Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Ron thought desperately, Shell cottage, shell cottage, shell cottage. He breathed a sigh of relief as he landed right by the water next to Bill and Fleur's cottage. He was still clutching Hermione, who was unconscious. "Bill!" He yelled. "BILL! FLEUR!"
Bill came running out of the house, followed closely by his wife, Fleur. "Ron?! What happened? Where's Harry?"
"No time to explain! Just get Hermione inside!" He was about to tell him that Harry was coming, when Harry apparated with Dobby, right next to Ron and Hermione.
Fleur ran over to help Ron bring in Hermione, and Bill ran to help Harry.
"Harry? What happened?"
"Dobby, h-he's dead." Harry was holding the dead house elf in his hands.
"Here," Bill said, taking Dobby out of Harry's arms. "I'll take care of him, you can go check on Hermione."
Harry thanked Bill. He was very sad that Dobby had died, but he was extremely worried about Hermione, who had been tortured by Bellatrix. He ran into the house and followed Ron and Fleur up the stairs. They laid Hermione on a bed, and Ron and Harry were immediately by her side. Fleur walked over and gave them some Dittany. "Here. I know zat you two are concerned for her, so if you would like you may put zis on her cuts." She waved her wand and slowly began to make Hermione's clothes disappear. Ron and Harry felt a little uncomfortable, especially Ron, but they were so worried for Hermione that they didn't care. As they saw all of the blood on her, Harry gasped, turning pale, and Ron felt sick. Ron could feel tears burning in his eyes as he felt them fall down his face. He tried to carefully put the Dittany on Hermione's many cuts, but his hands were now shaking uncontrollably as he sobbed over the sight of Hermione. Harry noticed this and took the Dittany from Ron's hands and put it on Hermione's cuts. Ron wiped away his tears, trying to calm himself but he just couldn't. Who would dare to do this to such a beautiful girl? he thought, and was suddenly extremely angry, but as he looked at Hermione again, he began to cry even more. Harry finished with the Dittany and pulled a blanket over Hermione. Then he walked over to Ron, who was still shaking with sobs, and put an arm around him.
"It's okay, Ron. Hermione will be fine." Harry tried to say calmly. He felt lightheaded. It's my fault that this happened. It's my fault that we got there in the first place. Harry thought.
Bill came into the room, and saw Ron crying. He walked over to them and patted Ron on the back. "You two should get some sleep. You look terribly thin and tired. Hermione will be alright, she just needs rest." He added as Ron shook his head.
Harry thanked him as he and Ron followed Bill into another bedroom.
They changed into their pajamas and got into their beds. Ron was still crying silently, and Harry was still extremely pale. They did not say anything as they eventually fell asleep.
Ron jumped awake in the middle of the night, hearing someone screaming. He got out of bed and shook Harry awake.
"Harry! Someone's screaming!" Ron said.
Harry heard it too. "Oh no," he said. "That's Hermione!"
They both exchanged worried looks, and then ran into Hermione's room. She was still asleep, but she seemed to be having a terrible nightmare.
Harry tried to shake her. "Hermione!" he said. "Wake up!", but she wouldn't wake up.
Ron, who was trying hard not to cry, walked over to her and whispered, "It's okay, Hermione. It's just a dream. "
She stopped screaming and opened her eyes slightly. She saw Harry and Ron standing next to her and relaxed. Then she realized that she was not wearing anything, so she gasped and immediately pulled the covers back over herself. "Oh- hi."
"Hi," Harry and Ron said at the same time.
Bill came into the room. "Hey guys, is it fine if you all spend the night in here?" They nodded. "Oh, you're awake now Hermione. Well, I just wanted to tell you that your friends here did a very good job of taking care of you."
Hermione blushed. Bill winked at Ron and then left the room.
"Thanks," Hermione said. "For everything."
"No problem," Harry said. Then he noticed something on Hermione's arm. "Hermione- what's that on your arm?"
Hermione immediately put her arm under the blankets. "Oh, it's- nothing."
Harry pulled her arm from underneath the covers and turned it over. He gasped as he saw the scar that said, "mudblood".
"Hermione, who did this to you? Was it Bellatrix?"
"What?" Ron interrupted. "What is it?"
Hermione had tears in her eyes. Ron looked at the scar and felt sick.
"Hermione, was it Bellatrix?" Harry asked again.
Hermione nodded. Harry hugged her. He didn't know if he was imagining it, but Ron also looked like he was going to cry.
"It's okay, though," Hermione said. "It's nothing, really."
"It's not true, Hermione," Ron said suddenly. "You're not a- a mudblood. You're the smartest person I've ever known."
Harry nodded, and Hermione burst into tears. She pulled both of them into a hug. "Th-thanks," she said.
They all smiled at each other. Harry and Ron took some blankets and pillows that Bill had left them and made beds on the floor, right next to Hermione's bed. They were still smiling as they fell asleep. They may have lost Dobby, along with countless others, but at least they still had each other.