Hermione sat outside the tent, cleaning the sword just for not to be idle. Getting caught by the Snatchers and tortured by Bellatrix has left her more wounded than she let Harry know. She knew the dangers they will be facing during this hunt, but knowing and experiencing are two different things. She now learnt that, moreover she knew but forgot.
The Department of Mysteries taught her first hand the consequences of rushing into unknown without proper planning by six teenagers thinking that they can save Sirius resulted in nothing but the opposite. Now again they are in the same situation first started with three now with two teenagers alone, hungry, desperate and again without any planning and having nothing to move on.
Maybe Ron was right in leaving them, at least he will be safe with his family, Hermione thought sadly. The anger and hurt she felt when Ron left decreased and now she missed him very much. By knowing Ron, he might be wandering all the places to find them and not knowing where they are, but with all the protective enchantments it is impossible to find them.
She remembered all the time they practiced new spells. Harry never knew that Ron and Hermione practiced spells in empty classrooms or room of requirement when he was not around them.
She taught Ron many spells she felt useful, Ron groans, complains and swears but eventually he learns only she knows that Ron know those many spells. Only she knows Ron's potential than anybody else. She taught Ron how to do protean charm and he taught her to fly. Harry and Ginny never asked her why suddenly she agreed to play quidditch with them during fifth year holidays. She always feared of heights but Ron is the one who explained that once we face them they will no longer be the fears. She knows he spoke from his experience with spiders in second year. Even though he still acts as if he fears by spiders, she knows it's just an act before others.
Hermione completely lost in thought didn't see Harry standing beside her until he cleared his throat loudly. He appeared to be having some kind of internal struggle.
"What is it Harry? Did you have any vision? Are you alright? You are white as a sheet." Hermione asked highly concerned. Harry appeared as if he is ready to puke any second.
"I- I have… I have to ask you something Hermione, that is if.. if you don't mind?" Harry asked looking completely unsure, Hermione nodded her head as she felt her pulse quickening anticipating something bad.
"I..I.. no.. You said I am fanciable right? Any girl will get attracted to me right?" Harry asked nervously.
Hermione who is preparing herself for some bad news caught off guard with Harry's question.
"Yes Harry you are fanciable, I don't get it why you are asking this. Is this anyway related to Ginny? I can understand Harry. You must miss her very much. I can tell that she is safe you don't worry about her." Hermione said gently touching Harry's hand as her mind wandered to Ron.
"No, no, it's… it's.." Harry's voice cracked a bit. "It is not about Ginny. It is over between us, we are not together anymore, we… we broke up." Harry said struggling with words.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I know Harry I was there remember and I know you broke up with her to keep her safe. But I don't get it, what you are trying to say." Hermione said a bit annoyed.
"At that time it was as you said for her safety. But I don't think we will ever be together again, I never actually felt anything more than an attraction for her. I went out with her because I loved this girl and she is in love with somebody else and I wanted to get over her." Harry said with a bit more confidence.
Hermione felt her anger rise, "you are an arse Harry, what is wrong with you boys? You never take initiative you just get into conclusions. How can you use Ginny like that? You know she has a crush on you since forever. That stupid idiot is also same like you he never had the guts to ask he just assumed and went out with that bimbo. Now tell me who this girl is?" Hermione asked furiously. She never in billion years expected this from Harry.
"Her-.. umm.. Hermione." Harry coughed, Hermione can tell all the confidence he got is evaporated. "I didn't jump into any conclusions you know. I never had a chance to tell her. The boy she loved is an idiot and he can never keep her happy and he betrayed her trust more times than I can count." Harry stopped and gave her a look as if he is expecting her to understand. Hermione started to lose her patience.
"For God's sake, don't speak in riddles Harry. We are in the middle of nowhere, with a deadly mission to accomplish and you are speaking about a girl. Just tell me what you want to say exactly." Hermione never lost her patience or got irritated easily but since Ron left she is on edge and Harry is not exactly helping with his talk about his love life.
"ThegirlisyouHermione." Harry said it in one breath and stood there with an anxious look.
Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "come again Harry, you are speaking as if- ok leave it. Just tell me."
"The-.. the girl is you Hermione, I am in love with you since our fourth year." Harry said with a desperate look on his face.
"WHAT!" Hermione heard herself shout.
"Ron, can you please explain me once again why the hell I agreed to Polyjuice myself as Professor McGonagall?" Bill asked in a low voice giving a scowl to the students who are passing in the corridor.
Ron planned to enter Hogwarts castle as Neville using Polyjuice potion. But Bill was reluctant to let Ron go alone into the castle. So they decided to go together as Neville and Seamus. They successfully dismantled the Caterwauling Charm and entered the Hog's Head under Dillusionment charm.
But they didn't expect the twins who were waiting for them in the room of requirement. As soon as they saw them they both cursed under their breath for discussing their plan without putting the Silencing Charm in the room. Seeing the broad smiles on their faces it was inevitable not to include them in their plan. Ron quickly dragged Neville aside and told him about his plan, he plucked a hair from Neville's head and mixed it with Polyjuice Potion and drank it. But Bill made a mistake by letting Fred to mix the hair and of course Fred being Fred smartly mixed Professor McGonagall's hair into the Polyjuice Potion resulting in the present state of Bill. One good thing is they brought Professor's clothes also she is out of the castle. Well that didn't stop Bill from hexing both of them and at present both Fred and George are hanging upside down in the middle of Room of Requirement.
"You didn't agree, you just didn't have any other choice. But I never thought you are stup—I mean dumb enough to drink anything given by twins." Ron said trying hard not to laugh out loud. He never ever imagined he will be talking to Professor McGonagall like this even though technically she is... Sorry he is... umm... ok it is Bill.
"We can put Delusionment Charm on ourselves, then we didn't have to disguise as others." Bill said still irritated.
"We can but where is the fun in that, now I can see the stupidest expressions on our prim and proper Professor McGonagall and your voice is just like her." Ron laughed out loud unable to contain himself any further.
"You are an idiot." Bill said as he Dillusioned himself unable to bear the looks of the students.
"Bill, how you can follow me if we can't see each other." Ron hissed.
"Don't worry, I will follow you. You are visible to me Right?" Ron heard Professor's McGonagall's voice near his left ear causing him to jump.
Ron took sharp turn and headed toward quidditch locker room.
"Why are we going to quidditch locker room?" Bill once again hissed behind his ears in McGonagall's voice. Ron didn't reply, he just cast the non verbal 'Alohomora' and peeked inside the locker room, he went straight to the cup boards where brooms are kept, he took two brooms and quickly transfigured them into quills and they went straight to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"I can't believe I am going into the girls' bathroom with my baby brother." Bill muttered loud enough to be heard by Ron. Ron suppressed a smile and quickly cast Dilusionment Charm on himself not wanting to face Myrtle. To his relief Myrtle is not in there.
Ron went straight to the sink and he closed his eyes and tried to recall the hissing sound Harry made.
Ron started to make the hissing noise is abruptly interrupted by Bill who walked straight onto him.
"Bill, what are you doing? Watch your foot." Ron said trying to keep his voice as low as possible. Even though he can't see Myrtle he doesn't want to take any chances.
"Hey, you are the one making some hissing noises, what's wrong with you? You could at least tell me what you are doing." Bill said through gritted teeth. Ron can tell Bill is in the verge of losing his temper. He kept him in dark for far too long.
"Just wait and watch Bill, if you are getting bored you can lock the door and put some bloody charm over that." Ron said as he is about to close his eyes an angry looking McGonagall appeared out of thin air in front of him. Ron did the double take as soon as he saw her.
"Bloody hell! Bill, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Ron exclaimed loud enough only to Bill.
"I am giving you 5 minutes and if I didn't find anything interesting I am going to drag you out of here." Bill hissed and went to put locking charm on the door.
Ron rolled his eyes and once again tried to remember the hissing noises Harry made. He made a low hissing noise and waited for few seconds, nothing happened.
He tried again, again and again but with no success. Ron started to get irritated and he tried a bit more hard. As his attempts are failing he is getting more and more determined to get it right.
"That's it Ron, we are going-" Bill stopped suddenly as the tap glowed with brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank, right out of the sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.
"Bloody hell" Bill cursed loudly. "This is what you people were doing in the Hogwarts, great, it's bloody brilliant. I wonder Mum even knows half the things you people did when you are here. You people put Fred and George into shame." Bill said with a mixture of awe and concern.
Ron slid his legs into the pipe and let go. After it felt like an endless slide into the dark pit, he shot out of the end with a loud wet thud. Ron quickly took of the Delusionment Charm over himself as Professor McGonagall came out of the pipe.
"What were you thinking Ron? Did you even give a small thought how it would be for me to slide down into unknown that too in Professor McGonagall's body." Bill's shouts echoed throughout the canal.
"Don't be such a baby Bill; you were such a great curse breaker, can't you handle this small tunnel." Ron said trying and failing not to laugh at Bill.
"You are making all the adventures I have taken up in the Egypt like a walk in the park." Bill muttered but it echoed in the tunnel. "And still how much time is there for me to change back into myself?" Bill asked lighting up his wand.
"I think not more than five minutes." Ron said as they started walking into the tunnel.
After walking some distance in silence they stood in front of pile of rocks and small gap in between.
Ron and Bill looked at each other, Bill gave him a nod and they started to remove the rocks and within minutes the gap is large enough for them to pass. As they stopped working Ron immediately felt some sort of odd sensation in his stomach and he changed back into himself. He looked at his side and has to bite his lip not to laugh. Bill stood there in McGonagall's dress.
Bill cursed loudly and muttered something pointing his wand on himself, the clothes transfigured into his own clothes.
"Ron, why don't you put on some lights with your Deluminator?" Bill asked as he tried to see through the tunnel using his wand.
"Good idea." Ron said as he searched through in his pockets, to his horror he didn't find it and once again he searched all his pockets with no use.
"It's not there, I kept it in my pocket but it is not there." Ron said as he felt his panic raise desperately searching in his pockets.
"Relax Ron, you might have forgot it in the Shell cottage, don't worry we will find it." Bill assured him as he started walking.
Ron cursed under his breath for his stupidity. He will never forgive himself if Hermione is in any trouble calling for the help. Bill didn't speak sensing Ron's mood.
They walked further until they reached the solid wall on which two entwined serpents are carved.
Ron closed his eyes and made the hissing noise and this time it opened for the first try only.
They went straight into the chamber where the Basilisk is dead. Bill opened his mouth to comment but thought otherwise. They collected few fangs and Bill transfigured a rock into a bag to keep the fangs.
They came back to the tunnel opening, Ron took out the quills and turned back them into the brooms and as soon as they came out the chamber closed itself.
Bill transfigured his broom into the quill, but Ron carried it on his shoulder as they both came out of the bathroom casting Dilusionment charms.
Ron walked quickly not wanting to waste any time and Bill is lagging by thirty feet. Suddenly out of nowhere he heard somebody shout disarming spell and Bill's wand flew out of his hand and the Dilusionment charm lifted off. A person with the dark robes came out pointing his wand to Bill.
"Who do we have here? I can see the red hair you must be the Weasley—." He didn't have the time to finish his sentence as Ron swung his broom hardly onto his mouth and nose causing him to fall backward and loose the consciousness.
Ron quickly dragged him to the corner and started healing him.
"Ron, why are you healing him? Just oblivate him." Bill said as he stood behind him.
"We can't leave him like this; he will take it on the students. He must be the Amycus, Neville told me about him." Ron said as he healed him and performed memory charm.
They went straight to the Room of requirement where Neville and the others were waiting anxiously for their return.
"Hey, did you get what you were looking for?" Neville asked as soon as they entered the room.
"Cheers mate, we completed the task. Sorry Neville but we are in hurry." Ron said looking at the twins who were still hanging in the middle of the room.
Ron looked at Bill, who put them down and they said goodbye to them. As soon as they entered the Hogs head they dissaparated to the Shell Cottage and the twins to the Burrow.
"WHAT!" Hermione heard herself shout. "You don't mean it Harry. What happened to you? Is this some kind of joke?" Hermione asked with a bewildered look as her hand inched towards her wand.
"I mean it Hermione, it is no joke and nothing happened to me. I am in love with you and after your Yull Ball fight I understood that you like Ron so I didn't want wanted to come in between you both—" Hermione interrupted.
"Harry it still didn't changed I love Ron and always will." Hermione said causing Harry to visibly flinch.
"Hermione, he left us in the middle of nowhere and he abandoned you. You still cannot love him. He is no good to you. He was never good enough for you; he broke your heart by going out with Lavender even after you asked him for the Slughorn's party, remember." Harry said giving Hermione a pleasing look to understand.
"Those are the issues which are in between Ron and me, Harry. I never saw you as anything more than a best friend and brother Harry. Sorry, I am really sorry." Hermione unable to look at Harry went inside the tent not paying attention to Harry's calling she went straight into her bed and drew the curtains and casted an impenetrable and silencing charm. She clutched Ron's sweater tightly in her hand and cried remembering Ron again and again.
"Where are you Ron? Come back please…" Hermione muttered and cried again.