Ginny woke up to the comforting warmth of Hermione resting beside her for the second time. She had to smile to herself, as her fingertips just barley traced the line of the sleeping girls jaw, she could worry about Ron and Pavarti some other time, but she wouldn't let it worry this moment. The smile on her face grew wider 'she looks like an angel in her sleep' Ginny thought gently untangling herself from Hermione's sleeping form and heading for the shower, it had been awhile since she had taken the initiative to actually cleanse herself because of the rotten mood she had been in for awhile, and silently thank whomever was watching that she had given Luna that Gryffindor password after all, however shed never admit it. The steam clung to her skin making it rosy as she haphazardly swung the towel that had been laying on the bathroom floor around her damp body. She wasn't surprised at the sight she saw stepping out of the bathroom, no matter how comfortable she may be it was not like Hermione Granger to sleep in. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, the light turned brunette strands of hair a glimmering gold that for just a second had made Ginny's breath catch. Ginny felt her body as if on its own accord, sliding across the rumpled bed sheets like a cat silently coming up behind its pray. She wrapped her arms around Hermione's waist placing a trail of soft kiss up her neck whispering huskily "sleeping beauty looks even more beautiful awake," she smiled against the sun kissed flesh of Hermione's neck "whats on your mind Hermione?" She could feel Hermione relaxing against her, but the girl was too quite, and so Ginny waited in the stillness of the sun soaked room.
"What do we do now Gin..?" Hermione's voice was soft and Ginny could feel the soft caress of Hermione's fingertips on her arm sending shivers coursing up her spine, "there's still so many questions.." Ginny had to close her eyes, her forehead resting against on the back of Hermione's neck, was she really ready to tell Hermione about Pavarti? 'no' was her simple thought, while things were still good she would still try and protect Hermione from that hell angels vengeful wrath. "One step at a time..for now..." a smile slipped onto her lips as she brought Hermione backwards on the bed, wrapping her body around the now giggling girl "lets enjoy the today." They tossed and turned together, finally finding a comfortable position, sapphire orbs mingled with liquid honey as Ginny tucked strands of hair behind Hermione's ear "shouldn't we be attending to some homework?" Hermione asked as she cupped Ginny's hand that was now gently resting against Hermione's cheek, "I'm caught up on homework for the next two weeks, it's amazing what you can get accomplished when you lock yourself up in a room for weeks." Ginny said sheepishly motioning to the still very uncleaned Prefect's room, between drinking herself into a blunder and Pavarti's daily meeting's all she had was homework and her studies to keep her occupied in the silent crypt that had become her dorm. "Well then that makes one of us, I have a potions paper I need to get writing," as Hermione left the bed Ginny stretched and looked up at the ceiling, wondering how things could have gotten so good yet so increasingly confusing. She was stirred from her reverie as Hermione placed a gentle kiss to her lips "I'll see you at the game today," and with that she left leaving Ginny in an utter state of shock because she had completely forgotten that today of all days there was a quidditch game and Gryffindor had finally gotten the field scheduled for practice. What happened next shocked whomever was in the Common Room at the time, all they appeared to see was a flash of red as Ginny sprinted with broom in hand, half dressed to the quidditch field.
By the time Ginny had gotten to the pitch brooms were already circling in the air in the usual lap that Harry had them do as a warm up. If she hadn't been in such a hurry to get up into the air she would have noticed the crowd of girls forming in one of the high liner bleachers, and that a certain Cho was sitting in the wings watching her, as always. It was rough, her body still ached from Pavarti's latest attack, but thoughts of soft, gentle fingertips caressing her sour limbs pulls warmth back into her body so that she could focus once more at the task at hand. The end of practice brought with it even more bruises, but at least she could explain those to Hermione. This time the changing room was free from any dangerous inhabitants, and so changed in piece, she was contemplating on the rest of the day to come, since she was caught up in all her homework in advance she really had nothing to do. Perhaps she could convince Hermione to pull herself away from the mountain of books she was assuredly buried under. She let out a contented sigh pulling her robes on and heading out into the corridor. With her sunglasses in place she felt at ease with the world once again, half way down the corridor though she was stopped by the softest of voices. "Ginny..." Ginny turned around to see a shaking Cho, the girl who always seemed so silently seductive was quivering and Ginny could make out the faintest of bruises on the girls neck. 'Please let this not be what I think it is...'she thought and stepped closer to Cho, her hands coming up to inspect the damage done to the other girl, the bruise was nasty, and was turning black and blue rather quickly "Who did this?" Ginny asked, though from the hand print forming Ginny already had her suspect, "you know don't you.....Pavarti..." Ginny's lungs went numb, because she could hardly feel the breath coming, this is exactly what Ginny did not want. "Walk with me...you need some food and we can talk," she extended her arms letting Cho hold onto her as they walked. 'Hermione will have to come later' she thought and silently whispered to no one in particular "I'm sorry..."
Hermione was finding it hard to concentrate the moment she had left Ginny's enticing embrace, and the words on the pages of her potions book seemed insignificant and utterly dull. To Hermione this put her in a slight state of shock, she had always found learning new things the funnest thing to do when one had nothing to do, or even if they did learning should always have a place in any activity. At the moment however, her mind kept circling back to fire licked kisses of one Ginny Weasley, last night they had kissed and touched and Ginny had elicited for the first time something Hermione had never experienced, passion. Her fingertips ran down the spine of the book she was currently trying to read, closing her eyes as she imagined the gentlest of touches on her neck, those soft arms enfolding her in a comforting embrace one moment and then pulling her in a passion drenched melody that Hermione had no intention of leaving. It made her drunk just the way Ginny's liquid blue orbs clashed with hers, saying so much yet never speaking aloud. Her eyes opened slowly, a blush rising up her neck and tinging her cheeks, 'I wonder what tonight will be like..'Hermione thought looking back down at her book and grumbling. "I'll never know unless I at least make some head way in this Potion's paper," she said putting quill to parchment and writing with a speed she only used for final exams and extra credit. A smile slowly etched its way on her lips, getting back into the groove with only one ending thought on her mind, and that was the image of Ginny, the way she looked as they kissed, the way she looked early in the morning after coming out of the shower.
Hermione was so steeped in thoughts of Ginny and getting her paper done as fast as possible that she hadn't noticed Ron walking into the library and heading straight towards her. "Hello little study bug" Ron whispered rasply into Hermione's ear startling her out of her wits. She had nearly thought it was Ginny placing her arms around her, and was disappointed to learn it had been Ron, "Ronald Weasley don't scare me like that..!" She whispered hotly under her breath, giving Ron one of her death glares, "Sorry bout that Mione you just looked so concentrated like," he said placing a sloppy kiss to her lips and sitting down. "Hey were all getting together at Hagrids soon to have some tea and lunch, put you quills and parchment away and let's go," she sighed mentally, Ron had never been one to be considerate all the time, in fact most of the time he asked her to drop what ever it was that she was doing and go off for a snog of some kind. "I have to finish this paper before tonight, Ginny and I are supposed to have a talk tonight" 'yea..talk more like hold each other and kiss until the sun comes up' she thought trying to hold Ron's gaze. "Aw come on Hermione your the smartest girl in Hogwarts you can finish that anytime, besides I thought we could through in a quick snog before we met up with Harry." Hermione mentally quivered and was about to protest yet again but Ron cut in once again "We can grab Gin on the way since she should still be by the pitch locker," this perked her interest and couldn't hide the small smile that made its way to her lips "alright Ron but you better pray I get this done before nightfall."
On the way towards Hagrid's Hermione had to thing up a million excuses so that she wouldn't have to snog with Ron, and eventually he got the picture. Ginny hadn't been by the pitch lockers and so Hermione just assumed she would be in the Common Room, unfortunately Ron was not in a mind to go there since it was out of there way. "Hermione please, we haven't had a good snog in ages, you've been bloody busy this past week," he wined trying in earnest to put on his best imitation of a puppy dog pout. "HEY..." Ron yelped after Hermione gave him a swift flick to the nose "well if you intend on acting like a dog, I'll treat you like one," Hermione giggled covering her mouth as her stared at her with an astonished plastered to his face, suddenly he perked up just ever so slightly"Hey look it's Ginny, is that Cho with her?" Ron pointed in Ginny's direction, and Hermione suppressing her elated smile whipped her head around in the direction, only to have the image she saw make her heart stop. Ginny was indeed walking with Cho, her arms wrapped securely around her, holding her as if she were more then just a friend, and Cho, eagerly giving into Ginny's embrace, her head leaning on the crook of Ginny's neck. The scene caused a rush of anger to flood through her veins, was Ginny just playing a game with her? So many questions were whirling inside her head, and Hermione had no way to answer them. She would just have to wait for tonight and let Ginny have it. "Ron..I..I can't go to Hagrid's now, I just realized I had something very urgent to take care of, say hi to Harry and Hargrid for me will you." She said in a hurry turning around and just barly giving Ron a peck on the cheek, her anger was just underneath the surface, was she angry? sad? or a little of both? 'Ginny and I have been through so much...I have to let her explain before I go crazy,' she thought making her way back to the Gryffindor Tower and Ginny's dorm room.
Ginny looked on as Cho's eyes roamed the small table that they were seated at in the Hogshead. So far Cho had told her that Pavarti had cornered her after practice, she had wanted to meet Ginny in the locker room and talk to her, but Pavarti had caught her and made it clear with a tightened grip around her neck, that Cho was to stay away from Ginny or else she would make her suffer. Ginny was infuriated, sure Cho was a bit to much at times, but Ginny still cared for the girl. It angered her that Pavarti was targeting her friends and those close to her now, she would have to talk to Pavarti some how and tell her that if she continued Ginny would take immediate action. If Pavarti was going after Cho then she would assuredly go after Hermione, 'I think it's time I tell her...' thought Ginny, if she didn't the hell fire Hermione would dish out would surely be worse then if she told her. "I still love you Ginny..." Cho just barley whispered under her breath, her eyes still glues to the table, Ginny was brought out of her thoughts, as a familiar pain radiated from her heart "I know..." Ginny whispered back, sliding her hand across the table to give Cho's a comforting squeeze. Both girls walked back to Hogwarts, each steeped in there own thoughts, concerned with there own problems. It was night fall by the time they got back, and just to make sure that Cho wasn't intercepted some how, Ginny walked her back to the Ravenclaw Tower. She was still waist deep inside her own mind as she walked back to the Gryffindor Tower, and so was unaware that someone had been walking behind her until she was thrown up against one of the hard stone walls of the corridor. Her head hit the wall hard, a sharp pain emanating from her temple as she sunglasses were ripped off her face.
Pavarti stood with both hands around Ginny's wrists, her body inches away, this time however, Pavarti was not alone, and from behind her she could see the short curvy figure of Pansy Parkins. "I didn't think you be one to recruit others for your sick little game," said Ginny finding her voice once more "very funny Weasley, but Pansy here is only along for this ride," retorted Pavarti, digging her nails into Ginny's writs for good measure, making sure to draw blood. Ginny had no time for this, she needed to get to Hermione, needed to talk to her and tell her what was going on before she got hurt. For the first time in awhile Ginny fought back, ripping her arm away painfully and slapping a startled Pavarti, Ginny didn't have time to wait for a reaction and simply darted off, only to have her limbs loose there support and give out under her. Pavarti and wand out, had jinxed Ginny, her legs becoming numb, the icy feeling creeping up her body and stopping at her hands, the pain of her head hitting the floor was worse the second time, and Ginny was loosing the ability to keep her eyes open as the pain radiated from the back of her head to her temple, her forehead, and then her jaw. The last thing she saw was a infuriated Pavarti and a slightly scared Pansy 'Hermione...' was the last thing her jumbled mind thought before she completely lost consciousness.
She awoke to a dark room, her letting out a strangled moan as her head began to pound like African drums. The darkness was thick and suffocating, a few lanterns on the walls glowed an angry red, there flames seemed to want to jump from there candle sticks and lick at her skin. Her head rolled heavily to the side as she tried to take in her surroundings, she was laying on a stone tablet, her wrists manacled to the stone with heavy chains, she had been gagged and nearly stripped of everything she had been wearing. She could taste blood on her tongue and fear tinging her throat denying any further sound to be emitted. She could just barley hear the sounds of a wicked laughter coming through the darkness, and as that sinister laugh grew louder, out from the darkness Pavarti appeared, with her ever shrinking Pansy behind her. Her gag was removed and with the last of her saliva she spat at Pavarti, coating her neck with blood and spit, that earned her another slap. "Haven't you learned by now that acting out has never done you any good my little pet," Pavarti asked raking her nails harshly down Ginny's arm. Once upon a time, in the beginning when she had just started to follow Pavarti, just as Pansy did now, she often wished for death, that Pavarti would just take it that one step further and bring an end to her misery. As time passed Pavarti had numbed her heart, made her cold to pain and often replaced the emotion with her own twisted pleasure, Pavarti back then had taken her will and replaced it with an addicts addiction to pain, she thought she would never ask for death again. Now as Ginny lay sprawled out on the familiar hard stone table, beaten and chained with no were to go, the smallest parts of her begged for the finishing blow, to die and not have to live with the constant harassment of Pavarti and her hurricane of pain that she left everywhere she went. Thoughts of Hermione though swept across her mind like a soothing summers wind, and her resolve slowly started to rebuild itself.
Ginny began to struggle against her restraints but it was to no avail, Pavarti had gotten her, and now she had to place to escape to until she was done. And so the night went on, with Ginny's body taking the brunt force of Pavarti's anger. Hours later she came stumbling out of the Room of Requirement, her body barely able to carry her to Gryffindor Tower, the stairs were the worst, but eventually she made to her dorm, opening it and falling against it once it was closed, she couldn't stand any longer. She jumped crying out in pain as someone came hurtling towards her, she looked to see who is was that would be in her dorm, only to have her gaze fall on the liquid golden eyes of Hermione. Her body began to shake, unable to control her bodies reaction anymore, no words of anger were thrown from Hermione's lips as Ginny finally crumpled into her embrace, tears falling freely from her eyes as she clinged to Hermione for dear life, as if she were her only life support. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..I'm sorry...I'm so so sorry Hermione..." Ginny's voice was rough and ragged, her words choking the sobs that came life bulldozers against her chest. "It's alright..I promise.." was Hermione's only reply as she rocked Ginny back and forth in her arms. After what felt like hours of staying in the position, each girl unwound herself from the other, "Hermione I..I need to talk to you....about something..and you won't like it, you might..even hate me...and I'll let you but I just can't keep this up any longer..." Ginny said all in one breath, Hermione embraced her once more and helped her over the bed where they sat comfortably. And so Ginny began, explaining where she had been, about Cho, about Pavarti, about the cruelty of her past with the she devil, Hermione just sat, stroking any tears that fell from her eye's and offering a comforting smile as she listened. "You shouldn't have kept that from me Ginny..." was Hermione's reply, stroking Ginny's damp cheek, "You know I can fend for myself better then Ron or even Harry, I could do the same for Pavarti." Hermione, was holding Ginny once again, and the contact made Ginny's eyes close slightly, reminding her that she was utterly drained and exhausted. "I love you Ginny..." Hermione whispered under her breath, as Ginny drifted off into sleep cradled in the arms of one Hermione Granger.
The next morning Hermione was the first to rise, looking on at the sleeping form of Ginny Weasley, the girl that had thrown her emotions around as if on a charmed broomstick. Moments before Ginny had walked in last night, bruised and bleeding Hermione had it in her mind to completely call off anything that was happening between her and Ginny if Ginny was just going to go and play games with her heart. Now it was different, Ginny had been the one protecting her, and Hermione had been the one acting foolish, this wasn't like her at all. She supposed that Ginny had that affect on most people, making them horribly confused but falling utterly in love with her all at once, Hermione sighed softly, running a hand through her mangled auburn locks. She was sitting up in bed, Ginny's head placed gently in her lap as she slept soundly, it seemed that was the only time the little red head ever got a good sleep was when Hermione was around, and she did not mind at all. "So much for that potions homework.." she mumbled to herself, the wheels in her head had been turning all night pondering the information that Ginny had given her. She could handle Pavarti, but she was afraid that for Ginny the wretched little girl had already done to much, with the things Ginny had said last night, mumbled in her sleep unaware that she had been saying them, Hermione was astonished that Ginny was as sane as she was. It was Hermione's time to do a bit of protecting, she subconsciously held Ginny closer to her, as if daring anything to harm her little red head while she was there. Yes she would protect Ginny now, 'how are you going to do that with Ron breathing down your neck' her inner voice mocked reminding her that she still had other commitments. 'I'll just tell him it's my time of the month, that usually works'she retorted back as if proving herself to...herself meant anything. 'You know your being a little hypocritical, you want to protect Ginny, yet your the one also hurting her by still being with her brother,'she didn't have a reply for that one, and it made her ashamed just thinking about it. She would have to do something about Ron as well, or else there was just going to be more heartache on top of more heartache.
Hermione placed gentle kisses to Ginny's temple, brushing her fingertips against the small cuts on her temple, they both hadn't showered and Ginny's body was caked in blood, sweat, and tears. She continued to trace small patterns with her lips until the red head stirred, her blood shot blue eyes slowly creaking open. She smiled faintly, which brought s butterfly feeling skirting up her wrists to her heart, Ginny had always had that affect on her, making her heart race at the slightest of gestures. "Hey sleepy head, time to take a shower," Hermione said with all the gentleness in the world, helping the other girl sit up gently "only if you agree to join me" Ginny said putting on her best smirk for the moment, 'you would never know how much pain is inside that smirk...'Hermione thought to herself, and then realizing what Ginny had said, a faint blush painted her cheeks, and as Ginny's eyes met hers she could feel herself grow hot in the face. "I'll help you get undressed but thats all I'm promising" Hermione said trying to sound just as sly as Ginny appeared to be at the moment. Hermione helped Ginny into the bathroom, helping her slide off her cloak, careful not to touch any tender spots as she undid the buttons on her blouse, removing her tye until she was wearing nothing but a simple black bra and her skirt. Ginny's body was indeed likes a goddesses, like Athena the goddess of war Ginny's body was tanned and toned, Hermione traced the v lines on Ginny's hips admiring the muscled muscled stomach that seemed to ripple slightly under Hermione's touch. Hermione felt even worse as she discovered the full extent of Ginny's injuries, black and blue marks coated her flesh, and cut and scratched speckled her skin on her arms and waist. It angered her that someone could do such a thing to someone so beautiful. Ginny turned around, her back facing Hermione as she removed her bra, letting it slide to the floor along with her skirt and undergarnments. Ginny was bare in front of her, and all Hermione could was stare, stare at how utterly breathtaking she was. 'Now is sooooo not the time for this'she thought and turned around to start the water in the shower. When she turned around Ginny was facing her, and all Hermione could do was blush, Ginny stepped forward, stepping closer and closer until Ginny's lips were on her own. Ginny had a way of making her feel utterly alive when she kissed her, and Hermione never wanted the feeling to end, however considering that Ginny was standing bruised and naked in the bathroom, she figured she should go. Hermione pulled back placing one last kiss to Ginny's forehead before leaving the bathroom.
Hermione paced back and forth, wondering what exactly she should do next, she needed to talk to Ron, however she also needed..well more like wanted to get a hold of Pavarti and show her what for. No one would harm Ginny like that again, she swore she would protect the girl, now all she had to do was think of what she would do first. She took a deep breath and sat down at Ginny's cluttered desk and cleared her mind. Hopefully it would come to her soon, she couldn't risk Ginny's well being on the fact that she just couldn't make up her mind. So she sat, and she sat until finally it struck her. She grabbed a loose piece of parchment and a quill and, inking it she began to write out a small note to Ginny so that little red head wouldn't be worried when she got out and she wasn't here. With a contented sigh she placed the parchment down on the bed and left. Heading down the stairs it was very clear in her mind what she would do first.