It was seven o’clock in the morning, and Hermione was eating breakfast in the Great Hall. This was not at all strange, as she usually ate breakfast at seven in the morning, but one thing made this particular instance rather peculiar: she was alone. Completely and utterly alone. Aside from herself, her toast, and a mug of coffee, she was entirely without companionship. Despite the fact that there had never before been a morning when Hermione had come down to eat at seven and found the Great Hall empty, Hermione did not seem particularly perturbed. Perhaps this was because she was reading.
Or perhaps it was because she knew that no one who wasn’t completely mad ate breakfast at seven on a Saturday.
Unconcerned as to the fact that her breakfast habits were more than a little uncouth, Hermione (who had actually been in the Great Hall since six) happily turned a page in the book she was reading, and took another bite of toast.
Not that this was a usual thing for Hermione at all. Oh no. Truthfully, Hermione didn’t usually eat breakfast on Saturdays until seven-thirty (all right, ten, if that--the boys weren’t always up by then), but today she had a purpose. A good purpose, a worthy purpose, a purpose whose name was--
–Ron! Can’t you, just for once, just for five minutes, just a little, take it easy on us? Please! Harry won’t let us off till we’ve scored on you, and ever since that last game, you’ve been worse than ever!â€
–Yeah, Ron! Give us a break! Besides, we three Chasers are getting rather discouraged; it’s not good for team morale, you know.â€
Hermione looked up from her book with an air of glad expectancy as the loud voices rang through the entrance hall. Her eyes swung around just in time to catch sight of Harry slinging his arms around the shoulders of his two female Chasers in a consoling manner as the Gryffindor Quidditch team made their way into the Great Hall.
–It’s no good girls; haven’t you heard? Ron’s adopted Moody’s motto.†He dropped a kiss on the top of Ginny’s head and let them both go, his eyes focused on Hermione’s smiling face, a smirk already hovering on his own.
–That’s right,†agreed his redheaded friend, thrusting his index finger into the air above his head with gusto, –CONSTANT VIGILANCE!â€
–So funny, Ron,†muttered Ginny, smacking her brother’s hand away when he reached to tousle her hair. He managed it anyway, laughing.
–Hello, Hermione!†said Harry slyly, sitting himself down across from her. –And what are you doing up so early on this bright and shining Saturday morning--â€
–--when all who are sane are still in bed,†finished Dennis Creevey, dropping into the seat on Hermione’s right. Hermione shook her head and frowned briefly at Harry, who was once again grinning at her like he knew something she didn’t (she was beginning to hate that grin…), then smiled suddenly and leaned forward.
–Is it really sunny out today?†she asked eagerly. It had rained every day for the past week; not a day since the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match had they caught sight of the sun. Hermione was definitely a sun person.
–It is, actually,†said Ron, sitting on Hermione’s other side and teasingly preventing his sister from sitting next to Harry by putting his feet up in her seat. He received a sharp smack in the shin for his trouble, and dropped his feet to the floor. Ignoring his sister’s muttered ‘serves you right’ in response to his half-hearted glare, Ron turned his full attention to his strangely wakeful friend. –Or it will be, when the sun finishes rising properly,†here a pointed look at Harry, who purposefully ignored it. Hermione laughed, which brought Ron’s attention back to her for the third time in as many minutes. Affectionately exasperated thoughts about his attention span and toddlers flickered across her mind then dissipated when those bright blue eyes narrowed suddenly.
–Hermione. What are you doing up?†His tone was accusatory, and she bristled.
–Ron, since when is it a crime for someone to get up early?†She rolled her eyes.
–It’s not,†he told her, buttering his waffles and then slathering them in warm maple syrup, –but even you never get up this early on Saturday, and it just seems a little strange.â€
–How would you know how early I get up on Saturday?†she demanded indignantly. He stared at her for several seconds before shaking his head and taking a bite of his breakfast.
–Because,†he replied, when his mouth was sufficiently empty to permit speech, –you eat breakfast with us every Saturday.â€
–Except for this morning,†interrupted Harry, shooting Ron a meaningful look that he didn’t seem to get, –when we had Quidditch practice and wouldn’t have been--wait, no. Here you are, eating breakfast with us. Never mind.†Ron stared at him, then blinked and turned back to Hermione.
–Except for this morning, you eat breakfast with us every Saturday, so I would know when you eat breakfast.â€
–For all you know, I come down early and eat before I eat with the two of you.â€
–No, because you always take a shower before breakfast; your hair is always wet. And I’ve heard Lavender and Parvati complain about your long showers, so I know you wouldn’t have time to eat, take a shower, and still be done in time to eat again with us. Besides, your stomach isn’t big enough for two breakfasts.†He took another bite of food, then looked at her sharply. Reaching out, he buried a hand in her hair. –It’s barely damp. Just how long have you been up, anyway?†Embarrassed, even though she did have a perfectly legitimate reason for being up so early, and flustered by Ron’s actions, Hermione tried to ignore his hand on her head and searched desperately for a way to change the subject.
–Why was practice this morning so early anyway?†she asked, a little too quickly. Ron frowned, but Ginny, grinning sarcastically, answered before he could say anything.
–We all wanted to go to Hogsmeade today, but Harry wasn’t willing to give up practice, so we compromised--â€
–--if by compromise you mean getting up at four-thirty, in the cold and the dark, just to practice against a ridiculously vigilant Keeper in front of an obsessively zealous captain, anyway,†Katie added, leaning around Ginny to look pointedly at her captain.
–All right! All right!†Harry laughed. –I get the idea! But I do seem to recall that it was you two who wanted enough time to shower and ‘get ready’ before we left for Hogsmeade, so technically, it’s your own faults practice was scheduled as early as it was.†Ginny and Katie’s protests rose immediately, and Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke were soon forced to jump to Harry’s rescue amid much laughter and argument.
Meanwhile, ignoring the debate brewing across the table, Ron moved his hand from Hermione’s hair (much to her relief) and placed it instead under her chin (which caused her greater panic than before). Cupping her face gently in his palm, he curled his long fingers around her jaw and turned her face towards his, his expression concerned.
–Why are you up so early, ‘Mione?†he asked her softly. –Why are you eating breakfast before ten?†She hesitated, searching for an excuse, but when she finally met his gaze with her own, the care and concern she saw there captured her, and she couldn’t bring herself to lie to him.
–I never went to bed, Ron.†She saw him flinch, but plunged ahead before he could interrupt. He would know just by looking at her anyway, and she had to get it out. –I couldn’t sleep, not after last night, and so I just stayed up and read. But then I was still feeling so lonely and scared this morning, and I didn’t know what to do because you two were already at practice, and I didn’t feel comfortable waking my roommates, so I just took a shower and came down to breakfast to wait for you.†The night before, right around ten, the three of them (she, Ron and Harry), had somehow ended up being the only ones in the common room (odd because the common room was always full on Fridays), and Harry had been asleep on one of the couches. Hermione had just finished her Potions essay and was beginning one for Transfiguration when Harry had started dreaming. It hadn’t been anything big at first, just a little restlessness, but then he’d started to toss and turn, sweating profusely and muttering long, incoherent sentences punctuated by screaming or shouts of ‘no!’ It had been terrible; she’d almost started to cry just watching him. Then Ron had calmly set aside his homework, stood up from his chair, and shook Harry violently, calling his name. He’d come awake with a start, clutching his head and panting. Grabbing hold of Ron’s sleeve with one trembling hand, he looked up at him with wide eyes.
–Not-a nightmare-Ron,†he’d gasped, his knuckles going white. –Another one-not a nightmare.†He shook his head and moaned, leaning forward against his friend. –Don’t-read the paper-tomorrow. Just-don’t-read it.â€
–All right, Harry. No papers.†He put an arm about Harry’s waist and pulled him to his feet, supporting most of his weight himself since Harry couldn’t seem to stand up straight yet, and looked down at Hermione. –I’m taking him up to bed. You should get some sleep.†Then he smiled a strained smile that was supposed to be comforting but wasn’t, and helped Harry up the stairs. She had gone up to bed afterwards, but had spent the night huddled in her covers reading, too worried to go to sleep, too afraid to.
Now Ron looked at her searchingly. –You knew he was having those dreams, Hermione. Why is it bothering you so much more now than before?â€
–Before, he wasn’t having them right in front of me,†she whispered back. –I didn’t realize how bad they were.â€
–They’re not that bad. I mean, yes they are, but it’s much better now than it used to be. The Occlumency lessons with Dumbledore have helped a lot, and on the rare occasion that he does have one, they’re usually mild. Yesterday was the exception, not the rule.â€
–I’m still scared,†she admitted quietly.
–What can I do to make it better for you, ‘Mione?â€
–I don’t know.†She felt lost. He looked at her for a moment, then reached out his arm and pulled her in for a tight one-armed hug.
–Hey, hey, hey,†said Ginny immediately from across the table. –What are you doing, Ron? Get your arm off of Hermione. Unless there’s something you’d like to tell us?†she added suggestively. Hermione blushed as Ron jerked his arm away, but rolled her eyes at her friend.
–Friends are allowed to hug, Ginny,†she told her, and took a sip of her coffee. Ginny merely grinned at her and turned back to her boyfriend, leaving Hermione to think in peace.
Ginny’s matchmaking efforts were definitely getting a little out of hand, Hermione decided. As if the mistletoe thing at Christmas hadn’t been bad enough, she had been dropping embarrassingly obvious hints for almost a month now. It was ridiculous, really. Not that it mattered. It was obvious by the way Ron always jerked as far away from her as he could at any such comment from anybody that he wasn’t interested. She sighed. So here they were, full circle. She helplessly head over heels, stuck sitting irritatingly close to the object of her affections, while he went on as though…well she didn’t really know. He couldn’t not know she was interested; she didn’t see how he could be so ignorant after all his sister had said and done, but he didn’t behave as if anything had changed between them either. Well, except for the fact that he had been more affectionate lately. Maybe he did fancy her…she shook her head and yawned. She really was tired and this train of thought was getting her nowhere. Not to mention if Ron’s elbow touched her one more time… Retrieving her book from the table beneath a plate of waffles, Hermione stood and made as if to leave.
–Hermione, where are you going?†Harry had reached across the table, half standing out of his seat to reach her, and grabbed hold of her wrist. –We haven’t finished breakfast yet.†She smiled at him.
–I need to go to bed, Harry,†she told him softly. –I’ll see you all when you get back from Hogsmeade.â€
–Bed? Wait, you’re not coming with us? What-–
–Just let it go, Harry,†Ron interrupted, prying their friend’s hand loose. But Harry looked distinctly upset all of the sudden.
–Is this because of yesterday? Because I’m really sorry about that, Hermione,†he told her earnestly, voice soft. –I really am.†Her eyes widened.
–No, Harry,†she told him, –it wasn’t your fault. It’s okay, really.†She held his hand between her own and squeezed it gently, then let go and left the room.
Bed. It really did sound nice.
Hermione was awoken suddenly by a loud bang followed by noisy swearing. Sitting up, she looked around the common room, where she had decided to take her nap when she couldn’t fall asleep in her dorm, and flung her blanket over the back of the couch. Taking note of the light outside the window, she realized she had been sleeping several hours and had probably missed lunch. A scuffing sound interrupted her train of thought then, and she turned to the portrait hole, curious.
–Ron?†she yawned, catching sight of him standing just inside the door, holding a hand to his head. Then she got a good look at him. –Ron!†she cried, jumping out of her seat and racing to his side. –What happened?â€
Ron was covered in mud, blood, and bruises, not the least of which was a great black eye, already dark and quickly swelling. He had obtained several cuts on his face and arms, a skinned knee through the hole in his jeans, and the hand which was covering a large bump on his head was bruised rather badly across the knuckles. She frowned as she led him back to her couch. It looked like he had been in a fight. –Ron?â€
All he said was, –Malfoy.†She sighed and dug her wand out of the bag by her feet. She performed a quick scouring charm to get rid of all the mud, then summoned warm water (mixed with antiseptic) in a bowl, and a rag. Carefully cleaning his cuts and studiously ignoring his hissing and cries of –it stings!†she listened as he explained that he had run into Malfoy on his way to meeting Harry and Ginny at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. They had exchanged words, then blows, had been pulled apart by a group of passing Ravenclaws, Ron had received detention from one irritated Snape as he passed by, and here he was.
–You really have to stop this, Ron,†she told him with a sigh, carefully wrapping his bruised hand in white bandages. –If you didn’t get into so many fights with Malfoy, Madam Pomfrey wouldn’t have refused to heal any more of your ‘battle wounds’ and you wouldn’t have to suffer through my clumsy Muggle treatments instead.â€
–Well, if you would just study healing spells, we wouldn’t have this problem. I can’t believe there’s something you don’t know how to do…â€
–I know the theory, Ron, but you’re not supposed to try these things unsupervised. It’s like Apparating; it’s far too easy to make mistakes with spells like that. I could very well open a cut wider rather than closing it up and have to watch as you bled to death at my feet. If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not risk it. We’ll just have to wait until Harry gets back with Ginny. She’s been training under Madam Pomfrey, she’ll know how to heal them properly. Besides, if you hadn’t been fighting, you wouldn’t have cuts and bruises to be healing. What did he do this time, look at you?â€
–Hermione, you know I never beat him up just for--Ow Hermione! That hurts!--just for looking at me; I wait until he provokes me.â€
–Oh don’t be such a baby, Ron. So what did he say, then, that was so terrible you had to attack him in the middle of Hogsmeade?â€
–He asked where you were,†he replied, looking away from her. She glanced up at him sharply.
–He called me a Mudblood then.â€
–Don’t say that word. It’s a dirty word, it shouldn’t be coming out of your mouth.†She was still staring at him; he still wouldn’t look at her.
–But that’s what he said,†she stated, eyes searching his face.
–Yeah, that’s what he said,†Ron affirmed, eyes dropping to his bandaged hand, which he flexed experimentally, and winced when it hurt to do so.
–Stop that,†she ordered absently, putting her hand over his to stop him moving it. –Ron, it’s just a word. It’s cruel and derogatory, but it can’t really hurt me, especially if I’m not there to hear it.†His reaction came so fast it startled her. Jerking his hand out from under her own, he leapt to his feet and stood towering over her, positively glaring.
–It does hurt!†he shouted. –I’ve seen the look on your face when he says it. It hurts you to be called that, and it hurts me to hear him talk about you that way. I will not let him get away with it, not so long as I’m there to stop him!â€
–Ron…†He glared down at her for several seconds then dropped suddenly onto the couch. He stared out the nearby window.
–I’m sorry,†he said quietly. –I shouldn’t have yelled at you.â€
–No, Ron. I shouldn’t have scolded you.†He was still staring out the window. She put her hand on his arm, and his eyes met hers. –Thank you for defending me,†she told him sincerely. He nodded and looked away again.
Silence.
–Let me see your other hand.†For the next ten minutes, she tended to his remaining cuts and bruises, then shook her head when she finished. –I hope Malfoy looks at least half this bad,†she muttered to herself. –He really beat you up.†Ron grinned and stretched gingerly, yawning.
–Nnn, worse. Much worse.†He dropped his arms, then winced.
–Do be careful, please.†She said dryly, picking up her book from a side table and flipping it open. He made a dismissive sound in the back of his throat and yawned again.
–I’m really tired,†he muttered.
–Then go take a nap.â€
He looked at the stairs to the boys’ dorm, then considered the couch on which they sat, then back to the stairs…and decisively stretched out across the couch.
Hermione, who had not gotten up, started in surprise as Ron’s head landed in her lap. Several seconds were required for her to recover from the shock, then she scowled.
–No, Ron! Not here!†She pushed at his shoulder in an attempt to roll him off the couch, but he was too heavy and only laughed at her. –For one, you’re laying on me and you’re heavy†not that I really mind, –and secondly, you’re in my napping spot!â€
–You’ve already had a nap today, it’s my turn. Besides, you’re reading anyway, and I’m comfortable. Now quit moving around and let me go to sleep.â€
–Ron!†she exclaimed, outraged.
–Hermione!†he mocked in a high pitched voice, copying her tone, then pointedly closed his eyes and shifted so that he was more comfortable. She looked down at him, taking up the entire couch with his legs hanging off over the arm, and shook her head.
–You’re impossible, you know that?â€
–Mmm, yeah,†he muttered sleepily. –But you love me anyway.†She snorted, but allowed herself to smile fondly down at him, since he couldn’t see it anyway. Shaking her head again, she gave up. Grumbling quietly, just for show, she found her page from earlier that morning and began to read.
Ten minutes later found Ron, covered in Hermione’s blanket, deeply asleep on her lap, and Hermione smiling gently as she attempted for the fifth time to finish her page, one hand holding the book, and the other playing with Ron’s thick red hair.
She ignored him as he sat down in a nearby chair and pulled it around to face her, grinning madly.
–Are you sure there’s nothing you’d like to share, Hermione?†he asked her quietly.
–There’s nothing to share,†she whispered back.
–Really? That’s not what I think. I think you-â€
–You think? Wow, I’d no idea. I certainly couldn’t tell from the homework you’ve done this week. Tell me, does it hurt? Thinking, I mean.†He glared at her, and she ignored that too, keeping her eyes firmly glued to her book.
–I’ll have you know it takes a great deal of thought and imagination to do my Divination homework, and I finished that last night.â€
She turned the page. –Ooo, sorry. I had no idea it took so much effort for you to come up with lines like ‘fall into lake next Thursday--get eaten by giant squid.’ My mistake.â€
–Eaten by the giant squid? How come I didn’t think of tha--Hey!†He cried softly, and glared again. –Sarcasm does not become you.â€
–I do apologize.â€
–You’re not sorry at all.â€
–Really?†His eyes narrowed.
–I know what you’re doing,†he whispered. –You think I don’t notice, but I have. You’re trying to distract me, but it won’t work. I will have my say. Do you know why?â€
–You’re annoying? No, no idea.â€
–Hermione, you’re really not cooperating here. What kind of friend are you anyway?â€
–One who likes to avoid embarrassing situations?â€
He snorted softly. –Little late for that, now, isn’t it? Which brings us back to the topic at hand. I was trying to say that I think you--†Now she looked up. He was grinning again as he spoke, and she glared.
–Harry.†She interrupted. –You’re irritating me.â€
–Am I? I hadn’t noticed.†He was grinning more broadly than ever. She scowled.
–Go. Away.â€
–But Hermione, we haven’t hardly seen each other all day; I’ve missed you!†He whispered sorrowfully, and batted his eyelashes at her in innocence. –Besides, I’m having too much fun to leave now.â€
–I’ll bet.â€
–You fancy him, you know you do. Why don’t you just admit it?â€
–Why are we having this conversation here? Why are we having this conversation at all?â€
–Because we’re best friends. Aren’t we supposed to tell each other everything, or something like that?â€
She stared at him. –Funny. You look like Harry. You sit like Harry, you certainly smell like Harry (–Hey, just what are you implying?â€), but you sound like Lavender. Why is that?â€
–Ha. Ha. Cute. But seriously, you’re a girl, Hermione--â€
–Am I really?†He ignored her.
–--but we’re always doing boy best friend things. I’m just trying to relate to you like a girl, you know, on your own level.â€
Her eyes widened and she went rigid. He was teasing, she knew, but still…
–Harry Potter,†she hissed, glaring at him, her face radiating fury, –if I were able to get up--â€
–Lucky me you’re not able to then.†He sat back in his chair, utterly relaxed. –Remind me to thank Ron later, would you?â€
–You’re going to die.â€
–Eventually, yes. You know, I’m beginning to see why Ron enjoys arguing with you,†he mocked gently. –You’re so cute when you’re angry. Of course I don’t have the same motive he has…â€
–Harry, run get Ginny for me would you?†she asked him sweetly. He eyed her suspiciously.
–Why?â€
–Because I want to apologize for her loss.â€
He frowned. –For her what?â€
–Her loss. Seeing as how she’s going to be short a boyfriend as soon as Ron wakes up.â€
–Who’s going to be short a boyfriend?†asked a voice from behind.
Hermione looked over her shoulder at Ginny, who’d just come through the portrait hole. –You are,†she answered.
–Really?†Ginny frowned. –Why?â€
–Because he can’t keep quiet, so I’m going to kill him as soon as Ron wakes up.â€
–Oh.†She considered her boyfriend with suspicion. –Does he really deserve it?â€
–Ginny!†Harry protested. Both girl’s ignored him.
–He said he was trying to relate to me as a girl. On my own level,†Hermione told her.
–As if the boy level were higher than the girl level?â€
–That’s the impression I got.â€
–Oh,†she said again. –Here, let me help you.†And with that, she grabbed hold of Ron’s feet, braced herself, and jerked sharply to the left. He tumbled knee first off the couch and hit the floor with a thud.
–Ouch! What the--†He sat up, rubbing his shoulder. No one was paying attention to him.
–Harry.†Hermione glowered at him –Run.†He needed no further prompting. The raven-haired Quidditch captain was on his feet and out the door in a flash, Hermione right on his heels. Ron stared after them.
–What was that all about?â€
–Revenge, I think. Well deserved revenge.â€
–Harry made Hermione mad?†He was incredulous.
–Seems that way.â€
–Weird.â€
–Yeah.†She looked down at him, frowned. –What’d you do to yourself?†He blinked, face blank, trying to remember. Screaming was heard from the corridor outside. Ginny sighed and brandished her wand.
–Let’s see if we can’t heal those.â€