Disclaimer: I own nothing...but my sick and twisted imagination
Lily: My duty has been done for the day; I am glad that you feel this captivated. Muses look like you...ha ha
Nubia: I am grateful for the kind review.
Ghypscee: *Smiles in your direction*
KivaidensGirl: Sorry, a hospital visit was in order to progress my well- being. Told ya that flu kicked my ass. Still trying to recover. When I returned, my Internet was down and I couldn't get anyone to fix it for 2 days... Oh torture! I missed ya'll too much.
Beth: Welcome back. I promised I'd have something waiting for you didn't I..
A/N: Hope this chapter doesn't boggle your mind too much, I was slightly out of it and dwelling in my misery. Let me know if it needs clarification. Enjoy. *Tosses a few insanity peppers into a boiling cauldron*
Chapter 17: The Great Escape
The loud pop signified that Harry and Ron had successfully apparated outside the forlorn Malfoy Manor. The mansion looked to have withstood the renaissance. The boys quivered in growing anticipation outside the wrought iron gates. Beyond them was what once had been abundant and serene gardens, now nothing more than a neglected plot of land over run with weeds.
The decrepit fountains were covered with moss instead of sparkling waters. The once immaculate ponds of multi-colored fish belonged solely to the slimy lily pads and frogs. A doomed castle loomed ahead, it's broken and dusty windows peered down upon their hiding spot. The peaks of the towers pierced through the fog, desperately trying to escape the ivy that threatened to devour the East walls. The house that had once been a thing of splendor was left in ruins.
"Who would allow such beauty to wallow in misery?" Harry's mouth gaped open. "No doubt this was once the most magnificent castle I have ever seen, aside from Hogwarts. Now all I see is sorrow." Harry's voice went soft with sadness. "Maybe it will be grand again, someday." Ron was always the optimist. The silence was deafening.
Harry desperately fought the urge to turn back. Willing himself forward he pressed Ron through the gates and followed him into the shadows. Creeping along the boundary he paused and pulled Ron into a sweaty handshake and said, "This is where we part. I have to go this way." He pointed to the forest looming off to the right. "Head on up to the castle, but remain alert. This stillness makes me uneasy. Good luck." Ron's gulp was loud enough to alert the dozing frogs. With a splash they dove into the muddy pond water.
The distance stretched as the two swiftly headed to opposite destinations. Each accepted that the fate of at least one other depended on their triumph. Harry carried Hermione's future in his every step, and Ron was responsible for Draco. It was a heavy burden for both.
Determined to complete this as fast as possible Harry crept to the tree line and slipped into the dense gathering. The foliage made his progress slow. The lack of any penetrating moonlight also hindered his steps. His eyes scanned the ground for any footprints until he couldn't see his hand right in front of him. The canopy blocked nearly all light as Harry dropped to his knees in the brush and cautiously crawled.
He was armed with his wand but refused to illuminate the end for fear of drawing attention directly to him. In the night as black as can be, it was a safe assumption that anyone within a mile radius would be immediately drawn to any form of light. He struggled with the thorns and got tangled up twice. Harry hoped that Ron was having better luck indoors.
The powerful fists of Lucius collided with Draco's face. How dare he defy his own father? The purple bruises were covering Draco's cheekbone and swollen eye. Lucius removed Hermione's wand from the inside folds of his robes and aimed it at his son. Powerful green jets hit him in his exposed chest.
The few hairs there were instantly singed off along with the first layer of skin. Draco's nerve endings were lightly toasted and ached. He smiled sweetly at his father and politely asked, "Once more please, I have yet to get the tan I so desperately need." The older Malfoy hid the amusement in his gray eyes as he replied, "Funny. I never knew you to have a sense of humor."
A sudden chill stirred as Lord Voldemort slid into the chamber. He seemed to float and Draco found his clear eye searching for concealed ropes that suspended him. The Master of the Deatheaters began speaking, yet his pallid lips never moved. "Lucius, greet our guests as I decipher the prophecy." He produced the glowing pensive. It spun slightly as he gently laid it on the table. His wand pointed fiercely at the bowl shaped object as faster and faster it started to twirl.
"Expedio Argumentum" The voice commanded to the spinning bowl. A silver flash erupted from the end of the wand, but nothing else happened. The frown deepened on the weathered and ashen face of Voldemort. Draco was unfamiliar with the next few spells.
"Commonest Secrete!" Veins bulged with the effort as nothing occurred. The shouts of "Abstruse...Adaperio..." each went without the desired effects and the Master was becoming increasingly frustrated. Horrendous voice echoed loudly in the room "Apertum!"
The last spell to unlock the pensive had backfired. The protective field around the spinning flash of iridescence had intensified and released a bolt of brilliant orange light, striking Voldemort. He instantly crumbled to the ground and his body went as limp as a rag doll. Draco's vision was hazy due to his father's latest 'attentions'.
He had witnessed the Dark Lord go down after numerous failed attempts to do something to the spinning object on the far table, but his murky mind wouldn't put two and two together. He wished that Hermione were in the room, only Nancy Drew rivaled her skills at mystery solving.
The handle of the heavy wooden door jiggled an arrival. Draco's heart skipped a beat as he twisted his neck, furious at the dizzy spells that resulted. A head of fire colored hair popped into the room. Draco wondered if hallucinations at this stage were a bad sign. Ron's eyes searched the room quickly and settled on Voldemort. His nervousness made them go as wide as saucers.
He stepped fully into the room and Draco had time to emit a grateful sigh. "Thank God for Weasley. I didn't assume that any of you would actually come to save me...Hurry, Lucius will return shortly. If he finds you here, there will be hell to pay." Draco was whispering quickly, unaware that Ron had not stepped forward. "Ron, this is no time to lose your nerve, man. We've got to get out of here."
Ron's approach was swift and resolute. His arm swung back and harshly he backhanded Draco across the face with all the force he possessed. The wind was smacked from him in the unexpected assault. Ron's face flashed unsuppressed hate at the taller blonde.
His knuckles grazed the temples of the bound youth as his rage erupted in shouts. "Slimy bastard, son of a bitch!" On and on the stream of obscenities gushed as Ron persistently struck him until he considered Draco to be half dead. The commotion woke Hermione from her oblivion in the chamber next door. She heard Ron's screams of loathing through the walls, and frantically cried out "Ron! Ron, I'm over here."
Ron's fists ceased flying at his nemesis and his gaze flew to the separating wall. Oh twist of fate. Why the hell was Hermione in the room next door? Had she heard him? Of course she had, otherwise she wouldn't have called out. "Damn." Ron muttered. He pushed back the adjoining door and rushed to Hermione's side. She was also covered in blood and bruises. Tears slipped from her as she sobbed her relief. Ron fumbled shakily with her bonds. He released her and she collapsed weakly into his arms.
Ron's thin body held her tightly as she cried pitifully into his shoulder. Through the open doorway she could see the upper half of Voldemort lying unconscious on the floor. "Ron, what happened?" She asked. Ron's eyes flew to the scene, as he desperately searched for a plausible excuse. "I took care of Voldemort, for now."
A speculative eyebrow rose. (She was taking on some of Draco's more pleasant personality traits lately) Hermione's face became incredulous as she requested "How?' Ron blushed, apparently that was not going to work, and quickly he replied "Well, he was already out cold when I got there."
Her forehead creased with concern. "Then who were you yell..." Ron cut her off before she could finish. "It doesn't hurt to get a few good kicks in, now does it, just to be on the safe side?" His deceitful smile reassured her and he exhaled inwardly at the passed moment. Hermione peered back into the neighboring room. Draco was hanging limply in a bloody mass suspended from the similar chains in the ceiling.
The tears fell harder, knowing they had shared a common hell, separated by only the one wall. Draco had apparently taken the worst of it but she had not been spared the same torments. The multiple lashings and iodine burns, the administered disciplines of her loves father would linger forever in her mind. Her nightmares come true.
Remembering the words Voldemort had spoken about her friends' fates; she gasped "Harry! Ron, where is Harry, is he alright?" Ron's eyes searched her face in his adoration. "Harry's in the forest, searching for you. I am sure that he's fine. Don't worry; I'm going to get you out of here. Just hold on tightly to me." He lifted her with some effort, his scrawny arms strained at her weight.
She was apprehensive. Being carried by Ron did not offer her the support and security that Draco's powerful arms had. She pointed faintly to Draco's room. "Ron, you must get Draco out of here. Lucius, he'll kill him." Ron's steps halted and a soft shudder passed through him. Hermione had felt his reluctance. "Please, get him out first." In his poisoned heart his temper boiled over at her selfless request.
Harry had been rummaging about the musky forest floor, desperately following the pair of footprints in the failing light of the moon when a flare shot past his right ear. He threw himself to the ground. Bright flashes illuminated the sky and breaking branches and crumpling leaves signified that his assailant was closer than Harry had ever hoped.
Fear of being discovered, huddled barely concealed on the ground pushed Harry, marine-style, in a half crouch and scrambling as fast as his legs could take him. He dodged and ducked under several more attempted attacks before he reached a thick tree that could offer shelter from any more fireballs.
The point of origin was roughly 200 feet away, as Harry estimated from the last projection. He took aim with his wand gripped tighter than normal due to his narrow escape, and returned fire at his unknown adversary. As his curse exploded the trunk of a nearby oak he glimpsed Lucius stealthily creeping along the trees. Harry was slightly dismayed that Lucius never presented a clear target. He was constantly swerving and ducking, always using the foliage to his advantage.
Harry realized that he had continued to retreat all the while returning the savage blasts in a desperate game of Battleship. In a moment one of them shall lose and discover the exact position of the other. He didn't hesitate when he backed into the marble front steps of Malfoy Manor. He turned and ran inside. Panting against the soon barricaded door, Harry distressed that if Hermione had lingered in the forest, Lucius had discovered her by now. Disappointment swallowed the brunette as he quietly began his search for Ron.
Ron mumbled to himself, careful not to alert Hermione as he roughly unleashed Draco and he watched the body crash upon the hard floor with a sickening thud. He kicked the Slytherin's ribs and violently grabbed his ankles. He swung the bloody mess of Draco around until Ron was facing the rising stone staircase that led to the main floor. Dragging Draco behind him sadistically he climbed each step.
Listening with satisfaction after each stair as Draco's previously battered head smacked brutally against the stones with a delightful squish. Ron giggled, praying that his opponent's brains were being sloshed against the unforgiving stairs, waiting for the one that would finally split open the hard skull and end his existence. Draco's unfortunate demise would remove Ron from the villain to the helpless would-be rescuer that he longed to play.
Draco was the only one who could admit to Ron's sinister participation in Voldemort's plans, once he awoke. That information was not likely to please Hermione, or force her to come running into his arms, as was his goal. Ron was almost positive that Draco was in a deep coma, at least for the time being.
He didn't have the opportunity to slay him now, not with Hermione looking on gratefully from the open doorway. Soon he would make his move. Ron vowed that Draco would never wake from his concussion, he would see to it.
Meanwhile he contemplated what he was going to do about his Dark Lord. He was unconscious on the dungeon floor, and Ron knew that if he woke to find his loyal servants were not by his side, and his victims had been released he was going to come after him. The thought of today's consequences was too horrific to imagine. All Ron's cautious planning had been laid waste in a matter of one simple night.
He had strived to keep the ever-growing hatred hidden from Harry, letting him believe that it was Harry's idea to go after Draco, for all the right reasons. Apparently the ransom note had been executed correctly, but Hermione was not supposed to have been harmed. He knew that the Dark Lord would have his own schemes, but Ron had been promised that his 'treasure' would not be battered or abused.
The trap had failed miserably; Lucius had not been waiting in the dungeons with the new plan of action when Ron arrived. He had been brash enough to take out his aggressions on a venerable Draco, though that part had felt wonderfully pleasing. Hermione had been detained and beaten in the next room, and had overheard him. Worst of all - Harry Potter was evidently and still unbelievably alive. (As he could hear from the strained shouts of "Ron! Hey, Ron, where are you?") Nothing was going his way.
In exchange for his eternal servitude starting with the betrayal of Draco and Harry, Ron had sealed his fate with the Deatheaters Regiment. He was a welcome backstabbing addition to the evil army of Voldemort. In the sad exchange he would receive phenomenal powers, his true love Hermione, and fame of his own. No longer known in his new circle as "The Golden Boy's Sidekick". He would be renamed The-One-Who-Delivered-Potter. The title held a certain degree of authority.
He was smiling to himself as another splat of Draco's head brought him to the landing where Harry was bent over, panting and exclaimed "Time to Go, Now. Lucius was right behind me." Harry gathered Hermione to him and ran up the stairs. It was slow going as Harry carried a bruised Hermione out the back door and circled around to the gates.
Ron still dragged Draco, claiming that he was too heavy to carry. Carelessly he left a trail of bloody mess and bits of flesh across the grounds of the savage garden and back through the creaking iron fence. Immediately upon arriving on the other side all four apparated to the seclusion of the forbidden forest and headed slowly towards the safety and lights of Hogwarts.
Lily: My duty has been done for the day; I am glad that you feel this captivated. Muses look like you...ha ha
Nubia: I am grateful for the kind review.
Ghypscee: *Smiles in your direction*
KivaidensGirl: Sorry, a hospital visit was in order to progress my well- being. Told ya that flu kicked my ass. Still trying to recover. When I returned, my Internet was down and I couldn't get anyone to fix it for 2 days... Oh torture! I missed ya'll too much.
Beth: Welcome back. I promised I'd have something waiting for you didn't I..
A/N: Hope this chapter doesn't boggle your mind too much, I was slightly out of it and dwelling in my misery. Let me know if it needs clarification. Enjoy. *Tosses a few insanity peppers into a boiling cauldron*
Chapter 17: The Great Escape
The loud pop signified that Harry and Ron had successfully apparated outside the forlorn Malfoy Manor. The mansion looked to have withstood the renaissance. The boys quivered in growing anticipation outside the wrought iron gates. Beyond them was what once had been abundant and serene gardens, now nothing more than a neglected plot of land over run with weeds.
The decrepit fountains were covered with moss instead of sparkling waters. The once immaculate ponds of multi-colored fish belonged solely to the slimy lily pads and frogs. A doomed castle loomed ahead, it's broken and dusty windows peered down upon their hiding spot. The peaks of the towers pierced through the fog, desperately trying to escape the ivy that threatened to devour the East walls. The house that had once been a thing of splendor was left in ruins.
"Who would allow such beauty to wallow in misery?" Harry's mouth gaped open. "No doubt this was once the most magnificent castle I have ever seen, aside from Hogwarts. Now all I see is sorrow." Harry's voice went soft with sadness. "Maybe it will be grand again, someday." Ron was always the optimist. The silence was deafening.
Harry desperately fought the urge to turn back. Willing himself forward he pressed Ron through the gates and followed him into the shadows. Creeping along the boundary he paused and pulled Ron into a sweaty handshake and said, "This is where we part. I have to go this way." He pointed to the forest looming off to the right. "Head on up to the castle, but remain alert. This stillness makes me uneasy. Good luck." Ron's gulp was loud enough to alert the dozing frogs. With a splash they dove into the muddy pond water.
The distance stretched as the two swiftly headed to opposite destinations. Each accepted that the fate of at least one other depended on their triumph. Harry carried Hermione's future in his every step, and Ron was responsible for Draco. It was a heavy burden for both.
Determined to complete this as fast as possible Harry crept to the tree line and slipped into the dense gathering. The foliage made his progress slow. The lack of any penetrating moonlight also hindered his steps. His eyes scanned the ground for any footprints until he couldn't see his hand right in front of him. The canopy blocked nearly all light as Harry dropped to his knees in the brush and cautiously crawled.
He was armed with his wand but refused to illuminate the end for fear of drawing attention directly to him. In the night as black as can be, it was a safe assumption that anyone within a mile radius would be immediately drawn to any form of light. He struggled with the thorns and got tangled up twice. Harry hoped that Ron was having better luck indoors.
The powerful fists of Lucius collided with Draco's face. How dare he defy his own father? The purple bruises were covering Draco's cheekbone and swollen eye. Lucius removed Hermione's wand from the inside folds of his robes and aimed it at his son. Powerful green jets hit him in his exposed chest.
The few hairs there were instantly singed off along with the first layer of skin. Draco's nerve endings were lightly toasted and ached. He smiled sweetly at his father and politely asked, "Once more please, I have yet to get the tan I so desperately need." The older Malfoy hid the amusement in his gray eyes as he replied, "Funny. I never knew you to have a sense of humor."
A sudden chill stirred as Lord Voldemort slid into the chamber. He seemed to float and Draco found his clear eye searching for concealed ropes that suspended him. The Master of the Deatheaters began speaking, yet his pallid lips never moved. "Lucius, greet our guests as I decipher the prophecy." He produced the glowing pensive. It spun slightly as he gently laid it on the table. His wand pointed fiercely at the bowl shaped object as faster and faster it started to twirl.
"Expedio Argumentum" The voice commanded to the spinning bowl. A silver flash erupted from the end of the wand, but nothing else happened. The frown deepened on the weathered and ashen face of Voldemort. Draco was unfamiliar with the next few spells.
"Commonest Secrete!" Veins bulged with the effort as nothing occurred. The shouts of "Abstruse...Adaperio..." each went without the desired effects and the Master was becoming increasingly frustrated. Horrendous voice echoed loudly in the room "Apertum!"
The last spell to unlock the pensive had backfired. The protective field around the spinning flash of iridescence had intensified and released a bolt of brilliant orange light, striking Voldemort. He instantly crumbled to the ground and his body went as limp as a rag doll. Draco's vision was hazy due to his father's latest 'attentions'.
He had witnessed the Dark Lord go down after numerous failed attempts to do something to the spinning object on the far table, but his murky mind wouldn't put two and two together. He wished that Hermione were in the room, only Nancy Drew rivaled her skills at mystery solving.
The handle of the heavy wooden door jiggled an arrival. Draco's heart skipped a beat as he twisted his neck, furious at the dizzy spells that resulted. A head of fire colored hair popped into the room. Draco wondered if hallucinations at this stage were a bad sign. Ron's eyes searched the room quickly and settled on Voldemort. His nervousness made them go as wide as saucers.
He stepped fully into the room and Draco had time to emit a grateful sigh. "Thank God for Weasley. I didn't assume that any of you would actually come to save me...Hurry, Lucius will return shortly. If he finds you here, there will be hell to pay." Draco was whispering quickly, unaware that Ron had not stepped forward. "Ron, this is no time to lose your nerve, man. We've got to get out of here."
Ron's approach was swift and resolute. His arm swung back and harshly he backhanded Draco across the face with all the force he possessed. The wind was smacked from him in the unexpected assault. Ron's face flashed unsuppressed hate at the taller blonde.
His knuckles grazed the temples of the bound youth as his rage erupted in shouts. "Slimy bastard, son of a bitch!" On and on the stream of obscenities gushed as Ron persistently struck him until he considered Draco to be half dead. The commotion woke Hermione from her oblivion in the chamber next door. She heard Ron's screams of loathing through the walls, and frantically cried out "Ron! Ron, I'm over here."
Ron's fists ceased flying at his nemesis and his gaze flew to the separating wall. Oh twist of fate. Why the hell was Hermione in the room next door? Had she heard him? Of course she had, otherwise she wouldn't have called out. "Damn." Ron muttered. He pushed back the adjoining door and rushed to Hermione's side. She was also covered in blood and bruises. Tears slipped from her as she sobbed her relief. Ron fumbled shakily with her bonds. He released her and she collapsed weakly into his arms.
Ron's thin body held her tightly as she cried pitifully into his shoulder. Through the open doorway she could see the upper half of Voldemort lying unconscious on the floor. "Ron, what happened?" She asked. Ron's eyes flew to the scene, as he desperately searched for a plausible excuse. "I took care of Voldemort, for now."
A speculative eyebrow rose. (She was taking on some of Draco's more pleasant personality traits lately) Hermione's face became incredulous as she requested "How?' Ron blushed, apparently that was not going to work, and quickly he replied "Well, he was already out cold when I got there."
Her forehead creased with concern. "Then who were you yell..." Ron cut her off before she could finish. "It doesn't hurt to get a few good kicks in, now does it, just to be on the safe side?" His deceitful smile reassured her and he exhaled inwardly at the passed moment. Hermione peered back into the neighboring room. Draco was hanging limply in a bloody mass suspended from the similar chains in the ceiling.
The tears fell harder, knowing they had shared a common hell, separated by only the one wall. Draco had apparently taken the worst of it but she had not been spared the same torments. The multiple lashings and iodine burns, the administered disciplines of her loves father would linger forever in her mind. Her nightmares come true.
Remembering the words Voldemort had spoken about her friends' fates; she gasped "Harry! Ron, where is Harry, is he alright?" Ron's eyes searched her face in his adoration. "Harry's in the forest, searching for you. I am sure that he's fine. Don't worry; I'm going to get you out of here. Just hold on tightly to me." He lifted her with some effort, his scrawny arms strained at her weight.
She was apprehensive. Being carried by Ron did not offer her the support and security that Draco's powerful arms had. She pointed faintly to Draco's room. "Ron, you must get Draco out of here. Lucius, he'll kill him." Ron's steps halted and a soft shudder passed through him. Hermione had felt his reluctance. "Please, get him out first." In his poisoned heart his temper boiled over at her selfless request.
Harry had been rummaging about the musky forest floor, desperately following the pair of footprints in the failing light of the moon when a flare shot past his right ear. He threw himself to the ground. Bright flashes illuminated the sky and breaking branches and crumpling leaves signified that his assailant was closer than Harry had ever hoped.
Fear of being discovered, huddled barely concealed on the ground pushed Harry, marine-style, in a half crouch and scrambling as fast as his legs could take him. He dodged and ducked under several more attempted attacks before he reached a thick tree that could offer shelter from any more fireballs.
The point of origin was roughly 200 feet away, as Harry estimated from the last projection. He took aim with his wand gripped tighter than normal due to his narrow escape, and returned fire at his unknown adversary. As his curse exploded the trunk of a nearby oak he glimpsed Lucius stealthily creeping along the trees. Harry was slightly dismayed that Lucius never presented a clear target. He was constantly swerving and ducking, always using the foliage to his advantage.
Harry realized that he had continued to retreat all the while returning the savage blasts in a desperate game of Battleship. In a moment one of them shall lose and discover the exact position of the other. He didn't hesitate when he backed into the marble front steps of Malfoy Manor. He turned and ran inside. Panting against the soon barricaded door, Harry distressed that if Hermione had lingered in the forest, Lucius had discovered her by now. Disappointment swallowed the brunette as he quietly began his search for Ron.
Ron mumbled to himself, careful not to alert Hermione as he roughly unleashed Draco and he watched the body crash upon the hard floor with a sickening thud. He kicked the Slytherin's ribs and violently grabbed his ankles. He swung the bloody mess of Draco around until Ron was facing the rising stone staircase that led to the main floor. Dragging Draco behind him sadistically he climbed each step.
Listening with satisfaction after each stair as Draco's previously battered head smacked brutally against the stones with a delightful squish. Ron giggled, praying that his opponent's brains were being sloshed against the unforgiving stairs, waiting for the one that would finally split open the hard skull and end his existence. Draco's unfortunate demise would remove Ron from the villain to the helpless would-be rescuer that he longed to play.
Draco was the only one who could admit to Ron's sinister participation in Voldemort's plans, once he awoke. That information was not likely to please Hermione, or force her to come running into his arms, as was his goal. Ron was almost positive that Draco was in a deep coma, at least for the time being.
He didn't have the opportunity to slay him now, not with Hermione looking on gratefully from the open doorway. Soon he would make his move. Ron vowed that Draco would never wake from his concussion, he would see to it.
Meanwhile he contemplated what he was going to do about his Dark Lord. He was unconscious on the dungeon floor, and Ron knew that if he woke to find his loyal servants were not by his side, and his victims had been released he was going to come after him. The thought of today's consequences was too horrific to imagine. All Ron's cautious planning had been laid waste in a matter of one simple night.
He had strived to keep the ever-growing hatred hidden from Harry, letting him believe that it was Harry's idea to go after Draco, for all the right reasons. Apparently the ransom note had been executed correctly, but Hermione was not supposed to have been harmed. He knew that the Dark Lord would have his own schemes, but Ron had been promised that his 'treasure' would not be battered or abused.
The trap had failed miserably; Lucius had not been waiting in the dungeons with the new plan of action when Ron arrived. He had been brash enough to take out his aggressions on a venerable Draco, though that part had felt wonderfully pleasing. Hermione had been detained and beaten in the next room, and had overheard him. Worst of all - Harry Potter was evidently and still unbelievably alive. (As he could hear from the strained shouts of "Ron! Hey, Ron, where are you?") Nothing was going his way.
In exchange for his eternal servitude starting with the betrayal of Draco and Harry, Ron had sealed his fate with the Deatheaters Regiment. He was a welcome backstabbing addition to the evil army of Voldemort. In the sad exchange he would receive phenomenal powers, his true love Hermione, and fame of his own. No longer known in his new circle as "The Golden Boy's Sidekick". He would be renamed The-One-Who-Delivered-Potter. The title held a certain degree of authority.
He was smiling to himself as another splat of Draco's head brought him to the landing where Harry was bent over, panting and exclaimed "Time to Go, Now. Lucius was right behind me." Harry gathered Hermione to him and ran up the stairs. It was slow going as Harry carried a bruised Hermione out the back door and circled around to the gates.
Ron still dragged Draco, claiming that he was too heavy to carry. Carelessly he left a trail of bloody mess and bits of flesh across the grounds of the savage garden and back through the creaking iron fence. Immediately upon arriving on the other side all four apparated to the seclusion of the forbidden forest and headed slowly towards the safety and lights of Hogwarts.