Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived

Chapter One - Charmed and Bonded (TBWL)

Harry's dorm mates had left on the train earlier that day after Dumbledore’s funeral. After the service Professor McGonagall had asked Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny to remain to wait for an escort of Order members, then she had turned to Neville and Luna.

Neville had remained to help Professor Sprout tend to some urgent matters in Greenhouse 3. Neville had been delighted when Professor Sprout offered to let him stay in the small flat attached to the greenhouses. It was usually reserved for guests, but he needed to be close to the greenhouse to protect the plants from the Glumbumble. Professor Sprout had explained that they had an unusually large infestation of them this year. Without constant supervision, the Glumbumble can infect the plants with a melancholy-inducing treacle. This made the plants completely unusable for potion work. She had a very important, but rather quick trip she needed to make before the start of the next term. She had asked him to remain behind to protect the valuable plants.

Luna had remained behind because she had nowhere to go. Her father was off on an expedition, chasing after the elusive Narglesap, Professor McGonagall explained. Until the members of the Order came to get Harry and the others, she was perfectly content to read the Quibbler in her common room. Ginny and Hermione had offered to let her stay in Gryffindor tower with them, but Luna had declined. She told them that she was afraid of being infected by the Horklump, she was positive that she had seen one near the Gryffindor tower the day before.

McGonagall had explained to the others, that they were still in the Gryffindor tower because the Order couldn’t spare anyone to guard the trip out of Hogwarts until the day after next. Harry and Ron were secretly thrilled, despite the sadness of the day’s events; they had one more chance to fly on a real Quidditch Pitch.

In the light of the earl afternoon, Ron awoke with a start. He had been dreaming of a Quidditch victory and celebration party, not unlike the one that Harry had shared with Ginny. The dream had been so vivid. The colors, the sounds, everything had felt like it was happening right then and there. He imagined that he could still feel her hands on his arm, he breath on his cheek.

Harry came to bed last night, but had left after tossing quietly for hours, which meant that Ron should be alone in the large room. He heard a noise; it sounded almost like the curtains rustling around his bed. He heard the noise again before it dawned on him that no one was in the room to make the noise. It was then that the terror began to build. His heart pounded wildly in his chest as he listened with bated breath for any sound of an intruder. He was slowly stretching to reach his wand, before he was attacked, when he heard it. The most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

“Ron,” breathed Hermione, her tears soaking into his sleeve, “Don’t move yet.”

Ron felt as if his face would split in two, that his grin was enormous. He tried to move his arm to pull her close, but it wouldn’t move. He felt Hermione shift closer to him, awakening the nerves in his sleepy arm and sending shiver throughout his body.

It was the tingling sensation in his arm that woke him fully. Dumbledore’s funeral and the subsequent emotional hours yesterday afternoon had led to the current situation in which Ron happily found himself.

“Hermione?” Ron whispered, hoping she wouldn’t move.

“Mmm. Yes?” She mumbled with her face buried in his chest.

“Do you want to…” He started to ask.

“No. Never.” She answered before he could finish the question.

Ron had been about to ask her to move off of the arm that was asleep, but her answer did not fit in his mind.

Suddenly, he understood, and he felt like the world’s biggest git.