A/N This chapter is dedicated to my favorite eye-rolling queen, the real Eve Berrystraw. Isn't this a hoot, hun? Don't worry, Mr. Science 5, you're still love...I love my bday gift! *wink wink*
Chapter Two
The Subtle Art of Eye Rolling
"Ginny....I just don't know what to do!" Neville cried desperately. Ginny bit her lip. She should've known Neville wasn't as dense as she and Hermione had expected.
"I don't know what to tell you, Neville," Ginny replied.
"HARRY?!" Neville demanded in frustration, and Ginny winced. Yes, it had only taken him about a week to discover Hermione's feelings for Harry. Ginny did want to help the relationship, but at the same time, with Neville out of the way, it would make life easier for Ron...
"Just try TALKING to her," Ginny finally suggested, deciding whatever the outcome would be, it HAD to be better than this! Neville sighed, but nodded.
"I just...I just want to go KICK something!" He cried.
"Go on, Neville," Ginny encouraged. "Everything will be fine."
"Yeah, guess you're right." He mumbled, and ambled off to the library in search of Hermione.
Ginny flopped into the nearest armchair deep in thought. What if Neville and Hermione were to break up? It was almost inevitable at this point. Where would that leave her? Ginny was torn between helping her best friend snare The Boy Who Lived and helping her pathetic brother capture her best friend.
Yes, Ron was pathetic. Ginny couldn't help but laugh at him, lovesick as he was. Yes sir, the love bug had bitten Ron bad. It seemed that there was no conversation to be had that didn't turn back to Hermione, the beautiful, the smart, the untouchable, and the horribly cruel. Without even realizing it, Hermione would say things, terrible things, that kept Ron awake at night. Horrible, yes, but even Ron didn't fail to see the humor in the situation.
After all, it was Ron that had dumped Hermione last year.
Oh yes, he regretted it now. He missed the days when he and Hermione were a couple. Ginny didn't; she had been going out with Harry at the time. Not bad times by any means, but she had come to the conclusion many times that she and Harry were far more compatable as friends.
Ginny could only ponder what to do next. What about poor Harry, who knew nothing of what was going on around him? Ron knew, yes, Ron knew that Hermione's eyes went to his. Not just from his observations, but because she had told him herself! Seeking his advice, she had explained her situation. That, Ginny concluded, was why he needed to tell someone...and told his little sister.
That still didn't answer her question. Now what? Should she stick with her friendship with Hermione? It was true that she and Harry would make an adorable couple. Yet Ron was family! He and Hermione never looked that bad either. Why did everyone come to Ginny for help anyway? Couldn't these people make their own decisions?
"What's up Gin? You look like your head's gonna explode." Ginny turned with relief as Eve Berrystraw, a close friend, plopped down just before her head exploded. Eve, a fellow fifth year, and Ginny had become very close. Ginny hung out with the 'trio', and sometimes took Eve with her.
"Headache," Ginny mumbled, hoping against hope Eve would buy it, even if she WAS feeling her head begin to trob.
"Yeah, sure," Eve rolled her eyes. Ginny sighed. She should've known nothing would get past the blonde blue-eyed Eve. She was a genius; top of fifth year. Ginny pondered, not for the first time, how her two closest friends were top of sixth and fifth year.
"Look, Eve, it's nothing really," Ginny replied, trying to smile. Turn on the acting skills, Gin, she commanded herself.
"It's the Neville-Hermione deal, isn't it?" Eve rolled her eyes again. Her eyes ALWAYS seemed to be rolling. Ginny, along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione on occasion, teased Eve consitantly for this. And what did she do? She rolled her eyes again!
"Um...you could say that, yeah," Ginny replied.
"Honestly, it's just teenage angst Ginny," Eve said, rolling her eyes...again. Ginny snorted. "What?"
"You've rolled your eyes three times during this conversation."
"So?" Eve rolled her eyes again, just for emphasise. She and Ginny dissolved into laughter.
"Seriously, though, you shouldn't get so into the business of the sixth years, especially Harry," Eve continued. "Rita Skeeter might see you two together, and THEN what would you do?"
"Trust me, Harry's not the problem. Well, not really. I mean, Harry's not the BIG problem...er..." Ginny realized she had talked herself into a corner. Eve was looking at her curiously. Ginny gulped; it wouldn't be too hard for Eve to figure everything out if she wanted to. Suddenly, the portrait hole burst open. The two girls spun around to see a miserable Hermione mope into the common room.
"That would be my cue to go." Eve said. "Don't get yourself TOO involved, Gin."
"Too late," Ginny mumbled, but Eve was already gone. Hermione flopped into the chair Eve had been occupying.
"What happened?" Ginny asked in concern. Hermione seemed to be on e the verge of tears.
"We broke up," She replied. "I guess it's for the best, but..." Hermione let out a few sobs. Ginny gave her a hug, and Hermione wiped away her tears.
"Are you going to be okay?" Ginny asked, genuinly worried.
"Yeah," Hermione mumbled, nodding.
"Hermione! What's wrong?" Ron asked, running in from Quidditch practice. Harry went upstairs to shower without a second look around the common room.
"We broke up...Neville and me," Hermione explained. Ron gave her a hug, and Ginny was surprised not to see a smile or anything but sympathy on his face. Really, what HAD gotten into him?
"That's terrible," He said, summoning a box of tissues for her. "He is such an idiot."
"Look who's talking," Hermione joked. "The OTHER guy who dumped me. Does that mean you're an idiot?"
"Yes, it does." Ron replied solomnly. It was one of those moments that Ginny wanted to laugh. The irony...it was priceless!
In the next few days, life continued, as it always does. Neville and Hermione agreed to be friends, Ron offered a shoulder to cry on in a futile attempt to make Hermione realize his feelings (and hopefully return them), and Harry remained completely oblivious. Unfortunately for Ron, the breakup made Hermione's crush on Harry ten times worse.
Saturday morning, almost two weeks after the breakup, found Ginny Weasley desperately trying to work on her History essay. She felt like she was banging her head against a wall!
"Hey Ginny," Ron said, coming down yawning. Ginny looked up, eager for a distraction from the essay.
"What's up?" She asked. Ron looked around (Ginny adopted Eve's philosophy and rolled her eyes; she and Ron were the only ones awake!), and sat down next to her.
"Harry's onto her," He said quietly.
"What?" Ginny asked, confused.
"Hermione!" Ron said, as if this were obvious. When Ginny's expression didn't change, he sighed, lowering his voice even more. "Last night, right before Quidditch practice, Harry asked me if Hermione liked him."
"What did you say?" Ginny gaped. Obviously, Harry wasn't as oblivious as she had thought.
"I wasn't going to lie to him, he's my best friend." Ron sighed. Ginny's eyes bugged out. "Don't even say it," He said, just as she opened her mouth to speak. "He's my best friend.
"Yeah, well, Hermione's my best friend," Ginny countered. "Should I tell her about you?"
"Hell no!" He exclaimed, then regained his whisper-soft tones. "I see your point."
"Of course you do!" Ginny bubbled. He was successfully distracting her from her History essay, why shouldn't she be happy?
"You know, I was talking to Hermione last night, and--"
"Eve!" Ginny exclaimed with unusual zest when she saw her blonde friend. Ron looked rather miffed at being cut off, but smiled at Eve anyway.
"Breakfast anyone?" Eve asked, looking around the common room, which was pointless because only the Weasleys were there. All the early birds had gone down an hour ago.
"Sounds wonderful." Harry said, causing all three of them to jump. He smiled sleepily at them.
"Let's wait for Hermione," Ron said casually. Ginny snorted and Harry, ironically enough, rolled his eyes. Eve looked at the three of them, utterly confused. Then she rolled her eyes.
"There's sleeping beauty now!" Harry exclaimed, grinning at Ron. They turned to see a very grumpy Hermione.
"Breakfast." She said, sticking her hands out like a zombie. "Foooooooood!" Harry, Ron, Ginny and Eve began cracking up, and Hermione managed a grin...a lot for the ultimate un-morning person.
The five of them descended to the Great Hall, eating and talking happily. They came to the conclusion that they should spend the rest of the morning in the Library. Ginny and Eve had to work on their History paper, Hermione...well, you know Hermione and the Library, and Harry and Ron mysteriously didn't object. Curious. Very very curious.
"Okay, I'm going to search for more books." Eve said, dropping a stack in front of Ginny, who jumped.
"I'll look through these...I guess..." Ginny replied, picking up the first 900 page volume.
"God, Eve, what more is there to find?" Ron asked, rolling his eyes.
"Well, I'm trying to find 'The Impact of Mythical Creatures Through the Ages'." Eve explained, as if this were obvious.
"I know where that is!" Harry exclaimed, jumping up. "It's got some great information."
"It had better, after all this trouble of finding it..." Eve's voice, along with Harry's, faded behind the rows of shelves. Hermione stared after them wistfully.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked. Ginny eavesdropped silently from behind Eve's blockade of books.
"You'd never understand." Hermione sighed.
"Try me," Ron insisted.'
"It's just...you don't know what it's like!" She wailed. "To be totally infatuated with a person and they don't even notice!"
"You have no idea," Ron answered solemnly.
"C'mon, let's try this book..." Hermione said, pulling out something for their Charm's research. Ginny was biting her lip with the effort of not laughing. That whole conversation was just...funny!
"So, Gin, get anything productive done?" Eve asked, returning with 'The Impact of Magical Creatures Through the Ages' and several other volumes.
"Uh..." Ginny replied, looking at the tall stack of books she hadn't touched.
"That's what I thought," Eve smirked. Laughing, they plunged into essay research with a vengance.
A few more days, a few more headaches, but Ginny was none the worse for the ware. Besides, the end of the year was coming up. Not that she could escape Ron's whining at home...it would be the source of many a good joke, though.
All in all, it was a pretty happy Ginny who was studying for her Potions test Wednesday. She was staring intently at the ingrediants for a very complex Time-Turning Potion, trying hard to burn an imprint of the page into her mind, when suddenly Eve sat down next to her.
"EUREKA!" Eve exclaimed. Ginny jumped and looked up, going somewhat dizzy by the sight of anything but the crumpled, dog-eared pages of her Potions book.
"What?" She asked, somewhat irritated.
"It's Ron, isn't it?" She asked eagerly.
"What?"
"I mean, I know it doesn't make sense," Eve rambled, as if she hadn't been interrupted. "No sense at all...and yet it does. It makes everything fit..."
"What are you TALKING about, Eve?" Ginny demanded in frustration.
"Ron likes Hermione, and Hermione likes Harry," Eve said simply. Ginny dropped her book. What...how? Ginny opened her mouth to object, but only a few unintelligable syllables.
"How?" Ginny finally managed to say. Eve smiled.
"I'm not top of the class for nothing, you know," She said, flipping her hair. Ginny sighed. Oh well.
"Well, on that note, I'm going to bed." Eve said, smiling becuase she had figured something out. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Honestly, Eve, it's only 9!" She exclaimed.
"So? I need my beauty sleep!" She said, rolling her eyes. Ginny sighed and went back to her Potions book as Eve went upstairs to bed. Only a few moments later, the chair was taken by another occupant.
"Evening, Ginny," He chirped. Ginny looked up to see green eyes and messy black hair.
"Hey, what's up?" She asked.
"Oh nothing," Harry replied. "Just teasing Ron over his 'love'." Harry said, doing a sadly accurate impression of her brother. They started laughing.
"It is funny, isn't it?" Ginny said, sighing as she watched Ron try to start a conversation with a studying Hermione.
"Yeah," Harry replied, smiling at his best friends with pity.
"So," Ginny said casually. "While I'm fixing everyone else's love life, what's going on with you? Who's caught you're fancy?"
"Now, Ginny..."
"So there IS someone!" Ginny exclaimed curiously. She was just kidding! Hmmm...this SHOULD be interesting...
"Well, maybe..." He blushed.
"Oh, no," Ginny said, situating herself into an indian-style sitting reaction. She cocked her head curiously.
"No way, Ginny." He said stubbornly, trying not to laugh and still blushing. "I am NOT telling."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not!"
"Yes you are!
"No I'm not!"
"Can I guess?"
"I suppose..." Harry sighed in defeat.
"Umm...Eve?" She grinned jokingly. Or at least she thought it was a joke...Ginny gasped when Harry's blush deepened. "Eve? No way!"
"Shut up, Ginny!" He said, trying to hide his brick red face.
"Oh my god, this is HILARIOUS!" She said, giggling.
"I'm leaving," Harry muttered, standing and stalking off. Ginny's laughter just increased in volume.
Yet as it subsided, she sighed. Geez, now even Eve was involved! How did THAT happen?!?!?!
Chapter Two
The Subtle Art of Eye Rolling
"Ginny....I just don't know what to do!" Neville cried desperately. Ginny bit her lip. She should've known Neville wasn't as dense as she and Hermione had expected.
"I don't know what to tell you, Neville," Ginny replied.
"HARRY?!" Neville demanded in frustration, and Ginny winced. Yes, it had only taken him about a week to discover Hermione's feelings for Harry. Ginny did want to help the relationship, but at the same time, with Neville out of the way, it would make life easier for Ron...
"Just try TALKING to her," Ginny finally suggested, deciding whatever the outcome would be, it HAD to be better than this! Neville sighed, but nodded.
"I just...I just want to go KICK something!" He cried.
"Go on, Neville," Ginny encouraged. "Everything will be fine."
"Yeah, guess you're right." He mumbled, and ambled off to the library in search of Hermione.
Ginny flopped into the nearest armchair deep in thought. What if Neville and Hermione were to break up? It was almost inevitable at this point. Where would that leave her? Ginny was torn between helping her best friend snare The Boy Who Lived and helping her pathetic brother capture her best friend.
Yes, Ron was pathetic. Ginny couldn't help but laugh at him, lovesick as he was. Yes sir, the love bug had bitten Ron bad. It seemed that there was no conversation to be had that didn't turn back to Hermione, the beautiful, the smart, the untouchable, and the horribly cruel. Without even realizing it, Hermione would say things, terrible things, that kept Ron awake at night. Horrible, yes, but even Ron didn't fail to see the humor in the situation.
After all, it was Ron that had dumped Hermione last year.
Oh yes, he regretted it now. He missed the days when he and Hermione were a couple. Ginny didn't; she had been going out with Harry at the time. Not bad times by any means, but she had come to the conclusion many times that she and Harry were far more compatable as friends.
Ginny could only ponder what to do next. What about poor Harry, who knew nothing of what was going on around him? Ron knew, yes, Ron knew that Hermione's eyes went to his. Not just from his observations, but because she had told him herself! Seeking his advice, she had explained her situation. That, Ginny concluded, was why he needed to tell someone...and told his little sister.
That still didn't answer her question. Now what? Should she stick with her friendship with Hermione? It was true that she and Harry would make an adorable couple. Yet Ron was family! He and Hermione never looked that bad either. Why did everyone come to Ginny for help anyway? Couldn't these people make their own decisions?
"What's up Gin? You look like your head's gonna explode." Ginny turned with relief as Eve Berrystraw, a close friend, plopped down just before her head exploded. Eve, a fellow fifth year, and Ginny had become very close. Ginny hung out with the 'trio', and sometimes took Eve with her.
"Headache," Ginny mumbled, hoping against hope Eve would buy it, even if she WAS feeling her head begin to trob.
"Yeah, sure," Eve rolled her eyes. Ginny sighed. She should've known nothing would get past the blonde blue-eyed Eve. She was a genius; top of fifth year. Ginny pondered, not for the first time, how her two closest friends were top of sixth and fifth year.
"Look, Eve, it's nothing really," Ginny replied, trying to smile. Turn on the acting skills, Gin, she commanded herself.
"It's the Neville-Hermione deal, isn't it?" Eve rolled her eyes again. Her eyes ALWAYS seemed to be rolling. Ginny, along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione on occasion, teased Eve consitantly for this. And what did she do? She rolled her eyes again!
"Um...you could say that, yeah," Ginny replied.
"Honestly, it's just teenage angst Ginny," Eve said, rolling her eyes...again. Ginny snorted. "What?"
"You've rolled your eyes three times during this conversation."
"So?" Eve rolled her eyes again, just for emphasise. She and Ginny dissolved into laughter.
"Seriously, though, you shouldn't get so into the business of the sixth years, especially Harry," Eve continued. "Rita Skeeter might see you two together, and THEN what would you do?"
"Trust me, Harry's not the problem. Well, not really. I mean, Harry's not the BIG problem...er..." Ginny realized she had talked herself into a corner. Eve was looking at her curiously. Ginny gulped; it wouldn't be too hard for Eve to figure everything out if she wanted to. Suddenly, the portrait hole burst open. The two girls spun around to see a miserable Hermione mope into the common room.
"That would be my cue to go." Eve said. "Don't get yourself TOO involved, Gin."
"Too late," Ginny mumbled, but Eve was already gone. Hermione flopped into the chair Eve had been occupying.
"What happened?" Ginny asked in concern. Hermione seemed to be on e the verge of tears.
"We broke up," She replied. "I guess it's for the best, but..." Hermione let out a few sobs. Ginny gave her a hug, and Hermione wiped away her tears.
"Are you going to be okay?" Ginny asked, genuinly worried.
"Yeah," Hermione mumbled, nodding.
"Hermione! What's wrong?" Ron asked, running in from Quidditch practice. Harry went upstairs to shower without a second look around the common room.
"We broke up...Neville and me," Hermione explained. Ron gave her a hug, and Ginny was surprised not to see a smile or anything but sympathy on his face. Really, what HAD gotten into him?
"That's terrible," He said, summoning a box of tissues for her. "He is such an idiot."
"Look who's talking," Hermione joked. "The OTHER guy who dumped me. Does that mean you're an idiot?"
"Yes, it does." Ron replied solomnly. It was one of those moments that Ginny wanted to laugh. The irony...it was priceless!
In the next few days, life continued, as it always does. Neville and Hermione agreed to be friends, Ron offered a shoulder to cry on in a futile attempt to make Hermione realize his feelings (and hopefully return them), and Harry remained completely oblivious. Unfortunately for Ron, the breakup made Hermione's crush on Harry ten times worse.
Saturday morning, almost two weeks after the breakup, found Ginny Weasley desperately trying to work on her History essay. She felt like she was banging her head against a wall!
"Hey Ginny," Ron said, coming down yawning. Ginny looked up, eager for a distraction from the essay.
"What's up?" She asked. Ron looked around (Ginny adopted Eve's philosophy and rolled her eyes; she and Ron were the only ones awake!), and sat down next to her.
"Harry's onto her," He said quietly.
"What?" Ginny asked, confused.
"Hermione!" Ron said, as if this were obvious. When Ginny's expression didn't change, he sighed, lowering his voice even more. "Last night, right before Quidditch practice, Harry asked me if Hermione liked him."
"What did you say?" Ginny gaped. Obviously, Harry wasn't as oblivious as she had thought.
"I wasn't going to lie to him, he's my best friend." Ron sighed. Ginny's eyes bugged out. "Don't even say it," He said, just as she opened her mouth to speak. "He's my best friend.
"Yeah, well, Hermione's my best friend," Ginny countered. "Should I tell her about you?"
"Hell no!" He exclaimed, then regained his whisper-soft tones. "I see your point."
"Of course you do!" Ginny bubbled. He was successfully distracting her from her History essay, why shouldn't she be happy?
"You know, I was talking to Hermione last night, and--"
"Eve!" Ginny exclaimed with unusual zest when she saw her blonde friend. Ron looked rather miffed at being cut off, but smiled at Eve anyway.
"Breakfast anyone?" Eve asked, looking around the common room, which was pointless because only the Weasleys were there. All the early birds had gone down an hour ago.
"Sounds wonderful." Harry said, causing all three of them to jump. He smiled sleepily at them.
"Let's wait for Hermione," Ron said casually. Ginny snorted and Harry, ironically enough, rolled his eyes. Eve looked at the three of them, utterly confused. Then she rolled her eyes.
"There's sleeping beauty now!" Harry exclaimed, grinning at Ron. They turned to see a very grumpy Hermione.
"Breakfast." She said, sticking her hands out like a zombie. "Foooooooood!" Harry, Ron, Ginny and Eve began cracking up, and Hermione managed a grin...a lot for the ultimate un-morning person.
The five of them descended to the Great Hall, eating and talking happily. They came to the conclusion that they should spend the rest of the morning in the Library. Ginny and Eve had to work on their History paper, Hermione...well, you know Hermione and the Library, and Harry and Ron mysteriously didn't object. Curious. Very very curious.
"Okay, I'm going to search for more books." Eve said, dropping a stack in front of Ginny, who jumped.
"I'll look through these...I guess..." Ginny replied, picking up the first 900 page volume.
"God, Eve, what more is there to find?" Ron asked, rolling his eyes.
"Well, I'm trying to find 'The Impact of Mythical Creatures Through the Ages'." Eve explained, as if this were obvious.
"I know where that is!" Harry exclaimed, jumping up. "It's got some great information."
"It had better, after all this trouble of finding it..." Eve's voice, along with Harry's, faded behind the rows of shelves. Hermione stared after them wistfully.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked. Ginny eavesdropped silently from behind Eve's blockade of books.
"You'd never understand." Hermione sighed.
"Try me," Ron insisted.'
"It's just...you don't know what it's like!" She wailed. "To be totally infatuated with a person and they don't even notice!"
"You have no idea," Ron answered solemnly.
"C'mon, let's try this book..." Hermione said, pulling out something for their Charm's research. Ginny was biting her lip with the effort of not laughing. That whole conversation was just...funny!
"So, Gin, get anything productive done?" Eve asked, returning with 'The Impact of Magical Creatures Through the Ages' and several other volumes.
"Uh..." Ginny replied, looking at the tall stack of books she hadn't touched.
"That's what I thought," Eve smirked. Laughing, they plunged into essay research with a vengance.
A few more days, a few more headaches, but Ginny was none the worse for the ware. Besides, the end of the year was coming up. Not that she could escape Ron's whining at home...it would be the source of many a good joke, though.
All in all, it was a pretty happy Ginny who was studying for her Potions test Wednesday. She was staring intently at the ingrediants for a very complex Time-Turning Potion, trying hard to burn an imprint of the page into her mind, when suddenly Eve sat down next to her.
"EUREKA!" Eve exclaimed. Ginny jumped and looked up, going somewhat dizzy by the sight of anything but the crumpled, dog-eared pages of her Potions book.
"What?" She asked, somewhat irritated.
"It's Ron, isn't it?" She asked eagerly.
"What?"
"I mean, I know it doesn't make sense," Eve rambled, as if she hadn't been interrupted. "No sense at all...and yet it does. It makes everything fit..."
"What are you TALKING about, Eve?" Ginny demanded in frustration.
"Ron likes Hermione, and Hermione likes Harry," Eve said simply. Ginny dropped her book. What...how? Ginny opened her mouth to object, but only a few unintelligable syllables.
"How?" Ginny finally managed to say. Eve smiled.
"I'm not top of the class for nothing, you know," She said, flipping her hair. Ginny sighed. Oh well.
"Well, on that note, I'm going to bed." Eve said, smiling becuase she had figured something out. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Honestly, Eve, it's only 9!" She exclaimed.
"So? I need my beauty sleep!" She said, rolling her eyes. Ginny sighed and went back to her Potions book as Eve went upstairs to bed. Only a few moments later, the chair was taken by another occupant.
"Evening, Ginny," He chirped. Ginny looked up to see green eyes and messy black hair.
"Hey, what's up?" She asked.
"Oh nothing," Harry replied. "Just teasing Ron over his 'love'." Harry said, doing a sadly accurate impression of her brother. They started laughing.
"It is funny, isn't it?" Ginny said, sighing as she watched Ron try to start a conversation with a studying Hermione.
"Yeah," Harry replied, smiling at his best friends with pity.
"So," Ginny said casually. "While I'm fixing everyone else's love life, what's going on with you? Who's caught you're fancy?"
"Now, Ginny..."
"So there IS someone!" Ginny exclaimed curiously. She was just kidding! Hmmm...this SHOULD be interesting...
"Well, maybe..." He blushed.
"Oh, no," Ginny said, situating herself into an indian-style sitting reaction. She cocked her head curiously.
"No way, Ginny." He said stubbornly, trying not to laugh and still blushing. "I am NOT telling."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not!"
"Yes you are!
"No I'm not!"
"Can I guess?"
"I suppose..." Harry sighed in defeat.
"Umm...Eve?" She grinned jokingly. Or at least she thought it was a joke...Ginny gasped when Harry's blush deepened. "Eve? No way!"
"Shut up, Ginny!" He said, trying to hide his brick red face.
"Oh my god, this is HILARIOUS!" She said, giggling.
"I'm leaving," Harry muttered, standing and stalking off. Ginny's laughter just increased in volume.
Yet as it subsided, she sighed. Geez, now even Eve was involved! How did THAT happen?!?!?!