Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling.
Tell Ron I
"Stupefy!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Harry Potter felt his knees collapse.
"Ron!"
Harry dropped his wand and rushed to his friend's side, leaving Lupin to fight with the tall, hooded Death Eater.
"Ron! Ron!"
Harry shook Ron's shoulders so violently Ginny had to stop him.
"It's alright, Harry. He's just been stunned."
Harry looked at Ginny. Her eyes were brimming with tears.
"How'd you?"
"I saw him get hit by the ugly Death Eater."
"But..."
"Oh, Harry!"
Ginny burst into frenzied tears.
"Hermione...she...She jumped in front of Ron," Ginny cried,
"She took the curse for Ron."
"Hermione," whispered Harry softly, turning to look at the broken body behind him.
Hermione's eyes were closed. Her face was pale and her wand was lying uselessly, a few meters away.
"Hermione..."
Harry slowly walked towards her, his eyes welling up with tears. He wiped away the tears that had started to fall.
"No...please...Hermione..."
Hermione opened her eyes and smiled weakly.
"Harry..."
The first tear fell.
"It's alright, Hermione. You're going to be alright," Harry reassured her, never believing what he said.
"Nothing can...stop..."
"Avada Kedavra. It's not true, Hermione. It's not," Harry whispered.
The second tear fell.
"I...saved..."
Hermione's breathing grew shallow and ragged. Harry felt his heart beat faster.
"No, Hermione...Don't go," he pleaded.
"Is...Ro...al..r.t..."
"Save your strength, Hermione," Harry choked.
The third tear fell, followed by the fourth and the fifth.
"I...sav...im..did...I?"
Harry turned away, willing his tears to disappear. Willing his tears not to fall.
"Is Ron alright?"
Hermione's voice grew forceful, demanding an answer.
"Is...Ron?"
Harry looked back at Hermione and gave a firm nod. Hermione gave another weak smile. She closed her eyes.
"Don't go, Hermione...Hang on...It's not supposed to end like this..." Harry bit his lip as more tears fell.
"I'm...so...cold..."
Harry shook his head.
"Don't talk like that."
"I...can't...feel..."
Harry held Hermione's hand. It was cold. It felt like death.
"Harry?"
Harry tightened his grip on her hand, his tears splashing onto their clasped hands.
"Tell Ron...I...l..."
Hermione's hand grew limp and Harry's heart grew heavy.
"Harry..." Ginny appeared over his shoulder, her eyes swollen from crying.
She crouched down beside Harry and held him. Harry buried his face into Ginny's embrace and wept unashamedly.
"Where's Hermione, Harry?"
Ron looked around the hospital room, having just woken up. Harry sat at the foot of his bed.
"Where is she, Harry?"
Harry looked at Ron sadly.
"Where is she?"
Harry's eyes began to water again.
"No...It can't..."
Comprehension dawned on Ron.
"No..."
"She jumped in front of the Death Eater's curse."
Ron stood up and strode towards Harry. He grabbed Harry's robes and shook them.
"No! You're lying!"
"No, I'm not..."
Harry eased Ron's grip from his clothes.
"That was meant for me..." Ron whispered quietly.
"She wanted me.."
"That was meant for me..." repeated Ron, whose tears were now falling in buckets.
"to tell you..."
"Why'd she have to go and do that? That was meant for me! I'm the one who's supposed to be..." Ron's voice trailed away.
"that she..."
Ron slumped down against the bedpost and cried.