Perhaps the worst part of it was that Ron sounded as unsure as Hermione felt. Whether it was a result of having been in Gryffindor house or otherwise, fear was an emotion and a reaction that Hermone had always been intensely aware of, a part of herself that she tried her best to work past every single day. Of course, fear itself could never be fully eradicated, and needed to remain in order for courage to exist at all— but it was always so much harder to be brave when either Harry or Ron sounded shaken. With her heart feeling very much as though it was beating around her neck, Hermione squeezed Ron's hand, then led the both of them further inside, sitting on top of the mattress in case her legs might actually give out under her.

"There should be plenty of others there who are... better suited to exploring Rapture, even without magic," Hermione nodded resolutely, toeing off her shoes and curling her legs under her on the bed. "And Harry wouldn't be foolish enough to wander out on his own, not here." Pressing her lips together, she sounded pained when she shook her head at last.

"No, I don't think we should head back just yet. If we do, we'll probably end up missing him somehow. But if he isn't back in the next hour or so, maybe we should talk to the ITF," she suggested, brows knit in worry as she looked up at Ron again. "Hopefully Harry has his radio transceiver on him."