A/N - I really tried hard on the last paragraph to create a really intense tension, hope you enjoy.

Ginny kissed her on the cheek then dived under the water and circled Hermione's legs. Hermione, giggled as a mixture of weeds and Ginny's skin slipped against her legs as bubbles Hermione laughed and continued to tread water, Ginny slipped around her and spread her into a slippery hug . Harry and Ron were diving out near the rock, and Ginny swam off to tell them she was there.Hermione looked around and her eyes fixated on Remus was fast approaching the lake so Hermione swam out to him.

"Hi" she smiled at him.

"Hello. Harry about? I got told he'd be down here" he said, picking up some pebbles and skimming them across the lake.

"He is, he's just out there" she said, gesticulating to the rock. "Would you like me to swim out and get him?"

"No no, it's ok" he smiled. "It's nice to see him out once for a change, I'd hate to burden him now." he smiled, wrinkling his robes.

"Burden him?" she said her forehead wrinkling with worry.

"Oh, not it's nothing like that, I was coming to tell him I've been scheduled for double the defence lessons for him." She laughed.

"Well I managed to persuade him to go out today" she paused, "I think he's coming back look" she pointed to a thrash of white water steadily moving closer.

"Very well, I'll wait" he smiled and sat down on the bank.

"Hello Remus!" Harry shouted.

"Hello" he returned as the two Weasley's waved.

"What do you want with me this time!" Harry guessed.

"Oh, nothing, I just came to check you're having fun!" he gave a sly wink at Hermione who smiled in return.

"Take our picture!" squaled Ginny, as the group huddled together Ginny, Hermione, Harry and Ron in that order, it was a perfect action shot of everybody smiling and splashing eachother.

"There you go" he said placing the camera down with the photo developing in the sun. "Harry come and see me sometime this week, I'm staying in one of the staff rooms, ask Mrs McGonagal if you're unsure, I'll see you soon" he smiled and walked away.

"I'm starving" Declared Harry, "Want to head back up?" Ron agreed on the sole premise of his stomach rumbling.

"Go ahead, I'll catch up" Hermione smiled, and Ginny chimed in

"Yeah me too", Harry and Ron shared confused looks and patted their stomachs whilst running away.

Hermione smiled then lay on the jetty so she was peering over the edge into the water.

"So you came" she said, directly to the water, she was watching a small silver fish dart around and was playing with it with one of her fingers. Ginny had picked up the photo and had assumed the same position as Hermione, and was tracing shapes on the photo.

"Yeah, I did."

"Why?" There was something in her tone that carried something cold, and accusatory, but also something that wasn't at all serious.

"What an odd question" Ginny remarked.

"Would you like to answer it?" Hermione shot back without ever looking up.

"I wanted to keep you company, I like being around you, you're more cheerful than anyone else in the grounds. It gets boring being around boys all the time, I like talking to you, I hate it when everyone else is miserable, and if you make me smile then I see no reason why I shouldn't have come today, you invited me, but this was obviously a mistake" she got up to leave but Hermione slipped a hand up her wrist, and pulled firmly so she was forced to sit down.

"Don't go, I'm sorry, I don't know whats wrong with me" she smiled in hope, and the smile was returned when Ginny layed down next to her.

"I've had fun today"

"Yeah me too"

"Look at the photo" Ginny indicated passing her it. She squinted in the sunlight and smiled. She studied the photograph and sighed, Harry looked happy, and she supposed that was all that mattered.

"Harry looks happy" she said.

"So do you" Ginny paused. "You look pretty too" Hermione just laughed and layed down on her back. Ginny did the same.

"Ow!" she screamed.

"What?" Hermione cried jumping up out of lightning reflex.

"Splinter" she said nonchalantly though Hermione could see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Here" Hermione said, shuffling towards her and leaning her weight on hers, "Soak your hand in the water" and she dipped Ginny's hand into the lake. She pulled her hand out and kneeled in front of her. "It makes the skin loosen up, like when you get bath fingers. and it makes it easier to get it out". Hermione delicately wiggled the splinter free, gently closed her eyes and kissed Ginny's finger. "Better?"

"Yes, thankyou" Ginny smiled back out of the side of her face. Something in Ginny's face had changed.

"Are you ok?" Hermione said, concerned.

"Yeah I think I've got another one though"

"Let me see"

"No" Ginny uttered, withdrawing her hand. Hermione grabbed it forcefully and pulled her down. Ginny was inches from her face her arms holding up her shaking frame, a hand either side of Hermione's face, one pushing firmly on Hermione's shoulders. There eyes locked in the setting sunlight, her hair was dripping water onto Hermione's face. A bead of water rolled down to Ginny's lips, and a near-pain rose in Hermione's chest and stomach. Her breathing grew heavier as did Ginny's and vast period where nothing was happening seemed to span decades. Ginny leaned a fraction of an inch closer and Hermione swallowed hard and tightened her eyelids shut. Hermione reached up and gently kissed Ginny's forehead, and snaked a hand through Ginny's wet hair, she drew closer to Ginny's ear, her intense breathing was making Ginny shudder and her own breathing grow deeper into near moans. Hermione leaned up to speak in her ear and brushed her lips softly against Ginny's temple and then brushed a trail up to her ear and then whispered in a slow deep voice. "I know you haven't got another splinter" and then let go.

Ginny laughed and fell down next to Hermione, who was staring into the clouds.

"Are you ok?" Ginny muttered.

"I'm fine. It's a bit cold do you want to go back up?"

"Yeah ok"

In the great hall they quickly found Harry and Ron eating their own weight in food. They both smiled at one another as they looked forward onto a scene of normality they could both appreciate. Ron opened an owl from Fred and George.

"Christ!" he spat out.

"What?" Everyone cried in urgent unison.

"Fred and George are coming back tonight, The new headmaster has asked them to do some kind of project but I'm not sure what it is, they won't say".

"That new headmaster is bloody stupid! Unless he wants his castle blowing up, he's really hired the wrong people"

"We'll see, Hermione" Ron spat back.