It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 12: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry couldn't sit still. He was pacing up and down the Gryffindor common room anxiously. The other two were sitting tensely on sofas. Harry and Hermione had just gotten back from their detention and, after a hushed debate on whether or not they should go upstairs and wake Ron up to tell him straightaway or wait until the morning. Eventually, Harry ran up into the boys' dorm and shook Ron awake. Ron had protested in a hushed voice until Harry told him that they had met a centaur, which caused Ron to jump out of bed in a manner that almost woke up the whole castle.

"He wants that stone...it'll keep him alive..." Harry thought out loud.

"Eh?" Ron asked.

"Snape is trying to get the Philosopher's Stone for Voldemort, and Voldemort is waiting in the Forest for him to get it." Hermione explained impatiently.

"Stop saying the name!" Ron whispered, sounding terrified.

Neither Harry nor Hermione was listening.

"Firenze saved us..." Harry began.

"...but he shouldn't have done." Hermione interrupted,"The other centaurs were furious..."

"...and he was talking about interfering with the planets..."

"They know Voldemort's coming back..." Hermione added darkly,"...and the centaurs think that Firenze should have-" she trailed off anxiously.

"-let Voldemort kill me." Harry finished gravely.

"Will you stop saying the name?" Ron hissed.

"So all we have to wait for now is for Snape to steal the Stone." Harry went on feverishly,"Then, Voldemort'll be able to come and finish me off...I suppose that'll make the centaurs happy."

Hermione looked terrified,"Harry, everyone says that Dumbledore is the only one that Voldemort has ever been afraid of." She comforted him gently,"With Dumbledore around, you can't be touched. With Dumbledore around, you'll be safe."

"Please," Ron begged,"don't say it; it sounds cursed!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Ron!" Hermione snapped,"I think we all ought to go to bed. It's getting light outside."

Harry looked out of the window to see that the sun was, in fact, breaking the horizon. The trio bade each other good night - even though it was well into the morning - and went up to their dorms silently. When he pulled back his covers, Harry found his invisibility cloak neatly folded with a note that read: Just in case.

***********

The exams were over and everyone was happy, except for Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and there's nothing you can say that'll stop me!" Harry spat,"I'll use my invisibility cloak. No one will see me that way."

"Will that cloak cover all three of us, though, mate?" Ron peered at Harry questioningly.

"All...all three of us?"

"Oh, come off it, Harry!" Hermione said,"You don't actually think that we would let you go alone, do you? How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us?"

"But if you're caught, you'll get expelled too!" Harry objected.

"Not if I can help it." Hermione said grimly,"Flitwick told me in secret that I got one hundred and twelve per cent on my Charms exam. They're not throwing me out after that, and if they don't throw me out then they can't throw you two out." She said simply, rummaging through a book.