DISCLAIMER: No matter how many times I wish, I don't own Harry Potter.

In the middle of the night, Ron woke up from an interrupted sleep. He checked his clock. 2:30 am. He rubbed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. 2:39 am. He gave up and went down to the common room. He sat down on the sofa in front of the fire. He was alone, as he expected, and began to write a letter to his mother, to tell her about the Sorting Ceremony. Scratch, scratch, scratch, went the quill against the smooth parchment, as Ron wrote on and on and on. It sounded so loud in what seemed like a never-ending silence. Suddenly, he heard a creak. He put the quill down and listened closer. Footsteps scuffed the floor, and Ron panicked. The prefects surely couldn't be up now? Then, he realised that the footsteps weren't coming down the stairs, but rather from the door. He turned round, expecting to see his twin brothers, but instead he saw Nessie, her hair in two dishevelled plaits, and a her wand in her hand, lit up like a torch. "Oh, hi," she said, embarrassed. "What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep," said Ron exhausted. "More to the point, what were you doing wandering round the castle at this time in the morning?"
"Erm.. well... I was challenged to a duel by Malfoy."
"What?" cried Ron, raising his voice a little."On your OWN?!"
Nessie nodded feebly. "I-I didn't know you had to have another person incase you... incase you died or anything. But-" she said, smiling slightly, "I didn't need a second."
Ron was confused. "What d'you mean? You mean you-"
"Beat them?" Nessie interrupted. "Yeah. He's quite a hypocrite for someone who grew up in a magical family and supposedly knows more than me." She laughed. "Why, he thought 'Lumos' was a hex. Boy, he was wrong." She chuckled again. "Sometimes it pays to read ahead."
She sat down next to Ron and said, awkwardly, "Do you- do you mind if I lean on your shoulder? Lavender's a really loud snorer..."
Ron blushed with pride. "Yeah, go ahead," he said, happily. "I know what you mean. Harry's a snorer."
Nessie smiled. "Tell me about it. Sleeping in the same cupboard as him for 12 years is not easy."
And with those words, she fell asleep on Ron's shoulder. Ron sighed with content. Well, he thought, at least she doesn't hate me. As time ticked on, he began to feel sleepy again and looked at the clock. 5:22 am. He decided he should go to bed and got up. He heard a soft PLONK noise. Uh oh, he thought. He spun round and Nessie was lying there still asleep. He couldn't leave her there. Fred and George would probably drop a stink bomb on her face. Ron hauled Nessie on his shoulders and trudged up the stairs. She was surprisingly light for a 12 year old. He walked up past the boys' dormitory and up to the girls'. The brass owl knocker looked at his and screeched quietly. "Please just let me in, just this once," pleaded Ron, "just to bring Nessie inside."
The metal owl showed sympathy in its black beady eyes. The door creaked open and Ron tiptoed inside. He looked for the empty bed, and saw Nessie's trunk underneath. He bent down and lay Nessie down on her bed. He looked at her silent, sleeping face. He realized how unbelievably perfect she looked. Her skin was pale, unblemished and pure, her lips were a deep crimson, and Ron loved it. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "Goodnight Nessie." He tiptoed out and then paused for a second. "Blimey, Lavender IS a really loud snorer."
He went to bed, falling asleep whilst still debating if Lavender snored louder than Harry.