[title]
A/N: It's another one-shoooooooooot! I'm telling you, that's all I'll ever be able to write at this point.
This one is for a really fun challenge that I wish was for Sherlock (like I said, I strongly disagree with Johnlock): it's The SuperMegaFabby Friendship Only Challenge from Forever Siriusly Sirius! Love the idea, love the username… so, here we go. :D The title is from a Christian contemporary song by Natalie Grant ("Held"—specifically the chorus: "This is what it is to be held"…). Look it up, it makes me want to cry sometimes…
Love,
Arwen ;)
To Be Held
Hermione woke in the middle of the night to the sound of quiet sobs. They were coming from the bed directly to her left, and she frowned slightly. Glancing at her watch, she noted that it was a few minutes past two in the morning.
Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she quietly dropped down to the floor and pulled aside the hangings of the bed next to her.
Ginny Weasley gasped, startled; her face was streaked with tears and she was shaking slightly. Hermione gave her a once-over and immediately enveloped Ginny in her arms.
For a long time, they sat in silence, Ginny still crying quietly on Hermione's shoulder. Slowly, however, as they sat on the bed, moonlight streaming through the parted bed hangings, Ginny's sobs began to subside.
Hermione handed Ginny a box of tissues from Ginny's nightstand; the twelve-year-old took them with a brief smile of thanks, wiping her eyes and nose. Hermione watched her friend closely as she did this.
"Bad dream?" Hermione asked.
Ginny nodded, too tired to speak. Hermione understood; even now, four months after Ginny had been possessed by Tom Riddle's diary, the young girl was still plagued by nightmares, dreams of the oppressive dark magic that had seized her, directing her as if she was no more than a marionette in a hellish puppet show.
Ginny shivered, more from the lingering fear caused by the nightmare than from the slight chill of the dormitory. Suddenly, her bottom lip quivered again, and she reached out her arms plaintively, like a hurt, frightened child, like the twelve-year-old she truly was.
Hermione held her, rocking Ginny back and forth gently as a fresh wave of tears flowed from Ginny's eyes, tears welling up in Hermione's own as she stroked Ginny's long red hair.
And for the first time in several weeks, wrapped in Hermione's embrace, Ginny truly felt safe.