Come Find Me | Dramione

Chapter 28: Fuck You, Potter

"Lie down," Ron said, ushering her to the bed. His face was utterly blank, eyes distant and distracted.

She let him help her back into bed, knowing she was too injured to try to escape now. She needed a plan—needed her wand.

"I had to take off work to take care of you. Fred wasn't very pleased about that. The shop has been real busy, you know."

Hermione blinked at him. "George," she corrected, eyebrows bunching together above her nose. "You work with George, Ron. Fred..." She swallowed. "Fred died during the war."

He only hummed, focusing on his shaking hands, trying to open another bottle of Dittany. "Right," he finally said.

It was like he didn't even hear her. He wasn't making any sense, and he reeked of alcohol. It seemed to seep through his pores and into the air around him, mixing with the filth building on his skin.

He grabbed her arm, and she lurched away, ignoring the rippling fire that shot through her body at the movement. "Don't touch me," she said again through gritted teeth.

If cruelty and sorrow took human form, it would have looked exactly like Ron did at that moment.

He shot to his feet, throwing the tray of supplies across the room. "Fine then," he spat at her. "Fucking rot in here for all I care." Turning towards the door, he began to stalk out.

Hermione panicked. She could not be locked in here. She had to get out. "No, wait," she pleaded, but he ignored her.

She tried to follow him to the door, only to have it slammed in her face. Tears began to build in her eyes as rage and terror brewed in her chest. Banging and clawing at the door with her good arm, she screamed. "Please! Please, let me go!" She heaved between each word, breathless through her sobs. "You don't love me! Let me go! You don't love me, Ron! OPEN THE DOOR!"

Her crying became uncontrollable. She sank to her knees on the ground, holding her tucked arm close.

Everything hurt and hurt and hurt until everything went black.

***

When she came to again, she was in her bed. Ron was sitting next to her and leaning his arms on the mattress beside her, hands tangled in his hair.

Her head pounded. Every bone groaned against her movements. She tilted toward him to see tears flow from his face.

"Please..." she croaked, not having the strength to say anything more.

Her words only brought more tears to his eyes. "I can't," he croaked. "I can't let you go, Mione. You're all I have. You'll leave me alone, and I just—I can't lose you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I love you, I do. I don't know why I do these things."

She closed her eyes again, trying to keep her lip from trembling with desperation. "Please," she said again and again as he cried beside her. "I won't tell anyone. Please..."

But the pain became too much. Ron kneeled to pick up a bottle from the ground, bringing it to her mouth. "Here," he whispered, "take this."

She tried to protest, but it was no use. She recognized the taste of the Sleeping Draught before the walls spun around her.

***

"I'm trying the stone again," Draco mumbled, snatching the Apparation stone from the table.

Theo sighed, but Draco ignored him. He held the stone in one hand and his wand in the other. Since he had no idea where she could be, he pictured Granger in his mind instead. Allowed the smell of her—always fresh flowers and honey—to flood his senses. Remembered what her hair felt like as he ran his fingers through it and willed himself to be next to her.