Chapter Four
Forsake All Others
Through out history there have been many men, both wizard and muggle, who have left their mark on the world surrounding them.
Some were dark, evil tyrants, who threatened to tear the world asunder with their terrible ways but all the same they changed the world, so be it that they used the wrong means it was still changed.
Then there were the other men, the ones who fought on the side of good, righting wrong, dying before their deeds could even be known. While they left no part of themselves to be seen, it was the simple acts they did that affected the people around them. Instead of trying to change the world they change the perspective the world was seen through. They were the little known men, willing to take the back, never caring to grab the glory, always working for the good of all.
Others still were outrageously brave, always in the front leading the troops into battle, taking all they needed to bear, making the hard decisions that no one else would. Great statues were erected in their honor, flowers and gold was showered upon them. They were the stuff of legend, the tales growing larger with every story told. Until they became children's stories, things to be told in the dark of night, uttered in childlike reverence.
The dreamers though, they were the everlasting ones, always ridiculed for their beliefs, they fought for them nonetheless. They understood that they had a role in life, a void to fill and they did so willingly. The future was clear to them, they saw the roads which led to rightful change and they led the masses through time, always able to perceive what other could never understand.
These were the heroes, the people that gave hope in all forms, that was what the wizarding world needed. A hero. Someone to bring the people together once again.
Unfortunately nobody had yet filled the role, and the ones that once did were now all departed. Whether from fighting the dark or joining the dark, it still didn't change the fact they were gone.
But Ron knew that many a man could be perceived as a great person, no matter how little they might actually be, he was different though he intended to be the hero, the one who saw the danger before all others. In the end they would understand and thank him, only a person who stood as he did, between the light and dark could fully understand what would soon overcome their way of life, unless someone acted against it.
While in Talis he had seen it clearly, they were stronger, their children quicker, they were nearly muggle in all ways, they held true to no traditions. They would overtake his world and change it into some totally different and wrong. Everything they had fought to save from Voldemort would once again be lost, and all their sacrifices would be for nothing.
When all was said and done everyone would finally understand that a hero had always stood before them, though often times ignored and pushed into the shadows. After all hadn't he been the one to find Harry out? To see beyond the image and accept that he was no longer the boy he grew into manhood with, to see that he had left their side for one he felt was stronger. It had been beyond painful to tell everyone that Harry was a traitor, a person who had been more like a brother than a friend, it hurt more than he could ever admit.
So didn't that give him the right to say he understood sacrifice? Understood what it really meant?
Not only had he lost Harry but he had also lost Hermione, he never thought she would leave but she had, saying that they had become to different as time went on. But he knew the real reason, she had always believed that Harry was innocent, that everyone had been tricked. For all he tried to talk to her, to help her understand why he had done what he had, Hermione had never accepted it. It still hurt to know she thought so little of him, that she would think he could kill his own best friend. She didn't understand that if Harry had been his old self he would have thanked Ron for taking him away from the dark. No it hadn't been Harry he'd killed so long ago, it had merely been a shadow of a once great person.
And that was why Ron was walking through muggle London, in the dead of winter, with dark clouding boiling in the sky threatening with rain and sleet, he was doing this so there would no longer be any shadows, no more fallen comrades. He hadn't been able to stop the inevitable then but this time he would.
As he continued to walk, the rain finally began to fall, mixed with sleet. It was near the time when Christmas shopping started, but not many people chose to endure the weather. Puddles were froze over, full of murky undistinguishable mess. For any other person the day might have been an omen of things to come, but Ron no longer believed in such things, he finally understand that only one thing affected a person's future, themselves.
That was all he had left now, only himself, but that was a good thing, it didn't leave him with things to cloud his mind. Even Hermione, someone he had desperately wanted, was beginning to fade, she had never understood how good of a person he was, never fought to stay with him. And while he might not want her like he did once it still made him angry to see her to look at anyone else. How dare she believe someone else would be better for her? He had always done what was right for her whether she saw it or not.
Ron was so caught up in his thoughts that he nearly passed the building he had been looking for, but at the last minute he realized where he was. It would be a relief to finally get out of the cold drizzle, before he even raised he hand to knock the door opened, revealing a heavy weight balding man with greedy eyes. "Hello Conall" It was absolutely amazing how just looking at the man made Ron want to slap him.
"Weasley," the man said in acknowledgement, "we weren't sure you were coming, we were almost ready to leave."
Oh the man irritated him! "Well it's a good thing you didn't or else you couldn't see the present I brought. Would you?" He could literally see the man's eyes twitch with greed, Ron would have to keep a watch on him, it wouldn't do for one man's greed to ruin the plan. "Now are you going to let me in out of the bloody rain?"
Conall nodded his shiny head, in agreement to which question Ron didn't know and he really didn't care.
As they made their way through the foyer and into an office two other men stood up from their seats, shaking Ron's hands. Danton Wright and Albert McKennen, from two of the most influence able families, rich beyond imagination, these were the men he really needed, not Conall Amston, he was merely a lackey, for lack of a good description.
"Hello Albert, Danton how are you?"
It was Danton who answered, "We're doing fine, but I hear Tal Wittman has turned Hogwarts into his personal playground. My daughter Merle tells me that he has the run of the school, disrupting everything and has those children thinking their something special."
Albert merely nodded in agreement with the man's words.
Ron still couldn't help but wonder why Albert McKennen had joined in their planning, he was a nondescript, pleasant man with a ready smile, he himself had been a Hufflepuff as had most of his family. Danton he could understand, he was a strong willed man who hated to be on the losing end of anything, Albert still confused him though.
"The Council has kept me busy, tomorrow will be the first time I've been there since Wittman arrived. I can assure you though he won't be running roughshod over me."
"I should hope not," Danton said.
Every time he came he swore he wouldn't left Danton take control, but it didn't seem to matter because he always did. But this time Ron had something nobody else had.
"Actually though the reason I wanted to meet was this," Ron said evenly as he withdrew a small vial of red liquid from his coat. Ignoring Conall, Ron looked directly at the other two men, Danton's eyes swelled to an unusual size, the only sign Albert showed was a calculating look that faded after a moment.
"I hope you weren't stupid enough to steal that from the Council." Albert said slowly, never taking his eyes away from the vial.
"Of course I wasn't," Ron said mildly though anger glinted in his eyes, "No I borrowed this from a young girl at Talis, and I might add the only child from a Wizard to New Wizard cross, she was young and didn't even realize what I was doing. Tal also was a bit off in telling about power levels, most of the town is adult or older teens, all with more capabilities than the average wizard."
"What else besides the blood did you find?" Danton asked clearly needing to be back in control.
"Well the population is around five hundred but we couldn't get a clear account, people kept showing up twice or children weren't around when we were counting. They were obviously under orders to keep us confused, so I'd say take or add one hundred to that. They were told to go about daily life exactly as usual but it was clear that they weren't, classes for instance were on such a level that a first year could have handled it."
"The Council obviously didn't care about that, all the idiots voted against us again. It looks like for the time being we're going to be trading information with them." Danton said with a sneer and Conall nodded along.
Albert interrupted their outburst in a soft voice, "I have some friends who are geneticists, muggle I know, but they can take the blood and start the vaccine." He held out a hand, clearly indicating that Ron should give him the vial.
It was a reluctant Ron who finally handed him the vial, giving such power away made him uneasy.
As he stood silently at the front gates of Hogwarts Ron couldn't help but contemplate what Hermione reaction to him would be. The Council had specifically forgot to inform her that Ron would be coming to inspect the students. In all likely hood she would be outraged at the deception, and insulted that they didn't trust her opinion. It had been decided that she wasn't impartial enough, to which Ron agreed with.
All the same he hoped they could actually get along with each other for once, it had been at least four years since they had a half pleasant conversation, maybe just maybe they could talk like civilized people for once.
As the saying goes when it rains it pours, in Hermione's opinion it didn't just rain it turned into a bloody hurricane. The day had started bad and wasn't getting any better.
She couldn't really say she had woken up on the wrong side of bed because she hadn't. She'd actually woken up as she hit the floor after rolling off the wrong side of bed. At the time she had considered just going back to bed, but of course she didn't allow herself the luxury.
So she had gone to breakfast in a terrible mood, snapping at everyone. Nobody seemed to notice though, it seemed the whole Hogwarts population was also suffering from PMS, no matter that at least half were male.
As soon as the travesty that was breakfast ended she made her to her office. But if she was expecting peace and quiet it wasn't meant to be. When she opened the door she found an angry Draco stalking around her office. Noises that sounded suspiciously like growls were coming from his general area.
She figured she might as well give in, the day was obviously not going to get any better. So she sighed and asked wearily, "What's wrong Draco?"
He obviously hadn't heard her arrive she thought as he spun around in surprise, fear showing on his face for a moment before his usual mask slid into place. Then he began to growl words out so angrily that she nearly couldn't understand him, "Wrong? What could be wrong? My life is only falling apart and I might be going crazy but no nothings wrong! I can't sleep, because he's always in my head, digging through things he has no right to know and," he stopped talking and looked at her, a look of apprehension replacing his anger, "and I - I've been getting memories, or images I don't know, from him, Hermione it's not good."
"What's not good?" She questioned carefully, trying not to upset him further. Draco might get upset sometimes but she hadn't seen him like this for years.
He walked over, and grabbed her arm, his voice earnest, "He was like me, or maybe not, I don't know!" he dropped her arm and once again began pacing. "He was with Harry I saw it in his memories! What if he is a Death-Eater? I can't go back to that, no matter what people think I can't do that again!"
Hermione tried to reach out to him as he started to choke on his own words, but he pulled away, not wanting to be touched. And in that moment she could have surely killed Tal Wittman on the spot.
Ever since the war ended Draco had been…fragile. He had been recruited into the Death-Eater ranks by his father and he had been proud of it at the time but the killing and maiming had finally began to take it's toll, there were other things but he wouldn't talk to her about that. Slipping away from Voldemort was a difficult thing for anyone but Draco had managed it, and come to Hogwarts, to Dumbledore asking for help. In the end it had been given on the terms that he become a double agent, there was nothing else he could do but say yes.
It was at that time the worst attacks came from Death-Eaters and Draco had a high rank. Just hearing about what he had done made Hermione sick but she had listened for his sake because she knew it didn't make him sick, it made him want to die.
It had taken years for him to accept what had happened and understand that he'd done the right thing when the choice presented itself. And now Tal was dragging it all to the surface again!
It had been three weeks since Draco and Tal's, incident. At first she didn't know what to think of the matter but then Draco had started acting strangely and Tal had brought that Kirish woman to Hogwarts. Hermione had point blank asked Tal what was going on and why he needed the extra help, he'd just given her muddled answers never stating anything clearly. So for the past few weeks she'd had been watching Draco slowly becoming a person she didn't know. She was going to give Tal a large piece of her mind but first she had to get Draco under control.
Hemione moved towards him, determination clear on her face, she gently took his hand in her own, ignoring him as he flinched and tried to pull away. She began to run her thumb over his palm in soothing circles, then choosing her words with care, "I would never let them have you again. And I don't care what anyone thought or still thinks, I know and you know that what you did wasn't you. It was someone you had to pretend to be, you saved hundreds of people. You aren't a Death-Eater, you weren't meant to be a Death-Eater. Granted at times you were an annoying snobbish prat," Draco let out a strangled laugh and Hermione began to feel a small amount of relief, "but you did what a lot of people never do, you grew up. You didn't let someone change you into something you weren't, you fought back! And even if you won't believe yourself, you had better believe me, that person wasn't you." She could barely see his sad smile through the tears in her eyes, not even thinking about it she threw her arms around him, holding him as if he would break, "And Draco I could never love a Death-Eater."
"Well isn't this just bloody fucking sweet!"
Startled Hermione and Draco broke apart to see an livid Ron standing in the doorway, an unidentifiable expression in his eyes.
"R - Ron what are you doing here?" Hermione stuttered, shaken by his abrupt entrance.
"Surprise visit!" fe growled out, starting to advance on them, "Lucky me!"
Out of the corner of her eye she could see Draco paling as Ron moved towards them.
"It's to bad I didn't know you had a thing for Death-Eaters," Ron said spitefully, now face to face with her, "maybe I could have taken the dark mark with Harry." His hand snaked out grabbing her arm, as she stood there in shock, "You should have told me sooner you liked it rough! Maybe we could have had a three-some," turning to look at Draco he pointedly added, "or a four-some, that would have been some fuck! Maybe we could have formed our own club."
At his last words Hermione began struggling frantically, trying to break out of his grasp, but only succeeded in hitting the wall painfully as Ron suddenly let go. As she lay there stunned she could see Draco backed into the far wall, fear and anger showing clearly on his face.
Hermione desperately started trying to stand as Ron grabbed Draco around the neck and began slamming him back into the wall. But as she finally reached her feet, a black oblivion overcame her and she once again fell to the floor.
It was awe inspiring, he could feel the soft flesh clenched beneath his hands, slowly giving way to his unrelenting anger. Muscles bunching , retracting, his hands never let go, only pushing harder.
Feeble hands helplessly clutching at his face and wrists, trying to break his powerful grip.
"It doesn't matter though," voices gloated in his head, "we're strong, he'll never beat us!" A small quiet voice tried to make itself known among the others, only to be pushed to the back as Ron continued on with his rage.
The dull thumps, of flesh hitting hard surface, was beginning to create a soothing rhythm in his ears, and finally the annoying hands were leaving him be. The world around had faded into nothing, the only thing left was this small moment in time. "But it's not," said that same small voice in his thoughts, finally able to make itself clear, "it's not right."
No matter how the rhythm or flesh called the voice couldn't be ignored this time, it was as if he was slowing waking up from a deep sleep. The voice kept talking, offering advice, telling him to quit, to shut out the other words. He couldn't understand though, everything was moving to slowly, his sight was clouded by red, he couldn't see, he couldn't move, OH GOD!
Suddenly he was staring into silver eyes clouded with pain, the pupils dilated and starting to roll up. The body the eyes belonged to kept moving in front of him, to and fro, and when he looked down he found his hands clutching the man's throat. Blood was dripping down splattering onto his hands, leavings red stains. In absolute horror he tried to let go, to drop the body from him but he couldn't, they wouldn't let him! "PLEASE!" Hot red blood splashed into his screaming mouth, bitter and metallic, he was gagging trying to throw up but even that was beyond his control.
Desperately he tried to do anything to end the torment but nothing worked, it would last forever. Without realizing he had begun to scream incoherent words, tearing streaming down his face, leaving clean tracks on his bloodied face. It was everywhere, blood, gore he tried to close his eyes but he wasn't allowed to escape the agony before him.
But then it did, painfully rough hands were suddenly on him, dragging him away, letting the body fall to the floor. He abruptly hit a wall, pain began to clouded his already limited perception. The voices still shouted, screaming in rage now, but another sound, voice? Was overpowering his hearing, murmurs, growls, he tried to concentrate but he felt himself slipping away into the dark. He didn't fight it, he wanted out and just as everything was completely faded he felt himself once again jerked to his feet. His eyes felt clammy and sticky but he forced them open, no silver pained eyes now, blue and green murderous eyes now. Punishment? YES!
He leaned forward wanting the pain, needing the pain, crazed laughter left his mouth and the man before him became hesitant, almost letting his grip slide. "Ron you crazy bastard what the hell were you doing? RON!"
The man kept questioning him, anger evident in his voice, as every word came to his hearing they began to make more and more sense. The voices were slowly fading away, still angry but becoming quiet.
"Look!" The man said harshly and spun him around until he was facing the bloody body once again. He tried to turn away but the man wouldn't allow it. As they watched the silver eyes closed and the body became limp but still breathing. The man beside him was almost frantic but it didn't register because suddenly the voices, the murderous rage were completely gone and his body once again was his own. Sense of time and memories was back again and he knew who he was, he knew who they were.
Ron turned suddenly trying to find Hermione, when he did he felt his heart jump. She was slumped beside a wall, she was tangled in awkward angles but looked to be unharmed, one hand was clutching in the air sporadically. Nothing else mattered except getting to her, but as soon as he took a step he was stop by a still very upset Tal. As he looked into the other man's eyes he said all that he could, "I'm sorry."
Moments after he realized it was the wrong thing to say, Tal's arm was drawing back to hit him and his fist had almost made impact when a small hand stopped it mid-motion. Ron's held breath came out in a hiss, he could feel his hands shaking, he turned his eyes to the person who had momentarily saved him. And he got yet another surprise, the person of quick reflexes was none other than Kirish Ling.
He'd met her in Talis and had taken an immediate dislike of her, she was bossy, arrogant, nosy and very intelligent. Of all the places he would have thought to see her Hogwarts was not one of them but for the moment he was quite glad that she was.
She turned from his gaze and started giving instructions in a calm collected voice, "Tal I'll take care of him, the nurse is on her way, help her." She turned back to Ron once again, grabbed his arm and attempted to pull him out of the room.
Ron stood stock still, not allowing her to pull him away, "I'm staying, I have to be with Hermione."
Kirish look at him a moment, not completely unsympathetic, "You can't Tal would end up killing you and to be completely honest Hermione probably isn't going to want you to be the first thing she sees."
Taking advantage of Ron's shock she successfully pulled him from the room, he was walking down the deserted hall before sense finally returned to his tangled thoughts.
Some might say that staring at a wall continually for three hours would be depressing, if not crazy. But to Hermione it wasn't, she only found it to be very relaxing. And at this moment she needed that more than anything, three days had passed since Ron's maniac like rage, and she was still trying to come to terms with it. People kept trying to talk to her about it, so she had escaped to the only place she could feel alone.
She'd come across this particular wall in her second year as Headmistress, it was right down from the main hall in a hidden alcove. It was an odd wall, no matter how dark the castle became the wall always seemed to sparkle, to have a life of its own and it never changed.
She wished it was the same with people, but it wasn't. They would always seem so nice and pleasant and then when you least expected it they blew up in your face, spewing madness, tainting everything. She only wished they could be like her wall, never changing.
And while she like her wall she did have to admit there was one thing wrong with staring at a wall for long periods of time. It allowed you to distant yourself from your surroundings but that only left a bigger area of your thoughts to be occupied by the past. Past was something she didn't want to dwell on but neither did she wish to think about her life, which had somehow become so…distressingly lonely.
As usual Hermione was sitting at a study table in the Gryffindor common room, studying, and of course as usual Ron and Harry were discussing Quidditch, both laying on a rug with merry crackling fire casting light upon their animated faces.
Hermione couldn't believe they wouldn't going to study at all, it was an important year after all and surprise tests always seemed to pop up. She had hoped they would have matured slightly, they were sixteen now, surely they realized Quidditch wouldn't get them through life. Something would have to knock them off their feet before they realized it of course. As she looked over at the two boys she silently promised herself that from now on she wouldn't give them copies of her notes, no matter how they begged and pleaded, for once they would just have to fail, on both counts.
Ron must have somehow known where her train of thought was because he suddenly looked up at her with a teasing look in his eyes, "Hermione you know no matter how many times you read the same book the words don't change…well they usually don't." He ended with a slight grimace, even after all these years he still hated to study.
Harry wasn't helping either, snickering behind his hand like that, he knew it goaded Ron on.
"Ron you know how important it is to be studying! There are going to be a lot of tests and -"
She was cut off as Ron finish her sentence for her in a mocking voice. "and you want to get good scores and blah blah blah!" At that point he and Harry both broke into wild laughter, clutching their sides.
Hermione was a tad bit irritated with their lack of respect, "Fine laugh now but tomorrow or the next day when we have a surprise test and you fail spectacularly don't come crying to me! I'll be going onto the next year while you two however, are spending an extra year with Snape!" She finished, smirking in triumph at the now quiet boys.
Trepidation took it place however when the two boys shot each other devious looks and came to stand by her. She knew what was going to happen and resolutely steeled herself against the inevitable outcome.
But then Harry was kneeling down beside her with that look of his, where you could swear that there was a little sad beat puppy looking at you instead of a wild-haired youth. She was handling it though and everything would have fine except Ron chose that same moment to loop his arms around her shoulders,
"Mione you love use don't you? You wouldn't leave use would you? Just imagine what that greasy bastard would put us through!"
Then Harry finished her off for good, "Your our best friend, we'd do anything for you. Absolutely anything!"
She couldn't make it look like she was completely defeated though, she had to at least make an effort to get them studying. "You two," waving a finger at the two grinning boys, "can copy my notes if and I repeat if you read Hogwarts: A History!" The two boys snorted in amusement, and she couldn't help the giggle that escaped.
The next morning as she sat down opposite of the two boys she handed them both several sheets of parchment, covered with neat precise notes, complete with references of course.
Hermione gave a choked sob as she slid to the floor, her forehead resting on the wall. It was amazing that they had ever been so young and innocent, never realizing how their lives were going to change forever.
She never thought Ron would be where he was, she especially never thought she'd be sitting in the dark reliving her happiest moment in life, and therefore her saddest to.
Life certainly had a perverse direction.
She and Ron were laying side by side on a quilted blanket by the shores of the Hogwarts' lake. The stars were shining brightly on them, they seemed to wink as if they were sharing a secret.
Usually students weren't allowed out past curfew but Ron had surprised Hermione by going to Dumbledore for special permission. She had been astonished when Ron had told her, it was so sweet of him to try and make it special for her.
Tonight was the anniversary of their first official date, six months ago Ron had finally worked the nerve up to ask her and she had accepted, asking why it had taken him so long.
And here they were tonight, she was sure besides this being a celebration, that Ron was trying to make a perfect situation for them to make love together for the first time. If it was anybody else she wouldn't even consider it, but this was Ron, someone she had already given her heart to and tonight she would also give him her innocence.
While she was lost in thought Ron's hand had crept to her side, rubbing little designs on her skin, she turned to look at him and he pulled her close into her arms, so that they lay tangled together.
After a few moments he started talking in a uncharacteristically hesitant voice, "Hermione this is something I've wanted to do for years, it feels like we've known each other forever, always getting in trouble together, just hanging around, and I - I just -"
He was stopped as Hermione put a finger to his lips silencing him. "Ron I know. I feel the same way, you're the only one I want and I'm ready, so don't worry."
He looked at her for a long moment, the stars reflecting in his eyes, then he moved his lips to cover hers, giving her a soft promise filled kiss. "Mione you're the only I want to but that's not quite the reason I brought you here tonight. I've wanted to tell you something for a long time, even before I asked you out, but I was to scared." He stopped and looked at her, "I love you, I've loved you for a long time. You're the other half of my heart and I never want us to be apart."
Then he began to softly kiss away the tears that fell happily from her eyes.
By this time the sobs had fully taken her over, she sat slumped on the cold hard floor, with her knees hugged to her chest as sobs racked her frame. When someone's heart is breaking they don't bother with small things like time so when the tears finally ceased she wasn't sure how long she had been huddled on the floor, minutes or hours. Dejectedly she swept her hands over her hair, which was escaping the elaborate braid that had attempt to hold it. Her eyes felt gritty and tired and she knew they were bloodshot.
She looked up at the wall once again and saw two shadows instead of her lone one. She stood up slowly trying to prepare herself, hoping with all she had left that it wasn't Ron.
And while Tal wasn't the person she would have picked to find her in such a disarrayed state there could have been worse people. She knew there was no way to hide the after effects of her tears, she just stood and ignored the fact that for the past hours she'd been an emotional wreck. "What can I do for you?"
He just looked at her and for a second she could swear she saw some strange emotion pass of his feature and then fade away, "Kirish and I need to talk with you and Draco, believe me I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't important."
She nodded her agreement, then in a still voice, "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't mention finding me like this, some people would use it against me."
It was his eyes she realized, suddenly, that looked so strange a moment before, they were darken with sadness, changing their color. She wondered what could bring such a strong feeling to a person as reserved as Tal, surely it wasn't her?
"Hermione you secrets will always be safe with me."
Their walk down the long corridors was silent but strangely companionable. Reaching the door of Tal's classroom they found it already open, when she walked in she saw that Draco and Kirish were already inside, sitting on opposite sides of the room.
Kirish was studying Draco with an intense look in her eyes, looking over at Draco Hermione saw that he was trying to ignore the stare. He hated to be stared at.
Hermione decided to take a neutral spot and chose a seat by the door, while Tal went and sat on his desk.
There was a moment of long silence before Tal started his explanation, speaking calmly, "After discussing some things, Kirish and I believe that it wasn't Ron alone who caused the situation." He stopped speaking, took a deep breath.
Hermione was aching to ask what he meant but Tal only spoke when he wanted to, if she wasn't quiet she might never get the reason behind his words.
Strangely enough it wasn't Tal who gave the reasoning, it was Kirish. The woman never moved her eyes from Draco as she talked, "There's a girl in Talis named Lillis, she's an emapth. She always knows exactly what people around her are feeling, she knows precisely how to manipulate people. But I think Draco is the exact opposite, he doesn't feel other's emotions, he affects other people's emotions. I talked with Ron afterwards, well actually I looked around his thoughts, and his memories don't mesh with what he did. I think Draco was broadcasting something, Hermione has some telepathic ability and it overwhelmed her, that's why she blacked out."
If Hermione hadn't been lost in her own turmoil she would have seen how pale Draco was, and how worse it got with Kirish's last words. "What were you remembering Draco?"
Hermione knew exactly what Draco had been remembering and if Kirish was right it made complete sense. She also knew that while Tal could wait as long as needed for Draco's answer he would probably never give in. She hated to force Draco to talk about such things but she desperately needed to know whether Tal and Kirish were right, it would mean so much. "Draco as Headmistress I would advise you to answer the question."
He turned burning silver eyes to her, filled with such betrayal that she realized he was lost to her forever. She had just done what she had promised to never do, left him alone. For once though she had to do something for herself. So she held his gaze, eyes never wavering, he finally answered in stinging defeated words, "The Death-Eater attack on Hogsmeade."
Hermione didn't wait a moment longer, she made her way to the door before she could talk herself out of it, hesitating for a moment in the doorway, "I have to see Ron." Then she was gone.
"Oh God!" he screamed aloud as the hot wet mouth closed around his cock again. Sucking, licking bringing him to edge then pulling away, prolonging the exquisite torment.
His hands were clenched in the bed sheets, his nails had already created bloody spots on his own palms. He groaned as the talented mouth moved to his balls, nipping lightly with teeth all the while hands stroked his hips, holding his thrusts down, he nearly came from their motion alone.
Thankfully his cock was once again being deliberately sucked, the head nipped and the hands let him loose, finally giving him control. His hands let the bed sheets to grip the soft head of hair at his groin, his cock was taken deep and he began to thrust into the mouth, so lost in the sensation that he couldn't give warning of his coming.
Giving a deep groan Ron fell back onto the bed exhausted and sated, eyes already closing, the person below him gave a small laugh full of tantalizing promises. His hands pulled the talented lover onto his chest, covering the mouth with his own, a deep kiss, tongues battling. "Gods, I love you," Ron breathed out, opening his eyes to see her reaction he found himself looked into black rotten holes where eyes once rested, a black crusty tongue snaked out to lick a stray drop of cum from blood coated lips.
"Missed me huh?" a terrible sibilant voice said.
Ron screamed aloud in terror as he was faced with a long dead Harry Potter, he tried to throw the body from him but skeleton hands still gripped his hips.
"Oh you want another go!" Sick demented laughter echoed in the room.
Using all his strength Ron threw Harry from his bed but in his haste he slipped on the covers and fell hitting his head on the cold floor.
Only to awake alone in his bed, sweat and cum sticking to the sheets, moisture beaded on his body, shaking badly he tried to untangle himself from the covers only succeeding in making it worse. He fell back for a moment, forced his body to breath and calm, then slowly slipped out of the ruined bed.
He began pacing the room, the smell of sex making his stomach roil, he opened a window and immediately felt better. Tearing his clothes off he threw the onto the floor, dragged clean unsoiled ones out of the trunk. As he pulled the shirt over his head something hit him in the back.
Ron spun around ready for battle, he found his adversary to be none other than a small brown owl. Bending down he unfastened the message from the owl's leg and it instantly went back out the window from whence it came.
Only a few people would be sending him owls at this time of night, he found his hands to be shaky as he unrolled the parchment.
It Has Begun.
For the third time of the night Ron had a fright as someone knocked loudly on the door. He was going to ignore it until he heard a voice that he could never forget, Hermione. "Ron I need to speak with you."
