Holy crap!! I am SO SORRY!! I've been getting carried away with other things. Namely, thinking "I need to update" but never actually doing it!! So here we go!! Hope it's ok!! XOXO
There was a couple of moments of stunned silence, during which Hermione and Ron simply stared at each other. On Hermione's face was a look of pure outrage, on Ron's, pure shock. When her breath had returned and with a cry of indignation, Hermione shoved him off and struggled to her feet, Ron doing the same.
"Honestly, Ron!! Are you that stubborn!? Just apologise!" she cried angrily, looking down at her now dusty jeans and shirt, attempting to beat the dust out. When she got no reply, she glared up at Ron but he wasn't paying attention. He was standing, staring at the floor with a deeply trouble look on his face.
"Nothing to say, huh? Because you know you're wrong!!" she continued. This time, Ron blinked and looked at Hermione as though he'd only just realised she was there, the troubled look still in place. "Just hang on." he muttered, holding out a finger to silence at her. Hermione glared at this finger before turning her glare to Ron and doubling it. "No!! Stop trying to dodge the issue!" she cried, hitting his hand away.
With a pained look, Ron held his hands up, part in surrender, and part in pleading. "Hermione, please. Just for a second." he all but whispered, staring down at the floor again, as though trying to see through it. "Ron?" Hermione whispered back, "What's wrong?" She took a step closer. Ron shook his head slowly. "Where's my mum?" he asked softly, turning his gaze to Hermione.
"What? Downstairs. Ron, I don't-" But Ron cut her off, shaking his head decisively. Then it hit her. Why hasn't she come to check on us? Hermione thought, a feeling of dread, much akin to the feeling she'd had when Ron had climbed through her window a few nights ago, settling in her stomach. Ron nodded, seeing that she understood. Slowly and silently, he made his way to the door, Hermione quickly joining him.
Opening it a crack, they strained their ears to pick even the slightest hint that the Weasleys were still safely downstairs. Hearing nothing, Ron quietly ran to his desk, grabbing a pair of Extendable Ears, before returning to the door. Feeding one end through the door and down the hall toward the stairs, he held the other end between himself and Hermione so that they could both hear.
Gradually, they could hear large, heavy footsteps down in the kitchen, followed by a hushed conversation held by two people that Ron didn't recognise. "Ron?" Suddenly, a whispered voice, obviously full of pain, came through, loud and clear. "Ron, if you can hear me, get Hermione and hide." Hermione's breath hitched in her throat as she realised it was Bill. Suddenly, someone barked an order and there was the very distinct sound of a fist slamming into a jaw. "Upstairs!" someone yelled. "And careful! The mudblood's up there!"
From that moment, Extendable Ears were no longer needed. Numerous, thunderous footfalls were making their way up the stairs. Hermione was frozen in fear. Ron jumped to his feet and ran to the middle of his room, where he began pulling at a floorboard. Hermione watched him struggling and was dimly aware that he'd opened a small trapdoor and was climbing into it. Meanwhile the footseps were getting steadily louder.
Realising Hermione wasn't behind him, Ron stuck his head back through the opening to see her still on her knees by the door. "Hermione!" he hissed, but she either couldn't or wouldn't move. Letting out a frustrated growl, Ron climbed back out, ran over to the door and began tugging on Hermione's arm. She blinked and looked at Ron. "Hermione, get up! Don't make me drag you!" he pleaded desperately, grabbing both her hands and pulling.
Finally, Hermione managed to get to her feet and ran with Ron to the trapdoor. The door had barely become undetectable from the rest of the floor when the bedroom door was blasted off its hinges.
AH!! Oh my goodness! What happens next!? Sorry about the short chapter but I've been called into work early. But I'll try and update again tonight. Also, I know the trapdoor bit is lame but I do have an explanation for it!! Much love!! XOXO