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Enjoy. W.G.
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'Hermione?' Harry asked tentatively. He and Ginny walked into the unlocked classroom cautiously, knowing Hermione might be about to explode... but to their surprise, she looked quite normal and calm... yet a little strange with tiny birds floating around her head.
'Hi Harry, Ginny.' Hermione said, her voice squeaky.
'I suppose it's no use wondering why you're here...' She said, her head bowing low, and the twittering birds following.
'We wanted to see if you're alright.' Ginny said, giving an encouraging smile.
'Me? I'm fine... Ron seemed quite happy though, don't you think?' She asked, giving them a pathetic shrug and a weak smile. She thought that Ron was doing good the last week.
'Yeah, he - he didn't like Lavender yesterday... it's driving me nuts.' Harry confessed wearily.
'It's like... like she's got some control over him.' Ginny said thoughtfully.
'Control... like love-potion control?' Hermione said, suddenly interested.
'Yeah, I mean, one second he hates her and thinks she's a pyscho stalker, and the next he's... well... he's all over her.' Harry said, agreeing with them.
Hermione's eyes got unfocused, deep in thought. If Lavender is using a love-potion on Ron... I could bust her flirty butt out of here, and possibly, get Ron along the way... it can't be too difficult. She smiled, happy with her new way of thinking.
Just then, to Ginny and Harry's complete horror, Ron walked into the room, closely followed by a giggly Lavender.
'Hey! Sweetie, you go outside... I'll be right out.' Ron said, giving Lavender a huge and deep kiss goodbye. She walked out of the room, and Ron gave out a sheepish smile. He sighed heavily.
'Love is so... so cool.' He said dramatically, and very unlike Ron. It was so strange to hear those words come out of his normally sarcastic mouth.
Hermione's heart clenched as she watched Ron dig his face into Lavenders... but she remained cool, and calmly got off the desk she was sitting on.
'You might want to go now... Lav-Lav is waiting.' She said with disgust and sadness. She walked away, but not without shrieking 'Oppungo!' and leaving Ron to be pecked by a billion birds.
'Let's go.' Ginny said, running after Hermione. Harry left Ron stranded too... too sickened by the thought of Ron professing his love to Lavender.
'Ron is definitely under some potion... there is no way he would act like that! I mean, honestly, 'Love is so cool'... what the hell!' Ginny proclaimed as soon as she got out of the room, and far away from Lavender. They soon caught up with Hermione, who was wiping away her silent tears.
'It wouldn't be a very well made love-potion either... It's probably a very weak one from Fred and George... who've taken up to making them now... or a home made one.' Hermione said smartly to them.
'Why do you think it's weak?' Harry asked her.
'Because if it was strong, he would be killing us all for getting in the way of kissing her, and he wouldn't shut the frick up about her... that's why. He obviously just is in awe with her... wonderous beauty... that he is thinking he is in love with her.' Hermione snapped to him.
'Oh.' Harry said quickly.
'Well, what do you propose we do?' Ginny said, now worried for her brother... who was quite clearly being fed a love-potion now.
'Go to professor Slughorn.' Hermione said simply and frustratedly, before saying, 'Ditty Birds.' The new password to the Gryffindor common room, where there was still celebrations occuring from the game.
'Professor Slughorn?' Ginny said confused, sitting next to Harry on a vacant couch.
'He will have an antidote... I will take Ron before class tomorrow... Hermione said that his potion can't be too strong, or he would be pining for her... it shouldn't be too bad.' Harry said thoughtfully.
'Alright. I better go to bed. Goodnight Harry, and good game. I'll see you soon.' Ginny said, before kissing him, and receiving quite a few cat calls from the corner of the room, 'Go Potter!', and a death glare from Dean.
Ginny smirked and walked up the girls' dormitory stairs. Harry went to bed too, knowing that he would soon be going to meet Ginny in the common room in about four hours.
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'Ron, come on... Potions.' Harry said aggravatedly to a certain Ron, who was kissing Lavender, rather than eating breakfast at the current time. Hermione was briskly ignoring them, knowing that Lavender would soon get what she deserved... Harry filled her in on the entire plan, and she knew that Dumbledore wouldn't be pleased to find a student used a love-potion in school.
Harry, meanwhile, was taking a liking to saying nonsense things to Ron, seeing as he wasn't paying attention. Ginny was laughing at him.
'Ron, I see Voldemort walking in the school.' Harry said, but Ron did nothing, for he was too absorbed into Lavender's face. 'Ron... I... It was an accident, but... I got Ginny pregnant two nights ago.' Harry said in a serious tone. Ginny stopped laughing and turned red... Hermione smirked, yet looked darkly at Ron. 'RON! Hermione's going out with Cormac McLaggen!' Harry said quickly and furiously. A sound of a plunger coming out of a toilet came from Ron's direction.
'What?' He asked dumbly. Lavender looked appalled that Ron suddenly stopped snogging.
'Won-Won... ahemmm...' She said pointing at herself. Ron immediately got a dreamy expression on his face, and went back to fiercly snogging Lavender... in the middle of the Great Hall.
'That's strange.' Hermione murmured more to herself than to anyone else.
Harry noticed it too, usually when under a love-potion, people show no interest in anyone but to whom they... 'love'. But, Ron definitely paid attention when he heard that Hermione was going out with McLaggen.
'Ok Ron, come on.' Harry said, now dragging Ron away from the girl exhaustily. Not only had Harry had another nightmare at night that kept him up, but he also had to endure Ron whispering Lavender's name in pitch black darkness.
'I'm coming... I love you Lavender...' Ron said, blowing kisses to her. Hermione's were reverted to her eggs on her plate.
'Harry... where are we going... why did you take me away from Lav-Lav?' Ron asked, in a heart-broken, dreamy matter.
'We are going to Potions.' Harry said, continuing to drag Ron out of the Great Hall, who was somewhat resisting.
'But... but Potions isn't for another half hour... I want to see Lavender.' Ron said confused.
'I know... Lavender will be in Slughorn's office.' Harry lied quickly.
'Are you sure? Because she's still sitting at the breakfast table right now, Harry... please I want to say goodbye to her.' Ron said to him.
'I'm positive that you will see her in Slughorn's office Ron!' Harry said persistantly, and finally getting Ron out of the sight of Lavender.
'Lavender better be in there.' Ron said somewhat frustrated.
'I miss her already.' He kept repeating. Harry was getting more and more aggravated.
What seemed like hours to both Ron and Harry, they got to Slughorn's office. Harry fervently knocked on the door.
To their surprise, Dumbledore opened it. 'Ah Harry, and Ronald... Want to speak to Professor Slughorn I presume? Yes, well I'm on my way.' Dumbledore said to them, merrily smiling.
He left the door open to them, and Harry walked in silently, Ron giggling, and looking madly around for Lavender.
'Harry! My goodness, you've come early for class? No... Well what is it you need?' Slughorn said jovially and happily.
'Professor, I think Ron has been fed a weak love-potion... or possibly a home made one. I was wondering if you could give him an antidote.' Harry said explaining the whole situation to his professor.
'Yes, yes of course, I should've known you would be here about potions, I suppose you spotted the fake love immediately off the bat, yes?. One antidote for a love-potion, coming up!' Slughorn said impressively. He bustled around his desk to a large cabinent marked 'Antidotes' and pulled out a tiny flask of liquid.
'Drink up Weasley.' He said, tipping the flask into Ron's mouth, which was protesting.
'Where's Lavender?' He asked quickly, before gulping down the junk that Slughorn gave him.
'Definitely a love-potion... incoherently speaking of a girl, not answering.' Slughorn mumbled thoughtfully.
Harry nodded quickly, agreeing.
'Sit down, sit down... how about you have a drink... some Butterbeer will warm you up. Ahhh I was supposed to give this to Dumbledore, must've forgot... oh he'll never know.' Slughorn said joyously. He tottered around and found a bottle of amber liquid.
'Here you go my boy.' He said, handing Ron a glass, who looked utterly confused. He swigged the butterbeer in one gulp, and smiled, feeling slightly better. Harry was about to take his drink, but the look on Ron's face made him stop.
'Ron?' He asked uncertainly. Ron was clutching his throat, and growing steadily bluer.
Harry, thinking of the first antidote to much poisons was a bezoar, something he just used in the previous Potions classes, found one underneathe an assortment of papers on Slughorn's desk. He picked it up and shoved it down Ron's throat feverishly.
Ron promptly passed out.
'Oh dear, my boy... I'll go get the Headmaster! Oh my boy...' Slughorn said, concerned. He ran out of the room, leaving Harry with an unconscience Ron.
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Ginny's face was tear-stained and she looked as if someone died... which almost happened. She was sitting alone on the chair which was next to Ron's bedside, in the hospital wing.
'I hear he's got a girl... Lavender.' Fred said weakly. Hermione blanched at what he said.
'She's the reason Ron's here.' Hermione mumbled.
'How?' George asked confused.
'She fed him a love-potion, the skank... and when Harry took him to get the antidote, he was accidently fed some poisoned butterbeer.' Hermione said furiously. Her hands were clutched on her face, and she looked angry.
'Oh.' George said uncomfortably.
At this time, the rest of the Weasleys, excluding Bill, came running into the hospital wing. There was quite a lot of comotion and chaos, so Hermione and Harry quietly slipped out, leaving it to their family.
They accidently ran into Hagrid who seemed to be on his way to the hospital wing. 'Oh there you are, I was jus' wonderin' wha' happened with Ron. Is he alrigh'? I hear he's in the hospita'.' Hagrid said concerned.
'He's fine Hagrid, just unstabilized. Madame Pomphrey wants him in for a little longer than a week.' Harry said wearily.
'I hope he's alrigh'.' Hagrid said, running a hand absentmindedly through his beard.
Hermione just nodded her head sadly, and just walked away, planning to find refuge in the library.
'Well, Dumbledore'll be in a righ' state.' Hagrid said shaking his head. 'Hi Ginny.' He said to her, as she walked out of the hospital wing.
'Why'd you leave?' She asked Harry.
He shrugged. 'And why will Dumbledore be in a right state Hagrid?' Ginny asked interested.
Hagrid shuffled his feet, knowing he probably shouldn't say. 'With all these attacks, Dumbledore's gettin' antsy... same with Snape. They... they had a rough conversatio' when I heard 'em... righ' they did.' Hagrid mumbled, hoping not to give too much away.
'Dumbledore and Snape got into an argument?' Ginny asked horrified. Snape and Dumbledore were probably arguing over the second prophecy! Ginny's mind was screaming. Harry looked at her curiously.
'It's nothin' you'll shoul'be concerned with.' Hagrid said gruffly.
'Tell us Hagrid.' Harry persisted.
'It's nothin'... jus' Snape thinkin' Dumbledore's taken too much for granted... a load of old tosh wha' I say. Dumbledore, done nothin' wron' in my book!' Hagrid said puffing up his chest.
Harry must've looked skeptical because Hagrid said, 'Now don' go thinkin' too much into this!' He said hurriedly, before shuffling off to someplace else, abandoning the idea of visiting Ron.
'I wonder what that was all about.' Ginny said, but her mind was telling her that it was all about the second prophecy.
'Yeah... I do too.' Harry murmured, having the feeling that Ginny was keeping something from him.
'Is... is there anything you want to tell me?' Harry asked suspiciously.
Ginny's eyes widened slightly, but then narrowed. She swore that for a second that she couldn't breathe. She swallowed heavily and collected herself. 'No... why do you think that...' She mumbled looking towards the ground, feeling extremely guiltry.
'Why won't you tell me the secret you're keeping?' Harry whispered softly and kindly, yet his voice gave away that he was feeling hurt that Ginny wasn't telling him her secrets. He put a hand on Ginny's chin, and lifted her head up, so that she was looking in his eyes. So, instead, she reverted them to the painting that was eyeing the couple closely.
'I - Nothing is... wrong Harry. It's just... I can't tell you... yet. Please don't be angry with me. I will tell you as soon as Dumbledore -' Ginny began, but was sharply cut off by Harry.
'So this is something Dumbledore's cooked up is it? You know I don't like when this happens Ginny... Why can't you just tell me? Is anything wrong?' Harry pleaded insistantly, getting frustrated.
'Harry... I can't, not right now, please... just... I - later!' Ginny said, before rushing away from Harry's grasp, and quickly going to the common room, to hide in the girls' dormitories.
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NOTE: The next chapter will be up on December the 15, or possibly earlier.
Thats chapter Ten. Hope you liked it.
WHEEZLYGIRL
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