Harry fell to the floor when Rose released his arm. He stood up shakily, still in shock at what had happened only a moment ago.
"Ready for this, Harry?" Rose said. "Dumbledore did train you up to fight me didn't he?" Harry glared at her and she gave a cruel laugh. He could not contain his feelings any longer.
"YOU KILLED MY FRIEND!" Harry roared. But Rose simply smiled.
Then she slipped her hand into one of her cloak pockets and drew out her own long, thin black wand and Harry's. She threw Harry's wand to him.
Before he raised it she had already cried "Crucio!"
Harry collapsed, overwhelmed with pain but it went as quickly as it had come. He wished more than anything his two most loyal friends were there to give him support. But they weren't. He was going to die alone.
And so it continued, Harry getting weaker and weaker with each performance of the Cruciatus Curse. He had one of her powers but what use was that if she was draining his energy.
He knew he was dying as Rose moved in for the kill…
Back at the Granger'sHermione lay on the floor, Ron bending over her. The spell binding him had worn off now Rose was gone. He was crying hysterically by her side.
Hermione sat up slowly, rubbing her head. "Ron?" she said weakly.
Ron looked up slowly and gaped. Surely he was hallucinating. "Hermione! What? I don't understand…I saw – thought I saw now – Rose kill you. In this case not…" He said with a shaky laugh. He leaned forwards and hugged her tightly. She returned the embrace. "I don't want to lose you again." He whispered.
"Don't worry," she replied softly. "You're stuck with me for now."
When Hermione sat back against the sofa she said, "Where's Harry?"
"Rose took him,"
Hermione gaped at him. "She immobilised him. I only got free when she Disapparated. I still don't understand though how the curse hit you and you went flying back."
"Yes I went flying back, Ron but I was pushed out the way just in time. When I was tied next to you I thought if some great miracle happened and saved me, I should lie still so Rose would think I was dead and be satisfied she'd proved her point. Unfortunately I passed out though…"
"Hermione no one could have pushed you out the way. We were the only ones in the room, we would've seen them!"
"But I saw someone." She insisted. "It was you, I saw a flash of your hair before I passed out."
"But that's impossible."
"Wait – I've had a thought," Hermione told him. He watched her as she frowned, thinking
"Maybe… just maybe it was you…"
"Hermione - "
"But how I don't know… unless…" she turned to look at him. "You find it! My Time-Turner! How do you find it?" she said more to herself than him. "That's it! I help you get it! You wouldn't be able to find it."
"So," Ron said slowly. "If we go back you'll be saved because our future… past…selves will be there. Sorry I've never been good with tenses."
"The only thing is there's no reason for me to go back. You'll have to go alone."
"But what if I mess with the past?"
"You're going to the past to change it anyway. Just do what has to be done. Save me, and keep out of site."
Hermione glanced at the clock and said, "Harry should be back by now. Something's wrong, I know it… You have to help him!"
"How am I supposed to do that?" he asked.
She stood up abruptly and swayed on the spot. Ron stood immediately to hold her.
"I'm OK. I know I'm OK. I'll be fine."
"Are you alright?" Ron asked, concerned.
"I'm OK. Just… bare with me, all right? I'll be back in a minute. I'll be back in a minute."
She left the room and Ron heard her climbing the stairs. Things started to be moved in her room and when she came back was weighed down with her cauldron and potion ingredients.
Ron gave her a questioning look.
"I'm making a vanquishing mixture." She explained. "I've thought it all out. You can slip it into Harry's pocket when we're all in the same room and you're invisible.
Oh, that reminds me, you need Harry's Cloak. A law of time travel is you must not be seen."
"OK." Said Ron. "The Cloak is in Harry's trunk, right?"
"That's where it should be." Hermione replied.
"I'll go get."
When he came back down stairs Hermione was in the kitchen was giving off a strong aroma of lemons. She turned when the door closed. She was holding a vial of blue liquid. "It's all set. All I can do now is get the Time-Turner. Come with me and take the Cloak."
Upstairs in her room she rummaged in her wardrobe and came out with a little blue box. She turned to Ron and opened it taking out her old Time-Turner by it's chain. "Here," she said stepping towards him and putting it round his neck.
"Turn the hand twice - two hours. Time will be the same speed, it won't be going faster just because you've gone back in time; just make sure you're there in time to save me, ok? And show a me a flash of your hair. When you've done it just wait till 5.30, the time you're leaving which is in a second, and come back here to my room. Do not forget to put the vial in Harry's pocket. His life is at stake."
"I don't have a watch." Ron said. "How will I know what time it is?"
"Wear mine." Hermione offered, sliding it off her wrist.
"Thanks. Where will I be when time stops?" He asked her.
"In my room. It starts in this room and ends in this room. I'll be downstairs. Just do what you have to do and keep under the cloak, even when it's just you and me in the rooms together. Wait till you hear us say goodbye. Good luck, Ron. See you in a few hours."
"See you."
"Don't forget -"
"I'll remember."
"It's not that. If anything goes wrong… I love you."
"I love you too, Hermione. Nothing will go wrong. We'll carry on this conversation later when I get back to this time ok? You won't know we had this conversation before this."
He hugged her tightly and then stood back. See you soon." And with one last smile at her he was gone.
Hermione's alive! Yay! This chapter was co-written by my friend Lucy, aka. Quack says the duck, who has written stories about Charmed. If you like Charmed I suggest you read them.
Keep reading to find out what happens next.