Author's note- We (yes there are two of us) just wanted to say thank you for the response we got from the last chapter and hope that you enjoy this one. If you want to check out our other works. Look under the names gracierose and nattieb. Thanks for reading.
"Will they just shut up already?" Hermione questioned to herself. She was still sitting on the floor across from the hospital wing door arms wrapped around her trying to ward off the feeling of dread that would not seem to go away. Her head was leaning against the cool stone of the wall, and every now and again she would chance another glance at the door, willing it to open. Harry and Ginny were sitting a few feet from her, obviously giving her distance, but she could still hear them debating the events of the morning for what seemed to be the 500th time. They seemed to be delighting in the gore and the horror of the incident and she didn't understand how they could be acting so blasé about it. Did they not understand that Ron could be dying right now? Glaring over at them, she moved her gaze back to the door one more time.
Harry seemed to be talking about the oak mead again and Hermione tried to listen this time. She had only caught bits and pieces of the story before and really didn't want to ask Harry to repeat the story again. Focus Granger, she thought this is important. You have to know what happened. Mustering up every last bit of self will she had she seemed to catch a few more things this time. The mead was meant as a gift for Dumbledore? Hmm, just like Professor Slughorn to keep it for himself. He really doesn't seem to care about anyone but himself. And honestly can't he ever call Ron by the right name? Ron, R-O-N, Ron it's three letters. It's not that hard. Harry seemed to have seemed too moved on to the appearance of Professor McGonagall in the office and she mentally scolded herself for not paying attention again.
Damnit Granger. Why is it when it is important you can't seem to focus on the problem at hand? Ron, that was the answer and it always was. If Ron was ever in trouble or hurt that became her focus. He had been there with her for so many years now that he had become part of her. She had tried to stay away for these past months and it had been the hardest thing she ever had to do. She was lonely and she missed him more than anything but they had made their bed and now they were both lying in it. She wondered if there would ever be a time where she could fix her mistakes and reclaim the friendship she used to have with Ron.
"Hermione." The sound of her name seemed to break the wall of silence she had tried to build around her. She turned towards the voice that had dared enter her solitude. Harry was looking at her, concern. "Are you okay?"
Am I okay? Yes Harry I am fine, her mind screamed my best friend who I haven't spoken to for months is in the hospital and I am stuck out here, with a door that refuses to open and two chattering twits who don't know when to shut up. Taking a deep breath she went to answer his question but found she could only nod her head. He acknowledged her response and turned back to Ginny.
How dare he question her well-being? This was his entire fault! If Harry had just listened to her at Christmas this never would have happened. Why didn't he get rid of those blasted cauldrons when I told him to? I told him Romilda Vane was nothing but trouble but did he listen? No, why would he listen to me? He never does, nobody ever seems to listen. She looked at the doors again and then back at Harry. Oh he was infuriating! He sat there safe and sound blabbering on with Ginny about his suspicions about Malfoy. Would he just get over it already? Malfoy wasn't the problem here.
If Harry had only listened to her. "Had he been listening he would have heard me say "Get rid of them now!" Not "Hide them under a pair of nasty socks in your trunk." She sat there glaring at Harry wishing that he would realize how his failure to listen to her had caused this but he seemed completely oblivious flirting with Ginny. Oh yes she knew that was what they were doing and wish they would just get on with it. Ginny had always wanted this to happen and though she was mad at him, Hermione was happy that Harry was finally coming around to what a wonderful person Ginny was. "To bad for Ginny I am going to kill him."
Looking at the door again she sighed shaking her head and took a much needed deep breath clearing her head. As much as she wanted to blame Harry she couldn't. It wasn't his fault Ron seemed to have a never ending stomach when it came to sweets and once he started no one could stop him. No one but me. She thought. No one but me. I needed to be there to stop this. This should have never happened. If she had been on good terms with Ron she would have been up in his room this morning as he opened his gifts. She would have stopped him from eating those blasted Chocolate Cauldrons and then they could have all gone down to breakfast together or visited Hagrid or the boys could have gone for a fly at the pitch as she watched. Really, just spending the day doing things that Ron loved to do, celebrating his coming of age together. But no she was now here staring at a staring at this door that seemed as if it was sealed shut, listening to Harry repeat the story over and over, while Ron was lying in a bed. Well, she mused to herself, at least we are together.
Together. That was laughable. They hadn't all been together since that horrible Saturday when the boys had played in their first Quidditch match. She hadn't meant for Ron to think that she didn't believe in him. It was the exact opposite. She had been more upset at Harry for thinking that Ron needed some extra luck. Harry had been the one that hadn't believed in him and she had been outraged at his lack of confidence. Hermione had tried to tell Ron everything after the match but she was too late. He had ridiculed her and then went off and…
Tears were pricking at her eyes. She would not cry, not now. She had cried too many times over this thing between Ron and Lavender. She had spend countless nights the past months listening to Lavender gush to Pavarti about her and Ron's various "activities" as she had started to call them in her mind. She knew they never talked what need was there if they both seemed to be fine with the situation. She wanted to move on and she had tried but no matter what she did her thoughts always came back to that insufferable red head.
I wonder where the little tart is. If she loves him so much why in the hell is she not here with me staring at this stupid door that just will not open! He's just another snog for her, stupid twit. What I wouldn't give to be able to smack that satisfied look off her face when she comes in the room, I should have turned that flock of mad canaries on her instead.
Hermione needed to calm down, while she could sit here and berate Lavender all day it wasn't her fault that Ron was a prat. But my prat. Hermione thought. He had always belonged to Hermione and she didn't understand how Lavender, knowing that, had decided to claim him for herself. "Because she's a twit with no brain." She muttered.
"What was that Hermione?" Ginny asked
Hermione swung around to face Ginny and Harry again and blushed. "Nothing." She whispered. How stupid was she? Saying something like that aloud? Ginny seemed to be grinning at her with a knowing smile, Hermione looked away again still upset with herself that she had voiced her feelings.
Well, it's true! She told herself. Lavender had wormed her way into Ron's life knowing how Hermione felt about him. Lavender knew that they were going to Professor Slughorn's party together and yet she still had felt it was okay to make her move. What kind of girl did that? The kind of girl that just wanted a good snog with a handsome, popular, Quidditch player. The kind of girl that had no respect for territory that was clearly not hers. The kind of girl who has no respect for me.
The kind of girl that doesn't care to come to the hospital wing when her boyfriend is lying in there dying. If she loves him so much where is she? She doesn't love Ron, she never has. She can't love him when I love him.
Hermione sat there dumbfounded. Love Ron? There was no way that she loved Ron. He was insufferable, quick to anger, judgmental, immature, tactless, adorable, caring, loyal, brave, funny…Wait what was she thinking? This was Ron. Yes she might have a slight school girl crush but love? She couldn't love him. That would ruin everything. It was then that annoying voice that always seemed to speak up when she least wanted it to emerged. Face it Hermione you love him and you have for three years.
Love Ron? Yes she did. Hermione Granger loved Ron Weasley. Oh this changed everything. What was she supposed to do now? He didn't want her; he didn't even seem to need her anymore. It would have been so much easier to move on if she didn't love the fool.
She glanced at the door again. She needed to see him. He might not feel the same way but she wasn't letting this go. She was not done fighting for him. It was time that she took a stand and reclaim what had been taken from her.
Before she could start any fight though she had to figure out who had done this to Ron. She moved a little closer to Harry and Ginny hoping that they were still rehashing the details of morning but they had seemed to move on to Quidditch and who would replace Ron as Keeper next week.
Well, I will have to do this on my own. Okay what do I know? Hermione began reviewing the facts in her mind. Harry had taken Ron to get an antidote to the love potion and after that had been administered Professor Slughorn gave Ron a glass of mead. No wait. Harry mentioned something about Professor Slughorn pouring all three of them a drink. But Ron drank first, that means Slughorn didn't know that the mead was poisoned. Who would want to poison the professor? Her mind went to all the possibilities. Malfoy seemed to really hate him but why would Malfoy give Professor Slughorn a gift? Wouldn't the professor suspect something? Okay so not Malfoy. Was there anyone else that hated him?
Wait. She was missing something. Hermione searched her mind again. Trying to find the one piece of information that she knew was there. Dumbledore. Harry had mentioned something about the Headmaster before. Think Granger. Then it hit her. Harry had said the mead was meant to be a Christmas gift to the headmaster so that means they weren't trying to poison Slughorn they were trying to poison Dumbledore.
Oh no. They would have succeeded to if that bottle had reached its destination. The headmaster. Did she need to warn him or share what her suspicion? But what was she supposed to say 'Professor that mead Ron drank was meant for you, someone is trying to kill you. Have a good day.' she had to get more information before she approached him on that. I wonder where Professor Slughorn got that mead. I need to find out but how?
Then another horrible thought struck. Ron wasn't the first attack. How had she been so stupid to overlook Katie Bell? Katie was still at Saint Mungo's and there was still no word on who had given her that package. What if they are connected? What if someone is really trying to kill Dumbledore? But who?
Hermione knew it was hopeless. There were so many people that could be after the headmaster that she wasn't even sure where to start. Come on Granger, you need to do this- for Ron. Ron. He needed her to figure this out. He would be expecting her to have all the answers when he woke up and she was going to have them for him.
She sat thinking and looked up again at the door, still shut. Well whoever it is they can't know Professor Slughorn too well. Even I could tell you that he would most likely keep that bottle of mead for himself. But they seemed to know that Dumbledore liked Oak Matured Mead and that it would make a wonderful Christmas gift for him. Could it be a student? Or was it someone from the village?
Hermione was getting frustrated. The answer was so close but it still seemed to escape her. The attacks seemed random and she couldn't be sure that the necklace was meant for Dumbledore. Maybe they just wanted to hurt as many people as they could? And if something happened to make it to Dumbledore, all the better. That just makes this person that more dangerous, they don't care who they hurt on their way to Dumbledore. She had to tell the headmaster. She had to let him know now what was going on.
But before she could stand the doors to the hospital wing flew open. Finally. Hermione struggled to her feet using muscles that had been stiff for hours and looked expectantly at the nurse.
"Mr. Weasley is going to be fine. He is asleep but you can come and see him for a moment."
Hermione let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. He was alright. Ron was alright. She pushed passed Madam Pomfrey and made her way to Ron's bedside. Dumbledore would have to wait because right now she needed to be with Ron.
