It's Not Like You're In Love With Me!
Chapter 9: The Power of Love
Author's Note: This chapter might be a little cliché too, but can't help it.
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, silent looks of horror. They looked back towards the door, and to the figure standing there. Grasping hands, they stood up, and walked towards the light coming from the doorway. It blinded their vision, and it became bigger as they walked slowly on.
When they were at the door, the druid said, "You must be dressed in the sacrificial garments." Bronze light came from her palms, and it flared. When Ron and Hermione looked at themselves, they saw they were dressed in white robes, with a black pentagram upon them.
"Come on!" The druid led them to another door; this one was bigger and looked more ancient. It was odd to find things like this in local sewers, but Ron and Hermione didn't ask. The druid stood in front of the door and said to it, "By the power of Hecate, our life is given!" The door swung open.
It revealed a high, circular room with a tall roof. Unlike the rest of the place, it was dry. Many more druids were inside dressed in the clothes like Gwyneth now wore, and an image of a tree was carved into the stone. I knew they were tree worshipping nutters! Hermione thought. Magical items like stones of different colors and weeds of certain plants decorated the walls. In the center of the room was a wooden pole, with a circle of dirt taken from a spiritual place around the outside of it. The lacy patterns were carved into it, and chants were spoken while they all faced the pole.
"Move the offerings into position." Said the harsh voice of Gwyneth Wyvernewt from the shadows.
Ron and Hermione were led to the pole in the center of the room. They were bound to it, back to back. Neither of them spoke during this process. They just watched while the druids prepared for the sacrifice.
"The offerings are ready to die." The druids chanted. "They are young, and innocent. Their lives shall be food for Hecate, and she will grant us our wish—the demon realm opened. To release hell on earth, to purge the world of those who claim to be worthy to study magic. The sacrifices shall be the key."
Gwyneth stepped forward. In a bronze light, she changed herself into her old form. The druids bowed. "Lacasca…" They murmured.
"It is time," She said, "For us to accomplish something we have been longing to do since the dark times. For many years we have worked endlessly without any gain. For years we have labored to give Hecate these honorable offerings. Now we shall accomplish our goal. The fresh, young, virgins will open the portal. Hecate feeds on their innocence. Now begin the ritual! She comes."
"Hecate fēdans on se bilewitnes." The druids chanted in Old English, their voices loud and frightening. Gwyneth was leading the chant, her voice cruel and menacing. She smiled as flammable oil was brought forward.
Ron watched them start to perform this ritual. This place seemed like hell. It was hell. And he knew he and Hermione were both going to die. If he was going to die, he did not want to die remembering all this. He wanted to die with Hermione with him. With only memories of her inside his head…
Hermione felt a hand clasp hers. She turned, and she looked into the face of Ron. His expression was grave, but his eyes drew Hermione too him. Leaning backward, she kissed the lips she had felt days ago. But it was different. Their first kiss was timid and uncertain; this one was sad, and passionate. A warm tear came down Hermione's cheek, and it fell to the floor. When they parted, they smelt fire. They looked down; a circle of fire was burning around the pole.
"Hecate fēdans on se bilewitnes."
Hermione shut her eyes against the smoke, while she coughed. It sent up a black fume cloud that smothered all breath. She tried to breathe, but she found it was like when the pillow had tried to smother her. She tried to control her thoughts, but it seemed that the chanting of the druids came into her mind. She couldn't think, all she heard was their chanting and the wild laughing of Gwyneth Wyvernewt.
Suddenly a silence filled Hermione's mind. She dared open her eyes. She saw all the druids staring at the doorway. It was Harry, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and, surprisingly, Cho.
"Let them go!" Harry shouted, brandishing his wand.
Gwyneth stepped forward, now in her student form. "You think you can beat us with five youths? Think again!" The druids stepped forward. "Your feeble powers are no match for us! We have lived for two millenniums while you have not even lived a century!"
"Yeah, but we have one thing you don't." Harry smiled an evil grin.
"Okay then, mortal. Humor me, what is it?"
Harry remained silent for a second, then yelled, "Now!"
Every student released a stream of stunners. How they all evaded Ron and Hermione was anybody's guess, but in a second, all but one of the druids was stunned. "Hurry!" Harry yelled, as Ginny ran forward and doused the fire. Just as Ron and Hermione were untied, Gwyneth stood up from the floor, yelling "Get them!"
They ran to one of the pipe/hallways, just as a blast of bronze magic came behind them. As they ran, there was much echoing of the water, and the occasional "Ewwww!" from Cho.
"Why did you bring her along?" Ron asked Harry.
Harry smiled. "Bait."
They came to a three pipe intersection. They looked behind, and they saw shadows as the druids chased them down. "Which way do we go?" Ron asked.
"Split up!" Harry ordered. "Ron, Hermione left! Ginny, Neville right! Luna and me middle!"
"What about me?" Cho asked.
"RUN!" Harry yelled as the bronze magic caught up with them. They each ran down the selected paths. As Ron and Hermione trudged down theirs, they noticed that thankfully, no one was following them.
"Should we stop and rest?" Hermione asked after a while of running.
"Yeah…" Ron replied, wheezing.
They leaned against the cool walls, taking deep breaths.
"I thought we were goners." Hermione replied.
Ron nodded, "It's a good thing Harry showed up."
"It's a damn good thing."
"I thought he wouldn't come, considering that I hit him."
Hermione stared. "You WHAT?"
"Uh…I mean…"
Hermione glared at him. "But you would have thought that Harry—or you, for that matter—would have told Dumbledore. Where is he, anyway?"
"I dunno, maybe he thought we could handle it ourselves."
"Now that is highly unlikely."
They heard a splash from behind them. "Run, you suppose?" Ron asked.
"Let's go!"
They continued running for the length of the pipe. Soon, they began to see a faint light at the end. They slowed down. They heard voices, when they heard the shrill cry of Gwyneth Wyvernewt, they slowly peeked over the side of the pipe. They were above a chamber in the pipes, with Gwyneth and her druids down below.
"Didn't we just leave this party?" Ron asked.
Hermione kicked him to be quiet as they listened.
"Find the children!" Gwyneth yelled. "I will not have them escape! They are the only things that will open the portal!"
"Yes, Your Highness." A few bowed, and left the chamber promptly.
Gwyneth glared at the rest. "I tell you this, Hecate, nor the Master of the Souls will be happy about this, and I will be furious if you don't find them!"
The rest fled into the tunnels, while Gwyneth paced the floor. In a second, she looked up to where Ron and Hermione were looking down. They withdrew their heads, and quietly fled down the length of pipe, but nothing could help. Gwyneth had seen them.
She smiled, and walked down another hallway.
"Come on!" Hermione led Ron down a path that they had missed when they first ran down it. They took it. Not very far in mists rose inside the tunnel. It felt like a breeze came through and parted it. Hermione kept running though her lungs squeezed, but she didn't dare stop.
"This way!" Ron said, his voice seeming very far away. They turned into a separate tunnel. While their feet splashed in the water, it echoed throughout the tunnel. It was so dark that Hermione only followed the sound of him running along.
Soon she didn't hear the splashing of his feet.
It was so dark that she could not see where she was going. "Ron?" She whispered, but no one answered. She stopped, aware that she was alone in the darkness. "Ron!" She yelled.
"Where are you!" She screamed, hearing nothing but the dripping of the water off the pipe. "RON!"
She turned and bumped into something. Hermione looked up, and the something gave an evil smile. Hermione backed away as it walked into a light. It was Gwyneth.
"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, don't worry about him. He's where he can't make any trouble. And…I have you with me."
"Not for long. There are other people who know we're here. Soon, they'll find us, and you'll be outnumbered."
Gwyneth smirked. "Do you mean those children? Don't worry, there in a place where they won't be a nuisance."
Uh oh. Hermione thought. Maybe this was a bad idea.
Almost as if Gwyneth could read her mind, she said, "That's right. And now I have you with me." She lifted her hands. "Say good-bye to your boyfriend."
Hermione barely had time to shrink back before Ron said, "No!" He jumped from where he had been immobilized against the wall. He slammed into Gwyeneth, knocking the spell aside.
After Ron punched Gwyneth a few times, she shoved him aside, pointing her hands at him menacingly. "How did you get past that spell? It should have kept you frozen for a thousand years!"
Hermione pointed her wand at her. "It's something you don't understand, Gwyneth! The power of love!"
Gwyneth looked from Ron to Hermione. "You think you can get past me! But you can't! I have more magic then the both of you combined! I have lived for two millenniums in the study of witchcraft! There is nothing you can do that will best me!" She chanted in Old English, "Hecate, fretan heora sāwols!" A jolt of bonze magic came from her.
In a split second, Hermione yelled, "Protego!" The rest she saw was a blur. The energy being fired back at Gwyneth…Her screaming by being devoured by it…A sharp feeling of pain…falling…falling…
A voice crying, "Hermione…No!"
Then all was blackness.
Author's Note: I was originally going to have Ginny get her, but I decided Hermione must have this privilege. Oh well. One chapter left!
