Twelve Kisses

Year Two: The Wake Up Kiss

This chapter is pretty short. It wasn't much to say as it's just Ron talking to a petrified Hermione.

Harry and Ron stared at their petrified friend. Why Hermione? She didn't deserve this. Well, none of them really deserved it. Mrs. Norris maybe, but Hermione shouldn't have been laying there.

"You coming mate? I'm going to go and talk to Wood and let him know exactly what's going on before he starts crying." said Harry, glumly.

"No mate." said Ron quietly. "You go ahead. I'll be along. I just need to sit here for a minute."

Harry nodded. "Come back to us Hermione." he said rubbing her hand and then walking out the door.

Ron sat there and stared at Hermione. It hadn't even been 2 hours ago that they were sitting and laughing over remembering Ginny's silly telegram that she made Harry for Valentine's Day. Actually, Ron was laughing about it and Hermione was scolding him. And now, she was lying stiff as a board in a hospital bed.

"Mione? Hermione?"said Ron seeing if Hermione would show some sign of her hearing him. Nothing.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but I just want to let you know that I'm angry as hell at you. Why didn't you come with me? I know you were annoyed that I was making fun of my sister, but you knew what was happening. You knew that this Heir of Slytherin bastard was looking for kids like you. Why, why, why did you do this to yourself?"

"I need to stop blaming you. This isn't really your fault. You didn't know he would strike. It was my fault for leaving you behind in the library. I got bored and tired of staring at words, so I left. And now you're like this. That was very selfish of me. I should have been there to protect you. Instead I was thinking about how I would rather be outside instead of a stuffy old library. That's my problem. I need to study harder like you. Maybe it will help with my poor decision making."

"I don't like seeing you like this. It's like you're dead. But thank Merlin you aren't. If you died, I wouldn't know what I would do. You're my best friend. Harry is too, but I would miss you a lot. Hell, I miss you right now. I wouldn't mind you yelling at me over something dumb, or nagging me to do my homework, or laughing at one of my jokes."

"You have got to wake up. You can't stay like this forever. I won't allow you to. Mione, please."

Ron thought about that muggle thing that Hermione had told him about called a movie. Something about fairies and a girl sticking her finger on a needle and falling into a deep sleep and some prince bloke came along and kissed her, breaking the spell and waking her up.

Well, Ron was no prince. But maybe, just maybe...

Ron got up and kissed Hermione on her forehead. He looked at her to see if there was any movement.

There wasn't any.

Disappointed, Ron patted Hermione's shoulder and walked out of the door.

These Mandrakes had better hurry up and grow. He wanted his best friend back.