Chapter 74

Ginny POV

A few days later, Ginny was walking along the lake, hand in hand with Hermione. Fortunately, Ginny had already had her afternoon Quidditch practice and Hermione had off of Prefect duties, so they were free to enjoy each other's company that evening for Hermione's 17th birthday. When Ginny had suggested they continue their birthday tradition of a picnic down at the lake a few days prior, Hermione had laughed.

"Sure, if you promise not to tell me someone tried to kiss you or ask for relationship advice," she'd said.

"Hey, as long as you don't try to kiss me out of nowhere and then run away, we're good," Ginny had answered back, grinning at the expression on Hermione's face.

The past two on Hermione's birthday, something dramatic had happened, and Ginny was looking forward to changing that up this year. The day had gone well so far, with Hermione receiving gifts from Ron and Harry, her own parents, as well as from Ginny's mum and dad. She'd also received a letter and package from Viktor Krum, which had surprised them both.

Hermione,

I believe it is your birthday, happy birthday. It is looking like we will be competing in the European Quidditch League final at the end of the season. I will let you know how it goes. Please accept these gifts for both you and Ginny. Tell her I say hello and good luck on her Quidditch tryouts, if they have not happened yet.

Viktor

Inside the package were two Karasjok Kites jerseys, one for each of them. Ginny was obviously more excited than Hermione, although Hermione looked pretty pleased as well.

The last gift Hermione had received was a large parcel from Fred and George, that she'd yet to open. It was addressed to "Our Top Investor, Prefect Extraordinaire". Ginny wasn't sure Hermione would ever open it.

As they finally made their way to their usual picnic location, the lakeshore clearing with the fallen tree to sit on, Ginny set the basket down and began to pull food out of it while Hermione sat down. They chatted while they ate, discussing their classes, Prefect duties, and Quidditch practice, before Hermione cleared her throat.

"So, hit me with it," Hermione said expectantly to Ginny.

Ginny furrowed her brow, "What are you talking about?"

"Who's tried to kiss you this year? Or are you going to ask me if I fancy you again?"

Ginny smirked, "I believe you have been the only one to try to kiss me this year, and I already know that you fancy me plenty," she said, scootching down the log to lean over and give Hermione a kiss. "I did get you something though."

Ginny dug around in her pocket before pulling out a small box and handing it to Hermione. Hermione looked at it, then up at Ginny, before opening it. Inside was a delicate golden bracelet, with a gold G charm hanging from it.

Hermione gasped, "Ginny, it's beautiful! How did you find this?"

Ginny grinned, "I can't reveal my sources, but I'll admit that I did have a little help."

"It matches your necklace!" Hermione said, examining the bracelet with a smile.

"It does, yes," Ginny smiled, glad that Hermione had made the connection.

"G for Granger, right?" Hermione said with a knowing smile as Ginny carefully clasped the bracelet around her wrist.

"Of course, just as mine stands for Ginny, right?"

Hermione beamed at her, and pulled her in for a kiss, "Thank you…" she whispered against Ginny's lips.

"You're welcome. Happy birthday, Hermione," Ginny said, wrapping her arms around the girl for a hug.

They sat for a while on the fallen tree, looking out over the lake. The late summer sun was slowly starting to set, casting shadows out over the water and coloring the sky wildly as it transitioned to its eventual black. They stayed where they were, Ginny's arm around Hermione's waist as they sat and watched the environment change around them, until the chill in the air once the sun had completely set prompted them to get up.

"Where to now, birthday girl?" Ginny asked as she packed the picnic basket and slung it over her arm, taking Hermione's hand with her other hand.

"Don't you have practice first thing in the morning?" Hermione asked with a stern look.

"Don't you only turn 17 once?" Ginny fired back playfully.

Hermione laughed then looked up towards the castle, "Actually, I do have an idea."

"Lead the way."

The two walked hand in hand back along the lake, through the grounds, up through the castle, all the way up to the Astronomy Tower.

"Prefect Granger, I thought this was out of bounds except for classes…" Ginny teased as Hermione unlocked the door.

"Consider this a class, then, Miss Weasley," Hermione responded, locking the door behind them. "Come on, let's go up to the top of the tower." Ginny nodded, then followed Hermione as she guided her up the winding staircase by the hand.

Ginny had been up to the Astronomy Tower quite a few times to study the constellations for class, but for some reason, the view from the tower this evening was striking her much more intensely. Millions of stars glittered across the vast dark sky, and the slightly cool late summer breeze was swirling around them gently. Both she and Hermione leaned against the railing overlooking the grounds and the sky, quietly taking it all in. Ginny looked at Hermione, watching as her eyes darted across the night sky, no doubt mentally mapping out all of the different constellations. Ginny smiled, then gently moved Hermione's loose curls behind her shoulder so she could place a kiss on her cheek. Hermione turned to look at her, as if she was suddenly remembering that she was there.

Ginny laughed lightly, "Figuring out what star chart you're going to have me write up, Professor Granger?"

Hermione blushed, shaking her head, "Sorry, I was just taken with the beauty of it all for a moment."

"I can certainly relate," Ginny said, nudging her lightly. "Sometimes you honestly take my breath away."

Hermione smiled up at Ginny, before moving closer to her and laying her head on her shoulder. Ginny put her arm around Hermione and kissed the top of her head. The two looked out over the Hogwarts grounds for a while, Hermione occasionally pointing out a constellation to Ginny, until they couldn't keep themselves from yawning. After a particularly big yawn from Ginny, Hermione stepped back from the railing.

"Alright, we've got to get you to bed," she said, smiling at the clearly exhausted younger girl.

"No, no! I'm fine. I can stay out as long as you want," Ginny insisted while clearly fighting back another yawn.

"Come on, you" Hermione said, smiling as she took Ginny's hand.

They walked back down the winding stairs leading to the Astronomy Tower, through corridor after corridor, before finally making it to Gryffindor Tower. How they never ran into Filch, Mrs. Norris, or Prefects on patrol was beyond Ginny. They walked up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, and stopped outside of Ginny's room.

"Thank you for such a special birthday, Ginny," Hermione whispered.

"You're welcome. I'm glad I could finally celebrate you on your birthday with no drama or unwanted surprises," Ginny whispered back, flashing her crooked grin.

Hermione returned the grin and put her hand on Ginny's cheek, pulling her face down to hers for a soft kiss.

"Goodnight, Ginny."

"G'night, Hermione."

The next morning, Ginny was up bright and early for Quidditch practice. Harry had been holding two practices a day since he released the team roster a few days ago, and Ginny was absolutely loving it. In addition to herself, Katie, Demelza, Harry, and Ron, Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie were also a part of the team as Beaters. Unfortunately for Seamus, Dean had been chosen as the reserve, which Ginny agreed with. Ginny appreciated Dean's maturity over Seamus', and figured he'd be better at accepting the role of reserve over Seamus, which so far had turned out to be true.

Ginny stretched, got dressed, then woke Demelza before heading downstairs to the common room. Harry had the whole team meeting in the common room every morning so they could go down to breakfast together as a unit. He said he wanted to make sure everyone got a bite of something to eat before heading out to training, and that with so many new players on the team this year, he wanted them to spend as much time together as possible so they could get a jump start on building team chemistry. There hadn't been much talking during these early morning breakfasts, but getting up at the crack of dawn every morning and trying to force down a bit of toast and egg surely had made for a bonding experience. As Ginny looked around the common room at the group that had assembled, she noticed that while everyone looked a bit groggy, no one looked as if they were dreading the next few hours they'd be spending together. Spirits were relatively high for how early it was, and Harry had a lot to do with it, as he walked from player to player, quietly greeting them and chatting for a bit, trying to get to know them better.

So far, Ginny thought Harry was doing a great job as captain. Yes, he was much quieter than Angelina had been, and surely far more passive than Oliver Wood (based on stories the twins had told her), but Ginny thought his slightly more laid-back style was working for him and for the team. She figured if anything ever needed enforcing in louder, more aggressive way, she would be more than willing to step up. Once Demelza finally appeared, rushing down the stairs, they headed off to the Great Hall.

As per usual, they were the only students in the Great Hall that early. They ate quickly, then made their way down to the Quidditch locker room to throw pads on and discuss tactics before heading out to the pitch.

"Harry seems to have a lot of faith in us," Demelza muttered as she walked between Ginny and Katie out onto the pitch. "Do you really think we'll have these formations down by the Slytherin match?" she asked hesitantly.

"They sound a lot harder than they actually are. And we don't have to have everything down by the Slytherin match, either. It's a long season, don't worry," Katie said giving her girlfriend a reassuring smile.

"I don't know… You're both so much stronger and faster than I am out there… What if I slow us down and we don't get it?" Demelza asked, clearly doubting herself.

"Remind us, Demelza, who was it who scored the majority of points during tryouts?" Ginny asked.

"Me…" Demelza mumbled quietly.

"What was that? I don't think I caught that… Who was it?" Ginny asked, earning an appreciative smile from Katie.

"Ginny…" Demelza whined.

"Mmm no, I don't believe it was me!"

Demelza rolled her eyes and gave Ginny a look, "It was me. And yes, I get your point. I'm still worried though."

"That's what practice is for. We don't have to have it all perfect just yet. And if it doesn't work out, it's Harry's job to figure out a different formation that does work. It happens all the time, don't worry, okay?" Katie said, kissing the top of Demelza's head.

"Plus, it's a team sport, Demelza. We've got your back," Ginny said, offering her a reassuring smile.

As they finally reached the center circle to join the rest of the team, they all mounted their brooms, and flew up into the air, ready to start their first practice of the day.

Hermione POV

Even though Ginny had insisted she didn't need to wake up early and sit through both practices each day, Hermione couldn't help it. Every morning since the Quidditch trials, Hermione had found herself sitting in the same spot in the wooden stands, mesmerized by Ginny, who flew, truly, like she and her broom were one. She'd never thought much of Quidditch before, and had found it to be a vastly overrated since so many of her peers were so deeply infatuated with it, but she suddenly found herself understanding the obsession now. The game was complex, nuanced, and frankly, beautiful, and she couldn't take her eyes off of the redhead that had her heart as she flew artfully through the air.

"Hello Hermione!"

Hermione looked over and saw Colin Creevey approaching her.

"Good morning, Colin," she responded with a kind smile as he sat down beside her, his camera hanging from the strap around his neck.

"Every morning this week, huh? Wow! I wish I had a girlfriend who loved me enough to sit through the things I love, even though she hates them."

Hermione tilted her head, giving Colin a curious look.

"Well, it's just that everyone knows that Hermione Granger hates Quidditch. You've hated it for years. Tolerated it enough to support your friends as they've played, worn red and gold to matches to support Gryffindor, but it's a widely known fact that you despise the game."

"I've never despised it, Colin… I've just never seen much merit in it, I suppose…"

"But you do now, now that Ginny's on the team and you two are dating? That's very sweet Hermione, and I'm sure Ginny loves your support," Colin said, beaming at Hermione.

Hermione blushed a little at this, taken aback by the forward positivity of the fifth year that she hardly knew, "I believe she does, and I do love supporting her. She's quite a beautiful flier," Hermione said just as Ginny flew right past them at an incredibly high speed, making it look effortless.

"She really is! I've got loads of pictures of her flying at practice and the match she played in last year! I'll have to show you sometime. Did Harry tell you that he's taken me on as the team photographer?"

Hermione gave the excited boy a small smile, "Yes, and Ginny mentioned it as well, congratulations Colin."

"Thank you! I do love photography, and I hope someday I can become a professional photographer. It's absolutely incredible that the photos in the Wizarding World move. What did you think when you first saw that, since you're a Muggle-born like I am? I was absolutely shocked at first, but now I can't imagine pictures not moving at all and – "

"Oi, Colin! Don't you have a job to do?" Ginny was suddenly hovering out in front of them.

"Right! Sorry, sorry!" Colin apologized as he scampered back down closer to the pitch.

Ginny flashed her crooked grin as she flew closer to Hermione until she was just in front of her, so close that Hermione could see the faint sweat glistening on the edges of her hair. She leaned forward and whispered, "You're welcome," into her ear before placing a kiss on Hermione's cheek and winking.

Hermione blushed as Ginny flew off to join the rest of her team, and couldn't fight the smile on her face. She was so smitten with this girl. She watched as she interacted with her teammates animatedly, clearly so passionate about the sport. She watched as she flew around the pitch, at times with a furrowed brow of concentration, and at other times a free and relaxed smile, but always making it all look so effortless as she wove through her teammates at speeds that Hermione would never dare attempt. It looked so easy and fun to Ginny, and Hermione smiled proudly as she watched her truly enjoy something that she so clearly excelled at. She was so genuinely proud of Ginny, and excited for her future in Quidditch, where hopefully she would accomplish even her most lofty of goals.

Once practice was over, Ginny flew up to Hermione while the rest of the team headed for the locker room.

"So, what did you think of today's practice Miss Granger?"

"In my highly-educated Quidditch opinion, I found it to be quite beneficial," Hermione said in a faux tone of matter of fact.

Ginny laughed, "Yeah, I know, kind of a dumb question to be asking you. Well, how did I look?"

"Oh, I can confidently report that you looked incredible the entire time. And I do feel highly-educated in that area of expertise," Hermione said with a smile.

Ginny grinned, "Oh, is that right? You're an expert when it comes to how I look, are you?"

Hermione nodded, "Confidently, I am."

Ginny leaned forward as she hovered on her broom, and kissed Hermione, lightly, but passionately. As they broke apart, Ginny leaned her forehead against Hermione's, her breathing just a little heavier than normal, "Sure we can't extend the birthday celebrations to today as well? I promise I'll make it well worth your time if you're willing to skip a few classes…"

Hermione looked into Ginny's bright brown eyes, so badly wanting to accept the offer and spend the day with her, but she knew they couldn't, "Oh, go on, I'll meet you in the Great Hall for lunch after class, okay?"

Ginny looked at her with sad eyes, jutting out her bottom lip.

"Don't even start with that, I'll see you in a few hours!"

Ginny shrugged and laughed, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Do you have a few extra minutes though?"

Hermione nodded, "Sure, why?"

"I could use some help with something in the locker room..."

"Ginny…" Hermione warned.

"I mean, an extra hand in the shower wouldn't hurt… Don't want to be late for class, right Prefect Granger?"

Hermione's jaw dropped before she regained her composure and tried to give Ginny a stern look, "Ginny Weasley, I – "

Ginny interrupted her with a searing kiss, "Love me, I know." She winked before flying back down to the pitch, hopping off her broom, and jogging towards the locker room.

Hermione stood in the wooden stands, stunned, not being able to think of anything other than Ginny and the locker room showers.