Chapter 4

Hermione darts out into the tunnel, thrusting something into my hands – the remains of Hufflepuff's cup – as she runs by me. I hurry after her, trying to catch onto her hand, but, although she slows down, she pushes me away.

"What did you see?" I ask her gently, but she only shakes her head. Remembering what came out of my own Horcrux, I keep quiet, not wanting to press her anymore.

For a while, we walk quietly through the tunnel, but, as we get to the rock pile, Hermione breaks the silence. "I wonder how they're doing up there. I hope Harry found Ravenclaw's Horcrux."

"Yeah," I reply cautiously, glancing over at her. She's looking straight ahead, face wiped of any emotion. "And, I hope that He Wh – Voldemort hasn't come yet. I don't know what'll happen when he does.

Until that moment, the reality that Voldemort would be coming to Hogwarts hadn't really sunk in for me, and I don't think it had to Hermione either, as her eyes widen and she bites her lip.

"But the teachers," she says. "They'll keep the students safe, won't they? I mean, they're the best in all of Britain."

"Of course they will," I reassure her. Pictures of Ginny flash through my mind – Ginny laughing, Ginny's face when she first walked through Platform 9 3/4, Ginny casting her first spell. She's the only one in my family left at Hogwarts now. I have to keep her safe.

I think Hermione realizes what I'm thinking of, because she reaches over and takes my hand, clasping her fingers between mine and squeezing softly. "I'm scared for her too," she whispers, and, just like that, I lose all my uncertainty. This could be our last night together, why am I standing here like a prat, doing nothing?

"Wait," I murmur, turning to face her. I bend my head down towards her's, and for one blissful moment, I think that this is it, and we're finally going to kiss, but then her eyes dart to the side.

"Ooh, we're here," Hermione says in an unnaturally high voice, avoiding my gaze. "How do we get back up the slide?"

"I – er – well, it doesn't seem like a phoenix is going to appear anytime soon," I reply, making a feeble attempt at a joke. "Do you want me to levitate you or Banish you?"

"Good thinking!" she says sincerely. "And then I can Summon you."

"Exactly."

"Well, Banishing seems like it'll be harder to control… could you levitate me?"

"I think so." My face screws up in concentration as I point my wand at Hermione. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Hermione jets upward; she throws her hands up just in time to avoid bashing into the ceiling. "Ouch, Ron. Wait until I get lined up with the hole."

"Right, sorry," I say, lowering her back to the ground. "You okay?"

She nods stiffly and walks over to the pipe. "Ready."

"Wingardium Leviosa!" I watch her fly up into the tunnel, out of sight. "Tell me when you get there, Hermione."

A couple seconds later, she starts shouting down to me. "I can see the top… it's getting closer… I'm out, make me go backwards… okay, let me down." I hear a muted thump as she hits the floor, but to her credit, she doesn't say anything.

"Summon me when you're ready," I call upwards from underneath the hole.

Faintly, I hear "Accio, Ron," then feel myself being tugged up, soaring into the pipe. This is better than the phoenix, better than flying on a broomstick – being unhindered in the air is bliss; maybe Voldemort really did have something there.

Too soon, I rocket out into the bathroom, straight into Hermione – it was her who Summoned me, after all.

Spitting her hair out of my mouth, I laugh. "We have to work on the landings."

"Good plan," Hermione says, pushing me off her. "Let's do that sometime when we don't have anything else to do… like maybe killing a mass murderer?"

"Right. Well… back to Harry, then?"

"Lead the way!" She scoops up the basilisk fangs and falls into step behind me.

Disclaimer: Ron, Hermione, and their plan belong to JKR

A/N: One chapter left! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Now go ahead, hit that purple button