A Harry Potter Fan Fiction; Hogwarts University

Chapter 20

Chapter 20.

Ron 

"Please let me stay with her. She needs me." I pleaded.  

Madame Pomfrey glared at me, but her expression softened as she looked at me.  

"Alright. I was going to stop you, but if she really does need you..." she said. 

Finally I was able to sit beside Hermione. She looked so ill, and it was all my fault. If only I'd stopped Chang...  

I gazed into her beautiful brown eyes and grabbed her pale hand. 

"Hermione, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I should have stopped Chang before she could do this to you... I'm so sorry Hermione... please forgive me..." I sobbed. 

"Ron... it's not... not your fault... please don't.... don't think that.... please... Ron, don't blame yourself... really, you couldn't have stopped her.. we didn't even know that the curse exists... never mind knowing the counter curse..." Hermione gasped. 

"NO! Hermione, I'm meant to protect you. If... if..." I took a deep breath. "If something had happened to you then... I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. I love you Hermione, and you mean the world to me. I don't know what I'd do without you." 

"I love you too. Please... don't blame yourself... for something that happened to me... it's my fault,not yours..." 

Quickly, I grabbed her spare hand. 

"Don't you dare say that, Hermione Granger. If it were your fault... it's not, OK? You need to trust yourself more often." 

Gently, I pulled Hermione into a hug. She began to sob into my shoulder. I didn't ask what was wrong - Hermione just needed someone to love and comfort her now. I was sure of it. I held her close to me and stroked her soft hair. "It's alright. Don't cry." I tried to sooth her. She shook in my arms, with her head on my shoulder. 

Whatever she said, I knew it was my fault, and I felt awfuly guilty because of it.

Hermione 

I hated Ron blaming himself for something that he obviously couldn't help. It wasn't his fault that we didn't know the counter-curse. It I'd there even was one. It may become a fourth unforgivable curse. I lent against Ron, trying to calm my crying. It really wasn't working. I shut my eyes and attempted to breathe propaly. I knew that my weak breathing was just making Ron feel even worse. But I couldn't help it. I still had that headache lurking in my head, and I now felt sick and dizzy. I guessed that the spell worked away from whomever casted it. 

I had no idea how Ron could care for me enough. Who cares about a stupid worthless Mudblood being injured, ill or killed? 

"I care, and you're not worthless. Please don't say that. If you had.... if you had...." Ron began to sob quietly. "If you had died, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I can't even forgive myself for letting Chang do this to you." 

I realized, with a jolt of horror, that I had said the last part out loud. 

"You're the only one, then." 

Ron squeezed my hands. 

"Please stop it." 

I lay back, surrounded by white sheets, and closed my eyes. 

Ron stayed by my side.

Ginny 

I smiled at my new friend while her sister shot daggers at her. 

Suddenly, what they had discussed sunk in. I looked at Luna, who explained that Ron had taken Hermione to the hospital wing. 

I silently began to panic. What if something happened to her? 

Suddenly, the whole room grew dark, and I felt as though I would nevery be happy again. The feeling was terrifying familiar, and my suspicions were confirmed as about a hundred hooded figures rounded the corner ... dementors. There were many cries of "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" and many silver animals crowded the room. The dementors schreeched as they left, and the students gave out a cry of triumph.

Ron 

I couldn't bare to leave Hermione, even though she was asleep. I was too scared of something happening to her to even consider it. I looked down at her. She was still beautiful, even in her sleep. But it troubled me that she didn't seem peaceful. She kept moaning, each moan reminding me how much pain she was in, and how ill she was. I couldn't stand to see her so pale and... and cold. And she felt worthless.... she felt as though no one cared about her being injured,ill or killed, because she was a "stupid, worthless Mudblood..." she said so herself! But I care about her. She's not worthless. And I hated that word... Ginny cared too. I don't see how she can think that. Why would I be here if I didn't care? She'd know if no one cared for her, surely. And I couldn't even bear to see here ill... how could I cope if anything... worse happened to her?  

I decided to leave now, as I knew that I'd be kicked out if I stayed any longer.  

I gently kissed Hermione on her cheek before leaving.  

Now I thought about it, I wasn't the only one to blame. There was Chang herself, and Harry.

Ginny 

Another hour found me and Harry sat in the common room. We were waiting for Ron to return from the hospital wing, wanting news on Hermione.  

When my brother finally entered, he sat down sadly on the chair next to me. 

"How's Hermione?" Harry made the mistake of asking. 

Ron looked like he was about to cry.  

"YOU SAY IT AS IF IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!" he yelled before storming towards his dormitory. 

"What did I do?" 

"I think I see why he thinks that..." I began. "He thinks that it's you that kissed Cho Chang, therefore "breaking my heart", therefore causing he and Hermione to look for her, which caused Cho to cast the spell on Hermione, which caused Hermione to be the way she is." 

Harry glanced at the stairs. "Oh. Do you think I should.... apologize to him?" 

"No. Leave him to think." 

Harry looked at the stairs again. 

"He really loves her, doesn't he?"  

"Have you just noticed that?" I asked him. 

"No. I noticed two years ago." 

I smacked my palm to my head. 

"I noticed three years ago! Wasn't it obvious when he said her name, unconsious and in the hospital wing? What about the way he used to look at her? And the way she used to look at him?" 

"Oh yeah. I guess that was stupid. But I'm still lost. How does his "theory" work?" 

"I know it doesn't make sense, but that's probably what he thinks." I shrugged. "Just leave him for a while and he'll be fine." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Why wouldn't I be? He's my brother. I know what he's like. And surely you do too." 

We were silent for a few minutes. "Well, on that note, I'm going to bed. Goodnight." I turned towards my dormitory.

A/N; sorry it took so long... writers block!