Another fic written for a 100 Theme Challege! This theme was "Time is Running Short."

Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.

It was a weird sensation: though she could see that she was standing in the flames, she couldn't feel anything except the icy potion that was coursing through her veins. She passed through the fire and opened the door before the potion could wear off, and she was back in the chamber with the passed out troll.

She ran very quickly across the chamber, holding her robes up to cover her nose as she got close to the troll. Once at the other side, she wrenched open the door to get to Ron and then to get Dumbledore.

Crossing the giant chess set, Hermione saw Ron still lying on the floor, not moving. She ran over to him as fast as she could, kneeling down next to him.

"Ron? Ron! Please wake up!" she said, some tears starting to fall down her cheeks. She shook Ron roughly, slapped his face, yet he still showed no signs of coming round.

"Oh please, please, don't be dead, Ron, come on," she continued, her tears falling freely. It didn't matter that he had always teased her, or that he didn't pay attention in lessons. Right now, he was one of her only friends at Hogwarts; a brave, silly, immature boy with a loving family, and he was not going to die.

And suddenly, miraculously, Ron opened his eyes.

"Oh, Ron, you're alright!" Hermione said gleefully. She helped him up off the ground and gave him a tight hug once he was able to stand on his own. "I thought you had —"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," said Ron, patting Hermione awkwardly on the back. "Where's Harry? Why are you back already?"

"He's gone in to face Snape himself," she said, biting her lip in worry as she thought about what might be happening to Harry now. "But we've got to get out and go get Dumbledore."

Ron looked very pale at the thought of Harry trying to defend himself against Snape.

"You're right, we should get going."

They hurried out of the room with the chess board and into the chamber with the flying keys.

"Harry said we should grab the broomsticks and fly our way up past Fluffy," Hermione said, looking nervously at the broomsticks lying on the floor. She turned to Ron and said, "You know, I really, really, hate flying."

Ron, who would have in any other circumstance started teasing Hermione about her fear of flying, held back his jokes and instead said, "Just don't think about the actual flying too much. Think about how we're going to get Dumbledore and help Harry."

Hermione took a deep breath. "Okay," she said, "I'm ready."

They both grabbed a broomstick and mounted them. They pushed off from the ground, Hermione a little more unsteady than Ron, and started flying back up the dimly lit passageway towards the Devil's Snare.

"You alright?" Ron called back to Hermione.

"Yes! Let's just hurry!" she yelled back.

They zoomed up the dark tunnel, which was a great deal shorter when flying, and emerged next to Fluffy, who was very much awake.

"Quick!" said Ron, who jumped off of his broom and sprinted for the door. Hermione was close behind him.

Hermione wrenched Fluffy's door shut before he could take a bite at them. As soon as the door was closed, they ran flat out for the Owlery to send an owl to Dumbledore.

As they got nearer to the entrance hall, they were both breathing heavily from so much running. They were also attracting attention from other students, who were pointing at the little first years running, covered in muck and sweat.

"Just – a bit – further," said Ron.

But before they could catch their breaths for another dash up to the Owlery, who should be standing before Ron and Hermione but the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore. And before either of them could start explaining anything that had happened, he spoke.

"Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?"

Liked it? Hated it? Want more like it? However you felt, leave a review! They make me the happiest 3

~HPLives