A Time to Love

It didn't occur to him how she had known he was already awake when she had only just awoken herself.

That's because Hermione had not been asleep at all, not by a long shot. She had let out a whimper when Ron ran his hands through her hair and she had no choice but turn it into a yawn and pretend to come out of her dream world. The very moment his fingers touched her scalp she had reacted to him instantly; a shiver had pierced her entire being and she had never felt so good in her life.

The only question was: why? Why had he done it? She felt very confident in saying that Ron had no romantic feelings for her. She wasn't feeling sorry for herself; she was just facing reality. Perhaps he was just curious. But why would he be curious? Hermione didn't like having unanswerable questions and she was half-tempted to ask him, but stopped. No sense making a fool out of herself.

"M-morning, 'Mione," he stammered and slightly cleared his throat. She turned to him and saw the beginns of a flush starting behind his ears and on his neck, though it was very faint. He was probably just flustered at the thought at being caught. The same "why's" filled her mind but she ignored them.

Now, what do you say to your best friend - who you just happen to have a blazing crush on - after you just slept in their bed? Somehow, "Nice bed, Ron! It was really comfortable!" didn't quite seem appropriate. It was bad enough that she was in this situation anyway. It wouldn't help for her to make decidedly unhelpful statements. But what could she say that wouldn't completely emphasise her situation? She focused on her needs and came up with the perfect thing to say.

"Ron, I need to use the loo."

He blinked. "Oh, ok, then. You remember where it is, right?"

How he could manage to be that thick - and so naturally too! - was beyond her.

"Ron," she said in a condescending voice. "Perhaps you have forgotten, so I will refresh you." How could she say this without becoming mortifyingly embarrassed herself? "Last night, I produced an illegal portkey, ran away from my parents and spent the night in your bed, without anybody knowing." Put that way, she sounded like a common hoodlum.

"I would've thought that it was needless to say - but apparently it isn't - that I don't want anyone to see me. I can't just freely prance around here; you're going to have to cover for me."

"Well, what do you expect me to do?"

She thought for a couple of moments that came up with a hasty - but what she thought of as good - plan.

"You'll come out of your room and then you'll pretend to go to the loo. Then I'll dash overre and use it quickly. After that you'll come out, and that's that."

A look of realisation flashed across his face. "But I have to use it too," he complained.

Hermione sighed. "Fine, then. I'll come back to your room while you use it. Are you happy now?"

"Oh, I suppose I'll be able to do it," he said with a long-suffering sigh. "I guess this is the price of friendship."

She slapped him on the arm. "You ungrateful prat! After all the things I've done for you!"

He gave a teasing shrug. "I'm just being honest..."

***

Hermione's plan turned out to be a success. She couldn't help but giggle slightly about how she felt like she was in some muggle movie trying to pull off some grand scheme, when she really just wanted to use the loo. It was quite a funny situation really. If she could have foreseen two days ago that this was the predicament she would be in, she would have gladly stayed at Hogwarts for the summer holidays.

After they got back, they both seemed at a loss of what to do. Ron stared at Hermione. Hermione started at Ron.

Simultaneously, they burst out laughing. The whole situation was too unbelievable to not be funny.

"What now?" she asked when their laughter finally subsided.

Ron just shrugged. "I dunno."

"I know!" Hermione said in mock cheerfulness. Missing her fake tone, Ron brightened, obviously thinking that she had come up with a grand idea. "We can make up your bed!"

His face fell in such a comical way that she had to hold in giggle." The joy," he muttered sarcastically.

She showed him how to properly make up his bed ("I've seen yours and Harry's bed at school and I only wish I had had this opportunity sooner!") while he grumbled the whole time. Still, he obeyed her, which made her smile.

Then came a knock at the door that made her still. "Are you up, Ron?" It was Ginny.

"Yes, but don't come in."

"Don't worry, I won't. You're not a very pretty sight in the morning_" Hermione thought she heard Ginny mutter "or ever" but decided she was hearing things, which actually wasn't a very comforting thought. "_and I'm not going to willingly subject myself to it. Mum just sent me up here to tell you that breakfast is almost ready and that you had better get your lazy arse down up before she forces you down there."

"Fine, I'm coming," he said. And then he realised just what she had said. "Hey, she didn't say that!"

"Well, it was something to that effect." Ron harrumphed. "Oh, and by the way, I'd watch out tonight if I were you."

"Why?"

"Because last night I saw a spider crawl into your room. It probably climbed into your bed and it's likely he slept with you."

Ron's eyes widened in horror and he gave a girly shriek that sent Hermione into a fit of silent laughter that made her double over.

"Don't be too long, Ronnie," Ginny said nonchalantly, walked away, and went downstairs.

When Hermione finally recovered, she turned to Ron. "She was probably just joking, Ron. We're the only ones that slept in your bed last night."

"Yes...joking...right..." he muttered distractedly as he looked cautiously under the bed.

Hermione, er, had just thought of something. The full impact of Ginny's words hit her; it wasn't that she was embarrassed anymore. She now felt a little more comfortable with him and accepted the fact that she slept with him and would continue to sleep with him indefinitely. No, that's not what bothered her. It was now Ginny that was haunting her mind.

What a coincidental thing to say! It was not odd for him to be on the receiving line of his sibling's jokes. She imagined that he was just too easy and they couldn't resist messing with him. But why did she have to feature the bed, of all things?

Hermione was left with the distinct, uneasy feeling the throughout whole day that the jest had been intended for both of them.

***

True to his word, Ron was about to go get the cot from the attic. Something, however, made Hermione stop him. Of course, sleeping in the cot was the only proper thing to do. And she knew that comfort wasn't an issue - Harry aept there when he came to stay at the Burrow, so that wouldn't pass. What it really was, was that she wanted to continue to sleep with him. It had been a rather new (and good) experience to wake up in his arms and it was a feeling that she wanted to get used to.

And she would never have a chance to get used to it if she couldn't share the same bed with him. So she quickly came up with an excuse.

"Ron - what if somebody sees you carrying the cot back downstairs? They'd obviously wonder what you were doing and that'd be terribly hard to explain," she said seriously. Now that she thought of it, it actually made sense. What if he was seen? It was bad enough that she would have to sneak out of the room from time to time. Was having to sleep apart from Ron really worth the risk of being caught? Absolutely not!

"I didn't think of that," he said. It was unusual of him to not argue with her but right now, she wasn't really complaining.

"I guess you'll have to sleep with me again."

"Yes, I guess so," she said. Inside she was grinning the biggest of grins.

The next day, Hermione had a new problem; she wanted her things. She had no clothes of her own and without her schoolwork, she felt like she didn't have anything to fall back on. Unfortunately, she could only think of one possible way to get her stuff, and it would involve a lot of sacrifices.

"Ron? I was thinking..."

"That's never good," he muttered.

"I heard that!"

"I'm just being honest..."

Hermione had noticed just how frequently they were doing that. Ron would say something terrible, she would scold (insult, tease, etc...) him and then he would reply with "I'm just being honest." She wasn't sure what it was they were doing, but she kind of liked how they just fell into the habit. It was something that was theirs and theirs only.

"Anyway, what were you thinking about?"

"I want my trunk."

Ron gave a look of surprise. "But isn't that at your house?"

"Yes."

"And we're here."

"I know that."

"But how do you expect to get from here, to there, and then back here? You do have a plan, right?"

"Well..." she said hesitantly. "I do have a plan, but I don't think you're going to like it very much."

"Why not?" he asked sceptically, and with good reason.

"Well as you probably know, we can't really leave the house. Your Mum will never let you."

"So we'll need some an adult that can go there while my parents are at work and get it for me."

"But what adult do we know that'll do that for us? That would mean letting them know, and then they'll tell your parents. I'm sorry, Mione, but I just don't see how it can be done. Unless we..." He stopped short as comprehension dawned on him. He had obviously seen the solution and as she predicted, he didn't like it very much. But this had been at the back of her mind all day and she was prepared for battle. And there would indeed be a battle. Not only with Ron, but with her rescuer as well. Nobody would bow down humbly to her and it was a good thing she had resources at her disposal.

She sent him a meaningful glance. His face went slack and then paled.

"No! Anything but that!"