Never Lose Strength
Chapter 2
"'Mione!" Harry said as soon as Hermione burst through the door of their compartment. "How's it? Head duties and all?"
"Absolutely terrible," Hermione denounced, throwing herself down on a seat.
"What's gotten up your arse?" Ron wanted to know, putting down the magazine he had been reading.
Hermione glared. "Malfoy is up my arse. He's Head Boy, for Pete's sake!"
"Who's Pete?" Ron asked, genuinely confused.
Hermione groaned. She had to stop with all the Muggle sayings. She had been spending way too much time with her Muggle friends that summer.
"It's an expression." Harry clarified.
"How did Malfoy get to be Head Boy?" The redhead demanded then, his magazine fully flung in a corner by then. He spit Malfoy's name with such force and hatred that Hermione was surprised he didn't choke on it.
"I don't know!" She got up and started pacing. "All I know is I'm going to go insane if I have to spend the whole year sharing a dorm with him."
Ron's eyes widened massively, but then receded. "Ohh. Head's dorm."
"Yes, of course!" Hermione snapped. "What did you think, I would stay with him out of choice?"
Ron turned red to the tips, sat back down, and said nothing for the rest of the trip.
--
"Hermione!" A voice shouted. She turned. A girl with long, straight red hair, sparkling eyes, and rosy cheeks caught up with her on her adventure across the lawn.
"Hey, Ginny." Hermione replied, closing her eyes against the wind. It was only the middle of September, but already the winds were practically unbearable. They flew in huge gusts, pulling up the not quite yellow and red leaves. She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck. "I hate this weather!"
Ginny nodded. "But I'm so excited for this Quidditch game! It's going to be really good, I think. And close! And with this weather…I don't think either team will have an advantage." She launched into a full description of every player, their position, their strengths and weaknesses, and why she thought the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams would be a perfect match.
"So, Gin." Hermione interrupted her, halfway through her spiel. "Remind me again why you're not on the Quidditch team this year?"
Ginny sighed. "I don't know….I don't really have time." She finally said.
Hermione tilted her head to the side. "Ginny Weasley. That's not the reason and you know it." She studied her friend some more as they walked slowly, still fighting the raging winds. "It's because of Harry." She concluded after a moment of two of thought. "You're not on the best terms right now, are you?"
The younger girl bit her lip, as if she didn't know how much she should disclose. Then she heaved a sigh. If she couldn't tell Hermione, who could she tell? "I'm afraid of getting so close to him, you know? We're on good terms…at least, he's on good terms with me." She quickly rushed over her last comment, pretending she had never said it. "I love him and everything, but I don't want to get too attached. He'll leave after this year, and I'll miss him like crazy, and by the time I'm out of Hogwarts, he'll either be working hard, already taken, part of You-Know-Who's army, or else…." She gulped, and Hermione didn't have to press her to know what she meant.
"Gin." Hermione wanted to say something, but she couldn't think of the right words. She decided instead to drop the subject. "There's a Hogsmeade trip soon. We've just decided on it, and I've just decided you'll be the first, outside the prefects, to know."
"Mmm." Ginny said dreamily. "I can almost taste that butterbeer in my mouth."
Hermione laughed. She inwardly patted herself on the back; way to be tactful, Herms!
They reached the stands and took their seats; they were some of the earliest arrivers, and the two teams were still warming up. Ginny and Hermione stood up, screaming, "Go Harry! Go Ron!" At the top of their lungs, and adding an occasional, "Go Gryffindor!" or another team member for variety. They were practically hoarse when they sat back down, as more students filed in, drowning out their voices, but at least Ron and Harry felt important.
"'Mione!" Ginny suddenly said as the commentator, a Hufflepuff sixth year, started introducing the players.
"Yes?" Hermione didn't take her eyes away from the field.
"I've though of a solution!"
Hermione was momentarily confused. A solution to what? Luckily, she didn't have to answer, because Ginny filled in the silence. "You and Ron should date!"
Hermione whirled so fast, Ginny almost fell backwards onto the person sitting next to her on the stands. "What?" She demanded.
Ginny didn't falter. "If you and Ron go out, then I won't feel so serious about me and Harry, and everything can be normal!"
"N-normal?" Hermione sputtered. "With me going out with Ron? Your brother Ron?"
"The very same," Ginny nodded her head furiously.
Hermione stared at her for several long seconds, and then burst out laughing. She almost started crying, she was laughing so hard. "Ginny, it's happened. You've cracked."
Gryffindor won the game with the catching of the Snitch, which had Ginny and Hermione on their feet all over again, talking and laughing as if nothing had happened.
"You were brilliant!" Hermione shrieked, running onto the field towards Harry and Ron. "Absolutely brilliant!"
Ron smirked. "Fancy that, coming from Hermione."
Hermione stopped to give him a glare, but immediately abandoned the face for a happier one. "Come on, come on, we have to go celebrate!"
Ginny came running out of nowhere and planted a kiss on Harry's lips. "You did amazing, Harry," She whispered to him, and they ran off, disappearing in the slowly collecting fog.
The laughter and voices started to die as everyone headed inside. "Come on, Ron!" Hermione told him. "Let's go!" She took his hand, and they ran inside to enjoy the party in Gryffindor's common room.