Dangerous Game
A/N: Ahhh!! Thank you guys sooooo much!! I was thrilled with all of the reviews I received!! Believe me, I've been trying to get you this chapter for the past week, but it's been…difficult. Writer's block is a terrible thing, to say the least. PLUS even after inspiration smacked me upside the head, curing my writer's block, I've been writing and rewriting this chapter in order to keep up with the first chapter, which practically everyone loved. Now, I believe it's up to my standards, as well as yours, hehe. Sooo, here it is!! (Just an FYI: Yes, this chapter is pretty short, but the end sets up what I need in the next chapter. I am hoping that I'll be able to get you the next chapter quicker to make up for the length. ENJOY! ANNNDDD PLEASE Review! You did a wonderful job last time, keep it up!! Hehe)
Chapter Two
RECAP:
You reach for your metal
As I reach for mine
The sound of bullets flying through the air
Is followed by a cry
Harry closed his eyes, waiting to be taken to his parents. He could see the green light building behind his closed eyelids and he could hear Voldemort begin to shriek the incantation. He could hear pounding footsteps and a cry. He could hear a loud thud in front of him and when he eyes shot open, he could see the now lifeless body of his best friend sprawled before him. Ron…
***
And they're crying
What will we do?
What will we say
When it's the end of this game that we play?
Will we crumble into the dust my friend
Or will we start this game over again?
Harry felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. Images suddenly raced through his mind and thoughts echoed throughout his body, but all he could do was stare at his best friend. He had lost him. Harry's best friend, his brother, Ronald Weasley was gone.
"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.
"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."
She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.
***
The car gave a nasty wobble. Glancing out of his window, Harry saw the smooth, black, glassy surface of the water, a mile below. Ron's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. The car wobbled again.
"Come on," Ron muttered.
They were over the lake - the castle was right ahead - Ron put his foot down.
There was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine died completely.
"Uh-oh," said Ron, into the silence.
The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle wall.
***
Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunched forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll ---
***
Ron pulled out his Omnioculars and started testing them, staring down into the crowd on the other side of the stadium.
"Wild!" he said, twiddling the replay knob on the side. "I can make that old bloke down there pick his nose again…and again…and again…"
***
"Ron, get out of the way, get down-"
But Ron had already pointed his wand at the tank.
"Honest, Harry, they're brains-look-Accio Brain!"
The scene seemed momentarily frozen. Harry, Ginny, and Neville and each of the Death Eaters turned in spite of themselves to watch the top of the tank as a brain burst from the green liquid like a leaping fish. For a moment it seemed suspended in midair, then it soared toward Ron, spinning as it came, and what looked like ribbons of moving images flew from it, unraveling like rolls of film-
"Ha ha ha, Harry, look at it-" said Ron, watching it disgorge its gaudy inards. "Harry, come and touch it, bet it's weird-"
"RON, NO!"
***
"Alright, mate?" Ron asked, still smiling.
"Can't complain. Well, no, I guess it could be better if someone wasn't sitting on my stomach," Harry snickered, before being awarded quite a nasty glare from Hermione.
Once Hermione had moved over next to Harry, Ron somehow grinned even wider and began, "Well, I think I can help make your day even better." With that, he pulled something small out of his pocket. He tossed the golden snitch over to Harry, who caught it, smiling back at his friend.
As Harry came back to reality, his loss quickly sank in. A tear escaped his emerald eyes as he choked back a sob.
Harry wasn't the only person in the room who was stunned. Voldemort seemed unable to tear his eyes from that boy, foolish enough to sacrifice himself in his friend's place. Voldemort, however, was not stunned due to shock, but stunned due to pure delight. The-Boy-Who-Lived, the one person who would be able to defeat him, was now crumbling before his eyes. The Dark Lord let out a wave of wicked laughter.
The boy before him, however, never heard it. His body seemed to have completely shut down. I've lost Ron. I'm so sorry. Why? Why did this have to happen? He should have just let me die. I'm going to die anyway. He should have saved himself. He should have saved Hermione. No, but even if he saved himself, I would have died knowing they would never be safe. Voldemort would live on. Voldemort will live on…Voldemort…
It's coming back to me
A powerful surge of anger shot through Harry, awakening him. Voldemort will not live on. I can't let him destroy everyone I've ever loved. Don't worry, Ron. Voldemort is as good as gone.
Voldemort hadn't seen the sudden change in the boy before him. He continued laughing, knowing that the time had come to end this battle. He never saw Harry shift his weight to clutch his wand tighter in his hand. He never saw the look of pure hatred and fury in those pools of emerald. He never heard Harry Potter choke out, "Avada Kedavra!"
All he ever saw was the blinding flash of green light as it raced toward him. His eyes widened in terror before the jet of light seemed to pass right through his chest. The look of shock remained on his face as he gasped and fell to the floor in a lifeless heap.
The-Boy-Who-Lived fought to hold onto consciousness, but it was a losing battle. After using the curse, he collapsed fully to the cold, stone floor, his eyes fluttering. He could have sworn he had heard someone calling for him from a distant. It was coming closer, closer. A sense of warmth spread throughout his body at someone's touch before darkness claimed him.
***
Harry gasped before having the sudden urge to sit up, however his body wouldn't allow him. His eyes shot open to find that he wasn't wearing his glasses. Instead of lying on the cold, stone floor of the chamber, he found himself in the comfort of one of the sterile white beds of the Hospital Wing in Hogwarts. He tried to think back to what had happened, but a sharp pain shot through his head, like a migraine. It was difficult to see everything around him because he could only move his head from side to side. The room was extremely dark, which didn't help matters. The only brightness in the room came from the beam of moonlight that shone through the window on the far side of the room. As he looked to his left, he saw the blurred figure of an enormous man, slumped in a chair next to the main door to the wing. Hagrid…Harry thought.
He then looked to his left and finally realized what was causing the sense of warmth throughout his body. Harry smiled broadly at the sleeping form of what had to be Hermione. Her arm was slung over his stomach and her hair was practically as unruly as his own. Not wanting to wake her, he closed his eyes and slowly fell back to sleep, knowing that everything was right in the world.
***
As Harry awoke the next morning, he found that Hermione was still sound asleep, but Hagrid was nowhere to be found. He tried to shift slightly and realized that his body was fully cooperating now, apart from the sharp surges of pain that shot through his legs and arms as he moved. He carefully turned to his side, to face Hermione. Harry found himself raising a hand to touch her cheek before running his fingers through her bushy hair.
"I love you, Hermione," Harry whispered.
"Mmm, love you too, Harry," Hermione answered in her sleep. Harry smiled and rested his head on the pillow. It seemed to take Hermione several seconds to register what had happened. Her eyes shot open, wide as saucers.
"Morning," Harry whispered.
Hermione gasped before an enormous smile spread across her face. She shifted her weight slightly before enveloping him in a tight hug.
"Harry! I can't believe it! I thought I'd lost you! Please tell me I'm not dreaming!" Hermione practically squealed due to her excitement.
Harry smiled broadly once again before pressing his lips to hers. This is where I belong, Harry thought to himself. They broke apart before kissing a second time, however this time the kiss deepened. Harry wished they could simply stay like that forever.
Hermione eventually broke the kiss and looked straight into Harry's vibrant eyes. He smiled before reaching for his glasses. After he put them on and turned back to Hermione, he watched as tears poured down her cheeks. His smiled faded as he reached out to wipe her tears away.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked in a voice no louder than a whisper.
Hermione let out a sob before choking out, "R-Ron…Harry…he's gone…"
Harry's stomach seemed to freeze as he remembered the events before he had fallen into unconsciousness. He closed his eyes, but to no avail. A tear escaped his eyes before running down his cheek. His entire body seemed to shut down as he collapsed back onto the bed, allowing the darkness to surround him, once again.
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