That's one way to cure a head ache!
Chapter one: the Quidich accident
Hermione rushed through her potions homework which was rare for her. She was missing the much anticipated Gryffindor vs. hufflepuf game which Harry and Ron were both in. she glanced at her watch; the game had started 15 minutes ago! She slammed her book shut and ran out of the Gryffindor common room and towards the Quidich pitch.
Upon her arrival the score stood at 40-10 Gryffindor and still playing, despite Harry's attempts to catch the golden snitch. The rainy weather was working against him for tiny flecks of water and fog had accumulated on his glasses making it almost impossible to see. He was barely able to duck the bludger speeding straight towards his face.
He pulled his broom up to hover above the game in order give himself time to clean his glasses. As he placed them back on his face and focused on a bludger coming for his head. He swooped out of its way and watched as it flew down to Fred Weasley who knocked it hard towards center. It free-fell for a while until it got its bearings and headed straight for Ron. Ron didn't see it approaching so Harry yelled down to him to look out, but the rain and dampness muffled his voice and Ron didn't hear him.
The bludger impacted with Ron's forehead and Harry was sure if it hadn't have been raining he would have heard the crack. Ron went limp, slid of his broom and plummeted towards the earth, unconscious. His impact with the ground looked horrible. Professor McGonagall and Madame Hootch who had been watching from the sidelines rushed out to his side. McGonagall conjured up a stretcher and lifted him onto it. They then sped him off towards the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey's care. Play continued but Harry now wanted nothing more then the game to be over so he could go see his injured friend. The thought of Ron's desire to win this game drove Harry to find the snitch even more then if it had been a championship game.
It was not long indeed before he had spotted the tiny golden ball fluttering about ten feet from the ground in the centre of the pitch. Harry sped towards it and was soon in a high-speed chase with the snitch. Harry could hear the Hufflepuff seeker catching up to him from behind. After about a lap around the pitch Harry's out-stretched hand was within inches of the golden ball. He laid down flat against his broom reaching for all he was worth. He managed to pinch one of its tiny transparent wings between his fingers and score Gryffindor the winning 150 points. It was the fastest he had ever caught the snitch.
He landed right there in the middle of the pitch, ignoring the congratulations he was receiving and the cheering crowd. He dropped the snitch to the ground and ran towards the school's hospital wing.
Harry was dripping from head to toe as he entered the warm hospital wing. He immediately spotted Ron at the back of the room appearing to be asleep. He was pasty white and a large goose-egg had formulated on his head. There were no other people in the wing accept for Madame Pomfrey who cut Harry off angrily before he was able to reach Ron's bedside.
"I'm sorry potter but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to visit your friend. He needs to rest."
"What's he done?" asked Harry through a sigh trying to get a look at him over her shoulder.
"Well, Mr. Weasley's got himself a concussion, a broken arm and a broken rib." She replied perfecting an imperfect bed sheet. "Now off you go Potter."
"Yes M'am" he replied and headed to find Hermione.
Back at the common room he saw Hermione sitting at one of the big tables, books covering it. Her hair was wet from the rain and she looked pale. He attempted to cross the busy common room to her, but was slowed by cheery pats on the back and handshakes congratulating him on Gryffindor's win.
"You've already been to the hospital wing?" yelled Harry (over the loud shouts from Fred and George) when he finally reached her
'Yes, but Madame Pomfrey wouldn't let me in." she said angrily
"Me neither" Harry replied
"Did you see his arm?" asked Hermione looking disturbed at the thought
"No, was it bad? Asked Harry
"It looked worse then yours did when Lockhart meddled with it that time."
Harry had to chuckle at the thought of his limp arm jiggling around. It was only three years later he was able to find his ordeal even remotely funny. Madame pomfrey would be able to heal Ron's arm and rib with ease but his concussion would have to heal on its own.
Harry headed up to his dormitory where he changed out of his sopping quidich uniform and into some dry clothes. He was exhausted and the sight of his warm bed was too much. He decided to go to bed early. He would do his potions homework tomorrow night
The next day went by horribly slow for Harry and Hermione but they toughed through it. As soon as the last class of the day ended, they rushed up-stairs to see their friend.
"Hello Ron!" Harry piped up as soon as he was in eye sight. Ron looked less pale and the goose-egg was gone. He saw his two best friends coming to see him and a smile leaked onto his face.
"Hello Hermione, Harry!" he greeted them cheerfully trying to cover the symptoms of his painful headache.
"How are you feeling?" asked Hermione softly
"Well," said Ron touching the spot where the goose egg had been "I've got a miserable headache--how did we do Harry! Did we win?" he suddenly burst out.
"What, nobody's told you yet?" cried Harry
"Nope, you're my first visitors and when I asked Madame Pomfrey if she knew, she said that she didn't know or care!" said Ron with a tint of anger and bewilderment on his face.
"We won!" exclaimed Harry. He then began recapping the game play-by-play from the moment Ron fell off his broom. When he finished Ron sat up and patted him on the back and congratulated him on the win. Harry glanced at his watch
"I should probably go; I have last night's homework and tonight's homework to finish for tomorrow. If I don't get it done this time Snape'll have my head! I hope you get feeling better Ron." said Harry, disappointed to cut their visit short.
"Right, well I'm out of here tomorrow morning so ill see you then mate!" he called after Harry.
He glanced at Hermione who turned a bit red in the face, after all she and Ron were all alone now.
"I got all my homework done last night. There's nothing to do back there and besides, last I heard some wannabe George and Fred first years were planning on setting off some stink bombs." explained Hermione quickly
"Figures" Ron said as he rolled his eyes. She took it that that was painful as he flinched and grabbed his head.
"Let's see your arm." She said sitting down on his bed.
"Oh she's got that all healed up" he said nodding in the direction of Madame Pomfrey's office. "And she's healed my rib too, now there's just a big ugly bruise.
"Let's see" said Hermione who thought she may have sounded slightly morbid when Ron gave her a suspicious look.
He lifted his shirt exposing his entire chest and stomach. He pointed at the area just below his armpit where the rib was. She glanced at it and saw the blue-ish bruise. Her eyes flickered to his pale, tan-less chest. She hadn't seen him shirtless since last year and he had changed a lot. He was still skinny but had developed large muscles, had a well defined stomach and an orange line of hair down from his belly button.
When he realized she wasn't looking at his injury he pulled his shirt down, looking embarrassed and offended, which slowly faded into a smirk. Hermione turned red with embarrassment. Almost as if reading her mind "yes Hermione, I've changed." he said, his smirk remaining.
"W--I--Yes--yes you have." She said. He chuckled at her response.
Both of them looked at anything but each other for a moment searching for anything to say, but Ron broke the awkwardness.
"Hermione," he began after a nervous deep breath. She knew exactly what he was about to say and she quickly replied "Yes."
"I- I-Um- well I –really like you- as more then a friend- you don't have to feel the same way- I just needed to tell you-"
He then began rambling on about how he had thought she fancied Harry or Krum, but she was no longer hearing him. She was repeating "I like you as more then a friend" over and over trying to comprehend their magnitude. She had been waiting for that for years. She looked up at Ron with a twinkle in her eye. She didn't want to hear his excuses for being too scared to tell her about how he felt, for she had been the same way.
She smiled, leaned forward and put a hand on each of his shoulders, propping herself so she could look at his face. He abruptly stopped talking but his mouth hung open trying to say something. His eyed widened in shock at how close their faces now were. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips gently. He kissed back and both of them went numb. It was electric and neither of them had ever felt that before. Hermione pulled away, slid her arms under him into a hug and rested her head on his chest, her ear pressing into him. She could hear his heart beating wildly and she was sure hers was too. They stayed like that for a few minutes, thinking about what had just happened and how it would affect them.
"So" said Ron "I guess you...like me too?"
She looked up at him and was about to say "of course!' but she liked kissing better then talking.
She planted another kiss on his lips. This one went on for a lot longer then the last.
"So" said Ron, when they finally separated "you never answered me, you just snogged me" he very well knew the answer (I mean would Hermione snog someone she didn't love) but he just needed to hear her say it.
"Yes I love you." She said slightly offended by the way Ron had worded this.
"Not that I don't like it when you snog Me." he said. He pulled her into a tight hug before she could have a chance to slap him. "Are we... going out now Hermione?" asked Ron. "Well, I would like to be." She replied softly. "me too" he said quickly."
So it was decided; Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were boyfriend and girlfriend now, finally.
After a minute or so of hugging in complete silence they heard footsteps. Hermione knew Madame Pomfrey's swift stride and knew she was coning into view. She tore away from Ron and stood up, fixing her hair and skirt. "Well then, I had best be off, lots of homework" she said trying to make the scene less suspicious for Madame Pomfrey as she entered the wing. No sooner then entering she disappeared into her office.
"Yeah, well see you." said Ron clearing his throat loudly. Hermione looked back at her new boyfriend as she walked out of the hospital wing. He smirked broadly and she matched it. When she was out of sight Ron rolled over turning his back to Madame Pomfreys office. He was suddenly aware that his headache was gone! "Bloody hell" he whispered, "that's one way to cure a headache."