Every Time I Close My Eyes

Chapter 4

Anything For You

Hermione lay on her hospital bed, thinking. It was dark in the room, being midnight and all. Every now and then her head would give a throb of pain that made her gasp. The pain was intense. Not just the pain of her wound. The pain of the whole Ron getting married was now being recalled with perfect clarity. Hermione moaned.

~

Anything for you

Though you're not here

Since you said we're through

It seems like years

Time keeps dragging on and on

And forever's been and gone

Still I can't figure what went wrong

~

"Are you ok?"

A voice at the other end of the room startled her. She twisted around in her sheets to look at the intruder. It was Ron! "What are you doing here?" Hermione asked groggily, although not entirely displeased to see him.

Ron shrugged slightly and walked over to a chair by her bed. "Are you ok?" he asked again.

Hermione thought this a very silly question. What would possess him to ask her if she was ok, when he knew that she'd been hospitalized due to head injury? "I'm fine, I should be out of here in a day or so," she said plainly.

Ron shook his head, looking at her sadly. "No, I mean are you ok?"

"I don't understand."

Ron looked at her with a sad smile. "I know about your... feelings for me," he said slowly.

Hermione's mouth fell open.

~

I'd still do anything for you

I'll play your game

You hurt me through and through

But you can have your way

~

"What?!" she stammered.

Ron smiled even more and leaned his forearms on her bed. "I've known for a long time."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Once the shock began to wear off, sadness settled in. He knows....

"W-why haven't you said anything?" Hermione asked, fighting back the urge to cry.

"I've always known... deep inside, that is. I only realized it today when I came to visit you here. The way you looked at me...." He paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. "I just knew!"

Hermione couldn't help staring at him. How could she have thought that she could hide her feelings from him?

"I love you."

~

I can pretend each time I see you

That I don't care and I don't need you

And though you'll never see me crying

You know inside I feel like dying

And I'd do anything for you

In spite of it all

I've learned so much from you

You made me strong

~

Those words. They were the most precious things that Hermione could ever possibly imagine. And Ron, her Ron, had said them. Hermione felt herself feeling faint.

"You what?" Hermione asked dazedly, unable to trust her own ears anymore. Ron smiled.

"I love you. It's always been you, Hermione."

And Ron slowly leaned forward until their lips brushed together and then....

~

But don't you ever think that I don't love you

That for one minute I forgot you

But sometimes things don't work out right

And you just have to say goodbye

~

Hermione opened her eyes. She looked up to find herself staring at the hospital ceiling. It had been a dream. It had only been a dream. With a sob, Hermione rolled over and drifted off to sleep again.

_-_

"Good morning, sunshine!" Ginny called as she stepped into the hospital room with a bouquet of daisies, a sulky looking Draco at her heels.

Hermione smiled as they entered. Ginny placed the vase of daisies on the table next to Hermione's bed and turned to her, smiling gaily.

"How are you this morning?"

"Fine," lied Hermione, her dream still avid in her brain.

"That's good!" Ginny exclaimed.

There was a knock on the door and Harry, Ron, and Rachel entered the room, all smiling. Harry instantly walked around to her bed and took the seat next to her bed that Dream Ron had inhabited during the night.

Ron chose to stand next to his fiancée. Rachel was looking as malicious as ever in a tight green top and skirt to match.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Harry asked, concern full in his voice. Hermione thought this was cute and stated once again that she was fine. Hermione looked up to see Ron eyeing her with a strange look on his face.

~

I hope you find someone to please you

Someone who'll care and never leave you

But if that someone ever hurts you

You just might need a friend to turn to

~

It had been half an hour since Ginny and Draco had left. Harry had left ten minutes ago, saying that he'd be late for work and that he'd visit after he got off. Ron and Rachel only remained.

"I really need to dash, honey," Rachel said, looking at her watch.

Oh, what a pity, Hermione thought sarcastically in her mind.

Ron nodded and Rachel was almost to the door when she turned and said, "Why don't you come with me, honey?"

Ron and Hermione looked up at this.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Why don't you come to work with me? It'll be so much fun!"

"No, I need to talk to Hermione."

"But-"

"-I'll see you when you get home."

Hermione could barely contain her excitement and curiosity. He had something to say to her?

Ron turned back to Hermione once Rachel had left. "Are you ok?"

Hermione felt the pit of her stomach fall out as a flashback to her dream danced in front of her eyes. "What?" she asked, unable to believe it!

"Are you ok? With Rachel and I getting married I mean."

Ron was looking down at his hands. Hermione's heart fell. This conversation was not going to turn out like her dream, she could tell right now.

"I-I... Why do you ask?"

"Because it seems like you... I don't know how to describe it."

Hermione found herself at a loss for words. Here was her chance to tell him everything.

~

And I'd do anything for you

I'll give you up

If that's what I should do

To make you happy

~

"No, Ron, of course not."

She couldn't do it. She couldn't do it. Not now. Not now. His eyes lit up as she said this.

"Wow, thank God!"

Ron hugged her quickly in his happiness and Hermione felt instant pain. It wasn't her head that hurt now, but was her heart.

"I love you, Ron," Hermione whispered.

~

I can pretend each time I see you

That I don't care and I don't need you

And though inside I feel like dying

You know you'll never see me crying

~

Ron had left twenty minutes later, leaving Hermione once again, all alone. Harry would be stopping by soon and she couldn't let him see her like this. She knew without having to look that she was a wreck. After Ron'd left she'd cried for a while and then sat there in a daze.

"Oh, Ron, I do love you," Hermione whispered to the air. She sucked in a deep breath of air.

"I love you Ron, I do."

~

Don't you ever think that I don't love you

That for one minute I forgot you

But sometimes things don't work out right

And you just have to say goodbye

~