Title: Look after me

Written by: Word Waterfall

Summery: Harry gets Ill, He never gets ill, but when he does, who will help him?

A/N Oh...God. I'm sorry for leaving this so long. I don't have an excuse really :P I just forgot about you all. I'll make up for that now :P I'm finishing this story in a few chapters, but my project before Christmas is to edit this story for portkey. I'll be editing the story, fleshing out the story line, and making it longer. My writing skills have advanced since I began this story, and after studying grammar- I realize it is a bit…er…wrong. Lol. So I'd love it if you could all come support me there :) I'll keep ya posted.

Look after me: Chapter Ten

Tears left Ron's eyes as soon as he knew he had run from Hermione's sight. He knew that there was no hope; they couldn't do anything to stop this. It would have been done already. It shouldn't have progressed this far, now Hermione was frantically grabbing at theories, and words from a man that detested the patient, Severus Snape. She must know, he thought logically, because she thought logically. Always, that was Hermione Granger- But when it came to Harry Potter…Who knew anymore.

He stopped and leaned against the cold glass of a window, this corridor where no sound could be heard. Ron knew he would be safe here. He pulled his sleeves over his hands, and wiped his eyes, he settled into the crook between the wall and the window, burying himself as deep as he could in his school robes. Hermione loved Harry. It didn't hurt him to think about it anymore. How could it? Of course Harry would have won her, he won everything else. He shouldn't think like that, Harry would probably be gone by next week. He shouldn't be jealous anymore. Tears crashed to his eyes like a wave breaking on the shore. He didn't want to cry; crying was somehow beyond this situation. Shouldn't Harry have known how this would break them? Isn't that how they were? The golden trio that knew each other so well. Apparently not, then again, death can stop anyone in their tracks. Three's a crowd. Maybe that was their curse. Maybe the chain was doomed to break from the start.

There weren't any signs to show this, nothing to show that his path would be led. An ignorant suicide attempt, a broken heart- no, two broken hearts. Ron wasn't sure that he and Hermione could come back after this. It looked like Hermione's soul was slowly bleeding out through her tears, and Ron could try and catch it in a jar and keep it for her- but he'd never catch it all, he could repair some of the ripped fabric, but could never complete it the way he could if Harry was there. The golden trio. Complete. Unbroken. Eternal.

A hiccup bubbled through his sobbing, and the sound made him stop. What was he doing? Crying here like a fool wasn't going to fix this. Hermione needed his help to fix this. Hermione couldn't fix this. She couldn't. Could she? Ron rubbed his hands in circles on his temple.

Scratch, scratch.

Ron looked up, and straight into the large amber eyes of Hedwig, Harry's snowy white owl. She had lost a few feathers, and had the look of an ill animal, but there was determination in her eyes.

"Hey, Hedwig" Ron whispered, and stretched a single finger to pet her. She cooed softly and placed a talon on his leg, comforting him. Ron hiccupped and smiled at her. "Everything will be good again, one day, right?" She cooed again, and stretched her wings, fluttering softly to rest on Ron's shoulder. She nibbled his ear gently.

Get going. Move.

Ron sighed, but felt as if he had to move. Get going. Move. He rose to his feet, careful not to dislodge Hedwig from her position. She hooted in protest when he moved to the window, as if to let her out.

"She doesn't want to go out, don't you understand?" The vague, musical voice of Luna Lovegood, Ron knew that voice. He turned his head slightly, and he could see her from the corner of his eye.

"She can't be inside," He answered, still holding the window open.

"She wants to help, Ronald"

Ron closed his eyes, irritation swelled inside him- he didn't know it was because she was there, or that she was claiming to know what a bird wanted, it might have been that she called him Ronald.

"Yeah, well, we all want to help but there isn't much we can do is there? In fact, there is nothing we can do? Get it, Hedwig?" The owl only dug her talons deeper into Ron's shoulder.

"She is what you're looking for" Ron turned fully to look at Luna, and she smiled serenely at him. "She is what you need"

Ron's heart dropped to his stomach. Luna couldn't know what she was talking about. (I found this earlier, in the library; it says something about poisons being sucked out of a human body into another object, human or animal) Could Hermione be right?

Ron looked at Hedwig. "You would really do that for him?" Hedwig hooted in consent, and Ron looked at her sadly, "You know what will happen to you?" Hedwig pressed her wing to Ron's neck, nestling closer. Now Ron knew why Harry was so close to his owl. An owl was willing to commit the ultimate sacrifice for her owner. Ron watched her carefully, before nodding, "Okay, Hedwig".

Ron turned to thank Luna.

She was gone.

"I hate this, Harry" I clutched at his hand. Ron has been gone a while, and I was growing restless. Theoretically this could work, with strong enough magic, I could save him. I can only hope that I have that strength within me, but I'm willing to try. Anything.

And then. When he wakes up. I'll tell him.

I, Hermione Jane Granger love Harry Potter, and Harry Potter was breaking my heart.

"You don't know what its like!"

"Know what Harry?" I shook him, and he spluttered and panted "Know what?"

"What it's like!" He gasped "Knowing you're going to kill or be killed. Knowing you're putting your friends in danger with each breathe you take. I read- and I had a theory-"

"A theory! You took a poison because of a damned theory!" I was angry, so angry.

Now I was riding on theories, and if I managed to save him? He would need to be monitored closely, I suppose…and I would need to be there for him. Stop something like this every happening again, never allow him to be alone, never allow him to despair. He would never be alone again. The golden trio could be stitched back together, and we would all be saved.

And if I didn't managed to save him? I couldn't think of that now.

"I'll be your strength, Harry, I can stop this"

The doors to the infirmary clatter open and I stand up, my chair cluttering in unison.

"Ron"

"Hermione"

He walks towards me, Hedwig rests on his shoulder and I've never felt so comforted in my life. The image of that Owl, coming to our rescue. In legends, and myths birds had always held such power, been so smart. A bird was a royal advisor in that Disney film, the Lion king. I remember the film and I laugh, holding my arm out as Hedwig flies towards me.

"Hello, Girl, Have you come to visit Harry?" I smile at her, glad that the one thing that's been constant thought out Harry's life had come to comfort him.

Ron's voice broke across my thoughts "it says something about poisons being sucked out of a human body into another object, human or animal"

My first thought is to ask him why he was repeating that, and that I knew that already- then I realized. Animal. Ron wanted Hedwig to die for Harry.

"Ron- We can't…its Hedwig"

"She wants to, Hermione, She came to us" He replied, a tear slipping down his face.

I sigh, and look at Hedwig.

"You've always been there for him, what's one more time?"

Hedwig hoots and I feel comfort flow through me. She flies to Harry.

Ron and I move to either side of our best friend, each with one hand, a few silent moments as friends, and the best of friends.