DISCLAIMER: Please see chapter 1. That's the complete one. Thanks!
CHAPTER 8: The Other Night
I saw eternity the other night
Like a great ring of pure and endless light.
--Henry Vaughan, The World
Ron felt rigid and his chest pounded louder every second. Although, not really foreign of his heart's behavior when the girl before him is around (since the day they met, to tell you honestly), still he felt most tensed. He may not be the clueless boy from school anymore, who was ever so apprehensive about his growing affection towards his other best friend; nor the timid bloke who never failed to flush beet red around his beautiful girlfriend, Ron nevertheless felt special. However, this feeling came with the fact he knew quite well—that Hermione already has another man in her life. Whilst unsure of what he is to the girl that moment, he let her arms slither through his rough shoulders as her soft hands made their way to the nape of his neck. Hiding his blue eyes behind its lids, he savored the smell of the thick wavy hair against his nose.
They were together again, finally. He didn't want anything else to matter just then.
Slowly, he lifted his arms and wrapped her in the tightest embrace, as if afraid he would lose her once more.
But he wouldn't. Because he was not allowed to have her for a second time.
A bright blue light almost blinded him as it shot across the quiet field. Hermione fell heavy on his strong arms. Panic struck him first and foremost as Ron quickly lowered her body so he could check on her better. She was alive as her chest was moving, and before turning to confront her unidentified attacker, Ron caught sight of the liquid that were running down her eyes. She was crying.
"Who's there!" his angry voice echoed disturbing the night. He carefully laid his companion into the comfort of the grass and reached for both their wands. "I said…"
"It's me." Came a soft voice that had become familiar to his ears. A slim figure stepped into the light where he was able to identify her appearance.
"Memo?" He answered confused. "What did you do? Why did you hit her?" as he returned to examining his unconscious friend.
"I told you, Ron, you can't be seen…especially by her." she stressed the last phrase sounding disappointed. "Didn't I tell you the consequences of being spotted by your suspected slayers? If they found out you were still alive…if they found out who you still care so much for…"
And the two of them did have that conversation. Though, it seemed really strange for Ron that someone or a few of the dark wizards were going after him and the ones important to him as if he was 'Harry Potter', the guy they were supposed to be after. But the way Memo stated her facts, they were pretty believable and it scared Ron so much.
"What's the use of hitting her, she already knew it was me?" But not as much as it scared him to see Hermione look so lifeless.
"Relax." Memo walked to them and sat before Hermione, "It's just as memory charm."
Ron panicked even more, "Memory charm! You took her memories away? That's uncalled for…"
"Ron." She slowly stood up, "It's a selected memory charm. Just for this night. She's going to be just fine. Now, carry her back to your tomb and we'll leave her to think she had fallen asleep."
"We can't leave her unconscious. What if someone comes and…"
"All right, all right…" Memo snapped, her locks bounced as she shook her head. "Place her to that spot and we'll stay as lookout until she wakes, happy?"
Ron gently carried Hermione's body to where Memo had pointed, and placed her head safely against the soft earth. "Don't be mad at her, it's not her fault I was exposed."
"I'm not mad at her…I'm just trying tell you that…Ron, I trust you to let you go out and wander even only behind an old cloak, I took your word that you'll be careful and would not be seen. I believed that you would not reveal yourself and would stay as far from her. I understand you miss her, but we've been through this, we go through this almost thrice a week…she's married, you could've stopped her but you chose to lock yourself inside my house…and now, maybe her husband did leave, it doesn't mean…"
"I know. I know. I'm sorry." Ron continued to gaze at Hermione's peaceful semblance. He held her hands, "When she touched me…I was…lost."
"Forget it. I suppose we can watch over her from the bushes. This time, stay quiet. And as soon as she opens her eyes, we're out." She said all these while dragging Ron's cloak away from his old-time friend. Ron could only watch as he moved further Hermione again.
"Hermione, wake up."
It was Ginny's soft voice and she could feel being shaken on the shoulders. Where was she? Why was Ginny Weasley there? Was she at The Burrow? But when did she go there? The last time she went out of the house was to visit Ron…And she couldn't remember anything after that…Could it be? She had dozed off…
Hermione pushed her heavy eyelids to peek into the scenery. She squinted against the blinding yellow light that greeted her.
"Is she awake?" Asked Harry's voice.
Hermione drew her arms to cover her eyes before she sneaked another quick look. This time, a small part of bright blue sky between a familiar ginger and raven heads. "What happened?" she asked against her dry throat.
Harry held her to get up as Ginny assisted, "It seemed like you fell asleep in here…or you must have fainted, probably tired and all…" suggested the boy with the round spectacles.
"Well, you looked too properly positioned to have fainted. But why would you go sleeping beside this tomb? I mean, except that this is Ron's, but really, I never thought you'd go that far." Ginny added with the tone of suspicion and amusement.
Hermione sat straight and collected herself, "I wouldn't." she said thoughtfully, "Something must have happened…I just can't remember…"
"Hey, you don't think someone attacked you, do you?" Harry asked worried. "I mean, aside from leaving you alive, it's a bit weird to leave you in sweet dreams."
"Do you feel anything odd? Like, is there a part of your body that's aching?" Ginny inquired as she examined Hermione's face, arms, legs.
"I'm fine, Ms. Healer." She assured her friend truthfully. "Although, if something really happened last night, I was definitely hit by a minor memory charm."
"That's not a problem, then. You do know how to reverse it right?" Harry jumped in relief. At least they were to know.
"Yes, of course. The potion…"
"I can help! We're through with reversing minor spells." Ginny declared feeling proud of her achievements. Harry squeezed her hands for this.
"She's going to be just fine, Ron. I'm sorry, I had to do that. Besides, Your other best friend and your sister are already there, nothing to worry about."
Still, he looked pale as ever. Lips as if so undecided whether to smile or frown. "Yeah, she's going to be just fine, Memo. And she's going to remember, you know."
She settled herself beside him on the soft sofa. "I told you, a selected memory charm…"
"Much more reason to believe she's gonna know everything…to the tiniest detail, she will." His eyes widening in pride and anxiety.
"Ron…"
"She's the cleverest witch of our age. Believe me when I say she is going to remember."
Memo seemed to have been suddenly hit on the head, "By chance, she wouldn't know the reverse of the spell, would she?"
Ron stared back into space. "I could sit here forever thinking of anything she could not possibly know or do."
"She's something."
Ron shook his head, "She's everything."
Hermione flipped the glass over her mouth and drank the contents. In spite of the yellow smoke coming out of the bubbly brown liquid inside the tumbler, she managed to consume everything up. It didn't taste too good, it was because the scenes that flashed through her mind were too sweet. She massaged her temples as he head began to throb while the word spoken from the scene playing on her mind reverberates through her entire head.
"Ron?"
"Hermione."
"Are you a ghost?"
"No."
"Are you all right? Are you now remembering what happened?" Ginny asked concerned.
"I'm fine." Hermione answered almost breathlessly. "Ginny, last night…" But it hit her. Telling Ginny or Harry about her encounter with Ron must sound really creepy…predictable, coming from her, but foreseeable as well as to what their reactions would be. They might think she'd lost it. But she hasn't. She knows very well…And before she says a word, she's going to prove it.
Hermione was determined to find Ron. He was alive as she had always prayed. Ron was just delayed. She knew he'd come back…to be with her.
That's it! He came back to get her. They'll be together. Her dreams will be fulfilled. Their dreams.
AUTHOR's NOTE:
I am really sorry for taking this chapter so long! I've been meaning to post this and continue with the rest of the story, it's just that the PC is ancient and it hasn't been functioning very accommodatingly for the past weeks. Plus the fact that I've gotten hooked to watching this Koreanovela titled "Full House", it was really fun watch! Anyway, hopefully, by next week, Dad'll be buying us a new PC, and yahoo! I'll be able to finish the story in no time. But for now, no promises as to when I'll get to post the next. Please bear with me. Thanks for understanding!
