Enjoy!

February moved towards March with no change in the weather except that it became windy as well as wet. To general indignation, a sigh went up all common room notice boards that the next trip to Hogsmeade had been canceled.

Probably because of what happened to Katie Bell, Paige thought, reading the sign. What she had heard Karie still hadn't returned from St. Mungo's. And reported by the Daily prophet more disappearances had happened. including several relatives of students at Hogwarts.

That day would have an apparition lesson so it was something, and Paige knew it would be Ron's birthday. She got him something, she first wanted to ask Hermione for help but didn't dare to bring up Ron again. So she got something herself, hoping he would like it. 'Otherwise the thought is what counts.' She mumbled to herself.

Three lessons on, Apparition was proving as difficult as ever, though a few more students had managed to splinch themselves.

Paige was walking down the hallway, towards the Gryffindor common room hoping to give Ron his birthday present. When at the entrance of the Gryffindor common room the painting swung open and Ron emerged.

'Well, lucky me.' Paige said. 'Happy birthday Ron, I got you a present.'

'Yes, thanks,' he sounded out of breath. 'But I can't right now, Paige.' He said with the utmost sincerity. 'Harry is going to introduce me to Romilda Vane!' He moved past her. Paige gaped, still holding the present outstretched. Harry came out of the portrait as well, seeing Paige he laughed softly.

'Is Ron all right?' Paige asked him, putting Ron's present in her pocket.

'He accidentally took someone's love potion.' Now Paige gaped at Harry. 'I'm bringing him to Slughorn.'

'Good idea, I'll come with.' Paige said, Harry nodded and the three of them walked to Slughorn's office.

Harry knocked on the door, afraid he would maybe already be in the great hall. But moments later Slughorn opened his office door.

'Harry,' He mumbled. 'This is very early for a call… I generally sleep late on a Saturday..'

'Professor, I'm really sorry to disturb you.' Said Harry as quietly as possible, while Ron stood on tiptoe, attempting to see past Slughorn into his room. Paige was trying to get Ron to back down but he wouldn't budge. 'But my friend Ron swallowed a love potion by mistake. you couldn't make him an antidote, could you? Harry continued.

'I'd have thought you could have whipped him up a remedy yourself!' asked Slughorn.

'Er, 'said Harry, somewhat distracted by the fact that Ron was now elbowing him in the ribs and Paige was trying to pull Ron off of him. Hearing her say things like; 'Come on Ron! Just wait a moment! You will see her in a minute!'

'Well, I've never mixed an antidote for a love potion sir, and by the time i get it right, Ron might've done something serious-'

Helpfully, Ron chose this moment to moan, 'I can't see her, Paige- Is he hiding her?'

'Was this potion within date?' Slughorn asked, now eyeing Ron with professional interest. 'They can strengthen, you know, the longer they're kept.'

´That would explain a lot.' Looking at Ron and Paige almost wrestling at this point. 'It's his birthday, Professor.' Harry added.

'Oh, all right, come in, then, come in.' Slughorn said. Paige finally let go on Ron who bursted through the door into Slughorn's overheated, crowded study, tripped over a tasseled footstool, regained his balance by seizing Harry around the neck, and muttered, 'She didn't see that, did she?'

'She isn't here yet.' Harry said, rubbing his neck. He heard Paige muffle a laugh. He looked at her with amusement.

They walked inside the office. 'That's good,' Ron answered Harry. He turned to Paige again. 'How do I look?'

'Very handsome,' Slughorn said smoothly, handing Ron a glass of clear liquid. 'Now drink up, it's a tonic for the nerves.'

'Brilliant,' said Ron eagerly, and gulped the antidote down noisily.

Harry, Paige and Slughorn watched him. For a moment, Ron beamed at them. Then, very slowly, his grin sagged and vanished, to be replaced by an expression of utmost horror.

'Back to normal, then?' Harry asked, grinning. 'Thanks a lot, professor!'

'Don't mention it.' Slughorn said, as Ron collapsed into a nearby armchair, looking devastated. 'Pick me up, is what he needs.' Slughorn continued, he was looking at his drinks. 'I've got butterbeer, I've got wine, I've got one last bottle of this oak-matured mead…hmmm.. meant to give that to Dumbledore for Christmas.. ah, well…' He shrugged, he opened the bottle and filled up glasses. 'And it's the poor boy's birthday.' He handed over the oak mead filled glasses to Ron, Harry and Paige.

He raised his own glass, 'Well, a very happy birthday, Ralph.- '

'Ron, sir.' Harry whispered but Ron was not paying attention; he had already thrown the mead into his mouth and swallowed it.

There was one second, hardly more than a heartbeat, in which Harry and Paige knew there was something terribly wrong and Slughorn, it seemed, did not.

'- and may you have many more-'

Ron!' Harry and Paige called out.

Rond had dropped his glass; he half-rose from his chair and then crumpled, his extremities jerking uncontrollably. Foam was dribbling from his mouth, and his eyes were bulging from their sockets.

'Professor!' Harry bellowed, 'Do something!'

But Slughorn seemed paralyzed by shock. Ron twitched and choked: his skin turning blue. Paige kneeled beside him, terror in her eyes. Was this somehow her fault? Did Ashley know she and Harry had reconnected and this was her revenge?

Harry leapt over a low table and sprinted towards Slughorn's open potion kit, piling out jars and pouches, while the terrible sound of Ron's gargling breath filled the room. Then he found it - The shriveled kidney like stone Slughorn had taken from him in Potions.

He hurtled back to Ron's side, wrenched open his jaw and thrust the bezoar into his mouth. Ron gave a great shudder, a rittling gasp, and his body became limp and still.

Harry and Paige looked at each other, never having felt so unsure.

Ron had quickly been taken to the hospital wing. Hermione had hurtled her way to them, demanded to know what had happened and stayed quiet after that, sitting next to Paige. Harry, Paige, Hermione were waiting the whole day outside the door.

When Ginny arrived she gave Harry a hug. 'What happened?' She asked concerned. Harry started to explain. Ginny gaped at him while listening to his story.

'Can't believe it,' She said after he had finished. She turned around to Hermione and Paige.

'What are you doing here?' Ginny sounded annoyed. Paige and Hermione looked up. She was looking at Paige.

'I was there when it happened, I wanted to give Ron his birthday present.' Paige explained holding up her small present.

'Yeah, right! Maybe you poisoned him!' Ginny accused. Harry spoke up quickly, 'Whoa, Ginny! Paige has nothing to do with this!'

'Well she kept avoiding you after the summer and now she suddenly wants to give Ron a "present" and he gets poisoned?!'

Paige stood up, feeling anger built up inside of her. 'I wouldn't hurt Ron!' Paige bellowed.

'You would hurt Harry!' Ginny bellowed back, standing really close to Paige's face.

'Ginny, please.' Harry tried but she wouldn't budge.

'What?' Paige said, confused on how this had anything to do with Harry.

'You know how heartbroken he was when you broke up with him? How worried he had been over the summer. Feeling your connection weaken bit by bit not knowing what was happening to you? How he felt the connection die out? He thought you had died, he was sure you had died.' Ginny said frantically. 'We had to comfort him! We tried to reassure him, but he wouldn't believe us.' She kept close to Paige's face looking extremely angry. 'Hah and then yeah, he sees you on the train and he can finally rest the worry and finally believe you didn't die! and then you breakup with him?!'

Paige took a step back, lost for words. She felt like throwing up. Her eyes flew to Harry who was staring at the ground. Shame and guilt exploding in her chest.

'And then you kiss him? but saying you can't be with him? Getting his hopes up?' Ginny let out what felt like, weeks of frustration. Paige's eyes flew back to Ginny. 'And now?!' Ginny continued. 'Now you're just back? You're all friends again? God, Paige. Harry deserves better!' She finished, still staring at Paige waiting for an answer.

It took almost a whole minute but Paige finally said, 'You're right.' She sounded hoarse.

'Paige-' She heard Harry and Hermione speak.

'No, Ginny is right.' Paige kept her eyes on Ginny, the guilt she felt turned into jealousy. 'You would be the better option for Harry, right?'

Ginny was taken aback, getting red in the face. 'That's not the point.'

'No, true. but it's definitely a factor.' Paige felt irritated, she knew she had been the asshole in the situation. but she did try to do the right thing, to protect Harry.

Ginny looked furious. 'Still, Paige. Wouldn't it just be better for you to leave us alone.'

'Ginny!' Harry said again. 'Stop it.' She looked angrily at Paige then at Harry.

'Fine.'

The doors of the hospital wing opened, Madam Pomfrey walked out. 'You can see your friend now.'

All four of them walked inside, Ron was sleeping. They took place next to him, Hermione and Paige stayed silent while Harry and Ginny were further discussed as to who it could have been. Hearing Harry say, 'Don't go there Ginny.' a few times.

Few hours later Fred and George walked in..

'So, all in all, not one of Ron's better birthdays?' Said Fred. Ron was the only occupied bed.

'This isn't how I wanted to give him his present.' George said, putting down a large wrapped gift on Ron's bedside cabinet. Next to Paige's much smaller gift.

'How did this happen again?' Fred asked Harry.

Harry began telling the story again, he was telling it to so many people.

Paige still kept quiet because she was still fearing it was her fault, or maybe even worse.. Draco's. She didn't feel like talking anyway, she kept on seeing Ron's distorted face.

She was sitting next to Hermione, staring at Ron's now sleeping face. She ran cold thinking about what would have happened if Harry hadn't gotten that Bezoar.

'Do mom and dad know?' She heard George ask.

'Yes they were here an hour ago, they are with Dumbledore now.' Ginny replied.

Ron mumbled a little in his sleep. Fred and Harry started to discuss who could have done this and why?

'Maybe the poison was meant to get you, Harry?' Fred suggested. Paige looked up at Fred who was looking at Harry.

Paige quickly looked away again, staring at her feet. He's right, it could have been for Harry. That would make more sense if it was Ashley, Paige thought, rubbing her hands together.

They continued discussing whether Slughorn would want to poison Harry, when Ginny said, 'Yeah but didn't you say he had been planning to give the bottle to Dumbledore?'

'Then the poisoner didn't know Slughorn very well.' Said Hermione, speaking for the first time in hours and sounding as though she had a bad head cold. 'Anyone, who knew Slughorn would have known there was a good chance he would keep it for himself.'

'Er-my-nee.' Croaked Ron unexpectedly. Paige looked at Hermione, who was looking at Ron then to Paige..

The doors opened, Hagrid walked in. 'I have been busy with Aragog's, he is getting worse. How is ron?'

'They say he will be alright.' Harry answered Hagrid.

'Who could have done this?' Hagrid said hoarsely. 'Someone couldn't hold a grudge against the Gryffindor Quidditch team, could they?' He sounded anxious. 'First Katie, now Ron….'

'I don't think so, but I do think the attacks are connected.' Hermione said, and she explained her findings. When the door opened again Mr. and Mrs. Weasly hurried up the ward. Mrs. Weasley seized hold of Harry and hugged him tightly. 'You saved his life, Harry.'

'Half our family does seem to owe you their lives.' Mr. Weasley stated.

Harry couldn't reply. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office to tell them just 6 visitors were allowed. Paige, Hermione, Hagrid and Harry gave the Weasley family some space. Hagrid and the rest parted ways.

'Are you okay, Paige?' Harry asked, Hermione looked worried too.

'I'm.. fine, why?'

Harry and Hermione looked at each other awkwardly. 'All the things Ginny said.' Hermione explained.

'Right,' Paige turned to Harry. 'I'm so sorry Harry, I never wanted to make you feel that way.'

'Paige, no, don't. I know you didn't wanna make me feel that way.'

'Yeah but I did lead you on-' Paige tried but Harry broke her off.

'Yeah, I wanted you too. I was hoping you would. I was leading!' He said, taking her hands in his. They looked at each other. 'And I know I'll be really glad if you started hanging out with us again. I'm really glad you hung out with Hermione a lot these few months.'

Hermione nodded in agreement. Paige couldn't help but smile.

Harry swung her arms a bit, getting a bit red before asking Paige softly, 'Wanna make it official again?'

Paige's smile got bigger, she felt herself blushing too. 'Yeah alright.' She answered softly, kissing Harry gently.

Everything will be alright, right? Both Harry and Paige thought, as they walked hand in hand back to the great hall.

Thank you for reading my fanfic!