Hermione teetered into her dorm, stunned and full of unimaginable happiness.
Although she and Ron had shared chaste pecks at each others cheeks before, this had been the first real kiss. She dropped onto her bed, her mind reeling with joy and shock. Her school bag thumped to the floor.
Parvati, who was sitting on Lavender's bed discussing her kiss with Seamus, looked up at Hermione. She immediately noticed something odd about Hermione's manner; maybe it was the fact that she was not poring over a 27 pound book for once, or maybe it was the luminous glow emitting from her face. Either way, something was ammis, and it caught Parvati's attetion.
Parvati tapped Lavender's shoulder, and pointed surreptitiously at Hermione. Lavender caught on, and both girls turned to observe her, waiting for her to speak. When she did not utter a word, Lavender prompted her.
"Hello Hermione."
Silence.
"What have you been doing?"
Could Parvati have been any more obvious? Hermione thought to herself in annoyance.
Fine. Let them know.
She sat up, pushed her bushy brown hair back from her unusually radiant face, and smiled coyly at them.
"Oh, nothing much, really. I've just been kissing Ronald, down in the common room. We're together." Perhaps this was a little too much. Well, too late now. "Oh, didn't you know?"
She added this last part because of the shocked, almost frightened expressions on her roommates faces. Hermione's smile broadened; she took enormous pleasure in their surprise.
Parvati was the first to recover herself.
"W-Well, how did it go?"
Hermione laughed blithely.
"Oh, it very well. Very well indeed."
Her wicked voice hit Parvati and Lavender like a slap to the cheek.
Lavender realized it first. She was mocking them. She was being sassy. This was so uncharacteristic of Hermione that Lavender felt her jaw drop, but made no move to right herself. She exchanged a look with Parvati that told Lavender that Parvati was annoyed too.
Parvati stood. Her brown eyes were wide with frustration.
"But what happened? Between you two? You've hated each other for months!" She exclaimed, brow furrowing.
"Well, I suppose we fell in love, didn't we? Lavender, how did it go with Seamus?"
This was such an odd change of subject that for a moment Lavender did not know how to answer. Hermione had never, in the entire 6 years that Lavender had known her, wanted to hear about boys.
Forcing a weak smile, Lavender decided to comply. First however, she patted the bed next to her, indicating that Hermione should be seated. Hermione grinned, and, crawling over her bed, settled herself on Lavender's.
Lavender hugged her knees tightly to her chest.
"Well, erm, you know that we went to Hogsmeade." She looked up at Hermione, only to see that she was listening intently already. This pacified Lavender, and her shoulders relaxed noticeably.
"So, first we went into the Three Broomsticks and got a butterbeer, and then we went into Madam Puddifoots. Seamus sat down opposite me and he ordered two white hot-chocolates with whipped cream." Lavender had gotten into her stride now, and was talking with ease. "I had a sip of mine, and he started to laugh. When I asked him what was wrong, he said 'Well, I don't think that a mustache is a good look for you, Lav. And, sure enough, The whipped cream had given me a great white mustache; he and I both laughed. But, suddenly, he stopped laughing and he leaned over, and he kissed me!" Lavender's face was flushed with excitement, pleasure, and ( is it possible?) embarrassment. "It was a real kiss too! And, after a little bit, I, well, just sort of, erm, stuck my tongue in."
At this point, Hermione looked revolted and put her hands up in a gesture of disgust. Lavender was slightly put out, and more than a little annoyed.
"Hey, don't act like you and Ron were being chaste!"
Hermione flared up at once.
"Ron and I don't talk about it as though it is something to be proud of!"
At this, Hermione blushed furiously, realizing that her wording had been all wrong.
Lavender grinned maliciously.
"Oh, isn't it?"
It was Parvati that spoke next.
"Hermione, there is nothing to be ashamed of in a real kiss! Don't get hissy with us!"
But Hermione had already left the dormitory; her old annoyance with her ridiculous roommates had returned. Why had she even bothered to listen to that stupid Lavender's love story?
Although she hadn't planned it, Hermione knew exactly where she was going.
She turned into the 5th year dormitories, and knocked on the 4th door down to the left. She heard the sound of footsteps on the other side, and one "Shhh!". When the door finally swung open, there stood Ginny, smiling and messy-haired.
Hermione gulped.
"Can I come in?"