Chap. 2. War of the witches.

Harry thought it was rather odd. He hadn't seen Hermione all day. Ginny looked up stairs, but she didn't see her. Harry had checked in the library, but she wasn't there. They check from the North Tower to the dungeons, and still no Hermione. On his way back to the common room Harry saw Ron running towards him, his face white as a ghost.

"H-Harry! Come quick! I- its Hermione!" Ron Gasped. Harry's heart was pounding in his chest.

"What happened?" Harry was now running next to Ron while he was leading him who knows where.

"I don't know, but she's hurt bad!" Ron looked on the verge of tears. They turned the corner and into a passageway Harry used when he wanted to be alone. There was a hidden door behind a tapestry which Harry could see a white, motionless hand. When Ron moved the tapestry aside he saw Hermione's body all scraped up and a huge gash on her head. Harry was to stunned to move.

"We need to get her to the hospital wing now!" Ron commanded. He sounded stronger then he looked at that point. Harry conjured a stretcher and levitated Hermione onto it. They rushed her to the hospital wing as fast as they could.

When they got there madam Pomfrey put Hermione on a bed and drew curtains around it and ushered Ron and Harry out. The trip back up to the common room was quiet and slow. Harry could tell by the look on Ron's face he was stunned at what had just happened.

When they got back to the common room, they took seats next to the fire. The glow of the fire made Ron's features look all the more ghostly. Harry was thinking who could have done such a thing. Then it came to him. Lavender.

"I wondered who did that to her. I'll bet it was Malfoy." Harry could see how Ron thought this but some how didn't think it was him.

"I don't think so. I think it was Lavender."

Ron looked at Harry surprised. "Oh? And what makes u think that?" he said in a more serious tone.

"Well, this morning at breakfast she came up to me and asked where u were and I said I thought you were still sleeping because you were up late with Hermione. After that she left with a look on her face that clearly said someone was going to get it."

"Yeah. But she came and woke me up by throwing water on me. I think I'm the one who got it." Ron said in a brisk tone. Then his eyes got as big and round as saucers. "But after I told her that all we did was fight she didn't believe me and I told her to go ask Hermione and she said she would." He shook his head as though trying to shake the thought from his head. "But why would she do something like that?"

Harry looked at Ron, astonished at what he'd just said. "Jealousy."

Ron looked at him confused. "Why would Lavender be jealous of Hermione?"

Was Ron actually that thick? "Ron! Hermione comes and spends every summer with you. You always, when you're on speaking terms, hang out with her. She's your best friend Ron! It's just the fact that she's another girl who hangs out with you. Lavender would feel the same way towards Pavarti if she was your best friend instead of Hermione."

Ron sat there for a few minutes running his fingers through his hair. Finally he spoke, "I need to talk to Lavender to get this all straightened out."

"Okay, but after dinner lets go visit Hermione."

"Okay." And with that he got up and left to find Lavender.

Harry and Ron were heading up the stairs to see Hermione. They didn't have much of an appetite, so they skipped dinner.

"So, did you talk to Lavender yet?" Harry was still sure it was her who did it.

"No. I couldn't find her." Ron twisted his face as though trying to remember. "I asked Pavarti, but she just turned and left in a rush. I still don't- BLODDY STAIRS!"

Harry knew what Ron was talking about. The stairs started to change while they were almost to the landing to the hospital wing. Instead they were dumped in the same corridor where they found Hermione.

"Well come on then, lets take the short cut." And with that they started running down hallways and down the secret passage.

When they were going to turn the corner Harry herd something and stopped and threw his arm out to stop Ron and hit him in the chest.

"Ow! Harry! What-"

"Shhh!"

Harry tried to make out the voices. He could tell they were two girls. He heard one of them say, "I left her here! What do you think happened?" she sounded very worried. The other replied, "Do you think she got up and walked away?" Harry peeked around the corner to see Lavender and Pavarti standing in front of the tapestry where they had found Hermione.

Harry looked at Ron expecting to see surprise or confusion on his face, but was surprised to see fury. His face was redder then his hair and his fists were clenched to his side. Before Harry could stop him, he was stomping out to where the girls stood.

"WHAT IN BLOODY HELL DID YOU DO TO HERMIONE?"

"Won-Won! I … we… it wasn't…"

"Save your sob story for someone who cares!" and with that he walked off heading towards the hospital wing. Harry stood there, astonished by what he'd just witnessed. Then, he too, went towards the hospital wing.

Ron was sitting next to the bed of an unconscious Hermione. He had tears in his eyes but refused to cry. He felt terrible. He knew it wasn't his fault, but he couldn't shake the feeling. He looked over at Hermione. She had scares on her face and arms. She didn't look her best.

He heard a noise and knew Harry was standing right behind him. "How could I let this happen?" his voice was shaky when he spoke.

"It's not you're fault, you just had an overly jealous girlfriend." Harry conjured a chair and sat next to him.

Ron looked over at him. "I know it's not my fault, but non of this would have happened if I had gone to Slughorn's party with her. Why did I have to kiss Lavender?" he put his head down in his hands.

"Cause' you're a git. But it's okay. We still like you any way." Harry smiled but saw Ron slump back in his chair with a grone and his smile banished immediately. "Hey. You know I was only joking."

"But it's true. I AM a git. I have been and always will be." He ran his hands over his face and looked through his finger at Hermione. She looked so peaceful lying there.

Harry looked at Ron. "No you're not. I know Hermione would agree with me if she was conscious." He looked at his watch. "It's getting late. We should leave." He got up and banished the chair and walked until he got to the doors and turned around and looked at Ron. "You coming?"

Ron, not taking his eyes off Hermione, said, "Yeah. You go. I'll catch up."

He heard the door close and knew Harry was gone. All the tears that he had been holding back came falling out. He wiped them away then got up and put his hand on Hermione's. "I'll make it better. I promise." And with that he turned and left to head back to the common room.

Harry was walking down the corridor towards the Gryffindor tower. He was thinking about what had happened that day and nearly ran into Ginny.

She looked up at him and saw a glum look on his face. "Hermione not doing so well, huh?"

Harry looked at her straight in the eye. "She's still unconscious. I left Ron in there with her."

Ginny smiled. "He truly fancies her, and I know she feels the same back. It's funny to see them both act like that. I mean. Hermione will be flirting with Ron one minute and the next yelling her head off at him, then she'll come back to the dormitory and spill out her emotions to me."

Harry felt heat rise to his face. He wondered if she could tell he liked her. His thoughts were interrupted by Ron walking into him. Harry looked at him. He looked horrible. His eyes were red and puffy and Harry knew he had been crying. His hair was a mess, which was pretty much normal although when he looked like this it made him look like he'd just been in a fight.

"Sorry." Ron mumbled and Harry knew he was upset.

"Hey, she's going to be alright. Madam Pomfrey said she'd probably be out in two or more days." Harry gave Ron a comforting smile.

Ron looked at his shoes and said in a horse voice, "But what if she's not okay? What if she doesn't wake up? How could I live with myself?" he looked up with a heavy face. He was white as a ghost.

Ginny looked at him sympathetically. "Come on Ron. Let's go back to the common room." She spoke in a soft, calm voice. "I know it seems hard Ron, but all we can do is wait."

Ron didn't sleep well that night. He kept thinking about Hermione, lying there in the hospital wing, all alone. He couldn't stand it any more. He got up, got dressed, and went down stairs.

When he reached the common room he saw someone sitting by the fire. He could tell it was a girl. When he approached her he stumbled over the rug. She jumped and turned around and he saw it was Lavender. His face got red with fury. She was the last person he wanted to see at this moment. When she saw him a tear fell down her face.

He got up and headed towards the portrait hole but Lavender stopped him. "Ron we need to talk."

Ron turned on her fast. "About what? How you nearly KILLED Hermione? Or how you tried to lie to me?"

She started moving closer to him. "No Ron! I just-"

"Save your breath! I know it was you!"

"No, it's just-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY BLOODY STORY-"

He was cut off because at that very moment Lavender kissed him.

End Chap. 2. PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! Don't worry! It gets better! Please just review!