Harry gave her a haggard smile, "This is Ron we're talking about. I'm sure he's fine. He should be back any minute now."
Hermione started to say something but bit it back.
Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Ron is more than capable of taking care of himself, Hermione. You don't give him enough credit."
"It's not that I don't think he's capable! It's just that... I don't know, I just worry about him. It's been almost seven months since we left Hogwarts and everything just feels so different."
"We're fighting a war, Hermione."
"Yes, but Ron is actually out there every day. I just wish I could keep an eye on him."
"Hermione, Ron is my best friend, too. I know how you feel. Not a day goes by without me wishing I could be out there with Ron. Best thing we can do, though, is have faith that he'll come back in one piece."
Hermione nodded and they went back to consideration of the clock.
Ron slid his hand under his tattered overcoat as he watched a black-clad figure walk up to the dilapidated barn in the dim moonlight. Mad-Eye was getting fidgety beside him.
The figure shot a look over its shoulder before taking out a wand and pointing it at the door. Ron tightened his grip on his wand as the figure started muttering something.
"Go!"
Ron was on his feet in a flash, dashing towards the barn.
"Stupefy!" he heard Lupin shout when he was about ten feet from the door. The figure dropped to the ground. Ron brought up a shielding charm as he jumped over it and into the barn.
Ron saw six Death Eaters as he entered the barn and from the looks of it, they had definitely not been expecting an attack. He stunned one of them before they had even drawn their wands. Mad-Eye disarmed one of them from behind him. The remaining Death Eaters had by now drawn their wands and let forth a barrage of spells at Ron. Ron felt as if he was watching the scene unfold from outside his body. He let his instincts take over as he dodged the Death Eaters' spells and countered with some of his own. He brought down two more as Tonks burst into the barn and disarmed a third. The last Death Eater cast a quick glance around the room before dropping his wand.
Ron smiled.
Mad-Eye placed a fatherly hand on Ron's shoulder as a team of Aurors took away the captured Death Eaters. "Good work, boy. That was smooth as silk." Ron grinned, "We're running out of places to hold the prisoners."
"Don't get cocky, boy."
Ron chuckled and watched Lupin walk up to them, holding something small in his hand.
"Whatcha got there, sir?"
"It's a snitch, Ron, with a hole bored through it. We found it on one of the Death Eaters. I want you to take it back to Grimmauld Place and see if the team there can figure out what they were trying to do with it."
Ron nodded and took the snitch. Mad-Eye pushed him away, "Run along. And don't forget about debriefing at 9 a.m. sharp. If you show up as much as a second after, boy, I'll make you wish the bloody Death Eaters had got you tonight."
Hermione was startled by the sound of the front door closing. That had to be Ron getting back from his little mission. She looked at the clock. It was almost four in the morning. Harry was asleep on the armchair, a little trail of spittle going down his chin. Hermione got up as quietly as she could and made her way out of the living room. She caught Ron hanging his coat up by the door. His back was turned to her.
"Ron!"
He jumped. He turned around, awkward as ever, with a goofy grin on his face. "Morning, Hermione."
Hermione put her hands on her hips and stared him down. "And how did it go?"
His eyes lit up at the question. "Bloody brilliant, Hermione. We took down seven of them like that," he snapped his fingers. "Mad-Eye said that the raid was smooth as silk. I took down..."
"Shut up, Ron. Do you know what time it is?"
Ron looked confused, "Err... no idea."
Hermione scowled, "It's 4 in the morning, Ron. FOUR! When did you say you'd be back?"
"Err... three."
"What took you so long? Did you go out and celebrate? How many times have I told you that alcohol is bad for you. It dulls the mind, Ron. But you never listen, do you? I wonder why I even try. I bet you're not paying attention to what I'm saying right now. When will you..."
Ron's had gotten darker and darker as Hermione went on with her rant. "Hold on! I never did any such thing. Three was just a rough estimate, Hermione! I don't need you to stand here and nag me over something I didn't do. I couldn't bloody well drop whatever I was doing and get back here just because I told you I'd be back at three! Besides, what I do after the missions is my business. I don't see why you have to go on and on about matters that don't even concern you like some sort of... of... busybody!"
"You idiot! Do you know how worried we were? We've been watching the clock for hours! And what do you do? Come back and start calling me a busybody. Honestly, Ronald, I have had enough of this! You are just a thick, insensitive, stupid little boy! Hmmph!" With that, Hermione stomped up the stairs, leaving Ron speechless.
Harry walked out of the living room and smiled at Ron. "Don't you two ever stop?"
"Sorry, mate. It's Hermione..."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever Ron. Have fun out there?"
Ron seemed to forget all about the argument. "Yes, I did. We found something interesting, too. I was trying to tell Hermione when she went off at me. Honestly, she never listens. Always going on about how I shouldn't do this, and shouldn't do that, and this is unhealthy and that is..."
Harry held up a hand, "I'm sure you could go on for hours, Ron, but I'm not interested. What did you find."
"Oh! Right! Lupin found this on one of the Death Eaters we apprehended tonight." Ron fished the snitch out of his pocket and handed it to Harry. "He told me to tell you guys to figure out what they were trying to use it for. Pretty urgent and all that."
Harry examined the snitch from all angles before yawning, "Urgent as it may be, it's going to have to wait till tomorrow. I'm sleepy. I suggest you get some sleep, too... you definitely need your beauty rest."
Ron grinned and punched Harry on the shoulder. The two made their way up to their room.
As Harry was falling asleep, he heard Ron clear his throat from across the room. "Harry, do you think that Hermione is very angry with me?"
Harry sighed, "Don't worry, Ron. I'm sure she'll be over it by the time we wake up. You really should try to be more sensitive with her, though. She worries about you."
"Yeah, I know." Ron's voice seemed distant.
"Good night, Ron." He yawned.
"Night."