The cold, tangy smell of the steel blade penetrated her nostrils. The pressure against her neck increased as a strangled scream escaped her throat. The letters carved into her arm stung as she strove to ignore the tears welling up in her eyes. Her searching chocolate brown eyes met Ron's electric blue across the room, as a single tear hopelessly traced its way down her face. So this was how she would die: alone, humiliated...and Ron would never know how much he meant to her. Perhaps it was better this way...he would grieve more gently for a friend than for, well, whatever she could have been to him. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever felt the same way… She supposed that it was too late now. One minute, Ron's eyes were searching hers desperately, the next everything went black.
Hermione thrashed awake, covered in sweat and gasping for breath. She yanked Ron's blanket off the bed and clutched it to her chest, burying her face in it. A soft knock sounded from the door and Ron poked his head in, looking concerned.
"'Mione? You alright?"
"Yes, of course I am. Why- why do you ask?" She stammered.
He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just...I thought I heard you crying. Erm, can I sit?" He gestured awkwardly to a spot next to her on the edge of the bed.
She nodded. His eyes flicked across her face.
"Blimey, Hermione! When was the last time you slept?!"
She shrugged. He cautiously put his arms around her. She winced as his fingers brushed her left arm. His eyes shot down to her forearm as she frantically tried to pull her sleeve over the wound. Ron's fingers tenderly arrested hers as he gently pulled her hand back.
His eyes went wide. "Hermione, what is this?"
"I-it's nothing, honestly." She stammered.
"Hermione, that's not nothing, you're bleeding! Okay, you know what? Here, come down to the kitchen and we'll bandage you up and have some tea, and if you want you can tell me what happened." She took his proffered hand gratefully and smiled thinly.
As the teapot whistled on the stove, Ron gently wrapped the gauze around her bony arm.
He looked at her sadly. "Gosh, Hermione, haven't you been eating?"
She reluctantly shook her head. "Not much. I'm just not hungry."
"That settles it, I'm making toast. And from now on, I'm watching you to make sure you eat enough. I'm worried about you." His ears turned red.
"Thanks." Hermione managed in a small voice as Ron put the bread in the toaster.
He tenderly kissed her hair. "I'm here for you, you know that? I'm never going to leave again, I learned my lesson. I swear I'm always going to be here for you."
She sighed into his chest and nodded.
The teapot whistled just as the toaster dinged, making Hermione jump. He squeezed her hand. "It's okay, it's just the tea." She nodded.
"I know. It's just so hard not to be frightened any more, you know?"
He handed her the tea and a plate of buttered toast and nodded. "I was really scared we'd lost you, 'Mione. When we got back and you weren't moving, I thought-" he choked. "I thought-" he faltered again.
She rubbed his back soothingly. "It's all right, I'm here now. Erm, Harry said you...saved me. Thank you." She managed a watery smile. "Thank you, Ron. I promise, we're going to be all right. It's going to take some time, but things are going to be okay. Ronald-"
He cut her off. "Who did this to you, Hermione?"
She focused on her tea, stirring it over and over. "Bellatrix. At Malfoy Manor." A small tear trickled down her face.
"I swear, I'm going to kill her." Ron's eyes were flaming with rage.
"Ronald...don't stoop to her level, please. Honestly, it won't do any good. I'm all right, really." She managed a weak smile. "I think I'm going to go to bed now, so I'll see you in the morning?" She turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm.
"Do you mind if I come? Just to sit with you, make sure you fall asleep okay?" Ron turned beet red.
She gave his hand a squeeze. "All right."
She climbed into bed, then gave Ron an imploring look. She extended her hand. "Please, don't leave me."
His thumb softly grazed her hand. "Never."
He kissed her hand just before she fell asleep. "Never again, Hermione Granger. I'm never going to leave you again. I swear."