Chapter 4
Hermione had made sure Ron was shaven and clean as well as well-dressed before following him out the front door and apparating to St. Mungo's. They walked inside, Ron leading the way, and made their way to the front desk.
After a few minutes, Hermione noticed a blond nurse gawking at Ron, pointing her finger and whispering in another's ear. Suddenly the entire hospital admitting area began to buzz as everyone's attention turned to Ron and Hermione.
She felt her cheeks grow warm as she grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him gently toward the triage area, eager to get out of the line of view of all of the staff and patients as well as family members of both that were scattered throughout the large reception area.
Once inside, Hermione pushed the door shut and turned toward the triage nurse who was filling out paperwork. The woman looked up, "I'm sorry but you'll have to wait your turn."
The woman stopped, her quill falling to her parchment as she saw who was standing before her, "Mr. Weasley! You're not dead!"
Hermione scowled, "How sensitive. I wonder how fantastic your bedside manner is."
Ron turned to Hermione, "It's okay."
Hermione shut up at that. She wasn't going to fight with him the first day of his return. Right now she wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with him and sleep all day, all night, and spend the next day talking about everything that had gone on while he was gone. She'd missed him so much that she'd completely cut herself off from everything and everyone besides her children.
"I apparently have been missing for three years. I would like to know what kind of curse or jinx was put on me," Ron spoke softly, still in a slight daze.
The nurse nodded and quickly began grabbing papers from all directions. She handed them to Hermione who immediately started filling them out after drawing a fountain pen from her purse.
Ron followed the woman back and got his measurements as well as vitals taken before the couple was escorted to their own room.
The curtain was drawn and Hermione took comfort in this. She didn't need any more eyes on the two of them. She needed alone time to talk.
"You said you woke up in the rubbage at The Leaky Cauldron? What is the very last thing you remember?" Hermione finished the paperwork and signed before shoving it on the nearest counter and turning back to Ron.
He thought for a moment before speaking, "I remember big black eyes."
"Before that?"
"The last thing before that was I dropped the kids off at the train. Then I headed to work. I was walking out of the train station and met a fellow by the name of…" He struggled to remember, "It started with an H."
"Then?"
"We spoke a few words and I went back on my way… Except maybe four or five steps down the street I lose memory. I just remember the black eyes. Maybe he had black eyes," Ron looked like he was nearly hurting himself trying to remember.
"Just rest, love," Hermione reached over and touched his knee lovingly, "We'll talk more about it later, I'm sure."
Ron teared up, swallowing hard and covering Hermione's hand with his own much larger one, "I can't begin to imagine what you've been through while I was gone."
Hermione shook her head violently, tearing up as well, "No," she sniffled, "I have been fine. I have managed."
"You're… You're so frail and white," Ron choked on his words, the tears coming more heavily, "This is all my fault."
Hermione jumped out of her chair and wrapped her arms around him as tight as she could, "No, this is not your fault."
(Please review! More to come tonight! )
