Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Harry Potter series. That credit goes to the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. Go Jo! I also do not own some of the material used. Again that belongs to Jo and Warner Brothers.

Chapter 7 The Troll

It was now Halloween. Ron and Draco walked into the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. Draco went to sit at the Slytherin table when Ron stopped Harry walking into the Great Hall alone.

"Hey, Harry," Ron said.

Harry turned and saw Ron walking towards him.

"Hi, Ron," he said somewhat dazed.

He was surprised Ron would even talk to him if Hermione was not with him.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron asked.

Harry laughed, knowing that that was going to be Ron's first question.

"I believe she's in the girls' bathroom," he said.

Ron looked down; a bit embarrassed. Ever since he started having that dream, Ron felt like something was going to happen to the three of them. He almost dared to believe at some points it meant him failing at the mission.

"Oh, okay," Ron said.

With his head down, Ron walked back to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Draco. Ron turned as Draco sighed at the way he was acting.

"You're falling for her, aren't you?" Draco asked.

Ron lowered his eyebrows.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

Draco shook his head and looked back at his food.

"Granger. You were asking Potter about her, weren't you?" he asked.

Ron looked down and began rubbing the back of his neck.

"Er…" he began.

Draco rolled his eyes and took a bite of his food.

"Don't bother answering that," he said.

"Listen, the more interested I seem to be in Hermione, the less suspicious Harry will be, right?" Ron asked.

Ron's eyes grew as Draco almost chocked on his food. Draco shook his head and looked over at Ron, who was looking at him like he was still choking.

"It'd sound more convincing if you would've used their surnames," he said.

Ron looked down.

"Oh…" he muttered.

Draco began to shake him after noticing his expression.

"If you're getting attached to them…" he began.

"I'm not," Ron snapped.

Ron took hold of the table and leaned forward. When he looked up, there was a troll. There was a scream from a girl, a flash of light, and then he was back at the feast, still clutching the table.

"What's the matter?" Draco asked.

Ron let go and turned to Draco, who was looking scared.

"I'll be right back," he said.

Draco lowered his eyebrows as Ron got up. He gave a frustrated sigh as he saw Ron heading for the Gryffindor table.

"Everything all right there, Ron?" Harry asked.

"I don't think so," he said.

Harry's eyes leveled.

"What?" he asked confusedly.

Ron took a deep breath and looked side to side before leaning in.

"I think Hermione's in trouble," he whispered.

"But how…" Harry began before the Great Hall's doors swung open.

They watched as their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor came running down the hall.

"Troll! Troll in the dungeon," Professor Quirrell yelled.

Harry's eyes grew and turned to Ron, totally flabbergasted.

"Are you…" he began before their professor began to talk again.

"Thought you ought to know," Professor Quirrell said, falling to the ground.

Everyone then began screaming. Professor Dumbledore stood up to order silence.

Prefects, escort your House's back to the dormitories. Teachers, follow me to the dungeons," he said.

Harry stopped Ron as they walked out of the Great Hall.

"Wait a minute. Hermione's nowhere near the dungeons," he said.

Ron shook his head in disbelief. He knew where Hermione was. He knew she was in danger.

"We have to get to the girls' bathroom," Ron said.

"But…" Harry began.

"Do you trust me?" Ron asked.

Harry made a little noise in his mouth as his eyes met Ron's.

"I just…" he began, but he could not finish.

"Please, come on," Ron begged.

Harry sighed as he looked around them.

"Ron, we're not going to be able to get away," he said, indicating the crowding hall.

Ron bit his lip and looked around from the Slytherins.

"Sure we will. We just have to make sure Percy doesn't see us," he said.

They waited until Ron's brother was turned in the opposite direction.

"Now," Ron said.

They started running the opposite direction. When they rounded the corner, Harry pulled Ron behind a knight.

"Hold it," Harry said.

There it was. A fully grown mountain troll. Harry and Ron were holding each other up, making sure neither of them fell.

"I think the troll's left the dungeon," Ron said.

Harry gasped, realizing where it was heading.

"It's headed for the girls' bathroom," he said.

And then there was a horrible cry.

"Help," the voice yelled which Harry and Ron noticed was Hermione's.

The two looked at each other, terror in their eyes. How were they going to take on this troll by themselves?

"Hermione," Harry and Ron yelled.

They entered the bathroom to find half the stalls demolished and Hermione on the ground covering her head with her hands.

"Help," Hermione yelled as she lifted her head up a little.

Harry and Ron started picking up debris to throw at the troll.

"Hermione, move," Harry yelled.

As fast as she could on her hands and knees, Hermione made her way to a corner.

"Harry," Ron yelled.

Hermione turned and gasped when she saw Harry being held by the ankles by the troll.

"Do something," Harry yelled to Ron.

Ron looked around with his hands in the air.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Anything! Hurry up," Harry yelled.

Ron reached into his robes and pulled out his wand.

"Swish and flick," Hermione said.

"Wingardian Leviosa," Ron yelled.

The club in the troll's hand levitated into the air. When it was over the troll's head, it fell and hit it, knocking it unconscious.

xxx

Draco was pacing the length of his bed. Ron was sitting on his bed watching. Professor McGonagall, along with several over teachers, had entered the bathroom. Hermione had taken responsibility for the reason why the three of them were standing in front of an unconscious troll. It was because of this that Ron had begun questioning himself. Were his feelings for Hermione growing into something more? Would he now be able to succeed in his mission after what he, Harry, and Hermione had gone through?

"You're absolutely mental," Draco shouted.

Ron sighed and looked from the ground towards Draco.

"But… he began.

Draco turned and began walking towards him.

"Risking your life for that Mudblood," he said.

Ron's face turned red as he stood up.

"Don't call her that," he snapped.

Draco shook his head and turned around.

"You should've just let the troll kill them," he said.

Ron looked down, not wanting to think about what would happen if the troll had.

"I couldn't," he said, almost pleading with Draco to make him understand that he could not let Harry die.

He needed to be alive for when Voldemort came.

"I know… I know. The Dark Lord wants Potter alive," Draco said.

"Then?" Ron asked.

Draco sighed as he turned to Ron, who had sat back down on his bed.

"You've just changed," he said.

Ron looked down, thinking. Had he really changed? Had Harry and Hermione distorted his thinking so much that Draco had noticed?

"Maybe I have," Ron said more to himself than Draco.

AN:

None.