Breaking Boundaries
By: Somewhere Sky

Disclaimer: Of course, as always - the rights to the Harry Potter realm of fiction belongs solely to
J.K Rowling and her brilliant mind. Although I may admit, I shall always be slightly jealous.

Chapter 2:
Midnight Tea in Silence

After having a rude and uncalled for visit from Ginny, Hermione wasn't sure if she was angry at all with the fiery redhead. Yes, Ginny had showed up unexpectedly and ended up barking at Hermione with orders to go pack her things to leave, but Hermione knew that Ginny's intentions were only the best and they came from the heart.

Even if that did mean that Hermione would have to face the skeletons she's been avoiding for several weeks now, including her now ex-boyfriend Ron, whom she hasn't spoken to since his last letter that actually came as quite a surprise arriving in a scarlet red envelope; expressing an entirely different version of Ron Hermione had yet to see. He was quite frustrated with her child-like manner of hiding and avoiding him, Harry and everyone else as if she were the only one hurt during the war. When in actuality, they had been all hurt equally, maybe the Weasley's more than anyone.

"Are you ready Hermione?" Ginny asked stepping up behind the tall brunette. Hermione stood in her bedroom doorway glancing at the room as if she were trying to remember each corner and crevice, when really she was confounded by the smell of Ginny's perfume, sending her body into a wave of chills. Hermione wished, and wished and wished that at that moment Ginny would just pull her close and wrap her arms around her again in a more intimate gesture. Not the friendly hugs they had become so accustomed to. It frustrated the hell out of Hermione, but she had to let this go if she was going to live happily at all.

"Yeah, Gin - let's go" She turned to face Ginny whose eyes avoided hers as they descended the stairs to the doorway where Hermione said her good-byes to Mr. and Mrs. Granger as they apparated directly outside the Burrow.

Caught off balance as they appeared, Ginny fell against Hermione forcing both of them to the ground laying in the mud. At first it was really silent, one of those intense moments you'd expect to see on television or in Wizard photos, but never in real life. The moment ended almost as quickly as it started, but instead of pulling away both of the witches roared with laughter. Hollering into the shadows of the night awakening any living creature within distance. It took a large slam of the burrow door to grab the girls' attention.

"What do you two girls think you're doing out there, get your butts into this house immediately before you catch a cold!" Both girls quickly jumped to their feet and headed in a sprint toward Mrs. Weasley who wasn't pleased to be awoken so early in the morning.

"Hurry now get inside, oh Hermione dear you are just covered in filth, shall I get you something to wear? Something of Ginny's perhaps?" Hermione looked down at herself unaware of all the mud that had splattered across her dress.

"Yes, thank you Mrs. Weasley" The older woman nodded.

"Not a problem dear, you look absolutely dreadful Ginevra! Go wash up, the both of you, I'll have some tea for you when you're finished, honestly, hurry up now it's late!" Mrs. Weasley stormed.

Hermione and Ginny left to the room, where Hermione shied away from changing in front of Ginny for the first time. As best friends you're never truly aware of the other persons body, but for one of the first times in years, Hermione couldn't stop staring at each of Ginny's curves, and how all of them suited her so perfectly, Hermione felt the desire to just run her hands along each curve and of the younger witch's beautiful body.

"Hermione, Hermione!" Ginny shouted," You're scaring me looking like that you know, you'd think you were enjoying what you saw!" Ginny laughed nervously, and Hermione smirked a little. Ginny had no idea, it made Hermione smile, in just a few hours Ginny had made her smile more than she had all summer - it was actually refreshing for Hermione. She missed the simplicity of their friendship, even if Hermione was close to ruining it.

"Where are you two at now, the tea is nearly done" The Weasley mother yelled up the stairs.

"We're right here mum" Ginny said skipping down the stairs in her pyjamas, which unfortunately for Hermione consisted of very little left to the imagination.

"Um, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione spoke barely above a whisper.

"Yes dear?"

"Where is everyone exactly?"

"Haven't you seen the time Hermione? It's nearly past 1'intha morning! I can't believe Ginny had even gone to go fetch you at such an hour, it's incredibly early for either of you, oh dear. You should both be headed to bed soon I hope?" but the question was less of a question and more of a demand. The two girls nodded and each took a seat across from the other at the large dining room table. Mrs. Weasley had left the room momentarily leaving the girls to themselves.

"Ginny I -"

"Don't even bother Hermione, I haven't a clue what's possessed your mind lately, but the Hermione I know and love, would have never left her friends and boyfriend like she did, it was a horrible thing for you to do 'mione, and you know it."

Before Hermione could respond the teakettle began whistling so loudly you could hardly hear your own thoughts trampling through your brain, which was actually a relief for Hermione who didn't want to think about the abandonment of her friends at that moment.

Mrs. Weasley jet into the kitchen and with her wand had the tea prepared and ready to serve between the two women with a quick wave of her wand.

"Drink up, than it's off to bed - big day tomorrow!" and with those words Mrs. Weasley had left the two alone again with their silence and accusations in the air.

It was hopeless, Hermione hadn't a thing to say, and Ginny had already expressed the obvious.

Hermione stared across the table at the beautiful girl in front of her, her hair falling in front of her eyes as she looked down at her cup of tea so intensely Hermione almost expected it to dance. At least than there would be something less awkward to talk about.

"Ginny I truly am sorry, you know - I didn't mean to shut you out, honest" Hermione whispered, looking at Ginny with her big brown orbs, the expression in her face was apologetic yet, Hermione still seemed so far away, and the redhead just couldn't place the problem.

"I know, but what about my brother Hermione? You just left him like he meant nothing to you, that's not like you, not like you at all, after all of those years of you two blabbering about each other - you'd think you would have put more effort into the relationship." Ginny said.

Hermione shook her head, finally letting the tears fall from her eyes, she had been meaning to cry for quite some time - her body seemed to refuse each time the salt water welled in her eyes, but something about the redhead softened Hermione, and she broke down completely.

"I-It's not like that Gin, I swear, I don't know what happened, I just couldn't handle all of the arguments all of the time, it was just like any other day with the two of us - nothing changed, and it, he, just everything set me off, and well..." Hermione trailed off.

"You just needed some time?" the young girl finished for her.

"Precisely." Hermione said looking up at the wise young girl who several years before had just merely been Ron's sister, and who eventually became her best friend, and who was now wrapping her arms around Hermione in a comforting embrace, wiping her tears away not knowing what was truly in the Witch's heart.

The girls continued to talk through to morning, discussing the war, the deaths, Harry who was working with Mr. Weasley at the ministry for the summer, Ginny and Harry's relationship, Ron's new girlfriend, and other developments that had surfaced over Hermione's absence to the ties of her wizarding family.

"Wow" Hermione whispered.

"Yeah, it's been a really long time Hermione - a lot has happened since the war, even little Teddy is doing better than you 'mione - he's so cute, his hair is always changing colour, the other day I could have sworn he looked exactly like Ron - it was kind of hilarious. You'll have to meet him."

Hermione nodded, she was all smiles now that Ginny had lit up the room with her conversation and friendship. Even though Hermione knew that there was never going to be a two-sided spark, she adored the younger witch for being able to make her life seem far greater even in the darker times.

Both girls found themselves exhausted the next morning, waking up to a loud ruckus below. Ginny crashed onto the floor in surprise, not realizing that Hermione occupied the other half of the bed. She was startled by the other witch - they had shared the same bed for many summers, but there just seemed to be a difference this year - a heavy emotion that just recently surfaced between them, Ginny knew she felt strongly for the witch, but in which way?

At that exact moment, Hermione began to stir beneath the blankets, and threw a soft smile Ginny's way. With her arms outstretched Hermione hadn't noticed the fallen strap of her shirt halfway down her arm revealing the cup of her navy laced bra. The red of a phoenix didn't compare the shade of crimson forming in Hermione's cheeks as she noticed the Girl on the floor staring intently. It took a moment for Hermione to quickly register the clothing mishap and fix it, both girls incredibly embarrassed, not only had they seen more of each other in the last twelve hours, but both of them were beginning to find that being in the same room was far more difficult than it should have been.

They were only friends, just two witches who happened to find themselves gaping at the others naked body in some form or another. Both knew that something was changing, but neither had a clue what was in store.

Ginny hadn't moved from the spot where she still lay bruised on the carpet, her eyes still drawn to Hermione, but as much as she enjoyed the brief display of nakedness, Ginny was intoxicated by the brunette's eyes, they were a unique shade of brown - no not brown - honey. She couldn't seem to pull from her trance. The thumping of her heart must have been loud for Ginny hadn't noticed Hermione staring back into her eyes, reciprocating the same longing gaze - and neither noticed the yelling mother at the bottom of the stairs calling the women to breakfast.

"Oi! Both of you better be up, we have to be leaving, there is only so much time before all the school books have gone! And than what you two? It's back to Hogwarts with no supplies!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

Hermione was the first to look away, she jumped from the bed in a hurry to change into new robes and leave the thick but beautiful tension currently residing between the two females. Hermione knew that what she felt for Ginny was so very wrong, and to prove that she no longer loved the red-headed beauty, she was heading to Ron's room with the intention of patching things up. Hermione had awoke in the middle of the night to Ron shouting somewhere outside of the burrow, it seemed as though he and Lavender were finding it just as difficult to be with one another as the first time they tried. There is only so much snogging in a relationship before your lips run dry Hermione always said.

It was the perfect opportunity, she had it all planned, it deprived her greatly of sleep - but at least it would fix what she seemed to be feeling for Ginny. It would makes all things right again, and with that thought Hermione paraded out of the bedroom dressed and prepared for the task ahead of her leaving Ginny behind in confusion.

Ginny knew what it was like to be with another person, she had dated before, she had felt feelings for people such as Dean Thomas and a Hufflepuff in her year, she had even loved Harry for such a long time. However, it wasn't until that very moment watching Hermione leave that Ginny experienced her first regret - not having kissed the girl while she was half-naked in her bed. Ginny knew that she had feelings for Hermione long ago, long before feelings for any man even surfaced, but they always seemed hidden in the closet of her mind never to be seen as more than just great liking for a friend, a close friend.

Ginny was loyal to Harry and she loved him dearly, they had been together for quite some time before Harry noticed Ginny's eyes trailing off elsewhere, and when he followed them they always led to a beautiful witch here, or a gorgeous muggle there. He contemplated the idea that his girlfriend may be interested in a girlfriend of her own, but it wasn't until his birthday that he actually confronted Ginny about the whole ordeal. They had planned to make love that night, as they lay there in the bed undressing one another Harry must have noticed than Ginny was somewhere completely different - she was far from in the moment, and so - well...

"...and so he left me." Ginny finished aloud. She had yet to come to terms with the break-up, she even lied to Hermione about their being together still, unable to tell the older witch why they had broken up. All the people in the wizarding world could tell Ginny otherwise, but admitting love is never simple, especially the wrong kind of love.

She was so unbelievably confused, not a clue as to how she would go about this whole girl to girl concept, or even how the whole thing would pan out. Pulling on her second boot Ginny headed down into the kitchen to great the rest of her family and friends for breakfast, even if it meant facing the smile that shook her body into a full-on broken out sweat, the kind that brought on butterflies in your stomach, and stampedes of elephants in your heart. Oh what had she gotten herself into?

And so this chapter ends! Hope ya'll liked it, yes I just said ya'll. So I know it's a slow start, I'm really trying to map out both girls emotions. Both are at a crossroads where they realize that they might love another female, but at the same time they refuse to accept it. Hermione's depression is kind of just an effect of the war - she's still in mourning. Where as Ginny is the complete opposite, she's chosen not to let what's already done effect her future. Neither girl knows what I have in store for them though!
Read and Review! : )

Somewhere Sky