A/N: My lord I am tired……Sorry that had no relevance to the story what so ever. Anyway, in a few chapters some things might happen that don't take place in the books. I am doing them because it wouldn't be what the characters would do or one of many other reasons. Just wanted to know if that was ok with everyone? I know the beginning has been a lot like the books and movie but I am hoping to change some of that and give it its own life. (Just haven't figured out how…….OBS!) Also, two questions that have nothing to do with this story. 1 which house was Dumbledore in? and 2, how do you attract more people to your stories? If you review and answer the questions I can't do anything for you but I will be really happy. lol . Thank you and happy reading. infallallthingsaremadesplended. (P.S. do I need an easier name?)

Chapter 4

Flight to the Ford

Harry led the way across the open land with the hobbits trying to keep up. To him it was fun watching Fred and George try to walk as fast as him with their short legs. If it weren't for those two Harry doubted this trip would have been so bearable. Their good nature and humour seemed to make it easier on everyone, not just him.

There was one thing that bothered Harry though. Every since he had caught up with Ron he had thought his best friend was a little different. He didn't seem to be his usual goofy self. Instead of saying what he thought about at the exact moment that he thought it, he seemed to hold off. Harry couldn't tell what had brought on this strange change in Ron but he hoped that he would go back to normal when he had handed the ring over to Gandalf. Once they had returned to their world.

When they came insight of Wheathertop Harry couldn't have been happier. It now meant they were only a few days away from Rivendell. The sooner that they reached the elfin city, the sooner they could all go back.

"We'll be stopping here for the night," Harry announced to the group. He could tell by the looks on their faces that they were all happy to have the chance to rest for a while. They quickly found a place on the hill that over looked the surrounding area. If anyone decided to attack them, Harry was confident that they would be able to see them coming.

As soon as they had all settled in, Harry announced that he was going to have a look around. Though he knew they probably didn't like being left alone unarmed he felt he needed to look around and make sure everything was as it should be. He gave all four of the hobbits small swards to use in case anything happened why he was gone. "I'll be back soon," he said as he left them all sitting alone.

"I wonder where he is going" Fred said as he sat back down on a log. He looked at Ron. Something was different about him. Most of the journey he had kept rather silent and to himself. Though he would talk with the others it always seemed that his mind was on something else. It was a surprise to him. Ron never usually thought about anything unless it was quidditch. "What it bothering you Ron?" he finally asked.

"Nothing," was the quick reply that he got. Ron looked up at Fred, maybe he could tell them. "It's just," he started but then stopped.

"What is it?" Sam asked. He had been listening to the whole conversation and he no longer decided to hide it. If something was bothering Frodo (or Ron rather, but he still called him Frodo) he wanted to know.

"Well, it's just Harry seems a bit odd don't you think?" he asked the other three hobbits. "I don't know. He just seemed a bit different is all."

"I don't know. He seems to be normal to me," George said. "Then again that might have to do with the fact that he got to remain human while the rest of us look like we were put in dryer and shrunk."

Ron just laughed it off. George was probably right. It would probably turn out to be nothing but his imagination, but even as he thought this there was something telling him there was something more to Harry now, something different. Whether is was good or bed he didn't know. "Whatever" he said to the others. "I'm going to shut my eyes for a while" and with that he laid back and slowly let the sleep overcome him.

¤ ¤

Ron didn't know how long he had been asleep when he woke up to the sounds of Fred, George, and Sam's loud talking. He rolled over on his blanket and looked to find the three of them cooking bacon and sausages over on open fire. Immediately he was up off the ground and over to the fire.

"What do you think you're doing?" he yelled at the others. "Put it out!" He had grabbed a blanket nearby and had started to put the fire out. The other three just watched as he destroyed their source of warmth. In a matter of moments Ron had successfully plunged them into the dark of night with nothing to go by, save the light of the moon.

"Why did you do that?" George asked.

Ron just looked at them all with a cold stair. "You idiots. You might as well have light a sign saying here we are!´. We are lucky no one seems to have seen it."

Just at that moment there was a loud cry that rang through the air. They all recognized it immediately. Ringwraiths!

"Hurry!" Ron said as he grabbed the small sward that Harry had given to him before he left. The others grabbed their swards as well before all four of them ran up on to the very top of the hill. There they stood in the very centre of what used to be an old fort, though most of it had fallen down leaving nothing except a few statues and bricks.

The four of them just stood there waiting for the inevitable. They could here the sounds of the riders odd breathing, and their cries before they saw them. The black silhouettes of five tall riders slowly appeared on the edge of the hill and advanced towards the hobbits.

Though they seemed to move in slow motion their movements were quick. With in a matter of moments they were on the small group. With force, they threw Fred and George out of their way before moving on to Sam. With in what seemed like a second Ron stood in front of the riders completely alone trying to hold up his sward and be brave.

All he could think about now was one thing, to put the ring on. The urge slowly built up inside of him and before he knew it he could think of nothing else. Every warning that Gandalf had told him and every story that he had heard of Bilbo now seemed to slip from his mind. All he wanted to do was feel the comforting of the band of gold on his finger.

Eventually the urge became so strong that he gave in. He slipped the small ring onto his finger and disappeared, or so he thought.

When he looked at the Ringwraiths in front of him they were looking right back at him with piercing black wholes for eyes. Ron couldn't believe what he was seeing. He knew that a wraith had no physical body, Harry had told him that, but he seemed to be seeing what they used to be. They were like the shadows of the men they had been. All had long beards and hair, with a silver helmet upon their heads. There was one, however that was different than the others. He was the taller one that the helmet seemed to have a crown on it, and was now moving straight for Ron.

The wraith reached out his long cold hand towards the ring. Ron could feel some force act upon him as the rider's hand came closer to his. Slowly his hand that held the ring was being lifted up towards the white hands of the wraith's. Ron looked in disbelief, as his hand moved against his will, it finally took him all his strength to force his hand back to him at the last second, and away from the out stretched hand that threatened to separate Ron from the ring.

In rage, Ron saw the rider's hand withdraw and then lung at him with a knife. The pointed blade dug itself into Ron's shoulder with much pain. It felt as if a poisoned shard of ice had been ran through him. He let out a cry as the knife was forcefully yanked out of him and he slipped the ring off. The last thing he saw was Harry jumping over him, sward and torch in hand.

"Look Mr. Frodo" Sam said as he stared down at Ron's cold shaking form. "It's Mr. Bilbo's tolls." Around them stood the huge forms of three trolls sitting in somewhat of a circle. Sam was now crying as Ron gave no evidence that he had heard him. They had been travelling for days and with each one that passed Ron was getting worse. The wound was now an ugly shade of blues, yellows, and greens, as well as red. The whole time Ron's eyes were open but it was as if he didn't see nor here a thing anyone of them would say.

"Sam come here" Harry called from afar. Sam obediently stood up and walked to him, tears still in his eyes. Harry wasn't crying as he was but he could tell that the ranger was deeply concerned for his friend, far more then he let on. "Do you know the athelas plant Sam?" he asked Sam quickly.

"Kings foil?" Sam asked in confusion.

"That's it. I want you go through the nearby wood and see if you can find it. It might slow the poison." He then turned to the twins who were now sitting watching protectively over their brother. "You two stay and watch him."

"Is he going to die?" George asked Harry before he left.

"Not unless I can help it," he said before running off into the dark woods. Fred and George were left alone to look after Ron.

How could you have been so stupid! Harry thought to himself as he searched the forest for the plant that might be able to save his best friend. Harry didn't know why, but Gandalf had told him that if someone were to get hurt that the athelas plant would fight against most anything. Now he would do anything for the wizard to be there, but instead he fallowed his instructions to the best of his ability.

Harry was now desperate. It was his fault that Ron was in this mess, it was his fault that they were all in this mess and now Ron was going to die if he couldn't find a way to save him. Oh, why did he leave them alone!

Just at that moment he spotted something on the ground that made his heart jump. He bent down as fast as he could and took out his knife.

As he was about to cut the plant off from its roots he suddenly felt cool metal against his throat.

"What is this?" came a smooth voice from behind him. "The great Harry Potter caught off guard?"

¤ ¤

Ron breathed in hard. He was sure he was drowning though he wasn't sure how. He wasn't in water. The pain in his shoulder had now spread through the left side of his body and it was the hardest thing he could do to breath.

Suddenly he felt a warm feeling on his face. He looked to his side to see the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon. There was a beautiful woman standing before him. She was dressed in green travelling clothes and her long brown hair tumbled about her in soft curls. She had warm brown eyes and she seemed to glow. Her inner light was washing over him giving him comfort and warmth.

"Ron," she said in a soft comforting voice. "Ron can you here me?" He couldn't respond though. Every movement that he did caused him so much pain, and he was so cold, so very cold.

¤ ¤

Fred couldn't believe who was now standing over Ron. "Hermione?" he asked in complete amazement. The person who stood before the hobbits had long hair that had transformed from bushy to tame curls and she stood with a new self-awareness but it was still the same Hermione. One could see it in her soft brown eyes that now gazed down worryingly on one of her best friends.

From beside Fred, Sam could hardly believe what he was seeing. He had heard so many stories and had always longed to look upon an elf that he was shocked to actually see one up close. She was the most beautiful creature he had every laid eyes on and all he could do was stare.

"He needs elvish medicine" she said to Harry who had bent down next to her. "You nor I can do much for him now." Harry just nodded solemnly. The only chance that Ron now had was to get him to Rivendell as fast as possible. They wear only a day or so away now but he knew the wraiths would do everything in their power to stop him from crossing the river.

"Ok" he said as he bent down and picked Ron up. He cared and placed him on the horse that Hermione had rode on.

"There are five behind you," Hermione said fallowing him. The hobbits stayed were they were confused as to what was going to happen. "I don't know where the other four are. I think I can out run them and get to Rivendell in less than a day."

Harry looked at her with disagreement in his eyes. "You can't go. It is way too dangerous!" The last thing he needed was to endanger another one of his friend's lives.

Hermione didn't care. "Will you stop with the whole having to save people thing´. You may be good on a broom but I will be faster riding." She now felt bad about snapping at him. Looking into his eyes she could see the deep worry that he held there for her and Ron. "Don't worry, I do not fear them" and with that she mounted the white house with ease.

Harry nodded knowing there was no way he was going to get her to change her mind. He looked up at her before she left. "Ride hard, ride fast" he told her. "Don't look back."

Hermione didn't say anything. She immediately spurred the horse to run and then took off into the night.

¤ ¤

They had rode all night before they saw the wraiths though Hermione could always sense them near. They were right on her as she raced across the last open patch of flat land before trees again surrounded them and the ground became uneven. They stretched out their hands trying to grab for Ron but each time she managed to keep a hold of him. She couldn't let them take Ron or herself.

She was nearly out of breath when she saw something that gave her hope. The river. With all the strength and speed she could muster from the horse and herself they crossed the river. As they reached the safety of the other side she turned to face the riders that were now standing on the opposite bank.

"Give us the hobbit she elf!" they cried angrily to her.

Hermione unsheathed her sward and held it up in defiance. "You want him!" she cried boldly. "Come and get him!" The wraiths shrieked in anger and charged over the river, but the moment they stepped foot into the river something began to happen.

The water around their feet suddenly began to rise very fast fallowed by what sounded like thunder. Fast as lightning a wave of water came crashing around the bend. A heard of white water horses charged at the wraiths and in a mater of moments pulled them down river with amazing force.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as the flood receded from the banks of the river. She looked down at Ron to see what he had to say but he didn't say anything. He wasn't moving, he wasn't breathing.

"Oh God" Hermione cried as she jumped down off the horse with Ron in her hands. "Ron!" she yelled, but there came no reply. "Ron, no!" Tears fell down from her soft brown eyes. Ron just sat motionless in her arms. Slowly she surrounded his unconscious form with her arms. Please, she cried in her thoughts, let him live, let him be spared!

A/N What do you think? Any good? I know some of you thought that Ron would be more like Sam and I thought that at first too, BUT he is Frodo for a reason. They are all their people for a reason that later ties in with why they are there in the first place.