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The Hogwarts Hospital
Hermione stood in the dungeon entrance, gazing into her former living quarters. "Here I go again."
Her now untangled hair was pulled into a half pony, allowing curls to escape her elastic and frame her face. She had taken to the habit of wearing muggle clothes, as it was too hot for robes. She wore a bright red tank top and a pair of jean shorts.
Looking hopelessly into the empty cauldron, her mind wondered into a realm she thought she had drowned, which had recently resurfaced. Ron. She kept thinking about him. The way his goofy smile made her knees go weak. The way his passionate expression made her heart flutter. The way his touch made her melt and the way his voice made her lips tremble, wishing she could just kiss him.
She shook her head. This was not the time to think of such things. Her thoughts drifted to another sore topic—Ginny and Harry's fight last night. Ginny refused to talk to her or Harry and today Harry left. Hermione's hand trembled just thinking about it.
Hermione started going through Snape's huge collection of ingredients. She hated what the world had come to. The muggle world worried of biological warfare but what they didn't know was that it was causing havoc already. Her parents thought she was staying at Hogwarts for some extra credit. She didn't have the heart to tell them the truth.
She looked determinedly at the ingredients. "I vow to find an antidote! I will not let him win!" promised Hermione.
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Ron closed the infirmary door behind him and left the castle. He walked towards the quidditch pitch, breathing in the fresh air. Sweat poured down his face, causing his hair stick to his face.
"I need a haircut," muttered Ron, pushing his hair out of his face. His hair wasn't long but he hadn't cut it in awhile, making it as messy as Harry's hair. "At least I can tame it."
He jumped onto his broom and flew into the sky. He raced across the pitch, sighing as the wind rushing past his face cooled him down. He hated being confined in the hot castle all day, running from one room to another. Harry got to go out there and fight. Why was he always shifted to the sidelines? He knew he could leave, he was an adult but he didn't. He cared about the people who were unwillingly stuck in the castle. It was chance that he was born pureblood and he didn't care about blood, he cared about people. The two conflicting thoughts caused his head to throb.
Involuntarily, his mind wandered to thoughts that seemed to be occupying a great deal of his time. Hermione. He smiled as he thought of her sweet face and her bushy yet beautifully curly hair. He loved her hair. No matter what other people thought, he couldn't help but love her hair, which was as much a trademark as his blazing red hair or Harry's intensely green eyes. He loved her nagging and her passion and her soft skin and oh god, how could he be thinking these things. What was going on? Even as he asked these questions, deep down inside he knew the answers. He loved her—he always had.
As he flew, he noticed Neville entering the greenhouse and he snapped out of his dream like thoughts and back to reality, a very dire reality.
"Voldemort is an idiot if he thinks he can defeat us with this damn virus. We'll show him! Hermione will find an antidote and I'll make sure that there are people alive to receive it!" yelled Ron angrily into the open sky.
xxxx
Harry and Remus apparated into a small living room before Harry fell into the sofa, clutching his arm.
Remus fixed Harry's wound and went into the kitchen to make some tea. "We'll stay here for the night and then head over to headquarters," said Remus from the kitchen.
"Ok," said Harry as he got up and began looking at his surroundings. He had grown taller, about 3" shorter than Ron and was well built. His black hair was still messy and his eyes were still as green as emeralds. His handsome face held a dark look as he thought about the recent events. They had just fought with a few death eaters who attacked a wizardry home. A wizard was killed. Harry sighed. "When will the killings stop?" thought Harry.
He knew Ginny was right to worry. It was dangerous outside the Hogwarts' walls. People were dying but he couldn't help but feel angry at Ginny. He loved her but he wished she could understand him. His hand curled into a fist, trying to prevent tears from coming. He promised that he would see Ginny again, soon. He hoped she wasn't that angry. He didn't want to lose her. He already lost so much.
He thought back to Dumbledore's office. "Glad I'm not there," thought Harry though he felt guilty about leaving so abruptly. He just felt that he would be more useful on the battlefield.
"By the way, where are we?" asked Harry.
"My place," replied Remus as he walked into the living room holding two cups of tea. "I know it's not much."
"It's cozy," said Harry as he ran his fingers across a framed picture of Remus, Sirius and his father, sadly.
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Hermione yawned and closed up the dungeon for the day. She was grateful that she could now leave the dark place at night.
"Fizzy wizzers," said Hermione, absently to the Fat Lady.
She walked into the common room. Ron sat at a table, his elbow on the table and his head in his hand.
Hermione walked up to him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. Ron jerked, startled and got up.
"Hermione, you startled me," said Ron, facing Hermione. They were about half a foot apart. They were so close that Hermione could see the individual beads of sweat running down Ron's gorgeous face. If only she could kiss him.
"You're so hot," whispered Hermione, pushing his damp hair out of his intense eyes.
"I can't seem to cool down," murmured Ron.
Hermione brought out her wand and muttered a spell. Ron instantly felt his whole body cool down.
Ron laughed lightly, "I knew that spell but I never thought of using it."
"That's the thing with you, Ron. You have a brain but you don't use it," joked Hermione.
Ron frowned slightly.
"I was only joking," rushed Hermione.
"I know, but you're right. Maybe Dumbledore didn't let me go with Harry because I have a tendency to forget to think," mumbled Ron.
Hermione shock him gently, "You know that's not true. You aren't stupid. Dumbledore knew that what you are doing here is very important. I admire you for staying. Harry may get rid of all the death eaters in the world and I may find an antidote to the virus but what's the point if no ones here to feel safe or get better. You and Ginny and Neville, you guys are the ones keeping them alive."
Ron smiled slowly, he couldn't help but gaze into her deep eyes. God, she was amazing. "Hermione, have I ever told you how amazing you are?"
Hermione blushed and quickly took her hands off his slightly muscled upper arms. "Touching him feels so…stop thinking like that," scolded Hermione to herself.
Ron gazed at Hermione, his hand itching to touch her face. Their faces were almost touching when Hermione grasped Ron's face and locked him into a heated kiss. She couldn't believe she was doing this. It felt, it felt…there was nothing to describe the exhilarating feeling. The kiss lasted a couple of minutes before Hermione pushed him away, her face as red as Ron's hair.
"I…I don't know what got over me…it's all my pent up emotions…you…you were…uh…so cute there, so close…I just," stuttered Hermione, looking at the carpet. "What have I done?" yelled Hermione's mind.
Ron ran his hand through his hair and then took a hold of Hermione's hands.
"I've known you for seven years and I've, I don't know how to say this but, oh Hermione! I love you. All these years, we fought so much; I had a feeling it was getting on Harry's nerves. And…" rambled Ron.
"What did you say?" asked Hermione, her eyes turning round.
"Our fighting was getting on Harry's nerves."
"No, before that."
"I've known you for seven years," said Ron, scared that her expression meant that she didn't feel the same way as he did. "I've ruined everything," thought Ron.
"After that."
"I love you," whispered Ron, so quietly, he wasn't sure she heard him.
Hermione's eyes widened as she tried to comprehend what she just heard—it was what she dreamed of, all her feelings seemed to fall in place and everything made perfect sense.
"Oh Ron! I love you, too!" said Hermione before grabbing his robes and pulling him into another more passionate kiss.
"I di-didn't expect this," said Ron as he caught his breath.
Hermione blushed furiously and looked at her toes, poking out of her flip-flops then suddenly looked up. "I waited so long to do that. I know how to wait for a good thing," whispered Hermione, unsure of herself.
"Oh, so this is a good thing?" asked Ron, playfully, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Yes. This is war and we have to stick together. I know this seems like a bad time to fall in love but how can I stop it. I'm scared, Ron. What if I can't figure out an antidote? What if something happens to my parents? To you or Harry?"
"I know how you feel. Sometimes I feel so helpless."
Hermione and Ron sat down on a sofa, both immersed in their own thoughts and fears.
"I guess we should go to bed now," murmured Ron.
Hermione took a hold of his arm. "Not right now Ron. I hate going to my dorm. It's so empty. I'm all alone. I've been alone for so long in that dungeon."
"How inconsiderate of me. Come to my dorm then," offered Ron.
Hermione looked at him, alarmed and opened her mouth to say something but Ron cut her off.
"To sleep, Hermione, nothing else," rushed Ron, blushing.
Hermione smiled, slightly embarrassed and took Ron's hand as they walked up to his dorm.
"Where's Neville?" asked Hermione as they entered the room.
"Neville sleeps at odd times because certain plants that he deals with have to be handled at various hours. He usually comes to bed around 3am and leaves for the greenhouses at about 10am," explained Ron.
"You think he'll find it odd when he sees me in Harry's bed?"
"Nah, he'll figure that you don't want to go to an empty dorm. He's much better at that kind of stuff than I am."
Hermione kissed Ron lightly on the lips and crawled into Harry's empty bed.
Around 2am, Hermione woke up to a noise. She looked over at Ron and got out of bed, alarmed. Ron was trashing in his bed and mumbling something incomprehensible.
"Ron, Ron. Get up. It's only a dream," said Hermione as she sat down on his bed.
Ron sat up in bed, sweat pouring down his face. "Why is it so hot?" asked Ron, bewildered. His shirt was entirely drenched in sweat and it stuck to his body.
"You were having a nightmare, I think."
"Oh Hermione. I keep having this dream. It's so horrible. At first I'm surrounded by so many people, you and Harry and my family bu-but in the end there's only me. I lose everyone," sighed Ron, dropping his head into his hands. He began to shake uncontrollably as Hermione wrapped her arms around him, unable to say anything reassuring. He was hot, the heat from his body seemed to be radiating off him.
"I almost wish my dad was back in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. Then he wouldn't be a target. Ever since he became Minister of Magic…I can't stop worrying," continued Ron.
xxxx
The sun was just rising when Ron got up. He opened his eyes and was slightly surprised to see Hermione lying down next to him, her arm over his chest. He glanced at Neville's bed and saw the curtains drawn around his bed.
"Wake up sleepy head."
Hermione opened her eyes, slowly and smiled, "Did I fall asleep in your bed?"
"Looks like it."
Just then, a head appeared in the fireplace. "Ron!" said the head, alarmed.
Ron shot out of bed, "Dad!"
Hermione blushed and looked down at her fingers.
"She was just sleeping here, nothing else," muttered Ron.
Arthur nodded, amused at their embarrassment. "Mum needs a new supply of certain ingredients, St. Mungo can't afford to lend any and I know Hogwarts has an abundant supply."
"Right, because the forest in right here," said Ron as he grabbed a piece of parchment and quill.
"Though your vaccine has been God sent, four people have caught the virus before they could get the vaccine. Is their any room in Hogwarts for them?" asked his dad, as Ron jotted down the last ingredient.
Ron sighed and thought quickly. "Send them over."
"Good."
How's mum?"
"Worrying about me and her kids," sighed Arthur.
"Tell her I love her. I haven't had any time to talk to her."
"I will. I'm proud of you son, we both are. Dumbledore leaving you in charge of the castle shows how dedicated and reliable you are."
Ron nodded, "Thanks, dad. Love you."
When Arthur was gone Hermione said, "You're in charge of the castle? How come you didn't tell me?" That explained Dumbledore's assumption that Ron knew exactly how to send out the vaccine instructions secretly.
Ron shrugged, "It's no big deal. It's just that with all the teachers sick or on other missions and Dumbledore running the order and never being around, somebody had to be put in charge. You were locked up in the dungeon and Harry was locked up in Dumbledore's office. Anyway, lets get some breakfast from the kitchen. I'll have to tell Dobby that we'll be needed food for four more patients and I have to collect those ingredients from the forest and send them to mum."
"You're going into the forest alone!"
"I've done it a lot since school finished."
xxxx
"This room will do, don't you think?" asked Ron as he surveyed the small classroom.
"Defiantly enough room for four people," replied Hermione.
"Right then," said Ron as he pointed his wand at the tables, causing them to disappear.
"Where did you send the tables?" asked Hermione, impressed, "only teachers have the ability to relocate things in the school."
"Dumbledore gave me teacher access when he left. I can put anything where I need to and take anything I need," said Ron as he used his wand to outline the shape of a bed, causing a four-poster bed to appear in the room. He did that three more times, causing three more beds to appear and align themselves neatly in two rows or two.
"They're Slytherin beds," said Hermione as she noticed the green and silver bedding.
"Yeah, we used up all the hospital beds so I had to take beds from the dorms. I didn't touch Slytherin beds until today. It's all we have left."
xxxx
Soon the day was underway. Hermione had returned to the dungeon to work on the antidote. Ron had collected the ingredients for his mum's mini hospital and got the new patients into their beds.
Ron was running around doing more things at once, trying to get everything done when a man was brought into Hogwarts.
"Ron, we have a wounded wizard," cried Ginny as two women came in, with a floating stretcher behind them, carrying a man, his robes drenched with blood.
"Has he been immunized? Have you?" asked Ron as he ran up to the entrance.
"No, but we're all pureblood," replied one of the witches.
"Susan, go ask Hermione to make three doses of vaccine, so that they don't carry the virus everywhere and John, ask Dobby to get some lunch for these three, thanks," said Ron. "And you guys follow me."
Ron led them to the transfiguration room, where he used his wand and moved the occupied Ravenclaw beds over, leaving room one more bed. Then with another swish, a Slytherin bed appeared in the spot. The man was laid in it.
"What happened to him?" asked Ron as he started bandaging the man's wounds.
"I think he was wounded in battle. We found him near Hogwarts. That's why we brought him here," said a witch.
Ron swished his wand to summon more bandages but nothing appeared. "Damn, the infirmary is out of bandages," swore Ron, absently. He stopped and thought about where else bandages might be kept. Then he swished his wand again and more bandages appeared.
As Ron bandaged his last wound, the man opened his eyes and grabbed a hold of his robe and breathing heavily, said, "I must speak to Dumbledore!"
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