Chapter 7: You Never Needed the Potion

For another day in a row Harry was missed at lunch. He as obviously working on the potion but only Ron and Ginny had the knowledge of that.

"Where is Harry, again?" Hermione exclaimed, sitting up straight in her seat to give the Great Hall a once over in search of her famous little friend.

"No idea," Ron said, dipping his face closer to his lunch.

Ron did however know where Harry was.

Flashback of days before

"Ron! I can't take it!" Harry said.

They were sitting in the girls' bathroom. Harry was on the floor working on the potion and Ron was sitting on a sink.

"Why, Mate?" Ron said.

Harry jumped up and walked over to Ron. He was giggling nervously, scratching invisible spots off his head. Harry pulled his collar farther away from his neck. Then he looked franticly around the room and looked back at Ron while running his fingers though his jet black hair. With a soft enthusiastic whisper filled with nervous chuckles he said, "Myrtle is driving me mad!"

Ron just stared at his friend. It did seem the madness was taking him over. He expected the worst, and that was Harry telling him that he was done making the potion.

Ron's image building in his head about having to tell Hermione himself his feelings for her and her laughing in his face was broken when Harry said, "I'm going to finish this potion! I'm going to do it now. I am going to miss class, meals, and sleeping. We are going to get this stupid potion done so that I can LEAVE!"

"I HEARD THAT! If you want me to leave you could just tell me," A voice coming from the corner of the bathroom nagged. "Although if you tell me you will have to put…"

Harry placed his hand over his face and shook his head. Ron looked up and saw Myrtle still ranting at him. Harry gave Ron a look that meant something along the fields as "YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN!" Ron lipped, "Thank you."

End of Flashback

The Great Hall was shushed by Professor or now Headmistress McGonagall's voice.

"Thank you, before we all part I'd like to bring up the fact that there has been a great theft perpetrated here at Hogwarts."

Ron gulped so loud that he could swear that at let five people had heard.

"There are ingredients missing from a few of the potion closets throughout our school."

Ron's ears were turning maroon.

"Notify any staff member if you see a theft in progress," she said then let them head back to their Common Rooms.

As the rest pulled away to leave, Hermione pulled Ron aside to talk to him about the things that were said at the end of lunch.

"Ron, do you know anything about these thefts?" she said, eyeing him very closely.

"No, why?" Ron said, trying to act as innocent as he could.

"Remember that one night? You were "sleep walking" and I saw you standing by the potions' closet. I'd say that is a bit suspicious, Ronald Bilius Weasley."

"Hermione Jane Granger, I think you are very highly mistaken. I was sleep walking, and just because I was standing infront of the closet doesn't mean that I did anything. You saw! Was I holding anything?"

"No, no I'm sorry. Lets get back to the Common Room," she said, starting to walk.

"No, I'll be right there. I forgot something in the Great Hall."

She nodded and walked slowly away. Ron started in the direction of the Great Hall but ran in the opposite direction. He was going to the bathroom, the girls' bathroom where Harry was. Once he got there. He saw Harry walking into the hallway.

"Harry!"

Harry turned, looking shocked at Ron.

"Harry, McGonagall has noticed ingredients gone. If you're not more careful you might be caught," Ron said, panting with his hands on his knees.

"Well she can't find out now can she?" he said.

Harry turned the corner and "disappeared."

Hermione's POV

She nodded and walked away slowly. Then stopped and turned to see Ron walk towards the Great Hall then bolt in the opposite direction.

"Oh that boy is up to something!" she said, fiercely following him.

She had to admit that that one was a damn good runner because she was getting easily tired out already chasing him. Hermione decided to walk fast in his trails and retain her breath for yelling to when she found out what he was up to. She stopped at the corner and saw Ron with someone. Harry. But then he turned the corner and Ron turned around.

End of Hermione's Rewind

Hermione walked madly towards Ron which shocked him greatly.

"Was that Harry?" she said, hands on her hips.

"No," he said; his voice mysteriously higher.

"I'm not mad, Ron. I just haven't seen him in a couple of day. He hasn't been in class, nor at any meals, or even in the Gryffindor Common Room. I just miss him." Hermione said; her voice softer and low.

"Oh, I mi-miss him too, but that wasn't him. It was som-some third year that called me a name and I went bolting after him and took points from his house."

Hermione nodded.

"So do you still have to go to the Great Hall?"

"No, but, look."

Ron pointed at the girls' bathroom. Hermione smiled obviously remembering their second year.

"Good year, don't you think?" Hermione said with a laugh.

"Oh, one-one of our bests. Not having to deal with you for a portion of it was heaven, and the fact you became a part-cat was hysterical!"

"Hilarious." Hermione said, clenching her fists and walking away angrily.

Ron grabbed her hand and said, "I was lost that year without you, Hermione."

Hermione turned and looked at him, almost in tears.

"Ron…"

She pulled the pair into a heavily wanted hug.

"That was the sweetest thing you've ever said to me, Ron," Hermione whispered into his ear, not letting go of the hug.

She pulled away. After a few seconds of looking at eachother, Hermione realized that Ron's hand was still attached to hers. Her nervous giggles broke their hands apart.

"I'll meet you in the Common Room?" he said.

Hermione nodded and proceeded to the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron ran to the corner and watched her get out of site. He then walked over to the bathroom room and leaned back onto it, staring admiringly at the ceiling.

"You are a troll. Did you know that?" a voice said.

The invisibility cloak fell and Harry stood there with one bottle in each hand.

"Why?" Ron answered.

"You never needed the potion after all! Hermione likes you!"

Ron just looked at Harry, disbelief filling his eyes. Harry took that as his cue to continue.

"I was standing there when you had your little moments. You can tell."

"But you were not there when she said that she missed you so much. She looked so empty. I never want to see her like that again."

"Where are you getting at?"

"I'm going to finish the potion and you go be with Hermione." Ron said, swiping the bottles from Harry's hands.

"You're mental. I didn't come this far to have everything mean absolutely nothing."

"Come on. Please. I swear I won't mess up. This means far too much to me."

Harry hesitated but shook his head, "Fine."

XOXO

For the 16th time... Please Go to my HOMEPAGE site! It's a HP fanfiction site!

and if anyone is wondering where "Be My Escape" is it was deleted of some reason... You can still read it though on that site... (HOMEPAGE SITE) lol