Written for the Fastest Challenge in the History of Challenges.
DISCLAIMER: See this word? Yup, that mean I don't own any of the characters in this fiction.
"House Unity Day"
And whose idea was it, exactly, to have a "Let's-Make-Slytherins-and-Gryffindors-Get-to-Know-Each-Other-Better-Day"? Because that was what this was, never mind the "House Unity Day" as it was being called by the teachers. Ridiculous. Hermione crossed one leg over the other and sighed, waiting to see who she was being placed with for the day. The idea was to spend the day with the person chosen, generally getting to know them. It was inter-year, and all Hermione could do was pray she'd get someone nicer than Millicent Bulstrode – or, Heaven forbid, Draco Malfoy. .. Hearing her name, she sat up straight, and her eyebrows crinkled as she heard the name called out after hers. Astoria Greengrass? Who?
Across the Hall, Astoria raised her head and felt a light blush come over her cheeks. No. Oh, no. Not the girl she'd been lusting after for two years. Damn it, why was life so unfair? It was bad enough that she, a Greengrass, liked girls and guys, but Hermione Granger, Muggle-born? She bit her lip, getting up and walking over to Hermione, unable to stop staring at the girl. Seriously, why was she graced with such beauty? Why?
Hermione smiled at Astoria. The girl looked nervous, poor thing. Surely, being the Gryffindor, she should be nervous? No, that wasn't how it worked, was it? Gryffindors were supposed to be brave. Hermione didn't feel very brave right now. "Hi."
Astoria blushed. "Hey." She nodded.
Hermione tilted her head. The girl was cute (this thought in a matter-of-fact way; Hermione didn't label herself, thinking of labels as stereotyping, but if she had she would probably have been bisexual. After all, she liked Ron, but she also thought of any guy or girl who was cute, as cute. As in, in a "Wow-I'd-so-snog-the-living-daylights-out-of-her-if-she-were-interested". And Astoria fell into that small catergory. Because Hermione, admittedly, liked only one person, and anyone else was merely "Meh". But Astoria was pretty, and pretty in this case meant beautiful. Long, dark hair, gorgeous green eyes, and curves to die for.
Astoria smiled nervously. Hermione seemed to be eyeing her almost in a way that suggested... No, she couldn't like her. Of course not. She cleared her throat. "Wanna go for a walk around the Lake?" She asked quietly.
Hermione nodded, and grabbed Astoria's hand, her own bravery surprising her. "Sure!" She led the way out.
Astoria was practically hyperventilating, with Hermione holding her hand. "Merlin help me." She thought, glancing at Hermione. As if this wasn't going to be awkward enough...
But, it wasn't. Both girls enjoyed it surprisingly, and managed to avoid any awkward conversation, until Hermione suddenly said; "You're a pureblood, yes? Does that mean you're meant to be marrying someone else pureblood? As in, arranged?"
Astoria nodded. "Draco." She made a face. "I mean, sure, he's lovely, but..." She shrugged. "I'd love to tell my parents I want to choose who I marry, but, like my sexuality, it will stay a secret forever." Oh, Merlin. She clapped a hand over her mouth and stared aghast at Hermione. Oops...
Hermione laughed and shrugged. "My parents keep asking if I'm any other way inclined than heterosexual, but I don't like labels, so I tell them I'm not anything-sexual, I'm me."
"Oh, but you are sexual." Astoria burst out, before her eyes widened. "Sorry. I seem to be in an odd mood today."
Hermione stared at her for a moment before biting on her lip – oh, what that movement always did to Astoria – before grinning. "Don't apologise. It's not often I get compliments." She wrinkled her nose.
Astoria frowned. "Can't understand why. You're beautiful, sexy... Sorry. You're going to think me crazy." She laughed lightly.
Hermione giggled – very odd, for her. "Aren't we all sort of crazy?" She asked. Before she glanced around, then looked back into Astoria's beautiful eyes. "What's it like, knowing your future, having it all mapped out?"
"It sucks. I'll have to marry Draco, be Astoria Malfoy, never get to experiment the way I'd like to..." She sighed.
Hermione laughed lightly. "If that's all you're worried about, you're fine. I bet loads of girls would queue up to experiment with you."
"Would you be in that queue?" Astoria asked softly, the teasing-flirting nature of the conversation changing suddenly.
Hermione blinked and then smiled slowly. "I'm first in line, Greengrass, and don't you forget it."
Astoria's mouth fell open. "Are you... flirting? God, and everyone's always calling you a prude..."
"Really?" Hermione didn't seem too upset. "Meh. They can think what they want. Only special people will know how much of a prude I'm really not..."
Astoria caught her breath. "Am I special?" She asked, with a half-smile.
Hermione stared at her for a long moment, thinking, then decided not to think and to use her instincts for once. "How's this for an answer?" She leant in, hearing Astoria stop breathing, and caught her lips in hers.
The two kissed for several moments, both moving closer together, glad of the lack of interruptions.
Astoria drew back and grinned. "I liked that answer, rather a lot."
"Shall we continue with the answer? It's rather a long one." Hermione seemed to be in a daring mood today, really she was.
As an answer to that question, it was several hours before the two girls returned to the Great Hall to find out if everyone else had had as much fun during their day as they had. Harry and Draco, for one, looked exceedingly suspiciously flustered. However, Ginny and Goyle were both sporting injuries... Ah, well. It seemed McGonagall's skill in pairing up people didn't last throughout the whole of Hogwarts... Just for some special people.
Not that Hermione and Astoria minded at all. They re-enacted that day as often as possible. The Room of Requirement really was a beautiful and useful place to go when boredom struck. Especially after a hard day of exams, when all you needed was to wind down and relax... And get a full body massage, of course.