Everything That You Are...

November 4th 2004

[no music yet!]

Ron sat alone on the sofa in the living room. It was 11 o'clock. The sky outside was a deep shade of navy, but it was a cloudy night, so no stars could be seen. He fiddled with his deluminator, clicking it and tossing it between his fingers. He was on the verge of panic. He presumed that Hermione was just working late, but she would normally send an owl to let him know if she was. There had been no owl post tonight. He sat nervously, huffing and puffing, just hoping that she would come home any second.

As he thought about the owls, Ron was startled by the hooting of a tawny owl on the window. The owls feathers were neat and well groomed. It was a Ministry owl. Ron let out a sigh of relief.

But how he wrong he was to be relieved.

He untied the letter from the owls foot and tipped it with a sickle, before letting it fly off into the night. Ron sat down casually on the sofa and unrolled the parchment.

URGENT:
Dear Mr R.B. Weasley,

Please report to St Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies as soon as conveniently possible.

Due to an accidental explosion in one of our offices, Miss Hermione Jean Granger was injured and taken immediately to hospital. According to her records, you are the first person of contact in case of an emergency and...

Ron didn't even bother to read the rest of the letter. He threw on his shoes and coat, grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace, exclaiming "St Mungos".
As he did so, a puff of blue smoke swirled around him and he felt himself fall into the public fireplace at the wizarding hospital. As soon as his vision adjusted, he ran to the front desk.

"I had a letter...from the Ministry...my girlfriend...is she here? Hermione. Is she here? Is she okay?" Ron gasped, breathless.

The elderly witch who sat behind the desked, peered over her spectacles at Ron. She was peculiar looking, as if she was related to the Lovegoods.

"Hermione you say dear? Surname?"

"Granger!" Ron blurted out. A few heads were beginning to turn.

"And your name is?" the witch uttered slowly.

"Ron! My names Ron Weasley! Look, I just want to see my girlfriend! Is she alright?" Ron was talking faster and faster, getting more and more impatient. Most people in the waiting room were now looking. After all, Ron and Hermione were celebrities of sorts. The desk witch looked at him.

"She's on the fifth floor, Rupinda will show you the way." The lady gestured to a middle-aged witch with dark skin, hair and eyes. She wore vibrant pink and gold robes. Ron hastily followed the witch up five flights of stairs. On the way up, Rupinda had explained that some explosion had occured in the office directly above Hermione's, causing the floor to collapse. Hermione had been trapped under the rubble until she was dragged out by Ministry security guards, who were the only people strong enough to move the rubble. She was unconscious when they found her. Finally, they reached Hermione's ward. Rupinda pulled back the curtain. Ron thanked her and hurried in.

[MUSIC]

Hermione lay motionless on the bed. Her curly hair was spread across the pillow on which her head lay, heavy. A large gash had been patched up on the side of her face. She had little cuts and bruises all over her neck and collarbone. Her left eye was purple. Bottles and viles of potions and essences were lined up on the beside cabinet. Ron stared at her in disbelief. Moments later, Rupinda appeared with a chair. Ron took it with a nod of gratitude and sat down. He grabbed Hermione's hand instantly. He ran his other hand through his messy hair. He didn't know what to do.

Ron sat for hours, eventually losing count of the amount of healers that went in and out of the ward. He had cried. He had talked to Hermione. Never once had he let go of her hand.

"Hey Hermione. Can you hear me? I love you. I really do. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the times I was an idiot. I'm sorry for all the times I made you mad. I love you. What am I going
to do if you don't come out of this unscathed? Look after you. I will take care of you with everything I have. I will make sure you know how much I love you. I will do everything in my power to help you. I will do anything you want or need. But please, Hermione, you can't leave me. Please wake up. Please be okay. I can't lose you 'mione... I don't know if I've ever told you why I like calling you that. It's coz it's sounds 'my only'. That's what you are. My only. Come on 'mione. Be strong. They told me you might not be okay. But you're Hermione Jean Granger. You always do stuff people don't think you can do. Please, please let this be one. Be okay when they thought you might not be. I can't do this without you Hermione. Living. There's no point of it unless you're there. I need you. I love you. Please, please be okay."

And in that moment, Ron felt Hermione squeeze his hand back. Ron widened his eyes. He stared at Hermione's battered face. She screwed up her eyes and nose. Suddenly her eyes flickered open.

"Rupinda!..."