The Dragon and the Angel - [Draco/Hermione]

Chapter Seventeen - The Department of Mysteries

Chapter Seventeen - The Department of Mysteries

"Hermione!" Ron called, grabbing her arm and tugging her back to where he and Harry stood, right next to the visitor's entrance. Their patronuses flickered, being so close to the Dementors just outside the door, but Harry quickly re-casted his and the warmth was enough to keep them all safe. "Please explain to us what the bloody hell you're about to do - and don't be rash about it!"

"There's a reason Miah said that the passageway let out in the Department of Mysteries!" Hermione said helplessly, a weak smile on her face as she struggled to stay still. "We have to go see Kingsley, though, come on! Hurry up, Harry!"

Hermione was descretly feeling along the walls, trying to find the passageway. Completely confused, Harry and Ron copied her. The deaf guard had not returned from beside Draco's cell; perhaps he had fallen asleep. Only one other guard was at the desk, and he was most definately asleep.

"Hermione," Harry hissed seriously. "What is seeing Kingsley again going to do to the situation? He doesn't believe us. Not that I blame him, it does sound completely mental."

Hermione cast him a sidewards glance, trying to stop herself from smiling, she was so excited. "I know how to get proof - Yes!" Hermione's hand stopped on a slightly bigger stone then the rest. She looked quickly behind her at the guard. "Alright, I'll go first." She pushed the stone into the wall.

The wall rumbled and Ron, thinking quickly, cast a silencing spell around them so the guard would not wake. When he turned around, he was staring into a passageway that much resembled the one to Diagon Alley, but this passage was so dark, he knew they weren't going for school supplies.

"Where's 'Mione?" he asked Harry.

"In here, come on!" said Hermione's voice from inside the tunnel.

When Ron and Harry stepped through the threshold, the wall sealed itself, covering the little light they had. Surprisingly, however, Harry's patronus cast a fairly bright glow. Ron and Hermione conjured their own and they found themselves going down the passage with ease.

At the end of the passage was a black door, like the one Harry had been dreaming about for months before Sirius' death. He immediately got an uneasy feeling and grabbed onto Hermione, who was practically running now, still holding the Daily Prophet in her hands like a life preserver.

"Hermione, I don't like this." he whispered as nervousness flooded his body. Suddenly, his scar prickled. "Hey!"

"What?" Ron demanded.

"My scar." Harry replied, rubbing his forehead. "I don't like this, please, Hermione-"

"I'm not letting Draco rot in Azkaban for doing the right thing," she said firmly, her hands on her hips. "I don't care what you two do, but I've figured this all out. Are you coming or not?"

Ron sighed. "Fine."

Harry relucatantly nodded.

"Good."

Hermione turned and opened the door before either could stop her. They all estinguished their patronuses, because it was light enough in the Department of Mysteries to see without their help. They were in the Artrium, they could tell.

"Wait here." Hermione ordered, and dashed off through one of the doors, though Harry and Ron had no idea how she could situate herself.

"Has she gone mental?" Ron asked weakly. "Or does she really know what she's doing?"

"I have no idea." Harry admitted, shaking his head. "What do you think Miah's doing?"

"She's either the one that's going to help us get Draco out, or the one who's going to get us all locked up in Azkaban next to her." said Ron.

Hermione was back already, still squeezing the newspaper. Nothing seemed to have changed about her. She didn't seem to have done anything on the other side of the door, but she was already running again, yelling behind her, "Come on! We need to find Kingsley!"

"Hermione, what did you do? Did you take anything?" Harry roared to be heard over their heavy footsteps as they ran.

"You'll see! I'll explain everything when we find Kingsley!" she replied.

"I'm going to strangle her." Ron muttered darkly. "Find Kingsley, find Kingsley, save Draco, risk your lives and sanity for something I'm not going to explain to you!" he snapped in a horrible immitation of Hermione's voice, but only Harry heard.

They were finally out of the Department of Mysteries. They were running like lunatics all around the Ministry. Some people stopped and stared, outraged, but others waved to Harry, tipping their hats. This is so going to make the front page of the - wait a minute, Harry thought.

"Hermione?" he voiced. "What was on the front page of the Prophet?"

She was smiling, Harry could tell.

"You'll see!" she said again. "There he is! - KINGSLEY!"

The Minister turned around, looking quite bewildered as he stopped, allowing Harry, Ron and Hermione to catch up to him. They skidded to a halt next to him, breathing heavily.

"I have proof it was Bellatrix." Hermione told him quickly, running a hand through her hair and waving the Daily Prophet in Kingsley's face. "You didn't happen to glance at the newspaper today, did you, Minister?"

"No, I've been busy with the hearing-"

"Can we talk in your office, please? It's very important." Hermione rushed in, cutting him off.

*********************

"Miss Granger," Kingsley said sternly, sitting importantly in his chair behind the large desk in the Minister of Magic's office. "Please, explain yourself."

Finally, Hermione put down the Daily Prophet and showed everyone the cover.

"Bloody hell..." Ron whispered, awed.

On the front page, staring right back at them was (none of them could believe it) themselves - Harry, Ron, Hermione and Kingsley. They seemed to be standing on the roof of one of the Hogwarts towers Harry recognized as Gryffindor's.

"When I saw this, I knew what we had to do. I don't remember this more then any of you, but it's what Miah said that connected with the picture. Remember? She said-" Hermione said softly, grinning broadly.

"Who's Miah?" Kingsley interrupted.

"A prisoner in Azkaban." Harry explained. "She told us about the passage."

Kingsley's eyes went wide. "How does she know about that?"

"No clue, she's a strange little girl with raven black hair and sallow skin and-"

"Shut up, Ron," Hermione scolded, "and let me finish. She spoke of the Department of Mysteries; that was when it clicked. Harry, you especially should understand this! Look, the date on the newspaper says today, but it was taken the day Draco performed the Killing Curse on his aunt!"

Harry frowned, still not understanding. He suddenly felt as if a lightbulb had been turned on in his head.

"We used a Time-Turner!" He said loudly, making Ron and Kingsley jump.

"Yes!" Hermione cried. "We turned back time to when we were in Gryffindor tower, took Kingsley with us and showed him the scene! It makes perfect sense."

"Hermione, it doesn't make any sense." Ron said stiffly. "Where the hell are we going to get a Time-Tu - OH! That's what you did in the Department of Mysteries!"

Hermione nodded quickly and looked pleadingly at Kingsley. "What do you say, Kingsley? Please?"

"Fine." he sighed. "Wind it up."