Chapter Four:

Inside The Tower

George had run through the sections as they were blurred visions of brown racing past him like diving hawks. He could hear the sound of gasping and suffocating and he needed to get to where the sound was coming from. Perhaps Malfoy might have given him the wrong section or tower, but Malfoy would die in George's hands if Malfoy had actually killed Harry. He needed to get to the sound, but he was trapped in a tower.

It was dark and George could see nothing with in the mix. Not one light was on or shining through, so he called out Harry's name. There was no answer and it only echoed through the tower's tip. The sound eloped the rafters and rung through out the air in a scared tone. Where he was, George didn't know. Would he find him, he wasn't sure, but he couldn't give up. He needed to find the sound and he needed to save a life.

Then he heard the one last strangled cry. There was finally a body in George's sight. It lay on the floor with its face towards the wall. A body with a purplish complexion to its face with a blue mixed in. George did the first thing that came to his mind and ran. He ran to it and the body still lay motionless upon the moistened floor of a tower. What was going on?

"Harry?" George asked.

The body made no sound. George reached forward and grasped the body by its shoulder and pulled. The body faced him and George had almost immediately gasped with unbelief. The sight that sores the eyes to red was right in front of him. What he was to do was unknown to him. He did, though, cut the thing that suspended around the victim's neck.

Harry Potter was lying on the floor with a rope tied around his neck. He was the color of a bruised blueberry and his eyes had tears in them. He looked paralyzed, for there were no ropes around his body. George cut through the rope with a swift movement of a spell, but Harry had not awakened. He lay there like a log and rope burns were around his throat. Was he really dead?

"Harry!" A sweet voice said from the tower door. George had turned in unbelief.

"Hermione?" George asked. "But... what... How did you wake?" George asked and Hermione looked annoyed.

"I just opened my eyes." She said and with that she had hit her knees. "What happened to him?" She asked in an urgent tone.

"Malfoy," George said. "He put him in a binding spell and tied a rope around his neck." He said and Hermione gasped.

"Come on, Harry," She pleaded. "Wake up!" She said in a final tone.

The body had still not awaked. How was Hermione here, and how did she come out of nowhere? Did this Malfoy possess her again, or was this really Hermione? She was now acting the same, and not stubborn anymore. George looked quite flabbergasted at seeing her, but there was no time for explanation. Not now when Harry's life was in danger or maybe was.

"What do we do?" George asked.

"I don't know..." She said with her thought's trailing off. "I got it!" She said.

She had put her hand to his heart, but felt no heart beat. When she had gingerly plugged his nose, she had leaned down. She put her mouth to his and breathed. She let in a large breath and breathed. After every breath she had shook him a little. A little more each time, but nothing seemed to be working. Nothing seemed to be good enough to save his life.

"Come on," She said in a frustration tone. George just looked at her in hope of getting him back to life.

"Wake up, Harry," George said. "You can't back out on us now."

Hermione put her mouth to his again and gave one last push. Then, without knowing it, she went to breath again but had turned her head away. A spit of blood erupted from his throat and a cough had followed it with difficulty. Hermione sighed in relief, but George still looked a little unsure.

"Harry, are you alright Mate?" George asked and Harry just coughed.

His breath pieced his throat with each one. It felt like a needle was being pushed through his neck. It hurt, and his eyes were a little fuzzy. He could barely feel the blood trickling down his mouth as his lips remained numb. He wasn't strong enough to sit or to even move, or so he thought. He remained in the bind and for some reason it was still there. He looked to George with a raspy voice.

"Unbind me," He said. "Please?" He coughed again.

George had lifted the bind and Harry had suddenly relaxed himself on the floor. Hermione had almost instantly hugged him and he hugged her back with as much strength that he had left. She just smiled and laid him back down with a gentle push to the floor. He hissed at the pain on his neck, and a bruise in the form of a robpee was now visible.

"Thank you." He said to George with shaky voice. "You too Hermione," He said. "Especially you."

She had blushed lightly and she had almost instantly gasped his hand with a tear forming down her cheek. She smiled in happiness, and she had never felt so useful after saving a life. She could even imagine what would happen if she had lost him because of that ferret boy Malfoy. She would get her revenge.

"I couldn't bear to loose you." She said and Harry smiled graciously at her.

"You won't have to." He said. She hugged him again and Harry smiled at George. "How did you find me?" He asked.

"I almost suffocated Malfoy, except he said that you were choking on poison, so I believed him. Luckily I did, or you would have been done for Mate." He said and Harry nodded.

"I'm fine," He said. "Well, except my neck feels inefficiently different." He growled.

"Well, you have a bruise there." George said. "You can see exactly what Malfoy strangled you with."

"Great," He rolled his eyes. "Just what I need in the paper: 'Potter the Wimp Loses Battle against Ferret' more publicity." The other two laughed.

"Hermione," George said. "How did you get here though?" He asked.

"I was awake when you were fighting with Malfoy." She said. "I didn't have the strength quite yet to open my eyes, and if I said something then you would have concentrated on me and not trying to find Harry." She said.

"Clever," Harry complimented. "But you probably should have left me."

"What?" Hermione gasped. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"You're life is more important then my own. If you were in trouble, then you should have said something Hermione. Whether I died or not." He said and Hermione looked astonished.

"You don't honestly mean that Harry." She insisted. "Besides, I knew I was fine and not in any danger. Malfoy is still lying on the ground out there. When I left him, he was complaining." She rolled her eyes.

"About what?" George asked.

"It was about his hair getting wet from the rain." She said and they all laughed a little.

"You guys left him in the rain?" Harry asked with a smile.

"Yeah, well, I'm hoping he dies of pneumonia." She giggled.

Harry and George looked at each other for a brief moment with both of their mouths hanging open. Had they heard Hermione correctly? Never, even Malfoy, had she wished someone to die. She might have wished that they got hurt, but never ever had she wished a death. This was stranger then ever before, was Hermione really herself or did he possess her again?

"Hey Hermione," Harry said. "What did I bring you when I brought you your ice pack?" He asked. She thought for a minute.

"A rose," She said. "Why?" She wondered.

"Just checking if it was really you." He smiled. "Now, will you two just make up or something?" Harry asked.

Hermione had tried pushing Harry back down when he tried to stand, with the excuse of him needing to rest. He said he was fine and would go visit Madame Pomfrey before it was too late in the night. Hermione watched Harry leave with a limp, and as soon as he was out of her eyesight she had spoken.

"It's awkward." She said.

"What is?" George asked when he looked at her.

"How fast he recovered and how easily he can breathe now. Usually a person would be sent to a hospital immediately." She said.

"Hermione," George laughed. "Sometimes I wonder if you forget that he's a wizard and not a muggle." He laughed.

She hadn't said anything. She just smiled and lightly blushed. It's not that she didn't forget that they lived in a magic world, but she wanted to make sure he was completely safe here. She couldn't watch her best friend nearly die a million times, even if she was used to it. She couldn't take it anymore. She was just happy that she had the time to save him.

Hermione sighed gently and her thoughts had soon raced to the man sitting directly across from her now. She smiled. She remembered their fight, and she remembered the will that had torn them apart. This happened all because of stupid Malfoy and his desire to ruin the lives of others. If it wasn't for him, then this never would have happened and never would have even been thought of.

"George," Hermione said. "I'm sorry I judged you. I should have listened."

"It doesn't matter." He said. "I would have probably done the same thing." He smiled in reassurance.

"I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry, and I hope you can forgive a girl for her clumsy mistakes." She giggled.

"Of course." He smiled.

There was a long awkward pause between them. Hermione just stared at him with a sigh and he reached forward and gently moved a string of hair from her eyes. She smiled, blushed, and for some reason she flirted. She hadn't noticed, but she was definitely doing it, but the image of the limping Harry was still in her mind, but she had to put it aside for now. She was busy.

"I..." George stuttered. "Well, I... I... li...lik..." He went trailing off into words that she didn't even know, but she smiled.

"I like," She said. She had bent forward and laid a gentle kiss on his lips. "You too." She finished with a smile.

He had touched his lips with incredulity. She blushed slightly, but he had noticed that she was fluttering her eyes, and instantly he felt himself blush too. His cheeks grew hotter then ever, and felt like if he put water to them then it would boil. This, obviously, was an exaggeration, but he continued to think what he wanted to believe. He found it rather funny in his mind.

"You do?" He asked to shut out the awkward silence.

"Yes," She said in a sweetened tone. "Though, I'm not so sure if you return the feeling." She put a thinking look on her as an act, but he had stolen her lips with his own.

"Now do you?" He asked.

"Yes, do you?" She said in a mischievous tone.

"Depends," He said mysteriously.

"On what?" She asked.

"Will you go out with me?" He wondered. She looked at him and laughed.

"No," She joked. "I just kissed you because I actually hate your guts." She said in a great deal of sarcasm. He laughed.

"Hey," He said. "Don't make fun of me!" He whined.

"Fine," She sighed. "Sorry, but you need to face the facts, sweetie, that I mean almost everything I do." She giggled.

She had crawled over to him and without a thought, had sat in his lap. He hadn't minded, of course, but she sat there. She sat with a smiled and turned her face to his. Their faces were close enough to touch one another's, but they kept an almost microscopic space between them, and Hermione had said a set of shocking words.

"I love you, George." She whispered. He looked astonished.

"Isn't that a little sudden for you?" He joked.

"Not anymore." She smiled.

Then it all started with a single make up session. They were tongue tied with each other, and yet, they were slobbering over each other. When their kissing session had ended Hermione stood with a pant. She smiled at him and took his hand. He looked rather confused, but she explained herself.

"I think we ought to go visit Harry." She suggested.

They had left the tower, and from there they could hear and see the small, helpless, withering Slytherin on the ground with a broken back. They had just left, and ran through the rain to the castle. Their feet were soaked by the time they reached the castle, but both of them just laughed at it all. They were joking about how their shoes squeaked when they were wet. Sometimes things that seem so childish often can be the funest.

Hermione had walked hand and hand with George down the hallways of the School. They were soaked by the time they were inside. Hermione was fortunately wearing dark colors, but George happened to be wearing light. Hermione just laughed at him in amusement.

Hermione smiled, kissed his cheek, and walked into the hospital wing as her fingers were still entwined. Madame Pomfrey was currently surveying Harry with a look of utter bewilderment. She turned to the two as they entered and she threw her hands over her head in exclaim. Hermione looked at the Mediwitch for the first time in fear of her madness.

"Thank goodness!" She exclaimed. Hermione had almost instantly taken a step closer to George.

"Is Harry alright?" George asked in concern.

"That depends!" She hissed. "I want you to explain yourselves pronto!" She demanded and they both looked at her in unbelief.

"Well see," Hermione said. "Draco Malfoy has been possessing people and making them do harmful things to others. He possessed George earlier today, and he basically sprained my wrist. Then we went to fundamentally get revenge at him, but everything went wrong. He had possessed me in the process." She said.

"Then we had gotten him away from her, and she was knocked out for most of the time we were there. We were on the Quidditch Pitch and it started to rain. Malfoy had fallen from the tower, and we asked where Harry was. He claimed to me that he was coughing up poison, so I went to find him." George said. He was speaking rather fast. "I found Harry in the tower, but Malfoy had lied."

"If he lied, then why is Mr. Potter weak like he is?" Madame Pomfrey said in a demanding tone.

"I'm getting to that!" George said. "I found him in the tower, but different that Malfoy had described. Harry was under a binding spell with a rope tied tightly around his throat and not breathing." He said.

"Then I woke up not long after wards, and I listened to where Malfoy told George where he was. So I went there, but the problem was that Harry wasn't breathing at all. We thought he was dead, but then I formed a plan." Hermione stated. "I started performing mouth to mouth resuscitation." She said.

"Well," Madame Pomfrey said. "I'd like to see Mr. Malfoy here right this second." She said and Hermione had bit her lip.

"Well, see, Madame Pomfrey," She said. "He's still on the Quidditch Pitch with a possible broken back."

"YOU LEFT HIM IN THE RAIN?" She asked in outrage.

"Well, yes," Hermione said. "If we helped him then we could have possibly been in danger." She said.

"I see your point Ms. Granger, but as a Gryffindor I thought you would be smart enough to think of the boy's health. If he gets sick I am setting it as your fault." She said to both Hermione and George.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" They both exclaimed.

"This is why you should help those in need of your services!" She said.

"The only service he needed was allowance to possess us!" George snapped.

"One more word from you Mr. Weasley and you'll be put in detention!" She threatened and George did nothing, but snorted at her.

"Stop it," Hermione hissed quietly at George. He rolled his eyes.

"Now," Madame Pomfrey said. "Mr. Potter is sleeping, so I suggest you not to wake him. I'll be back in a few minutes as I fetch Mr. Malfoy from the Quidditch Pitch. If I'm not back with in twenty minutes, I trust you to put my healing paste on Mr. Potter's neck. See you in a few minutes." And with that she was out the door in a quick pace.

Author's Note:

I am SO SO SO SO SO sorry everyone, but I just noticed this week that I still had this story. I realize I haven't updated in months, but I ask for your forgiveness. I feel horrible for writing something that you wanted to read and then leaving it on hold for so long. So I apologize again and I hope you will still read my art. Oh, and it was on recent account that I figured out that the Weasley Twins were in fact 2 years older that Harry, Hermione, Ron and the rest. I apologize, because when I first wrote this I believed there was only a year's difference. Sorry again and enjoy!

Airalynn

To My Reviewers:

stasha – Sorry it's been awhile, but I hope you enjoy!

mm4ever2gether – You don't have to believe it, and you have no idea how bad I feel. It seriously doesn't feel like I updated all that long ago, but I updated in May!

FlairVerona – Fantastic? I wouldn't go that far! –wink wink-

Annabelle Deveraux – It's probably my wording, I'm not exactly the best at description. It's one of my lower levels of art, lol. I get so lost with it!

T.C4H.P – Yeah. I'm in the middle of 5 different stories and I updated them ALL this week, so PLEASE give me a break! Lol.

leena – Thank you, and apologies!

UPDATED: (SATURDAY) AUGUST 13, 2005