A/N: I hope you like.
"Mr. Weasley."
Five men looked up and Healer Davidson cleared his throat, remembering that he had to be more specific when it came to the Weasleys.
"Ron."
Ron stood up and walked over to the healer.
"What is it?"
"It's Hermione," Davidson told him as they walked down to his office. Ron stopped abruptly, staring at the healer with a deep frown.
"What do you mean? A week ago you said she could die and now she's awake. Now you're telling me something's wrong. What happened?" he demanded.
Davidson opened his office door and motioned for Ron to follow him. When Ron finally sat down, Davidson sighed and rested his hands on his desk.
"Hermione's been having trouble sleeping."
"Pain?"
Davidson shook his head. "Hallucinations," he corrected.
"Nightmares?"
Davidson sighed. "Depending on what time you get in to her room. She wakes up in the middle of the night screaming bloody murder and when we get into the room she swears Constantine Raden is still there, standing behind us with his wand. Now, I know you didn't have any success in apprehending Raden, but we've secured her room and no one was in there. We definitely know that she's having nightmares that then manifest themselves into hallucinations the moment she opens her eyes. At the moment we have no cause for these symptoms, but we are running test right now," he told Ron.
The red haired man closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands. "What does this mean?" he asked, his voice muffled through his hands.
The healer took in the man's appearance and his heart went out to Ron. He had been through so much. "It means that until we can find the source of the nightmares and hallucinations, Hermione will have to stay here."
"What if you don't find a source?" Ron asked, looking up at the healer with dull blue eyes.
Davidson looked down at his desk, not able to look into the eyes of the man before him.
"If Hermione's condition gets worse-"
"Worse? What do you mean if her condition gets worse? You mean she could die?!" Ron demanded instantly, rising from his seat.
Davidson held up his hands. "Ron, you need to know what might happen to her," he said. "Hermione will not die… but if her condition continues or gets worse-"
"How could it possibly get worse?" Ron asked nervously.
"Hermione could start hurting herself again. Her mind would most likely also start losing all sense of reality as it is and then…"
"Then? Then what?"
Davidson closed his eyes and rubbed them. "Hermione would have to be admitted into the permanent ward," he said quietly, his words echoing off the walls of his office and suffocating the air out of Ron.
The permanent ward, he thought.
His eyes closed painfully and once again his head fell into his hands, his chest constricting so tightly he thought he'd die for sure.
"I'm sorry, Ron."
"When will you know? When will you know if she has to go into the permanent ward?" he asked.
"By the end of this week."
Ron looked up, his blue eyes clouding over with dread as the world around him violently crashed in flames. Everything he knew faded away and in that moment he realized that he couldn't do it any more. He couldn't pretend to be strong. He couldn't make it, because if worse came to worse, she wouldn't be there with him.
Hermione looked up to see Harry come in, his face completely ashen. A feeling of foreboding fell over her and she bit her lip.
"What is it?" she asked cautiously.
Harry sat down heavily in the chair near her bed and looked up at her.
"Why can't Ron see you?" he whispered.
Hermione closed her eyes. "Harry, you don't understand-"
"You might be going into the permanent ward," Harry cut in suddenly, his eyes meeting hers for the first time.
Hermione's heart twisted painfully and she broke his gaze. "I know," she whispered.
Harry stared at her in awe. "I know? I know? Ron's out there tearing his heart out because of this and all you can say is 'I know?!' Why can't he see you?!"
"What am I supposed to do, Harry!?" Hermione screamed back, sitting up straighter in the bed. "What am I supposed to say to him?! In a week's time I probably won't remember who he is!" she screamed.
"Ron loves you!"
Hermione burst into tears the instant he said that and for the first time he saw the effect of the hold this future had on her. She was a wreck.
She was having nightmares about dead people only to wake up to see them standing at her bedside, glaring at her murderously. She had gone through a torture he could never dream of and now…
She grabbed her head and moaned, clutching her head as she cried. "I'm losing my mind, Harry… I'm losing my mind and I cannot let Ron see me like this," she told him. "I can't let him see me like this…"
"Hermione-"
"No," she muttered, trying to block out a whispering in the background.
Harry got up from his seat and took her hand.
"Hermione please… let him see you."
She shook her head, the whispering getting louder. "No…"
"He loves you-"
"NO!" Hermione shrieked, lashing forward and striking Harry across the face, glaring at him through loathing brown eyes. Harry stumbled back, clutching his face and Ginny, Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George came running in, having heard Hermione scream. When they caught sight of Harry, staring at Hermione with wide eyes, holding his face, they gasped and turned to Hermione.
She was now staring at Harry with dread in her eyes. She let out a moan and started crying again, shaking her head.
"That's why… That's why I can't see him," she whispered, grabbing her head to stop the whispering.
Ginny moved over to Harry and took his face gently in her hands and gaped. There was a long red line where Hermione's engagement ring had caught on Harry's skin. She looked over at the woman and bit her lip.
It was starting…
A/N: I know it's short, but I really didn't want to put too much more in. I hope you enjoyed. I'll try to update Numb and Stand as well.
sarah-keyko: Sometimes reading it straight through is better that reading it in chunks. Helps calms the nerves when you can go to the next chapter.
HerFathersJoy: You're not the only one, don't worry. For some reason, I end up staying up all night thinking of this stuff. I'm wierd.
sballLuvr5: She remembers, but she could end up like the Longbottoms...
tefy: I'm glad I was able to be one writer who persuaded you to read a R/Hr story. Which ship do you usually read?
FallenAngelGirl: Oh... wow! is that really how many I have? I remember starting out with only two. Funny how time flies! I'm glad you're into my stories!
GTKari-123: You're right. She's not safe from me. I will make her suffer a little more... or will I:-)
cellogirl: Well, now you have a hazy idea of what might happen to her and Ron, though nothing is ever certian with me... Being evil feels good.
LunaSky: :O I was watching a re-run of House yesterday (BEST SHOW EVER!!!!) and I love it when he watches General Hospital or something like that.
SPEAKING OF HOUSE!
Am I the only one who thinks Hugh Laurie/ Gregory House is HOT? Or am I alone in the world of House lovers?
Excuse me, I meant sexy. There's a difference you know!
Memilyxoxo: Thank you. I'm happy that you're enjoying this story.
mione-ron-4ever: You see, I'm so famous that my even my unpredictability is predictable. :-)
Mione-Girl.x: I cry a lot writing these stories, so don't worry about crying. If you don't cry, it's because I already have.
cheeky splash: Well, at the moment, there are still no signs of mentalness, besides the hallucinations, so I think Hermione's safe for now, though her temper could use a little adjusting. I think you're right about Ron having a breakdown. I'm still considering a wedding scene, though it might not be what you think.
NairobiDawn: I liked that part too. The whole switching roles where Ron is now the one who needs comforting after all the time where Hermione was having a breakdown is actually quite cool.
Coconut Girl: THERE YOU ARE! Oh har har. I can make happy endings if I wanted to, I'm just to lazy to try. I personally think happy endings are harder to make than tragic or mutual endings. Speaking of endings, when are you going to finally end this lapse of writing and finally post a new chapter for the Dark Side story. I'M DYING! (you can tell I can't wait)
Wesker888: I'm waiting for your update as well, so don't think I've forgotten about you! (I'm having a great day, by the way) I hope you enjoy.
LitaFanForLife: Thank you!
charma10: Semi-happy endings are easier to do that happy endings, but still harder than tragic or mutual endings so I will have to see. Oh! Don't get your hopes up! I will consider!
Well, while you're enjoying this, I am now currently updating my other two pending stories so when you're finished with this, drop on by my others.