falling ; hp

─── Thirty eight

Harry and Hermione led Umbridge to the forest whereas Willow and others had somehow escaped themselves from Malfoy and his friends. It has been an hour since the duo entered the forest and everyone were worried for them.

Willow and her friends entered the forbidden forest in search of the duo. Ron came beside her as he softly pulled her in a side hug. Willow smiled a little as she sighed.

"I liked your comments earlier," he said as Willow chuckled.

"Have you apologised to Andrea?" Willow whispered as she sneaked a glance aside to see Andrea behind them as she hugged her own body and didn't dare to look up.

"I tried," Ron said and sighed in defeat. "Several times. . . But, she's not giving in,"

"As she should. You literally called her a traitor in front of everyone, " Willow said as Ron lowered his head in embarrassment.

"If you apologise wholeheartedly, then she might forgive you," Ron hummed in response as he looked up only to smile widely. Willow frowned in confusion as she too looked ahead to see Harry and Hermione.

"Harry! Hermione!" Willow called out as the duo paused on their tracks and looked behind. Smiling in relief, Willow and her friends neared them.

"Are you both alright? Did that toad di---" before she could complete her sentence, Harry pulled her in a tight hug and sighed against her neck. Willow relaxed in his arms as she embraced him. When Umbridge had slapped her, Willow was truly scared. Even her own dad had never laid his hand on her and she was furiated at that thought.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled as Willow pulled away and cupped his cheeks. His face was wounded here and there, but man was hot and beautiful in her eyes.

"Stop," she whispered as her gaze flickered over his green ones. "It's not your fault. Stop apologising and let's save our God father from that nose-less guy," Harry chuckled softly as he nodded his head.

"So romantic!" Ginny teased them as the couple pulled away and glared at the red head, who was smirking triumphantly.

"So," said Ron, pushing aside a low-hanging branch and holding
out Harry's wand, "had any ideas?"

"How did you get away?" asked Harry in amazement, taking his
wand from Ron.

"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a re-
ally nice little Impediment Jinx," said Ron airily, now handing back Hermione's wand too. "But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy - Bat-Bogey Hex - it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you heading into the forest out of the window and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?"

"She got carried away," said Harry. "By a herd of centaurs."

"And they left you behind?" asked Ginny, looking astonished.

"No, they got chased off by Grawp," said Harry.

"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked interestedly.

"Hagrid's little brother," Willow said promptly. "Anyway, Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has Voldemort got Sirius or - ?"

"Yes," said Harry, as his scar gave another painful prickle, "and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him."

"Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" said Luna in the closest thing to a matter-of-fact voice Harry had ever heard her use.

"Okay," said Harry irritably, rounding on her, "first of all, 'we'
aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron's the only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so -"