Potion Magic

Chapter 6

"Well, for once, I can say that I've done something at Hogwarts that my brothers have never done before!" Ron seemed both jubilant and exhausted. Hermione rolled over to get a better look at him. The boils on his face were beginning to heal, and the swelling around his eyes had reduced. Ron's face was no longer a bright carrot orange, but now had the glowing soft look of a peach. Hermione told him that he looked better, and he joked, "Yes, but I feel great. How do you feel, Herm?"

Hermione considered her words carefully before answering: "A little embarrassed, a whole lot confused, and very, very curious about what happened. That was pretty intense, Ron. I'm not sure what to say to you right now."

Ron started to laugh, "You have nothing to say! Are you kidding - this is a first. Wait, does that mean that you are sorry that it happened? Suddenly petrified that she didn't like him after all, he felt a large lump growing in his stomach.

Her voice turned teasing, "No, Ron. I'm not sorry. Not at all. I was wondering if we could maybe connect again someday."

He sat bolt upright in bed, and blindly tried to reach for her, "Oh! Let's connect right now!" Ron would have jumped on top of Hermione right there, if he just could have seen her!

"What ARE you two doing?" Harry walked in the room to find Ron, a glowing mess of pale orange boils and unable to see, lunging toward Hermione, who was sitting coyly across from him, her hair all askew and rosy cheeks glistening with heat. They both wore the guilty expressions of children caught in the cookie jar. Ron, surprised to hear Harry's voice, fell out of his bed and onto the floor, sending a bedside tray table clattering across the room. The noise it caused was only slightly louder than their laughter.

"Hi, Harry! Boy, am I glad to see you! I've got a few things that I need for you to get for me. I need my notes from today's Potions lecture, especially the ingredients list for the sundown potion. And I need my Herbology text from last year, and .." Hermione went on and on to Harry, giving him a complete list of books that she needed ASAP. Harry's curiosity was peaked, and he wondered aloud what she wanted all the books for.

Ron answered, "Harry, this is our friend Hermione. When in doubt, read a book!"

Hermione looked exasperated, and said, "don't you want to know what is in that potion that made us..."

Ron immediately cut her off, "break into large orange boils! Harry, go get Hermione her books, quick!" Confused but willing, Harry left for Gryffindor tower to retrieve Hermione's notes.

"Are you crazy? Please tell me that you weren't going to tell Harry what happened between us!" Ron was frantic, which made Hermione uneasy.

"I thought you said that you liked what happened, Ron."

He backpedaled as fast as he could. "Hermione, that was the best experience of my life and I want to do it again as soon as I can stumble my way over to your cot. It's just, well, kind of personal, don't you think? It's almost like we had , NO, we're not going to tell Harry or anyone else about what happened. Telling other people would be like, like sharing you - Hermione, I would never do that to you."

Every young girl hopes to meet a guy who will have the strength of character to love her and then keep his mouth shut about it. Hermione was deeply touched by Ron's wish to protect their encounter and keep it private. It made him seem very chivalrous and dear to her. "Ron, Madam Pomphrey will be back soon with another application of the counter potion. We may not be able to connect again after our boils go away. I want to know what caused us to connect so strongly, and maybe we could find a way to safely brew this or a different potion later after you are better. Maybe this is being too forward, but I really liked being inside of you." Hermione realized what that sounded like as soon as she said it and slapped her hand over her mouth.

Ron drew a quiet breath, "If only you knew, Hermione..."

Clicking heels against the flagstone floor signaled the arrival of Madam Pomphrey and Miss Cuthbert. They carried a small black iron cauldron, several 2-inch paintbrushes, and a large stack of towels. Madam Pomphrey drew the curtains around Ron's cot, separating him from Hermione, as Miss Cuthbert did the same. Hermione wondered what was going on, when she suddenly heard Ron roar, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING! GIVE ME BACK MY CLOTHES!" Miss Cuthbert giggled, "Sorry dearies, but we are going to have to paint your full bodies with this potion to prevent the spread of the boils. Disrobe and climb under the sheets, please, and we'll begin the application." Hermione began to obediently unbutton her shirt, but Ron was non-compliant. "Oh no, you're not getting ME naked, lady!" Madam Pomphrey threatened him with a Full-Body

Bind, and Hermione could hear the sounds of unzipping and mumbled swearing as she helped him out of his clothes and under the sheet.

The potion was surprisingly pleasant. Hermione was lying on her stomach as Miss Cuthbert painted the fragrant potion over her back and legs with long strokes of the paintbrush. It smelled like fresh basil and lavender, and was agreeably cooling to her skin. From the next curtain over, Ron had ceased complaining and Hermione could hear contented sighs. She closed her eyes and focused on relaxing and enjoying the experience; she heard what sounded like the swish and flick of a wand and "Flambedermis". Suddenly, the potion turned fiery hot and seared into Hermione's tender skin. Her hands hurt especially, and she could hear Ron's howls of protest. Miss Cuthbert wrapped Hermione in towels and guided her to a nearby small bathroom. There were two clawfoot porcelain bathtubs filled with murky water and they were guided to get inside. Madam Pomphrey instructed them to sit in the water and let their skin soak. She left an hourglass, and said that she would return when the sand had run out.

Ron could not believe his luck. Sitting in a steaming bathtub, not even 3 feet away, was Hermione Granger, completely disrobed. And of course, efficient Madam Pomphrey had completely coated his head with the counter potion. Here he was, next to the naked girl of his dreams, and he couldn't see a thing!

"Hermione, where are we? Can you tell me what's up? Of all the times to not be able to see - this blows!" Ron was getting frustrated by his powerlessness over the situation.

Hermione started clinically describing their chamber, "Well, we're in a small bathroom with 2 bathtubs, 2 sinks, and 1 toilet..." Ron was annoyed, "For someone as smart as you are, you'd think you could catch an occasional clue! Hermione, I don't want the floor plan of this bathroom. I want to know what it looks like to be in the next tub with you."

"Shame on you, Ronald Weasley! Madam Pomphrey could come back any minute, and I will not have her finding us in a tub together. I'm not like that, I don't do things like that, and you are daft to think so," Hermione's eyes were ablaze with indignation.

"You're taking this all wrong, Hermione," Ron tried to rephrase, having blown it badly. "I just wanted to know what this is like, that's all. I can just imagine it - but it couldn't possibly be as great as the real thing."

Curious, Hermione encouraged him to continue. "So, tell me, Ron, what do you think you'd see if you could see?"

"You. Sitting in a bathtub, looking beautiful." Ron was embarrassed to be so open with her, but this kind of a situation just doesn't present itself too often. He decided to seize the moment, and continued. "In my mind, you are lounging back in the tub. I'd guess your arms are relaxed around the rim, and that your ivory shoulders meet the water, reflecting your beauty back like a mirror. Your hair tumbles around you, framing your face. I think you'd be smiling --" . Ron was cut short, by a kiss on the lips from Hermione. She was out of her tub, and he had no idea if she was wrapped in a towel or not. That's OK - he didn't care. All Ron knew was that he was in a bathtub, being kissed by Hermione Granger, who had velvet soft lips and smelled like lavender.

Ron's reverie came to a screeching halt by someone pounding`on the door. It was Harry. "Ron! Hermione! Are you guys in there? It's me, Harry. I got the books you wanted Hermione. Can I come in?"

Hermione leaped away from Ron and dove back into her own tub with a splash, leaving Ron puckered up and reaching for a girl who was no longer there. As the door opened, Harry couldn't believe how funny this looked. Ron was sitting in a bathtub, with his eyes swollen shut , his entire head bright orange and his body painted with a pale purple paste. Hermione was sitting in a separate tub, but looking panicked and guilty. Only her head was visible out of the water, and she was noticeably out of breath.

"I didn't walk in on anything, did I? Asked Harry, both bewildered and amused at what he had found.

Ron and Hermione answered, "No, NO, we're just taking a bath!"

A curious grin spread over Harry's face. "Well, I'll just leave these books here on your cot, and I'll leave you two alone." He chuckled as he closed the door behind him. Imagine, Ron and Hermione taking a bath together in the hospital ward! Well, at least Ron would enjoy it. Harry knew of his friend's strong feelings for Hermione, although Ron always declined to discuss the matter.

As the door shut behind them, Hermione spoke first. "Whew, that was close. Ron, this is just too risky here. I can't do this. I don't want to be walked in on."

Ron looked just pitiful sitting in the bathtub: sad, swollen, and forlorn. He sounded very dejected, "I understand Hermione. But would you consider letting me finish that kiss sometime when I can see you?"

She smiled and answered, "I'm planning on it, Ron." and at that moment Madam Pomphrey and Miss Cuthbert returned to dry them off.

Hermione and Ron were led out to their respective cots, and Miss Cuthbert brought Hermione her clothes. "OK, dearie, your part of the treatment is all done, so you can be dressed and on your way. Mr. Weasley, it's time to rebandage your eyes. Madam Pomphrey has some complicated charm work to do to restore your sight, and then you will need your sleep."

Hermione protested, "Can I please stay with him until he falls asleep?"

But Miss Cuthbert was insistent, "No, dear, we are going to have to give him a Sleeping Draught almost immediately after Madam Pomphrey's charm. I'll give you a few moments to dress."

Ron immediately realized that this might be their last chance to connect before all traces of the orange potion were gone. As soon as he could hear Miss Cuthbert's footsteps dying away, he pleaded with Hermione. "I don't want you to go yet. I was hoping that, maybe we could kind of try again? This maybe our last chance." His voice squeaked as he spoke, although he was TRYING not to sound too eager.

A faint smile crossed Hermione's face, as sat down on the cot next to Ron. "Ok, we'll try again. But even if this doesn't work, it won't be our last chance. I promise that, Ron." As she spoke she took Ron's hand into her hand, and kissed the top of it. Hermione watched as her hand began to glow orange, and the as light traveled up her arm, she cried, "Ron, can you feel this?"

He began to grin, as the waves of strong current began to course up his arm. "Hang on Hermione. Here we go again!"

This was nothing like Hermione had felt before. She became aware that she was floating inside Ron's heart because she was suddenly surrounded by everything that he loved dearly. Her head swirling in a fiery orange haze, she could clearly see Ron on a broomstick, playing his beloved Quidditch, soaring and diving through the air for the sheer joy of it. Wrapped around this joy of flight was a myriad of complicated chess moves. Hermione felt as if she had fallen into an enormous chess flowchart as she admired the complexity of his stratagem; she had had no idea that Ron possessed such a genius for logic and planning, but there it was, right before her. She found his family, they were all there, racing around the garden. The warmth between them was palatable; Hermione could almost feel Arthur Weasley's reassuring pat on the back, and smell Molly's savory pumpkin tarts. Bill had scooped up a much younger Ron, and carried him piggyback, up the stairs to bed. Ron's warm memories of love were spinning faster. Hermione felt like she was on a carnival ride, but she could see Charlie showing Ron how to tame animals, by coaxing old Cyril the Snapping Turtle out of the pond. Percy was there, too, patiently teaching an elementary aged Ron how to perfect his penmanship using a quill and parchment. Ginny looked so young, tottering about in Ron's memory. Giving Ron advice about how to best "defend" himself against the Sorting Hat, Fred and George were sharing all sorts of misinformation about Hogwarts in that summer before the start of term. As expected, she saw Harry and Ron in the Gryffindor common room, laughing themselves speechless over some shared joke. And lastly, was the part that Hermione was searching for - herself.

And in that moment, Hermione received a most incredible and amazing gift - the ability to see herself through Ron's eyes, the way he saw her.

Hermione saw herself sitting in the library studying, but she was positively incandescent, glowing with his positive regard. She had always had a love/hate relationship with her bushy brown hair, but she could see that within Ron's eyes, her hair was a glistening thing of wondrous waves. She saw herself smile at Ron, and she could feel his sigh, deeply hidden, but THERE. Her happiness was complete.

Hermione could feel Ron breathing deeply, reaching within her, and finding her family and her books. Ron reached around her insecurities and saw the sparkling intellect tempered with sensitivity. The love of learning and willingness toward self-improvement, swirled in stubbornness, lent a potion-orange glow to all that he could see. He saw her friendship with Harry, and he saw himself. Ron realized that he looked much more handsome in her eyes - that he was not as lanky and slight of build as he thought he was. He was amazed to find that Hermione literally melted inside at the sight of his blue eyes. Ron was astounded and deeply touched.

Within his mind, Ron reached out toward the girl he so adored. He had nothing to hide, and he offered her all that he had. Hermione inhaled and soaked him in. She relished his wit, cherished his loyalty, understood his stubbornness, and appreciated his tenacity. He pulled her within him, and for a brief sparkling moment, the potion entwined them together. They were still just holding hands, yet they could not have been closer or more content.

"I hear we have a pumpkin head for a brother!" The unmistakable sound of boisterous Weasley voices grew louder as Fred, George, and Ginny approached the curtain.

She whispered to Ron, "I'm sorry," and let go of his hand. A rush of orange light flashed between them and was gone in a heartbeat. Ron didn't say anything as the curtain was pulled back and Hermione reluctantly returned to her own cot.

"WHOA! Mum is going to have a fit, Ron, when she sees you!" whistled George. "Is it true that you may lose your eyesight? How is Madam Pomphrey coming on that counter-potion?

Fred chimed in, "Yeah, I hear that she will have to completely clean your corneas. It's supposed to really be a gnarly thing - hurts like a bugger. But you should be alright in the end, because she'll do a Memory Charm and you won't remember anything that happened today." Hermione's blood ran cold at the thought of Ron's going blind. Neither Madam Pomphrey nor Miss Cuthbert had mentioned anything recently about problems with Ron's recovery, so Hermione (and Ron, for that matter) had wrongly assumed that he was safe, out of the woods. It was to be a long night for them all.