“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Ron mumbled to Harry, trying to stay as far away from his as possible but still being hidden beneath the invisibility cloak. “I mean it was bad enough dealing with my sister when we wouldn’t let her come, but imagine if McGonagall catches us?” he reminded the raven-haired boy who stood silent beside him.

“Shut up, Ron, I think they’re coming. Anyways, Ginny understood that there wouldn’t be enough room for her to safely hide all three of us,” Harry mumbled. “Now hush up, here they are,” he jabbed Ron in the ribs. The carriage shook as Professor McGonagall climbed aboard, followed by a very nervous looking Hermione. Ron saw how shallow her cheeks were and the pain hidden in her chocolate brown eyes, but said nothing.
He was on the verge of screaming when he saw that Draco Malfoy climbed in behind her. Did Hermione invite that stupid ferret? He saw red as Malfoy sat strangely close to Hermione and gave her a reassuring smile.
That was his job.
Glancing at Professor McGonagall, Ron and Harry could see that she wasn’t too pleased with the situation either.

“Are you prepared?” she asked Hermione tightly. Hermione nodded grimly and stared straight at Ron and Harry. At first he thought that she could see him, but she was simply staring through the window in which they stood in front of.

“Granger, are you alright?” Malfoy asked her stiffly, nervous to be speaking to her in front of the Professor.

If she were she wouldn’t be going to St. Mungo’s… or be sitting here with you Ron thought grimly as he stared at them. Hermione looked at him and gave him a sweet smile, one that made Ron’s blood boil. He felt Harry nudge him briefly, but Ron ignored it. He couldn’t stop staring at Draco and Hermione.

“Yes,” she whispered and Ron’s eyes widened when he saw that the side of her hand was pressed gently against Malfoy’s. They were just sitting next to each other; of course they were going to touch. Still, Hermione should be drawing away as if he were acid. How is it that she chose him? Questions and logic were blurred by his anger.

“I see you two really took my warning to be civil to heart,” Professor McGonagall said through narrowed eyes. Hermione looked at Malfoy in a way that made Ron pull at his hair to keep from screaming.

“Well, he’s the only one who… he… I mean Professor, he lives with me,” she said. She narrowed her eyes at Hermione. “He sees me every morning, night, and day. He doesn’t know… but he’s the one person that knows the most. He knows which medication is which and how to help me in case of emergency. I brought him with me because… I guess he’s sort of become my safety net,” she said slowly. Malfoy seemed unaffected by this explanation.
Professor McGonagall smiled lightly.

“Well I’m happy that you put aside your personal and public differences to help overcome the current… problem,” she finished tightly and looking at the ground, ashamed of bringing it up. Hermione sighed and looked out the window again. Her lips moved as if she were speaking to herself.
Ron wanted to be her safety net. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to be there to help her when he was in trouble. But now because of her stupid Head Girl duties she was being pulled away from him and drawn towards that foul good-for-nothing egotistical bastard Malfoy.
They all sat in silence for the rest of the long journey to St. Mungo’s. Ron continued to give Draco his invisible death stare and Hermione continued to look right through him… literally.

Ron was too busy thinking to notice Harry leading him out of the carriage and into St. Mungo’s. He didn’t notice them checking in or even creeping along with them until they reached the destination.
Harry nudged Ron and when he looked up, he saw Professor McGonagall and Malfoy sitting in the waiting room impatiently. They both looked afraid, grim, and just plain petrified.
There was no sign of Hermione.
Ron led Harry a safe distance away from the two.

“What’s going on?” he asked. Harry rolled his eyes.

“You were so busy being pissed about Malfoy that you didn’t even notice Hermione go away with those Healers. She’s been gone for nearly twenty minutes,” Harry grumbled.

“In the name of Merlin, it’s been that long?” Ron exclaimed and Harry quieted him.

“Yes. She should be coming out any minute now,” Harry whispered. “Ron, I don’t think this was a very good idea. We should just go back to the carriage now…”

“NO! We came all the way here and we’re not backing down now,” Ron said angrily. He looked around. “Plus, the news can’t be that horrible, can it?” he grumbled. A door swung open with a whoosh of air and they froze in silence. They were too far away to hear what was happening.
Hermione came out, walking stiffly. A smile was plastered across her face. There was something wrong with her though. She was walking too stiffly. The smile was too wide. It was fake, and it was all wrong. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong…
That wasn’t true though. Hermione was standing there firmly, smiling. Nothing could be wrong.
Ron felt the fear and anxiety slowing lifting off of his shoulders…

Hermione collapsed to the floor, her body shaking with violent sobbing. Her hair hung in her face and she screamed in anger and pain and began to beat the floor violently. The Healers stood there watching, their heads lowered sadly.
Professor McGonagall watched in horror as tears filled her usually stern eyes. She buried her face in her hands and began to cry. Her cries were whispers compared to Hermione’s pained and nightmarish screams and wails.
Malfoy slid onto the floor beside her, calm and reassuring. He gathered her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest, pressing his lips against her head. She clung to him desperately, her face twisted as she sobbed and curled up against him. She looked as if she wanted to disappear and just melt into him. She looked like she wanted to die.

Ron and Harry could do nothing. They just stood there, helpless and unable to help their dearest friend in the world. They watched the tears and screams of anguish and they couldn’t move. They were rooted to the floor.
A single tear slipped from Ron’s eye. His lip trembled and his body shivered. A sudden revelation had come over him, one that he should have realized long ago. One that was so obvious but he had been denying since the first day he saw her at the beginning of the year.

Hermione Granger, his best friend and the girl he loved more than anything, was dying.

And there was nothing anyone could do to save her.

Heyya :) Y'know what I'm about to say so here goes!

J.K. Rowling owns all the characters and I am making no profit from this WHAT SO EVER...Apart from the mini high-five I give myself whenever I get another review(Yes, I know. I'm sad.)

So ya...See ya at tha bottom!!xx



Hermione felt physically sick.

She had just witnessed(unwillingly) the result of a group of 4th years dare - for each other to down a 1L bottle of pumpkin juice each, without stopping. 2 had puked, one had a coughing fit and had to sit down and sip a glass of fresh water, another 3 had squirted it all over the carriage walls, One had staggered out and hadn't come back , and the other two had easily finished and couldn't stop laughing at the others. Hermione had marched in and cleared it all up in a wave of a wand. She had given them all three detentions, One for daring to do that in the first place, another for making such a mess and the last because she thought they looked like complete imbeciles who really did deserved another detention with Filch.




She shuddered as she left the, now clean and tidy, carriage. Were Harry, her and Ron like that in 4th year? Well, she knew the answer to that. She had always been arrogant and know-it-all. Same with Ron but he wasn't a know-it-ALL just a I-bet-I-know-a-lot-more-than-you.She shook her head at the thought of Harry being a know-it-all. He was a kind, loving and gentle person, who often played down his cleverness so as not to be the center of attention. Grinning, she thought how that had got him no-where in the past 7 years, as hundreds of girls bowed down to him every time he passed them in the corridors. That, he hated. One girl, a giggly raven claw, had handed him a sweet ring and got down on one knee in the great hall just before they broke up for the summer. His face was perfect. She had it framed on her wall at home(she had put that memory in in a pensieve and had then taken a photo, but only after using a very complicated spell which took a good few hours(that could have been used to study) to perfect. But it was well worth it, just to see it every morning when she woke up.) - even though she knew her parents went in while she was out, just to marvel at the way the picture moved.




Hands snaked round her as she snapped out of her daydream. Shocked, she was about to refuse the hug, but then realized who it was. She smiled and hugged him back.

“Heya Harry,”

They broke apart. She looked up. His eyes were still haunted by death and disaster but they still had the twinkle of happy love that appeared whenever he saw her. They smiled at her, the intense green seeing right to the depths of her soul, because Harry always saw a part of her that no-one else did. A secret part that she only opened up for him. It had all her fears and hopes in there, all the things she wanted people to know, but was to afraid to tell.

“N'aww c'mon, Harry, it's soooo my turn!”

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as Ron's indignant face appeared above Harry's left shoulder. A crushing brotherly hug came her way, but thankfully didn't last long. It wasn't that she didn't want a hug, it's just they, unfortunately, could be life threatening. She took subtle deep breaths to save her squashed lungs, whilst also trying to read their expressions. Ron's was pure excitement whereas Harry's was nervous. But, strangely, Ron seemed to have an extra layer of emotion on his face. He looked dark and secretive. Hermione cocked her head as if to ask him if he was alright.He shook his.




Suddenly, Harry beamed.

“Guess what 'Mione!?”

Er...what?” Hermione asked wearily. If they were planning another late-night escapade, she was NOT going to get involved again.

“I'm head of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team!!” This was a pleasant surprise. Hermione had a horrible feeling she was going to have to give them a detention if they were to have told her about their late-night adventures

Harry looked like he'd just been told his parents were coming back forever. His eyes shone, making everything around them look really dim and dark. All the happy memories that had ever come from playing quidditch were reeling past in his eyes.

“Wow. Congrats Harry!”

She gave him a quick hug before announcing that she had to do her Head Girl's duties and see the younger ones up to Hogwarts.

“Alright 'Mione...don't give any detentions now!”

Hermione must have looked incredibly sheepish.

“Wait...” Ron paused,“How many?”

“Well...technically 'wenty sevin” She mumbled

“What?” Harry asked, apologetically “I'm sorry, I didn't get that.”

Ron however, was pretty outright.

“TWENTY SEVEN?! Bloody hell Hermione...you really are taking this role seriously aren't you?”

She went red.

“Actually...There were...”She paused and mentally counted in her head,“...nine of them and they each got 3 detentions each.”Hermione stuttered. By this point both boys were in hysterics. “THEY DESERVED IT, DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT, HARRY JAMES POTTER AND RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY.” Hermione stormed off as they tried to splutter their apologies. Unfortunately, as soon as she walked out of the carriage, the cocky fourth years she was just discussing, were standing, listening. She glared at them, and all but one flinched. The one stood at the front had chocolate brown hair, deep chocolate eyes and pale but perfect skin. He was the only one that didn't flinch. He smirked evilly.

“So...Granger... I sup-”

“It's Head Girl to you.” Hermione replied shortly.“You were listening in to our conversation... why?”
“None of your business, Granger. I thought you, of all mudbloods, should know that...”

Hermione spent a few seconds trying to think of something that would earn this boy another detention but she didn't want it to sound ridiculous. He stared her down, testing her patience. That was until, seconds later, Professor Mcgonagall swept along the corridor and glanced at the stare-down warily.

“Erm...Miss Granger... I do hope this boy isn't causing any trouble?”

“Well,” Hermione turned to look at the current Headmistress, “Seeing as he has 4 detentions already, I would guess so.” She then turned and continued to glare at the boy.

“I see...” Professor Mcgonagall looked over her spectacles at the, now scowling, boy. “Mr. Hains, I think we should have a little chat. Meet me in my office, after dinner.” She then marched away, obviously not expecting a reply.

“Excuse me Granger, but I think you'll find I only have 3 detentions, maybe you can't count properly...” The sniggering 4th year retorted, as soon as Mcgonagall was out of earshot.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

“There. The extra detention was for that, 'Hains'– arguing with the Head Girl.” She hurried off, as she could see a crowd beginning to appear further down the corridor. A voice called after her:

“This isn't over yet, mudblood.”

As she reached got closer to the commotion, everyone separated and drifted off up and down the train, looking extremely annoyed, or, as Ron would say, 'mighty pissed off '. When she finally battled her way to the spot where it had all started. She almost fainted.

Draco was one knee, comforting a terrified first year. As she got closer, she heard more of what Draco was saying to the panic-stricken girl.

“It's just a hex, it'll wear off in a few hours...okay? Would you like some chamomile?”

The girl shook her head. Hermione realised she was under a hex that made her ears grow bigger every time she spoke. She knew it well, it had been used on Crabbe and Goyle many times in the past few years.

“Okay, well now, go back to a carriage with your friends, we'll be there soon.”

She sniffed, smiled at Draco and then hopped off back down the train. Draco smiled after her and got up, only to see Hermione staring at him curiously. His mouth turned into a sneer as soon as he spotted her.

“What's wrong, mudblood? A hex got your tongue?”

Hermione's eyes closed quickly, as if to block out all that Malfoy had just said.

There was a crash as the train reached Hogwarts station, and a terrified scream was heard.

Hermione sighed.

"Time for the 'knight in shining armour' to go and save the day again."

Draco rolled his eyes, but didn't refuse the nickname.

"Lets go and find the 'Damsel in Distress' then...My noble steed...".

They then both hurried off down the corridor in search for the commotion.


Well...what do you think? I thought that it dragged out for a little too long so I hurried it up and said they were at the station.. Please read and review!! Thank ya ~:) xx

1. DEFINISI EMAS
Emas adalah logam mineral yang merupakan salah satu bahan galian logam yang bernilai tinggi baik dari sisi harga maupun sisi penggunaan. Emas terbentuk dari proses magmatisme atau pengkonsentrasian di permukaan. Beberapa endapan terbentuk karena proses metasomatisme kontak dan larutan hidrotermal, sedangkan pengkonsentrasian secara mekanis menghasilkan endapan letakan (placer). Emas terdapat di alam dalam dua tipe deposit, pertama sebagai urat (vein) dalam batuan beku, kaya besi dan berasosiasi dengan urat kuarsa. Lainnya yaitu endapan atau placer deposit , dimana emas dari batuan asal yang tererosi terangkut oleh aliran sungai dan terendapkan karena berat jenis yang tinggi. Emas terbentuk karena adanya kegiatan vulkanisme, bergerak berdasarkan adanya thermal atau panas di dalam bumi. Dalam proses geokimia, emas biasanya dapat diangkut dalam bentuk larutan komplek sulfida atau klorida. Pengendapan emas sangat tergantung kepada besarnya perubahan pH, H2S, oksidasi, pendidihan, pendinginan, dan adsorpsi oleh mineral lain. Sebagai contoh, emas akan mengendap jika suasana menjadi sedikit basa dan terjadi perubahan dari reduksi menjadi oksidasi. Atau emas akan mengendap jika terikat mineral lain, seperti pirit. (Nelson, 1990).
Emas merupakan logam yang bersifat lunak dan mudah ditempa. Tingkat kekerasannya berkisar antara 2,5 – 3 (skala Mohs). Berat jenisnya dipengaruhi oleh jenis dan kandungan logam lain yang berpadu dengannya. Umumnya emas didapatkan dalam bentuk bongkahan, tetapi di Indonesia hal tersebut sudah jarang ditemukan. Batuan berkadar emas rendah merupakan batuan yang mengandung emas lebih kecil dari 100 mg emas dalam 1 kg batuan. Emas ialah unsur kimia dalam sistem periodik unsur dengan simbol Au (aurum) dan nomor atom 79. Emas merupakan logam lembut, berkilat, berwarna kuning, padat, dan tidak banyak bereaksi dengan kebanyakan bahan kimia, walau dapat bereaksi dengan klorin, fluorin dan akua regia. Logam ini selalu ada dalam bentuk bongkahan dan butiran batuan maupun dalam pendaman alluvial. (Esna, 1988).
Kenampakan fisik bijih emas hampir mirip dengan pirit, markasit, dan kalkopirit dilihat dari warnanya, namun dapat dibedakan dari sifatnya yang lunak dan berat jenis tinggi. Emas berasosiasi dengan kuarsa, pirit, arsenopirit, dan perak. Emas terdapat di alam dalam dua tipe deposit. Pertama sebagai urat/vein dalam batuan beku, kaya besi dan berasosiasi dengan urat kuarsa. Endapan lain adalah placer deposit, dimana emas dari batuan asal yang tererosi terangkut oleh aliran sungai dan terendapkan karena berat jenis yang tinggi. Selain itu, emas sering ditemukan dalam penambangan bijih perak dan tembaga. (Addison, 1980).

2. SIFAT FISIKA DAN KIMIA EMAS
Logam emas merupakan logam yang tahan akan korosi,mudah ditempa dan relatif stabil di alam karena tidak banyak bereaksi dengan kebanyakan bahan kimia. Oleh karena itu, logam ini banyak dimanfaatkan di berbagai kehidupan manusia. Pada saat ini, emas banyak digunakan sebagai perhiasan, cadangan kekayaan negara, medali, elektroda, dan komponen di dalam komputer. Oleh karena itu, emas memiliki nilai ekonomi yang tinggi. Pada tabel 2.1 berikut ini ditampilkan sifat-sifat fisik dan kimia dari logam emas.


3. KEGUNAAN EMAS
Emas banyak digunakan untuk membuat koin dan dijadikan sebagai standar moneter di banyak negara. Elemen ini juga banyak digunakan untuk perhiasan, gigi buatan, dan sebagai lapisan. Untuk aplikasi di bidang sains, emas digunakan sebagai lapisan beberapa satelit angkasa dan merupakan reflektor sinar inframerah yang baik. Emas tidak mudah bereaksi (inert).

Isotop
Senyawa emas yang paling banyak adalah auric chloride dan chlorauric acid, yang terakhir banyak digunakan dalam bidang fotografi untuk membuat tinta dan bayangan perak. Emas memiliki 18 isotop; 198Au dengan paruh waktu selama 2.7 hari dan digunakan untuk terapi kanker dan penyakit lainnya. Disodium aurothiomalate diberikan melalui lewat otot (intramuscularly) sebagai terapi arthritis. Campuran satu asam nitrat dengan tiga asam hidroklorida disebut aqua regia (karena melarutkan emas, rajanya logam-logam). Emas juga tersedia secara komersil dengan kemurnian 99.9999+%. Titik beku emas pada 1063.0 derajat Celcius selama bertahun-tahun telah digunakan sebagai titik kalibrasi oleh International Temperature Scales (ITS-27 dan ITS-48) dan oleh International Practical Temperature Scale (IPTS-48). Pada tahun 1968, standar IPTS baru (IPTS-68) diadopsi, yang mengubah titik beku emas menjadi 1064.43 derajat Celcius. Berat jenis emas berubah sesuai suhu dan bagaimana logam ini precipitated dan cold-worked.

4. JENIS-JENIS BIJIH EMAS DAN SUMBER DISTRIBUSINYA DI INDONESIA
Emas umumnya didapatkan dari batuan atau mineral. Mineral ikutan umumnya adalahkuarsa, karbonat, turmalin, flourpar, electrum, emas telurida, dan sejumlah kecil mineral non logam. Namun, karena sifat kimia dari logam emas yang relatif tidak reaktif maka emas dapat diemukan dalam bentuk nativ atau bentuk murninya. Sejumlah paduan dan senyawa emas juga dapat ditemukan dengan unsur-unsur belerang, antimon, dan selenium. Emas banyak digunakan sebagai barang perhiasan dan cadangan devisa. Potensi endapan emas terdapat di hampir setiap daerah di
Indonesia, seperti di Pulau Sumatera, Kepulauan Riau, Pulau Kalimantan, Pulau Jawa, Pulau Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, dan Papua. (Setiabudi, 2005).
Pongkor merupakan salah satu wilayah Jawa Barat yang memiliki kandungan emas dan perak cukup tinggi. Endapan emas perak Pongkor dapat dijumpai pada urat kuarsa karbonat adularia epitermal sulfidasi rendah yang ditemukan oleh P.T Aneka Tambang (ANTAM) pada tahun 1981. Metode eksplorasi yang dilakukan diawali dengan pengambilan contoh sedimen sungai aktif dengan kerapatan 2 hingga 4 contoh per km2. Anomali dijumpai pada sekitar urat kuarsa dengan nilai 100-200 ppb Au(di beberapa tempat mencapai 900 ppb Au). Urat kuarsa diteliti lebih detil dengan menggunakan parit uji dan metode geofisika magnet dan resistivitas batuan. Adapun metode Resistivity sangat berguna untuk mendelineasi zona silisifikasi dan lebar urat kuarsa. Tambang emas Pongkor dimulai sejak tahun 1992 oleh ANTAM dengan produksi 3 hingga 4 ton emas per tahun.