Chapter Three
* * *
She buried her head in her books that were in her arms. She walked faster and faster until she reached the north Astronomy tower. She burst through the trap door and out into the bright sunlight. The brisk morning air reminded her of things long forgotten.
* "Well you're free to leave at any point you wish." he said forcefully, "Just don't deceive me."*
She rushed out to the edge of the turret. Hogwarts surrounded her and all she knew that was true. She flung her arms wide open and closed her eyes letting everything just consume her whole.
She felt as if she were flying. Floating on a cushion of air. The wind whipped through her hair. The world was beautiful and full of life. Then everything was crashing down around her. Why was everything suddenly smothering her?
She couldn't breathe, she was trapped. She needed a way out, a fast way out. She wanted to burst into hysterical tears. But he would have never left her.
As she stood on the edge of the guard rail, 348ft. below nobody knew she was there. Waiting.
Waiting for her moment.
She wanted to let go. She didn't have anything or one to wait for or live for exactly at the moment. A strong wind swirled around her and caught her totally off guard. She lost balance, but regained it through the swirling and spinning.
A scream rang out over the court yard.
Someone had noticed.
People were streaming to the base of the castle. Ron looked around the top of the towers for the cause, and found it.
"Oh God. What is she doing?" he whispered in horror. He watched as she swayed and staggered along the edge. Then as if lighting had struck him, he charged at the school's front doors knocking over teachers and students alike. Pain in his right side caused him to falter, but he pressed on. As he neared the Astronomy tower the pain in his side was causing him to become dizzy.
'No.' he told himself, 'I will make it. I have to.'
He pushed the door open and it slapped the top of the tower.
There she was. His angel. His Hermione.
She swayed a little to the left and then to the back. He staggered to her.
" 'Mione! What are you doing?" he shouted.
" Don't think that, that will work this time, Weasley." she said.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Get down!" he tried to reason.
Pain surged through him, but he struggled to remain standing.
" Please." he breathed.
" I rather like it up here. Don't you Ron?" she turned her head towards him.
" RON!" she screamed, as she watched as he doubled over in pain.
She tried to turn at the same time, but it only caused her ankles to cross. She lost her balance. She was falling backwards towards the ground.
From the ground it looked horrific. Students screamed and watched in horror as it happened.
She felt a jerk at her wrist. She looked up at her rescuer. Ron had only just made it to her aid. He smiled weakly, as he pulled her up. They collapsed to the ground.
" Ron..." Hermione had breath and courage to say. He tried to sit up but failed in his attempt.
Hermione was panicking. He wanted to tell her not to, but the pain was to strong for him. He moaned instead. A low growing painful moan.
" Hermione!" came Harry's voice.
" Ron?" Ginny panted. Hermione moved for Ginny to kneel beside Ron.
" Ron, what is it?" she asked, pulling at his arms around his waist.
No response.
" Ron?" she asked again.
" Ron! Can you hear me?!" Ginny panicked after the third time with no response.
Hermione was alarmed.
" Harry?" Ginny and Hermione looked to him for help. He was panicking inside but remanded calm on the outside.
"I...uh, hospital wing!" he said.
* * *
She buried her head in her books that were in her arms. She walked faster and faster until she reached the north Astronomy tower. She burst through the trap door and out into the bright sunlight. The brisk morning air reminded her of things long forgotten.
* "Well you're free to leave at any point you wish." he said forcefully, "Just don't deceive me."*
She rushed out to the edge of the turret. Hogwarts surrounded her and all she knew that was true. She flung her arms wide open and closed her eyes letting everything just consume her whole.
She felt as if she were flying. Floating on a cushion of air. The wind whipped through her hair. The world was beautiful and full of life. Then everything was crashing down around her. Why was everything suddenly smothering her?
She couldn't breathe, she was trapped. She needed a way out, a fast way out. She wanted to burst into hysterical tears. But he would have never left her.
As she stood on the edge of the guard rail, 348ft. below nobody knew she was there. Waiting.
Waiting for her moment.
She wanted to let go. She didn't have anything or one to wait for or live for exactly at the moment. A strong wind swirled around her and caught her totally off guard. She lost balance, but regained it through the swirling and spinning.
A scream rang out over the court yard.
Someone had noticed.
People were streaming to the base of the castle. Ron looked around the top of the towers for the cause, and found it.
"Oh God. What is she doing?" he whispered in horror. He watched as she swayed and staggered along the edge. Then as if lighting had struck him, he charged at the school's front doors knocking over teachers and students alike. Pain in his right side caused him to falter, but he pressed on. As he neared the Astronomy tower the pain in his side was causing him to become dizzy.
'No.' he told himself, 'I will make it. I have to.'
He pushed the door open and it slapped the top of the tower.
There she was. His angel. His Hermione.
She swayed a little to the left and then to the back. He staggered to her.
" 'Mione! What are you doing?" he shouted.
" Don't think that, that will work this time, Weasley." she said.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Get down!" he tried to reason.
Pain surged through him, but he struggled to remain standing.
" Please." he breathed.
" I rather like it up here. Don't you Ron?" she turned her head towards him.
" RON!" she screamed, as she watched as he doubled over in pain.
She tried to turn at the same time, but it only caused her ankles to cross. She lost her balance. She was falling backwards towards the ground.
From the ground it looked horrific. Students screamed and watched in horror as it happened.
She felt a jerk at her wrist. She looked up at her rescuer. Ron had only just made it to her aid. He smiled weakly, as he pulled her up. They collapsed to the ground.
" Ron..." Hermione had breath and courage to say. He tried to sit up but failed in his attempt.
Hermione was panicking. He wanted to tell her not to, but the pain was to strong for him. He moaned instead. A low growing painful moan.
" Hermione!" came Harry's voice.
" Ron?" Ginny panted. Hermione moved for Ginny to kneel beside Ron.
" Ron, what is it?" she asked, pulling at his arms around his waist.
No response.
" Ron?" she asked again.
" Ron! Can you hear me?!" Ginny panicked after the third time with no response.
Hermione was alarmed.
" Harry?" Ginny and Hermione looked to him for help. He was panicking inside but remanded calm on the outside.
"I...uh, hospital wing!" he said.