Brick
Chapter Four: Regrets
Author's Note: The usual. Read and review, if possible. Thanks!
Disclamier: I own nothing.
Can't you see
It's not me you're dying for
Ron woke up later than usual the next morning, the sunlight streaming through his open window. He yawned and rolled over. Maybe I shouldn't visit Hermione today, he thought, guiltily reminding himself of the previous day's outburst. She was pretty upset. Why do I have to screw things up all the time? He shook his head to clear his thoughts and stood up, his mind set on what he had to do.
"Ron! What are you doing here?" Hermione looked up, surprise to see his tall frame leaning against the doorway to her hospital room.
He took a tentative step forward, his hands clutching a bouquet of flowers he had picked himself. "I came to say I'm sorry," he muttered, too afraid to look in her eyes.
"What are those?" She seemed more interested in the roses than what Ron had to say.
"Roses. For you. But listen, I wanted to tell you…"
"I love roses."
"Er…ok." He replied cautiously. She reached for the bouquet, like a child begging for presents on Christmas morning. He gently handed it over, his hand brushing against hers. Her hand was freezing cold.
"These are so beautiful. When I was little, I always planned on having roses just like these in my wedding. Lots of pretty pink and red roses- I guess it's not going to happen now."
"Don't say that!"
"It's true, Ron. I heard Dr. Murray talking to my parents this morning. He said I only have a couple of weeks left, before I…" her voice trailed off as she set the roses on the nightstand table.
Her words had come as a huge shock to him, and he fell on his knees the moment she had finished speaking. He didn't know why he had been so surprised. He knew that Hermione was dying; he knew that she didn't have much time yet. But now, the harsh certainty of her words made it all real.
He shakily stood up, reminding himself that he had to be strong for her. He grabbed the back of the plastic hospital chair to steady himself.
"Ron, I wish it didn't have to be this way. There's so much I wanted to do with my life- I wanted to be successful…and happy. I wanted lots of children. And…I wanted all of that to include you." She grabbed his hand, giving him a shaky smile. Then the tears came, large tears that slid down her seemingly non-existent cheeks. Tears of sadness, pain, and anger. Ron didn't know what to do, didn't know how to react. But he didn't have to think. He was crying too.