This occurred to me while I was lying in bed one night. Not just any night, but one night that preceeded a day when I had to get up early because I had an important don't-remember-what-thing. It's always happened to me. I have an exam next day-- bang! I can't fall asleep. I have to travel next day-- bang! I can't fall asleep. I start classes next day-- bang! I can't fall asleep. I say "Let's go to bed early this time and have more sleep", and I waste hours turning around in bed, when I could read a book, write, use the computer instead. So this particular time, I canalized that huge gap in my night to something more useful and artistic (well, not that much), and thought: What would Hermione do? And that depressed me, because I saw that Hermione, at least, would have a Ron next to her. Duh.
I think that many people might feel some emphathy with Hermione, and hence, with me, reading this story. Just hope you'll be able to have a good night today! ;D
Many thanks to my friend Lisa for beta-reading it And thanks to you if you comment! Remember, good critiques don't hurt, they help!
Dessi
Disclaimer: No, I don't own anything related to Harry Potter because it happens that a lady called JK Rowling came up with it first. Damn it! ;P
Insomnia
A sonorus crack, amplified in her head, made her jump on the bed, abruptly breaking the sleep that had taken half an hour to come.
'Ron, what'n Merlin's bloody beard're ya doin' here?' she managed to mumble, mopping her eyes.
'Blimey, I–' stumbled Ron, seeing that she did not seem in the mood for late night visits. 'I'm not gonna lie, I wanted to sleep with you, Hermione.'
'I'm afraid that's not possible,' she said, falling back on her pillow.
'And why not if I can know? We haven't been together in ages!' he protested.
'I've got to wake up very early tomorrow, and it took me a while to fall asleep before you came,' explained Hermione, pissed off.
'Come on, you'll sleep better if you have me,' retorted Ron, sitting on the bed and putting away her arms with which she covered her head, to kiss her. He knew she would yield.
Fifteen minutes to 1am. Hermione was still awake. Next on the bed, his back turned to her, Ron had been snoring slightly for the last ten minutes. What an inconsidered git, she thought, coming to rouse her, getting what he wanted and falling asleep before her. You're being slightly unfair, Hermione, her conscience told her. You didn't say no– good heavens, how could you–, he's tired, he has to wake up early too and he's an easy sleeper. Hermione wondered whether the Muffliato casted on the walls all around still worked, and if Ginny had heard Ron Apparating. She was not supposed to know about Ron spending the night in the same apartment as her, with Hermione: he did not want her and Harry to think that they had the right to sleep together as well. Very stupid reasoning, thought Hermione. As if they needed us to take the lead, to be the green light they need to do the same. I bet more than once they've casted the Muffliato on me... or even us. She actually had no objections to whatever they did, they loved each other, they were going serious and they both were grown-ups. Perhaps if she and Ron had not taken that step yet (and she believed they had taken it way before the other two), she would be more censoring about them, but since she was happy, she could not find a reason for Harry and Ginny being unhappy. Of course nothing of that mattered to Ron, who insisted on keeping their intimacy in extreme secret and became unbearable at Hermione trying to make him understand and insinuating the faintest thing. In spite of that, Hermione still found their furtive meetings very entertaining, to say a word, and had no complaints. But at some point, it should be obvious, for instance, when they got married. I mean, when we do it, if we ever do that, it's not like I want to get married right now, or Ron... Who can say he's even thought about it. But no hurries and no worries. I have to enjoy this stage as much as I can. But what if we never move on from this stage? Is it a bad sign? Don't be silly, Hermione. Shut up and try to sleep. Yet Morpheo was taking his time.
It had been a hot day, and night had brought little relief. Although Ron was not embracing her, his body added to the general heat in the medium-sized bed. Hermione picked up her wand from the bedside table and pointed it to the switch controlling the ceiling fan, to make it go faster.
Half past one. Hermione almost knocked down the clock as she sat on the bed, put on a camisole and slippers and sneaked to the bathroom. The reflection in the mirror predicted a very crappy aspect for her when the morning came. She spilt fresh water on her hands and quickly sank her face in it. Then she took her mass of partly wet hair and straightened it back in a pony tail. On her way through the kitchen, she summoned a glass and poured some cold water from her wand. Hermione gulped it down right away. The bedroom window was open to let the scarce breeze in. The brunette approached it and looked up outside. There were no clouds; it was a clean, starry night.
Climbing back to the bed, Hermione propped herself up over Ron, who had not moved ever since she left, and kissed him. To her surprise, he kissed her back in a way that would never suggest he was asleep.
'Hey. What's up with you?' he asked softly in a sleepy voice.
'You've been awake all this time?'
'No. I woke up when you left.'
'Sorry, I tried not to make any noise,' apologized Hermione. It was true, but it was a small comfort that she had paid back to Ron.
'You didn't. I just noticed you were gone,' explained Ron simply.
'How could you do that, it's really hard to wake you up!' Hermione exclamed, looking amused.
'Dunno. So what's wrong, Hermy? Trouble sleeping?'
'Shush with that name,' frowned Hermione. He had recently taken the habit of using that old, giant-fancied nickname to pick up on her. 'And I told you when you arrived that I wasn't having a good night, I still can't fall asleep again.'
'I thought I could cheer you up. Didn't work?' replied Ron, looking disappointed.
'It's not that,' denied Hermione, 'but I really need some sleep rather than to be cheered up, and it's as if I couldn't turn off my mind at all.'
'Come here.'
Hermione laid back next to him and buried her face on his bare chest, as he surrounded her with his arms.
'We'll fall asleep at the same time, you'll see,' he whispered reassuringly, caressing her spine. 'Just put your mind blank for five minutes, it's easy.'
A quarter past two. And she was still awake. Ron was asleep, again, and she was awake, still. What damned luck. In two days I wouldn't have minded, Ron and I could have been awake together all night long, doing a million things, and I wouldn't have complained, but I had to have trouble sleeping on the day I need to get up earlier than usual. Bravo, Hermione.
She sighed against Ron's chest and drew circles on it with a finger. Hermione had been right that it would take more than that to rouse him. Then how had he sensed her absence? Did he truly love her with all his being, that he felt her in his sleep? Or was she fatter than she thought, so as to make a difference when she left the mattress? First reason, I hope. I'm not overweight at all. He had been very cute, though. But how would they manage if they had children, she wondered. Hermione pictured Ron taking care of the baby in the middle of the night, as a way to share their parental duties, and she melted. Of course, that was light years away. And when it happened, Hermione's body was definitely going to be overweight. Would he still find her hot, or like her, at least? Merlin's pants, look at the time you're worrying about such nonsense! She had to fall asleep, but not soon– right now. Let's put my mind blank, no thoughts, no feelings, no comments to self... now! Perfect! Her mind was blank and everything she could focus was the dark inside of her eyelids... for ten seconds. What was it ringing now? Oh, of course, that song– damn it, I did it again!
How horribly tired she would look in the morning, Hermione did not want to know. But that didn't keep her more concerned than the fact that, if her senses were affected, her project was not going to be approved, and she would have to go back to knit clothing to free house elves...
Hermione cringed. Why she couldn't fall asleep on such a crucial day? It was real tragic: why, then, couldn't she cry her eyes out at least, so she would feel tired and sleepy? Oh no... you wouldn't like to add bags and itchy eyes to the dark circles for sure.
She carefully withdrew Ron's arms from around herself and parted from him; sinking her face in the pillow, she punched it and grunted. Bloody hell!
Twenty to three. Hermione shook her head furiously until she felt dizzy. This is so childish. How could it make me sleepy when I was younger? Stupid Hermione, fall asleep! Her hand fell hard on her face. The slapping had really hurt. I'm losing my mind, please!
She pressed her eyes, desperate, and turning to Ron, she cuddled against him again, thinking of nothing. She had run out of thoughts.
Shortly after, she fell asleep.