I'll Stand By You

Chapter One - The Girls' Dormitories

"Bloody hell, Neville!"  Ron's mouth hung open as he took in the sight of the Boys' Dormitory. 

Trucks were tipped over (their contents spilling out onto the floor), heavy black smoke was coming off of the bed sheets, feathers from exploded pillows still falling to the ground, glass from shattered windows was everywhere, and the smell of burning wood still lingered in the air.  Neville stood in the middle of the mess holding onto his wand for dear life.

"What did you do?!"  Ron yelled.

"I was trying to turn fire into ice.  Didn't work to well, however."  Neville said.

Ron looked around at the site of his burnt possessions and scowled.  Harry was laughing.

"You think this is funny?"  Ron asked, turning to him.

"Come on Ron, we can use magic to clean it up."  Harry said.

"I suppose."  Ron agreed, and lifted up his wand.  Harry immediately stopped him.

"Might want to get Hermione to do it, she's better at these things."

Ron nodded and put his wand back into his robes.  "I'll get her."

Ron left the boys' dormitory and went down to the common room.  Hermione was sitting on the large sofa in front of the fireplace writing on a bit of parchment.

"Hermione..."  Ron said, starting down the stairs.

Hermione jumped at the sound of his voice and immediately hid the parchment behind her back.

"We need you're help. Neville--"  He descended the last step just in time to see her hide the parchment behind her.  "What's that?"

"Nothing."  Hermione blushed slightly.

Ron was going to question her further, but shook his head and decided Neville's problem was more important.  "Neville's wrecked the Boys' dormitory and we were wondering if you could do a spell."

Hermione nodded and followed Ron up the stairs back to his dormitory.  She stuffed the parchment in her robes on the way.  Upon entering the dormitory Hermione gasped.

"Neville, what kind of spell were you trying to do!?"

"Fire into ice."  Harry answered for him.

Hermione sighed and pulled out her wand, "Prioret reversiari."

An electric blue flash lit up the room, bouncing off of the already charred walls, and finally entering back into Hermione's wand, causing her to fly backwards across the room and hit a wall.  She fell to the floor in a heap.  Ron, Harry and Neville rushed over to help her up.

"Neville, you cast a binding charm with your fire into ice!  How could you be so stupid?"  Hermione said, brushing off her skirt.  Ron smirked.

"Sorry,"  Hermione said as she saw the hurt look on Neville's face, "It's just, binding charms take days to lift, and they have to be done by experienced witches or wizards.  We'll have to get Professor McGonnagal."

Two hours later all of the males of the Gryffindor house were down in the common room, waiting for Professor McGonnagal to return from their dormitory.  There was movement on the staircase, and all of the boys looked up to see her coming down.  She did not look pleased.

"I have surveyed the damages of Mr. Longbottom's binding charm, and the news is not good.  I'm afraid you will not be permitted to return to your dormitory for a few days at least."  She said.

"Days?!  Where are we supposed to sleep?"  Seamus shouted.

Professor McGonnagal held up her hand, "I have spoken to Professor Dumbledore, and he finds you all trustworthy enough to spend the few nights in the girls' dormitories."

There was an uproar of cheering from the boys.  McGonnagal had a look of distaste on her face.  "I however, disagreed with Professor Dumbledore on this matter,"  the cheering silenced, and she continued, "I offered the suggestion of you sleeping in the common room, but he has informed me that it is a fire hazard." She sighed,  "Therefor, you will be spending the next few nights with the girls.  But be forewarned, if I hear ANYTHING, any matters of disrespectful behavior towards them, I assure you, you will be suspended from Hogwarts for the rest of the year."

"But there's a spell on the stairs, Professor.  How are we supposed to get up there?"  Ron asked timidly, the other boys looked at him.

Professor McGonnagal took a moment to answer and then said, "I don't know how you know about the charm on the girls' staircase, Mr. Weasley, but it has been removed until your dormitories are back in order."

The boys began to cheer again as McGonnagal left the tower.  Immediately after the portrait clicked shut the entire group of male gryffindors sped hastily up the stairs to the Girls' dormitories.  They came to a halt at the door as Fred and George knocked eagerly.

Angelina opened the door, "Fred!  George!"  She then caught sight of the rest of the boys, "What's going on?  How'd you all get up here?"

"The boys' dorms need de-binding.  McGonnagal's allowing us to stay with the Girls until further notice."  Said George, pushing past Angelina.

Angelina simply stood next to the door in shock as the rest of the boys made their way through the doorway.  She closed the door when they were all inside and looked expectantly at them.

"It's bigger!"  Said Dean, gaping with the rest of the males at a large, antique, rose colored hallway with several doors.

"Well, there are more girls then, aren't there?"  Said Angelina,  "Where are you all sleeping?"

The boys shrugged and Angelina sighed, "Alright then,"  She began, "The doors are all marked clearly with years, choose yours and go to sleep."  She said snappishly before walking down the hallway and entering a door marked '7th year'.

The boys all followed her instructions and separated, entering different rooms of the dormitory.  Ron and Harry walked down the hall looking at the signs on the doors, then entered the one marked '6th year'. 

Upon entering they were greeted by a circular dormitory much like their own, the most noticeable difference was the smell.  The scent of vanilla and roses swept across them.

"Ron!  Harry!"  Hermione smiled, running up to them, "Professor told me you'd be staying for a day or so.  I took the liberty of conjuring the both of you some sleeping bags--"

"I can't sleep in a sleeping bag, Hermione!"  Ron moaned.

Hermione looked questionally at him.

"Um, er...I pulled my back.  I caught a blast of Neville's spell this afternoon and it threw me across the room."  Ron said, lieing through his teeth.  But Hermione seemed to buy it.

"Oh, you poor thing.  Well, I suppose you could sleep in my bed and I could take the floor..."

This is not what Ron had ment.  He searched his mind for an excuse.  He had nothing.

"Hermione, you can't sleep on the floor.  You won't get an ounce of sleep, and how'll you be able to stay awake in your classes tomorrow?"  Harry said.  Ron silently thanked him.

"Well, I suppose, I mean...I don't mind if you don't mind."  Hermione said, looking at Ron.

"I don't mind."  Smiled Ron.

At this point Harry rolled his eyes and headed for his sleeping bag.  He was tired of them being oblivious to the feelings they had for eachother.  The past weeks had been ridiculous.  When they weren't in pointless rows with eachother, they were bluntly flirting, but they didn't seem to realize it.

"This one's mine."  Said Hermione, gesturing to a bed near the window.

"Right then.  So, er, do you want the left or right side?"

"Right side's fine."

"Right, er.."  Ron said nervously.

Hermione started pulling the bedspread down.  Ron mimicked her on the opposite side.

"Here."  She said, handing him a pillow.

"Thanks."  He took the pillow, and they both climbed into the bed.

Ron lay in the bed, looking up at the ceiling.  After a few minutes he dared to look over at Hermione.  He furrowed his brow when he saw that she was so far over on the side of the bed that if she moved an inch more to her right, she would fall right onto the floor.

"Hermione, care to move a bit closer?  You're going to fall off."

"No, I'm fine."

Ron didn't know what had made him do it, but he suddenly grabbed her around her waist and pulled her towards him.  She let out a small noise of protest, but he ignored it.  He let go of her once she was about 6 inches from him.

"That's better." He said.

Hermione scowled and turned so her back was facing him. Once she was sure that he couldn't see her face, her scowl turned into a small smile.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Ron."