HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HERMIONE!!!! You are thirty this year but age is nothing when you are timelessly fictional!

this is the first of seven one shots that will make up the story! the continueing theme is Hermione being thankful for Ron's existance and illustrates her progressing affection for him!

First Year!

At Least He's Alive

"GO!"

Hermione froze when Harry yelled for her to leave. At that moment it sunk in. Like a smack across the face it hit her. Harry was going in there to face who knows what on his own and this might very well be the last time she saw him. Quickly she turned away, as she felt a sob hitch in her chest. Swiftly, she marched toward the fire not daring to even glance back. She felt the flames surround her as she blindly stepped over them, hoping they'd douse the shivering that was taking over her body. Although the initial ice of the potion subsided, her hands still shook.

Hot water welled on the edge of her eyes, but now was not the time to let emotion get the best of her. She needed to keep it together. She needed to find Dumbledore get Ron…RON! Her legs fell into a run on there own and she was propelled across the corridor. She was no longer wasting energy willing them not to fall, and so the tears spilled over her cheeks and the wind in her face speared them across the grime.

Without even missing a step Hermione held her breath as she skirted the dead troll. Finally, the chess room. Hermione's feet skidded her to a halt, as the memory of Ron falling before the queen flooded the forefront of her mind. The room had reassembled itself to be play ready for the next adventurer, but Ron was still right where they'd left him, on the side lines of the marble board, still unconscious. His long limbs were gangly sprawled out at worrisome angles. She cautiously made her way passed the faceless white statue of the queen that had put him there, as if scared she'd receive the same treatment. As she neared him, she saw how absolutely dreadful he looked. He was so pale, the only color he had was in the freckles that were splattered across his expressionless face. She could also see a thin layer of drying blood clumping the patch of red hair where the Queen had struck. Hermione's stomach jerked.

'He's alright....' she tried to tell herself, 'He's alright, Harry's going to be okay, and you are not alone!'

Her lip trembled as she stumbled closer to him, afraid she might be wrong. She knelt down close to him to wiggle his shoulder lightly.

"Ron, wake up," she said softly, he didn't even stir, "Ron, wake up!" she began to plead, "We have to get out, we need to go, you need to wake up!" at this point she was freely sobbing over him, lamenting nonsense words.

Unseen by her, Ron's brow twitched. His eyes blinked open and examined the situation for a moment.

"'Ermione," he grunted grabbing her attention.

"RON!" she gathered him into a crushing hug, "I'm so sorry!!! I was so scared!"

"Ack 'ermione," as she hugged him, Ron's face was consequently buried in the thicket of her tangled hair, and what he said next was reduced to mumbles as he avoided eating it, "yer sumble-ing monmble muhumble!"

"What, are you alright are you hurt?!" pulling away worried.

"I said you're sitting on my hand!"

"Oh, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!!" she said, hastily standing taking her knee out from his palm. He turned it over and dislodged a small shard of rock off the skin where it left an indentation. He began to massage the spot and muttered silly complaints. Hermione sighed in small relief at, 'At least he's alive."

"Come need to go get Dumbledore now, Harry's in trouble," Hermione said hurriedly hoisting Ron up to his feet.

"Ow!"

"What now?"

"I think the Queen hurt my leg dragging me across the table with it."

"Can you still ride a broom?" Hermione asked, scared she would have to leave him there again.

"I think so, come on," he said putting an arm around her shoulders making her a living crutch.

As they came at the black pieces, something extraordinary happened, they separated into a walk way as if honoring a hero.

"Wicked!" Ron said under his breath as he limped with a little more dignity then before.

Hermione couldn't stop herself: she elatedly wrapped her arms around his waist as they walked.

"Hermione!"

Though she was starting to get annoyed at the reactions her hugs receiving lately, she could take solace knowing with Ron she could do this.