Chapter Eleven
Ron ran around the school grounds, searching for any sign of Hermione or Malfoy. He checked the library, the Great Hall, and even some of the forbidden corridors. He couldn’t find them anywhere.
Glancing around the courtyard, about to give up, he heard sobbing coming from behind him. Ron turned around and saw Hermione crossing the bridge, reentering Hogwarts. He ran towards her, walking along with her as she kept looking at the ground.
“Hermione, what’s wrong?” he asked. “What did he do?” Hermione just shook her head, tears coming out of her eyes like sprinklers. Then Ron tried grabbing her so she would answer him. She pushed him away. “Hermione, what happened?” He grabbed her again, and this time she did something unexpected.
She punched him.
Ron backed away, staring down at his hand that had blood dripping onto it.
“Bloody hell….,” he muttered, then looked back up at her. Hermione was standing there, just staring at him. Her eyes were blood shot and her face was soaked with tears. Drops hung off of her eyelashes and lips. She was trying not to let another cry escape.
“I’m sorry,” Hermione whispered, and then ran off. Ron was shocked for a moment, and then became furious. He ran around Hogwarts yet again in search of Malfoy.
Draco sat on the ground of Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, thinking; pondering if the rest of his existence could get any worse.
“Another fight with Hermione?” Myrtle asked. Draco nodded. “Well that’s too bad.” Then they both heard screaming in the hallway. Different colors of light peered from under the door.
“He’s crazy!”
“Weasley has gone bonkers!”
“Help!”
The bathroom door burst open and an angry looking Ron stepped in, his wand at the ready. Myrtle screeched and dived into the nearest toilet, sending the pipes into a frenzy. Then just as Ron raised his wand at Draco, thunder boomed over the castle, and specks of rain started to cloud the window that provided the foggy light in the bathroom.
“A Wizard’s Duel, right now Malfoy!” Ron challenged. “Get your wand out!” Draco did as told. “Now hold it up!” As soon as Draco had brought his wand to waist level Ron waved his wand.
“Crucio!” Sparks flew out the end of Ron’s wand and hit Draco square in the chest. Draco fell to his knees and then fell to the side, writhing in pain. He started to laugh.
“Didn’t know you had it in you, Weasley,” he said. This just infuriated Ron further and Ron waved his wand again.
“Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!” Draco’s body pulsed as if he was having a seizure. Weasley broke out in a cold sweat as he started to raise his wand again. “Cruci-”
“Weasley!” someone shouted. Ron’s wand flew out of his hand and across the room. He turned around and saw Professor McGonagall standing in the doorway. His face went as pale as Moaning Myrtle’s. “My office, now.”
Next, he slumped over and followed another teacher out of the room while McGonagall went over and knelt down next to Malfoy. She muttered a few incantations as the battered Malfoy started to look almost normal. The Headmistress patted his shoulder a few times as she helped him up.
“Are you alright, Malfoy?” He looked up at her, but his eyes just closed.
“No,” he breathed. “He meant it. He wanted to kill me.”