003 // [courtyard, open-- backdated]

[outstandings.livejournal.com]

[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 :(]

Comments

[outstandings.livejournal.com]

[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?

[lionizations.livejournal.com]

[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.]

[outstandings.livejournal.com]

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.

[lionizations.livejournal.com]

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.]

[outstandings.livejournal.com]

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.

[lionizations.livejournal.com]

[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.]