Harry and Ron are standing on either side of her bed, and Harry's hand finds her own. She has to control herself to not slip her fingers through his, to say, "I'm here. Please don't give up on me." Brilliant as she is, she's no stranger to loneliness, or the crushing she'd felt in her chest as a child when the pair of them couldn't stand her. And just as Hermione thinks to open her eyes, she is startled to discover she can't.