Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
A/N: Oki… I'm so incredibly sorry this is so late -.- I actually finished this a while ago, but uni and life generally got in the way of this being posted. A huge thanks to Mon for the editing job she did… ty baby ;)
Anyway, this is the last of this story. Perhaps the last you'll hear from me for a little while. One of my friends spent the other night trying to jumpstart my muse to get me to write something else lol, but I'm not sure I have anything to write about at the moment.
I hope you enjoy the last installment to La Alegría. And please remember to review! Oh also, the reason for the rating becomes apparent in this part... just a warning ;)
La Alegría – Part III
"You look tired Hermione," Harry said, looking at her worriedly.
Hermione looked at him through droopy eyes. "I'm alright," she said, buttering her toast carefully. "I stayed up for a bit, doing some homework."
"I thought I told you to stop doing that," Harry sighed, chewing on his eggs thoughtfully.
"I'm fine, honestly Harry. I just wish they'd serve coffee in the morning," she muttered. As soon as she said that, a cup and saucer appeared before her, filled to the brim with delicious, black coffee.
Harry grinned, "I guess Dobby heard you."
"Just this once, I'll let him do that for me," she said quickly, picking the coffee up and drinking deeply.
Harry laughed, "Good. So, did you get to talk to Ginny last night?"
Hermione nodded, swallowing her mouthful of coffee. "Yes, she brought my dinner to me."
"Are you two... alright?"
Hermione nodded again, "We will be."
"I don't suppose you're going to tell me what's going on?" Harry asked.
Hermione shook her head. "I'm sorry Harry. It's not that I don't trust you, I just want to deal with it first. I'll tell you after it's blown over."
"Alright. As long as you're okay."
She smiled and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "I am. Thank you."
He grinned back at her and winked, "'S what I'm here for."
Hermione didn't see Ginny that day. Not that she was really looking for her... the sudden realisation of the way she felt the night before had been quite a shock, if not entirely unexpected. Well... okay, so it wasn't entirely unexpected.
'I guess I've been lying to myself for longer than I thought,' Hermione thought to herself at one point during the day.
She had come to the conclusion the night before, that she was never really that into men. Her feeble attempts to have relationships with them had all ended rather quickly, and the few kisses she had experienced with these boys had hardly left her wanting more. Viktor was always rather rough with her, and his stubble had scratched her face. Ron... well... he was just clumsy. That relationship hardly lasted two months and had ended in a screaming match between the pair that nearly brought Gryffindor Tower down about them.
When she thought about it, she remembered Ginny being there after both of these relationships failed. When Viktor left after the Triwizard Tournament, Ginny had been there to talk to her about it. There were no tears, but the mere fact that the youngest Weasley girl had been there meant more to Hermione than anything. After The Fight, Ginny had come to her dormitory to calm her down, to rub her back soothingly and to hold her as she sobbed and cried over Ron's utter stupidity.
The more Hermione thought about it, the more she was convinced that she was far from straight. All day long, she had images of Ginny's various facial expressions in her mind. Grinning like an idiot at the thought of her laughing or giggling, stomach jumping around excitedly and nervously at the memory of the look of sheer lust that was in Ginny's eyes right after the kiss ended last Saturday night.
By the time Hermione had left her last class of the day, she was convinced; she loved Ginny Weasley, and she was going to tell her so tonight.
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, bursting into Ginny's dormitory.
"Hey Hermione," one of Ginny's roommates said, lying on the ground on her back with a book hovering above her head.
"Is Ginny here?" Hermione asked the younger girl quickly.
"Nope. She was here, but I think she's gone down to the library to study or something."
"Right, thanks!" Hermione said, quickly turning around and walking briskly away from the dorm.
"Thanks, Sarah," Ginny murmured from one of her other roommate's beds.
"No problem. So, you finally told her how you felt?"
"Yeah," Ginny said in a low voice. "I dunno why she isn't leaving me alone. I told her I needed space."
"Maybe she realised she felt the same way," Sarah said, reaching up to turn a page.
"I don't think so," Ginny sighed. "She's as straight as they come."
"Mmm," Sarah murmured. "Get some sleep, you hardly got any last night."
"Yeah," Ginny said softly, staring up at the canopy of the four-poster bed. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the images of Hermione kissing her.
"Have you two seen Ginny tonight?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron, having searched the whole library.
Harry shook his head and Ron frowned up at her from beneath messed up hair, "No, but can you help me with this bollocks?"
Hermione bit her lip, "Ron, I really need to talk to Ginny."
"You can talk to her at dinner, come on Hermione," he pouted, "pretty please?"
She sighed, "Alright, fine. What is it?"
He grinned and beckoned her to sit next to him. "It's this stuff about creating your own wand motions in Charms."
"You still don't get this? Ron, we finished this topic a week ago!"
"Yeah, and Flitwick clearly went way too fast," he said, scowling down at the work before him.
"Why didn't you go over it with me on the weekend?"
"Because we were busy doing something else," he retorted. "Y'know, party in the Room of Requirement, Dean's a virgin and you and Ginny..."
"I know," Hermione cut in, glaring daggers at him. "Well, if we want to finish this before dinner, you're going to have to pay very close attention."
"Yes sir," he said, giving her a half salute.
Hermione couldn't help but smile slightly as she pulled his textbook towards her and started explaining the topic.
They managed to get through all the work right before dinner started. Hermione suspected Ron may have been lying about understanding the finer points of what she was trying to explain in order to get to dinner as fast as possible, but she wasn't complaining. She needed to talk to Ginny.
When they arrived in the Great Hall and sat down, Hermione looked up and down Gryffindor table, searching for long, red hair. She frowned when she couldn't see Ginny and suddenly didn't feel hungry at all.
"She's not here," she muttered.
"Who's not here?" Ron asked, beginning to stuff food into his mouth.
"Ginny," Harry answered for Hermione. "Hermione, eat something before you go off to look for her again," he said, pushing her plate a little closer to her.
Hermione sighed and smiled at Harry, "I'll eat a little bit. I just..."
"... Need to talk to her, I know," he said, an air of understanding about him. "She hasn't disappeared, she's just hiding somewhere."
Hermione nodded and picked up her knife and fork.
She was running back through the castle towards Gryffindor Tower now. She had finished half of her dinner before impatience overcame her. Ginny wasn't in the library and she wasn't at any of the places Hermione knew she liked to hide out at. So, Hermione was running as fast as she could back to Gryffindor Tower in an effort to catch Ginny before she disappeared somewhere else, hoping she was in her dorm.
She breathlessly gave the password to the Fat Lady ("Slow down girl! You'll give yourself a heart attack!"), and bounded through the portrait hole, rushing through the common room and up the girls' staircase.
She stopped outside Ginny's dorm, leaning on the door frame and breathing hard. After a moment she straightened back up, still breathing fast, and knocked on the door.
There was complete silence for a moment as Hermione held her breath to try to hear for the soft padding of feet on the ground making trails to the door. She realised this was a bad idea quickly, letting out her breath and trying to breathe in and out slowly in an effort to slow her heart down.
As she leaned on the door frame again, bowing her head and closing her eyes, she heard the door open before her. She lifted her head and found herself face to face with Ginny, who suddenly looked worried.
"Hermione! What's wrong? Why are you out of breath?" she asked, placing a steadying hand on Hermione's shoulder and rubbing it softly.
"I... need... to talk... to you," Hermione gasped, looking up at her with wide eyes.
"Alright," she said slowly. "Come and sit down." She helped Hermione over to her bed, sitting down on the edge of it with her and rubbing her back soothingly in small circles.
"Let me... catch my breath," Hermione said, leaning forward and resting her head in her hands, elbows on her knees.
"It's okay," Ginny said softly, still rubbing the older girl's back. She sighed inwardly and watched Hermione catch her breath, wishing she could pull her close and give her good reason for having lost it.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said in a low voice, still breathing slightly fast. "I know you asked for some space but I need to tell you something."
"It's okay," Ginny repeated. "If something's bothering you, of course I want you to come and talk to me about it."
Hermione nodded and raised her head to look at Ginny. "It's important."
Ginny smiled reassuringly, "Then tell me."
Hermione smiled nervously back and looked down at her hands. "You know, I've been focusing on looking for you and thinking more about what's going on when I should have been thinking about what to say to you, or how to tell you this," she sighed, standing up suddenly and beginning to pace.
"It's usually best to just come out with it," Ginny said, raising an eyebrow at the brunette.
Hermione smiled and bit her bottom lip. "Then I suppose I should start by saying that I think I've been wrong about something that I should've realised a while ago."
Ginny cocked her head to one side and frowned slightly. "Hermione, if this is about..."
"I think I've been confused," Hermione cut across Ginny, "and I know that this is going to sound crazy but I think... no, I know I like you too." She stopped pacing and turned to look down at Ginny.
Ginny was frowning and looking irritated, "Hermione, I don't want you to try..."
"I'm not trying anything!" the older girl said quickly.
"You are," Ginny said, standing up, "and I don't want you to feel like you have to tell me you feel the same way or pretend that you're not straight."
"I was wrong!" Hermione said desperately, darting forward to grab Ginny's arm as she tried to walk away. "I'm sorry..."
"You said that you're straight," Ginny said stubbornly, trying to wrench her arm out of Hermione's grip. "It's fine Hermione, just give me some time to deal with it."
"But..."
"I don't want you to just tell me you feel the same way after learning I'm going to avoid you until I'm over you!" Ginny snapped, turning and glaring at Hermione. "I can't get over you if I talk to you every day, I already told you that."
Hermione's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water – she felt like she was drowning, and that cold, sinking feeling was happening to her stomach again.
"Please?" Ginny sighed, now with a helpless look in her eyes.
Hermione closed her mouth, ignoring the tears that had escaped the corners of her eyes, she shook her head. "No," she said very quietly, her voice shaking slightly. "No, and if you don't fucking believe me, I guess I'll just have to show you."
"What...?"
Hermione cut Ginny off with an insistent kiss, almost immediately opening her mouth to suck at her bottom lip, urging Ginny to open her mouth too. Her stomach jolted pleasantly as she felt Ginny respond, tongues touching and fighting; Hermione moaned softly as she experienced the full force of Ginny's intoxicating kisses once more.
She backed the younger woman up against the wall, her hands tugging the tucked shirt out from Ginny's skirt, unbuttoning it quickly. Her lips left Ginny's as she trailed kisses across her jaw-line and down to her neck, nibbling softly on her skin. Ginny moaned helplessly as Hermione bit and sucked her neck. She gasped as she felt the older woman push her bra up roughly, groping at her breast and teasing her already rock-hard nipple.
"You've got to be fucking joking," Ginny swore under her breath, gasping again as Hermione pushed the other side of the bra up and began playing with her other breast.
Hermione came back up to her level and held eye contact with her carefully, "I'm not fucking joking," she whispered. "I was wrong before, when I said I didn't feel the same way. And I've been so confused about these feelings because... I never realised I had them before we kissed." She paused, looking thoughtful, "Should I stop?"
"No," Ginny said immediately. "I mean... not if you don't want to," she added quickly, allowing a small smile to slide onto her face.
Hermione smiled back, chewing on her bottom lip. "I left a mark on your neck," she noticed, eyes widening slightly at her handiwork.
Ginny laughed softly, "Yeah, I can feel it."
"It doesn't hurt, does it?" Hermione asked, touching it softly with her index finger.
"I can take it," Ginny murmured, gripping Hermione's hips suddenly and pulling her closer. "It felt good while you were doing it, anyhow." Before Hermione could respond, Ginny kissed her, switching positions so Hermione was now pushed up against the wall. The red-head quickly removed her own shirt and bra, before turning her attention to the brunette's school shirt, almost making the buttons burst off in her haste, all the while kissing Hermione furiously. Hermione breathed in sharply as she felt Ginny's hand enclose around her breast, chocolate brown eyes flying wide open to see crystal blue looking back at her hungrily. With one hand, Ginny snapped the clasps of the bra apart, and pulled the straps down, tossing it aside and leaning back to look at Hermione.
"I really don't think I would've been able to stop feeling so attracted to you," Ginny said softly, touching Hermione's left nipple with one finger. Hermione shivered slightly and pulled Ginny closer, her stomach lurching happily as their chests touched.
They kissed again, Ginny's fingers playing with Hermione's nipple expertly. She slowly moved her mouth away from Hermione's, trailing kisses down her neck, across her collarbone and down her chest to her left breast. Her tongue darted out to touch the centre softly and Hermione gasped again. Ginny grinned and took the tip in her mouth, sucking ever so slightly and flickering it with her tongue. Hermione let out a small moan and moved one of her hands to the back of Ginny's head, twisting her fingers through her hair, urging her to keep going. The younger woman obligingly sucked her in harder, making Hermione moan louder and clutch Ginny's head tighter. Ginny moved back, replacing her mouth and tongue with her fingers, trailing kisses back up to Hermione's mouth.
They kissed again, both girls now breathing hard, Hermione almost whimpering as Ginny teased and twisted her aching nipple.
"What do you want to do?" Ginny murmured huskily.
"Anything," Hermione replied hazily, resting her forehead on Ginny's. "I think we should move to your bed though. I'm not sure how long my legs are going to be able to carry my weight."
Ginny smiled and pulled Hermione towards the bed, climbing onto it with her and drawing the curtains around them. They kissed again once in complete privacy, savouring the taste of each other's mouths, revelling in the feel of their naked torsos pressed together.
"Lie down," Ginny said, breaking the kiss for a moment, running her fingers down Hermione's sides softly. The brunette obliged, continuing to kiss the redhead as she lay down. Pulling Ginny on top of her, she moved her legs apart as Ginny slid her thigh between them. She moved her hips against Ginny's thigh, moaning softly into the redhead's mouth, twisting her fingers through her hair and trying to pull her closer.
Hermione felt like she was spinning, the combined sensations of rubbing between her legs and Ginny's feather light touches up and down her bare waist speeding her heart rate up, making the need for oxygen that much more urgent. She broke the kiss and Ginny immediately moved her kisses to Hermione's neck, trailing kisses from there down to her heaving chest. Her fingers disappeared underneath Hermione's skirt, pressing the heel of her palm into her underwear-covered crotch and rubbing it in small circles. Hermione moaned softly, lifting one of her arms to cover her eyes, her other hand clutched at the back of Ginny's head.
"Take them off," Hermione murmured, clenching her teeth slightly as Ginny rubbed a particularly sensitive spot.
Ginny grinned, "Why would I do that?"
"Because you want me to do the same to you," Hermione said, almost growling at Ginny as she massaged her crotch slowly in a circle.
"Fair enough," Ginny replied, sliding Hermione's underwear off slowly, her grin widening as the brunette's crotch was slowly revealed. She moved off Hermione to lie next to her as she slipped her underwear down her legs, tossed them to the end of the bed and ran her hand back up the inside of Hermione's leg. She leaned forward and kissed Hermione's belly, still running her hand up the inside of her thigh, pushing her school skirt up with her other hand and beginning to plant kisses down her hip bone and thigh.
Ginny moved so she was between Hermione's legs and leant forward to kiss the inside of her thigh. Hermione moaned and bit her lip, clenching at the duvet beneath her. "Ginny," she murmured through clenched teeth.
Ginny laughed softly, "I know," and moved closer, spreading Hermione's lips and licking her softly. Hermione whimpered and moved her hands down to hold Ginny's hair out of the way, bending her legs at the knees and propping them up in an attempt to keep her hips still. She moaned again and her hips twitched as Ginny flickered her tongue a little faster over her clit. She breathed in sharply as she felt her push a single finger inside her.
Hermione felt light-headed for the third time that night, whimpering each time she felt Ginny push her fingers in and out of her. She felt her legs go slightly numb and tingling warmth began to spread out from her centre.
"I'm close," Hermione gasped, trying to stop her hips from bucking into Ginny's face.
Ginny gave her clit one last flicker with her tongue before moving back and up so she was face to face with Hermione, replacing her tongue with her fingers, rubbing her clit around in rapid circles. Hermione pulled Ginny close and kissed her desperately, digging her fingernails into her back; that tingling warmth shooting up and down her arms and legs. Hermione moaned into Ginny's mouth as she came, hips jerking and toes curling, her centre exploding with pleasure.
Ginny slowed the pace of her fingers and withdrew them from between Hermione's legs, massaging her mound gently and watching her hips stop jerking. She turned and looked down at Hermione. Her cheeks were flushed pink and she was still breathing fast, her eyes were closed and her head thrown back against the pillows beneath her.
"You are so incredibly beautiful," Ginny said softly.
Hermione smiled and opened her eyes, "And you are amazing," she murmured, pulling Ginny closer and kissing her tenderly. "I'm sorry I..."
"Don't apologise," Ginny cut across her. "It doesn't matter."
Hermione sighed happily and kissed Ginny again. "I can't believe we're here, like this," she said, rolling over so she was on top of Ginny.
"Me either," Ginny said, a lazy grin spreading across her features as she felt Hermione push her thigh in between her legs...
A silencing charm and an hour or two later, Hermione was busy listening to Ginny's chest, one of her legs draped across Ginny's legs and tracing small circles on her bare hip.
"Are you going to stay with me tonight?" Ginny asked, trailing her fingertips up and down Hermione's side.
Hermione smiled and sat up slightly to look at her lover. "If you don't mind having an extra person in your bed."
"I don't mind, as long as it's you," Ginny replied, smiling back at her.
"Good," Hermione moved forward to kiss Ginny's lips softly before lying back down next to her.
"What made you realise you felt the same way?" Ginny asked, turning on her side to face Hermione.
The older woman smiled and took one of Ginny's hands in hers, "Well, I couldn't sleep last night after you told me how you felt."
"You too, huh?" Ginny asked, squeezing Hermione's hand.
"Yeah," Hermione lifted Ginny's hand to her mouth and kissed it gently. "I ended up getting out of bed and going down to the common room to do some work. I found that piece of parchment we had passed between each other at the beginning of the year." She paused, looking thoughtful. "I guess I just kept on thinking about you, wondering if you had felt the way you do now back then, wondering why I didn't consider that kiss to be an awkward moment."
Ginny nodded. "I did feel the same way back then, for the record" she said, smiling at Hermione.
"How long have you felt like this?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I think I've been feeling like this for a few years now, but I only realised it during the summer," Ginny moved a little closer to Hermione, resting a hand on the curve of her waist. "What did you realise last night?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the older woman.
Hermione sighed and smiled at the younger woman, "That I love you."
Ginny smiled back at her and kissed her lips softly, "I love you too."
"Good," Hermione murmured, snuggling closer to Ginny. "Let's go to sleep now though. Neither of us got any sleep last night."
"Sounds good," Ginny said, reaching down for the sheets and pulling them up and over them both.
The End.