Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter (very sadly.)
A/N: I just listened to the audio recording of Sorcerer's Stone for the first time in years, and I remembered how much I loved it the first time. This started as a missing moment and somehow turned into a slight bit more. Hope you enjoy - it's been a long time since I've written fan fic.
"We're not sure how severe his injuries are. It looks as though he will be all right, but we won't know any more until morning." And with those words and a serious, measured gaze at Ron and Hermione, Professor Dumbledore turned and - somehow - graciously - climbed out of the portrait hole.
Hermione and Ron didn't even need to look at each other. Without a word passing between them, they both raced for the portrait as well, tumbling out of it before Percy could object and order them back. It was not a surprise to either of them to find that Dumbledore was waiting for them on the other side, and he gave them a brief nod before walking down the hall at a pace clearly measured for them to be able to keep up with their shorter legs.
"I knew all of your housemates would want to know how Harry was doing," he said quietly as they walked, "but I also knew you two would be more concerned. I wish I had better news. I also wish I could allow you to visit the hospital wing. But right now, Harry's condition is too precarious. We're not entirely sure what happened to him in that room, and we need to make sure that we've given him all the correct potions for his recovery. As soon as he is up to visitors, I'll be sure to send word."
Here, he stopped walking, and the other two almost walked into him. He tried to smile at them, but the usual twinkle was not in his eyes. "This is very serious," he said softly, and the smile disappeared completely. "It seems that there are dark forces at Hogwarts again. I'll wait to tell you more when we know how Harry's doing. In the meantime, it would be best for you to get back to your common room."
And he turned and walked on, trusting that the two first years would do what he'd suggested. But Ron and Hermione stared at each other now, and all the color seemed to have drained from both of their faces.
Hermione was the first to speak. "I - I want to see him," she said quickly. Her voice was unnaturally high, and her breath was coming in quick gasps. "Maybe - maybe there's something Madame Pomfrey hasn't thought of. Maybe - maybe I can find something in one of my books. Maybe -" But before she could come up with another maybe, Ron broke in.
"No," he said roughly, and the force of it shocked Hermione into silence. She stopped and stared at Ron, but he was staring at the ground and wouldn't look up at her, and he didn't say anything else either. Finally, after a long silence, and when Hermione was convinced he wasn't going to say another word, she said, "well, let's go back then..." but she trailed off when she took a step, and he didn't follow. She tried not to sigh impatiently, and then he finally looked up.
He was blinking far too quickly, and he said "He has to - he has to be all right, doesn't he? I mean - he's Harry. He - he couldn't ..." And here, Ron trailed off.
Hermione's stomach twisted as she realized this might have been the first time the two of them had ever had a real conversation without Harry present, and she was so far out of her depth that for the first time she could remember, she had no idea what to do or say. This wasn't in any of her books. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The only thing she was sure of now was that she had to be the calm one. If Ron got any more upset, that would be very bad for both of them.
She waited until she was sure she could sound like herself, and then she said, "Ron, Professor Dumbledore said they're assessing him to see what potions they need to give him. He didn't once say there wasn't anything they could do. You know they're going to work as hard as they can until he's all right. He's - well, he's Harry Potter. They won't let it turn out any other way."
Hermione wished she were as sure as she thought she sounded, but Ron looked up then, and his face was slightly less tense, so she relaxed. For the moment, at least, that crisis had been averted.
It was a stressful night, but Ron determinedly wouldn't talk about Harry, and after what happened earlier, Hermione wasn't about to bring him up. It wasn't until the following day that a professor came to the Gryffindor common room again, but this time it was their head of house, McGonagall, and she looked slightly less severe than usual. In fact, she was almost smiling, and she, too, looked directly at Ron and Hermione as she informed the assembled students that Harry had, indeed, pulled through and would be all right. Hermione gasped in delight and turned to share her relief with her friend when she was confused to see that Ron had, once again, gone through the portrait hole. Mystified, she went after him.
Maybe he'd gone to the hospital wing, she mused, as she climbed through, though McGonagall had made it quite clear that, on the mend though he was, Harry was most certainly not yet up for guests. But once she emerged into the hall, Hermione saw that she needn't have worried. Well, not about that. Ron hadn't gone to the hospital wing. In fact, he'd hardly gone anywhere. He was sitting on the floor, slumped against the door, his knees pulled up, and his head pillowed on his arms.
Confused, Hermione sat down beside him and said, "maybe they'll let us see him tomorrow?"
There was no response. For a moment, she considered repeating herself, but then she really turned and looked at Ron. He had seemed at first glance, to be sitting perfectly still, but this close, Hermione could see that he was trembling slightly.
"Ron?" she asked hesitantly. After a moment, he raised his head, but he didn't look at her. He stared straight ahead and said hoarsely, "I'm just - I'm really glad he's all right." And his head sank back down but not before Hermione had caught a glimpse of his glassy eyes. Her heart in her throat, she moved slightly closer. Maybe - well, maybe there was more to Ron than she'd ever realized.