'We need to get rid of this,' Hermione said, swinging the cup between her fingers. 'Can you imagine how bad it would be to have a part of Vol-'

'Hermione," I said warningly. "Please...'

'Voldemort,' Hermione finished, pacing down the corridor so fast I had to hurry to keep up with her. 'What? They'll just assume it's some Order member, won't they?' Hermione said.

I shrugged. It's not just that- I hate that name. Maybe because Hermione and Harry were raised by Muggles, they didn't grasp the terror associated with the name. Dad used to tell me stories of the war, when Mum wasn't listening ('Arthur, it's not appropriate; he's just a child.') and those stories scared me, okay? Dad told me how You-Know-You had murdered so easily, with a smile stretched across his lips. How he tortured, his victims writhing on the ground, screaming and screaming in pain. How he jerked them about like a cruel puppeteer, and made it funny, made the torture into a joke.

Of course, Dad turned the stories into adventures, but one thing he also told me not to say You-Know-Who's real name. Said, even now Harry had killed him or whatever he'd done, it would bring bad luck. Because You-Know-Who would instantly kill anyone who called him his name, and his ghost, his shadow was still looming over us.

Yeah, yeah, I know it's stupid and superstitious, but I don't like it. I'm not that bloody brave like Harry or Hermione.

'Don't be silly,' Hermione said briskly. 'Anyway, we need to do something about the horcrux, Ron.'

''Mione, if it's too heavy, I'll put it in my bag,' I said, smirking. 'Yeah, I know what you meant,' I laughed, as she opened her mouth to explain. 'But we've tried, and we don't have the sword, do we?'

'Then we need another way. We can't carry a piece of Voldemort-.' I sighed. '-around when we're about to fight him. The horcrux isn't just an object, the diary and locket both demonstrated that. If we have it on us as we fight Voldemort, it might mute our powers, or have slow-reactions, or even worse-.'

'Got it,' I said, interrupting Hermione's anxious rant. I jogged along behind her, out of breath. She was speaking so fast I couldn't really I understand her anyway, but I got the principal. Need to destroy horcrux. Like now. 'Should we pop down to the chamber of secrets and make friends with the great slimy basilisk, you think?'

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, her hair- god, I loved that frizzy brown hair, the colour of chocolate- whipping out behind her. Like a brunette angel, but with a fierce personality, loud laugh, and a thick book under her arm. Well, maybe not an angel. Hermione was no angel, not at all, and that's what made her Hermione.

'What's up?' I said, finally catching up with her.

'You've hit on something,' Hermione said. 'Ron, you're brilliant.'

'Always the tone of surprise,' I said, smiling. Then I realised what she was talking about, and felt my heart sink. Yeah, she had a right to be surprised, as I hadn't been brilliant at all. 'Hermione, I was joking.'

'I know, I know,' she said hurriedly. 'But, don't you see? We could go down to the Chamber of Secrets; I mean, I was petrified, but how do you get in, Ron?'

I love the fact Hermione was asking me something, not to test my knowledge but because she genuinely doesn't know and she is relying on me. A bubbly warmness fills me inside, and I just want to give the answer Hermione wants.

'Well, it's in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and you say 'open' in Parsletongue to get-.'
'Right,' said Hermione, determination settling on her face. 'We need Harry.'

'No!' I cut in. This was my idea- sort of- and I don't want Harry strutting in and being the hero. Just for once, I want to be the one who works it out, kills the monster, or horcux, and comes out with a triumphant smile. Harry wouldn't mean to unseat me, of course he wouldn't, and when he came out his smile would be shocked too, and Hermione would crowd round him, congratulating him. And maybe Harry says he loves Hermione like a sister, but...

'No?' said Hermione. 'But we need Harry-.' Of course we do. 'Neither of us could get in, could we?'

'I could,' I said rashly. 'Yeah, I've heard Harry say 'open' loads of times; I can imitate it easily. Needn't bother looking for Harry, he might be on a lead...'

I sound a lot more confident than I am inside. Perhaps I can imitate it, but it will take many, many tries, and I'm not sure if I can anyway. I cringe, thinking how horrible it would be to be hissing stupidly at the unmoving tap, Hermione watching critically.

And this is a war we're fighting. Is it selfish, pretending I can do this when I know Harry can, just so I look good in front of the girl I love. If we lose the war, Hermione will be dead.

'I'm not sure it works like that,' Hermione said.'"Parsletongue is principally a born gift, though after years of study you might reach a state of basic understanding and be able to just about communicate- though it's terribly risky, because if you accidently say the wrong thing to a snake-.'

'It's just one word,' I remind her, but my heart sinks. Maybe I just wasn't born to be a hero, however ever much I tried. Maybe I was born to be over-shadowed, and never get the girl I wanted. 'And the sinks aren't a snake, so they won't eat me.' My voice is light, cheerful. 'God, 'Mione, can you imagine sinks trying to eat us? The pipes spinning, and the sinks clanking, as the two tap fangs shoot watery poison.'

She laughed, loudly. 'I don't think the sinks will eat you.'

'That wasn't what you were saying a minute ago,' I tease her.

'No, you just have a bad memory. But, seriously-.' Her forehead creases with worry lines, and I stop joking around at once. Yes, we're at war. '- Do you think you can get into the Chamber?'

'Yes.'

'You sure?' she said dubiously.

'Trust me, Hermione,' I said, even though I don't trust myself. Our eyes meet for a moment, and my heart jumps in my chest. I expect her to start ranting on about how I can't be sure, because I've never tried, and Parsletongue is a gift, but she doesn't.

'I do,' she said bluntly.

We stood there, half-smiling at each other, for a moment. Then she grabbed my hand, and pulled me away, holding to my hand like a lifeline

'Come on,' she said, running down a flight of stairs. 'Ron, we're about to start a battle. We could have minutes!'

After that we don't talk, and somehow, amidst the crowds and confusion our hands break apart. You can't sprint holding hands. I can't see her into the crowds clear, and we run across the top floor, towards Myrtle's bathroom, glancing at each other. She smirks as she burst ahead of me, and I know it's become a race. We charge along, and I trip slightly letting her get even more in the lead, but I accelerate… gain on her... gain on her... grinning, I rush part her and lean against the bathroom door, panting.

'I won,' I said, as she catches up.

'When did it become a race?' Hermiome said innocently.

'Oh, you say that now,' I laugh.

Silently, we find our way to Myrtle's cubicle, and go inside. It stinks, and Myrtles zooms out of the toilet to join us.

'Brings back the memories, doesn't it?' I said, glancing at Hermione. 'Well, here goes.'

'What are you doing?' Myrtle said shrilly. I ignored her, but Hermione starts to awkwardly explain.

I take the moment when they're not scrutinising me, and look round the sinks, trying to find the one with the small snake engraved on it. On my second try, after gaping at some normal tap for thirty second, I see it; miniscule and roughly carved, but with strangely alive eyes. Just what I need, I think bitterly. Another set of eyes staring at me when I'm probably going to fail anyway. Then Hermione will be annoyed, and Myrtle will laugh, and I'll stand about uselessly, unsure of what to do, as my best friends wins this.

The three sets of eyes watched me, waiting. I clear my throat, and try to remember Harry's hissing, before the locket broke open... All I can think of is the Riddle-Harry and Hermione entwined, kissing, leaving me to watch them, unwanted. Riddle-Hermione pulls Harry closer, and she is wild and cold and beautiful and even more so with Harry with her. Their kissing is so passionate, and they laugh, they laugh at me...

'Ron?'
'Sorry, I, uh, just thinking.'

I concentrate on what came before, the hissing. But there's nothing. My mind has never been so blank.

'Ron?' said Hermione quietly.

'Wait. Ssss. Ssss,' I hissed lamely. Nothing happened.

'Look, Ron,' Hermione said. 'You can't do this, and you know it. You think that if Harry comes along and does this, people won't recognise you as a hero, and you want that, Harry's fame, don't you?' She was irritatingly correct, as normal. 'But you still thought of the idea,' she continued. 'And... Ron, I want you to know that, that I don't like Harry roman-.'

'I can do it,' I said, hands rolling into fists, hardly listening I'm concentrating so hard. I was imagining that Ginny was lying inside that chamber, and she could have been dead... Harry leant down and hissed. I thought of the inflection in his voice, and copied it. This time it sounded better, though nothing happened.

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

'Fine, try once more,' she said grudgingly.

I know I have to think of more recent memories and once again, I let my mind wander to the time I been trying to avoid thinking about for so long.

'On three,' Harry said, looking back down at the locket. I swallowed, and watched him, nausea rising in my throat. "'One... two... three...' I gripped the sword tighter than ever. 'Open.' At least, I assume that's what he said, because I didn't understand the last word. It was something between a snarl and hiss, and it sent shivers up my spine.

'Open,' I repeated, and think of that snarl at the same time, and somehow, somehow, the sounds are mixed together, and I hear almost the exact same noise that Harry made coming from my mouth.

The sink shifted, and sank out of sight. I watched, mouth open, as it reveals a large pipe, large enough for a man to slide into. I let out a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding in.

'See?' I told Hermione. 'You didn't believe I could!'

'Is this what's supposed to happen?' Hermione said loudly. 'Do we slide down, is it safe?'

'Yes,' I said. 'I'll go down first.'

Hermione shook her head. 'I want to.'

"I opened it," I said stubbornly. 'Not you. You wanted to go running around looking for Harry, and wasting time. So I think I should be allowed to go down first.'

'That's irrelevant,' Hermione said. 'It was better safe than sorry; we know Harry can speak it, and we would have wasted even more time if you hadn't been able to open it, and let's face it, that was pure luck, anyhow!'

'Oh? Next time, you can have pure luck, and open it!'

'Just situations. If I'd been with Harry any time he said that word...'

'You wouldn't need me,' I finished bitterly. 'You and your saviour of the world boyfriend could go off and leave me behind, like you obviously want to!'

'That's untrue,' Hermione said. 'I don't like Harry like that, Ron. I fancy you, and you know it!'

There was a long, awkward silence.

'So, I'll slide down first,' I said, grinning.

Hermione shook her head. 'Together?'

'Okay.'

I wrapped my arms round her, as if we were about to ballroom dance. We sat down wrapped around each other, at the top of the slide. Myrtle catcalled, and we laughed, and pushed ourselves forward- and down, down, down. Within seconds, utter blackness had closed around her, and we shot faster and faster, twisting and turning, the air becoming cold and thick and dusty. Only Hermione felt warm. My hair flew out behind me, and it felt like the craziest Muggle fair-ride, and I found myself laughing, the noise echoing.

Before I could adjust, we landed with a thump at the bottom of the slide, green light shimmering over us. Hermione's eyes were round as pennies and the light glowed over her, making her eyes look luminous green.

'That was horrible,' she whimpered.

'I liked it, rather,' I admitted.

I don't think it was just the light which made her look rather green.

'Were you scared?' I teased. 'Aw, poor you.'

'No. Yuck, this place is infested with spiders,' Hermione said.

I looked around quickly, and laughed when I saw the floor was empty... but of bones, and a think layer of dust.

'Can't believe you fell for that. Well.' She swallowed. 'Let's go. You lead the way, you've been here before.'

I nodded, and we set off, hand in hand, taking care not to crunch the mouse skulls littered in the dust. God, I hope this works, and I hope that destroying the horcrux won't take the same sacrifice Regulus made. Because last time we had Fawkes, and now I have no idea how we can get up that tunnel, where the blackness so think it's tangible. From the way Hermione glanced up into it, and away again, I get the feeling she's wondering the same thing.

Neither of us speak much. We get through the rubble and then, there is it, the basalisk. It's huge, and the stench is worse than anything. I thought it might have rotted away, but it was preserved perfectly, mouth jammed shut. I think- Ginny's corpse could be lying here, preserved perfectly as well, as well, a doll next to this monster.

'We need to pull open its jaws.'

I shook my head slightly, as if to shake away the memories. 'If I do that, can you pull out the fang?' I asked.

She nodded grimly. Dried blood stuck the mouth together, and as I pulled at it, the whole bottom jaw came off in my hands. It was mangled, with flesh hanging off in strips. The teeth clung into it, though, and I dropped the jaw with a clatter onto the floor.

'And you can pull the tooth out,' I said, disgusted.

'Always so chivalrous,' Hermione muttered, but she leant down, and gave a quick tug at the fang. After several moments, she put her hand on the rotting flesh of the jaw of pushed against it as she yanked the fang from the mouth.

'Ew,' Hermione said, rubbing her hands on her skirt.

We stood, examining the old basalisk fang that could still kill. Even after five years it looked as sharp and deadly as ever. I was about to speak, when a different voice rang out , high and cold and clear. There was no telling where it came from; it seemed to echo from the walls themselves. Like the rotting basalisk at our feet, it may have lain dormant there for centuries.

'I know that you are preparing to fight,' it said. I grabbed Hermione's hand, and she screamed softly, looking around hopelessly. 'Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me,' said You-Know-Who. 'I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwars. I do not want to spill magical blood.' There was a silence now, deeper and thicker than ever before, it seemed to scream against our eardrums. 'Give me Harry Potter," said You-Know-Who. 'And None shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded.'

'You have until midnight.'

The silence swallowed us again. Hermione and I stared at each other, hopeless and terrified and furious, all at once. I had been shredded naked. Voldemort was all around us, contaminating everything. I felt rather as if I had floated out of my body, and was watching a ginger boy stare at the girl he loved; the girl he might die with, here. She clutched the basalisk fang, and the cup swung between her fingers, and the snake coiled around their feet.

'He was addressing everyone,' Hermione said finally. 'He had to be.' Her fright seemed to be reduced by explaining things. 'If he was able to find us, he'd kill us, I'm sure.'

'Yeah.' If Hermione was right, if everyone in the school could hear also, then Harry must have to. And I knew Harry, and he wouldn't- he wouldn't- go and sacrifice himself or something, would he? I could almost tell he was pausing in the Ravenclaw common room, locking eyes with Luna, and shaking her away, and muttering 'I've got to go.' and 'I don't want them dying for me...' Stupid Harry. Don't do it.

'Luna wouldn't let him,' Hermione said, as if she'd read my mind. 'Nobody would.'

The thought made me sick, but there was nothing we could do, not when we were trapped here.

'Stab the cup,' I said.

She looked down at her hands, and the cup and the old basalisk fang, as if she'd forgotten they were there. The Hufflepuff cup was so golden and metal, it seemed silly to think the withering, slightly blunted fang could destroy it. In fact, the cup had an aura of goodness about it, however strange that sounds, as if it came from squeaky clean tournaments and poetry competitions, all fair and proper and straight-forward. I might have wanted to keep it, if my hands hadn't burnt as I touched it.

'Quickly.'

My hands were burning, scorched, and it took everything to not drop it. Hermione raised the fang, but her hand went limp as she looked, the hurt of failure in her eyes.

'You can!'

Hermione pursed her lips. I knew she had realised this cup was a bit of Voldemort too, that Voldemort could kill us and Harry and everyone, and that a death here would be painful. Slowly withering to death, watching our lover slide towards death, and rot away, two dolls to replace Ginny beside the managed snake. Tears brimmed in Hermione's eyes. We were helpless.

'Do it now,' I said, but my voice, which was meant to loud and confident, was almost a whisper. 'We can stop Voldemort.' I wondered quickly whether he would track us here now, and I'd just sodified our certain death. 'We can stop this happening to another pair of teens, stop another bushy-haired beautiful girl from-.' I'm so useless. I'd been attempting to motivate and had simply reminded her of what would happen to us.

'Now,' she echoed and her fingers tightened round the fang. She plunged at the cup, fang slashing into it. There was a terrible screech of metal on metal, and the cup clanked to the floor. I had dropped it. It lay still, a broken relic, nothing but a ruined trophy.

'Is it over?' she said.

I nodded, and picked the cup up again. It felt somewhat lighter and cooler, and suddenly it seemed funny we'd gone to so much effort to destroy such a tame item.

'We did it,' Hermione said, a smile breaking across her face. 'Ron, we did it!'

'I know!' I said, and giggled. She grabbed my hand and my every nerve was on fire; I was laughing and alive, for now, with Hermione.