heathershaped | Fic: Peace (Roger/Hermione)

Hey, all. Just thought I'd post this here. I wrote it in answer to inell's ficlet, Breathe, for her birthday. I wasn't going to post at first, but as I'm not sure my muse is really back, I figured I might as well as I might not post one again for awhile. This is just a shortie, a little snapshot of time. Some of you might not understand (especially my ship-mates who don't read Stoatshead Hill *hides from ya'll* ). But I like it. *grins*

Title: Peace

Pairing: Roger/Hermione

Snippet: He could smell her. Soft, subtle, familiar, and it grounded him.

Rating: G

Word count: 617

His eyes snapped open. For the briefest flicker of a moment he couldn't see anything, only the black, and his heart gave a thud. The type of thud that came from waking in a strange place, again, and not quite remembering how he got there. He heard water and his mind cast about for something to hold onto. With an effort, he closed his eyes again and remembered to breathe.

He could smell her. Soft, subtle, familiar, and it grounded him.

The sounds of the water ebbing against the shore, and the more distant sound of it breaking against the cliffs, were soothing to him now. He opened his eyes again slowly as the memory returned, and let out a breath. The stars were out in patches tonight, some of them obscured by wispy clouds. The moon was low in the sky and he thought it must be near morning. He'd brought them here yesterday afternoon, but he'd not intended for them to stay as long as they did, or to fall asleep.

Hermione shifted against him, and he felt her weight on his arm. He sighed as he turned his head, then his body, to face her more completely. Wrapping his arm more tightly around her waist, he just looked at her. From this angle, the moon lit her face; accentuating soft lines and curves so that he could see her even in the dark. Her eyes were closed, of course, and he took the moment to study her with his face close enough for him to feel her breath on his face.

His heart sped up as he remembered what they’d talked about, the things he’d told her while they’d watched the sun set. Things he scarcely even allowed himself to think about for years. He felt self-conscious and a little panicked as he thought about them now. Even as he did, he knew that it was alright. It had been as natural as breathing to tell her, and he’d not met anyone with whom he could reach that level of comfort. She had only listened. He’d known she would. He could tell her things and he knew he would never hear the trite words and platitudes from her. She understood, and there was comfort in that.

They were only friends, though, and he knew it. It was the way it should be, for now. He wasn’t ready to give her what she deserved and even if he were, he wasn’t sure he even could. She had said that neither was she ready to explore anything more. She had told him she was attracted and he’d admitted the same to her. That was a long way from… well… more. But it didn’t change the fact that he could look at her now and genuinely wonder what he'd been afraid of all this time. That in itself was scary.

She shifted again, burrowing in closer to him, and as she did a gentle breeze blew curls across her face. Lifting his free hand, he brushed them back slowly, letting his fingers linger as they trailed across her cheekbone. The pads of his fingers were rough and he kept his touch light so as not to wake her. He should take her home now, but if he did she would move, and he’d no longer feel her warm against him. It was okay to let her sleep for awhile yet. Moving his gaze over her face one more time as he lowered his hand, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he would still be here with her, and he was content with that.

Here was peace, and he wanted to wrap himself in it.

*hugs teh f-list*

Fic: Peace (Roger/Hermione)

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