You listened in silence for a few minutes while she relayed the entire tale. By the end, you were both shocked and in awe. They went back in time? You were relieved, of course, that both Sirius and Buckbeak were safe, and that Harry had saved you from the dementors. But at the same time, you were... jealous? Harry and Hermione had gone on this outrageous adventure and saved lives, while you just laid there, unconscious. It didn't seem quite fair.

For a few minutes, the two of you just talked. Harry had fallen asleep almost immediately, but both you and Hermione were still filled with adrenaline.

"How are you feeling?" she asked gently, smoothing back the hair from your forehead. You felt yourself turn tomato-red as she realized what she was doing and quickly snatched her hand back.

"I'll survive," you groaned, putting on what you hoped to be a brave face. She giggled, leading you to realize that you hadn't looked quite as macho as you had meant to. You grinned back, and suddenly you began to laugh along with her. For a few minutes, neither of you could stop, until Madam Pomfrey threatened to give you both a sleeping potion if you didn't quiet down. Hermione looked so ashamed, you couldn't help but roll your eyes at her.

"Just because you don't happen to care what authoritative adults think of your behavior, Ron, which you clearly don't-" she began furiously. You held up your hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay, sorry, Hermione," you mumbled, leaning back nervously.

"Yes, well..."

You grinned sheepishly at her, and after a moment, she returned the smile.

"So, um, how are the Chudley Cannon's doing, this year?" she asked awkwardly. You stared at her incredulously.

"Since when do you give a damn about Quidditch?" She blushed.

"Just trying to make conversation, Ron." You sat in silence for a few minutes.

"So you had this time-turner all year?" you suddenly demanded. Hermione looked down at her hands.

"Well, yes... But I couldn't tell anyone- Professor McGonagall made me promise, and..." Her voice trailed off, and you nodded begrudgingly.

"I still think you should have told us, at least... We could've used it when Harry and I were so far behind on all that bloody homework!" She glared at you.

"You see, this is exactly why I wasn't allowed to tell anyone! Because people like you would use it for stupid things. Like finishing homework that you should have done a week earlier!"

"Merlin, Hermione, I was kidding," you replied, raising your eyebrows. "Seriously..." You smirked. "So, I guess you finished that Potions essay already?" She nodded, and spent the next few minutes trying to explain what the results would be if you forgot the shredded newt in a Wiggling Draught. Let's just say that it would make Harry's boneless arm look like a little paper cut. You continued to talk for a while, about school, Quidditch, summer holidays, really anything that came up. You realized that this was one of the longest times that you and Hermione had ever spent together without Harry. It was... kind of nice.

"AGGH!" You adjusted in bed, having ended up with most of your weight on your broken leg. Once the pain had faded substantially, you looked back at Hermione, who looked notably embarrassed. Suddenly, you realized that you had grabbed her hand when you had cried out, and you dropped it immediately, trying to ignore the warm feeling that was slowly spreading through your body. She shook her head at you, smiling.

"Oh, Ron."

Looking back on it now, you realize that night was foreshadowing many years to come. That was the first time you were ever jealous of something that Harry and Hermione shared without you, and it was also the first time that you realized you fancied Hermione. You just wish that you could have done something about it before you ended up where you are now: sprawled on a bed in Shell Cottage, listening to the radio and clutching the Deluminator as if it tethers you and everyone you love to life. And in a way, it does.

Suddenly, you hear a voice coming out of your Deluminator. Jumping up, you stare down at the now glowing object in your hand. Deluminators don't talk... but that voice definitely had not come out of the radio. So familiar, yet so unreachably far away.

"Ron."

Disclaimer-

Harry Potter isn't mine

The books were simply a wonderful find.

JKR is the one who owns

All from Quidditch to the house-elves scones.

Er, yeah... Nope, I'm not much of a poet, but it gets the point across. :P

A./N.- Written for the finals of Fire The Canon's Third Year Tournament on HPFC. Dedicated to the awesome Dobby's Reincarnation who edits everything, and gives me the most honest feedback I could ask for. Thank you! :)