Disclaimer: I'm totally not J.K. Rowling. She owns everything you recognize.
A/N: This story is fem-slash (Hermione/Ginny) so if this isn't something you like to read stop now. But hey even if you don't you should give it a try.
Italics are thoughts and Flashbacks.
Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! I'm glad you like my story so far. To be honest I thought nobody would read it. But I was wrong. You guys make me want to write even more!
So here goes chapter 3. I was going to do another cliffhanger but I thought two in a row would be mean.
Enjoy!
Chapter 3- New Feelings
Ginny felt the water rush over her as she leapt into the water. Her head popped out of the water as she gasped for breath. Her heart beating wildly in her chest.
Ron, Harry, Fred, and George can be heard paddling over.
Come on Hermione where are you? Don't do this to me!
Ginny took a deep breath as she dove down into the water. She opens her eyes and starts searching hysterically. Looking around she doesn't see much of anything. The water is murky and making it hard to see. Then she spots something.
Oh my gosh! That can't be her!
Ginny swims franticly over to the floating figure. Hermione can be seen bobbing lifelessly deep in the water near a huge rock. Ginny grabs her friend around the waist and starts kicking as hard as she can to reach the surface. She bursts out of the water with her lifeless best friend in her arms.
"Guys! Help!" Ginny says while paddling backwards with the girls head out of the water and towards the shore. She can see the boys swimming franticly toward them. Reaching the shore she stands up in the shallow water and starts dragging Hermione's still limp body. She drops down to her knees. Her eyes just starting to take in the sight of her friends pale, almost blue lips. She also sees a red streak over the right side of her face.
Blood! She must have hit her head. Oh my god is she even breathing?!
Ginny bends over and puts ear to the girl's nose.
Nothing! What do I do? I never learned how to do this!
She sees the boys running through the water over to them. Harry falls to his knees next to Ginny and puts two fingers on Hermione's neck. He then puts his ear to Hermione's nose.
"Ginny, I need you to help me. Okay?" Harry says quickly looking at the red head. Ginny nods fiercely as she feels hot tears flowing down the side of her face.
"I am going to need to pinch her nose close, open her mouth and blow two times in her mouth, okay? And you need to do it only when I say to." Harry says while scooting down to Hermione's chest. Ginny leans over Hermione's blue lips.
This is not how this was supposed to happen.
"Okay, Gin. Breath. Two times." Harry quickly demonstrated in the air while puffing out his cheeks.
Ginny bends down over her friend. Using one hand to pinch her nose and the other pulling the girls mouth open, she leans over and blows two puffs of air into her unconscious friend. After the two breaths she looks down to Harry who had two hands in the middle of Hermione pushing down over and over.
Come on Hermione! Breath! You can do this! Don't you dare leave me!
"Now, Gin!" Harry says quickly. Ginny leans over again and blows two more puffs of air into the mouth of her friend. Suddenly a gurgling noise can be heard from Hermione. Harry quickly helps turn her head to the side. "Gin, help me get her on her side."
Gin helps roll her over. Hermione sputters. Ginny pats her on the back "Come on 'mione breath!"
Hermione coughs as her eyes flutter open. They lay her back onto her back. Relief flows over the group. "You're alive!" Ginny says as Hermione struggles to sit up but woozily loses her balance. "W-wh-what happened" Hermione struggles to say as she puts a hand to her head. Ginny moves behind Hermione and puts her head in her lap.
"Honey, you jumped into the water and hit your head. You gave us quite a scare" Harry said while checking the rest of Hermione out for other injuries.
"How's the head?" Ginny says while running her hands over the bump in the girls head.
"Hurts." Hermione winces.
"Herm if you ever scare us like that I will give you the worst bat bogey hex I can manage. Ron says while the unusually quiet, slightly pale twins agree only by shaking their heads.
"How was my back flip?" Hermione says quietly with biggest smile she could manage.
They all laugh. "It was a perfect 10" Harry said while looking up to the owl hooting above "That looks like the letter for dinner" The owl drops the letter in the hands of Harry and fly's back off in the direction of the house.
Harry opens the letter. "Yep, dinner is in an hour. You think you're okay enough to make it back to the burrow?"
"Yeah, I think so." Hermione says while letting Ginny help her sit up. Ginny looks at her face and brushes the stray hair behind Hermione's ear letting her fingers graze the bruise now forming.
"K. Let's get you back home so Mrs. Weasley can take a look at you." Harry says while pointing his wand at all their things disappearing. Fred, George and Ron climb onto their respective brooms. "We'll tell mum what happened. She will have a heart attack if Hermione walks in looking like this. And then she will kill us." Ron says cringing at the thought of their mother's wrath.
Ginny puts Hermione's arm over her shoulder and helps her to her feet. Hermione still really wobbly on her feet leans into Ginny. Harry walks over and passes Ginny her broom and taking Hermione's arm. "I'm going to fly behind you guys. If you need to stop, stop." Ginny shakes her head as she mounts her broom. Hermione lets Harry help her get in front of Ginny.
"We'll take it slow, okay. If you need me to stop just let me know" Ginny says while wrapping her arms around the girl she thought she had lost forever. Hermione was so woozy she didn't even protest getting on the broom and she let her head lay back on her friends shoulder closing her eyes. Ginny gently lifted off the ground and started flying in the direction of home. She couldn't help but hold onto the girl tighter than necessary.
I can't believe I almost lost you. I don't know what I would have done with myself.
"G-gin, thanks for saving me." Hermione mumbled.
"mione, you had me so scared. I thought I was going to lose you. So many things went through my head. I don't know if I could go on without you." Ginny said letting a tear fall from her eye and the last thing trail off quietly.
"You won't lose me Gin. Ever, okay." Hermione said while looking at Ginny. She reached a hand up and wiped away the one lonely tear trailing down the girl's freckled cheek.
The rest of the flight was uneventful. The whole time Harry watching the two girls intensely.
I wonder when they will realize they love each other. Hopefully soon. I think everyone knows but them.
Reaching the burrow within minutes, Ginny, being as careful as possible began flying towards the backdoor. Molly could already be seen standing outside with a worried look on her face with the three boy's right at her side.
Landing, Ginny began helping Hermione off the broom again putting the girls arm around her shoulder for help. Molly walks over and looks over Hermione from head to toe. "Oh dear, how do you feel? Looks like you have quite a bump on the head. Let's get you inside. Ginny could you come with me and help her into bed?"
"Sure, mum."
"We'll be down here if you guys need us. Hermione feel better." Harry said as the boys walk into the living room.
It took a few minutes but the three girls finally made it up the stairs.
"Ginny can you grab some dry pj's out for her to put on? I'm going to run to the loo and get some potions for that wound. Keep an eye on her."
Hermione normally wouldn't let people fuss over her like this but her body, her head specifically hurt too much for her to care. She sat against her headboard and let her eyes shut.
"Here 'mione. Can you change into these?" Ginny said walking up to the bed.
Hermione opens her eyes "Yeah. I'm okay, I can manage. Thanks." as she takes the clothes from the girl. Ginny turns to leave the room. "C-could…I mean…do you mind if you stayed. I'm still kind of unsteady on my feet?" Hermione said while looking at the ground.
"Sure 'mione. I'll turn around. Just say something if you need me." Ginny said feeling the heat rise up into her cheeks.
Hermione was kind of unsteady. It took more than the usual amount of time to take off her bathing suit and pull on the sweatpants and tank top. She herself couldn't help but blush at the fact that she was dressing while Ginny was in the room.
"Okay you can turn around, Gin." Hermione says as her legs give out. "Hey, Heeey, I gotcha. Lets get you in bed, okay." Ginny said while catching her in midair.
Molly walks in carrying a bowl of water and a potion bottle. "Gin, do you mind sleeping with Hermione tonight? I just want to make sure someone is watching her tonight and it will just be easier than me having to wake you both up every few hours tonight."
"Of course, mum." Ginny said as she watches her mom points her wand at the two beds and they come together and form one large bed.
Ginny helps Hermione under the covers, puts a few pillows behind her back to sit up and takes a seat next to her.
"How are you feeling, dear?" Molly said as she put her hand in the bowl of warm water and rung out the washcloth. She wipes away the little bit of dry blood left on the girl's forehead.
"I'm, alright Mrs. Weasley. Really, I am. It's just a bump on the head. I've had much worse things happen to me with all the crazy adventures I go on with Harry and Ron." Hermione laughs slightly.
"I'm sure you have. Those boys are a handful. Now you have a nice size bump but I think you're going to be just fine. I'm going to leave this behind and if you get dizzy or nauseous you take this, okay? But only if it's really bad. The side effects can be ghastly" Molly points to where she set the potion bottle down. "I'm going to finish making dinner and I will bring some up when it's done. But I want you to stay in bed until tomorrow. No buts about it."
"Want me to stay with you?" Ginny says hopefully. Hermione nods as Molly leaves.
Ginny walks to the other side of the bed, pulls on her pj's over her head and jumps under the covers. She looks over to Hermione who had here eyes shut tight.
"Are you sure you're okay?" as she lies on her side with her head in her hand. "Yeah, I just have one killer headache. So my backflip was awesome?" smiles Hermione.
"Awesome? 'mione it was wicked!"
"That stupid rock had to go and ruin it." Hermione shook her head laughing.
It wasn't long until Molly came in with two trays of food. The girls ate as much as they could, which for Hermione wasn't much. Molly came back in to get the trays.
"Okay, you girls get some sleep. Gin I want you to wake her up a few times just to check on her. I'm leaving this alarm next to you and in will go off when you need to wake her."
"Why, Mrs. Weasley?"
"It's something you do if someone hits their head really hard. If they hit it hard enough you can go to sleep and fall into a coma. Which in your case won't happen but I just want to be sure. Night, girls." Molly said before leaving.
"Night, mum."
Hermione and Ginny are lying on the bed both staring at the ceiling in their own little worlds. Unknown to them they were thinking about the same thing.
We are so close. …I wish I could just tell her how I feel.
"Ginny, I really owe you for today. For taking care of me. Everything." Hermione said with a glint of tears in her eyes.
"Hermione don't thank me. You are my best friend. I would do it again in a second." Ginny said shifting closer to the girl and grabbing her hand, giving it a friendly squeeze. "You're probably exhausted. Why don't you close your eyes and I'll wake you when the alarm goes off. I'll be right here if you need me."
"You get some sleep too, Gin." Hermione said sleepily as her eyes started to close.
Ginny rubbed her thumb over the top of Hermione's soft hand as she listened to the older girls breathing slow. Ginny suddenly letting the events of today settle in her mind.
I don't know what I would have done if I lost you Hermione. I love you so much.
As her last thoughts settled on the girl next to her Ginny let her tired eyes drift close.
An irritating buzzing noise squawked in Ginnys ear. Ginny suddenly became aware of the closeness between her and Hermione. While asleep Hermione must have cuddled up next to her. Ginny smiled at the arm that was lying on her stomach. She regretfully slipped out from underneath the arm, sat up and rubbed her eyes.
She squinted to help adjust her eyes to the darkness. Ginny grabbed her wand and with a quick flick shot a bright ball of light on the ceiling.
Ginny sits on the bed and looks at Hermione. A contorted expression filled the girls face. She puts her hand on her shoulder and shook trying to wake the girl.
"Hermione, wake up. Come on, time to get up?" Ginny sang. Hermione mumbled something she couldn't really make out. "Come on, 'mione. Wake up and then you can go to sleep right after." Hermione's eyes open and she winces.
"Hey, how you feeling?" Ginny said looking down at the girl.
"I f-feel like I've been hit by the night bus." Hermione says while putting a hand to her pale forehead.
"I figured that would be the case. Can you sit up for me? Your heads bleeding a little bit again." Ginny said while grabbing the washcloth on the table.
Hermione struggles but with Ginnys help sits up. As soon as she does her face goes deathly pale. She pushes Ginny away and rushed in the direction of the bathroom.
Ginny, startled, rushes after her. As she reaches the bathroom she can already hear the noise of her getting sick. She sees Hermione doubled over the toilet. She kneels down behind her, grabs hold of the hair falling in front of the older girls face with one hand and rubs the girls back with the other.
Hermione is half crying half being sick. Ginny puts her head to the girls head and whispers "Shhh. you're okay. Shhh. I'm right here."
Hermione doesn't get sick for long it was more just the nauseous feeling that was scaring her. She loses her balance and slides on her butt with her back against the bathtub.
"Woah. I gotcha. Here lay down. I don't want you hitting your head on anything else." Ginny says while helping guide her head into her lap. She takes her hand and wipes the tears away.
"Something tells me you're not feeling too great." Ginny weakly smiled down to the girl in her lap. "Do you want me to go get mum?"
"Please don't leave. I'm okay now."
"Okay. Well let's get you off this cold floor before you catch a cold. You think you're going to be sick again?"
"No. I'm alright." as she sits up.
Ginny helps the girl to her feet and they walk wearily over to the bed.
"K, I know mum said only to use this if absolutely necessary but I believe it's necessary." Ginny said while grabbing the potion bottle.
"What are the side effects? Does it say?" Hermione said while pulling the covers over herself.
"Lets see. It says it causes drowsiness, hallucinations and fever. Yikes." Ginny said while looking at the potion bottle.
"That sounds like loads of fun." Hermione said exasperatedly.
"Well if it makes you feel better I think it's worth a try." passing the bottle to Hermione.
Hermione, looking at the potion bottle in her hands "You promise you won't leave?"
"Honey, why would I leave?" Ginny said wondering where that was coming from.
"I don't know I'm just asking, I guess."
"You couldn't get rid of me even if you wanted too. I care about you too much." Ginny suddenly realized what she said. At the same time Ginny says Hermione is taking a big gulp from the potion.
Hermione passes the potion back to Ginny with a smile. "I'm lucky to have you, Gin. I really am." Ginny climbs into bed next to Hermione.
"Not as lucky as me." Ginny said not thinking as she reached out to hold Hermione's hand. Hermione holds it happily as she scooted closer to Ginny. Both girls were laying down, Ginny on her side facing Hermione and Hermione on her back. Ginny could see Hermione's eyes start to glaze over. Hermione giggled.
"What is so funny?" Ginny asked curious.
"I have no idea!" Hermione said trying hard to control herself.
Ginny is laughing now "This must be part of the side effects. How's your head feel?"
"I have a head? Are you sure? 'Cuz if I do it's floating away." Hermione now unable to speak coherently.
"Well I'm going to take that as drugged up talk for your head feeling pretty good." Ginny said while looking at the now giddy Hermione.
"I luuv you Ginny Weaaassley. Did you know that?"
"I love you to 'mione." Ginny now thoroughly entertained.
"No-o I love you. Like, really love you?" Hermione said while scooting even closer to her friend.
Ginny can't believe her ears.
Is this really happening? Is Hermione confessing her love for me in a drugged up stupor. I must be sleeping. That's it I fell asleep.
"Hermione I think you're overtired. Why don't you try to get some more sleep?" Ginny said while laying on her back now looking at the ceiling instead of looking at Hermione.
"I-I am tired but I really n-need to tell you this, Gin." Hermione said with a somewhat serious look on her face. "You may think I'm a complete psycho after I tell you this but I need t-to get this out. It's eating me up inside. You can hate me after I tell you but p-p-please let me tell you first….I've liked you f-for a long time now but I think I just realized it fully today. The broom ride to the pond. I don't even know how y-you got me on that thing but you d-did. And I felt so safe in your arms. I never wanted you to let go. If I had to s-s-stay on that broom for the rest of my life just to keep your arms around me I would do it. You have been nothing but the best friend a girl could ever ask for. Hell you saved my life and held my hair back in the same day. I know y-you don't feel the same way a-a-and you probably never will but I ju-just wanted you to know." having said this Hermione searched Ginny's face for a sign. Anything.
Nothing. Ginny just stared. Eyes fixed on the ceiling. Hermione sees her reaction and turns over to face the wall. Hermione slightly trembled. Tears silently falling down her face.
Hermione why did you just tell her that. Look what you have gone and done. She hates you now. Probably thinks you're some sort of freak.
After a few seconds, which felt like years to Hermione she felt a hand on her arm pulling her onto her back. Ginny stared right into Hermione's now tear-filled eyes.
"I could never hate you 'mione. I just can't believe you just said that to me I thought I was dreaming." Ginny said wiping away her tears.
"Just forget I said anything Gin. I'm sorry." Hermione said quietly, worried.
"Forget it? 'Mione I want to remember every word you just said forever." Ginny said coolly. "I've liked you for a long time too. You're sweet, smart, and beautiful. Today when you didn't come up out of the water so many things went through my head. The thought of never seeing you again made me feel like my heart was torn right out of my chest. I was just so scared to tell you. I-I just…this feels like some sort of dream."
Hermione stared deeply at the girl who was just confessing her love to her. "Really? You really feel the same way?"
Ginny couldn't express any more words to explain. Without thinking she leaned over Hermione's lips electricity flowing through her entire body as soon as they connected. They were so soft. Warm. Hermione motionless at first deepened the kiss. Ginny let her tongue tenderly touch the other girls lips, begging entrance.
Hermione Granger was kissing her back. Kissing her. This felt like it was too good to be true.
Powerfully, Ginny lost herself in the tangle of mouths. Lost herself in the feelings she though would only be found in her wildest dreams. One had found its way into Hermione's beautiful soft brown curls. She tasted love, lust and lavender. Her body was on fire. And then as fiercely as it started she pulled away, breathless. She gazed down at Hermione who was slowly opening her eyes with a beautiful smile now on the lips she had just tasted.
"Did that just happen? Is this really happening?" Hermione said fully coherent now.
Ginny, smiling as much as the other, nodded and lay on her back. She pulled the older girl as close as she could. Hermione contentedly laid her head on her chest, nuzzled even closer and let out a relaxed sigh.
Her mind reeling on what just happened Ginny said what was on both of their minds. "What happens now?"
Sooo…did you guys like it? I tried to make it much longer.
I already have ideas for what happens next =)
Thanks for reading if you made it this far!
Reviews always make me happy!