Chapter 8- Shattered Hopes

"He's stuck!" Hermione cried. "No! No! No!" She reached for the ground.

"Huh?" Ron asked, dumbly.

"He's stuck, Ron! Help me pick up the pieces." She started to pick up shards of broken glass.

"What about him?" Ron pointed to James lying unconscious on the ground.

"Ron, if we don't have the glasses, Harry can't get back!"

"Hermione, if James dies here, Harry won't exist!"

"Good point," she said crawling over to James and lightly tapping his face. "Hey James, uh, Potter? Potter? Come on..."

James opened his eyes dreamily trying to focus on Hermione's face above him. She was blurry.

"Are you ok?" she questioned.

"I think I am now," he replied.

"Hey! Hey! Come on now!" Ron interjected after seeing Hermione blush. "Can you sit up?" James did so.

"I can't see. What happened?" he asked.

"You go knocked out," Ron explained "and your glasses shattered. Draco Malfoy hit you upside the head with a cauldron after you jinxed him a few times. You were brilliant by the way."

"Ron!"

"Well he was! Anyway, the glasses are broken and because of it Harry can't get back."

"Hang on," James said, "Who's Draco Malfoy?"

"Lucius Malfoy's son," Hermione explained.

"Yeah and bloody git he is as well." Ron spoke through his teeth.

"Oh, now I remember why I jinxed him," James laughed. "That was good wasn't it?" Ron nodded vigorously until Hermione slapped him in the arm.

"So now what do we do?" Ron asked Hermione. Both the boys stared at her for the answer; which was alot of pressure for one girl to handle. After talking a deep breath Hermione came to the conclusion,

"I think we need to ask Dumbledore."

The headmaster was in his office watching a few model planets rotate slowly above him when James, Ron and Hermione burst in.

"Good to see you know how to knock," Dumbledore replied.

"Sorry Headmaster but this is urgent," Hermione explained. She was pulling James into the room by his wrist. Dumbledore knew immediately what was going on.

"Mr. Potter, nice day don't you think?" he asked.

"I'm not sure professor," James explained, "I can't see."

"Hm, that does present a problem."

"Sir," said Ron to the headmaster. "We picked up all the pieces.... and Hermione tried to repair it... seems like we are missing a few pieces." Ron put the pieces of glass and the frames to the glasses on the table.

"Well, I think the important thing is to get Mr. Potter a new pair," Dumbledore spoke.

"But sir!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I believe that should be done first." Dumbledore insisted. "I will tell Filch to sweep the area and make sure he keeps every piece of glasses." He was talking to the fireplace now and grabbing some powdery ash from a jar. Then the headmaster handed a bit to each student and requested them to head to Hogsmeade quickly to get James a new pair of glasses. "Hopefully when you return I will have more pieces of glass for you to have." And they were off with a -whoosh!-

Hermione was brushing off her robes, when she was pushed to the ground.

"Hey!" she said.

"Sorry," came a voice from on top of her.

"That's ok. Could you get up now?"

"Sure." She turned to see Ron beet red brushing off his shirt and looking around for James. He noticed her staring at her so he offered a hand to help her up.

"Sorry," he repeated, ears turning red.

"No problem," she said, dusting off the ashes from her skirt.

"Let me help you," Ron offered. He started to brush off Hermione's skirt. She backed away nervously.

"That's ok, Ron. I think I got it."

"Oh, right. So where are we headed?"

"Maybe we should wait for James."

"Yeah I guess. What should we do while we wait?" Ron asked. The two sat down on the floor together, both of them hugging their knees.

"Not sure." There was pause.

"I hope Harry's alright." Ron said.

"Yeah," Hermione agreed, "But I'm glad you are here."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I... I think so." Another pause.

"Me too." The two looked at each other and were knocked to the ground.

"Sorry," came James's voice from on top of them.