Alesco
Chapter Twenty-Seven---Futile Attempt
*
Ron reached up and tried to brush away Hermione's tears. Large drops were falling on his scarred arms, and he could feel his body shudder with the irony of it. He pushed up the robes of his school uniform earlier, regretting that he hadn't had the chance to change into casual clothes before seeing Professor Forester. Now, he was going to come face to face with You-Know-Who.......
His body quaked when he looked into Hermione's eyes. It was the closest he'd ever come to crying in front of her, but the tears wouldn't come.
He looked at the fireplace. It was now or never.
He gave Hermione another gentle hug, and brushed a hand over her silky hair. One last look, he thought, and I'm going to go.
Looking down at her face, he bent down and gave her a little kiss on the lips. He could feel the hot, wet tears there, and wondered if that was what Harry had felt when he'd kissed Cho.
Why am I thinking about that? Ron asked himself. I'm about to make an git of myself, using powers I don't want, against the most powerful wizard alive. I don't even know what I'm doing.
He shook his head, and closed his eyes. Pulling up a resolve hidden somewhere deep inside, he gently pushed Hermione aside.
Harry jumped in front of him, his wand drawn. He was shaking his head.
"Harry..." Ron muttered. "Get out of my way."
Harry was red in the face, apparently out of anger. "I'll hex you into next week if you try to follow Snape."
Ron laughed, when he felt more like crying. "No you won't, mate. Just let me--" Ron looked up into Harry's eyes. He was about to push out to Harry, to let him pass.
"Don't even...." Harry shut his eyes, and said quickly, "We'll follow you if you go! Won't we, Hermione?"
Ron stopped his attempt to control Harry. They WOULD follow him.
But he could stop them. He'd simply control them, make them stay put.
Ron began to feel sick. No, I can't do that. I won't do that to them.
Hermione was brushing her face, and she stepped in front of Ron, too. "Yes, we'll follow you. And don't you even think of using your powers on us." She pulled out her wand, as well.
They had determined looks in their eyes. Ron felt his resolve weakening.
"Okay, I get your point. Let's just get out of here." Ron tried to sound dejected as he turned around and started for the door.
Harry and Hermione put their wands in their pockets, and looked a bit unsure. After standing before the fireplace for a couple of moments, Harry picked up the invisibility cloak and they both started for the door.
Ron opened the door, and ushered the two outside. Harry was pulling up the cloak in order for Hermione and Ron to get underneath. Hermione was just shuffling underneath, when Ron took his chance.
He pushed the door shut on them, pulled out his wand, and quickly placed a lock on the door. Running to the fireplace, he swiftly lit a fire in the grate with his wand, and scrambled for the pot of floo powder on the mantle. He threw a bit into the fire, just as Hermione and Harry burst in.
"Ron, no!" Hermione blurted loudly, just as Ron stepped into the blaze.
"Dunkelkammer!" Ron shouted clearly. He closed his eyes, and waited for the familiar gut wrench and the vision of many grates passing before him.
He was astounded when he looked up, and there were still pleasantly warm green flames licking at his feet. Hermione and Harry were looking in on him in the fire, gaping at him with open mouths.
"Wha--" Ron started to say. Hermione looked shocked, and reached into the fireplace to pull him out.
"What the bloody hell!" Ron looked around, frustrated. Hermione was hugging him again, and he thought he heard her telling him how stupid he was.
Harry was scratching the back of his neck. "Why didn't it work?"
Hermione looked up at that, glancing back and forth between Harry and Ron. "It's possible the Death Eaters placed a spell on the other side, preventing anyone but Professor Snape from going to...Dunkelkammer."
Harry sighed. "Makes sense." He looked up at Ron, a furious glare on his face. "If you ever try a stunt like that again--"
"We're going to kick your ass!" Hermione shouted in his arms, and then she started to pound at his chest. Ron felt his eyes widen, and he reached out to calm her flailing arms. Just as he felt he was succeeding, Ron heard a loud door slam somewhere in the hall.
Sets of footsteps were heading toward Snape's quarters!
Harry unfurled the invisibility cloak still in his arms, and threw it over the three. They crouched as one into a tight huddle, and since Ron's vision was blocked by Hermione's head, he couldn't see what was happening.
"What's all this?" A high, nasally female voice uttered, somewhere near the open door. Ron tried to calm his breathing, hoping they were sufficiently covered by the cloak. He realized the voice was from Pansy Parkinson.
"I heard voices in here, and some doors slam." The voice of Malfoy replied. "Looks like someone put floo powder in the fireplace!" His voice had an eager, sinister quality to it. Ron felt like gagging.
A set of footsteps came closer to them. Ron inhaled sharply, and he could feel Hermione tensing next to him. Harry was moving silently beside him, and Ron thought he must be reaching for his wand.
Ron closed his eyes. He knew he couldn't see Malfoy....but maybe he could still....
Leave it alone, Malfoy.
He pushed the thought with all his might.
Suddenly, the footsteps stopped.
Ron pushed out again. This time, he thought, tell Pansy it's nothing.
Malfoy's voice said, with its natural nastiness, "It's nothing, Parkinson. Let's go."
Pansy's voice faltered, "Uh, Ok, Draco."
Ron smiled. Oh, he could have fun with this. On a whim, he thought, tell her you'd like a shag.
Ron could hear Malfoy walk toward the door. He said silkily, "How 'bout a shag, Pansy?"
"WHAT?!" Pansy shrieked, and Ron could hear a slap and someone running down the hall.
The door slammed and Ron could hear Malfoy run after her and stutter something. By the time Harry pulled off the invisibility cloak, Ron was curled up in uncontrollable laughter.
"That wasn't funny." Ron looked up to see Hermione gazing down at him, as he rolled on the floor; though Ron could swear he saw a smile twitching at the corners of her lips.
Harry was laughing wholeheartedly. "YOU DID THAT? That was brilliant, Ron."
Ron simply chuckled in reply, and moved to a sitting position. Hermione had pulled a delicate timepiece from a chain around her neck.
"Come on, you two, I think it would be best that we get back to the common room." Hermione uttered, her voice the sound of perfect rationality.
"What about Snape?" Harry said urgently, and looked at the two.
Hermione pursed her lips. "We can look into it in the morning."
Ron shot her a surprised look. "We can?"
"Yes. All we have to do is ask the right questions...put to the right people." She dropped her timepiece underneath her blouse, and for the first time that evening Ron realized how lovely her neck and the bones at her collar were. He reached out and gently caressed her cheek. She gave him a soft smile, and leaned forward to kiss him.
Harry was kneeling beside them, and Ron heard him emit a muffled gag. Hermione's lips didn't reach Ron's, as she was now giving Harry a dirty look.
Ron stood up at that. He crossed his arms. "Okay, let's go."
~*~
After another uncomfortable trip out of the dungeons, they slid behind the hog's statue and Harry pulled off the cloak. It would be safe for them to go back to the common room without it. Thank Merlin, Ron thought briefly, rubbing his calves again. Would the circulation ever come back?
Once they were safely in the common room, Harry ran up to the boy's dormitory. Ron and Hermione took one of the empty tables in the corner, and sat close to one another.
"Do your legs still hurt, Ron?" Hermione whispered, her hand on his thigh. She wore a concerned expression on her face.
"A little." He squirmed, and stretched his legs out.
Hermione sat back in her chair. She didn't move her hand from his leg. "What you did tonight was dangerous, Ron." Her voice was low, and a little sad.
Ron licked his lips, and looked away from her. "I know. But what else am I supposed to do?"
"Just wait, Ron. You'll have your chance, I know you will. You don't have to rush to meet him." Hermione's voice cracked. "I fear he'll come to us....sooner then we want him to."
Ron closed his eyes, put his head in his hands, and rubbed his face. When would it ever end?
Hermione leaned over him, and put an arm around his shoulders. "Oh, come on, Ron. Just relax."
Suddenly, she breathed in. There was a little hitch in her throat. Ron felt that hitch throughout his body, and he looked up from his hands.
Hermione was blushing. She glanced up into his eyes, hesitantly. Finally, she uttered, "Would you....like me to...massage those legs for you?" A hand went up to her neck.
"Huh?" The sound left Ron's lips.
He stared at her in the space of two seconds, before he saw Harry running down the dormitory stairs. Harry walked up to them, and he had a piece of parchment in his hand. He appeared flustered.
"I'm...I'll...." He was stuttering, and trying not to look at Hermione. "Well....I'll see you two tomorrow morning, then." He scratched the back of his neck, before turning toward the portrait hole.
Hermione stood up. "Harry, it's--"
"Shut it, Hermione." Harry bit out, before stepping out the portrait hole.
Hermione turned back to Ron. "We can't let him just...." She had a weary expression on her face.
Ron grabbed Hermione's arm. At the moment, he didn't care that Harry was apparently running off with Susan. He'd noticed that Dean, Neville, and Seamus were present in the common room.
Hermione turned to look at Ron. She stared at him for several moments, as Ron shot meaningful glances at the three boys. Finally, realization dawned on Hermione's face.
He was ultimately surprised by the look of satisfaction he saw there.
"Tomorrow's a Saturday, Hermione." Ron muttered huskily.
"Yes, it is." Hermione said, just as huskily.
"Let the old boy have some fun." Ron nodded, and smiled. "I think I would like that massage....Hermione." He said the last word with reverence.
Ron thought he saw Hermione's body shudder, and she clasped his hand.
They looked around, made sure nobody was watching them, and sneaked quietly up the stairs to the boy's dormitory.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
**chuckle, chuckle...snigger, snigger**
Chapter Twenty-Seven---Futile Attempt
*
Ron reached up and tried to brush away Hermione's tears. Large drops were falling on his scarred arms, and he could feel his body shudder with the irony of it. He pushed up the robes of his school uniform earlier, regretting that he hadn't had the chance to change into casual clothes before seeing Professor Forester. Now, he was going to come face to face with You-Know-Who.......
His body quaked when he looked into Hermione's eyes. It was the closest he'd ever come to crying in front of her, but the tears wouldn't come.
He looked at the fireplace. It was now or never.
He gave Hermione another gentle hug, and brushed a hand over her silky hair. One last look, he thought, and I'm going to go.
Looking down at her face, he bent down and gave her a little kiss on the lips. He could feel the hot, wet tears there, and wondered if that was what Harry had felt when he'd kissed Cho.
Why am I thinking about that? Ron asked himself. I'm about to make an git of myself, using powers I don't want, against the most powerful wizard alive. I don't even know what I'm doing.
He shook his head, and closed his eyes. Pulling up a resolve hidden somewhere deep inside, he gently pushed Hermione aside.
Harry jumped in front of him, his wand drawn. He was shaking his head.
"Harry..." Ron muttered. "Get out of my way."
Harry was red in the face, apparently out of anger. "I'll hex you into next week if you try to follow Snape."
Ron laughed, when he felt more like crying. "No you won't, mate. Just let me--" Ron looked up into Harry's eyes. He was about to push out to Harry, to let him pass.
"Don't even...." Harry shut his eyes, and said quickly, "We'll follow you if you go! Won't we, Hermione?"
Ron stopped his attempt to control Harry. They WOULD follow him.
But he could stop them. He'd simply control them, make them stay put.
Ron began to feel sick. No, I can't do that. I won't do that to them.
Hermione was brushing her face, and she stepped in front of Ron, too. "Yes, we'll follow you. And don't you even think of using your powers on us." She pulled out her wand, as well.
They had determined looks in their eyes. Ron felt his resolve weakening.
"Okay, I get your point. Let's just get out of here." Ron tried to sound dejected as he turned around and started for the door.
Harry and Hermione put their wands in their pockets, and looked a bit unsure. After standing before the fireplace for a couple of moments, Harry picked up the invisibility cloak and they both started for the door.
Ron opened the door, and ushered the two outside. Harry was pulling up the cloak in order for Hermione and Ron to get underneath. Hermione was just shuffling underneath, when Ron took his chance.
He pushed the door shut on them, pulled out his wand, and quickly placed a lock on the door. Running to the fireplace, he swiftly lit a fire in the grate with his wand, and scrambled for the pot of floo powder on the mantle. He threw a bit into the fire, just as Hermione and Harry burst in.
"Ron, no!" Hermione blurted loudly, just as Ron stepped into the blaze.
"Dunkelkammer!" Ron shouted clearly. He closed his eyes, and waited for the familiar gut wrench and the vision of many grates passing before him.
He was astounded when he looked up, and there were still pleasantly warm green flames licking at his feet. Hermione and Harry were looking in on him in the fire, gaping at him with open mouths.
"Wha--" Ron started to say. Hermione looked shocked, and reached into the fireplace to pull him out.
"What the bloody hell!" Ron looked around, frustrated. Hermione was hugging him again, and he thought he heard her telling him how stupid he was.
Harry was scratching the back of his neck. "Why didn't it work?"
Hermione looked up at that, glancing back and forth between Harry and Ron. "It's possible the Death Eaters placed a spell on the other side, preventing anyone but Professor Snape from going to...Dunkelkammer."
Harry sighed. "Makes sense." He looked up at Ron, a furious glare on his face. "If you ever try a stunt like that again--"
"We're going to kick your ass!" Hermione shouted in his arms, and then she started to pound at his chest. Ron felt his eyes widen, and he reached out to calm her flailing arms. Just as he felt he was succeeding, Ron heard a loud door slam somewhere in the hall.
Sets of footsteps were heading toward Snape's quarters!
Harry unfurled the invisibility cloak still in his arms, and threw it over the three. They crouched as one into a tight huddle, and since Ron's vision was blocked by Hermione's head, he couldn't see what was happening.
"What's all this?" A high, nasally female voice uttered, somewhere near the open door. Ron tried to calm his breathing, hoping they were sufficiently covered by the cloak. He realized the voice was from Pansy Parkinson.
"I heard voices in here, and some doors slam." The voice of Malfoy replied. "Looks like someone put floo powder in the fireplace!" His voice had an eager, sinister quality to it. Ron felt like gagging.
A set of footsteps came closer to them. Ron inhaled sharply, and he could feel Hermione tensing next to him. Harry was moving silently beside him, and Ron thought he must be reaching for his wand.
Ron closed his eyes. He knew he couldn't see Malfoy....but maybe he could still....
Leave it alone, Malfoy.
He pushed the thought with all his might.
Suddenly, the footsteps stopped.
Ron pushed out again. This time, he thought, tell Pansy it's nothing.
Malfoy's voice said, with its natural nastiness, "It's nothing, Parkinson. Let's go."
Pansy's voice faltered, "Uh, Ok, Draco."
Ron smiled. Oh, he could have fun with this. On a whim, he thought, tell her you'd like a shag.
Ron could hear Malfoy walk toward the door. He said silkily, "How 'bout a shag, Pansy?"
"WHAT?!" Pansy shrieked, and Ron could hear a slap and someone running down the hall.
The door slammed and Ron could hear Malfoy run after her and stutter something. By the time Harry pulled off the invisibility cloak, Ron was curled up in uncontrollable laughter.
"That wasn't funny." Ron looked up to see Hermione gazing down at him, as he rolled on the floor; though Ron could swear he saw a smile twitching at the corners of her lips.
Harry was laughing wholeheartedly. "YOU DID THAT? That was brilliant, Ron."
Ron simply chuckled in reply, and moved to a sitting position. Hermione had pulled a delicate timepiece from a chain around her neck.
"Come on, you two, I think it would be best that we get back to the common room." Hermione uttered, her voice the sound of perfect rationality.
"What about Snape?" Harry said urgently, and looked at the two.
Hermione pursed her lips. "We can look into it in the morning."
Ron shot her a surprised look. "We can?"
"Yes. All we have to do is ask the right questions...put to the right people." She dropped her timepiece underneath her blouse, and for the first time that evening Ron realized how lovely her neck and the bones at her collar were. He reached out and gently caressed her cheek. She gave him a soft smile, and leaned forward to kiss him.
Harry was kneeling beside them, and Ron heard him emit a muffled gag. Hermione's lips didn't reach Ron's, as she was now giving Harry a dirty look.
Ron stood up at that. He crossed his arms. "Okay, let's go."
~*~
After another uncomfortable trip out of the dungeons, they slid behind the hog's statue and Harry pulled off the cloak. It would be safe for them to go back to the common room without it. Thank Merlin, Ron thought briefly, rubbing his calves again. Would the circulation ever come back?
Once they were safely in the common room, Harry ran up to the boy's dormitory. Ron and Hermione took one of the empty tables in the corner, and sat close to one another.
"Do your legs still hurt, Ron?" Hermione whispered, her hand on his thigh. She wore a concerned expression on her face.
"A little." He squirmed, and stretched his legs out.
Hermione sat back in her chair. She didn't move her hand from his leg. "What you did tonight was dangerous, Ron." Her voice was low, and a little sad.
Ron licked his lips, and looked away from her. "I know. But what else am I supposed to do?"
"Just wait, Ron. You'll have your chance, I know you will. You don't have to rush to meet him." Hermione's voice cracked. "I fear he'll come to us....sooner then we want him to."
Ron closed his eyes, put his head in his hands, and rubbed his face. When would it ever end?
Hermione leaned over him, and put an arm around his shoulders. "Oh, come on, Ron. Just relax."
Suddenly, she breathed in. There was a little hitch in her throat. Ron felt that hitch throughout his body, and he looked up from his hands.
Hermione was blushing. She glanced up into his eyes, hesitantly. Finally, she uttered, "Would you....like me to...massage those legs for you?" A hand went up to her neck.
"Huh?" The sound left Ron's lips.
He stared at her in the space of two seconds, before he saw Harry running down the dormitory stairs. Harry walked up to them, and he had a piece of parchment in his hand. He appeared flustered.
"I'm...I'll...." He was stuttering, and trying not to look at Hermione. "Well....I'll see you two tomorrow morning, then." He scratched the back of his neck, before turning toward the portrait hole.
Hermione stood up. "Harry, it's--"
"Shut it, Hermione." Harry bit out, before stepping out the portrait hole.
Hermione turned back to Ron. "We can't let him just...." She had a weary expression on her face.
Ron grabbed Hermione's arm. At the moment, he didn't care that Harry was apparently running off with Susan. He'd noticed that Dean, Neville, and Seamus were present in the common room.
Hermione turned to look at Ron. She stared at him for several moments, as Ron shot meaningful glances at the three boys. Finally, realization dawned on Hermione's face.
He was ultimately surprised by the look of satisfaction he saw there.
"Tomorrow's a Saturday, Hermione." Ron muttered huskily.
"Yes, it is." Hermione said, just as huskily.
"Let the old boy have some fun." Ron nodded, and smiled. "I think I would like that massage....Hermione." He said the last word with reverence.
Ron thought he saw Hermione's body shudder, and she clasped his hand.
They looked around, made sure nobody was watching them, and sneaked quietly up the stairs to the boy's dormitory.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
**chuckle, chuckle...snigger, snigger**