- - -
She was terrified of something, he just couldn't figure out what. It was a hard time for everyone, but it seemed to have a greater effect on her. She obviously had things to worry about, but there was something more she was afraid of. She didn't laugh as often, she didn't talk quite as much, and she never scolded them anymore. It concerned him, more than he bothered to admit.
Hermione had become completely obsessed with her books, which weren't only for her schoolwork. She poured over old documents, diaries and spell books, searching for something, anything, to aid Harry. She hadn't found anything so far that Harry didn't already know, but he never bothered to tell her this. He would nod politely, and thank her with a friendly hug, and her eyes always shone with tears.
Ron sighed heavily, and brought himself to reality, focusing on the common room that greeted him. The portrait swung back into place behind him, and he let his guard down for the first time that day. His dark blue eyes narrowed as he focused in on Hermione, sitting on the floor by the fire.
He quickly crossed the common room, and crouched down beside her. She looked exhausted, dark circles existed under her eyes, and her face looked pale and drab. She needed to rest, immediately. He brushed his fingers along her elbow, as her head shot up at the contact.
"How long have you been here?"
His words came out rough and unpracticed, as he found they did whenever he talked to her. She looked at him sadly, shutting a thick book as she did so. She faced the flames again and said, "A long time."
He shook his head at her, and smiled half-heartedly. "I think you should maybe have a nap or something…you look worn out."
"Have you seen Harry?" Hermione completely ignored his last comment, but he took it in stride. She was already struggling to stand up, indicating that she had agreed with him about a rest.
"Last I saw, he was sleeping in the boy's dormitory. He's fine, Hermione." Ron assured her, but he saw that she didn't believe him. "I'll check again, if you want."
She nodded, as Ron placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her towards the spiral staircases. She took a fleeting glance at all her books and parchment beside the fire, before trudging up the stairs.
He sent Ginny up after her; to make sure she would obey by his instructions and then went up to his own dormitory. He checked on the drained Boy-Who-Lived, who seemed to be sleeping soundly, but whose breathing indicated other wise.
- - -
When she woke, the sun was streaming through her bed hangings and she bolted upwards in bed. The last things she remembered were the stars just starting to emerge, the fire in front of her, and Ron crouching beside her.
She hastily pulled off her bedspread, and pulled on her housecoat. She was so far behind with her research that her stomach felt queasy and she reached for a bedpost to steady herself. She had slept fifteen hours straight, when she had been normally getting three to five.
Hermione staggered into bathroom, locked the door behind her and turned on the shower. Her roommates were still sleeping, and it would be best not to awake them. She rarely talked to them anymore; it astounded her how naïve and self-centered people could be, especially at a time like the present.
Instead she surrounded herself with only books and three close friends: Harry, Ron and Ginny, who she met every morning for breakfast. She would be late if she didn't hurry, so she dragged her robe over her head, cast a drying charm on her hair, and slipped out of her dormitory.
They were waiting for her at the portrait hole, talking in whispers. They turned silent as Ron noticed her approaching, something that annoyed her, but pleased her at the same time. She couldn't handle talking about anything Voldemort related, and was grateful when they talked about other things.
Ginny led the way out of the common room, after giving Hermione an encouraging smile. Harry followed, and then Hermione. Out in the hallway, Ron grasped her hand in a friendly manner and she honestly smiled for the first time in a week.
"You look much better today, Hermione." Ron said, as Harry and Ginny talked up ahead of them. "Much more refreshed than I've seen you in a long time."
"I suppose it's thanks to you, you're the one that sent me to bed last night."
"You were wearing yourself out; couldn't you see that? Harry needs us, and he needs us as happy as we can be, and healthy too. You weren't looking all that healthy."
"I know," she admitted, feeling rather stupid, "I just couldn't stop…I needed to help him somehow, and I got carried away."
"That's okay. It's what we love about you."
He smiled down at her, and she had to look away. She was suddenly very self conscious and very aware of what she was thinking. She wasn't so sure anymore that the hand holding hers was as friendly and innocent as she had thought it to be.
Oddly enough, she didn't care; and briefly thought that she would be disappointed if Ron had strictly friendly intentions.
"Now let's go have breakfast, okay?"
She nodded, and Ron noticed that there was a vague hint of a sparkle in her eye. Before entering the Great Hall, he suddenly tugged her toward him and hugged her gently. She wrapped her arms around his middle and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Thanks," she said softly, and reached up to kiss him on the cheek.
"No problem," he answered cheerfully, but then his tone was more serious. "I promise that everything will be okay."
- - - NOTE: Yes! Apparently I'm on another Ron and Hermione kick, and it's great to be back. I was discussing some theories about HP today with a friend, and suddenly needed some reassurance that everything would be okay. Since I can't depend on JK for that information, I turned to my imagination. I don't own anything from Harry Potter, and the title is from the theme song of Smallville. Read and review! Thanks!