AN : I write this fanfic, mostly for my own personal enjoyment – but I still would appreciate feedback and suggestions. Everyone likes a little praise, encouragement and criticism. So after reading, please review :D

Disclaimer : yada yada… I'm not JKR… blah blah…

Chapter 2 : Extraordinary Girl

"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, if I find the two of you in here after hours, I am going to have to have a word with Professor McGonagall." Madame Pomfrey was not a happy bunny tonight. For the past week she had walked in to check on Hermione's condition to find Harry and Ron at her bedside. At first it was sweet, she couldn't think of any other pupils since the marauders who had such a strong friendship. Then it was amusing, after the first few warnings the boys had started trying to hide in random places around the hospital wing when she did her nightly rounds. But now, it was thoroughly annoying.

"Please Madame Pomfrey," Ron pleaded, "We only want to sit with her, we won't make a sound." Ron looked desperate, as if dreading the moment he knew was coming – the separation of him and Hermione. He looked as if being forced away from her again was going to finally push him over the edge.

It broke Harry's heart to see Ron like this. If he'd known that Hermione was going to be knocked into a deep sleep for over a week he would have never cast the spell. It was a simple spell. It sent the person into a sudden sleep filled with dreams about the love of their life. Harry figured that if he forced Hermione to think about her feelings for Ron she would eventually be forced to confess them. However, instead she had been in this state for a week now, and showed no signs of improvement.

At first Harry thought it strange that Madame Pomfrey could not lift the spell, but Madame Pomfrey had then explained that this kind of spell should just be let to run its course as meddling with it could cause more complications. And so, Harry had accompanied Ron every night to see her, privately cursing himself for casting that damned spell.

Madame Pomfrey's expression softened at the look on the boys' faces. "OK," she found herself saying, "but only one of you can stay. That way I can be sure that the two of you can't talk and disturb my other patients."

The two boys looked at each other. They were nearly equally desperate in their wish to stay. Harry needed to be there to settle his guilt at causing this in the first place. However, Harry knew that Ron needed to be there more; Harry would just have to be contented that Ron would be there for her if she were to wake tonight.

"I'll go," Harry whispered, "See you in the morning Ron." He turned to go when he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

"Thanks mate," Ron said, pulling his friend into a tight hug, "you don't know how much it means to me."

"Yeah, I do," Harry replied, releasing himself from Ron's grip and returned to the Gryffindor common room.

Ron turned back to Hermione and sat in the arm chair he had placed at her bedside. He watched her chest rise and fall as she slept on. Her hair glistened in the light of the few candles placed around the hospital wing giving her what looked like a golden halo. Ron smiled to himself at how she resembled an angel and allowed the same recurring feeling to wash over him as her eye lashes fluttered slightly.

"Careful, we'll fall!" Hermione breathed, almost inaudibly. Ron almost yelped in shock, was she awake?

"Hermione…" he asked tentatively, stroking the side of her face.

"It's so high up here…" Hermione was obviously still asleep.

"It's ok," Ron found himself saying, "I won't let you fall."

Hermione smiled sweetly and Ron felt a force involuntarily pulling him towards her. Caught in the moment, Ron chose not to fight it – no one else was here… He leaned in and softly brushed her lips with his.

He unconsciously sensed her waken and sat up immediately. But it was too late. She had seen him. He rose from his seat immediately, gob-smacked, eyes as large as plates in shock, he ran from the room faster than he had ever moved in his life.

"Stupid Ron!" he said to himself, "Stupid, stupid, stupid Ron! It's ok, I'll convince her that she was just sleeping… I'll tell her that she must have still been dreaming… it'll be fine… stupid, stupid Ron!" he scolded himself as he stormed towards the common room.

Meanwhile, Hermione was wide awake, sitting up, dazed and confused in her bed. "Ron…?" she asked to the air. No answer. Must have been dreaming she reasoned… the dream was similar to the one she usually had – but seemed for some reason so much better. She mused silently in the darkness, gazing at the now empty armchair beside her, about the best dream she had ever had.