Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters (I do own Sebastian Corax)
I Want to Know You
Chapter 8
Friday
Three days later Ginny brought Hermione home and settled her into her room where she was surrounded by letters, files and books that she had ordered for her job. The letters were mostly well wishers but Hermione was searching for the red envelope before remembering what happened to Strix. She wondered, if Ginny wasn't Poe, would she ever hear from her again? Her thought was interrupted by Ginny coming in with a tray of tea.
"Here you go Mione, tea, Earl Gray, hot…just the way you like it" Ginny puts the tray on the night stand. "Now all your mail is here, and all your books are there, Draco sent some files for you to get familiar with and sent you resources from the Malfoy library. We all knew you'd want to study while you rested"
"Thanks Ginny"
"I'll leave you to it then. Call me if you need anything…and I'll bring you some lunch in a few hours." Ginny closed the door to Hermione's room and set off to do some cleaning of her own.
The next four days passed by without incident as Hermione quickly got caught up with her courses and the files Draco left her. She had many visitors including the Weasley family, Draco, Harry and Luna. Hermione was walking around the house for some exercise and to get her strength back from being in bed for days. Ginny took good care of her and Hermione only asked for Ginny to spend a couple nights with her when she woke up with disturbing dreams. Hermione wanted Ginny to stay with her every night but she figured that was too much to ask of her friend.
One night in Hermione's room she was reading stretched out on her bed when Ginny came in. Ginny had just then decided to bite the bullet and confess to Hermione.
"Hey Mione, can I talk to you?" Ginny asked quietly. Hermione pulled the covers off the other side of her bed and nodded a clear invitation. When Ginny sat nervously on the edge of the bed Hermione looked confused
"What's wrong Gin?"
"I need to tell you something…something I think is bad"
"Are you ok? Am I ok?" Hermione's panic caused Ginny to throw her hands up and calm her down
"No, No we are both fine…it's nothing like that"
"Ok, Why won't you come over here?" Hermione pressed and Ginny sprung up and began to pace
"Cuz after I tell you …I don't want to be that close to you." Ginny admitted nervously
"What are you going on about? And stop that infernal pacing you're making me nervous" Hermione's tone was abrupt. Ginny stops at the foot of the bed with her head in her hands she draws a deep breath causing Hermione to look worried
"I'm POE" Ginny blurts out loudly
Hermione processes the statement with no expression on her face. Ginny is looking at the floor or the ceiling anywhere but in Hermione's amber eyes as she patiently waits for a response
"I know" Hermione finally responds softly
"What did you say?" asked Ginny
"I said, I know" Hermione repeats slowly meeting Ginny's gaze as she pats the bed for Ginny to sit with her. "It's ok, come over here with me….please"
It was the please that got to her and she finally crawled up the bed toward Hermione. Ginny sat cross-legged to Hermione's right. Ginny looked down at her clasped hands and she saw Hermione's hand reach for hers and grasp it
"Why won't you look at me?" asked Hermione. Without looking up Ginny spoke
"This is all my fault, you got hurt because of me and those stupid letters, I'm so sorry"
"Ginny you aren't to blame Ron did this" Hermione's voice was comforting
"Ron is my fault" Ginny looks at Hermione "If it wasn't for my letters Ron wouldn't have gone so crazy"
"Gin, Ron's been crazy all along and he would have done this eventually"
"That's what Luna said"
"She's usually right" Hermione said with a smile
"We had a talk…Luna and I, a long talk at St. Mungo's, I came to sit with you after my shift and she was there next to you reading you the Quibbler. She told me she had to speak with me. She said she had never broken someone's confidence but felt there were things I needed to know."
"That doesn't sound like Luna, what did she tell you?"
"About you and her" Hermione shifted uncomfortably in bed "Luna figured out that I was Poe and told me to tell you how I felt because back in school…you told her you felt the same way." Ginny's voice trailed off as Hermione's face grew red
"I did, I had very strong feelings for you… too strong…they scared me" Hermione confessed
"Luna said you didn't tell me cuz you didn't want to ruin the friendship if things didn't work out"
"Yes, that's right; I was so young I didn't really know…." Ginny cut her off
"It's ok…I did the same thing. I was too scared of not having you in my life I couldn't risk it. So for the longest time I kept it to myself. Then there was Victor and then Ron and I figured it was best for everyone not to say anything. Then at Neville's wedding when you told me everything and how unhappy you felt…I just wanted to take you home that night, instead I came up with the idea for the letters. I thought it was s good idea at the time but it pushed Ron into a murderous rage and nearly got you killed. How did you figure out I was Poe?"
"Well quite by accident really, I thought I was hallucinating but I heard you and Sebastian arguing about it while I was at St. Mungo's"
"Clever witch you are indeed" Ginny smiled as an awkward silence filled the room
"Can I ask you something and promise me you'll be honest?" Hermione asked breaking the silence
"Of course, I have nothing to hide now"
"How long have you…felt this way about me?"
"Since I was eleven" Hermione could not hid the shock at Ginny's answer "can I ask you another question?" Ginny nodded "When? I mean how did you know?"
"When I spent three days straight by your bedside, after you were petrified by the basilisk. Tom Riddle told me to go to you and kill you because you would be his downfall and you were not worthy. I wouldn't. He controlled every part of my life but he couldn't make me kill you, he was furious. Dumbledore said it was the power of love" Hermione was shocked
"So everything in the letters?" Hermione asked
"All true but you know that. Now I need to know how you feel about all this.
"I still love you very much, I still want to be with you and I want to know how my poem ends." Hermione said with a smile
Ginny positions herself so she is straddling Hermione's waist and stares so deeply into her eyes. As she takes Hermione's face in her hands.
"I watch your luscious essence drip, and the wicked smile escapes my lips. Seeing you is my only bliss, I can't wait to taste your kiss." Ginny kisses Hermione
"I can't wait to be on my knees, to do anything you please. To bow before the goddess I see…to make you writhe in ecstasy." Ginny concludes with another kiss much deeper then the first.
"I love it, you really wrote that for me?" Hermione questioned
"Every word of it, I'm never gonna leave you again." Ginny assured her
"You better not" Hermione smiled.