Honestly, there's been a lot keeping this one shot from being posted on time, but finally it's here - even if it's kind of late

As always - this hasn't been edited (but by this point, I'm sure you're all used to that) 

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It took me a while to realise where I was.

When I woke up, regaining consciousness after who knew how long, it took an extraordinary amount of effort to open my eyes. Finally managing to wade my way through the fog in my mind that was preventing me from lift my heavy lids, I regretted it instantly. The bed I was in, uncomfortable and yet familiar enough for me to identify it as being in the Hospital Wing, was situated right under a strong beam of sunlight streaming in from a window.

Groaning and rubbing my hands over my face, I glanced around the room in search of Madam Pomfrey who, at my sounds of complaint, ducked out from her office and headed straight for my bed. To my chagrin, the closer she got, the better I could see the obvious displeasure on her face. Averting my eyes, I tried to sit up and the older woman was there to help me.

Finally resting against the pillows, I gathered my hands in my lap and avoiding Pomfrey's persistent eyes. Realising that I wasn't going to look at her, she shook her head with a deep sigh that had me lowering my head even further. It was any wonder that she hadn't already told me off. Eventually, Pomfrey retrieved her wand from where she'd tucked it into her apron and set about casting diagnostic checks and tests to make sure that I was fine. And really, I knew I was fine. But then again, I was currently in the Hospital Wing.

"It looks like everything is alright, Miss Eastwood," she said at last, once more tucking her wand away. She remained by my bedside and only when I finally met her eyes did she sigh again. Only this time, the sigh wiped away her disappointment and replaced it with maternal concern. "You gave everyone quite a scare this time round."

"I'm sorry," I said simply, not knowing what else there was for me to say, especially when I didn't know the full details of the lead up to my current stay under the supervision of the matron. Of course, I had some sort of idea but it was mostly a mystery to me. "How did I end up here in the first place?"

"Someone happened to stumble upon you in the middle of the corridor," she explained slowly, searching my face and watching as my brows furrowed in confusion. "There's no way of knowing how long you were passed out but as soon as the other student found you, you were brought here."

"I passed out in the middle of the corridor?" I repeated slowly, remembering that I'd been running late this morning so I'd decided to take a lesser used short cut. "Rowena, I can't believe it."

With a knowing look, Madam Pomfrey guessed, "It's because you forgot to take your medication this morning, isn't it?"

My response was like a reflex that she'd heard all too often. "I'm sorry."

"It's not me you need to apologise to – it's your own self." Softening her stern tone, she reminded me, "I've told you countless times already that no matter how much of a rush you might be in, every morning you need to eat something and then take a dosage of your potion."

Again, all I could say was, "I'm sorry."

Shaking her head and likely knowing that I wouldn't say anything else apart from apologise regardless of how many different ways she told me the same thing, she simply told me to wait a moment longer. I watched as she returned once more to her office. When she returned to my bedside it was with a familiar potion vial in her hand. Uncorking the bottle, she poured out a single dosage into a small cup and set it down on the counter beside the bed.

She snapped her fingers just once and a house-elf appeared with a plate of toast that it held out to me. Accepting it with a quiet word of thanks, I silently made my way through two slices and glanced back to Pomfrey. She simply gestured to the measured dosage. Her eyes, silently daring me to even try to refuse, bore down on me until I took the cup and raised it to my mouth. Tipping it back in one go, I winced at the bitter taste that coated my tongue and tried to forcefully swallow it again. Pouring myself a glass of water, Pomfrey held it out to me and I drank it quickly.

"Can I go now?"

"You know better than that by now," she said simply, gathering the empty plate and the dirty glasses. "You're going to be under my careful watch for at least the rest of the day. Is that understood, Miss Eastwood."

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," I said slowly, hating that I sounded so contrite even to my own ears. On her way away from my bed, Pomfrey picked up my bag from where it rested on the end of my bed and set it down beside me.

Rifling through my bag, I drew out the latest book I'd been reading and settled down to continue from where I'd left off. Unfortunately, there wasn't many pages left and I knew I'd finish it within the hour. The rest of my stay would bore me but there wasn't much I could do about that. Perhaps if some of my dormmates came to see me, or even if someone I knew walked in, I could ask them to pick me something up from the library?

Before I could flick to the right page, I realised Pomfrey hadn't left. Rather, she was still standing at the side of my bed and looking contemplatively down at me. Without a word, I lifted my eyes to hers.

"It was Weasley," she said at last, offering me a small smile. "Ronald Weasley was the one to bring you into the Hospital Wing. He wanted to remain for longer but I sent him away because he had lessons he needed to attend."

"Thank you," I said simply, avoiding the older woman's curious stare. "It would've been awkward to wake up to him anyway."  

**********

I was right; I did manage to finish my book within the hour. And because I'd finished it so quickly, I was left with nothing to do. All I had to occupy my time was the contents of my school bag which was sadly mostly academic. My boredom was so extreme that I was actually contemplating retrieving my Potions textbook to read it through because there was just nothing else to do. The more time passed with no signs of visitors, the more desperate I grew.

Really, it was all my own fault. The last time I'd wound up in the Hospital Wing I'd forcefully told my friends that there was no need for them to visit me and Merlin, was I regretting being so insistent on that now. Me and my blood mouth.

"How are you feeling now?" Madam Pomfrey, my only companion asked as she completed yet other round of the students in the wing. She stood at my bedside, having just tended to a first year who somehow managed to get their wand lodged up their nose, appearing relieved that she didn't have to do anything in particular to look after me.

"Bored out of my mind," I said with a groan.

"Well maybe the next time you even think about skipping a dosage of your medication, you'll remember how bored you feel right now and it'll be enough of a reason for you to rethink it."

Scowling at the older witch who looked far too pleased with herself, I leaned back against my pillows. Pomfrey, taking it as a sign that I was fine, returned once more to her office to do whatever it was, she did whilst not tending to students. Fixing my pillows so they were lying flat on the bed, I settled back on the bed and closed my eyes, deciding to take a nap because there was nothing else for me to do.

Just as I drew the blanket comfortably around me, tucking it under my chin, someone cleared their throat. Thinking nothing of it, I didn't react until they cleared their throat again. Peeking open a single eye, to my surprise, I found Ron standing where Pomfrey had been just minutes ago. The appearance of him, hesitant and bashful as he shuffled on his feet, had me sitting up quickly. Awkwardly adjusting the blanket around me, I simply looked at him for a moment, having no idea what to say.

"I wanted to wait until you woke up," he said eventually, breaking the silence and fidgeting with his bookbag. "But Pomfrey sent me away."

"... She told me."

"Right."

There was another pause, just as awkward as the one before it. But then, Ron cleared his throat and I looked up at him from the nail polish that I'd been trying to flake off from my thumb. He didn't look at me as he rifled through his bag. Retrieving a book, he thrust it towards me and when I didn't take it, he shook it. Eventually accepting it and reading the title, my eyes flickered to his.

"Thank you," I said simply, "I finished the one I'd been reading. I was just waiting for someone to come in so they could borrow one for me."

Nodding awkwardly, Ron gestured to the book I was holding. "I wasn't sure – I couldn't remember the title of the one that was your favourite. I could only remember that the cover was a bit weird looking."

"It is," I assured him with a nod. Peering over his shoulder, I wondered just where Pomfrey was when I needed her to give me a way out of having to navigate this strange interaction. I could see her, standing in the doorway of her office, able to see us but still not being willing to approach us. "You guessed correctly."

"It wasn't a guess," he said bringing my attention back from Pomfrey and to his eyes. "I opened up the cover and saw how many times your name had been written inside – you're probably the person that's checked that book out the most."

Shrugging, I mindlessly ran my thumb back and forth over the corner of the book, "Not many people in this school read the muggle books that the library has."

Again, there was another silence with the both of us having nothing to say and yet, I knew that Ron like me had a million questions in his head that he wanted to ask but was stopping himself from vocalising. There was so much we could have said and yet we said nothing and likely Ron would continue to linger awkwardly until I either dismissed him or someone interrupted. Thankfully, Pomfrey appeared after having had enough of watching us beat around the bush.

She spoke loudly as she approached my bed, "Mr Weasley, thank you for visiting Miss Eastwood but do you have plans to skip out on lunch? You should eat something before the lunch period ends and you have to return to your lessons."

"You're right," Ron said, turning to Pomfrey even as he made no move to leave. When he glanced back at me, I pretended to be busy reading the back of the book, as if I couldn't practically recite it from memory by now.

"It's time for Miss Eastwood to have her lunch as well," the older witch hinted and it was only then that Ron finally prepared to leave.

Without a goodbye of any sort, he quietly slipped out of the Hospital Wing. Only when I was sure that he was far enough did I peek up at Ron from beneath my lashes, just in time to catch sight of the door closing behind him. After some time, Pomfrey sighed and prepared to leave my bedside, murmuring something about old flames before summoning the house-elves two bring forth the lunch for the students who were left in the Hospital Wing. Left alone once more, I reached for the book and turned to the first page, preparing to settle down to read. For some reason, the words that used to so easily entrance me, didn't. 

**********

Madam Pomfrey released me the very same day after curfew because I'd annoyed her so much. She had arranged for one of the Ravenclaw Prefects to walk me back to the common room because she didn't want me to stumble upon a teacher (Snape) who was likely to take points from me for being out past curfew (Snape), regardless of the note she'd written for me (Snape). The greasy bastard would likely not even wait for me to retrieve the note before landing me in detention for something as harmless as walking back to the common room after having been stuck in one place all day.

When I returned to the common room, my friends had swarmed around me to have all their curiosity satisfied. I hadn't told them the entire story, because it would only bring about a whole round of questions that I didn't have the answers for. But I'd simply told them that I'd passed out and it was enough for them to understand what had happened. It was the reason why, when I woke up in the morning, I knew my dormmates were keeping a look out for me, watching as I poured out a small dosage of my potion into a separate vial. Corking the separate vial and tucking it into my robe pocket, I tied my hair away from my face and prepared to head down to breakfast.

Making it down to the Great Hall, I headed straight to the Ravenclaw table and towards my usual space at the table. But, when I drew closer and spied the pink haired boy sitting there waiting, and seeing the smile on his face, I knew I was already in for trouble. Deciding to initiate conversation before Kevin could attempt to bulldoze ahead, I settled down directly in front of him.

"What's up with the pink hair?" I asked, reaching for the plate of sausages. Spearing two and putting them onto my plate, I looked towards the usually blond Prefect with raised brows. "Well?"

"Never make a bet with Hufflepuffs," was all he said, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. "Snape is going to chew me up the moment he sees me."

"Forget Snape, Flitwick isn't going to be impressed." Helping myself to some eggs I asked, "What about glamour charms? Have you tried any?"

"Its anti-glamour charmed." Running a hand through his pink hair, Kevin scowled, "It was my own fault for opening my mouth and adding that condition."

"It doesn't look bad." Offering him what I hoped was a reassuring smile, I continued to pile food onto my plate. "I would say it suits you, but I know if I say that, you wouldn't appreciate it."

Kevin pointed his fork towards me. "Damn right I wouldn't."

"Exactly why I'm not going to say it."

Setting his fork down, Kevin considered me as I cut my sausages into smaller pieces. Not meeting his eyes, I pretended to be focused on my food when really, I knew it would just be a matter of time. Sure enough, just as I raised my first forkful of food to my mouth, Kevin had decided on what he wanted to say.

"What's the damage?" When I stared blankly back at him, he explained, "You were in the Hospital Wing yesterday. What did Pomfrey say?"

"There's nothing wrong." When he continued to watch me disbelievingly, I insisted, "Really. It was because I skipped a dosage but she made sure I was fine and released me."

"You probably annoyed her into releasing you," he guessed correctly. Then, he checked once more, "You're really alright?"

"Yeah, I've been given the all clear."

Continuing to eat my breakfast, I made it halfway through my first slice of toast when Kevin decided that because I'd been given a clean bill of health, he could annoy me like he'd planning on doing. I was reaching for my orange juice when finally spoke again, "So, rumour has it, a certain ex-boyfriend was hovering at your bedside."

"How in Merlin's name?" I trailed off, unsurprised but also wondering just who had decided to share this with the blabbermouth of Ravenclaw house. Unless it was already travelling around the castle? Did people really have nothing better to do? Deciding to nip it in the bud, I simply said, "Ron was the one to find me when I collapsed and he was the one to take me to Hospital Wing."

"And?"

"And what?"

Leaning forward exasperatedly, Kevin asked, "Is that it? You didn't talk about anything when he came to visit you again? There was no talk about getting back together or – "

"Don't be stupid," I cut in before he could say something else. "All he did was come and check on me, so don't go reading into anything. But can we stop talking about this now? I need to finish my breakfast so I can take my potion."

It was a cheap shot, reminding Kevin of my poor health. But it worked. He fell silent and picked at his breakfast before deciding to fill me in on everything that I'd missed yesterday. I was content to listen to his chatter and the topic of Ron Weasley was long forgotten. For him, perhaps.

After a breakfast that consisted of fielding all sorts of curious questions from Kevin, and from my dormmates who soon joined us for breakfast, I was quick to make an escape. As my dormmates geared up to start a fresh round of interrogations because they now outnumbered me, I was quick to stand from the table. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I said something about needing to check in with Pomfrey. Not only was it the truth, but it was also enough for them to concede. Although, I had no doubt that when I returned for lessons, they were going to ask me all sorts of questions. Merlin, I understood their curiosity, I really did – but there were just some questions that I didn't want to answer them.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Kevin asked once more as I prepared to leave. His voice cut through the chatter from the rest of my dormmates, who too turned their eyes onto me.

"I'm fine," I said. "It's just procedure, really. She wants to check up on me and make sure that I took my potion this morning."

"Which you haven't," Kevin pointed out, startling me. Looking back at him in surprise, I realised he was pointing to the small vial that was still full and sitting on the table.

Dropping back with an apologetic smile, I picked up the vial. Uncorking it, I raised it to my mouth and tipped it back, drinking it down in one go. Not allowing the horrible taste to linger on my tongue, I refilled my glass of juice and drank it quickly to chase away the taste.

"I'll save you a seat," he promised to my back as I started to walk away from the Ravenclaw table. Waving my thanks, I continued towards the double doors at the end of the room, my eyes flickering toward the Gryffindor table as I went. With little effort, and already knowing where I'd find him, my eyes lingered on Ron who was still busy digging into his hearty breakfast. Unbidden, a fond smile curled at my mouth and I did nothing to stop it. Looking forward once more, I continued on my way and made it out of the Great Hall. I turned to my left, preparing to head to the Hospital Wing when a familiar voice gave a call of my name.

Ron's voice, enough to bring me to a halt, had me turning once more toward the open doors of the hall in time to see him stumbling out of the room with hurried steps as he wrestled something into his bag. I continued to watch him, waiting for him to approach me. Eventually, once he'd managed to stuff whatever he was carrying into his bag, Ron closed the distance between us. Once more, I turned back to continue on my way to the Hospital Wing, knowing he would join me. Sure enough, he fell into step at my side.

"Are you heading back to the Hospital Wing?" Ron asked, trying and failing to appear casual. Eyeing him from the corner of my eye, I wondered whether he still had the same tendency to get worried about my multiple trips to the see the matron. He was too soft hearted to be able to date someone who was almost constantly in and out of the Hospital Wing as a result of their own negligence. Ron's worry always got the best of him.

"Madam Pomfrey just wants to make sure that I actually took my potion this morning," I said, actually looking at him and doing my best to reassure him. It didn't work, not that it often did. He would only ever be soothed after hearing it from Pomfrey herself.

"You did take the potion, didn't you?"

"I did."

He eyed me dubiously, "Really?"

"I did!" I exclaimed, turning to him and slapping his arm when he continued to watch me with disbelief. "Why does no one trust me to take my medication myself?"

"Because I remember just how often you'd forget," he said plainly. Left with no way to dispute those words, because they were the truth, I looked forward once more and we continued on our way.

As we walked through the castle, turning onto one of the lesser used corridors, I couldn't help but eye Ron as we walked, without him speaking a single word. He appeared content to walk at my side, matching his paces with each of mine and fidgeting with the strap of his schoolbag with his hands.

"Why did you leave the Great Hall?" I asked as if I didn't know the true reason. Ron even looked at me like he couldn't understand how I could be so stupid. "Surely you didn't just leave to walk me to the Hospital Wing?"

"Why couldn't it be just for that reason?" He gave me a searching look, "I used to just walk you round the castle all the time."

"Ron –"

"But it wasn't just to walk you," he admitted at last. Finally reaching the Hospital Wing, I stopped outside the closed doors, not willing to head inside just yet. Ron stopped as well, standing in front of me and saying, "You used to complain that the potion tastes shit. So –"

Trailing off once more, Ron delved into his school bag and searched for something. When he found what he was looking for, I realised it was what he'd been trying to shove into it in the first place. He thrust it out toward me, it looked like a muffin, wrapped haphazardly in tissues. Accepting it with two hands, I peeled back the tissues, and realised it was a blueberry muffin. Yet another of my favourites.

"You always complained about the taste of the potion," he said once more, his face turning a startling shade of red as he rubbed the back of his neck, "I thought you might want something sweet to get rid of the taste."

Cradling the muffin more gently than was needed, I struggled for words. All I could settle on was a simple, "Thank you."

"It's nothing." Clearing his throat, Ron gestured behind me towards the closed doors. "You should head in. I guess I'll ... see you later?" 

**********

When I finally entered the Hospital Wing, I found, to my surprise that there was a fair number of students who were waiting to be looked over by the matron. As a result, by the time Pomfrey was finally able to see me, the first lesson of the day was already under way. My check-up took less than 5 minutes and then matron was writing me a note and sending me on my way, without so much as a parting remark. Leaving her to the students she still needed to tend to, I continued on my way to Transfiguration.

Standing in front of the closed classroom door, I hesitated for a moment, not really wanting to face McGonagall. But, then again, I did have a note explaining why I was late.

Knocking on the door, I waited until McGonagall called out a stern, "Come in."

Opening the door, I peeked inside but still didn't enter the room. Professor McGonagall looked over me, lips pursed as she looked over me with little surprise. "Miss Eastwood, I was wondering why you weren't here."

"I'm sorry," I said reaching into my pocket and drawing out the note. Finally walking into the classroom, I held it out for her, "Madam Pomfrey wrote a note to explain my absence."

Taking the note from me, the Professor read over it and I found myself watching her face with close attention. There was little change to her expression, even when she nodded, satisfied and gestured for me to go ahead. I turned to take my usual seat at Kevin's side, only to find it occupied by a Gryffindor. Shifting my curious eyes back to my Professor, I watched as she gave an exasperated sigh.

"We've had to change the seating plan," she explained, "due to certain members of my house and their inability to still their tongues. Miss Eastwood, your seat is beside Mr Weasley."

I searched the room, my eyes settling on the empty seat at Ron's side. He raised his to mine, offering me a soft smile, even when I turned hesitantly to face McGonagall. "Professor?"

"From my recollection, you and Mr Weasley worked well as partners." Then, she turned her back to me, unwilling to listen to any protests that I could have had.

Silently, adjusting my hold on my bag, I approached the empty space beside Ron. Although it made little sense, Ron seemed to work best when placed beside me. Somehow, he wasn't so easily distracted when sitting next to me. Really, it made no sense given our past, but it was the truth. Settling into my space beside Ron, I put my bag on the desk and slowly removed my things. Ron, looking at his own textbook and pretending to be searching for the right pace, glanced cautiously at me from the corner of his eye.

Still not looking at him, I removed my own textbook and flicked to the contents page when I heard the whispers coming from behind me from a rather nosey Gryffindor girl who had been paired with a rather catty member of our own house. It seemed Lisa, despite knowing the truth, was willing to take part in the slander of my reputation. Although I didn't want to, my eyes listened in on the conversation the girls had as the Gryffindor wondered about what had made me collapse and whether it was just a ploy I'd pulled in order to get attention for some strange reason. It wasn't the bite to the words that got to me, but rather the way Lisa, who always claimed to be my friend, that got to me and had me lowering my head as if to by appearing weak, they would stop talking. Rowena, I just wanted to hide away.

And Ron, sweet Ron who still had a hold on my heart, knew exactly when I needed silent comfort and reached out to put a hand on top of mine. It was a misconception so many of my friends had, that all Ron was good for was a temper that matched his hair, but he was good at his comforting me in this own quiet way of his.

"Want me to distract you?" he asked, leaning in close to me.

Turning toward him, I searched his earnest eyes. How could I possibly not smile when he looked at me like that? "Please."

The frown melted off of his face, replaced with a soft smile. Not that it lasted for long. Ron took a deep breath before asking, "Why did we break up?"

"Is this your way of distracting me?" Watching him incredulously, I paid no attention to what McGonagall was saying at the front of the classroom. "Really, Ron?"

"It's been bothering me from the beginning of the term," he explained defensively shrugging his shoulders. "You broke up with me over the holiday by owl. Of course, I'm going to be curious."

It was coming, I knew it was coming. And yet despite having gone over it countless times in my head, I still wasn't sure how to begin with the explanation. Instead, I offered slowly, "How many times did I wake up in the Hospital Wing to find you waiting by my bed?"

"You've got a weak heart and you're forgetful," he said as if it was news to me. "You might be the most forgetful person I've ever met. And that's saying something given that Neville's my dormmate."

"It wasn't fair to you –"

"I didn't mind having to remind you every morning. It was probably the only thing I've ever managed to keep track of." He said it so simply, like it wasn't a burden on him to look after me like I was some sort of child and he was the one responsible for me.

Holding his eyes and making sure that he understood how honest I was being with him, I said, "I didn't want that for you."

"Well I wanted it for me," he said back just as firm. Sometimes, there really was no arguing with him. I knew it so well that I turned back to face the front of the classroom and listened to McGonagall as if I was able to concentrate on anything she was saying. I couldn't concentrate. And if the way Ron fidgeted wit his quill was any indication, he couldn't either. 

**********

In my bid to avoid running into Lisa because I knew I was going to confront her when I saw her – or perhaps even that Kevin, the moment he saw me and Lisa in the same room was going to launch into a row about how little loyalty Lisa had and how she was a shit friend. But I didn't want that so I had to take the long way around to the common room on my trip back from the library. Not only was that good for me, but rather I also got the chance to clear my head.

From the moment I'd returned to school for the term, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd made the right decision. Had I done the right thing by breaking up with Ron? I hadn't broken up with him because I didn't like him anymore – because Merlin, I really liked him still. But I'd broken up with him for his own good. And I still maintained that belief. Waking up and seeing Ron at the foot of my bed and radiating so much concern was just too much for me. How could I, whilst still liking him as much as I did, continue to put him through that? Rowena, I refused to do it.

Resolute and once more reassured that I'd made the right decision, I nodded to myself and continued to walk back to the common room. If Kevin happened to be waiting for me – or even if Lisa was waiting for me – I'd have to think of something to avoid the confrontation. At least for tonight.

Turning the corner and walking into one of the main corridors, I spied the Gryffindor Quidditch Team as they walked toward the Quidditch Pitch for one of their practices. As soon as my eyes lingered on crowd dressed in the red and gold uniform, my eyes fell to the floor, hoping they would let me pass without a word of any sort. I should've known that it wasn't in a Gryffindors nature – especially not in a group of multiple Gryffindors – to let things slip so easily.

"Eastwood," Potter, the absolute bastard, called out just as I went to walk past them.

Caught and knowing how likely it was for someone to call my name again, I had no choice but to stop. Resigning myself to my fate, I sighed deeply and looked back to Potter whose attention wasn't on me. Rather, he glanced behind him to Ron who was walking alongside him.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked, uncertain.

Without a word, Potter glanced back at Ron and silently gestured for his friend to remain. Ron, looking caught between thanking his friend and wanting to wallop him around the back of his head, eventually turned his eyes to me. For a long moment, I just looked at him, uncertain of what to say.

"Don't break his heart," Potter warned as the Gryffindor Quidditch Team prepared to leave us alone. "Ron, you can be a little late to practice, just this once. But you have to turn up."

"Wait what?" I started, following Potter as he finally walked away with the Quidditch Team.

Ron, silently, stepped aside and remained standing in front of me. He copied me as I watched the team retreat with growing despair. Once we were left alone, I looked back to Ron again and found him watching me. I held my breath, waiting for him to say something. When he didn't and knowing that I wouldn't be allowed to brush this under the rug, I turned determinedly to face him.

"I take it, you didn't know about Potter's plan either?"

"Honestly, I don't think it was a plan," Ron confessed with a slight smile. "I don't think he has the brains to plan anything of the sort."

"So, you don't know why we've been forced into this awkward encounter?"

"You're feeling awkward?" he asked as if he wasn't feeling awkward given the way we were standing in the middle of the corridor with loads of people walking around us and giving us curious looks. "Harry probably decided to do this based on something I said last night."

"Last night?" I asked even though I shouldn't have been curious.

"I might have confessed that I missed you," he said as if he wasn't currently flushing red all the way to the tips of his ears. "

"You missed me?" Hating the way my heart leapt to my throat at his words, I even hated how grateful I was that he still liked me, I wanted to end this quickly. Before I did something as stupid as to give in to my own selfish desires.

"Don't you miss me?"

Eventhough I shouldn't had said what I wanted to say next, I said the truth. "I do."

"Good." A stupid smile, foolish and wide split his face. "So – does that mean we can get back together?"

"I –"

"So that might be a step too far," he realised. "But I can keep hanging around you, then?"

"You're making this harder than it has to be."

"Good." He sounded so pleased with himself that I tried not to scowl. "But what about a kiss? Can I kiss you?"

"Ron –" He cut off my half-hearted protests, coming toward me and cutting the rest of my sentence short. It was better not to react, if I had any sense in my I wouldn't have reacted. I certainly wouldn't have reacted as I did – reaching out for him and holding him close. When Ron pulled back, he looked far too pleased with himself.

"Can I keep doing that again?" Staring dumbly up at him, it took me some time to realise what he'd said. When I opened my mouth to protest again, he ducked down to kiss me again. And again. And again, until I couldn't think of any protests.

"Aren't you going to be late for practice?" I finally asked, pushing at his chest to put some space between us.

"You heard what Harrys said," he started with a grin that lit his mischief filled eyes, "I'm allowed to be late to practice." 

**********

5 YEARS LATER

This was perhaps the most uncomfortable I'd been in a long time. By all means, this situation wasn't so strange – me sitting on a hospital bed – but it was strange because I'd managed for almost two years before winding up in this sort of place. Just when I'd been so proud of myself for being able to keep away from having to see any Healers, I got too cocky and here I was again, sitting on a hospital bed with Ron sitting at my bedside. Ron, who hadn't spoken a word since the Healer had left my bedside after assuring us that I was fine, hadn't even looked at me properly. When I tried to break the stifling silence with a joke, the look he'd given me had told me exactly what he thought about my humour.

I knew better than to try to crack another joke, or to talk about something other than the current situation because he wouldn't allow it – he was too much of his mother's son. I'd quickly learned that being overprotective and overly nurturing must have been hardwired onto his DNA. All I could do, was sit in silence under his unimpressed and worried eyes until he managed to come up with the words to say what was on his mind. Even without him saying anything, I knew he wanted to scold me – but also wanted to assure me that I was safe. He wanted to demand how I could be so careless as well as express gratitude that I wasn't injured or worse.

"How," he sighed heavily, making me peek up from where I'd been picking at my nails. "How can you even joke about something like that?"

... He really hadn't appreciated my joke about running away from the Hospital, then.

"Ron –" When he shook his head again, I held my tongue.

"How can you be so lax about your health?" His frown deepened, and I could tell he was imagining all the worst case scenarios that could have happened. "You didn't take your medication so they had to intervene and fix your heart. They told you it was an intense procedure, that you'd need to rest and that was why you assured me you'd keep on top of your medication so you didn't have to have the procedure in the first place – "

"Ron –"

He continued speaking, gearing up as if I hadn't tried to stop him, "You promised me you were taking your medication every day –"

"I just missed two dosages – "

"And the next thing I know, I come home from work to find you in that state," his voice wobbled. Breathing out harshly, he forced himself to speak, "And now that you've had the procedure which means you don't have to take the medication but have to be on bedrest in the Hospital for a week and at home for another month – you want to what? You want to leave the Hospital, really?"

Afterwards, I looked at him in silence, just to make sure that he'd finished his ranting. When it seemed like he wasn't going to say anything for a while, I reached out to take his hand in mine. He resisted at first, unwilling to let me sway him but when I lowered my head to meet his lowered eyes, he conceded with a sigh.

Linking my fingers through his, I said, "I'm sorry Ron, I really should've been paying better attention."

"You should've," he agreed petulantly.

"I'm sorry," I said again.

Sighing, Ron shook his head and raised the hand he was holding to his lips. Kissing the back of it placatingly, he cradled it with his free hand. "It's not the end of the world and you're safe so that's fine. Besides, the Healer said that everything looks fine, and if everything continues being fine, you can head home at the end of the week and then you're on bed rest for the rest of the month."

"It's going to be boring," I complained.

"I've already spoken with George about getting the time off." I went to protest, not wanting Ron to take the time off to look after me, but I forced myself to quiet when Ron gave me a pointed look. "Mum's already offered to come to look after you. So, unless you'd rather have my mum tend to you as well as your mum?"

"My mum knows?" I tried not to wince, wondering what it took to keep her from storming the Hospital.

"I had to promise that she could stay at ours when you're discharged just to get her to stay away from the Hospital. We both know if she were here that she'd never let the Healers work in peace."

"That's true." Sighing into my hand, I already imagined the hell of my overprotective mother staying in the same house as my overprotective husband. They were bound to butt heads but Ron would never say it to her, he'd rather complain to me. Peeking out from between my fingers, I asked, "Can't I just stay here for a month?"

"I thought you wanted to leave as soon as possible?" His amusement was short lived and when he looked away from me, I felt my newly repaired heart drop. Good Merlin, what else could there be that he hadn't told me?

"Do I even want to know?"

Rolling his lower lip into his mouth, Ron hesitated for a moment longer before admitting, "Mum already knows that your mum's coming to stay. She's planning to join her."

"Oh God." I could already imagine it now. Mrs Weasley running around and looking after me whilst wondering just when we were planning on filling up the empty bedrooms in our home. And Mum following behind Mrs Weasley to redo whatever she'd done and to insist that it was too early to begin thinking about having children and that she didn't appreciate the pressure that Mrs Weasley was placing on us. And Ron, poor helpless Ron would be caught in between them. It was going to be a hellish month.

"Ron," I thought quickly, reaching out and using our joined hands to draw him closer. He shuffled closer on his chair until he was close enough. I glanced around, not putting it past either of our mothers to surprise us with a visit. Turning once more to my husband, I spoke hurriedly, "Why don't we run away for a month? Remember Kevin offered us his countryside cottage whilst he's on his year abroad for work? Let's disappear to the countryside for a month and not tell either of our mothers."

"I'd love to but they'd find us," he reminded me and I just burrowed my head into his shoulder, resigning myself to the torture that would be coming for me. 

____________________

Hints for the next one: 

* I've never written one about him before

* Very little is known about him

* He was sorted into Gryffindor 

The next one should be up on the 23rd ~