Opposites Attract

'Join me to honor those who lost their lives for Dumbledore's army.'

Hermione's POV:

My face was red the entire time the latest Sorting took place. We got 50 new Gryffindors, and Ron turned to me and said, 'Blimey! They're so short!'

I laughed. 'We used to be that short too, Ronald,' I said, smiling. 

'You and Harry did when we were eleven. I was that short when I was nine,' he said and jiggled his leg, impatient for food. I laughed and shook my head, remembering the time I asked him if he would ever stop eating. 

'Psst! Granger!' I heard from behind me and I turned my head ever so slightly. It was Draco, leaning over the bench, trying to whisper. He was so close that he was almost going to fall off the bench completely. 

'Psst! Malfoy!' I whispered back and laughed as he rolled his eyes. 

'Meet me at the Astronomy Tower at midnight,' he said then turned around as McGonagall cleared her throat. 

'Welcome back to Hogwarts, and some welcome!' She started. 'First off, I would like to give an especially warm welcome to those who came back to finish their education. Welcome back!' She started clapping and the staff joined in, as well as some of the younger students who were there at the war.

'Now, during the last year's events, we lost friends, family, and foes alike. Now, will you please all join me to honour those who lost their lives for Dumbledore's army as we give them a moment of silence,' she said, waving her wand and banners rolled out from the walls with their faces. I saw Fred's and glanced at Ron, who was staring at his plate, tears sliding down his cheeks. 

I looked up, my head on his shoulder and saw banners with Snape's, Fred's, Lavender Brown's, Lupin's and Tonks', Dumbledore and other people's that I didn't recognize faces on them. The banners rolled up and McGonagall cleared her throat. I looked at her and you could see all the way from over where we were sitting you could see the tears in her eyes. Hagrid had his face in his hands, his giant shoulders shaking. 

'Remember,' McGonagall said in a watery voice. 'We need not mourn them. Yes, we miss them, our friends, families, and even foes. But it is better to remember everything they achieved while they were here with us. As Albus Dumbledore would say, '"After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." '

I smiled sadly at her heart-warming speech and she snapped her fingers, then food appeared on the tables. I looked at Ron, already expecting him to have a full plate but my best friend wasn't there. I looked at Harry, who shrugged. I got up, trying to be discreet as I sneaked a roll into my robe pocket and walked out to go look for him. 

He wouldn't be in the common room, we didn't know the password yet, and he wasn't in the kitchens, talking with the house-elves that he had taken a liken to ever since the war. When I stopped there, they gave me a whole basket of food that I planned to give to Ron, who would most likely eat it all in ten minutes at the most. 

I didn't realize where I was going until I stopped in a familiar corridor. I started pacing back and forth three times, thinking, I need somewhere to meet Ron. I need to know where he is. I have to find him.

When I opened my eyes back up, there was an arched doorway. I opened it quietly and saw the red-head sobbing loudly, curled in a tight ball on the couch, his head in his knees.

'Ron?' I asked so quietly I don't think he heard me. His breathing hitched for a second but then he continued sobbing.

I sighed and walked over to him and hugged him. After a while, he stopped crying, and he sat up straight with red puffy eyes.

'Oh yeah!' I said and pulled out the food I had brought. 'Here Ron.'

He hiccuped. 'Thanks 'Mione.' And took the roll from the basket and started eating little bits and pieces of it.
We talked for a while later and soon we both drifted off to sleep, my head in his lap.