witchesreign | 003 // [courtyard, open-- backdated]

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003 // [courtyard, open-- backdated]

[Something is wrong. It has been days since she has last seen Harry, and that definitely is not a good sign. Where can he be? Could he have been swept back home and remained there instead of brought back here like everyone else? It has been a hectic and confusing several past weeks with the sudden setting changes that have taken place, but things have died down somewhat now that it was June. She has been hoping that Harry would show up in Garden eventually, but days soon turned into a week and naturally Hermione is beside herself with worry.

It isn't until she checked the boys' dormitory a second time that she gets the dreaded confirmation as to where Harry is-- or, in this case isn't. His name is absent on the name placard of his dormitory door. And surely it wouldn't be removed if he is still a student here…

Not sure what else to do, Hermione wanders into the courtyard where she sits herself down on a bench. Her face is a little red as she tries her best not to cry… but how can she not? One of her best friends has disappeared, possibly dead for all she knows if he has been taken back to England. Without herself and Ron there to help him, what would happen?

A sniffle escapes her, her eyes stinging with unshed tears.]

[OOC: Backdated a whole month because I fail :(]

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[She's not the only one who's taken note of Harry's absence. Every day Ron's gone to his best mate's dorm to find his name in the slot, but his knocks and hollers go unanswered. Now the one time he does go back again, there's no name, the place card is empty. Thinking that maybe it's the same case with Hermione, a bit of panic flooding him, Ron goes to check her dorm and sees, much to his relief, that her name's still there along with her roommate's name.

So now ... where could Hermione be?

Ron's going to stop by the library first. He doesn't find her. He asks the librarian only to be told that she hasn't seen the bushy-haired cadet in a few days. So he tries the cafeteria to no avail. Next the quad... and finally the courtyard.

And there she is, seated on the bench with a droop in her shoulders and her head lowered. Even from where he lingers Ron can easily tell that something's not right and he has a good idea what. Quietly he heads on over, just in time to catch the sound of a sniffle. There's a bit of dread in the pit of his stomach, and anger. Anger at his best mate for disappearing and leaving her like this.

...not that he had any right himself, not after how he'd gone and left them in the forest months back. Stupid Horcrux.]

... You alright?

[He doesn't sit, not yet, standing in front of her with his hands shoved into the front pockets of his pants.]

[Hermione doesn't need to look up to know who is talking to her-- she can recognize that voice anywhere. She gives another sniffle, dabbing her eyes with her sleeve before answering in a thick voice:]

Oh, Ron. Harry's gone. I just checked the boys' dormitory and his name's been removed from his dormitory door.

[She looks up at him finally, her expression desperate.]

What do we do? Harry can't go back on his own!

[Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, the redhead nods once, his expression solemn.] Yeah. I saw.

[There are a lot of times in the past when he's made her cry. Too many actually. Nearer to their fifth or so year at Hogwarts, only then did he ever start to grow a conscience and feel absolutely horrible for what he'd say to make her cry or get upset.

And now... Hermione's actually crying, wiping at her eyes and all. It really does bother him.

Ron sees her now and it crushes him, both the sight of her distress as well as the news of Harry being gone. The spot on the bench next to her is open so he takes it and pauses a brief moment as if to internally debate on it, and then he slides his arm around her shoulder.]

There ain't much that we can do here, 'Mione.

[Her initial anger at Ron when she first arrived slowly dissipated as time wore on, and now that Harry was gone she needed a shoulder to lean on more than ever. Wordlessly she leaned against him, her face pressing into his shoulder as she cried silently.

They all literally bore the weight of the world on their shoulders. If they weren't together trying to find all the Horcruxes, trying to find a way to defeat Voldemort once and for all, what would happen? Now that Harry was back in their world on his own, how could he keep running on his own from the Death Eaters, trying to gather all the information and clues as to where the other Horcruxes were hidden? They were just barely of age. It wasn't until they finally had a chance to breath, a momentary reprieve from their ultimate goal did the weight of everything truly settle in...]

[It surprises him and makes him feel all the more awkward that she's full-on crying into his shoulder. She's only done that once, in their third year. But Ron shifts more towards her so she's comfortable and his arm tightens to pull her closer, the strange need to protect and shelter her while she's vulnerable this way growing more than ever.

He says nothing as he lets her cry it out, letting his head rest against hers, fingers gently squeezing her shoulder.]

[After a long while, Hermione manages to pull herself off of his shoulder, dabbing her eyes and sniffling before she asks in a thick voice:]

Oh, Ronald; what do we do?

[Knowing the meaning behind her distressed question Ron can only shake his head. He keeps his arm around her shoulders and looks down at his lap, then off to the side.]

Don't know. But I think the big question is where do we even start?

[With Harry gone ... it's just them again.]

We're absolutely useless here. Why couldn't we have returned with Harry? I hate not being there to help him; what if he's already been caught? Harry needs us.

I want to be with Harry just as bad as you, Hermione, but if there's nothing we can do then there's nothing we can do. Just means we gotta work harder on findin' a way home. 'Sides, if Harry's alone back home he'll be smart and careful.

[Yeah right, Ron. Harry's as reckless as they come, just like his father. But Ron's trying to get at is that Harry will probably really think things through this time.]

Ron, you know Harry is the opposite of smart and careful. [Hermione sniffles at the thought. What would become of Harry?] We really... we really need to find a way back to him.

[Ron opens his mouth to argue with her, to point out that Harry is all sorts of smart and careful but hearing her sniffle and seeing how upset she is... he sighs.]

Harry's a bit impulsive - yeah - but we gotta have faith in him. Believe in him; he needs all the support he can get, Hermione.

[And that includes this stupid distance they have between him and themselves, this stupid Time Compression keeping them from getting back to defeating Voldemort and destroying the Horcruxes.]

[Apollo's definitely pinged by the sight of a pretty girl, even if he's not really sure why he feels like something's off. Running up to her, he waves as he screeches to a halt just before her.]

Hey there, sweetheart. You alright?

[Oh, how embarrassing! She hadn't meant to start crying in such a public place, but it was difficult not to stop. Thankfully she wasn't completely sobbing, and instead gave a small sniffle before dabbing her eyes with her sleeve.]

I-- I'm quite alright, thank you. [Okay, so Hermione has never been the best liar.]

You sure about that? [without any hesitation whatsoever, he retrieves a handkerchief from his pocket and hands it over to her] I know I'm not the guidance counselor, but you can talk to me if you're not feeling that great.

[She gives him a watery smile, reaching forward to take the hankerchief from him.]

T-thank you...

[Hermione dabs her eyes and nose, taking several deep breaths to try and gather herself. Finally, she speaks in a small, shaky voice:] One of my best friends... he's disappeared.

[He's tempted to say "is that it?" but Apollo pushes that thought back.] Jeez... I'm sorry to hear that. I guess things aren't going well back in your world, are they?

[If it were him who disappeared, he'd be thrilled, but that's just him wanting to see his kids again.]

[Still sniffling, Hermione shakes her head while dabbing her eyes with the handkerchief.]

It's-- it's quite dangerous for him to go back to our world on his own. We all have a very dangerous task that we must complete, and he can't do it alone.

You've just gotta believe in him. [Apollo's not really sure why this feels familiar, other than it does, so he's just going with his gut reaction.] I know this sounds weird and crazy, but he's got other friends back in England, right?

I'm sure he can do it even if you're not there physically... I mean, you're with him right here. [gestures towards her heart] So he's never alone.

[Hermione tries to manage a small smile, but it falters as she sniffles again.]

He does have other friends, but-- but he can't trust anyone else with what we have to do. It's… it's supposed to be a secret. It's far too dangerous to involve anyone else.

[Well that speech epically backfired. Apollo sighs. What else can he do now....?]

Mm... I don't know what else to tell you. I used to be able to read the future, but Time Compression's made it difficult. Maybe you guys are still there with him - and TC's making you think you're here - or he'll come back or who knows what.

[That whole "being able to read the future?" thing is a slip of his tongue. He just hasn't realized it yet.]

[But Hermione, ever so keen, catches on to the little slip.]

... 'Read the future'? [She can't help but be slightly wary; she's taken Divination with Professor Trelawney and it hasn't exactly left the best impression on her.]

Are you a Seer?

[The mention of a Seer gives him pause. They exist, but he practically invented them...]

Better than one. You know how their predictions are erratic and sometimes unreliable? Mine happen whenever I want, tell me whatever I want, and they never fall flat.

[It was a pretty normal day for Dawn - first she went to classes, then she came to the Courtyard with Luxray and fed him. But today, sitting on the bench she normally sat on, was her roommate, Hermione. Naturally, Dawn was going to say hello.. but she definitely didn't look like she was feeling too well.]

Hermione..? What's wrong?

[Hermione recognized the voice that belonged to her roommate. Quickly wiping the tears from her cheeks with her hands, she looked up at Dawn to try and smile-- but it falls short.]

My... one of my best friends disappeared and I'm very worried about him...

[Dawn doesn't say anything initially. She plops down on the bench, and pulls Hermione into an embrace.]

Hermione.. I'm sorry.

[Hermione returns the embrace, sniffling as she does so.]

I- I'm so worried-- he can't return home on his own. [A hiccup interrupts her.] It's too dangerous for him.

Time compression is unpredictable, you know.. He could return, or you could go back. You just have to be optimistic..

[Dawn pats her back a couple times in an attempt to reassure her.]

[Hermione nods, and finally pries herself away from Dawn, drying her eyes on her sleeve once more.]

You're right. There isn't... anything I can do. What's done is done. I just have to hope for the best.

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003 // [courtyard, open-- backdated]

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