Chapter Five

As the next few days went by Ron only got worse. The pain for Hermione to see him in such agony became unbearable.

Ron was watched around the clock and tests were run every half hour. Seeing him alone was almost as difficult as seeing him at all.

" Hermione?" he whispered on the fourth day after the pain had started.

" Yes?" she replied.

" Do you love me?" he asked. Hermione wanted to say yes, but things between them kept them apart.

" I-I can't." she said barely audible.

Ron rolled back over and continued to stare out of the window.

For the next fourteen days it continued he would ask her if she loved him and she always had the same reply that would break both of their hearts, no.

Hermione was tossing through a rough dream and had the since that someone was watching her. She awoke with a start to see Ginny Weasley standing in her door way.

" Couldn't sleep, sorry if I bothered you." Ginny said.

" No, you didn't, Gin." she said, but when Ginny didn't move Hermione knew that something had happened.

" Ginny, are you okay?" she asked cautiously.

" I'm worried about Ron." she sobbed.

" Well we all are, but he's going to get better." Hermione tried to sound convincing.

Ginny ran and leaped in to Hermione's bed. Hermione hugged her and stroked her hair rocking back and forth slowly.

" No." said Ginny, with tears in her eyes, " I heard Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pompfrey talking yesterday and- and they said he hasn't made any progress since he was put in the hospital wing." Ginny sobbed even harder.

Hermione's grip tightened and her heart fell to her stomach.

" It's alright." Hermione tried, "It's gonna be alright."

" No, Mum and Dad were contacted a few days ago and they are flying in from their vacation, immediately. Fred and George are coming in tomorrow. And Percy, Bill, and Charlie arrived here today and right now are in the extra boy's dorm."

Millions of thoughts swirled through her head at that moment. The whole Weasley family was coming to Hogwarts? What if when she went to see him he asked her if she loved him front of his whole family?! More what if's went through her head.

"Dumbledore wants Ron as comfortable as possible. I- I think that he wants us all here for Ron's..." She dissolved into sobs. " I think that - that he- he wants us here for-for...to- to make Ron's last da-days as peaceful as possi-possible..." Ginny barely got her sentence out between hysterical sobs.

Hermione was beside herself in grief and an urge to run to Ron and have him hold her in his arms, forever.

" They're just jealous." Hermione blurted all of a sudden.

" Wh-what?" Ginny sniffled.

" They're jealous, Ginny, jealous of what you and Harry have, of what...what Ron and I have."

She looked over to Ginny for some sort of support.

" You're right." she said, " They are jealous..."

" I, I have to confess something to you." Hermione was unsure of what she was going to say.

Ginny sat up and listened.

" I- I can't live another day without Ron, he's like a missing part of me that I couldn't find until now. He," she paused," He completes me. Does that sound as stupid as I think that just sounded?"

" No," Ginny said, " That was beautiful and I think Ron would agree. He loves you Hermione. He talks about you all of the time, and I am sure that you are ALWAYS on his mind, it drives Mum crazy." she giggled.

Ginny ended up staying in Hermione's bed. Hermione just couldn't refuse her when she knew that she was in this much pain. Ginny was like a sister to her, but at least her idea of a little girl talk had worked.

Hermione sat at the window seal staring out at the stars and how they shined and reflected off of the midnight lake.