Chapter 18

This time Imperfect

I cannot leaver here I cannot stay

Forever haunted, more then afraid

Asphyxiate on words I would say

I'm drawn to a blacken sky

As I turned blue

There'll be no flowers, no not this time

There'll be no angels gracing the lies

Just these stark words I find

I'd show a smile, but I'm too weak

I share with you,

If I'd only speak

Just how much this hurts me

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Rain started to pour over the Forbidden Forest, drenching everything in it, and its inhabitants. Hermione's T-shirt and jeans were clinging to her as she made her way through the forest, getting darker as she went.

CRACK

Hermione stopped, pausing her breathing. It happened again and she looked around- darkness. 'H-Harry' she spoke out.

Silence. Hermione pulled her wand out and pointed it frantically in many directions. She heard the cracking of leaves and small twigs echoing in the rain.

'Stuify!' Hermione yelled in the direction and a sickening thud came. She emitted a small squeak and stumbled towards the heap. She wiped water off her face as she bent lower removing the brush. She gasped.

'Ron! What are you doing…here? Oh I'm so sorry' she flicked her wand and they both stood. 'Where's Harry? He went looking for you.' She picked leaves and pine needles off her cloths and then looked at Ron for a response.

'I don't know. I had to find you.' He replied.

'Oh-but you were supposed to watch Darling!' she said. 'It doesn't matter I have one of her books so she can't do anything, let's go.' She walked back and grabbed his hand. 'I have to destroy this book and then Harry can save the…' She stopped talking to concentrate on the hill she was about to descend. She released Ron's hand but he quickly grabbed her arm trying to tug her back.

'Let go!' She tried pulling her arm back but almost lost her balance.

'It's a steep hill, use two hands I'll hang on the book.' He offered, holding out his hand. Hermione didn't question him she gave him the book and he released her arm.

'Once I'm down throw the book down and then you can get down easily.' She turned around and heard the book fall. Before anything else could happen she felt two strong hands on her back, pushing her face first down the hill.

Losing her balance she slipped on the mushy ground and for the second time that night she fell down the hill. She felt like nothing before. She could barley see, everything was distorted by the rain. She raised her hand to her forehead and wiped the mud and water away when she realized that it was mingled with blood. She wanted to know if Ron was all right, who had pushed her?

She couldn't see straight, the trees were swaying and spinning and she was seeing double of everything. Ron went down the hill roller Hermione on her back with the flat of his foot, which he placed lightly on her throat.

'Did you have to take the book? You ruined everything!' She coughed as his foot pressed down on her throat.

'Ron!' she managed to choke out. She grabbed at his shoe but the water made it nearly impossible to grasp onto anything. He seemed to not know what he was doing but he showed no signs of remorse as he pushed down on her throat harder.

Hermione swung her legs frantically and thankfully caught the back of Ron's stable leg and he fell, dropping the book.

The rain was still pounding hard, even though the thick forest trees. She stumbled to her feet but Ron grabbed her leg and she fell flat on her stomach, losing most of her breath. Gasping for air, Hermione let out a small cry and used her free foot to kick Ron in the face until he let go.

She ran blindly, dizzily and deeper into the forest. Tears were streaming down her face mixing with the rain. A jet a purple light just skimmed her and she knew he was behind her somewhere. She didn't even know who he was! Ron was being controlled and for the first time, she didn't know what to do.

She knew that she must have broken Ron's nose but he wasn't himself, he was trying to kill her! She had forgotten the book, he had the book, but he was still coming after a defenseless Hermione.

She stumbled over a stump and grabbed the nearest tree for support she could see the lake ahead. The fall must have turned her around; she was near where she started. She skipped down to the opening where the rain was so thick it was difficult to see through. Hermione frantically looked around for Ron, but she couldn't see two feet in front of her face. She bent and picked up a flat and small stone.

Hermione stopped walking, she needed this initiative. She listened intently to the noises around her, but all she could hear was the incessant pounding of rain. By the time she saw him, by the time she saw the jet of purple light heading straight for her, it was too late.

The impact hit Hermione right in the chest and sent her flying backwards into the lake, the stone clattering on the ground. She didn't stay afloat very long; the impact had caused unconsciousness, and she started to sink.

'RON!' Harry shouted. He had seen the first jet of light and thought it might have been Darling. The second light led him right to Ron and Hermione, who was barely to be seen in the water.

Harry ran down to the water bur Ron shot out another spell, causing Harry to fly sideways splashing on the muddy ground. Shaking his head and re-focusing his eyes Harry turned his wand on Ron and yelled the first spell that came to mind.

'Petrificus Totalus!' Dropping the book and his wand, Ron fell completely rigid. Harry wasted no time; he jumped into the lake to fetch Hermione, now on the bottom.

She wasn't too deep, which Harry was thankful for as he surfaces taking a deep breath. Hermione, however, wasn't breathing. Her lips were slightly blue and her eyes were closed. The rain didn't do much for their predicament as he swam to the shore, uttering works likes, 'hold on', and 'you can't be dead.'

Once there he laid her on her back to the wet ground and placed both his hands on her check and pounded firmly thee times and checked to see if she was breathing.

Years ago he had heard Dudley talking about this matter to his mother when they put him in swimming lessons (Harry didn't get to go, naturally) and had seen it on TV while serving the Dursley's their dinner.

Nothing had happened. He closed his eyes trying to think. Finally he opened her mouth and pressed his against hers giving her a deep breath. Again, nothing happed.

Starting to panic, Harry once again pressed his hand on her chest but before he could get the third time, Hermione coughed a lungful of water, splashing the hot liquid over Harry's arms.

She lazily opened her eyes but closed them once again. The only good thing was that was breathing now.

He looked at the bound body of Ron, who was staring blankly at the sky rain splashing his face. He couldn't carry both, he wasn't even sure he was able to carry Ron at all. He gingerly picked up Hermione ad ran back to the castle (as fast as he could carrying a body).

He reached the doors, but couldn't open them with Hermione in his arms. He pounded on the door with his foot, but no one was there, they were all in the Great Hall watching the performance, which should be over soon anyway

Harry placed Hermione on the stone steps and then carried on pushing the doors. With strength and determination Harry finally opened the doors, picked Hermione up and pushed open the doors to the Great hall. It was filled with thousands of applauses and whistles, that is, until everyone stared at Harry and the limp Hermione in his arms.

He stood there sopping wet people gasping at the sight. Harry started to push his way through the circling crowd towards McGonagall who looked the most worried.

'What happened here Potter?' she said looking from the scratches on Harry's face to the unconscious Hermione, who had various cut and scrapes on her face and arms.

'Professor Darling tried to kill us! Hermione…Ron…he's by the lake! But he's not himself, Darling put a curse on him and then fled' He shouted at her not really knowing how to fit the occurrences of tonight into one sentence.

'What do you mean Professor darling?' McGonagall questioned.

'She's a death eater!' Harry shouted, eliciting gasps from the crowd. Madam Pomfrey came rushing towards them, examined Hermione and then ordered Harry to take her up to the infirmary.

'Hagrid, take Hermione. Harry go to my office.' McGonagall said curtly. Hagrid took Hermione into his big arms and sniffed back tears as he followed Madam Pomfrey who was fussing all the way about not getting her there earlier.

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Hermione didn't awake until a day later. By that time her three broken ribs, and minor skull fraction had been repaired. She was nursing five deep cuts with stitches on her face, arms and hands. There were small yellowish bruises where other cuts and scratches used to be.

She was feeling very ill. Stuffed nose, dizziness, and everything that made her feel worse. This informed her that she was recovering from a cold she caught. Her eyes felt heavy as she looked around.

Ron was sleeping in a bed opposite from her. By the looks of it, his nose was in the process of being mended. Harry however was not here.

She couldn't remember anything past the purple light. Looking out the window it told her that it was already past 9pm or later. It was way past visiting hours anyway.

She pulled her covers down and placed her warm feet on the cold floor. Hermione padded over to a chair beside Ron's bed and sat down shivering slightly.

'Ron' she whispered, placing a light hand on his check. She shook him lightly and whispered his name again.

'Hunh' he muttered as his eyes flicked opened. When he focused on Hermione he paused.

'Hi' she said lightly with a soft smile on her face, but he did not return it, instead he looked away sadly.

'I don't know how you can ever look t me.' He said dryly, his voice cracking.

'What?' she uttered, sounding hurt. 'You didn't know'

'I almost killed you.' He stated. 'If Harry didn't- you'd be dead' he contorted his face with anger and guilt. It was hard to hear him. His throat burned and ached at the same time.

'Ron no! It wasn't your fault.' She urged

'It was hard, I couldn't think, only do. She was in my head Hermione. She used a non verbal spell on me Hermione.' Silence fell between them. 'And I almost killed you.'

Hermione leaned over and embraced him but he did not hold her, he just lay there looking away.

'Ron I love you.' She sobbed into his shoulder, holding him tighter. 'you weren't yourself' she told him through tears but Ron didn't say anything…he couldn't tell her that he loved her back. Not after what he did…not anymore.

The end

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Well, sorta… I have the sequel in progress dun, dun, dun! Lightning crashes!…I believe its called…well I don't know. I guess I should think of a title soon huh…well, I believe it will be called "Much Ado About Love"…yes, I just made that up…well look for it, it'll be up sooner or later…

Please tell me what you thought about it and if I should even bother with a sequel…please review!

Yours Truly,

Sweet Roses