CHAPTER SEVEN
"He has a very bad case of influenza, otherwise known as the flu," Madam Pomfrey informed McGonagall, Dumbledore, Ron and Hermione. "It may be because of the cold weather we're having, perhaps, not to mention all the stress the boy's been under lately – Quidditch practice, schoolwork, probably even peer pressure." She eyes lingered for a moment on Ron then on Hermione. "Luckily his head didn't bleed when he collapsed on the floor."
Harry was now in the hospital wing. He had collapsed on the Gryffindor common room floor a few moments ago. He was now in bed, asleep.
"D'you think he'll be all right?" Ron whispered.
"Of course," Hermione whispered back.
"Perhaps we should inform young Oliver to lessen their Quidditch practices," suggested Dumbledore to McGonagall. "Harry's been taking a lot of homework lately – I've seen him work and I am telling you, Professor, that Harry is striving to be a top student. He is definitely working hard."
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore, I understand that," said McGonagall. "But this condition of Harry's – we cannot just inform the teachers to excuse him from homework, now can we?"
"Well, yes, you are correct," sighed Dumbledore. "Well, Poppy, how long is the boy going to stay here?"
"Well, I'd say about a week," said Madam Pomfrey.
"A week?" repeated Hermione. "But Madam Pomfrey, isn't that a bit... longer... than necessary?"
"I wouldn't ask the boy to stay here if it wasn't necessary," retorted Madam Pomfrey. Hermione kept quiet as Dumbledore began to speak.
"Well then, as you say so, Poppy, Harry will be staying here for a week. I trust the boy will be fine by then."
"Yes, of course, Headmaster," replied Madam Pomfrey.
"In that case, I will be leaving now. I believe I need to check on Severus regarding Remus' potion." With one glance at Harry, Dumbledore left the infirmary.
"I trust you two will tell Potter all about your schoolwork while he is here," said McGonagall. Ron noticed that she was talking more to Hermione than to him.
"Yes, ma'am," they said in unison.
"Good." McGonagall spun on her heels and left.
"Well? What are you two waiting for? Christmas?" barked Madam Pomfrey. "C'mon, get out now. You can visit him tomorrow. He needs to be treated. C'mon!"
"OK, OK," Ron muttered under his breath as Madam Pomfrey started pushing him and Hermione out the infirmary door. Ron saw the irritation in Hermione's eyes.
"Stay cool," Hermione said in an undertone. "Stay cool, stay calm, stay cool, stay calm... Damn it!" Hermione's voice suddenly got louder. "Doesn't she know who I am? I'm Harry's girlfriend, for crying out loud! I have authority to stand by him!"
"Keep your voice down!" hissed Ron, glancing around nervously. Luckily no one was there.
"Sorry," said Hermione. "But, really Ron, I can't help worrying."
"I know," said Ron understandingly. "But Harry's not the only person in the world – I'M still here, Hermione, and I'll never leave you."
Ron's eyes were filled with love and understanding that a sudden wave of emotion came over Hermione. She suddenly recalled all the times Ron had been there for her... how Ron had shown the whole world how much he truly loved her... but she had been so blind, so oblivious...
Hermione snapped back to reality. "Thanks, Ron," she said with a smile.
"Sure, anytime," replied Ron. "Well, c'mon, let's get back to the common room – it's FREEZING out here."
"Yeah, you're right," said Hermione, arms folded across her chest and teeth slightly chattering. The cold atmosphere of October was starting to get even colder and Hermione started to shiver.
Ron started to take off his jacket. He put it over Hermione's shoulders.
"There you go," said Ron. "Better?"
Hermione nodded. "Thank you."
Ron smiled a "you're welcome" and started walking towards the Gryffindor Tower.
* * *
Night crawled as slow as a turtle. Hermione had spent the whole of her Saturday afternoon pretending to read Unfogging the Future, but her eyes kept darting towards Ron, who was seated on the floor in front of the fire, talking animatedly to his brothers Fred and George.
Hermione couldn't have been gladder once night had fallen. After finishing her dinner, she excused herself immediately from the Great Hall and scrambled up the steps up the Gryffindor Tower.
Once she was in the dormitory, she settled herself on her bed. She sat upright on it, her arms around her knees.
"Ron," she muttered under her breath.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' Hermione asked herself. 'I'm in love with Harry. He's my boyfriend! I love him. Or... at least I THINK I do...
'Oh no!' said a voice inside her head. 'What the hell's the matter with you, Hermione? Don't tell me you're falling for Ron...'
'No... it can't be... but... I can't force myself not to love Ron, can I? Not when I already do...'
A/N: Whew! I finally managed to finish this chapter! (A little applause please... thank you... kidding!) I'm sorry it took so long, but I had such a bad case of writer's block. I was definitely uninspired (ugh!) so I wasn't able to work on this chapter.
Actually, I've been working on this fic for... hmm, let's see... oh yeah, exactly one month and one day already! So long if you ask me...
Well anyweiz... I hope you guys liked it. Please r/r! Your reviews mean a lot to me! Thanks!
"He has a very bad case of influenza, otherwise known as the flu," Madam Pomfrey informed McGonagall, Dumbledore, Ron and Hermione. "It may be because of the cold weather we're having, perhaps, not to mention all the stress the boy's been under lately – Quidditch practice, schoolwork, probably even peer pressure." She eyes lingered for a moment on Ron then on Hermione. "Luckily his head didn't bleed when he collapsed on the floor."
Harry was now in the hospital wing. He had collapsed on the Gryffindor common room floor a few moments ago. He was now in bed, asleep.
"D'you think he'll be all right?" Ron whispered.
"Of course," Hermione whispered back.
"Perhaps we should inform young Oliver to lessen their Quidditch practices," suggested Dumbledore to McGonagall. "Harry's been taking a lot of homework lately – I've seen him work and I am telling you, Professor, that Harry is striving to be a top student. He is definitely working hard."
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore, I understand that," said McGonagall. "But this condition of Harry's – we cannot just inform the teachers to excuse him from homework, now can we?"
"Well, yes, you are correct," sighed Dumbledore. "Well, Poppy, how long is the boy going to stay here?"
"Well, I'd say about a week," said Madam Pomfrey.
"A week?" repeated Hermione. "But Madam Pomfrey, isn't that a bit... longer... than necessary?"
"I wouldn't ask the boy to stay here if it wasn't necessary," retorted Madam Pomfrey. Hermione kept quiet as Dumbledore began to speak.
"Well then, as you say so, Poppy, Harry will be staying here for a week. I trust the boy will be fine by then."
"Yes, of course, Headmaster," replied Madam Pomfrey.
"In that case, I will be leaving now. I believe I need to check on Severus regarding Remus' potion." With one glance at Harry, Dumbledore left the infirmary.
"I trust you two will tell Potter all about your schoolwork while he is here," said McGonagall. Ron noticed that she was talking more to Hermione than to him.
"Yes, ma'am," they said in unison.
"Good." McGonagall spun on her heels and left.
"Well? What are you two waiting for? Christmas?" barked Madam Pomfrey. "C'mon, get out now. You can visit him tomorrow. He needs to be treated. C'mon!"
"OK, OK," Ron muttered under his breath as Madam Pomfrey started pushing him and Hermione out the infirmary door. Ron saw the irritation in Hermione's eyes.
"Stay cool," Hermione said in an undertone. "Stay cool, stay calm, stay cool, stay calm... Damn it!" Hermione's voice suddenly got louder. "Doesn't she know who I am? I'm Harry's girlfriend, for crying out loud! I have authority to stand by him!"
"Keep your voice down!" hissed Ron, glancing around nervously. Luckily no one was there.
"Sorry," said Hermione. "But, really Ron, I can't help worrying."
"I know," said Ron understandingly. "But Harry's not the only person in the world – I'M still here, Hermione, and I'll never leave you."
Ron's eyes were filled with love and understanding that a sudden wave of emotion came over Hermione. She suddenly recalled all the times Ron had been there for her... how Ron had shown the whole world how much he truly loved her... but she had been so blind, so oblivious...
Hermione snapped back to reality. "Thanks, Ron," she said with a smile.
"Sure, anytime," replied Ron. "Well, c'mon, let's get back to the common room – it's FREEZING out here."
"Yeah, you're right," said Hermione, arms folded across her chest and teeth slightly chattering. The cold atmosphere of October was starting to get even colder and Hermione started to shiver.
Ron started to take off his jacket. He put it over Hermione's shoulders.
"There you go," said Ron. "Better?"
Hermione nodded. "Thank you."
Ron smiled a "you're welcome" and started walking towards the Gryffindor Tower.
* * *
Night crawled as slow as a turtle. Hermione had spent the whole of her Saturday afternoon pretending to read Unfogging the Future, but her eyes kept darting towards Ron, who was seated on the floor in front of the fire, talking animatedly to his brothers Fred and George.
Hermione couldn't have been gladder once night had fallen. After finishing her dinner, she excused herself immediately from the Great Hall and scrambled up the steps up the Gryffindor Tower.
Once she was in the dormitory, she settled herself on her bed. She sat upright on it, her arms around her knees.
"Ron," she muttered under her breath.
'What the hell is wrong with me?' Hermione asked herself. 'I'm in love with Harry. He's my boyfriend! I love him. Or... at least I THINK I do...
'Oh no!' said a voice inside her head. 'What the hell's the matter with you, Hermione? Don't tell me you're falling for Ron...'
'No... it can't be... but... I can't force myself not to love Ron, can I? Not when I already do...'
A/N: Whew! I finally managed to finish this chapter! (A little applause please... thank you... kidding!) I'm sorry it took so long, but I had such a bad case of writer's block. I was definitely uninspired (ugh!) so I wasn't able to work on this chapter.
Actually, I've been working on this fic for... hmm, let's see... oh yeah, exactly one month and one day already! So long if you ask me...
Well anyweiz... I hope you guys liked it. Please r/r! Your reviews mean a lot to me! Thanks!