Originally posted by: MusicalAiswarya
Last chapter? :(
Am waiting for it, it's too good Reva! Thnx
-Aish
Chapter 7 Part 1
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Ron struggled to calm himself as he walked down the corridors, shoving his way around crowds of students unseeingly. He had to get some control over his roiling emotions or he'd be no good in a fight. And he was pretty sure that's what it would come to when he found Malfoy. He could feel it already, the satisfaction he would get when he beat that slimy git into a bloody pulp. No one, absolutely no one was going to stop him now.
Just then, he heard footsteps behind him, moving quickly towards him. Harry. It had to be. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed his suspicions. "Go on back and sit with Hermione, Harry," he called his voice grim. "I'm not stopping. I'm going to rip his bloody hair out and wipe that smirk right off his face! You can't stop me."
"I don't want to stop you," Harry protested. "I'm coming to help you. More than likely Malfoy knows he's going to be in for it, and he's probably got those great oafs of his with him as body guards."
Ron's steps faltered in surprise at Harry's determined tone, and he stopped so that his friend could catch up. "You're really going to help?"
"Of course I am. He hurt Hermione, and he's not going to get away with it." Harry stepped into place beside him and they started walking again. "Now, where do you think he's got to?"
Ron shrugged. "Probably raced back to that Slytherin dungeon of his."
"Well?"
"Well what?" Ron responded absently. Why couldn't Harry just walk and keep his eye on the prize? Why did he have to talk so much? Ron was having enough trouble just thinking as it was, let alone trying to carry on a conversation. His mind was swirling with thoughts, images. Over and over he saw Draco's smug smile as he sent the bludger careening across the field, and again and again he saw the look in Hermione's eye as the ball hit her.
By the time they'd reached the staircase leading down to the Slytherin common room, he was practically shaking with rage. Almost everyone they passed took one look at him and headed in the opposite direction as quickly as possible. A few brave souls hung around and followed him, knowing they were about to see a good fight. Ron and Harry weren't the only ones who'd seen what Draco did to Hermione. There were a lot of other students who had witnessed it too.
They started down the staircase, but a cold, smug voice from behind stopped them. "Heard you two great louts were looking for me."
Ron spun around, his face red with fury. At the top of the staircase, Draco Malfoy stood calmly, arms crossed and a I-dare-you expression on his face. The boy must have been itching for a fight. Crabbe and Goyle flanked him, one on either side, and both looked a bit excited at the prospect of a fight.
As Ron and Harry came slowly back up the stairs, a crowd was gathering all around. This was going to be good.
The two Gryffindors reached the landing, Draco having backed off enough to allow them room.
Ron almost went for him right then, wanting badly to hear Malfoy's jaw crack under his fist. But he controlled himself. He wanted to have a few words with the pointy-faced brat first-
"How's the little Mudblood?" Draco asked with a sneer that was almost a laugh. Several of his housemates, including Crabbe and Goyle, chuckled, but Ron noticed that most of the students seemed to find nothing funny about the situation. In fact, several of them looked ready to jump in on Hermione's behalf should a fight break out. Ron recognized several of those faces as those of his fellow Gryffindors, and even counted Seamus among them, standing towards the front. The boy looked ready to commit murder himself.
Ron clenched his hands. "You really shouldn't have done that, Malfoy."
"Oh really?" Draco replied sarcastically. "Which one? Knocked her off that piece of drift wood she insists on calling a broom, or calling her what she is?"
Ron felt Harry stiffen and tense beside him. Waiting. "Neither!" Ron yelled back, darting forward with surprising swiftness and landing a solid punch in Draco's gut before Crabbe and Goyle joined the fight and started dragging him back. Ron felt a moment's pleasure as Draco crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach. Then it was driven from his mind as Harry sprang up behind him and started pulling Goyle off him.
Ron turned his attention to Crabbe, but couldn't quite manage to get away. The boy had him in an awkward position, and he couldn't land a good punch. A different pair of shoes came into Ron's line of vision then, and someone was dragging the giant idiot off him, allowing him time to get away. As soon as he did, Ron looked up. It was Seamus.
But there was no time to think or say anything, as Draco had risen to his feet and was coming towards him with a furious look on his face. All around them, other students had jumped into the fight, Gryffindors against Slytherins mostly, though there were a few students from other houses throwing their lot in with Harry and Ron. They were making so much noise, Ron knew that a teacher was bound to show up soon. Better get another good hit in while I've got time...
He had almost reached the Slytherin Captain, but a loud voice yelling at him caught his attention and he turned to see who the speaker was, keeping a wary eye on Malfoy in case he decided to try something.
Colin Creevey came running towards them, clutching his side as though he'd come a long way at a fast pace. "Hermione's awake," he got out between breaths. "She keeps calling your name, Ron."
Everything else was shoved to the side as Ron realized what the boy was saying. "She's-she's alright?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly with relief. And she was calling for me? He could hardly believe it was true after the way he'd treated her the past week.
Colin nodded in affirmation.
Ron didn't even think about it. If Hermione was awake and wanted to speak to him, that was his first priority. Malfoy could wait until later. He'd gotten his one good hit in. Ron hurried forward, eyes straight ahead and the scene around him forgotten.
And it was because of that that Draco's sudden punch to his side almost hit it's mark. Almost, but not quite.
Ginny Weasley's hand shot out of nowhere, halting Draco's arm mid-swing. "Don't you dare hit my brother," she ordered tersely, her anger clearly recognizable in the red of her cheeks. "And this is for Hermione!"
Draco broke her hold on his arm, jerking back reflexively, expecting her fist to come at him. But Ginny pulled a different trick, and before anyone realized what she intended to do, she'd pulled her wand from her pocket and muttered a curse. It was the same one Ron had tried to use on Malfoy back in his second year, the first time Malfoy had ever called Hermione a Mudblood. The one that caused the recipient to belch slugs. But Ginny had one distinct advantage that Ron hadn't had then: her wand worked.
A deep silence came over the students who were gathered there, and all movement stopped. Everyone was watching, waiting, to see if the spell would work.
At first, it didn't look like it had, but then an awful expression came over Draco's face, a look that was half terror, half disgust. Then his hands flew to his mouth as the first slug came up. It dropped to the floor in a trail of slime, and there was a collective mutter of disgust from those watching. Draco glanced up at Ginny, his eyes cold with fury, but there was a shade of something else in them to. Something that she was certain she was the only one to see, something that looked a little like respect...
Well. I didn't think you had it in you, Weasle, his eyes seemed to say. Then he was running off down the hall, leaving a trail of slugs and slime behind him. Crabbe and Goyle withdrew after him, and everyone else followed suit, each going there own way until there was no one left standing there but Ron, Harry, and Ginny. Even Colin had left the scene, probably scared he'd get in trouble if a Professor showed up.
Ron gazed at his little sister in awe. He hadn't even saw her in the crowd, and certainly didn't know she was capable of what she'd just done. "Thanks," he said simply, eyes still wide.
"No problem," she replied, grinning. "Now go, I'll clean up this mess," she nodded towards the corridor. "Hermione's waiting for you."
He started slightly, as if he had forgotten where he'd been heading and was just now remembering. "Right. Let's go Harry. Harry?"
But Harry was still staring at Ginny, surprise mixing with laughter on his face. And something else too, something Ron couldn't quite put his finger on. "I think I'll stay and help Ginny clean up," he said suddenly, surprising everyone, including himself. Even Ginny was looking at him suspiciously.
Ron frowned. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, yeah," Harry waved him away. "Go ahead. It was you Hermione called for anyway," he looked up then, meeting Ron's eyes. "Don't keep her waiting any longer."
Ron nodded, his stomach tightening itself into knots at the thought of speaking with her again. This time, he would apologize before anything else could happen and he'd ask her to forgive him. Hell, he'd beg her if he had to. One week without her was enough to convince him that he needed her more than he'd ever needed anything in his entire life. "Right," he said vaguely, his voice sounding a million miles away as he headed towards the Hospital Wing. "I'd better get going now. Can't keep her waiting." Ron broke into a run.
And I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
Throw away the oars forever
Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
And if I have to crawl upon the floor
Come crashing through the door
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore
Hermione raised herself up straighter in the bed as Ron came in, fighting the pain that burned her side as she did so. But something must have shown on her face, because he was immediately at her side, concerned.
"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.
She smiled, the pain subsiding for the moment. "I'm fine. Thanks to you."
Ron colored. "It was noth-"
Madame Pomfrey walked towards them then, looking as if she wanted to run Ron out. "You've got five minutes," she told him sternly. Ron looked like he wanted to protest, but shut his mouth at her look of warning. The nurse walked away.
"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked the first thing that jumped into her mind.
"He's helping Ginny clean up slugs in the corridor." Ron's face gave nothing away.
"Huh?" And then she seemed to notice the rip in his clothes, and the small scratch on his cheek. Nothing, really, compared to what could have happened in that fight if Colin hadn't come with the news that Hermione was awake. But she didn't know that.
"Oh, Ron, you're hurt," she cooed, and reached up and touched the place gently with her fingers without thinking. Then, realizing what she'd done, she jerked her hand away as though it burned. "Sorry," she muttered, suddenly unable to look at him.
But Ron reached out and took her hand in his, placing it back on his cheek and holding it there gently. Then he used his other hand to make her look at him. What she saw made her heart stop, and the small pains from her injury that she still felt faded away into nothingness. "You're not the one who should be sorry, Hermione, I am. I've been a complete jerk this past week- I didn't even give you a chance to explain, and-"
"It's alright, Ron, really," she interrupted, placing a finger over his lips to shush him. "I didn't help matters, letting you think what you wanted to about me and Seamus instead of trying to correct you-"
"You mean..." it was his turn to interrupt her. "You mean there really wasn't anything between you and Seamus?"
Hermoine smiled at him, her eyes full of compassion, and also a little sorrow, for the things she must have put him through. "No, Ron. There never was, and never will be. He's just a good friend." Ron's eyes brightened at that, and she went on. "But you, Ron. You're different. You're-" she faltered, her voice cracking, "You're not just a good friend anymore."
Ron looked at her then, feeling as though he were drowning in her eyes, and in her voice. But there was a question he had to ask her before he let himself be carried away. He swallowed nervously, and said "Then what am I, Hermione?"
Hermione took a deep, shaky breath, then threw caution to the wind and plunged recklessly onward. No matter what the result was, she had to say it. She could never rest until she had. "You're- I mean, I hope that you're my boyfriend again." She fell silent, waiting for him to speak and unable to tear her eyes away from his.
Ron smiled at the fear in her eyes, the uncertainty. Then, moving slowly and carefully so that he didn't hurt her, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her gently.
Fireworks exploded in Hermione's head when their lips met, and if Ron wasn't practically lying on top of her she felt she could have jumped up from the bed and flown right out the window. Without a broom! But he was there, and she was glad of it. Her hands found his chest, his neck, and she wrapped her arms around him, feeling his warm body melting into hers. This was heaven...
"Ahem." Someone cleared their voice loudly, and Ron and Hermione jerked apart, both their faces growing warm with embarrassment. "Sorry to interrupt," Madame Pomfrey began, not looking sorry at all, "but your five minutes are up." She jerked her head towards the door, indicating that Ron should leave.
With a reluctant sigh, Ron stood up, casting Hermione an apologetic look before turning back to the nurse. "When can I see her again?"
"Come back in a couple of hours after she's had time to rest from your...visit."
Ron nodded, then glanced back at Hermione. "Later?" he mouthed, his face hopeful.
"Later," she promised, sending him a grin that would have stolen the heart of any man who saw it. But only one did, and he had no heart left to steal; she'd already taken it!
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Ok there is going to be a pt 2 for this chapter which is the last chapter . 😭😭😭
Udne Ki Aasha
Kumkum Bhagya
Arjun
