Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: Here's a relatively quick (and short) update for you guys. The few reviews I received on the second chapter were really nice to read :) and it was nice to see a couple people had added it to alerts and favourites. Not a lot happens this chapter, I suppose it's more of a filler for the next chapter. But I hope you guys enjoy it, and please remember to review when you finish reading. I'm more inspired to write if you guys review ;) about half of this is unbeta-ed, so please excuse any mistakes made. Please review!
Unfamiliar Spell
Three quarters of an hour later, Hermione found herself in Diagon Alley, waiting for Ginny to meet her outside Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Ginny arrived not long after she did, and the pair set off in the direction of the dress robe stores.
"How are you?" Ginny asked, slipping an arm through Hermione's.
"I'm alright," Hermione said, biting her lip as she noticed her stomach jumping each time Ginny's hips nudged hers as they walked. "How are you?"
"The same, I suppose," Ginny said, her voice lowering slightly. She looked sideways at Hermione thoughtfully. "So, you still haven't told Ron that you're not happy?
Hermione smiled weakly at her, "No. And I'm not particularly looking forward to going to this party tonight with him."
"It's okay, I'll be there," Ginny said, nudging her with her shoulder gently.
"I know, but he likes to wander around with me on his arm, meeting and greeting his bosses. That usually takes a while."
"Hmm," Ginny hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I can make sure that Harry and I follow you guys around so that at least I'm there with you?"
Hermione smiled happily at the redhead, "That'd be great, to be honest."
"Consider it done," Ginny said, winking at the brunette.
Hermione laughed, "Alright. Now, where do you want to go?"
"I saw some nice stuff in the window of a shop near Madam Malkin's, we could try there first," Ginny suggested.
"Lead the way," Hermione said, smiling at her friend.
"I don't know Ginny," Hermione said, frowning at herself in the mirror. "Don't you think it's a little revealing?"
Ginny snorted softly, "Hermione, you look stunning. Wasn't the idea for you to look amazing for Ron?"
Hermione sighed slightly, "Yes, but I'd rather look amazing in something a little less revealing."
"Why don't we ask someone's opinion?" Ginny asked, looking around the shop. She caught the eye of the shop keeper and beckoned her over.
"Is there anything I can get you?" she asked.
"I was just wondering if you could reassure my friend that this isn't too revealing," Ginny said, nodding at Hermione, who had now crossed her arms across her chest.
The shop keeper smiled warmly, "Of course. What occasion is the dress for?"
"An office party," Hermione said, letting her arms fall as she turned to look at herself in the mirror again. "I'm just not sure that this is entirely appropriate."
"Well," the shop keeper said, walking around behind Hermione, "if you'll permit me," she said, placing her hands just beneath Hermione's bust and pulling the dress tight. "You can see that if we make this small adjustment, it accentuates your hips nicely. And if you'd like, I can always adjust the way it falls across your chest."
Hermione sighed again as she gazed at herself in the mirror. "You're really not going to take no for an answer, are you?" she asked Ginny.
"Nope!" Ginny said cheerfully. "Could you make those adjustments while we wait?"
"Certainly," the shop keeper smiled. "Just take the dress off, it should only take a few minutes."
"You look good in red," Ginny said thoughtfully, as Hermione made to walk back into the change room.
Hermione laughed softly, "Is that supposed to convince me to buy it?"
Ginny grinned and shook her head, "No, I was just giving you a compliment. Isn't that allowed?"
"I suppose it's allowed," Hermione called from behind the change room curtain. "Ugh, Gin, could you come in here and help me take it off? I don't want to rip it."
"Sure," Ginny said, pulling the curtain back slightly so she could step in. "It really does look good," she said, smiling as she caught Hermione gazing at herself in the mirror again.
"You know that's not my problem," Hermione said, unable to give her a proper glare.
"The sales woman was right though, it accentuates your hips perfectly," Ginny said, stepping up behind Hermione to place her hands on her hips.
Hermione's breath caught in her throat slightly, unprepared for the jolt of arousal that went through her at Ginny's touch. She tried not to flinch away, closing her eyes for a moment.
"Hermione."
"Hmm?" She opened her eyes to see Ginny looking at her expectantly. "What?"
"Lift your arms so I can take it off you."
"Oh, right," Hermione muttered, lifting her arms. Her stomach jumped as she felt Ginny's hands brush past her sides as she lifted the dress, and she almost moaned as she felt her fingers beneath her breasts, pulling the fabric past and up and over her head. "Thanks," Hermione mumbled, immediately crossing her arms across her chest.
"No problem," Ginny smiled at her before stepping out of the change room.
Hermione sighed heavily and put her clothing back on, very glad that that annoying voice wasn't popping up again. She stepped back out of the change room and Ginny grinned at her,
"Seriously, I think you're going to be happy about that dress."
Hermione laughed softly, "Whatever you say."
"Come on, you know you looked hot."
"Well, I suppose the red does look nice with my skin tone," Hermione said, shrugging.
Ginny snorted, "There's no nice about it, Hermione, you look amazing."
Hermione's stomach lurched suddenly at the compliment and she bit her lip, remembering just in time to smile at the redhead. "Thanks, Gin. You look great too."
"That's because I still play Quidditch," Ginny grinned at her.
Hermione grinned back and rolled her eyes, "So you continue to remind me."
"I still don't get why you won't come out for a ride on my broom with me," Ginny said, shrugging and putting on an over-emphasized pout.
"You know I'm scared of heights, Gin. I never even let Ron take me on his broom when we were younger. Or Harry, for that matter."
Ginny grinned, "That's because they're boys and you know they'd pull something stupid like diving suddenly."
"Are you saying that you'd give up the chance to hear me scream your name?" Hermione asked, winking at her, stomach jolting slightly at her bold response. She was almost about to say something else, before Ginny responded,
"There are plenty of ways to make you scream my name, Hermione," Ginny smirked and winked back at her.
Hermione bit her lip and smiled weakly at her, trying to ignore the sudden sensation of butterflies in her stomach.
"All done," the shop keeper called to them, finishing in a flourish and bringing the dress back over to them.
Ginny grinned, "Good. Try it on, Hermione."
"You're so pushy today," Hermione muttered, taking the dress from the shop keeper and disappearing into the change room again.
"I always have to be pushy when it comes to buying clothes for you," Ginny said, smiling happily.
"Not always."
"Well, when it comes to buying clothes like this."
Hermione laughed softly and came out of the change room with the dress on, "That's because I don't particularly like buying such revealing things for myself."
Ginny smiled at the older woman, "Well, you can start thanking me now. You look perfect."
"Thank you so very much for being the incredibly pushy person that you are," Hermione said sarcastically, smiling broadly at her.
Ginny laughed, "You are absolutely welcome, my dear," and winked back at her.
"I suppose I'll change and buy this, then," the brunette said, turning around to walk back into the change room. "Can you help me?"
Ginny nodded and followed her. "Do you want lunch after this?"
"Sure. Where do you want to go?"
"There's a nice place around the corner from here. Lift your arms."
Hermione did as instructed and felt a jolt of arousal go through her again as Ginny's hands slid the dress up her body. She wasn't sure if she was just imagining things or what, but she could have sworn that Ginny deliberately let her hands linger for a moment longer than they should have on her hips. A second later she was sure she had just imagined it, because Ginny smiled happily at her before leaving the change room with the dress.
Hermione took a deep breath and let it out slowly, gazing at herself in the mirror. "What are you doing?" she whispered to herself, frowning at her reflection.
You were enjoying the touch of a beautiful woman.
She sighed and began to dress. 'I'm feeling awkward about this only because of what I did last night.'
Yeah, right.
To be continued...
