The boys sat in their corner of the common room, which was now back to it's normal volume, playing their game halfheartedly. "They've been up there for a bit haven't they? Dinner'll be soon." Ron said.
"I'd go and check on them if I wasn't worried they might be shagging." Harry answered.
Harry! How could you say that? That's my sister up there!" Ron yelled in hushed tones looking around the room to see if anyone over heard them.
"That's exactly why." Harry said only half joking. "On second thought..." He said, mainly to himself, and began to stand.
"You sit back down you bloody pervert." Ron said standing up to stop Harry.
"I was just kidding."
"Yeah right." Ron mumbled as they both sat down.
After a few more minutes they heard the door to the girls dorm open and saw Hermione and Ginny walk out. Ginny's hair was a mess, she was trying her best to push it back into place, while Hermione re tied her tie, not noticing her shirt was misbuttoned.
Ron's eyes bulged. Acting quickly he grabbed a book tat was lying around and bolted toward the girls. "Almost forgot to give this one back to you!" He said herding them back into the room. "Bloody hell girls."
"What gives Ron?" Ginny asked.
"Look at yourselves!" He reached over to Hermione's bedside table and tossed her brush to Ginny before pointing to Hermione. "Your shirt, you've missed a button. What were you thinking.?"
"Sorry Ron, it was an honest mistake." Hermione said completely unbuttoning her shirt. Ron blushed before finding the wood floors momentarily interesting.
"We were... talking and lost track of time. We thought the common room would be empty and we could fix our appearances on the way to the Great Hall."
"Even if just one person was down there, how would that look?" It wasn't enough to have one person see the two of you together, but a second? How would you deal with a second wave of rumors?"
Ginny cleared her throat. Ron switched his attention over to his little sister. "We've talked it over and agreed..." Ginny glanced at Hermione for support who nodded her head slightly and placed her hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Not to combat it. We don't want to hide what we have."
"You're not..." Ron grew speechless.
"We know it'll be rough. We've prepared for this and as long as we stick together we'll come out on top."
"You... can't be..." Ron sputtered.
"We're serious about this Ron." Hermione confirmed. Knowing that even if he could argue with her it would be useless Ron turned slowly and left the room.
Ginny and Hermione exchanged worried looks at Ron's response. "He's just being silly." Ginny said.
"Yeah... we're making the right choice. Right?"
"Of course. We have the same right to be together as any other couple. Not that it's anyone's business..."
"You're right sweetheart." Hermione kissed Ginny on the forehead. "What Ron thinks about it doesn't really matter. We should do it, this is what we want." They were both silent for a few moments before sitting down onto the bed. "He's really upset isn't he?" Hermione said thoughtfully.
"Yes. He gets flustered easily, I don't think his brain can process all of this."
"I hate to say this, but our relationship isn't just between us is it?"
"What do you mean 'Mione?"
"I mean that we like each other and the only people that should matter to is us, but if we tell everyone... come out of the closet, kids will be kids and make fun of or ignore what they don't understand. This puts Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna and any of our other friends at risk. What if the other girls in our dorms feel uncomfortable? Plus we'll lose the little freedom we have to stay together at night. And how can I preform my prefect duties with people who don't respect me?"
"That's a whole lot of questions I can't answer. Two things I do know is that if we do this, it'll be easier for anyone who wants to follow, and we'll never have to feel like this again. Never need to hold back when all I wanna do is kiss you. And what if the damage is done already? Then we're up here missing dinner and worrying for nothing." Ginny said.
"Point taken." Hermione sighed and held Ginny's hand in her own. She smiled gently at the younger witch before kissing her tenderly. "Alright, time to face the world." Hermione rose from the bed.
"Hey, how about we go down to dinner and feel the place out? See if anybody's talking yet, if not we can discuss coming out some more, but it they are then we don't have to worry."
"Sounds good, let's just be prepared for the worst alright?"
"Alright." Hermione took Ginny's hands and pulled her up so they were face to face. Ginny scattered kisses all over Hermione's face. "You go ahead of me I need to stop in my room for a minute."
"You sure? I can wait, or one of the boys..."
"No don't worry I'll meet up with you in a bit." They walked out of the 6th year dorms still holding hands. At the door to the 5th year dorm they embraced tightly before Hermione went to get Ron and Harry for dinner.
"You boys hungry?" She asked.
Harry grinned broadly at Hermione's return while Ron silently fumed. She leaned in and whispered to Ron, "Don't worry, we've put that plan on the back burner for now." Then kissed him on the cheek. He couldn't help but blush. For a moment he thought of how free Hermione acted lately compared to the old tight lipped self conscious Hermione. Was this thanks to Ginny?
Ron was pulled out of his reverie by Harry rising and asking, "Food?"
"Yeah I'm starved." Ron said joining them.
Several minutes later Ginny emerged from her room to find the common room rather deserted. "Guess I was in there longer than I meant to be." she said to herself as she hurried out the portrait hole.
In her rush she missed the lone figure standing in a dark corner. "I'm so sorry Ginny."
Ginny kept a brisk pace through the corridors wanting to see what the Great Hall would hold. Unfortunately that would be taking a little longer than she wanted, with Draco Malfoy and his cronies blocking her way to the entrance hall.
"Hope you're not in a rush Weasleby." He drawled stepping directly into her path.
"After talking to you I think I'd like to take a trip to the girls lavatory but if you don't mind me throwing up here then I'm in no rush." Ginny spat.
"I don't think we mind." He smiled at his entourage over his shoulder then turned back to address Ginny. "We just want a little information."
"Over my dead body." She said shouldering passed him. Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy and Millicent now moved to block her path.
"Does it really have to come to that?" Malfoy inquired. Ginny turned to him only to find his wand drawn. "That's better." Draco lowered his wand before continuing. "Now just answer a few questions and you can be on your way."
"What the hell do you want?"
"I was just getting to that. I heard a rumor this morning about you and wanted to know if there was any truth to it. Would have asked the others but Potter and that brother of yours are such hotheads, I thought you'd have much more sense than them."
"You mean to say you were scared of them."
"No. I mean I'm a rather important person with a schedule to keep and quick discussion with you is easier than a confrontation with the three of them. Now you're trying my patients so if you'll just answer my questions we can all be on our way." He paused in anticipation of a response.
"Yes we're together. Have been for about two months."
"Good girl, you may go."
Ginny glared at him for a moment before making a break for the Great Hall. She headed straight for Hermione and was telling her what happened before Hermione even processes her presence. "Malfoy knows. He just cornered me on his way here."
Hermione turned toward the entrance hall to look at Ginny. "Knows?"
"Knows." Ginny leaned in to speak into Hermione's ear. "About us. Does it seem like everyone does?"
"No I didn't think they spoke to anyone. Are you sure?"
"Positive. He told me he heard a rumor and wanted it verified. Said he would have stopped you but he's afraid of a fair fight."
"And you said...?"
"I told him yeah, I'm not hiding from that slime." As if on cue Draco and his posse entered the Great Hall and looked directly at Hermione.
"Good." Hermione said as she stood and claimed Ginny's lips in a deep kiss.
Ron turned in time to see it all while Harry's attention was locked onto Draco entering late. Draco's smug demeanor shattered with Ginny and Hermione's kiss.
The entire hall erupted with noise, cat calls and whistles mixed with statements of disgust and perversion. When Ginny and Hermione finally had to come up for breath they pressed their foreheads together and smiled devilishly at each other before what they did finally sank in and they looked around. Draco standing shocked at one end of the hall, Professor Snape walking toward them from the other.