The moon was full and glowing, and the night was dark and cool. Tiny stars twinkled distantly in the sky above Hogwarts castle. Hermione Granger sat on her windowsill, staring up at them. They seemed so far away…

you find yourself falling down
your hopes in the sky but your heart like grape gum on the ground

She felt a single tear run down her cheek, but her eyes were so dry, she could not cry more than that. She brushed the tear away and gave a small sniff.

Hermione generally liked to be in control. She liked study schedules. She liked neat drawers in her bureau and organized tables in the library. She liked knowing what was happening to her.

that’s when everything fades or falls away
cause the chains which once held us are only the chains which we’ve made

Dumbledore’s death had been the biggest and most abrupt change so far in her Hogwarts career. Not only had the death itself been unsettling, but now she and Ron were going on a dangerous journey to help Harry find Horcruxes.

Hermione knew she was brave - she was in Gryffindor, after all - but right now, she felt anything but courageous. She wanted comfort so badly, she would give anything to see her own mom, or Mrs. Weasley right now. She couldn’t find her courage.

and you try to find yourself
in the abstractions of religion and the cruelty of everyone else

She stared into the darkness of her dormitory, at the careless sleeping form of Lavender, who was nearest. Parvati’s bed, on the other side of Lavender, was empty. Parvati had not stayed for the funeral. All of the girls in the dormitory were off in dreamland, breathing gently.

Hermione slipped quietly from her bed, pulling on her dressing gown in near darkness. She padded down the girls staircase into the common room. She could already see the glowing embers of the fire, and her favorite squashy armchair. The air in the room was warm, but seemed almost thick with sadness…

when you’re standing in deep water
and you’re bailing yourself out with a straw

She sat down, staring into the fire. It wasn’t the most comforting sight, but it felt better to her than stars that were too far away to reach. She wanted something close, real, and familiar.

She let her brain drift away, randomly remembering happier days when she had sat in this chair before this fire place and feeling suddenly as if the sadness and fear was suffocating all those memories.

when you’re drowning in deep water
and you wake up making love to a wall

Steps were coming down the boys’ staircase. Hermione turned, and saw a tall redhead dressed in maroon pajamas come down the staircase.

“Hermione? What are you doing down here?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Hermione replied. “I could ask the same of you. What are you doing down here?”

“I couldn’t sleep either,” Ron said, and sat down heavily in the chair opposite Hermione.

well it’s these little times that help to remind
it’s nothing without love

“I was thinking about Dumbledore,” Hermione said quietly. Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He didn’t really want to talk about it.

Ron had a funny way with his feelings. He never knew quite how to deal with them. If he tried to put them into words, he always felt stupid. So he bottled up everything inside. Sometimes he thought it was like living in a turtle shell. Or not even living at all.

and you wake up to realize
your standard of living somehow got stuck on survive

They looked at each other for several minutes, silently. Finally, Ron spoke.

“What about Dumbledore?”

He felt rather bold in stating this question. He knew that Hermione wanted to talk about it, but was waiting for his lead. He thought maybe he could give her a hand, since that was what friends did, right?

we must demand more not from each other
but more from ourselves

“I was just scared. I don’t know what’s going to happen to us, Ron…to Harry. I was just wishing Dumbledore was still around. I don’t feel brave enough for this.”

Hermione stood and walked closer to the fire, warming her hands. She could feel Ron’s eyes on her, even though he was too far to her left for her to see him properly.

He would take a moment to think over what she had said, just as he always did. She knew the slight frown he would be wearing. She knew him so well. She had watched him so much, hating many things he did, but loving him for himself, his whole soul. Had he ever noticed?

I’ve compromised my pride
and sacrificed my health

“You’re brave enough,” he said. “You’ve always been brave.”

when you’re standing in deep water
and you’re bailing yourself out with a straw

Ron watched her, silently. She was still facing the fire, but she had stiffened. The fire crackled and the sound filled Ron’s ears until he could hear nothing else. Then he saw the tear running gently down her face.

Hermione had always taken care of him. That was what she did, like a mother that was more fun. He could see that she needed help. She needed to be taken care of. As sad and lost as he felt, he knew he had to do something to help her, because he not only liked her- he loved her.

when you're drowning in deep water
and you wake up making love to a wall

He slid off the chair, and stood, moving close to Hermione and wrapping his arms around her. She wasn't very tall, so his head rested on the top of hers. He could smell her hair.

She was crying hard now, and his pajamas were getting wet, but he didn’t care. He would stand here, holding her, until she stopped crying, not matter how long it took.

well it's these little times that help to remind
it's nothing without love

After many quiet minutes, she stopped crying. Ron finally spoke.

“You’re brave. That’s why I love you.”

Hermione looked very surprised for a moment. Then she said quietly:

“I can’t be brave without you.”

it's nothing without love

Ron pulled Hermione close to him, until just his nose was touching hers. Then, before they knew it, they were kissing.

it's nothing without love

The kiss was soft and long. Hermione felt herself shiver. Ron couldn’t help thinking: I’ve wanted to do this forever…

it's nothing without love

How much they had been missing! Ron and Hermione felt, as they stood kissing in the common room, that they finally had found something to fight for. No matter what life threw at them, they had love to fight for.

when you're standing in deep water
and you're bailing yourself out with a straw
well it's these little times that help to remind
it's nothing without love

They would fight for love.