"MIONE!" Ron ran into the living room screaming. "Did you hear?" he asked, breathless as he reached the doorframe, holding on to it for support. "The world is going to end!"

The two occupants of the room, Hermione and Severus, who where hitherto facing each together, turned to look at him calmly. Severus raised an eyebrow at the redhead's panting excitement, while Hermione rolled her eyes. Then, they turned back to each other.

"As I was saying, I do believe the sky tomorrow is going to be clear. I sincerely doubt what the muggle newspaper said about rain-" Severus began, but was cut off by a fuming Ron.

"Really? You're talking about the weather?" he asked, incredulously.

Severus smirked slightly before replying in a somewhat condescending tone. "There are times when speaking of the weather is of utmost importance, Mr Weasley."

"But...but the world is ending!" Ron spluttered. Hermione turned back to him and tilted her head. "And what exactly do you want us to do about it? Run and jump around? It hardly solves the problem, does it?" she asked.

"No, but, half of the world is already infected! It's even worse than the plague! It's a pandemic!" he cried. Hemione sighed quietly. "Aren't you...scared?" he asked, softly,regaining some of his composure.

"Oh, I'm terrified. Can't you tell?" Hermione remarked. Ron frowned at her mocking tone.

"I really don't understand how you two can be so calm about this!" he exclaimed, finally deciding to sit down on one of their blood red chairs, despite the fact that it gave him the creeps. But he was too tired, and as the excitement wore of, the fear was starting to take hold.

"Look," he said, his voice soft but shaky, "I don't know what you have up your sleeve, Mione, but I just came here to warn you. I wanted to help you... both." It was difficult for him to say the last word, even though he thought he had made his peace with the fact that Hermione had chosen Sevrus Snape over him, long ago/

Hermione smiled a genuine smile. "I know. I appreciate that. But you're shivering, Ron. You're the one who needs help here." She paused for a moment, locking eyes with her husband, who nodded, before continuing. "You're right. We do have a plan. There's a potion that we're almost certain will work. We're just missing an ingredient. We can collect it next full moon, however. Tomorrow, that is," she explained.

"Which, by the way, is the reason it is so important for us that the skies be clear tomorrow. Rain might mean the arcene flowers won't bloom, and our efforts will be wasted," Severus added.

"Oh and we're sorry we were so rude to you, by the way. Relax. It'll all be alright," Hermione reassured

Ron stared at both of them, but he could feel himself calm down. There might be a cure, Hermione had said. In fact, they were almost certain, and he knew they were both good enough potioneers for that statement to hold a lot of value. Everything could be okay yet. Plus, it was always good to know his friends hadn't gone crazy.

And so, for the first time since he had heard the news, he smiled.

Notes: For Jenny! Via the Singing a Song Along Challenge at The Golden Snitch! Prompt: Severus/Hermione. It's been so long since I wrote this pairing...

Also for the British Literature Challenge: Prompts: end of the world, plague, blood red, "Really? You're talking about the weather?/There are times when speaking of the weather is of utmost importance"

Also for the Through the Universe Challenge. Prompt: pandemic

And for the Dialogue Wheel Challenge at the HPFC! Prompt: "Oh I'm terrified! Can't you tell?"