By the time they arrived at the hospital, Hermione was fading in and out of consciousness and her pulse was thready at best. They gave her a bezoar immediately, but there was no effect on her condition. Her breathing was labored and had a constant grimace of pain on her face. Ron had never seen Hermione like this; usually when she was hurt she would wince briefly and shake it off.
By late afternoon, they were no closer to finding an antidote. The healers had managed to confirm that she had been poisoned within the first few minutes, however, since they didn't know the type of poison, it was impossible to create an antidote. The healers had no choice but to begin treating her symptoms. Luckily, they were able to stabilize her relatively quickly.
The whole Weasley family, excluding George, were crammed into the small hospital room looking on as healers tried a variety of potions and spells that didn't seem to have much of an effect. They had given her a sleeping draught a few hours ago so she could rest and have a reprise from the pain. They had also cast a modified bubble head charm to aid in breathing. Once she was breathing regularly, she looked at least a little more peaceful than she had when they arrived.
Ron sat diligently by Hermione's bedside with her hand clasped in his, eyes fixed on her sleeping face. Ron was reminded of their second year when Hermione was petrified. He would frequently sneak to the hospital wing without Harry to talk to her and deliver homework she couldn't do. When no one else was around he would tentatively reach out and taken her hand in his. Ron had the distinct impression this was different, there was fear boiling in his stomach that hadn't been there before. Before, he knew she would be ok because they only had to wait for the Mandrakes to mature, but now he had no idea.
As Harry watched from the other side of he room, he was also distinctly reminded of another hospitalization, except it was their sixth year when Ron had been poisoned. Despite the ongoing feud between Ron and Hermione, Hermione had sat diligently at Ron's bedside, his hand clasped in hers. Even Lavender's presence in the hospital wing hadn't deterred her. Despite constant bickering and prolonged silences, Ron and Hermione had always been protective of each other in a way that had always struck Harry. Harry looked over at Ginny and wondered if she had ever snuck into the hospital wing to hold his hand.
The severe witch who had been acting as Hermione's healer walked in to announce visiting hours were over. "Immediate family only, everyone else must leave. You can return tomorrow at 9:00 am."
Ron panicked, he couldn't leave her. What would she think if she woke up here alone? Words began to tumble from his mouth before he realized what he was saying, "We're married," he choked, "I'm her husband."
The healer gave him a skeptical look, Ron added hastily, "We eloped after the battle."
The rest of the Weasley's and Harry couldn't hide the look of shock on their faces, none of them had any idea if this was true or not. Ron had no way of telling them it was a lie, so he turned back to Hermione hoping his face didn't betray him.
Luckily, Mrs. Weasley composed herself quickly and kissed Ron on the forehead. "We'll be back first thing in the morning," she told him. "Come on everyone, out we go, back to the Burrow," she said as she herded everyone else out of the room.
The healer shot a last skeptical look at Ron before leaving. She clearly didn't believe him, but obviously had some respect for his dedication to the girl laying unconscious in front of him.
Ron let out a sigh of relief, he couldn't believe he'd gotten away with it. Well, for now anyway, he was sure there would be hell to pay when Hermione found out. For now he was content he didn't have to leave her in case... He shook his head he refused to let himself finish that thought.
The sun set outside and Ron continued his vigil. He refused dinner from the kindly young nurse who came to look in on Hermione. There was a large lump in his throat, he was sure if he tried to swallow any food he would choke, not that he was hungry anyway.
In the middle of the night the sleeping draught finally wore off and Hermione began to stir. Ron jolted to attention, he hadn't fallen asleep but his mind had begun to wander.
"Ron?" Hermione croaked.
"I'm here Hermione." He whispered as if speaking any louder would cause more damage.
"Where am I? What's going on?" Hermione asked trying to push herself up on her elbows, she winced in pain.
Ron gently pushed her back down onto her pillows. "We're at St. Mungo's, the man at the funeral poisoned you," Ron explained trying to sound calm.
"What time is it?" Hermione asked realizing that it was dark outside.
Ron looked at his watch, " 'Bout 3:30 in the morning." Ron drew out his answer, knowing that even though Hermione was on her death bed, she still wouldn't miss that he was still there after visiting hours.
He was right. "What are you still doing here?" She asked.
Their eyes were locked in what Ron imagined to be the most painful staring contest in history, "Erm...well...don't be mad Hermione, but I told them we were married. They wouldn't let me stay otherwise and I couldn't bear the thought of you alone here." He braced himself for the backlash.
"Ronald Weasley!" exclaimed Hermione, although she didn't sound mad. It was hard to tell for sure though because she grimaced with pain afterwards having jolted herself too much. She was also shivering fairly violently from the fever.
Ron let out a second sigh of relief and took her hand in his again, "Are you feeling any better?" Ron asked hopefully.
"No, maybe even worse." Hermione mumbled. She was already dizzy when she woke up and now her head was reeling from Ron's lie. Married. The word echoed around and around in her head. "Why did you say that?" She asked.
"Well isn't it normal to ask how your sick friend is doing?" He asked sheepishly, knowing full well what she meant.
Hermione couldn't muster the energy for a glare, she just mumbled, "Fine." It also wasn't lost on her that Ron had said friend and not girlfriend.
"Hermione, I just needed to be here. I swore that I wouldn't let anything else hurt you and I screwed up again. You wouldn't be here if I hadn't been short with you at the funeral, you wouldn't have stormed off. It's all my fault."
"S'not your fault." She replied weakly, inwardly annoyed that everything had to be about him, she couldn't just get poisoned. She was about to tell him as much, but she suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired.
"Yes it is. I keep trying to be the man you deserve and I just can't." Ron noticed Hermione had fallen back to sleep without hearing any of it. "Don't worry Hermione, I'll be here until you're better, and then I won't bother you anymore. I'll let you find someone who can take care of you like you deserve," he vowed to no one in particular.
The past 12 hours at St. Mungo's watching Hermione get progressively sicker had dredged up old feelings of insecurity. He wasn't good enough, not for someone like Hermione. He allowed these thoughts to chase themselves around his head for hours, until finally just as the sun was coming up he dozed off. His head resting on the edge of the bed, Hermione's hand still gripped in his.
He was jolted awake by a bloodcurdling scream. A young healer sprinted into the room. Hermione was thrashing and talking in a panicked voice, "Ron, watch out! Bellatrix! No, no,no," she broke off into incoherent mumbling.
The healer stood frozen, he wasn't much older than them. Ron figured he had just finished his medical training. "It's just a nightmare," Ron told the healer as he tried to soothe Hermione.
The healer visibly relaxed. "Strange dream to be having about Bellatrix Lestrange, maybe she shouldn't read so much in the Daily Prophet," the healer said dismissively.
Ron felt rage boil up at the ignorant remark, he pushed it back down. "Yeah, strange dream," he replied carefully tugging Hermione's pajama sleeve down over the word mudblood etched into her arm.
Very few people in the world would ever really understand how broken the war had left them. Ron figured you couldn't get mad at the people who didn't know why they couldn't sleep through the night without nightmares. They were lucky and they didn't even know it, Ron thought bitterly.
Ron was actually relieved when his family arrived at St. Mungo's. He welcomed any reprieve from his dark thoughts.
"Ronald, have you slept at all?" Mrs. Weasley asked immediately upon entering. Ron shrugged noncommittally. "Well, have you eaten?" Mrs. Weasley pressed.
"Mum, I'm not hungry" Ron groaned.
"Ginny dear, go get Ron some breakfast from the canteen." Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but her mother glared at her and she swallowed her retort before slinking out of the room.
"How is she mate?" Harry asked pulling another chair next to Hermione's bed.
"The healers say she's unchanged" Ron responded without mentioning that he was pretty sure she was getting worse. They couldn't control her fever and the flush had left her cheeks making her look positively grey. Even under the influence of the sleeping draught they couldn't stop the shivering.
They sat in silence until Ginny returned with a bacon sandwich and a carton of pumpkin juice. Ron thanked her and took the food. He made a show of taking a few swigs of the juice before setting both aside. Mrs. Weasley sighed but didn't say anything.
The next three days passed much the same. Ron perched at Hermione's bedside, everyone else coming and going with the tide of visiting hours. Ron had Harry bring Hermione's copy of 'Hogwarts: A History' to read to her. Ron wasn't even sure if she could hear him, but he read chapter after chapter just in case.
Hermione slipped further and further away looking more ghastly with each passing day. It became clear to Ron that whatever the healers were doing wasn't working.
The next healer to come into Hermione's room was the stern, older witch. Ron noticed she looked more cross than usual, but he had to say something.
He screwed up his courage and said, "Excuse me, whatever you're doing doesn't seem to be helping. Isn't there anything else you can do?"
The older witch continued to examine Hermione and sighed. "You're right, we had hoped the poison would work its way out of her system, it appears it's not going to. Whatever poison was used was very dark and complicated magic."
Ron felt as if his heart had dropped into his stomach, "are you saying she's going to..." Ron choked out, unable to finish the sentence.
"It seems likely, but there is one more thing we can try. The research team at St. Mungo's has been working on a broad spectrum antidote, that will be five times more effective than a bezoar. However, it's still highly experimental," The healer explained.
"Is it dangerous?" Ron asked.
"Yes, especially with someone as weak as Ms. Granger, it could be fatal."
"Well we should wake her up and tell her" Ron said growing frantic.
"Unfortunately we are past that, I'm afraid even if we did wake her she would be delirious from the fever. As her husband you need to make the decision," said the healer with a faux grin, Ron couldn't help but notice the emphasis she put on the word husband.
Ron felt like he was going to be sick; he looked at Hermione. She looked so small. Ron wandered what she would do, probably demand all of the research and every medical text in the Hogwarts library in order to make an informed decision. Ron knew that even with all of the time in the world he would never understand everything about the antidote. He didn't have brains like Hermione, all he had was his gut and it had served him well so far.
"Give it to her," he said with as much confidence as he could muster. The healer looked shocked. Ron sat up a little straighter and set a stern look on his face, and the healer seemed to accept that he was serious. She left the room more quickly than Ron had ever seen her move.
"Hermione, please don't hate me for doing this," Ron implored. He touched his forehead to hers, he couldn't hold back his tears anymore. Tears dripped off of his nose and onto her cheeks.
When the healer returned he screwed up his face and tried to compose himself, but his puffy eyes and runny nose gave him away.
The healer held a small vial of bubbling pink liquid. "You're sure?" She asked. Ron nodded and the healer tipped the liquid down Hermione's throat.
She sputtered slightly as she swallowed the thick liquid, but then nothing happened. Ron watched expectantly.
"It may take some time to see results," the healer said, but she didn't sound confident in the outcome. "I'll be back soon to check on her," with that the healer left Ron alone with his decision.
He knew if he sat there in silence he would worry himself to death so he took out 'Hogwarts: A History' and began reading the chapter about muggle-repelling enchantments. He would occasionally look up at Hermione, only to find she was getting worse. She was covered in a sheen of sweat and thrashing even under the effects of the sleeping draught. Ron continued reading as if it were a prayer that could save her life.
Eventually Hermione started to look so bad that Ron left her bedside for the first time in days to find a healer. "Someone help, please," he said desperately into the busy hallway.
The young healer from the other day rushed to Hermione's room. She looked still, too still. Ron braced himself for the worst.
The healer examined her for what felt like hours and then he stepped back and said, "Well I have good news for you, her fever broke. It will be a while until she gets her strength back, but I think it's safe to say the treatment worked."
Ron felt the air woosh back into his lungs. "Oh thank Merlin," he said tears pricking his eyes. He sat back at Hermione's side and brushed her damp curls off of her forehead.
Not long after, Hermione stirred and her eyes fluttered open, "Hey," she said with a raspy voice.
"Hey, I'm glad you're awake," Ron responded with relief.
"I feel like I've been hit by a bus," Hermione said wincing.
"Yeah, you've had a rough couple of days," Ron replied.
"How long have I been here?" Hermione asked.
"About four days, the healers say you should be fine though." He said trying to sound nonchalant
Hermione wasn't buying it. "Ron, what happened? I don't really remember anything after the funeral"
Ron launched into the whole story including his lie about their elopement and his decision to give her an experimental potion. When he finished, he braced himself for the backlash. He had done a lot of things the past few days that would make Hermione's blood boil.
"Thank you," was all Hermione said.
Ron looked at her shocked, "What?"
"You saved my life Ronald, I think that is something to say thank you for" Hermione said in a familiar know-it-all tone.
Ron could have kissed her, snogged her absolutely senseless. Not only was she not mad at him for pretty much the first time ever, but she was also starting to sound distinctly Hermione-ish. Instead he leaned forward and kissed her clammy forehead. Ron hadn't forgot his vow to let Hermione find someone better. The sooner he began to distance himself the easier it would be for her.
"Well you'd best get your rest, you'll need a lot of strength to explain to my mum that we aren't actually married and she shouldn't expect any little Weasleys in the near future," Ron teased.
Hermione didn't rise to the bait, instead she just smiled and settled back into her pillow. She had to admit that she liked this new take charge, protect Hermione bit Ron seemed to be pulling lately. Hermione had always struggled to picture Ron as anything other than a goofy teenager, but the last week she had started seeing him as more than that. He was someone who would take care of her no matter what, she could even picture him as a father someday. With that thought, she drifted back to sleep with Ron's hand clasped in hers.
AN: I hope that everyone has liked these last two chapters. I'm finally starting to get into the plot of the story a little bit. Please keep leaving reviews and suggestions. I hope to have another chapter posted soon.