Ron's POV

Well, it happened. My mother used to tell me that one day, I would get hurt because of a stupid decision of mine. It happened. My decision of letting Abby and Vanessa get into my head had led to someone I loved lying unconscious in the hospital. Seeing her that way, and knowing that it was because of me had hurt me. I was feeling completely empty inside, overridden by guilt.

It had now been four days since she had fallen unconscious and still she had shown no signs of waking up. Her skin was pale as ivory and when I held her hand, it was cold. But madame Pomfrey had told me that she would live, that she was breathing and that was good.

I just wanted her to wake up. Madame Pomfrey had said that it might take a week, but in three days, we were supposed to leave for America to look for Harry's sister. Would she be conscious by then? I did not want to leave her behind. We wouldn't last two days without her.

I was ready to do anything if it meant she would wake up. She didn't even have to forgive me for all the hurt I caused her: she just needed to open her eyes. I deserved every bit of harshness from her when she woke up, and I would gladly take it, if it meant she would be alright again.

The bed Hermione was lying on was the last one in the hospital wing and I had pulled the curtains around it so it felt like a small place where no one existed but me and an unconscious Hermione. People would pop in from time to time, asking questions like "How is she?" (She was obviously not well) and "Any idea when she'll wake up?" (Of course I had no idea!)

They would just look down at her with pity in their eyes and then at me with a mixture pity and accusation.

I could understand then accusing me of what happened to her, but when they looked pityingly at her, I wanted to scream at them. She had never wanted anyone to look at her like that, no matter what happened.

The lunch bell had rung a while ago and I was considering actually going to the Great Hall instead of waiting for Harry to come. Over the past two days, he had been coming in after every meal to check up on me and he usually brought a sandwich for me to eat.

I had been in the hospital wing for the last four days, not wanting to leave just in case Hermione woke up. I had not even gone for lessons. But everyone seemed to have been expecting that.

I glanced out the window to see the grounds covered in a thin layer of snow. It seemed to be melting and the air had even gotten just a little warmer today. Looking back at Hermione's sleeping form one last time, I pushed the curtains close behind me as I left for lunch.

The hallways were filled with students who were on their way to the Great Hall, and the smell of warm food reached me before I got there. The. cool air that rushed in through the windows washed over my face and it seemed to awaken my senses. I had been in that hospital room for four days straight.

The Great Hall was buzzing with chatter and excited laughter as I walked in, and the Gryffindor table was already crowded. I made my way towards Harry and saw he was sitting with Ginny. She hadn't spoken to me ever since the fight and Harry had told me she was still angry. I just hoped she would forgive me soon. She was my sister.

"Ron!" Harry grinned, patting me on the back. "Finally decided to eat with us, did you, mate?"

I chuckled, sliding in next to him on the bench . "Yeah. Hermione was doing okay. I mean she's unconscious but she hasn't thrashed about in her sleep or anything. So I thought I could have lunch here." It still felt weird, talking to Harry after everything I had done. He always forgave me and somehow we always managed to make up in the end.

I liked that about our friendship, because I had clearly made a lot of mistakes but he always overlooked them. My mind flashed back to fourth year when I had accused him of putting his name in the goblet, and then to last year, when I had abandoned him and Hermione while we were hunting horcruxes. That had been horrible.

"So, Harry, do you want to practice Quidditch after lunch? We only have three days till we leave." It was Ginny. She was sitting on Harry's other side with her hair open and a wide smile plastered on her face. She noticed me at that very moment but pretended not to and went back to staring ahead of her.

"Sure, let's do it!" Harry grinned and she looked back at him to smile warmly. I tried not to clear my throat at the sight. "Ron can be Keeper of course."

I wouldn't have agreed even if Ginny did say okay. I would have said I had better go back to the hospital wing. But when she spoke, her voice was as cold as ice.

"Oh I'm not playing if he's playing," she glared at me and I started to apologize.

"Gin, I'm...."

"No, Ronald," she cut me off. "You aren't. Harry, I'm going outside. If you want to practice, I'll be near the pitch." She got up quickly after wiping her mouth and stalked towards the doors, not once looking back. Harry looked torn.

"She'll cone round," he said. "I'll talk to her."

"Okay, thanks, Harry," I said sadly and he patted my shoulder before saying,

"I better go." Ginny was already near the doors

"Yeah." When he caught up with her, I could almost hear snatches of their conversation because the room had suddenly gone silent for a minute.

"..Doesn't deserve it...."

"....he's sorry..."

".....he's dumb....."

"He's your brother..." And then they were out of the Great Hall.

I sighed, turning to my plate. I piled it high with mashed potatoes and fried chicken before digging in. I had not eaten like this in days. My stomach growled and I shoved spoonful after spoonful of food down my throat, only pausing to sip from my glasd of pumpkin juice.

"You look really hungry." I looked up, recognizing the soft voice immediately. After all, it was this girl who had made sure Hermione got a soft landing that night. Luna Lovegood stood over me, wearing her usual Ravenclaw robes. She was also wearing what looked like a square hunk of grey marble around her neck.

"Hey," I said, quickly trying to swallow the chicken that was stuck in my throat. I wasn't sure whether Luna was one of the people who hated me or one of the people who pitied me.

"So," she said, moving to sit at the table. "How are you?"

"I'm.....okay," I sighed. I had hardly ever talked to her, yet here she was, sitting with me when my own sister wouldn't.

"Harry forgives you," Luna chirped, placing some salad on her plate. "I'm sure Hermione will as well."

"Oh," I said uneasily. I wasn't sure Hermione would forgive me. "Yeah, I guess."

"If you want to talk to anyone," she smiled gently. "I'm here."

"Thanks, Luna," I smiled back at her weakly. "I really appreciate this." And I did. All these years, I had thought of her as some strange girl who was in my sister's year. But she was really kind and could be a great friend too. My heart swelled at her words.

"It isn't a problem," she told me. "Just make sure you don't let the nargles near you again. That's why you fell under the deatheaters' spell. You attract them like a magnet!"

"I'll try to stay away from them then," I chuckled,

"That would be the smart thing to do," Luna smiled. "Have you ever wondered why they get near people's minds?"

Her question took me by surprise. "What?"

"The nargles," she said. "Do you know why they get into people's brains? Especially yours?"

"Er...well," I paused, having no idea where the conversation was headed. "I don't know, I guess."

Luna put down her fork and gazed ar me seriously. Her deep blue eyes were shinning. "It's because the human brains are infinite. Some people's hearts and souls are so pure that even the slightest bad thought cam pollute them and they loose their sense of right or wrong. "

"Oh," I managed to say before shoving another spoon of mashed potatoes in my mouth.

"Your mind is pure," she was saying. "You always have true intentions. But sometimes, you get one negative thought. That can attract nargles, so they enter your brain and make it go all fuzzy. You loose your original purity and let the nargles take over."

When Luna left five minutes later to join her house, all I could think was: Wow. The part about the nargles might have been a little crazy, but the main point of what she said was true.

I let one dark thought rule my decisions and then it took over me.

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A/N

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