Disclaimer … sort of…

Disclaimer … sort of…..Would I need to write Dramione fanfics if I owned or had any rights to Harry Potter. ?

DEVIL'S DEAL

Chapter 1 – Deadly Despair.

Molly Weasley sat with her head cradled in her hands, her muffled sobs heart wrenching to anyone who could hear it. Her husband sat beside her, his arms enclosing her shoulders comfortingly, yet he also had tears streaming unchecked down his worried looking face. Around the room various family members were experiencing the despairing emotions of fear and helplessness. Their house which was usually filled with laughter and merriment now felt as desolate as mausoleum, not even the roaring fire in the fireplace could infuse them with its warmth.

It was difficult for Hermione to think of the last time this family had been happy, maybe eleven months ago when they had all been together for a fun-filled hallows eve dinner. But soon after this their lives had taken a drastic turn when their son and one of her best friends Ronald Weasley had run away with the love of his life.

Hermione had thought it so romantic that Ron had finally confessed his love to Pansy Parkinson on the day before her intended wedding to a wealthy pureblooded wizard. She was also very relieved that Pansy had agreed to be with Ron rather than go through with her arranged marriage, but no one, with the exception of Dumbledore, could have envisioned the disaster that was to follow.

Pansy came from a long line of pureblood aristocrats, to whom status in society was of immense importance. Her family could not begin to fathom why she would choose to be with penniless Ron rather than married into a powerful wizarding family and wife to an eminent wizard. But Pansy truly loved Ron, and no amount of wealth could entice her to live without him. They had secretly run away rather than face the wrath of the Parkinson family but their actions had only inflamed Pansy's family to launch a full scale man hunt for them. They were to be brought back dead or alive. Soon after this Ron had stopped contacting his family or friends, afraid that they would be traced through the missives, and with this the Weasley family had sank into utter despair knowing that both Ron and Pansy's life were in grave danger.

Today almost eleven months after their disappearance the family had received an owl from Pansy. She told them very briefly that she and Ron weren't doing well; they were constantly only a bare step in front of their hunters and it was very difficult remaining safe. She told them that she badly wanted to return home but she knew they would either be killed or thrown into Azkaban for breaking the betrothal contract. She also told them that she was eight months pregnant and that she feared for the life of their unborn child.

Hermione had to re-read that last line a few times before her shocked brain could even start to contemplate the enormity of this situation. Her eyes fell again on Molly Weasley who was still crying uncontrollably and she felt her own eyes fill with tears.

"What are we going to do?" Ginny asked quietly

"What can we do?" George answered "We've been searching for them for so long, how can we even help them when we don't know where they are" he cried frustratedly.

"Harry will find them, I know he will" Ginny responded suddenly vehement "He hasn't given up and neither should we" she reminded them.

"You're right Ginny" Hermione agreed blinking back her tears "now is not the time to give up, we have to start thinking of different ways to get to them before the hunters do"

She walked over to Ron's parents and knelt in front of them before placing a gentle hand on Mrs. Wesley arm. She looked steadily at the woman whom she had always considered as a mother.

"Mrs. Weasley I promise you that I will do everything and anything that I can to bring Ron, Pansy and the baby home safely" she gripped her arm a little tighter "I promise you this" she reiterated firmly and was satisfied to see the small smile that graced the older woman's face. "Now please dry your tears and let us all try to think of a way to save them"

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The next afternoon Hermione stood at her office window, looking out at the snow capped world around her and willing her tired brain to keep searching for a way to help her friends. So far, even with the input of the entire family the night before, they were no closer to any kind of solution. The twins had decided to join Harry in trying to follow the Hunters to Ron and Pansy, but the rest of them could do little else but keep praying and thinking.

As was her habit whenever she was in a conundrum she would think of her own little motto that had helped her to escape many difficult situations in the past.

"Think past the paradigm, think outside the box"she urged herself, her eyes searching aimlessly outside the window before alighting on the building across the street from her office.

The building was four stories high with grey and silver décor and housed the offices of one of the most influential men in the wizarding world. She had thought that that the building complimented the personality of its owner by being cold and imposing but as the wheels in her mind started turning, the building instead appeared to become a beacon of light and hope for Ron's unborn child.

She smiled thinking that maybe the answer to her problems was perhaps right there in front of her. It seemed so simple now that she actually berated herself for not thinking of it sooner, obviously they had been going about helping Pansy and Ron in the wrong way. The answer did not lie with trying to find their friends as this was surely all up to chance and blind hope. No, what they needed to do was try to influence the things that were within their sphere. Although they had all at countless times petitioned Pansy's father to call of the manhunt, no one had thought to approach the other major factor in the scenario. No one had thought to plead with the jilted groom who undoubtedly held the power to forgive Pansy for breaking their contract, sparing her from Azkaban and thus allowing her return.

Impulsively she grab her cloak and practically ran out of the Ministry's offices, across the street and into the grey building, her heart thumping with both hope and dread for the huge task that was in front of her. As she finally sat outside his office awaiting her turn to go in, she tried to think of what she could say to encourage him to help her in this cause.

How was she supposed to convince this man to forgive the breaking of a betrothal contract so that Ron and Pansy could come home? This man who had had his pride publicly battered when he had been left standing at the alter. This man who had lost his intended bride to one of his bitter enemies. This man, whose actions had always been driven by his intensely vengeful nature. How was she supposed to convince Draco Malfoy to save the life of an innocent child?

Belatedly she realized that she should have properly thought out her plan before coming here, maybe she should have even informed and included the Weasleys into this meeting, as there was undoubtedly 'strength in numbers'. However her uncharacteristic impulsiveness was going to cost her dearly, she thought frantically, but it was now too late to change her mind.

"Mr. Malfoy will see you" his secretary informed her haughtily, while opening the office door.

"Thank you" she responded absently as she stood up, unconsciously squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath to quell her anxiety before walking into his lair.

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AN; Well, this is my first foray into a multi-chapter fic as well as doing M. Hope you will enjoy it. Thanks so very much to all of my past reviewers and to persons who've added me on their lists… you are all seriously my greatest motivation.

Please review, thank you.