Chapter Six:
"Everybody's here with me.
Got no camera to see.
Don't think I'm all not in this world.
The camera won't let me go.
The verdict doesn't love our soul.
The digital won't let me go."
Tomorrow Comes Today, Gorillaz

The cold hit her before she could register what was happening. The water surrounded her, cutting off all means of breath. She kicked out with her legs, hitting something hard. What had been holding her down had let go and she pushed herself up to the surface, taking in deep breaths when she reached it. She turned around, glaring at the red headed boy who was giving her a small smile. "Now Hermione, don't do anything you're going to regret." A wicked grin spread across her lips as she began to advance on him. He backed away, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay! I give up! You win! Just don't dunk me!" he exclaimed.

"Oh! It's too late for that Ronnikens." She giggled as the tips of his ears turned red. He had stopped running away and was now standing in the shallow water, his fists clenched at his side as he glared at her. She advanced on him, hands held up in claws. A few feet away, the twins were both taking turns pulling Ginny down under the water unexpectedly as Harry watched amusedly.

"I'd like it if you would refrain from calling me that," Ron stated through clenched teeth. Hermione ignored the comment and pounced on top of him, pushing his head underwater. He sputtered under her grasp, using his strength and his height to his advantage. He soon was out of the water, taking deep breaths with Hermione hanging off of his shoulders. She wrapped her legs around his waist, holding onto him from behind. "That's a vulnerable position to be in Herm," he stated with a wicked grin, grabbing her legs and holding her there.

"You wouldn't dare!" she gasped but from the way he was holding her to him, she knew he would. She took a deep breath, hearing Ginny yell yet again before Ron fell backward into the water, dunking Hermione. She felt his hands running up her thighs, tickling her gently as she kicked at him. Finally, he pushed himself back up and both of them took in deep gulps of air. She hung on his back, resting her head on his shoulder, drained from the amount of strength used when dunking and resisting being dunked. Ron carefully maneuvered himself around so that he was facing her. She smiled at him, locking her legs around his waist as she nuzzled his neck. "I wish we could stay like this forever," she whispered against him. She could feel his hand running through her wet hair.

"Nothing can last forever, but one day things won't be so hard, I promise you," he whispered. She looked up at him, her brown eyes boring into his own brown eyes.

"Hey you love birds! Stop fooling around and help us get Harry!" George yelled as Fred and Ginny began to advance on Harry who was trying to swim away. Hermione smiled at Ron, splashing him in the face, freeing herself of his grip before swimming over to Ginny.

"No fair! I wasn't prepared!" he yelled at her before joining the rest. Within two minuets, that had grabbed Harry, holding him over their heads before heaving him into the deep end.

Harry leaned against the stone wall of an empty corridor. He closed his eyes, grasping at his forehead as his scar began to burn. His eyes stung as tears began to roll down his cheeks. His bit at the side of his mouth to muffle his sobs of pain. He didn't understand as to why his scar was acting up so badly. Had something horrible happened to Voldemort? Was he angry or had it been something horribly wonderful and he was happy? He wished he knew.

The pain was dying down, his sobs stopping short as he let out harsh pants. He wiped at his tears before sinking down to sit on the dingy floor. His heart was pounding fast in his chest as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Taking in needed breaths, he sat in the hall to rest.

"Not right now, Pansy! I'm busy. Why don't you go bother Blaise or somebody?" Harry's head shot up at the sound of Draco's voice so near by. He jumped up, walking slowly towards the sound of his voice.

"You're always busy, Drakie! We never get to play anymore!" Pansy whined, her voicing annoyingly high causing Harry to roll his eyes. Harry snuck over to the corner, looking round to see Draco standing there with his hands crossed over his chest as Pansy draped herself over him. Draco however was not happy. "And you know that Blaise doesn't like me!"

"I wonder why?" Draco groused as he shrugged her off of him, walking a short distance away from her, coming towards Harry. Harry pulled back, pushing himself up against the wall as he listened to the conversation. "Listen. I promise I'll make it up to you, alright? Just not right now. I have to get this done or else I'll be in trouble." The unmistakable sound of a gasp came from Pansy. Harry inched towards the edge, listening desperately.

"You mean for him?" Pansy hissed. Draco rushed up to her, clamping his hand over her mouth as he looked around to see that no one had heard her. Luckily for Harry, he had decided it would be safer to just listen and not watch also. "Sorry Drakie. I didn't mean to."

"Yeah well, you gotta be careful. I can't risk someone of the other persuasion hearing," Draco growled. This got Harry's full attention. He knew what Draco was up to. Well, not really, but he knew that it was something bad. Something he had to stop. He had to do something about this. He wasn't going to loose anyone else in this war. Not if he could stop it. He had turned to run down the way he had come only to run into Severus. The jolt sent him to the floor, letting him land with a hard thump as his glasses went askew on his nose. He looked up at the potions master, giving a small smile.

"What was that?" Draco asked his voice loud enough for both Severus and Harry to hear. Harry's smile disappeared completely as Severus's seemingly evil grin appeared. Harry starred up at Severus, knowing all hope of telling someone of what he heard had been smashed into pieces.

"Well, well. What do we have here Potter?" Severus sneered, grabbing Harry by the collar and hauling him up. Harry struggled in his grasp, trying to pull away while listening to the footsteps of both Pansy and Draco coming their way. "Tell me Potter, what are you doing?" Harry's eyes darted from side to side as he tried to think of something say. He could always just tell Severus the truth and pray to god that Dumbledore was right about the potions professor.

"I came up here to be alone," he stated, praying that this would work. He knew that both Pansy and Draco were turning the corner right about now. "My scar was burning worse than usual. I came here to wait it out," he stated. Severus released him quickly, nodding, his grin vanishing. He let out a sigh of relief but it was short lived by Draco's outburst.

"You were spying on me!" he yelled in outrage as he glared at Harry who did not turn to look at him. He stared at Severus, desperately trying to portray what had happened to him. Why he had been up on the empty floor in the first place. It wasn't his fault that Draco had decided to come up at the same time to finish some sinister plot for Voldemort. Severus stared down at him, reaching out and pushing up Harry's bangs. His scar was inflamed and bleeding a little bit. Harry hadn't even noticed it until Severus pulled his hand away, some of Harry's blood staining his skin.

"Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Parkinson, get down to the great hall at once with all the other students. You're missing lunch." Draco looked about to say something but Severus cut him off with the wave of his hand. "Mr. Potter and I need to have a discussion," he stated his wicked grin in place. At this Draco smiled and Harry had the decency to look somewhat scared even though he knew that Severus was no doubt escorting him to Dumbledore.

Draco and Pansy walked off to the great hall, leaving Harry alone with Severus. "You're bleeding," he said, stating the obvious. Harry lifted his arm to rub the blood off of his forehead but Severus waved his wand, cleaning him off blood. "Dumbledore will want to know about this no doubt. Come along then."

His eyes snapped open only to find himself in a dark, dank place. At least that's what it seemed. Cushions pillowed his aching head. It seemed he was in a box, one shaped just for him. And that's when it hit him. His eyes darted around and his hands went up to the ceiling of the box. He started pounding on it, hoping someone would hear him, hoping someone would save him. He couldn't breath, there was no air. I started punching at the wood, feeling it splinter against his knuckles which were bleeding. "Help!" he screamed, his voice horse and barely above a whisper. He was going to die in this box, this coffin.

Harry was walking down the empty corridor yet again, hoping to find what Draco had been working on. It was empty now, since everyone was at the Slytherin versus Ravenclaw quidditch match. He took this opportunity to snoop. And that's when he heard the banging. Someone was banging on something, making a ruckus and he knew that Filch would rush up once he heard it. So Harry did what any curious sixteen year old would do. He ran towards the noise. The banging was getting louder and was coming from an empty, unused classroom. Harry recognized the room immediately. It was the same room he had discovered the Mirror of Erised.

He pushed the door open to find that placed upon the desk was a casket. Ron was in there. And that's where the banging was coming from. Harry raced to the casket, pulling out his wand and unlocking the lock placed upon his. Using all his strength, he pushed the top open.

Someone was unlocking it! He could hear the bolt moving backwards with a clicking sound. Someone had heard him! He was about to push the casket open and jump out with joy. Just as he was about to push to top off, it sprang open and his best friend was looking down at him. "Harry," Ron choked as he sat up, his best friend throwing his arms around him.

"Ron! You're alive! You're here!" Harry cried, holding his best friend to him. It was a miracle, magic, real magic. The type he had read about in fairytales. Ron was alive. Harry placed his palm over Ron's chest, his smile widening as he heard Ron's heart beating, a little fast but no doubt only to get the blood pumping and air in. It didn't matter though, Ron was alive. He wasn't dead. Hermione was going to freak. Ron held Harry out by arms length, looking at him with his red eyebrows cocked up.

"What do you mean I'm alive? Of course I'm bloody alive!" Ron looked around and down at his legs which were in the casket. "Is Madame Pomfrey trying something new?" Ron asked as he looked back up at Harry. Harry shook his head, helping Ron out of the casket. He stumbled out, his legs giving out underneath him as the muscles locked up. Harry held Ron up and the both began to walk out of the classroom.

"No Ron! You were dead. I mean dead. I don't understand how you're back but we've got to see Dumbledore. You're funeral was tomorrow Ron!" Harry exclaimed. Ron hobbled on, not questioning Harry but staring out openly into space. "Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked, looking worriedly at his best friend. Maybe it had not been the best idea to tell him that he was dead.

"The last thing I remember is Hermione and looking up at her," Ron stated. He looked down at Harry, his blue eyes wondering. "She's okay, right? Mione is okay? She's alive, she's safe?" he asked Harry. Harry smiled, nodding his head and Ron visibly relaxed. "Right then, let's get to Dumbledore and sort this mess out." Harry chuckled, laughing as the two made their way towards Dumbledore's office.

Hermione entered the school with Severus gliding along behind her. Dumbledore wanted to talk to them about the night before after the game. Soon they were standing in front of the familiar statue with Severus mumbling the password. The statue moved aside and stairs took its place. Both began to climb up the stairs coming opening the door and walking into the circular room. Dumbledore was seated at his desk, a strange expression upon his face. He was talking to two other students, Hermione realized. She saw Harry's black hair first before he turned around, a great big smile upon his face. She looked to see who was sitting next to him. There he sat his blue eyes boring into hers as his red hair fell sloppily into his face. But it couldn't be him. He was dead.

And then she fainted into Severus's arms.