A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you all for your continuous support! Reviews mean a lot to a new writer... Okay, so after the last chapter, my sister runs into my room, screaming, holding a giant teddy bear, and starts hitting me with it! She was screaming "RON! WHY DID YOU MAKE IT RON?" *Insert evil laugh here!* Thank you, Lauren, for the bruises made by a damn teddy.
Anywho, onto the next chapter! Enjoy :D
Chapter 17
Hermione was horrified. Ron was standing before her and Draco, looking furious, but slightly confused. Hermione was also confused; she was positive that she saw Ron curse her. Draco stood up, pulling Hermione up with him and standing in front of her protectively.
"Hermione!" Ron yelled. "You actually think that I would curse you? You horrible excuse for a friend! I've helped protect you for nearly eight years! And all of a sudden I curse you? Who do you think I am?"
Hermione was crying softly, clinging to Draco. The others had stopped their game; they had landed and were watching the scene warily. Katie looked furious, and had come to stand by her boyfriend. Ron was turning more and more red in the face, and he, too, seemed to be holding back tears.
"How could you?" he asked, his voice wavering.
"I saw you, Ron! I sat up and saw you pointing your wand at me. Then I had those damn visions! You have no idea what that was like for me, Ronald. I saw you. The pain was ten times worse because it was caused by my so called best friend! And you cursed my boyfriend to, I'm sure of it! Back when he was only my friend! The curses used were too similar to be from separate people." Hermione was sobbing now; Draco stepped back beside her, holding her close to his chest.
Harry decided to step forward. "Uh, Hermione, are you completely sure about Ron? I mean, he seems pretty adamant that he did nothing."
Hermione said nothing; she just continued sobbing into Draco's chest. Harry looked concerned, sceptical and angry all at once. He rounded on Ron.
"Look at her! She would never lie to us, mate. She said she saw you, and to be honest, I believe her." Harry continued his little tirade, but Draco stopped paying attention. He was watching Ron closely.
Draco watched as Ron opened his mouth to retaliate, but his eyes glazed slightly and he pulled his wand out instead. Ron pointed it past Harry, at Hermione.
There was a collective gasp.
"Expelliaramus!" Draco yelled. Ron's wand went flying, but the boy didn't even flinch. He was staring blankly ahead of him. Draco eyed him intensely, before everything clicked.
Ron was being Imperiused! But by who?
Draco continued surveying the scene as Bill and Charlie led their youngest brother away from Hermione, who was breathing harder. Draco's eyes hardened as he saw someone hastily stow their wand away.
Katie moved with the boys, trying to look concerned, but she wasn't that great of an actor. Draco saw right through her facade. Quietly, he pulled his own wand out, and stupefied her. As she crumpled to the ground, Ron came back to himself, and Draco's suspicions were confirmed.
"Katie!" Ron yelled. As he stepped towards her, Draco told him to stop.
As he moved away from his very distressed girlfriend, Ginny took his place, trying to comfort her friend.
"I just saw Katie curse Ron. I'm very sure that he was Imperiused. His eyes were glazed over and he didn't seem to know what he was doing. I think he was being controlled when the attack on Hermione was made. "
Ron's face was ashen. "But... It's Katie. I love her."
Bill took over. "Has she been acting unusual lately? Has anything changed or is different, Ron?"
His younger brother started to shake his head, but stopped dead. "Wait... She was a bit... off about Draco and Hermione's friendship when it started. I thought it was just because of the time he cursed Katie in sixth year... Since then, she hasn't really been... herself. She didn't really hug or kiss me that much, I thought she just needed space." Ron looked so lost and confused.
Hermione, who had pulled herself together, spoke up.
"Is that even Katie?"
Everyone looked at her.
"Well, think about it. She disliked the idea of me and Draco being friends, and she has stopped hugging anyone, which is unlike her. Usually, she's a happy, cuddly, bubbly person, but I've noticed too that she hasn't seemed that carefree for a while. What if it isn't her?
"But don't you think I would have noticed that my girlfriend wasn't my girlfriend?" Ron argued.
Hermione shook her head. "I dunno, Ron. Sometimes, you aren't that observant."
"Has she transfigured her looks? Or is she using Polyjuice do you reckon?" Bill asked.
"I'm not sure. Only one way to find out." Hermione pulled her own wand out and pointed it at the prone girl in the snow. "Finite Incantatum." She muttered. Nothing happened. "Maybe it is Polyjuice." Hermione reasoned.
"When was the last time she had a drink?" Harry asked.
"I saw her have one nearly an hour ago," Ginny answered.
"How bloody convenient," Draco muttered dryly. Ginny smiled sheepishly at him.
"So, I guess we wait." Harry concluded.
Bill levitated "Katie" into the Burrow, everyone following dejectedly after them.
"Are you okay?" Draco pulled Hermione aside.
"I'm fine," she answered, but she wasn't looking at him.
Draco put his hand under her chin and gently pulled her face up to look at him.
"Come on. Tell me what's up. You have to be relieved that Ron wasn't intentionally cursing us."
Hermione nodded but she sighed. "I am, really. But I hate the idea of the unknown. I have no idea who this person could be, and it's terrifying, to be honest."
Draco pulled her into a tight hug.
Just then, the imposter stirred. Everyone pulled out their wands as her features bubbled and shifted into that of a young woman with curly reddish blonde hair and scars on her face, curiously like letters.
Angelina and Alicia gasped.
"Marietta?"
A/N: Seriously, who saw that coming? Eh? Tee hee... Sorry, for the shortness... Don't worry, I finish High School forever on Tuesday, so I will have a little bit of time in between exams to work on future chapters! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE review for me! As a graduation present :D
