Sweet Juliet: Part 2
Chapter 21: A Night Full of Shadows
(A/N: I honestly have no idea why I'm updating this so often. I guess I'm just inspired this week! Better hold onto it while I can! Enjoy and review!)
It seemed that, despite all of the problems she was facing, Juliet was far happier than she had been in weeks, if not all year. It was amazing what beginning a new relationship could do to the mood of a fifteen-year-old girl. Sometimes, when she was with Ron, she could even forget about her anger at her father for a few precious moments.
They had chosen not to tell Harry and Hermione about their new...situation—at least not right away. They had settled for saying that had worked out their argument, and privately decided that they'd have to figure out the right way to break the news. Ron and Juliet being a couple was sure to change the dynamics of the way the four of them functioned as friends, and neither of them wanted to jeopardize that until they could gauge precisely how the other two would react.
They had performed little "tests," just to try and glean some idea of what awaited them. Ron sat a little closer to Juliet than normal, and she didn't bother to hide her blush when their legs or hands brushed. It was almost fun for the two of them, keeping it a secret, but Juliet knew it couldn't stay that way for long. If their friends found out some other way, they'd be furious.
Before any of them could blink, O.W.L. Exams were upon them, and Ron and Juliet still hadn't told Harry and Hermione the truth. On the first day of testing, as the four of them were eating breakfast, Juliet kept shooting furtive glancing at the redhead from across the table.
"Ron," she asked as the meal was nearing its end, "can you stay behind a minute? I need to talk to you." She looked pointedly at Harry and Hermione, who eyed both Ron and Juliet with suspicion. She began to fear that they would refuse to leave, but after a moment they rose from their chairs and stalked out of the Great Hall, clearly annoyed.
"Ron," she said after they had disappeared, turning back to her boyfriend, "we can't keep putting this off. We have to tell them."
"Juliet," Ron groaned, letting his fork fall to his plate with a clang, "it's too soon. They're going to lose their minds on us."
"It'll always be too soon, Ron," she shot back. "That's the way these things work. But we have to get it out there—get it over with. Think of how angry they'll be if someone else sees us together and tells them, and they realize we've been lying to them. It's best if it comes from us."
"All right, all right," said Ron, sighing. "When you propose we do this, then?"
"Tonight," replied Juliet firmly. "After the exams."
Ron gave no response but another groan, and Juliet smiled, resisting the nearly overpowering urge to reach across the table and take his hand.
…
The exams weren't nearly as excruciating as Juliet had built them up to be in her mind (though she had, of course, been under the influence of Hermione Granger). Charms and Potions were scheduled for that day, and Juliet couldn't be more pleased. They were her two favorite (and best) subjects, so at least the testing would be off to a good start.
She performed well for the old wizards who had been brought in to test them, and they offered their praise. As she climbed the many flights of stairs to Gryffindor Tower, Juliet reflected that, though she'd certainly made slip-ups, the whole ordeal had gone relatively smoothly, considering.
After offering the password to the Fat Lady, Juliet crawled through the portrait hole to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione huddled together in their usual corner. By the jovial, carefree looks on their friends' faces, Juliet was able to discern that Ron had not told them. She knew it should be something they did together, but she almost wished he had let it out, just so she wouldn't have to be there right at the moment of truth.
She went over and sat with them, returning their greetings a bit halfheartedly. Now that they were here, she was second guessing her decision from that morning, wondering if it really was the right time. Then she remembered what she had said to Ron—there would be no distinguishable 'right' moment; they just had to say it and hope for the best.
After a few moments of idle chatter, Hermione announced that she wanted to go to the library to get in some last minute studying. She stood up and Harry, who wanted to go up to his dormitory and relax, followed suit. Before they could leave, however, Juliet steeled herself and called them back.
"You guys, wait. Ron and I have to tell you something important." Harry and Hermione shared a glance, smirking, but Harry cut her off before she could ask what it was about.
"It's about time, you two," he said, crossing his arms and looking the picture of smugness.
"It certainly is," said Hermione, a bit more sternly. "We already know about your relationship."
Simultaneously, Ron and Juliet's jaws dropped open and they looked to one another, completely in shock. Their eyes were as wide as saucers, and both seemed to have no idea what to say.
"But...how?" Juliet finally choked out.
"Oh, please," said Hermione, allowing the tiniest of grins to play at the corners of her mouth, "it's not like the two of you were particularly effective at covering it up. We've both seen the way you've been looking at each other, the way you've been acting, since you, how did you put it—'worked out your argument?' It wasn't too difficult to figure out."
Still dumbstruck, Juliet and Ron continued to stare open-mouthed at their clever friend, not quite believing her. Rolling her eyes at their shock, Hermione placed her hands defiantly on her hips.
"Really," she reprimanded, "you shouldn't have kept it from us for so long."
"Though we understand why you did," Harry chimed in. Hermione grumbled a grudging acknowledgment of this, but Juliet could tell that there was some residual irritation. Hermione didn't like being kept in the dark about anything.
"Anyway, we're happy for you two," said Harry, and Hermione's response to this was much more genuine. She offered a small smile, and Juliet returned it, trying to convey all of her gratitude to her friend through the gesture. Hermione, seemingly understanding, simply said that she really had to get to the library and left the common room. Harry was gone soon after, going up to bed.
Soon Ron and Juliet were the only two in the common room, and they took full advantage of their solitude. Their kisses were light and carefree, punctuated with laughter and amiable chatter. That was Juliet's favorite thing about her new relationship with Ron. Though they were together romantically, he was still her best friend. Nothing had changed, except now she could kiss him whenever she wanted, and now he knew nearly everything about her.
Except that you're a Death Eater.
The voice in her head had come unexpectedly, and it took Juliet by surprise. She wasn't a true Death Eater, she rationalized, letting the happy feelings come back and take over her mind. She was a double agent—Harry and their other friends, not to mention Dumbledore and the Order, was where her true loyalty was. She had told Hermione—her confidant for all things related to her predicament with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named—about Goyle's most recent visit to Spinner's End one night when they were alone in the library, but the other girl had told her there was no reason to panic. There would be no sense in telling Ron about any of that, she reasoned.
Concentrating instead on the immense relief that Harry and Hermione's blessing had brought, Juliet allowed a smile to drift across her face. She leaned in for another kiss, and Ron responded eagerly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her body flush against his. She threaded her fingers through his shock of orange hair, enjoying the way it felt on the skin of her hands.
When they broke apart for air, their faces flushed and their breathing ragged, Juliet leaned down, laying her head comfortably on his chest. Ron wrapped an arm protectively around her back, resting his chin on her hair.
"This is nice," he said, voicing both of their thoughts, "not having to sneak around anymore."
"Yeah it is," she said, deciding to tease him. "I told you it was a good idea to tell them."
Ron laughed, the force of it jostling her a bit. "Please, Juliet, they practically told us."
"Yeah," she giggled. "I guess you're right." Just then two first years walked by, one fearfully regaling the other with a tale about how Umbridge had given him detention. He said that he'd heard what happened to people who had detention with her, and he was going to write to his parents for help, though he didn't think it would do much good.
Juliet's eyes narrowed in disgust. "God, that woman really is a piece of work. Scaring first years like that—what an old hag!"
Ron, too, had let anger drift into his eyes. Even his status as a Prefect wouldn't allow him to help the younger students that Umbridge tormented. "I'd like to push her off the Astronomy Tower."
"Ron, that's horrible!" scolded Juliet, though she was unable to keep the smile off of her face. Suddenly, though, she sobered, her lips falling into a frown and her brow furrowing. "With Dumbledore gone, though, it's only a matter of time before the whole school falls apart. I'm surprised the other teachers have managed to keep things together this long."
"It's a miracle, all right," said Ron solemnly, and Juliet knew by his tone that it was the end of the conversation. They sat for about an hour longer, simply enjoying the company of one another, but finally decided that they should get to bed. They wouldn't want to be tired for the second round of exams the following day.
Just as they were crossing the common room to their respective staircases, someone bounded down from the boys' dormitory and nearly barreled directing into Ron. Caught off guard, he barely managed to catch the flying figure and set him straight. Juliet saw with a growing sense of dread that it was Harry, looking just as terrified and panicked as he had the night he'd had the nightmare about Mr. Weasley.
"Harry?" asked Ron incredulously, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder to steady him. "Mate, what's gotten into you?"
"Harry what's wrong?" asked Juliet weakly, reaching out to gently touch his arm. Harry, for his part, appeared to be to frantic to form coherent sentences. Just then, the portrait hole swung open and revealed Hermione, returning from the library. She saw her three friends in the deserted common room and immediately ran over, nearly dropping one of the large books she was carrying. She set them delicately on the ground and proceeded to try and get an answer out of Harry as well.
It was a while before he was calm enough to speak, but when he did, Juliet found herself wishing he had stayed silent.
"I had another dream—another nightmare. It was about Sirius this time. Voldemort has him," said Harry, ignoring the way they all flinched at the name. "We have to do something."
"Harry," replied Hermione, her eyes wide, "you can't keep letting this happen. Dumbledore wanted you to take Occlumency for a reason! He didn't want You-Know-Who to be able to reach into your mind anymore. This could be a trick—he could be trying to play at your weaknesses, lure you somewhere!"
Harry wouldn't listen, though. "I can't take that chance, Hermione! If Voldemort—stop that, all of you!—really has Sirius and I ignore it, it'll be my fault! Would you want that burden?" When Hermione could supply no answer, Harry merely glowered and went on. "We have to at least check and see if he's all right. There's got to be some way of getting in touch with him through the Floo Network."
"There isn't," Hermione said desperately. "Umbridge has all of the fireplaces in the school being monitored by the Ministry. If you try to use one to contact Sirius, she'll know."
"Not all of them," said Ron suddenly, making all of their heads snap towards him.
"What?" Hermione asked harshly.
"Not all of the fireplaces are being monitored," he amended. "I'd bet the Sorting Hat that the one in Umbridge's office isn't. She's got to be using it for her own personal businesses."
Before anyone could respond, someone else emerged from the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories. It was Ginny, clad in her pajamas and looking rather confused.
"Ginny, what are you doing here?" asked Hermione, eyes widening.
"I was trying to sleep and I heard a commotion down here, so I came to see what it was." She looked at Ron, who had moved and put his hand lightly on the small of Juliet's back and she raised her eyebrows, but said nothing.
"Go back to sleep, Ginny," he said. "Everything's fine."
Ginny merely scowled. "No. One of you tell me what's going on, now." Harry was the one to concede to this demand. Either he was afraid of the youngest Weasley's wrath, or he was desperate to have an ally in his argument. Both were equally plausible.
"I had another one of those dreams, like the one I had about your dad. This time it could be Sirius in trouble, and we've got to break into Umbridge's office so that I can Floo him."
If Ginny was shocked by any of this, she hid it well. She looked at Ron defiantly and puffed her chest out as though preparing for a fight. "I'm in. I want to help."
Ron opened his mouth as though about to protest, but Juliet took his hand quickly, squeezing it. He understood the silent message and grudgingly quieted, but she heard him grumble a few choice words under his breath. She entwined her fingers with his, trying to coax a smile onto his face, and the corners of his lips twitched. It was enough, and she found herself oddly self-satisfied by the effect she had on him, just with a touch.
Much to the chagrin of Hermione, they all began to make their way towards the portrait hole, but just before they could leave, someone else descended the stairs. Juliet resisted the urge to groan, wondering just how many more interruptions there could be. Turning around, she was met with the sight of Neville, and she could see her worries mirrored in the faces of all the others—surely he would try to stop them.
"Neville, we can explain—" Hermione began, but Neville held up a hand, effectively surprising her into silence. Ron snickered, trying to cover it up with a cough.
"Don't bother," Neville replied. "I've been standing on that staircase for a while, and I overheard everything Harry said to Ginny. I want to help too." They all stared at him for a moment, awestruck, but a smile eventually crept onto Harry's face. He turned back toward the portrait hole, and Juliet realized that he knew full well that all five of the people in the room would follow him.
"Wait," Hermione said just before they reached it. She pulled out her wand, muttering an incantation and waving it over each of them in turn. A unpleasantly cold feeling washed over Juliet, spreading from the tips of her fingers all the way to her toes, and she realized that Hermione was casting Disillusionment Charms over all of them.
The charm, though incredibly useful, wasn't foolproof, so they would still have to be careful to avoid Filch, Mrs. Norris, and any professors that might be patrolling the corridors. Hermione warned them of this, and they all nodded their assent before exiting the common room and stepping anxiously out into the corridor. The Fat Lady called after them as they hurried away, though she was unable to see who had opened her painting.
Juliet kept close to Ron, fighting the urge to giggle at the odd sensation of their invisible hands being entwined. It was like holding hands with a ghost, she surmised. They crept their way through the corridors, thankful every time they turned a corner and Peeves wasn't there. At last, and without incident, they made it to Umbridge's office.
Harry and Hermione went inside alone, as they had decided that it would be too dangerous for them all to go into the office. Juliet remained outside the door with Ron, Neville, and Ginny, standing guard. She glanced down, noticing that her Disillusionment Charm was wearing off—her body was slowly reappearing. She didn't know how to cast one herself, though, so would have to wait for Hermione to return and do it for her.
After several moments of utter silence, Juliet's ears picked up the noise of footsteps, so soft that she was almost unsure whether she had imagined it, coming from an adjoining corridor. She began to move toward it, but Ron caught her arm.
"Juliet," he whispered, quieter than breathing, "where are you going?"
"I heard something over there," she replied to his still-invisible form, just as lowly. "I need to go see what it is."
"Don't, Juliet. I'm sure it was nothing." She smiled softly at the worry in his voice and reached up to squeeze the hand that still held her arm.
"Ron, don't worry. I'll be all right."
It took a moment, but eventually his grip slackened and Juliet was able to gently remove her arm from his grasp and move towards the corridor. Now fully visible, she peered into it, but found nothing. Relief washing through her at the sight of its barrenness, she turned around and took a step to rejoin the others.
She barely felt the hand cover her mouth before everything went black.
(A/N: All right, this is the last chapter for tonight. There are only four left now, and then it's on to Sweet Juliet: Part 3! And Juliet's sixth year...well, it's interesting, I'll say that. You'll understand more when you read the rest of this story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll post more tomorrow. Please leave a review if you can! I love opening my email to find good, long reviews :D)
Loves,
ChasedByTheShadows