Treasure Hunt | Dramione ✔

Chapter Twenty Seven

Draco watches as Claudia approaches a tree and gently lays her hand on it's bark. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath and then turns around to face them once again. "She's here," she says, frowning. "Here? As in inside this fucking tree?" Theo asks, narrowing his eyes.

"This is where her scent ends, I'm afraid," she fires back. Krum grabs her hand and she visibly relaxes. Draco takes a step forward and touches the rough bark. He instantly feels the tingle of magic and 2 emotions flare to life inside his chest; hope and dread.

"I can feel the magic," he says, swallowing. "She's in there," he almost begins to panic. Inside a tree for more than 8 hours?

"Step back," Krum says and raises his wand. He begins to chant something and blue light emerges from the tip of his wand and hits the tree. The bark splits open at once, leaving all 4 of them with their mouths hanging open.

It was an opening to what looked like a cave with stone walls and a rusty smell. An extension charm, Draco notices. "Let's go," he manages before darting headfirst into the cave. "I'll keep an eye out here," Claudia says. Krum squeezes her shoulder before following Theo inside.

Draco heaves in a breath as he walks further inside. He casts a silent lumos and looks around. The place reeks of dirt; he shudders.

"Hermione," he calls out. He comes to a sudden halt when his foot hits something. An iron chain. He swallows thickly and holds his wand up. "Hermione," he says, more desperately this time. A flicker of a shadow catches his eye and he whirls around, wand pointed straight ahead. "Theo," he growls, lowering his hand.

"You should come see this," Theo mutters, leading him towards the right. Draco holds his breath and then gasps altogether when he notices the blood on the floor. "Granger," he yells when he notices a lump on the floor far ahead. He dashes towards it and drops to the ground beside it.

His eyes widen when he realises that it actually is Hermione Granger. He turns her over and notices nothing out of the usual on her face. She looks...calm.

"No, no, Granger, fuck no!" He cries, assuming the worst. He pulls her head in his lap and gently presses his thumb on her pulse point. He exhales sharply as relief floods through him. She's alive, he chants inside his head as he lifts his wand.

"Renervate," he murmurs, and waits. Hermione wakes up with a gasp and sits upright. "Leave me alone, you coward!" She cries, her voice raspy.

"Hey, it's Draco...-Malfoy or whatever- Draco Malfoy," Theo sputters, coming to sit beside Draco.

Hermione looks at them and then lunges forward, throwing her arms around Draco's neck. She grabs Theo's hand from behind and begins to cry.

"Are you hurt?" Draco asks, pulling away to look at her. She shakes her head, still crying. He wipes her face with his thumbs and forces her to look at him. "You're safe now," he whispers. She takes in a deep breath and nods.

"That blood...?" Theo asks. "He healed me," she whispers. "He sliced my palms and...and," her lips begin to quiver. "Stop," Draco mumbles. "We'll see to that later," he tugs on her lower lip with his thumb, pulling it free from the wrath of her teeth.

"Hermione! You're fine," Krum exclaims as he dashes towards them. He drops to his knees in front of her and hands her a water bottle. Hermione looks at Draco, the question obvious on her face.

"He helped us find you," Theo explains. "We'll leave the details for later."

Hermione accepts the water bottle and takes a long sip. "Ow," she winces in pain. "What is it?" Draco asks, his arms coming around her small frame.

She lifts her shirt, wincing. And the three men gasp, their eyes going wide in horror. Words were carved into her stomach and were oozing with blood.

'Hello son', were the words.

"Oh my god," Krum exclaims, his eyes widening in horror.

Draco stares at her, dumbstruck. "Who was it, Hermione?" He asks her, taking a hold of her hand.

"It wasn't- it couldn't have been- he was around our age," she stutters. 

"Our age?" Theo asks, averting his eyes from her stomach. Hermione nods her head. "I've never seen him before. He's definitely not from Hogwarts."

"What did he look like?" Theo further inquires. Hermione narrows her eyes a bit, remembering the face of her captor. "You," she finally says. "He looked like you."

Theo's eyes widen in horror and he holds his hands up in surrender. "Fuck! Granger I swear I was with Draco the entire the time."

"I trust you, Theo," Hermione says, giving him a stern look. "He just...He just looked like you. He had your eyes and your hair, but he wasn't you. He looked like as if he'd been in hiding..."

"My father is dead. And he's the only family I ever had," Theo mutters.

"Let's discuss this outside," Draco interrupts and looks at Hermione. "Do you want me to..." he leans forward as if to carry her, but she stops him with her palm flat against his chest. "No it's fine. I'm fine. I can walk," she says, wincing slightly as she stands up.

"I know some healing charms," Krum offers weakly, still a bit sick at the sight of her stomach.

Hermione glances at Draco briefly before saying, "It's fine for now."

He nods his head and steps away as they begin to walk outside. As soon as they reach the opening of the tree trunk, Hermione let's out a small gasp.
"Where's my wand?"

"Uhhh," Theo looks at her uncertainly.
"Here," Krum says, pulling out her wand from the pocket of his robe. He offers it to her and she grabs it roughly from his hands. Upon Draco's piercing glare, Krum explains, "I found it near the entrance."

"Viktor," Claudia exclaims as soon as they step out. She embraces him tightly and let's out a long sigh. "This place reeks of dark magic," she mumbles into his chest. He holds her close against himself and presses a kiss to her forehead. 

"Let's go then," he says, grabbing her hand.

"I think we should leave," Theo mutters.

"That's what I said."

"No. I mean we should leave leave," Theo clarifies.

"You want us to go back to Hogwarts?" Draco asks incredulously.

His hand discreetly curls around Hermione's.

"Yes. I mean- well, Krum and his wolf girl can go back to their own shit holes."

Krum snorts in response, rolling his eyes.

"As much as I loathe to admit it, he's right. This was certainly an act of hatred and I don't think any of us are safe here," Claudia says, raising an eyebrow at Theo.

Draco looks at Hermione, trying to read her face. She was shifting her weight from one foot to the other and her lips were pursed.

"Granger," he murmurs. "I think he's right too," she breathes, tightening her hold on his hand. "I need to tell-" she cuts herself off as she chokes on a sob. Sniffing slightly, she shakes her head. "We should go."

Draco gives her a curt nod and grabs his bag from where it was lying on the ground. He takes out the napkin which held his portkey and unfolds it.
"I hope you can forgive me, Malfoy," Krum says, pulling out his own portkey. Draco clenches his jaw once before giving him a subtle nod.

"You too, Nott. Goodbye, Hermione."

"Goodbye," she says, raising her hand as Draco holds out the portkey.

The three of them touch the stone at the same time, and disappear into thin air.

When they open their eyes, they're standing in front of large oak doors.