Together

Together

"Gin, wait up!" Harry yelled, dashing after Ginny Weasley in the hall.

Ginny smiled and shifted her book bag to her hip as she turned to greet him. He slowed down and smiled at her in greeting, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Ginny grinned happily at her boyfriend of one month and reached out for a hug. Harry shook his head and ducked out of her arms.

Frowning, Ginny asked, "What's wrong darling?"

Harry sighed and muttered, "We have to talk. Ginny I never meant to hurt you but... well, we aren't working out."

Frozen, Ginny asked wide-eyed, "What do you mean? Is there someone else?"

Harry quickly shook his head and shuffled his feet. "No." he assured her, "It's just that I'm not ready for a commitment. And, well, Ron has been becoming distant from me for a while, you must have noticed it yourself. I don't want that, we've been through a lot, and he is my best friend. I can't lose him. We're going to work at spending more time together, try and get it back to how it used to be. It's not that I don't like you, Gin, it's just that this isn't working. Ron means so much to me, you see, and, well, you're just a girl."

Ginny tearfully gaped at him for a few moments, then turned and ran off. She heard Harry shout that he never meant to hurt her.

She whirled around and shouted back at him. "Ron didn't break up with Hermione to spend more time with you! Why couldn't you cope like him?"

Harry answered, "He did. A few minutes ago. She ran off and now Ron's out looking for her."

Ginny gasped. How could they?

She turned and ran. At least there was one place she could find solace. Her room. She had found it in her second year. She had been running away from all the people who teased her about loving something evil. She had careened around a corner and hit a wall. To her surprise, she fell through to a small room. It was about the size of a walk-in closet, but there was a large blue velvet couch she could comfortably nestle and lie on. She ran to the wall and walked through. To her surprise, there was already someone there.

Hermione gasped upon seeing Ginny run into her room.

She managed to mumble, "Why are you here?"

Ginny smiled coldly and sank down onto the couch beside her. "Same reason as you."

Hermione nodded and pulled Ginny close into a hug. "Stupid boys. I just can't believe that after all these years together they just abandoned me for some male bonding."

Ginny shifted into a more comfortable position and in Hermione's arms and nodded fiercely. "Well, us girls have got to stick together. Right?"

Hermione smiled and added, "Right!"

Ginny suddenly became aware of how close they were. And Hermione's hair smelled wonderful. "Hermione," she started in a small voice, "Would you mind... Well..."

"Yes, Ginny."

"Could I kiss you?"

*********

"Yes."

Three years later they were still growing close. Harry and Ron had long since split up and became Aurors and Medi-wizards. Hermione and Ginny both became Professors of Muggle Studies. The wedding is next month.