Chapter Text
“Okay,” Harry muttered, hands clasped tightly. “I don’t know if anyone’s listening. Or if that’s how this works. But if there is—just—just let him say yes. That’s all. I won’t even ask for anything else. I’ll—I’ll do my homework early. I’ll stop complaining about Snape. I’ll—”
Harry had never prayed before.
Not after the troll. Not after the dragon. Not after the Dursleys.
But he was now.
The dormitory door creaked open.
Harry froze.
There was a long pause.
“…What the actual hell are you doing.”
Harry whipped around so fast he nearly tipped over.
Ron stood in the doorway, hair sticking up in every direction, staring at him like he’d just walked in on a ritual sacrifice.
“I’m not—” Harry scrambled to his feet. “Nothing.”
Ron’s eyes dropped pointedly to Harry’s hands.
“You were on your knees.”
Harry snorted before he could stop himself. “On your knees.”
Ron blinked. “What?”
“Nothing.”
Ron stepped fully into the room, shutting the door behind him.
“So are we talking to the air now or…”
“No.”
Ron scrunched his face slightly.
“I was…I was praying.”
“Why?”
Harry dragged both hands down his face.
“It’s just a precaution.”
“A precaution,” Ron repeated flatly.
"I was just—you know. Being grateful. For stuff."
Ron exhaled.
“…Right. Well. If anything answers back, let me know.”
Ron waited exactly twelve seconds after Hermione sat down before saying,
“So Harry’s taken up religion.”
Hermione paused mid-bite.
"What?"
Harry closed his eyes.
Ron gestured vaguely with a piece of toast.
“I walked in last night and he was on his knees.”
“What does—” she stopped, blinking at him. “Out of all the ways you could have specified or explained what you meant, you chose to say, ‘last night he was on his knees.’”
Ron frowned. “Well he was.”
Hermione turned to Harry.
“You don’t believe in God,” she told him, assuredly.
Ron tucked his lips in and raised his eyebrows.
“I don’t understand how this concerns either of you,” Harry shot back.
Hermione furrowed her brows.
“I think we should know if you’ve gone mad,” Ron replied.
“I haven’t gone mad.”
Ron put his hands up as if Harry had drawn a wand on him.
“Whatever this is about,” Hermione said, “you can tell us. Especially if it requires…supernatural assistance.”
“Isn’t everything supernatural assistance?” Harry said, shrugging.
Ron and Hermione exchanged a look.
Harry inhaled deeply and rested his elbow on the table, saying nothing.