Good evening.

The story bellow, its a retelling of the 6th book, with a twist i already mentioned at the summary.

Most of the actions and a few character dialogue, i took from both the movie and the book 'Half Blood Prince' but the rest remains the same. i just made a few changes in the original plot to accomodate this story and had to write Lavander a bit more understanding. Hope you don´t mind.

Hope you like it

Please, enjoy.

THE POISON

Harry potter made his way back to Gryffindor tower, with a annoying expression on his face, as once again, he failed to ask Prof. Slughorn, what Dumbledore needed to know about Voldemort. Sure, in one hand, the young wizard couldn´t help, but feel sorry for the old professor, once Dumbledore just wanted him at Hogwarts, to answer a question.

As he turn the next corner by the main staircase, Harry bumped into his friend Ron, who was rushing toward the common room as well, eager to ger away from something, or someone.

''Ron, is everything alright?'' the black hair boy asked confused

''yeah, I ran away from Lavanda, told her to wait for me in the library, and came running here. Man, I need space.'' He explains and Harry laugh.

''jut let me know when she show up, so I can get out, don´t want to be close when she came'' he said as they cross the portrait and entered the place.

For the time of day, the common room was strangely empty, except for one person; their best friend in the world, Hermione Jean Granger, who was sitting on the floor in front the fireplace, a box of Cauldron Cakes by her side.

''Hermione? What are you doing here?'' asked Harry, thinking that his friend would be in the library as she'd mentioned earlier.

''Hello, boys,'' she greeted them absently. ''I was just thinking,'' she said.

''Who gave you the cauldron cakes?'' Ron asked in a suspicious tone.

''Huh? Oh, I have no idea, but it has a note for me, and I was hungry, so I decided to eat some while studying,'' she said, turning her attention back to the fire, leaving her friends confused.

''Hermione, are you alright?'' Harry asked again and in response, she turn to look at him, annoyed.

''I said I'm fine…I just…can't stop think about him.''

''Who?'' both Harry and Ron asked at the same time.

''Cormac,'' she said dreamily, ''Cormac McLaggen, isn't he cute?'' she said, her voice resembling Luna's a bit.

''Cute? I thought you said he was disgusting!'' Ron exclaimed incredulously, turning red. Hermione suddenly looked furious and stood up. She would've slapped him too had Harry not grabbed her arm and held her back.

''Don't call him that, Ronald Weasley! I'm in love with him,'' she snapped and for a second, the three of them were silent as mice.

It was Harry who broke the silence. ''Hermione, are you sure? You think you know him for real?'' he asked. Sure, Hermione had been Cormac's guest for Slughorn's party, but Harry doubted they'd shared a single sentence.

''Well, I…'' she started ''actually I don't think so… Can you guys introduce me to him?'' she asked and before the boys could answer, the girl took her place by the fire again, with a dreamy look in her eyes.

In the meantime, Ron decided to look at the box and at the note Hermione had mentioned.

''Harry, look at it'' Ron said and read the note aloud, ''to my dear Hermione Granger, hope you like the cake, your secret admirer… Cormac poisoned her with love potion?''

''Appears so… or someone pretending to be him,'' Harry replied, looking at Ron in the eye, knowing his friend liked Hermione.

''Don't look at me, mate.''

''Okay, what we do now?''

''Take her to Slughorn? He might know what to do,'' Ron suggested.

''Brilliant!'' Harry agreed, as Ron approached Hermione.

''Come on, 'Mione, we're going to take you to Slughorn,'' he said, and she frowned.

''Slughorn?'' she asked confused ''Why?''

''Because…'' Ron started.

''Well, I heard that Cormac was going to have extra classes with him tonight,'' Harry said quickly and looked at Ron, ''Maybe you can find him there.''

''Oh…'' The girl stood up quickly. ''So what are we waiting for? Let's go… I can't wait to give him a kiss,'' she said, and Harry could swear Ron had turned green.

_/_

At his office, old Professor Slughorn was having a cup of tea, when he heard someone knocking on his door. Confused, he got up and went to see who was, just to came face with face with Harry Potter. He growled and swore that if Harry wanted to ask him questions again, he would take points from Gryffindor.

''Professor, sorry for bothering you so late, but it's urgent,'' said the boy and, from behind him, Professor Slughorn could see a very anxious Hermione tiptoeing, trying to let go of Ron's grasp.

''What happened to Granger?'' Slughorn asked confused.

''Very powerful love potion,'' Harry whispered.

''Oh, bring her here then,'' the professor said, opening the door.

Once the door opened, Hermione manage to get out from Ron's grasp, rush past Harry and their professor and enter the room, anxious to see her lovely Cormac. Harry and Ron gave the professor an apologetic look.

''Don't you worry, boys, your friend will be as good as new in a minute.'' Slughorn smiled. ''But I suppose you could create a nice antidote yourself, Harry,'' he said, as Ron again tried to make Hermione stay still.

''Thank you, sir, but I thought this was a case for more - er - experienced hands,'' the boy said as Hermione approached and proceeded to give the professor a hug.

''Cormac, my darling…'' she whispered.

''Perhaps you are right'' he said, patting her on the back awkwardly.

While Ron annoyedly fought with Hermione for the next couple of minutes to prevent the girl from hugging Slughorn again, Harry took the time to apologize for continually nagging him with questions and, to his surprise, Slughorn forgave him.

Still, on the other hand, Hermione was in a deep trance and was more interested in hugging and kissing her professor, thinking he was the boy she loved.

''Hermione, stop it,'' Ron growled. ''I will punch Cormac when I see him… how dare him give my girl… my friend love potions!'' Ron thought for himself.

''Here it is, girl!'' Slughorn's voice pulled Ron out of his thoughts as the old man approached them with a glass. ''Drink it.''

''What is it?'' Hermione asked, accepting the drink.

''He must be arriving anytime soon, you need some tonic for the nerves,'' the professor lied and, without excitation, the girl drank all the liquid.

For a long second, the room was silent, then, all a suddenly, Hermione's expression changed from smiley to serious and she looked between her best friends and her teacher with an embarrassed look, her face starting to feel warm.

''Guys? What happened?'' she gasped.

''Are you feeling alright, 'Mione?'' Ron asked, seeming relieved.

''You drank a love potion,'' Harry laughed.

''Pretty strong one I must say,'' Slughorn said, smiling at them.

''I feel awful'' the witch complained, hiding her face in her hands.

''My friends, what we need is a drink!'' the old man exclaimed, and he went to grab four glasses and a bottle of what appeared to be wine. Then, he poured three glasses for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and one for him. ''Alright everyone… cheers!'' he announced happily, as he handed the glasses to everyone, when suddenly…

Everything happened in slow motion; in one second, Professor Slughorn and the two Gryffindor comrades were toasting and the second next, their female companion was falling on the ground. Luckily, Ron was quick enough to somehow catch her before she hit the ground, still, seeing the girl he truly loved trashing and drooling on his arms, didn't make him feel better.

''Mione? God, what's happening?'' he cried ''Hermione, answer me! Help!''

''Professor, you need to do something!'' Harry gasped; he was in panic with the scene in front of him.

''i… I don´t understand!'' Poor old Slughorn was confused with the scene, so instead of waiting, Harry rushed toward the teacher´s cabinet, trying to find something that could save his friend from dying.

''Mione please, don´t die, please, you can´t leave me'' Ron cried. The spams that had taken over the girl´s body was slowly lessen and her eyes had rolled back on her head. ''I l…''

Suddenly, Harry came back and without protest, shoved a green stone he had found, inside his friends mouth.

''Bezoar'' he said ''come on, Mione, breath'' the other boy prayed.

A full minute of silence echoed the room, Ron was still embracing Hermione tight, as she was his last hope of survival. Harry was kneeled beside his friends, in shock and Slughorn was just standing still next to them.

Then, Hermione took a deep breath and cough.

''Mione…oh thanks heavens'' Ron smiled finally

''Ron…'' she whispered and mention to touch his cheeks, but end up passing out again, due exhaustion and the medicinal bezoar.

_/_

It was a strange scent to everyone who came across the group as they walk toward the hospital wing. At the front, Ron carried Hermione safe in his arms. Harry follow right behind his friends and Slughorn came last, holding the bottle of poisoned wine. As approaching the hospital then, they came face to face, with a stressed Lavender Brown, who seemed furious at seen Ron there, carrying Hermione on his arms.

''Won-won, where have you been? I´ve been looking for you!'' she exclaimed ''what she´s doing in your arms?'' she pointed to a semi-unconscious Hermione, who shivered on Ron´s arms

''ah, get out of my way!'' Ron barked at her.

''Lavander, there´s no time to explain, call Ginny Weasley and Professor McGonagall, it´s urgent and try to find professor Dumbledore, please'' Harry instructed as they continue to march toward the hospital.

Seen the urgency in Harry Potter´s voice, Lavander Brown decided to not argue and left to find her superiors.

_/_

Almost half an hour later, the hospital was crowded, Lavander Brown had come back not only with Ginny and McGonagall, but Dumbledore and Snape had joined them. Madame Pomfrey was attending Hermione, Ron was sitting on a chair by the bed, Ginny at his side, while Harry and Lavander stood still at the foot of the bed.

''Good action from you Harry, using the Bezoar, you must be proud of your student, Horace'' Dumbledore said

''yes, I'm proud''' the professor managed to find his voice, which came above a whisper.

''we have to agree, Potter´s actions were heroic'' Professor McGonnell agreed ''but why they were necessary?''

''indeed'' the headmaster turned to his old friend, asking where he had bought that wine.

''I bought in the bar, I wanted to give as a gift'' he said

''a gift?'' Dumbledore asked confuse ''for who?'' he asked and when Slughorn told the bottle of wine, was a gift for him, the room fell silent.

''Won-won'' Lavander took the opportunity to approach Ron, ignoring Ginny´s furious glare ''lets go back to the common room, your friend is alright now'' she said with a smile, still, before Ron could say something, Hermione start to stir on the bed, but didn´t woke up.

''R-nal-d… Ro-nald...'' Hermione whispered and in response, Ron took her hand.

''I'm here, Mione, you´re alright'' he said with a sweet tune, no one had heard he use before. Such tune however, provoke a emotional reaction to Lavandar, who seen her boyfriend holding another girl´s hand, left the hospital, crying.

''oh, to be young and feel the pain caused by love'' Dumbledore smiled ''right everyone, we can leave, Ms. Granger is well tended'' he said asking everyone to leave.

''its about time, don´t you think?'' Ginny looked at Harry and smiled before leave with the rest.

_/_

The rest of the day went quick and soon Hermione start to regain consciousness, Madame Pomfrey ask Ron to leave and let Hermione rest.

This way, he goes back to the Common Room expecting to fi d Harry, but since his friend was nowhere to be seen, the youngest of the Weasley brothers, decided to sit down and take a nap on the couch, when to his displeasure, Lavender appear.

'' hi Rnnie'' she said.

''huh? Oh, hi'' he said ''Sorry for early, Lavander, what I can help you?'' he asked

''I love you, Ron'' she said and he looked at her with a frown.

''yeah, well…'' he started, but failed to think of something to say. ''I don´t think…''

''you don´t think you love me?'' she asked, and he looked at her ''Listen Ron, I saw the way you look at your friend and… I think you love her''

''yeah…'' Ron agreed ''suppose you´re right'' he said

''so, i´m walking away from you'' she said ''go stay with her if you love her…but know that you break my heart!'' she said thanks for understand'', trying to make him feel guilt, but instead, Ron just smiled.

''Thank you, Lavender, really, thank you for understand'' Ron said, and the girl parted with a sad smile.

Now finally free to declare his love to the girl he truly loved, Ron set on the couch again.

He just couldn´t wait to tell Harry and of course, Hermione, what just had happened.

But this time, he only prsyed to hids hermione get well soon.

END

Sorry for the bad ending, my ideas was slipping away