Disclaimer: If any of you still refuse to believe I'm not JKR, I'm flattered but I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. Everything is her's and I am but a humble servant.
Notes: I still can't believe people are reading and enjoying this, so thank you so much to every single person who reviewed, followed or favourited. It really does mean the world. To those of you who were on the ball about the last chapter- I assure you that Severus will feel stupid for forgetting a simple Accio. Enjoy!
A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes.
Robert Frost
Hermione's stomach was made of knots.
She, Harry and Ginny had all floo'd directly to the reception of St Mungo's while Mr Weasley left to alert Bill and Fleur. Hermione had no time for the recognition of the welcome witch, who stood expectant as they advanced past her. She didn't have time, while storming up the stairs two by two, to so much as glance at the Third Floor. It was all she could do to keep one foot in front of the other while holding on to the contents of her stomach. Sullivan and the Ministry toads could bugger themselves for all she cared. Reaching the fourth floor, Hermione let Harry and Ginny stream in front of her as she attempted to calm her nerves.
She wasn't sure what the greater source of apprehension was: Ron, or Molly.
Entering the smaller waiting area with her head held high, Hermione found neither. George was waiting, his elbows resting on his knee's as she stared down at the standard hospital-grade lino. Looking up at their entrance, George offered Ginny a shrug of acknowledgement, before looking guiltily up at Hermione. He opened his mouth to say something, before apparently thinking better of it.
"Well. Where is he?" Hermione heard herself demand. Once again, her mistakes were responsible for someone she loved. George merely nodded at a door to their immediate left, just as Mrs Weasley emerged
"Ginny is that you... oh."
Mrs Weasley abruptly stopped, taking in the sight of her daughter and Harry standing defensively by Hermione, before ducking back inside at the sound of a low moan from the next room. Ginny offered Hermione a sympathetic grimace, while Harry quietly took the seat next to George. She could appreciate his need to remain neutral she supposed. It didn't help the churning of her stomach though.
Mrs Weasley bustled into the room once more, pulling her shawls and cardigan around her and generally fidgeting wit her hands.
"Right. Ron wants to talk to you" Her lips thinned here, "You'd best go in"
There was a pause and Hermione was fairly sure everyone in the room had heard the unspoken 'Before do anymore harm".
"Mrs Weasley, I, I just wanted to say sorry. I should have told you all from the beginning. I just wanted to atone for some of my mistakes, and well. I've been looking for something to help my parents as well. Not that that excuses anything, I just. I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. Please believe me when I say I'm sorry."
Molly stood, her hands still fidgeting among her woollen layers, and while she was still biting the inside of her lips, her eyes seemed to warm for the slightest moment. But the moment passed when her eyes shot once more between Hermione and Ron's door.
"Yes, well…you'd better go in."
Hermione's heart stung. Molly's treatment of her hadn't always been entirely fair, and she could understand that the older witch would always put her son first, but Hermione couldn't help but remember when the motherly witch had taken her in, and treated her entirely like a daughter. Hermione couldn't help but feel she'd lost her mother all over again.
Swallowing, Hermione kept her head held high as she walked past the Weasley matriarch and into the slightly dimmed hospital room. The room's four beds were empty but for Ron, lying in the far right corner. He seemed to be completely coherent, but his arm was bandaged from his shoulder to his fingertips. Hermione's heart leapt to her throat as she quickly crossed the room.
"Hey" Ron muttered groggily, looking out the window to the busy London street below.
"Hey yourself." She swallowed nervously. Hermione was well aware of all the unspoken words that came to settle between them. The fight, the night spent alone and waiting, Ron's rejected proposal. They all came to hang in the air of the darkened room, like methane waiting for the strike of a match. But how could she start a row now, here? With Ron lying in hospital because of her, with his family waiting just outside. Hermione just couldn't bring herself to begin.
She was tired of fighting.
"How are you?"
Fantastic opening Hermione, great input on the situation, perhaps Ron is rubbing off on you.
"Okay I guess. The Healers want to determine what sort of fire it was. They'll see what the scarring looks like tomorrow." Ron spoke slowly and steadily, as one might walk around a minefield.
"Look, Mione, I don't know if mum's told-"
"What happened Ron?" They both stopped awkwardly, having spoken over the top of each other.
"Sorry, go on" Hermione relented, her face flushing slightly.
"I- Look. Hermione, just, you know I'm really sorry right? I- the thing is, well…bloody hell." Ron stopped his spluttering and looked Hermione dead in the eyes. His face was full of regret, but it had a defiant edge to it too. It was the same defensive look he adopted when losing an argument.
"When I came in drunk, last night, I heard you and Harry talking-"
Hermione all but groaned, "Ron, look I've told you it's nothing like that-"
"No, let me finish Mione. I'd been sitting outside for ages, when it was just you in the kitchen and, well anyway. I heard you and Harry talking, and something just clicked you know."
Hermione was speechless as he continued. So I was sitting in that Kitchen alone all night while Ron was just outside?
"I get, well, I think I get, why you don't want to get married Hermione. I think you've known it for a while too. This isn't working."
Ron searched her face, as if hoping to pick up some sign or spasm that said he was wrong, that Hermione hadn't known, that she was shocked and upset and was about to prove him wrong.
But for once, it was all Hermione could do to sadly nod. It was one of the few times she felt no need to correct the boy lying despondent in the bed.
"Well. Uhm. As I said, it hit me. All at once like. The Healers reckon the Whisky didn't help much. I only came in once you'd left, and well. I don't know what made me, but I went upstairs, just to sit in your room for a bit. I just lost it Hermione. I'm so sorry."
Hermione stared down at Ron, not quite understanding what this had to do with anything.
Looking down at his arm, something finally clicked. It was his left arm swathed in bandages. But Hermione knew, after 7 years of magical education and a myriad of adventures, that Ron's Right was his wand arm.
Ron seemed perturbed at her lack of reaction.
"It wasn't intentional Mione, I swear. I was just sitting at your desk, when there was this wash of red, and the next thing I'm on the floor and there's fire everywhere."
Hermione couldn't stop the next words that sprang from her lips.
"My notes?"
Even as it came out of her mouth, Hermione wished she could have taken it back. She was meant to ask if he was okay. Or offer an apology, or forgive him. Anything, but the two simple words that had turned Ron's face to stone.
"Like I said. I never meant to touch your bloody notes alright?" Ron snarled defensively.
Hermione rested her head in her hands, looking determinedly out of the window while counting to ten. She would have given anything to run out into the jostling muggle crowd, to hill her lungs with the sooty London air. The silence of the room was dense, and the smell of disinfectant and plastic seemed to clog up her lungs. Ron was staring up at the ceiling now, possibly regretting his outburst.
Even if it hadn't been three flights of stairs to the exit, Hermione wouldn't be going anywhere. She was tired of running.
All of my notes; Everything. And George's too. I'll have to start from scratch. I'll have to mark down everything I remember, and-
It was then Hermione realised she didn't have time for any of that. The Ministry would be releasing it's law in four days.
But Mum and Dad.
The silence had stretched out for some time, when Ron finally spoke, never taking his eyes from the ceiling.
"I really am sorry Mione. I never meant for this to happen. And I just want you to know, that if you get tired of hiding and fighting, my offer still stands you know. To marry me that is. We could make it work."
The lump in Hermione's throat returned in full force. It was this Ron, with his tactless Gryffindor chivalry that would always have a place in her heart.
"I couldn't do that to you Ron. It wouldn't be fair to either of us. This hasn't been working for quite some time now."
Ron offered her a sad smile. "I meant it, when I said I never aimed for any of this."
"I know Ron, It's not your fault. It's… well it's not anyone's fault." Hermione tried to sustain a forgiving tone, but her disappointment managed to seep through it.
All my notes. Just when I'd finally finished.
When I need my parents the most.
"Can we… I mean. We can still be friends right? You don't hate me or anything?"
Hermione looked down at the round freckled face of the boy who'd once sent her running in tears to the girl's lavatories. She bit back a comment on how successful their friendship had ever been to begin with.
"One condition Ron."
Ron looked up at her, his eyes wide with nerves, and perhaps even a trace of fear.
"Never call me 'Mione again. I've always hated that name."
Ron opened his mouth before promptly closing it again. His grimace summed up more than words ever could. After all, there wasn't much left to say.
"I'll send Harry in." Hermione said quietly, before taking a deep breath and leaving the room. Entering the corridor once more, she nodded to Harry and Ginny while leaving the door open for them to enter.
Which left her alone with a mute George and a hostile Molly Weasley.
"Well. George dear, would you mind running up to the shop to get everyone some tea? There's a boy." Molly asked in a calm but steely voice. George shot Hermione an apologetic look before rising to his feet and setting off up the stairs.
"Right, Hermione." Molly was no longer fidgeting with her layers, and Hermione wasn't entirely sure whether that was a good sign or not.
"Dear, I hate to be indelicate, but given the situation I think it's best for everyone, if you were to remain at Ginny's, for the time being." Molly had placed her arms around the dumbstruck witch, and was sweeping her along down the corridor. Her words were clear and precise and it was obvious that the elder witch had been preparing this speech for some time.
"Now, Arthur is back at work, and visiting hours end in another hour or two, so if you were to leave now, you'd have time to clear away any, well; Any remaining material. We don't want anything to trigger Ron again, when he returns, Do we? I left most of it as I found it. I know, well, it's been made perfectly clear just how much that research means to you, hasn't it dear?"
Hermione felt a familiar upsurge of rage sweep through her system, momentarily rendering her speechless. Never; never had Hermione expected this from the seemingly benevolent Mrs Weasley. But just as swiftly as the rage was ignited, her overwhelming sense of guilt smothered the spark.
Of course you can't stay there, idiot. Did you think everything would return to the way it was? You lied to all of them. You turned down their Son. Of course you deserve to be kicked out. At least she's being civil about it.
"I, I understand. I'll go clear everything out now." Hermione nodded.
Mrs Weasley only patted her on the shoulder, before leaving her alone at the mouth of the stairwell. Hermione didn't know what kept her fixed in the doorway, but she continued to watch as the motherly witch disappeared into Ron's room without so much as a backward glance.
Please review, I tried to paint Molly in a fair, but protective motherly light, and I'd love to know what you think. Thanks so much for reading :)
A/N: Thank's to CRMediagirl for pointing out my mix up between Fred/George. How embarrassing. Also, life threatens to get in the way for the next few days so it could be a slightly longer wait for an update, I am sorry but hopefully you'll all live :)
