Chapter Eight: Worries and Reassurance.

At lunch that day Hermione didn't eat a thing. When Ron asked her why she said that she felt really sick and ran out of the great hall, Ron ran after her but she had run in to the girls' bathroom. Harry, Ron and Hermione all had a lesson off together after lunch so they went to the common room. Hermione still looked very unwell so Ron told her she should go and lay down, for once she didn't argue and Ron accompanied her to the girls' staircase, he sat down looking worried.

'What's wrong?' Harry asked.

'Hermione, she's never been this sick before' Ron replied, he was as pale as Hermione was.

'Everyone gets sick sometimes Ron, don't stress' Harry said.

Harry and Ron had discovered a passage that was not on Harry's marauders map, a map of Hogwarts showing all the secret passages and people, on the very last day of their sixth year. The discovery was quite by accident; Ron had tripped in the passage and ran in to the wall which moved, he found himself in a short passage that lead to the girls dormitories without going up the stairs and being sent back down by the slide. When Ron went to get Hermione up for the next lesson, double potions, she said she wasn't going because she still felt really sick, when he came back down Ron looked even more worried than before.

Harry and Ron walked down to the dungeons together, there were even less people in this class than there had been in DADA perhaps only 5 or 6. Ron told professor Slughorn where Hermione was and he (Slughorn) who was known to cosy up to the smart and well-connected students (Harry, Ginny and Hermione being three such students) hoped that she was feeling better soon. Ron messed up so much in class that Slughorn told him to clear up and go a full twenty minutes before it finished. Harry guessed that Ron had gone straight back up to Hermione so when he'd handed up his potion sample he decided to go up there too.

'Maybe you should go to the hospital wing?' Ron was saying as Harry entered.

'Ron I'll be fine don't fuss,' she told him.

They all went down to dinner together, Harry sat with Ginny. After dinner Ron was looking worried again, Harry noticed Hermione hadn't touched her food again. He told Ginny to go back up to the common room so that he could talk to Ron, they went in to an empty class room.

'Ron, what's wrong? You aren't still worried about Hermione are you?' Harry asked his friend.

Ron simply nodded.

'Why? She said she would be fine, something she ate mustn't have agreed with her' Harry replied 'look Ron, I know you love her but you can't worry about every little thing, she's bound to get sick sometimes, everyone does,' he added.

'Harry it's not that it's… no, nothing,' Ron replied.

'It's obviously something mate you've been a wreck all day.'

Ron nodded again 'this isn't the only day she's been sick, she was sick all day yesterday too,' he said.

'So? She's probably got a bug or something, I'm sure it's nothing Ron,' Harry said.

'Well I'm not so sure,' Ron said hopelessly.

'What's happened?' Harry asked.

'It's nothing Harry… really,' Ron replied.

Harry was getting sick of this now, he'd offered to help and Ron was just shutting him down 'fine then don't talk about it, just go crazy with worry' he said standing to leave the room.

'Ok Harry, it is something… and it might be a big thing too,' Ron said as Harry reached the door.

Harry went and sat back down a little worried now him self 'what is it?' Harry asked again.

'I think she might be, um, you know,' Ron said making a gesture over his stomach.

'What are you on about?' Harry said.

'Hermione and I… well we've um,' Ron said in almost a whisper.

'You mean…' Harry started.

Ron nodded.

'You don't think she could be…' Harry tried.

Ron nodded 'maybe.' He said.

'You really think she might be…' Harry couldn't finish the sentence he didn't want to think about it, this was between Ron and Hermione.

'Yeah… It's my fault if she is… I'm so stupid!'

'It'll be fine Ron, she probably isn't' Harry said patting him on the back, still trying not to think about it.

Ron nodded again 'Yeah… Yeah you're right, I'm over-reacting,' he said trying to convince him self.

While Ron was downstairs talking to Harry, Ginny was sitting in Hermione's armchair talking to her friend who was lying in bed looking pale and worried.

'Are you all right Hermione? Other than being really sick, you look really worried, what's going on?' Ginny said.

'Ginny this isn't the only day I've been sick, I felt sick all day yesterday too,' Hermione replied.

'It's probably just a bug or something, you'll get over it,' Ginny said reassuringly.

'I'm not so sure,' Hermione's voice sounded weak and high.

'Well what else could it be?' Ginny replied.

'Well… Um… Ron…' Hermione was on the verge of tears and Ginny could tell.

'What did my brother do to you?' Ginny asked, sounding fierce.

'No… Nothing Ginny, he's great, really,' Hermione said alarmed.

'Well what about him then?' Ginny asked.

'We… Um… Well… Ron and I…' Hermione couldn't get the words out she was so happy but so worried at the same time.

'Hermione, what?' Ginny said.

'Well you know that night about two weeks before we came back when your parents were away for the night and you and Harry went off together and Ron and I were up at the house alone…' Hermione said.

'Are you trying to tell me that you and my git of a brother… I can't even say it… I thought you were waiting?' Ginny said hoping that Hermione understood and hoping even more for Hermione and Ron's sake that what she thought had happened, didn't.

Hermione understood and nodded, tears were falling freely from her eyes now, 'we got a bit carried away,' She said.

'I'll say, you didn't use a charm or anything, you do know about those things don't you' Ginny said.

'I know Ginny and believe me I wish we had, but it was just something that happened, heat of the moment you know…' Hermione's voice was high.

'No, I don't know Hermione but honestly I thought you of all people wouldn't forget something like that,' Ginny sounded snappy and she regretted what she'd said a minute later.

'I KNOW GINNY! IT WAS JUST SOMETHING STUPID, I'M STUPID GO ON SAY IT!' Hermione yelled through her tears and sobs.

Ginny went and sat on the bed; she hugged her friend 'sorry Hermione I didn't mean it.' She said in to Hermione's neck.

'I know you didn't Ginny, I'm sorry for yelling it's just I'm really worried right now, I could have just changed my life forever, Ron's too.' Hermione said.

They pulled apart 'Have you missed…' Ginny started.

'Not yet' Hermione said shaking her head before Ginny could finish.

'Well lets see how you go and if you do we'll… well I don't know what we'll do, let's just wait,' Ginny said stroking her friends hair and tucking a strand behind her ear 'I bet you'll be fine in a few days, I reckon it's just a virus,' she added trying to convince herself as well as Hermione.

'Ok then, but I suppose it is just a virus, it's silly to get all worked up about it,' Hermione replied unconvincingly.

A few seconds after that Ron appeared in the doorway 'sweetheart you've been crying, what's wrong?' He said seeing Hermione's eyes; his voice was full of concern. She spread her arms out; Ron crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her. Hermione started crying all over again.

'Is Ron all right?' Ginny said, spotting Harry in the common room after leaving Ron and Hermione alone.

'I don't think so… He and Hermione… He thinks,' Harry said.

'Yeah I know… Hermione thinks the same thing.' Ginny replied, sitting down across from her boyfriend.

'Do you think they're over-reacting?' Harry asked.

'I don't know, from what I gathered it only happened once,' she answered.

'It only takes once,' Harry said.

'Do you think she is?' Ginny asked.

'I don't really want to think about it. It's their thing.' Harry replied, but he was worried and he was thinking about it. What would happen if she were? Harry was pretty sure Ron would stick by her but would they keep it? Would they leave Hogwarts after wanting to come back? He really didn't want to think about it but it was plaguing him, he might be being selfish but he needed his friends there with him.

'I don't want to think about it either.' Ginny said, bringing Harry back down to earth.

'I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight.' Harry looked around, it was a lot later than he thought, or maybe it was that there were so many people who hadn't returned that year. There was no one else in the room. He kissed Ginny and went up to his room.

Harry wasn't very tired so he sat down at his desk and started his potions homework. Half an hour later Ron came in, he sat down on Harry's bed.

'Hermione says she just feels rotten but she'll be ok,' he said.

'Well that's good, see I told you, nothing to worry about,' Harry said he really didn't want to talk at that moment.

'Yeah, I just wanted to say thanks mate,' Ron said.

'No problem, any time.' Harry replied.

Ron left Harry's room to go to bed.