A/N-So, so sorry for the long wait, but I do have a good excuse. My computer's hard drive refused to work, and it took about two weeks to fix. I got almost everything back, but that was two weeks that I had extremely limited computer access. Thanks for the patience, I'll try to update more quickly next time! :)
Disclaimer:I'm not JK Rowling. I'm sure you already knew that though, since there is no universe in which the talented Ms. Rowling would write what you're about to read.
Ginny was a naturally curious person.
It was just her part of personality, and always had been something that both got her into trouble and led her to her current, very lucrative career. Because of her curious disposition, it came as no surprise to Ginny that she was curious about whatever it was that Ron and Hermione had been deep in discussion over. She so badly wanted Hermione to invite her into the conversation, if for no other reason than to find out what precisely was going on. She, of course, could develop a general idea, but wondered what precisely the exchange had consisted of.
The thing that surprised Ginny more than her own curiosity was Hermione's unwillingness to satisfy that curiosity. When she did catch up with Hermione, the brunette was surprisingly evasive and vague.
"Hey, love," Ginny said when she caught sight of Hermione making her way in that general direction, "how'd things go with my brother?"
"Fine, it went well," Hermione said as she filled her plate with dessert. She chose the ones Ginny would have predicted she would pick; unless you knew the pair, it would be difficult to believe how well they knew each other. Hermione then turned to Ginny and held out a tasty looking treat, "Truffle?"
"No, thanks," Ginny said, intent on refocusing Hermione's attention, "well, what did he say? I suppose he asked about the engagement. How did he react?"
"As one would expect," Hermione said breezily.
"Hermione," Ginny said, in an attempt to sound reasonable and patient even though Hermione was testing that patience with her very deliberate attempt to avoid the topic, "it can't be both. It can't have gone that well if he reacted as expected. Pick one."
Hermione looked straight at Ginny for the first time since they had started speaking. It was clear to Ginny that all of the questions were testing Hermione's patience as well. Ginny didn't worry too much about that though. If she did not want to be interrogated, Hermione ought to have given straight answers in the first place.
"I suppose I should have clarified," she said coolly, "Ron reacted as any big brother would to news of his sister's engagement. He had concerns that any older brother might have had, nothing earth shattering. I handled myself just fine. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"
"Yeah, I suppose," Ginny said, since Hermione's tone didn't give her much of an option.
Hermione was done discussing Ron, and Ginny wouldn't be receiving any more information on that front. Ginny could, of course, ask Ron himself how he felt, but she got the feeling that Ron would redirect her back to Hermione. Though protective of and close to Ginny, Ron tended to be quite uncomfortable discussing either of their personal lives.
That kind of emotional issue he reserved for discussion among the Golden Trio, if with anyone. It was maddening at times that, no matter how close she got to each of them individually, Ginny felt as though she was missing out on some life changing bond forged on their mysterious horcrux trip.
So Ginny resolved herself to gathering information bit by bit as the pair decided to dole it out. Maybe it was just as boring a conversation as Hermione implied, because there was little to indicate otherwise in the conversations and exchanges over the next few weeks. After awhile, Ginny's curiosity waned and things returned to normal for the pair.
The more precise characterization might have been that things were as normal as things can be when you are not only a super couple, but the wizarding world's first gay or lesbian super couple. By the time late July rolled around most, if not all, gossip magazines and newspapers were at least speculating about their upcoming nuptials, nuptials that niether had even officially confirmed.
Because of this, Hermione was not surprised when she saw Ginny casually toss a copy Witch Weekly on the table and caught sight of her own smiling and waving face alongside Ginny's. That particular article speculated on a number of different possible locations for the ceremony. Hermione, unable to resist reading something tossed in front of her, skimmed the article with mild interest before putting it aside.
"They have some good ideas, love," she said, as she rose from the kitchen chair to drape her arms around Ginny's neck as the red head leaned against the counter and sipped her hot cup of coffee. "I think they've done more planning for this wedding than we have."
"What do you propose we do about that then?" Ginny asked as she put aside her coffee cup.
Hermione shrugged in response. The only thing they had decided for sure was that they wanted a small ceremony, a decision that Mrs. Weasley was battling them on, gradually increasing the tentative guest list by a few people each time they discussed planning. Mrs. Weasley's incessant prodding on certain details of the wedding in those meetings was one of the reasons they'd had so few wedding planning sessions.
Hermione's mind quickly shifted away from invitations and towards other, more interesting things when Ginny pulled her a little closer and gave her a lingering kiss. Though she had developed some will power when it came to Ginny, it was still rather shaky when she pulled away.
"I have some ideas," Ginny said mischievously.
"I know you do," Hermione said with a flirtatious smile of her own, "but how precisely would your idea help us in planning the wedding?"
Ginny pretended to ponder the question for a moment before responding. It was something she did to build suspense and anticipation, Hermione noticed, and Hermione had to admit that she was very good at creating that effect. While Hermione had to make an effort to be flirty and seductive, Ginny seemed to have an innate understanding of such things. Hermione was partly jealous that Ginny had out done her in something, but at that moment she was more grateful that she could be benefactor of this skill set of Ginny's.
"Well, it could certainly help to calm our wedding planning nerves," Ginny said, "it could be very relaxing, you know. Besides, we haven't pursued my idea in quite some time now."
Hermione smirked, finding it difficult to come up with a sound argument against Ginny's suggestion.
She had no way of knowing it, but Hermione had an equally powerfully, if different effect upon Ginny. Hermione's air of confidence in everything she said had a magnetic effect on Ginny. Ginny wanted to match that self assuredness, and, to a certain extent, rattle Hermione, break her out of the comfort zone that Hermione had so carefully constructed. Without another word, Ginny shifted so that Hermione was leaning against the counter and kissed the brunette as though it were simultaneously the first and last time that she would taste Hermione's lips.
They remained leaning against the counter kissing for awhile, kisses more intimate and arousing than sex in any of Ginny's previous relationships with men. Hermione then made the next move, leading Ginny slowly to the sofa, where she took control of the situation, pushing Ginny onto her back. She disrobed both herself and Ginny with a flick of the wand before kissing the redhead even more deeply.
This whole chain of events elicited an involuntary moan from Ginny as she more than willingly allowed Hermione's hands and mouth to roam with increasing boldness. The few weeks that had passed since their last encounter had done much to increase both Ginny's passion, and to be perfectly honest, had lowered her resistance to Hermione's advances. When Hermione's tongue reached that spot between Ginny legs where her body said there ought to be attention, it was almost too much to take.
"Christ, Hermione," Ginny said, just barely resisting the urge to grab a handful of Hermione's plentiful head of hair, "how'd you get so fucking good at this?"
"Practice, m'love, practice. We've had lots of it," Hermione said with a wicked grin before continuing her work.
After another few minutes of what was extremely pleasureable work for Hermione, she achieved her goal. When Hermione looked up, Ginny gave her a relaxed, almost dreamy smile. Hermione kissed Ginny and rested on the redhead's shoulder, absently running her fingers over the pale, freckled skin on Ginny's stomach.
"That was quite lovely," Ginny finally said after fully regaining her senses, following what was a very intense climax, "I ought to return the favor now, don't you think?"
Hermione's eyes twinkled as she sat up so that she was now facing Ginny.
"If you insist," she said, more than eager to be repaid, though she suspected it would not take much in her current state.
"I insist," Ginny said before going enthusiastic to work paying her debt.
She and Hermione were so engaged and enthusiastic that neither of them saw or heard a small white stationary envelope slide through the mail slot. It looked as any other casual correspondence might look, with the exception the very formal, tidy writing. It identified the return address as that of none other than Dr. Jean Ann Granger.
A/N-Ooh whatever could Mrs. Granger be writing to Hermione about? Any thoughts on that front, or regarding the chapter in general?
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