Precious Stones:

Chapter Ten- Fever

*

AN- Not so long this time! Thanks for all your wonderful reviews they absolutely made my day. Day(s) lol!

Twas my birthday yesterday and of all things to come with on your birthday I came up with the plot line for this chapter I PROMISE FLUFF! Lol anyway here it is thanks for being so patient with me!

*

Ron was exhausted and eye lids were drooping as he and Harry waited at the entrance of the Investigative Auror headquarters for Hermione who was arranging for Tiffany to have an extra guard that night just in case.

He had very mixed feelings. He was both elate and relieved that they seemed to finally have a direction with their case. On the other hand there was the tempest of emotion that he had swirling around inside concerning Hermione.

He watched closely as Hermione came over to them. Her face was flushed and suddenly he noticed the dark shadows that had been growing underneath her almost feverishly bright eyes. Her movements where slow and tired, she used a pale hand to rub her forehead: frowning.

A spasm of fear shot through him. She seemed. unwell. As she came closer he could tell that her breathing was laboured and she was shaking slightly.

Are you all right? He asked her sharply. To his left Harry tensed.

She replied, somewhat more faintly than he had expected, It's just all those extra staircases; it really takes it out of you.

Ron exchanged a worried glance with Harry. Her words just didn't ring true and she just looked soso spent.

Harry asked conversationally.

Not especially! She snapped, some of the fire coming back into her eyes as they snapped in anger.

Another worried glance.

Are you sure you're all right? Ron asked gently, hesitantly placing a hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged him off with an annoyed sort of squeak.

If you two want to stand here all night you can, She said tartly, But I'm going home!

They followed her as she made her way outside and were greeted by a blast of icy air. The wind was strong and deadly, it blew their cloaks up around them as they walked towards the apparition boundaries. The snow had stopped falling but it still lay thick and the cloud heavy sky heralded more.

Hermione seemed more blown about by the wind, and it wasn't just because she was smaller in height. She was tripping and stumbling. She bumped into Ron at several points and when he caught her eye he was frightened, gone was all the proud anger but instead desperation a plea for help: and when he offered her his arm she took it.

*

Hermione couldn't quite get her mind to connect with where she was and what was happening. One minute she was out in the snow with Ron and Harry feeling annoyed at them for treating her as if she were unwell and the next she was walking down one of the many winding lanes near the burrow on a hot summer's day talking to Mr Weasley. After that she was in the theatre with Ginny

It was only when she started to see that cruel green smoke rise up in front of her that she cried out

She screamed, The Dark Mark!

*

Ron looked at the woman clutching onto his arm, her face was even paler and she was shaking violently, screaming hysterically about death eaters.

Harry said grimly.

Spontaneously, Ron grabbed hold of her shoulders and forced her to look at him. She met his eyes but didn't recognize him and struggled against his grasp.

I won't tell you! She said, I'll die before I reveal Harry's location!

Ron said, It's me Ron! You're outside your headquarters we were just about to go home!

I won't tell you! She repeated feverishly.

Hermione, it's me Ron!

Ron was bewildered; the cold wind stung his face and had blown Hermione's hair up into a tempest around her head. She looked half mad as she struggled against his grasp shouting insults about deatheaters and swearing that she would never betray Harry or the Order.

We'll have to stun her. Harry said reluctantly.

Ron said fiercely, Not her!

Harry nodded.

Ron tired again, It's meyour Ron.

Hermione almost instantly changed, Ron? I er II don't feel

Her legs crumpled underneath her as she lost her inner battle and fainted Ron caught hold of her and lifted her up cradling her close to his chest.

Go and get help! He told Harry, Anyone who knows Neville! He can make the draught or Ginny Hermione must have some somewhere and she'd know where!

Harry looked doubtful.

Go on! Ron shouted, I'm taking her to the hospital wing!

Harry hurried into the darkness towards the apparition point. Ron began to pick his way back up the snow drive, as quickly as he could knowing that every moment could mean the difference between life and death for Hermione. Her body was limp in his hold and very little warmth radiated from it.

He was sick with fear.

*

Harry found himself knocking on a familiar door but had no time to reminisce the happy times he spent at the burrow as he nervously waited for it to be opened. Hermione's feverish words kept creeping into his head

He was greeted by the greying Molly Weasley.

What are you doing here? She demanded.

Harry bit his lip: what could he have expected. He hardly deserved a warm welcome.

I've got no time to explain, He said quickly, I need some of that restorative draught! The one Hermione used to take?

Molly looked confused but nodded, Come in.

Harry followed her inside, glad of the warmth.

It's urgent, He said,

The woman asked aghast, You don't mean

Harry.

What's this? Came the angry voice of Ginny who had stepped into the passageway since his arrival, What are you doing here?

He said weakly, but it was enough.

Oh no! She said her beautiful face paling, I feared the worst when she didn't show up at all for dinner but

By this time Mr Weasley had joined them and the twins were not far behind. Harry felt the full awkwardness of the situation, an old lover and people who he had regarded as family, people who he had betrayed and now looked to them for help.

Where is she? Ginny asked.

The headquarters, Ron was taking her to the hospital wing. Harry said.

They won't have a clue how to deal with her in there! Ginny said, I'll go to her flat and get some of the restorative draught will someone get onto Neville?

We will, Fred said, I'll make sure he starts making more draught straight away.

I'll see you at the headquarters Ginny said to Harry her glares forgotten for the moment.

Er thanks for everything. He said nodding to the faces that were all staring at him, I better get back.

With that he apparated back to the long driveway where it had begun to snow again.

*

Ron watched in total agony as healers fussed around Hermione. He could see they didn't have clue he'd tried to explain what the matter was but they had hushed him and given her a strength replenishing potion saying This sort of exhaustion is usual for our aurors we know how to deal with it.

He knew they weren't helping. Desperate he dashed out of the hospital wing and up to Remus' office where, thank Merlin, the light was still on!

He burst in and Remus looked up in surprise from the pile of paperwork that he had been struggling through.

He asked, Whatever is the matter?

He said gasping for breath, Ill the healers they don't know they won't listen!

Remus said his face creasing in alarm.

You've got to make them listen! He said.

Remus replied, Come on.

*

When Harry returned Remus and Ron were arguing with a pair of healers. Hermione had been laid on a bed, but nobody seemed to be treating her.

What's going on? He asked.

They don't understand Ron said desperately, They can't help!

Look you must understand me, Remus was saying, This girl has a very serious condition that dates back to the time when she was about seventeen! She needs to be warm and there's a draught, a restorative draught we need to get her some of that as quickly as possible!

Doubtfully the healers began to do as Remus asked, Harry watched Ron trying to help and giving up as he found his hands shook too much. Eventually he settled for just kneeling by the bed and holding Hermione's pale hand.

Hermione cried out from time to time but did not wake and the healers found she had a dangerously high temperature.

His old guiltiness and remorse came back to him as he stood looking on, feeling useless. Guilty that he should have been the one to have the deteriorating disease in the first placeguilty because he had been Malfoy's target not Hermione

Harry couldn't stand about and do nothing and ended up going to watch out for Ginny. She was half way up the drive when Harry came out of the headquarters' main doors. He ran down to meet her and grabbed the parcel that she offered, sprinting back up the drive.

*

The scene that Ginny came to was nightmarish, Harry and Remus stood on looking bewildered as several healers tried to make Hermione drink the draught she had brought.

Her brother Ronwas kneeling by her friend's bedside, his face pale and desperate clutching Hermione's limp hand whispering things that she couldn't hear.

She let out a gasp of shock when she saw Hermione's face: all pale and feverish. She called out wildly in her sleep, calling for help warning them of unknown shadows. It seemed the deatheaters still lingered in Hermione's mind.

Remus came over and put an arm around her shoulder, "She'll be all right, He said firmly.

Ginny shrugged him off and advanced on Harry How could you let this happen! She hissed franticly and needing to vent her anger on somebody, How could you!

She attacked him with her fists venting years worth of frustration onto him but he just stood there and took it, it wasn't long before her tears choked her angry words and sobs racked her body.

He simply wrapped his arms around her stroked her head, in a daze. She found that she couldn't protest.

*

Ron found that he was reliving one of the worse days of his life; it was like that fateful day when Hermione first took ill all over again

He held fast to her hand refusing to be moved.

*

At the far end of the ward, Tiffany awoken by the sound of raised voices had wrapped round the dressing gown that the nurse had given her and had left her room. She stood in the doorway looking on.

She was overwhelmed by a sense of panic as she realised what had happened. Inspector Granger, the woman who had been kind to her was ill. And it was all her fault

*

AN- That chapter was exhausting phew! This story has a fair few twists to come. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review.

I wouldn't have got far without my reviewers, just like, Frodo wouldn't have got far without his Sam!

Don't ask it just popped into my head! I wonder why