Harry found Hedwig among the other owls and climbed out to sit on top of the tower. Hedwig flew out and stretched beside him, making small cooing noises every once in a while and rubbing against him robes. Everything was silent, until there was a small commotion in the owlery. Harry looked over the edge and into the window, so he was upside-down. As soon as he looked in he saw a giant blotch of ginger flying toward him. He retracted his head from the window and seized the big ball of ginger before it fell from jumping out the window.
"Crookshanks? What are you doing out here?" Harry looked at the cat, and saw the sadness in its eyes. "You miss Hermione," he pets the cat on the head, "well that makes two of us." He brought the ginger cat over to where he and Hedwig were sitting before, and Hedwig started to get a little upset. "Calm down, Hedwig. Crookshanks needs comfort right now, just like you would if I was in Hermione's situation." Hedwig started to calm down, like she told, and settled beside Harry once more.
He sat silent as he looked at the moon in deep thought, 'How could he . . . why Herm?' He clinched his fist that wasn't petting Crookshanks who was on his lap. 'If he wants me, then come after me, but never go after Herm.' He pet Hedwig's feathers, "Because of him, I broke my promise to Hermione."
"You never broke your promise, Harry," Ron was struggling to get through the window without falling to his doom. He finally managed to get his grip on the roof of the tower and climbed up, "Still mad at me?"
"Sorry about that Ron. I just . . . have no power right now. I'm not by her side like I have been before. She isn't here beside me. I promised that I would always be there for her, but now I can't be."
"Yes you are Harry. You're in her heart and your soul is always with her."
"Thanks Ron."
"No problem," he looked at the ginger colored ball on Harry's lap, "What is that doing out here?"
"Oh come on, Ron. Hermione is probably the only real friend that Crookshanks has ever been close to. He's feeling just as lost as I am." Ron didn't say anything in response to it, 'Dumb, pathetic cat.'
They sat on the roof in silence, just looking at all the stars. After a while Ron spoke up, for one because he was freezing and had to do some kind of activity to keep warm and for another he needed to keep his mind off of how high they were. "So, now what are we going to do, Harry?"
"You are going to stay here, Hermione will need a friend once she wakes up," he kind of struggled, thinking of what would happen if she never did wake up, and tried to continue, "I'm going to find Voldermort." Harry put Crookshanks under his arm and got up, walking toward the window, "Come on Hedwig."
The owl flew down and through the window. "Harry, I'm usually not used to being the voice of reason, but you can't go out alone. He'll kill you. And even if you might get passed him, you have all the death eaters to face." Harry looked back at Ron while throwing Crookshanks through the window to the owlery, "Let him try."
"Harry!" Harry jumped through the window then waited for Ron. Ron's legs soon dangled from the roof of the tower and Harry seized them, so he could get his footing. He dragged Ron into the owlery and they started to walk back to their room, with a ginger cat behind them, "Night Hedwig."
"Harry, you can't be serious! I mean we are talking about you-know-who, here! He is the most powerful dark wizard that has been restored, and has probably been building up his powers over the last year. Just how are you expecting to beat him?" Harry got to his room with Ron and Crookshanks hot on his heels. As soon as he opened the door, Crookshanks hopped on Harry's bed and made himself comfortable. "Oh no! That's where I draw the line, cat! No way are you sleeping in here!"
"Leave him a lone Ron."
"And you never answered my question," Harry started packing some things in a small bag, "Well?" Harry stuck his wand in his robes and made sure his broomstick was ready if he needed to call for it. "Remember Ron, no word to Dumbledore or McGonagall. You have no idea where I am. Got it?" Ron sat down hard on his own four-poster and crossed his arms, knowing that he will get no answer out of his friend. "I got it. What if Herm wakes up?"
"Give her this," Harry gave Ron a letter, "Take care, Ron."
"You're leaving now? It's not morning yet, you need your rest! Especially if you're going to go through with this."
"It's better to go under the cover of darkness. Take good care of Herm for me. And don't let her come after me," before anything else was said Harry slipped on his invisibility cloak and was off.
***
After a day of fighting against time to administer the anti-venom of the basilisk, Professor Sprout was able to get the mandrakes old enough to use. The professors managed to stop the venom from spreading to Hermione's heart, although it will take her a while to recuperate. She could now have visitors and Ron came to see how she was everyday. They were able to revive Lavender after using mandrakes; she too spent her time by Hermione's side. At ten o' clock a few nights after Harry left, Ron decided to turn in. He reached inside his cloak, pulled out the note, and set it on Hermione's bedside table, "Just some light reading." He left her in the dimly lit hall, after dragging a half awake Lavender back to the common room.
In only a few minutes Hermione's eyes opened and she looked over the hall. "That thing packs a bigger punch then from what I remember." She looked down at her arms and found two puncture marks that were sore when pressure was applied to them. She looked around and finally spotted a letter sitting on the bed stand. She picked it up her wand, "Lumos!" The tip of her wand lit up and gave a sufficient light to read the note.
Herm,
I hope with all my heart that you are all right. I was thinking of you when you were out. They wouldn't let me come in to be with you. You wouldn't believe what I would give to hear you yelling at me for not doing my work. (Hermione smiled at this) Look, I'm tired of all this. If he wants to get me so bad, let him come and get me. No one goes after you. I'm going after him. Whatever you do, do not come after me! Stay in the castle where it's safe. My soul and heart are with you.
Love you now and always,
Harry
Hermione didn't know what to do. "Harry . . . please no." Before tears could even fall, she knew what she had to do, "No way is he going to fight Voldermort alone!" She stopped in her tracks (sort of speech). 'I actually said his name.' She got out of bed and grabbed her robes and wand, "Harry, you should've known better." She opened the hospital wing doors and snuck out into the night. "There goes Miss Granger. Now they're both out there," Dumbledore stared out the window.
"But she just revived from venom poisoning . . . from a basilisk no less. She is in no shape to fight."
"Minerva, we must believe in them."
"Albus, we can't just sit back and watch. We have to help them!"
"They have to fight this on their own. This is what we have trained them for."
"They're only children, Albus."
"Not anymore, Minerva. Not anymore."