Hermione stared after Ginny. Ginny was lesbian? That was what had been eating the girl up for so long? That was it?

Admittedly, Ginny didn't exactly look very much like a dyke (and what exactly did Hermione think a dyke looked like, anyway?) but now that she thought about it, it explained a lot of things. Like why Ginny had been trying so hard to spend time with her. Hermione had been wondering why Ginny, who always got such good grades, suddenly found herself unable to perform the most elementary of spells without Hermione's help. And why she had been so distracted lately, which Hermione still didn't exactly understand. After all, it really wasn't that big of a deal.

Well, except for the fact that she's in love with me. Now how am I supposed to deal with that?

And it wasn't like Hermione could even ask for advice. She had no intention of outing Ginny to anyone else without Ginny's express permission and apparently, Ginny hadn't mentioned it to anyone else yet. Which meant that until she did, Hermione was pretty much on her own.



Other than Madam Pince, Hermione was alone in the library. As usual, she had bolted her lunch and rushed up here before anyone else finished eating. She liked being alone in the library. It was somehow quieter, without the sounds of other students turning pages or whispering and giggling to each other. The only noises came from Madam Pince and Hermione herself, which was just the way Hermione liked it.

She dumped her bag by her usual table near the window and took out her homework. She had almost finished her potions essay when she heard someone else enter the library. She didn't bother to look up, having already recognized the footsteps. Ginny, as usual. It was strange that she could recognize the other girl's footsteps so easily. Or maybe not. It had become such a routine for them to meet here after lunch.

Hermione stifled a brief smile at that, hiding her face behind the textbook she was reading. Suddenly she didn't want to look at Ginny. She hadn't seen Ginny other than from way down the table at breakfast and lunch since the girl had come out to her and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to act. She stared fixedly at her book.

A soft thud as Ginny dropped her bag on the carpeted floor, a muffled scrape as she pulled out a chair across from Hermione.

"Hi," Ginny said softly, nervously.

Finally, Hermione looked up at her, racking her brain for what to say. What do you say to someone who just told you they were lesbian? What do you say to someone who just told you they love you when you're completely uninterested?

"Hi," she responded, settling on the first thing that came into her unusually blank mind. She tried to smile as warmly as she could. "So, can I assume that you don't need me to help you with your homework anymore?"

Ginny blushed and nodded.

They worked in silence until more students began to flood into the library, marking the end of lunch. Then both girls packed up their bags and left. They walked in awkward silence up to the Gryffindor dormitory.

"Er... so... are you planning on... coming out to anyone else?" Hermione said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence.

Ginny blushed. "I don't know... I don't know who I'd tell. You're my closest friend and I'm not sure I'm ready for my family to know yet..."

"You could tell Harry and Ron," Hermione suggested before she could stop herself.

Ginny glanced at Hermione. "Uh... Ron is my brother, in case you hadn't noticed, which means he's family, and since when does Harry care about who I date?"

Hermione shrugged. "They're my closest friends, other than you. And I don't like keeping secretes from them."

Ginny closed her eyes. "I'll think about it."

A/N: This wasn't as long as I'd intended, so I'll try to update again soon. Kashiaga: I'll do my best to keep updating...Silver-nex: Yay! A new reviewer! Glad you like the story thus far. Orange: And the chimney sweeps! And sesame street! And I'm updating today, happy?