Petrichor | ?

- Ginny -

"Hermione! Where were you? I've got something to tell you," I blurted out excitedly when Hermione finally entered our room.

"What?" she turned to me, startled. She looked me up and down as she always did. But this time, no wonder, after all, I was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Well," I began, and pulled her onto my bed by the arm. 'Harry invited me for a walk, you know. It was totally romantic and I was really excited. At the beginning, we talked normally,' it gushed out of me.

"Slow down, Ginny, I don't understand a word," Hermione despaired.

"And then we sat down on a bench and he put his arm around me," I squealed loudly.

Hermione began to smile. I was pleased that she was pleased for me, and that pleased me even more.

"And thennn," I continued dramatically. "Then Harry turned to me... And almost jinxed me to my face."

"No!" Hermione exclaimed, startled. 'Yes!' 'Merlin, that's so typical of him,' she snorted.

I started grinning again. "But I didn't let myself be put off, even though we both laughed awkwardly at first. Anyway, I plucked up all my courage and kissed him!" I exclaimed, falling back on my bed in a theatrical manner.

"And then?" Hermione grinned as she bent over me. The memory made my cheeks burn and I felt the urge to squeal again. 'Then he kissed me back. Merlin, it was so beautiful...' I raved, lost in thought. My only thoughts were of that one wonderful moment earlier.

"Um... Are you two together now?" I jumped at Hermione's question. 'Oh. I haven't thought about that yet. I think so. But he hasn't asked me."

"Typical,' my friend commented.

"Oh, I'll get him to ask me," I decided confidently, while one or two plans were already crossing my mind...

"But where did you actually go..." "Say, is that mascara?!"

*

- Hermione -

Crap. I looked at Ginny, whose broad grin was replaced by a frightened expression.

"Um..." I nervously considered. She still stared at me, came a few centimeters closer and looked at my eyes more closely. I had actually wanted to remove the mascara, but Ginny had immediately pulled me onto her bed...

Swallowing and meekly, I looked at Ginny, who had just happily told me about her own experiences. Again, feelings of guilt arose in me. I didn't know if it would be okay for Malfoy if I told her. But I had to tell Ron anyway that I couldn't be with him. I didn't want to lie to my friends anymore. What I wanted was to be honest. And that's why I would do that.

"Ginny. I have to tell you something. But you have to listen to me until the end. You must not freak out. Above all, you must not tell anyone about this, I beg you!" I began.

The red-haired girl sat up and now sat cross-legged in front of me. 'Of course, Hermione,' she said, very seriously.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized and noticed tears welling up in my eyes. 'I wanted to tell you. But I just couldn't.' 'Okay,' Ginny whispered, smiling sympathetically.

I looked at her and took a deep breath. "So... I'm... I'm seeing someone. I have been for a while. On and off. At first it wasn't serious at all. But now I've developed feelings and I think he has too, but everything is so complicated because we can't really be together. His family would despise him, they already despise me anyway. And Ron – I would hurt him so much. Not only have I betrayed him, Ginny... I-waarg," I ended my babbling with a strange noise.