Brain tentacles and spiders were nothing compares to the pain Ron Weasley felt at the moment he learned that Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather, had died.
"Mr Weasley, I do hope you realise the consequences of this on Potter. He will not be the same when you see him next. He will have changed. Have you ever lost someone so dear to you?... Hmm... your rat? No, Mr Weasley, I presume you haven't. Well let me assure you that you are the lucky one. Harry Potter has never had any proper family and when he has one, it has been taken away from him after a mere two years." McGonagall stopped her speech to peer at him grimly from her strict square glasses. "Do you understand, Mr Weasley? This is not a time for jokes."
That was all he was perceived as, you see. A joker. A clown. An insensitive jerk, as Hermione would say.
But Ron had no jokes to offer at that exact moment. Not one. His mind was full of turmoil, full of distress. He looked around at the Hospital Wing and his eyes were forced to look upon his other best friend, lying on the bed, bandages around her waist.
Hermione Granger was sick, in pain, and had been hit by a Death Eaters curse. She wasn't reading, she wasn't scolding, she wasn't mouthing off about bloody house elves... she was in pain. His best friend was in physical pain. And there was nothing he could do.
"She will be well by morning, Weasley," McGonagall said, following his gaze.
Ron knew why McGonagall was here talking to him. Dumbledore was with Harry now. Ron wondered what he was telling him, wondered what Dumbledore could possibly say...
Before Ron would have been jealous. He had never been face to face with Dumbledore, had never had the Headmaster's full attention focused on him. Ron had been jealous of lots of things in his young life. His brother's success. Hermione's brain. Krum's talents. Cedric's looks. Malfoy's wealth. Harry's fame.
That all seemed like a dream to him now. What did he care about petty things like that anymore?
He knew when Hermione woke up she would not be getting the lecture. McGonagall had saved it especially for him.
It wasn't long before Hermione's eyes fluttered open. It wasn't long before she was complaining about her boredom and she was preaching to them about school and house elves.
It wasn't long before Ron saw Harry with blood shot eyes and a strange hardness to him that was as new and unwelcome as Umbridge had been. It wasn't long before Ron knew just how much pain Harry was going through.
It also wasn't long before Ron cracked his first joke.
Ron kept Hermione quiet when she wanted to talk about Sirius. See, Ron might be a clown and he might not be as clever as his brothers but he knew Harry needed to heal before talking. He knew his best friend better than Hermione knew her textbooks. He also knew that he would always stick by his two best friends and his family. That somehow seemed clear and vital to him as he sat in that Hospital Wing, watching Hermione moan and Harry try not to reveal his emotions.
It wasn't long before Ronald Weasley grew up.
'''''''
Ugh, well there you have it. Another little thing by me. Reason? I don't know. I'm kind of relating more with Ginny and Ron these days. Life's weird, huh?
Anyway thanks for reading and the odd review is pretty nice too! (Subtle hint, eh?)
Oh, and did anyone receive a really weird review from someone called Baconstrips? Read mine on the story Ginny Weasley. What's with that? I never heard of the person!?