Chapter 3 - Recover

Just as he heard the log next to him disintegrated under a spell cast from below, Ron closed his eyes and apparated while falling upside down.

The quiet night on the hilltop was interrupted by the sound of a crack and the appearance of two people with wands held in front already scanning the surroundings.

Harry and Hermione made the usual checks around their old campsite before satisfying themselves that the place was undisturbed since leaving a few hours ago. A few hours ago. Hermione could not believe it was not so long ago that she was standing right here in this spot smiling behind Ron's back and feeling some sort of peace with her feelings.

Since they could not put up the protection charms until Ron returned, they could do nothing but sit and lean against the old shady tree...and wait. If the importance of her bag was not clear before, they both silently realised how dependant they were on that tiny pouch now lost somewhere on a muddy hillside. Hermione quickly returned her thoughts to the one person who could also be lost to her after this night and shuddered in the cold air.

Quickly casting a warming spell around them, she settled closer to Harry staring straight ahead nervously listening for the sound she needed to hear. The sound of him returning again.

She finally broke the long silence between them

"I'm sorry Harry." she said softly still staring into nothing like she hadn't really meant for it to come out. Her voice broke him out of his own deep thoughts.

"It's nobody's fault Hermione. We could not have know about that camp there...and it's certainly nobody's fault as to all that happened after." Harry deliberately did not mention anything about her bag as it was obvious to him that she felt responsible for their present predicament.

"I wasn't referring to me dropping the bag Harry." she said quickly and now Harry turned his head to look at her somewhat surprised before she continued.

"I... just wanted to let you know that...that...whatever is going on between Ron and me or what has happened with us in the past...you know...it will never affect our loyalty to you and to this war... ever Harry. I know this...whatever this thing is between the two of us...Ron and me...has come in the way recently...with you in the middle sometimes but no matter how complicated it gets, we will always be there for you...you know that don't you? I just don't want you to think our focus has changed in the least." Hermione finally glanced at him with a small pleading look on her face. Harry immediately replied.

"Hermione you don't have to apologize for that. You two have been at each other for forever as far as I can recall and we're still together as a team here aren't we? And you know that episode...with Ron... going...well it was just You Know Who using our insecurities against us. It wasn't anyone's fault. You know Ron seems a lot better since being back you have to admit. Hey if you guys stopped fighting completely I might suffer from withdrawal symptoms and suffer a breakdown." he ended with a laugh.

"Ha ha Harry. Very funny." Hermione chuckled out loud. "and you're right by the way. He has been ...different since coming back, you know, a lot more sure of himself and less of a git overall. Plus he has been really sweet to me even though I was horribly hard on him." she smiled and felt her cheeks flush suddenly. "I just never know what to make of him sometimes Harry. He confuses me and takes me out of my comfort zone...a lot. That's why I need to figure this out soon so that I can keep my mind focused on the task at hand." Hermione paused in her drabble and looked around her. "And where is that stubborn git by the way. Shouldn't he be here by now?" she suddenly ended a bit nervously.

Harry had to suppress a laugh as his understanding of Hermione's last few works became a bit clearer.

"Don't worry so much Hermione. You two will figure it out soon I'm sure. I'm just glad he's back and that we are together. He'll be back soon I'm also sure. Trust me, nothing would make him stay away again." he said confidently trying to reassure her with his tone.

"Yeah, I know. I just want him back...bag or no bag." she said still looking around with her eyes. "You should get some sleep Harry and rest that leg. Thanks for listening. I'll be up. There is no way I could sleep now anyway I know."

Harry seemed happy to lean his head against the rough tree trunk and close his eyes. A light snore soon followed disturbing the quiet night again.

xxx

He jumped out of his sleep when he felt a flaying hard knock against his arm. "Get up Harry. Hurry! He's here!" he heard Hermione shout. By the time he could get to his feet, she was halfway to the sprawling figure of Ron lying almost flat on the ground.

Her heart was beating wildly as she ran towards him and she knew it wasn't caused from the short run. He was breathing heavily and trying to raise himself on all fours when she reached him but it seemed that he was having difficulty even doing that.

"Ron! Ron!...I'm here." she cried as she stooped down and reached out for him. "I'm here...we're here. Are you ok? What took you so long?" Her hands were on his arms now as she tried to steady him from falling over. He looked up at her and tried to give her one of his lopsided grins but he only managed a sleepy grimace.

"Missed me didn't you? Think I went sightseeing?" he tried and gave up on a smile. "And look what I found on my travels." He turned slightly to face her and held out her bag which was still griped in his...bloody fingers.

Hermione barely registered the fact that he had retrieved her bag. He looked like death and she struggled to keep her head straight while she started to examined him in more detail. She gently took the bag from him as she felt the tears come to her eyes.

"Oh God Ron, what have you done to yourself?" she nearly sobbed out desperately trying to keep in control. "Just rest here and let me take a closer look at you ok." Just then Harry came upon them and flopped down next to her.

"Ron, good to have you back mate. Bloody hell! You look like you were dragged face down through the forbidden forest!" he exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

"Well you would look like shit too if you had to play like a monkey and climb up a ruddy mountain with rocks to cushion your climb. As to the other question, well if my arms are still attached to my body then I'm fine because I can't feel a bloody thing in them. Actually I can hardly feel anything else either but I'm here in one piece aren't I? So I'm great!" he said, sounding pleased with himself.

Hermione suddenly waded into their light banter with her controlling tone back in force.

"Harry, take the tent from the bag and go quickly and set it up. We can hear the full story later. Then come back and help me get him in." She then looked at Ron and seemed torn for a second. "Ron...please can you hold on a little longer while I set up the protection charms around? I won't be long."

"No problem. I'm not going anywhere. Take your time. I need to rest a bit anyway." he said as he closed his eyes and moved to lay down on the ground again. Hermione hesitated for a second looking at him and dying a bit inside before quickly moving around the campsite muttering the spells she had done countless times over the past months.

When she finally returned to him, he seemed half asleep. She knelt down next to him and his eyes fluttered open. "I'm sorry I got blood on your bag Hermione. It's a nice bag and I wouldn't want to ruin it." he said sleepily. She felt her tears return at the sound of his weary voice as she suddenly remembered another thing she loved about him . He was always so adorably sincere when he was tired.

"Come on Ron, we have to get you inside so I can see about you. Can you stand? I'll help you." she said encouragingly as she tried to get him up. She looked up for Harry who came running to help.

They managed to half drag Ron into the tent and put him down on the nearest chair. He seemed to have revived a bit as his eyes remained open and clear. Hermione put it down to the new warmth which had settled in the tent. Harry hesitated slightly, looking at both of them before clearing his throat.

"Right, I'll leave you two to...clean up. If you need me for anything, just call me Hermione. I'll take the watch tonight as I'm the only one who managed to catch some sleep. You were great tonight Ron. Thanks for getting back the bag. I don't think we could survive without it really." he said the last part looking straight at Ron before quickly moving out of the tent.

Ron and Hermione looked at one another for an awkward moment before Ron slumped down in the chair and gave her a small grin. "So, Healer Granger. What's the verdict you think? Will I live?" he said, trying to ease her troubled look.

Hermione quickly moved in front of him and stooped to have a closer look. She frowned as she studied him.

"Stop joking Ron, this is serious. Oh I can't see anything with all the mud and...other stuff on you. I can barely make you out as it is! You will have to get yourself cleaned up in the shower before I can take a good look at your cuts and bruises" she said looking up at him with a worried expression.

She noticed that Ron also took on a slightly similar look before smiling again.

Merlin. I wish he would stop doing that. Can't he see that I'm worried and he is just distracting me with that smile!

"A shower! Good idea...except for one small thing." he said as he suddenly toed off his muddy shoes one by one and then pointed to them with his finger. "That's about all I can do at this stage I'm afraid. My arms don't work and I can hardly stand. You...you are going to have to help me get in there and try your best to clean me up Hermione."

Hermione's eyes suddenly grew wider and she immediately bit her lower lip. What was he saying?

"Er..Ron..maybe you should get Harry to..."

"No. please Hermione!" Ron quickly spurted out, looking at the tent flap. "I would really prefer you to do this...please" he pleaded. "Don't worry. Just get me in the bathroom and we'll take it from there ok?"

Hermione felt her confusion hit her as usual. Was he saying that he really wanted her to help and take care of him? or was it just that he did not want Harry to see him in such a vulnerable state? Why did she have to analyze this now when he said he needed her? She quickly made up her mind and grabbed her bag.

'OK come on. Hold on to me and we'll get you sorted" she said flatly, trying to sound as natural as possible bearing in mind all the possible scenarios to come that were now floating around in her head.

They managed to reach the door of the bathroom when Hermione summoned a flat stool from inside the tent, pushed him inside and dropped him heavily on it before letting her breath out from the exertion. The door swung shut behind them on its own with a light thud.

She immediately froze next to him. The tent bathroom was not intended for more than one person and consisted of a toilet and basin with a small enclosed shower all contained in an area just larger than a broom closet it seemed. It suddenly dawned on Hermione that she was really here alone with Ron with no chance of putting any distance between them. Before she had any chance of suffering a panic attack, it was Ron who made the first move.

She felt his hand rest weakly on her waist and she looked at his warm blue eyes expectantly.

"Relax Hermione. It's just me remember? It's all right you know...I don't mind. Just get me out of these rags and do what you have to do...Just know that I wouldn't want any other person than you in here right now." he said softly as he closed his eyes and leaned back against the basin.

Where did this person come from? she marvelled. Ron could barely stop himself from becoming a stuttering blushing idiot when he was anywhere as close to her as now but he had just managed to calm her and fill her with an easy warmth with his words and his touch. Was he really developing into the mature caring Ron that went along with his impetuous, funny, loyal and intense side that she already knew and loved?

She suddenly felt a surge of confidence and bravery that filled her up and she turned to him with a newfound comfort in his presence so close to her. Trying to be as delicate as possible she removed his jacket and pulled his jumper over his head when he flinched and gasped. She immediately stopped and rubbed her hands over his arm.

"Just keep still Ron and let me try to take off your shirt." She slowly unbuttoned his shirt all the way down and gently pulled it off him feeling her face begin to flush. She had seen him shirtless a couple of times but never this close and in such a restricted setting. His pale freckled skin over his lean taut body made her dizzy at first but she held on to her courage. He had numerous cuts and scrapes over his arms, chest and stomach but she concentrated on his rib injury.

"Show me where it hurts Ron. Your ribs...Just point." rubbing his arms again as she spoke.

Although it looked like he could barely raise his arms Ron did manage to indicate the areas that needed attention. She quickly whispered the healing spells and she saw him wince at first before relaxing with greater ease on the stool. Now to get him in the shower.

"Thanks Hermione, you're the best. You know that?" he suddenly muttered and to her great relief reached for his belt buckle and undid his jeans before wriggling them off to his ankles. "Come on. Help me in the shower. The faster I do this the faster I get to bed." his ears going a bit red as he made this last remark.

Seeing him in his worn orange pair of Chudley Cannon briefs Hermione felt her face suddenly heat up as she struggled to make her mouth work. She was sure that Ron noticed but she still felt oddly encouraged by the way he was handling this whole intimate session between them here in the confined bathroom. She pulled off his jeans and socks from his feet and moved to turn on the hot water in the shower.

"OK Ron just get in and try to clean up as best as you can then I can heal the rest of your cuts especially that one on your leg." she finally managed to say without looking at him.

Ron stood up gingerly resting on his good leg, before leaning against the shower enclosure.

"How bout if I just lay down under the shower and you come and get me after an hour or two? I should be just dandy by then." he grinned at her before facing the shower again with a dubious look.

Hermione gazed at him and again felt that surge of bravery within her. He needed her and that was all that mattered to her. She reached for the stool and placed it in the shower stall before helping him to sit with the warm water now streaming down the front of him. He gasped but soon was leaning his back against the wall allowing the hot steam and water to soak through his body with his eyes closed.

"Keep your eyes closed Ron and I'll help you wash." Hermione bit her lower lip before reaching for the hem of her jumper. She quickly shed her outer clothes and stepped into the small shower and picked up the shampoo she had placed in there.

As Ron felt her against his legs his eyes flew open and when he realised that she was also in her underwear his mouth also flew open swallowing some water as he almost fell off the stool.

"Wha...what are you doing?" he stammered and spluttered out, water spewing everywhere before he clamped his eyes shut again.

"Ron! I told you to keep your eyes closed!" she squeaked as she drew her hands over her chest. "Honestly! Can't you follow simple directions for once! This is the most logical solution to get us cleaned up in the shortest time possible after all! Now shut up and let me get to it and keep your eyes closed remember."

If Ron was feeling all relaxed a couple seconds earlier, all hope to continue in this vein completely disappeared with the presence of a certain female individual now with her fingers in his hair and her almost naked body right next to his. He had done so well up to now trying his best to appear unaffected by her in the bathroom but she could not possibly expect him to just sit back and relax with her doing...what she was doing. God she felt great! This felt great!...maybe he could relax after all! All he had to do was keep his bleeding eyes shut and control one of his body parts. Thank Merlin the direction of the shower was in his favour.

Hermione was actually smiling to herself as she worked her fingers into Ron's hair. Never in her widest fantasies about this red haired boy (which did occur frequently over the last two years) did she believe she would be actually doing what she was doing at this moment. Running her hands freely all over him clad only in their underwear with water cascading among them was something that happened only in a dream.

She felt flushed and excited, timid and bold, shy and confident all at the same time. Like the warm water, her feelings washed over her and all thoughts of Harry, Horcruxes and everything outside this small space in their tent vanished to the back of her mind. Seeing Ron initially squirm under her gaze and watching him try to cover his lap with his big hands only empowered her feelings. She was still in control she fooled herself.

After she could no longer delay without raising suspicion from Ron, she turned off the water and summoned two large towels, wrapping herself in one and giving the other to him with a nudge to his shoulder.

Ron seemed to awaken from a wonderful dream and ended up staring at her sleepily before he suddenly realised where he was and staggered a bit off the stool.

"Ok that's the best I can do for now Ron, step outside and dry yourself on the stool while I finish up in here. Just stay there and wait for me...but don't look this way." he heard her trying to sound calm.

His body brushed past her as he made his way out of the tiny stall and a sudden warmth filled him and he no longer felt the need for the towel draped loosely in his hand. She closed the door and he jolted awake again when a matching pair of black bra and knickers were flung draped over the top of the stall. Hermione disappeared behind a cloud of steam as she finished shampooing her own hair.

Oh Go! She was deliberately doing this to him! She knew how tired he was!

Ron made the effort to dab at himself with the towel before he noticed a clean pair of briefs lying next to the basin where Hermione had thoughtfully left it and managed to somehow change into it by sheer fright at the thought of her having to attempt it on his behalf.

He again closed his eyes and drifted off trying to drown himself in the sounds that were coming from next to him. He heard the shower go off and the sound of her drying herself and her hair, then the sound of her bag and the sound of clothes being sorted and hurriedly thrown on. The stall door opened and then a deafening silence for a few seconds before the shuffling of tiny feet. He felt a small hand on his arm and opened his eyes.

Her hair was still slightly wet but fluffed out and she was wearing one of his older tee shirts with the arms folded over and a pair of pyjama pants. She was staring at him, her face flushed pink and she looked as beautiful as he had ever seen her before.

Hermione stared at him with a longing to hold him close to her that was so strong she almost gasped from the loss of air in her chest. She took a deep breath, cleared her head and gently touched his arm and his eyes opened halfway sleepily.

"I see you were able to change but you couldn't dry yourself off. Honestly Ron."

She picked up his towel and quickly dried his hair before pulling out the bottle of dittany from her bag and bent over him. She then gently applied the essence to his fingers and hands before moving to his body and then kneeling down to get to the large gash on his thigh.

Hermione had a sudden vision of herself in the distant future in the exact position with a slightly older red haired auror just back from a mission. She smiled to herself lost in the picture before she heard a soft chuckle and looked up at his half open eyes smiling at her.

"What's so funny may I ask?" she smiled back at him.

"It's just...I finally get you half naked in front of me and I can't move my arms and legs. Isn't that hilarious? I wonder if that's how it's going to be all the time?" he chuckled again this time with his eyes closed.

"All the time? Are you being rude? and I sincerely hope you would keep your arms to yourself thank you...if there is a next time." she kept a straight face but her eyes were smiling at him.

"Sorry. Please go on. I like when you take care of me." he said suddenly sounding tired again.

She was almost finished with all the small cuts and bruises on his legs when she felt his hands brush her hair. This time she kept still.

"Have I ever told you I like your hair like this? You smell like me too." she knew he was referring to the fact that she had used his shampoo.

"Actually I like your hair and how you smell all the time you know that?" he was almost talking in his sleep by now but she felt her heart melting inside her and the urge to hold him and snog him senseless returned stronger than ever.

"Ron. You don't know what you're saying. Come on. It's time to get you in bed" she desperately tried to calm herself as she pulled him up.

"And you feel so soft and tiny all the time Hermione. I could touch you and hold you forever you know that?" he rambled on sweetly.

Hermione deliberately held him closer than was necessary as she guided him out of the bathroom and tried to steer him to his small bed. Harry immediately appeared from outside with a questioning look before she mouthed an OK to him. She really hoped that Ron would not continue with his mutterings.

"He's fine Harry, I'll just put him down." she whispered softly. "Wake me if you need a change of watch."

She managed to sit him on his bed drawing back the sheets and warm covering before letting him fall softly onto his back. She let herself gaze at him for a minute brushing the hair from his forehead before she moved to pull the covering over him. She jumped when she surprisingly felt his hand gently slip into hers and his eyes fluttered open to stare at her.

"I told you I would come back." he said clearly into her eyes. "And if you let me...I will never ever leave you again you know...if you let me." as he drifted off again.

Hermione could no longer contain herself. All her resolve from moments ago evaporated in a second as she threw herself on him hugging him tightly and sobbing quietly into his chest. All her hurt and anger at him and all her frustration and confusion leaked out of her as she held him close to her and absolved him of any wrongdoing with her tears.

Tonight she would stay with him. Tonight she would forget what she had to do. Her tears gave way to a feeling of utter contentment and belonging as she felt herself drift into a blissful sleep lying next to him in their small tent next to the shady tree on the hillside.

...

I still have two chapters left to complete this story which I will add over the next week hopefully. I just wanted to post the first three chapters to get it out there.