After class, Hermione caught Ginny coming out of Charms class.
"Hey Ginny!" she called, running up beside her friend.
"Oh, hey 'Mione! What have you been up to lately?"
"Oh, you know, the usual… you?"
"Well I've been on a few dates with Draco. He has a really sweet side…" Ginny went on explaining her and Draco's dates. Hermione thought she was going to be sick. Ginny was so happy with Draco.
Am I really going to follow through with my plan? Oh, yes you are, remember, you want Draco back.
But this is one of my best friends here!
So..?
I can't do that to her. It would be awful… it would haunt me for the rest of my life.
At least you would have Draco.
Hermione ignored her conscious. She was not going to hurt Ginny. The couple found themselves walking back to the Gryffindor Common Room. They walked in silence for quite a while. Finally Ginny spoke up.
"Hermione, do you still love Draco?"
"No, we broke up."
"That wasn't the question," Ginny replied.
"No, why?"
"Well because you have seemed down ever since he broke up with you. And since I started dating him, you have kinda kept your distance from me."
"Well, I, er, have been busy with a lot of studying. I have to study for exams and stuff."
"Hermione! Exams are in like, forever!" Ginny practically yelled.
"Well a little bit of studying for a while will help me."
"Hermione! You are the brightest witch of your age! You have nothing to worry about! For crying out loud, you could do anything you wanted to! And it is OKAY to miss a few questions on those exams you are taking!" Ginny stresses the 'is okay' to make it more clear for Hermione. Hermione is very clever, but obviously doesn't have common sense when she needs it.
"Er, Hermione?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to come with me to Hogsmeade this weekend?"
"Is Draco going?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Well, if you get a date I was thinking so, but if not, then me and him will go on Friday night, and us two can go on Saturday. I promise we'll have a good time." Ginny gave Hermione a hopeful look.
Hermione sighed. "Well if I find a date, I'll go with you and Draco…" What in the name of Merlin did I get myself into?
"Thank you Hermione! I love you!" Ginny gave Hermione a big hug and kissed her on the cheek.
Hermione sighed. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe she would have a good time. And she could see were Ginny and Draco's weaknesses were. This was turning out better than she thought before.
"Merlin!" she yelled to herself. She quickly ran upstairs to the Girl's Dorms and reached for her Arithmancy book. The parchment Plan E wasn't on her night stand where she had left it. Where could it be? she thought, desperately looking all over the place with it. Maybe someone hid it as a prank. But her other parchment was still on the table. Hmm… Hermione gave a final glance and hurried off to class. Thank Heavens the Arithmancy was near the Gryffindor Common Room.
After Arithmancy, Hermione hurried off to the library to start on her essay. She grabbed five books, and seated herself in her usual seat. Everyone knew not to sit there, because it was Hermione's seat, and she was always in the library. She wasn't very far in her essay, when she heard giggling and whispering. She got out of her seat and hid behind a bookshelf. Oh Merlin! It was Ginny and Draco. How, he seems so much more gorgeous now than ever.. Look at those dreamy eyes, and his perfect silver blonde hair… Hermione quickly snapped back into reality as Ginny and Draco rounded the corner to the bookshelf where Hermione was. She quickly grabbed the nearest book and power-walked to her seat. Ginny and Draco followed her.
Hermione pretended to just notice them. "Hey Ginny, Draco." There was a slight bitterness in her voice when she spoke his name. "What's up Ginny?"
"Not much. Er, are you still up on going to Hogsmeade this Saturday?"
"Er, I'm not sure…" Hermione bit her lip.
"Well I know this boy that wants to take you, so you can go with him. He is kind of too shy to ask you."
Hermione looked at Draco, and quickly back at Ginny. "Well what house is he in?"
"Ravenclaw. He is a fifth year too."
"What is his name?"
" Nate Smith."
"Okay, I'll talk to him, and tell you later, maybe tonight if we see each other…"
"Er, I'm not sure. I might go, er, to bed early tonight. And I know how you stay in the Library late."
"Well I'll see you around Ginny." Hermione and Ginny waved good-bye, and Draco slipped his arm around Ginny's waist. Just then Draco seen Ron come into the library. He pushed himself and Ginny behind a bookshelf. Ron started their way. Ginny saw what was happening, and quickly got out of Draco's grasp. They ran separate ways. Ron called after Ginny as she flew by him, but she ignored him. When the couple met back up, they had relief in their eyes and they laughed.
"That was close." Ginny sighed.
"I didn't know Weasel actually came into the library." Draco commented, rather rudely.
"Even if he is my stupid older brother, he is smart," Ginny replied sternly.
"Sorry my darlin' little Red. I didn't mean to insult you."
"Hermione?" Ron asked as he reached her table.
"Hmm?" Hermione replied, not even bothering to look up.
"What exactly was my sister doing running through the library like there was a fire?"
Hermione looked up. Should she tell the truth? No, she would defend her best friend. Or the plan wouldn't go accordingly. And it needed to.
"Er, she said she forgot to get her detention pass from Snape."
"Oh, okay…" He gave Hermione one last glance and turned to leave. Then he turned back to face her. " 'Mione? Is there anything you want to talk to me or Harry about? You seem kind of down or something."
"No, never better."
"Okay, see you around. Are you coming to lunch today?"
"I'll try to squeeze in a few minutes for it. I'll see though. I have a lot of homework to do."
"Hermione, why don't you drop a few classes? That way you could spend more time with me…" Ron replied. "And Harry," he added quickly.
"No, Ronald. We've already had this conversation. I'm not about to drop classes. I have to learn as much as I can to widen my job opportunities."
"Oh, okay. Bye 'Mione."
"Bye Ron. Hey!" she called.
"Hmm?"
"I promise you I'll be at lunch today. Okay?"
"Okay!" Ron said cheerfully. Hermione watched him walk away. Wow, I know Ron missed me when they weren't talking to me… She finished up the rest of the paragraph, and closed all the books. She grabbed the two that she hadn't looked at and went to check them out. When she came back to grab her things, someone was sitting at her table. Who in the name is that? As she approached the boy, she noticed that his robes were representing Ravenclaw. This must be Nate Smith. "Er, hi?" Hermione said.
"Er, hi." Nate said, not making eye contact with Hermione.
"WillyougotoHogsmeadewithmeonSaturday?" he asked very fast.
"I'd love to. Is it okay if we have a double date with my friend and her date?" Hermione asked. Nate finally looked her in the eyes.
"Er, sure." He gave her a big smile and walked away, almost skipping. The plan will go as planned. So far, so good.
Hermione grabbed the rest of her things and stuffed them in her bag. She looked at her clock. Oh Merlin! She was almost going to miss lunch! She rushed out of the library. She ran down the corridor to the Great Hall, when she ran into Draco and Ginny making out. Ewe… ugh.. That should, and will be me… When Hermione was about ten feet away from them, Ginny pulled away.
"Hey 'Mione!" Ginny called happily.
"Hi."
"Do you have a date yet?"
"Yes." Hermione replied. "What time are we leaving?"
"Er ," Ginny said uncertainly. "What time do you think Draco?"
"How about 2? It starts slowing down about then." Draco replied, coming up beside Ginny.
"Okay, so how about 2?" Ginny asked.
"Fine." Hermione replied.
As she started walking away, she heard Draco and Ginny go at it again. Ugh… were they that loud when they made out? Hermione ran towards the Great Hall ,slowing down as she approached the entrance.
When she walked in, the familiar sound of gay chatter and the aroma of the delicious food hit Hermione. Merlin, I'm glad to be back in here, instead of going into the kitchens and sneaking food from there for the day. She laughed at her thought as she went to join Harry and Ron. "Hey 'Mione!" Harry and Ron greeted Hermione.
"Hey Guys!" she replied, sitting across from Ron and Harry. She looked at the empty seat beside her. "Is that one saved for anyone?"
Harry nodded. "Ginny. But we don't think she will be joining us today. She's been skipping a lot of lunches since after the day she went to talk to you about classes…"
"Classes?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, she said you helped her decide which class to choose from…" Ron replied.
"No, she didn't talk to me about classes." Hermione said.
"Then what did my sister talk to you about Hermione?" Ron asked, frightened.
"She wanted me to help her decide if she should go ou--" she suddenly stopped herself. Should she tell Ron and Harry? They were her best friends. They were supposed to tell each other everything. But Ginny was her other best friend, and you couldn't go and spill your BF's secrets either.
"Yes?" Harry and Ron chorused.
"She… came to talk to me about… boys."
"Why?" demanded Ron.
"Because she wanted me to help her decide if she should go out with someone…" Hermione replied, choosing her words carefully.
"Who was it?" Ron was cracking his knuckles.
"Er…"I will not tell. It will ruin the plan. Ginny will know that it was me… "Er, I don't remember."
"Who was--" Ron was interrupted as Ginny came darting into the Great Hall.
"Nice to see you here," Harry said nicely to Ginny.
"You too." She sat down and began to pile her plate quickly, stuffing everything on there that was reachable.
"So," Ron said, "Gin, who is this new boyfriend of yours?" Ginny gave Hermione a frightened look.
"Er," Ginny was about to make up the first name that came to her mind, when she was interrupted by Hermione.
"Oh, I remember now! It was Greg Street!" Ginny gave her a thankful look. Hermione smiled back.
"Well, why couldn't Ginny of answered that?"
"I dunno… I just felt like saying it, since you asked me before…"
"So Ginny, why did you decide to come to lunch?" Harry asked.
"Snape was going around, and he caught these 3rd years and gave them detention for a week because they said they weren't hungry. I didn't want detention, so I ran here instead."
"You mean another detention?" Ron asked, his jaws clenched.
"Huh?" Ginny asked.
"Oh, Ginny, I forgot to give this to you. Snape gave it to me because he said you forgot it after class." Hermione announced quickly stuffing a piece of parchment into Ginny's hands.
"It doesn't say any--" Hermione gave Ginny a warning look. "Oh, just kidding guys. I am so blind."
"Let me see." Ron demanded.
"No!" Hermione and Ginny said together.
"It's tonight at 8." Hermione said the same time Ginny said "It's tomorrow at 7."
"Which one is it?" Harry asked.
'Tomorrow at 7," Hermione said the same time Ginny replied "Tonight at 8."
"You mean you have two?" Harry asked, confused.
"No." Hermione said, the said the same time Ginny said "Yes."
"Er."
"Yes" Hermione said, and Ginny said "No."
"ER…"
"I have it tonight at 8." Ginny said quickly. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. They were caught in the act, but Harry and Ron were too stupid to figure it out. Before they could work it out, Hermione and Ginny, who grabbed a sandwich, ran out of the Great Hall.
"That was close." Hermione said between breaths.
"Yes," Ginny replied. "So why did you tell them I had detention, and about my boyfriend?"
"They asked, but I made up the boyfriend part, because they said that you said that you were coming to talk to me about classes, but I told them the truth without realizing it, and I had to catch myself, and then Ron asked about why you were running out of the Library so I told him something else because I didn't want him getting mad at me for not telling him you were going out with Malfoy." Hermione said this all very fast, but somehow Ginny managed to understand.
"Gee, thanks 'Mione!" Ginny walked over and gave Hermione a hug. Hermione felt a sting of guilt. All that was going to happen at Hogwarts was going to be her fault.
