Chapter Two
Hermione entered the train, her trunk following behind her on a levitation charm. She was resolute that she was going to tell them today, now, in the train. She didn't know how, or how they would react, what they would say, or if they would still want to be her friends. These, and other thoughts much worse, raced around her brain as she walked through the corridor trying to find an empty compartment, when a hand grabbed her from behind. She jumped and uttered a little scream as she turned around to see the grinning faces of Harry and Ron.
"Hermione! You owls have been so...so BORING!!!" exclaimed Ron, "What ever happened re writing your history of magic essay to include your trip to France?" he teased.
Harry on the other hand stared at her, choosing his words carefully. "I guess she has had...other things on her mind?" he asked questioningly.
Hermione smiled faintly at her two best friends. They both cared and loved her so much. She felt a pang in her heart. What if they no longer liked her....what if they decided she was a freak? The familiar twang in her wrists made her realize that she had to tell, whatever the outcome. She was killing herself inside.
"Ron...Harry. There is something we need to talk about. Privately."
Ginny popped up from behind her.
"Oh okay lets go then."
Ron glared at his younger sister. "She said privately squirt. That means not you. Scat."
Ginny glared back at Ron, and a battle of will began. Hermione and Harry looked at the two and began to chuckle, sibling rivalry at its best. Hermione quickly made up her mind and said "Ginny you can come too...Neville as well I suppose", she added as the chubby Gryffindor rounded the corner looking interested. The four of them gave Hermione a curious look as they followed her into an empty compartment.
"Okay Hermione. What gives?" Asked a curious Ron. "You seemed distracted during exams last summer, very unlike you."
"You answer all our questions about Viktor in a very ambiguous way...avoiding all our direct questions...he didn't hurt you did he?" asked Ginny in a very worried way.
"Oh my god if he..."
"Did your guys...."
Hermione listened quietly to all this, and waited until they looked at her silently. She had been thinking while they talked, and decided what she was going to say.
"You four have been my best friends...ever. Not just while at Hogwarts. I have been...thinking for a long time and I need to tell you all something. I...I think that after I tell you this... you might not be my friends anymore." Hermione silenced Ron with a glare. "You can have your say after I am finished. But for now let me talk. I just... need you to know that I love you all very much. So even if you hate me when I am finished...well. I guess that's the chance I take. I just cant keep this in any longer. Viktor and I dated for a while...you all know that. But I had to break up with him. I told him why I did, and ...well he was very sweet about it. He still writes me all the time...and we are good friends so Harry I see you looking like your about to kill him, he did nothing wrong. Its all me. I ...I ... I am a lesbian."
There was silence in the compartment. Harry had a look of dawning comprehension on his face, while Ginny, Ron, and Neville looked at her in confusion.
"You're an actress?"
The tension broke for an instant as both Harry and Hermione broke out laughing. Hermione could see that Harry wasn't as shocked or upset as she thought he would be, and her mood lifted as Ron mistook her attraction to girls, to a Thespian, a dramatic person.
The laughter only lasted a moment, as Hermione, emotions threatening to overwhelm her, broke into tears. The others didn't understand, lesbian was apparently a muggle word, and she didn't know how to go about explaining this. It was one thing for her to come out, now she had too tell then what it meant. Harry smiled kindly at her, and walked across the compartment, and pulled her into a hug, as the others still looked at her in confusion. Tears streaming down her face, Hermione attempted to speak, but was unable to as her sobs overwhelmed her. The stress was too much for her, and she sat back down on the seat. Harry would have to explain.
Hermione entered the train, her trunk following behind her on a levitation charm. She was resolute that she was going to tell them today, now, in the train. She didn't know how, or how they would react, what they would say, or if they would still want to be her friends. These, and other thoughts much worse, raced around her brain as she walked through the corridor trying to find an empty compartment, when a hand grabbed her from behind. She jumped and uttered a little scream as she turned around to see the grinning faces of Harry and Ron.
"Hermione! You owls have been so...so BORING!!!" exclaimed Ron, "What ever happened re writing your history of magic essay to include your trip to France?" he teased.
Harry on the other hand stared at her, choosing his words carefully. "I guess she has had...other things on her mind?" he asked questioningly.
Hermione smiled faintly at her two best friends. They both cared and loved her so much. She felt a pang in her heart. What if they no longer liked her....what if they decided she was a freak? The familiar twang in her wrists made her realize that she had to tell, whatever the outcome. She was killing herself inside.
"Ron...Harry. There is something we need to talk about. Privately."
Ginny popped up from behind her.
"Oh okay lets go then."
Ron glared at his younger sister. "She said privately squirt. That means not you. Scat."
Ginny glared back at Ron, and a battle of will began. Hermione and Harry looked at the two and began to chuckle, sibling rivalry at its best. Hermione quickly made up her mind and said "Ginny you can come too...Neville as well I suppose", she added as the chubby Gryffindor rounded the corner looking interested. The four of them gave Hermione a curious look as they followed her into an empty compartment.
"Okay Hermione. What gives?" Asked a curious Ron. "You seemed distracted during exams last summer, very unlike you."
"You answer all our questions about Viktor in a very ambiguous way...avoiding all our direct questions...he didn't hurt you did he?" asked Ginny in a very worried way.
"Oh my god if he..."
"Did your guys...."
Hermione listened quietly to all this, and waited until they looked at her silently. She had been thinking while they talked, and decided what she was going to say.
"You four have been my best friends...ever. Not just while at Hogwarts. I have been...thinking for a long time and I need to tell you all something. I...I think that after I tell you this... you might not be my friends anymore." Hermione silenced Ron with a glare. "You can have your say after I am finished. But for now let me talk. I just... need you to know that I love you all very much. So even if you hate me when I am finished...well. I guess that's the chance I take. I just cant keep this in any longer. Viktor and I dated for a while...you all know that. But I had to break up with him. I told him why I did, and ...well he was very sweet about it. He still writes me all the time...and we are good friends so Harry I see you looking like your about to kill him, he did nothing wrong. Its all me. I ...I ... I am a lesbian."
There was silence in the compartment. Harry had a look of dawning comprehension on his face, while Ginny, Ron, and Neville looked at her in confusion.
"You're an actress?"
The tension broke for an instant as both Harry and Hermione broke out laughing. Hermione could see that Harry wasn't as shocked or upset as she thought he would be, and her mood lifted as Ron mistook her attraction to girls, to a Thespian, a dramatic person.
The laughter only lasted a moment, as Hermione, emotions threatening to overwhelm her, broke into tears. The others didn't understand, lesbian was apparently a muggle word, and she didn't know how to go about explaining this. It was one thing for her to come out, now she had too tell then what it meant. Harry smiled kindly at her, and walked across the compartment, and pulled her into a hug, as the others still looked at her in confusion. Tears streaming down her face, Hermione attempted to speak, but was unable to as her sobs overwhelmed her. The stress was too much for her, and she sat back down on the seat. Harry would have to explain.