Getting used to the water.

Hester stood up and wrapped her arms tighter around Lavender. She buried her head in the other girl's shoulder and bit her lip as she fought to control herself. It would be all right. I would be all right. A shallow lake edge wouldn't hurt her.

You can drown in a teaspoon of water.

"I'm fine," she mumbled into Lavender's shoulder. "I really am. Nothing wrong. I'm fine. I'm Gryffindor. I'm strong. I can do this."

She lifted her head gently, nervously and then looked Lavender in the eye.

"I'm fine," she said, her voice only shaking slightly.

Lavender rubbed the other girls back softly as she rested her head on her shoulder. She tried to think of any way to help the red head get through this.

"Stay calm and don't panic," Lavender spoke calmly into Hester's ear. "It'll be fine. I'm here," They stayed in their place for now, Lavender didn't want to hurry the red head. That would only cause more trouble. She nuzzled her face in the girls red hair and kissed her head.

Hester felt Lavender kiss her and suddenly she felt a lot calmer. She would be fine. She should have tried this years ago. She should have gone swimming when her sisters had. She should have joined in on the school's swimming lessons. She shouldn't have hidden away and got more and more scared.

She pulled away from Lavender and just held her hand instead.

"Ok," she said softly. She didn't say anything else.

Lavender almost physically felt weight lift from Hester's shoulders before the red head backed away and took her hand instead. When Hester only said "Ok" Lavender wasn't sure what to say.

"Ok?" She looked in the red heads eyes, to make sure she knew that Lavender was there to help. "Shall we go a little closer then?" Lavender took two steps towards the lake, hand still holding Hester's tightly. She would take it as slow as possible.

Hester nodded to Lavender's question. She couldn't do anything else except stare at the water in front of her and follow Lavender blindly.

When Lavender moved, Hester took two steps as well, closer to the lake. She was terrified but part of her was saying 'what are you doing? Why are you scared? Man up and be a Gryffindor for once.' So she followed Lavender, feeling safer nearer her.

Lavender waited until Hester was by her side, squeezing her hand reassuringly before stepping forward two more steps.

"How are you feeling so far?" She asked, waiting for Hester to step forward again. The red head looked scared, but not as much as she had been. Lavender's presence seemed to calm her, which Lavender was more than happy about. Making sure Hester was happy was her main goal.

"I'm- I'm ok," said Hester nervously.

It was just water. She drank cups of it every day. She washed her hands in it. She washed herself in it. Perhaps she should try taking a bath first? But as the thought crossed her mind she realised that she would have to do that alone, and so she wouldn't have any support. So this was a better option, despite it being a much bigger body of water.

She stepped forward another two steps, clinging tightly onto Lavender's hand.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

Lavender squeezed Hester's hand when the red head finally joined her. There was a slight breeze in the air and it whipped through Lavender's dark hair, she brushed it aside and tucked it behind her ear. When Hester mumbled a thank you Lavender smiled.

"You're welcome," She then took three more steps towards the lake, as slowly as she could. Then waited for the red head to join her. The water was getting closer now.

A breeze whipped through Lavender's hair and Hester marvelled, not for the first time, at how beautiful it was. This thought helped her take her mind off the approaching water and she took another three steps forward, trying to keep as close to Lavender as possible. Her breathing had calmed down now and she realised that when she was with the other girl she felt so safe. She could do anything. This thought made her smile. Only a little smile, but a smile none the less.

Lavender noticed Hester was giving her a look, but didn't mention it. Whatever the red head was thinking, it caused her to smile a little. Lavender liked it when Hester smiled.

"Feeling okay?" When the red head took her last step so they were in line again, Lavender took Hester by the hips and pulled her closer. Kissing her cheek before turning them both to look at the water.

Hester nodded. She felt Lavender turn her and she realised that she was now facing the water. She clung to the younger girl tightly, feeling stupid to need this much help and reassurance, but feeling grateful at the same time.

She watched the wind blowing patterns across the lake. It didn't look too bad.

Perhaps it would all be ok.

Lavender brushed hair from Hester's face, her skin was hot to touch, and they were outside in cold wind.

"Shall we go a little closer?" She took another three steps towards the water. If she estimated, she would have guessed there were about nine more steps ahead. Lavender waited patiently for the red head to follow. Hester was so beautiful, Lavender couldn't help but smile a little. She was blessed to be here with this girl. Even if their circumstances weren't great. Lavender wondered whether she should ask Hester out for a meal, even if it was only in the kitchens. It would be nice, she was sure.

Hester's brain was going into overdrive. She could just remember last time by the lake, and her screaming and screaming because she had accidently stepped in the water.

She didn't want that to happen this time.

She clung to Lavender and took another three steps. The water was getting so much closer now.

She felt a tear slip down her cheek and she wiped it angrily away. This was stupid, she was being stupid. She wanted to stop, to forget that she had ever told anyone about her fear. It was so un-Gryffindor like.

But she kept going. She couldn't give up in front of Lavender.

Lavender could feel how tightly Hester was holding onto her, but she didn't mind if it made the other girl feel better. With her hand held tightly by the red head she took three more steps towards the lake. As they went Lavender ran several different ideas through her mind. She wanted to make this process as easy for Hester as possible. After eliminating one idea after the next she finally picked one.

"Nearly there. Now, don't worry. I've got you," Lavender smiled reassuringly. They were six steps away now.

Hester took the next three steps.

"I don't like it," she mumbled quietly.

Underneath her fear was an underlying feeling of embarrassment. She didn't want to look a fool. She wanted to stop, but she wasn't sure which was worse; stopping now and looking like even more of a coward or stopping once she had got in the water and screamed and embarrassed herself.

Lavender stopped in her tracks as Hester spoke, she didn't sound at all happy.

"We'll stop if you want to. You've done brilliantly to get this close," Lavender pulled the red head closer, rubbing Hester's back with her free hand before kissing her forehead lightly. If the red head had had enough then so be it, they could try again another day. Lavender just wanted Hester to be happy. Perhaps if Lavender went in the water first, and let Hester watch that it was okay. She decided not to mention this idea just yet. "It's okay," Lavender muttered into the red heads ear, kissing her cheek.

"I want to stop," said Hester, grabbing at the life line Lavender had thrown her. "Let's do this another day, please."

She hugged Lavender tightly, still frightened.

"Please?"

She knew that she wasn't being brave, like a Gryffindor should be brave. But the hat had sorted her into Gryffindor. It must have known what it was doing. It must have.

Lavender nodded when Hester asked to stop, the girl sounded desperate.

"Of course we can. Don't worry," Lavender put her arm round Hester's waist and led the girl back to their picnic mat. "Come on, relax and sit down," She pated the place beside her before pouring them another drink. "Here," Lavender held the cup out to the red head and waited for her to take it.

Hester took the drink, feeling a little better.

"Thanks," she said quietly. She felt embarrassed about stopping. Yeah, she was such a Gryffindor. Not. She should have ended up in Hufflepuff or something.

She looked down at the picnic mat and began toying with a loose thread at the edge. She wasn't sure what to do now, not after this.

To anyone watching she must have looked like a right idiot.

Lavender smiled when Hester joined her, though the red head didn't seem at all happy.

"It's okay, you tried your best. We can come back another day," She tried to reassure the girl next to her, rubbing circles on her back again. They sat in silence for a little bit, Lavender trying to catch Hester's eye, who was looking at the mat. Lavender moved closer to the red head, wondering what to do that would help. Though what she had in mind probably wouldn't help exactly, but it would make them feel better. "Hester...look at me," Lavender placed a hand on the girls cheek, waiting for their eyes to meet.

Hester looked up, into Lavender's pretty eyes. She didn't want to let the girl down, didn't want to put a downer on the whole day, despite what had just taken place.

A soft sigh escaped her lips.

"Another day," she whispered. They would come back another day and go through the whole thing again.

Lavender watched Hester intently as she sighed then spoke. Her eyes darted from the girls hair, to her nose, to her neck. They rested on her lips.

"Another day," Lavender nodded, continuing to stare at the girls lips. "This doesn't make you any less of a person. Everyone is afraid of something, remember that." She finally looked up from the girls lips and back to her beautiful eyes. "You are perfect to me," With that Lavender sucked in a breath and kissed Hester's lips softly. Hoping the red head wouldn't mind.

Hester kissed Lavender back.

After a moment she pulled away.

She felt shocked, surprised, amazed, in heaven.

She glanced at the younger girl but then focussed her eyes on the sky again.

She still couldn't tell whether what they were doing was right or wrong, not even just that, well, it was Lavender... But also because she was two years younger than Hester.

She tried to say something but stopped because she didn't even know what she was about to say.

Lavender tried to gain eye contact with the red head when they pulled apart, but Hester was having none of it. It was understandable that Hester should be unsure of things, Lavender wasn't even one hundred percent sure. The red head probably thought it could be seen as wrong, some people would see it as wrong. In fact, Lavender was sure her family would see it as wrong, with out a doubt. But she didn't care. All she cared about was Hester. If the red head decided she didn't want this then Lavender would have to deal with it and move on. Though she prayed that would never happen.

"Hester..." Lavender wasn't sure of what to say, and could tell Hester had wanted to say something but stopped herself. Perhaps she should just lay down the line. "I like you, Hester. A lot. I know you must be confused and stuff, I was. All I know is I want to be with you. I know people will think its wrong, our age doesn't help the matter. But all I care about is you and how you feel and what you think. I know it'll be difficult and people won't be happy about it, my parents included. But I'm willing to fight through that, for you," Lavender paused, taking a deep breathe, trying to catch a reaction from Hester. "If you want this too then great. But if you don't want to fight for this, if you're not willing to fight for me... Then I'll walk away and you can carry on your life. I won't make a fuss," The ball was in Hester's caught now, all Lavender could do was hope for the best.

Hester looked up at Lavender. She smiled slightly, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards.

"I'm a fighter," she said simply.

She knew that saying just those three words would pretty much tie her to Lavender and not let her leave, but she didn't want to leave.

"I don't care what any one else thinks," she said softly, hugging Lavender to her.

The moment of doubt had passed, and that was all it had been; a moment. She was sure that she would have moments like this in the future, but right now she realised that she was happy with Lavender. She was happier than she had ever been.

"You're-" she paused. "You're just... You're wonderful, do you know that?"