All the way III: More of Life

Severus put his arms around Hermione when they had stepped out of the fire and into their living room in the dungeons.

"What were you and Remus whispering about all night?" Hermione asked, slipping her arms around his neck.

"If we had wanted people to know, we wouldn't have been whispering." he smirked.

Hermione smiled, "Oh, I get it. It was one of those secretive male chats, wasn't it?"

"Mmm," He growled, slipping his hand up the back of her top.

Hermione shook her head slowly, "I think I’m getting to getting too old to carry on at the rate we're going." She did try her best not to smile, biting her lip.

Without warning, Severus lifted her up. Hermione squeaked and wrapped her legs around his waist. She shivered as he kissed his way up her jaw to whisper, his voice low, "The I’ll have to do something..." he moved his lips down to her pulse, "to convince you... to... think... young..."

Hermione laughed as they disappeared into the bedroom, the door shutting behind them with a soft click.

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The next morning, Eileen woke up early and dressed quickly. She ran down the stairs from her dormitory and was nearly out of the common room when some one called out.

"Hey!" Eileen turned around sharply. A boy - she was sure he was called Edward. Or Eliot maybe? - was standing behind her, holding out a quill. "You dropped this."

Eileen was in such a frenzy that she didn't even stop to think that she hadn't been carrying a quill, but as soon as she touched it, she knew something was wrong.

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Ron was surprised when he got the letter. Then he was angry. Malfoy was trying to trick him into something. But the letter said it was important.

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That evening, Hermione and Severus went up to the Great Hall for dinner. There were only fifteen people sitting around the one table, but they were all talking.

"Severus, where's Eileen?" Hermione asked when she noticed her daughter was missing.

"I don't know." he answered, looking around as if he might see her when Hermione did not.

"Sirius, have you seen Eileen?" Hermione asked the boy that was sitting the other side of her.

He shook his head, "No,"

"She might be reading," Savanah said dreamily, "She's always reading."

"No," Terri Jaxon said, putting down her knife and fork, "She left early and I went to find her in the library but she wasn't there either."

Hermione turned alarmed eyes to her husband.

"I'm sure she's just gone outside and lost track of time," Remus said, reaching around the back of his son and putting a hand on Hermiones shoulder.

"I don't know," Hermione said, standing up, "I'll go and look for her." Severus went to get up, but she put a hand on his shoulder, "You stay here. I'll be back in minute."

The other conversations stopped as she left the room.

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When Severus left the Great Hall, he looked around for Hermione or Eileen. The heavy front doors of the castle opened and Hermione came in. Severus went towards her immediately when he saw she was shaking.

"I've looked all over the castle and I can't find her," She said, on the verge of tears, "I've asked Hagrid and he hasn't seen her. Where is she?" He put his arms around her, but she pulled away, saying, "What if she went back to Spain? You saw how badly she wanted to stay."

"We can try," he almost managed to sound optimistic as Hermione found the nearest room with a fire and some floo powder.

Hermione knelt down in front of the fire, but stopped. She didn't turn when she stated, "She won't be there, will she."

"Just try." he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

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Lucius was watching his Simpsons DVD for the third time that day, when the fire roared. He pushed a button that muted the machine and looked over to find Hermiones unusually pale face in the flames.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Have you seen Eileen?" She asked quickly.

"No, not since you left. Why?" he frowned.

Hermione took a great shuddering breath, "We can't find her."

"Ok," he nodded, "I'll get Annie and we'll come over."

"Thank you."

A second later the fire was empty.

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Hermione and Severus were down in their living room only a couple of seconds before Lucius and Annie emerged from the fire.

Hermione told them that no one had seen Eileen since the night before and they had searched every where. When she was finished, she was in tears, great choked sobs shaking her small body. Severus had to give her a calming potion. He left her in the bedroom and went back to the other couple.

Worry was seeping through his veins, curling and coiling tight in his stomach. Where was Eileen? She wasn't stupid. She wouldn't leave the grounds without telling any one.

Lucius was staring at the bedroom door. "I've never seen her like that before." he said weakly.

Severus shook his head and replied truthfully, "Neither have I."

"I'll talk to Ginny and see if she's seen Eileen." Annie said. She left the room.

The two men stood in an awkward silence, but the atmosphere went unnoticed as each man was wrapped up in his own numb thoughts.

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Meanwhile...

The sky was dark as Ron looked up at the rebuilt prison. It looked the same as it ever had on the outside. He hadn't been inside yet.

Slowly, he head up the stairs. He gave his wand at the desk, told the guard his business and showed him the visiting order he had received earlier that day.

The guard grabbed some keys, muttering about time wasting and led Ron down a hall way to two rooms that were separated by a magically enforced glass wall. Ron sat down on one of the chairs on his side of the room. After only a couple of minutes, the door on the other side of the glass wall opened and Malfoy was pushed in by a guard.

Malfoy sat on the chair on his side and waited until the guard was gone and the door was shut before starting.

"Have you heard anything from Hermione in the last few hours?" He asked.

Ron shook his head, "No, why?"

"Because..." he took a deep breath, "There's a man in the cell opposite mine. He was a Death Eater. He has a wife called Mindy and a son called Julian. Julian’s about sixteen and he likes to think of himself as a Death Eater. His mother and father are pressuring him to get married to some one from a Death Eater family, so they can make another army. It seems Julian has found a bride."

Ron waited. When Malfoy said nothing, he asked, "Who?"

"Eileen Snape."

At first Ron didn't believe him and smirked, "And how would you know all this? How do I know you're not just trying to get in the way with me and Hermione again?"

"I know because the dad, Wilkes, told me." Malfoy sneered, "People think I’m a Death Eater, remember? He thinks I’m one of them."

Ron sighed, "So? Eileen’s at Hogwarts. What can get her there?"

"No you... Urgh!" Malfoy ran a hand through his tangled hair, "She's already gone! Wilkes just got a letter from his wife! Julian gave Eileen a Portkey straight to his house!" He took a deep breath and counted to ten under his breath, "You have to get me out of here."

"And why the fuck would I do that?" Ron laughed.

"Because you don't know where Mindy and Julian live." Malfoy said smugly.