After Madame Pomfrey left, telling her she could go as soon as she wished, Hermione got up and went to stand next to Ginny's bed. Unaware of time passing or any of her surrounds, she stood and stared down at her love lying motionless in the hospital bed that seemed to dwarf her.
Ron and Harry, hearing that their friends ended up in the hospital wing, came up at one point. But on seeing Hermione looking down so attentively at Ginny they left, one sympathetic, the other heartbroken.
Hermione didn't even look up. Even when Madame Pomfrey came and checked on Ginny again and reminded her she could go she didn't move. She didn't seem to be aware of anything really.
They had gotten to the hospital wing around lunch and Hermione had woken up around dinner. It wasn't until around midnight that Ginny moved. Hermione snapped out of her trance and sat next to Ginny on the bed. She still watched Ginny, waiting for her to wake. But Ginny only shifted again and yawned at one point before settling back down into a deep sleep.
Not realizing it, she slowly laid down next to Ginny, until their faces were not five inches apart. At some point she fell asleep.
This time when Ginny woke up holding Hermione she didn't move. She wasn't sure, but she thought the previous morning Hermione had said that she loved her. But she had had a fever, and wasn't sure of what had happened. She vaguely recalled being carried, but chalked that up to the fever as well.
She wasn't sure what was real anymore, but she knew that once again Hermione was in her arms and she didn't care what it did to them, she had to tell Hermione how she felt.
The thoughts of how to tell her and all the possible reactions Hermione could have consumed Ginny's thoughts for the better part of an hour. She realized that her thoughts had come full circle and that Hermione was beginning to wake at the same time.
Ginny watched as Hermione's eyes opened and blinked sleepily a few times, apparently confused at the unfamiliar sight. Ginny didn't think she had ever loved Hermione so much as she did the moment the confusion cleared and joy and warmth took its place.
"Good morning." Was all she could get out, but she managed to keep her voice steady, if no louder than a whisper.
The smile that spread across Hermione's face utterly transformed her and Ginny could only stare. After a while she realized not all her light-headedness was from being so close to her love and reminded herself forcefully to breathe.
At her sharp intake Hermione laughed, a tinge of uncertainty flavoring what was otherwise relief. Before Ginny could ask why she was relived Hermione's laugh was interrupted by a yawn and she stretched, and once again all thoughts of speech flew right out of Ginny's head. Because now their bodies were pressed so close it was difficult to tell where one left off and the other began.
Hermione was overjoyed that Ginny was awake and that all they had worked out the previous morning was true and not just wishful thinking.
And to tell the truth, she liked the feeling of Ginny against her and the little noises she was unconsciously making.
As she settled back down she smiled again when she realized that when she had pressed closer Ginny had tightened her grip. And it felt good. Really good.
A/N: Okay, am stopping now. Then next chapter may take a while to update… I can only update when I have a lot of time and computer access. So, in other words, not very often. But I have the next like four chapters written and they're good. Getting some action in there, but still relatively tame until around chapter 16. So, no worries.