Shell Cottage Missing Moment

This is the Ron/Hermione missing moment I think about most. This is my take on what I think happened between our favorite couple during this unaccounted time at Shell Cottage.

Please be alive. Please be alive. I never got the chance to tell you anything. Not that I love you, or that turning you down and going out with Lavender was the biggest mistake of my life. I never got to tell you why I think Krum is the biggest git in the world.

Please give me another chance, God. Hear me out. If you give me another chance to get it right, I'll never ask for anything ever again. Don't let anything happen to her.

I feel the soft sand beneath my feet, and I lay Hermione's limp body on the ground. Her chest is moving up and down- gently, though. So gently I can hardly tell there is any motion in her body at all. I cradle her in my arms, blinking back tears. "Come on, Hermione. I'm going to get you help. Please hold on."

I don't even take in my surroundings. I'm too focused on making my way to the cottage to notice the world around me. "Bill! Fleur!" I'm screaming as loud as I can, but there's a pain in my throat protesting the loud noise. My tongue is dry from desperately yelling for Hermione at Malfoy Manor.

I see a flash of gold hair ahead and I sigh in relief. "Von vhat is wrong vif her?" Fleur asks in her heavy accent.

"Please tell me you can help her, "I ask, finally breaking down, and letting the tears go. "She's going to die if you don't do something." I say harshly. It seems as though she doesn't understand the urgency.

"Of course I can help her. Bring her to the guest voom. The vone you slept in during your stay," she said finally answering.

I take the stairs two at a time, anxious to get her into a warm bed. I lay her down on the quilt, sitting down next to her.

"Von, you need to leave while I tend to her," Fleur said in a poor attempt to get me to leave.

"I'm not leaving her. Not until she wakes up and I know she's okay," I say firmly. After today, I'm never hiding the love I feel from Hermione again. I used to have to choke down the tenderness in my voice when I talked to her. I didn't want my brother's over hearing me. I saved that sensitive Ron for when Hermione and I were alone. Not any more though. If I learned anything from our experience today, it's not to hide your feelings. Especially in the times we're living in right now.

Fluer shook her head. I knew she would understand. "Here," she said handing me a bottle of dittany. "Apply these to her vounds." She silently left the room, closing the door behind her.

I kneeled down by her bed, grabbing her arms gently in my hands. My heart pangs at the sight of Mudblood carved into her arm. The darkening red blood is still glistening with dampness, and the letters stand out in a huge contrast to her ivory skin.

I carefully dab the potion onto her wounds letting the tears fall freely. If something happens I'll never forgive myself. I could've done more to get to her. I didn't try hard enough. I should be the one barely clinging to life, not her. I would do anything to take her place. I bet if Krum was there he would have saved her.

My mind can't help but wander to Neville's parents. How long were they tortured before they lost their minds? How could I walk this Earth knowing Hermione can't even remember my name? The girl I love, not even being able to recall a memory of me. The thought brings chills to my spine.

One bitter thought led to another, and soon I was resting my head on her stomach taking deep breaths, on the verge of an anxiety attack.

"Ron?" I hear, and I think my ears are playing a cruel joke on me. They're not though, because when I look up, her big beautiful brown eyes are looking up at me. "Are you okay?"

I stand up. "Am I okay? Am I okay? Hermione, you were just tortured by an evil hag. Shouldn't I be the one asking if YOU'RE okay?"

"I'm fine, Ron," she says, attempting nonchalance. I'm not convinced though. As she speaks she attempts to stretch out her sore limbs. She winces and whimpers. My arms immediately enclose around her waist, and hers meet behind my head, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. Her breathing starts to get heavy, the way it always does before she cries. She pulls back, and buries her face in my chest. Her voice is muffled, but after seven years of being best friends with the girl, I can make out just about anything she says. "I was so scared. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want you two to do anything stupid or heroic."

"Wait, what? Heroic is Harry's role. Mine is stupid."

She looks at me through narrowed eyes, "How could you say that? Do you honestly think you're stupid?"

"Well-," I begin, but she cuts me off.

"Ron, you are one of the smartest wizards I know. I don't understand why you never understood that. All through school you would never apply yourself. You are so smart, don't let anyone tell you differently," she says fiercely. She winces again, and I motion for her to lie back on the bed.

"Hermione, I promise I will never let anyone touch you again. I wanted to kill Bellatrix. If I ever see her I swear to God I will-"

"Ron!" she yells, tears streaming down her face. I lay down next to her, cradling her in my arms.

"Hermione, it's okay. It's over now," I say soothingly. Her sobs slowly descend into hiccups and eventually she's quiet.

"You should probably get some rest," I whisper as I stand up to tuck her under the covers.

"Please, don't leave me," she pleads desperately. The lonely look in her eyes makes me want to kiss her right there, and just show her how I feel. "At least until I fall asleep."

"Anything for you, honey," I lean down and kiss her on the forehead. I move over to sit on the white rocking chair but to my immense surprise, she throws back the covers and looks up at me through her lashes. I climb in next to her, and she snuggles in next to me.

Minutes later she looks at me sleepily. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Pardon?" I ask.

"You know, about the whole Harry being the hero thing," she says.

"You mean you don't think he is?"

"To some people I guess, but he's not mine," she states matter-of-factly.

"Then who is?" I wonder aloud.

"You are," she says simply as she snuggles into my side. I smile as she drifts off to a restless sleep.