Chapter Fifteen
We Would All Go Down Together
Hermione sniffed and glanced around. Suddenly she let her problems step back as she became the older more mature girl. "No. I mean, I saw him with you when you first got here, but not since."
Ginny bit her lip. "Oh, I'm probably just exaggerating. I'm sure he'll be back soon."
Hermione nodded, though niether of them truly believed it.They returned to the common room. Ron was there. Ginny inquired about Draco. After a glare at Hermione, Ron replied that he hadn't seen him either.
Ginny gnawed a finger nail, looking increasingly worried. It wasn't like Draco to just disappear like this. She could have understood if he went off to find Ron and talk sense into her idiot brother. But that quite obviously wasn't the case.
"Hermione." She said finally, turning the the brunette. "I'm going to go look for him. Come with me?"
Hermione rose to her feet. "Of course."
Ron jumped up. "Wait a minute! You can't just rush off! You don't even know where he might be!"
Ginny shrugged with feigned indifference. "I'm sure there's a spell. Right Mione?"
Hermione refused to meet Ron's eyes but nodded.
Ron huffed a few moments longer before he grabbed his cloak. Ginny gave him a half hearted smile.
The trio trouped down to the lawn again. Hermione pulled out her wand and cast a simple searching spell. Her wand tip glowed bright red for a second then swung around to face the Forbbidden Forrest.
All three swallowed simultaneously. They had all had past experiences with the place in question and none really felt the desire to venture in once more. But Ginny loved Draco. She squared her shoulder and started forward. Hermione hesitated then rushed after her, wand still aglow. Ron reluctantly brought up the rear.
The path led them steadily deeper into the forrest. Hermione stopped herself before she reached out to Ron. There would be time to fix this later. First she had to help Ginny find Draco.
As they marched not so merrily along, Hermione let her thoughts drift to her feelings in regard to Ron. She loved him. She always had, which made it so much harder when he hurt her time after time. Naturally she retaliated with her own bitter venom. But real couples fight. Hell, even Ginny and Draco got into the occasional tift. They always apologized and ended with sweet kisses. Hermione had always wanted that.
Hermione almost ran into Ginny when the younger girl stopped. She opened her mouth to protest but Ron reached out and took her arm. He shook his head.
Hermione looked to see what Ginny was looking at and nearly gasped. It was Draco's Slytherin scarf, the one Ginny had made him.
Hermione opened her mouth once more, to comfort Ginny. But her words turned into a muffled scream as a rag was pressed over her mouth.
(A/N:...I'm gonna get my ass kicked. (grins)