Happiness

Happiness

A/N: I've finally done it! I've wanted to write a slashfic for ages! This is mild Hermione/Ginny slash and I've tried to make it tasteful. Flame me if you like, but in my opinion, there's nothing wrong with homosexuality.

Disclaimer: All belongeth to J.K. Rowling, nowt belongeth to me!

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I glance at her across the table. Was she looking at me? I imagine tracing the outline of her lips with my finger.

No! I shake my head, as if trying to shake the unwelcome thoughts from my mind. Forget it, she'll never love you back, I tell myself. Forget it Ginny.

There have been times when I thought it was just a phase. A stupid crush, like the one I had on Harry in my first few years at Hogwarts. If I loved Harry, I reasoned, how can this be true?

But this is different, and besides, I'm sixteen now. A little too old for the same-sex crushes that puberty brings, wouldn't you say?

I've always sort of melded into the background. Lost myself behind the exuberant personalities of my many brothers. Boring little Ginny. Never had a boyfriend, never breaks the rules, never does anything worth mentioning. Until now.

What if I'm wrong though? What if this is just because I haven't met the right boy yet? No, I'm not fooling anyone now, least of all myself. I know this runs deeper than that. It is in my very being, pulsing through my bloodstream.

I don't like the word "lesbian". Somehow it sounds wrong. "Gay" is better and "dyke" is just repulsive. The word homophobes use when they tease their friends. You know: "God, you're such a dyke!", like it's something dirty and disgusting.

She keeps giving me little signs that she feels the same way. Just little gestures and glances. Of course, I can't be sure. Maybe I'm just so desperate for her to love me that I'm imagining things. There's only one way to be sure.

She glances up from her Arithmancy homework and I look away quickly. Did she catch me staring at her? A hot blush rises in my cheeks, as always, obscuring my cursed freckles. Nervously I flick my hair behind my ears and lick my lips with a sandpaper tongue.

Suddenly, she stands up and moves to the seat next to mine. I notice that we are the last ones left in the common room. She takes my exercise book and shows me how to translate a tricky sentence from ancient runes. She is so clever. Her wrist brushes my hand and it feels electric. How can she not feel it?

It's now or never. I make the final decision in a flash. I have to know. My palms are sticky and beads of sweat break out across my forehead. She turns away for a moment and before I can stop myself, I pour a few drops of the precious liquid into her glass of pumpkin juice.

Veritaserum. The strongest truth potion there is, stolen from Snape's private stores. All I can do now is wait.

I tremble as I watch her drain her glass and my voice shakes terribly, but I have to ask.

"Her…Hermione?"

"Yes?" she replies calmly. To her, this is just another conversation with a friend. Her voice is soothing; it gives me confidence.

"Are you…are you g-gay?" I stumble over the last word but, thanks to the Veritaserum, the answer pops out automatically.

"Yes," she looks shocked. So far, so good. I hurry on with the next question.

"Do you love me?"

Again the mechanical answer. "Yes."

A warm flood of relief and joy races through me. She tries to say something, but before she can speak, I lean over and capture her mouth with mine. She responds. Her lips are softer than anything I ever imagined. Her hair is a fine silken cascade running through my fingers. Finally we pull apart, each gasping for breath.

"How did you do that?" she asks hesitantly. I hold up the little vial of clear liquid, so that the label is clearly visible. She looks taken aback for a moment, but then a slow smile spreads across her face. That special Hermione smile.

"I'm glad you did," she whispers. "I love you Ginny."

"I love you too Hermione," I reply, snuggling up to her. She lays her head on my shoulder.

For the first time in a long time, I am truly happy.

"Ginny? Ginny," she is calling me but I am too sleepy to answer. "Ginny! Ginny…"

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"Ginny…Ginny!"

Ginny forced her eyes open. It was only Colin, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Ginny! You slept there all night?" he asked incredulously. "What are you Hermione or something?"

She lifted her head, peeling her face away from the page of her Ancient Runes textbook. Had it all been a dream then? She looked around but there was no sign of Hermione. Her heart sank and she could have cried. A terrible weight settled on her shoulders. It hadn't really happened. How could it have?

Ginny stood up and felt something knock against her leg. Reaching into her robe pocket, she pulled out the little vial of Veritaserum. It was half empty. Several long, brown hairs were stuck to the sleeve of her robes.

Ginny left the common room on winged feet.