Guilt and Innocence
The morning sun poked its way through the curtains in the hospital wing causing Ron to stir from his somewhat peaceful dreams. Stretching he raised from the chair next to Hermione's bed and looked at her.
Her eyes were closed tight and she looked so peaceful. A small smile played on his lips he was thankful these days for small things. Thankful that Sirius had been dead before Harry had killed Neville. Thankful that his parents were no longer in any danger, and thankful that Hermione would miss the final battle.
He loved this woman he knew it now more than ever and if he lived through this he would ask her to marry him. He always enjoyed the time they spent alone in each others company, loved the way that she fitted into his arms like she belonged there.
"Are you okay?"
Ron turned to find his sister standing there; she looked like she hadn't slept at all that night. Something stirred in his stomach he couldn't believe that she was under suspicion as a Death Eater. He knew his sister she couldn't be after what she had gone through she would never turn.
"Yeah just nervous about today you?"
"I just want it over with, then we can get the Prisoner out of here and get things back to normal."
"Yeah. Gin do you miss those times?"
"Which ones?"
"When we were all together you know when we could go back to the Burrow and everyone would be there laughing and messing around. Then we'd come back to Hogwarts and Harry would be here getting angry about something that had happened, Neville getting his leg caught in that false step…"
"Sometimes but I've learnt its best not to think about those times. We're not the same people as we were then, we're not children anymore and life changes sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse."
He nodded there was something about his sister that made him stand back. She had changed and he didn't remember seeing it happen. She wasn't the carefree girl she had once been happy all the time no she had become an adult that had to face terrible situations.
"Come on you better go down and get some breakfast."
"So should you Gin."
She nodded but he looked at Hermione then back at his sister.
"I'll be down in a minute."
She shrugged and left him sitting there by the bed; Luna showed her head and smiled at the man sitting there.
"I think she'll wake up soon, maybe even before the battle begins."
"I hope she doesn't."
"We could use her though. We have our differences me and Hermione but she's a good fighter one of the best I've ever seen she could help us win."
"I know but if she's in here she'll be safe."
Luna gave him a look that made him squirm a little but he met her gaze and she smiled kindly at him allowing her hand to rest on his shoulder.
"She loves you too Ron just it's hard for her."
"It's hard for me too."
She nodded and looked out of the window.
"Doomsday is upon us. I wonder if today is the day I get to met mummy again or if I'll survive."
She moved from the window and looked back at the redhead.
"I'm going down to breakfast, I'll save you something."
"Bring it up here if I don't come down."
She nodded and disappeared out of the room. Ron again sat down in the chair and looked at his best friend. For the first time he began to worry. Maybe she had seen who the traitor was and if that was the case if she woke up she'd be killed.
He couldn't help but think of Luna's words from last night. After the meeting she had pulled him aside and told him that Hermione should already be awake. She had taken over care completely not letting Ginny work on her without Luna watching.
Ron though couldn't imagine Ginny trying to keep Hermione unconscious he was sure that Hermione was just being stubborn as normal and refusing to wake up. Hey she needed sleep the way she'd been working lately this would refresh her ready for whatever was left for her to face.
He caught something out of the corner of his eye she was moving. She had drawn her leg up closer to her bending the knee. A smile spread up his face this was how she always woke up, he'd watched her on the occasional mornings after she had spent the night with him.
She was always beautiful first thing although she wouldn't believe it when he told her so. He watched as her arm came out of the blanket and found a place behind her head as she brought her other hand to her eyes rubbing away what must have been sleep.
"Morning Hermione."
He laughed gently at the way that she spun her head to look at him. It was if she was trying to remember what she had done the night before. Her eyes though instead of relaxing filled with terror as she looked around at where she was.
"Ron where am I?"
"In the hospital wing, you fell down some stairs."
"Harry, where's Harry?"
"Hermione the Prisoner is –"
"Don't call him that!"
"But he is the Prisoner he killed –"
"No he was innocent and I know who killed Neville, I know who the traitor is."