Blue Lips

The normally bustling common room was empty, apart from a lone figure sitting on the couch, unmoving except for a quick glance at the clock on the wall opposite him. Pale moonlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the gold and red décor in the room. The silence in the room was palpable.

Harry cleared his throat, the noise sounded foreign to his ears. Restlessly he arose and stalked towards the window. He gazed out the window, watching the brutal storm quiet leisurely. The portrait swung open and a small outline of a woman entered, shaking violently.

Harry ran over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Hermione's robes were drenched and freezing. His hands instinctively retreated from the cold but he forced them back onto her. Her lips were blue, but he could barely see that in the dark. Her hair dripped down her back, adding more water to her soggy robes.

Harry looked Hermione in the eye and simply said, "I'm sorry..."

Fresh tears fell down Hermione's face, the warm drops warming her cheeks and heart. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, soaking his robes as well.

"I ran outside after our fight," she shivered as Harry drew her closer, from the cold or the proximity to Harry she could not tell. "It was only drizzling and I suppose I fell asleep."

Harry placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder and walked her near the fire, which Dobby had kindly get burning for Harry. She stood in front of it and closed her eyes in pleasure. Harry watched the orange and red lights dancing on her face, causing her eyes to turn almost golden. He was broken out of his trance when she sneezed.

"You should get out of those robes," he suggested, truly worried for his friend.

"Yeah," she agreed, peeling off the wet robes revealing an equally wet school uniform beneath.

She sat on the loveseat closest to the fire and removed her shoes and socks. She flexed her fingers and toes slowly as Harry sat down next to her.

"Better?" Harry asked, suddenly aware just how close to her he was sitting.

In response Hermione groaned contently and leaned back against the couch.

The two friends watched the fire die in comfortable silence. Every once in a while, Harry snuck glances at Hermione's beautiful profile.

Harry glanced again but this time Hermione was looking back at him. He struggled to find something to say.

"Er," he stuttered. "Your lips are still blue."

"They are?" she asked placing two fingers on her lips, now only slightly purple.

Inwardly Harry kicked himself. He did not know what brought him to say that. He should be trying to think of anything but her lips. Okay, maybe not anything. The thought made him uncomfortable and he shifted in the small loveseat.

He watched as Hermione's fingers left her bottom lip and were replaced by her front teeth. She always bit her lip when she was nervous. Why was she nervous?

His question was soon answered when she slightly leaned to him and kissed him softly. After the initial shock, he kissed her back gently. Untrue to their color, Hermione's lips were warm. She leaned even more towards him until she was lying atop him.

She pushed the kiss further and he eagerly responded. He placed his hands on the small of her back and pushed her closer. His mouth left hers and relocated on her cheek, leaving a trial of small kisses down her jawline and neck. Soon, as if by magnetic attraction his lips were back on hers, pushing and probing. Her wet hair formed a veil around their heads, shutting out the world around them. His hands freely explored her back and as her hands explored his chest.

Harry stopped to breathe and gazed up at his best friend, whose lips were no longer blue. She slowly smiled and laid her head on his chest, listening to the rapid but soothing sound of his heartbeat. He watched her by the glow of the embers until he heard her steady breathing. Then he too closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. For the first time, there was no way his dreams could be better than his reality.

Needlessly to say, the next morning no member of the Gryffindor house was surprised to see the Head Boy and Girl asleep, their arms wrapped around each other, and smiling.