Haunted

Hermione's skin was pale and her hair fanned out as she lay in Ron's arms. Blood spread out on the floor but Ron was too dizzy to notice. He tried to wake up Hermione, gently slapping her face. She finally stirred.

"No…I told you to l-l-leave!"

Ron only held her tighter. "I don't care."

She let out a sob. "H-H-How could this h-h-happennnnnn?" She let out a wail.

He looked down. He didn't have an answer.

The Healer looked at them sadly. "It could have been natural, just fate. It's also possible it was a result of the stress, prison, and pain."

Ron gulped. Under the Imperius Curse or not, was he to blame for the death of their…?

The Healer, Mrs. MacGould, was removing the lifeless fetus from Hermione. And Ron could see that it was a girl. He had been right.

Oh my god. I killed my daughter.

Ron didn't mention this to Hermione. He didn't want to draw attention to the fact that bad luck seemed to follow him around.

Hermione was still sobbing. "Ro-Ron! I said get a-away! I-I-I look terrible!"

Ron looked her in the eye. "Hermione, I've been with you through so much worse. If you think I'm going to leave…then, well….we have a problem…" He finished awkwardly.

She curled up in his lap, her face blotchy and her eyes puffy.

Ron felt a small tear in his eye as he stroked Hermione's hair.

"Ron? What are we going to do?"

"Um…I guess…I guess we gotta tell people, don't we?"

"That's…that's all you have to say?"

"No! No! I…I mean we…we gotta get you out of this room…" Ron was fumbling for the right words.

Mrs. MacGould looked up. "He's right dear, come on."

Hermione curled up tighter. "No. I'm not moving." She started crying again.

Ron looked at Mrs. MacGould for help. She shrugged as if to say "She's your wife, you take care of her." She left the now-clean room.

Ron sighed. "Hermione, come on."

Hermione let out a muffled sound that sounded a bit like mrrrr.

Ron sighed again. "Didn't catch that, Hermione."

"No."

He stroked her hair. His vision was a little blurry from tears that refused to be shed. "Come on, 'Mione. This floor can't be comfortable."

"I don't c-c-care." She hiccupped.

"Do I have to carry you again?" He nudged her very gently.

She didn't answer.

"I guess I do." He tried to wrap his arms his arms around her emaciated figure.

"No no no no no!" She scooted away and curled up tighter on the cold floor.

Ron could understand why she was acting completely immature, but…

"Hermione, come on. Up you go." He ignored her whimpers and scooped her up. She felt so thin. She was skin and bones, and her belly was no longer bulging. It felt so strange to feel her like this, with no meat on her. It felt wrong. There was no way she weighed more than 100 pounds.

She didn't settle into him, she remained stiff and cold. She was shivering, but from sadness or cold Ron didn't know.

Ron lay her down on her bed. She didn't stretch out or bury her head in a pillow. She just lay stiffly. Ron had no idea what to do.

"Ginny!" he called out the first name he could think of. "GINNY!" There was no answer.

Ron ran to the hallway and yelled "GINNY!"

Finally Ginny poked her head out of a room. Her brown eyes looked worried. "What? What is it?"

"Hermione—baby-dead—won't move…"

Ginny dashed to Hermione's room, Ron hot on her heels.

"Hermione!" Ginny cried.

Hermione was not looking well; in fact she looked worse than when Ron left the room about a minute ago. Her complexion was ashier.

Ginny knelt by Hermione's bed, worrying until she noticed something. Her eyes widened. "Hermione….why is your belly…"

Ron whispered something to her.

"What?"

Ron whispered something again.

"Oh god…oh god!" Ginny gave Hermione a big hug, but Hermione didn't respond.

"Ron…what's wrong with her?"

"I don't know! Get Mum! Get a Healer! Get anybody!"

Ginny nodded and ran out.

Ron took Ginny's place next to Hermione's bed. "Hermione, can you hear me?"

She mumbled incoherently.

Ron's conscious was still following him. This is your fault, Ron.

He shook off his haunting thoughts and concentrated on his lifeless wife.

Hermione looked like she was dying, on the inside. It was like the flame inside her that always kept her going had gone out.

What can I DO? Ron thought frantically. While he waited for help to come, he tried everything he could think of. He nudged her, rubbed her shoulders, and slapped her face lightly. Her eyes remained slightly glazed.

Ginny burst into the room with Mrs. Weasley, Fleur, and a Healer right behind her.

"Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley and Fleur cried in unison.

Ron collapsed in an armchair in the corner, his face in his hands. "What are we supposed to do?"