Chapter 4:

I know I suck about updating :P I'm sorry! But I'm making it up to you now, OK?:)

Hermione was annoyed. Particularly at a certain red-headed boy who was being completely inconsiderate at the moment. What was his problem? She knew he could be a complete moron sometimes but clearly, something was bothering him.

"OK, Ron, since what you have to say is so important, what is it?"

Ron stared at her blankly. "It's—it's nothing," he stuttered.

She glared at him. Nothing? What the hell was his problem?

"Nothing," she repeated slowly, raising an eyebrow, "You're sure?"

Ron nodded, purposefully not meeting her eyes. "Yep, I'm sure."

She looked over at Harry, who just shrugged.

"Okay then…well, tonight I'm going over to my parent's-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Ron said, "tonight? Are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean, shouldn't you think this through?" He was babbling now, which Hermione knew wasn't a good sign. There was something he definitely wasn't telling her.

"Are you okay, Ron? There's something you're not telling me. I'm not an idiot," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ron looked behind him and gave out a sharp yelp. "C'mon, come with me." He grabbed Harry and Hermione by the arms and started dragging them down the street.

"Ron, what the hell are you doing?" Harry demanded. Ron's face had suddenly become very pale and his big hands were starting to get clammy. Ron chanced another look over his shoulder and started walking even faster. The two men from the record shop were close behind them and he didn't want them recognizing them in the middle of the street.

He shoved his two best friends into a convenient alleyway and made sure that he had lost the two stalkers.

"Okay, listen," he began, holding up his hands before either of his friends could say anything. "In the record store, there were these two guys and they were talking about us. They were particularly interested in you, Hermione. I think they're going to try and do something to your parents because they know you'd try and save them.

"Apparently they've been following us since we got here. They followed us last night while we were at the diner."

Harry's mouth had dropped open in astonishment while Hermione had gone very pale.

"Do you think they're Death Eaters?" Harry asked quietly.

"Dunno," Ron said, "But they're definitely wizards."

"Oh my God," Hermione whispered. Her legs fell out from beneath her and she slid down the length of the wall until she was sitting on the ground.

This cannot be happening. He's lying. She started trembling against the wall and her breathing was shallower.

"What do they want with my parents?" she managed to choke out. "Or me?" Just the thought of Death Eaters wanting something to do with her made her skin crawl and her blood run cold in her veins.

Ron just shook his head. "I've no idea what they're planning."

The trio just stood there, soaking in the information that Ron had bestowed.

"We have to do something," Harry stated.

Hermione bit her tongue so she wouldn't make a smart-ass comeback at Harry's remark. Obviously they had to do something! Her parents were in danger.

"Well, sitting here won't get anything done," Hermione said, standing up and brushing herself off. "Either we go tonight to get my parents and get out of here before those guys notice, or we fight them off ourselves and make sure they won't follow us anymore."

"It's up to you Hermione, they're your parents," Harry said.

Ron nodded in agreement.

Hermione could see gaping holes in both plans. If they went tonight, the two men could easily follow them back to the hotel and stop them on the way to her parent's house once they figured out what was going on. Even if that didn't happen, they could easily follow them back to London.

On the other hand, if they waited to help her parents, those slugs could have already thought of something to hurt them.

"I don't want to wait, but I don't want to blow our cover either," Hermione explained. "We could lay a false trail, but I'm afraid they'll figure it out before we can successfully get my parents to safety."

"What if we bring in help?" Ron suggested. "That way, if we set up a false trail and they figure it out, someone's waiting to catch them?"

"That's brilliant, Ron!" Hermione said, beaming.

"Yeah, I like it," Harry agreed, "We'll have to be really careful, though."

"Alright," Ron said, lowering his voice, "I say we go back to the hotel. I want you to see these guys, to see that they really are following us. Once we get back there, we can plan."

Harry and Hermione nodded. Ron poked his head around both sides of the wall and skimmed both sides of the street before motioning for the other two to follow.

"Alright, let's go."

Okay, so what'd you think? It's getting a little more intense, huh? Thank you so much for the reviews and to everyone supporting this story! I'm grateful to anyone who's reviewed this and read it and enjoyed it, of course! If you want me to try something new or a new story plot, whatever just let me know. Thanks for all of the support! You rock:)