Together (A Harry Potter love story) 3

54

MILLIES POV

My mind had gone blank with shock. I stood transfixed with horror, while Ron, trembling, pulled the Invisibility Cloak from our heads. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind us, I heard a wild howling.

"Hagrid," I muttered. Without thinking about what I was doing, I made to turn back, but both Ron and Harry seized my arms.

"We can't, Mills," said Harry quietly, gently pulling me closer to him and pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "He'll be in worse trouble if they knew we've been to see him..."

Needing some kind of comfort, I draped my arms around his neck and pulled him even closer to me, burying my face into his neck. Harry instantly hugged me back, and again I felt his lips press against the top of my head. This time, I didn't hesitate in moving my head slightly so that my mouth had a way to his jaw, softly pressing my lips
against his skin, not bothering to reach up to his cheek. I felt his heart hammering against his chest, making me wonder whether he was just as nervous as I was. At the kiss against his jaw, he sucked in a short breath, but, for the first time in my life, I didn't tease him for it. I just moved my head so that it was leant on his shoulder, while he traced my back up and down with his fingers, muttering comforting words into my ear. I covered up the small shivers my body was making by snaking my arms even tighter around his neck, standing on my tip-toes to make sure I was as close to the boy as possible, our chests pressed against one another's. My eyes flicked to the side, where, to my complete and utter shock, Mione and Ron were hugging. As awkward as it looked, at least they both looked slightly more comforted in each other's arms.

"We need to go," Harry whispered, his messy hair tickling beneath my ear. Wordlessly, I nodded, running my hand through his hair shakily, before pulling away, feeling empty and cold without him touching me.

"...come on," I heard Ron say to Mione, and was pleasantly surprised to see both their cheeks tinged pink. Mione walked over to me, linking her arm through mine, parting her lips but not saying anything; she didn't need to. Her distraught expression told me everything.

Light was fading fast now. By the time we reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around us.

"Scabbers, please keep still," Ron whispered helplessly, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still - OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, be quiet!" Mione hissed urgently, squeezing my arm even tighter. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute-"

"He won't - stay - put-" Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip. "What's the matter with him?"

But I had just seen - slinking towards us, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness - Crookshanks. Whether he could see us, or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, I couldn't tell.

I nudged Mione, pointing at her pet. "Look..."

"Crookshanks!" Mione groaned, waving the cat away. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

But the cat was getting nearer...

"Scabbers - NO!"

Too late - the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before any of us could stop him, Ron had pelted away into the darkness.

"Ron!" Mione yelled, gripping her hair angrily.

"Harry!" I yelled, as Harry sprinted after his friend.