Late Night Encounter

Thanks for your reviews. A quick mention for JESS - thanks. I'm glad you like it. I love Draco and Hermione together as well and the reunion will happen next chapter.

Anyhoo, hope you like this one. As always, please let me know what you think. I love hearing your thoughts on my work.

On to the story. Enjoy...


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Ginny and Harry had returned to the Gryffindor common room, having answered Professor McGonagall's questions. They were both still shaken and Harry had his arm round her shoulders comforting her. It had been a long night and her mother and father had just left, both of them distraught. Ginny felt guilty, sure that she could have tried harder to save Ron. Harry felt the same but knew now in his heart that he had done the right thing.

He had never revealed to Hermione or Ginny the fits of anger he had seen Ron in and he had fought with him plenty times before. He knew all too well that if Ron meant to hurt you, nothing could stop him. He knew he would always hate himself for what he had done but Ron had been walking a dark path for a while now.

Harry and Ginny sat on the couch, Ginny snuggling into the warmth of Harry's embrace.

'Harry?' Ginny whispered.

'Yes, love?' Harry asked.

'Please tell me again what happened after I left. What happened with Ron? Did you have to kill him?' Ginny asked, her voice quivering with emotion.

Harry sighed, he had already explained this several times already. 'Ginny, he started to to say the Killing Curse. He would have killed Hermione if I hadn't stopped him. He wasn't my friend anymore, he was a monster and he had to be stopped.'

Ginny sighed, Harry echoing her thoughts on what her brother had turned into. She had seen the look in his eyes before she left and knew he was lost to them even then. She had hoped she could get help and he would be sent to Azkaban. But she knew his mind was almost gone then - Azkaban would make him worse, warping his mind even further.

'I know Harry, I saw him too. I'm just struggling to accept everything that happened tonight. Ron seemed to change so quickly.'

'Ginny, I'm sorry I haven't told you this before, but Ron has been different for a while,' Harry said, drawing his arm away from Ginny. He leant forward in the chair as he started to tell her what he had been through with Ron.

'It was about six months ago, I found Ron spying on Hermione. I asked him what the hell he was doing and he started to speak about how he felt about her and how she practically ignored him, not noticing the special attention he gave her. He was quite nasty about her. I knew he had fancied her for years, but Hermione thought of him as a brother. It had driven him mad not being able to touch her like he wanted. A weird look went over his face as he spoke about her and I had to warn him not to hurt her.'

'Ginny, he dived at me, pushing me back against the wall, a wild look on his face. He said I could never let anyone know what he had said and he would kill me if I ever said anything to Hermione.'

Harry sighed, relieved to finally get this off his chest. He looked at Ginny, who was just sitting staring at him, shocked that Ron had acted this way and that Harry had kept this from her.

'So what did you do?' Ginny asked, regaining her composure.

'Well, I just left it, but vowed to keep a close eye on him, and did the best I could to never let him be alone with her. Then one night, towards the end of the summer, we were all at the burrow, remember?' Ginny nodded as Harry continued, 'Well, the three of us were in a room together, we had stayed up late chatting and just fell asleep. I woke up not long after and saw Ron sat up in his bed just staring at Hermione as she slept. He saw me watching him and I couldn't hide my shock at the look on his face. Ginny, I swear that scared me so much. Anyway, Hermione never found out, and I just kept a closer watch on him. It was a lot easier to keep him away from her once she became Head Girl. I thought the time away from her would do him good, but I've noticed lately that he's been getting worse, letting his anger spill over whenever anybody just looks at him the wrong way.'

'I'm sorry I never told you but I thought I could help him. I was just trying to stop anyone from getting hurt and now Ron's dead, I couldn't help him.' Harry felt the tears well in his eyes agin, the sorrow of losing his friend still so painful. He felt Ginny move closer to him as she slid her arms round him, pulling him into a hug, letting him cry. The emotion and pain at watching his friend change had taken it's toll on Harry and it all came out as he gripped onto his lover.

-*-*-*-

Hermione walked slowly to the Gryffindor dorms. She needed to see Harry and Ginny. She just couldn't face going back to the heads dorm with Draco. She was too emotional right now. She felt hurt and sad, the reality of what had happened tonight sinking in now she was alone. Hermione couldn't help but feel angry as well. She was angry at Draco and herself - their relationship had started all this and if they could only have controlled themselves, none of it would have happened.

She didn't like to admit it but she was angry at Ron as well. What he had done to Harry and her tonight had hurt her so much. How could Ron have done that to them. She forced herself to calm down as she came to the Gryffindor dorms. Preparing herself, Hermione took a few more deep breaths before whispering the password and walking into the common room.

Harry and Ginny were huddled together on the couch and, as they looked up at her, Hermione could see they had been crying. Harry pulled away from Ginny, getting up to give Hermione a hug. Hermione sunk into his arms as her emotions took over again.

Hermione and Harry broke apart, both wiping tears from their eyes as they sat down on the couch. Hermione sat beside Ginny, hugging her as well. Ginny sighed, before pulling away and turning to Harry.

'Harry,' Ginny said, 'you have to tell Hermione about Ron. She needs to know.'

Harry nodded and turned to face a confused Hermione. As she listened intently, Harry repeated what he had told Ginny. She tried to figure out how she could have missed the change in Ron. She just couldn't believe he had changed so much and she was sad that Harry had tried to help Ron on his own, obviously not wanting to worry her. She sat in silence as she tried to sort her head out.

Harry tried to read her face as he reached a hand out to her. 'Hermione, are you ok?'

Hermione shook her head, trying to clear her mind before turning to face Harry. 'I think so, it's just so much to deal with.'

'I know, I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. Maybe then, we could have saved him,' Harry said, squeezing her hand, his voice faltering as he spoke.

'Oh, Harry, I'm sorry you had to go through this alone. It must have been agonising to watch Ron change like that.' Hermione reached across Ginny and hugged Harry, wanting to console him. 'It's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself.'

Harry pulled away first, managing to control his tears this time. Ginny slid her arm through his and clasped his hand. She leaned in and kissed him, which helped chase some of the hurt away, Harry managing a weak smile as Ginny broke away from him.

The three of them sat in silence, none of them knowing what to say as tiredness started to hit them. They were all physically and emotionally drained and sleep would mend some of the hurt.

Ginny hugged Hermione, 'I love you Hermione, you're my best friend.' Hermione hugged her back, 'I love you Ginny, thanks.'

'I think I'm gonna go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow,' Ginny said, getting up from the couch. Harry slid across the couch and hugged Hermione.

'Are you sure you're ok?' Harry asked, pulling back from Hermione.

'Yeah, I think I'll just stay here awhile. Thanks.'

Harry stood and followed Ginny. He knew Hermione was hiding what she was feeling, but he couldn't push her to tell him. He took one last worried look at Hermione, before catching up to Ginny, sliding his arm round her shoulders.

Hermione just sat and watched the fire as Harry and Ginny made their way up the stairs. Her mind was still buzzing and she knew she couldn't sleep feeling like this. She felt lost and alone and knew only one person could rid her of this pain. She needed to be held and to hold him. Turning round to check Harry and Ginny had left, she got up off the couch and headed for the door.

Hermione walked slowly, trying to calm her nerves. But the castle was so still and quiet, it just made her feel worse. She didn't walk any quicker though, wanting to sort her head out before she saw Draco. In no time at all, she reached the Heads dorm. She stood in front of the door for a few moments, hoping that Draco was still awake, waiting for her return. With a deep breath, she whispered the password and stepped into the common rom.

-*-*-*-

Draco was slumped on the couch in the Heads common room. His head was messed up and the events of tonight kept playing over and over in his head. He kept seeing Ron pointing his wand at Hermione, starting to say the Killing Curse and he was helpless to save her. He had started to turn, to shield her with his body, knowing it might be too late. And then ... then, Harry Potter, his arch enemy, had saved them. He didn't think Potter had it in him to kill, especially his best friend. But, as he looked at Harry, he had seen something strange in Potter's eyes and knew there was something else going on.

After that, it had been a blur of questions from various people before being allowed to go. He knew Hermione had left before him and he thought she would be waiting for him. His heart had dropped when she was nowhere to be seen. He raced to the Heads dorm, hoping she had gone there to wait for him. When he had reached the dorm to find it dark and empty, he felt his heart sink again. That was it, he thought, she had left him. Hermione obviously blamed him and had ran back to her friends.

Since then, he had drank near half a bottle of firewhisky as anger brewed inside him. He needed so much to touch her, hold her in his arms, to smell her cinnamon scent that he now knew so well. But she had deserted him and there was nothing left if he didn't have her. The anger bubbled over as he started to smash his fist into the wall, welcoming the burning pain in his knuckles.

He dropped onto the couch with the bottle of whisky, hoping to drown his sorrows and get some sleep. Tears welled in his eyes as he thought of how happy they had been before patrol. How content he felt when she had fallen asleep in his arms, just the night before. He hated crying but he had never felt such strong emotions before and it was either this or punch the wall again.

As he poured some whisky onto his knuckles, he froze. He heard the door creaking open and, scared to move, could only watch as Hermione walked in the door.


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Well, let me know. I know there was a lot of story and not much action but the lovers will be reuniting next and oh yes, there will be *action*! Please review!