Redemption

Chapter Twenty-Six:

"Oh, Madam Pomfrey, please let me see her. She's like a sister to me. At least let me find out what's wrong," Ginny pleaded.

"Oh, very well, then. She should wake up soon. I didn't give her a dose strong enough to knock her out completely." The matron ushered the young girl inside the cubicle and drew the curtains closed, holding a finger to her lips as she walked away.

Rolling her eyes, Ginny took the chair closest to the bedside. Her eyes raked over Hermione's face. The sixth year didn't look hurt or sick. In fact, she was sleeping peacefully and looked quite adorable. Well, except for the dried tear tracks on her cheeks.

Indeed, she wasn't asleep long. For, five minutes later, Hermione curled onto her side and apparently noticed that she was awake. Both eyes opened cautiously, blinking several times before they adjusted properly. "Ginny?" she whispered hoarsely and then cleared her throat.

Nodding, Ginny took Hermione's hand in her own. "I'm here." This relationship was so new to them both, but Ginny didn't feel awkward at all. She felt safe with Hermione. It just... felt right. "Are you all right?"

Hermione smiled, not with her usual cheerfulness, but it was a good start. "That's a silly question."

"You're right. It really is." Ginny smiled in return.

Suddenly, Hermione let out a little giggle.

"What?" Self consciously, the redhead tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well?"

"Oh, it's just that, at the Quidditch match, I was watching you. I couldn't help thinking about what you'd said about Harry and Wufei. I had this strange notion of being your light. Of being there for you." She laughed again, this time a little sadly. "Funny how things work out, isn't it?"

That simple statement shocked Ginny into silence. That had to be the single most caring thing anyone had ever said to her. Growing up in a family with six brothers had certainly made life very interesting. Of course, they all loved her a lot, but they never showed it. How strange that her brother's friend was the first one to say anything so sweet to her. Well, Hermione was her girlfriend now, and she liked it that way.

Now it was Ginny's turn to giggle. Funny, really, that she should think of herself as having a girlfriend. Perhaps growing up with a household of men had influenced her in ways that she'd never noticed. What an odd moment to realize that she truly did prefer girls to boys.

"Now, what are you laughing at?" Hermione asked with a mock frown.

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking how strange it is," Ginny answered.

"What's strange?"

"You and me." Having said that, Ginny's cheeks began to mimic her hair.

"I don't think that it's strange at all," murmured Hermione. She reached up to caress the younger girl's cheek.

"You know what I mean," Ginny whispered, holding Hermione's hand to her face.

Shifting to sit on the bed, Ginny slid her arms around Hermione as the other girl sat up. She felt so comfortable like that. She could hold this girl all year and never feel as though she'd missed a thing. Yet, there was something more that she wanted to do.

Smiling to herself at this opportunity to look down at her taller girlfriend, Ginny leant down until her lips met Hermione's. There was a moment's hesitation, and then, both girls parted their mouths, each allowing the other access.

Hermione's hand tangled into soft red hair, and she sighed into the kiss, causing Ginny's stomach to flutter. A moment later, the younger girl felt another stirring, deeper and further down.

Surprised at herself, she had to still the urge to pull away. So far, she hadn't considered the sexual aspect of their relationship, only the emotional. Belatedly, she realized that she'd never felt this kissing her old boyfriends. All the same, she did now, and the realization caused Ginny to flush, her pale skin growing warm.

Finally, she pulled back, too flustered to notice Hermione's eyes flutter peacefully open, or the serene smile that played over the brunette's lips. Her own hand came up to trace her lips as if testing that they really were hers and didn't belong to someone else. At the same time, Hermione's hand slid back around to caress her blushing cheek, and their eyes met.

Several seconds later, the moment was broken. A strangled gurgle cracked the silence of the Infirmary, followed by a thump. Eyes widening, Ginny's gaze slid past Hermione and the curtain to take in the forms of three of the strangers from breakfast. Next, she noticed the prone form of her older brother, Ron, a trickle of blood running from his nose.

"Oh dear," she groaned.

...........................................................................................................................................................

Struggling to suppress his mirth at the scene that had unfolded, Duo caught Trowa's eye. This was certainly turning out to be an interesting day. Bending down, he tapped the boy's cheek lightly with the back of his hand.

By the time Ron started to come around, his sister had joined them, blushing furiously. "Ron? Are you okay?"

"Ginny?" Ron asked groggily. Then, awareness set in and he sat up, wincing at the pain in his head. "What the hell? Why were you kissing Hermione?"

"What makes you think I wasn't kissing her?" asked a heated voice from beyond his range of vision.

Standing up and turning around, Ron saw Hermione, who was now standing with her arms crossed and blushed as brightly as his sister. "Uh..."

"Not that it's any of your business, but Ginny and I are an item." Although she looked quite stern, there was no mistaking the faint splash of pink across Hermione's cheeks.

Forgetting his embarrassment, Ron gaped. "None of my business? My best friend and my sister... together... and its none of my business?"

"I don't stick my nose into your love life, Ron. So what right do you have poking into mine?" Ginny scolded, having regained her composure. Her nose twitched irritably.

"I have every right to know that my sister is more interested in her own sex, and the rest of the family does, too."

"Ron, no! You can't tell them!" Ginny cried, casting a frantic glance towards Hermione.

"Ron, be reasonable," Hermione added.

Ron stared from one to the other, nostrils flaring as he fumed inwardly. "This is just some sort of phase, right? Right, Hermione?"

Out of his peripheral vision, Duo saw the nurse, who had been standing silently in her office doorway, duck back out of sight, choosing to play dumb and ignore what she was hearing. He also noticed that Quatre was looking quite distressed, and Trowa, bored, had seated himself on a nearby bed, waiting until the argument played out.

"Ron, I know this is difficult for you to understand, but I care about Ginny very much. In fact," she added, glancing at her girlfriend. "I love her."

Ron just groaned and buried his face in his hands. "I don't believe this. I really don't. It just isn't natural."

In a flash of brilliance, the younger Weasley tried a new tactic, tears springing to her eyes almost instantaneously. "Ron?" she said weakly, moving closer to him. "You won't tell anyone, will you? Oh, please, Ron. You're my brother. I trust you, and I was going to tell you. I just couldn't find the right way to do it. You still love me, don't you?"

Falling like a stone off a cliff, Ron's resolve broke, and he drew Ginny into his arms, hugging her tightly. "Of course I still love you, Gin. It's just... it's a bit of a shock, is all. You're not little Ginny anymore."

Sniffling for added effect, Ginny hugged her brother back. "And you won't tell anyone?"

"You'll have to tell mom and dad eventually, you know."

"I know, but I'm not ready yet."

After a moment's pause, Ron nodded. "Okay, Gin. I'll keep your secret. At least, this way, I won't have to beat ambitious boys away with a stick."

Hermione grinned at Ginny's cunning and launched herself at Ron, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind and placing a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you! You're a gem!"

Laughing, Duo finally stepped in. "Right, now that that's settled, shall we move on to other matters?"

"Right, like who the hell you are, and what you're doing here," Ron put in.

"Uh, yeah, actually I was thinking more along the lines of how Hermione is," Duo answered, indicating the girl with his head.

"Oh, I'm much better now," Hermione answered, grinning and taking hold of Ginny's hand.

"I'll bet," Ron mumbled, wincing at the kick to his shin. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

"Wonderful. Now, we should find Heero and Harry and maybe then we can answer your questions," Duo told them cheerily. "I assume Hermione's okay to leave?" he called out to the nurse.

"Go right ahead, dear," the woman replied, her voice filled with amusement.

"Nifty." With that, Duo was out the door, expecting the rest to follow him.

"Nifty?" Trowa asked, suddenly at Duo's side.

Duo just grinned at him and winked. "So, do we have any idea of where to look?"

"Um, guys, hold up a second," Ginny called. "The three of us still have class."

Duo paused, mid step, then slowly turned around. He grinned and scratched the back of his head. "Heh, yeah... Guess I forgot about that. Well, why don't we go look for Heero, and then we'll all meet up at lunch. Kay?"

"That sounds like a good plan," Hermione answered before Ron could comment. "See you in the library?"

"Sure, library it is." Then, Duo spun around and walked off, dragging Trowa behind him.

Quatre sighed. "Why do I get the feeling I'll be the only one searching?"

Ginny suddenly giggled, catching the significance of the boy's statement. When Hermione raised her eyebrows in question, she leaned up to whisper into her girlfriend's ear.

"Oh," was all Hermione said, the faint blush returning to her cheeks.