Chapter 4
“Does anyone want to go to Diagon Alley with us?” Mr. Weasley asked later that afternoon.
“Will Mum go again before school?” Ginny asked.
“Of course,” he replied.
“I’ll go then instead,” she said. Harry, Ron, and Hermione also agreed to stay.
“Ginny, can I talk to you in my room?” Hermione asked.
“Sure,” Ginny replied as they exited the boys’ room.
In Hermione’s room, Ginny sat on the bed as Hermione paced. “Something’s wrong,” Hermione said.
“What do you mean?” Ginny asked.
“Before I came here this summer, the thought of kissing Ron or Harry would have probably grossed me out. But, . . . ” Hermione started but sighed.
“What did you do?” Ginny questioned.
“But, I’ve kissed them both in the past two days,” Hermione confessed.
“Woah, you kissed my brother?” Ginny asked amazed and grossed out.
“Yeah.”
“How did you do that?” Ginny joked. Hermione shrugged and rolled her eyes.
“Who did you like kissing the most?” Ginny quizzed.
Hermione relived the kisses in her mind. “It was kind of equal, but they were different feelings. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Try,” Ginny encouraged.
“Kissing Ron was sweet, romantic, and warm. It was a very . . . ‘fluffy’ feeling, I guess,” Hermione smiled. “And kissing Harry was hot, comforting, but yet dangerous. It was more of ‘I don’t trust my hormones around you’ feeling.”
Ginny laughed. “So with Ron it’s ‘I could have his children’ and with Harry it’s ‘I could make his children?’”
Hermione laughed. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Do you want me to talk to them?” Ginny offered.
“Sure, whoever gives the best answers will be the one I choose. Make sure it’s not obvious I want you to talk to them, though,” Hermione said.
“Of course,” Ginny agreed.
“Oh my goodness! I just thought of something! What if Ron decides to tell Harry and Harry says ‘wait, she kissed me too?’” Hermione gasped.
“They’re alone now,” Ginny realized.
Both girls looked at each other then ran from Hermione’s room. When they got back to the boys’ room, they saw Harry and Ron peacefully playing wizards’ chess. Hermione and Ginny sighed in relief.
“Do you want to play, ‘Mione?” Harry asked.
“No, that’s alright, thanks,” she replied. She curled up on Ron’s bed and picked up the Auror book. She wasn’t feeling quite right, and wanted to rest. Soon, Hermione had drifted to sleep on Ron’s comforter.
******
Hermione was near the Weasley’s lake. It was dark, and she was alone. There was a sudden gust of wind. Harry and Ron appeared in front of her. They had cold, evil looks in their eyes.
“Harry? Ron? What’s going on?” she asked them nervously.
Another gust of wind and Voldemort appeared. Hermione gasped.
“What’s going on?” she repeated, now scared.
None of them spoke, but Harry and Ron pushed up their sleeves. The Dark Mark was on both of their forearms.
“No,” she whispered, tears forming.
Harry and Ron grinned evilly as they advanced on Hermione. She tried to turn and run but she couldn’t. Harry held her arms while Ron held her legs. They pushed her to the damp ground. Voldemort stood above her. Harry held one of her arms out and kneeled on the other. Voldemort held his wand out and cast a spell to silence her screaming. Then, he touched the tip of his wand to the soft pale skin of her forearm. An extreme pain shot through her as she watched the Dark Mark etch itself into her skin. She kicked as much as she could with Ron holding her legs. Ron took out his wand and cast a spell which made Hermione go limp and black out.
******
Hermione woke up with a shrill scream. She immediately looked at her arm; it was Dark Mark free. There were running footsteps coming up the stairs. She was sitting on Ron’s bed crying with her trembling hands over her face. The door burst open and Ron, Harry, and Ginny ran in. They all had their wands out.
“What’s wrong?” Ginny asked frantically.
“Really, really bad nightmare,” Hermione sobbed.
“‘Mione? Are you all right?” Ron asked her, looking her over.
Hermione shook her head.
Harry felt her forehead, uselessly. “You’re cold,” he said.
“I don’t feel good,” she said quietly.
“Are you going to throw up?” Ginny asked Hermione. She pushed Hermione’s hair back and tied it with a hair band.
“It feels like it,” Hermione answered, embarrassed.
Ron got his waste bin from the corner and set it next to the bed.
“We’ll leave you alone. But, if you need anything we’re downstairs,” Ginny said and pulled a reluctant Harry out of the room with her.
Ron sat next to Hermione and held her hand. “If you need to throw up, you can. I won’t make fun of you,” he said.
She nodded and leaned over the edge of the bed and threw up into the garbage can. Ron rubbed her back and held the shorter strands of hair that didn’t fit in the ponytail. When she was finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Any better?” Ron asked her.
“A little bit,” she said, her voice shaking.
“Good,” he said softly. “I’ll be right back,” he got up and left.
Hermione laid down. ‘I hate being sick. And this is very embarrassing. Why now? Why here’ she thought irritably.
A few minutes later Ron came back in. He was carrying a glass of pumpkin juice, a vial of potion, a wet towel, and a hand towel.
“Here you go, beautiful,” he said handing her the potion and pumpkin juice.
“All of it?” she asked looking t the potion.
“Yes. And do it quickly; it’s disgusting,” Ron replied sitting next to her again.
Hermione drank all of the potion and then quickly drank some of the pumpkin juice.
“Good girl,” Ron chuckled. “That should help with the nausea.”
“Thanks, Ron,” Hermione said looking up at him.
“No problem,” he smiled warmly. He stood and pulled back the covers. Hermione climbed underneath them.
“I’m cold still,” she said. Ron also felt her forehead.
“You feel hot now, by Harry said you felt cold before,” he said. He put the wet towel on her forehead.
Hermione shrugged, Ron stepped to his dresser and pulled out a pair of flannel pajama pants. “Here, these are really warm,” he said and tossed them to her.
“Um, Ron?”
“Yeah?”
“The top.”
“Oh! Yeah, sorry about that,” he blushed wildly as he dug through his drawer. “Here you go,” he tossed them to her.
“I’ll go to my room now. Thanks, Ron,” Hermione said and started to get up.
“No, no, no, no. You’re staying here at least until Mum comes home,” Ron said. “Plus, I like the idea of you sleeping in my bed.”
“Well, do you like the idea of me vomiting in it?” she smiled weakly.
“Actually, I don’t care. You can’t help being sick. OK, it is a bit gross, but you’re one of my best friends. So, it’s not so bad,” he replied.
“Good answer,” she said. She felt dizzy so she laid back and put her head on the pillow.
“Now you can tell me what your nightmare was,” Ron said laying on his stomach next to Hermione.
Hermione explained every detail to him. While she told him the story, he traced the outline of her hand with his finger. When she finished he looked up at her.
“There is absolutely no need to worry about that. Remember, the Weasley’s are blood traitors,” he smiled. “And Harry joining Voldemort would be suicide. His task would be to kill himself.”
“True,” Hermione giggled.
Ron kissed her hand. “Are you feeling better?”
“Not yet. Why?” she answered.
“Because I want to kiss you,” he confessed.
“Damn sickness,” she smirked.
“You swore,” he said, shocked.
“Uh-oh,” she said sarcastically.
“That makes me want to kiss you more,” he grinned.
“Damn... damn... damn,” she said then laughed as Ron tried to kiss her. She dodged him and he kissed the pillow. He laughed and sat up next to her.
“If you feel better later, let me know,” he joked.
“I will,” she said and kissed his neck.
“Hey! I might get sick now!” he laughed.
"Only if you can lick your neck,” she giggled.
“Can’t do that,” he said then stuck his tongue out but ended up licking his chin. “Oh well.”
Mrs. Weasley came into the room. “Hermione, what’s this I hear about you being sick?” she asked.
“I am. But, Ron is playing Healer,” Hermione said.
Mrs. Weasley stopped in her tracks and looked wide-eyed at them. “Oh, Merlin.”
“He did a good job,” Hermione reassured her. “He gave me a potion to help with nausea and helped me when I did vomit.”
“A potion?” Mrs. Weasley asked nervously.
“The ‘Vomit No More’ stuff,” Ron defended.
“Great!” Mrs. Weasley sighed in relief. “Now, Hermione will need her rest. Come with me, dear.”
Hermione got out of the bed and grabbed the pair of pajamas Ron let her borrow. It took a moment for Hermione to steady herself when she stood up. But, with the help of Mrs. Weasley’s help she made it to the door. She turned at winked at Ron before she left.
******
Cupid's Liquid Arrows by moonbeamfairy16
Chapter Notes: Hermione falls ill after their visit to the lake. Which boy is sweetest to her during her recovery?