No rights…blah blah blah… J.K. Rowling owning things… Blah…and yeah, read.
Ginny walked into the house where she was bombarded with noise and hugs, she could not even tell who was around her. Everywhere there was laughter, tears and just a feeling of completeness now that all the Weasley's were under one roof again. To Ginny's surprise, she really was happy to be home. Despite all her worry, she loved her family, and really felt much better knowing they were all here, to support her no matter what.
Hermione stood in the corner, looking at the beautiful girl who had just walked in the room. She really was beautiful, thought Hermione. All the feelings, those dreaded feelings that Hermione had been hiding for so long, were all rushing back just at the sight of her. God damn it… she thought to herself and quietly excused herself from the room.
She had to get away, she could not be in that room for a second longer. What was she going to do? Plus, Ginny would not feel the same way; she was rumored to be dating one of the most gorgeous witches in Britain. Granted that was just a rumor, Hermione thought. Still, she was engaged to Percy, and she loved him. Hermione was always a very practical person, and she just saw things as the way they were, and the way they would have to be.
As she made her way back into the room, the crowd had generally parted from Ginny, and they were all conversing among one another. As Hermione casually walked back into the room, Ginny could see her coming close out of the corner of her eye. Ginny's chest suddenly became tight, and she felt as though she were about to explode.
Hermione came up behind her and gently whispered in her ear, "Now, did you think you were going to get away with not saying hello to your best friend, just because your some big quidditch star?"
Ginny smirked and turned around slowly, "Now where would you get that idea?"
The stared at each other for a moment, pretending to be mad and then began to laugh and gave each other a long overdue hug.
"I have missed you, you know..." Hermione said with a tear streaming down her check.
"I know… I know…" replied Ginny weakly.
It felt so good, just having her around again, getting to see her, hold her, listen to her. Ginny had forgotten how much she did care for her.
The ceremony was beautiful and was held at a small cathedral outside of town. There was a reception at the burrow afterwards. As the dance floor grew crowded, Ginny noticed that Hermione and Percy were not dancing. Looking around, she could see that Percy was deep in conversation with what looked like some ministry official.
Hermione caught her eye, and Ginny motioned for her to come and join her at her table. Hermione eagerly got up and went to join her.
"Why are you guys not dancing?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, you know Percy, has to network with all the ministry officials…" Hermione sighed looking resigned.
Hermione and Ginny had begun talking, catching up and everything you would expect from friends that had long since seen each other.
"So are you really dating that model Ginny?" Hermione questioned a few hours later.
"Why does that matter? Are you really engaged to my Brother?" Ginny smiled at her.
"Well it doesn't matter, but oh… yes I am engaged to Percy. I thought you had heard."
"Why, Hermione, are you engaged to Percy?"
Hermione, taken aback by this, had no real answer to give.
"Well… I mean… we have been dating for so long…"
"That, Ms. Granger, does not mean you have to, or are ready to, get married. Especially to my twerp of an older brother." Ginny remarked.
"I know!" Hermione replied defensively, " I am ready, I want to get married, and he's not a twerp… he's very smart, and is going far in the ministry."
"You sound like my mother, always trying to defend him. To me it seems like you don't know what you really want." Ginny looked at her straight in the eyes, for what seemed like an eternity.
"Yes... I do know what I want..." Hermione said wavering a bit, and not looking at Ginny. "Besides, who are you to talk? What do you want? You have been gone for eight years, what do you expect to happen? Did you think everything was going to be the same? Things change Ginny, people change. Besides, sometimes you cannot always be who you want, but who you have to be."
These words hit Ginny like a punch in the chest.
"I may have been gone for eight years, but I have never tried to hide my feelings because it was easier that way, if I hide my feelings it has ALWAYS been so someone else wont get hurt. I would love to exclaim to the world how I feel, what I want to do. But I can't, because in the end, someone would get hurt, and I do not want to be the one responsible for doing that to someone else."
"Someone else will get hurt, or you will get hurt Gin?" Hermione stated bitterly.
"I have already been hurt enough not to feel it anymore Hermione, I am now entirely worried about you."
"Me… why?"
"Because you are about to marry a man you do not love. What do you think? That it is going to be easier on you? That you are taking the easy way out? Because you're not Hermione, you are going to be embarking on the most difficult path you will face, and you'll be carrying the baggage of a family."
"What are you talking about? Marriage is difficult yes, but I will be apart of your family, your whole family will be in the house again, well not in the house, but at least your family will be whole again. I will have more support than I could ask for, no matter what I face, like your family has always provided for me." Hermione explained, almost as if she was explaining it to herself as well, justifying her marriage.
" That's it… the problem was never love, because I believe on some level, yes, you do love Percy. But it's not about Percy is it? You feel like you owe something to my family. Like, if you marry Percy, than the whole family will be back together, and that you will in some way give back to my parents, what they have given to you in the past… Well, this makes much more sense."
Hermione did not know what to say. Whether to shout at Ginny, or just fall to her knees and sob. She was right of course, Hermione knew it. It just sounded so terrible coming out of her mouth, so spiteful.
Hermione took Ginny by the hand and drug her across the yard, into the house and up the stairs. As they went into Ginny's old room, Ginny noticed how remarkably, it had not really changed. It looked the same as it did before Hermione's seventh year. The room stayed the same, while the world seemed to be turning completely upside down. If Ginny were in any other situation, she may have laughed at this, but this really wasn't the time.
"Look, Ginny, what do you want from me… what do you want?" Hermione stated after closing the door securely behind her.
Ginny looked up at her, looked deep within her beautiful hazel eyes. She took a step forward and said, "You can't marry Percy Hermione."
"Why Gin?" Hermione said still not breaking eye contact.
"Because... Because…" Ginny could not finish her sentence. She looked up into those hazel eyes, and before she realized what she was doing, she was kissing Hermione. A soft, tender, yet immensely passionate kiss. It felt so good, something she had wanted to do for eight years, and then it was over. As she pulled away they looked at each other again. As Ginny was about to cut and run, Hermione stepped into Ginny, and kissed her, this time much more passionate. It was as if lust had taken over all thought. Hermione roped her arms and tightened them around Ginny's shoulders and as the kiss became much more intense, Ginny suddenly realized what was happening, and pulled back.
"You have to understand Hermione, if you marry Percy, you won't be bringing the family back together. All you'll accomplish is pushing me out of it." Ginny looked back into Hermione's eyes, and grabbed her hand for a moment. "I just want you to be happy Hermione, not matter what that means." Then she dropped her hand, and left.
Hermione watched her walk out of the room, out of her life again.
