Happy New Year readers! Enjoy this little fluffy piece! Here's to more fics in 2018!
Hermione had all but forgotten about her period. In fact, if she was being completely honest with herself she had forgotten about it. The past year had put such a strain on not only her mentality but also her body. The lack of food and stress they had faced had stopped her periods around about early October the previous year, as they moved around the country in the tent. And she hadn't thought about it since.
Well not until she was forced to have a full check up at St. Mungo's after the Battle of Hogwarts alongside Ron and Harry. There they'd mentioned it in passing but it had caught her attention, as she couldn't remember the last time she'd had it. Not that it was something she really missed but knowing that it was absent worried her.
But it was 22nd December 1998 and Hermione was in the midst of what she believed was her worst period ever. She'd spent the majority of the day on the sofa in the Burrow's living room surrounded by the Weasley's and Harry, a festive spirit flowing through the room with twinkling lights, warm mugs of hot chocolate and multiple mince pies being passed around the room alongside their endless companionship.
Hermione for the most part stayed quietly curled up with her book in her lap, Ron by her side, the short day flying by in a whirl of painful stomach cramps and constant replenishing of heat charms on her abdomen.
She knew Ron was worried about her, they hadn't seen each other much during her first term back at Hogwarts what with him being busy with auror training and her busy with the ever mounting school work. But she just wasn't in the right frame of mind to join in the happy conversations going on around her, instead she observed and felt herself being observed in return. She turned to find Ron watching her carefully, his eyes not moving away from her as she caught his stare, instead he gave her a soft smile and she felt his warm hand slide on top of her own.
"You ok?" He whispered leaning into her a little more as a round of laughter filled the room.
Hermione smiled back and nodded, her eyes heavy in the warm room and her body aching still.
"Tired?" He asked her moving his thumb gently against the thin skin on top of her hand.
"I'm fine Ron." She told him quietly with a small smile.
"Come on, we can go for a nap if you want?" He mentioned and nudged her gently with his elbow, his eyes bright in the dim lighting of the Burrow.
Hermione considered his proposal for a moment, knowing that really the polite thing to do was stay downstairs with the family but the thought of a nap, away from the bright lights and the noise filled her with a sense of longing that so obviously reached her face.
"Come on." Ron said gently watching her closely, noting the want in her eyes. He stood from the sofa, still holding Hermione's hand in his as he did so. Hermione stood quickly, closing her book and holding it in her other hand. She felt the eyes of the entire room move to them questioningly.
"M'tired." Ron mumbled with a gentle shrug of his shoulders as he continued moving from the room with Hermione in tow, the Weasley blush making itself present on the back of his neck as they shuffled their way towards the door.
There was a general reply that implied they did not believe Ron for a second, but Hermione didn't care. Finally out of the social setting and with the prospect of a warm bed and perhaps Ron holding her, she hurried her shuffling steps a little to keep up.
"Thanks." Hermione mumbled as they entered Ron's room and fell exhausted onto his bright orange bed, her book falling unceremoniously to the floor.
Ron bent to pick it up and placed it gently onto his bedside table before pulling off his woolly jumper and pulling down the covers of his bed.
Hermione watched him curiously as he wiggled down under his covers until his covered feet hit her thigh above the duvet.
"Thought you were tired?" He asked, a ginger eyebrow raised questioningly as he nudged his foot against her thigh.
"I am." She groaned and crawled up the bed and wiggled her way beneath the covers and wrapping an arm around Ron's chest, breathing him in and relishing in the warmth he created against her agitated skin.
"So am I." He whispered gently, his breath blowing her hair against her forehead.
"Thought you were bluffing?" Hermione asked sitting up slightly to look at his reaction.
"Nah, I'm shattered from training but you look…well…not great."
"Thanks Ron!" Hermione accused and quickly pulled away and onto her back looking up at his slanted orange ceiling feeling a swelling of self consciousness flow through her chest.
"No!" Ron protested quickly, rolling onto his side, his head above hers as it rested on his elbow, his blue eyes were full of emotion but ringed by dark shadows.
"No, you just-you look tired and I know you're on and that you're hurting and…"
"How do you know?" She asked, her eyebrows knitting together.
"You always got like this…quiet and tired and…I don't know. Also I lived with Ginny for however many years and if you don't think she didn't run around letting everyone know how painful it was…well you do not know my sister all that well."
Hermione chuckled despite her earlier grievance.
"But you used to get like this at school and I don't know…I guess I just picked up on it." He mumbled, his eyes softening in the wintery, afternoon sunlight.
Hermione had always believed that she had been discreet about her period, especially around the boys, but she guessed that, once again, Ron had been far more observant than she ever gave him credit for.
"Come here." He told her as he lay down, his head resting down on the soft pillows, his arms wrapping about her waist gently, his hands resting palm down against her abdomen.
"Wait…here." Hermione amended, taking a hold of his hand and moving it slightly lower, resting on the hem of her trousers, letting the warmth of his hand soothe her aching womb. With a sigh Hermione settled herself down into the soft pillows, her body lined with Ron's and the warmth he radiated seemed to ease her body instantly.
"Better?" He asked, the thumb that was pressed against her belly moving gently up and down.
"Yeah." Hermione hummed nestling closer back into him.
"Good." Ron mumbled into her hair as they fell into a dozing nest of warmth and peace.