Authors Note: The title of this chapter is from a line in a country song... think it's Shania Twain. I guess I got a theme going here. Wheeee, more fluff! Plot later, fluff now!
Hermione had fallen into an uncertain somnolence after discoursing with Ginny. In her slumber, she dreamed of a dragon, silver and green. She watched it fly and swoop menacingly, and then she was exposed to it. She was running through the forbidden forest as the monster chased after her. There was no hope, the beast would be on her any second when rapidly a red dragon with golden ridges bore down savagely on the green one. They fought, striking each other and rolling over on the ground. The red dragon had just gained vantage when the green dragon flipped over, sending its long, spiked tail flying in her direction. The huge sharp, deadly spikes were about to come smashing into her unshielded body when she woke up.
She sat upright and tried to orientate herself. She was at school. She remembered what happened earlier. She remembered who was in the common room.
Downstairs, Ronald Weasley had fallen asleep on his couch in front of the fireplace. It wasn't an unusual thing for him to do this year. He found he could think better here then in his dorm room with his four roommates. Maybe it was wanting so badly to be with someone that had lead him to seeking this solitude.
Hermione soundlessly padded down the stairs and into the common room. By the light of the burning embers, she could see his flaming hair over the top of the couch. At this sight alone she suspired and continued her path. She came around the back of the couch slowly and took in the sight. Ron was asleep. He was still sitting mostly upright, still wearing his school clothes. His head lolled to one side and he was softly snoring. Hermione smiled. Her eyes were drawn to his impetuously rolled up sleeves that uncovered his developing forearms. She studied the welted scar left by the brain in the department of mysteries, last year's adventure. She hardly had any scars herself and she was curious as to what it felt like. He looked so completely dormant that she dared to touch it, so she carefully sat down next to him, tucking her blue nightdress under her legs. As she monitored his face for any signs of consciousness, she reached out slowly and lightly touched the part of his arm marked by the scar. To her astonishment, he woke up.
"Hermione? s'everything ok?" He said sleepily. His eyes were just barely open and he leaned forward slightly to brace her bare arm. He shook his head to wake himself. "Had trouble sleeping?"
"I...I had a nightmare, about dragons. I just thought I'd see if...Oh Ron, I'm sorry I woke you up."
"Oh, don't be. I'm glad you did. You had a nightmare? What were the dragons doing?"
"One was chasing me and then another appeared and they started fighting. It seems kind of silly now, actually." She said this rapidly as a result of the tension she felt from Ron ever so slowly tracing his fingertips up and down the back of her arm. He did this unconsciously.
"Sounds scary. It woke you up? Must have been intense." At about this time he was awake enough that he remembered what happened earlier, and again his blood boiled with fury. He would have to put 'slay Malfoy' on his agenda for tomorrow.
"Oh, not really." Hermione said shyly, beginning to feel embarrassed that she had come down here and roused him over a stupid nightmare. It was his warm hand on her arm that kept her anchored there. Somehow his touch cut through every insecurity she had and made her feel vulnerable to him only. It became his touch that mastered her universe. She wondered if he had any idea. Gazing into those blue eyes, she doubted it. True, he had matured this year, but not that much.
It gradually dawned upon him what his hand was doing and he stopped abruptly, suddenly feeling incredibly awkward. He was touching her! Did she mind? Did she like it? It was these overbearing insecurities that had always lead him to believe he should hide his emotions and stunt his desires. Now one had snuck out. And she looked disappointed that he had stopped. Taking in this revelation, he steadily, consciously reached out his arm and put it around Hermione's shoulders. His heart skipped a beat because she paused for a moment before releasing a huge pent-up sigh, and sank deeply into him.
Ron did feel quite warm indeed.
AN- Please review! Puppy eyes