The Stone

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I know I've been updating this story a lot (not even sorry) but I want to get it finished so I can move onto the next book.

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"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, trying to ignore the feeling of chemistry between them both. They were very scared, and soon Hagrid's footsteps vanished and they couldn't hear anything but the rustling leaves around them.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Bella.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville...It's our fault he's here in the first place"

Bella nodded. "How could we have been so clueless as to leave the Cloak on top of the tower?!"

"I guess we were too happy to notice," Harry shrugged. "Anyway, what's been up with you?"

"What do you mean?"

Harry gave her the 'you know what I mean' look. "I mean, you've been acting differently since we found that Mirror. What's up?"

Bella swallowed thicky. "I don't think I've been acting differently..." Lie"  if anything, I think I've been acting normal...in fact, I think we've become closer"

Harry looked at her trying to figure out if she was telling the truth. "You're lying, what did you see in that Mirror?"

"I told you," Please don't question in any further

"Whatever," she could see him shrugging in the darkness. "Keep it to yourself, but I'll get it out of you eventually," Bella was happy to see that he was grinning at her.

They fell into silence then and the minutes ticked by. Their eyes sharper than usual. Bella seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind and every cracking twig as her mind replayed her conversation with Harry. He was getting suspicious and she knew one day she would crack. But, right now, she had other things to worry about. What was going on? Where were the others?

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him for a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups - Neville you stay with me an' Bella, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done"

Bella gave Malfoy a glare before reaching up and pressing her lips to his cheek, once again surprising them both. "Be careful"

Harry blushed in the darkness. "Er- y-yeah. You too"

After they said their goodbyes, Harry set off into the heart of the Forest with Malfoy whilst Bella and the other went the other way. They were separated and Harry was stuck with Malfoy.

They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the Forest until a path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Harry thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Harry could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.

"Look-" he murmured, holding his arm out to Stop Malfoy. 

Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.