A/N: This is just a short one-shot I've had on my computer for months now and actually forgot about. I figured I'd finally publish it! It is a missing-moment of sorts that would fit in Goblet of Fire the night before they leave for the World Cup. Although I labeled it a Ron/Hermione, you'll find that it actually features Hermione and Ginny. I always found it interesting that Ginny and Hermione were never really friends until probably the fourth or fifth book, and I've always felt that somewhere there had to be a talk like this between the two of them before they could actually become friends. Read, review, and let me know what you think!
Also, I am no JKR-Obvs.
Hermione made in her up to Ginny's room where she would be sleeping during her stay at the Weasley's. She wanted to be sure to have her bag all packed for tomorrow. She had heard Mr. Weasley say they were going to get an early start in order to arrive at the camp site where the Quidditch World Cup would be held at in good time.
As she changed into her pajamas and began to arrange her make-shift bed for the night, Hermione thought back on the dinner tonight with the Weasley's. It had been a wonderful evening, but she could not help noticing Ron's sister Ginny had kept an obvious distance from her.
Although Hermione would not consider her and Ginny to be close friends, she hated to think she had done something to upset the younger girl.
Just then, Ginny entered the room and Hermione looked up to find the red headed girl staring quite intently at her.
"Ginny, are you alright?"
Ginny seemed to hesitate a moment, "I think we should talk Hermione," she finally responded with a hard tone that bewildered Hermione.
"Uh, sure. What do you wan-"
"Do you like him?" Ginny suddenly blurted out in a sharp voice.
A sudden tension filled the room along with an awkward silence, which was only emphasized by the just audible sounds of the gnomes yelling outside in the garden.
Hermione felt her face burn bright red as she looked past Ginny to the HolyHeads poster on the wall, unable to completely meet her gaze.
"What are you talking about?" She responded with forced ignorance that sounded fake even to her own ears.
"Oh come on Hermione! You're too clever to play that stupid. You know who I'm talking about."
She was right, of course Hermione knew who Ginny was talking about. To be honest, she wasn't even that surprised Ginny was questioning Hermione about her feelings for him- Hermione had spent all summer asking herself that same question. But she couldn't like him-sure she cared a lot about him, but that's because they were friends.
No, they were best friends. She didn't know when or how it happened but he had become one of the most important people in her life, but that didn't mean that her feelings were anything more than platonic.
And even if-hypothetically- she possibly felt something a little more than that, she would never admit it- not even to herself. It would ruin everything- their friendship, the easy going manner they had finally found with each other. No, she would never admit her feeling. If she even had feeling for him other than friendship- which she didn't.
"Look Ginny, we are just friends. That's all."
"Are you sure? Because you're always with him, and always taking care of him, and it really seems like sometimes you're going out of your way to impress him!" Ginny heatedly accused.
Hermione was now becoming quite uneasy with how upset Ginny was getting. "Well he's my best friend- one of my only friends! Of course I'm always with him! And if I do take care of him it's because he needs all the help he can get! He is quite helpless sometimes." Hermione explained with a small laugh, thinking about how true her words were, but unfortunately Hermione found that her amusement only served to upset Ginny even more.
Hermione was just plan bewildered now; sure her and Ginny had never really been close before, but for Ginny to get this upset just seemed out of her character. Did she actually dislike Hermione? Did Ginny really think it would be that horrible if Hermione did like him? Which she didn't!
Hermione looked up at Ginny, both worried and wondering if this theory was true, only to find Ginny warming up for another round. Before the red head could continue her rant, Hermione quickly interjected, "Would it really be such a bad thing if I did like him? How is this even your business anyway?"
"Are you serious, Hermione? Not my business? Not such a bad thing? You really are a clueless!" Ginny huffed with frustration as she began to pace back and forth in front of the bed Hermione still sat on. "Of course it would be a bad thing! Because I like him!" With that announcement, her pacing stopped facing Hermione.
Hermione felt her eyes go wide, just before they narrowed in misunderstanding. Now this was both confusing and disturbing. "Wait, who are we talking about?"
"Oh so we're back to you acting stupid." Ginny rolled her eyes and continued with a voice that was dripping with sarcasm and condescension, "Harry, Hermione. We're talking about Harry James Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived. The boy I've liked since I was ten years old! Sound familiar?" Ginny threw herself onto the other bed.
Comprehension quickly coming to Hermione, she moved to sit next to her. "Oh, Ginny," was all Hermione could think to sympathetically say.
"I know, I know. I'm completely mental and pathetic. Fancying the stupid, stupid boy who doesn't even know I exist-at least not as anything other than 'his best friend's little sister.' It's absolutely hopeless." Ginny said with dejection and more than a little frustration.
"No, I wouldn't say it's completely hopeless," Hermione attempted to soothe.
Ginny simply turned her head towards Hermione and with a wry tone reminded, "I can barely say two words to the bloke."
"Right, well that is a bit of a problem." Hermione looked helplessly around the room wondering what in the world she could say. She had never been good at girl talk like this, not even back when she had still been attending muggle school. This was probably why her two best friends were guys.
Finally Hermione took a deep breath and tried to give the most logical advice she could think of. "Maybe if you tried thinking of Harry as just an ordinary guy and treating him like everyone else, you would start acting more like yourself around him. And he would probably start noticing you more, because I know Harry, and he hates the fact that he's famous. He just wants to be treated like everyone else and unfortunately, besides me and Ron, most people don't." Hermione thought for a moment and then continued, starting to get the hang of this heart-to-heart. "So just take try to relax around him, don't come on so strong, and maybe even try dating some other boys!"
"But I don't want to date any other boys- I don't like any other boys. I just want Harry." Ginny explained.
"Yes, but that's the idea. Make him think that you've moved on and let him see that other guys definitely see you as more than just Ron's little sister. Boys tend to not realize what they actually want until they can't have it." Hermione finished with a nod, but then quickly added with a shrug, "At least that's what my mum said."
Ginny sat up on the bed, seeming to be thinking all of this over. "You know, that's not a bad idea." She turned to look at Hermione, "You know, it's kind of nice being able to talk with a girl about this kind of stuff. Merlin knows I could never talk about boys with my brothers, and mum doesn't exactly have time to sit and have private conversations with me like this."
"I feel the same way! I don't have any siblings or even that many girl friends, so this was really great to finally have some girl talk," Hermione said with a smile, surprised that she actually meant every word.
Ginny smiled back, but then bit her lip in obvious hesitation. "So, you really don't fancy him."
"No, not at all. Harry is like a brother to me, I promise." Hermione confidently assured her.
Ginny smiled and nodded. After a minute though, that smile became a mischievous smirk. "So who did you think we were talking about earlier?" She asked Hermione with a raised eye brow.
Hermione's face suddenly started to hurt as tried to keep smiling. "What? Oh, that. No one, I-erm- didn't think we were talking about anyone."
"Oh, ok." Ginny nodded in understand before looking at Hermione with a wide-eyed look of innocents, "Because thinking back now, it almost seems like you thought we were talking about my brother."
Hermione's face went bright red again as she suddenly became quite preoccupied with fluffing her pillow. "No, now you are being mental. I definitely did not think we were talking about Ron."
"Who said I meant Ron? I have five other brothers I could have been referring to?" Ginny teased. "But I can definitely see it now, you and Ron I mean! Opposites attract and all that, am I right?" the red head teased, lifting her eye brows suggestively.
"Alright. Ha Ha." Hermione said with no amusement whatsoever. "I think we should go to bed. We have an early morning tomorrow." Hermione then crawled into her bed and closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep as quickly as possible.
"Alright, try to avoid the subject, Hermione." Ginny continued with a laugh, "But I predict we will be having another chat like this again sometime soon. Don't worry, I'll give you all the tips I can think of to help you get my brother!"
Hermione simply rolled over so her back now face Ginny. "Good night, Ginny."
Ginny laughed, but crawled into her own bed as well. "Oh, and I'll be sure to pass some hints Ron's way too. Finally a chance to put my matchmaking skills to the test!" She exclaimed with teasing glee.
At this Hermione lifted her head, "You will do no such thing, Ginny Weasley! Now, good night!"
Ginny smothered a laugh with her blanket as Hermione threw her head back on to her pillow. Knowing she was taking this too far, but unable to resist, Ginny spoke up again:
"Just think, one day you'll be my sister-in-law!"
"GOOD NIGHT, GINNY!"
Ginny couldn't hold back the laugh that burst out of her this time. "Alright, alright," she said as she wiped tears of mirth away with her blanket, "Good night, Hermione."
A few minutes later, in a voice that was so serious it surprised Hermione at first, Ginny whispered, "But even if you're not my sister-in-law one day, I'm glad you're my friend Hermione."
In the dark, Hermione smiled. "I'm glad too, Ginny. And I'm glad we had this talk tonight. We should do it again sometime."
"Oh don't worry Hermione!" Ginny responded, with the laughter returning. "Like I said, we will definitely be having another chat like this soon! Just you wait!"
Hermione just rolled her eyes and turned her back once again to Ginny.
"Good night, Ginny!"