I'd just like to say thank you to the reviewers for making me feel insanely special. For a first fic, I wasn't really expecting much turnout - but my expectations were definitely fulfilled, twofold. And thanks especially to Jezebel, for consistently nagging at me to post and write more - not just on the reviews, but also on the phone, and on my blog, and when we hang out… She's the real motivation behind this writer. So no more thanking me - go thank Jezebel Malice!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and affiliated characters, along with their settings and the construction of their world, does not belong to me. Suing will be met with many shed emo tears.

Unexpected

Chapter Four: Realizations

Hermione shut her trunk with a thud and rested back on her legs, glad to be finally finished with packing for school. As usual, trying to combine a decent amount of clothing with the number of books she wanted to bring in one trunk had caused some frustration, and a good deal of rearranging and cramming. She was once again happy for magic - it meant she wouldn't have to lug it around herself.

Though she was sure Fred would have been happy to do so for her. Since she had agreed to be his girlfriend of sorts, the joke-cracking redhead had turned into a ridiculously charming gentleman. He walked her up to Ginny's room to say good night, he brought her her books and dishes, and felt the need to endlessly let her know how wonderful she was - a concept she was unwilling to believe, but she let him think whatever he wanted to. They had only been dating for a few days; the idea hadn't quite settled in her brain. Her and Fred? Really? It still seemed like she was hearing the story from someone else.

"Hey, 'Mione." Fred's still nervous voice interrupted her musings of him. "Almost done? Mum wants us all to sit 'round and talk before we set off."

She nodded and smiled at him, feeling a blush creep on her cheeks. "Yes, I just finished. What does she want to talk about?" she asked, getting a bit worried. "Did you… tell her?" The thought made her nervous, though she wasn't quite sure why. Shouldn't she want the Weasley's to know about her and Fred?

"Nah, but Mum tends to pick up on those types of things," he replied with a shrug. "It's like when Percy started dating Penelope - Mum knew immediately, even though he didn't tell anyone for at least two months. She's got ears and eyes like a hawk."

Hermione grinned, knowing full well the extent of Molly Weasley's sleuth skills. She and Ginny, in summers previous, had bonded by playing small practical jokes on Ron, mostly when he was sleeping. The twins were usually blamed, of course, but Molly had always given Hermione and Ginny amused glances during breakfast, as if she had known all along who had really committed each act.

"Besides," Fred continued, "it won't be too terrible with the family knowing, right? We go to school with most of them, anyway."

"I suppose you're right," Hermione replied, though the reluctant feeling still stayed in her stomach.

He must have been her slight discontent in her face, because he came closer to her and encircled her in his arms. She let herself sink into him a little, disregarding the small bit of resistance she had as new relationship awkwardness.

"Mum loves you already," he murmured, warm breath stirring her hair gently. "Hell, she'll probably love you more now that we're a couple. It's a mum-type reaction to get excited about that sort of thing."

As soon as he said it aloud, she knew that that wasn't what had her so upset. Yet she pulled away with a reassuring smile anyway, knowing just as clearly that it was what she was supposed to do.

Yes, indeed, the family discussion was an interrogation. Hermione watched Fred's cheeks become redder than his hair and knew that her coloring was probably just as vibrant. The Weasley's and Harry found it quite amusing, but accepted it with bright smiles - and about a thousand hugs on Molly's part. Hermione couldn't help but think that perhaps she had gotten herself into a lot more than just a relationship with a wisecracking redhead who was ridiculously charming. She smiled amusedly at herself as they all started to stand and prepare to take Floo Powder to Diagon Alley - why could she see Molly start trying to call her parents on a telephone?

But her smile faded as soon as she saw Ginny. The younger girl looked defeated and faded; it was as if a fire had extinguished itself in her normally bright eyes. Hermione felt a wave of guilt and, to her surprise, found that it matched the reluctance that had never really left her.

Their eyes met, and Ginny sent her a small smile that didn't reach any farther than the corners of her lips. "I'm happy for you," the girl said gently. Her tone was flat and made Hermione's heart sink.

But why does it matter? Hermione asked herself. Her sudden confusion and uncertainty was frustrating, yet she couldn't will it away - not while she felt herself falling into that ocean of blue, and realized that she had never, never felt like that around Fred - or anyone else.

It's just because I haven't given him a chance yet, she told herself. We just started dating a few days ago - things shouldn't feel like that yet.

Hermione pulled her eyes away and brushed her hair out her face, feeling warm and flustered. "Thanks," she faltered, and managed a shaky smile. "I - I have to get something from upstairs… tell your parents I'll be right there."

Ginny made an obliging noise and walked off to the living room. Hermione felt like she was walking in a dream. She barely felt her legs moving as she went up the stairs to Ginny's room.

Why couldn't things be simple? She paced the room, hands tugging at her tangled brown hair. Revelations, for her, had always come a few seconds late, just past the point of being able to do anything about them. Though in her life, she had never come across a revelation that would so greatly affect so many people. She'd never realized something that would cause her so much pain if she did nothing to make it come to be.

The look in Ginny's eyes, the quick heat of lips on her mouth… Why couldn't they have evoked feelings earlier? Why now, when she had just agreed to be with someone else?

"This is rather ridiculous," she said softly to herself. She rubbed her face with her hands, as she felt tears well in her eyes. "Absolutely ridiculous and completely unexpected."

She tried to ignore the nagging voice in her head that told her she had felt something before for the younger girl, and that she had wanted to do something about it before. But fear of the unknown, the unsure, caused dismissal, caused denial, caused repression. The list of emotions went on and on and she couldn't help but feel the weight of them all at once, tearing away at her brain.

There was a timid knock on the door; Ginny stood in the doorway, looking shy and hesitant. As if she were intruding on someone else's room, instead of her own.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Hermione said, and found that her voice had become paper-thin. "I'm taking too long. I'll be right down." The room suddenly became too warm. She felt overwhelmed by Ginny's presence, even though the girl looked so small and fragile.

Ginny smiled ruefully and shook her head. "George said something inappropriate and is currently receiving an earful," she explained. "We won't leave for another ten minutes." The younger girl paused for a few moments, seeming unsure of herself. Hermione's heart started beating faster in anticipation - for what, though? she couldn't help but ask herself. What was she waiting for?

"…You all right?"

Hermione blinked wildly and saw Ginny looking expectantly over at her. She was afraid that she had completely blocked the redhead out while she had been thinking, until she spoke again. "I thought that people were supposed to be happy when they became involved in relationships," Ginny mused, looking directly at the older girl. "Instead, it seems to have made you sad. If Fred makes you sad, why are you with him?"

"Fred doesn't make me sad," Hermione replied quickly. She gathered her hair in her fists again and tried to think of what to say. What could she say? How could she dare to say anything? "He's wonderful." She sighed and closed her eyes. Fred was wonderful. "It's just…"

"What?" asked Ginny innocently, bluntly.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. She forced it down and took in another one. "I just realized that there's someone else that I want, though."

There was silence in the room for a while, the type that encompasses everything in fragile glass. Inside, Hermione was screaming for it to be broken.

Say something, Ginny, she pleaded mentally, biting down hard on her bottom lip.

Silence for a few more minutes, and then:

"Who?"

Hermione opened her eyes and couldn't help but smile. "It's you."

Coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine.