Author's Note: Here's a second chapter with this update because the previous is so short. Hope you like it!
Chapter Seven
Today's the day. The day when Hermione will finally be returned to me. But although her safe and mishap-free return should be my only focus, I cannot help but think of what may happen in its aftermath. Will she jump into Ron's waiting arms, overjoyed to be with him again? Will I have to face the truth; that she loves him, and not me? My heart aches as I stare out the window of Dumbledore's office. Upon our return to Hogwarts, he told us that we would be staying in the upper chambers of his office, and were not to leave. We've been here for 4 days, and we were both becoming restless when he appeared silently at our doorway to announce that the ritual would be performed later today.
I turn away from the window to see that Hermione is gone, probably to the lavatory. Surprisingly enough, Dumbledore's office did not hold private toilets, so we have been using an invisibility cloak that Dumbledore had in his office to sneak out a backdoor to the nearest ones, which he had charmed much like the field of the World Quidditch Cup 2 years ago. Students were magically warded off as soon as they approached it, in order to help us smoothly through the previous 4 days. I moved to the door to the hall and cracked it open a bit, wanting to watch for her return. What I saw before me was the last thing I had expected.
"Hello Hermione."
Ron…
In the middle of the hallway, not 5 feet from where I was standing stood Ron, invisibility cloak in hand, staring at Hermione who looked as though she was a dear caught in the headlights of a car. My jaw clenched as I gripped the door to open it, but a voice flew into my head.
"Do not attempt to refresh her memory."
My eyes narrowed as I held myself back from bursting out the door, and pressed my eye against the crack in the door to watch what was happening.
"Do I um…know you?" she asked timidly, looking slightly panicked.
"Don't be scared…its okay," Ron said, in a tone that was deceptively calming. "Its Ron, Hermione..."
"I don't know…I should be getting back…" she muttered, clearly beginning to panic, although she did not understand why.
"Back where?" he asked, taking a step toward her.
"To Harry," she blurted out.
"Oh no," I mouthed as my breath locked in my throat in horror as I watched the look of mingled shock and disgust on Ron's face.
"Harry's here, is he?" Ron asked her harshly. "You've been with him the past few days?" he asked, taking another step towards her. My hands clenched into fists as she backed up against a wall and he stepped into her personal space.
"Did Harry tell you about me?" he asked quietly, looking into her eyes. She shook her head only slightly, physically trying to push herself against the wall more than she already was.
"Then he didn't tell you about us," he said quietly, almost thoughtfully. My eyes widened, and although I didn't want to hear another word, I couldn't tear my eyes away from them.
"We're together, Herm. We've been together since the fall. And we were happy, until that horrible accident," he said, reaching up a finger to lightly trace over the gash on her chin. She flinched at his touch, and less than a second later she had snatched the cloak from his grasp and began running down the hall.
"Hermione!" he called after her, and began to run after her. I ripped the door open and peered around the corner after them. Hermione was lifting the cloak up and over herself while running, and as it fell over her she disappeared around a corner, Ron at her heels. I ran out into the hallway, and was about to run after them when I heard footsteps coming back towards me. Instinctively I ran back in the door and cracked it again, watching to see who it was. As the footsteps gradually grew later and no one appeared around the corner, I quickly realized it was her.
I flung the door open and the hallway was silent for a second before I felt a rush of wind go past me, and I closed the door quickly and locked it. When I turned around from the door, I looked around the room, which still appeared empty.
"Hermione?" I called out quietly. I heard a quiet sniffle from one of the corners, and slowly walked toward it, reaching out my hand. I blindly felt my way forward until I lightly brushed against something that wasn't there, and felt it flinch beneath my fingertips. I retracted my hand a moment before slowly reaching out and pulling the cloak away from her. Her face was covered in tears, and her shoulders were shaking with heavy sobs.
"Hermione," I said quietly, dropping the cloak and reaching out to her, but she tore herself away from me and shook her head. I watched as she hurried away from me to the other side of the room, and crawled silently into an armchair and pulled a blanket around her. I could only sit and watch, my heart aching with every passing second.
I stood there a long time before deciding the best thing I could do was leave. I picked up the cloak from the floor and threw it over myself as I exited the room. There was one more thing I had to do before this ritual.
I arrived at Snape's office a few moments later and found the door open, with Snape sitting as his desk, pouring over many papers that were strewn across his desk. I quickly removed the cloak and knocked quietly on the door frame. His head snapped up and his face twisted into a smirk before looking back down at his papers.
"Don't worry about it Potter, Weasley's already been here. The potion turned out perfectly…as if it would be any other way. Now if you don't mind, I have to finish grading these," he drawled out.
"Actually, sir, I came for a different reason," I said, slowly approaching his desk. He raised his head up to look at me, one of his eyebrows raised.
"And that is?" he asked, annoyed.
"I just wanted to say, well…thanks. Even if it didn't come out properly. Thank you for everything," I said quietly. He continued to stare at me with a look of annoyance, but underneath that, I felt a quiet feeling of understanding pass between us. I nodded slightly and turned around, leaving before he could say anything.