DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, J.K. does, and she has every right to do whatever she thinks is best for Harry Potter. I just love writing. So sue me. Wait, seriously… don't.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N:
As promised, here is another chapter…
Thanks to all those who gave reviews for Chapter 3!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hermione kept her eyes glued on the open pages of the book she was holding even as they made their way around the castle grounds. Too intent on her goal, her mind never wandered away from the instructions and details of the potion she would make. But Ron, who was completely oblivious to her concentration, was kind enough to ask.
"Well…" Ron asked stealing a quick glance on her after a while. "Where can we find the ingredients?"
"Around Hogwarts, probably." Hermione said absentmindedly, not looking at him in distraction.
Ron's eyes widened. "You're joking, right?"
"Why would I be?"
"But Hogwarts is---"
"Big. Yes, Ron, I know." She finished for him, brushing his complaint aside. She, then, she tugged on his hands. "Why don't we sit to save your energy and run over things while we're at it?" she closed the book and immediately walked to the side of the path and took refuge under the shade of a tree.
"The first on the list is -" she looked up, hearing something nearby.
She turned her head with a vague feeling of someone looking. Yet even as she checked the area, those who were walking around weren't close enough to be heard.
Noticing her sudden alertness, Ron asked. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing." She shook her head, "I thought I heard something."
Hearing this, Ron looked around himself and immediately knew something was not right. But he decided to say nothing about it as he couldn't grasp what it was.
"Cadmium core wait… I already have that." Hermione heaved a sight.
Gazing over her shoulder, Ron frowned in disbelief. "You keep that stuff with you?" Then he gave her an accusing look. "Have you been planning this for a long time?"
"No." Hermione scoffed, "Cadmium core is a very common ingredient used in most legal potions. I keep some with me in case I need it for Potions."
She looked at Ron with incredulity on her face.
"Honestly, Ron. It's as if you haven't brewed a potion in your life." She lectured him, "You should know; Snape mentioned it more than once. You and --- well --- um --- you should've tried listening to him. It wouldn't have hurt much."
He made a face and said, "Listening to him rattle snide remarks on the Gryffindors is just like listening to a broken record. I'd have waxed my leg first before listening to him."
Not bothering to comment on the other things he said, Hermione laughed at his comment. "Wax your leg?"
"Didn't say I did," he reminded. "I'd have is what I said."
She shook her head at Ron with an amused look but that was before she realized the deeper intent of his comic. And not long after, without preamble, she lightly touched his shoulders and whispered. "Thanks."
"Don't worry about it," Ron shrugged, not surprised by the sudden gesture. If she had done that a couple of years ago, he would have jumped easily and looked at her with annoyance. But now, it was different. It seemed as if Hermione couldn't find just anyone to lean on lately. "But you owe me dinner in Hogsmeade," he kidded again.
Hermione sniffed then laughed. "Honestly."
"Nah --- just trying to cheer you up."
"I know," she said truthfully, and then looked at him with questioning eyes. "And I appreciate it. But sometimes, I find it difficult to know if you're being serious or just trying to cheer me up. That's why I couldn't bring myself to talk to you before. Didn't it ever cross your mind why I used to behave like that?"
"Yes, it did. But I didn't want to ask," he looked thoughtful. "I knew you weren't keen on talking about personal stuffs with me. You were always talking to Ha --- him. You and I seldom exchange words that didn't come out as arguments. I couldn't ask you why because I knew you were going to tell me to figure out myself. When I finally realized it, though, I understood and tried to be matured. And as you can see, I have changed," he then nudged her. "Suits me better, don't you think?"
Hermione said grinned and sighed. "You were too childish for me then, Ron, you know that. I couldn't bring myself to talk to you with personal things knowing how you would make fun of them or brush them aside like a child would his own problems. But I'm glad you've grown up over the years. If it weren't for you, I don't know how I would have held myself together."
"Hey, it doesn't mean that if I played around then, I'd be as laid back now. I can be serious if needed," he said as he casually gave her a brotherly hug. "You're my best friend, and just like any other friend who cares; I want to be there when you need me."
"A fat lot that signifies Harry," she mumbled.
"Well, Harry…" he paused weighing his next words. "He's just being a jerk. Don't worry about it."
"I guess..." she muttered before looking for the descriptions of the ingredients in the manuscript, which was indicated for the readers so they won't have trouble identifying them. "Shall we get started?"
"Go ahead."
"Then next one on this list is Chlorobrail…" Hermione said. "It's a green squashy sphere-shaped seed that can be located in a Sequined Flower."
"Sequined flower? Isn't that the one we used in Herbology the other week?" Ron asked, his voice with familiarity mixed with doubt. "The one used to make some crystal shine."
"Lozenge crystals," Hermione supplied helpfully, but looked surprised, though she tried to hide it. "Do you have any idea where Prof. Sprout put it?"
"I should know. I placed one under the cupboard behind the door."
Hermione couldn't believe their luck. Standing up, she brushed the soot off her robes. She tugged and pulled at him to get him on his feet. "Come one. We have to get an early start."
-----------------------------------------------------------
At the other end of the lawn, Harry sat with his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. The pressure of it was too much; he couldn't seem to raise his head even a little bit. What he had just witnessed was something he couldn't believe.
A bit of fresh air after the row he had with Hermione was all he wanted.
What he got was not what he had bargained for.
After having the row with Hermione, Harry wanted to go inside, but thought it to be a waste of time since he couldn't just come up to anyone and ask for advice, so he just decided to go out and enjoy the day alone.
He was about halfway across the lawn when he saw Ron and Hermione sitting together under the shade of tree.
He didn't want to pry on what they were doing since he was already in hot water with them, but when he saw Ron and Hermione together, he felt a pang of jealousy hit him so he stopped walking with an instant urge to hear what they were whispering to each other.
He tried to move quietly towards their direction, but his shoes were making a slight noise that had been loud enough for Hermione to hear and cause her to look up.
Harry knew Hermione would sense him, like she always does whenever he was close, some kind of instinct or something, so he immediately dashed towards the nearest bush, which unfortunately was a good distance away from Ron and Hermione. He hadn't heard any part of their discussion since they were far away more than necessary, but he had been close enough to see Ron and Hermione's…cozy spot.
He didn't want to think it was more than a friend's gesture, but when he thought about it, there was no other reason.
It all seemed confusing to him and the distrust that he had recently been feeling became worse when he saw Ron with his arms around her.
He had been contemplating on whether to approach them or not to find out what was really going on but knew better than to add his offense with spying and trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.
He sighed as he remembered what Hermione told him.
Had she really declared the end of their friendship? It came from her, all right. But he refused to believe it. No way can she throw out their friendship because of something he has yet to find out.
But what was really going on?
He looked back and saw they were gone.
Now where were they?
----------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey!" Ron bellowed as he suddenly crashed against Hermione.
"Shh! Hagrid's going to hear us," Hermione whispered to him as she looked at Hagrid who was standing near the Greenhouse Gates.
"He's going to see us," he pointed out, pulling Hermione behind a tree.
"What are we going to do?"
Hermione seemed to be thinking about something and then after that, she moved away from the trunk.
"Follow me."
They walked around the Greenhouse Area, passing through throngs of trees and bushes. They went to the surrounding region and slid deeper into the forest. At long last, they stopped in front of a massive door slightly higher than the first Greenhouse Entrance they went to.
"I didn't know they had another door here," Ron murmured, placing a hand on the entrance.
"No one has used it before," Hermione said examining the tall framework. "I've read about it in some book."
"What about the Marauder's Map? And wouldn't anyone have noticed it when they have classes inside?" Ron asked, looking at her inquisitively.
"Later, Ron," she brandished her wand in a refined way and pointed it towards the security device locking the entrance. "Alohamora…" she said quietly while Ron watched, looking around.
"What the…?" Hermione said.
He looked back at her and found her staring at the lock.
In his amazement, the lock had stayed…locked.
"Alohamora!" Hermione said, putting more emphasis on her tone.
Again nothing happened.
"Alohamora! Alohamora! Alohamora!" Hermione repeated all over again.
Still, the lock didn't open.
She looked up and saw no way in except for the door in front, but Hagrid was there and had seemed to be planning to stay there for quite a while.
They couldn't waste any more time.
She sighed.
`Where else are we going to get chlorobrail?' she asked herself desperately.
She looked around for any other alternatives, but there were only dizzying masses of trees and bushes around. Nothing even came close to being an entrance to where she wanted to go.
"Have you found anything yet?" Ron asked.
Hermione paused to look at him for a second and then started pacing back and fort again. She was biting her lip like she always did whenever she was getting frantic about something.
Ron, in curiosity, shook the knob and when nothing happened, stomped on the ground in agitation. He turned around, and stopped as he felt something sink beneath his foot.
He had stepped on something, but he couldn't see what it was, nothing seemed to have submerged in the ground. And then all of a sudden, the ground unexpectedly held its mouth open causing him to fall in. What could be heard next was the sound of his distant yell, falling deeper into the pit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A/N:
So what do you think? The adventure starts here.
-->