Hey, this is my first shot at fan fiction. This story is a romantic drama with a few one liners here and there. Please review! I'd really appreciate any constructive criticism or praise you offer.

Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling, nor do I write like her, so I don't own Harry Potter!

VENGEANCE by MyKonstantine

Chapter 1: The Path We Walk

"ARRGGGGHHH! HERMIONE!" Ron screeched, darting after an infamous ball of orange fur. "How am I supposed to pack anything if Crookshanks keeps nicking my bloody wand?"

Ron hurried over to where the cat frolicked and quickly snatched his wand. Crookshanks leapt after the wand as if it was filled with catnip and clawed into Ron's arm, leaving a thin oozing gash on his forearm. With a swing of his arm, he swung Crookshanks across the room until the tabby came to a skidding stop next to Pig's cage.

"Oh, Ron! Don't scare him! He was just playing!" Hermione scolded, scooping Crookshanks up into her arms. The old, fat cat purred loudly as Hermione scratched behind his ears.

"PLAYING, you say?" Ron held up his arm so that she could see the long red cut to which he was tending. "At least he wasn't trying to eat my owl this time."

Hermione simply ignored him and walked into the other room, placing Crookshanks on the kitchen counter. She had been sharing this flat with Harry and Ron for almost a year, yet they were far from orderly. The rivalry between Ron and Crookshanks continued to cause chaos day after day.

Harry walked out of his bedroom, lugging a large trunk behind him. He walked across the kitchen and clunked the trunk next to Hermione's trunk by the door.

"Why Paris?" Harry sighed. "Why couldn't this damn ceremony be in London like every other Ministry affair?"

"I told you, Harry! This is an international ceremony!" She said, scanning the flat for anything she might have left behind. "The defeat of the Dark Lord was because of international wizarding cooperation, you know." Harry rolled his eyes and nodded.

"What's taking Ron so long to pack anyway?"

As if taking that as a sign of entrance, Ron stumbled through the doorway of his room with his trunk firmly placed on his right shoulder. He saw Harry and Hermione waiting impatiently, and boyishly smiled as to get himself out of a lecture about being on time.

"I'm all packed! I've got everything this time!" He announced as he put his trunk top of Harry's. Hermione gave him a skeptical look.

"I'm serious!" He said, before she even commented. "I'm 18 years old, I can pack my own clothes!" She still continued to look at him quizzically. "Check for yourself, if you must!"

Hermione flipped open the lid out Ron's trunk and peered inside. She shuffled around a bit before pointing her wand toward Ron's bedroom and muttering "Accio Socks!"

Three pairs of socks came zooming into the kitchen. Two landed neatly in Ron's trunk, while the third flew straight into Ron's head. He picked them up and handed them to Hermione. She placed them in his trunk, and gave him a look that clearly said 'I told you so.'

"Incompetent." She mumbled, shutting the trunk once again.

"Know-it-all." He coughed out as he picked it up.

"C'mon guys!" Harry said, ignoring the frustrations between them. "We've got to get to that portkey on time."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ginny waved frantically as the trio clambered up the steep hill. Harry was first to reach the top. When he reached her, he toppled over, landing on top of his trunk.

"You can stop and breathe. I've already found the portkey." She held up a crushed orange soda can.

"I hate lugging this thing through muggle towns." He said, patting his trunk right where the letters 'HP' were etched into it. "It's every man for himself. I lost track of Ron and Hermione." He looked up at Ginny. "How did you manage?"

"I put a hover charm on my trunk and then threw your invisibility cloak over it." She said, smiling sweetly. "You left it over my house yesterday." A deep red blush fell over her.

Before he could reply, a shrill screech reached their ears. They turned to see Ron running up the hill with two trunks in one arm and Hermione in the other. His muscles bulged and the strain could be seen in his face, but Hermione was thoroughly enjoying herself.

When they finally reached the other two, Harry murmured "Showoff!" Ginny giggled.

"Here's the portkey! Grab on! We have about thirty seconds!"

"Do you think they'll get together this time? Or will they always be this hopeless?" Ginny whispered into Harry's ear.

Ron looked confused by the gaze between his sister and his best friend, but Hermione smiled knowingly and averted Ron's attention to her once again.

"I bet they will." Harry hissed into Ginny's ear. "Paris is the city of romance, after all."

"But this is Ron and Hermione!"

Before they could continue to argue their points, they felt a tight tug at their navels.