Dream On
By Siriusly Amused
Author's Note: I feel as though I should be doing something more useful than sitting on my computer (not literally of course) but with 100 degree weather and a lack of wanting to do anything but write (and believe me, I've been trying all afternoon to find useful things to do), I'm afraid I have no choice. I also feel as though I should be working on Hogwarts High II or Snippets, or something else. But I just want to write this story. It is all very, very odd
Disclaimer: If I owned it, I wouldn't be writing this.
Chapter Two
So I'll love whatever you become and forget the reckless things we've done… -'Falling Away With You' by Muse
A rhythmic beeping pierced the air and brought his foggy mind back to consciousness. As the beeping persisted, other sounds joined in: the din of people talking, footsteps on a hard floor, birds chirping. Other senses were returning to him, he smelled the stench of chemicals and the sick, light was forcing its way through his closed eyelids, and he felt a dull and uncomfortable pain in his left inner arm as well as other parts of his body. Opening his eyes slightly, Ron Weasley stared at the white, tiled ceiling and processed that he was in a hospital. His mind remained foggy for a few more moments before the previous night surfaced from the jumbled mess.
He had been running late to see a movie with his sister and brother and had gotten into a slight accident. He winced and ran his right hand over his face. He was in for a thorough scolding from Ginny about driving safe. Ignoring the minor aches and pains that shot through his body, Ron slowly managed to sit up and nearly fell back down when he got a good look around his room.
Ginny was curled up asleep in the chair opposite his bed, her red hair falling over her soft features like a curtain. In the chair next to her was Bill. He was slouched so far down in the chair that it was a wonder he hadn't fallen out of it yet; his head rested on his own shoulder as he slept. And in the extra bed, meant for other patients, was Fred. He was sprawled out on it with his limbs hanging over the sides and his mouth wide open, drool dripping at the corner.
Something caught in Ron's throat. He had always been close with his siblings, but he hadn't expected them to stay the night at the hospital. It was only a minor accident after all; there was no real harm done, yet here they were. Ron suddenly looked down and did a quick double take of his injuries incase he had overlooked something serious, but there was only a few scrapes and bruises--and a massive headache.
Ron groaned and laid back down, putting a hand over his pounding head. He must have had a concussion. That would explain why he had to stay overnight at the hospital.
"You awake, Ron?" came a gruff voice to Ron's right.
"Yeah," Ron replied, keeping a hand over his eyes and wishing that the blinding pain in his head would subside. He heard a rustle before a groggy Fred appeared over him, looking him up and down with squinty eyes. Fred's hair stood on end, he had bags under his eyes, and his leather jacket was half off one shoulder.
"How you feeling?" Fred asked, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
"Head hurts." Ron replied gruffly. Like Fred, he was too tired to care about proper grammar.
Fred lowered his hands and nodded slowly, his eyes still squinty in the sunlight as they swept up and down Ron's form once again. The older male turned and began heading toward the door. "I'll get a healer," Fred said before stopping short and shaking his head distractedly. "I mean a--a doctor." A moment later, Fred was gone, but the conversation had apparently awoken the other two Weasleys. Ginny rushed to Ron's bedside and sat on a bit of free mattress next to Ron as she stroked his hair out of his face. Bill merely stood over the bed and grinned.
"Morning," Bill greeted brightly. "You have no idea how good it is to see you alive and well."
"Er…thanks," Ron replied awkwardly as Ginny continued to brush his hair with her fingertips, her eyes welling with tears.
Fred returned a few minutes later, talking in a hushed whisper with the doctor. Ron could have sworn that he heard the words, 'charm' and 'aftereffect' but figured he must have been hearing things. The doctor, a short, Asian man, smiled warmly at Ron as he approached the bed.
"Hello, I am Dr. Khai," the doctor informed, taking a pen out of his lab coat pocket. "Do you remember me?"
Ron's initial instinct was to say 'no' but then another memory forced its way through the murky abyss that was his brain.
"I broke my leg when I was fourteen," Ron announced slowly. He heard three collective gasps come from his siblings. "Fell off my bike," Ron elaborated. "You're the one who put my cast on." Next to him, Ginny emitted a choked sob. Bill and Fred gave her stern warning looks. Ron was greatly confused.
Dr. Khai was blank for a moment before breaking out in a wide grin. "Right, you are!" he exclaimed, reaching for a small flashlight and shining it into Ron's eyes. "Right, you are." Dr. Khai did a quick check up before giving Ron a strange medicine to help relieve the pain.
Once the doctor left, the four Weasley siblings looked from one to the other. "So…" Fred said slowly, his hands in his pockets as he rocked back and forth on his heels. "What now?"
Ron spent another day in the hospital as numerous doctors came in and checked on him, talking with his siblings in whispers. Ron was outraged at the whispering. He was eighteen-years-old and had a right to hear everything about his condition, but when he brought the subject up with Bill, the older man brushed it off and changed topics. By the time Ron was released, he was greatly agitated.
"Treated me like a little boy," he muttered under his breath as he jammed his pajamas into the schoolbag that Ginny had brought from home. He was interrupted from his mutterings by a soft knock on the door.
"You decent?" came Ginny's voice.
"Yeah," Ron replied, sitting upon the bed and forcing his trainers on his feet roughly.
Ginny entered and smiled at her brother. "You ready to go? Bill just managed to pry Fred away from the vending machine."
Ron smirked and pulled the schoolbag onto a shoulder while he stood. "Fred's sudden fascination with vending machines makes no sense." Ron left the room with Ginny right behind him. They met up with Bill and Fred in the hallway. The two older red-heads were talking avidly about a television show they had watched the night before. Ron rolled his eyes and quickened his pace to put some distance between himself and his siblings. They had been acting strange ever since his accident. It was as if they never used a vending machine or watched television before.
"Oof! Oh, I'm sorry."
Ron took a step back and rubbed his side. He had just rounded a corner and ran into a girl with bushy hair and bandages similar to his own. The girl's parents stood behind her, frozen, their eyes wide and staring at Ron, their mouths agape. Ron brought his eyes back to the girl who was continuing to apologize. He offered her a smile.
"No, no, my fault," Ron replied. "I should have been watching where I was going."
A gasp behind Ron signaled his sibling's arrival. Glancing behind himself, Ron saw that all three of them were staring at the girl with similar expressions that the girl's parents were gracing him with. Was the whole world going mad?
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" the girl asked, bringing Ron to turn back to her.
Ron smiled again. "No. Did I hurt you?" he asked, eyeing her bandages.
"No," the girl replied, forcing a smile. Her eyes kept lingering over Ron's shoulder; she seemed disturbed by his siblings' reactions toward her.
"Well, have a nice day then," Ron said brightly, sidestepping the girl and continuing onward to the elevator. He jabbed the down button and waited for the doors to open. A moment later, his siblings joined him. Ginny was crying.
"What's the matter with you?" Ron asked gruffly, cocking a questioning eyebrow at his sister. Ginny's tears only multiplied at his words and tears began to form in Bill's and Fred's eyes as well.
"What the hell?" Ron asked as the elevator doors opened and the four of them ambled in. Bill, Fred, and Ginny were all crying freely now.
"Why are you crying?" Ron asked exasperatedly, but their sobs only multiplied. Yes, the world had gone mad.
End Author's Note: I almost forgot to post this! -gasp- Then I realized that it's Wednesday which means that it's time to update. I think the ending of this chapter is a bit corny with them all crying. I debated about changing it, but I currently have a head cold. My head feels very heavy and I can't breathe out of my nose. I'm trying not to complain though. I don't feel like I have the right to complain when the people of New Orleans and other areas that have been hit by Katrina are suffering. They are in my thoughts. Anywho, this was kind of a boring chapter. After the performed the charm on Ron and Hermione, they brought them to a Muggle hospital so that when they woke up, they wouldn't be confused. Those of you who are fans of HH might have noticed Dr. Khai. This is his only appearance in this fic. And just so you know, he is actually a healer, playing a doctor in disguise. They're watching Ron and Hermione to make sure that the charm worked properly. Next chapter is the fun chapter where Ron and Hermione meet again. You don't get it till next week though...sorry. In the mean time, review.
