Mistaken Love

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The redness had seeped from the day and night was arranging itself, staining and dyeing the evening purple and bluish black. Emptiness veiled over the fields of Hogwarts and the corridors were left deserted. Hours had passed since the students had left the school and journeyed home on the Hogwarts Express. The weather was acting quite strangely once again. Clouds were hovering, turning a slight grey, indicating a storm was near. Summer storms were uncommon in London, but since Voldemort had returned, anything uncommon had a reason.

Ron stared out the window of his dormitory as he watched clouds continuously dance around in the color-changing sky. He felt relieved to be back at Hogwarts after the chaos that happened in the forest. Hermione was still angry at him, but it was fixable, after giving her some alone time. A faint breeze blew into the room, causing Ron to reach out and close the window. As he locked the latch which held the windowpane closed, he spotted someone outside, near the Black Lake.

She had bushy brown hair wrapped into a solid bun. Ron knew instantly it was Hermione, and he felt an urge to go to her. He watched her pace around the lakeside and pick up a rock here and there to throw into the water. It had been only a couple hours since they last talked. Thinking that a couple hours away from each other was enough, Ron turned away from the window and began to head down the staircase to the common room. It was only seconds before he finished descending the last few steps and found himself face to face with someone he did not expect.

"Hey there, little brother, where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Ron looked up to see his brother, George, and his other brother, Fred, behind him. They seemed taller for some reason and beamed at him with wide grins. Ron became irritated at the fact his brothers were able to smile so broadly after what happened with Dumbledore. He shoved himself past his brothers and continued to walk toward the portrait hole.

"I have things to do," Ron replied with his back facing his brothers.

"What's the rush? We aren't leaving for home until after dinner," George said. "Everyone is going into the Great Hall, including the teachers haven't left yet and some members of the Order."

"Yeah Ron, don't you want to spend some time with your brothers?" Fred joked amusedly. "Charlie will be back at the Burrow soon. Mum just got an owl from him. It will be just like old times."

Ron turned back to the twins swiftly. "Don't you get it? Dumbledore is dead, and you two are still joking around. Can you two be serious for once?"

"Dumbledore wouldn't want us to mourn for him. He always told us to bring humor into the world, and we're respecting his wishes," Fred shot back at Ron, returning the same furious tone. "We understand what is going on, Ron. We aren't as dim-witted as you think we are."

Ron's fury began to die down little by little. His breaths that were short and fast began to slow down after minutes of silence passed. He avoided eye contact with his brothers for a while before he heard them speaking to him again.

"Look at you, Ron. You're all grown up and serious," George speculated. "Now it seems that you're the older brother."

"Yeah," Fred complied. "What happened to you? You used to be cool."

Ron broke into a smile and went over to his brothers. He was never so glad to have brothers. Having a big family always annoyed Ron with hand-me-downs and being poor, but having brothers to be there when he needed them to be was worth the suffering of old, tattered robes and used, falling-apart books. When Ron reached his two brothers, he wrapped his arms around them as they did the same. He hugged them quickly, not wanting to show off his sensitive side, as did his brothers.

"Where are Mum, Dad, and Ginny?" Ron asked, backing himself away from Fred and George after releasing them.

"Dad is with some of the teachers and members of the Order. Ginny is probably wandering around Hogwarts, depressed that it's closing down, and Mum is with Bill and Fleur in the hospital wing. He is supposedly ready to leave the depressing place, but Mum forbids it. She refuses to allow Bill to walk at all or even barely get up from his bed. I think she believes Bill lost his senses to move," George replied risibly.

"Sounds like Mum," Ron said with a grin. "Is Harry still there? Did he wake up? Maybe I should go see him before dinner."

Ron began to make his way back to the portrait hole once again, but Fred stopped him. "Harry wasn't there when we went to visit Bill. Madam Pomfrey said he left a while ago. George and I thought he went to see you, so we came to find you two. Guess we were wrong."

Ron started to wonder why Harry would just up and leave. Even though he had done it before, it did not make senses for him to leave a second time. It struck him that Bethany had been with him in the hospital wing. She must have taken him somewhere as she had the first time. Ron was infuriated once again at the fact that this girl, who was a stranger not just to him, but most likely to Harry also, was causing Harry to leave his best friends. Then he remembered that Hermione was still down by the lake, alone and unaware that Harry was possibly missing yet again. Before he jumped to any conclusions, he asked his brothers for some clarification.

"Did you two see a girl in the hospital wing? Brown hair, pretty, no one you ever met before?" Ron asked earnestly. "Her name is Bethany, if you two had happened to hear her name and where she went."

"Nope, never heard of her nor seen her. Only Mum, Dad, Bill, and Fleur were in the hospital wing," George answered, shaking his head at the same time.

"Me neither. Why would you care, Ron? I heard you were with Hermione," Fred sniggered.

"I just do," Ron yelled fumingly as he pushed the portrait door open and walked out with the only thought of getting to Hermione on his mind.

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Ron strode through the corridors of Hogwarts in a quick manner, trying not to miss out on finding Hermione. He knew she was still by the lake, but she could have left during the time he met up with Fred and George. Thoughts of her entered his mind as he left the staircases and passed by the Great Hall.

She can't still be angry with me, Ron pondered. She had to know I left because Harry needed me. What was I supposed to do? Say, "No Harry, go find Bethany by yourself and while you're at it, try not to die." Ron turned the corner and began walk out the grand, oak doors of the Hogwarts entrance and onto the fields of grass.

It was now completely dark and the sun was nowhere to be seen. The moon appeared as a perfect circle, so full of light that all the edges of things had an amber cast. A violent breeze swept through the grass, leaving a crisp fragrance with a hint of rain-scent, most likely foreshadowing a few showers shortly to come. Overhead, the sky was slowly being filled with grey clouds, drifting in from nowhere. The stars above shimmered softly, having no clue they were soon to be darkened.

Ron spotted imprints in the grass as he made his way out toward the field and away from the oak doors. The prints were leading off to two different paths. Some were heading toward the gates of the Quidditch field and the others were toward the Black Lake. He noticed that the ones paving in the direction of the Quidditch field belonged to more than one person, possibly two. Ron of course followed the impressions that routed to the Black Lake, knowing for sure they were Hermione's, but as he followed them he could not help to think about who would be at the Quidditch field at this time.

Three minutes passed before Ron was able to see Hermione at a distance. She was sitting by the lakeside, staring into the water. Ron observed the way she sat with her knees tucked into her chest and her arms wrapped tightly around them. It was cold and Ron assumed it was Hermione's way to keep warm other than going back inside Hogwarts. He approached her silently enough to not draw attention to himself. As he took in a breath before he spoke, Ron heard sobbing coming from Hermione. He did not understand why on earth she would be crying, but he was about to find out.

"Hermione, is everything okay?" Ron asked, bringing himself down and seating himself next to her. "I come bearing a white flag as a sign of me surrendering."

She quickly wiped away the tears on her cheeks and turned to face Ron. "You were never that good in battle. I knew you were going to surrender in no time." Hermione gave him a weak smile as she tried to hide her red-shot eyes.

"I know something is wrong, Hermione. You don't have to hide it from me," Ron said, concerned.

Hermione rested her chin on her folded arms and allowed loose strings of wavy hair to fall onto her face. She continued to stare into the water as she spoke to Ron. "I'm just thinking about the future: Harry's future, your family's future, and our future. I guess it brought tears to my eyes. Don't you ever think about the future?"

Ron lifted his arm to Hermione's shoulder and enclosed her into his chest. "At times I stare off into space and think about what will happen to all of us in the battle with Voldemort. I think about what will happen after it is all over and wonder if we will all survive and what will happen if we don't. Sometimes I feel as though I will lose you, Hermione, and my mind shuts down at that moment. I can't bring myself to picture my life without you, so I stop myself from thinking about the future. We're living in the present right now, and that's all I really want to do. I don't want to think about a future that might become true, I want to live this life, this moment, and this time with you."

Hermione drifted her eyes over to Ron's and held his gaze. She raised herself from the ground to touch her lips with his and slowly they kissed softly and gently. Ron brought his hands down to Hermione's waist and caressed her tenderly. Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and forced herself closer to him. It was minutes before they broke apart and the feelings of misery entered their hearts and minds.

"Oh Ron, we can't. You know why we can't do this. It's too dangerous."

"I know the way I feel about you, Hermione," Ron retorted intensely. "I want this, I want to be with you, and I know, inside your heart, you want to me with me. I love you, and Voldemort is not going to take that away from me, from us."

Hermione stared hard into his eyes before responding to him. "If we're in a battle, and I tell you to leave me to protect someone else, you have to. Promise me. Our love can't affect us when we're fighting or we will both die."

"You're asking me to promise to abandon you when you're in need. How am I supposed to keep that promise?"

"Ron, please trust me, just promise," Hermione pleaded tearfully.

Ron touched the side of her face lightly with his hand, lifting her stings of loose hair away, and kissed her cheek. "I promise," he whispered into her ear faintly.

He then carefully laid his back against ground and allowed Hermione to rest her head on his chest. He enfolded her into his arms, keeping her close as they looked up at the night sky, hoping to find some clue of their futures written magically in the stars.

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Harry felt the wind hit his face violently. He soared through the sky fast enough to feel the icy breeze numb his hands and face. His eyes closed as he swept across the field, doing every turn and dive naturally. The numbness throughout his body caused him to feel nothing and that was all he wanted to feel. Harry refused to open his eyes, knowing he would have to leave this world of nothingness to relive his current life.

He did a fierce dive toward the ground, gripping harder onto the handle of his Firebolt. A clench erupted in his stomach as he dropped full speed and that was what Harry loved to feel as he flew. Nothing in the world mattered to him when he was hundreds of feet above the ground, away from reality. Life was inevitable and Harry knew he would have to face his life sooner or later.

After a few hours of flying, he landed gently on the field and made his way up the stands. Harry climbed up the stairs, all the way to the top, where Bethany sat. She was wrapped in a gleaming silver cloak with a silk black scarf hanging around her neck. Harry placed his Firebolt on the ground and seated himself next to her.

"You're good," Bethany said, nodding toward his broom. "I still don't think it was smart of you to fly after you had broken a couple of ribs, but you went and did it anyway."

"Thanks," Harry replied with a grin. "I'd go crazy if I didn't fly every once in a while. I guess the feeling it gives me helps me relax. I can't explain it. Have you ever flown before?"

"Me?" Bethany laughed. "My grandfather is Dumbledore. Whenever I picked up a broom, it was for sweeping."

"So, you've never ridden one ever?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"Nope, but the way you describe it makes me want to try it. Watching you makes me want to try it."

"You have no idea, Bethany."

Bethany smiled at him as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh, I almost forgot to give this back to you," she said, handing him something she had taken out of her robe.

"My wand," Harry said, taking it from her. "Where did you find it? I thought I lost it when I was the cave."

"It was in your robe that you gave me to keep warm, remember?"

"That's weird. I dropped it when I was chained to the wall. How did it get back into my robe?" Harry ruminated with a confused expression shown on his face.

"Beats me, but at least you got yours back. I still haven't found mine yet," Bethany amused.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Harry apologized sympathetically. "I'm sure someone must have found it and gave it to Professor McGonagall. We can check right now if you want."

Harry stood up and walked toward the stairs leading back to the front gates of the field. He didn't notice Bethany wasn't following until he looked back and saw she still hadn't risen from her seat.

"Actually, I kind of like it out here, even though it is a bit cold," Bethany said. "I mean, I don't need my wand right now, at this very moment. We're still on Hogwarts grounds, no worries."

"Bethany, we're already half an hour late for the last feast that is going on in the Great Hall. Everyone is there and I think we should be there too and plus, you're recovering from a serious cold, you shouldn't even be out here."

Harry stared suspiciously at Bethany for a few seconds, trying to read her thoughts. She seemed not so thrilled to go to dinner or back inside Hogwarts. Maybe it brings back painful memories, Harry thought. She did just lose her grandfather. He felt the same in one way or another, but going back inside Hogwarts reminded him of Dumbledore in a noble way, not the way Bethany probably remembered.

The black sky with streaks of moonlight finally let out its tears as misty rain drops fell from the grey clouds. It was not hard or flooding, but more like a drizzle than rain. Harry watched Bethany stand up and make her way towards him. She said nothing, but he was able to tell something was wrong. By the time she reached him, she glanced at him for a split second before passing by him and walking away in the directions of the gates.

"Are you coming, Harry?" Bethany asked, without stopping to wait for him.

Once Harry caught up with her, he took her arm gently, stopping her and turning her to face him. "Look, we don't have to go back if you don't want to. I understand if you would rather stay here; I'm just worried about you. You fell unconscious in the middle of the forest when you said you were fine."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine," Bethany assured him. "I know I said I was fine before, but really, I don't feel like I'm going to collapse on you anytime soon. Anyway, I think I should go in and meet everyone; you know, members of the Order, people. Besides, I have to go back in either now or later, might as well go in with you."

Harry nodded his head and released her arm. They walked through the gates of the Quidditch field and followed the path back into the school. Silence stood between as they crossed the grounds of Hogwarts together only catching each other's quick looks from the corners of their eyes and slight smiles here and there. It was not long until they were able to see the lights of Hogwarts, gleaming out from the open oak doors.

"Hey, Harry," a distant voice called.

Harry scanned his eyes over the grounds and found Hermione and Ron, looking as if they were just returning to Hogwarts from the Black Lake.

"What were you doing at the Quidditch field this late?" Hermione asked curiously, giving him an eyebrow frown. "Don't tell me you were flying right after Madam Pomfrey released you!"

"Well, you see, Hermione−" Harry began, trying to think up an excuse before Ron ended up filling in his sentence.

"He wanted to fly before we have to go back to the Burrow. Let him fly, Hermione."

Hermione shot Ron an irritated glare and stormed into Hogwarts without another word.

"You gotta stop taking my side, Ron," Harry advised with a grin.

"Yeah, I know, but come on, you were just flying! And here she and I thought you went missing again," Ron scorned and then within seconds he was gone, racing after Hermione.

"I don't know what I'll do without them," Harry said, half laughing.

He looked over at Bethany and saw that her mind had gone elsewhere. She stood there with her eyes fixed on the sky above with the twinkling stars and beautifully filled moon. Harry touched her shoulder lightly and felt Bethany grabbed his hand abruptly, gripping it hard.

"You scared me, Harry."

"Well, I see that and feel it," Harry gritted through his teeth. "You're kind of still grasping my hand a little bit hard."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Bethany apologized as she freed Harry's hand from her clasp. "I think I'm going to go walk around the school for a bit. I'll come find you later."

"Bethany, wait! What about dinner?" Harry cried after her, seeing that she already made her way down the hall and was disappearing around the corner.

Harry was left in a confused state of mind. He did not understand why Bethany bailed on him with no warning sign at all. She had always been a difficult person to read ever since Harry met her, but it never stopped him from not wanting to get to know her. If anything, it made him more eager to find out things about her. Harry took a few steps through the oak doors and onto the marble floored foyer of Hogwarts. There, he caught a glimpse of what seemed like Ginny's fiery red hair drifting behind her after leaving the Great Hall and moving quickly out of sight towards the end of the corridor. Right then and there, Harry broke into a run to find Ginny, wanting to relieve the urge in the pit of his stomach to finally talk to her.

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"I just don't think he should be in there."

"Why do you say that?" Tonks asked curiously. "You do know his past, Ginny."

Ginny let out a heavy sigh and looked down at her plate. It was full of deliciously made food, but she did not have the appetite to eat much. She kept thinking about Draco and how alone he was up on the rooftop, locked up. Thoughts of him continued to wander throughout her mind after the conversation she had with him. Ginny just could not push him out of her head as much as she wanted to. She had the feeling that it was her responsibility to prove that Draco was not guilty and it was not an easy thing to do.

Tonks sat across from her, blooming with bright purple hair. Next to Tonks sat Lupin in deep conversation with Hagrid, probably talking about what should happen now after Dumbledore's death. Down the table was Professor McGonagall, the Weasley twins, Bill (surprisingly), Fleur, and Ginny's parents. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were nowhere in sight, nor was Bethany. Food was spread out, positioned in the middle of one of the four house tables. The Great Hall was decorated with black, representing the recent lost of a great Headmaster. Up above, the ceiling was dark and grey, imitating the depressing sky outside.

"I do know his past," Ginny replied dispassionately. "I believe the past shouldn't represent who a person is now. He was forced to do what he did. You know his father, Tonks. If anyone had a father like Lucius, of course they will be required to obey orders from Voldemort."

"Yes, that is true, but it does not give us the right to let him go. He has to be presented in a hearing for the Ministry. The Order does not have the power to decide whether someone should go free or not," Tonks said as she took her goblet and sipped a bit of wine.

"But the Ministry is corrupted! They arrested innocent people! If they get their hands on a Malfoy ... he just won't survive." Ginny stared hard into Tonks' eyes, hoping she understood what position Draco was in.

Lupin broke off the conversation with Hagrid and turned to face Ginny. "I know what you mean, Ginny. I admit Draco is not guilty for Dumbledore's death, but you must agree with me that he has done wrong."

Ginny nodded her head. "I know he has, but if he gets the Kiss for it, it isn't right. Dumbledore believed Draco wouldn't have killed him and he was right. He tried to offer Draco help, why can't we do the same now? It is what Dumbledore would have wanted."

"How do we know Draco won't run once we release him?" Lupin inquired. "Trust is not a kind of thing you put into Malfoys."

"We can put him under probation with the Order," Ginny recommended. "Someone can watch over him for a while. He's pretty much alone anyway. I doubt he would go back to father. I'm just worried he might go looking for his mum."

"Ginny," Lupin chuckled. "Which member of the Order would carry the responsibility to look after a prisoner? We just don't have that kind of place or time."

"He can stay at the Burrow," Ginny insisted earnestly. "I'm sure Bill and Fleur won't mind having him during their wedding."

"I don't think that is a wise idea," Tonks warned. "Your mum will be furious and your father hates Malfoys enough."

"They will understand. Please, you have to let him go. I'll look after him. I can tell what he is going through; I understand him. Just don't take him to the Ministry," Ginny implored.

"Ginny, you're asking us to allow a prisoner to go free. Do you know what kind of trouble we would be in?" Lupin asked cautiously. "You have to think about what would happen to the Order."

"I'm just trying to save an innocent person from persecution. Is that so wrong?"

Lupin scoffed, "Draco is anything but innocent. He may not have killed Dumbledore, but for everything else he has done, innocent is not what he is." Lupin rose from the table and made his way over to Professor McGonagall and sat down by her.

Ginny knew Lupin had given up on convincing her that Draco deserved to be sent to the Ministry, but the urge to fight for him still did not leave her body. She felt that she needed to be alone, maybe have another talk with Draco. Before she was able to decide, she felt someone touch her hand. Ginny looked up and saw Tonks smiling at her.

"I'll talk to him, Ginny," Tonks said. "Lupin knows Draco will be sentenced to receive the Kiss if he attends a hearing. Deep in his heart, Lupin will not allow that to happen. Just give it time."

Ginny returned a warm smile to Tonks as she nodded in agreement. She then stood and walked out of the Great Hall and down the corridor that led to the staircases. A two-way hall appeared in front of her path. To the right of her was the entrance to the rooftop where Draco was and on her left was the stairs back to the Gryffindor common room. She stood in one place for a few moments, not sure of which passage to take.

"Ginny?"

Ginny turned around to see who called her name, although she already knew who it was just by the tone of their voice. It was Harry, standing not too far from the Great Hall. He seemed tired by the look in his eyes and a bit weak from the way he stood. Ginny didn't know whether she should go hug him or walk away in the opposite direction. She was no longer angry with him, but she still did not change her mind about Draco either.

Moments passed before Harry began to walk towards her. Ginny did not move nor did she say anything. Once Harry reached her, she felt his arms close in around her. He embraced her fragilely, not wanting to bring pain to his healing ribs. Ginny returned the hug and then pulled away from him. She stared into his exhausted, bright green eyes and smiled.

"I was worried about you," Ginny informed him. "I couldn't bear to sit next to you in the hospital wing. I didn't like seeing you the way you were."

"I thought you were still furious with me," Harry replied bleakly. "I don't like this feeling. This feeling in my gut, knowing we are angry with each other. We never fought before."

"Yeah, I know. I don't like it either," Ginny concurred.

Harry let out a sigh, and Ginny was able to feel the warmth of his exhale. "We should talk," Harry said. "About us, I mean."

Ginny nodded silently. She saw Harry reach out his hand and she took it accordingly, without taking a second to think about it. His hand was soft and gentle, just as she remembered it. Together, they walked up the staircase and disappeared behind the portrait of the Fat Lady.

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