Epiphany

Hermione felt happily disoriented as she was ushered into her dorm by Winky who kept up a running commentary about Missy Head Girl missing breakfast and the Headmistress coming to investigate. She had made it into her pyjamas with two minutes to spare and somehow managed to confound Professor McGonagall into thinking that she had come down with something but that she would try to see if she felt better by lunchtime. Being Head Girl she had a private room with an en-suite bathroom, sharing a large common room with the Head Boy. She loved her quarters, both for the privacy after six years of sharing a dorm room with the other Gryffindor girls but especially for the luxurious private bathroom, with its green marble tub and huge vanity cabinet.

"Thank you, Winky," she said once Professor McGonagall had left, exhaling a shaky breath.

The elf drew herself up to her full diminutive height and regarded her with large eyes. "Winky helps Master of Potions. Winky hopes that if Winky serves Master of Potions well, Master of Potions accepts bond with Winky. If Missy Head Girl is friends with Master of Potions, Winky helps Missy Head Girl."

"Oh," Hermione said uneasily. She had given up trying to make the elves see the light and seek freedom, but she still wasn't very comfortable with the way elves accepted their servitude.

She went off to the bathroom, discarding her pyjamas, and tried to make sense of the last twelve or so hours. Of all the things she had expected as a consequence of her plan the last evening, spending the night in the Potions Master's bed after stripping for him, giving him a blowjob and having him make her come with those long talented fingers of his, not to mention his deliciously wicked tongue, would never have made the list. Sleeping the whole night without nightmares was also rather unexpected, come to think of it.

She stepped into the shower and noticed that the git had left her a hickey near her shoulder.

A long shower and some fresh clothes later and she felt fit to face the day.

"Where were you last night, Granger?" the Head Boy asked as she stepped into their shared common room. "And this morning, come to speak of it?" He was lounging in the sofa, reading a Charms text. He spent most of his spare time in their quarters, studying or reading something else. Crookshanks was lazily sprawled on the fluffy carpet in front of the fireplace, and she went over to pet him. He ignored her as he most often did.

"None of your business, Malfoy."

"It is when your friends come looking for you and you don't leave a forwarding address." He frowned at her over his book.

"Oh? Who was it?"

"The Weaselette."

"When did she come here? What did she want?"

"How should I know? It's not like she would deign to talk to me!"

The venom in his voice gave her pause. Draco Malfoy was a pariah with basically the whole school after his failed attempt at killing Dumbledore at the end of their sixth year, when he brought the Death Eaters into the school. Not many of the other students knew of his involvement with helping to destroy Lord Voldemort during the summer, but everyone had heard of his actions during the previous year. She suspected that he had been made Head Boy not so much for his academic achievements but rather for his own protection.

"Right. Thanks for telling me, I'll try to catch up with her."

Her civil tone caused him to look up at her with a frown before returning to his reading, obviously dismissing her. She shrugged and went off in search of Ginny.

After some careful questioning of portraits and other students she managed to find Ginny still holed up in her dorm, still in her pyjamas under the covers. The room was dim with curtains drawn against the sharp September sunlight.

"Hello Ginny."

"Hi."

"Have you had breakfast?" Hermione asked even though the answer was rather obviously no. "Come on, get dressed and let's go down to the lake. It's sunny for a change."

"Not hungry," came the mumbled reply but she rose from the bed anyway, slowly, when Hermione started digging through her chest of drawers for clothes.

Hermione asked Dobby for a basket of food for a picnic which the elf eagerly provided before they made their way outside. It was really a rather gorgeous day, she was surprised to find. It had been so long since she noticed things like that, most of the summer had passed her by in either a frantic haze or in complete numbness. The leaves had not yet started turning but the air had the crispness of autumn.

Ginny was quiet until they had made it halfway around the lake to a nice small meadow in a forest clearing just off the path. Hermione Transfigured a leaf into a large woollen blanket and started unpacking the basket that Dobby had given them. The elf had outdone himself and seemed to have packed two of just about everything they had in the kitchen that he thought they would like. She tossed Ginny a lemon curd muffin and poured her some tea to go with it to get her started before digging in herself, ravenous after her missed breakfast and nightly activities.

With unusual tact Hermione decided to let Ginny talk when she felt like it. She had things of her own to ponder anyway and didn't much feel like spilling her guts to Ginny before she knew for herself how she felt about everything. Severus Snape, she mused. Her taciturn teacher had been on her mind as a constant presence for at least half a year, ever since she'd started noticing him in Defence class after she and Ron had decided they weren't fit to be a couple. The way he moved, all fluid grace and efficiency, his powerful magic and solid, unwavering tenacious strength. His voice, his hands with those long slender fingers. She had been uncertain of his loyalties during one horrible week after the confusion at the Astronomy tower, but his actions during the summer had clearly shown what his aims were. And truth to be told, he had been completely correct in what she had sought with Nicholas. She'd wanted to be found, even if she hadn't admitted it to herself. And she'd wanted to be found by him. What if it had been Professor McGonagall, or Filch? The thought made her shudder.

"I miss him," Ginny mumbled and looked out over the lake forlornly, taking a bite of a salmon wrap.

"Ron?" Hermione was a bit startled by the younger witch's sudden exclamation, wrenching her back to the present.

"Yes. No. Of course. Ron. And Harry."

"Harry? What about him?"

Ginny shot her an incredulous look. "Haven't you noticed? He's gone off his rocker completely. He snaps at everyone and broke up with me by letting me find him fucking Lavender in his bed."

Hermione gasped. "What?! I'm so sorry Ginny. I'll kill him!"

Ginny snorted a laugh. "You never noticed, did you? Don't worry, he's moved on to a Ravenclaw last I heard. Or was it a Hufflepuff?"

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I should have noticed." She felt a bit embarrassed not to have noticed anything, but since she didn't live in the Gryffindor tower anymore she rarely caught any gossip. This did go a bit beyond gossip, however.

Ginny studied her closely. "I guess we're all a bit screwed up after this war, huh? How are you holding up after Ron?"

Hermione busied herself with filling up her glass with pumpkin juice before answering, trying to sort out her thoughts. "Ron and I weren't a couple. Everyone seems to think we were together but we decided last spring that we were better off as just friends. We were just too different to work out, you know, romantically. He went back to Lavender at the end of term actually and they were really good together. Of course I miss him, he was one of my best friends and he ought to be here with us now."

Ginny nodded slowly. "Ah, I see. I guess you weren't the only one not noticing things then, huh?"

"I think we're all excused."

Ginny handed her a slice of cheesecake and they continued to check out what Dobby had brought them, for once simply content with existing. The lake glittered in the sunlight and the Giant Squid created waves by splashing a large tentacle in the water.

As they made their way back to the castle Ginny seemed to have come back to life somewhat, talking more animatedly about something Quidditch related. Hermione found her thoughts wandering back to Professor Snape and last night as she interjected enthusiastic noises whenever it seemed appropriate. No. Severus. Last night was most definitely Severus.

Suddenly she found that Ginny had stopped walking and was looking at her intently. That girl had always been to sharp for her own good.

"Hermione, what is it? Boy trouble? You're even more distracted than usual when I talk Quidditch and you were smiling for yourself. Spill!"

Hermione blushed scarlet. "No, it's nothing!"

"Yeah right, and my name is Beedle the Bard! Details, missy!" She'd crossed her arms in front of her.

Hermione knew that Ginny was relentless once she got wind of something interesting. "Stop it, Ginny! Alright I'll tell you some. Yes it's about a boy, no it's not trouble yet, yes something happened, no I don't know if it will lead to anything."

"Awww, you're no fun! Did you kiss? Was it good?"

"Yes and yes," Hermione said and blushed again. "And that's all I will say. It's too early, I don't know what to think yet and I don't want to ruin it, whatever it is."

Ginny grinned at her. "Fine, I know what you're like. As long as you tell me first when you feel like talking."

"Of course, Ginny," Hermione agreed. Not like she had many others to choose from, anyway.

They hugged before parting ways in front of the stairs. Ginny was going to see if the Quidditch team was practising while Hermione was planning to head to the library. They'd missed lunch but Dobby's enthusiasm had more than made up for it.

"Thanks for dragging me out today," Ginny whispered.

"Anytime, I needed this too," Hermione replied quietly.

After some hours revising Transfiguration and Charms in the library she made it to the Hall in time for dinner and took a seat next to Ginny. The Headmistress sought her gaze with a slightly pinched expression, either disapproving her missing from lunch or worried about something, and Professor Snape looked as thunderously impassive as always. He shot her an almost pained look before ignoring her resolutely.

She had rounds together with a new fifth-year Ravenclaw prefect named Heather Lochlear later in the evening, and she showed the younger girl several hideouts and popular snogging spots. They managed to flush out a couple of Gryffindors, a Hufflepuff-Slytherin couple and two third-year Gryffindor boys who were trying to make Peeves do something he undoubtedly shouldn't. Hermione was rather annoyed at having to deduct points from her own House, and sent them all packing with stern promises that they would be sent to Filch if they were spotted again.

When she finally made it back to her bedroom she found one long-stemmed black rose on her bed covers, along with a sealed parchment. She approached it cautiously, quite certain of who sent it but not why.

"My apologies," the note read. No signature.