Hermione had been wandering the wizarding world for several days. All of the places that were usually friendly and crowded, were now empty and lonely looking. She'd been to Diagon Alley, Hogsmede, she even paid a visit to the Burrow, looking for anybody who she had known 10 years ago. What had happened to them? Why were the only people she saw death eaters? She needed to find someone, anyone. Maybe they could tell her what happened in the last ten years.
She'd also been trying to find a book on time travel. Perhaps she could have found one on a certain potion? But all of the libraries were either destroyed, boarded up, or completely cleared of books. She was often reduced to tears in some situations. Honestly, she'd never been more afraid or lonely.
There came a day when Hermione was wandering, as usual, when she saw something strange. Another human, it seemed. She rushed for the cloaked person, who had apparated yards from her on the corner of a boarded up Gringotts. The cloaked figure had their wand out and was attempting to blast the door open.
"Hello? Who are you?"
The figure turned around in an instant, and Hermione gasped, squinting to get a better look. She swore she saw a flash of blue eyes and freckles. Instantly, the person raised their wand and muttered a curse under their breath. Hermione was blasted several yards from where she had been.
"Oomph…" she groaned, rubbing her head. She noticed the figure had raised their wand again, preparing to apparate.
"No! Expelliarmus!" she screamed and pointed her wand at the figure. The wand that had been in their hand flew to Hermione, who steadily walked to them.
"Tell me what's going on!" she pushed her wand to their neck, "And don't try to get away! I have your wand!" she was quite surprised when the cloaked person raised their hand and struck her hard across her face, knocking the wind out of her. She was sent sprawling to the ground for the second time that day. She'd dropped both wands, which were collected by the difficult person.
"No…" She stood up, and ran for the person, grabbing them tightly around the arm as they disapparated.
She landed on her feet in a completely different place. There was green all around. She could see no house, or anything like that. Why had he come here?
"Merlin…" she heard a familiar sounding cry, and turned around abruptly. The figure was kneeling, and clutching his forearm tightly. Hermione noticed the hood had come off in the confusion, but the man made no move to hide his face. She gasped as she got a closer look. Freckles, long nose… and flaming red hair. Ron. He was older, but Hermione couldn't mistake it to be him.
"…Ron?"
Ron looked up. Hermione was surprised to see his eyes were narrowed.
"Finally caught me, huh?" he clutched his arm, hate filling his eyes.
"What… Ron, I haven't seen you in ages, I…"
"Are you going to kill me then? That's what you've been waiting for, isn't it? Now's your chance you coward. I'm already bleeding to death." Hermione had never seen so much hate in his eyes.
"What are… Ron, let me help you with your arm. We'll take you to St. Mungo's."
Ron grimaced, as if the pain in his arm was getting to him, "Probably taking me to You Know Who, aren't you? You traitor…" He breathed the last words, as if it was getting hard to speak.
Hermione knew if he wouldn't let her talk, he'd surely die from blood loss. She also knew, that the way things were going, he wasn't likely to comply without force.
"Hold still, or I swear I'll hex you Ron!"
"Why don't you just kill me?" he glared at her.
Hermione's heart sank, "This is for your own good." she said, trying to ignore his last statement. She pointed her wand at his chest and said, "Petrificus Totalus!" Ron froze, and his stiff body fell to the floor. Hermione looked down at him with a kind of sympathetic look as he glared up at her. She picked him up and waved her wand, trying to remember anything on apparating. She closed her eyes, concentrated and disappated, appearing again in front of a large building. She looked herself over, groaning when she saw a gash on her hand.
She looked up at the building she'd been to only once before. The hospital had also been boarded up, and looked as if no body worked there. Hermione felt a little worried, but she knew she had to save Ron.
"I read some books on healing. I think I can at least stop the bleeding… But I'd need dittany. They ought to have some…" She paced back and fourth, Ron still frozen under her.
She headed for the boarded up door and pointed her wand at it. The door exploded after she mumbled a spell. When the dust had cleared, Hermione pointed her wand at Ron, and muttered a Levi Corpus. She didn't want to leave him out here, but she also didn't want to carry him. She levitated him through the air as she explored the deserted hospital.
It wasn't to long before she found the private stores of the hospital. There weren't to many bottles or supplies at all. Hermione set Ron down, lifting the Levi Corpus charm, but not the Paralysis curse. She searched for what seemed like hours before finding a tiny bottle labeled 'Dittany'. Hermione looked down at it. She started back for Ron, but tripped in the process.
"No!" she screamed as the bottle slipped from her hands. She watched in horror as it headed for the ground… She was surprised when it stopped centimeters from the ground and set itself down easily. Hermione looked up to see that Ron could move again. He was still lying on the floor, a pained look on his face. He was pointing his wand at the bottle with his good arm, his splinched one still bleeding freely.
Hermione sighed in relief and picked the bottle up, uncorking it with ease. She set herself down beside Ron, who still wouldn't look at her. She began to pull his robes off, but Ron jerked.
"What the hell are you doing?" he said weakly, but he didn't fight.
"Well, to get to your wound, I'm going to need to get to the skin first!" she said and pulled it off. They had to get the wound fixed as soon as possible.
She ripped his shirt open and stared in horror at the wound. The blood was spilling fast and drenching her own hands in his blood. Hermione cleared her throat and poured dittany all over the wound. Within seconds the wound scabbed over. It wasn't great, but Hermione wasn't sure of what else to do.
"There… You'll be fine now."
Ron looked back up at her, eyes still filled with loathing, but they softened slightly, as he began to regain a bit of strength.
"Why did you help me? You hate me."
"I could never hate you Ron… how could you say such a thing? We're best friends!"
Ron almost laughed, "Best friends? No. I could never be friends with you. Never again. That all ended 7th year when you betrayed us. I never thought you'd be the one to do it."
"How did I betray you?" Hermione pleaded, tears in her eyes. "I would never…"
"You! You joined the death eaters!"
Hermione's eyes widened, "D-death eater?" So that's why Malfoy was acting so strange, "But… I'm a muggle-born. Voldemort wouldn't allow me in!"
Ron snorted, "You had some pretty good info to give them. You proved your loyalty, I guess."
Hermione shook her head, "Ron… what do you mean?"
"You passed information onto him about Harry. You're the reason he's dead, Granger."
Hermione gasped, and clapped a hand to her mouth, "Harry's… dead?"
Ron glared at her, "Don't play stupid, Granger. You know he is. You were probably having a bloody party with all of your death eater friends when he was gone. And because of you, the wizarding world has no chance."
Hermione bawled, "I can't…I…"
"Oh but you did. I'm surprised you don't remember. Killing your old friends left and right after the war."
"What happened?!"
Ron shook his head, "You know. And it's all your bloody fault, Hermione Granger. You're the reason You-Know-Who's in power. You're the reason half the people who tried to fight him are gone. You're the reason Hogwarts is gone. It's because of you the whole damn world is in hiding or shut down."
"I'm sorry… I-"
"Sorry?! I guess you should have thought of that before you betrayed us!" he raised his wand, "I'm going to relieve the world of you. We'd be better off knowing the worst death eater is dead. I'm not sorry about this." he pointed it directly at her head, "Avada--"
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Ron's wand flew from his hand. Hermione turned her head around quickly. Draco Malfoy and Vincent Crabbe stood there. She watched as Ron's wand flew to Malfoy's hand.
Malfoy glared at Ron, "You think you can use the Dark Lord's name, then try and kill one of his followers? No, no, no, Weasley."
Malfoy was pointing his wand at Ron, who looked at Hermione with even more hatred.
Crabbe rushed to Hermione, "Babe!" he called and wrapped his arms around her, "Did that bloke hurt you? We can kill 'em if you want."
Hermione was slightly repulsed. Why was Crabbe calling her babe? And why was he hugging her? How had they found them? Why did they think Ron had used his name?
"No… don't kill him. Please."
Draco raised his eyebrows, "Why? He used the Dark Lord's name. And he's a blood traitor. We've been looking for this git for 7 years now."
Hermione sighed deeply, then trying to look convincing, stared at Crabbe, "Please er… sweetie, don't kill Ron, I mean, Weasley. I have to… question him, first that is." She stroked Crabbe's face with her fingers, feeling as if she would throw up.
Crabbe smiled at her, then looked at Draco, "Maybe we should take him to your place for questioning? After a few rounds of the torture curse, he'll be begging to give us answers. Begging for death." Crabbe tightened his grip on Hermione and kissed the tip of her nose. "How's that, Babe?"
Hermione forced a smile. That would only bide them time, but she knew they did need all the time they could get.
Malfoy seemed to be thinking, then nodded, "Alright then. I suppose it'll be helpful to get information on the remaining Weasley's, and that brute of a wife of your's Weasley."
Hermione's eyes widened. Ron's narrowed, "Don't call her--"
"Shut it, Weasley. We're going to question you at a secret location. If you don't cooperate, we will find your beloved wife. And we will kill her."
Ron shook his head, "I'd sooner die than tell you anything!"
"Oh you will. After watching your wife die, that is. Isn't she expecting, Weasley?"
Ron's eyes widened, but he didn't answer. He looked frightened now.
Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ron was married? And he was going to be a father? Tears fell silently down her eyes. She prayed no one would notice.
"Right then. We're going on a little field trip. " Malfoy seized Ron by his splinched arm, and he winced, but didn't fight, as he had no weapon. Crabbe gripped Hermione's hand and the four of them dissapparated to a place Hermione did not know.
There. I know it's a little confusing right now, but I'll try and clear things up as time go on. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing with this story. I decided to have Ron splinch himself, and have Hermione fix it, just like Rowling did in book 7. I fell it makes things more dramatic. Besides, even though it may not show, Ron does trust her just a little bit more now, but he still seems to hate her. :( What did you guys think of this chapter? Loved it? Hated it? Let me know with reviews, please. : )
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
