Note- Well sorry for the wait on this but thank you to those who have reveiwed and shared their thoughts, it is much appreciated.

Most the dialogue is taken from HBP and is not ours.

Hermione quickly found the bed she was looking for, walking around the curtain she saw him. Ron lay in a hospital bed like he had countless other times over the past years, but this time, it seemed to her, that the situation was so much worse. He was so still and looked so pale. Hermione glanced down at his chest and watched for the tale-tale sign of breath. One, two, three- Come on Ron breathe, please. Three, four, five- its okay he's fine. Madam Pomfrey said that he was just fine. She continued to count and reached ten before she saw his chest rise and fall. She sighed with relief he really was just sleeping, he was going to be fine. Situating herself in the chair beside Ron she absently reached for his hand but before she could take it, Harry and Ginny joined her.

Deftly she moved her hand back to her side and chided herself, Control yourself Granger. He's not yours. Her eyes darted upward making sure that Harry and Ginny had not noticed anything but they seemed absorbed in discussing what Madam Pomfrey had told them. She gathered from their conversation that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been in here earlier and were now visiting with the headmaster and that Fred and George were on the way to the castle. Harry and Ginny moved closer to Ron's bed and Hermione felt a sense of loss. She knew that she had no claim to him, but she wanted to be alone with him. To be the sole one who took care of him. To be the only person his eyes could find when he awoke.

Ginny had taken the empty seat next to her and took Ron's hand. A surge of jealously flowed through Hermione, This is her brother; she has every right to touch him. Harry had walked around to the other side of the bed and stood looking down at his best friend. "What if I hadn't thought of that bezoar?"

What if he hadn't thought of it? I could jump across this bed right now and kiss him for that. "Harry don't you dare talk like that" Ginny scolded him and then turned towards Hermione. Hermione noticed that Ginny looked rather pale as she took in her brother's state. Her hand was still resting in his limp one, Hermione had never seen Ginny look like this before. It was then Ginny looked up from Ron and over to Hermione, their eyes met and in that moment they both understood the other perfectly. Looking first to Ron, then Hermione and back to Ron again, Ginny tentatively reached her other hand over and gave Hermione's a gentle squeeze. It was as with that squeeze Ginny was saying, I know Hermione, I know. She looked away from Ron long enough to give Ginny a small smile and then she went back to her vigil.

Hermione studied Ron. It had been months since she had been this close to him. She wanted to brush back his hair from his face and smooth out the lines that seemed to mar his sleep. He seemed older than he had when they started the school year. She knew she felt older and it wasn't just the passage of time. They had been forced to grow up this past term and they had chosen to do it without one another. What have we missed out on because of our stupid pride? Was it worth losing him all together?

She watched his chest rise and fall again. He looks so small. He's not supposed to look like this. He's supposed to be strong and healthy, full of life. He's supposed to be laughing and smiling and making me do the same thing. I need him to be strong so I can be strong; I need him to laugh so I can laugh. I need him- I just simply need him.

Though she wouldn't admit it to anyone the past few months had been hell for her. Ever since she had walked into the common room after that first Quidditch Match and seen Ron attached to the lips to her roommate, Hermione seemed to just be going through the motions. Every day it seemed to be a chore to get up, go to class, do rounds, she didn't even take much pleasure in reading anymore. Her life seemed empty without Ron in it.

Hermione looked up once again noticing that Harry and Ginny had gone extremely quiet. They were sitting there looking rather uncomfortable she could tell they were trying not to look at her looking at Ron. She reached over and took Ginny's hand giving it a reassuring squeeze and offering what she knew to be a weak smile. She had to be strong. Ron would want her to be strong. So she turned towards Harry and offered him the same smile.

She looked around the room taking it all in. All in all the room looked the same as it always did, the stark white of the sheets seemed whiter with Ron's red hair against the pillow. There were potion bottles beside his bed, she tried to read the names but couldn't get her eyes to focus. Do I really want to know what they are? The blanket that was covering him was a bit worn in places but it looked comfortable. The doors she had been willing to open from the other side were closed again and that gave her comfort. She looked back to her friends sitting with her, Harry was reading the back of a potion bottle and Ginny was picking at a string at the end of Ron's blanket.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything at all. She wanted to tell them it was ok, that she was ok. She realized that Ginny already knew her feelings for Ron, but for Harry to know everything she was going through, that wouldn't work at all. He would tell Ron the first chance he got and then any chance she had to save their friendship would be gone. What if he doesn't want me back? What if our friendship really is over? She wouldn't let that happen, couldn't let that happen.

She closed her mouth and turned her attention back to his chest watching the steady rise and fall, his eyes still closed.

She heard the hospital doors open and she was filled with a sense of dread. What if Lavender has heard about Ron and is here now? What if she tells me to leave? Well I will have none of that. I have stayed out of Ron's life for too long and it is time that Lavender sees that she picked the wrong witch to mess with.

"So all in all not one of Ron's better birthdays?" The voice came as if a blessing from heaven. Hermione tore her eyes away from watching Ron to see the twins coming around the other side of Ron's bed. They each gave Ginny's shoulder a squeeze as they went by. Looking at Hermione they gave her a smile that clearly said, yeah we know you love him and we're sorry you have to sit here and doing nothing but watch him breathe.

She gave them a weak smile and went back to watching Ron breath. Though they were currently irritating her the twins offered a welcome relief. Ginny and Harry would now have something else to focus on and she didn't have to worry about having them notice, her attention was solely focused on Ron.

Counting the seconds between Ron's breaths she heard the Fred and George, tell Ginny of their plans to by Zonko's as they pulled up seats next to Harry. Then Fred asked Harry to retell the story of poisoning. Hermione felt that she had heard this story countless times already and just wanted to block it out so she started her counting again.

Hermione looked at the faces now surrounding Ron's bedside. Though they would be pressed to admit it the twins really did care for Ron. They looked almost panicked when they entered the hospital, she would have to remember to tell Ron about their reaction. Ginny kept a hand on Ron's leg, it was as if she let go of him he would disappear. Harry seemed pale and quiet; glancing every few seconds at Ron to make sure he really was still there. Ron would be happy to know so many people cared. And, Hermione thought, I think I will mention that his precious Lav-Lav wasn't here. The stupid twit probably forgot the way to the hospital wing.

Where is that little tart anyway? From the way she has gushed about her Won-Won one would think that they were attached at the hip. Well, they practically are. Hermione admitted. I don't know why though. Things were going well for Ron and I and then that match, that stupid Quidditch match.

Hermione sniffed, it really wasn't the Quidditch match though. Ron had started giving her the cold shoulder shortly after she had invited him to Slughorn's Christmas party. Hermione leaned a little further back in her chair and wondered what it would be like now if she and Ron had attended that party together. Would they be together now? Would she have the right to hold his hand? Would it be her side which Ron wouldn't be able to leave? Looking at Ron she wondered what really would have happened.

"Who'd want to kill Slughorn?"

Her daydream was broken as she heard the conversation now being held around her. The group had seemed to move on to something more productive then recounting the same story for what seemed to be the hundredth time. They seemed to be talking about who the poisoned mead could have been for.

Hermione searched her brain for the theories she had developed just an hour before. Harry seemed to think that the poison was meant for Slughorn but that wasn't right, couldn't they see the answer right in front of them?

"But you said Slughorn had been planning to give that bottle to Dumbledore for Christmas." Ginny spoke up. "So the poisoner could just as easily been after Dumbledore."

"Then the poisoner didn't know Slughorn very well," Hermione's voice sounded strange, even to herself. It was as if she had a cold, "Anyone who knew Slughorn would have known there was a good chance he'd keep something that tasty for himself."

She had moved her hands while talking and one had inadvertently brushed against Ron's. She shivered at the contact and went to move back her hand when she heard Ron start to speak.

'Er-my-nee" he croaked and then silence descended on the group. Hermione felt a blush creep into her cheeks. Surely he hadn't just said her name had he? She looked at Ginny for some type of conformation but Ginny seemed to be concentrating on Ron. Hermione looked back to him and heard that he was still mumbling. She tried to make out what he was saying but it seemed to be incomprehensible. Then with a snore, Ron fell silent again.

What had just happened? Had he really said her name? Why would Ron be mumbling her name in his sleep? Was he dreaming about her? Was it a good dream? Was he calling for her? Oh, please let him be calling for me. Had the others noticed?

She looked up afraid to see four pairs of eyes trained on her but the doors opened again and Hagrid came lumbering towards them. She turned her thoughts back to Ron. Why had he said her name? Was it really her name that he had said? Maybe it was just wishful thinking. She had been willing Ron to wake up, willing him to acknowledge her, but surely it had only been a fluke that he had mumbled something similar to her name right after she had spoken and accidentally touched his hand.

Wait, he didn't say anything coherent until I spoke and touched him. Does that mean something? Her mind tumbled end over end with possibilities. Did he know she was there? Was he happy or upset about this fact? What if he wanted her to leave? But what if it meant something different? Members of his family had been talking over him and about him all evening long. He never responded to any of them. Hermione sat puzzled at this information. What if he's missed me as much as I've missed him?

She was again shaken from her thoughts when she heard Hagrid ask about a connection between the attacks she was still trying to figure out what the connection was but thought it was laughable when Hagrid mentioned the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Honestly, is Quidditch all men ever think about?

"Well, I don't think it's Quidditch, but I do think there's a connection between the attacks," she added trying to make them see there were more important things in life than that damn sport.

"How'd you work that out?" asked Fred

Hermione felt as if she should roll her eyes but glancing at Ron again she bit back the retort sitting on the edge of her tongue and continued, "Well, for one thing, they both ought to have been fatal and they weren't, although that was pure luck. And for another, neither the poison nor the necklace seems to have reached the person who was supposed to be killed. Of course," she added remembering her final conclusion, "that makes the person behind this even more dangerous in a way, because they don't seem to care how many people they finish off before they actually reach their victim."

They sat their looking at her and she felt as if maybe she was wrong. What if her reasoning was off but then she saw agreement in Harry's eyes. She was about to delve in further to the subject when the doors were flung open again. Don't be Lavender, please don't be Lavender. And to Hermione's great relief Mr. and Mrs. Weasley entered the ward.

Glancing around Hermione realized there were now eight people in the room and Madam Pomfrey had been insistent that there could only be six at a time. Some of them would have to leave. She needed to find a way to stay but knew that it would be impossible. How could she argue that she, Hermione Granger, the girl who hadn't talked civil to Ron in months, the girl who wasn't his girlfriend, who was barely his best friend anymore should stay and others shouldn't. Resignedly she got to her feet to leave when Mrs. Weasley grabbed her arm.

"He does look a little better, doesn't he?" she whispered

All Hermione could do was bob her head in agreement; acknowledging that Ron did look at little better than he had when she had first seen him. "Don't worry," Mrs. Weasley continued "I will look after him now."

Mrs. Weasley patted her arm and then gave her a knowing look. Hermione was flabbergasted. Did everyone in the Weasley family know her feelings towards Ron? Mr. Weasley had joined his wife now and gave Hermione a warm smile. She was going to die. It was bad enough for his siblings and best friend to know but his parents. Hermione found herself wishing that the ground would swallow her up right there.

But instead she followed quickly after Harry and Hagrid taking one last glance back at Ron's falling chest. Vowing to find a reason to come back here as soon as she could.