Disclaimer: If all the authors were Harry Potter writers oh what a read it would be! Too bad it ain't me….
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Chapter 6 "The Meeting"Many things seemed clearer to the three after they stopped being so perturbed by Ron's Persona. However, Hermione still felt her heart melt at the sight of it. It was still his shape, his body, his nice frame but the things she adored the most about Ron were lifeless, cold and hard; his eyes. It was nearly time for Christmas vacation and Hermione was still thinking tirelessly. "Where could he be? It's been nearly two months," she thought as she saw Crookshanks have another morsel of rat for dinner. As Christmas neared, Ginny had decided to send an owl to her parents telling them that Ron and her would be staying for the holidays. She couldn't possibly tell them that Ron had disappeared and replaced himself with a double of himself! That strangely sounded like some freakish science fiction novel. There were other people staying for the holidays as well but only one was undoubtedly important in Hermione's eyes: Draco. She still didn't have the chance to question him on what he knew and she was sure it had to be something important.
During the first day of Christmas break, Hermione was reminded about something very important, her N.E.W.T.s. Suddenly, another important question came to mind. She quickly told Harry and he simply sighed of despair.
"Hermione, how could you think of that when he's missing? What if he doesn't even have enough food? And now you're thinking -"
"Well, it's true isn't it? Ron's not stupid! How is he getting on with school? He's not having his persona take notes for nothing! He probably receives them somehow. He's probably studying wherever he is!"
"I don't know, Ron's probably not worrying about school knowing him," said Ginny. "But if you're right then we have to see where his persona takes his notes and books,"
Harry was still skeptical about this. Ron's said he'd tell him what was going on, but that was quite a long time ago and he wondered if Ron was being held against his will instead of running away. It was the day before Christmas as Hermione, Harry and Ginny decided to plot their surveillance of Ron's Persona. Harry finally introduced Ginny to his invisibility cloak and she was more than amazed of its uses.
"You didn't use that thing when we were going out did you?" said Ginny coyly as she gave Harry a wink.
"What was this?" thought Harry. "Is she flirting with me?" After Dinner, to which the fake Ron did not attend as always, they entered the common room and hid under the cloak. They all sat near a bench covered under the cloak and waited silently. "Wow!" said Harry. "I've never been with two girls at the same time," Harry was answered back with a jab to his arm and a stomp on his foot. It was getting a bit stuffy under there but just as their patience was beginning to wear thin, Ron's persona came in to the dorm and out again carrying, indeed, Ron's textbooks. They followed it closely and as quietly possible until they saw it stop at a nearby statue that Harry recognized all too well. It was that of that of the one-eyed witch that connected to Hogsmeade.
The "double" waited patiently until someone came to take its things from it. And once that person in view, Hermione wanted to shout aloud but Ginny and Harry put their hands on her mouth.
They continued to watch in silence as the Persona handed him the notes. Once all the items left the Persona's hands it vanished without a trace. Hermione's mouth was trying to open desperately but Harry and Ginny kept urging her not too. She didn't care anymore the only thing she cared about right now was to leap out of the cloak… and tear that boy APART!
Draco took Ron's things and looked around impatiently. He looked at the dark sky in a nearby window. "He's late," he muttered. Hermione couldn't stand it anymore! She pushed away Harry and Ginny's hands and forced her way out of the nothingness from which she was hiding. She ran angrily towards Draco one hand in a tight fist, the other reaching out for whatever part of Malfoy she could manage to grab. "He WAS keeping something from me! He was!" she said out loud without even realizing it. She grabbed onto Draco's robes and made him look at her.
"GRANGER!" he said in pure terror.
"MALFOY! HOW COULD YOU! After I kept your secret! You couldn't tell me about -"
"SHUT UP! If he comes and you're here I'm ruined! Go and hide NOW!" he said pushing her away desperately.
Hermione was stunned but she did as she was told. She was interrupting something she only had speculations of. As she hid behind a corner she suddenly saw the statue of the witch move and HE immerged from its hump. Hermione's heart began to beat like a drum roll. This was it. It was the real him. The way he moved, the way he stood, the very soft twinkle in his eyes told her, that this was none other then the REAL Ronald Weasley.
She had to restrain herself from running towards him, grabbing him and holding him tightly so he could never leave her again… yet she chose to remain motionless. Interest got the best of her. Why WAS Malfoy helping him in the first place? Ron was a bit unshaven as a little bit of stubble showed on the tip of his chin. His hair was a bit messy too. He was ruggedly handsome but the sweet innocent tenderness in his eyes still shown brightly. She felt her body nearly melt into the wall she was leaning on. She never felt so weak yet so energized. Ron carelessly passed his hand in his fiery-red hair and looked around him. Draco was next to the statue waiting for the boy to notice him. Ron did, and walked over to the Slytherin.
"Thanks," said Ron grabbing his books.
"Don't thank me Weasley! I'm doing this for my own good! Don't you ever think it is cause I'm being "nice" to you," he said bitterly.
"Fine. Have it your way,"
"You're quite pathetic you know?" Draco said loud enough so Hermione could hear. "Doing this all for a girl and a mudblood no less,"
Ron soft gaze became dangerously violent. He dropped his things on the floor and grabbed Malfoy by the collar. He glared at him with daggers in his eyes but Ron regained control and closed them as he let go of the boy. He couldn't do this here or now, the danger that someone would hear him was too great.
"First of all Malfoy, don't EVER call her that in my presence again! I'm a lot bigger then you are and I can tear you apart whenever I want! It's only out of mercy I haven't by now!" he yelled.
From under Harry's cloak Harry looked at Ginny and murmured: "He's right,"
"Secondly, you can't understand what I'm going through! You probably never will…" Ron muttered.
"Yeah, hopefully," he said straitening himself up. "But using ME for you stupid love affairs isn't going to change anything,"
"Yes, it will! After this year is over, she'll never have to see me again…" he said as he picked up his books and turned to the one-eyed witch.
Ron gave Draco a look at signaled that it was time for him to leave. Draco looked at the corner where he knew Hermione had been hiding and smirked. He began to walk in one direction until he was nearly out of sight. Harry looked at Ginny and chose to follow Malfoy to where ever he was heading. Hermione however didn't move a muscle, as she looked at Ron's lips murmur something to the statue of the one-eyed witch: "Dissendium". The statue's hump moved and Ron carefully placed himself in hole. It was a bit difficult because it was so small but he managed and started down the tunnel. After it closed, Hermione pondered on what to do.
Should she follow him? She wanted to so desperately. Her body started to hurt because the limited amount of motion she was manifesting. She had completely forgotten about the invisible Harry and Ginny and didn't bother to look around for them. Her hatred for Draco didn't even wake her from the endless torment of her unfulfilled wishes. The only thing that remained engraved in her mind was that silhouette that had vanished from her sight about a minute ago. Uncaring of who saw her. Hermione marched to the statue and touched it longingly. Hermione sighed deeply. No! She told herself that nothing or no one would stop her and so it shall be! She straightened herself up and said: "Dissendium" with courage. The hump opened and Hermione slipped in and slid down to the tunnel.
Meanwhile Harry and Ginny followed Malfoy to the east end of the castle. For once, Malfoy's paranoia was on target for the footsteps and sounds of low breathing did in fact come from somewhere. However he continued along like it was just his imagination until Harry and Ginny were sure that they were somewhere where no one would come to interrupt them. With that being accomplished, they threw off the cloak and sneaked up behind Draco. He was cornered.
"MALFOY!" shouted Harry making the boy jump 3 feet into the air.
"DAMMIT POTTER! If you're trying to kill me then I suggest a different strategy then SCARING ME HALF-TO-DEATH!" he said furiously.
Ginny walked over to the boy, her brown eyes flaming.
"What are you and my brother up to?"
"What? I have no idea -" started Malfoy.
"We saw everything Malfoy! Why are you helping Ron do something this stupid? You said so yourself that you were going it for your own good! Why?" questioned Harry.
Malfoy looked around to see if anyone was in sight. He scowled a bit but bit his lip and muttered: "So that means Granger didn't tell you did she?"
"Tell us what?" said Ginny now calmed down.
"My secret…" whispered Draco.
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A/N: I know there are more people reading then that! Come on!