The sound echoing around the hospital wing is, undoubtedly, weeping.
Hermione isn't entirely sure what to do with this information. After a moment of hesitation, she steels herself, parts the curtains, and approaches Ron's bedside.
Sure enough, he's trying very hard to look like a young man who isn't sobbing uncontrollably. Unsurprisingly, this attempt at deception isn't going very well for him. Undeterred, she presses on and takes the seat next to his bedside. His furrowed forehead is warning her not to talk about it, but Ron and Hermione have never specialised in tact.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing"
Her face makes plain the fact that she is unconvinced.
"Good try. What's actually wrong?"
"It's really stupid. You wouldn't understand."
"Try me. I've been told I'm rather bright."
"It's about quidditch." He warned.
"OK"
A moment of silence. And then:
"I guess I only just realised I really am not going to be fit for the game tomorrow."
Another moment of silence.
"And I know it sounds stupid but that just got me really upset, I guess."
"That's OK. You're allowed to be upset. You like playing quidditch."
"Yeah, yeah I do. But it's not just that. It's... it's difficult to explain. You know they've asked McClaggen to sub for me?"
"Yeah, I heard that."
"Well what if he's really good? What if he's better than me and they keep him forever and I'm off the team?"
"Statistically speaking, he's not as good as you. That's why they chose you. But then again, I suppose five is a pretty small sample. It doesn't really prove much either way. I suppose that's not helpful. Now probably isn't the time to worry about statistics, actually, is it?"
Ron gives a watery smile.
"I don't know how to explain it, Hermione, and even if I did I'm not sure you'd get it. It's not even that I like quidditch. It's just that, I don't know, when I'm playing quidditch and I'm on the team and we're winning it feels like I'm useful. And like I'm popular and successful and sometimes even a little bit attractive. Bloody hell, that sounds stupid doesn't it?"
"Not really. I mean, you are talking to someone who cries every time she gets an "Exceeds Expectations" rather than an "Outstanding". I'm pretty sure I get what you're on about, really."
He looks at her with a mixture of shock and awe and affection and somehow, he isn't crying any more. Because there's someone in the world who gets him and of course it's her.
"For what it's worth. Ron, I think you're all of those good things even when you're not playing quidditch."
He's temporarily speechless as his brain scrambles to keep up.
"Thank you"
Silence.
"You realise I think you're all of those things too even when you get an "Exceeds Expectations", don't you?"
She smiles slowly and sincerely and the look on her face is the best news he's had all day.
"Thank you"