Harry Potter Oneshots

Family Business

"RON!" Hermione yelled, dashing down the hallway. The tiles slid beneath her feet and she reached out to grab the door jam right as the room number came into her sights. She managed to slip to a stop just as she barrelled around the corner and she breathlessly poked her head through the open door.

"Oh my god! There you are," she said, rushing into the room.

"Hey 'Mione," Ron greeted with a weak smile. He grunted as he pushed himself higher on the bed so that his head was no longer resting against the pillow.

"Are you okay? What happened?" she asked frantically, tossing her purse at the foot of his bed. She brushed back some stray hair and lowered herself more carefully near Ron, clasping his hand between both of hers.

"I'm okay," he said, squeezing her hand comfortingly.

"What happened, though?"

"I just got hit on our mission today, that's all. Nothing the Healers here can't handle."

"What curse was it?" she demanded.

Ron furrowed his brow and reached up to scratch at his temple. "Not entirely sure. My chest hurts like crazy though and I was definitely unconscious at some point. Harry had to bring me here after I stopped breathing for a bit, though--"

"WHAT!?" Hermione's face drained of all color and she could have sworn she stopped breathing for a bit.

"I don't really know what happened after that. I just got hit and then blacked out and woke up here. Though Harry said that we did get the guys we were after, so that's good."

"Where's Harry, then? If he's got this all under control," she asked exasperatedly, a sharp edge to her voice.

"He's in the bathroom getting cleaned up. He had a few gashes or scratches, but he can fix those up pretty easily with a mirror by now."

"Pretty easily! Pretty easily! Sure, he just had a few minor scratches. And you're fine too. Just got hit by a curse while fighting on-the-run Death Eaters and you stopped breathing for a minute or two, but it's fine!" She broke out into hysterical laughter as tears threatened to leak out of her eyes. "It's fine!" she reiterated acerbically.

"Hermione!" Ron cut in, letting out his own faint laughter to ease the tension. "What's wrong? I mean, I know you're scared, but I've gotten hurt on the job before."

"That doesn't mean anything now! Just because you've gotten hurt before doesn't mean you couldn't get hurt now! I mean--you stopped breathing, for Merlin's sake! You could've died!" Hermione cried, her hands starting to tremble.

Ron's courageous smile slipped. "Hermione... we've talked about this. We knew the dangers of the job before I started."

"WELL MAYBE WE SHOULD RECONSIDER!" she practically shouted before throwing a guilty glance over both shoulders to see who she was disturbing with her outburst. But luckily, the rest of the hospital beds lining the room were vacant.

Ron balked in surprise. "Do--Do you really mean that?"

Hermione scoffed and stared down at their interlocked hands. "I mean... maybe? I just... I can't do this without you. I can't even imagine going on or--or," she sighed. "If you died..."

Ron leaned forward and lifted her chin up so that their gazes met. "We knew the risks when I started, but I always thought you were okay with me being an auror."

"I was! I was... I mean, I am, but--"

"What changed?" he asked quietly.

Hermione squeezed her lips together and shook her head mutely with Ron tilting his head to try and keep her eyes on his.