Hold On
Title: Hold On
Rating: PG
Pairing/Characters: Ron/Hermione
Genre: Romance
Word Count: 500
Summary: Ron and Hermione spend their first Valentine's Day together.
Written for Splash1 for the 2011 Ron/Hermione Valentine's Day Secret Gift Exchange using the prompt snow.
*~*
The wind was bitterly cold, whipping against Hermione's face as she and Ron slowly made their way toward Hogsmeade. The frigid temperature gave her an excuse to move closer to him, although she hardly needed a reason to do that. It felt good to be near him. Even though she had a lot of homework waiting for her back in Gryffindor Tower, she wouldn't have missed the opportunity to spend the day with him for all the world.
"Do you want to go to the Three Broomsticks?" she asked. "Warm up a bit."
"If you'd like," he said. "But I thought you'd want to go somewhere a little more romantic."
"Romantic?"
"You know," he said. "Somewhere nicer. Quieter."
"Like Madam Puddifoot's, you mean?"
Ron flushed. "If you want… I mean, I don't mind. I'll go wherever you want."
"I think the Three Broomsticks will be fine," she said. "Besides, it's a lot closer."
Hermione noticed an expression of relief cross Ron's face, and she hid a smile.
The cold had driven everyone indoors, so the pub was already full when Ron pushed the door open. They managed to locate an empty booth toward the back. Hermione sat down while Ron went to order tankards of warm butterbeer.
When he returned, he placed her tankard in front of her, and then slid into the booth beside her.
"Thank you," she said, taking a sip and feeling warmth spread through her body.
"I have something else for you," he said, looking nervous as he handed her a gift-wrapped box.
"Ron… You didn't have to."
"Open it," he said.
Hermione slowly unwrapped the package. She could see the anxiety in his eyes as he waited for her reaction. Inside the box was something that resembled a snow globe. She held it up to examine it closer and noticed that there was a miniature model of a very familiar place inside the globe.
"It's the Burrow," Ron said. "Mum said they sell these in Muggle shops for tourists, but those don't work quite the same."
"It's lovely."
"It changes," he said. "It's snowing now, but in the summer, it'll be green. I thought maybe if you missed me, you could look at it…"
Hermione looked down and watched the snow swirl around the glass. There had been so many times she had sat alone in her dormitory missing Ron, wondering what he was doing, wishing there was a way to see him or speak to him. She caressed the glass, her eyes filling with tears. Then, she threw her arms around Ron, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you!"
"You like it then?" he asked, tilting his head back to see her face.
"I love it," she said, smiling widely.
Ron smiled back. "Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione."
He leaned in and kissed her. She held on to the feeling of his lips against hers, his hand caressing her cheek. The love, the security. Between that and her globe, she could endure the wait until Easter holiday.
Rating: PG
Pairing/Characters: Ron/Hermione
Genre: Romance
Word Count: 500
Summary: Ron and Hermione spend their first Valentine's Day together.
Written for Splash1 for the 2011 Ron/Hermione Valentine's Day Secret Gift Exchange using the prompt snow.
*~*
The wind was bitterly cold, whipping against Hermione's face as she and Ron slowly made their way toward Hogsmeade. The frigid temperature gave her an excuse to move closer to him, although she hardly needed a reason to do that. It felt good to be near him. Even though she had a lot of homework waiting for her back in Gryffindor Tower, she wouldn't have missed the opportunity to spend the day with him for all the world.
"Do you want to go to the Three Broomsticks?" she asked. "Warm up a bit."
"If you'd like," he said. "But I thought you'd want to go somewhere a little more romantic."
"Romantic?"
"You know," he said. "Somewhere nicer. Quieter."
"Like Madam Puddifoot's, you mean?"
Ron flushed. "If you want… I mean, I don't mind. I'll go wherever you want."
"I think the Three Broomsticks will be fine," she said. "Besides, it's a lot closer."
Hermione noticed an expression of relief cross Ron's face, and she hid a smile.
The cold had driven everyone indoors, so the pub was already full when Ron pushed the door open. They managed to locate an empty booth toward the back. Hermione sat down while Ron went to order tankards of warm butterbeer.
When he returned, he placed her tankard in front of her, and then slid into the booth beside her.
"Thank you," she said, taking a sip and feeling warmth spread through her body.
"I have something else for you," he said, looking nervous as he handed her a gift-wrapped box.
"Ron… You didn't have to."
"Open it," he said.
Hermione slowly unwrapped the package. She could see the anxiety in his eyes as he waited for her reaction. Inside the box was something that resembled a snow globe. She held it up to examine it closer and noticed that there was a miniature model of a very familiar place inside the globe.
"It's the Burrow," Ron said. "Mum said they sell these in Muggle shops for tourists, but those don't work quite the same."
"It's lovely."
"It changes," he said. "It's snowing now, but in the summer, it'll be green. I thought maybe if you missed me, you could look at it…"
Hermione looked down and watched the snow swirl around the glass. There had been so many times she had sat alone in her dormitory missing Ron, wondering what he was doing, wishing there was a way to see him or speak to him. She caressed the glass, her eyes filling with tears. Then, she threw her arms around Ron, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you!"
"You like it then?" he asked, tilting his head back to see her face.
"I love it," she said, smiling widely.
Ron smiled back. "Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione."
He leaned in and kissed her. She held on to the feeling of his lips against hers, his hand caressing her cheek. The love, the security. Between that and her globe, she could endure the wait until Easter holiday.