Moments
Or the Romance of Ronald Weasley

Author: Kitty-Rose (seraphimoftheskies@hotmail.com)

Rating: So far, G

Pairing: Hermione/Ron

Disclaimer: None of this is mine
A/N: thanks to Ashley for beta reading this chapter.

***

The three students looked up desperately as Dumbledore entered the common room. They looked as though they hadn't slept all night, which Dumbledore thought, knowing them and their relationship with Harry Potter was probably true.

Ron was sprawled in an armchair, and, until Dumbledore had entered, had been staring at the floor with an empty look on his face. Hermione and Ginny were sitting up straight anxiously on the sofa, as though they couldn't relax at all. Hermione was the first to speak; Ron was still looking empty and Ginny looked too frantic to be able to form words.

"Will he be alright?" Hermione asked steadily, although her face betrayed her emotion.

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Madam Pomfrey has informed me that Mr. Potter does not seem to be injured or in any way ill."

Ginny sighed in relief, and Ron began to look less empty and more relieved. But Hermione frowned. "What you do you mean, seem to be?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Observant as ever, Miss. Granger. Yes, you see, Mr. Potter has still not come round. In fact, it's not expected that he will return to consciousness for some time. It was powerful magic that knocked him out. But, rest assured, he is in perfectly fine condition and the rest should probably do him some good, after all the stress of exams and battling against a very powerful dark wizard."

"When do you think he'll wake up?" Ron spoke at last, eyes shining in relief but still concern.

            "It's not certain, Mr. Weasley, but Madam Pomfrey informs me it will take around two months."

The students gasped. "Two months?" Hermione asked. "But that's the whole of the holidays and a while after that! What's going to happen to him during all that time? He's not going back to the Dursleys', is he?"

            "You mustn't send him there!" Ginny blurted, and Hermione took her hand comfortingly, despite looking just as worried.

            "Don't worry, Miss Granger, Miss Weasley." Dumbledore smiled kindly. "I think that it is in Harry's best interests, to stay here, at Hogwarts, over the summer."

            Ron, Hermione and Ginny all breathed another sigh of relief.

"I shall be here during the summer, although I shall be very busy, and Hagrid will be around. Harry will need more company than that, however, Madam Pomfrey informs me that he should be spoken to every day, to increase the time it will take before he wakes up. He shan't require any medical care, just a watchful eye and friendly conversation, and Madam Pomfrey will be ready to come and check on him should she receive notification. And I am certain I have found the two most suitable people to take on these duties. Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, I have spoken with your families and you are to stay here, in the holidays, to be the carers of Harry Potter."

            Ron and Hermione nodded slowly, but Ginny looked devastated. "But please, I have to stay with Harry!" 

            Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid your mother wishes you to return home, Miss Weasley. And I'm sure that you will be able to visit every now and then, and Miss Granger and your brother will write to you regularly informing you of any news."

            "Of course, we will, Ginny, I promise," Hermione said, squeezing Ginny's hand, but she could not be comforted.

*****

The next day, Ron and Hermione walked with Ginny to the gates of the castle, where there were crowds of students panicking over forgotten goodbyes and lost trunks.

"Talk to Mum and come and visit whenever you can," Ron told Ginny, giving her a brotherly hug and ruffling her hair just like Bill and Charlie used to do to him.

"I'll write to you every day," Hermione promised. "And if you want you can write Harry letters and I'll read them to him."

            Ginny nodded, and tried to smile through her tears. Ron and Hermione couldn't help the fact they were the ones allowed to stay, after all, and they were good friends to her.

            "Thanks, Hermione," she said. "I'll do that." She knew however, that she couldn't write what she really wanted to tell Harry right now. Nobody could know that, not yet.

            She waved goodbye to her brother and best friend from the boat, trying to stop the tears now that she was away from the safety of her friends and instead in the company of people she barely knew. Hermione and Ron waved back, and as Ginny watched, she saw her brother put her arm around Hermione.

Ginny sat back in the boat, and steadied herself. Ron and Hermione would look out for each other, and they could look after Harry. But who was going to look after her?

*****

"So this is it, then," Hermione said, slowly, as the boat disappeared across the lake.

            "This is it," Ron agreed, then frowned. "This is what?"

            "The beginning of a whole summer with nobody but you for company," Hermione rolled her eyes. "What an experience this is going to be."

Ron stuck his tongue out. "You've got Harry for company too, kind of."

"He'll be more riveting company than you, that's for sure," Hermione said, grinning, and then ran back towards the castle before Ron could catch her.

            Ron was the faster runner, but Hermione quickly disappeared behind some trees and Ron had no idea which way she'd gone. He had a fair idea of where she was heading, however, and he went on towards the castle, straight to Harry.

Harry was in his bed, in the boy's dormitories. As he wasn't actually ill, Madam Pomfrey had said there was no need for him to remain in the hospital wing, and that he might as well sleep in the comfort of his own bed, especially as Ron and Hermione wanted to be near him at all times and Madam Pomfrey said she did not wish to return to a hospital wing full of books and chocolate frogs.

When Ron entered, Hermione was kneeling on the floor, gazing at Harry, deep in thought. Ron crept up behind her, and then began to tickle her, laughing as she struggled in his arms. She managed to roll away from him and left him in a heap on the floor.

            Standing up and brushing down her clothes, she said "Really, Ronald Weasley, anybody would think you were still eight years old."

            Ron sat up sheepishly. "That's what comes of being the youngest of five brothers," he said.

            Hermione smiled, and then looked towards Harry again. "He looks happy, doesn't he?"

            "I wonder what he's dreaming of," Ron leaned on the bed and watched Harry's face intently.

"Look at that big smile," he commented. "Perhaps he's dreaming of being all alone in Honeydukes."

            Hermione laughed. "Again, anybody would think you were still eight years old."

            Ron looked up, grinning. "Hey! Sweets aren't just for kids. You know how Dumbledore likes his sherbert lemons, and if he's not a grown up, I don't know who is!"

            Hermione sighed, in mock annoyance, and turned, walking towards the door. She did love her play arguments with Ron. It was like having a brother, or something.

            "Where are you going?" Ron called after her, turning away from Harry.

            "To get my stuff," She called back. "You don't think I'm going to sleep in the girls' dormitory all by myself do you? It'd get so boring."

            "Thought you said I was boring company?" Ron winked.

            Hermione paused in the doorway. "Yes," she said, and smiled. "But you have your moments." Then she was gone.