Disclaimer: All characters mentioned belong to JK Rowling, Warner Brothers,
Scholastic Inc, Bloomsbury, and all other such companies. No money is being
made off of this.
Heroes and Sidekicks
Part 1: Sidekicks
Hermione stepped through the portal of the Gryffindor Common Room, clutching her books to her chest. Her eyes went straight to her two best friends who were playing chess by the fireplace.
"Harry," she said, causing the two to jump out their trances, "Professor Dumbledore wants to speak with you."
Harry turned to Ron, eyebrows raised, as if to ask for permission. Ron smiled and stretched himself out on his couch. "Don't worry about it. We'll finish the game later."
Harry left, and Hermione sat down at a table across from Ron. His tall and lanky body, which, it seemed, couldn't stop growing, was half-hanging off the couch, but he looked comfortable enough. His arms propped up his head, and his eyes were closed, just letting the fire's warmth spread over him like a blanket.
Hermione sighed. She didn't understand how he could be so calm about everything. All the students were on the their last nerves, and the littlest explosion from the Potions classroom even brought out tears and screams from some. Ginny looked like she would faint at the drop of a hat. Hermione couldn't tell if it was because Voldemort's impending arrival was a flashback of her time with Tom Riddle or because she was worried about Harry; it was most likely both. Of course, they were all worried about Harry. He had always been thinner and shorter than most people his age but the past few weeks had made those features stand out even more. He wouldn't talk about Voldemort either. When asked, he always said he was "fine."
And Ron. Ron had lately taken to imitating the twins with his joking and laughing at everything. Hermione didn't know how to respond to that. She just felt so exhausted lately. The library, which usually provided her with the answers to everything, wasn't helping her at all with this. How was one supposed to deal with something like this? With a Big Bad Guy coming to destroy your best friend and all the non-purebloods in the Wizarding World? There wasn't a book in existence that could answer that, and for that, Hermione felt lost.
"Hermione? Are you all right?"
"What?" She jumped in her seat. Ron, still in the same position as before, was looking at her curiously. She had been staring at the ground, lost in her thoughts, and was still holding her books ever so possessively in her arms.
"Well, I know you like books but I don't think anyone's going to try and take," he leaned over to peer at the titles, "An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms and Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration." He rolled his eyes. "Our Transfiguration essay was due yesterday. Don't tell me you're doing an extra assignment. We've still got Lupin's project to take care of."
"After I finished, I remembered there was some extra information I wanted to include, but that doesn't matter," she said quickly, putting the heavy books aside on the table. Ron had reminded her of something. "Speaking of Lupin, I heard Professor Dumbledore say that--that you were going to help him."
"Yeah. Harry's got so much stuff to worry about, and you're helping McGonagall, aren't you? I figured I needed to do my part too." He sat up on the couch and stretched his arms above his head and yawned. "Can't just sit around here and do nothing, right?" He smiled.
"...Right. Listen, Ron," Hermione leaned forward in her chair as if no one else could hear what she was about to say even though the Common Room was empty. "What do you think about all of this? I mean, really think about it." She bit her lip as she waited for his answer, and was glad that Ron was actually considering her question instead of coming back with a joke.
After a few moments, he replied, "I think....I think it's going to be hard on everyone, including Harry. Well, obviously Harry. And I know we'll all try to help him if and when we're attacked, but...." He trailed off.
"But what?" Hermione asked anxiously.
Ron shook his head, and then brushed away the few strands of hair that fell in his eyes. "But I don't envy Harry going at it by himself."
"By himself? But we're all here for him!" She exclaimed. "Professor Dumbledore--," she lowered her voice, "Professor Dumbledore has been looking even older and more tired these days. Professor Snape...well, no one's heard from him in days, you and I are doing our part by helping Professors Lupin and McGonagall. Harry's not alone, Ron. He's got everyone on his side here."
Ron took a deep breath. "Look, Hermione, I know. Harry's the Hero, right? We all agree on that. You-Know-Who is after him which means at one point or another, Harry will have to fight him. But me? Yes, I'm his best friend, but I'm also the Sidekick. Sidekicks stick by the Hero through everything, and I plan on doing that, but what happens when the Bad Guy shows up? The Hero goes in alone. It's not the Sidekick's fight; it's the Hero's. That's just the way it is."
"No," said Hermione, "you've been reading too many of those comic books of yours."
"Hermione, just relax. It's not happening today or tomorrow so don't get your knickers in a twist." And as if to demonstrate his point, Ron stretched himself out over the couch once again. Checking his watch, he said, "Well, Harry probably won't be back for awhile. Guess I'll just kip here in the meantime."
Hermione sighed and watched Ron for a moment as he lay there with his eyes closed. The window next to the fireplace was open and the sun's rays shone in across the room, highlighting Ron and his couch. His face looked pale in the light and his freckles stood out even more, little brown flecks scattered across his peaceful face. With his eyes shut and his face coloured nearly white, he looked almost....
"Ron," she said suddenly, "in--in your comic books, does the Hero live?"
Ron opened his eyes slowly, already half asleep. "Always. S'why I'm not worried." He rolled over on the couch and resumed his nap.
Hermione nodded. That's what she thought. The Hero always lived. But...what about the Sidekick?
With one last look at Ron, Hermione ran out of the Common Room and ran back toward the library even though she knew that no answer would await her there.
****
Heroes and Sidekicks
Part 1: Sidekicks
Hermione stepped through the portal of the Gryffindor Common Room, clutching her books to her chest. Her eyes went straight to her two best friends who were playing chess by the fireplace.
"Harry," she said, causing the two to jump out their trances, "Professor Dumbledore wants to speak with you."
Harry turned to Ron, eyebrows raised, as if to ask for permission. Ron smiled and stretched himself out on his couch. "Don't worry about it. We'll finish the game later."
Harry left, and Hermione sat down at a table across from Ron. His tall and lanky body, which, it seemed, couldn't stop growing, was half-hanging off the couch, but he looked comfortable enough. His arms propped up his head, and his eyes were closed, just letting the fire's warmth spread over him like a blanket.
Hermione sighed. She didn't understand how he could be so calm about everything. All the students were on the their last nerves, and the littlest explosion from the Potions classroom even brought out tears and screams from some. Ginny looked like she would faint at the drop of a hat. Hermione couldn't tell if it was because Voldemort's impending arrival was a flashback of her time with Tom Riddle or because she was worried about Harry; it was most likely both. Of course, they were all worried about Harry. He had always been thinner and shorter than most people his age but the past few weeks had made those features stand out even more. He wouldn't talk about Voldemort either. When asked, he always said he was "fine."
And Ron. Ron had lately taken to imitating the twins with his joking and laughing at everything. Hermione didn't know how to respond to that. She just felt so exhausted lately. The library, which usually provided her with the answers to everything, wasn't helping her at all with this. How was one supposed to deal with something like this? With a Big Bad Guy coming to destroy your best friend and all the non-purebloods in the Wizarding World? There wasn't a book in existence that could answer that, and for that, Hermione felt lost.
"Hermione? Are you all right?"
"What?" She jumped in her seat. Ron, still in the same position as before, was looking at her curiously. She had been staring at the ground, lost in her thoughts, and was still holding her books ever so possessively in her arms.
"Well, I know you like books but I don't think anyone's going to try and take," he leaned over to peer at the titles, "An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms and Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration." He rolled his eyes. "Our Transfiguration essay was due yesterday. Don't tell me you're doing an extra assignment. We've still got Lupin's project to take care of."
"After I finished, I remembered there was some extra information I wanted to include, but that doesn't matter," she said quickly, putting the heavy books aside on the table. Ron had reminded her of something. "Speaking of Lupin, I heard Professor Dumbledore say that--that you were going to help him."
"Yeah. Harry's got so much stuff to worry about, and you're helping McGonagall, aren't you? I figured I needed to do my part too." He sat up on the couch and stretched his arms above his head and yawned. "Can't just sit around here and do nothing, right?" He smiled.
"...Right. Listen, Ron," Hermione leaned forward in her chair as if no one else could hear what she was about to say even though the Common Room was empty. "What do you think about all of this? I mean, really think about it." She bit her lip as she waited for his answer, and was glad that Ron was actually considering her question instead of coming back with a joke.
After a few moments, he replied, "I think....I think it's going to be hard on everyone, including Harry. Well, obviously Harry. And I know we'll all try to help him if and when we're attacked, but...." He trailed off.
"But what?" Hermione asked anxiously.
Ron shook his head, and then brushed away the few strands of hair that fell in his eyes. "But I don't envy Harry going at it by himself."
"By himself? But we're all here for him!" She exclaimed. "Professor Dumbledore--," she lowered her voice, "Professor Dumbledore has been looking even older and more tired these days. Professor Snape...well, no one's heard from him in days, you and I are doing our part by helping Professors Lupin and McGonagall. Harry's not alone, Ron. He's got everyone on his side here."
Ron took a deep breath. "Look, Hermione, I know. Harry's the Hero, right? We all agree on that. You-Know-Who is after him which means at one point or another, Harry will have to fight him. But me? Yes, I'm his best friend, but I'm also the Sidekick. Sidekicks stick by the Hero through everything, and I plan on doing that, but what happens when the Bad Guy shows up? The Hero goes in alone. It's not the Sidekick's fight; it's the Hero's. That's just the way it is."
"No," said Hermione, "you've been reading too many of those comic books of yours."
"Hermione, just relax. It's not happening today or tomorrow so don't get your knickers in a twist." And as if to demonstrate his point, Ron stretched himself out over the couch once again. Checking his watch, he said, "Well, Harry probably won't be back for awhile. Guess I'll just kip here in the meantime."
Hermione sighed and watched Ron for a moment as he lay there with his eyes closed. The window next to the fireplace was open and the sun's rays shone in across the room, highlighting Ron and his couch. His face looked pale in the light and his freckles stood out even more, little brown flecks scattered across his peaceful face. With his eyes shut and his face coloured nearly white, he looked almost....
"Ron," she said suddenly, "in--in your comic books, does the Hero live?"
Ron opened his eyes slowly, already half asleep. "Always. S'why I'm not worried." He rolled over on the couch and resumed his nap.
Hermione nodded. That's what she thought. The Hero always lived. But...what about the Sidekick?
With one last look at Ron, Hermione ran out of the Common Room and ran back toward the library even though she knew that no answer would await her there.
****