Ginny looked over at the so-called "Trio." There they were again off in their own little word with no time for anyone else. Ron was almost facing Hermione alone, but she was doing her best to include both boys in her attention. They were, as always, ignoring Ginny completely. They ignored everyone, but their own little triangle. Ginny wanted to know how Hermione got the boys to respect her. She was fairly certain that she was reasonably intelligent and reasonably assertive. But from the time that she let Neville take her to the Yule Ball, all the guys had decided that she was some slut, always there for their needs. She hadn't even done anything with Neville, he was just the way she could go to the Yule Ball, but the misconception persisted. It didn't help that she had always been "one of the boys" in a way. When you're the only girl with six older brothers it was hard not to be. If you were girly, you were teased relentlessly, but if you joined in, you always had playmates. Of course they still excluded her sometimes, but not as much as they had before. But at school, she would always wish she were Hermione. The boys didn't try to make her do things she didn't want to do. And she was never just one of them, but always slightly aloof. Even within her precious trio, she was always aloof as "the intelligent one." That's all anyone thought of Hermione. It kept her safe from the boys. Ginny would give anything to have that.
Hermione glanced over her shoulder with the corner of her eye. Was Ginny watching them again? Of course she was, the silly girl was sulking again. Hermione would never understand why. Ginny could have been off with any one of the guys in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. In fact, some of the Slytherin boys had started to show interest. And plenty of the girls enjoyed spending time with her. But instead she was around sulking and reminding Hermione of what she would never have. Hermione was bored to death with Ron and Harry, but they were the only friends she had at Hogwarts. Everyone liked Ginny. Hermione knew Ginny didn't realize how lucky she was. And she still wanted more. Could she not be content with what she had without going after Harry, too? Hermione let out a sigh. It seemed like Ginny just wanted everything, just like every youngest child Hermione knew. Well, she wasn't going to get in on this. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were a group of friends. They were the same year and had been together since the beginning, well, almost the beginning. But you couldn't really count the first two months because everyone was adjusting and no one had made real friends yet. But, still, there was no reason for Ginny to but in. Ginny's insistence in being around reminded Hermione of how controlled she was. Ginny was so carefree. Hermione couldn't imagine what it felt like to not be worried every moment of every day. How could Ginny be so carefree when there was a war going on? Hogwarts wasn't safe, and she knew it.

Hermione looked over at Ginny again, more obvious this time. She sighed again as she realized that nothing was going to happen if she didn't talk to the girl. The boys didn't notice as she got up, but Ginny did. She gave a quick start, and then smiled.