Hermione dropped her books on the floor and herself at the bed. She'd
normally not drop book, but, oh, heavens, she was tired. She had been
sitting in the library all evening, writing her essay for Magical
History, solving the Arithmancy problems and read the chapter about
Amphisbaena, for the class in Care of Magical creatures tomorrow.
Normally, this wouldn't have been enough to wear her out this way, but
this thing about being a prefect... She had found some first-years
having a pillow-fight yesterday, and today Samuel Dolger, a second
year, had taken a salamander to the Great hall, and scared the girl
sitting next to him at dinner nearly to death. Hermione didn't blame
her; it's not nice to find that what you've got in you hand isn't a
sandwich, but moving. Boys. Never obeying rules. Well, the
pillow-fighters had been girls, but hey, they were first-years; almost
kids. Hermione couldn't remember herself acting like that her first
year, but that were ages ago... Yeah, five years.
Hermione's rambling thought's were driven away by Crookshanks. He leapt up in her bed, strode up to her face and touched her cheek with his cold nose, purring.
- Hey, Crooksy, said Hermione and rubbed his head. Suddenly the cat turned around and purred even stronger.
- What's up, sweetheart? said Hermione. Parvati and Lavender had been sitting down in the common-room when Hermione returned, chatting with Dean and Seamus, and they really didn't look like they'd be coming upstairs soon.
But the one coming in through the door was none of her dorm mates. It was Ginny. Ginny and Hermione had used to be good friends, but this year, it had felt somewhat tense between them. Hermione couldn't really figure out why. She liked Ginny as much as ever. Well, maybe even more... She felt a jolt in a stomach when Ginny walked up to her and sat down at Parvatis bed.
- Hey, Ginny sad, with a really small voice.
- Hi, Hermione answered.
Crookshanks jumped to the floor and walked over to Ginny. Hermione crawled up from her horizontal position, and sat face to face with Ginny.
- Hey, kitsy, said Ginny and bent down to pat his back. Hermione couldn't help herself from staring at the bright red top of Ginnys head.
- Your hair is beautiful, she said.
- Sorry?
Ginny looked up from Crookshanks. Instead she looked at Hermione with a funny expression in her face.
- I wish my hair would be so smooth and shiny, Hermione said in a light, girl-talkish voice.
- Oh, said Ginny, and the funny expression faded from her face. Hermione missed it; she had been even more beautiful like that. She smiled at Ginny and pulled up her bones under her.
- Did you wanted to talk about anything in particular, she asked.
- Well, said Ginny, and stroke over her skirt with her fingers. Then she smiled, that annoying cute Weasly-smile that Fred and George used to have when they'd done something extraordinary cunning.
- I really like your hair, she said, and rose from Parvatis bed. She sat down next to Hermione.
-Do you mind if I touch it? It's gorgeous. This hazelnut colour. And your curls... Hermione felt herself shiver as Ginny stroke her hair. Why did her heart beat so fast? It felt like it tried to beat it's way out of her chest. It was only Ginny touching her hair. They we're friends, there were nothing remarkable about that...
- It's not curly, she said, unsurely. it's really bushy.
- It's lovely, Ginny said, and drew her fingers all through Hermiones hair, down to the back of her neck. Hermione made a small sigh; she couldn't stop it. She leered at Ginny, but Ginny was looking at her hair, looking perfectly normal. Crookshanks had curled himself up at the foot end of the bed, and laid there, purring.
- This is perfectly normal, Hermione told herself. Ginny is my friend, and friends do this kind of things. I will touch her hair, and show her I don't mind this. Oh, I really don't mind when she does like that at my neck... Hermione moved herself to face Ginny. She looked into her eyes, and then lifted her hand to touch Ginny's shiny red hair. It was soft under her fingertips. Ginny stopped touching Hermione's hair, and for a moment, Hermione's heart stopped beating. What if Ginny didn't want her to touch her hair? But then saw how Ginny used her hand to let down her ponytail, and then put both of her hands deep into Hermione's mass of curls. Hermione smiled at her, and Ginny smiled back. The sweetest smile.
Suddenly Hermione couldn't help herself. She tightened her fingers round the back of Ginny's neck, and kissed her. She kissed her! Ginny had the sweetest lips... But in a moment, Hermione realised what she was doing. She pulled back, loosened her fingers from Ginny's hair and exclaimed:
-Sorry, Ginny! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to...
Hermione buried her face in her hands. She didn't dare to look at Ginny. Here they were, playing with each others hair, perfectly normal, and then... Hermione didn't recognise herself. She never was this impulsive, out of control... To Ginny, of all people! She felt horrible. She felt something stroke her arm.
- Heaven bless Crookshanks, she thought. He always knows when I'm feeling bad...
- Mione.
But no, Crookshanks didn't talk. And there was only one person in the world with that voice.
- Mione, there's nothing to be sorry for... Please take away those hands, won't you?
Ginny pulled Hermiones hands away from her face. Hermione didn't dare to look at her, but she couldn't resist. Ginny didn't seem angry. In fact, she looked... she looked happy?
- You... you're not mad at me for doing that? Hermione stuttered.
- No,, said Ginny and caressed Hermiones cheek softly. I've been mad at you this entire stupid term for not doing that.
Hermione smiled, surprised, and Ginny leaned forward and kissed her. Hermione put her arms around Ginny's shoulders. She felt her heart pounding, but now she understood why. It wanted to be over there, with Ginny's heart. Her entire being wanted that; to be as close to Ginny as possible. And as Ginny softly caressed her back, while they were still kissing, Hermione felt that she'd never been this lucky before in her entire life. Finally Ginny ended the kiss.
-I'm so happy, she whispered. I've hoped... but... you know, I thought that you fancied that... Victor Krum...
- So did your brother, said Hermione.
- Oh, God! Ron! Ginny started to giggle nervously, and soon Hermione joined.
- My, she panted, Ron will be.. furious. You know how he always looks like he wants to kill anyone who even looks at any of us?
- And now we... Ginny stopped giggle and just kept an enormous smile.
- Hermione, she said. softly, and kissed Hermione's cheek.
- Ginny, Hermione answered, and embraced her.
- Oh, that was Parvati! Ginny exclaimed. I... well...
- You'd better go? said Hermione.
- Yes, said Ginny. Not that I'm very afraid of the prefect, but...
Hermione gave her a stern glance, or at least a glance that tried to be stern, and then she kissed Ginny again. It was even better this time. Oh, if kissing with Ginny just got better and better, she'd soon be dead from joy.
- Night, Ginny, she said softly. - See you in the morning, Ginny said, and ran out of the sixth-years dorm. Hermione remained sitting on her bed, until Lavender and Parvati came running, happily talking about Seamus and Dean.
- What's up, Hermione? asked Parvati. You look strange.
- Oh, nothing, said Hermione, and quickly tucked herself into bed. She kept running her fingers over her lips, and as soon as she closed her eyes, she saw Ginny's face, and Ginnys smile, and...
- Oh, Ginny, she mouthed, silently. She felt she couldn't wait for the morning.
Hermione's rambling thought's were driven away by Crookshanks. He leapt up in her bed, strode up to her face and touched her cheek with his cold nose, purring.
- Hey, Crooksy, said Hermione and rubbed his head. Suddenly the cat turned around and purred even stronger.
- What's up, sweetheart? said Hermione. Parvati and Lavender had been sitting down in the common-room when Hermione returned, chatting with Dean and Seamus, and they really didn't look like they'd be coming upstairs soon.
But the one coming in through the door was none of her dorm mates. It was Ginny. Ginny and Hermione had used to be good friends, but this year, it had felt somewhat tense between them. Hermione couldn't really figure out why. She liked Ginny as much as ever. Well, maybe even more... She felt a jolt in a stomach when Ginny walked up to her and sat down at Parvatis bed.
- Hey, Ginny sad, with a really small voice.
- Hi, Hermione answered.
Crookshanks jumped to the floor and walked over to Ginny. Hermione crawled up from her horizontal position, and sat face to face with Ginny.
- Hey, kitsy, said Ginny and bent down to pat his back. Hermione couldn't help herself from staring at the bright red top of Ginnys head.
- Your hair is beautiful, she said.
- Sorry?
Ginny looked up from Crookshanks. Instead she looked at Hermione with a funny expression in her face.
- I wish my hair would be so smooth and shiny, Hermione said in a light, girl-talkish voice.
- Oh, said Ginny, and the funny expression faded from her face. Hermione missed it; she had been even more beautiful like that. She smiled at Ginny and pulled up her bones under her.
- Did you wanted to talk about anything in particular, she asked.
- Well, said Ginny, and stroke over her skirt with her fingers. Then she smiled, that annoying cute Weasly-smile that Fred and George used to have when they'd done something extraordinary cunning.
- I really like your hair, she said, and rose from Parvatis bed. She sat down next to Hermione.
-Do you mind if I touch it? It's gorgeous. This hazelnut colour. And your curls... Hermione felt herself shiver as Ginny stroke her hair. Why did her heart beat so fast? It felt like it tried to beat it's way out of her chest. It was only Ginny touching her hair. They we're friends, there were nothing remarkable about that...
- It's not curly, she said, unsurely. it's really bushy.
- It's lovely, Ginny said, and drew her fingers all through Hermiones hair, down to the back of her neck. Hermione made a small sigh; she couldn't stop it. She leered at Ginny, but Ginny was looking at her hair, looking perfectly normal. Crookshanks had curled himself up at the foot end of the bed, and laid there, purring.
- This is perfectly normal, Hermione told herself. Ginny is my friend, and friends do this kind of things. I will touch her hair, and show her I don't mind this. Oh, I really don't mind when she does like that at my neck... Hermione moved herself to face Ginny. She looked into her eyes, and then lifted her hand to touch Ginny's shiny red hair. It was soft under her fingertips. Ginny stopped touching Hermione's hair, and for a moment, Hermione's heart stopped beating. What if Ginny didn't want her to touch her hair? But then saw how Ginny used her hand to let down her ponytail, and then put both of her hands deep into Hermione's mass of curls. Hermione smiled at her, and Ginny smiled back. The sweetest smile.
Suddenly Hermione couldn't help herself. She tightened her fingers round the back of Ginny's neck, and kissed her. She kissed her! Ginny had the sweetest lips... But in a moment, Hermione realised what she was doing. She pulled back, loosened her fingers from Ginny's hair and exclaimed:
-Sorry, Ginny! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to...
Hermione buried her face in her hands. She didn't dare to look at Ginny. Here they were, playing with each others hair, perfectly normal, and then... Hermione didn't recognise herself. She never was this impulsive, out of control... To Ginny, of all people! She felt horrible. She felt something stroke her arm.
- Heaven bless Crookshanks, she thought. He always knows when I'm feeling bad...
- Mione.
But no, Crookshanks didn't talk. And there was only one person in the world with that voice.
- Mione, there's nothing to be sorry for... Please take away those hands, won't you?
Ginny pulled Hermiones hands away from her face. Hermione didn't dare to look at her, but she couldn't resist. Ginny didn't seem angry. In fact, she looked... she looked happy?
- You... you're not mad at me for doing that? Hermione stuttered.
- No,, said Ginny and caressed Hermiones cheek softly. I've been mad at you this entire stupid term for not doing that.
Hermione smiled, surprised, and Ginny leaned forward and kissed her. Hermione put her arms around Ginny's shoulders. She felt her heart pounding, but now she understood why. It wanted to be over there, with Ginny's heart. Her entire being wanted that; to be as close to Ginny as possible. And as Ginny softly caressed her back, while they were still kissing, Hermione felt that she'd never been this lucky before in her entire life. Finally Ginny ended the kiss.
-I'm so happy, she whispered. I've hoped... but... you know, I thought that you fancied that... Victor Krum...
- So did your brother, said Hermione.
- Oh, God! Ron! Ginny started to giggle nervously, and soon Hermione joined.
- My, she panted, Ron will be.. furious. You know how he always looks like he wants to kill anyone who even looks at any of us?
- And now we... Ginny stopped giggle and just kept an enormous smile.
- Hermione, she said. softly, and kissed Hermione's cheek.
- Ginny, Hermione answered, and embraced her.
- Oh, that was Parvati! Ginny exclaimed. I... well...
- You'd better go? said Hermione.
- Yes, said Ginny. Not that I'm very afraid of the prefect, but...
Hermione gave her a stern glance, or at least a glance that tried to be stern, and then she kissed Ginny again. It was even better this time. Oh, if kissing with Ginny just got better and better, she'd soon be dead from joy.
- Night, Ginny, she said softly. - See you in the morning, Ginny said, and ran out of the sixth-years dorm. Hermione remained sitting on her bed, until Lavender and Parvati came running, happily talking about Seamus and Dean.
- What's up, Hermione? asked Parvati. You look strange.
- Oh, nothing, said Hermione, and quickly tucked herself into bed. She kept running her fingers over her lips, and as soon as she closed her eyes, she saw Ginny's face, and Ginnys smile, and...
- Oh, Ginny, she mouthed, silently. She felt she couldn't wait for the morning.