Chapter 114. Confession Part 2.

Hermione blinked a few times, frozen still in shock at Chiara’s sudden reveal. Looking into Chiara’s bright silver eyes, pleading to be given a chance, Hermione couldn’t help but blush. She had never thought of Chiara in that kind of way. She had never been interested in any girl ‘that way’. Chiara was Hermione’s closest friend though, she felt much closer to her than just about anyone else. Not to Harry or Ron, not even Lucas who kept pulling away from her and avoiding being any closer together with her.

Hermione, needing more time to process Chiara’s feelings, and her own feelings, stuttered a question to clarify something. “W-Was that why you were okay with both of us… Trying?” She muttered, barely able to get the words out through her shame. Chiara silently nodded, finally speaking her mind while looking down at her feet, unable to say the words to Hermione’s face. “I was hoping… to have us all share…” Hermione’s heart almost leapt from her chest as she gasped in disbelief. “What!? How long have you felt this way?”

Chiara’s face turned a deeper red, glancing up at Hermione, her bangs almost blocking her vision. “Not long…I- I liked you… For longer than I understood… I only knew since, I saw you kissing Lucas… You have the courage I wish I had, the way you never stop once you put your mind to something, the way you quietly mumble while reading… I like you so much. But I still can’t help but want to be with Lucas… This primal desire to be his partner… To be by his side… It’s all so wrong…”

Hermione gulped, even though she was still quite numbed from shock, she could still nod, understanding partly what Chiara was saying. Lucas had a similar effect on her. Nobody else did she want to be submissive for, this new door Lucas had unlocked within her was one only she wanted him to delve further into. With that understanding, she took a deep breath, feeling much more comfortable, enough to slowly organize her thoughts.

‘Should I accept just to keep us close?’ She instantly pondered, not wanting her rejection to push Chiara away. However that thought was just as quickly removed from her mind, Chiara deserved better than to be led on, Hermione would jinx anyone who dared hurt Chiara like that. So lying was out of the question, all that left was Hermione’s own feelings on the matter.

Looking at Chiara, Hermione looked at Chiara’s short silver hair, growing a little longer than normal, now draping down just to her shoulder blades, glittering like moonlight. Her unblemished and smooth skin Hermione knew to be soft and squishy from how often they hugged, their faces pressing against each other. Chiara was without a doubt attractive, Hermione sometimes felt a tiny bit jealous of Chiara’s figure from time to time, her hourglass shape more pronounced in her bust and hips.

Hermione frowned, still unsure what to think or say. However, seeing Chiara’s earnest look, made Hermione slowly grow a smile at her kind and considerate friend. “I’ve never looked at any girl like the way you look at me… Only Lucas was the first boy I…” Hermione started, taking a small breath to ease her pounding heart before continuing. “Can we… Just take this… One step at a time?” She muttered, admitting to her special fondness for Chiara, while still keeping open the idea of sharing each other with Lucas sometime in the future. Still unable to let him go even now.

“Yes! Yes of course!” Chiara yelled, relieved to be able to hug Hermione as tightly as she could once again, no, even closer now. Pressing cheek to cheek, both girl’s faces were already overheated from bashful excitement and happiness. “To be honest, I’ve never done this before either…” Chiara timidly admitted, causing a small scoff from Hermione, finding it funny Chiara was just as experienced as she was in these matters. “Um… C-Can I… Kiss your cheek…?” Chiara asked, her head slightly shaking from nerves.

Hermione flinched, the sudden question making this whole ordeal very real. She didn’t know if she was ready for this, but then again, would she ever be? Was she when Lucas first knocked on the door of submission now stirring inside her for him? Hermione gulped, anticipation rising as she opened her mouth. “You can kiss me…” She whispered, too shameful to truly speak the words.

Chiara slowly loosened her hug on Hermione, nervously taking shallow breaths as she prepared herself. Hermione could feel each breath tickling her neck, the new found meaning behind how close they were together making her more self conscious. Finally Chiara took a deeper breath, holding it for a moment as she moved closer. Hermione felt the small warm feeling on her left cheek, and froze, not to do anything wrong while she felt Chiara slowly move away.

Both girls looked at one another, before smiles grew on each of their faces, giggling and laughing at how simple the act they had worried so much over was. Hermione was surprised by how much excitement came with beginning whatever this was with Chiara. She already felt glad to have gotten closer once again with Chiara, still nervous and unsure, but happy nonetheless. Now there were no secrets between them, and they could move on together, in search of what they both wanted.

Chiara’s giggling finally came to a stop, and she brushed some of her hair behind her right ear with the last gasps of laughter. “Best Friends?” She asked, Hermione scoffing at Chiara. ‘I think we are beginning to move past that…’ She thought with a grin, but nodded regardless. A title that would always be with them, no matter what. “Best Friends.” Hermione pulled Chiara closer once again, new meaning in their hug, yet much still the same.

Hermione slowly pulled away after enjoying the whirlwind of emotions hugging Chiara now gave her. She smiled at Chiara, her mind still buzzing with anxiety and unsureness mixed perfectly with excitement and serenity. All new feelings that Hermione could only feel comfortable experiencing with someone as close to her as Chiara. Part of her still wished to feel this with Lucas. As much as she liked Chiara, and wanted to explore this with her, she still couldn’t get rid of Lucas from her mind.

Hermione’s smile faltered just thinking about maybe she shouldn’t be rushing into this. Chiara, instantly worried and placed her hands on Hermione’s shoulders. “What’s wrong?” She then gasped, and pulled away. “I- I’m sorry! D-Did I go too far!?” She recoiled in fright, scared that she did do something wrong, and just as Hermione was about to deny it, another floaty voice spoke. “You were thinking of Lucas…” Both girls glanced to the side to see Luna standing with her usual expression, somehow unsurprised at all of this.

Hermione winced, guilt surging through her as her expression worsened, Luna always somehow managed to see through all of Hermione’s thoughts. “I… It just happened, and I know I’m not able to let go-” Before she could continue on explaining to the floor, Chiara ducked down to see Hermione’s face hidden under her untamable brown hair. Hermione stuttered seeing Chiara’s forgiving smile. “I’m not asking you to.” She muttered, grasping at Hermione’s hands, Hermione surprised that the hands she had grabbed earlier without a thought, now made her fingers feel tingly.

“Lucas will be on my mind in the same way.” She admitted with an embarrassed smile, but pushing herself and her words to help ease Hermione’s doubts, forgoing her own comfort without a second thought for the comfort of Hermione. Chiara continued to smile, wanting Hermione to do the same. It wasn’t long before Hermione chuckled, nodding between small laughs of appreciation towards Chiara’s soft hearted ways.

She then glanced towards her side, Luna still standing unmoving with the same gaze as she did before. “Thank you…” Hermione muttered to Luna, her outspokenness helping to break any barriers anyone tried presenting before her. Luna blinked a few times, seemingly unknowing of what she had done right, tilting her head as she spoke in her light tone. “You’re welcome…”

Hermione scoffed, her hands still intertwined with Chiara’s, unsure whether or not to let go, instead just focusing on the strange girl before the both of them. “How do you feel about all this? You like… Him too, right?” She asked, still embarrassed to say the words aloud, especially after seeing him get so close with Pansy. Luna blinked a few times, her gaze moving between both Hermione and Chiara along with everywhere in between.

Finally after getting around to phrasing the words, Luna spoke uncaringly, yet with purpose. “I like Lucas… Many kinds of magical creatures form packs of multiple partners… Werewolves being one of them…” Hermione glanced at Chiara, Chiara blushing and facing away from Hermione in shame of her perverse instincts.

Hermione was about to lift Chiara’s spirits, but Luna’s voice brought her back to attention. “Knowing Lucas was a werewolf… I was already prepared for the idea of having to share… I’m glad it was with close friends…” Hermione could hardly believe her ears, Luna's thoughts of Lucas’ condition was one thing Hermione could guess Luna already knew, but already preparing to share him with her and Chiara was astonishing even by the standards Hermione set for Luna’s random and outlandish words.

Hermione herself wasn’t so sure about sharing him. She was prepared to let him go if Chiara or Luna won his affections, but the idea of joining together in some sort of lack of a better word ‘Harem’ left Hermione conflicted. She wanted Lucas, she wanted to also explore things with Chiara, but not with Luna, nothing against her, Hermione just wasn’t as comfortable as she was with Chiara. Also, Hermione knew that later she could feel like monopolizing Lucas, the jealousy she had been battling before could make a return against Chiara and Luna. And it would all be on deaf ears if Lucas never saw any of them in the way they all wanted. Hermione was torn apart, her own feelings and emotions a mess.

“Hermione…” Luna spoke in her particular tone of voice, making it seem as if she were uncaring, despite Hermione knowing that was untrue. Hermione glanced at Luna, Luna making direct eye contact with Hermione for the first time in a long while. “I only like Lucas…” And just as quickly as she looked into Hermione’s eyes, she snapped her focus to Hermione’s side, staring off into the distance as she continued. “Lucas will understand himself soon… And I know we’ll all work through things together…”

Luna’s simple words steadied Hermione’s anxiety, even going so far as to help Chiara’s slight doubts of Lucas seeing her as something special outside of his wolf form. Hermione smiled while holding out her arm for Luna to welcome a hug. She looked off into the distance, but eventually walked in, allowing for Chiara and Hermione to embrace her with friendship.