A/N: Here's chapter six! Read and review please!
Chapter Six
"You tried to kill me, Hermione!" Ron screamed across the room.
Hermione was close to tears. "Ron, I swear I didn't...I would never...it wasn't me!" she yelled back.
"Ron, stop!" Harry stood in-between the two of them. "Hermione didn't do it. It wasn't her. Even Dumbledore says she was possessed. She couldn't have helped it even if she wanted to..."
Ron's mouth hung open. "But I...she...my mum..." Ron sunk into a chair in the common room.
"She didn't have anything to do with that, either. She tried to warn us, but they one-upped us, Ron. There was nothing we could have done. We didn't know..." Harry sympathized, "I'm sorry, Ron..."
"My mum is gone...I just went to her funeral...she's gone..." Ron whispered to himself. Hermione slowly walked over to him, and wrapped him in a hug. "I wasn't there, and now my mum is gone. I should've been there..."
Harry frowned. "Don't blame yourself, Ron. Ginny doesn't blame herself. It was nobody's fault, except," but Harry was interrupted by Ron's angry sobs.
"Lucius Malfoy murdered my mum, Harry. It's his fault. One day, I'm going to kill that son-of-a-..."
Hermione flinched. "Ron, that's not for us to worry about. The Order is hunting Lucius Malfoy down as we speak. They'll make sure he never hurts another person again, Ron. You just watch and see."
"That's not good enough, damn it!" screamed Ron.
Classes at Hogwarts went on as usual. Everyone knew what had happened to Ron's parents. His father was still in the hospital. He wasn't even able to attend his mother's funeral. Yet, this didn't mean less homework. This night, Ron could be found hiding in Hermione's room with several books thrown every which way across her bed. He had two to three potion vials in front of him, and one very large roll of very blank parchment. Hermione walked quietly into the room and closed the door.
"You all right, Ron?" she whispered. "That was a stupid question. I'm sorry. Would you like some help?" she smiled.
Ron shrugged. "This is too much. I'm too far behind. Finals are coming up, and I'm so far behind...oh, no, Hermione...it's all right. Besides, don't you have your own problems to worry about right now? I wouldn't want to burden you with mine." He groaned.
"It's all right, Ron. Really, it is. I'm not meeting Malfoy until tomorrow morning. Apparently, he got knocked off his broom at the Quiddich game last weekend, and he's been in the infirmary milking it up ever since."
"Oh," Ron sighed. "Well, did you understand anything Professor Flitwick said this morning? To me, it sounded like another language..." he admitted.
Hermione laughed. "You know what? I'll talk, and you write. I can explain what it all means after we're done." She grinned at him.
Three and a half hours later, it was nearly eleven at night, and Ron was finally done with his homework. He sighed with relief, and fell back on to Hermione's pillow. "Thanks, 'Mione." He whispered. "I really needed your help."
"Don't worry about it, Ron," she shrugged. "Did you think I was just going to let you sit there all by yourself? Your face was screwed up all funny...like this..." Hermione furrowed her brow and twisted the corners of her mouth. Her eyes stuck out of her head.
Ron laughed, but then he noticed Hermione's bulletin board. At the very top was an article from a Daily Prophet issue. His letter to her...
"You kept that this long?" Ron asked her, changing the subject.
Hermione blinked, and looked up at it. "I...yeah, I did, Ron." She whispered.
"I hope it didn't scare you or anything...you hadn't mentioned it. I had pretty much given up. I thought I'd scared you away or something." He looked at the floor.
"You didn't scare me away, Ron! I'm here, aren't I?" she smiled at him. "I wish I had the guts to do something like that, Ron. It really touched me." She admitted.
Ron looked up. "Really?" his smile broadened.
"Ron, there's something that I have to tell you..." Hermione sighed. "Ron...I feel the same way. Sirius told me I should tell you...that you can't love a person that long and not tell them about it..." she remembered.
"Whoa! You talked to Sirius about this? You've liked me that long! Wow!" Ron blushed.
Hermione shook her head. "No, Ron. Not Sirius...not really, anyway. His portrait. At Grimuald Place this summer. Do you remember?" she asked him.
He nodded. "I was talking to Harry about it the other day. The day I found out about my parents..." he paused. "Yeah. The other day. Harry is inheriting that place, you know? And his parents' land in Godric's Hollow...he was telling me about it."
"Oh," Hermione nodded. "Well, good night, Ron." Hermione leaned forward and gave Ron an ever-so-subtle kiss on his lips. He hopped off the bed so she could lay down, and tucked her in when she had.
"Good night," he smiled at her. "And no trying to kill me tonight, okay?" he meant it as a joke, but Hermione's face reddened. She looked a little hurt. "I was kidding, 'Mione! I know you didn't mean it!" he laughed, and she smiled. "Sleep tight."
Harry smiled. He had nearly walked in on a very personal moment. He laughed to himself. Finally, Ron and Hermione had begun to take things into their own hands. Things were starting to turn around. At least that was how it seemed...and Harry liked the direction in which things were heading.
Tomorrow morning, Hermione and Ron were absent from breakfast. Harry knew of Hermione's meeting with Malfoy. She had told him and Ron practically everything, despite the fact that they were supposed to be clueless. As to Ron's absence, Harry could not explain it. He ate his breakfast anyway, occasionally talking to Ginny, Seamus, or Neville. When neither Ron nor Hermione showed up for Double Potions (which was still being taught by Professor Lupin), Harry became worried. As soon as Professor Lupin dismissed the class, Harry approached him.
"Professor Lupin, have you seen Ron or Hermione this morning? I saw them in the common room, but that was before we all went down to breakfast...and I haven't seen them since." He explained.
Lupin frowned. "Well, Malfoy was in class..."
"Hermione was supposed to be meeting Malfoy at breakfast, sir! Why would he return when she did not? I'm worried, sir. What if something happened to her? And where on Earth has Ron been all morning?" he asked.
"I understand your concern. I am going to go alert Dumbledore of their absence. Maybe he knows of something that can be done. I want you to go to your common room. Don't worry about going to your class right now. McGonnagal will understand. Stay in your common room until I come and fetch you, all right? Do not go anywhere." He said this last sentence with a note of warning in his voice.
Harry waited for nearly an hour before he heard Lupin, and apparently several other people, charge into the common room. Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Professor McGonnagal followed Professor Lupin closely. None of them looked as if they carried good news. Harry frowned deeply.
"We can't find them, anywhere, Harry. Nowhere on campus." Lupin panted.
Harry groaned, but brightened up for a minute. "Professor Lupin, what about the..." he didn't have to finish his sentence.
"The Marauder's Map! Harry, where is it? Go get it!" Lupin commanded.
The other teachers, with the exception of Professor Dumbledore, looked mildly confused. Harry came back with the map, which he had already activated.
"Do you see them anywhere?" asked McGonnagal, staring at the map.
"It says they're right here..." Harry walked over to a trophy case that stood near the portrait hole. "With Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange!" he screamed. "I don't understand, Professor Lupin! They're not here! I don't see them! They should be right here, but they aren't! The map has never lied before!" Harry was nearly panicking.
Professor Lupin frowned. "Harry, that's just the point. The map can't lie. It's telling the truth. Maybe we just don't see whatever it is that it is seeing..."
Harry glared hatefully at the map and paced back and forth in front of the trophy case. How could the map be wrong? Lupin had just said himself that the map wasn't capable of being wrong. But then...where were Ron and Hermione?"
An evil cackling laugh seemed to fill the room that Hermione and Ron found themselves in. Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy were standing in front of them. Ron was already injured. Hermione could tell he had been in the room for a while. She had been tricked. Draco had made some kind of portkey. She knelt next to Ron. He was still breathing...thank goodness.
"Hermione, so nice to see you. Did you have a nice vacation?" Lucius smirked.
Hermione nodded convincingly. "...Yes. Wasn't really what I would call a vacation, but whatever you say, Lucius." She whispered.
He nodded. "And do you know why you are here, Hermione?" he smirked.
"Not really. Draco didn't tell me anything." She shrugged.
He laughed. "You've been lying to us, my dear. You've been going to bat for both teams, haven't you? Telling Dumbledore everything?"
"Of course not!" Hermione defended herself, although she knew she was lying.
"Don't lie, girl!" hissed Lestrange. "We can see it in your eyes!"
"I'm not!" Hermione yelled.
"...You've been lying to us, so we decided that you're going to tell us the truth right now. Your little boyfriend wouldn't tell us anything...Crucio!" Lucius waved his wand again. Ron screamed and flailed with pain. Then he lay motionless.
"Ron!" screamed Hermione. She laid her head on his chest. He was not dead yet, but she had to get him out of there...
"Talk, little girl!" screamed Bellatrix.
Hermione looked at Ron, winced, and gulped down a sob. She was going to die. They were going to die. "No..." she whispered.
"Crucio!" Bellatrix screamed, and Hermione fell back and yelped with pain. Please, let it be over...
Harry, frustrated, leaned up against the wall, and kicked the trophy case, hard. Dumbledore screamed as Harry began to vanish. The trophy case in the Gryffindor common room was some kind of portkey. Harry didn't know where it would lead him...
Hermione was reaching for her wand. It had fallen when she had been hit with the curse. It seemed so far away...everything was so far away...
Suddenly, Harry was there. He must have gotten there in the same manner that she had. How had he known where they were? Of course he hadn't known! The Death Eaters would do anything to have Harry Potter in their clutches. Now Harry was going to die, too. She had failed.
"Harry! It's a trap!" she screamed. She was still twitching with pain.
Harry frowned. "Obviously!" he smirked. "Where's...RON!" screamed Harry. He ran up to his friend.
Bellatrix and Lucius were laughing now. Harry stood. "You! This is all your fault!" he screamed. "Let them go, damn it! It's me you want!" he demanded.
"We can't do that, Harry Potter," smiled Bellatrix. "See, we'll be greatly rewarded for handing all three of you over. The Dark Lord will be so pleased..." she laughed. "See, the only problem for you is, you'll have to be dead first..." she raised her wand. "Adavara..." she began.
"Stupefy..." Ron had raised his wand. He had just saved Harry from having the same fate as his parents. Ron slipped back into unconsciousness.
Bellatrix flew backwards. She hit the wall. Lucius cursed, and raised his wand. Just the, Dumbledore appeared in the room. He had Lupin and Professor McGonnagal with him. Behind them, two Dementors were poised to attack.
Lucius lowered his wand in pure horror. There were two loud cracks, and both Lucius and Bellatrix disappeared. Dumbledore rushed to Ron, and Lupin picked up Hermione.
"Come on, Harry. We have to get them back quick!" he yelled, and motioned for Harry to follow him. McGonnagal ushered them over to her. In her hand was the trophy with Harry's father's name on it. Had that been the portkey? How had Harry gotten here by only kicking the trophy case? He had so many questions....
Ron and Hermione had to be rushed to St. Mongo's. Harry accompanied them. It was there that he learned that Ron's dad had finally recovered. Now, he had to deal with seeing his son in the same predicament that he himself had been in. Harry stayed by his side while Ron and Hermione were in the hospital. Both of them were hoping Ron and Hermione had it in them to make a full recovery...
A/N: There is one final chapter! Read and review! If the final chapter isn't already up, it will be really soon!
Chapter Six
"You tried to kill me, Hermione!" Ron screamed across the room.
Hermione was close to tears. "Ron, I swear I didn't...I would never...it wasn't me!" she yelled back.
"Ron, stop!" Harry stood in-between the two of them. "Hermione didn't do it. It wasn't her. Even Dumbledore says she was possessed. She couldn't have helped it even if she wanted to..."
Ron's mouth hung open. "But I...she...my mum..." Ron sunk into a chair in the common room.
"She didn't have anything to do with that, either. She tried to warn us, but they one-upped us, Ron. There was nothing we could have done. We didn't know..." Harry sympathized, "I'm sorry, Ron..."
"My mum is gone...I just went to her funeral...she's gone..." Ron whispered to himself. Hermione slowly walked over to him, and wrapped him in a hug. "I wasn't there, and now my mum is gone. I should've been there..."
Harry frowned. "Don't blame yourself, Ron. Ginny doesn't blame herself. It was nobody's fault, except," but Harry was interrupted by Ron's angry sobs.
"Lucius Malfoy murdered my mum, Harry. It's his fault. One day, I'm going to kill that son-of-a-..."
Hermione flinched. "Ron, that's not for us to worry about. The Order is hunting Lucius Malfoy down as we speak. They'll make sure he never hurts another person again, Ron. You just watch and see."
"That's not good enough, damn it!" screamed Ron.
Classes at Hogwarts went on as usual. Everyone knew what had happened to Ron's parents. His father was still in the hospital. He wasn't even able to attend his mother's funeral. Yet, this didn't mean less homework. This night, Ron could be found hiding in Hermione's room with several books thrown every which way across her bed. He had two to three potion vials in front of him, and one very large roll of very blank parchment. Hermione walked quietly into the room and closed the door.
"You all right, Ron?" she whispered. "That was a stupid question. I'm sorry. Would you like some help?" she smiled.
Ron shrugged. "This is too much. I'm too far behind. Finals are coming up, and I'm so far behind...oh, no, Hermione...it's all right. Besides, don't you have your own problems to worry about right now? I wouldn't want to burden you with mine." He groaned.
"It's all right, Ron. Really, it is. I'm not meeting Malfoy until tomorrow morning. Apparently, he got knocked off his broom at the Quiddich game last weekend, and he's been in the infirmary milking it up ever since."
"Oh," Ron sighed. "Well, did you understand anything Professor Flitwick said this morning? To me, it sounded like another language..." he admitted.
Hermione laughed. "You know what? I'll talk, and you write. I can explain what it all means after we're done." She grinned at him.
Three and a half hours later, it was nearly eleven at night, and Ron was finally done with his homework. He sighed with relief, and fell back on to Hermione's pillow. "Thanks, 'Mione." He whispered. "I really needed your help."
"Don't worry about it, Ron," she shrugged. "Did you think I was just going to let you sit there all by yourself? Your face was screwed up all funny...like this..." Hermione furrowed her brow and twisted the corners of her mouth. Her eyes stuck out of her head.
Ron laughed, but then he noticed Hermione's bulletin board. At the very top was an article from a Daily Prophet issue. His letter to her...
"You kept that this long?" Ron asked her, changing the subject.
Hermione blinked, and looked up at it. "I...yeah, I did, Ron." She whispered.
"I hope it didn't scare you or anything...you hadn't mentioned it. I had pretty much given up. I thought I'd scared you away or something." He looked at the floor.
"You didn't scare me away, Ron! I'm here, aren't I?" she smiled at him. "I wish I had the guts to do something like that, Ron. It really touched me." She admitted.
Ron looked up. "Really?" his smile broadened.
"Ron, there's something that I have to tell you..." Hermione sighed. "Ron...I feel the same way. Sirius told me I should tell you...that you can't love a person that long and not tell them about it..." she remembered.
"Whoa! You talked to Sirius about this? You've liked me that long! Wow!" Ron blushed.
Hermione shook her head. "No, Ron. Not Sirius...not really, anyway. His portrait. At Grimuald Place this summer. Do you remember?" she asked him.
He nodded. "I was talking to Harry about it the other day. The day I found out about my parents..." he paused. "Yeah. The other day. Harry is inheriting that place, you know? And his parents' land in Godric's Hollow...he was telling me about it."
"Oh," Hermione nodded. "Well, good night, Ron." Hermione leaned forward and gave Ron an ever-so-subtle kiss on his lips. He hopped off the bed so she could lay down, and tucked her in when she had.
"Good night," he smiled at her. "And no trying to kill me tonight, okay?" he meant it as a joke, but Hermione's face reddened. She looked a little hurt. "I was kidding, 'Mione! I know you didn't mean it!" he laughed, and she smiled. "Sleep tight."
Harry smiled. He had nearly walked in on a very personal moment. He laughed to himself. Finally, Ron and Hermione had begun to take things into their own hands. Things were starting to turn around. At least that was how it seemed...and Harry liked the direction in which things were heading.
Tomorrow morning, Hermione and Ron were absent from breakfast. Harry knew of Hermione's meeting with Malfoy. She had told him and Ron practically everything, despite the fact that they were supposed to be clueless. As to Ron's absence, Harry could not explain it. He ate his breakfast anyway, occasionally talking to Ginny, Seamus, or Neville. When neither Ron nor Hermione showed up for Double Potions (which was still being taught by Professor Lupin), Harry became worried. As soon as Professor Lupin dismissed the class, Harry approached him.
"Professor Lupin, have you seen Ron or Hermione this morning? I saw them in the common room, but that was before we all went down to breakfast...and I haven't seen them since." He explained.
Lupin frowned. "Well, Malfoy was in class..."
"Hermione was supposed to be meeting Malfoy at breakfast, sir! Why would he return when she did not? I'm worried, sir. What if something happened to her? And where on Earth has Ron been all morning?" he asked.
"I understand your concern. I am going to go alert Dumbledore of their absence. Maybe he knows of something that can be done. I want you to go to your common room. Don't worry about going to your class right now. McGonnagal will understand. Stay in your common room until I come and fetch you, all right? Do not go anywhere." He said this last sentence with a note of warning in his voice.
Harry waited for nearly an hour before he heard Lupin, and apparently several other people, charge into the common room. Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Professor McGonnagal followed Professor Lupin closely. None of them looked as if they carried good news. Harry frowned deeply.
"We can't find them, anywhere, Harry. Nowhere on campus." Lupin panted.
Harry groaned, but brightened up for a minute. "Professor Lupin, what about the..." he didn't have to finish his sentence.
"The Marauder's Map! Harry, where is it? Go get it!" Lupin commanded.
The other teachers, with the exception of Professor Dumbledore, looked mildly confused. Harry came back with the map, which he had already activated.
"Do you see them anywhere?" asked McGonnagal, staring at the map.
"It says they're right here..." Harry walked over to a trophy case that stood near the portrait hole. "With Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange!" he screamed. "I don't understand, Professor Lupin! They're not here! I don't see them! They should be right here, but they aren't! The map has never lied before!" Harry was nearly panicking.
Professor Lupin frowned. "Harry, that's just the point. The map can't lie. It's telling the truth. Maybe we just don't see whatever it is that it is seeing..."
Harry glared hatefully at the map and paced back and forth in front of the trophy case. How could the map be wrong? Lupin had just said himself that the map wasn't capable of being wrong. But then...where were Ron and Hermione?"
An evil cackling laugh seemed to fill the room that Hermione and Ron found themselves in. Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy were standing in front of them. Ron was already injured. Hermione could tell he had been in the room for a while. She had been tricked. Draco had made some kind of portkey. She knelt next to Ron. He was still breathing...thank goodness.
"Hermione, so nice to see you. Did you have a nice vacation?" Lucius smirked.
Hermione nodded convincingly. "...Yes. Wasn't really what I would call a vacation, but whatever you say, Lucius." She whispered.
He nodded. "And do you know why you are here, Hermione?" he smirked.
"Not really. Draco didn't tell me anything." She shrugged.
He laughed. "You've been lying to us, my dear. You've been going to bat for both teams, haven't you? Telling Dumbledore everything?"
"Of course not!" Hermione defended herself, although she knew she was lying.
"Don't lie, girl!" hissed Lestrange. "We can see it in your eyes!"
"I'm not!" Hermione yelled.
"...You've been lying to us, so we decided that you're going to tell us the truth right now. Your little boyfriend wouldn't tell us anything...Crucio!" Lucius waved his wand again. Ron screamed and flailed with pain. Then he lay motionless.
"Ron!" screamed Hermione. She laid her head on his chest. He was not dead yet, but she had to get him out of there...
"Talk, little girl!" screamed Bellatrix.
Hermione looked at Ron, winced, and gulped down a sob. She was going to die. They were going to die. "No..." she whispered.
"Crucio!" Bellatrix screamed, and Hermione fell back and yelped with pain. Please, let it be over...
Harry, frustrated, leaned up against the wall, and kicked the trophy case, hard. Dumbledore screamed as Harry began to vanish. The trophy case in the Gryffindor common room was some kind of portkey. Harry didn't know where it would lead him...
Hermione was reaching for her wand. It had fallen when she had been hit with the curse. It seemed so far away...everything was so far away...
Suddenly, Harry was there. He must have gotten there in the same manner that she had. How had he known where they were? Of course he hadn't known! The Death Eaters would do anything to have Harry Potter in their clutches. Now Harry was going to die, too. She had failed.
"Harry! It's a trap!" she screamed. She was still twitching with pain.
Harry frowned. "Obviously!" he smirked. "Where's...RON!" screamed Harry. He ran up to his friend.
Bellatrix and Lucius were laughing now. Harry stood. "You! This is all your fault!" he screamed. "Let them go, damn it! It's me you want!" he demanded.
"We can't do that, Harry Potter," smiled Bellatrix. "See, we'll be greatly rewarded for handing all three of you over. The Dark Lord will be so pleased..." she laughed. "See, the only problem for you is, you'll have to be dead first..." she raised her wand. "Adavara..." she began.
"Stupefy..." Ron had raised his wand. He had just saved Harry from having the same fate as his parents. Ron slipped back into unconsciousness.
Bellatrix flew backwards. She hit the wall. Lucius cursed, and raised his wand. Just the, Dumbledore appeared in the room. He had Lupin and Professor McGonnagal with him. Behind them, two Dementors were poised to attack.
Lucius lowered his wand in pure horror. There were two loud cracks, and both Lucius and Bellatrix disappeared. Dumbledore rushed to Ron, and Lupin picked up Hermione.
"Come on, Harry. We have to get them back quick!" he yelled, and motioned for Harry to follow him. McGonnagal ushered them over to her. In her hand was the trophy with Harry's father's name on it. Had that been the portkey? How had Harry gotten here by only kicking the trophy case? He had so many questions....
Ron and Hermione had to be rushed to St. Mongo's. Harry accompanied them. It was there that he learned that Ron's dad had finally recovered. Now, he had to deal with seeing his son in the same predicament that he himself had been in. Harry stayed by his side while Ron and Hermione were in the hospital. Both of them were hoping Ron and Hermione had it in them to make a full recovery...
A/N: There is one final chapter! Read and review! If the final chapter isn't already up, it will be really soon!