Chapter Fifteen
Confessions
Author's Note: Sirius is my favorite adult character. I'm making him a bastard, but he's just looking out for his Godson. Also, my website is taken down at the moment and until I get a new FTP server, I can't put the pages back up.
Ron ran up the stairs to his dorm. How could he be so stupid to tell Professor Dumbledore that he had risked his best friend and his own sister's life? Dumbledore was sure to tell his mother. He'd be disowned before he turned sixteen. If he thought things were bad before, they would be ten times worse if she found out. Though Ron wouldn't mind not being at the burrow. He didn't want to go back there. Too many bad things happened there. Dumbledore would surely tell Hermione that her family as well as herself were in danger, and if she asked who put her in danger, all of life's happiness would end for Ron, though he was sure most of it did end when he left America. Too bad there weren't counselors here.
Ron started on his essays. He remembered writing the same essay about a month beforehand. The door to his dormitory opened and Dean, Seamus, and Neville entered with looks of excitement and interest on their face.
"Thanks for helping me with Potions. It turned out better than Hermione and Malfoy's. Snape was madder than ever! You should've seen him. I thought he was going to kill me for getting it right. I'm still trying to decide if he's scarier when I get it wrong or right." Neville says.
"It's not a problem Neville. You should decide if you hate him humiliating you or hate him when he's mad, more. He's always scary, mind you." Ron says without looking up from his essay, which he had yet to stop writing.
"That's a brilliant way of putting it." Neville says.
"How was America?" Seamus asks.
"How were the ladies?" Dean asks.
"America was brilliant and the ladies were lovely." Ron says. He still hadn't stopped writing, and his eyes were still on his parchment.
"You're working on Snape's essay already? But you always do that last!" Dean says amazed.
"I won't remember as much tomorrow of what I wrote a month ago." Ron says.
"Snape was angrier than we've ever seen him after you left… you're smarter than Malfoy and Hermione, and you taught Neville something… something Snape can't do." Seamus says.
"I only have a month's more knowledge than you all do. In a month it won't matter, and I'm definitely not smarter than Hermione, but Neville can't learn anything with Snape humiliating him all the time. If I was under so much pressure I'd snap." Ron says still not moving his eyes from his essay.
"Did Malfoy really upset you that you actually got sick, or did you just want to get out of there?" Seamus asks.
"Of course he was sick, did you not see him nearly pass out?" Neville asks.
"Oh, I wasn't paying attention. I just thought you were trying to get out of a lesson with Snape, especially if you already had it." Seamus says.
"No, I don't need anymore trouble now." Ron says still writing.
Ron finished his essay and put away his parchment. "Goodnight." Ron says ending any conversation they would try and start. Ron drew his curtains around him blocking them out of view.
The next morning Ron awoke and went down to his History of Magic lesson. Professor Binns was in shock that Ron was back, but didn't ask any questions and resumed his usual boring lesson, which was ten times as boring for Ron, as he had learned everything Professor Binns was teaching already, and he had learned it with two teachers who had ten times the amount of enthusiasm as Binns had in his lessons. Instead of taking notes, which he already had taken down and still had in his book, he wrote the sheet music to Fur Elise, to make sure he didn't forget it.
In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Fleur started crying, but had the class summarize a chapter, while she chatted with Ron about America, surviving, and his earring, which she admired.
"Did I miss much?" Ron asks.
"Well, obviously not lessons, but zey have had a few Quidditch matches. I believe one was Gryffindor against Hufflepuff. Oh, and zey made an announcement, zey said zat Hogwarts would be competing against uzzer schools. Whoever wins the house cup will play against zee uzzer schools." Fleur explains.
That news held his spirit higher until after lunch when they had Divination. He remembered that Sean was his reserve and they probably intended on using him during the games, and Ron knew he wouldn't have a chance of playing Beauxbatons or Durmstrangs.
Then, to make things worse he had Divination, which was always a nightmare. Professor Trelawney would always make predictions of death and bad happenings, but they hardly ever were right. This time she was right. Ron's words echoed in his ears. 'Great tragedy awaits you… Only because the fates foretell me you will not laugh for a long time, will I allow you to laugh in this classroom.' She had known he'd live with the madness the torture inflicted upon him. She'd know he'd live! Ron only hoped that Trelawney wouldn't know what had happened, what had been said. Harry could never know, because he would surely tell Hermione and doubt Ron's trust.
However, all Trelawney had to say when Ron arrived was, "I hope you've learned a lesson." It was as if she had known, but then why had she looked surprised to see him? The lesson was boring, but uneventful, and Ron was truly happy for this.
Ron went down to Care of Magical Creatures with Harry. Hermione had already been there. Arithmancy must've been let out early.
To Ron's surprise, Hagrid would not be teaching the lesson alone. Ron prayed Krum hadn't gotten a job teaching, it was the last thing Ron needed at the moment…
Luckily, Professor Grubbly-Plank was helping. Hermione said she was supervising more than teaching; making sure Hagrid didn't bring animals too dangerous to class.
Hagrid came out of his hut with what looked like twenty muggle Jack Russell Terriers; only it had a forked tail. Ron had learned about Crups while he was in America. Ron remembered writing the essay on the cute creatures.
"WEASLEY! How? What?" Hagrid asks in shock and disbelief shaking Ron out of his thoughts.
"Not now Hagrid, we've got a lesson to teach. Does anybody know what Hagrid has with him?" Professor Grubbly-Plank asks.
"A crup." Ron answers.
"That's correct, do you know anything more about them?" Professor Grubbly-Plank says trying to remember the Weasley, after all Hagrid had confirmed that he was a Weasley, and there was no doubt that with the red hair, freckles, and hand-me-down robes he was a Weasley, but she hadn't seen him since September, so she couldn't find a name, and she knew that the Weasley's couldn't afford a crup, and as he had missed so much school, she wondered how he knew about them.
"They originated in southeast England and they're intensely loyal wizarding pets and ferocious toward muggles. They're scavengers and they eat anything from tires to gnomes." Ron says.
"Very good." Professor Grubbly-Plank says.
"He seems ter know about the creature, do yer mind if I have a word with him, about all the stuff he's missed?" Hagrid says in a low voice to Professor Grubbly-Plank.
Professor Grubbly-Plank gestured Ron over to Hagrid as she gave each dog to a student. They were told to take their dogs for a walk. Ron walked his dog over to Hagrid.
"Hello Hagrid." Ron says as his Crup jumped up and down nudging at Ron's wrist to try and get his attention. Ron laughed and kneeled down on the ground. The Crup rolled over and Ron scratched its belly, while the Crup nipped playfully at Ron's other hand.
"Weasley, they told me the last time I'd ever see you was before you left." Hagrid says.
"Nobody knew." Ron says. Ron picks up a thin branch. He holds it in front of the dog's nose and waves it. The dog gets up and jumps wildly for it. "You want this, yeah? Go fetch!" Ron says throwing the stick a good distance. He let go of the leash, and the dog ran for the stick.
"Weasley, yer can't let 'em go, he'll run!" Hagrid says.
"But if we're playing fetch he'll come back." Ron says watching as the crup grabbed the stick between its teeth and run back to him. Ron scratched the dog's ears, and grabbed the stick from him.
"How'd yer know all yer do about Crups, anyway?" Hagrid asks.
"I wasn't gone all that time without schooling. They wouldn't have let me back this year if I wasn't all caught up." Ron says.
"Yer went ter another school?" Hagrid asks.
"In America, in Salem, Massachusetts. We had Care of Magical Creatures lessons in a zoo. The teachers were jealous of the creatures you show us. They can't have dangerous creatures." Ron says.
"Neither am I anymore." Hagrid says glaring at the other Professor.
Ron sat down on the ground, and the Crup jumped up on him, kissing his face. Ron couldn't help but laugh.
"So, how have yer been?" Hagrid asks.
"Honestly, things are better than I expected coming back here." Ron says scratching the Crup's back.
Malfoy walks his whining crup over to him. "Do you have anything to shut this thing up? I think it's hungry." Malfoy says to Hagrid. Hagrid went inside his hut for a second.
"I know what you did." Malfoy says grinning.
"Congratulations, Hagrid just went in to get a treat, I'll have him give it to you for your glorious knowledge." Ron says smartly.
Malfoy bends down and grabs Ron's wrist rolling up his sleeve. His eyes flashed for a moment as he thought he saw the dark mark, but he grinned as he saw Dominique's name in a heart, and Roxanne's name signed above a pair of lips.
"I suppose she means nothing to you, if Roxanne and Dominique mean anything." Malfoy says threateningly. He did know!
Ron yanked his wrist out of Malfoy's clutches as Hagrid came out. He saw the tension between the two. "Malfoy, not in my class. Here's something ter calm yer animal down." Hagrid says handing him a bone. "Mind you, he'd be jus' as happy if yer would give him some attention, like Weasley's doing."
"Is Weasley such an expert with animals now? What did America do? Give you brains? Too bad they didn't give you any money." Malfoy smirks. He pocketed the bone and looked toward the forest. "All right, if you're so smart go fetch." Malfoy says to Ron and he makes a gesture of throwing something, and 'dropped' the leash. The dog ran toward the forest looking for the bone.
Ron handed Hagrid the leash and turned himself into his Animagus form, the red fox, and ran after the Crup.
Everybody stared dumbfounded as they saw the fox come out of nowhere. Only Malfoy and Hagrid had seen him transform.
Ron got to the edge of the forest just as the Crup was sniffing the edge. He grabbed the leash with his mouth and dragged the Crup back to Hagrid. He transfigured himself back into human form and grabbed the leash as it fell from his face. Ron glared at Malfoy and picked up the Crup scratching its ears. Ron's Crup, which he had handed to Hagrid, was whining of jealousy. Ron sat down on the ground and both dogs came to him, and he played with them scratching their ears and bellies.
"You're an illegal Animagus! Wait until McGonagall hears!" Malfoy says.
"She'd be bloody impressed! That was brilliant!" Dean says.
"If you're so sure I'm illegal Malfoy, go tell her." Ron says winking.
"You're a registered Animagus, but how?" Hermione asks.
"America." Ron says.
"Brilliant form!" Parvati says.
The lesson ended, but Hagrid asked Ron to stay and help him settle the Crups down. Ron did so, as the animals were fond of him.
As he finished, Hagrid approached him. "Weasley, I know you've been through a lot, but I'm here if yer ever need to talk." Hagrid says.
"Thanks Hagrid." Ron says happily. It was good to know someone cared.
"Yer want a cup of tea before yer go ter dinner?" Hagrid asks.
"Sure." Ron says thinking of how nobody invited him to have tea in a long time. The Americans would've surely offered it to him, but it wasn't their custom.
Ron drank his tea happily, as the crup he was handling crawled on his lap and lay down. Ron pets him.
"Hagrid, if I were to tell you something, you wouldn't tell anybody… would you? Dumbledore already knows, mind you." Ron says.
"I swear on me father's grave." Hagrid says.
Ron knew that Hagrid would never tell if he swore it on his father's grave. He put his tea down in fear of dropping it.
"I don't know what to do, Malfoy somehow knows everything I said, or more of everything I didn't say. I'm afraid he'll tell a certain person, and I know if anybody should tell them what I did, it's me, but I can't tell them." Ron says.
"I'm listening." Hagrid says.
"Here's the thing. I made myself promise not to cooperate with them; I made myself not answer his questions, no matter the cost. I only answered one question, but it didn't matter. They wanted to know where Harry stayed on the holidays, and I told them here, but I couldn't fight the Imperius Curse." Ron says turning red with humiliation. "Still they didn't get anything they didn't already know. The thing is… I don't know that I did the right thing."
"Fightin' You-know-who, is the right thing. I'm surprised yer could fight against him. You-know-who would make yer tell him, and with torture spells, well they're bloody impossible to fight." Hagrid says.
"I figured he was going to kill me. The pain would only be temporary, so I didn't give in. The thing is… he offered me choices… he said he wouldn't kill certain people if I just answered his questions. He threatened Hermione's parents' lives, and that's worse than Hermione dying, because she'd hate me forever if she lost her parents, and she wouldn't be the same, but then they threatened her life. I didn't mean it; I wish I could take it back. I risked her life for Harry's. I don't know if I was right or wrong, but I risked her life… Worst yet, is Ginny… I risked her life. My parents would never forgive me if I told them. I can't forgive myself; I mean I risked my own blood for Harry. The worst part was I had ended our friendship before I was suspended." Ron says. "I just don't know if I did the right thing or not. I know I should at least tell Hermione, before Malfoy does and try to explain to her that I do care about her, but I can't look at her in the eyes without feeling like I stabbed her in the back."
Hagrid put his trash can size hand on Ron's shoulder, which actually covered both shoulders. "Hermione's life is no longer in jeopardy, neither is yer sister's now that you're back to protecting her. Hermione's parents won't be harmed if Dumbledore knows. Yer said he knows, so he's probably already taken care of it. You-know-who gave yer an ultimatum. There was no right or wrong. It was a lose-lose situation." Hagrid says reassuringly. "Everything will heal in time. Hermione and Ginny would both give their lives fer Harry."
"I just don't want them to think that I don't care about them." Ron says.
"They know you care about them." Hagrid says.
"Hagrid, thanks for listening and helping me out. I've been meaning to get it all off my chest. People in America listened to me, but none of them understood my friendship with Hermione." Ron says.
"Anytime." Hagrid says.
"Well, thanks a million." Ron says. He lifts the Crup gently off him, but he wakes up and whimpers as Ron leaves Hagrid's hut. Ron could hear him howl as he walked up toward the castle.
Ron had his dinner in the common room as he started writing fake stuff down for his Divination homework.
When Hermione and Harry came upstairs to the common room, Hermione had tears in her eyes, and Harry was angrier than Ron had ever seen him.
"What happened?" Ron asks.
Harry punched Ron hard in the face. Ron fell and covered his eye.
"I hate you. You should've told. Sirius was right; I should never be a friend with somebody like you. Go back to America." Harry says.
"What are you talking about?" Ron cries in disbelief.
Harry shook his head in disbelief and started for his dorm. "Like you don't know." Harry mutters. Ron stood up and was about to go after him, but Hermione had him by the shoulder.
"I apologized to Malfoy. I hope he gets you suspended again soon, only this time, I hope you die." Hermione says. Hermione kneed Ron in the balls. Ron fell to the floor trying not to cry. "I take back my apology, you deserve every insult you hear." Hermione ran off to her dorm leaving Ron to cry in the common room.
Ron was cursing himself nonstop, when Dean, Seamus, and Neville entered the common room.
Dean and Seamus glared at Ron and went up to the dorm, while Neville stuck around. Tears filled Ron's eyes. Why did everybody hate him?
"That was really mean of you." Neville says.
"What was? Everybody hates me, and nobody's offered me an explanation." Ron says.
"Like you don't know." Neville says heading for the stairs.
"No, actually, I don't." Ron says loudly.
"You don't remember calling Hermione a mudblood?" Neville asks.
"What?" Ron asks in disbelief.
"Malfoy told us." Neville says.
"Malfoy told you lies then!" Ron yells. "That's the last thing I'd call Hermione! How could you all listen to Malfoy? God, I wish I were back in America. People don't accuse me of things and they don't call me liars!" Ron yells angrily. Ron runs up the stairs to the dorm, Neville follows him.
"What do you want?" Harry asks.
"None of your business." Ron says opening his trunk. He starts throwing all of his clothes in it.
"Where do you think you're going?" Harry asks.
"Back to America. People don't hit me for no reason, and people trust me there." Ron says. "People are a lot brighter there as well. People here take a liar's word rather than mine."
"But you are the liar." Harry says.
"Whatever you say, I'm not putting up with this. I can't." Ron mutters to himself. Ron punches the wall in frustration. "You know I could've ended it all, if I told Voldemort where you lived on the holidays, who protected you there… I could've been away from all this. I wouldn't have had to suffer all that torture if I had only told, but I didn't tell. I risked my sister's life and Hermione's life for your skin. My parents would disown me if they knew, and choosing between you and Hermione was the hardest choice I ever had to make, but I made myself protect your skin no matter what the cost. They broke my arm because I wouldn't tell; they broke my ankle. They performed the Cruciatus Curse on me three times. Once is too much as it is, and I thought I was used to pain. Now you're listening to Malfoy, who's saying I'm calling Hermione a mudblood, when I coughed up slugs three years ago when trying to curse Malfoy for calling her the same thing. You know I don't call anybody that." Ron cries.
Ron shuts his trunk after packing everything and transfigures it into a stone. He pockets it and leaves with tears in his eyes. Before he could leave however, he bumped into Ginny, Fred, and George as they entered the common room.
"Ron!" The three of them said in unison. Ron gave them each a hug.
"Hey, I can't stay here anymore." Ron cries.
"Come here." George says. George and Fred bring Ron and Ginny up to their dorm.
"What happened what's wrong?" George asks.
"It's a long story." Ron says.
"You've been gone a long time, please just explain." Fred says.
"I survived somehow, but to ensure my safety they moved me to America. Bill and Charlie lied to you, because Rita Skeeter was lurking around and they didn't want Voldemort getting wind that I was still alive. I went to school in America for the last two months, and it was great. I had so many friends who trusted me… I come here, and everybody hates me. I'm a month ahead in lessons, and Malfoy's spreading lies. He's saying that I risked Hermione's life instead of Harry's because I think of her as a mudblood, but you know that is the last way I think of her!" Ron cries. "Everybody believes Malfoy, and everybody hates me. I can't stay here anymore. I can't."
"You can't leave, please stay for me." Ginny pleads with tears in her eyes.
"Ginny, you should hate me right now." Ron cries avoiding her eyes.
"I'd never hate you." Ginny says.
"Voldemort threatened your life for answers, but I didn't answer them. I'm sorry." Ron sobs.
Ginny hugs Ron. "You did the right thing." Ginny says. "If it helps I wouldn't answer You-know-who for you any day either." Ginny jokes.
Ron hugged his sister before he kissed her forehead. Then he left for Dumbledore's office. Ron gave the password and knocked on Dumbledore's door. Remus was still there; Ron didn't look for Sirius as he closed the door.
"Mr. Weasley, what seems to be the problem?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"I don't want to be here anymore. I can't be here anymore. Please, send me back to America." Ron cries desperately.
"Mr. Weasley, what happened?" Professor Dumbledore asks.
"Everybody hates me because Malfoy's telling everybody what his father told him! I risked my sister's life for somebody who hates me. I can't be here. I haven't learned anything new; I'm a month ahead of everybody in classes. I can't stay here. I won't stay here! I'll run through the Forbidden Forest or punch somebody if you have to kick me out to let me go. I'd rather be killed than stay here. I'll send a letter to Mr. Malfoy with all the answers he wants if he'll put Draco under the Imperius Curse to have him kill me. I don't want to be here." Ron cries.
Sirius transfigured himself back into human form. "I'll kill you if you do."
"You'll stay where you are." Remus warns.
"Mr. Weasley, there's obviously some sort of problem here, but it's really not as big as you think. I don't believe you took your calming potion today." Dumbledore says. "Perhaps if you had some, you'd realize the situation is nothing more than a bunch of rumors misunderstood. I'll even speak with Mr. Malfoy about this immediately."
"No, you're the one misunderstanding! Ever since I got here its been hell! I was actually enjoying learning, and better yet, I was actually learning something. Everybody here is a month behind me in lessons, and the only class I've actually enjoyed is Care of Magical Creatures, because Hagrid's back, but it's not even fun anymore, because Professor Grubbly-Plank is still there. Snape doesn't hear the taunts Malfoy whispers. Nobody did before, why is now any different. I'm on a worse path than before, and I want to go back to a place where somebody actually gives a damn about me being alive or not!" Ron yells.
"You want to go home? Take the month off? You said you're ahead of everybody. It can be arranged." Professor Dumbledore says.
"No, I don't want to go home! I'm not safe there! I want to go back to America!" Ron cries.
"I can't allow that." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Why not? I'm unhappy here. I'm not learning anything!" Ron cries.
"Mr. Weasley, I recommend you sleep on this decision. If in the morning you think Salem has more for you than Hogwarts does, than I will indeed bring it up with your parents, but only if you stay out of trouble, and take a calming potion." Professor Dumbledore says. "And Remus will help you with your decision making. You don't mind Remus, do you?"
"Not at all." Remus says.
"And Sirius you can find Harry and ask him about Ron's black eye." Professor Dumbledore says.
"Yes, I'll find out why there isn't two of them." Sirius says. He changes into his Animagus form and runs out of Dumbledore's office.
Ron leaves Dumbledore's office as well, only with Remus following him. He went down to the hospital wing and took some calming potion. Then he started to leave the castle.
"Where do you think you're going?" Remus asks.
"I need to talk to Hagrid." Ron says.
"Why don't you try talking to me?" Remus asks.
"Fine." Ron says angrily.
They enter an empty classroom and Ron begins telling Remus about the attack on the burrow.
Meanwhile, up in the Gryffindor Common Room Hagrid enters with a howling Crup in his arms. "Anyone seen Weasley?" Hagrid asks.
"He's gone to see Dumbledore, I expect. He's going back to America." Harry says.
"What?" Hagrid asks.
"Is he for real? That's excellent. I'll be happy if I never see him again." Hermione says.
"What do you mean?" Hagrid asks.
"He didn't tell You-know-who anything to put me in danger, because I'm a 'mudblood'." Hermione says offensively.
"That's the biggest load of dung I've ever heard." Hagrid says. "One, he's thrown up slugs trying to curse Malfoy when he called yeh a mudblood. Two, he didn't say anything because he didn't want to cooperate with the Dark lord. He put up a hard fight not to say anything. He was down in me hut just a bit ago and told me that he couldn't look yeh in the eye, because he felt too guilty fer putting you in danger to begin with. He was asking me which was right and which was wrong, and I told him he did what was right. This way You-know-who had no bait on him he could use. If he had told You-know-who anything in order to save yer life, You-know-who could've had more information on Harry. You-know-who would've killed yer anyway if he hadn't been able to warn Dumbledore. Yer two should be proud to have him a friend. He went through a lot." Harry says.
"Malfoy said he called me a mudblood, told You-know-who he didn't care about mudbloods like me." Hermione says. "He even put his own sister's life in jeopardy, did you hear about that?"
"Yes, and nothing killed him more than putting your lives in danger. Hasn't forgiven himself yet. He was praying you'd never find out so yer couldn't hate him worse than he could hate himself. Yeh didn't honestly take Malfoy's word on that? Yeh asked him right?" Hagrid asks.
"No. We just flipped. Gosh, how stupid were we?" Hermione asks.
"I'd say darn stupid if yeh believed Malfoy." Hagrid says.
"Why are you looking for Ron?" Seamus asks looking from the whining Crup to Hagrid.
"I thought I'd give him a welcome back present, and this one won't shut up." Hagrid says.
"We'll give it to him if you want to get back." Hermione offers.
"Tell him not ter make any decisions without consultin' me first." Hagrid says handing the leash to Hermione.
Hagrid leaves.
"We've got to be the stupidest people, believing something out of Malfoy's mouth." Harry says.
"It isn't like he offered to tell us anything that happened." Hermione says picking up the crup.
"Yes, but we believed the words of the son of the death eater. He told us that to destroy Ron. Some friends we are." Harry says.
Meanwhile, Ron was talking to Remus.
"…Nobody understands me here! People care in America." Ron says sadly.
"You want to go back there because of a misunderstanding? What happens if someone misunderstands you in America?" Remus asks.
"They take time to understand me." Ron says.
"Yes, but you've only known them for two months. You've known Harry and everybody for five years now. There are bound to be fights in friendships. If you run, you let Malfoy have power over you. When I was going to school here, Sirius played that trick on Snape, and it involved me." Remus began.
"I've heard this in the shrieking shack." Ron says rolling his eyes.
"Snape could've blackmailed me all he wanted he could've gotten me to leave, but I didn't, because I wouldn't let him power me." Remus says.
"That's Sirius' fault. At least you had other friends." Ron says. "Everybody hates me." Ron says.
"And rather than correct them, you want to leave. I understand that." Remus says.
"So you'll tell Dumbledore to let me leave?" Ron asks hopefully.
"No, but you will tomorrow if that's your decision." Remus says.
"It is my decision." Ron says.
"Dumbledore wants you to sleep on it." Remus says.
Ron shook his head and left for the common room.
When he got there he saw Hermione, but said nothing to her, but Hermione surprisingly said something to Ron.
"Ron! I'm sorry." Hermione cries.
Ron stopped on the steps, but couldn't bring himself to comprehend her words or speak.
"Hagrid's brought you this as a welcome back present. He said she wouldn't stop howling, and you're better handling her than he is. He says you can't leave without discussing it with him first. I didn't mean what I said. I was so stupid to believe Malfoy. You just wouldn't talk to me; fill me in, or anything. I was willing to believe him, because I wanted an explanation on why you look sick when you look at me. The whole school was saying it, and the whole school was wrong. I was wrong." Hermione cries. She knew he'd never forgive her.
"Say that again, you're what?" Ron asks turning around with his eyebrows raised and a grin spreading across his tear-stained face.
"The whole school was wrong?" Hermione asks.
"No, you were wrong." Ron says grinning.
"Fine, I was wrong this one time, will you leave it alone now?" Hermione asks impatiently.
"Miracles do happen! You were wrong!" Ron says coming down the steps. "And you admitted to it!"
Ron walks over to her grinning.
"Let me hear that one more time." Ron says.
"Oh, stop it." Hermione says.
"Let me hear it one more time, and I won't bug you about it for a bit." Ron says.
"I was wrong." Hermione says frustrated. "I'm sorry."
"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Ron asks.
Hermione glared at him. "Don't push it." Hermione says sitting down in the armchair in front of the fire. Ron sat on the arm of her chair. "Don't make me push you. You know I wouldn't have been wrong if you had only told me what happened." Hermione says.
"You never asked." Ron says softly.
"Would you have told me?" Hermione asks.
"I guess, maybe." Ron says.
"What really happened?" Hermione asks grabbing Ron's hand.
"The whole story?" Ron asks.
"Please." Hermione says.
"I came downstairs, because I heard a crash. I knew my Grandfather didn't want to see me, I was risking another whipping by going downstairs, but I went anyway to see what had happened. Voldemort and the Death Eaters were there, surrounding my Grandfather asking him where I was. Wormtail squeaked in his Animagus form letting them know I was at the foot of the steps. I told my Grandfather to go; after all it was my fault for being home in the first place. I didn't want the guilt of my Grandfather's death on my conscious." Ron starts.
"He got away though. I didn't find that out until later, though. Voldemort had a tight grip on my shoulder and he dragged me over to a chair in the kitchen. Before he could bind me, I ducked under the table and crawled to the front door, but there was a death eater out front. I tried to go back for the stairs, I figured if I climbed down the tree I could escape, but Voldemort grabbed my ankle and broke it. He forced me to the chair with a charm, but it was so strong I broke it when I hit it, and I crawled to the back door. I wasn't fast enough; three death eaters caught me and brought me back. They bound me to a chair." Ron continues.
Hermione noticed that he was staring at the fireplace in a trance sort of way as he spoke.
"They told me I was responsible for my Grandfather's death. I knew I was, but I wouldn't let them have satisfaction in hearing me admit it. I told them it was their fault, as they did kill him. I said before I didn't know whether he survived or not. I only know what they told me. They got mad because I was being stubborn. He performed the Cruciatus Curse." Ron stops and Hermione saw him shudder.
Hermione squeezes Ron's hand reassuringly.
"I thought I was used to pain, but it was unbelievably painful… I thought I was being burned alive, I felt like I was on fire. It felt like somebody was ripping my skin off, and they were breaking every bone in my body…" Ron stops and took a deep breath.
"He said if I didn't answer their questions, I'd be getting that again. I vowed not to cooperate with them, no matter what they asked. I told them I wouldn't answer anything. He said that I would, and he would remind me of the consequences for not answering the most powerful wizard there was. I told him that he wasn't the most powerful wizard there was, that Dumbledore was. He performed the curse again." Ron says.
"When it ended I hit the ground, there was glass everywhere. I had somehow been levitated when the curse was performed. I was having trouble breathing, and I was bleeding. I couldn't move." Ron says looking at his palms. He still had cuts on them from his fingernails digging into them.
"Malfoy's dad asked Voldemort if he could speak to me, and then he hit me." Ron's hand retraced his face where Malfoy had broken his skin. It was replaced with a new bruise and cut where Harry had hit him.
"He asked me where Harry stayed on the holidays. I erased Harry from my memory. I was trying to think of anything else, but he hit me bringing me back to reality. He put me under the Imperius Curse. They asked where Harry stayed during the holidays. I told them Hogwarts. I couldn't fight the Imperius curse. They asked me where he stayed during the summer where his relations lived. I didn't answer. I think it was wearing off. They said they wouldn't kill you if I told… they asked who meant more to me. I couldn't answer. I'm sorry Hermione." Ron cried. Tears fell down his face.
"He said I was a disgrace to the wizarding world, to have feelings for a mudblood. I told them you weren't a mudblood, that only dark wizards like them were mudbloods. They did the Cruciatus Curse again. It was killing me." Ron cries.
"They knew it was killing me, because their questions came faster. They asked where he stayed, who protected him… They said I was risking my sister's life by not telling. They said I had one last chance to save your life… they asked if I wanted company when I died. I couldn't answer. I couldn't find my voice, and I was too weak. Everything was numb and blurry." Ron says.
"They picked me up and brought me into the living room. They wedged my arm between the grandfather clock and the wall, and pushed me forward. My shoulder was dislocated, and my arm broke in two different places. I fell to the ground. I couldn't stand anymore I was too weak. The last thing I remember was MacNair's axe, and everything went dark." Ron says.
"When I awoke I was in a Salem hospital. My parents and brothers came to see me. I wanted to write you, but they said I was supposed to be dead it was too dangerous. I told them to let you know there was a book under my bed you might be interested in. I told them to say it was my last words or something. I wanted to let you know that I cared… that I care about you. I do care about you, and you don't know how badly I hate myself for not answering their questions and putting you in danger." Ron says.
"They would've killed me either way, but you're alive and if Dumbledore knows he can make sure that your sister and myself will be safe during the holidays. Don't dwell on what could've happened. I dwelled on what could've been different that could've saved you when you were supposedly dead, and it didn't change anything. By miracle you came back, and alive." Hermione says.
Hermione and Ron were so close to each other… Hermione stood on tiptoe and kissed Ron, taking both Ron and her own self by surprise. Ron kisses her in return. Ron pulls away first though. Hermione covers her mouth with her hand and looks away trying to hide the anxiety and disappointment in her eyes.
Ron took her hands into his own. "I would never call you a mudblood. That fight in Diagon Alley with Malfoy before school started was all because he said I had feelings for a mudblood. I don't. I have feelings for a person with beautiful blood everything about her is beautiful. I have feelings for you Hermione, and I don't want to hide them anymore." Ron says.
"I was jealous of Padma, Sabrina, and Tabitha. I wanted to be the girl you liked more than a friend. I like you, like you. I care about you very much, and I would rather die with you than live here without you." Hermione says. "I'm glad you're alive." Hermione says.
Hermione takes Ron's hands and holds them up to her lips. She kisses his cuts and blows cool air on them. She kisses Ron on the lips again, only this time her mouth was open slightly, and she allowed Ron's tongue to explore her mouth, and she too got her chance of exploring his. He had the flavor of strawberries in his mouth. Hermione was enjoying the sensation of kissing. Hermione felt her hands up and down Ron's back as she pulled him closer to her. She pulled his robes off and then pulled his shirt off throwing them both on the floor.
Hermione pulls back for a second to look at Ron's body. Hermione had never seen Ron's chest before. Ron's chest was pale, and the scars on his back had been removed. He had freckles all over his arms, but there were few on his chest and back. Ron had a tight abdomen. Roxanne had admired his 'six pack,' when she had walked in on him getting changed. Ron still felt insecure. Nobody had looked at him the way Hermione was looking at him now.
She smiled at him and hugged him tightly. Then she stood up and started kissing Ron's earlobe, playing with his earring with her tongue. They both laughed and were grateful of the time and how nobody was around.
Hermione reached into the pocket of her robes and pulled out the Marauder's map. She saw that the only people in the common room were she and Ron, and she saw a door in the common room that led to another room. She looked up and where the door would be was a bookshelf. There was a hidden room, behind there. Hermione showed Ron the map. Ron picked up his robes and shirt and walked over to the bookshelf. On the map it showed Hermione tapping the door with her wand and a speech bubble above Hermione told her to say 'Transcendium.'
"Transcendium!" Hermione whispers, tapping the bookcase.
The bookcase turned halfway allowing Hermione and Ron to walk by and then it turned back again.
"How'd you get that from Harry?" Ron asks.
"Told him I was going to apologize, was going to wait up for you." Hermione says.
"I never knew this was here." Ron says looking around. It was a room like the common room, only smaller. The carpet and curtains were scarlet. There was a sofa in front of a small fireplace. Other than that the room held nothing.
Hermione sat down on the sofa. Ron sat next to her and kissed her. His robes and shirt were still off of him, and Ron removed Hermione's robes. She kissed him and he ran his hands up her shirt. He removed her shirt and kissed her chest. Ron was about to take off Hermione's bra when they heard somebody. Hermione put her finger in front of her mouth as she took out the Marauder's map.
A look of surprise and confusion made Ron awfully curious. Then they heard somebody whisper "Transcendium" from outside. Hermione threw her robes on and buttoned them as quickly as possible just as two people entered the room. One had a look of amusement on their face; the other was torn between amusement and surprise.
"Hello Fred, Angelina… what are you two doing here?" Hermione asks quickly. She was holding the map behind her back.
"I was er… just showing Angelina this room I found the other day." Fred says.
"Yes, and it's apparent what you two were doing down here. Hermione, your shirt's on the ground." Angelina says trying hard not to laugh.
"How'd you two find this room?" Fred asks.
"A certain map. I'm assuming you found out the same way?" Ron asks.
"Fred, Angelina, please don't tell anybody about what was going on here." Hermione says.
"Why are you ashamed of my little brother?" Fred asks grinning mischievously.
"No, I don't need another suspension, is what we're asking." Ron says quickly.
"Oh, well you have our silence." Angelina says.
"And you'll have ours." Hermione agrees.
Fred and Ron shook hands in a business like way.
"Well, since you two are already at it, we'll leave." Angelina says.
"We really weren't doing anything." Hermione says.
"That's why your shirt is on the floor." Fred reminds.
"No, it's really not what you think." Ron says.
"Please, explain, I want to hear this." Angelina says.
"We saw this room, and it was really hot, so I took off my robes and shirt, I get overheated nowadays. Hermione thought it was hot as well, but she said her shirt was too tight and transparent to take off her robes, so she just took off her shirt." Ron says. "Did that make any sense?"
"Not a lot since its freezing, but it was a good try." Fred says.
"Well we'll be leaving now." Angelina says.
They left.
Ron put his shirt back on and then his robes.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asks.
"I almost let my hormones take control over me just then." Ron says buttoning his robes.
Hermione sat down on the couch.
"What's wrong?" Ron asks seeing the disappointment in her eyes.
"Nothing. Everything's brilliant." Hermione says not looking at him.
"Seriously." Ron says.
"This was all your hormones, you never meant any of it?" Hermione asks.
"No! I meant everything. If I continued my hormones would've controlled me, and I might've done something stupid." Ron says.
"It's stupid because it's with me?" Hermione asks.
"No…" Ron says kissing Hermione.
The next morning Hermione awoke Ron frantically at ten. "Ron, Ron wake up!" Hermione cries shaking him awake.
"What is it?" Ron asks rubbing his eyes.
"It's ten o'clock." Hermione says.
"It's what?" Ron asks sitting up not comprehending Hermione's words.
"Ten! Ron, we're late for class!" Hermione yells brushing her hair into two braids.
"Oh no, McGonagall's going to kick me out again!" Ron says. "I can't go home."
"She won't send you home." Hermione says pulling on her robes.
"We can't enter together. It'll look suspicious." Ron says.
"It won't matter, we're both not there now. It's already looking suspicious." Hermione says.
"No, I won't go then." Ron says.
"You have to, I'm sure we're costing points from Gryffindor every second." Hermione says.
"Only for you. I already know what McGonagall's teaching." Ron says giving Hermione a kiss.
"Where were we last night?" Hermione asks.
"Here." Ron says looking at Hermione as if she were crazy.
"No, if anybody asks." Hermione says.
"They won't, just say we were talking and went to bed really late, and we got up early, took a walk, and didn't realize the time." Ron says.
"That's good enough. Let's go." Hermione says taking Ron by the hand and pulling him out of the room.
They run to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall looks at the pair, as does the rest of the class.
"Sorry we're late Professor." Hermione says anxiously.
"Would you like to tell us where you were? I sent Ms. Brown and Mr. Finnigan to get you, but you weren't in your dorms, nor were you in the common room or the Great Hall." Professor McGonagall says.
"No, we weren't there. We went on a walk this morning and lost track of time." Ron explains.
"Well, I find that interesting Mr. Weasley, because if you did indeed go on a walk that was not out of the boundaries of the school, you would hear the morning bell as outside classes always do, and they're on our school's perimeter." Professor McGonagall says.
"We were having an important conversation, and we didn't hear it." Ron says.
"Ms. Granger do you have anymore lies that Mr. Weasley has forgotten to try?" Professor McGonagall asks.
"We were having an important conversation and I honestly never heard the bell this morning." Hermione says.
"Either way you both have detentions for tonight, and you have cost Gryffindor twenty points for being tardy." Professor McGonagall says. "Please take your seats."
"I need to go see Professor Dumbledore." Ron says.
"After class." Professor McGonagall says. "You've already missed enough."
"I'm a month ahead of you, I'm a registered Animagus. Professor Dumbledore told me to see him in the morning." Ron says.
"And when the class ends in an hour, it will still be morning." Professor McGonagall says.
Ron walks out of the classroom.
Hermione looks at the door with disbelief as she takes a seat next to Harry.
"Potter, catch her up." Professor McGonagall says. She leaves the classroom.
"Where were you two?" Harry asks.
"Talking. I got him to tell me the truth…" Hermione glares at Malfoy.
"Did he tell you that he bawled like a baby?" Malfoy asks.
Hermione whipped out her wand and pointed it at Malfoy. "I could do the curse right now, and we'd all get to see you scream. Are you up to the bet?" Hermione asks.
"Let's see the muggle money wouldn't do me any good mudblood, but a lifetime of never seeing you again would be lovely. Please." Malfoy grins standing up.
"Azkaban doesn't seem too thrilling after all. Maybe I'll settle with this." Hermione knees Malfoy between the legs before going back to her seat and twirling her wand between her fingers and smiling at Malfoy as if daring him to say something.
Meanwhile, Ron was talking to Dumbledore.
"I thought about it, and I almost reconsidered, but I can't stay here. My teachers call me liars and hate me. I told you yesterday I'm a month ahead of everybody. Snape is madder than ever because I'm a month ahead of the class, and McGonagall called me a liar." Ron says. "In America, I actually learned, and enjoyed learning, because my teachers cared, and there were two teachers in every class, I was behind in their school, so one teacher took me aside and caught me up in a day. Over there the teachers give me respect… here, I've got to deal with McGonagall and Snape. I can't sit through Binns' class. I've learned everything he drones on about, a month ago, and I learned it from two enthusiastic teachers who really made you learn it. I never had a problem with one teacher over there, and if I ever were to have one I could do something about it. Unlike here, where everybody's got to deal with bias teachers, and nobody except you gives anyone a second chance."
"Mr. Weasley, I spoke with your parents last night. They can't afford to send you to America, and your Grandfather won't pay, because he wants to keep an eye on you." Professor Dumbledore says sadly.
"Like he kept an eye on me at the burrow? Wonderful." Ron says bitterly. "I might as well drop out and let Voldemort kill me. I'm not staying here."
"Mr. Weasley, you are staying here." Professor Dumbledore says.
"I won't attend classes. What's the point of staying if I'm not learning anything? I'll write my parents, or if worse comes to worse I'll just leave." Ron says.
Professor McGonagall barges in. "Mr. Weasley, you do not walk out of my class." Professor McGonagall says angrily.
"I already did. Expel me." Ron says.
"Professor Dumbledore, do you see how disrespectful he is?" Professor McGonagall asks.
"I'm only disrespectful to people who are disrespectful to me, and calling me a liar is disrespectful and humiliating." Ron says.
"You were lying." Professor McGonagall says.
"See, she doesn't even ask. She just says it. I can't stand this damn place anymore. I'm leaving." Ron says.
"I told you before you can't leave." Professor Dumbledore says.
"I'll show you how possible it is that I can, because I am." Ron says.
Ron leaves Dumbledore's office and makes his way down to the entrance hall. He stops at the doors. He had a decision to make. He had to decide if his feelings for Hermione were strong enough to stay with all the disrespect and depression that Hogwarts was giving him.