Forgive Me, Hermione

:Alanna:

A/N: *cackles* After months of infuriating people to the brink of insanity, I'm back, with a new chapter. Mwahahahaha. Yes, I had writer's block. I still do, in fact. So give me lots of lovely reviews and encourage me to write more!

I'm regretting my oozy, sappy, disgusting fluff. I overdid it. Agh. Oh well. I'll try to toughen 'em all up. Heheh. ^_^

Disclaimer: Um…the characters obviously aren't mine. Duuuuuuuuh. They belong to J.K. Rowling, WHO NEEDS TO HURRY UP AND FINISH HARRY POTTER, BOOK 5!!!!!! Grrrrr.

Ron hurried along the corridor, his mind on nothing else but finding Hermione and letting her know what had happened to him. She, if any of the students, would know what to do. He knew Alex was watching to make sure he didn't go to any of the teachers, but was she smart enough to watch her arse when Hermione got on her trail?

He could only hope not.

He had just reached the library corridor when he crashed into something unseen. Letting out a yelp, he fell backward onto the stone floor and swore loudly.

"What the bloody HELL-"

A hand appeared out of nowhere and covered his mouth. Ironically, Hermione's head followed, and then her torso. She put a finger to her lips hastily, then rose and motioned for him to get under the cloak. Ron nodded dumbly and followed, gathering the cloak carefully about his body and hers.

"Hermione, what the hell d'you think you're doing, sneaking off in Harry's Invisibility Cloak?" He hissed.

"Oh, Ron, stop cursing," she muttered, irritated. "I had to go to the restricted section to get a few books I wanted."

"Couldn't you have done it the easier way, and gotten a teacher signature?" Ron looked at her, surprised.

"When all the teachers have gone to dinner?" She whispered back skeptically. They rounded the corner and headed off for the Gryffindor common room.

"Hermione Granger, breaking Hogwarts rules," Ron sounded both admiring and in awe. "Bloody brilliant, 'mione! Harry and I always knew you'd come through in the end."

"Goodness, Ron, it's nothing to be proud of," she scolded him gently. "And I had to do it. Where have YOU been all this time? Skipping class?" They had reached the Fat Lady's portrait.

The Fat Lady's head was drooping. At first, they thought she was staring at her lap, until the faint, yet recognizable sounds of snoring issued from the painting.

They removed the Invisibility Cloak, looking up at her in annoyance.

"Now, how are we supposed to get in, with her sleeping on the job?" Ron demanded. He raised his voice. "NAKED HOUSE ELF IN CORRIDOR NINE!"

Paintings all over the hall came to life and peered up and down the corridor interestedly. Ron sniggered. Hermione gave him a look, but Ron saw that the corner of her mouth was twitching.

"Admit it, 'mione. You thought that was funny, too." He raised an eyebrow.

The Fat Lady snorted a few times, before raising her head and blinking blearily.

"At least it worked." Hermione grinned. "I suppose I'll have you give you that much." She looked up at the Fat Lady. "Rigor Mortis!" (A/N: That's actually a medical condition of the body after death, when the muscles become rigid; not a spell. Eep; sorry for the morbidity.)

The portrait swung open to reveal the ever- familiar hole which lead to the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron went in first and gave Hermione a hand up. When they both were inside, the portrait closed. They stood in silence for a while, then Ron reached out and hugged Hermione to him, as if he never wanted to let go. Hermione, however, stiffened and pushed away, peering at him sharply.

"What's wrong?" Ron looked a bit hurt.

"You're trying to tell me something." She folded her arms. "And I expect that I'm not going to like it."

Ron's mind raced. Bloody brilliant! 'mione, you don't know how much I love you. But when he tried to force the words out of his throat, they wouldn't come. Instead, he erupted into a fit of coughs. He felt Hermione's arm around his shoulders as she led him to a nearby armchair. He soon stopped, gasping for breath. When he looked up, Hermione was standing off to the side, her face a combination of fear and concern.

"Won't you at least sit down near me so I don't feel like I'm a complete prat?" He smiled weakly. Hermione seemed to relax a bit then, and she sat on the arm of the chair.

"Hermione, I—" he sighed. "I need your help."

She waited, her brown eyes searching. Ron knew, however, that it was fruitless, and that the spell Alex had placed on him wouldn't allow him to say anything obvious, so he tried to at least to give Hermione a clue or two.

"There's something wrong with Alex," he blurted. "I…I don't know what it is, but—" The coughs came again. "Dammit," he gasped. Hermione slapped his back a few times until he could breathe again.

"Are you okay?" She looked terrified for him. "D'you want to go to the Hospital Wing?"

"No," he croaked.

"D'you want some water? I could get some from the kitchens…"

"No!" He grabbed her arm. "Don't go anywhere, please. I have to tell you something."

"I'm listening." She eyed him curiously.

"I- I can't……" he paused, putting a hand to his forehead. He didn't want it to be like this, but Alex wasn't going to let him let anything THAT relevant slip.

He had to save his friends.

"I can't……like you anymore," he managed, then closed his eyes as Hermione's expression contorted with confusion and pain.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…that I can't be around anymore. I can't…put you, or Harry, or Ginny in danger. Please understand."

"I don't understand." Her tone was hard. "What do you mean, put us in danger? You aren't putting anyone in danger. You're our friend, Ron, and you're Ginny's brother." She clasped his hand in hers. "We love you. Not all in the same way, but we love you. If you were putting any of us in danger, we'd face it anyway."

Ron growled. "Hermione, stop. You have no idea what the hell you're talking about. It's not you, or Harry, or Ginny. It's—" he erupted into coughs again, and this time, Hermione was both concerned and suspicious.

"It's?" she prompted.

"Look, I can't say it, all right?" He raised his head angrily, his blue eyes hard. "Just…just stay away from me. I'll only get you killed." His head swam.

Hermione stared at him, shaking her head slightly. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but quickly closed it again.

"Go." His tone was hard. He hated doing this, especially to one of his friends…who also happened to be his girlfriend…but it had to be done.

"Something's wrong. What's gotten into you?" She demanded angrily.

"I hope you'll find out. You and Harry."

She stared at him, then. Although his face remained hard and angry, his eyes were almost begging, pleading, for something.

"Take care of Gin, please," he whispered.

Hermione was torn. "Of- of course," she stammered, just about ready to go to Madam Pomfrey. Suddenly, something struck her, and her eyes widened.

"Ron, if you're going to commit suicide—"

"I'm not, DAMMIT." He stood angrily then, looking menacing. "Now GO! Go, before I make you leave!"

Hermione stood there for a moment, hurt and confused. She swallowed. "If that's the way you want it, then fine. I don't care what you say; I'm going to get help." She turned and left.

Ron sank into the chair, his face in his hands.

Madam Pomfrey wouldn't be able to do anything, he knew.

Lightning flashed outside, and Ron's head jerked up. He stared out a nearby window. He hadn't even noticed it was raining. It was just as well.

Hermione had gone for Pomfrey, and likely Dumbledore as well. She didn't know it, but she was only digging a deeper grave for herself. Dumbledore and Pomfrey would never let him go until they "cured" him, and that, they could not do. There was only one thing to do.

Ron's reached into his pocket for his wand. "Alohomora," he muttered. The window swung open, and he stood on the arm of the chair, first getting his legs out the window, then his torso, then his head. He crouched in the window for a moment as he closed his escape exit, looking around for something, anything—a loose brick, even—to hold onto.

He would return at nightfall.

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Heads turned towards the doors leading to the Great Hall as Hermione Granger burst in, looking stricken. She made her way over to the Gryffindor table and sat with Seamus, Dean, Harry, Neville, Ginny, and Fred and George Weasley.

"'swrong, Hermione?" Dean asked between bites of roast pork. "You look like you just flunked an exam…or something of the like."

"Nah," said Seamus. "If 'Mione flunked an exam, she wouldn't want to be seen with us." He took a massive bite out of his dinner roll. "She'd be traumatized."

The rest chuckled—all except for Harry, Ginny, and Hermione.

Harry looked at her in concern. "'mione, what—" he began.

"Say, where's our ickle Ronniekins?" Fred interrupted. "In St. Mungo's, he is---always knew he had it in him." He grinned broadly.

Hermione blanched. Harry glared at Fred. "Would you let her talk?"

"Sorry, mate." Fred's grin vanished, and he leaned toward Hermione. "Where is he, really? Did you two have a row?"

"Yes, and no," Hermione sighed. "Something's wrong with him. He was acting so STRANGELY…he kept saying he was endangering people, and he kept telling me to leave. I went for Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey…it was almost as if he's gone MAD…or that he was trying to tell me something, but couldn't find the words."

George looked up suddenly, glaring at Alex, who had stopped dead to listen.

"Oi, it's rude to listen in on other people's conversations!" He snapped. "Go poison someone else's breathing space." Hermione turned around. Alex's eyes narrowed, but she moved on.

Hermione lowered her voice. "And when we got there…back to the Gryffindor Common Room, I mean….he was gone! There were a few raindrops on the inside of the window."

"Could have been a leak," reasoned Fred.

"Yes, but how often does THAT happen?" demanded Hermione. "My guess is that he left through the window!"

Ginny, who was sitting on Harry's other side, sucked in her breath in a little gasp. "But why would he leave?"

"Maybe you-know-who got to him," Neville whispered, his gray eyes wide. "You know, since he's back and all-"

"Don't be a prat, Neville," snapped Dean. "Ron would never go to the dark side."

The group sat in silence for a while, pondering Hermione's news. Harry looked in concern at his friend, who was pale. He seized her plate and began piling food onto it. "Eat," he said gently, handing it back to her.

Hermione stared at the food as if it were something alien. "I'm not hungry," she muttered.

Alex slid into a seat near the group, her hazel eyes sly. "Starving yourself isn't going to bring him back, Hermione."

Everyone glared at the uninvited guest. "Didn't I tell you to-" began George.

"Yes, but this is the Gryffindor table, is it not?" Alex retorted loftily, twisting a strand of her hair around her finger. "And I am a Gryffindor. Therefore, I have the right to sit at my own table."

Ginny frowned. "How much did you hear, Alex?"

"My name isn't ALEX," Alex returned coolly. "Not anymore, at least. It sounds so…coarse. I prefer to be called by my REAL name…Alexandra."

"I feel sorry for the Americans," muttered Seamus to Dean, who nodded in agreement.

"How much did I hear?" Alexandra echoed. "I heard enough to be sure that Ron left, and that you're all confused. Why would he leave? What have we done?" She smirked.

Hermione frowned suddenly. Ron's words came back to her. There's something wrong with Alex. She studied the girl intently. Could Alexandra have had something to do with Ron's disappearance? Even if she hadn't, Hermione was tired of the girl.

"It's not a question of what WE'VE done, but what YOU'VE done," Hermione hissed in a low tone, so that only Alex could hear. Alex started a little, and her eyes narrowed.

At that moment, Dumbledore rose, but without his usual benign smile. "Off to bed with you now. Tomorrow will begin our lives anew. Good night to you."

Harry pushed the plate, along with the silverware, into Hermione's hands. "Eat upstairs," he urged her. "And meet me in the common room." His mind was racing, and his stomach felt funny, as if it were in a knot.

Why did Ron, one of his very best friends, leave?

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A/N: AGH!!! I really, really want to take some of the previous sap I wrote out, because this chapter sounds so much more believable, don't you think? Argh. Dammit. I guess I could fix some of it, but it'd take a while, so for now, you'll just have to make do with this chapter.

Review, please. That encourages me to write more.