Never before has one of my lines sparked a discussion that crossed nations!

Sorry this has taken me longer than normal, blame work!

Step ;)

Chapter 5 – Asking for Help

'Harry! Ron!'

Ron wasn't sure which was more concerning, the fact that Minerva McGonagall had just grabbed them both around the neck and pulled them into a hug, or the fact that she had used their first names to address them.

In all fairness the both of them had, in the last twenty hours or so been pulled into many bone crushing hugs so they were somewhat used to the behaviour. But being called 'Ron' by his former teacher was curious to say the least and he'd feel a lot more settled when she started calling him 'Weasley'.

'How are you both?' McGonagall said after she had released the pair of them. 'I heard what happened of course, I'm just sorry I couldn't be involved directly, but I have a duty to this castle and all that stay here, so—'

'I understand Professor, your help along the way was invaluable to us. Hermione—'

Harry stopped talking and gave Ron a nervous look before looking at the ground. Ron decided to finish Harry's sentence for him.

'Hermione, always knew she could come to you for help or advice when we needed it and knew you wouldn't go on at her, asking about what we were doing. If she were here she'd thank you, Professor.'

McGonagall blinked rapidly, but after a few seconds stopped trying to hold back her tears. She pulled Ron into another hug and then let him go once more.

'How is Hermione?' she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Ron took a deep breath and tried to remember all the details of Hermione's condition and the reason why she was still unconscious.

'She was hit with Sectumsempra so lost a lot of blood, and something got in the wound, either an infection or the Death Eaters have found something to add to their curses, whichever, her blood got infected. The Healers cleaned it but they think it's done some damage, she hasn't woken up yet. Actually, that's why we're here, I need to ask Madam Pomfrey something, unless she's busy.'

'Do you think Poppy will be able to help?' McGonagall asked.

'Well, there's something I need to ask her about, it's a bit weird, but…well, I need to ask her about sixth year. It might not be anything, but, I just need to be sure.'

'Sixth year?' McGonagall asked.

'Yeah, you know that connection…thing we had, 'cause of bright spark here's dodgy potion?'

McGonagall gave a small smile. 'Ah yes, I remember it quite well, you had us puzzled for a long time and rather concerned towards the end. But, why is that relevant, Weasley? Actually, you can answer me on the way to the hospital wing.'

Ron relaxed slightly at the return of his surname and walked beside McGonagall as they made their way through the corridors of the hospital.

'Well, you see, it might not be relevant at all. I had this…dream…thing, and Harry and Ginny think it was similar to the dreams Hermione and I had when we had our connection. Not that I have a clue about it, but anything's worth looking at.'

'Of course it is!' McGonagall said firmly as they rounded the final corner to the hospital wing.

She slowed down and Harry and Ron looked over their shoulder when their ex-teacher stopped walking. Before they had the chance to ask her anything she spoke.

'I would just like to thank the two of you for what you've done. As soon as Miss. Granger wakes up I shall thank her personally. You've done Hogwarts, Gryffindor, and more importantly you and your families proud. Looking at the state of you,' her eyes scanned over their thin forms and the dark circles under their eyes, 'you've been through more than most will ever have to, and you did it without complaint and with unwavering courage. I have never been prouder of three Gryffindors. You are welcome back at this school at any time, for any reason.'

Her voice stayed strong but her eyes were filling with tears. She cleared her throat. 'Thank you, Ron, thank you, Harry.'

Harry and Ron could only nod, lumps having formed in their throats.

'Now, go and see Poppy and find a way to wake Miss Granger up,' she added in her usual tone.

Ron turned and walked towards the double doors.

'Professor, wait a minute,' Harry said.

Ron turned to see McGonagall stop and wait for Harry and Harry look at him with an uncertain look.

'Do you mind if I talk to Professor McGonagall for a bit, I need to know…the teachers…the students who were still here…I just…'

'Harry, it's fine, really, go and do what you have to.'

'You sure?'

'I'm sure, I'll probably still be here when you're done.'

Harry nodded and Ron watched as he turned and walked with Professor McGonagall down the corridor and out of sight.

He walked up to the doors and knocked quietly before slowly pushing them open. He walked inside the wing and turned towards the office door. The door opened as he was about to knock and Madam Pomfrey stared at him for a second before jumping into action.

'Oh! Ronald! How are you? Are you hurt? Do you need help? Have you not been looked at already at St. Mungo's? Here, turn around!'

Ron didn't have chance to answer any of the questions or protest as she forcibly turned him round, waving her wand all over him and sending diagnostic spells around him.

'Well, there's nothing showing up, are you sure you're okay? You look tired and drawn. Have you been eating properly? How about Harry and Hermione? Are they here with you?'

She finally stopped with her questions and Ron made sure she wasn't going to start with another load before breathing in to reply.

'I'm fine, really I'm fine. Tired if anything but that's not why I'm here. I need your help with something. Hermione's in St. Mungo's, she's…she's unconscious and I need to ask you about something to see if it can help her.'

Madam Pomfrey paled slightly

'Unconscious?' she asked, professionally interested but her concern for her former charge obvious.

Ron nodded. The nurse seemed to come back to herself and cleared her throat. 'How can I help you, Ronald?'

---

'Well of course it was strange, very strange in fact. I have never seen anything like it in my entire professional career. Professor Slughorn had heard of it once before, but I'm afraid he was no help when it came to doing anything about it. He initially thought the connection would last two to three weeks, but as we both know, yours lasted a month.'

She opened the rather fat file of notes and moved them so they were in front of both her and Ron on her desk.

Ron looked at the top of the file and saw 'Granger-Weasley' written in a neat script. He smiled and he remembered something from a couple of months back…

---

'I can't believe you just married me off the instant this whole thing is over! At least give me a day to return to normal!'

Ron was stood at the opening to their magical tent and was listening to Harry and Hermione's conversation just inside the door.

'Do you not want to marry him?' Harry asked.

'I…he…well…' she sighed, 'it's not as simple as that, Harry. We shouldn't even be thinking too far into the future, we should be concentrating on what we have to do tomorrow and that alone.'

'Hey! Don't you be stealing my job as the pessimistic one! It's only me who's allowed to say things about not planning for the future! You're the one who reminds me that there is life after shit!'

Ron could hear Hermione's loud sigh.

'I'll think you'll find I've never said anything remotely similar to that, Harry.'

'Well, no, but you're still avoiding the question. Do you want to marry my tall, lanky, freckled, red headed best friend and, if and when it happens, become Hermione Granger-Weasley?'

'Granger-Weasley? Why do you say Granger-Weasley?'

'I dunno, I just presumed you'd want to keep your name, not totally dismissing Ron's, kind of a 'we're equals' type thing.'

'For your information, Harry James Potter, when I marry Ron I will take his name fully, no Granger-Weasley, just Weasley.'

Harry grinned and shook with silent laughter.

'What now?' Hermione asked, confused.

'You said 'when I marry Ron'!'

Hermione reddened slightly. 'I was just copying your phrasing, seeing as though you were being so persistent with the question!'

'Ah but you see, Hermione, I said, 'if and when' whereas you just came right out and said 'when', so you can sod off with your issue with me marrying the two of you off as soon as we're done with our saving the Wizarding world crap, and just accept that is what is going to happen!'

Ron peeked around the opening to the tent. Hermione was, for once, lost for words and didn't like it one bit, so she just grumbled in frustration and threw Harry's newly washed pile of clothes at him.

Harry laughed out loud, knowing he had won.

Ron straightened himself up with a smile on his face and entered the tent.

'Alright, mate? How was the brook?' Harry asked Ron.

'Bloody freezing!'

'Good, good.' Harry looked up at Ron. 'Why are you grinning like that?'

'Oh, no reason!'

He turned to Hermione and gathered her in his arms. Before she had time to protest at being stopped folding her clothes, he kissed her. He tried to tell her in that kiss that he was feeling ridiculously giddy about what he had just heard, because he knew he couldn't bring up the subject, so the kiss lingered for longer than Hermione would usually permit in front of Harry, but for once she didn't seem to mind.

He let go of Hermione and was pleased to see she was suitably flushed from the experience and left her to her folding. He turned towards Harry and gave him a swift wink, telling him he had heard most of their conversation.

Harry looked panicked for a second but then mouthed, 'you okay?' at Ron. Ron smiled and nodded briefly. They moved through the small sitting area of the tent into one of the bedrooms.

'I think I may have found something more scary than a final face off with Voldemort,' Harry said with a smirk.

'Oh yeah, and what's that then?'

'You being totally fine with commitment.'

---

The words burned into his retinas and he had to look away and shake his head so he could concentrate on what Madam Pomfrey was saying.

'In hindsight I'm not surprised at all that your connection lasted longer than the Professor Slughorn first indicated. I always thought that on one level your subconscious minds were happy enough with the connection between you and didn't want to let go.'

Ron blushed a little, but smiled.

'So, Ron, what did you want to know?'

Ron cleared his throat. 'Well, this may seem a little strange but, I had a dream, but I don't remember it except for one detail, right at the end. I was shown a Latin phrase which, when I got it translated means 'Remember us together, remember our past.' And when I spoke to Harry and Ginny about it, they said it was the same…place that me and Hermione went to when we shared our dreams.'

He cautiously looked at the nurse, waiting for her observations and hoping that she would take him seriously.

'You said you didn't remember anything of the dream, so how do Harry and Ginny know that it was the same place?'

'Oh! Right, well Harry did this thing where he made me think of nothing and just answer his questions without really thinking about them, apparently a few details seeped into my brains somewhere and I remembered that the sky was blue, the grass was green and there was a warm, comforting breeze that calmed me down. Apparently that was what me and Hermione had told Harry and Ginny when we were connected.'

'I see… So are you saying that you visited the same subconscious place that you shared with Hermione whilst you were connected and came out of that place with a message?'

Ron nodded. 'Yes, that's exactly it. I'm guessing that the 'us' in the phrase is me and Hermione, because that's the first 'us' that comes to mind,' he didn't see the smallest of smiles creep upon Madam Pomfrey's face, 'so the only thing that I can think of that it might mean is to remember the one part of 'our' past that I have no recollection of at all. Which is actually pretty obvious really if I am right about the 'us'.'

'I think you're right about the 'us', Ron. Too many other factors fit for it to be you and someone else. So the question now, is, what next?'

'Exactly. And I have no idea!'

'I bet it doesn't help that all you want to do is collapse in a heap and sleep, not to mention come to terms with everything that happened last night, or all that I imagine you've had to do since you left school over a year ago. The last thing you should have to do is work out a cryptic clue from your subconscious – and I don't think you're mad, or crazy for thinking it's a clue to wake Hermione up. You are no longer under my care, Ronald, but if you were I would demand you got some rest and would probably suggest talking through things you went through. However, something tells me that is in no way going to happen.'

She looked at him, a stern expression on her face.

'But please, Ronald, as well as trying to look after Hermione, please look after yourself. I have a feeling she will have several words to say to you when she wakes and finds you dead on your feet.'

Ron smiled and nodded. 'I'll try, but I'll not promise anything. Do you have a copy of your notes I could take away and read through?'

'Of course, let me just get my second copy.'

She stood and went into a cupboard off her office. Ron stood and tucked the second chair under the desk. He yawned and just as he was finishing, remembered to put his hand over his mouth.

He smiled when he remembered something Hermione had done the night before.

---

The three of them were sat huddled, waiting for the exact second to leave the safety and security of their hideout.

'I'm bored,' Ron whispered.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. Harry chuckled quietly.

'Well, I'm sorry facing off with Voldemort is turning out so dull for you, Ron, I'll try to do better next time!'

'Ha! If you think I'm doing this again you've got another thing coming, Potter!'

'Think!' Hermione hissed.

Ron grinned but Harry rolled his eyes at his two friends. The disagreement between the two was a year old and didn't look like being resolved soon.

'You know if you just researched the bloody saying you'd find the answer you know!' Harry whispered.

'But where's the fun in that, Harry?' Hermione asked with a grin.

Harry rolled his eyes yet again.

After a few more minutes of just sitting and waiting, Ron yawned.

Hermione tutted and brought his hand to his mouth.

'Seriously, after seven years of knowing me, have I taught you nothing?'

Ron let his hand drop and his smirk was on show for all to see.

'Of course you have! I now no longer—'

They had all heard the quietest rustle of robes and knew it was time.

Harry sighed. 'Now or never.'

'I vote for now,' Ron said, looking Harry directly in the eye.

'Me too,' Hermione added.

'Now it is then,' Harry replied, standing up and holding his head high.

He nodded once and Ron and Hermione followed him out into the clearing before them.

Ron caught Hermione's eye. 'I love you,' he said, but he found no sound had come out.

'Love you too,' Hermione replied, just as silently. 'Stay safe.'

Ron quickly pulled her towards him and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

I'll protect you, he thought to himself.

He let go of Hermione and they followed Harry. Into what, they weren't exactly sure.

---

When he came out of his thoughts he was startled to feel tears on his cheeks. He tried to wipe them away, but the nurse, returning from her cupboard had already spotted them.

She handed Ron the rather large file stuffed full of parchment and he tried to smile in thanks.

'Don't worry, Ron, you'll find her.'

Ron swallowed and nodded.

'Thanks, for this.'

'Make sure you come straight back if you want to ask me anything, anything at all!'

'I will. I promise, and thanks again.'