Chapter 31
HERMIONE POV
I have no idea how long I have been led on the bathroom floor, but I knew it was overnight at least. I stopped fighting a while ago. After I tried the windows and doors, I realised there's no point wasting my already low energy on something that wouldn't budge. My shouts were never answered, so I stopped talking, and I was weak. I was tired.
A plate of food and some water had appeared in here a few hours ago. I had tried the taps and the shower in order to drink water, but they didn't run so that told me all I needed to know about what was sat in front of me. It might drug me, it might kill me, it might kill my baby, who was to tell. I hadn't slept at all, keeping a tired eye on the door, always listening to the muffled foot steps and occasional snores that came from the other side.
I kept my hands on my bump the entire time, because I hadn't felt her in hours. She hadn't moved, not once. Everyone always talks about a Mothers instinct, that Mothers 'just know'. They know if something was wrong. But I didn't. Was I a real Mother, if I didn't know? Had I kept my promise that I made in my letter to them, that I would do everything I could to protect her? If they ever did find me, could I honestly tell them I tried hard enough to save her?
I hoped they would come soon. I need them now more than ever.
DRACO POV
Theo was pacing back and forth after a long discussion about stopping occluding. I couldn't still him, couldn't calm him or take the anxiety away, and it was killing me. It was my job, to protect them both, and I had failed. I have failed them both, and my babygirl. I had never felt so useless or out of control, and usually I could get that back in an instant with either of them, but without Hermione with us, everything was out of line. Nothing was normal anymore, nothing felt right anymore. Theo stopped and looked to Avery after thinking for a few moments.
"Are you sure, that's the best idea?"
"It's the quickest way to do it and if you feel that it will help us find her, then we'll do it."
"Just explain once more?"
"You and Draco want to stop occluding, but as you're aware, your emotions you've tucked away for the past day and a bit are all going to need to processed. They demand to be felt. I will cover you, Harry will cover Draco. We will ensure you are able to feel the emotions, and work through them, and get you to focus back on what we need to do here. As legilimens, we will enter your minds and redirect your thoughts where needed to prevent you from spiraling. Basically it's a sped up version of doing what you normally do."
"So is it easier for us to do it this way?" Avery shook his head.
"Not easier. Just quicker. We don't have time for you both to work through these feelings in the 'normal' way, because that could take hours. What we will do is stop you focusing on all the negative thoughts and feelings that you are avoiding, and replace them with better thoughts. It will be in your nature to block us out, and not allow us in because of why you occluded in the first place, but you have to fight that instinct. We have to be allowed in to help you. This will be just as exhausting and tiring as being in a physical fight for all of us so the less you fight us, the better." I nodded and looked to Theo.
"Theo you haven't occluded for this long in years. Are you going to..."
"I can do it." I was worried how this would be for him, but we had no other choice.
"So I have to let Potter see every single memory I have?" Avery nodded and I groaned at the thought and mumbled. "I'd rather stay occluding."
"No you won't. Occluding may help you to be calm and focused on the task at hand, but it doesn't help you to be able to do it with the emotional drive we so desperately need right now. If you wanna find her, you have to do this." I didn't particularly want Potter, of all people, to go through my most intimate memories. Avery clearly sensed my discomfort.
"Look, we won't be fishing around for memories for no reason. We're not using anything that we see against you, and we won't speak about it after today. Don't be protective of anything, especially happy memories because that's what we need to access." I looked to Theo who looked just as nervous as me. We hated being emotional and vulnerable with anyone but each other and Hermione. It was completely out of our comfort zone. Plus some of our happy memories, were intimate memories. I cringed and pointed at Potter, my face serious.
"Potter, I swear if you.." He rolled his eyes and interrupted me before I could threat any further.
"I don't care what I see, and we don't have time for this. Just do it." I looked to Theo who nodded once and I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
I stopped occluding, and just as before, it felt as though a tidal wave was going through my mind. All of the awful thoughts and fears were flooding back through me. Flashes of everything I feared of happening to Hermione, to the baby, them being hurt, were coming back in force. I thought back to Hermione being tortured by Bellatrix, would Weasley do that to her? I instantly felt Potter trying to enter my mind and it felt as though I was in an arm wrestle with him, trying to prevent him from coming in. He was trying to get that thought out and a different one in, and the only way to describe it was like he was playing pinball in my head, frantically going through my memories to quickly replace it.
I shouted out in frustration at fighting my instincts to not allow him in and he slid through with ease. A memory of Hermione laughing came forward replacing the other which made my heart ache. Would I ever hear that laugh again? Was she going to die? A thought of us finding her dead came into my head, and went quickly, being replaced with our first scan appointment.
My other biggest fear came at the forefront of my mind of the baby being hurt, or worse. Potter was searching through and I went to stop him but shook the feeling off as best I could. He passed quickly through any intimate memory and thankfully settled on Hermione giving us the books at Christmas. I heard Theo shouting out beside me, almost as if he was in pain and it reminded me of him being tortured back at the manor years ago, and that memory was now at the forefront. I hated that Potter was seeing this. He was attempting to replace it but I stopped him, though I didn't mean to. I heard him groan in frustration and he tried once again hitting in harder, and brought me giving Theo the promise ring forward. Potter sounded like he could barely breathe.
"Come on Draco, why are we doing this? Focus." I shouted out again with frustration, trying to zone in on that memory and stop thinking about anything else. I remembered the fight me and Theo had beforehand. He was so sure I was seeing someone else and that he didn't mean anything to me so he kicked me out. I left but came back with the ring later that same night to prove my love and loyalty to him. I told him how he was the only man I would ever love like that, and that he made my life better in every way possible, and without him, I was nothing. I remembered then, how we both then did the same with Hermione. I remembered giving Hermione the engagement ring, remembered her telling us she was pregnant, remembered the house we were going to move into, and finally focused back and realised, that's what this was all for. That's why we are doing this.
Potter came out and I fell to my knees exhausted. He was breathless in front of me, his hands resting on his thighs gasping for air. I leaned forward and put my head in my hands and cried out the sadness, pain, and just pure exhaustion. It was like a sped up version of dealing with the emotions, and though it wasn't easier, it was so much faster like Avery had told us it would be. I took a few deep breaths and sat up, Potter was sat on the floor completely drained. I looked at him and just nodded once in appreciation, not being able to actually speak because that would take too much energy. He nodded back and I looked at Avery and Theo who were still fighting.
Avery had tears running down his cheeks and was clearly struggling with Theo, but he seemed determined. Theo hadn't occluded in so long, that he was probably ten times more protective of his thoughts than me, because the last time he did it, Voldemort would be the one trying to get in.
"Theo come on! Come on, you can do this. Please stop fighting me." Avery was pleading as Theo brought his hands to his head shouting out again. I ignored the protest from my tired muscles and stood up and walked to Theo in an attempt to help. He was crying, shaking his head and I don't know what he was thinking of, but if it was anything like I was, I didn't want to know.
"Theo baby I'm right here. Don't let this take over your life. Do it for her, if not for yourself like she asked of us." I was still crying and my voice was small. "She needs you right now Theo. I need you. I can't do this without you Theo, please." Theo brought the heels of his hands over his eyes and shouted out once more. After another minute or so he finally fell to the floor. I crouched down and hugged him in as he cried, whispering to him, telling him how much I loved him, how much he meant to me. A few more minutes passed and Theos small sobs finally stopped. I kissed him on the head and whispered to him gently.
"Thank you, for coming back to me again. I love you so much." Theo looked up at me his eyes wet and Avery stood above us, reaching a hand toward Theo.
"That was just half the battle. You're stronger than you think you are." Theo grabbed his hand and he helped him up as we all made our way back to the table. "Now that's done, you need to get into your emotions. I don't know if it will help, but we can sure try it." I didn't even know where to start. "Hermione and Harry both said he isn't meticulous, then what is he?" Harry nodded.
"Yeah he never has been. Hermione was always the brains, I was just following her lead most of the time, and he was just emotional. So much in fact he convinced himself we were seeing each other." I scoffed and picked up the letter and moved it in front of us, rereading it, then looked to Avery.
"She mentioned she planned more?"
"Yes. But I won't tell you the rest, unless I need to." I nodded and looked back down at it. Theo spoke now, his voice rough.
"I can't believe she managed to plan that, without our knowledge, and no sleep, in literally less than a day. I've never known anything like it. Never known anyone like her." Theo pointed out. Potter laughed a little.
"She could always function on no sleep. Even hunting for the Horcruxes she'd hardly sleep and be so switched on all the time. I never knew how she did it."
"She was probably used to it. Before she moved in with us that is. Her old bed was awful so I doubt she slept much there either." I laughed a little back at the memory of staying there, then felt a pang of sadness in my chest.
"I'd sleep in that bed every night if it meant it got her back home." I admitted to them all. It felt weird, to be so vulnerable in front of other people. "Not that I could mind you, we made her bin it after I..." I furrowed my brow and slowly reached my hand to one of the photos picking it up looking closer.
"After you...?" Potter asked confused. I half whispered the end of my sentence.
"After I sold her flat."
"Okay?" They were all looking at me confused waiting for me to speak. I turned the photo toward Theo.
"This is the delivery guy who you took the first parcel from?" Theo nodded. Holy shit. I gasped while grasping the photo of him.
"Her old fucking flat! This guy bought her old flat!" They all looked at me eyes wide.
"What? Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm sure. That has to be where they are right?! He bought her flat posing as this guy!"
"That makes fucking sense! Emotional, not too complicated, linked to Hermione holy fuck Draco you fucking did it!" Theo jumped up and Potter went back into strategy mode.
"Yes! Okay we have to be smart about this. We can't just apparate in there. We don't know if there are wards and if that's not where they are it will cause problems. We'll go to the building and see if they're in range. Hopefully she still has the microphone on her. Once we're back in range we'll be able to hear them and figure out our opportunity to go in there and get her out." Avery added once he finished.
"I'll talk to Kingsley now and see if I can get clearance to put a lock down on the place so no one can apparate in or out, including him regardless of any wards. We need to make sure he can't go anywhere. I'll also get Lloyd to join, so at least one of us has had some rest." Theo stood up and drew his wand.
"Lets get this bastard. I want her home."
The clearance for the lockdown on the flat took an hour. If me and Theo were impatient before, right now we were at the end of our rope. We all stood in the stairwell on the floor of her old flat waiting for any talking through the microphone to confirm this really was where they were. We were all tense, praying she would say something. Literally anything to confirm she was in there. I spoke to Theo as before.
What if she's not here?
I really think she is here. I can feel it.
What if she's hurt Draco? What if the baby is...
We'll deal with that when we know what we're facing. Don't go there again Theo. We need to be at the top of our game right now. But, whatever does happen. Please know that I love you so much.
I love you too.
I gave him a small smile and then it dropped when we heard a small whispering, quiet and calm. It was her.
"We're going to be okay. Your Daddy's are going to come and get us soon. You're okay darling girl." I looked to Theo both of our hearts breaking. She was talking to her. Talking to her about us. Weasley won't be with her if she is talking to the baby. I looked at Potter who was smiling a little before it turned to a frown and he spoke my same thoughts.
"He's not with her if she's doing that. She's either locked in somewhere, or he's not there. I don't know which it is."
“I don't care which one it is. We are going now.” Theo opened the door ahead of me with Avery, Potter and Lloyd close behind. We all gathered around the door quietly and I nodded to Potter who unlocked it and we all ran in. Weasley was sat on the sofa casually, but stood quickly as we entered and raised his wand. All of us pointed ours at him.
"Where is she?" Theo was barely containing his anger. Weasley smirked and Hermione shouted from the bathroom.
"I'm in here! I can't get out! I don't have my wand!" Weasley cast a curse toward me and Potter blocked it. Weasley tried to apparate multiple times but bounced back every time due to the lock down. He swore and ran from the sofa toward the kitchen as Potter Avery and Lloyd followed him. Me and Theo ran to the bathroom as he shouted to her.
"Get back from the door!" Theo kicked it in and she was sitting on the floor in the far corner curled up. She had a small scratch on her face and was shivering slightly.
HERMIONE POV
Theo and Draco both ran toward me crouching down to my side. Draco put his wand on the floor as he checked me over.
"Baby are you hurt?" I shook my head. I wasn't hurt. I was staring straight ahead not meeting their eyes.
"I'm not hurt." Draco frowned, noticing my specification.
"What are you not saying?" I didn't want to say it out loud. That meant it was real. That this was happening. I never knew my worst fear, until now. My voice was still quiet.
"She's not moving. She hasn't moved in hours and I can't feel her. I don't know if..." I trailed off not being able to finish. "I don't know if she's.." Theo and Draco exchanged panicked looks. I heard talking come from the kitchen and heard that manic laugh once more. This was his doing.
"We need to get you to a healer." Theo moved his hand to my arm to help me stand but I pulled out from his grasp. I saw red. I grabbed Dracos wand and stood up walking quickly toward the kitchen with purpose. They both stood and ran after me.
"Hermione no!" I forced them back, both of them falling over to prevent them from stopping me and continued walking. I got into the kitchen and they were all at a standoff as Harry was talking to him. Harry Avery and Lloyd pointing their wands to Ron, him switching between them all. I walked in and stood in front of Avery who was in the middle, Draco and Theo came in behind me and stopped abruptly waiting for what I was going to do. Harry spoke quietly but his voice was stern, serious.
"Hermione, you need to go. We'll take care of this." I shook my head not taking my eyes from Ron.
"No Harry!" I took a small step forward and Ron moved his wand to me. "I can't feel her. I haven't felt her for hours. Ever since you disarmed me, and locked me in that bathroom. Ever since you put your fucking hands on me!" Ron didn't move, keeping his wand on me. "She hasn't moved once! I hope this was all worth it. I know you aren't well. I know if you were, that you would have never done this to me." I had never shouted like this before. No one else said a word, I don't even think they were breathing. I took another step forward.
"I swear, if she's... I will fucking kill you." I began to fire curses at him in quick succession, not letting up. Tears were streaming down my face as I advanced on him getting closer and closer as he managed to protect himself from each one I sent his way. Harry was shouting in the background but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I was only a few steps away from being nose to nose with him. He stumbled back and I finally had the opportunity to disarm him, his wand flying into my hand.
I caught it and chucked it to Harry and Ron was stood with his hands up, absolutely terrified. I pointed my wand straight at his face. I wanted to. I so wanted to kill him. My head was filled with arguing, pros outweighing the cons every time. I could do it. I saw Theo take a small step forward as he spoke slowly, his voice sad.
"Hermione, don't. This isn't you sweetheart. And it's not going to help." I cried more and still didn't move.
"What if she's dead Theo?! What if he killed our baby?!" I shouted but still kept my eyes fixed on Rons that were full of terror.
"You don't know that for sure. You need to fight this darling." Theo and Draco both stepped forward once more. "You can fight it."
"Why are you protecting him Draco?!" I was enraged that they weren't the first to tell me to go ahead and kill him. One more step forward.
"I'm not. I'm protecting you. Please, put it down." I shook my head and pointed it more aggressively.
"I can't! I would rather be dead, than continue to live knowing that I didn't do enough! If she's dead, I don't want to live!" I blinked and more tears fell. "I promised you, I'd do everything I could to protect her."
"And you are. Hermione, take it from me, you do not want to do this. It will change you, forever."
"Please sweetheart, just look at us." Theo was talking through tears and I turned to them and saw the pain reflected on both their faces. "You don't want to do this." I looked between them both once more and turned back to Ron talking through gritted teeth.
"Remember, who saved your life today. Stupefy." The white flash shot from the wand and Ron fell to the floor. They all ran over instantly, Avery and Lloyd took Ron away and I fell to my knees as Draco took the wand from my hand. My screams echoed around the room as Theo and Draco both knelt on the floor beside me encasing me in as I continued to scream. They were crying with me and trying to calm me down, trying to stop me from screaming, but I couldn't stop. The thought of her being hurt, was more painful to me than anything I had ever endured before.
Harry left and came back with a healer, then everything went black.