Hey guys. I'm so sorry for the delay in updating, but I'm back at school now and getting stuck into my coursework.
Anyway, don't punish me by not reviewing.
Hermione was awoken by someone jumping up and down on her bed excitedly.
"Wake up, Hermione! Wake up!"
"Ginny, what's gotten into you? Who's allowed you sugar?" Hermione complained groggily, blindly aiming a kick at the bouncing girl from under her duvet before burying her face in her pillows again.
"But it's Christmas! Everyone's downstairs, and we get to see Dad today! Apparently he's much better! Ooh, I love Harry!"
Hermione couldn't help but smile at the younger girl's exuberance. Ginny had had a really tough time recently, what with her dad being attacked by You-Know-Who's snake. What really puzzled Hermione was why he was at the Ministry at that time of night in the first place.
When Harry had seen Mr Weasley be attacked, and woke up shouting, Hermione hadn't known what to think. She'd been sitting in the common room with Fred and George, bathing their hands in murtlap after they'd served a detention in place of a first-year. It hurt her to see the two of them in pain, no matter how much they tried to hide it. They'd heard cries and shouts coming from the boys' dormitories and the murtlap had spilt onto the floor, leaving a stain, in their haste to get upstairs and see what was happening, and if they could do anything to help.
Arriving in the 5th years dormitory, they were greeted by the sight of a white Ron and a flushed Harry. Hermione rushed over to Harry and held him tightly, while George checked Ron over and Fred got a garbled version of what had happened from a shocked and confused Neville.
"Harry was crying out in his sleep."
"Hermione, I-I,"
"Ssh, Harry."
"He woke up and then Ron woke up,"
"Dad, George, Dad-"
"What are you on about, Ron?"
"Harry said that Mr Weasley had been attacked!" Neville blurted out. Fred froze, and looked over, panicked, at George and Ron, who just looked back at him. It was Hermione who pulled them out of their daze.
"Neville, go and get McGonagall, she'll know what to do. Just don't get caught by Umbridge. In fact-" Hermione opened Harry's trunk and pulled something out of it, stared at it intently for a few seconds, then replaced it. "Umbridge is in her rooms and Filch is with Peeves on the other side of the castle so you should be safe."
Neville nodded and left the room, leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George behind, with only each other and a shocked and silent Seamus and Dean for company.
"Harry, tell us exactly what you saw."
Harry shook his head. He didn't want to repeat what he'd seen unless absolutely necessary, and he knew McGonagall would demand he'd tell her. All of them lapsed into silence; Fred, George and Ron coming to join Hermione and Harry. They sat together, seeking comfort from each other's presence, all five of them wondering and worrying about Mr Weasley.
Their contemplative, worried silence was broken by Neville's return, with McGonagall, complete with tartan dressing gown, just behind him.
"Well, Potter, what happened?" She was at once firm yet caring. When Harry said nothing, Hermione explained for him.
"He saw Mr Weasley being attacked." McGonagall paled, as though she knew something, but she quickly recovered and said abruptly, "Will you go and wake Miss Weasley, please, Miss Granger." Hermione nodded and left the room, giving the others a quick, reassuring look.
By the time she'd woken Ginny, told her the little she knew and calmed her down, the boys and McGonagall were in the common room waiting for them.
"Come along, Miss Weasley." McGonagall said. "I'm sure everything will be fine, Ginevra," she added in a softer tone. "Miss Granger, I'm afraid you must stay here. Professor Umbridge will be angry enough with the Weasleys and Harry leaving, it's best if you stay here."
Hermione saw that McGonagall would allow no argument, but Fred tried anyway. "But Professor, Hermione's just as much part of the family as Harry."
"Fred, Professor McGonagall's right. Umbridge will be spitting mad at the news that you and Harry left right under her nose, we don't want to add fuel to the fire with me leaving too."
Fred sighed, recognising that his girlfriend was, as per usual, right. He stepped forwards and gathered her in a tight hug, which she gladly returned. Standing up on her tip-toes, Hermione pressed her lips to his for a swift kiss, whispering against his lips, "Your dad will be fine, I know he will." Pulling away, she gave him one last quick squeeze round the middle and then relinquished her grip, watching him, the rest of the Weasleys, Harry and McGonagall leave through the portrait hole.
Hermione was dragged from her thoughts by the still bouncing Ginny who, it seemed, wasn't deterred by the badly aimed kick.
"OK, Gin, I'm up!" Hermione dragged herself out of bed and over to her trunk, where she rummaged around for a couple of minutes before extracting a pile of presents. Sifting through it, she passed two brightly coloured rectangular packages to Ginny. "Happy Christmas, Gin." Ginny squealed with excitement and tore off the wrapping paper, unveiling a book entitled 'Hexes For Your Friends And Family' and some Muggle make up.
"Thank you! Thank you!" Ginny launched at Hermione, knocking her to the floor, and landing on top of her. Hermione, laughing, tried to push her off, but Ginny's grip was too strong.
Just then the door opened and a very familiar red-head poked his head round.
"Not interrupting anything, am I?" he teased, laughing lightly as Hermione finally succeeded in shoving Ginny off, and responded to his comment by sticking her tongue out at him.
"Ha ha, very funny, Frederick."
"Ouch, the full name!" Fred grinned, coming into the room and helping her up, making a pantomime out of checking her over for bruises and mock-glaring at Ginny.
Ginny just laughed. "Fred, beware. Hermione gave me a book of hexes that I'm more than willing to try out on you."
Fred just smiled at her, before scooping up the pile of presents that Hermione had bought for people, and leaving the room with her, Ginny running to catch up.
So, what did you think?
Please review and tell me what you think! I'm also uploading a new story as well, Gossip, go to my profile and check it out!