Ch. 7: Love Potion
Harry felt dazed. Was this really happening? Was Hermione Granger the biggest bookworm and his best friend kissing him? Harry was too shocked to kiss back (not that he would've wanted to ….this was his friend)and finally the shock wore off and he pushed Hermione away with a startled expression on his face. He looked at Ginny who had tears streaming down her face.
"Ginny?" He questioned cautiously. She shook her head vigorously (as if to shake the image from her mind) and sobbed and without giving him or Hermione another look she dashed out of the Common Room brushing against Ron as she went.
"Ginny!" Harry's eyes followed her pleadingly out of the room and then landed on Ron who was still standing, frozen, in the doorway. Ron looked pale but his ears were burning.
"Ron….I…" What…what was he, Harry going to say? 'Oh Ron, yea…I thought it would be a good experiment to try the potion on your sister. But that back fired so here I am kissing Hermione the girl you love.' Yea that would really go over well. He thought to himself. Harry looked back at Hermione. She was brushing his arm with lazy fingers and looking dreamily up at him.
. Harry and Hermione? I must be dreaming. I can't believe this. My best mate betraying me like this. And Hermione? This can't be happening… At Harry's mentioning of Ron's name he broke out of his thoughts. Finally Ron found his voice.
Harry turned to face Ron, "Ron, please understand…..this is not what it seems! It's…it's…the potion."
"WHAT?" Ron screamed and looked over at the table. Then he looked back at Harry and anger was bubbling up inside him. "YOU USED THE POTION ON HERMIONE EVEN THOUGH YOU KNEW I HAD FEELINGS FOR HER?" he yelled. He didn't care if anyone heard him.
"Ron……please…..I didn't mean for this to happen…." Harry trailed off.
"OH WHAT? YOU TRIED TO TAKE THE POTION FOR YOUSELF THEN?" then something dawned on Ron and his face grew red with anger. "YOU WANTED TO USE IT ON MY SISTER! YOU BLOODY GIT! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! AFTER ALL THESE YEARS BEING FRIENDS!" People had started to come back from dinner and stopped short in their tracks upon entering the Common room. Ron and Harry never had verbal fights….not when anyone was around anyways. This was going to be interesting!
"Ron..please.." Harry tried to keep his voice calm but at this accusation his voice grew a little louder. " I DIDN'T MEAN….."
Ron marched over to Harry and stared him right in the face. Then he looked at Hermione who still had a dreamy look in her face.
"WELL, YOU BETTER HAVE A REALLY GOOD EXPLAINATION FOR YOUSELF THEN!" he bellowed right into Harry's face.
Harry was a bit taken aback. Ron had never, ever yelled at him like that. But he wasn't going to take it!
Looking Ron square in the eye Harry said loudly, "LOOK HERE RON! IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO GO LIKE THIS! I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THE POTION ACTUALLY WORKED! I WAS SUPPOSE TO JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO GINNY IF SHE TOOK A SIP OR SO…."
WHAP!
A startled Harry put a hand up to his nose from which blood was now pouring, staining his cloak. A few of the Gryfinndors that had entered the room (unbeknowest to Ron or Harry) gasped. Ron was breathing heavy his fists clenched and shaking. He didn't care that he had just completely clocked his best mate in the face. Anger was shooting through his veins. Ron finally noticed that an audience had collected around them.
"WHAT?" Ron barked with his face bright red, almost purple, very Uncle Vernon-like. "DON'T YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO? DO YOU ALL WANT DETENTION!" (Ron after all was still prefect) Many of the fellow Gryfinndors looked at each other in shock with scared expressions on their faces and then hurried off to their respective dormitories. Harry had a shocked expression on his face but he was slightly red too. Hermione noticed what had happened to Harry and was now gushing over him
"Aww…..baby! What did that meany do to you?" She was run a gently finger over his cheek. "I'll fix it for you!" She exclaimed beaming and then pulled out her wand and made Harry's nose stop bleeding.
That did it for Ron! He glared at Harry and then at Hermione. That little….. And with that, he stalked, fists still clenched in rage, out of the common room. The Fat lady yelled after him. "Ohh..deary you know you have to be back before 10!" in a high sing song voice.
"SHUT UP!" Ron yelled back fiercely before stepping into a run down the hall. He didn't know where he was going but he knew he had to get out of that room.
"My..my…what a temper!" The Fat Lady tutted to herself and left to Gossip to her fellow friends.
Harry didn't know where to start. All he knew was that he had to see Ginny…NOW! Harry sat Hermione down on the couch with her still having that dreamy look in her face. Man…what a mess! Harry saw Neville coming in last from dinner.
"Hey Neville!" Harry yelled out desperatly. " Can you come and sit here with Hermione! Watch her ok! Don't let her move!" Neville looked surprised and then stuttered an ok before Harry said a quick thanks and then ran 3 steps at a time up to the girl dormitory (Author note: Ok..yes the girls dormitory actually doesn't allow guys into the room. I dunno how many of you actually picked that up. I figured by 7th year it would be ok since at this point they would be more mature etc. So yea…..that's why Harry can run up the stairs no problem! Sorry for the interruption….back to the story.)
Ron didn't know exactly where he was going. All he knew was that he had to get out of that tower, away from Harry, away from Hermione, and away just from everyone. He rounded a corner and ran straight into his worst sworn enemy.
"well, well, well, if its isn't the Weasly King." Malfoy drawled with his evil lopsided smirk. "Something got you scared?"
Ron's fist clenched harder and his knuckles turned white. "Get-OUT-of-my-way-Malfoy. Or-Else!" Ron said slowly accenting every word.
"Or what?" Malfoy snickered. "Ronnie-poo going to get angry?" Malfoy laughed his hideous laugh.
"If you don't want me to clock you in the face I will get out of my way if I were you!" Ron stared Malfoy maliciously into his eyes. His anger was rushing through him again and he was sure his face was red.
"HA! That I am not laughing." Malfoy said sarcastically. " I want to see you try!" Malfoy pulled out his wand " No need for Petty Muggle fighting." He laughed.
Before Malfoy had completely pulled out his wand, Ron had strided to him and mustering up all his hatred he had felt for him for the past 6 years and the anger he was feeling at the moment, he hit Malfoy straight in the face. Face met fist in a loud BAM! That seemed to echo through the halls. In fact, to Ron's sweet surprise, Malfoy fell backwards and landed with a hard thud on the floor. Malfoy was bleeding heavily from his face and his lip was swollen.
"I said move!" Ron said panting taking in the shocked expression on Malfoy's face with quite a feeling of glee before heading down the corridor once again. Malfoy touched his finger to his lip and saw blood on his fingers. Malfoy had struggled to get up as Ron was already a bit down the hall and yelled, "
JUST YOU WAIT DIRTY WEASLE BOY! NEXT TIME YOU WON'T BE SO LUCKY!" He thought about sending a terrible hex after Ron but then figured physical pain would be more satisfying next time he met up with Ron. With a humph, Malfoy started down the hallways to the bathroom. He had to check how much damage was actually done.
Despite himself, Ron grinned as he ran further down the hall and then out the Hogwarts doors. He was lucky he thought, that none of the professors had been strolling in the hall. The cold fall air hit his face. It was a partly cloudy day and once in a while the thick clouds allowed the sun to show her warm face. Ron shivered a little and remembered with a frown that he had left his jacket in the Gryfinndor tower. From his anger, he had completely forgotten that he had dropped it. Well, that's just perfect. He thought. Then he remembered that he didn't even have the potion with him. The thing that had caused all this trouble. Bloody hell! Ron swore under his breath, glad that no one was around to hear him. This day was getting better and better. He really had believed before that he could be relieved of that horrible potion. But now, he could not even exchange it. Oh well…. He walked across the Hogwarts grounds. Almost enjoying himself if it weren't for the empty pit in his stomach and the fact that for the second time in two days his heart had been wrenched from his body and crushed to pieces. Ron thought more about the matter but the more he thought about it, the angrier he became and the more he wanted to inflict harm on someone or something. Ron kicked a somewhat large stone out of frustration but that didn't help matters because now his toe hurt too. Hoping on one foot and swearing loudly he sat down on a log and rubbed his foot, trying to ease the pain. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't return back to the tower. He couldn't stay out here all night. Ron thought about going to visit Hagrid. But then with more thinking he concluded that Hagrid would probably ask him too many questions; all questions that he didn't want to answer. Ron needed to do something! What about finding the antidote? Yes! He thought that is what he had to do. He could go to the library and search through books and books of potions. He could ask Snape about what he could do. Yea…right. Ask Snape. He would probably just laugh. Frustrated beyond belief, Ron put his head in his hands. The image of Hermione and Harry kissing flashed through his mind. He urged it to pass. He wanted to wake up and find that this all was a bad dream. But alas, it was true.
A flicker of a thought went through Ron's mind. Maybe… He stood up with determination and then closed his eyes and Disapparated.
Harry knocked loudly on Ginny's door. He didn't care if any of her dorm mates were in there.
"GINNY! Please! Open up!" he said in between knocks. He had to explain to her what had happened. Try to make her understand the mistake of it all. Damn potion! And damn him, for being so curious!. He knocked again and then the door opened a crack. Ginny's tear stained face looked out.
"What do you want?" she asked questionably but there was a hint of anger in her voice.
"Please..Ginny…let me explain…it was all a mistake!"
Ginny snorted, " Ha…and I should believe that why?
"Because…come on..please let me come in so I can explain!" Harry was pleading with her. Ginny saw that he was being sincere but she was still mistrusting nevertheless.
"Fine.." she said quietly, opening the door a bit and walked over to her bed. Harry followed her in closing the door behind him. He sat down next to Ginny and looked at her. She was completely tear streaked.
"Ginny….it didn't look like what it seemed."
"well, you could've fooled me." She said quietly, using all her strength to keep her voice steady.
Harry took a big breath. How was he going to make her understand? "It was the potion." He said studying his shoes. Ginny looked up from her lap questionably, " What potion?" Her eyes narrowed on him.
"Well, Ron…he…he…bought this potion in that new store.." Harry looked at her. " the store we visited in Hogsmead."
"He what?" Ginny's eyes were wide with shock.
"It was a love potion…..he thought ….well, we thought…that we could see what it did." Harry searched Ginny's face for a reaction but found none so he continued. "So today……I found it sitting on the table down in the common room and decided to experiment and thought maybe I could see what it did if a girl actually drank it."
"Why in the world?..." Ginny questioned but her voice trailed off.
"Well, Ron has liked Hermione for sometime." Harry knew that was a sorry excuse.
"So..so..he wanted to drug Hermione? Trick her?" Ginny said he eyes flashing as she turned to face him.
"No …no….just to see what would happen." Harry said trying not to meet Ginny's eyes.
"Oh…yea….and why did Hermione kiss YOU then may I ask?"
"I mixed the potion in the butterbeer but it wasn't for her to drink." He looked at his feet.
Ginny got up and paced the room, then turned on Harry, " You are such a git! Why would you do that?" her mind was racing. She wanted to slap him. Then again, now her friend had drank the potion and what was she supposed to do about that? STUPID BOYS!
Ginny sat back down. They had to be mature about this. "You are really stupid you know!" she said angrily. Harry nodded.
"Yea..I know I am really really sorry."
"yea…you better be sorry…" Ginny said accusingly and then continued in a calmer, nicer voice, "…but you know what we have to do don't you?" Ginny asked him pulling herself together. "we need to fix this…..pronto! We need to go to the library and look up any potion we can get our hand on…NOW!" with that Ginny stood up and darted to the door. With out questioning her, Harry followed her.
"What about Hermione?" Harry asked Ginny.
Ginny turned around to face him. " Well, considering she is all googly eye about you right now, she won't be much help now will she?" Ginny said with her hands on her hips in that I-am-right-and-you-know-it stance.
"No…I suppose not."
"well, lets hurry…we can drag her with us…but if she kisses you infront of me she has another things coming…potion or no potion." Ginny said point-blank, but there was a hint of a smile pulling at her mouth as she said it and Harry had to grin.
"Ok…well, lets hurry!" With that the two hurried down the common room, thanked Neville for watching Hermione who was confused as ever, and luckily as soon as Hermione saw Harry ("Hey baby! I see you are back!) she clutched onto his arm and followed them out of the tower. Ginny frowned but ignored Hermione and glared at Harry who was grinning from ear to ear. "Well, sure beats the all-about-the-books-and-no-fun Hermione we know….or knew." He said matter-of-factly with a smirk. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I didn't think I would say this, but I prefer her all-about-the-books-and-no-fun to all-over-my-boy-friend!" Ginny said and then covered her mouth, "Whoops!"
Harry raised an eyebrow, " Boy friend?" Ginny turned around, "Never mind that….hurry up will you!" and with that she picked up her stride to the Hogwarts Library.
Ron appeared seconds later on the street of Hogsmead. People we bustling about getting their afternoon shopping done. Now where is that bloody shop. Ron thought to himself as he looked left and right trying to decide which way to search first. I know the shop is around her somewhere. He decided to walk right first. Right is always right. Ron knew that he had to get to that shop and ask the owner for the antidote. He passed the different stores but did not see the shop entitled 'Magic Spells That No One Sells.' Frustrated once again, he turned around and walked the other direction. After an hour and a half of searching he gave up and walked back to where he started. Where is that shop? Giving up his pride, Ron decided it was best to ask someone, "hey…hey you!" He said to a witch wearing all green (even her bags were green!) Probably from Ireland. He thought. The witch turned around and stared at him curiously, " Excuse me but….have you seen that new store 'Magic Spells That No one Sells'?" Ron questioned the witch.
The witch looked at him as if he were mad, " There is no store by that name here…..I've lived here all my life."
"But…but….just two days ago my friends and I…"
"There is no store like that here!" the witch interrupted him very annoyed at having her shopping interrupted by some mad red-head. Ron sighed.
"Ok…thanks…ma'am" He added for good measure. The witch sniffed a response and walked away. Ron ran a hand through his already tussled hair. It has to be here somewhere! Ron scanned the street again. No sign of the shop. He walked back and then remembered that they had passed an old oak tree (why he had remembered that detail he didn't know). Ron walked and finally found the oak tree, walked passed it and knew that the store would now be on his right. Ron stopped in horror and sank to the ground in defeat. Nooo! Where the store had been there was only a red wall over growing with ivy. No sign of a door or window. No sign that read 'Magic Spells That No one Sells'. Ron walked over to the wall, hoping that maybe it would open up and reveal the store to it like a magical curtain. But the wall was solid brick. No secret opening. Ron leaned his head to the wall and pounded his fist into it. This can't be happening! This can't be happening!