Prophecy 472

7- Calming

A/N: Well, this chapter's going to bring another "Huh?" moment. But the next two chapters will start answering a lot of questions, I promise! Thanks for reading!

Ron banged his head on the metal bar behind him, the clanking sound and the pain it inflicted on his skull a welcome distraction. He had never been in this part of the Ministry before. His business usually found him in the questioning rooms they brought prisoners to early on or in the court rooms where it was all decided afterward. Ron had been sitting on the floor just outside the bars of that cell for about an hour now, waiting for Harry to return with something, any information he could gather.

Ron banged his head a second time for good measure.

Turning over his shoulder, he spied Hermione sleeping soundly on a cot in her cell. They'd hit her with a sleeping charm after they'd brought her in, the front secretary had told him. Apparently, she'd become frightened and started screaming and lashing out, and the guards didn't know what else to do. Ron shuttered, thinking about Hermione in that state. He'd never seen her so scared as he had these past few hours, even back at the burrow when they were just eating dinner. She seemed so… guarded. Like something was coming for her. What it was, Ron couldn't fathom. But he knew he wasn't moving from that spot until someone gave him some answers.

Behind him, Hermione began stirring in her bed. It sounded like she was moaning and then he heard whimpers. Ron reckoned she was having a bad dream. He stood to look at her and watched as creases appeared on her forehead. She began mumbling something in her sleep.

"Nooo," she said quietly. "No, please…Ron."

Ron? She'd said his name, and not in a good way. Ron pointed his wand at her, chanting a calming spell and watched as the magic hit her, easing away the furrow in her brow as if Ron himself had caressed her. Satisfied, Ron smiled slightly, happy to have provided at least a little comfort. Remembering something, he dug in his pocket and retrieved a small stuffed bunny. Rose had dropped it when Ginny had snatched her down to the basement, and Ron had bent to pick it up. He'd meant to hand it to Ginny but she was gone too quickly, and Ron had pocketed it instead. He wasn't sure why.

Now, he floated the small toy through the air using his wand, carefully guiding it until it landed just on top of Hermione's left arm. Almost instinctively, Hermione turned in her sleep to cradle the bunny, moving her face in close to its ears and inhaling deeply.

Hermione looked so peaceful, it was almost easy to forget the turmoil she and everyone around her was currently in. During the time between Hermione being taken from the burrow and Ron and Harry finding her cell after much arguing with several Ministry heads, Hermione had been scanned, treated and admitted into the holding ward. Upon arrival, one of the younger officers on duty, a guy Harry and Ron had trained themselves, informed them of a peculiarity they'd found during scanning.

Officer Smidgehorn, aware about the element of the unknown child in the case, informed Ron and Harry that a maternity charm had been given to Hermione. The charm told the attendants on duty that Hermione had never given birth to any child before, that there was no way she could have borne Rose.

Ron was at once baffled and furious. Whatever this meant, whatever it was, it would only give the Ministry more ammunition against Hermione. She was looking more suspect by the moment. And as each moment passed by, Ron found himself caring less and less. She could lie to him all she wanted, rip his heart out and walk on it as often as she liked, so long as she was alive and healthy and he could get her out of this godforsaken cell.

"Hey." Ron turned quickly with his wand raised, realizing immediately that it was only Harry.

"What'd you find out?" Ron asked urgently, skipping to the point. Harry shook his head.