Ice Isn't Nearly As Cold
No. 2 in the Weasley Animal Magnetism Series
Harry stared, watching Ron walk towards the common room portal. He wasn't looking at anyone, and acted as if he was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. He also looked nervous, guilty, embarrassed; Harry wondered what his best friend was doing, but decided that if Ron really wanted him to know, he'd tell him.
He was quick, quiet; though he knew he was allowed to technically be out, but with all that had happened in the past few months, professors were not usually happy to see a student out beyond class time. Within a short amount of time and luckily with no sights of teachers, he was at his destination. Hastily, he looked around and then slipped in the door.
"Hermione…" the redhead whispered. "I know you can't hear me…or at least Madam Pomfrey said you probably couldn't, but I thought I'd stop in and talk to you anyhow." She didn't move, not that he expected her to, being petrified and all. "Harry and I really miss you. It's just not the same…" He stopped and looked down at the stone floor. His silence marked his gloomy thoughts.
The sun was holding its last stand; so late in the day that it was just barley reaching its beams through the small window. Ron saw them dancing sharply on the polished stone and watched for a moment, trying to make sense of their senseless dance; but then almost realizing how useless it would be looked back up to Hermione.
"Professor Sprout said that the Mandrakes are almost ready. Pretty soon you can go about lecturing us on exams again…though if things get much worse, I doubt there'll be exams or even a Hogwarts…" He trailed off again. This time he fixed his eyes on her; her small child face. Her brown eyes were wide-open seeing nothing, and her mouth an 'o' almost surprised at the blank air.
"You know, I never told you this…I've never even told Harry this…but after that troll incident last year, I saw you…I saw you Hermione. You're human." He laughed at himself quietly. "That sounds so pompous…I know. But you remember how I treated you before hand?" There was a small snort. "I'm sure you remember…but I didn't really see you, like, as something with feelings. Just a harsh little know-it-all; after that troll thing though…seeing the fear on your face…I realized you were just as human as me and Harry.
In fact, I realized that you were just as human…but so much more fragile too. When we had to go and save the Philosopher's stone…I," Ron began to blush at the thought of what he was about to say; but he continued on, albeit flushed. "I felt Harry needed to go on, yet I was more worried about you. I paid more attention to that game than any other one before. I didn't want you, especially, to get hurt. Because you're Hermione; small, innocent, wise little Hermione." There was a long pause while Ron stared into nothingness.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then shut it again and turned to the closed curtains around her. Through the one he could barely see the outline of another girl, the Ravenclaw prefect that was with Hermione during the attack. Still looking at that outline he spoke, gentle resting his hand on hers. "Harry is a brother, my best friend. He's strong enough to take care of himself. You…You…" He stopped again and looked into her blank eyes. "You're Hermione, and I have to protect you."
As he continued to stare, Ron hardly noticed he was getting closer and closer to her face until he felt the crisp white linen of her sheets rub against his hand, which he realized was resting on hers. His face exploding in colour, he moved back just an inch and let go, though he didn't move much, and realized that she wasn't conscious and so, with the tips of his ears bright red, he put his hand back on hers with a faint embarrassed smile on his lips.
However, this time he was aware of how cold her hand was, like ice…like death. Ron shuddered at the thought. Tenderly he brushed his thumb over her knuckles, even though he knew that she was petrified, she would never feel the attempt. He wondered if she could feel, if she could tell she was cold in her state.
Even though she was petrified he could see her chest move very slowly up and down with her breathing. It was so sluggish. If he hadn't been so close and hadn't been staring at her for so long, he wouldn't have even noticed. He watched her breathing for what seemed like hours before smiling and moving back.
In a breath of air Ron began talking to her, not even the wind could hear him. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you this time Hermione. I'll never fail again. I can't….I can't." There were tears in his eyes. Taking a deep breath and shutting his eyes, he calmed his racing heart and thoughts. Once more he opened his blue eyes, shining in the low light. He took his hand off of hers and wiped at his eyes with the edge of his tattered sleeve, and said in a more normal tone, "I'll be back tomorrow, Hermione, I promise." With that Ron stood up and began to walk towards the door, but then he suddenly stopped, as if Hermione had told him too, and slowly began to turn around. His face was pale in the just rising moonlight, his blue eyes staring heavily at Hermione's frozen face.
Almost in a sprint, he was back by her side, looking down at her with forlorn. Quickly he leaned over, brushed his lips to the hollow of her round cheek; and then, just as quickly was out of the room. The quiet night air, beams of gentle moonlight, and the other petrified students the only witness to the fading scene.