A/N: It was on the spur of the moment I decided to write this, but Hermione's & Ron's reaction to what they think of as Harry's death always got me really contemplating and imagining. I think I may leave it reasonably short as I think it justifies the sheer, sudden panic here (which one of the lovely reviewers suggested, thank you! ^^)
Icy cold hands were strangling her throat, her chest. No tears came yet – she was beyond that - but falling to the floor and shaking violently, Hermione's head and heart were blinded with unadulterated disbelief and horror. Thrusting her head up, she gazed at Ron through burning eyes. He, too, was shuddering and seemed to be gasping for air, searching for some form of release from this torturous panic. As Ron's eyes met Hermione's brown pools, both faces showed shrewd recognition of a sobbing, trudging Hagrid that waded his way through the sea of terror and incredulity that radiated from the people. It could not have happened, would not have happened. Harry Potter was absolutely not dead.
A choking gasp emitted from Ron like he'd be shot. Hermione jerked her head up painfully, then involuntarily clapped her palm to her mouth: she could see Harry's unmistakable jet black hair, she could see blood welling around a glistening cut in his chin, and she could hear the screams and mortified exclamations echoing around her as they watched the unfathomable.
Despite this, Hermione noticed something. If it wasn't about Harry's life or death, Hermione would have, of course, disregarded it - but she felt her heart unexpectedly noticing and clutching at this inkling of hope. Certainly, Hermione's astute observation and reasoning were not known for letting her down.
If Harry was really… (it was not an easy notion to think) dead, how could fresh blood well around his lip? She needed to tell Ron, let him know: she understood the direct pain he was suffering now, albeit their different relationships to Harry, she directly felt it. They were more than brothers to Hermione right now – Harry was her best friend, her unconditional companion, and a world without him was utterly unthinkable. And Ron… Hermione knew a chaste tenderness and compassion for Ron, and it had always been there. Hermione knew this much, ever since the beginning, this much – and never would she forget.