Hermione and Ginny sat alone in the common room late that Friday evening. Ginny, wanting to get away from the library, had chosen to study for her OWLS in a cozier environment, while Hermione poured over her Runes essay. Giving a large yawn, Hermione checked her watch—1 o'clock in the morning, definitely a good time to go to bed. As she started packing away her things, she caught a glance at Ginny, sitting on the floor with her back to the couch, clearly taking a break from studying making a decorative doodle in the form of a snitch.
The sight of the snitch made Hermione remember the quidditch game the next day—and how Harry would be in detention during it.
"You know," started Hermione, "you should probably get some sleep for the game tomorrow."
Ginny turned around vaguely toward her. "Yeah, I suppose you're right," she said, as she continued drawing the snitch.
"It'll be all right without Harry," Hermione said, sensing Ginny's unenthusiasm. "You did well in the games without him all last year."
"Yeah, I know. I guess…" Ginny added an extra embellishment to her snitch as she continued, "…well, nevermind." She gave a huge yawn.
"What's up Ginny?" Hermione inquired. "You can tell me." She thought she knew what was going on. She had observed Harry for half a year paying extra attention to Ginny, and recently, after her breakup with Dean, Ginny was definitely enjoying that attention.
Ginny finally looked up from her drawing, and said, "Well, it's just, I think I like Harry again."
Hermione smiled. "I thought so. I think he likes you, too."
"Really?" Ginny looked like she already knew this, but didn't quite want to admit it.
"Of course!" exclaimed Hermione. "I think he's liked you ever since he saw you kissing Dean. I catch him all the time looking in your direction, and he always laughs at all of your jokes very enthusiastically, and he's barely been separated from you the last couple weeks."
Ginny smiled and blushed, saying, "Yeah, I've noticed a bit of that, too. It's nice to have a second opinion, though. I just thought that us playing the game tomorrow and possibly winning, could, you know," she paused. "Well, I thought it could just move… things along."
Hermione thought about this for a while. She had a point. But Harry wouldn't be in detention all day. "But," Hermione began, "something could still happen. Harry will get back from detention eventually, and if Gryffindor won, we'll probably still be celebrating. You never know." She smiled down at Ginny, hoping this would cheer her up, but instead Ginny was looking intensely at the fire, her eyes narrowed.
"That still leaves one major problem," Ginny said slowly.
"What's that?"
Ginny considered her words for a moment. "My dear…," she said, giving each word emphasis. "… git… of a brother." Ginny looked over at Hermione. "You know he could mess things up. He's Harry's best friend. Harry's going to care if he's being a prat."
Hermione did not deny it, for it was perfectly true. There was only one way to do it: Ron had to be prepared. After a few more moments in silence, Hermione said, "I'll talk to Ron. Tomorrow, before the match."
"What? What are you going to say?"
"I know that Ron wouldn't be opposed to you two pairing up if he knew you really liked each other. He knows you have liked Harry in the past, so that won't be hard to get across; I just need to convince him that Harry really likes you, which, really, shouldn't be hard at all."
Ginny smiled half-heartedly, saying, "I think you're giving him a little too much credit, Hermione."
"No really! It's perfectly obvious that Harry likes you." Ginny smiled again at her snitch doodle. "Ron will understand. He'll listen to me." Hermione's voice waivered a bit with her last words. She at least hoped Ron would listen to her.
Ginny seemed to notice the doubt in her voice, and said, "You're right, Hermione. He will. I know you and Ron have had a rocky year, but I think it's just as obvious that Ron really likes you. Both of you just have funny ways of showing it…"
"Possibly," replied Hermione, not sounding convinced, but pretending not to care. "Well, we really should get to bed." And with that she began to picked up her things, and said goodnight to Ginny, who, even though she began putting some of her things away, was still adding embellishments to her snitch as Hermione claimed up the stairs.