Author's Note: This one is a bit short and somewhat of a filler. The next chapter will probably be the last one and then I might have an epilogue. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Read and Review please!
Ch. 29: She Needs to Use the Loo
Ron looked at Hermione and smiled. "What did you just do to me?"
"Well, I told you what we needed to do to get out of here was illegal, so I put you under the imperius curse. This time Ron, don't shake it off. Trust me this is the only way we can make it work."
"Well, Hermione, you know the curse needs you to really mean it. It's not just another spell that you can do." Ron explained. Hermione lifted and eyebrow and smirked at him. "Wow, how did I know that?" Hermione laughed.
"Okay, well just relax and I will get you under this spell." Ron nodded and closed his eyes. Hermione relaxed as well and concentrated. She waved her wand once again and pointed it at Ron. His eyes opened and had the familiar glaze that she knew now was the Imperius curse. "Okay, Ron, I need you to go outside and let them know that I need to use the loo. Take me there and we will figure out how we can escape. Understand?"
Ron nodded. He stood up and walked out of the tent. He looked over to the head guy's tent, but did not see him there. He walked up to one of his guards. "Hermione needs to use the loo. I'm going to take her." The guard shrugged and looked away. Ron headed back and Hermione followed him out. "Don't try anything. You will regret it."
"Make sure you bind her hands so she can't do anything funny!" The guard called out his voice sounding familiar to both Ron and Hermione.
"How am I suppose to go to the bathroom if my hands our bound?!" Hermione yelled at the guard. He shrugged.
"You're smart, you'll manage." Hermione huffed and held out her hands to Ron.
"Incarcerous," Ron muttered. Hermione's hands became wrapped in rope. She glared at the guard who shrugged once again and turned back to face the center of the clearing. Ron escorted her to the loo which was at the back of the camp area in order to give privacy to those who used it. When they got there Ron stepped aside and Hermione stepped towards the entrance. She turned to face Ron who had his back to the clearing. No one in the camp was paying them any attention.
"Ron you need to summon my wand and unbind me," Hermione commanded. Ron nodded. He waved his wand and the ropes around her hands disappeared.
"Accio Hermione's wand," Ron muttered. Hermione watched as her wand flew out the back of the head guy's tent. She glanced at the back of his tent and muttered Reparo so that the hole it created was no longer there. Still no one noticed what was going on.
Hermione waved her wand at Ron and broke the curse. He shook his head for a moment and looked at her without the glaze in his eyes. "I wonder where the guy is." She commented.
Ron shrugged. "Maybe he's up in the castle?" Hermione shook her head and then looked around. The loo was quite a ways from the campsite. She motioned to behind the loo and to the left. The path would take them around the outside of the campsite and on their way back to Hogwarts. Ron nodded and they quickly disappeared into the forest. Hermione cast a disillusion charm on themselves as they quickly and quietly made their way into the forest.
XXXX
Harry, the twins, Neville and Luna made their way quickly across the grounds of Hogwarts and burst into the forest. They stopped for a moment to get their bearings and catch their breath. Harry looked around and noticed a path that had been cleared ahead of them.
"Alright, there is a path just ahead that will hopefully lead us somewhere. Keep your wands up and your eyes peeled for anything suspicious. We need to move quietly so we don't get noticed," Harry whispered. Everyone nodded and followed behind him. They quickly and quietly moved along the path. Harry heard a stick snap to his left and he turned and raised his wand quickly. The others stopped and crouched down pointing in the same direction.
"Ron, shhh, I think I hear someone over there," Hermione shushed. Harry smiled brightly and nearly dropped his hand, but stopped thinking that Ron could be under the imperius curse still, but if he was why would Hermione be with him and be shushing him like that?
"Hermione!" Harry whispered loudly.
"Harry! Where are you?!" Hermione called out. She heard a collective shush from everyone and let out a squeak.
"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry asked quietly.
"Yes, Harry, I'm fine. Ron is no longer imperiused, but he's okay too," Hermione replied quietly.
"Alright, Ron?" Harry whispered.
"Yeah mate. Sorry about all this," he whispered back.
"Good, okay, we'll stay right here and you guys just follow my voice. Keep your eyes peeled," Harry called out. He motioned to the others to keep an eye out around them. They each turned in different direction wands drawn.
"Okay, lead us to you," Hermione whispered back. She disillusioned herself and Ron.
"How did you get away from them? How many people are there? Did you see the main guy?" Harry called out a bit louder. He heard footsteps nearing and saw Ron's head peeking out of the bushes. He smiled as they emerged from the bushes. Hermione smiled brightly and ran to Harry's outstretched arms. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He closed his eyes hugging her tightly back. He opened his eyes and glanced at Ron who looked away uneasily.
He stepped back. "Are you okay Mione?" He asked bringing his hands to her face.
"Yes, but we'll talk later about what happened. We need to figure out who's behind this and take care of it once and for all. There were about 15 people there and the head guy wasn't there when we left thus getting away so easily. I broke the imperius curse on Ron and imperiused him myself after we made a plan to get away. The guards had no idea that anything had changd," Hermione said looking up at him. Harry nodded and kissed her forehead.
"Ron, can I talk to you for a minute?" Harry asked. Ron nodded and they walked up the path a bit more. "What happened to you?"
Ron looked down at his feet a moment and shifted his weight nervously. He ran his hand nervously through his hair and then looked up at him.
"It's stupid," was all he said.
"Ron, just tell me what happened. It might help us," Harry pushed.
Ron sighed and looked around for a minute. "I let my jealousy get in the way of protecting my friends. He knew that you and Hermione had something going on and I let it get in the way. I let my guard down. This guy put the imperius curse on me and I was to take Hermione to them to draw you out and I did something to Hermione that I never would have done otherwise. I am very angry with myself for it, but Hermione got me out of it and got us away," Ron replied rushed.
Harry nodded and looked away for a moment gathering his thoughts. He was afraid of what he had done to Hermione, but knew that Ron wasn't in his right mind at the time.
"What did you do to Hermione?" Harry asked reluctantly.
Ron bit his lip and got tears in his eyes. "It was awful. I cast the Cruciatus curse on her," Ron whispered tears escaping his eyes. Harry looked at him eyes wide. Ron gave him a pleading look and Harry softened his look. Ron felt bad enough as it was, Harry didn't need to make it worse.
"You weren't in control of your actions Ron. Hermione is okay and it's not your fault," Harry told him. Ron looked at him with gratitude and pulled him into an embrace.
"Thank you for not hexing me into tomorrow," Ron whispered. Harry patted him on the back and nodded. They parted and joined back with everyone else.
"Everything alright?" Hermione asked tentatively. Ron and Harry both nodded.
"Let's get a move on guys. We need to get this done and over with once and for all," Harry said and they started walking up the pathway, deeper into the forest.
