Breathe

~*Chapter 1, "Sleeping Bauty"

I breathe in deeply and hold my breath. I'm in the common room on one of the soft carmine sofas, looking over at you. You study so intently, and now you have fallen asleep, your beautiful chocolate locks falling on your creamy white skin. Your long dark hair is no longer frizzy, it has now been tamed into mesmerizing curls. You are my sleeping beauty. I exhale slowly in the form of a sigh. Just looking at you will make me forget to breathe.

Your perfect shoulders are relaxed in sleep, your face gently rested in the crook of your arm. Your deep, rich brown eyes hiding under their closed lids, your beautiful, dark eyelashes flutter every so often. Your gentle, hardworking hands elegantly curled on the table, your quill still in one of them. You work so incredibly hard, you certainly deserve the break.

Your lovely, full lips, so perfectly pink, are slightly parted. Your back rises and falls ever so slightly as you breathe. I remember to breathe again. My breathing becomes synchronized with your own. Just to sit here and watch you breath makes me so happy.

Your eyelashes flutter again and your shoulders tense. I know you are waking up and I am disappointed that I can not simply sit here all night studying you, as you study your books. The perfect dream world is broken as you slowly awaken. Your head rises slightly and your eyebrows arch. You squint and open your beautiful eyes.

You're looking at me, I can feel myself blushing. You smile one of your smiles that could light enough candles to fill the whole Great Hall. I feel myself smiling back, how could I not? Your lips are pursed as if you are about to speak. You are. As I hear you say my name my heart melts and I know that I can go on another day.

"Hello, Ginny."

Her flaming strawberry mane cascading down her back, she runs to me. As she draws nearer, the vision becomes clouded and I can no longer see the one I love. I shudder slightly, warding off my sleepy state, and open my eyes. The sight that greets them makes me smile unconsciously. I realize I am grinning like an idiot and blush deeply, happy for the fact that the common room is dimly lit. I try desperately to think of something to say. "Hello, Ginny," I manage to let out.

Her deep red hair with golden natural highlights surrounds her flawless shoulders. Her amber eyes with flecks of green in them crinkle sweetly as she smiles back at me. She responds quietly, "Hello Hermione."

My name. Two simple words, but coming from her mouth, they mean so much more. If only... if only she could love me like I love her. I love her from the depths of my soul. She takes up all of me and yet she knows nothing of my infatuation with her. I am sure at even the thought of me liking a girl, not to mention herself, she would be repulsed. I see her sitting across from me on the couch. She is so incredibly close to me, I could reach out and touch her. She is so close and yet so very far away.

I see her chest rise and fall as she breathes. She bites her lip slightly and my gaze shifts to her mouth. Perfectly heart-shaped, full lips. I long to touch them, kiss them. My heart is pounding at the very thought. No. I can't think this way, I can't want these things, because she would never want them too. My heart sinks as I chastise myself, but I decide to ignore my rational thinking for just tonight. For just tonight I will sit here and gaze at my love and imagine that she loves me too. For just tonight I will sit here comfortably and just enjoy breathing the same air she breathes, watching her breathe, breathing near her.

I know that I cannot keep this inside. Every movement of her slender fingers brushing aside her hair, or pulling up a leg to tuck it beneath her drives me crazy. I long to know what she would say if she knew. If only I could have the courage to tell her how I feel. So much for Gryffindor courage, I don't feel very brave right now. I try to think of a way to find out. I think I know how. "Hey, Ginny..." She looks up at me and smiles a beautiful smile.

"Yes, Hermione?" Oh, that smile is just too much to handle.

"Can I ask you something," I begin.