Chapter Four- The Charm of a Weasley

The new decree was not only new at Hogwarts. Fear and tension in the wizarding world had led people to see muggles as a scapegoat so Cornelius Fudge had made it into law that attacking muggle-bornes would be considered a 'hate-crime', a term borrowed from them. The dark times were growing.

Back at Hogwarts, November had settled in, casting icy gray winds about the grounds. This feeling had not spread up to Gryffindor tower, where Ron was in his room secretly working on the Protamour Charm. His encounter with Hermione in the common room had inspired him. Although he thought Hermione was safer with the new decree, it certainly couldn't hurt to have a back up. The heart shaped necklace he was working on lay on his bed. He tried again, raising his wand. "Protamour," he said, trying to conjure his feelings but he lacked concentration. If anyone knew what he was doing...

Ginny walked in. "Ginny!" Ron roared. "Don't you know how to knock?"

"Sorry, Fred and George didn't teach me that," she said coolly. "I wanted to see what you were doing." She looked at the necklace on the bed and then at the wand in his hand. "You're making a Protamour Charm, aren't you? For Hermione? Isn't that the spell where if you really love someone you "Shut-up, Ginny!" can charm something with it and they carry it around and your love "SHUT-UP, GINNY!" will keep them safe from harm? That's it, isn't it?"

"I'm going to tell Dean that you wet the bed."

"Oh Ron, that's so romantic, what you're doing," she said, completely ignoring his protests.

"If you tell anyone I'll but the curse of the bogies on you."

"Fair enough," she said smartly. "Let's see you do it then, go on, give it another try."

"Ginny," Ron started.

"Just relax and think about how you feel about her." Ron swallowed and closed his eyes. He thought about Hermione. Hermione's brown eyes, Hermione's quick wit...on the train asking if anyone had seen a beneath a mountain troll...setting fire to Snape's robes...petrified in the hospital off to both arithmancy and muggle studies...looking beautiful at the Yule Ball...going on her tip-toes to kiss him on the cheek. He raised his wand and breathed, his voice just above a whisper.

"Protamour..." A pink wave emitted from his wand, hitting the necklace and making it sparkle and glow.

"Ohhh..." gasped Ginny. "How are you going to give it to her?" Ron bit his lip. He hadn't really worked that part out yet.

Weeks had gone by and Ron still hadn't figured out a way he could possibly present it to her. Her birthday had already passed, although Christmas was not far away. He sat in the common room beating Harry at wizard chess. He was contemplating telling him for the umpteenth time that he had made the charm, and to solicit advice on what he should do now when Hermione and Ginny burst though the portrait hole, whispering back and forth to each other. Both boys watched them curiously as they made a beeline for the girls dormitories. "Hey, Hermione!" Ron called to her, but she just shot him a brief, panicked look before hurriedly continuing her path.

"What was all that about?" Ron questioned an equally puzzled Harry.

Inside the privacy of the girl's dormitory, Hermione and Ginny sat on a four-poster, Hermione weeping onto Ginny's shoulder.

"He was waiting for me," she said between sobs. "He must have known that I stay at the library until close. And he was there..."

"What happened, Hermione? You have to tell me, then we have to go tell somebody."

"Oh Ginny, I don't know that I could..."

"You must, Hermione, at least tell me."

"He was standing outside. At first, I was going to ignore him, just walk straight passed, you know, but he grabbed my arm and said he wanted to talk to me. Crabbe and Goyle weren't there so I thought maybe it would be all right. Oh, I feel so stupid! I mean, I had my wand...but...oh, I don't know."

"Tell me." Ginny persisted; knowing that it was paramount that she get the truth out now. She had met Hermione in a disturbed state on her way back to Gryffindor tower.

Hermione's voice shook as she retold he encounter. "He... he...it happened so fast. He moved in and twisted my wand out of my hand, threw it down on the floor and he trapped it under his foot", she cried. "Then he grabbed my wrists and pushed me up against the wall. I would have screamed but he had his wand up to my throat. He whispered into my ear... told me I was in danger, but that if I did something for him he'd protect me."

"What?"

Hermione attempted to hold back a tidal wave of emotion. She didn't want anyone to know what he had tried to solicit from her, but her downcast brown eyes were too much of a give away for Ginny.

"We must go tell someone, Hermione! Think rationally for a moment, don't you want this reported?"

She sat up a bit as if trying to be reasonable. It only lasted a moment before she dissolved once more into tears. "No...please, Ginny, I don't want anyone to know."

"Right." Ginny said, backing off. "You're being bloody stubborn and unreasonable, you know. I'm sorry to have to do this, but you've left me no choice. Mind you, what I'm about to do is out of love."

Hermione stared at her, shaking, as Ginny walked out the door. Hermione leapt up to close the door, not wanting more Gryffindors to see their prefect cry. A few minutes later there was a sharp knock at the door.

"Hermione, it's us. Open the door." Harry's voice shot through her.

AN- Ha ha, evil cliffhanger. More reviews makes for faster posting.