Ch 11- Nightmare Scares

Hermione was running as fast as she possibly could. Her ribs ached and she could barely breathe. She was determined to continue running. Her legs gave way and she fell onto a hard, cold, stone floor. She could see blurs of purple, and green and red lights flashing everywhere. Somebody grabbed her shoulder and turned her forcefully over onto her back. She screamed as they pointed their wand directly at her heart. Just then, somebody jumped in front of her and shouted "Expelliarmus!" She gasped as a green flash of light hit her savior directly in the chest. She screamed and began crying uncontrollably. She scrambled to her hands and knees and crawled over to the lifeless body. She shook him as hard as her voice shook as she screamed his name.

"Ron! NO! Ron! Get up! No! Your not! Stop playing Ron!" she said through sobs. "Wake up Ron, pleassse, wake up!" Then, another cold hand grabbed her wrist and forced her into the ground.

Hermione woke in cold sweat. Her face was wet and full of tears. She looked blurry through her tears around her room. Everyone was sound asleep. She lied there sprawled out, twisted blankets and holding tightly onto her Teddy as if her life depended on it. She took three shuddering breaths, trying to relax, but she knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. Not there anyways. She sat up, wiped her tears off her face and shakily got out of bed. She couldn't stop shaking. She didn't know what to do. She did the first thing she thought of. She grabbed a light white robe and pulled it on over her black pajama pants and white tank-top. She wrapped her arms around her Teddy, and set off towards the stairs leading to the common room.

When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, she found the common room completely empty with the fire burned out. She didn't want to be alone. She was scared. Still shaking slightly, she began to climb the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Stopping in front of the dorm door she knew well, she hesitantly opened it silently. All of the boys hanging were closed except for two. Harry's and Ron's. Ron was on his back, covers laid on top of him. She couldn't see a rise or fall of his chest through the thick blankets. She had to be sure. Holding her Teddy tighter, she walked as quietly as she could to his bed. Shaking violently again as silent tears poured down her face, she stopped at Ron's bed. She let out a shaky breath as she heard Ron's quiet breathing.

Ron, although asleep, had that awkward feeling that someone was watching him. Shaking himself out of his sleep, he slowly opened his eyes. Hermione gasped as he did this.

"'Mione?" he said sleepily. Then he opened his eyes fully and realized she was shaking violently and he could see tears on her face in the moonlight. He propped himself up on his elbow.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked with sincere concern in his voice. He noticed her tight grip on the bear he had gotten her for Christmas.

"Oh…Ron…the Department of Mysteries…and…and…final…battle…you…" she cried.

"Shh, shh, it's ok." He said as he took her arm.

"I'm-just-so-scared!" she sobbed.

"I know." He said. Then he let go of her arm and moved farther back onto his bed and lifted the covers over.

"Lay down." He told her.

"W-What?" she asked him.

"You can sleep here, next to me." He told her softly.

"But, but what about the others?" she asked him.

"We'll close the hangings, and I'll wake you up before they get up." He told her.

"Are-are you sure?" she asked him once more wiping the continuous tears off her face with one hand, the other, still hugging her Teddy as tightly as possible. He nodded. She hesitantly climbed onto the open spot Ron made for her and laid her head down on his pillow. He replaced the covers over her, and moved in a little so he wouldn't fall off the edge of the bed. Hermione hugged her Teddy and rested her head on its own head, petting its paw. She tried not to cry but she couldn't help it. Ron put an arm around her and pulled her close to him. He gently stroked hair. Still a little shaky though, she stopped crying. She couldn't remember a place she felt safer than in Ron's arms. She felt herself slowly drifting off to sleep as Ron continued to gently stroke her hair.

Ron heard her stop her quiet sobs and her breathing slow. He watched her, hugging her Teddy close to her body. Everybody looks different when they're asleep. Hermione normally looks, pretty, strong, and determined. But when she was asleep, she looked beautiful, helpless and innocent. Ron knew she had been asleep for a good ten minutes by now, but he continued to gently stroke her hair.

Ron woke the next morning to find his arm wrapped around Hermione's shoulder as she slept soundly. Remembering the event last night, he slowly removed his arm from her and quietly pulled back the hangings. He could hear Neville's soft snoring and saw an arm hanging out beneath the bed hangings of Seamus's bed. Harry was lying flat on his stomach, laying on the bed with out a pillow and even drooling a bit. Looking at Dean's bed, he saw a pair of feet sticking out off the end of the bed. Certain that everyone was still asleep; he rolled over and gently shook Hermione's shoulder.

"Huh, wha?" Hermione mumbled opening her eyes.

"Hermione." Ron whispered

"Ron?" she whispered back. Then remembering how she had gotten where she was said a soft "Oh." Ron nodded, put a finger to his lips and climbed out of bed, motioning her to follow him. She got up, and grabbed her Teddy. Ron took her hand and began tip-toeing across the room. They both stopped abruptly and held their breath as Neville made a rather loud snore, but released it as he continued to snore this way. Hermione smiled at Ron. He smiled back and then pointed at Harry who had a little wet spot next to his mouth. Hermione smiled wider and Ron continued pulling her across the room and then down the stairs to the common room. When they reached the landing, Hermione was about to say something, but Ron stopped her.

"R-"

He put his finger to his lips again and whispered "Stay here for a second." She nodded as he quietly walked into the common room. He looked around, and when he was sure it was empty, he motioned to her that she could come out. They walked over to the girls dorm stairs and stopped.

"There, now just go back into your bed, and no body will know you ever left ok?" Ron whispered to her. Hermione nodded and then spoke softly.

"Ron, thank you so much." And she wrapped him in a tight hug. "You don't know how much that meant to me." She told him in his ear as he hugged her back just as tightly.

"Hermione," he whispered back in her ear, "You know I'm always gonna be there for you no matter what." She nodded in his shoulder fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. She pulled back and sniffed a little, hugging her Teddy and fiddling with his necklace-collar.

"Did you name him?" Ron asked her. Hermione blushed and nodded.

"Teddy." She said simply. Ron smiled.

"It suit's him. Sleep well, 'Mione." He said, and he walked back up the stairs to the boy's dorm. Hermione stood there a minute, pondering on everything that had happened. "I have a nickname." She thought. "'Mione. I like it." And she headed back upstairs to her dorm.

Ron quietly walked into his dorm and headed for his bed. He had just sat down when Harry said,

"Where were you?"

Ron hesitated. "Er…bathroom." Harry nodded and rolled back over and fell asleep. Ron followed suit. The occurings of last night needn't be known to anyone other than Hermione and himself. For now.

A/N: I know this chapter is short. I originally planned for it to have to big scenario's but decided it would be too long, so I cut it into two chapters. Chapter 12 should be up very, very soon!