Chapter 35

Ginny POV

"Ginny?"

Ginny looked up from where she was sat on the ground against the stump. She saw two figures, clinging to each other, the taller one holding a lit wand out in front of them.

"Ginny, what in the bloody hell are you doing out here all alone? It's dark!" Ron said, stepping through the brambles to get to his sister and kneeling down beside her, shining the light over her. "Are you hurt?"

"Not physically, no…" Ginny replied sadly, sniffling a little. Ron looked at her, then turned to the other person still on the trail.

"Lav, I need a rain check for tonight. Ginny needs me."

"Fine…" Lavender replied, a bit irritably. She walked off, leaving the two youngest Weasleys alone.

Ron took off his thick sweater and draped it across Ginny like a blanket.

"Gin, what's going on? Why are you out here alone?" he asked, as gently as possible.

"Demelza broke up with me…" Ginny mumbled, the tears starting to form in her eyes again.

"What? And left you out here?" Ron asked, shocked.

Ginny shrugged, "It's not as dramatic as it seems… I just… I wanted some time alone, and I guess I lost track of time…"

"Ginny… You're out in the woods, in the dark, next to the Shrieking Shack! You can't be out here alone!" Ron exclaimed, worry coating his voice.

"I'm sorry…" Ginny muttered, weakly.

Ron hesitated, then moved to sit down next to Ginny, leaning against the stump, "What happened?"

"I messed up big time… I… I hit Juliette with a Bat-Bogey Hex in front of Hermione and Demelza…"

Ron stared at her, dumbfounded, "You… You what?"

Ginny gave him a pained look, "She's fine, but it was definitely painful for her… And Hermione's mad at me, and Demelza…" Ginny paused.

"What?"

"Demelza said she's scared of me… And want a break after how I've been acting the past week…" Ginny hung her head, letting the tears drip onto her legs.

"Merlin's beard, Gin, I didn't know you could do that…" Ron said. Ginny gave him a look. "Right, not the point. Well, if Demelza says she needs time, then give her time. I'm sure she'll come around. She's mad about you, if you didn't know," Ron said, nudging Ginny gently and grinning a little. Ginny smiled, and looked up at her big brother.

"Yeah, maybe… Sorry I ruined your evening…"

"Eh, don't worry about it. I'll make it up to her later," Ron said, shrugging.

Ginny couldn't help but let a little bit of disgust show on her face as she wrinkled her nose at the thought of her brother and Lavender, but she chose to keep quiet.

"Hey so, why did you hex Juliette?"

"What?"

"You said you hit Juliette with a Bat-Bogey Hex, which, bloody hell Gin, is mad cool!" Ron grinned at her. "But why'd you do it?"

"She just…" Ginny paused, envisioning Juliette's hand intertwining with Hermione's, "She gets under my skin…"

"Alright, not much of a reason to hex her there… And that's me saying that…"

"I know that!" Ginny snapped, "I just lost my temper. I know it was stupid and I shouldn't have done it, I just couldn't help it!"

Ron put his hands up, "Alright, alright! Just… Consider maybe apologizing to all three girls?" Ron suggested, delicately.

Ginny glared at him.

"Hear me out… I know at least as far as Hermione is concerned, an apology goes a long way. Not that I've had much practice at it…" Ron chuckled. "But when I have done it, it's meant a lot. I think it'd mean a lot to her if you just apologized and owned up to what you did…"

"Yeah… You're probably right…" Ginny looked at her older brother, "When'd you get so wise, huh?"

"Well, I did just turn fifteen years old, I'm basically a man now!" Ron said, flexing his muscles and grinning widely Ginny.

Ginny shook her head, laughing lightly, genuinely appreciating Ron's use of humor to try and cheer her up.

"Look, Gin, I'm sorry you're going through this. Just, keep your temper in check, and I'm sure everything will turn out for you. Demelza's mad for you, and Hermione will accept an apology if it's genuine enough. Don't know what to tell you about Juliette, but I'm sure Hermione would appreciate if you apologized to her as well," Ron suggested.

Ginny rolled her eyes at the suggestion of her apologizing to Juliette, but then shrugged, "I know… Thanks, Ron," she smiled up at her brother, who nudged her and smiled back.

"What are big brothers for, eh? C'mon, let's go. It's a bit dodgy out here, don't you think?"

The two Weasleys got up from the ground, brushed themselves off, and headed down the trail back to Hogsmeade.

The next morning, Ginny was laying in her bed, exhausted. She hadn't slept at all as she had been completely unsuccessful at slowing down her brain enough to be able to get to sleep.

What was I thinking, hexing Juliette? Where did that anger come from? She's spoken down to me like that many times over, why would I suddenly have that kind of reaction to her? That one moment ruined my relationships with Hermione and Demelza… Juliette's not worth that…

As she got up, she made sure to open her curtain on the side opposite of Demelza's bed, and didn't dare look over to see if Demelza's curtains were shut or not. She threw on a jumper and joggers and headed quickly and quietly down the staircase, hoping to get in an early morning Quidditch training in to help clear her head. That, unfortunately, was not going to happen, as once Ginny arrived in the common room, she saw Hermione sitting in an armchair by the fire. No books, no parchment to be scribbled on, she was just sitting there, as if she was waiting for someone. Ginny took a deep, settling breath, then walked across the room to sit in the armchair opposite Hermione.

"Good morning, Ginny…" Hermione said quietly, looking at her with calm, determined eyes.

Ginny bit her bottom lip nervously, "Good morning… Hermione, I – "

Hermione had raised her hand to stop Ginny, and Ginny froze.

"I want to apologize, Ginny."

"What? Hermione, no, I – I shouldn't have – I can't believe I – "

"Ginny, please let me talk. You deserve an apology."

Ginny was taken aback, and was sure her face reflected that. Hermione continued.

"I'm sorry that I hid that I fancied girls from you. I know that you had no choice in coming out, but you were so honest with your feelings and open to talk to me about them, and I should have done the same. I want you to know that it had nothing to do with the trust I have in you. I trust you, Ginny. And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you earlier."

Ginny was speechless as she processed what Hermione said.

"I'm also sorry that I started up with Juliette after telling you I wanted the two of us to cut her out. Initially when I told you that, it was my intention, to cut her out. But as I got to know her more and spent more time with her, I found that I had feelings for her… We've only been officially together since just after the Second Task, but we'd been spending time together since just after the Yule Ball… The article is true in that regard, but certainly not about anything to do with Viktor," she exhaled, looking genuinely at Ginny, "That's all I've got, but I wanted to get it out first. I'm sorry, Ginny. Truly, I am."

Ginny looked at Hermione, studying her face.

"Hermione, I appreciate all of this, but I really think I'm the one who should be apologizing. What I did to Juliette was inexcusable, and I'm so sorry. I'm also sorry for how I treated you after I read the article. I should've let you explain, and I'm sorry I blew up about it. I'm sorry I let my stupid temper get the best of me… I'm sorry…"

Hermione nodded, "Thank you, Ginny."

The two looked at each other silently for a bit.

"So, are we okay?" Ginny asked, unsure.

"Of course, Ginny, we're okay. As long as you're going to be okay with me being with Juliette?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Can I just ask, why Juliette? I know you said you spent time with her and started fancying her, but how is that possible? You even said yourself that – "

"People aren't always what they seem, Ginny… Sometimes people hide their true feelings or who they really are under a mask of sorts…" Hermione said, with the slightest hint of a blush in her cheeks.

"If you say so… Well… I'm obviously not a fan, but I will get used to her if I have to, for you…" Ginny sighed, running a hand through her long red hair.

"Who knows, maybe someday we'll go on a double-date or something?" Hermione suggested with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

Ginny shut her eyes tightly at the reminder of Demelza, "Well… That may have to wait…"

"What? Why?" Hermione asked concerned.

"After what happened yesterday, Demelza asked for us to go on a break… So, we're not actually together at the moment..." Ginny admitted reluctantly. She looked up, and saw Hermione staring at her blankly. "What...?" Ginny asked nervously.

"You're… You're not with Demelza anymore." It was a statement, not a question.

"No… I mean, it's a break, so I'm hoping we can get back together, but she was so scared…. I could see in her eyes that I'd broken so much trust between us…" Ginny hung her head, defeated.

"I'm sorry Ginny… I'm sure… I'm sure she'll come around…"

Ginny looked up, and wiped her tears quickly before forcing a smile, "She wasn't wrong to ask for this. I've been my worst self this past week. I understand why she did what she did, it's okay. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be, right?" Ginny couldn't help but start crying again as she buried her head in her hands. Suddenly, she felt a pair of hands pull hers from her face. She looked up, and saw Hermione kneeling in front of her.

"Ginny, I have watched you be… A wonderful girlfriend to Demelza, for months… The two of you really are… Such a lovely pair… I'm sure that she'll give you another chance… I can't imagine anyone not wanting to be with you…" Hermione said genuinely while gently holding Ginny's hands in hers, stroking them with her thumbs. She reached up with both hands to wipe tears from Ginny's cheeks and eyes, but once the tears had gone, Hermione was just holding Ginny's face in her hands. The two looked at each other, frozen, neither willing to break the contact.

"Ginny?"

Both girls whipped their heads towards the broken voice coming from the base of the girls' staircase. Demelza was standing there, bottom lip quivering, eyes filling with tears.

"Demelza!" Ginny stood up abruptly, ripping her face from Hermione's hands and rushing towards the stairs. "This isn't what it looks like, at all! Hermione was just – "

"Was just what? Ginny, she looked like she was about to… About to…" Demelza was unable to finish her sentence as the words caught in her throat.

"Demelza, it really is a misunderstanding. Ginny was talking to me about you and – " Hermione started before being interrupted by Ginny.

"Demelza, I'm so sorry. I still intend on giving you space, and I will give you as much space as you want, but I just want you to know I'm sorry, and I will change. I promise. Please don't add this to the list of things you're upset with me for… I promise it's not what you think…" Ginny pleaded.

Demelza was staring at her, unsure. Ginny took a few more cautious steps closer to Demelza, and to her surprise, Demelza reached out and touched Ginny's face. Ginny stood frozen as Demelza traced her jawline with her fingertips, then gently brushed Ginny's lips with her thumb. She ran her hand down Ginny's neck and chest and stopped at her heart. Ginny very hesitantly covered Demelza's hand with her own, scared to move otherwise. Demelza looked into Ginny's eyes, and Ginny could see how deeply hurt and sad she was.

"Okay…" Demelza said, slowly.

"Okay…?"

"Okay… I need more time, but… Okay… Thank you for apologizing…"

Ginny smiled at her softly, scared anything bigger would ruin the moment. Demelza returned the same, small smile, then walked off and through the portrait hole. Ginny kept her hand on her heart for a moment, before she turned back to Hermione. She thought for a moment that she saw a frown on Hermione's face, but she must've imagined it, as Hermione was approaching her with a big, reassuring smile.

"See, Ginny? It's all going to be okay. You'll be back with Demelza in no time," Hermione said, definitively.

Ginny ran a hand through her long red hair again, and exhaled deeply, "Yeah, as long as I don't mess it up…"

Ginny shook her head, then walked towards the portrait hole, intent on getting in that Quidditch training session.

Hermione POV

Hermione turned and watched Ginny leave the common room through the portrait hole.

What do you think you're doing? It doesn't matter that Ginny isn't with Demelza anymore, you're with Juliette! Actually with Juliette. And you're crazy about her. Ginny and Demelza will very clearly be getting back together, and even so, it's not at all worth losing Juliette over. The feelings you have for Juliette are reciprocated and real and intense and…

With a sudden realization, Hermione headed for the portrait hole. She had to tell Juliette what had happened.

Before she remembered how early it was, she was knocking their secret rhythm on the Beauxbatons carriage door. As the door opened, her eyes widened in shock and a bit of fear, as she was staring up at Madam Maxime.

"You are calling at zis hour, why?" her deep voice boomed gently, but forcefully.

"I… Uh… I…" Hermione stammered, not knowing how to proceed.

Suddenly, she heard rapid French from inside the carriage, and Madam Maxime raised her eyebrows at Hermione before stepping aside. Juliette's smiling face appeared, stepping out of the carriage to greet Hermione with a hug.

"'Ermione, zis is a nice and early surprise," she kissed Hermione gently on the lips.

Deep French came from the carriage, and Juliette responded quickly, then looked at Hermione, "Evidently we are to go somewhere else."

The two walked hand in hand towards the castle until they found a secluded bench out near the Herbology greenhouses and sat down. The early spring bulbs were popping up all around, sprinkling the vast green grounds in purples, yellows, and whites.

"So, did I forget zat we 'ad planned to meet zis morning? Maybe Ginny's 'ex yesterday altered my memory as well?" Juliette chuckled, but Hermione wasn't laughing. "'Ermione, are you okay?"

"Ginny and Demelza aren't together anymore. They're on a break, taking some time, whatever they want to call it, but they're not together anymore."

"Oh…" Juliette was initially shocked, then her face fell slightly, and she looked down at the ground to hide her disappointment from Hermione.

Hermione softly grabbed Juliette's chin, lifting it gently so she could look into her eyes. "Ginny and I had… It wasn't even a moment, really, but this morning I was consoling her when she was crying about Demelza and we had a moment of prolonged eye contact… And it made me realize something…"

"What…?" Juliette asked softly, her eyes searching Hermione's.

"Juliette I… I think I'm falling in love with you…"