I've always wondered how Ron would learn to handle Hermione's nightmares... so here's a short story I've come up with. I know it's not amazing but I don't think it's too bad so please enjoy. Rose is around seven here and Hugo is five.

"NO! Please Gods don't hurt him! Please! PLEASE!" Hermione screamed in desperation.

Bellatrix only cackled louder, quickly grabbing Ron by the scruff of his hair, jerking his head back as he fell further to his knees and yelped in obvious pain as his throat was exposed.

Hermione tried scrambling forward, her bloodied hands slipping on the cold, wooden floors. She screamed in fear as she was unable to get traction enough to move. Suddenly, her body was jolted back as callused hands grabbed her around her waist and picked her up. She was crushed to the persons chest, her breath quickly leaving her as there was no space to inhale around the strong bars that trapped her.

She kicked and screamed and in a desperate attempt to escape she bit down on the flesh of her captor. There was an angry growl and she was firmly punched below the ribs, hearing a shuddering crack that reverberated through her body. Pain exploded through her, leaving her blinded for a few moments.

She heard Ron yell again, his voice terrified, "Don't touch her! Hermione! Stop, stop!"

She forced her eyes open, and looked up, knowing who she would find before she laid her eyes on him due to the horrible stench that filled her senses. She was met by the hungry stare of Greyback, who grinned and licked over his yellow teeth as she shuddered.

"Hello, delicious." he growled.

Hermione tore her eyes away and stared at her husband. "Please… please don't hurt him. Please." She quietly pleaded, feeling the uselessness of such an attempt.

"He is rather handsome, isn't he?" Bellatrix grinned and bent down to lick the side of his face. Hermione saw Ron shudder as he tried to remain still.

Bellatrix looked at him and frowned, "What is it, Blood Traitor? You don't like that, hm?" she jerked his head again and he grunted in pain. She smiled. "Oh... too bad, what a pity to waste."

All the breath left Hermione's body as Ron was jerked to standing. He looked at her, his eyes filled with tears and his face red, as Bellatrix muttered a spell and his throat was slowly sliced open from one side to the other.

He quickly slumped to the ground, his eyes never leaving hers, light gurgling noises filling Hermione's ears as he was surrounded by the growing pool of his own blood.

"NO! No no no no! Please! NO!" she shrieked as she watched his eyes glaze over.

"Silly little Mudblood. We're just getting started!" Bellatrix said cheerfully and twirled around, looking into the shadows behind her. "We'll go get the kiddies shall we?"

Hermione's entire body froze, something far beyond terror washing through every cell in her being. No, she couldn't have. They're protected. It's impossible, her mind reeled with so much desperation that she nearly blacked out.

She watched as two small children were ushered into the room, the girl clutching the boy to her even as she limped on what looked like a very injured leg. They were both crying, their scared sniffles filling the room as they were pushed towards the body lying on the ground. His blood continuing to drain out of him in impossible amounts.

"D-daddy?" the boy cried out.

They both stared at their dead father, lying sprawled. His blood touched Hermione's shoes as it continued to flow. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, as her children looked at her in horror and started to wail.

Bellatrix skipped around to Hermione, leaning down so that the tips of their noses touched. Her face broadened in a wide smile, joy playing on her features. "Would you like to see how loud your itty bitty babies can scream?"

Ron sat straight up as he heard his wife shriek and felt her thrash in the bed beside him. He quickly turned to her, trying to see her through the darkness. "Hermione?" he tried shaking her, knowing that if it was early on enough in the nightmare he could sometimes succeed in waking her up.

She only continued to thrash. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her onto her back, placing his hands on her face. "Love, you're fine. It's alright." He said firmly.

Her breathing hitched and she jerked, her knee hitting Ron hard enough to leave a bruise. He cringed and tried again, but her breathing only continued to speed up as she shook and jerked under him. Uh oh, he thought.

He sprang out of bed and turned on the light, looking back at her as she kicked her legs and said desperately, "No!"

He went to her again, lying down beside her, and wrapped himself around her body. She squirmed and groaned, clawing at his arms.

"Hermione. She's dead. She's gone. She's dead." He shook her as he said it, fearing how deep she was into the nightmare tonight, knowing from experience how he'd likely have to wake her up to keep her from scaring Rose and Hugo with her screams.

Still, she only fought harder against him. Ron shook his head, already feeling guilty for what he was about to do.

He carefully shifted so that he could cleanly get out of her arms and made his way swiftly out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen. He was just finished filling the glass with cold water when he heard her frantically scream. His stomach plummeted and he ran up the stairs as fast as he could with the full glass in his hand. Just as he turned into their room he heard her howl his name and watched as she scratched over the scar on her arm, reopening the wound.

"Shite shite shite," he frantically muttered as he ran over to her, sitting on the side of the bed, and tipped the glass over her face.

She gasped and sat bolt upright in the bed, her face ghostly pale and her breathing quick and shallow. She wildly looked about the room, her eyes flitting from surface to surface as she took in her surroundings. Her eyes landed on Ron and she let out a sob as she dove into his arms, burying her head deeply into his chest.

"Oh Gods…" she whimpered.

Ron stroked her back, gently kissing the top of her head through the curls that he had drenched in freezing water. "It's alright, love." He murmured, as her tears soaked his skin.

"Mummy?" they both froze and Ron turned his head to look back through the doorway, finding both his children clutching the frame and they stared, wide-eyed, at their shuddering mother.

"It's okay Rosie…mummies alright. Go back to bed. I'll come tuck you both in. Take Hugh with you."

She persisted, "But what's the matter?"

Ron opened his mouth to reply but Hermione lifted her head and meekly looked over her husband's shoulder, "Nothing darling, I'm fine." she said as steadily as she could.

Rose hesitated for a few seconds but nodded and grabbed her brother's hand, taking him down the hall with her. Ron let out a breath as they moved out of sight, wrapping his arms tighter around his wife.

"Are you alright?" he asked, moving to look down into her face.

She wiped her eyes and nodded, taking a shuddering breath. "Y-y-yes. I'm fine. Feeling a bit sick… just… nightmare." She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw, trying to control the nausea that rolled through her.

He lightly stroked her hair, "Want some water?"

"Please." She nodded.

He got up, trying not to jolt the bed too much and grabbed the glass he had left on the side table. "I'll be right back," he leaned down and kissed her briefly, then walked down to the kitchen.

Bloody nightmares, he thought, shaking his head. Luckily they were becoming less frequent, but bad ones like these always left her exhausted and jumpy for up to days afterward.

She weakly smiled at him when he returned, watching as he came through the door with his arms full of precariously balanced objects. She took the glass he offered gratefully as he put down two mugs of steaming tea, then let the rest of the items he held roll out of his arms beside her onto the bed. She looked at what he had brought- a roll of bandage, two vials of potion (one a dark, viscous liquid in a bright purple flask and the other a watery substance in a clear stopper), and also the large book she was currently reading.

He gingerly took her arm and examined the wound. Hermione peeked at it, "It's not hurting as bad this time…" she quietly said.

" S'good." He mumbled, concentrating on delicately coating her arm in the clear Essence of Dittany and wrapping her arm with the bandage. The cut was unable to heal with magic, and even then would never fully recover, as it had been created with a cursed blade.

Hermione finished her water in a few gulps. "Thank you for being so wonderful, Ron," She sniffed as she placed the glass back on the table.

He grinned sheepishly at her, "Here… I brought some sleeping draught. D'you think you need it?" he asked, reaching over and then handing her the purple vial.

She sighed, and took it from his hand.

"Daddy… what's the matter with mummy?"

Ron looked at his daughter and smiled sadly. She looked so concerned. "Mummy has nightmares, sweetheart."

"But why? When me or Hugh have bad dreams we don't scream like that, do we?"

"No, Rosie, you don't," he replied, adding under his breath, "thank Godric for that." before he continued. "Before you were born, mummy was hurt by a very bad witch." he told her sadly.

"Oh no," she said quietly and frowned.

"I know," he shook his head, looking at her. "But she's getting much better, Rosie. She hardly has any nightmares anymore." Ron kissed his daughters forehead and grinned at her, "not with you and Hugh around to protect her."

"And you too, daddy," replied Rose, smiling.

"Yes, and me too." He gave her another kiss and got up. Closing the door behind him he said, "G'night Rosie Posie, love you."

He then headed to his sons bedroom door, preparing for what he knew would be a similar conversation.

Thank you all for reading! Please review