Author's Note: Hey again. Sorry for the long wait. I haven't really had time.  This weekend has been really busy; with music projects, basketball games, so on …

 Someone reviewed and asked me if we were going to learn more about the letter that Ron had sent Hermione, because she had mentioned it in one of her diary entries.  You will learn about it soon.

                       

Summary: We learn what happened to Harry.  Ron comforts Hermione in this time of distress for everyone. 

Secrets Kept

Chapter 6

(Ron's POV)

By happythoughts

            There was screaming everywhere.  Some had jumped up from their seats and now were screaming and running around the stadium.  But all Ron could do was stay still, frozen in midair on his broom.  What had just happened?  All he could remember was saving the Quaffle and then seeing Harry fall headfirst into the ground.  But the weird thing was, he had already caught the Snitch in his hand.  Why would he go and dive down like that?

            Suddenly coming to his senses, he looked back down at the ground where Harry lay.  He could see Dumbledore kneeling down next to him, checking his pulse and then magicking him onto an invisible stretcher.  Ron realized that he was probably being taken to Madame Pomfrey right now.  He dove down on his broom to meet Dumbledore. 

            "Professor! What's wrong with him? Is he alive?" he asked Dumbledore breathlessly.

            Dumbledore looked to his right side to see who was talking to him.  "Oh, Mr. Weasley.  Yes, Harry is still alive, but unfortunately, barely.  If I'm not mistaken, he may have broken some bones in his vertebrae, fractured some of his ribs, and broken both of his arms."

            Ron took in a sharp intake of breath.  That was sure a lot to break in Harry's body.  "He caught the snitch, right?"

            Dumbledore let in a soft chuckle.  "Has he ever missed it?"

            "Well … actually he lost it that one time …"

            "Ah yes. No need to remember that," said Dumbledore gravely.  With a start, Ron realized that they were at the door of the hospital wing, and he was still riding his broom.  He sheepishly jumped off of it and walked into the room after Dumbledore and Harry. 

            "Oh my goodness!" was Madame Pomfrey's reaction when she saw Harry.  She ushered him onto the nearest bed and began to examine his body.

            "What happened, Professor?" she asked sharply.

            "From what I saw, he was on his broom when he was diving headfirst into the ground," answered Dumbledore.

            "Why in the world would he do something like that?" she asked him incredously.

            Ron saw Dumbledore's mouth twitch when she asked him this question.  He didn't answer right away.

            "What? Why did he do it, Professor?" Ron asked him.

            Dumbledore took a deep breath. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe it was the actions of a Death Eater."

~*~*~

(Hermione's POV)

            Hermione was running to the entrance of the Hogwarts castle, tears streaming down her face.  She was afraid.  She had been yelling and cheering Harry on when she saw him going into the dive towards the ground.  She obviously thought, like everyone else, that he had seen the snitch.  But all of her hopes for Gryffindor victory had been shattered when she saw him fall headfirst into the ground.  In horror, she had watched Dumbledore gently take Harry's pulse, and then magick Harry onto an invisible stretcher.  She had watched Ron fly down to them and then fly with them towards Hogwarts. 

            Hermione blinked, when she realized she was standing in front of the Hospital Wing's door.  She took a breathed deeply to catch her breath and wiped the tears away from her eyes.  She turned the knob of the door and prepared herself to see Harry. 

            But what she saw when she entered the room was the face of Ron.  It was full of fury, but had the hint of fear in it also.  Madame Pomfrey's mouth was covered with her hand, and Dumbledore's face was very grave.  Her eyes fell to the bed of Harry's, and saw that he was unconscious, but she could see his chest rising and falling very gently.

            "Harry! He's alive!" she exclaimed.  All she wanted to do now was fling her arms around Harry and kiss him on the forehead in happiness. 

            "Ah, Ms. Granger. I assumed that you would be coming as soon as possible to see Harry," said Dumbledore. 

            Hermione nodded her head eagerly.  "He's alive! I can't believe it … I thought he was …"

            "Yes, very fortunately he is alive," said Dumbledore.

            "But how did it happen?" she asked him with wonder.

            She saw Ron look around uneasily and then shuffle his feet around.  "Perhaps Mr. Weasley will be able to tell you. Right now we should leave Harry to be tended to by Madame Pomfrey," said Dumbledore.  He started walking towards the door. 

            "C'mon, Herm," said Ron, pulling Hermione along with him.

            "What? What's wrong?" she asked him.

            "C'mon! I'll tell you, but we have to go now," he said urgently.  They walked out of the room and then closed the door softly. 

            "Ron, what happened?" she asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

            "Dumbledore thinks that a Death Eater tried to kill Harry by forcing him to dive into the ground," said Ron grimly.

            This was obviously not what Hermione had expected to hear.  "W-what? Are you s-sure?"

            Ron nodded. "B-but … but how does he know?"

            "He's not positive, he said it may have been his imagination, but he thinks that he saw a death eater in the shadows somewhere at the edge of the stadium. That's why it took so long for him to tend to Harry," answered Ron.

            For once in her life, Hermione was lost for words.  She didn't know what to do.  One of her best friends was in the hospital wing, close to dying; and it was all because of a Death Eater. 

            "Hermione, don't cry," said Ron.  Hermione didn't even know that she had been crying, until she felt Ron's hand brush away the tears falling from her left cheek.  And then, to Hermione's great surprise, he awkwardly pulled her into a hug.  Hermione abruptly tried to stop crying and was taking deep breaths.  She didn't ever want this moment to stop.

            After a few minutes, they reluctantly pulled away from each other.  She looked at his shoulder and laughed.  "I've gotten your shirt all wet," she said, patting it.

            "What? Oh … it's okay, whatever," said Ron, shrugging it off.  He seemed to look uncomfortable at the moment.  He looked at his watch. "Wow, it's one o'clock already.  We should get some lunch."

            "Oh but, what about Harry?" Hermione asked.  She looked longingly at the doorway of the hospital wing.

            "Don't worry. He's not going anywhere," said Ron with a grin.  "We'll come up to visit him right after, okay?"

            Hermione nodded her head.  Ron started walking towards the Great Hall.  When he realized that she hadn't been following him, he turned back around.  "You coming?"

            "Er, yeah.  I'll be there in a second.  You go along," said Hermione. 

            "Okay …" he said with confusion and started walking back to the hall.  When she knew that he was gone, she took out her wand and muttered a few well-chosen words.  Immediately she felt her face dry up and her red blotches from crying were disappeared.  There we go, much better.

~*~*~

(Ron's POV)

                Ron walked aimlessly towards the Great Hall, waiting for Hermione to catch up with him.  Everything was happening so fast today.  First, his block of the quaffle during the game. Then, Harry falling.  And then finding out from Dumbledore that Harry was trying to be killed by a Death Eater.  And finally, Ron sighed, the wonderful, comforting hug he had shared with Hermione. 

Ron closed his eyes as he hugged Hermione.  He patted her back awkwardly and shushed her to tell her that everything would be okay.  He almost pouted when she pulled away from him.  He stared at her, thinking that she was uncomfortable, because he certainly was.  He wanted to pout even more when she laughed and said, "I've gotten your shirt all wet."

Not knowing what to say, he said, "What? It's okay, whatever," and then he looked at his watch, as a signal to get away from Hermione for a little. 

Yes, everything was happening way to fast in hour's time.

            He walked towards the end of the Gryffindor table.  There weren't many people left, as it was already one o'clock.  But he could hear whispers go around the room as they saw him sit down, and he could see people pointing at him.  They were probably wondering what had happened with Harry.  Ron grew restless with all the stares he was getting.

            "He's FINE okay? Harry is going to be fine! Now stop staring at me!" he burst out angrily to everyone in the room. 

            Deafening silence filled his ears and people began to get into their conversations.  They stopped looking and pointing at Ron, in fear of another outburst.  To his relief, Hermione appeared in front of him and took a seat.  "Nice little out burst there, Ron."

            "Mmph," he grunted.  He began eating hungrily and was trying to not look into Hermione's eyes.  But he could feel her staring him down.

            "Now what?" he asked her in a mouthful of food.

            "Nothing.  I was just thinking," she answered, shrugging her shoulders. 

            For the whole lunch, they sat in silence, chewing little.  Ron looked at his watch again. It seemed that he had been doing that a lot for the past day.  "It's almost two.  Think we should go and check up on Harry?"

            Hermione nodded eagerly and they got up from the table.  They walked near each other, barely touching hands, though they both knew that they wanted to.  When they reached the hospital wing, Ron opened the door for Hermione.  She gave him an assuring smile and stepped into the room. 

            Ron braced himself and followed her.  They saw Madame Pomfrey tending to Harry.  She looked up when she saw them come in.

            "You shouldn't be here! Out!" she ordered.

            "Oh but Madame Pomfrey! Please can we stay just for a little?" pleaded Hermione imploringly. 

            She pursed her lips in anger and said, "Oh, go on.  But there's no use in seeing him if he won't even talk back to you."

            "Is he okay? Did you fix him up?" asked Ron.

            "Well of course I did! Couldn't leave the poor boy with broken arms, ribs, and a fractured back!" she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  "Poor boy.  He's been through the mill, he has."

            She left Harry to Ron and Hermione.  They moved on either side of Harry.  Hermione took Harry's hand.  She was muttering softly to him, comforting words.  Ron could barely make out some of them. 

            "Harry … you'll be okay.  Everything's … fine … wake up … I miss you already …"

            Two hours had already passed.  Hermione had fallen asleep in a chair and Ron was sitting next to her, staring intently at Harry.  For once in his life, Ron just wanted Harry to have a nightmare again, just so he would know that he was conscious.  Suddenly, Harry started shaking and jerking. 

            Ron jumped up from his seat, making Hermione wake up.  "Harry! Harry wake up! What's wrong?!" she screamed.

            Ron ran over to the door of Madame Pomfrey's office.  He banged on it.  "Get in here! Quick! Something's wrong with Harry!"

            She practically flew through the door and ran towards Harry's bed.  She took one look at Harry and said sharply, "He's going into convulsions.  Get out! Now!"

~*~*~

Author's Note: Hey guys. What do you think? Aren't you scared? I am! I don't know what's going to happen yet! Ha. Aw, and what about Ron and Hermione's hug. So cute.