Ron arrived at St. Mungo�s and after getting told off by a very grumpy looking witch, finally found someone who knew what was going on with Hermione.

�Ah yes,� the old wizard was saying, �A Miss Granger. Brocklehurst brought her in. Bit of a strange case. They�re seeing to her now on the Third Floor. But you can�t-�

Ron barely heard the wizard�s voice fade away as he ran up the stairs that would take him to the third floor.

�Stop right there, Mr. Weasley.�

Ron was saved from opening each and every door by a sturdy looking medi-witch in a bright, lime-green gown.

�How do you know my name? Where�s Hermione Granger?�

The medi-witch clucked her tongue at him and pointed to a pair of chairs that rested against the wall.

�The medi-witch that looked your friend over told me you might be running up here soon. She said a wild man with flaming red hair would probably be wanting to run down every hallway. She wasn�t exaggerating, I see. Now, if you don�t mind, please have a seat and someone will be with you shortly.�

�Yes! I do mind and if you don�t get your...� Ron stumbled, trying with every nerve in his body to be polite, �Your... bloody body out of the way, I am going to go and knock down every door until I find her!�

�Well, if you don�t get your bloody body out of my way and into one of those chairs, I may just put you in one of those rooms myself and I don�t mean you�ll be standing when I do it! If you care about your girlfriend you will please sit down and stay out of our way!�

Ron had never thought he�d ever want to hit a woman, that nothing could ever make him do it, but something told him that straw was about to be broken.

�Ron.�

Ron turned to see Harry coming from the direction of the stairs, out of breath.

�This witch,� Ron said, his voice dripping with frustration, �won�t tell me where Hermione�s at or what�s going on.�

Before the medi-witch could answer, Harry got in-between them.

�I know mate, the whole place can hear you arguing about people getting their bodies out of the way. Ron, think about it, do you want Hermione to be worrying about you getting into a fight with a medi-witch while she�s being taken care of?�

Ron glared at Harry and then at the medi-witch again. Folding his arms, he backed away.

�Fine. But I am not going to sit.�

Harry turned to the medi-witch. �I�ll look after him. Just please let us know something as soon as you can.�

The medi-witch nodded her head and walked off, grumbling something about insensitive louts who should know better. Ron didn�t care, as soon as she was out of sight, he started after her, only to be pulled back by Harry.

�Look, Ron,� Harry said as he jerked him back around, �Don�t make me a liar. Let me keep you out of their way so that they can concentrate on what really matters... Hermione.�

Grudgingly, Ron nodded and instead of sitting in one of the chairs, decided to stand against the wall. He strained his neck to see if he could see any activity down the hallway the medi-witch had went down.

What the bloody hell was taking them so long? And what in the hell was wrong with Hermione?

The healer on duty that evening on the Third Floor was Esme Dobbs. She was very good at what she did and luckily for anyone who worked on duty with her, she had no qualms about handling all her own parchment work. So she was at the right desk at the right time when they brought Hermione in and no one had to go looking for her. Seconds could cost lives, after all.

�Dear me, she�s white as a ghost,� one of the younger medi-witches said as they looked over Hermione�s face. She had blacked out again.

Esme looked at her friend, Sarah Brocklehurst, the medi-witch who had brought her in.

�That�s the third time she�s blacked out since I first saw her. Whatever is wrong with her is getting worse.�

�Well, let�s get to it then. Get the necessary potions on standby, please Fredrica,� Esme said to the young medi-witch, mostly to get her out of the way and to stop her fussing. �Oh, and you may want to check and see if there are any healer�s still left around on the Fourth Floor. Just in case.�

The young medi-witch nodded and escaped down the hallway. With the help of Sarah, Esme woke up Hermione, who opened her eyes groggily.

�What... happened? Did I pass out again?�

�Yes, dear,� Esme said as she glanced at the parchment Sarah put into her hands. �Hermione is it? What an unusual name. Do tell me how your parents came up with it. Where they writer�s? Lover�s of Muggle literature?�

Hermione blinked in confusion as Esme started moving her hands over her, lifting here shirt away from her mid-riff.

�My parents are dentists. What does my name have to do with anything? Is Ron here? Where did Ginny go?�

Sarah patted Hermione�s hand. �Miss Weasley has gone to get your parents, Miss Granger, and I have someone already on the look out for your boyfriend. Don�t worry, they�ll all be here, waiting to see if you�re okay.�

Hermione smiled faintly and closed her eyes again. Her head felt as light as a feather. She didn�t notice when the healer used her wand on her. Hermione felt a warm feeling work its way over her body. She felt as though she wanted to sleep for a thousand years.

�Is she out again?�

Esme nodded. �Yes, just a small sleep. I don�t want to over tax her. She�s incredibly weak. There�s a lot of swelling in the abdominal area and I think...�

The door opened then and another medi-witch came into the room.

�Of all the... this one�s got a winner of a boyfriend, a real mad aleck, if you know what I mean. I was about ready to check him in as a patient, my friends. The nerve. You weren�t lying about that red hair either Sarah-�

Agnes Franks paused and looked at the still figure of Hermione.

�What�s wrong with her, do we know?�

Esme shook her head. �No, but we�re going to. Sarah, let�s try to focus our energies here, where the swelling is the worse. If this is a cause of some sort of poison or something, I want to know before I give her anything else.�

Sarah nodded and placed her wand, over Hermione�s stomach. Esme was about to do the same when the door burst open again, this time admitting the returning Fredrica.

�Ma�am they�ve brought her parents. They�re right outside if you want to speak with them.�

�Alright. Let me speak to them first,� Esme picked up the parchment from before and read through it more closely. �Sarah are you sure she said she�d been taking Silphium for birth control?�

�Yes, why?�

�It�s just odd she wouldn�t be taking a tea with Pennyroyal instead... I wonder,� Esme suddenly had an idea. �Fredrica, go fetch my Mystical Modern Herbs book from my desk. It�s the large purple one, dear. And show her parents into the room next door, it�s empty isn�t it?�

Fredrica nodded and left. Sarah Brocklehurst looked at her friend. �What do you suppose it is? I can tell you already have a clue, just by that look.�

Esme shook her head and looked down at Hermione again. �I think we may have a clue as to what�s wrong with her. But let me talk to her parents first. I may need to counter-act the effect of something very carefully.�

With a puzzled look, Sarah followed the healer out of the room.

Harry and Ginny were sitting in the chairs against the wall. They were both keeping a weary eye on a pacing Ron, to make sure he didn�t make a break for it and head down the hallway after Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

Ginny felt terrible. She should have known something like this was going to happen. What good was being a seer if you couldn�t tell when your friends were sick?

�It�s alright, you know,� Harry said in her ear, causing her to jump. She looked at him with a question on her face. He smiled kindly at her.

�It�s alright that you didn�t know this was going to happen. You�re not expected to know everything.�

Ginny frowned and put her hair behind her ear. �But I�m a seer, Harry. Shouldn�t I be able to help my friends when they need me? What good am I?�

Harry took her hand into his. �You knew enough to get a medi-witch to check up on her. Most people probably wouldn�t have done that. Don�t kick yourself over this, it�s a path that has no end. Trust me, I know from past experience.�

Ginny met his eyes and knew what he meant. But still she couldn�t shake the feeling that she should have known.

�I just... I feel useless. Oh sure, I can find your missing jewelry or your missing cat, or even if you�ve been accidentally turned into a toad, but when it�s really important, I�m off enjoying myself and neglecting my duties.�

Harry frowned. �What do you mean?�

�I haven�t been... well, I should meditate every day. Ground myself. Let visions come to me. I�ve been clouded and too emotional ever since-� Ginny let her voice run out. She had been about to say, ever since I found out you were coming back, but she didn�t need to. Harry could figure out the rest.

�Ever since me, right? I�m sorry Ginny. I do tend to muck things up for you, don�t I?�

Before Ginny could answer, a young medi-witch came out of the doors and looked at them. Ron pounced on her immediately.

�Well? What is it then? What�s wrong with her? Is she okay?�

Harry and Ginny stood up and walked over to Ron. Ginny noticed Harry was ready to pull Ron back with his wand if he needed to.

�Please, sir, I�ve just come out to ask you if you... well, if you know how Miss Granger took her... well, her tea lately. The healer wants to know if she commented on it not tasting right or anything.�

Ron�s face had turned an ugly shade of purple and Ginny watched as Harry put a hand on his elbow.

�Her tea? Her tea. You want to know how she took her tea. That�s brilliant. What in blazes does that have to do with anything?�

�Ron,� Harry said, quietly. �If they think it means something, then it�s probably with good reason,� he turned to the medi-witch. �Do you mean what kind of tea she drinks or something else?�

The medi-witch looked from Harry to Ron, her expression embarrassed. Her eyes lighted on Ginny, seemingly begging with her to understand.

�Not her normal tea, no. But... her... well, her hindering tea.�

�Her bloody what?� Ron asked, his voice cracking.

Ginny suddenly realized what the witch was getting at. �Ron, be quiet and think for a second. Is there a special tin or bottle that Hermione uses every couple of days... something that keeps her... well, something that helps her not get pregnant?�

Ron stared at her and blinked. �Now what are you on about?�

Ginny felt angry with her brother suddenly. Shouldn�t he be a little less clueless at this stuff? Hadn�t he and Hermione been living with each other for 6 years?

�What does Hermione do when she takes the herb that keeps her from getting pregnant, you big git.�

Ginny watched as Ron�s face went from purple to red. He looked nonplussed for a moment and then shook his head.

�I... I don�t know what she does... for that. We never talk about it.�

Ginny rolled her eyes. �Wonderful, Ron. Knowing how she takes it may be the one thing that saves her life. Don�t you ever talk to her about the future and whether or not you want kids?�

Ron cast her a strange look but shook his head.

She suddenly remembered something the medi-witch at her flat had said before. She turned back to the one standing in front of them.

�Is it true that Hermione took Silphium instead of Pennyroyal?�

The young medi-witch nodded gratefully at her. Ginny glanced at Ron and Harry.

�Is it important they know how she took it, especially? What kind and all that?�

Again the medi-witch nodded.

�Right, well, Harry I leave you with... that,� Ginny said, her voice holding a note of disgust for her brother. �I�m off to see if I can find Neville. At least he would know about Hermione�s... well, how she uses it, at any rate. Tell them I�ll be back as soon as I can.�

Ginny turned and headed downstairs so that she could Apparate to Neville�s flat. She hoped he was home and she hoped he wouldn�t think twice about helping her.

Ginny knocked loudly on Neville�s door. Oh, please be home... please don�t be out.

On the third knock it opened and Ginny was surprised to find herself face to face with Susan Bones.

�Susan?�

�Ginny, what...� Susan stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her. �What do you want? Neville�s had a bit of a long day, he�s in no shape to see... well, to see you.�

Ginny frowned. �Look, Susan, I know Neville�s probably feeling low right now but I really need him for-�

�Bit late to be needing him for anything isn�t it? Where�s Harry? Did he leave you again and now you�ve come running back to Neville? Not this time. This time I�m here.�

Susan took a deep breath and stood tall, blocking the door from Ginny�s access.

Ginny really didn�t have time to argue with Susan Bones right now, but she wanted to wipe the superior look off the other woman�s face.

�As a matter of fact, this has nothing to do with Harry or me. We�re fine by the way,� Ginny said with a slight smile. �But I do need to talk to Neville regarding something he�s gotten in for Hermione and it�s a matter of life or...�

Ginny stopped when the door opened behind her. Neville poked his head out.

�Ginny? I thought that was your voice-�

�She was just leaving, Neville,� Susan said protectively, turning around and putting herself in between him and Ginny.

�No I�m not, Susan. Now if you don�t move and let me speak to him, I�m going to move you myself.�

Susan turned around, an angry reply on her tongue, when she saw that Ginny had pulled her wand out and was aiming it directly at her. Neville saw it too.

�Er...I don�t mind talking to Ginny, Susan. It�s okay. We�re all friends... remember?�

Susan turned to face Neville again and Ginny watched as Neville nodded at her, his eyes tender. A communication passed between them. I really don�t have time for jealous new girlfriends right now, Ginny thought to herself.

�Look, before you two have some enchanted moment here, can I just explain why I�m here bothering you? Hermione�s taken ill. Seriously ill, and they seem to think it has something to do with what she�s been using for birth control. They know she uses Silphium, which is pretty rare, and I remembered you mentioned getting some in for her, Neville. They need to know how she took it... if it was a tea or a potion.�

Neville�s eyes widened. �Yeah, I just got some in last week. Remember when we had dinner with them?� Neville�s eyes flicked to Susan, who moved out of his way. �She can�t take even a drop of Pennyroyal, she�s allergic. So I always had to order in a special batch of Silphium for her, from Greece. It�s the only place it still grows, you know. Anyway, I don�t get it from my usual contacts, I have to... I have to go through someone I�d rather not. But wait!� Neville said suddenly, turning back and heading into his flat for something. Ginny looked after him and Susan put a leg protectively against the entryway, subtly blocking Ginny from entering.

Ginny rolled her eyes and backed away from the door. A moment later Neville came back, clutching a small muslin bag. �This is a bit more of the Silphium, I didn�t give it all to her. Sometimes I hold some back so I don�t have to... well, anyway, this is what she does, I think, she told me once. She boils down the leaf,� Neville opened the box and pulled out a dark black sprig that held three brown leaves. �And then she mixes it with blackberry to sweeten the taste. I reckon it�s pretty awful tasting to take straight. And then she mixes it with a bit of clove, because you know, that�s a protecting herb, and she drinks it as a potion, not a tea.�

Ginny took the small bag from Neville and looked at the sprig. It smelled faintly like licorice.

�And you�re sure it�s a potion and not a tea?�

Neville nodded. �I was interested in how she took it, so I asked. In case I ever knew anyone else who was allergic to Pennyroyal and who needed birth control,� Neville blushed on this last bit and then Ginny knew that he had been asking because of her. Susan must of realized it too because she shook her head and pulled Neville�s hand to hers. Really Susan, it�s only been a day and a half, Ginny thought coolly to herself. And then she realized she had awoken in bed this morning with Harry, so who was she to cast stones?

�Right then. Well, thanks Neville. I�m going to take this back to St. Mungo�s, maybe they can test it. You said you get this herb from Greece directly?�

Neville nodded. �Yes, but it�s not through my normal... look, if it wasn�t for Hermione I wouldn�t even bother with it, to be truthful. It�s expensive and hard to keep and the person I have to have contact with to get it... well, he�s not my favorite sort.�

Ginny frowned and was going to ask more, when she suddenly felt faint. She pitched forward and Neville reached out to grab her, catching her before she hit the floor. She blinked up at him, confused.

�Ginny, are you okay?�

Ginny looked into his eyes and shook her head. She saw Susan looking at her behind Neville. Her heart was racing and her breath was coming in sharp breaths. As she held onto Neville�s hand, she felt her heart begin to slow again. But Ginny couldn�t shake the coldness that had just come over her. She had to get to Hermione soon... it had something do with the Silphium...

�I have to go. Hermione�s... something�s not right. I have to get this to them.�

Neville nodded and pulled away from her and Ginny found herself feeling faint again. She swayed a little bit and he reached out to hold her again. Ginny smiled thankfully at him and gripped his hand. Susan made a slight tutting noise behind them.

�Did you have a flash of something just then?� Neville asked, his voice low.

Ginny nodded.

�Want me to go with you?�

Ginny smiled and shook her head. �No, I�m... fine. Just woozy. You know how I get. I�ll be okay without... well, I�ll just be fine.�

Neville nodded, sadness touching his eyes, but he released her. Ginny tried to smile but knew she failed miserably. Putting the bag of Silphium in her robe pocket, she nodded to Neville.

�Thanks for the help. I�ll be sure to tell Hermione you knew exactly what was going on. More so than my dear brother even knew. I�ll owl you when I have more news.�

Neville nodded and then turned to Susan. They went back into his flat and closed the door.

Ginny tried to clear her head to Apparate. The last thing she needed was to get splinched on the way back to St. Mungo�s.