38A/N: Hello all! I have futzed around with this chapter long enough and you all have waited long enough. Enjoy!
Ginny's patronus galloped into the office, startling Ron and instantly putting him on edge. It opened its mouth and Ginny's voice spoke urgently from within, "Come now."
"George!" Ron grabbed his wand, already halfway out the door.
"I heard," George said as he met him in the hall. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. Can you get Harry?"
"Yeah, yeah just go!"
Ron grabbed a handful of powder and threw it into the fireplace. "Hogwarts!"
Seconds later he skidded out of McGonagall's fireplace feet first. "Professor? What's happened?"
"Ron!" Ginny flew at him, wrapping him tightly in a hug. She looked pale and wide-eyed with terror which made him grip his wand tighter and automatically start searching the room for Death Eaters.
"What's going on?" he asked again.
"Miss Granger suffered a collapse during her charms class today," McGonagall told him. Her face was calm but there was an edge to her voice that he'd never heard before. "She's been taken to the hospital wing."
She clearly had more to say but Ron didn't hear it because he was already tearing from the room, propelled through the familiar hallways of the castle by sheer terror and adrenaline. He hadn't felt like this since they'd dragged Hermione away from him in Malfoy Manor, complete and utter blind panic filling him until he could hardly breathe.
He burst through the hospital wing doors and was immediately confronted by Madam Pomfrey. "Mr. Weasley! You cannot come bursting in here like that! This is a hospital. Calm yourself this instant!"
"All right, all right," he held out his hands in what he hoped was a placating manner, though he didn't feel the least bit calm. "But, Hermione Granger, please—"
She peered at him suspiciously and after a long moment seemed to deem him suitable. "You, may follow me. Calmly."
She pulled open a curtain on the far side of the room to reveal Hermione, pale and asleep in one of the beds. Ron felt his heart stop. She looked so still. Was she breathing? "Is she-?"
You didn't die from charms class. But a year of terror was weighing down on him in a whole new way and the world seemed to tilt on its axis.
"Sit down Mr. Weasley."
It was McGonagall's voice, apparently she had followed his mad dash, and he found himself compelled to do what she directed, sinking into a chair by Hermione's bed. This was a nightmare. He never should have let her come back here alone.
"Will she be all right?" he finally managed to ask.
"The charm she was attempting is extremely difficult. Madam Pomfrey believes she has not been eating or sleeping well, which put her into a rather fragile state. She simply didn't have the strength to perform the assigned task. Madam Pomfrey was able to revive her briefly but has given her a sleeping draft to help her rest."
"Her parents—" Oh god, how was he going to tell them about this given what they'd gone through over the last year? They'd probably take her home and never let her return. She would be heartbroken.
"As I was saying when you dashed out of my office, I have notified them," McGonagall told him.
Harry strode into the wing, still in his auror robes and breathless from his own dash through the corridors. "What's happened? I got an owl from George. Is she all right?"
Ron let McGonagall repeat the story, his eyes still trained on Hermione's face, searching for some sign of life.
"I expect that with proper diet and rest Miss Granger will make a full recovery," Madam Pomfrey said, having joined them to take Hermione's pulse and fuss with her pillows. "There really was no need for both of you to come bursting in here like this. Professor McGonagall I really do have to—"
"I understand your hesitation with visitors Madam Pomfrey, but given the circumstances, don't you think it might be beneficial for Miss Granger to be amongst friends?" McGonagall asked.
Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips. "I suppose it couldn't hurt. As long as they keep quiet. I won't have them causing a ruckus around here like they used to."
The next hours were something of a blur. Madam Pomfrey kept bustling around and somewhere in the midst of it Ron found himself and Harry back in McGonagall's office.
"She can't stay here," he said woodenly.
Hermione hadn't woken yet and each moment felt like absolute agony. He needed to see her, talk to her, tell her how much he loved her, and that she couldn't keep killing herself like this.
"I very much agree," McGonagall said. "It's nearly the end of term. She's far enough ahead as it is. I would like her to go home and rest for the holidays. We can discuss her return in the new year."
Ron nodded, grateful that she understood. He could sense Harry watching him but he didn't have the emotional capacity to talk to his friend about what he was feeling right now.
"Ron?" Ginny entered the office. "She's asking for you."
Hermione was propped up on a mound of pillows, her face so ghostlike it was shocking. "Hi," he said, sitting next to her bed and immediately reaching for her hand.
"Hi."
She wouldn't meet his eyes. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm all right."
"Hermione," he squeezed her hand and tried to peer under her lowered lashes, "What is it?"
Her voice came out as an anguished whisper, "Are you upset with me?"
"Oh, 'Mione, no. No of course I'm not upset with you."
A broken sob escaped her lips. "I'm sorry I didn't do what you asked."
"It's all right love, it's okay." Before he could even think about it he had moved onto the bed and pulled her into his arms, letting her cry against his chest. He rubbed soothing circles on her back, part of him so relieved that she was all right, the other part still a bundle of nerves over how fragile she seemed.
He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and tenderly wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I have to say though," he told her softly, "this is the second time you've taken some years off my life. If we could avoid a third incident I would appreciate it."
"I'll try."
She rubbed a hand across her forehead, wincing. "Are you all right?" he asked.
"I have a headache. And I'm really tired."
"I should let you get some rest. D'you want me to give you some privacy?"
"No. I," she bit her lip, her hand curling around his sleeve, "I want you to stay."
If there was any light in this dreadful day it was those words. "All right."
Madam Pomfrey appeared and Ron scooted off the bed before she could admonish him for disturbing her patient. She poured out a generous dose of a yellow potion and handed it to Hermione. "Drink up now dear."
Hermione did so, pulling a bit of a face at the taste. "I'll be right here," he assured her as her eyes began to close.
"I love you," she mumbled and he felt a pleasant warmth bloom in his chest.
"I love you too."
"I left my books in Charms."
"I'm sure someone got them."
"Homework…"
Ron shook his head a smile touching his lips. "Later."
A/N: Some of you were pretty spot on with your guesses! As for why Ginny sent the Patronus, I feel like she was in class with Hermione when it happened and sent it off before McGonagall could tell her not to. And McGonagall's fondness for the boys is why she allowed them to hang around. Any other questions, feel free to ask in the reviews!
