A/N: Hi there! I was just so touched by all the reviews and well-wishes that I started working on this chapter as soon as possible. And so, instead of having to wait a week, here is chapter four, thanks to all of you!
Now, as I mentioned previously, this story is inspired by the movie EOT and the anime that the movie was based on. However, unlike the movie where the time loops occurred within a day, I couldn't put the same formula into this one as both Ron and Hermione despised each other right now and so, I adapted it into this one. Granted, it can be a little confusing at times but don't worry, as the chapters go by, you will get the gist of it.
It is important to note, however, that although they have certain canon qualities, these are not canon Ron and Hermione. I don't want to rush their relationship so I'm going to portray as realistically as I possibly can. Please don't be turned off by their character traits, remember, everything changes over time…ha-ha…
Please keep your reviews coming! I love reviews! They bring me joy so please write if you can!
So without further ado, enjoy this chapter and thanks for sticking around!
CHAPTER 4: SPEW YOUR HEART OUT
October 13th, 1996
"Harry, Malfoy wasn't in Hogsmeade!" Hermione whispered for what might be the thousandth time as Harry shot her a glare. "Honestly, if you intend on talking about Malfoy instead of working on your Charms essay, then I don't see why you're here in the first place."
"Oh, come off it, Hermione!" Ginny said before Harry could retort. "We've been studying here for hours. At this point, I rather talk about anything other than Goblin rebellions. My mind is going to explode."
"I heard Katie's going to be alright. That's good news." Neville interjected. "But it seems no one besides us and Leanne really knows what happened to Katie."
"And Malfoy, don't forget Malfoy," Harry said adamantly as Hermione and Neville sighed in unison.
"I mean it could be Malfoy…" Ginny said as Hermione and Neville launched hushed protests.
"Really, Ginny?"
"Are you serious –"
"Why are you so certain that Draco isn't involved, Hermione?" Harry asked as Hermione rolled her eyes. "You were in the shop! You heard what Borgin said. When Borgin asked Malfoy if he wanted to carry it, he said no because he didn't want to touch it."
"Seriously, Harry?" Hermione cried "The necklace would be all wrapped up, so Draco wouldn't have to touch it, and quite easy to hide inside a cloak, so nobody would see it! I think whatever he reserved at Borgin and Burkes was noisy or bulky, something he knew would draw attention to him if he carried it down the street — and in any case," she pressed on loudly before Harry could interrupt, "I asked Borgin about the necklace, don't you remember? When I went in to try and find out what Malfoy had asked him to keep, I saw it there. And Borgin just told me the price, he didn't say it was already sold or anything —"
"Well, you were being really obvious, he realized what you were up to within about five seconds, of course, he wasn't going to tell you — anyway, Malfoy could've sent off for it since—"
"Okay guys, enough!" Ginny whispered harshly as she smacked her forehead. "My mistake. Now, I actually prefer reading up about Goblins."
"You know, Ginny, there is someone else we could ask," Harry said as Ginny glared at him
"Before you even start, Potter, you should know that I was with Ron at Hogsmeade so he didn't pass the necklace if that's what you're insinuating. Secondly, Ron isn't going to tell me about Draco so just drop it." Ginny exclaimed as Harry let out a grunt. Ginny heaved a sigh as she stared at her book. "No, no, I can't do this anymore. I need to go for a fly. Anyone?"
"I'm in," Harry replied instantly. "Can't focus on my work anymore, not when there's a Death Eater afoot. Nev, you in? We could throw some Quaffles. Get you ready for the match."
"I'm not sure…" Neville said as he stared at Hermione. Something inside Hermione's stomach started to twist. For some reason, Hermione had noticed how Neville had been trying to get closer to her during the year and that bothered her a little. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, Hermione tried to think of what to say when she noticed someone approaching them.
"Hermione Granger."
The entire group turned to see a small Ravenclaw girl who seemed to be more interested in Harry than talking to Hermione. Judging by her size, she looked like a first year.
"Yes?" Hermione asked as the girl handed her a note.
"Professor McGonagall would like to see you right now at this classroom. She said it's about something called…spew?"
"Spew?" Ginny cried with a look of disgust.
"S.P.E.W. My organisation for elfish welfare." Hermione replied, thankful for her professor's timely request. "Why don't you guys go ahead? I'll meet you there when I'm done."
"I could accompany you…" Neville said as Hermione shook her head. "I think it be better if I go by myself, thanks. Go and play, Neville. I'll meet you three at the pitch once I'm done."
For a moment, Neville's face looked slightly crestfallen before he gave a shrug and a smile to Hermione. Thanking the Ravenclaw student whose eyes seemed to linger on Harry Potter before walking away, the group started to pack their things. Hermione parted ways with the trio as she headed off towards the seventh floor, her mind deep in thought on a rather uncomfortable subject.
Boys.
Hermione knew that part of growing up meant going through puberty and just like every adolescent girl before her, Hermione was not immune to the laws of attraction. Viktor Krum had been her first date and though they were far from incompatible, Hermione liked the idea that a wizard like Viktor, who had witches swooning over him, would ever go out with a girl like her. Hermione knew she was not the conventional type of beauty nor was she one to waste her time with things such as makeup and looking good but that night had been a quite the experience for her as she admired her periwinkle gown and hair in the mirror. Viktor hadn't swept her off her feet despite looking as princely as one of those princes in the old Disney movies but he had shown Hermione a new path, one away from dusty books and evil, dark wizards.
Then there was Neville and Harry.
Neville was a pressing issue. While Hermione never saw Neville other than her best friend and a younger brother, it seemed the same couldn't be said for him. She had noticed things, like how Neville would get her food or stay behind with her to work on his essay. She had noticed the sneaking glances and how he reacted when she complimented Harry on his looks earlier in the year. Sooner or later, she would have to deal with him but it wasn't a conversation that she was particularly looking forward to.
And then there was Harry.
If anything, Hermione blamed her mother. Though Hermione loved her mother dearly, she was still slightly mortified by what her mother had said the past summer in a particularly uncomfortable conversation.
"So, you've packed for tomorrow. Mrs Longbottom tells me that she'll be sending someone to pick you up in the morning." Hermione's mother spoke as Hermione nodded her head. Her father took that moment to reach for a second helping of mashed potatoes, earning a disapproving glare from his wife.
"Really, Ned, you haven't even finished your first helping."
"I can't help it, Catelyn. You know how your food makes me feel." Ned said as Catelyn shook her head.
"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
"Now, now. We don't want to give our daughter here any ideas." Ned cried as Catelyn gave a laugh.
"It might be a little too late for that."
Hermione nearly choked on her peas as she stared at her mother in shock. "Mom, what do you mean by that?!"
"I only mean…well dear…you're going to be sixteen soon and that's the age where most girls tend to…have feelings for someone." Catelyn replied with a mischievous smile on her face as Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Oh, pray tell, which boy am I interested in?" Hermione said as Catelyn placed down her spoon before folding her arms.
"Oh, I don't know dear, maybe…er…Harry Potter?" Catelyn said as Ned nearly choked on his mashed potatoes while Hermione let out a cough.
"HARRY POTTER?!" Hermione and Ned cried in unison as Catelyn rolled her eyes.
"Oh, stop being so dramatic you two. It's only ever going to happen."
"Mom! Harry's like my best friend!"
"Exactly. Which makes it perfect, don't you think? Ahhh... best friends falling in love. The seeds of romance." Catelyn said as Ned turned a bright red.
"There will be no seeding if I can help it!" Ned growled as Hermione's cheeks began to burn.
"Dad!"
"What?! You're my daughter, Hermione. If this Harry thinks he can just waltz in without so much as meeting me first, well, I should have a word with his father!"
"He's an orphan, Dad."
"Oh!" Ned exclaimed, looking slightly sheepish. "Then, his guardians. No daughter of mine will throw herself at a boy I've never even met."
"Oh, you've met him twice!" Catelyn cried as Hermione watched her two parents start to bicker. Hermione wanted to excuse herself from the table as she tried to bury her face behind a glass of water. What a laugh! Harry! Why, we're just best friends! Hermione thought as Catelyn turned her attention back to her daughter.
"Oh, Ned, you're too overprotective. Hermione here has been talking about Harry non-stop since she's been back last summer."
"That's because Harry lost his godfather, Mom!" Hermione retorted as Catelyn shook her head.
"It's not just this summer. It's the summer before that. And the summer before that. Ever since you've met this Harry, all you've been doing is talking about him. Dear, best friend or not, don't you think the reason you're always talking and thinking about him is that you care about him deeply?"
"I talk about Neville, and Ginny, and Luna," Hermione replied defensively.
"Yes, but this is different." Catelyn sighed. "It's the way you talk about this boy. I know he's your best friend but he's growing up too. You've watched those old romantic movies with your father and I. Sooner or later, you might have feelings for him and I want you to know that you can always talk about it with me and your father."
"I rather spend my time studying, Mom," Hermione said as Ned gave a clap.
"You see?! Good girl, Hermione! Yes, study. Keep on studying. Forget about boys, bahhh! At this age, there's only one thing on their minds. Bloody perverts!"
Catelyn rolled her eyes as she placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "You can always come to me," Catelyn said quietly as Hermione nodded her head awkwardly.
"May I be excused?" Hermione said as Catelyn nodded. Grabbing her plate, Hermione scurried out of the dining room as Catelyn turned to glare at her husband.
"What?!" Ned said as he bit on a piece of chicken.
"Perverts, really?" Catelyn exclaimed crossly. "I want our daughter to grow up and be more than just a bookworm and here you are, telling her to stay in the library!"
"I'm just trying to protect our daughter, Cat," Ned said. "Besides, she's too young to think about boys yet. Besides, that Harry bloke seems like an unstable chap."
"And pray tell who is good enough for our daughter?!"
"I don't know," Ned said as he licked his fingers. "They say that daughters tend to fall for men like their fathers," Ned replied as he grinned at his wife.
Catelyn let out a snort. "Please, Hermione falling for a boy who uses crude remarks and eats like there's no tomorrow? That'd be the day."
Hermione rolled her eyes as she walked away from eavesdropping on her parent's conversation. Later that night, as she tossed and turned in her bed, Hermione stared up at her ceiling as her face formed a frown.
Why would I fall in love with Harry?! Hermione thought, as for some reason, her fourth-year conversation with Ron Weasley came into her mind. Ron had predicted that she would fall for Harry as did her parents and yet Hermione couldn't possibly imagine it. It seemed so ludicrous the thought of her falling for Harry.
"He's not even my type," Hermione whispered as she recalled seeing the recent photographs of him in the Daily Prophet. "I mean…sure, he has nice green eyes. And that black hair. But that's it." Hermione said as she closed her eyes.
He did grow taller; her mind spoke as Hermione's eyes flew open.
Shut up!
And he has a well-toned body.
Shut up! Shut up!
He's a Quidditch player and you know how you have a thing for Quidditch players.
Oh, please! Viktor was a one-time thing
Not to mention, when he sits on his broom, he does have a rather cute ars-
LALALALALALA!
Hermione sat up on her bed, her heart beating faster, her mouth panting as she felt the burning heat from her cheeks. At that moment, the thought of Harry pressing his lips to her mouth, sneaking a chaste kiss in front of the fireplace at the Gryffindor common room made her heart beat even faster as a tingling sensation rushed throughout her body.
No! NO! HE'S MY BEST FRIEND! I CAN'T! I CAN'T!
He's nice. He's kind. You spend so much time together. You worry about him and he worries about you. You're both Muggles in a wizarding world, strangers in a strange land with no one but the two of you against the world. You have shared trauma, shared moments and he's your best friend. Face it, Hermione, you're falling for him.
NOOOOO! Hermione let out a mental scream as she threw herself into the pillow.
"No, Hermione, absolutely not," Hermione muttered to herself as she passed by the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Seeing that the classroom was not far away, Hermione composed herself as she forced all thoughts of boys and feelings out of her head. The classroom's door was closed as Hermione took a deep breath before knocking.
"Professor?" Hermione said as she pushed the door open. To her surprise, the classroom was empty. Confused, Hermione entered the room, thinking that perhaps Professor McGonagall was in her Animagus state and she would see a cat running on the floor.
"Professor, where are….MMPH!"
Hermione felt her mouth clamp shut as her body froze stiff. She couldn't move a muscle as Hermione felt herself toppling backwards, only for two hands to catch her from behind. Whoever her captor was, Hermione could feel him reaching into her robes. For a frightening moment, Hermione feared that she was about to be violated, only for her captor to pull out her wand. Standing her upright and releasing his hold, Hermione felt something being thrown over her.
A sack! Hermione thought as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the bag inside. She then felt an arm around her waist as Hermione felt herself being hoisted up in the air, her body resting on her captor's shoulder.
HELP! I'M BEING KIDNAPPED! Hermione yelled inside her head. A thousand thoughts rushed through her mind. What if I'm being abducted by a Death Eater! Get a hold of yourself, Hermione! Death Eaters can't enter the school! Dumbledore would have seen to that!
For a moment, Hermione's mind snapped back to Harry's Draco Death Eater theory. Could it be that this was Draco Malfoy kidnapping her, maybe to bring her to Voldemort as a punishment for her Ministry antics last year? She could feel the captor, pacing back and forth.
Maybe he's deciding on whether or not to kill me! Hermione thought. Forcing her mind to push away all negative thoughts, Hermione decided on the most logical solution. After all, it was a Ravenclaw student that asked her to come here, wasn't it?
It has to be a student playing a prank. The nerve of that person! When I get out, you can be sure there's hell to pay whoever you are! Detention until the end of year! And I will be speaking to Professor McGonagall, you can bet on that!
Hermione then felt herself being thrown on off her captor's shoulders as she landed on something soft. I'm on a couch Hermione thought as she felt herself being seated upright by her captor. She could feel large hands grabbing the sack as her captor removed it from Hermione.
Though she couldn't blink, the sudden appearance of light blinded her temporarily. As her eyes adjusted to the light, Hermione stared in front of her. There was a chair in front of her, a bag on the floor and a Pensieve next to it. Behind it, Hermione could see stacks and stacks of piled up items, from broomsticks to cabinets, shelves to ceramic statutes.
I'm in the Room of Hidden Things Hermione said as she cursed herself mentally. The pacing had been her captor trying to open the Room of Requirement and now, she was trapped inside it. A thought flashed through her mind. Only a certain group of people knew about the room which meant that her captor was most likely from…
"I hope it works this time." A voice behind her grumbled as Hermione gasped internally at the sound of the familiar voice. Slowly, her captor emerged from behind her as he sat on the chair, his lanky form collapsing on the seat from exhaustion as he brushed his fingers through his crimson red hair.
Ronald Weasley?!
….
Ron waved his wand as a large rope appeared, wrapping itself around Hermione. He took joy in imagining just how angry the witch would be with him. Satisfied that the rope was tight enough, Ron pulled his chair closer towards the bushy-haired witch.
"Okay, Granger, listen to me very carefully. I have something to tell you, something very important that concerns the fates on everyone around us. Now, unfortunately for me, I will need you to talk which means that I have to remove the Petrificus Totalus spell from you. But, I swear, if you start screaming and cursing at me, I will put the charm once more and you can sit there listening without saying a word. "
Muttering a sigh, Ron raised his wand and aimed it at Hermione.
"Finite Incantatem!"
"RONALD WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU!" Hermione yelled, her face looking positively livid as she struggled against her bonds. "RELEASE ME AT ONCE, YOU HORRIBLE PERSON!"
"Fuck me," Ron said as he waved his wand once more with Hermione shutting her mouth.
"Let's try this again."
After about three times, Hermione seemed to get the hint. Removing his spell, Hermione glared daggers at Ron but said nothing.
"Finally, I got you to shut up! Okay, okay…I've never got this far before." Ron said as Hermione gave him a temporarily confused stare before returning to her murderous gaze. "Let's see, alright now listen, Granger, I've something to tell you about what happened to me and I really need you to listen. You'll understand why I have to do this. If you behave, I promised to remove the rope and give you back your wand."
Hermione considered his proposal for a moment before nodding her head. Heaving a sigh of relief, Ron took a deep breath before telling his story. He took note to leave out any mention of Draco, not wanting Hermione to know his cousin's secret. As Ron talked, he could see that Hermione didn't look as angry as she did, her face frowning as she took in his story of time travelling.
"And so, Dumbledore gave me a mission which I will explain later," Ron said. "All you need to know now is that the mission involves you but because it has to be done in secret, I had to find a way to get you alone. I've tried so many ways but each time you either punch me, hex me, have a wand fight in the middle of the library or you've just walked away. I know that this all seems rather drastic and uncalled for but I didn't have a choice. I need you to listen to me."
Hermione studied Ron's face for a long time before speaking.
"I see. So let me get this straight. You're saying that because you got hit by Dumbledore's potion, you time-travelled back into the past where you tried to intervene in certain events to which you then realised you cannot alter because if you do, time would just reset itself by bringing you back to the moment before you intervene in those events. And because of this, Dumbledore entrusted you with a mission which I'm guessing he feels you're right for because time won't let you die, making you the perfect person for the job. Is that the gist of it so far?"
"Well…" Ron said as he gaped at the witch. "If you want to simplify it…sure…yeah, that's it."
"I see," Hermione said as she motioned with her head for Ron to come closer. Leaning in, Ron could hear her whisper.
"Weasley, do you think I'm an idiot?!" Hermione spat as Ron let out a cry of frustration.
"Of course I think you're an idiot, Granger but that's not the point! Bloody Hell!"
"What you're talking about is simply not possible!" Hermione cried as she glared at Ron. "I've read all the books on time-travel, Weasley, not to mention, I've used a Time-Turner before!"
"What if I can prove to you that I've time-travelled?"
"How?!" Hermione demanded.
"I could tell you what's going to happen!" Ron snapped. "Let's see, things that happen next week…today is the 13th and….oh, I got it! We're having treacle tarts for dinner tomorrow! HAH!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "We always have tarts on Monday, you prat!"
"Oh yeah?" Ron growled. "How about…I got it! We have a test on Gamp's Law next week! I could tell you the questions!"
"We did that last week, Weasley!"
"We did? Fuck, I didn't even noticed…Arghhh!" Ron said as he pulled his hair. "This is a waste of time! I can't remember every minor detail! And even then, you probably won't believe me."
"So I guess there's nothing you can do," Hermione said with a smug smile on her lips before glaring at Ron. "Now, untie me or I'll swear you'll be getting another detention on top of the one I'm going to give you!"
"Detention! Who the fuck cares about that?! You're seriously the most annoying, stubborn person I've ever met, Granger! Why couldn't it be anyone else? Heck, I'll even take Longbottom or Potter at this point!"
"Why do you need me, anyways?" Hermione said as she tried to shift around. Hermione had been working on the knot behind her back and she needed more time to distract him. Ron smirked at her as he leaned in.
"Because, Granger, unlike those two, you are completely insignificant to this timeline. That's right, whatever comes next affects Potter and Longbottom you're not a part of it."
"Harry?!" Hermione cried as she stopped moving. "What about Harry?"
"Oh, nothing…" Ron said as his eyes spied the bag Dumbledore had given him. "Only that this mission involves saving Potter which I just told you about a minute ago and…"
"Shut up for a moment!" Hermione said as she stopped working on the knots. "What about Harry?"
Ron glared at her as he opened his mouth before a thought occurred to him. Saying nothing to Hermione, Ron reached into the bag and pulled out the six bottles of memories from the bag. He then noticed that one of them had a red cork on top, compared to the rest. Reaching for that memory, Ron's eyes widened as he noticed the date on the memory.
7th of September. The date when he first argued with Dumbledore and took the potion. Apparently, while he was unconscious, Dumbledore had shown the first memory consisting of Bob Ogden to Potter…
Potter!
Ron turned back to Hermione. "Did Harry ever mention a memory about…Bob Ogden?"
Hermione's eyes widened as she released the rope behind her back. "How…how did you know about that? Dumbledore told you?! You?!"
Ron clapped his hands as he ignored Hermione's look of disbelief. "Would you like to see it?"
Ron could see Hermione frowning as she wrestled with her thoughts. Grunting with exasperation, Ron pointed his wand at Hermione's binds and released her from the rope. Pouring the memory into the Pensieve, Ron motioned for Hermione to come forth.
"Go ahead," Ron said as Hermione walked apprehensively to the Pensieve. "Go ahead and take a look."
"Give me my wand back first," Hermione demanded as Ron shook his head.
"Not yet. First, you see this memory with me."
"Fine, you go in first."
Ron glared at Hermione. "Do you think I'm an idiot? The minute I go in, you'll just grab the wand from me!"
Hermione gave Ron a triumphant look. "Of course I think you're an idiot."
"Granger, will you just... please?!"
"Fine!" Hermione cried as she stuck her head in. Letting out a curse, Ron followed after her.
….
"Oh my god!" Hermione cried as she and Ron left the third memory. On her face, Ron could see the same look of fascination and intrigue that he had when Dumbledore first took him.
"The girl in the raggedy grey dress. That was Merope Gaunt?" Hermione said as Ron nodded. At first, Ron didn't understand why Dumbledore would be so interested in that particular memory until he finally learned the secret. That the girl Merope was actually Voldemort's mother.
"Yes."
"The poor thing," Hermione said. "And you said she used a Love Potion to seduce Tom?"
"Yes, that's what Dumbledore told me."
"And to think we actually had a glimpse of what You-Know-Who was like back in his younger days," Hermione said. "He looked exactly like his father. But what was that in the third memory? Why did Morfin just disappear?"
"Because of what You-Know-Who did" Ron replied. "According to Dumbledore, You-Know-Who wiped out Morfin's memory after that and took his ring."
"The one that Marvolo first wore? But why?" Hermione asked as Ron motioned her back to the couch. Hermione no longer looked angry, curiosity having gotten the better of her.
"Well, it has to do with my mission. Granger, have you ever heard of Horcruxes?"
Hermione shook her head as Ron began explained to her his mission. He could see Hermione's eyes widening both out of fascination and terror.
"And Dumbledore believes he made seven? But why?"
"It's an educated guess at this point," Ron said. "But Dumbledore thinks it has to do with seven being a magical number. Luckily for us, two have been destroyed. The first was the ring. Tom took it after he wiped out Morfin's memories."
"The ring!" Hermione gasped. "Of course, the ring is a symbol of Power and an artefact belonging to Salazar Slytherin. Dumbledore took care of it."
"Yes," Ron said, reminding himself not to bring up that Dumbledore was dying, a fact he had hidden from Hermione. "Dumbledore destroyed it so we don't have to worry about it anymore. The second, however, is a diary. HIS diary."
"Diary…diary…Vol…Tom Riddle…" Hermione spoke as Ron could see her in deep thought before the witch clapped her hands and exclaimed loudly. "Of course, Ginny!"
"What about Ginny?" Ron asked as Hermione suddenly stared at him, her mind realising that Ron probably didn't know about the Chamber of Secrets.
"Well…errr…." Hermione spoke as Ron scowled at her.
"Oh, spit it out already, Granger!"
"Fine! It's only going to be a matter of time before you figure it out anyways." Hermione snapped before taking a deep breath. "You remember in our second year? The Chamber of Secrets being open?"
"Yeah," Ron replied with a shudder. "I recall Snape telling me that Ginny was possessed and that Harry rescued her."
"Did she tell you who possess her?" Hermione asked as Ron shook his head.
"I kept asking but all she would tell me is that she was possessed by some spirit that was the Heir of Slytherin," Ron replied with a shrug. "I didn't push her for answers."
"Well, Ginny wasn't possessed by some spirit," Hermione said. "She was possessed by Tom Riddle Jr."
"Tom Riddle?" Ron exclaimed with surprise. "But that's the name of the Dark Lord's father…wait…junior…BLOODY HELL!"
"Keep your voice down!" Hermione cried as Ron jumped up in the air, his hands waving about in a frenzy.
"GINNY WAS POSSESSED BY HIM! But how…wait…the Horcruxes…Marvolo Gaunt…Merope…his mother…the ring…Heir of Slytherin…HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS?! FUCK!" Ron shouted as he kicked a nearby chair. "Why didn't Ginny tell me?!"
"Well, actually, I think I know why…"
"What?! What do you know?!" Ron demanded as Hermione glared at him.
"If you're going to ask me so rudely…"
"Arggghhhh, Granger please!" Ron yelled before calming himself down. "Okay…okay…I'm calm…please, Granger…"
Hermione heaved a sigh. "Harry and Dumbledore found out that Ginny had come into possession of a diary to which she poured her heart and soul into. The Horcrux in that diary must have taken advantage of her. The reason why she didn't want to tell you is that the person who gave her the diary…was Lucius Malfoy."
"Uncle Malfoy?!" Ron cried in shock. "But he loves….I mean he knows that Ginny is family. My family."
"Ginny's dad, Mr Perkins, he runs the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. When he helped launched the Muggle Protection Act, Lucius Malfoy took offense to that and well, he gave Ginny the book as a way to get rid of an illegal item and for Hogwarts to be rid of Muggleborns as punishment for the Act." Hermione explained.
"But…Ginny… How could he use her like that?" Ron whispered as Hermione became silent. Though he wasn't as close to Uncle Lucius as he was to Aunt Narcissa, Ron always thought that his uncle cared deeply about him and his sister. It was evident now to Ron that with regards to the latter, it wasn't true. Almost instantly, a terrifying thought occurred to him.
Did Draco know?
Ron quashed that thought as soon as it arrived. Draco had no idea who the Heir was and Ron was confident that Draco would have told him if he ever knew the truth. Ron felt a wave of anger flow through him. For once, he was glad that Lucius was in Azkaban. Serves him right
"You okay?" Hermione said as she stared at him. "Ginny made us promise not to tell you but I figured that with the situation now, I had no choice."
"Thank you," Ron replied as Hermione looked surprised. "Thank you for telling me."
Ron turned around to head for the door, only for Hermione to grab his hand.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked though Ron kept his back towards her.
"I'm going to find my sister. Ask her why she didn't tell me."
"You can't do that!"
"Granger, don't tell me what I can and cannot do!" Ron said as he pulled his hand out of her grasp. "She could have been killed. She was possessed by You-know-who and she still didn't say a damn word to me! I'm her brother! I deserve the truth!"
"Honestly! Can't you see why she didn't tell you?" Hermione said as Ron turned around. "Ginny didn't tell you because she wanted to protect you from the truth! You always think the world of the Malfoys and the last thing Ginny wanted was to take that away from you!"
She wanted to protect you from the truth
Kind of like your parents' death, eh Ron?
Ron felt his anger start to deflate as he turned around to face Hermione. "She's my little sister. It's my job to protect her."
"Well…" Hermione replied, her expression softening. "It's over anyways. That Horcrux is dead and Harry saved her life. Your sister is fine, Ron."
For now
"Besides, there is a silver lining if you think about it." Hermione continued as Ron gave her a puzzled look. "Not only are we two Horcruxes down, but we have a person who has experienced one of Tom's Horcruxes."
"Yeah, don't really see the silver lining there," Ron grunted as Hermione rolled her eyes.
"We know that Horcruxes are powerful Dark objects. We know that they can possess you and that they can influence the way you think and act. And it also lends itself to the theory that Dumbledore was right. I mean, that Horcrux was always meant to be used at Hogwarts, one time or another. And You-Know-Who must have known that someone would eventually figure out what it really was. Why would he be so confident unless…"
"Unless he made more," Ron replied. "Okay Granger, I get it."
Hermione clapped her hands. "Alright, so are these other memories all about Horcruxes?"
Ron peered at the remaining three bottles. "Sort of. This one is Slughorn's memory but it's being tampered with so there's no point seeing that now. The other is Dumbledore's but I think the one you need to see is this."
"Okay, let's go!" Hermione said as Ron raised his hand.
"Hold your dragons, Granger. There's a backstory to this one as well." Ron said as Hermione sat down on the couch quietly, eager to hear him. On any other day, Ron would have found the entire thing slightly strange and downright amusing, the sight of the bookworm wanting to listen to him.
"So the Dark Lord…"
"Can we call him Tom, please?" Hermione said as Ron raised his eyebrow. "It's just…I'm not comfortable referring to his name as the Dark Lord."
"Fine, whatever," Ron replied. "Anyways, Tom reached the seventh year of his schooling with, top grades in every examination he had taken. Nearly everybody expected spectacular things from Tom, because you know, Prefect, Head Boy, winner of the Award for Special Services to the School. Several teachers including Professor Slughorn suggested that he join the Ministry of Magic and they offered to set up appointments and put him in touch with useful contacts but Tom refused all offers. Instead, he began working at Borgin and Burkes." "
At Borgin and Burkes?" Hermione repeated, stunned. "
At Borgin and Burkes," Ron repeated. "You'll understand why once you've seen this memory. But this was not his first choice for a job. Hardly anyone knew of it at the time — I was one of the few in whom the then headmaster confided but believe it or not, Tom wanted to stay at Hogwarts as a teacher."
"He wanted to stay here? Why?" Hermione asked, feeling more amazed still.
"I believe he had several reasons, though he confided none of them to Professor Dippet," said Dumbledore. "Firstly, and very importantly, Dumbledore said that Tom was more attached to this school than he has ever been to a person. Hogwarts was where he had been happiest; the first and only place he had felt at home."
"Kind of like Harry," Hermione replied, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"Secondly, the castle is a stronghold of ancient magic. According to Dumbledore, Tom had penetrated many more of its secrets than most of the students who pass through the place, but he still wanted more."
"That does sound like him," Hermione said, with an uneasy tone.
"And thirdly, Dumbledore mentioned that he thinks Tom saw Hogwarts as a useful recruiting ground, a place where he might begin to build himself an army. Says he got the idea from Professor Slughorn who was Tom's favourite teacher."
"That makes sense. If he was a teacher, he could influence generation after generation." Hermione replied with a shudder. "Can you imagine? All those students following in his footsteps?"
"Luckily, Tom didn't get the job. Professor Dippet, the Headmaster then, told him that he was too young at eighteen, but invited him to reapply in a few years, if he still wished to teach." Ron said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Guess what subject he wanted to teach?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione guessed as Ron nodded. Hermione wrapped herself in her arms as she shook her head.
"So then, he went to Borgin and Burkes?"
"Yeah," Ron replied. "The staff said it was a waste for someone of his talent to be working as an assistant. But Tom was special. He was polite, handsome and clever and so they gave him a special task. His job was to persuade people to part with their treasures for sale by the partners."
"I'll bet he was," Hermione said, unable to contain herself.
"Well, here is the memory of Hokey the house-elf," Ron said as he lifted the bottle. "Hokey worked for a very old, very rich witch by the name of Hepzibah Smith."
"What's so special about this memory?" Hermione asked.
"You're about to find out," Ron replied grimly as both he and Hermione entered the Pensieve.
….
"Wait, what happened?" Hermione said as soon as the pair left the memory.
"Well, "Hepzibah Smith died two days after that meeting. Hokey the house-elf was convicted by the Ministry of poisoning her mistress's evening cocoa by accident." Ron said as Hermione flinched, aghast at his words.
"What?! Hokey confessed to doing that?!"
"Yeah, Dumbledore said Hokey remembered putting something in Smith's cocoa. She thought it was sugar but it turned out to be a lethal poison. The Ministry, however, thought that she had not meant to do it, being that Hokey was old and confused."
"Tom modified her memories!" Hermione snapped. "Or he must have used the Imperius Curse. Why didn't the Ministry investigate further?"
"Well, they had to suspect her –"
"Because she was a house-elf!" Hermione cried, seething at his words. Ron looked slightly bemused at the sight of Hermione pacing up and down the floor.
"Will you get a hold of yourself, Granger?!"
"No, I will not, Weasley!" Hermione snapped. "Don't you see? See how bigotry can affect us all? All the Ministry had to do was look inside her memories and they would have had their suspect! But no…can't do that…elves aren't like wizards…they don't have a right to a free trial!"
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now so stop whining and let's focus, shall we?!" Ron demanded as Hermione scowled at him before sitting down on the couch. Ron took a seat in front of her.
"Okay," Ron said as Hermione crossed her arms while keeping the scowl on her face. "At least now, you know, Tom killed Smith because he wanted the two items. Items which Dumbledore says he sees as trophies. Just like the ring and diary, although the diary seems to be nothing special –"
"Of course it was special!" Hermione exclaimed. "That diary was proof that he was the Heir of Slytherin. The trophies have to mean something to him even if they can be something that seems ordinary. Remember the memory back at the orphanage? The yo-yo? The thimble? The mouth-organ? Just because they mean nothing to us, doesn't mean they don't have a special meaning for him."
"Okay fine!" Ron cried. " So the diary, the ring, the locket, the cup. That's four."
"Wait!" Hermione said as she removed a parchment and quill from her robes. "If we're going to do this, let's do this right. So the first two Horcruxes, the diary and the ring, both destroyed."
"That's right."
"And now, we have the Hufflepuff's cup and Salazar's locket," Hermione said as Ron nodded. "You mentioned to me something about Nagini?"
"Yes, Dumbledore thinks that Nagini could be a Horcrux although I'm not sure how…"
"I do," Hermione said as Ron stared at her in surprise. "Last year, Harry kept having visions. Do you remember when your brother Bill was attacked? Well, Harry said that at that time, he was seeing himself attacking your brother. Only that it wasn't Harry, of course, it was Nagini, You-Know-Who's snake! That's how Dumbledore knew Nagini was a Horcrux. Because she contained part of His soul!"
"Okay, I'll buy that," Ron said. "But that leaves us with just one other Horcrux whose origin is unknown."
Hermione thought for a moment. "Well, it would make sense for the artefact to be something belonging to either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. It fits the theme, after all."
"Can't be Gryffindor," Ron said. "Dumbledore said the only artefact belonging to Gryffindor is his sword and Dumbledore has that. Are there any artefacts belonging to Ravenclaw that you know of?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, but that's okay. We have plenty of time to find them."
"We?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron. "Do you think I would sit something like this out, especially after everything you've shown me?"
"Well, I figured maybe you hate me too much to work with me and so…"
"Listen, Weasley," Hermione said as she wore a serious expression. "I think you are the rudest, and most incorrigible person I've ever met…"
"Gee, thanks!" Ron cried sarcastically.
"But this is bigger than us. Bigger than anything, really. The only way we are ever going to bring down You-Know-Who is by destroying his Horcruxes. If that means I have to team up with you, then so be it." Hermione said as Ron let out a groan.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
"Yes!" Hermione cried, surprised that a Pureblood like Ron would know a Muggle saying. "How did you…"
"Never mind," Ron said as he pocketed the parchment. "For our plan to work, obviously we need to keep this secret. If word gets out, no doubt the timeline would be affected. No one else can know about what we're doing. If Harry brings up these memories to you, you have to act like you know nothing of it."
"So we really can't bring anyone?" Hermione pleaded as Ron shook his head fervently. "I mean, I get why we can't ask Harry but what about Neville and Ginny?"
"I'm not involving my sister in this," Ron said firmly. "And as for Neville, he's part of an important event in the timeline. Involving him might alter it. "
"Fine!" Hermione exclaimed in a resigned tone. She had been hoping to include at least someone else besides Ron but the Slytherin appeared to be unmoved in his stance.
"Luna?" Hermione said hopefully as Ron glared at her.
"Lovegood can't keep a secret." Ron retorted. "Not that you can either, seeing as how you just showed the picture of you kissing me to her!"
Hermione looked astonished for a moment before replying indignantly. "At least I don't resort to lying about my parents to get what I want!"
"What in the blazes are you talking about?!"
"I'm talking about how you lied about your parents' death, just to get me to feel sorry for you!" Hermione fumed as the memory of his fourth year struck Ron in the head. Smirking at the witch, Ron gave a shrug.
"What can I say? You're really easy to seduce, Granger."
"PLEASE!" Hermione cried as she threw her hands in the air. "As if I'll ever fall for the likes of you!"
"Careful, now. Don't forget, you shared your first kiss with me. Better watch what you say!"
Hermione gaped at the sight of a smug Ron before crossing her arms. "You…you…you don't know that's my first kiss!"
"Yes, it was!"
"No, it wasn't!"
"Whatever!"
"Whatever!"
"Merlin, you're annoying!" Ron and Hermione cried in unison as they both glared at each other. An awkward silence, built from the tension between the two, descended upon them until Ron decided to speak.
"Let's get something straight, Granger. I'm not your friend and I'm not doing this for you, for Potter, for Dumbledore or anyone else! I'm doing it to protect my sister. If You-Know-Who wasn't so…evil, I would actually be fine seeing the world rid of the likes of you. But luckily for you, my sister and Draco are in danger so I've no choice. We're going to look for the Horcruxes, destroy as many as we can and come the end of our sixth year, you and Potter and your little gang can go bugger off." Ron spat.
"Fine by me!" Hermione snapped before realising something. "Wait, what do you mean by your sister and Draco are in danger? How is Draco in danger?"
Ron's eyes widened at his mistake. "Nothing!" Ron blurted out as he looked away from Hermione. Stupid, Ron, stupid!
"Weasley, is Malfoy a Death Eater?"
"WHAT!" Ron exclaimed before letting out an awkward laugh. "Draco a Death Eater?! You must be crazy. He's not even seventeen! Like the Dark Lord would let an underaged wizard join his inner circle. Bollocks!"
"Are you sure?" Hermione said as Ron let out a cry of exasperation.
"Can we just…you know…focus on our task at hand and not worry about my cousin? You keep asking questions about him and sooner or later, you might alter the timeline."
Ron could see Hermione about to retort before biting back her lip. Satisfied that he had finally shut Granger up, Ron promptly switched the subject.
"Okay, so for the Horcruxes, it seems like we have a lot to do."
"Before we do that," Hermione said as she stared at Ron. "Let's talk about your ability. So you're saying that the reason I can help you look for Horcruxes is that I'm insignificant to the timeline?"
"Yes."
"On the other hand, you're significant. Hence why, you can't be killed or else time will simply reset itself by bringing you back to the moment you last slept. As long as time is altered, you go back to when you last slept. Sort of like a…restoration point."
"That's right," Ron replied as Hermione frowned.
"And you retain all knowledge of the previous timeline."
"Yes."
"I see," Hermione said with a smile on her face. "This is perfect! That means if we have an unproductive day, all we have to do is do something to alter the timeline and everything will reset. We could do years of research in like days!"
"Technically, yes." Ron sighed. "But there are only a few things that will reset the timeline and we would have to make sure that I don't fall asleep."
"Or we could just kill you," Hermione said as Ron glared at her.
"You like that, wouldn't you?"
"Hard as it may for you to believe, Weasley," Hermione said. "Killing is not as easy as you make it out to be. But we know it's the one thing that works so it's our best method of resetting the timeline."
"Just don't get any ideas," Ron said as he stared warily at Hermione's wand.
"So what do we do now?" Hermione said as she stared at the bag. "Anything else in there?"
"Just two more memories. And this!" Ron said as he pulled out a large folder. Opening it up, Hermione could see that it was filled with various documents articles, newspaper clippings, and photographs.
"We have extracts from Death Eater trials, Muggle newspapers on strange activity as well as interviews by people claiming to have seen Tom," Ron said as Hermione breezed through the folder. "And that's just the first one. We have four more other folders in there as well."
"Okay, then let's get organised," Hermione spoke in a tone that Ron found annoyingly bossy. "First, we need to find out all we can about Horcruxes, how they work and more importantly, how to destroy one."
"We already know how they work. Ginny, remember?"
"That's not enough! We need more information. I'll see what I can find at the library. Tom must have come across it somehow."
"Good, you can do that tomorrow. We only have about an hour before dinner and I need to take a fucking nap." Ron said as he let out a yawn.
Hermione glared at Ron. "Do you think of anything else besides food and sleep?!"
"Of course. There's Quidditch. And girls. And Quidditch…"
"Honestly!"
"Listen, Granger, we have an entire year to do this. Right now, I'm exhausted and unlike you, I have a life." Ron drawled as Hermione made a face. "So before I get back to my friends and have dinner, we have a more pressing matter to discuss."
"What's that?"
"We need an excuse to meet up, just you and me," Ron said. "For obvious reasons, neither one of us can just skip out and meet each other and on top of that, we have to go out and hunt Horcruxes. So Dumbledore thinks I should join your elf organisation, which he is going to recognise as an official club in Hogwarts. It would act as our cover and we get to travel outside of Hogwarts unsupervised because you're of age."
"That does make sense except for one tiny problem. You hate my organisation, Weasley. If you were to join, wouldn't that arouse suspicion?"
"That's true," Ron replied as he stretched his arms. "Which is why there's only one way to do this."
….
October 14th, 1996
"Oh, and Malfoy knows, of course," Harry said as Hermione and Neville exchanged exasperated looks with one another. Maybe I should just ask Ron Hermione thought as Harry launched into a discussion with Neville about Quidditch. A quick glance at the Slytherin table saw Ron laughing about with Draco and Theo while Blaise sat quietly, glaring at the group. Hermione rolled her eyes at Tracey Davis, the Slytherin girl who was trying to get Ron's attention by putting her hand on his shoulder and laughing at every single sentence he spoke.
Is that what flirting looks like?
Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione snuck a glance at Harry who was seated in front of her. Despite being engrossed in conversation with Neville, Hermione could see that Harry's hand was but a mere inch away from hers. All thoughts of Harry clouded her mind again as Hermione squirmed in her seat, trying to block certain wanton images that were flowing through her mind.
Maybe I could like lean in? It would be an accident, nothing more.
"Oww!" Harry cried as he turned to Hermione. "You kicked me!"
"Sorry, it was an accident!" Hermione blurted out while mentally cursing herself. So focused on her hand, she had completely forgotten about her feet and that Harry was a foot taller than he once was.
Okay, Hermione, get a grip. Get a grip!
"Headmaster!" Harry called out as Hermione gave a start. Behind her stood Albus Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall who gave Hermione a smile.
"No need to get up," Dumbledore said as the trio sat back down. "I'm only here to deliver some messages. The first is about our lesson, Harry. Eight o'clock sharp."
"Yessir!" Harry replied as Dumbledore beamed at him before turning to Hermione.
"The second concerns you, Miss Granger. Professor McGonagall here has spoken to me about your unofficial club concerning the elves."
"Oh, it's nothing special," Hermione replied as her cheeks started to burn.
"So modest. Well, as it just happens, I believe in your cause. And that is why I want this organisation to be officially recognised as a Hogwarts club."
"Thank you, Headmaster!" Hermione cried as Dumbledore gave a laugh.
"Don't thank me just yet…Ahhh, Professor Snape." Dumbledore said as Hermione turned to see Snape walking in front of Ron, Draco, and Tracey Davis.
"What's this about Weasley?" Snape spoke as he glared at Ron who averted his gaze.
"It seems, Severus, that your student Ronald was involved in an incident with Miss Granger," McGonagall spoke in a stern voice. "He apparently tricked a first-year Ravenclaw student to lure Miss Granger into a classroom where he hit her with a jinx."
"What?!" Harry and Neville cried in anger.
"Why in Salazar's name would you do something like that?!" Snape growled at Ron who gave a shrug.
"She threatened to spread an incriminating photo about me!" Ron said as he glared at Hermione. "I tried to ask her nicely but she refused and we had a disagreement, that's all."
"You threw a sack over her head!" McGonagall exclaimed as Draco and Tracey sniggered at her remark.
"It's easier to jinx someone if they can't see you," Ron replied as Draco laughed even harder. Unfortunately for Ron, his attempt at humour wasn't fully appreciated.
"Think it's funny, Malfoy?!" Harry exclaimed, glaring at the Slytherin who sneered at him.
"Yeah, it is. It's not like Granger's much of a looker anyways. If you're asking me, Ron did all of us a favour."
"Enough!" McGonagall barked as all the students fell silent. "For your crass and completely inappropriate behaviour, Mr Weasley, I should think a detention and a hundred and fifty points deduction will teach you a lesson."
"A hundred and fifty!" Ron protested as Snape snarled at him.
"Quiet, boy!"
"However, Mr Weasley, I have an alternative solution," Dumbledore spoke at last as everyone turned to him. "I think given the history between the two of you, another punishment would be redundant. Mr Weasley here needs to learn to respect others and I can think of nothing better than to put you and Miss Granger in charge of S.P.E.W. You two will have the year to work on it whereas you may choose to bring in new members next year. Otherwise, I want the pair of you, and only the pair of you, to run this organisation together."
"WHAT?!" Ron and Hermione cried in unison as Harry, Neville, Draco, and Tracey gaped in shock. Even Snape and McGonagall exchanged a confused look with each other.
"Yes, that is my decision. Unless you rather do the punishment." Dumbledore said as Ron stared long and hard at his Headmaster.
"Okay, give me the punishment."
"Quiet, you imbecile!" Snape barked as Ron grumbled quietly. "I will not let our House suffer for your incompetence. Tell the Headmaster you accept this job and you will do it responsibly! I will not tolerate any further loss of house points so needlessly, Weasley!"
"Fine," Ron said as he crossed his arms.
" Very well. You have my permission to work on your objectives tonight. I would like to see a draft by Wednesday, is that clear?"
"Yes, Headmaster."
"Wonderful," Dumbledore said as he clapped his hands. "Minerva, Severus, let us feast."
Hermione watched as the trio of professors departed from the table before extending her hand out to Ron with a smirk on her face.
"I'm sure we can work together, can we, Ronald?"
Ron stared at Hermione's hand before scowling and walking away. Draco shot a glare at Harry while Tracey stood close to Hermione.
"Better watch yourself, Mudblood," Tracey whispered in her ear before taking off.
"Why didn't you tell us, Hermione?" Harry demanded as soon as the trio sat down.
"What? I can handle Weasley." Hermione said as Neville cracked his knuckles.
"He's dead. He's so dead. The next time he tries something like that, he's going to regret it!" Neville cried. "I can't believe you have to work with him."
"Please. I bet he's just going to blow it off." Harry said as Neville nodded. "Whatever it is, you can always come to us, eh Hermione. Don't keep it to yourself."
Hermione felt Harry's hand on hers as butterflies started to explode in her stomach.
"Don't worry, Harry. I'll be fine" Hermione said with a smile.
…..
"Tracey, I got to go," Ron said as he pulled himself away from the witch. He could feel his lips chaffing slightly as Tracey held a bemused look on her face.
"Go? Go where?"
"Meeting with Granger, remember. I can't be late." Ron said as Tracey gave a laugh.
"Ron, you're not being serious, are you?"
"Of course, I am. Come on!" Ron said as he gently pushed the door slightly open. Peeking to see no one in the corridor, Ron blew a sigh of relief before he and Tracey exited the broom storage closet. Ron proceeded to button up his shirt before adjusting his tie. Turning around, he could see Tracey staring at him as she tied her hair up in a ponytail.
"What?" Ron asked, unnerved by Tracey's stare.
"Are you into Granger?" Tracey said as Ron gave a start.
"Granger?! What?! Are you insane?"
"It's just you kept insisting on meeting Granger during our snogging session, Ronald! A girl can't help but think that!"
"Tracey, I would rather die a thousand times over before I would even go out with a Mudblood, let alone Granger," Ron said as Tracey gave a giggle. "It's just that if I don't go, Dumbledore will certainly deduct house points and you'll have a dead boyfriend because Snape will definitely kill me!"
"Still my boyfriend, though," Tracey whispered as she leaned in to give Ron a peck on the cheek. Ron returned a quick peck before letting out an awkward laugh.
Not for long, though. In his head, Ron could hear a voice screaming at him.
Break up with her now! Save yourself the trouble!
I should, shouldn't I?
Do it!
Ron opened his mouth to speak, only for Tracey to cut him off.
"Hey, Pansy wants to know if you're up for a double date at Hogsmeade next weekend. We're celebrating Draco finally being done with detention." Tracey said as Ron stared at her blankly.
"Yeah, sure. Anything." Ron replied as Tracey threw her arms around him. Ron returned the gesture half-heartedly before saying his goodbye. Walking up towards the seventh floor, as he focused on thoughts about his relationship, Ron recalled a past conversation he had with Aunt Narcissa.
New Year's Eve 1994
"Ron, come with me!" Draco called out as Ron felt himself being pulled away from his Slytherin classmates. If there was one thing the Malfoys knew how to do, it was to throw extravagant parties. The atmosphere was festive and boisterous as the entire manor was filled with guests, from members of prominent Pureblood families to relatives and friends. Ron even spotted a few Ministry officials conversing with his mother.
"But Theo's about to take his seventh shot of Firewhiskey." Ron moaned as their group of classmates surrounded a purple-faced Theo, being urged on by Blaise and Goyle. Behind Goyle, stood the pair of Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis, the latter blowing a kiss his way.
"Come on." Draco laughed. "Mother and Father want to speak to you for a bit."
"Fine," Ron said as they made their way to the study. "Wish we didn't have to go back to Hogwarts," Ron grumbled as Draco patted his cousin on his back.
"But then, you and I will miss Potter failing his second task," Draco said. "I heard that he hasn't even figured out the clue yet."
"Okay, fine, that's some good news," Ron said as they rounded down a corridor. The noise from the party was starting to ebb away as Ron turned to Draco.
"Hey, I think I'm going to do it. I'm going to ask Tracey officially tonight."
"Really?" Draco said nervously as Ron nodded his head. "Why tonight?"
"Because it's the new year, you git! I want us to be special! Really special!"
"I still can't believe the two of you are together," Draco said with a laugh. "I mean, no offense, but Tracey's always struck me as a bimbo."
"A really hot bimbo." Ron sniggered as Draco rolled his eyes. Reaching the study, the pair entered the room. Aunt Narcissa was standing in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine in her hand. She wore a black gown with glittering diamonds and a silver tiara on her head.
"Mother."
"Aunt Narcissa."
"Where's Father?" Draco asked as he looked around the room. Uncle Lucius was nowhere to be seen.
"Your Father had to attend to some very important guests, Draco, so it will just be me talking to Ronald here. Why don't you go and re-join your friends? Ronald and I will only take a moment."
"Okay," Draco said before patting Ron on the back. "See you later, mate. I'll take pictures in case Theo throws up."
"Thanks!" Ron said as he watched his cousin leave before turning his attention to his aunt.
"Ron, sit with me," Narcissa said as she took a seat on the couch. Joining her, Ron could see a bittersweet smile on her face.
"You wanted to talk to me?" Ron said as he joined her on the couch.
"Yes, yes I do. Tell me, Ron, how are you doing back at Hogwarts? Is everything okay?"
"Yes, Aunt Narcissa."
"And is Draco doing okay? Have you been looking out for him?"
"Yes, I have."
"And your sister?"
"Yes, she's fine as well."
"Good." Narcissa sighed. "That's good, Ronald." The look on Aunt Narcissa's face told Ron that there was something else she wanted to talk to him about.
"Aunt Narcissa, what's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing. Just…some silly things about your uncle. He's a traditionalist, Ronald, you see. He really loves the old ways."
"Okay…" Ron replied nervously, unsure of what to say. Clapping her hands, Narcissa composed herself before flashing Ron a smile.
"Tell me, Ronald, is it true that you're currently in a relationship with a young Miss Tracey Davis?"
Ron's felt his cheeks burning as the tips of his ears turned pink. "Err…we're not in a relationship! We're just…dating."
"I see." Aunt Narcissa whispered. "Tell me something, what do you like about this girl?"
"Well, Tracey's the best…she's nice, she always wants to spend time with me and she's beautiful."
"I see. So can I say, this is more like a crush?"
"Something like that," Ron said as he fiddled with his fingers. "Aunt Narcissa, can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"What's it like to fall in love?"
"Oh, Ronald," Narcissa said with a giggle. "You're only fourteen and you're asking me about love?"
"It's just…" Ron said before shaking his head. "Never mind."
"Go on," Narcissa replied in a serious tone as Ron let out a long breath.
"See, the reason I like Tracey is because of how she makes me feel. It's like…whenever I see a couple at Hogwarts snogging in some corner, I always think to myself, will anyone ever feel that way about me? I mean, I'm just me. I'm not special or handsome or a Quidditch star like Draco. I don't even have a proper family. So I just thought, you know, it will never happen. And then Tracey comes along and to have someone actually think you're good looking and you're special. She even gets jealous of other girls coming to talk to me. It's nice, you know, having that feeling."
"Oh, Ron," Narcissa said as she brushed her fingers across his forehead. "I know that feeling. The feeling that someone actually cares about you, admires you, gets possessive of you. But I just don't know if you can call it love. I mean, I won't deny that there has to be attraction between the pair of you but I think you're too young to call it love."
"Oh," Ron said as Narcissa shook her head.
"Now, don't you worry about love. Your Uncle Lucius was actually concerned about this."
"He was?" Ron interjected.
"Yes," Narcissa said as she frowned at the thought. "Your Uncle was concerned that with your current relationship with Miss Davis, you would want to marry her one day and seeing that you're Pureblood while she isn't… well, he was slightly troubled -"
"I see."
"- But I told him it was completely bollocks," Narcissa said as Ron looked up at her.
"What?"
"So what if the girl's a half-blood? So long as she isn't Muggle or Muggleborn, I would be fine by it, I told him." Narcissa said as Ron stared at her in awe. "Honestly, the mere thought of that man telling me that we should try to edge you away. He thinks you should be paired up with the Greengrass daughter or that young miss Bulstrode."
"Millicent?!" Ron exclaimed as he made a face. "No thanks!"
Narcissa giggled at Ron's expression before smiling at him. "Listen to me, Ron, you're young. Go and live a life. Make mistakes, have fun. And if Tracey makes you feel good, then continue to date her."
"But what about my…obligations as a Pureblood?" Ron said as Narcissa scoffed at his words.
"You'll have time for that once you fall in love. If you do fall in love, Ron, and she's not a Pureblood, just come talk to me. Deal?"
"Deal. Thanks, Aunt Narcissa." Ron said before hesitating. "But how will I know?"
"Know?"
"When I fall in love. You say that Tracey's just a crush? How will I know when I fall in love?"
"Well…" Narcissa said before pausing. "You'll know it because you'll feel it in your heart. It's different from a crush. When it's a crush, everything's just physical. You'll try to convince yourself that it's real but deep down, you'll know it's not. When you're in love, all you see is that person despite how ordinary or strange they may seem. You'll feel your heart racing, your emotions flooding throughout your body and try as hard as you can to deny it, you can't. When I first met Uncle Lucius, I wasn't that impressed with him. Sure, he was a Malfoy but I was a Black. Lucius kept rambling on and on about Slytherin values and his beliefs, spreading his influence to as many people as he could but I, all I could think about was being the best witch I could be. I was a bookworm, believe it or not, Ron and I can remember the first few years, I would always work hard at my subjects but Lucius, he would take shortcuts and he was such a lazy prat."
Ron bit his lip to stifle his laughter as Narcissa continued to speak.
"One day, during our fourth year, he and I got into this huge argument. I can't remember what it was about, but we were sent to detention where we had to clean out this large storage room. I remember us exchanging jibes and insults until all of a sudden, your Uncle Lucius broke down. You see, Ron, in the previous year, Uncle Lucius's father was suspected of some unsavoury activity concerning the then Minister for Magic, Nobby Leach. This makes things hard at home for your Uncle Lucius and so he tried to put on a façade for us in school. I was the first person to ever see through that."
"I see. And then what happened?"
"We got to talking and soon enough, your Uncle Lucius started to show me a side of himself that he never showed anyone. He talked about how hard it was maintaining his image and I confided in him, my secrets. We were both from conservative families, Ron. Malfoys and Blacks but that didn't mean we didn't have other goals, other dreams. Did you know what your Uncle Lucius wanted to be at fourteen?"
"What?"
"A Quidditch player. Or more specifically, a Chaser."
"No?!" Ron cried. "Really?!"
"Yeah," Narcissa said with a smirk. "But he was so nervous to go to tryouts each time. So during the holidays, he and I took a trip down to join a youth team from the Quidditch League. Now, since your uncle was a novice, he chose the worst team he could think of. The Chudley Cannons."
Ron couldn't believe his ears. "No way! Uncle Lucius played for the Cannons?!"
Narcissa burst into laughter. "Played? Your uncle sucked, Ronald! He couldn't even score a goal and when he finally did, it was after the Seeker had caught the snitch. Needless to say, your uncle was so embarrassed that he swore off Quidditch. But we had a laugh about it and it only brought us closer."
"I see." Ron laughed as he tried to picture Lucius Malfoy in a Cannons uniform. "Ha-ha, poor Uncle Lucius."
"Now, don't tell this story to anyone, not even Draco. But that's what love is about. When you trust another person enough to show a part of yourself that even you're embarrassed about, when you're not afraid to show the other person who you really are, then that's love. There's so much more to love, of course, but that's just a glimpse of it. You're in love when you fall for the person and not the image of who they think or you think they are."
"I get it," Ron said as Narcissa beamed at him. "Thanks, Aunt Narcissa."
"Now I'm going to tell Uncle Lucius that I've spoken to you," Narcissa said as she patted his shoulder. "You know your uncle and how persistent he can be. But don't you worry. You just go out there and enjoy yourself, okay? I think we're almost nearing midnight."
"Okay," Ron said as he wrapped his arms around his aunt before heading for the door. Turning back, Ron beamed at his aunt.
"Thank you, Aunt Narcissa."
"Anytime, Ronald. Anytime."
…..
"So Tom came back to ask for a job," Hermione said as she paced about the room. Having viewed the last two memories, Ron watched as the witch walked back and forth in front of the couch, her expression deep in thought.
"Yeah, but as Dumbledore said in the memory, he thinks Tom is lying. Tom never wanted a job to teach." Ron exclaimed.
"No, he didn't," Hermione replied as she stopped pacing to look at Ron.
"So why come back?" Ron said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Why come ask Dumbledore for a job he knows that he won't get?"
"Maybe there's something in the castle that he wanted to get?"
"You mean, like an object he can use for a Horcrux?" Ron said as Hermione sat in front of him.
"Yes, but it can't be Gryffindor's, can it?" Hermione said excitedly. "Dumbledore would have the sword with him and Tom would know better than to try to steal in from his office."
"So it has to be Ravenclaw. An object of Ravenclaw's!" Ron cried. "So what do we do now?"
"We start reading," Hermione said as she removed several books from her bag. "I took these books from the library. There's information in them about the four founders. Maybe we can find something about Ravenclaw?"
"What about looking into Dumbledore's folders?" Ron said as he eyed the large stack of folders on the table. "Shouldn't we start looking for where he might have hidden these Horcruxes?"
"Let's just focus on this unknown Horcrux first. That can wait." Hermione replied as Ron gave a shrug. "Here, I need you to sign this," Hermione said as she handed Ron a parchment.
"What's this?"
"A document with regards to the mission, vision, objectives, and values of S.P.E.W"
"Granger," Ron groaned. "You do realise that this entire elf organisation of yours is only our cover, right? Like we don't actually have to do this."
"This will help us with our cover, Weasley," Hermione replied as Ron rolled his eyes. "At least, if anyone asks or questions our club, we can just show them this."
"What does S.P.E.W mean anyways?" Ron asked as he signed the document.
"Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare," Hermione replied proudly as Ron snorted.
"Elfish Welfare…seriously…the ideas you Gryffindors come up with."
"You don't have to pretend to like it!" Hermione snapped. "Just sign it, please."
"Fine!" Ron cried. "I'll sign your bloody document. If you ask me, S.P.E.W can stand for other things as well."
"Oh really? Like what?"
"I don't know," Ron said before smirking. "How about Seeking to Prevent the Extinction of the World?"
"Clever, Weasley, clever," Hermione said as she rolled her eyes. "Now, focus. We got work to do!"
"Fine!" Ron said as he signed the parchment before handing it over to Hermione. "Here you go."
"Thanks," Hermione said as she smirked at his signature. "Welcome to SPEW, Ronald Weasley."
Ron rolled his eyes before picking up a folder and flipping it open.
"Alright, let's get started."
….
And that's it for now. Next chapter will consist of Ron's time loops and their adventures into destroying the Horcruxes.
I know the first half may seem to be focused on Harry/Hermione but this story isn't going to go into that too much. It's just, without Ron, I feel Hermione would get closer to Harry rather than Neville. And of course, Ron would have his love issues as well. Anyways, lots more to look forward to.
Thanks for reading and please review if you can. Love you all!