Chapter 10
CHAPTER VIII
Ron and Hermione made their way into the Gryffindor tower. The common room was rather the same as they were during their first and second year.
“Well,” Hermione says. “It definitely feels different now that we’re third years.”
“Yeah. It does.” Ron said weakly.
The two of them looked for Harry in the tower but did not find him. Seeing his face pale, Hermione made Ron head to the boys’ dorm.
“You should rest. I’ll try to find Harry. Maybe he’s with the other students.”
Ronald just nodded and made his way towards his room. Meanwhile, Hermione started to look for Harry. She double-checked the common room, to no avail.
‘Maybe he’s in the Great Hall. Or in the library.’ She felt warm at the thought that Harry might have gone to her paradise in his own accord. She doesn’t want to think about it, but from the occasional slip-ups from his raven-haired friend, his previous school life with his might have dampened his enthusiasm towards studying.
Other than the first and second years, there are also quite a number of higher grades in the castle. There are, however, not a single sight of a fellow third year. And Hermione knows why. Like the others, she would like to take her time and relish at the magic of the village. Maybe it’s just a first time visitor in her talking, but really. The place is enchanting. It would be more enjoyable if she’s with both of her best friends though. And if Ron is not having a severe headache.
Thinking about her ginger friend, Hermione couldn’t help but feel worried. Something is really odd about Ron. The redhead has never even been sick before, but these past two months, he seems to be constantly in pain. It also pains her that she could not do anything about it.
Her mind went back to the conversation she and Harry had with the twins. Even they had noticed Ron’s failing constitution. The only difference they with from her is that they actually knew what’s going on. They said it was something like an old illness coming back. And it seems, no, it IS a big deal. The whole Weasley brood is constantly giving Ron those stares. Like he is going to faint in any minute.
Hermione stomped her feet in frustration. She wants to know what’s happening to her friend, for Merlin’s sake! She wants to ask them, but she also didn’t want to intrude in what seems like a family issue.
That’s it. She has to talk about today’s events to them. And she’s going to have answers.
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Hermione found Harry at the Great Hall. He was just there, looking a bit confused about something.
“Hey, Harry.” She tapped the raven-haired boy at the back. That seemed to put him out of his reverie.
“Oh hi, Hermione.” He took a look at her back and shot her a confused look when he found no one. “Where’s Ron? And the others?” It seems like he also noticed that there are still less people than usual as he looked around.
“I think the others are still at Hogsmeade. Ron and I just came back early because he was feeling under the weather. Speaking of which, have you seen his brothers? Or even Ginny? I have something important to tell them.” The two of them started to walk towards the Gryffindor tower, with Harry now knowing that Ron is sick.
“About what?”
“About Ron. Listen, Harry. I’ll tell you about it, alright? Together with the Weasleys. They can’t not answer our questions after this.” Her voice resolute, she led the way as they were climbing the stairs. “So, have you seen any of them?”
The boy went from confused to worried. It was not new for Hermione to talk like they need to do something pronto, but a weird feeling was forming in his stomach. There is something important to talk about, and he’s pretty sure that he might not like it.
“I don’t know if Percy went to Hogsmeade or if he’s studying. I’m sure that the twins attended the visit, and I think I saw Ginny with a blonde girl earlier.”
“So there’s no one here, then?” Hermione looked disappointed. She was convinced that this matter must be discussed immediately, but no one is present. Aside from Harry, of course.
“They’ll be here in a bit. There’s the Halloween Feast, remember? Let me just check on Ron first.”
“Yes. Oh, we brought you some sweets. It’s a bit too much of sugar for my taste, but Ron’s so adamant to get you plenty. How have you been in here? Did you do any homework?”
The pair talked as they both approached the common room. Once there, Harry said that he’s going to see his best friend.
“Sure, but don’t disturb him if he’s asleep, understand? Merlin knows he needs it.” Hermione said with an exasperated sigh.
Harry made his way to the dorms, while Hermione decided to stay in the common room to wait for the Weasleys.
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Harry saw a lump of figure burrowed on Ron’s bed. When he went to see it, he saw Ron not so peacefully sleeping. He appears to have a nightmare, groaning and scrunching his face. Harry opened the lamp on the bedside table in order to see his friend better.
“Ron, mate.” He says, shaking the sleeping redhead. Ron scowled even more, and attempted integrate himself on the sheets. Harry might even consider this sight adorable, if not for the underlying worry in his stomach. “Hey, mate, mate. Wake up. Ron?”
Slowly, Ron opened his eyes. He seemed confused on his surroundings, trying to focus his sight.
“H’rry?”
“Yeah, mate. It’s me. You looked were having a nightmare. You were just tossing around and groaning there.” He paused to take a good look of his friend. His pace was pale, making his freckles more noticeable. He is sweating, with his hair stuck on his forehead.
“T’s not a nightmare,” he says, closing his eyes forcefully. “Can you please turn off the light? It’s making my head hurt.”
Harry immediately turned around to do what his friend asked, before sitting on the corner of the bed.
“Sorry ‘bout that. D’you want anything? A potion? Food?” Harry asked, while putting his hands on Ron’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever, but I suppose Madam Pomfrey might have something for you. Wait here, I’ll just-“
“No. no potions. Just took lots”
“‘Lots’ you say? How many was that?” he was about to rummage on Ron’s trunk but Ron immediately took ahold of him.
“Water. Just water please. . . I’ll be better in a bit. I’ll just have to lay down for a while.” Harry was feeling conflicted, feeling that his friend is hiding something from him, but he eventually relented under Ron’s pitiful gaze. He got up to get a glass of water, and giving it to his sick friend.
“Alright, here. Rest up. We have a feast to celebrate later.” He said, adjusting the quilt to his friend, but all he got was a groan of affirmation.
Hermione looked up from her book as more and more students filtered in and the common room becomes noisier. She looked at the book on her lap and sighed. She didn’t even moved past on the second page since she started “reading”. Looking at the window, hours seemed to have passed. The night is slowly coming, with few tiny stars and the waning gibbous moon giving glimpses of themselves on a dusk-y sky.
As the door opened once more, she saw Percy and Ginny walking together. Hermione raised her hand to call their attention, in which Percy responded with a curt nod and Ginny giving a little wave.
“Hey, Hermione. Have you been back for long? New third-years usually makes the best time of their very first Hogsmeade visit, going back at the latest hour they could.” Percy asked.
“No, I have been here for quite a while, actually. Ron and I went back early because he was feeling ill.”
A look of worry flashed through both Weasleys. They were just about to head to Ron’s dorms but she immediately stopped them.
“Percy. Percy, wait. Ron’s resting! You should let him be before the feast. And Ginny, you won’t even be able to go to the boys’ dorms!”
“But—“
“No buts. Please, trust me on this one, alright?”
“Fine,” Percy says, his cvoice grave. “But only because you said he is resting. Now, tell us all about it. How was Ron? How was he feeling?”
“Alright, I’ll tell you. But don’t you want to include Fred and George in this?”
Hermione thinks that this might be the chance to ask questions. After all, she was the one who was with Ron earlier. They at least owe her some explanation about the well-being of her friend.
“Well, well, well.”
“We heard someone say our magical names,”
“Of whom do we owe this pleasure?”
“What can we do for you?”
The twins said in an energetic tone, but seeing the somber expression on their faces, confusion painted their face.
“Oh, did somebody die?”
“FRED!” three voices almost screamed, with fear, worry, and irritation. It made quite a number of heads turn, sending them shocked and questioning looks. Percy sighed and led them to the deserted part of the common room, after saying a couple of perfunctory apologies.
“That is NOT a good joke, you understand?” almost-anger dripped in his words. The twins were shocked, as they rarely saw Percy this mad. He scolded them many times, yes. But it only has irritation in it. This, however, is quite a different occurrence.
“We were just talking about Ron, our brother, possibly having a fever, his sickness coming back, and you are there saying something ominous at that!” The third-born Weasey is seething.
“Percy, they didn’t know,” Ginny said, placating his older brother.
“Wait, Ron?”
“How is he?”
Much like the other two, the twins are ready to bolt towards the youngest boy in their family. However, they too was stopped even before they could take any step.
“He’s fine, just resting upstairs. Harry’s with him. I was just about to tell Percy and Ginny about today’s outing when you arrived.” Hermione explained, summarizing all the points they were discussing earlier.
“So? What really happened?” Ginny asked first, knowing her older brothers’ tempers.
“Ron was fine earlier in the morning. We even took a good look at various places in Hogsmeade. However, he started to feel off at the middle of our tour. We decided to sit down at three broomsticks - which was a horrible idea, by the way. The place was full-packed! – Ron asked for a glass of warm water. Then after a while, we went back.”
She told them the very simplified version of the events.
“Was he having a fever?” Percy asked urgently.
“No, as far as I know. It was a really bad headache, though. He almost seemed to be fainting. He clutched his chest at some point, too.”
A sigh of relief came out of Percy, Fred, and George. Ginny still looked terribly worried.
“At least it’s not a fever.” George said.
“What about it?” Hermione asked. However, no reply came. She felt irritation bubble up inside her again. “Why are you not answering me? I’m his friend, I at least deserve to know!”
“Hermione, it’s not really our secret to tell-“
“It’s Ronald’s.”
“We all know that he won’t tell me, or even Harry for that matter.” She sighed, dropping herself on a seat. “Please. You don’t know how dreadful I felt when I was with him earlier. I could have just passed these events out as a normal migraine attacks, or even a flu, but you all here are saying things like he’s going to die at any second!” Hermione could feel tears warm her eyes. She harshly used her sleeves to dry it, before looking at the siblings.
“Fevers are something that we dreaded about Ron. When he was younger, he use to be rushed to St. Mungo’s often. I can’t tell you all the details, but there were weeks that he had to be in bedrest constantly. That’s how bad it was. When he turned 9, he stopped having any of those. No more headaches, fevers, everything.” Percy told her.
“There were times that we all thought we would lose him, Hermione. Please understand that there are things that we don’t want to talk about anymore. Aside from the fact that very little was known about Ron’s illness, such talks only brings bad memories for us.” George says, voice somber.
“You are free to tell Harry what we told you, but be careful probing Ron. Even we, his siblings, are having a hard time getting proper answers from him. Once everything is cleared up, or if we ever need some help, we’ll tell you and Harry.” Percy once again took a hold of the conversation.
“Yeah, it’s really impossible not to. You three are attached by the hip after all this time.” Fred says, attempting to lighten up the atmosphere.