Ginny couldn't bring herself to look up as Harry and Ron joined her at the table, no-one had said anything yet and she was starting to get increasingly nervous about when McGonagall was going to figure out their part in Draco's 'accident'. She aimlessly pushed her food around her plate, she couldn't bring herself to eat, she glanced up at the door, hoping Hermione would turn up. What was she thinking? Hermione was with Draco....
"You're quiet", Harry commented darkly from across the table, "Not thinking about going to McGonagall are you?" Ginny didn't even bother to answer and gave Harry an exhasperated look.
"No, but we have to do something don't we? I mean he's alive and Herm' knows what happened, I think...we have to do something", Ginny hissed, hoping that the others on the table were too engrossed in the new gossip about Hermione and Draco to pay attention to her.
"Shut your mouth, someone might hear", Ron replied angrily, Ginny bit her lower lip and looked up at the door, Hermione had entered and was looking slightly lost, she caught Ginny's eye and was about to walk over when she spotted Harry and Ron, she turned and left the room. Ginny didn't even have to hesitate, she got up and walked after her friend, not caring what Harry, Ron or the rest of them thought of her. She broke into a run as soon as she left the hall, wondering where Hermione had disappeared to, she didn't know the girl could move that fast. She caught the sound of footsteps running up the stairs to the dormitory, Ginny sped up and tripped up on one of the steps, making Hermione turn around.
"Hey....", Ginny started with a somewhat embarrassed smile as she lifted herself up and walked to catch up with Hermione. Hermione cocked her head on one side and gave Ginny a smile, a cocky and lopsided smile that made Ginny feel even more stupid about falling over.
"So......Draco okay?", Ginny asked blankly, not sure what else to say and feeling utterly pathetic because of it. Hermione nodded and carried on walking.
"Did you have anything to do with pushing him off?", Hermione asked casually, running her hand along the bannister as she walked. Ginny shook her head vigorously.
"No, I.........I was there.......but I didn't touch him", she replied, glancing away from Hermione. She was surprised when Hermione laughed softly.
"Good, because I was wondering how I'd deal with hating you", she replied, Ginny gave her a slightly confused look before deciding that it wasn't an insult and shrugging.
"Can't say I don't deserve your hate, I mean I have been a bitch lately and.....I've..... I've been ignoring you and stuff", she mumbled, suddenly realizing just how she had been acting over the last few days. Hermione shook her head.
"Nah......stuff's happened, I can't say I've exactly been Miss Available lately what with everything that's going on", she replied. They had reached the top of the stairs and were headed towards the dormitorys.
"But.....I mean.......you've been going out with Draco and all this stuff and best friends are supposed to be there in case anything goes wrong and I wasn't", Ginny explained, wondering how she was going to get Hermione when she kept going on about Draco.
"You make it sound like me and Draco are dating", Hermione laughed, shaking her head and letting her hair tumbled back over her shoulders. Ginny froze before reaching out and taking hold of Hermione's arm, stopping her in her tracks.
"You......you....mean you're not going out?", Ginny asked, it was too good to be true and she didn't want to get her hopes up.
"No", Hermione replied, smiling, "what gave you the idea we were?". Ginny shook her head, not sure that she had heard right, she had been so sure that Hermione and Draco were a couple. She tried to formulate some kind of excuse.
"Well....uh......it's just.....it's going all round school and I thought......", Ginny trailed off, at a loss of what to say next. Hermione leant back against the wall behind her and watched the nervous way Ginny was talking and moving.
"If I were going out with Draco you'd be the first one to know dummy!", Hermione smirked, Ginny looked up in surprise and Hermione added, "You are still my best friend". Ginny felt herself suddenly go weak at the knees and leant on the opposite wall to Hermione for support.
"Are you okay?", Hermione asked, walking over to Ginny and gently touching her shoulder, Ginny nodded.
"Yeah, fine just.......a........bit tired I guess that's all", she mumbled, it had been so long since the girls had been this close without one of them being in tears and Ginny's heart was threatening to burst out of her chest as she looked at the concern in Hermione's eyes.
"I think we better get you to bed", Hermione suggested, she gently lifted Ginny until she was stable on her feet and began walking with her towards their dorms. Ginny knew that in a normal state she would probably be blushing and babbling inane nonsense, but at the moment she felt so thrown by the current events that she couldn't think of a single thing to say. They soon reached Ginny's dorm and Hermione pushed open the door.
"Are you gonna be okay?", she asked as Ginny went over to the bed, Ginny turned and nodded, still unable to make eye contact with her friend. Hermione walked over to Ginny and tilted her head up to check the emotions in her eyes, unsure of what conclusions she could make she frowned and gave up.
"G'night", she said before softly kissing Ginny on the cheek and leaving her to her own turmoil of thoughts. Ginny found herself shaking, what had just happened? Hermione was straight, straight girls don't kiss other girls, even if it was on the cheek. Ginny groaned and threw herself onto the bed, confused and uncertain.