Chapter 2! Yahoo! Now we're getting into the good stuff. I'll try and keep
up with the writing, but I have all exams next week. I'd like to thank rose-
petal-forever for being my first reviewer! I appreciate it so much!
VENGEANCE by MyKonstantine
Chapter 2: Château Creux
"Bienvenue au Château Creux!" said the doorman as they entered the Parisian wizards' hotel.
Ron gave the man a confused look and continued to walk towards the main desk. His inability to speak French must have been obvious to the man, because he only smiled in return.
Looking up, Ron stopped stared in wonder with his friends. The entrance lobby was sparkling gold and had a heavenly mural painted on the rounded ceiling. There was a large fountain of a phoenix with water shooting up all around it. There were lush flowers lining a fireplace by the sitting area. Mail zoomed around in all directions freely above them.
"This is marvelous!" Ginny breathed out. "It feels like Hogwarts."
"Except in French!" Ron said excitedly, earning himself an odd look from Hermione. "Well, it's true!"
"He's right. How are we even going to get to our rooms if we can't speak to anybody in this enormous hotel?" Harry said, still staring at the golden phoenix fountain.
Hermione clicked her tongue. "Seeing as I've spent summers in France over the years, you'd expect me to know some of the language, wouldn't you?"
Harry and Ron shrugged. With a strangled cry, Hermione stomped her foot and headed toward the main desk. Ginny shook her head at the boys.
"You've got to give her some credit." She said. "You blokes are pretty incompetent." Ginny hoisted up her trunk and ambled off to join Hermione.
Harry looked at Ron, very confused. "What just happened?" Ron laughed in reply. "I think it's best that we join Ms. Know-it- all and Ms. Know-it-all Jr. before they bite our bloody heads off."
"Réservations pour Potter, Weasley et Granger, si vous plait." Hermione said in brisk French. They spoke for a few more moments before turning away. She handed Harry the key to the room he would share with Ron, and give Ginny the key to their room as she gathered her luggage.
"He said we go to the second floor and we're in the 4th and 5th door to the right."
They put a hover charm on their bags and rushed up the stairs. An amazing rush passed through their bodies. Voldemort was gone. They were alive. They were free. They were being recognized at tonight's ceremony in beautiful Paris, France. Life didn't seem to get any better.
Ron and Harry pushed through the doorway into the most marvelous hotel room they had ever seen. The walls had silver trim that sparkled in the sunshine. There was a patio with a view of the whole city and a bar inside that was fully stocked.
After roaming around for a few seconds, Ron said, "Well, I think it's best that we get ready for the ceremony now."
Just as Ron stripped down to his boxer shorts, Ginny barged in through a door he did not see before. He fell backwards onto the bed, yanking off the comforter and wrapped it his waist with a yell. Harry, who was still shuffling through his trunk when Ginny arrived, watched with a very bemused expression.
"Did you know this was a connecting suite?" She said in a sing- song voice. "I don't remember being told that!"
"Ginny! Do you mind?" Ron said, picking up his pants and shaking them around for her to see. "This is a naked place!"
"We don't mind at all!" said another voice in the doorway. Ron whined. "Hermione! Not you too! We need to get ready!"
Ignoring him, Hermione pointed across the room. "Look, you've got the bar! The hot tub is in our half."
"Hot tub?" Ron burst out with excitedly. His ears began to turn pink as he looked at the odd expressions he was once again receiving.
"This is going to be a long vacation!" Harry laughed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"This is not a time to fear, but to rejoice with the ones we truly love and gain a better understanding of the world in which we live. With the aide of noble wizarding citizens such as those gathered here tonight, nothing would be able to stop us. Thank you." Hermione said to the mirror as she put in her earring.
"That's a lovely speech dear, just lovely." The mirror replied in a motherly voice.
"I agree." A man said from behind her. Hermione looked at the mirror and into the face of her moral support.
"Ron!" she gasped. "I didn't know you were there!" A smile played across her lips as she swirled around in her long black dress. "How do I look?"
Ron stared at her for a moment, his breath slightly hitched, before replying "Smashing. What about me?"
"Very sharp." She said, walking over and straightening his tie.
"I was thinking we should walk down together." He said. "Since I'll be up there while you're giving the speech and all, that is. Harry and Ginny said they would catch up later." He added quickly.
Hermione locked her hand in his and his eyes widened. "Like this?" He gestured to their hands held together.
She smirked warmly. "You're right. People will think.." "Sod them! Let them think!" He said, holding her hand tighter. "I was just making sure you were okay with it!"
She moved toward him and their eyes locked. "Of course I'm okay with it."
With a burning slowness, Ron slowly bent down and put his lips upon hers in their very first kiss. It only lasted a few precious seconds, but neither of them would ever forget.
"I've been waiting to do that for years." Ron whispered into her ear, brushing the hair out of her face.
"Me too." She said. "Me too. But we have to get to the ceremony before it's too late."
Without another word, Ron and Hermione escaped from their hotel room, still holding hands.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Remus Lupin stood in front of a grand assembly of nobles and warriors in the lobby of Château Creux. His eyes sparkled through his worn out appearance and his voice rang throughout the hall.
"Many thanks is owed to a number of citizens, but many more to these next two people. May I introduce Mister Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger."
Ginny watched from the doorway as the couple entered through the side of the stage. They walked gracefully hand in hand to the magical podium.
"She's beautiful." Ginny whispered to Harry, who answered by saying, "You're beautiful."
Ginny kissed him quickly. "Oh, Harry, when will it be right for us to yell it out to the world that we're together?"
"Soon, I say." Harry replied. "I think we should tell your family when we get back from Paris." He looked out into the hall to see the Weasley family all watching their son or brother contently.
Harry gulped loudly. "I wonder what Ron will do."
"Ron won't do a thing! I'll blast him if he tries! Plus, they all love you Harry! Even Ron."
"Thanks what I love about you." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "You're so strong and true."
Harry leaned in to Ginny's ear and cajoled "How about a quick snog in the nearest closet?"
Ginny turned and slapped him gently. "You prat! Our friends are on stage! What will we do when they ask how they were?"
"We've heard the bloody speech a thousand times! We'll just tell them they did excellent!" There was a spark in Ginny's eye as Harry said this. "I can even quote some lines if it.."
Harry's persuasion was cut off by Ginny's mouth, but he wasn't complaining. They stumbled down the hall a bit, still kissing until they got to the closet. It was locked, but they were wizards after all.
"Alohamora!" Ginny giggled, poking the doorknob with her wand. She flung open the door and pushed Harry into the closet, were he immediately tripped over a large object.
Harry had tripped over a man's body.
"Oh my god!" Ginny cried as Harry turned over the body and revealed the face of Remus Lupin.
"He's not dead, just unconscious." Harry grunted, feeling for a pulse. Then something clicked in Ginny's head.
"Harry, if that's Lupin, then who just introduced Ron and Hermione?" Harry's eyes widened.
"RON! HERMIONE!" Harry yelled, rushing out of the closet with Ginny right on his heels, wands out.
Before either of them reached the lobby where the ceremony was being held, a blood-curdling scream filled the air.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: There's nothing like a nice cliffhanger! Do you like it? Does it intrigue you?
REVIEW!
Please? I'll give you a cookie!
VENGEANCE by MyKonstantine
Chapter 2: Château Creux
"Bienvenue au Château Creux!" said the doorman as they entered the Parisian wizards' hotel.
Ron gave the man a confused look and continued to walk towards the main desk. His inability to speak French must have been obvious to the man, because he only smiled in return.
Looking up, Ron stopped stared in wonder with his friends. The entrance lobby was sparkling gold and had a heavenly mural painted on the rounded ceiling. There was a large fountain of a phoenix with water shooting up all around it. There were lush flowers lining a fireplace by the sitting area. Mail zoomed around in all directions freely above them.
"This is marvelous!" Ginny breathed out. "It feels like Hogwarts."
"Except in French!" Ron said excitedly, earning himself an odd look from Hermione. "Well, it's true!"
"He's right. How are we even going to get to our rooms if we can't speak to anybody in this enormous hotel?" Harry said, still staring at the golden phoenix fountain.
Hermione clicked her tongue. "Seeing as I've spent summers in France over the years, you'd expect me to know some of the language, wouldn't you?"
Harry and Ron shrugged. With a strangled cry, Hermione stomped her foot and headed toward the main desk. Ginny shook her head at the boys.
"You've got to give her some credit." She said. "You blokes are pretty incompetent." Ginny hoisted up her trunk and ambled off to join Hermione.
Harry looked at Ron, very confused. "What just happened?" Ron laughed in reply. "I think it's best that we join Ms. Know-it- all and Ms. Know-it-all Jr. before they bite our bloody heads off."
"Réservations pour Potter, Weasley et Granger, si vous plait." Hermione said in brisk French. They spoke for a few more moments before turning away. She handed Harry the key to the room he would share with Ron, and give Ginny the key to their room as she gathered her luggage.
"He said we go to the second floor and we're in the 4th and 5th door to the right."
They put a hover charm on their bags and rushed up the stairs. An amazing rush passed through their bodies. Voldemort was gone. They were alive. They were free. They were being recognized at tonight's ceremony in beautiful Paris, France. Life didn't seem to get any better.
Ron and Harry pushed through the doorway into the most marvelous hotel room they had ever seen. The walls had silver trim that sparkled in the sunshine. There was a patio with a view of the whole city and a bar inside that was fully stocked.
After roaming around for a few seconds, Ron said, "Well, I think it's best that we get ready for the ceremony now."
Just as Ron stripped down to his boxer shorts, Ginny barged in through a door he did not see before. He fell backwards onto the bed, yanking off the comforter and wrapped it his waist with a yell. Harry, who was still shuffling through his trunk when Ginny arrived, watched with a very bemused expression.
"Did you know this was a connecting suite?" She said in a sing- song voice. "I don't remember being told that!"
"Ginny! Do you mind?" Ron said, picking up his pants and shaking them around for her to see. "This is a naked place!"
"We don't mind at all!" said another voice in the doorway. Ron whined. "Hermione! Not you too! We need to get ready!"
Ignoring him, Hermione pointed across the room. "Look, you've got the bar! The hot tub is in our half."
"Hot tub?" Ron burst out with excitedly. His ears began to turn pink as he looked at the odd expressions he was once again receiving.
"This is going to be a long vacation!" Harry laughed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"This is not a time to fear, but to rejoice with the ones we truly love and gain a better understanding of the world in which we live. With the aide of noble wizarding citizens such as those gathered here tonight, nothing would be able to stop us. Thank you." Hermione said to the mirror as she put in her earring.
"That's a lovely speech dear, just lovely." The mirror replied in a motherly voice.
"I agree." A man said from behind her. Hermione looked at the mirror and into the face of her moral support.
"Ron!" she gasped. "I didn't know you were there!" A smile played across her lips as she swirled around in her long black dress. "How do I look?"
Ron stared at her for a moment, his breath slightly hitched, before replying "Smashing. What about me?"
"Very sharp." She said, walking over and straightening his tie.
"I was thinking we should walk down together." He said. "Since I'll be up there while you're giving the speech and all, that is. Harry and Ginny said they would catch up later." He added quickly.
Hermione locked her hand in his and his eyes widened. "Like this?" He gestured to their hands held together.
She smirked warmly. "You're right. People will think.." "Sod them! Let them think!" He said, holding her hand tighter. "I was just making sure you were okay with it!"
She moved toward him and their eyes locked. "Of course I'm okay with it."
With a burning slowness, Ron slowly bent down and put his lips upon hers in their very first kiss. It only lasted a few precious seconds, but neither of them would ever forget.
"I've been waiting to do that for years." Ron whispered into her ear, brushing the hair out of her face.
"Me too." She said. "Me too. But we have to get to the ceremony before it's too late."
Without another word, Ron and Hermione escaped from their hotel room, still holding hands.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Remus Lupin stood in front of a grand assembly of nobles and warriors in the lobby of Château Creux. His eyes sparkled through his worn out appearance and his voice rang throughout the hall.
"Many thanks is owed to a number of citizens, but many more to these next two people. May I introduce Mister Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger."
Ginny watched from the doorway as the couple entered through the side of the stage. They walked gracefully hand in hand to the magical podium.
"She's beautiful." Ginny whispered to Harry, who answered by saying, "You're beautiful."
Ginny kissed him quickly. "Oh, Harry, when will it be right for us to yell it out to the world that we're together?"
"Soon, I say." Harry replied. "I think we should tell your family when we get back from Paris." He looked out into the hall to see the Weasley family all watching their son or brother contently.
Harry gulped loudly. "I wonder what Ron will do."
"Ron won't do a thing! I'll blast him if he tries! Plus, they all love you Harry! Even Ron."
"Thanks what I love about you." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "You're so strong and true."
Harry leaned in to Ginny's ear and cajoled "How about a quick snog in the nearest closet?"
Ginny turned and slapped him gently. "You prat! Our friends are on stage! What will we do when they ask how they were?"
"We've heard the bloody speech a thousand times! We'll just tell them they did excellent!" There was a spark in Ginny's eye as Harry said this. "I can even quote some lines if it.."
Harry's persuasion was cut off by Ginny's mouth, but he wasn't complaining. They stumbled down the hall a bit, still kissing until they got to the closet. It was locked, but they were wizards after all.
"Alohamora!" Ginny giggled, poking the doorknob with her wand. She flung open the door and pushed Harry into the closet, were he immediately tripped over a large object.
Harry had tripped over a man's body.
"Oh my god!" Ginny cried as Harry turned over the body and revealed the face of Remus Lupin.
"He's not dead, just unconscious." Harry grunted, feeling for a pulse. Then something clicked in Ginny's head.
"Harry, if that's Lupin, then who just introduced Ron and Hermione?" Harry's eyes widened.
"RON! HERMIONE!" Harry yelled, rushing out of the closet with Ginny right on his heels, wands out.
Before either of them reached the lobby where the ceremony was being held, a blood-curdling scream filled the air.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: There's nothing like a nice cliffhanger! Do you like it? Does it intrigue you?
REVIEW!
Please? I'll give you a cookie!