Face against a misted window
Chapter 7
Disclaimer: all these characters belong to J.K.Rowling.
"What!" Ron said his face almost comically surprised.
"You? Are you also an agent? That's not possible! Voldermort wouldn't lie to me! He wouldn't!!" Ron bit out anxiously.
"Calm down Ron! I have no interest in taking over your precious position. In fact that's the last thing I ever wanted. No, I sent that letter for a very different reason. Right after I got the letter and we had our meeting, Harry and I went for the training session. I excused myself, saying I forgot my kit in my dorm and had to get it. I went to my dorm and picked up the invisibility cloak you guys left there. Then I went to the Owlery and sent a warning to You-Know-Who via Harold, one of the school owls. I had suspicions about a traitor and I felt that someone would be coming to give the warning soon. So I wrapped myself in the invisibility cloak and waited. I saw you come and send a letter through Hedgwing.
I knew that Pig was with Ginny so I assumed that you were sending a letter home. I waited for another twenty minutes after you left, but no one else came. When I reached the training room, all of you were already there. You forgot that I too had been late Ron. After that I left for a meeting with Sirius and Lupin. The three of you were together all day after that. Also during the raid, Lesnare nodded to you just before he left. Everyone thought he was nodding at Draco. You were standing right behind him, remember?" she said, fixing Ron with a direct stare.
"Well well well, you sure you don't want to become an agent? We could do with more people like you Hermione. But now it's too late. Anyway, you should be proud of yourself, you put it together faster than I expected. It was pretty funny though, seeing you become suspicious of Malfoy. I had quite a few laughs at his expense!" Ron mocked her.
You must have laughed your head off when the day after you got your mark; you were roaming around with a bandage on your arm. All of us had come rushing up to you, so concerned and insisting that you go to the Medical Wing. Draco was the only one who was suspicious, and I, I screamed him! I've been such a big fool!" Hermione said, shaking her head in disbelief. "All those hints of spinning webs! You wanted to frame Draco! Oh God!" she said as a new horrifying possibility struck her.
"You were spying on us! That day when Draco proposed to me right here and today when he and I were having a fight! Why Ron? Why?" she asked, her mind unable to accept the monster Ron had become.
"Why? Why? Because you were mine! You were always mine! I wanted him dead. Yes, I was going to frame him and then kill him. I wouldn't mind. It was always someone else. With Harry, with you! Even with this goddamn war!" Ron shrieked.
He half- turned towards the lake, his wand still trained at Hermione. His chest was heaving as he tried to calm himself down. Hermione had never seen Ron so angry. His face was red and the vein at his temple was pulsing so hard, she felt it might burst. His entire body was taut as he tried to control his anger. His anger was radiating out from him in waves.
He took a few deep and said in almost-calm voice, "It doesn't matter now! All of you are going to die. You know too much and though I won't kill you. You're going to die soon too." Then a second later he said, "Please Hermione, listen to me. You can still survive this war. The Dark Lord will value your brilliance. You'll have a position of authority. I'll protect you. Draco's father will look after him and Harry, he can hide. But your life is in great danger, Hermione! Please listen to me, go home, go back home, you'll be safe. Please! Please don't make me kill you please" Ron pleaded, crouching in front of Hermione.
Hermione stared at him, sadness flowing through her. She looked at Ron and she saw the friend she loved so dearly. Not Spider, but Ron. Ron loved her too and because of his love, he begged her to abandon this war. He was in danger of being killed if he was found out, yet he begged her to change her mind. For a second, she was tempted, desperately wanting to believe in everything Ron told her. Her heart broke as she realized she had made her decision.
"No Ron, I can't hide. Even now Ron, when you try to convince me to join you, your wand is pointed at me. They'll kill me anyway Ron, you know that. You can't fool me and you can't deceive yourself because both of us know that You- no, Vold-Voldermort will kill me anyhow, regardless of which camp I'm in. The only fighting chance is if I fight for what I believe in. Harry can't win without us Ron! we need you, please come back to us! We don't care about the glory; you'll have all the power you want. You always said Ron that for once you wanted to be number one, here's your chance, just please come back. We won't even remember all of this, just give this up now. You know your life is in danger Ron, more so than mine! Please Ron! Please come back to us! Please" Hermione ended, sobbing.
Ron gradually lowered his wand, as did Hermione. Ron reached over to hug her hard, as she sobbed against him.
"Hush Hermione, you know it's too late for all this. You can't change yourself and I don't want to be changed. I'll always love you, Hermione and Harry will always be my best mate. I'm just sorry I wasn't good enough. We were always friends and we will always be. I have to go Hermione, but be aware! It's all going to be over soon perhaps in the next few days. I don't know if I will ever see you again. If you ever change your mind, just send a letter through Pig." Ron said gently.
He tenderly kissed her on the cheek and wiped away her tears.
They turned to see Harry and Draco only a few feet away from them now. Ron turned back and looked at her sadly. "I guess this is it. Bye Mione, tell Draco to take care of you! And tell Harry I hope he wins." He then gave his normal goofy smile and
Touched the ring on his index finger. "Porticus!" he called out.
Hermione leapt towards Ron, "No! Wait!"
But he was already gone. She caught hold of only air.
She collapsed on the ground, crying her heart out. Draco and Harry came running up then. They saw her on the ground and bent down to hug her.
They sat that way for the next few hours.
