Disclaimer: I don't own anything here. Except for Jake.
"Harry you must be crazy? A wizards duel? That could get you expelled!!!" Hermione was in such a tizzy that she was standing up yelling at Harry, who calmly sat in a chair by the fire in the empty common room. Luckily most of the other students were occupied elsewhere, or else they would have heard Hermione's wrath at it's most fierce.
"I'll be your second." Ron, ignoring Hermione's very loud intake of breath, walked over close to Harry's chair and stood next to Hermione. Hermione turned her head and glared at Ron, her lips in a thin straight line.
"What do you think you're doing?" She asked in such a Hermione-ish tone that Ron had to fight not to smile.
"I'm going to be Harry's second. It's only the thing to do. He's my best friend and she's my sister. Jake said things that I'm not about to let him say and get away with, so I'm going with Harry." He explained calmly and with a smile to a furious Hermione.
"Excuse me, but were you planning on telling me this or discussing this?? Ron how can you expect me to just say, "Oh, ok alright"?? Have you gone mad? You could get hurt."
"Or expelled right?" Ron asked her sarcastically.
"That too but shut up! I'm your girlfriend for god's sake, if something happens to you then I will never forgive you or Harry." Hermione looked pointedly at Harry. "SO you just can't do it, neither of you is going. It's ridiculous." She stated all this as if she'd just solved a huge problem.
"We're going." Harry told her easily and Ron nodded in agreement.
"Look, Mione, the thing is, I love you right? So I'll be careful."
Hermione looked at Ron and practically burst into tears. Why did he always know the right time to get all sentimental on Hermione. Well, sentimental for Ron anyway. Thinking about all the little things she treasured about Ron, she suddenly couldn't hold back anymore and let the tears flow.
"Bloody hell woman!" Ron said incredulously. "Why are you crying? Honestly Harry, I don't understand her." Ron looked at Harry with a pained look on his face and commented.
"I hate you Ron and if you die on me I'll hate you even more! How can you just act like this is no big deal?? You. Are. Going. To. Duel!!" She enunciated each word and looked at Ron like he'd lost his mind. She sniffed and wiped her tears away with the edge of her robe. "A Duel, Ron!! Not some little practice fight. A real duel!!" Hermione's voice began to gain the strength it lost while she cried.
"Yeah, I got that part. So, Harry and I are off right?" Ron told her as Harry got up to stand next to Ron.
"Look, nothing'll happen to him." Harry assured her as he left the room. When Harry left Ron turned to Hermione and smiled gently.
"Mione I'll be fine, ok luv?" He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. Before she could answer him, he was gone.
It was about 8: 30 when Ginny and Draco finally emerged from his room. Draco leaving first and waving her out into the hall when the coast was clear. It was late so most of the students had already returned to their rooms so Ginny's return to the Gryffindor tower would be an easy trip. Draco leaned down and whispered in her ear,
"I love you Virginia, more than anything. Be careful." Draco kissed her, then stepped away from her. She smiled at him and turned down the stairs.
"Bye, Ginny." Draco waved to her as she walked down the steps and out of his sight.
"Ginny!!!!" Ginny heard Hermione yell her name causing her to stop immediately.
"What's wrong?? Is Ron alright? Harry? You look like someone's died!!" Ginny questioned Hermione as she approached.
"Not yet but soon I'm sure." Hermione told her, the only answer Ginny had was a puzzled expression on her face. Hermione made an annoyed noise. "Harry and Ron have gone off to have a wizards duel with that creep from Slytherin, Jake. I tried to stop them but the wouldn't listen. They're dueling over you. Well not you, as in like that but Jake said some things that Harry took offense to and so now they're dueling. We have to do something. I tried to find McGonagall but I couldn't, so I left a huge note in her office, she won't miss it. Then I went searching for you and finally found you! But we have to do something, we can't just sit here and wait for McGonagall to return! They could be dead by then!! Boys are such idiots, why would you want to duel anyway?? We have to do something!" Hermione sounded so desperate and unlike herself that Ginny automatically agreed.
"Where are they?" Ginny asked quickly and Hermione had already begun running.
"The shrieking shack!" Before Hermione had even finished the sentence she was running towards the hidden tunnels.
"I don't hear anything." Ginny whispered to Hermione as they emerged from the tunnel and stepped into the completely dark shrieking shack.
"Me either. Maybe they're done already and we just missed then when they were going back to school." Hermione suggested hopefully.
"EXPELLIARMUS!!" Two different voices shouted the command into the air and both Ginny's and Hermione's wand went flying from their hands. For a moment only stunned silence filled the room, then a mocking laugh split the air around them.
"Really girls? You think that the sniveling, little Jake could've gotten rid of Potter already? You do your friend a severe injustice. I think he should be offended." Lumos someone said the incantation from the shadows and suddenly dim light spread throughout the room. Most of the room remained in shadows, all that was visible was Harry and Ron standing, bound by magic, invisible bonds. Hermione and Ginny both gasped at the sight. That meant that they all had no defenses whatsoever. "So, I see you like my surprise after all? I thought you might, I wasn't sure about whether or not you would enjoy the sight of the two of them bound but I'm glad I went with my instincts." Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the shadows and into the light. Jake was close behind him, grinning maliciously at the girls. Ginny and Hermione both took an automatic step back.
"Jake was telling me that he wanted to have a little fun with you Miss Weasley." Lucius pointed his wand in the direction of Ginny, then turned to the fireplace, he called the work Incendio and lit a fire. Now the room was bathed in orange light. "I told him that it was a possibility, we shall see. First I want to have my fun with everyone. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time and I certainly intend to see Potter suffer before I kill him the same way his mudblood mother died. Will you be as noble? Or will you sniffle and beg for your life? I wonder if you are all they say or has your bravery run out?" Lucius turned to look evilly at Harry. "I would think a legend such as yourself wouldn't have been so easily ensnared, you walked right into my trap. Although I must tell you I have been planning this for quite some time, so I'm not too surprised."
"Just get it over with." Ron yelled, although the sound was muffled and barely audible, Hermione looked over at Ron with concern and grief written all over her face. Apparently Lucius had also magically gagged Harry and Ron so that they wouldn't be heard.
Lucius looked at Ron with hatred. "I'm waiting for my son. You're right though, why be bored until he arrives. I think I would enjoy having a little fun with a group of Hogwarts best. Now I'll get the chance to see how sturdy Dumbledore's finest really is."
A/N: Yo guys!! How are ya? I'm doing yankee doodle dandy fine. Ok so I am sooooo excited you guys like this story. And I know I do have a sense of humor, sometimes only I get the jokes though…I wonder why that is. I'm sorta pondiferating about a story with Hermy and Oliver. I really really like Woody especially when I saw the guy who plays him in the movies. Ok so get the raging hormones under control here. Any opinions on that? I also really like the whole Hermy/Krum story, which I hardly ever find! That's also a possibility. Well guys and gals, I best be leaving. Please read and review and thank you very very very very very much!!!!
