FIC: Almost Silent (Ron/Hermione)
Title: Almost Silent Pairing: Ron/Hermione Rating: G Disclaimer: Not my characters or world or anything like that! I make no money at all from this! Summary: After losing Ginny, Harry’s a mess and his friends look after him. Word Count: 461 Author Notes: Written for the Harry Potter May Madness community in 2013. I’m going to try to set all my stories this month in my “The Great Beyond” series (though I probably won't write them in any particular order): http://archiveofourown.org/series/35656
Ron descended the stairs. The house was silent apart from his footfalls and the gentle snores coming from the couch. This was an improvement. When he’d gone upstairs to tuck James, Albus, and Lily in bed, Harry had been sobbing still. But it sounded like he’d finally tired himself out. Hugo and Rose were sleeping in the armchair, waiting for their parents before they could all go home.
Ron walked softly through the living room and pressed a kiss to Hermione’s cheek. She was tucked into the corner of the sofa with Harry’s arms wrapped around her and Harry’s head on her shoulder. He was fast asleep, but she was wide awake. And “stuck,” which is what she mouthed to her husband.
He smiled at her. “You don’t really want to wake him, do you?”
She shook her head. She didn’t want to wake him, certainly. “No, but I do have to pee. And my arm fell asleep half an hour ago.” She didn’t even dare shift or fidget.
“Well, you’re going to have to get up sometime,” Ron whispered. “But if you really want to sit here all night with him, I’ll get you a blanket.”
With a deep breath and a careful, cautious tone Ron hadn’t heard her use in years, she nudged Harry. “Um, Harry? Harry, will you wake up?” She moved a little and he stirred, thank goodness. But that was all he did. He nuzzled his cheek into her shoulder and didn’t wake up.
Ron chuckled and sat down on the other side of Harry. He was exhausted. It’d been a long day of making arrangements for his sister’s funeral service and looking after his niece and nephews. He was glad Charlie was coming into town tomorrow to help out. Ron put his hand on Harry’s arm. “Harry? C’mon. It’s late. Wake up for a minute? I need my wife back.”
Harry stirred again. This time, he lifted his head and sat up a little. He blinked at Hermione with two red, puffy eyes. Then he turned his head and looked at Ron. Tears filled his eyes and he leaned over, collapsing with his face buried in Ron’s chest. He cried, shoulders shaking as sobs came again. Rob rubbed a hand in circles upon Harry’s back. There was a sob that sounded suspiciously like “Ginny” and Ron’s heart went out to him. He put his other arm around Harry. There was nothing he could say that would make his best friend feel better.
Standing up, Hermione finally managed to stretch and shake off the stiffness. She looked at her children and then at her husband, and then finally at Harry, crying again, desperately clinging. “I’ll get some blankets,” she said.