Chapter Text
'Hermione!' he ran to her. The House-Elf, who apparated to the beach holding her in his tiny arms now slumped down and so did Hermione. Ron was so busy supporting Hermione's limp form he didn't even take any account of a scarlet stab wound spreading across the elve's chest. Harry ran to help as Ron gently scrambled Hermione into his arms. The wet sand was stuck to her coat and the cold wind was playing with her hair. Some of it got stuck on Hermione's bloody cheek. Ron looked down and this was the first moment when he realised she could be seriously hurt, maybe dying. He quickly checked her pulse. It could be felt, although Ron was not sure if it wasn't the beat of his own heart or his own imagination. 'Fleur!' he shouted when he saw a slim figure moving towards them. His head was spinning and his veins pumped with adrenaline. He couldn't believe he left Hermione there. Dobby said he would get her right afterwards, but something went wrong. Ron waited a minute, two, almost ten minutes until he heard the blissful crack of thoughts got distracted when Hermione started moving in his arms. She gave a little moan and screwed her face. Ron drew her closer to his body and tried to comfort her a little. It only resulted in Hermione letting out a couple sobs and then growing silent again.
'Lay her down onto the sheet on the bed,' Fleur ordered quickly as she rushed there with her first aid kit. Ron lay Hermione down. She moaned silently and cradled her left arm to her stomach.
'Fleur, quickly. She's hurt!' Fleur rushed to Hermione and soaked a sponge into the sink of water.
'I'll do it,' Ron said, squeezed the excessive water and slightly dabbed it on one of the worst cuts on Hermione's cheek to wash the blood off. Hermione let out a sob. It seemed as in a slow motion as Ron watched a trickle of water running into Hermione's hair and then she started writhing and crying. 'Fleur what's going on?' The blonde looked troubled. She stared into the void, her brain clearly processing the events that occurred just lately. Ron held Hermione's head at her sides to keep her calm and tried to make his voice sound as soothing as possible, although he was immensely terrified. His mutter and Hermione's sobs got interrupted by Fleur's serious voice:
'She was tortured, wasn't she?'
Ron shot a glare at Fleur. He wasn't really feeling like discussing that matter with Fleur at the moment. At the same time, though, he hoped she took it for a yes. Hermione gave another loud moan and thrashed about.
'Fleur, do something!' Ron shouted at Fleur, not even realising how rude and inappropriate that sounded. Fleur looked like she got a stroke, but then leaned down and started pulling out vials and flasks, trying to mix a potion she'd learned from Bill. In the meantime, Ron was growing hysterical. There were beads of sweat on his forehead and near his right temple, there was a large blue pulsating vein standing out against his flushed skin. His hands shook as he picked up Hermione, currently unable to be gentle and pressed her against his chest in a last desperate attempt to calm her down. Hermione's body shook in sobs as she tried to pry away from his arms.
'Ron! You'll only hurt her more!' Fleur yelped as she saw what he was doing, but Ron couldn't see or hear. He was whispering to Hermione, his eyes in tears and rocked her back and forth. Fleur's eyes widened as between the sobs, there were also gasps for air and she realised that Hermione couldn't breathe. Hermione's body went silent. Her breathing got steadier and there were no more sobs. Ron was the one practically hyperventilating now as he tried pulling away from Hermione. She, however clung onto him, her fingers holding the fabric of his jacket tightly, the knuckles on her fingers white.
'She recognised me,' Ron said silently, breathing out a laugh and stroking Hermione's hair.
'You're safe. You're safe now,' he comforted her, still realising she was somewhere between reality and unconsciousness. Fleur demanded that she needed to be treated. Ron didn't want to argue with her, so he lay Hermione down, making sure he stayed close to her and held her hand. Hermione was now calmer as Fleur managed to get some of the potion past Hermione's lips, washed the visible cuts on her face, cleaned the large one on Hermione's throat and had a look at her right hand, which was in a terrible overall shape altogether, so it might have been broken and the fingernails were buried under a coat of blood. The rest of Hermione's wounds was under her clothes, but Fleur wasn't sure if they shouldn't check for an internal injury first. And that was when Hermione stirred and opened her eyes with a light grunt, resting her gaze upon Ron, who was crouched above her face. When she realised the previous events, her eyes filled up with tears and there was a lump in her throat. Her eyes darted around the room.
'Shh, Hermione. All good, all safe now,' Ron said silently, barely managing to not break down, 'I'll help Fleur and you'll be okay in no time, I promise.'