Chapter 21: Sleeping it off
Hermione lay down on the bed, smiling to herself as the vision of Ron pulling a necktie off himself presented itself in her head. She rubbed her belly and tried to envision her future. She didn't have much confidence in the word forever, but something in her heart would not let her dismiss Ron's affections. Suddenly at the Burrow, speaking with Mrs. Weasley, Ron sneaking into her room, the baby responding so wildly to magic…it seemed that she was really merging with the Weasley family. She allowed herself to imagine Ron proposing to her after she had given birth to her beautiful daughter, and then they would return to Hogwarts as an engaged couple until having a beautiful summer wedding where her daughter would be flower girl, Ginny the maid of honor and Harry the best man. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep with pleasant thoughts.
Hermione woke in the dark room. Her eyes focused on a pale light creeping from under the doorway. A sense of fear overcame her and she curled tighter into herself. She heard the door creak open and shut her eyes tightly, shivering in the spot where she lay. She felt his hands glide over her body, and pull her over to lie on her back. She started to scream, but couldn't. A lighted wand illuminated the intruders face. Malfoy's scarred face came into view and her eyes widened. He climbed on top of her after he had torn the clothing from her body and she closed her eyes tightly. She heard him say "look at me," and as she opened her eyes a new horror faced her…It was Ron! This time a scream erupted from her throat that carried into the whole house. She flailed about in the bed, thrashing violently.
"HERMIONE…HERMIONE…HERMIONE…WAKE UP!!!" Ronald was shaking her and yelling at her. The rest of the inhabitants of the house had piled into the room to watch the unfolding tragedy before them. "'MIONE PLEASE, IT'S A DREAM…WAKE UP!" Hermione seemed to be coming around, but nonetheless continued to flog and scratch at Ron as he tried desperately to control her actions. Ginny watched in her night shirt and proceeded cautiously to the bed. She tapped Ron on the shoulder, urging him to move away. He did so, with fresh tears streaming down his face. "Tranculoitous" Ginny called, holding her wand to Hermione, who quite suddenly relaxed. Hermione lay in the bed, breathing heavily and sweating profusely, staring with wide tearful eyes at Ginny. Ginny quickly conjured a cold compress and began wiping Hermione's brow. "It's okay…It's alright, just another nasty night terror. I'm here, you're fine…deep breaths now. I promise you're safe, you're home." Ginny crawled into the bed next to her, and held the traumatized Hermione, who still had not spoken, but stared blankly at the numerous red haired guests…in particular Ron. It had been several weeks since Hermione had a night terror, and none had been so violent. The Weasley family and Harry were shocked. Part of the shock stemmed from seeing how astoundingly Ginny was able to comfort and calm Hermione, and the other part stemmed from the fact that not one person had any clue that Hermione had been so severely traumatized. They assumed the nightmares and flashbacks were mere minor irritations, something that had lessened considerably over time.
"Ginny," Ron hesitated as he stepped forward, "Is this what it's been like for you…for her, since it's happened?" Hermione trembled at the sight of him with tears in her eyes. His eyes were full of hurt and pain, horrified by what awful aftershocks Hermione had to endure. "This is quite bad actually, and she's not had one in quite a while, so…Ron…I think you'd better move away…I'm sorry…Mum, d'ya think you could conjure up something warm to drink?" Ginny looked at Ron, who was utterly heartbroken and then to her mother who promptly left the room, only to return a moment later with a hot cup of cider. Mr. Weasley had taken Harry and Ron out of the room and down to the living room. Mrs. Weasley took a seat on the edge of the bed, taking the compress from Ginny and pressing it again to Hermione's forehead. Mrs. Weasley pressed the mug of cider to Hermione's lips and tilted. Hermione took a tiny sip, before coughing and sitting up a bit.
"He…he was back, and I couldn't…Malfoy, but he changed." Ginny and Mrs. Weasley struggled to understand what Hermione was saying, trying desperately to pull it all together. "He changed. He changed, he changed, he changed. It was Malfoy. Then I closed my eyes, and when I opened them…it was. It was R---Ron." And with the words finally out there, Hermione burst into tears. Molly Weasley and Ginny were both petrified by what they'd heard. Ginny pulled Hermione onto her shoulder. Ginny had never heard anything so terrible, and was furious that the potential happiness of her best friend and brother had been jeopardized. Just as Hermione appeared to be moving on, she had this horrible setback.