Ron Weasley stirred as a beam of wandlight fell across his pillow. He was aware of the sound of his curtains rustling closed and the voice of his best friend and dormmate Harry Potter whispering, "Nox" and climbing into his own bed. Ron smiled to think of Harry checking on him before heading to bed himself. He was a good mate.

Ron rolled over, attempting to settle quickly back to sleep. His nose however had other ideas, as it resumed the fierce tickling he had been experiencing most of the day. He groaned to himself and frantically fumbled about in his covers, trying to find the box of tissues he had fallen asleep with.

Hearing his sudden movements, Harry asked with concern, "Ron are you all right?"

"I'm fine Harry," He sniffed, "Just....ehhhh...looking......eh....for......" Finally giving up on the tissues, he sneezed wetly into his sleeve. "ETCHOOOOOO!!!! Etchhhhh!!!!!! Ahhhchoooo!!!! The tissues."

Harry climbed out of bed, retrieved the tissue box from the floor beside Ron's bed, and handed it to his friend. "Bless you Ron."

Ron nodded his thanks and grabbed a handful of tissues, "Thanks mate, you're a lifesaver." He turned slightly away from Harry to clear his nose, which required a series of wet gurgling blows. Harry cringed and examined at his friend with sympathy. Ron's normally fair complexion was exceptionally pale, in contrast to his nose which was deep pink and chapped from almost continuous blowing. Though his eyes had lost the glassiness of fever they had sported the previous day, they were still reddened and somewhat swollen. He looked truly miserable.

"Can I get you anything Ron?" Harry asked, wanting to do something to help his friend feel better.

Ron finished blowing then turned towards Harry shaking his head. "No thanks Harry, I'm fine." He answered in a very congested voice.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Maybe a bit," the redhead answered. "Still pretty lousy though, it's hard to tell." Harry nodded in understanding.

Harry, feeling helpless returned to his own bed, leaving his hangings open so he'd be aware if Ron did need anything. "Well let me know if you need anything during the night, I'm right here."

"Thanks Harry, I appreciate it but I plan on going back to sleep any minute now." The two exchanged their goodnights and settled into bed.

Several more sneezes from Ron, and bless you's from Harry punctuated the silence as both awaited sleep. Unfortunately for Ron, by the time his nose stopped tickling and the sneezing stopped, he seemed to find himself wide awake and unable to go back to sleep. He tried every trick he could think of and still he was wide awake. He wanted to call to Harry, to at least have someone to talk to, but he could hear snores coming from Harry's bed. He debated waking Harry. After all, Harry had offered himself, but he knew Harry must be exhausted from the long day of classes(that he had been able to sleep through), plus Quiddtch practice and studying with Hermione(that in itself was an exhausting task). So he stayed alone in bed and stared at the ceiling.

After about 15 minuted he began to realize that he was hungry, really hungry. Thinking back he realized that he hadnt had' a decent meal all day. Despite Harry's prodding, he had slept through breakfast. He and Hermione had brought him lunch but he had only eaten a few bites, and the same with the soup they brought him at suppertime. He just hadn't been hungry. At least not then. Now visions of Hogwart's best meals were dancing through his head. He really needed something to eat.

He thought about borrowing Harry's cloak and sneaking down to the kitchens. He even tried sitting up on the edge of his bed to get ready to go but the weakness and dizziness he felt convinced him that he'd never make it all the way to the kitchens, even if his sneezing didn't give him away first. Which he decided would be more likely, as he tried unsuccessfully to stifle several more sneezes into a handful of tissues. "Ishoooooo!!! Hehchoooo! Ishhhhh!"

He heard a very faintly mumbled, "Bless you." coming from Harry's bed, but nothing else. If Harry was awake, he decided, he wouldn't feel so bad asking him to get him some food. After all, he hadn't really eaten all day, nor the day before now that he thought about it.

What was that old muggle saying, "Feed a cold, starve a fever." Well, his fever was gone and he had a cold, and he really wanted to be fed. "Etchhhhhhh!" He sneezed again, and heard Harry stir slightly, but no bless you that time. He really shouldn't wake Harry he thought, but he was really so hungry, and so awake and morning was so far away. He rubbed at his nose, catching another sneeze in the tissues, "Heh...Chooooo!!!" Harry stirred slightly once more and an idea came to Ron.

He had been sneezing all day really, how could he help it if Harry happened to wake up from all the sneezing. Then, with Harry already awake, he could ask him to get him something to eat. Then it wouldn't be like he was waking him up on purpose. It would just be his rotten cold, Harry wouldn't mind, he hoped.

For a moment the tickles seemed to fade, so Ron sniffled and rubbed at his nose until they returned. He knew it wouldn't take much to set his nose off, he had spent most of the day, trying unsuccessfully not to sneeze. After a minute of sniffling the tickling was back in full force. He readied his tissues but was careful not to completely muffle the sneezes. "Ehhhhh....heh... HEHCHOOOO!!! ISHOOOOO!!!!!! Ahhhh CHOOOOO!!!!!" He felt guilty for a moment, but there really was no way to stop the sneezes once they started. "Ishhhhhhhh!!!! Etchooooo!!!!!! Etchhhhhh!!!! AhhhhCHOOOO!!!!" He blew his nose furiously, wishing he had left well enough alone, but still the sneezes continued. "Etchoooo!!!! Ishoooooo!!!!! Etchooooo!!!!!"

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Harry looking on with sympathy. "Sorry, Harry," he breathed. "Hehchooooo! Didn't mean to wake you. Ishhhhhhhh!" Finally the sneezes subsided and he blew his nose with a long gurgling sound, trying in vain to clear his congestion.

"Are you ok?" Harry asked with worry in his voice. Ron nodded and continued tending to his nose. "Are you sure I cant ge't you anything Ron, maybe some tea would help clear you up."

Ron felt terribly guilty taking advantage of Harry, but the tea did sound fantastic to him. "That would be brilliant Harry, are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

Harry shook his head, "Of course not, anything that'll help you feel better."

"And stop all that bloody sneezing!" Called a sleepy voice from the other side of the dormitory.

"Sorry mates!" Ron called hoarsely, having forgotten his other dormmates.

"I'll head down to the kitchens for a pot of tea, is there anything else you'd like?" Harry asked., pulling his cloak out of his trunk.

"Well," Ron began, "If you don't mind, I'm feeling a little hungry too...... But if it's too much trouble...."

"Don't be silly Ron, what would you like?"

Ron hesitated for a just a moment then began, "Well maybe some soup, and perhaps some bread or a sandwich, or maybe some cake to go along with the tea, or....."

He looked up the sound of Harry's laughter, "I'm thinking you must be feeling a bit better after all Ron."

Ron grinned sheepishly and nodded, "I guess maybe I am." He lay in bed eagerly awaiting Harry's return form the kitchens. He was shocked when Harry entered the dorm empty handed, but smiled to see Dobby close behind him pushing a large cart, loaded with food.

Harry helped him position his pillows to sit up and brought him a small tray for his tea, soup, and the sweet cakes that Dobby had delivered. Ron ate happily after the tea and soup had cleared his congestion. He then dozed off sitting up, the last bite of the last sweet cake still between his fingers.

Harry gently removed the cake from his fingers and eased him back into a lying position. "Feel better Ron, and sleep well." He whispered as he snugly tucked the blankets around his sleeping friend and returned to his own bed.