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Chapter 53

Ginny POV

Ginny woke up slowly. Her head was pounding, and she was very aware of her nose, which she could somehow actually feel on her face. She opened her eyes and looked around, realizing she was in the Hospital Wing. Sun was just starting to creep in through the large windows, so she assumed it was early in the morning. She moved slightly to sit up against the headboard. She saw an empty glass on the table beside her, and wondered if it had contained water or something else. Suddenly, Madam Pomfrey was walking towards her with another glass, full with some type of liquid that didn't quite look like water.

"Good morning, Miss Weasley, how are you feeling?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she set the glass down on the bedside table.

"Um, my head hurts a bit. And my nose is… Sensitive…" Ginny said slowly as she was trying to find the right word to describe how it felt.

"Yes, a Bludger to the face will do that…" Madam Pomfrey said as she looked down at Ginny. She placed her finger in front of Ginny's face, and asked her to track it, which Ginny did with a little difficulty.

"Well, that's certainly better than yesterday. What do you remember from the Quidditch trials?" she asked calmly.

Ginny paused and thought for a bit, but couldn't remember much. Apparently, she'd been hit by a Bludger. From who, she had no idea.

"Nothing really…" she said softly.

Madam Pomfrey grabbed the glass and handed it to Ginny, who took it willingly.

"Drink up, you'll feel better soon. You're still on track to leave today. Thanks to Miss Granger's quick work, you lost less blood than you likely would have and the swelling around your nose has already gone down significantly. She should consider a profession in Healing, Miss Granger. Drink up, drink up," Madam Pomfrey insisted, and Ginny drained the glass quickly.

A moment later, Fred, George, Ron, Harry, and Angelina walked in. Madam Pomfrey gave them a stern look.

"She needs rest still, so keep it short and quiet, do you understand?"

They all nodded as they stood around Ginny's bed.

"How do you feel?" Harry asked.

"I'm alright. A little groggy. Apparently the Quidditch trials happened?"

The five looked at each other, then nodded.

"You don't remember them?" Ron asked.

Ginny shook her head.

"Well then, Angelina, if she doesn't even remember, does she really deserve it?" Fred asked, giving Angelina a look of fake seriousness.

"Shut up, Fred," Angelina said as Fred and George laughed.

"Deserve what?" Ginny asked.

"You're officially the new reserve player for the Gryffindor Quidditch team," Angelina said, smiling down at her.

Ginny sat up higher against the headboard, excitedly, "Really?"

They all grinned and nodded.

"Uh, who made Keeper?" she asked tentatively.

Ron turned red and grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That's great Ron! Congratulations!" Ginny said giving her brother a broad smile.

"He did great! He would've been chosen even if McLaggen hadn't gone after you," Harry said, clapping Ron on the back.

"What?" Ginny asked, looking perplexed.

"You're in here because of McLaggen. He wrestled Coote's Bludger's bat off him and sent two Bludgers your way. The first one missed, but the second one, well… Connected…" George said, wincing.

Ginny was quiet, as she could feel the anger building up inside of her.

"We all told him off straight away. He knows he's not welcome anywhere near the Quidditch pitch," Angelina said definitively, "We don't have time for that when we've got a Quidditch Cup to win."

Suddenly, Demelza, Ritchie, and Colin were walking through the Hospital Wing doors.

"That's far too many visitors at once, some of you will have to leave!" Madam Pomfrey called from her desk.

"See you later, Gin!" Fred said, gently ruffling her hair.

"Congrats!" George called over his shoulder as the group of five left, leaving Demelza, Colin, and a miserable-looking Ritchie standing beside Ginny's bed.

"Are you alright?" Demelza asked concernedly, sitting down in the chair beside Ginny.

"I'm okay. How are you two?" she asked Demelza and Ritchie.

"Oh, the reserve slot? We knew it was yours all along," Demelza beamed at Ginny.

Ritchie suddenly stepped forward, "Ginny, I'm so sorry. McLaggen came out of nowhere when he took my bat off me, I couldn't stop him. I'm so sorry…"

"You don't have to be sorry, Ritchie. I know you'd never do anything like that on purpose. I know you," Ginny offered, giving him a weak smile. "Actually, I'm sorry."

Ritchie's forehead wrinkled in confusion, "Why are you sorry?"

"I just – I'm sorry for screwing up our friend group last year. I'd really like it if we could all be friends again, if you're okay with that?" she asked him.

He nodded, "I mean I guess if Demelza's okay, then I'm okay."

"Great! Ginny, do you want a picture to remember this moment? You getting your face smashed in? You earning a reserve spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch team? Our friend group being back together again?" Colin rattled off.

Ginny laughed lightly, "Sure, Colin."

Demelza leaned in towards her, and Colin snapped the photo.

"No flashes! That's enough you three, let her be," Madam Pomfrey got up from her desk and escorted Demelza, Colin, and Ritchie out of the Hospital Wing. After a few moments, Ginny closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, thinking happily about her new position as the Gryffindor reserve.

Many hours later, Ginny woke up to the sound of chair legs dully scraping across the stone floors of the Hospital Wing. She turned her head, opened her eyes, and smiled as she saw Hermione sitting in the chair beside her.

Hermione studied her face for a moment, then asked, "How are you feeling?"

Ginny stretched lightly and yawned, noticing her head was no longer pounding and her nose was no longer sensitive, "Much better, actually."

Hermione nodded, then put her hand on a stack of magazines on the bedside table, "I brought you some of your Quidditch magazines. I know you're not in here much longer, but I thought you'd like them to pass the time, if you're feeling up to it. I figured Gryffindor's newest reserve would want to read up on whatever the current Quidditch trend or tactic is," she smiled at Ginny. Ginny noted how proud Hermione looked, and couldn't help but smile back.

"I heard you helped with all of this," Ginny said, gesturing to her face.

"Oh, it was nothing, just a few quick spells and – "

"Well, it didn't sound like nothing. Madam Pomfrey was really impressed."

Hermione looked at her, "Wait, you heard I helped?"

"Yeah… My memory of yesterday isn't quite all there… But people have been filling in the gaps. I know McLaggen was the one who sent the Bludger my way, and how Ritchie didn't mean for it to happen, and that I'm the new reserve player," she grinned up at Hermione.

"You don't remember anything else?" Hermione asked softly.

Ginny shook her head, "No, why? Should I?"

Hermione stared at her for a moment, then shook her head, "No. That's about it. I've got to go, I promised Madam Pomfrey I'd only stay a moment to drop these off, but I'll see you soon, okay Ginny?"

"Alright, thanks for bringing me these magazines. And thanks for helping me yesterday," Ginny smiled up at Hermione. Hermione returned the smile, then got up out of the chair and left the Hospital Wing.

Hermione POV

As Hermione left the Hospital Wing, her stomach was in knots.

She doesn't remember me touching her hair or her grabbing my hand… She doesn't remember me holding her hand until she fell asleep…

She hurried down the corridor, headed back to her dormitory. She'd had just enough time in between classes and Prefect duties to see Ginny, so she was moving quickly. As she walked into her dormitory, she saw a light blue envelope sitting on her pillow, and her heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She looked up at Parvati, who was sitting on her own bed.

"That came in during breakfast after you'd left. Judging by the immaculate handwriting and light blue envelope, I'm guessing it's from Juliette," Parvati gave Hermione a small smile, then left the room, leaving Hermione alone with her letter. She immediately sat down on her bed, closed the curtains, and tore it open.

My Hermione,

I am so sorry for the delay in returning your letters. Training with the French National Team was everything and more than I anticipated it would be. They do seem to be interested in me joining them as an official member of the team soon. Evidently, I have matured enough for them over the past year. Over the Christmas holidays when I am back home, I am to have a meeting with the head coach and training staff, we will see what happens then.

I have no doubt that you are the best Prefect in that entire school. Try not to worry too much about studying, remember how brilliant you are and that you do not need to know everything about everything. You will pass your exams with the marks you want – you know you will.

I miss you too, Hermione. Not a day goes by that I do not think about you. Your eyes, your lips, your skin on mine – I remember it all and run it through my mind each morning to make sure that I do not forget, as if I ever could. We will find a time to see each other, but until then, I love you, Hermione.

Your Juliette

Hermione could feel the tears slowly running down her face. She hadn't felt such strong emotions in a long time. She missed Juliette desperately, and longed to be in her arms again. She also felt incredibly guilty about her feelings for Ginny that she just couldn't seem to shake. Not that she was trying that hard…

Hermione wiped her tears and folded up the letter, tucking it back into the envelope. She placed it under her pillow, then set off to meet Dean for Prefect duties.

Hermione was walking down a quiet and deserted corridor. She and Dean had split up for the last part of their night patrol, and Hermione had agreed to stay out a bit later since Dean was still tired from the Quidditch trials the day before. As she wove her way through the dark corridors down to the main floor of the castle, she saw something in her peripheral vision that made her stop in her tracks. She turned to look down the corridor that she and Juliette had shared their first kiss in, and there she was, in her light blue Beauxbatons uniform – Juliette.

Hermione breath caught in her throat and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she ran to her. Juliette wrapped her arms around her and lifted her off her feet, kissing her passionately. Hermione was completely overwhelmed by the feeling of Juliette's lips on hers, her strong, protective arms holding tight to her, the scent of Juliette's undoubtedly expensive perfume with a hint of the wooden handle of her Firebolt – it was everything she'd missed and more. As Juliette deepened the kiss, Hermione moved a hand up to the back of Juliette's head, weaving her fingers through her long flowing hair. It felt odd, different than how it normally felt. Hermione wasn't feeling the silky, smooth hair that she was so used to intertwining her fingers through. Instead, it was a touch wavier and thicker. The scent had changed too. The expensive perfume had been replaced with the smell of grass, wildflowers, and… Something that reminded her of the Burrow. Hermione opened her eyes and found that instead of Juliette, she was kissing Ginny. She had a hand deep in Ginny's long, red hair, Ginny's strong, protective arms were holding her tight to her, and she was kissing Ginny's soft pink lips, firmly. As they broke apart, Ginny set Hermione back down on her feet, and looked into her eyes, brown locking onto brown. She blushed slightly, running a hand through her hair, and grinned at Hermione with her signature crooked grin.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that…" Ginny admitted, her eyes flicking down to Hermione's lips and back up to her eyes.

As Ginny leaned in again, Hermione woke up. She sat up in her bed, looking around wildly. Her heart rate felt dangerously fast and she had sweat through her clothes, but she was in her bed, curtains closed around her, Crookshanks looking at her irritably as she'd woken him up. She took a few calming breaths and laid back down in her bed. Crookshanks crept up the bed and settled on Hermione's chest, as if he knew she needed a little extra support in relaxing. She pet him for a bit as he purred, and she felt her heart rate slowly return to normal.

It was only a dream…