章 41: A Night of Revelations
The red spread from Ron's ears to encompass his entire face as he reached for his wand. Before he could get it clear of his robes three wands were under his chin. He froze as he saw the three sets of eyes locked on his.
Harry's eyes were the dark green intensity that Ron knew was only a short way from fury; Neville's eyes were a determined and focused look that Ron had never seen, but it was Hermione's eyes that really disquieted him. Her eyes were steeled with a glare that made the term scary seem like something pleasant. If looks could kill, Ron knew at that moment he would be dead.
"You pull out that wand Ron, and you'll regret it more than you can ever know," Hermione growled. "You try to hurt Harry and what he leaves of you, I'll finish off. Is that clear enough?"
All Ron could do was nod as the red in face and ears had turned ashen.
"Oh don't worry love," Harry said to Hermione, "I'll leave plenty for you, but if he were to try to hurt you, I can't promise anything will be left."
The three of them put away their wands and brushed past Ron on the way to the common room. As Hermione was walking out the door she turned around and looked at the boy who she had been tricked into liking as more than a friend. "Ron, if it helps, I heard Lavender Brown talking about you in a nice way."
"Lavender? Are you putting me on?"
"No Ron, I'm not, but I really don't care if you believe it or not," Hermione replied and then followed Harry and Neville down the steps. As the evening progressed Ron stopped seething about Harry and Hermione and started thinking about Lavender and how she had looked at him in Divinations in the last class. "She's better looking than Hermione is anyway," He thought. "Especially since she has bigger knockers."
"So Ron never even liked me?" Hermione asked Harry when they were arranged around a table with Neville studying.
"Did I ever tell you what the locket said to Ron when we opened it?"
"No."
Harry brought up the memory and pushed it toward Hermione. She saw the locket open
"I have seen your heart, and it is mine."
"I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible, but all that you dread is also possible..."
"Least loved, always, by the mother who craved a daughter . . . Least loved, now, by the girl who prefers your friend . . . Second best, always, eternally overshadowed . . ."
Hermione saw the images of her and Harry rise out of the locket and it continued,
"Why return? We were better without you, happier without you, glad of your absence... We laughed at your stupidity, your cowardice, your presumption-" Riddle-Harry said.
"Presumption!" echoed the Riddle-Hermione,
"Who could look at you, who would ever look at you, beside Harry Potter? What have you ever done, compared with the Chosen One? What are you, compared with the Boy Who Lived?"
Hermione swallowed as the image came to an end. "His desire wasn't me was it, but not to be second to you?"
Harry nodded. "I realized that upstairs. It just came to me. When it happened, he had just pulled me out of the pond so I was thinking of Ron differently and that made me interpret the locket differently. But now I see that he thought if he could have the person who meant the most to me, he would finally be able to think of himself as equal to me if not better," Harry explained. "I…"
"Don't say you feel sorry for him Harry. You did not cause his self-esteem issues; you have always treated him with respect and as an equal," Hermione replied. She got up and sat in Harry's lap and kissed him gently. "You are the better man Harry. You have proven it time and time again," After a few minutes of ensuring he knew that with tender kisses, she returned to her seat and turning to Neville. "Now the color changing charm is going to be on the OWLs so make sure you have…"
When they had been studying for several minutes, the Portrait hole opened and Umbridge and Malfoy came charging in talking to each other with McGonagall following behind them.
"Now Minerva," Umbridge said to the trailing professor. "When you see Potter and Granger are out after curfew, you'll have to agree that they need to be…" Her voice trailed off as she saw Harry, Hermione and Neville arranged at the table studying.
Harry and Hermione could see the relief spread over McGonagall's face as she also saw the trio of students.
"Is there anything we can do for you Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked.
"That's alright Ms. Granger," McGonagall replied. "It seems our High Inquisitor was under the impression that you were out after curfew. In fact Mr. Filch and Mrs. Norris are at this moment combing the castle looking for you."
"Well as you can see we are here studying since tonight isn't one of my nights to make rounds," Hermione replied.
Umbridge was staring at Draco and hissing something to him under her breath. They could see the blond Slytherin turn red as he retreated out the portrait hole. The toad like woman took one last look at the Gryffindor trio, then without saying a word she turned and followed her inquisitor squad member out of the tower.
McGonagall turned back to her favorite students and her normally pursed lips were almost smiling. "Good night Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom." She turned to leave then stopped and turned back, "And ten points each for diligent studying."
Once McGonagall had left, the trio smirked amongst themselves. They continued to study for a couple of hours before finally heading to bed. Harry and Neville found Ron fast asleep on his bed with his face plastered in his History of Magic book drooling on the pages. Harry grinned at Neville. "Well he tried to study too."
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