It used to be a lot more fun to sneak food out of the kitchens. When all one had to worry about was Filch or Mrs. Norris and a pre-Carrow detention, the risk was worthwhile. It was even fun.
And while Ernie felt a touch reckless, a touch devious, he wouldn't call this mission fun. Not precisely.
They weren't technically breaking any rules. It wasn't curfew, which meant that they had every right to be outside of the common room, but he hated being outside of the common room these days. But Ernie had, after all, wanted to do something, and while a covert trip to the kitchens hadn't been quite what he had in mind, it was still something.
And he wasn't going to be scared about it.
Ernie began to lead the way to the kitchens, before stopping to glance back at Hazel when she voiced her concerns. Truthfully that wasn't something he'd even considered, and he paused for a moment before answering, his voice the same volume as hers. "The Carrows don't strike me as the types to ever talk to the House Elves, even just to order them around."
Of course, he could be wrong, but he really hoped he wasn't.
Ernie reached over, taking Hazel's hand, in part to make sure that she stayed close and in part because he just wanted to.