One for Luck
Goblet of Fire: The night before task two, Ron and Hermione were taken away to McGonagall's office by the Fred and George. This is the story of what happened after that: a kiss for luck. Some words from Goblet of Fire p421-423.
He was trapped. They all were. The library was a nightmare, like usual. He was searching for that one spell that would save his best friend. Dread filled him. His heart raced, his palms were sweaty as he trawled book after book, longing for that one spell. An hour underwater, that's all Harry needed and time was slipping away quicker than a snitch. All around, the castle had a breathless excitement. A day off schoolwork was just what everyone needed and tomorrow was it. Ron Weasley didn't feel like that.
'I don't reckon it can be done,' Ron said feeling deflated.
Harry looked pale. His hair was messier than usual and, over the massive pile of books; Ron could tell that he was scared.
'There's nothing. Nothing,' he emphasised emphatically daring the answer to turn up and prove him wrong. He wanted to be proved wrong. Was the Drought charm really the closest they'd come? Hermione looked up from Olde and Forgotten Bewitchment's and Charmers. Her nose had ink on it, her hair was wilder than ever, and her eyes appeared tired from the strain. To him, she was gorgeous as she begged her constant friend, the library, to give her just one more answer.
The only good thing about this situation was that it meant Hermione was here, with him, and not fraternizing with Vicky.
Hermione said that there had to be something. Ron tried to lighten the mood with a semi serious suggestion. Harry seemed grateful so joined in. Hermione didn't. Not making Hermione laugh wasn't the end of his world; just the cherry on the top of a very bitter cake. She snapped at them, then crossly closed her book saying: 'Who on earth wants to make their nose hair grow into ringlets?'
'I wouldn't mind,' said a twin out of the ether. Ron turned as Fred and George came round the corner. 'Be a talking point, wouldn't it?' Fred shot Hermione a warm, slightly challenging smile, daring her to disagree. A ghost of a smile appeared on Hermione's face and for once, Ron was glad of his brother.
'What are you two doing here?' he asked quickly.
'Looking for you two,' George said gravely, as Fred studied the nose hair ringlet spell. 'McGonagall wants you, Ron.' He said looking at me: then he switched his attention. 'And you, Hermione.'
'Why?' Hermione asked, sounding as surprised as I felt.
'Dunno...' Fred admitted looking at her. 'She looked at bit grim though.'
'We're supposed to take you down to her office,' said George firmly. Ron stared at his brother's, waiting for a punch line that never came. This wasn't a joke. He felt sick. Out of the corner of his eye, Ron saw Hermione pale and Harry gulp.
'We'll meet you back in the common room,' Hermione told Harry as she and Ron stood up together and the twins walked away. A worried look passed between Ron and Hermione. Not, for their own sake, but for Harry's. Hermione bit her lip and added. 'Bring as many of these books as you can, OK?'
'Right,' Harry agreed with a nod. Unable to look at them any longer, his attention returned desperately to the books. He looked like he was in a nightmare and they were powerless to help him. Hermione was stood like a perfect anxious statue, shining in the moonlight. Ron touched her hand, and she was reanimated him.
They followed the twin's, out of the library and towards McGonagall's office: a foreboding procession. He desperately wanted to hold her hand. Now was the kind of time that would be OK: wouldn't it? A few months ago, she'd been dancing in his arms. They'd kissed and everything was right with the world. Their troubles melted away. He knew if they could only do it again, everything would be fine.
However, the further into their journey they got the more his Gryffindor courage Disapparated. The dower silence bored Fred quickly and he started talking to George about betting odds.
'Maybe she's angry,' Hermione whispered desperately to Ron. 'Maybe she found out about us helping Harry.'
'Even if it is that... It won't be that bad,' he replied trying to reassure her. 'Harry needs the help being three years younger than the others. It's not like they won't be getting help.' He reasoned, remembering task ones dragon warning. 'Although, Harry has an unfair advantage...' he mused casually.
'What unfair advantage?' Hermione asked flatly, turning her full attention onto him.
'You,' Ron confessed without thinking then went red. The twin's were pretending not to listen. 'Hermione, he has you the brightest witch ever... that's bound to be an unfair advantage…' Ron shut up and could feel himself going red. There was silence between them again.
'Fred,' Hermione suddenly asked. 'Define grim.' They all looked towards her, slowing their pace but not stopping.
'McGonagall looked without mirth, more forbidding and humourless than usual,' he explained attempting grin. Before touching his finger to his nose; indicating where her ink smug was. Hermione was too busy listening to George.
'We thought she was angry at us for trying out our trick wands her class...' George said leading the way through a door pretending to be a wall. 'But no. She asked us to search for you two.'
'Didn't you ask what she wanted us for?' Ron asked desperately as he nearly reached the top of the stairs.
'No they did not,' McGonagall interjected sternly, as she appeared in front of them. 'It would be unwise for them to do so and I'm happy to say, they have more sense.' Indeed, she did look as grim as Hermione and Ron had ever seen her. 'This is why they're heading straight back to Gryffindor tower, now.'
'Yes Professor,' the twin's chorused. They didn't dare contradict McGonagall when she looked so worried and serious. Ron knew they understood her emotion; but didn't share it. After all, the worry was over. Harry and he always survived. Quickly, the twins scurried away, leaving Ron and Hermione alone with their professor.
'Weasley, Granger; follow me,' she said taking command. Silently, they followed her until they were in sight of her office. 'The others have clearly not arrived.' She sighed. 'This isn't good enough.'
'Others, professor?' Ron asked, as his mouth went dry.
'Yes, we're waiting for Miss Chang and Miss Delacour…' Professor McGonagall answered distractedly peering down the corridor.
'Fleur?' Ron gulped; anything but Fleur. Hermione give him an infuriated look.
'Of course not,' McGonagall said sharply. 'We're waiting for Gabrielle: Miss Delacour's sister.' He had a bad feeling about this. As she turned away, the bad feeling bubbled up into a question.
'Professor,' it burst out of him like a joke from the twins. 'Are we the treasures the champion's retrieve from the lake?' Ron asked hoping against hope that he was wrong: because if he right, that would end in another argument. Hermione gasped.
'Correct, Mr Weasley,' McGonagall said surprised. Ron's groan was stifled by Hermione grabbing his wrist. 'You're Mr Potter's treasure and Miss Granger you are what Mr Krum's,' she smiled before leaving to locate the others. At the mention of Krum, Hermione let go of him like she'd been burned. Ron quickly gathered courage as he turned to Hermione. They both took a deep breath and looked deeply into each other's eyes.
'GO,' they said in desperate unison.
'What?' they said in unison again. There was a pause in which Ron stepped forward.
'McGonagall will just have to find another treasure for Vicky,' Ron growled.
'Victor,' Hermione spat back. He stared into her eyes; she didn't blink. They were both breathing heavily now. Anger and panic were in a perfect coalition. Time was quickly slipping away. He had to make her leave. He took her by the shoulder, and she fluidly slipped into his arms.
'I will not have your life left in the hands of Victor Krum; you're too…' he said barely whisper but unable to finish. She broke away from his embrace enough to shoot him a look but not breaking away.
'Ronald,' she said stamping her foot. 'Unlike Harry, Victor probably already knows what he's going to do tomorrow.' She reasoned, unable to think straight. Then, she started to plead: 'He hasn't got a clue how to survive under water for an hour... and if you go down there… Oh Ron..! You have to leave!'
'He's Harry,' Ron murmured trying to sound flippant, as he flashed a lopsided smile. 'And he'll figure it out like he always does." Hermione didn't look convinced. "The answer will come luv, even if we're not there.'
Ron rested his forehead on Hermione's. Their lips inched closer… They'd never been this close before without kissing. Their hearts raced, their breathing slowed and their eyes started to close. They knew what was coming next. They hadn't done this since the wee hours of Boxing Day morning; but somehow, that didn't matter.
The door opened, as it did, Ron and Hermione sprang apart.
'So sorry Miss Granger, Mr Weasley was I interrupting?' Professor Dumbledore apologised as he walked in.
'No Professor,' they said in unison, their faces flushed. Dumbledore gave them a quizzical smile.
'Looking forward to taking part in this task?' He asked brightly, surveying the scene.
'Yes Professor Dumbledore sir, I am,' Ron disputed surprised by his own voice. He moved so that Hermione stood behind him. 'But Hermione isn't going down there for that pumpkin head… I mean Vicky. I mean Victor Krum sir!' Ron breathed out slowly, before continuing. 'Krum isn't allowed to save her! Get someone else for him but not Hermione…' He said it with so much passion that Hermione's anger with him was quelled a little.
'No Professor, its Ronald not me who shouldn't be going down there risking his life…' Hermione said moving in front of Ron beginning her appeal to the headmaster.
'Risking your lives..?" Dumbledore said momentary confused, then chuckled at the young couple. 'Do you really think I would let any student be in danger and not have safety precautions?'
Ron and Hermione blushed.
'Well then,' he said kindly, putting his hands in this cloak pocket. 'Oh dear, I seem to have forgotten my sherbet lemons... Excuse me please!' His eyes twinkled as turned and swept out of the room. For a time, they looked at anything but each other. He was fascinated to be in McGonagall's office. When the sound of his boots had finally faded: Ron turned and looked at Hermione.
'So that's it then,' Ron said stunned.
'I still don't want you going down there...' Hermione said defiantly. 'You might be what Harry would miss most, but if something happened to you...' She couldn't finish the thought.
'Well,' Ron admitted. 'I don't want you going down there either! But you heard what Dumbledore said we're not really in danger luv..!'
'Suppose not,' Hermione said with a reluctant smile. She loved it when he called her that. The moment felt awkward, it looked like Hermione wanted to say more but wouldn't. She turned her attention to Professor McGonagall's collection of Transfiguration Today. He felt really uncomfortable. He had to break through this tension.
'Hermione,' Ron said in a low intimate voice.
'Yes Ron,' she said spinning around to face him. He stepped forward so they were almost touching.
'You've got ink on your nose,' Ron said with a cheeky grin. 'Did you know?' Hermione rolled her eyes and flew to a small mirror by the window as he lightly sniggered. 'Three and a half years I've wanted to say something like that,' he added gleefully as he watched her clean it off.
'Has it really been that long since we met?' Hermione said flatly, clearly still worried about tomorrow's task.
'Yep, never knowing what lay ahead of us,' he said. She looked at him sadly.
'Is there really nothing I can do to persuade you not to go down there?' She asked hopefully.
'Is there anything I can do to persuade you not to go down there?' he countered with a gaze just as intense as she was giving him.
Hermione sighed; knowing there was nothing she could do. A sudden childish idea struck her. Without thinking, she moved forward, stood on her tip toes and kissed Ron's cheek. As she did so, they heard a croak; his head moved and the kiss landed between his cheek and lips. Hermione gasped and he moved to capture her lips. The kiss lingered; it was loving and tender and yet demanding and passionate.
The world seemed to stop. There was no task. There were no Death Eaters, no Harry nor Victor Krum. Her arms snaked around his neck as easily as his wrapped around her waist. They held each other tightly; he picked her up slightly and swayed her.
There was another croak and they turned to notice Trevor the toad watching them. He was watching, with an unblinking stare that unnerved them both. She stepped back and he looked surprised.
'What was that for?' he asked dazed.
'Luck,' she whispered, totally embarrassed. He looked deeply into her eyes and smiled.
'Oh,' he exclaimed, suddenly understanding that she needed that as much as he did. Hermione started to back away; looking scared He figured that the others would be arriving soon. He took her hand and brought her back. 'Well, in that case, this is from me," he said, bending down, brushing her hair aside and gently kissed her cheek. 'One for luck!'
A moment later, they heard a thundering echo of footsteps as Professor McGonagall approached the door followed by others. Quickly Ron and Hermione moved apart. And Hermione tried to flatten down her hair. They looked at each other with shy smiles and turned their attention to the door.
'Sorry to keep you waiting,' she said as she swept in followed by Gabrielle Delacour, Cho Chang and Professor Dumbledore. Both girls looked dazzlingly pretty. It was obvious that this was why Cho was late; her make-up and hair were flawless. Gabrielle appeared to be newly awake as she glided gracefully in, with a sleepy smile.
'Thank you for joining us this evening,' Dumbledore began happily. 'You have been invited here because we are now taking you hostage.' Cho and Gabrielle looked alarmed and confused. The old Professor seemed thrilled. 'You are the people our champions would miss most. Their treasures,' he said looking at each of them like this was an obvious adventure. 'With your consent, I am going to put you all into a deep bewitched-sleep; which will break as soon as you are above water...'
'Water sir?' Cho interrupted taken truly aback. Ron felt smug, because he knew what was going on and this gifted Ravenclaw didn't. Hermione looked pleased too. A slight dread began to bubble within him. Behind their backs, Ron grabbed onto Hermione's hand and gave a light squeeze.
'Yes Miss Chang,' Dumbledore replied delighted to engage in discussion. 'The second task will take place under water. Once asleep, you'll be placed into the care of Merchieftaine Murcus, who lives in the lake with his people. It's quite safe and the next time you open your eyes it will be to rapturous applause; you'll be as much a part of the tasks as your champion.'
It was then that Ron could clearly place the anxiety he suddenly felt. Hermione was Krum's treasure. He would save her and probably ride off with her into the sunset afterwards.
'Are you all in agreement?' Dumbledore asked with a smile. Cho and Gabrielle nodded immediately but Ron and Hermione just stared at each other. Their pleading eyes both were willing the other to change their mind.
Dumbledore waited for a moment before pressing them for an answer. McGonagall's grim features seemed melted with the interaction.
'Remember,' he cajoled kindly. 'You'll both be quite safe.' Ron squeezed Hermione's hand again before letting go.
'Yes Professor...' Hermione started.
'We're ready,' Ron finished softly. Knowing that they'd given each other all the luck they'd ever need. Longing to bottle this exhilarating feeling, then he could talk to her afterwards. Before it was too late... before Krum...
But luck, unfortunately was not on their side.
This story was first written over four years ago. I mentioned this moment in Rebounding Relationship's and was asked about it... As ever, I thought the original had been finished posted somewhere else therefore it's lose on my dead hard drive didn't matter. Unfortunately, I was mistaken and have had to rewrite it. Delaying Reboundings final chapter...
My two questions are... Should I write another chapter, wrapping up how their luck ran out the next day? Also, there are other kisses for luck throughout my missing moment universe... And I'm considering another missing moment series (Like Christmas interrupted) about luck... Thoughts?
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