Chapter 10: Distressed in the Ward

Ron didn't know how long he laid there on the floor, but when he finally came to he was in the hospital wing surrounded by McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey, and…

"Malfoy?" he thought.

Malfoy stood at the foot of his bed with his arms crossed. He had specks of blood on his arms, Ron saw. Ron watched him and realized that Malfoy was following every word Madame Pomfrey was saying and he looked concerned. Ron closed his eyes again and tried to listen to what they were saying about him.

"It seems that he hit his head," said Madame Pomfrey.

"Did me fall or did someone…" Professor McGonagall paused and didn't finish, but Ron knew what she was about to ask; had someone done this to him.

"I don't quite know. Mr. Malfoy found him in the hallway and he brought him here" said Madame Pomfrey.

Ron's heart dropped. Malfoy had found him; he helped him? He thought. He held his breathe and waited for Malfoy's response.

"I was on my way to my dorm when I saw him lying on the ground wrapped in a sheet. He was bleeding from the head, so I brought him here," he concluded. "Can I go now?" he asked.

"No, you can not. Did you see who put him there?" McGonagall asked. There was a silence and Ron assumed that Malfoy had shaken his head. There was some quiet muttering before everyone left the room. Ron could hear the door close with a thunk.

Ron opened his eyes and looked toward the door. He could hear Madame Pomfrey moving around in her office. He reached around to grab his watch from the side table. It read 10:00 pm. He sat it back on the table and then lay back down. If he was right, he had been out since eight. That was two hours that he had laid in the hall before anyone had come across him. Deep down he knew that it was Harry who had put him there. This thought made him hate him more. He had thought that Harry wanted to go through this together, but all the while he had been planning to out him instead and then turn on him. It didn't seem right. Harry would never do that. Why would Seamus coming in the room scare him so much? They could have taken him and threatened to curse him if he told anyone what he had seen. But no, Harry had decided it was too risky a chance so instead he pretending he was being harassed by Ron. Ron rubbed his temple for his head still ached. He couldn't trust anyone anymore.

Madame Pomfrey came out of her office and looked his way. He hurriedly closed his eyes because he didn't feel like being questioned right now. She turned the light off in the ward and proceeded into her bedroom. Ron turned onto his side, and tried to rid his mind of all negative thought; yet one question remained. Why did Malfoy help him?

"Turn over Weasley," called a shrieking cry overhead. Ron eyes flashed open as he was shaken back and forth. He pulled his face from his pillow and turned onto his side to see an irritated Madame Pomfrey standing over him, her pudgy arms crossed over her voluptuous, bulging breast. He turned completely onto his back and sat up. He opened his mouth to complain about being waken up this early, but before he could get a word out she grabbed his head forcefully and began to unwrap the bandaging, making the top half of his body circle with her.

"Could you stop, damn it!" he yelled. She grimaced down at him.

"These dressings should have been removed an hour ago," she protested. She pulled a huge lock of his hair as she unwind the bandages, and he yelled out in pain and started pushing her away, which just added to him almost toppling from the bed, but she caught him and pushed him back onto it.

"Silly boy, sit still, or I'll never finish this!" He crossed his arms in frustration and waited silently till she replaced the bandages again.

"There you go silly boy. You have a visitor." She looked around and motioned for someone to come forward. Ron couldn't see around her, so he couldn't see who it was. He hoped it was Harry. He really wanted to kick his a..

It was Neville.

He carried a potted plant in his trembling hands. He placed it on the table next to Ron's watch the sat in the chair beside the bed.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Ron waited until his heart stopped racing from his anger at thinking it was Harry, and then he turned to face Neville.

"Umm yeah, I'm all right."

Neville sat tapping his feet on the floor and he just nodded his head. His eyes darted back and forth from Ron to his own hands. Ron watched him with amusement before he prodded him in the arm to make him speak.

"I saw Seamus and Dean when they took you from the room," whispered Neville nervously as he glanced around nervously, as if someone else was listening. Ron balled up his fist with anger and then punched his bed in fury.

"Was Harry with them?" he asked.

"Why would Harry be with them?" Neville questioned.

"He's the reason I'm here in the first place," hissed Ron. Neville looked confused and Ron realized that Neville didn't know anything.

"I'm gay," he confessed. Neville's mouth fell open, but as quickly closed. The initial shock disappeared to be replaced by yet more confusion.

"Seamus walked in as I was about to ki.., "he paused. He didn't know why he hesitated. It wasn't as if he still wanted to keep Harry's secret.

"As I was about to kiss Harry. I guess Harry didn't want Seamus to know that he was gay because be punched me in my face, called me a fag, pushed me on the floor and ran from the room." He stopped and looked off into the distance but really didn't see anything.

Neville scooted his chair closer to the bed and reached a hand out to hold Ron's. Ron was taken aback by this weird gesture of caring. He usually would have thought this sweet, but now, after all that had happened, he couldn't trust anyone. He pulled his hand back and pulled the blanket more securely over him. He didn't know what to say.

"Well, I'll see you when you get out of here," said Neville. Ron could tell that he was hurt. He stood and crossed over to the door, paused then looked back, after a small moment, he left.

Ron lay back down. His stomach was in knots again. He couldn't get the image of Neville's expression when he pulled away out of his head. He knew he had been wrong to have pushed Neville away like that. He had just wanted to make him feel better, and he had rejected him without a thought. He balled himself into fetal position and closed his eyes tightly. He wanted to forget everything so badly, but his mind wouldn't let him. When Madame Pomfrey came to give him breakfast, he pretended to be asleep. He went on like this until the next day when he was discharged from the ward. He couldn't continue; he had to do something to release his stress.