Hermione was still muttering obscenities under her breath as she made her way to the prefect's bath. So far this hadn't been her day: first Lavender and Parvati had insisted on invading her room to get ready, her shoes had pinched her feet throughout the ball despite all her charms and then her date had tossed her over for another girl. She was at least going to end the day on a good note or she'd be tempted to use an unforgiveable on someone. A long hot bath was just what she needed, she decided while mumbling the password.
Preferably alone, she thought as a splash sounded through the opening door. Sighing in frustration, she made her way in. If nothing else she could find out when whoever-it-was would be finished. As the second splash sounded she stopped, who was in there? All the female prefects were still at the ball when she'd left. In fact, the only person who hadn't attended the ball at all had been – she rounded the corner and found Susan Bones just breaking through the surface of the water, her eyes closed as she pushed her now wet hair out of her face and wrung it out. Water and suds dripped down her back, shoulders and breastbone. For some unknown reason Hermione felt her mouth go dry.
Susan opened her eyes, gasping in surprise to see her standing there. "Oh, I didn't know you were here. I mean I didn't hear you come in."
Hermione blushed and fumbled with her towel, trying to give her hands something to do. "I-um-was going to ask when you were going to be finished, I wasn't expecting to find anyone in here – are you supposed to be in here?"
Susan looked horrified for a moment and began to wade her way out of the bathtub. "Uh no. Hannah gave me the password to use tonight. I-I didn't want to go to the ball and I didn't want to stay back in Hufflepuff either. I- I just-" she broke off and shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'll just go."
"No!" Hermione surprised even herself with her fervent reaction. Holding out her hand to stop Susan, she clarified, "No, I didn't mean to chase you out. I was just surprised to see you here, I guess." She looked down at her hands in embarrassment. "I, uh, overheard your fight with Anthony yesterday."
Susan laughed ruefully, "I think the entire castle heard my fight with Anthony. We definitely weren't quiet about it."
Hermione gave a wry grin as she remembered the scene in the Great Hall. Susan was right, she and Anthony had been anything but quiet about breaking up. "You know, I thought when you threw the pendant with his family crest at him was the best part." She then sighed, "I can see why you wouldn't want to go to the Ball. I guess neither of us had things turn out as we planned."
"Oh." Susan looked up at Hermione. "What happened to you?"
"I found my date 'dancing' a bit more closely than proper with Eloise Midgen."
"You left early because of that?"
Hermione just raised an eyebrow. "They weren't dancing."
"Oh!" Susan's eyes grew wide as she realized what Hermione meant.
"Yeah, I guess we both had the same idea of what to do instead."
"Do you want to join me then? Instead of waiting? There's more than enough room."
"You don't mind?"
"No, besides, we're both girls. It's not like you have anything I haven't seen before."
"True," Hermione stated solemnly. "We both have girl parts."
She made the mistake of catching Susan's eye as she finished. It wasn't long before the girl's bath echoed with the sound of their combined laughter.
Hermione was still giggling as she disrobed and carefully stepped into the bath. The water was still very warm, and the scent of eucalyptus was soothing. She settled into the bath, leaning her head back on the ledge with a sigh. It felt good to relax into the water and feel her earlier tension just wash away. It was also nice to have someone to commiserate with, she decided, as she and Susan soon fell into a discussion of each of their former boyfriends and their disastrous relationships.
"Don't worry," Susan said some time later. She shifted in the tub, bringing them face-to-face. "Eloise always tosses a guy aside after a week or so. He'll probably come begging by Friday, sooner depending on how quickly she loses interest."
"It wouldn't matter if he did. I don't think I could take him back after what I saw. I don't think I could ever trust him again. I mean he was-" Hermione stopped, neither wanting to air the bad memory nor to lose the light spirit they had.
Susan reached across the tub and patted Hermione on the shoulder. "Trust me, I know. Why else do you think I broke up with Anthony?" She gave Hermione a sage nod, followed by a saucy wink that had them both in giggles once again. And as they laughed together, so close and relaxed, Susan's hand slipped down Hermione's body.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Susan said the words, but her tone wasn't exactly apologetic. Hermione identified surprise, but also something else... something she couldn't place. And she noticed that she didn't really mind that Susan's hand lingered a moment before the other girl returned to her side of the tub
They stayed in the tub talking until the water grew cool, not even lukewarm any more, finally stepping out when they were both shivering too hard to ignore. They toweled off, still laughing over something Susan had said. Hermione pretended to not notice the glances Susan made out of the corner of her eye, wondering if the other girl noticed the glances she made herself.
Hermione hadn't ever considered girls. At least not in that way. But now, now she wasn't so sure. She hadn't expected her body's reaction to seeing Susan naked in the bath. Or when Susan's hand had landed on her breast. She had rather liked it, she decided as she pulled her fluffy bathrobe on. In fact, if she was truthful to herself, she had liked it much better than when Terry had done so.
She found herself loath to hide her glances at Susan as they made their way to the door of the prefect's bathroom. She didn't want to leave this idyll they had created for themselves.
But now, she thought, noting how Susan's parting look lingered a little longer than proper, now she had something to think about.