sorry" she sighed, Dean moved to her side placing a hand on her back to sooth the woman,
"We will get to the bottom of this" he reassured her, "Do you want to come with up to speak with your parents?" taking a tissue that Seamus held out to her she blew her nose and nodded.
Hermione curled into the corner of the room her body covered in cuts and bruises, the hardly their Camisole the only clothing that she had to keep her modesty and warmth.
"Miss is to get up" came the squeaky voice of Una, but Hermione didn't move, "Master said you may be difficult" the elf said as if the mere thought of Hermione was sickening to her, with a snap Hermione was lifted from the ground, Hermione screamed in fear her whole body trying to fight the elf's magic.
But it was no used, she wasn't sure how long she had been there, she wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious when she was brought here, there where no windows, no light to indicate day and night, just a few candles opposite her prison.
"Now why do you have to spoil everything" she heard the voice again as the blindfold was placed over her eyes, "here I was hoping to have a romantic dinner" The voice purred, sending a feeling of pure disgust through her body.
The stranger put an arm around her waist and kissed at her neck
"Get off me" she tried to pull away, but his grip tightened,
"Now darling, you are my wife and I can do anything I please" he said, she should hear the smile on his lips before he bit down on her neck causing her to scream out.
Draco paced back and forth of Harry's office, his mind desperately trying to remember every detail, he was sure he must have missed something, had he seen the face of the person who stabbed him, had he seen the shadow of whomever stepped through the blown-out wall, but nothing was coming, letting out a frustrated scream and punching the wall and causing the frames that hung near by fell to the floor. He fell to his knees taking her head in his hands. That was how Ginny found him when she entered the room, without a second thought she knelt beside him and pulled him into a hug,
"We'll find her, we'll bring her home and punish whoever did this!" she whispered, Draco was shocked and surprised at the kindness the red-haired woman showed him. "Hermione wrote to me the other day" Ginny continued, "Not long before this all happened, said that she was glad Harry asked you to support her, that you where a good teacher and a good person, that she was falling in love with you" she said, with those words Draco looked up his silver blue eyes widening, "I know who ever has her will have hell to pay when we find her, not only does she have me and every other Gryffindor by her side, but she has you" Ginny said handing him a tissue,
"I only just found her" Draco said after a pause that felt like hours, "My parents raised me to be a monster, but Minerva had seen past that and given me a job…then Hermione she was so scared after peeves caused that ruckus, she accepted me, she didn't say it out loud…but I felt forgiven for my past actions…what if she was taken because of me, to punish me?" he asked tears running down his face,
"Draco, we don't know who took her, but no one knew about you and her so I very much doubt its because of you, if anything with Harry being under the Imperius Curse, I think this has to do with the dark lord, yes he's dead…but he had many followers that have managed to remain in hiding" she said still on her knees beside him.
Hermione spat out the vile concoction that she was forced in her mouth,
"Now, now, if we don't drink this we wont be brining our dear lord back" he hissed, Hermione locked her jaw as the man tried to pour the potion into her mouth, "Open your fucking mouth mudblood" he hissed, but Hermione stubbornly held her jaws clamped shut, there was no way in hell she would carry this Payco's child, she would die of starvation before doing that!
Even with the mask on her eyes saw white stars as the stranger punched her in the face, "No look what you made me do!" he screamed at her, but she knew she could not drink the potion, there was no way in hell that she was going to have his child!
He pinned her to the ground forcing himself between her thighs one hand roughly grabbing a breast with one hand, the other grabbing her throat,
"Eather drink it willingly of I choke you in to unconsciousness and give it to you when you are more agreeable!" he snapped. Although his voice was harsh, Hermione knew he was enjoying every second because of the erection he had pressed into her pelvic bone separated by only the material of his trousers. Hermione desperately struggled against his hold; the darkness threatened to leave her defenceless!
Thinking quickly Hermione opened her mouth and allowed the mad to pour the vial in her mouth, once sure the vile was empty she spat the liquid into his face, shocking him and causing him to fall back, giving Hermione a second to scurry away removing the blindfold, turning to face the monster who had beat and abused her over and over! His face hidden in shadow she looks around the room she found herself in, a room that she knows she has been in before, the shrieking shack…
The man made to move towards her, she can see his wand in his hand, she had to be careful, still unsure who this man was she glanced around the room for anything she could use, anything that would protect her, but the room was empty other than herself and the man who had tortured her and he was between her and the only exit to the room.
"You fucking bitch!" he growled charging towards her, Hermione watched carefully, she was smaller than him by a fair amount but perhaps she could use that to her advantage, she just had to duck and roll at precisely the right moment but as she watched him a glimmer of light revealed his face to her,
"Ronald!" she gasped missing her opportunity to duck and being thrown against the wall, her head making an almighty crack before she blacked out.
"I don't understand?" Molly asked, "You said Harry didn't send him on a mission?"
"We don't know, all we know is that he had a meeting with Ron Wednesday morning, it had to be around then that Harry was put under the Imperius Curse, we don't know if Ron was sent on a mission before that happened or if it was whilst under the Imperius Curse to keep Ron away from the case either way we need to know where he is" Seamus explained
"Seamus!" Ginny called from the kitchen, "Ron is at the school" she informed him when he and her mother entered the room, she pointed to the magical clock that told you where each of the Weasleys where.
"Right" Seamus said, "Hopefully we'll have at least one thing answered before the and of the day, Mrs Weasley, Mrs Potter, I must ask you to remain here, I will contact you once I confirm Ronalds's location and condition." Seamus said,
"Seamus wait, you might find this of use" she said flicking her wand, for a moment nothing happened and Seamus raised an eyebrow, but just as he was about to ask, a sheet of parchment flew through the window, "Don't forget, to live like Fred and George" she smiled
"I solemnly swear" he nodded before leaving via the Weasley's fireplace landing in the great hall moments later, luckily, he had missed the lunch rush otherwise there would be so many questions "Professor McGonagall, you got Ginny's patronus" he asked seeing the headmistress waiting for him,
"I did but I have checked our wards Mr Weasley is not on school grounds" she said leading him out of the room,
"He has to be local, the clock placed him at the school, but I doubt it differentiate between the school and the surrounding village, I'm going to send Some aurors to search the village. I do however have one more question, is there anyone or anything that can get into the school without the wards knowing?" he asked
"Not that I am aware" she said, "But Filius would know" she said, they had just reached the fourth floor, "Follow me, I believe he has a class, but this is important" she said making her way to the classroom and knocking on the door,
"Come in" the voice came through the door,
"Sorry to disturb you professor but we are in need of some information?" Minerva smiled at her fellow professor and friend,
"Ask away" he smiled
"The schools wards" Seamus began, "They register every coming and going from the school, correct?" Seamus asked,
"Yes…I believe so" the man said, Seamus sighed
"I'm sorry Professor" a student said raising her hand,
"Miss Lokwood?" Filius acknowledged her,
"That isn't technically true, the wards do not register the coming and goings of House Elves, it was in a book Miss Granger lent me a few weeks back since I had completed my Transfiguration work"
"Do you still have the book" Minerva asked,
"No, I put in in Miss Grangers Pidgeon hole last week" she said,
"Thank you miss Lokwood, ten points to Hufflepuff" Minerva smiled, "Sorry to have disrupted your class Filius" she smiled before she and Seamus left the room,
"So, a house elf may have been able to get into the castle without us knowing, attack Hermione and Malfoy…but why?"
"Unfortunately, there are still many wizards out there who treat house elves as they always have and should their masters demand it they will do anything, look at the incident with poor Winkey, guarding an escaped prisoner" Minerva said, "I will go and search for that book in Miss Grangers classroom" she nodded,
"And I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" he said showing her the map, "One last thing Professor, the secret exit's out of the school, are they all blocked still" he asked,
"All save for one…The Whomping Willow" she nodded,
"Guess I'll start there"