Chapter Two

Hermione couldn't sleep. She had been tossing and turning for hours now yet sleep seemed to evade her. Ever since the Welcoming Feast she had been restless.

Of course, she knew why. She knew everything! Or so she hoped…but she had trouble admitting the truth to herself.

She liked girls.

She had found out about a year ago but confirmed the fact two months ago, during the summer.

She bit her lip. What was she going to do now? There was no way she was going to the meetings; she couldn't stand talking about it and even less to Professor Snape. Could you imagine confessing you're gay to the one professor who hates you?

Hermione sighed. It was all too much: school, the war, being a teenager, hormones and then… being gay.

Should she tell one of her friends? Her parents? She sighed again. She couldn't even tell her cat. How was she ever going to tell someone else?

She had so many questions and she wasn't used to not knowing something. Was something wrong with her? Was she normal? Was it legal? Was it just hormones? Was this just a phase? Should she do something about it? Should she start dating to find out? Should she find information about it? Were there books about this?

Those questions and others had spooked through her mind for the last months and they weren't going away any time soon.

--

Little did Hermione know that she wasn't the only one with the same, or similar problem. All over the castle, students were unable to sleep (or sleep, but ended up having nightmares) because their minds were full of fear and questions.

Culture had stood in the way of children feeling the way they wanted. Sometimes they couldn't even be friends because of the other child's blood, but one thing was certain: this time all the children would fight against the rules that had them bound. This time, they would choose who they loved. Students in all the houses felt a surge of energy run through their bodies. It was almost impossible to feel, but they felt it anyway. It was ancient magic; magic that would bind them all.

--

Morning came and even though she didn't want to, Hermione got up for school. It was one of the rare days when she really didn't feel like learning and just wanted to stay in bed and sleep all day, because when you're asleep, you don't have to worry, or think. Although, she thought that her having nightmares again was a very stimulating reason to get out of bed.

While she wordlessly poured milk into her bowl of cereal, she noticed that Harry was unusually silent as well. When she asked him if something was wrong, he answered very nervously. "Um, n-no, why should I be? I'm fine, fine." He then opened the Daily Prophet to escape any further questions.

Hermione didn't say another word and soon classes started. Transfiguration came and went fairly quickly, to her surprise, but when History of Magic came, Hermione considered skipping the class. In that class, there was no need to take notes and therefore you could sleep or think all you wanted. But Hermione didn't want to think, because that would only lead to more questions that would end up unanswered.

--

At the breakfast table a week later Hermione was still full of questions. She repeated the same routine she had always followed: make her breakfast, drink her coffee and go to classes. But all of that was interrupted by Ron who sat down at the table looking furious.

"Arrgh! Stupid third years!" he almost yelled.

"What happened?" she asked.

"This- this… STUPID third year came up to me for advice. Since I am a prefect I thought 'ok, sure' but that boy's questions- arghh!!" Hermione was sure steam was coming out of her friend's ears.

"What did-" Hermione's question was cut off by the sound of the bell. Without saying another word, Ron left the table and again and stomped off to class. Hermione stood up and followed her friend, confused.

--

Later that day in the common room, Hermione sat down next to Harry. He was still having strangely but Hermione wasn't going to talk to him about that. She wanted to know what happened to Ron and why he was so angry.

"So, why was Ron all wired up at breakfast? I never got a chance to ask him about it." she laid her head on her best friends shoulder and he sighed.

"I heard from Parvati that a third year had asked him stuff about, er, homosexuality." Harry shifted uncomfortable but Hermione didn't move.

"And he got angry about it? He's supposed to help the boy, not get angry." Hermione frowned. "What did he do?"

"I don't know." Harry responded. "I think he just got angry and left."

"Ugh, will he ever grow up?" Harry smiled.

"No."

"Thought so." Hermione smiled.

A/N: many hugs to my sister for being my beta for this story :)