Break it Up (Ron Weasley)

13. Truth

"He knows?" I repeated in disbelief. "How?"

"I don't know," Hermione sighed, placing her chin in her hands exhaustedly.

"Pfft, how could he know?" Ron scoffed defensively, snatching the note from my hands to get a closer look himself. "This could mean anything."

"Oh yeah, he must've intended for it to go to the other people who followed him into the Room of Requirement and went through the vanishing cabinet!" I replied sarcastically, while Ron glared at me.

"We have to confront him," Hermione blurted nervously, glancing back and forth between the both of us.

"Are you insane?" Ron asked loudly, slamming the note down on the table, earning him a few stares from the other kids in the room. "He already tried to kill me once."

"What else are we going to do?" Hermione asked, biting her bottom lip. "Wait around and see who he tries to use amortentia on next?"

"You're right," I agreed, standing up from the bench.

"Can't we change first?" Ron whined, trudging over to our side of the table in his snow gear. "I'll never hear the end of it if I confront him wearing this."

"Sure, but do it quickly," Hermione instructed. "Let's meet in the Room of Requirement when you're done."

"Okay," Ron and I agreed in unison, rushing over to the exit to go back to our rooms.

I changed out of my wet clothes quickly, casting them on the floor carelessly. Merlin knows no one wants to keep Hermione waiting too long.

I opened my door to rush back out and ran straight into Ron, who was standing in the doorway sweaty and out of breath. He looked hot like that.

"Woah," he laughed, taking a step back from the impact.

"Sorry," I breathed, grinning up at him.

"Let's go," he said, and the two of us took off in the direction of the seventh floor.

We approached the entrance hesitantly, no sign of Hermione anywhere. "She's probably already inside," I observed, as the entrance was open.

"Hermione?" Ron called through the door, stepping completely into the room now. "We're here."

"Shh!" came Hermione's hushed voice from an area we couldn't quite identify.

"Hermione?" I repeated, looking in every direction to try and find her. "Where are you?"

"Down here," she whispered, and Ron and I turned to see her squatted behind an old set of table and chairs. "Be quiet," she ordered, motioning for us to kneel with her.

Ron and I crouched down next to her, confused as to why exactly we were hiding. "What's going on?" Ron whispered.

"He's in here too," she spat, holding her fingers to her lips to shush ur further.

"Who?" Ron asked, and I hit him lightly on the arm.

"Who do you think?" I asked, and Ron made a face in response.

Draco was muttering as he sat hunched over next to the vanishing cabinet. We couldn't make out much of what he was saying, but I heard snippets. "...knew it wouldn't work..." and "...why did I even bother..." he whispered harshly to himself as the sound of empty bottles hitting the ground rang out.

Ron couldn't contain himself anymore. "Ah ha!" he exclaimed, jumping up from behind the table and aiming his wand right at Draco's forehead. "I knew it!"

Draco was surprised by our presence, but a part of him seemed like he expected it. "Took you long enough," he scoffed, brushing off his pants and standing up himself.