A/N: So, Harry, what do you have to say this time?
Harry: You suck.
Me: My, my, such a temper.
Harry: You're evil.
Me: I know. ::Grins proudly::
Harry: You better not kill me off.
Me: I might if you keep giving me an attitude.
Harry: ::Doesn't say anything, simply glares::
Me: ::Smiles:: On with the fic.
Disclaimer: You think I own this? ::rolls eyes:: What are you, a starfish? (Starfish have no brains, in case you didn't know.)
Hermione and Ron looked around as the bell rang for Potions. There was no sign of their raven-haired friend. "Where do you think he could be?" whispered Hermione.
"I dunno," said Ron. "I hope he hasn't done anything stupid."
"Weasley! Granger! I would ask you to kindly not carry on another conversation in my class, whatever it is, it can wait," snapped Snape.
"But, sir-" said Hermione.
"Ten points from Gryffindor," interrupted Snape.
"Harry's not here," said Ron.
"Then I shall take further points from Gryffindor because Potter has not showed up to class. Any more information for me?" sneered Snape. Both fell silent. "Very well," said Snape, then began writing down the ingredients they'd need for the potion on the blackboard.
Ron barely did anything to his potion, he was a bit busy glaring at Snape. Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs, and he began making the potion. He didn't have quite enough time to finish it since he started it late and Snape took off points, which made Ron go red with anger.
Heading to the Great Hall with Hermione, Ron accidently shattered a nearby vase. "Ron!" said Hermione.
"I can't help it, Hermione, I'm just worried about Harry, and that greasy git is not helping!" said Ron.
"C'mon, breaking things won't help, it'll only get you in trouble with Filch," said Hermione softly.
Ron sighed. "You're right, Hermione. Reparo," said Ron, pointing his wand at the vase. When it fixed, he levitated it back onto its stand then they walked into the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor Table.
Hermione served herself a steak and started to cut it but stopped, set down her fork, put her elbows on the table and her head in her hands.
Ron rubbed her back comfortingly, not even bothering to put food on his plate.
"Where could Harry be?" whispered Hermione more to herself than to Ron. "Ron," she said, looking up. "You don't think he might have-"
"There's no telling, but I hope not," said Ron. "It wouldn't do if he got himself killed."
~*~
Harry bit his lip to keep from crying out as he was hit, yet again, with the Cruciatus curse. The Death Eaters laughed.
Voldemort stopped. "What are you all waiting for?" he demanded. "Go get the girl!"
The Death Eaters, as one, bowed and ran out.
'No,' thought Harry desperately. 'No, please,' Tears stung his eyes but he did not let them fall. "What does it matter anymore, Voldemort?" whispered Harry. "Why do you care what happens to her? You achieved your goal, you got me here."
Voldemort shook his head. "But I do not get the pleasure of making you watch her die before you meet your own demise if I let her go."
Harry pushed himself up off the floor. "No," he whispered. "Please, leave her out of it."
"What was that? Do you have something to say, Harry Potter?" said Voldemort.
"I said, 'Leave her out of it'!" said Harry louder and more firmly.
"Oh, but that would spoil all my fun," Voldemort smiled cruely.
"What do I have to do to keep you from hurting her?" asked Harry.
"Well, you could join me, promise me your undying loyalty and serve me until the day you die," said Voldemort simply, as though that was the easiest and most obvious thing in the world.
"I'll never join you, Voldemort," hissed Harry.
"Never? We shall see, we shall see . . ." said Voldemort softly as the Death Eaters brought Cho, kicking and screaming, back inside and threw her at Voldemort's feet. Harry scrambled across the room towards her but Voldemort flicked his wand and fire sprang up between them, burning Harry's hand as he reached out for her.
He hissed in pain and withdrew his hand, cradling it against his chest as he watched helplessly. He closed his eyes as he heard Voldemort say, "Crucio" then his ears rang with Cho's screams.
'I'm so sorry, Cho, but I can't join him, I just can't,' thought Harry.
Cho stopped screaming and Harry opened his eyes, as soon as he saw her still, thin, and frail-looking body he wished he'd kept his eyes closed.
"Cho . . ." whispered Harry. She stirred slightly at his voice, opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Harry," she whispered. "I love you, my Harry."
"I love you, too, Cho," said Harry. "Just stay still and don't talk, you're going to get out of here."
She smiled slightly. "Nothing ever dampers your determination, does it, Harry?"
"No, and you know I would do anything for you, even join Voldemort himself," said Harry.
Cho was silent for a moment as that sunk in then her eyes widened. "You don't mean you-"
"I love you, Cho, always and forever," said Harry. Voldemort, upon hearing this, extinguished the fire and Harry ran to Cho and wrapped his arms around her. "It's the only way he'll promise not to hurt you," Harry whispered in her ear.
"Harry, don't. Don't, please," she pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Cho, I don't have a choice."
"Yes, you do. You can fight him, take him down, Harry, I believe in you."
"I'm sorry, Cho." He picked her up then set her on her feet. She gave him one last pleading look then kissed him and turned away, tears streaming down her face.
"Now I have your word that you won't hurt her," said Harry, looking at Voldemort and ignoring the twinge of pain in his scar.
"You have my word," said Voldemort, smiling a smile that sent a chill down Harry's spine. "Lucius," said Voldemort, still not tearing his gaze from Harry. "Kill the girl."
"No!" shouted Harry, "You said you wouldn't hurt her!"
"I said I wouldn't her, I didn't say anything about one of my Death Eaters," said Voldemort, smiling wider.
Harry stepped in front of Lucius as Lucius drew his wand. "I won't let you," said Harry, sounding braver than he felt, surrounded by a hundred Death Eaters.
"Oh, really?" said Lucius calmly. "You have not the strength to duel, you barely have the strength to stand, so how exactly do you plan to stop me when I could send you to the ground without even using my wand?"
Harry glared at him, then all of the sudden, snatched Lucius' wand from his hand and pointed it at him. In the blink of an eye, all Death Eaters had their wands drawn and pointed at Harry. "Hurt me and he dies," said Harry, backing away from Lucius, still keeping the wand aimed over his heart. Luckily, Lucius was a very valuable Death Eater and Voldemort did not give the order for anyone to harm Harry.
Harry reached Cho at the door, grabbed her hand, and ran out.
~*~
"Yes, I do hope he's not getting himself into trouble," replied Hermione.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Lol, that was fun, going right back to the exact same part in Ron and Hermione's conversation. And that's kind of a cliffy, so what's that make? Six? Yeah, I think it's six . . .
d u s t y . w i n g s: Yes, I am evil, that's another cliffy for you hehe.
john: Sorry, I might do that in another chapter if I can. Surely I'll get to some Harry-Voldie dueling eventually.
icedrake: Heh. Nope. ^_^
Phoenix28: Yeah, I think it's nice, I like to see other authors doing it, but sometimes it seems like I'm the only one, it's cool reading and replying to all the reviews, some people ask questions and junk, too, so it's good to reply and (sometimes) answer them. And did I miss something? Ron has a girlfriend? Are you talking about Padma, that girl he took to the Yule Ball? 'Cause I wouldn't consider them a couple, that's like saying Harry is boyfriend to Parvati because he took her to the Ball. And you're welcome, have all the cookies you like.
Allycat87: ^_^ I didn't want to kill her off . . . yet.
I ThInK I FeLL: Lmbo, nightmares, huh? Don't worry, Cookie Fan, it'll be okay.
hyper_shark: Hehehehehehehehe.
Shadun: Okay, no cookie for you, you've had enough sugar already. Lol, jk.
RewindFaster: Lol. Thanks. And yeah, you're forgiven.
Kakarot: Girl, I ain't killing Harry, dang.
zaria: Lmbo! Their throwing books! ::Falls off chair laughing::
Cho-Chang: Well, they're together now, trying to survive and escape. We shall see if I don't kill one of them off.
::Gives all reviewers a cookie:: Review, review, review! ::Pushes you to the review button::
Harry: You suck.
Me: My, my, such a temper.
Harry: You're evil.
Me: I know. ::Grins proudly::
Harry: You better not kill me off.
Me: I might if you keep giving me an attitude.
Harry: ::Doesn't say anything, simply glares::
Me: ::Smiles:: On with the fic.
Disclaimer: You think I own this? ::rolls eyes:: What are you, a starfish? (Starfish have no brains, in case you didn't know.)
Hermione and Ron looked around as the bell rang for Potions. There was no sign of their raven-haired friend. "Where do you think he could be?" whispered Hermione.
"I dunno," said Ron. "I hope he hasn't done anything stupid."
"Weasley! Granger! I would ask you to kindly not carry on another conversation in my class, whatever it is, it can wait," snapped Snape.
"But, sir-" said Hermione.
"Ten points from Gryffindor," interrupted Snape.
"Harry's not here," said Ron.
"Then I shall take further points from Gryffindor because Potter has not showed up to class. Any more information for me?" sneered Snape. Both fell silent. "Very well," said Snape, then began writing down the ingredients they'd need for the potion on the blackboard.
Ron barely did anything to his potion, he was a bit busy glaring at Snape. Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs, and he began making the potion. He didn't have quite enough time to finish it since he started it late and Snape took off points, which made Ron go red with anger.
Heading to the Great Hall with Hermione, Ron accidently shattered a nearby vase. "Ron!" said Hermione.
"I can't help it, Hermione, I'm just worried about Harry, and that greasy git is not helping!" said Ron.
"C'mon, breaking things won't help, it'll only get you in trouble with Filch," said Hermione softly.
Ron sighed. "You're right, Hermione. Reparo," said Ron, pointing his wand at the vase. When it fixed, he levitated it back onto its stand then they walked into the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor Table.
Hermione served herself a steak and started to cut it but stopped, set down her fork, put her elbows on the table and her head in her hands.
Ron rubbed her back comfortingly, not even bothering to put food on his plate.
"Where could Harry be?" whispered Hermione more to herself than to Ron. "Ron," she said, looking up. "You don't think he might have-"
"There's no telling, but I hope not," said Ron. "It wouldn't do if he got himself killed."
~*~
Harry bit his lip to keep from crying out as he was hit, yet again, with the Cruciatus curse. The Death Eaters laughed.
Voldemort stopped. "What are you all waiting for?" he demanded. "Go get the girl!"
The Death Eaters, as one, bowed and ran out.
'No,' thought Harry desperately. 'No, please,' Tears stung his eyes but he did not let them fall. "What does it matter anymore, Voldemort?" whispered Harry. "Why do you care what happens to her? You achieved your goal, you got me here."
Voldemort shook his head. "But I do not get the pleasure of making you watch her die before you meet your own demise if I let her go."
Harry pushed himself up off the floor. "No," he whispered. "Please, leave her out of it."
"What was that? Do you have something to say, Harry Potter?" said Voldemort.
"I said, 'Leave her out of it'!" said Harry louder and more firmly.
"Oh, but that would spoil all my fun," Voldemort smiled cruely.
"What do I have to do to keep you from hurting her?" asked Harry.
"Well, you could join me, promise me your undying loyalty and serve me until the day you die," said Voldemort simply, as though that was the easiest and most obvious thing in the world.
"I'll never join you, Voldemort," hissed Harry.
"Never? We shall see, we shall see . . ." said Voldemort softly as the Death Eaters brought Cho, kicking and screaming, back inside and threw her at Voldemort's feet. Harry scrambled across the room towards her but Voldemort flicked his wand and fire sprang up between them, burning Harry's hand as he reached out for her.
He hissed in pain and withdrew his hand, cradling it against his chest as he watched helplessly. He closed his eyes as he heard Voldemort say, "Crucio" then his ears rang with Cho's screams.
'I'm so sorry, Cho, but I can't join him, I just can't,' thought Harry.
Cho stopped screaming and Harry opened his eyes, as soon as he saw her still, thin, and frail-looking body he wished he'd kept his eyes closed.
"Cho . . ." whispered Harry. She stirred slightly at his voice, opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Harry," she whispered. "I love you, my Harry."
"I love you, too, Cho," said Harry. "Just stay still and don't talk, you're going to get out of here."
She smiled slightly. "Nothing ever dampers your determination, does it, Harry?"
"No, and you know I would do anything for you, even join Voldemort himself," said Harry.
Cho was silent for a moment as that sunk in then her eyes widened. "You don't mean you-"
"I love you, Cho, always and forever," said Harry. Voldemort, upon hearing this, extinguished the fire and Harry ran to Cho and wrapped his arms around her. "It's the only way he'll promise not to hurt you," Harry whispered in her ear.
"Harry, don't. Don't, please," she pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Cho, I don't have a choice."
"Yes, you do. You can fight him, take him down, Harry, I believe in you."
"I'm sorry, Cho." He picked her up then set her on her feet. She gave him one last pleading look then kissed him and turned away, tears streaming down her face.
"Now I have your word that you won't hurt her," said Harry, looking at Voldemort and ignoring the twinge of pain in his scar.
"You have my word," said Voldemort, smiling a smile that sent a chill down Harry's spine. "Lucius," said Voldemort, still not tearing his gaze from Harry. "Kill the girl."
"No!" shouted Harry, "You said you wouldn't hurt her!"
"I said I wouldn't her, I didn't say anything about one of my Death Eaters," said Voldemort, smiling wider.
Harry stepped in front of Lucius as Lucius drew his wand. "I won't let you," said Harry, sounding braver than he felt, surrounded by a hundred Death Eaters.
"Oh, really?" said Lucius calmly. "You have not the strength to duel, you barely have the strength to stand, so how exactly do you plan to stop me when I could send you to the ground without even using my wand?"
Harry glared at him, then all of the sudden, snatched Lucius' wand from his hand and pointed it at him. In the blink of an eye, all Death Eaters had their wands drawn and pointed at Harry. "Hurt me and he dies," said Harry, backing away from Lucius, still keeping the wand aimed over his heart. Luckily, Lucius was a very valuable Death Eater and Voldemort did not give the order for anyone to harm Harry.
Harry reached Cho at the door, grabbed her hand, and ran out.
~*~
"Yes, I do hope he's not getting himself into trouble," replied Hermione.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Lol, that was fun, going right back to the exact same part in Ron and Hermione's conversation. And that's kind of a cliffy, so what's that make? Six? Yeah, I think it's six . . .
d u s t y . w i n g s: Yes, I am evil, that's another cliffy for you hehe.
john: Sorry, I might do that in another chapter if I can. Surely I'll get to some Harry-Voldie dueling eventually.
icedrake: Heh. Nope. ^_^
Phoenix28: Yeah, I think it's nice, I like to see other authors doing it, but sometimes it seems like I'm the only one, it's cool reading and replying to all the reviews, some people ask questions and junk, too, so it's good to reply and (sometimes) answer them. And did I miss something? Ron has a girlfriend? Are you talking about Padma, that girl he took to the Yule Ball? 'Cause I wouldn't consider them a couple, that's like saying Harry is boyfriend to Parvati because he took her to the Ball. And you're welcome, have all the cookies you like.
Allycat87: ^_^ I didn't want to kill her off . . . yet.
I ThInK I FeLL: Lmbo, nightmares, huh? Don't worry, Cookie Fan, it'll be okay.
hyper_shark: Hehehehehehehehe.
Shadun: Okay, no cookie for you, you've had enough sugar already. Lol, jk.
RewindFaster: Lol. Thanks. And yeah, you're forgiven.
Kakarot: Girl, I ain't killing Harry, dang.
zaria: Lmbo! Their throwing books! ::Falls off chair laughing::
Cho-Chang: Well, they're together now, trying to survive and escape. We shall see if I don't kill one of them off.
::Gives all reviewers a cookie:: Review, review, review! ::Pushes you to the review button::