Senses by Gryffinpuff
Chapter Notes: I'm a die hard R/Hr shipper, and I always have been! Please let me know if you think I'm doing their story justice!
Disclaimor: Nothing here belongs to me, Jo owns all of it.
Hermione, struggling to open her eyes, felt perplexed by the short glimpses of the foggy world around her. She closed her eyes tightly and then attempted to open them again. What was happening? Was she going blind? Why was everything so hazy? Her eyes began to water, casting a soggy tinge to her clouded surroundings. I’m not going blind, Hermione thought as she slowly composed herself, willing her senses to return.
Indeed it was not Hermione’s eyes that were clouded; it was everything else. Smoke and dust clogged the air, choking all light from the sky and obscuring any substantial form in the objects around her. Hermione’s ears started to ring, startling her as she realized that along with being momentarily unable to see, her hearing had gone as well. A vague sense of panic started to wind menacingly in her stomach as she realized she was lying prone on the ground. She had to get up, to find someone. Anyone. She attempted to lift her head, but was toppled back by an overpowering sense of numbness and tingling throughout her back and limbs. The panic was now snaking its way to her chest. What’s wrong with me? Hermione thought desperately, trying once again to rise. This time the numbness gave way to pain, though it was dull, like her nerves had been asleep and were slowly being revived. The panic was now coiling itself around her. She opened her mouth to scream, to call for someone to help, but no sound escaped her lips.
Ron swore angrily into the grass as he struggled to regain his footing. Someone was sitting on top of him. It was Charlie. Ron felt briefly annoyed until he realized his brother was bleeding. “Charlie, are you okay? What the bloody hell is going on?” Ron screamed over the roar of sound around him. Worry became confusion as he saw that Charlie was not the only one injured. He himself was bleeding rather badly from a large cut on his right arm. But there were other people. So many others, that looked far worse.
As Ron helped Charlie to his feet, he replayed the last few minutes in his mind. Moments before he had been standing beside his brothers, feeling happy and at ease. Then suddenly he was on the ground. He remembered hearing angry voices. Someone had screamed, and there had been an explosion. But what had happened? Ron was interrupted from his reverie as someone collided with him. At first he felt inclined to fight, it was impossible to clearly make out the person’s face through the smoke. “Ron, thank goodness, are you alright?” Ron sighed with relief. It was his father.
“Dad, what’s happening? What caused the explosion?” Ron questioned, desperate for answers as he pulled his father closer.
"He didn’t mean to do it, I know he didn’t,” Mr. Weasley chocked in response, a pained look on his face.
“Who did what? Tell me!” Ron urged, gripping his father by the arm.
“He’d made amends. It was the Imperius Curse, I’m sure of it,” Mr. Weasley’s eyes were watering now.
“WHO?” Ron screamed, shaking his father in frustration.
“P-Percy,” his father stuttered as a tear finally escaped his eyes. “Percy cast a Blasting Charm. He got caught up in the explosion. I know he would have got away if he’d been in control…” Mr. Weasley looked to the ground, taking Ron’s shoulders in his hands for support. Ron felt as though he’d been punched in the stomach. Percy was dead.
“No!” Mr. Weasley yelled in alarm suddenly pulling his wand from his pocket. Ron whipped around as people began screaming anew and running in every direction. Wizards wearing masks and dark black robes moved swiftly through the haze, blasting everything in their paths. Percy was a distraction, Ron thought darkly as he pulled his own wand from his robes. They knew we’d be unprepared. “Look out!” Mr. Weasley shouted as he pushed Ron to the ground, narrowly avoiding a jet of red light. “Get back to the Burrow, NOW!” Mr. Weasley screamed to Ron as he rose from the ground and ran into the haze toward flashing lights in the distance.
Ron gazed after his father, bewildered. He didn’t even know which direction he was facing, let alone which way to turn to get back to the Burrow. Rising from the ground, Ron reasoned which way he’d been standing before the explosion, and with his wand ready, started to move. “Harry,” Ron suddenly said to himself as he tripped over a broken chair. He searched the fleeing crowds for his friend. They’ve come for Harry, he told himself knowingly as he raced forward. He had to find him, they couldn’t get Harry. Not now. Too much depended on him. A sickeningly cold shock hit Ron’s stomach as he passed a screaming young woman, her dress robes smeared in blood. Hermione. He hadn’t seen Hermione since the explosion. What if she’s...? Ron shook the thought from his head, refusing to let it surface. She was fine. She had to be. Any moment now he’d step through the smoke and find her sitting there, dust in her frizzy brown hair and a plan just bursting to explode from her mind. She’d be there with Harry, waiting patiently for Ron to catch up; like she always did. The cold sensation in his gut began to grow as he leapt over an unmoving body, running without hesitation towards the last place he’d seen Harry and Hermione before the explosion.
Hermione tried unsuccessfully to scream one more time, only to find that now her head ached with the movement of her mouth. People were talking loudly, stumbling all around her. Please, Hermione thought desperately, please somebody find me! She heard the edge of desperation in her inner pleas and closed her eyes. She would not lose it, she couldn’t. If she didn’t have her wits about her, she didn’t have anything, and right now her mind seemed to be the only thing working properly. She had to think it through. If she could figure out what had happened, then she’d be able to fix it. At least she hoped she would. Panic started to ebb its way into her thoughts. No! She had to get past that! She had reasoned her way out of tough spots before, and this time was no different. Hermione closed her eyes, pressing out everything from her mind but her thoughts of that morning…
The day had started out well. Warm summer sun had littered the Burrow (she was at the Burrow!), smiling happily in the perfect blue sky. Not one cloud, they had noted, as if the whole world wanted to make today perfect. Today. What was today? Hermione had been excited. She’d been talking with Ginny all morning. Ginny was fixing Hermione’s hair and helping her straighten her robes. Dress robes. Pale yellow, they’d looked so perfect when Hermione had bought them. She’d wanted to look perfect for today… for Ron. He had been on her mind all morning as she’d gotten ready, wondering what he would say when he saw her. If he would say anything at all. He’d been busy, she realized, as a groomsman. For Bill. Bill and Fleur, today was their wedding day. They’d both looked so beautiful, holding hands. Smiling. Harry had agreed with her. Harry! He’d been beside her, they had been sitting behind Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley had been crying. She was happy, looking at her children. All of her children were at the front. In the wedding party. Except for Percy. He was sitting beside his mother. Holding her hand, and grinning. And everything was perfect. Even Ron looked polished. A vast improvement, Harry had noted, over his fourth year dress robes. Hermione had laughed. She’d admonished Harry for that. Then something went wrong. Mrs. Weasley had seemed upset. Percy was standing. Staring blankly. His mother had tugged on his robes. He’d ignored her. Percy had just walked into the aisle. He’d drawn his wand. Hermione had risen from her seat. Percy’s eyes hadn’t looked right. She hadn’t had time to think. She just dove for Percy’s wand. There was screaming. Screaming…
Hermione’s eyes shot open, but the screaming didn’t stop. A fresh wave of terror gripped her as she realized something new was happening. People were running, shouting. Streaks of light blazed in her eyes through the thick smoke. A slight whimper escaped Hermione’s lips. Her voice was coming back. She opened her mouth to call for help when she was roughly kicked in the side by a fleeing figure that merely collided with her and kept going. A shout of pain wrenched from her lips as she rolled onto her side with the force of the blow. She could now see everything that was happening around her. The Death Eaters were here. You have to get up, right now! Hermione thought to herself desperately, trying to move her hands under her uncooperative body. She couldn’t just sit there, waiting for one of them to finish her off. Pushing herself into a sitting position, Hermione shouted in pain at the response from her body. Damn it, Percy, Hermione swore to herself as she gasped in pain. He had to do a Blasting Charm. And I had to be the one to get in the way.
Hermione made a fresh attempt to stand, screaming louder than ever as her body crumpled in pain sending her back to the ground. The aftershock from the charm was wearing off. Her whole body had been rattled, knocking out all of her senses. If only this part, the part where her sense of feeling returned, would end faster, she’d be able to get up. Someone moved above her. Hermione pushed with all her might, biting her lip to keep from crying out as she pushed herself back to a sitting position. She didn’t know who was behind the mask, only that they seemed very entertained by her predicament. She made a feeble attempt to reach for her wand, blindly refusing to go down without even attempting to protect herself. The Death Eater seemed to be enjoying this. He extended his foot, pushing Hermione to the ground with relish. Hermione held her breath and closed her eyes as he positioned himself above her, aiming his wand at her head. There was a flash, and the feeling of something falling on top of her. Hermione shouted in surprise, her body aching under the sudden weight. Inexplicably the weight was lifted. A few moments later, someone was touching her face.
“Hermione?” said a hushed voice; the hand on her face trembled slightly. Hermione gasped and opened her eyes. Ron was kneeling above her, a mingled look of worry and relief etching his normally care-free, freckled face.
Ron sidestepped a pair of dueling wizards as he ran through the smoke and dust searching for any signs of Hermione or Harry. What if they needed him, and he wasn’t there? Oh, come on Ron, like Harry really desperately needs your help right now, Ron chided himself. He’s Harry; he knows how to take care of himself. This thought relaxed Ron slightly. And Hermione, she’s brilliant, I’m sure she’s fine. But Ron couldn’t feel so confident that time. Hermione was brilliant. The smartest witch he’d ever met in fact. But he knew she lost her cool when things got out of control like this, like in first year when they were attacked by Devil’s Snare and she’d nearly forgotten she knew how to use magic.
A flash of blue light collided with a chair next to Ron’s left leg. Wheeling around, Ron shouted “Stupefy!” at the attacking Death Eater. His aim was true, and the Death Eater crumpled to the ground. Wasting no time, Ron turned and continued searching for his friends. He scanned the throng of fighters around him. Hermione is wearing yellow, Ron remembered as he searched for a glimpse of yellow clothing in the tangle of people. He couldn’t help but think of how beautiful she’d looked. He’d been so shocked when he’d seen her; he hadn’t been able to speak. He had just looked at her. Stared at her was more like it. Why hadn’t he told her? Told her how perfect she was. What if you never can? Ron thought anxiously. The idea terrified him.
Ron was stumbling over a pile of broken chairs when he saw it. A flash of yellow had appeared above, and then vanished behind a great mound of earth some twenty feet away. His heart fluttered wildly as he pushed his way forward. A flash of green came from his right, and someone toppled to the ground taking Ron down with them. He didn’t have the stomach to see who it was, so he simply scrambled back to his feet and continued moving forward. That was when Ron’s heart stopped. There was a Death Eater behind the pile of dirt. Standing above where Hermione might have been just moments before, with his wand drawn and an air of utmost enjoyment in his stance. Ron didn’t know what spell he cast. He would never know how he was able to do anything when his breath, his very life had stalled. How he knew to run like hell the moment the Death Eater had crumpled to the ground, and lift his lifeless body from the slight yellow form barely visible beneath him.
A wave of nausea struck Ron as he first saw her. Three deep cuts marred her beautiful face, and the hair on her left side was singed. Both of her hands were an angry red color, as though they had been badly burned, and parts of her dress looked scorched. She’d caught the blasting charm hard. From the look of them, he’d almost guess that she’d had Percy’s wand in her hands when it had been fired. He was fairly sure that all her injuries could be mended, and he knew that her hair would grow back in time, but the feeling of fear remained. She looked so still, and so lifeless. Ron knelt beside her and gently placed his hand on her face.
“Hermione?” he said quietly, his voice shaking. Please, let her be alive, he pleaded as he spoke her name. Relief flooded through him as she gasped and opened her eyes. For a second they gazed at each other. It might have been a romantic moment had it not been for the battle being waged around them. I have to get her out of here, Ron decided, looking around him for the best method of doing so without being stopped by Death Eaters along the way. This was difficult, as a throng of fighters were moving steadily closer to where they were sitting. There was no other option; he’d have to carry her out of there. As gently as he could manage, Ron hoisted Hermione into his arms and off the ground. He cringed as she shouted in pain, pulling her close and trying desperately to comfort her while running full tilt away from the fight. He’d made good progress until two Death Eaters suddenly emerging from the fog cut him off.
Ron didn’t stop to panic. He didn’t have time to take out both of them, but he had to try. He aimed his wand, holding Hermione with one arm, and brought one of the Death Eaters to the ground. He was shocked as the other fell seconds later, locked in a binding spell. As the Death Eater fell, Ron caught sight of his savior. Harry Potter still had his wand trained on the fallen man, though his eyes were now fixed on Ron and Hermione. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” Harry said in a rush as Ron ran to his side. “Hermione! Is she alright? She grabbed Percy’s wand, Ron, she tried to stop him. When I finally figured out what had happened I couldn’t find her anywhere. I’d thought she’d…” Harry didn’t finish his last statement, just laid a hand tenderly on Hermione’s arm. She stirred at this, and smiled warmly when she saw Harry’s face.
“Ron, you have to get her out of here,” Harry said quickly at the sound of people rapidly approaching. “She needs a healer; take her to St. Mungo’s.”
“I can’t,” Ron replied miserably, “I don’t have my Apparation license yet.”
“You’ll be fine, mate,” Harry reassured him, as he squared himself ready to fight again. “She needs you. You can do it, for Hermione.” He smiled at Ron knowingly as he said this. A flash of green light flew past Ron’s head. “GO!” shouted Harry. Ron took a deep breath and tightened his hold on Hermione. Closing his eyes he spun on the spot, disappearing with a loud crack.
Hermione gazed at Ron’s face, realizing deep down that he’d just saved her life. She wanted to thank him, to hold him and then join the fight together, but her body wouldn’t allow it. She saw the pained look in his eyes as he looked at her face. Somehow it hadn’t crossed her mind that she might be truly injured, that her body might have more problems than just the aftershock of the blast. She wanted to know, to ask Ron if she would be alright, but there wasn’t time. He was looking around him, worry framing his features. Then, without warning, he bent over her and scooped her into his arms. She tried to hold back the scream of pain at being moved, but it was no use. Ron pulled her close after this, cradling her gently as he ran through the yard.
Hermione began to drift. Her body was screaming, and yet she felt completely safe in Ron’s arms. She vaguely registered Ron stopping and then screaming a spell. Then she heard another voice. One she knew so well, he’d said her name. She felt a hand lightly touch her arm, and when she opened her eyes she saw Harry looking into her face. Harry’s alright, Hermione thought happily, smiling as she closed her eyes again, finally letting exhaustion claim her.