Forever is Only Years Away
Chapter 5: Just a Cause
"They're in danger," he cried, running around the room, picking up his robes and throwing them hastily on himself, Ginny followed his patter, though completely confused and clueless. She never doubted Harry anymore, when he felt something was off, something was off.
"I can see them--" he rubbed his eyes. "It was so clear..." He slipped on his shoes. "They're up for an ambush," he spoke quickly, helping Ginny in to her own shoes since she couldn't bend down anymore.
Ginny nodded at him and both went for their wands.
"We can get a direct line to your father from McGonagall's' office and see if they can in turn reach Lupin."
"But father wont help, Harry. I told you what happened yesterday morning," Ginny said quickly, following Harry out the secret door that led to their quarters.
Harry helped her go through the portrait, holding on to her hand and they almost ran down the halls. "We can to at least try, Ginny."
They were almost touching the giant eagle that hid the headmistresses' office when a black robed hand placed itself as an obstacle. Both Harry and Ginny looked up.
Snape was almost leering at them, as if he had caught them doing something terribly wrong and were about to be expelled.
"A bit late in the night to go off strolling about, no?" he gave them that half-smile of his that they hated.
"We need to see the headmistress, Professor." Harry held his frustration in. "So please, move."
Snapped tucked his arms in his robes. "An adventure, shall I guess? Someone in trouble?" he turned to look at them. "Still the same boy, Pott--"
"Oh, sneer somewhere else!" Ginny snapped, pushing him out of the way.
Harry would've paid millions in gold to capture the look in Snipe's face when his wife snapped at him and pushed him off.
Merlin, he loved her t times like this as she marched to the eagle and said the password. (Raspberry Tart) And marched herself on the eagle, reaching behind her for his hand.
"And go back to bed, Professor, you look worse for wear." she had the last word, as usual.
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Her hands were now frantically trying to get under his robes, both panting and shaking with lust, he was helping her with her task at the same time suckling on her ear, groaning when her hand brushed his stomach.
"Bloody hell, Hermione," he hissed, her hands almost tearing the cloth apart.
"I missed you, Ron," she whispered against him, her lips finding his nipple, moistening his flesh.
His hands cupped her face, giving her another let-me-die-today kiss, making her press her body against his--
"That is rather disgusting," a voice they all knew too well was sneering at them.
They pulled, rapidly, apart, both panting and looking around wildly.
It was no longer the young, skinny seventeen year old they remembered. It was a grown man, hair long and tied at the nape of his neck, still as yellow-blond has ever. His shoulders were broad as was his jaw, and if ever he looked more like his father than they could've ever guessed.
"Malfoy," the name was a blistering poison coming from Ron's lips.
Malfoy smiled at them, a cold smile, as men in dark cloaks appearing all around him.
"And still surrounded by your cronies," Ron's eyes didn't leave Malfoy.
"Weasley," he turned to Hermione, who was red with anger and from kissing Ron. "Granger." he chuckled. "This isn't' the first time I run into both of you snogging, is it?"
"Ron, stop it! Someone might see us!" Hermione hissed but an amused smile played at her lips. Ron was lowering his mouth to hers as they hid behind The Three Broomsticks, they were supposed to be looking over the 3rd years but as Ron had reminded Hermione they had done a pretty good job of looking after themselves at that age.
"I can't stop! You jut looked so incredibly beautiful giving orders in there," he whispered against her neck. She smiled and almost melted into him as his hands roamed up her back.
She would herself admit that often they snuck into little corners to snog... but very rarely (that she would admit). "But we're supposed--" her words were cut off by his mouth, his warm tongue slipping between her parted lips, kissing her with all the passion he had. His arms enveloping her.
She gave a slight whimper and molded her smaller frame against his, her hands grasping his face, pulling him closer to her. Breathing was option as she felt herself gladly drowning.
She had always believed that getting the highest marks in a class would've been the best she'd ever felt, but she was so wrong. Ron kissing her the best she had ever felt.
It felt like hours, it felt like years, she felt like she was starting all over again, a newborn weak and hanging by the thread of life. She could feel music around her, her ears ringing, her mind spinning completely out of control; she had never felt such an intense wave of passion flow through her.
And then... clapping.
It only encouraged them, more moaning and whimpering from both.
... until laugher and whistles broke in.
They pulled back slightly and they entire bodies froze as they watched what seemed to be the entire 6th year Slythering class surrounding them, laughing and whistling at them.
Malfoy, of course was in the middle of all this, his thin frame shaking with laughter. "That is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen, really, Weasley how can you kiss her, I can smell her from here!"
The Slytherings burst out laughing. "Ten points from Gryffindor for Public Display of Affection, I'd say." Malfoy told them, smugly. The rest of the student roared with glee.
"You can't take points for that!" Hermione told him, her arms crossed.
"Watch me, Granger... or I'll gladly tell your precious Professor McGonagall exactly why I was forced to deduct points from the house," his smile widened like a Cheshire cat on coke.
Hermione paled, and she could hear Ron gulping loudly behind her.
"Fine," she said. "But one day you wont have an excuse, Malfoy. One day."
They were in the same position once more, but this time it was not about loosing some stupid house points, it was for loosing their lives.
"I've been searching for you... Draco." Hermione could not longer hear a gulping, younger Ron behind her but his voice was frosty ice with hate, and he was willing to fight. That she knew.
"Oh I know, Weasley. I've wondered what took you so long to find me." Malfoy smirked at him, his goons closing in on them.
"I admit I would've found you earlier.... if you weren't busy hiding from me, running away with your tail between your legs--"
"Crucio!"
Hermione screamed. "No!"
"Acio wands!" Malfoy cried, their wands, which had fallen to the floor during their snog-session flew effortlessly to his hand.
Ron was sprawled on the floor, wincing and cursing. Hermione knelt next to him, checking him to make sure he was ok. "Ron?"
"Again we find out who is the true better wizard." Malfoy growled at them. "Bind them, and bring them."
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"Attacked?" Minerva cried with alarm.
If there was something that Harry missed about Dumbledore was his ability to remain calm in the face of a stressful situation, while McGonagall was the contrary and though she would get the job done she would fret and stress on the outside rather than one the inside.
"Professor," she addressed Ginny. "Contact the Minister."
"Harry, dear, come." she turned and headed towards the back of the office, a place Harry had never been to. They went up the golden stairs and stood by the door.
"Frosted Apples!" he watched the headmistress say and before him the door transformed into shimmering curtains that swayed as if wind was blowing softly on them.
"What you're about to see, Professor is something that you will hold to secrecy, agreed?" McGonagall informed him.
Harry blinked, butterflies swimming in his stomach making him feel like a fourteen year old once more. "Yes, Headmistress."
McGonagall nodded and stepped forward through the curtains.
Harry went in after her, his nerves sizzling to get a look at the room. He was not disappointed; the room was filled with what looked like mirrors. All sizes, all shapes, mirrors covered every part of the walls and ceiling. Many were shinning, shimmering though Harry could see no light source in the room.
"This is the Room of Mirrors, the late Professor Dumbledore had it built the first year he was in office as Headmaster. Only four people know of its existence. Himself, Professor Moody, me and now you. Seeing as the previous two are dead it has been in my solemn knowledge for the past seven years... a knowledge I am now passing it on to you. Dumbledore would've wished it," she explained quietly, standing in the middle of the room.
Harry felt beyond honored.
"What is this room for, Professor?" Harry asked, walking around the edges and touching the shimmering mirrors.
"It is the only room, only place in Hogwarts... we're you can apparate and disparate from." She told him quietly, as she opened a cabinet with a silver shimmering key she had in her pockets. There was a brought light as she opened the mirror-cabinet, it was long and thin and Harry could've sworn he saw it floating as the door opened.
She reached inside of what seemed like a black void and pulled out the Gryffindor Sword.
Harry had become acquainted with this sword in his second year, it was with this sword that he defeated the Basilik and saved Ginny's life; something he didn't think was as grand as the moment he realized he was in love with her, year ago now.
"The sword!" Harry cried, walking towards it.
"Yes, Dumbledore had it keep in the Void of Nempher until times like this would be needed."
Harry well knew that it was an artefact Voldermort had sought with a rage in his final months; he was convinced that possessing it would bring about the fall of Dumbledore. For this sword many people had died.
"We all though it was lost, that it had been destroyed by Moody." Harry said quietly, studding the way it shinned in the light.
"It wasn't, nevertheless, a time has some for you to use it, you must apparate to the place were Ron and Hermione have been taken and you must save them; too much depends on those two getting out of this alive for us to loose them now." she explained as she handed him the sword.
Harry clutched it close to him, afraid to let it go.
"What depends on them, Professor?" he asked, he felt like he was fifteen once more and hearing Dumbledore tell him the truth about his parents and the prophecy.
"For a later time, I think, Professor." she told him, and pushed him towards the middle of the room were a large golden start had been painted on the floor. "Go now, you have a short time."
"But I don't know where--"
His words were cut off short as light engulfed him and he felt himself disintegrate.
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"I demand to know where you are taking us!" Hermione shouted up at Malfoy who ignored her but kept walking down the narrow dirty hall, they seemed to be going underground, dirty wall dimly lit by floating candles.
"Can we bind her mouth too?" Malfoy say tiredly. Then he stopped and smiled. "No, don't do that, then we wont be able to hear her scream."
"You don't touch her," Ron said calmly, anger evident in his voice.
Malfoy chuckled and kept walking. "Always standing up for your lady's honor, aren't you?"
He walked to the end of the receding hallway and stopped before a rusty gate were three large demon-like creatures were sitting before it.
Hermione shrank back in a gasp. "Grosspers! Those are illegal!"
Malfoy chuckled and pulled from his robes three large pieces of what looked like raw stakes. "There you go, boy!" he threw it at them and then growled and snatched for it, gulping down the pieces.
"In my world, Miss Granger; everything is legal... everything but Mudblood. But we'll clear that up soon enough." The rest of the death eaters who were holding on to Ron and Hermione chuckled.
"Bring them, I think it's time they meet Jackie."
"Jackie?" Ron asked.
Malfoy opened the gates, walking them in; inside was large turquoise pool, lighted by florescent lights. In the bottom of the pool Ron could see something sleeping... or so it looked like. His stomach did various jump turns, he was not afraid for himself but for Hermione.
"Jackie," Malfoy repeated, and then Ron saw it, whatever was at the bottom of the pool stirred, almost as if knowing it's master's call.
And "Jackie" made her presence known. Ron had only heard of Sea Serpents, they were supposed to be a legend, a creature gone extinct year ago; but behold before him with a head of what seemed to be a dragon "Jackie" plucked her head out of the water, it's red eyes contrasting it's black scaly body.
"Hello, girl!" Malfoy said enthusiastically.
The serpent growled at him.
He laughed, "She's quite cross with me, I haven't fed her in three weeks, unlike regular serpents, you see Sea Serpents need to feed every 4 days; hence she's starving."
Hermione was shaking next to him. "You're mad, Malfoy."
"Am I?" he asked, and then shed his robes, leaving him dressed in black from head to toe. "Come, Ms.Granger--this is something I've looked forward to for ages."
He grasped her upper arms, she started screaming, Ron started struggling and the serpent looked gleeful at the prospect of meat coming her way.
"This is the little game I'm playing. I'm going to throw the lovely Mudblood in, and Weasley will be the only one un-bounded. He has approximately 40 seconds, witch is how long Jackie circles her food for, to save his beloved and save himself."
He turned to Ron whose face was red with anger.
"Like my game?" He chuckled.
Hermione was still screaming, tears running down her face. "Don't do it Ron, it's a trick!" she kept crying.
The pool was a good ten feet lower than were Ron was standing, Malfoy dragged Hermione up these rock-stairs until they were standing on a platform, overlooking the pool, it was almost a thirty-foot fall, Ron calculated.
"Ready, Granger?"
"Take a deep breath, Hermione!" Ron screamed at her.
"Unbind him!"
It all happened in slow motion, he watched as Malfoy pushed Hermione off the platform and into the pool below, he felt himself loosen as he was unbounded and then she hit the water.
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TBC....
(action coming soon to a story near you)
