Chapter 2: I'd Rather Be in Love

--

As it turned out, I wasn't late for class. But I still rushed to breakfast, and I knew myself well enough to know that it was purely to see her all the sooner. I was blinded, smiling, unable to see any wrong in the world… and also, apparently, unable to see the tall form that I ran straight into, knocking us both over. I blinked several times, and saw before me a handsome boy, probably a sixth or seventh year, with dark blonde hair flecked with brown that camedown gently past his ears and eyes unusually like the sea on a stormy day. I was momentarily struck dumb by running into such an attractive person, as well as the fact that he was a Gryffindor and I hadn't ever seen him before. I knew I would remember if I had.

"Hi," he said, smiling brightly and beginning to stand, "sorry about that… guess I wasn't really looking where I was going." He offered me his hand, still smiling, and I realized that I was still on the ground.

"Thanks," I said, breathless, accepting his hand. I stood next to him to find myself a full head shorter than him.

"So… I haven't seen you around," I said, annoyed that I still sounded like I'd just run a mile, "are you new?" He kept the same vibrant smile, framed by some of the most beautiful lips that I'd seen since whenever the last time I'd seen Hermione.

"Yeah… I just transferred. You've heard of Salem?" I knew he was talking about the American wizarding school, and I was intrigued.

"Salem! Wow… did you like it there?" Yeah. I might as well have asked him about the weather.

"It was all right. But time for something new-- even if this is my last year." So he was a seventh year. I gathered enough sense to smile back at him this time.

"Well, let me introduce myself, then! I'm Ginny Weasley--" He grinned at the mention of the name.

"I know your brothers!" I thought for sure he meant Fred and George, but he continued on to tell me that he had worked with Charlie in Romania over the summer. We made conversation, mostly about Charlie. Suddenly, he smacked his forehead.

"That was dumb! I completely forgot to introduce myself, and here we are talking about your brother already!" We both grinned, " I'm Ben. Ben Williams. And, if I'm not mistaken, we'll be late for breakfast if we don't hurry! I'll see you around, Ginny." And with that, he disappeared through a tapestry behind me, which refused to move as I tried to shift it aside and follow. I continued downstairs, momentarily in a daze about this handsome boy. Ben, his name was. Ben… and he was from Salem… I glided through the door to the Great Hall, and was met with the single most breathtaking sight that has ever crossed my vision or touched my heart: there sat Hermione, next to Ron, with an open seat next to her for--could it be?--me. My heart seemed to stop, and the only feeling in my body was that same, strange kneading of my stomach that I'd felt last night, and every night before that she had so beautifully taken my dreams. She turned to face me from across the hall, and suddenly the world dissolved in a pool of purest bliss; all that remained were Hermione and I, our eyes locked in that precious moment… I walked quickly across the hall, with a new urgency that made no sense to me. I took the empty seat next to her and greeted everyone at the table.

"Hey, Ginny!" She replied, and I could swear that there was a new kind of enthusiasm in her voice. Or maybe it was just me. In any case, she leaned over to give me a hug, which I gladly returned. Did she hold it a moment longer than usual? I would bet on it… That she wanted to hold for one extra instant onto my form, my scent, my being like I did. Or maybe it was just me, again. Breakfast flew by in a swirling cloud of happiness and blurred conversation, but mostly the happiness. Throughout, Hermione's shoulder constantly brushed mine, sending me tumbling through recollections of dreams that mingled with fantasies and wishes, which were in danger of being confused with reality. This carried me though the morning. Just before lunch, I was brought down from my cloud by a sudden pull on my elbow into one of the many passageways we've used throughout the year. I felt myself being pushed against the stone wall-- not roughly, but enough to shake me.

"What the he--"

"Shh!" That was the voice that had been ringing through my head all morning, all year…Hermione.

"Um…why are we in a tunnel?"

"SHH." I shh'd. Itwas enough to feel her hands resting gently on my arms and her heavy breath so close to my neck.

"Okay," She began, releasing me and taking a deep breath, "okay…" I felt a certain anticipation… was that attraction radiating from her skin? Was that touch drawn out longer than it could have been? I could swear it was so…but maybe that was just me.

"I like you." She said, stopping her pacing and turning to face me.

"I… like you too. We're friends…and stuff…" I said. I didn't know why I said it, but that's what I said…This probably wasn't happening anyways, it was probably just another dream replaying in my head… dream Hermione continued.

"Shit." She began pacing again. "Shit, shit, shit… This is harder than I thought…" She sounded oddly hopeless, and it reminded me of my own fear of rejection by her. But… that would be… that could mean… But no. It was just me. And this was a dream, anyways.

"I really…really like you. In a different way than… I've let on. I've been dishonest, and… you should know… I still love you as a friend, more than ever, and… I'm working on it. I can… stop… liking you the way I… do…" She swallowed hard. This thought seemed to upset her. I was too breathless to move, let alone profess my own love to her… but this was a dream, a dream… I would wake up a moment later with those pangs of desire in my stomach and walk down to breakfast to see her… just like every other day… dream Hermione seemed to collect herself.

"I love you, " she said deliberately, moving so slightly forward. "I love--" But I cut her off, closing the distance between us, taking her head in my hands and pressing my lips to hers. I felt my insides explode with the highest level of satisfaction. Electric tremors shook my entire body at the contact. She gasped beneath the kiss--no dream before had ever seemed so real!-- and clutched at my waist urgently, pulling me as close as she could. I brought my hands down from her head to the place where her heck met her shoulder, down her side, swiftly over her small breast, to her waist, and up again from her stomach. We both shook with excitement and pleasure as our tongues and hands explored the other's; we laughed beneath that eternal kiss; I gently sucked her lower lip, she caressed my upper and we could barely stand from the sheer joy of finally reaching such a state.

"Ginny," she smiled into my lips. "Ginny…" It took such will and such power, but I managed to fling myself into the wall, parting with her. I still shook, and felt as if I'd lost some essential part of myself. Hermione leaned against the opposite wall, clutching at her chest as if to keep her heart from bursting, as I had to.

"This is some dream," I breathed, almost involuntarily.

"Dream?" She laughed, still breathing heavily. "This is as real as it gets… thank God, this is as real as it gets…" And we left the passageway, fingers entwined.