She pulled back and watched his throat bob before he straightened and flashed her a grin — like she'd said something flirtatious. He took a long sip of his drink, and gave her the slightest of nods. Pansy's eyes flickered between the two of them.

Hermione continued to search the room, her gaze flicking between the doors to the Burgundy Room and the new guests at the gambling tables.

"Miss Granger," said a voice near her shoulder.

Hermione spun to find a freckled young girl with blonde hair blinking back at her. Her accent was Irish, and she was wearing a silver collar. Blaise's body shifted next to her.

"Master Malfoy would like me to take you to him."

It felt like the air had been knocked from her lungs. Ginny. He'd been able to convince Avery.

Hermione stood from the chair, but Blaise stood with her, grabbing her arm.

"Why didn't he come to bring her?"

The girl frowned. "I don't know, sir. All I know is that Master Malfoy told me to retrieve her."

Hermione turned back to Blaise, trying to reassure him, but his gaze was narrowed on the girl.

"Is there a problem, sir?" The girl shifted her weight.

Slowly, Blaise shook his head. He released her arm.

With a final glance over her shoulder, Hermione followed the girl through the Lounge. She led Hermione past the gambling tables and through the double doors towards the Burgundy Room. Her chest grew tighter with every step.

The girl led her past doors and down corridors she'd only seen once before — the ones she'd run by as Edinburgh crumbled around them. They climbed up a flight of twisting stairs and stopped at a door with an intricate flower design in the wood. The girl pushed the door open and let Hermione pass in front of her.

It was a dimly-lit bedroom. A large four-poster stretched toward the stone ceiling. There was a wooden chair before an old writing desk, and two armchairs turned toward the fireplace. The girl followed her in and stood next to the desk.

Hermione moved between the armchairs. The room was empty. She turned to the girl to ask—

And found tears streaming down her freckled cheeks. "I'm sorry," the girl whispered. "I'm so sorry."

A cold wind swept through Hermione's lungs. "What for?"

A floorboard creaked in the corridor, and Hermione whipped around to see Antonin Dolohov in the doorway.

Her veins turned to rivers of ice

"Thank you, Cara," he said.

Cara sniffed as she rushed past him and out of the room. Dolohov closed the door behind her and cast a series of locking charms, sealing her in.

Hermione stood frozen as he turned. Her blood pounded. Every nerve ending screamed at her to run.

Dolohov stepped forward, his eyes swallowing her like black tunnels.

"They've you done up in gold again, Mudblood." His voice dragged like gravel across her skin. "The last time I saw you in gold, you were my property."