Hermione and Ginny were walking quietly to Gryffindor tower when Ginny finally broke the silence.

"I thought you weren't going to tell her you knew she was Princess?" She asked softly.

"I'm not sure why I did," Hermione admitted, "after I told her, she admitted that, even though I was a child, I was the first friend she'd had in a long time... it broke my heart, Gin," she admitted and her voice breaking.

Ginny reached for her hand and pulled her to a stop. When Hermione turned to face her, she saw the tears in her eyes. Trying to make her smile she teased, "So that's why you suggested she go out and meet someone?" and was pleased when Hermione smiled.

"I think she already has her eye on someone..." Hermione said mischievously, "I told her about Harry going into Hogsmeade at Christmas..."

"You didn't!" Ginny said in shock as they started to walk again.

"I did... she asked me if I was going, I told her no, I'd rather spend the day with you," Hermione paused as she felt herself blush, "Anyway... I remember seeing the way she looked at the owner of the Three Broomsticks, Rosmerta. I didn't know what to make of it at the time but..."

"Oh Ron, is going to be heartbroken..." Ginny laughed.

Hermione starting laughing too as they entered the Common Room and headed for their dorms without even looking around. Ginny took Hermione's hand and pulled her into her room.

Once they were sitting on the bed, Ginny still holding her hand, she asked: "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How come Luna couldn't hear you when you asked where we were?" Ginny asked.

"She didn't?" Hermione answered surprised. "I don't think I meant to do that... maybe it's this," she said squeezing Ginny's hand, "That allows me to contact only you over long distances?"

"Or maybe you did it because you knew I was expecting it and she wasn't?" Ginny asked.

"Maybe... I guess we have a new theory to test," Hermione said quietly, smiling. She turned to look at Ginny, "You were right, by the way, about Minerva being worried I'd be angry with her... I expect she's surprised I didn't ask why."

"Why didn't you though?" Ginny asked curious.

"I think she realises we've figured it out but it's not her bombshell to drop. I really hadn't meant to tell her I knew... but I wanted to tell her how much I appreciate all she's done. I think she wanted to explain, but she can't, and I didn't want to make her."

"You mean with your gift?" Ginny asked carefully.

"No," Hermione replied frowning, "I mean she wanted to explain and I probably could've talked her into it," she clarified, pulled her hand form Ginny's and went to leave.

"Hermione, wait... I'm sorry..." Ginny pleaded as she reached for Hermione's hand again.

Hermione turned to look at Ginny, and seeing the tears in her eyes, felt her anger dissipate instantly, "No, Gin... I'm sorry, you touched a nerve," she said as she hugged her. "It never occurred to me to try and take the information by force," she continued as she pulled away and took her hand again, "You three are my friends... I have enough trouble with the fact that I've been learning, well more than I would normally, for years without anyone's knowledge or consent... do you really think I could do that to anyone I care about?" Hermione sighed and shaking her head looked down, "It was my talk with Minerva... she told me that Trelawney has probably being trying to provoke me all year... she commended me for not using my gift against her even though I was justifiably angry."

"Please don't get angry with me again but were you tempted?" Ginny asked gently.

"No... I have no idea what I can even do... I could hurt someone without even meaning too... even Malfoy isn't worth that much trouble..." she said softly, "It's really not in my nature to cause pain... though I admit, punching Malfoy in the mouth felt really good." She smiled slightly, "I did go have a good scream in the Room before I went to Transfiguration though..."

"I know you're scared Hermione, but you're not alone in this, you never have been, really," Ginny said as she took Hermione chin to look her in the eyes.

Hermione smiled, and after kissing Ginny's forehead, placed her own against it. "I'm sorry Gin... that I got angry with you... it's been a rough day."

Ginny pulled away as she was fighting the overwhelming urge to kiss her, "Hermione... it's not that I don't trust you... I was really just curious..."

"Gin?" Hermione said softly, tears welling in her eyes, "How can anyone trust me? I'm not sure I even trust myself."

"Why do say that?"

"Because... everyone seems so quick to commend my restraint, Gin, maybe there's a reason... I mean, if you guys hadn't talked me out of it, I would've tried to help Hagrid and yes, part of it was curiosity to see if it would work," she explained.

"It's because we know how smart you are, Hermione... a part of that is your natural curiosity about, well, just about everything...it's natural that you want to see what you can do. Luna was the same way..." she took Hermione's right hand and noticed a small cut and bruise that Hermione had received when she punched Malfoy, "I'm the same way," she said softly as they watched the wounds heal. She looked back up to Hermione's face, "We do need to learn what we can do... we just have to careful how we do it."

"You know..." Hermione started and smiled, "I keep forgetting I'm actually older than you."

Ginny smiled, "In some ways, I am older than you... but I think the three of us are starting to even out somewhere in the middle. It's part of this one shared mind thing, I think." She smiled and added, "And having Minerva talk to us like an equal doesn't hurt either."

"It doesn't seem fair, Gin... that you had to grow up so fast... it's almost like you missed out on being twelve..." Hermione said.

"I'm still a twelve year old kid, Hermione, I still act like one when I'm around Looney... I just don't always think like a twelve year old," Ginny explained. "With so much going on right now... I can't let myself stress over something I can't change..."

"It's made you who you are now, Gin..." Hermione interrupted, "It was, in some small part, responsible for all of this... you amaze me every day... you really do," she finished as she looked down at their still linked hands, "These days, Gin, I don't know what I ever did without you..."

"You know Hermione, I think your gift is part of the reason you liked hanging out with Harry and Ron," she smiled and waited for Hermione to look up bemused, "Well, it must have been pretty quiet for you hanging around with them... they're not great thinkers, either of them, are they?"

Ginny had teased her to break the tension. If she hadn't she might do something she regretted. She needn't have bothered as one of her dorm mates entered, saw them and left again. They looked at each other and started laughing.

"What's funny is, I think you're right... I've been doing what Luna does all my life. Isolating myself because it was quieter..." she said thoughtfully when she'd caught her breath, "With the help of the ring, big crowds don't bother me as much anymore."

"I should probably go to bed... I can't keep my dorm mates up forever," Ginny said sighing as she stood.

Hermione laughed lightly and hugged Ginny, whispering in her ear before she let her go, "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Gin, I hope you know that."

Ginny could barely contain the shivers that had run her spine when she felt Hermione's lips next to her ear. She was too stunned to even to reply as she watched Hermione leave. She watched as the door closed behind her, "You too, Hermione," she thought to her.

"Goodnight Gin... see you in the morning," came Hermione's soft reply.

Ginny sighed and shook her head. Her dorm mates could wait a little longer, she needed a shower if she was going to get any sleep tonight.

…

When Hermione and Ginny entered the Great Hall the next morning, she scanned the staff table and smiled when she saw that Minerva had yet to arrive. Dumbledore caught her eye and smiled. She smiled back and sat down next to Ginny and Luna.

A few minutes later Minerva entered the Great Hall, her cloak and hair still covered in melting snow. She stopped behind where the girls sat and smiled.

"I'm glad to see you took my advice... Rosmerta?" Hermione thought to her.

Minerva blushed, "I don't know how you know... but yes, we both thank you, Hermione," she thought back, smiling as she did.

Hermione smiled back, "I saw the way you looked at each other at Christmas..."

Minerva laughed, "You three have a good day..."

"I swear, Professor, you're positively glowing," Ginny said quietly as to not be overheard.

"All thanks to you three..." she smiled and went to take her seat.

"We didn't have anything to do with it..." said Luna quietly.

"But you did... we all did... she was finally able to move on because we helped her come to terms over losing Radha..." Hermione thought to them, pleased when they smiled and nodded: they were leaving themselves open to her thoughts… they really were starting to trust her.

…

The rest of the week passed fairly uneventfully until Hermione overheard Harry and Ron planning to meet up in Hogsmeade. She considered letting Harry try but she realised if he was caught he'd lose a prized possession, his invisibility cloak. She was also curious to see if Rowena's Room appeared on the map, with that in mind she turned to Ginny and thought to her.

"I know it's almost curfew, but can you meet me in Rowena's Room in ten minutes? Maybe spend the night?" Ginny raised her eyebrows, "I'll explain when I get there."

Ginny nodded and Hermione watched as she left. She looked over to where Harry and Ron sat, and sighing went to speak to them.

"I got a note from Hagrid. He lost. Buckbeak has an appeal, but it probably won't make a difference," she informed them.

They looked at her in shock but Ron was the first to speak, "We're sorry, Hermione, that you did all that work yourself... we'll help with the appeal."

Hermione sighed, "Thanks, Ron... but I doubt it'll make a difference. I already gave Hagrid everything I could find... he could have gone in there with an airtight case and it wouldn't have changed anything."

"Nice punch, by the way... I heard you knocked out two teeth," Harry said smiling.

Hermione blushed, "Ron? Would you mind if I talk to Harry alone a moment?" She asked.

"I guess not... see you upstairs, Harry?"

Once Harry had nodded they watched him walk away. When Harry turned back to her, she gathered her nerve and began to lie to him: "Harry... I don't really have time to explain, Ginny and I had a fight and she left the tower... it's almost curfew, can I borrow your cloak and map so I can get her back here before it's too late? Only, don't tell Ron, I don't want him to worry."

Harry studied her a moment, "I don't know Hermione..."

"Harry... how many times have I saved your ass?" She asked.

"Loads."

"Have I ever asked you for anything?"

He shook his head.

"Do you think I'd be risking breaking school rules if it wasn't important?"

He frowned. She knew he suspected she was just trying to make it harder for him to sneak into Hogsmeade, but he couldn't tell her that was why he didn't want to lend it to her.

"I suppose, Hermione, I do owe you a few, but I want them right back. Okay?" He said as he stood.

"Thanks, Harry... I'll get them back to you in the morning," she replied and almost sighed in relief.

She watched the boys' dorms until he got back and once he had shown her how the map worked, left the Common Room. She threw the cloak over herself and studied the map, somehow not surprised when she didn't see Ginny's name on it. The room didn't show up on the map, probably why the twins had never found it. She wiped the map clean and hurried to join Ginny.

…

As Hermione approached the blank wall that hid the Room she thought, "Good evening Rowena... can you let me in to see Ginny, please?" She had barely finished as the door appeared, "Thank you, Rowena... we'll talk soon," she thought as she entered.

She spotted Ginny on the couch staring into the fire. She hadn't heard her enter and Hermione stood watching her a moment before revealing herself. She looked so content and yet, there was sadness in her eyes too.

She cleared her throat and when Ginny turned to look at her she removed the cloak with a flourish to Ginny's surprised gasp.

"How on earth did you get that from Harry?" She asked awed.

"I asked him to borrow it so I could come find you," she said winking, "Minerva's blocked the tunnel but he might try anyways if he has these," she said showing Ginny the map as well, "now he can't... besides, I know how much his cloak means to him... I don't want him to hand it over. I'll give it back to him as soon as Black is caught." She smiled and put the cloak and map on the chair.

"That's why you want to stay here tonight? So you can't give it back to him in time to go to Hogsmeade?" Ginny said.

"Well, yes... but I also thought it might be nice to just hang out with you for a while..." Hermione trailed off.

"And what are you going to tell him when he asks for them back?" Ginny asked curiously, she needed to steer the conversation away from Hermione had just said.

Hermione went and sat next to Ginny, sighing she replied, "I'll tell him the truth... I've hidden them for his own safety and he can have them back when it's safe again."

"He's not going to like that..."

"I don't really care... I mean what's he going to do? Complain to Minerva about me taking the things he's being using to break the rules all this time?" Hermione said laughing, "I'm doing him a favour... he won't realise that right away... but Harry has his moments, he'll figure it out when I give them back."

"But why do you care, Hermione? I mean the way the two of them have been treating you..."

"I know Gin but Harry and Ron? Up until I started hanging out with the two of you, they were my only friends... plus you forget my promise to dear-old-dad... this way I'm still helping him but I can do it while still spending time with the people I want to be with," she finished, nudging Ginny with her shoulder.

"You're a bit of an evil genius, you know that?" Ginny said awed.

"Not really... I still care about Harry and Ron, even I don't like them much at the moment. He might even assume I gave them to Minerva when he finds the tunnel blocked," Hermione replied, shrugging.

"You know," Ginny started thoughtfully, "You should really learn to play chess... the way you think so many steps ahead, you'd kick Ron's ass."

Hermione laughed, "I already can... I always let him win cause it's the only thing he's any good at."

"But why did you let him take control of Minerva's chess set your first year?"

"I realised about three moves in that she had set it up so a player would have to sacrifice a major piece and Ron had unwisely chosen to be that piece... I figured I had better chance with Harry, than Ron."

"I always wondered why that happened... he's always bragging that he's so good at chess..." Ginny stammered out before losing herself to fit of laughter.

"I also figured that none of the enchantments the teachers had used would be deadly. I doubt even Snape's potion's riddle would have done anything more than put someone to sleep." She smiled, "I must have called out to dear-old-dad without knowing it... that's why he showed up when he did..." she laughed lightly shaking her head.

Ginny was starting to feel nervous about spending the night alone with Hermione. Except for those mornings when Hermione had crawled into bed with her, she hadn't spent the night alone with Hermione since that first night back in her dorm room. And here they didn't have to be worried about being found.

"I'm going to take a quick shower before bed..." Ginny said, "I still smell of dragon dung from Herbology."

"Okay... I'm going to crawl into bed and talk with Rowena until you're done," Hermione said as she stood, "Rowena, can we have our pajamas and a towel for Ginny." When they appeared folded neatly on the bed she said, "Thanks Rowena."

"You're welcome, Hermione."

Ginny went over to the bed and grabbed her pajamas and towel and headed for the bathroom to take a shower. She undressed quickly and got into a warm shower. "Rowena?" She asked softly, "Any chance you have some soap that smells nice?" A bottle appeared and when Ginny opened it opened it to smell it she found it smelled faintly of lavender, "Thank you, Rowena."

As she washed herself she thought again of how uncomfortable she was at the thought of spending the night alone with Hermione and felt the now familiar tingle between her legs. Sighing she reached out and turned off the hot water and stayed under the freezing cold shower until she could no longer stand it.

…

Hermione watched as Ginny headed for the bathroom and sighing went to change into her own pajamas before getting into bed. "Rowena?" She thought as she crawled under the covers, "How aware were you of Minerva and Radha? Went they spent time here, I mean?"

"I could sense Radha the moment she walked in... I knew she was special and I could feel her love for Minerva almost immediately. Being able to feel those two fall in love... it was quite amazing... but I couldn't hear their thoughts as well as I do the three of you, for some reason."

"Maybe because Radha was an Empath and not like me?" Hermione asked.

"Perhaps... I think it has more to do with you magical connection to Ginny... it wasn't until you came to visit with them that I started to notice a change... I could sense Luna, and the things she needed... but when you joined them... I started being able to hear whole conversations..." Rowena explained.

"Just so you know, Minerva has found love again... she's been positively glowing all week."

"I am happy to hear it..."

"Rowena... remember how I told you I'd know if you tried to breach the rings we wear?"

"Yes..."

"I'd like you to try... I'd like to know what it feels like," Hermione thought to her.

"Are you sure? It can be, unnerving..."

"Yes... I told you I know how to do it because I learned from Minerva, it's time to test that theory."

"Whenever you're ready."

"I think you'll know..." Hermione closed her eyes. She concentrated on her ring and asked it to ward against Rowena. Very slowly she felt as though someone was pushing against her brain from the inside. She concentrated even harder and felt the pressure recede.

She sighed and then allowed Rowena back in, "Any luck?" She asked her.

"I couldn't get past the ward of your ring..."

"No, I think you did... that was me."

"You have a very strong mind then, Hermione, because I think I felt you push me out. Well done." Rowena paused a moment, "Just so you know... I wasn't listening to any private conversations between you even before you got your rings... I've always been good at sensing when someone would need something and focus on listening only then."

"That's good to know, Rowena, thank you." She heard the shower turn off and smiled, "Have a good night, Rowena."

"And you Hermione," she let Rowena answer before again shutting her out.

Hermione watched as Ginny made her way to bed and crawl in beside her. She turned on her back so Ginny could lie on her shoulder. She felt Ginny's very cold hand slowly reach across her middle.

"You're freezing, Gin..." Hermione said as she reached to rub Ginny's back to warm her up and pull her closer.

"Shower turned cold for some reason... you're nice and warm though."

"Turn over on your other side... I can warm you up quicker if I'm holding you," Hermione suggested.

Ginny did as she was told and almost moaned aloud when she felt Hermione's arm slide under head and the other wrap around her waist to pull her close.

Ginny reached down to hold Hermione's hand and pull it over her heart. She felt Hermione move and then felt her soft lips on her temple, "Goodnight Gin," she said softly before laying back down.

"So much for the cold shower," Ginny thought as she tried to relax and fall asleep.