Disclaimer: None of the characters that you recognize are mine. They belong to Ms. J.K.Rowlings and not to me!
A/N-Ok, here's the next chapter! It's very Hallween like and is kind of short but I wanted to have it out for actual Hallween. It doesn't deal too much with Muggle A&E, but it does open a whole new can of worms!
As always, thank you to my reviews and/or readers! You know who you are!
Chapter 14
"One and two, three and four!"
Hermione breathlessly tried to keep up with Professor Starr's tempo, but it seemed she was failing terribly. Today was the first day of actual dancing and they had begun with learning the waltz to prepare them for the next school dance, whenever it was to be.Professor Starr was clapping along with the beat, but it seemed that everyone was doing a lousy job. At least once every five seconds there was an exclamation of "Ouch!" as yet another foot had fallen victim to the art of dance.
The song finally ended and Hermione was relieved to hear Professor's Starr call it a day. "Good job everyone! That's enough for today. There's an ice box in the corner in case your toes are a little worse for wear," Professor Starr commented. There was a sudden onrush of students, as nearly everyone ran to get some ice. Hermione looked at Harry and smiled.
"You don't need any ice?" Harry asked her with a grin.
"No! No, I'm fine," Hermione said lightly. In reality, her second toe on her right foot was screaming in pain from being stomped on four times. She knew how self-conscience Harry was about dancing and she was not going to make him feel bad by running to the ice box.
"Hey, guys. I see you both survived intact," Ron commented as he joined the two.
"Yep, we're good," Hermione said happily (her foot still feeling like it was on fire, of course). "How's Pansy as a dancer?"
"Actually, she's not as bad as I feared she would be. We even carried on a conversation without hexing each other," Ron answered.
"Oh. How…nice," Hermione said faintly, her stomach churning. What?! 'Not as bad!' How can he say that? Great. Now he'll fall for that tramp and they'll have a huge wedding with all her little Death Eater friends and there I'll be, all alone, in the back, and people will say how cute they are together and all feel sorry for me since I had my chance and I blew it and my toe still really hurts. All in all, this was not turning into a very good day for Hermione Granger.
"Hermione? Are you ok?" Ron asked, concerned.
"Oh, who, me? Terrific," she said dead panned. "So, tonight's the Halloween Feast, right?" she asked, picking a new topic out of the sky.
"Yep," Harry confirmed. Ron and Harry then proceeded to talk about new strategies about the upcoming Quidditch game against Slytherin and Hermione, forever bored with that so-called game, was left to her thoughts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was that time of the year again- Halloween. Hermione used to like the holiday when she was younger and would always dress up as a princess or an angel or in some other equally adorable costume and go Trick or Treating. Since her parents were dentists, she would always have to sneak the candy into her room to eat it, which led her to have to nearly inhale it and she was sick for two days. Those were the days. Now, whenever October Thirty-First rolled around, she would be continually on edge. She figured it might have something to do with the lack of secure Halloweens she had experienced since beginning at Hogwarts. Nevertheless, the glass was half full for Hermione so she was hoping for a nice, normal Halloween.
She had relayed her feelings to Harry and Ron the other day and Ron had just about laughed in her face. "Ha!" Ron had shouted. "The words 'normal' and 'Hogwarts' go together like 'Snape' and 'compassion.'" Yet, Hermione was still optimistic as the Trio made their way to the Great Hall to begin the Halloween Feast.
"Wow!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes as big as saucers. "Would you look at all this food?"
"It does look good," Hermione agreed. It seemed to her the food got better and better every year. She figured if they kept this up, by seventh year she wouldn't be able to fit through the door.
She was in the midst of reaching for a Special Edition Halloween Double Chocolate Frog from the platter before her, when something caught her eye. She stared, open mouthed at it.
The two boys followed her gaze and all three were staring when a house-elf put a huge piece of cake in front of Harry Potter himself.
"Mister Potter," the little elf began. "Here's a piece of cake from Dobby. It's the-"
"It's the Triple Chocolate Chunk Supreme Moose Cake." Hermione finished with wide eyes.
Harry and Ron looked at her strangely.
"There's a huge name for that little piece of chocolate cake?" Ron asked dubiously.
"Yes. I've only read about it, but to actually see it," Hermione said, bewildered.
"Ummm, Hermione? Are you okay? You're not acting like yourself." Harry asked tentatively.
"I'm great. Thank you," Hermione said addressing the house-elf, but he was already gone.
"So, what's so great about this Double Cake With Chunks Of Moose, anyway?" Harry queried.
"Oh, it's only supposed to be the best cake in the world of cakes," Hermione explained, not bothering to correct its name. "It's made specially in the Witch's Factory in Switzerland and it's only made at midnight on October 30 so it is only eaten on Halloween. It's made with exactly one hundred and fifty six chocolate chips and-"
"Hermione!" Harry interrupted, laughing. "If you want it so bad, you're welcome to it."
"Oh! No!" Hermione said innocently. "I could never take your cake away from you."
"It's perfectly-" Harry began.
"Give me a fork!" she commanded and Ron slapped one in her hand and she dug in. After thirteen bites, all in quick succession, Hermione finally lifted her head up sat back in her seat, and sighed in satisfaction.
"Scrumptious," she murmured.
"Hey, Hermione?" Ron asked grabbing a fork. "Since you've only had like half the cake, could I just-"
"No!" Hermione slapped Ron hand away and gave him her own Glare O' Death.
"Please? Just one little bite?" he begged. And then he had to do it. He gave her his puppy eyes. Hermione Granger considered herself a strong woman. Hey, she had beaten death on numerous occasions. But if there was one thing that reduced her to putty, were Ron Weasley's puppy eyes. She would serve detentions for him, do all his homework, beat up Malfoy, all in the name of puppy eyes. Which is why he could never know that power he had over her, of course.
She was just about to open her mouth to say 'Please, finish it all,' when a shooting pain went through her stomach.
"Ow!" she gasped, clutching her abdomen.
"What? What is it? What's wrong? You can have the whole piece! I don't need any!" Ron said frantically. Hermione would have laughed had her insides not felt like they were ripping from her body.
"Guys? I feel really-" And with that, Hermione's eyes rolled to the back of her head, and as she was tipping over, for her head to properly introduce itself to the hard marble floor, Ron's strong arms wrapped around her.
*************
In the Infirmary*************
"Poison."
At Madam Pomfrey's blunt diagnosis, both Ron and Harry drained of color.
"Poison? But how? By whom?" Ron sputtered. "Who would want to harm Hermione?"
"No one," Harry said glumly. "It was my cake. I'm supposed to be lying there."
"Now, now, Mr. Potter. No use blaming ourselves," Headmaster Dumbledore reasoned.
Poppy Pomfrey shook her head. "This is the first sign of Frosticine Poison I have heard of in five hundred years. I can't imagine where it came from."
"She'll be okay, right? Right?" Ron demanded when no one answered him.
"As long as she gets the antidote in time, she'll be fine," Madam Pomfrey assured a nearly hyperventilating Ron.
"It's been a long day. I do believe you and Mr. Weasley should retire," Dumbledore suggested.
"What?" Ron asked, flabbergasted. "No way! I'm not leaving Hermione."
"Mr. Weasley. I can assure you that no harm will come to Ms. Granger. I'll escort you to your room," Professor McGonagall said with conviction.
"Ok, Professor," Harry agreed. "I'm a bit-" he yawned. "-tired myself."
Ron looked murderously at Harry before 'remembering' how tired he really was. "Oh, yeah. Me too. Yawn."
"Let's go, boys," Professor McGonagall said sternly.
As they retreated, Professor Snape turned to Headmaster Dumbledore.
"Sir, I don't believe those Gryffindors are going to stay up there."
Dumbledore looked back at him with a twinkle in his eye. "You don't, do you? Whatever gave you that idea?" he asked. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must inquire about Ms. Granger's predicament. And I do believe you have to try to concoct the antidote."
Professor Snape curtly nodded and went to work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We're getting the Invisibility Cloak, right?"
Harry nodded at Ron's question. "Of course. You didn't think I'd just go to sleep did you?"
"Well, no, I hoped not," Ron said sheepishly.
"Ok, let's go question Dobby," Herry said with a 'Look' at Ron.
The two Gryffindors crept downstairs, tickled the pear to enter the kitchens and made their way over to Dobby.
"Hi, Dobby," Harry greeted.
Dobby looked shocked that Harry had come to visit.
"Harry Potter! How good to see you. Dobby will go get you some candy corn." As he started heading for the other side of the room, Harry stopped him.
"No thanks, Dobby. I need some answers. What do you know about this chunky chocolate cake supreme? A house-elf gave it to me, saying it was from you and it had poison in it. Hermione is now ill," Harry said.
Dobby's eyes widened and he gasped. "Oh, Master Potter! I can't believe that could happen! I never saw any chocolate cake, I swear it! Who told you this?"
"Umm, a house-elf, about your height," Harry said.
"Yeah, his eyes were like yours also, but more green," Ron added.
"Oh!" Harry snapped his fingers. "He had a little puff of white hear sticking from the top of his head."
Dobby absorbed this new knowledge thoughtfully. "Hmm. Sounds very familiar. Dobby will find out who this evil house-elf is for Harry Potter."
"Ok, thanks, Dobby. We'll visit you again soon," Harry promised. The boys snuck back up to their dorm room under the Invisibility Clock.
"Well, that didn't help too much," Ron said angrily, as they reached their room.
Harry shrugged. "At least we have another pair of eyes looking out for Hermione's assailant."
"What are we going to do now?" Ron asked.
"As much as I hate to say it, I think we should get some sleep," Harry said, holding his hand up to Ron's objections. "Tomorrow we can check out the library for the –what was it? Frostbiting Poison?" Harry asked, scratching his head.
"Frosticine," Ron supplied.
"Right- Frosticine Poison. We'll research it, find a cure, investigate that house-elf, and save the day. What do you say?" Harry asked with a smile.
Ron couldn't help returning the smile, despite his worry over Hermione. "You're on, mate."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ok. Are you ready?"
"Ready."
"Let's go."
With that, Harry and Ron attacked the pile of books sitting in front of them in the Library. It was almost a race, with page flipping (often page ripping) and rushing to the stacks to get yet more books to add to the already overflowing tabletop.
No words were spoken and Hermione would have been so proud of her boys actually researching something all by themselves and with a passion that rivaled her quest to find every book written on studying for the O.W.L.S. They spent their entire Saturday in the Library, taking only breaks for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"I've got something!" Ron shouted, jumping up, his chair tipping over and falling to the ground. He held the book over his head as if there were a dozen Great White Sharks swimming below him. The entire Library, if it was possible, got even quieter. Students rose from their seats to see what all the commotion was about and Madam Pince sent such as glare that if looks could kill, he would be six feet under.
Ron blushed bright pink and quickly picked up his fallen chair while whispering very softly to Harry, "I've got something."
"I think the whole school has realized that, Ron," Harry said with a smirk. "What does the book say?"
Ron cleared his throat. "There's not much here, but her goes: The Frosticine Posion, first sighted in 726 is an extremely rare and often lethal poison." Both boys turned white as they exchanged a look.
"When a female ingests it, if she receives the cure within forty-eight hours, she will return to regular health. However, if a male even has one drop, the result is death," Ron concluded.
The boys were silent. "Wow. If Hermione hadn't stopped us, we would be…" Ron trailed off.
"Dead," Harry finished unemotionally.
"Do you.. do you think it was You-Know-Who?" Ron whispered.
"I don't know," Harry said hopelessly. "It's certainly possible. I mean, when isn't Voldemort not looking for a way to off me?"
"Shhh!" Ron hissed. "Don't say His name!"
"Ron. You cannot fear a name. Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort!" Harry whispered loudly. He didn't want to cause too much of a ruckus.
Ron didn't respond and Harry didn't make him. They started putting the books back when Professor McGonagall came rushing over to them.
"Both of you. Come with me," she said, and rushed back out. The boys dropped the books unceremoniously back on the table, running to keep up with their Professor.
They were led to the Infirmary and to the back of the room. Ron, fearing the worst let out the breath he had been holding when he saw Hermione sitting up in bed, being mothered by Madam Pomfrey.
"Hermione!" they both cried, running over to hug her.
"Hi, guys," Hermione said weakly with a smile.
"Are you ok? Do you need anything?" Ron asked with wide eyes. "A pillow? Some ice cream maybe? A new S.P.E.W. member? A kiss?" Ron turned bright red when he heard the last words leave his big mouth.
Hermione mouth was in the shape of an 'O' and Harry was looking like he just won the lottery. Which, he possible might have as he made a bet with Ginny, Parvati, Lavender, Fred, and George on just how long the two lovebirds could act so naïve when it was obvious they were head of heels for one another.
"I mean, a kiss. Like those chocolate ones you're always going on and on about. What are they? Harashay?" he asked, mentally praying she wouldn't realize didn't mean chocolate.
"Hershey," Hermione corrected hoping her voice didn't crack. Her heart, which had been beating at an abnormally high rate, suddenly decreased dramatically. "And, no, thank you, I don't need anything."
"I'm really sorry, Hermione. For all of this," Harry said, his head bent down.
Hermione held up her hand. "Now stop right there, Harry Potter. None of this is your fault. We'll find out who tried to poison you. They are the one to blame. Plus, I'm glad I took that stupid cake. That stupidly delicious, mouthwatering, beautiful…" Hermione's voice trailed off and she finally shook herself out of her memories of chocolate cake. "Right. I'm glad I did because I'm fine. If either of you had any, I don't know what I'd do," Hermione finished softly.
"You know about that poison and it's effects?" Ron asked.
"Of course. We learned about it in third year. Of course, I never expected to experience it firsthand, but think of the wonderful extra credit paper I could do about it. I could describe how it tasted and what it felt like to be under it's power," Hermione said excited.
"Oh, brother. The girl barely escaped death and she's thinking of extra credit," Ron said fondly.
"What did you dream about, Hermione?" Harry asked curiously.
Hermione turned a little pink at that question. In actuality, her dream had a bit to do with Ron and her having a candlelit picnic in the Astronomy Tower, but there was no way she was going to admit that. "Oh, you know. The Triple Chocolate Chunk Supreme Moose Cake might have had a few appearances," she said lightly. It wasn't a lie, exactly. Inside the picnic basket had really been the cake! "But, you two better go up or else you won't be able to concentrate well enough tomorrow to take good notes for me," Hermione said sternly, trying to change the subject.
"When do you get out of here?" Harry asked.
"I should be released tomorrow afternoon but that still leaves my morning classes for you to contend with," Hermione reminded.
"Ok. Harry, I'll be there in a minute. Go on ahead," Ron said.
Harry nodded and smiled to himself. Well, it was more like jumping up and down and yelling 'Go, Ron!' to himself, but he simply walked out the door.
Ron sat down on Hermione's bed. "I was really scared tonight. Don't do that again," he said, looking into her eyes.
Hermione could only nod. Mentally, she was hysterical. Wow. Ok. He is really close. But, this is just Ron. Ron with his adorable red hair and beautiful blue eyes and cute little nose and Ok! Stop it Hermione, you sound like you're describing a dog!
"Ummm, listen. I just want to say that well, we're best friends, right?" Ron asked nervously.
"Always and forever," Hermione agreed.
"Well, I," Ron began and then stopped. He leaned forward a little bit and Hermione did the same. Their faces were a mere seven inches away when-
"Out, out, out! Miss Granger needs her beauty sleep!" Ron and Hermione sprung apart so fast you would have thought one just sneezed on the other, as Madam Pomfrey came to shoo Ron out.
"Umm, ok. Goodnight, Hermione. I'm really glad you're ok. And we will find out who hurt you. And he will pay," Ron promised with a glint in his eye.
"Thanks, Ron. Goodnight," Hermione said, putting her head on the comfy white pillow. She had been this close. This close. Why me? And with that, Hermione fell into a deep sleep full of dreams of Ron, Astronomy Towers and chocolate cake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok! That was my Halloween chapter, just in time, too! Please read and review! :)