(A/N: I'm really pleased to get this chapter out so soon! It was a rather easy one to write and I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks for the wonderful reviews as always!!)

AmyChris: Thanks for all the wonderful feedback!! I love your reviews!! Your last one was so convincing that after writing all day, you made me sit back down at my desk and write chapter nine! Thanks for that! Lol Glad your enjoying it!

cumbacksirius: I completely agree with you, I wouldn't have wanted to miss Ron's amazing save either! But I needed some dramatic way to introduce the potion and alter the tension between Ron and Hermione so that had to be the one! I'm glad your liking Ron, I agree, this world needs more of him!! Thanks for reviewing!

ShimmeringEvil: Thanks for reviewing!! Hope you like this chapter!

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CHAPTER NINE: CHANGES

Hermione did her best to assure Ron that nothing would change once she began the potion but it was no use. He listened of course, and he tried to believe what she was saying, he really did. But they both knew it was a lie.

The very next morning, Harry and Ron waited for Hermione at the bottom of the girls stairs like usual. But Ginny was there, telling them that she'd had orders from Hermione to tell the boys to ahead, that she wouldn't be at breakfast. Ron's heart sank and he shuffled along beside Harry, both boys feeling that empty space inside them that Hermione usually filled.

Ron hurried to his first class of the day and sighed when Hermione wasn't there. He thought he'd heard Hermione say that she'd miss classes only when necessary. Obviously he must have heard wrong because the whole day she was nowhere to be seen. It was only after dinner when he was heading towards the common room, (Harry staying in the Great Hall to talk Quidditch with one of the younger players) passing the portrait of the pear that led to the kitchens, did he finally see her.

"Hermione!" He called out to her, running up to where she was.

"Ron?" She squinted in the dim light.

"Where have you been all day?" He asked, not bothering to hid how upset he was about it.

"I've been working on the potion. You know that." She said calmly

"All bloody day? I thought you were only going to miss a few classes here and there."

She sighed. "I know Ron. I honestly didn't think it would be like this but you should see the procedure. It's the most complicated thing I've ever set eyes on. I just finished an hour ago but was so tired I just fell asleep on the floor. This is my first time out of the room Dumbledore gave me to work in."

"But this is just the beginning right? Once you get it going, you'll start coming to class again won't you?"

Hermione looked at the ground before meeting his eyes. "Maybe. But I doubt it."

"So you're saying you won't see Harry or I for two bloody months??!"

She bit her lip in an effort to prevent tears "I don't know Ron. I just don't know."

"Hermione…" Ron began, the reality of what she was saying finally hitting him "I can't go two months without seeing you. What am I supposed to do if I have trouble with school, or I need someone to prevent me from hitting Malfoy?"

Tears now flew to Hermione's brown eyes. "I suppose you're going to have to find out." She whispered sadly. "Please Ron, I need to do this. I care too much about you and Harry to not try. Just think, it's only two months. But if one of you died, it'd be forever."

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Life continued in this pattern for several weeks. Ron would try to walk by the kitchens as much as possible, in some vain attempt to catch Hermione there. But for a full month he didn't catch a glance of his best friend.

Ron had imagined in his mind, what life would be like if Hermione died in the final battle. But now that he was living his life without her in it, he suddenly saw how unbearable life would become. He'd known he loved her, he'd just never understood that he needed her.

Harry who had raised himself out of his depression for a week, now slumped even further than he had been before. And without Hermione to encourage and help him along, Ron was at a loss of what to do with him. Ginny was a big help in that respect, she was the only person Ron knew who could sit with Harry for hours without saying anything to him, and still be comfortable. For this, Ron owed her a lot.

Ron tried to pay attention in his classes, but it was a lost battle. No matter how hard he tried to focus on the words the Professor was saying, it somehow related back to the empty seat in front of him. It was more than missing her advise or her nagging… he craved to look at her again; to watch her expression as she read in class, or to see her smile. He craved her eyes the most. Ron had looked for a while, once Hermione left, at girl's eyes, and no one's were such a beautiful coffee brown, alive with passion and excitement. If Ron had only been able to meet her like he had her first day of absense, once a week, it would have been enough to sustain him.

Without her he felt empty, as though a huge hunk of his heart had been ripped out. He rarely slept anymore; instead, he lay on his bed thinking. Creating a world in his mind where Voldemort didn't exist, where 17-year-old girls didn't have to miss months of school to try to save her friend's lives, a world where he had Hermione in his arms, protected, and utterly and exclusively his.

Ron's days blurred together and it was almost as though his body carried him throughout his day automatically, without any help of his brain. Whenever he would escape his thoughts he would jump, surprised about where he was, and having no recollection of getting there.

At the thought of it, Ron looked around the corridor to locate himself. He sighed and leaned back against the wall, he was where he'd found himself a week long; in front of the pear portrait. He sat on the floor, his elbows resting on his knees and his head against the wall. It's no use Weasley. You know she's not coming here. He thought bitterly.

But suddenly, the sound of footsteps were audible and Ron's heart leapt into his throat. He peered around the corner at the intruder. It was a petite girl, skinny in an unhealthy way, with mattered long hair, and skin white as Draco Malfoy. She had bags under her eyes, brown eyes that looked unmistakably familiar.

"Ron?!" The girl cried out. Ron's heart froze. It couldn't be…

"Hermione?" He croaked, standing up immediately.

"Oh Ron!" She cried, throwing her arms around his neck in an embrace.

Ron was too stunned to do anything but pat the girl's back, thoughts running faster than he could keep up with. But the sound of soft crying brought his thoughts to a halt and Ron crashing back to earth.

"Hermione?" He repeated, pulling her arms from around his neck so that he could see her.

It was Hermione all right. But a different Hermione than he'd seen a month ago. No, this girl had a haunted look about her, as though she'd just escaped from Death Eaters. Her hair obviously hadn't been combed in days, the word frizzy taking on a whole new meaning. Ron stole a glance at her hands that he was holding. His hand fit loosely around her wrists; a task he hadn't been able to do a month ago. Her cheekbones protruded a bit from her face, an obvious sign of weight loss. The change broke Ron's heart, as he observed each feature with horror. Her eyes were the only thing that remained the same, and he quickly looked to them for signs of life.

"What's happened to you?" He whispered in fear

Hermione sniffed and shook her head. "I-I can't tell you. Please Ron don't be angry with me"

Her statement was almost like a slap in the face. This girl was meek, afraid to defend herself; what had happened to the strong willed, stubborn girl he loved?

"Hermione" He lowered his voice an octave. "I haven't seen you in a month. You're going to tell me what's hurting you."

She let another tear fall "No Ron. I can't."

"Hermione!" He growled, spinning her around so that her back was against the wall "Look at you! I'm not going to stand by and watch this happen to you! I haven't been able to be there for you this past month, Hermione, but now's my chance to protect you and I'm not going to pass it up!"

Ron expected tears. Ron expected angry words or harsh looks. He bloody hell didn't expect her to crumble in his arms and cling to him the way she did. Unsure exactly how to go about the situation, he sat down and gathered her up into his lap like a rag doll.

"Sh…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled like that." He whispered into her ear as he rubbed her back comfortingly. "I-I've just been so worried about you. You have no idea what life's been without you." He said, voice thick with emotion, as he pulled her close and buried his face in her hair. "Please tell me what's happened to you."

"You're going to hate me for it" She whispered

"Try me" He said comfortingly

"I-It's the potion." She said, voice shaking "It extracts strength and health from the brewer."

Ron's heart began beating rapidly inside his chest. "W-What do you mean?" He asked, fear evident in his voice

"It makes the brewer weaker, and weaker. Some people in the early 1300's have even died of exhaustion trying to make it back when medicine wasn't available to the common man."

Ron pulled back suddenly from her so he could look her in the eye. "Y-You knew this and you still went along with it?" She nodded solemnly "Hermione how could you?! Come on!" He said suddenly getting up

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to destroy that potion. No matter what it does, it's not worth loosing you over it"

Hermione only shook her head sadly. "It can't be stopped, it's already halfway through."

Ron looked around desperately for some kind of idea that would work. Finally he gave up and his face fell. "I can't believe you didn't tell Harry or I."

"Ron, I was afraid you two would stop me from making it."

"And we bloody well should have!"

"Please understand! This is the only chance I have to protect you both." She begged, burying her face in his shirt "I can't loose you"

As Ron wrapped his arms around Hermione, he almost smiled at her last comment, but resisted the urge. "You won't die though will you?" He asked quietly

"No of course not." She mumbled, "I'm taking medicine."

"Good" He sighed, leaning back against the wall, savoring the feeling of Hermione in his arms.

"Ron?"

"Yea?"

"I've missed you"

He swallowed, leaning his chin on top of her head. "I know, I've missed you too."

"It's only one more month though"

"That's too long 'Mione"

"I know"

"What am I supposed to do?'

"About what?"

"About you being sick like you are"

"Oh" she tried to laugh "Don't' worry about me. I can take care of myself"

"To hell you can! I can't just sit back and watch you get weaker and weaker!"

"You're just going to have to be strong for me" She whispered, leaning back to look him in the eye.

"How am I supposed to concentrate in class when for all I know you're collapsing on the ground?! And what am I supposed to tell Harry?"

"Tell him that I miss him, that I'm weak but not dead, tell him not to panic. How is he?"

"Rotten. Ginny's helping me help him though."

"Good. Ron? What time is it?"

"I don't know. I heard the clock chime ten a while ago."

"That's half an hour after curfew!" She cried, her eyes becoming large

"So?"

"So you could get detention!"

"Hermione" He stared at her with an odd expression "Do you honestly think a week of detention means more to me than getting to see you for the first time in a month."

She blushed and Ron internally gave himself several points for this. It was nice to see her with color in her face. "Well, I guess not. But you better go now."

"If I'm going to get detention anyways why not stay out later?" He teased

She smiled, another first for the evening. "Because. I better get to bed myself if I want any strength for the morning."

"Alright, you win." He said getting up and offering her a hand.

"So I guess this is good-night then?" Hermione asked

"Yea" Ron said, heart beating fast

"I-I guess I'll see you in a month then?" She asked, though it looked as though the words pained her to say

Ron smiled sadly "Yea I guess so. Take care of yourself 'Mione. Please!"

She nodded "I will Ron. Thanks." She said as she tiptoed up to kiss him on the cheek. "Good-night"

"Good-night" He said as he watched her walk away. "Hermione wait!" He suddenly called out

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say that I think you're a great friend and a brilliant witch to brew this thing for Harry and I. So thanks. Even though I want you to know that we'd give up our strength for you too"

She smiled "Thanks Ron. That is what we do best after all isn't it?"

"What?"

"Sacrifice things for each other."

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