The night before Ron and Harry awoke to fresh squeezed orange juice and free-range eggs Benedict, Hermione and Ginny were able to remind themselves why they carried on this tangled, elicit affair. The winter air was light and crisp as they made their way, hand-in-hand, down the sidewalks of London. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a lovely orange-and-pink glow on the streets. The sky was cloudless, a perfect English day.

"What do you think Ron and Harry are really doing?" Ginny asked, pulling Hermione through the door of an upscale-looking bar. They were seated in a mahogany-and-suede booth by a hostess in a black cocktail dress, served freshly baked baguette with bruschetta and pesto, and were told their server would be right with them.

"They're away on business, of course. They told us that, Gin." Hermione replied, taking off her coat. She looked stunning in a red cashmere sweater and black suit pants.

"You don't honestly believe that? They've just taken time off from the office, I doubt they'd be sent off again so soon." Ginny untied her scarf and laid it neatly with her coat, revealing that she wore black denim pants with a dark blue silk blouse.

"Well," Hermione began, helping herself to the appetizer, "I...I suppose I don't honestly care, as long as get this time together. Two weeks, isn't it going to be wonderful?"

Ginny smiled and agreed. The waiter arrived, and they both ordered mimosas and a platter of spinach-and-goat-cheese phyllo tarts. It was going to be a wonderful night of gourmet food, alcohol, and pleasure. Just thinking about the free time they had together sent chills up Ginny's spine.

"Look, they have dancing!" Hermione said, pointing across the room. There was a beautiful marble floor with a live orchestra stringing a soft, alluring tune, couples swaying together.

Ginny stood, and offered Hermione her hand. "Shall we?"

"I'd love to." Hermione entwined her fingers with Ginny's, and the two picked a spot on the dance floor just off the middle, mingling in with the other couples.

"Did I mention," Ginny said, twirling Hermione around, as the orchestra started on a more upbeat song, "that you look bloody fantastic tonight?" She dipped Hermione, then stood her upright again.

"About three times, darling. But I think that you," Hermione pulled Ginny close to her, placing her lips on Ginny's ear lobe, "are the sexiest thing in London."

A shot of pure lust shot through Ginny, and she wrapped her arms around Hermione's waist, leaning in for a kiss. "Now, keep it in your pants, Miss Weasley." Hermione said, putting her index finger to Ginny's lips. "We have the entire evening before us."

--

After the dancing and mimosas, Hermione and Ginny walked around London for a bit, doing some shopping here and there. They got new crystal vases for the house, ordered area rugs for the first three floors, and got new dresses from Gucci's for another night out later in the week. They wandered past a store that caught Ginny's eye, who took the perfect opportunity while Hermione went to the restroom on the second floor of the shop.

"This one. It's perfect." Ginny said, pointing.

The clerk selected the correct item. "Size?" He asked.

"Seven." Ginny responded, taking her leather wallet out.

The clerk disappeared into the back for a moment, then reappeared. "Is this satisfactory, miss?" He asked, lifting up the item for Ginny's inspection.

Ginny smiled widely. "Oh, yes. It's perfect."

"Indeed. Cash or credit, ma'am?"

"Cash, and here's a little something for your help, my good man." Ginny threw a bundle of pounds onto the counter while the clerk bagged her purchase. He graciously thanked her, and she left to look for Hermione.

--

Dinner was fresh mozzarella and roasted peppers, baked clam linguine, and Merlot, the same meal that Hermione and Ginny had had on their first date. It was late now, but the restaurant manager knew that these two women were very well off, and the tip his establishment would receive for staying open as long as they saw fit to stay there, would be well worth it. So the waiter refilled their wine glasses for the fourth time resupplied them with bread, asked if they needed anything else, and was dismissed until further notice.

"I love this place. Nothing like me and Harry's first date..." Ginny said, sipping her wine.

Hermione grinned. "Ron bought me a butterbeer and a pack of dung bombs from Hogsmeade on ours."

Ginny laughed. "He's a twit. Harry took me to Madame Puddifoot's. I swear I thought he was going to tell me he was gay. Have you seen that place? It's a nightmare, hearts and lace everywhere, and that ridiculous flavored coffee. As if I could be as easily impressed as Cho Chang."

Hermione sighed. "Well, if anything, they can at least make us laugh."

Ginny nodded. "Yes, that seems to be all they're good for. Why'd we do it? Why'd we say yes?"

Hermione fidgeted in her seat a bit, before reaching for her wine. "It was expected of us...and what we thought that's what we wanted at the time." She said in a small voice.

Ginny covered Hermione's hand with her own. "We weren't gifted this time to waste regretting our mistakes. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything...c'mon, I have a surprise for you." Ginny threw enough pounds on the table to cover their check, and a rather generous tip. In light of the cold night, they opted to Disapparate back to Grimmauld Place. They ducked into a darkened alley way, and within seconds were spinning on the doorstep of their home.

--

They had a bedroom that they kept for the occasions when they were able to be alone together. It was the only place in the house that Harry and Ron would never be expected to enter, one they preferred to avoid; Sirius's bedroom. When Harry had the house professionally cleaned, the workers had put in new furniture, carpet, and bedding, though they were unable to remove the slightly risque pinups from the walls. Other than the muggle girls in bikinis, Sirius also had pictures from his days at Hogwarts, as well as a large Gryffindor banner.

All in all, it was rather a homey place to be, and reminded Hermione a bit of her office at Hogwarts, where she and Ginny spent many nights together. Hermione was lying on the large bed, staring at her engagement ring. It was actually quite nice, white gold and a single princess cut diamond, one carat, if she remembered correctly. It wasn't as if she hated Ron...no, honestly, she did love him. They were best friends, and had been through so much together. Perhaps that's why they got engaged...it was the next ideal step in their relationship, as it had been for Harry and Ginny.

Back then, when Hermione had first realized her feelings for Ginny, she had felt so guilty. Harry was one of her best friends, someone she'd been through battles, blood, and deaths with. And Ron...she was betraying Ron, her other best friend, the person she'd promised herself to, promised to spend eternity with.

"Kreacher," Hermione said, and a moment later the elf appeared with a large crack. "We'd like a box of those chocolate dipped mangos from Honeydukes, you know the ones in the cellar? And if you would please bring up the Vidal Blanc. Thank you, love." Kreacher bowed and Disapparated. Within minutes he had returned, and set up a small table against the far wall of the bedroom, set the white-and-dark chocolate covered mango slices on a silver platter, put out small china plates and linen napkins, and placed the wine in a bucket of ice beside two long-stemmed wine glasses. He bowed again and left the room.

"Gin, are you ever coming out?" Hermione called.

Ginny was in the adjoining bathroom, and she called something in response, and then came through the door. Hermione's jaw nearly dropped at the sight of Ginny. She had changed into a light blue silk camisole and a matching thong. She'd pulled her long hair into a clip, delicate tendrils falling down the back of her neck and around her face.

"I..." Hermione began, sitting up onto the edge of the bed, but Ginny raised a hand to slience here.

"Do you remember," Ginny began, joining Hermione on the bed, "Our first kiss?"

Hermione grinned, nodding. It was one of the most wonderful memories of her life, something she never wanted to forget. It was the first week of Ginny's seventh year, the last days of summer clinging to the grounds of Hogwarts. Hermione and Ginny had taken to eating lunch together, and were to be found by the shores of the Lake, under a large weeping willow, their sandwiches spread before them. At this point, Hermione and Ginny both felt that there was an undefinable something between them.

In Hermione, Ginny found that certain something that she and Harry did, and truthfully always had, lacked. A spark, a burning, a sweet desire that warmed Ginny from her chest, through her limbs, to her head.

"Beautiful day," Hermione said, gesturing to the cloudless sky. Damn. Was she honestly that lame?

Ginny smiled, staring into Hermione's eyes, "Very beautiful."

Hermione felt a delicious blush creeping up her neck, and involuntarily moved closer to Ginny. "You know, I've been meaning to talk to you about your last essay," She said, eyes locked onto Ginny's lips.

"Oh?" Ginny said, also leaning in to Hermione.

"Indeed...it seems that..." At this point, Hermione was centimeters away from Ginny, and it was as though she were entranced. She could see nothing but Ginny's freckled complexion, her full mouth. "That the point you were trying to make,"

Ginny nodded slowly, reaching up with her right hand and tucking Hermione's hair behind hear ear. "That point, Professor," Ginny said, her voice husky, "Is beside the fact..." And Ginny closed the gap between them, pressed her lips to Hermione's, and was, quite literally, seeing stars, fireworks, feeling as though Fate had finally let her in on some cosmic secret, as if for the first time in her entire life, Ginny knew exactly where she belonged. And it was here, on a pleasantly warm afternoon, kissing the woman who could melt her with just a word, a look.

Feels like, I'm standing in a timeless dream
Of light mists, of pale amber rose
Feels like, I'm lost in a deep cloud of heavenly scent
Touching, discovering you

Those days of warm rains come rushing back to me
Miles of windless, summer night air
Secret moments, shared in the heat of the afternoon
Out of the stillness, soft spoken words...

"I fell so hard for you, it was like jumping from the Astronomy Tower and blissfully crashing to the ground." Ginny whispered, running her hand up Hermione's left arm. "I didn't know then, that I would be so lucky as to have you love me back." Gently, Ginny removed Hermione's engagement ring.

Hermione made no protest. It was rather common practice that when they had ample time together they took off their rings. This time, as every time before, Hermione wished with all of her heart to never put the cursed thing back on. Ginny also removed her ring, holding the two together in slight disgust.

"After you kissed me, I should've felt guilty, you know?" Ginny continued. "Because you were engaged to my brother, because he loved you, because I was engaged to Harry, your best friend...it just seemed wrong on so many fronts. I mean, even if we hadn't been with Harry and Ron, like our families and friends could ever accept that type of relationship. Progression isn't the Weasley's middle name, and who ever heard of two upstanding dentists having a daughter who was with a woman?" Ginny's fingers were now lost in Hermione's curly locks, and Hermione softly sighed at the sensation tingling across her scalp. "And then I was like, sod the whole thing, because if I let myself feel the way I want to, I knew that my heart was going to be broken. I had already lost you to Ron, long before I even realized how much I cared for you. But then, then you did care for me too, and I thought I would burst, because looking into your eyes, Hermione Granger, and knowing that you love me as I love you is the most amazing feeling in the universe."

Ginny reached into the right cup of her camisole, and pulled out a dark blue velvet box. She got off the bed, knelt in front of Hermione, and opened the box to reveal a platinum butterfly shaped ring, with sapphires as the wings and an oval cut diamond in the center.

Hermione gasped slightly at the beauty of the ring. "And these?" Ginny held up their engagement rings, "Could never hold the meaning they're meant to." Ginny placed the rings on the floor beside her. "And so, I ask you, Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?"

As always, feedback is love. Song excerpt is from I Love You, Always Forever by Donna Lewis.