PROTECTION ♞ h.p.

10. Protect Me

...tap, tap, tap...

Hermione rolled over, burrowing further under the covers. Beside her, Ron continued to sleep soundly, his snores mixing with the persistent tapping on the window.

...tap, tap...tap, tap, tap...

Sighing, Hermione reluctantly dragged her eyes open. As Ron's sleeping face came into focus, she huffed at the fact that he was, as always, completely unaffected by early owls. Knowing the message would be for him, she began pushing on his shoulder.

"Geroff," he mumbled into his pillow, shifting away from her.

"Ron," she urged, shoving his shoulder harder as the pecking continued. "Owl..."

When her fingers moved up to his face, pressing into his cheek and over his nose, Ron's eyes finally flicked open. With a groan, he caught her hand and rolled toward her.

Flinging his arm over her stomach, he curled into her body.

"Early..." he mumbled as he buried his face into her neck.

"Owl, Ron," Hermione repeated, shoving him off and rolling away.

As the repetitive tap, tap, tap, finally registered in his mind, Ron groaned again. Throwing off his covers, he dragged himself out of bed and stomped to the window.

"Bloody bird," he grumbled as he shoved the window up.

Untying the parchment from the Ministry owl's leg, he unrolled it with a yawn.

The owl fluttered its feathers, eyeing him haughtily before launching off of the windowsill and up into the sky.

Scratching his neck, Ron read the message and then smiled before heading back to the bed. When he reached it, he climbed up and crawled over to Hermione. Slipping under the covers, he buried his face into her neck with a sigh as he draped his arm and leg across her.

"Guess what?" he smiled against her skin.

"Hm," she replied softly, placing her hand over his where it rested on her stomach.

"I don't have to go to work this morning," he whispered.

"Why not?"

"Meeting this afternoon," he explained, slipping his hand under her shirt. "So I have nothing to do for hours," he added, caressing her skin.

"Mm," she smiled as he began to nibble her ear. "Not fair..."

"Floo in sick," he suggested.

"Can't," she replied regretfully. "I have things to do..."

"What things?" he asked, his voice muffled as he burrowed his face into her neck.

"Important things..." she replied, sighing as she shifted her head to give him better access.

He smiled against her skin, knowing he could get her to give in.

"They can wait," he said between kisses. "Especially since you're very sick, luv."

"Am I?"

"Oh, yes, dreadfully ill," he explained gravely as he looked up at her, catching her lips curl into a small smile. Smoothing her sleep mussed hair away from her face, he kissed her lightly. "Your skin's all flushed...I think you may have a fever," he added against her mouth. "I have to take care of you."

"That's very nice of you," she replied.

"I thought so," he agreed with a grin.

Laughing softly, Hermione opened her eyes and gave up her attempt to sleep as Ron shifted on top of her.