AN: Back from my weekend trip and ready to start the daily updates again. Your reviews are wonderful and much appreciated. Many of you have guessed who took Hermione, let's see if any of you were right…
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Chapter 10
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Harry turned from Draco to Cho, and then back again.
Just as he was about to speak Luna suddenly stirred on the floor. She was lying in Ron's arms.
"I think I was just hit by a Crumple-Horned Snorkack!" she gasped.
Ron looked from her to Harry with a worried expression.
"No sweetie, Draco backed into you and you fell…" Ron told her.
"Sorry about that," Draco mumbled.
Ginny pointed her finger at him.
"Don't talk to her, you evil…" she threw her hands in the air, not knowing how to finish the sentence and then kneeled next to Luna.
"I'm telling you, it was here. Didn't you see it?" Luna looked at Ron.
"She seems no weirder than usual," Cho muttered.
"Shut up!" Harry barked at her.
"I think we better get her to St. Mungo's," Ron said and helped her to her feet. Ginny and Neville escorted them out of the building.
Harry turned to Draco.
"If you want to fight me, we can do it outside," Draco said arrogantly.
"Let's go!" Harry's voice was still raised.
He clenched his fists. He felt so angry, his mind dabbled with what he wanted to do with Draco. Sectusempra seemed too lenient, an unforgivable seemed appealing…
Before they got outside, though, the crowd went into turmoil. People starting whispering, some was running out of the hall. Rita Skeeter, who had been frantically searching the ballroom for Cho, found her and pulled her aside.
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"What is it Rita?" Cho demanded. "What has happened?"
"There has been a breakout."
Harry's insides turned to ice.
"Who?" he commanded.
Draco also turned his full attention to Rita.
"Rodolphus LeStrange and Peter Pettigrew!" she spoke with wide eyes, as if to terrify everyone.
"No," Harry spoke softly, "Hermione!"
He started running for the exit, knocking a few people to the ground as he ran. Draco took of after him.
"What about Hermione?" Draco yelled from behind him.
"Fuck off Malfoy, this has nothing to do with you!" When Harry didn't even turn to look at him, Draco realized it had to be something serious.
"Hey, I wanna know what's going on. I care about her too you know."
Harry didn't bother answering, but simply apparated to Hermione's street. Â He heard the faint pop behind him and new that Draco was along for the ride. He ran up the stairs and into the apartment building. He was so short of breath when he reached it, he thought his lounges were on fire.
"Please be home," he muttered and started banging the door.
Draco caught up with him.
"Potter!" he yelled. "Tell me what's going on!"
Harry beat harder.
"Hermione!" he pressed his face close to the door.
He started whispering an incoherent spell and suddenly the door popped open.
"How did you do that?" Draco asked, following Harry inside.
Harry didn't answer, but ran straight for Hermione's room. He stopped dead at the entrance and Draco knocked into him from behind.
"No…" Harry whispered sadly.
"Oh my God," Draco gasped.
Hermione's white bedcover was stained with blood. On it laid a necklace, drenched in blood.
"That's my aunt's necklace. Why the hell is Bellatrix's necklace in Hermione's room, and why is it bloody?" Draco was so confused that his words seemed neither demanding nor angry.
Harry walked out of her room and into the living room. He sat down on the sofa, his head in his hands.
Draco sat down opposite him in the armchair.
"You need to tell me what the hell is going on here!" Draco demanded, his breathing was erratic and he put his hand on his chest. Harry didn't seem to hear him.Â
"Potter!" Harry looked up with almost a look of surprise at seeing Draco sitting across from him.
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"He took her…"
"LeStrange or Pettigrew?"
"LeStrange."
"How do you know?"
Harry didn't answer. He started shaking his head.
Harry paused for a moment to try and catch his breath. "He has her. And he will kill her…" he put his head back in his hands. Draco knew by the look on Harry's face that this was very serious. Harry suddenly stood up.
"We need to find them,"
"We?" Draco repeated hopefully.
"No! I- I mean I!"
"Potter listen, I care about her too."
"You? You used her, you're the one who hurt her, made her run away tonight."
Harry was becoming angry again; he took a step forward and grabbed Draco by the collar.  He yanked him up out of the chair and threw a hard punch at Draco's jaw. Draco fell backwards and landed with a loud thud on the floor.
"I'm in love with her," Draco said in a loud voice while rubbing his jaw. Harry took a step back and stared at Draco incredulously before answering.
"What?" he mumbled.
"Yeah, that's right, and I want to find her too. Now can you do this with me, for her sake? You know I will be able to help you."
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"Keep up, Malfoy!" Harry yelled. He and Draco were running through a damp field.  Harry stared from side to side, wishing he could see what was waiting for them in the darkness of the pitch-black night.
"Why do you think they are here? It seems too easy…" Draco hissed.
"Exactly, he wants me to find them," Harry answered.
They were outside the old manor in which Bellatrix had lived with her husband Rodolphus. The house looked old and abandoned. Harry motioned to Draco to keep quiet, and they huddled down.
"Do you think he's hurt her?" Draco inquired, dreading the answer.
"No, he is waiting for me first."
"Why?"
"Bellatrix," Harry answered simply and opened the front door.
The house was empty; the old furniture was rotted and covered in spider webs. Draco looked around; he had been in this house many times with his mother.  She had brought him there as a child when her sister was in Azkaban, bringing the house elves to clean it while Bellatrix was away.
"There's no one here," Harry said, losing all hope.
Draco put a finger in front of his mouth.
"They have a dungeon downstairs," he whispered.
They slowly walked up to the door leading to the stairs that descended to the dark dungeon.  Harry walked slowly, not to trip on the slippery stone stairs. He could see a light that shone brighter the farther down they went. He approached a corner and gasped when he saw what was in the room.  Hermione was hanging, chained by her hands in the middle of the room. Her beautiful dress was grey with dirt and covered in blood.
She seemed unconscious. Draco was still hiding behind the corner, as Harry had held him back.
"I'm here," Harry called out into the empty room, hoping LeStrange would hear him. Draco looked startled by Harry's actions. He had thought they would sneak up on them and launch a joint attack.
"Well very good little Potter boy," a voice said from the far end. A shape approached slowly and Harry saw the unmistakable face of Rodolphus Lestrange.
"So you did come for her, just as he said," Rodolphus snickered.
"Let her go, I'm here now," Harry spoke with determination.
He looked at Hermione's lifeless body and he wanted to run to her and free her. Hold her, care for her, kiss her and save her. He would gladly give his life for hers.
Rodolphus walked up close behind Hermione. He flicked his wand and with a loud scream her eyes shot open.
"Stop it!" Harry demanded, horrified by the look of pain on Hermione's face.
Rodolphus stopped for a moment and then smiled again. Hermione looked with tired eyes at Harry. She felt her life slipping away, but she felt grateful to see Harry in her last moments.
"You have to go…" she whispered, "Harry… go"
She didn't have any more energy.
"Oh he isn't leaving, are you? No Potter is here to give his life for yours aren't you?"
Harry looked into Hermione's eyes; tears were running down her face, leaving streaks through the dirt on her cheeks. Rodolphus grabbed a handful of Hermione's hair and yanked her head back.
"How should I do it Potter, slit her throat, use the Avada… what do you recommend?" His eyes shot with evil glare. He pointed his wand to Hermione's throat and dragged it slowly all the way out to her arm, leaving a shallow wound after it. She sobbed slightly as blood dripped onto the stone floor.
"You must understand that I won't trade her, right? The Dark Lord told me exactly how to get my revenge on you. He knew, he saw in your mind. His last wish was to see you in Hell, and I am about to grant that wish." Rodolphus let out a loud fanatical laugh and it was obvious to Harry that Azkaban had caused Rodolphus to lose his mind. This scared Harry even more, that meant he could be unpredictable
Hermione looked at Harry. He looked so angry, so sad. She just wanted to save him. But he had come to save her. She hated herself for being the one who brought him here. Â
"Look, if you let…" Harry started but Rodolphus interrupted.
"You took Bellatrix from me right before my eyes. I never got to say goodbye to my precious wife! The Dark Lord told me who your heart desired, and now you will feel what it feels like to see the one you love die in front of you," he screamed.
Hermione yanked her head up. She stared unbelievingly at Harry.
The one he loves? Does he mean me? Harry, I love you…
"I told you in the Final Battle, I told you I would come for the one you loved. And here I am. Revenge really is sweet." Rodolphus laughed again.
Harry took a step forward, he felt desperate. He couldn't let Hermione get hurt. Rodolphus in turn took a step behind Hermione.
"Don't come closer Potter!" he yelled loudly.
Draco pressed himself harder against the wall. Did he just hear that correctly?
Was that why Harry had dismissed Hermione after the war, after that night she had told Draco about. Because the one he loved would be killed?
Rodolphus pointed his wand and yelled:  "Crucio!" Hermione let out a piercing scream but Rodolphus stopped suddenly when a small grey rat ran quickly on the floor. "What is it?" he barked at the rat.
The rat quickly changed into Peter Pettigrew.  Harry's insides bubbled with hate. He loathed Pettigrew and wanted nothing more than to kill him. Peter leaned in and whispered to Rodolphus and Harry knew it was now or never, Pettigrew was almost certainly telling Rodolphus about Draco, hiding in the dark.  He quickly reached for his wand and took aim. He pointed at Hermione's chain and recited an incantation.  It hit the chain and with a loud thud Hermione fell down to the ground. Rodolphus pushed Pettigrew aside and aimed for Harry.
"Avada Kedavra!" he yelled but missed as Harry threw himself behind a large cauldron. Â At that moment Draco jumped out from behind the wall and ran towards Pettigrew with his wand ready.
"Mercy, please… Mr Malfoy-" Pettigrew didn't get another word out before Draco yelled:
"Avada Kedavra" and Pettigrew fell dead on the floor.
He turned to look for Harry, but he had followed Rodolphus further into the dungeon. Draco ran after them and soon found them in the middle of a duel.
Rodolphus hid behind a wall, and Harry was behind a large stone block.
"I will kill her, do not doubt that!" Rodolphus yelled. "Maybe I will force myself on her first, torture her for a few days. I will Petrify you, make you watch."
Harry leaned against the stone.  He had to kill Rodolphus no matter what. He recalled vividly the day that Rodolphus had spoken of. As he was dragged away to Azkaban, he vowed he would find the one he loved and kill her, just as Harry had killed Bellatrix. Only Harry had understood the words then. He ran around the stone and up to the corner where Rodolphus was hiding. He turned to Draco mouthing:
"Help her."
Draco shook his head. He realized what Harry was going to do, Harry would turn the corner and cast the spell at Rodolphus. This meant that they would hit each other at the same time, killing each other.
"Don't!" Draco mouthed back.
Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
I love you Hermione, it is all for you! Harry thought.
Draco suddenly yelled out:
"Rodolphus, are you there you coward?"
"Draco, is that you?"
Harry leaned back against the wall.
"Yeah it's me."
"Your father would be turning in his grave if he knew what you had become. Fighting against the Dark Lords followers…"
Rodolphus moved forward slightly and Harry could see parts of him from around the corner. Just peek out a little bit further!
Just peek out a little bit further!
"I hope my father is turning is his grave. And I hope Aunt Bellatrix is rotting in hers," he yelled out.
"You little…" Rodolphus sprinted forwards.
"Sectumsempra!" Harry screamed and aimed.
Harry's spell hit LeStrange right in the neck - he didn't even have time to scream, his eyes opened wide as the blood gushed from his neck. He fell to his knees and looked down at the pool of blood forming on the floor.  Slowly he fell forward, face down on the floor. Harry turned without a second thought and sprinted back to Hermione. She was lying on the floor still, but she was awake.  Harry kneeled on the floor next to her.
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"Harry…" she moaned.
"Shh… I'm here now. You're safe!"
He pulled her into his arms and she winced in pain.  He felt the blood from her body pool into his clothes. Draco slowly walked into the room. Hermione was losing her voice.
"I think… I…" She lost consciousness.
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