Rubies and Emeralds
Kat
In recognition of my freakin'-awesome friend, Ruby!
A/N: Wow ... it's been a while since I've given you guys something new. Have fun reading this
Chapter 1
Be My Escape
She traipsed down the corridor; her hands covered in the blood only one person could have shed.
"What have I done?" she moaned, continuing on her way.
"I don't know, girl, but you had better repent," a voice said from behind her. She spun around to face the man who had spoken.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
The man held up a knife. "Your potential murderer." He grinned, evilly baring his rotting teeth.
She repeated her question, "Who are you?" It came out as more of a whimper, as her eyes were focused merely on the shimmering tip of the knife's blade.
"No one important, but I will be once you're dead," the man cackled; it was a rough, brutal crow, like the Evil-Queen-turned-wicked-witch's in Snow White.
Now he was approaching her, knife out in front of him, blade still shimmering like a midnight moon on the Black Lake.
The girl tried to run away, but she was rooted to her spot by some unidentifiable source. The blood on her hands was drying quickly; she had to go, she had to run. She would be killed. The creature would come any moment now; he would smell the blood on her fingertips and right away know where she was.
But she was unable to.
She squeezed her eyes shut and awaited the pain. It came quickly; the moment the knife pierced her soft flesh, however, the girl's eyes popped open and she screamed.
"Holy hell, 'Mione, I think even the people in Australia heard that one!" Ginny exclaimed sleepily from across the tiny bedroom. "What happened?"
"N-nothing," Hermione stuttered, regaining her breath. "Just a dream, that's all …" She was shaking, a cold sweat breaking on her reddened face.
Who had she murdered? Who was that man? And the creature- who was that?
"If you're sure, I'd like to go back to sleep. You going to be okay?"
"I'm fine. I … I think I'll go and make myself a cup of tea."
"'Kay, 'Mione. See you later." Ginny's soft snores permeated the chilly air in a matter of minutes, and Hermione snuck out into the corridor.
It looked as though no one was up yet- Fortunate, she thought.
Hermione tiptoed down the flight of stairs, and, when she sensed someone behind her, she turned around to find herself face-to-face with Fred (or was it George?) Weasley.
"'Morning, Hermione!" he greeted cheerfully, passing her to move into the kitchen. "A little groggy this morning, are we?" he asked when she didn't answer.
Both ears … Must be Fred … Hermione observed, glancing at his ears. "Yeah, morning, great … sure," she mumbled.
"Quite uncharacteristic of you, 'Mione. Since when're you not a morning person?"
"Since when am I?" she snapped, charming the tea kettle hot. Pouring it over into her mug, she dipped an herbal tea bag into it several time, watching the brown seep into the clear.
"Since … forever?" Fred paused for a moment. "You didn't need to bite my head off; I was only making an observation … And a joke. Everyone's been way too tense lately …"
Hermione had always liked Fred; True, she had dated Ron post-Fred's death, but the loss had still struck her fairly hard. That's why, secretly, she had joined forces with Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, and Morley, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, to find some way to bring back those killed in the Final Battle.
On the top of the list?
Remus Lupin
Nymphadora Tonks
Severus Snape
But somewhere on that list had been Fred Weasley, and, since the Weasleys had gone through enough grief already, Hermione had kept the project a secret. There was no need to get the Weasleys' hopes up and then not find anything.
After months of finding nothing, Hermione had come across a text that appeared to be written in an ancient code. With the help of Professor Perotia, who had taken the place of Professor Babblings as the Ancient Runes professor, Hermione had been able to correctly translate the ancient text and figure out the incantation needed.
Grudgingly, she had agreed to let Professor Trelawney guide her in holding a séance, and, after the strenuous, three-time-repetition of the incantation she had found, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, and Snape had been revived.
Needless to say, his loved ones and friends were ecstatic; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had both been in tears, George had played his first prank in what had seemed like ages, Harry and Ginny had gotten back together, and Lee Jordan had started back at his old job: commentating at Major League Quidditch tournaments.
Shaken from her reverie by a nervous cough from Fred, Hermione jumped; wincing as the hot tea sloshed onto her bare arm, she moaned and muttered, "What a lovely morning."
"What's that, Hermione?" Fred inquired, dunking some toast into his own tea. "Did you say something?"
"Oh, just expressing how wonderfully this morning is progressing," Hermione replied sarcastically, plopping down in one of the kitchen chairs. Fred sat down across from her and looked at Hermione seriously.
"Want to talk about it? I'm all ears … unlike George," he offered, winking.
"No, I needn't bore you with the details of my life."
"You're in a terrible mood lately, 'Mione. It might be better to get some stuff off of your chest."
"No. I'm fine. Just leave it, Fred."
"Okay, okay," Fred relented, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'll talk about my problems, then." Hermione shrugged and Fred grinned manically.
"So, I was down in Hogsmeade and I spotted this really cute bird next to Madame Puddifoot's. So I went over to her and said, 'Hi, I'm Fred Weasley,' and she looked at me like I was the walking dead. Which, technically, I was at that point, but I had forgotten and made a total arse out of myself."
"Did you?" Hermione yawned. She was bored already. Of course, it was only five o'clock in the morning, so she had a reason to be tired.
"Yeah! And you know what else?"
"What, Fred?" Fake enthusiasm. Yikes, I'm really getting pissy.
"I'll forgo the attitude, 'Mione, and cut straight to the point- I explained to the chick that I was revived, and she understood that, and guess who's got a date with Loony Lovegood tonight?"
"Let me take a wild guess … You?!" Hermione exclaimed with faux happiness. Luna Lovegood? Oh, Merlin.
"No … George," Fred replied, rather glum. "She's changed. It's weird. And how George scored that girl, I will never understand."
"I see." Getting up from her chair to retrieve some more tea, she noticed that Fred's mug was empty too. She looked at it inquisitively and sat down again.
"Fred," she stated.
"That's my name, don't wear it out," Fred grinned.
"Want to have a little fun? I'm getting bored of this mood I'm in."
"Erm … sure, Hermione … but I have to warn you, I'm not that talented with the passionate stuff and … well … I'll be pretty embarrassed should I do something wrong …" A red blush crept into his cheeks, matching his hair. Hermione herself felt herself blush when he averted his eyes to the floor, ashamed.
"Oh, Fred! No! That's not at all what I meant!" Hermione cried, covering her eyes with her hands.
"Well, then what did you mean?"
"I was looking at your tea leaves … as bogus as Trelawney and all her Divination is, I thought it would be interesting to see what yours supposedly say about your future."
"Oh!" Fred exclaimed. "Yeah, sure!" He passed Hermione his cup and winked at her. "Though I doubt it'll show anything we don't already know … this should be interesting!"
Hermione picked up Fred's mug and gazed at the tea leaves; Trelawney had taught her, inadvertently, everything she needed to know about Divination. She hated to admit it … but she had started to enjoy it. Besides, drinking cooking sherry with the professor had been loads of fun; she had gotten so many answers.
"Indeed, Fred. Quite interesting." Examining the tea leaves once more, she referred to her memory. She spotted a cat; a fake friend, deceit. A comb; an enemy. A fake friend that's also an enemy? But who could that be?
"Well … what do they say?" Fred sat up straighter and attempted to sneak a glance above the rim of the cup, but Hermione swatted his face away and furrowed her eyebrows at the tea leaves. There was misfortune, Hermione had already seen, but now a fan appeared hidden in the leaves; flirtation. Could it be Luna?
"Hermione?"
"What?" Hermione snapped, snatching the cup toward her. "Not yet!"
"Fine, 'Mione," Fred surrendered, rolling his eyes and glaring at the cupboard.
A harp and a heart? What's going on?
"Well," Hermione said, clearing her throat before continuing, "it appears as though you have an enemy, a fake friend, a flirtation, which leads to love, passion, and happiness through a heart and a harp."
"That was a mouthful." Fred appeared to be attempting to rationalize her words, screwing his face up in the most confused expression Hermione had seen since Ron had needed help on a Transfiguration project.
"I've got nothin', Hermione. Care to put it in Ron terms for me?" he joked.
"You have a fake friend, an enemy, someone who's flirting with you, along with love, passion and happiness in your future."
"You're getting close, but I still don't get it …"
"You have a fake friend that's also an enemy. We don't know who it is, but there's someone who's flirting with you. You have love, passion, and happiness in your future," Hermione huffed. "Is that better?"
"Yeah, thanks."
"Good, because that's all I've got." Hermione shoved Fred's cup back to him and stood to get herself more tea.
"So … who's the fake friend?" Fred inquired. "Is it someone I'm friends with right now?"
"I honestly have no idea. It doesn't tell who the people are; it can't possibly do that. It just states that you should be leery and alert."
"Oh … Okay, then …" Fred murmured. "So … I've supposedly got this girl hitting on me, and I don't even know who it is?"
"No. You don't. And neither do I. I'm going back to bed now." Hermione stalked out of the kitchen and back upstairs to Ginny's bedroom. Flopping on the bed, she yawned, and laid there for what seemed like hours thinking about Fred.
Was it that smile? The goofy jokes he makes? Was it just the fact that he was Ron's brother, and since she had once been attracted to him, she was attracted to Fred as well? What was it? For the longest time she laid there, trying to figure out what those flutters in her stomach were caused by. Indigestion, Hermione thought, closing her eyes.
And then she fell asleep.
A/N: Be My Escape by Relient K. All characters are the property of J.K. Rowling, but I rent Severus on weekends.