It's you, of course.

Dark. Cold. Icy fingers digging in on face, on cheek, on scar. Pain. Searing and liquid sudden pain. Laughter. Not mine. Laughter ringing.

Hoarse yell. Painful, dry lips and parched throat.

Gentle caress. Like master to pet dog. Velvet through the mind; smoothing, soothing, relaxing. Rubs the hurt away. Good velvet. Safe Velvet. Flowing velvet surfing through the mush. See faces, things I know, places, occurrences. Prophecy breaking. Trelawney speaking but can't hear her.

Angry velvet. Ss-ss-ssandpaperss-ss, ss-sscratchess-ss, ss-sscreams-ss. Anguis-ss-sh.

Help.

0-0-0-0-0

'Ron' –smack– 'Ron, wake up!'

Ron sat bolt upright in the chair. It took almost a minute for his vision to clear and then he realised that he was still in the common room. An aftershock of pain ran through his face and he quickly clasped both hands to his forehead. He looked up to see Hermione edging away from him slowly. Her face was pearly and as scared as though she had seen a ghost. Her hands were trembling and, Ron realised, so were his.

'R-r-ron' Hermione stuttered 'W-why did you just do that?'

Ron looked bewildered, as he genuinely was.

'Do what?'

'Clasp your hands to your forehead. It what Harry di-DOES when his scar hurts'

'My scar did hurt' Ron realised what he had said almost as soon as he had said it. 'I mean, I thought I had a scar that hurt, actually I was dreaming that my scar hurt – the scar I dreamt that is, not an actual scar…'

Hermione looked even more disturbed if that was possible.

'Ron,' she asked tentatively 'what exactly did you dream?'

By the time Ron was finished the pallor had receded from Hermione's face and she stared pensively into the cold stone hearth.

'You were babbling about the Dark lord looking for the prophecy' she supplied 'it woke me up and then you started to thrash wildly. I called your name but you wouldn't wake up, I thought it was some sort of fit so I slapped you…'

Ron rubbed his ringing jaw remorsefully 'and then I grabbed my forehead which freaked you out further'

'Yes' said Hermione softly 'You did it exactly like Harry used to'.

They sat awkwardly on the sofa in dead-pan silence. Eventually Ron asked apprehensively 'Do you think we should go see McGonagal about this?'

Hermione nodded grimly and the two of them rose from the seat.

0-0-0-0-0

Firenze watched the two NEWT students hurry down the Gryfindor corridor. The foolish humans were blind to their surroundings and failed to notice even the large bulk of Firenze in the gloom.

'Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, where might you be going?'

Hermione shrieked and Ron yelped, both turned around to see Firenze bearing down upon them from behind the closest tapestry.

'We were going to see Professor Mc Gonagal, sir.' Hermione said in a breathless sort of voice.

'Hmm, really… and to what does she owe the pleasure at this hour of the morning? Can't it wait?'

'I'm afraid not professor, it's rather urgent see' continued Hermione 'Ron just had, well Ron may have some important information on the whereabouts of Harry…'

Firenze looked interested 'had a dream did he? Tell me Mr. Weasley'

Ron looked at Hermione, unsure about what to do but she nodded behind Firenze's back so he launched into another retelling of the dream, leaving out the bit about his non-existent scar hurting.

Firenze mused on what he had heard, 'Yes, that is interesting but I do not believe it is of utmost importance that the headmistress hear it immediately, it can wait until morning'

'But Professor!' exclaimed Hermione

Firenze lowered his great head and Hermione flushed under his intense stare.

'Ms. Granger, I recognise that any information regarding the Dark Lord's whereabouts is rare enough to be of great value but we do not know that Mr. Weasely's dream is anything other than that. I shall meditate on it as I walk the corridors later and will talk to Professor Mc Gonagal about my conclusion tomorrow. Goodnight children'

He gave a courteous bow to Hermione and swung his long body around the nearest corner until they moved off. As they walked back to the common room he overheard a snippet of the whispered conversation.

Granger's voice; '…go straight to the owlery in the morning.'

Lull in conversation.

Weasley, off-hand; 'He fancies you, you know Hermy'

'RON that is TOTALLY off the point! And it's ridiculous; teachers don't fall for students… EVER!'

Pause

'You liked Lockhart though, I bet you like old Hooves too'

'No I don't! That's disgusting; he's half horse!'

'Well endowed so'

'RONALD WEASELY! You are so gross sometimes!'

Weasley, quickly; 'So who do you like then?'

Granger, reluctantly; 'Why you, of course. Though I have my doubts at times'

Firenze heard no more and Ron was deaf to the world. He thought his heart might burst: 'You, of course'