Chapter 34
Ginny POV
That evening Ginny was sitting in her dormitory alone, leaning up against her headboard. Demelza walked in, carrying the books Ginny had left behind in the corridor with Hermione and Juliette. Ginny stared at her, confused.
"Hermione gave them to me. She said you probably wouldn't accept them if she tried to give them to you."
Demelza set the books beside Ginny's bed and then nudged her over a bit so she could sit next to her. Ginny leaned her head on Demelza's shoulder and scooted closer to her.
"What happened?" Demelza asked gently.
"I kind of lost it on Hermione…" Ginny whispered, fighting back tears.
Demelza paused for a moment, "Okay… Do you want to talk about it, or – "
"I just got so overwhelmed by it all… Seeing her and thinking of everything she'd kept from me… She knew she fancied girls, but didn't tell me… She's dating Juliette, and didn't tell me about that either…" Ginny said, the tears now threatening to fall from her eyes.
"Ginny… Remember, it's not about you…"
"I know… I know it's not… It's just… It's not a great feeling… I'm supposed to be her best girl friend… Obviously that's not the case, now that she has Juliette…"
"You and Juliette serve different purposes in Hermione's life… You can both be in her life, Ginny," Demelza said softly into Ginny's hair.
"I don't want Juliette in her life…" Ginny muttered.
"Ginny… Do you trust Hermione?"
"Of course I do," Ginny said, turning to look up at Demelza.
"Then give it a chance. If you want to be in Hermione's life, you're going to have to accept that she's with Juliette," Demelza said earnestly.
Ginny mumbled something unintelligible and Demelza chuckled lightly.
"It'll all be okay… Just give it a little time, you'll get used to it in eventually. It's just something new that you need to adjust to, that's all," she said, pulling Ginny in as close as she could and kissing her temple.
"Can you… Sleep here tonight?" Ginny asked hesitantly, looking up at Demelza. "I want to be close to you…"
Demelza smiled down at Ginny before placing another kiss on her temple, "Of course I can."
The next few days hadn't done anything to make Ginny feel any better. Everything was going as it usually was, except she hadn't spoken with Hermione, she couldn't stop thinking about her and Juliette, and that had put her in a right foul mood. She could feel herself being prickly whenever anyone spoke to her, even Demelza, and she hated that she was being like that, but she couldn't seem to help it. She was still so emotional about the entire situation, and regardless of how irrational she knew she was being, she just couldn't let it go.
Once again, she was fully immersed in her thoughts as she walked to class, alone.
How could she not tell me? I was struggling with fancying girls, and she said nothing. And Juliette, of all people… What could she possibly see in her, besides her looks? There's no way Hermione's that shallow…
As she entered the Transfiguration classroom, she spotted Demelza, Colin, and Ritchie near the back and went and sat down next to Demelza. Demelza didn't acknowledge her.
"Hi…" Ginny said, quietly and awkwardly. No reaction from Demelza. "Look, I know I've been in a mood, but – "
"Ginny, you've actually been pretty unbearable to be around lately…" Demelza said, still not looking at Ginny.
"I know, and I'm sorry… There's no excuse for why I've been acting this way, and I want to make it up to you."
Demelza finally looked at Ginny, and Ginny could see the hurt in her light gray eyes.
"Alright…" Demelza said hesitantly.
"I know you said long ago that it's not really our thing, but would you like to accompany me to Madam Puddifoot's tomorrow? It's the last Hogsmeade trip of the term, and we haven't gone yet."
"Ginny, we don't have to do that…"
"Come on, it'll be my treat. We'll ditch the boys for a bit and check it out. What do you say?" Ginny asked imploringly.
Demelza looked at her, studying her bright brown eyes, before she responded, "Oh alright…" she smiled softly and nudged Ginny, who gave her a big smile back.
"I really am sorry, Demelza. I've been awful."
"Yes, you have been. And I know you're sorry. I know you're struggling with this whole Hermione thing. It's okay to have feelings about it, but it hasn't felt good having you take those feelings out on me, you know?"
"I know… I'm so sorry… I – "
"Miss Weasley, Miss Robins, eyes up front please," Professor McGonagall requested, giving the two a stern look.
The two exchanged small smiles, then focused up front on what Professor McGonagall was instructing.
The following day, Ginny was up early. She hadn't slept much, just as she hadn't over the past few nights. She opened her curtains just a bit, and looked over at Demelza's bed. She hadn't closed her curtains all the way, so Ginny could see a little bit of her girlfriend's face, sleeping deeply and peacefully. She grinned as she saw Demelza smile lightly in her sleep before rolling over.
Demelza has been so good to me, especially lately. She's been so patient with me and my stupid temper, and she doesn't deserve how I've been acting. She deserves so much better than me…
Ginny frowned slightly, realizing what a pain she'd been and the hurt she'd caused Demelza the past few days. She sat up, pulled her curtain aside, swung her legs off the side of her bed, and stood up. She walked over to Demelza's bed, pulled the curtain back, and slid in next to her, closing the curtain behind her.
"Ginny? What are you doing?" Demelza asked sleepily.
"I want to be close to you…" Ginny snuggled into Demelza's side, burying her head in her neck and putting an arm across her stomach.
"Alright…" Demelza said, kissing the top of Ginny's head and pulling her in close.
They laid like that for a while, Demelza drifting in and out of sleep, until the feeling of Ginny's tears on her neck woke Demelza up.
"Ginny, what's wrong?" Demelza sat up and pulled Ginny closer.
"I'm sorry… I don't know what's wrong with me… I've been so awful these past few days… I'm so sorry Demelza…"
"Ginny, it's okay… You're okay…" Demelza whispered.
"You're too good for me Demelza…"
"That's not true… You deserve the best… No one could be too good for you Ginny…"
Ginny looked up, tears in her eyes, "Then I'm not good enough for you…"
"How about you let me be the judge of that, okay? You don't get to decide if you're good enough for me or not, that's up to me. Come here," Demelza whispered, pulling Ginny up towards her.
For the first moment in a few days, they kissed. Ginny's tears dampened Demelza's face, but neither girl cared. Demelza brought her hand up, cupping Ginny's cheek, wiping the tears from her face as she did. Once they broke apart, Ginny buried her face back into Demelza's neck.
"Can we go get some breakfast?" Ginny mumbled tearfully.
"Of course we can, let's go," Demelza said.
As the girls were finishing breakfast, Colin and Ritchie sat down with them at the end of the Gryffindor table.
"Done being pissy, are we?" Ritchie asked Ginny, a bit of an edge in his tone.
"Lay off, she's had a week," Demelza said, giving Ritchie a stern look.
"So have we, dealing with her attitude…" Ritchie muttered under his breathe.
"I'm sorry you guys… I know I've been a handful. I'm going to turn it around though, I promise," Ginny said earnestly.
"It's okay, Ginny. We accept your apology. We know it's been tough, hearing that one of your best friend's kept that she was gay too from you. And that she's dating your super fit arch-nemesis." Colin rattled off. Demelza and Ritchie each shot Colin pained looks while Ginny looked down.
"Thanks Colin…" Ginny said softly.
Demelza wrapped her arm around Ginny protectively, "Come on, let's go to Hogsmeade."
The four got up from the table and set off to Hogsmeade. They hit their usual shops, Honeydukes, Zonko's, and the Three Broomsticks, before Ginny and Demelza broke off on their own. They walked into Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, took one look around, and immediately left. They looked at each other and laughed. No way were they going to spend time around so many other couples just sitting there, staring lovingly into each other's eyes. They were right on their first assumption; it just wasn't for them.
"Have you heard of the Shrieking Shack?" Demelza asked.
Ginny shot her a look, "Is that really our alternative to Madam Puddifoot's Snog Shop?"
Demelza laughed, "I just thought it might be cool to go and look at. I've wanted to go the past few times we've been to Hogsmeade, but I didn't want to suggest it because I thought it might freak Colin out too much."
"You're not wrong about that, and who knows what Ritchie would've done. Probably forced us all to try to break in somehow. Alright, let's go," Ginny said, taking Demelza's hand in hers and beginning the journey beyond Hogsmeade. They walked hand in hand chattering away as they followed the wooded, winding path through the forest. Eventually they walked out into a clearing that contained an abandoned, boarded-up old house. Demelza cuddled in closer to Ginny upon arrival.
"Oh, I see, this is why you wanted to come? To get closer to me?" Ginny teased lightly, putting her arm around Demelza.
"No… It's just a bit creepier than I thought it would be, that's all," Demelza said, looking up at Ginny, "But you know I'm always up for an excuse to get close to you, Miss Weasley."
Demelza placed a gentle kiss on Ginny's lips before turning back to look at the Shrieking Shack. Suddenly, they heard a rusting sound in the trees behind them. Ginny whipped around, wand pointed towards the noise, and held Demelza protectively behind her.
"You can put your wand down, Little Ginny, it is just us," said a familiar French voice from the woods. Out stepped Hermione and Juliette, looking disheveled. Hermione was furiously attempting to smooth her hair and clothes while Juliette stood there, as confident and smug as ever. Ginny didn't lower her wand, but she did tighten her grip on Demelza, who was trying to step around Ginny.
"Ginny, it's fine, it's just Hermione and Juliette. Ginny… You can lower your wand…" Demelza said, looking concernedly at her girlfriend's steady glare at the two older girls.
"What are you doing here? Aren't Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students not allowed in Hogsmeade?" Ginny snapped.
"After our little news story, we zought we should try out some new 'iding places. Figured no one would be all ze way out 'ere. And technically, Little Ginny, zis is just outside of 'Ogsmeade, so I am fine in being 'ere," Juliette said, smirking at Ginny, then smiling lovingly at Hermione as she laced her fingers with Hermione's.
- BANG –
Ginny had fired a spell over Juliette's right shoulder, narrowly missing the girl, cracking a limb off of a tree behind her. Everyone but Ginny was shocked. A split second later, another spell was sent directly at Juliette, but she'd drawn her wand and cast a defensive spell to combat it.
"Ginny Weasley! What are you doing?!" Hermione yelled from behind Juliette's protection.
Another spell sent at Juliette, and another, and another, but she calmly blocked them, maintaining the smirk all the while. Ginny gritted her teeth in anger, then felt a hand on her wand arm. She looked over and saw Demelza looking at her pleadingly, her light gray eyes filled with tears.
"Ginny, please stop…" Demelza implored, her voice catching in her throat. Ginny felt her anger dull slightly, but then it seared back to full force when she heard Juliette.
"Listen to Demelza, Little Ginny. You will not win zis duel. I zink you two should run along and let me and 'Ermione get back to – "
Ginny cut Juliette off by hitting her with a quick and well-timed Bat-Bogey Hex that Juliette clearly hadn't anticipated. Juliette fell to her knees, grasping at her face. Hermione knelt down, desperately trying to help Juliette, who was crying out in pain as bat-shaped figures started flying out of her nose. Ginny could feel the satisfaction welling in her chest, when she felt a much harder grasp on her wand arm.
"Ginny! Stop this, now!" Demelza cried. Ginny paused, then uttered the counter-curse, and Juliette stopped writhing in pain.
Suddenly, everyone's eyes were on Ginny. Hermione was furious, glaring at Ginny as she knelt protectively beside Juliette. Juliette looked shocked, and also a bit impressed, as she pushed herself up enough to lean against Hermione. Demelza's tears were now streaming down her face, and Ginny took a step towards her, reaching out to console her. Demelza backed away from Ginny, shaking her head, then turned and ran off towards Hogsmeade.
"Demelza, wait!" Ginny called after her, but she was already gone onto the heavily wooded trail.
"Ginny Weasley, what is wrong with you?! What were you thinking?!" Hermione cried out furiously as she marched over and stood toe to toe with her. "You could have seriously hurt Juliette! You could have killed her!"
"'Ermione…" Juliette said softly.
"Well? What exactly is your problem, Ginny? Have you gone mad? Harry and Ron say you've been a terror all week, what's going on? Is this about me? Is this all about me not telling you the truth? If you have a problem with me then you take it out on me, not on Juliette!" Hermione shouted into Ginny's face.
"'Ermione…" Juliette said, a bit louder.
Every time she heard Juliette say Hermione's name, the rage built up a little bit more in Ginny's chest. She was trying to calm down and shut it out, but she was so overwhelmed with the fact that she'd attacked Juliette and Demelza had cried and Hermione was standing about an inch from her face, screaming at her. Ginny looked into Hermione's livid eyes, and could see hurt behind them as well.
"'Ermione… Leave 'er be…" Juliette said calmy, "Come 'elp me get up..."
Hermione rushed back to Juliette and helped the girl to her feet. Juliette was clearly weakened by the hex, but after a few moments of standing with Hermione holding her up, she was able to stand on her own.
"I pushed 'er to zis, you know zat, 'Ermione…" Juliette said, reasoning with Hermione and trying to calm her down. She looked over at Ginny, who still hadn't said anything to either of them. "I apologize, Ginny. I went too far, I know zis now. I will leave you be from now on."
Ginny looked at Juliette, confused by the concession, but still radiating with fury. At what, she wasn't actually quite sure.
"Don't you have anything to say, Ginny? Maybe sorry? To both of us? Honestly Ginny, I – "
"'Ermione… Relax…" Juliette said, soothingly, pushing a loose curl back from her face.
"No! Juliette, this is absolutely ridiculous! She can't just go around attacking people!"
"'Ermione – "
"Stop saying her name…" Ginny finally responded, through dangerously gritted teeth, her hand tightly clenched around her wand that was again pointed at Juliette.
The two older girls looked at her, taken aback. Hermione took a step in front of Juliette, putting her hands up.
"Ginny…" Hermione said softly, now taking a step toward her. "Please, stop…"
Ginny glared at both of them, but faltered when she saw the hurt in Hermione's eyes again. She lowered her wand, took a few quick steps backwards, then turned and ran off into the woods in search of Demelza.
Hermione POV
As she watched Ginny run off into the woods back to Hogsmeade, Hermione frowned as she felt her heart crack just a little. She couldn't understand why Ginny was having such a difficult time with all of this. She turned back to Juliette, who was uncharacteristically pale.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly, walking over to pull Juliette into a gentle hug.
"I am, yes... Little Ginny 'as a lot more power zan I 'ad estimated," Juliette admitted, chuckling lightly, then wincing at the lingering pain in her face.
"Yeah… She's certainly a force when she wants to be…" Hermione muttered, her head leaning up against Juliette's chest. She could hear the girl's heartbeat, and was relieved that it sounded as it usually did.
"She is very upset about zis situation, 'Ermione," Juliette stated. "Do you zink it is you, or me, or us togezzer?"
Hermione pursed her lips, thinking about the question, "I think it's all three. I think she really does feel betrayed that I didn't tell her I fancied girls sooner… And I know that you make her incredibly uneasy…" Hermione looked up at Juliette, who had a slightly guilty look on her face.
"I 'ave not been as kind as I could be to 'er, I know zis," Juliette agreed.
"No, you haven't been. But you're right, she may have an issue with us being together as well."
"Do you zink zat she may 'ave developed feelings for you?" Juliette suggested softly.
Hermione looked at her in shock, "That can't possibly be it, she's crazy about Demelza. We both just saw the two of them standing there, cuddled up…" Hermione said dismissively.
"'Ermione, she seemed to be acting out of jealousy today. She did not try to 'ex me until I grabbed your 'and, did you not notice?" Juliette asked.
Hermione paused, she hadn't noticed that. She looked up into Juliette's eyes, and kissed her firmly on the lips.
"It doesn't matter. I'm more than happy with you."
"More zan 'appy, wow…" Juliette said sarcastically.
"I'm over the moon, I'm mad about you, I couldn't possibly imagine my life without you! How's that?" Hermione said, grinning up at her girlfriend.
"Mmm, much better," Juliette chuckled and suddenly bent down to scoop Hermione up into her arms.
"Juliette!" Hermione squealed. "You're going to hurt yourself!"
"I zink I will be just fine. Come on, let us go back to where we left off…" Juliette carried Hermione back to where they were in the woods, cast the Imperturbable Charm, and carried on.
Ginny POV
Ginny was sprinting down the heavily wooded trail to Hogsmeade, hoping she'd catch Demelza before she reached the village. Luckily, Demelza hadn't made it all the way there, and was sitting on a stump just off the trail, crying her eyes out.
Ginny approached cautiously, stepping through brambles to get to her, "Demelza…?"
Demelza looked up, tears running down her face.
"Demelza, I'm so sorry, I – "
"Ginny, what is going on with you?" Demelza cried, still allowing the tears to freely run down her cheeks. "What you just did… That was not the Ginny that I know… That was uncalled for and horrible and… And cruel! That's not you, that's not my Ginny!" Demelza sobbed.
"I know, I know! I've never been that angry before, and it just… It just happened… I'm sorry if I upset you Demelza, I – "
"You didn't upset me… You scared me… I don't understand how you could attack someone like that when they truly didn't deserve it…"
"She was provoking me…" Ginny muttered.
"Ginny, she wasn't… Maybe she smirked a few too many times, but nothing she said or did actually warranted a physical attack…"
Ginny looked down at the ground, the image of Juliette smiling at Hermione and taking her hand flashing through her head. She shook her head.
"I'm sorry Demelza, you're right…" Ginny looked up, Demelza was still crying.
"I know you're sorry… This is just a lot for me right now…" Demelza whispered.
"What…?" Ginny asked, gently. "Demelza, I'll get this under control… I know I will… Please… Like you said, I just need to give it some time… It'll pass…"
Ginny stepped towards Demelza, and Demelza quickly stood up from the stump and took a step back.
"Demelza…" Ginny started to cry now too, which made Demelza cry harder, "Please… Please, don't do this…"
"Ginny, you really scared me today… I don't know if I've ever seen someone so angry… I just… I think I need some time…"
Ginny shook her head as the tears starting falling quicker, "Please… Please, don't do this Demelza… I'm sorry…"
"Just some space until you're able to work through this… This is just too much for me right now Ginny… I'm sorry…" Demelza whispered hoarsely as she started to back away from Ginny.
Ginny took one more step towards her, and sat on the stump, feeling her legs start to give out from under her. When she looked up, Demelza was gone. Ginny slumped down onto the ground, leaning against the stump in an attempt to stay somewhat upright.
What have I done?