Redemption II

Chapter 65

oO September Oo

"Did she find it?

"Not yet."

"Will she?"

"Soon."

oOo

Two days had passed since Ron had confessed everything. Two days since Hermione had warded herself inside her room. She hadn't had anything to say to him after his confession. She had merely lowered her eyes from his and gone to her room. He had tried to stay awake to try and see her, but she if she was leaving, she wasn't doing it through her door. He had actually slept outside on the balcony one night to see if she might have been leaving through her window but he hadn't seen her if she had. He was growing worried. She needed to eat, she needed to go to work.

He had told Harry just that morning via floo what had happened. He knew he was on his way, though he was sure there was another punch coming his way for having waited so long. He had been hoping that she would have come out on her own. But it was the dawn of the third day, and nothing had changed. He'd tried and failed miserably to lower her wards but they were simply too complex for him to even reveal. His worry had only compounded.

Ginny was off at Hogwarts, he'd gotten the news via letter from his mom that she'd been made Head Girl. He was proud of her and had wanted to be there to send her off but his concern over Hermione's sequestration had taken precedence. He was set to go back to the office that afternoon for more training and he very well couldn't do so until he knew she was alright.

Ron turned his head from the small tea stain on the counter when a sharp knock broke the deafening silence. He pushed himself around the counter and braced himself for when he opened the door. As it swung open he winced sharply and closed his eyes but the blow he had been expecting never came. He peeked his eyes open one at a time before letting out the breath he'd been holding.

"I've found her."

"She-she's not in her room?"

"No, apparently she's been staying at the Hogshead during the night but Aberforth doesn't know where she's going during the day. She leaves too early and only comes back after the bar has cleared."

Ron couldn't hold himself up any longer. The stress of not knowing what damage he had caused finally fell with all its weight. He covered his face and let out a small sob of relief that she was at the very least, sleeping in someplace safe.

"I think its best I collect her things and bring them to Grimmauld place."

"I understand..." Ron didn't look up as Harry came further into the room. Rather he pushed himself to the wall and just hung his head in his hands. He had nothing to say in his defense. This mess was entirely his own.

oOOo

Hermione turned slowly on the spot, she'd thought she'd followed the clue but just as yesterday, she was at a dead end. She sighed heavily and gave a small pull on the reigns of the horse she had borrowed from Hagrid. She'd caught him just before he was meant to be leaving for the morning to gather the first years from the train. Their time had been short so he hadn't asked her any questions on why she had needed it. For that she was thankful. A magical horse, she was able to make a portkey that attached to his saddle and would take them both where she wanted to go. She'd hid the horse with Aberforth's goats overnight but she knew she needed to return him.

She had gone to one of the addresses Harry and she had found in the old book at Grimmauld place. Using an old map they'd found as well to create the portkey. It had been tricky but she'd managed. The town was meant to have been a large orchid town but what she found were ruins. Rows and rows of ruins. She couldn't tell if they had been simply abandoned or victims of the war. The orchid didn't look too overgrown so she had guessed that it was part of the latter.