Sorry for leaving a cliff hanger back there, I didn't realise I'd done it until it was posted but I'm back from the lovely Peak District now so here's another chapter for you.

Chapter 8: Discovery

"What the hell is going on?!?" He yelled glaring at the two girls in disgust. "That's my little sister Hermione! I can't believe this!" He clenched his hands into fists, his face reddening. The girls quickly got to their feet and Ginny faced off to her brother.

"It's none of our business Ron!" Ginny shouted back at him.

"Of course it is, you're my little sister and Hermione's just using you!"

"What are you talking about? I would never use Ginny!" Hermione snapped at him.

"Look Hermione, there's no point in trying to get back at me, I'm…"

"What!? Are you crazy? This hasn't got anything to do with you!" Hermione yelled at Ron's infuriating ignorance, how could he possibly think that?

"'Course it does, I said I was sorry Hermione, you didn't need to go and get Ginny involved."

"This has got nothing to do with you Ron!"

"Well what else can it possibly be?" he asked in bewilderment.

"What does it look like?" Hermione shot at him.

"I don't want to think about what it looked like! It's disgusting!" he shouted. Ginny took her wand from the back pocket of her jeans and pointed it at Ron.

"Take that back Ron!"

"No, why should I? It is wrong, can't you see that?"

"I said take it back!"

"No!" Ginny opened her mouth to hex her brother but before she could speak the words Hermione butted in.

"Don't bother Ginny, he's not worth it." She spat venomously at Ron pulling Ginny's hand into her own. Ron stared in anger at Hermione as Ginny wrapped her arm around her waist and they walked towards the burrow.

"You're disgusting!" He shouted at the couple as they walked inside. Ron was physically shaking in anger and hurt. He didn't want to believe what he had just seen, it tore at his heart, how could Hermione do that to him? He was meant to be with her, not his little sister. He kicked a nearby tree and howled in pain as the impact ripped through his foot. "Stupid tree!" he yelled into the lonely afternoon.

"I can't believe Ron." Hermione sad as she paced around Ginny's room. The redhead was lying on her bed and staring aimlessly at the ceiling. "We've been friends for so long, I thought he would at least be civil."

"What do you expect? I would have been pretty mad if you had got together with Ron." Ginny replied calmly.

"What? So you think his reaction was acceptable? He just called us disgusting!" Hermione asked, shocked. Ginny sat up.

"I know Hermione but as you put it before, 'It's a little unorthodox'. It'll take time for everyone to get used to it, especially Ron." Hermione stopped pacing and walked to Ginny, they hugged and sat down together on the bed, Hermione rested he head on Ginny's shoulder.

"I guess so." She said simply, Ginny gave her arm a quick squeeze.

"You know he's probably going to blab to Harry and mum and dad about this?"

"I know." The couple sat in silence for a few minutes until Mrs. Weasley's dreaded call to dinner rang out around the house.

"Here goes nothing" Ginny clutched Hermione's hand and they walked downstairs to the kitchen.

"Hello girls" Molly called to them as they entered the room, they had let go of each others hands by this point and walked gravely into the room. Ron and Harry were nowhere to be seen. Molly noticed the grave look on the girls face, "Is everything alright?" she asked with marked concern. The pair looked at each other slightly confused.

"Err, yes thanks mum" Ginny replied. Molly smiled at her warmly and gestured for them to sit down.

"Where are those boys, you would have thought Ron would be down here in a flash." Molly muttered to herself. "Have either of you seen them? Maybe their outside, will you go and check Ginny?"

"What? I… no, I'm sure their just finishing off a game or something."

"Go and check!" Molly commanded. Ginny unwillingly left the table with a nervous glance at Hermione. She went through the backdoor and disappeared. Hermione was left in the silent kitchen. She twirled her thumbs absent mindedly and tried to forget about the awkward dinner that would soon ensue.

"Good day dear?" Molly asked, awakening Hermione from her thoughts.

"Err, yeah, it was… good thanks." She replied though her reply didn't fool Molly.

"What did you do?" Hermione knew that her reply was not convincing enough.

"Studied, talked with Ginny, went outside for a bit. The weather was nice." She replied trying to make small talk.

"Yes, it's been a great summer. Looking forward to going back to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, although I'm a bit behind on studying."

"Why might that be?" Great, she'd played right into Mrs. Weasley's hands, she sat in silence for a few moments and right when she was about open her mouth to formulate a vague answer the kitchen door opened and Ginny walked in followed by Harry and a sulky Ron. He scowled at Hermione before taking a place as far away from her as possible on the table. Ginny took a seat next to Hermione and sat stiffly, staring at the table. The atmosphere seemed to thicken to an unbearable weight and Hermione felt her face heat up as a surge of blood reached her cheeks. Mr Weasley came into the room and sat at the head of the table. He smiled and opened his mouth to speak but decided against it. Ron's anger seemed to have an affect everyone in the room, suppressing any conversation.

Mrs Weasley brought over the food and smiled at Hermione who meekly returned it before staring at her plate. Ginny glared at Ron, Harry sat awkwardly at his side, concentrating totally on his food to avoid the silence. Hermione timidly picked up her knife and fork and dug into the food. After one mouthful she decided that she couldn't eat anymore, there was a churning sensation in her stomach which she put down to nerves, it was only a matter of time before Ron told everyone about her and Ginny.

"Excited about going back to Hogwarts boys?" Mr. Weasley asked, breaking the silence.

"Ecstatic." Ron said flatly, he gave one last glare towards Ginny before picking up his cutlery and taking a large mouthful of food. Arthur lifted his eyebrows in confusion before giving up on conversation for a second time and turning back to his dinner.

"We're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow so an early start." Molly said after a few more minutes of intense silence.

"What time?" Ginny asked.

"We'll try and leave by 10.30 so you best be up by 9" Molly replied.

"Ok then." Ginny said impassively. Arthur coughed before putting down his cutlery.

"Well thank you Molly, that was excellent as always." He smiled and left the table, grabbing a newspaper on the way out. Ginny put down her cutlery and glanced at Hermione who copied her.

"Thanks mum, may we be excused?" Ginny asked.

"Of course dear, pass your plates to me." They pushed their plates down the table and left the room as Molly got up to take the plates to the sink. Ron glared after them until the girls passed upstairs ad out of sight.

Ginny shut the door and pressed her back against it, she rested her head against the cold wood and stared at the ceiling.

"Well that was fun." She sighed.

"Agh, Ron!" Hermione spat as she sat on the bed. "Still think we should tell your parents?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny turned her attention from the ceiling and looked at Hermione quizzically, "my parents aren't the same as Ron."

"If Ron's that angry and protective of you then just think how your parents will react."

"Ron's just jealous that I got you and he didn't."

"Oh come on, he's not that proud." Ginny gave Hermione an unbelieving glace.

"Oh really"

"Ok so maybe he's a bit jealous but I still don't think it's a great idea."

"Well Ron's probably going to tell them soon anyway, I don't think we have much choice." Hermione sighed and put her head in her hands.

"Why did Ron have to see us? Why not Harry or better still, no one."

"It's not that bad Hermione, their going to find out one day."

"I was hoping to be in control of that."

"You don't get to be in control of everything you know."

"Yeah but at the moment I don't seem to have a say in anything that happens to me."

"You do"

"Like what?" Ginny grinned and stepped towards Hermione.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" her grin widened, Hermione looked up and smiled at the grinning redhead. Hermione gave a weak smile and sighed.

"Of course" she replied as Ginny closed the distance between them and pushed Hermione back down onto the bed, pressing her body against Hermione's. Their lips found each other and moved as one as Hermione wrapped her arms around the redheads shoulders, pulling her closer. They broke away for air, resting their foreheads against each other.

"Do you think we'll get to do this at school?" Hermione whispered.

"Do what?" Ginny softly replied.

"Just be together, like this." Ginny held Hermione closer to her.

"I hope so" she said before kissing the brunette again.