There was a soft tapping at the door, and with a gentle push, it was heard rolling open. Ginny Weasley poked her head in, squinting in the darkness. "Ron?"

Her only reply was movement, signifying that Ron had probably just rolled over in his sleep. She then heard him mumble incoherently, and she crept silently into the room. Trying again, she whispered with more urgency, "Ron?"

Ginny was now kneeling beside his bed, and she tapped her brother on the forehead. His eyes snapped open in surprise, but he visually relaxed when he recognized her. "What, Ginny?"

"There's a noise downstairs, and I don't know what it is!" She said, whispering harshly. Harry, who was sharing Ron's bedroom, tossed his head and his pillow fell onto the floor. Ginny retrieved it, fluffed it up a little, and gently put it under Harry's head again.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Ginny. Go back to sleep." He made to roll over and fall asleep again, but Ginny stopped him by putting a hand on his arm.

"Please, Ron?" She pleaded, looking younger than her 16 years. "Just have a look."

He sighed heavily and then reluctantly got out of bed. "Go back to bed, Ginny, I'll check it out. Next time though, go get Fred or George!"

"They sleep like logs, and you know it. There isn't any way I'd be able to wake them." She responded, and immediately after gave her brother a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Ron."

"This is absolutely ridiculous." Ron stated, as Ginny went back to her room. He rubbed his eyes, and then ran a hand through his coppery red hair, tousling it and messing it up even more. "I don't hear anything."

He was halfway down the crooked old stairs now, and Ron hadn't heard anything that was worth worrying about. Just as he reached the bottom step, though, the unmistakable noise of pages turning was heard. "What in Merlin's name…"

The noise was definitely coming from the kitchen, and so he crept very quietly towards the kitchen door. His heart beating fast, even though he knew it was stupid; Ron very gently opened the door to reveal a slice of the kitchen.

His heart rate immediately dropped as he saw whom it was inhabiting the kitchen. "Hermione, what the hell are you doing down here?"

"Oh, hello, Ron." She stated, motioning for him to sit down.

She sat at the butchered kitchen table with books and papers spread all around her. The fire she had created cast flickering lights and shadows everywhere, and the flames danced off of her eyes. She was wearing a white sleeveless top and green plaid pajama pants, and he briefly thought that she had never looked better.

He gaped soundlessly at her, and then rubbed his eyes again to make sure he wasn't dreaming. After he was sure that he was awake, he looked over at the clock on the wall.

"Hermione, it is three o'clock in the morning." He said, going to the fridge and pulling out some milk. He also pulled out a saucepan, and some marshmallows. "What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep," She began, as she watched him heat up the stove. "I decided then to do some of my homework and prepare myself for being Head Girl."

"Hermione," Ron said, with decreasing patience for her, as he stirred the milk around in the pan, "you have four bloody weeks to do your homework and prepare yourself. This is summer vacation – you should try it, it's fun."

Adding some sort of chocolate powder, Ron looked over at her. She seemed to be deep in thought, but finally said, "Well, I suppose you're right – but I just feel so helpless."

He hadn't expected to hear that from her, and he told her so as he poured the liquid into two mugs. He also put a large bag of marshmallows on the table to add when desired. Bringing the mugs over to the table, he said, "Hermione, why exactly do you feel so helpless?"

"I don't really know – thanks, Ron." She said as she accepted a mug. She blew into it, and then took a small sip. "It's delicious."


"Thank you. My own recipe, actually." He said, looking quite proud of himself. She looked at him for a couple of moments after that, and Ron found himself pulling a little on his white T-shirt, and wishing that it was bigger.

They were silent, until Ron finally said, "I'm sure you have some idea why you feel so helpless. Does it have anything to do with Harry?"

"Yes." She said, lowering her head. A couple of stray strands of her hair fell into her line of vision.

"I thought so." Before he knew what he was doing, he had reached over the table to brush her hair away from her face, and tuck it behind her ear. It was done in one swift, practiced motion that surprised them both. "Hermione, we're both going to be there for Harry as long as he needs us to be. He knows that."

"Doesn't it worry you though? Since first year, Harry hasn't known if he'll see another year at Hogwarts or not."

"Of course it worries me!" Ron exclaimed, draining the last of his hot chocolate. "He's my best friend! But there isn't any point in worrying over anything right now."

"You're right." She admitted, also finishing her hot chocolate. She then went around and closed all of her books, and stuffed them in her book bag. "I've been foolish."

"No, you've been a good friend." He said, getting up from the table and putting their mugs in the sink. "Now come on, I'm still tired."

"Thanks, Ron." She said quietly, as he took her book bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"No problem."

They walked upstairs together slowly, and when they came to Hermione's door, he gave her back her book bag, and she in return wrapped her arms around his middle and pressed her face against his chest. Ron, who was feeling rather odd about it, returned her embrace awkwardly.

"Good night, Ron." She said, as she closed the door behind her.

"Night, Hermione."

He shook his head and carried onto his room, where Harry still lay fast asleep. He quickly checked on Ginny though, who was still awake.

"What was it, Ron?" She whispered through the darkness.

"It was Hermione, and you knew it! She sleeps in the room right beside you – and you heard her." Ron said, whispering at her angrily in the darkness. "You had to wake me up, didn't you?"

Ginny giggled. "Yeah, I knew that Hermione was down there. I just figured that you were the best person for the job."

He sighed heavily, remembering the feeling of her hugging him. "Thanks, Ginny."

"It's okay, Ron."

- -

Disclaimer: I don't Harry Potter or any of the characters found in this fan fiction. I wrote this story for fun and my own amusement.

Notes: Do wizard's have refrigerators? I wasn't sure, but I put it in anyway. Anyone wondering which recipe Ron followed for hot chocolate - don't ask me – I made it up, in hopes that it would work out all right.

Please read and review, as it means a lot to me. Thanks, guys.