A/N: Sorry! I know that was a longer wait than I've had you all used to. I had some stuff to take care... some of it may have been fun stuff, but still. :) One more chapter after this. If you've been reading along and haven't reviewed (or reviewed for a while) I would love to hear from you! I really enjoy all the reviews I've gotten so far! Thank you!

Radical

"Alright, one more time," Ron said, looking at the band of witches and wizards who had volunteered. There was one older woman who already had a broken arm. George had talked her into staying behind and being in charge of moving everyone to the tunnels if things went south. Another man had backed out, pale and shaking, when the details came to light.

Petrosinella stood beside George, wand in one hand and an invisibility cap in the other. She would go with them into the square. They had disagreed at first, until she went through a rapid list of why they could use a third person with them. The details were as clear as they were going to get. Ron just wanted to give Harry plenty of time to organize on the outside. Without the phone, there was no way to know they were in place for sure, but it was better to give them more time than less.

"Best guess, the center of this is around Gringotts," Ron said. "A robbery, probably."

"I still don't get it," a younger wizard said. "There's got to be less complicated ways to get gold than to coerce red caps."

"There are far more dangerous things kept at Gringotts. It's probably not the gold they're after," Petrosinella said.

Ron looked to the three they had decided would be head of the groups causing diversions. "You three are going to lead your people to the major roads. Deposit the fireworks, but don't set them off until you're ready to get out of sight. We will give you fifteen minutes. Once they're off, find cover. Drop down into the sewer if you get caught up for any reason, but don't be out any longer than you need to."

They all nodded solemnly as George, Ron, and Petrosinella circled between them.

"Alright, we spread out," Ron said. "When we're entering, we won't know exactly when we're in range to use our wands. Close enough to work together, far enough to cover the span. George is going to send up a jolting jinx. We get in range of the magic center and shield when that happens."

The other two nodded.

"And if we see others exposed, you and me will be in charge of protecting them," Petrosinella added.

Ron looked at his watch. It had been forty minutes since the last of the children had gone through. George told everyone to get ready and Ron put a hand on Petrosinella's shoulder.

"You be careful," Ron said. "George and I have had our fair share of experience."

"Honestly? I always thought it would be fun to go into the academy," Petrosinella said. "Don't worry about me."

Ron opened his mouth to ask a question, but George was at the door, everyone else invisible. He gave a jerk of his head. Ron and Petrosinella put on their own invisibility items and moved towards the others. They each had clickers in their hands so that the others would know where they were any given moment. If they saw red caps, they would use various sticks and some bricks from the back of the shop to defend themselves the best they could.

There was a soft woosh of with the movement of the robes as the various groups exited. Petrosinella reached out for Ron's elbow, touching him until they began to move forward. Ron whistled and George threw on his own hat, disappearing from sight.

They walked slowly down the road. Ron saw one red cap on the other end of the alley they had come from. It was sitting on the chest of what looked like a man, though it was hard to tell from the distance. Ron swallowed. The body was covered in red and deathly still. The red cap simply played in the blood with it first finger, eyes wide like a distracted toddler. Ron had only heard stories of red caps. They generally stayed hidden in old castles, tripping up muggles for the chance to see the blood that resulted. They were fascinated by the warm liquid.

"Can we—"

"It's too late," Ron whispered back to Petrosinella somewhere to his right.

She took a steeling breath and they continued, spreading out with Ron in the middle, George to the left and Petrosinella to the right. Ron stopped as one red cap came around. It was sniffing the air, but its nose was so covered in dried blood that Ron wasn't sure it could really get his scent properly. He held still as the red cap moved within a foot of him. It sniffed up his side, narrowed its eyes, then crept along, beyond them. Ron let out a breath, watching it move well down the road before he continued forward, clicking to let George and Petrosinella know where he was.

They made their way to the main road, passing two more red caps strolling the streets. Ron wished he had some way to communicate with Harry to let him know a count. He wondered if the other groups were finding the same, though he assumed they probably were. These red caps seemed evenly paced. How anyone could control them, however, Ron didn't know. He didn't know why anyone would even try. Even elves didn't want to be associated with them and they were the most closely related.

As soon as Gringotts was in sight, Ron clicked and whistled, moving towards his left, holding his arm out until he felt George. Petrosinella seemed to feel George first as well.

"Getting friendly, there," George said to her.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," Petrosinella replied quietly.

Ron concentrated on the people in the square. Several wizards and witches patrolled the doors at Gringotts. They all wore dark, navy robes with the hoods covering their heads and, as a result, their faces. There were a dozen more red caps. Two on chains, the others were edging towards those with wands. One of the wizards threw a hex, pushing a red cap back. The red cap rose to its toes threateningly, then looked to one of the chained red caps, easing back and turning around. The wizard pointed and the red cap followed down the street indicated.

"Do red caps have a hierarchy?" George asked.

"Looks like it," Ron replied quietly. "I don't know much about them, but it seems like if they have control of those two, they have control of them all. Maybe?"

"Well, shit," Petrosinella said.

Ron nodded, even though neither of them could see him.

"Wands at the ready," Ron said. "We're close to them being useful. I don't see anyone from Gringotts. They're probably all inside. We want to secure them first, then we can blast this barrier. Or, you know, at least give Harry and his team a chance to finish it."

Then they waited. One or the other would make observations about certain members of who they were opposing; someone with a limp or the one who was issuing actual orders. George noticed one of them drop a wand into a large box sitting on the top step leading up to the bank. Petrosinella pointed out that they would have taken wands from the workers inside.

"I'll get to it and try arming who we can," Petrosinella suggested.

"That's good," Ron agreed. "Make sure you tell them to shield themselves on our signal."

Another few minutes and there were fireworks going off back where they had come from. Ron smiled, watching the figures scrambling, the leader sending some of them off to investigate. Those leaving had batons in their non-wand hand, gripping them as they moved into the space that wouldn't allow them to use magic.

"Let's go," George said.

The three moved as the second set of fireworks went off in the distance. More chaos, more panic. Ron was running when suddenly he could see George. The others had stopped, stunned to see George there. Ron froze, looking down. They could see him, too.

Ron raised his wand, sending a jinx at the closest person, blasting them off their feet before they could recover. He did this again and again as George realized they had gone through some kind of revelation wall. Ron took off the hat, throwing back a wild red cap, then pushed through two more. He was back-to-back with George, fending as many off as possible.

Ron sent a hex flying, a jet of silver light shot directly towards the hood of one of the shorter people to his right. They blocked it, sending it up and away from them. Ron swallowed as he looked around, realizing they were circled entirely. George cursed behind him, but they both stood their ground, wands up.

Ron looked around. He saw Petrosinella appear out of the corner of his eye. She must have seen what happened to them and waited. She slunk into a shadow and he saw her raise her wand to herself, performing a disillusionment charm. Ron looked away before anyone noticed his attention on her.

"What now?" George whispered behind him.

"We need more time," Ron said. The others wouldn't be covered yet. The jinx wouldn't likely kill anyone, but it certainly wasn't going to be pleasant either. Prolonged, it could cause serious damage, at least in the short term.

The leader moved to the front of the group, pulling down his hood. He was older than Ron and George, probably by a decade. He had dark grey hair and eyes to match. He had a wicked grin with a scar from the inside eyebrow on the right, down to his jaw on the left. It was as though someone had cut his face in two, the pushed one side down so that the halves didn't quite line up.

"Clever, clever," he said. "Got passed all the red caps, huh? Don't worry, we have more to finish you off."

Someone stepped up beside him, whispering into his ear. The grin faded. "You sure?" he muttered. "To Granger?"

Ron narrowed his eye.

"I guess you two might be useful," he decided. With a flick of his wand, Ron's own was being tugged from him. He gripped tighter as it continued to pull, hoping George still had his.

In his struggle to hold tight, Ron was being pulled off his feet. Another spell from a witch on the left and he was bound, tightening and moving towards one another in front of him. Someone took hold of his wand, twisting his wrist until he couldn't hold any longer. Ron fell to his knees, unable to keep his balance. Ron could barely look over his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see three people holding George, one gripping him by the hair as another pulled his wand from his hand. They were both useless. He sneered at the man in front of him.

"Bring him to the top of the steps and bring the goblin out. Put the other inside," the man instructed. Ron was yanked and pulled, pushed up the steps. George was a few steps ahead of him, fighting just as hard, but with so many wands pointed right at them, they didn't have much choice.

At the very top, a spell jerked Ron to a halt and he watched George helplessly as his brother tried to turn back towards him.

"No!" George shouted, fighting harder as he looked over his shoulder at Ron being held still. "Geroff me!"

Ron swallowed, remembering that George had a pregnant wife waiting for him. That he had a daughter about to come. Ron shouldn't have let him come. He should have tried on his own. Then, at least, it would have only been one of them. He thought about their mother and what this would do to her, losing two more children. Then he thought about Hermione. At least the kids were safe. At least she hadn't been with them today.

Ron turned to the man, shrugging off one set of hands and standing still, wanting some semblance of control in this moment. Some sense that they couldn't get whatever they wanted.

"You've been on the Ministry's radar for a long time," Ron said quietly.

"We know," the man replied.

"So who are you?" Ron said. "What is it you're after?"

The man grinned at him. "You know, it's unfair that some people just happen to be born with magic. No explanation. Generations and generations of muggles and then… one day…"

"Go figure," Ron scoffed. "Muggleborn haters."

"No," the man said. "Not at all, in fact. We have worked for a long, long time trying to even the playing field. The Ministry had a program looking into what give some people magic and others not. Why one child might have that ability while another is a squib. For ages muggles have been at the mercy of the type of people you talk about. The type that would slaughter them or use them as pawns unknowingly. Then the Ministry steps in and wipes their memories. They aren't even allowed to know they're victims."

"The Ministry does everything possible to protect them," Ron said.

"Not everything," the man countered. He waved a hand and a larger man moved forward, standing at the man's shoulder. "The Wizengamot dismantled a program that would have lead to research spreading magical abilities.

"There's a vault…" the man paced two steps down from Ron, pointing towards Gringotts. "The Ministry keeps failed or abandoned projects in there. Things they can't fully destroy, but that they've decided they would rather ignore than allow people who could do something worthwhile with them have the objects. So we're taking them."

Two more hooded figures came out, dropping a goblin onto the step beside Ron, he was curled up, beaten to a pulp. Ron bent down, reaching his hands out to the Gringotts worker. He turned his indignation back to the man. "Oh yeah, I see what good-hearted souls you all are," Ron spat.

"We didn't want it to go this way," the man said. "But then there's people in the Ministry that should have stepped up. Should have made the difference. People who would want their families to have the same privileges they've been given. People like your wife."

Ron stood slowly, feeling the heat rise up his neck.

"Of course she wanted to spend most of her time defending the animals of this world," the man snarled. "But she's been on our radar. Rising in the ranks, but ignoring her own heritage. Her own people."

"You don't know anything," Ron said in a low voice.

The man's smile just grew, his scar seemed to upturn with his smirk. "It's a nice house you all have there on Tudor Lane," he said. Ron's stomach dropped. His blood ran cold. "And those muggle schools you picked out… but when you have a chance to educate the muggles, you let the Ministry obliterate their memories instead."

There was a glint in the man's eye. "Don't worry," he whispered. "If you don't get a chance to see them again, we'll let them know you said goodbye."

Ron lunged forward and was stopped by a heavy hand across his nose. He was thrown to the side, his head hitting the marble steps as he fell. He turned onto his shoulder, the blood from his nose dripping freely down his cheek. He grunted pushing himself up, but the man had moved on, shouting out instructions to others. Ron closed his eyes, breathing heavily as he bent forward, trying to stifle the bleeding.

"No the other one!" the man shouted. "Do I have to explain every little thing?"

Ron expected they were bringing George back out. He couldn't even bring himself to worry about his brother again. Fear of what would happen if they didn't end this coursed through him. Would Harry figure out enough to provide extra protection for his family if he died here? He could only imagine red caps running through his house in the dead of night, pouncing on his children as they slept. He looked up and around him. That couldn't happen. He wouldn't let it happen.

Everyone was hooded again and the man was turned away from him after taking a few steps down. He waved his wand smoothly from left to right. The base of the clear barrier had images. No. Only one image, Ron realized. An image repeated over and over, side by side. An image of him.

Harry let Hermione and Ginny stay nearby him with Rose and Hugo. The aurors were all spread out evenly along the barrier. They were waiting for a weakness in the dome, according to Ron's instructions. They would then focus all their wand work there and move in one force, once Diagon Alley opened up again. They had even called in Magical Animal Control department to help handle the red caps. Harry worried they wouldn't be there soon enough and that the aurors would be dealing with both, but that hadn't been necessary. Their department had arrived, settled in, and they were still waiting.

Hermione expected something to happen once they had heard the fireworks. Three sets. Then nothing. Her stomach was twisting up as she picked up Hugo, running her fingers through his hair as he rested his head on her shoulder. She looked over to Rose, who was staring firmly at the barrier with the same expectation Hermione had. Ginny draped a hand on either of Rose's shoulders, jaw tight.

"Shouldn't something have happened by now?" Hermione asked Harry.

"They're probably just waiting for… something," Harry said, but it was obvious he was worried, too.

There was a flicker in a band around the base of the barrier and Hermione sighed in relief for a moment. Only a moment. This wasn't a weak point. This wasn't even the work of Ron and George. Not unless her husband had meant to be projected in front of all of them, his hands bound together in front of him, on his knees, with his face bloodied.

"Daddy?" Rose shrieked.

Hermione and Ginny acted at the same moment. Hermione put a hand on Hugo's cheek, pushing his face into her, covering his view as Ginny pulled Rose into her, holding her cheeks so he wouldn't look back. "It's okay, it's okay," she whispered frantically, to herself as much as Hugo.

Could Ron have done this as an additional distraction? God, she hoped this had been on purpose. It seemed less likely as the image pulled out, a goblin in Gringotts robes laying broken on the ground. Hermione couldn't even tell if it was alive or not.

A strange, distorted voice spoke over the image. "If you want to save yourself from casualties, there is one simple way. The goblins are being difficult. Permission from the Wizengamot to the contents of vault 236 must be sent to Gringotts within half an hour," the heavy voice said. "If it does not arrive, we will begin to let the red caps loose on one captive every fifteen minutes until it comes."

Hermione looked in horror as the matted grey hair of a red cap bounded over steps, the creature snarling on the end of a tether. It was given slack and ran at Ron. She took in a sharp breath, holding Hugo tighter. Ginny gasped from behind her as Ron rolled back, just out of reach of the red cap.

"Harry," Hermione whimpered.

"What's vault 236?" Harry asked.

Hermione couldn't look away, her bottom lip quivering as she watched Ron inch away, fresh blood pooling below his nose. It appeared to drive the red cap mad, as it pulled against its chain, snarling and growling. Even so, Ron kept looking over to the goblin and crawled over, getting up to kneel in front of the helpless goblin.

"Hermione," Harry snapped, grabbing her arm. She looked at him. His eyes were wide with worried, yet focused. More focused than she had ever seen them. "What's in vault 236?"

Hermione shook her head thinking. It was information she had received, but not used yet. She had to think hard, the image of Ron staring down at her from the front as Rose's sobs filled her ears from behind.

"Dangerous magic," Hermione said. "Experiments… objects…"

"Any idea what they would want?" Harry asked.

Hermione shook her head. "It could be anything."

Harry waved his wand, half a dozen little golden flags waved with blinking lights along the top. "Change of plans," Harry said. "Try whatever spells you can to break this down. Be ready to enter."

Harry waved his wand again and they disappeared. Moments later, spells bombarded the barrier, but Hermione was still looking at Ron, bent back against the threat of the red cap.

"I'm coming with you," Hermione said. She turned and gave Hugo to Ginny.

"No, we can't take civilians," Harry said. He began to walk away from her. Ginny had bent down, setting Hugo on his feet as she tried to distract the two of them. Hermione followed on Harry's heels.

"I'm not a civilian," Hermione snapped. "I am a member of the Wizengamot, which means I outrank you!"

Harry turned. "Outrank?" he scoffed. "Don't you think I'm just as worried? I'm doing what I can and—"

"And I'm coming with," Hermione said, her voice shaking. She pulled out her wand. "I don't need your permission. You need mine. I'm coming with."

Harry considered her a moment, then turned to the image. Ron was nudging the goblin back where he could. "You're by my side, then," Harry said. "We'll get him together."

Harry turned to the barrier, sending a jet of blue light. Hermione looked back at Ginny, thankful she seemed to have distracted Hugo and Rose. They should have taken them away as soon as they left. Most of the families were waiting a few blocks away, but Rose hadn't wanted to leave Hermione and Hermione couldn't wait, not knowing what Ron was doing. She turned back, joining the aurors in trying spell after spell after spell, each seemed impossibly weak compared to the wall in front of them. There was the occasional flicker, but it was all they could manage.

Hermione watched between spells, the image unchanging for several minutes. Then there was a burst of color, what she was seeing unclear as she set her jaw, trying to continue to work and make sense of what she was seeing at the same time. There were others coming through the doors. Wands were up, spells were being cast. Ron's hands came apart and Hermione's heart jumped to her throat as a woman helped him grab the goblin under the arms and pull them out of the way. The image distorted, then disappeared.

"Keep going!" Harry bellowed and efforts redoubled.

Someone shoved a wand into Ron's hand. He didn't question it as he turned, blasting the red cap on the chain backwards. The man in charge was in a duel with a dark skinned witch and Petrosinella was directing a group to follow her.

Ron moved down the steps quickly, throwing a red cap aside and blocking a jinx, sending it back to the caster as he looked for George. He made it to the base before he saw his brother, sending spells back and forth with a younger witch, her face furious and contorted. Ron shot a stunning spell as he ran forward and she tumbled sideways. George looked to his right seeing him.

"Someone made you look pretty," he shouted over the din, throwing another curse at an approaching red cap.

"Get it done!" Ron shouted. "Get it done!"

George sent up a red stream of light, an ear piercing shriek against the sky as it exploded high in the air. Before the sparks burst, everyone from Gringotts who had been held captive had a shield over themselves. Ron made one of his own as George made another quick movement, the sparks exploding in the entirety of the arena. The effect on those unprotected was apparent, electric currents running through their veins as they writhed in pain, dropping to the ground in front of those they had fought.

Ron looked up, watching for the break in the wall. Just to the right of where they were, a fissure began taking shape. George held the spell, the little sparks growing and compiling, moving to get out of the whole it was creating.

Looking around them again Ron noticed something he hadn't before: the spell… it didn't do anything to the red caps. They were pushing up against several shields, the people behind them protected. But George didn't have a shield. He was only immune to the spell as the caster. Ron looked to the left, seeing a grey, snarling creature, its chain no longer held by the initial captors, running full speed.

Calling George's name would end the spell that was going to free them. Ron dropped his own wand to his side, the shield thinning around him as he ran towards the creature. He felt the electric sensation as a gentle buzz before he hit him full force. Ron gritted his teeth, lowering his aim. He intercepted the red cap, falling over it on the ground. The jolts continued, pulsing and painful as he wrestled with the red cap, screaming as its claws scraped across his chest, tearing through his shirt and into his chest.

Ron was on his back, arms pushing up to keep those stained, crusted teeth away from him. The jolts ended and he was losing strength. Another swipe from the red cap ripped through his side when the creature went flying. He gasped, holding his side as he tried to sit up. Tried to see what was happening around him.

"Ron!" George shouted, sliding to where Ron's head rested. He eased Ron's head back onto his lap. "Don't move… it's okay, help is coming… just… don't move…"

The static from the spell inside put the hair on Hermione's arms on end. Everyone stopped, waiting as it caused a crevice, clear and freckled with sparks as it grew.

"Now!" Harry shouted.

A dozen spells were aimed at the growing hole immediately. Hermione watched the rest of the dome, cracking like shattering glass, the cracks moving and widening and then it was gone. With a thundering boom, the barrier was gone. Aurors rushed in as Harry grabbed her elbow and they moved together inside, running down the street. Several members from both teams were subduing the red caps, disabling them as they continued to move.

Dozens of people in hooded cloaks were on the ground, gasping and unable to move. Hermione scanned the square in front of Gringotts. She saw George first. Her face went pale and she picked up her speed, running ahead of Harry as she fell beside Ron, taking his face into her hands. He was groaning, holding his side and she looked him over, blood still oozing from the claw marks.

"Ron," Hermione's voice trembled. "Ron, I'm here! Ron!"

Someone dropped to his other side, running their wand over him, whispering incantations, though the bleeding didn't stop. She looked over, recognizing the girl. Lakshmi. Parvati's cousin.

"It's not helping," Lakshmi growled.

Hermione turned back to Ron. George held his head still as Ron's back arched, his breathing short and hard. Harry was beside Hermione now, working as much as Lakshmi. Ron's hand reached out, groping around towards her. Hermione removed a hand from his jaw, taking his.

"I'm right here, Ron," Hermione said, moving her face closer to his.

"Medics over here!" Harry shouted between more attempts.

"The note," Ron groaned.

Hermione looked at him, holding his hand to her heart, stroking his hair with her other. "Ron, just concentrate on me, okay? Just look at me."

He tried. His eyes opened and closed. He blinked at her.

"Look at me, Ron," she begged. "Just concentrate and we'll get you out of here in a minute. Just look at me."

But he didn't have it in him. The more he tried, the less energy each attempt had. His eyes closed as his breaths became shallow. A team of medics surrounded them. The others stepped back a stretcher was magicked beneath him, lifting him. Ron slipped away, but she didn't let go, following as they rushed him to St. Mungo's.

Sixteen days later

Hermione sat in a conference room in St. Mungo's. It was technically empty, but this wasn't a normal conference room. This one could tap into other meeting spaces. She had reserved it for a meeting with the committee on which she sat. She looked at her watch.

"I'm sorry, but the hour's up," Hermione said.

Butler gave a gruff sigh. "Mrs. Granger, we have more—"

"You will excuse me," Hermione interrupted him firmly. "I believe I have been more than fair with my time, considering the circumstances. Aside from the fact that my reservation of the room is at an end—"

"You could have them extend—"

"—my husband needs my attention," she talked over him. "Send owls to my home and I will answer them when it is most convenient for me and my family. If you don't like that, you can take it up with my supervisor, though I will warn you I have his complete support."

Butler mumbled. Shacklebolt just smiled at her.

"I hope Ron wakes soon," Shacklebolt said. "We're wishing you both well, Hermione."

"Thank you, Minister," Hermione said.

She pressed a button in front of her, leaving the meeting. She sat back in her chair and let out a breath.

The healers said they had never seen anything like it. The jinx's effect on the exposed flesh was their best guess as to why it had been so bad, though it was still just that… a guess. Hermione didn't leave his side for the first forty-eight hours. When he was stable after twelve hours, she sent an owl to Harry and Ginny, who brought the kids the next morning to sit with Ron. Rose talked to Ron, telling him about how she missed him and that she was going to write him a story to read when he felt better. Hugo didn't seem able to completely understand what was happening that first day.

"Daddy, you need to wake up," Hugo said, shaking his shoulder as though Ron were just playing a game. "You're supposed to read me Rabbity-Babbity tonight. Remember?"

It was on the third day that Molly came and insisted she would sit with Ron while Hermione got some rest. Instead she went home, took a shower, spent an hour or two with the kids, then came back, the two women sitting on either side of him.

"I remember what he said the morning of your wedding," Molly said with a grin, running her thumb along the back of Ron's hand. "It impressed me, because none of my boys seemed anything but excited for their wedding. But I remember… he had this solemn look and he told me, 'Mum, I will have to work hard to deserve her.' I was so proud of him caring so much about who he was becoming. I was already so proud of who he was."

Hermione just teared up, looking down at his peaceful face, raising his other hand to her cheek. Shacklebolt sent a message about the meeting and possibly postponing. Molly was there when Hermione got it and insisted she would be there so Hermione could do whatever she needed. Molly was also there with Ron every afternoon when Hermione went to pick up Rose and Hugo, knowing that Ron would want her to do it since he couldn't. She would bring them to St. Mungo's for about an hour, then take them to Harry and Ginny's for the evenings. Sometimes she would stay for dinner, if Molly insisted she needed some time outside of the hospital.

George had been by his fair share as well. Angelina went into labor five days after the incident and the two brought their daughter into the room before going home with her. Hermione held their niece, knowing Ron would have loved doing so himself. It was such a good moment after so much pain. George felt guilty, Hermione could tell.

"If I had noticed…"

"It's not your fault," Hermione insisted, though the more bitter part of her wished their injuries had been more equal. But then Ron had been targeted because he was her husband. She didn't want to talk about it because she felt as guilty as George. She should have made sure Ron didn't go in there.

Hermione walked back to the hospital room after the conference. Molly hummed to herself, knitting something, which stopped mid row as she looked up.

"The healers said the wounds are almost cleared up," Molly said cheerfully.

"They came while I was gone?" Hermione said.

"Just for a moment, dear," Molly replied. "They gave him a new potion. They didn't want to use it until there weren't any cuts for blood to come through, if it thinned out. I had them write the name of it down for you on the notepad."

"Okay," Hermione said. She sat on the edge of the bed, playing with Ron's hair, growing terribly long. "Well, thank you."

"Of course," Molly said. "I was going to have Ginny bring all the kids over for dinner tonight. Will you join us?"

"I'm going to stay," Hermione said. "If you can stay tomorrow afternoon and evening, I wanted to take Rose and Hugo to a museum. There's a children's activity day."

"Of course. Arthur and I will be by around two."

"Thank you."

Molly crossed the room, giving Hermione a hug and a kiss to her temple. A warm, encouraging squeeze before leaving. Hermione sat, holding Ron's hand for the first hour. The next few after that, she would write responses in between long stretches of nothing, pulling out the note that had been found in his back pocket, reading the words over and over again. She would send the owls in the morning when she stepped out to get breakfast at the cafeteria. She ignored the growing pile of edits and readings that needed to be accomplished. There would be time enough for that once Ron was okay.

As it grew dark, Hermione picked up the covers, expanding the bed space with a spell as she crawled in beside him. She realized quickly that she couldn't sleep here without feeling his warmth beside her, knowing this meant his heart was still beating, his body fighting for life. She laid her hand gently across him, adjusting herself to his shape, and watched him breathe until she fell asleep.

Ron's deep breath raising her hand nudged Hermione awake first. She lifted her head, just able to see him in the light of a lamppost through the window. She had several moments like this over the past two weeks. Moments she had imagined more movement than was really there. She looked at her watch. It was two in the morning. Her breath hitched as he squirmed next to her, swallowing.

Ron's eyelids squeezed shut and he opened them slowly. Hermione held back a sob, reaching out for his hand. His grip tightened and she bit her bottom lip.

"'mione?" he said, his voice dry and grainy.

"Yes, I'm here," Hermione said. "I'll go get the healer."

"Wai-, wai-," he muttered. She froze, her hand still in his, laying next to him. "Jus'... wai-."

Hermione watched as he took several steady breaths, looking at the ceiling, blinking out some of the sleep. With some effort he turned towards her.

"Careful!" Hermione said in quiet worry.

In the next moment his hand was cupping her cheek. She could see his blue eyes, even as their noses almost touched. "I love you," he said.

Hermione melted, one hand moving to his hip. He moved his head, kissing her on the lips. It was gentle from his lack of energy. When he pulled back, she pushed one shoulder so he laid out again, his breathing labored from even this little bit of movement. Hermione wrapped a hand around his neck, pressing a lingering kiss on his cheek. "I love you, too," she whispered. "I need to get the healers. Relax until I get back?"

Ron closed his eyes but nodded distinctly as Hermione disentangled herself from his side.

Time. They still had time.