-Chapter 12: It Makes Me Feel Closer to You-
"Please, Hermione, you know we won't be able to spend any time up there next week while I'm taking my O.W.L.s. and this weekend I will be studying non-stop," Ginny begged.
The girls were sitting in the common room by themselves on the sofa in front of the fire. Hermione was curled up at one end with her Charms book. Ginny sat in the middle as close to Hermione as she could get without being on top of her. Ginny was getting restless not having spent hardly any nights with Hermione in the Room of Requirement since the night she spent in the hospital wing. She missed her lover's touch and waking up with that mess of brown hair mixed with her own.
Hermione hadn't purposefully become distant since that April night she spent next to a sleeping Ginny in the infirmary. She just felt slightly overwhelmed by all of the emotion since then and didn't know how to deal with it. There was no logic to everything she was feeling. She wrote everything down, tried to figure it all out but she just couldn't find the logic.
Since there was a lack of information about how to deal with Ginny's panic attacks without Muggle drugs it was nearly impossible for them to come up with a solid plan of action. Ginny mentioned feeling better after having some pumpkin juice so Hermione started filling a bottle full of it for her every morning at breakfast. Harry, Ron, and Hermione wouldn't discuss the horcruxes in front of Ginny anymore. They always tried to be pleasant and not talk about anything negative.
Despite all of that there were still a few instances where Ginny would start staring off into space, she'd feel the blood drain from her head and before she knew it the trio were crowding around her and Hermione was pouring pumpkin juice into her mouth. She didn't do it on purpose, it was just that her mind would wander to the horcruxes and horrible thoughts would somehow manage to invade her mind. Ron and Harry walking into the Burrow carrying Hermione's lifeless body. All three of them found dead after a battle with Death Eaters. Death Eaters destroying everyone and everything she loved.
"Ginny I am very stressed right now, please. Just let me study." Hermione jotted down some notes on her parchment.
"What has gotten into you? You won't let me touch you even when we're alone. We have spent maybe two nights together in a month and all I get is a peck goodnight. Have I done something wrong? Do you not love me anymore? What is it? Please, Hermione just talk to me!"
Ginny reached for Hermione's arm but before she could do so all she saw was Hermione lunging towards her. Ginny felt those soft familiar lips press hard against her own and Hermione pinned her to the couch. Hermione's tongue forced its way into Ginny's mouth. Ginny responded by grabbing a handful of Hermione's backside. Hermione pushed her hips between Ginny's legs and ground into the witch pinned underneath her. Ginny moaned. Hermione's hands found their way up the sides of Ginny's shirt while her hips continued grinding against the redhead. Ginny's hands ran up Hermione's back and she gripped onto the brunette. Ginny was tempted to roll the two of them to the floor and make love to the beautiful girl on top of her but before she could, Hermione pulled away and laid her head on Ginny's heaving chest.
"You've done nothing wrong Ginny. You know I love you." Hermione played with the pendant around Ginny's neck that she had given her at the end of the summer. She sat up and Ginny followed. Ginny put her arms around a now teary-eyed Hermione and held her tight.
"Then just tell me. 'Mione we are best friends, we always have been and I hope we always will be. You used to be able to tell me anything. What happened to that?"
"I'm scared, Ginny. I'm scared for you, for us, for Harry, for the entire world. Even though I know I will always be able to reach you, I am scared. I've been trying to be strong for you because I know you're scared too. Believe me I have tried. I haven't wanted to spend the night with you because I didn't want you to see me like this." Hermione couldn't help it, she cried. Ginny held her tight and rocked her.
"Oh sweetheart…you could've told me. You don't have to be strong all the time. I know you like to be but you're only human. It makes me feel better knowing that you and I feel the same sometimes, you know? It makes me feel closer to you." She kissed the top of Hermione's head, relaxed her grip a little, and put one hand under Hermione's chin to guide her into a soft kiss. "I love you, Hermione. Don't ever forget that. Now, what do you say we go up to the Room of Requirement? I would love nothing more than to spend tonight holding you in my arms."
Hermione agreed and the two snuck upstairs, the doors were waiting for them by the time they got there. Hermione went to the bathroom to change as always. When Ginny opened her drawer to retrieve her pajamas she found not only them but also a familiar looking light blue book. Hermione came out of the bathroom and Ginny was sitting in bed flipping through the pages. Hermione joined her in bed and snuggled up close to her.
"How did you get that up here?" Hermione asked, tracing her fingers over one of the pages.
"It was in my drawer. Since you had your chance to take care of me how about I give it a go for tonight?"
Hermione nodded and Ginny opened the book and read a tale of a sleeping princess, dragons and evil queens. It wasn't long before they were both asleep.
