Authors Note: Well, compared to usual its been awhile since my last update… well, not really I was just spoiling you all last week. Anyway I was going to post this chapter ages ago but real life got in the way. I work as a legal secretary and can on occasion work up to 12 hour days… after that all I want to do is eat then sleep. So, no I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, I've been busy.
Thanks muchly to everyone's marvellous reviews. Makes me all warm and squishy inside.
One final word - reality TV is evil.
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Ginny's POV
I rush outside onto the grounds desperate to find Hermione. She couldn't just leave us with that miniscule amount of information. I want details. She said later. She may have only disappeared for an hour but it was still a later.
When I finally catch sight of them I see Hermione in the arms of… my brother. There is something seriously wrong with that picture. And Harry watching; a picture of calm - what is with that?
A feeling of childishness washes over me and I find myself throwing a mini tantrum on the spot. That's what you get for being the youngest, immature things are expected of you. As I finish I see Harry look up at me and I see a smile graces his features, gently he reaches out and gives Hermione's shoulder a squeeze.
When Hermione looks up, I grin giving her a wave. I see a slight smile of amusement cross her face before a slight red flush of embarrassment. Good, she knew what I wanted to talk about.
Hermione says a quick goodbye to Ron and turns to do the same with Harry. I feel myself melt as a look passes between the pair. It's a look I don't entirely understand but from the smiles on their faces it's definitely of the good. Their hands brush as Hermione leaves and I feel a rush of girlie excitement. They are just too cute.
"So ready to spill?" I ask the second Hermione is within earshot.
She nods. "Lets go find somewhere warm."
I grab her hand and drag her towards the castle. I was going to burst if I didn't get the juicy gossip soon. As soon as we get to a classroom I drag her inside not bothering to check if it was empty.
"So…" I prompt.
Hermione smiles, her attention focused on something over my shoulder. "Hey guys," she states calmly.
Feeling like the idiot I turn to find Lavender and Parvati staring at us. From the way they were seated it looked as though they were in the middle of a deep and meaningful.
"Sorry," I tell them, genuinely, "we'll find somewhere else."
Both girls look at me as if I've been cursed with two heads.
"Are you crazy?" Parvati shrieks.
"I so want to hear this," Lavender adds.
I glance at Hermione and her face immediately flames red.
"It's not that big of news," I hear her mumble but she doesn't say anything to the other two girls. I think she would prefer that she told a few people the truth. Less rumours that way.
Hermione sets her focus directly on Lavender. "You okay?" she asks.
It seems a strange question to me. Lavender was fine when I saw her last night. She and Ron were even having a little late night rendezvous. Lavender nods taking a deep breath as if to keep herself from crying.
"How's Ron?"
Hermione shrugs slightly. "You know Ron."
All the pieces start to fall into place for me: Ron's mood, Hermione hugging Ron, and this miniscule conversation. Lavender and Ron must have broken up.
I stare at Lavender in shock for a couple of seconds. There had never been even a hint of their relationship on the rocks. They always seemed so happy. Sure they fought a lot but it was always petty. From the way Lavender and Hermione were acting, it seemed as if this was for good.
Quickly I shake myself so Lavender doesn't see my reaction. My face would probably have the same effect as a kick in the stomach.
"So, you and Harry?" Lavender questions Hermione, rapidly changing the mood of the room.
I don't blame Lavender for not wanting to talk about it. Your ex-boyfriend's best friend and sister were probably not the best people to be talking these things over with.
A sly smile graces Hermione's face as she takes a seat on a desk. "Yeah, me and Harry."
I pull myself up a desk and sit facing her. She would have to do better than this. There is a quick scraping as Lavender and Parvati rush to take a seat.
"So, what did he say?" Parvati immediately asks.
Hermione's eyes take on a glazed look. "Well it wasn't really what he said…"
"Hermione!" I exclaim shocked.
Lavender looks at her disbelievingly. "He must have said something. One thing I know is all the boys are fighting and the next thing you're flying up the stairs, trying not to cry, Harry hot on your heals."
I must have missed that bit.
Hermione looks slightly embarrassed. "I just realised something and it kind of hit me hard."
Silence punishes the room and it becomes painfully obvious that Hermione simply does not want to talk about that part of the night.
"Did he tell you he loved you?" I ask, changing the subject but also because I wanted all the flowery details.
"I bet it was all romantic," Parvati adds.
To my surprise Hermione shakes her head. "No, he didn't actually." A slight smiles graces her features and I'm at a loss as to why it would please someone to not be told what they have been longing to hear. "I looked at him and I… I just knew."
That has to be one of the sweetest things I've ever heard in my life. Lavender and Parvati sigh with content. I can feel a face splitting smile cross my features. Hermione giggles slightly obviously replaying part of the moment in her mind.
"Skip ahead to the hardcore snogging," I tell her impatiently. I may be a sucker for sweetness but the raunchier aspects are just as appealing.
Hermione blushes slightly again. I study her face for a few seconds not sure what to think. Finally she manages to speak.
"We kinda skipped the snogging," Hermione turned redder with every syllable.
"Was it good?" My question just pops out. The other girls give me shocked looks. "Oh c'mon. Like you weren't thinking it."
Our attention is immediately turned back to Hermione, who has a satisfied grin on her face. Her eyes are rapidly glazing over and I realise if we don't do something soon we'll never know. I cough and Hermione snaps out of it.
"Good would be an understatement."
Lavender, Parvati and myself all exchange grins. What was the use of thinking Harry and Hermione were the couple of the century if the sex wasn't fantastic? From the look on Hermione's face fantastic may have been an understatement too.
"There's this thing with his tongue…"
I immediately cut Hermione off. "Herms, love ya and all but Harry's my friend too and I just don't want detailed images of him in the sack."
Hermione immediately shuts her mouth looking rather embarrassed. I can't help but giggle. Parvati and Lavender almost immediately join in and Hermione sends us all a glare.
"Straight from first kiss to shagging," Parvati almost hoots. "That's what I call style."
"What!? Hermione's been kissed before." Lavender exclaims. She turns to Hermione. "You have, haven't you?"
We all stop and give Lavender an incredulous look. She knew Hermione had been kissed, she's seen it with her own eyes and of course there was always that thing with Ron. Obviously Lavender's brain isn't working properly today.
"She meant first kiss between me and Harry, although it wasn't exactly a first last night."
My jaw becomes slack and I stare at Hermione in shock.
"When did this happen and how did I not know about it?" Lavender immediately asks.
I would have used the exact same phrases if I could find my voice. I had been rendered speechless and that was pretty much a first for me.
Anything Harry and Hermione did was scrutinised by everyone at Hogwarts, so, how something major like a kiss had managed to creep under the radar was almost unfathomable.
"It was a couple of days ago," Hermione shrugs as if describing the weather.
"Still doesn't explain how we didn't know about this. You and Harry were acting completely normal. Look how fast Ginny picked up on it this morning," Parvati presses, keen to get to the bottom of this.
"It didn't mean a great deal," Hermione asserts firmly. Ignoring our sceptical looks, she continues. "I was upset. Harry was just there."
A dark look crosses Hermione's face and I realise exactly when the event would have happened, while they were both away for the funeral.
The events of the past few days seem to come rushing back to Hermione, full force, visibly taking their toll. Immediately her eyes fill with tears and her face pales, giving me the impression that she could hurl any second.
I thought Hermione was doing extremely well with coping but understandably the hurt was still extremely raw. It became clear that the only way she kept going was by pushing everything to the back of her mind, concentrating on what was happening right before her, even if that meant fixating on the most minor detail.
Lavender gently gives Hermione a one armed hug. Hermione beats us all to speech, guessing what would be our next words.
"It hurts to breathe," her voice cracks but the tears don't come. "More than anything it hurts to breathe."
We all sit in a sombre silence unsure of exactly what to do. What do you say to someone who is grieving the death of both their parents without sounding redundant? Hermione was usually the one who had the words in a situation like this.
After a few moments of sitting lost in our own thoughts Hermione abruptly stands.
"We're going to be late for class," she announces.
Together we exit the room and I separate from the others. I watch silently as the other three girls head off for Transfiguration.
I sigh.
It had been a day of heavy emotions and we hadn't even got to first period yet.