Well, here I am again for a final chapter of sorts. There will be a tiny
epilogue as Chapter 10. Mostly because I wanted to get to ten chapters. :-
) And because I wanted to get back to the roots of this story, which was
Ron/Harry interaction.
Speaking of which:
DISCLAIMER: This story is SLASH. Yep. And not owned by me. J.K. Rowling's books are incredible. Buy them. You have been warned!
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Part 35
"When did the Malfoys become the pack mules of the Weasleys?" There was a stiff smile on Lucius Malfoy's face. Draco regally lifted himself from the ground and stared his father down.
"Father."
"Draco."
There was a long pause, in which Lucius didn't lower his wand and Draco raised his.
"What haven't I given you? What have you need of that I cannot still give you?" Lucius' face did not change, though his voice softened. "Voldemort would still have you serve him, even after you attacked him. He would have you and I both."
"Why?" Draco asked coldly.
Lucius smiled. "Because the Malfoy line is strong and powerful. We are meant to be in power with the strong. We are also meant to cleanse the wizarding community of impurities."
Draco looked down and the rumpled form of Ron Weasley. "Like him? Like this pureblood?"
Lucius frowned. "You forget, son, he willfully interacts and supports mudbloods. He would have them sully our profession."
Draco nodded, reluctantly.
"What is it you want, Draco? What is your deepest desire?" Lucius' wand lowered ever so slightly.
Draco stared cooly at his father. After a long pause: "Why, power, of course. You have always been powerful, and I have not tasted that. I wish to be at Voldemort's right hand."
"And you can! You can, Draco! Because Voldemort forgives! He asks much of us, but he gives much in return. Power. Wealth. Dignity. Honor." Lucius began walking toward Draco. "Come now, son, let us get rid of this mudblood-lover, and help deliver to Voldemort the thing he truly wants."
"What is that, father?" Draco knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from his father.
"Potter." Lucius smiled a crooked smile. "That boy was destined to die seventeen years ago, but did not. It is long due. He is the stumbling block to our power, our unification."
Draco nodded. Lucius stepped next to his son, and put his hand on Draco's shoulder. He looked down at Ron, who was still.
"You know what we must do." It was not a question, or even a request; it was an order.
"I must kill Ronald. Weasley." Draco stuttered after saying Ron's first name, but covered it up by adding the last quickly.
"Yes." Lucius smiled. "That is the beginning of power. Dispose of him."
"Yes, father." Draco turned slightly, and pointed his wand at Ron. Ron lay there, helpless. There was something very wrong about what he was being told to do. This wasn't honor, this was cowardice. "Avada -"
The next moment happened so quickly that both Malfoys were stunned. Draco turned his wand on his father, whose shocked eyes were illuminated momentarily by the green flash from Draco's wand. The thud of his father's body hitting the cold concrete was next. Draco's knees began to buckle, and he fell to the floor. He felt an unfamiliar sting behind his eyes. Wiping his eyes, he slowly stood himself up and pointed his wand at Ron.
"Mobilicorpus." Ron's body began to float, and Draco guided the body down the hall. He didn't look back.
Part 36
"GO!" Harry yelled this, and Draco disappeared from sight.
Harry looked back down the hall. Voldemort was standing, looking quite patient. His wand wasn't even in front of him.
"Harry." Hermione whispered to him. "Harry."
Harry was glaring down the hall. His emotions were coming to a head, and he felt like screaming everything that he'd missed out on because of this bastard who had haunted him. Parents gone, life in exile, then his glorious return to the wizarding world and his sanity questioned. So many people gone...Sirius!...and then Ron, and Arthur Weasley. Harry's face was turning red.
"I hate you so much." Harry didn't say this very loudly, but he knew Voldemort heard him. "I hate you with every single fiber of my being. I wish I could make you suffer as much as you have made me suffer."
"Oh, but I have suffered." A long hiss of a sentence. "I have been bodyless, and I have been near death. I have watched many a servant fall." A sneer formed on the lizard-like face. "And I still have not had the pleasure of killing you."
"You wont either." Hermione piped up from Harry's side.
"Stay out of this, or I shall torture you after I kill Harry. I was going to kill you swiftly, being that you do have similar parentage as I." A wicked smile followed this.
"Formuta longellus!" Harry spoke quickly, and flicked his wrist once up, once down as he had been instructed. Five long energy beams shot from his wand and raced at Voldemort. Voldemort reacted quickly, but only dissipated three of the beams. The other two hit and bound Voldemort's right arm to his body and his ankles together.
"Fera-"
A yellow bolt struck Harry's leg, and he felt it go numb. He suddenly couldn't stand. He fell to the floor, unable to complete his spell. His mind raced furiously as the numbness crept into his abdomen.
"Fera junctivus!" Hermione completed the spell and three white beams came forth from her wand. They all struck Voldemort, but only two manifested themselves. They added to the red beams already binding him, and it looked as though they had gotten tighter.
Hermione fell backward awkwardly as a green beam flew at her. Breathing quickly, she got up, and glanced at Harry, who was fervently attempting to point his wand at Voldemort. She pointed her wand at him.
"Mortdoog!" White light shone upon Harry, and Harry began to get feeling back into his arms. The feeling spread slowly into his abdomen.
Hermione once again turned on Voldemort. "Fa bindus!" Her spell was met in the middle by one of Voldemorts, and both came rushing back at her. She didn't move in time, and they struck her harshly, sending her to the ground.
"Hermione!" Harry looked quickly from Hermione's limp body back at Voldemort. He still couldn't feel his legs, but he sat up and spoke quickly. "Far bindus!" One purple bolt flew from Harry's wand and made its way, seemingly in slow motion, to Voldemort, who recited a counter spell. It didn't work.
The purple beam looked as though it dissipated in front of Voldemort, but as it becamse invisible, the white and red energy beams containing him brightened blindingly. There was a loud, inhuman scream from down the hall, and the light became even more intense. Suddenly there was a loud pop, and Voldemort had disappeared.
"Until next time," Harry said bitterly. He looked down at Hermione, who wasn't moving. He tried a couple of spells that he remembered that might restore her consciousness, but neither of them worked, and his brain wasn't functioning. He recited the spell to allow her body to float and began walking out.
Dumbledore had said that the best way to confront Voldemort was with that threesome of spells. They would not kill him; Dumbledore had made it perfectly clear that Harry was not to engage directly like some hot-shot hero, because he would probably end up being killed, or worse, captured.
Harry bitterly resented it.
But he had conceded, especially confronted with the choice of either attempting revenge or getting Ron back in one piece. Dumbledore had been rather pointed about Ron:
"I know how much he means to you," he'd said. Harry didn't have to question the meaningful look, or the way Dumbledore leaned in toward him. Dumbledore knew. "Do not recklessly ruin the chance to have him back. Make him your focus, because remember, Harry: amor wincit omnia."
Love conquers all, Harry thought again. Love didn't conquer Voldemort; if anything, it made him more resilient and spiteful. But then...it was love that saved him back in first year, all of six years ago. It was love that kept he and Hermione and Ron so tightly knit. It was love that made him question his feelings for Ron.
And it was love that was going to make him give Ron the biggest kiss ever when he was well enough for it.
Harry saw ahead a body in the corridor, and for a moment his heart sank. But there was only one, and as Harry neared, heart pounding, he realized that it was Lucius Malfoy. He looked dead. Multiple thoughts raced through Harry's head, namely that Draco had killed his father. Harry felt a pang of sympathy and sadness for Draco, but it felt funny and he decided to continue being rational and logical.
When Harry got to the end of the corridor and looked up, he saw Draco looking down. There was a gruffness in his voice that confirmed Harry's previous thought.
"One moment, and I'll drop something." A moment later a rope was dropped from above. It was enchanted, and as soon as Harry had grabbed Hermione up and tightly grasped the rope, it took them above the surface.
"There isn't any train," said Draco as Harry pushed Hermione over the lip.
"How...?" Harry managed as he pulled himself up.
"I walked ahead. Ron....Weasley is there, laying down. He said your name once." Harry was uncomfortable looking at Draco's face, and instead peered into the darkness.
"Why?" Harry couldn't stop the word from coming.
Draco looked mildly disgusted. "Now's not a good time, Potter." Any kindness or lack of harshness in his voice was gone. "I'm sure everyone will be ready to congratulate me. Good job! Evil-be-gone! You killed your father!" Draco was piercing Harry with his eyes, and it looked as though he might be losing control. His voice unsteady, he continued. "You are on the GOOD SIDE NOW! RIGHT, HARRY? IS THIS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE GOOD?" His face was pulled back into a grimace.
Harry stood, quite shocked. His jaw hung low and he didn't pull it up. Draco stood in front of him, breathing heavily. There was a rawness about him that Harry never expected existed in him.
It was an awkward moment later that Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at Hermione. Harry's first movement was to disarm Draco, but his hand merely landed on Draco's wrist, and Draco gave him a withering glance.
"Lothmeldo," he said, and Hermione began to stir.
Harry nodded, and withdrew his hand. "Sorry," he said, and he found that he sounded more sincere than he remembered being to Draco. That is, sincere and nice.
As Hermione lifted herself to her feet, questioning the events that led her to the surface, Harry looked out into the darkness again.
"Didn't Dumbledore say something like this might happen?" Harry asked. "I mean, after Voldemort was banished?"
Hermione went and sat next to Ron. She brushed his cheek with her hand, running a finger over the scar on his cheek. There was still dried blood there. "What did they do to you, Ronald?" She was snapped from her rumination during the silence. "Oh, Dumbledore said that we could summon another gateway, but it might take us into another world. We could be several worlds going before we reach our bodies."
Harry sighed, and Draco snorted. Harry spoke. "Well, we've no choice. Let's summon a gate."
Hermione stood and conferred with Draco. Funny, seeing them relate together. Perhaps Draco was too stunned to come up with the 'M' word. Harry went and sat next to Ron. He reached out a hand and lightly brushed his cheek. Harry leaned over to Ron's face and kissed just below Ron's eye. He was shocked when the eyes opened.
"Harry...." Ron's feeble voice.
"Ron!" Harry's somewhat surprised voice.
"Harry....tell me this isn't a dream." Ron looked as though he might cry, or become unconscious again. Harry knew he could handle the latter better.
"No, Ron, this isn't a dream. I'm here." Harry grabbed Ron's hand and squeezed.
Ron smiled, though it looked painful. "Oh good, I've been waiting. Will you kiss me now? That's how the dream always ends."
Harry, somewhat unsure of Ron's mental state, leaned down and kissed Ron firmly on the lips. He barely hear Draco grunt or Hermione begin to cry, assumedly because she was happy.
Ron once again went limp, eyes closed, but looking like he'd just been chosen as Head Boy. That made Harry smile.
"We should combine our spell-casting ability into making the portal. That should give it a better chance of sending us home the first time." Hermione stood such that she and Harry and Draco made a triangle around Ron.
"I would like to break the knees of whatever half-wit made this Penser thing." Harry spoke with a slight sneer. Draco stayed silent.
"I'll recite the spell for the gateway," Hermione continued, oblivious to Harry's comment, "you two cast spells of amplification."
They all pointed their wands at the middle of the triangle. Hermione chanted some words quickly. Harry was impressed with how much that girl could memorize. "Portus callus gingrey!" She said in exclamation after chanting. Harry and Draco recited the spells for amplification together.
A large silvery-grey blob began to form in front of them. Hermione said a few more things, but they were lost to Harry; there was no noise coming from the portal, but it seemed as though it was sucking noise in. Harry and Draco looked at each other and nodded, and recited the amplification spell again.
Now the blob pulsated black and purple, and expanded itself. Harry noticed that Hermione was no longer reciting anything, so it was best not to amplify. The blob became relatively humanoid in form, and Hermione motioned with her hands at Ron. Harry stooped and picked Ron up, not without difficulty, and dragged him into the portal. His eyes stung, and his grip lost, and he was gone in blackness.
Part 37
Ron moaned. Everything hurt. There was nothing he was currently taking inventory of that didn't hurt. Legs, feet, hips, and his eyes stung. But something about all this pain felt....
...real?
Ron arose with a start, and regretted the sudden movement. His lungs screamed at the sudden intake of large amounts of air. His vision was somewhat fuzzy, but he could hear a voice from next to him. It sounded like someone crying.
It was Molly Weasley.
"Oh, Ron, thank goodness! I was so afraid that- that..." Ron felt himself immediately buried in a hug. He didn't mind the warmth, nor the tears that smeared on his cheek.
"Mum....ow...." Molly immediately let go. Ron slumped back to the bed, vision clearing.
"Oh, Ron..." Ron knew something was wrong, something was coming. She wouldn't still be crying like that if there wasn't something else. "Your father..."
Ron bit his lip, a slight bit too hard. He stayed stone still, then spoke. "Where's Harry." Not a question, but a request.
Molly began to cry harder. "Did you hear me Ronald Weasley? Your father....he's in St. Mungo's."
For some reason this didn't click with Ron. Something was detached, and he wasn't quite feeling the ramification of this.
"Why?" Very softly.
"V- Vol- Voldemort." Tears were still streaming down Molly's red face, and Ron motioned with his hand for his mother to hug him again. She pressed her face against his shoulder and shuddered. Ron lay there, information sinking into his brain slowly. He wasn't feeling much sadness; instead, anger was building up inside him.
Ron sat up determinedly, Molly withdrawing her head just in time. She looked at him with a partially open mouth.
"Where's Ginny? Bill? Where is everyone?"
She shook her head. "I wanted to talk with you first, alone. Ginny is here, at the school; she wouldn't come home. Everyone else is waiting at home, even Percy."
This was somewhat of a shock, as Percy hadn't visited the house in a very long time.
"We're waiting for you to be healthy enough to come home. Dumbledore has agreed to help you make up whatever you miss." Molly looked as though she was ready to begin crying again.
"Harry," Ron said simply.
Molly nodded. "I'll get he and Hermione now."
"No." Molly stopped at Ron's statement. "Just Harry."
Molly nodded, bent down and kissed Ron on the cheek. She looked somewhat confused, but didn't start a line of questioning. There was too much going on for that.
A few moments passed. Perhaps his mother was trying to explain that Ron only wanted to see Harry; Ron knew that Hermione would understand. He could talk with her after. After a few more moments, Ron became worried. Was something wrong? Was he still dreaming, perhaps? Maybe Harry didn't want to come in! The anger that had built up was simmering. Ron lay down again, but sat right back up.
It was a few more minutes later that Harry pulled back the cloth entrance to Ron's area and entered. There was a weird resolved look on Harry's face. Ron took this to mean that things between them wouldn't be as they had been. He resentfully thought that the only reason he kept himself alive was because of Harry, and he bitterly wished he had died.
When Harry stood at arms-length and stayed silent, Ron spoke. "I wanted to see you, Harry." Ron had a hard time keeping the resentment out of his voice.
Harry stayed still. "I'm sorry about your father." The statement appeared quite sincere to Ron. But then, why wouldn't it? This was Harry. Besides, what did someone say in response to that? 'Thanks?' Didn't seem right. Ron decided just to nod.
"How are you feeling?" Harry, with a generic question. Ron's heart was sinking as fast as his indignance was rising.
Ron grunted. "I hurt all over. I thought it was supposed to be all in my head."
"Your body is feeling the residual effects of being...tortured...in the Grendarius Penser." Harry had a lot of difficulty saying 'tortured.'
Harry sat next to Ron on the bed, and Ron's heart lightened, but he felt like he could become angry at any moment. The news of his father was still sinking in. He was almost ready to just curl up and tell everyone to leave him alone.
Then Harry reached out his hand and lay it on Ron's cheek. He didn't remove it, but instead began running his hand slowly over Ron's cheek, to his chin, and over to the other side. Ron was set off by the touch; he felt tears well up, and begin streaming down. This didn't bother Harry, who just looked sad. Ron reached out his arms to Harry's sides, and Harry wrapped his arms around Ron and pulled him close. Ron wailed quietly into Harry's chest, and Harry sat, rubbing Ron's back, saying nothing. When Ron pulled back and looked into Harry's eyes, everything he had gone through was forgotten. There they were, those emerald-greens, and Ron had never seen such a look of...love?...from them.
"I promised myself that when you were well enough..." Harry didn't finish, but instead moved his lips close to Ron's and pressed them together. There was a long and passionate kiss, which wasn't interrupted when Molly silently reentered Ron's alcove.
"Ronald!" Exclamation, and a hand to her breast.
The two young men pulled apart quickly, but Ron kept his arms around Harry. Harry squirmed uncomfortably, but let Ron lead.
Molly still stood there, mouth agape, eyes still bright red.
"Mum, I'm in love with Harry." Simple, and quiet.
Molly stayed frozen. She looked expectantly at Harry, who looked down, then at Ron.
"I'm...I'm in love with Ron." Harry stuttered this out, and Ron felt a surge of happiness amidst the sadness that was beginning to consume him.
"Well," Molly said, purely shocked. "You'll be coming back to the house, then?" Harry smiled and nodded at this, and Ron was relieved.
He also knew that he'd get questioned later, when things weren't overwhelming. For now, his relationship with Harry was the least of anyone's troubles.
"So how about we get Hermione and go home?" Ron groaned as Harry helped him out of bed. Molly left, and after Ron dressed, Harry met Ron with another kiss.
Stopping Ron from limping out, Harry looked searchingly into Ron's eyes. Ron stood still, rather happy to have the attention.
"I meant it," Harry said. "I am in love with you. Couldn't stand to lose you."
Ron hugged Harry tightly, and they made their way out.
------
Yes, I used my sn as a spell. ^_^ So sue me. Actually, please don't, I haven't much. Please note that it is Elvish (Tolkien-speak) and the full sentence (not bastardized by me) is lothlorien meldo, meldo being pronounced "mel-dah". :) So there. Anyone (besides circular infinity) know what it means? I do know, I'm just wondering! :D
So this is my favorite chapter that I've written. I felt 'on'. Correct me if I'm wrong, please! :) As I mentioned above, I think I will be writing an Epilogue sort of thing as Chappie 10. Gotta tie things up a bit more, eh?
Thank you's out to: First, KarenLefay ('preciate the feedback, as always! blush Circular Infinity (thank you for the complement...I was happy to learn that I actually *had* gotten better); and Viu (Draco and Ron?!? No, silly, I was just trying to make things interesting...this is a Harry/Ron fic! (o:`, ).
Bonjour!
Speaking of which:
DISCLAIMER: This story is SLASH. Yep. And not owned by me. J.K. Rowling's books are incredible. Buy them. You have been warned!
-----
Part 35
"When did the Malfoys become the pack mules of the Weasleys?" There was a stiff smile on Lucius Malfoy's face. Draco regally lifted himself from the ground and stared his father down.
"Father."
"Draco."
There was a long pause, in which Lucius didn't lower his wand and Draco raised his.
"What haven't I given you? What have you need of that I cannot still give you?" Lucius' face did not change, though his voice softened. "Voldemort would still have you serve him, even after you attacked him. He would have you and I both."
"Why?" Draco asked coldly.
Lucius smiled. "Because the Malfoy line is strong and powerful. We are meant to be in power with the strong. We are also meant to cleanse the wizarding community of impurities."
Draco looked down and the rumpled form of Ron Weasley. "Like him? Like this pureblood?"
Lucius frowned. "You forget, son, he willfully interacts and supports mudbloods. He would have them sully our profession."
Draco nodded, reluctantly.
"What is it you want, Draco? What is your deepest desire?" Lucius' wand lowered ever so slightly.
Draco stared cooly at his father. After a long pause: "Why, power, of course. You have always been powerful, and I have not tasted that. I wish to be at Voldemort's right hand."
"And you can! You can, Draco! Because Voldemort forgives! He asks much of us, but he gives much in return. Power. Wealth. Dignity. Honor." Lucius began walking toward Draco. "Come now, son, let us get rid of this mudblood-lover, and help deliver to Voldemort the thing he truly wants."
"What is that, father?" Draco knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from his father.
"Potter." Lucius smiled a crooked smile. "That boy was destined to die seventeen years ago, but did not. It is long due. He is the stumbling block to our power, our unification."
Draco nodded. Lucius stepped next to his son, and put his hand on Draco's shoulder. He looked down at Ron, who was still.
"You know what we must do." It was not a question, or even a request; it was an order.
"I must kill Ronald. Weasley." Draco stuttered after saying Ron's first name, but covered it up by adding the last quickly.
"Yes." Lucius smiled. "That is the beginning of power. Dispose of him."
"Yes, father." Draco turned slightly, and pointed his wand at Ron. Ron lay there, helpless. There was something very wrong about what he was being told to do. This wasn't honor, this was cowardice. "Avada -"
The next moment happened so quickly that both Malfoys were stunned. Draco turned his wand on his father, whose shocked eyes were illuminated momentarily by the green flash from Draco's wand. The thud of his father's body hitting the cold concrete was next. Draco's knees began to buckle, and he fell to the floor. He felt an unfamiliar sting behind his eyes. Wiping his eyes, he slowly stood himself up and pointed his wand at Ron.
"Mobilicorpus." Ron's body began to float, and Draco guided the body down the hall. He didn't look back.
Part 36
"GO!" Harry yelled this, and Draco disappeared from sight.
Harry looked back down the hall. Voldemort was standing, looking quite patient. His wand wasn't even in front of him.
"Harry." Hermione whispered to him. "Harry."
Harry was glaring down the hall. His emotions were coming to a head, and he felt like screaming everything that he'd missed out on because of this bastard who had haunted him. Parents gone, life in exile, then his glorious return to the wizarding world and his sanity questioned. So many people gone...Sirius!...and then Ron, and Arthur Weasley. Harry's face was turning red.
"I hate you so much." Harry didn't say this very loudly, but he knew Voldemort heard him. "I hate you with every single fiber of my being. I wish I could make you suffer as much as you have made me suffer."
"Oh, but I have suffered." A long hiss of a sentence. "I have been bodyless, and I have been near death. I have watched many a servant fall." A sneer formed on the lizard-like face. "And I still have not had the pleasure of killing you."
"You wont either." Hermione piped up from Harry's side.
"Stay out of this, or I shall torture you after I kill Harry. I was going to kill you swiftly, being that you do have similar parentage as I." A wicked smile followed this.
"Formuta longellus!" Harry spoke quickly, and flicked his wrist once up, once down as he had been instructed. Five long energy beams shot from his wand and raced at Voldemort. Voldemort reacted quickly, but only dissipated three of the beams. The other two hit and bound Voldemort's right arm to his body and his ankles together.
"Fera-"
A yellow bolt struck Harry's leg, and he felt it go numb. He suddenly couldn't stand. He fell to the floor, unable to complete his spell. His mind raced furiously as the numbness crept into his abdomen.
"Fera junctivus!" Hermione completed the spell and three white beams came forth from her wand. They all struck Voldemort, but only two manifested themselves. They added to the red beams already binding him, and it looked as though they had gotten tighter.
Hermione fell backward awkwardly as a green beam flew at her. Breathing quickly, she got up, and glanced at Harry, who was fervently attempting to point his wand at Voldemort. She pointed her wand at him.
"Mortdoog!" White light shone upon Harry, and Harry began to get feeling back into his arms. The feeling spread slowly into his abdomen.
Hermione once again turned on Voldemort. "Fa bindus!" Her spell was met in the middle by one of Voldemorts, and both came rushing back at her. She didn't move in time, and they struck her harshly, sending her to the ground.
"Hermione!" Harry looked quickly from Hermione's limp body back at Voldemort. He still couldn't feel his legs, but he sat up and spoke quickly. "Far bindus!" One purple bolt flew from Harry's wand and made its way, seemingly in slow motion, to Voldemort, who recited a counter spell. It didn't work.
The purple beam looked as though it dissipated in front of Voldemort, but as it becamse invisible, the white and red energy beams containing him brightened blindingly. There was a loud, inhuman scream from down the hall, and the light became even more intense. Suddenly there was a loud pop, and Voldemort had disappeared.
"Until next time," Harry said bitterly. He looked down at Hermione, who wasn't moving. He tried a couple of spells that he remembered that might restore her consciousness, but neither of them worked, and his brain wasn't functioning. He recited the spell to allow her body to float and began walking out.
Dumbledore had said that the best way to confront Voldemort was with that threesome of spells. They would not kill him; Dumbledore had made it perfectly clear that Harry was not to engage directly like some hot-shot hero, because he would probably end up being killed, or worse, captured.
Harry bitterly resented it.
But he had conceded, especially confronted with the choice of either attempting revenge or getting Ron back in one piece. Dumbledore had been rather pointed about Ron:
"I know how much he means to you," he'd said. Harry didn't have to question the meaningful look, or the way Dumbledore leaned in toward him. Dumbledore knew. "Do not recklessly ruin the chance to have him back. Make him your focus, because remember, Harry: amor wincit omnia."
Love conquers all, Harry thought again. Love didn't conquer Voldemort; if anything, it made him more resilient and spiteful. But then...it was love that saved him back in first year, all of six years ago. It was love that kept he and Hermione and Ron so tightly knit. It was love that made him question his feelings for Ron.
And it was love that was going to make him give Ron the biggest kiss ever when he was well enough for it.
Harry saw ahead a body in the corridor, and for a moment his heart sank. But there was only one, and as Harry neared, heart pounding, he realized that it was Lucius Malfoy. He looked dead. Multiple thoughts raced through Harry's head, namely that Draco had killed his father. Harry felt a pang of sympathy and sadness for Draco, but it felt funny and he decided to continue being rational and logical.
When Harry got to the end of the corridor and looked up, he saw Draco looking down. There was a gruffness in his voice that confirmed Harry's previous thought.
"One moment, and I'll drop something." A moment later a rope was dropped from above. It was enchanted, and as soon as Harry had grabbed Hermione up and tightly grasped the rope, it took them above the surface.
"There isn't any train," said Draco as Harry pushed Hermione over the lip.
"How...?" Harry managed as he pulled himself up.
"I walked ahead. Ron....Weasley is there, laying down. He said your name once." Harry was uncomfortable looking at Draco's face, and instead peered into the darkness.
"Why?" Harry couldn't stop the word from coming.
Draco looked mildly disgusted. "Now's not a good time, Potter." Any kindness or lack of harshness in his voice was gone. "I'm sure everyone will be ready to congratulate me. Good job! Evil-be-gone! You killed your father!" Draco was piercing Harry with his eyes, and it looked as though he might be losing control. His voice unsteady, he continued. "You are on the GOOD SIDE NOW! RIGHT, HARRY? IS THIS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE GOOD?" His face was pulled back into a grimace.
Harry stood, quite shocked. His jaw hung low and he didn't pull it up. Draco stood in front of him, breathing heavily. There was a rawness about him that Harry never expected existed in him.
It was an awkward moment later that Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at Hermione. Harry's first movement was to disarm Draco, but his hand merely landed on Draco's wrist, and Draco gave him a withering glance.
"Lothmeldo," he said, and Hermione began to stir.
Harry nodded, and withdrew his hand. "Sorry," he said, and he found that he sounded more sincere than he remembered being to Draco. That is, sincere and nice.
As Hermione lifted herself to her feet, questioning the events that led her to the surface, Harry looked out into the darkness again.
"Didn't Dumbledore say something like this might happen?" Harry asked. "I mean, after Voldemort was banished?"
Hermione went and sat next to Ron. She brushed his cheek with her hand, running a finger over the scar on his cheek. There was still dried blood there. "What did they do to you, Ronald?" She was snapped from her rumination during the silence. "Oh, Dumbledore said that we could summon another gateway, but it might take us into another world. We could be several worlds going before we reach our bodies."
Harry sighed, and Draco snorted. Harry spoke. "Well, we've no choice. Let's summon a gate."
Hermione stood and conferred with Draco. Funny, seeing them relate together. Perhaps Draco was too stunned to come up with the 'M' word. Harry went and sat next to Ron. He reached out a hand and lightly brushed his cheek. Harry leaned over to Ron's face and kissed just below Ron's eye. He was shocked when the eyes opened.
"Harry...." Ron's feeble voice.
"Ron!" Harry's somewhat surprised voice.
"Harry....tell me this isn't a dream." Ron looked as though he might cry, or become unconscious again. Harry knew he could handle the latter better.
"No, Ron, this isn't a dream. I'm here." Harry grabbed Ron's hand and squeezed.
Ron smiled, though it looked painful. "Oh good, I've been waiting. Will you kiss me now? That's how the dream always ends."
Harry, somewhat unsure of Ron's mental state, leaned down and kissed Ron firmly on the lips. He barely hear Draco grunt or Hermione begin to cry, assumedly because she was happy.
Ron once again went limp, eyes closed, but looking like he'd just been chosen as Head Boy. That made Harry smile.
"We should combine our spell-casting ability into making the portal. That should give it a better chance of sending us home the first time." Hermione stood such that she and Harry and Draco made a triangle around Ron.
"I would like to break the knees of whatever half-wit made this Penser thing." Harry spoke with a slight sneer. Draco stayed silent.
"I'll recite the spell for the gateway," Hermione continued, oblivious to Harry's comment, "you two cast spells of amplification."
They all pointed their wands at the middle of the triangle. Hermione chanted some words quickly. Harry was impressed with how much that girl could memorize. "Portus callus gingrey!" She said in exclamation after chanting. Harry and Draco recited the spells for amplification together.
A large silvery-grey blob began to form in front of them. Hermione said a few more things, but they were lost to Harry; there was no noise coming from the portal, but it seemed as though it was sucking noise in. Harry and Draco looked at each other and nodded, and recited the amplification spell again.
Now the blob pulsated black and purple, and expanded itself. Harry noticed that Hermione was no longer reciting anything, so it was best not to amplify. The blob became relatively humanoid in form, and Hermione motioned with her hands at Ron. Harry stooped and picked Ron up, not without difficulty, and dragged him into the portal. His eyes stung, and his grip lost, and he was gone in blackness.
Part 37
Ron moaned. Everything hurt. There was nothing he was currently taking inventory of that didn't hurt. Legs, feet, hips, and his eyes stung. But something about all this pain felt....
...real?
Ron arose with a start, and regretted the sudden movement. His lungs screamed at the sudden intake of large amounts of air. His vision was somewhat fuzzy, but he could hear a voice from next to him. It sounded like someone crying.
It was Molly Weasley.
"Oh, Ron, thank goodness! I was so afraid that- that..." Ron felt himself immediately buried in a hug. He didn't mind the warmth, nor the tears that smeared on his cheek.
"Mum....ow...." Molly immediately let go. Ron slumped back to the bed, vision clearing.
"Oh, Ron..." Ron knew something was wrong, something was coming. She wouldn't still be crying like that if there wasn't something else. "Your father..."
Ron bit his lip, a slight bit too hard. He stayed stone still, then spoke. "Where's Harry." Not a question, but a request.
Molly began to cry harder. "Did you hear me Ronald Weasley? Your father....he's in St. Mungo's."
For some reason this didn't click with Ron. Something was detached, and he wasn't quite feeling the ramification of this.
"Why?" Very softly.
"V- Vol- Voldemort." Tears were still streaming down Molly's red face, and Ron motioned with his hand for his mother to hug him again. She pressed her face against his shoulder and shuddered. Ron lay there, information sinking into his brain slowly. He wasn't feeling much sadness; instead, anger was building up inside him.
Ron sat up determinedly, Molly withdrawing her head just in time. She looked at him with a partially open mouth.
"Where's Ginny? Bill? Where is everyone?"
She shook her head. "I wanted to talk with you first, alone. Ginny is here, at the school; she wouldn't come home. Everyone else is waiting at home, even Percy."
This was somewhat of a shock, as Percy hadn't visited the house in a very long time.
"We're waiting for you to be healthy enough to come home. Dumbledore has agreed to help you make up whatever you miss." Molly looked as though she was ready to begin crying again.
"Harry," Ron said simply.
Molly nodded. "I'll get he and Hermione now."
"No." Molly stopped at Ron's statement. "Just Harry."
Molly nodded, bent down and kissed Ron on the cheek. She looked somewhat confused, but didn't start a line of questioning. There was too much going on for that.
A few moments passed. Perhaps his mother was trying to explain that Ron only wanted to see Harry; Ron knew that Hermione would understand. He could talk with her after. After a few more moments, Ron became worried. Was something wrong? Was he still dreaming, perhaps? Maybe Harry didn't want to come in! The anger that had built up was simmering. Ron lay down again, but sat right back up.
It was a few more minutes later that Harry pulled back the cloth entrance to Ron's area and entered. There was a weird resolved look on Harry's face. Ron took this to mean that things between them wouldn't be as they had been. He resentfully thought that the only reason he kept himself alive was because of Harry, and he bitterly wished he had died.
When Harry stood at arms-length and stayed silent, Ron spoke. "I wanted to see you, Harry." Ron had a hard time keeping the resentment out of his voice.
Harry stayed still. "I'm sorry about your father." The statement appeared quite sincere to Ron. But then, why wouldn't it? This was Harry. Besides, what did someone say in response to that? 'Thanks?' Didn't seem right. Ron decided just to nod.
"How are you feeling?" Harry, with a generic question. Ron's heart was sinking as fast as his indignance was rising.
Ron grunted. "I hurt all over. I thought it was supposed to be all in my head."
"Your body is feeling the residual effects of being...tortured...in the Grendarius Penser." Harry had a lot of difficulty saying 'tortured.'
Harry sat next to Ron on the bed, and Ron's heart lightened, but he felt like he could become angry at any moment. The news of his father was still sinking in. He was almost ready to just curl up and tell everyone to leave him alone.
Then Harry reached out his hand and lay it on Ron's cheek. He didn't remove it, but instead began running his hand slowly over Ron's cheek, to his chin, and over to the other side. Ron was set off by the touch; he felt tears well up, and begin streaming down. This didn't bother Harry, who just looked sad. Ron reached out his arms to Harry's sides, and Harry wrapped his arms around Ron and pulled him close. Ron wailed quietly into Harry's chest, and Harry sat, rubbing Ron's back, saying nothing. When Ron pulled back and looked into Harry's eyes, everything he had gone through was forgotten. There they were, those emerald-greens, and Ron had never seen such a look of...love?...from them.
"I promised myself that when you were well enough..." Harry didn't finish, but instead moved his lips close to Ron's and pressed them together. There was a long and passionate kiss, which wasn't interrupted when Molly silently reentered Ron's alcove.
"Ronald!" Exclamation, and a hand to her breast.
The two young men pulled apart quickly, but Ron kept his arms around Harry. Harry squirmed uncomfortably, but let Ron lead.
Molly still stood there, mouth agape, eyes still bright red.
"Mum, I'm in love with Harry." Simple, and quiet.
Molly stayed frozen. She looked expectantly at Harry, who looked down, then at Ron.
"I'm...I'm in love with Ron." Harry stuttered this out, and Ron felt a surge of happiness amidst the sadness that was beginning to consume him.
"Well," Molly said, purely shocked. "You'll be coming back to the house, then?" Harry smiled and nodded at this, and Ron was relieved.
He also knew that he'd get questioned later, when things weren't overwhelming. For now, his relationship with Harry was the least of anyone's troubles.
"So how about we get Hermione and go home?" Ron groaned as Harry helped him out of bed. Molly left, and after Ron dressed, Harry met Ron with another kiss.
Stopping Ron from limping out, Harry looked searchingly into Ron's eyes. Ron stood still, rather happy to have the attention.
"I meant it," Harry said. "I am in love with you. Couldn't stand to lose you."
Ron hugged Harry tightly, and they made their way out.
------
Yes, I used my sn as a spell. ^_^ So sue me. Actually, please don't, I haven't much. Please note that it is Elvish (Tolkien-speak) and the full sentence (not bastardized by me) is lothlorien meldo, meldo being pronounced "mel-dah". :) So there. Anyone (besides circular infinity) know what it means? I do know, I'm just wondering! :D
So this is my favorite chapter that I've written. I felt 'on'. Correct me if I'm wrong, please! :) As I mentioned above, I think I will be writing an Epilogue sort of thing as Chappie 10. Gotta tie things up a bit more, eh?
Thank you's out to: First, KarenLefay ('preciate the feedback, as always! blush Circular Infinity (thank you for the complement...I was happy to learn that I actually *had* gotten better); and Viu (Draco and Ron?!? No, silly, I was just trying to make things interesting...this is a Harry/Ron fic! (o:`, ).
Bonjour!