Noties: Ya'll need to calm down. I can only write so fast…. Just kidding. You know I love you…

Ron isn't dead… yet…

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Harry and Hermione popped into St. Mungo's. Hermione found out which room Ron was in, and they went up a few floors.

Once outside the room, they saw a sign that said only two visitors at a time. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were in there at the time, so Harry and Hermione waited outside.

"I'm going to go see if any of the other family is in that waiting room." Hermione said, pointing down the hall. "I'll be right back." And she left Harry alone, with the exception of the nurse that was just down the hallway.

"…All I'm saying is that ever since he met Harry all he's done is get into trouble and get hurt." Harry heard from inside the room.

"That's not Ron's fault."

"No, but it is Harry's fault."

"Molly, you can't -"

"Can't what? Can't blame him either? Then who am I supposed to blame for this!" Harry could picture her gesturing aggressively toward Ron. "Who am I supposed to point at for this?"

"We both know this isn't -"

"He might never walk again!" Mrs. Weasley screamed. "He might not be able to take care of himself for the rest of his life! And I'm just supposed to let it go!"

"No – you're supposed to let him live his own life. If he wants to go back out with Harry then there's no way you're going to stop him."

"He is NOT going back out there! He's coming home with me! I won't hurt him or get him into trouble!"

Harry stopped listening. She was right. Harry had known that all along – he'd been telling Ron to go home for months, but he wouldn't leave. Ron had sealed his own fate long ago. Harry felt the need to go in there and start flipping out, but instead he turned and walked for the exit.

"Harry?" Hermione called. She ran to catch up with him. "Wait – what're you doing? I thought you wanted to see Ron?"

"I did, but not anymore." He walked faster to try to make her stop following him.

"Wait! What do you mean? What happened?"

"I don't want to see Ron ever again – or at least until I get done with Voldemort. He's not going to get hurt again."

"Harry, we already told you -"

"No! I won't have anyone else getting hurt because of me! Including you."

"But – Harry, I -"

"Go home Hermione." He sped up and entered the elevator (or the lift, for you non USA folks).

"What?"

"Go home." Harry said as the doors closed. He walked out of the hospital and apparated away quickly, so that Hermione wouldn't follow him.

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A few weeks later, Harry was sitting along at Grimmauld Place. He guessed that Hermione had gone home, because he hadn't seen her since the incident in the hospital. He wished that she was there, however – he had never realized how big and lonely the house was when it wasn't full of people.

It was snowing outside. Only a few hours until Christmas – Harry wondered if Ron would be spending his Christmas in a hospital bed…

Then a thought came to him – Christmas break. Ginny would be at home. But Harry seriously doubted that Mrs. Weasley would let him in. If he had infected their son, how long until it spread to their daughter…

Harry was extremely hungry, but there was nothing edible in the entire house. He wished that he were at the burrow - Mrs. Weasley probably had a huge dinner ready.

Just then, Harry heard a pop outside, and a knock at the door. Remus Lupin was outside. Harry let him in.

"All alone?" Lupin asked.

"Yeah."

"I wish I could stay, but the Weasley's invited me over for dinner." Lupin paused, noting the look on Harry's face. "Guess they didn't invite you..."

"Why would they? I'm the reason their son's almost dead."

"I heard. Did you still get the horcrux?"

"Yeah. It's upstairs. I got rid of it a few hours ago."

"That's good. I have something for you." Lupin reached into his pocket and pulled out two small boxes. "I found them a while ago, with Sirius's things. Thought you might want them."

Harry opened the first box. Inside was a small woman's ring, gold with three diamonds. In the second box was aman's ring, also gold but without any kind of decoration. Harry was slightly confused... "Look on the inside of the ring." Harry turned the woman's ring to read it, but the inscription was too small to read. So he went to the man's - along the inside was inscripted 'James and Lily Potter 1978'.

Harry's jaw dropped. His parent's wedding rings..."You said Sirius had these? Where'd he get them?"

"I have no clue. But, you know, he was there the night they died - that's where Hagrid got the motorcycle from - I'd guess he took them because he didn't want anyone stealing them. He took a few other things too. They're all over this house, if you take the time to look for them."

Harry nodded. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. I thought you might have more of a use for them than me."

Harry nodded again, suddenly thinking of exactly who he'd like to give the ring to. "When are you going to the burrow?"

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End noties: I want to make the next part a seperate chapter. I think it'd be more effective that way.
There won't be another chapter for a few days. I'm going to New Jersey on a family excursion.

Side note: I really have no idea when James and Lily were married. I'm just guessing, since Harry was born in 1980.