Hermione Granger and the Death Eater's Son

Chapter 3 Memory and Urgency

At the end of June, a mere four hours after the exhausting N.E.W.T.'s, Harry ran up to me and exclaimed with fierce anxiety, "Something horrific has happened!"

"What?" I questioned in concern.

Before he could answer Draco walked up to us. "Is there a problem?" he inquired smoothly. He and Harry were not friends, though they were courteous to one another and were willing enough to protect each other for my sake (as Draco had done at the Death Eater's meeting earlier that year), which is more than I can state for Ron, who ignored Draco's existence completely; therefore I ignored Ron's.

"Harry claims that something terrible has occurred," I explained, not bothering to conceal the fret in my tone.

"Oh no. What?" he worriedly asked.

"That is what I have been trying to tell you!" Harry cried. "Voldemort has captured McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape!"

Draco's eye grew wide as saucers for a moment.

"Are you 100% positive?" I asked cautiously. It was true that the three of them had gone to attempt to stop a Death Eater raid on Muggle London and had not yet returned; however, Harry had been incorrect about Sirius, had he not?

"Yes," Harry glowered. He obviously knew what I was thinking and I felt instantly guilty; he would never make that mistake again considering the consequences there had been last time.

"The Death Eaters have a special place they keep their prisoners," said Draco.

"But we know not where it is," responded Harry desperately. It was not ambiguous that Harry thought we had to do something immediately.

Draco, who was a member of the Order of the Phoenix that eavesdropped on Slytherin conversations to gather information, stated in a somewhat arrogant tone, "I do."

I knew that Draco was much more caring than the self-assured individual he preferred to portray.

-Flashback-

Draco and I had just dismissed the Prefects and were now seated alone in the Prefects' Common Room and stared out the window, watching the January snow drift slowly down from the sky.

"Do you remember that we decided to tell our families about our relationship over Christmas holiday?" asked Draco softly.

Oh, yes," I said brightly. "My mum and dad did not mind."

"Really? Not at all?" Draco appeared surprised.

I smiled sheepishly. "Well, I accidentally neglected to mention how horrid you used to be. Also, they were glad that Viktor and I broke up since they didn't enjoy Viktor's company all that much...I know not how I ever could have liked him."

He slipped his arm around my shoulders affectionately. "Try dating Pansy for a few years, then we can discuss who had poorer judgment."

I chuckled. "So, how did it go with your family?" I knew that Draco's parents would not be pleased, but nothing could have prepared me for what he said next.

He averted his eyes from mine as he responded, "On Boxing Day my parents and I were sitting in the parlor reading the Daily Prophet.

Father laughed, 'Those bloody idiots at the Ministry still don't know it was I who escaped from Azkaban and murdered those three Muggles last week.'

'Things shall be greatly improved once the Muggles and Mudbloods are eliminated and the Dark Lord is in power,' agreed Mother.

Quietly, I supplied, 'Actually, I am no longer prejudice against anyone who is not pure of blood.'

'Excuse me?' questioned Father. I reckon he must have thought that he had heard me wrong.

'It's true,' I continued. 'In fact, I am in a relationship with Hermione Granger now.'

My father's eyes flashed furiously and Mother yelled, 'I forbid it!'

'I do not care,' I sneered. 'I love her and there is nothing you can do to change that.'

'You are such a disappointment!' Mother cried. 'Just like Sirius!'

Father only gave a resigned sigh, 'If you are sure that is what you want.'

Next, he used many Dark Arts jinxes on me. The only thing that got me through the pain was picturing your soft brown hair and intelligent voice that I had come to adore so much. (I felt a powerful rush of affection for him as he said this and buried my head into his chest, my legs draped over his lap.) Anyway, I doubt I'll be seeing them again, but I am not too disappointed about that."

"Draco, I am so sorry you were hurt; I would never want any harm to come to you," I truthfully told him.

He turned and regarded me again with those gray eyes that always made my heart melt. "Don't be sorry; you brought meaning into my life."

We kissed lovingly and...

-End of flashback-

I pulled out of my memory (which was about to become extremely pleasurable) when Harry urgently said, "We need to go there now!"

Quickly, I suggested, "Let's tell Dumbledore." I certainly did not want my boyfriend and best mate to face Voldemort and his Death Eaters alone.

"We haven't the time!" Harry shouted.

I was forcibly reminded of what happened earlier in the year when Ron made a similar declaration, but I pushed that recollection aside and replied, "Then you two go and I shall alert Dumbledore. He knows where these meetings are, right?"

"It is more than likely," answered Draco idly. To Harry he said, "We should go and swiftly."

Harry nodded and they departed.

God, please let me see them again alive, I prayed.