Tryntee13, rhmac12, thank you so much for reading and reviewing!
I was quite busy, my youngest lovely daughter turned 3, it was quite an event! But now, I'm back with a new chapter!
I love Ron and Hermione, I could write about them all day long, they are inspiring!
Enjoy and don't forget: R&R! I'm feeding with reviews so be generous!
And again, sorry if you find some mistakes, I'm trying hard to correct my English!
Love,
Amelinasa
"Ron..."
Hermione stopped at a few steps away from the young man. She knew that she would find him in the hut near the pond. He had told her one day that when he was a child, and that Fred and Georges were laughing at him, he used to come here to take refuge. The door was open, and from the outside, Hermione saw the debris of furniture that he had broken. The overturned table, the chairs into pieces, a broken window, and sitting in the middle, on the ground, Ron, dimly lit by a lantern, single object to be still standing. Head down, face in his arms, he wasn't moving.
She hesitated, and then she approached just enough to penetrate into the cabin. She stopped and had to close her eyes a moment to prepare herself for the confrontation.
"Ron, you have to understand... We have to stop that... They are more active, more and more dangerous, and it is the only plan we have... Ron, please, look at me…"
She sighed before his immobility.
"Ron, tomorrow, I'll spend the day at the Leaky Cauldron... We can't wait... But if something happens, I'm..."
"Don't say that!"
Ron had suddenly raised his head. Hermione felt her heart breaking when she saw his tears shining on his face, in the light of the unique flame that flickered between them. He stood up, fists tight.
"Don't even think about that, don't even think about leaving me..." he growled.
Hermione swallowed, if it had been someone else, she would have been terrified by his look, which seemed crazy. But it was Ron. Her Ron, both sensitive and strong. Ron, who lacked self-confidence, and Ron, who boasted, Ron who loved entirely. He had always been so concerned with the fate of those he loved. The young woman tugged her arms around her, as to refrain herself from fainting under the onslaught of guilt which struck at every glance.
"Ron, you gotta listen to me..."
"No, I don't want..." he cut her.
"Ron!"
"Shut up! Please, just… just don't say anything!" he shouted in a sob.
"Ron, you have to listen to me! I know how you feel, because I feel the same whenever you go on a mission! But I've learned to live with! We have no choice, and I know that it's risky, I know that I can..."
Ron rushed towards her, and kissed her furiously, to no longer hear her.
"Don't say anything, I beg you..." he blew.
Hermione tried to compose herself, she stepped aside and laid her hands on his shoulders.
"Ron, we can die, either during this mission or simply having lunch tomorrow... And I don't want that the last memory that we have together is.. all this..." she said, showing the chaos that surrounded them.
The young man did not respond. She wiped tenderly his tears, containing her owns with the will that remained to her.
"Ron, I love you, no matter what will happen tomorrow, I've always loved you and I'll always love you..." she muttered.
Ron handed his wand and closed the door before capturing her lips again.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
When the next day, they returned in the House, the cheeks blushing under the inquisitive eye of Mrs Weasley, nobody made them remarks and Ron was grateful to them. Georges was the one who opened his mouth but a look of both his sister and his mother dissuaded him to speak. Therefore, he contented to address them a course smile, by lifting his thumb in the air, to his younger brother. Who ignored him royally, although his ears slightly turned crimson.
Ron made a face to Kingsley, who had returned at dawn.
"I want to be part of the mission..."
Hermione chewed nervously her bottom lip. It was a bad idea, and frankly, knowing Ron safe would reassure her. Kingsley shook his head.
"You are too involved Weasley, your feelings will interfere in the mission and put the lives of the other Aurors, including Miss Granger's life, endangered..."
Ron tightened his fists. He opened his mouth but Kingsley interrupted.
"No, Weasley, and it's useless to insist, it will be my last word!"
Ron punched the table before him. Molly sighed and Hermione grabbed his arm. The others looked taken aback…
"Ron, listen to me, it's fine, believe me..."
But the young man wasn't listening, fixing his gaze on Kingsley who stared at him, his arms crossed. The look of Harry went from one to the other, fearing that his friend eventually jump to the throat of their superior.
"Maybe I could..." started Harry.
"It's the same for you Potter! You are all far too attached to each other, your judgment will be distorted by your feelings... We can't take the risk... You'll go to the HQ and you'll wait my orders out there... Romwel, Pinkerby, and Grant are already positioned at the Leaky Cauldron... Miss Granger, when you're ready..."
Hermione swallowed. Ginny approached her and gave her a flask.
"Drink it, it'll avoid you feel pain when you apparate..."
"Thank you..." whispered Hermione with a smile.
They came out, Ron, displaying a dark air, remained behind. Ginny hugged her and stepped back. Molly held her close.
"Be careful sweetie... Come back to us, come back to him..." she whispered by launching a look at the face of her youngest son.
Harry approached in turn and embraced his friend.
"I'll see you in the HQ... No codswallop huh!" he said with a forced smile.
Hermione turned to Ron, as he didn't move, she went to snuggle against him. He closed his eyes and eventually gave her hug. He didn't like watching her saying goodbye to the others, it looked too much to farewell. He wanted so much to keep her against him, to be able to protect it. He removed him and planted his gaze in his.
"If you have the slightest doubt, you apparate, don't take unnecessary risks, please..."
"Ron, I know what..."
"Promise me!"
Hermione saw his eyes open a little more, saw his deepest fear more long-lived than never.
"I promise you... Ron, everything will be fine..."
She walked away from them, and her eyes still in Ron's, she apparated.
Sitting at a table a little away, Hermione looked discreetly around her. It was a long time that she had not come here, and yet, nothing seemed changed. The same fire crackled in the same chimney, countless paintings that adorned the walls of the pub were still covered with dust, their occupants going about their business or observing customers in the pub with a tired air. And Tom, behind the counter, always wiped his same glasses while chatting with a few customers who came to have lunch.
She knew that three Aurors were there, even if she hadn't identified them yet. She did not know what to expect, everything seemed so normal. It had been already five hours since she was there, and no sign of any death eater. She began to think that her idea was not as good as she thought, maybe it was just a waste of time, which would have only served to put Ron in all his states. She plunged her nose in the book lying before her. She might read and reread the same line, no word seemed understandable. She was much too nervous to focus, but at least having her eyes fixed on something allowed her to keep a certain capacity. From time to time, she turned a page, so that she didn't seem frozen. There were few people, a few coming and going to the backyard which gave access to Diagon Alley, she heard conversations in the background and a few laughs from time to time. Kinglsey had said that as soon as she would have apparated out of the protective field of the Burrow, the death eaters would know where she was. What were they waiting for? She looked up and observed in the back a few customers who were seated. A couple, who was held hands, and who eyed intently. A woman accompanied by a young child who was laughing out loud, trying to catch a miniature broom which fluttered above him, an old lady who seemed to be talking alone.
Nothing alarming. Until three men came inside. Hermione felt instantly her hair raising. They were all three wearing a dark cloak, their boots pounded the floor toward the bar. They didn't look around them and settled at the counter. The face of Tom hardened.
"What do you want" he launched them with hostility.
"Your strongest firewhisky..." slowly articulated a voice so cold that Hermione felt her heart miss a beat. He was a death eater, she knew it just by the way he spoke… Every cell of her body shouted her to get out as quickly as possible.
"I don't have any more!" replied Tom with provocation.
The child began to cry when his mother seized him to hastily exit the pub. The young couple was stunned in his seat, trying to disappear in stained wood benches. No one seemed to doubt the identity of these men, only the old lady was still immersed in her conversation with herself.
Hermione heard two men talking in a low voice behind her.
"I'm going to prevent the Aurors, they usually patrol in the corner..."
But at the same time where the man stood up, one of the newcomers pointed his wand on him.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Hermione stared wide eyed with horror on the unfortunate man, who collapsed, while cries rang out and everyone was somehow trying to get out of the pub. But the door was locked and no hex was able to open it. Customers then rushed under tables or in the backyard to reach Diagon Alley, while Tom, petrified, didn't leave the body of the eyes. A man stood and turned to Hermione with a sneer which froze her blood.
"Well, well, well, Granger, out without guard dog?"
The young woman could not detach her eyes of the face covered with scars of the death eater. She clasped her wand to break the joints, hands resting on her knees.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, pleased to find that her voice was not trembling.
The death Eater burst out laughing while his cronies denied part and other.
"You are going to figure out this Mudblood" he spat, threatening her with his wand.
"Expeliarmus!" shouted a voice, sending the wand in the air.
The Aurors rushed suddenly into the room while hexes rang out. Hermione threw herself under the table, short of breath, her heart drumming to her ears.
"Petrificus Totalus!" she pointed her wand, hexing a death eater, who dodged it before rushing towards her.
"Crucio!"
Hermione felt the spell whistle near her ears, missing her by a hairsbreadth.
"Stupefy!" launched an Auror.
The death Eater avoided him and took refuge behind the counter, pushing Tom violently to the ground. Glasses and bottles exploded, Hermione tried to protect her head while the debris were thrown throughout the room.
Two other Aurors were faced with a death eater. Hermione did not see the third. She wanted to get up to go looking for him, but at the same time where she straightened, a hand violently flattened on her mouth, while another hand pulled her back by her hair. She resisted, wanted to scream, an Auror began to run to come to her rescue, but he fell suddenly inert on the ground, without that Hermione knew what spell hit him.
"Stop struggling trollop!" scolded a trailing voice in her ear.
He tried to drag along her towards the exit, but the young woman struggled more and more. She couldn't see the other Aurors in full combat, but she heard their cries.
The hand on her face left her barely breathing, and pain from her scalp mauled her tore away a few tears. She eventually found enough grip to bite his hand with all her strength, so much that she felt the taste of blood in her mouth. The death Eater yelled releasing her, she took the opportunity to escape quickly.
"Expeliarmus!" she shouted.
The hex was so powerful that he was screened outside by spraying the door in his path. She heard a cavalcade behind her and handed her wand but an Auror arises, then exceeded her and rushed outside, with Hermione on the heels. They found woody debris, but the death Eater had disappeared. The Auror swore profusely, before turning to the young woman.
"Are you okay Miss Granger?"
"Yes, I'm… I'm fine..." answered Hermione in one breath, ignoring the pain of her injury which was awakened. And the handful of hair who had to miss out on her skull.
"We managed to stop one of them, but his accomplice killed him before flowing through the window in the first and apparating in full fall..."
Hermione tried to hide her disappointment. They went back empty-handed, she had to admit it. She swept the room's look, everything was looted, customers had managed to flee and Tom was barely getting up. Only the old lady had remained in her place, totally hermetic and oblivious to what had just happened despite the pieces of glass that littered the table before her.
Hermione almost envied her.