a/n: I am in NO way claiming this to be my best work. This is simply one of those absolutely necessary chapters. You know which one I’m talking about, the one that gives you the questions to your answers and nothing more. I put off writing it for quite a bit because I despise writing these chapters, but it had to be done.
Ginny slumped against the wall in the Room of Requirement, which vaguely looked like the infirmary except smaller and with a couch instead of a hospital bed. She pulled her knees to her chest and dropped her head, attempting to stifle her sobs. She felt as though this was all her fault, and worst of all, on the way up to the seventh floor, Madame Pomfrey had insisted on informing the Headmistress, who would be arriving shortly.
Madame Pomfrey had strode quickly to Hermione’s side, a pain relief potion already in hand. She had refused to leave the infirmary unless Ginny told her the exact problem. She motioned for Ron to join his sister while she carefully examined Hermione’s condition. Ron hesitated, but with a stern glare from Madame Pomfrey, obliged her request.
He dragged his feet like an impetuous child who wasn’t getting his way. Ginny lifted her head as he approached, looking for answers, needing someone to tell her she wasn’t to blame, but Ron merely began pacing, eyes glazed and unfocused. She watched him for a few minutes before dropping her head again.
“McGonagall is on her way,” she sobbed into her knees.
Finally his attention was on her. “WHAT?” he said, his voice rising to a dangerous level.
“McGonagall is on her way,” she repeated, lifting her head again.
“How could you?” he asked through clenched teeth. “Haven’t you done enough already?”
That was not what Ginny had wanted to hear, as her sobbing became heavy and her body shook with loud gasping. She had been blaming herself enough since Hermione collapsed, and was hoping no one would condemn her more, but she was mistaken.
“It - wasn’t - my - decision,” she said between shaky breaths.
Surprisingly, Ron calmed. “Oh,” he said at almost a whisper, “of course, it was Pomfrey.”
Ginny simply nodded, speechless at the unexpected reaction of her brother. Ron stopped pacing and sat next to Ginny, his legs outstretched in front of him.
“So what now?” he asked, sounding lost and miserable.
“I don’t know,” Ginny answered, her sobbing lessening. “If she’s anything like Dumbledore, we can’t say anything less than the full, uncensored truth.”
Ron nodded, just as McGonagall entered the room with a very stern look on her face, along with a look of motherly worry. She had been with these kids through everything and hated to see something even remotely close to this happen to them, all of them.
“So are you going to tell me what happened?” she asked, walking towards her ginger-haired students, looking back and forth between them.
Ginny seemed to be in shock, so Ron began in a low voice, “Well it all started about six months ago, when Hermione and I had gotten into another row and broke up for the umpteenth time...”
***
“I am very disappointed in the lot of you,” McGonagall stated as they finished their recollection of the past several months.
Ron and Ginny sunk their heads to their impending reprimand.
“You should have all come to me from the beginning. It might have stopped scenarios like this,” she pointed behind her to the examination, “from happening.”
Ginny looked at Ron, her eyes scared, and they nodded in unison.
“However,” McGonagall chimed in, “I understand how your foolish actions came to be.” She quickly added, “Mind you, it was the secrecy and concealment, not the actions, that started this whole thing.”
The redheads wanted to snicker, but now was not the time. After all, they were still in trouble, and they still knew nothing about Hermione’s condition. So they resolved to quietly listen to the remainder of McGonagall’s speech.
“I understand how daunting it can be to face an adult in a situation like this, especially one in a position of authority. While that does not mean that you are off the hook, it does mean that I believe you have faced enough punishment.
“I will deduct points from Gryffindor for pure foolishness and irresponsibility, but I will not give details. It is embarrassing enough to deduct so many points from the house that was once my own, and even more embarrassing to admit that my former students partook in such behavior.”
A noise startled them all, ensnaring their attention, and their eyes fixed on Madame Pomfrey, who had just cleared her throat.
“Headmistress,” she called out to McGonagall, “may I see you for a moment?”
McGonagall ambled over to Madame Pomfrey, leaving the siblings in her wake. Ron and Ginny stood shakily, their legs prickling after sitting so long. They stood together, straining to hear any snippet of information that the conversation might leak their way.
Ron turned to look at his sister as a silent tear rolled down her cheek. They watched as Madame Pomfrey took the Headmistress behind cloth, infirmary-style partition that kept Hermione from their view. When McGonagall was completely out of view, Ron finally spoke.
“It’s not your fault, Ginny.”
“Excuse me?” she said wiping the tear from her cheek.
“What happened to Hermione, whatever it may be, is not your fault.”
Ginny stood silently, staring into his eyes. His words were sincere.
“These things happen,” he continued, “so please don’t blame yourself. I know Hermione wouldn’t blame you.”
“I just can’t believe how cruel I was,” she blurted out.
“Ginny, we’re all angry. We all have reason to be angry and we all handle it in different ways.”
“Yes, but you’re the one who usually over reacts, and I’m the one that thinks things through before speaking,” she said pointedly.
“I’m gonna forget you just said that,” he said with a small grin, “but seriously, this whole thing has really screwed with all of us. It’s provoked us out of our boundaries, and no one can be expected to stay true to their character in that with their world upside down.”
“Ron?”
“Yeah, Gin?”
“Thanks.”
They shared a simple and knowing smile as McGonagall emerged from behind the partition.
“Is she ok?” Ron blurted out, almost attacking the Headmistress as she approached.
“Calm down Mr. Weasley! Ms. Granger is doing well. Madame Pomfrey has administered a potion to help her sleep and we will be moving her to the infirmary tonight for observation.”
“What happened?” Ginny asked softly.
“It seems to have merely been a reaction to the recent stress. It is no reason to blame yourself,” McGonagall added, seeing the expression on Ginny’s face. “It is very likely that she will make it full term with the help of her friends.
“She just needs to rest. She has requested to attend class for the remainder of the school year, as NEWTs are only three weeks away. As long as she makes regular check ups with Madame Pomfrey, I see no reason why her wishes should not be fulfilled. After all, you have all helped her make it this far unnoticed.
“She has also asked me to inform you, Ms. Weasley, that she is not upset with your outburst and that it is not your fault.”
Ginny let out a breath that she had apparently been holding in.
“And you, Mr. Weasley,” she said while turning to Ron, “I suggest you owl your mother soon in regards to Ms. Granger’s living arrangements after school has concluded. She will need people to keep an eye on her, and I believe your mother is best suited for the position with her experience and the fact that she may be a grandmother-to-be.
“Now I suggest that you both head to your dormitories in hopes of a few hours of sleep before your classes tomorrow. As I’ve said, Madame Pomfrey and I will be escorting Ms. Granger down to the infirmary. When she awakes, if she is feeling up to it, she will be attending her classes as well. There is nothing more you can do tonight.
“Goodnight, Mr. Weasley. Goodnight, Ms. Weasley.”
And with that, Ron and Ginny hesitantly left the Room of Requirement. Not a word was spoken as they walked down the corridor to the entrance of the common room, walked to their separate stair cases, and headed off to bed.
a/n: Sorry again, but as I’ve said it was necessary. I hope I answered some of your questions. And hopefully my next update won’t take as long. I was also having some time constraints with my regular beta. So my new beta is...*drumroll*...Ashley (GryffindorGoddess). Yip, Yip, Hurray! That means quick, quick beta work, but no promises on quick, quick writing because I’ve been writing a few other things lately.