Love is Strong

Chapter 4 =96 Am I only dreaming?

From last time: - Harry, paused wondering, is Crabbe a spell? He failed to notice Crabbe, creeping up behind him. Harry had only time to yell, "Hermione!" and to hear her scream, before he blacked out, sinking into ultimate darkness.

He was flying through pitch black, past shooting stars

"Harry? Harry!" yelled a far off voice, and he was being shaken.

"Wha?" An orange-topped blur loomed over him. "Where’s Hermione? Malfoy took her, remember? Where Harry? Seamus came into the empty hall, and saw you duelling, and came to get me. I didn’t realise it was so serious."

"Hermione! It’s my fault! He’s taken her to Voldemort!"

Ron winced. "Harry, the name...don’t..."

"...And Voldemort wants me, so he’s got Herm so I’ll come without a hassle. Ron, I did love her!" Harry cried, flinging his arms round Ron, sobbing; "And now it’s too late." Ron looked alarmed at his predicament, and patted Harry’s head. "Harry, we have to rescue her. Where’s You-Know-Who staying? I don’t think it’s a hotel."

"No point," said Harry gloomily. "Look."

An eagle owl fluttered down to Ron’s shoulder with a letter, marked with the snake of Slytherin, unmistakably from Malfoy.

Dear Potter and Weasley,

Thanks for the Mudblood. I’m at Malfoy Mansion, by the way. The Dark Lord’s here too, and he’d be delighted if you drop in. She’s waiting.

D.Malfoy.

"Well, this takes the biscuit!" said Ron delighted he could use the Muggle phrase, and then remembering the situation, pouted.

"Where’s Malfoy Mansion?" asked Harry.

"Dunno. Somewhere in Chipping Sodbury, I think. Yeah, I remember from Dad’s visit."

"Come on then. I’ll get two brooms, and we’ll fly there."

Hermione slowly gained consciousness, in a dark room, with stained glass windows. She struggled with her bonds weakly.

"Ah, you are awake I ssssee," hissed a voice from an immensely dark corner.

"Who are you?" cried Hermione, squinting into the corner. "Leave me in peace!"

"I am my master’sss ssservant," replied the voice. "I am Nagini," it paused, waiting for a reaction for Hermione, who shrugged.

"Never heard of you."

A black snake slid out of the corner, and reared in front of her. "That is becaussse, my Massster hasss never told anyone."

"What the...? I’m speaking snake?"

"No, you are ssspeaking Parssseltongue. My massster, the Dark Lord hasss bewitched you."

"Huh?"

"For a necromancer, you are pretty ssstupid."

"How the hell did you...?"

"My Massster knowsss everything, human. He hasss decided to do away with Potter once and for all."

"Oh, my God!"

"He isss here! I mussst tell Massster." Nagini hissed, rearing herself up, for it was a she, and sliding out of the room under the door.

"Harry," screamed Hermione in Parseltongue, though she doubted he could hear her. "It’s a trap!"

Harry recoiled as he heard a faint echo of Hermione’s scream. "Did you hear that?"

"No. Can you see the resemblance?" Ron asked, pointing at the Malfoy’s family ancestors, totally disinterested.

"Come on. We’ve got to find Herm and get out of here."

"Too late, Potter. She’ll be in the chamber now."

It was Draco Malfoy. Ron launched himself at Malfoy, and this time, Harry didn’t stop him.

Malfoy led Harry towards the chamber Hermione was being held in. Ron, discovering where it was, decided to go round the back with the broomsticks, in case anything went wrong. He knocked Malfoy out, and hid him in a cupboard. Then, Harry kicked open the door. There was no one in there.

Except...what was that bundle in the corner, under the stained glass window? "Hermione?" cried Harry, rushing forward.

She stirred in his arms. "Mmm...Harry? You’re here? Must...go...trap!"

"A what?" asked Harry, but Hermione had fainted.

"She said ‘trap’, Harry." A sinister voice, familiar, came from behind him.

"Oh, God, the trouble doesn’t stop, does it? First Malfoy, now you." Harry turned to face the Dark Lord. "So what do you want now? To kill me?"

"How about a little duel, Harry. To the death. The winner takes all."

"I don’t think..." Harry was cut off by the smashing of glass as Ron flew through the window, balanced precariously on two broomsticks. "Harry, get Hermione and run!" He threw a broomstick to Harry, and lost balance, falling onto the stunned Death Eaters and Voldemort. "Run!"

"What about you?" Harry yelled, as Voldemort snarled; "Get him, you fools! Get Potter!"

"I’ll be fine! Go!"

Grabbing the broom, and Hermione, Harry managed to get to the window. A Death Eater lunged, but Harry flew out of the window, and into the dark night, dodging curses. He waited anxiously for Ron to appear. He appeared soon.

"I’m ok, Harry, I’m o..." he yelled, before the Cruciatus curse hit him. His body, losing control, fell with a sickening ‘thud!’, and his arms splayed at weird angles on the floor, broken.

Harry shot down to Ron, laying Hermione aside. "Ron! Ron?" He started panicking.

His friend coughed suddenly and opened his eyes. "Can’t...move, Harry. Told you...I’d get you out...alive. How’s Herm?"

"She’s fine, just fainted. But you..."

"Tell everyone...at home...love them...Eloise...You and Herm...best friends. Forever."

And with a faint sigh, Ronald Weasley, best friend to The Boy Who Lived, brother, boyfriend, and bravest Gryffindor, died.