Igniting the Flames

Chapter Five

(Slight trigger warning on this chapter, mentions of getting sick/throwing up! If you're sensitive to that, I apologize!)

"'Mione, open the door please," Ron rapped at the door gently with the knuckle of his finger. Hermione had been locked in the bathroom for the past half hour, and he was starting to get worried.

"Hermione, if you don't open the door I'm going to open it myself," he warned. "You're scaring me."

When there was no response, Ron pulled his wand out of his back pocket and pointed it at the lock.

"Alohomora" he murmured, hearing a small click of the lock turning. Calling out again, he announced "I'm coming in."

He didn't know what to expect when he opened the door, but he sure as hell hadn't been expecting Hermione to be curled up in fetal position on the cool tile floor right beside the toilet.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, hurrying to her side. With one hand he carefully felt all up and down her body, not exactly sure what he was looking for, but hoping to get an answer as to why she was on the bathroom floor. With the other hand, he brushed the wild curls out of her face, to reveal her closed eyes.

Panic filled Ron as he imagined all the possibilities. Maybe she had slipped and fallen and he hadn't heard? Maybe she had passed out, or had experienced another panic attack that made her hyperventilate to a point of unconsciousness. Or maybe-

"Ron?" Hermione grumbled, stirring from her position on the floor.

"Don't move Hermione, I'm calling for help right now," Ron hushed, an odd combination of fear and relief washing over him.

"Don't," she grunted, sitting up. "I fell asleep. M'fine."

"You fell asleep. On the bathroom floor?" Ron repeated, as if he hadn't heard her correctly.

"Yeah," she answered curtly. "Help me up before we play 20 questions."

Carefully, Ron stood and helped Hermione to her feet, before leading her into the bedroom and sitting her down on the edge of the bed.

"May I ask why you fell asleep on the bathroom floor?" He asked, biting his lip as if trying to decide where to begin.

"I got sick, and after I threw up, I felt like I was going to do it again, so I stayed in the bathroom, and all of a sudden I got really hot. The floor was cold, and I didn't feel well, so I curled up and I guess I fell asleep," she replied, as if it were a normal occurrence.

"You've been feeling ill for several days now. If I didn't know that you just had your monthly, I would think you were pregnant!" Ron chuckled to himself.

Hermione managed a small laugh, though the thought made her stomach start to twist and turn once again. With a groan, she rose shakily to her feet.

"Oi, you alright?" Ron called as she picked up speed and raced back to the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach into the porcelain bowl once more. His nose crinkled at the sight, but he quickly hurried around to behind her, holding her untamable hair back.

"Sorry, that was disgusting," she spat, flushing the toilet.

Ron began stroking the side of her head gently, brushing away any loose tendrils as she began to heave again, losing the battle with her stomach.

"Shh, it's alright," he soothed, using his other hand to rub small circles on her lower back.

Finally, Hermione pulled away from the toilet, beads of sweat adorning her forehead. She reached up and swiped them away with her sleeve before quickly discarding the sweatshirt.