Disease

Disease

Special thanks to Matchbox 20 for the use of one of my favorite songs

Feels like you've made a mistake,

You made somebody's heart break.

And now I have to let you go.

I have to let you go.

Ron sat on his bed, breathing hard and staring down at nothingness. He noticed for the first time how tattered and torn his school blanket was. It wasn't even really his, and all his stuff was rubbish. But try as he might to take his mind off of Hermione, it was so hard. She'd seemed so nice when they were little. Could she really have changed that much in a year? He'd known her since forever, but now she was a fake! Had it all been an act in the younger years or had she really changed? He'd never know. All he knew was that he couldn't see this Hermione Granger anymore. He couldn't stand the thought of turning out just like her. He'd have to rid himself of her.

You left a stain

On everyone of my good days.

But I am stronger than you know.

I have to let you go.

No one's ever turned you over,

No one's tried,

To ever let you down.

Beautiful girl---bless your heart.

Oh how he couldn't stand her! She made his heart flutter when she was near. She was so easy to love. So smooth, so wonderful. But he couldn't be seen around her. She had killed a man! He'd never find Voldemort if he was seen around a murderer. How could she have changed so much? Maybe she hadn't. Maybe her entire life was a lie. But maybe it wasn't. No! It couldn't be! She couldn't have been lying all her life. She wasn't that good at lying. He could always tell when Hermione's nose was dirty. Unless she'd been acting forever, as one big eternal lie. How could one person live like that? How could they be so heartless as to be someone's friend, yet never, ever tell them the truth?

I've got a disease,

Deep inside me,

Makes me feel uneasy, baby,

I can't live without you,

Tell me what I'm supposed to do about it.

Keep your distance from me,

Don't pay no attention to me,

I've got a disease, and well I think that I'm sick.

"Maybe she has me in one of her spells! I can't seem to be without her. I love her. Maybe I'll be better off just giving into her temptations. She loves me. I love her. So shouldn't we be together? I think so, but OH HERMIONE JUST STAY AWAY! I can't stand it. I'm sick. I have to get over you. I'm torn; I'm sorry." She mad him feel sick and hungry at the same time. He wanted to eat, but he knew if he did, he'd throw it all up. So he didn't eat. She'd made him sick one too many times, and he refused to endure it more.

Feels like you're making a mess.

You're hell on wheels in a black dress.

You drove me to the fire,

And left me there to burn.

Every little thing you do is tragic.

All my life before was magic.

Beautiful girl---I can't breathe.

I've got a disease

Deep inside me,

Makes me feel uneasy baby

I can't live without you,

Tell me what I'm supposed to do about it.

Keep your distance from me,

Don't pay no attention to me.

I've got a disease and well I think that I'm sick.

"Maybe I'm not under the spell! Maybe she is! Yeah! That's it; Voldemort's got her under a spell! And that's exactly how I'm going to find Voldemort. I have to keep Hermione, I have no choice!" Ron sat up on his bed with new purpose. He walked out the door to find Hermione. She was in the library, reading. Her eyes occasionally rose and scanned the room. When she saw Ron, she smiled and stood.

"Hello, Ron," Hermione said, pursing her lips and trying to kiss him. He grabbed her shoulders and held her back.

"Hermione," Ron started. But she smiled and he went weak at the knees, just like he always had. "I love you."

Taking half a step, the beautiful woman in front of him stood for a second, gasped 'no!' before throwing herself into Ron's arms and beginning to cry. Ron stroked her hair and whispered that it would be all right. Hermione didn't want to admit how good it felt to have Ron's assurance, but for some reason, she knew that if Ron was with her, she'd be safe. If Ron said it would be all right, it would be. Just like it used to be Harry, now it was Ron, and the assurance meant so much more.

But leave me be while my world is coming down on me,

You taste like honey, honey,

Tell me can I be your honey-bee.

Be strong,

Keep telling myself that it won't take long

Until I'm free of my disease.

Hermione sobbed, "Hurry, Ron, get Dumbledore. I don't have much time. He's lost hold of me...Please. It won't be long now, but I don't think I can do this anymore. I can't take it!" Hermione's tears were followed by hiccups and sobs that just wouldn't stop. They flowed like an everlasting waterfall. If she kept up like this, she was sure to make herself sick.

"O-Okay, Hermione. Sit here and read. Fight him. Tell me who he is. Is it Snape?" Hermione shook her head. Ron tried again, "Lucius?" Hermione shook her head again. Ron's face registered shock, "You don't mean...You-Know-Who? You-Know-Who has you under a spell? Is it the Imperious Curse?"

Hermione cringed and nodded. "He found me, Ron. Get Dumbledore, and get him fast!"

Ron ran down the hallways, hoping to find Dumbledore somewhere. "Where is he! The Headmaster is supposed to know everything, so why doesn't he know this? Why doesn't he know that Voldemort can see everything Hermione sees. He sits at Gryffindor table every morning, and no one knows but Hermione!" Ron thought to himself, "How in the world could this happen?!"

I've got a disease deep inside me,

Makes me feel uneasy, baby,
I can't live without you,

Tell me what I'm supposed to do about it.

Keep your distance from me,

Don't pay no attention to me.

I've got a disease and well I think that I'm sick.

The last thing Hermione remembered before waking up on the desk in Professor Snape's classroom, was crouching beside Harry and Ron, running from Voldemort. She remembered them abandoning her. She remembered being very much alone, and she remembered how her friends hadn't cared enough to save her from her from her very worst fear. The memory caused her so much pain. She remembered the exact time of day it was.

Flashback:

It was five-thirty in the morning, the sun was just coming up. Voldemort had his Death Eaters chasing the Dream Team, and they fought them off. But they never expected Voldemort to show. When he did, Hermione told Ron to get Harry to Madame Pomfrey as soon as he could. Harry had a bad injury. So Hermione took on Voldemort by herself, and came out smelling like a rose. But he cursed her. She hadn't wanted to fight it. She was too tired. For a year, she let him control her, until she'd had enough. That's when she went to Ron.

End Flashback

She looked around, wondering where she was. Immediately, she recognized her potions classroom. This was the place where her only care had once been passing her potions class, and where they'd watched Snape get set on fire multiple times. This place may have caused her much pain at the time, but now, it was like a taste of heaven. Stuck inside herself for over a year, and she felt like Snape's classroom was the best place to be. If only she'd known it would only take a year when she was younger. She took in the room where she was, and loved every nook and cranny. Harry and Ron were standing in a corner, watching to see if Hermione was conscious. Dumbledore's face appeared over her, "Ah...Miss Granger, you're awake. Tell me, is he gone?"

"Yeah...he's gone." Hermione smiled.

But leave me be,

While my world is coming down on me,

You taste like honey, honey,

Tell me can I be your honey-bee.

Be strong, I keep telling myself that it won't take long

Until I'm free of my disease.