This was my August Roll-A-Drabble challenge from the Facebook Group Hermione's Haven. My Pairing was Hermione and George and the prompt was Keeping Warm. I am considering using this as a link to one of my other challenges which featured both Hermione and George and a looming marriage law. It is called "Before I Go". Only Time and my muse can tell. I hope that you enjoy this little drabble. Reviews are always welcomed but never required.
I'll Keep You Warm
George looked around at the party going on in the common room. It was ongoing even in the absence of the guest of honor, Harry Potter. He had last been seen walking about with Victor Krum.
He spotted his brother Ron across the room. He was still a bit dreamy over the kisses that Champion Fleur DeLacour had bestowed upon him, but was now talking with Dean and Seamus about the perceived danger he was in at the hands and fins of the merpeople at the bottom of Black Lake. The one that he was searching for and the one that he missed was nowhere to be seen.
Wondering what had become of the witch and no longer interested in partying, George nodded to his twin across the room who was chatting up their friend Lee Jordan in regards to the betting for the third and final task.
Leaving the common room and heading down to the quiet room that he and Fred had commandeered as a place to plan and create some of their exclusive products, he heard someone crying with their teeth chattering. Not a common sound so he decided to investigate further.
In the very first quiet room, he found her. Bundled up in seemingly an impossible amount of blankets sat Hermione Granger, her teeth chattering with silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She sat staring as though in shock not hearing the shuffling of feet as George entered the room.
Approaching her quietly, George kneeled before her staring into her unseeing eyes and wondered what was going through the witch's head when she had not bothered to greet him as she would have under normal circumstances.
He reached into the pile of blankets at the approximate place her hands should be and pulled her hand forward, noticing how cold her hand felt, despite the number of blankets surrounding her.
"Granger, are you all right?" questioned George staring into her eyes intently. Concerned when she didn't respond, he squeezed her hand gently "Mione, hey love, are you there?" he asked again, snapping his fingers in front of her face before reaching forward and placing the back of his hand against her forehead to test her temperature as he had seen his mother do on numerous occasions.
The touch of his hand against her face startled Hermione from her shock and she gasped for breath, staring at George, staring at her. Noticing his concerned face, she realized that she had been crying and was still frozen, despite the alarming amount of blankets she had wrapped herself in as well as the warming charms that she had used. Embarrassed to be found in this state, she hastily pulled back her hand from where he was holding it and wiped the tears from her cheeks before pulling the blankets closer around her once again.
"Sorry George, was there something that you needed?" Hermione asked feeling his hand slide from her face, but wanting the comfort of leaning into it, she pulled back from him.
"Naw Granger, I was just passing by when I spotted you in here. I was concerned when you didn't respond when I asked you how you were doing." Replied George, noticing that she was still shivering. "Are you still that cold from the dunk in the lake waiting for your champion?"
"A bit, I can't seem to get warm at all." Replied Hermione looking a bit lost.
"Well you are in luck then," said George with a mischievous smirk upon his face.
Raising her eyebrow in question, while her teeth began to chatter, she asked: "How so?"
Smiling even wider, he replied "Well, you see this brilliant witch gave my brother and I a very useful Christmas gift this year. It was a thoroughly muggle present, however it was remarkably useful in its simplicity. It has inspired many new ideas for products in fact."
"And what was this remarkable gift that the brilliant witch gave to you?" Hermione asked.
"It was a book of course on first aide and a fully stocked medic kit," George replied grinning. "At first we might have been put out that you believed that we could hurt ourselves to require a gift as such, but quickly understood the good intentions behind it and even appreciate it more now."
"And how will this help me?" asked Hermione with more animation returning to her face.
"Well I do recall a piece in the book that mentions surviving extreme cold, and though we aren't trapped in the snow, your pretty lips look like they are turning blue."
Hearing the comment about her lips, made Hermione's cheeks begin to blush, but could not stop her from shivering again violently. Realizing what he meant by the passage in the book she began to stutter.
"George Weasley, we are not going to strip off, so that you can warm me up!" cried Hermione only a little bit indignantly.
"How about, and don't hex me for this, we slice the back of your top and I will unbutton mine and I will just hold you. I don't know how you aren't warming up under all of those blankets Mione. Maybe allow me to hold you until the shivers stop and your lips aren't blue anymore."
Feeling a bit shy, but unsure how to get warm without traipsing through the freezing castle Hermione nodded, moving to get up and allow George to arrange things.
Once they were settled down, back to front on the couch, bare feet wrapped together in about half of the blankets, her shivers began to lessen and she felt almost safe in George's arms.
"Better Mione?" asked George, his lips close to her ear.
"Please don't call me Mione, George. Call me Granger or Hermione."
Feeling pleased that her shivers were slowing and her fingers felt warmer in his hands. He asked the witch that he wanted to keep warm and close to forever.
"Would it be ok if I called you My Own?"