Hullo. This was previously posted under a different penname. I wanted to put it up again just for the sake of archiving. Happy reading.
The Flu Inspires Communication Skills
"ACHOO!"
A sneeze echoed throughout the corridors of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.
"Hermione, you really should go to Madam Pomfrey. You've been sick for days! You should go now, it's on the way to Flitwicks."
"I amb not sick!" she sputtered. "I feel perfectly fine." ACHOO! Her voice reflected her obvious congestion.
Ron cast a reproachful look at his friend. Her face was swollen and puffy, her nose red from constant sneezing, and her body slumped more than usual from the weight of her titanic book bag.
"Not sick? You probably have got the flu or something. Why don't you go back to the tower and have a rest, you look awful."
She narrowed her watering eyes at him, trying to decide what had been more insulting; the idea of skipping class or being told she looked awful.
"For your information, Ronald Weasley, we are doing summoning charms today and I'mb not going to miss it!!" Her argument might have continued if she didn't have to pause for a rather nasty cough.
"You can copy my notes," he added promisingly.
She scoffed. "You hardly ever take notes, and besides, I can barely read your childish handwriting."
"Fine, you can copy Harry's. Just go see nurse!" He thought he saw her eyes flutter as if she was trying to stay awake.
"I will NOT, and will you stop making such a fuss, I feel FINE!" She huffed as they ascended the stairs leading to charms. She only made it a few steps before she faltered and swooned.
Ron caught her before she could fall and roughly hoisted her into his arms.
"Ruddy stubborn woman!" He exclaimed and he turned around and headed them straight for the hospital wing. "All those book smarts and no common sense! You know, you could have just really hurt yourself." He looked down to see his words had fallen on deaf ears; Hermione had passed out. He broke into a run.
Upon arriving to the hospital wing, he kicked open the doors and yelled for the nurse, Madam Pomfrey. She appeared from behind a curtain, looking quite harassed at Ron until her eyes fell on the limp body he carried.
"Oh my goodness! Here, set her down here." He gingerly placed her on a bed. She murmured a few spells as preliminary tests, and placed a magical thermometer in her mouth. It turned bright purple.
"A raging case of the flu. Silly girl... it probably just started out as a cold." She cast a spell to awaken Hermione and had her drink an orange concoction that seemed similar in texture to the poly juice potion.
Ron sat down at her bedside, but Pomfrey's eyes snapped on him. "You get to class, she'll be alright."
"But..." He quickly tried to think up anything that would let him stay, but she wouldn't hear it.
"Feel better, Hermione," he called to her as Madam Pomfrey shooed him out the door.
Ron made it to charms class, where he took the most diligent notes of his life.
When classes were finally over for the day, he returned to the hospital wing. Hermione was sitting up in her bed doing something that didn't surprise him, but made him groan anyway.
"Homework? Now? Don't you even take a break when you're in the hospital?"
Her face remained lowered over her books but she looked up at him through her lashes, giving a small 'of course I am' smile.
"Ah, how are you feeling?"
"Loads better. I can go back to the tower as soon as I finish the last of the potion."
"That's great." Ron said, once more taking a seat by Hermione, thankful Madam Pomfrey was occupied elsewhere. "Listen..." He started, looking down at his large hands. "I wanted to say I'm sorry."
Hermione looked shocked. "Sorry? For what?"
"If we hadn't had that row on the way to charms, you might not even be in here."
She paused and stared at him. "Oh Ron..." Internally she felt it was the second loveliest thing he had ever said, second to the time he told Malfoy to eat slugs. "It's not your fault at all! I was being stubborn. And I wanted to say thank you," she blushed "for carrying me here."
He tinged pink a little too. "It's no trouble. You weigh less than your bloody book bag. Then again, so does Goyle."
She laughed a little.
"Why don't you finish that stuff and we'll go have dinner. Everybody's been asking about you, and besides, you haven't eaten all day."
"Alright." Her nose wrinkled as she downed the rest of the potion. He collected her books and tucked them under his arm. She set her feet on the floor.
"Oh! What did I miss in class?"
"Don't worry. I took notes."
She allowed him to help her off the bed, and they walked to dinner, arm in arm.
FIN