Emotion is Dead, Pt.1

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, places, potions, spells, concepts of Hogwarts and wizardry, or anything you may recognize from the works of J.K. Rowling and other authors. -subtle love-

Snow fell playfully from the dimly lit sky, a faded, weary blue that reluctantly gave way to the exultant chills. Hermione embraced it, basking in the frost with lips turned faintly up in pleasure.

"'Mione, you'll catch something.." A male voice laced with concern sidled up beside her, then drifted past, ignored. "Hermione Granger.."

"Oh, sorry, Ron." She dashed a chaste kiss to his cheek and draped arms over his own, wrapped around her slender figure. "I love it out here."

"Think I've got that.. But d'you mind coming in for a bit; you're worrying Ginny." He paused, brushed his lips across her lustrous chestnut hair. "You're worrying me."

"Oh, you're such a doll," Hermione murmured, consenting to slip back inside, the warmth assailing her icy flesh painfully.

Harry stood not far away, observing the two apathetically from the hall, then strode forward, meeting with the slight wisp of Ginny as Ron and Hermione made their entrance. "Hullo.. Ron, 'Mione."

"Harry." Hermione smiled warmly at him, fingers entwined assuredly with Ron's. "Have you finished your Potions essay yet?"

He grinned, comically guilty. "Well, it isn't due until the end of winter break.."

Ginny hit his chest lightly with the back of her hand, her subtle flirtations unnoticed by Ron. "You realize that tomorrow is the last day, don't you, Harry?" She sighed amusedly, taking his arm in a spirited hold. "I suppose I ought to help you then; I understand the material better than you anyhow."

"See you for dinner, you two," Hermione teased, lifting a palm to flutter a goodbye with slender fingers. "Ron.. is yours done?"

He chuckled, chest rumbling gently against her back. "You ensured thatit was,not even two days after break started." His embrace tightened, then he let his hold fall, taking only her hand to lead them through the halls to the Gryffindor commonroom. "Do you suppose Ginny and Harry are.. are becoming an item? When I see them with other people, everything is very casual, but when they think that no one's looking.."

It was Hermione's turn to laugh; she hadn't realized that Ron's perception acknowledged Ginny with anyone. "I don't know; why don't you ask them?"

"Because that wouldn't be awkward at all.. 'So, Harry, I've noticed you becoming rather friendly with my sister in the past few weeks- planning on getting any action?'"

"'Getting any action,' Ron?" Hermione scoffed. "That's a bit crude, for anything they would be doing.. Tasslehoff Toffee," she interjected as they reached the portrait. "I trust the two not to do anything that they'll regret, at any rate." At Ron's staggered reaction to her extreme, she giggled, then seated herself beside the boy in question, legs crossed carefully over his lap.

"Now that was unnecessary. I do not need to imagine my sister going to any sorts of intimate extremes."

"Oh, it would have crossed your mind eventually. You haven't got a problem envisioning Harry 'getting action.'" She sighed contentedly and brushed her lips against Ron's, a smile flickering across her face. "And I'm sure you wouldn't mind imagining yourself in that position either."

"'Mione," Ron groaned, "teasing is wrong."

Hermione cast innocent brown eyes up at Ron, frivolously long lashes wavering appealingly. "Who says I'm teasing?"

Ron cupped her face tenderly in both palms and kissed her face gently, then more insistently, longing as his tongue brushed a trail across her lips. They opened hesitantly, and he nibbled her lower lip for a moment before running his tongue along it once more, then slithering it inside, her stomach fluttering with each movement.

She pulled back, heart throbbing, and then brushed his lips once more. "Oh, Ron.. Not here, in front of first years.. the common room…"

He grinned and stole another kiss. "You see? Teasing is wrong."

A/N: Soo.. You like? For an introduction to my first Ron/Hermione ficlet, I don't hate it.. Review, dolls, because I haven't much incentive to ship this without them. And this will be a novella/novel, so if anyone feels like giving direction to a misguided plot, please feel free. looove

review-review-review-review.. oh, and don't let the "Pt.1" confuse you just yet- for now, this is named after a Juliana Theory song due to my lacking creativity.

subtle love-