When Hermione Stabbed The Cup
A HP Fanfict
Romione
Because you can't watch DH without loving them
Hermione took the basilisk fang from Ron and stared at the cup. She could feel his determined gaze bear down on her. Her heart was pounding. Clenching her fist tightly, she raised the fang.
Images sprang from the cup and into her mind, distracting her focus. She struggled mentally, trying to push them out of her mind.
"Filthy, stinking, lowly mudblood. You dare destroy me?" boomed a cold icy voice inside her head. She was in Malfoy Manor again, Bellatrix on her, and she felt the cruciatus curse once more. Mentaly, at least. Her left arm burned where the word 'mudblood' was cut in. And Ron and Harry dashing out from the cellar.
Ron. She tried to focus on him to remind herself of where she was and what she had to do. "Ronald Weasley?" the voice sneered mockingly. "You think he will save you? Look at him, he might be a blood traitor but he is clearly a pureblood. And you, just a foul, loathsome mudblood. No better than scums on the street. He only helped you because Holy Potter would. To him, you're no more than a slick of grime. He doesn't care about you at all. He despises you. Look."
Her head swarmed with scenes. Ron calling her a know-it-all and nightmare condescendingly. Ron rounding on her over the firebolt. Ron blaming her for her cat's apparent killing of his rat. Ron ignoring her for going to the ball with Krum. Ron yelling at her over Harry's potions book.
"Don't you see? You, are nothing to him. But being the hateful mudblood you are, you never know your place…"
No! she thought, fighting the apparition in her head. He does care! He's my friend! He was just immature! He's not like that! She tried desperately to think of those times when Ron did help her.
Saving her form the troll. Sacrificing himself in a chess game. Defending her when Malfoy called her mudblood (and eating slugs for it). getting bitten by a dog. Letting her cry into his shoulder when Buckbeak was executed. Shoving her out of the way of a Death Eater's curse. Insisting on acting her cousin at his own risk. Speaking up for her about seeing Xeno Lovegood. Pulling her away from a falling chandelier.
In fact, Ron always seemed to be when she was in desperate need. He had shown her a soft spot for the past seven years. He did genuinely care. He does she thought. Mustering all her strength, she brought the fang down on the cup.
Water gushed out from all around the chamber. A giant, snake-like face rose up like a wave, threatening to crash down and drown her. Ron – coming to her aid as usual – grabbed her and stumbled backwards in attempt to get out of the wave's way. But before they made it the wave loss its energy and the water drained away (although it had already drenched them).
Hermione stared at his feet, only daring to get a quick glance out of the corner of her eye. She could feel him staring at her.
Despite the times they had together, she had never really considered her feelings for Ron. Quite the contrary, she was usually confused about her reactions to him. When he dated Lavender she had been jealous and upset; when he left during the horcrux hunt she had been depressed. And she didn't know why.
She could still sense his stare burning into her cheek, but she didn't dare look up. She was the brightest witch in their year, and probably held the highest expectations for being able to deal with things herself. Yet she needed Ron to be secure, and Ron…he was always there for her.
Unable to control the mix of emotions, Hermione forced herself to finally look at Ron, her eyes on the brink of overflowing with tears. Their eyes met, and almost instantly, they wrapped their arms around each other and he pulled her into a kiss. And when he did she felt as if the war had melted around them and everything was perfectly fine.
"Thanks Ron…" she murmured. "I love you too."
