Thank you for your reviews!
SarahLou (Thanks so much for your review! I know, the Creevy brothers were pretty peppy and so enthusiastic – but someone had to die :P It's good you liked that part where Krum was trying to purr, because I wasn't sure if anyone would think it was funny lol So thanks again! :D), M.Ann (You never know, though :P But that's how I made her talk in the story, thanks for your review!), AmyChris (Lol Thank you sooooo much!!! Lol Yeah, I know, I think that's why I wanted to kill them off in the story lol ;) I'm just kidding :P Don't worry, I'll think of something, if you have any ideas tell me!), Gryffxchick, MWPP Fanatic, Snuffles2984 (Lol Thanks so much!!! :D Actually I was just making up crap, but then when I was reading it over I was like 'hey! It doesn't sound too bad' I'm glad you liked that part too (with the purring) Since I wasn't sure if a lot of people would think it was funny :D), Poky (Lol Thanks a lot!!! Sure, no problem :P), The-Dark-Rose-of-Insanity, True-gryffindor (Don't worry, hopefully something with Harry will come up in this story! If everything goes as planned ;) Thanks a lot for your review!), Punkbanana13, Celebrean (Lol It's okay. I hope you caught up with all of the stories you were reading :P), Flying-piggy-123, Redick4 (Lol Thanks for your review! :D Well, actually what happens is when I try to write a chapter I think about it for a while like what interesting things I could put it in it you know? And then after that everything just flows, or so I hope! But yeah, mostly it's just from the top of my head, I just make up my stuff :P. I'm happy that you like it!)
I hope you like this chapter! Please review and tell me what you think :)
Chapter 17Ron stared at Hermione in shock. His mouth was opening and closing but no words were coming out.
"I couldn't fight itI" Hermione exclaimed shrilly, "I couldn't fight the Imperius Curse…" she added dejectedly.
"I'm going to kill Krum if it's the last thing I do, I swear I will!" Ron clenched his fists as if he were ready to knock someone out.
"It was so horrible…watching the three of them just die! They didn't have any marks on them or anything!" Hermione continued, she felt like the poison of what happened two nights ago leaked out of her body by telling Ron everything, "And Luna…she didn't even make a sound when Krum pointed his wand at her and said the unforgivable curse."
Ron saw that her whole body was trembling now. He took her hand, "Hermione, well get him back, we'll get our revenge on Krum and the rest of the Death Eaters. We'll just have to think of something."
Tears poured out of Hermione's eyes like raindrops, but she nodded her head in agreement, "W-we will."
Suddenly, with a blast of white sparks the door flew open dangerously dangling on its hinges.
Ron wrapped his arms around Hermione's shoulders reflexively.
Lucius Malfoy strutted into the room with Draco at his side.
Ron had to hold back from saying a nasty comment at the pair of them.
"My my…what dreary living quarters." Lucius commented making a quick round of the room, surveying everything in his path.
"Looks like we should've just let them stay with the house-elves, Father."
"Or in the Forbidden Forest where many of our faithful creatures reside."
Lucius and Draco looked at each other and smirked.
"They sure look like they're having a jolly good time." Ron remarked softly to Hermione.
He felt her shaking with silent laughter.
"We have a little quest for you two." Lucius drawled, rubbing his hands in anticipation, "One of our animals have escaped into the Forbidden Forest, and you two have to find it."
"What is it?"
"Did we ask you to speak Mudblood?" Draco asked haughtily, still smirking.
"Shall we teach her a lesson?" Lucius asked turning to Draco, who was nodding furiously.
"Come here." Lucius commanded pointing to the space in front of him.
"Leave her alone!" Ron exclaimed. He couldn't hold his tongue any longer.
"Another Weasley…you should see how dreadful your sister looks. In fact, a few days from now there will be one less in your family." Lucius said.
Ron felt his heart stop for a second, "What!"
"Enough!" Lucius barked pointing his wand at Ron, "Move away from the girl, now!"
Ron let his arms drop onto the cot and then he slowly got off the cot.
"Crucio!" Lucius exclaimed.
Ron started twitching on the floor, horriblely. He screamed in pain. A few moments later, he felt the pain slowly subsiding.
He was panting heavily; he looked up at Lucius disdainfully.
"Liked that didn't you?" Lucius sneered; he lifted his foot in a kicking position.
Hermione gasped loudly, "Stop!"
Luckily, for Ron and Hermione a short and stumpy Death Eater rushed into the room, "Lucius…there's been a problem with the potion! We're missing a few ingredients."
Lucius put his foot back on the ground; his face turned red from anger, "You insolent fools! Can't you do anything without me?"
The Death Eater started stammering, "B-but…we need it!"
Lucius sighed heavily, "We'll continue this later." He said looking at Ron. He turned to the Death Eater, "Get Peter in here, as quickly as possible."
The Death Eater rushed out of the room at once.
"Come, Draco. Let me show you how to take care of these idiots who are a disgrace to pure bloods." With the swish of his cloak, he turned and exited the dungeon without a backwards glace at Hermione or Ron.
--
Hermione looked up at the position of the sun and noted that it was about four in the afternoon.
Ron, Hermione, and Peter were standing at the entrance of the Forbidden Forest.
"You'll need these things." Peter held out two backpacks towards Hermione and Ron.
Hermione took one of the bags and clutched it in her hands.
"You'll have to capture the Mongaroo." Peter shivered after saying the name of the creature, "Good luck." He started backing away, his watery eyes darting at the Forbidden Forest and then at Hermione and Ron.
"What's a Mongaroo?" Ron asked, frustrated, "How are we even supposed to catch that thing?"
"It will come to you – Oh yes, I forgot…silly me." Peter walked back to where they were standing. He opened his cloak and removed a medium sized pouch; he opened the mouth of it and put his hand inside.
Hermione watched him suspiciously as he held out his palm which had a pink looking powder in it.
Without warning, Peter threw the powder in their faces.
"My eyes!"
"Oh my God! It went up my nose!"
Hermione rubbed her eyes furiously, she opened them slowly, and she could see some of the pink powder stuck on her long eyelashes. She looked up the sloping hills and saw chubby little Peter Pettigrew running and slipping on a few loose rocks to get up to the castle.
"That stupid git!" Ron exclaimed wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt, "I can't even breathe!" He started coughing.
Hermione rolled her eyes; Ron was just over exaggerating as usual.
She opened the bag. Suddenly, she felt her spirits rising. She had a wand!
"Ron, look!" She exclaimed happily, pulling out the wand.
Immediately, Ron stopped coughing. He looked at the wand for a second before saying, "That's not a real wand, it's a light-stick. Let me show you." He took the wand from Hermione and pressed a button at the base of it. A faint beam of light traced the ground.
Hermione sighed; "I'm sorry…I just thought…" she trailed off.
Ron handed her back the light-stick, "Don't worry about it, Hermione."
She held open the mouth of the bag and rummaged through the contents. There was a big square rubbery kind of object; she put it to her nose. It smelled like a dog treat.
She also found a shirt that was made out of some kind of leather, she observed it closer and saw that it was actually made of dragon hide.
Oh my God...this animal might be breathing fire! Hermione thought.
"I think we should put these on." Ron suggested pulling out his own dragon hide shirt from his bag.
Hermione pulled her dragon hide shirt over the shirt she was already wearing. It was a hideous color of murky green mixed with flecks of brown. Although it was sleeveless, she felt a bit better knowing that she was protected.
"I reckon we should be off, then?" Ron said adjusting the backpack on his shoulders and looking at Hermione expectantly.
Hermione quickly did the same and then stared off into the foreboding forest.
Ron took her hand in his.
She looked up at him and saw that his cheeks had gone red, and he was smiling. She felt herself blushing, too.
They walked into the forest, straining their ears for the slightest sounds.
As they walked deeper and deeper into the unknown, Hermione gripped Ron's hand tighter. She felt grateful that she had him to hold onto even though, she had a sinking feeling that in the end there would only be one of them left.