𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 - 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 (𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟒)

12 - Christmas Day

CAROLINE'S POV

We apparated into the woods. I didn't know where we were, and frankly I didn't really care.

I fell to the ground, choking out sobs as I lay in the snow.

"Shh, it's okay," Ron hugged me on the ground.

The second I have him back, he's gone. When will this be over?

"Caroline we have to go, look," Ron pointed. I looked up, my eyes filled with tears. There stood a blue doe; someone's patronus.

"Harry," I muttered, scrambling to my feet, wiping tears from my eyes with my sleeves.

Compose yourself. Stop crying. Suppress your damn feelings.

I took a shaky deep breath, the stag running further into the forest.

"Let's go," I grabbed Ron's hand, and we began to run through the trees, after the patronus.

The patronus dissapeared, leading us to a frozen lake in the center of the forest. A glinting silver object sat inside, a portion of the ice broken, bubbles arising from the center.

"Oh my god, someone's in there," I pointed, two hands pounding from under the ice.

Ron took off his shirt, diving into the water. I quickly pressed my hands on the ice, making the water warm, the ice melting away. Ron burst upwards, Harry in his arms.

"Take him, the sword is still down there," Ron panted. I grabbed Harry, pulling him up onto the banks of the lake.

I flipped him over, water coughing out of his lungs.

"There you go," I patted his back, taking the locket off of his neck, placing it on mine.

"Hermione?" he grumbled.

"Turn around you lunatic, what were you thinking diving into a pit of frozen water with THAT on?" I yelled at him.

"You're back," he smiled, hugging me.

"You're getting my clothes wet," I complained, but hugged him nonetheless.

Ron returned to us, the sword in his hand.

"You're bloody lucky we showed up," he smiled.

"So you guys casted the doe," Harry asked.

"We thought it was you," I said.

"No, mine's a stag," Harry exclaimed, putting his shirt and pants back on.

"You look like you've been crying," Harry looked at me in concern.

"What? No, I'm fine," I exclaimed.

"Caroline, you go back to the tent and get warm, Ron and I will destroy the thing. We can talk about it in the morning, okay? Go get some rest," Harry exclaimed.

"Are you sure-"

"We'll be alright," he cut me off.

I ran up to the tent, running inside, greeted with warm, toasty air.

I threw my coat off, allowing the heat to absorb into my skin. Hermione was asleep, and I didn't have the heart to wake her, so I went to my bed, sat down to unpack my things, then fell fast asleep.

The next morning...

I woke up to Hermione shaking my shoulders.

"You're back," she hugged me, my eyes still half closed.

"Thank Merlin we are at that, your little boyfriend wouldn't shut up about you," I smiled.

"Hey," Ron smiled, standing in the middle of the tent, the gryffindor sword still in his hand as he stared at Hermione.

"You, complete, ARSE RONALD WEASLEY," She stood up, shoving him. "You show up here after weeks, and say, 'hey'?" her face twisted with anger.

"Harry where's my wand? Where's my wand?"

"I don't know-"

"Harry Potter you give me my wand!!!"

"I don't have it," he stammered.

"How come he's got your wand?" Ron asked.

"Nevermind why he's got my wand," she yelled. "What is that?" she asked, approaching Ron again, to see the destroyed horcrux in his other hand.

"You managed to kill it," I smiled.

"And how is it you just happen to have the sword of Gryffindor?" Hermione asked.

"It's a long story," Harry panted.

"Don't think this changes anything," Hermione growled.

"Well of course not, I only just destroyed a bloody horcrux. Why would that change anything?" Ron yelled. "Look, I wanted to come back as soon as I left," Ron stammered.

"Can you confirm that?" Hermione looked over at me. I nodded.

"How did you find us? And Caroline, why were you crying when you arrived?" Harry asked.

My chest tightened as I remembered what had happened last night. It all felt like some weird fever dream.

I just looked up at Harry. I didn't want to talk about it.

"It was the deluminator, it doesn't just give and take light," Ron exclaimed.

"So?" Harry asked me.

"We camped out at my old flat for the weeks we were apart, and on Christmas Eve night, the deluminator began to shake. When Ron opened it, this blue ball of light appeared and began moving, so we followed it. It led us into the alley and.." my voice hitched.

"We saw Malfoy," Ron finished my sentence for me.

"What?" Harry said, surprised.

"Did you see each other?" Hermione asked me.

I nodded, biting my lip to hold back the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes.

"Caroline I'm so sorry," Hermione gave me a hug.

"It's alright, it was a good Christmas present I guess," I smiled.

That Night...

"You should forgive him," I sat with Hermione outside by the fire.

"Why?" she asked. "What did he say?"

"The entire time we were together he couldn't stop talking about you. He feels genuinely sorry for leaving, I'm pretty sure he cried about it one night," I joked. She blushed.

"So what did you guys do while you stayed at the flat?" she asked me.

"Played a lot of wizarding chess, looked out the window, blah blah. Only Ron could go outside so I was stuck in my room pretty much the entire time. It was very boring," I exclaimed.

"REDUCIO," Harry yelled from inside the tent.

"What the bloody hell are you two doing?" I yelled back.

"Nothing," they said.

"Crazy, those two," I giggled.

"I know, right? We should head to bed, it's getting late," she exclaimed.

"Right," I stood, holding out my hand to help her stand. We walked inside, cuddling up into our separate beds.

"Goodnight Hermione," Ron said quietly, probably hoping for some form of forgiveness. I looked at Hermione, raising my eyebrows. She sighed.

"Goodnight, Ronald."