"Well, that was easy! Even for Muggles, my parents are clueless!" Hermione cackled, already having cast a Muffliato on the back section of the taxi. "I can't wait until you get on your very first airplane! I can imagine the look on your face, babe! And all those Muggles around you!" Hermione leaned in and pecked Ginny on the lips. "I can't wait to shop 'til I drop!"
Hermione and I have know that we were lesbians since fourth year, when Ron disappointed Hermione before the Yule Ball and Harry didn't ask me. We had come to each other for comfort and, well, gotten a little more. We've been friends with benefits of sorts ever since. Our trip to NYC and Vegas isn't only to be rebellious 18-year-olds, it's to have a bit of kinky fun, as well. I lean my head against Hermione's shoulder and just chat with her about life until I see the airport. That thing is fucking HUGE, and these big metal things with wings keep flying off every five minutes! The taxi driver drops us off at what Hermione calls the "Departure Lane", and we pay him. Muggle money is so confusing sometimes. Hermione removes the Muffliato and we grab our bags and head to the door, but she stops me before I can stick my head into the airport.
"Now, there are lots of Muggle police here, and there are too many people to cast a Muffliato. No witch talk until I say so, okay? Please, Gin? The Ministry cleared us and made us Muggle passports and travel papers, so we just have to follow the signs. Oh, and one last thing..." she reaches out and grabs my hand. "They're really open-minded here!"
We strut into the airport together, already enjoying ourselves as both guys and girls stare enviously. I know that the witch on my arm is the most gorgeous, and that I'm not half bad myself. Hermione leads me over to what is called "Check-In" and I have to present my passport. The Ministry actually did a good job on it, even putting me in the computer system they have. Hermione presents her passport and then our tickets, and the assistant says that we can check our bags now, whatever that means. I've stayed silent, I don't want to mess anything up and Hermione seems to know what she's doing. She puts my bag onto a black plastic rolly thing and puts a tag on it that has our flight information on it. The man behind the counter pressed a button, and my bag starts to slide back towards a door! Hermione puts a hand on my waist, letting me know it's okay. When she has done the same with her bag, we walk away towards a cafe.
"You did really well, Gin! I thought for a second that I was going to have to stop you from diving after your bag! That would really have confused the attendant for sure!" she snickers.
"Hey," I protest, "You could have warned me that they were going to take my stuff! Where does it go, anyway?"
"Into the bottom of the airplane that we're flying on. We get it back in New York. Isn't that cool?" Hermione replies.
"It's fucking amazing! Who knew Mu...they...could do all of this?" I say excitedly, "What else do we have to do before we get on this airplane?"
"Well, first we have to go that way and wait in a long line and put our purses through what is called an X-ray. It uses a type of energy to get pictures of what's on the inside of our purses, to make sure that we don't have anything we could use to hurt other passengers with. You have to make sure you don't have anything metal like jewelry or coins in your pocket when you walk through the big metal arch called a metal detector. It makes sure that you don't have any metal things on you like a bomb or a gun. Then, we find a cafe and wait!" Hermione informs me.
"Sounds...fun. If it's a big line, then let's hurry up and go wait!" I kiss her on the cheek and start to run off towards the biggest line I see...until I jerk to a stop. Hermione had grabbed my arm. There is an even bigger line that I hadn't seen. I groan.