The very next morning, Hermione found herself asleep in the common room. She vaguely remembered leaving Harry's dorm the night before, but could recall most of the events in the stormy night. He had been in fits throughout the downpour, though she was sure he had remained asleep. Towards morning, Harry finally nestled into a calm state, and Hermione figured she must not have been able to make it to her own bed.

She sat up, looking very dazed, as if she was still in a dream. It can't be more than seven o'clock, she thought to herself. I'd better go down and eat while its not too crowded in the Great Hall.

Hermione stood up, wobbling a little at first. The blood rushed to her head, and she had to sit down on the couch again. I've got to get a hold of myself, she thought.

When her vision finally cleared, she walked over to the Fat Lady's portrait. The Fat Lady looked somewhat disturbed and agitated.

"Bed knobs and broomsticks! What was all the screaming about last night! I didn't get a wink of sleep!"

Hermione was shocked. Had Harry been that loud? She had to make up an excuse quick.

"Ummmm…it was just a…ummm…a first year, madam. A little boy had a nightmare I think…that's all."

The Fat Lady's eyes grew wide with a mixture of anger and surprise. "Well tell the child to SHUT UP! No one could get any sleep last night! Nearly Headless Nick was scared out of his haunts!"

Hermione's expression changed from troubled to deeply worried. "Don't worry, I'll tell the little kid…Just let me out, please."

The Fat Lady huffed and puffed as the portrait door opened, muttering something about inconsiderate first years and their petty little fears of magic.

As Hermione went down the winding stairs, she started to analyze Harry's situation. It was becoming worse than she thought. She couldn't understand all of it, she had to know more. And she knew just the person who would provide the information to her…

The Great Hall wasn't crowded. In fact, it was quite vacant, except for a few Huffelpuffs and a group of Ravenclaws. But there was a lone Gryffindor at the Gryffindor table: Ron Weasley. Hermione quickened her pace.

"Ron, can I talk to you for a second?"

Ron looked up from his breakfast plate. His hair was messy and his eyes were bloodshot from his lack of sleep.

"Well," he said sarcastically, "aren't we the cheerful one this morning." He proceeded to go back to eating his scrambled eggs.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. Then she reached into her robe for a pocket mirror. She didn't look nearly as cheerful as Ron had described. Her hair was even bushier than usual because she hadn't brushed it. Her eyes were red and had dark circles underneath them. She sighed impatiently.

"Ron, please, this is important to me."

Ron turned around in his seat again. "Do you really expect me to think this early in the morning? I'm tired enough as it is! Go and bug somebody else."

"RON!" Hermione shouted. The Huffelpuffs and Ravenclaws started staring at the two of them. Hermione grabbed Ron by the collar of his robe. "Just tell me what I want to know, and I will leave you alone!"

Ron looked slightly taken aback. "Alright," he said. "But will you promise to leave me to my breakfast when you are done?"

The blood was rising in Hermione's veins. "YES, I BLOODY PROMISE!"

"OK! Could you put me down now!" Ron yelled back.

Hermione hadn't noticed that she had nearly picked him up off his seat. "Oh my," she exclaimed. "I'm dreadfully sorry, Ron." She let go of his robes.

Ron looked at her weirdly, like he couldn't believe she didn't know what she was doing. "Umm…that's alright…I guess…"

"Good then." Hermione was back to her normal self. "To begin, I need an inside story."

Ron was in the process of devouring pancakes. "'Bout what?" he asked.

Hermione was hesitant to answer the question. "Well…about Harry. I'm starting to get worried about him, Ron."

"Don't we all?" Ron said angrily. "I hate it that he has become this angry and isolated! I'm beginning to think that everything in our friendships is going to fall apart." Ron's fork started shaking in his hand. "It's like every time we get near him, or offer any sort of help to him, he snaps back like a cobra."

It was hard for Hermione to keep back her own say about Harry's isolation. He had, after all, been a bloody horrible friend to them, acting like a jerk when they offered a helping hand in his troubles.

"Actually," Hermione said softly, "I wanted to know about his nightmares."

Ron stared at his plate. "Oh," he said. He picked up a piece of sausage and gnawed on it slowly.

"Let me think…it's been about two weeks since the first one, possibly a week and a half. But it's getting worse…" He turned to Hermione solemnly. "Every night he tosses and turns, screaming like a mad man. It's gotten so bad now that I've had to put sleeping charms on the rest of the guys in our dorm, just so they won't wake up." He suddenly raised a questioning eyebrow. "Wait a second, how did you hear Harry's screams?"

"Oh…" Hermione had trouble answering this question.

"Well…..last night I was in the common room. I couldn't sleep because of all the thunder and lightning. It scared me so bad, so I got up and tried to work on the Potions paper due next week. Then I heard Harry, and ran up to your dorm, and was surprised to see the door open." She paused for a second, to regroup the information she had found that morning. "Ron…I don't know how to say this, but Harry's screams could be heard all over Hogwarts. I don't know why the other people in Gryffindor didn't wake up…there must be some sort of charm put on the walls to make it soundproof…but the Fat Lady told me that the screaming scared Nearly Headless Nick our of his haunts! That can't be good…"

"You're right…that can't be good…" Ron absorbed all of Hermione's words like a sponge. Had Harry been that loud, he thought.

"I'm glad we agree," she said. "Do you have any idea of what he's dreaming about?"

Ron thought for a moment. Then he grabbed a piece of toast to spread marmalade on it. "It's…its hard to make out what he says in his nightmares……he's always mumbling something, and then saying something about them…but I don't know who they are…"

Hermione pursed her lips. "Come on now…you must have some idea. I mean after all…you tow are best friends…"

Ron had had enough of the interrogation. "I don't know him any more!" he exploded. "Do you really think I haven't tried to get through to him? Why do you want to know anyway! It's not like you…" Ron paused mid-sentence. A strange thought came to mind. He looked at Hermione suspiciously.

"Surely you don't…"

"D-don't what?" Hermione asked, fearful of the answer.

Ron looked at her as if she was crazy. "My God," he said, "you do! You can't do this! You can't do this to all of us!"

Hermione was frightened by Ron's anger. "Do what! You aren't making this clear!"

Ron got up from the table, shaking his head in disbelief. "You figure it out! You're the cleverest witch of our year, for Merlin's sake! You figure out why you feel the need to rescue our so-called "friend" from loneliness!"

Hermione was left alone at the Gryffindor table, puzzled by her hidden feelings for Harry.