Of Scrolls and Sleeping

Chapter Five: She Said

Hermione sighed contentedly, she had been drifting in and out of consciousness since coming to bed just a few hours ago. She had heard Lavender and Parvati get up and stumble around the room before heading downstairs not ten minutes ago. What had he done to her? Normally she would have already been in the common room preparing for the days classes, but all she could do was sigh and daydream about his lips on hers and his arms around her. She smiled to herself, part of her had honestly thought this day might never come, that Ron and she would be locked in that stalemate for the rest of their lives. She knew in her rational mind that all things change, but she had truly seen no end in sight, until...until she had been awakened last night by his kisses. She wanted to drift back off into a blissful dream of flying on a broom for two, but she knew she really should have been getting up.

She got out of bed and put her robes on, after which she began gathering up all the things she would need that day. Hermione looked into the bag, searching carefully for the essay she had written on 'The Many Uses of the Jobberknoll and its Feathers'. She could find it nowhere and it was due first thing in Potions today! She thought back to when she had written it three nights ago. She had been at the table by the fire, right where she and Ron had been sitting last night, she thought with a smile. Must remember! She shook her head and refocused on herself sitting alone at the table (pity) writing the essay with her 'Advanced Potions Making Techniques' book open for reference. She remembered finishing just as Ginny had come over to ask for some other information in the book. She had stuck the essay in to mark her page and had forgotten it was there when a few minutes later Ginny had asked to borrow the book for a Potions essay of her own. Ginny still had it. Hermione sighed in relief. She just had to get the essay out of the book in Ginny's room before she headed down to breakfast. And while she was there she could tell Ginny about what had happened last night. She slung her bag over her shoulder and hurried down to Ginny's room so excited she was practically skipping down the steps.

She walked in to see all of the curtains open and every bed empty except for one. Hermione walked around the other side of Ginny's bed to see if the curtains were drawn there as well. They were almost completely closed save for an inch or so of gap through which Hermione could see Crookshanks curled against Ginny's stomach and could hear a catch in her otherwise steady breathing. Hermione placed her hand to the deep red curtain and pulled it aside slightly.

"Ginny?" she called in a low voice, "are you ok?"

Ginny sat up, allowing Hermione to see her tear streaked face.

"Ginny, what's wrong, what happened?" Hermione exclaimed in concern, dropping her bag and throwing the curtain open to sit down, put her arms around Ginny and hold her to her chest. Ginny's arms were folded up against her chest, her hands curled slightly as the backs rested against her neck. She tried desperately to control her heaving breath before she burst out crying again. It took her a few moments but she did it, and then she pulled back a bit out of Hermione's comforting arms

"I kissed him, I kissed Harry," she started shakily. "I was looking at you and Ron, and how happy you were in each other's arms and then I looked over at Harry next to me, so close, and so not close at the same time. I was thinking about how much I still loved him, no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise. He looked up at me then and I swore he was about to kiss me when he closed his eyes...I was so excited I just did it, I kissed him."

"Ginny, isn't that a good thing?" Hermione asked her slightly confused, "was it that bad?"

Ginny exhaled quickly as though struck and a short sharp shriek of laughter escaped her lips.

"Gods no!" she exclaimed, "It was perfect. He was perfect...until I noticed he wasn't at all responding and I ran up here!" and she threw herself face first down onto the bed away from Hermione in embarrassment and despair. Crookshanks meowed in annoyance and took that as his cue to jump down off the bed on the other side under the curtain. Hermione leaned over a little and put her hand on Ginny's back and rubbed it comfortingly.

"Ginny, I'm sure everything will be alright, I'm sure it's just been some misunderstanding," Hermione attempted soothingly.

"Misunderstanding," Ginny half screeched as she shot bolt upright and stared straight in front of herself shocked confusion all over her face. She snapped to look at Hermione.

"How many ways can you interpret a deep kiss on the lips!" Ginny asked incredulously. "Has loving my brother somehow dulled your brain?" Ginny bit her lip at the shocked and hurt expression on Hermione's face.

"Oh, Hermione, I am so sorry," Ginny apologized in earnest, feeling very remorseful.

"No, Ginny, that's alright, I see your point," Hermione said gulping down her pride.

"But Hermione," Ginny pressed. "I really wasn't thinking, please forgive me."

"Ginny, I do forgive you, and I know you don't mean it. I know you are hurting and under a lot of stress from this and you don't want to be hushed like a child. I'm sorry for patronizing you. You deserve better from me."

"Hermione stop it," Ginny broke in. "You are just trying to help, and I was utterly childish for lashing out at you like that."

"How did it go with Ron, last night?" Ginny asked curiously changing the subject before Hermione could protest again.

Hermione blushed slightly and reached up to her collar, pulling it aside to expose the entirety of her collarbone. There nestled between the bone, her shoulder and her neck was a tiny bruise. Ginny stared at it in mock horror.

"My brother did that!" she exclaimed viciously. Hermione turned beet red.

"Well at least it's hidden!" Hermione shot back, "I think Ron's got one just above his collar here." She tapped her neck on the opposite side, about halfway up.

"I'll be sure to poke him about it later," Ginny informed her smirking.

"Oh Ginny, I'm so happy," she beamed. And Ginny couldn't help but see the truth of it, she practically glowed. A shadow crossed Ginny's face and she tried to push it away. With much effort she forced it back.

"I'm really happy for you both," Ginny managed, and while she really had meant the words, there was still sorrow behind them. Hermione heard it there and pulled Ginny into a warm hug. She could hold it back no longer and with that Ginny heaved once before crying softly into Hermione's shoulder. She felt terrible for not being able to fully be happy for her friend and her brother, but she couldn't stop thinking about Harry's silent rejection of her. Hermione rubbed her back slowly as the tremors subsided.

"I just hope we can still be friends," Ginny said as she sniffed back the last of her tears and pulled back to look her in the eye. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost him completely."

"I can honestly say that I don't think Harry would ever let happen," Hermione stated firmly. "He would probably still be friends with Cho if she hadn't taken to bursting into tears at the sight of him." She sighed and rolled her eyes, then took Ginny's hands and looked her in the eye "You're worth a hundred of her. Even if he doesn't love you, I can tell you he knows that."

"That silly prat." Ginny's voice shook slightly, "She never knew how good she had it."

They both sat for a moment in silence, Hermione staring concern at her and Ginny glassily studying their hands between them.

"Ginny, are you going to be ok? Hermione broke the silence.

"I'll be fine." Ginny smiled wanly up at her.

"Do you want to come down to breakfast?" Hermione asked gently, beginning to feel her stomach's extreme protests.

"No, I don't think so," Ginny replied. "I'm not hungry and I don't think I am ready to see Harry yet."

"Well ok," Hermione responded, purposely not asking about her essay yet so she could use it as an excuse to come back for it later. "I'll come and check on you before going to class."

"Thanks." Ginny smiled appreciatively as Hermione picked her bag up off the floor and turned to leave for the Great Hall. Ginny sat there for a moment staring at the floor, then turned and slumped down to the bed on her belly. Crookshanks hopped back up onto the bed purring ferociously and butted his head up against Ginny's cheek. Ginny reached up her arm and hooked him down into her side onto the bed.