Hermione Granger woke up to the sound of a girl sleeping soundly next to her, she smiled inwardly at the great comfort the inhalation and exhalation of one girl could bring. She remarked to no one but herself that the feeling in her chest when she woke up to that tiny sound (or slept to it for that matter) was a sense of true homeliness. Something she treasured a lot lately.
At the Ministry of Magic Stanley Turner was frightened for his life. Stanley Turner was the unfortunate wizard who was working the night shift at The Department of Prophecies, when a group of tactless Death Eaters came to reclaim a prophecy, which Stanley Turner had no time to hear what it was regarding, before rudely being knocked unconscious.
At roughly the same time Ginny awoke and rolled over to see an ever-vigilant book worm peering out through a crack in the curtains at various constellations Hermione knew by rote.
"What's that one called?" Ginny whispered. The break in silence didn't startle Hermione one bit, she was used to the younger girl waking at silly o clock, to enquire about something or another.
"Cassiopeia" she whispered. "Isn't she beautiful?" she added. Ginny had pondered for hours about what went on in Hermione's head but she could never ever fathom for more than a moment what was actually passing through that beautiful mind. A rustle in the cotton confirmed that Ginny had nodded. A moment's thought confirmed the innocence in a question Ginny would ask.
"What do you think about?" Ginny said quietly, eyes wide at what Hermione would say. Hermione rolled over and looked positively baffled for the first time in her life.
"Everything and nothing" she said with a girlish giggle. Ginny probed further;
"Do you ever think about me?" Ginny grinned.
"I do" she smiled.
"What about me?" Ginny whispered.
"I worry about you getting killed." Hermione stated. "I remember fun things we've done" she paused, "and I think about what goes on in your pretty little head" she smiled.
"What would you do if I died?" there was innocence buried in the question, though Hermione knew that it could very well be a lucid prophecy.
"What an awful thing to say. Can we not talk about this?" Hermione flung out with rhetoric.
"Why? It might be true. I could die tomorrow! Fifty Death Eaters could march in here right now and fling me to kingdom come, what would that feel like?" an excitable Ginny proclaimed.
"Awful." Hermione managed. "And how would you feel if that were me?" Hermione countered.
"Like I'd never see a sunny day again" Ginny said quietly, yawning.
"Good night" Hermione stated quietly and kissed Ginny on the forehead.
It wasn't quite fifty death eaters, but the pair were startled by a horrific slamming of doors, Hermione reached under her pillow for her wand and had it aimed at the door where a worried looking McGonagall was stood; Molly Weasley by her side.
"Is everything alright? It can't be much later than…" She pondered before McGonagall completed
"Dawn. Yes" she muttered. "We need to ask you something, ask you both something" she said nodding to Ginny who was snoring.
"Gin? Gin? C'mon, wake up, please, it's important, come on, wake up" Hermione nudged the girl into submission and she awoke with a yawn and stared at her mother.
"What are you doing here? It can't be much later than…" A baffled Ginny squinted.
"Dawn" Hermione completed, "They want to ask us something" she explained.
"Yes, forgive me if this is personal, but how close are you to Harry?" McGonagal suggested.
"Me?" Ginny said.
"Both of you" she merely responded.
"I used to go out with him," Ginny said. "Last year. Why?" Ginny said looking agitated.
"Hermione?" an impatient Molly Weasley called out.
"I don't want to say" Hermione shyly turned away.
"Hermione this is of great importance" McGonagall confirmed.
"Very well then, in third and fourth years I saw him on and off" She sighed and looked away again. Ginny looked on in shock.
"I see. Then the prophecy could very well apply to either of them" McGonagall nodded to Molly.
"What prophecy?" Hermione and Ginny chimed in unison.
"Oh. We may as well tell them Minerva, the plan will be in place by this afternoon." Molly pleaded.
"Oh fine!" McGonagall exclaimed. "A prophecy was stolen last night by Death Eaters, it told of a girl close to Harry – who had a relationship with Harry- could be used as a weapon" McGonagal explained, shooting a concerned glance at Molly.
"Weapon?" Hermione enquired.
"The details are shaky at best Miss Granger, we will tell you more when we know more" McGonagal cautioned. Hermione had a suspicion that her words weren't all sincere.
"Girls, we're going to put it to you that you go into hiding. Just for a little while until we know you're safe, because if the Death Eaters get their hands on you it's not going to be good." Molly said quietly.
"No way" Ginny said flatly. "I'm not going to sit around on a shelf somewhere when you're all fighting the good fight. No way. I'm not waiting to be captured if I'm dying I may as well die on the frontline" Ginny said.
"C'mon Gin. It might be good for a little while, just until they find out more about the prophecy, because I don't feel like sitting around much either" Hermione said, doing her best to coax the younger girl into hiding.
"Alright." She sighed in submission. "Just until you find out what the prophecy is," she added moodily.
"Good good" McGonagal sighed. "Molly get Alastor briefed on the house" she said in a militant tone.
"House?" Ginny questioned.
"We have a house for you to go into hiding. It's somewhere in Ireland, Laois to be precise. A Big old deserted hall. The village has no witches or wizards and it is probably the last place anyone would dream to look for you" McGonagal reasoned. "Once a week Moody will scan the area for safety, and clear the way for Tonks who will bring you supplies, there is a tiny matter though" McGonagal said.
"Which is?" Ginny said looking extremely impatient.
"No wands. No magic, you're too easy to trace using magic with your wand, with a few spells any one of the Death Eaters could track where you are, and what spells you're casting." She sighed.
"No wands! Are you mad?" Ginny exclaimed.
"Wandless magic is permitted as it cannot be traced" McGonagall stated calmly.
"So supposing they find us, we have no wands to defend ourselves?" Ginny pointed out.
"No, there is a box that Professor Flitwick has charmed so that it can only be opened when the owner is in great distress" McGonagall explained.
"Bloody brilliant" Ginny sighed.
"We have a few minor charms on the house too, a very weak cloaking charm, so as not to be detected, and a basic masking charm, that stops signs that someone is living there leaking to the towns folk. For example if you light a candle, the light given off won't be visible outside, or if you walk past a window no one will see you, no smoke coming from the chimneys, etceteras" McGonagal explained. "You will be given access to a few muggle tools and appliances, and Hermione I'm sure you can help Ginny grasp muggle life." She concluded.
"She can't if I'm not bloody going" Ginny said bluntly.
"Come on Gin. I'm going to do it even if it's just for a little while, please? I'll be lonely" she sighed putting on her best dramatic eyes.
"Oh fine. But I'm not happy about it" she said and rolled over to sleep.
"Very well. Pack only what you need, get cleaned up, and say your goodbyes, you leave in two hours. It is vital that you tell no one, only Moody, Tonks and myself know your exact whereabouts, not even Molly will know. You will get muggle post addressed to fake names once every fortnight, and Tonks will pose as an estate agent once a fortnight to make deliveries. That covers it, Hermione may I have a word outside?" Hermione nodded and got up to leave the room.
"Yes?" Hermione said, looking on in increasing concern.
"I am well aware that you do not wish to undertake in a school year this year, though I am personally asking you if you wish to take up study from your new home. I will send supplies, and books and all you may need, and correspond by letters. I think you will do well, and it will take your mind off things." McGonagall nearly pleaded.
"Fine. Am I free to study what I want?" she questioned.
"In theory I could send you the assessment, and you could have completed your NEWTs in a month. You could then do independent study of your own and we would be glad to resource you" she smiled.
"Very well then. Excuse me, I need to pack" she excused herself and entered the room to find a grumbling Ginny. "Oh Gin! What's wrong?" Hermione sighed, kneeling to help Ginny fold her clothes into the trunk.
"I just don't want to go" she sighed.
"Is that all?" Hermione laughed.
"What do you mean is that all? Is that all! Pardon me for not wanting to be uprooted for the seventh time this year!" she screamed and walked out of the room. Hermione sensed that this plan was going to be all too pleasant.