“Granger!” I heard my name shouted from across the room. Tears still flowed freely down my face. I could hardly see, but I knew it was Adrienne. “Granger, get over here! You’ve got to help!”
Quickly, I bent down to kiss Ron on the forehead and brushed away the tears that were still clinging to my eyelashes. “I’m coming, Krapf!” I shouted. I called her by her last name during these times, mostly because it was easier to say. I couldn’t bear to leave Ron, but duty had called.
“Granger, assess them. We’ve got to get them help!” she shrieked frantically. “Merlin, they’ve got to stop attacking at night! We’ve got absolutely no one on staff!”
Witches and wizards were appearing every few feet. My heart was beating frantically, and I couldn’t think. Somehow, I began to move among the patients and talk to them, sending them off to the different medical teams. By the time I got to where Ron had been he was gone. I took several deep breaths and moved on. I did not have time to dwell on him. I had to help the others.
The next bed I hit was Neville’s. I rushed over to him and grasped his hand. It was still warm, but his heart was not beating. I began to cry again.
“Somebody take care of him immediately!” I screamed, sobs shaking my frame. “He’s dying!” As soon as I finished my sentence, Healers rushed over, bringing him back to life.
I took a moment to take in the death around me. It was a mistake. My head immediately began to spin, and everything went black.
When I awoke, I was lying in a dark room. I sat up and rubbed my eyes sleepily. Everything came flooding back.
“Oh, Ron,” I began to sob. “Where are you?” I began crying again, and it made my head hurt. My lips were dry and cracked, and my hands were shaking. My head began pounding out its well-beaten path of dehydration. Oh, I needed water.
I shuffled out into the hallway, blinking and clearing my head. The light hurt my eyes. Eventually, I found a familiar face.
“Granger, there you are,” said Adrienne, hugging me. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I said, blinking a few times. “I just need some water. Which rooms am I working?”
“You need to calm down, Hermione,” she said, leading me off toward the lounge. “We’ll get you some water. When you recover, we’ll assign you a ward.”
She led me upstairs and sat me down with a glass of water. When it hit my lips, my headache left me instantly. It trickled down my throat, clearing away the last of my distraction. It was then that I remembered Ron.
“Where is he?” I said, sitting up straight.
“What?” said Adrienne, furrowing her brow.
“Oh,” I said, blinking again. “Nothing. I’m all right.”
“You sure, Hermione? You look a little peaked to me.” I nodded. “All right,” she said, shrugging. “You’re supposed to be in the Herman Michske Ward in Spell Damage. You’re with the Longbottoms, as usual, and the Dai Llewellyn Ward in Serious Bites.”
I nodded, rising and going to my work. “Wait, Granger,” she said. “Make sure you visit Michske first “ the victims are in there.”
Nodding again, I left the lounge.
I headed up the stairs, rubbing my head. Ron, Ron was here. My breathing came in sharp gasps. Had he lived? Was he all right?
I enjoyed working at St. Mungo’s. I had grown to love its white hallways and its clean smell. I had grown to love the patients that I cared for daily. All in all, I loved my job, and loved everything associated with it. But now, I could barely concentrate. I had to concentrate “ other’s lives were riding on my presence of mind. They needed me. Ron would have to wait.
I reached the Herman Michske Ward within five minutes, and my head was still spinning. Ron was here. He would be all right, I told myself. Harry promised me.
A felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around. “Harry!” I gasped, surprised. “Are you all right? What happened?”
“We lost,” he said. “I was lucky to get out alive. Where’s Ron?”
“I don’t know,” I said, tears coming back to my eyes along with my headache. “I’ve been trying to find him, but I’ve got to find the patients in my ward.” I looked up at him. “Harry, I don’t even know if he’s alive. I couldn’t stay with him.”
“I promised you, Hermione,” he said, grasping my shoulder. “He won’t die.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said, pulling away from him.
I walked into the Michske Ward and the lights flickered on. Harry followed me cautiously, a few steps behind. I heard a moan from the opposite end of the room, and I jumped at the sound. That moan had sounded oddly like that of a certain familiar redhead.
Ron was lying in the bed at the other end of the room. His head was bandaged, his red hair poking out from under the white and bloody linen. I rushed over to his bed. I didn’t care what Harry thought of me at that moment. All that mattered was that I was here and so was Ron. I froze suddenly.
Ron’s life was suddenly in my hands. I felt so helpless. It was my job to care for him. There was a clipboard lying on the table beside him.
Healer Hermione Granger, it read. I swallowed and read on.
This is your ward. There are three patients for whom you are responsible. The first, Edgerton Yates, male, 27, is suffering from the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse. The second, Emmeline Vance, female, 54, has been Obliviated. The third, Ronald Weasley, male, 22, is suffering from the effects of a jumble of curses. He also has been bitten by the Dark Lord’s serpent, whose venom has an antidote from a previous bite.
They have all been stabilized, so you must tend to their bumps and bruises, as well as …
I couldn’t read any further. Tears blurred my vision. I couldn’t take it anymore. I looked at the clock. Thank heaven it was almost three. I couldn’t take much more of this.
Harry cleared his throat gruffly. “Poor man,” he said. “Take good care of him, Hermione. I’ve got to get back to headquarters.”
For the second time that day, he disappeared into thin air, and I was left alone with my thoughts.
These injuries were serious, I thought. They would make a career for me. From the day I entered Hogwarts, I knew that I wanted to be a Healer. Now, if I played my cards right, I could have a ward named after me. That would be wonderful “ Mum and Dad would be so proud of me.
Oh, who was I kidding? I was just glad that Ron was safe. If he hadn’t survived the night, I would never have forgiven myself. Lifting the coma should be simple enough, and for now there was nothing that I could do but let him sleep. The others, as well, only needed a good night’s rest, for nothing heals as well as deep slumber. I went to a small cabinet and began to assemble ingredients for the potion of Dreamless Slumber.
Fifteen minutes later, it was finished. “Here, Mr. Yates,” I said softly, smiling at the nervous young man. “This will put you to sleep. There will be no dreams, I promise.”
When he smiled, the corner of his mouth twitched, but I knew that he was grateful. He took a sip of the potion and then drained the glass. A blissful smile fell onto his lips, and he was asleep.
A chime rang out through the hospital to announce the end of the midnight shift. “Thank Merlin,” I said. “I need some sleep.” I walked over to Ron’s bed quickly and touched his hand. It was warm and his pulse was strong now. I could breathe again. “Sleep well, Ron.” I bent down to kiss him on the forehead. “Dream of me.”
I took up the remainder of the potion and stepped into the green flames inside the fireplace. One last swirling glance of his face, and the hospital was gone. I stepped out into my apartment and collapsed onto my bed. I took up a ladle of the potion I had brewed and took a long draft. Immediately, I fell asleep.
The bonds of Love are more powerful than anything else. Even one of the most powerful potions in the world could not sever them, for I dreamed of Ron. Even though I undoubtedly loved him, I hated dreaming of him, for nothing made sense when I did. I wanted to maintain a successful career, and there was no room in that successful girl’s life for romance.
“Dream of me, Ron,” I murmured in my sleep. “Dream of me.”