Hermione stepped reluctantly through the flames that would take her back to Ron, not wanting to leave Harry.

The next thing she knew, Hermione was back in the chess room. She looked frantically around for Ron, her memory foggy from when she last watched him fall. Then she spotted him; fallen against the hard stone that was the chessboard. She ran over to him, and shook him.

"Wake up, Ron!"

It was, however, no use. Ron refused to wake.

Ron must've hit his head pretty hard, Hermione thought. She decided to use her magic for this. She pulled out her wand, and remembered how Ron had shouted at her just about an hour ago: "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

Hermione pursed her lips, suddenly angry with herself and Ron, and had an impulse to slap him across the head while he is unconscious. Ron was a prat for saying that, but how could she, Hermione Granger, forget she is a witch?

Hermione shook her head, promising herself she would punish herself later for her forgetfulness. She decided to focus herself on Ron.

Hermione tapped Ron's chest with her wand and said, "Ennevate."

Ron opened his eyes and blinked twice. "Hermione, what - ?"

"Ron, we don't have much time. We have to send an owl to Dumbledore. Harry's in trouble!"

"What – where is he?"

"I'll explain on the way, come on!"

Once they got to the Owlery and Ron was completely filled in, Hermione was able to find a quill and parchment in her pocket to write to Dumbledore.

"So what's going to happen with Harry?" Ron asked, as if he knew she knew.

"I don't know, but Dumbledore needs to get here before it's too late."

Ron's eyes widened as he realized what she meant. They stood in silence as Ron watched Hermione write the letter as fast as she could. Hermione finished the letter and tied it to the nearest owl.

"All we can do is hope for the best," Hermione said as they watched the bird fly off. She felt Ron's eyes on her, but she didn't dare meet them. She couldn't stand to see the sadness in those eyes.

Not even an hour later, Dumbledore came storming through the main hallway. He commanded Ron and Hermione (who were waiting for him under Harry's Invisibility Cloak) to go to the hospital wing. Hermione had never seen him look so frantic and angry, so she didn't protest. She pulled Ron by his arm off to the hospital wing, despite his protests.

"Hermione, we can't just go off to the hospital wing like nothing's happened, we have to do something!"

Hermione whipped around at Ron, red-faced, and Ron was so startled, he stepped back a few paces, though he kept him expression fierce.

"Ron, don't you understand? We are both first years, and we have done more tonight than any older student would have dreamed to do!"

Hermione ran her hand through her hair, tears welling in her eyes.

"There is nothing more we can do! We have done all we can, and now we need to let Dumbledore take over! He'll fix everything, and Harry will be fine!"

Hermione herself didn't believe her words, but she hoped Ron did. She seemed to have lost all hope tonight, but she still needed someone to keep her hope for her.

But Ron simply stood and stared at her, dumbfounded; astounded that Hermione could lose control like this. After a moment of silence, he decided not to argue for once.

"All right," he said, "let's go to the hospital wing. You're right; we've done all we can."

Hermione now was the one to look astounded. She had never heard Ron say the words "You're right" to her or anyone else for that matter. She smiled slightly at him, despite her mood, and to her surprise, he smiled back.