As they cleared up their plates, Hermione couldn't have been more grateful. She couldn't remember a single meal ever embarrassing her more in her life. And worst of all it was breakfast! Which would mean it would be at least another fourteen hours before everyone would be in bed, and she could cuddle up in Ron's arms. She'd have to be very lucky to receive another kiss before midnight. And that's only if they were both able to sneak out.
Ron winked at her across the room as he went outside with the rest of the boys to de-gnome the garden. She smiled back, but Ginny was standing across from her, so she couldn't risk much more. She watched the door close behind him, and focused on the plates she and Ginny had volunteered to wash.
She let herself slip deep into her thoughts. Thoughts about Ron, mostly about the night before. How sweet he'd been, and how uncharacteristically romantic. Lighting a fire, and pulling her up so close to him. And such a gentleman, never trying to get anything more than a kiss out of her.
She knew he'd acted like that to impress her. It was that intention that succeeded, not the actions. She sighed absently as she recounted the night in her head.
"You snuck out last night, didn't you?" Asked Ginny, pulling her out of her daydream. "I know you did, where did you go?" Hermione considered whether or not to tell the truth.
"I stayed in this house all night, Ginny, I swear." She answered truthfully.
"Then what were you doing?" She asked. Hermione didn't look at her, and just focused on the plate she was scrubbing.
"I told you, I just couldn't sleep. I stayed out on the couch, by the fire." Lies should be kept as close to the truth as possible.
"All right." She sighed. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. I won't butt in." She shrugged, and scrubbed harder.
"Are you going to follow me or something?" Hermione asked.
"Are you planning on sneaking out again tonight?" She only sighed. Ginny smiled and shook her head. "Look, I get it. Whatever you're doing, it's none of my business. If it was Ron, I wouldn't give up so easy, but you're my friend, I'll never need dirt to get you in trouble." Hermione smiled, but couldn't help but wonder if her reference to Ron was intentional.
"Thanks, Gin."
"Don't mention it. Don't get yourself in trouble." She shook her head. "Whatever you're doing." She added.
"I'm not worried about that." She said.
"No. You're just worried about mum finding out!" They laughed.
"Not anymore." She whispered to herself.
"Just be honest, though, is there something going on?" She asked, putting away the last of the plates. Again she considered her answer. She decided Ginny wouldn't spy on her since she'd promised.
"Oh yeah." She nodded. "There's definitely something going on." Ginny smiled.
"You're the last one I'd have expected to be sneaking out at night."
"I know." They sat down. "But we haven't talked about you in a while. How have you been doing." Ginny sighed, her smile faded.
"I'm good. You know. All right." She nodded.
"Is that why you've been crying every night?" Ginny shrugged. Her eyes sparkled for a minute, before she blinked back the tears.
"Don't tell Harry, ok?" She asked. Hermione hugged her.
"Of course I won't." She said, and remembered how many times she had heard and said those words in the past few days. "You understand why he did it, though, right?" She nodded.
"Yeah. He's so stupid." She laughed at her own words. "If anyone wants to get me, they'll get me. I don't see why we had to break up." Hermione nodded.
"Must be hard, having to hide your feelings, huh?" She sighed.
"You have no idea." She said. Hermione smiled.
"Yeah I do." She said to herself.
"Huh?" Asked Ginny.
"Nothing." She smiled.
"You're sneaking out for a boy aren't you?" She asked, the smile returning to her face. Hermione smiled too, more with embarrassment.
"I'm not telling you anything."
