Well, this story was originally a one shot, but I saw a few people put it on alert. That got me thinking, and soon enough, a short little sequel was born.

Really, this is OPTIONAL, so you don't have to feel obligated to read it, if you liked the ending on the first part. =]

Without further ado, here's the sequel:


Hermione approached the fireplace with a sigh, knowing that after she stepped into the Floo, she'd have to go back and face the reality that she and Ginny were just friends. She briefly considered faking sick, but decided against it almost immediately. She would take a day of being Ginny's friend over reading stories any day.

She said goodbye to her parents, then turned to the fire, throwing a handful of floo powder into the fireplace. "The Burrow," she yelled, stepping into the fire.

The next moment, she was coughing and falling out of the Weaselys' fireplace. "Hello?" she called as she sat up, wiping soot off herself.

"'Mione!" Ginny yelled happily, launching herself into the room and toward her friend.

Hermione laughed as the redhead embraced her, hugging her best friend warmly. "Hi, Gin."

"Thank Merlin you're here! Harry and Ron were about to drive me crazy! A girl can only listen to so much about Quidditch! Hurry, we might be able to get up to my room without them noticing!" Ginny said in one breath, grabbing one of the handles on Hermione's trunk.

Hermione picked herself up and took the other handle, and they hurried up the stairs to Ginny's room. They set the trunk down and immediately began talking about anything and everything.

The week passed in a blur, what with there being school shopping and catching up with their friends. Then came the packing.

Hermione began gathering pieces of parchment that had been strewn around the bedroom she and Ginny had shared, sorting through them and deciding whether or not to take each document. She suddenly came across what looked like a newspaper. "Weekly Wizard Tales: H&G edition," she read aloud, turning to Ginny. "What's this?"

Ginny blanched, lunging toward Hermione. "Give me that!"

Hermione instinctively held it out of Ginny's reach, reading the first few lines of the first article. Ginny looked across the table in the Great Hall, her eyes falling on the one person she was head over heels in love with: Hermione. Hermione paled, stepping backward and sinking down onto the bed. "Oh my god," she whispered, looking up at Ginny.

The redhead looked embarrassed, nervous, and ashamed. Tears were shining her blue eyes, and she looked away, wringing her hands.

"Ginny…. Oh my god," Hermione said again, unable to believe it.

"I'm sorry," Ginny whispered, her voice quavering. "I should have told you! I didn't--I--I was going to tell you, h-honestly!"

"Gin," Hermione interrupted, dropping the paper to the floor and standing, walking to her best friend's side. "You're never going to believe this."

Ginny frowned up at Hermione, looking confused as her embarrassed tears slipped down her cheeks.

Hermione grinned, leaning down and closing the distance between their lips.

Ginny froze at Hermione's touch, relaxing into the kiss a few moments later. "No way," she panted when they broke apart, staring into Hermione's eyes.

"Yes way," Hermione responded giddily, her smile lighting up her face.

"No way!" Ginny laughed, hugging Hermione tightly as happy tears prickled in her eyes.

They kissed again, and when they pulled apart, Hermione hesitated. "Gin?"

"What?"

"Would it be weird to say 'I love you'?"

Ginny pretended to ponder the idea, shaking her head almost immediately. She grinned. "Not if I get to say 'I love you, too,'" she teased.

Hermione sighed with relief, grinning down at the redhead again. "I love you," she whispered seriously.

"I love you, too," Ginny responded, stretching up and closing the distance between their lips once again.

Down a few flights of stairs, Molly Weasely pulled the Extendable Ear from her ear, grinning happily and fighting off her motherly urge to run in and embrace the two girls. Finally! she thought as she tucked her sons' contraption into her pocket. I thought those two would never realize it!