A/N – So not as many reviews as I was hoping for on that last chapter, but that's ok. Live and learn. AND NOW! Moving on…next chapter! Here We Go!
That night Hermione had the same nightmare. This time though, there were more lights shining down on her, breaking through the darkness that surrounded her. When she looked up at them she counted 5 lights total, but then the voices broke through her reverie and shattered that hope once again. She woke up screaming again, drenched in sweat, still wearing the clothes she had worn the day before. Standing the young woman grabbed her skates and took off for the Gryffindor girls dorm room, just long enough to change and head down to the Room of Requirement.
Once again the room was set up for her to practice. As she moved around the ring she lost herself in the feel of her wheels beneath her and the air flowing over her face. Concentrating, she asked the room to rid the court of the spinning dummies. They vanished. She spun around and skated backwards. Then flipped up onto her hands and did a backflip on skates, then continued around the court. It had been Baby Doll's idea to combine acrobatics with skating. They had spent the entire winter holiday perfecting that flip. She and Baby spent a lot of time on their skates on and off the track. First and foremost, the jammer was a dancer. So, seeing that Hermione was slipping, she taught her how to dance, on and off skates. It was times like this when the brunette was grateful that she had learned so quickly. She began the first routine that her friend had taught her over summer break the year before the war had broken out.
What she didn't notice while she danced, was Rolanda walking in. The older woman paused and stared at the breath taking look of absolute bliss that seemed to take hold of Hermione and move with her. The happiness on her face was so tangible; one could have reached out and grabbed it for their own. The flying instructor was struck dumb by the beauty and grace of her movements, almost as if she were on ice. Her thick brown hair flowed at herself made breeze and the sport hardened muscles flowed like water beneath her tight clothing. She couldn't have looked away if she had wanted to.
The bell to call for breakfast sounded and snapped Hermione out of her reverie. She spun in place and faced the door to leave, but froze when she saw Ro standing there. She looked away and blushed. She heard the clicking of heels as the older woman stalked towards her and gently took hold of her chin and forced her to meet her yellow eyes.
"I am your friend, Hermione. You do not have to hide from me. You are absolutely breathtaking when you lose yourself in the moment like that. Never be ashamed of that. Please. Even if you only ever do this alone and I never see it again I will always treasure this memory, fore you were positively beautiful." Ro was staring down into her young friend's eyes and was completely astonished when Hermione's arms came around her willingly. Unlike the last time she had hugged the girl without really asking. She returned the hug and held the young woman close. The lithe body felt amazing against hers and pictures swam through her mind of Hermione beneath her, Hermione's legs wrapped around her hip, Hermione laying in her lap. She allowed her hands to skate down the smooth fabric of Hermione's t-shirt and caught herself before they slipped over her backside.
Hermione for her part was greatly enjoying the feeling of the strong taller woman holding her close and rubbing her back. She buried her nose in Ro's neck and inhaled her distinct scent of sweet grass, fresh wind, and clean clothes. Her head began to swim and images erupted in her brain of Ro laying above her, Ro slipping down her body, touching her, Ro running her fingers through her bushy mane of hair. Hermione shook her head and stepped back, blissfully unaware that Ro had been having the exact same thoughts. 'A strong, independent woman like her, could never want someone as broken as me.' She thought to herself and forced a smile up at her friend.
Ro watched the smile play around her friend's lips and felt instantly guilty. 'I want her to trust me. I can't betray her friendship like this. It would break her again. I can't do that to her. She would hate me.'
"Come on," the instructor said, "Let's go find some food."
Breakfast was strange. Everything started out normal except that Hermione had entered the hall at Ro's side. She sat in her usual place and picked at a piece of toast. Things really got weird when Draco and Ginny got up from their respective places and walked over to where she sat. Without asking or being invited they sat themselves on either side of her and Draco leaned over, gently encouraging her to eat a little more. The entire hall went silent as he reached over and brushed her hair away from her face to inspect the bruises she had received from practice the previous morning. They all watched as he sighed, shook his head, and pulled his wand, casting a simple healing charm. The bruises healed up and Hermione growled at him. She had wanted those to be left where they were.
When she made to stand, angry at what Draco had done, both Ginny and Draco reached up, grabbed her arm and dragged her back down. Hermione sat grudgingly and listened as the blonde man berated her for being stupid about the bruises. He mentioned that logically, she was going to get more later, so what did it matter if her healed her in the mornings? He had obviously been asking Severus questions about her activities if he knew about her sport.
None of them noticed the hawk like eyes that narrowed and the fingers that closed tighter around her utensils. Nor did they notice the emerald eyes and long finger nails that dug into the table at the obvious friendship that was blooming between the blond and the brunette.
Lunch went in much the same fashion and before Hermione realized it, she was on her way to practice with Ro that evening after classes and before dinner. This practice progressed the same way the previous one had, with Hermione on the pole and the older woman moving around the track and practicing keeping her balance. This time though, Ro was dressed in a tight half shirt that showed off all of her midriff and extremely short shorts. When she was sure that Rolanda wouldn't fall and could keep herself steady on the skates she began to teach her some of the more defensive moves on the dummies.
"Elbows and forearms are some of the easiest ways to, for lack of a better term, 'bring down' your opponent. Use them. They are your best weapons. Practice these maneuvers." She demonstrated going around the track and slamming her elbow into where the collar bone of the person would be on the dummy, then showed her how to 'clothes line' her opponent. Afterwards she climbed onto her pole and watched while she danced.
The power and strength hidden in Ro's body was incredible. It was mesmerizing to watch as she made her way, round and round the track each time hitting the dummy with more and more force. Hermione couldn't help but stare at her friend. The shirt and shorts she wore left nothing to the imagination as to the Every minute they spent together she found herself growing more and more attracted to the older woman. 'That can't be true. We only started spending time together yesterday. How is this possible?' confusion over took her but she still was unable to tear her gaze away from the rippling muscle and well defined body that was Rolanda Hooch.
The bell for dinner sounded and Hermione slowly slid down the pole and slipped into her shoes. She slowly made her way over to Ro.
"You are doing an amazing job. You're picking this up much faster than I thought you would." Hermione told her.
"I have a great teacher." Rolanda winked and leaned down kissing the girl on the cheek. "I appreciate you taking the time to teach me this. It means a lot to me." She hugged the girl tight and received a hug in return. "Now let's get down to the Great Hall and get some food. I'm starved."
Hermione readily agreed and the two of them walked to dinner together again. This time only one set of eyes had jealousy written in them as they walked in, though two sets were jealous when Draco and Ginny sat next to her and they began to talk animatedly. She didn't notice when Severus leaned over and began to speak to her white haired friend.
"They would make a handsome couple wouldn't they?" Snape whispered.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Hooch gripped her silverware tighter and looked away.
"I am not blind. I saw how you looked at her this morning when Draco touched her. You want her." Severus hissed in her direction. "But it looks like Draco got there first."
Rolanda was silent through the rest of the meal, ate quickly, then left without a word.
When dinner was finished Hermione made her way from the Great Hall to the headmistress's office. When she walked in she immediately noticed the difference. On one side of the room, facing a wall, was a writing desk, ink, paper, and quill. In front of Minerva there was the chair that she had been sitting in the last 2 nights. Her mind made up quickly she moved and sat down at the writing desk where, written across the top of the paper, in Minerva's distinct handwriting, was 'I must not swear at my teachers.'
"How many times would you like me to write this, Professor?" she said, pronouncing the title with clear disdain and venom dripping from her words.
"Until I say you may stop, Miss Granger." Minerva immediately jumped on the formal titles but the disappointment in her voice was hard to miss. Clearly she had hoped that her favorite student would forgive her outburst the previous evening overnight.
As Hermione began to write she let he mind wander to her feelings for each of the woman. Ro and Minerva. The young woman knew that she liked Ro, lusted after her even, but could she see herself starting a life with the woman? Could she fall in love with her? She didn't know. As far as Minerva went she knew that her former friends had sometimes teased her about her infatuation with the older witch, but could she fall in love with her either? Given the time, opportunity, and reciprocated feelings? Possibly. The chances of that happening though were slim to none. Her mind began to wander to other subjects, such as tutoring Draco. They had had their first meeting together during study hall that morning. She liked him. Not as a potential match but as a friend. Possibly the brother she never had. She was getting along better with Ginny now. She was beginning to see her in almost the same light she used to, a sister she had never had.
The clock struck midnight and Hermione kept writing. Her hand was beginning to cramp and she was starting to get angry. The older woman hadn't said anything since she had sat down and she was sure there was going to be bruising on her hand in the morning from where she held the pen. She heard a soft gasping breath behind her and looked around. The professor had fallen asleep at her desk. Hermione glanced back down at what she had written, 6 pieces of parchment, all saying the same line, 'I must not swear at my teachers.' Over and over and over. Standing silently she gathered her materials and walked towards her professor's desk. Sighing she placed her quill and ink and parchment on the desk.
With a wave of her wand, Minerva's hairpins flew from her bun and her hair tumbled down around her shoulders. Turning Hermione quickly transfigured the couch into a bed complete with sheets and pillows. Then with a mixture of muscle power and magic lifted her headmistress into her arms and carried her over and laid her down. She transfigured Minerva's robes into nightwear and got her tucked in and secure. The older witch shifted in her sleep and caught Hermione's attention. A single lock of her jet black hair fell across her eyes. The brunette reached over and gently brushed it away, letting her finger tips graze the soft skin of Minerva's face.
"I wish I could tell you. I want so badly to tell you but I can't. I'm so sorry. I know I am disappointing you and I never wanted that. Things were so much easier before you found out about what I was doing. I didn't have to worry about seeing that look in your eyes when I looked at you. I didn't have to worry about over stepping my boundaries and letting you in." Hermione placed her face in her hands and began to cry, sitting heavily in the chair next to the couch/bed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." With that she stood and left the office, leaving a deeply asleep headmistress in her wake.
A/N—So this one came to me a lot easier than the last one did. I hope the next on comes just as easily. Read and Review PLEASE! Reviews are like crack to the review-crack-head population. Please feed our addiction!