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| Reasons and Fears | ||||||||||||||||||||
| With a small 'pop!', Ron was in the emergency wing of St. Mungo's. As if they were awaiting his arrival, two mediwizards whisked Hermione out of his arms and into an emergency room. A third mediwizard escorted him to small, private examining room. Nothing was said, no questions asked (common knowledge led him to believe it was the Dark Lord's work). He simply gave Ron a quick check- up, healed his shoulder and left, softly clicking the door behind him. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ron sat in unemotional silence; Rage, anger, hatred, shock, stress, sorrow, weariness and worry all fighting for control of his body and mind. The clash of them all led him to only show a blank stare to the world. Bill, Charlie and George were dead. Hermione, Fred and Ginny were severely wounded. His mother was safely at home- thank Merlin. But what about the rest of the Phoenix Order? Dumbledore. He's dead. 'He's dead,' was all Ron could say in his mind. 'Dumbledore is dead. Voldemort murdered Albus Dumbledore in cold blood.' At this point rage was winning the battle in his body. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| A wave of thoughts came over him. 'Percy. Remus. Dean. Lee. Justin. Cho.-' All his friends and colleagues. 'What became of them?' His brow furrowed at the answers his mind gave him. These were more like memories that would forever be in his nightmares. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 'The Phoenix Order drove the battle from High Street in Hogsmeade to the mountains above it,' said his mind. 'Thank Merlin, too. That saved countless innocent lives, it did.' Ron nodded to himself. 'It was a heated war; Death Eaters outnumbered five to one. Yet somehow they managed to strike down half the Order.' | ||||||||||||||||||||
| A small click came from the door behind him but Ron gave no notice. He sat there submerged in his thoughts of earlier in the day. 'All I remember is cursing a large amount of Death Eaters. How many? There were too many to tell... Amazing how many had turned to follow Voldemort.' Years ago he feared to speak that retched name, fearing his body would be poisoned because of it. Now it was only a name that left a disgusting taste in his mouth, the fear was gone. 'Charlie was struck down in front of me,' the voice in his head said, almost quivering. 'He was hit with a curse meant for me... Dove in front of me, screaming, "Ron! No!"... I looked into his eyes- Lifeless and blank... He fell to the ground. Dead.' A tear silently rolled down, leaving the trail on his cheek cold. 'That sent me over the edge... Killed every Death Eater within my range. Even the one that killed Charlie- Pettigrew. The bastard deserved to die.' His hands were now shaking with unspeakable anger. 'He's caused my family and friends so much pain. Deceived me for years and framed Sirius-' | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ron?" asked a quiet, tired voice beside him. He remained still. All he could think of was Pettigrew's screams as he finished him off. "Ron," echoed the voice again in his head. It was oddly familiar. Coming out of his reverie, he turned to face the man beside him. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Percy," he breathed, wrapping his arms around his brother. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| They clung to each other, as if their lives depended on that hug, not wanting to lose the other again. Ron shut his eyes, losing the battle to stop any tears from emerging. "Thank goodness," Percy repeated over and over again, muffled by Ron's shoulder. Reluctantly they pulled away. Still grasping each other by the arms they looked into their faces. Percy's reflected his own: Damp with tears, eyes red and full of worry, yet relief at the same time. No words were exchanged for several moments. As hard as Ron tried to form any, his throat contracted and his mouth dried up. There was nothing he could say that Percy didn't already know. He wanted to tell him how much he loved him- But Percy knew that as well. "Ron..." he spoke, barely above a whisper. His throat was acting in the same way. "Are you alright?" He nodded, not wanting to risk breaking down in his arms. "Dad?" Ron's eyes flickered at the thought of where his father currently was. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "With Harry-" he choked. Percy held his breath. "Still in..." Nothing more needed to be said. They both already knew. He suddenly had to know. "Ginny?" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sleeping. She'll be fine in a couple of months... Mom's there," Percy sighed. Before Ron could ask, he continued. "Fred's still critical, but his chances improved slightly..." Little by little the weight slowly lifted off Ron. "Seamus came minutes before you. Brought Lee Jordan and Susan Bones with him- They're doing fine." Percy looked into his eyes and knew what question of the many he wanted answered. "I don't know about Hermione. Last I heard from Severus, she was waking up." It was enough to allow Ron a breath of hope again. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| This time around Percy tried to seek answers. "Bill and Charlie?" Ron didn't want to answer that. He remained quiet and bowed his head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a fanged earring. Bill's earring. Immediately Percy tried to fight back sobs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ch- Charlie- saved me," Ron stammered, tears re- emerging. "Dove in front of me-" He looked into his brothers eyes, tears freely flowing. "George- by Lucius Malfoy. Couldn?t reach him in time..." His voice drifted off somewhere as he felt the lump in his throat painfully grow to the size of a melon. 'I can't keep doing this,' he growled to himself in his mind. 'Enough is enough, Ronald!' | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ron faced Percy again. During all this time, he'd failed to notice how worn and fatigued he'd become over the last years. Even though he wasn't Minister of Magic yet, he hadn't failed to show the signs of age. Barely twenty five and he had enough experience to last him three life times. Several bags under his eyes emerged with shades from lack of sleep. His once rosy cheeks had lost most of their color. He'd gotten thinner, the skin on his hands slightly stretched and wrinkled. Yet those eyes of him were full of strength and determination. But at the moment they were clouded over with unmistakable sorrow. Percy realized Ron's eyes were glazed over in thought. "Let's go see Ginny," he said putting an arm around his shoulder. Startled at the sudden touch, he let his head drop and nodded. With some help, Ron got to his feet and allowed Percy to steer him out. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ron! Oh my Ron!" Molly Weasley nearly shrieked bowling over her son in alleviation. "Ron, Ron, Ron... my beautiful boy," she cried holding him. Ron held her tight, forcing himself not to have a break down in front of his mother. She helped him sit in a chair beside Ginny while she sat on the bed. Still holding his mother's hand in one of his own, he took Ginny's and sadly watched her sleep. Mrs. Weasley squeezed his hand in support. He returned the affection. "Percy, dear, have you heard from your father or Harry?" He glanced at his brother in the chair, then looked back to his mother, shaking his head. She bowed her head and sighed with a shudder. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "They'll be okay," Ron finally said, more to himself than to his family. "They'll be okay... Give them more time." | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hours slowly trickled by and the storm outside never let up. Percy and Ron told their mother all they knew, who died and who was still missing. Reluctantly, after having herself a good long cry on both her sons' shoulders, she drifted into an uneasy sleep. Percy never left Ginny's side. Meanwhile, Ron sat by the large window, overlooking the ocean far below the hill they were on. It was gray and murky, rain and lightning only visible in the dark. As a fresh roll of thunder came about, he couldn?t help but notice how the weather was reflecting his every emotion at that moment. 'Dad... Harry... Where are you two?' he asked the sky. 'Where are you?' He turned to look at the remainder of his family. Percy asleep next to Ginny- His mother on the cot... clutching Bill's earring to her heart. A new wave of tears overtook him at her sight. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| The door clicked open and a man quietly stepped in. His sweeping black robes wrapped themselves around him as he took in the view of the room. He turned to see Ron sitting by the window and made his way over, not wanting to disturb the others. "Ron," he whispered hoarsely. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Severus," he nodded. They had been on first name terms for several months, forgetting their petty hatred in the battle. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you well?" Ron nodded. Snape's eyes quickly dodged his as he said, "And Harry?" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Out there," he replied turning his gaze back tot he window. "Along with my father." Snape kept his gaze diverted. "Hermione?" | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Asleep." | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "I want to see her," Ron said, sounded more forceful than he meant to. Snape eyed him for a moment. With a swift nod and swish of his robes, he was making his way back to the door. Ron followed closely. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Snape led Ron down several corridors lowly lit. Every now and then a mediwizard or witch would scurry pass them and into another room. He then stopped abruptly before a door and slowly opened it for Ron. It was dark inside, except for a lamp lit on the bedside table. Hermione lay fast asleep. "I trust you will not wake her." Ron nodded. "If you need anything, ask for it. I will be in Fudge's room two doors away with Minerva." Fudge and McGonnogall. He hadn't even given them a thought. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "How are they?" Snape gave a disapproving sigh. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fudge is fine. Old blundering fool..." He didn't bother to finish what he thought of him. "But Minerva is fine. Just worried and distressed. The news of Dumbledore-" He couldn't bare to finish that statement either. Ron knew Dumbledore's death was causing him as much pain as anyone else, especially McGonnogal. With another swift nod Snape retreated to Fudge's room, pinching the bridge of his nose. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ron quietly closed the door behind him and made his way to a chair beside Hermione's bed. He drew it closer and sat down, immediately taking her hand in his. It was so cold... As if she were dead. 'But she's not,' he told himself. 'She's okay, right here, asleep. Safe. One of my best friends is still alive- No! No, no, no, no, no!' he scorned himself. 'No! Harry is still alive! He has to be alive. And so is my father- They're both alive.' | ||||||||||||||||||||
| His scorning was interrupted by Hermione. She was stirring. He watched as she began to groan, shutting her eyes even tighter, grasping Ron's hand as if holding on to her life. Sweat began to appear on her forehead and slightly bruised face. All he could do was squeeze back while watching her squirm and continue moaning. Her eyes suddenly flew open, quickly looking around the room, her breath quick. "Hermione," he said cautiously, not wanting to startle her. She slowly turned to look at him and breathed an obvious sigh of relief. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ron," she whispered smiling. He couldn't help but return it. It was the first time in days he smiled. She slowly made the effort to sit up. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hey, hey. Don't do that. Lie back down," he said gently pushing back down. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ron, I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy is all." When it came to Hermione, stubbornness was a virtue. He watched as she made herself comfortable. He realized one of her wrists were bandaged up. She noticed his gaze. "It's nothing, really" she comforted. In seconds she realized why she was sitting in that bed in the first place. "Ron, where's Harry?" He stayed silent. He didn't want to bring her down, but he couldn't just sit there and worry her more. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hermione," he began taking her hand in both of his. Concern took over her. "Harry- He... He's still." | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "No," she snapped. Her eyes wavered as she desperately looked around the room, wishing in vain that Harry was hiding in one of the dark corners. "H- he can't still be... He hasn't returned?" Ron looked away and shook his head. "He has to be alive. I know he's alive." She turned to Ron, her eyes glazed with tears. "He has to be alive, Ron..." | ||||||||||||||||||||
| "Shh... Oh, 'Mione... Shh..." Ron sat on her bed and took her in his arms. Surprisingly, she completely broke down and cried in his arms. He rocked her gently in his arms, kissing the top of her head and whispering soothing words in her ear. Slowly her cries turned into soft sobs and sighs. "He'll be back, Hermione. I promise you he'll be back." Ron looked out the window across from him. 'You hear that, Harry? Come back. If not for my sake, then for Hermione's.' He looked back down at Hermione. She was asleep again. She was already weak and crying only made her even more tired. Ron gently laid her back down. With a kiss on the forehead he took his position back in his seat. He reluctantly drifted off into an uneasy sleep, still holding on to Hermione's hand. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| --------------- | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Chapter One // Chapter Three | ||||||||||||||||||||