Challenge Number and Letter: 1A
Word Count:1129
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Title: Morning Light

Fandom:Harry Potter

Characters: Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley

Prompt: 73 - Light

Word Count:1129

Rating:K

Summary:Ron/Hermione Missing Moment. Ron wakes up in the drawing room his first morning in Grimmauld place in DH. What exactly did Ron mean when he said "if it's massive spiders AGAIN."

Author's Notes:This is for both my 100 prompts and my LJ community 'The Menagerie of Missing Moments' challenge #1. Check them both out!

Morning Light

Ron woke slowly to the soft morning light coming through the heavy drapes covering the tall window along the eastern wall. Confusion filled him as to why his bed was so hard, why he it smelled of mold and dust. Then as he lay there slowly letting the early morning settle around him. A rush of images from the previous day engulf him.

Watching his oldest brother fumbled with the tie on his dress robes while Charlie ribbed him about honeymooning with a veela. The breath in his lungs catching in his chest as he watched his Hermione stepping sheepishly down the stairs while Ginny fiddled with her bushy brown locks insisting her ankles were just fine. Mum's wiping away tears with Dad's arm wrapped around her as they watched their first born son waiting for his bride at the end of the marquee. The feel of Hermione's waist beneath his shaking hand as he maneuvered her around the crowded dance floor. Asking if she'd like to join him for a walk out to the pond with a couple of iced butterbeers.

Then even at the memory of not being able to find her made his chest constrict uncomfortably. Watching as the crowd darted in and out of the rapidly appearing figures and not being able to see her had been torture. He'd recognized several Death Eaters, at his home, swarming in the field he'd learn to ride a broom and had family dinners. It was a violation of unspeakable measure. It was somehow more horrifying then fighting against them at Hogwarts or the Ministry. He'd faced the terrible there before but here, at the burrow? It was an abomination, and it churned his stomach to even recollect the experience.

Then he'd heard her voice, screaming for him. He saw her first, her face was tear stained and panicked. He called for her but she didn't see him, he fought the rioting mob that had been a graceful dance floor just minutes before but saw no face but hers. He had to get to her, it would all be just fine if he could get to her, he could think straight as long as he knew she was okay. Then he grasped her searching hand in his own and their eyes met. For just a moment, the smallest fraction of a second her face registered peaceful serenity before transforming into her 'time for action' face.

Ron felt a soft movement on his hand that brought him out of his reverie. She was sleeping next to him, so closely that when she hadn't been able to sleep he'd taken her hand and they'd comforted each other in the unfamiliar darkness. Comfort that couldn't be gained by words or expression, the sort that only came from the warm contact of being with someone you love and trust with your everything.

It had been his that had taken her hand but he'd needed it just as much or more then she did. Perhaps that's why she'd let him. She'd known that the sudden departure from his family, from his home was gut wrenching.

That despite all the pessimism about coming from such a large brood, his family meant more to him than anything else in the world, besides maybe her. Though in his mind they were one in the same. She was family, or at least he hoped she would be someday.

The tickling on his hand wiggled again and he moved his hand toward her more, wanting to grasp her hand more fully in his. 'What the-?'

Ron opened his eyes finally, only to see a large hairy eight legged monstrosity crawling along his outstretched hand. It's huge death pincers, it's dark evil eyes looking at him, waiting to make it's fatal move. He opened his mouth to let out a scream but found he had no voice. Terror enveloped him and he was unable to do anything but jump out of his sleeping bag and shake his hand frantically to removed it's disgusting intruder.

"What in the world are you doing?" Hermione mumbled as she sat up on her elbow and began rubbing her eyes. Ron ignored her and snatch his wand up before jumping back again.

"Arachno Exterminus!" He shouted while pointing his want at the evil little vermin. "Arachno Exterminus!" he shouted again and again pointing at random corners and hidey holes throughout the drawing room. He only stopped when he was brought back to reality by Hermione's hysterical laughter.

"I think that's the first time you've known a spell that I didn't." She said through gasping breaths.

"Yeah well, there are certain things I've made a point to learn." He said defensively as he slowly pointed his wand around the room again, searching for more points of interest for his extermination spell. "After getting chased down by a mob of angry Acromantula you make a point of knowing certain things alright!" He shuttered at both the memory of Aragog's family as well as this early morning brush with death.

"It was just a common little house spider Ron. No need to get all twitchy, it won't hurt you."

"Yeah well you didn't wake up with it snuggling up to you now did you. Thought I was going to have a bit of heart failure just looking into it's ugly little face." He shuttered again at the memory of it staring him down, ready to pounce." He began inspecting the room for more possible living quarters for the infestation. He began to feel the ebbings of humiliation creeping over him. Had he really just hopped around like an idiot in front of her, screaming about spiders no less. Not terribly manly was he, ' Damn it.' He was such a prat. Though it wasn't his fault she obviously didn't understand the inherit evils of the little buggers.

"Ron, where's Harry?" She asked as she pushed the sleeping bag off her legs. They both looked at the empty rumpled bag laying in the corner. He'd been acting funny all last night. What if he still had the trace on him and had been caught, what if he'd been grabbed by Death Eaters in the night and they'd been sleeping feet away unaware of any commotion. They hadn't even been gone for 12 hours and already you-know-who had gotten him. "Do you think he's alright?" She drew her wand purposefully and stood up.

"Don't know," he answered truthfully, hoping the uncertainty and fear wasn't too obvious in his voice.

"You check upstairs and I'll check the main floor and the basement." They exchanged a quick glance, that containted everything they'd never had the courage to say out loud and split up in search of their missing friend.