Chapter 1

It was mid summer and Ginny Weasley stared absent mindedly out of the kitchen window she had just finished cleaning. She watched as the light breeze mutely rustled the leaves of the trees that grew bellow the hill the burrow was built upon, thoughts of flying and Hogwarts filled her mind. This year was to be her fifth year at the school; the five years had rushed by very quickly. After her first year school was pretty uneventful for her. Ginny shuddered at the memory of her first year, all those things she had done without even knowing it, since then Ginny hadn't allowed herself to open up to anyone or lose control for a second.

She kept a tight reign over her thoughts but recently her mind had been wandering… She shook her head to cut that train of thought and got back to cleaning the kitchen for her mother who was currently in Diagon Alley visiting Fred and George with Ron. Ginny didn't feel like going out and spending some quality time with Ron and her mum so had opted to stay at home and get on with some work. She had planned to go out flying in the perfect summer's weather but Molly had told her she was to do some chores for once. Great. Chores offered little distraction from, no stop, back to scrubbing. She'd scrubbed the sink about four times now, her arms were beginning to ache. The sooner she could do magic outside of school the better, working like a muggle was no fun at all.

Throwing down the scrubbing brush, Ginny decided the kitchen was clean enough and grab her shoes and the key to the shed or broom cupboard as she and her brothers referred to it. Unlocking the door Ginny's eyes lit up as she grabbed the Cleansweep and shoved the keys into her jean pocket. Kicking off from the ground Ginny glided around the garden before spiralling around the house and then plummeting back down to earth before sharply pulling up and drifting back into the air. The familiar feel of the wind on her face calmed Ginny down and distracted her from thoughts of a certain witch who was arriving tomorrow with Harry to spend the rest of the summer with Ginny and her brothers. A certain witch…

No, she shook her head and frowned as the river got closer. Ginny soon found herself gliding effortlessly over the cool, clear water. She let her had fall and sweep across the snaking river, making a snaking trail across its molten peaks. Her smile widened, there was nothing like flying. Her brothers were no where near as skilful as her, Ron was always so shaky, he really tried but flying didn't come so naturally to him, Ginny was probably safer on a broom than she was on her own feet. Molly had been very apprehensive about Ginny learning to fly but there was no stopping her once she got going and after a few failed attempts at convincing Ginny to take up other hobbies Molly saw that she was fighting a losing battle and gave in.

Ginny grinned at the thought of her mother's anxiety and pulled up out of the wooded dale to return to the Burrow. The sun was beginning to slip bellow the wispy clouds that signalled the end of another summers day. Perfect. As Ginny locked the broom cupboard she smelt that dinner was underway and then realised how hungry she had become. She strode across the lawn to the kitchen door and grinned as she saw the Fred and George sat at the kitchen table. She ran to her brothers and hugged them both fiercely.

"Hey guys, how's business?"

"Great thanks Gin. Looking forward to going back to school?" Fred replied, grinning.

"Thanks for reminding me, I've got another 3 weeks yet though."

"Say hi to Snape for us Gin, don't you miss potions Fred?"

"Not a day goes by when I don't wish that I was back in potions George."

"Okay, okay, thanks guys, I get the idea!" Ginny mock scowled.

"Anytime Gin." George said while patting Ginny's shoulder. "So what you been up to?"

"Oh you know chores, work, flying, the usual."

"Sounds spectacular"

"Sure is" she said flatly, looking out of the window.

"What's up Gin?" asked Fred.

"Huh?"

"You just looked a bit…"

"Fed up" finished George.

She smiled "Well there's only so much you can talk to Ron about."

"Ha, you could say that."

"Oi!" came Ron's distant voice from the living room. Ginny, Fred and George laughed before Ginny slumped down into a chair opposite her brothers.

"We hear that Harry and Hermione are coming to stay tomorrow?" Hermione, Ginny had forgotten about her for a little while and now her brothers had to go and bring her up again. She stared down at the table for a few seconds before realising it was a question and quickly answering.

"Yeah, they are. Should be a nice change." At this point Molly was beginning to serve up dinner and so Ginny went to set out the table as she talked with her brothers about Quidditch and their joke shop. Arthur Weasley flooed in and took his place at the head of the table and the nearly complete family tucked into dinner.

After dinner Ginny went to relax in the living room for a while and listened to the wireless and the rest of the family chatting on random and mostly insignificant topics. The sun finally dipped completely below the horizon and Ginny made her way up to bed. Tomorrow she'd be sharing her room with Hermione. The camp bed had been set up in her room and some space for her things had been cleared. Ginny got ready for bed and lay above the covers thinking about the other witch for a while.

Over the holidays Ginny had found herself picturing Hermione quite a lot. Her mind would picture them in less than innocent situations. Ginny didn't analyse it too much but she knew it wouldn't happen in reality. That thought seemed to bother her more than she would have liked and so now Ginny just tried to phase all the thoughts out and not let her mind dwell on one thing for too long. She was only 15 and had her whole life ahead of her to figure out these things. Right now all she wanted to focus on was Quidditch and school and so that was all she would let her mind rest on. Then again Hermione may come under school… No, stay focused.

Ginny awoke to find herself lying on top of the sheets, feet dangling off the end of her bed. She must have drifted off without even making it under the covers. The sun was peeking through the crack in her curtains, another clear day. As Ginny gradually became aware of her surroundings she remembered it was Saturday, something was happening today… Hermione was coming to stay!

She sat bolt up and grinned to herself. Jumping off the bed she quickly grabbed some clothes and ran to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. Molly was downstairs cooking up eggs and bacon for breakfast as Arthur Weasley sat reading the Daily Prophet at the head of the kitchen table. Ginny rushed down the stairs, a grin still etched into her face.

"Hey mum, dad" she said as she joined her dad at the table.

"Morning Ginny dear." called Mrs Weasley over the sounds of the frying bacon. Arthur looked over the top of his newspaper and smiled at his daughter.

"Sleep well?"

"Great thanks dad!" she smiled at her dad as his head disappeared back behind the news paper. She scanned the back page to check the days Quidditch scores and see how the Holly Head Harpies were doing in the league.

"Breakfast's ready!" Molly called. Instantly a thundering noise erupted from upstairs and seconds later Ron's feet could be seen coming down the stairs.

"Slow down Ronald, the bacons not going to escape!" Ron grinned sheepishly at his mother before his attention shifted to the plate that was being placed in front of him. Ginny laughed at her brother's ridiculous behaviour as Molly placed a plate down in front of her and Arthur before sitting down herself.

"Have you made room for Harry, Ron?" asked Mrs Weasley. Ron's eyes broke from his plate for long enough for him to nod at his mother, a piece of bacon dangling from his mouth.

"Nice, Ron" Ginny said sarcastically, still smiling. Hermione and Harry would soon be here, finally she'd have some one new to talk to, Ron's company was, well less than stimulating. The summer was about to get even better. She finished the rest of her egg and bacon and ran back upstairs to straighten up her room for the hundredth time this week.

Harry flooed in to the Burrow just before lunch and Hermione appeared in the fire place some time in the afternoon when Ginny had gone out flying with Harry and her brother. Green flames appeared in the fireplace shortly followed by Hermione's figure. Mrs Weasley rushed into the sitting room to greet her and send her bag upstairs to Ginny's room.

"Hello dear! It's so nice to see you again. Ginny's just outside playing Quidditch with the boys, feel free to go out and say hi. Do you want a drink or something to eat?"

"Hi Mrs Weasley. I'm alright thanks, I ate before I came, thanks anyway."

"Ok then, and please, call me Molly."

"Sorry, Molly. I'm going to go and find Ginny and the others…" she stepped around Molly, to escape the awkward moment, and walked towards the back door. She could see Ginny swooping around the sky with Harry and Ron in hot pursuit, unable to catch her. Hermione's smile widened as she stepped over the threshold into the warm sun.

As soon as Ginny heard the door handle click she plunged to the ground. Hermione stepped out of the door and seconds later she was engulfed in a warm hug. She staggered backwards before returning the fierce hug. Hermione broke away after the hug had lasted 30 seconds. Ginny's face reddened as she realised that the hug had been slightly too lingering but Hermione's grin soon snapped her out of her embracement. Harry and Ron rushed over to greet Hermione and then mounted their brooms and began to circle around the Burrow again as Ginny put her arm around Hermione and guided her to sit under a shady tree.

"I've missed you Hermione." she smiled.

"And I've missed you too Gin. How's your holiday been?"

"Pretty uneventful, how about yours?"

"Well apart from visiting family and catching up on some work, it's been quite boring. Only so much you can do with your parents."

"Tell me about it" Ginny grinned and then lay back against the tree. Hermione rested her head against the redheads shoulder and sighed. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes watching Harry and Ron chase each other, laughing when Ron nearly got wiped out by an unsuspecting blackbird. The boys soon got tired and landed to come and talk to the girls under the tree.

"So Gin, been practicing your Quidditch skills recently? Trials are starting the second week back." Harry inquired

"Pfft, have you been practicing Harry? Looks like you were a bit out of shape back then." Ginny grinned

"Oi, remember whose choosing the team!" Harry sniggered. Ginny shot him a sarcastic look and the group laughed together for the first time in at least a month.

"It's nice to be able to just talk to you guys again." Hermione said after the laughing had subsided.

"Yeah, it is." Ron replied and Ginny and Harry nodded. The group sat and talked about what they'd been up to in the holidays and what they expected back at school for their fifth and sixth years. Ginny had her OWLs coming up this year and so Hermione offered to help her study. Ginny knew it would be quite a strenuous study plan but any time with Hermione would be good, especially if it also helped her to pass her OWLs.

Molly called them in for dinner after an hour and they all sat down to eat Chicken and mushroom pie. Ginny and the boys discussed Quidditch and Hermione spent most of her time absent mindedly staring around the table catching Ginny's warm eyes a few times which made her blush for some reason. She also caught Ron looking intently her way occasionally, which made her feel slightly uncomfortable. Soon dinner was over and the group of teenagers wandered into the living room to listen to the wireless, draping themselves over the various mishmash of chairs and settees that occupied the room.

They soon began to filter upstairs to bed, Harry and Ron went up first shortly followed by Ginny and Hermione. Hermione's clothes were already laid out in the draws Ginny had cleared for her. She grabbed her pyjamas and headed to the bathroom to change. Ginny changed quickly and then lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. After seeing Hermione today she knew that she had feelings for her. The idea didn't scare her as much as she thought it would, it just felt natural to her. She knew Ron also liked Hermione but he was too much of an oaf to make a move so Ginny figured he didn't deserve her. Then again, she didn't have the guts to make a move on Hermione either.

This thought irritated the young witch and so when Hermione came in she jumped slightly and then blushed. Hermione smiled over at Ginny lain on her bed. She sat on the edge of the bed next to Ginny and looked down on her slightly red face.

"What's up Gin?"

"Oh nothing." She replied in a dreamy tone.

"Oh really?" Hermione's grin widened and her left eyebrow moved up inquisitively.

"What are you…" Ginny's words were cut short as Hermione's hands reached down to her stomach and began to tickle the young witch. She erupted into hysterics and wriggled around the bed trying to escape Hermione.

"Stop… 'Mione…Ahh… Stop it!" She squealed before rolling off the other side of the bed and landing with a thud on the floor still giggling. Hermione's head appeared over the side of the bed, a mischievous grin fixed onto her face. Ginny looked into her deep eyes, illuminated in the orange glow from the oil lamp at her bedside. They were glowing with her smile; Ginny's smile grew warmer as she looked up at Hermione. Hermione's face reddened and she broke eye contact and moved towards her camp bed on the other side of the room.

The light from Hermione's eyes disappeared and Ginny snapped back into reality. Shaking her head she quickly got into her bed and pulled the covers over her.

"It's nice to have you here 'Mione." She smiled.

"It's nice to be here Gin. Night." she said as she rolled over onto her side, smiling.

"Yeah, good night." Ginny turned out the oil light and rolled over, sleep already taking her.