Hey! Early update because why not?

Here we see how Ron takes everything that just happened in, as he also finds out something about Hermione's time at the Manor.

Stay tuned until the end for an unexpected reunion!

Enjoy & Review!


"Ron?" A voice broke from the doorway.

He glanced briefly but was sure to not loosen Hermione from his hold.

"Ronnie," Bill began in a soft tone, "I'm not sure if holding her like that is-"

"She knows Bill." He whispers before his brother can finish, "About her parents." He tells, ignoring the cotton building in his throat. Instead he strokes her hair lovingly, eyes never leaving her still form.

Bill looks at a loss for words, face scrunched in confusion, "What-how?"

He shrugs, "They must've told her… there."

He steps closer to the bed, looking down at the teenagers, "but that means she remembers something then?" Bill tries hopefully.

Ron sighs, "I wouldn't call it a victory Bill." His oldest brother looks guilty, "Anyway, it wasn't much really, she asked for them, sort of, and then it's like she could just read me and I couldn't lie to her. Not again. Never again."

There's a silence for a moment, "what do you mean 'sort of'?" Bill wonders.

He gulped, "it was like she couldn't speak. Like everything that she tried to say- like it hurt her. Almost as if a first year tired casting a silencing charm."

His brother looks crestfallen, "I read it's common for the cruciatus-"

At this something roars within Ron. He doesn't care what's common or whatever explanation because this was never supposed to happen.

"I don't bloody care!" He yelled, unknowingly making Hermione groan at his volume.

Bill does notice. "Ronnie-" he begins to warn.

"No! None of this is normal! None of this was supposed to happen, and here you are-"

"S-st…"

He stops at her mummers. His eyes flick to Bill's whose own are full of pity. His heart aches knowing he caused this newfound discomfort at his burst of anger.

Then her body gave a horrible twitch.

Ron watched in horror as her lips upturned into a slight smile as she spoke clear as day. Except, she didn't sound like Hermione. Not at all.

"That'll teach you to keep your mouth shut muddy!"

For a horrible moment he thought Bellatrix Lestrange poly juiced into his Hermione.

He knows this isn't the case as she soon twitches again and silent tears streak her face. Her lips begin to quiver as her brow furrows, clearly making her distressed.

It makes him ill.

Literally ill.

Before he knows it he's sprinting to the loo, a door in the corner of her slides on his knees to the toilet, coughing up the bile and dry heaving after the fact. Hot tears stream his face from the discomfort of the action and fear for Hermione.

Soon enough he feels a familiar hand rubbing circles on his back.

Turning to his older brother he suddenly feels small again. Like a curious child wanting to know the inner workings of quidditch. Like he was completely innocent and oblivious to the world.

"W-what was that?" Ron asks groggily, wiping at his mouth.

Bill sighs and waves his wand, casting a cleansing charm on Ron. As he looks up from his work, his eyes become glassy after looking at his little brothers.

"That was dark magic Ron." He informed regretfully

Ron of course knew that Hermione had been affected horribly by many spells, jinxes, curses, and unforgivable, but he had yet to see the severity first hand and how it impacted her.

It tore him up.

After a moment Bill whispers something else. Something they've all been thinking, but aren't brave enough to admit yet.

"That's some of the darkest magic of all."

After the incident Ron joined Hermione's side again. Watching over her as she slept, prepared for when she left the horrors of her mind, to the terrible reality of this world. One without her parents. One where she couldn't perform magic. One where it seemed a part of her mind was inhabitated by Bellatrix Lestrange like a fucking parasite.

He would kill the witch if it was the last thing he ever does.

He's broken from his angry thoughts when Bill saunters in, "I told the healer about what happened. Says he needs to check a few things out." He said nervously.

"Dunno how if they can't use any bloody magic." He grumbled.

His older brother's lip twitches, like he wants to smile but doesn't know if it's appropriate. "They said it could mean good things for her mind."

Ron just knew Bill wasn't here for that, not after his explosion earlier.

"Why are you here Bill?" He asks knowingly.

He sighs, "Someone's here to see you. He sent me to ask if he could come in."

The younger of the two scrunches his brow. Surely his family, Harry, or Neville didn't need his permission to come in and see him. He doesn't own the bloody room.

Bill breaks the silence, "I'll send him in." He said before vanishing out the door.

"It's a bit hypocritical isn't it?" Ron whispers to Hermione once he's sure no one can hear them. "I'm so effing annoyed everyone is treating me like I'm gonna lose it at any minute, but I reckon I'm doing the same to you. I just want you to be okay Mione." His voice breaks. "I could give a shite less about me right now." He whispers, stroking the back of her small hand with his thumb.

"You have quite the colorful vocabulary Mr. Weasley."

His head instantly whips around to the door at the voice.

He internally groaned at who was standing there. Not really in the mood for cryptic riddles at the moment.

"I talked to Harry on my way in. He tells me you haven't left this room." Dumbledore points out, stepping further inside.

"With all due respect sir, if you're here to bring me back for a potions lesson, I'm not leaving."

The old man chuckles, "That's not what I'm here to do Ronald."

"Then what are you here for?" He can't help but ask.

"To see you of course." Dumbledore says without missing a beat.

He can't help but just stare at him in utter confusion.

"I've heard a lot of things and I thought to myself, who better to ask about it than you?"

"Well I'm not sure what you want to know sir."

"How is she?" The headmaster asks, stepping next to Ron's chair.

"Not great." He says honestly. Someone like Harry or Ginny, he's willing to try and spare their feelings. However, Dumbledore always knows the truth so there's no way around it. "I can't imagine the kind of pain she's in- she knows about her parents, she can't seem to escape, not even when she's sleeping."

The old man sighs, "Our most haunting thoughts are those that come when we aren't thinking." He interjects.

This is exactly what Ron did not want to deal with.

"No you don't understand," He begins in a whisper, not wanting a repeat from earlier, "she- it was like she was possessed. It was like Bellatrix Lestrange was inside her head."

"She is." Dumbledore said, like it was simple, like it wasn't a problem. Sensing Ron's unease he leans forward, "They all are now. Your job is to help direct Miss Granger to focus on which voices to listen to, which to drown out."

"So you're saying her mind, it's not okay?"

"She's just as sane as we are. The only difference between her and us Mr. Weasley, is that she has less to be sane about, or so she may think. That's why she needs you."

Weasley groans, "Everyone's talking like I'm this great almighty thing, like I can fix this."

Slowly the old man shakes his head, "The only person who can truly fix this, is Hermione, but she won't be able to do it alone. She needs all of you, she needs you, now more than she ever has. Always an independent one Miss Granger is. She'll think she's a burden, you'll need to remind her she's not."

"She isn't." Ron says suddenly.

Dumbledore lets a ghost of a smile find it's way across his aged face.

"Hermione's own worst enemy is herself." He says before walking toward the door.

Thinking that was the end of that, Ron redirects his attention back to Hermione's sleeping form, continuing to stroke the back of her hand tenderly.

"Oh and on that thought about enemies," Dumbledore begins from the doorway, making Ron turn, "always remember Mr. Weasley, those who you think may be your enemies, you may have more in common with then you once thought. Good day."

If Ron has learned anything, it's to never think about what Dumbeldore says too much, it just makes you barmy. Somehow, someway, it always goes back to something.

But if the old man was implying Ron and Bellatrix or You Know Who were gonna sit down over tea and bond about the war, then he was truly mad.

Choosing to ignore that part for now, he remembers what the Headmaster said about being there for Hermione. He would be until his dying breath.

"It's just me and you now Hermione." He whispers softly. "No Death Eaters. No Lavender. No McLaggen. Just us." He swears.

"And I promise you this darling, I'll never let anyone take that from us again."

It wasn't until hours later, hours left with nothing but his thoughts and whispered promises did Ron finally break from whatever daze he was in.

"Here's the wand back." He heard a familiar voice from the hallway say.

Quickly, he glanced at Hermione and noted her sleeping form. Slowly, he unraveled himself from her and stood up, doing his best to not go rushing back when she groaned at his absence.

"I don't understand…" Arthur began.

At this, Ron crept closer behind the cracked door. Concealing his form behind the old wood.

"The big guy told Kingsley to keep it hush hush within the Ministry for now. He thinks maybe if Hermione sees it, maybe even tries to use it-" The youngest Weasley male cringes at the statement. Tonks seems to have caught herself as she stopped speaking. "Eventually." She soon added, "then it may get her talking."

No words were exchanged, but knowing his father to be a man of few words, he would bet he just nodded.

"So it's true then, she can't speak?" The woman couldn't help but ask quietly.

Mr. Weasley sighed, "she's been in and out. Ron has told me she can't really string along a sentence, just words that are more like grumbles and she stutters. I witnessed it myself once, the act of talking for her seems so painful, like she's scared."

He chooses to leave out the incident Bill told him about, not wanting to worry Tonks and the Order further. Hoping it was just a fluke.

"Oh no." He heard Tonks whisper to what seemed to be herself.

"Jamison said he's found no physical injury to her throat or vocal cords that would affect her in that way. He reckons it's a result of the cruciatus or trauma, or both. We just hope it'll resolve itself overtime." He explained.

"I just hope something helps. Your boy hasn't left? I'm surprised Molly hasn't dragged him back to Hogwarts."

Arthur chuckled, "you and I both, but she knows that he needs to be here right now and that Hermione needs him here. It also helped that Dumbledore said Ron should stay. It eased her into knowing it was right."

What the hell? Dumbledore? He said he wasn't dragging back… for now. But he never thought he'd convince his mother of that.

"He really cares for her. It's what's right." Tonks assures

"Mmhm." The older man hums in agreement.

"I just hope this wand does something. More harm than good. I'd hate for it to upset her." The auror says worriedly.

There's silence for a moment.

"Any word on Narcissa's whereabouts?" He asked.

"No sightings. Cissy is rather…"

Tonks keeps going, but Ron doesn't listen.

Cissy.

That word she's been groaning.

"Cissy?" He bellowed, pushing past the door and into the hallway.

"Ron? How long have you-" Arthur doesn't sound angry but startled, but Ron can't seem to care.

He shucks it off, "Cissy?" He repeated staring Tonks down.

And Tonks, an auror who's seen a lot, shrinks a little under this teenage boy's gaze. The look is so fierce, so full of silent commands.

She slowly nods, "my Mum calls her that, it's short for-"

"Narcissa Malfoy." Ron breathes.

Narcissa Malfoy, who was in that place with Hermione.

That's who she's been groaning about.

Merlin, if he ever saw her- well, he shouldn't be surprised given her sister, husband, and son, but to know Hermione mumbles more about her than the likes of Bellatrix. He can't imagine what might've happened.

And she always groans it when a door sounds, that must mean something. She must think she's coming for her.

Bloody hell.

Arthur seems to put it together as his eyes slightly bulge.

"What? What is it? Is Hermione alright?" Tonks asked worriedly.

Ron is still reeling so he doesn't speak. Arthur was hesitant not knowing if that's the direction this was headed.

At the same time Mr. Weasley decided to speak, Tonks decided to take matters into her own hands and check on Hermione with her wand drawn just to be sure.

"It's Hermione, she says that whenever someone opens-"

The creak of the door squeaks loudly.

"Cissy." The young brunette groans.

"-the door." Arthur finishes.

Tonks stared down in shock, Ron can't understand why until he peers at the bed himself. Hermione is awake, eyes wide and completely and utterly focused on one thing.

Narcissa Malfoy's wand.

The door opened as Narcissa was met by a familiar, but confused face.

Instantly, that who she sought out, lunged toward her. For a moment the blonde feared it was out of anger.

But no, instead, she was embraced by nothing but pure love.

She dropped the book under her arm and accepted the gesture with open arms. Literally.

"You've come home."

They were both crying.

"I am. I'm so sorry it took me so long. I'm so sorry." Cissy sobbed into the slender shoulder.

The hug was broken as they stared into each other's eyes.

"All that matters is that you're here now. Nothing else." They promised, wiping some of her tears and ushering her into the cottage.

When the door clicked shut, Narcissa surveyed the space. It felt so much like a home. Nothing like that awful empty feeling she got while at Malfoy Manor.

"They're looking for you. It's all over the papers. There's reports your wand went missing." Though posed as a statement, Narcissa felt as if she was being asked something.

"It's true, all of it." She nodded.

"But you know where your wand is don't you?" They asked knowingly.

A small smile drew across her lips, they knew each other too well. "I do, I need your help to retrieve it. There's someone I need to see."

"Draco?"

Cissy shook her head, "no. He's at Hogwarts, so I can't risk it. He knows I'm safe, though. It's someone else." She explains.

"Who?"

Narcissa sighs, not wanting to explain it all. However, she knows what she asks next will warrant many questions.

"Tell me, you know a way into the Weasley's home? The Burrow?"

Andromeda's eyes bulged.


No one guessed it would be Andromeda and Narcissa, but hey, I had tons of fun writing that little section!

Next time Hermione and Harry reunite (properly), but don't worry! The next chapter is the most Ron and Hermione yet as he finds something left behind from Malfoy Manor.

Here's a preview!:

"Hermione." Harry practically whimpered as he took long strides to the bed, pulling her into his arms none too gently.

"I'm sorry Hermione. I'm so sorry." He sobbed.

Hermione ignored it. She just figured it was something to say. Something she was guilty of saying to Harry after all the tragedies he's endured. As to say 'I'm sorry this happened to you.'

But that wasn't what he meant.

"I'm sorry I ran after her that day. I'm sorry it wasn't me."

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