Chapter eight

Fire and Blood

As the night progressed, more news leaked into Hogwarts. A large part of the Ministry had been sacked by the Death Eaters. A lot of people were killed, but it was still unclear how many. The central archives of the Ministry had been devoured by flames. Death Eaters had taken at least thirty people hostage, mostly close family members of important figures. It seemed like the entire Ministry was going down in chaos and flames.

'Come on Ron, you have to eat something,' Hermione said. Ron nodded, but he didn't move to eat. He could hear how worried Hermione was about him, but somehow he couldn't push himself to care. It seemed his entire world had died. The feeling left him reeling and insecure.

Harry hadn't shown himself for two days. He stayed locked away in the dorm, were Ron no longer slept. He hadn't slept that much overall anyway. He stayed awake most of the night, hoping to get some news from his little sister. He hadn't read anything in the papers. The Daily Prophet tried to keep quiet about the raid on the Ministry, but they were doing a very bad job. It seemed the entire wizarding world knew what had happened. Ron figured it was a miracle after all that the entire Ministry hadn't come down in the chaos.

'Ron!' Hermione slapped his arm. He grunted and pushed some food into his mouth. He didn't even taste what he ate, but if it made Hermione happy, he would eat it all down. She was the one and only thing that kept him going. The realization hit him. He looked at Hermione. Their eyes connected with one another, and Ron could almost see the emotions swirl in her eyes. He gulped. He looked away, not wanting her to see his pain and insecurity.

'I think I'll go look for Harry,' she said in a low voice. 'I'm worried. He hasn't shown himself in the past two days.' She shivered and looked down at her empty plate. Ron said nothing. He didn't feel the urge to go and see Harry. Harry was the one who had been with Ginny. He had let his little sister down, his feeling was telling him. He knew that was not the entire truth, but he still felt the way he felt. He couldn't help it.

'Come,' Hermione said in his ear. He followed her towards the Gryffindor common room, not looking at the people passing around him. He couldn't understand why those people were laughing. They all seemed happy, while he felt dead and saddened. To quickly the two of them seemed to enter the almost completely deserted common room.

Ron stopped and looked towards the stairs that led to the boy's dormitory. He gulped and froze as he looked to the stairs. His best mate was up there. His best mate, who had not brought his little sister back safely. He shook his head. 'I can't do this,' he whispered. 'I can't meet him eye to eye.'

'You can,' Hermione said. She touched his shoulder. The touch sent electric waves through his entire body. It made him look up. Their eyes locked, and he could see the determination and worry in Hermione's eyes. He simply couldn't let her down. He couldn't let Harry down. 'Alright,' he said in a low voice. 'Thank you, Hermione. I don't know how you do this, but you seem to be able to lift my spirit every time we talk.' He grinned as he saw her blush.

Hand in hand, they moved up the stept until they reached the door of Harry's dormitory. Ron let his breath hiss between his teeth as he reached for the door. Hermione smiled at him. Ron opened the door and walked inside. It was dark, as all curtains were closed. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and he immediately looked onto Harry's bed. He cursed under his breath. Harry was lying on his bed. He looked to be in terrible shape. He didn't even look up as Ron and Hermione stepped deeper into the dark room. They moved to the sides of his bed in total silence.

'Harry?' Hermione asked in a small voice. 'Please, talk to us. We haven't seen you in two days. You must be starving.' She had tears in her eyes. Ron felt a spike of anger towards his best mate. He made Hermione cry. That was something Ron couldn't let happen, he decided. He drew his wand and pointed it towards Harry. 'Get up,' he growled. 'You're not miserable Harry. Listen to me, and get up, before I hex you into oblivion. Get a hold on yourself.' Hermione gasped as she saw the wand in Ron's hand, but Ron moved so she couldn't touch him. 'Get up Harry!'

Harry got up. Slowly, he sat straight and looked at the two of them. 'Get out of this room,' he said in a deadly cold voice. 'Before something bad happens. I'm always the one to let bad things happen. It's … it's not safe around me. You know this.' He shivered and closed his eyes.

'No, were not going,' Ron said. 'Get up. Get dressed. Now.' He couldn't believe the hardness of his voice, nor the wand that was still pointing at Harry. Somehow, he just knew this was the only way Harry would come to his senses. Harry growled at him and stood on his legs. He went to the bathroom and locked the door. Without saying a word Ron opened the curtains with his wand, letting sunlight stream into the dormitory. He then proceeded to clean Harry's bed.

'How did you do that?' Hermione asked.

Ron blinked and turned round. He had almost forgotten Hermione was there with him. She had stayed quit during the whole confrontation. 'What?' he asked. Hermione looked at him as if she saw him for the first time in her life. 'You got Harry out,' she said. 'When I came in here, I saw him. I froze on the spot. He … he looked to terrible. I didn't know what to do.'

'I don't know,' Ron said. 'I've known Harry for years. He can be really hard on himself, you know that as well as I do. He had reason to. But he needs a firm hand to snap out of it. It seemed today I was the firm hand.' He shrugged. It took Harry some minutes to get back to them. He still looked tired and trembled, but he no longer seemed dead. His eyes were downcast as he stopped in the centre of the dormitory. 'Guys,' he said in a broken voice. 'Thank you. Thank you for getting up here and giving me a kick in the bollocks.'

Hermione laughed. 'You know us,' she beamed. 'We wouldn't let you stay up here. Come down with us, please. You have to eat something.' She looked at Ron. He nodded at her. She was doing fine with Harry, he knew. It was a strange sensation to see Hermione ask him for advice and permission.

They descended towards the kitchens to get some food. Harry ate two full plates of sandwiches. Ron looked on as some color returned to his face. He smiled. He was no longer angry at Harry for not being able to bring Ginny back with him. He saw the deep mental cuts that the kidnapping of Ginny had caused him. You gitt, he mentally slapped himself, she might be your little sister, but Harry is the one in love. It must feel like his parents are taken away from him again. I should have been there for him the moment he returned.

'Harry?' he said out loud. Harry stopped eating and looked up to him, a new nervousness coming to his eyes. 'I want to say several things to you. First of all, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for behaving like a complete idiot for the past two days. It isn't your fault that Ginny has been taken. It could have been anybody, really.' He shrugged. 'Also, I want to say to you that you need to snap out of this. We need you. We need you to retrieve Ginny.'

A new fire burned in Harry's green eyes. He stood up and nodded. Ron thought he suddenly looked a lot more dangerous. 'We will,' he growled. 'I will personally kill every Death Eater that did her any harm Ron, I swear it. We have to get your little sister back.'

'No,' Ron said smiling. 'We have to get your girlfriend back, Harry.'

Harry nodded and walked away. He was going to clear up the rest of his dormitory and promised to join them again for the next class. Ron stayed behind in the corridor leading towards the kitchens entrance. He realized that he was alone with Hermione again, and a nervous ball of feelings dropped into his stomach.

'You were great,' Hermione said to him. She seemed unsure about something, but Ron had no idea what that was about. All he could do was nod. The strange feelings in his stomach wouldn't leave him alone. He gulped in surprise as Hermione suddenly swung herself on him, hugging him for dear life. 'I don't know what I should do without you Ron,' she whispered. 'I'm sorry. I haven't been of real use today, have I?'

'Are you mental?' Ron said and looked in her eyes. 'Do you really think I could have done all this without you, Hermione? I need you. I need you and Harry both. Don't ever say your not worth it into my face again.' He kept looking at her face, drilling his words in.

'Okay,' she whispered. Ron kept holding her. For some strange reason he couldn't let go, and he didn't want to. Something told him this was as it should have been a long time ago. 'I'm sorry too,' he blurted out, not knowing what he was getting himself into. 'I should have been a better friend for the past several years. We've been arguing so often about nothing. I should have been there for you when you needed me.' He looked down.

'You did,' Hermione said, stroking his chin. 'You were, and are, always there when I truly need you Ron Weasley. I … I've learned that you are a person I can build upon. And I will do everything I can to help you get Ginny back safely.'

'Thank you,' Ron said as he hugged her even closer. 'Thank you so much, Hermione. Your everything to me, you know that?' Hermione slowly nodded, as if she didn't believe him. Suddenly, the both of them seemed to realize the position they were in. They quickly let go of each other, not looking the other in the eyes.

'Let's go back,' Ron said uneasy. 'Harry might start to worry. We've got planning to do.' Hermione nodded, a blush on her face.