Chapter 9
Ron could feel warmth upon his face. He opened his eyes and sunlight beat down on his cheeks. He closed his eyes again and lay there for a minute letting the sun warm his face. Then suddenly he realized something. The sunlight was coming at him from a different direction then it usually did. His eyes sprang open and he looked around. As he realized that it was not his dorm, he remembered what had transpired the night before.
He quickly looked to his right and found a peacefully sleeping rumpled brunette.
"She's even more beautiful when she sleeps." Ron thought to himself. He gave a contented sigh. He could feel her warmth on his right side. His left side felt cold in comparison, even though it was covered by a blanket. It felt right to have her there in his arm, resting her head gently on his shoulder. He couldn't help but stare at her. He loved her so much.
He looked away finally, afraid his gaze might wake her from her peaceful sleep, and glanced up at the canopy of her bed. As he lay there, just looking up, he relived how he had come to be here. He remembered hearing her scream and rushing up to save her. That was most peculiar because boys could not climb the girls' staircase. If they tried, the stairs would become a slide. It was ancient magic. Hermione had told him in their fifth year that the founders had believed that girls were more trustworthy then boys. So it had said in Hogwarts, A History, Hermione's favorite book. So it was very curious that he was able to climb up the stairs last night. If they had enchanted the stairs to transfigure when ever a boy stepped foot on them, then how come they hadn't changed last night?
Suddenly Hermione stirred a little next to him. Ron looked over, trying not to move. He watched her for a moment as he lay still and she fell back into a deeper sleep. He didn't want to wake her just yet. The more peaceful sleep she got the better. It seemed that she too was having issues sleeping.
"I guess I'm not the only one." Ron thought, remembering the conversation he had had with Harry about his dreams. Ron had noticed over the past couple of days, before Ginny had mentioned it, that Hermione too seemed to be having terrible dreams that kept her from restful sleep. He remembered her scream from last night and began to wonder what her dream could have been about to have distressed her so.
He couldn't completely imagine what her dream could have been about but he had some feeling he knew a little. "They must be like mine," he thought. A wave of scenes from his past nightmares instantly came over him; Hermione fighting with Bellatrix, Voldemort's cry of the Killing curse, Hermione fighting with Draco... there were so many scenes. So many horrible memories that were actually true that he was forced to relieve. Now that his mind had settled on them, he had no choice in stopping them.
Hermione woke peacefully from her sleep. She kept her eyes closed, hoping she would fall back into the comfortable darkness. She pulled the blankets up slightly and snuggled closer to the warm body she was using as a pillow. She took a deep breath before she settled back to sleep and was hit with the scent of sweat, vanilla, and cologne. It was Ron's scent. She smiled to herself and prepared to fall back asleep.
Suddenly her eyes flew open as she realized she wasn't just imagining the scent. What was Ron doing in her dorm room, in her bed? She asked herself. Then memories of her horrible nightmare and how Ron had rush to her aid came rushing back. A scene from the dream with Voldemort towering over her maliciously, flashed in front of her eyes and she gave a shiver, grasping tighter to Ron's arm and buried her face against the sleeve of his short-sleeved shirt.
Ron felt Hermione move and he looked over at her. He noticed her tighten grasp and reached over to lightly touch her shoulder with his free hand.
"It's alright, Hermione. I'm here," he said, reassuring her that she was safe. Hermione loosened her grip and looked up at the redhead. Ron smiled at her and Hermione felt a little better. "Did you have another nightmare?"
Hermione looked into his caring green eyes as she thought back. She remembered him bursting into the room and her asking him to stay, them lying down and then her waking up just a few moments ago. "No." She replied. "I didn't have any last night after the one." With a seconds pause to think, she realized that she had slept the best she had since the war. She felt rested.
Ron smiled at the puzzled look on her face. "Well that's good. I'm glad." He said his voice full of sincerity and a smile. Hermione smiled back up at him.
After a moment of staring into each other's eyes, Hermione jumped up. "You shouldn't be here," she said, remembering the trick steps. "How you got up here, I have no idea but if someone catches you here, we could both be in trouble."
Ron sat up too and looked into her anxious face. "Calm Hermione. Ginny sleeps with Harry every night. McGonagall's got to know by now. I think we'll be okay." He said, touching her cheek lightly. "Beside's I had only good intentions. I thought you were in trouble."
Hermione looked up at Ron. "And I thank you Ron. But you still should go." She said, moving away from him. Ron's hand dropped to the bed as he watched her climb off the other side of the bed and stand up.
Ron nodded, soberly. "You're right. I'll go," he said standing up and grabbing his shoes. He headed for the door as she came around to his side of the bed.
Hermione watched him walk to the door. Just before he disappeared into the stairwell, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. Ron turned around and looked down at her, not sure what to expect.
"Thank you Ron, for staying with me. I really appreciate it." She said, throwing her arms around him in a hug.
Ron smiled. "Anytime Hermione. I'm always here for you if you need me," he replied as he hugged her back.
"I know," she said as she slowly, almost reluctantly, pulled away. They stood there for a silent moment, Ron still holding her with his free hand, Hermione, her hands still resting on his shoulders. A sound from the common room pushed Hermione to jump up, kiss him quickly on the cheek then push him on his way, closing the dorm door behind him.
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Ron smiled as he hurried down the stairs. When he was only a few steps away from the common room, Ginny stepped on to the stairwell.
"I'll be right back as soon as I change and see if Hermione is up, Harry," Ginny said still looking into the common room, where Ron could only assume Harry stood. Ron looked around anxiously. He knew that him standing there, holding his shoes, would not look good. He wasn't supposed to be on these stairs. The enchantment was supposed to have prevented him from going up.
But before Ron could move, Ginny turned to climb the stairs and found her brother standing there.
"Ron?" she asked a look of shock on her face. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?" She knew about the trick steps too. All the girls did. But why hadn't they turned into a slide now? He was standing on them and quite a ways up.
"Umm..." Ron began. He didn't really know what to say. By all accounts he shouldn't be standing where he was. Finally he came up with the best explanation he had, the truth. Whether she would believe him or not, was another question. "Hermione had a nightmare and I was in the common room when she screamed. I heard her and rushed to her aid. I thought she was in trouble."
"But how did you get up the stairs?" Ginny asked puzzled.
He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess maybe the stairs realized that I had only good intentions." He suggested, feeling extremely awkward at having to defend himself. He had done nothing wrong, and yet he felt wrong about standing where he was.
Ginny looked directly into his face, trying to discern if he was telling the truth. Ron turned a little pink under her gaze.
"If you don't believe me, your own brother, then ask Hermione. She will tell you the same thing." He said strongly, almost angry, and rushed down the stairs past her into the common room.
Ginny looked after him, and then rushed up the stairs to ask Hermione what had occurred between her and her brother.
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Ron rushed into the common room and looked around. Harry was nowhere in sight. Ron sighed. He must have already gone to breakfast. "At least I won't have to explain to him." Ron thought as he headed for the boy's stairs so he could change clothes.
As he pushed open the door to his dorm, Harry's voice came.
"I said I'd meet you in the common room Ginny. I'm still changing."
Ron sighed. Damn! "It's not Ginny mate. It's me." He replied, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.
"Ron? I thought you had gone downstairs to breakfast. You weren't in the common room." Harry said continuing to do up his jeans. He stood by the foot of his bed, barefoot and bare-chested.
"Nope. Just woke up in fact." Ron said walking over to his bed and throwing his shoes down in front of his trunk.
Harry looked at him with confusion. "Where did you sleep? I was just down in the common room and you weren't there."
Ron, distractively, opened his trunk and rummaged around for a clean pair of pants and a shirt. Harry stood waiting for an answer.
Finally Ron looked up. "I slept with Hermione in her bed."
Harry's jaw dropped, much as his sister's had. "What?"
Ron sighed as he sat down on his bed. Harry walked over, continuing to glare at his friend for a more elaborate answer. Ron looked away from Harry at the door to the bathroom. "I was in the common room last night and I heard her scream. I thought she was in trouble and rushed to help her. She had had another nightmare and asked me to stay with her because she didn't want to be alone." He said, looking up at Harry. To debauch the doubtful look on Harry's face, Ron added, "Nothing happened between us but sleep. I still haven't told her." And with that he hung his head.
Harry could tell by the way Ron looked, that he was telling the truth. His best friend would have told him if he had finally told Hermione how much he loved her. He would also look much happier too, for he knew Hermione would return his sentiments.
"Well it sounds like she was grateful that you did come to her aid. Did she have anymore nightmares last night?" Harry asked, walking back over to his trunk and pulling out an old gray t-shirt and one of his old Weasley sweaters. He pulled the t-shirt over his head as he waited for Ron's reply.
"No she didn't have anymore," came Ron's muffled voice as he pulled off his t-shirt. Then suddenly remembering, he added, "Neither did I. I didn't have a single nightmare last night."
Harry looked over at his friend. "Seriously?"
Ron nodded. "Not one."
"That's kinda weird. Wonder if it was because you knew she was safe." Harry suggested, bringing up his theory again. Ron glared over at him but Harry had chosen that moment to pull on his sweater.
Ron chose not to reply and continued in silence to change into his clean clothes. Harry, on the other hand, had more to say. "Think about it Ron. It might be true."
Ron looked over at his friend. "So what if it is? I can't just sneak up to her dorm every night and crawl into bed with her. Slightly suspicious and obvious." Ron said his temper rising.
"That's not what I was suggesting and you know it, you bloody git," Harry retorted.
"Bloody hell mate I know what you were suggesting." Ron shouted back. "And you know full well that I can't tell her. And you know why."
"Yeah I know. And I still think your being stupid about it." Harry replied, his voice staying calm. "Come on Ron, you have to have noticed that she cares about you too. Why do you insist on keeping it quiet?"
Ron looked over at him, a defeated look coming over him. He sighed and his shoulders fell. "Harry I just can't make myself do it. I almost told her last night before she went to bed. After I kissed her yesterday morning and ran out, I felt like I had to explain myself and tell her. But as I stood there looking at her, I just couldn't get the words past my tongue." Ron admitted.
Harry nodded. "So that's why she was crying when I came downstairs." He said nonchalantly. Ron looked over at him. She had cried after he ran off? Harry noticed Ron's interest. "She does care Ron. I know she does. But she doesn't think you can love her anymore then a friend now that the war is over. She's been wishing and hoping you would confess ever since the final battle. She thought with you being a back at school, you would turn back into your old self. We all did. But you haven't. Maybe her nightmares are the same as yours and that when she's with you, they stop."
Ron looked at him, doubt present in his gaze. "How could that be? It was only one night Harry. Only one nightmare. There's no proof that her being next to me stopped me from having nightmares either." He said sensibly.
Harry shrugged. "You could be right. But then again, you could be wrong too." He replied, grabbing a pair of clean socks and sitting down on his bed. Ron sat on his bunk, Harry's words ringing in his head. What if Harry was right and he was just being a prat?
Harry was pulling on his second shoe when he suddenly remembered something. "Wait, how did you get up the stairs? They're enchanted. We're not supposed to be able to go up them."
Ron shrugged as he pulled on a sweatshirt. "I don't know. Maybe the stairs knew I had only honorable intentions." Ron replied using the same theory he had used on Hermione and Ginny. He couldn't think of any other logical explanation.
"Hmm... maybe." Harry replied as he tied his shoe, and then stood up. "Well mate, I promised to meet Ginny in the common room. I'll see you at breakfast." And with that, Harry headed for the door leaving Ron to his thoughts as he finished changing.
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Ginny climbed up the stairs, passing her dorm, and heading for Hermione's. She wanted to find out what had happened between her and her brother.
When she reached Hermione's dorm door, she gave a knock and opened the door slowly. She found Hermione sitting on her bed, still in her pajamas, looking toward the door, her body tense.
"No I'm not McGonagall. Or maybe you were expecting another member of the Weasley family?" Ginny said with a smile. Hermione's shoulders sank. Ginny frowned. She hadn't meant to upset her friend. "I met him on the stairs as he was leaving. What happened Hermione?"
Hermione looked down. She didn't know what to say. Suddenly tears began to well in her eyes and she began to cry. Ginny noticed and ran over to comfort her friend.
"Ginny... I just don't know." Hermione said between tears.
"Hermione it's okay. My brother is a web of crazy emotions and confusing thoughts. He's probably been talking himself out of what he knows he has to do."
"But it's not just him Ginny." Hermione said strongly. "I'm to blame too. I could have told him countless times but I haven't. It's his stupid survival mode. I just can't see him believing that I care about him as much more then a friend while he's still acting like the Dark Lord is going to come running in here and attack. He didn't believe me when I told him while we were still fighting. He thought I was only saying 'I love you' because he's been my friend for six years. I guess I don't think he'll believe me now either."
Ginny sighed. "Hermione, somewhere inside that thick skull of his, he knows that you do. He has to. But he does have this tendency to talk himself out of things. Especially when it comes to you. He's liked you for so long and there have been so many things that have been holding him back. To him it must seem like every time he gets his hopes and courage up, something stands in his way.
"But he does care. The way he held you the other day when you woke up from your nightmare, is proof enough that he cares." Ginny said as Hermione stood up and began to pace in front of her four-poster bed.
"He does. You're right about that. What he did last night was really sweet." Hermione muttered.
"What did he do?"
Hermione smiled as she remembered him breaking into her dorm last night. "I was having a nightmare and he must have heard me scream. He burst in and then he held me in his arms. He was so gentle and comforting. I didn't want him to let go. Finally, he got up to leave and I didn't want him to leave. I asked him to stay with me, and he did. Mind you he slept on the outside of the covers. But he did let me use his shoulder as a pillow and he kept one arm around me all night. He was so sweet," she said, reliving the previous night for Ginny.
Ginny looked at her, her eyebrows raised. "Now that doesn't sound like my brother." She said with a little laugh.
Hermione looked over at her and smiled. "But he really is that way. At least to me."
"Well there you go. You're special. He wouldn't do that for just anyone. I would know. He's been my brother for sixteen years and he's never once comforted me when I've had a nightmare. That's why I had to move in with Harry. That and it made the nightmares stop completely. I guess having him next to me makes my brain relax because I know he's safe. Dreams have a weird way of telling you things sometimes." Ginny said, having gotten a little of her speech from talking with Harry. She smiled at Hermione as she stopped pacing and looked over.
"Ginny did you just say that you stopped having nightmares when you slept next to Harry?" Hermione asked. Ginny nodded and Hermione continued. "Did your nightmares involve Harry?"
Ginny nodded again. "He always died," she said, the memory of her bad dreams passing in front of her mind's eye.
Hermione looked thoughtful. Maybe Ginny was on to something. Maybe her dreams were trying to tell her that she was afraid to lose Ron.
"Bloody hell, I already knew that." She thought to herself. She smiled a little and gave a laugh.
Ginny looked at her, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Well I don't know about dreams trying to tell me something but it did help me admit something. I'm afraid to lose him. I was during the war, and I still am." Hermione explained.
"That's understandable with how much you care about him." Ginny said. Then she finally caught on to the reason of Hermione's questions. "Wait, you didn't have a nightmare while he was with you, did you?"
Hermione turned to Ginny and smiled again. She shook her head no.
Ginny giggled. "Well there's the answer to your nightmares. You just need to sleep with Ron every night and you won't have any." She replied, joyfully.
Hermione gave her a look. "Now just because I didn't have any last night while he was with me, doesn't mean that him being there is the answer to making them stop." She said seriously.
"Well it could be." was Ginny's reply. That and a smile.
Hermione glared over at her. "Just because it worked for you doesn't mean it's the same with me. It might just have been that after having one nightmare, I wasn't meant to have another."
"Well you can always try my theory out, and ask him to sleep with you again tonight." Ginny suggested with at another giggle.
Hermione looked over at her and gave her a half serious glare. "I think I'll go to the library today and see if Madam Pince has any books on dreams," she said walking over to her wardrobe and pulling open the doors.
Ginny got up and wandered toward the door, realizing that she would just be wasting her time on Hermione trying to convince her that experimentation was more fun then research. Before she left to go get dressed herself, she turned and looked back.
"You know Hermione, not every answer can be found in books." And with that she slipped out the door and headed down a flight of stairs to her old dorm, where her clothes still rested.
AN: Chapter edited 6-8-07