Holding Back Tears
Ch. 7 (Lucky # 7)
By: Tiffiany Hargis
Disclaimer: Rowling just called me yesterday in a fit of giggles. She said that Ron did something last night that really cracked her up, and of course with her ever watchful all seeing eye over Hogwarts I have no choice but to believe it is true.
She told me that Ron after a horrible night of Prefect Patrolling, in which he caught 2 fourth year boys sneaking out of Gryffindor to see two girls from Ravenclaw who which he caught also after the two boys confessed. Anyway, he gets off duty and realizes that taking a nice bath in the Prefects bathroom would be a great stress reliever.
So, he gets his cloths, walks to the bathroom, gives the password, and walks into the bathroom to see Hermione standing with her back to him in nothing but a towel. He was stunned for a couple of seconds and could not form a coherent sentence. His stuttering caught Hermione's attention and of course she started yelling at him to get out and trying to cover herself as much as she could with the skimpy towel. Ron finally regained his composure and made his way back out the door, but not without one last look at Hermione which caused her to get even more agitated. With his bath forgotten he walked back to his dorm, and stayed awake all night with the vision of Hermione in her small towel. :)
Now, all day today they haven't talked to each other, and every time they see one another they blush and look away. AHHH! Now there is sexual tension!!! What I wouldn't do to still own my beloved Hogwarts castle. I'm missing it so much!!! Ohh, I dream of the days I took watching Ron from afar for granted!!! Ohh regrets!!!
(Really now my stupid disclaimers are just getting ridiculous, but they are awfully fun to write!)
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As the two men stared at each other, Ron felt his rage rising to a point that he had never felt before. It was uncontrollable, it burned through his soul; it radiated throughout his body; and even his fingertips and toes emitted heat.
He never broke his gaze from the man in front of him. After a flash of fear that momentarily took hold of Lucius's face, a smile formed on his thin cold lips. His eyes held no mirth, for they were bitter and impassive; it seemed to say he was proud of what he had just done.
As the smile consumed Lucius' face, it caused an explosion in Ron's body. All the rage, hurt, anger, and mourning collided and radiated from ever cell in his being.
He let out a scream that sounded primal, but it was not able to exert any of the energy building inside of him. He full out sprinted to the malicious form ahead of him bellowing, fists clinched in anger, and face contorted from all the emotions coursing through him. Before he could take two strides in his run, before Lucius could raise his wand to the charging figure, before Lucius could speak any sort of incantation to defend his despicable self, Lucius was blasted into the air by an unseen force. Ron didn't even have time to comprehend that Lucius was on the ground as he raced even faster to the shocked form.
When he reached Malfoy, he was struggling to get to his dropped wand that was about a foot away from where he fell. As Ron stood over Lucius he saw that the older man was astounded by the power that transmitted from him, and that he was also frightened by it.
"Please Ron. Please don't... please don't," he babbled as he cowered under Ron's towering build. "I'll give you money... that's what you want right... you always need money. I'll give you however much you want…thousand galleons... ten thousand... whatever you want. We can go to the vault now...I can arrange it. I'll give you whatever you want... I'll do whatever you want, Ron. Please just don't kill me!"
Ron stared at the panicking unmanly creature bellowing at him, completely emotionless. He stared at him with the same lifeless stare he wore before, but this time a tear slid down his cheek.
"Anything I want," Ron repeated with a monotone voice.
"Yes... yes, Ron. Anything... anything you want. Anything." Lucius struggled on the ground a little more, his voice growing more confident as he made progress in bargaining for his life.
Another tear slid down Ron's face as he stared off to a place only he could see. He imagined his future with Hermione: their first kiss...their second, going out on their first date, her reading by a fire and him just watching her, them on a broomstick together with her arms fearfully around him, him proposing to her, her saying yes to the proposal, their marriage, the first time they would make love, their first child being born, both of them old and grey sitting on the front porch watching their grandchildren play in the yard. The visions faded to black just like Hermione's life faded from her body, and the black was trying to consume him. He took a sharp intake of breath and he was brought back to reality, and he brought his gaze back to Lucius. Tears were now cascading down his face freely, but the liquid did not extinguish the raging fire that was now burning in his glare.
"I want Hermione back," he whispered with ferocity and an unbearable pain in his tone.
Lucius's eyes widened at the impossible task asked of him, and he began to struggle again under Ron's look. "I don't know... I mean... I highly doubt that I can do what you ask," Lucius replied sounding like a groveling and stammering Wormtail. "But," his voice regained its hardened and prideful self, and he stopped moving around on the ground, "I can send you to meet her!" He quickly grabbed the wand he had progressively moved towards, and turned to aim it at Ron.
But Ron was so enraged and empowered by revenge he lunged at the man with an animalistic force and yelled again with unrestrained wrath. The wand flew from Lucius's grasp, soared into the air, and hit a nearby tree.
The force that knocked the wand also bombarded Lucius with a power that hammered him into the air and he landed face first on the ground. The breath was driven from him, and he rolled on his back to force air back into his lungs. From his position he watched as the red headed teenager raced at him with a primitive madness in his eyes.
When Ron reached him, he picked him up by the robes with his left hand and swung hitting him in the face with his right, and then he let the older man fall back down to the ground. On the way down, Ron bashed Lucius' other cheek with his left fist.
As Lucius' hands flew to his damaged face Ron kicked him twice in the ribs so hard there was no doubting he broke a couple. He picked Lucius up again by the front of his cloak and threw him up against the tree which caused Lucius to hit the back of his head on the trunk. Ron held him against the tree, and the evil man winced as his sternum stretched further injuring his broken ribs.
Ron moved his head close to Lucius's and looked directly into his eyes. He waited for his grey eyes to focus on his burning blue ones before he said anything, "I don't understand why!" he roared at the injured man. "She was perfect, beautiful, smart, and kind... she had so much life and you took that from her. As long as I breathe on this earth I will never forgive you!" He paused in his speech and looked over at Hermione's still form. He took a deep breath to try and control himself. He turned back to Lucius and continued, "I just have one question. Why her? Why not me?" he asked barely above a whisper.
Lucius also looked over Ron's shoulder to Hermione's body and grinned his malicious, condemned, and sadistic smile, and then turned his attention back to Ron's awaiting face. "She deserved what she got. She never belonged in our world. She plagued us with her presence, and needed to be eliminated before she infected all of us with her poison. I would kill her again if I had a chance, and I will watch her squirming death over and over again in my mind with overwhelming satisfaction until the day I die!" Lucius replied with pure spite.
His words enraged Ron, and he hurled Lucius into the tree a couple more times before throwing him on the ground again. Ron kneeled over Lucius straddling his battered body to prevent him from moving. Ron repeatedly beat his fists on the bruising and bleeding face until he could no longer raise his hands in exhaustion, and Malfoy had been unconscious for a long time.
Tears streamed down his face and he had no energy to even try to control them. He rolled off of the unrecognizable Lucius, and lay on his back in the grass parallel to the unmoving form. He let out a cry of anguish as sobs of exhaustion and mourning overtook his body. He rolled over onto his side away from Malfoy, and curled up into a fetal position.
He opened his tear-stained eyes and watched the motionless Hermione. She was still lying face down in the grass, just like he had left her. Her hair was flowing over her shoulders, her arms were on either side of her body as if she was still trying to push herself up, and her legs were folded left on top of right bending towards her chest.
He took control over his tears and body so he could stand, but no matter how hard he tried he could not control his fear that she was really dead. He slowly walked towards her as if each stride was one step closer to his death. When he reached her, he kneeled down at her side, and caressed her straight hair. How he wished he could run his fingers through her natural curly locks. He always loved her curly mass of hair.
His hands shook as he grabbed her shoulders and he turned her over. He noticed with an enormous lurch in his stomach her body was cold and pale as he laid her head on his lap. He lightly brushed her cheek with his fingertips, and his bloody knuckles hideously stood out against her porcelain skin.
Water was sprinkling onto her face, and he looked up to the sky expecting to see rain falling from the sky. Then he realized that it was his tears that were showering upon her; not the sky's.
He wiped the tears away from his face angrily and looked away from the woman he had loved and still loved. Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. There were two figures by the house that he and Hermione were at earlier. He realized that he had probably made a lot of noise earlier, and probably alerted the Death Eaters to this area.
He gently placed Hermione lovely head back on the ground, quickly stood, and ran to the nearby tree where he found Lucius' wand. He ran back to the man and he hadn't even stirred since Ron had left him. Ron didn't know if the damned man was alive or dead, but strangely he didn't care.
The red head bound him, levitated him up the tree, and tied him up where he wouldn't be seen using the orphaned wand. When he was finished he saw that the two Death Eaters were closer to the makeshift battlefield.
He stuffed the wand into his pocket and ran back to Hermione. He carefully lifted her limp body and ran to the once before desired row of houses.
One of the houses had an extensive and elaborate garden. He ran towards it, carefully half stepped half hurdled the medium sized fence, and found shelter provided by a couple of benches and two arch ways made up of Ivy.
He carefully laid her body down and checked the surrounding area for any signs of the Death Eaters. When he was satisfied no one was around he turned his gaze back to Hermione.
As he looked over her still form, a short flash of light reflected from Hermione's locket. He walked over to her, and picked up the locket from her chest. He looked at the inscription, and thought of the irony of the words 'Forever.' He opened the locket to see himself staring back at him with a smile and bright eyes. Ron couldn't believe he would ever smile again.
He looked to the right and saw Harry. His heart gave a heavy jolt as the previous day's events came back to him. 'I need to help Harry,' he thought to himself, but he couldn't find the heart or instigation to get off the ground and leave the peaceful looking woman in front of him. He looked at Hermione again.
"I have to go," he silently told her, as if trying not to disturb her from sleep. He rubbed his thumb across her cheek, and then rested his palm gently on the side of her face.
"I don't want to leave you, but I have to help Harry. I can't lose you both," he whispered to her with tears in his eyes.
He bent down and put his lips to her ear, "I will come back for you." He took a deep breath and leaned up to study her face again. He engraved her image into his memory; he knew every curve, shape, and freckle.
He rested his forehead on hers and spoke to her unresponsive form, "Hermione, I should have told you everyday since the first day I met you, but now I'm going to tell you too late…" His voice cracked as the sound of it faded away, and he barley spoke above a whisper and it was full of emotion and conviction he murmured, "I love you Hermione." Tears fell from his eyes and landed on her cheeks. "…and I will love you the rest of my life."
He enclosed the locket in his hand and rested his fist on her chest. He raised his chin and kissed her on the forehead.
Suddenly a shock ran through him, and he sat bolt upright. He had felt her chest move underneath his hand. He opened his clutched hand and felt the movement again. He let out a relieved gasp and smiled crying tears of joy. 'SHE'S BREATHING!' he thought. Her breaths were weak and shallow, but she was alive. He felt he could sing with joy.
He felt her arms and legs and she was still extremely cold. He started rubbing his hands over her arms, legs, hands, and feet hoping the friction would cause enough heat to warm her. He continued his massage until he heard her sharp intake of breath.
"Hermione?!" he whispered pleadingly. But she was still unconscious, but her breathing was stronger then before. He unbuttoned his shirt, took it off, and covered the top half of her body with it. He continued rubbing her body until he felt she was warm enough to the touch. He looked back to her face, and there was color in it. A smile spread across his lips again.
"Hermione," he whispered as he stroked her cheek with his fingertips. "Hermione, wake up. Come back to me 'Mione. Come on…Wake up!" he said this soothingly and continued in his coaxing until she moved her head slightly. He reached down and grabbed one of her hands in his while the other was still caressing her cheek.
She let out a moan, and he called her name once more. She slowly opened her eyes, but blinked them several times before the beautiful brown orbs rested on his. Tears were still cascading down his face, but now they were caused by relief and joy.
"Ron," she said weakly.
"Yes, Hermione I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." He leaned over her gliding his hands over her cheeks and sliding them through her hair so it was out of her face.
"Ron, why are you crying? Are you alright?" She slowly sat up, but winced as she did so.
"I'm fine…you're fine, everything's going to be alright," he said as he helped her up. He kept his hands on her the whole time. If he took his hands off her he would realize this wasn't real, and Hermione being alive was just a desperate dream he created to cope.
She looked around, and a wave of fear troubled her features as her body became stiff. "Where's Lucius?" she asked apprehensively.
"It's alright, I took care of him. He's never going to hurt you again." He said staring into her eyes.
"But how? He had his wand! How did you get to him? How…" but before she could finish her series of questions he put his finger to her lips to silence her.
"It doesn't matter how I did it, Hermione. All that matters is that you are ok and alive." His voice was hushed and barley audible. "I thought you were dead." He revealed as another tear ran down his cheek, and she wiped it away with her finger. He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his cheek. They looked into each other's eyes, and the intensity of their connection began to scare Hermione. He brought her hand from his cheek to his mouth and kissed the inside of her wrist, and then he turned it around a placed a light kiss on top of it.
"I've taken you for granted for these past years." He told her as his eyes bore into hers. "But that is never going to happen again." He rested their hands in his lap and intertwined their fingers.
He leaned in closer to her. He never took his eyes off hers, and she was so enthralled by the passion in them she couldn't even blink. When he was centimeters away from her mouth her chest felt constricted and she couldn't breath.
She could feel his warm breath against her lips as he told her, "I'm gonna tell you something I've should have told you long before now, but I was to scared. But I'm never going to be scared to tell you again because nothing scares me more as the thought of losing you."
He took a deep breath and looked down at her lips; Hermione licked her lips in anticipation and looked at his lips too. When he spoke again she looked directly into his eyes. "I love you Hermione, and there isn't going to be a day that goes by, while I'm alive, that I don't tell you how much that I do love you."
Hermione smiled, held back the tears that threatened to overflow, and simply replied, "I love you too." With that Ron closed the immensely close distance between their lips quickly, which shocked Hermione. She abruptly recovered and kissed Ron back with the same intensity and passion Ron was giving her. She deepened the kiss by opening her mouth so their tongues could mingle.
They got lost in their kiss and the world around them melted away. The feelings that coursed through her body were greater and more pleasurable than she ever imagined. There was electricity between them; it was sweet, warm, and exciting.
All the sourness and pain that previously consumed her body was replaced with the intoxicated pleasure of having Ron kiss her. She ran her fingers over Ron's toned, shirtless chest, and then they progressed along his shoulders and back.
When they finally parted from their intense kiss he rested his forehead on hers and smiled, "I've wanted to do that for so long." He opened his eyes and stared into hers. She smiled back and sweetly kissed him again. It was short, but no less meaningful. "I've been waiting for you to do that for a long time," she replied.
He hugged her, closed his eyes, and breathed in the scent of her. It was an as if he could not get enough of the warm body that was so full of life. He tensed at the memory of her lifeless body and dead weight when he carried her in his arms not long ago, and he hugged her tighter. He opened his eyes to avoid the images of when he thought Hermione dead, and when he did he saw two Death Eaters circling the area looking for them.
He quickly lurched forward with Hermione still in his arms. When she hit the ground she was too surprised to speak, but hastily recovered, but lost her breath again as Ron landed on top of her.
"Ron, what in the world do you think…" She was silenced when his hand clamped over her mouth, and he silently looked around the bench. With his other hand he withdrew the wand from his pants, and listened as the footsteps by the other side of the rose bushes beside the Ivy arches. After about a minute Ron shifted his weight, got off from on top of her, and removed his hand.
"Sorry about that," he said sincerely as a blush rose from his neck to his ears.
She shook her head as if to say "ok", but she was still trying to catch her breath. His hand over her mouth combined with his weight on her rib cage had made it difficult to breath.
As she caught her breath fear clutched her insides. "Ron…" she began timidly, "Where is Harry?"
When she asked the question, Ron hurriedly looked to the ground in shame. He took a deep shuttering breath and looked back up at Hermione. "I haven't found him yet Hermione." He said then rose to his feet, and picked up his shirt from the ground that was discarded when Hermione sat up for the first time. "Voldemort still has him somewhere around here, hopefully."
For some reason, when she woke up she thought that everything was ok. Now, even though she was immensely happy about her and Ron, a crippling fear overtook her and it overcame all the happiness.
"Ron, how do we know if he's even still alive?" she asked dreading the answer.
"We don't," Ron answered softly, buttoning up his shirt as his relief and joy of having Hermione back was consumed by guilt and fear over the fate of his best friend.
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A/N: Hey Guys, I just wanted to let you know that there is a quote from Pirates of the Caribbean embedded into this chapter. When you review tell me if you realized it was there the first time you read it, or if you had to go back and find it! I thought this would be fun. It was great fun putting that line in there!!! Hope you all have a great day!!! Thank you all for the great reviews from the last chapter I was honored and really thrilled!!! Esp to Phenoix Child that reviewed each chapter as she read it. Talk about a surprise; to open up you're e-mail account to find 6 reviews in there? I thought I got a late Christmas present!!!