Setting and Story: Harry and all of his class had just graduated from
Hogwarts when there was a bloody battle in which Harry managed to kill
Voldemort. After the battle, Harry was pronounced the most powerful wizard
yet of the century. However, with Voldemort's last spell, Harry was
knocked unconscious and may not survive. The battle happened a month
before Harry's eighteenth birthday. Ron and Hermione have been dating for
about six months, and recently, Ron asked Hermione to marry him.
July 31, 1998 "Today's Harry's birthday." Hermione could feel a trace of sarcasm in Ron's voice.
Over the past few weeks, they seemed to have become more distant from each other. Hermione sometimes wondered how this person could be the same Ron she'd known for so long. They had been receiving presents in the mail lately for Harry's birthday from most of the students and recent graduates of Hogwarts. Harry had even received a present from Oliver Wood, the Quidditch captain from Harry's first few years at school. Hermione knew this would mean the world to Harry, as it was Wood who introduced him to the sport of Quidditch and had always been somewhat of a role model to Harry.
"Yeah, it is." replied Hermione. "I just wish he could be awake to see it." Ron mumbled something.
"It's probably better for all of us if Harry dies."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" exclaimed Hermione.
"You and Harry were closer then brothers. I know you couldn't have meant that."
"I DID MEAN THAT!" Ron shouted, his ears turning a fiery red in his anger. "Besides, think of how airy his head would be if he does survive. He'll probably float up and up until he hit a bird's beak and popped it!"
"Ron, honestly sometimes, you are a selfish brat! Just because Harry gets glory and you don't. That's your best friend you're talking about. The one currently lying in St. Mungo's in a coma."
Ron shrugged. "It's the way I feel. You'll just have to get over it."
"No, Ron. I don't think I can get over it until you give me more reasoning, and good reasoning why you feel this way, and until you do, I have no more interest in marrying or dating you ever again."
Inwardly Ron thought, 'I already as good as lost Harry. I can't lose Hermione too.' With that thought, a tear dropped down his cheek. He wiped it quickly away so Hermione wouldn't notice.
But it was too late. "Ron, why are you crying?" asked Hermione.
"I-I'm not crying."
"C'mon, Ron." Ron stammered out,
"W-well I w-was th-thinking that I h-had already l-lost H-Harry and h-he would h-have never w-wanted me to."
Hermione broke in. "To what, Ron? And you haven't lost Harry yet. There's still hope."
"To, to l-lose you t-too all because of h-him."
"Oh, Ron. You're not going to lose me. I just wish you'd make sense sometime. I still can't figure, for the life of me, why you would say that you wanted Harry dead."
Ron sighed. "Promise you won't laugh?"
"Okay, Ron." said Hermione.
"Well, truthfully, when he told me his lessons with Snape weren't working and that he had been having dreams that a battle was coming and that he was going to die in it, I thought maybe if we weren't friends anymore, it would be easier to cope with my grief."
"Oh, Ron." Hermione sighed.
"You should have come and talked to me. That has caused a lot more harm then good. How would you feel, thinking you were about to die and all your friends deserting you. You need to tell me these things. If we're going to get married, we have to be open with each other."
"I guess I blew it big time." said Ron dismally.
"There's still time. Why don't you come to St. Mungo's today with me."
"I couldn't do that, Hermione, not after everything I've said."
"Ron, even though Harry's not awake, the nurses think he can hear everything being said. I know it would mean a lot to Harry, and to me if you'd come to see him."
"I just don't think I can yet, Hermione. Maybe tomorrow."
"All right." said Hermione quietly. "But it better be soon."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione apparated to the hospital and went up to Harry's room. Harry lay just as he had the day before and all the other days before that. "Hello, Harry. I wanted to tell you that Ron really misses you and he's sorry for everything he said but doesn't think he can face you. He really does care for."
"Hermione?" said a raspy voice from the bed below her. Hermione jumped at the pair of very familiar green eyes staring up at her. It was a few minutes before she could get over her shock.
"Harry! You're awake!" Hermione couldn't believe it.
"Yes." said Harry softly. "This morning. The healers told me that they used a muggle contraption on me called life support and they.they don't know if I'll recover, but they did say it's a big step for me to have woken up."
"Oh, Harry. I'm just so glad you're awake. Today's your birthday, you know. We've gotten gifts for you from, oh, everyone! Ron will be so glad to see you!"
"Will he?" said Harry in a slightly hostile voice. "Ron's really sorry for everything. He just couldn't stand the thought of you dying and thought it would be easier if you weren't friends. Oh I know he can be such an idiot, but please give him another chance."
Harry nodded. "All right. Besides I guess I really can't blame him. Try to contact the rest of the Weasleys, too."
Hermione nodded vigorously. "I will, Harry. I'll go get them and we'll all be here before you know it."
Harry nodded. "I think I'm going to take a nap while you're gone. This conversation has worn me out."
"I'm so glad you're back, Harry." said Hermione softly before apparating to the Burrow. The Weasleys were all overjoyed. Then she went looking for Ron. When she told him the news, all Ron could say was, "Oh my God!"
July 31, 1998 "Today's Harry's birthday." Hermione could feel a trace of sarcasm in Ron's voice.
Over the past few weeks, they seemed to have become more distant from each other. Hermione sometimes wondered how this person could be the same Ron she'd known for so long. They had been receiving presents in the mail lately for Harry's birthday from most of the students and recent graduates of Hogwarts. Harry had even received a present from Oliver Wood, the Quidditch captain from Harry's first few years at school. Hermione knew this would mean the world to Harry, as it was Wood who introduced him to the sport of Quidditch and had always been somewhat of a role model to Harry.
"Yeah, it is." replied Hermione. "I just wish he could be awake to see it." Ron mumbled something.
"It's probably better for all of us if Harry dies."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" exclaimed Hermione.
"You and Harry were closer then brothers. I know you couldn't have meant that."
"I DID MEAN THAT!" Ron shouted, his ears turning a fiery red in his anger. "Besides, think of how airy his head would be if he does survive. He'll probably float up and up until he hit a bird's beak and popped it!"
"Ron, honestly sometimes, you are a selfish brat! Just because Harry gets glory and you don't. That's your best friend you're talking about. The one currently lying in St. Mungo's in a coma."
Ron shrugged. "It's the way I feel. You'll just have to get over it."
"No, Ron. I don't think I can get over it until you give me more reasoning, and good reasoning why you feel this way, and until you do, I have no more interest in marrying or dating you ever again."
Inwardly Ron thought, 'I already as good as lost Harry. I can't lose Hermione too.' With that thought, a tear dropped down his cheek. He wiped it quickly away so Hermione wouldn't notice.
But it was too late. "Ron, why are you crying?" asked Hermione.
"I-I'm not crying."
"C'mon, Ron." Ron stammered out,
"W-well I w-was th-thinking that I h-had already l-lost H-Harry and h-he would h-have never w-wanted me to."
Hermione broke in. "To what, Ron? And you haven't lost Harry yet. There's still hope."
"To, to l-lose you t-too all because of h-him."
"Oh, Ron. You're not going to lose me. I just wish you'd make sense sometime. I still can't figure, for the life of me, why you would say that you wanted Harry dead."
Ron sighed. "Promise you won't laugh?"
"Okay, Ron." said Hermione.
"Well, truthfully, when he told me his lessons with Snape weren't working and that he had been having dreams that a battle was coming and that he was going to die in it, I thought maybe if we weren't friends anymore, it would be easier to cope with my grief."
"Oh, Ron." Hermione sighed.
"You should have come and talked to me. That has caused a lot more harm then good. How would you feel, thinking you were about to die and all your friends deserting you. You need to tell me these things. If we're going to get married, we have to be open with each other."
"I guess I blew it big time." said Ron dismally.
"There's still time. Why don't you come to St. Mungo's today with me."
"I couldn't do that, Hermione, not after everything I've said."
"Ron, even though Harry's not awake, the nurses think he can hear everything being said. I know it would mean a lot to Harry, and to me if you'd come to see him."
"I just don't think I can yet, Hermione. Maybe tomorrow."
"All right." said Hermione quietly. "But it better be soon."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hermione apparated to the hospital and went up to Harry's room. Harry lay just as he had the day before and all the other days before that. "Hello, Harry. I wanted to tell you that Ron really misses you and he's sorry for everything he said but doesn't think he can face you. He really does care for."
"Hermione?" said a raspy voice from the bed below her. Hermione jumped at the pair of very familiar green eyes staring up at her. It was a few minutes before she could get over her shock.
"Harry! You're awake!" Hermione couldn't believe it.
"Yes." said Harry softly. "This morning. The healers told me that they used a muggle contraption on me called life support and they.they don't know if I'll recover, but they did say it's a big step for me to have woken up."
"Oh, Harry. I'm just so glad you're awake. Today's your birthday, you know. We've gotten gifts for you from, oh, everyone! Ron will be so glad to see you!"
"Will he?" said Harry in a slightly hostile voice. "Ron's really sorry for everything. He just couldn't stand the thought of you dying and thought it would be easier if you weren't friends. Oh I know he can be such an idiot, but please give him another chance."
Harry nodded. "All right. Besides I guess I really can't blame him. Try to contact the rest of the Weasleys, too."
Hermione nodded vigorously. "I will, Harry. I'll go get them and we'll all be here before you know it."
Harry nodded. "I think I'm going to take a nap while you're gone. This conversation has worn me out."
"I'm so glad you're back, Harry." said Hermione softly before apparating to the Burrow. The Weasleys were all overjoyed. Then she went looking for Ron. When she told him the news, all Ron could say was, "Oh my God!"