I Caught Myself- Chapter seven
Harry's POV:
I watched as Hermione shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot in front of me, trying to avoid eye contact.
"Hermione, what others?" I asked firmly.
"Harry, I really don't want to tell you right now...please don't make me," she pleaded tearfully.
"I need to know what others...you need to tell me now."
Hermione took a deep breath and hugged herself.
"One of your guardians, four Hogwarts teachers and two girls that are close to you," she rushed fearfully.
"Okay, so either Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia, four of my teachers and two girls that are close to me. Well it can't be the closest girls because you and Ginny are here so it must be girls that are at Hogwarts with us," I said, trying to think as logically as I could.
"Harry I'm so sorry."
"Hey, hey, hey, it's not your fault at all, Hermione, I promise you. You've been nothing but helpful this entire time," I comfort her, wrapping my arms around her. She sniffled a little but eventually gave in and hugged me back, telling me how sorry she was and asking how she could help. But to be honest, I didn't know how she could help. We are going back to Hogwarts in a week and eight people who are close to me, well seven and a guardian, are trapped and being closely watched by Death Eaters. I don't have a clue how I'm going to sort this one.
George's POV:
After getting home I went back up to my room. I felt sick. Although I tease him something awful, Ron is my brother and I love him, so knowing what fate he had, was really hurting me. Stupid Death Eaters.
"George?"
I heard a voice calling my name from outside my room. Sighing, I got up and opened the door, to find a shaky looking Harry standing with his arm around Hermione.
"Hey, you two, what's going on?"
I was confused. They never came to me, well not often.
"We have a plan to save Ron," Hermione said quickly, "but to follow it through, we're going to need everyone's help."
Fred's POV:
I lay on my bed with my feet against the wall, using a Muggle item I'd picked up when we were shopping in a fancy Muggle shop a little while ago, called an Ipod. It was already full of Muggle music but some of it was pretty good. Like Good Charlotte, Paramore, All Time Low, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and a great song that's being sung by a snowman about summer.
For a good few minutes I didn't hear the pounding on my door because the music was up full, but finally I caught a beat of it and pulled the earphones out, making my way over to the door. George, Hermione and Harry were there with a look of pure determination on their faces.
"Want to help save Ron?"
Ginny's POV:
I was angry. I was angry about the whole pity party my family where having. I was angry about the changing feelings of Harry. I was angry about Hermione trying to act all brave and put on a smile. I was angry that No Nose and his stupid gang were getting this far with their disgusting little plan. Angry enough to make me want to lash out. But instead of lashing out, I decided to go on a self destruct mission.
I was sitting by my desk with my fourth glass of fire-whisky, my hair soaking wet and held up by a towel that I was going to need to get rid of once I was finished. Not being able to use magic out of Hogwarts meant that I had to use an old Muggle hair dye. I decided that I no longer wanted to have the trademark red Weasley hair. I wanted to be blonde. Like Luna. It would look gorgeous. Then I would get Tonks to teach me how to change my face. I'd be beautiful. Finally. I picked up the glass and took another swig of the liquid that was making it's way down my throat and into my stomach, leaving a trail of fire the whole way down before Hermione's alarm clock went off, telling me that my four and a half hours of waiting was over and I could take the dye out of my hair. I hauled myself off the chair and removed the towel from my head. Gently washing away the hair dye with the basin of water I'd brought in earlier, I felt relaxed as the luke-warm water washed over me, removing my anger with every small wave that came over my forehead.
Once I was sure that I'd rinsed it properly, I gave it a quick dry and straighten before taking a deep breath and walking towards the mirror, mentally preparing myself to see a cascade of blonde waves tumbling from my head. But when I looked in the mirror, I got and awful shock. My hair wasn't blonde at all! On the contrary.
It was turquoise.
Hermione's POV:
"Are you kidding me? Are you actually kidding me? He's in the basement of the Malfoy Manor and you think that us, a small group of teenagers will be able to save him? Sorry to burst your bubble but I highly doubt we'll be able to do it. We'd just get us and those eight people killed," Fred said bluntly.
This made something inside me burst. My temper was shining through.
"You know what Fred? I don't care what you think! I don't care if you think that we'll fail. Because if we die doing this, it'll be because we done something right. We tried to save people that mattered, good people, innocent people, that have given their lives to keep us alive. Especially Harry's! And you're just an ungreatful little pig at times! Don't think that I've forgotten how you used to torture those little first years by giving them those stupid sweets! And how you used to take their money and leave them as a freaking canary! I haven't forgotten Fred, and I know that you haven't either. But this is your brother that we're talking about and if you can't find it in your heart to go out there and look for him, then -"
I was cut off by a pair of lips, crashing against mine, full of passion, full of love. For a moment I just stood there, rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do but when I felt the persons tongue slowly graze my lips I couldn't help myself from opening my mouth and kissing him back. He was driving me wild. His lips were soft, like velvet and he tasted like chocolate...It was amazing.
Slowly he pulled away and looked deep into my eyes. And that was when I realized that I was in love with Fred Weasley.
Ginny's POV:
I gasped with shock. My hair was turquoise!
Turquoise! Mum's going to kill me!
I ran over to where Hermione kept her sewing kit and took out the scissors.
I'm really gonna do this, huh? Cut my hair?
I gave a yelp and cut into my long, once red, locks, watching them fall to the ground. Once I got all the way round, I looked in the mirror again and saw that I'd cut it all uneven. I tried to comb it out, not taking my eyes off the mirror, but by this time I couldn't see properly because my eyes glistened with tears.
Then I heard it. Something that could make anyone's blood go cold. The force of Hermione's wrath.
"Innocent people, that have given their lives to keep us alive. Especially Harry's! And you're just an ungreatful little pig at times! Don't think that I've forgotten how you used to torture those little first years by giving them those stupid sweets! And how you used to take their money and leave them as a freaking canary! I haven't forgotten Fred, and I know that you haven't either. But this is your brother that we're talking about and if you can't find it in your heart to go out there and look for him, then -"
I quickly got up and peered out the door, only to see Fred snog Hermione.
Yes! Finally! Finally, they two are getting together!
Once they'd finished gazing into each others eyes, Hermione looked towards Harry and George who stood side by side, their eyes practically popping out of their heads. Fred gave a sheepish grin and Hermione turned to look at me. When her eyes fell upon me, her mouth turned into a perfect O of shock.
"Ginny! Ginny, your hair!"
"I know," I whispered, tears rolling down my cheeks.
"What happened?" she asked, taking a step towards me and looking more closely at the rocky, turquoise, mess.
"I tried to dye it blonde! I don't know what happened!"
Hermione rushed into the bedroom and picked up the bottle that was lying on my bed, small pools of liquid pouring onto my bed sheets from when I didn't close it properly. She read it carefully before looking up at me.
"Gin, how long did you leave this in for?"
"Four and a half hours, just like the bottle says."
Hermione shook her head before giving me a worried look.
"Ginny, the bottle says forty-five minutes."
Hermione's POV:
SIX HOURS LATER.
The five of us lounged against Ginny's bed, talking over our plan. After letting Ginny have a good cry about her destroyed hair, we explained that we were going to try to get Ron and the others out of the Malfoy Manor.
"So we go camping?"
Fred and Ginny seemed extremely apprehensive. They had both scorned but eventually shut up long enough to hear our plan.
"It's not camping, Ginny! God, I wish you would listen!"
"Hermione, calm down," Harry tried.
"We are going to travel for a little while. We are going to go around the country in search of the Malfoy Manor because none of us are certain of where it is. Once we find the Manor, we will cast some spells in an enclosed area and we will stay there for a little while until we figure out exactly who is in there that will hurt us and how to get in. Once we figure all of that out, we should get all eight out, whether they are dead or alive we need them out. If we don't have enough time to get all of them out...We stay."
I looked over to see Ginny's reaction, but she was snoring gently and resting her head against Harry's shoulder, his arm around her, holding her close as if he couldn't bear to be away from her. I felt a pang of jealousy.
"God, 'Mione, you're really taking this seriously, aren't you?" Fred grinned and casually flung his arm around my shoulders.
"Yes I'm taking this seriously, you moron! Lives are at stake here and you're joking around!"
He rolled his eyes and kissed my cheek. Ever since he snogged the face off of me, he's been acting really strange. He keeps kissing me.
It's almost as if he thinks that we're together! I mean, that's just plain stupid! Sure I have a little crush on him but there's no way he feels the same about me. But if he didn't he wouldn't have kissed me. Why did he kiss me? Was it some sick joke of his? Because if it was, it was not very funny.
"So when do we start this adventure?" George asked, wrapping his arms around his legs and gazing over at Fred and I.
"Well, I was thinking that we could start on September 1st," I said sitting up, glad that someone was taking this seriously.
"Does that mean we're not going to Hogwarts?" Harry asked, clearly outraged.
At the sound of Harry's voice, Ginny jerked her head upwards and whacked it off of her dresser.
"Ouch! Damn it! Who's bright idea was it to put a dresser there?" she exclaimed, looking around accusingly.
"Yours," everyone said.
Ginny rubbed her head before placing it in Harry's lap.
"Harry, we are going to Hogwarts but not until later in the year," I explained, "The day we're supposed to go would be the best time to start. Mr Weasley would be at work so he couldn't stop us, and Mrs Weasley is going to Fleur's to collect the last of Bill's stuff and see Victoire. It's the perfect opportunity!"
He crossed his arms and sulkily stroked Ginny's uneven, turquoise hair.
Mrs Weasley's POV:
I could tell they were up to something straight away. I heard them having a yelling match upstairs a little while ago and now I know that five of them are up in Ginny's room probably planning something.
"Hello Molly," I heard a chirpy voice call to me as the girl came through the door.
"Evening Tonks," I replied stiffly.
"Where's Arthur and the kids tonight?"
"Percy is sending an owl to a friend, Bill is out with some lady friend, Charlie's ill, the twins are in Ginny's room with her, Harry and Hermione, Ron is trapped by Death Eaters at the Malfoy's and Arthur is supposedly at the office."
"Hmm, well, I must say, I feel a bit better. I've been a little down since Sirius but I just need to pull myself together...he wouldn't want me and Harry moping around, would he?"
I melted.
"Of course he wouldn't sweetheart."
All bitchy feelings about Tonks disappeared. Of course she couldn't be having an affair with Arthur. In fact, I don't even know if Arthur is having an affair!
"Molly?" she asked, somewhat nervously.
"Yes dear?" I answered, putting a cup of tea down on the table in front of her and sitting down opposite her seat.
"How did you and Arthur get together?"
My face lit up.
"Oh I love telling this story! We were on the Hogwarts express and everywhere was full except this one carriage at the back. So I made my way up to the back and knocked on the door and asked if I could pop in with them. It was all sixth and seventh years so they merely nodded but there was one other first year sitting by himself and I just plopped down beside him. He asked me what my name was and I told him Molly Prewett and he introduced his self as Arthur Weasley. We had a good giggle until we got to Hogwarts and then it was the Sorting. I was sorted first, right into Gryffindor, and shortly after, he sat down beside me, joking about how now it was him asking to sit beside me. We were best friends for the first three and a half years before he plucked up the courage to ask me to be his girlfriend...We've been together ever since."
Tonks sighed and rested her chin on her hand.
"Why were you asking, love?"
"Oh no reason," she shook it off.
"Go on, I could do with a girly chat. Ginny doesn't do that sort of stuff," I confined.
"Well, it's just, I've been starting to think of someone in a way I've never thought of them before," Tonks went bright red and looked downwards.
"Oooo! Who is it?"
"I can't say."
I frowned, "What? Why!"
But she didn't answer. She just continued to stare at her lap, fiddling with the tie on her robes.
"Come on Tonks, tell me."
"Molly, you have to promise me that you'll never tell anyone. Please," she looked up fearfully.
"Not until you're ready, sweetheart," I said gently, cupping her little face.
"Remus Lupin."
Percy's POV:
I carefully packed my case, making sure that I had everything I was going to need for the next six weeks. I had connected Amilie's fireplace to the Floo network a couple of hours ago and now I was ready to go and see her and my new baby daughter.
I picked my luggage up and trailed it down the stairs and into the living room, careful not to disturb Mum and Tonks who were having a chat in the kitchen, or the younger ones who were in Ginny's room. Just as I got into the living room, I heard a voice calling my name from the top of the stairs. As I turned around, I saw it was George.
"Where are you going?"
I took a deep breath.
"Umm...A little journey," I stuttered.
I didn't feel good about lying to George but I couldn't tell him that he was an uncle again.
"To where?" he asked suspiciously.
"To see a friend."
"Which one?"
I could tell he wasn't going to back down. He may be the sensitive one in the family, but he was argumentitive.
"A friend I met when I was travelling with the Ministry," I told him truthfully.
"Male or female?"
"Female," I sighed.
George smirked.
"So you've got a bird?"
"George don't say it like that!"
"But that's it, right? You've got a girlfriend?"
I shuffled nervously.
"Well...not...not exactly."
"Well what is it?" he said, getting impatient.
"I can't tell you," I admit, throwing my hands out.
"I told you my secret! And that must be bigger than whatever this is!" George yelled furiously.
"George please, you don't understand," I pleaded.
"Well make me understand."
"I can't, okay? I need to go or I'll be late," I snapped.
I made my way over to the fire, placing my case in before hopping in after it. I took a last look at George.
"I thought you had changed, Percy. I really did."
I could feel the tears prickling at the sides of my eyes but I was determined that he wouldn't see me cry. I took a handful of Floo powder and said as clearly as I could manage, "Amilie McGowan."
Author's Note: Hiya everyone! I hope you enjoyed that chapter? I was having a bit off an off week when I was writing this so that's why it's not as good as it should be! I'm so sorry!
I also want to apologise for my moan in the last authors note! I will not give up this story. I don't need that many views or that many followers or favorites because I'm writing this because I enjoy writing it and the people that actually bother to do this stuff also enjoy it and my last AN was just plain attention seeking! And I see that now! It was just plain attention seeking!
Remember to feed Jim Bob!
So sorry guys, love you all loads!
Beth xx