Hermione shrieked. Memories came flooding back to her. There was a forest, and a pool, and a man. The grotto ...... it was familiar to her because she had seen it in her dream. A twig cracked, just as it did in her nightmare. A cloaked figure lurked out of the woods. Hermione screamed and Ron grabbed her wrist and ran. She held tight to him. She concentrated on the ground, squinting to see the floor. Clouds had blanketed the sky, concealing their only source of light. Hermione tripped. Ron lost his grip on her.
"Hermione!" he cried "Hermione! where are you?"
She tried to cry out, but just as in her dream, she couldn't speak. She felt as if the root that had tripped her had held her to the ground. She scrambled to her feet but fell down again. The man who had appeared in Hermione's dream loomed over her. He picked her up and carried her away. The feeling in her body came rushing to her al at once. Hermione yelled and called out to Ron.
"HELP!" She cried. "RON!!!"
The man pressed his hand to her mouth. She could hardly breathe, but fought with all the strength she had.
The sun was coming up. The clouds that hid the moon also hid the sun. It was dark and misty in the thick woods. As they headed deeper, the trees grew denser and undergrowth almost carpeted the ground. A slight rain had begun to fall. The man stopped and laid Hermione down.
"Locomotor mortis!" an extremely familiar voice said. Hermione's legs sprung together. She was being tied to a tree. The cloak eclipsed his face, so that Hermione had no clue who her stalker was.
"WHO ARE YOU?" she shrieked. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
The man reached up and pulled off his hood. Hermione recognized the man as Viktor Krum.
Ron stumbled through the forest. The trees were thinning as the sun came up. Rain fell lightly over his body as he ran to get to the Burrow. Hermione was gone and the last sound he heard from her was his name. Her voice echoed through his mind, giving him strength to push on.
Ron finally saw what he thought was the best sight in the world, the Burrow. Percy was sitting in the garden, having his early morning cup of tea. He barely recognized Ron as he ran up to him, mud soaked and shirtless.
"Ron?" he said, in a tone of disapproval. "Where have you been?"
"No time to explain. Apparate to Mum and Dad's room and get Dad. I'll get Fred, George, and Harry. You get Bill and Charlie."
"Why?"
"JUST GO!" with a pop, he was gone. Ron ran into the house and up the stairs. He woke the twins and Harry.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked, groggily.
"Where's the fire?" asked George.
"Go away," said Fred.
"Hermione's been abducted by the stalker!" Ron cried, frantically. Suddenly, no one was tired anymore.
"What? How?" they asked.
Ron groaned in frustration. "I'll tell you later. Just grab your wands and come on!"
They were all outside in the garden. Ron explained what was going on as they walked into the woods.
"The last I heard was her screaming my name -" he stopped. The memory of her voice was etched deeply into his mind. It hurt Ron to hear the only woman he ever loved scream in such fear and pain.
Harry watched sympathetically as Ron fought back the tears. "She's okay, Ron. I can feel it. We'll find her." He said. he sounded more sure than he felt.
The forest was growing thicker. It had begun to rain. The drops fell hard on their faces, impairing their vision. Thunder roared and lightning split the grey-black sky.
The wind moaned. The storm was harsh and cruel. It seemed to symbolize Ron's feelings; he wanted to yell and scream, he wanted to tear something apart, and yet, he wanted to cry first. He couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears mingled with rain on his face.
They came upon a little clearing only a few feet wide. Hermione was tied to a tree next to a pit full of purple, waterproof fire.
"Hermione!" Ron cried. He ran to her, untied her, then kissed her.
"Ron ....." Hermione said, between kisses. "You ......can't .....stay"
"Do you know who did this to you?" he asked.
"Yes," said a voice from behind him. "It vas me."
"Viktor!" Ron cried. he was nearly unrecognizable. His dark eyes were windows to his heart, cold and ruthless. Viktor advanced on Ron, looking a more disturbed and dangerous by the step.
"I have been vanting to see you, Ron" he said, poisonously. " You stole
Herm-own-ninny, and now you must pay." Viktor pulled out his wand and started throwing curses like diatribes.
A curse hit Ron. He fell to the ground in pain. Hermione screamed.
Viktor's mouth curved into a murderous smile. Besides himself, Ron and Hermione were the only one's conscious. Viktor had stunned the rest of the men. " Do you haff any last vords, Ron?"
"Yes,....." he winced in pain. "Hermione, tell everyone that I'm sorry I didn't get to say good bye. Will you tell them that?"
"Y - yes." She sobbed.
"Hermione?"
"Yes,"
"I love you"
She tried to run to him, but tripped; her legs were still bound. "I love you too!" She cried as she tried to get to her feet.
It was more than Viktor could handle. he pointed his wand strait at Ron's heart.
"Viktor!!" Hermione wailed. "what are you going to accomplish by killing Ron?"
"Everything."
"I DON'T LOVE YOU! KILLING RON WON'T MAKE ME LOVE YOU! SEDUCING ME WON'T MAKE ME LOVE YOU, EITHER! I HATE YOU! IF YOU KILL RON, I'LL ONLY HATE YOU WORSE!" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs. her words seemed to have hit a weak spot.
"But - but vith Ron gone, you vould have no one else but me."
"I don't have to go out with someone, Viktor. It's not a law." Hermione paused. "Have you ever stopped to think of how much pain you'd cause me by killing someone who's not only a lover, but a friend? Imagine how you'd feel if someone murdered me!"
"I'd never forgive the murderer." He mumbled.
"Exactly! I'll never forgive you if you kill him, Viktor."
"But -"
"And what exactly were you trying to accomplish by abducting me?" Hermione was shaking uncontrollably.
"I don't know... I just, I just went crazy......" Viktor had lowered his wand. He sank to the ground. "I didn't want you to break up with me. I couldn't handle it. I didn't want it to end, I kept telling myself it vasn't over."
Hermione felt almost bad for him. She glanced at Ron, who was wincing with pain. Her sympathy vanished. "And those roses! You scared me half to death with them!" She said, severely
"I didn't mean to scare you. I just vanted to show you how much I loved you."
"Staring through my window and making roses follow me isn't love!" Hermione snapped. "Now, take this curse off me." Viktor got up and performed the counter curse. Hermione's legs sprang apart. '"Wake everyone up," she ordered.
"ennervate!" Viktor mumbled. he stared at the ground, ashamed of himself.
"What happened?"
"Why is Viktor here?"
"Did you catch the stalker?"
Viktor didn't look up. He was silent. Mr. Weasley began to understand. " Viktor, you're the stalker, aren't you?"
"Yes," They all looked abashed. "I did not mean any harm! I just vanted
Herm-own-ninny back! I did not mean to scare her!"
"Hmph!" Said Hermione, "He only meant to kill Ron!" She fled to his side. ""Ron", She sobbed. "Please don't die!"
"Hermione?" he reached up to her. Ron extended his hand to her cheek. He wiped away her tear."Don't cry. I'll be fine. Trust me. I'll be fine, and you'll be fine and we'll live happily ever after."
"I love you, Ron."
His eye's slid out of focus. "I love you, Hermione......" his hand dropped. He had either fainted or....
"You killed him!" Hermione shrieked at Viktor. She got up and ran at him. "YOU KILLED HIM!" Fred and George grabbed her arms. "I HATE YOU! YOU KILLED HIM! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! I HATE YOU!!" Hermione fell into Harry's arms, wailing.
"Shah...." Said Harry, feeling tears spring in his own eyes.
"I hate him.....never..... I'll never forgive him........ever...."
They headed towards the Burrow. Mr. Weasley magicked himself and Ron back as fast as he could, leaving the others to walk by themselves.
Hermione was so pale. She looked worse than she ever had, even when she was poisoned at the party. She couldn't walk, out of grief. Every now and then, she'd fall on her knees and shout "I hate you" or something like that. She screamed in anguish. Hermione was drowning in sadness, crying and gasping for breath . She fell and deeply cut her hand, but kept moving as nothing had happened. By the time they got back to the burrow, her remorse was nearly killing her.
"Hermione!" he cried "Hermione! where are you?"
She tried to cry out, but just as in her dream, she couldn't speak. She felt as if the root that had tripped her had held her to the ground. She scrambled to her feet but fell down again. The man who had appeared in Hermione's dream loomed over her. He picked her up and carried her away. The feeling in her body came rushing to her al at once. Hermione yelled and called out to Ron.
"HELP!" She cried. "RON!!!"
The man pressed his hand to her mouth. She could hardly breathe, but fought with all the strength she had.
The sun was coming up. The clouds that hid the moon also hid the sun. It was dark and misty in the thick woods. As they headed deeper, the trees grew denser and undergrowth almost carpeted the ground. A slight rain had begun to fall. The man stopped and laid Hermione down.
"Locomotor mortis!" an extremely familiar voice said. Hermione's legs sprung together. She was being tied to a tree. The cloak eclipsed his face, so that Hermione had no clue who her stalker was.
"WHO ARE YOU?" she shrieked. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
The man reached up and pulled off his hood. Hermione recognized the man as Viktor Krum.
Ron stumbled through the forest. The trees were thinning as the sun came up. Rain fell lightly over his body as he ran to get to the Burrow. Hermione was gone and the last sound he heard from her was his name. Her voice echoed through his mind, giving him strength to push on.
Ron finally saw what he thought was the best sight in the world, the Burrow. Percy was sitting in the garden, having his early morning cup of tea. He barely recognized Ron as he ran up to him, mud soaked and shirtless.
"Ron?" he said, in a tone of disapproval. "Where have you been?"
"No time to explain. Apparate to Mum and Dad's room and get Dad. I'll get Fred, George, and Harry. You get Bill and Charlie."
"Why?"
"JUST GO!" with a pop, he was gone. Ron ran into the house and up the stairs. He woke the twins and Harry.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked, groggily.
"Where's the fire?" asked George.
"Go away," said Fred.
"Hermione's been abducted by the stalker!" Ron cried, frantically. Suddenly, no one was tired anymore.
"What? How?" they asked.
Ron groaned in frustration. "I'll tell you later. Just grab your wands and come on!"
They were all outside in the garden. Ron explained what was going on as they walked into the woods.
"The last I heard was her screaming my name -" he stopped. The memory of her voice was etched deeply into his mind. It hurt Ron to hear the only woman he ever loved scream in such fear and pain.
Harry watched sympathetically as Ron fought back the tears. "She's okay, Ron. I can feel it. We'll find her." He said. he sounded more sure than he felt.
The forest was growing thicker. It had begun to rain. The drops fell hard on their faces, impairing their vision. Thunder roared and lightning split the grey-black sky.
The wind moaned. The storm was harsh and cruel. It seemed to symbolize Ron's feelings; he wanted to yell and scream, he wanted to tear something apart, and yet, he wanted to cry first. He couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears mingled with rain on his face.
They came upon a little clearing only a few feet wide. Hermione was tied to a tree next to a pit full of purple, waterproof fire.
"Hermione!" Ron cried. He ran to her, untied her, then kissed her.
"Ron ....." Hermione said, between kisses. "You ......can't .....stay"
"Do you know who did this to you?" he asked.
"Yes," said a voice from behind him. "It vas me."
"Viktor!" Ron cried. he was nearly unrecognizable. His dark eyes were windows to his heart, cold and ruthless. Viktor advanced on Ron, looking a more disturbed and dangerous by the step.
"I have been vanting to see you, Ron" he said, poisonously. " You stole
Herm-own-ninny, and now you must pay." Viktor pulled out his wand and started throwing curses like diatribes.
A curse hit Ron. He fell to the ground in pain. Hermione screamed.
Viktor's mouth curved into a murderous smile. Besides himself, Ron and Hermione were the only one's conscious. Viktor had stunned the rest of the men. " Do you haff any last vords, Ron?"
"Yes,....." he winced in pain. "Hermione, tell everyone that I'm sorry I didn't get to say good bye. Will you tell them that?"
"Y - yes." She sobbed.
"Hermione?"
"Yes,"
"I love you"
She tried to run to him, but tripped; her legs were still bound. "I love you too!" She cried as she tried to get to her feet.
It was more than Viktor could handle. he pointed his wand strait at Ron's heart.
"Viktor!!" Hermione wailed. "what are you going to accomplish by killing Ron?"
"Everything."
"I DON'T LOVE YOU! KILLING RON WON'T MAKE ME LOVE YOU! SEDUCING ME WON'T MAKE ME LOVE YOU, EITHER! I HATE YOU! IF YOU KILL RON, I'LL ONLY HATE YOU WORSE!" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs. her words seemed to have hit a weak spot.
"But - but vith Ron gone, you vould have no one else but me."
"I don't have to go out with someone, Viktor. It's not a law." Hermione paused. "Have you ever stopped to think of how much pain you'd cause me by killing someone who's not only a lover, but a friend? Imagine how you'd feel if someone murdered me!"
"I'd never forgive the murderer." He mumbled.
"Exactly! I'll never forgive you if you kill him, Viktor."
"But -"
"And what exactly were you trying to accomplish by abducting me?" Hermione was shaking uncontrollably.
"I don't know... I just, I just went crazy......" Viktor had lowered his wand. He sank to the ground. "I didn't want you to break up with me. I couldn't handle it. I didn't want it to end, I kept telling myself it vasn't over."
Hermione felt almost bad for him. She glanced at Ron, who was wincing with pain. Her sympathy vanished. "And those roses! You scared me half to death with them!" She said, severely
"I didn't mean to scare you. I just vanted to show you how much I loved you."
"Staring through my window and making roses follow me isn't love!" Hermione snapped. "Now, take this curse off me." Viktor got up and performed the counter curse. Hermione's legs sprang apart. '"Wake everyone up," she ordered.
"ennervate!" Viktor mumbled. he stared at the ground, ashamed of himself.
"What happened?"
"Why is Viktor here?"
"Did you catch the stalker?"
Viktor didn't look up. He was silent. Mr. Weasley began to understand. " Viktor, you're the stalker, aren't you?"
"Yes," They all looked abashed. "I did not mean any harm! I just vanted
Herm-own-ninny back! I did not mean to scare her!"
"Hmph!" Said Hermione, "He only meant to kill Ron!" She fled to his side. ""Ron", She sobbed. "Please don't die!"
"Hermione?" he reached up to her. Ron extended his hand to her cheek. He wiped away her tear."Don't cry. I'll be fine. Trust me. I'll be fine, and you'll be fine and we'll live happily ever after."
"I love you, Ron."
His eye's slid out of focus. "I love you, Hermione......" his hand dropped. He had either fainted or....
"You killed him!" Hermione shrieked at Viktor. She got up and ran at him. "YOU KILLED HIM!" Fred and George grabbed her arms. "I HATE YOU! YOU KILLED HIM! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! I HATE YOU!!" Hermione fell into Harry's arms, wailing.
"Shah...." Said Harry, feeling tears spring in his own eyes.
"I hate him.....never..... I'll never forgive him........ever...."
They headed towards the Burrow. Mr. Weasley magicked himself and Ron back as fast as he could, leaving the others to walk by themselves.
Hermione was so pale. She looked worse than she ever had, even when she was poisoned at the party. She couldn't walk, out of grief. Every now and then, she'd fall on her knees and shout "I hate you" or something like that. She screamed in anguish. Hermione was drowning in sadness, crying and gasping for breath . She fell and deeply cut her hand, but kept moving as nothing had happened. By the time they got back to the burrow, her remorse was nearly killing her.