Wanted: Someone Who Cares

"Eeeee!"

Parvati covered her mouth with her hands and rocked back and forth on a couch. She, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lavender, Seamus, Dean, Ginny, and Priscilla (Parvati's sister) were playing truth or dare. It was Christmas break, and the fifth years (with the exception of Ginny, in fourth year, and Priscilla, in first,) were seated comfortably in front of the Common Room fire in various armchairs and couches, which they had to themselves. Parvati had just screamed because Seamus had told them that he and Lavender had exchanged a kiss.

"OK, my turn," said Seamus, his face like a rising sun. He looked at his expecting classmates. "Ron, truth or dare?" Ron, who was sitting on the floor in front of a couch, smiled, put his hands behind his head, and leaned back onto the couch, crushing Ginny's foot.

"OW!" she screamed. Ron blushed a little.

"Sorry," he said. He turned to Seamus. "Depends," he said. "What's the truth and what's the dare?"

"The truth is, reveal your biggest fear," said Seamus. Even though everyone present knew Ron's biggest fear was spiders (except Priscilla). Still though, Ron knew they would make a big deal out of it, and it was getting pretty embarresing the fact that he always went so red.

"What's the dare?" he asked, eager to hear his other option.

"Say something nice," Seamus paused for a dramatic effect, "about Snape."

Ginny burst out laughing. Dean and Priscilla kept making little snorting noises as they tried not to explode, and Hermione had tears running down her face as she silently laughed. Parvati had her hand to her forehead and was shaking her head.

"That," she said, "is the worst dare I have ever heard."

"You try it then, go on!" said Seamus, annoyed because Priscilla, Dean, and Harry had joined Ginny in laughing their heads off.

"Fine then," said Parvati. She put up her hand to scilence the laughing Common Room, and everyone took deep breaths and eventualy stopped, except for Ginny, who every time she took a deep breath, would burst out laughing again. Harry had to give his girlfriend a pillow in the end, which she took gratfully and stuck in her face. Parvati turned to Ron, and the glow from the fireplace and her high backed chair made her look like she was sentencing him to death.

"Ron, I dare you to spend the next fourty-eight hours in the Forbidden Forest with nothing but the robes on your back," Parvati said.

"You are good," said Seamus in awe.

Everyone turned to Ron, who had gone very white. Hermione, who was sitting on Ginny's right, leaning over to Ron.

"Oh, don't do it Ron! You'll get into trouble! It's Forbidden! You- " she started to go on, but Harry, who was on Ginny's other side, pulled her back up.

"That's never stopped us before, has it, Miss It's-OK-To-Go-Into-Moaning-Myrtle's-Bathroom," said Harry in a low voice. Hermione blushed. Ginny, who had finally removed the pillow from her face, looked down at the top of her brother's head and put a hand on his shoulder. Ron looked up at her and said "Truth."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Something in the tone of Ron's voice wasn't right. It was kind of like he was going to say "Well, I'm most afraid of your dare."

Ron took a deep breath. "I'm afraid of spiders," he said. Parvati sighed.

"Well, we all know that. I was just hoping it was a cover up fear or something. OK, your turn."

"I think I'll go to bed. Night." Said Ron. He went upstairs. Ginny started to get up after him, but Harry squeezed her hand, and he and Hermione went after him.

Ron's bed hangings were closed when Harry and Hermione reached the dormitry. The two friends walked over to them.

"You're not supposed to be in her Hermione," said Ron's voice, a bit muffled. Harry pulled open the hangings.

Ron was lying on his bed, face down, with his face burried into his pillow. He turned around and sat up. "Guys," he said, "Parvati's right. Spiders aren't my biggest fear."

"But the boggart," said Hermione as she slowly sat down next to him, and Harry on his own bed. "in our third year....."

"Maybe back then. But you see," he looked at the both of them, "There's something I've never told you guys. Something I've never told anyone. You see, it was ten years ago......."