Ron was staring out the window in Kingsley’s office. He ran his hands through his hair anxiously. Tired, angry, and discouraged, he was ready to snap.
“Forty-eight hours!” he rounded on Kingsley “Two days and not a single lead. We have no idea who took him or why and we have absolutely no clue where he is!” Kingsley stood and placed his knuckles on his desk. Ron noticed dark circles forming under his superior’s eyes and guessed he probably looked just as drained himself.
“You should not panic,” he said deeply. “We must keep our focus!”
“Focus on what? We have nothing to go on!” Kingsley’s eyes flashed. Ron braced himself for an earful from his equally frustrated boss, but Kingsley was interrupted as a trainee burst through the door. The man was young and short, and from his robes, Ron could see he worked in Magical Intelligence.
“Sir,” the man began, out of breath. “We just detected the use of the Cruciatus Curse.”
It’s about time, Ron thought. “Where?” he nearly screamed at the man.
“Kagley,” he squeaked, looking frightened. Ron’s heart stopped. He lived in Kagley. No! he thought, Not Hermione- not again! He couldn’t let them use that terrible curse on her for the second time! Ron made a sudden move for the door, but Kingsley quickly grabbed his arm.
“Let me go! It’s her, they’ve got her!” Ron’s mind began to spin with rapid images: Hermione with a dozen wands pointed at her, Hermione on the floor at Malfoy Manor, Hermione dirtied and bloody. They swirled around him as he frantically groped for the door.
“It might not be Hermione, Ron.” Kingsley’s voice came clearly and rationally, but Ron had no time for rationality. He opened his mouth to say just that, but Kingsley held up a hand. “You can’t go by yourself. I’m coming with you.” Even in his fit of worry, Ron knew that Kingsley was right. He nodded as his boss opened his office door and yelled down the hall, “Abott, Loftley, Greenwald! Get over here now!”
Hermione lay writhing on the floor in her living room. Her arms were tied behind her back and her ankles were bound. Pain shot through every bone in her body. She screamed. Finally, the pain stopped.
When the Order had reached a dead end Hermione had returned home to attempt some rest only to be ambushed by Death Eaters.
“Where is the boy?” a dark voice yelled in her ear. She could feel his breath on her face.
“I’ll never tell you where he is,” she spat. “I know you’ll kill me and I won’t let you take him too.” Immediately she knew she’d made a huge mistake. She’d given away her leverage. They had no reason to keep her alive. Fortunately, the Death Eater ignored her.
“Oh, you’ll talk,” he sneered, “it’ll just take some persuasion.”
The pain shot through her again. She wished that if they were going to kill her they would just get it over with instead of dragging it out like this. The pain subsided again and she thought of Ron. She pictured his face. It was the face he made whenever things were getting really bad. In her mind’s eye she could see his fierce eyes and the little muscle in his jaw swell as he clenched his teeth. The image gave her courage. He had always been strong for her. She wandered what the chances were for a rescue. Perhaps right now Ron was discovering the use of the curse, maybe he was on his way right now to save her. She imagined the little flat being stormed by Aurors and the Death Eaters falling to the ground.
The Death Eater was speaking again. She guessed he was the leader, but he wore a mask and she didn’t recognise his voice. She set her jaw and didn’t say a word. They were getting impatient now and began to fire spells at her from around the room. She was overcome with the pain. Her vision began to blur, and her right ankle snapped, as the back of her left shoulder split open and she began to bleed. Hermione hoped for a miracle.
Suddenly she heard a loud crack followed by a few shouts. The Death Eater’s concentration broke and the curse lifted again. Hermione strained to see what was happening, but her vision was still blurry. She only saw jets of green and purple light as darkness began to creep in to the sides of her mind. Just before she blacked out she felt someone pick her up. She hoped the man carrying her was a friend.
Ron looked down at his wife, now cradled in his arms. “Hermione,” he pleaded desperately. “Come on, baby, wake up. Don’t give up on me now.” She didn’t move but he felt a pulse. Relieved, he gently laid her down and surveyed the rest of her body. Her shoulder was bleeding badly and her ankle was swollen black and blue. He ripped the edge of his robe off and used it to bandage her shoulder, then cast a healing spell to slow the bleeding. It was all he knew to do. He had to get her to St. Mungo’s, and fast.
Kingsley came up next to Ron. “Is she alright?”
“She’s unconscious. We’ve got to get her to St. Mungo’s.”
“Abott too, he lost a few toes. Severing charm,” Kingsley said pointing to the Auror slouched against the wall wincing, his foot in bloody wrappings.
“What about the Death Eaters?” Ron asked, turning his attention from Hermione for the first time.
“There were six. Four were Stunned and two Apparated. They’ll be impossible to trace. We’ll take these back for interrogation.” He motioned to the unconscious Death Eaters. “You take Hermione and I’ll send Greenwald with Abott. Loftley and I will handle these four.” Ron nodded, picked up Hermione and Apparated to St. Mungo’s
Hours later Hermione’s eyes fluttered open. Her vision had been restored. She saw the relieved face of Ron looking down at her from her bedside. He looked exhausted. He hadn’t shaved in days, his hair was a mess and his robes were disheveled and torn. To her, he had never looked better.
“Ron,” she croaked.
“Shh. I’m here,” he said softly. “Don’t talk, just listen. Hermione, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner, I’m sorry I didn’t protect you better. I’m sorry this happened to you again.”
“Not-you-fault,” she managed. He smiled slightly and kissed her forehead.
“I love you.”
“Love- you.” Now his smile widened and he touched her cheek gently.
“It’s going to be all right love, you’re going to be fine. You just need to rest.” He felt as though he were saying it more to assure himself than anything. His hands were shaking and he took a deep breath trying to steady them. He was completely undone and had only one reason… he had almost lost her.
“Harry?” she asked, the pain evident in her voice. Ron took her hand and held it to his lips.
“We’re going to find him, I promise.” That seemed to calm her and she fell back to sleep.
Ron felt torn in two. He had to find Harry and protect Ginny and Sirius. He knew that if it were him, Harry would be doing everything in his power to find him. He knew that Harry would protect his family and not rest until he had been found. Ron intended to do just that, but still, he could not just leave Hermione. Here she was unprotected and alone. He could never allow her to wake up and be afraid, or worse attacked again. What a mess this was.
“Ron,” came a sing song voice from behind him. He smiled and turned around.
“Luna,” he said coming towards her. She hugged him. She looked the same as she always did. Her long blond hair fell just below her waist, she was wearing purple robes and had small radishes hanging from her ears.
“I came as soon as I got word. She’s alright then?” she nodded towards Hermione.
“Yeah, she’s going to be fine. It was a close one, though.” Ron felt slightly awkward. He had never been particularly close with Luna. Still, she had a way of sensing people and he felt she would understand his feelings. “I don’t know what to do,” he chanced. “I don’t want to leave her. Not like this. But Harry’s still out there somewhere and we’ve got to find him.”
Luna appeared lost in dream-like thought for a moment and then said, “I can look after her.” It was more of a statement than a suggestion. Ron looked back at his wife, now sleeping peacefully. She would be alright; Luna would look after her and could protect her. He knew that even though Luna seemed a bit off at times, she was a good witch and had held her own in battle many times.
“Alright, Thank you.” he said. “You’ll explain to her where I’ve gone?”
Luna nodded. “She will understand.”
Ron went to his wife’s side. “I love you, Hermione,” he whispered. Then he kissed her gently on the cheek and left.
Ginny was beyond restless. Poor Sirius felt it too. They had both been cooped up in the house for almost three days. Kingsley came and went regularly to check in on them and to bring them food and news. However, there hadn’t really been any news to tell. Ginny maintained that no news was good news, but that was becoming less and less comforting as the hours passed.
Ginny had long ago run out of ways to entertain Sirius. She knew he could sense her anxiety and it made him fussy. She carried him up the stairs as quietly as she could so as not to wake the portrait of Mrs. Black. She reached the landing and opened the door to the first bedroom. It had been Harry’s room. He and Ron had lived at Grimmauld Place for a few months after the war while the Potter Manor at Godric’s Hollow was under construction. Harry and Ginny had married only a year after the war and moved into the manor.
The room looked almost the same as it had when Harry was living there. Ginny began to hum softly to her son as she looked around the room remembering all the times she had visited him here.
“Ginny, what are you doing here?” Harry asked, surprised, when she burst through the door.
“What are you doing here?” she accused. “You were supposed to meet me in Diagon Alley and hour ago!”
His face fell. “Oh, Ginny, I’m so sorry I forgot.”
“What’s going on with you, Harry? You’ve been so distracted lately it makes me wonder if you even want to keep seeing me!” A look of panic flashed across his face and she felt a little sorry for the way she had exploded on him. He jumped up and grabbed her hands, looking her right in the eye.
“Of course I want to keep seeing you. You’re the best part of my life!”
“Then what’s going on?” she said crossly. He slumped down onto his bed again and ran his hands through his hair.
“I don’t know,” he said. She sat down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t give me that, Harry! I know you. You’ve got something going on in that head of yours and I’m not going to let you keep it inside anymore!” she said quietly but firmly. “You have me. You can talk to me.”
“How can you say that!” he burst out. “Look at all the pain I have caused you. I’m a mess! I have nothing to give you. I have no family, I didn’t finish school, the ministry is always all over me for endorsement, I can’t leave the house without being accosted by reporters from The Prophet. Everyone knows my name! Think about it Ginny! If we…if you and I…,” he hesitated, “if we were to be together, I could never give you a life of peace. I can’t give you a life you deserve!”
Ginny was shocked. It had all poured from him so fast; he must have been holding it in for a long time. She slid off the bed and knelt in front of him. She placed her hands on his knees and looked up into his eyes.
“You are the one I want.” She spoke slowly and with as much strength as she could. “You, Harry Potter, and no one else. I want you and everything that comes with you. You have a family.” She pulled his hands to her heart. “I am your family now. You aren’t alone anymore. We will deal with all this together. No matter what happens, we will get through it.” Harry’s eyes were wide as he looked down at her.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes I’m sure.”
Now he slid off the bed and knelt facing her on the floor. He looked into her eyes as if searching them. Slowly he pulled out his wand, pointed it at his desk, and whispered, “Accio Ring.”
Ginny gasped as a tiny black box came zooming towards them and landed in Harry’s hand. With his other hand he grasped hers.
“Ginny,” he said, emotion filling his voice, “I know life with me won’t be easy,” he held up a hand to silence her protests, “but I promise I will always love you with my whole heart and I will do everything in my power to make you happy.” She was near tears now. “Marry me, Ginny.” His eyes searched her face desperately.
“Yes!” she said throwing her arms around his neck. “I love you.”
“I love you,” she whispered to the empty room. She looked down and noticed that Sirius had fallen asleep in her arms. She conjured a cot for him and collapsed on the bed. “Harry, where are you?” she murmured. Then she fell asleep.
“Eh? Yer sure tha’s how it happened?”
“Yes, then he brought her here and asked me to look after her.”
“Well I ‘ave ere a letter from him askin’ me ter watcher. Ang on there. This ‘ere says… oh, now where’d I put that….”
Hermione knew these voices. She just couldn’t remember. She couldn’t remember why she was lying down and she couldn’t figure out how she had got there. She only knew she had to figure out who was standing over her before she dared to open her eyes. She listened.
“Ere it is. Eh. Let’s see ‘ere. Are you Luna then?”
“Yes.”
“Says here I’m s’posed ta help you look after Hermione. Not to let anythin’ happen to her.”
“Alright.”
Luna? Who is Luna? Hermione thought hard. She knew she remembered. She felt something brush the side of her head. She heard a fluttering and a tiny beak nipped at her ear.
“Pig.” She whispered. The tiny owl hooted in reply. It was coming back to her now.
“’Old on, I think she’s wakin’. Alright, Hermione?”
“Hagrid?” she croaked. Her eyes opened slowly and she saw him standing there as big and burly as ever. Next to him was Luna, smiling down at her with a twinkle in her eye. Sunlight poured into the clean room from a window by the bed.
“Alright there, Hermione?” Hagrid repeated. “Me n’ Pig jus’ got ‘ere.”
“Ron sent you.” Hermione shuddered as the previous night came back to her and she recalled how Ron had saved her once again.
“I reckon’ he had some business ter take car of,” Hagrid said smiling.
Luna sat next to Hermione’s bed and took her hand.
“He’s gone to look for Harry,” Hermione said softly. Luna nodded. Understanding passed between them. Hermione was glad to have Luna there. She felt a kinship with her after all that had happened. They had been through quite a lot together and it seemed to Hermione that they were war buddies now faced with the old familiar threats.
“Harry! What’s wrong with Harry?” Hagrid asked interrupting her thoughts.
“Oh, Hagrid,” Hermione said. “Sit down, and I’ll explain everything.
Later that evening Ron sat at his desk sifting through the clutter. He felt that he was missing something, something important. The captured Death Eaters had been almost no help. Even though they had been given Veritaserum, it seemed that all they really knew was that Lucius Malfoy had sent them to find information about Sirius. This did not sit well with Ron. Although he thought Lucius was a giant git, he also knew that he had been very high up during the war, even if he had fallen out of favour with Voldemort in the end. Ron hoped that Malfoy was not out to redeem himself.
It was possible that Lucius was not in charge and that someone else was leading the Death Eaters, but Ron found it hard to imagine anyone else. All other Death Eaters that had been close to Voldemort were now in Azkaban or dead. Malfoy claimed that he had been under the Imperius curse and since Narcissa had helped Harry during the last battle, they were able to sweet talk the council into letting them go free. Ron and Harry had been outraged, as well as Hermione, who had been tortured at Malfoy Manor. At first Ron and Harry had monitored Lucius closely, but eventually they slipped into a sense of security. Now he was leading all of this? The idea made Ron sick to his stomach. His mind flashed back to the time at Malfoy Manor. Hearing Hermione’s screams had been the worst moment in his life. He had been powerless to help her.
He suddenly had an overwhelming urge to see her. He had to be sure she was alright, and he was stuck. He had no idea how to find Harry. In the past whenever they’d been stuck, Hermione was always the one to come up with something. So he Apparated to St. Mungo’s.
When he arrived, the first thing he noticed was the huge form of Hagrid sleeping in a chair in the corner. He smiled and walked to the bed looking down at his wife. She was sleeping peacefully. He looked up gratefully at Luna who was standing guard by the bed.
“How is she?” he asked.
“She’s fine, she just seems a bit tired.”
“We should move her someplace safe in the morning.”
“She’ll be ok,” Luna assured him.
Ron pulled up a chair and took Hermione’s hand in his. He gently ran his thumb over her knuckles. “I can’t believe I almost lost you again,” he whispered. “If we hadn’t detected the curse…” he paused. “We think it may be Malfoy. Explains why they went for you after what happened last time. Merlin Hermione, I never thought we’d have to relive that. If Dobby hadn’t come-” Ron started. Of course! How had he missed it? House elves had powers beyond some Wizarding restrictions. A house elf might be able to get to Harry! He needed Kreacher. Ron couldn’t call him, but Ginny could. He kissed Hermione’s forehead. With a nod at Luna he left for Grimmauld Place.
The Missing by Raeinflight
Chapter Notes: Sorry this has taken so long to get up. If Pondering could check this that would be nice.