Heyy =] Second fanfic, Hermione and Ron again ^_^ Hope you like it! R&R? =] This is based in the battle in the seventh book, although the quotes and stuff i've made are more from the film so I apologise if anyone's like, eww no the film is wrong! I hope you enjoy! Reviews are very appreciated and loved =] - Annabelle :)
"The chamber of secrets!"
"I'm sorry?" Hermione questioned Ron's sudden declaration. His face was one of pure amazement, shocked as the plan he was conducting in his head fell perfectly in place.
"We need something to kill the horcruxes with, right? And the basilisk fang took care of Tom Riddle's diary..."
"Yes..."
"Well down there, there's a whole dead basilisk, right? Which means a whole load of dead basilisk's fangs!"
Hermione stared at Ron for a moment, and Ron struggled to work out her facial expression. He was about to say how it was a rubbish idea, when Hermione's face lit up so much, Ron was a little terrified.
"YOU'RE A GENIUS!" she announced, flinging her arms around him and hitting his back accidently with Helga Hufflepuff's cup, which she was holding in her hand. Ron felt his ears burning with modesty as he briefly hugged her back, but didn't hug her for long as Hermione bounded away towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He ran after her, lagging behind but managing to keep up. The shouts and explosions from the battle could still be heard, and Hermione was being cautious at every turning to make sure they didn't run into any Death Eaters on the way; with a horcrux in their possession, running into someone who worshipped Voldemort was not a move they wanted to make.
They ran down a long corridor, but were brought to an emergency stop as a curse came shooting towards them.
"DUCK!" Hermione shrieked, flattening herself on the floor but holding the cup underneath her. She felt for her wand in her jeans pocket, looking around for their supposed attacker anxiously. After a few long seconds, a hooded person in a metal mask appeared around the corner, wand at the ready. They cast another spell at Hermione, who narrowly missed it by rolling out the way, and pointed her own wand at their enemy.
"EXPELLI-"
"STUPEFY!" Ron's voice came from behind her, beating her to it as a red jet of light sped over her head and slammed into the Death Eater, knocking them unconscious. Hermione stood up, astonished by Ron's quick reactions. He smiled at her, feeling like he'd earned her impressed raise-of-the-eyebrow. He loved the rare moments where he could play superhero for her, and the surprise on her face was always priceless. When the surprise turned to sudden terror however, Ron realised his heroic moment was over.
"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Hermione yelled, aiming a spell over Ron's shoulder. Ron turned around in time to see a newly stunned Death Eater drop helplessly to the floor.
"Bloody hell..." Ron mumbled. Hermione chuckled slightly.
"Come on," she said, sprinting away again to their destination. Ron was several paces behind her, now paying extra attention to his surroundings thanks to their little encounter.
It didn't take them long to reach the bathroom, but when they got there, Hermione stopped so suddenly Ron wondered if she'd been hit by a stunning spell. He was proved wrong when she walked forward, towards the sinks, and thoughtfully stroked the snake symbol on the taps.
"How are we going to get inside...?" Hermione asked quietly, as if feeling helpless. Ron looked at the snake symbol, his mind reeling. He looked at Hermione unsurely, before a horrible, hissing noise came out of his mouth. When nothing happened, Hermione gave him a questioning look.
"Parseltongue," Ron explained. "It's how Harry got in the first time we were here. He told it to open, only... in snake language."
Hermione nodded, and Ron tried again. After several attempts, he was rewarded as the sinks started to move apart, opening up the tunnel leading to the chamber of secrets. Hermione stared at in awe, looking down into the dark hole leading to their destination. She looked unsurely at Ron.
"I'll go down first," he said. "When I get to the bottom and I'm sure everything's ok, I'll call up, and you jump in. Okay?"
Hermione shook her head. "I'm going in straight after you," she said. There was so much determination in her voice, Ron knew it would be pointless to argue, and nodded.
They both approached the hole, and Ron lingered at the edge for a moment.
"If I remember rightly, it's not a long way down, so don't panic ok?"
"I don't think I'm the one panicking," Hermione smiled with humour in her voice. "We'll be fine."
Ron nodded again, and before he could allow himself to think about it he jumped into the hole, squinting as the darkness swallowed him and it quickly became a struggle to see. Hermione only screamed when she reached the very bottom, as she slid straight into Ron who had managed a rather graceful landing out of the tunnel. Now he was on the floor, Ron's head was inches away from the small skeletons that covered the ground, and he suddenly felt light headed, standing up fast. He looked around the chamber, taking in its eerie atmosphere; it hadn't changed at all since they'd left it five years ago.
"This place is..." Hermione trailed off as she couldn't find a word to describe the chamber. Ron gave her a smile of agreement, realising this was the first time she had seen the chamber for real.
"Come on," Ron said, starting to walk forward but realising he was doing so alone. He looked behind; Hermione was standing there awkwardly with her arms folded. She looked a bit uneasy , maybe even... nervous?
"What's up?" Ron asked.
"I know that the basilisk is dead, but..." She didn't say the rest but she didn't need to. Ron knew exactly how she felt, feeling his own anxiety ever growing.
"We'll be fine," Ron assured her, walking back up to her. He cautiously took her hand into his, and she chuckled slightly, curling her fingers around his hand. Ron shared the quiet laugh, knowing she found the situation funny because she needed Ron to make her feel safe, when usually Hermione was the head strong one.
They walked quietly through the chamber, being careful of their step on the uneven ground. Ron passed the point where he had originally been caved in with a memory-lost Lockhart, and laughed at the recollection, but was also brought to the realisation he hadn't actually been past that point in the chamber. He swallowed his anxiety, not wanting to scare Hermione further.
They reached a small round door which was decorated with snakes. Ron didn't have to test out opening it by hand to know that the only way it would open would be to speak to it. He spoke again, this time getting it open on his first try, and felt really proud of himself but even more nervous; he had no idea what was behind this door. When they got through it, they found themselves standing at the end of a long stretch of concrete. It was like a giant hall way, with oversized snake heads on either side of the concrete, and what was once the head of a bearded, long haired man at the end of it, although it was a little disfigured from the previous events in the chamber. Hermione gasped and gripped Ron's hand so hard it hurt, and Ron's eyes fell on the very thing that shocked her; the decaying basilisk.
To his surprise, it wasn't as rotten as he thought it would be; he thought by this time there would be nothing left but a pile of bones. He wondered if it was the magic that had meant the basilisk had stayed pretty much intact, only fading into a ghostly grey colour and its skin seemed a little thinner.
"You're sure it's dead...?" Hermione whispered, holding onto Ron's hand with all her strength.
"You know as well as I do that the sword of Gryffindor went right through it. It's probably like that because its skin's so thick," Ron replied, although half talking to convince himself.
"Right," Hermione said, still staring at it with wide eyes. She drew a deep breath, before stepping forwards into the main part of the chamber, and Ron almost reluctantly followed, not fancying going anywhere near it. A part of him wished he never came up with the idea of taking a basilisk fang; he didn't even think about encountering the actual basilisk, dead or alive.
When they were relatively close to it, they stopped, and Ron was sure he was shaking slightly.
"We need... to open its mouth... and take one of its fangs..." Ron said, trying to hide his sheer terror.
"Right," Hermione said, going to approach it again before Ron stopped her.
"Not with the cup," Ron warned. "When Harry was wearing the locket and he got the sword of Gryffindor, the locket almost killed him."
Hermione thought for a moment. "But if I leave it... it might try and attack us as soon as we approach it with the fang anyway. I'd have to hold on to it to make sure it's at least under some control."
Ron looked from her to the cup, and his expression showed his reluctance as he realised he was going to have to get the fang alone.
"You stay here and make sure I don't get eaten then," Ron smiled shakily. "I'll get it."
"Be careful," Hermione said. Ron nodded, walking grudgingly towards the dead basilisk and pointing his wand at its mouth, casting a spell so it would open. He cringed when the open mouth revealed the very wound that killed it, as well as a set of yellowing, yet no doubt deadly, fangs. He looked up at the dead basilisks eyes, and with a shudder, sped towards the basilisk and yanked at one of the teeth. It came out on the first tug, and Ron seemed horrified that it had come out so easily.
"We might as well kill that one down here," Ron said, nodding at Helga Hufflepuff's cup. Hermione nodded in agreement, setting it down on the floor, and looking at Ron unsurely.
"Isn't something meant to happen?" she asked.
"It will, but not until we expose it. You haven't got to destroy one yet, have you?" Ron asked. Hermione shook her head. "You wanna do the honours?" He held the fang out to her, and she delicately took it from him, as if worried it was going to erupt in her hand. Ron stepped back. "Just so you know, it will react to you. It will try and destroy you mentally before you destroy it."
"Oh... thanks, Ron," Hermione said, now looking at the cup with fear.
"You should be fine, just... remember whatever it's saying, it's probably a lie. You're better off killing it as soon as you can."
"Right," Hermione still sounded shaky. Ron noticed, and looked at her sympathetically.
"Are you sure you still wanna do this?" He asked. Hermione nodded. "Ok, get ready."
Hermione tightened her grip on the fang as Ron mimicked parseltongue again, standing a couple of paces behind Hermione. For a second, nothing happened, and Hermione looked over at Ron but didn't need to ask when the cup suddenly seemed to explode, and a cloudy tornado emitted from it, towering over them. Strange shapes seemed to form and disappear, and Ron shuddered as he heard the echoing, chilling whisper...
"I have seen your heart... and it is mine."
"Hermione, kill it," Ron said lowly, staring up at the shapes forming in the tornado. What sounded like distant screams were filling the air, and Hermione noticed a recurring word that was being shouted – "Mudblood."
The word got louder and louder, starting to sound like people she knew, and the shapes briefly looking like them too. Hermione panicked as the insults grew louder and louder, more and more, until suddenly the whole tornado shrunk down into one figure, taking the brief form of Ron.
"Filthy little mudblood," he spat, before melting into a ghost-like substance. It travelled like liquid, pouring across the floor until it was almost right in front of her, and took the form of a handsome looking man; a memory from Hermione's childhood. She gasped at him, recognising him as her younger self's definition of prince charming. His brown hair was chin length and swept out of his beautifully carved face. His eyes were large and brown, and fixed her under and intense stare. He was wearing clothes that looked almost royal, and had a sword in his belt.
"Hermione," his husky voice murmured. Ron frowned at him, as Hermione's eyes glazed over in wonder. The man reached out and caressed her face, holding her chin and looking at her judgingly. Hermione suddenly felt very exposed.
"What's happened to you?" he asked in a more accusing tone. His eyes had narrowed on her, and Hermione looked taken aback. "This isn't what you wanted, Hermione. Not even finishing school? Living it rough with two irritating boys? Making your own parents forget you so you can run away? How are you going to get anywhere in life now?"
Hermione shook her head in disbelief, but before Ron could remind her to destroy it, the man spoke again.
"You're a failure, Hermione," he accused. "You've lost everything."
"She has not lost everything," Ron growled, glaring at the man. He looked at him, then back at her. He started to walk backwards, towards the cup.
"Oh, Hermione," he said disapprovingly. "You really have lost your touch. You used to be so smart, now you're blinded by something as common as Love?"
Hermione swallowed, not daring to look at Ron.
"You've fallen for a lie."
Hermione shook her head, biting her lip to stop the tears from filling her eyes.
"He doesn't love you."
"Hermione, kill it!" Ron said, remembering where he was. Hermione seemed too far gone; the tears were visible in her eyes but she was desperately trying to make sure they didn't come out, and she was completely sucked in to what was going on in front of her. Ron looked round, and saw the 'prince charming' figure was joined by a duplicate of himself, ghostly like the other man, and looking down on Hermione.
"You left me to run away from you when I was sick of being ignored in the tent. You stayed with him, not me." Ghost Ron spat. Hermione shook her head, the tears now spilling from her eyes. "When I found my way back to you, you couldn't have cared less. You treat me like shit."
"No," Hermione whimpered, still shaking her head in disbelief.
"Hermione..." Ron started, but was cut off by the horcrux.
"You still claim to love me? Ha. I don't love you."
"I know," Hermione whispered, and horcrux-Ron smirked. Ron was shocked that Hermione was affected so much by this, and took a step closer to her, gripping her by the shoulders and looking into her eyes.
"Listen to me," Ron said sternly. "That thing was built to drive you crazy, it's how it defends itself. You need to destroy-"
He was cut off yet again, as he heard his childlike voice booming from the horcrux.
"She's a nightmare, honestly! No wonder she hasn't got any friends!"
Ron's eyes widened at the memory, swallowing hard as the guilt pulsed though him. The figure had changed into more of a memory cloud, and he found himself looking into the face of his younger self. Horcrux Ron shrugged, before the memory changed to one of their third year, during a care of magical creatures lesson.
"Anything concerning a deeper meaning, dearest Ronald would shy away. Have you noticed?" The prince charming figure asked mockingly, showing as third-year Hermione's hand shot out to hold Ron's and Ron cringed away. It then changed to their fourth year, showing off Ron's interest in Fleur and not her. It showed the argument they had after the Yule ball, and the man commented on how Ron didn't care about her feelings, and when he realised he'd upset her he simply ran away.
"Ron you spoil everything!" The memory of Hermione shrieked, breaking down into tears.
"Do you want to know why he couldn't care for you?"
The memory cloud changed again, where Ron looked a little older but he couldn't work out how old exactly. The scene lacked familiarity; he was talking to Harry in what seemed to be the boy's dorms.
"She's really starting to irritate me," Ron said. "All she's good for is someone to do our homework for us."
"You know, I think she properly likes you. Like, like-like's you," Harry in the supposed memory said. Memory-Ron laughed.
"That's disgusting! Could you imagine going out with her? She'd probably just nag all the time. No wonder she's never had a proper boyfriend," he said, continuing to laugh with Harry. Real Ron looked over to see Hermione had collapsed into sobs, and put his arm around her, trying to bring her round.
"It's a lie, Hermione! Why would I say that?"
"She's ugly too. Sometimes I find it hard to look at her face. It's like she's been permanently punched in the face or something!"
"You know that's not what I think, Hermione," Ron said desperately, as she cried further.
"You were even gonna ask her to the ball ages ago," Harry laughed.
"Yeah, as a last resort! I'm glad I didn't though, the thought of even touching her is just wrong. Whenever I do touch her I feel sick."
"Hermione, it's not true!" Ron said, curling his arms around her torso and hugging her tightly from behind. "Don't listen to it," he begged.
"What if she kissed you?" Horcrux Harry laughed, but it nearly sounded like a cackle to real Ron's ears.
"Urgh, Harry that's disgusting! The whole idea is just revolting! The idea of going out with her is revolting!"
The horcrux version's of Harry and Ron continued to laugh and Ron hugged Hermione tighter, trying to stop himself from crying. Hermione's cries were painful to hear, and Ron was still shocked at how much this actually affected her.
"I promise you," Ron whispered into her ear. "You're the most amazing person I've ever met... you mean so much to me. I don't even know how to describe it."
"You don't... understand... how much... this... hurts," Hermione said through her tears. "You don't know... how much... I... care... about you..."
"Shhh," Ron said, turning her round and wiping the tears off her face, though at the rate they were pouring it didn't make much of a difference. "Believe me, I do. I do know."
Hermione tearily looked into his eyes, wondering if the deeper meaning she got behind these words were true, but before she could ask the horcrux seemed to be getting desperate.
"If he 'loves you'," the prince charming man said, "He would've have done something about it now. Remember this?"
The memory showed the very thing that had forced Hermione to come to terms with her feelings in the first place; Lavender and Ron, kissing. It seemed to be in slow motion, as if allowing it to sink in.
"He never even claimed to love Lavender. Never claimed to have any strong adoring feelings for her at all, really. So if he kissed her without love, surely if he did feel anything for you he would've done something about it by now?"
Hermione looked away, realising that was actually a good point. Seeing that he was winning, the prince-charming figure smirked. Ron glared fiercely at him. He wasn't gonna let him destroy Hermione, especially not at his cost.
Despite the sudden butterflies in his stomach, he put a finger under Hermione's chin and turned her head lightly, sure that his ears were already glowing red from what he was about to do. Hermione looked at him briefly, but quickly looked away as more tears streamed down her face. Ron lifted her head up, forcing her to look at him, and curled his other arm protectively around her neck as he slowly closed the gap between them, kissing her with just enough passion to show that he really meant it. Hermione seemed a little dumbstruck at first, but when she kissed him back Ron almost sighed of relief, pulling away from her and smiling.
"I mean it," Ron said, catching the last of Hermione's tears on his finger and wiping it away. "I love you," he whispered.
Hermione smiled, unaffected now when the horcrux screamed,
"He's LYING! He'll say anything just to get out of a sticky situation!"
Ron put his own hand over the one of Hermione's that was holding the basilisk fang, and nodded at her. She smiled, and they both looked at the cup; their goal.
"3... 2... 1... go!"
The both of them charged towards the cup, running through the man that was still screaming at Hermione and stabbed with the hardest of their combined strength, making the visions flicker away like a blown out light bulb. Hermione stabbed at it herself an extra couple of times, before letting go of the fang, dropping it to the floor. The sound echoed around the now peaceful chamber, and Hermione looked up at Ron, smiling a relieved, happy smile. Rom smiled back, and pulled her into a strong, embracing hug. Hermione sighed, now crying little tears of happiness. Everything seemed to perfect now.
"We should probably get back," Ron whispered, kissing the top of Hermione's head. Hermione nodded in sad agreement, picking up the fang on the floor.
"Just in case," she smiled, using her other hand to hold Ron's as they walked out the chamber, sharing something that was now much less of a secret.