August 6th 1995
9.14 am
"Morning, Harry!"
"Good morning, Hermione. Hi, Ginny," Harry nodded his greetings to the two girls already seated at the table. Stacks of toast and waffles were heaped randomly around the table. Fred and George were yawning but dressed, and Ron was smiling one of his first real smiles for a few days.
Fred frowned mockingly. "The Great Harry Potter does not deign to wish us a good morning? His Highness is obviously in a foul mood on this fair dawn, do you not agree, Sir George?"
George replied with a perfectly straight face, "I feel snubbed, Lord Frederick. I must now hang myself from the attic."
Contented laughter carried into the kitchen, where Molly Weasley was bringing out maple syrup and vanilla ice cream. There was a way-out-of-proportion commotion as Ginny and Fred fought for the syrup. During the hubbub, Ron looked at Harry and Hermione. "Are you going tonight, then?" he asked in a lowered voice.
Hermione was startled. "How did you know?"
Ron raised an eyebrow. "Well, I am psychic, you know."
Harry playfully smacked Ron across the back of the head. "I told you last night, you twonk!"
"Well, that would be a yes then, no?"
"You're not mad at us because we want to go, are you Ron?" Hermione enquired anxiously.
Ron made a sound approximating "Nah", and Hermione took that positively. "That's settled then," she grinned cheerily into the sudden silence. "Anyone for a game of Splat?"
* * * * * * *
11.59am
Over lunch, Molly Weasley made a shocking pronouncement. "Tonight, Arthur and I will be attending a gala ball for Ministry employees. Can I trust all you children to amuse yourselves in the house after eight pm?"
(Alright, not that shocking. I was just trying to make it interesting)
Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance. Today would be the day, then. All they had to do was wait.
* * * * * * *
After what seemed an eternally long time, Mr and Mrs. Weasley left for their gala ball. Ron had, reluctantly, agreed to distract everyone else while Harry and Hermione made their getaway on their respective brooms. The snag was that it was a LOT easier said than done.
Ron yawned widely and convincingly. "It's been a long day. I think I'll go to bed. What about you guys, Harry and Hermione?"
George, who was the only other person in the room apart from the Terrible Three, goggled until his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Ron," he spluttered, "It's eight thirty. How can you be sleepy at this very early hour?"
Ron said, "Maybe it's the fact that I stayed up half the night…"
"Doing what, exactly?" George's tone was laced with suspicion.
Harry interrupted, "I think I'm going to take a walk. Anyone want to come?"
Hermione stood up. "Me too, I mean, I'll tag along. It's nice out." Unfortunately, Ginny had wandered in and also volunteered to ramble in the dark.
Ron muttered, "Good luck" to Hermione as she passed him. Hermione whispered in reply, "Sure you don't want to come? It'll be some great adventure." She wasn't sure if he'd heard or not.
Outside, they tried very hard to shake Ginny. They tried every range of excuses from "you ought to be in bed by now" and "there are snakes in the grass" to "the boogeyman will eat anyone younger than 15". Finally Ginny, looking slightly hurt, said, "You know, if you guys don't want me around, I understand."
Hermione hurriedly said, "No, Gin, we like you, but…"
"We want to be alone so we can make out." Harry interjected with a completely serious expression on his face.
Ginny glanced from one to the other and giggled. Without another word, she turned and left, calling, "Ron! Wait till you hear this!"
As the pair mounted their brooms, Hermione uttered darkly, "Harry Potter, if we come out of this alive, I swear I am going to murder you."
* * * * * * *
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