I don't own anything, obviously. Disclaimer disclaimer. Also - I apologize for not updating this on fanfiction, I tend to just post on tumblr and then I forgot about this. Also I apologize for not updating some of the other fics (Freakish Secret Keeper etc.)
The following morning Hermione awoke to Merlin licking her face. "Mer," she groaned, rolling over with every intent of just hiding away in the apartment for the whole day, buried under the covers. Merlin kept crawling over her body, whining. "Fine," she said after five minutes, exasperated. "Sorry, Mer," How could she be upset at a face like that. "You just want to go on your walk, huh?"
At the 'W' word, Merlin yapped happily jumping off the bed and scampering down the hallway. As Hermione rolled out of bed and changed, she couldn't help but think how Quinn, despite working a late shift the previous night, would get up on Saturday mornings to walk Merlin out, allowing Hermione to sleep in on Saturdays. Hermione would make sure to have breakfast ready when they returned. It was ... routine, a routine she had missed over the past few weeks.
Letting out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, she and Merlin made their way out. It was garbage day, so she headed down to the garage order to dump a bag into the dumpster. She didn't even realize that Quinn's car was in its usual spot until Merlin started tugging her in the opposite direction. "What is it bo-" She blinked, approaching the vehicle, confusion on her face. Her heart broke when she got closer. Quinn was curled up in the back seat, the two heavy blankets she'd grabbed the night before wrapped around her tightly.
Hermione rapped her knuckles against the window, her breath coming out in puffs against the cold air.
Quinn's sleepy form lifted out of its tightly wrapped cocoon. When she saw Hermione's face in the window, her jaw tightened, her stomach twisting uncomfortably."Quinn, open up," Hermione knocked on the window impatiently. Beat. "Please?" There was a hint of desperation in the brunette's voice.
Quinn groaned and reached over to unlock the door. She was too exhausted and sore to really put up a didn't waste any time in opening the door as soon as it was unlocked. The two girls just stared at each other for a few seconds unsure what to say to the other. Merlin broke the tension by jumping into the back seat, happily licking Quinn's tired face.
"Hey boy," Quinn smiled softly, her voice a hoarse whisper as she scratchd behind Merlin's ears.
Hermione smiled sadly as she watched Merlin happily nuzzle against Quinn. "He misses you..." She whispered.
Quinn looked up, her mouth twitching before she glanced back down at Merlin. "I miss him too..."
Silence enveloped them again until Hermione spoke the reality of the situation in front of her hitting her full force, "Come upstairs." She didn't wait for Quinn to respond. "You don't get a say in the matter. I don't care if you don't want to speak to me." Her voice was low, but firm. "Come upstairs and have a proper lie in."
A part of Quinn wanted to resist, to argue, but she was so utterly exhausted, her muscles aching from sleeping in a cold car the past two nights. It's with a resigned sigh, that Quinn pulls herself out of the car, Merlin clutched in her arms. Hermione felt a sense of relief wash over her at Quinn's compliance. Yet, at the same time, Quinn's defeated attitude was unnerving, that caused a new sense of guilt to settle at the pit of her stomach. They walked in silence up to the apartment and as soon as they entered Quinn walked towards the couch.
"No," Hermione stated, reaching out to grab Quinn's arm. "You're sleeping on a bed." She tugged the blonde towards the bedroom noting how Quinn was raising her brow at her in silent defiance. "I - I can sleep on the couch if you want. But you're taking the bed, please?"
Quinn was too tired to argue, shrugging her shoulders and crawling into bed. She welcomed the warm bed like an old friend, hugging her pillow to her chest and closing her eyes. Hermione pulled the comforter over the blonde who looked beyond exhausted. "I'm so sorry, baby," she whispered, silent tears leaking from her eyes as she pressed a kiss to Quinn's forehead. "Quinn..." Hermione worried her lip, placing her hand against the blonde's forhead. "…you're burning up."
"M'fine, s'ust a cold," Quinn mumbled, her eyes closed as she shifted away from Hermione's touch, burying herself deeper under the warm covers.
Hermione knew better than to argue. It was more than apparent that Quinn didn't want her fussing over her health or even be near her. It hurt to see Quinn physically move away from her like that. Sighing, she made her way to the door, making sure to turn off the lights before leaving the blonde to sleep.
Quinn woke up with a scratchiness at the back of her throat and a pounding headache. She groaned softly, her muscles tight. Poking her head out of the warm covers, she her cracked her eyes open, the realization of where she was hitting her as she took in her surroundings. She rolled over, groaning from the pain in her muscles and the fact that she was sure she was running a fever since she was sweating up a storm.
The room was dark and a quick glance at the clock told she'd slept for almost seven hours. She shifted, pulling herself to her feet. Her muscles ached as as she pulled the blanket around her and tried to shuffle quietly down the hall to find some aspirin.
Her quest for aspirin was stopped when she heard the soft sound of music coming from the living room. After padding her way down the hall to investigate, quinn leaned against the wall, pulling the comforter closer to her as she rested her head to the side. Hermione was sitting on the couch, Merlin curled on her lap, as the music from a mixtape Quinn had made for her last Valentine's Day played in the background.
Hermione was playing with the jewlery box. Quinn watched as Hermione open the blue box, pulling out the ring and rolling it between her fingers. Hermione bent her head towards the ring thoughtfully, her shoulders trembling slightly. Quinn wasn't sure if Hermione was crying or sighing, but it didn't matter, not anymore anyways. Quinn just watched, her stomach turning in knots as she watched the other girl play with the ring. Each time it turned in Hermione's hand, reflecting the light from the room, Quinn felt a new ache settle in her chest. Eventually Hermione slipped the ring on, holding her hand out a little to admire it. That's when Quinn noticed tear stains on the other girls cheeks.
"It fits," Quinn's voice was hoarse as she spoke, not daring to move.
Hermione's head shot up in surprised. She wiped at her face with the back of her hand and looked at Quinn. The blonde's hair was tangled, her nose a little red, but Hermione thought she never looked more lovely wrapped up in theircomforter.
"Yes it does..." Hermione's voice cracked as she noticed the sad expression in Quinn's eyes. This moment under different circumstances could have been so perfect, sh thought before she spoke again. "It fits. Rather perfectly, actually."