Title: A simple Comfort
Summary: Scared to sleep Hermione and Ron both seek comfort from the other.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all things associated with the book belong to J.K Rowling.
Rating: G
A/N: Shortone shot, ties in to a scene in the book in which Harry wakes and finds Hermione and Ron's hands awfully close. Hermione/Ron
Hermione stiffened as she heard Kreacher mumbling to the portrait of Sirius Black's mother. The words 'mudblood' and 'filth' could be heard among some of the more inaudible mutterings. Frowning she tried to find comfort in her sleeping bag, which was made rather hard by the old lumpy pillows beneath her. Ron had insisted she sleep on them, thinking he was being chivalrous. She scowled as she shuffled this way and that way, he should try sleeping on the stale pillows. She was certain at least one of them kept moving of its own accord.
Sighing she finally gave up and lay down facing Ron, with Harry behind her. A slight smile grazed her lips as she heard Ron's mumbling of spiders and Aunt Muriel. Her hand snaked out of the blankets, slowly making its way across the short distance to Ron's sleeping bag and settling beside his hand. Although they were not touching she could feel warmth and comfort radiating from his nearby flesh. Even the squirming cushions didn't seem so bad as she lay beside him, his close proximity oddly comforting. Closing her eyes she finally let herself drift off to sleep, sandwiched between two boys who she knew would protect her from Kreacher or Death Eaters alike.
Some time later Ron opened one eye, checking his best friends were still safe. He found Hermione's hand close to his own lying beside his head. Tentatively he stretched out his fingers so that they brushed against the girl's fingertips. She stirred slightly at the soft contact but did not wake. He gingerly edged his hand closer so that their palms touched, flesh against flesh. Happy with the contact, the warmth in his hand informing him she was still there when his eyes were closed he allowed himself to drift back off in to a peaceful slumber, free of giant spiders and obnoxious aunts.
He forced his eyes to stay clamped shut as he felt Hermione's fingers close around his, holding his hand. Curious, Ron looked out from one half closed eye and could have sworn he saw Hermione's eyes hastily shut. He grinned as he closed his eyes again and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, thankful for the rare opportunity to be so close to her and the knowledge that she was safely beside him.
End.