Saving Hermione - Ch. 3: Disturbing Plans
Hermione awoke next morning feeling very tired and wanted nothing more than for her two beauty eccentric room mates to just go back to bed at this un- Godly hour and to quit making all that noise!
But, to her dismay, she remembered last night and a something that felt like a vice gripped her heart. "Why do I care anyways?" she questioned herself. Hermione, one of the brightest witches in her class, can't figure out why she cared about something as trivial as a kiss. This slightly amused her and she grinned as she thought about what Harry and Ron would try to make of it.
Ron. Her stomach once again did somersaults as she thought of him. She decided last night that when she saw him this morning, she would just pretend that it meant nothing and she would be okay with it. That's what Ron wanted, right? He didn't mean anything over it. He was just trying to comfort her, and doesn't want her to think it meant anything, right? Right!
With this new resolve, she got up and dressed in her uniform and school robes, brush out (or at least tried to even get a brush through) her long wild hair. She walked downstairs only to be met by her two friends. She looked at Harry first and said her 'good morning' and turned to the red head with a smile and greeted him in the same way. And much to her confusion, he once again had look of disbelief on his face.
Ron fell asleep last night thinking of how he could be so stupid and take advantage of Hermione while she was crying and after what happened that day. He felt everything from ashamed to guilty. He decided that he would apologize profusely that next morning ("Yes," he thought, "I really have changed. The old Ron would never apologize, and profusely!" He somewhat grinned).
Ron woke up and dressed quickly, barely running a comb through his vibrant hair. He walked downstairs with Harry, who could sense that something was wrong but couldn't figure out what, and he wasn't about to ask. They found Ginny (or rather Harry did) and they conversed while they waited for Hermione.
When she did come down the stairs of her dormitory a few minutes later, Ron kept his eyes on the floor. She walked up to Harry and greeted him. And then to his utter astonishment, she did the same to him with a smile! He couldn't believe it. She wasn't mad! "Unless.." he thought, "She thought it didn't mean anything!" It did though, it really did! He would also have to set her straight on this when he apologized, except that pouring out your heart and soul to someone can make you a little nervous.
On the way to the Great Hall, Harry and Ginny, little deviates that they are, sped up ahead to give Ron and Hermione some space. This made Ron extremely uncomfortable, but if it did Hermione, she didn't let it show.
Ron decided that it was now or never as passing by the Charms classroom and swiftly yanking Hermione in by her hand while she wasn't looking, causing a resounding shriek to escape her mouth.
Harry and Ginny whirled around at the sound of Hermione's yelp. When Harry saw that it was a head of red that was taking her in the deserted classroom, he grinned widely at Ginny who had a grin identical to his.
They decided to go on to breakfast. They walked in silence for while until Harry, being the awkward teenage boy that he was, said something. "You look very...nice today, Ginny." "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he thought, he could have said anything and he said 'nice.' "God, she probably thinks I'm crazy now."
But, to Ginny, this simple statement made her smile uncontrollably as she muttered her 'thank you'. They walked the rest of the way in silence while Harry fought his internal battle and while Ginny just grinned goofily.
Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione where in the empty classroom. After he had calmed Hermione down and made her realize that he was not Malfoy and that he was not attacking her, she stopped struggling from her place in Ron's arms where he had been restraining her so she could not reach for her wand and curse him to within an inch of his life.
"It's me, Hermione! Ouch! Don't hit me! Hey, don't even think about pulling that! HERMIONE!" With his last yell, she quit kicking and punching at the figure with her eyes closed, and looked up at him.
"Ron?"
"Yes, who'd you expect? You don't think Malfoy would be able to get you while I was right there with you, did you?" he gasped for air due to the punch he had received in his stomach.
"Well, he did yesterday, didn't he?" she snapped back. "Don't do that!"
"I'm sorry for scaring you and for letting Malfoy get to you a second time yesterday." He sounded very sorry and sincere, almost regretful.
Noticing this, Hermione's glare softened. "It wasn't your fault. Like I said last night, you can't be there every time I need to be protected."
The mention of last night caused Ron to freeze, and when Hermione had finished her sentence, she did the same.
He gathered up his courage. "That's why I pulled you in here," he stated firmly.
"Oh no!" She thought. "He's going to tell me that it meant nothing!" She didn't show any trace of shock or any emotion for that matter, and gave him a look to continue.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For kissing you last night. I shouldn't of taken advantage of you like that after what happened." He said this all very fast.
"Oh, is that what you think you did? No, no-" But just like last night, she was not able to finish her sentence. Only this time it was not due to a kiss, but little Professor Flitwick coming in at that moment to set up him room for his first class.
The two seventh years apologized and excused themselves to the Great Hall. They said nothing all the way there, but there was an unconscious settlement between them.
While Ron was relived that she was not angry or hurt, Hermione was glad that he didn't say it didn't mean anything. For now, all was right with the two.
Once in the Great Hall, both were smiling pleasantly, but were made extremely nervous by the grins Harry and Ginny wore on their faces.
"What?" Ron asked as he sat down next to Harry, across from Hermione.
"Nothin'." Harry said this too cheery for the likes of Ron, but let it go.
Ginny was now giggling very rapidly and Hermione was looking at her like she had bright neon blue hair.
The rest of breakfast passed by pleasantly until Malfoy came into the Hall. He looked straight at Hermione and smiled evilly as he passed the Gryffindor table. Hermione, knowing Ron was right there, glaring coldly back at Malfoy, smirked and pointed to Ron.
Draco saw her finger point at something and looked at that something. Ron was staring at him with an unimaginable fury in his eyes. Malfoy glared icily back and walked away, not wanting to have his face broken again today. That was okay though, he would get his revenge soon enough. Once the Mudblood was alone, he'd have her. She would be one of many things to the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort. She would be his Mudblood sacrifice to be initiated into the Dark Lord's Army of Death Eaters. She would also be the key to luring Harry Potter and Ron Weasley into the clutches of Voldemort, where he would be able to rid the world of that meddlesome 'trio' in one go. Draco grinned at this. He would be the one to deliver to Voldemort what the others, not even his father, could: the other best friend of Harry Potter. There was no way he could ever get Ron, but the Mudblood would prove far more useful to him for the sacrifice seeing as Ron was a pureblood, and not to mention a lot stronger than him. Granger was just a little thing that could be dealt with, no matter how many times her knees were thrown at him.
Ron saw something in Malfoy's eyes that made him even more uneasy, if that was possible with Malfoy. He could sense that he was planning something, and that it involved harm to all of them, especially Hermione. He voiced this, but very quietly to Harry. Harry looked at Malfoy at the Slytherin table to see him eyeing the back of Hermione's head with such a look on his face, it disturbed Harry to no end.
Hermione heard them talking about something, she couldn't make out all the words, but caught things like 'Hermione', 'Malfoy', and some profanity out of Ron's mouth that made her kick him under the table.
"OW! What was that for!"
"I heard that."
Ron looked almost panicked. "Heard what?" he asked very quickly.
She looked at him suspiciously for moment then spoke again. "Don't play dumb with me, Ronald Weasley. I heard you swear."
"Ohhh, okay, sorry." He said this almost relieved it sounded like.
Hermione new that something odd was going on. She came to the conclusion that the boys were going to avenge, for lack of a better description, her attacks yesterday tonight. She resolved to follow the boys tonight to see what they were planning.
The rest of the day went by with only one more event. During Double Potions, Ron and Harry deliberately took seats next to Malfoy, only to hear him saying that he was having a meeting with his father on the grounds on the edge of the Forbidden Forest tonight to his two overgrown bodyguards.
At dinner, Ron and Harry were talking in hushed whispers while Hermione tried to listen. But to her dismay she couldn't hear anything. Hermione new that something odd was going on. She came to the conclusion that the boys were going to avenge, for lack of a better description, her attacks yesterday tonight. She resolved to follow the boys tonight to see what they were planning.
Later that night, she stayed in the common room after everyone went to bed. At midnight, she heard footsteps coming down from the boy's dormitory.
"I know, but don't you think we should at least giver her some warning?"
It sounded like they were arguing over something.
"Yes, just not yet. We need to find out more before we run off telling her she might be in danger and scaring her to death." That was definitely Ron's hurried whisper.
"I know but-" Harry stopped abruptly what he was about to say.
"Who's in here?"
"Me." Hermione came out from behind a couch and eyed the invisibility cloak and Marauder's Map in their hands.
She looked at them and simply said, "Explain."
They looked abashed, but reluctantly obliged. When they were finished, she said, "I'm coming with you."
"The hell you will!" Ron argued.
"Yes, I will," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Now, Hermione, this may be something you don't want to hear, seeing as how you are probably the once most at risk here, you'd be safer in the tower," Harry tried to reason with her.
"No, I won't, because I'm coming with you."
"I said that you will do no such thing." Ron was playing his dominant male card. But Hermione would not be pushed around.
"I don't care, I'm coming."
Ron's mouth dropped and gaped like a fish.
Harry agreed finally, while Ron just looked disgruntled about the entire thing.
"Fine!" he exclaimed. With that, they threw the cloak around them all (which was difficult with Ron and Harry's height) and made the map show it's secrets.
They made their way out of the castle with no disruption except for Peeves nearly flying right into them while rounding a corner.
When they were outside in the crisp autumn night air, they made their way in the general direction of Hagrid's hut. When they were at the edge of the forest, they quietly trekked their way down into the forest by about ten feet. None of them were very afraid of the forest anymore, but it was still enough to send chills up their spines. Suddenly, they heard a few voices coming from inside the forest about thirty feet into the forest.
They followed the voices and come upon a small clearing where about three Death Eaters were with Draco Malfoy.
"Do you understand what to do?" asked the voice of none other than Lucius Malfoy.
"Yes, sir."
"Capture the Mudblood to be used for your initiation and sacrifice. We will not sacrifice her though until the other two come. After we have Weasley and Potter, we will kill her and you will receive the DarkMark. And bring me the Weasley girl, I could use something to blackmail Arthur Weasley into getting rid of that damned Muggle Protection Act." At these words, Hermione gasped, but ever so quietly, and Ron started out of the cloak to head towards Malfoy out of rage until he was stopped but Harry's hands on his robes.
"Yes, sir. Thank you."
At that, the three Death Eaters Apparated and left Draco to walk back to the castle.
A/N - Whatcha think? Ya like? Thanks to my first two first reviewers, you were too kind.
Hermione awoke next morning feeling very tired and wanted nothing more than for her two beauty eccentric room mates to just go back to bed at this un- Godly hour and to quit making all that noise!
But, to her dismay, she remembered last night and a something that felt like a vice gripped her heart. "Why do I care anyways?" she questioned herself. Hermione, one of the brightest witches in her class, can't figure out why she cared about something as trivial as a kiss. This slightly amused her and she grinned as she thought about what Harry and Ron would try to make of it.
Ron. Her stomach once again did somersaults as she thought of him. She decided last night that when she saw him this morning, she would just pretend that it meant nothing and she would be okay with it. That's what Ron wanted, right? He didn't mean anything over it. He was just trying to comfort her, and doesn't want her to think it meant anything, right? Right!
With this new resolve, she got up and dressed in her uniform and school robes, brush out (or at least tried to even get a brush through) her long wild hair. She walked downstairs only to be met by her two friends. She looked at Harry first and said her 'good morning' and turned to the red head with a smile and greeted him in the same way. And much to her confusion, he once again had look of disbelief on his face.
Ron fell asleep last night thinking of how he could be so stupid and take advantage of Hermione while she was crying and after what happened that day. He felt everything from ashamed to guilty. He decided that he would apologize profusely that next morning ("Yes," he thought, "I really have changed. The old Ron would never apologize, and profusely!" He somewhat grinned).
Ron woke up and dressed quickly, barely running a comb through his vibrant hair. He walked downstairs with Harry, who could sense that something was wrong but couldn't figure out what, and he wasn't about to ask. They found Ginny (or rather Harry did) and they conversed while they waited for Hermione.
When she did come down the stairs of her dormitory a few minutes later, Ron kept his eyes on the floor. She walked up to Harry and greeted him. And then to his utter astonishment, she did the same to him with a smile! He couldn't believe it. She wasn't mad! "Unless.." he thought, "She thought it didn't mean anything!" It did though, it really did! He would also have to set her straight on this when he apologized, except that pouring out your heart and soul to someone can make you a little nervous.
On the way to the Great Hall, Harry and Ginny, little deviates that they are, sped up ahead to give Ron and Hermione some space. This made Ron extremely uncomfortable, but if it did Hermione, she didn't let it show.
Ron decided that it was now or never as passing by the Charms classroom and swiftly yanking Hermione in by her hand while she wasn't looking, causing a resounding shriek to escape her mouth.
Harry and Ginny whirled around at the sound of Hermione's yelp. When Harry saw that it was a head of red that was taking her in the deserted classroom, he grinned widely at Ginny who had a grin identical to his.
They decided to go on to breakfast. They walked in silence for while until Harry, being the awkward teenage boy that he was, said something. "You look very...nice today, Ginny." "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he thought, he could have said anything and he said 'nice.' "God, she probably thinks I'm crazy now."
But, to Ginny, this simple statement made her smile uncontrollably as she muttered her 'thank you'. They walked the rest of the way in silence while Harry fought his internal battle and while Ginny just grinned goofily.
Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione where in the empty classroom. After he had calmed Hermione down and made her realize that he was not Malfoy and that he was not attacking her, she stopped struggling from her place in Ron's arms where he had been restraining her so she could not reach for her wand and curse him to within an inch of his life.
"It's me, Hermione! Ouch! Don't hit me! Hey, don't even think about pulling that! HERMIONE!" With his last yell, she quit kicking and punching at the figure with her eyes closed, and looked up at him.
"Ron?"
"Yes, who'd you expect? You don't think Malfoy would be able to get you while I was right there with you, did you?" he gasped for air due to the punch he had received in his stomach.
"Well, he did yesterday, didn't he?" she snapped back. "Don't do that!"
"I'm sorry for scaring you and for letting Malfoy get to you a second time yesterday." He sounded very sorry and sincere, almost regretful.
Noticing this, Hermione's glare softened. "It wasn't your fault. Like I said last night, you can't be there every time I need to be protected."
The mention of last night caused Ron to freeze, and when Hermione had finished her sentence, she did the same.
He gathered up his courage. "That's why I pulled you in here," he stated firmly.
"Oh no!" She thought. "He's going to tell me that it meant nothing!" She didn't show any trace of shock or any emotion for that matter, and gave him a look to continue.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For kissing you last night. I shouldn't of taken advantage of you like that after what happened." He said this all very fast.
"Oh, is that what you think you did? No, no-" But just like last night, she was not able to finish her sentence. Only this time it was not due to a kiss, but little Professor Flitwick coming in at that moment to set up him room for his first class.
The two seventh years apologized and excused themselves to the Great Hall. They said nothing all the way there, but there was an unconscious settlement between them.
While Ron was relived that she was not angry or hurt, Hermione was glad that he didn't say it didn't mean anything. For now, all was right with the two.
Once in the Great Hall, both were smiling pleasantly, but were made extremely nervous by the grins Harry and Ginny wore on their faces.
"What?" Ron asked as he sat down next to Harry, across from Hermione.
"Nothin'." Harry said this too cheery for the likes of Ron, but let it go.
Ginny was now giggling very rapidly and Hermione was looking at her like she had bright neon blue hair.
The rest of breakfast passed by pleasantly until Malfoy came into the Hall. He looked straight at Hermione and smiled evilly as he passed the Gryffindor table. Hermione, knowing Ron was right there, glaring coldly back at Malfoy, smirked and pointed to Ron.
Draco saw her finger point at something and looked at that something. Ron was staring at him with an unimaginable fury in his eyes. Malfoy glared icily back and walked away, not wanting to have his face broken again today. That was okay though, he would get his revenge soon enough. Once the Mudblood was alone, he'd have her. She would be one of many things to the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort. She would be his Mudblood sacrifice to be initiated into the Dark Lord's Army of Death Eaters. She would also be the key to luring Harry Potter and Ron Weasley into the clutches of Voldemort, where he would be able to rid the world of that meddlesome 'trio' in one go. Draco grinned at this. He would be the one to deliver to Voldemort what the others, not even his father, could: the other best friend of Harry Potter. There was no way he could ever get Ron, but the Mudblood would prove far more useful to him for the sacrifice seeing as Ron was a pureblood, and not to mention a lot stronger than him. Granger was just a little thing that could be dealt with, no matter how many times her knees were thrown at him.
Ron saw something in Malfoy's eyes that made him even more uneasy, if that was possible with Malfoy. He could sense that he was planning something, and that it involved harm to all of them, especially Hermione. He voiced this, but very quietly to Harry. Harry looked at Malfoy at the Slytherin table to see him eyeing the back of Hermione's head with such a look on his face, it disturbed Harry to no end.
Hermione heard them talking about something, she couldn't make out all the words, but caught things like 'Hermione', 'Malfoy', and some profanity out of Ron's mouth that made her kick him under the table.
"OW! What was that for!"
"I heard that."
Ron looked almost panicked. "Heard what?" he asked very quickly.
She looked at him suspiciously for moment then spoke again. "Don't play dumb with me, Ronald Weasley. I heard you swear."
"Ohhh, okay, sorry." He said this almost relieved it sounded like.
Hermione new that something odd was going on. She came to the conclusion that the boys were going to avenge, for lack of a better description, her attacks yesterday tonight. She resolved to follow the boys tonight to see what they were planning.
The rest of the day went by with only one more event. During Double Potions, Ron and Harry deliberately took seats next to Malfoy, only to hear him saying that he was having a meeting with his father on the grounds on the edge of the Forbidden Forest tonight to his two overgrown bodyguards.
At dinner, Ron and Harry were talking in hushed whispers while Hermione tried to listen. But to her dismay she couldn't hear anything. Hermione new that something odd was going on. She came to the conclusion that the boys were going to avenge, for lack of a better description, her attacks yesterday tonight. She resolved to follow the boys tonight to see what they were planning.
Later that night, she stayed in the common room after everyone went to bed. At midnight, she heard footsteps coming down from the boy's dormitory.
"I know, but don't you think we should at least giver her some warning?"
It sounded like they were arguing over something.
"Yes, just not yet. We need to find out more before we run off telling her she might be in danger and scaring her to death." That was definitely Ron's hurried whisper.
"I know but-" Harry stopped abruptly what he was about to say.
"Who's in here?"
"Me." Hermione came out from behind a couch and eyed the invisibility cloak and Marauder's Map in their hands.
She looked at them and simply said, "Explain."
They looked abashed, but reluctantly obliged. When they were finished, she said, "I'm coming with you."
"The hell you will!" Ron argued.
"Yes, I will," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Now, Hermione, this may be something you don't want to hear, seeing as how you are probably the once most at risk here, you'd be safer in the tower," Harry tried to reason with her.
"No, I won't, because I'm coming with you."
"I said that you will do no such thing." Ron was playing his dominant male card. But Hermione would not be pushed around.
"I don't care, I'm coming."
Ron's mouth dropped and gaped like a fish.
Harry agreed finally, while Ron just looked disgruntled about the entire thing.
"Fine!" he exclaimed. With that, they threw the cloak around them all (which was difficult with Ron and Harry's height) and made the map show it's secrets.
They made their way out of the castle with no disruption except for Peeves nearly flying right into them while rounding a corner.
When they were outside in the crisp autumn night air, they made their way in the general direction of Hagrid's hut. When they were at the edge of the forest, they quietly trekked their way down into the forest by about ten feet. None of them were very afraid of the forest anymore, but it was still enough to send chills up their spines. Suddenly, they heard a few voices coming from inside the forest about thirty feet into the forest.
They followed the voices and come upon a small clearing where about three Death Eaters were with Draco Malfoy.
"Do you understand what to do?" asked the voice of none other than Lucius Malfoy.
"Yes, sir."
"Capture the Mudblood to be used for your initiation and sacrifice. We will not sacrifice her though until the other two come. After we have Weasley and Potter, we will kill her and you will receive the DarkMark. And bring me the Weasley girl, I could use something to blackmail Arthur Weasley into getting rid of that damned Muggle Protection Act." At these words, Hermione gasped, but ever so quietly, and Ron started out of the cloak to head towards Malfoy out of rage until he was stopped but Harry's hands on his robes.
"Yes, sir. Thank you."
At that, the three Death Eaters Apparated and left Draco to walk back to the castle.
A/N - Whatcha think? Ya like? Thanks to my first two first reviewers, you were too kind.