Chapter Seven: A Victoire Special with a Dash of Cinnamon

Hermione POV

Hermione woke as light began filtering in through her bedroom window. She smiled, enjoying the autumn sun on her face, and rolled over to stretch and hopefully enjoy a morning cuddle with Crookshanks. Instead, her breath caught at the sight of the woman on the other side of her bed, her red hair strewn wildly across her pillow as she hugged the edge of the bed. Ginny was in her bed, and suddenly, the events from the night before came rushing back to her.

What had she been thinking? Even if she had missed all of the signs that she loved Ginny as more than a friend, did that make it right for her to try and ambush the woman as she did last night? What had she been playing at? Insisting they share a bed again, trying to get Ginny to kiss her – she was mortified.

Hermione sat up, and fought the urge to flee as she did a few mornings ago, mostly because they were in her house this time, and there really wasn't anywhere for her to escape to. She took a deep, settling breath, then reached over and tapped Ginny's shoulder lightly. Ginny rolled over and her bright brown eyes found Hermione's dark brown eyes immediately.

"Ginny…" Hermione said softly.

Ginny just stared at her.

"I'm so sorry about last night… I – "

"Hermione, it's fine. Really. We don't have to talk about it."

"Are you sure?"

Ginny nodded as she pushed herself to sit up against Hermione's headboard, "I'm assuming you were just feeling sad about Edward?"

Hermione didn't shake her head or nod, she just looked at Ginny.

"You're not exactly the first woman to try and kiss me after they've broken up with or been broken up with by a man," Ginny smiled sheepishly as she rubbed her eyes.

Hermione frowned. She didn't like hearing that, at all. How had she been so obtuse to these feelings of jealousy? Had she really convinced herself that she was possessive of Ginny because of their friendship. Honestly, she could be so thick sometimes…

"Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"Hmm? What?"

"I said I've got to go. I've got practice this morning, then I told Bill and Fleur I'd watch Victoire for them this evening."

Hermione smiled at this. Bill and Fleur's daughter Victoire was adorable, and when she was with Ginny, Hermione wasn't sure she'd seen anything cuter.

"You're more than welcome to come over and have dinner with us, if you don't have any other plans?" Ginny offered.

"Sure… If you don't mind sharing your Victoire time with me?"

"Oh, I'm sure she'd love to see her Auntie Hermione," Ginny said with a small smile as she got out of bed and began collecting her clothes, "She was talking about you last time I saw her."

"Really?" Hermione smiled.

"Was she ever…" Ginny chuckled lightly before going into the bathroom to change.

Ginny POV

Later that day, Ginny heard a knock at the door and she sprung up from her sofa. She opened the door to reveal Bill, Fleur, and a beaming Victoire.

"Auntie Ginny!" Victoire shouted, running straight at her. Ginny swung her up into her arms, kissing her on the cheek over and over as Victoire squealed and laughed.

Bill chuckled as he handed Ginny Victoire's bag, "We'll be back to pick her up around 9 pm. Her bedtime is usually 7 pm, but we've discussed it and – "

"I can stay up late with Auntie Ginny!" Victoire cheered, hugging Ginny tight around the neck.

"Oh, is that right? Well, you'll be staying up late with Auntie Ginny and Auntie Hermione, because she's coming over for dinner tonight to see you."

Victoire gasped, "Auntie Hermione is coming to see me?"

Victoire wriggled out of Ginny's arms and ran into her flat, leaving Ginny with Bill and Fleur who each had a knowing smile on their face.

"What?" Ginny asked.

"Auntie Hermione is coming over for dinner, huh?" Bill asked with a grin.

"I take it she was receptive when you told 'er of your feelings for 'er, zen?" Fleur asked, putting an arm around Bill's waist.

Ginny sighed as she ran a hand through her long red hair, "I didn't exactly get around to telling her, but something she said let me know everything I needed to know... The past week has been a lot, to say the least, but I think I'm finally on the road to accepting we'll never be anything more than friends. And that's okay. Like Bill said, I deserved closure and I got it."

Both of their faces fell, "Well, you should tell Victoire, because she 'as not stopped talking about yours and 'Ermione's wedding since you left…" Fleur mentioned.

"Oh… Yeah, I'll tell her. Thanks for the heads up. Enjoy your night out you two!"

Fleur and Bill nodded and walked off, headed for the Apparition Point. Ginny shut the door and turned to find Victoire on the sofa flipping through the latest edition of Seeker Weekly that she'd left on her coffee table.

"Any good stories in there?" Ginny asked as she sat down beside the girl.

"Auntie Ginny, it's you!" Victoire beamed as she pointed to a spread about Ginny and the Harpies taking over the British and Irish Quidditch League.

"Yes, it is," Ginny smiled, "Would you like me to read you the article?"

"No! Auntie Hermione can read it to me later," Victoire declared as she closed the magazine and set it aside.

Ginny nodded, "Sounds good. Speaking of Auntie Hermione, I want to talk to you about what I told you when I was at your house a few days ago."

"Yes?" Victoire turned to smile excitedly up into Ginny's face.

"Victoire, I'm not going to take the risk we talked about. I think it's better if Auntie Hermione and I stay friends. She'll still be your Auntie Hermione, but just as a friend auntie, okay?"

Victoire's face fell, "Why?"

Ginny paused, "Well, it turns out Auntie Hermione doesn't want to be married to a woman. She wants to be married to a man, like how your mummy wanted to be married to your daddy?"

Victoire looked at her sadly, "Oh… Okay… Are you sad?"

"No… I'm okay not marrying her, because she'll always be my best friend, and that makes me happy."

This seemed to cheer Victoire up a bit, "Okay…"

"So, what would you like to do today?" Ginny asked, hoping to push past the topic.

"Hmmm… Can we make your pumpkin cookies?"

Ginny smiled, "Of course, but we'll have to go to the shop to pick up a few ingredients. Do you know what you want for dinner?"

"Victoire Special!"

Ginny chuckled, "Alright, three Victoire Specials it is."

Victoire giggled and pushed herself off the sofa, "Can I play dress up in your trunk?"

Ginny nodded, and Victoire tore off for her bedroom. Ginny smiled and sighed as she got up and headed to the kitchen to make sure she had everything for the cookies and the "Victoire Special", as Victoire liked to call it. It was just fish and chips, but Ginny only ever made it for her, thus making it the Victoire Special.

After she collected the ingredients she had on the counter and compiled a list of the ingredients she still needed to get, she heard the front door open.

"Auntie Hermione!" Victoire shouted as she ran for the door, tripping over the green Harpies jumper from Ginny's trunk that had nearly swallowed her whole it was so big on her.

"Hello there!" Hermione beamed as the young girl ran towards her. She knelt down and hugged her, shooting Ginny a smile as she walked towards her two favorite people.

"Auntie Hermione, Auntie Hermione! We're going to make cookies and have Victoire Special for dinner and I have something for you to read!" Victoire rattled off excitedly as she ran over to the coffee table, grabbing the Seeker Weekly by the cover and bringing it over to show Hermione.

"Well, we've certainly got a full night ahead, don't we?" Hermione smiled down at the girl before taking off her traveling cloak and scarf.

"Here, let me take that," Ginny said, taking both items from Hermione and hanging them over the back of a kitchen chair. "I've got to go grab a few things from the shop for our kitchen adventures this evening, but you two can stay here and – "

"Noooo! We want to come with you!" Victoire declared as she pulled the Harpies jumper up over her head.

Ginny chuckled, "Guess you'll need these back, then," she said as she handed Hermione back her scarf and traveling cloak. After she got Victoire situated with her own traveling cloak, the three of them headed for the shop.

Hermione POV

Hermione couldn't comprehend how she'd never realized it before, but Ginny was perfect. Not just the perfect person or the perfect best friend, because she'd already known that for years, but she was the perfect partner as well. At least, she appeared to be everything Hermione would want in a partner. She was seeing it now, as she followed Ginny and Victoire as they shopped for the ingredients for this evening. Ginny walked slowly as the small girl clung to her hand, smiling down at her as she pointed out just about every single item in the shop. Victoire was extremely bright and had entered into her questioning phase, so Ginny was fielding a new question every ten seconds, but her patience hadn't wavered once. She was patient, kind, gentle, and so sweet – she always had been. As Hermione looked at her now, really looked at her, all she could see was the perfect partner. And had Ginny always been this breathtakingly beautiful? Her long red hair was gorgeous as it flowed over her shoulders in thick waves. Even though her autumn clothes hid her frame well, Hermione knew of the body that was under the sweater and loose jeans, she knew of the muscles that hid below the surface, she'd felt them. And she wanted to feel them again. She shook her head, and busied herself with a bag of flour as Ginny and Victoire were looking through the spices. She had to stop thinking this way. She tried to kiss Ginny last night, and Ginny wasn't into it. That was that. Surely if Ginny had been interested in Hermione, she would've brought it up, as she was the one who fancied women. Ginny must only see her as a friend, and Hermione didn't have the right to try and convince Ginny otherwise.

"Auntie Hermione, come help us pick out the cinnamon!" Victoire called, bringing Hermione back to the shop.

She walked over to the pair and crouched down to see what they were choosing from, which was literally just two different brands of what was surely the same cinnamon.

"Auntie Ginny said she wasn't sure, and that I should ask the cinnamon expert, which she said is you!"

"Oh, she did, did she?" Hermione looked at Ginny, who had a small smile on her face.

"Aren't you the expert on everything?" Ginny asked, her smile growing. Hermione smiled back, getting lost in Ginny's bright brown eyes.

"Auntie Hermione, which one?" Victoire asked, picking up a container of each brand of cinnamon.

Hermione couldn't focus on anything other than Ginny's eyes. Had they always been this mesmerizing?

"Auntie Hermioneeee!" Victoire whined.

Hermione turned to Victoire, "Sorry! How about we get both, and we'll make two batches of cookies with the two different kinds of cinnamon. That way we can see which is better."

"So many cookies! Can we do that Auntie Ginny? Pleaseeee?" Victoire begged, looking up at Ginny with her big blue eyes.

"Of course we can," Ginny grinned, patting Victoire on the head. Victoire put both containers into Ginny's shopping basket and took her hand, pulling her down the aisle towards the chocolate chips. Ginny looked back over her shoulder at Hermione and smiled, and Hermione couldn't help but think that maybe there was a possibility that Ginny could think of her as more than a friend after all.

Ginny POV

As Victoire pulled Ginny down the aisle towards the chocolate chips, she couldn't help but smile at Hermione over her shoulder. She knew she shouldn't be doing it, but sometimes she just couldn't help flirting with Hermione, especially when she looked as fit as she did this evening in her light jeans, cream sweater with a matching scarf, and posh traveling cloak. Yes, she'd accepted that they wouldn't be more than friends, but what was a little harmless flirting between friends, right? She'd get it out of her system now so she could just focus on being the best friend she could later, with no distractions of lingering feelings.

Once they got back from the shop, Victoire immediately began whining that she was hungry, so Ginny got to work preparing and cooking her famous Victoire Special as Victoire and Hermione read on the sofa. Every once in a while, Ginny caught herself gazing at the two on the sofa, losing herself in the visions of Hermione sitting on the sofa in her cottage with their future child while Ginny cooked in Hermione's kitchen, their kitchen. That's when she forcefully reminded herself to come back to reality, because that was too far into the realm of painful delusion. Realistically, last night was the closest Ginny had ever been to what she wanted, to being with Hermione, but she knew it hadn't been the right moment. Hermione was sad and hurt and clearly only acting that way because of her break-up with Edward. In a few days, Hermione would be back to normal, and Ginny would fully embrace this whole friendship acceptance thing. In the meantime, flirting with the woman didn't seem so bad, but allowing herself to envision what her future with Hermione could be was not something she could let herself do.

Once dinner was devoured, Hermione helped Victoire change into her pajamas as Ginny began prepping for the two different batches of cookies.

"I want to be in charge of the cinnamon!" Victoire requested as she ran into the kitchen in her Holyhead Harpies pajamas she'd received from Ginny last Christmas.

"Hmmm… I think you'll have to ask the cinnamon expert if that's alright…" Ginny teased lightly as she helped Victoire up onto the chair that was pushed up to the countertop and handed her the two cinnamon containers.

"Auntie Hermione, can I be in charge of the cinnamon? Pretty please?" Victoire asked again with those big blue eyes of hers as Hermione stood behind her.

"Of course you can," Hermione said, giving Victoire a big smile before raising an eyebrow at Ginny. Ginny smiled before turning to measure out the chocolate chips.

They all helped out creating the dough for the cookies as Victoire rattled off her questions, mostly about the cookies, but sometimes deviating from the task at hand. Eventually the cookies were ready to go, and Ginny slid the first tray into the oven as Victoire yawned.

"Uh oh… Is someone getting sleepy?" Ginny asked as she lifted Victoire off of the chair she was standing on and carried her to the sofa.

"No… I'm not sleepy Auntie Ginny… I haven't had my cookies yet…" Victoire said slowly as she rested her head on the arm of the sofa.

"We'll promise to save plenty for you, Victoire," Hermione said softly as she covered Victoire with a blanket.

"Yeah, I won't eat them all, I promise," Ginny grinned as Victoire giggled softly. Suddenly, the small girl was fast asleep.

Ginny gazed at the sleeping girl for a while, smiling at how content she looked on the sofa, when she felt Hermione's eyes on her. She looked over, and Hermione quickly looked away.

"I'm going to go clean up the kitchen," she said, quickly leaving the sitting room.

"Alright, but the first cookie is mine…" Ginny teased. Hermione shook her head and smiled.

After about ten minutes, her entire flat had filled with the comforting smell of pumpkin and spices. As the timer went off, Ginny heard the oven creak open, followed by a quick hiss of pain. She got up and moved to the kitchen fast, and found Hermione grabbing at her hand in clear discomfort.

"Accio Murtlap Essence," Ginny whispered, and a vial of blue liquid soared into the kitchen from the bathroom. "Here…" Ginny said as she poured half of it into a bowl and gently grabbed Hermione's hand, dipping it into the blue solution. As soon as she did, the pain showing on Hermione's face disappeared.

"Thank you…" Hermione whispered, offering her a thankful and relieved smile.

"Of course…" Ginny whispered back.

They stood there for what felt like forever, Ginny holding onto Hermione's hand, when suddenly there was a blonde four-year-old standing in the kitchen. Ginny let go of Hermione's hand immediately and stepped back.

"Are the cookies ready yet…?" she asked sleepily.

"They still need to cool, just a few more minutes, okay?" Ginny said.

"Okay…" Victoire said, rubbing her eyes.

"Come on Victoire, let's go back to the sofa. Auntie Ginny will bring our cookies out to us," Hermione said as she dried her hands and picked Victoire up, carrying her back into the sitting room. Ginny's heart melted as Victoire nestled into Hermione's neck, her tiny little hand wrapping around some of Hermione's loose curls.

While the cookies cooled, Ginny put the stopper back in the Murtlap Essence vial and took it back into the bathroom to put away. As she was walking out of the bathroom, she froze.

"Why do you want to marry a man, Auntie Hermione?" she heard Victoire ask sleepily as she sat in Hermione's lap, leaning against her.

"I – Wha – What do you mean, Victoire? Who said I wanted to marry a man?" Hermione asked quietly, her brow furrowed slightly.

Ginny knew she should move, or at least say something, but she couldn't. Her brain wasn't letting her do anything.

"Auntie Ginny said that she wasn't going to tell you she loved you because you want to marry a man and not a woman."

Ginny. Couldn't. Breathe.

"Wh – When did Auntie Ginny say that?"

"Today…" Victoire mumbled as she fell asleep again.

Ginny walked out into the sitting room and stood with her back to the fireplace, directly across from the sofa where Hermione and Victoire sat. Hermione just stared at her with an unreadable expression as she held a sleeping Victoire against her. Ginny tried to speak a few times, but didn't know what to say.

*Knock, knock, knock*

Ginny exhaled and moved to open the door, letting Fleur and Bill in.

"'Ow was she? I am 'oping she was not too much trouble…" Fleur said in a hushed tone as she gently lifted the still-sleeping Victoire out of Hermione's arms.

"Oh, you know her, she was great," Ginny managed a smile.

"Very enlightening…" Hermione said quietly before she got up and walked into the kitchen.

Bill and Fleur shot a curious look at Ginny, who shook her head dismissively.

"She'll be wanting these," Hermione whispered, handing Bill a package of cookies. "Let her know the cookies on the left have cinnamon A and the cookies on the right have cinnamon B. Trust me, it'll be important to her."

"Okay…" Bill said skeptically, "Well, thanks for everything you two…"

Ginny nodded, and gently kissed Victoire on the top of the head as the three left the flat. Once the door shut, she turned to face Hermione.