Chapter 10

Hermione Woke early, surprised she had been able to sleep at all. She sat up suddenly, remembering all that had happened the night before.

Getting up, she quickly got dressed and ran out to the fat lady's portrait down the hall. Nearly forgetting the password in her haste, she fumbled out "Cantus Firmus".

It wasn't until she was standing in front of the sixth year girls dormitory that she was struck with an attack of nerves. A million thoughts ran through her mind, most of them having to do with Ginny's possible reactions to her announcement.

She might have stood there all day, those fearful thoughts running through her head, but the door opened and one of Ginny's classmates walked out. She looked at Hermione oddly and looked as though she was going to say something, but just shook her head and walked on muttering under her breath about crazy people up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday.

That broke her out of her trance and she took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Hermione thought she was prepared for whatever was going to happen beyond that door. However, when she saw the empty bed unrumpled by sleep, she was at something of a loss.

All of a sudden the look on Ginny's face the night before flashed in front of her eyes. Now her thought's were rushing even faster, turning dark and filling her with dread.

She fairly flew out of the Gryffindor common room, barely pausing when she was outside, trying to decide where Ginny could've gone. Her first thought was the Astronomy Tower, but she didn't think that Ginny would actually kill herself. Not that she couldn't, but because the thought wouldn't occur to her until later.

She abruptly remembered all the times Ginny had confessed to wandering about the Forbidden Forest. How she said it was a freeing feeling. A good place to clear her head.

So down the stairs she ran, flying so fast she nearly pitched down the stairs twice, only saving herself from a concussion by a few hasty grabs at the rail. It didn't slow her down. People stared after he, but she didn't even see them as she practically ran them down.

No longer thinking, only feeling, she ran into the woods. She didn't care where she was going, not looking she ran. There was a feeling in her heart propelling her on. A burning that was almost painful. And she followed it to the exclusion of all else.

In fact, she was running so single-mindedly that she didn't register the flash of red or the burning switching to behind her for a few seconds. She slowed and finally stopped, then turning around she made her way back to where the burning was coming from.

The shivering figure huddled in her cloak, obviously too tired to crawl out of the puddle she was in, was enough to inspire pity in even the hardest of hearts. To Hermione, it was heartbreakingly tragic, and something that would never be repeated if she could help it.

She sank to her knees next to the huddled figure. "Oh Ginny." She said sadly. "It's all my fault. If only I had seen it earlier." Her voice was full of regret. She felt torn between guilt for driving Ginny to such a painful state, and the thrill of being so close to the woman who made her heart pound by simply being.

She reached out and touched Ginny's pale cheek and was astonished at the burning heat she felt. She quickly, but gently, pulled Ginny out of the puddle, cradling her head in her lap. Ginny's face was flushed and she was fairly radiating heat.

"Ginny? Come on Gin, wake up." Hermione coaxed, trying to wake her up. She stroked Ginny's forehead and continued to try to persuade her into wakefulness.

After five minutes of coaxing and stroking her face Hermione began to get worried. There was no visible change at all.

"Come on Gin-Gin, don't do this to me now." Hermione said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Sorry." Ginny whispered very softly, her eyes still closed.

"Ginny?" She said, drying her eyes of the few tears that had escaped without her notice.

"Hermione?" Ginny whispered, her voice louder than before. She opened her eyes, then quickly closed them again, trying to turn away. "What are you doing here?"

"I came looking for you when I saw your bed hadn't been slept in."

"Why were you in my dorm?"

"I was looking for you."

"Why?"

"I needed to tell you something."

Ginny opened her eyes and looked tiredly up at her. "What is it?"

Hermione looked away, internally debating what she should say. She finally elected the truth, and looked back down into the pain filled eyes looking resignedly back up at her.

"I love you."

A/N: Hee hee hee.... So it's been a while. I hope you guys like it. Chapter's 11 and 12 should be up within the next week too. Enjoy! And Happy Holidays!!!!