BEG: FT

Disclaimer: see chapter 1!

A/N: Oh, guys, thank you so much for reviewing!!! You don't know how much that means to me! I'm gonna start to cry, so I better get on with the story :0 ) (HP and the Time Turner will be updated ASAP)

Chapter 3

Harry awoke the next morning to Lycaeus licking his face. He gently stroked his snout. "Hey, boy." Hermione was resting her head on his shoulder, sound asleep. She looked so beautiful even as she slept. He remembered last night, how they talked, and when he kissed her… he had never experienced anything like it. All he wanted to do was kiss her, and the two of them could be lost together in their own world. He smiled and stared into the sun. It was well after day break. "Hermione," he whispered, gently shaking her. "Wake up."

She moaned contently and opened her eyes. She smiled when Harry's face filled her vision. "Hi."

            "Morning," he smiled. "We have to go wake Ron and get a move on. You stay here, I'll be right back."

            "I'll come with you," she said, climbing to her feet.

            "Al right," he said, getting to his feet as well. He started walking toward Ron, Hermione fell into tow beside him. Her hand brushed against his, and without another word, he joined his hand with hers.

Ron was snoring loudly under the Willow tree. From the looks of it, he had a rough night. His hair was disheveled, and a small trickle of drool leaked from his mouth. Hermione ruffled her nose at the sight of him.

            "Ron, get up," Harry said, shaking his leg.

            "Five more minutes, Mum!" he whispered.

Harry looked to Hermione and she giggled.

            "Come on, I'm not your mum," Harry said.

Ron opened one eye. He saw Harry and shot up like a rocket. "Aghhh! And you have her here! I'm in my unmentionables!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "And good morning to you too."

Harry was grinning. "Come on, let's go. We have to get out of here."

            "Without breakfast?" Ron asked, his stomach rumbling loudly.

            "I saw some berries not too far from here," Harry said.

Hermione frowned.

            "What?" Harry asked.

            "I don't think we should eat anything out here. I wish I had One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungai with me," she said. "To know what was and wasn't poisonous."

            "Ah great, Harry," Ron mumbled. "while she's quoting book titles, we'll starve to death."

            "My book knowledge may very well save your life one day," she snapped.

            "LYCAEUS!" Harry called. He was tired of hearing the two of them bicker.

Lycaeus trotted over, blue jam around his mouth.

            "Smart boy!" Ron cried. "Show Uncle Ron where the blue fruit is!"

Lycaeus stared at him, and then  turned his head to the rear of him with a whinnie. Ron looked behind him and saw a small bush. "Be right back!" he called to Hermione and Harry.

Harry gave Hermione a leg up and she climbed onto Lycaeus's back. Harry climbed on in front of her. "We'll fly for awhile, and then walk a few hours," he said.

She nodded.

            "Ron, come on!"

Ron climbed aboard Lycaeus with the bottom of his shirt full with blue berries.

            "You really shouldn't eat those," Hermione said.

            "Nonsense. Lycaeus ate them and he's perfectly fine." He said, popping a few in his mouth. "Mmmmmmm. Want some?"

She shook her head no.

            "Harry?"

            "No thanks," Harry said.

            "More for me," Ron grinned as Lycaeus took off into the sky.

By mid day, Hermione and Harry were starving. Ron stayed true to his berries, but the trio walked along, under the hot sun. And Harry didn't know how much longer he'd be able to go on without food. Even Ron's forbidden fruit started to look good. Just as Harry felt his knees begin to buckle, he heard a familiar hoot. He looked up to the sky. Hedwig was coming down from the heavens, a rolled up parchment in his talons.

            "HEDWIG!" Harry called. The Snowy owl landed on his shoulder and dropped the parchment into his hands.

            "Finally, a break," Hermione moaned and collapsed onto the grass.

Ron sat down next to her, sharing his berries with Lycaeus. "What is it?" he asked Harry.

            "An edition of the Daily Prophet," Harry said. "We've made front page news. Listen to this:

            Prince Harry Missing!

            Last night, during the annual fall ball at the Palace, Prince Harry Potter and loyal friend later identified as Ronald Weasley, were seen running from the palace. A young girl who remains unidentified escaped from the dungeon last night also. There are unconfirmed reports that the prince's Pegasus is also missing. With his birthday now only two days away, many wonder if he will be found in time to be crowned king.

            "We're doing whatever it takes," William Timms, one of his round the clock Bodyguards said.

            "We'll find the prince," Gene Dubbs, his other bodyguard added."leave no stone unturned."

            "I hope Master Harry collects his head and comes home," Henry, the prince's caretaker said.

It is only a matter of time until we find out the truth. And find Prince Harry." Harry looked to the two of them. "I've just got an idea,"

            "What?" Hermione asked.

            "We'll send Hedwig to Hagrid for food. He'll send us some, I know he will!" Harry shouted.

            "Good idea!" Hermione said. "But you don't think your guards will follow Hedwig?"

            "Who, Timms and Dubbs?" Harry asked, turning the Daily Prophet over to write on it. "They're not that smart. You don't have a Quill, do you?"

Hermione blushed and pulled a Quill from inside her robes. Ron laughed out loud.

Night fell by the time Hedwig returned with Rock cakes and pumpkin pasties and all kinds of sweets. He yelled at Harry to come on back in a letter, but somehow Harry knew that he understood. Hermione and Harry had nearly eaten everything Hagrid had sent them. Ron sat off to the side, rubbing his stomach.

            "I meant what I said last night," Harry told her. "Every word."

Hermione crept closer to him. "You're… the first boy I spilled my guts to," she said. "I feel so comfortable with you…"

            "Blah, blah, blah." Ron said, getting to his feet. "Do you want some make-out music?" he froze.

            "Ron?" Harry asked uncertainly.

Ron's head snapped back and his eyes rolled up into his head. He collapsed to the ground.

            "Ron!" Harry cried, running over to him, Hermione right behind him. He shook him violently. His eyes were closed, his breathing coming out in choked pants. "No, Ron!"

Hermione placed two fingers against his neck. "It's those berries! It has to be!" she grunted. "I told him not to eat them!"

            "We have to do something!" Harry cried. He scooped up a handful of the berries Ron had eaten. "Do you know what these are?"

Hermione took them and examined them closely. "They look…" she smelled them, and licked one. "Oggnot berries! They're Oggnot berries! Why didn't I see it before?"

            "There's no time for that now," Harry said hastily. "What do they do?"

            "Well, they definitely are poisonous to people," she said, gazing at Ron. "But to animals they're a real treat. Long ago, Wizard Farmers used to plant them in their crops to ward off tresspassers,"

            "Is there a cure?"

Hermione thought hard. This was really when she needed to keep calm and remember her books. Remember what she learned from them, what the words said on the pages. "We need a Bezoar," Hermione said.

Harry felt like he could of smacked himself on the head. Of course! That was from their very first year, and their very first Potions class. "Yes!" Harry cried. "I remember Snape telling us! It saves you from most poisons! But where do we get one?"

Hermione was silent.

            "Where do we get one?" he repeated.

            "They're found in the stomach of goats," she replied miserably.

Harry felt like he had been whacked in the gut. He looked around at the rolling hills and valleys around him. "And where are we supposed to find a goat?"

            "I wish I knew where we were," Hermione said. "Then I could point out which direction is farmland! I've read all about the area in Wizard London: Where Do You Want To Go?"

Harry grabbed his wand and pointed it out in front of him. "Accio, Goat!"

Nothing happened. No goat came flying to him.

Hermione was going to say that you had to be in the vicinity of the object for that to work, but decided against it.

            "Al right, al right," Harry said, frantically, raking both hands through his hair. "Here's what we're going to do. We'll send Lycaeus to bring back a goat. How much time does Ron have?"

            "…Twenty-four hours before the poison becomes fatal," she whispered.

Harry jogged over to Lycaeus and started talking to him. Hermione sat down beside Ron and smoothed back his hair. Ron gave an involuntary shiver. She conjured up one of her special fires with Ron's wand right next to him. "Hang in there," she whispered.

Harry walked back over to her when Lycaeus took to the sky.

            "Are you sure your pegasus knows what to do?" she asked.

Harry nodded. "If there's one thing Lycaeus understands, it's urgency… and English," he took her hand. "How are you holding up?"

            "Oh, me?" she asked. "I'm okay. I should be asking you that,"

            "Ron was my first-ever real friend," he said. "when I was little, Henry would allow me to play with other princes, but… not until I got to Hogwarts did I meet Ron… and, we just got along. He was the first person to treat me like I was the same as him."

Hermione rubbed his shoulder. "He'll be okay," she said. "I've just met him, but I have a feeling he's too stubborn to let this beat him."

            Lycaeus returned a few hours later, carrying a wiggling goat in his hoaves. "Good boy!" Harry cried, throwing his arms around his neck.

Hermione put a sleeping spell on the goat.

            "Okay, so how do we do this?" he asked.

Hermione looked at the sleeping goat. "Well, there's a spell you use to extract the Bezoar," she said. "Then we have to melt it down, and Ron has to drink it…" she cast a glance at Ron. "more or less,"

            "Okay, so what's the spell?"

Hermione walked over to him. "Well, you should do it because I don't have my wand," she said. "Just point your wand at the goat and say 'El Explic Goatus,'"

            "El Explic Goatus!" Harry cried, his wand aimed at the goat.

The goat gave a few violent shudders, and then a small square stone popped out of its mouth. It lay motionless. Harry walked over and picked up the stone. "Is it dead?"

Hermione nodded. "One life to save another," she whispered.

            "Well, at least we won't go hungry tonight,"

Harry walked over to Hermione's waterproof fire. He placed the stone on the ground. "Wingardium Leviosa!" and the small stone hovered above the fire.

Hermione was busy pulling leaves and blades of grass out of the ground to make a small mock bowl.

In what seemed like no time at all, the Bezoar melted into a smooth grey liquid. Harry helped Hermione pour the Bezoar into her little grass bowl.

            "My mum told me how to make those," she said. "While we were camping one time."

Harry smiled. And she wanted to hide the fact that her parents were Muggles!

Hermione helped Harry tilt Ron's head back and pour the liquid down his throat. A short while later, he weakly opened his eyes. "Hey," he whispered.

            "Get some rest," Harry said.

Ron looked up. "we're still here?"

            "Well, things sort of got put on hold when you fainted," Harry told him.

            "I… fainted?"

Hermione nodded. "After you ate those berries I told you not too,"

            "YOU'RE still here!?" Ron snapped.

Hermione gave a sharp gasp and walked over to the goat.

            "Ron," he said weakly. "She's the reason why you're still alive,"

            "Oh bloody hell," Ron whispered.

            "Are you hungry?" Harry asked him.

Ron shook his head. "Think I've had my fill for the evening."

Harry walked over to Hermione, who was busy shaving the goat with Ron's wand.

            "Don't listen to Ron," he said. "He's just…"

"I know," she said. "He should get looked at by a doctor,"

            "Lycaeus can take him back to the palace." Harry said.

            "Are you sure?" she asked. "Wouldn't you like to go back with him?"

            "I would," he said. "But…"

            "Harry," she started.

            "I'm staying here with you," he said. "Don't try and change my mind."

Half an hour later, Hermione and Harry had Ron strapped to Lycaeus's back.

            "Straight to Madam Pomfrey," Harry told the Pegasus. "No stops anywhere near the palace. Not even to see that cute unicorn in the forbidden forest. Understood?"

Lycaeus whinnied.

Harry stroked his snout and walked over to Ron. "Soon you'll be as good as new,"

            "Is she worth all of this?" Ron asked.

Harry looked to Hermione, who was busying herself stroking Lycaeus's neck. "Oh yeah, she's worth it,"

Ron smiled. "I knew she would be," he said. "I knew from the very first time you talked about her that she was the one for you."

Harry patted his shoulder. "See you soon."

            "Hermione?" Ron asked.

Hermione pulled herself away from Lycaeus and walked over to Ron. "Yeah?"

            "Uhm… thanks," he said.

She smiled brightly. "Don't mention it. I mean, what good am I if I'm a bookworm and don't know my stuff?"

Ron smiled weakly. "You don't give yourself enough credit. You're going to be the best witch around someday, and everyone will admire you."

Her eyes filled with tears. "Thank you. And you get better soon,"

            "Al right. Harry, I'm ready."

            "See ya," Harry said. "Send an owl as soon as you're up to it?"

Ron nodded.

            "Up, Lycaeus!" Harry cried, and the Pegasus took off.

            "You make the best goat 'round these parts," Harry said, biting into his goat leg.

Hermione laughed. "Yeah, it's such a delicacy."

Harry leaned closer to her and stroked her hair. "What would I do without you?"

She smiled. "I don't know," she whispered.

Harry kissed her.

He coughed. "There's… something I have to tell you," he said.

She turned to him.

            "I think… no, no wait, I know that I'd be lost without you.  And… I know… that I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he continued. "I don't care what anybody says, how they'll react. I love you."

Hermione slapped a hand to her mouth. "Harry, what are you saying?"

            "I'm asking… Hermione Granger, will you marry me?"

Hermione's heart hammered in her throat. "Yes," she whispered.

            "What?"

            "YES! Yes, of course I'll marry you!!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.

Harry grinned and gave her a tight hug. She squealed.

            "I don't have a ring yet," he said. "Sorry, I should have waited…"

            "No, no, it's okay." She said, and kissed him. "I don't need a ring. All I need is you."

End of chapter 3! Review!!!!!!