Chapter Two: Dedication

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or affiliated characters, places, and things. They all belong to J.K. Rowling and affiliated companies. This particular plot is mine, however. And to make it seem more cohesive to the original stories I am using some of the lines from them, but they are not my material. They came for the excellent mind of their owner.

A/N: Keep the reviews coming!

Ronald Weasley was pacing back and forth in the Gryffindor Common Room. He was concerned about his friend Harry Potter. It had been a week since the fight with the Death Eaters. Most people were calling it a battle, but Ron didn't agree with that term. Battles were things fought by old men and goblins. He was neither of those. He was just a young man who enjoyed eating and hanging out with his friends. One of whom just so happened to be Harry Potter. The-boy-who-lived was his best mate, and that came with perks for sure.

The sound of the portrait door closing snapped Ronald out of his thoughts. Turning around he found Hermione and Harry walking into the Common Room with two young ladies hanging off their arms. Harry's invisibility cloak was hanging off his arm. Hermione and the young woman hanging on her arm were putting their wands away. The muggle clothes the girls were wearing had caused his mind to take a seconds' pause in recognizing them. Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass were clinging to Harry and Hermione respectively. All conversation ended when the four of them noticed Ron.

"Oh, hey Ron what are you doing up?" asked Harry.

"I was just waiting for you to get back. What did you catch Malfoy trying to hurt these two?" Ron asked in confusion.

The look of worry on Hermione's face made Ron think that something horrible had happened to her. Before he could say anything the alluring blonde attached to her arm spoke. "You needn't worry about Harry Weasley I doubt Malfoy would do anything stupid at this point."

Ron kept looking between Greengrass and Hermione and wondering why Hermione was sliding closer to the girl. She couldn't feel safer with the girl then she felt with Harry. Hell, even Ron knew that the two of them had to be shagging at this point. Just the thought of it made his heartache. He loved Hermione, but if she chose Harry over him he wouldn't complain. However, why was Hermione hanging on Greengrass' arm if she was with Harry?

"Hermione I am just going to ask." He noticed Hermione's face get a little paler. "What are you worried about? I know you and Harry are a thing, but what I am wondering is if that is so why are you hanging onto Greengrass' arm, and Davis is hanging off his?"

"Ron it is not like that…" Harry said. "Hermione do you want Ron to know?" asked Harry as he looked over to their best female mate.

Hermione looked over to Greengrass. The two girls looked at each other. After a few seconds of an unspoken conversation, the two girls nodded to one another. Ron didn't know what was going on. Sure his mind went to some dirty places from time to time, but there was no way one of his best friends was…

"Ron I am a lesbian, and Daphne is my girlfriend." Hermione sighed.

Ron's world came crashing to a halt. The words were still rattling around in his brain. In all the years he had known her Hermione never gave any hints that she was playing for their team. He never once saw her checking out other girls. Hell, he never even once caught her casting glances at Greengrass other than ones of contempt. How, and furthermore when did this happen?

"How and when did this happen?" asked Ron before he could stop himself.

Daphne asked, "So you don't hate us?"

"Of course I don't," Ron said calmly. "I've never had that prejudice."

Ron began to explain how after the 'battle' at the Ministry he had started to look back on the way he had been acting, and came to the conclusion he had been a really horrible friend. He told them he had made a decision to start taking a slower approach to things. He admitted that he still needed to work on the things that he said. To which Hermione agreed without question. He then asked about how Hermione and Daphne started to see each other this year.

"Well, it started two weeks after Harry got that first detention from Umbridge…"

Flashback

Hermione was pacing back and forth in the library hidden behind two bookshelves. It was a nerve-racking time for her. She had just been asked by Greengrass to meet her in the library. She had told her it was to get some help with their Transfiguration assignment, but Hermione had her doubts. Daphne Greengrass did not require tutoring in her opinion. The girl seemed to be a natural in the class and was really her only competitor in top marks of their year. What could she need help with regarding conjuration? She seemed to be good at bringing cloth into existence, and her curves would look really good wrapped in the silk she had made this afternoon.

"No, Hermione stop thinking like that. She is just another student who you find incredibly attractive." Hermione started running her hands through her hair. "If you do something silly here Hermione she might tell the entire school your 'dirty' little secret."

Hermione started pacing faster and faster as these words left her lips. It would have been worse in a muggle school. Teenagers could be cruel, and she knew it. It was odd to once again feel like an outcast of her group of friends. What kind of a chance did she really have at being with someone as attractive, smart, and classy as Daphne Greengrass? She would be lucky if Ronald found her attractive… Okay, that was dumb though.

The sound of someone coughing caused her to turn around. Daphne Greengrass was standing there in a tight-fitting green robe with silver trim. Hermione couldn't help but look up and down the young woman's form. Her long blonde hair framed her heart-shaped face so nicely. Hermione's gaze continued down that hourglass figured body, and then right back up to her ice-blue eyes. Hermione's breath caught in her throat at that moment. Hermione just watched as Daphne walked up to her. Her eyes held in place by the way of the other girl's hips as she walked up to her. Hermione swallowed a held breath when Daphne stopped inches away from her.

"You wanted to meet with me about transfigurations Greengrass?" Hermione asked calmly trying her best to seem calm and collected.

"Yes and no. I am wondering if what I saw in Transfiguration yesterday meant anything." Daphne said this with a small smile on her face.

"I don't know what you're talking about Daphne," Hermione said quietly.

"Oh I think you do, and if I dare say you are afraid of it." Hermione felt her heart drop into her stomach. "Oh don't worry about it Granger I won't tell anyone. I just want to ask you something."

"What is that?" Hermione asked just above a whisper.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Daphne asked with her face an inch away from her own. Hermione breath hitched in her throat. "And if so I won't say I am opposed to it."

Hermione stood there for a moment dumbfounded at the comment. She wondered if this was some kind of trick. Shaking her head Hermione thought 'Well it's now or never.' With that Hermione took the chance. She closed the distance between their lips. The kiss was quick, but Hermione felt her cheeks flush just from that momentary contact. Daphne just smiled, and then returned the kiss. This one lasted longer. Hermione brought herself closer to Daphne. The contact between their bodies made Hermione flush at the cheeks a little bit more. It wasn't long after that that they broke the kiss. Both girls were trying to catch their breath as they gazed into each other's eyes. Hermione was still hoping this wasn't a prank. This fear was abated when Greengrass leaned back in and kissed Hermione once more.

When the kiss ended Hermione asked, "What does this mean Greengrass?"

"It means whatever you want it to mean Granger, but if you want this to continue I'd love to take you on a date." Greengrass had this shy smile on her face as she asked this.

"I'd like that, but I must say if this is to work you must call me Hermione," Hermione said softly.

"Well, then you must call me Daphne, Hermione." Hermione kissed Daphne once more.

End Flashback

Ron just stood there speechless. He looked between the two girls as they told their story. He was feeling a little bothered when they talked about how it felt to kiss one another. He found himself shifting around a little bit to conceal his little problem. He looked over to Harry who was just smiling at him about all of this. Ron jumped a little when Tracey started laughing. One look at Daphne and Ron knew she wasn't too happy with her friend. Tracey started waving her hand in front of her face trying to get people to not pay attention to her, but that wasn't helping the situation.

"What is so funny Tracey?" Daphne asked glaring at the poor girl.

"Nothing, just that you had the… courage to do that. I mean normally you are reserved and slightly aloof to other people. That took guts Daphne, and I am so proud of you." The smile on Tracey's face was causing Daphne to just glare at the other girl. "I just wish I could have seen that. You must have looked so cute."

"Oh, and you pining over Harry wasn't cute?" Daphne said with a smile on her face.

Ron was looking between the girls. Tracy was sticking her tongue out at Daphne at this point. A bit childish yes, but Ron couldn't help but laugh along with everyone else. It wasn't long after this that they started making their way to their dorms. Ron looked over at Harry and asked: "So, do you want me to sleep out here, or is a silencing charm good enough for you?" The caddy smile on his face was not be missed by his friend.

"Nah, I don't think that's going to be necessary. I know a silencing charm…."

"Why the bloody hell do you know a silencing charm?" Ron asked slightly aghast what that statement implied.

"Well, there is only one reason we would need to know that spell, Ronald…" Tracey said with a smile. She then looked over at Daphne and Hermione with this devilish grin on her face. "Hermione, I know you are the brightest-witch-of-the-age and all that, but would you like to learn the silencing charm?"

Ron started laughing hysterically. He managed to dodge the Stinging jinx, but the same could not be said for Tracy. As he made his way back to the boys' dormitory he could hear Harry talking to Tracy telling her he would be using the counter spell to the Stinging jinx when they got back to his bed. It took all of Ron's willpower to keep his mouth shut. One stinging jinx he could dodge. Two he could not, and that was barring the fact that one of them would be coming from the wand of one of the best duelist of his year. Just that one thought sent a chill down his spine.

-LUF-

Hermione was walking up to her dorm mumbling to herself. Ronald could be such a brat sometimes, and then he could be a downright arse sometimes. The boy meant well, but his delivery was so childish. They were almost adults for God's sake! They would be sixteen and seventeen old respectively during the next term. That would make her outside of the trace next term, and she may have to use magic to protect her parents. She didn't want to harm them, but there were other ways she could do that.

A soft gentle hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked over her shoulder at her girlfriend. This look of concern was etched onto her face. She didn't say anything she just wrapped Hermine into her embrace. The hug was bone-crushing. Daphne was whispering soft gentle words into her ear. She said that it didn't matter what was coming their way. That she would be there for her, and her family. She promised to talk to her parents about what was going on, and that her parents needed protecting. Hermione nodded her head, and just followed Daphne as she started walking her way up to the girls' fifth-year dormitory.

Daphne looked around the room. She smiled back at Hermione as they listened to Lavender snore. "Well, I can see the need for the Room of Requirement," Daphne said with a sly smile on her face.

Hermione wanted to say something, but Daphne put a finger to her lips. She then took Hermione by her left hand and started leading her to the vacant bed. Once the two of them had removed their socks and shoes Daphne pulled them into the bed and started pulling the curtains. Once they were closed she started looking the other girl started casting the silencing charm. She then looked over at Hermione with a wicked smile on her face. Before Hermione could say anything Daphne started to remove her shirt one button at a time. Which, brought a smile to Hermione's face. Who needed a Room of Requirement.