Halloween came quickly, by which we had learned almost every counter curse invented and transfigured the largest elephants into mice. Fleur didn't go any easier on us as snow started to gather on the grounds and the lake turned a hard slab of ice. She preferred to have her lessons outside as we had more space and got chances to observe the other students in class. Snape was much fairer to the house than he was a few months ago. Harry and Ron were surprisingly as good as I was at potions now that Snape wasn't on their case all the time. Neville Longbottom had build upon his confidence and now looked Snape straight in the eye (although he did cower and shudder every now and then) when they talked.

One of the evenings Katie Bell walked up to Harry and Ron and said-

'Hi Harry, Ron. Well, we have to decide when to hold the Quidditch try outs. I'm captain now you see and we really need to start practicing but I have my NEWTs and all'

And they arranged a match for the Thursday after Halloween; I had this weird idea of trying out this year. I couldn't be that bad, Ginny would surely help me so there was a chance I could be once of the next Gryffindor chasers.

Finally Halloween arrived and the feast approached.

'I don't believe it' said Ron who was in a deep conversation with Harry and Ginny.

'What?' I said, settling myself down beside Harry.

'It's been about two and a half months since the whole magical world believed that Voldemort's back and yet no attacks. It's just strange isn't it?' said Harry.

'Well, V-v-Voldemort must know that all the aurors are looking for him so there is no way he can hide for long. Everyone knows how he looks and all so why doesn't he kill everyone before he is found?' said Ginny.

'Maybe he is living in the Riddle house' said Ron.

'Nahh... he wouldn't. He hates that house, too many memories' said Harry, glaring at the table.

I was quiet, taking in everyone's opinions.

'Is there any place they haven't looked yet?'

'Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. The ministry thought that Voldemort would have fled after what happened in the Department of Mysteries'

'Well, the death eaters haven't escaped yet. With emphasis on the YET'

'Zey won't be in zeir for long' said a cool, female voice from behind Ron.

Fleur Delacour had walked from the teachers table and sat beside Ron, who blushed immediately.

'Umm... hello Professor. Delacour' said Ron.

Ginny nodded and Harry smiled. I automatically smiled at her as well.

'Don't mind if I sit here do you?' said Fleur.

'No' said Ron, quickly.

'Well, I actually wanted to talk to you Harry' she said.

'Okay?' said Harry.

'I seem to know zat you started zis Dumbledore's Army zingy last year. I was wondering if you would set it up again, just for practice'

'Oh, well we stopped last year because Umbridge caught us'

'She isn't here anymore now ees she?'

'Does Dumbledore know?'

'Oui, he knows. He recommended ze super idea'

'Okay then, when do we start'

'Anytime you like, and thank you very much. I reelly appreciate eet'

She kneeled over and gave Harry a quick kiss on his cheek.

She looked at Ron and said 'You 'ave improved a lot in your school work. You must help

Harry out as well' she said, kissing him on the cheek as well.

She walked away as Ginny started sniggering.

'What!' Ron and Harry snapped at Ginny, both of them looking pretty shocked from what just happened.

'Well, sure she is pretty and all that but it won't help you much once people know that a teacher just kissed you'

Harry and Ron looked uncomfortable as they went back to eating their dinner.

The next morning Ron and Ginny sat playing wizard chess while Harry wrote a letter to Lupin. IT turned out that Ginny was worse than Harry when it came to Wizard Chess; she kept on scowling at the knights and once or twice at Ron who had a gloating smile plastered on his face.

Shouldn't you be studying for your OWLs?' I said, settling down beside an angry Ginny.

'Hey, I have still got months to go' mumbled Ginny, taking out some magic nail varnish from a leather pouch.

'You have to decide what you have to do in future and study hard for the subjects coming up' I said, persistently.

'Quit nagging me Hermione, if I don't do well I can always join Fred and George in their joke shop'

I looked hurt and mumbled a sorry.

Ginny shrugged and said 'No, I should be sorry. You are just looking out for me, which by the way is my brother's job and yet...'

I glanced at Ron who was examining Ginny's nail varnish. Ginny sniggered and then walked over to Harry, who held up a hand and pulled Ginny onto the floor by the fireplace. Ginny smiled and sat down beside him. I growled to myself as anger flamed up inside me. Before I knew what I was doing I walked up to Harry and sat down beside him, making him and Ginny jump in surprise.

'Umm... hey Hermione' said Harry, flashing me a lopsided smile.

'You want to go down for lunch?'

'Umm... you wanna come as well Ginny?' Harry asked.

Ginny looked at me and understood my pleading look immediately, 'No thanks. I'll help Ron to figure out why girls use make up' she said, smirking.

I smiled happily as we walked down the stairs towards the great hall, Luna Lovegood was standing by the door, looking extremely scared.

'Hi Luna, what's wrong?' said Harry, walking up to her.

'You seen Ginny?' said Luna, shivering slightly.

'Yeah, she's in the common room. Why?'

'I need to talk to her. Hey, can you tell her to meet me by the lake on the weekend?'

'Uh... sure'

Harry and I sat down at the Gryffindor table.

'What was all that about?' I asked, helping myself to eggs.

'Dunno, oh well. I'm starving' said Harry, piling his plate with bacon.

'Anyways, Hogsmeade weekend is coming up. You wanna go?' I said, casually.

Harry spluttered into his plate as I turned red.

'Are- a- are you asking me out?' he said, blushing furiously.

'I suppose I am, why, won't I like the answer?' I said, smiling.

'Well, I suppose we could. It'll be cool. Sure, meet you at the Gryffindor common room on Saturday after the next?' said Harry, finally turning to normal colours.

I smiled, a little too triumphantly as Ginny joined us. Harry looked up and smiled, I smiled as well.

'Hey, you guys want to join me on the Hogsmeade weekend?' said Ginny, hopefully.

Harry blushed immediately and looked extremely interested in his breakfast.

'Sorry, we have stuff to do' Harry mumbled.

'What kind of stuff?' said Ginny, looking distinctly disappointed.

'Well we have umm... tell her Hermione' said Harry, looking sympathetically towards Ginny.

'We are, well, we are kind of going out' I said, beaming.

Ginny's face lit up and she beamed at me then at Harry.

'I'm proud of you Harry. You have picked a great girl' said Ginny.

Harry looked at Ginny sadly and forced a smile. That's when I knew that there was something going on but I didn't really bother.

'I suppose I'll practice my flying that day. You two have a great time' she said getting up, and stuffing her pockets with toast.

She flashed a smile as she walked out of the hall.

Ginny helped Ron with his Potions homework that afternoon as Harry and I walked towards the lake. We saw the sunset and Harry was unusually impatient about it. We walked back to the castle as it turned dark and found Ginny and Ron sitting by the fireplace with extremely worried looks on their faces. Ginny looked up, revealing a tear-stained face as we walked into the common room.

'What's wrong?' I said.

'Percy...' Ron croaked, he looked on the verge of tears.

'What about him?' asked Harry, raising an eyebrow.

'Death eaters... they, got him. I mean he's... he was ambushed' said Ginny, she burst into tears and buried her face into Ron's chest.

'What! When did this happen?' I said, patting Ginny.

'A few hours ago, mom just talked to us through floo powder. It was Lucius Malfoy, he Goyle and that Lestrange woman' said Ron, staring at the fireplace.

'I know he walked out on us, but he's still our brother!!' Ginny sobbed.

'And Fudge, he's arresting Percy for killing Goyle. It was for self defence, he didn't do a killing curse but he did the diffindo spell on that guy's throat and ended up tearing him into pieces' said Ron.

'They are arresting Percy' Harry exclaimed, he walked over to Ron and put a hand on her shoulder.

Ginny whimpered and then ran up to the girl's dormitories. Ron opened his mouth to call her back but Harry shook his head.

'Is there going to be trial? I mean he should at least get a chance to have his saying!' I said, outraged.

'Yes, there's a trial. But it's no use, is it? Fudge is too embarrassed of the fact that Dad was right and he wasn't and that everyone knows that he hired Percy to spy on Dumbledore. He wanted something on the family...' said Ron, his ears turning red.

'What about lawyers? If Percy has a good lawyer, he can get off' I said.

'I know but, that is not the point. Fudge has got permanent hatred towards us and his dream is to have a good reason to put all of us in Azkaban' said Ron, he got up and picked up his bag.

'Where are you going?' asked Harry.

'I'm hitting the hay. Really tired, I have to think about what happened. Should take care of Ginny. Shouldn't let her get into trouble' Ron mumbled thickly.

Harry made to follow Ron but didn't. He walked up to me and placed a brief kiss on my cheek and the walked to the boy's dormitory.

I smiled to myself as I walked to bed as well. It seemed this whole going out with Harry thing was going to work out after all.