A/N: Hey! Sorry this chapter has taken so long, but I've been sooooo busy.
Had tones of school work, had to plan my birthday party, and had to
practice my grade 6 ballet... But anyway, it's here now, and I will try I
write more as its half term and I don't have school! Yay! I was going to
put up a surprise for the 100th reviewer, but I really can't be bothered as
I'm sooooo tired, and this chapter took FOREVER to write. I will do it for
the next chapter though. I don't know when I will be able to post this
chapter, as my Internet keeps playing up, but I should be able to paste it
tomorrow on my Birthday! Yep, I'm 15 years old now! Woo hoo! So anyways,
thank you to all mah reviewers, and I'm sorry if the spacing messes up on
this chapter. It's ok on Microsoft word, but as soon as I put it on the
Internet, it cuts out all mah paragraphs! If anyone has a magic solution
for that, I'd love to here it. Luv ya, Angel x x x Oh yeah, and sorry if I
make any spelling mistakes (eg conversation) but I usually write really
late at night when I'm really tired, so I sometimes make mistakes- you'll
just have to bear with me!
Chapter 7- The Naïve and the Naughty
Harry strolled through the busy common room, over to where Ron was sleeping. He leant over the sofa and took hold of Ron's shoulders, and shook him awake.
'What the hell!' Ron cursed, sleepily.
'Rise and shine, sleepy head.' Harry grinned.
'Where's Hermione gone?' Ron questioned, yawning.
'Sleeping beauty got up to get a drink, when I came back into the common room.' Harry explained. 'So anyway, guess what I just found out?'
'Snape got murdered by rampaging house elves?' Ron guessed.
'Better.' Harry smiled, taking a seat next to Ron.
'Enlighten me then.'
'Hermione and Ginny aren't gay.' Harry grinned.
'Whoa?' Ron yawned again. 'How? What about what they said in the girls dorm, about gay couples.'
'They were talking about us.'
'WHAT!'
'Let me explain.' Harry said. 'From what Ginny said, I think the girls think we're gay. Ginny said she over heard a private convocation, and she was talking about our convocation of how to tell Hermione you love her. She thinks you were telling me that you love me! It was an easy mistake to make...'
'Oh yeah.' Ron said. 'I make that mistake all the time.'
'Shut up Ron.' Harry moaned. 'The main point is that the girls aren't gay, and they think we're gay.'
'What?' Ron said. 'You mean you didn't right Ginny, when you realized what she was saying?'
'No!' Harry grinned. 'Why tell them when we can take advantage of the situation?'
'What do you mean, them?' Ron asked, suspiciously.
'Well Hermione must know.' Harry said. 'Ginny would have told her, and they were both there the night we talked about you loving Hermione.'
'You mean I can't use my speech now?' Ron said. 'Damn.'
'You won't need to.' Harry said. 'If you go along with my plan.'
'There's a plan?'
'Indeed.' Harry grinned, evilly. 'You see, Hermione loves you, I'm sure of it, and Ginny loves me. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that bit. Well anyway, she does.'
'Proceed.'
'So, neither of them are going to want us to be gay, right?' Harry said, and Ron nodded. 'So all we have to do, is tell them that we're confused about our sexuality. Say we're having mixed feelings and we need help and, well you get my drift.'
'Not really.' Ron confessed. 'Care to elaborate?'
'Well, we just tell them that we need to BE with a girl to decide.' Harry explained. 'I'm sure they'd be more than happy to volunteer.'
'We can't do that!' Ron exclaimed. 'They would kill us if they found out!'
'But they wouldn't find out.' Harry grinned. 'That's the magic of the plan!'
'I don't know.' Ron said.
'Go on, Ron.' Harry grinned. 'It's a great plan. Unless you have a problem with lying to Hermione.'
'Nope.'
'Then lets do it!'
Ginny walked over to the drinks table, and got herself a drink, looking glum.
'You ok?' Hermione asked, approaching Ginny.
'Yea, I guess.' She said, nodding her head.
'I heard about you and Harry kissing.' Hermione said. 'I thought you'd come back in looking a little happier, perhaps.'
'I don't know what you've heard, but that kiss didn't mean anything.' Ginny said, looking down at her drink. 'It was just a game.'
'What did you talk about outside?' Hermione asked.
'That's what I'm confused about.' Ginny confessed. 'We were talking about the ball, and about me liking someone. I hoped he'd pick up on it being him, but he didn't. Then we got onto talking about the boy I like being gay, and Harry left, saying he had to meet Ron.'
'Bad luck.' Hermione said, patting Ginny sympathetically on the back.
'We how are things with you and Ron?' Ginny asked. 'You looked pretty comfortable when I left.'
'I was.' Hermione smiled. 'But he looks a lot happier now that he's with Harry.'
Ron and Harry were sitting on the sofa, talking animatedly, each with a with a large grin plastered across their face.
'How sad are we?' Hermione asked. 'Standing here, goggling at Ron and Harry.'
'I know.' Ginny sighed. 'And they don't even know we're alive.'
Ginny took a large swig of her drink.
'Ginny, is that fire whisky?' Hermione asked, skeptically.
'Yep.' She said, honestly. 'I don't usually drink it, as it's strong, but I'm feeling depressed.'
'You don't have to explain yourself to me.' Hermione giggled. 'What do you think is in this mug?'
Both girls laughed.
'Hey girls.' Ron said, as he and Harry joined Hermione and Ginny, at the drinks table.
'Hi.' They chorused, unenthusiastically.
'Erm, can we talk to you?' Harry asked, seriously. 'Alone.'
'Sure.' Hermione said, looking worried. 'Are you two ok?'
'Fine.' Ron said, again looking very serious. 'Just meet us outside the girls dorms in five minutes.'
The girls nodded their heads, got themselves some more fire whisky, and disappeared amongst the crowd. The boys waited until they were out of earshot, before bursting into laughter.
'Ok, I wasn't sure before, Harry.' Ron laughed. 'But I am completely with you now! The looks on their faces!'
'I know!' Harry chuckled. 'They totally believe us! Now all we have to do is put our master plan into action.'
'Doubt we'll have any problems with that.' Ron said. 'Did you see what they've been drinking. Fire whiskey. Strong stuff, that is.'
'Good good.' Harry grinned.
'Don't you feel just a little bit bad, lying to them like this?' Ron asked.
'Nah!' They both grinned.
'Hey, you two up for a game of truth or dare?' Dean asked.
'Nope, we've got business to attend to.' Ron grinned at Harry.
'The kind of business Seamus has with Lavender?' Dean asked, grinning.
'Something along those lines.' Harry said.
'Well I'll leave you two to it.' Dean smiled, before calling: 'Who's up for a game of truth or dare?'
'Now's our chance to get away.' Ron said, dragging Harry towards the girls staircase. 'Now all we've got to do is keep to the plan.'
'Ok.' Harry said, at the bottom of the stairs. 'Now lets take a deep breath, and try to keep a straight face.'
The boys levitated themselves up the girls staircase, and met Hermione and Ginny outside the 6th year girls dorm. The girls stopped talking, as soon as they noticed the boys.
'Hi.' Hermione said. 'You managed to get away quickly.'
'Yea.' Ron said, but not with his usual smile. 'Piece of cake.'
'So what did you want to talk about?' Ginny asked, and was followed by silence for a moment.
'Well you see, we've been keeping something from you for a while.' Harry said, seriously. The girls took in a sharp deep breath.
'Yea.' Ron said, looking at the ground. 'It's kind of difficult to tell you this. We should have told you sooner really, but we just didn't know what to say.'
'The thing is.' Harry said, looking straight into the girls pale faces. 'Lately me and Ron have been thinking a lot, about our sexuality.'
Ron took a deep breath, to stop himself from laughing. Hermione and Ginny just stood, trying not to look award, but surprised, but they were failed miserably. Harry just stood with a still face, keeping very much in character. The boys went into the next part of the plan.
'So mine and Harry's relationship has changed a little recently.' Ron said, keeping a straight face. 'You see, we started-'
'I don't want to talk about it.' Harry cut in, dramatically. 'You said we wouldn't.'
'But I want to talk about it.' Ron said, equally as dramatically. 'I think we'd feel better if we did.'
'But I don't.' Harry said, raising his voice. 'This is hard enough as it is.'
'Then what do we do?' Ron asked. 'I'm sure Hermione and Ginny would like it if we explained, and I'd like to talk about it with someone.'
'So would I.' Harry said, raising his voice again. 'Just not with you.'
The boys moved apart silently, leaving an effective pause. Hermione and Ginny shuffled from foot to foot, feeling uncomfortable. They knew this was coming at some point, but they didn't think it would be so weird.
'Erm, perhaps one of you could talk about it, without the other one there.' Hermione suggested, just like the boys said she would in the plan.
'Yea.' Ginny said. 'One of you can wait in the dorm room, while we talk with the other.'
'Err, ok.' Ron said, unsurely. This wasn't part of the plan.
'No!' Harry exclaimed. 'I want to talk first.'
Ron got the idea.
'But I want to talk now!'
'But I need to talk first!'
'No, me!'
'Me!'
'Ok!' Hermione shouted. 'You can both talk first. Ginny, you take Harry up to your dorm, and me and Ron can talk in my dorm.'
Ginny nodded her head, and marched Harry up to her dorm.
'Ok.' Hermione sighed. 'Lets go and talk.'
Hermione opened the door to her dorm room, and led Ron inside. She wandered over to her bed and sat on it, with her back leaning against her pillow. Ron walked over to the book shelf, and run his fingers across the spines, before joining Hermione on her bed. He sat next to her and fiddled with the bed cover, looking nervous.
'So...' Hermione said, looking down at her hands. This was harder than she thought it would be.
'I guess you want to hear it from the beginning.' Ron said, still looking down. He knew that if he looked into Hermione's eyes, he was going to give the game away.
'Yes, I guess.' She said, though she was thinking she may have changed her mind.
'Well, it started a while back.' Ron said, repeating he well thought of speech. 'You, me and Harry have always been close, but with you it's...I...'
'Yes?' Hermione said, looking into Ron's eyes. He took her hand into his, before returning to his story.
'Well, I always liked you Hermione.' Ron said, truthfully, stroking her fingers. 'I didn't realize it for a long time, but I know I always liked you deep down. Not liked you, loved you.'
'Loved me?' Hermione whispered, softly. Ron could feel her glare on him, so he returned back to his planned story.
'Yes.' He said quickly. 'But I knew you'd never like me. I guess in a way, you put me off liking girls. I tried so hard to get you out of my head, I managed to get all girls out of my head. I'm not blaming you or anything, by the way.'
Hermione looked as if she was feeling extremely guilty, just as Ron wanted her to feel. Of course, Ron didn't see, as he as still looking down, keeping as well as he could to the plan.
'This is where Harry comes in.' Ron said, trying to make it sound real. 'He comforted me, and we started getting closer, until...well you know the rest...'
Hermione sighed. She knew the rest all to well...
Ginny opened the door to her dormitory, and showed Harry inside. She had always dreamed of having Harry inside her dorm room, but never in this situation. Ginny closed the door, and watched Harry as he walked over to the window, and took a deep breath of fresh air. She walked over behind him, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
'Wanna talk?' She said, with an unconvincing half smile.
'Yea.' He replied, with a believable troubled face. Ginny lead him over to her bed, and they both sat down on it.
'So...' Ginny said.
'So...' Harry mimicked. 'Well, this isn't easy to say.'
'Its not easy to hear...' Ginny said, quietly and sadly to herself.
'Well, this is how it is.' Harry said, looking into her deep velvety eyes. 'I've been really confused lately. I've been having different thoughts and feelings, and I really don't know whats going on anymore.'
Ginny looked deeply into his eyes, as if she was trying to see his soul.
'It's just...I was with Cho, and I thought it would be perfect. I'd loved her for ages, and she loved me. But then that as a disaster. I guess that kind of put me off of having a girl friend.'
Ginny closed her eyes for a moment, wishing that Harry had come to her then.
'So after Cho, I just tried to forget about girls.' Harry lied, convincingly. 'Then I felt really down. I guess I just wanted to be in a relationship. I liked knowing that someone loved me. I've never had parents to cling on to, and I like knowing that I had someone to be close to. I guess things just got out of hand from there.'
'You can say that again.' Ginny sighed, looking helplessly down at the floor, oblivious to Harry's plan. Harry watched her with amusement, and grinned, before walking over to the window again. He needed some fresh air, if he was to do what he was about to do.
Hermione brought Ron a glass of water from her desk. She sat by his side again, and waited until he had finished his drink, before asking him a question which had been bugging her.
'So, how do you feel now?' Hermione asked. 'With your sexuality and all.'
'I don't know.' Ron said, with a fake sigh. 'Things were good with Harry, but I don't know if that means I have feelings for him, or any other boy for that matter. I was comfortable with Harry, but I suppose that doesn't mean I have feelings for him. I don't know, I've just been so confused.'
'That's ok.' Hermione said, taking his hand this time, and looking into his denim blue eyes. 'It's ok to be confused. All you have to do is sort out how you feel.'
'And I'm trying.' Ron said, getting quite into his role. He left one of his dramatic pauses, before returning to his speech in a softer tone. 'Before we carry on, I just want to say thank you for, well, listening to this. It can't be easy for you, but I feel a lot better having someone to talk to about this, and getting all this out into the open. I hated keeping this from you, Hermione. I just hope that tonight I can come to some kind of conclusion to how I feel.'
'Me too.' Hermione said, all too honestly. She snuggled up close to Ron, and rested her head on his shoulder. He took his hand from hers, and put him arm protectively around her shoulder. Ron saw her close her eyes, and he knew it was time to get to the end of his plan.
'Things were great with Harry.' Ron said, as if he was looking back an years gone by. 'But I can't help but wonder if I would have enjoyed it more, if I'd been with a girl...'
'You mean you've never been close with a girl?' Hermione asked.
'Not the way me and Harry were.' Ron sighed. 'Not that close. Sometimes I wonder if being with a girl would change things. Maybe I'd like it a lot more. Maybe that would change my mind. But I guess I'll never know...'
'Why not?' Hermione asked, desperately. 'You could be with a girl.'
'I couldn't just get with a girl, knowing that I was trying things with her, to decide on my sexuality.' Ron said, looking into Hermione's deep troubled eyes, trying to sound sensitive. 'What if I decided I was gay, and she thought it was her fault? It could break a girls heart... I just wish I could be with a girl who would understand. Someone who I could be with, just for one night, to find out how I feel.'
'You just want to find out how you feel?' Hermione asked, taking her head off Ron's shoulder, and looking into his eyes.
'Yes.' Ron said.
'And you could be with anyone?' Hermione asked.
'Anyone I feel comfortable with.' Ron said, smiling secretly to himself. 'But theres nobody who would be with me like that.'
'Well, I...' Hermione started, looking embarrassed. 'I would, if you want me too'
'Really?' Ron grinned at her.
'Yes.' Hermione replied. 'Just as friends.'
'For the moment.' Ron smiled, and Hermione felt a jab in her stomach. .
Ron turned to face her, and looked into her beautiful innocent eyes. He pulled a look of pure sincerity, which he didn't even know he was pulling.
'Can I kiss you?' He asked, looking at her with his deep denim eyes.
Hermione nodded without speaking, as Ron leaned towards her and pressed his lips to hers. They kissed slowly for a moment, before Ron pulled back, and looked back at Hermione. Hermione looked hungrily into Ron's eyes, and bit her lip.
'Are you sure you want to do this?' Ron asked, looking searchingly into her eyes.
'Yes.' Hermione replied quietly, and that was enough.
Ron laid Hermione gently down on her bed, before pressing his lips to hers once more. She linked her arms around his neck, and pulled him in closer. He ran his hands across the bottom of her pajama top, and pulled it quickly over her head. He looked into her innocent eyes one more time, as if looking for reassurance. He got it.
'I want to do this Ron.' She said, smiling lovingly at him. 'Don't worry.'
Harry walked back to Ginny's bed, which she was now laying on, with a look of contemplation on her face. He sat facing her on the bed.
'You ok?' Harry asked, and Ginny nodded. ' If you want to, we could just leave it and talk another day.'
'No.' Ginny said, looking into his eyes. 'Carry on.'
'Ok.' Harry said, trying to get into the swing of things. 'Well, after that I didn't know how I felt. Ron always comforted me, and made me feel better. It was good to talk to someone. Then just the other day, he told me he loved me and...I can't talk about this.'
Harry hid his face in his hands, and took a deep breath, trying his best not to laugh. He heard Ginny crawl over behind him, and he sat as still as he could.
'Harry.' Ginny said, in a sweet, soft voice. 'You can talk to me. You don't have to hide.'
'I know I can.' Harry said, keeping his hands covering his face. 'It's just difficult.'
Ginny moved even closer. So close that Harry could almost feel her breath on his hands. She took both of his hands in hers, and put them down away from his face. Harry opened his eyes, and was mesmerized by Ginny gaze.
'Harry, just talk to me.' She whispered. 'Tell me how you feel. You don't have to be embarrassed, and I promise I wont tell anyone else.'
'Ok.' Harry sighed, pretending to be persuaded. 'At the moment, I honestly don't know how I feel. I thought I was gay for a while, but then I wasn't so sure. Being with Ron was good, but not the same as being with a girl.'
'So you think you prefer girls.' Ginny said, feeling hopeful.
'Some.' Harry said, looking meaningfully into Ginny's eyes. 'But I just don't know anymore. I do know one thing for sure though. That kiss earlier really shook me up. It was what persuaded me to get things out in the open.'
'How did it, well, shake you up?' Ginny asked.
'It made me think that I might have feelings for you.' Harry said, trying to keep his eyes from looking at her lips.
Hope welled up in Ginny's stomach, and Harry sensed it.
'But I'm still not sure how I feel.' Harry added, looking down at his hands. 'I've never been as close with a girl as I have been with a boy. I can't even remember what it was like to kiss a girl.'
'Maybe you need to be with a girl again to find out how you feel.' Ginny suggested, almost to innocently. 'Maybe someone you might have feelings for.'
'Know anyone?' Harry grinned at her.
'I do.' She smiled back. 'And she'd be more than happy to help you make up your mind.'
'She would?' Harry asked, surprised at Ginny's openness. 'Even though she knows I might be gay.'
'Even though she knows you might be gay.' Ginny repeated.
'And she'd be happy to spend the night with me?' Harry asked seriously.
'Yes.' Ginny said simply.
Harry leaned in, and kissed Ginny on the lips. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, before Harry pulled back.
'You were talking about you, right?' Harry asked, looking unsure.
Ginny laughed, and pulled Harry into a kiss again.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
There was a girl who turned 15,
Whose stories some people had seen,
They would often review,
And today they did too,
It was the best gift there could have been!
Chapter 7- The Naïve and the Naughty
Harry strolled through the busy common room, over to where Ron was sleeping. He leant over the sofa and took hold of Ron's shoulders, and shook him awake.
'What the hell!' Ron cursed, sleepily.
'Rise and shine, sleepy head.' Harry grinned.
'Where's Hermione gone?' Ron questioned, yawning.
'Sleeping beauty got up to get a drink, when I came back into the common room.' Harry explained. 'So anyway, guess what I just found out?'
'Snape got murdered by rampaging house elves?' Ron guessed.
'Better.' Harry smiled, taking a seat next to Ron.
'Enlighten me then.'
'Hermione and Ginny aren't gay.' Harry grinned.
'Whoa?' Ron yawned again. 'How? What about what they said in the girls dorm, about gay couples.'
'They were talking about us.'
'WHAT!'
'Let me explain.' Harry said. 'From what Ginny said, I think the girls think we're gay. Ginny said she over heard a private convocation, and she was talking about our convocation of how to tell Hermione you love her. She thinks you were telling me that you love me! It was an easy mistake to make...'
'Oh yeah.' Ron said. 'I make that mistake all the time.'
'Shut up Ron.' Harry moaned. 'The main point is that the girls aren't gay, and they think we're gay.'
'What?' Ron said. 'You mean you didn't right Ginny, when you realized what she was saying?'
'No!' Harry grinned. 'Why tell them when we can take advantage of the situation?'
'What do you mean, them?' Ron asked, suspiciously.
'Well Hermione must know.' Harry said. 'Ginny would have told her, and they were both there the night we talked about you loving Hermione.'
'You mean I can't use my speech now?' Ron said. 'Damn.'
'You won't need to.' Harry said. 'If you go along with my plan.'
'There's a plan?'
'Indeed.' Harry grinned, evilly. 'You see, Hermione loves you, I'm sure of it, and Ginny loves me. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that bit. Well anyway, she does.'
'Proceed.'
'So, neither of them are going to want us to be gay, right?' Harry said, and Ron nodded. 'So all we have to do, is tell them that we're confused about our sexuality. Say we're having mixed feelings and we need help and, well you get my drift.'
'Not really.' Ron confessed. 'Care to elaborate?'
'Well, we just tell them that we need to BE with a girl to decide.' Harry explained. 'I'm sure they'd be more than happy to volunteer.'
'We can't do that!' Ron exclaimed. 'They would kill us if they found out!'
'But they wouldn't find out.' Harry grinned. 'That's the magic of the plan!'
'I don't know.' Ron said.
'Go on, Ron.' Harry grinned. 'It's a great plan. Unless you have a problem with lying to Hermione.'
'Nope.'
'Then lets do it!'
Ginny walked over to the drinks table, and got herself a drink, looking glum.
'You ok?' Hermione asked, approaching Ginny.
'Yea, I guess.' She said, nodding her head.
'I heard about you and Harry kissing.' Hermione said. 'I thought you'd come back in looking a little happier, perhaps.'
'I don't know what you've heard, but that kiss didn't mean anything.' Ginny said, looking down at her drink. 'It was just a game.'
'What did you talk about outside?' Hermione asked.
'That's what I'm confused about.' Ginny confessed. 'We were talking about the ball, and about me liking someone. I hoped he'd pick up on it being him, but he didn't. Then we got onto talking about the boy I like being gay, and Harry left, saying he had to meet Ron.'
'Bad luck.' Hermione said, patting Ginny sympathetically on the back.
'We how are things with you and Ron?' Ginny asked. 'You looked pretty comfortable when I left.'
'I was.' Hermione smiled. 'But he looks a lot happier now that he's with Harry.'
Ron and Harry were sitting on the sofa, talking animatedly, each with a with a large grin plastered across their face.
'How sad are we?' Hermione asked. 'Standing here, goggling at Ron and Harry.'
'I know.' Ginny sighed. 'And they don't even know we're alive.'
Ginny took a large swig of her drink.
'Ginny, is that fire whisky?' Hermione asked, skeptically.
'Yep.' She said, honestly. 'I don't usually drink it, as it's strong, but I'm feeling depressed.'
'You don't have to explain yourself to me.' Hermione giggled. 'What do you think is in this mug?'
Both girls laughed.
'Hey girls.' Ron said, as he and Harry joined Hermione and Ginny, at the drinks table.
'Hi.' They chorused, unenthusiastically.
'Erm, can we talk to you?' Harry asked, seriously. 'Alone.'
'Sure.' Hermione said, looking worried. 'Are you two ok?'
'Fine.' Ron said, again looking very serious. 'Just meet us outside the girls dorms in five minutes.'
The girls nodded their heads, got themselves some more fire whisky, and disappeared amongst the crowd. The boys waited until they were out of earshot, before bursting into laughter.
'Ok, I wasn't sure before, Harry.' Ron laughed. 'But I am completely with you now! The looks on their faces!'
'I know!' Harry chuckled. 'They totally believe us! Now all we have to do is put our master plan into action.'
'Doubt we'll have any problems with that.' Ron said. 'Did you see what they've been drinking. Fire whiskey. Strong stuff, that is.'
'Good good.' Harry grinned.
'Don't you feel just a little bit bad, lying to them like this?' Ron asked.
'Nah!' They both grinned.
'Hey, you two up for a game of truth or dare?' Dean asked.
'Nope, we've got business to attend to.' Ron grinned at Harry.
'The kind of business Seamus has with Lavender?' Dean asked, grinning.
'Something along those lines.' Harry said.
'Well I'll leave you two to it.' Dean smiled, before calling: 'Who's up for a game of truth or dare?'
'Now's our chance to get away.' Ron said, dragging Harry towards the girls staircase. 'Now all we've got to do is keep to the plan.'
'Ok.' Harry said, at the bottom of the stairs. 'Now lets take a deep breath, and try to keep a straight face.'
The boys levitated themselves up the girls staircase, and met Hermione and Ginny outside the 6th year girls dorm. The girls stopped talking, as soon as they noticed the boys.
'Hi.' Hermione said. 'You managed to get away quickly.'
'Yea.' Ron said, but not with his usual smile. 'Piece of cake.'
'So what did you want to talk about?' Ginny asked, and was followed by silence for a moment.
'Well you see, we've been keeping something from you for a while.' Harry said, seriously. The girls took in a sharp deep breath.
'Yea.' Ron said, looking at the ground. 'It's kind of difficult to tell you this. We should have told you sooner really, but we just didn't know what to say.'
'The thing is.' Harry said, looking straight into the girls pale faces. 'Lately me and Ron have been thinking a lot, about our sexuality.'
Ron took a deep breath, to stop himself from laughing. Hermione and Ginny just stood, trying not to look award, but surprised, but they were failed miserably. Harry just stood with a still face, keeping very much in character. The boys went into the next part of the plan.
'So mine and Harry's relationship has changed a little recently.' Ron said, keeping a straight face. 'You see, we started-'
'I don't want to talk about it.' Harry cut in, dramatically. 'You said we wouldn't.'
'But I want to talk about it.' Ron said, equally as dramatically. 'I think we'd feel better if we did.'
'But I don't.' Harry said, raising his voice. 'This is hard enough as it is.'
'Then what do we do?' Ron asked. 'I'm sure Hermione and Ginny would like it if we explained, and I'd like to talk about it with someone.'
'So would I.' Harry said, raising his voice again. 'Just not with you.'
The boys moved apart silently, leaving an effective pause. Hermione and Ginny shuffled from foot to foot, feeling uncomfortable. They knew this was coming at some point, but they didn't think it would be so weird.
'Erm, perhaps one of you could talk about it, without the other one there.' Hermione suggested, just like the boys said she would in the plan.
'Yea.' Ginny said. 'One of you can wait in the dorm room, while we talk with the other.'
'Err, ok.' Ron said, unsurely. This wasn't part of the plan.
'No!' Harry exclaimed. 'I want to talk first.'
Ron got the idea.
'But I want to talk now!'
'But I need to talk first!'
'No, me!'
'Me!'
'Ok!' Hermione shouted. 'You can both talk first. Ginny, you take Harry up to your dorm, and me and Ron can talk in my dorm.'
Ginny nodded her head, and marched Harry up to her dorm.
'Ok.' Hermione sighed. 'Lets go and talk.'
Hermione opened the door to her dorm room, and led Ron inside. She wandered over to her bed and sat on it, with her back leaning against her pillow. Ron walked over to the book shelf, and run his fingers across the spines, before joining Hermione on her bed. He sat next to her and fiddled with the bed cover, looking nervous.
'So...' Hermione said, looking down at her hands. This was harder than she thought it would be.
'I guess you want to hear it from the beginning.' Ron said, still looking down. He knew that if he looked into Hermione's eyes, he was going to give the game away.
'Yes, I guess.' She said, though she was thinking she may have changed her mind.
'Well, it started a while back.' Ron said, repeating he well thought of speech. 'You, me and Harry have always been close, but with you it's...I...'
'Yes?' Hermione said, looking into Ron's eyes. He took her hand into his, before returning to his story.
'Well, I always liked you Hermione.' Ron said, truthfully, stroking her fingers. 'I didn't realize it for a long time, but I know I always liked you deep down. Not liked you, loved you.'
'Loved me?' Hermione whispered, softly. Ron could feel her glare on him, so he returned back to his planned story.
'Yes.' He said quickly. 'But I knew you'd never like me. I guess in a way, you put me off liking girls. I tried so hard to get you out of my head, I managed to get all girls out of my head. I'm not blaming you or anything, by the way.'
Hermione looked as if she was feeling extremely guilty, just as Ron wanted her to feel. Of course, Ron didn't see, as he as still looking down, keeping as well as he could to the plan.
'This is where Harry comes in.' Ron said, trying to make it sound real. 'He comforted me, and we started getting closer, until...well you know the rest...'
Hermione sighed. She knew the rest all to well...
Ginny opened the door to her dormitory, and showed Harry inside. She had always dreamed of having Harry inside her dorm room, but never in this situation. Ginny closed the door, and watched Harry as he walked over to the window, and took a deep breath of fresh air. She walked over behind him, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
'Wanna talk?' She said, with an unconvincing half smile.
'Yea.' He replied, with a believable troubled face. Ginny lead him over to her bed, and they both sat down on it.
'So...' Ginny said.
'So...' Harry mimicked. 'Well, this isn't easy to say.'
'Its not easy to hear...' Ginny said, quietly and sadly to herself.
'Well, this is how it is.' Harry said, looking into her deep velvety eyes. 'I've been really confused lately. I've been having different thoughts and feelings, and I really don't know whats going on anymore.'
Ginny looked deeply into his eyes, as if she was trying to see his soul.
'It's just...I was with Cho, and I thought it would be perfect. I'd loved her for ages, and she loved me. But then that as a disaster. I guess that kind of put me off of having a girl friend.'
Ginny closed her eyes for a moment, wishing that Harry had come to her then.
'So after Cho, I just tried to forget about girls.' Harry lied, convincingly. 'Then I felt really down. I guess I just wanted to be in a relationship. I liked knowing that someone loved me. I've never had parents to cling on to, and I like knowing that I had someone to be close to. I guess things just got out of hand from there.'
'You can say that again.' Ginny sighed, looking helplessly down at the floor, oblivious to Harry's plan. Harry watched her with amusement, and grinned, before walking over to the window again. He needed some fresh air, if he was to do what he was about to do.
Hermione brought Ron a glass of water from her desk. She sat by his side again, and waited until he had finished his drink, before asking him a question which had been bugging her.
'So, how do you feel now?' Hermione asked. 'With your sexuality and all.'
'I don't know.' Ron said, with a fake sigh. 'Things were good with Harry, but I don't know if that means I have feelings for him, or any other boy for that matter. I was comfortable with Harry, but I suppose that doesn't mean I have feelings for him. I don't know, I've just been so confused.'
'That's ok.' Hermione said, taking his hand this time, and looking into his denim blue eyes. 'It's ok to be confused. All you have to do is sort out how you feel.'
'And I'm trying.' Ron said, getting quite into his role. He left one of his dramatic pauses, before returning to his speech in a softer tone. 'Before we carry on, I just want to say thank you for, well, listening to this. It can't be easy for you, but I feel a lot better having someone to talk to about this, and getting all this out into the open. I hated keeping this from you, Hermione. I just hope that tonight I can come to some kind of conclusion to how I feel.'
'Me too.' Hermione said, all too honestly. She snuggled up close to Ron, and rested her head on his shoulder. He took his hand from hers, and put him arm protectively around her shoulder. Ron saw her close her eyes, and he knew it was time to get to the end of his plan.
'Things were great with Harry.' Ron said, as if he was looking back an years gone by. 'But I can't help but wonder if I would have enjoyed it more, if I'd been with a girl...'
'You mean you've never been close with a girl?' Hermione asked.
'Not the way me and Harry were.' Ron sighed. 'Not that close. Sometimes I wonder if being with a girl would change things. Maybe I'd like it a lot more. Maybe that would change my mind. But I guess I'll never know...'
'Why not?' Hermione asked, desperately. 'You could be with a girl.'
'I couldn't just get with a girl, knowing that I was trying things with her, to decide on my sexuality.' Ron said, looking into Hermione's deep troubled eyes, trying to sound sensitive. 'What if I decided I was gay, and she thought it was her fault? It could break a girls heart... I just wish I could be with a girl who would understand. Someone who I could be with, just for one night, to find out how I feel.'
'You just want to find out how you feel?' Hermione asked, taking her head off Ron's shoulder, and looking into his eyes.
'Yes.' Ron said.
'And you could be with anyone?' Hermione asked.
'Anyone I feel comfortable with.' Ron said, smiling secretly to himself. 'But theres nobody who would be with me like that.'
'Well, I...' Hermione started, looking embarrassed. 'I would, if you want me too'
'Really?' Ron grinned at her.
'Yes.' Hermione replied. 'Just as friends.'
'For the moment.' Ron smiled, and Hermione felt a jab in her stomach. .
Ron turned to face her, and looked into her beautiful innocent eyes. He pulled a look of pure sincerity, which he didn't even know he was pulling.
'Can I kiss you?' He asked, looking at her with his deep denim eyes.
Hermione nodded without speaking, as Ron leaned towards her and pressed his lips to hers. They kissed slowly for a moment, before Ron pulled back, and looked back at Hermione. Hermione looked hungrily into Ron's eyes, and bit her lip.
'Are you sure you want to do this?' Ron asked, looking searchingly into her eyes.
'Yes.' Hermione replied quietly, and that was enough.
Ron laid Hermione gently down on her bed, before pressing his lips to hers once more. She linked her arms around his neck, and pulled him in closer. He ran his hands across the bottom of her pajama top, and pulled it quickly over her head. He looked into her innocent eyes one more time, as if looking for reassurance. He got it.
'I want to do this Ron.' She said, smiling lovingly at him. 'Don't worry.'
Harry walked back to Ginny's bed, which she was now laying on, with a look of contemplation on her face. He sat facing her on the bed.
'You ok?' Harry asked, and Ginny nodded. ' If you want to, we could just leave it and talk another day.'
'No.' Ginny said, looking into his eyes. 'Carry on.'
'Ok.' Harry said, trying to get into the swing of things. 'Well, after that I didn't know how I felt. Ron always comforted me, and made me feel better. It was good to talk to someone. Then just the other day, he told me he loved me and...I can't talk about this.'
Harry hid his face in his hands, and took a deep breath, trying his best not to laugh. He heard Ginny crawl over behind him, and he sat as still as he could.
'Harry.' Ginny said, in a sweet, soft voice. 'You can talk to me. You don't have to hide.'
'I know I can.' Harry said, keeping his hands covering his face. 'It's just difficult.'
Ginny moved even closer. So close that Harry could almost feel her breath on his hands. She took both of his hands in hers, and put them down away from his face. Harry opened his eyes, and was mesmerized by Ginny gaze.
'Harry, just talk to me.' She whispered. 'Tell me how you feel. You don't have to be embarrassed, and I promise I wont tell anyone else.'
'Ok.' Harry sighed, pretending to be persuaded. 'At the moment, I honestly don't know how I feel. I thought I was gay for a while, but then I wasn't so sure. Being with Ron was good, but not the same as being with a girl.'
'So you think you prefer girls.' Ginny said, feeling hopeful.
'Some.' Harry said, looking meaningfully into Ginny's eyes. 'But I just don't know anymore. I do know one thing for sure though. That kiss earlier really shook me up. It was what persuaded me to get things out in the open.'
'How did it, well, shake you up?' Ginny asked.
'It made me think that I might have feelings for you.' Harry said, trying to keep his eyes from looking at her lips.
Hope welled up in Ginny's stomach, and Harry sensed it.
'But I'm still not sure how I feel.' Harry added, looking down at his hands. 'I've never been as close with a girl as I have been with a boy. I can't even remember what it was like to kiss a girl.'
'Maybe you need to be with a girl again to find out how you feel.' Ginny suggested, almost to innocently. 'Maybe someone you might have feelings for.'
'Know anyone?' Harry grinned at her.
'I do.' She smiled back. 'And she'd be more than happy to help you make up your mind.'
'She would?' Harry asked, surprised at Ginny's openness. 'Even though she knows I might be gay.'
'Even though she knows you might be gay.' Ginny repeated.
'And she'd be happy to spend the night with me?' Harry asked seriously.
'Yes.' Ginny said simply.
Harry leaned in, and kissed Ginny on the lips. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, before Harry pulled back.
'You were talking about you, right?' Harry asked, looking unsure.
Ginny laughed, and pulled Harry into a kiss again.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
There was a girl who turned 15,
Whose stories some people had seen,
They would often review,
And today they did too,
It was the best gift there could have been!