Always the Sidekick

To his surprise, Mina was smiling. "Just don't tell her, then." She rolled over and faced Ron then kissed his nose.

They sat for a few minutes, just looking at each other. Then Ron said regretfully, "I really should be going in though. I'm going to be dead on my feet tomorrow."

Mina sat up and pulled something out of her cloak: a little bag with purple powder in it. "Here, take some of this; it'll perk you right up."

Ron looked at it. "What is it?" He took the bag and sniffed it. It didn't smell like anything.

"I thought that was illegal," Ron said, taking the bag again and doing the same thing she just did. It tasted bitter, even metallic.

"It is illegal, but only because they don't want people using it more than they need to." She smiled at him. For this was exactly what it seemed like they were doing with it. "Don't worry; it'll be fine, and you won't have to go inside just yet, and you won't be tired in the morning." She gently pushed him back to the ground and put her head on his chest. Her finger played along the creases in his robes, and in only minutes Ron had more energy than he'd ever had in his life. He hopped up, startling Mina, and began to run.

Mina giggled and ran after him. Their laughter filled the grounds, and Ron didn't care who heard them.

"Most people wouldn't consider harpies to be a threat. For this reason, I have brought one to Hogwarts and will be showing you her capabilities." Professor X pulled on a thick cape made out of some material Ron had never seen before. "If you will follow me outside, please." The class lined up.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was taken with the Ravenclaws. Ron was looking at Hermione at the front of the line when Mina found him and grasped his hand.

"You ever seen a harpy?" she asked him.

Ron's attention immediately turned to her. "Not in real life," he said.

They walked across the lawn to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Standing, chained to a large tree, was a creature with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail, wings, and talons of a bird. When she saw them approaching, she spread her wings.

"They expand to over seventy feet. Harpies are all females. We've never been able to research them close enough to find out how they reproduce. The way to protect yourself from a harpy is to get behind her. She has no peripheral vision." Professor X moved around slowly to the back of the creature. "She will fight to keep you in her sights." The creature turned her head and scratched her claws on the ground. "Once you are behind her, you now have the advantage." Professor X raised his wand. "Stupefy," he said. The ground shook as the creature fell unharmed to the earth. The class cheered.

"You don't care that Mum will be mental without you at the Burrow?" Ginny was watching Ron throw some of his things into a trunk.

"Mum said she understands." Ron plucked a book out of Ginny's hand and threw it in the trunk. "Besides, everyone thinks I've been such a burden recently. Honestly, Gin. I'll be better off there." Ron noticed the look on his sister's face. "It won't be all holiday. Just a week."

"That only leaves you with a week at the Burrow. And you'll miss Christmas." Ginny's lips pursed much like their mother's did when she was trying not to say what was really on her mind.

"It'll be all right." Ron picked up his trunk and started for the door. "Besides, Harry will be there. He can take my place." He closed the door behind him and felt a sharp stab of jealousy at the thought of Harry at the Burrow with his family. He quickly brushed it off as he walked out the portrait of the Fat Lady and into the large crowd in the Great Hall. Among them, he saw who he was looking for.

"Sorry. Got held up. Sisters." Ron rolled his eyes, and Mina smiled.

"The Hogwarts Express leaves in an hour. I don't know what the hold up is." Mina stood on her tiptoes to see over the heads of the students who were leaving that night for holiday. Another group would leave the next morning. That group would carry Harry and Ginny to the Burrow and Hermione to York to be with her father.

The line finally began to move, and students loaded up in the thestral-drawn carriages to the train station.

"Where is it we're goin?" Ron said once they were aboard the Hogwarts Express. There were so few students aboard that not only did they get a compartment to themselves, but several of the ones around them were empty, as well.

"Well, we'll stop at Uncle Thorton's house, but he's gone until tomorrow. So from there we'll use the Floo Network to get to my family's estate in Venice. It will be empty." Mina leaned into Ron and took his ear in her lips. "There could be another advantage to having the train to ourselves," she rasped. Her lips moved lower down Ron's body.

The Lovegood Stronghold in Venice was the oldest building Ron had ever seen, yet it was beautiful. Tall trees surrounded the acres, and hidden deep in a forest was a Quidditch pitch, equipped with two dressing rooms and all the necessary supplies for a full-blown match.

"Can we give it a try?" Ron said excitedly when he saw it.

"Of course, but you should know I'm dreadful at Quidditch." Mina chuckled.

"Even better then." Ron moved in close and grasped her hand to help her out of the fireplace.

The entrance was decorated with gold and magical artifacts. Enchantments made the halls ring with beautiful song and sweet fragrance. Ron had never seen anything like this before. He could tell by the look on Mina's face she was pleased.

"Follow me, I'll show you to your room," she said, walking up the stairway that carpeted itself with every step.

The hallways turned and tw, and Ron wondered if he would ever be able to find his way around. Seeming to know what he was thinking, Mina said, "Every fireplace is connected to the Floo Network. Just state where you want to go, and you will arrive there." That was a relief, Ron thought.

They stopped outside a large iron door adorned with metals and gems Ron had never seen before.

"This will be your room," Mina said. "I'll be just across the hall."

"We won't be together?" Ron asked, now more nervous about being alone in this large estate.

Mina got a mischievous grin on her face. "If you want, we can." She moved in and wrapped her arms around him. Then she turned the knob on the door of his bedroom.

Ron turned to see that the room wasn't empty. There was someone standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Mina asked, surprised.

"Malfoy?" Ron couldn't believe the blond-haired boy was there. Maybe it was a trick.

"Dormio," Draco Malfoy said. And Ron was asleep before another thought entered his mind.