Two days later, Ginny and Gabrielle were sitting on the bed in Ginny's room, finishing their summer homework. Ginny had just begun reading Practical Uses of Transfiguration by Sinestra McDougall.

"A 'brief' introduction? She thinks 20 pages is brief?" Ginny muttered in disgust.

Gabrielle laughed. "Everything's relative. By comparison to a 50 page introduction, 20 pages is brief."

"But she isn't even saying anything interesting," Ginny complained. "I mean, she spends the first page asking things like 'Have you ever wondered why you have to learn transfiguration in school?' and she repeats herself constantly."

"So skim it."

Ginny laughed. "Yeah, that would probably speed things up."

Gabrielle put down her quill, stretching. "I think I'm done for now."

"You've barely even started."

"So?"

Ginny closed her book, yawning. "Okay, let's take a break."

Gabrielle shifted closer to Ginny, slipping her arm around Ginny's waist. Ginny found her mouth, kissing her gently.

Neither of them noticed the door open until Mrs. Weasley said in a horrified voice, "What on Earth do you think you're doing?"

Then the two girls sprang apart, looking up in horror to Mrs. Weasley standing in the doorway, holding a laundry basket in her arms. Gabrielle could feel her cheeks flaming. Ginny looked like she was about to pass out from embarrassment and shock. No, this was most definitely not the way Ginny would have wanted to come out to her.

After a moment of stunned silence, Gabrielle swallowed and told her as calmly as she could, "We were kissing."

"But Ginny isn't lesbian." It was a statement, calm and certain. No room for doubt or question.

Gabrielle looked at Ginny, wondering if she would be able to correct her mother. Ginny looked utterly terrified and Gabrielle reached out to touch her hand, thinking, Just tell her. The sooner you tell her, the sooner she can deal with it.

"Yes, I am," Ginny said softly, staring intently at her hands.

"What?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "I said I'm lesbian," she repeated, still unable to meet her mother's horrified gaze.

Mrs. Weasley stared at her for a moment until the meaning of her daughter's words sunk in. "No," she said, shaking her head. "No you're not. You can't be."

"I am." Ginny seemed close to tears.

"No. Oh god, no." She turned to Gabrielle. "What have you done to my daughter?"

Gabrielle stared at her. What have I done?

"I should have known better than to let my daughter spend so much time with a part-veela."

Gabrielle closed her eyes. Dear god, not again. Why did everyone assume that if their daughter was dating her, she must have recruited them or something? "She was lesbian long before she met me," Gabrielle informed her gently.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "No."

"Yes." Ginny's voice wavered with the tears she was just barely holding in check and Gabrielle wished with all her heart that she could hold Ginny in her arms without further incriminating herself in Mrs. Weasley's eyes.

Just then, Hermione and Harry appeared behind Mrs. Weasley. Hermione looked around. "What's going on?"

Mrs. Weasley just looked at her, denial and shame warring in her eyes and Ginny flushed again.

"Ginny just came out to Mrs. Weasley," Gabrielle told them, trying to sound as casual about it as she could.

Harry looked confused. "You mean… Ginny's… Ginny's…lesbian?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah."

Harry stared at Ginny, then shook his head. "You've got to be kidding me. Ginny?"

Gabrielle glared at him. You aren't helping, she thought at him angrily.

"It's true," Ginny sobbed, as if she were confessing being in love with You-Know-Who.

Mrs. Weasley now turned to Harry and Hermione. "It's just a phase," she informed them.

Gabrielle wondered what would happen if she socked the woman. Her daughter was in tears and all she could do was tell Harry and Hermione that it was 'just a phase.'

Mrs. Weasley set the laundry basket down on the floor. "Now put away your clothes." And with that, she left the room.

Now Harry looked at Ginny. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Hermione snapped at him. "She's completely serious."

"Lesbian… like she dates girls?"

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. "I don't know what other definition for 'lesbian' you have."

"Okay, that's kind of wrong."

"Harry!"

"What?"

Hermione shook her head in disgust. "You bigot." She spun around and stalked back out of the room, leaving Harry looking bewildered.

"What? What'd I say?" Harry asked in confusion, following her out of the room.

Now Gabrielle turned back to Ginny, gathering the sobbing girl into her arms and holding her as she cried.

"I'm a fucking pervert," she sobbed. "And now they'll all hate me."

Gabrielle gently stroked her hair. "No. You're not, and they don't. She's just surprised. She'll come around."

"What would you know? You're parents have always known about you. You're part-veela – you're supposed to be lesbian."

"Your family loves you. They'll find a way to accept you."

"That's what you think."

"I don't 'think' it. I know it. They're pretty open-minded people and they love you."

"You're always so bloody optimistic."

Gabrielle smiled. "Come on Ginny, always look on the bright side of life."

Ginny giggled, wiping her eyes. "Easier said than done."

Hermione returned a few minutes later, seething. "Closed-minded, prejudiced bastard! Clueless, homophobic idiot."

Ginny smiled as Hermione continued to rant. Gabrielle doubted that Harry's reaction was the reason Ginny was crying, though it certainly hadn't helped, but just seeing Hermione raging in defense of her friend was good. Especially after the way they had been arguing ever since Hermione got here. Gabrielle knew how amazingly wonderful it felt to have someone sticking up for you, especially when you yourself didn't think you were worth it.

Eventually, Hermione fell silent. She gave Ginny a slightly guilty look. "I'm sorry… about pressuring you into telling someone. I shouldn't have, it wasn't my place to tell you what to do."

Ginny smiled at her. "It's okay. Friends?"

"Just like that?" Ginny nodded and Hermione smiled. "Okay, friends."

"You know," Gabrielle began, addressing Ginny, "you should probably talk to your mother."

Ginny nodded and went downstairs, leaving Gabrielle and Hermione alone. But Gabrielle figured that she should probably talk to her mother on her own, without having Gabrielle or Hermione around to distract them.

A/N: Stars-n-moons91: Yay! You've started reading this fic too! And Draco'll turn up again in the sequal, if I actually write it. Crossgirl123: Isn't is amazing how having someone with you makes anything a million times easier to bear? Anasazi: I don't think it's much of a secret anymore.. :D Kashiaga, Silver-nex, and Orange: Thanks
Anyone notice the Monty Python reference?