Driven

Acknowledgement: To Ellen, for her "Hard Love" [Story].

"Hermione..." he was breathless at the sight of her. Ron, he told himself solidly. Ron's your best friend, you can't do this to him...

He closed his eyes. "I am sorry, Hermione. I have to tell you something."

He could almost feel her frowning across at him. "What is it?" she said, her voice small and crestfallen.

"I am not Ron." It was said. The room loomed with silence, and suddenly a few moments later Hermione snorted.

"Oh, Ron, can you please stop with these little 'practical' jokes? I am getting really tired of them...this is supposed to be the most important night of my life! I thought..." Hermione's voice weakened. "I thought you loved me."

"I do," Harry breathed, not sure if she heard him or not. His eyelids were kept tightly closed. "Put your cloak back on, 'Mione."

There was a movement of fabric and when Harry opened his eyes again, Hermione was fully clothed.

"It's me, 'Mione," Harry said, his voice dead-prone. "It's Harry."

Hermione's eyes widened. "What? What're you - what are you saying, Ron?"

"Harry. Not Ron. I am under the Polyjuice Potion," he said patiently, avoiding her eyes.

"How - how long..." her voice drifted off. She looked at him, a look of disgust relished on her face. "How could you?"

He didn't answer her. He merely became interested in his shoes.

She forced a mirthless laugh. "I am so stupid...my God, I am so stupid...just get out of here, Harry."

"Wait...'Mione..."

"Get out!" she shrieked more forcefully, clutching her cloak to herself, collapsing in her bed, her legs up to her chin, eyes closed, tears staining her cheeks

"Here I am, thinking Ron's being romantic..." she laughed. "I can't believe this..."

Harry cautiously drew closer, and sat at the edge of her bed, looking at her. "I am sorry...I just..."

"Why'd you do it?" she asked, sniffing. "Why, Harry?"

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"You were there all along, right? From that night I was crying - oh my God, I kissed you," Hermione exclaimed in realization, scrunching up her face.

A pang hit him in the chest. The way she said it - she was thoroughly disgusted by him.

"No need to sound excited, you seemed to enjoy it,"

prompted sarcastically, a cold glare washing upon his face. "I mean...I just love you, right? What does that matter?" he yelled. His arms began to shake at his sides, and he felt something crawling through his skin, something progressing in his face.

He didn't hear anything as he got up from the bed and walked to the door. He didn't hear Hermione say, "What?", he merely heard the slam of the door as he walked through it, and didn't glance back.

***

"There's something wrong with him!"

"Get somebody quick! Professor McGonagall!"

"He's shaking!" Seamus grabbed Ron's arms, dragging him forward as he shook uncontrollably.

"No! Don't take them!" Ron was yelling furiously, all the blood drained out of his face, his eyes trying to flicker open.

"It's me, calm down," Seamus hissed, but Ron gave the impression that he couldn't hear anything else.

There was a female scream behind them. Professor McGonagall walked toward them, clutching Ron by the ends of his face.

"Mr. Weasley? Mr. Weasley!" she shrieked, but he kept shaking. Quickly, she took out her wand, performing a high class levitating charm, and started to lead Ron to the Hospital Wing.

***

"What's going on?" Harry entered his dorms, seeing Seamus stand in front of an empty bed.

He looked up. "It's Ron...there's something wrong with him...Harry, what'd you do to your hair? Did you dye it or something?"

"What do you mean, wrong?"

Harry felt a felt a fierce flight of panic.

"He's in the Hospital Wing...I better go check on him," Seamus said quickly, eyeing his hair and exiting.

What'd you do to your hair? Harry felt a sudden rippling in his chest as he thought in realization. Quickly, he hurried in front of the mirror, and to his relief, he saw that he was turning back, his own face gaping back at him, red hair slowly dissolving into tangles of raven.

***

"Ron! Ron, can you hear me?" Hermione cried frantically, clutching his wrist.

"Move back, Ms. Granger!" Madam Pomfrey protested, pushing back Hermione, a potion in her hand. She opened Ron's mouth and dipped it inside.

For a moment, everyone seemed to catch their breath as Ron stopped shaking, but a few moments later, he was still continuing the process.

"It seems...like he's been put under a drought of some kind," Madam Pomfrey notified them.

"But...what kind? Sleeping? Which degree?" Professor McGonagall asked, her eyebrows raised.

"It seems...the first."

Professor McGonagall gasped, her hand over her mouth. "But that's illegal!"

"Whoever using it didn't know the...side effects," Madame Pomfrey said sadly, looking at Ron with a frown on her face. "Not only does...it give him nightmares...but..."

"I must go see the Headmaster," Professor McGonagall prompted, turning away, hurrying throughout the door.

"But what?" Hermione cried.

"Yeah?"

They all turned around, and saw Harry standing in the doorway. Seamus managed him a faltering smile. The hospital wing was slightly cramped, because so many Gryffindors had arrived, peering over Hermione's shoulders.

Hermione gave him a glare, but he ignored her, waiting for Madame Pomfrey's answer.

"But...there's also a chance...that..." She gave Hermione a fleeting look.

"What?"

"That he might die."

***