The next morning, Dumbledore told the boys what had happened.

Harry never saw Ron running so quickly and had serious trouble following him.

"Ron!", he shouted on the way down the stairs to the corridors.

"Ron!", he continued.

"I'll kill him with my own hands, Harry!", he turned around and shouted up to him. His face was red, and his eyes looked so angry that even his best friend got a bit scared.

"No, Ron", Harry ran after him and grabbed him by the shoulder, "it's not worth it!"

"He tried to kill my girlfriend!!", he yelled and lumbered forward more.

"I know, but he's suspended anyway. He's home! Let's check on Hermione and Neville.", Harry grabbed his best friend's arm and looked into Weasleys face. He breathed heavy and focused on his hands.

"He tried to kill my girlfriend!", he eventually repeated, when Harry already started to pull him towards the hospital-wing.

"And he tried to kill me too", Ron remembered and got angry again. Harry had absolutely no words for this. He was still in shock, but had to work to protect Ron from doing bad things. He didn't want him to do things on the same level as Draco.

Within 4 minutes, they arrived at the hospital-wing. They rushed through the castle like they had used their broomsticks.

Ron stumbled to Hermiones bed and looked at her. Her eyes were closed, her hair still a bit messy, but she looked absolutely stunning.

"Hermione…", whispered Ron down to her, while quickly grabbing her hand. He felt miserable. He wasn't there to protect her, and now she ended up in the hospital bed.

"Snape gave both of them a fitting antidote, and now they're sleeping. They are alright. Give it some time, boy", Miss Pomfrey smiled to Ron and calmed him a bit.

Harry stood on the edge of the bed and gave Neville a look. He laid there just like Hermione.

The red-headed wizard held her hand tight, looking at her, fighting back his tears.

"I am so sorry I wasn't there to protect you", he told and stroke her cheek gently,

"I love you, darling!"

Now tears fell out of his eyes.

He looked up to meet Harry's worried mime.

He nodded slightly and stepped around the bed to hug him tight.

Ron cried. Cried, because he never felt more powerless than in this situation.

"I left her alone, Harry.", he cried quiet into his shoulder and felt the deepest guilt in his bones.

"It's not your fault, mate", Harry answered and stroke his back to comfort him.

"I should have been there", he answered and loosened the hug.

"She wasn't alone. Neville was with her. There's nothing that could have avoided it."

Potter adjusted his glasses and looked back at Hermione.

Ron sat down on her bed and laid down next to her. He squeezed his body on the edge of the bed and laid his arm around her waist. He snugged onto her and closed his eyes.

"I'll be here until you wake up. I won't leave you again", he whispered softly.

Harry still stood there and eyed Neville once more. He remembered waking up at 1, wondering where he was. He didn't think anything bad, but now he hated himself a bit cause of his naivety. Neville always followed every school rule. When he was out of bed in the middle of the night, something must have happened. Harry should have seen it.

"I'll stay with her. Tell McGonagall I'm not going to classes today", Ron brought Harry back to reality, who just nodded and stepped out. It was 7 o'clock, so classes would start in an hour. He had to get dressed and see Ginny.

"Ginny", he knocked on the girls' dorm as Lavender opened and looked into Harry's face.

"Harry", she announced shocked, turned around and shouted into the room "Ginny, your lover"

The door squeaked when she left it opened and stepped away. Ginny appeared a minute later. Drowsy, in her light green Pyjama, smiling at him.

"Good morning darling"

Harry Just stepped forward to spring a kiss onto her lips.

"What was that for?", she asked irritated but closed her arms around him.

"I love you!", he said.

"Something happened? Why are you so…", she searched for words, but Harry interrupted her.

"Neville and Hermione got poisoned by Malfoy. They are in the hospital wing. Ron's with her. They are still asleep cause of the antidote. I just... I love you so much Ginny!", he explained, but his brain was a hot mess. When he saw how worried Ron was, how hurt Hermione got, he perceived that Ginny meant more to him than he knew. Life could be so dangerous sometimes that he wanted all his feelings to be heard by her before it was too late one day.

"WHAT?", she startled up and woke up in a second.

"They are alright. They will be okay. Snape managed to find something that helps.", he told her.

"Yeah, but… I have to see them", she spoke a bit louder and ran back into the room.

"Come in and close the door"

So Harry stepped and now stood in the girls' dorm at 7:15 in the morning. Lavender glanced over and laughed ambiguous.

"Holy Harry in our sleeping halls. What an honour"

He just nodded, a bit insecure about this odd situation

Ginny pulled out her school uniform and jumped around to put it on.

"Calm down, love!", said Harry, and got a bit amused by the look of her jumping around in a rush.

So now they rushed back to Ron, Hermione and Neville. On their way, they stopped at McGonagalls office to tell her that Ron wasn't attending classes, so she followed them as well.

"Mister Weasley!", she looked at the boy who had cuddled himself onto his girl. If it wasn't that tragic, it was actually very cute.

"You can't skip your classes!", she educated him.

"I can't leave her!", replied he and looked at his sister, "Ginny?"

"I know it is an extraordinary situation, but Miss Granger will be fine. Madame Pomfrey will take care", the old Professor tried to explain it.

"No.", he shook his head, "I'll stay with her!"

"Ron!", Harry gave him a concerned look and watched up to their Professor.

"You can't do anything for her anyway."

"I suppose Mister Potter is right. I know how you care about her, but you really need to attend classes, considering your grades. Madam Pomfrey will inform you as soon as she wakes up.", McGonagall continued and gave him a strict look.

"No.", he mumbled and intertwined her hand with his.

"Ronald!", now Ginny stepped forward. The older she got, the more she sounded like Molly.

"I know you love her, but you should really go to your freaking classes. Stop discussing!"

Ron took a deep breath and sighed.

He looked over at Hermione and then back to the trio in front of her bed.

"Bloody hell, guys!", he whispered and stood up slowly. "But swear to tell me when something happens!", he surveyed Harry and then Ginny.

"Yes, Mister Weasley", Poppy nodded.

"Alright okay...", he nodded. Still very suspicious about this entire situation.

"I'll be here when you wake up, darling", he whispered down to Hermione and kissed her cheek for a second, "I promise"