Summery: "Please don't leave me Hermione…," he said choking on tears, "I need you ….We need you…." He said giving her cold hand a squeeze.
Ron and Hermione at Shell Cottage, after Malfoy manor. A missing scene from Deathly Hallows. Read and review please.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling.
A/N: Hey guys, so I finally got off my lazy bum and posted something. I know Fleur's accent sucks…sorry guys, I tried. So read and if you want review. I hope you like it, ciao.
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My Little Bookworm
by: Onehopelesshero
A loud pop rent the still night air as Ron and Hermione landed in the garden of Shell Cottage. 'Hermione' Ron thought and scrambling to his knees, he crawled over to her still form, which was lying a few feet away.
"Hermione!" he cried taking her in his arms and looking down at her pale skin and bloodstained clothes in horror.
"Gods Hermione, please don't be dead" he said feeling for a pulse. His heart beat loudly as the seconds ticked by until finally he felt it flicker weakly in her wrist. He let out the breath he had not known he was holding, looking up as the door burst open and his brother, Bill, ran out Fleur on his heels.
"Ron! What are you doing here? Is that Hermione? What happened?" He demanded firing off questions rapidly. Ron blinked and looked up slowly the questions barely registering in his panicked mind.
"Bill…I, I swear I'll answer all the questions I can later. But Hermione is hurt…she needs help." He yelled, gesturing at the small woman whose face was growing paler with every passing second. Bill starred at him shocked to have his little brother yelling at him.
"Bill!" Ron yelled, snapping him back to reality.
Bill nodded, "bring her inside," he said. Ron nodded and stood scooping her up easily. She was so light, looking tiny and frail in his arms as he carried her into the guest bedroom of Shell Cottage. Both beds in the room where made, their covers turned back, waiting. Ron walked to the nearest one and laid Hermione down, drawing the covers up around her shoulders. Bill and Fleur walked in a few seconds later.
"Okay Ron what exactly is going on?" Bill demanded walking straight up to his brother while Fleur bent over Hermione.
"I…I can't tell you sorry mate" Ron said.
"Can't tell me?" Bill repeated sounding angry
" Ron you show up at my house… Hermione looks like she's been tortured, there is no sign of Harry, both you and her are covered in blood and glass…I think I have a right to know what's going on." He said trying hard to contain his anger and failing miserably.
"Dumbledore's orders…" Ron muttered. Bill turned very red and looked like he was about to yell more when Fleur turned towards him and rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Maybe now iz not ze best time" she said soothingly.
"Whatever it iz I am sure you will find it out later….In the mean time, I thought I 'eard a pop in the yard…it may be 'Arry. Maybe…you zhould go zee?" She suggested. Bill calmed visibly under her touch, and nodded. He left the room quickly, still looking a little bit angry.
Fleur threw Ron a look that said 'you owe me one'. Ron smiled a little feebly at her. She nodded and turned back towards Hermione.
"Can you at least tell me what zey did to her?" she asked lifting Hermione's eyelids and shinning her lit wand into them.
"They….they tortured her…" Ron choked. Fleur looked up sharply.
"Who tortured her? Using what?" she demanded looking worried.
"Bellatrix LeStrange. Cruciatus." He said forcing out the word. Fleur gasped and raised a hand to her mouth.
"What is it? Is she going to be okay?" Ron asked shrilly.
"I do not know…Ronald…you will hav' to leave…" She said.
Ron looked up sharply "why?" he asked paling.
"Because I must take a closer look…it will not be for boyz" she said raising her eyebrows, folding her arms, and looking at him pointedly.
"Oh…right…" Ron stammered fleeing as Fleur shooed him from the room. He stumbled out into the landing and sat down against the wall just outside the door.
He was fiddling with the hem of his jeans and worrying endlessly when Fleur came out of the room. Ron was to his feet in a matter of milliseconds and about to move past her when her outstretched arm stopped him. He was severely tempted to duck under her arm and go in anyway. She seemed to guess his intentions and before he could act on his thoughts, she had whipped out her wand and now stood with it pointed dangerously at his throat. He held up both hands slowly, raising his chin slightly at the prompting of her wand.
"You may not go in yet" She stated with a calm, cool authority that would not be denied. Ron nodded carefully her wand still held under his chin. He really did not care if she did hex him, he just wanted to make sure Hermione was okay; still he would very much like to be alive when he did this. Fleur in her uncanny way of reading people seemed to note this also. Her gaze softened and she lowered her want fractionally.
"Is Hermione okay?" Ron asked swallowing.
"She will be fine I think…" Fleur said with a gentle smile, lowering her wand completely now. Ron relaxed a little, both from the lack of the wand and the good news.
Fleur eyed him for a moment "do not get any smart ideas?" she warned and walked off briskly. She returned moments later with a dressing gown over one arm to find Ron exactly where she had left him.
She smiled at him as she walked by "you will be able to zee her soon Ronald…" she promised as she closed the room door. True to her word, she let Ron in a few moments later as she stepped out on her way to the next room, which held Olivander and Griphook. Ron hesitated for the briefest of moments, his hand on the doorknob, then taking a breath he walked in.
It was dim in the room and it took Ron's eyes a few minutes to adjust. When they did, he saw Hermione dressed in the dressing gown he had seen Fleur carrying, lying with the covers drawn up to her chest. Her left arm was wrapped in bandages and lying across her stomach, her other arm was at her side. Her breathing was easier now, and she there was even a little color in her cheeks.
'She looks so peaceful …' Ron thought looking at her from across the room. There was a chair next to her bed; he sat down in it slowly looking at her again. The cut on her throat from Bellatrixs' knife stood out starkly against her pale skin. Without thinking, her reached up and brushed his fingers over it. Guilt and anger flooded him.
'This is all my fault' he thought taking his hand away and running it through his hair.
' If I had just tried harder…I could have gotten to her sooner…she did not have to get hurt…' he thought. Swallowing he captured her good hand in his, running his thumb over its back.
"Hey Hermione…" He said softly, knowing she could not hear him but wanting…needing… to talk to her anyway.
"Gods Hermione, I'm so sorry…" he said with a heavy sigh.
"I never meant for this to happen to you…" he whispered
"I'm so sorry…so, so, sorry." He reached up brushing a tendril of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. She shifted a little in her sleep and winced. He watched her anxiously for a moment, but the pain passed and she was soon breathing deeply again.
"I'm so sorry…I, I didn't mean for you to get hurt…." he said pleading quietly.
"Please don't leave me Hermione…," he said choking on tears,
"I need you ….We need you…. Couple of blokes like Harry and I we'd be helpless without you." He said giving her cold hand a squeeze.
However Hermione remained unresponsive, the only sign of life in her was the slow rise and fall of her chest under the coverlet. He was vaguely aware of Fleur coming in to check on her, asking him questions to which he gave responses her couldn't remember, and leaving only to return moments later with a potion and strict orders that he was to give it to her if she showed signs of pain when she woke. Ron nodded, noting distantly that she left, he continued to sit there and watch Hermione's still features for any sign of life and prayed. Sitting there watching her breath, the exhaustion of the night suddenly hit him and he started to drift off.
He was snoring when he felt something stir against his hand. Jerking awake he looked around then down at Hermione's hand, still safely enclosed in his, hopefully.
"Hermione…." he called softly squeezing her hand gently. After what seemed like an eternity, he felt her fingers move again. Excitement soared through him. She was alive.
"Hermione." he called again a bit louder. Her head turned a little. He called her name again reaching out slowly with his free hand to gently cup her cheek. Her brow furrowed and she turned her head again her eyes fluttering.
"Hermione…." Ron said repeating her name again, softly. Her eyes fluttered again and slowly opened. His heart soared, and he felt his worry vanish like clouds pierced by sunshine. Her eyes slowly focused on him and her lips parted.
"Hi…" he barely caught the almost non-existent whisper.
"Hi." He responded squeezing her hand again. Her lips twitched in a smile. It was the best she could manage, he knew, and it did his soul wonders to see it. She attempted to sit up and winced.
"Here drink this," Ron said raising her head and holding the potion to her lips.
"What is it?" she murmured.
"Fleur said it would help with the pain…" he explained. She nodded and drank it, wrinkling her nose a little at the taste. Exhausted she let her head sink slowly back to the pillow and her eyes start to drift close again
"Hermione…" he called and she stirred looking at him without raising her head.
"How …" he stumbled, looked embarrassed. She gave his hand a slight squeeze.
"How are you feeling…." he asked looking at her trying to avoid her eyes. She swallowed and turned her head slightly. When she looked up Ron could see tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry," he said reaching out and brushing away a tear with his thumb.
"Idiot" he muttered, mentally kicking himself for being so stupid.
"No,…no… your not an idiot Ron" she said weakly the tears falling freely now. Ron pulled her up and into his arms, folding her in his embace
" I'm sorry Hermione. I'm so sorry." He murmured stroking her hair and back as she cried into his shoulder.
" I never meant for you to get hurt.." he whispered the guilt pouring out of him. He felt her slowly still against him. She pulled away and looked at him serching his face, tears still staining her cheeks.
"You saved me Ron…." she whispered. He halted mid sentence and starred at her not completely sure he had heard right.
" How could I have saved you…when I let her hurt you that way…" he muttered looking away. She reached out and took his face in her hand, guiding it back to look at her.
" I heard you Ronald….your voice was my rock while the world around me came un-raveled, your voice was my happy thought through the pain. I heard you…and because I heard you I survived. " she said . He searched her face, and her eyes, seeing the honesty there but not willing to forgive himself so easily.
" I'm so sorry…Hermione…I…I should have never have left, I should have stopped Harry from saying His name, I should have fought harder against those snatchers, I should have gone in your place" he said starting to cry and curseing himself for it. She pulled him to her and gently soothed his hair with her hand.
" Sometimes ,Ron, we need to take a step backwards before we can move forward. You needed to leave that night in order to realize how important the mission we are on is. And just how important you are to the completion of that mission. I forgive you Ron. And so does Harry. Now you need to forgive yourself . Without you we would never have know His name was tabooed. And you fought just as hard if not harder then both Harry and I against the snatchers,… and Bellatrix…well, we have a score to settle, and next time we meet she won't be so lucky. Next time I'll have my wand," she whispered into his ear. He pulled away from her, tears still making their way down his cheeks. She smiled at him , reaching up and gently brushing one away with her hand, letting it linger there against his cheek.
"But no matter what, Ron, at the conclusion of this night you still saved my life…you, not Harry" she said looking at him, watching him search her eyes, and see the truth there. Ron sniffed feeling a familiar emotion rise in his chest that before tonight he had been unable to identify. He pulled her to him, hugging her tightly, feeling her relax into his embrace, stroking her hair and just holding her, trying to find the right words to say. finally he pulled away from her, still wordless, and helped her to lay back down, drawing the cover up around her shoulders, watching with a small smile as her eyes started to drift shut.
"I'll never leave you again Hermione…I'll protect you no matter what." he said taking her hand and squeezing it.
" I know you will" she whispered back, letting her eyes close for a moment as tiredness claimed her.
"Hermione…" she opened her eyes and looked at him. One hand was holding hers, tightly, under the covers the other was stroking her hair softly.
" I…" he paused to gather his thoughts
" I'm a simple man Hermione….I've never been good at using fancy words…or at expressing my thoughts without messing it up….Us Weasleys…. well we're rather thick headed when it comes to that….Well at least the male half of us are…." he trailed off, swallowed, and looked down at her meeting her eyes. She cocked her head slightly, reaching down with her other hand and capturing his between her own she gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"What I'm trying to say…what I'm trying to say is…I love you Hermione Jean Granger… I think a part of me always has, since the moment I met you on the train, too tonight at Malfoy Manor…. I couldn't bare to lose you Hermione, and I almost did tonight, not without telling you…..I…I understand if you don't feel the same way. You're the smartest witch of our age, talented, beautiful, funny, sweet , caring and,… and amazing…and you deserve someone better then me. Someone funny, and sweet and sensitive, and handsome. And I…" he halted suddenly when she rested a finger against his lips, looking at her fearfully. She gave a quite, short laugh
" Oh Ronald…" she was smiling.
'She has a beautiful smile…' he thought, staring at her.
" Ronald … your clumsy ness, your disregard for schoolwork, your ability to carry an argument with me, your irrepressible sense of humor,... What I'm trying to say Ronald Bilus Weasley is that I love you too. And everything about you, right down to your obssesion with chocolate frogs and exploding snap" She said looking up at him her smile growing.
He stared at her for a moment in disbelief then he smiled and laughed. "Well that's good…I don't know if I could ever give up my Chocolate frogs…" he said feeling his heart soar. The fact that she loved him too, was more then he had hoped for.
He looked at her, their eyes met and for a moment they just stared at each other . Slowly he reached up brushing a stray tendril of curly hair from her face, he leaned down, looking her into her eyes. "Hermione Jean Granger, may I kiss you?" he whispered gently stroking the hair at her temple.
She smiled softly " you may" she said raising her self a little. Their lips met. To say that fireworks went off would be an understatement in Ron's opinion. It was perfection. They parted ,still very close, smiling at each other looking into each others eyes. They stayed like that just staring at each other until Ron noticed the exaustion and the effects of the potion behind the love in her eyes. He eased her head back down to the pillow, gently caressing her hair and cheek, until finally her eyes drifted close a smile still tugging at her lips. He smiled affectionately looking up as his brother entered the room.
" How is she?" He asked walking over to stand next to him. "Better. Fleur did an amazing job…remind me never to cross her though. She reminds me of Hermione when she's mad." he said with a smirk. Bill chuckled.
"Has she woken yet?" he asked quietly. Ron nodded never removing his eyes from her face. Bill smiled a little at his younger brother .
"Ron…can I talk with you in the hall?" he asked. Ron looked up at him his smile fading a little.
" Sure…I'll be out in a minute." he whispered, not wanting to wake Hermione. Bill nodded, he was half out the door when her heard his name from back in the room. He turned to see Ron looking up at him. He raised an eyebrow and leaned against the doorframe, folding his arms.
"Thanks" Ron said finally, strangely serious. Bill smiled a little and nodded, then stepped out half-closing the door behind him. When he was gone Ron looked back down at Hermione and smiled slightly, then stood.
" Sleep well, my little bookworm" he whispered . Bending he kissed her forehead and headed out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.