Ron tossed around restlessly in his bed. He tried to keep his mind off of Hermione, but everything reminded him of her. The Daily Prophet lit under the moonlight lying on the nightstand was not helping. In the morning, he would escape his Healer and find a way into Hermione’s hospital room. Maybe showing her the letter would help. Just imagining what might happen then made his heart jump.
When he finally fell asleep, he dreamt of swirling images of the past. He and Hermione’s first encounter on the Hogwart’s Express faded into the summer of their fourth year. The picture of Hermione laughing with him and Harry dissolved into only the two of them in the library just that year. Suddenly Bellatrix entered the scene and in a second, Hermione was collapsed on the ground.
Ron woke with a start. It was only just after midnight.
When Harry came in the next morning, Ron was drowsy with lack of sleep.
“You don’t look so good. How’d you sleep?” Harry worried.
“Rather not think about it,” Ron replied simply. The dreams were hard enough to bear.
“Okay, you still up to it?”
Ron said, “Yeah,” just as the Healer walked in. “But how’re we going to get past her?” he whispered.
Harry quickly cast the Muffliato charm. “Don’t worry. I found this in my pocket. It’s a bit old, but,” Harry pulled out a Nosebleed Nouget, “It’ll do.”
“Thank you, Fred and George!” Ron exclaimed. The Healer looked their way, surprised that she could not hear him when she clearly saw him throw up his arm in a triumphant manner. She cleaned her ear with her index finger, confused.
“I’ll eat this, and you make a run for it.” Harry looked at his leg. “Or limp.”
Harry pulled off the wrapper and popped the magic nosebleed inducing treat into his mouth and waited. It was awhile before Ron whispered, “Why isn’t it working?”
Harry shrugged and said, “I don’t know how long it’s been in my pocket,” as Ron immediately felt a tingle in his nasal cavity. Bright red blood began flowing from his nose onto the white of his sheets.
“Oh no,” he said unconvincingly. He was not much of an actor.
The Healer hurried over to the cot and handed Harry a handkerchief. “Sit down and tilt your head back. I must change the sheets now.” She pulled off the bedspread and linens and carried them off to the laundry room. While she was leaving the room, Harry ate the other half that made the nosebleed stop. Ron watched her scurry down the hall and then turned back to Harry. “Ready?”
“If you are.” Ron took another look down the hallway, and they started for Hermione’s room.
Hermione was gazing out the window of her hospital room and could not help but bring the image of that blue-eyed, red-haired boy into her thoughts. Although his paralyzing kiss and warming touch was all her selective memory had of him, she knew somehow that he was all she needed to complete her life. She tried to picture him in other memories, but nothing came to mind. She started to believe that he might not even exist when her contemplation was interrupted by a knock on the door.
“It seems that you have some visitors,” the Healer said.
Hermione sat up straight in her cot. She leaned curiously to see who was outside the glass window on the door. The transparent square cut out was only small enough to see Harry, but she knew there had to be someone behind him.
Harry opened the door and entered the room. “G’morning, Hermione.” His companion hesitated before stepping into the room.
“Hello, Harry. Who’ve you brought “” Hermione abruptly stopped when she spotted the red hair. She lost her ability to speak.
“You probably don’t know who I am.” His eyes cast downward.
Hermione shook her head but recalled her only memories. But I do know you.
He glided closer to her involuntarily as if they were opposite magnets. He raised his hand to stroke the side on her face but stopped himself before contact. Making her uncomfortable was the last thing he would ever want to do. He left his hand there, frozen in mid-action.
“I can’t remember who you are, but I remember this,” Hermione whispered just loud enough for him to hear. She lifted her hand to his and pressed their palms together. Then, she delicately closed her slender fingers around his thicker ones, looked into his stunned face, and smiled. He mirrored her action.
“I remember your hair and your eyes.” Hermione gazed into his clear blue eyes and it brought her back to her memory once more. “And this.” Acting on impulse, she closed her eyes and let her lips find his. He was surprised, and his body stiffened but soon relaxed. Her fingers, still entwined around his, tightened. She was flying and felt the bed to make sure that it was real. Her vision, though her eyes were closed, was crystal clear as seventeen years worth of memories inundated her mind. It was too much for her body to handle and it collapsed inward as she fell again into darkness.
“Hermione, Hermione. No, please don’t,” she heard Ron call her name. “Someone get her some water, anything!” She felt his hand tightly around hers.
Her eyelids fluttered open to see his panicking face. “Ron, I’m fine,” she said calmly. She felt like she had had too much sleep.
His eyes widened as the words came out of her mouth. “You remember? It’s really you?” She nodded with a confused expression. “You’re back, you’re back, you’re back!” he repeated.
“Remember? What happened? I didn’t go anywhere...” Hermione looked around the room. It was not the dark Hogwarts corridor; it was a St. Mungo’s hospital room. Now she remembered: that night in school, the kiss, the arrival of the Death Eaters, the writhing pain of the Cruciatus Curse, and Ron. She had pushed him away, even ignored his existence, yet still he armed himself against one of the maddest witches for her, risking his own life. She knew that she would not be here without him, and if he was not here now, her life would have no meaning. She knew that now. There was no-where to run anymore.
Ron looked very nervous. He pulled out a crinkled piece of paper from his pocket. “What’s that?” she asked, and grabbed it from his hand. It was the letter that she wrote to Viktor, all patched up. She had really hurt him. Eyes brimming with tears, she threw her arms around him. “I’m sorry,” she choked. “I didn’t know-” Ron held her face in his hands and wiped away her tears. Her tears ceased. They were suspended in time. She could have spent forever just gazing into his face. Hermione took one deep breath in. They gravitated towards each other, and their lips met in a kiss that seemed to last for eternity.