Discliamer: Not own I
Temperamental Temporal Differences
In the morning sunlight filled the infirmary and was quickly joined by the groans of two adolescent boys.
"You do know that you two don't really harmonise with the dawn chorus don't you?" Came a strong feminine voice from the entrance door to the infirmary.
Both of the bodies in the beds grumbled at the unwanted interruption as Hermione slammed the door shut loudly in her own version of an alarm clock.
"That would be because, as teenagers, we're not meant to get up in the morning at all," grumbled Harry, his voice muffled by the covers.
"Ha Ha. Now up both of you or I'll get some nice cold water and drop it on your heads."
"Fine we're up, we're up," Ron sighed and made his way over to the bathroom. Halfway across the infirmary floor he woke up. "Hermione! We're half dressed! Get out!"
"Ron you are not half dressed, now stop exaggerating and get cleaned up. I've brought you both some breakfast. Oh, and I've brought up our timetable's so you can compare it with your usual one."
"Do you mean to say that yesterday wasn't a horrible nightmare that my overactive imagination made up?"
"Just go get changed," she deadpanned.
Taking the hint he continued on his journey across the room and shut the bathroom door behind him, through the wood he could hear Hermione turn her attention to Harry. Looking around the room nothing seemed to have changed: the smells were the same, the sights, the glug of the plumbing- it was all the alike. And yet... and yet it wasn't. Back home, wherever that was, he hadn't had a conversation like that with both his friends for months. Well maybe with Hermione, but Harry had been getting up earlier than the rest of the dorm since school had started and only recently had he begun appearing at breakfast.
Ron shook away these unsettling thoughts with a splash of cold water only to have them replaced by more as he saw what he was wearing. Hermione was right in saying that he wasn't exactly naked; instead he was covered from head to toe in orange. Someone had obviously found out his favourite sleeping attire- a Chudley Cannons strip- seems things really weren't that different here even if the colour no longer clashed with his hair. Except the Ron who these clothes belonged to didn't exist anymore, he was dead.
Dead. Well that was quite a change. What the hell had caused it? He'd have to ask Harry; after all, Hermione's explosion last night had made it quite clear that she wasn't the best one to talk to.
The bathroom door reopened. "Morning," Harry grunted as he joined Ron at a second basin and turned on the cold water tap.
"This toast is getting cold!" they heard from inside the infirmary.
"Why isn't she still biting my head off?" Ron asked confused by Hermione's almost cheerful behaviour.
"She's just coping with the unbelievable in her own way."
"By ignoring it?" Ron asked in disbelief.
"Basically yeah.'
"Hurry up we've got class in ten minutes!" Hermione called again.
"Merlin she doesn't change whatever world she's in."
"C'mon mate, hurry up before she comes in here and really sees something she shouldn't. Though I bet that wouldn't upset you too much." Harry grinned as Ron pushed him into the wall.
Ron stopped grinning suddenly and asked the issue that had been playing on his mind since last night, "Hey, Harry how did I, I mean he, die?"
Harry paused mid wash in indecision, "Lets hurry up. Don't want to be late do we." It seemed he chose to simply ignore the question.
Minutes later both boys appeared having changed into fresh school robes that had been brought by a helpful house elf. Ron walked over to Hermione, who was starting to pace with impatience, and took his timetable from her hands. Their fingers touched as he grasped the parchment and she leapt back in shock, a mix of emotions flashing over her face. Hiding her drastic reaction she turned towards a window on the back wall and pretended to be interested in the view. Ron was sorely tempted to question her but stopped when Harry shot him a look, instead he glanced at the class list in his hand.
"This is exactly the same as my usual lot. Can't believe that I passed potions here as well," Ron spoke to Hermione but she ignored him.
Harry filled the silence, "You- he- our Ron never found that out. He... left us before we got our results."
"Well lets get to Charms then," Hermione broke in, her voice choking slightly, "don't want to be late do we?" She chirpily faked and quickly ran out of the room.
"Why is she like that?" Ron asked, "Every time it comes up or I go near her she runs away and I really don't want to say its because she's a girl- even if she isn't here to scold me for it."
"Lets grab our books and I'll tell you. I'm sure Dumbledore will have sorted out what you need."
They hurried to the Gryffindor Tower knowing they still had a little time before the bell went- Hermione always exaggerated by five minutes to make sure they got everywhere on time. Soon they were up in the boy's dormitories and Ron found a few changes, the main one being an influx of beds. The one he usually slept in was coverless and a new piece of identical furniture had appeared to the right of it.
"Harry?" Ron voiced his question with a distinct look towards the sleeping arrangements.
"Oh, if we lose someone we leave the bed but there have been some new students over the last couple of years and they simply get a brand new place. It would just be too weird for them to use the olds ones if you know what I mean. That's why no one'll think it too odd that you- or rather Robert Millings- is here. I think this one's yours," he indicated the recent item, "it really wouldn't be right for you to use his bed, especially not for the others. Luckily you, him, I mean our Ron, is the only loss the sixth year Gryff boys have had. Most of yo- his belongings went to your, I mean his, family. God this is so confusing."
The last mutter Ron didn't hear as he went to investigate his bed, or rather his old one, maybe he'd find an insight into life in this world.
As well as being striped the area was quite bare except for a couple of photos. Slowly he reached for them slightly worried about what he'd find. There were three: the first was of his family nothing had changed there, the second showed the trio with him in the middle, the figures waved at him with smiles on their faces, but the last made him gasp in surprise. The final photo showed two people very wrapped up in each other, Hermione's arms were locked around his photographic duplicate and every few moments the two of them would lean in and kiss lightly on the lips.
Harry had turned when he'd heard Ron's sharp intake of breath and looked over his surprised friends shoulder to see what was wrong, "Are you two not together in your world?"
"No!" he couldn't drag his eyes from the photo, "I mean not that I didn't want there to be anything but I never actually asked... When this happen?" Ron looked directly at Harry.
"Well, that picture was taken about a year ago but you started going out in fourth year."
"Fourth year," Ron sighed, in deep envy of his twin. He glanced back at the photo and his mind became so lost in ifs, maybes and hows that he didn't hear the bell ring.
"Come on Ron, you really don't want to be late for Professor Umbridge," Harry said grabbing their books with one hand and Ron's arm with the other, pulling him towards the doorway
Ron finally came out of his daze and slipped the photo into his pocket, "Umbridge? I thought you said we have charms!"
AN: Thankyou all you wonderful reviewers and especially to nattieb my beta. Finally I'd like to add that the next installment is at least twice as long.
Bye till next Fri!
