Saving Hermione Granger

Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy was trying to take advantage of his last day of summer holiday by sleeping in later than usual. At Malfoy Mansion, the day usually started very early in the morning. Draco’s father, Lucius, was always doing something that required Draco’s help. This morning was no different.

"DRACO!" Lucius Malfoy yelled from the dining room.

"Lucius, I don’t know why you insist on waking him up, it is the holiday after all," Draco’s mother, Narcissa, interceded.

"Narcissa, I want that boy to be a strong and true Malfoy, and if…"

At that moment, Draco Malfoy groggily stumbled into the dining room.

"Yes, father?" Draco answered with a yawn.

"Ah, Draco, sit down. I have something that I need to tell you about," Lucius started.

Draco’s mind was racing. What does he need to tell me about? Maybe he finally got rid of that damn Harry Potter and his little group of friends.

"Draco, we’re sending you to Durmstrang for this year," Lucius continued. "As you already know, Durmstrang is famous for it‘s contribution to the Dark Arts. So, I have started a new group of Death Eaters there, headed by Elin Van Ashk."

"Why would I need to go to Durmstrang?? I’m perfectly happy at Hogwarts! I was to be a prefect this year!" Draco exclaimed in shock.

"Quiet, boy! You are a Malfoy! The last time I checked, you, along with the rest of the family, hated mudbloods. Elin Van Ashk has a special alliance with Lord Voldemort to help him rid the world of mudbloods. That is why you are going to Durmstrang. You are going to help them," Lucius explained.

"Lucius! You can’t sent my precious baby boy on a killing mission!" Narcissa cried.

"NARCISSA! YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Lucius bellowed.

"Father, mudbloods aren’t allowed into Durmstrang. So how can we kill them if they aren’t there?" Draco said quietly.

"Good question, son. Elin has captured the first mudblood. I think that you will be pleased with who he has chosen."

"Who is it? Who is it?" Draco said excitedly.

"Hermione Granger," Lucius answered with a sly grin.

At the first sound of Hermione’s name, Draco’s heart sank. Yes, he had claimed to hate all mudbloods, but Hermione was the one exception. Draco had had a crush on Hermione for some time, but hadn’t told anyone about it. He couldn’t possibly go through with killing his sweet innocent Hermione!

But as a Malfoy, it was Draco’s duty to be a Death Eater and to follow his father.

"Okay father. I think I can handle it." Draco lied.

"Good boy," Lucius said proudly. "Hermione is already at Durmstrang. Since the term starts tomorrow, we’ll leave tonight!"

CHAPTER 2

Shortly after arriving on Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Harry and his best friend, Ron Weasley, began to look around frantically for their best friend Hermione Granger.

"Hermione is usually 10 minutes early for everything! Where is she?" Ron said hurriedly.

"I don’t know," replied Harry. "It is rather strange for her not to be here. If she were sick, she would have sent us an owl saying something."

"ALL ABOARD! THE TRAIN WILL BE LEAVING IN TWO MINUTES!"

"Oh no! We can’t leave without Hermione! What are we going to do?" Ron cried.

"Ron, calm down. I’m sure that Hermione has a good reason as to why she isn’t here. We’ll just go to school, and if she isn’t there by dinner, we’ll go to Dumbledore," Harry retorted.

Harry and Ron boarded the train, and sat in their usual compartment. Harry wondered why Hermione wasn’t there. He hoped that she wasn’t hurt or in trouble. He knew that Hermione wouldn’t have missed this year for anything; this was their fifth year at Hogwarts and Hermione was a prefect.

When the train arrived at Hogwarts, the first year students left and the rest of the students made their way to the castle.

"Harry! Harry!" A voice called out. Harry turned around to see that it was Ginny Weasley, Ron’s little sister.

"Harry! Guess who isn’t here!!" Ginny said excitedly.

"Ginny, we already know that Hermione isn’t here, so what’s your point?" Ron said in an aggravated tone.

"Hermione isn’t here? I didn’t know that…..Well, that’s not what I came to tell you about! Crabbe and Goyle had to sit in the compartment with Mahndey and myself since there wasn’t any more room. They told us that Malfoy had been transferred to Durmstrang!"

"MALFOY’S GONE?" Harry and Ron shouted in unison.

This is a dream come true, thought Harry. Finally, I can have a nice peaceful school year without having to deal with Draco Malfoy.

"Wait, isn’t Durmstrang the Dark Arts school in Russia? And isn’t Draco’s father a big Dark Arts guy?" Ron asked.

"What’s your point?" Ginny answered in a bratty voice.

"My point is, I wonder if Lucius is trying to get another Death Eaters group going over there. You know that the whole school loyally follows You-Know-Who, so it would be easy to get a stronger Death Eaters group there than it would be at Hogwarts," Ron replied.

"Oh man. I didn’t even think about that!" Harry said, as if he were angry with himself.

"What didn’t you think about, Harry? I don’t get it!" Ginny said with admiration.

"Hermione isn’t a pure-blood witch! Draco’s dad hates the Grangers, so I’ll just bet that the are trying to do something awful to Hermione."

"Harry, you’re crazy. Why would they take Hermione all the way to Russia just to do something to her?" Ron questioned.

"Why wouldn’t they? Lucius Malfoy is the meanest, nastiest man I have ever met. Well, next to Voldemort, that is."

"Don’t say that name!" Ron and Ginny exclaimed.

"Sorry, sorry. Draco hates Hermione too, and since they can’t hurt her here at Hogwarts because of Dumbledore, they’ll take her to a place where they can."

"What are you saying Harry? That we should go to Durmstrang and try to rescue Hermione? We don’t even know for sure that she’s there!" Ron said.

"I know she’s there, I just have a feeling." Harry said quietly. "I know she’s there."

"Harry, if you and Ron go to Durmstrang, I want to go, too," Ginny said.

"Ginny! You can’t go! You only want to go because you like Harry!" Ron said angrily.

Ginny’s cheeks then turned a shade of red that matched perfectly with her hair.

"It’s okay, Ron. Ginny can come. She’s just as good of friends with Hermione as we are," Harry answered. "Plus, we could use the extra help."

Ron sighed heavily and began to mumble under his breath what sounded like swear words.

"We’ll leave tonight. Ron, do you have any Floo Powder with you?"

"Oh! I do!" Ginny smiled as she pulled a large purple bag out from under her robe.

"Why do you have that in your robe, Ginny?" Ron asked.

"That doesn’t matter Ron. She has some, that’s the important part," Harry answered quickly. "I think that it should work. I remember Professor Flitwick saying something about Floo Powder being able to transport people from school to school. We can use the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room when everyone is at the feast."