The Escape

(Chapter Seven)

Hermione's body hit the ground hard. For a second it knocked the wind out of her and she cringed in pain. Soon, she realized though that she couldn't be dead if she was feeling pain. She was still alive!

Hermione's eyes snapped open in time to see the old death eaters' body hit the ground with a loud thud next to her. The curse had hit him instead, he was dead. There was also someone on the ground right next to her with an arm wrapped tightly around her. The one that had knocked her to the ground.

Everything was happening so fast that she had to force her mind to keep up.

She saw the old death eater's wand roll out from his robes and she grabbed it quickly just as she noticed Narcissa aiming her wand. "Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted and Narcissa's wand went flying. Before Hermione could utter another defensive charm a familiar voice sounded behind her. "Petrificus Totalus!" And Narcissa went stiff and fell to the floor. The next thing Hermione knew she was being pulled up off the floor. The person still clung to her tightly. It was Ron! But before she could ask any questions, she and Ron both had their wands out and ready, pointed straight at Voldemort.

They were both breathing hard, their hearts beating quickly together from the surge of adrenaline. Ron had let go of Hermione but she still clung tightly to the back of his shirt as if to let go would mean her death.

"Mr. Weasley, so kind of you to join us," Voldemort said with a calm tone as if nothing had happened and the death of one of his followers meant nothing. He smiled wickedly and stepped closer.

"I must say, I underestimated you. This building is supposed to be impenetrable, no wizard can apparate here…" He trailed off as if thinking.

"Not that it matters really, I should be grateful. It saves me the trouble of having to search for you as well. Now I can just kill the both of you at the same time," Voldemort said with pleasure.

Hermione felt the cloth of Ron's dark green T-shirt rip out of her hand. He leaped in front of her. "Kill me! Let her Go!"

"Ron, No!" Hermione shouted while she desperately tried to pull him back.

Voldemort must have found this most amusing because he began to laugh menacingly.

Ron and Hermione both glared at him.

"As noble as that gestures is, I'm afraid I can not accept. But you're welcome to go first if you like. It makes no difference to me in what order you die."

Hermione finally found enough strength to pull Ron back to her side.

"No! You coward!" She shouted at Voldemort. Ron looked at her; He would have smiled with admiration if they weren't near death. He looked back to Voldemort to catch a reaction, he showed none, and he didn't even speak.

"You're going to prove that you're the greatest wizard in history by murdering two defenseless teenagers? That proves nothing except for the fact that you're an evil, murdering bastard!"

Was she trying to get us killed? Ron thought. But when he saw the look on Voldemort's face he realized what she was doing. Brilliant! She was playing into his ego. Voldemort's sense of self was so great that if his abilities were challenged he'd play right into her brilliant hands. That's if she played it right.

"You whish to challenge me in a duel?" He asked coldly.

Not the right reaction. Ron thought.

"You're fight is not with us! It's with the order, and it's with Harry, what harm could we possibly bring you?"

Voldemort was silent.

"Yeah! Kidnapping a girl just shows how afraid you are to face grown, trained wizards!" Ron added. Hermione shot him a quick glance, praying he'd said the right thing. Voldemort was silent, contemplating their words. The silence left Ron and Hermione on edge, frightened at what his response might be.

"One day I will meet Harry Potter in combat, I know at least that much of the prophecy…I don't know when or where, but someday it will happen." Voldemort stepped closer to them and they both tensed and consciously stepped back. He continued,

"My first thought was to make him as weak as possible, unlike myself, Harry believes that there are things worse than death…And to him, that's loosing ones that he loves. Killing you two would make him weak….But now that I've met you…Nothing would give me more pleasure than meeting the three of you in a duel. Nothing would distract Harry more in a fight than his best friends in danger."

This is what Hermione wanted. She knew a confrontation with Voldemort was inevitable, but maybe she could put it off for a while. However, she didn't want to use this escape as something for Voldemort to use against Harry.

Voldemort suddenly lifted his wand. Ron and Hermione's grip on each other tightened and they held their breaths. However, to their surprise, the only thing that his wand produced was a small ceramic bowl full of powder on a table next to an old ash stained fire place.

The couple glanced at it suspiciously.

"It's floo powder," He stated simply. Hermione and Ron didn't budge, afraid that it was a trick.

"Leave, before I change my mind!" Voldemort growled. They jumped back and cautiously but quickly made their way over to the table. Hermione was using all her strength and Ron to stand up. They reached the table and Ron grabbed a handful of the powder as they quickly stepped into the dark ashy fireplace. Voldemort stared at them with cold eyes but didn't move.

This had to be a trick. What was going on? Hermione thought. That was it! He wanted the two of them to floo back to headquarters so he could track where they went. Could he do that? She didn't know, but she wasn't going to risk it. Hermione quickly leaned closer to Ron to tell him to take them somewhere else other than headquarters and her secret was disguised as a hug. Ron nodded and quickly threw the powder at their feet. "The Leaky Cauldron!" He shouted and they were both engulfed by a green flame. The next thing they knew they were standing clung to each other in a fire place in the middle of the Leaky Cauldron. No one noticed them at first; people were used to other witches and wizards appearing in the fire. It wasn't until they stepped out and Hermione collapsed in Ron's arms crying that people in the tavern immediately looked at them with curiosity.

Ron didn't notice though, all that mattered to him at that moment was holding Hermione. It hurt him to hear her cry and to feel her shaking against him. They were both kneeled on the floor; Hermione had her face buried in Ron's chest sobbing. After a few seconds Ron looked up at the people around them starring.

"Someone get an owl quick, send it to Molly Weasley…tell her we're all right!" Ron ordered and several people left to go do his bidding.

The Words 'all right' calmed Hermione down slightly. She was all right. Someone had soon brought over a large glass of water and handed it to Ron. He took it with a nod of gratitude and carefully lifted Hermione's chin and held the class up to her mouth so she could drink.

"Thank you," she breathed. Ron set the glass down and took her in his arms again. Hermione wasn't crying as much now though she was in pain. She was mostly just relieved to be safe. The strong front she had put up for Voldemort and the death eaters had finally fallen.

"I'm Sorry," Hermione whispered. Ron pulled away from her.

"Hermione you have nothing to be sorry about!" He responded and Hermione started crying again. He didn't know what she had almost done. He didn't know that she had almost betrayed the ones she loved. Guilt washed over as she cried into Ron's shoulder.

Suddenly there was three loud cracks and Lupin, Arthur, and Tonks appeared around them. Tonks was immediately at Hermione's side lifting her off her feet and engulfing her in her arms. Ron was also taken into a tight hug by his father. Lupin let them hug as long as he could, but they had to go.

"Let's get back to headquarters. I have a porkey, it's unauthorized, but I don't think the ministry will give us much of a problem," Lupin announced and they all reached out for a blue wool glove that he was holding and they all transported back to headquarters.

Thank you everyone, you are awesome! Please keep on reading!