Authors Notes: Ok… Attempt number one to break the damn writers block. If this chapter turns out horrible… I blame the government.
Disclaimer: You know the drill… I own nothing, I get minimal amounts of money, none of said money comes from this, it comes from turning up to college.
They stood beside the large stone gargoyle with ashen looks on their faces, hand in hand. Harry felt as if he was betraying someone, divulging information about Ron which could get him into a lot of trouble. He had to remind himself, however, that Ron was already in big trouble, and they were doing this for his own good.
They had tried several times to guess the password to Professor Dumbledore's office, and after their fruitless efforts, they managed to deduce the right muggle sweet (Toffee Bonbon). Now, here they were, standing weakly aside the long winding staircase that led to Dumbledore's Office, the Gargoyle having jumped aside and now was crouching moodily with it's arms crossed across it's grey chest, waiting for them to move.
Harry glanced across at Hermione weakly, throwing her a searching look. He really didn't want to go through with this, she knew, he had confided his fears in her the previous night, but she had convinced him that they were acting for the best. It was with this thought in mind, and the strength that Hermione gave him with every reassuring smile, every calming glance, that drove him to be here.
"Come on, Harry… You can do this. I'm right here with you."
The effect of these simple words upon Harry was ridiculously incredible. Such a wave of relief washed over him at that moment, so much so that he was almost embarrassed of himself. It was this that encouraged him to smile resolutely back at Hermione and take the first step onto the long winding staircase.
As they reached the large oak door of Dumbledore's office, Harry knocked feebly on it, and almost immediately there was a reply from Dumbledore, who, as per usual, knew exactly who it was. With a gulp and a squeeze of Hermione's hand, Harry tentatively entered the office.
"Harry… Miss Granger… please, come in. Sit down."
The calming voice of his Headmaster calmed Harry slightly, despite last year's deliberate rupture of their relationship. He allowed Hermione to lead him over to the two chairs that sat opposite Dumbledore, and quickly sat down. Staring at Harry through his half-moon glasses, with the penetratingly blue eyes that Harry knew so well, Dumbledore raised a questioning eyebrow that almost shocked Harry; he expected Dumbledore to already know that they were there.
"So, to what do I owe this pleasure, Harry? Hermione?"
Harry gulped. Taking a deep breath, he felt Hermione's soft hand grasp his, and smiling reassuredly at her, began to tell Dumbledore everything.
*
Hermione sat resolutely next to Harry as he explained the events of the last couple of months. She felt terrible for Harry, she knew that he hated to drop his best friend in trouble, but there was no other option. They had to do something about Ron. He was dragging himself deeper and deeper into trouble, and if they didn't do something about it, it could prove fatal for not just himself, but for his family, the Order, and for Harry.
Lost in her thoughts, Hermione didn't notice Dumbledore raise a hand to Harry, interrupting his story with a calm sigh. However, she did notice when Harry squeezed her hand, and she looked up at the two, confused.
"I know, Harry. I've already heard the entire story from Mr. Weasley. However, I won't pretend that it wasn't enlightening to hear both sides of the argument…"
Harry shot a look at Hermione that totally mirrored the way she was feeling. Ron went to Dumbledore?
To her surprise, Dumbledore let out a light chuckle and leaned back in his seat, surveying the two of them with a light-heated expression, one that Hermione hardly deemed appropriate for the situation. She cast a confused expression at Dumbledore, but either he didn't notice it, or he decided to ignore it.
"Yes, I have already had Mr. Weasley come to me about this matter, though I must say he was not quite as calm about it as you are. In fact, he was quite worried."
"What do you mean, Professor?" inquired Harry, and Hermione could tell he was just as confused as she was. "What has Ron told you?"
"What he has told me, Harry, he has told me in confidence, and I'm afraid I cannot repeat a lot of the things he said. However, I will tell you exactly what is happening, as I'm sure you will appreciate knowing the truth."
Hermione watched as Dumbledore rose wearily out of his large, squishy armchair and sauntered over to Fawkes' perch, where the magnificent bird was currently in it's 'about-to-burst-into-flames' stage. I|t looked old and decrepit, and when Dumbledore laid a gentle hand upon it's tatty scarlet and gold plumage, it responded with a weak 'tweeet', and closed it's weary looking eyes. Somewhat shocked by this, Hermione looked over to Harry to decipher his reaction, but apparently he had seen this before, as it prompted no reaction from him. He was gazing avidly at the headmaster, and seeing the worry and fear evident in his eyes, Hermione turned to do the same.
Dumbledore continued to stroke the top of the mangy old bird's head, as he sighed and cast his dazzling blue eyes downward.
"I'm afraid, as you may or may not know, that Ronald Weasley, has indeed become a Death Eater."
She felt, rather than heard Harry give out a troubled sigh, and squeezed his hand tighter. He returned the gesture, but not once did he avert his gaze from the headmaster. Seeing Harry's reaction to this, Dumbledore continued.
"Although, you must not blame yourselves for Ron's decision to become a Death Eater, as I know you are more than likely to do," At this statement, he peered over at Harry with a severe look, and Harry finally looked away from him, only to stare at his feet. "Ron's decision to become a Death Eater was not, as you might think, done as an act of contempt against your relationship with each other… which, by the way, I would like to congratulate you both on," He smiled warmly at the two of them, and Hermione looked over at Harry with a blush, who did the same. "As much as Ron was upset about the two of you, he knew, deep down, that there was nothing he could do. However, he did see this as ample opportunity to do something for the two of you that required not only extreme selflessness, but incredible bravery too. He became a Death Eater, to turn Spy for our side."
The bottom felt like it had fallen out of Hermione's stomach, and looking across at Harry, she could tell that he felt at least twice as worse as she did. All this time, they had assumed that Ron had swapped sides, because he was jealous of the two of them, of their relationship. However, he was merely helping them, doing something so brave and selfless that it seemed like they had betrayed him even more.
"Sir… Does he… does he still want to talk to us?"
Hermione looked up as Harry directed the question at his headmaster, a pleading look in his weary green eyes. Dumbledore gave him a look of pity and something Hermione could not quite place. She knew Dumbledore thought of Harry as more than just a pupil, and cared more about his well-being that would normally be permitted between pupil and teacher, and the look that Dumbledore gave Harry now, reminded Hermione of the looks that her family gave her, her father, her mother, her grandparents.
"That, Harry, is something you will have to sort out between the three of you. However, please take note that if he is seen talking to you, by anyone who may be in league with the Death Eaters, the consequences may be lethal."
*
As they entered the Gryffindor common room half an hour later, they immediately headed for the large scarlet couch near the fire, and flopped down unceremoniously upon it, emotionally and physically drained. Feeling like he was the worst person in the world, Harry was relieved and heartened when Hermione wrapped a comforting arm around him, holding him tightly and tangling her fingers in his messy black hair.
"You alright?"
He nodded, feeling a little better now that he was sitting here with Hermione, in front of the fire. It felt as though the flickering flames dancing in the fireplace were washing over him like a bath, rinsing away his worries for a while. Having Hermione hugging him so tightly and contentedly just made him melt.
"Yeah. I am now."
She smiled and pressed her lips delicately to his own. It was only a chaste kiss, a mere touching of lips, but to them, it couldn't have been more meaningful if one of them had proposed. The kiss progressed, and became more pronounced, as Hermione moved slowly over him, cupping his cheek softly as he wrapped his arm around the small of her back. Leaning backwards, he had to remind himself that they were both in the middle of the common room to stop himself from carrying this little embrace on further. However, Hermione had other ideas. Taking his hand, she slowly and sensually broke the kiss, and sat up, pulling him gently upwards with one hand laid flirtingly across his chest, rubbing circles across it. Leading him across the common room, they ignored the stares they were attracting as they gazed dreamily into each other's eyes, heading for the boys dormitory, or to be more exact, Harry's bed.