Fanfic Update! Crazy Little Things: Fourteen (Hermione/Luna)
SERIES: Harry Potter
AUTHOR: dreiser
EMAIL: dreiser7@yahoo.com
YAHOO ID: dreiser7
AIM ID: dreiser3
MY WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.org/
CONTENT: F/F romance. Hermione/Luna.
SUMMARY: Little by little, in her own unusual way, Luna Lovegood begins to romance Hermione Granger.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my fangirl happiness at all of the good comic book movies coming out.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I became impatient. Thus, here is the fic. This chapter might be edited later depending on what my beta says.
Crazy Little Things
By: Dreiser
There were a great many things that Hermione enjoyed. Among the many things included the pursuit of knowledge, to receive a good mark for a job well done, settling down on a rainy night to read a book, and seeing her friends happy and safe. But what she didn't enjoy were emotionally uncomfortable situations. When feelings became too intense, too loud, to be reasoned with and talked out logically. Such things made her feel entirely out of control and out of place and she didn't enjoy it in the least. Which is perhaps why when they returned to Britain she found it difficult to fulfill her promise to Luna. No, it was more than difficult… it was almost impossible at times.
Ron was so very sweet when she returned. He had been waiting in her flat, newly cleaned and looking tidier than it had in months, with a homemade and surprisingly wonderful meal, insisting on feeding her much of the food as he grinned wide and eager, asking for details of her trip with Luna. Details which made her burn with guilt and shame when she thought of how she was going to hurt him. Then when the meal was over, he produced a copy the latest book from her favorite Arithmancy scholar which had been released while she was on the trip.
It never seemed the right time to tell him and so Hermione kept quiet, drowning over the guilt she felt involving both Ron and Luna. She had promised Luna she would tell him but each time she started Ron would say or do something that would make Hermione experience such a wave of affection for him that she couldn't bear the thought of hurting him. At the same time, she knew how very wrong it was to continue this farce, to let him think all was perfectly well and how it had always been. If only she didn't have to hurt him. That was what tormented her, the idea she would be causing him pain, when for so many years she had done everything to keep such a thing from him.
They had been each others shelter in the storm during the dark years with Voldemort and she was afraid once she told him that would suddenly change. The closeness, the camaraderie, that had been there since their childhood, something she had secretly relied on to keep her strong in the most difficult of times, would be gone and she would be left standing alone.
Not really alone, of course, as she would have Luna and her other friends but they weren't Ron. He had been with her for so long and then there was Harry, who loved Ron like a brother, how would he react? She wasn't sure if she could take losing Ron completely but what would happen if he were to take Harry with him? Of course, he had always tried to stay neutral in their squabbles as a couple but this was hardly the same. This was Hermione breaking up with Ron, leaving him for Luna, surely if Ron was upset Harry would have to take a side, wouldn't he? After all, the most logical side to take would be that of the person hurt the most and in this situation that was Ron.
Then there was Ron's family, the Weasley's had been like a security blanket in the wizarding world for Harry and Hermione both. Caring for them and helping them the best they could along the way, but all the same, they were Ron's family and if Ron took things badly and never wanted to speak to her again she could easily imagine most of his family following a similar route. Hermione knew with little doubt that Molly would be furious and would probably refuse to speak to her for months if not years. And who knows how she would treat Luna. Though Hermione did suspect it would be something like the scandalous treatment one would give the woman who seduced a husband away from his wife or something of that nature. Which was as far from Luna as Hermione could possibly imagine.
Besides Ron and Harry, she found herself most concerned with Ginny's reaction. For so many years Ginny had been her only real female friend, the one she could trust to tell those horribly confusing emotions to without being laughed at or judged. She had been so very helpful and kind in the early years with Ron, when they first began dating, and she desperately wanted to talk to her now. To ask her advice about what to say to Ron that would explain best how she felt and why she wanted to end their romantic relationship but she couldn't ask. Because no matter how close of a friend Ginny was to her, she was also Ron's sister and though she teased him unmercifully and often called him names, Hermione knew how much she did love her goofy and often stubborn older brother.
The more time that passed the harder it became to tell him, the first day back from the trip quickly became the second, the third, until more than a week had passed and Hermione still hadn't told Ron. Whenever she was with Luna and saw that look of veiled disappointment and hurt when she discovered Hermione hadn't spoken to him as she promised she would the guilt she felt over this became just as strong as the fear of hurting Ron and losing him completely. No matter what she did someone was going to end up hurt so shouldn't she simply do what was best for her and follow her heart that was leading her directly to Luna?
All of these thoughts occupied Hermione during Professor Meedlemeier's lecture, enough that she found herself unaware that the class had ended until she felt the soft press of Su Li's hand on her shoulder. Jumping slightly in her seat, Hermione looked up at the Asian girl who lifted an eyebrow in humorous observation and drawled, "You've got something on your mind, haven't you?" Though Hermione desperately wanted someone to talk to about her problems involving Ron and Luna, and she was once again on quite good terms with Su whom she considered one of her closest friends at the University, she wasn't someone who had ever been completely at ease talking about her feelings. And so, Hermione hesitated, but in that moment of hesitation, Su moved forward, leaning down to pick up Hermione's satchel. "Come on," Su said with a smile, taking a step towards the doors of the lecture hall, an encouraging look on her features. "Lets have a talk over lunch."
Minutes later, they were sitting down in the University dining hall at a small table with a view of the campus grounds. Su took a bite of her salad, wearing the same encouraging but expectant expression on her face as she looked at Hermione. Unable to look at the other girl and explain what was bothering her, the brunette stared out the window and found herself thinking back to the time that Luna met her at the lecture hell. Recalling that moment, Hermione turned her focus to Su and said, "That day after I was cross with you… it seemed as if you wanted to tell me something about Luna. What was it?"
"Hermione," Su said her name reluctantly, looking like she preferred not to reply. "I don't think I should answer that. It's likely that you might become cross with me again and I'm certain that's an experience I rather not repeat."
"Please tell me," murmured Hermione in plaintive tones. "It sounds a bit mad but I really must know."
Still looking reluctant, Su sighed quietly, then said, "Just realize I never meant any harm." When Hermione gave an affirming nod, Su focused her gaze out the window and murmured, "When you spoke about Luna, it rather reminded me of how a person acts when they're quite fond of someone." She paused for a moment then returned her focus to Hermione, meeting their eyes, as she continued, speaking carefully, and it was clear that she was being gentle but honest with her opinions. "I was going to ask how you felt for her."
"It was that obvious?" asked Hermione, her eyes wide in surprise.
"To those who know you well," replied Su with a small and relieved smile, looking quietly pleased that the other girl hadn't reacted badly to what she said. "Wait," Su murmured slowly, a knowing light emerging in her eyes. "You've realized how you felt for her, haven't you? That's why you appeared troubled during Professor Meedlemeier's lecture. I should have known it didn't have anything to do with the latest round of research papers he's assigned all of us."
"Research papers?" Hermione echoed, suddenly regretting the utter lack of attention she had given to the professor's lecture. Shaking her head and making a mental note to go visit him tomorrow during his office hours, she said, "No it wasn't that at all. I was thinking of Luna and Ron. Over the break, I went on a trip with Luna to search for the Krodha Swinging Lizard in the Kerala Backwaters of India."
"The Cord Hah what?" asked Su and she made such a face that Hermione wondered what she was imagining.
"Krodha Swinging Lizard, it's a rare species of magical creature," said Hermione in her best informative teacher tones. "After we found the lizard, we had to leave the area rather quickly because of poachers lurking about. That's when Luna asked me to accompany her to Corfu and help with her project of writing a research book dedicated to the rare and newly discovered magical creatures she had found."
"Corfu? Hermione, do you mean to say that you spent most of your break in Greece with Luna?" asked Su a tad incredulously.
"A good deal of it, yes," admitted Hermione, a bit shy.
Studying Hermione for a long moment, Su formed a playful smile then drawled, "I think I finally understand. After all, Greece is a terribly romantic place. Much more so than our stuffy old University, I would suppose. I take it something happened there?"
"I kissed her," Hermione confessed. Watching Su's eyes become large, she blushed lightly and said, "I've shocked you, haven't I?"
"Just a little," said Su, giving a laugh. She paused then formed a small frown, a concerned look emerging on her features. "How did she react?"
"Things became rather strained briefly but more due to myself than Luna," murmured Hermione, turning to gaze out at the campus, wondering what the blonde was doing right now. She was in her Pediatrics Potions class and was no doubt enjoying herself, no matter what their assignment was. "Despite what anyone might think, she knows her mind quite well. I was by far the responsible party for any unpleasantness. My thoughts became less occupied by what I wanted, and how I felt for Luna, and more absorbed by my feelings of guilt."
Su formed a look of realization on her features and she said, "You haven't spoken to Ron."
"I've tried," said Hermione, almost frantic and immediately her friend could see how bothered she was by the fact that she hadn't spoken to him yet. "I promised Luna that I would tell him before we went any further but each time I start Ron does something that's so very sweet or he speaks about all of the time we have spent together and I find myself unable."
"I can see that," Su murmured slowly. She paused for a moment then said in very kind tones and seeming to choose her words carefully, "But how is Luna taking it? I can't imagine she's pleased you haven't spoken to him if you made her a promise."
"Luna," Hermione sighed, thinking of the blonde girl and the perpetually sad but understanding expression she wore on her face since they returned from Greece. "She's disappointed with me to say the least. I've yet to be scolded by her but I can tell she isn't happy and it bothers me terribly that I am the reason behind that. At the same time, I hate the idea of hurting Ron." Shaking her head and releasing a deep sigh, Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose as she recognized the start of a headache forming. "It's a horrid situation, Su. I feel as if I'm lying to Ron and I'm leading Luna on. I never thought I would be the type of person to be in a situation such as this."
"I'm not sure you can help Ron becoming hurt, not if you've chosen to be with Luna," murmured Su, she tilted her head to one side and studied Hermione for a moment. "That is what you decided, isn't it?" Blushing darkly, Hermione gave an assenting nod. "Then I think that perhaps it will cause greater pain in the long run if you postpone telling him. Also, there's the worry that the longer you take to tell him, the more you take the chance that Luna will lose faith in you and your decision to be with her. Certainly it doesn't inspire confidence."
"You're right," said Hermione quietly. "I know you're right. I need to tell him, soon as possible. I just wish it wasn't so difficult."
"What is right is often what is hardest," offered Su wisely and Hermione recognized the truth in her words. But it didn't make it any easier.
---
The time was just barely past ten o'clock when Professor Ipson received an owl from home, when he unrolled the parchment and a bemused smile formed on his features Luna and Hermione instantly knew that it was from his wife. In a strange way, Hermione almost felt envious of their relationship. They had been together for so long that they felt utterly and completely comfortable with one another. Although his wife did respect his career and the time he had to spend away from her and their family because of it she didn't allow him to overwork himself.
Whenever they found themselves working particularly late at night and they were nearing the point of exhaustion, his wife would faithfully owl, somehow knowing this, and gently ask the Professor if he would return home. Hermione found herself wishing that someday she would have a relationship like that with Luna. Of course, in order for that to happen she would have to break up with Ron first.
"I'm afraid I've been summoned home," said Professor Ipson wryly. "Shall we continue our work on Wednesday?"
"Sounds lovely," said Luna, her tones bright and happy, bouncing down to pick up her satchel, putting it over her shoulder. She turned and held out her hand to Hermione, silently asking the brunette to join her. Forming a smile, Hermione took Luna's hand and the two walked out of Professor Ipson's office, the sound of him disapparating meeting their ears. They were walking through the campus hand in hand when Luna turned to Hermione. "I'm not sleepy in the least but how is Hermione feeling?"
"I'm awake," said Hermione in droll tones, chuckling when Luna poked her in the side, a slight pout on her features.
"I was going to ask if you'd like to spend time with me at my cottage but now you've upset me," Luna declared, playfully exaggerating her annoyance. But before she could exaggerate further, Hermione was in front of her, reaching for both of the blonde's hands.
"You're having fun with me," said Hermione in teasing tones. "You know very well that I'll say yes. Have I ever said no when asked to spend time with you?"
"Not as of yet but you do realize there are first times for everything," Luna replied, pulling one of her hands free and sliding her index finger down Hermione's nose and tapping the tip of it lightly. "Hermione might eventually say no to me."
Releasing a humorous snort, Hermione drawled, "Not likely. You're practically impossible to refuse."
"Hermione does say the sweetest things," said Luna warmly, squeezing the brunette's hand before she gave a wave of her wand and they side along disapparated to her cottage in Ballyvaughan. She removed a small note tacked to her door by her father, remarking that he was telling her a family friend would be coming to town shortly and would she please join them for dinner. Hermione started to ask about this when Luna moved behind her, gently removing her cloak, her hands trailing down the brunette's sides and her touch gentle on her waist as she pulled her into a hug from behind. Her breath warm and sweet on Hermione's skin, she murmured, "I would much prefer to taste you."
"Luna," Hermione said her name breathlessly, a shiver running through her as she turned to face the other girl who flashed a brilliant smile while she reached up to cup the brunette's cheek.
"I'm allowed, aren't I?" questioned Luna with a hint of definite eagerness, her fingertips lightly caressing Hermione's skin.
Recalling her words to the younger girl from the day before, how she told Luna that she would try and speak with Ron in the morning, Hermione ducked her head and the moment she did, Luna's hand fell from her cheek and she heard the blonde make a quiet but obvious sound of disappointment. "I'm sorry," said Hermione brokenly. "I know I'm hurting the both of you by not saying anything and I never imagined I would be this type of person but all the same, I find myself in this situation."
Silence and then Luna said, "I never meant to force my feelings onto you but all the same, maybe I have, and this is the result."
"No!" cried out Hermione, sounding distraught, lifting her head and looking into Luna's eyes that were wide with surprise. Reaching out with trembling hands, she touched Luna's face softly, moving forward to rest her forehead against the blonde's. "I want to be with you, I do. I don't know why I can't simply tell Ron. No," Hermione shook her head, looking disgusted with herself. "I know why. I'm scared of being hated by him. He's been the closest person to me for so very long and I'm afraid once I end our romance he might never want to see me again, much less be friends. But the longer I take to tell him, the more chance I have that you will end up hating me as well."
Gathering Hermione up in her arms for a hug, Luna murmured, "I could never hate Hermione. But I do wish you would speak with him." Pulling away to look into Hermione's eyes which were slightly teary she formed a reassuring and faintly mischievous smile. "I'm looking ever so forward to kissing you again. I plan on doing a thorough job of it."
Releasing a short laugh, Hermione buried herself in Luna's embrace, tucking her face into the crook of the younger girl's neck. Her voice quiet and emotionally exhausted, she replied, "So do I."
---
The next morning, Hermione was half asleep, puttering about her flat and preparing Crookshanks breakfast as the large cat was hovering around her feet, rubbing his head against her legs in his usual overly affectionate sign of wanting to be fed. Opening his can of food, she reached for his food bowl, smiling gently as he bumped her hand with his head, and she paused in preparing his breakfast to give his head a nice pet and rub, chuckling as he purred loudly and curled further around her legs.
She had just put the food in the bowl and placed it on the floor where a very hungry Crookshanks got a hold of it, quickly gobbling it down, when the loud pop of someone apparating sounded and Ron suddenly appeared in front of her. He stood before her in seconds with a large bouquet of flowers in his hands and an apologetic, almost frantic, expression on his features.
"Ron?" asked Hermione, altogether surprised. "What's all this?"
"You've got to forgive me, Hermione," Ron said, his words coming fast, one stumbling after another as he moved closer and Hermione automatically took the flowers he was presenting to her. "I lost track of the time, I was working at the shop, and then Harry came for a visit, I had a bit of business I wanted to speak to him about, but I swear to you, I didn't mean to forget…" Ron trailed off and for the first time he seemed to really notice how perplexed Hermione appeared. "You haven't a clue what I'm talking about, do you?"
Staring blankly at him, Hermione replied, "Not in the slightest." On hearing this, Ron released the flowers into her grasp and wandered into the living room, seeming drained of all his energy as he dropped down to sit on the sofa. Hermione placed the flowers gently down on the kitchen table then followed after him, standing before him, looking extremely worried. "What is it?" she questioned softly.
"Yesterday was our anniversary," said Ron in wry tones, finding some sort of perverse humor in the fact that they both had forgotten it. "I woke up in a panic, positive you'd be furious at me because I'd forgotten and here I find you did the same."
"Ron," Hermione said this helplessly. He looked so utterly lost and it broke her heart but at the same time, this was the perfect opportunity to tell him what she had been needing to for weeks. Tell him that the reason she forgot was because she had been with Luna and that was where she wanted to be from now on. "I need to speak with you."
"It isn't good, is it?" murmured Ron, looking up at her with sad brown eyes. "Both of us forgetting." He rubbed his hands on his pants in a anxious gesture. "Hermione," he said her name in a quiet plea. "Please, don't be angry but don't you think things between us haven't been right for some time? Surely if they were then something like this wouldn't have happened."
"I think you're right," said Hermione in a bare whisper as she moved to sit next to him on the sofa.
"You know I've never been good with words, saying the proper things at the proper times, and I reckon I never will," Ron said, sounding bemused, looking very much like he was struggling with what he wanted to tell Hermione. Meeting her eyes, he looked at her a silent plea in his gaze as he said, "I love you, Hermione. I always will. You're the most important person to me but lately…"
"We've grown apart," Hermione offered gently and immediately she saw the understanding in his eyes, the sad but relieved realization that Hermione knew precisely what he was speaking about. "We love each other, certainly, but it feels as if we aren't in love anymore."
"It's like at Hogwarts, almost," said Ron a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head and releasing a sigh. "Before I got to wanting to kiss you all of the time. Back when we were just friends and there was nothing else to it."
They were silent for a long while, absorbing the reality that they both were aware of the unspoken problem in their relationship that had been going on for countless months. Hermione was trying to work up her courage to explain how she felt for Luna when Ron looked to her with a small smile on his face that was sad and sweet all at the same time.
Tenderly pushing a lock of curly brown hair from her eyes, Ron murmured, "I don't understand it, not the littlest bit. You're still the prettiest witch in the world to me and everyone bloody well knows you're the smartest. I was positive that you were the girl I would marry because I couldn't imagine loving anymore more than I loved you." Pausing to give an embarrassed laugh, he moved his hand down, stretching his fingers out lightly to caress Hermione's cheek. "I even thought of the kids we would have together, imagined what they'd look like and how they'd act. First a girl and then a boy, I had their names picked out."
"What were they?" asked Hermione, her voice thick with emotion.
"Rose and Hugo," said Ron and his eyes fixed on his fingers curling around the brunette's hair. "Rose would have been as pretty as her mother and just as smart and Hugo… rather shy, also like his mother, but full of adventure."
"I like those names very much," Hermione confessed and she gave a half laugh and sob, suddenly overwhelmed with the need to embrace the man in front of her. She fell into his arms, crying in remorse for the future they could have had together that had been somehow lost but also feeling so very free because for the first time they were finally talking about it, about this problem of theirs.
Smiling sadly, Ron rubbed her back in comforting circles as he said quietly, "I think maybe we wanted to feel how we once did and it's been the wanting that's kept us together and not the actual feelings. Don't you think that it isn't right for us to carry on this way?"
"Ron," Hermione whispered his name, releasing a shuddering sigh, the last of her tears leaving her as she moved out of his embrace to look him in the eyes. "I've something I need to tell you. It's something I've been needing to tell you for the past few weeks, longer than that even." The redhead looked deeply concerned and suddenly needing him to not seem quite so worried, Hermione released an anxious laugh, waving her hands at him as she continued, "Please don't look that way. I'm not sure I can tell you if you wear that face, I'll simply feel too guilty and then we'll find ourselves right back where we began. Well, not entirely the same but perhaps close to it."
"Hermione," Ron said her name with a good deal of surprise, "I've never seen you this nervous before." He took one of her waving hands in his own and squeezed it softly, wearing a reassuring expression on his features. "It's all right," he soothed. "Surely you know after all we've said you can tell me anything. No matter what might happen between us I always wanted us to be friends because that's where we started and it does sound grim but I'd like for it to be where things end."
"It's not grim at all," said Hermione, giving a soft sob, shaking her head. "I agree completely. That's why I've been so scared to speak to you, I was afraid once I did that you wouldn't want that any longer. That you would hate me and we couldn't be friends any longer."
"Tell me," said Ron in a gentle command, holding her chin in his hand and meeting their eyes. "I promise not to get mad and even if I do, you know me," he raised an eyebrow and gave a self deprecating chuckle. "I'll get over it once I have a nice pout."
"You do enjoy to pout, don't you?" remarked Hermione with a laugh that caused Ron to scowl just slightly. Moving to her hand to tug his down and away from her face, she lightly traced her fingertips on his palm and murmured, "The reason that I realized things between us weren't truly right was that I found myself caring for another person much in the same way I cared for you."
"Who?" asked Ron, his eyes going wide and his mind racing a mile a minute. He supposed that they really had returned to being just friends because while he felt jealous it was only a twinge and he was more occupied by sheer enormous curiosity. A tiny indiscernible frown formed on his face as he thought about one possible candidate. "Not Krum?"
"No, it isn't Viktor," said Hermione, rolling her eyes a bit, almost amused at the animosity that Ron still felt towards the Quidditch player for being the one to take her to the Yule Ball. She felt her heart begin to race as she looked into his earnest features and suddenly she felt seized by the sudden need to make sure he knew that she never betrayed him, not truly, when they were together. "We kissed once but I swore it wouldn't happen again, not until I spoke to you, and we…" Hermione trailed off, unable to say the words.
"Ended things," supplied Ron solemnly. They were quiet for a long moment, a feeling of depression falling over them until he returned his attention to her and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, smiling gently as he did so. "Well?" he questioned. "Who is it?"
Avoiding his eyes, Hermione opened her mouth but nothing came out, swallowing hard, she finally managed to say Luna's name in the barest of whispers, seeming more like it was pulled out of her than truly said. Ron blinked for a moment then said in disbelief, "Luna?"
Hermione watched him, feeling enormously worried and incredibly nervous, so much so that she practically felt as if she was going to crawl out of her own skin. He mouthed Luna's name again, looking as if he was processing the fact that Hermione cared for Luna Lovegood with a great deal of difficulty when he suddenly turned his attention to her. Staring at her with a serious gaze that was piercing and Hermione almost felt as if Ron was trying to read her mind when he stated, "You care for her." The brunette hesitated, unsure of how to reply and not upset him and seeing this, he continued, his voice insistent but understanding, "I need to know the truth, Hermione."
"It's like how it was in the beginning with us," Hermione murmured, looking down at his hand that she held in her own, holding it tighter because she was sure any moment he would become angry with her and yank it away and despite what he said earlier she would lose him completely. "I didn't mean for it to happen but it did and before I knew it, I was falling in love with her, just the same as I did with you."
"How does Luna feel?" asked Ron, his tones impassive, enough that Hermione didn't have the courage to look up at him.
"She isn't the easiest person to understand," said Hermione wryly, thinking of the blonde who continued to confound her in the most irritating but delightful of ways. "But I do know she cares for me very much."
"I'm glad," Ron said softly and when he did Hermione couldn't help looking at him, the surprise she felt was so great. Seeing this on her features, he formed a crooked smile and squeezed her hand gently in reassurance. "You deserve to have someone who cares for you, Hermione. Even if we're not together, I want you to be happy and I hope you'd want the same for me."
"Have you met someone?" asked Hermione, her eyes going wide.
"No," said Ron with a laugh, shaking his head. "I've just been talking to Harry… well, actually, Kingsley Shacklebolt. You know how they've had a good deal of openings at the Ministry because of the battle with You-Know-Who?" When Hermione nodded and looked at him with intense curiosity, he rubbed the back of his head, and looked rather shy as he continued, "Seems that Kingsley's needing some people to take the place of the Aurors he's appointed to various positions in the Ministry and he's asked if I'd consider training up to be one of them. If I got through the training it there's a good chance I'd be working with Harry. It would be like old times in a way."
"Ron!" Hermione said his name with great excitement, releasing something of a happy squeal and wrapping him up in a hug which he instinctively returned as he gave a deep laugh. They rocked to and fro then Hermione pulled back and she grinned widely. "I’m so proud of you. The Minister of Magic himself asked if you would join their training, that's an enormous honor."
"I didn't think of it that way," said Ron rather sheepishly, the tips of his ears turning red in an embarrassed blush. "He's been Kingsley for so long that sometimes I find myself forgetting what an important man he is. I really want to do this, Hermione," he said this soft and serious as he looked into her eyes. "It's been a lark, helping George with the shop, but I've always wanted to do something important with my life and I don't reckon that will happen working at Weasley's Wheezes." He formed a bemused expression and said, "Mum will slaughter me when she finds out. It's bad enough we've split but me going into Auror training? She'll surely lose it."
"Perhaps you can put off telling her?" suggested Hermione, only saying this because she knew Ron wasn't exaggerating in the least when it came to Molly's reaction. If anything, it was probably a little bit of an understatement.
"Are you volunteering to accompany me to the next few family functions?" asked Ron, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
"Hardly," scoffed Hermione, giving Ron's stomach a light whap. "I doubt very much Luna would be pleased with that situation."
"Luna's a nice girl, she could have sympathy on me," Ron said, forming a playfully wounded expression. His eyes drifted to the clock on the wall and murmured, "I should go, George's wanting me to open the shop today."
He slowly rose to his feet and Hermione followed suit and as they looked at one another there was a moment of hesitation before moving in for a hug. As she felt Ron's arms go around her, Hermione was overwhelmed by a great wave of affection for him as she considered this was probably going to be the last time he held her this way. She didn't regret their time together and in the same measure she didn't regret forming these new feelings for Luna but she regretted very much how painful it was to lose something she had for so long. Even if what they had was nowhere as real and true as it was when they had first fallen in love with each other. They were still friends, yes, and that was what Hermione wanted all along, to keep Ron in her life however she could have him, but somehow it still hurt so badly.
Feeling Hermione shake in his arms, crying quietly, Ron murmured in her ear, his voice thick with affection and reassurance, "I love you. That isn't going to change. I don't think it ever could so please don't cry, things between us are different now but that'll always stay the same."
They parted with matching bittersweet smiles, Ron reaching out run his fingertips in a bare path across Hermione's cheek, brushing a stray lock of hair away before he disapparated with a quiet pop, leaving Hermione alone and feeling drained but strangely free at the same time.
---
She spent most of the day attempting to find Luna only to have little success and Hermione finally gave up on her search by the end of the day when she hadn't seen the blonde anywhere on campus. This left Hermione feeling altogether nervous and a tad worried about not seeing the younger girl who had a very pleasant habit of appearing around the brunette no matter where she went at the University.
When she was finished with her last lecture of the day Hermione immediately disapparated to Luna's cottage in Ballyvaughan, eager to tell the blonde that she had finally ended her relationship with Ron. But when she knocked on the door it wasn't Luna who answered. Instead it was Ophelia who wore a definite frown on her features upon seeing Hermione.
"Ophelia," said Hermione with some surprise. "Where is Luna?" Her mind immediately went to what Luna cared for the most in the world, magical creatures, and the fact she often placed herself in dangerous situations in order to help them. Which is why she found herself moving towards the Greek woman in a rush and saying in a slight panic, "Has she hurt herself?"
Closing the front door behind her, Ophelia said rather stiffly, "Luna hasn't been injured physically."
"What does that mean?" asked Hermione, blinking and looking baffled. Her attention kept drifting to the door that Ophelia was standing in front of and it was only the reassurance that Luna wasn't hurt and her ingrained sense of politeness that kept her from apparating inside of the cottage to see the blonde. "What are you talking about?"
"When I saw you last I told you how she hides her heart away to keep it from being hurt by those she cares for most," Ophelia said this in tones that were faintly accusing. "I trusted when I told you that it would keep you from following in the mistakes of others."
"And you think I have?" questioned Hermione defensively, her stance adjusting instantly to match her attitude.
"I think that Luna has been hurt by your inability to keep your promises," said Ophelia, meeting Hermione's gaze steadily and refusing to back down. "You say that you want to be with her but your actions tell the opposite story."
"Not that it is any of your business," Hermione bristled. "But the reason I want to speak to Luna so very badly is to tell her that I ended my relationship with Ron last night." Uncaring about Ophelia's reaction to hearing this news and feeling thoroughly impatient to see the blonde, Hermione moved past the Greek woman and opened the front door to Luna's cottage. "And I told him how I feel for Luna."
Finding herself suddenly alone in the beautiful scenery of Ballyvaughan, Ophelia gazed at the now closed door, an unreadable look on her features as she disapparated back to her villa in Corfu.
Inside the cottage, Hermione removed her cloak and was immediately greeted by the friendly cooing of Bishamon who flew from his perch to settle himself comfortably on her forearm. Smiling at the wood pigeon, Hermione stroked his back gently and was rewarded with more of his affectionate cooing before he flew back to settle on his handsome brass perch. She moved through the living room, following the smell of delicious tea brewing, thinking that Luna must be in the kitchen preparing it. Quickly arriving at the doorway to the kitchen, Hermione found herself frozen in place, stilled by the sight of the blonde who was humming a nameless song to herself and doing a funny little dance that consisted of spinning in circles as she moved about the kitchen in her preparations for what looked like a light dinner. The younger girl must have sensed someone watching her because without turning to face Hermione, she declared in a playful warning, "Nothing is properly cooked. You can't eat unless you want a tummy ache."
"We I wouldn't want that," Hermione responded with a chuckle and before she realized it she was moving forward until she was standing behind Luna and wrapping her up in a hug from behind. "Tummy aches aren't enjoyable in the least."
"Hermione?" Luna said her name in surprise, her eyes going wide. "But where is Ophelia?"
An almost dark look passing over her features when she thought of her encounter with the Greek woman, Hermione replied, "I believe she left. Luna," the brunette released the younger girl, moving so they were face to face, "I looked for you all day on campus. Where were you?" Silence as Luna looked off to one side, seeming unable to face Hermione anymore. There was a emotionless aspect to her expression that almost frightened Hermione. "You were avoiding me," she said this more as a statement than a question as she already knew the answer.
"Hope is a wonderful thing until one becomes exhausted as reality causes it to fade," Luna said this distantly, focusing on some far off place that Hermione couldn't ever imagine on her own. "I suppose that today I was feeling much the same."
"Luna," Hermione said her name urgently and it was only then that the blonde returned her attention to older girl. With trembling hands she reached out to the blonde, one hand going down to her waist, pulling Luna gently forward until their bodies lightly touched while the other traced a bare path up her neck and to her cheek, where she rubbed the delicate skin softly, smiling at the quiet and involuntary sigh that Luna released at her touch. "I ended things with Ron. I told him how I felt for you. He knows, Luna," Hermione more breathed this than said it, a small smile tugging at her lips. "He knows everything." Hearing this, Luna's blues became wide, far wider than Hermione had ever seen them but there was also a clear look of disbelief, a sort of fearful skepticism, as if she was unable to truly believe this had happened after so many days and nights of asking and always receiving a negative reply. "I know what this must have seemed like," she said this in low tones, her voice shaky, and thick with emotion. Her hand moved upwards to push a lock of hair from Luna's eyes, falling downward to rub tenderly at the blonde's neck, her fingers curling into her hair in a gentle caress. "How I delayed telling him for so very long, it appeared as if I no longer wanted to be with you, that I was regretting my decision but that wasn't the truth. It never was. I was simply a coward, I was so incredibly scared of losing the person I'd been closest to since I was a child. Afraid I would hurt him enough to hate me."
"Did you?" Luna asked this with a strangely soft and caring curiosity.
"No," said Hermione, shaking her head and releasing a strangled laugh, tears forming in her eyes. "He understood… he understood it all because he had been feeling the same way." Looking up at Luna through her blurry vision, the blonde still looking so very beautiful to her, she formed a shaky smile. "Do you know that Monday was our anniversary? We both forgot. Pathetic, isn't it?"
"It's sad," murmured Luna in gentle disagreement, her fingers tracing a bare path on Hermione's skin, wiping the tears away. "And not pathetic in the least. Caring for another person should never be called that, no matter what the circumstances."
"I think I've been sad for so long," confessed Hermione, looking at Luna with eyes that begged for understanding. "Until I met you. The more time we began to spend together the happier I became until one day I suddenly couldn't think of my life without you and all I wanted was to be with you." Hermione paused and her gaze moved away, staring at the boiling tea kettle, wondering vaguely if Luna had a cast a spell to keep it from going over. "Though I would understand if you no longer wanted me."
Tilting her head to one side and studying Hermione much like one would study a great work of art or a fascinating spell experiment, a slight smile pulled at her lips as Luna murmured, "Let me see."
Before Hermione could form a proper response, Luna's lips were on her own and she was keening low and sweet as the younger girl kissed her long, hard, and deep. Mouths soft and warm and open, one kiss leading to another and another, each kiss hungrier and fiercer than the last, as if they were making up for all of the time they had lost. Luna's hands were hot on her hips, pulling Hermione closer until there wasn't any space between them, and she moaned into the blonde's mouth as her tongue slipped in for a taste, her kisses becoming more lush and extravagant, licking and tugging and sucking hard then tender then hard again. Pale hands slipped under the material of Hermione's shirt, Luna's palm flat on her stomach, moving upwards in a firm but knowing caress to cup Hermione's breast, her thumb stroking the outside of the brunette's bra, a smile forming as her nipple hardened. Hermione had thought that despite everything her relationship with Ron sexually had been rather good, better than that in fact, she thought it fantastic, superb at times, but it was nothing compared to this. She didn't want to discount what she felt for the redhead but it had never been like this with him. The intense hunger, how she felt herself become wet almost the instant that Luna's lips met hers, how each touch of the blonde's hands, each stroke of her tongue, each low moan into her mouth, made her want Luna more and more and the wanting was all she was aware of in these moments. Her mind wouldn't allow for anything else, and for the first time in her life, Hermione found herself truly consumed by desire.
The need for air finally forced them to part and when they did, Hermione's breathing was heavy and her cheeks were flushed. Luna, however, looked entirely composed and quite pleased with herself. Her hand remaining firmly in place, cupping Hermione's breast as a smile formed on her features. "What does Hermione think?" Luna murmured, a playful lilt in her voice.
"I think you had better want me after kissing me way," said Hermione roughly, her throat dry and her heart hammering in her chest, biting back a moan as Luna's thumb moved across her breast in a tantalizing touch.
"Hermione is ever so clever," Luna said this in something of a purr, moving in for another kiss, this one soft and teasing. When they parted Luna moved forward, her hand falling from Hermione's breast to wrap around her waist, pulling their bodies even closer together. Her face hidden in the crook of Hermione's neck, her breath was warm and sweet on the brunette's skin, her voice the happiest and most content that the older girl could ever remember hearing as she murmured, "I knew we would smell right together."
Her mind a jumble of thoughts, many of which were absorbed by how incredibly wonderful it felt to finally be holding, kissing, Luna again, Hermione couldn't help but fixate on these words, sure that she had heard them before. She began to think back on it, trying to recall when she heard the blonde say them but her mind suddenly went blank as she felt the gloriously wet and rough sensation of Luna's tongue on her neck and then she was throwing her head back, giving Luna free reign as she tangled her fingers in white blonde hair.
After that, Hermione didn't do much thinking at all.
To be continued...
AUTHOR: dreiser
EMAIL: dreiser7@yahoo.com
YAHOO ID: dreiser7
AIM ID: dreiser3
MY WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.org/
CONTENT: F/F romance. Hermione/Luna.
SUMMARY: Little by little, in her own unusual way, Luna Lovegood begins to romance Hermione Granger.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my fangirl happiness at all of the good comic book movies coming out.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I became impatient. Thus, here is the fic. This chapter might be edited later depending on what my beta says.
Crazy Little Things
By: Dreiser
There were a great many things that Hermione enjoyed. Among the many things included the pursuit of knowledge, to receive a good mark for a job well done, settling down on a rainy night to read a book, and seeing her friends happy and safe. But what she didn't enjoy were emotionally uncomfortable situations. When feelings became too intense, too loud, to be reasoned with and talked out logically. Such things made her feel entirely out of control and out of place and she didn't enjoy it in the least. Which is perhaps why when they returned to Britain she found it difficult to fulfill her promise to Luna. No, it was more than difficult… it was almost impossible at times.
Ron was so very sweet when she returned. He had been waiting in her flat, newly cleaned and looking tidier than it had in months, with a homemade and surprisingly wonderful meal, insisting on feeding her much of the food as he grinned wide and eager, asking for details of her trip with Luna. Details which made her burn with guilt and shame when she thought of how she was going to hurt him. Then when the meal was over, he produced a copy the latest book from her favorite Arithmancy scholar which had been released while she was on the trip.
It never seemed the right time to tell him and so Hermione kept quiet, drowning over the guilt she felt involving both Ron and Luna. She had promised Luna she would tell him but each time she started Ron would say or do something that would make Hermione experience such a wave of affection for him that she couldn't bear the thought of hurting him. At the same time, she knew how very wrong it was to continue this farce, to let him think all was perfectly well and how it had always been. If only she didn't have to hurt him. That was what tormented her, the idea she would be causing him pain, when for so many years she had done everything to keep such a thing from him.
They had been each others shelter in the storm during the dark years with Voldemort and she was afraid once she told him that would suddenly change. The closeness, the camaraderie, that had been there since their childhood, something she had secretly relied on to keep her strong in the most difficult of times, would be gone and she would be left standing alone.
Not really alone, of course, as she would have Luna and her other friends but they weren't Ron. He had been with her for so long and then there was Harry, who loved Ron like a brother, how would he react? She wasn't sure if she could take losing Ron completely but what would happen if he were to take Harry with him? Of course, he had always tried to stay neutral in their squabbles as a couple but this was hardly the same. This was Hermione breaking up with Ron, leaving him for Luna, surely if Ron was upset Harry would have to take a side, wouldn't he? After all, the most logical side to take would be that of the person hurt the most and in this situation that was Ron.
Then there was Ron's family, the Weasley's had been like a security blanket in the wizarding world for Harry and Hermione both. Caring for them and helping them the best they could along the way, but all the same, they were Ron's family and if Ron took things badly and never wanted to speak to her again she could easily imagine most of his family following a similar route. Hermione knew with little doubt that Molly would be furious and would probably refuse to speak to her for months if not years. And who knows how she would treat Luna. Though Hermione did suspect it would be something like the scandalous treatment one would give the woman who seduced a husband away from his wife or something of that nature. Which was as far from Luna as Hermione could possibly imagine.
Besides Ron and Harry, she found herself most concerned with Ginny's reaction. For so many years Ginny had been her only real female friend, the one she could trust to tell those horribly confusing emotions to without being laughed at or judged. She had been so very helpful and kind in the early years with Ron, when they first began dating, and she desperately wanted to talk to her now. To ask her advice about what to say to Ron that would explain best how she felt and why she wanted to end their romantic relationship but she couldn't ask. Because no matter how close of a friend Ginny was to her, she was also Ron's sister and though she teased him unmercifully and often called him names, Hermione knew how much she did love her goofy and often stubborn older brother.
The more time that passed the harder it became to tell him, the first day back from the trip quickly became the second, the third, until more than a week had passed and Hermione still hadn't told Ron. Whenever she was with Luna and saw that look of veiled disappointment and hurt when she discovered Hermione hadn't spoken to him as she promised she would the guilt she felt over this became just as strong as the fear of hurting Ron and losing him completely. No matter what she did someone was going to end up hurt so shouldn't she simply do what was best for her and follow her heart that was leading her directly to Luna?
All of these thoughts occupied Hermione during Professor Meedlemeier's lecture, enough that she found herself unaware that the class had ended until she felt the soft press of Su Li's hand on her shoulder. Jumping slightly in her seat, Hermione looked up at the Asian girl who lifted an eyebrow in humorous observation and drawled, "You've got something on your mind, haven't you?" Though Hermione desperately wanted someone to talk to about her problems involving Ron and Luna, and she was once again on quite good terms with Su whom she considered one of her closest friends at the University, she wasn't someone who had ever been completely at ease talking about her feelings. And so, Hermione hesitated, but in that moment of hesitation, Su moved forward, leaning down to pick up Hermione's satchel. "Come on," Su said with a smile, taking a step towards the doors of the lecture hall, an encouraging look on her features. "Lets have a talk over lunch."
Minutes later, they were sitting down in the University dining hall at a small table with a view of the campus grounds. Su took a bite of her salad, wearing the same encouraging but expectant expression on her face as she looked at Hermione. Unable to look at the other girl and explain what was bothering her, the brunette stared out the window and found herself thinking back to the time that Luna met her at the lecture hell. Recalling that moment, Hermione turned her focus to Su and said, "That day after I was cross with you… it seemed as if you wanted to tell me something about Luna. What was it?"
"Hermione," Su said her name reluctantly, looking like she preferred not to reply. "I don't think I should answer that. It's likely that you might become cross with me again and I'm certain that's an experience I rather not repeat."
"Please tell me," murmured Hermione in plaintive tones. "It sounds a bit mad but I really must know."
Still looking reluctant, Su sighed quietly, then said, "Just realize I never meant any harm." When Hermione gave an affirming nod, Su focused her gaze out the window and murmured, "When you spoke about Luna, it rather reminded me of how a person acts when they're quite fond of someone." She paused for a moment then returned her focus to Hermione, meeting their eyes, as she continued, speaking carefully, and it was clear that she was being gentle but honest with her opinions. "I was going to ask how you felt for her."
"It was that obvious?" asked Hermione, her eyes wide in surprise.
"To those who know you well," replied Su with a small and relieved smile, looking quietly pleased that the other girl hadn't reacted badly to what she said. "Wait," Su murmured slowly, a knowing light emerging in her eyes. "You've realized how you felt for her, haven't you? That's why you appeared troubled during Professor Meedlemeier's lecture. I should have known it didn't have anything to do with the latest round of research papers he's assigned all of us."
"Research papers?" Hermione echoed, suddenly regretting the utter lack of attention she had given to the professor's lecture. Shaking her head and making a mental note to go visit him tomorrow during his office hours, she said, "No it wasn't that at all. I was thinking of Luna and Ron. Over the break, I went on a trip with Luna to search for the Krodha Swinging Lizard in the Kerala Backwaters of India."
"The Cord Hah what?" asked Su and she made such a face that Hermione wondered what she was imagining.
"Krodha Swinging Lizard, it's a rare species of magical creature," said Hermione in her best informative teacher tones. "After we found the lizard, we had to leave the area rather quickly because of poachers lurking about. That's when Luna asked me to accompany her to Corfu and help with her project of writing a research book dedicated to the rare and newly discovered magical creatures she had found."
"Corfu? Hermione, do you mean to say that you spent most of your break in Greece with Luna?" asked Su a tad incredulously.
"A good deal of it, yes," admitted Hermione, a bit shy.
Studying Hermione for a long moment, Su formed a playful smile then drawled, "I think I finally understand. After all, Greece is a terribly romantic place. Much more so than our stuffy old University, I would suppose. I take it something happened there?"
"I kissed her," Hermione confessed. Watching Su's eyes become large, she blushed lightly and said, "I've shocked you, haven't I?"
"Just a little," said Su, giving a laugh. She paused then formed a small frown, a concerned look emerging on her features. "How did she react?"
"Things became rather strained briefly but more due to myself than Luna," murmured Hermione, turning to gaze out at the campus, wondering what the blonde was doing right now. She was in her Pediatrics Potions class and was no doubt enjoying herself, no matter what their assignment was. "Despite what anyone might think, she knows her mind quite well. I was by far the responsible party for any unpleasantness. My thoughts became less occupied by what I wanted, and how I felt for Luna, and more absorbed by my feelings of guilt."
Su formed a look of realization on her features and she said, "You haven't spoken to Ron."
"I've tried," said Hermione, almost frantic and immediately her friend could see how bothered she was by the fact that she hadn't spoken to him yet. "I promised Luna that I would tell him before we went any further but each time I start Ron does something that's so very sweet or he speaks about all of the time we have spent together and I find myself unable."
"I can see that," Su murmured slowly. She paused for a moment then said in very kind tones and seeming to choose her words carefully, "But how is Luna taking it? I can't imagine she's pleased you haven't spoken to him if you made her a promise."
"Luna," Hermione sighed, thinking of the blonde girl and the perpetually sad but understanding expression she wore on her face since they returned from Greece. "She's disappointed with me to say the least. I've yet to be scolded by her but I can tell she isn't happy and it bothers me terribly that I am the reason behind that. At the same time, I hate the idea of hurting Ron." Shaking her head and releasing a deep sigh, Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose as she recognized the start of a headache forming. "It's a horrid situation, Su. I feel as if I'm lying to Ron and I'm leading Luna on. I never thought I would be the type of person to be in a situation such as this."
"I'm not sure you can help Ron becoming hurt, not if you've chosen to be with Luna," murmured Su, she tilted her head to one side and studied Hermione for a moment. "That is what you decided, isn't it?" Blushing darkly, Hermione gave an assenting nod. "Then I think that perhaps it will cause greater pain in the long run if you postpone telling him. Also, there's the worry that the longer you take to tell him, the more you take the chance that Luna will lose faith in you and your decision to be with her. Certainly it doesn't inspire confidence."
"You're right," said Hermione quietly. "I know you're right. I need to tell him, soon as possible. I just wish it wasn't so difficult."
"What is right is often what is hardest," offered Su wisely and Hermione recognized the truth in her words. But it didn't make it any easier.
---
The time was just barely past ten o'clock when Professor Ipson received an owl from home, when he unrolled the parchment and a bemused smile formed on his features Luna and Hermione instantly knew that it was from his wife. In a strange way, Hermione almost felt envious of their relationship. They had been together for so long that they felt utterly and completely comfortable with one another. Although his wife did respect his career and the time he had to spend away from her and their family because of it she didn't allow him to overwork himself.
Whenever they found themselves working particularly late at night and they were nearing the point of exhaustion, his wife would faithfully owl, somehow knowing this, and gently ask the Professor if he would return home. Hermione found herself wishing that someday she would have a relationship like that with Luna. Of course, in order for that to happen she would have to break up with Ron first.
"I'm afraid I've been summoned home," said Professor Ipson wryly. "Shall we continue our work on Wednesday?"
"Sounds lovely," said Luna, her tones bright and happy, bouncing down to pick up her satchel, putting it over her shoulder. She turned and held out her hand to Hermione, silently asking the brunette to join her. Forming a smile, Hermione took Luna's hand and the two walked out of Professor Ipson's office, the sound of him disapparating meeting their ears. They were walking through the campus hand in hand when Luna turned to Hermione. "I'm not sleepy in the least but how is Hermione feeling?"
"I'm awake," said Hermione in droll tones, chuckling when Luna poked her in the side, a slight pout on her features.
"I was going to ask if you'd like to spend time with me at my cottage but now you've upset me," Luna declared, playfully exaggerating her annoyance. But before she could exaggerate further, Hermione was in front of her, reaching for both of the blonde's hands.
"You're having fun with me," said Hermione in teasing tones. "You know very well that I'll say yes. Have I ever said no when asked to spend time with you?"
"Not as of yet but you do realize there are first times for everything," Luna replied, pulling one of her hands free and sliding her index finger down Hermione's nose and tapping the tip of it lightly. "Hermione might eventually say no to me."
Releasing a humorous snort, Hermione drawled, "Not likely. You're practically impossible to refuse."
"Hermione does say the sweetest things," said Luna warmly, squeezing the brunette's hand before she gave a wave of her wand and they side along disapparated to her cottage in Ballyvaughan. She removed a small note tacked to her door by her father, remarking that he was telling her a family friend would be coming to town shortly and would she please join them for dinner. Hermione started to ask about this when Luna moved behind her, gently removing her cloak, her hands trailing down the brunette's sides and her touch gentle on her waist as she pulled her into a hug from behind. Her breath warm and sweet on Hermione's skin, she murmured, "I would much prefer to taste you."
"Luna," Hermione said her name breathlessly, a shiver running through her as she turned to face the other girl who flashed a brilliant smile while she reached up to cup the brunette's cheek.
"I'm allowed, aren't I?" questioned Luna with a hint of definite eagerness, her fingertips lightly caressing Hermione's skin.
Recalling her words to the younger girl from the day before, how she told Luna that she would try and speak with Ron in the morning, Hermione ducked her head and the moment she did, Luna's hand fell from her cheek and she heard the blonde make a quiet but obvious sound of disappointment. "I'm sorry," said Hermione brokenly. "I know I'm hurting the both of you by not saying anything and I never imagined I would be this type of person but all the same, I find myself in this situation."
Silence and then Luna said, "I never meant to force my feelings onto you but all the same, maybe I have, and this is the result."
"No!" cried out Hermione, sounding distraught, lifting her head and looking into Luna's eyes that were wide with surprise. Reaching out with trembling hands, she touched Luna's face softly, moving forward to rest her forehead against the blonde's. "I want to be with you, I do. I don't know why I can't simply tell Ron. No," Hermione shook her head, looking disgusted with herself. "I know why. I'm scared of being hated by him. He's been the closest person to me for so very long and I'm afraid once I end our romance he might never want to see me again, much less be friends. But the longer I take to tell him, the more chance I have that you will end up hating me as well."
Gathering Hermione up in her arms for a hug, Luna murmured, "I could never hate Hermione. But I do wish you would speak with him." Pulling away to look into Hermione's eyes which were slightly teary she formed a reassuring and faintly mischievous smile. "I'm looking ever so forward to kissing you again. I plan on doing a thorough job of it."
Releasing a short laugh, Hermione buried herself in Luna's embrace, tucking her face into the crook of the younger girl's neck. Her voice quiet and emotionally exhausted, she replied, "So do I."
---
The next morning, Hermione was half asleep, puttering about her flat and preparing Crookshanks breakfast as the large cat was hovering around her feet, rubbing his head against her legs in his usual overly affectionate sign of wanting to be fed. Opening his can of food, she reached for his food bowl, smiling gently as he bumped her hand with his head, and she paused in preparing his breakfast to give his head a nice pet and rub, chuckling as he purred loudly and curled further around her legs.
She had just put the food in the bowl and placed it on the floor where a very hungry Crookshanks got a hold of it, quickly gobbling it down, when the loud pop of someone apparating sounded and Ron suddenly appeared in front of her. He stood before her in seconds with a large bouquet of flowers in his hands and an apologetic, almost frantic, expression on his features.
"Ron?" asked Hermione, altogether surprised. "What's all this?"
"You've got to forgive me, Hermione," Ron said, his words coming fast, one stumbling after another as he moved closer and Hermione automatically took the flowers he was presenting to her. "I lost track of the time, I was working at the shop, and then Harry came for a visit, I had a bit of business I wanted to speak to him about, but I swear to you, I didn't mean to forget…" Ron trailed off and for the first time he seemed to really notice how perplexed Hermione appeared. "You haven't a clue what I'm talking about, do you?"
Staring blankly at him, Hermione replied, "Not in the slightest." On hearing this, Ron released the flowers into her grasp and wandered into the living room, seeming drained of all his energy as he dropped down to sit on the sofa. Hermione placed the flowers gently down on the kitchen table then followed after him, standing before him, looking extremely worried. "What is it?" she questioned softly.
"Yesterday was our anniversary," said Ron in wry tones, finding some sort of perverse humor in the fact that they both had forgotten it. "I woke up in a panic, positive you'd be furious at me because I'd forgotten and here I find you did the same."
"Ron," Hermione said this helplessly. He looked so utterly lost and it broke her heart but at the same time, this was the perfect opportunity to tell him what she had been needing to for weeks. Tell him that the reason she forgot was because she had been with Luna and that was where she wanted to be from now on. "I need to speak with you."
"It isn't good, is it?" murmured Ron, looking up at her with sad brown eyes. "Both of us forgetting." He rubbed his hands on his pants in a anxious gesture. "Hermione," he said her name in a quiet plea. "Please, don't be angry but don't you think things between us haven't been right for some time? Surely if they were then something like this wouldn't have happened."
"I think you're right," said Hermione in a bare whisper as she moved to sit next to him on the sofa.
"You know I've never been good with words, saying the proper things at the proper times, and I reckon I never will," Ron said, sounding bemused, looking very much like he was struggling with what he wanted to tell Hermione. Meeting her eyes, he looked at her a silent plea in his gaze as he said, "I love you, Hermione. I always will. You're the most important person to me but lately…"
"We've grown apart," Hermione offered gently and immediately she saw the understanding in his eyes, the sad but relieved realization that Hermione knew precisely what he was speaking about. "We love each other, certainly, but it feels as if we aren't in love anymore."
"It's like at Hogwarts, almost," said Ron a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head and releasing a sigh. "Before I got to wanting to kiss you all of the time. Back when we were just friends and there was nothing else to it."
They were silent for a long while, absorbing the reality that they both were aware of the unspoken problem in their relationship that had been going on for countless months. Hermione was trying to work up her courage to explain how she felt for Luna when Ron looked to her with a small smile on his face that was sad and sweet all at the same time.
Tenderly pushing a lock of curly brown hair from her eyes, Ron murmured, "I don't understand it, not the littlest bit. You're still the prettiest witch in the world to me and everyone bloody well knows you're the smartest. I was positive that you were the girl I would marry because I couldn't imagine loving anymore more than I loved you." Pausing to give an embarrassed laugh, he moved his hand down, stretching his fingers out lightly to caress Hermione's cheek. "I even thought of the kids we would have together, imagined what they'd look like and how they'd act. First a girl and then a boy, I had their names picked out."
"What were they?" asked Hermione, her voice thick with emotion.
"Rose and Hugo," said Ron and his eyes fixed on his fingers curling around the brunette's hair. "Rose would have been as pretty as her mother and just as smart and Hugo… rather shy, also like his mother, but full of adventure."
"I like those names very much," Hermione confessed and she gave a half laugh and sob, suddenly overwhelmed with the need to embrace the man in front of her. She fell into his arms, crying in remorse for the future they could have had together that had been somehow lost but also feeling so very free because for the first time they were finally talking about it, about this problem of theirs.
Smiling sadly, Ron rubbed her back in comforting circles as he said quietly, "I think maybe we wanted to feel how we once did and it's been the wanting that's kept us together and not the actual feelings. Don't you think that it isn't right for us to carry on this way?"
"Ron," Hermione whispered his name, releasing a shuddering sigh, the last of her tears leaving her as she moved out of his embrace to look him in the eyes. "I've something I need to tell you. It's something I've been needing to tell you for the past few weeks, longer than that even." The redhead looked deeply concerned and suddenly needing him to not seem quite so worried, Hermione released an anxious laugh, waving her hands at him as she continued, "Please don't look that way. I'm not sure I can tell you if you wear that face, I'll simply feel too guilty and then we'll find ourselves right back where we began. Well, not entirely the same but perhaps close to it."
"Hermione," Ron said her name with a good deal of surprise, "I've never seen you this nervous before." He took one of her waving hands in his own and squeezed it softly, wearing a reassuring expression on his features. "It's all right," he soothed. "Surely you know after all we've said you can tell me anything. No matter what might happen between us I always wanted us to be friends because that's where we started and it does sound grim but I'd like for it to be where things end."
"It's not grim at all," said Hermione, giving a soft sob, shaking her head. "I agree completely. That's why I've been so scared to speak to you, I was afraid once I did that you wouldn't want that any longer. That you would hate me and we couldn't be friends any longer."
"Tell me," said Ron in a gentle command, holding her chin in his hand and meeting their eyes. "I promise not to get mad and even if I do, you know me," he raised an eyebrow and gave a self deprecating chuckle. "I'll get over it once I have a nice pout."
"You do enjoy to pout, don't you?" remarked Hermione with a laugh that caused Ron to scowl just slightly. Moving to her hand to tug his down and away from her face, she lightly traced her fingertips on his palm and murmured, "The reason that I realized things between us weren't truly right was that I found myself caring for another person much in the same way I cared for you."
"Who?" asked Ron, his eyes going wide and his mind racing a mile a minute. He supposed that they really had returned to being just friends because while he felt jealous it was only a twinge and he was more occupied by sheer enormous curiosity. A tiny indiscernible frown formed on his face as he thought about one possible candidate. "Not Krum?"
"No, it isn't Viktor," said Hermione, rolling her eyes a bit, almost amused at the animosity that Ron still felt towards the Quidditch player for being the one to take her to the Yule Ball. She felt her heart begin to race as she looked into his earnest features and suddenly she felt seized by the sudden need to make sure he knew that she never betrayed him, not truly, when they were together. "We kissed once but I swore it wouldn't happen again, not until I spoke to you, and we…" Hermione trailed off, unable to say the words.
"Ended things," supplied Ron solemnly. They were quiet for a long moment, a feeling of depression falling over them until he returned his attention to her and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, smiling gently as he did so. "Well?" he questioned. "Who is it?"
Avoiding his eyes, Hermione opened her mouth but nothing came out, swallowing hard, she finally managed to say Luna's name in the barest of whispers, seeming more like it was pulled out of her than truly said. Ron blinked for a moment then said in disbelief, "Luna?"
Hermione watched him, feeling enormously worried and incredibly nervous, so much so that she practically felt as if she was going to crawl out of her own skin. He mouthed Luna's name again, looking as if he was processing the fact that Hermione cared for Luna Lovegood with a great deal of difficulty when he suddenly turned his attention to her. Staring at her with a serious gaze that was piercing and Hermione almost felt as if Ron was trying to read her mind when he stated, "You care for her." The brunette hesitated, unsure of how to reply and not upset him and seeing this, he continued, his voice insistent but understanding, "I need to know the truth, Hermione."
"It's like how it was in the beginning with us," Hermione murmured, looking down at his hand that she held in her own, holding it tighter because she was sure any moment he would become angry with her and yank it away and despite what he said earlier she would lose him completely. "I didn't mean for it to happen but it did and before I knew it, I was falling in love with her, just the same as I did with you."
"How does Luna feel?" asked Ron, his tones impassive, enough that Hermione didn't have the courage to look up at him.
"She isn't the easiest person to understand," said Hermione wryly, thinking of the blonde who continued to confound her in the most irritating but delightful of ways. "But I do know she cares for me very much."
"I'm glad," Ron said softly and when he did Hermione couldn't help looking at him, the surprise she felt was so great. Seeing this on her features, he formed a crooked smile and squeezed her hand gently in reassurance. "You deserve to have someone who cares for you, Hermione. Even if we're not together, I want you to be happy and I hope you'd want the same for me."
"Have you met someone?" asked Hermione, her eyes going wide.
"No," said Ron with a laugh, shaking his head. "I've just been talking to Harry… well, actually, Kingsley Shacklebolt. You know how they've had a good deal of openings at the Ministry because of the battle with You-Know-Who?" When Hermione nodded and looked at him with intense curiosity, he rubbed the back of his head, and looked rather shy as he continued, "Seems that Kingsley's needing some people to take the place of the Aurors he's appointed to various positions in the Ministry and he's asked if I'd consider training up to be one of them. If I got through the training it there's a good chance I'd be working with Harry. It would be like old times in a way."
"Ron!" Hermione said his name with great excitement, releasing something of a happy squeal and wrapping him up in a hug which he instinctively returned as he gave a deep laugh. They rocked to and fro then Hermione pulled back and she grinned widely. "I’m so proud of you. The Minister of Magic himself asked if you would join their training, that's an enormous honor."
"I didn't think of it that way," said Ron rather sheepishly, the tips of his ears turning red in an embarrassed blush. "He's been Kingsley for so long that sometimes I find myself forgetting what an important man he is. I really want to do this, Hermione," he said this soft and serious as he looked into her eyes. "It's been a lark, helping George with the shop, but I've always wanted to do something important with my life and I don't reckon that will happen working at Weasley's Wheezes." He formed a bemused expression and said, "Mum will slaughter me when she finds out. It's bad enough we've split but me going into Auror training? She'll surely lose it."
"Perhaps you can put off telling her?" suggested Hermione, only saying this because she knew Ron wasn't exaggerating in the least when it came to Molly's reaction. If anything, it was probably a little bit of an understatement.
"Are you volunteering to accompany me to the next few family functions?" asked Ron, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
"Hardly," scoffed Hermione, giving Ron's stomach a light whap. "I doubt very much Luna would be pleased with that situation."
"Luna's a nice girl, she could have sympathy on me," Ron said, forming a playfully wounded expression. His eyes drifted to the clock on the wall and murmured, "I should go, George's wanting me to open the shop today."
He slowly rose to his feet and Hermione followed suit and as they looked at one another there was a moment of hesitation before moving in for a hug. As she felt Ron's arms go around her, Hermione was overwhelmed by a great wave of affection for him as she considered this was probably going to be the last time he held her this way. She didn't regret their time together and in the same measure she didn't regret forming these new feelings for Luna but she regretted very much how painful it was to lose something she had for so long. Even if what they had was nowhere as real and true as it was when they had first fallen in love with each other. They were still friends, yes, and that was what Hermione wanted all along, to keep Ron in her life however she could have him, but somehow it still hurt so badly.
Feeling Hermione shake in his arms, crying quietly, Ron murmured in her ear, his voice thick with affection and reassurance, "I love you. That isn't going to change. I don't think it ever could so please don't cry, things between us are different now but that'll always stay the same."
They parted with matching bittersweet smiles, Ron reaching out run his fingertips in a bare path across Hermione's cheek, brushing a stray lock of hair away before he disapparated with a quiet pop, leaving Hermione alone and feeling drained but strangely free at the same time.
---
She spent most of the day attempting to find Luna only to have little success and Hermione finally gave up on her search by the end of the day when she hadn't seen the blonde anywhere on campus. This left Hermione feeling altogether nervous and a tad worried about not seeing the younger girl who had a very pleasant habit of appearing around the brunette no matter where she went at the University.
When she was finished with her last lecture of the day Hermione immediately disapparated to Luna's cottage in Ballyvaughan, eager to tell the blonde that she had finally ended her relationship with Ron. But when she knocked on the door it wasn't Luna who answered. Instead it was Ophelia who wore a definite frown on her features upon seeing Hermione.
"Ophelia," said Hermione with some surprise. "Where is Luna?" Her mind immediately went to what Luna cared for the most in the world, magical creatures, and the fact she often placed herself in dangerous situations in order to help them. Which is why she found herself moving towards the Greek woman in a rush and saying in a slight panic, "Has she hurt herself?"
Closing the front door behind her, Ophelia said rather stiffly, "Luna hasn't been injured physically."
"What does that mean?" asked Hermione, blinking and looking baffled. Her attention kept drifting to the door that Ophelia was standing in front of and it was only the reassurance that Luna wasn't hurt and her ingrained sense of politeness that kept her from apparating inside of the cottage to see the blonde. "What are you talking about?"
"When I saw you last I told you how she hides her heart away to keep it from being hurt by those she cares for most," Ophelia said this in tones that were faintly accusing. "I trusted when I told you that it would keep you from following in the mistakes of others."
"And you think I have?" questioned Hermione defensively, her stance adjusting instantly to match her attitude.
"I think that Luna has been hurt by your inability to keep your promises," said Ophelia, meeting Hermione's gaze steadily and refusing to back down. "You say that you want to be with her but your actions tell the opposite story."
"Not that it is any of your business," Hermione bristled. "But the reason I want to speak to Luna so very badly is to tell her that I ended my relationship with Ron last night." Uncaring about Ophelia's reaction to hearing this news and feeling thoroughly impatient to see the blonde, Hermione moved past the Greek woman and opened the front door to Luna's cottage. "And I told him how I feel for Luna."
Finding herself suddenly alone in the beautiful scenery of Ballyvaughan, Ophelia gazed at the now closed door, an unreadable look on her features as she disapparated back to her villa in Corfu.
Inside the cottage, Hermione removed her cloak and was immediately greeted by the friendly cooing of Bishamon who flew from his perch to settle himself comfortably on her forearm. Smiling at the wood pigeon, Hermione stroked his back gently and was rewarded with more of his affectionate cooing before he flew back to settle on his handsome brass perch. She moved through the living room, following the smell of delicious tea brewing, thinking that Luna must be in the kitchen preparing it. Quickly arriving at the doorway to the kitchen, Hermione found herself frozen in place, stilled by the sight of the blonde who was humming a nameless song to herself and doing a funny little dance that consisted of spinning in circles as she moved about the kitchen in her preparations for what looked like a light dinner. The younger girl must have sensed someone watching her because without turning to face Hermione, she declared in a playful warning, "Nothing is properly cooked. You can't eat unless you want a tummy ache."
"We I wouldn't want that," Hermione responded with a chuckle and before she realized it she was moving forward until she was standing behind Luna and wrapping her up in a hug from behind. "Tummy aches aren't enjoyable in the least."
"Hermione?" Luna said her name in surprise, her eyes going wide. "But where is Ophelia?"
An almost dark look passing over her features when she thought of her encounter with the Greek woman, Hermione replied, "I believe she left. Luna," the brunette released the younger girl, moving so they were face to face, "I looked for you all day on campus. Where were you?" Silence as Luna looked off to one side, seeming unable to face Hermione anymore. There was a emotionless aspect to her expression that almost frightened Hermione. "You were avoiding me," she said this more as a statement than a question as she already knew the answer.
"Hope is a wonderful thing until one becomes exhausted as reality causes it to fade," Luna said this distantly, focusing on some far off place that Hermione couldn't ever imagine on her own. "I suppose that today I was feeling much the same."
"Luna," Hermione said her name urgently and it was only then that the blonde returned her attention to older girl. With trembling hands she reached out to the blonde, one hand going down to her waist, pulling Luna gently forward until their bodies lightly touched while the other traced a bare path up her neck and to her cheek, where she rubbed the delicate skin softly, smiling at the quiet and involuntary sigh that Luna released at her touch. "I ended things with Ron. I told him how I felt for you. He knows, Luna," Hermione more breathed this than said it, a small smile tugging at her lips. "He knows everything." Hearing this, Luna's blues became wide, far wider than Hermione had ever seen them but there was also a clear look of disbelief, a sort of fearful skepticism, as if she was unable to truly believe this had happened after so many days and nights of asking and always receiving a negative reply. "I know what this must have seemed like," she said this in low tones, her voice shaky, and thick with emotion. Her hand moved upwards to push a lock of hair from Luna's eyes, falling downward to rub tenderly at the blonde's neck, her fingers curling into her hair in a gentle caress. "How I delayed telling him for so very long, it appeared as if I no longer wanted to be with you, that I was regretting my decision but that wasn't the truth. It never was. I was simply a coward, I was so incredibly scared of losing the person I'd been closest to since I was a child. Afraid I would hurt him enough to hate me."
"Did you?" Luna asked this with a strangely soft and caring curiosity.
"No," said Hermione, shaking her head and releasing a strangled laugh, tears forming in her eyes. "He understood… he understood it all because he had been feeling the same way." Looking up at Luna through her blurry vision, the blonde still looking so very beautiful to her, she formed a shaky smile. "Do you know that Monday was our anniversary? We both forgot. Pathetic, isn't it?"
"It's sad," murmured Luna in gentle disagreement, her fingers tracing a bare path on Hermione's skin, wiping the tears away. "And not pathetic in the least. Caring for another person should never be called that, no matter what the circumstances."
"I think I've been sad for so long," confessed Hermione, looking at Luna with eyes that begged for understanding. "Until I met you. The more time we began to spend together the happier I became until one day I suddenly couldn't think of my life without you and all I wanted was to be with you." Hermione paused and her gaze moved away, staring at the boiling tea kettle, wondering vaguely if Luna had a cast a spell to keep it from going over. "Though I would understand if you no longer wanted me."
Tilting her head to one side and studying Hermione much like one would study a great work of art or a fascinating spell experiment, a slight smile pulled at her lips as Luna murmured, "Let me see."
Before Hermione could form a proper response, Luna's lips were on her own and she was keening low and sweet as the younger girl kissed her long, hard, and deep. Mouths soft and warm and open, one kiss leading to another and another, each kiss hungrier and fiercer than the last, as if they were making up for all of the time they had lost. Luna's hands were hot on her hips, pulling Hermione closer until there wasn't any space between them, and she moaned into the blonde's mouth as her tongue slipped in for a taste, her kisses becoming more lush and extravagant, licking and tugging and sucking hard then tender then hard again. Pale hands slipped under the material of Hermione's shirt, Luna's palm flat on her stomach, moving upwards in a firm but knowing caress to cup Hermione's breast, her thumb stroking the outside of the brunette's bra, a smile forming as her nipple hardened. Hermione had thought that despite everything her relationship with Ron sexually had been rather good, better than that in fact, she thought it fantastic, superb at times, but it was nothing compared to this. She didn't want to discount what she felt for the redhead but it had never been like this with him. The intense hunger, how she felt herself become wet almost the instant that Luna's lips met hers, how each touch of the blonde's hands, each stroke of her tongue, each low moan into her mouth, made her want Luna more and more and the wanting was all she was aware of in these moments. Her mind wouldn't allow for anything else, and for the first time in her life, Hermione found herself truly consumed by desire.
The need for air finally forced them to part and when they did, Hermione's breathing was heavy and her cheeks were flushed. Luna, however, looked entirely composed and quite pleased with herself. Her hand remaining firmly in place, cupping Hermione's breast as a smile formed on her features. "What does Hermione think?" Luna murmured, a playful lilt in her voice.
"I think you had better want me after kissing me way," said Hermione roughly, her throat dry and her heart hammering in her chest, biting back a moan as Luna's thumb moved across her breast in a tantalizing touch.
"Hermione is ever so clever," Luna said this in something of a purr, moving in for another kiss, this one soft and teasing. When they parted Luna moved forward, her hand falling from Hermione's breast to wrap around her waist, pulling their bodies even closer together. Her face hidden in the crook of Hermione's neck, her breath was warm and sweet on the brunette's skin, her voice the happiest and most content that the older girl could ever remember hearing as she murmured, "I knew we would smell right together."
Her mind a jumble of thoughts, many of which were absorbed by how incredibly wonderful it felt to finally be holding, kissing, Luna again, Hermione couldn't help but fixate on these words, sure that she had heard them before. She began to think back on it, trying to recall when she heard the blonde say them but her mind suddenly went blank as she felt the gloriously wet and rough sensation of Luna's tongue on her neck and then she was throwing her head back, giving Luna free reign as she tangled her fingers in white blonde hair.
After that, Hermione didn't do much thinking at all.
To be continued...