Ron laid on one of the hospital wing beds completely unaware of the awkward tension in the air. It seemed everyone was out of sorts now as morning came all too quickly. The sunshine hitting the glass windows of the Hospital Wing making it too bright for such silence.
Hermione and Harry stood together arms crossed looking at the unconscious boy. Hermione still clutching the two vails of her potion in her hand, one empty and the other full. Slughorn stood at the end of his bed holding the bottle of poison to his chest still in shock. Snape unbothered waited for Dumbledore to speak as Dumbledore seemed to be the only completely normal one in the group.
"Can you two explain what happened again?" Dumbledore spoke softly just to get the story completely and stored away to send to the ministry.
"Well, it was Ron's birthday...he ate some chocolates that were meant for me...but was mistaken for his...it was filled with a love potion..."
Dumbledore nodded encouragingly for Harry to continue, "So I thought it would be good for me to get Ron down to Slughorn for a cure."
"And how did Ms. Granger get involved with this if it was that simple?" Snape questioned glaring at Harry.
Harry glanced at Dumbledore, "Well...er...he wasn't too happy about me today? yesterday? For reasons...I knew he wouldn't let me in if it was me...so I kinda had to get Hermione..."
Harry sighed, "we got into his office...Slughorn got the cure for the love potion it was good and everything then we were getting drinks after...Ron drank it before anyone else and he just collapsed." Harry glanced at the bottle in Slughorn's arms.
Snape marched over grabbed the bottle from the unresponsive man opened it and smelled it, "Hmm...this potion should have killed him quicker than what a bezoar could have intercepted it."
That's when Slughorn seemed to wake up some, "that would be Ms. Granger's doing...she's been creating a potion that was just to counterattack love potions...instead she was able to make one that could counteract against almost all potions quickly. A bezoar base and liquid form...it's quite brilliant and just pure luck she finished it...I was going to run tests on it before sending it to you, headmaster, to send it to the ministry..."
"You mean Ms. Granger gave Mr. Weasley an unregistered and an untested potion?" Dumbledore questioned.
"Yes...it's a good thing too...otherwise Mr. Weasley here would be dead!" Slughorn said.
"Professor Slughorn do you have any idea where you got this poison?" Dumbledore questioned.
"You see Headmaster...I don't...in fact, it was supposed to be a gift..."
"To who?"
"You, Headmaster."
The group shocked looked at Dumbledore expecting him to reply. Instead, Romilda Vane came running in crying the doors slamming the wall before closing again behind her.
Everyone watched as she ran up to Ron crying. "Is he going to be okay? I swear I didn't know this would happen...no one was supposed to get hurt...it wasn't even supposed to be him...I'm so sorry...!!!!" She was wailing aloud.
Hermione couldn't help but question how on Earth everyone was already hearing about this already. Everyone shuffled away a bit from the crying girl and watched.
Soon the door opened again and Lavender came in. Her eyes were filled with worry as she saw Ron on the bed. She looked up and saw Romilda crying over him in shame of what she thought was her doing. Her eyes narrowed in anger and marched over to the girl.
"I'm so sorry for this Professors but..." Lavender pulled her fist back and pushed Romilda straight in the face.
Romilda in pain and shock fell back into the floor covering her cheek with her hand. Everyone else in the room also shocked couldn't form any sentences.
"That's what you get bitch!" Lavender said as Romilda stood up and ran out of the hospital wing.
"Get back here!" Lavender yelled and quickly ran after her.
It was silent for a minute before Dumbledore sighed, "young love...Snape can you deal with that."
Snape nodded leaving the hospital wing taking more time than what was needed. Hermione was honestly impressed a bit by Lavender there.
The doors once again opened and McGonagall walked in with Molly following behind, who flued in as soon as she could.
"Can-can I see him?" Molly whispered out. Dumbledore nodded and took a step back allowing Molly to fall into the seat next to Ron. Molly grabbed her son's hand and clutched it tightly, McGonagall must have filled her in on the whole story from one of the first times Harry and Hermione told it. If you looked closely you could still see the tear marks on her face. It was solum and quiet there.
"Dumbledore..." Molly whispered out holding Ron's hand.
"Yes," Dumbledore gently replied.
"You know I trust you and this school with my kids...I still do...it's just I'm requesting Ron to be able to come home and recover completely, at home."
"Mrs. Weasley! But all the potions and..." Slughorn was trying to talk her out of it.
Molly raised one of her hands gently stopping him, "I know recovery would be smarter to stay here...but..."
Molly's eyes filled with tears, "It's been hard...we lost...Arthur, a few months ago...and I-I can't...I can't just sit back right now. If I lose him...I just couldn't...please it's not necessarily for him, but for me...I just can't wait for letters anymore to know if my children will be alright or not. right now I can do something and I want to. So, please, let me take Ron home...I need this..." Molly finished and no one could say anything as Dumbledore just nodded in agreement.
"Madam Pomfrey will flu to your home often to check on him and give the necessary potions for recovery. I'll so send for the rest of your family to come up here to visit before both your departures." Dumbledore spoke and nodded for everyone else to leave with him.
"Ms. Granger..." Molly said.
Hermione turned around and saw that Molly was already up and near her. Soon she found herself in Molly's arms. Molly hugged her tightly, "thank you...thank you so much. If you weren't...thank you..."
Hermione didn't say anything as she just nodded in Molly's embrace. Molly let her go when the rest of the Weasley were coming into the room. With one more 'thank you' Molly let her leave the room.
Hermione was tired as she walked to her common room head filled with thoughts. As soon as she entered the common room she saw Draco sitting alone on one of the couches and everyone else gone.
She marched up and Draco looked up and saw her coming at him. He couldn't get his question out before Hermione threw the empty vial at him. It crashed against his stomach. He gave a small grunt but said nothing.
"Another one of your stunts almost made someone else be killed once again..."
Draco looked confused.
Hermione sighed, "Slughorn, a bottle of mead, poison, ring any bell?"
Draco gave a small gasp, "Who-who was it?"
"Ron Weasley..."
Draco looked down.
"He's not dead, but by now, recovering at his home. Let's make a deal...no more back-handed ways...get's too many others involved." Hermione said.
Draco gave a nod and slumped further into the couch.
"I know it's going to get harder now...but we can't have anything like that happening again. Twice is enough..no more. I'm going to the library...I hope you spend this time wisely now..." Hermione finished and walked away once again.
She found herself in the library, but not really reading anything. Her mind was being too chaotic. Several hours passed when someone sat down across from her. She looked up and spotted Harry.
"Potter?"
"Had another lesson with Dumbledore..."
"Today?"
Harry just gave a nod.
Hermione sighed, "And?"
"He was upset I haven't been able to get that memory from Slughorn...but...it hasn't been that long you know."
"He shouldn't expect so much in so little time right now...anything else?"
"Went into memories of Voldemort again..." Harry sighed, "he wanted to be the defense against the dark arts teacher. He was denied once because of age and then by then, he was so far into the dark arts that Dumbledore refused him again. And were curious why no one can hold that position, he actually cursed it you know. He worked at Borgin and Burkes finding dark objects. He was a fan of Hufflepuff's cup and a locket...he stole by the way. He started his killings for revenge...it slowly changed to now because he can."
"How does any of that help us?"
"I don't know...but Dumbledore said that maybe it will all be clearer once we get Slughorn's memory."
"Do you believe that?"
"It's the only thing I can hold onto right now to make anything make sense anymore..."
"Everything feels out of control..." Hermione whispered.
"Do you think anything will ever be normal?" Harry whispered.
"I don't know...we might be dead before anything like that could happen..." Hermione replied.
"I'm tired..." Harry whispered looking down at his hands.
"I think we all are."