Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for the delay on Away on a Beach. The day I last updated I also wrote 7 pages of chapter 9, and the next day while I was at band, my dad bought a new computer and installed it, disconnecting the other one which still has my pages on it. Anyways, nothing was deleted so I'm going to try and have him install the other one so I can at least print out my pages or something. But I really am sorry! So in the meantime, I'm starting this short little Ron/Hermione story (5 chapters max) about winter and Christmastime to get everyone in the holiday spirit! So once again- I'm soo sorry for the delay on my other fic and thanks to my reviewers!
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Baby, It's Cold Outside
Chapter 1: The Chill of Mid-December
The sky was gray and overcast as the familiar face of sixteen-year-old Ron Weasley looked out the long, narrow windows of the Great Hall and sighed. It was still morning, and he had awaken surprisingly early before the rest, who were still sleeping soundly up in their dorms.
He, however, had woken from his somewhat pleasant slumber to see the sky still dark and many thoughts flooding his mind. Perhaps it had been his dream that had to do with it. He remembered his dream as if he had actually lived it, and replayed it over and over in his now conscious mind.
It was set in the middle of the night and he had dreamt himself sleeping, a huge smile on his face. Then he heard a bustle in the middle of his dorm and awoke in his dream with a clatter to see a solemn looking Hermione sitting at the foot of his four-poster bed. He remembered, in his subconscious, jerking his head around in terror until his eyes rested upon her, sitting there, in his room; in the dead of night.
Something had seemed strange, yes, but he hadn't paid it any attention. He smiled at her, though frowned when he saw her crying. Neither of them had spoken in his dream, they had only shared a bond so strong that it would knock them senseless; an emotion so deep it was overpowering. It was far from friendship and even greater beyond school crushes. It happened when he put his arm around her shoulder and she sobbed into his chest, shaking slightly, as he rubbed her back for comfort and support.
He, in his mind, had fallen for Hermione Granger, and he had fallen for her hard. He could not control his thoughts, nor his actions. He, then, lifted her chin so that her eyes met his and he poured his soul into her using only his eyes, and he read her every expression. He smiled a small, lop-sided grin, and saw her spirit heighten slightly through her tears. Using his forefinger, he wiped a tear away and brought her face closer to his. He had just closed his eyes about to go in to kiss her, until he awoke suddenly, sprinting upright in his bed, cold sweat over his body, and his dream ended.
What the bloody hell was that about? He thought frantically and sighed. What's the use of liking someone if they don't even like you back. But could she? No, Ron, No, he continued to scold himself, she's only your best mate. Don't let any dreams confuse you. They're only dreams, Ron, only dreams and she doesn't like you that way.
This was the moment when he had gotten out of bed, wrapped himself in only his robe and slippers covering him in his pajamas, and went down to the Great Hall, fearing he would run into her in the common room and afraid of what other people might say. It was around 5 AM, on a Saturday, the first of December, no doubt, and he was clueless as always, unsure of himself.
He plays with his cereal absent-mindedly, stirring the sterling spoon around the dish, occasionally splashing some over the side of the bowl.
"Why does life have to be so unfair?" he said aloud to himself, unaware of the others in the hall who were now giving him even weirder looks than he had when he first arrived in his robe and pajamas.
He set his head down on the table resting in his hands, and rubbed his throbbing temples, as if that would solve all his troubles.
He shivered, because someone had entered the hall, through the doors which let in a cool draft that encircled the room. He didn't bother looking up, and perhaps he should have, because it might have made the situation a little less delicate.
"Hey Mate. Er- interesting outfit." Harry said, laughing freely and pointing at Ron with great amusement.
"Sod off." Ron told him arrogantly, not lifting his head more than a few inches from where it had lain in his hands just moments before.
"It's after 10 AM, Ron, you might want to get changed before even more people come down." Came a female voice he knew too well. His head shot up and out of his hands immediately.
"H-Hermione. Good morning." Ron said, suddenly much more awake. Harry snorted and Ron shot him a furtive glance before smiling back at Hermione, who had picked up on his sudden change in behavior and was giggling lightly, while blushing at seeing him in his pajamas, not that she hadn't before. But not since- well… you know- she realized she fancied him.
"So, are you going to get dressed before nightfall?" Harry asked him, grinning broadly at the two of them.
"Hogsmeade today, right?" Ron asked, and they nodded. "yeah, might as well."
"Whenever you're ready." Hermione said, glancing down at her watch.
"Yeah, alright. Give me a minute." And with that, Ron flew up from out of his seat and ran all the way up to Gryffindor tower. He gasped the password to the portrait, then climbed through, catching his breath once he reached the home-like structure of the common room. Then he gulped and sprinted up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.
Forty minutes, and a showered and clean Ron later, he was back downstairs, clean-shaven and looking quite handsome, his freckles shining under the luminescent lights above them.
"God, Ron. It takes you so long to get ready- one would think you're a girl the amount of time it takes you." Harry said, laughing.
Hermione glared at him, then turned to smile at Ron before he could retaliate. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah. Got my money and everything else I need."
"Harry?"
"What?" he just returned from spacing out on a certain female Weasley nearby.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Are you ready to go or not?"
"Me?" He was spacing out again.
"Yes!" she was getting agitated.
He returned to them once again. "I was ready long before you two were."
"Good, then let's get going." She said, putting a cap over her head and facing the doors, putting woolen mittens on her hands as well and fastening her cloak to herself. The others followed as she did so, preparing themselves for a battle against the bitter cold.
Once out the door and into the gray morning, the trio immediately brought their arms up over their chest, crossing their arms, attempting to stay warm.
Ron led the way down to the carriages into Hogsmeade, with the others following closely behind him. The wind was fierce, and it beat strongly against their sensitive faces, turning them bright red. Against the wind, it was almost impossible to move, but somehow or another, they made it to the carriages, and down where they were, the wind wasn't as strong.
Ron chivalrously opened the door of the carriage for Hermione like a true gentleman should, and they both blushed an even deeper shade of scarlet than their faces could ever get. Hermione gave him a little smile and Ron felt his knees weaken slightly, but he gulped and followed her into the carriage.
Harry cleared his throat. "If anybody needs me, I'll be in the carriage behind you guys, watching your every move." He added the last few words louder than the previous, for particular emphasis. The two of them, however, hadn't heard a word he had said, for as Ron climbed into the carriage, his eyes locked on Hermione's and neither of them had broken the contact, even after Ron had already climbed in and was sitting on next to her. (A/N: for the story's sake- I'm going to say that the carriages only have one side of seats, because I need them to sit next to the other!)
Their eyes finally let go, however, when the carriage doors slammed shut and the invisible horses began trotting off towards the village of Hogsmeade.
Harry, one carriage behind them, alone, chuckled to himself as he saw into their carriage and the two of them that were now sitting very far apart from the other, Hermione looking out the window, while Ron appeared simply fascinated in a knot in the wood.
He looked out the window, and saw the entrance into Hogsmeade, which was covered with light snow that simply lit up the cloudy day. He thought to himself, Snow, Christmas shopping in Hogsmeade, and those two smitten for each other, without the other even having the slightest clue. This day should be very interesting.
A/N: Love it? Hate it? Please let me know by reviewing! Anyways, thank you all who are reading this fic- I really hope I haven't lost any of my readers in the current absence of the update of Away On A Beach. I'm sorry for that, but it should be up soon, I hope. Please don't lose hope in me- you guys are what help me to write! So yeah, please review!
