In Love & Hatred - Dramione

Chapter Thirty-Six - State of Arrest

Hermione

"Here we go," verbal reassurance was her last attempt to quiet this dreaded moment.

Pillowed clouds rolled from the scarlet smoke stacks as the locomotive slowed to rest at the modest station. The brazen letters of the "Hogwarts Express" glittered in the solar rays of the late afternoon. A week had come and gone from the ominous sight of Draco's vandalized wand. Thoughts of what may have been faded away into the impending confrontation with the rest of the student body's return. Hermione had not received an owl from Ginny nor Harry following the sordid encounter with Ron, much to her surprise.

The shrill ring of the conductor's whistle echoed as throngs of her familiars poured from each of the cars. Her eyes darted to every scattered feature mingling about, apprehensively searching for fiery hair. Excited movement of the crowd obscured her visual pursuit until Ginny wandered into view.  Harry was soon to follow close on her coattails. 

"Is Ron here?" Ginny called to her once trekking close to where she stood, lingering on the path leading back to the castle.

"He's not with you?" Hermione uttered in bewilderment. Harry and Ginny glanced to one another in pained confusion. "Where is he?"

"Well," Harry swallowed, "He disappeared late Christmas Eve and returned several hours later worse than I had ever seen him. He wouldn't speak to me and was gone once more before breakfast."

Oh no..

"Mum has been worried since Christmas," Ginny adjoined, "We were hoping by some small chance that he may have returned here. No one has been able to contact him." She paused momentarily and turned to Harry, "I think I'll go speak with Professor McGonagall. She may know where he may have gone."

Harry squeezed her hand with sympathetic affection as she turned and walked away. It was all but coincidental that he disappeared the night of their confrontation. Guilt-laden questions shot through her mind like rapid fire. The howl, his disappearance, clusters of grey fur, his anger and the bloodstained fang markings were all evidence of a horrid situation that may have gone terribly awry.

"Harry," her voice broke, "There's something I must tell you. I did see Ron on the night of his disappearance. I was in Hogsmeade when he appeared to me just before a thicket of trees. He caught me by surprise and against my rational judgement, I followed him into the trees. As I understand, his intentions were to give me a chance to leave with him. He claimed he knew about my relationship with Draco."

"Hermoine, this is serious. What did you do? Do you know where he went? Why didn't you send an owl?"

"If I am to be perfectly honest, it didn't occur to me that he would leave to go anywhere other than The Burrow. I was outraged by his flagrant negligence of my thoughts and emotions to which I proceeded to tell him as such. It wasn't long after that he expressed his frustration against a tree and apparated elsewhere. Oh Harry, I feel so awful!"

"It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself for his temper. I don't think he would go somewhere that would put him in danger. I know he will return if not here then back to The Burrow. I felt helpless that I couldn't do more to help calm Mrs. Weasley's nerves. He has been gone for quite some time."

The soft knit of her gloves pulled through her fingers as she contemplated how she would broach the next subject. Bringing the idea of impending danger to Harry was one of the least desirable things she could imagine. However, if she did not give him fair warning, she would never forgive herself for the missed opportunity in favor of preserving his emotions. 

"There's one more thing you should know.."

"Yes?"

"Have you been following the articles making headlines in The Daily Prophet?"