Hold Me Close

Revelations

“Harry, can I talk to you for a sec?” Ron asked the black haired wizard the following week.


“Sure, Ron. What is it?” Harry asked, leading him into the drawing room of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place.


Ron began pacing the worn floor as he tried to choose his words. Harry looked at him expectantly, and after a few moments, turned his attention to the glass cupboard, waiting for Ron to talk.


“I think I’m in love, Harry,” Ron said sheepishly, wringing his hands.


“Ron, you know Hermione is in love with that git, and she isn’t going to take you back. Don’t waste your time there,” Harry said, looking at Ron seriously.


“It’s not Hermione,” Ron replied, looking at the floor.


“Who is it then?” Harry asked, looking genuinely curious.


He thought he might seriously vomit if Ron said Lavendar Brown. He doubted it would be, since Ron hadn’t seen her since the end of last term, but he didn’t know who else it could be.


“Stacy,” Ron replied simply.


“Stacy? Who is St----You mean the pretty blonde American?” Harry asked incredulously.


“Yeah,” Ron said, his ears turning quite pink.


“But Ron, you haven’t got a chance with her. She thinks Hermione is your pregnant girlfriend, and no respectable girl is going to go for a guy like that. Except maybe Lavendar since she hates Hermione and would want nothing more than to,” Harry trailed off.


“I know,” Ron said, dropping his gaze to his shoes again. “But what if she likes me? What if the only thing keeping her from going for it with me is Hermione?”


“That’s a pretty high hope, Ron. Do you have any reason to believe she does?”


“I don’t know, Harry. But what if she does? It’s so unfair!”


“I wonder if old McGonagall would let her in on the oath,” Harry suggested.


“Harry, that’s perfect! I’ll go to McGonagall right away and--”


“Ron, you better find out if she even likes you first. That would be a huge risk to take for McGonagall, and you are going to have to give her a reason to do it. She isn’t going to add another person to the oath just so you can get a good shag,” Harry told him seriously.


“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Ron said, thinking deeply.


“Find out if she likes you, and then---” Harry said, stopping suddenly.


His eyes were locked on the glass cabinet.


“I’m such a git! How could I not have thought of it before?” He shouted, much to Ron’s confusion.


“Harry, what are you on about?”


“R. A. B.? Regulus Black! He is the one who stole the locket, and it’s been right here under our noses this whole time!”


Harry’s nose was pressed against the glass cabinet, and his eyes were locked on the heavy silver locket inside.


“I’ll get McGonagall and Hermione,” Ron said, turning to leave.


“Better get Snape too,” Harry said.


“Right, him too,” Ron said darkly.


Harry stood there, staring at the gleaming locket for what seemed like an eternity. He felt like such an idiot for not realizing it before. He was glad he had found it though. It gave him the assurance that the locket would really be destroyed. His thoughts drifted to his last night with Albus.


He remembered the terrible curses that were surrounding the fake horcrux, and he only hoped that since this one was unguarded, it would be easier to destroy. The teddy bear certainly was easy. But the bastard knew how difficult that would be for you to destroy on principle alone, he reminded himself.


Harry was pulled from his reverie when the door flung open and Minerva, Severus, Hermione, and Ron all entered the room.


They were all silent for a moment, staring from Harry to the cabinet. It was Severus who spoke first.


“Out of the way, Potter. I need to test it for enchantments.”


Harry was still shaken by the revelation, so he didn’t even think to retort to Severus’ rudeness. He simply moved aside, as Severus unlocked the cabinet with his wand.


The room was silent save for Severus’ soft murmurs. After a few moments, Severus looked up.


“Good work, Potter. It’s definitely a horcrux,” he said.


Harry was too stunned to even realize that Snape had just given him the first genuine compliment.


“How do we go about destroying it?” Harry asked, unable to keep the image of Dumbledore’s shriveled hand out of his mind.


“First we need to ward ourselves to protect from minor hexes,” Severus said, and then proceeded to ward himself, casting an extra protective spell at Hermione’s swollen bump.


No one noticed but Hermione, who reddened a little as she continued to place wards on herself. Once they were all safely warded, Minerva spoke.


“I think it would be best to ward the door, to keep anyone unsuspecting from getting hurt,” she said softly.


“Yes, of course,” Severus replied, and warded the door securely. “You can still apparate from inside the room, but not into the room from outside it, so if you need to get away quickly, apparate, as the door will not open,” he said, eyes locked on Hermione’s.


He didn’t even want her in the room, but he knew he couldn’t keep her away.


He started by trying a melting spell. This was a bad idea, and the room began to fill with Inferi. Hexes were thrown from all around, and when the last of the Inferi was gone, Harry tried a bludgeoning spell.


Green sparks began to fly from the locket, one hitting Severus on the arm, and burning straight through his robes, eating away at his flesh. The sparks were acid.


Hermione quickly cast a counter curse, turning the sparks blue, rendering them harmless. Minerva healed Severus’ arm.


Finally, Harry tried a dissolving spell, and the locket burst into thousands of pieces, scattering across the room, imbedding in everyone’s skin from the impact. The horcrux was destroyed.


“I’ll call Poppy. She will get these shards out of us,” Minerva said, as relief washed over the room.


Only two horcruxes left before they could destroy the despot.


Severus and Hermione found themselves alone in the room. Severus warded the door, and took Hermione in his arms.


“I’m glad you are safe,” he said, planting a kiss on her forehead. “I need to check the baby.”


Hermione stood still as he ran his wand over her belly in a diagnostic charm. He seemed satisfied, and planted a kiss on her abdomen.


“Two more horcruxes and we can tell everyone the truth,” she said running her fingers through his hair.


“Don’t forget the devil himself,” Severus reminded her.


They stood like that for a while. After all, who knew when they could be together again?


A/N: Thanks to those of you who have remained faithful to the story even through the long update waits. I am sorry that this is coming along so slowly, but RL can be a pain in the ass, y’know? PLZ R&R