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Chapter VI: Finding the Fountain

The next morning, after having breakfast consisting of leftover pizza warmed in the room's microwave, the three teens headed off up the hill toward the Universidad de Coimbra. Ernand had told Hermione that the gardens were located on top of the hill, near the university, although they weren't on the map.

After a long trek, they finally found themselves within a block of the University. It had been easy to spot from their hotel, so getting there was no problem. But it was warm already on this summer morning, and the trio were quite out of breath.

"There, that must be it." Hermione said pointing. They soon entered the gardens and found that it was much larger than they expected. All Hermione knew was that they needed to find the fountain, not sure if there was more than one.

When they finally found it, there was no doubt. It was beautiful, yet simple in design. Although it appeared new, perhaps a hundred years at oldest, there was something ancient in its appearance. Small, intricate designs were at the base, seeming unimportant. Still, Hermione examined them with interest.

"So now what?" Ron asked. "It doesn't look like anything's here." He looked into the water, as if expecting to find something.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" Harry asked.

"Seeing if the symbols mean anything. I didn't study so hard in Runes for nothing, you know."

"Those mean something?" Ron asked.

Hermione shrugged. "They don't appear to, but whoever built this fountain must have put some hidden meaning in them. Still, I've never seen anything like it.

"Well, if anyone can figure it out, you can." Ron said.

Hermione beamed at the compliment, but kept her attention on the markings.

"Someone's coming." Harry whispered. The three sat casually on the fountain's edge, making small talk as a young couple walked by.

When they were gone Hermione quickly got out a small notebook and began drawing the figures.

"Why are you doing that, Mione?" Ron asked. Harry, too, looked at her in question.

"In case we can't figure it out. We can't exactly spend all day here, we can take the drawings with us back to the hotel." The two nodded. "Why don't you boys go look around. If you see anything else, come back and tell me." They nodded again then left.

Once alone Hermione went to work on drawing the figures. But her thoughts kept going back to Ernand. Their last night had been completely different from the first.

After showing Hermione the map and giving her travel details, the two had thrown on some clothes and went downstairs to eat. Finding not much of anything, since Hermione was leaving the next day, they had ordered a pizza. Ernand had not actually eaten one, not the kind popularized during the past century, and was delighted with the new style.

After they were finished they went to see what was on the TV set, but it appeared Ernand had other things in mind. Before Hermione even had a chance to turn on the set, he turned her over on the couch and pulled down her drawstring shorts. He knew she wore nothing underneath and gave her a long lick. Satisfied that she was wet, he took out his cock and thrust it inside of her. It all happened so fast for Hermione, and she was so surprised that she nearly fell over the side of the couch.

"Tonight it will be all about fucking." He told her. "Nothing gentle about it. Should you wish to dominate, then I will help teach you. Or, you may surprise me."

And she had.

Hermione shook herself from the memory when she heard voices approaching. It was Ron and Harry.

"Hermione, did you hear us?"

Hermione blinked, continuing her gaze at the fountain. "Sorry, mates, I was just thinking about sex."

"What?!!" Both boys cried out.

Hermione blinked again…she couldn't believe what was right in front of her! "Six! The number six is depicted in ancient runes quite closely that stone here." She said pointing. Whew! She thought and then looked again closer at the stone. It was indeed very similar to the number 6 she'd had learned in various forms from Runes. "Oh, this is surely a clue! I'll just finish up here, then we'll be off. I have an Ancient Runes text I saw referenced in the Abbey with our things back at the hotel. It shouldn't take long." She hurried and scribbled out the best she could in record time. Thankfully her thoughts had wandered for too long and she'd already completed drawing half the carvings.

The boys were curiously silent as they made the trek back down the hill. Hermione had been secretly hoping they'd have this wrapped shortly after lunch, as she wanted to look around the University. She had heard from the hotel clerk that part of the sites included an old library, and whether or not it contained magical books was beside the point. She simply wanted to look at them.

Ron was in a tizzy. He could have sworn the word "sex" came out of Hermione's mouth, and his thoughts were growing mad with desire. He would have to make a move soon, even if his intentions toward her were completely honorable.

Harry couldn't help but notice the flushed look on Ron's face. Hell, even he was feeling rather warm. Even though his heart belonged to Ginny, there was something quite alluring about hearing the word fall from those lips.

Hermione was ahead of them by several paces, clearly trying not to have any excuse to look at them. This alone made Harry wonder if she really had said the word "sex" and wondered further if the number "six" was a coincidence or purposeful mistake. Then again, Hermione Granger never made mistakes.

It was definitely a coincidence, Harry decided when they later looked through Hermione's book and, sure enough, the figure looked similar to the sacred number.

Hermione had conjured an unfamiliar spell to make duplicate, ghost copies of the book and her drawings so that all three could look for matches or near matches. Harry had a vague memory of a Charms class where some of the students had "misplaced" or "forgotten" their texts. The professor had done the very same spell to make ghost copies appear for the remainder of class. Had Hermione memorized or copied the spell for later use? The incident had happened way back in fourth year, when everyone's mind was on the TriWizard Tournament.

Several hours later the trio had decided that many of the carvings were meaningless…or as Hermione said herself, likely distracters. Definite translations were words such as key, three, hour, glass, nine, and turn, as well as the already translated six. Glass had come after hour, so they had guessed that meant hourglass. Suspected words were after, midnight (or high moon), below, and alter (or was it pillar?). They marked these on her original drawing using a pencil.

They had worked for many hours, and it was Ron's stomach growling that had to tell them it was near dinner time. Ron wanted to return to the pizza restaurant, but Hermione insisted to try something new. "Just in case, we don't want anyone able to recognize us." She reasoned.

They found a quaint little tavern after heading the opposite direction they had the night before, and were served a much heartier meal.

"I think we need to return to the fountain," She explained. "Tonight."

Ron groaned. He didn't want to go up the blasted hill again, especially since Hermione was insistent upon returning there for the first open tour of the library the next morning. But she was somehow sure they needed to be there at the moon's highest hour, as that was the interpretation she had made after Harry originally marking it as "midnight". Harry had immediately agreed, and they had replaced his word on her original drawing where they had placed the other words.

Ron had been the first to point out that the only carvings they had deciphered out were placed in a kind of order. Like chess, he was brilliant for noting such strategies. "Here," He had said pointing, "The first word we have is here, carving number three. Then again, at five, but not again until nine. It starts again at fifteen, seventeen, then twenty-one."

"Oh!" Hermione said catching on. Just like three and nine are the odd number in the three-six-nine series, but instead of the six in between they've placed the rune at the next odd number. Very clever, if I do say so myself."

"And you know clever the best, Mione." Ron said, blushing.

Harry had rolled his eyes, noticing Hermione blush as well. He couldn't wait for the two to get their feelings sorted out. He couldn't help but miss Ginny, but he knew this adventure wasn't hers to take. No matter how much she felt she deserved to go, it had to be the infamous Trio. And Ron and Hermione had been with him since the beginning of it all. He remembered the first time they all met on the train. Who knew it would lead to all of this?

Harry brought his attention back to his meal, which he had somehow finished during his musings. Hermione was already reaching into her purse, but he put his arm out to stop her. "No, let me get it. You got us here, Hermione."

"But you paid for the hotel, Harry."

Ron suddenly felt left out – and was inwardly embarrassed. If only he could pay for such luxuries, but the little money he had was to be kept for emergencies. Hermione and Harry had insisted, as each was able to draw upon funds from their parents, or in Harry's case, the funds his parents left him.

Once they had determined the highest moon time, they set up the hill once again an hour before. Hermione had taken another copy of the notes, this time copying the translated figures and their meanings only. She had also hesitantly used her wand to transfigure a bar of hotel soap into an hourglass. They had decided to use as little magic as possible, even though they were in another country and likely there were other witches and wizards about.

She also wished they had a real hourglass, but as Harry pointed out, if the makers of the code were magical then likely it wouldn't make a difference. She had scoffed at his remark, but readily agreed. She had guessed herself that the hourglass needed three, six, and nine turns, as the numbers had come in sequence after turn and hourglass respectively.

Luckily they had also taken Harry's invisibility cloak with them, and had used it before entering the gardens. Before leaving the hotel, Hermione had cast glamour charms on them to make them somewhat unrecognizable. Harry had gone up the hill first, Ron and Hermione following ten minutes later.

The trio waited in some bushes near the fountain, and once they were sure they were alone and the time came, they set to work and its base. As Hermione set out the hourglass, she thought she felt her necklace tingle. Oh, no! She thought. Not now! She cautiously looked around, but saw and heard nothing. Then again, would she actually spot Ernand immediately if he was there? With Harry and Ron at her side? Ignoring the call, she continued, feeling nothing more. Perhaps it was just nerves.

Looking up she saw that it was time of the high noon. Remembering the rune for after, she waited a few minutes before taking hold of the object. She turned it upside down, then upright, then down again. She paused, Harry and Ron waiting anxiously, then turned it six times. Finally, she turned it nine times. Nothing happened yet.

Then a sound was made from the base of the pillar beneath the headstone at the top of the fountain.

Hermione got up, leaving the invisibility cloak with Ron and Harry still underneath. She could see them peeking out, but still went ahead, wading in the water as silently as she could, and saw that a stone had moved slightly. She tugged on it, but it wouldn't move. "Harry, Ron, someone help me." She whispered as loud as she dared.

The two scrambled forth, not minding the water themselves. With all three pulling and tugging, they finally wretched the stone free. Inside was a tiny compartment which contained a lone wooden box. Hermione gasped.

"You open it, Hermione." Harry insisted. "You found it, it's only right."

Hermione opened the box and found what they had been looking for. She carefully removed it.

"Let's get out of here," Ron said, taking a cautious look around. "We should apparate back to our room, don't know why we didn't do it before." Even though he knew the answer, they didn't know who might be wondering the romantic gardens at such an hour.

Harry picked up his cloak, wishing he and Ron had thought clearly to use it when Hermione went to pry the stone. Ron and Hermione pushed it back into place, and the three covered themselves before disapparating.

Once back in their room, a nervous Hermione excused herself to the bathroom after handing Harry Rowena's locket. Once inside she took out the necklace Ernand gave her. She felt nothing. Wondering if she should call him, she decided against it. He told her only in an emergency, and likely Ron and Harry would get worried if she was "gone" for too long. Besides, she didn't really know how.

She sighed, then decided to make use of her time and got ready for bed. Without thinking she got undressed and let the tub fill with hot water, deciding on taking a bath. Getting in she could already feel the days events slipping away.

When she got out, Hermione realized she had forgotten her sleep clothes. She wrapped a towel around her and went to retrieve them. Harry and Ron, who had been playing exploding snap, turned to see their friend wearing next to nothing. The set exploded in both their faces without either of the boys realizing it.

Although clearly embarrassed, Hermione felt herself smirk a little. She grabbed her clothes and went back into the bathroom, letting the door shut behind her. It was the "snap" that broke the two boys out of their trance.

"Blimey, Harry."

"Um, yeah…shall we play again?

"Did you see that, Harry?" Ron was still mesmerized by what he saw, while Harry had composed himself. Suddenly Ron felt very hot inside the cool room, which had its windows open and the fan going. Those legs, those shoulders, her breasts and hips, Ron thought of the way the towel was barely covering her mature figure.

"Ron? You all right? I've dealt the cards, you know." Harry smirked as his friend. He wondered how the two would sleep that night. Well, at least Ron.

Sure enough. Ron tossed and turned, hardly noticing how his dreams were affecting him. In them he and Hermione were rowing (again) but then the scene turned passionate. He woke with a start when Hermione hit him with her pillow, then asking if he'd had a nightmare. He was grateful for the darkness, as he was sure his ears and cheeks were burning red.

He fell asleep again easily enough, and this time had a much more romantic dream about the girl he loved. They were kissing, and it was just after the battle. Everyone around them was in the midst of high celebration. Suddenly they were in a room, alone, confessing their undying love for one another. Little did he know, but Hermione was having the same dream. Ron woke to find her still sleeping, a smile on her face. He watched as her eyes fluttered open, and her cheeks instantly turned pink at finding him staring at her.