Frustration

It was an early Saturday morning as Hermione padded down the dormitory stairs into the Gryffindor common room.

Pale morning sunlight slanted in through the windows and turned the edges of Ginny's hair flame-orange as she sat in a squashy armchair near the fireplace. She looked up and smiled at Hermione, and Hermione's breath caught in her throat.

She crossed the common room smiling back, and Ginny unfolded herself gracefully from the chair - she looked beyond gorgeous, even in a sloppy T-shirt and pyjama bottoms. Hermione stroked her hands up Ginny's sides and Ginny shivered, before leaning forward to kiss Hermione.

Their lips were almost touching, when a loud 'Oh my GOD!' rang through the common room.

It was Ron's voice, coming from the direction of the boy's staircase. Hermione and Ginny jumped apart guiltily and spun round to face the music - only to see Ron stomping down the stairs, nose buried in Quidditch Weekly.

He looked up at them, eyes blazing. He brandished the magazine at them in indignation. "Can you believe Joey Jenkins has transferred from the Cannons to the Falmouth Falcons, of all teams?! TRAITOR! He wouldn't know loyalty if it hit him in the face. It's ridiculous."

He glared at them, and Hermione had to stifle a giggle with her hand - partly from relief and partly at the look on Ron's face. "Oh, Ron - you do get het up."

He opened his mouth indignantly, before Ginny hastily chipped in to defuse him. "Really? I always liked Jenkins. Well, I suppose it's always the quiet ones you have to look out for, really, it's terrible..." Ginny babbled.

Luckily, just then Harry came clattering down the stairs and Ron turned to him, which Hermione was glad about - it was hard to keep a straight face with Ginny tracing circles on the small of her back with her finger.

There were more people milling about now, and after Ginny had got dressed, they drifted down to breakfast. Ginny kept looking at Hermione and biting her lip most distractingly, and Hermione knew it wouldn't be wise to sit opposite her at the Gryffindor table, but she did anyway.

She drank tea with her cereal, but Ginny had buttered toast and pumpkin juice, and Hermione knew exactly what Ginny's warm mouth would taste like, all buttery and fruity, and Hermione about dragged Ginny from the table when the last bit of toast had disappeared, mumbling something about Arithmancy.

They disappeared out of the Great Hall to the sound of Ron saying, "But Ginny doesn't do Arithmancy..." and dove into an alcove in the wall of a corridor just off the Entrance Hall.

Hermione ran her thumb softly across Ginny' mouth, before slowly leaning in. She could feel Ginny's warm breath on her lips, but before she could close the gap, they were interrupted by the clatter of footsteps in the corridor.

They drew apart quickly, Hermione making a small noise in the back of her throat and Ginny closing her eyes in frustration.

She opened them again as Colin Creevey burst into the alcove, eyes bright.

"Hi girls!" he said breathlessly. "Have you seen Harry? I saw he'd got some new glasses, so I wanted to..." he brandished the camera at them.

"Um, sorry, Colin, I don't know where he is," Hermione said quickly. "We were just - we were looking for him too, uh, in here."

She looked around the tiny space as if expecting Harry to jump out at them. "Nope, not here. Sorry!" she said brightly.

She determinedly didn't look at Ginny, who seemed to be frantically avoiding a traitorous giggle by desperately inspecting her nails.

Colin looked vaguely crestfallen, then brightened. "I'll check the Great Hall! Maybe he's still having breakfast!"

Ginny nodded at him eagerly. "Me and Hermione will just, uh, check down this way!" and with that she grabbed Hermione's elbow and they hurried off down the corridor, waiting until Colin was out of earshot before bursting into giggles.

"Oh, that boy is so smitten," gasped Hermione.

"It's kinda cute," grinned Ginny. "Bless him." Then her smiled changed to one more predatory. "Speaking of cute..."

Hermione blushed and ducked her head. "Not here. A bit too public, don't you think? Snape's given me permission to use a potions lab for my project - there'll be no-one there on a nice day like this."

Ginny frowned a little. "It's not exactly romantic down there, all damp and dark."

Hermione grinned at her. "I know, but we'll be on our own. Completely alone..." She twirled her hair coyly in her fingers.

Ginny snorted. "Come on then."

But unfortunately the dungeons weren't as empty as they'd hoped. Hermione pushed open the door to the lab, giggling - then stopped dead, dropping the hand of Ginny's that she was holding like a hot coal as the tall black-clad figure of Snape came into view, standing in the middle of the lab.

Although, he wasn't alone - he was standing close to Remus Lupin, of all people - incredibly close.

They drew apart as quickly as Hermione had dropped Ginny's hand as the girls' momentum carried them into the room. Snape looked flustered, for what was the first and probably last time Hermione would see.

"...Um, yes, Lupin, so that is the important password for the, uh, important, thing."

He turned to the girls, patting down his robes in what Hermione imagined he though was a dignified way. "Lupin is here on important Order business."

Lupin nodded, looking rather pink.

Hermione gaped for a moment, then gathered herself. "Er, yes, of course sir, I'm very sorry to interrupt, we'll just be, going, uh, now..."

Ginny muttered a noise of assent, then the girls fled. They made sure they had got to the first floor before making any kind of noise this time - the wrath of Snape was not a pretty thought - but they were loud enough to startle nearby portraits. "OH MY GOD!" shrieked Hermione, as Ginny gasped with laughter.

"I can't believe *Snape* is getting snogged and we can't find a private corner anywhere! That is so wrong, seriously." Ginny shook her head, hiccupping slightly as the giggles faded. "Come on, there's a classroom on 6^th floor that's never used, I think it turns you into a frog on Tuesdays, but we should be OK today."

Hermione grinned at her, but no sooner had they turned to head up the nearest stairs than Harry turned the corner in front of them.

"Oh, Hermione," he said, looking relieved, "I was looking for you. Can I - can I talk to you?" He hesitated, looking at Ginny warily. "In private?"

Hermione stifled a frustrated groan and put on what she hoped was a friendly smile. "Of course, Harry - although I'm sure Ginny can hear whatever you've got to say? Secrets aren't healthy, you know that, Harry."

She winced inwardly at the irony of the statement, but if he got her on her own she might not be free for hours, and Ginny's lips were just such a perfect shade of pink this morning - and Hermione had somewhat of a selfish streak when it came to sweet Weasley kisses - at least, from the youngest Weasley.

Harry looked vaguely uncomfortable, but seemed to acquiesce. "I just - I need someone to talk to, and I don't think Ron would understand, so, I though, you might."

He stopped, and took a deep breath. "Hermione, I - well, I like someone. And that might be OK but it's not someone you'd expect, or approve of, and it's more than that, it's someone you'd never guess because they aren't even the right ge...well, they're...h...why are you smiling?"

Hermione let her smile widen. "Ah, it's OK Harry, I know who you mean. And he fancies you, too, you know - the way he looks at you across the tables in the Great Hall! It's pretty obvious. And I really don't think he's evil anymore, what with his Dad in Azkaban, and anyway I was talking to Tonks a few weeks ago and she said something about Snape's new recruit to the cause, and it definitely seems it's him and he's turned over a new leaf - so, I say go for it. He is pretty hot, I'll give you that. Ow!" She jumped as Ginny poked her in the back.

Harry was gaping at her like a landed fish. "What...how did you...um. Okay. Thanks...?" Hermione grinned at him, and, grabbing Ginny's hand, walked up the stairs, leaving a rather flustered, although somewhat relieved, Harry.

They reached the top of the stairs and Ginny giggled. "Nothing like being blunt! I think you scared the poor boy for life. Plus you really stole his thunder - he had this whole confession ready." She nudged Hermione playfully.

Hermione grinned. "I am clearly too intuitive for my own good. But I'm glad I could help him get it off his chest - he's been mooning around after Draco since the beginning of term, it's been doing my head in. Now, I'm fed up of being involved in other peoples' love lives when mine is so woefully neglected. If I don't get to kiss you soon I'll go mad."

Ginny blushed prettily and, grabbing Hermione's hand, dragged her at a run down the corridor.

The sun was streaming in through the windows and bounced off the old stone walls, making the corridor full of light and warmth as they raced along it, hair flying behind them. Hermione was in an inexplicably good mood, despite the fact she still hadn't got to kiss Ginny yet.

She turned around and swung Ginny in a circle, laughing, admiring the red sparks that glinted off Ginny's head. Ginny giggled back. "What's put you in such a good mood?"

"I don't know. You. Us. The sun." She grinned wickedly. "The fact that we've arrived at the abandoned classroom."

Ginny and Hermione bounded in and, as the door swung closed, they finally kissed, arms entwined and lips pressing together - no interruptions, intruders, problems - just two girls in love, alone together at last.

Hermione felt a burst of happiness at the soft press of Ginny's lips on hers, and moved her hands up to touch Ginny's soft hair. She moved her mouth to Ginny's ear and whispered, "You always taste of strawberries," then kissed her again. It was worth the wait.