I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling Does.

Hermione checked her watch again as she sighed with frustration. Ron had promised to meet her at ten and while she had never expected him to be on time, she hadn't expected him to be half an hour late for their first date and on his birthday no less. He hadn't exactly been very enthusiastic when she had brought up the topic of the date but he did love Hogsmeade and she didn't think he would miss it for anything.

Tired of waiting and feeling decidedly angry at Ron she decided to go the Gryffindor common room entrance and ask someone to fetch him or maybe get in herself and drag him away from whatever he was doing. Luck was not her side however and she had to wait a full ten minutes before anyone came out and as her luck would have it, it was Lavender who emerged. Despite her talk with Ron, she still did not feel at ease whenever she spotted her near Ron. Ron to her delight had now taken to finding any excuse he could to get out of her way. She felt it was childish on her part to dislike Lavender but she couldn't help it. Lavender after all had done nothing to her, she didn't even know Ron had a girlfriend and couldn't be faulted for trying to get Ron's attention.

"Have you seen Ron?" she asked stiffly trying to keep her expression neutral.

"Why are you looking for him?" asked Lavender. "Surely you don't have any prefect duties today?"

"Have you seen him?" she persisted not wanting to be drawn into any conversation with Lavender.

"He's not in the common room so unless he's still in his dorm he's not inside," said Lavender. She had the feeling Lavender did know where Ron was or at least had a good idea of where he was.

"Ron is my boyfriend and we had a date planned for today, for which he hasn't shown up," she said trying to draw information from Lavender and at the same time making it quite clear to Lavender that Ron was out of bonds.

"Oh," said Lavender. "I did hear Neville say something about Harry and the hospital wing, so there's a good chance he might be there."

"Thanks," she replied and turned around to leave.

"Hermione," said Lavender, stopping her in her tracks as she turned around to face Lavender. Lavender's face held a trace of embarrassment and guilt.

"I didn't know Ron had a girlfriend," said Lavender looking down. "I honestly didn't. If I had I would never have….."

Momentarily taken aback by Lavender's words she just stood there staring at Lavender before pulling herself together. "It's all right," she lied and she could tell Lavender knew it as well.

She hurried to the hospital wing, her anger now having dissolved into worry. Katie's Bell's mishap had shown that there were people who could get at Hogwarts students if they so desired and Harry was certainly a big enough target. She hoped there was nothing wrong with him.

She entered the hospital wing to a scene of confusion and suddenly found herself having red vision. She could make out five different read heads all looking anxious and talking and arguing with Madam Pomfrey but it did not escape her attention that Ron was not one of them. Madam Pomfrey had seemed to have finally relented and allowed the Weasleys inside. She wasn't left all alone for too long as Harry came out minutes later. He looked like he had just woken up and his hair was standing up on the ends. Instead of feeling relieved however Harry's appearance turned her blood cold. Harry being all right coupled with the frantic Weasley's could only mean….

"Harry, what's wrong with Ron?" she shouted at Harry. "And why did you not tell me?"

"Hermione, calm down," said Harry. "He's all right now and I was just about to come to you now."

She breathed a huge sigh of relief not realising she had been holding her breath. When Lavender had mentioned the hospital wing she had presumed it was Harry in trouble, it was almost as if even her subconscious mind refused to contemplate the possibility of any harm coming to Ron. Feeling weak in the legs she sat down before facing Harry and trying her best not to cry.

"What happened?" she asked Harry who sat down as well.

"You know the time you warned me about girls sneaking in things to me spiked with love potions?" asked Harry. She nodded not knowing where Harry was headed.

"Romilda Vane gave me a box of chocolates which I stowed in my trunk," said Harry. "This morning the box fell out and Ron mistook it for his gift."

"He would," she said fondly in spite of the situation.

"Yeah, well so I took him to Slughorn so he could make an antidote to counter the love potion," continued Harry. "After he was finished he offered us a drink and Ron was the first to drink it and I think you can guess what happened next."

"Why would Professor Slughorn try to poison Ron?" she asked bewildered.

"He wasn't," said Harry. "That bottle was meant for Professor Dumbledore and Ron got in the way."

"But Magical poisons act instantly," she replied. "How did Ron…."

"I thought of a Bezoar," said Harry, his voice grave. "If I hadn't…."

His unspoken words hung in the air even as she realised how close Ron had come to dying. However instead of being grateful to Harry, she felt nothing but fury.

"I told you to throw whatever anyone gave you," she said quietly.

"I know and I am sorry," said Harry.

"Well sorry doesn't quite cut it," she retorted sharply. "Ron almost…..died and all because you were careless and irresponsible."

"What else do you want me to say?" asked Harry raising his voice. "He is my best friend you know, long before you became his girlfriend."

Before she could say anything further two people, which she assumed were Ron's parents emerged looking very subdued. Mrs Weasley made her way towards Harry and enveloped him in hug.

"We can't thank you enough Harry," said Mrs Weasley. "Half of the Weasley's seem to owe their lives to you and my boy wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for you." She then followed her husband out, presumably to talk with the Headmaster. Mrs Weasleys words brought her back to reality.

"Harry, I…am sorry," she said feeling tears sting her eyes. "You saved his life and here I am blaming you for it. I just…I am sorry." Harry had an alarmed look on his face and she couldn't blame him. Her emotions were running havoc and she had never really broken down in front of anyone other than Ron.

"You're right, it was a bit careless of me but he's all right now," said Harry as he put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "By the way he was mumbling your name."

"He was?" she asked.

"Why are you surprised?" laughed Harry. "You're all he practically talks about these days. It's rather disturbing actually." She flushed, wondering what Ron was telling Harry. She was going to have a few choice words with him if he had been talking about some of their more intimate activities.

"Oh don't worry he doesn't really go into detail," said Harry smirking. "Not yet at least."

"Can I see him now?" she asked Harry.

"You could but I'd advise you to wait until the Twins come out," said Harry. "They don't appear to be in the mood today but you never know with them."

She nodded and a few minutes later when the twins and Ginny walked out she could see exactly what Harry was talking about. There was no trace of laughter or mischief on their faces and they swiftly exited barely sparing her a glance.

"You go on," said Harry getting up. "I'll be back later once I've readied myself a bit."

"Thanks."

She wasn't sure what she had expected but nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary as she entered the room where Ron was. He was slightly paler than usual but he was breathing normally and there were no visible signs that he had narrowly cheated death hours ago. Seeing his chest rise and fall rhythmically calmed her down as she slid into the chair beside him and stared at him.

As she watched him, the reality of what could have happened began to sink in. She had come very close to losing Ron forever and that thought frightened her. It frightened that in the less than two years she had come to known him he had become such an integral part of her life. A life without Ron seemed possible but it was bland. It was empty. It was devoid of any kind of true life in it. Any thoughts about the future since she had known him had involved him but then again she did love him.

Hang on….did she really love him? She was only 17 for heaven's sake.

But why not? Another part of her argued. Did age really matter? He made her laugh, he thought she was beautiful and never lost an opportunity to say so, he seemed to like her for the know-it-all she was and he even liked her dreadful hair. Wasn't this something she had always desired, for someone to like her for who she was?

Her, own reaction to finding about his accident showed that this was more than just a typical teenage fling that would run its due course and fizzle out into nothing. She held his hand in hers and felt the warmth emanating from them and the simple act made her feel closer to him.

Her touch seemed to stir Ron and for a moment she thought he was just tossing and turning but seconds later he opened his eyes slowly before focussing on her.

"Hermione?" said Ron hoarsely.

"I didn't wake you up did I?"

"Well you kinda did but I keep nodding off now and again, so it doesn't really matter," replied Ron slowly.

"Maybe I should leave?" she asked half-heartedly.

"No, don't," said Ron quickly. "I am all right really and would have been better if Madam Pomfrey hadn't shoved dozens of those nasty potions down my throat," he added with a grimace.

"Well, those potions are for your own good, so you had better take them," she replied mechanically as Ron made a face at her.

"Yes, I know that Hermione but I don't have to like it, do I? He replied. "Not the way I wanted to spend my birthday."

"I'd like to have wished you in better circumstances and er…in much better ways." She said with a smile as Ron groaned. "But, Happy Birthday anyway, you're of age now."

"Don't do that to me!" said Ron. "I feel like 50 or something. It's those potions I tell you."

"Are you really all right?" she asked seriously.

Ron seemed to sense the change. "I am all right Hermione," said Ron as he squeezed hand. "The Bezoar basically negated any immediate danger but it will take some time to remove all traces of poison from the system, so I am going to be stuck here for quite some time I'm afraid. And sorry about the date."

"You think I care about that?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well, you did seem quite excited about it," shrugged Ron.

"I was, until you got yourself poisoned," she replied. "Maybe we can just have a date here," she added, a silly idea forming in the back of her head.

"What do you mean?" asked Ron. "And didn't you say something about the date needing to be outside?" he added.

"Oh give over," she said with a smile. She reached into her pocket pulled out a miniature cubicle box and quickly transfigured into what it originally was, a box of chocolate frogs. It had, it seemed to her a quite appropriate gift, however given the events of the day, it seemed an ironic gift.

"I got this for you as your birthday gift," she said handing Ron the box.

"This seems quite expensive," said Ron eying the box hesitantly.

"No, it really wasn't," she lied smoothly.

"Now what I propose is," she began, neatly taking the box back from Ron and opening it "is that you lie there while I eat a few of these. I am sure Madam Pomfrey wouldn't prescribe Chocolates as medicine."

"Few of them? I thought you stayed away from chocolates due their sugar content," said Ron his eyes widening. "Besides eating my gift while I sit here is not very er…ladylike."

"Ladylike?" she laughed.

"Yes, ladylike," said Ron and grabbed a chocolate frog for himself. "A bit of chocolate never hurts."

By the time they were finished both of them had several chocolate frogs each and she felt a lot freer that she had ever done. She very rarely let herself go but seeing the look of amazement on Ron's face, she felt it was definitely worth it.

"I think I should go," she said regretfully.

"Why?" said Ron looking disappointed.

"I am sure you're parents and Madam Pomfrey will be back soon and I am surprised Harry hasn't come back yet," she said. "I'm glad we are done with the 'date' without anyone walking in."

"Stay here a little longer," said Ron. "I am supposed to be sleeping anyway, so they shouldn't be back for some time."

"If you are supposed to be sleeping then you better get to it," she said sternly. "I'll be back later," she promised. She leaned in and placing a small kiss on his lips, tasting a bit of chocolate on his lower lip before moving away.

"That's not fair," complained Ron. "How do I sleep after that?"

"Well, it's either that or lying here and feeling sorry for yourself," she said getting up. "See you later." She added moving out of the room feeling a lot better than when she had entered.

OoO

The potions he had to take tasted nasty, his movement was pretty much restricted to the hospital wing, he had to sit out the quidditch game and there had been no snogging and groping at all with Hermione. Yet a part of him didn't mind being cooped up, as restless as he was because watching Hermione fretting over him and take care of him over the last two weeks had left a warm feeling inside of him. She had spent all her free time with him, taken to reading her books sitting by his side as he slept due to the potions he was being prescribed and had even spent time on researching the poison that had inadvertently been used on him to ensure there was going to be no further complications. This, despite Madam Pomfrey telling her repeatedly that he was going to perfectly fine. I need to know what's wrong with you if I have to take care of you, was what she had said when he had enquired about it. As soon as she had said that his affection for her had grown deeper.

She had even started helping (doing most of it) with his homework not wanting him to fall behind. He felt guilty beyond words at the amount of workload she had taken up primarily due to him but insecure and childish part of him felt giddy that she found him worth all this attention and trouble.

But despite all the positives, he had had enough of the hospital wing in these last two weeks to last him a lifetime and wanted nothing more than to go back to his dorm. When Hermione was not present, which was a lot of the time as she had to attend classes he was bored out of his mind. Harry's arrival on the bed beside him (like the best mate he was) after his quidditch accident had eased the boredom but his 'visit' had lasted all of two days.

"Hey," said Hermione and her voice dragged him out of his thoughts. She flopped down on the chair beside him looking tired. She looked she hadn't slept properly for some time.

"Hey," he replied. "You should be taking more rest; you look like you could pop off to sleep any moment."

"Yeah, I have been busy," she replied stifling a yawn.

"You really did not need to make my notes, you know," he replied. "I could have just done them myself if you had just brought Dean's notes to me."

"I am sure you would have," said Hermione arching her eyebrows.

"No, I really mean it," he said sincerely. "You needn't have."

"But I wanted to," said Hermione slowly looking at him. "I am not doing any of this because I have to, I am doing this because I want to and because it's you."

"Well I'm glad to know that," he replied with a smile even as his insides were dancing for joy at her words.

"You'll also be glad to know that you might be back in your dorm tomorrow," said Hermione. "Although I think that's more to do with how much you seem to annoy Madam Pomfrey than you being ready to go back," she added with a smirk.

"I am certainly glad to know that," he replied feeling delighted at the news. "In my defence she is equally annoying."

"I am sure she is," said Hermione with a laugh. "But I do think you are ready to get away from here anyway."

"I've been telling her that for a week!" he replied. "I am also looking forward to err,… resuming some of our other activities," he added with a smirk.

"So am I," said Hermione with a smile, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Can't wait," he replied grinning.

"I'll see you tomorrow if that's all right," said Hermione getting up. "I've got an essay to right and I think I am going to turn in early tonight."

"That's all right," he assured her. "Hermione?" he added almost as an afterthought.

"Yes?"

"Thanks,"

"For what?"

"For everything," he replied. "You've been great, spending all this time with a git like me here and I just want you to know that I appreciate it," he added and as Hermione opened her mouth to speak he cut across "I know what you said about wanting to do it and I get that but still thanks."

Hermione maintained her gaze at him for a couple of seconds and it looked she wanted to say something but instead gave him a short nod before making her way out.

A/N – Took a lot more time to get this chapter out than I thought it would and I wouldn't expect the next one to be any quicker. Got a very busy next two months so writing time will be minimum.

For those who actually expected a date, sorry! As I've said all along, the aim is still to stick to the canon storyline as much as possible whilst still keeping in line with the AU plot. This was too good a plot to discard not to mention writing about an actual date would have been hell so I've gone for the safe option.

Hope everyone likes it. Read and Review!