It was a simple thing to say. So simple, in fact, that Hermione shouldn't have a problem with it. She wasn't sure how it had happened, either. HerandRon had become RonandLavender, and it made her want to vomit every time she saw them doing great impressions of lampreys. Harry was…Harry. She didn't think he had eyes for anyone, until she found out that he was after the same goal she was. She couldn't do that to him, could she? He was her best friend. He'd stopped people calling her 'mudblood', stood up for her, gotten Ron to pay attention to her…And yet, here she was; trying to take away one of the only things that had made him happy this year.
'What about you, Hermione?' whispered a small voice. What about the things that made her happy? She'd helped Harry through things like the Triwizard, the Department of Mysteries…Didn't she deserve a little bit of happiness after everything she had done?
She didn't have time to think about that any more. Ginny had just walked into the deserted common room. It was probably one of her free periods, and fortunately, one of Hermione's, too. [She only had one. Unlike Harry and Ron, who had more than she thought they should.]
"Oh! Herminone! I didn't see you there. Free block, eh?" Ginny smiled, her brown eyes lighting up; and Hermione felt her chest tighten. This was bad, this was so bad.
"Y-Yeah, free period…I…Ginny, I had something I wanted to talk to you about."
"All right, then. What's on your mind?" Ginny pulled up an ottoman across from Hermione, so that their knees occasionally touched.
"I…Ginny, have you ever had a crush on another girl before?" Hermione blurted out. Not at all what she had meant to say.
"Erm. Well…To be honest, yeah. Angelina Johnson…And….Eh, forget it." Ginny was blushing. It brought out her cheekbones, and Hermione resisted the urge to run her thumb along them with nothing but sheer iron will.
"There's someone else? Do tell, Gin. I won't say anything, promise."
"I…I can't, it would ruin everything."
Hermione had the slightest fluttering in her chest, then. What if Ginny was talking about her? What if they actually felt the same? This was all so cliche and bad romance novel, but Hermione was past the point of caring. She gathered her courge, and launched herself forward to claim Ginny's lips in a kiss with more desperation than tact. Ginny let out a muffled yelp before returning the haphazard kiss with equal fervor. Eventually, they broke apart. Their faces blotchy, and breathing was difficult.
"I…Hermione…I love you." Ginny said, looking into Hermione's eyes and smiling a smile that Hermione had never seen before. One that spoke of love, trust, and adoration. Hermione smiled in return, and cupped Ginny's face with a trembling hand.
"I love you too, Ginny. So much." she felt herself blushing, but couldn't care less. Ginny turned her face into the touch, and pressed a soft kiss to the inside of Hermione's palm.
"What are we going to do about Harry?" the words were wrenched from Hermione's lips before she could stop herself.
"Harry? What about him?" confusion was all over Ginny's features.
"Well…He…I think he likes you, Gin."
"Oh, no he doesn't. You're thinking of my brother, the famous face sucking prat of Hogwarts. Harry's just trying to use me as cover. He's not sure how Ron will react, if at all. It's a bloody mess, honestly."
"Wait, Harry's…Harry's gay?" Hermione felt like she should have known. Should have asked him. Something! They were on the same side of the fence now, after all.
"Yeeees. Quite. He hasn't told you, because he thinks you'd tell Ron before he had the chance to. Don't take it too personally, Hermione. He's just scared. He loves Ron so much, he doesn't want to mess this up. He's been in love with him since the minute he saw him on the Express, I'd imagine."
"That's….Actually, quite endearing. Poor Harry. I hope he ends up telling Ron the truth…And I hope our resident prat has the sense not to hurt Harry. If he even says one thing out of line, I'll curse him into next week."
"I'll help. He needs a taste of my bat bogey hex."
"Great plan, Gin. Great plan." as they climbed out of the portrait hole, and to the Great Hall, their hands were intertwined. Hermione knew, that no matter what happened, the future would be fine with Ginny by her side. Together, they were unstoppable.