WARNING: HALF BLOOD PRINCE SPOILER INSIDE CHAPTER!

Chapter Nine:

Toothpaste

He spat the words like lemon juice on a tongue. The sweet and tangy words made him instantly sick to his stomach. Could these words be right? Did Harry honestly say that? Ron's face was beginning to bulge with anger as a whip of white hot jealousy slashed through him and back out. He growled in his throat, and noticed it was dry like straw. It was scratchy, and he had no words to say at all.

He looked around as the warmth rose within the room. Chained, naked Hermione to the bed and the blanket was beginning to fall. What was he doing? This wasn't him, this wasn't him at all. He didn't even love her, he loved someone that they didn't even know about, but something made him do this. What could have been done without knowledge and feeling towards it? What had he done?

"That can't be…" Ron stuttered. "She wouldn't choose you over me!" He said, a flare of fire reflecting in his pupils.

"Well, that's what it is, now let her go." Harry demanded. "Now."

"I have a better idea." Ron smirked. "Immobulus!"

A gust of pink flew over Harry as he felt himself stiffen and glue to the floor. He growled in his throat, and then he spoke 'your regrets…' His eyes flared like snakes in cages. Tangled within the bars of his sight, the serpents dripped with venom. It leaked from its teeth, and glared directly at Ron, but Harry could not control this bloody thirsty beast from within him. He couldn't make it disappear. (I love this paragraph! What do you think? Lol)

"What's going on?" Ron said with a bit of nervousness.

Harry closed his eyes. The walls began to shake in the dark room, and then the cracks in the ceiling became pitch black. It filled with tiny insects that ran across the walls and onto the floor. Piling up, Ron let out a yelp as he jumped on the bed, hoping to make Harry mad. He reached for the blanket, and Hermione screamed with all her might. Never would she let him touch her.

She pulled at the chains that made a chiming noise. The cups of tight metal made rings around her wrist. She pulled, hoping to squeeze her hands out of the traps that she lay in. The clamped metal began to slice through her skin, but she pulled more rigidly. She felt like her hand was going to snap off her wrist, but either way they weren't working. She let out another yelp.

The black beasts were along the floor, unable to get on the bad. Spiders. They covered the floor with a thick layer of black. Ron looked around, sending a shielding guard spell to make them unable to reach the bed. Ron smirked at the woman lying beside him. He sat down, and ran a hand along her body. She became restless to murder him right then, but she still had no effort to move.

"You gave me my worst nightmare, and now... I'll give you yours." Ron said with a lick of his lips.

He reached under the blanket, and with a slight move she tried moving away from him, but she couldn't. He grasped her chest and she felt herself sweat. What the hell was he thinking while he was doing this? Her eyes were glassy and stared at him, hoping to make him stop. She glared at him, eyes big with tears, and she felt completely filthy with his hands upon her.

She felt his hands circle her stomach, and his eyes pressed on her. Her cheeks grew red and her heart felt like a volcano. The eruption was about to start as his fingers waltzed their way down to her thigh. She gulped and made another yelping sound, but nothing seemed to be helping her right now. She felt them moved up her legs and upon the mid section, and she let out a scream of terror as he pressed a finger inside of her.

A gust of wind had suddenly come and Ron suddenly took away his hand. He was carried high and then dropped a little. Before he could realize what happened his back was connected with a wall. He was slammed into it with so much force it felt broken, he slid to the floor with a loud thump. It got quiet once again, before Hermione had noticed something.

She looked up and stared at Harry. He had finally opened his eyes and they were lit up in red. She felt a shiver go down her spine. His red eyes pointed straight at Ron with a straight face and knotted brows. The fire snakes of anger slithered through his pupils like bulls. Her lips were purple as the plate fell from the parting between them. Her chains disappeared, and she clutched the blankets around her.

She stood with the blankets wrapped around her tightly, and a burning feeling rising between her silky legs. She could see her lover, still with fire in his eyes, and her unconscious rapist who lay on the floor without a move or sound from him at all. She turned and with a swift move she began to run across the room, throwing her arms around Harry with fear.

"Please stop this!" She begged. "You're eyes are filled with hate and fear as it sends a shiver towards me." She said. "Please stop looking at me like that."

"Do not be scared." He said in a deep voice.

Hermione looked up as his cold, icy silver eyes slowly and gently evolved into the cool crystal green color. She let out a heavily sigh as her breath became visible in the midnight dark. She let out a small smile as she hugged him close to her, and looked to the side to find Ron once again in her sight. She sighed and hugged him closer to her.

"It's not over." Hermione spoke.

"Why do you say that?" He asked, stroking her strands of hair.

"When you leave, he'll come after me again." She said. "He'll create an obsession with me, knowing that you won't be there to protect me. He knows how much I love you, but he'll find a way to shut that out of his mind and turn it into pure hard anger towards you, and pain towards me. Why am I supposed to live through this Harry? I have already lost so much, and I'm losing more now... why does this have to happen too?" She cried into his shoulder.

"He won't be able to touch you, even when I'm gone." Harry said with a lining of silver in his eyes again. "Rejoice Hermione, for you shall feel my wrath Ronald Weasley." He said sharply as spit by a snake.

"Re... Rejoice?"

It seemed like dawn approached faster than anyone could keep up with. It was morning of Harry's worst nightmare: his trial. He woke with a yawn to Hermione, naked, at his side and an unconscious Ron still sleeping in the corner. Harry slid his arm out from under Hermione's waist, hoping not to wake her, and placing one silent kiss on her lips. She just tossed over with out awaking.

He stood from the bed, and breathed in the fresh morning dew, for this would be the last time he would smell it. His eyes searched for the normal bright golden sun as he dressed himself properly, and removed his skin from the atmosphere. He sighed, his last morning felt like his first morning returning to the Dursley's after school ended. It was like the dreams that he died in, were the best he'd ever had or dreamed of having.

He dragged himself into the bathroom, where he drew himself a steaming hot bath. The water filled up as the soap bubbles began to multiply before his eyes. He gently removed his clothes once again, folded them neatly, stacked them on the chair, and stepped in the water. The ripples splashed at the sides of the tub. He closed his eyes and sank in the depth of the bathwater and stayed there.

Flashes of white lights and people were surrounding him and swirling in his head at a rate faster than sound. He saw his parents, the Dursleys, and everything that seemed to happen in all the years of school. It flashed by him, and his memory recharged fuller than he thought it could hold. He could feel every feeling he once could feel, but he did not want to leave this place where he had brought himself to love more than anything, except Hermione.

He could see the train, the chocolate frogs and the candy spread out across the seat. Hermione came and met him and Ron as they led through an adventure of torture and terror. The stories they were told and the arrival of this new castle. He could feel the warmth, joy, and anxiousness rise in him once again. His first flying lesson, first meeting Ron and Neville, entering their first adventure with becoming the Golden Trio was all in his head. The first time they met fluffy, and all the excruciating tasks they lived through to get the Sorcerer's stone. The one thing, though, that he loved the most was his first House Cup championship.

He was beginning to see the small friend who was known to Harry as Dobby the House Elf. His second year was approaching his mind, but this was one of the worst years. He heard talk, and he was nearly killed by the Womping willow. He was nearly expelled, and he was nearly killed by a snake. When he met Voldemort's sixteen year old self and saved Hermione and others lives who were once petrified by battling the hungry basilisk in the Slytherin chambers..

Third year he ran from the Dursleys, hoping to free himself eternally, but it was not over. He magnified his aunt from pure anger that was steaming from him. This is when he found that Sirius Black, his long lost godfather, who he believed was the one responsible for the murder of his parents was innocent. When Hermione introduced her "time – turner" she brought him through the long day a second time to save the mistake the ministry was about to make happen.

Then, fourth year, tri wizard tournament came to his mind, the one thing he never wished to remember. Being put in the tournament and testing his skills while risking his life to wind up trapped within Voldemort's graveyard. Harry had his first real fight with Ron, he was faced with the Yule Ball, which sucked, and he was to battle a dragon and other dangerous tasks. In the end, though, was the worse. He came into the graveyard, and watched a newly fresh friend, that was side by side with him in the tournament, die. Voldemort and Harry dueled, and neither of them won again.

Then, came fifth year, one of the most complicated of them all came. His mind flashed to the fight between him and Seamus, Hermione's obsession with S.P.E.W, his suspension from Quidditch, and the first girlfriend Harry actually had. Cho Chang was his crush for almost three years straight, and when Harry agreed to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, because Umbridge was stupid, she grew close to him. Then it didn't work out well between them, but the D.A.D.A lessons worked out well in the end. His battle in the ministry with nearly ten others at his side worked successfully, but he lost his godfather as a result.

Sixth year was hoping to be a blur to him, but it was as clear as ever. Harry began to have a great liking for Ginny Weasley. When he congratulated her win on the Quidditch match, he had kissed her and that had instantly pulled them together. Whether Ron wanted them to date or not, they did it. Then Harry was on the trail in thinking Malfoy was hiding something, when he found that he was actually siding with Voldemort. Dumbledore told him that he knew what could kill Voldemort, and when Harry assisted him Dumbledore returned fairly weakened. When Harry found Snape's real thoughts, it was too late. Snape had murdered Dumbledore to stop Draco from doing it. At Dumbledore's funeral he broke up with Ginny, and made the decision not to return to school.

Now, though, everything was different. Harry had officially killed Voldemort over the summer, and now he was free to return. He would return too, but one thing was standing in his way. This trial was the only thing, and Harry was beginning to space in and out of his situation, forgetting he was lying under water. He didn't care whether he had to breathe or not, he just laid there. Though as fast as lightning something had grabbed his arms and pulled him up.

"Harry..." The voice echoed in his head. "Harry... Are you alright?"

The blackness was slowly disappearing, but he still could not make out who the figure was in front of him. The bubbles of light were clashing together as it put the pieces together like a puzzle. He could see the outline of an image, when he choked out the word yes, he began hastily coughing and his sights became slightly clear. It was Hermione, and she kneeled next to him.

"Are you sure you're alright?" She asked gently.

"Yes, Hermione, I'm fine." He coughed.

"Good," she said with a deep breath. "HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID?" She shouted.

"Wh... wha... What?" He coughed.

"Were you trying to drown yourself out of the trial?" She asked. "I thought we agreed no more suicidal thoughts. You know how much I love you." She said hastily.

"I'm sorry, but that wasn't my intention." He said. He leaned over the side of the tub and grasped her hard in his grasp. "I love you, Hermione, and I wish not for us to part." He said into her ear.

"What?" She wondered. "What had gotten into you?" She asked.

"I had flashbacks of basically my entire history!" He said. "How long we were together, and how long I spent to find out that I desperately loved you." He said in sympathy. "Besides Ron, I regret nothing last night." He mumbled.

"Neither do I, Harry," She said. She pulled herself away from him, when she had placed a kiss on his lips.

"What should I do?" He asked between kisses, and she stopped.

"Go in there, and fight your way to innocence! Both you and I know there is nothing against you, and if they don't listen to us than no one will. You have to go in and win, or fight to the death trying." She said inspirationally.

"Death?" He gulped.

"It's a figure of speech." She smiled in reassurance. He messed up his face, and then relaxed it.

"Oh..." He said, trialing off.

"Honestly!" She giggled. "Have you learned nothing?" She asked, and he blushed with a side smile.

"Yup!" He said. "That's about all you can say: nothing."

She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. With out even thinking or paying attention she was suddenly clothes less and sinking into the water with him after locking the bathroom door tightly. She smiled as she drifted forward so her back rested against his chest and her hair tied in a knot at the back of her head. His fingers swirled around hers as she played with them. She smiled.

"You don't mind this," she asked. "Do you?"

"Not at all my dear." He smiled and nuzzled her neck playfully. "Only a few hours till the trial, Hermione, and I'm still not sure of what to say."

"I know what I'm gonna say!" She retorted.

"What?" He asked. "You're not going to be inside!" He ordered.

"No, before you go in I'll say 'I love you,' and then you'll be happy." She said in a perky/hyper/mysterious mood.

"I'm not so positive about that Hermione." He said as he snaked his arms around her stomach and gripped her sides, hugging her close and smelling the scent of her hair.

"Why do you say that?" She asked, laying her head back against his shoulder. She felt his finger tips explore her body and she moaned slightly.

"I don't think a few nice words will save me from this trial." He sighed. "Remember what happened in the summer before fifth year? That trial?"

"Yes," She moaned. "And you got out of it just fine." She said.

"If it wasn't for Dumbl..." Harry sighed. "His name will haunt me forever." His hands rested on her legs for a minute.

"What's wrong?" She asked in a wondering tone.

"My Hogwarts letter," He said. "It said 'Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'" He said "How can he be headmaster if he's... you know... like Cedric... and Sirius... and... my par..."

"OK Harry!" Hermione said. "I get it." She sighed. "Maybe they got a new one, but to make it seem like nothing changed and to respect him they put his name on one last letter?" She said in a questioning tone.

"I don't know." He said as his fingers once again started trailing up and down her legs as she moaned silently to herself.

"Let's just hope for the best," She said. Harry kissed her neck lightly. "And let's hope it's not someone like Umbridge." She warned.

"Let's all hope." He said as he began sucking lightly on her neck.

Hermione stopped him as she sat up straight. She sprung to an upright position and looked around. Harry was constantly whispering 'what is it?' and 'what's wrong?' but she ignored him. Then, though, she heard feet echo through the hollow floor boards and she laid a hand on Harry's mouth to quiet him. She sighed and she turned with a gentle whisper towards Harry.

"Shush!" She said. "I think its Mrs. Weasley." Then a knock came on the door. "Yes?" She said, cupping Harry's mouth.

"Hermione, dear," a voice said from the hall. "May I come in? Ginny has lost her toothpaste." She said sweetly.

"Can't you just conjure some?" Hermione begged. "Take a breath!" She hissed silently at him.

"My wand is just not as good as it used to be!" She said sadly.

The door handle started wiggling, and Hermione had shoved Harry under the water to hide him. The soap bubbles surrounded him, and then no sooner was Mrs. Weasley marching in the room with a rhythm on step. She looked around, looking for tube she desired to find. Hermione looked hurriedly at her, worrying that she might recently be drowning Harry and not knowing.

"It's on the table Molly!" She said quickly.

"Oh, yes, thanks Hermi..." She stopped. "Wait, isn't this Harry's bathroom?" She asked.

"Yes, but..." She thought. "The taps weren't working right so I asked Harry if I could bathe in here and he said he didn't mind." She said hastily.

"Oh, alright," She said. "I'll have to have a look at that, see you soon dear." She said.

"Bye,"

Hermione said as Mrs. Weasley had basically waddled out the door. Each step creating a creek in the floorboard, and Hermione looked scared. Was he alright? Was he still alive? She was taking too long to go out the door and she could feel Harry poking her, telling her he needed air quickly. He was loosing it, but as soon as Mrs. Weasley closed the door he sat up and breathed.

"Ahh.." He said. "That was..."

"Oh, Hermione," She said as Harry was once again shoved under water.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley?" She asked.

"Have you seen Harry lately?" She asked. "He has a half an hour till we have to leave!" She complained.

"No, sorry, but I haven't." She said. "But if I see him I'll tell him you're looking for him." She said.

"Thanks Dear."

She said, and she was once again out the door. Harry sat back up and breathed like it had been ages. He huffed a bit, but he managed to get his breathing back to a steady pace. Hermione patted his back lightly as she locked the door with her fingers once more. She twisted the lock and turned back to Harry who was hunched over, coughing into the water. She looked at him in sympathy.

"Sorry about that." She said. "Are you alright?" She wondered.

"Fine, but warn me next time." He said with a smirk.

"I did!" She reciprocated.

"Yeah, and then you just shoved me under water, and I had no idea what was going on." He said, and she shrugged.

"I'm sorry, but if Molly saw you..." She gasped. "I would be so shameful!" She whined.

"At least she didn't see me, which would be horrible." He agreed. "What did she want anyway? Just toothpaste?" He wondered.

"And to tell you that you have a half an hour till you have to leave for your trial, and I'm coming with you. I don't want to stay here claiming I'm packing for Hogwarts, and find myself crying for you." She said.

Harry leaned forward and wrapped her in his arms. He pulled her to her and kissed her lips deeper than ever. He didn't want to let go, and he didn't want to leave her alone. She had been through so much, and he couldn't survive without her. She was his life now, and he would not turn his back on family. The Weasleys would be okay, for they would end up sending him candy and such until he was once again free. He pulled away.

"I love you Hermione, and I'll be back for you." He whispered

"I'll be here waiting." She said. "But... What about Ron?"

"We..." Harry stopped. "How did Molly not see him when he walked in and out of here a few minutes ago?" He asked.

"Maybe she thought he was just sleeping, or she passed him... but anyway!" She whined. "What are we going to do?"

"Might as well obliviate him... maybe he'll forget his obsession with you too, and then hopefully it will all be in our heads." Harry recommended. "His parents would turn us away if we told anyone."

"We need to be smart about this Harry," She said responsibly. "Is there a way we can obliviate him out of his obsession with me?" She wondered.

"Only if we get him a girlfriend, but I need you to forget about it too!" He said. "You will be sorry if you don't." He warned. She let out a sigh.

"I know, and I fully agree." She said. "You know what to do."

Author's Note:

I'm sorry that I didn't update last week everyone, but I've been working up to ying-yang. Lol. At least I got it done though... right? Oh, and it's against Fanfiction rules to have Author's notes at the end of chapters, so PLEASE don't send me in. I really don't want this story deleted. If you are planning on sending me in, warn me so I can fix something... please.

Airalynn

To My Reviewers

toga party – Alright, I found it and I am in the process of reading it! It might take me a while though, but GREAT job so far! Gotta hate Ron, Huh? Lol

FroBoy – Sorry again that I'm so late, but enjoy!

ravensuductress – It will only get deleted if they come across its path in a summary thing. They don't actually read your stories.

JsBurnz – Update soon? There's a bit of a problem with that... lol.

call me brit – I should have updated on your birthday for a gift, SORRY! It wasn't finished by the 8th. (Is that the right date?) But HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY! How old are you, because if you're older than me you suck! Lol, just kidding.

Sarah – Thanks pal for reviewing because my other reviewer's reviews didn't add up to ten. So I found you in a chat room, and I'm so happy now! Love ya gurl!

That's all... I'd like to remind you that I'm not updating unless I have 10 reviews for this chapter, because I love seeing it at the "ten mark" each time. Send one, two, send four if you want... as long as they add up to 10!

UPDATED: (SATURDAY) OCTOBER 15, 2005 – I want to send them now, so I don't forget... SOOOO... I have some October Birthday wishes!

1. Happy Belated Birthday to Richard Harris who played the role of Dumbledore in Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of SecretsHis Birthday: October 1st

May he rest in peace...

2. Happy Belated Birthday to Christian Coulson who played teenage Tom Marvolo Riddlein Chamber of Secrets. His Birthday: 3rd

3. Happy Belated Birthday to Will Theakston who played Slytherin Quidditch Captain: Marcus Flint in Chamber of Secrets. His Birthday: 4th

4. Happy Belated Birthday to Ian Hart who played the role of Professor Quirrel in Sorcerer's Stone/Philosopher's Stone. His Birthday: 8th

5. Happy Belated Birthday to Dawn French who currently plays The Fat Lady. Her Birthday: 11th

6. Happy Almost Birthday to Veronica Clifford who played Mrs. Mason in Chamber of Secrets. Her Birthday: 20th

7. Happy Almost Birthday to John Cleese who plays Nearly Headless Nick. His Birthday: 27th

8. Happy Almost Birthday to Robert Hardy who plays Cornelius Fudge. His Birthday: 29th

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ALL OCTOBERERS! Hahahaha...

"There's only us, there's only this, forget regret or life is yours to miss. No other road, no other way, no day but today."