Chapter 68

Another day had passed. They had been searching from the moment they finished breakfast, to the middle of the night. ‘Guys, if we want to be of any use we need our sleep.’ Ginny said getting up. Some of them mumbled something and lazily got up, walking to their bookshelf and placing the book back. ‘See you tomorrow.’ they said walking out of the library. Harry and Ron eventually got up too and said good night before walking off. ‘Come on Draco.’ Ginny said. ‘I’ll be fine, just go to bed.’ Draco said. ‘No you won’t, you’ll stay here all night and when we come back here tomorrow morning we find out you have been sleeping here.’ Ginny said. ‘Get up.’ Ginny said, closing the book Draco was reading. ‘Tomorrow is a new day to look further.’ Ginny said. ‘How is it that we have been searching for two days and haven’t found any-thing that could help us?’ Draco said frustrated as Ginny placed the book back in the right bookshelf. ‘Patience.’ Ginny said. ‘I don’t have a lot of patience when it depends on my girlfriend’s life.’ Draco said. ‘You do remember that she is my best friend, don’t you?’ Ginny said, slightly offended. ‘Yes of course.’ Draco said. ‘How can you stay so calm?’ he asked. ‘I’ve got hope.’ Ginny said. ‘And without hope you won’t get any further.’ she added, taking his arm and pulling him up. ‘Come on.’ she said. ‘We don’t even know if she’s still alive.’ Draco said softly. ‘Don’t think like that!’ Ginny said. ‘We do know, if she would have been- you know, we would’ve known it.’ Ginny said. ‘How do you know?’ Draco asked. ‘I just know.’ Ginny said. Draco sighed. ‘Promise me you won’t go back to the library tonight?’ Ginny asked. Draco frowned. ‘Yes, yes, I promise.’ ‘Good, now good night.’ she said. ‘Good night.’ he said as she walked off. Draco walked up the stairs and stopped in front of Snape’s portrait when he arrived there. ‘Time Turner.’ Draco said. The portrait swung open and Draco stepped in.

‘How did you sleep?’ Ginny asked as she sat down next to Draco. Draco lifted his head off of the table and looked at her. ‘I think you already got your answer in front of you.’ Ron said. ‘Shut up.’ Draco said brushing his hand through his hair. ‘He didn’t get his beauty sleep and now he’s cranky.’ Ron said. ‘Don’t push it.’ Draco said. ‘Or what?’ Ron asked. ‘Guys, stop it!’ Harry said. Ginny shook her head and took a sip of her pumpkin juice. ‘Did you sleep at all?’ Ginny asked, spreading some jelly over her toast. ‘Not really.’ Draco said. ‘I had this crazy dream at one point.’ Draco said shaking his head. ‘What happened?’ Ginny asked taking a bite from her toast. ‘I can’t really remember, something with Hermione and we went back in time.’ Draco said. ‘It was really weird.’ Draco said. Ginny furrowed her eyebrows. ‘That was a detailed story.’ Ginny said. Draco rolled his eyes. ‘McGonagall said the Ministry is still not making any progress, they’re looking everywhere but there is no sign of Hermione.’ Neville said silently as he sat down next to Harry. Draco looked up at him. ‘Dammit.’ Draco sighed. ‘For Merlin’s sake, can’t they do anything?’ Harry whispered frustrated. ‘Who’s ready to go to the library?’ Draco asked. ‘Erm- Draco, I hate to break it to you.’ Ginny said. ‘What?’ Draco asked. ‘But we’ve got classes to attend.’ she finished. Draco sighed. He had totally forgotten about those. ‘Wait, but it’s Tuesday.’ Draco said. Ginny nodded. ‘We missed classes yesterday.’ Draco said. ‘Yep, I guess that’s why McGonagall came to us and she knew for certain that we were up to something.’ Ginny said. ‘Don’t you think we can skip them today? The classes I mean.’ Draco suggested. ‘No Draco! Do you want to graduate?’ Ginny asked. ‘Yes but-‘ Draco said. ‘Hermione would’ve wanted you to attend your classes.’ Ginny said. ‘You’re talking about her as if she’s dead.’ Draco said a little to defensive. ‘Calm down there Malfoy.’ Ron said. ‘Draco, you know what I mean.’ Ginny sighed. Draco nodded slightly. ‘We’ll go to the library after our classes.’ Ginny said. ‘We’ll meet there and whoever is there first just start, we don’t have to wait for each other.’ Ginny said. They all nodded and after breakfast they went off to their classes. Practically all the teachers said something along the lines of “I know it’s a hard time for all of you know with Miss Granger missing, but we have to focus on your graduation. We can’t help her and the Ministry is doing everything they can, so please for your own sakes, don’t stop studying.” and the first time they heard that “speech” Ginny turned to look at Draco to give him a look after the last part had been said. Draco had rolled his eyes and had turned back to the book that was in front of him. After all the classes were over for that day Draco rushed back to the library to find Luna already sitting there. ‘Hi Luna.’ Draco said. ‘Oh hi Draco.’ she said with her dreamy voice and a small smile on her face. ‘How long have you been here?’ Draco asked. ‘Not long, just a few minutes I guess.’ Luna said. ‘Have you found anything yet?’ Draco asked. Luna shook her head. ‘We’ll find something though, don’t worry.’ she said with a small smile before she turned back to her book. Draco walked to the bookshelf and searched until he found a title that might be of any use. He got a book out and walked to the table. Just at the moment he sat down the others walked in, talking to each other. They all went to their own section and one by one came back with a book in their hands before they sat down around the table. After around an hour a few had gone through two books already but none of them had found anything. ‘This is hopeless.’ Draco sighed. ‘No it’s not. It will be if you keep saying that though.’ Ginny said. ‘What d-‘ Draco started but he was cut off by an intense pain. His fingers curled up into fist and he bit his lip to keep him from screaming out. ‘Draco?’ Ginny asked worried, looking at him with widened eyes. ‘Are you okay?’ Harry asked. ‘Pain.’ Draco breathed. Draco fell from his seat onto the floor. He had an annoying high pitched ringing in his ears and black spots appeared in his view. He squeezed his eyes shut, but it didn’t work. He felt an excruciating pain going through his whole body. It felt as if someone was using the cruciatus curse on him. And after a few moments everything went black.

Draco shot up in a bed. The last thing he heard was Hermione screaming in pain. He panted heavily as he tried to figure out where he was. ‘You’re in the hospital wing.’ Draco turned his head to see who was talking and it appeared to be Ginny. ‘What happened?’ Draco asked. ‘I don’t really know.’ Ginny said truthfully. ‘All of a sudden you looked like you were in terrible pain as if-‘ Ginny started, but she was interrupted by her brother. ‘As if someone was using the cruciatus curse on you.’ Ron finished as he walked towards the bed. ‘How are you feeling?’ Ron asked. Draco shook his head. ‘Fine I guess.’ Draco said. ‘What do you mean when you said it seemed like someone was using the cruciatus curse on me?’ Draco asked. ‘I’ve seen it before, your aunt used it on Hermione. It was horrible, unbearable to watch.’ Ron shivered thinking back. ‘You reacted almost the same as she did back then.’ Ron said. ‘But no one was around to do that.’ Draco said. Ginny shook her head. ‘That’s why it’s so strange.’ Ginny said. ‘How is that even possible?’ Draco breathed, trying to sit up in the bed, but pain shot through his body as he tried to. ‘Don’t, just stay down.’ Ginny said, pushing him slightly back. ‘McGonagall will look into it.’ Harry said, walking into the Hospital Wing. ‘The only way you can use the cruciatus curse on someone is when you can aim at them.’ Harry said stopping at the end of Draco’s bed. ‘And I’ve asked everyone, no one has seen someone aiming a wand at you.’ Harry said. ‘Where are the others?’ Draco asked. ‘In the library.’ Ron said. Draco nodded. ‘Is everyone okay?’ Draco asked. Ginny gave him a small smile. ‘Yes, everyone’s fine. Shocked, but fine.’ Ginny said. ‘Now try to get some sleep.’ Ginny said. ‘I don’t know if I’ll be able to.’ Draco said. ‘I’m sure you will.’ Ginny said. And Ginny was right because a few minutes later Draco had drifted off into a deep slumber.

One day later Draco walked into the library. ‘Draco, how are you mate?’ Blaise asked as he arrived at the table everyone was sitting. ‘Fine.’ Draco said with a faint smile. ‘You startled us mate.’ Blaise said. ‘Sorry.’ Draco said. ‘Did you find something?’ Draco asked. Everyone shook their head except for Luna. Draco’s gaze lingered on her for a few seconds before he sat down. ‘You know.’ Luna started all of a sudden. Everyone turned to look at her. ‘I think I might have found the answer to what has happened to you two days ago.’ Luna said. ‘What do you mean?’ Draco asked. ‘Wait, I’ll get the book.’ Luna said getting up and walking off to the bookshelf she had to search in. A few minutes later she came back with a book and placed it on the table before she sat down herself. She opened it and searched for something in it before looking back up at Draco. ‘I think you and Hermione are linked.’ Luna said. ‘What do you mean?’ Harry asked. ‘That can’t be, we’ve never done anything to link ourselves to each other.’ Draco said. ‘That was not necessary.’ Luna said. ‘It’s true love.’ Luna said. Draco looked at her, no expression on his face. Seamus, Dean and Blaise all had started laughing while Draco, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Neville were staring at Luna as if she had gone mental. ‘True love?’ Draco managed to get out. ‘That doesn’t exist.’ Ron said. ‘That kind of thing only exists in fairy tales.’ Harry said. Luna gave him a small smile.   ‘Well apparently it does exist.’ Luna said. ‘It’s very rare though.’ Luna said. ‘Give me that book.’ Ginny said grabbing the book and placing it in front of her on the table. ‘Luna, I think you’ve been looking in a children’s book.’ Ron said. ‘No, she’s right.’ Ginny said. They all looked over at Ginny now and the laughter slowly died down. ‘Seriously.’ Ginny said. ‘”Some people have a special bond without even doing anything for it. They are drawn to each other if they want that to happen or not. It’s called true love. Two people are strongly attracted to each other and will end up together anyway. True love isn’t a usual thing to happen. It only happens once in a 1000 years. True love makes two people connected to each other. If one person has a terrible pain the other will be able to feel there’s something wrong with their significant other. It’s even stronger than the unbreakable vow, it’s even stronger than the three unforgivable curses.’ Ginny read out loud. ‘I thought that might explain the pain you felt two days ago.’ Luna said. ‘But that means.’ Draco said exchanging a look with Harry. ‘That someone used the cruciatus curse on her.’ Draco breathed.

Hermione was shivering on the ground. The pain was still shooting through her body. It was so unexpected. Hermione had been asleep when she heard a door opening. She had sat up straight and that’s when she heard that awful word coming from someone’s mouth. She didn’t even remember if it had been a guy’s or a girl’s voice. That’s when the most awful pain started. Why did they do that to her? Why did they out of nowhere use the cruciatus curse on her? They didn’t even say they wanted anything or know anything, they just used it on her. Hermione panted and tried to sit up straight. She pushed herself off of the ground with trembling hands and rested her back against the cold stone wall. She had probably gone unconscious on some point, because she couldn’t really remember anything further then the pain. Footsteps drew nearer and Hermione tried to make herself as small as possible. The blindfold was taken away from her eyes and Hermione had to get used to the light which came from the door opening before she saw who was standing in front of her. ‘George?’ Hermione widened her eyes. The guy shook his head and Hermione frowned. ‘Fr-Fred?’ Hermione asked softly. The guy in front of her gave her a smirk before he walked away and closed the door behind him. ‘But that’s not possible.’ she breathed.