Ron lay on his bed, awake even at three in the morning. The dawn hadn't set its rays on to the mountain on which the Burrow was located. Ron felt nervous and anxious. Hermione had not contacted him since the day before and didn't have any means to somehow get to her. The day before yesterday Ron had seen Hermione's eyes, those eyes which were precisely hiding something; those eyes which were not disclosing something very significant to him. He had contacted a woman, Marie Marilyn by name. The receptionist to the Ministry told him nothing about the Ministress' whereabouts. She remarked that even she didn't know nothing where Hermione was. That is what the reason for his nervousness and anxiety was.

He was actually worried. Ron didn't believe that Hermione didn't trust him, she didn't confide him with the thing that had been troubling her. What if something had happened...? No, he must not think about it. She's all okay, she's a big girl who can take her very well care. But then he still wanted to know where Hermione was, what was she doing and especially what had been bothering her. Ron couldn't think of anything that Hermione felt annoyed or troubled about. She is nice, a geek yet a very social woman who doesn't seem as if something might have torn her apart from inside but she doesn't let anyone know about it, not even her family. Ron had contacted Harry and Ginny the other day if they knew something about her. But they didn't.

But Harry had assured him that nothing could happen to Hermione. She knew almost every spell that could help avoid or protect her from dark forces like Dementors themselves. Harry...... Hermione.......How much he missed both of them! Their company was the best thing at Hogwarts for Ron. He couldn't think about himself without Harry and Hermione.

It was quarter past three as he rose from his bed and went towards the bathroom. He saw at his face closely in the mirror. He hadn't slept properly yesterday, not even today. Ron had been worrying all night about Hermione. He had tried to contact every known person at the Ministry. But he felt as if he was missing someone. And then it striked him - he remembered whom he had left out - whom he hadn't enquired about Hermione. He got dressed up and took his travelling cloak as he Disapparated with a wave of his wand, without taking the trouble of getting bathed.

______________________________________

Hermione Apparated on the hill where the Burrow was situated at around four in the morning. She felt really exhausted and wanted to rest terribly. What she had witnessed a few hours and a day ago - she's surely going to tell about it to Ron and if needs be, Harry as well. The three of them had actually served as the best of companions to each other when they had been on the hunt for destroying Horcruxes. As she walked up to hill top, she looked at the Burrow. How badly she missed the essence of house! She realised this only after the events of the other day. It was good that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would be coming back after a fortnight. "Phew!", she sighed.

As she reached the Burrow, she saw the house deserted. Ron wasn't there. Where had he gone? Leaving behind her in such a condition where she needed him the most and now, he had simply vanished out of view? Where the hell has he gone and what is she supposed to do without him? She won't be able to find the solution to her problem without him. She couldn't believe if Ron has simply left away, left Hermione behind; left away in order to torment her for not confiding him with her trouble. Hermione despised her for not doing so. Ron was right; he could've actually been a very trustworthy person more than that Rudolf Jean.

Whatsoever, she required Ron - Hermione wanted to be closer to him. She wanted Ron to embrace her in his arms and say dearly in her ears that it was just a nightmare that she was experiencing - that it was going to end soon. Even if Ron was actually present there and had really said this, she would have actually been tempted to believe that all these events happening to her were just the part of a mere horrible dream. Even if it were a nightmare, it was required for a person to confront it solemnly and open their eyes. Hermione had to open her mind, for she had been working on these murders mindlessly. Yes, she is going to wake up from this reverie and then, she'd be back to normal. In fact, everything would be brought back to normal. Then, she'd spend some of her time with Ron, for he had specially taken a leave from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes just for her. She would absolutely face it and then, Hermione would ultimately get over it.

She entered her room on the first floor and opened the door. The room was messier than ever. Of course, she could believe that Ron checked on her room to find any related documents or records that could provide him with the clue about her whereabouts or if possible, about her problem. The bed sheets were as it is, untouched or unharmed. She had not slept on it since she left the Burrow for King's Cross. She entered the bathroom and looked at her face in the mirror. The dark circles were clearly visible under her eyes, her clothes smelled of sweat and her hair were bushier. She undressed herself and took a bath under the chilling water of the shower. She washed her head by pouring as much water as possible on her hair and tried to relieve herself. She covered her naked body with the towel and went to the almirah. She got dressed. It was five in the morning. And then suddenly, she realised where Ron probably might be. Yes, he must be there, waiting for her, searching for her and asking about her frim everyone. Yes, he would be there.

As she walked down the hill, she Disapparated.
______________________________________

Ron held him by the collar.

"Tell me, Rudolf, where she is or else I'll make sure that every single flesh of yours would be eaten away by the Thestrals."

Rudolf Jean felt nervous. He didn't know that Hermione had gone missing.

"I told you, Mr. Weasley, I really do not know anything about her. I assure you that if I knew anything, I'd have already conveyed it to you."

How saintly of you, moron - Ron gave it a thought. This damn trash of a man thinks that he'd be tricked to believe him. When Ron worked initially at the Ministry, though only for a period of two years, he had observed the way Rudolf used to see Hermione. He never treated her as his boss. He was a decade older than her but the lustful eyes of the bastard always admired her more than a Ministress - those freaking red eyes told every of his lustful intentions. One time, Ron had even heard Rudolf saying that Hermione is not only an attractive lady but interestingly a 'seductive genius'.

From that time on, Ron had always hated Rudolf and felt so pitied when he was chosen as Hermione's Senior Undersecretary. Ron, till day, doesn't understand why Hermione keeps faith in this freak so blindly. He is unworthy of any woman's trust.

Just as he was struggling to forbid himself to Stupefy Rudolf, Hermione entered the scene with Harry. Rudolf and Ron had been fighting in the Undersecretary's office when Hermione and Harry made their way. Ron was so relieved to see Hermione that he couldn't resist to come towards her and embrace her into a loving hug. It felt as if a teddy bear was hugging its long lost mate.

"Oh Ron! I'm extremely sorry. I wasn't able to contact you for the past few days. The circumstances were such that I was unable to-"

"No, Hermione. Do not feel sorry. I know your job is hectic and I understand it completely. I know you won't waver off my trust."

Hermione and Ron shared a lovely grin. Hermione gazed at Rudolf.

"Rudolf, I feel that I need to have a very urgent appointment with Mr. Ronald Weasley and Mr. Harry Potter, right here in your office. I hope it won't do any harm if I ask you to likewise leave the room, for the stuff we need to discuss is absolutely personal."

"Of course, Ministress. I won't have any issue if you stay in my office."

"And one more thing. Would you be pleased enough to bring me a copy of report related to Marrietta Ravangers and Gerrard Wellington murders?"

"Sure. Are you likely to discuss this so called 'stuff'? "

"Well, Rudolf, not exactly. We just need to look into a serious matter which is somehow related to those deaths."

"Okay, Ministress."

As Rudolf left the room, Ron gave him a sneer and forbidding look. Rudolf gave him back a pleasant grin.

"Did you see how he smiled? I'm absolutely sure he is hiding something beneath them. I feel he is involved in these murders."

"Well, we do not know about that but one thing is certain that Hermione's involvement in these murders cannot be neglected." said Harry, who had remained quiet since then.

"What do you mean by her involvement?"

Hermione hung her head and said quite shyly, looking down at the floor.

"It is true, Ron. The thing that I haven't been telling you is this only. I've been getting these letters written by someone and these letters contain the information about where, when and whose murder is going to be done."

"So, you believe that the writer of these letters is the murderer?"

"Well, it can be and cannot as well. The writer to these letters might turn out to be the murderer - there is no doubt in it. But at the same time, it seems that a person is trying to help us reach the murderer."

"From my opinion, I believe that the murderer might not be writing these letters. Even if he is, no doubt in saying that he is quite gritty as well as insane."

"But, Hermione, didn't you see that when we were just about to leave King's Cross, someone had sent you that Ministry memo? Wouldn't that mean that someone from within the Ministry is doing all this?"

"Yes, I had given a thought to it. But I wasn't able to find who has been doing it."

Harry ran his Auror mind.

"The Ministry memo reached you at the King's Cross?"

"Not exactly, it came to us when we had entered the lane behind the station to Disapparate."

She gave it a thought. Hermione was startled.

"That means, that person knew where I was at that time."

"Did you tell anyone that we're going to drop the kids to Hogwarts at King's Cross?"

"No, I didn't tell anyone about it except-"

Hermione's eyes opened wide as she stopped in between. Rudolf had entered the room clutching a bundle of documents.

"Here are these, Ministress. I've approached for these documents from the Auror's office. I hope Mr. Potter won't mind for it."

"Absolutely not, Rudolf."

"You may leave now, Rudolf. Thank you for bringing them to me"

"Always there, Ministress"

As Rudolf left the room, Hermione began from where she had left.

"So, Harry was saying about King's Cross. Yes, so I didn't tell about it to anyone except Rudolf Jean himself."

Harry and Ron raised their eyebrows.

"Now, the suspicion is directed towards Hermione's Senior Undersecretary, Mr. Rudolf Jean."

"Somehow, Even I've got a nerve that Rudolf is involved in these Muggle deaths."

"We'll soon find it out, for truth is not hidden for long."

"I already told you - Rudolf is the murderer."

"Ron! He's not yet declared as the murderer. He is just a suspect, for now."

"Hermione's right. Let's just see these files through. I've gone through them already but still let us look at it again; maybe we get some trace or clue."

As they opened the file, the first page talked about Marrietta's death.

RECENT MUGGLE DEATHS

Name : Marrietta Henry Ravangers

Age : 57 years

Date of death : 31 August, 2019

Other Details : A Widow, lived alone in the House 31, Fleet Street; suspected to be distantly related to the Carrows.

Murder suspected as a result of usage of The Killing Curse.

Name : Gerrard John Wellington

Age : 69 years

Date of death : 2 September, 2019

Other Details : A Widower, lived alone in the House 10, King's Street; a Squib.

Murder suspected as a result of usage of The Killing Curse.

After reading for more than four times, the three of them were startled.

"Did you two point it out what I just noticed here?"

"Yes, Hermione. For instance, the dates of these murders."