A/N: No idea. Was listening to I'm Yours by The Script when trying to wind the down from a crummy day.
Takes place right after Malfoy Manor in Deathly Hallows. Written in twenty minutes. Unedited.
Showers
Hermione knew that Ron was worried about her, but she didn't think he would be this over-protective of her. She had only just stepped into the shower at Shell Cottage when the door opened and then closed.
'Hello?'
Hermione sighed.
'Ron?'
'Oh, thank Merlin, Hermione,' came Ron's voice. 'Are you all right?'
'I'm trying to shower, Ronald.'
'I ... I know, I'm just making sure you're okay.'
'I'm fine.'
Silence from Ron mingled with the steam and sound of the water draining.
'Are ... are you sure?'
Hermione couldn't help but let a small smile grace her face as she picked up the shampoo on the shelf and squeezed some out of the bottle and onto her hand.
'Yes, Ron,' she replied, stepping forward a bit so her hair wouldn't be directly under the running water. She ran her hands through her hair, working the shampoo into the roots. 'What makes you think I wouldn't be?'
'You seemed a might stiff the past couple hours,' Ron replied. 'I was just worried.'
Hermione watched through the shower curtain as the shadow of Ron walked across the room and sat down.
'I'm a little stiff, but the warm water is helping.'
'Warm? Hermione, it's a bloody sauna in here.'
'Language, Ronald.'
Ron snorted and Hermione smirked a bit before rinsing her hair out and then picking up the conditioner, squeezing some of the cream out and then working it through the ends of her hair and going up. She then picked up the body scrub and opened it, sniffing a bit.
Coconut wash with raspberry shampoo and conditioner? she thought. If you say so...
The scent had barely reached her nostrils after she put some on the facecloth before Ron said, 'what's that smell?'
'Erm ... coconut,' Hermione replied. 'Fleur said I could use whatever I wanted. I grabbed the closest one.'
'Oh.'
Hermione immediately felt self-concious.
'Do ... do you not like it?' she asked, dropping her hands and looking at the shadow on the curtain.
'No! I ... I think it smells really good,' Ron said.
Hermione let a small breath out before smiling a bit.
'Okay,' she said, lifting her hand up again and continuing to wash herself.
'Are ... are you, um, still feeling okay?' Ron asked.
Hermione suddenly felt awkward for she had just started cleaning between her legs.
'Yes. Yes, I am still okay,' she said, trying to keep her voice sounding neutral. 'Can ... can we not talk for a minute?'
Ron was quiet and she sighed a bit, finishing up her washing and then rinsing her hair of the conditioner.
'Ron, is my towel there or did I forget it?' Hermione asked, trying to tip him off that she was almost ready to get out without telling him to leave.
'Uh ... yeah. Yeah, it's here. Are you finished?' Ron asked.
'Just about,' she replied.
Hermione watched as Shadow Ron stood and walked over to the sink. She finished rinsing and turned off the water, squeezed her hair of the excess water and then popped her head through one side of the curtain to see Ron standing there with her towel, his face, ears and neck a bright red.
'I'll close my eyes,' he said. 'If you want me to hold your towel out for you?'
Hermione smiled at him and nodded.
'Okay,' she said. 'Close your eyes.'
Ron did as he was told and Hermione stepped out of the tub and into the warm towel. Ron wrapped it around her and she let him tug her against his chest, his hands rubbing up and down her back. She wrapped her arms around him and they held each other for a few minutes, Hermione's hair dripping over his hands and his cheek against the top of her head.
'How do you feel now?'
Ron's voice rumbled through her head and she shifted closer to him, eyes closed.
'Better than before,' she replied.
