Did I Use Too Much Magic?

Chapter 24

Ron's POV

As I walked in to the Great Hall that evening I saw the June sun setting through the high windows and knew summer had arrived. It had been sunny all week and me and Hermione had been taking Willow out in to the grounds of the school to soak up some rays.

I sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione, who got up as soon on as I sat down saying she wasn't hungry.

"What's up with you two?" Harry asked when Hermione was out of ear shot.

"I don't know, she's just been acting really guilty and awkward for the past few days... I've tried to talk to her but it's no use, she's been avoiding me,"

At that moment Professor McGonagall came up behind me, "Mr Weasley you need to go down to the Quidditch Pitch as soon as you've finished your meal, you will there be given instructions on the final task," she gave me a pat on the shoulder and walked away.

So after my meal me and Viktor walked to the Quidditch Pitch together, "I've really missed Quidditch this year," he said.

"Yea, Harry has more than me, but I still miss it tons,"

"I vonder vhy the pitch as been out of bounds,"

"I think we're about to find out why," I state as I look through the door and on to the Quidditch Pitch which is where I see nothing but lots of greenery. Me and Viktor just stand and stare, "It looks more like a greenhouse,"

"That Mr Weasley is because it is a maze," Dumbledore said, coming up beside us with Draco and Gabrielle behind him.

"So this is the final task?" Viktor asks.

"Yes, but it's going to be a little more dangerous than that. There will be many magical obstacles in your way which you will have to defend yourself against. You will also have no idea what is to come. All I am allowed to say is there is going to be a maze and the Triwizard Cup is going to be placed in the middle of it and the first champion to find it will be crowned the winner, all clear?"

We nodded and we were then dismissed. Nobody conversed on the way back to the castle, we were too busy thinking of strategies and spells to help us win the tournament.

Once I was away from everybody else I ran all the way back to the Common Room, a plan already formulating in my head. I ran past Harry, One Direction and Ginny and found Hermione knitting at a table by herself. When I sat down for once she didn't walk straight away she sat, not acknowledging me, but staying.

"Hey Hermione,"

"Hmmm," was her small response.

"I've just been told about the final task and what it consists of, do you want to help me prepare?"

She put down her knitting needles and looked me straight in the eye, "I'd love too," she grinned, and I grinned back.

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Me and Hermione spent the first 5 days going through hundreds of books in the library finding useful spells, charms and curses and noting them down and what they do and how easy they would be to learn.

We then spent many nights in the classrooms learning them all from most important to least, battling through the hard ones for nights on end.

Over those 3 weeks we seemed to reconnect and fall in love all over again, I loved it, I loved the time I spent their and most importantly I loved her.

It was the evening before the final task and a cushion had just whipped out of Hermione's hands and on to the floor. I had mastered all the spells and we just grinned at each other. She walked across the classroom and wrapped her arms around my neck and I just held her, "I'm going to win this for you and Willow you know that,"

She sighed heavily and pulled away, "I know you'll win," she sighed again, "But I have something I've been meaning to tell you," she sat down cross legged on the floor.

Nothing she could say would upset me now. I crossed the space between us and sat behind her, my legs spread apart and her back came through them and she leant against my chest, "I'm so sorry Ron," she breathed.

I stroked her hair, "You've done nothing wrong it's fine,"

"No. Stop being nice to me, it's hurting me more," she leaned up again and turned to face me, stroking my cheek, "I haven't been completely honest with you Ron and I'm so sorry for that. I need to explain myself, but please don't interupt because this is hard enough as it is. I should have been honest from the start,"

I just nodded for her to continue, "Remember a couple of weeks ago when I was really stand offish and I wouldn't speak?" I nodded again, "Well, that was because I received a letter... From a muggle hospital,"

"You're not seriously ill are you?!" I was scared, what if I was going to lose her forever.

"No, I'm fine, so's Willow... It's just... Ron... You're not her father,"

Her face was creased with pain and fear but I didn't see it, I didn't see anything, I didn't understand, "What do you mean? She has to be my daughter, who else's could she be?" She just gave me a pained look and I realised, "Draco," I said and I stood up to leave.

"Ron! You said you would listen!" she stood up too.

I turned to confront her "That was before I realised that you cheated on me!"

"I didn't cheat on you! This was off when I was dating Draco!"

I stood and stared at her silence, "But... You dated Draco for what? Two days?" She didn't respond so I continued, "You know, I didn't realise what you were. You throw yourself on boys, I thought what we had was real but no, you had sex with another boy under a week before me,"

She was crying and I could see it but I wasn't going to hug her, I couldn't, "It was real, and it still is," she said.

"Oh really, I bet you've been having secret meetings with him, haven't you? He's known all along that the baby was his, hasn't he?"

"He had an idea, but no-one knew for sure until I decided to find out. But Ron, listen... Just because Willow isn't your child... Don't you realise something? I chose you. I want you to be her father and I want to be with you. I want nothing to do with Draco, I only want you and Willow in my life. Please,"

She was pleading with me. I knew she had told me before the final task because she knew it would be dangerous. She knew I may never make it out alive. What if I don't want to be alive, "Just because you've said that doesn't mean I'll forgive you yet," I reply quietly.

"I know," she responds, equally quiet.

"But we can work it out soon, I have more pressing things to think about," I turn and have just reached the door when she chokes out:

"I love you Ronald Weasley,"

I have my hand on the door handle. She waits for me to respond. But no response comes and I leave the classroom. That's when I begin to sob.

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Author's Note

Hello! The next chapter will be the last and then the epilogue, then poof it's finished.

I can't actually believe it.

Anyhoo, I've been away on this thing with Durham University. It's a scheme where they try to convince young people to go to university when we're older and it was a pretty cool stay that I had for 3 days:) During that time I made friends but I also took part in the creative writing course they had running, it was great fun! My short story was read out in what they call the "project showcase" on the final day of the stay and everyone enjoyed it and it was great for giving me the confidence I needed to start writing my own story.

If anyone would like me to upload the story that I wrote I will, just ask!

Also I've put the P!nk song on the side because I think it represents the chapter and I love the song.

Hope everyone's had a great break from school!

Heather xx