Chapter 1- The Epidemic
Ron was asleep on his books, spread out across the table, though not a word was written on even a scrap of parchment. "Ron," a voice said while shaking him. "Ron… spew meeting is done and Hermione's coming back."
Ron sat bolt up and wiped the corner of his mouth for any drool that might have been lagging. "Bloody hell, I thought I had at least written a paragraph!"
"Geez, Ron," Harry said, sitting next to him. "I can't imagine what she's going to say when she finds out you missed the spew meeting for nothing.
"Wait a minute," Ron said, flipping the pages of his books and pulling out old bits of filled parchment. "Rearrange," he said, pointing to the bits of paper. The letters of random comments started to move around and look like notes on trolls. The leftover letters rested on the bottom of the page. "Scourgify," Ron said, then picked up a quill just as Hermione was coming into the room.
"How was studying?" she asked, sitting across from Harry and Ron.
"Er—fine," Ron said, going a bit red around the ears. "I was just finishing up my troll essay—"
"I think you might have read an old assignment, Ron," Hermione pointed out, pulling out a book of her own. "We finished that over two weeks ago."
"Er… right," Ron replied, pulling out other pieces of paper. "Wasted my time on that one again," he said with a large breath.
"Oh well, you should probably start on the potions essay from this week then," Hermione suggested.
"I'm not in potions anymore, remember?" Ron stated. "I'm the only smart one of the lot."
Hermione rolled her eyes and started writing more on her already three-foot essay. "It could have done you some good, you know. Especially since you haven't decided—"
"Not now, Hermione," Ron said, exasperated with the topic. "I'll figure out what I want to do someday. Whatever it is, it won't include potions."
"We're seventh years, Ron. How do you—" Hermione trailed off after looking at Harry, but kept a grumpy look to show Ron that she hadn't been finished with her lecture.
Even after they had started dating the prior summer, Ron and Hermione found themselves having to stop in their tracks before arguing. Ron had to say that it was much better when they did this, instead of trying to out do one another in an endless fight. He turned back to his books and started to do some actual work, writing a couple sentences on the first question in Defense Against the Dark Arts before yawning. "How was the meeting?" he asked Hermione, figuring that conversation with his girlfriend was an acceptable excuse for neglecting his homework.
"You missed a very productive meeting," Hermione said. "We wrote a letter to some lawmakers at the Ministry. Heather is a fairly good writer."
"Is that the Ravenclaw or the other Gryffindor?" Ron asked.
"They're the only two members, Ron," Harry pointed out. "It's the Ravenclaw," he answered after earning a meaningful glare from Hermione.
"Jessica, the Gryffindor," she clarified, "has been sick for the last few weeks."
"That long?" Ron asked. "Did she eat slugs or something?"
"Mono," Harry said.
"What-oh?" Ron asked.
"Mononucleosis," Hermione said. "Tell me you've heard of it."
Ron shook his head.
"The kissing disease?" Harry offered.
"Oh that! Yeah, I've heard about that one before," he said with realization. "Who was she kissing?"
"I'm betting it was—"
"Oh please, you two," Hermione said, closing one book and opening another. "Kissing isn't the only way the disease is contracted."
"It's not?" Ron asked.
"No," she replied with a roll of the eyes. "It's something that is easily picked up by any number of habits. Sharing drinks being one of the larger ones."
"And kissing being the other," Harry countered.
Ron looked up at Hermione and blushed while thinking that he wouldn't mind catching something from her… so long as it wasn't permanent. "What happens?" Ron asked.
"I haven't read up on it completely," Hermione said. Ron and Harry gasped. "You get rather ill. Sore throat, loss of appetite, dizziness, the works. It could last as long as a year, though many cases only go on for a week or two."
"Wow," Ron said. "Good thing I'm only kissing you then."
Hermione rolled her eyes and started writing again.
"Hey guys," Ginny said, coming down the girls' staircase. "What's going on?"
"We're talking about Mono," Ron said. He noticed Harry's attention divert to books.
"You wouldn't believe how many people have it here," Ginny said. "I've heard there's five people in the hospital wing right now. Last month was worse."
"People here don't know the meaning of commitment, that's why they're downfall is," Hermione said. "They're willing to go around kissing anyone, and now they're paying for it with weeks of make-up in school to do."
If it didn't mean missing Quidditch and losing a girlfriend, Ron would have seriously considered finding one of these 'victims' and join this missing school business. Then again, Hermione had just said you didn't have to kiss to get it. "Bummer," Ron said, instead of voicing his thoughts. "What was the major conflict between Helga the Horrific and her friend in 200 AD?"
"I'm not bailing you out," Hermione said.
"You're not, it isn't due for another two weeks."
"Then you have plenty of time to look it up," she responded.
"It's on page one hundred seventy-two," Ginny said, looking at Ron.
Ron turned his pages and found the chapter. "How did you know?"
"We're studying that in our year."
"You should probably throw last year's organizer out," Hermione suggested, taking it from Ron.
"Ah, well," Ron said, standing and pushing his chair into the table. "I think I've been quite productive this evening. Time for bed." Without watching for Hermione's roll of the eyes, Ron walked towards the tower and up the staircase.
One week later
Ron was walking from a late lunch back to Gryffindor tower for a nap. Yet another perk in giving up Potions. All sixth and seventh years had one 'study' hour in place of a class time. Ron had tried to tell Ginny about this advantage, but she hadn't listened and was with Harry and Hermione in advanced potions, since they combined the N.E.W.T.s class.
Still, it allowed for peace and quiet in the dormitory, so long as Neville wasn't sleeping as well, though he seemed to be off doing his own thing these days anyway. Spending a lot of time in the greenhouses, so Ron had heard. As he got up to his room, Ron threw down his book bag. It was far too heavy, in his opinion, though he had a total of four books, and almost always had one in there at a time.
Just as he was closing his eyes, Ron heard a horrible hacking noise, as if someone was choking on their butterbeer. He sat up straight. "Who's there," he asked, knowing everyone else in the dorm should have been gone.
"Me," a voice croaked out.
Ron could just recognize it as Harry's, though not well. "Y-you okay Harry?" He could only pray that some Death eater wasn't holding a wand to Harry's throat, though it sounded possible.
The coughing started up again, filled with the sound of phlegm. "Just a cold, I think," Harry said.
Ron stood up and uncovered Harry's bed. His friend looked rather pale and sweaty as he couldn't stop coughing. "Maybe you should see Pomfrey—"
"No, I'm fine," Harry said before another fit of coughs. "I think I'm going to die," he moaned.
"Come on, then," Ron said, dragging Harry up.
It didn't take moments for Pomfrey to know what was going on. "In bed, in bed with you," she said, directing him into one of the empty beds where a pair of pajamas were sitting at the head. "You too?"
"No, no," Ron said, taking a step back. "I feel fine. What's wrong with him?"
"Mononucleosis," she said. "Just like the rest of them."
Ron looked around at all the beds for the first time. Ginny had said five… instead, the whole room was almost full with patience. "Wow," Ron said, taking it in. "How many—"
"Have had it? I've lost count. Few dozen at least," Pomfrey answered. "Now get some sleep, you," she said, "and you need to leave."
"Can we come and see him?"
Pomfrey gave a loud breath through her nostrils with a pensive glance. "Yes, but right now he needs rest… on with you," she said, and shooed him out of the room with her hands.
A/N: Another story! I know… I'm working on the other ones, but I couldn't help but start this one. So I'll be jumping from story to story again… sorry. I hope you enjoy! And if you do… REVIEW!