Hi everyone,
This chapter is quite exciting with the new side of Ron exposed. I have to get rid of him so what way is better than to make his a lunatic.
I just updated it so it is a bit different from before. I was reading back over it and saw that a few changes needed to be made. Please review and tell me what you think about it.
Enjoy and read and review!
Chapter 2: Crucio!
Everyone watched on as Ron was blasted to the other side of the room and slid down the wall, barely conscious. Having trained with Hermione and Harry, the trio could resist minor spells such as the stunner and the disarming spells.
Everyone spun around and saw a very angry Harry standing at the top of the staircase with his wand out and pointed at Ron and his eyes glowing ferociously with an intense green.
'Harry?' Hermione asked confused but then her head turned away. She didn't want Harry to see her like this.
Harry walked over to Hermione, one eye still kept on Ron, and lifted her chin up. Her chocolate brown orbs met the gaze of concerned green ones and Harry could see the hurt and fear in Hermione's.
'Hermione...' Harry asked and his eyes softened and without warning he pulled her in for an embrace. Even Harry knew that Hermione needed a hug to feel better.
He heard a few sobs and pulled her towards him more closely. He had a feeling to protect her and he felt disgusted at Ron. His supposed best-friend. The one that was about to kill his closest female friend.
'He was g-going to k-k-kill me H-Harry,' she hiccupped and Harry soothed her by rubbing her back gently.
'He's not gonna cos I'm here now,' Harry said back, 'I'll protect you.'
After a few minutes of the two standing in an embrace, they pulled away slowly. Harry wiped her tears away with his thumb and she gave a small smile.
'Thanks,' Hermione said softly and a small blush graced her face as she reached up and kissed Harry's cheek. He smiled at her.
'No problem Hermione,' Harry said and felt his chest filling with warmth after Hermione's kiss.
'Urghh,' Ron said and everyone watched as the temperature fell frosty as Harry slowly turned and faced a disorientated Ron. However he shook his head and gazed at Harry, who was standing near Hermione.
Harry pushed Hermione behind him protectively as Ron pulled his wand on Hermione. She grabbed Harry hand and flinched slightly from the gaze Ron gave her. Harry tightened his grip on his wand and gave a small squeeze to reassure her it was going to be fine.
'Girls take Hermione up to her room and give her some water,' Harry said and Hermione shook her head.
'No I want to stay here,' Hermione said stubbornly.
'Angelina, Lavender, Parvati, Katie,' Harry said again, but forcefully, and the four girls nodded and led Hermione away. Lavender put an arm around Hermione and Parvati linked arms with her. Hermione looked at Harry one last time and Harry winked at her. However before they could get to the stairs a spell nearly hit them and they stopped in their tracks.
'Where's the mudblood going?' Ron sneered as he walked closer towards Hermione and the other girls.
Hermione began to shake and the girls tightened their grips on Hermione reassuringly.
'Get away from them Ron,' Harry said and Ron snorted.
'I don't take orders from the Chosen One!' Ron said.
'Get away you arsehole,' Lavender said and Ron smirked as he looked her up and down hungrily.
'Oh you'll make a lovely treat tonight Brown,' Ron said and Lavender looked disgusted.
'Move or you'll regret it,' Harry said, his temper raising.
'And what if I don't?' Ron taunted.
'I don't think you want to know,' Harry growled.
'Maybe I should get rid of both of you... Voldemort wouldn't be too fussed with the Boy-Who-Lived and a Mudblood being wiped out,' Ron thought aloud.
'I can't believe you're a Gryffindor,' Seamus said angrily.
'Maybe you should have been in Slytherin,' Dean butted in.
'You're pathetic,' Harry snarled.
Ron let out a laugh and pointed his wand at Harry.
'I don't care Potter,' Ron stated. He had an emotionless face.
'Don't push me Ron,' Harry said through gritted teeth, 'let the girls go.'
'No,' Ron stated simply.
'Get out of the way you git,' Harry said again.
'You think you're such a great wizard Harry,' Ron said, 'well reality check I'm so much better that no one will be able to make me get out of the way, not even the so-called Chosen One.'
'Reality check I'm not the one who's turning into Voldemort,' Harry said losing his temper altogether.
Everyone gasped and Ron went red with anger. He moved out the way and started towards Harry, who stood his ground, watching his angry friend approaching him.
'I'm turning into Voldemort?! I'll show you, and I think I'll begin with a dose of pain,' Ron snarled.
'Hit me... I've had worse,' Harry challenged and without a warning Harry cast a stupefy jinx at Ron, who sidestepped it.
A purple light came out of Ron's wand and Harry deflected it, smashing a vase as the bone-breaking hex hit the vase.
But it was only a distraction as Ron then sent five blood-boiling hexes at Harry at rapid speed.
Harry, thinking fast, summoned a shield and all five hit the shield at once, absorbing into the shield.
Everyone watched the duel go on in awe at Harry's magical power but disgust at Ron's choices of spells.
Hermione stood there trembling and Ron noticed this. As Harry was holding up a shield, Ron cast a bone-breaker at Hermione.
'Look out!' Some people shouted and Harry whirled around to see that a hex was heading for Hermione. He sprinted towards her and pushed her aside, taking the hex in his left arm. Everyone gasped and a few girls scream at the large crack that echoed around the room.
Harry gasped in pain and struggled to keep up on his feet.
'And now the finale,' Ron smirked darkly, 'Avada Kedavra,' he shouted.
Time seemed to freeze as everyone including Harry watched the green light heading towards him. He raised his wand and conjured a shield of metal in front of himself.
The spell collided with the shield and exploded, the force of the explosion sending Harry smashing back into the wall. He bit his lip as his broken arm was jostled painfully.
Everyone else braced themselves but noticed the golden barrier put up between themselves and the two boys duelling. They could only watch as Harry clutched tight of his wand and struggled to get up on his knees.
However a cutting spell hit Harry and he gasped in pain as blood spurted out from his side and his shirt started to soak it.
Harry fell to all fours and clutched his side with his good arm. He looked up painfully as Ron approached him with an evil smirk.
No one dared to move as Ron advanced on Harry, who watched him coolly.
'You're no better than a death eater,' Harry said gritting his teeth in pain and Ron sneered.
'At least I can see what needs to be eliminated. Now I'm gonna make you experience a world of pain,' Ron replied, 'Crucio,' he uttered.
Everyone screamed as Harry was hit and thrashed around on the ground. He bit his lip to stop screaming. He wasn't giving satisfaction to Ron.
'Stop it Ron!' Hermione screamed as tears flowed down her face. She tried to get through the barrier but Harry was still holding it up. The seventh years were trying all kinds of spells to get the barrier down but Harry wasn't letting it go down any time soon.
The satisfaction on Ron's face showed he wasn't going to stop anytime soon.
The curse lifted after a minute and Harry lay panting on the floor, trembling from the aftermath of the curse.
Silence was heard in the common room. No one believed that a Gryffindor could use an unforgivable.
'That the best you could do Ron,' Harry gasped out after a few seconds. His limbs felt on fire and more blood was gushing out from the wound.
'So that wasn't enough,' Ron asked in a deadly voice, 'maybe I should let the Mudblood taste a dose of pain.'
'Don't even touch her Ron,' Harry threatened. However Ron approached the barrier, with the intention of dragging Hermione into the centre of the room. Hermione shrank back and Fred and George stood in front of her, blocking her off.
However he could not get through. Harry chuckled as he struggled to his feet.
'Let it down,' Ron said in a cold tone.
'No way,' Harry said. However he was worried. He couldn't keep the barrier up and it was starting to show.
'A little bit more pain and you'll do exactly as I say,' Ron said and with that he sent a fire spell at Harry.
Harry threw up a shield of water and the fire died down.
Ron then sent another cruciatus at Harry, who conjured up another shield. Another explosion and when the smoke cleared Harry could be seen struggling to get up again. The blood was dripping onto the floor from his wound and he felt light-headed and dizzy.
The barrier shimmered and flickered and then it dissolved away. Ron grinned in triumph.
He shoved everyone away with a blast of dark magic and grabbed Hermione by the hair and threw her down next to Harry.
'Harry...' Hermione said softly and touched Harry's face softly.
'I won't let him hurt you,' Harry whispered in pain. Hermione smiled softly and took in his bruised face and trembling limbs. She aimed her wand at the gash and healed in up temporarily.
'So touching,' Ron said and aimed his wand at Hermione.
'Now watch as the Mudblood suffers,' Ron said and uttering the curse it headed to Hermione. Harry, with his seeker reflexes, shoved Hermione aside and was hit with the curse.
Harry let out an anguished scream, no longer able to take it. Everyone cringed at the sound.
'You stupid Potter,' Ron said angrily and lasted the curse for a minute longer.
Ron stopped the curse and Harry fell limply onto the floor. His face was screwed up in pain and he was trembling violently. He opened his eyes to stare back into his ex-friends face.
'That's where a half-blood should belong, at my feet,' he said.
The common room had opened and Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape rushed in. Shock turned into anger as Dumbledore whipped his wand out and banished Ron away from Harry. He then hurried towards him along with McGonagall. Snape bound up Ron and took his wand away.
Hermione put a hand on his cheek and tears ran down her face. He gave one weak smile and fell unconscious.
'Miss Granger we need to take him to the Hospital Wing,' McGonagall said as she put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione nodded and with a flick of a wand, a stretcher appeared. Seamus and Dean helped carry Harry and placed him on the stretcher.
McGonagall then hurried to the Hospital Wing along with Snape, Harry levitated on the stretcher.
'Hang in there Harry,' Hermione whispered before she broke down and fell to the floor, her hands over her face sobbing.
Dumbledore vanished with Ron, no doubt to his office. Everyone collapsed down onto a chair, sofa or the floor, and the girls ran over to Hermione to offer support.
'Can you believe it?' Seamus said.
'And Ron even tortured Harry, what a pathetic prick,' Dean muttered darkly.
'Harry was amazing though. The way he protected us even when he was in pain…' Neville piped up and everyone agreed.
'That's what the third time he's been under the Cruciatus?' Seamus said counting on his fingers.
Everyone was stunned by this piece of news and a new found respect for Harry was found in everyone's mind.
'I can't believe that was our brother!' Fred said angrily pacing up and down the room.
'Such a jealous prick, knew it from when he was born,' George said.
'Did not,' Fred argued.
'Did too,' George countered.
'Did not.'
'Did too.'
'Will you all shut the hell up?!' Hermione screamed and everyone looked at her. She looked a wreck with her curly hair sticking everywhere and her eyes puffy and red.
The room was silent and with that Hermione turned on her heel and marched out of the portrait door, slamming it shut behind her angrily.
'Don't mind her, she's just hysterical,' Parvati said to the silent room.
'And who wouldn't be... their ex-friend just duelled and tortured her other best friend with dark magic, attempted to kill her only for her best friend bear the brunt,' Angelina said sadly and everyone murmured sadly.
...
The next morning in the Great Hall, the whole of the Gryffindor table were silent, hoping for any news. No one had heard about the attack on Harry by Ron yet so the other three houses were chatting away, unaware of what had happened last night.
The worst one was Hermione. She was sitting by herself after returning to the common room dripping wet from the rain outside and was too worried to sleep, with an extremely short temper in the morning. Her food wasn't even touched and she glanced at the entrance every minute she looked like she was having spasms.
Dumbledore stood up and everyone looked at him. He cleared his throat with a sombre expression and glanced at Hermione who was gazing into space.
'I have a very bad piece of news to give to you all. Last night in the Gryffindor Common Room a unpleasant experience occurred involving one Mr Harry Potter,' he started but was interrupted by a blonde Slytherin.
'Oh what happened to the precious Golden Boy now? Lost something has he? Fallen out of bed and bumped his nose? Aww,' Malfoy said and the Gryffindors held their breath and looked at Hermione, who was positively furious.
McGonagall stood up to try and calm Hermione down when Hermione blew.
'MALFOY YOU'RE THE MOST INSENSITIVE WART EVER KNOWN TO MANKIND! IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY THEN I SUGGEST YOU SHOVE YOUR COCKY LITTLE FACE UP YOUR ARSE BECAUSE FRANKLY I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE SMALL RANGE OF VOCABULARY STORED IN YOUR PEA-SIZED BRAIN!'
Hermione sat down breathing heavily and Malfoy paled considerably. Everyone else looked shocked at the Smartest Witch and Dumbledore cleared his throat.
'As I was saying before rudely being interrupted by Mr Malfoy, was that Mr Ronald Weasley has committed a terrible act. He confronted Mr Potter and subjected him to the Cruciatus Curse...' he said and the room was shocked, '... twice.'
Immediately the room began to talk and they were all shocked that a Gryffindor had performed an unforgivable curse on a fellow student... and not only a fellow student but one of their best friends.
'He also attempted to subject Miss Granger to the same curse however Mr Potter shoved her aside and took the curse himself. Mr Potter is currently in the hospital wing, whilst regretfully we cannot arrest Mr Weasley as he is a minor but we have expelled him.'
Suddenly the door banged open and there stood... Harry's Godfather, Sirius Black. He looked absolutely furious and walked straight over to Dumbledore, having being owled last night.
Some people screamed and a few people pointed their wands at him.
'Everyone lower your wands, Sirius Black is innocent as shown in the Daily Prophet yesterday,' Dumbledore said calmly and eventually everyone lowered their wands.
'Where's my godson Albus?' he asked fuming.
'In the hospital wing Sirius,' Dumbledore said sadly, 'now why don't you sit and have some breakfast and we can visit him later. Poppy tells me he is currently sleeping,' Dumbledore suggested and Sirius nodded, although he looked about to explode.
'Sirius,' a small voice came and Sirius whirled around to see the dishevelled figure of Hermione.
'Hermione,' Sirius said and Hermione nodded.
'I'm sorry, this all started with me. Ron was going to kill me but then Harry knocked him aside and then Ron confronted Harry and he... he bound up Harry and t-tortured him. Then he was going to torture me but Harry shoved me away at the last moment and was t-tortured again!' Hermione said as tears fell from her eyes. She averted her gaze and waited for the harsh words to come her way.
Sirius softened his gaze and knelt before her. He put his hands on her shoulder.
'Look at me Hermione,' Sirius said softly and Hermione hesitantly met Sirius' gaze.
'It's not your fault Hermione; you were scared and didn't expect this. Harry cares about his friends as you should know and so he would have even jumped in front of the Killing Curse for you so don't blame yourself. Harry knew fully well what he was intending to do,' Sirius finished and Hermione, overwhelmed with the kindness and the whole event yesterday flung herself at Sirius and started to sob.
After a few minutes, Hermione calmed down and with a smile she sat next to Ginny, who pulled her in for a hug. She sniffled and everyone gave her a smile and she began to butter some toast.
Everyone started to chatter again and soon the Hall was back to normal. However the room grew quiet as they could hear raised voices in the outside corridor and everyone quietened to hear waht was going on.
'I need to see her,' a male voice said.
'Oh no you don't, back to bed now!' Madam Pomfrey's voice said raised.
'But I'm sick of it, anyway what if Ron got her again when I fainted!' Harry's voice came floating and seemed angry.
'POTTER!'
Everyone flinched at the sound of an angry Madam Pomfrey. There were clattering footsteps and the doors banged open.
Harry Potter stood there in his clothes, looking wildly around the Hall. He swayed slightly and clutched the frame of the door to steady himself. His eyes were bloodshot and he seemed to spasm every once in a while. His arm was covered in a bandage and he walked slowly forward with a limp.
His eyes stopped when he saw Hermione, who had stood up with relief on her face. He raced over to her, forgetting about his leg and embraced her fiercely. She hugged back and he pulled away to examine her. Apart from red eyes and messy hair she seemed fine.
'Hermione...' he said and Hermione smiled happily, 'you're fine, thank Merlin.'
Hermione smiled but shook her head and frowned.
'Harry you should be asleep and resting,' she said and lightly smacked his arm. He smirked.
'But if I was would I be able to do this?' he asked.
Without another word he pulled Hermione towards him with his arm around her waist and leaning forward, placed a kiss on her lips. She froze and then a second later she kissed him back. She could hear catcalls and could hear the twins whistling but ignored them.
She was having her first kiss with the man she loved ever since first year when he saved her from the troll. She could feel the adrenaline pumping and eagerly leaned in for more, his soft lips pressing against hers. Fireworks were going off and she felt slightly dizzy, one hand in his soft messy jet-black hair and the other wrapped around his neck. It was bliss.
Harry was feeling the exact same. He could smell her vanilla and parchment scent and her lips were delicate and softly pressed against his. One arm was wrapped around her petite waist and the other was lost in the gorgeous curly locks that, like his hair, were untameable. But that's how he liked it.
They pulled back after what seemed like eternity and a goofy grin played on Harry's face. Hermione blushed as applause rang out through the hall. The perfect duo were together and all around the two, people were collecting gold from bets made.