Vengeance: A Dramione Story

Chapter Ten

Hermione's POV

I got to the Ministry as quickly as possible, catching Malfoy up on the way, and found Harry, face white as a sheet, seated at his desk.

"When was the last time you saw her?" I asked as soon as I got to his office.

"Last night. I got home from work today and she's just gone. I checked everywhere she could be, and it's been two hours. Something's happened to her." Harry replied.

Harry's eyes narrowed suspiciously when he noticed Draco rushing in.

"He's with me. When was the last time you were certain you had seen Ginny?" I leaned over his desk.

"About midnight. We were, ah, you know..." Harry blushed a deep red.

"Disgusting, Harry, that's my sister," Ron entered the room, clearly having heard what Harry was saying.

I immediately stiffened at Ron's entrance, but Malfoy squeezed my hand and I startled, then looked up at him.

"You're here for Ginny, not him," He whispered.

I nodded appreciatively and spoke up again. "That means it's been about-" I looked at the clock to see the time. "Twenty hours, give or take a bit. We'll find her."

Harry nodded, his face becoming determined. "Right. Ron, check the news to see if anyone dangerous has been out and about. Hermione, go with Malfoy to question our neighbors, see if they've heard anything. Quinn, I said in my note that the Dark Mark was conjured above our home. Check every Death Eater that survived the Battle of Hogwarts. I'll ask the Harpies if anything's been going on lately. Meet back here in no more than two hours. Go."

We all left the small room at the same time, off to do our respective jobs.

Draco and I Apparated to the Muggle police department and stole a couple of badges. We enchanted them to show our picture, then continued on to Harry and Ginny's neighborhood.

We questioned the surrounding Muggles and found that nothing seemed out of place to them.

Noticing that it had been nearly the full two hours, we rushed back to the Ministry.

"Anything?" Harry asked, distraught.

I shook my head apologetically. "Sorry, Harry."

Harry sank. It was as if he had been holding out for us and we popped his hope like a needle would a balloon. Everyone else must have already reported back negative.

I gave him a lingering hug and whispered, "It's alright, Harry, we'll find her. Let's start a full-scale investigation. We can go through everything and we will find Ginny."

He nodded, and I sent him home to at least try to get some sleep. I also told Malfoy to go back to the apartment and go to bed, then prepared to go to the Weasleys.

I knocked on the door of the Burrow, and surprisingly, it opened and George stood, illuminated, in front of me.

Tear streaks marked his face, and his eyes were red and puffy. Upon seeing my face, however, he smiled sadly and wrapped his arms around me.

I returned the hug, and steeled myself for the worst.

"George, can you get your parents for me?" I asked quietly.

"What's wrong, Mione?" George answered with a question, but after taking a serious look at me he headed up the stairs.

I looked up at the clock, Ginny's hand was pointing to 'Mortal Peril'. I felt another weight tug on my shoulders. And I was dumb enough to think all this was over.