IX. More

To say that Hermione was surprised when Lavender walked right up and kissed her in the middle of dinner was an understatement.

One moment, Hermione had been talking and joking with Harry, Ron, and Ginny, trying to unwind after a particularly long day. Of course, every day felt long when she couldn't kiss Lavender, or touch her, or talk to her in the way that she did when they were alone, but this was just something she'd grown used to. She'd just been sitting there when suddenly Lavender was beside her, cupping her cheek and pulling her into one of the most breathtaking kisses of her life. The passion Lavender had channeled into their kiss was incredibly, so raw and unadulterated, so intense that Hermione felt she might faint.

When Lavender pulled away, looking so utterly adorable with her lips slightly parted and cheeks tinged pink, Hermione couldn't help but smile and lock gazes with her. She looked nervous, but not as much as Hermione had anticipated. Sometimes, she forgot that the girl had been sorted into Gryffindor for a reason. When it came down to it, her ferocity, her passion, and her courage would always triumph over her fear.

Hermione's heart felt like it had been kicked into overdrive as Lavender sat down next to her, and she was sure that her love felt the same way. She laced her fingers with Lavender's underneath the table, leaning her head softly on her shoulder, feeling Lavender's luxurious blonde curls tickle her forehead. She giggled, lightly, and she could feel Lavender smiling in that special way that she reserved just for moments when Hermione was doing something cute.

In that moment, neither of them really cared about the stares they could feel on them. They didn't care that people were whispering to each other about them, or about how Ron had nearly choked on his food. They didn't care that Harry was trying to ask questions with his eyes, or that Parvati was trying to do the same. There was no outcry, no one yelling hateful things at them, no one really saying anything to them. Just staring, and staring was something they could both handle. Hermione couldn't help but smile when Ginny gave her an approving, albeit confused, smile.

She could taste Lavender's lip gloss on her lips, watermelon, and she'd never been happier.