Sweet Dreams

Tap tap tap.

Hermione was drifting somewhere between sleep and awake on her cozy twin bed. The last thing she wanted was to get up. So, she ignored it.

Tap tap tap.

She continued to ignore the annoying tapping.

TAP TAP TAP.

"I'm up, I'm up," she whispered reluctantly as she saw what had awakened her.

She slyly glanced over to the opposite side of the room at Ginny. Yes, she was fast asleep. Hermione tiptoed cautiously towards their bedroom window, carefully undid the latch, and let the beautiful snowy owl in.

Hedwig hooted in gratitude, and Hermione's heart jumped in fear that it might wake her dormant roommate. Her constant worries were pointless, since Ginny slept like a rock, but Hermione couldn't help it. She worried. A lot.

Slowly, she untied the strong knot binding Harry's letter to Hedwig's leg. Hermione patted Hedwig gratefully on her head, and she edged cautiously towards the door.

Hermione recited a quick prayer in hopes that everyone in 12 Grimmauld Place had already went to sleep, and softly opened the door leading out into the hall. She stuck her head out, and looked in both directions. She didn't see a soul, so she continued down the hall, not making a sound, parchment held tight in her hand.

As she reached the landing, she knocked gently on his door, hoping he was still awake. Hermione wasn't sure why, but her heart was beating rapidly.

Everything was still silent, so she threw caution to the winds and lightly opened his door. She felt a bit self-conscious sneaking into her best friend's room, who happened to be a guy, in her nightdress, but she tried not to let it bother her too much.

Ron was sprawled out like an eagle on his bed, with his arm hanging over the edge.

Hermione smiled secretly to herself. What a sight he was. Still moving quietly, she knelt next to him and whispered softly, "Ron..."

No response.

"Ron..." she continued, a little louder.

Still no response.

"Ron!"

He sat up abruptly and looked around wildly. Hermione stifled a giggle.

"Hermione? What are you doing in here?" he asked crankily.

Forcing down a smile, she answered simply, "Harry's letter came."

He nodded comprehensively, and she sat down opposite Ron, in the bed where Harry usually slept.

"Did you have to scare me like that?" he barked tiredly, wiping the sand out of his icy blue eyes.

"Of course," Hermione replied, grinning casually.

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. To his utter disappointment, Hermione didn't see it.

"So what does it say?" Ron asked impatiently as he opened the windows so the serene moonlight would light up the letter so she could read it.

"'Ron and Hermione, Hope you two are well, as with everyone else. Hermione, keep your head on, I'm fine!' Harry, I can't help it if I'm worried! You are all alone there and you have to be lonely and--"

"What?" Ron cut in. "Harry didn't say that." He dragged him self across the room and plopped down next to Hermione. He inconsiderately grabbed the letter from her and analyzed it bemusedly. "Hermione," he advised in mock-wisdom, "Harry can't hear what you are saying, so quit talking to the letter." He rolled his eyes dramatically this time, making sure she could see it.

She sighed amusedly and yanked the letter back. He leaned over her shoulder to read it rather than to hear her read it aloud with defensive commentary.

Hermione's heart rose several inches toward her throat as he moved closer, and she forced herself not to not show it.

"'Ron, keep an eye on her so she doesn't lose it.' I'm trying Harry, but you know Hermione, she's as unpredictable as the weather and likely to go off any second," Ron commented.

"Who's talking to the letter now, huh?" Hermione retorted smugly.

"I'm not talking to the letter, I'm trying to annoy you," he replied simply.

She raised her eyebrows reproachfully, and he smiled cockily.

"'How much longer until I'm out of here? I know you can't tell me, but I'm saying it anyway. Hope to see you soon, Harry,'" Hermione finished quickly.

She gave Ron a questioning expression.

Ron frowned at the letter. "What do you think?"

"Unusually short, but nothing we couldn't expect, really. He sounds rather lonely, which is expected as well," Hermione suggested sympathetically.

"And grumpy," Ron admitted.

Hermione nodded in agreement, and then she bit her lip in meditation.

"Do you think he's mad at us again?" Ron asked anxiously, after a solemn silence.

She sighed sadly. "I guess it's a possibility. I don't know why he would, but it seems so," she inferred.

"I think he knows," Ron declared defiantly, his eyes moving from a spot on the wall across from him to straight into her eyes. His tone was grim.

"Knows what?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"About the prophecy."

Hermione stared at him wondrously, considering the chance.

"You know, you just might be right," she admitted, rather impressed. "Dumbledore must have told him sometime when we were still in the hospital wing."

"It's just a guess," he said modestly.

"Whatever it must be, it must be bad," Hermione voiced quietly.

The pair fell silent. Hermione brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them.

"I feel so bad for him, Hermione," Ron confessed heartily.

"I know," Hermione accorded, and her eyes were bright with anxiety and fear.

"What are we going to do?" Ron said nervously, looking at her for comfort.

She sighed uncertainly. "Well, there is nothing we can do now, besides, I'm completely knocked out," Hermione confessed guiltily between yawns.

"I'm with you, Hermione," Ron affirmed tiredly. "Sweet dreams," he muttered as he leaned back his body flopped on the mattress, and he closed his eyes lazily.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him.

"Ron, your bed is over there," Hermione pointed out.

"What's it to you?" he croaked.

"Well, I kind of, sort of--"

"Spit it out."

"I wanted to sleep in here because I'm too tired to go back upstairs and--" she trailed off.

"And what?" he asked concernedly as he sat up.

"Well, Ginny's always having nightmares, and--"

"Oh. I understand. Harry's always having them too. And it's not like there's anything that we can do about it, as horrible as it sounds," Ron explained, and Hermione sensed guilt and shame. As reluctant as she was to admit it, she felt the same way.

Hermione gave a tiny nod in agreement.

She gazed at him with an expectant expression.

"What?"

"Um, you're in my bed," she said dully.

"Wait, you don't expect me to sleep over there, do you?" he asked shrilly as if she was mad.

"Isn't that where you usually sleep?" Hermione retorted.

Ron paused before he responded.

He wanted her to stay. To lay beside him and keep him warm. He wanted to hold her close and never let her go.

He wanted her to stay for many other reasons as well.

Namely, he adored her more than all the other girls he had known in his life put together. But he couldn't say that. He needed an excuse, no matter how lame it was.

"There was a spider on the wall," he said boldly. "So I'm sleeping here," he replied stubbornly.

Hermione sighed aggravatedly, and rose wearily from her seat on the edge of the mattress.

But Ron's hand held her back.

"What now?"

"What if the spider comes back?" he whined childishly.

"It won't, Ron," she remarked firmly, fighting back the urge to smile. For some strange reason, she found him irresistible at moments like this.

"Yes it will," he retorted resolutely.

"If it does, I'll protect you," she announced in mock-chivalry. "So, scoot over."

Ron was very appreciative of the darkness and the fact that she couldn't see the satisfied grin that he wore right then.

Hermione was very appreciative of the darkness as well, so he couldn't see her satisfied grin.

He lifted up the blanket so she could be covered by it, too. Her back was pressed lightly against his chest. She could feel his heart beating. Steadily.

"Will you protect me?" she asked softly, after a moment.

Gladly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close and tight. She held his hands in hers protectively. Ron tingled with peace and relief.

"Do you even have to ask?" he answered in a surprised tone.

She pressed herself as close to him as she could.

Here, in his arms, Hermione felt more safe and secure than she had in her entire life.

"Sweet dreams, Hermione."

"Sweet dreams, Ron."